Christmas gathering

How blessed I feel to have family around at Christmas! My mom and Scott came on Christmas eve. Scott cooked dinner while we went to church. Lovey was a shepard and he looked so sweet! My in-laws met us at church and then everyone came over to enjoy Scott's delicious spaghetti. The kids opened a present (Christmas pajamas) and then were off to bed.

Lovey was surprised when I told him he could wake up before 7:30. When I went to check on him at 5:58am, he told me he was waiting until 6. Littlebit was still asleep, but Lovey soon woke her up. Lovey was so excited that Santa brought him a bike and Littlebit was thrilled with her dollhouse. We opened presents and then took a break to make breakfast. (Littlebit was done opening presents; she just wanted to play with her dollhouse. Lovey opened some of hers for her.) Turnovers, cinnamon rolls and scrambled eggs were on the breakfast menu. Thankfully my mom brought her convection oven because the ham was in at 5am and we needed the extra space.

My inlaws were able to join us and then we opened more present. We spent the rest of the day enjoying delicious bacon wrapped crackers, cranberry margaritas, cookies and artichoke spread before an amazing dinner.

I am so thankful for my fabulous family and and a very, Merry Christmas!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I think we finally have all of our decorations up this year. I love this snowflake that I made after seeing it here.

The Joy my mom gave to me the first year I had my own place. I think it is absolutely beautiful.

My mom made this Santa and originally my aunt had him, but she gave it to me two years ago. Love it.

I made the angel in 3rd grade, but looking at it closer, I don't think the wings are mine. The initials do not match. My mom gave me the Pere Noel when I was in high school and studying french.

This year our tree is a mix of old and new ornaments, purchased and homemade.

We have beautiful ornaments, such as Lovey's school bus below

and ornaments that Lovey made in religious ed.

Last year I found the pipe cleaner and yarn ornament on the tree and it went back up this year.

Littlebit and I made this ornament this year. I took some inexpensive ornaments I bought last year and with a littel glue and glitter we have a customized ornament.

And even this little guy found a spot on the tree. I may have to take care of him later.

The kids and I made these little candle holders when our advent envelope said it was craft day.

And now the house is decorated, cookies are baked, presents are wrapped and shipped, and glitter is everywhere. I have one last present that the kids and I made. If you are a grandparent or godparent to my kids - look away.

Littlebit and Lovey made these notepads as gifts. Super easy with a little help from Kinkos (apparently my copier does not reduce). After cutting the paper I paper clipped it together and rubbed a glue stick along the top. We even made one for Lovey's teacher that says: From the desk of....

Felt Christmas Tree

Littlebit and Lovey love to decorate the Christmas tree, but we end up with a lot of ornaments just in the front. This year I think we came up with a compromise. I let them each put a few ornaments on the tree and then that night put up their own trees in their room to decorate.

I saw this idea on Ruffles And Stuff and decided to adapt it. I made felt trees and hung them from a hook on the wall of their room. I hot glued ribbon to the tree and made a button hole at the top for a ribbon to hang the tree. Then I cut out a variety of ornaments to put on the tree.

Littlebit and Lovey enjoy rearranging the ornaments on their trees and this gives us some Christmas decorations upstairs.

Travel Tic Tac Toe

Very good friends of ours are moving to another state. I wanted to do something for them for the long car ride ahead so I made little packages for each of the kids. I also made the girls a travel tic tac toe game. I made it up as I went a long, but I like the way it turned out and now I need to make one for Lovey.

This is the game board. I used white felt and sewed on ribbon. I made the pieces out fo felt so that it would stick together in the car.

This is the back of the game board with two pockets to hold the X and O pieces.

It rolls up with the pieces on the inside and ties with a ribbon. Hopefully it won't take up too much room in their car and will entertain the girls for awhile.

I've linked this to DIY day on  and

Advent Calendar

This year I wanted to create an Advent calendar that included activities for our family to do together. After looking at many different ideas on the web, I decided to create envelopes using the pattern from the book, Art Connections. I traced the pattern onto Christmas paper and folded it into an envelope. Hopefully this gives the kids and the family something to look forward to everyday.

Thankful!

What a fabulous and busy Thanksgiving weekend! My mom and Scott arrived on Tuesday. That night Lovey had a sleepover with a dear friend who is moving away. They had a great time and in the morning, my mom drew the outline of their bodies on paper for them to decorate. The kids loved it.

