Our New "Baby"

I'd like to take this opportunity introduce you to "Divot" our new addition to our family. He is a one year old cockapoo that we adopted from a nearby rescue shelter. Austin got to name him, and what else would a golfaholic name a dog, besides a golf-related name, so Divot it is. At first I thought he was nuts, but now I think it's cute and unique.

We lost our Molly a few weeks ago. She had some fear aggression issues that kept getting worse the older she got, and the last time something happened, she bit Ashley several times and drew blood. To know that she was now starting to turn on us was the last straw, and after talking to our vet, we all agreed it was time to let her go and no longer have to deal with the constant stress she had been obviously feeling, so we had her put down.

I cried so much afterwards and I told the vet I had such guilt, but she reminded me that these problems were caused by the puppy mill she had been stuck in for 7years, and that we had done an amazing job at giving her a normal life, so she could learn about love, compassion, and happiness. She was right when she said it was more than she would have ever had the opportunity to learn had she never been adopted, and it makes me happy to know we were able to give that to her for 3+ years.

When we saw Divots picture on the rescue leagues website, I felt so bad for him. His hair was so long that I knew it had to be matted (and I was so right! It was horrible!), and yet, he had a happy look to him.

The shelter gives you a two-week trial period where you can bring the dog back if he doesn't "fit" with your family, and you can get your money back, or adopt a different dog. We've had Divot for about 10 days now and he's starting to settle into our family nicely.

He listens so amazingly well, and he's super smart. He learned how the doggie door works in less than 10 minutes. He has already learned his name, he now knows "Sit" "Stay" "No" and "Down", which was necessary when he kept trying to jump up onto the dining room table. :-/ He is also starting to play fetch and he loves, loves, loves playing with toys of all shapes and sizes. He is just about perfect in every single way, except one...

He plays too rough with the other dogs. When he gets all wound up, he bites and the other dogs were terrified of him. Tucker, who is my baby, would hide under the end tables. Now, Ringo & Gabby have put him in his place so he knows not to mess with them, but poor Tucker is too sweet to ever do that. Therefore we have a behavioral specialist working with us to help us figure out how to get him to stop doing this.

When we brought Divot home, I gave him two days to relax a bit, and then I started cutting away at all the matted fur. Last week I took him to the groomers and oh my goodness, I can't get over how much better he looks!

As you can see, he is all black, except for a small patch of white on his chest and  under his chin, which Austin calls his soul patch. lol

I think Divot will be a much loved member of our family for many years to come.

I Rescued a Human Today.

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid.

As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card, I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life. She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her.


Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well. Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes. I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor.

So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

I rescued a human today.

~~Author Unknown~~

Guest Bathroom

Several years ago, I gave up my part of the master bathroom to Austin, that way I could have the guest bathroom as my own. I've never had a bathroom all to myself while living with someone else, so to me this was a huge treat. To really "claim" the space, I repainted the bathroom a very dark pink, and I liked it. I change the bathroom decorations for each season, and it was a color that worked well with all seasons.

After Ashley & Chelsea moved out, Austin asked if he could move his bedroom upstairs, so he wasn't the only one in the finished basement. After some rearranging was completed, Jay's office was now downstairs, and Austin was upstairs.

A couple of months ago, I asked Austin if he would like to move his showering and shaving items to the guest bathroom because it would be so much handier, and he agreed it would. The bathroom is right next door to his room.

This shows the true love of a mother for her child - I gave up my bathroom, my only "girlie" space left in a house full of testosterone.

Then he asked if there was any way the bathroom could be repainted a color that wasn't so girlish. Again - true love prevails and I agreed.

I knew that with Jay being in the field, & Austin having school, cross country, and play practice, there was no way either of them would get it painted any time soon. I also knew that there was no way I could do it, so I went looking for hired help. Ashley was going to be coming home for a couple of days and I asked if she was interested, and she was. Yippee!

I selected a nice calm, light mint green and Ashley started to paint. Even though the paint had a primer in it, we knew it was still going to take a second coat to cover that dark color.

Slowly, but surely the pink started to go away. At first I was kind of sad, because I like bright/bold colors. However, as the first coat gave way to the second coat, I could see how much lighter & brighter it was in that bathroom, and I started to really love it.

The bathroom is completed, the protective tape has been removed and the decorations have been put back up.


