My Triumphant Return to Blogging … And A Guest Post By Mr. Jenners
by Jenners • 10/31/2011 • Mr. Jenners, Romeo and Juliet • 93 Comments
I’m back!! : )
I’ve been busy while I was gone. I caught up on ALL my book reviews. So, for the first time in THREE YEARS, I don’t have a long list of “reviews to write.” It is so liberating!
As far as the great Halloween costume debate for Romeo, we ended up “letting” him wear BOTH costumes (clown and ladybug) at different times during the night. I must report that we got the most compliments on the ladybug costume (my pick) … but everyone thought he was a girl because of it (Mr. Jenners’s objection).
In other Romeo news, he went to the groomers for the first time and is rocking a new look that shows off his eyes! (Personally, I think he looked cuter before the haircut but at least he can see now!) Check out the before and after photos below.
From Crazy Mop Top ...........................................to ......................Skunk Lookalike
I also thought I’d share the cool jack-o-lanterns that Mr. Jenners and BB made for Halloween.
Our spooky front porch
To help ease me back into blogging, Mr. Jenners decided to write a guest post of Halloween observations. Enjoy … and be sure to shower him with praise (as I know he will be obsessively checking the comments).
Halloween Observations by Mr. Jenners
- Carrying a pillowcase is not a costume.
- If you have facial hair, you are too old to trick or treat.
- Your 1-year-old baby does not need to trick or treat.
- The slutty costumes should be reserved for adults.
- Yes, I do remember that you were here 30 minutes ago.
- We put in the walkway for a reason, use it.
- Raisins, while barely a fruit, is not a treat.
- Fruit snacks – see raisins.
- Can I help you in some way? Is it really so much trouble to say trick or treat OR thank you. Standing silent on the porch isn’t going to get you anything.
I know this is totally late in posting, but I am glad to see you back! And, I must say … love what Mr. Jenners has to say! Cracked me up!!
I think the new haircut makes him look less puppy-like and more grown up. He probably felt really good afterward and smelled nice, too.
We grew tired of the kids who put on the local sport team shirt and came around trick-or-treating. I like seeing the little kids.
Welcome back. We’re glad you are back and all caught up.
I do think the haircut makes him look older. I don’t like that! He looks so messy and young … of course, he can’t see anything but still!
Welcome back! I took like the before the haircut photo, but I guess it’s a good thing to be able to see.
Mr. Jenners: Love your list. We complain about — er, I mean, comment on — the same things.
OF course, in a dog, seeing is a probably the fifth most important sense.
Welcome back! Romeo looks adorable with his haircut. Mr. Jenners sounds like the great pumpkin that stole Halloween. I agree with some of them, and it’s a great list. My favorite is the pillowcase, that’s my teenager’s costume every year.
Mr. Jenners is a bit of a Halloween Grinch!
Cool pumpkins! Great job! Romeo has a more expressive face for sure now. Check out those eyes. Cute.
I agree about the facial hair cut off for trick or treating. It is scary to see all those slutty costumes on younger and younger girls. When I was a kid, I was Woody Woodpecker. Hmmm, now I wonder what jokes would happen about that costume choice in today’s world??? LOL
I think Woody Woodpecker is probably just too ripe for jokes in today’s day and age … sadly. I don’t even see him on the Boomerang channel!!
My bitchy comment convinced you to come back right?
Romeo=cutestdogever
I’ll have to use #cutestdogever as his hashtag on Twitter. HAHA!
Amen on the raisins. Chocolate helps, but still can’t completely hide the fact that they’re raisins.
Raisins should be outlawed. I mean, they are shrively icky grapes. Why bother????
I’m so glad you’re back although I’m behind so of course it took me a while to visit. Love Mr. Jenner’s observations and must agree. Facial hair and the pillowcases for a costume don’t work for me either or standing silent at my door actually expecting me to come. Lol. Love your front porch. I had my fiber optic pumpkin out and the kids loved it.
That’s great you got caught up with reviews. I finally did yesterday. Now I’m just behind on visiting blogs. I like Romeo both ways but I am partial to them when they are really fuzzy. I like Sam that way but his hair gets so thick that it will start to mat in some places even though I brush him. So then he gets a cut. He went last week and was none to happy. Lol.
