So you wanna be in Pictures?

ONLY 42 DAYS UNTIL THE BAR!!!!

 While we are at the B.A.R. Mama is going to have a short Photo Class and answer any question about picture taking, processing or editing!! We will also do some practicing, and maybe even a photo walk!!

 Is there anything special you want to know??

Let us know in the comments and Mama will make sure she

either knows how to do it, or be able to show where to go on the interwebs to help you find it!

 No camera??  Mama and I can help you take pictures on your smart phone or your iPad too!

Of course, I'll be there with Mama to answer your questions!!

We can also help answer your questions about places to

enhance, edit and dress up your pictures too!!

What do you want to learn about modeling or taking pictures??!!

  

Testing the Video

So Mama, Daddy and the Mayorz Mama and Daddy did test videos this morning on the Facebooks and we are pleased to announce, they WORK!!!! If your Mama or Daddy do the Facebook thing, be sure to let us know and we will add you to the Blogville page!! That way you can check in at the B.A.R. without having to leave your couch!!


Now, if you don't have Facebook, we don't want you to be left out either, so Mama is going to try to post the video we did on Facebook here!! Now, it won't be live...but Mama will make sure to bring her computer so she can get at least one video update per day on our blog...BUT we have to test it first.....So, Mama is going to try to post the video with this post....Please let us know in the comments if it looks ok to you. PLEASE let her know if it doesn't look ok too, this way I can have her fix it so we make sure everything is working before we leave!! We are linking it up via YouTube as to not take up too much cyber space on the BAR Bloggie


So, without further ado, we present

THE TEST VIDEO

Let us know if you can't see it either above

or by clicking

HERE

Join This Group!

This morning we tested the LIVE stream of video on the Blogville Facebook page.  We successfully streamed 4 different videos LIVE.  This is going to be great for the BAR to include the rest of Blogville in the fun!

If you are on Facebook, join this group so you 

can see LIVE streamed video from the 

B*A*R*!  Click HERE!

The Five Pees of Travel - Pee 4 - Practice

OMD....LESS THAN TWO MORE MONTHS UNTIL
THE B.A.R.!!!!
We are getting SO VERY EXCITED!!! 
Today we are going to talk Pee Five and why you might want to take a Practice Road Trip with your Peeps!!

You might remember that a couple of weeks ago, Arty, Mama and I took a practice trip.  Mama said we needed to do this to make sure Arty and I got along for our upcoming trip to the B.A.R. BUT,  we think she also wanted to make sure that she could handle traveling with two adventurous pups!!

To be totally honest, I wasn't sure I wanted to share Mama with Arty, but I decided to give it a try.  I am happy to report that we got along just fine and told Mama it was ok it we brought Arty along!!! Anyway...if you want to read more about our Road Trips you can click HERE for Part One and HERE for Part Two.

Car Travel

Arty and I were both pretty good in the car. By taking a long trip with your peeps, you can tell whether or not they (or you) get carsick.  Mama and Arty did ok but I had a bit of an upset tummy the first day (we need to take twisty turny, uppy downy roads through the mountains). Now,  Mama knows to talk to our V.E.T. about getting me some nausea medication for the days we will be going through the mountains!

Take Time to See the Lighthouses Scenery!

We made sure to stop every two hours or so to stretch our pawsies! We learned that we all get grumpy if we don't stop and take these breaks!  Mama is planning to make one of these stops one where we can take a hike (something about "wearing us out" so we sleep well at night)! But,  we know some pups would rather skip the stops and just get where they are going. Taking a practice drive might help your peeps learn which type of pup (or Crabby) you are!

 Stick to your Routine as Much as Possible

Make sure you keep your Peeps on their regular routine (and they keep you on yours). Keep mealtimes and bedtimes the same time, make sure the peeps bring your regular food and stuff. Mama made the mistake of buying us special "travel foodie bowls". We know she was just trying to be nice, but we were a bit miffed that we didn't have our regular foodie bowls. We are so glad we learned this before we took our long trip!

Hotel Tips

Both Arty and I have both stayed at hotels, so Mama knew kind of what to expect.  Always check with your hotel ahead of time to see what their rules are. Most hotels don't want us pets alone in the hotel room. If the weather is nice and cool, Mama will leave us to guard the car, while she checks in and brings in our luggage. Then she will come get us. If it is hot outside, we will go with Mama to check in, and we will guard the room while she gathers our luggage and brings it to the room. It took Mama the whole road trip with me last year to figure out the best way to manage this!

  We always make sure Mama stops at a food window before we get to the hotel to get some dinner. Then she will just bring it back to the hotel and we eat dinner as a family! 

If we get to the hotel early, Mama and us pups will  nap "decompress" for a bit and then all run out to get Mama dinner!

We make sure to take a long walk after we eat dinner. Mama will look on her magical phone to see it there is a park nearby or we will just walk around the area where we are staying! After our big walk, Mama will take us on a couple of shorter "go potty walks".  Mama says she tries to "wear us out" so we will sleep well and not sound the "barkie alarm" every time someone walks past the room.
It's hard to expect what we non-human family members will react to a night in a hotel!

