Bonne Annee et Bonne Sante

Rachel and Sugar

Sugar sent an email to wish me a Happy New Year, but she wrote it in French.

I'll translate:

Dear Grandma Suddie:
 Happy New Year!
Love,
Sugar

Short and sweet.  Just what one would expect from a girl named Sugar.

Pretty as a Picture

But, yes, Sugar does speak French and several other languages too.  We think her best friend Rachel is a very good influence.  Don't you?

Congratulations Rachel on your new private school in Chicago.  Write and tell us all about it.  Does Sugar walk to school with you in the morning?

And, whoa, Rachel your pictures show you are becoming a young lady (and Sugar too...she's a year-and-a-half now isn't she?).  It seems just yesterday you sent us this email in anticipation of Sugar's arrival.  Have you taught her to dance yet?

Gam-Gam Suddie Wants a Ribbon for Her Hair Too

Dear Suddie,
I'm giving away my birthday presents to a family in need. My mom called the red cross to try and find a family in need but we didn't get an answer yet. There have been several house fires in our  area, so I know there is a family in need. I was inspired by Max Rohr he gave away his birthday presents  to a local hospital.

 I'm very excited about the new puppy! I'm sure I'll enjoy having a very energetic dog around the house. I'm going to teach the dog many tricks. The tricks will be old and new. At first simple tricks like roll over and stay, next complicated tricks like dance or something like that.
Sincerely,
Rachel

Happy Holidays from Deep Acres Farm

Introducing Gibbs...The Most Cutest Reindeer of All

 

My Grandpuppy Gibbs, Roxie's boy, is the most cutest reindeer of all.   Don't you agree?  Just 5-months-old, his new owners say"we love him to pieces....and don't think we could have a better fit for us." 

Holiday Greetings from Sherpa

A picture of our boy, Sherpa, curled up by the tree at his beautiful home in Connecticut was the perfect holiday greeting.

Peace, Love, and Pawprints

We received the nicest holiday card from our former dog walker/sitter Chyla.  You see she moved to Maine and married Devon.  We really like the message on her card.

Christmas Gift Suggestions

To your enemy. forgiveness. To an 

opponent, tolerance.  To a friend, your

heart.  To a customer, service.  To all,

charity.  To every child, a good example.

To yourself, respect.

-Oren Arnold

Holiday Dogs

We met some beautiful dogs on the street today while Christmas shopping.

Two Beautiful Bernese Mountain dogs, one 6 years and one 3 months, wearing their jingle bells.

Madison, a beautiful 2-year-old Landseer Newfoundland

My Holiday Card from the First Dog

Yes, that's right, I received a holiday card from Bo, the First Dog...and he signed it himself!

I know the cover looks like a photo of Bo, but it's actually a painting and the artist is from our home state, Iowa.  We are so proud!

First lady Michelle Obama chose a Des Moines, Iowa, artist's painting for this year's official White House Christmas card.

Larassa Kabel learned the good news shortly before her husband's band was chosen to open for Bruce Springsteen at President Barack Obama's election-eve campaign rally in Des Moines.

"Those are infinitesimal odds," she said. "I mean, really, that's crazy weird."

Both strokes of luck resulted from the small-world political connections Iowans know well. Kabel was invited to submit a painting in September, at the suggestion of Des Moines businesswoman Pamela Bass-Bookey, whose daughter Natalie works for the first lady. The White House invited artists nationwide to submit artwork based on two photos — one of the mansion itself, and one of the Obama family dog, Bo, sprinting across the snowy lawn.

"So which one do you think I did? Of course I chose the dog art," Kabel said. "My mom was so happy. She's always told me, 'Oh, Larassa, you should do pet portraits.' "

The artist is represented by Moberg Gallery, and most of her work is more serious, with her subjects often rendered in a dream-like blur.

But the imaginary scarf she painted around Bo's neck was a smart move. She can now add "White House Collection" to her resume. Her oil painting is currently on display there, and she and her husband, Chris Snethen, are invited to a party at the White House on Dec. 18.

Snethen's own brush with fame came after the name of his band, Bob Tyler and the Reckless Hearts, came up in a planning meeting for the Obama rally. The band plays each year during the Des Moines Marathon, on the lawn of a guy who turned out to be an Obama volunteer. One thing led to another until security dogs were sniffing the band's instruments for bombs and Snethen was shaking hands with one of his idols.

"Springsteen is one of the two or three best American artists. Period," he said. " 'Born to Run' is probably the best rock-n-roll song ever."

Snethen teaches English at Southeast Polk High School, where his students were duly impressed, especially with the recent invitation to the White House. He and Kabel had to keep the news about the Christmas card under wraps until just a few days ago.

"I don't know what to expect," he said. "I'll wear a suit and shake hands and smile and just sort of absorb it all, I guess."

Kabel wondered about the cards, which will be sent worldwide in the next week. "Will the Queen of England get a card? I mean, she is a dog lover."