Just A Bit Of Silliness, Really

Here it is!

2009-12-30T18:11:00.003-06:00

The link to my new blog!!! I'm very excited about this. Hope it's everything I dream it is! *haha*

Please follow me over to: http://www.abitofsilliness.tumblr.com

All I have so far is one post, but the layout is FAB and completely appropriate.

Goodbye for now, Blogger!!

Recap, Wrap-up, Moving on

2009-12-28T12:39:00.012-06:00

A time warp...that's the only explanation for why my last post could have been so long ago. I mean, AUGUST?!? Seriously? I'm not THAT delinquent, couldn't possibly be. I truly must have been stuck in some sort of time warp that made the months speed by at such a fast rate that I couldn't possibly have kept up! Yes yes, that's it. And I think that they have a name for this kind of time warp: "LIFE!"

I never intended on taking that kind of break. I wonder if anyone is even still following this vacant space? I apologize if you are! ;) Now that I'm typing, I feel like I don't even remember HOW to blog! *ipe!* The problem is obvious: I just don't have as much time as I used to. But the good news is that I think I may have found a solution.

Have you heard of Tumblr? As much as it bothers me that they dropped the "e" for a lame attempt at being cool (and that a lot of people use it for pretty raunchy stuff), this is an AWESOME new site. It's just like blogging, but it allows for a more random format. I can write a full bloggy-post if I want, OR I can just post a photo, a quote, a funny tidbit - anything I want! So I can check in briefly, if that's all I have time for.

But wait, you haven't heard the best part: THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT!!! I can do all of the above from my iPhone!!! Which is great, because my phone is always with me...meaning I can blog anytime, anywhere: waiting for a movie start, on my lunch break, during a lull at work. It's the perfect solution!!! Seriously people, I feel like this website came gift-wrapped from God. (Ha, good thing I never get too high of expectations. *hehe*)

Anyways, so I'm going to be leaving this space behind in search of greener pastures. But first, I need to update you on a few things (in case you're not a real-life or Facebook friend) so you know what's been going on!

-Took our "2nd Annual" family vacation to Branson at the end of September. Dad rented a condo and we chilled, ate, shopped and enjoyed each other for a long, wonderful weekend. We went to Silver Dollar City (for the first time since I was a kid) and had a blast. Livvie and Jack enjoyed the kiddy-rides more than any of us even expected, while Jeremy, Mom and I got our thrills on an impressively fast and frightening rollercoaster.

However, the "thrill was gone," as the song goes, the minute we exited the ride and I realized the my beloved camera was gone. Apparently, the sheer force and momentum of the coaster had popped the thing right out of my pocket (where I had confidently thought it was wedged tightly). It was a devastating moment...I LOVED that camera. (RIP, my dear little Canon Digital Elph. We saw many good times together.) But Jeremy proved himself to be the amazing man that he is, by not once yelling, scolding or losing his temper. He calmly told me that it was alright, that he would get me another and to be glad it wasn't my iPHONE that I'd lost. *haha*

- I finally got to see Wicked!!! I developed an irrational fear that it wasn't going to be able to live up to my lofty expectations. But it SURPASSED THEM!!!

What an amazing memory! I didn't know how great our seats were going to be until the doorman tore our tickets and said, "You have AMAZING seats." And they were - second row, dead center!!

And as if that doesn't make me spoiled enough...the next week Jeremy got us tickets to ANOTHER showing and invited my Mom and Dad along. So I got to see it again and my parents got to enjoy the experience with us.

- Got a new camera for Christmas! Glory Hallelujah! Ain't it a beauty?

I told Jeremy that I wanted the exact camera I had before...and I basically got it, except this one is better (and obviously prettier.) I didn't mind new features, but I wanted the controls and everything to be in the same spot (aka: I wanted to learn as little as possible in order to use the thing.)

-One of my favorite NEW features on the camera is the auto-timer function where the camera doesn't take the picture until it recognizes a new face in the shot. It's amazing. We used that to take some family Christmas photos:

And lastly, because I forgot that I promised my sister I would post this, here is the final of the 4 photo-montage videos that I made this year. This is the one I made my brother in law for Father's day. Sorry it took me so long Lauren!

Ok, as soon as my Tumblr blog is up and ready to go, I'll come back and get you!!! :)

In My Arms

2009-08-24T19:48:00.005-05:00

Here's another video gift...this is the one I made for my sister. The song, "In My Arms" by Plumb, made me think of my precious niece and nephew the very first time I heard it. The lines "your baby blues" and "curly Q's" describe these sweetie pies SO perfectly!

These Are The Special Times

2009-08-22T18:54:00.005-05:00

Ready for the second iMOVIE?

This is the one I made for my Mom for Mother's Day. When I began to do this, I wanted to use "The Best Day" by Taylor Swift because that song perfectly describes the relationship my sister and I have with our wonderful Mom. We are great FRIENDS and always have been!! But the song (if you haven't heard it, you need to. It's precious!) talks about very specific experiences (pumpkin patch, finger painting in the kitchen, etc.) of which I had no pictures. AND it starts out, "I'm 5 years old," then proceeds to "I'm 13 now," and I just couldn't get past the fact that my pictures weren't matching what the song was talking about. It drove me crazy!

So I gave up and used this song instead. It's actually from Christina Aguilera's Christmas album. I've always loved it and because it isn't specifically about Christmas, just wonderful memories with family, I thought it worked!!

Daddy's Little Girls

2009-08-22T18:06:00.005-05:00

I love iMovie! Using this easy software made gift-giving especially simple this year. I made photo montage videos for Mom & Lauren for Mother's Day and for Dad & Rich for Father's Day. I carefully chose music that went with the photos and evoked the proper emotions (my goal was to make each of them cry and I think it worked every time! *hehe*)

Facebook has recently buckled down on copyright infringement, so it won't let me upload these videos there because they contain copyrighted music. *phooey* Well after my success uploading my little dog video the other, I decided to try putting my other videos on here too. I'm going to post them one at time, since they take so long to upload.

First, here is the one I made for my Daddy for Father's Day. The song ("You're The Only Little Girl" by Steve & Annie Chapman) is particularly sentimental because we used to listen to it as a family when Lauren and I WERE little girls. I remember thinking that I would always be that age...that the future, with boyfriends and weddings and all that, seemed so far away. None of us could even imagine it. So perhaps you can see why my entire family gets emotional watching this video.
(Note: I'm the younger, blonder one. *hehe*)

Cuddly Toys

2009-08-22T17:02:00.006-05:00

Today was an exciting day to be a dog in the Butler household. I came home from running errands after work bearing gifts: a stuffed toy for each puppy. Even though plush toys are their absolute favorites, I don't often buy new ones. Wrigley destroys them within mere seconds of their arrival, so I don't see the point.

But today at Target I found these super cheap little plush puppies that DIDN'T have squeakers (meaning they stand a significantly better chance of lasting for a few hours). What the heck. It's worth having to pick up all the little bits of stuffing that end up all over my floor, just to see the thrill it gives them. :)

(Cuddly Toy - The Monkees)

Like I need something else to occupy my time.

2009-08-19T16:11:00.006-05:00

When I began reading the Twilight series, I did it a little begrudgingly. As I mentioned, I was talked into reading the books by my sister who, like me, never really reads anything. I thought, ok I'll try the first one and see where this goes. Well the whole thing avalanched into me devouring the whole "saga." No, I didn't read it as quickly as some others have (Anne read the whole series in a couple of weeks, Lauren read them all in ONE), but for me, reading four books in a row was quite an accomplishment.

I hadn't anticipated the feeling I'd have afterwards. My lunch breaks? Boring. My evenings in front of the TV? Unfulfilling. Stupidly, it took me a while to figure out what was missing. It wasn't until I discussed it with Anne and found out she was feeling this same void that we realized our problem - gosh darnit, we MISSED READING! How on earth did this happen?!?!?

So logically, I ran out and picked up Stephenie Meyer's newest book, "The Host" even though it had nothing to to with Twilight. It's a kinder, gentler, romantic take on the "Invasion of the Body Snatcher's" theme. Sounds weird, I know.

It took me a little longer to get into than Twilight did, but once it hooked me, I loved it! The characters are infatuating. The story is intense, full of heartbreak and longing and anger and fear and drama, OH the drama. :) I couldn't put it down. I spent my entire Sunday afternoon ignoring the real-life responsibilities and chores I should have been attending to.

But...but now...what do I do now?!? I don't have anything to READ!! And the sadness has returned. This is ridiculous, I DO NOT NEED another hobby!!! Seeing as how I already feel like my free time is always sucked into a tiny black hole never to be reclaimed. The last thing I really need is something else I want to do.

Ignoring that logic, I need advice. Recommendations. I know many of you are readers. What books or series or authors float your boat? Let me preface this request by saying that I have no desire to read another vampire series. Yes, I adore Twilight and all of the characters therein. But vampires in general are not something I'm drawn to. Beyond that, I don't really know WHAT I would like to read!? There are so many options out there, it's absolutely daunting. I'm thinking of reading this, since we're going to see the musical in October. I already kinda know the story just by listening to the soundtrack, but it would probably be fun to know more. Other than that, I'm clueless!!

(BTW - my one year anniversary of blogging came and went without me noticing!! August 10th. Happy Anniversary to me! *hehe*)

Julie & Julia & Sarah

2009-08-19T15:38:00.004-05:00

I just had the pleasure of enjoying the adorableness that is Julie & Julia. Have you seen it? What a GEM! Amy Adams is one of my favorite actresses, based solely on how stinkin' cute she is (well not SOLELY, she's a good actress ta-boot). She didn't disappoint in this role - just as charming as ever!! And to even comment on Meryl Streep's performance would degrade it, since there are no words to describe how astounding she is. I don't know how she did it, but she actually physically transformed into Julia Childs! Bravo! I've never liked Julia Childs much but I walked away with a new appreciation for her.

Many people will probably go see this movie and be inspired to enter the kitchen with new fervor and bravery (my Mom, for example, who went to the movie with me, is probably going to go buy Mrs. Child's famous cookbook now). For me, not so much. Didn't change my opinion on cooking in the slightest. Can't do it, don't enjoy it, terrified of it. AND...not many of the recipes shown looked too appetizing to me (other than all the deserts, of course. *yum*) I doubt I will ever, ever cook because it "relaxes" me or because "it's the one thing in my life I can control and count on." BAH! I can't even control a bowl of cereal. ;)

What the movie DID inspire me to do is...this!! Blog! (If you're not familiar with the premise, Amy Adam's character Julie decides to cook through Julia Child's entire cookbook in 365 days and blog her experiences.) Watching her blog made me miss blogging terribly! The satisfaction of putting your thoughts down into words through the happy clickity-clack of the keyboard and the thrill of getting comments from total strangers that for some reason CARE about what you wrote. *sigh* It really is so fun.

Realizing how much I enjoy it makes me see that I need to make more time for it. I know I'm busy busy busy, blah blah blah, but in the scheme of things how long does this REALLY take? I've written, edited and rewritten everything you see here in the amount of time it took two songs to buzz by on my iTUNES. (Which were: an awesome version of "Heart of the Matter" done by India.Arie & a guilty pleasure, "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus. Don't judge.)

I think back to my stent of unemployment (aaah to be so relaxed again *haha*) and remember how much I loved taking the time to blog each day. And for Heaven's sake, I have SOO much more to talk about these days! *haha* But now I'm not blogging? Ridiculous! And if I'm not going to keep a journal or something, this really is the best way to document what's happening in my little life so I can look back on it later!

So thank you, Julie & Julia, for inspiring me to make time for the things I LOVE...and for making me crave whatever that scrumptious looking 3-layer cake with chocolate frosting was. Mmmmm. :)

I'll be back!

Kitty Girl

2009-08-09T18:38:00.007-05:00

I hate blogging so little, because every time I decide to make a post I feel like I need to grovel and apologize for my absence. So let's fix this problem right now, and just make the statement that there will almost ALWAYS be a ridiculous span of time between each post that I make. So therefore, I won't ever need to explain or make excuses. Kapeesh? :)

Yesterday I had a very sad morning at work. A family came in with their cat that had passed away suddenly, just a few hours earlier. One minute she was fine, then a while later they found her lying still on the couch. These clients hadn't been in to see us for a couple of years, so obviously I'd never met them. They didn't know what to do with the cat's body, so they brought her to us. I saw them coming from the parking lot so I met them at the door. The teenage daughter, whom I assumed this kitty had belonged to, was an absolute mess, bawling uncontrollably. She didn't look ready to surrender the cat yet, so I escorted them into one of the exam rooms for her to say some final goodbyes.

When they emerged a while later, the girl handed her cat to me, wrapped in an old baby quilt. I was a bit taken back...this is the first time I've held a dead creature in my arms. (Animals have died in the time I've worked there, I've just always been watching from a distance when the bodies were cared for.) But she was still bawling, and continued to do so not even 1 foot away from my face, as she fawned over the cat I was holding. It was incredibly sad and I had to really work on keeping myself together. I tried to comfort her, best I could, reminding her that Kitty Girl (that was the poor little thing's name) had gone peacefully and hadn't suffered. I didn't want to downplay her sorrow, so I didn't say it out loud, but I kept thinking about what a blessing it was to have a geriatric pet die like this, instead of watching them live with pain for so long that you are forced to make the terrible decision of euthanasia. This natural passing seems to happen so rarely.

Eventually she was able to part with her precious pet and the family left our lobby. Dr. Olson was in the middle of another appointment, so I just took the cat's body to the back room and laid her gently on a table. I knew this wouldn't be her final resting place, but I decided I'd let the doctor handle what needed to happen from there. :(

I am consistently amazed at what I'm faced with...and am able to handle. If someone had asked me in advance if I could handle these emotionally charged situations (or the medically gruesome ones) I would have probably said "HEEECK NO!" But there I stood, comforting this girl at probably one of the saddest points of her life thus far, saying goodbye to a friend that she'd known most of her life. And not just comforting her, but actually HOLDING that cat in my arms as she cried over it! All I can think of is that it's not ME working in that moment - it's God. I firmly believe that the strength I have found at these moments comes straight from Him. And all I can hope is that, in some way, His light and love will shine through to whatever individuals I come in contact with. And if it means being uncomfortable or pained for a few moments, so be it. I just want to be a vessel for whatever words of kindness or love He wants to give those people.

But at least I can say that the good, joyful days FAR outweigh the bad!!! :)

Photo Parade

2009-07-14T18:29:00.010-05:00

I felt terrible when I noticed that I've only blogged ONCE in the entire month of July. What is wrong with me? Well, I'm fading fast this evening but here's a cheap substitute for a post...

Random photos from recent life. :)

My nephew Jack. Does he have an angel's face or what?

My niece Olivia, decked out for the Fourth of July.

Like the new dog bed? It's a "Fatboy" beanbag bed. They're made out of super durable material that can be wiped-clean easily. And of course I loved the color. I got it at this cute little store called "Uptown Paws."

Wriggie Jiggies

Rub Cubby's belly for good luck!

MoJo enjoying the new dog bed.

The sweetest little girl on earth...and her proud Auntie Sarah.

My sister Lauren and I with our Dad on Father's Day.

My Mom, sis and I on a girl's night out

My hubby Jeremy and I chillin' with a tiger at the zoo.

Me at my home-away-from-home, Village Animal Hospital! This is where I sit for about 75% of my waking hours. *haha*

An amazing cupcake (they called them Babycakes) I enjoyed at this cute little place called Sugar Sisters.

Meet my new obsession: sparkly bangle bracelets.

My buddy Anne and I, enjoying BLUE Coconut snowcones in Ft. Worth, Texas.

Jeremy and I at our first fondue restaurant, The Melting Pot. (Jeremy doesn't look scared at all, does he?)

New hair do. The bangs SEEMED like a good idea. But I despise them now.