The Thanksgiving turkey took an hour longer than it was supposed to and one side didn't quite reach 180, so we didn't eat that side. I don't know it was weird. The food was delicious. We tried a new stuffing recipe from Sunset magazine that was quite tasty and Scott made cannales. My mom made olive cookies that were good at first and then I thought they were okay. She didn't like them, but Scott did.

We went to see the Christmas Forest on Friday and then my mom and I went shopping. We went to all the stores I can't take the kids into. We spent most of our time in a nursery of all places. We laughed and talked a lot and had a great time together. I had so much fun.

Saturday Big Daddy put up the outside lights at Lovey's insistance and then after my mom beat me at two games of Nerts we went to Fantasy Lights. The kids really liked it. Favorites included the construction equipment throwing the snowballs to make a snowman, the dinosaurs, the reindeer, and the bees at the flower.

What a wonderful weekend despite our house being full of runny noses and coughing! I'm so glad my mom could stay for so long, it was a treat!

Thanksgiving Preparation

We are busy cooking here. The cranberries are made, the sugared cranberries are ready to be rolled in fine sugar, and the pie pumpkins have been pureed. We still have quite a bit of cooking to do tonight and then only turkey and horseradish carrots tomorrow. Yum!

In between this, Big Daddy has decided to invite a coworker over tonight for some homemade beer he received from another coworker. At some point I still have to make dinner.

Lots to do in the kitchen!

She's pretty now!

I was thrilled when my mom gave me her pink chair. It is a great chair for relaxing in and both kids like to cuddle up in it, but it has seen better days with its threadbare arms and faded pink fabric. I had dreams of having it recovered, but I just don't have the money for that. I tried to find a slipcover for it, but it is deep and skinny, so it is hard to fit. Fed up with the kids picking at the stuffing and thread, I decided to make a slipcover for it.

I followed the slipcover tutorial at Pink and Polka Dot (don't you just love the name of that blog). I had to make my own adjustments and I ripped out a few seems, but the chair is all dolled up now. I chose an inexpensive quilter's cotton for the base of it because I didn't want to spend too much money in case it was a disaster. Maybe I will redo the base sometime in something a little heavier. The cushions are a thicker home decor fabric. Altogether I spent roughly 5 hours working on it and probably could have taken more time, but I kept getting lost in all of the fabric. It's not perfect, but I like it and it will do for now.

Before: (The cushions are missing in this picture because they were already recovered.)

After:

I think I might be crazy...

What a fabulous weekend! The kids went to see Disney on Ice with their grandparents and Big Daddy and I went spent a fabulous Saturday together. We treated ourselves to coffee and apple fritters and then did a little Christmas shopping and walked around downtown. It was nice to go into stores I don't dare take the kids into and just stroll around at a leisurely pace. I even showed Big Daddy the piano I really, really want.

To end the weekend, I started on a project that I hope turns out well. I am making a slipcover for a pink chair that my mom gave me. I hope it turns out well and I'll have a completed project to show you soon.

Happy Halloween!

The kids had a wonderful Halloween. In the morning we went to a costume contest and trick or treating at the market. A lot of the vendors were giving out candy to the kids. At the costume contest, each child received a treat bag. They didn't win the grand prize though.

Lovey was dressed up as Syndrome from the Incredibles. The only Syndrome costume we could find was $99 on Ebay. I made this for about $10. I even made the cape blue on the inside just like Syndrome's. I loved this costume. It was easy to make and it looks just like the character. It has been a few years since the Incredibles movie came out, so not many people recognized who he was. Lovey was thrilled though when one of the trick or treaters who came to the door recognized that he was Syndrome.
He even had spiky hair and a mask like Syndrome. A few minutes and some black eyeliner and you have a great mask.

Littlebit wanted to be a pink princess. This costume took me a few days to make. I was worried about the fit, but I let out the seams and it was perfect. She looked beautiful and wore her crown from her second birthday.

Both kids couldn't wait to go trick or treating. They ran from house to house and were only gone about 30 minutes because they were running. I'm glad they had such a great time. They are already talking about what they are going to be next year.

A girl and her ba-blankie

Our house is always cold in the winter. In fact, it is always freezing upstairs. ALWAYS. Except in the summer when it is unbearably hot. I would love to bottle the suffocating heat that in the house during the summer and save it until winter.