Hope you’re having a good week!
I”m hoping that next time we can find a middle ground between the really short look and the really long look. It changed his face so much!!
Welcome back!
I would love to be caught up on all of my reviews, but that never seems to happen!
I suggest taking a week off from all other blogging activities to get caught up. That is what I had to do!
Glad to see you back! And way to go Mr. Jenners! Perfect observations. The walkway thing drives me crazy. Especially when the parents do it! Here in Scotland they make you work for that trick or treat candy–you have to tell a joke.
I love the idea of having to tell a joke to get the treats! I’ll have to institute that next year … at least for those who are verbal!
My timing is awful…I visited your blog just before you returned. I finally clued in that you might be back when I realized you had commented on some of my posts in the last day or two. (Mind you, I clued in quite a while after reading your comments. ugh!)
Welcome back! So good to see you & I’m very happy you enjoyed your break. I admit some jealousy that you completed all of your book reviews….what a nice feeling not to have any hanging over your head!
I LOVE your front porch, pumpkins or no pumpkins, but the pumpkins are very cool…Mr. Jenners and BB did an amazing job with the jack o’lanterns.
Romeo is ADORABLE! I prefer his cute face before the groomer but he does look spiffy, fluffy and very clean after the groomer1 Do you have photos of Romeo dressed up for Halloween? I chose the Ladybug costume when I first read about them! (Sorry Mr. J!)
I have to say that I ‘m with Mr. Jenners all the way. I also commented to a few “trick or treaters” re: pillowcase and facial hair.
The only time I get bringing a baby is if you want to show off a costume to friends or family and/or if you have a child or actual trick or treat age and the baby is along for the ride…but if a parent or child is collecting candy for a baby I think that’s dishonest & they all get less candy if any at all. Yep, some call me a real witch on halloween! lol
Loved this post, all kinds of goodies! Nice to see you here Mr. Jenners and so happy to have you back Jenners!
You are such an epic comment leaver! Your comment is almost as long as my post. Thanks for all the kind words. It is an amazing feeling to have caught up on all my reviews. I’ve never experienced this before so I hope to keep it up. The only way I managed to accomplish it was taking a week off from all other blogging.
Welcome back, and congrats on catching up on your reviews! I so agree about the too-revealing costumes for girls these days. Thankfully, my daughter has never been much into “girlie” costumes, otherwise, we’d be hard pressed to find something appropriate, especially as she’s outgrown the kid’s costumes due to height. She was thrilled about being a penguin this year.
I love that she wants to be a penguin!! That is a real child … not a grown-up wannabe!
Aaaaand she’s back! Good, ’cause I started to miss your funny posts and right now I need all the fun I can get.
I like Romeo with the hair in his eyes. He looked more like a…dog? Now he looks more like a pampered dog. LOL.
Great post by Mr Jenners and I really liked the pumpkin on the right. Yeah, the one with the ghost in it.
Did you dress up, Jen?
Romeo IS a pampered dog. I swear that his pets per hour must be at least 10!!!
I didn’t dress up … unless you count me rocking the “slob housewife” costume. : )
Hope all is OK … doesn’t sound good that you need “all the fun you can get.”
I cannot stop laughing, the Halloween observations are hilarious but first let me say. Welcome Back Jenners.
Your puppy was totally adorable before, keep the beautiful eyes free but I like the rocker look better than the well groomed look
Ok back to the observations. A baby totally does not need to be trick or treating but maybe mommy needs candy to stay up, lol. No good evening, Happy Halloween or Trick or Treat absolutely would be “I think you got the wrong house, maybe try again in 30 mins and say Trick or Treat you may get a treat then” :-0
Your jack o lanterns are great, I am very impressed.
I like the messy look too … but it does seem unfair to have him almost blind!! ; )
I would agree that a mom of a newborn deserves candy. Perhaps we will rethink that!
Hilarious as usual. I would have to agree with all the observations. Romeo is such a cute puppy. Whenever you post a picture, I always show the girls. They get very excited. They think he is adorable. Well, so do I. What did BB dress up as? Your pumpkins are cute. Where is yours?
