Wedding Info

The real reason I started this blog was to be able to share information about my life with friends and family I don't get to see very often. One of our big events this year is our wedding! Here is an updated version of our wedding website. Feel free to check it out. There is hotel information, gift registry, and specifics about the wedding itself.
http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/JenniferSallee&MichaelKerber

We are still working on a few big details (ie DJ and honeymoon) and also the small ones like favors. However, we ordered our invitations today! I know, I probably should have done this a month ago but at least its done now. Next on the list, wedding rings....

Success!

What a weekend! Cali got to do all kinds of fun things. First we pulled out the pool again. At first she was still weary of it, but after a few throws in the afternoon sun she decided that lying down in the pool wasn't so bad after all. Then this evening we put on her pack and took a walk along the Pumpkin Trail in Chapel Hill North woods. She didn't seem to mind the pack one bit! We didn't have her carry much weight for this first hike. Instead you can see me carrying the water bottle. Cali seemed to really enjoy herself. We can't wait to take her again. Let me know if you'd like to come along!

Ready Set Camp!

Cali has a lot of energy. A lot! One way to try and tire her out is for her to wear a pack on our walks. Perhaps in the winter we will have her wear it regularly but for now its too hot. However, we are planning on doing some day hikes with her and though she could help out by carrying her own water. Friday night Mike, Cali and I went to REI (people got a kick out of her in the store) and we found Cali her very own pack. She doesn't seem to mind it, but then again she only wore it for a few minutes.

Mug Shot

Our friend Brandy took this picture of Cali last weekend. I love it and wanted to share.

All About Cali

My life pretty much revolves around this dog. We both love having her and find ourselves trying to include her in a lot of what we do. For example, we take her to our friends house (Thanks Rob and Erika!), to Friday's at the Front Porch at the Carolina Inn, to gelato in Southern Village, and to Ultimate Frisbee with Mike's friends. One of our favorite things to do is take her to the dog park.

Here is Cali at the dog park. She loves going there. Its not really about the other dogs but about chasing her tennis ball. We try and take her at least 3 times a week. Sometimes we go more since she gets a lot of exercise and Mike and I can just stand there. She doesn't realize it yet but we are going to have to cut back on our trips once the real NC summer heat hits us. Or maybe I'll just get up at 6 am and take her...yeah right!





One way to try and counter the heat is to have a way to cool off Cali after we play ball. We decided, ok I decided and Mike humored me, to get Cali her very own pool. I picked up this pool at Toys R Us. It almost didn't fit into my car but after some shoving I got it in. Cali was skeptical at first and just wanted to drink out of it. Once Mike got in he was able to lure her in as well. He got her to sit down but she wanted nothing to do with actually lying down. We'll take it in baby steps. Maybe next weekend...

The Cali Monster Strikes Again

Apparently Cali has something against plants. I know that she enjoys eating grass and you've read below what she did to the poor basil plant. I went to a friends bridal shower on Saturday. One of our favors was a lovely little spider plant. When I got home from the shower I placed the plant on the kitchen table and turned to get some laundry started. As I was loading the washing machine I hear Cali behind me playing with something. I turn my head and this is what I see first.
When I look further I see Cali with a plant in her mouth shaking it back and forth, determined to kill it. I called her name and she stopped and stared at me. I was laughing by this point but managed to kennel her (to avoid her walking on the dirt) and got the vacuum cleaner. Before I cleaned up I snapped this picture of the poor spider plant where it lay after being released from her jaws.

I guess this means that house plants are not in our foreseeable future. I hope she doesn't try and play with the Christmas tree! Unfortunately the spider plant was not able to survive its injuries. However I am happy to report that Mr. Basil is doing well and if all looks good he will be transplanted to new pot (outside) the middle of the week.

Cali's New Toy

This is an email I got from Mike this morning. I thought it worthy of being posted and wished I could have been home to experience the scene myself.

"I heard a crinkly, plasticy sound this morning and thought that Cali had found a water bottle, so I made the "Shh!" sound and she stopped. Once I finally got out of bed, I witnessed the true mayhem that that sound foreshadowed.

On the ground in front of our bedroom was a pile of dark soil. A few feet away were the limp remains of what once was a basil plant, I'd guess. A few feet further away was the cause of it all, Cali's new favorite toy, the plastic plant holder thingy. Yep, she did it all for that wonderfully chewy plastic plant holder.

She was quite happy with her morning's devastating work and proceeded to walk all over the dirt pile while wagging her tail and utterly disregarding the green corpse at her feet. I patted her oblivious little head, kenneled her with some roast beef to munch on, so she'd really learn her lesson, and went to work. Thanks to my extensive training in plant resuscitation (courtesy of Monsanto Corp.), I was able to very carefully replant the badly beaten basil. He is now recuperating on the back deck. Prognosis is still unclear. I also cleaned up the carpet as well as I could, but there was a giant brown stain and several paw-shaped smaller stains all over the place. I'm still waiting to see whether that carpet cleaner stuff works as well as it advertises.

Anyway, I would advise against leaving Mr. Basil (if he survives) within reach of The Cali Monster from now on."


I'll keep you posted on whether Mr. Basil lives.