New Blog!

I created a new blog a few months ago and decided to keep it quiet in case it was something that fizzled out like this one, haha. I might still post in here periodically but I'm enjoying writing in my other blog about more personal, random things. It's still a work in progress but here is the link to my new blog!

Don't mind me!

Just doing a bit of blog organization and updating in preparation for future posts. Hopefully anyway!

Zuzu the Cavapoo

I thought I'd make a post to officially introduce you Zuzu. She is a cavapoo who has brought a lot of happiness into Brian's and my life since coming to live with us!

We adopted Zuzu (It's a Wonderful Life) at the end of last March, about nine months ago. It was a pretty spontaneous decision for Brian and me though we had discussed getting a dog in the past. The weekend before Brian and I had a week off work I was randomly searching for dogs on sale on Hoobly and I came across a breed I'd never heard of before. When I discovered the cavapoo was a cross between a poodle and a Cavalier King Charles (my dream dog but they shed and usually have bad hearts) I was sold. It didn't take much convincing on my part to get my husband on board. The pictures were so cute AND this dog was low shedding AND we had the entire next week off with no other plans. I had to work the next day and so Brian and I went to the pet store that night to get supplies "just in case we got the puppy".

The next morning Brian drove the two hours to go check out the puppies by himself while I was at work. His best friend lives in the same area so he was able to go visit him as well which was a bonus. When Brian told me he bought the puppy and sent pictures to my phone I was SO excited to get out of work and meet her!



First picture I saw of yet unnamed Zuzu

When I finally got home from work Brian still hadn't gotten there and so I cleaned up a bit and tried to puppy proof as much as possible. When they both got home and I first saw the puppy in the crate I squealed. She was SO tiny! Only three pounds!

The week of vacation FLEW by and I don't think Brian and I left the house together once. I have to admit it was pretty stressful at first constantly having to take her outside and make sure she didn't get into anything bad and she barked and cried the first few nights. She was so cute though and soon got accustomed to her crate and her life with us. We've had fun coming up with nicknames for her including Zuse, Zuzi, Zuzu Magoo, Zuzu Lemon and Shmeshmu. We're weird, don't ask.

Since we've gotten her, Zuzu has grown five times larger and is now sixteen pounds and almost eleven months old. I'm so happy we are long past getting up in the middle of the night to take her out and the horribly long episode of diarrhea she had after being spayed. (Immodium apparently works wonders in dogs too.)




Not feeling so hot.

We are hoping Zuzu is now potty trained. I think her last accident was over a month ago. It's been nice because the winter has been mild so far though even when it has been cold she hasn't minded going out to potty. She is still very mischievous and likes getting into the bathroom garbage, chewing on chairs and corners of walls and loves to rip the box spring lining from underneath our bed. A few things she has destroyed: The electric cords of two desk lamps, a floor fan, a router and a few Christmas tree lights (our tree no longer lights up-we've kind of given up this year), a couple of Brian's Lacoste hats, and my favorite pair of sandals (I'm sure I've forgotten a few things). Also there are teeth marks on multiple furniture items and pairs of shoes but I'd like to think it's gotten better and she's chilled out a bit.





It was a nice crate but the front zipper is completely destroyed and there is a hole in the side. tsk tsk



Raising a puppy can definitely be frustrating (especially for Brian since he works from home) and we still get annoyed with her sometimes but we try to remember that she is still growing and someday she won't have the urge to destroy everything in sight. She's really not that naughty and when we are able to give her a long walk she is the perfect dog for the rest of the day. We love taking her to the many parks in our area though we haven't checked out the luxury dog park that is SO close by. We just can't stomach paying over $35 a month for a membership when there are so many other places to go.

