I don't know about the rest of you, but my Corgis are trying to give me heart attacks. The big dogs NEVER freak me out like this, mind you... it is ALWAYS the Corgis.
I came out this morning to find Cosmo laying in his crate on his side, with his head mashed as hard as it could be mashed into the wire grating, with his eyes wide open and his tongue hanging out FAR. At first yell he didn't answer, and just before I burst into tears and thrust the crate door open, Mo opened his eyes all groggy like, wondering what the fuss was about.
Damn dawg. I can't decide if they're messing with me, or if they're truly the only breed in the world that sleeps so soundly.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Our Little Shampoo Model
OK, I am sure the bath time pics are getting really old, but I just couldn't resist. Doesn't she look like a shampoo model? Poor Marfy. I am such a bad human.
Monday, July 27, 2009
A Couple Pics
Just a couple pictures taken over the last few weeks.
Lily is cycling back to her needy side. I wish this picture had turned out better, but all I had was my phone with me at the time. It doesn't look like Cosmo could be very comfortable, does it?
I saw this awesome tree as I was walking through the Museum District in Houston. There are a lot of them like this. Roots seem to grow above ground here in Texas, but this one was over the top (no pun intended).
Lily is cycling back to her needy side. I wish this picture had turned out better, but all I had was my phone with me at the time. It doesn't look like Cosmo could be very comfortable, does it?
I saw this awesome tree as I was walking through the Museum District in Houston. There are a lot of them like this. Roots seem to grow above ground here in Texas, but this one was over the top (no pun intended).
Ramblings of an Insomniac
Quinn and I have joined the ranks of insomniacs. I understand from reading that my excuse is that this is a normal pregnancy side effect. I'm not sure what's wrong with Quinn, though. He goes through bouts of insomnia. Long bouts, for weeks, where even if he goes to bed he just lays there. He's anti melatonin, claiming it doesn't work for him. Anyone have any ideas on how to get him to sleep? I've even taken him to doctors for this in the past, and they are no help at all. One even suggested counting sheep. Thanks. He's not two. I'm hesitant to get him involved with any sort of chemical sleep aids, but this is becoming a huge problem. He keeps asking me every night for something to help him- we tried another herbal sleeping aid tonight- and here we sit at 4am. Ooh, make that 5am... I didn't realize.
The nice thing about being up this late (er, early) is that we get to see our dogs at their cutest. I fell asleep on the couch, and woke up because Marcy/Bunny gradually stole my blankets and has them hanging off the couch covering her. She was sleeping so soundly that I bailed out over the back of the couch when I woke up so I wouldn't disturb her. Lily is also being super needy tonight. She probably feels sick from all the waffles she ate this morning. She keeps trying to crawl into my lap and under the covers.
We went to Jeff's parents' for dinner tonight, and I feel like I ate an entire cow in one sitting. I've been craving beef like mad lately, so steak dinner really hit the spot. I cleared my plate, ate another half piece that someone had left, and thank goodness for mother in laws, Diane sent us home with 3 uncooked pieces for dinner this week. Among my other cravings are strawberries (I put sugar-in-the-raw over them and will eat 2 pounds at a time) and plums. Oh, and I can't seem to get enough water. I dehydrate really fast lately. I'm sure I'm grossing everyone out with the way I've been eating.
Tonight at dinner we also played Uno, the cool new version that comes with an electronic card "thrower." When you have to draw a card, you push the button on the thrower, and it dispenses a random number of cards. It could be zero, or it could be 8! Remember, the object of Uno is to unload all your cards faster than anyone else, so it puts a fun twist to the game (not to mention having cards shot at you from across the table is funny). It also has some dirty cards, like one that makes the person next to you take 2 turns drawing cards, and one that allows you to trade with another player. It was so much fun!
