Joseph learns to water ski

Joseph and I had the opportunity to spend the day on Lake Keowee, near Clemson, SC, with my co-workers from Appalachian Outfitters. Joseph water skied for the first time in his life and got up on his 2nd try. He was great. He received great instructions and got to watch his wife ski before trying. He was so brave. Good job Joseph!!! One of my co-workers, Greg, went wake boarding. this is him on the board.

Our Wedding

As many of you know Joseph and I got married on May 2, 2008. We had a small wedding at Rumbling Bald Resort on Lake Lure, NC. Married life has been going well... We finally got our wedding album and the copyright to the 1200 pictures the photographer took. If you ever need a photographer we highly recommend Ashley Felkel, in Asheville, NC. She is willing to travel for your event, takes great pictures, and makes you feel comfortable in front of the camera. Thanks to our friends and family who came to our wedding.... And to those friends and family who weren't invited, you were in our thoughts during the event :) We chose to keep the event as small as possible to keep me from freaking out.... I do not like being the center of attention and am not much of a wedding person. This said, I had a great time at my wedding and enjoyed working with everyone who helped in decorating, planning, and providing moral support!
Here are a few of the pics.

IN MEMORY OF COCOA

Cocoa, who became known as "Co-key Girl"(only to me) passed away last night. She is now swimming in a pool with her friends, over the rainbow. I'm sorry, "Coke", that life started unfairly. I'm sorry your previous owners didn't care enough to get you immunized against the Parvo virus. I'm sorry you spent too much time in environments not suitable for a dog. I'm sorry life is not always fair. Please know you will always be loved and thought about. Thank you for your unconditional love. Have fun over the rainbow, girl. I love you....

Cocoa needs your help

Cocoa was recently diagnosed with Parvo, a devastating virus in dogs. Dogs can overcome Parvo, but need extensive medical treatment, including 24 hour care. she is currently in isolation at the animal hospital and is fighting for her life. She is very sick, but with lots of prayers and current medical care we are hoping she can overcome Parvo. Cocoa was rescued by Chesapeake Bay Retriever Relief and Rescue (CBRR&R) and we have been fostering her. She got Parvo because her previous owner never had her immunized as a puppy and she then came into contact with the virus before we got her. CBRR&R is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and rehoming unwanted chessies. As a volunteer for CBRR&R I can tell you that the expense to help save these dogs can be high, especially in Cocoa's situation. Cocoa's medical bills have become quite high and Joseph and i are personally seeking donations to help cover the cost of her treatment. She is an awesome dog who now has a home waiting for her. Please help us give Cocoa a chance to learn that there ARE good people in this world. Any donation made is tax deductible, no matter how large or small. Donations can be made in Cocoa's name and can be sent to Pat, our treasurer at Chesapeake Bay Retriever Relief & Rescue, Inc.
c/o Patrice E. Irvin, Treasurer
120 Patrick Lane
West Lafayette , IN 47906

or, you can go to htpp://www.cbrrescue.org and make a donation thru paypal. You can then send Pat an email that says you would like your donation to go toward Cocoa. Her email is: egretlane@aol.com

thanks to those who are willing to help.

COCOA UP FOR ADOPTION

Here are a few more pictures of Cocoa. She will make someone a great pal. I love her but we absolutely cannot keep another dog. Please check her profile out at http://www.cbrrescue.org/ She is enjoying her new blue collar. Oh, she LOVES WATER.

Chesapeake Bay Retriever needs adoption

Cocoa is 1 yr. old and needs a home. She was pulled from a shelter in South Carolina on her last surviving day. She is now in temporary foster care in Greenville, SC. She is an awesome dog; gets along well with other canines and is good around people . She LOVES THE WATER. Overall, she is in good health, except for the pads on her feet. Her pads are ripped and are open, but within a week or two her pads will heal and she will be able to walk without any pain. She is motivated by food and will be easy to train. She does not show any food aggression or possessiveness of spaces or toys. She will likely want to do things her own way, which is characteristic of her breed, but with good boundaries, rules, and limitations in place she will respectfully do what is asked. Cocoa is currently "owned" by Chesapeake Bay Retriever Relief and Rescue (CBRR&R) and is in foster care. The adoption must follow all of CBRR&R's regulations. Cocoa will be spayed prior to her adoption. Please help find Cocoa her forever home.

Our Trip to Winston-Salem

Joseph and I drove to W-S, NC for our friend Avery's surprise 30th birthday. It was a very quick trip, due to our 4 canines waiting for us back home. The party was a hit, even for Daisy and Fletcher. Jess and Avery's "son", Fletcher (picture to the right) ate 3/4 of the birthday cake before he was caught!! Thanks to the Conrad's we had a place to stay for the night. Jim & Anita are the best hosts. We enjoyed seeing others including Meg, Scott, Anne Marie, Jeff, and Avery's sister, Cheryl..... Thanks to Jess' job we now have tickets to see Jack Johnson in Raleigh on August 12, 2008. We'll once again reunite with Jeff, Anne Marie, Jess, and Avery at the concert. Can't wait!

George (Dad) & Karen's visit

Joseph and I got to hang out with George & Karen for a few days in June. They actually stayed 2 1/2 days. Joseph and Dad played golf with our friend, Eric Hudgens, while Karen & I shopped. We actually had a few friends over for dinner, including the Hudgens and the Funkes. My dad took his first ride on a motorcycle....Joseph's new toy.

Our little friends on summer vacation.

I guess the squash was pretty good!

Luca, our canine friend

Ella & Gracie had a doggie play date yesterday at Luca's house.

Bonnaroo 2008; 6/12-6/15 Manchester, TN

Joseph and I loved Bonnaroo (Music and Arts Festival) and plan to attend next year. It's worth every cent! We met great people, including Lee, Jazmen, Pedro, and Bryan. We saw Chris Rock perform among many others. Pearl Jam exceeded our expectations and won the "best set/act" award. We saw:

Thursday 6/12- Grupo Fantasma, The Felice Brothers, and Vampire Weekend

Friday 6/13- Jose Gonzalez, Umphrey's McGee, The Bluegrass Allstars (feat. Luke Bulla, Sam bush, jerry Douglas, Bela Felck, Edgar Meyer, and Bryan Sutton), some of the Raconteurs (featuring Jack White), Chris Rock, and Metallica

Sat 6/14- Donavon Frankenreiter, Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet featuring Bela Fleck, The Avett Brothers, Ben Folds, Jack Johnson, Pearl Jam

Sun 6/15- Robert Randolph's Revival, Yonder Mountain String Band, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi Soul Stew Revival, Widespread Panic

4th of July

Joseph and I spent the 4th in Charleston. We saw Dave Matthews Band at Joe Riley baseball stadium. Tim Reynolds and Jeff Coffin, saxophonist (Bela Fleck & the Flecktones), played with DMB and were both incredible. We recently saw Jeff play with Umphrey's McGee at Bonnaroo. Bailey & Ella came to Charleston with us while Gracie and Jedi stayed at home. Our lovely neighbors, the Reids took care of Gracie & Jedi. While in Charleston, we visited our friends, Angela, Ron, Rebecca, and Kelsey and began planning our Fall 2008 get together.