Austin loves having it a different color and even referred to the new color as "cool".


The master bathroom had become the "guys" bathroom complete with a golf shower curtain, golf bath accessories, and golf pictures on the wall.

I'm thinking that if I had to change that bathroom, it's time for this bathroom to get a change as well. Not more girlie, but more neutral. hhhmmmm....I think it's time to visit some websites with bathroom design ideas. :)

Here's the before and after shots:

What do you think??

I Want To Be My Dog

Austin has the lead in the school play, which is ironic since he didn't even try out for the play. The kid who did have the lead quit after a month of practices, and the directors scrambled to think of who could handle the challenge of learning 130 lines in just 3 weeks, and they basically begged Austin to do it.

Thankfully Austin is good at memorizing, so I know he will rise to this challenge. However, this means he has practice before school, and  next week will have it after school as well.

That means his alarm goes off at 5:30 to get in the shower. That also means my alarm goes off at 5:45 so I can make some breakfast for him, and to see him before he heads out.

While it's tough enough to have to get up that early, this is what really kills me:

This was taken at 7:30 and Tucker was still sound asleep, even though I had the light on and had been on the computer. I would love to be able to do that.

I want to be my dog.

My tattoo

I've had my pictures of my tattoo posted on Facebook, but hadn't posted them here yet, sorry about that. I had planned to and then forgot, so thanks for the reminder! :)

Here ya go:

I was in total amazement in the process of the whole thing. I watched what was happening almost the entire time, and my mother was my awesome paparazzi! (Thanks again mom!) Mom, you could have told me to pull my bermuda shorts down a little though so I didn't look like a dork. LOL

She really was incredibly talented at what she was doing, and I kept commenting on how steady her hands were (which of course is a very handy thing to have in that line of work lol).

And Voila! There it is. The meaning behind it is that the butterfly is the symbol for Fibromyalgia, and I knew I wanted that, but I didn't want some cutesy or cartoony butterfly. I wanted it to look artistic. The words come from my sweet husband who constantly says this too me when I get overwhelmed and frustrated with the things I can't do. He reminds me that even on the days I can't do anything "You're enough". :)

I have waited over 30 years to do this, and I'm actually glad I waited as long as I did. I waited out of fear until I turned 40, and then waited until now to decide what I wanted it to be, because I didn't want to get one just to get one, ya know? The time now was right.

So, what do you think of it?

Project 365 ~ Week 39

It was Homecoming week, which meant a busy, fun week full of sports and other activities almost every evening, and of course the dance last night.

Sunday - 9/19

A sight I don't like to see - Geese heading south. :-(

Monday - 9/20

Austin had another cross country meet. Thankfully, it was one of the few nice afternoons/evenings without rain.

Tuesday - 9/21

Our Satellite box/DVR combo died and the new one arrived today, much to my delight. I had forgotten how torturous it can be to have to sit through every single commercial! lol

Wednesday - 9//22

While I'm not a huge fan of rainy, yucky days, I am a big fan of beautiful sunsets they can sometimes leave behind.

Thursday - 9/23

Tonight was the Homecoming King and Queen coronation ceremony and the band played the school song. That's Austin in the white hat playing his trumpet.

Friday - 9/24

HOMECOMING! The band did a pre-game show and an tribute to Elvis for the half-time show. They sounded great!

After the game, the kids got ready for the dance. This is Austin with his girlfriend. Their first date was last year for the homecoming dance, so they have now been dating for a year. She really is a sweet girl and she calls me "Mama Dena". lol

Saturday - 9/25

Our passports arrived today! Ashley already has her from her trip to Spain in high school (although she did have to get a new one with her married name), but the rest of us didn't have them. The last time Jay & I went to the Bahamas (for our honeymoon) you just had to show your birth certificate, a passport wasn't needed. Times do change. 

That was our week! How was yours? Go visit Sara's through the link in the sidebar to see other pictures!

Crockpot Apple Caramel Pie

WARNING! This is NOT a low-cal recipe!! But, if you want to make a super easy dessert for your family that will make your house smell yummy, then make this recipe! 

I made the following recipe for my guys at home, and they sang my praises! They did the dance of joy around me and chanted my name over and over! They declared me the wife and mother above all others!

Ok, that's a lie. That didn't really happen, but the recipe was a hit! 

