Journey of a Dog Trainer

Death of a Chocolate Lover

2012-02-03T12:07:00.001-05:00

Last night, Hans and I had my best friend, Jess, and her husband over for dinner. We had a lovely meal of turkey burgers, mashed potatoes, and peas (or green beans for the guys who don't like peas). After dinner, it was time for dessert, and I offered my old stand by of a popsicle, but everyone was too cold. That's when I remembered that I had a gift for Jess that I had forgotten to give to her...a big box of chocolates.

Out came the chocolates just in time for dessert. Jess commented that she'd had some of these at work and they were delicious. Hans said they looked delicious because they weren't all chocolate (many of them were chocolate-covered crisps). I thought they looked great because one of them had coconut. So, after some brief deliberation, I decided to give that coconut-sprinkled on a shot.

YUCK!!

It wasn't that the chocolates were poorly made, and its certainly wasn't the coconut. They were just so sweet! My mouth puckered a bit, and my stomach flipped. This was not something I wanted to continue eating. So, I had about half of a crisp and I gave the rest to Cody (it was fairly small to begin with, so this really wasn't a lot). Then, just to get the taste of dark chocolate out of my mouth (something I used to do backflips for), I reached for my fruit popsicle and enjoyed the rest of the evening.

I have to say, this is a great thing. It doesn't mean I don't ever crave sweets, but why would I want them when they taste like that to me? I'm really enjoying this little to no sugar thing. I feel great, I'm getting stuff done, and I think I look better (my eyes are bluer anyway). It's been one month now. I can't wait to see what the rest of the year holds!

I Am Not the Internet

2012-02-02T09:50:00.000-05:00

Ok, guys, let me talk to you about something that has been bugging me for a while. It's the reason I avoid crowded times at the dog park, and the reason I don't wear shirts with my logo all the time. It's the reason I spend most of my time with my dogs alone or with friends who know better. What is it, you ask? It's people treating me like a free resource. Let me give you an example of a conversation I have almost daily:

Person I meet: Oh, you're a dog trainer? That's so cool! I have Lab. She's almost a year now.

Me: Is that so? I bet she's really cute.

Person: Oh, she is! She can be a handful sometimes too, though.

Me: Oh, young Labs can be that way. Here, let me give you my card. If you'd like, we can set up a time where I can meet her and we can talk about some things that could help you out.

Person: You know, she won't stop jumping up (chewing, peeing, getting on furniture, etc.). What should I do about that? I've tried everything!

Here's the thing. First of all, you haven't tried EVERYTHING. In fact, most owners probably haven't tried half the things out there. Do you know how I know you haven't tried EVERYTHING? You HAVEN'T HIRED ME!

Second of all, I haven't met your dog. I have no idea how her life is with you. There could be a thousand different reasons for why she's acting the way she does, and until I've met her I'm only taking a shot in the dark. I do offer a free consultation, so please feel free to call me and set up a time.

Third, I understand that this brief conversation is like a mini-interview for me. You're looking for help, and if my advice is any good, you may just give me a call in the future. However, more often than not, you've heard this advice before. You've tried ignoring your dog, or correcting your dog, or giving your dog a command. Here's the catch, though. You're not a dog trainer. You may love your dog, and you may be a pretty decent owner, but you don't know everything (not even about your dog). You trying something is different from me trying something. Often, the way I act is reflected in a dog's reaction towards me. I hear on a regular basis (twice yesterday) that a dog I'm meeting for the first time is surprisingly calm towards me. "For most people, Fluffy would be jumping all over the place and barking. It's amazing that she's just sitting and watching you" is something I hear a lot. Before you assume that you've done everything I'm recommending and it didn't work, why don't you watch a pro.

Lastly, I love my job. I love being able to work with my dogs every day. I LOVE coming home to a house full of dogs and sleeping in a bed filled with dogs (and cats). It's my world. However, it can also be exhausting. It is still work. Sometimes I just need a break. Also notice that just about everything I love about my job involves working with dogs, not just telling someone else how to work with them. When I'm on a trail walk, or at Target, or getting my oil changed, or eating dinner, please do not interrupt me to ask me questions about your dog. Please do not interrupt my time with my dogs (who, like children, need some one-on-one time), or my shopping spree, or my reading time, or my time with friends and family so that I may immediately solve your problem.

So, what should you do? Well, I am more than happy if you interrupt me to ask for a card. A brief mention of the problem is fine too, but wait until I've met your dog to explain it in detail. If you have no intention of hiring a trainer, look it up online or go to the library / book store. There are a lot of really great resources out there, and plenty of people have spent a lot of time making sure they're easy to understand. Take advantage of that. Oh, and avoid asking me my rates right then and there. Again, wait for the consultation. I will be better able to assess the situation and let you know what course option is best for you after I've seen your lifestyle, and the price won't seem as high when I'm sitting in your living room telling your dog to sit with me.

Oh, and if you're a friend or family member, and we happen to be out together (say, at the dog park), please let me keep my anonymity. If it comes up, you can mention I'm a trainer, but I don't need you to be my advertising campaign. I really do appreciate the gesture, and I know you mean well, but let me have my time away from work. If you really want to spread my name around town, carry some of my business cards and hand them out. The people who are serious about calling me will, and the people who just want free advice will leave me alone.

Thank you!

An Off Day

2012-02-01T16:28:00.000-05:00

Today is an off day. It is definitely an off day. Luckily, I know everything that is factoring into, and I'm going to make it better. So, let's evaluate:

The day started off well with a bike ride and a trip to the physical therapist for my knee (more on that later). However, I was extremely tired, and I mean really, really, REALLY tired. Yesterday had been a long day with about 15 hours of straight work, so today I was wiped.

When I got home from PT, I should have gone straight to bed, but I was also hungry, so I grabbed some lunch.

Error #1: Grabbing the wrong thing to eat.
Last night, Hans and I decided to purchase some pre-made ravioli (mine was stuffed with crab). It wasn't as great as what I'd thought it be last night, but I figured I was just too pooped to notice how good it actually was. For lunch, I SHOULD have fixed up some of the spaghetti I made a couple of days ago (with a really great red sauce), but instead I went back for the ravioli. It was not so great, and it left me wanting more.

Error #2: Not going straight to bed after lunch.
Heck, with as tired as I was, I almost feel I should have eaten lunch in bed so I could have conked right out. Instead, I ate on the couch (not the table which would have been the best option). I watched t.v. instead of sleeping, so my sleep problem didn't go away. While I did get a brief nap, it wasn't near enough. On top of that, my lack of sleep and poor lunch led me to crave snacks.

Error #3: Actually eating the snacks.
Ok, I could have done a lot worse here, but I also could have done better. I had a lot of carrots, and that's good, but I also could have skipped the pretzels and the peanut bar. I didn't even really want them, but I was hungry and I couldn't think of something else to eat that wouldn't require a lot of prep. Of course, I'm just now realizing that I could have grabbed an apple or banana or orange or celery with almond butter or raisins. There's lots of stuff to eat, but that was right in front of me, so I failed.

I'll be completely honest here and tell you that I kind of felt today coming on. I could feel my body wearing down, and I knew I would have to work really hard to keep it fueled and not burn out. Unfortunately, one long day really took its toll, and I was not prepared to deal with it. That's OK, though. An error is not a mistake until you refuse to correct it. So, I'm not waiting until tomorrow to fix it. I'm fixing it today. Dinner will be better. Sleep will come earlier. Tonight will end better and tomorrow will start better. Oh, and I'm looking forward to it.

Physical Therapy
I do want to touch on my first meeting with my physical therapist before I sign off here. It was fun! I was reminded of a lot of things I already knew but had definitely forgotten (like the IT band's role in knee pain). I've been given a few fun exercises (aka exhausting) to help strengthen and stretch my hips, and I have more appointments set up. I've been told I shouldn't run at all for a while (BOO!), but biking and swimming are fine, so I guess I'm thrilled that it's warmer out.

I do have to say, it's really fun learning so much about my body. I'm pretty sure that if I took all the x-rays I've had over the past few years I'd probably have a life-size person, and I think that's cool. It's just really interesting, though, to see how things interact and play together. Here's to learning more, and bettering myself!

Tasty Tuesday

2012-01-31T10:51:00.000-05:00

Things have been going really well here. I feel like I have been super productive, and I know Hans is thrilled with all the work I've been getting done. I've cleaned and folded laundry, and I've even been cooking regularly (eggs and bacon with an orange and toast every morning is always a plus). Part of my cooking has meant that I've been exploring some new recipes, and I've been returning to old favorites I haven't made in a while. While most of my cooking has been fairly healthy, I've had a few that could be healthier. That said, the way I see it, it's all healthier than eating out, so it's a plus.

Anyway, I'm hoping to post some of my recipes online regularly. I'd like to be able to do every Tuesday, but I'm not going to promise anything. Just be patient, and you'll get a recipe every now and then.

For our first recipe, I'm sharing:

Apple Chicken Stir-Fry

Not the best picture, but still tasty.

Ingredients:
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
- 1 1/2 Tbs + 1 1/2 tsp Vegetable oil
- 1/2 c. onion, vertically sliced
- 1 3/4 c. carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp dried basil, crushed
- 1c. fresh or frozen snow peas
- 1 Tbs water
- 1 medium baking apple, cored and thinly sliced
- 2 c. cooked brown rice

Heat 1 1/2 Tbs of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add cubed chicken breast and stir-fry until lightly browned and cooked. Remove from skillet. Stir-fry onion, carrots, and basil in remaining 1 1/2 tsp of oil in same skillet until carrots are tender. Stir in pea pods and water; stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in apple. Add to chicken, serve over hot, cooked rice.

Per serving: 330 calories, 8g fat, 1g saturated fat, 65mg cholesterol, 115mg sodium, 30g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, 29g protein. Makes 4 servings

This recipe is courtesy of Martinsfoods.com. It is quite tasty, but I do have to say there are some things I'd like to try.

While the recipe is delicious as is, it was also a little plain. I'd like to see how it would taste if it were cooked in sesame oil instead of vegetable oil. I also wonder how it'd be with a splash of apple cider or even a spritz of citrus juice to flavor things up. All in all, though, it's a great way to get all your veggies in one meal. Oh, and I think it would be easy enough to add or remove any veggies. I would definitely add some peppers and mushrooms, because I love peppers and mushrooms.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

Well That's A Pain

2012-01-25T13:50:00.000-05:00

So, I mentioned a while back that I'd had to stop running for a while because my knee was really bothering me. And it was! It hurt when I went up and down stairs, it hurt when I was driving, it hurt when I walked the dogs. In fact, the only time it didn't hurt was when I was bicycling (curse the flat tire that prevented me from biking more often). So, today I finally went to see an orthopedist.

As is the case with most things that cause us problems, the knee wasn't acting up today. There was some tenderness, but nothing too major, and I almost canceled at the last minute, but I decided it had been enough of a problem for long enough that I should go. A few x-rays and some stretches later, and we have a diagnoses.

Patellar Tendinitis

Basically, it's nothing serious yet, but if not treated it could cause problems. The doctor said I may also have lost some cartilage, but that's no concern at this point. For now, I have a few physical therapy appointments, and a patellar strap to wear whenever I'm standing.

This is not my leg, but it is what my strap looks like.

I can tell that strap is going to help tremendously. Already, I'm able to climb the stairs without wincing in pain, and going on a walk does not leave me limping at the end. So, I'm excited to get this thing worked out and get back into action!

Oh, and in case you're wondering what could cause patellar tendinitis: It's generally caused by repetitive motions like jumping, running, or biking, but there could be other contributing factors such as wide hips (thank you to my baby-making hips), or hyper-extension (apparently I do this a little too). Also, don't tell the doc, but I think that having dogs run into your legs multiple times a day could be a contributing factor. :) Either way, let's hope I'm up and running again soon!

I Used to Be Independent

2012-01-24T19:36:00.000-05:00

Eight years ago I was graduating high school and going off to college. I was fairly independent back then. I was independent enough to go to a school that was 1250 miles from home. I was independent enough to go to parties on my own. I was independent enough to ask a boy a barely knew for a ride home, and I was independent enough to program the TV and VCR without the boy's help. Somewhere over the past 8 years, I lost that independence.

In fact, I remember the day my independence left. It was shortly after Hans and I got married, and I had bought a bathroom shelving unit. I wanted to surprise Hans by having it assembled and set up by the time he got home, so I got to work. Three hours later, it was mostly assembled, but I couldn't get one crucial part together. I pushed and shoved and squeezed, but those puzzle pieces would not fit. When Hans came home I was still sitting in the middle of the floor with pieces of shelves around me. I asked for some help, and Hans, being the builder that he is, had that thing completely assembled in about 30 minutes. To add insult to injury, the whole unit didn't even fit in our bathroom, and we had to disassemble it and return it to the store. Anyway, that was the first time I realized how much faster Hans could handle certain things.

Over the years it's gotten worse. Hans was the best at building things (he is a carpenter after all), painting things, and making decisions. I can't seem to program the VCR to save my soul, and my ability to go to a party on my own is barely existent. I'm much more comfortable with Hans.

Here's the thing, though. While I often lament my loss of independence (and scream at Hans, "I used to be able to do things before I met you!"), I'd much rather have Hans around. I definitely prefer having Hans here to chat with and cuddle with and share dinners with than to have the ability to paint and build and program VCRs.

Maybe some day I'll regain some of my independence, but for now I'm quite happy to be codependent.

Fighting the Winter Blues

2012-01-19T10:24:00.000-05:00

I am on my second week of greatly decreased / no processed sugar, and things are going well. The stomach bug was a great jump-start, but that doesn't mean things have been easy. While I feel my cravings are passing, earlier this week was particularly bad. I think a lot of it had to do with the cold, but all I wanted was cake. I didn't want anything cold...just cake. Luckily, Hans and I had picked up some fruit-filled bread last Saturday, and that helped to satisfy my needs. Otherwise, I've been doing OK. I'm feeling good, but aside from all that cutting sugar does for me, there's one other side effect I hadn't anticipated.

I feel like I've accomplished something.

One of the worst things about the winter blues is that I end up sleeping a lot. When I sleep a lot, nothing gets done. When nothing gets done, I feel bad. When I feel bad, I want to sleep a lot. Do you see the vicious cycle? By cutting sugar, I didn't have to really do anything (other than fight urges). It was something I wanted to do, and it really didn't require a lot of work. Now I feel like I've accomplished something.

Since I accomplished one thing, I now want to tackle other things. I've done the dishes. I've folded laundry. I've even cooked a few meals. I'm going to they gym this afternoon, and I think I'm going to set up a pretty awesome work out plan. Tackling one hard thing has made it easier to tackle other easy things, and that's pretty cool. So, for now, I'm keeping processed sugar to a minimum.

Great Falls National Park

2012-01-15T07:51:00.000-05:00

Two dogs excited to be on a car trip.

Hans took a painting!

Cody, Ollie, Ippa, Lollie

The two bullies.

Scenery along our hike.

Everybody chase Ippa!!!

Did someone say, "Ippa?"

Run!!!!!

Tired puppies


A very tired Ippa.

Yesterday, Hans and I took Cody, Lollie, and their friend Ippa to Great Falls National Park. There, we met up with Oliver and a good time was had by all.

How A Stomach Flu Can Be Good

2012-01-14T06:08:00.000-05:00

As you know, earlier this week I was suffering from a stomach flu. It was awful! I had a fever and chills. Everything made me nauseous, and I didn't eat for 4 days. Yes, in the last post I joked that I had dropped 6 pounds, but it wasn't very fun, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. That said, there was some good that came from it.

I have already discovered that processed sugar is awful for me. I don't just mean it's bad physically. I mean, it really messes with my head. It makes me depressed and lethargic. It makes me cranky and sad. All in all, it makes me feel like I'm the shell of a person struggling to get by. The problem is, I am kind of a sugar addict. All it takes is the bite of cookie or the sip of a milkshake to send me spiraling back. The one cookie will make me crave a second cookie. That milkshake (and the justification of that milkshake) will make me crave more milkshakes, or hot chocolate, or a banana chocolate-chip coffee cake, courtesy of Starbucks. Stopping is easier said than done. I can come up with a million excuses as to why I deserve more. I've had a hard day. It's cold outside (particularly good for hot chocolate). It's only one, and one is fine. I need a pick me up. I'm tired. I'm worried about xyz. I'll say anything to have another bit of sugar. The problem is that each bite makes me feel worse, and each bite makes me crave more.

I knew I needed to cut the sugar. I needed to "sober up" if you will. I've done it before, but it's extremely hard. For me, it's even harder in the winter, and most of my sugar cuts have happened in the summer. I'm happier in the summer, and I'm more active in the summer, so I can usually fight off silly cravings. Cutting the sugar was going to be really hard this time. I hadn't been feeling great emotionally, and things have been kind of stressful. I was trying to succeed, but I kept getting in my on way.

That's where the stomach flu comes in. Not only could I not eat sugar, the thought of anything sweet repulsed me. I would think of saltines or very simple soup and be OK, but the thought of one of the Oreos sitting on our counter made me ill. Smelling something sweet was even worse. Heck, even the smell of our caramel-scented candle gave me pause. I didn't enjoy being sick, but even at the time I could recognize that this was a good thing.

I started eating real food again on Wednesday, and I started eating colorful food (not plain rice and chicken) on Thursday, but I've done well with the no sugar thing. I haven't really wanted any sugar. My mentality seems to be, "I've gone this long without sugar, what's another day?" It was something I recognized right away...I no longer needed all the sugar. So, yesterday when Mom and I went to Starbucks like we often do, I let her buy coffee, but I had nothing (I already had tea that morning, so I really didn't want more). I didn't have hot chocolate even though it was chilly out, and I didn't have that delicious banana chocolate-chip coffee cake. Sure, the thought passed through my mind that I deserved one, but it was easy to squash.

Oh, and how has this paid off? Am I feeling better? You bet! I'm sleeping better and requiring less of it. I'm spending more time at the gym. I'm cooking dinner (which makes Hans extremely happy). I'm a happier person all-in-all.

Now, I know, realistically, that I can't hide from sugar forever. There are some treats I refuse to give up (like Culver's custard), but I don't need those treats on a regular basis. I can get by with only having them once or twice a year. They will be more special because I did get by. For now, I'm just thankful that my stomach flu ended with a happy outcome...or maybe that's just the lack of sugar pointing out the positive. :)

10 Step Diet

2012-01-11T19:55:00.000-05:00

Step 1: Invite a friend over for pizza. This will THE LAST DAY you will eat junk food.

Step 2: Call the husband and ask him to pick up ice cream and candy, because you're going to make milkshakes. In the absence of a husband, get them yourself.

Step 3: Consume nearly an entire pizza and a lot of chocolate before entering a sugar coma and going to bed.

Step 4: Start the day with a healthy breakfast.

Step 5: See the chocolate from the night before and decide to finish it off. There wasn't a lot left, and it's better to be rid of it so it's not tempting you.

Step 6: Immediately curse because you just ate chocolate!

Step 7: Move on with your life and begin your day.

Step 8: Eat a healthy, hearty lunch because you've been working hard.

Step 9: Catch a stomach bug with fever and chills included. Stop eating for 3.5 days because the thought of food makes you ill.

Step 10: Lose 6 pounds!

Yes, I've been sick. After Sunday I was functional, but my stomach couldn't seem to digest any food. Today I am feeling much better, and I'm starting to eat some proteins and cooked veggies. I hated that stomach bug, and I felt miserable, but it was nice to lose 6 pounds. That said, I don't recommend that diet for anyone!

The Husband

2012-01-10T16:52:00.000-05:00

One of the first things Hans learned when he met me was how much I love dogs. Really, I love any animal, but dogs top the list. Early in our relationship, I made it clear that dogs would in some way be a part of my life. Hans didn't even flinch.

Five and a half years ago, we did not get a dog. We were both still and school, and a dog was, unfortunately, not an option. We did, however, find a cat. I don't mean adopt. I mean we found a cat. My roommate's dad raised a sheep, and as is common on farms, there were cats. One of those cats had kittens. I'm not sure how or why, but somehow one of the young kittens became separated from its mother. At only 4 days old, we think it had spent at least 12 hours away from its mother when we found it. The mother wouldn't take her back, so we decided to raise her. My roommate, myself, and Hans all too turns feeding her and cleaning her and doing other gross mommy-like things. Hans was great.

Four and a half years ago we were married, and yes, we got a dog. Cody was everything anyone could wish for in a puppy, and Hans was great with him. He got up in the middle of the night to let Cody out. He didn't yell when Cody had an accident. He calmed me down when Cody ate my brand-new, never-been-worn pair of shoes (I said Cody was great, not that he was perfect). He didn't even get mad when Cody had his first counter-surfing episode and ate all the waffles that Hans had just made. In fact, he just laughed along with me as he realized that things could never be left near the edge of a counter again. He made a great Cody-daddy.

Three and a half years ago Hans came through again. He supported me when I decided to become a dog trainer. He bid me farewell, as I headed off to school, and he patiently waited for my return, all the while living with my dad.

Almost two years ago, we moved into our first house. We expected things to stay fairly calm and quiet with 2 dogs and 2 cats (we had regained custody of my cat from high school and were sponsoring a Humane Society dog), but Henrico Humane Society and God had other plans. Instead of calmly enjoying and getting used to our new house, we were raising a litter of 3 week old pups (Lord, help us). It was long before we were fostering all sorts of dogs, some big some small (most of them big). We would have anywhere between 2 and 11 dogs in the house at once. I know Hans didn't and doesn't love it all the time, but he's always been fairly patient.

