My babies...

A littel explanation on yesterdays post - I do miss Bella, everyday, but I am also soo greatful to have the girls....All of which is quite a story and reminds me of how meant to be it is that they are with us. Enter in Ms. Susan Heiser aka My Pug Momma Doppelganger. Susan and I met thru the Penny Power (imagine that) She posted an add for Pug Pups, and I had literally just lost Bella and was completly devastated; of course I called, and left a heart wrenching message about how I must have one of these puppies...if not two ! She called me back, and we had a loooonnnggg conversation about not only the pups, but pugs in general. Susan (like most pug owners) is a finatic about her babies; Ms. T'ai Tai Lovena and Mr. Ming Zh'u Fritz. She got her boy, Mingy as a pup and he is king of the castle, she has been hooked since. Adding T'ai Tai two years later and then deciding to have babies from her babies. (pic to the right is Momma T'ai Tai w/all babies)

After the first converation with Susan, I was hooked and needed one of her girlies (T'ai ended up birthing 7 female all fawn pups) Telling Jeff about this only about a week or two after tragedy had struck our home; he was not as convinced about it, and suggested we wait, that we needed time to cope - he was right (which I hate to admit) I explained that to Susan and she was very understanding.

(Family pic. Daddy Ming sitting up towards back, Mommy T'ai laying down w/pups Lulu is looking at the camera)

Over a month had past and guess what - Susan (that pushy broad) called me .... and said I have ONE left and you are meant to have her !! I was over the moon, this was soo right... Jeff agreed. We were ready - so we went to meet Susan and this pup she called "Agitha" - Aggie was adorable, but was very shy, she wanted nothing to do with Jeff or I at all....just didn't feel right. We left, with no puppy ! Susan knew the connection wasn't there with us and Aggie. A week passed, and I often thought about little Aggie, I emailed w/Susan asking if she found her a good home, and sure enough she did. Susan was originally going to keep one pup - and this one pup she had intended to keep was born w/pnumonia, and she nursed her back to health, she was very attached to her although the pup was completely healthy now.....Susan (the angel she is) offered for us to come meet this little girl that she called Lulabelle.....and we did, both of us fell instantly in love with her....she was ours from the minute we layed eyes on her. Jeff and I brought her home and she fit right in, seamlessly!

So Susan gave us her last puppy.... I love her for that; and just when u think the story is over....IT GETS BETTER; 3 weeks later I get another email from Susan, saying that a little girlie she called Tallulah (now Lilly Lulah) was brought back to Susan and she always remembered me saying in the very beginning how I always wanted two pugs.....she again, made my wish come true, and within a week I was picking up our Lilly.

Jeff and I are head over heels for these little girls

They are our children, and we spoil them rotten

Susan - I can never Thank you enough!

("The Girls")

some days....

I just really miss my monkey girl......

RIP - Bella

My Russian Grandmother

Today is my grandmothers 84th Birthday and I wanted to cherish some memories of times past and present, let her know that she is a strong person and has overcome huge difficulties. Her background is extroidenary and often baffles me; when I was in grade school I wrote papers

about her, and actually brought her into school for "show n tell"; Her story amazes me to this day. Ya see, my grandmother, Nonna Ilona Alexenco Bull-Leister was born and raised in Russia; her mother a dancer/performer and her father a professor, she had only one older sister. I'm sure living in Russia in that era was hard enough to face, but then World War II happened, and her life was forever changed - completely flipped up side down, she and her sister were taken from their parents, put on a train and hauled like cattle to a concentration camp. Half way to there destination the train was bombed, the cart she was in was unharmed, but the front part of the train (where her parents were put) was destroyed, in her mind they were dead. Having only her sister, the clothing on there backs, no shoes, food, nothing, she was now living in a German concentration camp at the age of 15. She survived. And steming from this horrific tale comes love, she met my precious grandfather whom was a British soldier during the war.

Frank, Ilona, Nonna, Yvonne, Peter (all 4 kids)

Eventually after the war broke he brought her to his home in England, where she taught herself to speak english, they were married and started a family. While in England, they had four children, all of which were young when they decided to come to America for a better life. They packed up all 4 kids, a suitcase, $100 and came to this country on the Queen Elizabeth in 1955.

The rest is history - together they made a great life for there children; thru hard work, dedication and survival. She is a tough woman, and has conquered so much.

Grandma, Me & Megan 2008

I love her dearly; and I wish her the very best birthday today! xoxo

Back to the grind

Another week has begun....back to work in the cold weather....I'm about DONE with winter ! I would love for it to be April; wouldn't it be nice if winter was only like one month long or maybe even two tops....I would so love that. Just gets depressing after a while - cold days, layering your clothes, jackets which = static, dry skin pretty much everywhere, boots; not nice. I'm finished with winter this year, come on spring/summer, I would really rather sweat then be cold....seriously I would.

Hopefully this week moves quick - we don't have much going on, weekend looks pretty open too; I know that Jeff is trying to coax me into painting the apartment we have in q-town....it has to be done, but he is a useless painter and although he "plans" to help, he never does. So, I might be packing up the girls to assist !

