Bella's Boxer Shorts

Feeling the Love from Jackman Avenue

I know that Lola, Sherman and Penny are missing their Mom. She's away for a few days, but nonetheless they found the time to send me a belated Valentine's package. I couldn't believe it when the box arrived at the front door. Of course, I had to investigate:

The box was pretty cool, but the inside of the box was even better. Toys! Lots of toys! Pink toys! (my favorite color, how did you know?)

I was so hyper-excited that my Mom said I had to pick just one toy at a time. I eventually chose the big fuzzy pink bone and spent the rest of the afternoon jamming it into my Dad's leg while he was trying to work on the computer. Finally, he bribed me to stop by offering one of the delicious treats that was in the package:

After that, I conked out and fell asleep. I dreamed of thanking Lola, Sherman and Penny in person--we were all running around in circles, playing with pink toys and eating tasty treats. Thank you, guys!!

xoxo - Bella

Flowers From My Sweetie

So, yesterday was just another sleepy Saturday afternoon:

Just as I had settled in for a long nap, the doorbell rang and I jumped straight into the air. I was really annoyed to see that it was the mailman, and my Mom was annoyed, too, 'cuz she thought he was delivering more tax forms from the Irritating Revenue Service (IRS).

But instead there was a package addressed to me! With little hearts on it! I was so excited to see that it was from Kaiser that I started doing the kidney bean dance. My sweet Valentine sent me a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, check it out:

They are beautiful and are the kind that will never wilt. Kaiser also sent me a card with his picture on it. Isn't he handsome?

Even my Dad, who is very protective, approves and says that Kaiser is a real gentleman!

xoxo - Bella

My Walk on the Red Carpet

I've been kind of lazy this week, but now I'm fully energized and ready to acknowledge all the cool awards and tags from my friends. First, I was speechless to learn that Grammie & Moco gave me the "You Make My Day" Award. It's really an honor, because Grammie's always on my side and she totally understands that the sofa pillows were dangerous and NEEDED to be destroyed. Thanks, Grammie. I'm glad that you and Moco now have your own blog (which is very pretty in pink, by the way). You make my day, as do Ruby, Cairo, Cubby, Lola, River, Izzie, Peanut, Charlie, Powder-Puff....just to name a few!

Next, I was tagged by the incredibly handsome Kaiser--and I realized that I have a *major* crush on him. There, I said it. It's out in the open. I know that I'm much older than he is, but my Mom seems to believe that "40 is the new 20" so I think it should be OK. So, here you go Kaiser, I hope these answers will help you get to know me a bit better:

1. If I were another type of animal, I would be.....

A COUGAR, of course! Cougar being the new word for older women who stalk younger men, tee hee! Plus, cougars are fast, beautiful and a little bit dangerous..MEOW.

2. My favorite song is.....
"Walking on Sunshine" because it's bubbly and fun. Oh, and I literally like to walk on sunshine by following the patches of sun that come through the window during the daytime.

3. If I could live anywhere in the world, I would live....
Right here, in Oregon, because it's awesome.

4. If I were a famous movie star or personality, I would be.....
Ellen DeGeneres, because I'd get to ham it up in front of a television audience every single day! Plus, I'd get paid to interview Brad Pitt (I'd definitely do the kidney-bean dance for him).

5. If I could be the spokesdog for any organization, it would be.....
KONG, because then I'd have a lifetime supply of all their products, including their Dr.Noys' Material Dog stuffies which are my absolute FAVORITES. I've had the lamb, the froggie, the teddy bear and the duck.  Plus, they squeak nice and loud which is really fun when Mom & Dad are trying to act all professional and talk to clients on the telephone.

Whew, that was a lot of thinking. I need to take a nap.

xoxo - Bella

A Barkday Card From My Friend Ruby

Check out the card from my friend Ruby, who has one of the coolest blogs ever:

Thanks, Ruby...you always make me smile.

xoxo - Bella

Day 8: My Blogging Buddies

Today is day #8 of my countdown, and I'm grateful for all the friends I've made through my blog. Boy, time flies! I started blogging in February 2006 (click here to read my very first post) and since then I've made friends all around the world. There really are too many to mention, but some of my special buddies include:

Cubby, who helps his Moms run Legacy Boxer Rescue. He and his Moms and the other volunteers have rescued over 290 boxers from untimely deaths in 2007. He's my hero. And did I say he's talented? Cubby does custom clip art and he did one of me (click here). Best of all, half the proceeds go back to Legacy Boxer Rescue so please check out his artwork.

Peanut, who lives with his brother Flash and the rest of his family Louisiana. I think that if Peanut lived close by, we'd be best buddies because he's full of mischief, too. Some of Peanut's antics include opening the fridge by himself and eating two loaves of bread and two packages of lunch meat! (Click here to read all about it). Very impressive. Peanut's Dad is in Iraq right now and I know everyone misses him very much. Peanut also has a very cool Grammie who lives here in Oregon and is one of my favorite human bloggers.

Wonder Ruby, the Boston Terrorist (oops, Terrier) whose blog is super cool and funny. Ruby, girl, you've got it going on!! I only wish my blog were half as cool as yours.