This weekend, though, kind of topped the charts. Saturday, Hans woke early with me to care for the dogs. We fed them and let them out, and then we took two of them for bike rides. After that, Hans joined me at HHS adoption stand. There, he walked dogs, talked to people, loaded and unloaded crates, and was an all-around good guy. Then, he took me to lunch and afterward we ran a quick errand. It was during this errand that things turned rough. I got sick...really sick.

We came home, and I went straight to bed with a fever, chills, and a stomach bug. Hans let out all the dogs, and then cared for me. That night, he fed everyone, and let me sleep. Sunday morning, he got up early and let me sleep in while he cared for everyone again. At some point on Sunday, though, Hans started to feel sick. He won't admit it, but I think he was fighting off what I had. Still, though, he refused to let me help. That night, as I made my way from the couch to our bed, I discovered that I was not the only sick one in the house. Our cat, Mo, was sick too...all over our bed. Hans, though not feeling well, stripped the bed and changed the sheets. He cleaned up where Mo had been ill, and he did it with little complaint.

Last night, I still wasn't feeling great, and I wasn't sleeping well, so when one of the dogs woke up at 3:00 am, Hans got up to let him out. This morning, I let the dogs out, but Hans was right there with me. I haven't eaten much since Saturday, but Hans has gotten me anything I've asked for...anything that might make me feel better.

I have to say, I have a pretty awesome husband. He's kind, generous, caring, handy, and an all-around great guy. Yep, I have an awesome husband. Oh yeah! And he's kind of good lookin' too!

The Newest Member of the Family

2012-01-09T19:45:00.000-05:00

Meet Lollie!

Lollie is the newest addition to our family, and we are super-thrilled to have her with us. So, let me tell you a little about her, and how she came to join our little pack.

Back in October, around the time that I got sick and everything, Steven Spielberg (that's right, the movie guy) came to Richmond to film a movie. The city was all a-tither. Yes, I did audition to be an extra, but I figured I'd be fine either way. I had a small claim to fame because one of my friends works for the casting company that was casting extras, so I was happy to hear all her tales of woe and her tales of celebrities. What I was not expecting, though, was for her to tell people tales of me!

Apparently, the director of photography (DP) had a dog, and this dog needed help. She was scared. Her tail was tuck, she trembled, and she wouldn't take treats. She was a mess. She was a new addition to the DP's family, and he wanted to help her in any way he could. Other people wanted to help her too, though. She was pretty pathetic.

So, one day, a publicist for the film saw my friend, and she asked her if she knew of any dog trainers in the area. She specified that this person had to be a really good, fantastic dog trainer because this dog didn't need anyone setting her back. My friend gave her my name.

Before I knew it, I was meeting with a 2-time Oscar winner and his dog. I knew from the get-go that if things didn't work out, that he would try to rehome this dog. He wasn't being mean. He was being realistic. His life was not beneficial for a timid dog. It would not help her.

I worked and worked and worked with Lollie, and she showed huge improvements. She started to snuggle, and she stopped hiding in her corner. She even started playing at the dog park! However, she was still easily overwhelmed, and often had trouble with minor things like loud sounds and a lot of people.

When the DP came to see her again, the improvements were there, but I think we both knew they were not going to be enough...they might never be enough for this little girl. He was looking for a happy-go-lucky Lab, and Lollie was a timid bulldog.

After a bit of a conversation, I told the DP and his assistant that she was more than welcome to live with us. She gets along well with Cody, she's quiet, and she's a great source of heat on a cold winter's night. The next thing I knew, I had a new dog!

Lollie has been a joy to have here the past few months. She's a lovely little girl, and her place in our family and our hearts just grows stronger every day. I can't wait to see what the future holds for her!

First Run Of the Year

2012-01-05T08:08:00.000-05:00

Tuesday morning, I decided that it was high time I got off my rear, so I went for a run. More accurately, I took Cody and Hans took one of our fosters (Lollie was not built for running), and we went for a run together. We jogged down a local fitness trail, did some strength exercises, and jogged / walked back home. Some things were good. Others...not so much.

My last run was back in October. Fitness-wise, I was not in a good place. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could run as much as I did. Granted, my pace wasn't great (very slow), but I didn't become too winded, and for the most part things went fairly well. This is good! All that said, there was one concerning part of my run.

When I stopped running last October, there were two main reasons. 1) I had thrown my neck out, and simply lifting my head was painful. 2) I got very, very sick. Once both of those things passed, I just wasn't motivated anymore. However, I never really discussed the third reason with people: running just wasn't feeling good. I don't mean that I couldn't get into a groove. I mean that it hurt. It started by hurting in my left knee. Usually it would go away, but the more often I ran and the farther I ran, the more it started to hurt. I suppose this ended up changing my stride (I was probably limping a little), because shortly there-after it started to hurt in my hips and neck and back. Instead of coming home happy and devoid of stress, I'd come home in pain. I actually wonder if that's not why my neck started hurting so bad.

So, I decided to take some time off. I missed running the entire time, and I know Cody missed it too. I walked a little, and I could have spent more time at the gym, but I really wanted to go for a run. Tuesday's was a trial run.

It felt good at first, but it didn't take long for that left knee to start acting up again. That knee is the reason I walked a good portion of the way back home. It hurt during, and it still hurt yesterday (and a little today). So, I'm still taking a break from running. I do not, however, want to take a break from physical activity altogether, though. So, I have a plan:

1) Walk with the dogs every other day. This is more for the dogs than for me. They need the extra exercise.

2) On mornings that Hans and I don't go on walk, we'll go to the gym. This generally means time in the pool or on a bike. There will also be the occasional morning where we'll take the dogs for a bike ride around town instead of going to they gym.

3) Go to the doctor. I already have an appointment with my GP for an annual checkup, and I'm hoping for a referral to an orthopedist. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I'd rather catch it and fix it than just let it get worse. That said, if anyone in RVA or the surrounding areas has an orthopedist they recommend, let me know. I'm more than happy to speak with anyone.

Anyway, that's the update for now. I'm hoping things get better soon!

A New Year, A New Bed

2012-01-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

It is officially 2012. How did you spend your New Year's Eve / Day? Ours was spent quite nicely. For New Year's Eve, we did two very special things. First, we celebrated the marriage of two of our friends. It's the first time I've been to a wedding on New Year's Eve, and it was a lot of fun. As an added bonus, the bride was from MN, so one of the treats at the reception was lefse. Hans was thrilled, and both of us had way more than we should have. If you're not sure what lefse is, I highly recommend you check out this link.

The next thing Hans and I did, though, is one that will affect us throughout the year. We spent the first night in our brand new bed! I can't believe what a difference it made sleep-wise. I had a lot more room to move which means I didn't wake up whenever I wanted to roll over. On top of that, this bed, while quite similar to our old one, was designed a bit differently, so things that were problematic in our old bed are no longer problematic.

Anyway, I got an amazing night's sleep, but what's even nicer is that Hans got an amazing night's sleep. This, of course, means I don't have to deal with a tired, grouchy Hans. Life is much better this way. :)

I am hoping that this new bed will also mean some other changes in my life. Maybe with better sleep I'll be more productive. Maybe waking up to work out won't be so difficult. Maybe I won't get so stressed out so easily. Maybe things will improve overall. Maybe.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, our new bed is a Sleep Number. I've had one since I was 13, and I love them. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Yes, I Am Still Alive

2011-12-30T00:52:00.000-05:00

Hello.

Yes, I am still alive. I am sorry I have been M.I.A. lately, but things have been rough. Nothing really bad has happened, in fact, quite a few good things have happened, but I have been struggling. I've been lonely, but at the same time I really only want to be left alone. I've been tired and lethargic. I've been cranky. All I've wanted to do is hide under the covers and snuggle with the dogs. Frankly, I've been depressed.

Hans and I have pretty much decided that I have a case of S.A.D. or Seasonal Affective Disorder. This makes sense, seeing as I started going downhill as soon as cold weather set in, and this seems to be the case every year. I thrive on the heat. While living in a tropical climate year round would be difficult (I love having 4 seasons), anything below 80 degrees is hard for me. This was not always the case. I used to love winter as much as summer, but Minnesota cured me of that. Minnesota is a beautiful state, and it has a lot going for it, but its winters are brutal and long. I haven't viewed winter the same since my 4 years there (even though VA is about 50+ degrees warmer). Anyway, winter has been difficult. Let me fill you in.

Back in October (only a few posts ago), I mentioned I was sick. Just before then I had trouble with my neck. I haven't run since then. In fact, I really haven't done much exercise of any kind since then. As a result of that and the extra food I've been eating (I'm a sad eater), my clothes are tighter (or not fitting at all) and my self-esteem has kind of taken a nose-dive. This is the worst for me. I really enjoyed running, and I really want to get back into it.

Of course, with the cold and self-esteem stuff going on, re-motivating myself has been hard. I say, "Just go out and do it" but then my body comes up with some excuse as to why I shouldn't. I really need to work on that.

This post, however, is not meant to be a complete downer, though. Plenty of good things have happened.

The biggest and best thing that has happened has been the recent addition to our family, Lollie! Lollie is our newest dog. She's a boxer / bulldog mix, she's quiet, and she gets along wonderfully with Cody. I was not planning to get a new dog at all, but after training her for 2.5 months it was determined that she just was not a good fit for her owner, and I couldn't bear to give her up. She's a timid creature, and she needs a stable environment, something her owner couldn't provide. My life can be crazy, but at least she has a few constants. I think she'll be a perfect fit here. (I'll have to post a picture some other time, though, because I don't have my camera with me right now).

I also accomplished one BIG goal. I sewed my first article of clothing. Hans knows the basics of sewing, and he taught me how to sew my own pajama pants. It's something I've always wanted to do, and I'm thrilled that I did it. Now I have a lot of projects to do.

Lastly, Hans and I are moving!! Don't get too excited, we're only changing rooms. We recently bought a larger bed (to accommodate for the extra dog), and we need to sleep in a larger room. We should have it all set up by Saturday night, which means we'll get to ring in the New Year in a new bed. Woo hoo!

Honestly, I'd love to share more, but I'm exhausted. I promise I'll be back, and I hope it doesn't take me another month to get back here. Thank you for being patient.

Holiday Confusion

2011-11-16T12:46:00.000-05:00

Alright, so I know just about everyone has commented on this, but I'm going to throw my voice in too.

Halloween just passed, and Thanksgiving is just a week away. However, Christmas has already come in. If you watch any t.v. you will see commercials promoting different Christmas sales. If you pass any store you will see Christmas displays in the window. In fact, just last week some stores near our neighborhood had a Holly Open House and decked the halls with lots of things to sell. Amidst all this Christmas hoopla, I find that I am having trouble remembering which holiday is coming up.

I know that next Thursday is Thanksgiving, but I keep panicking. I don't have all my gifts! Will I be able to get them all by next week? There are some ads that I've seen, and I've wondered why they're showing them so late. Shouldn't they show them more than a week before Christmas?

It's extremely frustrating. Has the world forgotten about Thanksgiving? I haven't. My house is still decorated for autumn, and that won't change until after Thanksgiving. I'm not going to buy anything special just because it's Christmas oriented. I hope the retail world understands this. If not, TOO BAD! I'm going to celebrate one holiday at a time, and that's all there is too it.

In other news: One year ago today, it was raining and a car rear ended me. It's raining today too. Do I have to leave the house?

Getting Back In The Groove

2011-11-14T09:15:00.000-05:00

Good morning! How has everyone been since I last wrote? I've been, well, mediocre. Things haven't been bad, per se, but they haven't been great either. Let me explain.

If you look back over my most recent blog posts, you'll see I had a rough few weeks. First, I threw my neck out, which pretty much put me out of commission for a week. Almost as soon as that healed, I got sick, and that put me out of commission for another week. Some people, after having two weeks on the couch, are ready to GO once they start feeling better. I'm not one of those people. My butt got used to the couch.

I've been so very tired, and moving has been exhausting. Admittedly, since I'm still coughing a bit from that cold from Hell, I wonder if that doesn't have something to do with it, but I know another part is sheer laziness. My diet has been atrocious at best, and I've been grabbing my meals at what ever fast food joint sounds best (also hurting my wallet). My bike has been out for one 5 minute ride to a neighbor's house, and I haven't run in a month. This is not good.

Over the past few weeks, a few events have occurred to make me feel kind of down on myself too. First, the Up & Running course ended. I had already accepted the fact that I would not finish on time, but I was still disappointed that I wasn't running a 10k that weekend. Then, this past Saturday was the Richmond Marathon. I had planned to run an 8k that's part of that marathon, but I passed on that too. I was REALLY disappointed in myself for that one. Finally, Hans and I went shopping yesterday.

We went to Williamsburg with the sole purpose of buying a pair of fleece-lined athletic pants I'd seen on my birthday (exactly one month ago yesterday). This, luckily, wasn't as depressing as I'd expected it to be, or else I may have had more trouble recovering. Still, though, the pants that looked and felt great one month ago, were a little snug this time. I was happy that any larger still would have been too large, but I didn't like that they were snug. So, I made a decision.

November 25th is the Richmond Turkey Trot (a 10k race). I've heard dogs are allowed in this race too, though I haven't confirmed it. I want to run this race. I don't need to go fast or win a medal. I just want to run that 10k.

I have less that two weeks to get back in shape. My run this morning was less than stellar, but I'm happy that I ran. I'll be running more this week, and Cody will run with me. I'm also going to work on getting back into my gym routine (3 days a week- 1 day swimming, 1 day strength, 1 day yoga). I really want this to happen.

Wish me luck!

Skipping Halloween

2011-10-31T17:40:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm off my sick bed. Finally! There's still a cough and sniffles, but things are much better. So, I have a little rant in my head.

Today is Halloween. Halloween has always been my favorite holiday, but this year I'm just not feeling it. Halloween, like many other holidays has lost its meaning. I am going to jump past its meaning as a Pagan ritual and instead go into the more recent meaning.

When I was a kid, Halloween was about having fun. My first costume was a cheap mask from the dollar store.

One of the people in my neighborhood transformed his house into a haunted house and dressed up as a vampire. I think I was four the first time I went out. That house TERRIFIED me (I learned later that same man was also my dentist which then made me slightly afraid of my dentist).

As I grew older, trick-or-treating was a treat, but the bigger treat was the haunted hay ride and the time with friends. I NEVER went out with just my family. It was always a big group activity.

I think my most elaborate costume was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (although I could be completely wrong and making this up).

By the time I entered middle school (I was 11) I was done trick or treating. Sure, I probably could have pulled off a couple more years, but really the trick or treating has always been for the younger kids.

Halloween through middle and high school was about reinventing yourself. For one day you could be whomever or whatever you wanted to be. Magic was real and everything was special.

Over the past few years, though, I've become disenchanted. For most older kids and adults, Halloween is just about dressing trashy or cross-dressing. There's no originality.

I'm sick of seeing age-inappropriate kids trick or treating. If you're old enough to not need an adult escort, you're too old. If you're too young to say, "Trick or Treat" or eat half the candy you acquire, you're too young.

If your parties are about getting hammered and dancing then maybe you shouldn't call it a Halloween party. Maybe it's just a well-timed costume party.

If you think Halloween is about the candy, then maybe you should just celebrate Halloween on Easter or Christmas since lots of candy is given out then too.

I know I'm probably pissing a few people off, but I'm kind of in a crabby mood. Some people out there really remember what Halloween is about, but so many more seem to have forgotten. Maybe next year I'll be more excited. Maybe next year, I'll have the haunted house. Maybe next year I'll throw on some elaborate costume and portray myself as some grand historical figure (Anne Boleyn would be fun. You could do pre-beheading for just a fun costume or post-beheading for something scary). This year, though, I'm just not feeling it. Sorry.

The Pros and Cons of Being Sick

2011-10-28T09:28:00.000-04:00

Pro: You get to sleep a lot.

Con: You feel like crap.

Pro: People take care of you.

Con: You feel like crap.

Pro: You can eat anything you want.

Con: Anything you eat makes you feel like crap or tastes like crap.

Pro: You don't have to worry about going to work.

Con: Missing work makes you feel like crap.

Obviously my body wanted me to take a rest. Last week I had a terrible crick in my neck which put me out of commission for a day and a half. This week, I felt out of sorts Monday and Tuesday, and I've been full out sick for the past 3 days. Today, my fever is way down, but any sort of exertion makes me want to sleep. I do have things that I can't miss tomorrow, so hopefully I feel much better. Anyway, wish me luck!

The Paleo Diet

2011-10-27T09:05:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone!

Today is day 4 of our Paleo diet...sort of. I'll explain in a minute. So far, I've loved it!!! I've been eager to make the foods, and I've gotten loads of veggies. Surprisingly, I haven't even missed the bread that would normally go with my food, but I am grateful that Paleo is not the same as no carbs. I do love my fruit. I've also enjoyed discovering new foods like almond butter, and Hans has discovered the joys of mango. Oh, and my favorite part is that coconut is a big part of EVERYTHING. Being a huge coconut lover, this is definitely the lifestyle for me...although Hans is having second thoughts. :)

So let me tell you where the "sort of" comes in. On Monday, I started feeling sick. Nothing much, just really tired and a scratchy throat. I thought it was bad allergies. On Tuesday, I really didn't feel good. On one of my breaks between lessons, instead of walking the dogs or getting caught up on paperwork, I just slept...and slept and slept. Yesterday, I felt like death warmed over. I went to two appointments, and then decided I couldn't do anymore. I called and cancelled my remaining lessons, and I went straight home. I changed into my pajamas and curled up on the couch with a box of tissues.

Around 4:00, my tummy alerted me it was hungry, but I still felt awful. I wanted ants on a log (celery sticks with almond butter, raisins and coconut), but I couldn't muster the energy to make them. When Hans got home around 6:00, I was still hungry, so he brought me some raisins to hold me over until he let dogs out. (Side note: God bless my husband. He's a saint.) Raisins have always been something I could eat when nothing else sounded good, so that was a good choice. By the time he finished letting dogs out, I had spiked a fever. It was only 99.5, but my normal is 97.2, so 99s are fairly high for me. Hans asked me if I'd like ants on a log. My belly answered yes, but my jaw and head decided that celery was too crunchy. I thought of everything we had in the house, and aside from a box of raisin (hello fruit-induced bowel movement), nothing sounded good. Nothing, that is, except for ice cream.

I fought it off as long as I could, but when it got to the point where raisins and ice cream were the only things I could think of without wanting to vomit, I gave in. It was a small bowl, but it was ice cream all the same. I had more for breakfast this morning, and I don't feel bad about it. If I'd had the ingredients, I may have asked Hans to make some Paleo ice cream (which just sounds delicious, by the way), but I didn't, and I didn't want to ask Hans to do more than he already was. (I'm telling you, that man is a saint.) I allowed myself to have ice cream, and I'm OK with it.

This morning, my fever is down, but I still feel like poop (which is better than death). I have a stuffy nose, and a horrible cough. It's 70 degrees out, but I'm wrapped up in blankets. I'm thinking about lunch, and right now the thought of eating anything is sickening. Maybe I'll be able to handle some avocado. I could put some tuna in it, but the thought of that much flavor is sickening. I suppose my stomach will decide later. For now, I'm going to curl back under the covers and take a nap.

Long Time No See

2011-10-21T08:55:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! How is life? I know, I know. It's been a very long time since I last posted. So, let me fill you in.

-Last Thursday (the 13th) was my birthday. I love the timing of my birthday. The fall leaves are in full color and I feel like there's a celebration just for me. This year there were thunderstorms, so I figure God was playing on the drums as part of my party.

-There are MAJOR things happening with the business. I'm doing some mild restructuring of things, and I'm looking for a kennel to work out of. Still, though, there are other more exciting things. Which reminds me, I need to call some family members!

-Running is still going really well. I've had a couple of setbacks, though. The biggest one happened this past Monday. I suppose I slept funny, but when I woke up I couldn't even turn my head to the side my neck hurt so bad. I ended up canceling all my appointments, putting on the neck brace, and popping some Valium in an attempt to make the pain go away. Still, though, I was in tears. Five days, a chiropractic adjustment, and a massage later I'm feeling much better. I'm still icing in the evenings just to keep inflammation down, but I will probably resume running in full by next Monday.

-Speaking of health issues, Hans and I have decided to try something new. One of the blogs I read, Skinny Emmie, has mentioned that she is doing the Paleo diet. At first I just wondered what on Earth the Paleo diet was, so I did some research. The basic rules are no gluten, no processed sugars, and no dairy. In other words, NO PROCESSED SUGARS. After reading up some more and searching through the book store, I found a book that I really like: Everyday Paleo. Anyway, there's a whole 30 day meal plan in there. I'm worried, because I'm pretty sure that Hans won't like most of it, but he's a trooper and he's willing to give it a shot. After 30 days, if we don't like it, we'll stop, but for now I'm excited. We're going shopping and preparing food on Saturday. Monday is the big start day. Woot!

Well, that's pretty much all the big news for now. I'll keep y'all updated as things progress!

Running Makes Everything Better

2011-10-04T10:43:00.000-04:00

Hello all! Wow, it's been a bit of time since I last posted. After last weekend, I was so tired I couldn't think straight. It took me until Thursday to even start feeling like my old self. I was just kind of coping through the week. I couldn't seem to get up early, I wasn't going for runs, I barely made it to the gym for one of my favorite classes, I skipped yoga, and I was inexplicably tired. By Thursday, I knew something had to change or I'd get stuck in that groove. As I was getting ready to meet Hans for lunch, a thought struck me. Hans' work is 3.1 mi (a 5k) away from the house. I had some free time. Why not run it? So, I threw on my running clothes, put a leash and collar on Cody, and headed out. That was beginning of my feeling better.

