Art Is Joy: The Nationals 2013 ~ Family Vacation #3

CUCCIOLO’S CHRONICLES

FAMILY VACATION #3 ~

“THE NATIONALS”

By: Cucciolo

This time of the year I hear everyone talking about school being out and being on “vacation.” I like that word, “vacation.” My Madre, Padre and I have had already taken two family vacations together. It usually means that we travel in the car for a while and stay overnight someplace that is different than our home. It requires that I be adventurous in finding new “potty spots” and be patient riding in the car. There are always new people to meet and different routines which are sometimes a little stressful but mostly fun for me.

“Vacation” also means that I go to a place where there are a lot of other dogs and many rings that we all go round and round in, like at where I go to training, only different. I am not sure why exactly I do this except that Madre and I practice it a lot and sometimes I get a ribbon. One time I even got a metal water bucket and had my photo taken with the judge!

So when things started piling up in our hallway recently at our house, and I spotted the suitcases, I knew we were going on another family vacation!

I 70 all the way to Topeka!

What I ended up finding out is that we would travel about 900 miles, stay in two hotels and take three days to get to our vacation destination, Topeka Kansas! We drove from Ohio, through Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and part of Kansas. It was the same thing coming home! We spent seven days at the big hotel in Topeka with the glass elevator and about 279 other keeshonden! What a trip (pun intended!). I went round and round in a “sweepstakes,” a “regional” and a “national.” There were anywhere from 11 to 15 other girls going round with me at one time. I had to be patient in and out of the ring for longer times than I am used to and I got kind of “antsy” and fidgety. But Madre and I did it and there are not a lot of keeshond puppies that can claim that fact!

State Capital Building, Topeka, Kansas

Highlights of my trip include that when Madre and Padre went to a museum, I got to stay in the motor home of Auntee Ann and Unkle Eddie along with great grandma Tia, my momma Danee, Aunties Mickee and Bliss, Molly Bean, Tinkerbell and my sister Bridget and brother Rudee! What a blast! I’m not telling everything we did, but let’s just say I don’t get to do that kind of stuff at home!

Here’s another cool thing ~ Auntee Ann made me and Madre matching pink poodle skirts that we wore on Sunday morning at a companion pet pageant. Everyone thought that we looked awesome! I heard comments like: “Nice legs!”

The Poodle Skirt Girls!

Nice Legs!

On our first night in the Topeka hotel, I hopped on the big bed and fell asleep. Madre thought I looked so sweet and she just didn’t have the heart to ask me to move. So I got to sleep all night in the big bed with Madre and Padre. Guess what? I was such a great girl that I got to sleep in the big bed the whole remaining time. Even better yet ~ when we got home, they moved my crate into their bedroom and I get to sleep in their big bed at home too! (Crate optional!) Yahoo!

One of my most important dreams came true in Topeka on the last night of our stay. Just before bedtime, Madre and Padre said: “Cucciolo, let’s go! We have a surprise for you!” We went down the glass elevator and through the hotel as if we were going to the ballroom where the show had been held. I saw my sister Bridget first, then brother Rudee, and then….and then….my paw Cubit and my grandpaw Ferris right next to him! OMG! We three siblings were just in awe as we all lined up to have our photos taken with our famous paw and grandpaw! I can tell you we all slept good with sweet dreams that night!

My Grandpaw Ferris on the left,
Paw Cubit on the right!

Ferris, Cubit, Bridget and Me!

Now that we are home, we are all still a little tired from our big trip. Although Madre and I did not come home with any ribbons or prizes, Madre says we have brought home something better that those things ~ new friends and memories. Like all the nice people we met on the road and at the show. Like my first ride in a glass elevator and going through a revolving door for the first time in St. Louis. First time being in the ring with so many keeshond puppies and staying in a very big hotel.

The Arch in St. Louis Mo.

I am not sure what is next, but I do like that word “vacation” and I hope that we get to take another one again soon. In the meantime, I am going to spend some time outside now that the weather here is nice, splash around in my blue Little Tykes Pool and play with all the new toys that I got at the Nationals. If you are in my neighborhood, come on over and join me! If I don’t greet you at the front door, look for me in the big bed!

The National Dog Museum, St. Loius

The National Dog Museum, St. Louis

About the author:

Chillin in a Drury hotel on the way to Topeka!

On the road

My name is Cucciolo Maria McHugh Redlefsen and I was born May 3, 2012. I am the second of two girls ~ Bridget is my older sister. I have three brothers ~ Rudee, Chase and Kodi. My mom is Danee (Keekichi’s Klassic Irish Dancer) and my dad is Cubit (Skyline’s Unit of Measure). I live in Medina, Ohio with my Madre Anitra, and my Padre Dain. (They call him “The Great Dain.”) My name in Italian means “puppy” and I have it because Madre and Padre say that I will always be their little baby puppy ~ bambino cucciolo piccolo! You can see and read more about me and my life and adventures on Facebook at: Cucciolo's Chronicles