" I'd Like to check you for ticks"

Brad Pasley's song totally inspired the title of this post. Except for the fact I would like to STOP!! checking for ticks. Some of you may not know but this tick season has Mike and I at a total loss.



When we moved into our home we were noticing that the dogs ( Max and Bella at the time) were starting to get some ticks. We had started spraying the yard and changed from the cheap store brand of flea and tick treatment to the exspensive Advantix. We also started spraying the yard. We have been facing this battle ever since. It died down for a bit in the winter, but as spring is approaching the ticks have come back FULL!! force. We spray the yard about once a month and were bathing the dogs in anti-tick and flea shampoo also still using the Advantix once a month. And we still get them horribly.. last week 22 of them on Bella (and this is after checking them daily) we now have our little Titus whom just finished his puppy shots which has me worried to death.



We have been talking about getting the dogs the Lyme disease shot and tossed the idea. It wasn't until my co-worker's 8 month old boxer got lyme disease where I totally freaked and talked to Mike and said we had to get the dogs their Lyme shot and see what else we could do.



So here we are 1 vet visit down ( for all 3 dogs) a change from Advantix to Fronline Plus, Garlic pills ( suggested by Titus' breeder and groomer) Heartgaurd meds, continuing to spray the yard and baths with the anti- flea and tick shampoo. We face this on going battle. I just pray we see some relief. Next the Oleander is to come out of the yard so there is no way the ticks can hide.
This is like armagedon!! can it please end?

Productive Day!!!

Today had to have been the most productive day in this house ever. It really started yesterday when Mike, his brothers David and Joe and our 2 nephews cutting down our eucalyptus tree that has been falling for a week. They cleaning that all up chopped up the big branches and made a really nice wood pile in our backyard for the outside fire pit. ( you can burn eucalyptus in the fireplace indoors) Erin and I were moral support. Erin took all the kids to church while the big boys worked hard. My sister came to visit me for I had tonsillitis. After the finished cutting it down and cleaned the mess it was time to rest, Leaving the rest for today.
Today everyone woke up bright and early Mike, David and Joe and loaded up our truck with the stuff that wasn't in our woodpile and made a run to the dump. Erin dropped the kids off at school then her and I set out to run a BUNCH!! of errands. All the while the boys ran to the dump. Mike soon left for work about 1 Erin and I returned to see that Greg and Paige ( Mike's Brother and sister in-law) had come down to get a play set... Well long story short it wasn't going to make it up the hill for them to use so they came to drop it off at our house.
It was a pleasant but short visit for they had to go back up the hill to get their other children. After they left we all ( David, Erin myself and all 6 of my nieces and nephews) set out to tackle the front yard. We wanted to get it ready for Grass seed and new plants next weekend.
So the boys racked up all the leaves and sticks ( then went to the backyard and picked up dog poop) Dave mowed the lawn Erin and I got all of the plants dead or half alive out of the flower bed. I then weed eated and edged. We all raked some more, hosed the front of the house and the drive way. Erin made dinner while Dave and I did the finishing touches of hosing the drive way and scratching the lawn for the seed and water...
It's not complete but it is a start and it is amazing!!!!