|

|

Happy Easter! #CoffeeTalk

Coffee Talk + My Daily Looks

Greetings and happy Easter! I’m happy to report a gloriously beautiful morning here in eastern PA, very fitting for Easter Sunday.

Who remembers the Sandi Patti song, Was It A Morning Like This? It’s been running through my head all morning.

When I’m able, I always go for a run on Easter Sunday mornings before church, and I like to play Sandi Patti’s Was It A Morning Like This? and Steve Green’s Easter Song.

I know, I know. The 1980s called and they want their Christian mix tape back, ha! But I have a feeling there are a few of you who will know exactly which songs I am talking about.

Unfortunately I cannot run today due to a nagging hip injury, but I can get out and walk, and I plan to do that as soon as the temperatures warm up. It’s chilly right now, but it’s supposed to climb into the mid-60s by afternoon.

My neighborhood is beautiful right now with so many flowering trees, and the farm on the property is so lush and green. The cows are usually outside grazing, and in the evenings, the cicadas sing. I can almost forget about everything going on in the world when I’m out there.

Speaking what’s going on in the world, we got word on Thursday that PA schools are officially closed for the rest of the year.

We’re behind many other states on this, which is odd because we were one of the first to shut down, but I think it’s because our school year goes into June, and many who were canceled already were supposed to end in May.

I was hoping they might be holding out to do something in June to give the kids and teachers some closure, but alas. It was not meant to be.

I know it’s for the best, and I’m thankful this wasn’t a milestone year for any of my kids, but it’s still sad. My youngest, especially, had so much she was looking forward to this spring. While not exactly a milestone year, it is her last year of middle school.

Anyway. It is what it is, and at least now we can plan accordingly. I’m just glad our mitigation efforts seem to be working. It looks like we’re flattening the curve, and we’re going to get through this.

Unfortunately, it may be a while yet before we can start getting back to normal.

If the coronavirus hadn’t shut it down, we would be at a resort on the Eastern Shore of Maryland right now.

I’m sad to be missing our trip, but somewhat comforted by the fact that it’s been too cold to really enjoy it… although I guess it’s going to be nice this afternoon.

Our stay was supposed to be Friday to Monday, so we would have had one nice poolside day, I guess.

Anyway. It was clearly not meant to be. I feel like I’m saying that a lot lately!

Case in point, we’ve officially rescheduled our 25th wedding anniversary trip to Paris for May 2021.

We weren’t able to get a refund on our apartment, but they gave us 80% of our rental fee as a FSC (future stay credit) to use within a year of our canceled trip, so the best we could do is reschedule for next May and hope that the world returns to some semblance of normal by then.

Honestly, at this point, I’d happily cancel the whole thing and take a refund, but that wasn’t an option.

I also canceled our plane tickets, or more or less put them on hold. They will allow us to use the value of our unused ticket and seat purchase toward a future trip.

It’s kind of a bummer not to be getting any of our investment back, but hopefully we will end up using it eventually.

Right now, I can’t even imagine a world where we can just pick up and fly across the ocean. Paris has been hit hard with COVID-19, and I expect borders will be closed for quite some time.

Even by next May, I don’t think we will be completely done with this virus. We may not even have a vaccine by then, not that I’m going to be lining up to be a guinea pig for a new vaccine. So we shall see… at this point, we had no choice but to rebook and hope for the best.

I also need to see if our travel insurance will apply to rescheduled trip. It surely didn’t do us any good with this one.

And to add one more to our string of #coronacancelations, my daughter’s Quebec trip with her French class was officially canceled this week.

And the word for 2020 officially is…. CANCELED.

Can we just cancel 2020 and get a do-over???

This one is the biggest bummer of them all because this was truly a once-in-a-lifetime trip for her.

Paul and I will eventually make it to Paris, and our family will have other opportunities for a weekend getaway, but she was so looking forward to this trip with her French class.

Her French teacher is one of those special ones you remember forever, and R was blessed to have her for both years of middle school. I’m sure she makes the trip an absolute blast, and I’ve heard from other moms that it’s one their kids never forget.