I'm sure that having a kid will be rewarding (unless it is like me as a child, which is what my mom cursed me with long ago) but right this second I am wishing I could just have a puppy. Puppy please? I feel like barfing constantly. I don't actually GET to barf... I just feel like I really want to. This first hit me yesterday, and I had to bail out on a fun day at the museum I'd been planning with friends, because I A) Did not have the energy to drive there, and B) Was terrified that I might barf in the middle of the museum. The barf feeling is hitting me right now, which is my inspiration for this section of the blog. Typing on the computer definitely induces the barf feeling. I had a "Gotta go!" moment while chatting with a friend on messenger yesterday. Oh yes, and enter tired all the time. I will pass out cold on a car ride (which is probably to avoid the barf feeling, which a car ride also inspires these days). Oh, and I apologize to any guy readers... skip this next line... what is wrong with my boobs?! They feel like a giant bruise. If I so much as lean forward to change the dog water, or lift my arms over my head to reach a glass in the cabinet... they hurt! What the heck is that about?! My final issue to complain about is hormones. It's kind of like my favorite line from The Cutting Edge, when the Russian skating coach said "Always is coming the Big B... What a bitch." I hope someone has seen that movie, can hear that line in the Russian accent, and just got a good laugh like I did. All I read every week in the Mayo Clinic book is "Your body will be producing more hormones this week." Is my body ever going to STOP producing more hormones? The thing that got me into this mess is my lack of tolerance for extra hormones coursing through my system. So this body producing more of them thing is really not a swell idea. I don't think I've been this emotional since I was a teenager. I cry, I yell, I dislike most everyone... Some people have said that I can control this mood stuff. I have yet to figure out how, though, short of locking myself in a room. Even then, it just keeps others from suffering with me. Oh, and I lied, I have one more complaint. My right foot is numb all the time now. It's been numb for several days and it's really uncomfortable. It is always slightly numb, but gets much worse when I eat sugar. Idiot here had ice cream with homemade hot fudge sauce for dessert tonight (but it was SO GOOD!), and part of why I can't sleep is that my foot is completely numb. I may have to go to extreme measures to make sure this pregnancy thing never happens to me again! I think that "Grandbaby #10 (this will be its count in the grandchild lineup for Jeff's parents) will be our one and only contribution, unless we adopt... which is actually what we planned on anyway- have one and adopt one. Geez, I really, really just want a puppy! Not to sound ungrateful, because I have some friends who really want kids and try a really long time... and it sort of just came easy to us... but this is really not a body friendly process! I'm definitely not going to be one of those people who just loves being pregnant or really just has to do this again after the first time... HELL no, this is rotten stuff!
I really didn't mean for my blog to turn into a pregnancy rant, and I kind of feel like the blog ended on a not so fun note, but hopefully some of you "Been there, done that" moms will get a laugh out of it. I'm going to try to go to sleep now. Jeff just woke up, which means the snoopy blanket is available, and that sometimes helps. It's the most comforting blanket ever. I don't know how his sister made it, but I want one of my very own. It's awesome! Andrea, if you're reading this, how did you make it? I think Jeff said it is 2 layers of fabric and some batting in the middle- the material feels cool all the time, but when you cover up you stay warm, and it is just the right amount of cushy. Mmmmmm.
Other than that, I am dying to see New Moon! I don't think I've ever been this excited for a movie to come out. I know the Twilight books are totally teeny-bopper, but I love them to death. The first movie wasn't that great, but it was fun to watch a book I love so much on screen, and it was so cool to see a movie filmed in Oregon City, near where I grew up, so it's a very nostalgic movie for me to watch! I found a book the other day called The Making of Twilight where it showed all the sets and places they used. I almost bought it, but I figured that might be a little over the top. I may go back and get it, though, because it was really cool to see Multnomah Falls, and the carver Cafe, etc in the book, with really great pictures! I'm sort of disappointed that they decided to go the Hollywood route and film in BC for this next movie, but it probably made sense to use a real studio with all the special effects they are doing. Anyway, I know it will be a pain to get tickets with how popular it is, but I am still really excited to watch it in November when it comes out.
Ok, I guess I really should try to sleep now. I have to get up and start working in 2 hours! Thanks goodness for working from home.
