Doggyloot and Promotion Code

Y'all!  So many of you have pups who are your children too, and like us, are looking for ways to spoil them, but on the cheap.  Doggyloot has come to the rescue!

Doggyloot is a fabulous idea for a company that is offering the best of dog products at the lowest prices around.  Many of their products are made in America, and none of them are made in China.  After browsing their goods, I realized quickly that the majority of the products are the same high quality brands like Kong, Dog Games, Zuke's,  Tuffy, Chuckit!, and Outward Hound that we regularly purchase for the pups.  What I also saw was that the price of some of these items were much cheaper than I could find at the local pet store, the box brand pet stores, and even Amazon Prime.  Plus, shipping is always free!!  I like that the selection spans all dog care needs from collars, grooming, toys, and treats.  That means Aggie Belle can find a new tough toy while Bailey can get a new flavor of biscuits for cheap!! 

How does Doggyloot offer these great products at such great prices? They only offer a limited number of each product at their super low prices.  This means that many deals and products are constantly changing.  Why do I love that?  It means I find a new treat or fun dog goodie on a frequent basis and keep boredom out of my dogs' lives.  When you create an account, you can choose how often (if at all) you get emails from Doggyloot letting you know of new deals and products.

There are some items that Doggyloot carries all the time and even offers subscriptions for them.  For those goodies that your pup just can't live without, this is such an affordable way to make sure your stock is always plentiful.  We received the 6" bully sticks for Bailey to try, and we just might have to create a subscription for those!  There's also a toy a month subscription-who could resist that?!

Bailey and Aggie Belle were sent some toys and goodies to try out from Doggyloot in exchange for their honest opinions of Doggyloot.  They happily obliged!  First of all, the treats came fast!  Free shipping always makes me wonder, but these folks want their pups to get their goodies pronto-thanks, y'all!

Aggie Belle received a Dickie's brand tug-o-war toy.  I had no idea Dickie's, the same company that makes the indestructible pants, made dog toys.  Anytime Aggie Belle gets a toy with a rope, I'm suspicious.  She is known for tearing through a rope in 14 minutes or less.  She and I played all afternoon yesterday, she and Daddy for quite a while last night, and again for nearly an hour today, and that rope is still in one piece.  Dickie's dog toys get my vote, and I was pleased to see that Doggyloot really wasn't going to offer sub-quality toys to their customers.

Both pups received a package of flat fluffies that open on one end with a piece of velcro to hold a piece of clothing or fabric that smell like Mom or Dad.  I love that we were sent these since they knew we are about have a baby.  I'm going to save these for when Man Cub comes so that we can have his little baby clothes placed inside for the pups to snuggle with while we're still in the hospital.  That way they can get used to his scent on a fun toy.  Our vet has recommended this, and I think this will be perfect toy for us to use for it.  Aren't the bear, squirrel, and rabbit the cutest?  These would be awesome for any dog with separation anxiety too!

Bailey is my treat connoisseur (and toy snubber), so he was sent the 6" bully sticks.  He's had these awesome chews before, and seemed tickled to get them again.   These treats are American sourced and made, great for dog teeth, and just a fun treat to have around for some bone tossing, chewing excitement!  Aggie Belle managed to get one too.  :)

Aren't you ready to go browse Doggyloot and find a great deal for your fur baby?  From now until August 10th, enter code OzingaOutlook for 15% off your purchase!  That's 15% off already reduced prices and always free shipping.  Y'all!  Go spoil that fur baby who wants you to play!

**Disclaimer: Doggyloot sent Bailey and Aggie Belle free samples, but all opinions are their (and Mommy's) own.  Thanks, Doggyloot for asking us to try y'all!

Beach Day 2014

Thanks to our cruises, I've seen a few beaches this calendar year.  Thanks to an extra long winter and the influx of seaweed from Bermuda that the cold caused, the pups have not.  There were rumors circulating that the pocket beaches in Galveston that we always frequent were being 'swept' daily of the seaweed.  We love the pocket beaches, and decided to spend Sunday morning trying it out.  I know, we should've been at church watching the little kids' musical, but the dogs adore the beach, we hadn't taken them yet, and we're going to have a baby any day.  I promise we listened to praise songs in the car and talked a lot about how God is moving lately in our lives. ;)


Sure enough, the pocket beach was very clean.  It appears they clean at night and so there was just a bit of seaweed along the surf from the overnight hours when we arrived.  The seaweed was completely manageable and not stinky at all.  Bailey had fun surf hopping, and Aggie Belle spent all morning chasing her ball in the waves.  They are so stinking happy at the beach!!!  If they could be beach babes all year round, they would. 

 

This trip was a bit sentimental as well.  We'll probably never go with just the dogs again.  The next time we head down the road to the beach, we'll be a family of 5.  I'm going to love watching a baby play with the pups in the surf...bring it!

KJOY 2014

I can't believe this is the 4th summer Kymberlee, Terri, and I have led KJOY for our precious UBC kindergarteners.  Feel free to do a search to find posts from previous years!

If you're new around here, KJOY stands for Kindergartners learning to serve Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last.  It's a four day camp where we spend three days serving our community while learning about stories from the Bible that show us that this was the example Jesus gave us.  The last day is a fun day for us since we do believe that it's to have some self-centered fun on occasion.  :)

On Monday, we harvested veggies in our church's garden.  Then we made goodie bags to take to the staff of our local crisis pregnancy center and mommy-to-be bags for the clients there.  The kids also learned about Jesus telling the people which commandments are most important.

On Tuesday, we delivered our harvest to the Clear Lake Food Pantry.  Then we went to the Crisis Pregnancy Center for a tour and to deliver our goodies to them.  Back at church, we made door decorations for the residents at Emeritus for the next day.  The kids heard about Jesus feeding the 5000 with the fish and bread.

On Wednesday, we went to Emeritus to paint ceramics with the residents and visit.  They always love talking with the kindergartners.  We also visit every room to pass out the door decorations.  It's a precious day watching everyone interact.  The kids learn about Jesus healing the man at the pool and also make snack bags for the homeless to keep in their parents' cars. 

On Thursday, we kept up with our tradition of a private tour of the Aquarium in Kemah, feeding stingrays, and eating and playing at McDonalds.  They also learn about the Good Samaritan.

I think I love KJOY so much because it causes parents to realize that their littles are old enough to serve.  I love watching how family service to the community in the name of Jesus evolves into a deeper commitment and joy after each week of KJOY.  Thank You, Lord, for using this week for Your glory!!!

July BarkBox

This month's BarkBox is all about the beach!  All of these treats and toys are themed around the sun and fun!

Mr. Barksmith's Pina Colada Smoothie ($2): The first thing I pulled out was this little goodie.  The pups adore these treats that get thrown in the freezer for a cold treat on a hot day.  They both love coconut, so I'm sure they will love the pina colada!

Healthy Dogma Coconut Flavor Barkers ($7.95): I was super excited when I pulled these out.  No grain, cute packaging, and coconut flavored.  However, but pups snubbed them when I offered each of them a piece.  I took a closer look at the ingredient list, and the 1st is peas and the 2nd is pea flour.  Well no wonder they turned their noses!  Mommy doesn't like peas either!  Ha.  I might be able to convince them these are good later, and I am intrigued by other flavors on their site.  I'll just check the ingredient list first.  :)

Bixbi Daily Essentials Chicken Breast ($13.44) These made in Colorado treats sound like something I would like: chicken, blueberries, cranberries, and mushrooms-yum!!  My two always love jerky treats so these are sure to be a winner.

Etta Says! Duck Chews ($4 for one): Bailey loves when these arrive in BarkBox.  This is one treat I never make him share since there are so few crunchy chews he actually enjoys. 

Loopies Fish Bones Toy ($15) Aggie Belle loved the Spector toy Loopies sent her a few months ago.  She still loves on it.  Currently, she's been opposed with this fish toy for the last hour without a break.  The squeaker is dead already, but these toys hold up so well!!

For a product total of  $42.39, we certainly got our money's worth out of our $19 subscription.  And, it's two happy puppies for the next month as they enjoy their treats. 

Waiting

Hey, Man Cub!  We're waiting for you!  We're ready, so come play!

Bailey and Aggie Belle know how to walk with your stroller now.  They've been practicing every night!

Mommy has your carseat all ready to go in the truck.  You're going to be a good Texas boy and know all about good Texas trucks right from the start!

Bailey broke in your swing for you.  He promises to share it with you, but it really is one of his favorite places to be these days!  This will be the first lesson in sharing for both of the brothers.  *Don't judge...whatever it takes people....*

And there are sooooo many people waiting to hold you and kiss your cheeks!  Come on, Man Cub!

Maternity Pics with the Man Cub

I honestly thought I'd never post a picture of myself late in pregnancy (I was 37 1/2 weeks on this day), but Isaac did such a great job with these that I changed my mind.  We were going to have a photographer do them, but that fell apart at the last minute, and I didn't have enough money saved up to pay anyone else I could find.  Thankfully, Isaac is quickly mastering our new Nikon D5200...woohoo!

My parents came with us to help with the dogs, and we had my 'niece' puppy with us too.  They did great and loved the extra time in the park.  The wind was a bit of a mess, but we made it work!

 My first baby WILL learn to love the new baby! Pray for us!

Aggie Belle CAN NOT wait for her baby brother!

 Layla love babies and will be so great with her baby cousin!

June BarkBox

Oops...it's nearly half way through July and I'm just now posting about last month's BarkBox.  I promise I didn't make the pups wait this long to enjoy their goodies!!!

Romp Silly Buns Monkey Toy ($9.29)  We cracked up when we opened the box and saw this!  Aggie Belle has loved her 'butt toy', as inappropriate as it may be!  Ha.  She still hasn't torn it up, and the squeakers have lasted too.  I'm impressed at this silly toy!

 Benny Bully's Beef Liver and Banana Treats (~$3) These don't smell the best, but the freeze dried liver and banana combo have been a huge win to the pups!  They both love them, and they have nearly finished off the bag.  They seem to like the freeze dried texture and how the treats melt in their mouths so quickly.  It reminds me of eating astronaut ice cream as a kid!

 Benebone ($11.95) Aggie Belle ADORES this bone.  It's made in the USA, and it's wish bone shape makes it so easy for her to hold on to.  It's kind of like a nylabone in texture and how it breaks down for her to 'eat'.  The bacon flavor has been a huge hit! 

Green Bark Gummies Hip and Joint Bites ($11.82) These little teddy bear chews are super cute and the pups find them very tasty.  However, Aggie Belle needs 10 a day to be a true supplement for her, so I don't think we'll be buying them in place of her regular glucosamine supplement.  Bailey would need just 1, but what's the fun if only one pup gets the treat?  We'll stick with what we have. 

This month's total is approximately $36.06, basically double what we pay for the box.  Yet another successful, fun filled BarkBox experience for Aggie Belle and Bailey!

Big Girl Adventures 2014

There was no way I was going to let a summer go by without a visit from our nieces, despite the impending birth of the Man Cub.  The four of us love their visits so much, and the girls do too!  The second week of summer is UBC's VBS each year, so we decided that was a great time for the girls to come.  Since I was on limited activity at the time, it'd allow them something fun and purposeful for the mornings, and then we'd have rest time in the afternoons before Uncle Isaac took over in the evenings.  The week was perfect!

We met Bridget and the girls at our halfway point between our two houses and got them home just in time for bed on Sunday night.  There were no words to describe just how excited these four crazies were to be reunited:

And good morning, Monday!

On Monday, we were all excited to get to VBS and have fun learning that no matter what, Jesus loves us!  The Weird Animals VBS curriculum by Group was fabulous!  I worked Kid Vid for 3rd and 4th graders.  I loved sharing with them what UBC was doing as church families for kids in Dominican Republic and the real life kids who learned that Jesus loves them even though they are all different.  And, I got to sit the whole time so Man Cub was happy, doctor was happy, and I was happy.  Win!

Monday afternoon we went shopping for new clothes because I felt good and every trip deserves a bit of splurging.  It's what Aunties get to do, and I'm grateful for the opportunity!  And of course each afternoon had to have some school time as well.  Math for the Biggest Big and handwritting for the Littlest Big.  I promised I didn't torture them too much.  :) 

 That night, Uncle Isaac helped the girls make homemade pizzas, one of our favorite traditions:

This year we pulled out the Man Cub's snocone machine and made snocones after dinner.  Yum!!

On Tuesday afternoon, I treated the girls to manicures.  There's a new spa that opened down the street from our house, and they have super cheap little manicures for little girls.  They sprinkle orange slices and rose petals in the water to soak their fingers, trim and file their nails, and then paint them.  The girls were on Cloud 9, and I thought it was adorable!

After rest time, all four of us had some Play-Doh fun:



 

That night we had a picnic dinner at the pool.  I have two much more confident fish on my hands than last summer.  I'm so proud of them!  We had some afternoons at the pool too throughout the week, and I just love watching them grow in their swimming skills.  I think the best part was water gun fights with Uncle Isaac and racing across the pool on the floats!

On Wednesday, we made a pit stop at the library for some books.  Both girls love reading, but my Biggest Big is such a book worm like Auntie Laura.  Love.  The Littlest Big was content loving on the pups for awhile. Think they minded?  ;)

After rest time and dinner, Uncle Isaac took the girls to buy kites.  We were having perfectly breezy evenings all that week, and a trip to the park to fly kites just couldn't be avoided.  It was so much fun!!

Thursday was T-shirt day at VBS.  We all looked kinda cute together.  ;)

That afternoon, we took the pups to Sonic for Happy Hour.  Yum!

After some more school work...

 ...it was time to meet the always fun Tanner Family at the splash pad for dinner and water fun.  Michelle and I had no problem leaving the guys to chase 4 kids so we could catch up.  :)  I'm not sure the girls really minded though.  

After a fabulous last day of VBS, I headed to the chiropractor and Uncle Isaac taught both Bigs how to change the rotors on Auntie Laura's truck.  They LOVED it!

Then we loaded up a lawn chair for me, fishing equipment for everyone else, and headed to a park with a fishing pond.  We'd heard great things about catch and release fishing in this particular pond.  However, all the girls and Uncle Isaac managed to catch were turtles!!

On Saturday, we decided to have donuts for breakfast and try another park for fishing.  The girls loved it so much, but wanted to catch a fish!  We headed over to Challenger Park and had great, wonderful success!  I think the total catch came in close to 15.  Isaac promised to take them deep sea fishing when the Littlest Big is 8.  In 4 years, he's going to have his hands full!!  :)  They can't wait, and are making sure to hold him to that promise!

That night we went down to San Leon to Bubba's Shrimp Palace for dinner.  The girls tried shrimp for the first time, and we promised then a true shrimp boil next visit.  They loved eating out on the water and seeing the boats come in and out.  

Then we walked the pups one last time.  I think this is always everyone's favorite part of the day.  :)

On Sunday, the girls got to sing their VBS song in church before we had to load up to head back to our meeting point with Mom.  We had hoped she was going to get to come visit with us over the weekend, but work kept it from happening.  We all agreed it'd be better to save that visit for when the Man Cub arrives though.  These two are going to be so awesome with their baby cousin!!!  They can't wait to meet him, and I can't wait to see them all 3 together!