I feel like a broken record, but all I know to say is, it wasn’t meant to be.

I do have some fun news to share with you today, though!

Meet Ozzy

I shared in Tuesday’s Facebook Live that we are looking to add a 2nd dog to our family, and we think we found him! This time, we’re going the puppy route.

After doing quite a bit of research, we found a good local breeder with a litter of goldendoodles that are ready for adoption! We were able to visit earlier this week, and it all checked out, but we can’t bring our puppy home until next Monday when he’s 8 weeks old.

Of course the kids are beyond excited, and we’re all doing lots of research to make sure we know how to care for a puppy, and how to integrate him into our home with an older dog without upsetting Savannah too much.

I’m open to advice on puppy training and introducing a puppy to an older dog, but please don’t make this a rescue vs breeder debate. 

I have a heart for rescues. Savannah was a rescue, and that was our first choice; but we couldn’t find a dog through a local rescue organization that worked for our family.

We’re also thinking Savannah may take better to a puppy than another full-grown dog, so we decided to try the puppy route this time around. We did our due diligence to find a reputable breeder that we feel good about, and we’re super excited about our new addition!

I’m sure it will be an adjustment for all, but this seems like the right time. We were planning on this summer, but now that everyone is at home for the duration, it made sense to go ahead and get him now. This way, there will be plenty of attention to go around, and I’m also hoping it will provide some good family bonding.

Even my 20-year-old son, who averages 23 hours a day in his room, is excited about the prospect. He’s always wanted a bigger dog, and he was an active part of the family discussion on what to name our new pup.

Everyone has very strong opinions, as it turns out, and we all like different types of names… Toby, Kobe, Matisse, Ozzy, Howard, Larry, Wilson, Nelson, and Parker were all on the table at one point; but we finally agreed on Ozzy.

I like it. I think it suits him!

It was quite a rowdy discussion, and I can see how this new puppy is already bringing our family together, so that’s neat to see. I feel like we need something to look forward to and get excited about right now, and this certainly qualifies!

Yes, I realize a puppy is a big commitment, but as I said, it’s something we were planning to do within the next few months anyway, so it made sense to move our timeline up a bit so we have more time to spend training him and acclimating him to his new home.

As for today’s plans… We have our Zoom worship service this morning, and then I have a ham dinner planned for mid-afternoon.

I picked up a ham at The Honey Baked Ham Co. earlier in the week, and C is going to make mac-and-cheese. I have some asparagus to grill and a loaf of French bread to heat up, and I also grabbed a red velvet cake when I picked up my ham, so that should finish the meal off nicely!

At some point, I’m planning to take a nice, long walk. And I’m sure I’ll spend some time on the deck once it warms up this afternoon, soaking up the sunshine.

So that’s the latest in #coronadiaries! Even though it’s not the Easter weekend we had planned, we’re trying to make the best of it.

I hope you all have a very blessed Easter Sunday, and get to enjoy some time with family and friends… whether in real life or FaceTime/Zoom.

He is risen!

Join The Conversation

104 Responses

  1. Happy Easter! Seattle is in for a nice week….mid-70s by mid week. My advice with a puppy is routine, crating, tire them out and training when ready. Our mantra was a tired dog is a good dog. I was lucky to be home most of the time when our now 12 yo dog was a pup. We worked really hard with him (lab/mix) and he’s the best dog. It was a lot of work but well worth it. Doodles can have lots of energy too so be ready for that! But I believe love to be trained. Be ready for a few sleepless nights with whining though…I still remember that! It was almost as bad as a newborn! Thank you for bringing me a respite from our “new” normal.

    1. Yes, I think we are prepared, but I’m sure it will be tough for a little while. Becca swears she will get up with him in the night, but I think we should tag team so she can get some sleep too.

  2. Our “granddog” is a golden doodle, and he is such a sweet dog. He’s much bigger than I expected, but he’s like a big teddy bear! He’s great with our 11-month-old grandson, too. I can’t wait to read more about Ozzie! Happy Easter from Western PA! 