Speed Bloggin'

2009-07-14T15:12:00.012-05:00

I am a busy girl with a lot to tell you folks! Soooo, in an attempt to blog a lot of information in a limited amount of time, I am going to mimic the style of one of my favorite bloggers. We'll see if it works!

1. I got an iPHONE!

After months of putting off the inevitable and denying Jeremy his one and only (at the moment) wish, I gave in and we got iPhones. I don't why I hemmed and hawed about it for so long...they ARE amazing! I should have known, since I am so head-over-heels in love with my iPOD and Macbook laptop, that I would love any and every product Apple puts out. They really are so user friendly. And fun! I've tried to picky in what "Apps" I've downloaded, but I still already have a bit of a collection. My sole complaint is that the texting is a bit tricky...just because of the touch-keyboard. I'm sure it's more my clumsy fingers than the phone, though, and thankfully the predictive text feature usually knows what I'm TRYING to say and fixes my mistakes. :)

2. I'm reading "Twilight!"

I know, I know...."Wayta finally jump on THAT bandwagon after it's gone past." Honestly, I'd been resisting for a while. I did see the movie when it came out. I enjoyed it and was sorta curious about the story, but just rolled my eyes at all the hype and all my friends telling me to read the books. But then my sister got into it...and she reads about as much as I do (which is never). Well she finished the entire SERIES in like a week or something. That caught my attention. So I borrowed the first book from her...and bam, I was hooked. People told me this over and over...but there REALLY IS so much more in the book that the movie failed to portray (or left out, or changed). These characters are just absolutely engrossing...and talk about an amazing, spine-tingling love story. Wow. Sooo...I also read the unreleased "inside-Edward's-head" book that was leaked online, and now I'm reading book two, New Moon. And while it's not quite as mesmorizing as the first one was, I'm still really into it. Since I'm basically just reading on my lunch breaks (which last week was dangerously low on), I'm not running through these nearly as quickly as Lauren did though. *haha*

3. I love Sims3!

Though I haven't really been able to play in a few weeks, I somehow feel this is still important information for you to know. I've always been a bit of a Sims nut, so Jeremy got me this latest addition when it first came out. I don't know if you've ever played or if you're familiar with the concept, but it's so fun and extremely addictive. Basically, you create people (at various stages of life, from toddler to elderly). You get to choose their features and clothes (my favorite part), then decide on their personalities. In this newest game, you even pick a life goal for them to strive for. Then you put them in a home and let them "live!" Of course you're making decisions FOR them all the time...which can get tricky if you have a large household of Sims to manage. The new features on Sims3 open up so many more possibilities...you could just play forever. Well, maybe YOU could, but I don't have that kinda time. *sigh* ;)

4. Got some really sad news last weekend: my coworker Anne that I've become such good buddies with is moving away. :(

Just to Kansas City, which isn't TOO far away (as I've been reminded repeatedly), but she's still being taken away from my "everyday" which makes me so, so sad. We have so much fun working together and hanging out...she really has been a blessing in my life as a friend. And her hubby has become a good friend and golf parter for Jeremy, so this situation is sad on both levels. She's also become my workout partner, which brings me to...

5. I'm doing P90X!

Ever seen the infomercials? It's this "EXTREME" DVD workout program where you can get completely RIPPED in just 90 days. Waaaaell...I don't know about all THAT, but we're certainly doing our best! *haha* The idea behind the program is "muscle confusion," so each video focuses on something different...and there's a different video for every day of the week! (Not that we've been able to do it that often, but again, I did say we're doing our best! *hehe*) It's nice because we aren't getting bored with it since there's so much variety. I am, however, worried about being able to keep this up once my workout partner is gone. :( I don't think I'm motivated enough to do it on my own!

I'm going to finally get to see "Wicked!!"

I can hardly believe it, but the show is coming to Wichita in October. (Did I already blog about this? I can't remember...my apologies if this is a repeat.) I never would have thought that Wichita could draw such a huge production, but it's going to be here for the a whole week! When I first found out a few months ago, the tickets weren't on sale yet but we found some "prices" on a site and they were OUTRAGEOUS!!! Even knowing that, Jeremy agreed we could go. But we were delighted to discover that those prices had been way off...and we bought two excellent tickets for the price of what we initially thought ONE was going to cost. HOO-RAY! I am so stinkin' excited. And thrilled that Jeremy isn't just sending me off on my own to see it by myself. What a great hubby I have!!

Well I think that's it...for now. What did we think of this style of blog? I don't know if it saved me any time...but I feel better knowing you're up to date on my life. *wink*

Close Encounters of a Cook Kind

2009-06-22T20:26:00.007-05:00

Went to see David Cook last night!! I went with Anne (my new buddy from work) and we had a most excellent time. (Bill & Ted reference, anyone?) It was at the Cotillion, which is this cozy, round, ballroom kind of venue with tables around the outside and a big open space in the middle facing the stage. That area seemed to be filled with a lot of uber-fans and drunk people, so Anne and I took a nice little spot at a table on the side. We still could see WAAAY better than we would have at any arena, so it was cool!

David's voice was even better in person than on TV or CD's. Not hoarse at all (like I would expect it to be, since he's touring like crazy). Very crisp and powerful. I was impressed with the way he dealt with the crowd, too. He was relaxed, personable and funny. But while they did a great, rocked-out cover of "I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight," Anne & I both wished he would have sang "Always Been My Baby" like on Idol. Alas, he did not.

Our seats weren't too far away from the stage exit, where the band had to cross the hall to get to the dressing room. (Yeah, poorly designed.) So after they left the stage the first time and everyone was cheering for an encore, Anne suggested that I go over and wait by where the door was so I could get a picture of David coming back to the stage. Thought this was a pretty good idea myself, so I eagerly headed over there. I was almost immediately joined by a handful of security guards and quite a few other fans. We waited with anticipation, cameras poised, hearts pounding, excitedly staring at the door. Then...all of the sudden the door flung open...and out came....some hispanic guy. Dang! That threw me off my game and I was completely unprepared for DAVID to follow right behind the guy! Shoot. So while I saw him very clearly with my own two eyeballs, my picture turned out beyond crumby. This is what I got, AFTER much altering and lightening on the 'puter.

Do you see him? He's the dark black blur on the left that is moving AWAY from the camera. You can make out his head, his back, his elbows, and his legs. It's him, trust me. *haha* I could never be a paparazzi. :^/

I loved this blog from a local DJ, talking about meeting David Cook's new puppy that he had backstage with him! I can totally relate to what she did...and it made me like David more knowing he's a dog person. :) (Since I can't link directly to the exact post, I'm talking about the one titled "I Am The Biggest Nerd!" although she did say she's going to post pictures soon.)

It's in the genes

2009-06-17T15:01:00.009-05:00

What I'm about to tell you will probably solidify my place in your minds as a complete wackadoodle pet owner...but I don't care. Because when I found out I could have a DNA test run on my mutts to find out what breeds are in their heritage, I couldn't wait to do it. And Jeremy was psyched about it too, so we submitted some of Cubby's & Wrigley's blood (that Dr. Olson drew at the hospital...we didn't like do it ourselves! Duh!).

There are a lot of companies doing this nowadays, but the one our clinic uses is called Wisdom Panel. You can visit the website if you wanna know all the little details about how it's done. Basically they look into the dog's DNA and decipher the genetic codes and badda bing, badda boom, you find out what your dog is. That's the simplified version. :)

Here are the results!

Wrigley

We've always thought that Wrigley was a mix of maybe a Rat Terrier and Italian Greyhound (especially before we fattened him up). And maybe some other kind of terrier too. As it turns out, Wrigley's heritage includes:

Smooth Fox Terrier

(Can totally see this in his body structure and probably hair type.)

Borzoi

(This is where we were getting the Italian Greyhound thing from. Just a bigger, hairier version. Possibly the source of Wrigley's polka-dotted skin?)

You can see the face shape similarities when he has his ears back. See?

Tibetan Terrier

(Reeeally?? Hmmm. We can only assume this is WAY back in his lineage. *haha*)

Dachshund

(This surprised us, too. But perhaps it's the Doxie gene that makes him plump up so easily? *wink*)

Cubby's turn!

When we purchased Cubby from the shelter, we were told that he was a Chihuahua mix (it was their best guess), but we also thought he probably had some Pomeranian or Long-haired Dachshund in there too. But really, we've been mystified by this question for as long as we've had him. Well mystery solved!!! Cubby is a mix of:

Tibetan Spaniel

(But of COURSE! Why didn't we see this sooner? The coloring, the fur type, the curly tail, the long-ish body! Its so OBVIOUS now.)

I got especially excited when I compared these two photos (Just change the face and it's the same dog!):

Miniature Poodle

(*haha* Hilarious. Is this where he got his face shape? I kinda think so.)

Manchester Terrier

(Hmm..you've got me!)

And the best one of all...wait for it...wait for it....

Labrador Retriever

(NO WAY, right? Well it's waaaay back there in his heritage, like earlier than the Great Grandparent level. They did point out that Cubby did not have the same "size" gene as a Lab. Duh. *haha*)

So there you have it. Kinda neat, huh? It's especially fun to look at the temperaments of each dog and compare the similarities. If you have a mutt, I'd recommend you try this out! It's a bit pricey, but if you've always wondered what your dog REALLY is, it's so fun to find out. And the folks at Wisdom Panel were extremely helpful. (Cubby's lab results originally came back as ONLY Labrador, which naturally I wasn't satisfied with. So I e-mailed them and got an almost immediate phone response. They gave his blood sample to their top geneticist for further testing, and that's where the rest of the results came from.)

Now the only problem is when people ask what kinds of dogs they are, I feel obligated to run down the whole list! Like people even care? *haha*

Watch out critters! It be huntin' season!

2009-05-29T12:39:00.009-05:00

I hate spring. All those stupid animals having their stupid little babies right in my stupid backyard. STUPID!

Ok, that came out all wrong. Let me start again. I actually love Spring. The beautiful weather, blossoming creation...yes even the new little families starting all around us. Baby ducks, baby birds, baby bunnies. Could they BE any cuter? I just wish the "circle of life" didn't stress me out so badly!

If I see one more ducky couple trying to cross a busy intersection or highway, I'm gonna die. I just can't handle it. They're in their own little worlds, lollygaggin' across the street, like they don't even sense the impending doom of cars flying past them at 70mph. And Heaven forbid they have a little family of ducklings following them. I'd be apt to stop traffic to see them to safety. (My coworker Anne actually did just that, escorting 6 little momma-less ducklings out of the middle of the road. She's my hero.)

And then you have the "local wildlife:" the animals that insist on settling down in my backyard. Couldn't they at least live in my front yard? Haven't they heard tale of the "Bunny Massacre of 2008?" Don't they know what my dogs are capable of? The little monsters. Well, Cubby and Wrigley are monsters. (MoJo isn't interested in anything that's not on the other side of a fence or window. Put it right in front of him and it's like it disappears.)

Last night we had our first traumatic incident of Spring '09. We had just gotten home from Bible study. I was changing into my jammies and Jeremy had just let the dogs outside. I heard him calmly say, "Wrigley, leave it." but it quickly escalated into, "Wrigley...WRIGLEY! LEAVE IT! WRIGLEY! NO! WRIIIIGGGLLLEY!" So I came running down the stairs and into the yard to see what was going on. I found Jeremy playing defense on behalf of a small robin. Wrigley and Cubby were lunging and pouncing, trying to get past Jeremy's legs. (MoJo was in the back corner of the yard, having it out with his nemesis, the evil and menacing "Dog-On-Other-Side-Of-Large-Wooden-Wall.") I ran out and somehow caught hold of Wrigley's collar, dragging him back into the house. Then I went back for Cubby, whom I scared so badly he piddled all the way across the patio. He's SO not used to getting in trouble. :( And I tossed MoJo in the house too, for good measure.

With the hunters safely corralled, Jeremy told me what had happened. Apparently, this young robin was flying low, across the yard. Wrigley saw it, jumped up and caught it - IN THE AIR! As if it were a tennis ball and he was a Labrador! Holy moley!!! Who the heck does he think he is, anyway? He had the whole bird in his mouth, but then, not really knowing what to do with it, he dropped it. That's when Cubby joined in the excitement as the poor thing flopped around on the ground.

Well my animal-savior instinct kicked in and I immediately went to pick it up to see if it was hurt. (Like I'd even be able to tell, right?) It proceeded to flap it's way right out of my hands. Pretty sure neither of its wings were broken, but it was obviously still a little stunned from the horror it had just endured. So after MUCH discussion about what should be done (my sister and I used to rescue baby birds in distress and try to nurse them back to health...so my initial thought was to take it "under my wing." Get it? Get it? *haha*) I decided it would probably be fine on it's own...but not in my backyard. I wanted to give it a chance to regain its equilibrium in a safer area, so I took it to the front of our house and released it in the flowerbed at the furthest end of our yard. I have to say, I did enjoy holding the little guy. He was so soft and sweet. *awww*

Both Jeremy and I checked the area this morning and our little feathered friend was nowhere to be seen. So either it WAS fine and flew off into the sunset, or someone else's monster pet (likely a cat) got it. But at least I know it wasn't one of MY monsters that finished it off. I'm hoping for the nicer scenario, of course.

I'm a little worried, though, because this incident seems to have awakened something in Wrigley. Now he's much more interested in going outside and sniffing around. *sigh* So now you know why MoJo is my favorite dog...in the Spring. ;)

Our wet-n-wild weekend

2009-05-27T16:54:00.007-05:00

It rained. Well, more like thunderstormed. As we were driving into New Braunfels on Saturday, the skies were sunny and beautiful. But the closer we got, the darker the skies were. And by the time we parked, it was downright pouring. No biggie, we thought, we're gonna get wet anyway. But all the rides were closed because of the lightning. *haha* So we ended up walking around in the rain for almost 2 hours. Once the thunderstorm passed the rides did open back up, but by then it was a gusty 60 degrees. The upside is that everyone left so the lines were really short! ;)

The next day's forecast didn't look much better, but we ended up having PLENTY of sunshine to get our fill of Schlitterbahn. In fact, had we spent anymore time there I'd shudder to think of what my condition would be. As is, I have bruises under both of my arms from tubing, my feet are so sore I can STILL hardly walk on them barefoot and my pinky and wrist may never by the same after I fell out of my tube in a shallow section of a ride and slammed my hand against the bottom. Ouch. No sunburn, though! Still has pale as a sheet of paper. :)

So to sum up Schlitterbahn...it IS really huge! It started as a small park sandwiched between the little town of New Braunfels and the winding Comal River. They've expanded all over the place (there's a tram that can take you from one park to the other - that's how far apart the editions are.) But it's also the most poorly laid out amusement park I've ever been to. There was an entire section of slides that we almost didn't even find! We wandered down this random staircase and there they were! (They ended up being our favorites, so I'm glad we found them!) The maps were absolutely no help, either. For one thing they're not very accurate. And they had them posted all over the park but never labeled with "YOU ARE HERE" markers, making them pretty much useless. So this is probably the reason my feet hurt so bad, because we just had to walk around till we figured out where we were. *haha*

One more complaint, then I swear I'll say something positive. :) One of the major draws of this park are the famous "Blaster" slides, which are marketed as "water coasters." I can't tell you how many times I've seen these slides on the Travel Channel on their thrill ride or amusement park specials. *in my best announcer voice* "They've harnessed the technology of using water jets to propel rafts uphill, defying the gravity that has limited to waterslides to downhill movement for so long." So that sounds really cool, right? I mean, I love me a good rollercoaster! What could be more fun than a water coaster? Um, lot's of things. In fact, after waiting in line for over 45 minutes, I called "Dragon's Revenge" the most disappointing part of the trip. It's a double ride, meaning we rode in one of those joint tubes, Jeremy was in front and I was in back. It was a regular tube where your booty is exposed. Remember those water jets that propel the tubes uphill? Well, when we went over them, it felt like someone was shooting my backside with a power washer. NOT comfortable. The jets practically knocked Jeremy's swim shorts all the way off. With every hill I was yelling, "OW! OW! OW! OW! OW!" And, beyond that, the designers seemed to be so excited about their UPHILL technology they neglected to have very many DOWNHILL portions. Which, isn't that the whole point of going uphill? To come back down? That's what I thought. But we just kept going up, then down just a little, then back up again. Not very exciting.

