guest blogger: rockstar diaries

"Why hello there! My name is Kingsley and my mamma blogs over at Rockstar Diaries. Sometimes I write on the blog as well, but this week, I am guest posting over here (yes, dogs can do these sorts of things) to share with you three very important things I have learned so far this year. Are you ready? Grab your paw pen...  

1. Squirrels are flirtatious tricksters that are not deserving of our constant chase or devoted curiosity. We need to stop giving them so much attention. They are mean. And no matter how sweet you try to be, they just don't want to play with you. 

2. When you hear the shower in the bathroom turn on and Dad reaches for your doggy towel, RUN! You still have a good chance to escape bath time! 

and 3. No matter how many times you sit patiently in the kitchen beside the counter while Dad is cooking, he won't drop anything for you to eat. It's just not worth your time anymore to see if he's changed. Now, Mom on the other hand.... ALWAYS stay put at her feet while she's making a meal. Do this, and you'll be one very happy and well fed pup!

XO

-Kingsley" 

guest blogger: money smart fashion

I never, ever, thought I could legitimately dedicate a post to my cats without looking like a crazy cat lady but thanks to Amber's [brilliant] idea for National Pet Week.  I totally can. 

Let me introduce myself. I am Grace of Money Smart Fashion. These are my cats... Dolce, Gabbana, and Chloe. Yes, that Dolce & Gabbana and that Chloe. [ My life is fashion people, even my cats].

Dolce & Gabbana are brothers. SSF (Super-Saving Fiance) adopted them for me as a birthday present just a few weeks into us dating. I had really wanted a cat since I was moving into my own apartment but never thought I would actually get one, let alone two.  It was adorable and terrifying all at once. I had never liked a boy (bleh, boys) as much and as soon as I liked SSF and now here I was just a few weeks into our relationship the mother of his cats!

Two years later, afer graduating college, moving to Maryland, and starting careers we added Chloe to our family. I am a sucker for those little kennels they have at Petsmart where they showcase all the kitties in need of forever homes. The day we got her was a result of some clever positioning on Petsmart's part. Chloe was just a little thing [still is] sitting all alone in one of those big cages. As soon as I saw her I promptly sent SSF to the closest ATM to withdraw the adoption fee. Done and Done.

Plenty of people seem to think cat's lack personality. I would beg to differ. These cats are brimming with it.

Gabbana is our own furry version of Eeyore. Gabanna tends to mope around the house, sleep all alone, and is kind of a mama's boy. On rare occasions he'll come out of his shell. I don't know about you but I totall see the resembelence between Gabbana and  Andy Samberg.

Dolce, well Dolce is a character. He talks, a lot, and for all intents and purposes is pretty flakey but he would make a great segment on Sesame Street teaching lessons about "in" and "under".

Finally, there is Chloe. I would tell you about chloe but I think the pictures pretty much speak for themselves.

So there you have it, after far to many pictures, that is my furry little family and SSF. If you are thinking about getting a pet of your own please, please, please adopt. There are many other cats (and dogs, if you are into that sort of thing) looking for a home and a family that will smother them with love. If you are local to the Maryland-DC area check out Last Chance Animal Rescue. If you made it this far through the post, congratulations and Happy Pet Week!

Thanks Amber!

guest blogger: blessings in progress

Hey guys! This is Ashley from Blessings in Progress.  I was so excited when my sister asked me to guest post for her.  Although, I am slightly jealous that she is in sunny Florida enjoying the beach and I'm not sure why I wasn't invited..hmmmm.  I'll have to talk to her about that.  Anyway, let me introduce you to my furry children (I have two non-furry children too. ha!)

I have 2 chocolate labs (Cinnamon and Kaya) that I just love (most of the time), but I think I love them a little more after they get a bath. Mike gave them a bath on Sunday and now they are so pretty and clean! However, getting a bath makes them EXTREMELY hyper. I do not know what it is about a bath, but they can't seem to settle down afterwards. 

I let them lay on our bed, which we NEVER let them do, but it was the only way for me to get some pictures.

For us, as dog owners, there is nothing better than having clean dogs! 

What do you love about being a pet owner?

guest blogger: orchid grey

Hi there, Julie from Orchid Grey here! If you've ever stopped by my blog, you may already be familiar with Zephyr and Zebediah, but if not, they're the two striped characters you see here. My mom found the two brothers- then very tiny kittens- living in a rock wall near our house in Maine, back in 2007. When she spotted the two feral fur-balls, they were only a few weeks old, dragging a dead squirrel across the road, it was easy to tell they had character.

Growing up, I had a lot of experience with strays, it seemed like we were always taking one in. So our plan was to catch the two feral kittens, neuter them, socialize them (hopefully) and find them homes. Obviously, things didn't go as planned. I have a soft spot for tabby kittens and they only made it as far as the new apartment that my fiancee and I moved into that fall.

Since then, "the Z's" have become the best cats ever. They are curious, energetic, and love when we have new people over. They are there when I wake up in the morning (usually patting me in the face to wake up and feed them already), and they greet me at the door when I come home at night. But the thing I appreciate most about these two is how they treat each other, they can often be seen cleaning one another and snuggling together, which is a daily reminder to be a kinder, gentler person.

hooray for national pet week

Welcome May! 

This month is going to bring a lot of great things; we leave for a little vacation this week, hubby has a birthday, hubby starts the CRNA program and it is National Pet Week.

That's right, the first week of May is National Pet Week.  So of course I am going to dedicate this post to my furry friends.  Also, hubby and I are headed a little farther south to the beach so I have some special treats planned for you guys - I have some awesome guest bloggers scheduled for you who are also going to share their furry friends! Stay tuned :)

Jack is seriously the greatest dog ever.  I would say his trade mark move is the head tilt.  His favorite things to do are take walks and play fetch.  Jack does so well with meeting new people and he is even a pro with small kids and babies.  I can't wait to take him to the beach for the first time this week - it is so fun to watch him discover new things. 

Zoey is the newest pet in our house.  You might remember when we found her last fall.  She has been the perfect addition to our home.  She loves to sit in your lap and cuddle.  Zoey always seems to find the sneakiest places to lay - this photo is her in my closet.  Usually the animals are not allowed in the closet, but I'm not shocked she snuck in. ha!

Tina is our little hunter.  If ever a bug sneaks into the house, she will hunt it down and get rid of it for us.  She also has a very sweet side.  She follows me all around in the morning when I get ready; meowing and demanding my attention.  She will even wrap her arms around my leg and give me a little nibble if I ignore her for too long.  She is persistent just like her mommy :)

I also want to make a special mention that all of our animals were rescues in some way or another.  There are so many animals out there that are just waiting for a loving home.  A great site to find available animals in your area is Petfinder - that's where we found Jack.
And like Bob Barker always said, help control the pet population and have your pets spayed or neutered.