  3. We got a puppy last fall. Not a rescue.  She’s been such a great addition to our family (we have a 12 year old collie too) and brings JOY every single day to all of us.  Good for you.  Patience and a crate are the best advice I have for potty training. They are little for a while :).  Good luck and congratulations!  You won’t be sorry!!

    1. Good morning! Happy Easter, Christ is risen!

      A new puppy sounds like something new, happy and the promise of a good future. I’m digging it!

      I listened to Mosaic Los Angeles church online, and the pastor Erwin McMannis said this: “There is no expiration date on your soul that God cannot overcome. Choose life!” I think your actions are life choosing.
      Have a wonderful, peaceful day.

  4. Happy Easter to you and your family. Thanks for keeping it real during this difficult time. I also have a middle school age child going into HS next year so understand this milestone of them not having closure to move on. It’s not same as a senior but still matters to them. I’d like a redo on 2020 too!  Have a great Sunday! 

  5. I highly recommend puppy kindergarten at PetSmart. Eventually…..when the world reopens and you don’t need a mask. 

  6. SO excited for your new puppy! We added a puppy to our house when our “old” golden retriever was eight. She was overweight and not too healthy, and we were afraid of losing her and being dogless. She completely ignored the puppy when she could, and growled and put the puppy in her place when the puppy activity/craziness annoyed her. But, after about 3 weeks, they were inseparable. After the puppy was house broken, they slept together in the same bed every night and took naps together. They played together constantly and truly loved each other. Our “old” dog lived to almost 14 and I’m convinced the younger dog kept her active, healthy, and alive. Have fun!

  7. OOOO a PUPPY!  I agree get a crate and wear him out and he’ll be a happy camper.  My knee jerk was to run out to your parts and pick up one myself.  What a sweet boy!  Be well all.

  8. Happy Easter JoLynne! Congrats on the new puppy 🐶!  We are at the other end of the spectrum…enjoying the last days of life with our 14 year old lab who was recently diagnosed with lymphoma. In a way it seems like terrible timing as we have all enjoyed walking and getting out with her more. Yet I realize the blessing that we get to spend more time with her than if we all had to rush to work and school.  As sad as it is to have to let go, all the love, companionship and memories are so worth having a dog in the family! Enjoy all of those fun puppy moments!  ❤️🐶

  9. Ozzy is very cute and will bring laughter into your home. Something that is much needed in the current situation. Enjoy and Happy Easter! 

  10. Happy Easter. It is a beautiful sunny day here and its warming up as well. We too plan on taking a walk at some point during the day. We have our turkey in the oven and will enjoy our traditional family meal without extended guests of course. We are in for a nice mild week and by the looks of things sun and high 60’s on Tuesday. We will take it. How exciting about your new puppy!!! We got our puppy from a breeder and we crated him . It was the best way for house training and better sleeps. The water bowl always came up around 30 mins before bed with a final pee and he was good until at least 6 a.m. I did frequent runs outside with him through out the day. Especially after his meals or a nap, and of course these eventually got cut back. We got our puppy way back when at the beginning of summer because at that time the kids were home and off school. I of course did the 6 am pee run, but it was nice for them to help with the rest of the day and play time. The house we were in at the time allowed us to keep the opening to our main entrance and dining room gated off so he could roam freely in the kitchen and we crated him at night or if we went out during the day, or left the door open in case he felt overwhelmed then he would just go in an curl up for a nap. They won’t mess in their crate. Once he was house broken the gates came down and he roamed freely whether we were home or not. He did cry a bit the first few nights, missing mom and his siblings but we had a teddy bear in the crate for him and after a few nights, he settled in. It’s funny you mentioned Maryland. We have family in Maryland and our Nephew works at a high end resort in St. Michaels , he of course has been laid off with the changes and closures. I was speaking with them the other day and they had a cold front go through and actually had had some hail. It was warming up a bit again, but they had the cold wind we all seem to have got. Hopefully you get to reschedule your visit someday. We still have not been given any clear date on things re opening although a neighboring province has said maybe by mid to late summer things will start to re-open and our Prime Minister has pretty much said it will be a long time before we ever return to the normal as we once knew it. Day by Day:)

    1. Yes, that’s what we did with Savannah, and it worked well. I’m sure the puppy will need more structure than she did, but hopefully he will adjust fairly easily.