Oh yeah, speaking of working from home... I made money this month! I've made money each month since I've started, but nothing significant that served any purpose other than making my car payment or buying groceries. This month, however, I made just as much money as Jeff did. Woohoo! To celebrate, I went out Saturday night and bought the dogs their Farm Stand Selects dog food again! I have to work really hard to maintain this for them, because they have been VERY excited about meal time since I got their food again. It's turkey with dried veggies and tons of herbs. I think it's the most wholesome ingredient list I've ever seen on a bag of dog food. OK, maybe I've seen more wholesome, but I'm struggling to be in the $2/lb dog food range right now, so I am ignoring the existence of the Salmon stuff I used to buy for Cosmo, which is double that. Totally workable for one little dog, but not so much for 5!
Ok, off to make chocolate milk for the teenager and then really going to try to get some sleep!
The nice thing about being up this late (er, early) is that we get to see our dogs at their cutest. I fell asleep on the couch, and woke up because Marcy/Bunny gradually stole my blankets and has them hanging off the couch covering her. She was sleeping so soundly that I bailed out over the back of the couch when I woke up so I wouldn't disturb her. Lily is also being super needy tonight. She probably feels sick from all the waffles she ate this morning. She keeps trying to crawl into my lap and under the covers.
We went to Jeff's parents' for dinner tonight, and I feel like I ate an entire cow in one sitting. I've been craving beef like mad lately, so steak dinner really hit the spot. I cleared my plate, ate another half piece that someone had left, and thank goodness for mother in laws, Diane sent us home with 3 uncooked pieces for dinner this week. Among my other cravings are strawberries (I put sugar-in-the-raw over them and will eat 2 pounds at a time) and plums. Oh, and I can't seem to get enough water. I dehydrate really fast lately. I'm sure I'm grossing everyone out with the way I've been eating.
Tonight at dinner we also played Uno, the cool new version that comes with an electronic card "thrower." When you have to draw a card, you push the button on the thrower, and it dispenses a random number of cards. It could be zero, or it could be 8! Remember, the object of Uno is to unload all your cards faster than anyone else, so it puts a fun twist to the game (not to mention having cards shot at you from across the table is funny). It also has some dirty cards, like one that makes the person next to you take 2 turns drawing cards, and one that allows you to trade with another player. It was so much fun!
I'm sure that having a kid will be rewarding (unless it is like me as a child, which is what my mom cursed me with long ago) but right this second I am wishing I could just have a puppy. Puppy please? I feel like barfing constantly. I don't actually GET to barf... I just feel like I really want to. This first hit me yesterday, and I had to bail out on a fun day at the museum I'd been planning with friends, because I A) Did not have the energy to drive there, and B) Was terrified that I might barf in the middle of the museum. The barf feeling is hitting me right now, which is my inspiration for this section of the blog. Typing on the computer definitely induces the barf feeling. I had a "Gotta go!" moment while chatting with a friend on messenger yesterday. Oh yes, and enter tired all the time. I will pass out cold on a car ride (which is probably to avoid the barf feeling, which a car ride also inspires these days). Oh, and I apologize to any guy readers... skip this next line... what is wrong with my boobs?! They feel like a giant bruise. If I so much as lean forward to change the dog water, or lift my arms over my head to reach a glass in the cabinet... they hurt! What the heck is that about?! My final issue to complain about is hormones. It's kind of like my favorite line from The Cutting Edge, when the Russian skating coach said "Always is coming the Big B... What a bitch." I hope someone has seen that movie, can hear that line in the Russian accent, and just got a good laugh like I did. All I read every week in the Mayo Clinic book is "Your body will be producing more hormones this week." Is my body ever going to STOP producing more hormones? The thing that got me into this mess is my lack of tolerance for extra hormones coursing through my system. So this body producing more of them thing is really not a swell idea. I don't think I've been this emotional since I was a teenager. I cry, I yell, I dislike most everyone... Some people have said that I can control this mood stuff. I have yet to figure out how, though, short of locking myself in a room. Even then, it just keeps others from suffering with me. Oh, and I lied, I have one more complaint. My right foot is numb all the time now. It's been numb for several days and it's really uncomfortable. It is always slightly numb, but gets much worse when I eat sugar. Idiot here had ice cream with homemade hot fudge sauce for dessert tonight (but it was SO GOOD!), and part of why I can't sleep is that my foot is completely numb. I may have to go to extreme measures to make sure this pregnancy thing never happens to me again! I think that "Grandbaby #10 (this will be its count in the grandchild lineup for Jeff's parents) will be our one and only contribution, unless we adopt... which is actually what we planned on anyway- have one and adopt one. Geez, I really, really just want a puppy! Not to sound ungrateful, because I have some friends who really want kids and try a really long time... and it sort of just came easy to us... but this is really not a body friendly process! I'm definitely not going to be one of those people who just loves being pregnant or really just has to do this again after the first time... HELL no, this is rotten stuff!