Littlebit was born in the winter and when she started to not want to be swaddled, but still needed a blanket, I chose one that had been knit for her. I figured it had holes, so if she pulled it over her head she wouldn't suffocate. Now she is extremely attached to this blanket. I've tried to substitute soft minky blankies that I dream are mine (hint to mom: I want one). But it is the knit blanket that she carries around - EVERYWHERE. I dread the day I leave it somewhere.

She has made the holes bigger by sticking her fingers and hands through them. She weaves her fingers through it while watching tv and is often seen with her toe through a hole as she drags it behind her as she walks.

The blanket was handmade, so I can't use a substitute when I wash it. Believe me, I've tried. She loves her ba-blankie so much, that I fear it will become a string trailing behind her.

Princess Costume

Littlebit wants to be a princess for Halloween (or as she says it a "pimpess"). Not just any princess will do, it must be pink. So here I am swimming in yards of pink tulle and satin and hating it. I think I was drinking when I said yes.

I'm not impressed with the pattern, Simplicity 2569. Based on the measurements, I went up a size and it still might be too small. I might make this twice. Yeah, me.

I've ripped out a lot of seams and finally ran out of thread. The kids and I will be running to JoAnns tomorrow for more pink thread and the pattern in the next size up. (Good thing it is on sale through tomorrow.)

Oh, but the look on her face when I showed her the pattern. Love!

To Vaccinate or Not To Vaccinate

That is the question.

With both kids considered high risk for complications from the flu, I'm having trouble deciding whether to get them the flu vaccine or not. They are high risk because they get cold-induced asthma. In the past month, each has had a minor cold resulting in doctor visits, nebulizer treatments, and orapred. Those were minor colds. Orapred makes my kids hyper. Lovey was yelling while he was talking. When I asked why he was yelling, he kept saying he wasn't yelling; this while he running circles around the kitchen table.

The doctor has asked me twice if they were getting the flu shot and both times I have asked if we could live in a bubble.

I can't decide and I feel so stressed about it. I feel like it is a huge crushing, life-or-death question and I don't know the answer. What if I vaccinate them and there is some horrible side-effect? What if I don't vaccinate them and we end up in the hospital or worse? It is easy to decide for myself, but harder to decide for my kids.

Real Housewives

So occasionally I am sucked into shows such as Real Housewives of Atlanta (Orange County, New York, etc.). Have you ever watched one of these shows? The title itself just cracks me up. The word, housewife, congers up an image of someone who is at home taking care of the kids, cooking, cleaning, and generally running the house. Maybe the title is meant tongue in cheek, but maybe these "housewives" would like to trade for a day. (Okay, so maybe I would like to trade for the day and sit at the spa or drink wine with my friends and get dressed up to go to a fancy party or spend thousands of dollars on clothes at one store.) Maybe they would trade their spa trips and gossips sessions and fancy shin-digs for doctor visit (thanks to kids who get cold-induced asthma), school meetings, taking the car in for repairs, emptying the dishwasher, folding clothes, grocery shopping, and interrupted play dates because a child needs to go to the doctor because their breathing is labored. Hmmm, they probably wouldn't. And maybe I don't want to either, even though the spa time and wine with friends sounds absolutely divine right now.

Adventurous

At Sand in the City this year, there was a rock climbing wall set up. Lovey expressed interest, but usually being the timid sort, I didn't think he would go through with it. He marched right up there, took off his shoes, and stepped into a harness. And go Lovey, go.



He was so pleased with himself that he made it to the top and rang the bell. I'm thrilled that he gave it a try.

Hair Accessory Solution

Littlebit does not have very many hair "pretties", but the ones we do have were slowing overflowing the bucket. I have seen different organizing strategies for hair accessories, but this as my favorite.

I removed the glass from a frame. I added batting and fabric to the backing of the frame and stapled some ribbons to the back. I spent more time choosing the frame and fabric, than I did making this.

Littlebit loves it because now Lovey can't reach it.

This afternoon Lovey will put on his backpack, new shoes, and new clothes and head to Kindergarten!

How? How did my little boy get old enough to go to Kindergarten? Wasn't I just taking him to my staff meetings at 4 months old and setting up his pack-n-play, so I could set up my classroom? Oh wait, I haven't been in a classroom in a few years.