      I know St. Michaels, that is right near the Hyatt resort where we were going to stay. Such a pretty area.

  11. I got a chuckle over your comment about your 20 year old son who averages 23 hours of the day in his room. I’ve got one of those too. Just at a time when they are naturally trying to build independent lives, they are stuck back in the nest with no place to go. Mine actually emerged this morning to prep a batch of cool rise bread. I was so excited to see him!

    1. I know, I hate that he’s up there so much, but everyone seems to have the same experience with college aged boys, so we let him be. If he were at his apartment, he’d be holed up in his room all the time too. At least this one I can clean, haha!

  12. Happy Easter! I LOVE that song by Sandi Patti! I think I’ll look it up on YouTube now. Here are a few more for your Easter walk:

    Arise, My Love by Newsong (another great 80s song)
    Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed (Keith and Kristyn Getty) 
    See What a Morning (Also by the Gettys)
    These are a few of my favorites that remind me this Easter morning that our hope is secure, no matter what we face right now!  He is Risen! 

  13. Yep, Sandi Patti and Steve Green were part of my late teen years and it’s always nice to think on those memories…
    Happy Easter, He Is Risen! 

  14. SO very excited for you guys – Ozzy is just about the cutest thing! The picture of him and your daughter really made my day!! Congratulations!!!

  15. Happy Easter Jo-Lynne. We also had a nice trip planned for 2 weeks in Venice Italy, Croatia, and the Greek Isles! We were really looking forward to it and put a lot of thought into planning our trip in October. We’re still waiting for hotel refunds as Italy is only refunded certain reservations as they get closer to when people would be arriving We’re hoping to get a refund to plan our trip a year or two from now as we wouldn’t feel comfortable doing so any sooner at this point because of this virus. Air fare is already refunded and we will use at another date.
    As far as the puppy…….I’m sure you are super excited to add to your family. I wish you could have found an adoption though. I volunteer for the Humane Society and we were so lucky and fortunate to find homes for all the animals in cages as they needed to leave the facility when this virus started. Just wondered if you had a local Humane Society in your area and checked with them when looking to adopt. 
    Enjoy your day walking. My husband and I will be doing the same or riding our bikes this afternoon. 

  16. I feel fortunate to be in your group to share all our ups and downs.  It makes me feel good to know this is a safe place for you as well. On a happier note, congrats on Ozzy. My advice is to not let him have run of the whole house until he is potty trained. We happen to be on vacation in our camper when our puppy was young. Since it was small, it was easy to keep a close watch on him to see when he needed to go outside. When he was a little older we put a bell at the back door. We showed him once how to ring it and he rang the bell from then on out. Funny thing, if we didn’t get up fast enough, he would ring it louder. Good luck and bless your family on this beautiful Easter morning. 

    1. Yes, definitely! We have ordered a crate and one of those big puppy pens to help contain him during the day. (There is no good room in our house to barricade off b/c of our open floor plan.) I love the idea of ringing a bell.

  17. How fun to have a puppy. I love the name. Good choice. Happy Easter. At least you have family with you. Hope your hip gets better. One day this pandemic will be over and we’ll all be better from going through it.

  18. Puppies are so cuddly and cute, then they start chewing on everything.  We just got a new puppy at Christmas, Violet.   She is a Catahoola Leopard, and FULL of energy!!!  Funny story, we rescue our animals and have for 10 years now.  We always take food down at Christmas for dogs and cats and all the way down my husband was telling our son we are only taking the food and that we could look but we ABSOLuTELY were not getting another pet.  We were fine with that and just looked, Zack played with a few, and the my husband went to see the puppies Zack was playing with.   All the way home all Zack and I heard about was this cute little spotted puppy how sweet she was, yup! The next day was Sunday and that is all he talked about that morning. Finally, at about 1 pm I told everyone to get dressed we were going back to adopt that puppy.  We have an older chocolate lab/German Shepard mix that we got in 2010, and two cats Santa brought a few years ago (all rescues from the same place) and Violet keeps ALL of them on their toes.  Having Max definitely helped in potty training, she still sleeps in her crate at night (she herds all night if not), and she loves all kinds of toys.  She carries her treats like a stogie, it’s so funny.  