Friday was a busy day of appointments, so no running happened, but I still felt good.

Saturday started a lot of busyness. Saturday was Henrico Humane's Bark in the Park, and I was a vendor. So, Hans and I woke up at 4:30 in the morning, loaded up the truck (in the rain), and headed out to set up. For the first time ever, Bark in the Park included a 5k, and I decided I'd also like to be a part of that. At 8:45 I left Hans to finish setting up, and I headed over to the starting line. Off I went! Half an hour later, I was crossing the finish line, then a quick change, and then time to run a booth. By the time I was back at my booth, they were announcing the results of the race, and I was in for a surprise. I placed FIRST in my age group!!! Yay!!!! The rest of the day was just wonderful. There was time with the dogs, lots of new people to meet, and a cool, sunny day.

It's not the best picture, but I'm crossing the finish line.

Kyla and Alex are tired...and enjoying the Adirondog beds.

After Bark in the Park ended, Hans and I dropped everything off at the house, and then we headed out again. Off to the Italian Festival!!! We didn't stay long...we were kind of tired, but we had fun. Once we got home, we promptly fell asleep...at 6:30 pm. A quiet evening at home was exactly what the doctor called for.

Sunday was another busy day. We were lucky because our trainer called on Saturday to say he wouldn't be able to make it on Sunday morning. YAY! Sleep! We had a relaxing Sunday morning, and then it was time for church. After church, we had a lovely lunch out, and then we had big plans. Hans and I wanted to plant bulbs and organize our flower beds in the front yard. We gathered our bulbs and headed out. It was cold, it was threatening to rain, and we were still tired from the day before, but somehow we worked perfectly together. It was almost like we were doing a dance. He'd ready the soil, I'd plant the seeds. I'd split some of the plants that were already there, he'd spread more topsoil. It was great.

After we finished, Mom wanted to go to the state fair, so were were off again. I'll say this about the VA State Fair: Its new location means it's a lot bigger and better than it used to be, but it's not NEARLY as good as the MN State Fair. Still, though, we had a good time. All in all, we had a blast.

Yesterday, I took it fairly easy and went to bed early, but this morning I was up early again. Cody and I headed out for a nice, long run, and Hans took Rocky B (our foster) for a nice, long bike ride. Both dogs are now tired, and I'm feeling great. Now, I have to get back to work. Off to work I go!

What A Weekend!

2011-09-26T15:41:00.000-04:00

Boy, was this weekend fun-filled! I can't believe how busy Hans and I stayed, and today I'm trying to recoup and catch up on everything else that needs to be done.

Saturday started off with a bit of work with Gracie's Guardians. Gracie's Guardians is a new pit bull rescue in the area. Gracie was a Michael Vick dog who was rescued here in VA and whose owners decided to do a little more. They want to help pit bulls and teach people all about them. Anyway, they've started an End Dog Fighting program where they target low-income neighborhoods and try to teach people about their dogs. In this program, they invite people to attend a brief training session, receive vaccinations, dog food, leashes, and collars. It's quite fun really. Guess who's the trainer for these sessions? That's right! It's yours truly! This past session was especially fun. Apparently, a few local news stations got a hold of the story, and we had some camera crews filming / interviewing us. This means I've now been on the news 4 times in the past year...3 of those times for dog training. Woot! I highly recommend watching the segment.

After Gracie's Guardians there was plenty more fun to be had. One of my fellow volunteers with Henrico Humane works for Phillip Morris and Saturday was their Employee Appreciation Day. To show their employees how much they love them, they decided to give each employee a bunch of free tickets to Kings Dominion. Guess who was invited to enjoy some of those free tickets? Hans, Mom, and I all got to spend a lovely day at KD with Cloresa and her husband Mike. Thanks guys!

Yesterday, Sunday, was super busy! We started the day out with an amazing training session with Absolute Sports Performance. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Next was church. As always, it was church like and relaxing. After that, Hans and I went to pick up a dog from a kennel. Rocky B needed a home to live in until he was adopted, and we're providing him with one.

After we'd dropped Rocky B back home, we had a show to get to. Hans had gotten us tickets to see the latest show at Barksdale Theatre, 'Lend Me A Tenor.' If you have the chance to see this show, I highly recommend going to it. It's hilarious! I definitely enjoyed it.

When the show was over, Hans and I had just a little bit of down time, so we grabbed some hot chocolate and picked up a few things from Petsmart. Then, it was another trip back home and then back out again. One of our fosters, Erick, had a home visit scheduled, so we were off to meet a potential adopter. Things went well, but by the time we were done it was getting pretty late. So, back home we went. Rocky B got a bath (he was a stinky, stinky boy), Hans and I ate dinner and relaxed, and then we folded some laundry and went to bed.

Phew! No wonder I'm so tired today. Hopefully I get my energy back by tomorrow!

Valerie's Alphabet

2011-09-22T08:07:00.000-04:00

So, one of my blogger friends did this, and I thought it was a cool idea. If you want to do it too, let me know. I'd love to read all about you!

A. Age: 25, but I'll be 26 in less than 1 month.
B. Bed size: Queen. Really, though, if we had the space for a King I'd get one. Hans, me, two cats, and a dog crowd our little bed.
C. Chore that you hate: Just one? Ok, I hate folding laundry. It's a never-ending task and you can't even really move around that much to count it as a work out.
D. Dogs: Cody is my baby boy, but there are also lots of foster. Today, I have Merlin, Matt, Erik, and Rocky B.
E. Essential start to your day: A shower. I can't shower at night or else I feel off-kilter the next day.
F. Favorite color: Turquoise and blue. I used to love red, but as my personality has mellowed, so have my color preferences.
G. Gold or Silver: I like both, but all my favorite jewelry is gold. Even my wedding band is white gold.
H. Height: 5'7". I'm average.
I. Instruments you play: I can play a few pieces on the piano. Otherwise, I'm a vocalist.
J. Job title: President, Impawsible Pups. In other words, I own a dog training business.
K. Kids: Not yet, not tomorrow, but some day.
L. Live: Richmond, VA. Home.
M. Mother’s name: Juanita. She's named after her aunt and for years she hated it.
N. Nicknames: Val, Val-pal. One person called me Val-Pak for a while, and my college roommate had a not-very-nice nickname she used lovingly.
O. Overnight hospital stays: Thank goodness I haven't had any.
P. Pet peeves: When people leave cabinet doors open after getting something out. Are they really that hard to shut?
Q. Quote from a movie: "I'm your huckleberry." -Doc Holliday in 'Tombstone' It must be said in a western drawl.
R. Right or left handed: Right.
S. Siblings: I'm an only child which means I'm spoiled rotten. :) Of course, that's if you don't count the dogs I grew up with.
T. Time you wake up: 7:00 or earlier. The dogs like to get up early.
U. Underwear: I like simplicity. Simple cotton briefs. Full coverage, but not granny panties. I refuse to wear thongs (ick!).
V. Vegetable you hate: Asparagus. Nasty!
W. What makes you run late: Over-sleeping, chatting for too long, blogging.
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Dental, neck, neck, chest, wrist.
Y. Yummy food that you make: Pierogies and Holubsti. Yummy! I'm great on the Ukrainian ethnic foods. I'm also pretty awesome at baking.
Z. Zoo animal: Wolves. I love wolves. Otherwise, I'd have to go for the lions.

Guilt

2011-09-21T09:35:00.000-04:00

Here's the deal. I love going to the gym. I never thought I'd say that. I never thought I'd be the gym-going sort of person, but I am, and I love it. Frankly, I don't love the ellipticals or the treadmills or the stationary bikes (if I'm going to run or bike I can do that outside). I love the pool and the sauna and the yoga and any other class that seems interesting to me. I love doing things in that group setting that I wouldn't necessarily do on my own. With winter just around the corner, I foresee that I'll be going to the gym more and more...if anything just to sit in the sauna and warm up. I love that sauna!

There is, however, one problem with my gym excursions. I feel horribly guilty. I feel like there are a thousand other things I should be doing. I should be cleaning. I should be working. I should be walking Cody. I should, I should, I should. It's funny. Even as I type this, I keep thinking of what my voice teacher in college used to always say, "Don't should on yourself." Still, though, I feel guilty for taking that time out of the day for myself.

I don't feel guilty on my runs. I have Cody with me, and they're early enough in the morning that I know that if I weren't running I'd be sleeping, so I feel proud for choosing the healthier route. The gym, though, usually comes mid-morning because that's when all the classes I like are held. So, I leave the house thinking, "I should be doing something else right now."

The thing is, I really love my gym time. I love that time spent on me. I love the quiet of the sauna and the rhythm of the water in the pool. I love the flow of yoga and pace of BodyPump. I love leaving the gym and feeling like some fit and cool gym-goer. I love all of it, so I'm not willing to give it up.

I guess I'll just have to start getting things more done when I'm not at the gym.

It's Not That We Don't Love You

2011-09-15T10:57:00.000-04:00

Let me start my describing my day yesterday:

5:00 am: Wake up, feed the dogs, shower.
6:15 am: Meet at Aunt Sarah's for a breakfast / planning meeting
8:00 am: Head out to my dad's / accountant's to do sales tax and payroll
9:00 am: Drive to my first lesson of the day
11:00 am: Leave lesson and drive home.
11:45 am: Lunch
12:00 pm: Begin office work
1:15 pm: Hans comes home for lunch and we let the dogs out and play with them.
1:45 pm: Hans leaves for work, I get back to office work
3:00 pm: Stop what I am working on and leave for appointments
8:30 pm: Return home, work in-board dogs
9:00 pm: Dinner
10:00 pm: Bed

Needless to say, I was exhausted when I got home last night. While this schedule isn't what I follow 24/7 it's not too far off the mark. Some times I let myself sleep in and don't get up until 7:00 am. Sometimes I take some me time and go for a run or to the gym for a swim or yoga (and I always feel guilty). Sometimes I pack a dinner so I can eat earlier. One thing holds true, though. My days are long and filled with things to do. Right now, with things really being all over the place, I am especially grateful for my mom who has been providing the dogs with extra time and attention.

Because of these long, crazy schedules, I miss out on some very important time with friends. It's not that we don't love you. We just don't have time for ourselves, much less for anything extra. Between work, working out, volunteering, and sleep, we're just filled to the brim. We can have dinner with you if you'll eat at 8:00 pm or later. We can watch a movie with you if you don't mind the dogs playing in the background. Occasionally we will tell you we just can't do it simply because we want to spend some time alone...just the two of us with Cody. It's not that I don't want to. It's that I need a break.

If you call me and ask if I can have lunch with you, and I say yes, know that I am giving up 1-2 hours of working time and that I will have to make that up by missing out on sleep. Also know that if I say yes it's because I love you tremendously. If you call me and simply want to talk, and I casually mention that I was doing something for work but I'm so happy you called, know that this means that I love talking to you and I'll talk through the night, but there is a pile of work a mile high that I should be taking care of.

Know that the last time Hans and I had a day off together...with nothing to do, was a month ago when we took a vacation. The summer gives us lots of time off. We take off for our anniversary, for Hans' birthday, for the 4th of July, and this summer offered a vacation. Before that, I think the last time we had off was Easter.

Know that we are working extremely hard, at both keeping the house in order and at keeping the business in order.

Know that we spend time with you because we value your friendship.

Know that we may skip time at the bar because, while we value your friendship, we just can't muster the energy to spend time in a bar when there are 1,000 other things to do at home.

Know that, while this lifestyle may not be what you would choose, there are hundreds of reasons why we love it. Sure, there are things we would change, but we do love our life.

Oh, one more thing. With winter around the corner, know that I would love it if all you wanted to do was spend some time in a sauna. I like the heat.

The Mailman

2011-09-14T13:16:00.000-04:00

Question: Why don't they train mailmen on how to handle dogs? If they do train them, they need to do a better job.

Ok, let me tell you what just happened.

Cody is a spoiled rotten brat. It's true. However, he serves one wonderful service, and that's guard dog. I live in the city. I drive all over town to houses I've never been to before. Sometimes things can get nervous. Cody is praised for barking as people approach (the more ferocious the better) and for barking when I give a command. He is also praised when he stops barking when I tell him to. Cody knows his job and takes it seriously. He knows not to bite, and he's never tried. The most I've seen him do is sniff.

Our mailman is scared of dogs, and Cody terrifies him. I would probably be nervous of growling, barking, 60 lb dog too, but this guy has actually jumped a fence as we were walking down the sidewalk (Cody was happy and wagging his tail in a beautiful heel).

Today, everything happened as normal. The mailman approached, Cody barked and growled. One thing was different, though. I had forgotten to shut the storm door when I came in. Usually, this wouldn't be a problem because there's another door. I don't know if Cody somehow opened the door or if it wasn't latched all the way, but he got out today. Imagine my surprise when I heard the mailman yell, "Get your dog! Get your dog!" I ran to the door, and the mailman was running down the sidewalk with Cody behind him. When the mailman turned to look behind him, he tripped and fell. Cody bumped him with his nose, ran to pee on a bush, and then came to me. No teeth contact was made.

Some people would say that this means I have a bad dog. The truth is, though, Cody is doing exactly what I trained him to do: Act ferocious, but be a big baby at heart. The problem is, the mailman RAN AWAY!

Rule number 1: If a dog is chasing you, stop running. You have no chance of outrunning the dog (unless you're an ultra-marathoner and had a head start), and by running, you are merely encouraging the dog to chase you. In fact, in training, I encourage people to run from their dogs as a game to help teach the come command.

Rule number 2: If you are, in fact, worried about being bitten, use what you have for defense. Most people have some additional layer of clothing (jacket, shoe, etc.) Take it off and throw it at the dog. At the least, this may distract him long enough for you to get away. At the best, it will actually scare him off. The mailman carries a SACK of letters. When I was little, I would use a similar sack (aka a backpack) and swing it around my front to protect me from jumping dogs. He should have done the same.

Rule number 3: Once you know that help has arrived, stop hollering. This will only feed the dog's excitement. Cesar Milan says it best. "Calm, Assertive." If you can't just be quiet, say chant over and over. This could be, "One, two, three four, I declare a thumb war. " or "Little Miss Muffet..." Basically, take your mind off of screaming. The same goes for horses.

These are 3 simple rules. Everyone should know them, but the mailman should have studied them profusely. This mailman was lucky this time. Cody could have been the dog who likes to bite. He could have been much more aggressive. Instead, he's really just a big baby who's been taught to bark. For the mailman's sake, though, I think I'll be double checking the doors from here on out.

It's Been A Long Weekend

2011-09-13T10:10:00.000-04:00

I'm exhausted. I'm tired. I just want to go back to bed and sleep for about 3 days. However, I'm also happy.

This weekend was a very busy one. For the first time, I decided to set up a booth at Mathews Market Days. This meant things had to be ordered, priced, built, loaded onto a truck, and set up.

Going into the event
Nothing went smoothly prior to the event.

First, Irene took our power away. This meant it was that much more difficult to finish building our dog beds. Of course, this meant that Hans ended up working some very late nights right before the show, trying to catch up.

Second, Irene delayed my orders. The show was Friday and Saturday. By Thursday evening, my orders still were not in. I was panicked. Thank goodness for my mom. She was kind enough to pick up my order from the UPS store on Friday and drive 1.5 hours just to deliver it. I can't thank her enough for that.

Third, I was sick. Very sick. I had a fever, I was coughing, I was losing sleep. Of course, this was while Hans was working late, so I was also trying to take care of dogs and keep the house in order, but I wasn't doing a great job of it. I was just soooooo tired.

Fourth, it rained ALL WEEK LONG. We weren't even sure if Mathews Market Days would happen. Heck, even Friday morning there was a terrible downpour which caused half the location to flood out. Luckily, the rest of the weekend was fairly clear.

The Show
So, going into the show, I was not happy. I repeated over and over, "THIS IS NOT WORTH IT!" I thought about simply forfeiting my $35 booth fee and staying home to rest. I just wanted to cry.

However, I did go to the show. Guess what. It wasn't too bad at all. I learned that I really didn't need to stress out the way I had. I learned that Hans is wonderful at helping me set up and at organizing a booth. I learned that I do enjoy doing shows, and that I should try to do a few more throughout the year. All in all, it was a fun time. Still, though, after setting up from 12:00 to 4:00 on Thursday, working the booth from 10:00-5:00 on Friday and 9:00-5:00 on Saturday, plus an hour each day for daily preparations and booth take down from 5:00-6:30 on Saturday, I'm exhausted!!

In other news...
My cold is slowly going away. I'm back to working out, and that seems to really be helping. I particularly enjoyed my swimming session yesterday.

Today marks the first day of my 10k training. I ran this morning, and I'm super excited about my next one. This week I'll run Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, but I'm hoping to keep it on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule for the most part. I am really happy that I did get out there today, because I was starting to forget how much I loved running and how much I loved this course. With one work out, I've already been bitten by the running bug, and I can't wait until Thursday. In the interim, I'll do yoga and possibly some swimming.

If You Can Read This...

2011-09-05T12:46:00.000-04:00

First off, let me say that I HATE being sick. This is one of those weird colds too. I don't feel particularly snotty or stuffy, and my coughing is at a minimum. However, I can't seem to get enough sleep. I wake up with a sore throat, and the rest of the day all I can think of is getting back in bed. My brain can barely handle reading, meaning the 50 pages left of my 700 page book are going to have to wait and the t.v. is on way more than I'd like it to be. I'm having trouble getting work done, and doing something as simple as washing dishes leaves me utterly exhausted.

That said, I am more of a look-on-the-bright-side type of person, and while there's a lot that I do not like about being sick, there's one thing that isn't so bad. I've been tired, I've spiked fevers, and everything I do feels like I'm doing it with 20 pound weights attached. This also means that I've been sweating...a lot. Basically, even though I've been eating terribly because it's too difficult to prepare a proper meal, and I have barely done a thing, I've lost two pounds this week. Not that I feel this is the healthiest way to lose weight. I'd much rather be running or swimming. However, it's nice to know that's one thing I don't have to worry about. Phew!

If You Can Read This...

Hans and I saw this bumper sticker the other day

I have to say, I get really annoyed with this bumper sticker. Before you get angry, let me explain. First off, disregard the first part. If you can read that, then, yes, you should thank a teacher. The second part, though, irks me because it's not exactly historically accurate.

Back in the beginning

If you're really interested in history, here's a bit of info you might not have known. The United States' national language was almost German. Back in the days when the U.S.A. was just a baby, many people HATED the British. They wanted nothing to do with the Brits. They didn't even want to speak the same language. Many people in that time also spoke French and/or German (if they were truly civilized), but our relationship with France was just budding, and for a long time it hadn't been so great either. Germany didn't seem like such a bad place, and I guess some people really liked the German language. It came down to a vote, and English one out. So, one could argue that "If you can read this in English, thank a founding father." Of course, we're forgetting something very important here as well.

Britain

Who spoke English before we did? The people in England, of course! It was the British who colonized America, and the British who colonized India, and the British who colonized Hong Kong and Canada and Australia and all sorts of other places throughout the world. If they hadn't gone to every continent and made their mark, English never would have become so common. Don't believe me? Travel to Asia.

On a trip that Hans and I made to Asia back in '05, we traveled to Tokyo, Okinawa, Seoul, Beijing, and Hong Kong. In Tokyo, we stayed at Camp Zama, a U.S. Army base, and in Seoul we stayed at a YMCA. At Camp Zama, unless the person was American, they didn't speak English. In other words, the employees (cleaning crew, food service, etc.) spoke limited to no English. At the YMCA...forget about it. No English speakers there. However, when we traveled to Hong Kong, a place that Britain ruled until 1998, over 50% of the people spoke English. Oh, and there were a lot of familiar companies such as Starbucks, McDonald's, and KFC.

Not to Disregard the Soldiers

Now then, all that said, I don't want to make light of a soldier's work. I could very easily argue that if it hadn't been for soldiers during WWII, we could be speaking German or Japanese or Italian. I could argue that soldiers have kept their countries safe and, because of both American and British soldiers, English is STILL spoken. Of course, if we were currently speaking Italian, I'd probably be reading this bumper sticker as "If you can read this in Italian thank a soldier" or "Se lei può leggere questo in inglese, ringrazia un soldato." (If you do speak Italian, and this translation is wrong, please forgive me.)

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that there are a lot of reasons why we speak and read in English, and a soldier certainly isn't the only one. Oh, and as for the thanking a teacher part, you could also thank your eye doctor for your glasses, God for the ability to see, your parents for encouraging your ability to read. The list goes on and on.

The Stages of Sick

2011-09-03T09:13:00.001-04:00

We've all been through it. We've all been sick. We've all had the runny nose, the sore throat, and the achy body. One thing I've found is true for me, though, is that I often have a difficult time recognizing when I'm getting sick. I tend to miss the first few signs and then when it hits full force I wonder how I missed it. So, I thought I'd help us all out by sharing some of the signs of getting sick. Keep in mind these are the stages that I go through. It might not be the same for you...or maybe it is.

Stage 1: I don't get sick! Everyone around you is sick. Every place you go you hear coughing or sniffling. Everyone you meet is telling you about their cold. You, however, do not get sick. You will be fine. You will defy the laws of germs.

Stage 2: Why am I so tired? That gym class wiped you out. Things have been stressful. These must be the reasons why you feel utterly exhausted. You don't quite understand why, after 9 full hours of sleep, you wake up wanting a nap. Sleep is your best friend.

