Good Things Come in Small Packages!

Introducing the newest member of our Litzen Zoo!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is Mukluk, a little teeny mini horse who just came into our home and our hearts. He is 31" tall, and a year old, and he looks just like our Summer boy.

I fell in love with him when I visited a mini farm a month and a half ago, and somehow just knew he was meant to be ours.

He is doing great adjusting to life here. He has been "adopted" by our Thoroughbred mare, Whisper! She sniffed him all over, nuzzled him, and then led him over to her hay bin to share with her. Now he follows her everywhere and even copies everything she does. They are very happy together! Summer is jealous.

Mukluk is the sweetest thing you ever saw. He has a soft fuzzy coat, and its fun to groom him because the whole time you kneel beside him he gives you soft "kisses" and nuzzles your hair. He has super loooooooong eyelashes, and the shortest ears on record. His ears are about the size of my thumbs.

I plan on training him to pull a cart and a sleigh, and will start next summer just letting him get used to the feel of a harness. Penelope is also going to do a full 4-H project record on him, so she is excited about that.

Michael calls him my "puppy". So excuse me, while I go play outside with my puppy!

Wedding Day Story

I promised a story, then got busy. But I love hearing everyone else's memories!

Here is mine:

It was our wedding day and I was getting ready. We were keeping the tradition of not letting the groom see the bride, or vice versa.

He did not like this tradition, not one bit! Thought it was very silly, and wanted to see "my woman".

He was telling this to some friends of mine who were standing in the hall. He was all ready, and I was still having my hair done, etc.

So he asked if he could send me a note. They finally agreed, so he scribbled something down, and they brought it to me.

Our wedding was a morning wedding, at 11:00 Am. It was a beautiful clear day, crisp and sunny. I was really not at all nervous, just excited!

When my friend brought me a note and told me it was from him, I grabbed it eagerly. I thought "How romantic!" Whatever would my handsome groom have to say to me on this, our wedding day? I carefully opened it, and read, scrawled in his crooked writing "See You At 11:00"

I laughed and laughed. It was SO HIM. He is a very detailed person, attentive to schedules, charts, lists, etc.

Of course I kept the note. Its in our wedding scrapbook. He is a bit sheepish about it, but I absolutely love it. Its such a guy thing. Its so Michael. I love it.

14 Years Together!

I'll say it again. Sorry ladies! I took this handsome, sexy, sweet, pilot RIGHT off the market! And I will also repeat the answer to the question oft heard around the time of our engagement. No, he doesn't have any brothers.

Our story is short. But long at the same time. Nobody but nobody knows what magic was happening in our hearts, but everyone knows it was lightning speed.

We met through my aunt, but not in person. We wrote letters and had long phone calls lasting all night. We still did not meet in person, as he was in Anchorage and I was in Fairbanks.

One month later, I flew to Kenai for my niece's first birthday. On my way back to Fairbanks, (where I was an elem school teacher) I had a one-hour lay-over. He had been wanting to fly up to Fairbanks for some time, but I had delayed our meeting. I liked the safety and comfort of a long-distance relationship! He did not. LOL. At that time we had one picture of each other.

So, since I was going to be in Anchorage for one hour, I decided to give him a call. Did he want to meet for one hour? (I figured that was pretty safe, and I could handle anything for one hour) He was already there when I landed and we knew each other instantly. I was stunned at the blue of his eyes, and the intensity in them! He thought I was a little hippie girl, because I had one braid down one side of my long hair, and wore a beret and an artsy sleeveless dress. (I was in my hat phase)

One hour passed way too quickly. I left with tears in my eyes at having to leave him.

One week later he flew to Fairbanks. We went canoeing with friends of mine. We went our for Thai food. We walked along the Chena river. We flew to Circle Hotsprings. I cannot give you logic, but I can tell you that we were engaged less than 24 hours after meeting one another! We still shake our heads in wonder.

We were married less than five months later.

Later today, I am going to tell you my favorite story about our wedding day. It still brings an instant smile to my face when I think about it. I mean, it was SO HIM.