    I was never a big Sandi Patti fan, but Ray Boltz’s Watch the Lamb is the one that always comes to my mind on Easter.  Have a Happy Easter!

  19. Congratulations Jolynne and Happy Easter!  Ozzy is adorable and very much needed in this time, I’m sure!  We’ve always had rescues with the exception of my sons dog, a Jack Russell.  We have loved them all equally and you absolutely have to do what’s right for your family or else it just makes things harder for the dog and your family.  Enjoy!!

  20. HAPPY EASTER to you and your family!  Oh, I am beyond excited for y’all about getting a goldendoodle!  They are such awesome dogs!  One important thing I had to learn, is don’t start any habits with Ozzy, such as letting him sleep in your bed, that you don’t want to continue.  Oh, y’all will probably have to teach I’m how to climb steps.  And the first few nights, he will cry.  I cried with Java, so Larry made me sleep on the sofa.  It is very cloudy, we’ve already had some rain, and it’s in the 60’s.  I had to change from a short sleeve to a fleece sweatshirt because I am freezing.  The whole state is at risk for very severe weather with the prediction that it will hit us while we are sleeping.  Our dinner will consist of sliced ham, broccoli, potatoes, & cauliflower that we will bake in the oven, and carrot cake.  Sending Easter blessings to y’all!

    1. LOL about Larry making you sleep on the sofa. I think Ozzy will likely end up sleeping with Becca eventually so maybe it doesn’t make sense to put him in a crate right away, but… won’t he wet her bed???

      1. While he’s so little, every time he drinks or eats, someone needs to immediately take him outside.  What goes in will need to come out pretty quickly.  They don’t like to potty where they sleep, so if you crate train him, he just needs to enough space to get up and turn around, not walk around.  We would get Java to potty right before bedtime and did not have to get up during the night to let him out.  If he start doing that, you will have to keep doing that for a while.  The crate should be his safe space.

  21. Happy Easter from snowy Minnesota. Yes, I said the “s” word. It was 70 Tuesday, 60 yesterday, and snowing today as we speak! Needless to say I had to put the flip flops back in the closet. Oh well,  we will stay positive! We are all healthy at our house and able to keep working. Stay safe everyone! 

  22. Happy Easter to all! Congrats on the adorable puppy Ozzy. The name suits him. We all need to take comfort in the small things in life. A puppy is just what the doctor ordered when our lives are so disrupted, trips cancelled, regular socializing on pause. Our schools cancelled right to the end of June as well; decision was made in March and it is the right one from a safety point of view. I am blessed to have a day off from my health care job. God bless! Happy Easter to all. Christ has risen.

  23. Hi,
    Happy Easter!  Cute 🐶 puppy!
    Can you give us an IF update?  I started it one month ago because of you!  Bought the DDD book, read it and am doing 16:8. So sleepy after lunch still…
    Thanks!  I love your blog!
    Julie Marshall

    1. Yeah, if I break my fast at lunchtime, I’m sleepy all afternoon. It’s your body digesting all that food. I prefer to break my fast around 3 or 4PM, have a snack, make dinner, and then close my window soon afterwards, around 7 or 8. Anymore than a 5 hour window, and I don’t feel so good.

  24. Happy Easter!Thanks for the post and for the example of how to hang in there during this crazy time.  It is a blessed day!

  25. Great choice of pup – and yes, the name does fit. A qualified breeder is worth every cent. Rescues are wonderful too and your home is proof of that. In our experience with Goldens (I know you have the non-shedding variety being a goldendoodle – excellent idea), a puppy can be basically housebroken in days. Just be mindful that they do 4 things, eat, sleep, excrete – and play. We just took ours out constantly through the same door, same routine, leash if needed, and took to the same spot in the yard. These dogs are so smart and want to please their people. Looking forward to following Ozzy’s life. Happy Easter and blessings to your family.

