Comments on: Meet our newest family members http://adrienne.ottleys.net/our-family/meet-our-newest-family-members Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:19:44 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Tiscia http://adrienne.ottleys.net/our-family/meet-our-newest-family-members/comment-page-1#comment-204 Tiscia Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:40:29 +0000 http://adrienne.ottleys.net/?p=222#comment-204 Adrienne, (I just realized I have been spelling your name wrong - sorry!) Your site is incredible. I don't know how you do it all! Six kids, immaculate home (ok just stood at the front door) an incredible site, and time to read? I am in awe! Some days I can't seem to handle two kids and a hubby! I guess it's all about priorities, and I still have yet to put all of mine in place! I too have to confess to a Michael Jackson obsession - and used to dance to the music videos while growing up - and still do with Nathan on occasion. He loved the Darth Vader video - also a Star Wars fan, and after watching it a few times proceeded to navigate through YouTube and watched a few other related videos. (I don't know what I was thinking teaching him this.) Ok, I mean it this time, let's keep in touch - my school email isn't too reliable - mostly because I rarely check it. OH, and did you say in your profile that you work at the Library? You are incredible! Adrienne,

(I just realized I have been spelling your name wrong – sorry!) Your site is incredible. I don’t know how you do it all! Six kids, immaculate home (ok just stood at the front door) an incredible site, and time to read? I am in awe! Some days I can’t seem to handle two kids and a hubby! I guess it’s all about priorities, and I still have yet to put all of mine in place! I too have to confess to a Michael Jackson obsession – and used to dance to the music videos while growing up – and still do with Nathan on occasion. He loved the Darth Vader video – also a Star Wars fan, and after watching it a few times proceeded to navigate through YouTube and watched a few other related videos. (I don’t know what I was thinking teaching him this.)

Ok, I mean it this time, let’s keep in touch – my school email isn’t too reliable – mostly because I rarely check it. OH, and did you say in your profile that you work at the Library? You are incredible!

]]> By: adrienne http://adrienne.ottleys.net/our-family/meet-our-newest-family-members/comment-page-1#comment-199 adrienne Mon, 25 Aug 2008 05:23:07 +0000 http://adrienne.ottleys.net/?p=222#comment-199 That was always my big objection, too. So to make it work for me, his stuff (food, bed, etc.) is confined to the mudroom and I just keep some odor absorbers in there. Luckily, so far he doesn't stink! I bathed him right away and told Jared he will be the most bathed dog in the world. After he goes outside he can't come back in until he has been thoroughly cleaned up with doggy wipes (just like my kids can't come in from playing until they have been wiped with baby wipes). And he has to be brushed and then sprayed with doggy freshener a couple of times a day to stay smelling, well, not like a dog! He's too small to get up on the furniture, thank goodness. I get so skeeved out when I walk in a house and it smells like a pet so that is something I will never allow to happen! And I will never be able to have a dog sleep on our beds. Not going to happen. I can't deal with hair all over either so we made sure to get a breed that doesn't shed. My philosophy is if I can "train and contain" the overall messiness and stinkiness of kids, I can do it with a dog. I just apply the same basic rules to the dog: food stays in the designated area, there are off-limits areas, daily baths, frequent "wipes baths", no toys laying around, etc., and then I explained to the kids that they have to help Gizmo learn and follow the rules. It's a great way for them to learn responsibility. You can totally make it work, Autumn! That was always my big objection, too. So to make it work for me, his stuff (food, bed, etc.) is confined to the mudroom and I just keep some odor absorbers in there. Luckily, so far he doesn’t stink! I bathed him right away and told Jared he will be the most bathed dog in the world. After he goes outside he can’t come back in until he has been thoroughly cleaned up with doggy wipes (just like my kids can’t come in from playing until they have been wiped with baby wipes). And he has to be brushed and then sprayed with doggy freshener a couple of times a day to stay smelling, well, not like a dog! He’s too small to get up on the furniture, thank goodness. I get so skeeved out when I walk in a house and it smells like a pet so that is something I will never allow to happen! And I will never be able to have a dog sleep on our beds. Not going to happen. I can’t deal with hair all over either so we made sure to get a breed that doesn’t shed. My philosophy is if I can “train and contain” the overall messiness and stinkiness of kids, I can do it with a dog. I just apply the same basic rules to the dog: food stays in the designated area, there are off-limits areas, daily baths, frequent “wipes baths”, no toys laying around, etc., and then I explained to the kids that they have to help Gizmo learn and follow the rules. It’s a great way for them to learn responsibility. You can totally make it work, Autumn!

]]> By: Autumn http://adrienne.ottleys.net/our-family/meet-our-newest-family-members/comment-page-1#comment-198 Autumn Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:37:25 +0000 http://adrienne.ottleys.net/?p=222#comment-198 My kids are desperate for a dog and my husband is absolutely on their side. But I am very concerned about the messes, the smells, and the general yucky-ness of living with animals. I'm the stick-in-the-mud mom who refuses to let her family have pets because "They're dirty." So, from one clean-freak to another, how do you make this work??? My kids are desperate for a dog and my husband is absolutely on their side. But I am very concerned about the messes, the smells, and the general yucky-ness of living with animals. I’m the stick-in-the-mud mom who refuses to let her family have pets because “They’re dirty.” So, from one clean-freak to another, how do you make this work???

]]> By: Aidan http://adrienne.ottleys.net/our-family/meet-our-newest-family-members/comment-page-1#comment-197 Aidan Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:53:13 +0000 http://adrienne.ottleys.net/?p=222#comment-197 Aww...Roxy has a new little cousin! Cute! Aww…Roxy has a new little cousin! Cute!

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