Enough complaining. We really DID have a great time!! The park is beautifully green and lush, probably because of its position along the river. (I didn't invest in a water proof camera so I don't have any pictures to share, but I did find a couple on the internet to show you.

This shows part of the park that runs along the river. The sidewalk on the left leads up to some slides.

Jeremy and I both agreed that our favorite rides were the "tube chutes," where you sit in a tube and float your way through twisting white water, down little drops and spills. Like this:

This picture shows a particularly gentle portion of a ride, but there were parts that got really rough. (Jeremy fell out of his tube multiple times. *haha*) They were so fun...and each of these rides lasted long enough to make standing in line seem worthwhile (unlike a regular slide where you're done in a matter of seconds.)

We also engaged in one of our absolute favorite pastimes - people watching. Is anything more fun than people watching at a WATERPARK? ;) It was particularly entertaining playing "tattoo spotters." Boy did we see some doozies! One dude had a spinal cord tattooed all the way down his back. That was certainly unique.

And I have to say, walking around in my swimsuit in public had the exact opposite effect on my self esteem than I would have thought. It really did me good to see ALL KINDS of bodies. I think I get so caught up in what I see on TV and in magazines that I really start to believe that my body is hideously misshaped and unusual. That I'm in the minority because I'm carrying extra weight. But seeing other women stripped down and bare, it was apparent to me that NO ONE is perfect, including the skinny minnies that probably look flawless under clothes.

Let it begin!

2009-05-22T10:24:00.006-05:00

I am so ready for a weekend away with my hubby!! There's nothing I love more than going places and experiencing new things with my best buddy. Whom, by the way, I've been married to for FIVE YEARS! Yup, today is our fifth anniversary. It's a little hard to wrap my mind around. We've actually been together for 9 years in total when you count in the time we were dating and engaged. While I don't think our lives are exactly what I pictured when I walked down the aisle, I really couldn't be happier. I feel blessed every day to be happy and content. :)

Today our vet clinic is open but Dr. Olson is out of the office. So that means I'm here to answer the phones and sell an occasional bag of dog food or box of flea prevention. I'm not gonna lie, it's pretty boring. But it helps to know that the second I get home we're loading up the car and heading to Texas!! Our plan is to drive as far as we can get tonight, crash at a hotel somewhere, then get up tomorrow morning and drive the rest of the way, going straight to the waterpark. It's like a 9-hour drive in total so I'm glad we're going to break it up a bit.

I'm pretty psyched about Schlitterbahn. No, I'm not excited about wearing my swimsuit, although it's fairly cute...on the hanger. ;) But I've really just decided to have a good time and not be self-conscious. People aren't going to be looking at me, they're going to be too busy having fun slippin' and slidin'. So phooey on caring about that. It did occur to me, however, that I haven't been swimming in almost 10 years. Yikes. Will I even remember how?!? The last time I swam was the summer Jeremy and I met. My parents took us all (me, my sis + both our boyfriends, now husbands) to Florida and we swam both in the hotel pool and in the ocean. I can't believe that's really the last time I've been in the water. How pathetic to let my poor body image keep me from doing something that I enjoy so much. Well I'm putting that on hold this weekend and I'm gonna live it up, baby!!

Looks like a fun place. It's absolutely HUGE!! We're spending both Saturday and Sunday there in hopes to ride everything and take it all in. They have all kinds of slides and wave pools and river-thingies to float in. Plus they have water-coasters where you actually go up and down in your tube. I guess water jets you up each little hill? I'm looking forward to trying those, since I've seen them on the Travel Channel a few times. :)

Then on Monday when we drive home, of COURSE we have to make a pit-stop at IKEA! Hello, it's right on the way! It's a no-brainer. I want a new lamp for the living room...you know, to replace one of the few objects we have left that isn't from IKEA. *haha* (We've got the one that is presently sitting in our living room at Wal-Mart when we got married. It was way cheap and it's getting kinda rickety.)

Happy Memorial weekend, everyone! Hope you all get to enjoy it!

Reason #568...

2009-05-16T19:14:00.005-05:00

...that I have the best husband in the world. Hands-down. I know I've said it before, but it's true. Here is my most recent proof:

1. Thursday night as he was packing for his trip, he gave me a card that said (basically) "I'm so lucky to have a wife that will let me do things like this, but even luckier to have a wife I would rather do all those things with." Awww.

2. Friday morning when I went to my car to leave for work, I found a card from him on my seat. This one told me to make sure the boys (aka: Moj, Wrigs & Cubs) gave me lot's of lovin' so I don't forget what it's like to adored while he is gone. Double awwww.

3. This morning when talking to Jeremy on the phone, he hinted that I should look in the drawer next to my bed. And what did I find? Another card - this one featured Hoops & Yoyo, whom I LOVE. (They are ridiculously silly and noisy - just like ME!)

I can only assume that I might have another card waiting for me tomorrow. I mean, I don't know that for sure, but reviewing the facts it seems promising. :) HE'S SO SWEET!!! I love that he put the advance thought into it

One thing is for sure, though, I couldn't handle being married to a man that travels a lot. I was so worried last night until I heard he had landed safely. His flight was scheduled to leave around 6pm, right around the same time some really severe weather was coming in the area. I looked at the radar and I'll be darned if it didn't look like a red carpet of tornadoes and thunderstorms had been laid out directly between here and Chicago. Admittedly, I got a bit panicky. In the end, his flight was delayed till about 9:30pm. Poor guy, stuck in the boring ol' Wichita airport for over 4 hours. But he got there safely and even drove to his hotel without falling asleep (my other worry *haha*). And today he went to a Cubs game in some beautiful weather (although he DID get sunburned since his wife wasn't there to put sunblock on him *sigh*) and is really enjoying himself.

I had a good day as well. I finally bit the bullet and went swimsuit shopping. I figured that since our waterpark trip is next weekend, I should probably see what I could find. Though I won't be modeling in a catalog anytime soon, I did find a tankini combination that didn't make me feel like a total cow. I've got a ridiculously nasty bruise on my thigh right now, which glows so nicely against my paper white skin. Ugh. I hope it goes away. (Now if I could just get myself to remember that my desk at work is LOW and stop trying to stand up before scooting my chair out, I'd stop getting these lovely bruises all the time.) I also found a pair of jeans and some capris. Hallelujah! They weren't a smaller size or anything exciting like that, but I really needed them.

After my shopping spree, I went and got my piggies polished. Jeremy got me a gift certificate as a Congratulations for my new job and I just hadn't gotten around to using it. Again, with our trip next weekend, I thought it was a good time to have pretty feet. I even splurged and had the lady add the extra little flower with a rhinestone in the center! They are SO cute!! (I would take a picture to show you, but Jeremy took the camera with him. *phooey*) I'm not sure how long the rhinestone will actually stay on but it sure made my day! *haha*

Give-n-Take

2009-05-14T12:39:00.005-05:00

My husband is abandoning me. *sniff* But just for the weekend. He is going to Chicago! There's some Bears expo/convention thing that he's always wanted to go to, where he'll get to meet coaches and players and do other Bears stuff...and now he gets to go. He's also going to a Cubs game while he's there.

I have mixed feelings about this. Part of me is really sad that he's going to go experience Chicago for the first time without me. (It's hard for me to let him experience ANYTHING without me. *haha* Let alone a city that I've always wanted to visit!) Won't it be lonely? Won't he be looking around thinking "Wow, this would be a lot more fun if I had someone to share it with." (Yes, I am egotistical enough to think I'd make the trip better by being there. *hehe* Come on, he LOVES me!! *grin*) I'm also nervous about him going all by himself. I know he's a responsible, trustworthy guy, but I've got that weird feeling that he'd be a lot safer if I was there to look out for him. What if he gets lost? What if he wrecks his rental car? What if he decides never to come back? Ok, that last one is ridiculous, I know that. But it definitely COULDN'T HAPPEN if I was there!! ;)

But I'm also really excited for him to get to go. He's a lifetime fan of both the Bears and the Cubs but has never gotten to go to Chicago. And it just wasn't possible for me to go right now, what with a brand new job and all. Plus, I don't really want to spend my first time in Chicago inside a Bears expo, whatever that even is. I want to experience other parts of the city...so maybe we can plan a trip there sometime when both of us can go. I WOULD be more interested in going to a Bears game rather than the Cubs, too.

It'll be good for him to have some vacation from everything. His adventurous heart longs for more excitement than Wichita has to offer, I'm afraid, so I don't begrudge him some traveling. He's been so sweet and understanding of my desire (and need) to be near my family. I know he never thought we'd be in this city this long. Coming from a po'dunk town in Ohio, I know he thought of Wichita as a springboard to bigger and better places. But alas, he went and fell in love with li'l ol' hometown, stuck-in-the-prairie me. And now he's stuck. *haha* So if he needs to stretch his wings from time to time (I know he's wanting to go on a backpacking trip later this Summer) then I simply can't deny him that.

PLUS, it gives me great leverage for things that I want. Like, hmmm, I dunno, tickets to WICKED!!! Just found out that it's coming to town in October! The actual Broadway company tour!! I saw a billboard on my way home earlier this week and LITERALLY screamed "Oh my gosh!" to absolutely no one right there in my car. Tickets don't go on sale till August and the prices are REDONKULOUS. But we're going. I've decided it. I wanted to see it so bad when we were in New York City but it was completely sold out. I have the soundtrack memorized - shouldn't I be allowed to finally know the story and see the show that goes with the music? I think so.

And Jeremy didn't say no. How did I get so lucky to have such a great guy? We were having game night with another couple and the subject came up of the show and the tickets and all that. Jeremy said, "Ask me if there's any possible way that I wouldn't take my wife to that?" Meaning he'll do whatever it takes for me to go. Awwww.... :) So even though I said his trip to Chicago is leverage, I don't even need to use it. He's the bestest hubby in the whole wide, wide world. :) I really am blessed to have him. I never have to fight or struggle to make sure I'm treated fairly or taken care of. He's always a step ahead, thinking of me. I think we're pretty good with the whole "give and take" part of our relationship. I know a lot of women that have to go behind their husband's back to get things they want, or they won't let him do the things he wants to do. I'm so glad it's not that way with Jeremy and I. He comes home from golfing and thanks me for "letting" him go because he hears that the other guys are getting crap from their wives about it. But I never do, because I know he's not going to golf us onto a poor farm, or neglect me because of his hobbies. Maybe it's just this easy because we don't have any kids to balance yet.

But I like it. :)

Guts and Glory

2009-05-10T12:39:00.015-05:00

Working at a Veterinary clinic is a dream job...but not last week. I haven't witnessed or dealt with the passing of many animals in the time I've been there, but last week we had FOUR die in 2 days. It was pretty hard.

One was an elderly Golden Retriever that could barely walk anymore (that reminded me of Shadow on "Homeward Bound." Talk about a heart tugger.) Another was a cat we were hospitalizing that died overnight. Then there was an Australian Shepherd that needed surgery...and once Dr. Olson got inside he found the situation to be much more grave than expected. All were sad. But the one that was most difficult for me was the final one on Friday.

An older woman and her granddaughter brought in a Pit Bull mix that had the most swollen stomach I'd ever seen. Had it not been a male dog, I would have immediately assumed it was carrying a major litter of pups. They clearly didn't have a lot of money (this was the dog's first visit to a vet, I think) but they were still concerned for the dog's well-being. The woman said she'd been giving him herbs and other natural remedies but nothing was working.

Well, nothing was working because the dog, Kobe, was in the final stages with heartworms. He was suffering from congestive heart failure, which was apparently linked to the retaining of fluid in the abdomen, causing the huge swollen stomach. Dr. Olson let me look at Kobe's blood under the microscope and you could actually see the tiny, wiggling worms in his blood. Talk about freaky.

Treating heartworm disease is incredibly expensive. Besides that, Kobe was so far gone that the chances of curing him were fairly slim. His breathing was labored and you could tell he was miserable. You should have seen those sad eyes. :( So the decision was made to put the dog down. It made me so sad...these people had never heard about heartworm preventative medication. Something that could be so easily avoided by giving him a little $4 pill had cost them their pet. :(

After they left, I was up at my desk doing my normal duties when a woman came in to refill a prescription. I had a question about it, so I walked down the hall to the lab where Dr. Olson and Anne had gone. I'd seen them take Kobe's body back on a stretcher, but I didn't know that they were going to dissect him to find the heartworms. So when I turned the corner, I found them with Kobe on the table, split wide open, guts and blood everywhere. It looked like a prop from a horror movie set. (Sidenote: I'm an extremely queasy person. Generally I can't discuss or see surgical procedures without feeling ill. I actually fainted in the hospital after my sister's scoliosis surgery when I was little. I just don't fair well with that kind of thing!) So I backed way-the-heck up making yelping noises. Dr. Olson goes, "HEEELLLLOOOO!!!! Didn't expect to see that, huh?" I laughed and said, "Um, nooo...." then asked them my question while still hiding around the corner. *haha*

Later though, Anne hollered for me to come look at the heartworms. I didn't want to, but figured I should for the educational purpose. (Afterall, I get asked a lot of questions like "are these pills really that important?" all the time.) I asked that they cover up everything ELSE, though, which they kindly did. The adult heartworms looked like twine or string...extremely long and skinny. There were SO many of them and they were still alive! Again, very freaky.

While I'm still squeamish and nervous about the guts, gore and death that I'm occasionally surrounded by, I'm striving to become a little tougher skinned. I think it's pretty neat that Dr. Olson finds it important to educate me about what's going on, so it challenges me to move past my tendency to freak out. Ideally I'd like to work in this field (if not THIS JOB) for a long time, so the more I know the better I'll be at it.

On Saturday a dog came in with terrible bladder stones. Dr. Olson asked me if I wanted to feel them. Part of me didn't, but the other part of me was curious, so I did. I put my hand on the dog's belly and squeezed...you could literally FEEL them! Like one of those squeazy-stress balls filled with sand! The poor thing, no wonder it had been pottying in the house. Talk about painful! Then for the surgery last week I was asked to "warm up some blood," that would be used for a transfusion. So I was handed a bag of blood (like you'd see hanging from an IV tree) and ran it under warm water for about 15 minutes. That's a big step for me. *haha* I joked when I was finished for them to holler at me when they wanted me to "scrub in." :)

UPDATED: Since several of you commented about the heartworm problem, I thought I'd mention this: Heartworm is the number one killer of dogs. Some people think if their dog doesn't go outside or isn't around other dogs that it's safe, but the truth is that heartworms are passed from mosquitoes. And as we all know, you don't even have to go outside to get bitten by one of those. All it takes is one bite and the heartworm larva can be passed into your dog's (or cat's) blood stream. It IS treatable (unless it's left unchecked like poor Kobe's) but it's very expensive and not always successful. You're much better off investing in a preventative. There are many different kinds, some are even combined with preventatives for other parasites (like fleas, ticks or a variety of intestinal worms). Obviously your vet can give you recommendations on this better than I can, but my point is that it heartworm preventative IS important and can be relatively inexpensive, especially in contrast to the treatment. As always, thanks for reading my blog and leaving comments! Makes my li'l ol' day to see someone's reading this stuff. *haha*

Introducing...my house!

2009-04-29T19:54:00.004-05:00

Many of you have asked to see pictures of our home and decor, since I've talked the heck out of IKEA on here. And I know you're also probably curious to see our new floors, since I've been talking about them forever.