Zuzu is such a sweet girl and has never shown us any aggression even when we are literally smothering her with our love. :) She has the softest, fluffiest fur ever and smells so good! Her conditioner makes her smell very fancy but even when that wears off and it's weeks after her bath she smells like a warm cozy sweater. I can't imagine how empty life would be without her. My favorite time with her is on my days off when I wake up in the morning and sit on the couch and she crawls into my lap and falls asleep. She's going to keep me nice and warm this winter and hopefully many winters to come.

Happy Halloween 2015!

This year Brian and I took advantage of the fact that Halloween fell on a Saturday. I haven't done anything special for Halloween in probably ten years though it was one of my favorite holidays when I was young because hello, FREE CANDY. I don't love going to bars anymore and I've always hated masks, so going out to costume parties/bars as an adult on Halloween has never appealed to me. This year Brian and I decided to do something different and have our out-of-town friends Mike and Sara over for the night to make the holiday a little more fun.

In preparation I hung some orange streamers and attempted to make caramel apples. The streamers were festive but the apples were a fail because I cooked the caramel too long and after it cooled on the apples it became so hard the apples were practically inedible. I made it work though.

Ugliest caramel apples turn into abstract art and then are carefully de-caramelized and devoured.

Lately I've been:

Here is my first survey for the blog! This one is called “Lately I’ve been” and I found it on the blog Run Pretty.

Lately I’ve been:

Making: a list of tasks for our future cleaning person! Brian and I have decided to look into hiring some cleaning help for two hours every other week. It took a bit of convincing on Brian's end because I found it hard to justify spending money on something I could easily do myself, but in reality we both hate cleaning and it doesn't get done nearly as often as it should.  Brian made me realize that our time is so much better spent doing things we enjoy, like yard work/gardening, home improvement/projects, and spending time together. To make ourselves (well, myself) feel less financially irresponsible a we are we are decreasing the amount of spending money we each get every week so the extra expense will (hopefully) fit seamlessly into our budget.

Cooking: baked ziti. I made a huge batch on Tuesday and Brian loves it because it gives him lunch and dinner meals for at least four days.  I definitely need to cook more so Brian doesn't feel the need to eat Panera every day...also so he doesn't have to eat baked ziti every day.  For anyone looking for a good recipe keeping app, Paprika is what I use and I love it.  It easily lets you save online recipes and also lets you create your own.  I love the note section because sometimes I like to alter recipes or remember exactly how long it takes to make or bake.  So helpful!

Drinking: water. No surprise there, I rarely drink anything other than plain water.

Reading: Ready Player One on my Kindle iPhone app. I've been reading this book for months now because I don’t read on my phone very frequently. I never thought I'd be interested in a book so centered around a video game and the 80's (though it takes place in 2044), but I find it pretty entertaining and unique and should really think about finishing it one of these days.

Wanting: to start a vegetable garden. I know exactly where I want to plant the seeds but I'm not sure it's the best area because it doesn't get much sun.  I'm going to try just a few veggies this year and see how it goes. I've heard lettuce does well in the shade so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! My basil and tomato seeds I've already planted in a pot and they will spend a few weeks inside before I expose them to the direct sunlight outside.  Growing my own veggies has always been a dream of mine.  I think it will be so fun and fulfilling to eat what I've grown!

Playing: tennis! I just finished a four week class of cardio tennis I took with one of my coworkers. It was a small group of five including me, my coworker Theresa and three middle aged men. In the beginning I was nervous because I don't play tennis very often, maybe three or four times a year.  The other members were better and more experienced than me but none of them were extremely advanced (aka. Brian level) and the class actually turned out to be really fun.  Not only that but it has also improved my tennis skills and hopefully I'll continue to play this summer on a regular basis. 

Wasting: spinach.  Why can't I ever seem to remember to finish the bag of spinach before it starts to go slimy?  Wasting food is the worst!

Wishing: I would finally have the time and motivation to put things I've learned in the book The Magic of Tidying Up to use.  They are great concepts and I know the feeling of being free of things I don't need or love would be amazing. 

