I have a fiancee... and here are some pics already.

Ok, ok... for all of those who have been hounding me, I think this is as good as it's gonna get. At least for tonight. Jeff is passed out face first in the other room from jet lag... still in his jeans, lol. I think I wore him out taking him to Quinn's orthodontist appointment, with Quinn's very talkative 8 year old "charge" in town (Quinn was babysitting the neighbor kid). So I thought I'd do a couple quick cell phone shots in my jammies for the sake of blogdom and getting something posted for my loving blogger family.

The top pic was just added (had to come back and update the blog) after I finally got it off Jeff's phone which has horrible reception out here. This is taken en route from the Portland airport to Carl's Junior. Yes, Jeff handed me my ring on the way to Carl's Junior and asked me to marry him. Can't think of any better way- I was really hoping he'd be casual about it because I've never been much of a romantic! It was funny.

The "f" word is very strange still. It works, though :)

Dawg Portraits

Beth got a new studio! She needed to check her lighting, and I am always an eager vounteer. This time she had an upcoming doggy shoot for the following weekend, so she asked me to bring in a "subject." I chose Lucy because, well, she has been having all these problems and I am not sure how long she will be with me. I thought this was a nice opportunity to get some professional portraits done. I love them!

This one is called "Lucy catching a treat."

This is my favorite. It's very modern looking, I am going to frame it for the house. My goal is to have a ton of nice doggy head shots all over.

I love this one. This is totally candid. We were just kissing, and not to be a dork, but it reminds me of how happy Lucy makes me when she is just being sweet.

Lucy looking inquizitive.

This was so much fun, I am trying to find a time to take the Corgis in. I would love some great pics of them! Beth does an amazing job with animals. If anyone's in Portland and wants pet pics (her prices are even reasonable) her website with contact info is http://www.tallgrasspdx.com/.

Where to stay?

Need hotel suggestions. Trying to plan our move to Houston, which could happen anywhere in the next 3-4 weeks depending on when the house closes, I was thinking of who will be riding with me and who will fly (dog-wise), and also where to stay. So I am looking for dog show friend advice here...

I'll be taking the route of I5 through California (we'll stop and say hi, Carolyn... and won't make you do nails!) and then cutting over on I10 to drive through Phoenix since I have 3 friends currently living there and grandpuppy Sedona to meet! Then I10 all the way into Texas. Do you guys know of any dog friendly accommodations along the way? I know everyone has shown at least down through California, so I figured y'all might have some tried and true places you use.

So far my riding candidates are Bunny (she has first dibs on the car) and Lily. Bunny is too old to deal with the flying crap, and Lily has some odd breathing issues that I worry about. Cosmo will ride if we can squeeze him in so we can save a bit of money on airfare. We're going to trial run that tomorrow. Lucy (airplane veteran) and Bud (though I hate to do it to the old man because he'll be terrified, he is strong as a horse and extremely car sick) will fly with Quinn. I really wanted to rent a cargo van and drive them all, but cargo vans seem to be in-town rentals only.

Also, what is everyone's take on sedation while flying? What do you use, and is it a good idea? I seem to remember all dogs getting downers pre-flight and then all of a sudden everyone is against it. Some airlines won't even fly sedated dogs.

Thanks for any advice! There's an awful lot to this moving stuff. Forget packing... coordinating everyone is craziness!

Lucky Charms

And joining the brood soon is... Lucky!

All my dogs have stupid nick names, and I always call Lucky "Lucky Charms" when I think Jeff might not be listening. He's really cute, albeit a total pain in the arse. He should fit right in.

Mandy wanted to see pics because we are wondering if Lucky is a purebred Heeler. What do you think, Mandy? Jeff found him running stray in some small crappy town in BFE Texas, and just the other day (3ish years later) found that there is a breeder in that same small crappy town, and the dogs on their webpage look just exactly like Lucky. If he is one of their dogs he had definitely gotten away, and was "Lucky" to have been found and brought home. He's well fed and loved, but wasn't doing so hot when Jeff found him.

New House!