I really didn't mean for my blog to turn into a pregnancy rant, and I kind of feel like the blog ended on a not so fun note, but hopefully some of you "Been there, done that" moms will get a laugh out of it. I'm going to try to go to sleep now. Jeff just woke up, which means the snoopy blanket is available, and that sometimes helps. It's the most comforting blanket ever. I don't know how his sister made it, but I want one of my very own. It's awesome! Andrea, if you're reading this, how did you make it? I think Jeff said it is 2 layers of fabric and some batting in the middle- the material feels cool all the time, but when you cover up you stay warm, and it is just the right amount of cushy. Mmmmmm.
Other than that, I am dying to see New Moon! I don't think I've ever been this excited for a movie to come out. I know the Twilight books are totally teeny-bopper, but I love them to death. The first movie wasn't that great, but it was fun to watch a book I love so much on screen, and it was so cool to see a movie filmed in Oregon City, near where I grew up, so it's a very nostalgic movie for me to watch! I found a book the other day called The Making of Twilight where it showed all the sets and places they used. I almost bought it, but I figured that might be a little over the top. I may go back and get it, though, because it was really cool to see Multnomah Falls, and the carver Cafe, etc in the book, with really great pictures! I'm sort of disappointed that they decided to go the Hollywood route and film in BC for this next movie, but it probably made sense to use a real studio with all the special effects they are doing. Anyway, I know it will be a pain to get tickets with how popular it is, but I am still really excited to watch it in November when it comes out.
Ok, I guess I really should try to sleep now. I have to get up and start working in 2 hours! Thanks goodness for working from home.
Oh yeah, speaking of working from home... I made money this month! I've made money each month since I've started, but nothing significant that served any purpose other than making my car payment or buying groceries. This month, however, I made just as much money as Jeff did. Woohoo! To celebrate, I went out Saturday night and bought the dogs their Farm Stand Selects dog food again! I have to work really hard to maintain this for them, because they have been VERY excited about meal time since I got their food again. It's turkey with dried veggies and tons of herbs. I think it's the most wholesome ingredient list I've ever seen on a bag of dog food. OK, maybe I've seen more wholesome, but I'm struggling to be in the $2/lb dog food range right now, so I am ignoring the existence of the Salmon stuff I used to buy for Cosmo, which is double that. Totally workable for one little dog, but not so much for 5!
Ok, off to make chocolate milk for the teenager and then really going to try to get some sleep!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Interesting News
I have been away from blog land lately because we decided to change internet providers, and the new one can't seem to get us hooked up! I mentioned to them today that this was not the best way to start our relationship together, but we will go with it anyway, because even though they are incompetent, they are very friendly. That's one up on Houston Comcast (incompetent and unfriendly), which is our only other ISP option here. So here I sit, jacking an unsecured wireless connection from one of our lovely neighbors while I blog and work. I am a bad person. If I knew which house it was from, I think I would bake them a batch of anonymous cookies.
So I have a bit of an announcement. It may be a little early, but I may as well just throw it out there. We're expecting a new addition to our family! Nope... not another dog. A very small, human addition, expected around the end of March. Jeff and I were both accidents (though his very kind mom refuses to call him such since she planned to have more kids... just not neccessarily at that moment). So I guess it makes sense that we are, um, accident prone ourselves! This was definitely not planned, and we are taking quite a bit of ribbing since we just barely got married. Let's just say we're not idiots, call it a malfunction, and leave it at that :) At the very least, we are cramming every possible major life change into one year... move, house, marriage, baby. If we haven't killed each other by our anniversary, I'd say we're in pretty good shape!