Romeo dressed up as a clown AND a ladybug. I love that your girls are his fans! We are making a video that I will post soon of him dancing!
And I opted out of the pumpkin carving as it was a father-son thing.
You have been missed, Jenners. Mr. Jenners? Not so much (I kid).
I agree with his Trick or Treat rules – I had very few Trick or Treats, even fewer Thank yous, and some kids who just held open their bag and said ‘Put it here’, like they were channeling old bank robbers.
I won’t be blogging much this month – I went ahead and started that whole NaNoWriMo thing.
pray for me.
I’m so excited for you doing NaNoWriMo. I think you will have a blast … and you don’t need my prayers. You’ve got a novel in there … I just know it.
Love your line about Mr. Jenners. Hee hee. That was my favorite comment!
My, what big eyes you have, Romeo. Great haircut!
Welcome back, Jenners! I enjoyed the Halloween observations from Mr. J.
You barely knew he had eyes before there was so much hair there. I’m getting used to his new look … his eyes are very expressive.
Welcome Back!!
I love Mr. Jenners observations, he is quite correct on all counts. I personally like babies in costume, but taking them out alone to T or T is clear show of begging for candy, you have a child, buy your own!
Your front porch is awesome, great carving job.
Looking forward to those now caught up book reviews. I’m the opposite, I can’t read fast enough to keep up with my pile of books!!
I personally love babies in costumes … but trick or treating with JUST a baby is a little strange. Still, I like seeing them so what do I know.
And it feels AMAZING to have my book reviews caught up. I shall do my best never to fall behind again now that I finally caught up. I definitely read faster than I can review.
Yea! Glad you are back- and getting caught up has got to feel nice. Love the pumpkin great job!
And his list is perfect- though I don’t even really want to see adults in slutty costumes.
I think the ONLY people who could MAYBE pull off slutty costumes are college kids at a party. And even then it might not be good.
Yeah, you didn’t take a LONG break! Yeah, Mr. Jenners, you hit the nail on the head with every one of your observations!!
Romeo is absolutely adorable.
I wasn’t sure how long a break it would be but a week seemed like enough. Amazing how much time you gain when you don’t visit other blogs and just relax.
Welcome back! I love Mr. Jenners’ thoughts and those carved pumpkins are great!
Mr. J says “thanks.” And I say “You’re giving him a swelled head.” HAHA!
Welcome back Jenners! I am so happy to see you blogging again. And to Mr. Jenners all I can say is AMEN to your list!! P.S Romeo looks adorable!
Amazing how bad trick-or-treaters just span the country, isn’t it?
I love your scary pumpkins and observations on Halloween. We only get about 10 trick or treaters so I generally load them up lots of treats.
Wow! We should come to your neighborhood. We usually have 125 kids or so. My sister-in-law lives down the street from a house that goes all out decorating for Halloween and people come from all over the town to see it and so she and the other neighbors get 450 trick-or-treaters in something like 2 hours. It is insane!
I so agree about kids who stand on the doorstep, silent. I’ve been known for trying various methods to get them to say “trick or treat.” I’ve never dressed up in anything scary, but I thought maybe it was my intimidating height.
If they are really little, I’ll give them a pass that perhaps they are confused or have stage fright but after you’re in first grade, you should be able to pull it off!
Hmmm, I find that Romeo’s haircut makes him look older. I actually like the before haircut look too because he looks much cuter. His eyes make him look a little bit creepy…
I just love the Halloween observations by Mr. Jenners! It really is amazing how many slutty costumes are made for kids. It’s just so….wrong in many ways. We saw a few of those in the parade we went to. Speaking of passing off carrying a pillow as a costume, we saw a family of three wearing scraps of newspaper stapled onto their clothes and calling it a costume. Talk about doing as little work as possible and passing it off as a costume!
Ok … thank you! I kind of think he looks a little creepy after his haircut too. It is growing on me but it was a bit of a shock. Part of it was that there is too much black on his face now!
And slutty kids costumes are really disturbing. There were some tweens in our neighborhood parading around in these tiny little costumes with heels and make-up. They looked like prosittutes almost! But is that better than the no effort costumes?
I sort of agree, Romeo looked cuter before the groom job but let’s face it, he’s cute no matter how you slice it.