Well you can go to my new Facebook photo album to see pictures! Don't worry, you don't have to be my Facebook friend to see them. (But if you wanna be my Facebook friend, that's even better! *hehe*) I was going to post them all here but decided not to because, 1. I don't really have time and 2. There are most pictures than I can probably put in one post.

I will, however, post some "BEFORE" photos of the old carpet. Just so you can get an idea of how much better everything looks!

"AFTER" but before the trim went in

The kitchen/dining area

So go check out my photos and let me know what you think! :)

I got ma hair did!

2009-04-25T19:41:00.007-05:00

Well I finally did it. After blogging about it ages ago, I just finally went and had my hair done today. Good grief, right? What took me so long? I dunno...just dragging my feet I guess. I did have my Mom trim it for me like a month ago since it had gotten so ridiculously long and stringy. But I did still want some shape and color.

My new friend at work, Anne, went to a new hair stylist not long ago and was very happy with her cut and color. I liked how it turned out too, so I decided to make an appointment with her. I went today after I got off from work. My appointment lasted from 1:00 - 4:30!! Why? Cause I have a ton of hair - it's really thick and dense. It always takes a long time for anyone to do anything with it. And I wanted the color to look really natural all the way through, not just highlights or thick chunks. She kept saying, "Wow you have a lot of hair!" Poor thing, I would hate to work on this mop.

But she did a great job! I LOVE the color!! It's exactly what I wanted. Looks sunkissed and fresh...not too blonde, not too dark. I'm still deciding about the cut. First of all, I asked for a "sideswept bang" because lot's of my friends have that and I think it looks so cute. Plus I thought it would shake up my look a bit. Well I HATE it. *sigh* They fall right in my eyes. I don't know if it's just the wrong length or what, but I'm regretting asking for them. And then she styled it all cute and curly, quite glamorous actually. But I know I will hardly ever (if at all) mess with that. So I'm still curious to see what the cut will look like when I style it myself. We shall see!

I took these pictures when I got home this evening (after a run to Wal-Mart...the curls have died down a lot here). Notice I'm STILL in my scrubs. (And also notice how well they match my walls!) *haha*

The color actually looks a little lighter than this in person.

The back (Wrigley thought it smelled good. *hehe*)

What my bangs kept doin'. Drives me NUTS! Maybe I need better hairspray?

And here's what my hair looks like right now as I'm chillin':

Ahhh...what a relief to have the hair outta my eyes!

Side view (sorry, forgot to do that while it was styled).

Absent

2009-04-23T20:08:00.004-05:00

A whole week without a post?!? Wow, my life has really changed in the last month, hasn't it? I'm sorry to disappear on y'all like that. But to be honest, I didn't even REALIZE that an entire week had passed already! I am so busy! Did you know that I'm working 45-48 hours a week? What a switch from my old 27-35hrs a week I pulled at Scrapbook Garden! (And what a TOTAL opposite of being unemployed!? *haha*)

Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining at all! I am still enjoying my job. It's very fulfilling and I love it! I'm really getting the swing of things and feel confident in my position. (And have I mentioned the puppies? I love puppies. *hehe* There is a particular black and white Papillion puppy that I would totally dog-nap if I wasn't the nice person I am. She is the most adorable thing you've ever seen in your life! I tried to find a picture online that looked like her so I could show you, but no other Papillon puppy is quite as cute. Wow, I digress....) But man, I am having trouble getting everything in my life balanced out. I feel so good if I just get laundry caught up from week to week. Thursdays (today) we are open from 7:30am to 7:00pm...and while that's technically only an hour longer than the other days, it feels like forever! By the time I get home (which can be as late as 7:45) I don't feel like doing ANYTHING. So that's what I'm doing tonight...although technically blogging isn't nothing. :)

I have a confession to make. It's shameful, but you should all know since you've been so supportive to me. I have been SERIOUSLY slacking on my exercising. Beyond seriously. It's so hard for me to get myself to the gym after work. I am so gal-darned pooped! And there ain't no way I'm gonna get up and go before work. (Holy cow, I'd have to get up at 4:00am or earlier! Not happening. I have a hard enough time getting up when I do now!)

And while I've gotten my eating back under control (I fell way off the train from my Birthday through Easter), I'm still up 5lbs. *pout* I feel fatter than that, though. I was actually pretty relieved when I got on the scale and saw that the number wasn't as high as I expected. But I could show you exactly where those 5 pounds are sittin'. *haha* So sad. I can also tell I've lost muscle tone. How do these negative results happen so quickly, when the positive ones take SO LONG? It's been just one month. No fair. But I am determined to reign myself back in. I've made it to the gym twice this week and on the other days I've walked the dogs. That's at least a start.

One thing that is helping renew my motivation is a little trip Jeremy and I are planning for the end of May. Our clinic will be closed May 23 - May 25 so we're going to take advantage of that and go to Schlitterbahn! Our anniversary is on the 22nd, so it'll be fun to get outta town and celebrate. We've never been to Schlitterbahn (came close once but had to cancel the trip) and we've always wanted to!

But, um, for those who didn't click the link, Schlitterbahn is a WATER PARK. Which would require, naturally, a swimming suit. *eek* No no no...the horror. What am I thinking?!? I know once I get there I'll get caught up in the fun of slipping and sliding (or at least be able to remind myself that we're hundreds of miles from home and I'll never see any of these people again so why does it matter what they think of how I look?) but for right now, the thought of going in a dressing room with those little pieces of stretchy fabric is NOT fun. Especially because I'm ghostly pale (my coworker caught a glimpse of my ankle the other day and asked if I was wearing stockings under my pants. *haha* No, that's me!) I know I'll just glow like a blinkin' beacon! (Yukon Cornelius, anyone?)

So I'm focused on undoing as much of this damage that I've accumulated as possible in the next month. As frustrated as I am, at least I know what works and what to do, right? I was doing so well before, I just need to find that focus again. Better get that swimsuit and hang it around my NECK every day. ;) Wish me luck!!!

Judge Not, Lest Your Dog Be Even More Obnoxious

2009-04-16T20:52:00.005-05:00

One of the most amazing things about my new job is the savings I get on my dogs' health care. I probably shouldn't disclose the actual information or discounts, but you should know that it's a substantial savings! :) Plus, our clinic goes much more in depth than our old vet did, with tests and immunizations that I'd never even heard of. It's really quite impressive.

So after having all their records faxed over, I discovered that all my dogs are due for various things. I decided to take MoJo to work with me today to get things rollin'. I figured I'd just keep him in the back (in our boarding area) for the majority of the day, bring him up for his appointment, then "board" him again till it was time to go home. Well within 15 minutes of his stay in back, I was regretting this decision. He barked incessantly the whole day.

At first I was really embarrassed and annoyed. For one thing, all week long I've been complaining about a weimaraner that's been boarding with us. She seemed to bark non-stop and was really, really loud. But MoJo's bark was at a particularly irritating pitch and much more persistent. More like an "AAH! AAH! AAH!" instead of "woof woof." I kept thinking, "Geez! Stop it!" I was worried that my boss and coworkers would form a negative impression of him before even getting to see him outside the cage. They kept insisting he was fine and not bothering anyone, but he was bothering ME.

Well then as the day went on, my annoyance turned into concern. I simply had no idea that MoJo had such terrible separation anxiety. And no one we've boarded him with in the past has ever said anything to me about his ridiculous overreacting. (My theory is that those kennels have indoor/outdoor runs so he doesn't feel so confined. But who knows.) When we crate him at home, he just lies down when we shut the door. (WRIGLEY is the one that barks like a maniac when crated. You can be sure he won't be coming to work with my anytime soon! *haha*) Anyway, when I went back to check on him, he was practically frothing at the mouth with drool because he was panting so hard. He kept it up all day. It was terrible!

On the upside, his appointment went fine. We're waiting on the results from a couple of tests, but I was excited that Dr. Olson didn't tell me he was falling apart or anything (since I felt like he was, with the way he'd been acting.) And he also didn't act like he hated MoJo, which relieved the Mommy in me. :)

And I've learned my lesson about judging other people's dogs. Just because they rant and misbehave in our setting, doesn't mean they're bad dogs. It's obvious to me that dogs can have split personalities and be a COMPLETELY different animal away from home than they generally are for their masters. As I type this with my sweet MoJo snuggled calmly up against me, I can't even see a shadow of the crazed maniac he was earlier. (Probably because he's so completely wiped out and exhausted from all the barking! *haha*)

On that note, I put together this little video about my babies and I wanted to share it with you. (I used iMOVIE to make it. Words cannot describe how user friendly this software is - it's SO easy to use!) I hope you like it. :) (The song is "The Puppy Song" by Harry Nilsson. I first heard it on the "You've Got Mail" soundtrack. It makes me happy!)

"Girl, you know that you need to stop..."

2009-04-11T20:24:00.012-05:00

"...always talkin' 'bout what you got, always talkin' 'bout what you got..." (Anyone else love that song?) But alas, I'm about to talk about "what I got." :)

I promised a loooong time ago to show you what I bought at Michael's with my Birthday money. And since then, my package of goodies I purchased with my 2P's gift certificate arrived. So I am practically rollin' in new scrapbook stuff and I just HAVE to show you!

First, the Michael's loot.

This line is "Friendly Forest" from Colorbok. I saw it first thing I walked in the door and absolutely fell in love. Bright colors, cute little squirrels and daisies...what's not to love? (To see more pictures, check out this lady's post.)

Me and My Big Ideas has always been a favorite company of mine and they've come out with some really cute new stuff. A lot of it features the stick figure kids they're known for. These little charms and tags were simply irresistible, and there's a matching paper pad that I still regret not buying. Maybe next paycheck? (YAY! I love getting paychecks. *haha*)

This line from K&Company is called Actopus to Zelephant, which I think is a cute name. It's going to be so much fun for zoo pages. The paper pad came with a whole bunch of punch-out animals (last photo) that can be layered and popped with dimensional adhesive. I adore the artwork. How cute is that raccoon?

And now for the 2P's goodies.

I love American Crafts. Their design team is one of the best around, in my opinion. I particularly fell in love with two of their new collections when I saw them online. But lemme tell ya, when I opened the box and saw this stuff in person, I about lost my flippin' mind. It's TOOOOOO CUTE!

This is Craft Fair. The colors could not be more fun. They are so vibrant in real life!

(Won't this city paper be so cute for a New York City layout? *squeal*)

American Crafts started making "Flair" (just like on Facebook! *hehe*) a few collections ago, and I think they're so fun. See the "I Love Blogs" one? Of course I had to have that one. :)

This is Backyard. It's Spring through Summer, all rolled up into one collection. Great colors and designs that include everything from chocolate bunnies to kites.

And this is my favorite piece of flair. I think it's hilarious! :)

And not that I really needed any more animal paper, but how could I resist this line from Sassafrass Lass? Well, clearly I couldn't. ADORABLE!!! The colors, the artwork...it's all so cute I had to have it.

So that's it, folks! Makes ya wanna come over to my house and play with my toys, doesn't it? ;)

Happy Easter everybody!!! Jesus is risen!

Keep them doggie's rollin'!

2009-04-09T12:27:00.007-05:00

When I was 8...or 9...(or maybe 7? *haha*) I got my first pair of rollerskates. Like REAL rollerskates...not the Fisher Price ones with the bell inside the wheel that seemed to make it impossible to even move. Being a bit of a daredevil, I took to them immediately. I don't mean to brag, but I became a darn good little skater. (Hey I have to take joy in the few talents I excell in, right? ;) ) I could do turns, twirls, skate backwards and all that good stuff, plus I was really FAST and could stop on a dime. I participated in all the "contests" at the roller rink and positively lived for the speed-skate song when I could fly by the older boys and even the show-off teenager "referees." :) My bestest childhood buddy Ellen and I felt like we ruled the rink and had delusions of becoming amazing professional rollerskaters someday.

Rollerblades came along and became the cool thing, but I stuck to my skates. I never liked the way rollerblades felt on my ankles and wasn't nearly as coordinated in them. It became more and more difficult to find my favorite skates (which were more like tennis shoes than the boot skates you see as rentals at rinks) and eventually I did wear out my last pair. (I'd wear the stoppers right down to the screw, to the point the metal would leave marks on the driveway. Oops! Daddy, I need some new skates!) It was very sad. :(

Well several years ago, Skechers came out with a pair of rollerskates that closely resembled the kind I used to get as a kid. Except these were Skechers, so they were automatically cooler! I got a pair for Christmas that year. It was so exciting. The first time I went out on them I was a little wobbly (more height + more weight = more to carry on 8 wheels!) but eventually I regained my coordination and I'd say I'm pretty decent again. Here's a picture of my beloved skates, sporting the pom-poms a friend of mine bought for me for my Birthday. (I had a skating party for my 24th Birthday...I know, I'm so grown up. It was SOOOO fun!!! And while we were there, I mentioned that I'd always envied the girls with the cute pom-poms on their skates. And tada, I got a pair of my own! So sweet, right?)

When we were a two-dog household, I used to take Wrigley and MoJo rollerskating all the time. (Note to the sarcastic: *I* was the one rollerskating. Not the dogs.) They loved getting to run full speed and I liked the fact that it wore them out in half the time. Normally I make them walk beside me, but Cesar Milan (the Dog Whisperer, aka, my hero) says that it's alright to let dogs run ahead when you're skating with them...even letting them PULL you, because it equals a job or a task for the dog to perform. Just like a husky would pull a sled or a sheepdog would herd sheep, the task is actually good for them mentally as well as physically. And I enjoyed it too, so I did it with the boys every chance we'd get.

But when we added Cubby to the family, I stopped this because I didn't think I could control all three of them while on wheels. I could just picture them getting tangled up around my feet, making me nose-dive into the pavement and knocking all my teeth out or breaking my nose. (Yes I have an overactive, morbid imagination.) And Cubby probably couldn't have kept up last Summer anyway, since he was still a tiny tyke. But he's big enough now and they're so good on walks, I decided to pull out the skates and give it a go yesterday.

It went SO WELL! Cubby was a little frightened by the big clunky wheels on my feet at first, but when he saw how excited his brothers were about it, he decided they weren't that bad afterall. He was by far the slowest of the three, though. It was funny...he would run up and pass Wrigley, look back at him like "HA! I passed you!" but then immediately fall to the back of the group, even behind ME to the point I felt like I was dragging him. He couldn't figure out how to keep a steady pace. *haha* He's still a silly little puppy.

I thought MoJo would be the most excited about running, since he's our high-energy-go-go-go guy, but Wrigley was just ecstatic! He was running as fast as he could, ears back, tongue hanging, tail straight out. He looked like a shorter, stalkier greyhound. :) And not once did anyone dart out in front of me or tangle around each other. I stayed upright the whole time. *haha* And today my thighs and rear are quite sore, so it's clear that the dogs didn't do all the work.

Puppy Perks

2009-04-04T11:13:00.004-05:00

Hey have I mentioned...that I LOVE my job?!? It is really an incredible feeling. Every day I feel more and more comfortable and blessed to be there. This week I was left "on my own" at my position for the first time and I feel like I did really well! There are certainly still questions and issues that arise that I don't know how to deal with, but I think that's going to happen for a while. There are just so many levels in this new world. And I'm gradually getting used to my schedule. Each day I'm a little less horrified when my alarm goes off. *haha* I won't lie, though, I've taken a few power naps in my car over my lunch break. :)

You know what the absolute best job perk is? PUPPIES!!! Other offices really should offer this incentive program. ;) For the past week, there have been new puppy exams out the wazoo. It is SO much fun! I get to love on them and play with them, get covered in puppy kisses and love bites and rub their warm little bellies. It is beyond fun. I enjoy the older dogs too, of course, but nothing is better than a wiggly, silly little puppy. Especially one that isn't peeing and pooping on your carpet or destroying your flip-flops. Yes, visiting with these little sweeties is the perfect taste of puppy love, without all the responsibility.