  26. Happy Easter! Congrats on the new puppy! Oh, your family is in for so much fun. Nothing like the joy and energy of a new puppy! Savannah will hate him at first (because, you know, jealousy), then she’ll ignore him. Next thing you know, she’ll love him. At least, that’s been my experience every time I’ve introduced a puppy to an older dog. I agree with everyone on the crate training. It becomes their safe haven. Please keep us posted with lots of pics!

    1. I hope so! We will definitely be crate training. So glad we had that for Savannah when we first got her. She still stays in her crate when we leave the house, and sometimes wanders in on her own during the day. (It is beside my desk.)

  27. Ozzy is adorable! Our temperature is in the low 30s today and it snowed overnight and this morning. Yesterday was sunny and nice and a few families were doing Easter egg hunts in their yards when I was on a walk.

  28. Happy Easter to you and your family! 
    Congrats on your new puppy I am curious where
    the local breeder is we are not to far from you and we love the Golden Doodles.  

  29. Thank you for your hard work, all your blogs, and especially this one.  It’s nice to see your upbeat ideas and the message that you are trying your best as a family to be as active as possible and yet maintaining some normalcy.  Some days it is easier to be upbeat than others.  So, thank you.  I really enjoy your blogs.  Take care, stay well, and to you and your nice family, Happy Easter!

  30. Happy Easter back to you. We are just the two of us so we will be having lamb chops instead of rack of lamb. I found the lamb at a regular grocery store – I guess since it’s not Ramen it’s anathema LOL. And we put in our spring veggie garden and we have owlets peeping and there are baby squirrels running amok stealing the peanuts we put out for the blue jays. Lots of activity and my freesias and irises are blooming. And a lone tulip poked up – the only one the gophers didn’t eat I guess. Signs of spring and new life. Hallelujah Christ is risen, thanks be to God. 

  31. Happy Easter to you and your family! Yes,”It wasn’t meant to be” is definitely the motto so far this year. We had a virtual church service this morning that although very different was lovely and very moving. We won’t be celebrating with our kids (adults) but FaceTime is wonderful! And welcome to your soon-to-be new family member! He’s so cute and the name Ozzy fits him! Best wishes!

  32. My daughter and son-in-law just moved back in with us temporarily, bringing a golden retriever pup.  Was VERY nervous about how our German Shepherd would react but she has been nothing short of Mary Poppins.  My biggest tip would be give Savannah a place she can get away from the limitless puppy energy when she’s had enough.  A quiet zone might be needed at times, especially with an older dog.  And be prepared for the transition to take several weeks or longer.  We were lucky but I know some friends who really had to work at it.  They’ll end up best friends though in time.  Congratulations!

    1. Mary Poppins… haha! Yes, we have thought about that – Savannah will need to get away. She has free run of the house, and she loves to nap in Caroline’s room, so I expect she will escape quite a bit. Ozzy will be contained in the kitchen when we aren’t walking him or playing with him.

  33. We have trained 3 puppies in the past (only one almost 11 year old is still alive) and we slept with them the first few weeks.  They have just been taken from their mother and litter mates, it never seemed right to just make them sleep alone.  I’d rather wait until I knew it felt like home to them and they were over the move before making them sleep alone in the crate.  Also, then you can get them out as needed in the night to have fewer accidents.

    Keep him in a very small area of your house when he’s out of his crate to help avoid accidents and widen that area a little at a time over several months.  I used to take mine on leash walks to the family room, haha

    Dogs do what they’ve done, so if you can keep them from doing the behavior you don’t want, while praising and encouraging the behavior you want, you are less likely to have problems that persist or accidents of any kind later on.  Consistency among your family is obviously important.

    A lot of time and patience early on leads to a lifetime of a good dog.