Jeff is signing the papers on the offer we agreed to with the sellers as I blog this! 2100 square feet, 4 bedrooms, Either 2 or 2.5 baths (I think there is a toilet in the laundry room) and on a really cute street. So excited!!! Everyone come visit! Just not all at once!

I heart Corgis. At the end of probably one of the most emotionally exhausting days of my entire life, I am laying in bed with precious Cosmo, his cold nose nestled into my shoulder. Very little is better than that!

I took the offer on the house. Much debate and angst went into the decision, but it's done. It feels really good, too. I was so ready for it. Thank goodness I will be in Houston by the end of February. Basking in the sunshine, holding hands with Jeff as we walk into Thai Gormet and Lupes, going on walks with the dogs, decorating the new house. Hanging out with Cheska! I can't believe we're moving back at the same time! I'll miss all my friends here, but I'll have the ability to come out and visit if any of you want to keep me : ) I am already thinking of how Bunny and I are going to make it to some dog shows.

On my to-do list for tomorrow is getting the house ready for inspection (dishwasher needs fixing), finding out prices for shots and heartworm meds, and determining the most cost efficient way to get myself, a teenager, and 5 dogs to Texas. Apparently renting a cargo van isn't as easy as I thought when you're driving cross country. Any suggestions?

SOLD... I think

So, sitting on my kitchen counter is an offer on my house, which needs respondng to by tomorrow morning.

It's not a bad offer. It would have been a better offer had my realtor remembered to tell me about excise tax to the tune of 3 percent. But short of doing a lot of work, raising the price, and sitting around for another few months, this is an offer I should probably jump on. I have talked to several people now, completely uninvested in whether or not I sell this property, and all but one has told me to bail now.

I thought of keeping it as a rental until the market goes up, but I would be upside down $200 each month and that doesn't even include repairs that renters might want. Factor in the new gutters needed soon, the new fencing needed soon, and the clean up needed every time you switch renters... it started to look like a bad prospect. Plus Jeff's parents sent me the tax rules for renting and they don't look very advantageous. If I held for a few years til the market goes back up what I would make off the house would probably break even with what I would lose. Not interested. So glad Jeff's dad has an IRS background and sent me that info. Thanks, Howard! Renting made me feel in over my head financially every time I thought of it, and now I know it's not worth feeling in over my head.

Should have sold last year, but life happens wen life happens, and you've gotta move when you've gotta move. There will be other houses to gain from. I should just be grateful to be getting a nice down payment for our Houston house as well as a little extra money.

I am sad but happy... do they call that bittersweet? It's the last house my mom lived in. Thank goodness I have her things to put all around the new house. I also really like La Center, and Washington, and have some good friends here. As I told Cheska earlier, though; I am trying to remember that we live in a mobile society. I can visit, and I can ever come back in a few years if I want, or buy a vacation cabin here. There are many options, and living cheaply in Houston for a while will open up so many options I would not otherwise have.

On to the good things- we are very close to having our offer accepted on an amazing house in Houston! They did't want to take a contingent offer, and amazingly I got an offer on mine the day we put the offer in on theirs. The stars really aligned on that- I almost should not question it. I will put up links once our offer is officially accepted. I am super excited, though! It's 4 bedrooms, which is what we wanted, with the master downstairs and the other 3 upstairs. It is also 2100 sq ft and in a very nice neighorhood. I'm really, really happy!

I am also going to get to be near Jeff! Finally! I can't wait to go on dates again, and decorate our house, and be able to see each other all the time. It's going to be really great.

It is also good timing because Cheska moves back to Houston next week. So we will be able to hang out and have fun once again, and I am hoping I can coax her out of the inner loop and down to Richmond once in a while!

I better get to sleep now. I have to be at the realtor's office at 8:30am to sign those papers. Sniff... wahoo!... not sure which one to go with.

A Very "Crappy" Ending

You know you're a crazy dog lady when life's major events can be unraveled by none other than... a piece of overlooked dog poo.

So, on Friday we got an offer on the house. It seemed to be "the offer." Very well timed, willing to pay full price, made the same day that we decided to offer on a house in Houston that we love. Then I get a call last night- the buyers needed to bring their Grandpa by the house to look, since he is making the down payment. Just as surely as I felt this offer was IT, I felt that Grandpa would be the kiss of death.