I'm also enjoying getting to be around the cats. Growing up in a house with asthmatics we never had any kitties. And in recent years I've developed allergies of my own so I just haven't been around that many cats. But my allergy meds have kept my symptoms at bay at work, so I get to love on the kitties too. And I have to admit, I just love their little "meow, meow, meeeeeeooooow" talking. It's quite endearing. :)

Hey, check out the awesome scrub tops I get to wear. Could the colors be any better?? Heck, they even match my shower curtain. :)

Today looks like a beautiful day from what I've seen out my window, and I'm determined to get out there and enjoy it. I think I'll take the dogs for a walk and soak up some sunshine. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

The end of Birthday season

2009-04-02T11:24:00.012-05:00

March represents a bit of a Birthday season in our family. My sister Lauren's Birthday is on March 22nd, and mine is just a week later on the 30th. Our parents kinda planned that, believe it or not. And it probably seemed like a good idea until we were in grade school, each wanting our own separate, unique party. That's a lot of planning, cake and children to cram into a two-week stretch! Eventually as we got older and stopped being so selfish ;) we would settle for each inviting one or two special friends over for a slumber party instead of a full-blown-extravaganza. I'm sure Mom and Dad were relieved. :)

This year, Lauren came up with a clever way for us to celebrate. I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but my niece and nephew have serious food allergies, making it next to impossible for Lauren and Rich to go out to eat anywhere. (Which in more recent years became our way of celebrating - the Birthday girl would choose the restaurant and we'd all go out to dinner.) So Lauren suggested that we all pick up carryout from the place of our choice then meet at her house and eat together! That way we'd get to enjoy whatever meal we wanted...plus no one had to cook! And then Lauren could fix allergy-friendly meals for the kiddos. It worked so well for Lauren's Birthday that we did it again the next week for mine. We also played some games together, which was really fun. We used to be big game-players but it's a little harder to do that with small children around. But Livvie played some little computer games and Jack watched videos while we were playing and it worked REALLY well! We had a great time. Here are some photos from the special occasions!

Lauren's Birthday Party

We gave Lauren a surprise for her Birthday. It was a gift certificate to a tattoo parlor (totally not her thing!) that Jeremy had won in a raffle at work. It was hilarious watching her open it...she was reading it carefully, looking for a punchline! We could hardly keep a straight face, but once Jeremy suggested that "we thought you could tattoo the kids names on your back," we both busted up laughing and confessed that it was a joke and gave her the REAL present. She looked relieved!

Me and Livvie - She was so cute, thanking everyone for her Mommy's presents. *hehe*

Me and my sweetie

Me with something else that was sweet. Dang I ate like a hellion these past two weeks! You'd be so ashamed of me! *eek*

All the girls! Sure wish I would have worn something that matched them better! ;) Me, Mom, Lauren and Olivia.

We played Pictionary, one of our all-time favorite games. "Back in the day," we played Girls VS Guys all the time, and the ladies always dominated. Well, I'm pleased to report that nothing has changed, we STILL rocked their world. They didn't know what hit 'em. :) And just wait until Livvie can join our forces. We'll be unstoppable. *hehe*

In between rounds, we took turns showing Livvie how to draw stuff. The Lion is mine (it's made from a number 5), the dog is Jeremy's, and the lawnmower is my Dad's. (Livvie drew the grass. *hehe*)

And here is Livvie showing us that she can write Jack's name!

My Birthday Party

My Birthday loot! (with wrapping eaturing two of my favorite things - penguins and dogs!)

Livvie wrote this! Not bad for 3 years old, I'd say. :)

Lauren and Rich got me a gift certificate to 2P's! SO exciting! (I've already put my order in. *hehe*) Because it's a website, the certificate was just something you printed out, but Lauren and Livvie decorated it up and made it quite appropriately scrappy! Cute, huh? (Mom and Dad gave me some yummy smelling candles and CASH! Yay, I love cash. *haha* Most of it's already gone thanks to Michael's. I'll post pictures of those goodies later!)

Me and Jackaroo. Is he the cutest mop-top you've ever seen or what?

Our dog-nephew Peter. He's the sweetest little guy! (He's a Jack Russell Terrier and he is the best "kids-dog" that I've ever seen. He LOVES Livvie and Jack and is always very gentle with them.)

My game of choice for my party was Balderdash. If you've never played it, you need to go get it! But just a warning, your set won't come with the groovy animal game pieces you see here. I added those. Cause I'm cool like that. :) (We didn't finish the game, but I was leading when we quit so I think I won! *hehe*)

And I should mention that my sweet hubby got me an Epson color printer/scanner combination! So now I can scan pictures onto my laptop...and print out special sizes of photos! I'm very excited. :)

Backordered Blizzard

2009-03-28T09:41:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone! I don't know what the weather is doing where you live, but here in Kansas we're experiencing a full out spring snowstorm! It's a little nuts. This is the weather I was asking for at Christmas. Um...it's a little late! *hehe* It started yesterday with ice and sleet and by the evening, you should have seen the snow! I've never seen such big fluffy snowflakes. I don't think it snowed as much overnight as they'd originally predicted it would, but it's snowing right now so we'll see what happens. I did wake up to find that the ice had trimmed a tree in our backyard for us.

*UPDATE* I've added photos!

MoJo & Wrigley can't believe their eyes!

This is our backyard...see the branches on the ground?

I LOVE icicles!

The view from our front door

There are few things in life that I love more than watching dogs romp in the snow. Their excitement is invigorating. Of course, two of my dogs love it more than the third.

Cubby, trying to get something started with MoJo.

Playing chase

MoJo may be our "arctic breed," but I think Cubby loves the snow the most.

I love this one - looks like he's about to blow away in a gust of snow!

Exploring the winter wonderland

Wrigley joined in for as long as he could stand the cold

Time to come inside!

Covered in snow!

So yesterday was pretty slow at work. Once people saw what the weather was doing, we began to get cancellations. For the last couple of hours I sat at my desk trying to come up with busy work, but mostly my eyes were on the increasing ice buildup outside. After our final client came to pick up his dog we'd been boarding, I started to close up shop. Dr. Olson came up front and took my ice scraper from the counter (which I'd rescued from my car earlier in the day, so it wouldn't get frozen inside!) I figured he was just borrowing it for his own car...but later I looked outside and he was scraping my car windows! I thought that was incredibly nice. Especially when I contrast it with the attitude my former employer had. I can't imagine him ever doing such a thing.

I'm still loving my job! Every day I become a little more confident in the tasks I'm responsible for. I enjoy talking to the people and cooing over the animals. And I actually really like the data-entry and paperwork aspects of the position. Initially I thought it might get boring, but I actually find it rather calming. The only tough part is remembering all of the steps involved in a particular task. I've been comparing it to choreography. This then this then THAT then this then THOSE then that then THIS....and again! *haha* But it's fun.

And working with animals, every day is a little adventure. For example, yesterday I got to help move the biggest dog I think I've ever seen. She was almost 120 pounds (which wouldn't be that bad on a dog with a larger frame, but she had fairly short legs. I think she was as wide as she was tall.) and needed x-rays on her failing legs. Originally we were going to coax her down the hall, but she was already groggy when we went to get her from her run. She wouldn't budge. So Anne and I had to physically haul her, using a blanket to pick up her back half. It was pretty funny. And later, when the dog was out cold, we needed to move her back onto a stretcher. That was actually harder...she seemed heavier as dead weight! At one point, Anne actually CAUGHT the dog as she was rolling off the table - all 118lbs of her! It scared us all half to death, but Anne's super strong! As my coworkers have all told me, Who says you need to go to the gym to get a workout? ;)

Well I'm going to go enjoy my day off. The weather outside my be frightful, but I'm going to enjoy the day INSIDE as much as possible. I've got TV shows I need to catch up on before my DVR explodes and I might even wander into my scrapbook room later. *gasp* And at some point this weekend, I get to spend time with my wonderful family to celebrate my Birthday (which is Monday! Oowah oowah!) Hope all of you have a fun and blessed Saturday! Thanks for checking in on me. :)

"It's Not Fair!"

2009-03-24T19:59:00.005-05:00

Please enjoy the funniest thing I've seen in a looong time. I hope it makes you giggle as much as it did me! :) I know you'll at least agree that IT'S NOT FAIR!!

(I love the subtle Justin Timberlake video references...and you know you're going to be going around singing, "When my world revolves around food it's so hard just not to eeeeeeeat!!!!!")

Speaking of food and all that jazz, my regular readers are probably wondering why I haven't weighed in the last two weeks. Well there really hasn't been much to report. My eating has been sketchy and my workout regimen has been less that stellar. I've only gained like 1.5 pounds over these two weeks which is minimal damage so I'm OK with it.

Now, I haven't been bingeing like mad or anything crazy. It's just been a bit hard to adjust to my new schedule and keep everything else on track at the same time. I ate out a lot last week because I didn't get my lunch ready to bring with me. I'm also adding about 4 hours onto my day, which adds more time for cramming in calories. *haha* And I'm still trying to think up healthy snacks I can bring with me that AREN'T loaded with carbs but are still easy to pack up in the morning. (I've been eating too many granola bars recently. *haha*)

My exercise opportunities have been cut in half to begin with, but then I've had some additional activities in the past week and a half that have limited it further. And I'm so pooped when I get home in the evenings the LAST thing I wanna do is head to the gym. I know, I know, welcome to a normal life. I guess I didn't appreciate what I had until it was gone, y'know? In hindsight, I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to do some hardcore blubber-blasting for the months I was out of work. I know it sped up my progress...and hopefully instilled some habits that I'll be able to continue once I get myself adjusted.

Finally, the photos!

2009-03-22T10:36:00.011-05:00

Here are some more photos from Get Scrappy last weekend that are long overdo! First, some pictures my buddy Michelle took while she was here.

Playing the brad-organizer-maracas. :) Shake it like a polaroid picture!

Me and my beautiful friend Samantha, who was looking particularly fabulous, don't you think?

On the left are Jeanne & Toni...and on the right that's me "choking" Haley. :)

My friend Sandy Dandy and myself.

And here I am, guarding the silent auction item I wanted. I still don't know who kept bidding against me, but it got heated! *haha*

I finally took pictures of the layouts I did, too. Here they are, in random order!

A single-page layout about eating ice cream at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, even though it was like 20 degrees outside and I was FREEZING. *haha*

A more fitting treat for December in NYC is HOT CHOCOLATE! :) This page is about visiting Max Brenner's, which is basically chocolate paradise. (This is the layout that won the contest! I was so flattered!) I wish you could tell how glittery this page is but the camera didn't pick it up. Everything white is sparkly and most of the brown is too.

Battery Park: using some way old Basic Grey paper that I've had forever. I still need to fill in the date on this one. *haha* :)

This is probably my favorite layout from the weekend. I used a new paper pack I picked up at Scrap Funattic and just thought the colors worked PERFECTLY for these cloudy, Central Park pictures. Fun fun. :)

This page was fun to do, especially after I found that there was a turtle on the ZooBalloo Cricut cartridge. Just what I needed! :)

And as promised, here are the pictures of the beautiful bouquet that my new work "family" got for me. :)

And last but not least, the delicious and adorable froggy treats Jeremy brought for us.

Adventures of a Customer Care Assistant

2009-03-21T10:20:00.007-05:00

Well week one is over and done with and I'm feeling more and more blessed every day to have this job. Not just because I'm loving it, but also because we're receiving 2 or 3 calls AN HOUR from people wanting to apply for it! They've called the other applicants to tell them the position was filled, but these are new people just finding the ad online. It's amazing. I say a little prayer every time we turn someone away. This economy is harsh and I know there are so many people out of work. It is really so amazing that I got in there when I did and snatched up the position before anyone else.

As the days go by, I'm feeling more comfortable with the tasks that I'm responsible for. But I'm finding that I'm still carrying some scars with me from my last job. Whenever I approach Dr. Olson to tell him something, I feel like I'm walking on eggshells a bit. At Scrapbook Garden, whenever I had to go to the owner for something, I never knew what response I would get, but it usually ranged from indifferent to extremely annoyed. Even if he had called you in there himself, it was a nerve-racking situation to talk to him. He never actually full-on yelled at me, but I saw him go off on plenty of other people during my time there, so I felt it was always a possibility to get raked over the coals for no good reason. It was scary!!

Yet whenever I go into Dr. Olson's office, I'm greeted with a chipper, "HELLO!" or "Yes ma'am?" or "What can I do for ya?" And yesterday he was telling me what to put on an invoice for a client , and he was leaning over my shoulder. I clicked the wrong button and felt myself getting nervous, expecting him to get flustered and take over, saying, "No no, just let me do it" (like my last boss would have done) but instead he responded gently, with patience, simply pointing to where I needed to click. It was funny, because Becky even apologized for the way he was hanging over my shoulder, saying that when he does that it makes her nervous. I just laughed because, frankly, that ain't NOTHIN' compared to what I've dealt with. I just need to shake that feeling that he's going to snap at me for something stupid. He is a different man. He is a kind, generous, Godly man. What a change!

I was originally supposed to work today, but Dr. Olson was going to be leaving the office early because of a conference so we only had two clients scheduled to come in. (We're only open till noon on Saturdays.) So Becky said I didn't need to bother coming in. I have to admit, I'm thankful for the weekend off. Adjusting to this new schedule has been a little exhausting. I'm used to the retail world and have never had a job where I needed to be there before 9:30. And of course being out of work for 5 months didn't exactly give me a reason to bounce out of bed at the crack of dawn. *haha* Don't get me wrong, I'm not fishing for sympathy here! I know I've always been lucky to sleep ridiculously later than most people. :) But my body is still trying to figure out what on earth is going on! So getting to sleep in a little today was nice. My body feels like I caught up a bit and I'm feeling rested.

Separation Anxiety

2009-03-18T21:17:00.005-05:00

There's a lot of adjusting going on this week. I'm getting used to a new schedule, a new job, new coworkers and a completely new routine. It's both exciting and exhausting. *haha* But I have to admit, I'm missing my blog time. I know it's only been a few days, but I haven't had the time to write OR read anything. It's some serious withdrawal...I'm practically twitching! ;) It's for the best, though. No one needs to spend that much time on the internet, for Heaven's sake. I'm out in the real world now, having more experiences and actually doing something of worth. I'm better off...but I still need to make time for this hobby as well. :)

I am learning so much at my new job! There is a lot of information to take in and try to memorize. Under different circumstances, it would be incredibly intimidating and overwhelming. But Becky is being more than patient with me, as are the others. I have to admit, though, my head is positively swimming with abbreviations and terms that I'd never heard three days ago. I'm familiar with a lot of it, of course, having doggies myself. But the information I need to learn goes far beyond that. *haha* I'm just taking it a day at a time.I feel like I'm making good progress!

Oh, I've gotta tell you something! I went to Turbo Kick tonight, for the first time since the-dude-that-wouldn't-move-his-muscles incident. Gym bunny and her goober boyfriend didn't show up, thank goodness. The instructor was getting her stuff ready at the front of the room and talking about how hard it is for her to get all the cues shouted out in time, since it's pretty fast paced. One of the gals in class said, "Just tell people to do what you do!" and I said, "Well that's no problem unless they can't SEE her because there's somebody standing right behind you doing nothing!" Some of the other ladies laughed and agreed that if the dude showed up again they were going to "accidently" kick him and get him out of class. But strangely, others were like "I thought he was a good sport! You could tell he wanted to leave but stayed cause she wanted him to!" I said, "Yeah, but couldn't they have moved to the back of the room?" I just found it pretty interesting that some people actually felt sorry for or admired the doofus for his "efforts." How silly! I'm glad the rest of you agree with ME. ;)

There was a new addition to my Cardio/Core class tonight, though. BACKSTORY: There's a woman at our gym that Jeremy and I have come to call "Man-Woman." She seems to be there AAAAAALL the bloomin' time. Because of her tall, broad body frame and the fact that she's extremely muscly...AND because she tans wa-hay too much and has fake-black hair, she just looks really harsh and man-ish. She has a little "posse" that she tends to work out with, and two of those gals have been coming to Cardio/Core for a while now. But tonight, Man-Woman showed up with them. I rolled my eyes as she strutted to the opposite side of the room in her little tank top and hot pink skirt/skort/how-the-heck-do-you-work-out-in-that?/outfit. She took a spot at the front by the mirror and proceeded to gaze at herself during our warm-up, fixing her hair so it laid just right, pulling the skirt down whenever it bunched up (cause it's a SKIRT! It's gonna bunch up! Silliness.) As you can tell, I was distracted by her. *haha* I'm just so fascinated by her wrinkly, leatherish skin, wondering why she would think that's attractive? She's a young woman, too. I can't imagine the damage she's already done to her skin.