Stage 3: I need more food! This generally happens around the same time (maybe a day or two after) the tired feeling hits. You figure that your so hungry simply because your body is looking for fuel to fight the tired feeling, and that's probably true. The trouble is that you just can't seem to stop eating. Pizza? Great! Ice cream? Bring it on! Crackers, cookies, pretzels? Yes please. It should be noted that, while fruit can be tasty during this time, vegetable are not craved or satisfying at all. Good luck on keeping things healthy.

Stage 4: There's a tickle in my throat. This is where everything is just starting to drain, and your just beginning to cough. Generally, this feeling will be strongest when you're lying down trying to sleep. This is also the point that a well-meaning person will offer you some sinus medicine, but you will continue to declare that YOU ARE NOT SICK!

Stage 5: Death would be preferable. That's it. It's official. You're sick. You're not just sick, though. You're dying. Your body aches, your throat hurts, you can't move without wanting to lie down. You will take anything that makes you feel better and allows you to move a little. You pray for the world to stop turning for a bit so you don't miss anything...and because the turning of the world is making you dizzy.

Stage 6: The worst is over. Yes, you are on the mend, but you're not over it yet. You're still tired and sore, but the end is in sight. I recommend taking things slowly for a bit and trying to rest as much as possible lest you have a relapse.

Currently, I'm somewhere between stages 5 and 6. Last night was a definite stage 5 with a mild fever and the shivers from hell. I even had trouble greeting the dogs because the feel of them against my skin hurt and sound of their tails wagging felt like a hammer inside my head. After a very long night of sleep, I'm feeling a bit better. The fever's gone, but moving is not fun. All I really want to do is go back to bed. I have the feeling bed time will come early tonight.

I hope you're all staying healthy. Make sure you take your echinacea and your garlic.

Our Home

2011-09-02T08:05:00.000-04:00

When you come to our home, the first thing you will see will be Cody (and possibly another dog). He will be barking, and he's allowed to continue barking until I tell him otherwise. When you come in, you will get a very excited greeting. This means he may lick your hands or jump up (this is my bad trainer moment where I let him). If there is another dog with him, they will both compete to show you who's the most affectionate. Brace yourself.

You will hear before you see the other dogs. There may be anywhere between 1 and 6 extra dogs. They will bark...a lot. You will see before you hear the cats. There will be 2. The cats may be nervous and hiss. Just leave them alone. You'll be fine. At some point, those dogs that you haven't seen yet will need to go outside, and you will get to meet every single one of them. They will be very excited and very happy, and they may decide it's time to play. This will probably look like they're fighting, but they're not, so don't worry.

When you sit down, you may encounter some dog / cat hair. It will brush off. A dog may slobber on you. It will wash out. The barking may be loud. The dogs will go outside.

A lot of people would not be able to handle our home. To them, it would seem noisy and messy and overall overwhelming. These people do not understand why we live the way we do...why I live the way I do.

I love our dogs. I love the fosters who come through, the clients I'm training, the boarders, and most especially Cody. I love Mo and Stolte. I love their kisses and their warmth. I love their excitement and their energy. I love their attitudes.

Sure, things can be overwhelming sometimes. The mornings are the hardest because I have to wake up and feed all of them, and most don't sleep in the way Cody does. Vacuuming is a daily chore, and I feel like I can never keep up. At some point soon, I will need to wash the walls, the floors will need to be sanded, and the back door will need a new coat of paint. Somehow, though, this all seems worth it.

If I had to choose between the dogs and a quiet life, I'd have to choose the dogs. Someday, I may have a facility separate from the home, and then I could have a quiet life AND the dogs, but that's not the case right now, and that's OK. For now, I'd rather have the wagging tails and the wet tongues. I'd rather have the dogs who need a little extra love and who will return it in spades. I'd rather have the fur and the barking.

I don't expect everyone to get it. I don't expect everyone to agree, and I'm not asking that you do. If you can't handle our home, then don't come here. No one is forcing you. If it's too hard, meet me at a coffee shop. The one thing I do ask is that you simply let us live our lives. Don't try to change things to suit your needs. Don't complain to me. Don't freak out or go stiff as a board when you see all the dogs. Just let things be. Oh, and know that I'm the one house where your dogs are ALWAYS welcome. You don't need to leave your dog behind on my account. Bring him/her along and be happy.

Things to Be Grateful For When the Power is ON

2011-09-01T09:05:00.001-04:00

Power returned to our house at some point yesterday afternoon. This means we went 5 days without power. Five days without hot water or lights or a refrigerator. There was a lot we enjoyed about not having power (even Hans said it was like a little adventure), but there are also a lot of things provided by electricity that I'm very happy to have back.

Hot Water They gym worked for a shower, but I am very happy to be able to shower in the comfort of my own home.

Refrigerator / Microwave I'm grouping these two together because it really all boils down to one thing...leftovers. Sure, cooking in the first place was difficult, but it was doable. If it seemed too hard at any point, we'd just eat out. What was almost impossible, though, were left overs. We couldn't store them in a fridge, so we couldn't guarantee that they'd be good to eat the next day. Even if they wouldn't spoil, we didn't have a microwave to heat them up in. Have you ever eaten a cold brat? I don't recommend it.

Vacuum Oh my gosh! I think I missed this one the most. I like to vacuum at least once a day. With 7 dogs in the house, it's kind of a necessity. At one point, we swept the floor with a broom, but it's just not quite the same. I'll be doing a lot of vacuuming today.

Hot Pot I like tea. I've really been craving some tea. I had no way of heating water for tea, but now I do. I didn't think it would be nice to go to a coffee shop and merely ask for a mug of hot water so I could make MY tea, and I wasn't about to pay $2 just so I could have their tea. Yay for tea!

Lights This one is kind of a no brainer. Who doesn't like lights? For the most part, not having lights wasn't a big deal, but having an overhead light certainly makes caring for the dogs A LOT easier. This is especially true for Merlin who was often startled by / scared of the shadows that the flashlight cast. Poor guy!

So, like I said, not having power was fun, but having power is quite nice too. I'm certainly not complaining!

Things I Am Grateful For When The Power Goes Out

2011-08-29T14:37:00.000-04:00

Yeah, there's still not any power, and it doesn't look like we'll have it today either. There's no reason to be glum, though. There are a lot of things to be grateful for.

No TV, computers, cell phones, ect. Yeah, I know a lot of you wouldn't initially agree with this, but bear with me. I whole-heartedly feel that all those electronics can be a huge distraction from the more important things in life, and that we use them to hide way too much. While I still need my cell phone to stay in touch with family and my computer for work, I can easily plug them in to charge at the theater or at a coffee shop. When I get home, I can whole-heartedly devote myself to being home. I like that.

No A/C. Yeah, that's another one plenty would disagree with. I, however, did not grow up with a/c. I was able to teach myself how to relax and stay cool (something I could never master in reverse when I was in MN). Instead of making me feel comfortable, the a/c often makes me feel dried-out and sometimes even too cold while others are still hot. Sure, I wish the ice maker worked or that I had a fan, but I'm perfectly comfortable without those too. Oh, and I'm grateful it's only in the 80s this week.

Good books and the ability to read. Need I say more? Those books are helping me get through this week.

Long conversations. This ties back in to the no tv/computers thing, but I think it should be stated separately too. Hans and I have been spending time simply enjoying each other's company. We're playing board games, talking, and heading outdoors for some recreation. Usually we'd just be planted in front of the tv.

Good neighbors Our neighbors have a generator, and they've been great. We're storing some milk and jam at their place (breakfast essentials in my book), and they keep checking to see if there's anything we need. It makes me happy to know they're so great.

Good employment. Hans works in a theater. That means there's a refrigerator, a washer/dryer, and lots of outlets. So far, we've utilized all of those. Without that, I think this power outage would be much more inconvenient. Also, without his income or the meager income I provide, we would not be able to afford eating out when we want a hot meal and don't have time for the grill.

The gym. We have water, but we don't have hot water. Thank you Gold's Gym for your warm showers. Oh, and thanks too for the pool and work-out equipment, but I was using that before the power outage.

See? There's loads to be grateful for. I refuse to complain about the few inconveniences, but would rather see how much good is coming from this. Hurrah!

Hurricane Irene 2011

2011-08-28T13:24:00.001-04:00

Today, the sun is shining and it's beautiful. This is a far cry different from how things looked yesterday. Yesterday, it was rainy and windy, birds stayed in their nests, and the dogs stayed inside. Yesterday, Hurricane Irene hit.

I posted before that I really wasn't too concerned about things. I'm definitely a take-things-as-they-come type of person when it comes to some things, and I just wasn't concerned about Irene. The only thing I was really worried about was losing power, and I knew that we could make things work with that.

I was right about worrying about power. We lost power around 11:00 am yesterday, and we were some of the first in the city without power. Of course, we'd just started a load of laundry with the hopes of finishing it before power went out, so now we have a nasty, wet load of laundry sitting in a washing machine, waiting for power. I'm pretty sure that load will be washed two or three times...or we'll go to a laundromat.

You know what's nice about not living on a well, though? WATER!!! Growing up, whenever the power went out, we also lost water because the pump for the well required electricity. It was so nice to still be able to wash dishes and use the bathroom and even shower (even if it was cold). I know, what I'm thankful for today, and that's water!

The other thing I'm somewhat thankful for today is that the tornado last October took out all the trees we would have had to worry about during this storm. We were not concerned about trees falling on our house or our cars because there just wasn't one close enough. In fact, while this may not have been the smartest thing to do, at one point Hans and I sat on the front porch and watched the storm. It was quite relaxing. Other than that, we spend the day and evening reading, sleeping, and playing Jenga by candle light (with a small break for dinner with the neighbors provided by Chinese delivery). It was very peaceful.

With light this morning, though, we can see all the damage the storm did. Many trees lost branches, and plenty were simply uprooted. At least three people lost their lives when trees fell on them, including on 11 year old boy. Power is out throughout the city, but I've seen a few crews working hard to get them back up (and I've cheered them on). While most houses were fine, some have simply been destroyed.

I feel really sorry for this family.

Most of the damage, though, looks like this:

With all the rain, trees were simply uprooted.

My favorite road to run down has a green carpet.

For a while, some of these trees will be fun for kids to play on.

I'm not sure how it started, but this building actually caught fire yesterday, and apparently crews had a hard time putting it out. It used to be a dry cleaners, so we're wondering if there were still chemicals inside.

All in all, we're happy and safe, and happy to be safe. We're praying for families who weren't as fortunate, but we're also yelling at our mothers to stop worrying. Really, we're just settling in for a few quiet nights.

Preparing for Irene

2011-08-26T08:05:00.001-04:00

Have you heard? It's big news. Apparently, the world is ending!

On Tuesday, the east coast suffered a 5.8 magnitude earthquake. Two nights ago there was an aftershock of 4.5 magnitude. I felt the 5.8, but that's about it. Damage was mild, and no one was injured. This earthquake was almost a record breaker and was the largest since the 1800s. Yes, it was the earthquake of the century. Could we also call it a bicentennial earthquake?

Image via here.

Now, we're supposed to be hit by Hurricane Irene. I'm have mixed emotions as to how I feel about this. Plenty of people are panicking. They have tubs of water and plenty of kerosene and they're securing anything that's not tied down. I'm getting phone calls from my mom and texts from the in-laws telling us to be prepared. However, as far as I can tell, the most we'll get here in RIC is a tropical storm. Serious? Yes. Stay home weather? Yes. Design a bunker? No.

Anyway, I'm left feeling slightly anxious and under-prepared. Oh, and I'm more than a little annoyed. I mean, we go through hurricane season every year. I've lived through plenty of hurricanes and tropical storms, and there's never been a problem. However, the last BIG hurricane that came through here was Isabel, and she was quite a doozy. I think people are thinking of her and are preparing for the absolute worst. So, just to make all the parents happy, here's my emergency plan:

Know where all the flashlights and candles are, and have matches/lighter to light them. I do expect we'll lose power at some point.
Have a book to read since I know the dogs will be freaking out over the storm and I won't get any sleep.
Have plenty of foods for grilling in case we're out of power for a while. If we don't lose power, we'll still enjoy the grilled foods.
Shower at the gym. We can also get a bit of water from here if necessary. I doubt we'll lose water, but at least there's a plan.
If worse comes to worse, we can always stay at Dad's house or at friends' houses. I really doubt it will come to that, so I'm not at all concerned about packing a bag.

Alright, I hope you're all happy. Now watch. It will probably be nothing. Of course, I could just be like the proverbial grasshopper and y'all are the ants, in which case I'll be mooching off you shortly. :)

Food

2011-08-25T06:33:00.002-04:00

I love food. I really love food. My idea of the perfect day is the ability to eat whatever I wanted all day long and not have to think about my body or my wallet. Ahhh, that would be beautiful. However, as I've gotten older, I've also started to notice how food affects me, and that has given me reason to think about every bite I take.

Like most people, I'm attracted to certain foods, and like most people, if I eat a lot I'll gain weight. That, however, is not all there is. As I've mentioned before on my blog, I recently decided to cut a lot of processed sugar from my diet. I had really noticed some HUGE changes there, but I don't think I realized just how huge they were until last week.

Before my diet changed, I often felt the following symptoms:

Bloating/gas or abdominal pain (TMI?)
Itchy skin rash
Joint pain
Tingling or numbness in hands / feet
Canker sores
Irritability or changes in behavior
Anxiety attacks
And many more...

I was also borderline hypoglycemic. I had gone to the doctor to be checked out for multiple things, including but not limited to thyroid issues, sarcoidosis, and heart defects (that numb hands and feet thing got to me). I went to the dermatologist twice for what she called eczema, but it seemed odd to me and steroids were only a temporary fix. The one thing that consistently listed a lot of my symptoms was Celiac disease, but something told me it wasn't that. Anyway, I did change my diet, but instead of cutting gluten, I cut processed sugar.

This took a huge change in attitude, because I could no longer think, "Oh, I've earned these calories, I can have those M&Ms." Instead, I had to think, "My body does not need, nor does it want those M&Ms." I went through a bit of a detox, and I ate about two metric tons of watermelon to get through it (thank God for summer). Then, all of a sudden, I started feeling better.

My anxiety attacks all but went away, the joint pain lessened, my mood swings completely diminished, and everything else slowly started to fade away (yes, even the bloating/gas). If I did have something processed, I'd start to feel sick and my stomach would not be nice to me.

Last week, though, I had a different mindset. The thought was, "I'm on vacation! Let's enjoy it!" Hello lovely Klondike bars and frozen custard! By Tuesday (or maybe Monday) my tummy was already protesting. It was like my early warning system, but I didn't listen to it. Next to go was my energy. Workouts were harder and my motivation to do them was lacking. By the end, there were some small mood swings, but that could have also been simply the end of vacation getting to me. Still, though, all these things weren't enough to stop me from having another Klondike bar (yes, ice cream is my weakness).

This week is what shocked me, though. As my tummy readjusts and everything processes through, I get to suffer through more belly aches. My fingers have been a little tingly and my anxiety levels are heightened. Oh, and that skin rash that was fading away came back in full force...in new places.

Looking back now, I'm asking myself, "Was that Klondike bar worth it?" Ummm, NO! It definitely was not. Admittedly, my eating could have been a lot worse, but it also could have been better. Why would I want to put my body through all that? What good did those Klondike bars do me?

I think the next time I'm craving something so sugary, I'll go for a run!

My Summer Vacation

2011-08-21T15:42:00.001-04:00

This past week, Hans and I have been on vacation. Oh what a lovely vacation it has been! Ideally, Hans and I would escape off to some remote location and have the whole week to just ourselves and Cody. This vacation, though, was not that. This vacation was with Hans' whole family.

Of course, this meant there was a lot of anxiety going into the vacation. When we left Friday morning, I was worried about so many things. How would my race go? (Well, we know the answer to that one.) Would I get along with everyone, or would tensions be high? How annoyed would I get over things that never would have even come close to affecting my family on vacations? Would my nephew, whom I haven't seen in a year, like me? What about food? Is it possible to vacation with people whose food choices are completely different from yours and still eat the way you want to? What about exercise? Would I get enough? These are some pretty serious questions, and I'm happy to report I have some pretty decent answers.

The Family
I am relaxed and happy to report that things went surprisingly well on this trip. Hans family and my family are somewhat...different (from each other, not from the world). In the past, this has caused many a tense moments and, dare I say, resentment towards each other. Over the past few years, though, I've noticed that my relationship with his family has slowly improved. Still, though, I was nervous that a whole week with the whole family could be problematic. Maybe it's just that I was super-relaxed and I really had not a care in the world, but I enjoyed the family. I didn't just tolerate, I didn't vent behind peoples' backs. I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with everyone. In fact, I even miss that time spent with them now. Sure, there were tense moments (it was a whole family in one house for a week), but all in all things were great!

Oh, and my nephew was absolutely adorable. He does like me, and I have the slobbery, food-stained kisses on my shirt to prove it. I love that little guy. Cody loved the little guy too.

I'd say we're happy.

Cody's even sharing his bed.

The Food and Fitness
Well, I can give myself a C. Things started off really well. After my 5k, I was so elated that I made sure I kept going like that. I ate as healthy as I could, and on less-healthy things I'd take small portions...large enough to not be rude (or hungry), but small enough to work quickly through my system. About half-way through the week, though, I think I said, "Aww, screw it!" I had a lot of custard, and I felt free to help myself to the desserts. It was always the desserts. My stomach seriously rebelled, and my workouts became a lot harder. I did, however, do all my planned workouts in their entirety, and I had a lot of running on the beach. I missed going to the gym, though, and I'm looking forward to going back tomorrow.

The Boys
Cody and Hans LOVED their beach trip. I know Hans loved the time off from the dogs, and Cody loved having us all to himself. There was definitely some joy over being in the ocean, too. Hans, unfortunately, caught a head cold in the latter half of the trip, so he's feeling like crud now, but Cody is just plain old worn out. Lots of sleep is needed for this boy!

That's some special guy love. Yes, I love my boys.

Someone's exhausted after having just chased all the seagulls off the beach.

All in all, I've returned feeling happy and refreshed. I don't think I realized just how much I needed that break until I had that break. I'd be more than happy to do it again! For now, though, it's back to the daily grind...which luckily I enjoy!

My First 5k

2011-08-13T10:52:00.001-04:00

All throughout my Up and Running 5k course, Julia Jones, our coach, told us we would not die. No matter how we felt, we would not die. Well, this is only partially true. It is true, of course, that physically I am still very much alive. But to say that part of me didn't die would be a lie. Today, the part of me who said I could not do this, the part of me that saw me as ugly or not-good-enough, was squashed. That part of me is very much dead. In its place is a loud voice that is cheering me on, screaming YOU CAN DO THIS!!! And guess what. I did.

I had my alarm set for 6:00 am, but I was up at 5:30. I wanted to go! A few months ago, I would have been doing this:

Instead, I was getting dressed, eating my banana, and letting myself get super worked up. Would I be the last one to finish? Would I meet my goal(s)? My main goal was to finish without walking, but I was also really hoping to be under 40 minutes, preferably closer to 35 minutes.

Hans and I arrived at the site at 7:20, and I spent the next 35 minutes warming up and chatting with other runners. We'd found out the night before that Cody was allowed to run with me, so Cody was there attracting attention from everyone (and keeping me sane).

At 7:58 I was on the starting line.


See Cody?

At 8:00 a.m. the race started. I tried as hard as I could to start out slow. I'd seen some massive hills the night before, and in fact one of the roads was named Hillside Dr.

As people passed me, I had this overwhelming fear that I'd finish last. I couldn't hear people behind me. Are there any people there??

At one point, I saw Hans cheering me on. Cody saw Hans too. Actually, that was the only snafu. He wanted to get to Daddy!

Daddy?

Then the rains came. There was thunder and big, fat rain drops. It was very cold and sent shivers through my body. I continued on.

Finally, I saw the finish line. I ran as hard as I could. As I entered the chute, I saw Hans ready to take a picture. Unfortunately, the camera didn't click, so I don't have the wonderful picture of me going through the finish line. There was probably too much water on the lens.

At that point, the heavens opens up. I like to say that God was raining his praises on me. :P I was planning on leaving just to get out of the rain, but Hans said I should stay for the awards. I thought, "Well, maybe they'll have a little something for all of the participants."

I was wet and cold by this point, but I was happy to be supporting all of the super-fast runners who placed first, second, and third. Imagine my surprise when we got to the Women age 24-29 category and they called my name for the 3rd place ribbon!!!! My first-ever 5k, and I won a ribbon!!!!!!

I am very, very happy!!!

I ran the whole way. Goal #1 complete. My time was 35:25. Goal #2 complete. I completely rocked it! Goal #3...Yay!!!!

Shoes

2011-08-11T14:23:00.000-04:00

Alright, bare with me for a completely random post.

Have you ever been shoe shopping? I'm sure you have. Do you have the same problem I have? You know, the one where one shoe fits but the other one is just a little too big? That is always a problem for me! If it fits my right foot, it's too big for my left. If it fits my left foot, it's too small for my right.

So, I must ask myself this: Why are shoes sold in pairs that HAVE to be the same size? As soon as a shoe retailer realizes that peoples feet are not the same size even though they're on the same body, then that shoe retailer will earn millions!

Personally, I think it's a conspiracy between the shoe makers and the insert makers. If our shoes were fitted perfectly, there would be no (or at least little) need for inserts. GRRRR!

Thank you for reading my completely random post.