I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned... swept 2ce, then used the shop vac, then mopped. I thought I was in really good shape. I'd never gone to that much trouble cleaning before. I left the house, still feeling uneasy, but knowing I had done the best I could short of bringing in the pros (which unfortunately one cannot do when they have only a few hours notice).

I was away from my house, and about half an hour later the phone started ringing off the hook. First my realtor... "Grandpa was very 'put out' by the dog smell and all the dog hair in the house. Didn't you sweep and mop?" Then the buyer's agent telling me that Grandpa had stepped in a pile of crap on the patio!!! Yes, my Bunny is a patio pellet pooper! I thought I'd gotten it all shoveled up, but apparently there was a little turd on the doggy ramp and Grandpa walked into it. OMG.

So the buyers want the house. They should... they are the filthy people who went through my medicine cabinets and actually "dribbled" on my toilet seat when they were viewing the house. Obviously they don't mind filth (not that my house is filthy, I cleaned!). However, now they have to beg Grandpa to let them buy it. Anyway... I feel pretty bad. I was really hoping this would be the sale, and that things would start moving forward for moving to Houston. On the flip side, I am a bit entertained that evil Grandpa stepped in a pile of doggy doody since he obviously takes after the part of anatomy that the doody comes from.

So I will find out tomorrow if they go for the house or not. My realtor called and tried to make amends by saying we'd be happy to have the house professionally cleaned prior to their move in. My friend Jen said that she expects to see a full price offer, minus the cost of Grandpa's new pair of shoes. LOL! Evil dog haters.

Morning View

Thanks goodness for flash so I could capture the view I had as I woke up just now. Nobody tell Cosmo I put this picture of him on here, ok?

Bunny!

This morning Bunny and I were playing, and she took her bad leg with the prosthetic elbow piece and pushed my hand with all her might! Go Bunny! I swear, she is making new progress weekly with the leg. She's almost completely paw down when she walks now.

Awake Again and New Hair

Ear pressure, such a lovely thing. It's 4am and I woke up with itchy ears that feel like I am up in an airplane, only the popping phenomenon that gives relief is not going to occur. May as well blog to pass the time!

So this is the 4am bedhead version of my new 'do:

What do y'all think? See what I mean about it being very blunt along the bottom? Quinn doesn't love it, and I am still debating. It's definitely not a look I am used to. My neighbor, Donna, loves it, and so did the lady sitting next to me at the salon who kept saying "She is so cute, I love that haircut, it is so cute!" over and over and over again. She was sweet, but I felt kind of awkward after the 5th comment! I think either some highlights or lowlights are in order. I had this exact same hair cut several years ago with blonde highlights and it looked kick ass. Jeff is begging me not to get ANY blonde in my hair, but I really like how it looks! I always said I would never be one of THOSE women who cares what her boyfriend thinks because it is MY head. However, I have asked him to go with me to get a new haircut when I get back to Houston, because he never tries anything different. So if I am asking him to experiment with his hair, then it is only fair that I stay a brunette! I think any form of highlight will kick it up a notch, though. Maybe a dark caramel, or even a chocolate low light. Bring on the suggestions!

Speaking of blondes, I am pretty sure our realtor is one. I love her to death. She listens and is able to pick out perfect houses based off of one phone conversation. She's seriously amazing. I felt like I was sending her out with Jeff as my surrogate through the whole home selection process (though he says he would have rather shopped with me- very sweet). I'd watch videos of these houses they were viewing, and hear her chime in "Oh, these cabinets are white. She hates white cabinets." She made it a hard decision by only showing stuff we would really like, in a neighborhood that we would be very comfortable in based off of my narrow minded west coast standards for neighborhood demographics and schooling. I think I am going to send her some flowers once we close because she really had a difficult task trying to work with someone out of state. I was really worried about not being able to see these houses, but with her representing what I like, and Jeff there with his opinion (and he is an amazingly good house shopper... I just keep getting happier and happier about having this great guy), it was like Jeff and Tavia shopping and I think we settled on a house that Jeff and Tavia would have settled on had we been shopping together. Her blonde comes in with the paperwork. All I can say is LOL, and thank goodness Jeff and I both own fine tooth combs.

