Birthday Girl!

A couple of weeks ago, Winnie celebrated her 11th birthday, and we had a special celebration for her.  The kids were very excited to make a "cake" for Winnie, and we created a layered concoction of doggie cookies, apple slices, and peanut butter (Winnie's 3 favorite foods!).  Our birthday girl donned a party hat and scarfed up her cake before we even finished singing "Happy Birthday!":  

Leah made a card for Winnie, complete with dog stickers, which was very sweet:

Of course there were birthday presents, and Winnie was very excited about her new toys.  She has been basking in the extra attention ever since her birthday, and completely thinks that she is a human (including sleeping in our bed- something that she hasn't done since BC ("Before Children") : 

Leah has begun reading this month, and Winnie is always a patient listening audience as her sister sounds out words.  One characteristic about labs is that they love to be with their humans, and this is certainly true for Winnie.  She follows us from room to room and is an integral part of our daily routine:

We "camped out" on our back porch a couple of weeks ago, and guess who wanted to be right in on all the action?  There was no way that this puppy was going to miss any of the overnight camping fun.  We started our camping adventure by setting up sleeping bags.  These three kids were very excited and we played games, had snacks, and played on the porch in the afternoon: 

Pretty soon, it was time for "Camping Dinner", picnic style.  You can't see from this picture, but Winnie was just out of camera range, waiting for any scraps to drop:

Next, we watched a movie on the porch.  Everyone assumed their positions and settled in with popcorn... yes, even the furry one, right between her sister and brother:

We tried to hold off until dusk to light our sparklers, but it was just too exciting to wait any longer!  

Eventually, our little campers fell asleep.  Mommy, Daddy, and Winnie were on the air mattress right next to them, and it was a beautiful night for sleeping outside:

No matter if it's a special event like camping or just being by our side every day, it's fun to highlight some of the ways that our sweet Winnie brings us joy.  She's such an important part of our family, and her loyalty and devotion to us are unwavering.   Long ago, Luke made a sign for Winnie, and we still keep it on the top of her crate.  No truer words have ever been written:

Happy Birthday to the Best Dog Ever!  

We love you, Winnie!