Feeling Better

2011-08-08T13:28:00.002-04:00

Saturday was a very long day...a very, very long day. I can't tell you exactly what I did (or else I'd have to kill you), but let's just say it involved me waking at 2:00 am, driving for 2.5 hours, waiting, cheering, and waiting some more, and then driving another 5 hours thanks to traffic. I came home absolutely exhausted, and I knew long before I got home that I'd be feeling Saturday for a while.

I always joke that I'm an 80 year old stuck in a 25 year old's body. I prefer crocheting to partying, reading to t.v., and sleep to not sleep. My body has trouble recuperating from a day like Saturday, and this time was no different. I thought yesterday's work out with Absolute Sports Performance would kill me, and for the first time in my life I was extremely close to vomiting. Hans and I did go to the Watermelon Festival, but that left me done for the day. Lots and lots of sleep was to be had after that.

My plan for today was to clean in the morning and then go to a Master Swim class at the gym. I just couldn't muster the energy. At 9:30 this morning, I was still lying on the couch trying to muster the energy to take care of the laundry. The class started in 1 hour. I thought, "There's no way I'll make it through a gym class. I'm sleeping in and I'll go swimming later today." Luckily, at 9:45 something else kicked in. I had written this class on my schedule. It was actually important enough for me to put in writing. This is the only class of its kind all week, and I'd really been wanting to try it. So, I hurried upstairs, moved some clothes to the dryer (they'd already been washed), threw on my swimsuit, packed my gym bag, and away I went.

Boy am I glad I went! At first I was slightly mortified because I was the only one under 70 in the pool. But then, some younger people started to show up. One girl was even at my skill level, so that was very helpful. Most importantly, though, I'm no longer so tired. I mean, yes, the work out killed. I swam for an hour! However, I can work through this mild physical exhaustion. The mental exhaustion is what has passed. I'm feeling happy and rejuvenated. Heck, I'm even going to bike to some local shops just because I feel like moving some more. That is really good!

Well, it's not my prettiest picture, but here I am feeling much better after a swim...and a shower.

Insecurity

2011-08-05T09:30:00.001-04:00

Hans and I have decided to join a gym. We have a lot of equipment in our home already, but the one thing we don't have (and certainly can't afford) is a pool. So, we've joined Gold's Gym.

One thing I hate about the gym is actually having to use the machines. Unless it's one I'm extremely familiar with, I feel like all eyes are on me as I figure out how the machine works. I need to schedule an appointment with one of the trainers so I can be shown, but until then I'm working out in the Cinema room (a fantastic room that shows movies and is dark so no one can see you). I'm actually really proud of myself for how secure I am in the pool. I still don't LOVE walking around in my swimsuit, but I'm not terrified to remove my towel either.

ANYWAY, I was shocked when we signed up for the gym because Hans did not react the way I'd expected. I was talking about using ellipticals and doing different classes, and Hans said he really only wanted the pool, and he wasn't sure he'd keep it up, and he may just forfeit his membership at the end of his trial period. I kind of understood this, but I wanted to give the gym a fair shot, so I devised a plan to get us there at least 4 times in the week. Yesterday, the plan was to go to a class.

Hans did.not.want.to.go. He was going to do it for me, but he was visibly nervous, and I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Then, it hit me. He was insecure. He didn't want to stick out, and he was afraid of looking like a fool. I was amazed. Here was Hans, my personal Buddha, worrying about what other people thought. He's never been worried about things like that (or so I thought), but here he was...worrying. That's when I realized that we're all worried about what others think, but most of us are too busy worrying about ourselves to look at others. That's something I'm going to be thinking a lot about when I'm feeling not-so-confident.

Oh, and just so you know, we were late getting to the class, so we went to the Cinema Room instead (Insecurities Be Gone!), and then to the pool.

5k
Speaking of insecurities, less than a month ago, I signed up to run my first ever 5k. The date is next Saturday. For some people, a 5k is nothing, but for me it's HUGE. It's the first step to attaining some large goals of mine. Part of me is super excited. I've really been enjoying running with my Up & Running plan (seriously, if any of you are considering it, you should do it. It's amazing), and I think I'll be able to run the whole thing, even if I run it slow.

But then I think, "What if I can't?" What if there are more hills than what I'm used to? What if it's hot and really sunny? What if I come in dead last? While I know that it's fine if I walk a portion, I really want to run the whole thing. What if I can't?

Basically, there's this constant battle in my head, becoming more vicious and much bloodier as the days pass, between my positive attitude and my insecurities. So, I'm asking all of you. What do you do when you're feeling not-so-confident? How do you overcome the evil mind demons? Any tips are greatly appreciated!

Happy

2011-08-01T12:38:00.002-04:00

Can I just share with you how unbelievably happy I've been? I'm not sure what it is, but life is good. Alright, so I have a clue as to what it might be. Those changes have been working. I'm starting to feel good about everything, and I love it (hurray for endorphins).

Up & Running
The course is almost over. I only have 5 more runs left (including a 5k), and I don't want it to end. The group of women I've been running with is wonderful, and their encouragement is superb. I'm planning on moving on to the 10k course. Part of me is torn about this (it's extra money), but I've loved the group too much to give it up. Here we go!

New Clothes
I don't spend a lot of money on clothes. A lot of my clothes are torn or worn or just plain cheap. This may change some day, but for now I don't see the reason is spending a fortune on a pair of jeans that a dog could just bite through. Yes, I often search for quality, but sometimes price comes first.

This weekend, I changed that a bit. I'm not a fan of my running clothes. I mean, they get the job done, but they could be better...a lot better. So, after transporting a dog to VA Beach, Hans and I decided to stop in the outlet mall in Williamsburg. There's a Nike Outlet there, and I thought it might be a good idea to check it out.

I am now a Nike convert. I'd always thought their stuff was overpriced, but now I love it. First, I love the way they organize their store (by sport so there's no guesswork as to what you're getting). Second, I love their products. I fell in love with just about everything I touched, and it all fit well. I left the store on Saturday having spent way more than what I should have, but after wearing some of them to my workouts, I don't regret it one bit. Sometimes comfort is worth the price.

Bicycling
Well, you know that last January I bought a new bike. It's a glorious, most magnificent, blue bike. I love it. With the warmer weather, I've also been trying to use it more. Hans and I have ridden our bikes to a few places...the grocery store, out to dinner, etc, but I really want to ride more. Last night, we were itching to get out, so we hopped on our bikes, rode to an ice cream parlor, skipped the ice cream, and rode back. We only went about 4 mi, but it was just enough to satisfy our craving. I firmly believe we'll be going for another ride tonight...maybe to an ice cream shop that's farther away. :)

Anyway, I'm also trying to get more involved. I'm seriously considering joining a riding group just to get more experience with more guidance. I admittedly know nothing about cycling, and I'd like a tutor!

Triathlon
Well, with all this running and all this cycling, I got to thinking about combining the two, adding swimming, and going for a triathlon. I looked at some local sprint tris in the area, and I realized that if I work on my swimming I'd could definitely do a tri. So, my two questions are: 1) Where's the best (re: Cheapest) place in the area to go swimming? 2) When should I do it? There's one in October, but I'm really hesitant to sign up for that. What do you think?

Sensationalism

2011-07-25T11:11:00.004-04:00

Last week, a terrible thing happened in Norway. My heart goes out to anyone and everyone affected by this horrible act of violence. That, however, is not what this post is about. One thing that really concerned me about this tragedy was how the news covered it. The articles and stories were fine, but what got to me were the pictures (and one interview).

As I reading article after article, trying to find some meaning in all this madness, one thing I noticed were the photos. I saw a picture of a woman running and crying, blood covering her face and hands. I saw a picture of a street in chaos, a building in pieces. By far, the worst picture I saw, though, was one of the island where the teenagers were. The picture was taken from an opposing shore line, and bodies of victims lay on the island...bodies of people who were trying to escape. There's another one that was similar, but the bodies were covered. In this photo they were not, and I was horrified.

With pictures such as these, I have to ask, "What are we trying to do to the world?" What is our fascination with death? Why is almost mandatory that newspapers and journalists show us these grotesque images?

Let me first say, that I have no problem with gore on t.v. I've watched enough shoot-em-up, guy films to no that it's just a movie. In response to people who argue that all this gore on t.v. is desensitizing our children, I say that it's actually creating a great opportunity for parents to teach their kids. It's an opportunity to point out real from fake and right from wrong. So, why does it make such a difference when it's in the newspaper?

Well, for one, it is NOT fake. The images that people are seeing are very much real. We ARE desensitizing ourselves to gore. Seeing it in a movie starring Nicholas Cage or Keanu Reeves is very different from seeing it in the New York Times. How can anyone proclaim the horrors of such an incident, when it is apparently OK for a newspaper to print up photos? I fear that in many people's minds, the thought may be "if it's really so terrible, why are there pictures?"

Two, what about the victims? These are pictures that family members, mothers, and fathers, are going to have to see for years. These images will haunt the families for the rest of their lives. Is it not bad enough to lose your child / best friend / cousin without having to see their body strewn on a beach? It's not fair to them. They will already have to hear the interviews, read the stories, and listen to the news reports. Why must they be bombarded with such horrendous photos?

Lastly, I'm going to go slightly off-topic. When Osama Bin Laden was killed, many people called for a photo. They said, "How do we know he is dead? We want proof!" Personally, I do not wish to see a man who was killed by a bullet. Why would you? I fear that by showing these pictures of death, we are only creating a desire to see more death. How can that be healthy?

Diet and Detox

2011-07-20T10:01:00.002-04:00

Originally I had wanted this post to be a Lil' Tidbits post since I haven't done one in a while. I had a whole slew of things to comment on, but now that I'm at a computer I've completely forgotten what they are. Anyway, there is another topic I'm more than willing to talk about...how I felt yesterday.

I've posted previously that I've been trying to remove processed sugar from my diet. I recognized that I was somewhat addicted to it, and I knew I wouldn't start feeling better until it was greatly reduced or eliminated. So, I started cutting foods from my diet. They weren't off limits, but I did start taking extra time to think about things before I reached to eat them. Things were going really well.

Then this weekend happened. It actually started with Thursday, our anniversary. I made the monumental mistake of skipping breakfast. I hadn't meant to skip it, but somehow it happened. So, when lunch time came around, I was HUNGRY. I wanted something big, so on the way out of town Hans and I stopped at Arby's. I usually love Arby's, but this time, while my stomach was rejoicing for food, my mouth was repulsed. It wasn't nearly as good as I remembered. Cody got a few bites from it. After I ate, I almost immediately fell asleep. I awoke just in time for us to get to the coffee shop I know and love. That probably wasn't too good for me, but it was good tasting. I love that place.

Friday night was dinner with friends. Oh, the burger I got was sooooooo delicious, but as soon as the happily full from a tasty dinner feeling passed, I felt awful. I was hot and clammy, and I felt like vomiting. It wasn't much fun.

Saturday passed without incident, but Sunday was another meal out with friends. I got a salmon eggs benedict with fruit. Again, super tasty, but I didn't feel so great afterward. Then, the rest of the day I was craving something sweet. I wanted cake or cookies or something like that.

I noticed a few things about myself after eating all these things.

1) My mentality changed. I was much more down on myself. I had this feeling that I couldn't do anything right. Basically, negative voices were there and they were loud. Of course, this didn't help me in my workouts. I just couldn't get there mentally.

2) I was TIRED. Yesterday, I did nothing except sleep all day. I'm usually awake between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m., but yesterday I didn't wake up until 7:30. Then, I was still tired. I took at least two naps, and I could have slept more.

3) I felt icky. I was bloated and greasy and felt gross all over. It's not a good feeling.

4) I was cranky! Just ask Hans. I became snippy and short. I felt terrible, so I really didn't want to be around anyone.

Anyway, all these things got me to thinking. I really do need to cut all that processed food from my diet, but how realistic is it to do so? Do I really want to be one of those people who declares that she cannot eat out because they serve "poison?" Do I really want to be the person changing a perfectly tasty meal just so it fits all my standards? Can I imagine myself going to MN and not having cheese curds or Culver's? NO! I cannot.

However, I also can no longer see myself as the sort of person who will indulge in these things willy-nilly. I can see myself as the person who will pack groceries on a trip to the beach just so I know I'll have things that I like to eat (I'm already planning a menu). I can see myself as the person who will pass up a free cookie. I can see myself as the person who eats tons of fruits and veggies, and who is happy, and who feels good. I can definitely see myself as that person.

I can see myself as the person who may occasionally indulge in a little processed sugar, but who may limit her consumption. I can see myself as the person who understands that the processed sugar is going to make her feel bad, and who chooses to not indulge.

These changes, so far, are working too well for me to give up on. I like how I feel now. I like the energy and the attitude. Yes, I still crave chocolate pie, but I don't have to have it all the time. And if worse comes to worse, I'll simply make my own healthy version!

Thursday

2011-07-18T09:59:00.001-04:00

I was hoping to get this post out sooner, but time flies.

As many of you may already know, last Thursday was Hans' and my anniversary. We didn't really have much planned (just dinner and a movie), but we were excited to spend some time together. On Wednesday, though. Hans discovered that I was taking the entire day off (I'd wanted to clean up and make him a special dinner), and he decided to take the day off too. So, what were we to do? A trip to the mountains was in order!!

The morning wasn't anything special. I still had some stuff around the house to do, so we didn't leave town until about 1:00 pm. Off we went! We stopped once at this AMAZING coffee shop that's almost halfway between here and our destination. It's become a bit of a tradition to stop there, and I always forget how much I love it. Now I'm trying to plan trips just to that coffee shop.

Anyway, so we got to the mountains around 3:30 or 4:00. Hans and I love this one hiking trail. It's a fairly easy hike and it's usually not too crowded. It's perfect for an anniversary.

I can't even begin to tell you how much fun we had. Of course, we took Cody, and watching him have fun was an added bonus. Honestly, I think the mountain trip was just what I needed. I had almost forgotten how much I love the noise in the mountains. A lot of people comment on how quiet the country is, but really it's anything but. The sounds are just different. I didn't hear cars or sirens or air conditioning units or people. Instead, I heard birds and crickets and squirrels and rushing water from the river. I relished the sounds. I drank everything in, and I loved it. Before the day was up, I felt relaxed and peaceful...untroubled. I was tired from the hike, but I was so very happy.

The ride home was lit by a beautiful full moon, which added to the joy of the day. I have to say, it was the perfect anniversary.

I always love it when Cody swims. Cody loves fetching anything from water.

Just starting the hike. Cody is still on leash.

Looking out over a waterfall.

Hans and Cody in the same place.

View from waterfall.

Camouflage Cody

Look at those smiles!!

This is at the base of the waterfall. We were all the way at the top.

One very sleepy boy.

The perfect ending to the perfect day.

Four Years

2011-07-14T07:07:00.005-04:00

It is 6:48 EST, which means it is 5:48 in MN. At this time four years ago, I was running. I had just woken up from a very pleasant, memorable dream, and I couldn't get back to sleep. I had a big day ahead of me, I was nervous, and I was running. In less than an hour, I would be meeting Hans for breakfast and to gather food for our guests. By the end of the day, we would officially begin a new family.

Four years have past, and what a whirlwind of excitement they have been. I couldn't ask for a better husband. Hans is patient and kind and always willing to help out. He's put up with a lot, too, dealing with everything from crabby moods to barking dogs. I can't say he's always done things with a smile, but he's been there.

In four years time, Hans and I have:

Moved to VA.
Lived with my dad.
Added to our family with Cody.
Separated for dog school.
Moved to an apartment.
Started a dog training business.
Bought a house.
Fostered countless dogs.
Weathered a tornado.
Fallen in love with countless dogs, only to love them enough to give them up to their forever home.
Built up a the business with beds, toys, soaps, and treats.
Cried a lot.
Laughed even more.

And those are just the major points. We've been through many ups and downs in our four short years. Things most certainly have not been easy. Hans has been there every step of the way. He's my best friend, my confidante, my companion. He's always there, whether I need him or not.

In years to come, I know we'll face many more things. Some day we will expand our family (more dogs??), some day life will change (hopefully for the better). If there's one thing I've learned over the past four years, it's this: There's no one I'd rather spend the next 80 years with than Hans. Here's to 8 years of being together, and 4 years of making it official! Happy Anniversary, Sweetie!

Here's the church. I love this church. We spent four years studying here, so it was only appropriate that we get married here.

What you don't know is that we're actually both saying, "Bring us some food!"

The laughter has already begun.

I love this picture. I love the way he looks at me. I never see this face in person...but it's always captured on a camera.

The wedding party and some family...aka our emotional support group.

Run through the bubbles!!!

Things Are Going Well

2011-07-11T10:08:00.001-04:00

Well, it's been over a month since I've made some pretty big changes, and things are going better than expected. I'm feeling great, and I think I'm looking better too. I feel stronger and more confident. Little things aren't stressing me out the way they used to. Anyway, I figured I'd give you an update on each change.

Up & Running
I am now in my 4th week of the Up & Running online course, and I couldn't be happier. I may not be quite as enthusiastic about posting and following others' posts as what some of my course-mates are, but I am loving every moment of the work outs, and I very much love the support I am getting from the community. I am so happy I signed up for this course. Just four more weeks, and I'll be done. I'm pretty sure I'll be signing up for future courses.

Cut the Meds
This, too, has worked out well. My emotions aren't swinging the way they used to. Sure, I have my ups and downs like all people, but my ups are more often than they used to be, and my downs are nearly as low. I am not overwhelmed nearly as easily, and that makes life better. Plus, I find I'm listening to my body more. If I'm having a particularly bad day, I'm not sulking. Generally those bad days just mean that I'm really tired. I'll take a quick nap and feel better. The other day I felt week and tired, but I could tell immediately that it wasn't the same kind of tired...sleep wouldn't fix it. I stopped, listened to what my body was telling me, and decided that I needed a good hearty meal. I felt better right away. I couldn't do that before. I couldn't listen to my body. I just felt bad all the time, and I couldn't figure out how to feel better.

Diet Change
Yep, this is still good. I'm not perfect, and I could probably do a little better, but I'm eating a lot more fruits and veggies than I was. I'm still in love with watermelon, and it's my current go-to snack. I have no idea what I'll do in the fall and winter, but I'll figure something out.

Keeping Clean
This one probably needs the most work. I am doing better than I was, but I would love things to be spic and span, and they're just not there yet. For the most part, though, the kitchen is staying clean, and the floors are staying vacuumed. It's not perfect but it's better than it was.

On top of all those changes, I'm also doing a Sunday morning work out with a trainer. Last week's was awful, but yesterday's was much better. My legs are definitely stronger than my arms. Hans is doing these workouts with me, and it's fun to compare how we feel afterward. Like I said, last week was awful for me, but Hans seemed to do better. This week was great for me (with minimal soreness), but Hans is exhausted. Apparently his arms are stronger.

There are, however, a few other changes I'd like to make. I'm working on them, but I haven't figured out the magical formula to make it all work. So, here's my list of some desired changes. Let me know if you can help!

1) Less internet time. I spend way too much time on Facebook, Twitter, and other sites. Stupid social networking is very distracting!

2) More sleep. Sometimes I work late and less sleep is unavoidable. More often, though, I stay up too late on the computer or reading. Hmm, do you think if I cut back on internet time I'd also gain more sleep? It's a possibility.

3) Less T.V. I'm not a huge t.v. person, and I've certainly cut back on what I was watching, but I'd like to watch less. I need to find other ways to relax than just watching t.v. I also need to listen to my body a little more. If I'm truly too tired to read, I should probably go to bed. Watching t.v. won't help recharge me, and I certainly won't get any work done.

Alright, that's where I stand. Any tips? Any help? Thanks for listening!

Cody

2011-07-05T23:55:00.000-04:00

I am currently sitting at my desk, and Cody is sleeping behind me. In less than 10 minutes, the clock will strike midnight, and Cody will officially be another year older. Cody is turning four.

This has not been an easy year for Cody. With fosters coming in and out his space has been invaded. My business has grown, but fun time for Cody has not. Each new client, for Cody, is just another dog he can play with only briefly. Still, this sweet boy has handled things like a champ.

Cody has been wonderful. He's older now, and often that has given him authority over the younger dogs. He helps me with the fosters by teaching them proper ways to behave. He jogs with me in the mornings. He lets me cry into his fur when I am upset. He gives me kisses every morning and snuggles every night.

He has forgotten a few commands, such as turn around, but he has learned new, better commands, such as "Find Daddy! Find Mommy!" He still impresses the people at the dog park with his Frisbee catching abilities, but he prefers to catch his Frisbee in the river.

Over the past year, Cody had his first (and hopefully not last) experience with dock diving. He took a trip to Minnesota, and he discovered a new dog park (new to him) in D.C.

Cody has welcomed countless visitors and guests, and he's scared off less-savory characters.

Trying to put into words what this little ball of fluff means to me is impossible. Knowing he is next to me brings me such joy.

I honestly do not know where my life would be now if I had not gotten Cody. He makes me happy on a daily basis, and I don't know how I would have gotten along without that extra joy.

Yes, he's also brought stress. I worry about him constantly. Is he happy? Is he healthy? Is he eating enough? Does he like his food? Even the stress, however, is somewhat joyful because it means Cody is here with me.

Cody has slowed down a little over the past year. He finally reached adulthood, and he no longer has all the puppy energy he once had. Still, though, he's eager to go for a run or hike or bike ride or even simply a walk. He is happy to just be with me and Hans...his people.

Happy Birthday, Cody! I cannot wait to see what the next year brings.

Cody is a wonderful assistant.

And an even better snuggler.