It's about a year earlier than we were planning for, but I think we're starting to move past the "Oh crap" and shock and starting to get a little excited. We only want 2 kids, and were planning to have one and adopt one... so now the having part will be out of the way! We spent the weekend making sure I was properly insured and reading about different options for care and birth, so it's not such an out of control and worried feeling now. I think we are both pretty nervous still, but it will be workable. Quinn seems very excited about this, and I have a feeling the 4 legged hairy crew will be very excited (and probably confused for a while) once we have the arrival. Thank goodness we have a very mentally stable pack now.
I think I am reverting back to my northwest roots pretty strongly, as I am trying to remember how to tie dye so that I can tie dye some onesies, and leaning towards a mid-wife for the birth. I have a few to call today, so I will see how it sounds.
So I have a bit of an announcement. It may be a little early, but I may as well just throw it out there. We're expecting a new addition to our family! Nope... not another dog. A very small, human addition, expected around the end of March. Jeff and I were both accidents (though his very kind mom refuses to call him such since she planned to have more kids... just not neccessarily at that moment). So I guess it makes sense that we are, um, accident prone ourselves! This was definitely not planned, and we are taking quite a bit of ribbing since we just barely got married. Let's just say we're not idiots, call it a malfunction, and leave it at that :) At the very least, we are cramming every possible major life change into one year... move, house, marriage, baby. If we haven't killed each other by our anniversary, I'd say we're in pretty good shape!
It's about a year earlier than we were planning for, but I think we're starting to move past the "Oh crap" and shock and starting to get a little excited. We only want 2 kids, and were planning to have one and adopt one... so now the having part will be out of the way! We spent the weekend making sure I was properly insured and reading about different options for care and birth, so it's not such an out of control and worried feeling now. I think we are both pretty nervous still, but it will be workable. Quinn seems very excited about this, and I have a feeling the 4 legged hairy crew will be very excited (and probably confused for a while) once we have the arrival. Thank goodness we have a very mentally stable pack now.
I think I am reverting back to my northwest roots pretty strongly, as I am trying to remember how to tie dye so that I can tie dye some onesies, and leaning towards a mid-wife for the birth. I have a few to call today, so I will see how it sounds.
My Goals, a year later
I'm not sure if anyone is even remotely interested about my goals in life, but sometimes I post things here because it is an easy electronic way to keep things around and be able to look back on them later. Last August I wrote a little blog about all my goals in life. I thought it would be fun to go back and see what I'd jotted down, and how my goals had either started taking shape or changed entirely:
1. Own a cute sports car. It doesn't have to be expensive or brand new. It just has to make me feel like I had a little fun instead of being completely sensible with my car purchase. Still haven't done this one yet! First on the list is getting my finances in order (being debt free, which I have come up with a plan for after starting in on the book "Nice Girls Don't Get Rich"). Then I really have my eyes set on the Volvo C30, which I have been coveting for several months now.
2. Travel to Australia and New Zealand. I'd like to see Australia Zoo, the Sydney Opera House, and go to some of the amazing beaches. In New Zealand I would like to explore the whole country. I would spend some time in the Auckland and Wellington, but mostly explore the south island and the unique scenery there. I think Cook Island has some animals that only exist there. Glaciers are also TOP on my list for the south. Still on the goals list, but is not going to happen this year.
3. Visit the beaches in South Carolina and stay in a beach house or hotel right on the beach. Definitely wanting to stay in a beach house, and it would be fun to try to do this within the year. Being in Houston now, the cost of the flight is much less daunting!
4. Attend Quinn's high school graduation. I'm really excited that this one is definitely on track and within reach! After our mom died, and I came into the picture, and his whole life got upheaved (or had the promise of being upheaved since he knew I wanted to go back to Houston) Quinn made it his mission to do poorly in school. Well, the last few months he has really worked his butt off and caught up. Not to mention he is also getting really good grades! I am so proud of him. I'm not looking forward to him graduating, because I would love to keep him here forever, but I am excited at how well he is doing and that he is starting to make plans for his future.
