I Love Birthdays That Go On and ON . . .

I know some of you were wondering if we had CAKE for my birthday. Well, no we did not. . . not really. It was ready but we just could not coordinate it until a couple of days later. Then Cousin E decided we might as well celebrate Molly's upcoming birthday at the same time (July 13). So we waited and Waited and WAITED. Last night all of the stars aligned and we had CAKE.

Cousin E made the cake (and took all of these photos). It has a layer of the homemade chicken and rice that Aunt T made for Fussy Molly. It also had a layer of the Zignature Veal that I tested for Chewy.com. Finally it was "frosted" with plain yogurt and decorations. It looked YUMMY and it WAS so very yummy.

Did I get a little on my chin? No? Just my mouth? Did I get it off?

REPLAY: This was the scene at Sunshine's birthday. We had melon cakes which were so very very very yummy. As you can see, I was the only one concerned with ALL GONING it.

For your viewing pleasure. I think it safe to say the CAKE was a success.

Today's Affirmation

Wordless Wednesday? Not When I Have Selfies to Share!

I got this selfie thing DOWN

Hello! Welcome to another day of the Selfie Contest. Beaglebratz Manor pointed out that the DOG contest date is different than the CAT contest date. I had to set them up separately and that must have been the default. I went in to change it and thought I had. Sorry for the confusion everypuggy.

BUT because of the confusion, I will accept Kitty  ENTRIES until the DOG entries end. You have 2 more days to enter your selfie. So prod your pals to enter in the fun - they've got an extra day.

Do I look PRETTY?

I hope you are all having as much fun as I am seeing all of these SELFIES. YOU have all outdone yourselves.

Here are the latest SELFIES

Astro

Casey

 Christmas

Pigeon (and Casey)

Roxy

I think this is just a brilliant collection of selfies. If you hadn't noticed before, the names are links to their individual blogs. Please do stop by and visit them.

And as a reminder - here are the baskets and RAFFLECOPTER boxes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget that today is BLOG HOP WEDNESDAY

And before I leave you, I just want to remind everypuggy that I AM ALMOST 8 YEARS OLD!!!!!

DAILY AFFIRMATION

Longest Day of the Year . . . Limited Words Wednesday

Happy Summer Solstice!!!! She's teasing me

And NOTE:

For a Kitty

For a Doggy

How do you WIN it? Check back Thursday

AND Finally - This is a blog hop!!!

Wrangling Up Some Good Grub #chewyinfluencer

Hi. Sunshine the Cat here with another scintillating review for Chewy.com. If you recall, I was SILENCED last month in favor of a BIRD named Jade. Okay, I admit it was exciting for Chewy.com to now be including exotic pets in their array of pet products. But it meant someone had to be shoved aside for a month and it can't be NOODLES (it is her blog, after all). By default that shoved aside one was ME. So I pouted for a small while and then put on my Happy You're Happy face for Jade. In other words, I started plotting for June.

It totally worked. I got to pick something to review in JUNE.

The selection in the June newsletter was so vast that I had some difficulty narrowing the choices down to a reasonable size. I eventually decided to go with Nature's Variety Chicken Cravings because it is a brand I have history with. Plus CHICKEN! Need I say more?

I think you know as well as I do that the picture on the package seldom looks like the real thing. I don't know what I was expecting but this was not it. I doubted it was this nice looking.

BUT

Fooled me! It VERY MUCH looks just like the photo on the pouch! And the smell? Well, I almost fell off the counter when it wafted my way. Wafted is too delicate of a work to describe the aroma of this pouch of pleasure. I was completely engulfed in the sweet aroma of the chicken bits (REAL CHICKEN) and accompanying gravy. It was heady, I tell ya.

The taste, to which the picture does not do justice, was an amazing melange of sweet chicken and savory chicken flavor gravy. Let me tell you, I am not a pretty site right now all looking at this photo, remembering the flavor, and drooling. MMMMMMMmmmmmmmmm!

But, as you no doubt know, liking a food is not the whole deal. It must be nutritious and provide protein and moisture to a CAT'S diet. Nature's Variety Chicken Cravings does that by being

• Grain and Gluten FREE
• Devoid of dyes, preservatives and artificial flavors
• A good hydration source
• Good for all ages and breeds
• Corn, wheat and soy FREE

The calories are reasonably low for GOOD food which lists its ingredients as Chicken Broth, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Eggs, Pea Flour, Natural Flavor, Sodium Phosphate, Guar Gum, Salt, Sodium Carbonate, Dl-Methionine.