He's kind to small animals.

And he fits right under my desk.

And he looks really cool in goggles!

I Am Not...

2011-07-02T07:36:00.000-04:00

I am not a baby-sitter.

I do not have a degree in elementary education.

I never had any desire to be a nanny.

I like children, and someday hope to become a mother, but I will not mother your children.

I AM a dog trainer. I am hired to teach you how to train your dog. I am brought into the home to help the dog. Occasionally, yes, that means teaching children. It does not, however, mean baby-sitting children.

As an in-home dog trainer, many people hire me so that they can more-easily handle training their dog along with the day-to-day functions of the house. I save them time and energy that might otherwise be wasted on finding baby-sitters, loading kids into the car, fussy car rides, and wrangling everyone in a training facility. Some people, though, take advantage of this. They see this as a fun experience for their kids, and they treat me as a school teacher.

I can understand a lot of things. I understand that a dog is a family pet, and as such the children should learn how to care for their new friend. I understand that finding someone to watch your child every week for at least an hour can be difficult. I understand that having children at a lesson is sometimes unavoidable. I am even more understanding of mothers with young children (2 and younger) who try their hardest to fit training in during their child's nap...relinquishing sleep or cleaning time, and I very much appreciate that.

I do not mind children being in a lesson. What I mind is having a lesson take twice as long as it should because a parent has to keep stopping to tell their seven year old, ten year old, or even teenager to behave and pay attention. I mind being interrupted by a child who finds the training boring and who simply wants to play. My time is precious to me, and I mind having it wasted.

Many companies do not allow children in the lessons at all, and I don't think that's fair. It makes life so much harder on families. What I generally explain to families is that training can sometimes be boring for young kids. I've found it's often helpful if the actual lessons are just adults and then the adults can teach their children. I explain that, while children are allowed, it's sometimes best to give them something else to do. Still, though, I have parents who are including their extremely-bored children in my hour+ lessons.

I have had children who are genuinely interested. Occasionally they'll interrupt, but it's generally with real, honest questions. Heck, I've even had a two-year-old learn how to tell his dog to sit (it was really quite amazing). I have no problem taking extra time to teach kids like that. They want to learn, and I'm more than willing to do my best to teach them. I just don't know what to do about the majority of families...the ones who think that this is simply a "fun activity" and not a crucial learning experience.

So, I one question: To any parent, teacher, or trainer, what would you do? Would you ignore the situation and let it continue? Would you place a no-child order? Would you have serious conversations with the parents of said children (a very dangerous thing to do)? What would you do?? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Things I Learned From A Power Outage

2011-06-29T12:57:00.000-04:00

Last night we had a HUGE storm here. There was wind, rain, lightening, and even some hail. The power went out around 7:00 pm and didn't come back on until sometime after we went to bed around 11:00. This storm taught me a few things.

- My husband is awesome. OK, I already knew this one, but I love it when he proves it to me. I was at an appointment half an hour away when the storm hit, so Hans was home alone. This wonderful man of mine managed to get the neighbors' dogs over to our house, and then he wrangled seven dogs into the basement. While down there, he loved on all of them and did his best to keep them calm through this massive storm. On top of that, he made sure that all seven dogs were fed and water as close to schedule as possible, AND he kept in touch with me to let me know when it was safe to return home. Like I said, he is awesome!

-The best meal during a power outage is pizza and brownies. Obviously, cooking was out of the question, so I decided to pick up some food on the way home. It was late, so most places were closed. I finally decided to stop at our local grocery store (which makes pizzas). Pizza is great in the moment, but it also makes a great breakfast, even if it's cold. Since we didn't know if we'd have power this morning (we did), pizza was a great option. Brownies are just tasty.

-Pizza and brownies are TERRIBLE for a healthy diet. I'm a bit of a pizza whore, so that doesn't help, but I was shocked at how I felt after eating the pizza. Lately, after I'm done with a meal I've felt full. Sometimes too full, but generally just satisfied. After eating my slices of pizza and my brownie, all I wanted was more pizza. I easily could have finished off the whole thing. On top of that, I was SHOCKED at how hungry I was this morning. All I could think about when I woke up was food. I think it might be time to eat some healthier foods.

-I hate air conditioning. I know this is odd, but it's true (at least for bed time). You see, I grew up without a/c. It wasn't until I was 10 that my dad got a window unit for his bedroom, and that really didn't do much for my room. I learned how to sleep through the heat and the humidity, and I learned how to cool myself off in a pinch. Last night, Hans slept with an ice pack (he was dying), and I had a glass of ice next to me. Before drifting off into blissful sleep, I sucked on a couple of pieces of ice. It cooled me off, and I felt great. I then proceeded to sleep a wonderful, beautiful sleep through the entire night. The night air may have been 86 degrees and humid, but I was happy. If it weren't for Hans, I'd probably use the a/c a lot less. Dear Lord, please let the power go out more often. Thank you.

Last night ended up being quite fun. My only regret is that I wasn't home to enjoy it longer. Oh well! Maybe next time!

Making It Easy

2011-06-28T17:28:00.000-04:00

Recently, my mom told me about a 24-day flush plan that she's going to try. Basically it's a 24 day plan with a few meal replacements and lots of nutritional supplements that's supposed to cleanse your system and make you feel more energetic and healthy. I looked at the products, and they all seem pretty decent (no weird drugs, all things I've heard of, etc.).

As wonderful as all these things sound, though, I do have one major issue. A person could get all the benefits from this plan by simply eating well. So, I have to ask myself: Why are we making things so easy?

Here's the thing, making it easy is great for those 24 days, but then what? Some people may continue on with the program, taking pills, shakes, and supplements to keep it easy, but what about the people for whom that's not an option? At the end of the 24 days, do they know how to keep their bodies clean? Are they better off for the long run? NO!

There's nothing wrong with recruiting a bit of help in your healthy efforts, but allowing something to do all the work for you is no way to get healthy AND STAY HEALTHY. In an effort to make myself healthier and love my body, I've cut as many processed foods as possible. I'm working out, eating lots of fruits and veggies, and making sure I get lots of sleep. In return, I'm feeling better, happier, and all around great. My grocery bill is actually less than it was, and this is a lifestyle that I could sustain for the rest of my life. Obviously, a 24-day plan is not something that could be sustained for life.

My making things so easy, we are actually making things much more challenging. We're costing people more money, and we're not helping them in the long run. If you are considering something like this, I encourage you to think twice. If you really need some help, spend a little extra and consult a nutritionist. You'll learn much more about yourself and about the foods you eat.

Still Feeling Good

2011-06-27T14:46:00.000-04:00

Well, we're going on three weeks now of all the changes and I'm still feeling good. Things aren't perfect, but I'm handling everything much better than I had been. I'll be interested to see how things are after a few more weeks, but so far so good.

Pushing Myself
I have to be honest about one thing. Today, I feel awful. I'm tired. I'm sore. I'm even a little cranky. Part of this could be due to the sinus drainage I have thanks to an extended allergy season (at least that's what I'm saying it is. I refuse to call it a cold). More than likely, though, it's due to the killer work out I had yesterday.

One of my mom's coworkers, Trey, has just started his own personal training company, and one of the things he's doing with that company is something called Sunday Shape Ups. Every Sunday, he'll lead people down a fitness trail through a local park. The work out lasts an hour and is only $10, but since yesterday was the first one, it was free. My mom really wanted us to help support him, so Hans and I headed on out. At 8:00 am on a Sunday, not a lot of people showed up, but I'm glad we went. Trey handed me my rear on a platter while I begged for coffee (or mint tea as is my preference). Today, I am tired and oh-so-sore. Walking is difficult.

All that said, I learned something about myself through that work out; I am capable of doing so much. We did things that I never would have attempted had Trey not told us to do it. We ran (I enjoyed that part), did assisted pull-ups, balance lunges, and leg lifts. We jumped over beams and ran up really steep hills. We even hopped over a 4 foot wall (Ok, I really only crawled over a four foot wall, but I'm working on it). Everything we did I looked at and thought, "I don't know. Only really fit people can do that," yet every single thing I did and did well (except for that stupid wall. I'll have to work on that one). I left with only one thought in mind: SHOWER! Today I may be tired and sore and cranky, but I also feel good. Trust me, I'll be doing that one again. If anyone would care to join me, let me know. It's bound to be fun!

Up and Running
Alright, I know I said I probably wouldn't talk about this course much until the end, but I have to say that I am absolutely loving it right now. I love the online support. I love the fact that I'm meeting women from Utah, New Zealand, England, and Italy. I love the fact that there's a trainer I can bring all of my questions to. I even love the lay out of the plan.

Today I was scheduled to run the first day of Week 2, but since I had such an intense workout yesterday I thought about waiting until tomorrow. Nope! I couldn't resist the urge to get up and get out there. I couldn't wait to check that work out off. So, I dragged my sore, aching bones out the door and got down to business. It wasn't pretty, but it got done. I'm really looking forward to my day off tomorrow, but I'm also really looking forward to the next running day on Wednesday. I hope I feel this way in 6 weeks!

Really, things have been good lately. I can only hope and pray they stay this way, but with each good day I relax a little more. Yes, there's still a lot of work to be done. Yes, I can still get a little overwhelmed. Yes, I'm dealing with all of it, and I am happy. Yes!

Self Image

2011-06-20T15:21:00.000-04:00

When people look at me, they might see this:

Happy, smiling, confident

Or this:

Strong, capable, enthusiastic

But what I see when I look in the mirror is most often this:


Yep, that's a cow.

Unfortunately, too often when I look in the mirror I don't see what I hope others see in me. I see rolls, flab, dimples and even frizzy hair.

I think a lot of women (and plenty of men) feel this way, and I have to wonder why. Is it due to the advertisements we're bombarded with on a daily basis; the super thin women with perfect hair, perfect breasts, and the perfect ass? Whatever the cause, it doesn't make me feel good.

I find that the more I feel like this, the more depressed I become. There have been days where I've been so down on myself that I haven't even wanted to leave my bed. I've been moody and irritable. Hans has had to put up with a lot. I haven't wanted to clean or even walk the dogs. Forget walking the dogs, I haven't even wanted to hear the dogs. The most I've wanted is to sleep with a dog curled up next to me. The worst part is that as I feel like this, nothing gets done. Since nothing gets done, I end up feeling overwhelmed and then I end up feeling worse...much worse.

After one particularly bad morning a few weeks ago Hans and I sat down and had a chat. We finally decided that some things had to change and they had to change right away. I knew that whatever was going on was NOT healthy, and I had to figure out some way to change it. So, I've implemented a few changes.

-I've signed up for the Up & Running course.
I signed up for this for a few reasons. First, I've heard of the coach, Julia Jones, for a few years now, and I've liked what I've heard. Her programs focus on the entire body, not just endurance and not just running. It's an online course, so I can do things in my own time, but the best part about this course is the community. There are hundreds of women (only women) around the world who are doing this with me. This morning, I did the first work out, tweeted about it, and got a response from some of these women cheering me on. I'll cheer them on too. It makes you feel good. I'll tell you now I probably won't post much about this until I'm done with the course, but I figured I'd let you know what's going on.

-I've eliminated all medications.
I really am not on many meds...none for anything life threatening. The thing is, I do feel that the meds I was on were making me irritable. I could be wrong, but I've been off the meds for a few weeks now, and I'm feeling better than I have in a few years. I've never been big for medications anyway (I only take 1/4-1/2 aspirin when I have a head ache) so this wasn't too difficult for me to wrap my head around. There are some things in the works, but for now I just want to see if being off meds really does make me feel better.

-I've changed my diet.
Summer is a really good time to do this. There are so many tasty fruits and veggies out there (and boy do I love watermelon). I've always been a breakfast person, so I've enhanced my breakfast (bacon and eggs instead of cereal), and I'm working on the lunches and dinners. I'm making a very conscious decision to eat lots more fruits and veggies. Meals are still simple, but they're a lot better.

-I've started cleaning...a lot more.
I started by just washing the dishes. I wash the dishes and Hans dries them. We talk, we have fun, and at the end of the evening the kitchen is clean. Eventually, I moved up to the bedroom (a place that's always needed some extra attention). The next morning, Hans got the upstairs bathroom while I got the downstairs bathrooms. Hans vacuums more than I do, but I dust and clean windows. It's working well. And guess what. I don't feel so overwhelmed!

The changes haven't lasted that long, but I am noticing a difference. I'm hoping it's more than just me being happy due to summer weather. I'm praying that these changes stick, because even if the bad moods do come back, these changes help. My fingers and toes are crossed, but for now I'm happy that I'm currently feeling happy.

What The Dogs Have Taught Me

2011-06-13T17:38:00.000-04:00

I live with dogs. I love living with dogs. It doesn't matter if there's one or 15, I love being around dogs. Of course, Cody's my number 1 dog, but that's beside the point. Why do I love living with dogs? It's simple. They can teach us so much about life. So, here it is, a brief list of some of the things my dogs have taught me!

The Pack Stays Together
It is very important for my dogs that everyone be together as much as possible. Yesterday we all had some time together, and the dogs seemed happy. However, that afternoon, Hans had to go to work and the the entire mood shifted. The dogs moped. Cody sat by the front window, just waiting for his dad to return. This is a normal occurrence. When one member of the family is gone, the dogs will sit and wait for his/her return. When that member returns, there is much rejoicing. Oh, and if both of us are gone and only one returns, there is excitement, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it rejoicing. They're only truly happy if we're ALL together.

Greet The People You Love With Much Joy.
I love coming home to my dogs. Cody in particular is great on a return home. Whether it's one dog or five dogs, the first thing I see as I walk to the door is a furry head and a wagging tail. When I come in I'm greeted with kisses and hugs and more wagging tails. I'm basically treated like a long-lost relative who's finally returned. Wouldn't it be great if we all acted like that towards our loved ones?

Hard Work Is Necessary
That's not to say that hard work = miserable work. Hard work can be quite enjoyable. Here's the thing, though. Without it, we're miserable! Cody has multiple jobs. These jobs include dog trainer (he communicates in ways I can't), frisbee catcher (his favorite), kitchen hoover (yes, he does this on command, and it's his second favorite), and bed warmer. Of course, the dog trainer is the one that most resembles work, but the others are just as important. Without those jobs, Cody becomes cranky, feisty, and unmanageable. His jobs aren't as strenuous as what some dogs have, but they're just as important. So are the jobs that we as people hold.

Rest and Playtime Are Just As Necessary As Hard Work
This one's kind of a no brainer. I don't think I'm going to go into great detail on this one.

There's Always Time for Play (a.k.a. Don't Be Afraid To Look Like an Idiot)
The dogs don't worry about what they look like. They don't care if their hair is in place, or if there's dirt on their paws, or if there's slobber on their snouts. All they care about is that they're having fun. My dogs have no trouble getting a laugh out of me. They're not afraid to roll in mud, dirt, or water. They love running and running and running as fast as they can...in circles. They're constantly jumping, running, and falling, and I think they're hilarious. They may not always be graceful, but they're wonderful. Maybe if we could stop wasting time and energy on our appearances we'd be able to waste more time on having fun!!

Love Like There Is No Tomorrow
My dogs love me unconditionally, and they show it all the time. They give kisses and snuggles and tail wags. I have never had a day where I doubt that my dogs love me. I can't say that about everyone I know (not even always myself). Why can't we act this way?

Wake Up Like You Are Grateful To Be Alive
When the alarm goes off in the morning, the first thing Cody does is jump up on our bed and give us kisses. He buries his head in our arms, and he gives us tons of hugs. If we decide to hit snooze, he'll go back to sleep quickly (thank goodness), but he's always happy that we're all awake. He doesn't want to miss an opportunity to say, "I love you!" Guess what. That's my favorite time of the entire day. I may be tired. I may not want to be up yet, but as soon as I see that adorable face I'm happy. I'm happy to see him, and I'm happy to be alive.

I could let this post go on and on, but I'm going to cut it off there for now. I love my dogs, and they have brought more joy to my life than anyone could ever imagine. I learn from them every day, and I can't wait to find out what else they have to teach me.

In The Middle

2011-06-09T08:42:00.000-04:00

Lately, I've come to a realization. Apparently, I'm old! OK, so "old" probably isn't the right word. However, I'm no longer of college age, and college students view me as older and wiser (bizarre, isn't it?). That said, though, I also don't quite feel that I'm in the fully-an-adult stage either. I'm kind of in the middle.

You see, half the people my age are still in school, living with their parents, and going out late to parties that last half the night. The other half are holding decent jobs and starting their families. I am the person who's married and running a business, but not yet ready to start a family (aside from my doggy children). I prefer making jam and baking (I'd knit if I knew how) to partying and staying out late. I love schedules and I'd prefer to be in bed by 10:00 or 11:00...not 2:00 or 3:00.

So, I have this dilemma. Basically, there are few people I truly enjoy hanging out with. The ones who aren't partyers, the ones with a similar mindset, are often tied up with family activities. Finding friends who are mature but not quite "that" mature is quite difficult, and I'm left with the feeling that I'm missing out on something.

There is one upside to this, though. I very much appreciate the friends I have. Those few friends I've made who enjoy board games to drinking and dinners to diapers are a treasured rarity, and I love them dearly.

So, while I may feel stuck in the middle, I'm not too upset. I can say I am at least past the party-all-night stage (not that I ever really entered it), and I know I have something to look forward to. For now, though, I'm just going to enjoy the amazing stage that I'm in.

A Word to Graduating Seniors

2011-06-07T11:10:00.000-04:00

Last night, Hans and I had a discussion about seniors (both college and high school). More importantly, we had a discussion about their parents. You see, one of our friends sent a letter to her daughter's high school telling them to lay off the work load for graduating seniors. The thought was that they'd already been accepted to college, and this should be an easy time for them. Basically, give them work, but keep it simple.

Frankly, I think this is a load of crap.

I do think there's some merit to things like exam exemption and senior skip day, but beyond that why should the work load lighten? Don't these budding young minds still have things to learn? They have a whole summer to slack off, why should they get to start early?

I'll never forget the work load I had at the end of my senior year. On top of my regular homework (averaging 2-3 hours a night), I had a project. It was simple in theory...basically research a country of your choosing (mine was Ukraine). We had to find newspaper clippings, poems, historical facts, symbols, flags, and a video. Then we had to analyze all of it. It was all due the week before exams. Hmm, I think in 3 days time I got about 6 hours of sleep. On the fourth day, I had to drive to DC for an ensemble performance. Luckily, I have cousins who live in that area, and I just decided to skip the drive back home and stay at their place. Too bad my 5 am wake up call turned into an 8 am wake up call (such lovely sleep). I barely made it back home in time to hand in that lengthy project! I was frustrated and tired. I kept thinking, "Why can't we get a break!? Is this really necessary? We're already in college!!!"

Guess what, though. I still look at that project today. When I met Hans, I used that project to help explain my heritage to him. I learned more and retain more information than I ever thought I would. Not only that, but finishing that massive project gave me such a sense of accomplishment. I was proud of that project and I still am today. I also learned how to truly relish the break that summer vacation gave me. Phew!

What these parents who complain about the work load don't understand is how important this work is. Do they really think that life hands out breaks just because you know what's around the corner? If these parents were told they were being promoted, do they really think they could quit doing their current job just because they know something better is coming? Not only that, but do they really think it's that hard?? I mean, I know the hours are long, there's teenage drama, and sometimes it's stressful, but does it really compare to the anxiety of not knowing if you're going to be able to pay your next bill? Does it compare to fear of losing a child or a loved one? Heck, does it even compare to the general stresses of life that every young adult goes through...knowing that you have to take care of yourself, pay the bills, keep everything clean, and stay organized? If these parents think so, then maybe they've had it easy, because in my experience, that project (all laid out for me, with examples, and a dead line) was one of the easiest things I've done.

So, a word to the graduating seniors. Life is hard. I wish I could say it was easy, but it's not. That said, life can also be a lot of fun. You will get out of it what you put into it. If you put in that work, study hard, maybe even lose a couple nights of sleep, you will have rewards beyond your imagination. You will have a project that you can look back on years later, that you can share with friends and family, and declare, "I created this, and I am proud."

Now, GET BACK TO WORK!!! :P

Summer

2011-05-31T09:38:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the unofficial start to summer. HURRAY!!!

I know there are a lot of feelings regarding summer. Some people love the season. Some people are indifferent. Some people find it so unbearably hot they consider moving to cooler climates. Personally, I fall into the category that loves it.

Why do I love summer? Frankly, it's because of the heat. Here in VA, temperatures in the summer can top 100 degrees Farenheit and a humidity level of 80% is considered low. That sounds perfect to me. Yes, the heat can at first be suffocating. Yes, I wear out faster and can become more exhausted because of the heat. Yes, I have to drink about 8 glasses of water per hour just to replace the fluids I'm losing. But all that is wonderful for me. It's wonderful because if I'm cold, all I have to do is step outside. It's wonderful because if I'm hot I can simply jump in a pool or in the river. It's wonderful because in what other season could you sit still and still sweat enough to say you got in your daily workout?

Oddly enough, autumn is my favorite season (probably due to the changing leaves, my birthday, and Halloween), but summer falls in a close second. The days are longer which means there's more I can do, grilling out becomes the norm, and tasty fruits and veggies (like corn, mulberries, and strawberries) come out of hiding. I fully intend to enjoy this summer to the fullest. I hope you enjoy it too.

P.S. On a completely unrelated note, my SIL, LutherLiz, did something completely awesome yesterday. You should head over and congratulate her.