Take time to Snuggle

Finally, take time to enjoy each other.  Make time during the day to snuggle and have fun together!!


Thanks for joining us for Pee 4 - Practice. Make sure to join us next month for the final Pee
Pee Five - Proper Road Manners

ALSO

Join us for a Special Be Prepared for the B.A.R. Pee on May 9th.
This will have a list of things to bring with you to the B.A.R.!!



We know not everyone has the time for Practice runs, please feel free to ask us any questions you or your peeps might have in the comments and we will answer them as best we can!!

How YOU Can Be Included!

As excited as we are to meet everyone in the furs at the B*A*R* in June, we're also VERY disappointed to NOT meet those who are unable to attend!   

After all, some of the greatest things about Blogville are the friendships we form and the way we all try to make sure everyone feels included.  So of course our time at B*A*R* MUST reflect those things as well!

So here's what we're going to do:  If you want your photo included in official BAR activities and ceremonies, just send us your photo (details below).  We will include it in all activities as well as the Remembrance Ceremony and Friendship Ceremony.

Remembrance Ceremony  - This will be led by our very own YAM Aunty who is coming from Scotland.  It will be our way to remember and celebrate anyone who was once a part of Blogville but is no longer active in our community or may have passed away/crossed the bridge.  Send us the name and photo (details below) of this pet or human so they can be part of this special ceremony.

Friendship Ceremony - This also will be led by YAM Aunty and will be a celebration of the friendships we have made in Blogville.  Despite the fact most of us blog through the voice of our pet(s), behind the scenes we have made many friends.  This ceremony will celebrate and recognize the importance of those relationships.

Follow these instructions to send a photo:

1.  Print out the photo either 5x7 or 8x10.  Larger ones will show up better in photos. 

2.  Laminate your photo to help protect it in the outdoor environment.  If this is not possible, then put it in a sheet protector (cut to size).

3.  Glue or tape your photo to a cardboard backing and make sure you write the name of the person/pet on the front!

4.  Mail your photo to any of the organizers:  Cecilia, Diana. Beth or Carol.  Mailing addresses are available from the Christmas Card Exchange list. 

5.  Be sure to mail your photo early enough that it will arrive prior to the time the organizers begin travel to the B*A*R*.

Your B*A*R* Organizing Committee

Bring it!!!!

I would like to thank the Crabby Girls and The Hands for this excellent idea for a fun 'get acquainted game' during the B.A.R.

We are asking each person attending the Blogville Awesome Retreat to 

bring a gift that represents their City, State or Country.   Since we 

are all traveling from a far,  to the B.A.R., it should be small and cost no more

than $10.00.  We have a ton of crafty bloggers so it can be hand/home made.

We will give each item a number.  Each attendee will receive a number then we'll have a drawing.

Everybuddy will leave the B.A.R. with a treasure from somewhere around the great big world!!

As we said over on our blog...

GOODNESS GROWS IN NORTH CAROLINA

RUN DON'T WALK TO YOUR NEAREST TRAVEL AGENCY  TO MAKE TRAVEL PLANS

TO COME TO THE B.A.R.

SO YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WIN 

SOMETHING

Yep it says *Texas Pete but it is made in N. C.
it was created in Winston-Salem and is still made there.
Trying to find a name for the new product, marketers suggested Mexican Joe to indicate the flavor of the new sauce.  Sam Garner, owner of T. W. Garner Food Company, however, wished to give the product an American name, and one named after his sons: Thad, Ralph, or Harold.  Fortunately the latter’s nickname was “Pete.”  The sauce was made during the 1930s.

it makes an Eastern North Carolina BBQ  Sandwich taste twice as spicy

and you must have a large Cheerwine to cool off your tongue and wash down the BBQ.

Lance are another fine NC product.  The snack crackers with peanut butter aka NABS are a staple in this house...

Many snack cracker products manufactured by Lance are commonly referred to as "Nabs", a genericized trademark name for Nabisco snack crackers. The term originated in 1924 when the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) introduced a snack, put in a 5-cent sealed packet called "Peanut Sandwich Packet"

Ohhhh so good are all the variety of Pickles made at the Mt. Olive Pickle Factory in 

Mt. Olive, NC

So in closing what I'm trying to say now that I've made myself hungry,

if you are at a loss for an item that represents your City, State or Country,

Google "products made in your state's/country name. 

You will find a wealth of information from food, to agriculture to

jewelry.  Mom is gonna make up a little basket for the B.A.R. Gift
exchange. It will contain several products from NC...not necessarily any of the above. This will be what Dad donates to the exchange and Mom has a friend of hers making an unusual gift which will be Mom's gift for the exchange.

What's Your Name?

For everyone who will be (or hopes to) attend the B*A*R* in June, we need some information!

Yes, we need YOUR name.  And not only do we need your name but we need the names of anyone coming with you who is human!  We'll be making name tags so folks can remember your name and associate it with your blog.  So the information we need is:

Human Name & the Name of your Blog

Please email this information to Oreo's mom at:

dcraftsalot AT yahoo DOT com

Thank you from YOUR B*A*R* Committee