Let's REALLY get to know each other.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Between getting to know everyone with Yappy Hour and the game of 3 truths and one lie, there is so much to learn about everyone and there are some really interesting and talented people on DK. I would love to know some of the vital statistics like: Age, Married, Children, their ages, professions, hobbies, a dream or goal you have before you get too old to do it. Things that aren't on our profile page already. With all the photos of ourselves we can now put the whole picture of the DK member together.

I'll start:

I am 57 and have been married to my highschool sweetheart for 39 years this May. We have two grown children, Michele 36 and Erik 30 who are both married and live nearby in Az. We have one grandson, Ethan,20 months old, who is my sunshine. I am a Labor and Delivery Nurse, somewhat semi retired and DH is a retired Fire Fighter. I love to make quilts and give one to every family member and so far have about 16 done and about 23 to go. I love to run, work out, be outdoors, garden, read, and spend time with family and doodles. One of my biggest goals is to hike the Grand Canyon rim to rim and also to see Europe someday. Other than that, my dream of being a mom and grandmother is being realized every day.

How about you?

 

[shelly]

Ok.. here goes.... I am 48 soon to be 49 - YIKES!  I can't believe it!  I still feel like I'm at least in my 30s!  I married in 1983 - my high school sweetheart.We actually lived around the corner from each other and never knew it until high school.  (we actually met on the CB radio).  We have 2 sons ages 13 and 17.  We haven't really moved too far from 'home'... we bought my in-laws home and they live in an apartment - well it's more like a small house- attached to our home.  It really works out great.  They are here for us and my kids  and NOW MOSTLY for Tori -whenever we need them and my kids have a really close relationship with them.  Tori has weaseled her  way deep into their hearts.. they even call her their "granddaughter".  These are the people who said they weren't getting 'stuck' taking care of our dog when we weren't home....

My parents live around the block from us and all of my 3 sisters and 1 brother and their kids live no more than 5 minutes away.

   I am an elementary school teacher.   Right now I teach 2nd grade, but I have taught kindergarten and third grade as well.  My kids and of course Tori  - oh yeah and DH - lol - are my life.  I volunteer as much as I can with my kids' activities - I am very involved with the PTA in their schools and I am the president of the high school PTA

  I often contemplate getting another doodle... but I'm just not sure how Tori would be sharing my attention.

    My oldest son is graduating high school this June and I am not dealing too well with that.... time just goes way too fast!  But - he is staying home and going to a college not far from home - so I'm REAL happy about that.  I love being with my kids and many friends and family tease me about how much time I spend with them.  I'm (proud) to say that  one of my idols is Marie Barone of Everybody Loves Raymond Show - lol.  I always say that I want to be just like HER when I grow up  :o)

  One of our most immediate plans is to either go back to Hawaii (we went for our honeymoon) or on an Alaska cruise and land tour this summer - WITH the kids- of course... just wish I could take Tori too.... but she'll stay home getting spoiled by Nana and Poppi!

[Camilla and Darwin]

Awesome to get to know you better. And how wonderful to live so close to your family. We live about 30 minutes to an hour away from both of our parents, but my older sister is over 3 hours away. It's hard enough, and I wish everyone was closer!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Shelly, My husband and I lived on the same street, blocks apart, for years and did not meet until high school. I think you are very lucky to have so much family nearby. I would love if my girls stayed near us, but one is in Denver. Also, one of my favorite shows is Everybody Loves Raymond. I laugh at each episode, even though I think I have seen them all a million times.

[shelly]

That's so funny Laurie... guess we weren't allowed to venture too far from home 'back in the day' - LOL

[Carol and Banjo]

I had a feeling right from the get go that you were a "Marie" at heart!  Love it Shelly Marie!     How lucky to be surrounded by family....so few of us have that luxury these days!

[shelly]

Ha!  My parents never gave me a middle name.  There are 5 of us and the last 3 got middle names.  I was always questioning WHY I didn't get one.. my mom gave the "politically correct" answer saying my name was just beautiful enough without it (Rochelle), so I made one up - "Marie" - LOL.. then when it came time to choose a confirmation name - everyone thought I'd pick "Marie" - nope - picked "Denise" - go figure... had a best friend then named denise at the time, so I chose that - ugh - teenagers... funny tho' my best friend NOW for the past 25 years is named "Denise" - (but not the same one!)  LOL

Yeah - my friends and family always say I do too much for my boys... but I waited long enough for them to come along, and why not???  (they argue now over who will take this house, push us into my in-laws apt., and who will buy the house next door to live - ALL FINE WITH ME!) lol

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

I grew up in Michigan with horses, dogs,cats, birds and no siblings.  Married my DH 42 years ago right out of college. Of course neither of us can remember why now - just kidding, a little "old' humor.   Both he and I are trying to negotiate Medicare entry this year.  With an MS in chemistry, I worked at Northwestern University in Chicago in the biochem dept.  That was so long ago that I had to key punch my computer programs and carry the large boxes of cards to the "sacred" computer building, which housed only the computer which could do less than the average high school student's handheld now.  I was in that fortunate generation of women that did not have to work, so I quit when our daughter was born.  We moved to California in 1973 and learned to love it, although I was terribly homesick the first two years.  Would be so reluctant to return to snow and cold. Brrrr....

My daughter is 38 and lives very near, she has been unemployed in the sense of steady work for two years.  She is sooo frustrated.  My son is nearly 34 and lives in San Diego and has provided me with three granddogs. They visit with him and have a blast with the doodles.   No grandchildren likely.  Good thing I adore dogs.