Well, this was fun. :) Feels good to type. *haha* But don't expect any posts from me tomorrow. Thursdays are my "long day" and I'm going to try and catch the tail end of my Thursday night Bible study, so I won't have much free time. But don't ever worry if I'm absent for longer than I would like. I'll never quit blogging, I promise. :)

(I know I still need to add photos of some things. I swear I'll get around to it eventually. *haha*)

"I think I'm gonna like it here!"

2009-03-16T20:53:00.002-05:00

I had this song going through my head ALL day. Anyone else love Annie? :)

Today was great. I mean, GREAT great! I got a good night's sleep, got up too early and got there too early (meaning tomorrow I can sleep later and still get there in plenty of time! Woohoo! *haha*). But I wasn't sure what traffic would be like at that hour so I thought I should play it safe. Hey, did you know it's dark at 6:30am? *wink*

The people I am working with are SOOO nice. (And since I'm sure they're also soon-to-be Facebook friends and will probably find this blog - Hi Becky! Hi Anne! *waving from blogland*) They got me flowers! A beautiful bouquet (that coincidentally contained my absolute favorite Gerbera Daisies. In hot pink! Just perfect.) is sitting on the counter in my honor. :) It feels good to be so appreciated...already! The customers were all very friendly and welcoming as well. What an amazing blessing this job is.

And you know what? We can talk to each other and laugh without getting in trouble! Isn't that a strange concept? (Sorry, inside joke to my former coworkers. *jab jab*)

The clinic keeps hoppin' pretty much the whole day. And when we weren't busy, I was learning something or keeping busy in some other way so the day seemed to go pretty fast. I got to plant some pansies in the indoor planters (the office is on a corner with all windows so there's plenty of sunlight), which was a fun little task. (Those of you that know me well are laughing that someone let me near plants...but I swear I didn't kill them. Yet. *bwahaha*) And it's just so much fun to see all of the animals coming in. There were these two malamutes with HEADS as big as MoJo. The male, Max, kept "talking" just like MoJo does, except it was much, much louder. *haha*

And because we kept busy, I had a great first day back on the diet. EXCEPT that I have an adorable husband who came to visit me and brought us all St. Patties Day treats...some cookies, and these little cupcake/brownie things that are decorated to look like bright green frogs. (I'm going to bring my camera tomorrow so I can take pictures of them as well as my flowers, so I'll post those pictures soon. You won't believe how cute these frogs are. *haha*) But I only ate HALF a cookie. So...I feel no guilt. But tomorrow I do plan on consuming an entire frog, though. :)

I did make it to Cardio/Core after work! Yup, worked a full day and exercised afterwards. One day down, the rest of my life to go! ;)

BEST-WEEKEND-EVER!

2009-03-15T14:50:00.005-05:00

I have had just an absolutely fantastic weekend. I hope you've all felt even 1/4 as blessed, because I've just been riding on a cloud for the past three days. Life is GEWD. :^)

So obviously, getting my new job kicked things off on a high note. Thanks for all of your kind congratulations and warm wishes. I really am so excited about it...my stomach is all twisted in knots of anticipation, just like a kid on Christmas Eve. I start tomorrow morning! Did I mention that? (I'll break all the details of the job down in a later post.)

But after that I got to spend 14+ hours scrapbooking with some HILARIOUS and fun women whom I enjoy very much. Get Scrappy was a blast. We laughed and gabbed laughed and sang...and I actually got quite a few (by my standards) pages done for my NYC album. Plus the event raised a ton of mullah for the cause (I'll let you know what the official number was as soon as Mary posts it).

Having never been, I really didn't know what to expect. But I have to tell you that this is an IMPRESSIVE event! I'm so proud to say I'm friends with the masterminds that put this thing together. God bless them for all their hard work, cause it really is like a SIX-ring circus! They've got contests going on and drawings for door prizes, plus raffles and live & silent auctions. (OOOH the silent auctions! I participated in my first bidding war. It was completely exhilarating. *haha* There's not much SILENT about it!) Then there's an extensive "sale table" which is really more like 10 tables, full of goodies that have been donated.

I don't have pictures of my pages yet...and I'm sure I'll have more from the event to share as my friends share them with me. :) But here's what I have so far (I didn't take enough - I was too busy having fun! *haha*)

All the tables had cute little centerpieces on them, like these pinwheels they MADE. How adorable are they?

A great group of gals I'm lucky to know and still be in touch with, even though we don't have the pleasure of working together anymore. (Mary and Linda are in the pink t-shirts, they're the amazing founders and organizers of this event.)

Toni & her sweet daughter Haley, with Nikki.

My "Sandy Dandy" and her grandson Christopher that came along Friday evening. He was being a little stinker and wouldn't look at me for the picture. :)

Our out of town guest Michelle and her daughter Samantha. I had the pleasure of sitting at a table with these two yahoo's. *wink wink* We laughed and broke out into song so much that the whole room was usually staring at our table. They were just jealous. ;) Why is "my table" always the loudest everywhere I go? I just can't figure it out. *haha*

And guess what! I won a contest! Yup, my wonderful scrapbooking comrades voted for my page so I won a gift certificate to Scrap Funattic! Hmmm, wonder if I'll ever be able to find a way to use that? *hehe* Too bad I had already made a trip out there with Michelle and Samantha a little before the contest ended. Oh well, I'll just have to go back. I have a full punch card to redeem, anyways. (I'll post a close-up of the page later.)

So that in itself adds up to a darn wonderful weekend, right? Well just wait. When I got home last night, Jeremy's car was in the driveway so I couldn't pull in. He came out to meet me and help me carry my stuff in and I was like, "Why are you parked in the driveway?" and he said, "Cause you can't pull in the garage tonight." "Why not?" Then he showed me - there were lengths and lengths of trim lying on the garage floor. He had been spontaneously motivated to finish the trim on the main floor!! (For newer readers, you can read all about our flooring project that's been on pause for over three months: HERE and HERE. My house has been sitting in a state of unrest since Thanksgiving weekend...and I've got "BEFORE" photos with no "AFTER." It's been fairly frustrating.) He'd gone and borrowed a friend's saw, bought & cut all the trim and was painting it so it could be installed. So by the end of today (or maybe tomorrow) it should be FINISHED! And then I can finally push my furniture into place, unbox the books and stuff that have been sitting on my landing for all this time and bring the "extra" furniture back up from the basement! *huge sigh of relief* I'm so excited. It's going to look awesome. You won't even believe the difference.

Anywho, so that's been my amazing weekend. Just too, too good! I am one happy girl. Now, diet/exercise wise I have been the total opposite of good. I haven't been to the gym in three days and I've had candy, Mexican feasts and a Shamrock Shake (they won't be around much longer, y'know.) I've chalked it up to celebrating, and am actually quite ready to get back to normal tomorrow. (Although "normal" won't really be that normal anymore, since I'll be starting a new routine. But you know what I mean.)

Bad news...

2009-03-13T12:25:00.009-05:00

I hate to tell you this...but you're going to be seeing less of me here in blogland (and Facebook too, I'm sure).

BECAUSE I GOT THE JOB!!!!!!

*happy dance*

Can you believe it?? Just last Friday I hadn't even thought of applying anywhere, and here I am one week later, completely employed! *haha* When it's meant to be, it's meant to be!

The "2nd Interview" really wasn't an interview at all. Some of you had already guessed it, they were just having me come back to offer me the job. Ann (the vet tech) showed me around the hospital, back in the surgery room and boarding area and all that. Then Becky (the office manager) talked to me about the front lobby area. Before long I noticed she was using phrases like, "This is your domain" and "you will be responsible for" instead of "you would..." I started to think, "Wait! So I've got the job?"

Eventually Dr. Olson (the vet) sat down with me in his office and asked if I had anymore questions, told me the starting wage and offered me the job. I said absolutely YES. It was so funny, Becky then pulled out this little training binder and it already had my name on the front of it. She said, "Well lookie here! We just happen to have this training manual with YOUR NAME on it!" Dr. Olson said, "Yeah! What are the odds that the last gal in this position had the same name? What a coincidence!" *wink wink* They're just the nicest people. I already feel comfortable joking around with them.

Becky is going to be training me "for as long as it takes." She said she wanted to make sure I feel absolutely comfortable with everything before I'd ever be "on my own." That makes me soooo happy. *haha* There's a lot of new information to absorb and I'm just thrilled to know that there isn't any pressure on me to figure everything out all by myself within a set time limit. It's really the perfect setup for me.

You know, as I was driving home I reflected a little bit about these past 5 months. It's been a difficult period for me, starting out feeling so betrayed and dumped on my head. But I decided early on that it had happened for a reason...that God had moved me from my comfort zone and was ready to grow me and stretch me in new ways. Well, as always happens when He takes any amount of time to do something, I started to doubt. I began feeling useless, wondering if I'd ever find a place where I felt like I fit so well again. I spent so much time in prayer about it...crying out to God, asking Him WHY He shook up my world, only to leave me sitting here all this time. It was one thing to have the floor knocked out from under me for a reason. But just being "unemployed" didn't seem like a very good lesson.

Then I moved into "what the heck, I'll just settle," and started to apply for jobs I really didn't care about. I even applied for a job as the person that balances the stock between Red Box machines at McDonald's. (How exciting would THAT job have been? *haha*) "It's better than nothing," I thought. But really, I think I was losing faith that there was anything better coming. Then I would get angry when those jobs never worked out. Now looking back, I know God had something better in store for me.

And now here it is: the whole package I've been praying for the whole time, the "impossible dream," so to speak, dropped right in my lap. Evenings and Sundays off, warm, friendly coworkers with the same values I hold dear, the opportunity to be around animals, a non-intimidating atmosphere in which to learn new skills and better pay than what I would have made starting at any retail job. Even when I think of how applying for it came about, I can see God's hand. I saw the other reception positions online over the weekend so I began tweaking my resume to show that I had the right qualifications for a clerical job. Those other jobs clearly didn't work out (either I haven't heard back from them or they gave me evil math tests *haha*) but then on Tuesday the ad for this job showed up and, well what do ya know? I already had a resume prepared for it! Just like that! Truly a blessing, in every way I look at it. God is good. :)

Get Scrappy

2009-03-12T15:36:00.006-05:00

Like I mentioned earlier, this weekend I am going to an amazing scrapbook event called Get Scrappy. My awesome friends Mary & Linda began this fundraiser several years ago as a way to benefit the YWCA Women's Crisis Center.They pour their hearts and souls into the planning and preparation for this event all year long and it shows! It has continued to grow each year and always brings in an impressive amount of donations and support.

I'm so excited, because this is the first year I get to go! I've always had to work in the past, but obviously this weekend I'm free. (Though hopefully not for much longer. *hahaha*) This year they're welcoming quilters alongside scrapbookers, which is pretty exciting. I can't wait to be surrounded by all that creativity! And a bunch of great gals from my Scrapbook Garden days are going to be there...including Michelle who's coming back into town just for the weekend! Yay! It's gonna be a blast. :)

The YWCA Women's Crisis Center provides shelter for women escaping domestic violence. It's a more serious problem than I think a lot of us make it out to be. Scrap Funattic, a local scrapbook store and generous GetScrappy sponsor, posted this short poem that really strikes at the heart of what the Crisis Center and this crop are working against. Take a moment to read it.

I Got Flowers Today (Dedicated to all Battered Women)
By Paulette Kelly ©Copyright 1992 Paulette Kelly All Rights Reserved

I got flowers today!
It wasn't my birthday or any other special day;
We had our first argument last night;
And he said a lot of cruel things that really hurt;
I know that he is sorry and didn't mean to say the things he said;
Because he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today!
It wasn't our anniversary or any other special day;
Last night he threw me into a wall and then started choking me;
It seemed unreal, a nightmare, but you wake up from nightmares;
And I woke up this morning sore and bruised all over — but I know he is sorry;
Because he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today!
And it wasn't Valentines Day or any other special day;
Last night he beat me and threatened to kill me;
Make-up and long sleeves didn't hide the cuts and bruises this time;
I couldn't go to work today because I didn't want anyone to know — but I know he's sorry;
Because he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today!
And it wasn't Mother's Day or any other special day;
Last night he beat me again, and it was worse than all of the other times;
If I leave him, what will I do? How will I take care of the kids? What about money?
I'm afraid of him, but I'm too scared and dependent to leave him! But he must be sorry;
Because he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today….
Today was a special day — it was the day of my funeral;
Last night he killed me;
If only I would have gathered the courage and strength to leave him;
I could have received help from the Women's Shelter, but I didn't ask for their help;
So I got flowers today — for the last time.

If you're in town and like to scrapbook, it's still not too late to register! In fact, you can show up and register at the door. So get your scrap-crap together and come out to support a good cause! Here's the info again.

Another great way to help is to make a donation, either monetary or with items from their wish list.

Hopefully by the end of the weekend I'll have lot's of great pages to show you!!! And don't forget, I have my 2nd interview tomorrow at The Vet Clinic. I'll try to make a post about that before I head to GetScrappy tomorrow afternoon. I hope I'll have good news! :)

In defense...

2009-03-12T14:37:00.003-05:00

...of my TurboKick leader, she did try to wrangle him in her own way. She called out every single move, "Left, right, left, right, punch, kick, blah blah blah" even more so than usual. And she kept saying, "Come on! Like this! You can do it! This part's easy, at least try it!" And at one point (I think before the Turbo section) she said, "Well if you didn't like all that you're sure not going to like THIS." Clearly, she's just way too nice to kick him out on his rock-hard buttocks. Sounds like some of you have the moxie for it, though. Give me your numbers for next time! ;)

I'm SO glad to see that I'm not alone in thinking this situation was really annoying. *haha* But I did want to make it clear that poor Aimee wasn't unaware of the problem. I just don't think she knew how to handle it either.

Well I'm off to bury myself in my scrapbook supplies. I need to get packed for a big crop/event I'm going to this weekend! It's called Get Scrappy and it's Friday AND Saturday...so I'll need plenty to do! I really need to blog about it, actually. It's a great fundraiser for our local Women's Crisis Shelter. Gosh there's just been so much going on this week. But I'll tell you all about it, soon.

Just a Gym Rant

2009-03-11T22:23:00.002-05:00

Something annoyed me to pieces tonight in my TurboKick class. So much so, I need to blog about it. *haha*

This teeny tiny gym bunny that has been coming to the class for a couple weeks now showed up...with her big, muscly boyfriend. Which is totally fine. Guys show up to these classes all the time. Most of the time they never come back, because the classes I take involve a lot of choreography and they just can't seem to pick it up. But I don't mind if they're there. Especially if they're with their wife/girlfriend/someone that dragged them, because I've tried to convince Jeremy to join me in the past and he's refused. So I totally respect the fact they're giving it a try.

