When Jason and I built our house in 2006 we wanted to install laminate wood floors on the entire main level, but since it was new construction on a freshly poured concrete slab we had to wait at least 1-2 years for the cement to completely cure (dry) before we could do that. So, instead we installed carpet in the family room and linoleum in the kitchen/dinning. Neither of us like carpet in the main living area's of the house. We don't wear shoes in our house, but no matter what you do carpet will never be really sterile clean. Since it was bran new carpet when Connor was born we considered it to be clean and fine for a baby to crawl around on. But now that we've lived in our house for 8 years... it's time to get rid of the carpet and install something that will be clean and sterile for the new baby to crawl around on. We had both real wood floors and laminate wood floors in our last house. We liked the laminate wood better though because it holds up better to scratches (our 60 pound lab left scratches in the real wood with her nails), it was easier to maintain and keep sterile (I love the Hoover wet/dry vac) and it cost less. I really wanted to install the same laminate we had in our other house, which was a light oak. But Jason wanted to try something new. He liked a dark single plank high gloss Vintners Reserve laminate... so, we decided to give that one a try.
Stories of Nala: Our "junk yard dog." Our last house was south of the Spokane freeway in a cult-a-sac. In 2003 Jason and I spent the day at the Toyota dealership buying my new 4-runner (which I still have and LOVE). The dogs, Chloe and Nala were in the fenced backyard (which had a plush dog house built into the garage, courteously of Jason). While we were gone our wonderfully behaved dogs, who never even attempted to escape from their pampered backyard.. did just that and escaped from our 6 foot fence. Actually the fence was somehow opened?!? We came home that evening to find Chloe sitting on our front door step waiting for us, but no sign of Nala. We searched the neighborhood until after dark looking for her with no luck. We thought we had lost our 5 pound little dog for sure. Early the next morning we got a call from the junk yard, north of the freeway that they had found our dog sleeping in the back of a pickup truck in their junk yard. I'm so glad she was wearing her id tag! Somehow she had managed to get out of our 6 foot fenced yard, under a 8+ foot cement wall, down a steep bank, crossed a 4 lane freeway in the dark, under a 6 foot cyclone fence and found her way into a junk yard filled with old cars and climbed into the bed of a truck. This gained her the nick name of "junk yard dog."
She spent most of her life being spoiled. She snuggled next to me on the bed (until we moved to our new house and Jason created the rule of NO dogs allowed outside the laundry room and family room rule). She was also a lap dog that cuddled with me on the couch until we moved to our new house and Jason created the No dogs allowed on the couch rule. Until Connor was born she got a fresh breakfast of pancakes/waffles, sausage and eggs every weekend and occasionally after he was born as well. Throughout her life she occasionally enjoyed her own dinner plate filled with whatever I cooked for the rest of the family. (Chloe and Nala had their own plates that ONLY they used. I don't allow my dogs to eat off our plates). She enjoyed camping, swimming, going to the park and walks with us. For the last several years I stopped taking her to the groomers, since she didn't like the experience and I would cut her hair myself. She loved to chew on rubber bones. She also loved it when we would get on the floor and play tug-a-war with one of her stuffed toys. As far as tricks go, she was a bit of a snob. She really had no interest in learning any tricks other than sit, lay down and stay. She was always a great listener though and we could take her off the leash at the park to run around and sniff everything in sight and she would instantly come the minute we called her. She was great with kids. She spent a lot of time sitting next to Connor, who would pet her the last few years. Unlike some small dogs, Nala was never a barker or noisy dog. Although the last few months after Chloe's death she did start to whine randomly (we could never tell if it was from pain or loneliness). We actually got to see her 6th sense... when I miscarried before Connor... it was Nala who alerted us that something was wrong. She wouldn't get near me. I would sit on the couch in the family room and Nala would sit in the doorway to the laundry room and either stare at me with a strange look or turn her back to me. Right after this started happening we found out the baby had died at 3 months... and apparently Nala knew before anyone else. We miss you Nala (AKA Nala-Butt).