He is so excited to go to school, I'm surprised he slept last night. We've been to his classroom twice and his teacher is very nice. Last night we walked around the school at open house. He was amazed at how big it was and he kept asking if we were going to get lost. I assured him we wouldn't and we didn't.

He can't wait to ride the bus, but today I insisted on taking him to school. He can ride the bus Friday. I can't wait to hear all about his first day!

Milestones

Training wheels will soon be a thing of the past here. Lovey rode his bike from the driveway to the end of the block without falling. It seems though that remembering how to turn and stop also were left with the training wheels in the garage. Big Daddy had to help him start and stop, but he didn't have to hold on very long and Lovey was off. We put them on later so we could take a family bike ride since he isn't quite ready to go completely solo. It won't be long though and he will be riding around the neighborhood without me. Yikes!

Garden visitor

As I was watering my garden this morning, I noticed this cute little garden visitor.

He was on one of my hydrangeas. I think he was a little camera shy since he kept moving away from me.

This visitor on our sunflower was too busy to be bothered by the camera.

My mom came to visit this weekend and she weeded my yard. Yeah! We also picked 8 lbs. of blueberries. The kids were thrilled that Nana came to visit. Littlebit kept saying, "I like Nana" after she left. Now they want to know when she is coming back.

We also went to a nursery and they had hydrangeas 40% off. I looked for the Big Daddy hydrangea that I spied last year and didn't see it until we left. Big Daddy went back and bought it for me while we waited in the car. My hero!

Feeling sad

Although I have known for most of the summer that the possibility was there, my friend confirmed yesterday that they are moving. I'm trying to be happy for them because it is a new job and a new adventure, but I am so, so sad. We were roommates in college, we were in each other's weddings, in the delivery rooms when we had our kids, she is Godmother to both Littlebit and Lovey, and I am her son's Godmother. We take turns babysitting, our husband's carpool together, and we celebrate birthdays together.

Part of the sadness is, it is hard to make friends, especially when you live in a neighborhood of people who don't really come out of their houses. My kids are too old for the mom's group and the people we met in preschool won't be going to kindergarten with us. I'm shy and it is really hard to make new friends. I suppose I'm having a pity party for myself. I'm trying really, really hard to be happy for them, but I am having a hard time with that.

When Lovey heard, he wanted to know how far away they were moving and if we could visit them. He doesn't understand that we can't just go over there all of the time. He hasn't played with his friends since sometime in July because they've been on vacation or sick and he already misses them. He calls them his girlfriends, that's how he introduced them at summer camp. I told him we will try to visit them, but in the five years since Uncle Chris has moved, we haven't been able to make the trip to see him. I know it will be hard.

So for now, I will try to be happy for them and hope that one day they will move back here.

Checking Off the Summer List

We have checked off quite a few things from Littlebit and Lovey's summer to do list. We have been to the beach, we went camping twice, and Lovey went fishing with Grandpa. On Sunday we took a mini vacation and checked off three more items on the list: stay in a hotel, go swimming, and go to the zoo.

We decided to take a little vacation to Portland, Oregon. On the way there we went to Mount St. Helens. The clouds cooperated by moving, so we could see part of the volcano. Lovey was fascinated by the volcano and the movie he watched about it. He kept asking when it was going to erupt, not out of fear, but out of fascination and I think he wanted to see it erupt.

When we finally arrived at the hotel, we decided to go swimming. Littlebit was a little daredevil in the pool. She would walk away from you and jump in, so that you had to quickly swim over and pull her up because she doesn't know how to hold her breath. Scary. Lovey practiced the things he learned at swim lessons, like floating on his back. A year ago, floating on his back or getting his face wet would have resulted in him yelling.

The next day we went to the Portland Children's Museum. This is a fabulous children's museum and although there were a lot of kids there, it doesn't feel crowded like the one here. The kids had a great time on the stage, playing with the trains, and in the dig pit. Lovey and I even played a giant game of checkers and Littlebit played with blocks that looked like wood, but were soft.