Using: the Hoopla app. It's free through your library (if they offer it) and you can rent ebooks, audiobooks, movies (they have some good workout/yoga videos)  and music (my favorite! they seem to have everything).You are limited to 12 rentals a month which is the only downside, but if you have a husband who doesn't use the app, you have 24! :)

Enjoying: watching Zuzu learn and grow.  She's changed so much in the two months we've had her. She doesn't nip at our feet or go crazy biting our hands. She still has accidents every once in a while, but she's only four months old and dogs don't become fully potty trained until at least eight months. We are trying to mold her into the dog we want which includes not letting her sleep in the bed (she's so cute and fluffy though!) and not letting her bark when she watches people outside the window. She still has a ways to go with not chewing on things and walking nicely on a leash, but hopefully we will get there! 

Loving: gummy frogs! In November I bought a five pound bag of gummy grapefruit slices which lasted about six months.  We've had these gummy frogs less than a month and I think they are already half gone!  I promise it's not all me, Brian loves them too.  We tell ourselves the gelatin in the candy is helping our digestive systems. :)

Needing: some ME time. Brian has a tennis match in Kalamazoo today and that will be the perfect time for me to chill and catch up on some YouTube/Game of Thrones.

Hoping: for some US time. With all the things that need to be done around the house, working full time, raising a puppy, Brian's tennis and golf and my going to bed early, we really have to plan quality time together. Maybe it will be easier when Zuzu can be alone and outside of her crate but for now we feel like we have to keep our outings short.  Today it's Saturday and we are planning on going to the Downtown Market. I want to buy some fresh produce from the outdoor vendors and get something delicious for lunch.  Today the market is hosting a food truck rally so maybe we will order food truck food for the first time!

Missing: my family. Brian and I haven't seen my family since... January? It seems longer though and so I'm excited to finally go to Wisconsin to see everyone for Meara's high school graduation.  It will be especially good to see my dad after the health scare in January. Also it will be fun introducing Zuzu to everyone.  Hopefully everything goes smoothly, from the car ride to Lia's fear of dogs!

Trying: to not feel stressed. We've recently had a few big expenses come up (house/car/condo), and sometimes it seems like our money plan will never pan out and our house will be empty forever.  I've realized, though, that I'm just fine with living with the things I have.  Sure it would be nice if the entire house was renovated and furnished, but Brian and I haven't even been here a year and also, it's only the two of us. As long as I can buy the food I want to eat, drive a reliable car, live in a comfortably warm/cool house depending on the season, and have no fear of an impending foreclosure, I have no reason to worry or complain.  I recently heard the quote, "Worry is a misuse of your imagination" and I completely agree. I want to fill my mind with things that matter and things that make me peaceful and happy.  Like mornings with Zuzu and planning fun times with Brian. :)

                                                           THE END!

Does this look like fun? Feel free to use these topics or add your own and play along in the comments or create your own blog post!  Here are some more ideas:

Waiting
liking
wondering
wearing
following
noticing
knowing
thinking
feeling
bookmarking
opening

A day in the life of me!

(Also lets just pretend I've been blogging this whole time.)

 

Happy Monday! 

 

Perhaps more happy for me than others as I have the day off of work, but still, every day can be a happy day!

I began my day by waking up at 6 and spending 20 minutes in bed checking social media and emails. I didn't stay in bed as long as usual because I like to get Zuzu up early so she is sleepy and calm for most of the morning. (On work days I take her out at 630 and then it's right back into the crate for another snooze until Brian gets her out at 8:30. ) 

 

Zuzu's morning face:

 

 

Instead of getting my workout out of the way, I decided to have a relaxed morning with one of my favorite breakfasts:  Green tea and a bowl of quick oats mixed with a spoonful of crunchy peanut butter, honey, cinnamon and dried cherries.

 

 

 

 

Zuzu waiting patiently on her pillow for me to put her on the couch. She's so sweet and perfectly behaved in the mornings. 

