Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Okay, so I'm a bit late with the Merry Christmas, but I'm at least early for the Happy New Year's wishes. Just after I last posted, back on December seventh, my internet went down on my computer. Since I was in the middle of finals and needed my computer to read my course material on the computer, I was not able to get it fixed. That will be on the agenda when I return back to school on January second.
Jetta and I have been home since the 21st and although our visit home will be shorter than most years, it has still been enjoyable. We decorated oour Christmas tree the night I got home, which has been a tradition in our family. (It's a real tree and it smells so good). Friday night Jetta and I headed over to Christena's house to wrap presents with Christena and her mom, which is another tradition going back into high school. Before we were legally allowed to drink we used to eat Skittles and tons of chocolate during this process, but this year Christena's mom bought wine glasses at the dollar store and we all had a few drinks. It was pretty fun. Christmas Eve, my Dad's family gathered at our house and we ate so much food! It was a full house with fifteen people and two dogs. The funny thing is, that wasn't even half of the family: everyone is spread across Ontario and not everyone is able to come home for the holidays. Christmas Day, we headed to my mom's parents' and ate way too much again with my uncle, grandparents and one cousin-again, not even three quarters of the family were able to make it home. People from that side are scattered about Ontario and British Columbia-oh and Washington too. Boxing Day, we drove out to my Dad's parents' house. They have 25 acres of property and it's a great place for Jetta to run free. She and Flash had a blast and I was very impressed with Jetta's gentle behaviour toward my grandma's new puppy. He's four months old and is a shnoodle...his name is Snoopy and he likes to play fetch. He's sweet!
Jetta was treated very well this year. She got a new chicken flavoured nila bone, a pink glass food dish that reads "princess" and a pig's ear that she only got to eat while supervised. We haven't opened the bone yet because Flashis greedy and won't let Jetta chew hers in peace so it will wait until we get back to school.
Our cats were left behind because none of us could take them home. It's too expensive on the plane and Tenie couldn't take them on the bus. Carmen lives the closest, but has two cats of her own, so that would probably be a bad idea. They did get gold tags in the shape of mice with their names engraved on them before we left. And the roommies did a gift exchange as well. Carmen got me Ice Age 2 and Tenie got me a jewellery box, which I asked for, a belly button ring, purple of course, and a unicorn ring. Oh, and a sun catcher that is also purple. :) I got Tenie a Greenday mug because everyone in the house has their own mugs except her. And I also got her the pirates of the Carribian movie. I got Carmen the first volume of the Thunder Cats DVD's. :) We definitely were eighties children. :)
The last couple of days have been taken up with shopping, going to see movies and exchanging Christmas presents with Christena and Lindsay. Tenie and I exchanged gifts in Waterloo, but we had to give Lindsay hers. Lindsay bought me a Tinkerbell blanket and a whole bag full of hair stuff and make-up. It was a fun time at Tim Hortan's as it always is.
Tonight Hannah, Tenie's little sister, has invited me and Jetta over for a movie and so that is where we'll be heading. She's eight and has so much energy! I love it. She got one of those fighting fish for Christmas and we named him Sabastian-okay, I convinced her it was a good name. lol
The funniest part, or at least the weirdest part, of this holiday was that we didn't get any snow until last night. I live in Northern Ontario-we're supposed to have white Christmases! :) Tomorrow night we're going to the Portuguese club for supper and dancing. Christena, Lindsay, my mom and I have all bought new outfits-or at least parts of new outfits-and it looks like it will be a good time. Of course, I'm wearing purple. I think Jetta and Flash will have to celebrate the coming of the New Year here at home with each other for company. I don't think Jetta will appreciate the loud music, so I've decided to leave her at home. It's one of the rare times when I leave her behind.
Anyway, it's time for me to sign off. We're going ot eat soon and then it's over to have a movie night with Tenie and Hannah.
Happy holidays to everyone!!!!

Happy birthday Jetta!!!!!!

If everyone hasn't noticed, it's the seventh and that means it is Jetta's birthday. She turns six today! So, between me studying for my upcoming finals, pots of coffee, swim practice and whatever else I need to get down between now and Monday, I am going to make sure Jetta has a great birthday! She already got a chocolate doggie cookie-and yes, it was dog safe chocolate. They're her favourite! Her little brother Loki and little sister Sisu were forced by Auntie Carmen to give Jetta happy birthday wishes, by being picked up and hopped up and down on Jetta while she flaked out on the couch. :) Jetta didn't even flinch. Later I am getting a massage...and Jetta will be very happy because the massage therapist is one of her favourite people-she licks the oil bottle regardless of whether he tries to hide it or not. :) We're also watching Ashley's and Chris's cat, Tyser, so we'll also go for a nice long birthday walk. She loves walks!
Jetta says thanks to everyone who has already left her birthday wishes...I would have posted this post earlier on Jetta's behalf, but I have been studying! She said she doesn't mind-she's been napping with Auntie Tenie since swim practice endded.
Anyway, happy birthday my best girl! You are so cute and I love you!!!!!!

Merry Christmas/Happy Birthday

Yesterday we had our anual Christmas party, but with a bit of a twist. We also celebrated Jetta's birthday early. She'll be turning six on December seventh, but since everyone's exams are coming up, we thought we'd kill two birds with one stone. We had a nice turn out. My friend and his guide dog and fiancae came from Toronto; my roommates were in attendance of course; Alicia and her boyfriend Chris brought Jetta presents; James and his roommate from first year brought over turtles; Chrispy and her boyfriend Alex came with presents for human kind and dog kind alike; and the birthday girl, Jetta, was also there. :) Her brother and sister, Sisu and Loki, hid upstairs in Carmen's room away from all of the noise and the big yellow dog that wanted to sniff them. (He'd never hurt them, my friends have two cats at home).
Christena and I spent the majority of the day cleaning and cooking for the party. She and Carmen had spent the night before putting plastic on our house's windows to try and keep our heating bill down, while James and I made vegetarian pizza and peanut butter cookies for the Christmas get together. By the time everything was spread out on the counter last night, we had candycane cookies, turtles, raspberry tarts, spiced pecans and walnuts we made in the slow cooker, peanut butter cookies, gummy Christmas candy, vegetarian pizza and a few bottles of wine. Auntie Tenie had even made Jetta a birthday cake complete with pig's ear, peanut butter and food bits. :) The night before when she and Carmen had gone grocery shopping they had even bought Jetta a number six candle. We tried to get her to blow it out, but she just stared intently at her cake. The cake was split in half for both her and Jester-the other guide dog, who was intent on humping her all night-and they had a grand old time slopping up the peanut butter. We spent the night, eating, talking, drinking and slamming the crap out of a Christmas tree shaped piñata. There was plenty of hot chocolate and laughs and Jetta got a ton of birthday presents.
Jetta says thanks to Auntie Alicia and chris for: the tasty bone, YipYaps and the pull toy
Auntie Chrispy and Alex for: the milk bones
and Mommy and Auntie Carmen and Auntie Tenie for: the pig's ears and squeaky leopard print bone.
She says thanks for everyone who came-it was a great birthday!!!