So - its back to work I go....enjoy your week.

Me & Adam @ our wedding - Cheers Buddy !

PS....HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADAM !!!

hope to see you soon xoxo

To Grandma's house we go....

Everyone seemed to hear my prayers and I got that sleep-in-day I was in desperate need of - yeah ! With not much going on for Saturday - I ended up cleaning the house - doing laundry and running to the store - fun wife stuff ! Jeff and I had a dinner to attend on Sat. night and Lulu was still not, in my opinion 100% - of course in steps Grandmom Myers....who I've managed to turn into a Pug freak - much like myself ! After telling my mom that we were going out for the night and the girls were going to be home alone for a couple hours - I immediatly got "OH NO THEY ARE NOT" ... Bring them here! And so I did; my mom is not only now a pug freak but she has always been an animal lover, esp. dogs (probably where I get it from) Don't think she ever thought her grandkids were going to be snorty and furry, but only my mom would LOVE every second of that; and boy does she know how to spoil her grandkids ! My mom now has a lab/dane mix - Mr. Digger Dog - Dig was once ours - we got Diggy as a puppy (because Jeff seemed to think that he needed a manly dog to drive in the truck w/him - Dig throws up in any vehicle) anyway we raised him for a year, until Dig decided to eat our recliner, our sectional sofa, 1/2 of the back porch - and shred numerous blankets.....I was at my wits end with him, I loved him so, but it was not working out - and my mom had recently lost her beloved Polar Bear suddenly (very similar to Bella's passing) Diggy was adopted by Grandmom for good, and did he ever make out - going from a good home with us to the friggin Taj Mahal with my mom. Dig has turned out to be a great dog - but ultimately needed one on one attention, it really was a great match for my mom and for Digger. Best present I've ever given her !!
Digger
The girls think that Diggy is a big stuffed animal and literally bite, lick, jump, hump whatever they desire to do to him for hours. Dig is the best babysitter EVER, tolerating all of it ! He also kinda thinks that he is pug sized, and trys to sit on your lap and hug you (mind u he is 80 +lbs). Dig was also raised with Bella - so he has alot of pug traits....and is just so in love with Lilly and
Lulu - couldn't be more of a perfect match if I tried !
The girls loved there visit, so did Dig although grandma was a little tired....5am wake up call ... I was lucky enough to get a second day of sleeping in...woo hoo .... and on Sunday we got this for most of the day.


Love that !!

Lilly & Lulabelle

TGIF !

Another week down....! This was a long week for me, work has been crazy busy and it just feels like the days never ended. My one baby girl was sicky this week which caused added stress to my entire Wednesday .... Lulabelle had a bad belly and was up every hour on the hour all night long, and then threw up - not good....I worry EXTREMELY when that happens; having lost my beloved Bella all too quickly and not knowing why, I question everything now.... So - Jeff was on Lulu watch all day long Wed. she was just not herself.....when I got home all she wanted was to be on her mom and I couldn't do anything but hold her. Lilly was jealous and not very understanding to the fact that her sister was sick, sneaking in a bite to her tail or foot therefore, Jeff was then assigned to Lilly duty so Lulu could relax with me....Daddy jacketed her up and off to work outside and in the basement they went.

Lulu napped with me by the fire as I rubbed her belly and teedle weedled her head....sometimes I wish they could talk and tell me what hurts or whats wrong.

I called the vet, gave her the prognosis....and asked for any home remedies...they said 1/2 tsp. of pepto might do the trick, so we tried it, and within an hour she was back to normal - ate her dinner.....and went right back to romping with sissy -like nothing was wrong. All in all I got no sleep on Tuesday night and have never recovered, I'm soo looking forward to getting in my bed tonite and sleeping in tomorrow with my lovies (Jeff included :o)......lets hope they feel the same way too ! Happy Weekend !!

I'm Blogging...I'm really blogging.....

All thanks to the creation from my fabulous cousin-in-law Mrs. Laura Jean Kaucher-Connell ! Who rocked the hell out of making this page for me.... I literally gave Laur the name of my blog - "LilleLuBella" and said HELP !!! In turn she said "totally"....what kind of design do you want, I replied with a very vague "whatever" - do it up - and boy did she ever...she knows me better then I thought ! Laura is by far more like a sister-in-law to me, we've known each other for years, I've had the privledge to be part of the Kaucher family for a while now, spending many a holiday together........I happened to be married to Laura's cousin Jeff - Jeffrey and I are also neighbors with Martha & Glenn (LJK's parents, Jeff's aunt & uncle, my aunt & uncle in law) yadda -yadda - I might need to post a family tree..hhhmmmm (LAURA!?!?jk)

(The Kaucher clan - Our Family)

So for my very first blog entry I just want the world to know that not only is Laura a great friend to me, part of my family, and a pug momma too, she is extremely talented when it comes to all this web design, blog, html-ing....I am so very proud of her and can't wait to see what the future has in store for her in this new path she has chosen, I know she will amaze us, as always !

Thank you -