Alright, off to bed now. Or I should say back to bed now. Not looking forward to the day ahead, with a trip to the orthodontist for Quinn AND an appointment at the high school to get his class schedule straightened out. It's going to be a busy day, and I just don't feel up to it.

Ear infections suck. Who gets ear infections at 29 and 2 years old, anyway? Here I lay, though. In bed, with the heating pad on my head, exhausted, but not tired. And for the first time in about a year I want my mama. Hahaha. That's definitely not respectable at my age, but since I have an illness that brings back memories of my childhood (I used to get 2 or 3 of these a year, I had horrible ears) I feel justified in admitting it!

Life goes on, though, and today I had to go to work, so I also slipped out and got a hair cut. I got a hair cut 2 weeks ago at the place I normally go out here, but decided I'd rather go chin length again. I keep trying to grow my hair out, but really long hair doesn't look that great on me. Since I didn't want to pay full price for a trim, I went to the Paul Mitchell School (which I am also trying to sign for work!). It came out pretty good! A little blunt along the bottom- I am used to lots of layers and texturing. It works, though. I think I'll go back there for color next week. I don't think I'd go there regularly for cuts, but it was the right price for a trim at $12.95 and the kids have some talent.

And now ending blog, because Quinn came to hang out with me and I like to take advantage of that!

Life as always

Not too much new going on, but I feel like I haven't blogged in a very long time.

The past couple days I've been sitting home with an ear infection. I haven't had an ear infection since I was about 5, but this one has been trying to get me for the past couple months and finally did. So I have my pink Amoxicillin (no, not the bubble gum flavored kind that goes in the fridge, unfortunately) and lots of orange juice, and my beloved heating pad that gets me through many an ailment.

Jeff and I found a house that we're making an offer on. No pics until it's official, because it is just a contingent offer, which means my house actually has to sell first. They also have to accept our offer, which being contingent may not happen. We'll see. I am really excited about the house, though. It's a cute 2 story with a lot of charm on a quiet looking street, that goes to the right school. Crossing fingers that all will work out!

I am very, VERY excited that Jeff is coming to visit in a couple weeks. 15 days, to be exact! See blog below.

Quinn is going to be starting his next semester of school in a couple weeks. I am happy that he'll be back in regular school with kids that live in our area. I think it will be really good for him.

And we're going to the dog show this weekend! Very excited to see everyone! I'm trying to get Marcy/Bunny's nails short enough that nobody will be too horrified. They grow like weeds and she gives me drama over having them done.

Upcoming Trip!

We all know that I am incredibly big dork, but in my defense, before ever reading Twilight I was dying to go the Olympic Peninsula. The only thing holding me back is that the part of the peninsula I knew about is only accessible by ferry, and the only accomodations there are either your own tent, or ridiculously expensive resorts/hotels. I hate driving my car onto ferries, and I won't pay over $100 a night to sleep. While reading the books, however, I was falling in love with the scenery and began wondering if this little town called Forks really existed. Well, it does... about 2.5 hours away from my house, in fact! Washington never ceases to amaze me. If you can get out of the city, there is no better state to live in.

So, I got very lucky this year. I was quasi considering renting a cabin in the woods near Forks for my birthday. I was also really wanting to see Jeff for my birthday. Well, for some reason the stars aligned, and plane tickets for the weekend of January 30th took a nose dive. Jeff is coming to town, and we are all going to Forks over my birthday weekend! I am so excited!

I just rented the following cabin:
It is right by the entrance to the rain forest, and only 20 minutes from the beaches. We may go up into the mountains, too, which I hear overlook the ocean. I'm also hoping we see elk. I think I could probably live someplace like this forever, and will most definitely be grabbing a real estate book while I am there so I can fuel my "2nd home" dreams.

We'll take lots of pictures and post them when we get back.

A girl's dream car

I need a Volvo c30. A few months ago I posted a blog about my goals, and one of them was to have a sports car that was not exactly practical, but not spend too much money on it. With a base price of $22k I think this fits the bill. I saw one, and it was love at first site!