Thanksgiving on Duty: Dog Playdates & Christmas Decorating!

Hugo here!

This fall has been packed with Dad building relationships at work, Mom enjoying her daily beach walks, random weekend outings to Cadiz with their friends, and even a wine-tasting event with the hospital wardroom (which wasn't dog-friendly...shame on them.)

Having visited the hospital a few times, Mom has loved seeing Dad in his element and interacting with his team! His techs seem to love him, and have even made him the "honorary" Sailor Matador of the Month! He takes the jokes in stride and Mom says she loves seeing how much fun he makes his job!

While Dad is enjoying his time at the hospital, Mom has begun building her own relationships and finding volunteering opportunities! In early November, she joined two other hospital spouses and May, a friend she met in Rota, to help paint the Los Almendros Women and Children Shelter. They plan to meet up and volunteer here once a month once the new year hits as a way to give back to the community!

Some other news: Mom also interviewed for a substitute teaching position at the Rota Middle/High School on base! While not a full-time teaching position, she is happy to say that she will eventually be a substitute teacher here! You may remember the drawn-out hiring process back in Sasebo, and from what the Assistant Principal told her during the interview, she can expect it to take a few months before she officially gets her first call. But you know what that means...eventually, our perfect setup of a stay-at-home-dog-mom journey will end... Reynolds and I are not excited about that change, but at least we know Mom will be happy!

Mom and May painting at Los Almendros Women and Children Shelter

You know Mom and Dad weren't waiting long to set up Christmas, so on November 2 Dad came home to the house decorated and we started our tree decorating that night! I even helped by finding my favorite ornament/ball in the tubs and sissy helped decorate by hauling out all our Christmas toys and placing them all over the house!

Eventually, Mom and Dad got the place looking good! They celebrated their hard work with Dad's specialty drink: an Amaretto Sour while we threw ball in the front yard!!!! WE LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!

With a clean house, it was time for baths and that always means a long walk on the beach first to get good and sandy! Dad hates sand in the house, so anytime we go to the beach, we are forced to get a bath before we are allowed back in the house...but it's the best way to prepare for a bath! As the sun sets, Sissy and I were set free to run up and down the beach! What freedom! We love living so close to the beach again!!

Then, it was time to have puppy playdates with new friends!! Mom and Dad's friend, Jaime, brought Russo over for a playdate and they forgot to warn us that Russo isn't a dog, but a POLAR BEAR!!! She's so big!!!

But while Russo is big, she's a really chill friend! Well, Reynolds scared her with a little too much excitement when she first got here, but eventually, Russo warmed up and enjoyed exploring our house and playing with us!

We can't wait for more puppy playdates in the future with Miss Russo and her mom, Jaime!

With one successful playdate in the books, Mom and Dad hosted another playdate with a new dog friend. I'm pretty sure this playdate was more for Dad to hang out with his friend RJ to watch the NCSU game...but Mom has talked highly of Aidan, so I thought this would be a fun football game party! But what they didn't say was they were bringing their dog. You will get a hint at how I felt about this second playdate based on my look here:

Yep, that look sums it up! Nobody said Bella was a 3-month-old Golden Retriever puppy!!! The minute this pup walked in the door, I was immediately jealous. And I'm never a jealous dog- that job is reserved for sissy! But boy did I not want to share anything!!!

Mom would offer Bella a toy, and it just so happened that she offered her all my favorite toys. (It doesn't matter that I've never played with these toys a day in my life. They are mine and not for puppies.) And then at one point, Bella sniffed out Reynolds' Kong and Mom let her lick it!!! What the heck, Mom!?

So if anyone is wondering, I don't want to be a big brother ever again in my life. Puppies may be cute to Mom, but I was happy when that football game was over and Mom & Dad's NCSU friends left and took their tiny pup with them!

Mom said I have to get over myself because Bella will be back when NC State plays again so Dad can talk sports with his friend RJ. I just hope Bella gets bigger so she's not so cute. I don't like competition!!!

watching Bella chew our bones

see. that's mine.

and that's sissy's!

ok, she's pretty cute though

Then it was TURKEY DAY! But I'm not sure why people call it that, because Mom and Dad started the day with eggs for everyone (they didn't share their bacon...awful parents, I tell ya.) And then Dad spent the afternoon smoking a ham! I helped- my job was to be the sniffer and make sure things smelled good- and boy, was I successful!

While we didn't get to eat the Thanksgiving Day meal, Mom and Dad said it was delicious! This was our first Thanksgiving spent together as a family doing the "real" Thanksgiving tradition on our own since Dad was on duty for work. In the past, the family visited us in California, then Mom went to Aunt Kel's Wedding, and then last year Mom and Dad ditched us to travel to South Korea.

Sis and I agree that they should keep up this tradition and spend the holiday with us! It was our favorite!!!

The rest of Thanksgiving Weekend consisted of plenty of snuggles and a Harry Potter Movie Marathon (Dad demanded it!)

We also spent some time soaking in the sun on the rooftop! Mom said we had to get some sun and she wanted to read her book as a break between all the movies. While the temps have been dropping in Rota, we did get some nice warm weather this weekend!!!

We are thankful for the amazing life we get to live! Now what is this about Mom and Dad planning a trip "home" to see family...? Are they leaving us?!

We will keep you posted,

Hugo