I was crabby last night but it was okay in the end. The Otter Pup does not like the doorbell apparently. Ugh So I had to get The Boy (a tween!) to hand out candy in the driveway. He was out there for awhile blasting LMFAO and then he took off to be with his friends.
Romeo didn’t handle the doorbell or trick-or-treaters well either so I took him out with me to take BB trick-or-treating. He enjoyed it but got tired of walking near the end and I had to carry him!!
Your husband just cracked me up. And welcome back, babe!
Aw sheesh … don’t encourage him!
Oh yes, Mr Jenners! You are so right about the rude trick-or-treaters! We had a lot of them who objected to the once piece of candy rule. Dude. Please. You don’t need a whole handful, especially considering the pieces were big, and you have the whole neighborhood to canvas. I was so unimpressed with the rudeness and the no speaking or thank you business that next year I might start giving out pennies.
I know!! There was a marked decline in manners this year. Even some of the littler kids didn’t bother with costumes. That bothers me!! They are acting a bit entitled. I think we will shall have to retaliate and give out sunflower seeds to rude kids next year! HAHA, Rude Kids!
Great post! Both bits
Romeo is utterly adorable in both the before and after. He has very compelling eyes. Makes him look older, more distinguished
I agree … he looks older after his haircut. I want something in between the two somehow. I do love seeing his eyes. They are like little pools of warm chocolate.
Romeo is a heart breaker! And I love the pumpkins.
Romeo is a heartbreaker. When we were out trick-or-treating last night, I had people coming up to me saying how they watch us on our walks and think he is so cute. They all wanted to know what kind of dog he was.
Welcome back! and congratulations on being caught up with reviews – I wish I could say the same, but I am way behind and don’t have any written ready to go
The groomers make a big difference, but I have to agree that he was cuter before. He looks a lot more grown up now – more regal than cute.
I cannot tell you how satisfying it feels to be caught up with reviews. I’ve never had a backlog of reviews EVER in the three years I’ve been blogging. It is an amazing feeling. I hope to keep up with it.
And I agree with you … Romeo looks more grown up and less puppyish with his haircut. I guess we’ll see what it looks like when it grows out. I’ll have to find the perfect medium.
Well said, Mr. Jenners. It is my firm belief that when a child stops believing in Santa their trick-or-treat days are numbered. Unless I need candy…then out you go! Rain, sleet, hail…how does that saying go? Well, you get the point.
I agree … a child can trick-or-treat as long as they share a large percentage with their parents after the fact. My son will be trick-or-treating until he moves out! HAHA!
Yay! It’s great to have you back! I think the hair in the face look is cuter on the dog too, but seeing is always good.
As for the holiday treats I wholeheartedly agree and will add that low-calorie cereal snack packs are not Halloween treats, and halfway unwrapped candy is not cool (although I realize this is probably not anyone’s fault – still not cool).
My kiddo got a fire safety activity book at one house and was very disappointed. Ironically he spent the entire evening after we got home filling out the activity book and I had to drag him away from it at bedtime.
My son gave me a report of what he got after each and every house. Big losers were granola bars, fruit snacks and raisins. Anything chocolate was a hit … as well as Halloween novelty rings! He probably would have complained about the activity book as well. That is hilarious that your son ended up loving it though!
Yay! Welcome back! And wow are those pumpkins beautiful. Makes mine look like it was done by a two year old. Someone’s got talent–and a lot of patience.
They’ve also got a template and the carving tools! : )
What a triumphant post! Romeo looks cute with any styling (or non-styling). Your jack-o-lanterns are very cool and really make want me visit.
As for Mr. Jenner’s observations, they all made me laugh. Even though I take exception with the third one. We took Gage on our street tonight and you’d have thought he really was Superman. On a good year our street gets maybe 10 kids so everyone was happy to see him. And Jason and I were happy to divvy up the candy while Gage ate his sweet potatoes
I love that you are taking advantage of the too young to eat candy so Mommy and Daddy get it phase!! If you came to our house, I would totally load you up with treats! I actually LOVE seeing the babies in their costumes … they are always the cutest ones.
i gotta say I agree with many of those things on the list… I wish I could enforce the rules without appearing like the neighborhood witch with a B.