On our last day, we went to the zoo for $2 Tuesday. Yikes! Who's idea was that. It was nice to only pay $6 to get in instead of $30, but it took over an hour just to get in the gates of the zoo. We had to park in a church parking lot and ride the shuttle to the zoo. The kids loved the shuttle because it was a school bus and both kids have a fascination with buses. We didn't see all of the animals at the zoo, but we did see bears, elephants, and tigers. We went to see a cougar that Grandpa had helped rescue, but it wasn't out due to having its area cleaned. Bummer, that's why we wanted to go. The kids loved the elephants and still talk about the size of the poop and the size of one male elephant's privates. Nice. Next topic. We also took the train around the zoo which Littlebit had been asking for the entire day. We left just as it was starting to rain. Our timing was perfect so that we only were rained on in the car.

The hotel we stayed in was nice. I might post a review about it later.

In three days, we checked three things off of the summer to do list. Now to try to finish the list before Lovey goes to school in a month.

Blueberry Fingers

Yesterday was perfect berry picking weather, cloudy and cool, but not raining. The berries were small, but were clumped together like grapes, so it was easy to pick. There were quite a few people out picking and Lovey kept one couple entertained with his non-stop talking. Mostly he was asking questions or telling me that he was leaving some for me to come and pick. I had my own bushes I was working on. I'm easily distracted while picking blueberries. There are so many, it is hard to stay focused.

After an hour, Lovey was hungry, so we left. I picked just under 2.5 lbs. Lovey picked only .25 lbs. I think he ate most of his. I kept telling him that if he wanted berries in the winter, he had better keep picking. There were still a lot of berries that weren't ripe, so maybe we'll go again. Want to come, Mom?

Weekend without kids

I thought I would get so much done last week with only having one child at home, but it was just too hot. Lovey went to Grandpa's to going fishing. This was one of the things on his summer to-do list. He had a great time. He caught two pinks and brought home some crab too. His first day fishing they didn't get anything, but then they went out the next day and finally caught something. The straits were a little rougher that day with some white caps, but Lovey had a great time on the boat.

He was very tired when he got home and the next day we got in the car and drove to Grandpa and Grandma's house. We wanted to see their new addition on there house and the kids were going to stay there for the weekend.

We always seem to over plan when the kids are gone because there is so much we would like to get done without the kids around, but I'm always disappointed when we don't get to it all.

We had a great weekend though. We did a little shopping after dropping of the kids and went to a late dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. (I ordered a raspberry martini that was watery and couldn't believe that it was $10! Yikes! I will not do that again.) We went to the sale at the bike shop and looked at washers and closet organizers at Lowes. Then we were off to a coworkers wedding. The reception was on the water and the sunset was beautiful, but oh my, it was hot! The next morning we were able to pick some blueberries just in time for the kids to get home.

Now we need to rest. Everyone is tired.

I'm melting

It is so unbelievably hot here. I would have never thought that the weather forecast would show 110 degrees as the temperature where I live. Hello, I live in the Pacific Northwest for a reason.

Lovey went to spend a few days with Grandpa to go fishing. I am jealous. It is cooler there. If I didn't have to work tonight, I would be there too. Lovey cried though because he was missing the 100 degree weather. I think he managed to get his 100 degrees because one of the stops on his way to Grandpa's it was 104.

Littlebit and I just sit in front of the fans and watch tv or play with a few toys. Who wants to exert themselves. Ugh. Yesterday evening we picked up Big Daddy from work and went to the mall. We weren't the only ones there. Littlebit played on the toys there for awhile. We didn't come home until 8 and it was in the 90s outside and 88 downstairs in the house! I don't know what we will do today when it is supposed to be about 10 degrees hotter. We may have to hit the library. Big Daddy and Littlebit will probably watch movies at his office while I work tonight. At least there will be a/c at both of our offices.

There is not much relief in sight as the ten day forecast doesn't show anything below the 80s. The average high for this time of year is what we are getting at night as our low. This is crazy and I think I am melting!

Trip to the beach

What do you do when the temperatures are supposed to be in the high 80s, you have two little kids, and it is daddy's day off? You drive to the beach.