Well, as I said...there are too many online friends to mention here, but I can't wait to see who I will meet in 2008!

xoxo - Bella

The Dogs of NYC

Check out charming Charlie here...he's the official spokesdog of dogsofnyc. Just like I've got my paws on the pulse of Portland, he's hip to what's happening  with the dogs of the Big Apple. I'd really like to go there and visit sometime, especially since my Mom is a real "New Yawker." I asked her what that meant, but she wouldn't tell me so I googled "New Yawker" and found this in an article from the New York Post:

"Real New Yorkers are blunt, clear and don't waste words. Some are so succinct, they boil entire conversations down to a single finger gesture."

To which my Mom said bulls*#@ and that you shouldn't believe anything in a newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch.

Anyway, visit  dogsofnyc because it's very cool!

xoxo - Bella

27 Questions

My friends Cairo and Sparky have a fun Q&A on their blogs, so I thought I'd join the game. Here are 27 things you might not have known about me:

1. Your age? 
Exactly 1.5 years, which makes me a teenager!

2. Your age when came to live with your people?
Mom and Dad came and picked me up from Dallas (Oregon, not Texas) when I was 9 weeks old.

3. What color is the collar you’re wearing right now?
Brown with lots of colored polka dots…it’s really groovy.

4. Who is your favorite person other than the people you live with?
Hmmm, maybe my parents’ friend Alex who is totally dog crazy. He doesn’t mind when I jump all over him and lick him from head-to-toe. But I also love my cousins Taylor & Brandon because they send me lots and lots of fun doggie toys. Oh, and my Grandmas, too. Everybody, really.

5. How much do you weigh?
A girl never reveals her weight.

6. Most expensive thing you’ve ever chewed up?
I guess that would be my Dad’s swim goggles, although they weren’t very expensive. Oh…then there was the ham that I ate which landed me in the emergency animal hospital. Now THAT was expensive!!

7. Do you like other Dogs?
Absolutely! Except maybe the cocker spaniel down the street who always pees on my Mom's  plants.

8. Who is your best non-human friend?
That would be my boyfriend Norm, who lives across the street. We’ve been buddies since we were pups and I have a big crush on him.

9. Squeaky Toys or Tennis Balls?
Tennis balls – they are an obsession. Is there such a thing as tennis ball rehab?

10. Do you like to be brushed?
Yup, it feels good

11. Peanut Butter or Cheese?
Cheese because it doesn't stick to the roof of my mouth.

12. Do your people cut your toenails?
Actually, they use a grinder…one of those Dremel tools made especially for pets. But they can only do it when I am very tired. Otherwise, I squirm too much.

13. Any formal education?
Puppy kindergarten and basic obedience. I’ve also studied graduate-level psychology and have used my knowledge to win friends and influence people.

14. Couch potato or Energizer Bunny?
Both. With a flip of the switch, I can go from 0 to 60.

15. Five nicknames your people call you.
My Dad likes to call me “Belinha,” which is what they’d call me in Brazil. My Mom calls me “Sweetie,” which is the same nickname she uses for my Dad. They also call me “Cutie” or “Munchkin” – or “Ding Dong” when I do something kind of silly.

16. What is your best trick?
Running in-and-out of the doggie door at full speed. It doesn’t sound like much, but I was really scared of that door when I was a puppy so it’s a big accomplishment.

17. Do you like kitties?
Argggghhhhhh. I don’t know…it’s very complicated. There is a white cat down the street that doesn’t like me and always swats me across the face when he gets a chance. He’s very, very mean. Yet, I’m somehow attracted to him. How can that be???

18. What did you have for breakfast?
Kibble with chicken broth and rice. B-o-r-i-n-g.

19. Can you hunt (aka have you ever killed anything living)?
I pretend to go after squirrels but it’s a half-hearted attempt. Does chewing apart my Mom’s rose bushes count?

20. When & why was the last time you went to the V.E.T.?
A few weeks ago to get my shots updated. I like it there…the vet is a very nice man (my Dad says he’s better than most human doctors and asked if he would be his primary care physician. Sadly, he declined).

21. Where do you sleep at night?
I sleep in the dining room in my comfy crate. In the early morning, my Mom lets me come upstairs to catch another 30-minutes of Zzzzz’s at the foot of the bed she shares with Dad.

22. Do you like to swim?
I haven’t tried it yet. I am just getting used to dipping my ankles into the water.

23. Can you make puppies?
Nope

24. Your favorite place to visit?
Doggie daycare!

25. Do you give kisses?
People should be kissing me, not vice-versa.

26. Can you potty on command?
I can but I don't. I am able to hold it for a VERY long time, though.

27. To Cuz or not to Cuz?
The Cuz isn’t really my thing. I have a Wubba toy, however, that is the cat’s meow!

xoxo - Bella

Celebrity Look-Alikes

My friends Lola, Penny and Sherman tagged me and asked me to describe which celebrity I looked like. I asked my Mom and Dad for their opinions, but instead of answering me they just went on and on about what celebrities they looked like. For example, several people have mistaken my Mom for Sigourney Weaver (with hair...not when she shaved her head for the Alien movies). My Dad, on the other hand, likes to tell the story of being mistaken for JFK Jr. in Japan (yeah right, if JFK Jr. were six-feet-six-inches and had red hair!!).

OK, since they weren't any help, I decided to go back to my blog's archives and pick out this picture of me alongside Jack Nicholson (acting as the Joker in Batman). I think the resemblance is rather frightening, don't you?

Which celebrity do YOU look like?

xoxo - Bella