Coffee

2011-05-26T11:24:00.000-04:00

The other day, I was trolling Facebook, and I saw an article my friend posted about a dog, Coffee, who sits outside of Yankees and Mets games holding a pipe or wearing a Groucho Marx disguise and panhandling. The article was about how people think that Coffee is being abused. Of course, this put me on alert, so I read on. I then went to the Facebook page "Stop Abusing Coffee." The people on the page stated that Coffee wore an e-collar, and was forced to sit outside for long periods of time with no food or water. They also claimed she had no teeth, and they said that all these factors pointed to extreme abuse. The people called to have the man arrested. After the ASPCA investigated and found no signs of abuse, they turned against the ASPCA. They insulted Jay Leno after he made a brief comment about the situation, and they insulted Nick Cannon because he agreed with the ASPCA.

Frankly, I'm more than a little annoyed and quite disgusted by all these people. So, let me address each issue.

The E-collar
The e-collar is a training tool. Cody wears an e-collar on a regular basis. I put it on him so he can walk next to me off leash and come when called. I call it my safety blanket, because I know it will keep my baby safe. He wears that collar WHENEVER he is off-leash, but I rarely have to the nick (shock) function, and I often use the simple vibrate function just to get his attention. Whenever his collar comes out, he gets excited because he knows we are going somewhere fun. Putting and e-collar on Coffee does not equal abuse.

That said, an e-collar can be used improperly, and I have not seen/met Coffee or her owner, so I don't know how they're using it. All I know is that the fact she's wearing one does not point to any signs of abuse.

No Water
Of course, forcing a dog to sit for hours on end with no water available could be considered abuse...sort of. When I'm out with Cody, or when we're at an event, I do not often have a bowl of water for him. Rather, I keep an eye out for his needs. Does he seem thirsty or tired? Is it particularly hot? On more than one occasion, I have taken water in my mouth and put it back in his (particularly on long car rides) just to wet his mouth. Also, there are lots of doggie water bottles that do not require an owner to carry a bowl. On top of that, Cody does not drink water 24/7. He will often go hours without any water, and if a bowl were placed next to him, he almost certainly would not drink it if all he'd been doing was standing in one place.

It is Coffee's owner's responsibility to make sure she is not dehydrated. Having a bowl of water out all the time would be easy, but it does not promote actually watching and observing your dog for signs of healthiness.

No Teeth
Many people are claiming that Coffee has no teeth, and indeed pictures of the dog's mouth do not show many (if any) teeth present. However, while most are assuming that the owner removed the teeth so the dog could hold the pipe for long periods of time, I'm more apt to believe that this is how Coffee came, or that Coffee had bad teeth that HAD to be removed. Coffee was a rescue dog. I have seen lots of rescue dogs with terrible teeth. Many had to have teeth removed. As a pit found in a shelter, Coffee may have been a fighting dog. If she had chewed on chains, bars, and other unsavory objects and not been given proper care, it is totally plausible that she simply wore her teeth down beyond repair. If this is the case, then one could applaud Coffee's owner for feeding her foods she could eat and caring for a higher maintenance dog.

Dogs Shouldn't Have Jobs
This is one argument that makes me want to slap the people who say it. The human-dog bond was created by dogs working for us. ALL dogs need a job, especially higher-energy dogs like pits. For some dogs, like Yorkies, the job is to chase rodents; Shih-tzus have the relaxing job of keeping laps and hands warm by sleeping on them; Labs work by retrieving; Pits were originally bred to work on farms. ALL DOGS HAVE JOBS. This one may be unorthodox, but it's a job none the less.

All in all, I think these people are overreacting. They've contacted all sorts of sources, and those sources are all giving the same response: "There's no sign of abuse, but we're monitoring the situation." Even PETA said this...PETA, the same people who insulted the president for killing a fly and who wanted Ben & Jerry's to start using human breast milk instead of cow's milk to make their ice cream because milking a cow was inhumane.

It makes me ill to see how quickly people jump to reactions, and it makes it difficult as a trainer to see how some people treat other trainers. Please, people, get over yourselves.

Oh, and just to quickly address some other issues raised. The bandanna is worn over the e-collar not because the owner knows the e-collar is wrong, but rather because he's sick of comments for ignorant people. The Groucho Marx disguise that's worn does NOT cover the Coffee's nose. She can breathe just fine. Oh, and Coffee probably has had puppies, and she most likely bore them BEFORE she came into her current owner's home. There, I hope you got the message!

Stuff

2011-05-25T08:41:00.000-04:00

I am SICK of STUFF! There is just too much of it. After my blog post yesterday, I just kept thinking about |what could possibly make things better. As I sat there and watched the dogs play, something struck me. I have too much stuff. How did I come to this realization? Well, I can thank Phoebe (a new foster). She's young and hasn't learned, well, anything. Every few seconds were spent calling Phoebe, picking up before Phoebe got something, taking something out of Phoebe's mouth, and each thing I rescued (with the exception of a few bills) I would look at and think, "Wow. When was the last time I used this?" For some things I even wondered why I'd bought the item originally. I looked at corners that are difficult to clean, and I suddenly envisioned things differently.

I envisioned living in more of a minimal way. I envisioned getting rid of everything I didn't use on a regular basis. I thought about how my apartment had been when I was in college, and it dawned on me that I've accumulated a lot of crap since then...a lot of things I don't need. Then I thought that maybe, just maybe, if I get rid of all this junk, these dust collectors, I might just find that life is a lot easier.

I've done this before, purged my life of things I don't need, and I always feel a lot better afterward. This time, though, I'd like to take it further. There's furniture I'd like to get rid of, and clothes I'd like to toss. There are video gaming systems we never use and kitchen appliances I don't need. I want to get rid of all of it.

Who knows? Maybe this little purging of possessions will be helpful, maybe not. All I know, though, is that I don't need this stuff, so why should I keep it? Is there anything wrong with a minimalist lifestyle?

What Happened?

2011-05-24T18:37:00.000-04:00

Four years ago, things were different. I was different. I was graduating from college, planning a wedding, and living life a lot differently that I am now. I was working out every morning, I was fixing healthy, tasty meals every day, and I was a clean freak! My time was well-managed, and while I was a bit stressed out, I was working hard and doing well.

In the winter, I remember coming home, tracking dirt and rocks and salt all over the floor. I'd take off my shoes, set my books down, take out the broom, sweep everything up, and Swiffer for good measure. Then, just because I'd gotten started, I'd head to the bathroom (where the litter box was). I'd shake out the carpet, sweep and Swiffer, and wipe down the counter tops and tub. After that, I'd go make dinner. The norm was some sort of pasta, my favorite being baked chicken with sauteed mushrooms and onions on a bed of whole grain pasta (soooo tasty). After eating, cleaning up the kitchen and putting food away, I'd get to homework. I'd finish up homework, read a bit, and go to bed. This was all done after a morning of working out, a day of classes, an early evening of piano and voice practice, and sometimes even another quick workout that evening (just to de-stress). In the morning, I'd start all over. I can't say I was happy...I wasn't, but I was organized, and that was good.

Now, though, I don't know what's happened. Have I re-focused my energies? Have I just become lazy? Am I overwhelmed far more than I realize? All I know is that cleaning and working out are no longer fun or relaxing. They feel more like chores. I have my theories as to why:

-I'm super stressed and need a major break. Stressed over money and work and life in general.
-I'm happier than I was in college, so I don't feel the need to clean.
-I'm not just cleaning up after myself but also after Hans and get frustrated over having to clean things I didn't dirty.
-I'm working harder and longer hours, and frankly I'm tired.
-Hans is so kind and hard working, I know he'll pick up the slack.

Really it's probably a combination of all of those. And I DO NOT like it. And here's why those excuses stink:

-Needing to clean and live a healthy life is another one of those stresses. If I accomplished those goals I wouldn't be so stressed.
-Being happier should equal being more depressed.
-Actually, being ticked off over cleaning up after Hans is kind of valid. The problem, though, is that I'm creating plenty of mess myself.
-I'd be a lot less tired if I came home to a clean environment, ate better, and worked out.
-Hans will pick up slack, but that's not fair. He works hard too!

Basically, I'm not exactly sure what to do. How do I get more motivated? What do I have to do to return back to that healthy / clean / organized mode? Do I need a buddy? Do I need to find hired help for added motivation? Do I need a nice, long vacation? Do I need a roommate I'm trying to impress? If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them!

The Past Week

2011-05-16T16:29:00.000-04:00

Yes, life is crazy. That's just the way it is. Luckily, though, I was finally given a break. Somehow, by some miracle, all of the foster dogs were either adopted or moved. Tango found an AMAZING home filled with love, and we were worried that he'd never find a home. Charlie, an adorable beagle, found a home in the same weekend. Sprinkles is spending the next 6 weeks in another training facility that has more opportunities for her (re: more dogs and a pool). Willa, who came in the same Friday that Sprinkles left was adopted on Monday by a really sweet couple. So, all we've had for the past week have been Cody and Merlin. Yay for a break!!!

So, how have we been enjoying the past week? SLEEEEEEEPPP! There has been lots of sleep. With all the dogs, I was waking up at 5:30 am for feeding and exercise, and I often didn't get to bed before 11:00 pm. I felt good, but I was starting to love coffee. I didn't realize how tired I'd been until I got to sleep again. Oh, I've been sleeping so much. Yesterday, I didn't wake up until 9:40 am. Granted, I didn't get to bed until 12:00, but that's still almost 10 hours of sleep. My God, it's been beautiful.

We've also been giving Cody some much needed activity time. For example, in the past week he went to the dog park 3 times, played with a friend, went on a walk, and went to Williamsburg. That little boy is TIRED, but he's also very relaxed. The whole family is happy.

With the break and the rejuvenation, I now feel ready to bring more dogs in. Hans and I will start fostering two more dogs on Saturday. They biggest difference is that they're not necessarily the problem dogs like we've had in the past. They're just dogs that need a loving environment, and that's much easier to handle.

The Fun Event
On Friday, Hans and I did something really fun with Cody. Richmond was holding the Dominion River Rock Festival. It's basically a fund raising event to help care for and clean up the James River. Going to that was fun enough, but it gets even better. Part of the event was Air Dogs Dock Diving. What is dock diving? Basically, dogs leap off a dock and the dog who jumps the furthers (measured from the base of the tail) wins. Cody had never done this, but he loves jumping into water, so we thought we'd give it a shot. The first jump didn't happen. He stopped at the edge of the dock and whimpered for his toy. The second jump, though, the second jump was perfect. He didn't jump far, and we weren't expecting him to. He did jump, though, and we were proud. Cody bug was well behaved and happy, and that makes for a happy mom!

Like I said, we're ready for more dogs now. I'll still enjoy every moment I can get with Cody, but I can handle the next wave of work now that I've had a break!

Dedicated or Demented?

2011-05-04T09:18:00.000-04:00

This morning it was raining...a lot. Yesterday was sunny and warm and bright, but this morning was cold and wet and not so bright. The problem was, though, that I had scheduled a run for this morning. An easy fix would have been to hop on the treadmill, but I really didn't want to.

You see, I had really been looking forward to this run. I thoroughly enjoy taking Cody and one of the other dogs out for a jog. I enjoy seeing the people in my neighborhood. I enjoy feeling the sun on my face and the wind in my hair. I enjoy seeing the end result as to how many miles I went and what my average pace was. Today, however, it was raining.

I thought about it for a few moments, and finally decided that I wanted to run more than I cared about getting wet. So, I started putting the layers on.

By the time I was dressed and had the dogs ready the rain was really coming down. It was coming down hard enough to give me second thoughts. I had made up my mind, though, and I was going! Out the door we headed!

The run wasn't all that great, admittedly. I had to worry about puddles, and while Cody did fine, my other partner seemed to be trying to dodge all the big drops. My phone and run tracker seemed to be confused by the weather, and really didn't like getting wet. I started off kind of cold, but luckily I warmed up quickly. I had to worry more about cars that might splash us than running. Plus, there must have been some wind last night because a few of the trees in the area had lost some larger branches. Basically, I couldn't focus and my run suffered. I ended up walking more than I would have preferred.

Still, though, I was out for 33:00 minutes. I came back wet, and the dogs needed a towel. I jumped straight into the shower to warm up, and I let myself relax. The dogs were happy and wanted to play a little, so that's what I let them do. The run may not have been great, but I still had a good time.

I realized that, despite all the distractions and the fact that running in the rain isn't easy, I enjoy it. I enjoy hearing the rain drops hit the trees and the streets around me. I enjoy the solitude that running in the rain provides. There aren't any other joggers, no one else is walking his/her dogs, no one is riding a bike, and even the squirrels seem to be quieter.

So, I may be super-dedicated, or I may be slightly demented. Either way, this morning I went for my jog and I'm happy about it.

The Death of A Man

2011-05-02T20:55:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Osama Bin Laden was killed. I'll admit that my first reaction was big ole whoop for joy. I'll admit that I said, "YAAAAY!" I'll admit I wanted to congratulate the people who completed the action. I'll admit I was proud for Barrack Obama, and I wished I could have celebrated in front of the White House with the others who were there.

Then I was brought back to reality. Friends and family posted Facebook comments over how they lament such joyful celebrations over the death of a man...any man. Many posted that they worry about the backlash from such actions. I started to think about it all.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared of the backlash this action will cause. Admittedly, when we announced 10 years ago that we would attack strong and hard, I worried. I worried about one quote, "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." Attacking back would only cause more hatred and more terrorist attacks.

So, why was I so thrilled last night? To be honest, and I think this is true of many of the people who are rejoicing, I was relieved. I am relieved that such a force of evil is gone from the planet. I am relieved that a ten year mission is now completed (not that the war is over, but that we have completed this bit). I am relieved that this man who murdered thousands of innocent people, not just Christians or Americans but Muslims and Arabs alike, can no longer kill any more people. I am not rejoicing over the death of a man, but rather over the victory of humanity in general. It is a huge victory.

I do not mourn Bin Laden's death, but I do worry about what his death means for us as a nation. Will others attack us because of his death? Will we attack ourselves trying to decide who deserves credit for such an action? Will we attack ourselves over the issue of whether we should rejoice or not? I don't know, but I hope for the best.

I will not / cannot mourn the death of such a man. I will be joyful over the erasing of such evil. I will rejoice over the victory and the morale boost this gives our nation. I will hope for a brighter future, and I will let others feel how they wish to feel.

I will pray for peace.

Running a 5k

2011-04-30T10:27:00.000-04:00

A while back I mentioned that I wanted to run a 5k. Actually, I wanted to run much more than that, but a 5k would do for a start. I made it clear that I would follow the Couch to 5k program, and I encouraged anyone and everyone to join me. So, I got started. Things, however, did not go as planned.

A while before I'd started the plan I was having trouble breathing. Not wheezing or asthma type trouble, but more just a tightness that I couldn't explain. I would breathe as deeply as I could, but I still wasn't getting enough. I figured that running might help to expand my lungs and make everything a little easier. I was wrong. Finally, after one what-should-have-been-relaxing Sunday except I couldn't breathe, I decided to head to the doctor's office.

After chatting for a while, listening to my heart and lungs, and a full examination, my doc declared he thought it was sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis is an autoimmune disorder where your immune system is too strong and starts to attack the organs. It often attacks the lungs first. While there's no cure, it is treatable, and people can live long lives with it. So, while a bit nervous (who wants a chronic disease?), I figured I'd be OK. In I went for a chest x-ray. Three days later, no sarcoidosis. Woot!

Well, what was it? Time for an echo cardiogram. I was born with a heart murmur that had gone away in my teenage years. Lately, though, it had come back, and it was stronger. Could my breathing problem, combined with rapid weight gain be a sign of heart failure? Actually, this is something I'd wondered for a little while. The doctor didn't think that was the problem, but he decided to rule out any possibilities. I was all for an echo, and at times when I wasn't, Hans would encourage me to go (he was a little worried). So, back to the hospital I went.

I left the hospital with the words, "You definitely have a murmur." lodged in my brain. I knew it! I was dying. My heart was failing. That murmur was a massive whole, and time was short. Talk about a stressful weekend!

I called the doctor first thing Monday morning. Everything was normal. My murmur, while noisy, was nothing serious. He offered to have me wear an event monitor, but he and I both decided that wouldn't be necessary. But, what was the problem? I'm going back to what I originally first thought it was...stress. I was stressed over work, and over the house, and over working out, and I just tightened up. I didn't need a doctor, I needed a masseuse!

So, now I'm back to training. It's warmer outside now, though, so the treadmill just isn't even an option. I want to be outside with my dogs, not stuck on a conveyor belt. That means that the C25k program wasn't going to work quite as well. I don't own a working watch, and I really didn't relish the idea of constantly have to look at my watch just so I could tell when 90 seconds was up. So, I started looking for something new to try.

After reading the book The Nonrunner's Marathon Guide for Women I found the perfect plan. Written by an absolute non-runner, it was a good read, but what was even better was her website, Dream In Motion. On this website, she gives a detailed running plan for everyone from a novice to an advanced runner. I'm on her walk-run plan for novices. I love it, because instead of having you start and stop every few moments she simply says to run for 10 minutes. If you can't run the whole time then walk. When you can run, RUN (or jog as is my case)!

I'm on week two, and I'm already jogging over two miles. Granted, their slow, but they're still better than walking. In a few weeks, the program will switch from time increments to miles, and that will be another challenge for me. For now, though, I'm doing great. I'm loving it, AND I can breathe! It's amazing what a little extra time with the dogs will do. :)

I do hope that you all are doing well with whatever you're doing. I'm just trying to make the best of what I've got, and what I've got is a lot. Yay!

My Perfect Daily Life

2011-04-19T17:00:00.000-04:00

Notice that I did not say "My Perfect Day." I want this post to be how I wish my life could run...how it would be in a perfect world.

In a perfect world, I would be organized. I would wake up at a reasonable hour (maybe around 7:00, maybe earlier, maybe a little later), take care of the dogs, have some me time, have breakfast, go through my normal routine, and head off to work by 9:00. My lunch for the day would be packed and ready to go. My house would be clean. My clothes would be laid out (or at least clean AND folded), and I would be all set and ready to go.

My work day would be challenging but fun. I would work hard and be exhausted, but I would love it (OK, that's already true, but that's beside the point). I would have an actual lunch hour. My work day would end at a reasonable hour, and I would be home by a reasonable hour (7:00 at the LATEST). If I arrived home earlier, I might fix dinner (preferably one that had been prepared earlier in the week and frozen for convenience), or Hans and I might go do something fun like ride bikes or take the dogs for a walk or go to the beach (in warmer weather only), or if I arrived home at a later time, Hans might have dinner ready for me. In other words, I would eat at a reasonable hour.

I would spend half an hour cleaning and tidying up. Not much would be needed because cleaning would be a regular thing and not just something we did when things started to get out of control. After cleaning, Hans and I might do something else, or we might just get ready for bed. We would spend a bit of time reading, and then we would fall asleep, and sleep well.

In my perfect daily life, meals would be healthy, time would be managed, and life in general would be organized. Weekends would be time off, and sleep would be present. Life isn't quite like that now, though.

My Current Daily Life
Generally, you'll find me awake between 5:00 and 5:30, possibly earlier if a dog is particularly upset or a cat is particularly hungry. I do use this early time quite wisely, I must admit. First thing I'll let the dogs out. Then it's time for food and water. Then it's time for a work out. Sometimes this means taking the dogs for a jog, other times it means yoga. Personally, I like the jog one more mainly because the dogs are involved. When I'm done with that it's time for breakfast, and somehow after that becomes rushed. Time seems to fly by, and I all of a sudden am running around the house like a mad woman, trying to get my day in order. Thank goodness for Hans because he normally puts my lunch together!

I leave the house by 9:00, 9:30 at the latest. I spend my day driving from appointment to appointment, sometimes racking up over 100 miles in a day. If I'm supremely lucky I'll be able to stop to eat my lunch. If I'm super-duper, amazingly lucky I'll even have time to read a bit. By the way, I LOVE VA rest stops, and I'm a pro at chilling out in my car at a gas station.

If I'm lucky, I'm home by 7:00. Generally, though I'm home sometime between 8:00 and 10:00. Hans, being the wonderful man that he is, will often have dinner ready or nearly ready when I get home (if I call him to let him know I'm on my way and ask him to please start dinner). Dinner is usually something easy that only takes half an hour to warm up (think frozen pizza) and doesn't create too many dishes, but is still filling (frozen pizza and bread sticks).

I can't sleep right after eating, so I'll spend at least half an hour digesting. I'll go to bed tired, and frustrated over not having gotten everything done. Generally this is around 11:00, sometimes as late as midnight.

This is Monday through Saturday. Sundays I don't work "in the field" but I do try to catch up on office work or see friends, or do something else that doesn't involve sleep. I feel behind and run down. I can't seem to catch up.

Now, I don't want you to take this the wrong way. I very much love what I do. I have a wonderful life, and things could be much worse. However, on days where I've only gotten about 4 hours of sleep I very much wish that things were a little different.

Yes, there are many and multiple things I could change. Yes, there are many and multiple things I'm working on changing. I know that working 12 hour days will not always be the norm. I know I will see better days. For now, though, I'm tired. Today, I want to rant a little.

Thank you for listening to my tantrum.