Romeo is adorable. gotta admit i also think he looked adorable before but yay for being able to see!! (of course most dogs see with their snout anyway… lol)
The key would probably be to dress up as a witch and then act like one and enforce the rules and just say you were in character!!
Oh Jenners it is so very good to have you back! You have so much wit and comedic charm that I miss you terribly when you’re not around!
And Mr. Jenners ~ you rock! Your pumpkin is mucho cool and I voted for the clown costume! Join us again!
Happy Halloween Jenners Family!
It feels good to be back … and Mr. Jenners is loving your comment I’m sure. But let’s not encourage him too much or he’ll take over! : )
Hope you had a wonderful Halloween.
Romeo is adorable in both pictures! I so agree with Mr. Jenners – when kids come to our door, I don’t give them candy unless they say trick-or-treat. I can stand there being silent just as long as they can.
Mr. Jenners could do it too! I bet he did! And I was surprised at the number of younger kids who didn’t wear costumes. That was the whole point of it when I was a kid (well, that and candy).
I agree I like the hairy look…but he’s a cutie either way!
Mr. Jenners you really are a hoot!
I’m positive that Mr. Jenners thanks you for your feedback … and I’m sure he’s planning his next post!
Welcome back! You’re here a day before I’m officially going on my blogging break, haha!
That is funny! Well, hello and goodbye! Have fun writing your novel!!!!
I want ROMEO!!! So stinking cute. Will you be posting pics of him in his costumes?
The mister is almost as funny as the missus! You both crack me up. Love the Halloween observations! I hate those slutty costumes. BLECH! -.-
Thanks for putting in “almost as funny.” I couldn’t have Mr. Jenners coming out on top. And I did have a post with Romeo in his costumes. Here is the link: http://www.lifewithbooks.com/2011/10/writers-workshop-you-be-the-judge/
Totally agree with your observations
And by “your observations” you mean Mr. Jenners’s observations. He will be angry if I don’t point that out.
I’m so glad you’re back!! I rarely am completely caught up on my reviews, but I do love it when it happens. Romeo’s new haircut looks great and I love Mr Jenners’ list!
In the three years I’ve been blogging, I’ve NEVER been caught up with reviews. I’ve always had at least 10 reviews waiting to be written. To be 100% caught up is an amazing feeling and I’m determined to keep it up. If I don’t, I guess I’ll have to take another week off!
Welcome back! Romeo is adorable with and without the haircut.
Halloween observations (we haven’t even trick or treated yet out here in California): I’d like to say the slutty costumes shouldn’t even be on adults
Those are awesome observations. I even think junior high is a little old to go door to door…
So funny that our Halloween was over before yours even begun. I should have put the post on a delay for the West Coast readers! HAHA! I think if you don’t have a kid under the age of 10 to escort around, you shouldn’t be trick or treating!
Bravo Mr. Jenners, I totally agree with everything. I think you might get away with telling them a pillow case is not a costume, but I’m old and I’m thinking they might level me in the door way. I do like Romeo’s haircut, it’s probably a health eye choice for him. How much bigger will he get?
Some of the bigger non-costumed trick or treaters were kind of scary and even Mr. Jenners didn’t want to take them on.
Romeo will get a bit bigger (about 8 to 11 inches high and about 12 pounds) but he won’t ever be a big dog. I bet we can enjoy his puppy look for a long time!
Mr. J., you’re sounding pretty crabby! Does that mean you don’t have chocolate candy bars of some sort to give out? And no facial hair! Jeez, what? Do I have to go for electrolysis before I come there?
Mr. J is the Grinch of Halloween … giving one measly little fun-size candy bar to each kid (unless we know them, then they can have three.) He manned the door this year, and I guess the trick or treaters did not live up to his standards.
Welcome back! (I knew you couldn’t stay away from us for long…or at least I hoped)
Personally, I think Romeo’s haircut looks very nice.
As for the Halloween observations: very good list, many of which I whole-heartedly agree with.
I knew I wouldn’t stay away too long but a full week does wonders for my spirits. And knocking out my backload of books reviews was freeing more than anything. Romeo’s haircut is growing on me … he has the sweetest eyes!