The hardest part about this recipe is unwrapping the caramels. No, wait, that's another lie. The hardest part about this recipe is having to resist eating the remaining caramels.     

 

Apple Carmel Pie

Makes 8-10 servings

Prep. Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 3 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.

2-crust refrigerated pie dough pkg.

2 22-oz. cans apple pie filling

1 tsp. cinnamon

12 caramel candies

1. Press one crust into half the bottom of a cold slow cooker, and an inch or so up half its interior side. Overlap by ¼ inch the second crust with the first crust in center of slow cooker bottom. Press remainder of second crust an inch or so up the remaining side of the cooker. Press seams flat where two crusts meet.

2. Cover. Cook on High 1½ hours.

3. In a bowl, mix together pie filling, cinnamon, and caramels.

4. Pour mixture into hot crust.

5. Cover. Cook on High an additional 1½ hours.

This is from the Fix It and Forget It cookbook - one of my favorite lines of cookbooks!

Project 365 ~ Week 38

For the most part it was a really nice week with great weather for being outdoors. The exception was on Monday when Austin's cross country meet got rained out. Bummer!

Sunday - Sept 12

I actually forgot to take a picture for today, so I'm using one taken this week in place of todays. lol

I took advantage of the lovely weather to be outside when I could, and on this particular day, my son had forgotten something at home that he needed for school. I took one of the dogs with me, and on the way home we stopped at the nearby lake and took a short walk.

 Monday - Sept 13

I started an online class today. It's for those who suffer from Fibromyalgia and other chronic conditions, and it's to help teach coping mechanisms for the emotional and physical pain, and tips for improving your quality of life. Because so many sign up for the class, we are divided into smaller "classes". There are about a dozen in my class. The majority are from the US, but there are a couple from Australia, England, Germany & Belgium. We have online discussions, and already we all agree that it's so nice to talk to people who understand.

Tuesday - Sept 14

Another day at the lake. Pelicans are starting to migrate through the area and there were probably 30+ in the group today. I probably sat there for about an hour watching them. They were so fun to watch.

Wednesday - Sept 15

This picture makes me laugh. I met Ashley today and we went for supper at Okoboji Grill. It's hard to see it in the picture, but the first energy drink listed on the left side is called "Cherry Bomb". Anyone who knows Ashley well, knows the car she has (which is the only car she's ever had) is named "Cherry Bomb". She thought it was so cool that it was on there and wanted her picture taken with it. Of course afterwards we noticed the big yellow letters, which make it look like we're excited about the Beer & A Bomb. LOL

Thursday - Sept 16

Today another flare reared it's ugly head and had me in bed. I had fallen asleep, but was soon awakened by Tucker who had decided to lay down beside me...right beside me....on top of my outstretched arm and halfway on my face, beside me. I took this picture with the arm that was pinned down. I guess I should be thankful for the love. ha

Friday - Sept 17

I got out of bed today to give Jay a ride because his pickup was at one field and he was at another. When I got there, he was out there in the combine, just finishing up this field, but was ready for a little break as he'd also get something to eat.

Saturday - Sept 18

Still in bed, but I did get a smile on my face when Jay brought in a package that had arrived in the mail for me. I have mentioned my love for the Life Is Good brand before, so it goes without saying that I was very happy that my package contained a new shirt and a pair of socks that I had ordered. If you haven't tried LIG shirts you really should. They are uber soft and comfy! As a matter of fact, on my flare days that's all I want to wear.

That was our week. Head over to Sara's through the link in the side bar to see more pictures!

Project 365 ~ Week 37

Another week has come and gone, let me tell you, I think this is my most exciting week of pictures yet. You are about to see just how much of a high society, jet-setting life we live. lol

Sunday - 9/5

Time to give "Ruby" a much needed bath.

Monday - 9/6

Ashley texted me from work because she was bored. She works at an assisted living facility and after the residents go to bed, she has 3-4 hrs with nothing to do. Normally she does homework, but she didn't have any tonight. We got silly and played a little game with our phones. She would take a picture of something there (non-medical related) and I would try to find something our house that was the same. Then I'd do the same to her. She sent me a sunset picture and I sent the same back to her and I said "Guess what, we have the same sunset you do." Her honest response was "Really?"    LOL

Tuesay - 9/7

This is a shot showing Jay's softer side. He saw one of the baby kittens sitting in the middle of the horse pen and he was afraid one of the horses would step on it, so he rescued the little guy and took him back to the garage. aaawww.