    In trying to be concise, I may have sounded bossy.  Sorry if so    : )

    1. Hey Diane, all good advice, and not bossy. Thank you! Ozzy’s crate will probably start out in Becca’s room – and we did think she may want to sleep on the floor near him the first couple nights, for the reasons you mention. Honestly, he will probably eventually end up sleeping in her bed. Savannah was crate trained at first, but now she sleeps where ever she likes, usually with Caroline. So maybe it’s not worth trying to put him in the crate at night, but I did like to at least have that option. And he will need to stay in there when we leave the house… which will be weeks or months, of course, but he needs to get used to it now. We will keep doing research and considering the options.

      1. We only used the crate for puppy training.  As they got older, each dog was different, we would leave them out when we left, at first just to get the mail, then I’d drive around the block, then 10 minutes, etc. until it was obvious they just shut down and were good boys when left.  

        None of ours ever preferred the crate to whatever cozy spot in the house they had chosen.  Also, they have all been German Shorthaired Pointers and I bought a crate way too big (actually had to section it when they were pups to make it small enough) so I didn’t want that being a permanent fixture, haha.

        And to be clear, each dog was a different age.  We were never training multiple pups.  🙂

  34. Happy Easter!

    Congrats on the new puppy coming your way! I have a Goldendoodle too and Bentlee will be 2 next month. He is a complete joy! Well, most of the time that is. 😉 I think this will be a perfect time to get a puppy with everyone home and helping with all the puppy stuff. I have to say Bentlee does have a bit of a stubborn streak and I’ve heard it’s the poodle part of the mix. He can stare me down like nobody’s business! LOL Anyway, you and your family will love him! He’s quite cute and looks very similar to mine when he was that age. Enjoy! Blessings to you and your family!

  35. I have had several different dogs in my life and I have two goldendoodles now. They are just the best dogs. Very biddable cuddle bugs that are super smart and can get into mischief. They are forever puppies that love to be active with their people, but can also chill when the time comes. Training is key.

    1. That is good to hear, and yes, we are going to have to train this one. We were spoiled with Savannah and didn’t need to do much, although I do wish we had taught her not to jump on people. She’s a bit of a pest in that way, but she’s so small, we never really worried about it.

  36. Happy Easter to you and your family. We are anxiously awaiting our new puppy when he is 8 weeks old.  Decided on a Boston Terrier and found a reputable breeder who posts lots of pics and videos on FB.  So excited and I agree gives you something to look forward to. Will have to compare puppy stories!

  37. Glad y’all finally got some nice weather for Easter,  it’s been so sunny here in the south, I’ve felt sorry for our friends up north.  Although in typical Mississippi spring fashion, we had several tornados blow through today.  Hoping the destruction won’t be too bad. Yet another thing that makes it seem gloomy today, but thankful for what this day stands for!  Thanks for the reminder!

  38. Hi friend, I so enjoyed this post. And Mr. Ozzy is ADORABLE! I remember Sandi Patty! How funny. A total time warp. And I hear you about school. I know that is going to happen here in Texas, even though they’ve not announced it yet, we all can see the writing on the wall. This was Dash’s last year of elementary so it’s kinda sad for us but we understand, of course. I just hope we’re back to normal enough by August for the new year to begin! Happy Easter to you and yours. Nell

  39. My daughter and her husband got a golden doodle puppy. He’s been the best dog. So loving and perfect for them with allergies. He’s the same color as one you are getting but he is huge now.:)  I love the name you chose. Perfect timing like you said for getting one while everyone home. Puppies do need a lot of attention. Have fun. They are the ones due to have a baby boy in May I told you about and their dog puts his paw on her tummy whenever she sits down. So cute. Great breed you chose for sure. 

  40. We went to Paris last year in May for our 20 th wedding anniversary..it was perfect…we were going in three weeks to London…cancelled now as you no money back just credit…this shall pass..🙏