The ocean is just over an hour away, so we packed lunch, sand toys, a kite, swim suits and towels and drove to the beach on Friday. We ate our lunch in the car and arrived at the beach around noon. It was still cloudy and cool, but soon the weather turned sunny. We started out parked on the beach, but ended up moving the car because the tide was coming in. We moved it just in time too because just after Big Daddy drove the car off the beach, the waves rolled in about five more feet to where our car was parked! It caught everyone parked around us by surprise I think.
We built a sandcastle that was quickly knocked down by the waves and flew a kite. Littlebit is usually my water baby, but I don't think she liked the waves. Lovey, who is usually more timid, kept running out into the water. He was knocked down by the waves once and couldn't get up and he drank some water. I was pleased that he didn't panic though. He just kept lifting he head up until I could get to him. He was closer to the beach than I was. I ended up with very wet pants. Good thing I brought a change of clothes.

I was happy to see my kids enjoying the beach and the water. The delight on their faces brought joy to my heart. This was the beach where I lived until I was eight and I loved it. After the beach we drove around the little town. Each time we are there I like to drive by my old home. I was sad to see that the playhouse had been taken down. It was still there when we drove by three years ago. I can't believe all of the houses around it, I missed the house the first time we drove by. I was looking for the playhouse.

We enjoyed milkshakes and fries on our drive home. Going to the beach was on our summer checklist and now we could check it off. Maybe we will go back again soon.

Must be doing something right

The other night I made baked fennel with Gorgonzola cheese and orzo pasta with pancetta for dinner. I wasn't sure the kids would eat it, so there were leftover hot dogs in the fridge too. Fennel is one of those things that you like it or you don't. Well to my surprise when I came home that night, Lovey told me he loved that onion dish (fennel - it looked like onions). He said he could gobble it right up.

At school Lovey announced that his favorite meal is smoked Gouda mac and cheese with spinach. What kid says he likes spinach?

Sometimes I wonder about my kids taste buds. We have had a lot of hot dogs this summer between BBQs and camping, but that is usually the only time we have hot dogs in the house. Now they love hot dogs, especially corn dogs, but it makes me happy when my son gets excited for apple pizza or their recent favorite of thai chicken pizza. When I buy hot dogs, Lovey thanks me over and over.

On Friday we had an afternoon of milkshakes, taffy, and french fries. Both kids were sick that night. It is not often we eat something like that and I'm sure their stomachs handled it well.

These things aren't banned in my home. There are pospsicles and ice cream in the freezer and chips and cookies in the pantry right now. We just space out when they are consumed. I enjoy cooking for my family and trying new things, so I am excited that they like to eat a variety of things. Even if Littlebit requests peanut butter and jelly crackers for lunch everyday and Lovey wants cinnamon toast for breakfast every morning, I know they get variety at dinner.

Laundry room sign

A few years ago, I saw a sign for a laundry room that had a saying that made me laugh. I have seen it a few times since then, but I just didn't want to pay the $30. So I found some wood in garage, had Big Daddy router the edges, and painted it with a sample can of paint I bought for $4 for another project. I used left over craft paint for the letters and made my own sign. I can't wait to hang it in the laundry room. Now if only my free Gliddon paint would arrive and then I could paint the room first.

Camping

A few weekends ago we went camping with three other families. There were 17 of us total. Eight adults and 9 kids. We went to a state park with a creek on the canal. The kids had a great time riding their bikes and scooters and playing in the creek. They wanted to swim in the canal, but each time we would go, it would be low tide and the oysters would cut their feet.
We planned on taking the kids swimming in the canal on Saturday night, but while we were changing we heard thunder. We waited awhile and since the cloud seemed to pass over us and there was blue sky we went down to the canal. As the kids were getting in, we saw lightening. We decided everyone had to get out and we would try again in the morning. It rained on and off with a bit of thunder and lightening, but ended soon. At 6am we woke up to a huge clap of thunder, I think Lovey was the only one to sleep through it and he had gone to bed with a migraine. We got up and took down our tent and left by 9:30. As we started driving off, it started to rain.

Here are 2 funny things that happened while camping:

1. My friend, Amy, killed a spider by the door of my tent. While she was killing it, she said, "You would do the same for me if it was a snake." I responded with a maybe. That afternoon while walking back from the creek, we saw a snake. She turned and ran screaming. I screamed and ran after her. Hmmm. Some friend I am.

2. Amy, Big Daddy, and I were walking back from the bathrooms in the dark and a dog started growling and running at us. The owners are yelling that he is off his leash. The dog is scary and is snarling at us. Big Daddy throws me in front of him and hides behind me. Nice. Thanks for protecting me! The owners got the dog and then said he was friendly. Sure.