This is Ebin's 5th Birthday, August 2015. they went to the Knoxville Zoo.
Click on the link above for pictures!!!  Happy Birthday Ebin!!

 

 

 

Declan's 3rd Birthday Nov. 6, 2015 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1098876786796872&set=pcb.1098876920130192&type=3&theater

This was a magical day, August 1, 2015, Knoxville, TN.

Our Last Trip To NYC

Well, we just returned from a 4 day stay in New York City and have decided that that was our last trip to the Big Apple.  We've done all that we want to do ( this was our 3rd trip) and have seen all that we've wanted to see so there's not much of a reason to return.  Besides - it's so freaking expensive.  And the traffic... and the people... just too much.  The city is a stinky nasty mess.  I swear to God, the only time I heard English was when someone was talking directly to us.  Otherwise is was mainly Spanish.  Unbelievable.   Even some of the so called "famous" places to eat sucked.  My best meal was a burger at Schnippers Quality Kitchen (http://www.schnippers.com/).

I know that we walked miles and miles ( 6 miles on Sat.) in the past few days and our legs are sore!  This was a great trip and we had a lot of fun, so there's no regrets at all.  Just no need to go back to a place where English is considered a second language now days!  LOL

We stayed at the Candlewood Suites Hotel located just a few minutes walk from Times Square  and really enjoyed the room as it had a small kitchen in the room.  Very handy for bring home left overs and chilling our mixes for our cocktails!

One of the things on Kathy's bucket list was to eat at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station, so that was checked off the list on our first full day.

View from the World Trade Center One

Kathy Burnett

This is looking out the window from the 101st floor on the new World Trade Center.

RIP Maddie

Resting in the co-pilots seat in our RV

Maddie came into our lives in November, 2010.  We were volunteering at JHS, and the staff knew we had recently lost Elvis, another rescued Cocker Spaniel.  One of the staff came running into the yard, to tell us that the following Monday, a Cocker named “Mattie” was being returned because the adopters did not want to take care of her horribly infected ears.  We said, “sign us up and please call when she gets here”.  It was the longest weekend of my life.  We got the call and drove straight away to JHS.  Mattie (we renamed her Maddie in honor of little Maddie Clifton) had just been owner surrendered about an hour before.  We walked up slowly to her kennel.  She was scared and confused and dirty and peed everywhere.  We fell in love.  After a quick visit with the vet, we were allowed to take her home.  You see, Maddie had been used by a backyard breeder for approximately 5 or 6 years.  She never had any vet care.  We will never know who used her, but apparently they dumped her when she was of no use to them.  The people who adopted her the first time could not deal with the fact that Maddie didn't know how to play, she never understood what a toy was, she had food aggression and her ears were a horrendous mess.  But we didn't care.  We got her the best food, the softest bed, never ending vet care and showered her with love for the next 5 years. She spent a year on the road with us in our RV and saw lots of the USA. Sadly, her arthritis had gotten to the point where she could barely stand.  She would hide in the corner looking confused.  We made a promise to her and to each other that when the day came, we would let her cross with dignity and on August 26th, 2015 Maddie went to the bridge to heal and learn how to be a puppy.  If even one person reads this and realizes that these innocent angels are forced to breed for profit, then her life and death will not have been in vain.  Please, spread the word.  Adopt, Don't Shop.  RIP Maddie.  We will see you again. 

We will always remember you Maddie.
Love, Kathy and Steve

Just a sweet dog!

We took Maddie with us to a cabin in the mountains of TN on our vacation. 
She made her own bed in our luggage! LOL

River Taxi Ride Pictures at Jacksonville Landing with Declan, Papa Steve and Mia.

Easter in TN 2015

Had a ball with the kids in Tennessee Easter 2015.  They are growing up so quickly!  Short video of "my boys" playing.  I love you all.

Oh my gosh, I think I just made a You Tube video of all the pics from Easter WITHOUT ANY HELP FROM PAPA STEVE!!

But wait!  There's more!  Here's a video of the crew on Easter Sunday taken by Papa Steve AFTER the Easter Egg Hunt.
As you can see - the only people awake are the kids... and of course Steve who shot the video. LOL



MuMu and Squirrels

                       Our dog, MuMu loves chasing the squirrels behind our house - which is full of them.