5. Get a Bachelor's degree (I start 5 of my last 15 classes a week from tomorrow!). Er... I failed 3 classes last term and landed myself on academic probation! In my defense, I had a lot going on. Of course it is impossible to defend myself, because I should have realized how much I had going on and not signed up for those classes! Now that I've started my own business, I am going to take a break from school. Once I have to devote less time to the business (possibly in the winter or next summer) I will plan to take one class at community college and go from there depending on my schedule!
6. Get a Master's Degree. They are easy enough to work through and pay for at only 36 credit hours, and they help so much in a job search these days. Plus I would like to go above and beyond the regular expectation of just having a Bachelor's. I'm not sure this is such a huge goal anymore! It might depend on how the business goes. I really need to get through the bachelor's, see how things go, and figure out what I want to do forever.
7. Have a girly slumber party at the Hotel Derek. This is totally attainable! A blender, some nail polish, room service, and maybe 2 or 3 of my closest girlfriends. I still haven't done this one yet, but I just moved back 3 months ago and am a little house and career change poor still. It will get done.
8. Wear a size 10 again. This is also something that is super attainable if I just work on it. Currently a size 16. Yikes. However, I did lose 5 lbs this week and have been eating better... and less!
9. Own a house with an upstairs loft. Not in the city, anymore. On acreage. I've decided not to waste anymore money on living close in when it's not what I want. Our next house will be in the country, and not in Texas if I can help it.
10. Own property about an hour outside of a small-ish city. That way when the world finally goes to hell in a handbasket I can grow my own veggies and drink clean water. It also must be in a part of the country or world where I will not die without air conditioning. I actually threw up from heat stroke the other day (even though I drank a TON of water) and if that happens when I am 30 I will probably just keel over when I am 60. I just started growing my own veggies and it is going extremely well!
11. Have just one dog so I can lavish attention on it. I've come to my senses. It's about having 2 cardis at all times.
12. Adopt a baby girl from China. Still a goal, but put off for a while. See a blog posting coming soon.
13. Have enough money that if my brother needs a financial bail out (stupid with the college credit cards? downpayment on a reliable car?) in his early 20s I can deal with that, just like a parent would. I think this is going to go along with getting out of debt and being smarter with money. One question I try to ask myself now is "Am I acquiring things, or wealth?" I got it from the book I've been reading called "Nice Girls Don't Finish Rich" and it has been helping me keep perspective when I feel like I just need to buy something.
14. Dump my mom out along the Clackamas River like she asked, because she knew I would be a weirdo and keep her locked up in the dresser drawer for an entire year (or the rest of my life) and that's no way to remember someone. My mom would be really pissed if she knew she was sitting in my closet in Texas. My next trip to Oregon, out she goes.
15. Take Aunty Gail on a really nice trip, out of appreciation for all she and Uncle Jerry have done for me. Aunty Gail's been having some back problems that prevent her from traveling. She's due for surgery sometime next month, and we're hoping that by next winter she will be recovered enough to travel. When she comes out here, I think we'll also head off to New York like we've been wanting to for years now, and possibly take Quinn to Boston and DC, as well. I hopee, I hope.
1. Own a cute sports car. It doesn't have to be expensive or brand new. It just has to make me feel like I had a little fun instead of being completely sensible with my car purchase. Still haven't done this one yet! First on the list is getting my finances in order (being debt free, which I have come up with a plan for after starting in on the book "Nice Girls Don't Get Rich"). Then I really have my eyes set on the Volvo C30, which I have been coveting for several months now.
2. Travel to Australia and New Zealand. I'd like to see Australia Zoo, the Sydney Opera House, and go to some of the amazing beaches. In New Zealand I would like to explore the whole country. I would spend some time in the Auckland and Wellington, but mostly explore the south island and the unique scenery there. I think Cook Island has some animals that only exist there. Glaciers are also TOP on my list for the south. Still on the goals list, but is not going to happen this year.
3. Visit the beaches in South Carolina and stay in a beach house or hotel right on the beach. Definitely wanting to stay in a beach house, and it would be fun to try to do this within the year. Being in Houston now, the cost of the flight is much less daunting!