  41. Yes, I remember Sandi Patti!  And I’m assuming you meant Keith Green’s Easter Song (instead of Steve Green).  It’s so good!  My husband and I love Keith Green’s music!  My favorite song of his is Asleep in the Light.  Another good one is Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful (such a timeless song).  It was so sad when he died in a plane crash back in the 80’s.  I grew up listening to contemporary Christian music and went to several concerts in the 80’s at ORU’s Mabee Center in Tulsa.
    Your dog is adorable and I love the name!  Someone commented about using a bell to help potty train.  We did this with our yorkie, and it really worked.  I hung a bell on the wall by the outside door.  We would pick her up every time we took her out to potty and we’d just move her body on the way out so her nose or paw would touch the bell to make it ring.  After awhile, she was doing it herself when she needed to go out.
    Sorry about your trips and your daughter’s.  It’s so hard to see our kids going through these disappointments.  My daughter’s May wedding was supposed to be at a venue in Colorado.  Now, we are having to change it to a small ceremony in our backyard in Texas.  It’s definitely not what she was originally wanting, but she’s taking it in stride. Their honeymoon to Yellowstone is also cancelled, but they can do that later.
    I have a 19 year old finishing up his freshman year online at home too and we don’t see him much either because he’s in his room so much!  But, this morning he did “go to church” with us on our back porch to watch our service so that was nice.
    I’m glad you had a good Easter.  It was beautiful weather here as we celebrated our risen King!

    1. AH yes, I guess it is Keith Green. I also had a lot of Steve Green songs in my collection.

      How terrible for your daughter… yes, the weddings that are being rescheduled too… ugh! So many disappointments.

      I’m totally going to try this bell.

  42. Happy Easter! 
    I laughed out loud when you said your son averages 23 hours a day in his room. My college boy is so bored even with classes to keep him busy. This too shall pass, right?!

  43. Congrats on your new puppy!  LOL on your “mixed tape”, I totally remember those songs!  Happy Easter to you and yours!

  44. Congratulations on your new puppy! In these days of gloom and doom, it is so nice to hear some happy news. I think this will be the perfect time for a new puppy as all of you are at home and it gives everyone something fun that hasn’t been taken away by CoVID-19….I hope that makes sense.

  45. YES, on the “Was it a Morning Like This?” and “Easter Song”!!! Two of my favorite songs to play on Easter morning. Congrats on your new pup! It will be fun watching him grow up on your blog! I did get to ZOOM with my family from PA and Brooklyn yesterday, so grateful we can keep connected that way! I even dressed up with a cute top and jewelry for the event! HAHA! Now, it’s time for ham leftovers…all week long! Love your blog!! One of my favorite vests of all time is a black one from Athleta, so thanks for showing more styles. Loved that mint hoodie.

  46. Good luck with the new puppy! We did the two dog thing a few years ago – we have brothers from a litter a year apart. We went the opposite way – after having large dogs, we got a toy Australian sheppard and a mini. Cosmo and Milo – Milo was supposed to be a toy, but he turned out to be a mini. I don’t think Cosmo was very impressed at first but they get along pretty good now. I have a feeling this will bring a lot of joy (and a few sleepless nights) into your home. 🙂

  47. Congrats on the new puppy! We’re picking up two 8 week old Golden Retrievers on Wednesday! One for us and one for our daughters family. We got brothers 10 years ago and they lost theirs in November…we’ve been on a waiting list for 18 months and the mama had 13 puppies in February! Our names came up and it’s perfect timing with everyone at home. We can’t wait to get them…our ten year old will be a great trainer! We’re calling ours “Eddie”! ❤️

  48. Happy Easter to you and your family.  I hope you enjoy many years of love with Ozzy.  Poodles (and I assume goldendoodles) are very loyal pets.  

  49. You are going to LOVE your Goldendoodle!! Our girl Betty will be 9 this summer~can not believe its been that long since we picked her up at 8 weeks, also. Be prepared- they are extremely smart dogs and will have you wrapped around his little paw before you know it! With that- we found ours very easy to potty train- we used the Bell system ( hang a jingle bell by the door and each time you take him out you jingle the bell and say “lets go potty” (or whatever works for you)- in no time, he will be jingling the bell on his own to let you know he needs out. It worked great for us! (still does) Welcome Ozzy !!

  50. Congrats on Ozzy! We have an almost-3-year-old goldendoodle that looked a lot like Ozzy as a baby. She has been the best dog ever! So sweet, cuddly, smart, and well behaved. Plus she doesn’t shed. That is very exciting for your family and this is the perfect time for it!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *