High School track season has begun in Nebraska. My daughter missed the first meet due to the State Speech meet, so the Yutan relay was her first meet. She ran the 4 x 800 meter relay and the long distance medley, the 1200 meter leg. My son, a senior is also doing track this year, it’s a way to get in shape for the Marine Corps.
Day 121/365: Brody my Jack Russell, the Official Tester of Tough Squeaky Dog Toys
Toughest Toys – Squeaky Dog Toys for Aggressive Chewers
Many of you have followed my quest to find the indestructible dog toy. Specifically, a squeaky toy, my Jack Russell loves squeaky toys. So far only the toys that have past the survivability test has been his Nylabone Dura Chew and his Busy Buddy.
My postings on this adventure attracted the attention of the Kyjen Company who makes unique and innovative dog products.
They sent graciously Brody a box of challenging and definitely unique squeaky toys and I’m going to do them justice during my by documenting Brody’s experience.
Kyjen Pet Products and their tough squeaky dog toys
Outward Hound 32039 Squeaker Matz Gator 16 Squeaker Plush Squeak Toy Dog Toys, Large, GreenKyjen PP02255 Hard Boiled Softies Dog Toys Durable Rubber and Plush Squeak Toy, Large, Multicolor
The day the box arrived Brody just knew it was for him.
Seriously, it was almost like ESP and he could sense all the fun inside. I let Brody pick out of the box and the first one he picked was the Hard Boiled Softies. It honks rather than squeaks and this was different. It is a plush covering with a hard rubber “yolk” inside.
He pushed and honked it and eventually the antennae and the wings came off. Then he went to work on the bottom part of the plush bee because he couldn’t get at the noisemaker.
After a few hours, the egg came loose from its fabric. I was very impressed with the thick rubber construction. Since it was a very large size it was more difficult to puncture.
After the egg was out of the “shell” Brody played and bounced it around all night.
What? All night, a toy actually lasted all night? This is a first!
The squeaker stayed in the egg even. It wasn’t until the next day the squeaker became dislodged and disappeared inside the dog toy cavity. I fully expected it then to be chewed into many pieces. Nope.
A week later I’m using the egg as a treat toy. I break up his dog bones into three pieces and put them inside. It’s a perfect size the egg is large enough in diameter to encourage some serious chewing and tossing to get them out.
This next phase of toy play will last him hours if I keep the treat pieces large enough.
I have put the egg back in it’s shell a few times, but it’s chewed up enough where it doesn’t stay. But I’m impressed.
As you can see from the video Brody really loves his toys, small toys are a challenge to play interactively with him as he plays keep away. Next review is a toy that is the perfect size in my opinion, maybe if they merged the two together?
Thank You Kyjen!
PetSafe Dog Toys the BEST tough dog toys for aggressive chewers
In my years of buying and testing dog toys, I’ve learned that the Petsafe dog toys are really TOUGH dog chew toys and the BEST on the market.
Here are my favorite dog toys that meet the tough, and fit into the truly indestructible category. PetSafe makes super quality dog toys and the Busy Buddy was Brody’s first toy, my request, or wish, they make a tough durable squeaker came true and the Booya is what every dog toy should be like in the future.
PetSafe Busy Buddy Waggle Dog Toy, Medium/LargeBusy Buddy Squeak N Treat Booya Dog Toy LargePetSafe Busy Buddy Barnacle Dog Toy, LargePetSafe/Premier Busy Buddy SQUIRREL DUDE Dog Treat Chew Toy Large
If you’re looking for GUARANTEED indestructible dog toys these are your best bet, but you may have a dog that is a super aggressive chewer and these still won’t last. One tip is to get one size larger than recommended.
Day 119/365: Strawberry Delight Salad
I love salads, and this one was topped with the first strawberries of the season. Nothing too special about the picture other than a clipping path and a drop shadow, the background was cluttered and distracting. Salad tasted good and I liked the colors. Just a quickie to catch up on my 365 Project.
Day 120/365: Marshmallow Peeps for Easter
You know it’s getting close to Easter when the Marshmallows Peep show up on the store shelves. I always get excited about the anticipation of Easter Peeps.
Marshmallow Peeps are soft, colorful, sugary, and fun!!
This iconic treat of pure sugar has a cult following and there are many ways to use them other than just for getting a sugar high. They now come in all sorts of colors, aside from the original yellow, although I’m a purist.
There is a whole website dedicated to Peep Recipes, Peep Crafts, and multiple contests including one from the Washington Post called the “Peep Show” I won’t even go-to the subject that comes to mind.
Heck, there is even the official PEEPS Facebook page, well of course, why not?
Peeps come out at Easter time, but aren’t just for Easter.
I bought a few to play with, had to eat the chocolate covered Peep one right away.
I do have to confess, after eating a package today at lunch (the above container) I am very sugared out and don’t think I’ll be eating anything sugary for a while.
Bleh… I guess I’m not a kid anymore, even though the marshmallows are light and airy, it’s nothing but sugar, sugar, sugar. That’s why it’s once a year for me, no matter how fun they look.