Well they took the front & center position, directly behind the instructor. When Aimee (the super peppy and tiny leader that I've complained about in the past, but am now growing to love...go figure!) began, the boyfriend just stood there. I thought, "Oh, well he's trying to figure out the moves and the rhythm before he begins." But he continued...to just...stand there. With his arms folded across his chest, staring blankly at Aimee, his girlfriend, and the rest of us. He didn't even ATTEMPT to do ANY of it! Not even the easy warm-up side steps or the punching type stuff that a dude should totally be able to handle! Occasionally he and his girl would exchange a laugh and some under-their-breathe conversation, but not once did he even try to get with the rest of the group. I couldn't tell if he was really just terrible at following directions or if he thought he was too cool for school or what.

This wouldn't have been such a big deal, but as I mentioned, they were standing at the very front of the group behind the leader so nobody behind her could really see. And there were several new ladies there tonight and I could tell they were getting flustered. Aimee is hard enough to follow when you CAN see her. *haha* Beyond that, it was just downright distracting. I kept thinking, "If I had brought Jeremy and saw that he was behaving that way, I would have hauled his booty to the back corner and continued the class from there. Front & center should be reserved for people that know their stuff, otherwise it really takes away from what the instructor is trying to teach.

When we got to the "Turbo" portion, which is fast-paced and has us running all over the room, I muttered under my breath, "He better move or he's gonna get run over!" but that's as close as I came to confronting the situation. You know me, I'm totally non-confrontational. Plus, he was slightly intimidating, all pumped up and scowling. And Aimee was too busy sweating it up and calling out steps to do anything about it. I don't think he'll come back, but I'm going to have to control my thoughts when I see his stupid girlfriend again. (Oops, stupid? Well I guess I haven't started controlling them yet, have I? *hehe*)

And now that I've vented, I can sleep. :) G'night everybody!

So excited!!

2009-03-11T14:11:00.006-05:00

I got a call-back from The Vet Clinic for a second interview!!! (I've decided to capitalize that to make it seem more important. Maybe if I get the job I'll start putting the actual name of the place down. Then again, I've seen how easy it is for people to stumble across me by searching, so maybe not. *haha*) I wasn't expecting to hear anything until next week but they called me first thing this morning! That's gotta be a good sign. How stoked am I? Like a FIRE, baby! (I just made that up. How stupid is it? *haha*) I'm going back on Friday morning. I don't know what a second interview is...seems like he already asked me all the questions I've ever been asked in an interview, plus some fun ones. But I'm not even nervous about it. It'll be great...whatever it is. :)

I just got back from CardioKick, part of what I've deemed Trifecta Wednesday. I take that class at noon and then in the evenings I take back-to-back TurboKick & Cardio/Core. It's not even with the intention of burning a maximum number of calories or trying to kill myself or anything. I do it because I happen to REALLY like all three classes and instructors, but they're all offered on the same stinkin' day! (I would love nothing more than if they would spread one or two of these out to Tuesdays, Fridays or Saturdays, when there aren't any good classes to speak of.) But in the evening when it's all over, I treat myself to one of the massive and delicious protein smoothies at the gym's health bar. They're so good and they're perfect because I'm way too zonked to cook afterwards. :)

Journey Back to the Land of the Living

2009-03-10T20:38:00.006-05:00

It occurred to me as I began to type this that some of you might not know my dirty little secret: I'm unemployed. Although it might have already been obvious, since I clearly have unlimited amounts of time to blog and workout and blog about working out. *haha* Yeah, I've been jobless for 5 months now. (If you would like to revisit the drama of WHY, be my guest. Oh and, this one too. I'm not gonna hash it all out again because it's really not necessary. My thoughts on the matter are already embedded in the skin of the internet! And in the words of a Kelly Clarkson song I listened to today, "it's been a long time since those hands I left my tears in." It's time to move on!)

So it's not been the best time to be job hunting, y'know? I probably haven't pounded the pavement as much as I could have, but I've applied for quite a few jobs and either they weren't hiring...or they weren't hiring ME. Jeremy's been very patient with me as I've been very picky. I didn't wanna work here, there or the other place. Basically I wanted to love whatever I was working with as much as I'd loved the merchandise (and people) I had been around at my old job. And it just didn't seem like it was going to happen. I'd almost resigned to just being a hermit and placing some ads on my blog to earn extra money.

Well over the weekend, a bunch of new job listings popped up over the internet for receptionist positions. I figured, what the heck? I could do that. I'm an excellent typist, have good people skills and I can answer a phone. *haha* (I know there's more to it, I'm just bein' silly.) So I got "creative" with my resume (which took FOREVER! I hate resume writing! It makes my head spin to speak in incomplete, self-congratulating sentences.) and applied for several online.

Thus starts my crazy day. I got a call from the optometrist office I'd applied to, asking if I would come in and fill out their application. I agreed, but said it would be later in the afternoon because FIRST I needed to: bring my resume to a vet clinic that didn't offer the "apply online" option, and take Wrigley & Cubby to their own vet for shots.

The vet clinic I applied at is further East, but not as far as I where I was working before so no biggie. When I got there, they had me fill out THEIR application (seriously, what's with all the personalized applications? All this information is right here on my pretty, organized resume, shouldn't that be good enough?) The woman I talked to was very nice and after going over my app, she asked me if I could come back at 3:30 to talk to the veterinarian. I figured I had plenty of time, so I agreed.

By the time I got back home, it was time to load the boys up and get them to OUR vet. (Hope you're not getting to confused with all these different vets! *haha*) Their checkup went well, Wrigley's down about a pound which is good. Geez, though, it was expensive. Our most costly visit yet, and I still can't figure out why. I guess because they were due for everything at once, but still!

So then I came home, ate a really quick lunch and headed to the optometrist office. It was a little after 2:15 and I figured I'd have plenty of time to fill out their app and still get to my interview by 3:30. PLENTY of time, right? Well I didn't know what I was getting myself into. The gal behind the counter handed me the clipboard and I took a seat. The first part was pretty standard, all the normal application hoopla. But then I flipped to the next page...and it was a personality test. A little weird but I can see why it might come in handy. So ok, I filled that out too.

Then I flipped to the last page and...*gasp* Someone might as well have shot me through my chest. It was a MATH TEST!!!! Let it be known, there are two things that I hate more than anything in this world. Namely: Math and Tests. Put the two together and I go completely bonkers. I started to sweat...I felt my heart begin to race...I immediately forgot everything I ever knew about even the most basic of math. (Although, some of this wasn't so basic. It's been like 9 years since I'd seen some of this stuff! Give me a break!) And all this IN PEN with no calculator or scratch paper. Before long I made the mistake of looking at my watch: it was 3:00!! I only had half an hour to get myself across town to my interview. This induced even greater panic. I know I must have given some really screwy answers on that math test. I was embarrassed to even turn it in.

But when I did, the girl says, "Ok great, just one more thing I need you to do. Come back here and I'll start you on the typing test." TYPING TEST? I wanted to scream, "Lady, I don't have TIME for this! And you're wasting both of our time, anyway, just look at the math portion of my application!" But I politely sat down. Um, it didn't go well. Not only had I forgotten my math, I also forgot how to type. This is tragic, because I'm a darn fast typist. It's one of the few "skillz" I feel confident in. But I was having to type a bunch of medical terms and codes that I didn't understand or know how to spell, so I spent half my time rechecking the words. And she was sitting there timing me, making me extra nervous. AND (could I possibly have any more excuses? Pathetic!) I'm so used to my laptop now that I kept reaching downward to "scroll" with my fingers instead of reaching up for the mouse. I've been crippled for the "real world." *haha*

When I left I was NOT feeling very confident in myself. Satan was playing quite a game with me as I drove across town for my interview, filling my head with all sorts of lies. "You're pathetic. Why are you even bothering with this? No one's gonna want to hire you. You have NO SKILLS! You worked at the same job for so long that you became completely useless to the rest of the world. All you know how to do is ring up scrapbook supplies. It's irrelevant. You're unemployable. You might as well turn this car around and forget the interview." Pretty bad, I know.

But luckily I didn't have to "take it sittin' down." I escorted his lies right out of my consciousness with some much needed prayer. "Lord, I know I'm not great at everything, but you've made me valuable. You didn't waste Your time creating me...You've given me talents and traits that are unique to only me. I have a lot to offer those around me, especially because I have You beside me and Your strength to lean on. I don't have to be nervous about this interview because I'm not going in there alone. Speak through me! And if this isn't the right place for me, I'll accept that. And I'll wait for the perfect match that I know You'll provide." And with that I went inside.

The interview COULD NOT have gone any better. The staff was extremely friendly, just as the woman I'd met that afternoon had been. And when the vet interviewed me, I felt completely at ease. In fact, I felt more comfortable with him INSTANTANEOUSLY than I ever had with my former employers. He was very down to earth and didn't seem like he was looking down at me or trying to intimidate me. He was easy to talk to. He asked me about my application where I'd asked for Sundays off (before I realized that they were closed on Sundays) and I told him it was because I go to church. He told me that I would fit right in because he and most of the staff are Christians and that he wants those principals to be conveyed in the way they treat customers and each other. What a refreshing thought! A boss that doesn't scream and scold you in front of customers?

So they're conducting interviews for the rest of this week and will make a decision next week. I won't lie, I kind of hoped they'd offer me a contract right then and there, saying "Hallelujah, you're the one!!!" But it's OK. I need to take the time to pray about it...as I hope they do also. I really do feel like this would be a good fit for me, though. But if not, at least this got me moving in the right direction....back into the land of the living! :)

I Heart DietGirl

2009-03-10T10:31:00.004-05:00

Did you see? I'm pretty much famous. Check it out.

So cool, right? When I saw this little photo gallery, I knew I needed to add my picture to the group, being the fan that I am. So I emailed Shauna (aka DietGirl) with my photo and told her how much I loved the book and blah-de-blah blah blah. Much to my excitement, she e-mailed me back! She was sooo sweet...telling me I was very color-coordinated (cause I totally am, even with my wall! *haha* It wasn't on purpose...this is just the result of being constantly surrounded by bright colors - everything eventually coordinates!) and that she liked my glasses. She also said she'd tracked down my blog, since I'd neglected to add the link *oops* and had read my review about her book! *IPE!* And here I'd called her a potty-mouth! I was so embarrassed. *haha* But she couldn't have been kinder. Just as nice as can be. I think I'll print out her e-mail and scrapbook it. (I have such lofty ambitions for all the things in my life I plan to scrapbook. Anyone else notice that?) Well, at the very least I'll print it out and put it somewhere...special. :)

Plus, now this blog is linked from that page, so I've been getting visitors from new places! I think it's so neat to see different flags on my Traffic Feed. So hello out there! Nice to have you. :)

(OH! And can I also say how amused I am by the amount of visitors I get because they're searching for calories in a Famous Dave's cornbread muffin, or something to that effect? It's UNREAL! I get 4 or 5 hits a day because of that topic alone! A lot of us calorie counters must be falling pray to those evil, buttery delights.)

Weight-ing Around

2009-03-09T10:56:00.003-05:00

It's weigh-in day, folks! And the theme today is "2 steps up, 2 steps down." I managed to lose those two pounds that I gained last week, and not a smidge more. I guess I'm happy with that, although I was really hoping for a bonus pound as a reward for coming to my senses. :) Ah well, considering I missed three gym days last week to take the dogs for a walk, I didn't burn quite as many calories as I should/could have. So I'm good with two pounds.

I've decided something. I know in the past I said I was only going to track my weight loss since January and not count the 5 lbs I lost in November/December. Well that's just stupid. Because in my head I'm still including that 5 lbs and it's just getting downright confusing tracking two different numbers. Plus, it's weight that's gone off my body, why shouldn't I count it? I was at my heaviest weight EVER around Thanksgiving, so I should be counting any weight lost since then. There, it's decided. So I'm down 17lbs. That's a big chunka change, folks! Looking at myself, I don't really know where I put it! Guess I was bigger than I thought.

AND! AND guess what! There's more! You know my handy dandy scale with it's fancy doohickies that measure body fat? Well my percentage went down! I was at 31.somethin' (after we figured out how tall I really am *hehe*) and this morning it read 28.7! That's a significant drop, isn't it? So I guess I'm building some muscle, which is great. To be honest I haven't even worked that hard at strength-training yet. I've been doing mostly cardio with some weights thrown in every once in a while. So I was pleased to see that number had changed. :)

Here's what I'm most excited about. Remember the great weather I told you about? Well it spurred me to dig out some shorts and capris from the depths of my drawers. I thought trying them on might give me some extra motivation, y'know, to shrink into them. But they FIT!!! Hallelujah! My super cute denim capri's that I ballooned out of last Summer are fitting beautifully again.

And then there's a couple pairs of shorts that I bought last Spring on sale. They were too tight when I bought them but I planned on losing some more weight so they'd fit. I never managed to do that, so these shorts were sitting in my drawer with the tags still on them. Tragic! But I was able to get them up and zipped AND still breathe in them. :) It was a very good day.

Dogwalker

2009-03-08T19:36:00.004-05:00

My dogs are getting spoiled. Today I treated them to their fourth consecutive walk. I know, I think they might explode with joy! *haha* The weather since Thursday has just been too good to be true, though. So I couldn't resist taking advantage of it. And each day we've walked in a different direction or place so it's been fresh and fun each time. (Of course I think I could walk them in a circle in the driveway and they'd probably still enjoy it.)

On Thursday it actually got into the 80's here!! It was crazy! I mean, I was physically hot at one point. In March. Nutso! But that day we walked a whole city block, which I measured later in my car and it equals about 4 miles. Not too shabby! No wonder all of their tails and tongues were dragging when we got home.

Then on Friday I decided to walk them to our closest Sonic. That's something I've always wanted to do, since it's the only place I can think of where you can place your order outside. (You'll be proud, though. No corndog and tator tots for this girl. Just a small water, extra ice for me and a small water, no ice for them. Boooooring but refreshing. And cheap! *haha*) And on the residential road we took to get there, a passing car honked and stopped alongside us...it was my friend Sandy that I used to work with! What ARE the odds?? (It was great to see you Sandy! It made our day! Well, it made my day. Putting the leashes on their necks had already made the dogs' day. *hehe*) When we got there, some of the carhops loved up my doggies while I sipped my water for a bit, then we headed back. But it was fun, I think we'll do it again!

Yesterday was the first time I've driven the dogs anywhere since I cleaned my car. I wanted it to stay fur-free as long as possible for a while, considering how hard those guys had worked (and the fact I'd paid for it). Earlier in the week, I had spotted a walkway around a lake that sits behind a local shopping center, so we went there for our stroll. It was much, much windier than I'd expected so it was the least pleasant of our walks this week. But they still seemed to enjoy it.

And today we just strolled around our neighborhood. We live in a pretty nice area for walking...there aren't many sidewalks but the streets are plenty wide and not too busy. I like to always go a different way and see what new routes I can come up with. Today we ran across a group of little girls riding bikes. They all started to "Awwww PUPPIES! Awww! AWWW!!!' and eventually one said, "Can we pet'em real quick?" I obliged, since the boys LOVE attention and are usually disappointed when passerby's don't feel the need to pet them. At the same time, I thought back to when I was a kid...I would have NEVER approached a total stranger and requested to pet their dogs. I guess my Mom just engrained a much better stranger-danger radar in me. Then again I probably didn't look all that intimidating to these kids. *haha* And at least they did ask...a lot of kids just come running, not knowing if the dogs are friendly or not. Dangerous!

Generally when people see me walking three dogs, they say something like, "Looks like you've got your hands full!" or "Are they all yours?" I just laugh and nod. Really, I'm surprised no one ever comments about how under control they are. They are SUCH good walkers. I mean, walking three dogs at once could be an absolute nightmare but they're so good, it's a pleasure! (Except for the occasional opportunity to carry fresh, warm, dog poop in a thin plastic baggy. That's not so fun.)

Of course, I do have some help. MoJo and Wrigley both wear Gentle Leaders, which work wonders! I haven't seen the need to get Cubby one at this point. Since neither MoJo or Wrigley are pulling, he doesn't seem to feel competitive or need to charge ahead of us.