4. Attend Quinn's high school graduation. I'm really excited that this one is definitely on track and within reach! After our mom died, and I came into the picture, and his whole life got upheaved (or had the promise of being upheaved since he knew I wanted to go back to Houston) Quinn made it his mission to do poorly in school. Well, the last few months he has really worked his butt off and caught up. Not to mention he is also getting really good grades! I am so proud of him. I'm not looking forward to him graduating, because I would love to keep him here forever, but I am excited at how well he is doing and that he is starting to make plans for his future.
5. Get a Bachelor's degree (I start 5 of my last 15 classes a week from tomorrow!). Er... I failed 3 classes last term and landed myself on academic probation! In my defense, I had a lot going on. Of course it is impossible to defend myself, because I should have realized how much I had going on and not signed up for those classes! Now that I've started my own business, I am going to take a break from school. Once I have to devote less time to the business (possibly in the winter or next summer) I will plan to take one class at community college and go from there depending on my schedule!
6. Get a Master's Degree. They are easy enough to work through and pay for at only 36 credit hours, and they help so much in a job search these days. Plus I would like to go above and beyond the regular expectation of just having a Bachelor's. I'm not sure this is such a huge goal anymore! It might depend on how the business goes. I really need to get through the bachelor's, see how things go, and figure out what I want to do forever.
7. Have a girly slumber party at the Hotel Derek. This is totally attainable! A blender, some nail polish, room service, and maybe 2 or 3 of my closest girlfriends. I still haven't done this one yet, but I just moved back 3 months ago and am a little house and career change poor still. It will get done.
8. Wear a size 10 again. This is also something that is super attainable if I just work on it. Currently a size 16. Yikes. However, I did lose 5 lbs this week and have been eating better... and less!
9. Own a house with an upstairs loft. Not in the city, anymore. On acreage. I've decided not to waste anymore money on living close in when it's not what I want. Our next house will be in the country, and not in Texas if I can help it.
10. Own property about an hour outside of a small-ish city. That way when the world finally goes to hell in a handbasket I can grow my own veggies and drink clean water. It also must be in a part of the country or world where I will not die without air conditioning. I actually threw up from heat stroke the other day (even though I drank a TON of water) and if that happens when I am 30 I will probably just keel over when I am 60. I just started growing my own veggies and it is going extremely well!
11. Have just one dog so I can lavish attention on it. I've come to my senses. It's about having 2 cardis at all times.
12. Adopt a baby girl from China. Still a goal, but put off for a while. See a blog posting coming soon.
13. Have enough money that if my brother needs a financial bail out (stupid with the college credit cards? downpayment on a reliable car?) in his early 20s I can deal with that, just like a parent would. I think this is going to go along with getting out of debt and being smarter with money. One question I try to ask myself now is "Am I acquiring things, or wealth?" I got it from the book I've been reading called "Nice Girls Don't Finish Rich" and it has been helping me keep perspective when I feel like I just need to buy something.
14. Dump my mom out along the Clackamas River like she asked, because she knew I would be a weirdo and keep her locked up in the dresser drawer for an entire year (or the rest of my life) and that's no way to remember someone. My mom would be really pissed if she knew she was sitting in my closet in Texas. My next trip to Oregon, out she goes.
15. Take Aunty Gail on a really nice trip, out of appreciation for all she and Uncle Jerry have done for me. Aunty Gail's been having some back problems that prevent her from traveling. She's due for surgery sometime next month, and we're hoping that by next winter she will be recovered enough to travel. When she comes out here, I think we'll also head off to New York like we've been wanting to for years now, and possibly take Quinn to Boston and DC, as well. I hopee, I hope.
Friday, July 10, 2009
4th of July
We started with Korean BBQ. Told ya Jeff was experimental with the food. It came out great!
Our friend Daniel, surrounded in a cloud of Korean BBQ smoke.
Lily playing with one of the Boston Terriers Daniel and Lui brought. Lui is our vet tech friend and she was dog sitting her vet's dogs. They can jump from the ground right over the back of the couch over and over and over again like they are on trampolines. It's really cute the first 3 times.
Snarfy. Named Snarfy because of the hideous but somewhat cute but still gross sound she makes. She's already had one pallet surgery or something like that.
Fire! Oh, I mean fireworks. AKA: blowing crap up in the front yard.