Wednesday - 9/8

Carpet shampooing company came today, and they also did the upholstery. We didn't want the dogs to get on the furniture until it was completely dry so they were facing the wall with stuff around them. It's a nice look don't you think? :-P

Thursday - 9/9

Austin had another cross country meet, and our nephew Jacob who is in junior high ran also. I tried to get a picture of Jacob, but as you can see, it didn't work out so well. That's him (or should I say, half of him) just going out of the frame. I just caption this one as "Jacob is so fast I couldn't even capture him on film." lol

Friday - 9/10

Ringo helped me put up the decorations for our ISU vs UI party we're having tomorrow. It started out that we just invited 2 couples over to watch the big rivalry game (Iowa's "superbowl"), and it evolved to lots of our friends coming over. It'll be a lot of fun, even though I'll probably have to take a break in the action to lay down for a bit.

Saturday - 9/11

GAME DAY!

This is another one our decorative areas we had set up. I have pictures on top of the big dog kennel, and for the seasons I add in other items as well. For the game I also put up the #1 finger and the little cheerleader.

I'll have lots of pictures from game day, but I know it'll be late before I get to bed and I'm guessing I won't be up too early, which means I'd be very late posting these. Therefore, I'll plan to have this post on Saturday night and I'll link up later. I'll try to get game day pics up ASAP. :)

Project 365 ~ Week 36

Another week has come and gone. Is it me, or are they going faster and faster? So glad I have been a part of this project to document things I might otherwise have forgotten. I have more than one picture for most days this week, because, well....one just wouldn't do. lol

Sunday - 8/29

A couple in our community celebrated their 50th anniversary today. The woman's dress was to be hung up and on display during the open house, however, to surprise the woman they decided to find someone to wear her dress instead. Problem was finding someone who was tiny enough in the waist to fit in the dress.They talked to Chelsea, and thankfully it fit her! The woman was so pleasantly surprised when Chelsea came walking out in her wedding dress! The husband told me that he instantly felt like he was sent back in time seeing Chelsea in the dress. I helped Chelsea get dressed, and my hands were a crumpled, cramped up mess by the time I got done putting the tiny loop around 50+ tiny buttons all the way up the back of the dress. There were some that went up the sleeves to the elbows too. Oy!

Monday - 8/30

My mother (AKA: The organizing Queen) came up to help me make sense of my hopelessly disorganized pantry. In the first picture she is looking through some of the items, and the second picture shows the finished pantry. I made taco soup for us to have for lunch and you can find the recipe for it HERE. It was super easy and absolutely delish!

Tuesday - 8/31

Today I made some gluten free cupcakes and brownies. yum! Jay devoured the brownies. :)

Wednesday - 9/1

Kitty Co-Op! These two mother cats had litters just a week or so apart. They put their litters together and have been sharing mommy duties ever since. In the first picture, one nurses while the other grooms.

Then they switched. The orange cat finished the nursing while the black/white cat finished the grooming. What a great system, and how adorable those baby kitties are! 

 Thursday - 9/2

I changed up the theme/decorations in the guest bathroom (which is also my bathroom). I change them every season, so that meant that sadly I had to put the summer decorations away.

Friday - 9/3

Tonight was the first home game for our high school football team. Austin and the rest of the band performed before the game and at half-time. He is a co-lead trumpet player so he is front and center. Makes it much easier to find him for pictures. lol

The band also sits together in the stands and plays during the game after touchdowns. We won the game 42-0, so they played a lot! lol

Jay was a substitute for one of the "chain gang" guys who couldn't make it to the game. At one point he was just standing there with his hands in his pockets and I sent him a text that said "Don't over work yourself lol" and he replied back and said "I am working hard. I'm eye candy for all the ladies". What a goof! LOL

Saturday - 9/4

Today Jay and I took off to go to the Des Moines downtown farmers market. I have more info and pictures posted HERE. I found out about this last year, but I was just not in a healthy position to be able to go at that time, and this year it just hasn't worked out until now. It is a full 4+ blocks long and more like a celebration with food vendors and live music. I was excited to make it to a smaller, more local farmers market last week, and today I was like a kid in a candy store!

Head over to Sara's through the link in the sidebar to see more pictures from this week!