As tasty and nutritious as it is, Natures Variety Chicken Cravings is not meant to be a whole meal and should only be served as a topper or supplement. But believe me, a topper is all that is needed to make you culinary dreams come true.

Nowadays when you see me sleeping, notice the smile on my face. I am dreaming about my meal of kibble topped with Nature's Variety Chicken Cravings.

If you are not a real chicken fan, Nature's Variety Cravings come in several flavors (from real meat, fish, fowl): Chicken, Duck, Tuna, Salmon, Lamb, and Rabbit.

I graciously give this product FOUR dignified PAWS UP for flavor, smell, and overall healthiness.

** I was provided free of charge a sufficient number of pouches to allow me to try, taste, and assess the food. I am not being nor have I ever been paid to write a post nor for my opinion. Furthermore, all opinions expressed in this blog are this of the blog owner only. So if you're gonna blame anyone, blame Noodles (snicker, snicker)

Now it is Time for a Little Affirmation

I Am A BERRY BERRY Good Girl!

Sometime back I mentioned that the STRAWBERRY PLANTS in my backyard had lotsa berries. But they were green and quite small still so I could not eat them. I draw the line at eating sour green strawberries. So I have been patient. . . BERRY, berry patient (see what I did there? I made a PUN).

I go outside all the time to check on them - to do my bidness, to sit in the morning sunshine, to water the plants with Aunt T. . . and so on. Green, green, green.

Yesterday I decided to take a closer look

Nothing here. . .

Whaddya know! I see something RED . . .

What a lovely SIGHT . . . My mouth is watering. . .

Oh wait! There's TWO???????

Mommy decided to TORTURE me by holding that luscious red BERRY in front of me and making me wait! Come a little closer MOMMY. . . Yes, like that. . . HA!!! I got IT!

And it was GONE! Stem, leaves and all. It was so yummy I could hardly believe it. I simply cannot wait for the OTHER STRAWBERRIES to ripen.

What about the second one I saw? Well, Aunt T picked it later in the day and said it should have waited a couple of days. It was still sour. Oh well. There are many many more that I KNOW I will enjoy in the next few weeks.

Have a great weekend - keep cool if you are in the part of the country where the temps are going up Up UP!

And Here's another of my 100 Affirmations below

Where Have You Gone CA Summer - This Lil' Pug's Looking For You

This is my hat and scarf from Chewy.com.
Isn't it cute?

Pull out your woolly caps cuz it is WINTER again here in CA. Seriously folks, it is COLD. And we had rain from Friday through yesterday AND there was SNOW in the mountains, most notably TAHOE. This is not NORMAL at all.

National Weather Service graphic

I know it is hard to see but San Jose is 69 degrees for a high. This is June. The average temperature in June is 79 degrees. That is a lot different than 69 degrees.

And Tahoe - where we have often spent time in SUMMER - had SNOW yesterday. And Lake Tahoe had high wind and waves up to 6 feet high. I am sorry but I think this is CRAZY.

National Weather Service - Reno office

 So I am all snuggled in my bed with my Chewy.com cap and scarf trying to keep warm.

Mommy #2 is on her 3rd cuppa tea trying to keep warm. She said if it doesn't warm up soon she is going to TURN ON the HEATER.


This is June.
This is California.

Christi Virdee photo

2017 - you are ONE WEIRD YEAR so far

#100Affirmations

Our House is Filling Up

Nah! Lulu went home with her mom. I just like the
FULLNESS of this photo

This is the summer of visitors at Casa de Noodles. It all started with Lulu - which was pretty fun. You don't know how much you miss playing until there is a puppy in the house. Since she has gone, the toys do not stray from their assigned spots. So this was May and it was just the beginning.

Just after Lulu left and before the month changed to JUNE, my Mommy #2's ELDEST sister came to visit. This is Aunt M who I have mentioned before. She is the Aunt who came out to stay with us when the WHOLE FAMILY except the critters went to Hawaii. Okay, you GOT me. Many many posts ago I pretended like I went along on the trip. And you might even recall a photo or two of me sunning on the BEACH. It was a little fib. Dogs, other than service dogs, are not allowed on Aulani resort.