After lounging around and having a second cup of tea I decided to get my workout in.  I did yoga yesterday so today was a more intense workout involving hiit training. 

Z usually needs to be restrained with a leash around a weight otherwise she is into everything! In the mornings though she usually naps in her bed. 

 

 

 I made myself a shakeology shake after the workout but unfortunately I was out of bananas and even with the frozen berries it was not as good. :(

 

After showering and making myself look presentable  I played with Z for a bit and then made lunch: an open faced tuna melt on toasted Ezekiel bread, carrots and sweet peas. 

 

A little while later Brian took a short work break to take a walk with me and Zuzu.  Z is still learning to walk nicely and she does much better when Brian and I are on either side of her as opposed to just one of us walking her. 

Then it was time to paint! 

After a long hiatus I am FINALLY getting back into it. I've taken a good 2-3 months off due to lack of motivation and raising a puppy. Mostly the former.  I made it a goal today to get some painting done in Brian's office. I needed to finish a small section of the wainscoting on one wall and also put the first coat of paint on the built in desk.  

The desk has been sitting there with only primer on it for a long time which is not good because I read that primer is somewhat sticky and any dust or dirt will cling to it.  Luckily, despite my procrastination the desk didn't look terrible and I was able to wipe it down with a cloth and call it good before starting to paint.  The desk is kind of a poor excuse for a built in, but at least it will look better and bring more light to the room then it did with the glossy black paint.  Since I am not the one to rip out a built in, I've gotta work with what I got! (And what I got is a paint brush and white paint.)

 

The painting took less than an hour and afterward I headed to the grocery store to grab some zucchini. I bought a spiralizer a few months ago and there was no zucchini to be found.   I'm so happy it's so easy to find now.  Did you know in England they call zuchinni 'courgettes'?  I learned that from EssieButton on YouTube.

 

On the menu for tonight was garlic zucchini pasta with shrimp. I mixed in some regular pasta so it was a bit more filling and also because we have a bit of spaghetti pasta to get through. 

 

The pasta turned out excellently and was a real crowd/Brian pleaser. 

 

 Now the kitchen is somewhat clean and we are watching "The Holiday" and it's 842 and about time for me to get ready for bed.

I'll leave you with my favorite photo of the day:

 

Time Capsule: Florida Vacation 2010

The idea behind the Time Capsule posts should be pretty self explanatory.  This post is about our 2010 Florida/Disney vacation, our first big vacation together as a couple!

 

 

 The trip came about when Brian was offered a three day Disney cruise trip through his job (at the time) and because the flights were paid for we decided to add a few days on in the beginning of the trip so we could have some time to explore Disney World. The first few nights we spent at the Holiday Inn on Hotel Boulevard and visited at Downtown Disney, Epcot and Animal Kingdom.

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

The day before the cruise we relocated to the Polynesian resort and attended a slightly awkward sponsored dinner with the company Brian worked for and included other recipients of the free cruise. There was one guy who kept staring and me and insisting that he had met me before. I think I would remember meeting a semi-attractive guy named Kelly back in college though I could be wrong... 

It was nice to have those extra days in Florida but by the time the cruise part came around we might have been slightly vacationed out.  Regardless we still had a great time visiting the Bahamas and Disney's private island and gorging ourselves on the five star cuisine.  We were very fortunate not to get sea sick from the major wind and waves that caused the ship to pitch and roll (heave and sway?) like crazy. Even the servers lost their balance at times and people who had been on cruises many times before commented on how it was the worst ...ship movements... they had ever experienced.

  

Looking back on the pictures and footage I think it would be fun to go back to Disney World again and Brian agrees.   My favorite moments of the trip were the amazing food (both at Disney World and on the cruise), swimming with sting rays on Castaway Cay (though the weather could have been a little warmer...) and getting engaged!!  Brian says his favorite memory was the excitement of getting engaged (aw).

 

 

Here is a little video I FINALLY finished editing of our trip. Enjoy!