But for now, take a moment and tell me. What is YOUR favorite memory of your wedding day? Or a favorite story you have heard about your parents, girl friend, etc?

Share!

Note: The song playing is a song I am especially fond of when it comes to our memories. We went to Costa Rica for our honeymoon, and the beautiful lyrics remind me so much of our time there. Its called "And We Danced Anyway".

Frozen Kisses

This picture is from last winter, but it was a fun memory so I am sharing it here. Chena and I went outside all bundled up, and just played with the horses. We love to play tag with them, especially after a heavy new snow. The powder just flies as Summer and Whisper dash through the drifts! We chase them, then turn around and RUN while they chase us!





After we were totally worn out, we just sat together and talked for awhile. I just adore that girl. I could not resist a few frozen kisses on that sweet cheek!

Warning, Cuteness Ahead

Who can resist that cute face? My friend stayed with us last week, and she brought her teeny 3 lb Yorkipugawawa to stay too. I took this picture of him, so I had to share it.

Best in Show or You Be the Judge!

Either way, it was fun. I was asked to be a judge for the annual Strut Your Mutt Dog Costume Contest at our local recreation center.

It was seriously a blast. I could not compete, since I was a judge, but we decided to dress up poor Pluto anyway, and take him along.

He was pretty "bugged" at us for his costume:

Ha ha, I am so punny.

Here he is with another little girl who was also dressed as a bee. She was naturally drawn to him, and kept coming to pet him.

We had prizes for Best in Show, Human and Canine, and Most Creative. My favorite was the fat black pug who came as a big black SPIDER. Shudder. But he was so ugly he was cute. (watch for him in the video at the end)

It was just tons of silly fun. Our town is small, so I was surprised to have almost 30 entries! So cute.

People's Choice Award went to a little girl dressed as a maid, with a long stick "mop" only the dustmop at the end was a shaggy Terrier. Way adorable, but made even cuter by the bucket she held with two "scrubbing pads". They were the two-week old puppies of the dustmop dog!

Enjoy this video of the Canine Cake Walk. Notice the music. I think its Scooby Doo?

A Tail of Two Kitties

We have two wonderful feline friends. They are sisters, but look as different as night and day.

Chena and Penelope got them for Christmas. Yup, found them under the Christmas tree almost five years ago now. Chena said "Oh goodie...can we raise them?" (which I thought was a funny word for a six year old) and Penelope said "Are they really ours or do we have to give them back?" (which really makes us sound like we are big meanies on a regular basis, doesn't it?).

Anyway, We named them Penguin and Sparrow.

Penguin because she looks like this:

and Sparrow because she liked to fly off of the couch. But now she likes to sit in the cat house like this:

Which keeps her safe from invaders, like this one...

They really are sweet cats with the funniest personalities.

Here are ten facts about Penguin, or "Pingy" as we sometimes call her.

1. Runs up the stairs ahead of me if she thinks I'm heading for the shower

2. Hates Most dogs but likes Pluto and is veeeery curious about Dandelion

3. If I say "I'm going to get your foot" she flops over and playfully bites me

4. Likes to sleep on top of beds, preferable top bunks

5. Answers back any time you talk to her. I mean, EVERY time!

6. Has a serious thing for pipe cleaners. Goes crazy for them

7. Lays down on command (but only for Mom)

8. Has a "smile" of white fur under her mouth

9. Loves to go "to school" when we head for the classroom each morning

10. Follows us on walks in the woods

Sparrow is pretty silly too! Here are ten facts about Sparrow.

1. She isn't afraid of dogs. Stares them down but good!

2. She hides all the time, new hiding spots constantly

3. If she thinks we are leaving the house, she hides so she doesn't get put out

4. If you pick her up, she immediately turns to you and hugs you

5. Doesn't like the top bunk

6. She only meows when she is hungry or thirst, never just to say hello

7. If she gets in trouble, she doesn't care. She just flops down right there in front of you, like she is laughing at you

8. She hates the dogs, but never runs from them

9. She wants to be towel-dried after being out in the rain, and meows for it

10. She likes to cuddle first thing in the morning while I have my coffee