Ahhhh! That little confessions got me off track. Where was I? . . . . . . . Oh yes. Aunt M. She stayed with us and cared for us for A WHOLE WEEK. It was pretty good. She even let us SIT ON HER LAP and sleep with her. That is pretty special. So she is back for a visit and will be here for a while. Because Mommy #1 is still away at university, it does not feel crowded. She returns in a week.

Then in JULY, while Aunt M is still here, Aunt L will come out to visit for a week. At this point, there will be so many HUMANS in the house that I may have to share my DOG BED with one of them.

I look somewhat less than happy with the thought
of sharing my bed

Finally, in August the friends my MOMMY, Aunt T, Aunt B, and Aunt M went to a baseball game with last weekend are coming for a long weekend before Lil One returns to school. It'll again be a full house as Aunt M will still be here although Aunt L will be gone and Aunt T MIGHT be away that weekend.

Crazy, huh?

September will be kind of a letdown as by then everyone will be gone and the house will be quiet again. And the SUMMER will be over as well. BUT you know what? It's all good. The most fun in the whole wide world is time spent with FAMILY and good FRIENDS.

And NOW time for an AFFIRMATION

Sometimes We Need a Little Affirmation -

This is for Manchester, England

The Last Days With Lulu - Her Mommy Returns on Thursday

So. . . what do YOU wanna do . . . I dunno. . . What do YOU
wanna do?

Lulu is entering her 9th day at Case de Noodles. It has been an interesting time dealing with a PUPPY. She has a lot more energy than either myself or Molly. She is mouthy (hahaha, as if I am not) and completely distrusting of Sunshine the Cat (who could care less). BUT she is a good girl and has had no accidents in the house - rang the bells ONCE to be let out - and generally listens when Mommy or Aunt B tell her to do something. She no longer sits by the front door waiting for her Mommy to return (this is partly because I admit to pirating her bed). She is comfortable all over the house and with all HUMAN family members.

And she loves to play. . . and play. . . and PLAY! Have mercy on me does she love to PLAY. It is really good for me because it UPS my steps per day. And the weather has been perfect for staying outside for a while and running around the lawn (our "lawn" is really all weeds since the drought killed off all of our soft cushy grass).

Lulu will be here until Thursday because that is when her Mommy returns from her cruise. I am sure she has had a lot of fun on that big floating city. Lulu sent her a Mother's Day message along with a photo. Smartphones are wonderful for that kind of thing.

Lulu's Mother's Day Portrait

I think we will miss Lulu once she returns home BUT I know we will see her now and then. She always has a place with us.

Affirmation Time

I am a Clean, Lean, Cuddle Machine

Among PUGS and PUG pawrents, weight is a common topic of conversation. Rightfully so. We small compact pups DO tend to pack on the pounds if we are not ever diligent. I had to lose 5 pounds a few years back and let me tell you it was not EASY. That is a QUARTER of my total weight!!! Mommy accomplished this by being very careful with my diet in addition to making sure I got some exercise through the day,

What to do. . . what to do. Well in addition to small meals two times a day, I got lots of fruits and vegetables to fill me up and round out my diet. This photo tells the whole story. Those things in front of Molly and myself are what I want to focus on today - the "cakes" from Sunshine the Cat's birthday celebration. No calorie laden cakes for us! Our "slices" consisted of a cantaloupe shell with watermelon ice and a yogurt drizzle. How yummy is THAT????? Oh, I assure you, VERY. It's clever and Oh So TASTY.

Sunshine the Cat had a "cake" of a new wet food she was trying out. It is behind Molly in this photo. For some reason Sunshine did not like it and it was not enough to keep her attention. Hence the mournful stare into the house.

My point is - there are ways to get fruits and vegetables into your pet's diet which are fun and tasty. In the long run a good BABY CARROT (my fave snack) is a much better choice than a high calorie DOG BISCUIT. OMP! Just thinking of that sweet luscious is making my mouth water. . . .

I gotta find Mommy and sit pretty. Hopefully she gets the hint.

And Now for an AFFIRMATION 

My FAVORITE Day in the Whole Universe!

Happy Star Wars Day to ALL of you!

Can you believe it! Star Wars Day is already with us and I am so excited. You may not realize it but I am an uber Star Wars fan. Like we are talking LIGHT SABER CARRYING kind of fan.

And Leia hair wearing -

And Stormtrooper loving

And Chewbacca loving

FAN!

AFFIRMATION #10