Other than that, my tricks are these: They must remain by my side at all times. MoJo walks on the right by himself because he touchy if he doesn't have enough room, Cubby and Wrigley are on the left (although sometimes Cubby trails behind, which is fine.) I don't let them pull out in front (that was a tip from the Dog Whisperer...a dog that leads the way believes its in control). I used to let MoJo trot around ahead of me however he pleased, but then when we got Wrigley, this became a problem because their leashes would get tangled. I can't even imagine the chaos of THREE dogs doing their own thing! Yikes! Oh, in order to keep them reigned in and close I take all three leashes and tie them around my right hand, which I keep behind my back. So I guess you can say I walk all three dogs with one arm tied behind my back! *haha*

Also, they're only allowed to pee/sniff/pee some more, at designated stops. I can't have them all tugging to get at different poles and bushes the entire time...that would be exhausting. So two or three times on a walk, I'll "pull over" to let them have their fun. I make them take turns (learned that lesson after having them pee on each other one too many times...three hiking dogs is a mess.) and they've learned the routine. First MoJo, then Wrigley, then Cubby. What this does to their little doggy hierarchy I don't really know...but that would be interesting to have analyzed! *haha* Somebody call Cesar! ;)

Hmmm...sorry, I just realized this is my fourth dog post in a row since I did the "Meet My Mutts" triolgy. But tomorrow is weigh-in day, so no dogs here tomorrow I promise!

Meet Cubby!

2009-03-05T22:26:00.015-06:00

It's time to complete the Trifecta.....my three amigos, three musketeers, three little piggies. *hehe* Thanks for indulging my need to ramble incessantly about my dogs. They really are my babies. :)

Cubby

(aka Cubs, Cubbers, Cubby Wubby, Cubby Dubby, Cubbalicious, and CUBBY MATTHEW!! when he's in trouble.)

Oh and to answer a question that was posed...yes we ARE Cubs (and Bears) fans. Well, Jeremy is and I tagalong cause I'm his wife. *hehe* Wrigley was named after Wrigley Field, but I actually chose the name Cubby because he reminded me so much of a little lion cub as a puppy. But it still works for that theme too. :)

The 411

Breed: Pretty much no clue. Any guesses?? His mom was a chihuahua mix and we don't know what the daddy was, so there's no telling how much of a hybrid this baby is.

Age: 1 1/2 (but still all puppy!)

Fur Color: Cream, blonde, whatever you wanna call it. I call it Pudding. :)

Fur Type: Amazingly soft! It reminds me of a Golden Retriever. The only problem is that it acts like a cottony magnet...everything sticks to it! Leaves, twigs, fuzz, everything.

Eye Color: Brown

Size: Around 11 lbs. The funny thing about Cubby is that he has fairly short legs but a long body, so when he stands next to the other dogs he's smaller than they are, but when he SITS next to them, his head is even with MoJo's!

What's your favorite thing about your dog? He is sweet as sugar! Something about him just makes me wanna baby him and kiss him all over. He does this adorable noise when he yawns, that I call the "Littlefoot yawn." (Which can be observed at 1:13 in the below clip). It's precious. He also happens to follow me around everywhere and practically melts at my feet when I acknowledge his presence.

What's your least favorite thing? He growls. Not like aggressively. Almost like an unconscious response to being moved or disturbed. Like instead of a groan or a sigh to release excess air, he growls. *haha* And brave visitors think it's really funny to get him all riled up and annoyed because then he growls REALLY loud.

Background

Where did you get him? We got him from the same shelter that Wrigley came from: OK-Save-A-Dog in Oklahoma City.

Any special details? Well sometime in the Fall of '07 I was struck by puppy fever. True, we had just gotten Wrigley in February, but we didn't get to enjoy his puppy stage since he was already a couple years old. So I started to hint, ask, beg....whatever it took. Jeremy finally agreed.

This time I thought I wanted a much smaller dog, a "pocket puppy" if you will. I also thought it would be fun to have a female. Just to mix things up (and dress things up, if you get my drift *hehe*). But I also wanted to adopt from a shelter again, so that narrowed my choices a bit.

Then in December I found a listing on Petfinder.com for a litter of Chihuahua mix puppies at OK-Save-A-Dog. There were a couple females in the mix, but they were already spoken for. But that was OK because the one I fell in love with was the male: a fluffy little poofball that just melted my heart! Check it out, these were the pictures from the ad:

Cubby's on the left.

Hanging out with a fellow-shelter dog. He's the chubby lump giving kisses. (And yes, I did want the St. Bernard too, but that wasn't gonna happen.)

So that weekend we drove down to OKC to pick up our new baby. On the way there, I started to feel kinda yucky and by the time we arrived, I had the full-fledged flu with a fever and all. It was miserable. Especially because that same weekend, OKC was hit with the biggest ice storm they've ever seen. It was actually quite scary. Everything shut down and in the morning Jeremy literally had to break our car out of a layer of ice. (While I laid down on the bed like a zombie.)

We were actually scared that we wouldn't be able to make it to the shelter, because the roads were really bad. But luckily, the shelter was far enough away that the area almost completely missed the storm. Thank God! To go through all that without getting to take Cubby home would have been terribly frustrating.

So we showed up and Kim (the shelter owner) brought out this tiny, fuzzy, wiggly little ball. I tried to be a little more thorough with the "dog-testing" this time, doing a few quick things to make sure he wasn't "broken." *haha* He seemed just perfect so we loaded up in the car and made our way back home. We had a little photo shoot as he sat in my lap.

Where's the mother? I believe she was still at the shelter. :( I hope she found a good home too!

Spayed/Neutered? Yes. The shelter spays and neuters every animal before it's adopted.

Any injuries or illnesses? Nothing! *knock on wood*

Training

Does he bite? He's our biggest "play-biter." He doesn't bite down hard but he does still like to "mouth" on hands. Nothing a little smack on the nose doesn't take care of, though. ;)

Does he jump on people? This is a yes on all our boys. :(

Is he house-broken? Yes, almost completely. If we don't pay close enough attention to him and miss his very quiet and polite requests, though, he will leave us a present in front of the door.

Has he chewed up anything special? Other than a few stray pens or pieces of paper, he really hasn't gotten into much.

Does he bark? Yes. But only when he's playing. He doesn't bark at people or animals out the window or at the doorbell.

Fetch? YES!! We were so excited when we discovered he liked to fetch. He's really good at it, too. He'll just keep bringing that ball back until you ignore him.

Did he go to obedience school? No....I kept meaning to sign him up for the puppy class but time got away from us.

Does he play nicely with others? Well he plays really well with MoJo and Wrigley. But I took him (without the other two) to a church football game where he met a friend's huge, very excited Golden Retriever puppy. He coward behind my legs and growled. I think he was already feeling insecure to be without his brothers in a strange place for the first time...plus a little scared by this big dog.

Has he ever humped your leg? No, nor anything else.

Any special tricks? He can sit and shake. We really dropped the ball on teaching him stuff. But it's really hard to teach anything when you've got two other dogs trying to get the treats too.

Preferences

Where's his favorite place to sleep? At night he sleeps at the end of the bed at my feet.

Favorite food? CHEESE!!

Favorite toy? He loves toys, period!

Favorite place to run around? Backyard.

Favorite owner? I think it's ME! *hehe* I know he loves Jeremy too, but I truly feel that he's a mama's boy. :)

Personality

Is your dog calm or hyper? He's still a puppy, what can I say? He does the silliest things for attention.

Explorer or Couch Potato? Explorer! He loves the outdoors, especially when he finds a stick that needs chewing.

Does he learn quickly? We haven't really challenged him enough to know! :(

Stubborn at all? Yeah. if he doesn't want to come in when you call him he'll just stare at you from the yard. Reminds me of the Miniature Schnauzer I grew up with.

Does he like to swim? Probably not...he doesn't like to get wet.

Is he a cuddler? Yes, absolutely! When Jeremy and I sit on the couch together he simply must be touching one of us. He prefers to be in a lap, but he'll settle for just leaning up against you if the laps are taken by the other two.

Some Favorite Photos

Cutest puppy EVER! :)

What a great Christmas present!

Snow puppy

Standing at me feet

Looking grown up!

His ears get kinda crazy sometimes. :)

Snuggly wuggly

My favorite Cubby photo to date. Doesn't he look regal? :)

Meet Wrigley!

2009-03-04T22:03:00.016-06:00

It's time for another installment of HERE'S...MY....DOGGY!!! *trying to sound like a game show host*

(BTW, thanks for the nice comments about my Mojey Pojey. And yes, absolutely, everyone should feel free to use this on their blog for their own dogs [or cats! or guinea pigs! or whatever!] I would adore that! It would be a hoot to meet the special little creatures in your lives.)

Wrigley

(aka Wriggles, Wrigs, WrigaMaJig, Wrigaroo, and

WRIGLEY JAMES!! when he's in trouble)

The 411

Breed: He's a Terrier Casserole. Can'tcha tell? (More Rat than Jack Russell, if you ask me. But others have disagreed.

Age: 3-ish we think.

Fur Color: Mostly white, with a few liver polka dots...and some great freckles on his shnozz.

Fur Type: Short and wiry. He sheds the kind of hair that digs itself into your clothes (or upholstery) and then holds on for dear life. *sigh*

Eye Color: Brown

Size: He's smaller than MoJo but weighs more! He's almost 16lbs! He's pretty stalky...but we do watch his treat intake because the vet warned us he was getting "too round." Of all the nerve! *haha*

What's your favorite thing about your dog? Aw Wrigley. What's not to love? He really is quite a charmer...making every single person that enters this house feel as though they are the only person he has ever loved. He rolls over in your lap and gazes up at you as if you were singing him a love song. I also love how well he gets along with both MoJo and Cubby. I call him the "Glue Dog," as in the glue that holds us all together. (Obscure White Squall reference anyone?) It's so cute to see how much they both want to be with him. They almost fight over him. *haha*

What's your least favorite thing? The same quality that makes him so sweet: he's SO stinkin' needy! There always seems to be this extreme urgency in his desire to be near you. He doesn't respect personal space AT ALL.

Those are MY legs! Told ya, no personal space.

Background

Where did you get him? He's from a shelter right outside of Oklahoma City called OK-Save-A-Dog. We found him through Petfinder.com.

Runt of the litter? Wish I knew!

Any special details? Of course silly head! In February of 2007, we started thinking MoJo needed a friend. This time around I knew I wanted a rescue dog, but other than that the only qualification was that it be another male, young and close in size. Breed didn't matter to me.

We found his profile the week of Valentine's Day and I made a mental note of him, but I was still extremely surprised when I got home from work Valentine's Day evening and Jeremy met me at the door with a suitcase. He told me we were taking a little roadtrip to OKC and were going to meet Wrigley (then going by "Tyro") the next morning! He'd already bought another crate, leash, colloar...the whole shebang. So I guess you could say Wrigs was my Valentine's Day present. :)

The next day when we went to meet Wrigley, we were smitten with him instantly. It was a FREEEEEEZING cold day and the poor little guy was just shivering like mad. I picked him up and he nuzzled into my chest. He was dirty (there was mud and snow on the ground) and painfully thin. I know you're supposed to do a full-blown examination of a dog before you adopt them, to make sure you don't end up with a "lemon." But from the minute I held him I just wanted to sweep him off into the car. And that's basically what we did (after we paid the lady, that is). I wrapped him up in the blankets Jeremy had thoughtfully brought and blasted the car heat on high. He looked up at me with that patented Wrigley look...and I knew we'd done the right thing. Here are pictures of what he looked like when we first got him home:

So sad, isn't it?? And to think he's now being accused of being "too round!" That's what getting into our family will do for ya. *wink wink*

Where's the mother? Wouldn't really know, now would I? *haha*

Spayed/Neutered? Yes. The shelter spays and neuters every animal before it's adopted.

Any injuries or illnesses? The only thing that's ever happened to this poor fella is when he ripped his dewclaw in half. (The story's here, if you wanna read it.) He was a super trooper about it, though.

Training

Does he bite? We've never been bitten by Wrigley. Now...if he gets really into a bone he will growl and bare his teeth and make all sorts of evil noises. But he doesn't follow through on it. *haha*

Does he jump on people? This is a yes on all our boys. :(

Is he house-broken? Yes! The best of the three. I can't think of a single accident he's ever had in the house...not even straight from the shelter.

Has he chewed up anything special? Nothing "special," but he is a bit of a chew monster. He destroyed the tray that used to sit in the bottom of his crate (which now sits on a plank of wood so he won't chew a hole in the carpet). And he shreds any blanket, pillow or towel that is put in his crate. Plus he can "kill" a stuffed toy and have the squeaker out in record time. I haven't been able to find a toy he can't destroy. But he's never chewed anything up around the house, like shoes or furniture or anything.

Does he bark? Yeeeah. The terrier in him demands that he bark at anyone who comes to the door or any furry creature that passes his way. He also barks in protest when he's first crated. But he's fairly easy to shut up.

Fetch? Kinda. He likes to fetch a few times but then decides he'd rather chew up whatever we're throwing. *haha*

Did he go to obedience school? No but I wish we would have.

Does he play nicely with others? Yes! I can't imagine him not getting along with anyone. Oh wait....

When we first brought him home, he and MoJo were no love connection. I think it was mostly MoJo's fault, but it was still very frustrating! We had to keep them completely separated for the first WEEK. I was starting to think Wrigley was gonna have to find a new place to live, but then we saw on the Dog Whisperer a similar situation. Cesar (our hero) simply took the dogs on a walk together, conveying to them that they were "in the same pack." We decided to give it a try and AMAZINGLY it worked! We brought them home and they ran around the backyard, playing like they were best buddies. It was nothing short of a miracle. :) This picture was taken shortly thereafter:

(Look how much he'd already fattened up. Just in a week!)

Has he ever humped your leg? No. But he does like to play that "game" with Cubby. Especially when we have company. I think he's just trying to get our attention, cause we always go nuts trying to stop him.

Any special tricks? *haha* No. Wrigley is the sweetest thing, but he ain't the brightest crayon in the box. He can sit on command and after about 2 months we managed to teach him to shake. And anytime you try to teach him anything new...he just keeps puttin' that paw up in the air like, "I can do THIS! I can do THIS! I can do THIS!" :)

Preferences

Where's his favorite place to sleep? Curled up next to me, under the covers. During the day, since he's always cold, his very best friend is the portable space heater I use. He follows it wherever I put it and basks in its glow.

Favorite food? I think he'd eat anything...but lately he's really into apple cores.

Favorite toy? Anything with a squeaker!

Favorite place to run around? Backyard.

Favorite owner? I know he has plenty of love for me, but I'd be crazy not to admit he's a Daddy's boy. The evidence is overwhelming:

Personality

Is your dog calm or hyper? Fairly calm. We've coined the exceptionally clever name "Crazy Wrigley Time" for when he does go nuts. He runs up and down the stairs, around tables, on and off of couches...the whole time making these "Rooroooroooroo!" noises. It's pretty hilarious. He also enjoys a good romp with Cubby. They love the wrestle.

Explorer or Couch Potato? Couch potato. He's always the first one ready to come inside.

Does he learn quickly? Ahuh, no.

Stubborn at all? Not really. He's easily intimidated so he doesn't stick to his guns. And he's eager for affection so he'll stop whatever he's doing if you'll pet him.

Does he like to swim? I doubt it. He has come to enjoy bathtime, though. Being covered in hot water while being massaged can't be that bad, right?

Is he a cuddler? Yes! His joints are very stiff, though, which makes him awkward to cuddle sometimes.

Some Favorite Photos

Happy face!

I'll do anything for you, Mommy.

Loungin' around in a t-shirt.

All dressed up with nowhere to go!

"If you leave me now, you'll take away the biggest part of meeeee!!! OOOOOOOOH baby please don't gooooo!"