I have comprised S1,2 nerves in my back, complicated by myofacial pain syndrome ( one of those things which sounds like it is all in your head, but I can tell you it really is all in my muscles).  I am so fortunate that I am still mobile, I can walk the dogs and garden for two hours at a time.  Much to my husband's sadness I cannot golf at all - even poorly,  Must spend some daytime on my back nearly everyday though.  My loves in order are DH, my kids, my doodles, and my garden.  I also love to read.

I have been a "professional" volunteer for over thirty years, including PTA, just ending 20 years on our local school board, Girl Scouts, AYSO soccer and Assistance League.  I worked part time as a traveling science teacher, but had to stop when my back really gave out. I still am very active in Assistance League and will be president next year  - but I won't let it cut into my DK time!

I would love, at least in theory, to have more dogs with a bit more property for them.  DH loves the city though, so the suburbs are a good compromise.

We travel out of the country once every few years.  I have seen places I never ever thought I would see. Africa has been our favorite.  Of course growing up in Michigan I never thought I would see Disneyland!

My dad was one of nine children and I have 19 cousins -17 living and we are having a reunion in Michigan this year. We range in age now from early eighties to mid fifties I think.  I have not seen any of them since I was about 10!  I am so excited.  Sue (and others) we are all Murphy cousins - great name, huh?

We are fortunate that we have the possibility of three live in dog sitters so it is easier for us to travel.

Thanks to Sue for starting this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Wow, 42 years married, that is so great and DH and I say we were just too young and stupid to know any better and just got lucky! 

[Jennifer Goaring]

Fun thread!  I am game.  I am 36 years old, married almost 14 years now.  I have 4 boys ages 12, 8, 8, and 3 (yep, the middle ones are twins -- fraternal).  I am a L&D nurse and work nights - three 12-hour shifts per week.  Sammy is our first family pet and we adore him (well, except my 12 year old who gets annoyed if Sammy licks him or gets in his way or whatever...)  I grew up with dogs -- my parents always had at least 2 or 3 at a time -- lots of shelties, a few golden retrievers, a great irish setter, a couple of poodles...  currently they have a standard poodle and a over-grown sheltie. 

My husband works as a librarian assistant at a community library.  He did not grow up with dogs, but is getting the hang of things.  I have nothing exotic to share about traveling or going on any great adventures... we lived in the midwest for about 10 years but then I brought him back with me to the Northwest where I grew up and where my parents live.  I need to go upload some family photos to my page sometime I guess... hadn't really thought to do that here yet.

 

We are also picking up doodle #2 this week (Wednesday!) so I am pretty excited about that.  He is a 1 year old stud dog for a local breeder and has been bounced around a bit and we are going to be his new, hopefully forever, guardian home.  I don't anticipate any issues with taking him in -- but if something really really doesn't work out, the breeder will take him back.  We've had fun this week buying new dog dishes, a new crate, toys, treats, new leads, etc.  Should be fun!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Jennifer, Good luck with your new dog. I hope the transition goes smoothly!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Hi Jen, another L&D nurse !  I so respect night nurses as I just did nights for one year and it was pure torture! You will love having a second doodle. Good luck tomorrow!

[Richard Crowe]

I live just north of Escondido, California which is about 35 miles or so north of the city of San Diego.  I am a retired Navy Master Chief Photographer's Mate and Judy, my wife, is a retired college professor of nursing.  Our life is centered around our dogs.  We have four Maltese and Holly, our 60-pound Goldendoodle and usually foster a number of rescue Maltese who need "furever" homes.  We have recently also begun to assist in Doodle Rescue.  We are fortunate in having a large home with plenty of room both inside and out for dogs.

We have one daughter who lives with her husband in Carlsbad which is on the coast about twenty miles from us. They have two Maltese and a Labrador who is Holly's best big dog friend. 

I have a step daughter in Albuquerque who has a son and a daughter. My granddaughter is ready to give birth soon so I will become a great-grandfather.

 

We once involved in breeding and showing Maltese and have several AKC champions to our credit including Dandy who is Holly's best little dog friend and her sparring partner for games.  Holly and dandy were the same size when we brought.

Holly home and although Holy weighs 60-pounds and Dandy has stayed at 5-pounds, they think they are the same size and love playing together...

We no longer breed Maltese but, instead, dedicate all of our efforts to Maltese Rescue.  We found homes for 30 Maltese in 2010 and, so far this year, we have placed 3-Maltese. Here is the cover of the American Maltese Association Calendar.  These are all our rescue dogs and all my photos.

Judy and I enjoy traveling but, our travel capability has been hampered by the number of Maltese we usually have and it looks like we will eventually foster a doodle or two.  However, our daughter's mother-in-law enjoys our dogs and they love her.  She will occasionally house and dog sit for us.

 

My main hobbies, in addition to our dogs, are photography and genealogy.  I have been lucky enough to trace ancestors who arrived in Virginia from Ireland in 1630 and found that I also have Cherokee and Shawnee blood as well as a myriad of European ancestors: Irish, English, German, Scot, Norman French, and ancestors from every Scandinavian country except Finland.  I also have ancestors who settled on Mexican a Mexican land grant in what is now the State of Texas.

 

Judy is very creative has many hobbies including multiple types of crafts such as making this mosaic tile doodle..

Judy also enjoys genealogy.  Her ancestors were Puritans and arrived in Massachusetts in with the first Puritan colonists.

 

That's about all for us.  Oh yes, I am 70 and was born in New York but have spent most of my life in California.  Judy is 66 and was born in Louisiana while her dad was in the Army Air Corps there during the Second World War. She grew up in Nevada and California and visited Louisiana only once when we took a motor home trip to Louisiana. Mississippi and Texas two years ago.