Marshmallow Peeps All Year Round
No longer do you have to wait until Easter to enjoy your favorite marshmallow peeps. Since I wrote this article I have taken notice of all the different types available throughout the year.
There is an entire marshmallow peep culture. Now that I’m a Grandmother I call my grandkids my little Peeps. So this Bunny Peep grandma gift is perfect.
The Gift of Adoption: Father and Son Adoption Reunion Story
Adoptee Reunion Story
I consider the greatest gift someone can give is life and for one parent to give a gift of adoption to parents, who either cannot have children of their own or want to unselfishly add another child to their home, is one of the biggest gift of love. I was lucky enough to witness a father and son adoption reunion and it was amazing all the way around.
For various reasons, pregnancy, a baby, and a family does not fit and is not the right timing. So choices are made. A choice made forty-eight years ago resulted in a baby boy (my husband) placed with a farm family in western Nebraska through Nebraska Children’s Home. Then the same baby boy made a similar choice twenty seven years later and gave the gift of adoption and love to another rural Nebraska couple.
During those many years, the father wondered what had become of his son. He hoped to eventually meet him, hoped and prayed that day would come. The son too also longed to one day meet his birth father who had written him letters when he was a baby.
Neither officially searched for each other, they were both quite happy with their lives, yet through a course of events and random contacts, the unbelievable happened. After reading this story I dare you to think of the course of life to be a random act of coincidences.
An Adoption Reunion Story Worth Telling
Randy (on the left, my husband) lived in a small apartment complex in Lincoln Nebraska. This small community of neighbors has provided each one acts of kindness in ranging from sharing meals, rides to the doctor, friendship, or just an encouraging word. This weekend Scott, who lives across the courtyard from Randy, called him over to tell him he had some news.
Scott was helping a buddy out with a car and through the course of this repair got a ride from Brandon (right). Scott was struck my this young man’s presence and appearance and said the commonly stated expression, “I know you from somewhere.”
The normal course of the conversation ensued, referring to places they lived, schools, churches, and people. It got around to Brandon stating “I don’t know, I’m adopted, all I know is my birth fathers’ name is Randy and he lives in Lincoln.”
It was then that Scott looked at Brandon and a said: “I know your Father, he lives across from me and you are his spitting image.” I can’t even imagine the thoughts and feelings that were going through their mind and heart. They both told me later it made them shake and their hearts race. Phone numbers were exchanged.
When Scott told this to Randy the feeling intensified. There was no doubt, no questioning in any of these three men. Each one believed that this good news was the truth. As Randy and I were fixing supper he received the phone call from his first born son who wanted to know his Father. They spoke for a short time, as it was obvious that both wanted to meet.
An invitation to supper was extended and less than an hour later Father and son walked across the yard, shook hands, and embraced for the first time. Both were shaking and tears were shed. The picture above was taken shortly after when they came to the door. The resemblance is uncanny, not just in appearances but in how much they are alike.
Both are amazing singers, sang in their University choirs, both took nine years of piano lessons, love to fish (and have made arrangements to go fishing), are very good cooks, and are avid movie buffs with a vast movie collection. At times they have only lived a few miles from each other.
Father and Son Update
Since I wrote this story father and son have developed a strong friendship. They hunt together, fish together and our families are connected in many ways. An antique farming disc belonging to my husbands family now sits in the garden at Brandon’s parents’ house, connecting the families together symbolically.
There are many connections between all of the families and no one feels threatened. It is an amazing relationship.
Christian View of Adoption
I know many people who are adopted, including my self. Some have the negative viewpoint that they were rejected by their birth parents. I look it at as the biggest unselfish gift a Mother (and Father) can give. I am thankful for life, for being given parents who wanted me enough to go above and beyond, to accept the gift of life from other parents who loved their child enough to give them a second chance.
Over the years I have often thought of looking for my own birth parents, if for only to say “Thank You.” Another choice could have been made, and I’m so glad it wasn’t.
I don’t believe in coincidence, but that God has a plan for our life. There are people placed in our lives for a reason, so the work of God can be displayed. This was also the lesson I shared with my Sunday School students this Sunday and part of Pastor’s sermon. There are events that happen to remind us of Christ unconditional love and forgiveness. We just need to open our eyes, believe, and have faith.
What lies in the future for these men is unknown, but they both know that this random meeting was not random, and both are embracing the amazing work of God.
Find Adopted Family Member
Whether you decide to search for your birth parents, siblings or child make sure you think it through, do research, and ask WHY are you searching. Is it because you are unhappy with your current lot in life because if so finding more people to insert into your world may complicate things, not solve the problem.
I went through periods, every time I was pregnant, where I was interested in health history. But when my babies were born that desire passed. Every now and then my kids ask me if I know my ethnic heritage and I can’t tell them. So, for them, I may consider it, before I get too old. (UPDATE: I did find an adoptive family member)
But regardless, every adoptee has a family and a Mother and Father who raised them. They are your true family.
Searching For Jane, Finding Myself (An Adoption Memoir)10 Critical Guidelines to Begin Searching for YourBirthright: The Guide to Search and Reunion forThe Adoption Reunion Survival Guide: Preparing Yourself for the Search, Reunion, and Beyond
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