Full moon
Nam with his sparkler. They made fun of me for buying sparklers, but then put a ton of them together so they made BIG sparkles.
Name and Rachell. They always match, but they swear they don't mean to.Fajitas!
Yes, I think I married a master chef. Which is really good, because I can't cook at all. It will probably be the death of me (and has already been the death of my figure) but we try new food all the time. This is my personal favorite. Fajitas with poblano peppers (very Texas) and homemade pico de gallo. Mmmmm. I'm usually not a fajita person, but the seasoning on this is over the top.
So Sad!
My friend, Beth, sent me this article the other day. I'm hoping whoever buys the place wants to keep it open to the public in some form. It's one of the most beautiful, peaceful places I've ever been! Beth and I had an amazing brunch there just before I moved to Texas. In fact, it was so good that I blogged about it! I'm sad that I may not be able to visit it when I go back!
View Point Inn Goes Up For Sale
Posted By James Pitkin On July 9, 2009 (12:46 pm) In Business, Multnomah County, News
Nearly three years after Multnomah County granted them a commercial use permit after a long battle, the owners of the View Point Inn in Corbett are selling the historic property.
Owners Geoff “Buff Daddy” Thompson and his partner, Angelo Simione, announced they can’t afford the $1 million in repairs and improvements that the 85-year-old hotel and restaurant needs. The owners say in a news release they sought investors and loans “to no avail.”
Thompson and Simione also blame their woes partly on legal costs incurred in what they describe as a...
Article taken from News and Culture - http://blogs.wweek.com/news
URL to article: http://blogs.wweek.com/news/2009/07/09/view-point-inn-goes-up-for-sale/
Musical Crates
Finished product in the wire crate corner (Bunny's recent plastic cast off seen to the side)
Finished product in the "old dog" corner
"Quit moving crap around, I am tired!" Lily doesn't care where she sleeps, apparently... as long as her cushion is firmly underneath her.I thought this was very industrious of her, seeing how I rudely stacked her cushion on top of Bunny's crate.
Interesting tid-bit: the crate Lily is laying on is actually the one Phoebe flew in when she came from Missouri. I have no clue who BB is (on front) but it also says Phoebe Ewen and our address. Lol. Ooooooold crate!
Every so often we do the great crate shuffle at our house, with the goal of having everyone in a crate that is comfortable, not just a "fit." When Lucy died, we shuffled crates to better accommodate Bunny. Cosmo got Lucy's and Bunny got Cosmo's, and Bunny's little crate that fit her body but didn't have much sprawling space went to the garage.
Then we got Lucky, and he came with 2 crates. I chose to put him in the wire one because it is prettier, bigger, and looks just like Lily's (making the crate corner more uniform... crate interior design 101). The plastic model went out on the back porch, until Quinn measured it and realized it offered an extra inch in the length department that Cosmo desperately needed. So the shuffle commenced! Bunny got Cosmo's again, Cosmo got Lucky's plastic model, and the smaller one got cast off to the side.
Cosmo still tries to get into his old crate now and then (and Bunny tries to get into Cosmo's new bigger one... sometimes WITH Cosmo, which really makes him fret). Cosmo STILL needs a longer crate, though. I wish they made California King crates for the long dogs. He eats with his crate open and the bowl outside, because the bowl won't fit with the door closed and the dog inside. I may just go on Craig's List and see if I can find one of those crate swaps they sometimes have!
Collar Camera, anyone?
One of my friends shared this link on her Facebook page today:http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=118051172752&h=Zp1Uj&u=YMrW_&ref=nf
It's a pet's eye view doggy digital camera. Apparently, for $50 you can get a camera to clip on your dog's collar and it will snap shots all day of what your pet is doing. You come home and upload the pics to your computer to view. Not sure about you guys, but I think I would come home to an eaten camera. Maybe I could salvage the shots, though, and get a blow by blow of it being consumed.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Bath Fun, Corgi Body Pics
Bunny is 21 lbs now! Looking very nice and healthy.
Lily likes to chase the hose
Muddy camo dog
Lucky! The best bath dog, amazingly.
The moose is so handsome! Here are a bunch of pics taken today during his bath. He is down from 45lbs to 40 and I think he's looking very nice!
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