Living Life to the Fullest

2011-04-18T08:21:00.000-04:00

Yes, I know my blogging has been sporadic. I know I should be doing a better job of updating y'all on the goings-on in my life, or of my thoughts and concerns. Frankly, though, I've been busy. I've been busy with work, and busy with social activities. I'll often think of something I want to blog about, but I am too tired when I get home to actually look at the computer. Blogging has been put on the back burner, and will only return when I can learn to not need sleep. Finally, I've had to tell myself that I shouldn't feel guilty about not blogging. I mean, really, this is my blog. If I don't feel like blogging, I don't have to. I have more important things to do than worry about getting my blog post in each day. I do enjoy blogging, so hopefully I'll be able to do it more, but if I'm out of time, then I'm not going to worry about it. I'm going to do other things that make me happy...like sleep...

...Or go for a bike ride
Friday was a pretty easy day. A couple of my lessons had to change their appointments, so I was left with some open time in the day. Mom's in town, so we had lunch and went over some business stuff together. Just before my last lesson I realized there were a few grocery items we needed. So, I called Hans and told him he had a decision. He could either stop by the store on the way home from work, or we could bike there together after my last appointment. The store is only 2 miles away, and since I got my new bike back in January I've been wanting to bike to the store. Still, though, I was expecting Hans to choose to stop after work. I'm very glad he didn't.

The entire trip took about an hour. We weren't in any hurry, so we didn't try to fly down the street. Admittedly, all that traffic made me nervous, and I realized again how much better Hans is at riding a bike than I am. Still, though, I had a blast. I felt great as we returned home just before the sun set. I was happy to have gotten out in the warm weather and ride around town. It felt good. I want to do it again. I really like my bike.

Which brings me to how I wan to live my life.
So, I've commented before on how I want to live healthier, and that has not changed. I want to make better activity choices (actually being active would be helpful), and I want to make better food choices too. One thing I'm not willing to do, though, is completely give up things that make me happy.

I'm a foodie. I like food. I really like food. I need to learn to truly enjoy my food, though, and not just scarf it down and want more. I also need to learn how to truly indulge myself...eat truly good foods, and not just a frozen pizza (yum, pizza) or carrots if I'm trying to be healthy (although lately I've really been craving those carrots).

Something I've noticed with other bloggers, though, is how much they limit themselves. I'm all for eating healthy, but I also think it should be OK to indulge a little. For instance, a few blogs I've read have blogged about eating out at a restaurant. The blogger may order an Alice Springs Chicken from Outback (barbecue chicken, bacon, three different cheeses...heaven), but they realized that many of the things on there aren't too healthy. So, they order it like this:

Blogger: I'd like the Alice Springs chicken, but could I have the barbecue on the side, only one strip of bacon on the side, and shredded cheese on the side?
Waiter: Would you like any sauce with that?
Blogger: Low fat ranch on the side.

My thought is what's the point in eating out if you're only going to get a plain chicken with a few things on the side? Maybe they eat out more often than I do and realize that ordering like this is the best plan for them. Maybe they really liked the sound of eating that Alice Springs Chicken, but the realized that it needed to be healthier. If that's what looked good to them, then kudos. For me, however, if I'm craving chicken and bacon and cheese, I'm going to have all three, just the way Outback makes them. I might have full-fat ranch on the side. Then, the next day, I'm either going to move more or eat less (or eat a lot healthier). It will balance out. If I order it any differently I'll get frustrated and be more likely to binge.

I also want to learn to fit an active lifestyle into my daily life. Lately, I haven't had a choice in this. I've been so busy, the only time I've had to sit down is when I'm driving between appointments or sleeping. I don't want this to change, though. I've really enjoyed getting up early, working my tail off, and coming home wanting to sleep. My sleep habits have enjoyed it too. I think that's why I enjoyed the bike ride so much. After a semi-busy day, my body wanted more movement. The bike ride gave it to me, and I slept like a baby that night.

I do recognize that some days I'll just want to sleep (like Saturday), and I can take those days and work with them. For now, though, I thoroughly want to enjoy every moment God gives me. God gave me this body, and I want to enjoy it. I don't want to waste this gift of life. I want to MOVE! And then I want to eat. And then I want to sleep.

How about you? What do you want to do?

R.I.P. Zisc

2011-04-08T22:06:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday at the river was so much fun, we decided to do it again. The day was grayer and wetter, and the river was a little higher, but we decided we could still enjoy the hike and possibly find a calm spot for the boys to swim.

Where we went swimming on Sunday, while higher, still looked OK, so we let the dogs jump in and splash. Ollie had a Wubba Kong and would leap from the bank, into the water, and come back triumphantly. We started with short throws of Cody's Zisc (an awesome frisbee made of SUPER-TOUGH material), but after seeing how comfortable Cody was we started throwing it farther. We never threw it too far, but we definitely made Cody work for it.

And then came the fateful toss. We threw it out, Cody jumped for it. This time, though, instead of retrieving it and bringing it back, Cody turned back and swam to us. Hans, Cody, and I ran down the bank, and Cody leaped for it again, but whined a little and turned back. Whether he couldn't see it well, or whether he was just too tired to go that far I'm not sure, but either way, we watched as this well-loved toy floated down the river.

Of course, I would much rather lose the Zisc than lose Cody, but it was still a bit depressing. What was more depressing, though, was Cody's reaction. He just kept looking for his Zisc. Anything that floated by was treated as a possible Zisc sighting. Cody would whimper, leap out into the water for a closer look, and come back, dejected. He searched the ground, hoping that it was merely hidden. He looked to us to see if we were playing some cruel trick. Seeing Cody Bug so upset almost brought me to tears. Poor guy!

Eventually, though, he decided he could play with the other dogs. Now, while we are one Zisc shorter, Cody is tired and smells like river. He's snuggled up on a towel next to me, and I think he is simply the most precious creature. In fact, I think he's so precious that I may just have to order a new Zisc tomorrow. Until then, rest well Cody. I'm sure your Zisc will find a happy new home.

The Weekend

2011-04-04T22:17:00.000-04:00

Well, that was quite a weekend. I really won't give an introduction, so here you go!

Saturday
I had a lot planned for Saturday. I had a day full of appointments, and our new washer and dryer were scheduled to be delivered. Hans went in to help set up for a big event at work, then he took the Sprinkles to adoption stand, and then he came home to wait for the washer and dryer.

First, I got 3 consecutive calls from the delivery people, but I was on another line and couldn't answer the call. When I called back, I was told (in not so nice a manner) that because I hadn't answered my phone, they weren't sure if they should go to the front of the house or down the alley to the back of the house, and so they had driven down the alley and had gotten stuck. Appliances are now delayed.

Two hours later, I got a call from the delivery company asking how the delivery service was and if I had liked it. I called Hans to see if we had gotten the washer and dryer, and he said we had not. Oh, and they weren't stuck anymore either.

To make a very long story short, the delivery people had taken the washer and dryer to the wrong house...2 blocks away. The guy at that house happily accepted our washer and dryer. When the delivery people went back to the house to retrieve our washer and dryer, the guy at the house said that another delivery person had already picked them up.

So, what happened next? Well, police were called, and we found out that this gentleman was no stranger to law enforcement. After a few stressful hours, the guy's landlord arrived and let the police and delivery men into the house to see if they could find it. Our washer and dryer had been moved to a different room and covered in blankets. I guess he thought no one would notice!

So, 4 hours after they were supposed to have arrived, we FINALLY got our washer and dryer. We did think about sending them back and demanding new ones, but these were still perfectly fine. Plus, Hans tested them to make sure they worked before the delivery guys left. Oh, and we really needed to do laundry!

That said, I LOVE our new washer and dryer. I want to wear multiple outfits throughout the day, just so I can wash more clothes. They hold so much more, and our comforter seems so much cleaner now that it actually fits! I find myself staring at the machine as it senses the size of a load and marveling at the spray patterns. Yay!

Sunday
Sunday was a much less eventful day, and it was MUCH more fun. After Mass, Hans and I went to the Tavern to see A Thousand Clowns. I love seeing sets that Hans has helped to build. On top of that, I love shows at the Tavern because I have such good memories of that place from my childhood. On top of that, I love seeing Scott Wichman (lead in A Thousand Clowns) because he's just down-right amazing. So, that was a fabulous afternoon!

After the show, Cody, Hans and I had a play date. When Cody was a wee pup of only a year, we met an even younger pup named Oliver. Cody and Ollie loved to play in the dog park together, but alas, their friendship was torn apart due to a job transfer. At our most recent show, we saw Ollie and his mom, Shannon. Apparently, they were back! Hurray!!! So, we got the boys together for some fun. Out to the river we went!

Oh, how I wish I had taken my real camera and not just my cell phone. Watching them run and jump and play was so much fun. I loved watching them splash and swim and retrieve sticks and frisbees (did I mention we took them to the river?). Watching all that pent up energy rush out of them as they worked and stretched their legs for what seems like the first time all year was such a relief and joy. Hearing Cody whimper and seeing him shiver as the sun started to set and the temperature dropped melted my heart. Having Cody snuggle up, exhausted after a too-short afternoon of fun, warmed my whole being.

I am so happy Cody's friend is back. For that matter, I'm happy his mom is back too (I like having friends also). There is just something about two soaking wet Doodles that leaves a great big grin on my face. To Ollie and Shannon: Can we do that again?!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

2011-03-30T13:18:00.000-04:00

Well, the Paul household has been busy and bustling! I think the bit of Spring weather we had last week really motivated us, because we're really tackling some projects. Some of them require professionals, but others are all us.

We are sick and tired of the back yard looking the way it does. The ground is torn up from dogs, there are concrete slabs from the previous owner, the fence is falling down, and grass won't grow because of the beautiful magnolia. It's kind of a wreck, and it's an embarrassment when we have guests over. So, we've called in the professionals. We have a wonderful plan for the back yard, and we're replacing the fence. Actually, the fence is almost completely replaced already, and the yard already looks much improved. Hans has been tweaking and improving the deck he built last Summer, and the changes are certainly making a huge difference. I can't wait to show you how the yard looks when it's completely done, and I suspect it will be magnificent!

With all that going on, I've been super busy with the business. Actually, Hans has been busy with Impawsible Pups too. While I've had a busy season of training, he's had a busy season of building dog beds. We've really only focused on one design so far, but we'll be adding more soon. So far, though, aren't they amazing?

You can find this bed and other colors at our website: www.impawsiblepups.com

I've also started selling a line of toys and leashes, and I'm quite pleased with how they're doing. I must take a moment to thank my SIL, Luther Liz, for introducing me to my favorite line of toys. She just happened to buy a really awesome toy for Cody, hoping he would like it. Not only did it quickly become one of his favorite toys, it also became every other dog's favorite toy. Plus, it stood up to just about everything. When people started asking me where they could find one, and I had no idea (other than somewhere in MN), I decided it was time for me to carry that line. That has been a good decision for so many reasons. Plus, it gives me a good excuse to get toys for Cody. You know, so he can "test" them. It makes me happy. :)

Hmm, what else? All the fosters have been doing well. With the warmer weather, we've been walking everyone more. What's my favorite thing about the walk? I get to spend time with Hans. The biggest problem with being so busy is that we haven't had as much time for each other. We're both working 12-13 hour days (luckily some of his work is at home so the dogs can get out and play), and when we're finally together we typically just want to sleep. Last night, for example, I was so tired I didn't even want dinner. I read for 45 minutes and then just crashed. Sleep was good. The walks in the morning, while only about 30 minutes, allow us to chat and catch up on the day. I love that. It's special, and I appreciate every single walk we have together.

Lastly, I'll leave you with a quick story as to why Hans and I are "angry" with his mother. On Sunday, Hans and I were picking up supplies at Lowe's. As we were walking from one store to the other, I got side tracked by washers and dryers. You see, our washer is on its last leg, and we really need a larger washer anyway. I've always loved the washers without center agitators, so I thought I'd just see what they run. Well, while I was walking through, Hans' mom called. By the time I was ready to head on, Hans was still talking to his mom, so I decided to waste more time by looking at more washers and driers. As I was looking at a washer/dryer combo that was WAY out of our price range, a sales person came by and asked if we were in the market for a washer / dryer. I told him no, but that we would be soon. He then informed me that the really expensive washer / dryer (the one I was drooling over) was on sale through the weekend for $600 off! That made the nice washer / dryer the EXACT same price as the less wonderful model. So, ten minutes later, after Hans had gotten off the phone with his mom, we were purchasing a washer and a dryer...something that never would have happened had we not been delayed by Hans' mom calling. In all honesty, I'm thrilled. This washer is so much larger, so it will be able to truly handle all the animal bedding (not to mention our bedding). I suspect it will save us a good deal of money simply because we won't have to do as many loads (not to mention the time it will save us too). So, while Hans may have called his mom on Monday to tell her she was in trouble, I'm currently jumping for joy, waiting for my washer and dryer to arrive. HURRY UP!

Ok, this blog post has gotten long enough. I hope you're all doing wonderfully! Have a Happy Wednesday!

Spring Is In The Air

2011-03-24T10:18:00.000-04:00

The weather is warmer, the birds are singing, and I am HAPPY!

For the past few mornings, Hans and I have been enjoying the warmer temperatures by taking the dogs on walks through the neighborhood. To be honest, I enjoy afternoon walks better (it's even warmer, and the sun is brighter), but I have been loving the fact that we can even get out. Just a few weeks ago it was too cold to consider! I LOVE hearing the birds singing in the morning. I LOVE seeing the blossoms on the trees. I LOVE not having to bundle up is sweatshirts and coats!

I also love the fact that we found this in our magnolia tree:

Yes, things are going quite well. Hans and I are getting ready to do some major yard repairs, and that really has me excited. I can't wait to host a summer barbeque!

I hope it's as wonderful where you are as it is here! Happy Spring!

Hello All!

2011-03-20T21:38:00.000-04:00

Finally, I'm back! I must admit that, while I've been super-busy, I also haven't been much in the mood for a blog post. I also haven't been reading blogs, nor have I been on Facebook much. So, I'm going to give y'all this post for a nice little update. Honestly, so much has gone on in the past two (three?) weeks, that I'm doubt I'll get to most of it. However, I'll at least fill you in on all the big stuff..

Spring Cleaning
Hans and I finally got the house clean. Well, aside from tidying up our room a bit, that is. You see, when we moved in I was running Impawsible Pups AND working a second job, and Hans was working his 9-5 at TIV AND running The Sound of Music. Basically, we were both working long, exhausting hours. Taking the time to properly organize things just didn't happen, and things basically just got shoved into random places. Once time opened up, there just always seemed to be about 1,000 other things to do, and reorganizing just wasn't happening. Last weekend, though, enough was ENOUGH! I'm so proud of us. We now have a clean, organized basement and closets, and because those few things are organized, everything else works out much better. Like I said, we still need to tidy up our room, but that will come in time. I'm just happy we're clean enough for me to have a clean office!

St. John's Men's Chorus
Last Monday was quite exciting. I must admit that one of our reasons for doing such thorough cleaning was because we were planning for some very special guests. Finally, after years of waiting, St. John's Men's Chorus came to sing in VA. Hans and I enjoyed a wonderful night of beautiful music listening to a fantastic choir. Hans and I both attended St. John's, and we met in Chamber Choir (the SATB choir), so this was quite a special treat. What made it even better was that my dad got to hear the choir. He was never able to get up to MN to hear our choirs sing while I was in college, so I was thrilled that he'd get the chance to hear how wonderful of a choir I'd been in (while I obviously wasn't in Men's Chorus, I was in the SATB equivalent, and the director is the same. It counts.). After we listened to the concert, Hans and I were honored to serve as a host family for two of the boys. We kept them only for a night, a sophomore and a freshmen, but it was wonderful to have them here. I just wish I could hear them sing again.

You Make Me SICK!
One of the hazards of going to different houses to train dogs is the sickness factor. People are so much less-likely to cancel an appointment due to illness when they don't even have to leave their homes. Luckily, I seem to have a pretty tough immune system, and while people around me have taken ill (probably because I'm carrying the bugs), I've stayed pretty healthy. That is, until this past week. I was feeling good, although a little tired, all week. Wednesday morning I woke up tired and cold, maybe even a little foggy, but still pretty good. I even managed to get a good deal of work done on Wednesday. I noticed that my mood was kind of off, but I attributed that to a few not-so-great things happening that day and the fact that I was REALLY tired. I had dinner, and then off I went to my last appointment for the evening.

I did notice that dinner wasn't sitting particularly well, but I figured that was the price one paid for eating upset...indigestion. As my lesson went on, I realized I should probably get home, and the sooner the better. The lesson wrapped up fairly quickly and off I went. On the way home, I started to feel even worse. I felt supremely tired, and I was really cold except the heater made me feel sick. I came home, ignored the dogs (unheard of), and bee-lined for the ladies room (TMI?). Unfortunately, I didn't feel any better after leaving. I collapsed on the couch, but after about 10 minutes decided it was time for bed. Within the hour the sickness had set in.

Yep, I was officially sick. I don't think I've ever been so sick. I was so cold, and I couldn't stop shivering. Hans put a space heater in the bathroom to keep my shivers to a minimum, and he put a heating pad on the bed. I was up every hour, and saw more of my dinner than I'd ever care to see again (TMI again?). At one point I simply curled up on the bathroom floor. I wanted to cry, but I was afraid that would bring on the nausea again. By Thursday morning, I was feeling minimally better, but I was still miserable. By Thursday night, I was drained. Most of the nausea had passed, but I was running mid-grade fever, and simply moving my head to the side made me ache.

Since Thursday, things have gotten better. Friday I was able to go out, but after 4 (maybe 5) hours I was done and collapsed in my bed with a splitting headache. Hans was wonderful taking care of me through all of it. Yesterday I felt well enough to go to adoption stand, although I took a few breaks to rest my head. Hans, however, had taken ill that morning. OH NO!!! Luckily, Hans' sickness wasn't nearly as bad as mine, and we're both feeling better today.

Today, I'm finally starting to feel back to normal. I'm eating more than saltines, although my food is bland and small. Hans I took the dogs for a walk, although we also slept in EXTREMELY late. I ended up losing a grand total of 7.5 pounds while I was sick, although now the scale is showing about 6.5 pounds lost. Like I said, I really wasn't feeling well!

Now it's time to return back to the real world! More updates will come again soon, and hopefully I'll continue my regular blogging!

I've Been Missing

2011-03-16T07:27:00.000-04:00

Hello all!

Yes, I know I've been gone for a very long time. Please excuse my absence. Things have been CRAZY around here. I promise I'll be back soon for a proper update (and trust me, it will be a long one), but for now I just wanted you to know that I haven't forgotten about you. I have lots to share, and I want to make sure I'm able to give you my full attention.

Thank you for understanding!

Song Contest

2011-03-07T09:20:00.000-05:00

How do I explain Song Contest? It's something that so few people have ever heard of. Trying to explain it to Hans left him staring at me like I had four heads. Oh well, I'll try to explain it to all of you.

All schools have school colors. My school's colors were Green and White. However, at my school each CLASS also had their own colors. These colors were chosen by the class when they were freshmen. The colors could not be the same as any other class colors. When I was a freshmen the colors were Blue & Green, Purple & Yellow, Black & White, and Pink & Navy. We were Pink & Navy.

Then, each Spring, the classes would come together for a competition...Song Contest. Each class would perform for eight minutes, and their performance must include one slow song and the Alma Mater. Classes would take popular songs and change the words to make them about our high school. The classes are then judged by three judges who can only identify the classes by their class colors.

While this is a decent description, it can't convey the feeling. The feeling of excitement and nervousness coursing through the students as they wait to hear who is the winner. The feeling of camaraderie between students. The excitement in the audience. The pure enjoyment of the evening. A simple explanation certainly cannot do the evening justice. The best way to explain Song Contest is to actually go to it.

So, that's what Hans and I finally did on Friday. We attended the 60th Annual Song Contest. It had been 7 years since I'd graduated and had last attended a Song Contest, and it had been 10 years since my class first won at the 50th Annual Song Contest. I was so excited. The highlight of the evening was when the alumnae went on stage to sing the Alma Mater. I'd been dreaming of that moment since I was 17, and I was so excited to be able to go up there.

As I walked onto the stage, who should I see but four ladies I hadn't seen since high school. We had our greetings, and then we decided to meet up at IHOP afterward. Seven years had passed since I'd seen these girls, and our lives were quite different.

At first I felt a bit out of place. All these girls who I'd studied with, gone out with, laughed with, were studying for their Masters and Ph.D. in fields like psychology, biomedical engineering and electrical engineering. I felt like that girl who'd barely finished high school. All I had was a college degree in music. How could I measure up? Then I realized something. It dawned on me. Hey! I own my own business. I love what I do, and I'm quite good at it. I'm married with a home, and I love my life. What do I have to feel bad about? NOTHING! As a matter of fact, I had quite a lot to feel happy about. Yay!

So, all in all a wonderful evening. I think the right class won. I got to see a bunch of old friends. Plus, I finally got to show Hans what Song Contest is all about. I doubt I'll go every year. Not having a particular class to root for kind of takes away the excitement. However, I do know I'll go back at some point. It was too fun to not return. Until then, I'll carry the memories of Song Contest with me. I'll use those memories as a reminder of what once was. I'll remember it as a happy time in my life, but something that is in the past. Something that has shaped my future and made me the woman I am today...a happy, successful woman with a wonderful family and fabulous friends.

The Truth Revealed: Two Truths and A Lie Finally Answered

2011-02-28T08:15:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday I posted three "truths" for a Two Truths and A Lie Blog Carnival. In case you've forgotten, here are the three "truths."

1) In a time of need, I gave Cody water by taking a sip from a bottle and spitting it back to him...like a baby bird.

2) This past year, I was on the news twice in one month, and my photo was used in multiple advertising campaigns for a local sports team.

3) I train dogs with hot dogs, and if I'm really hungry I'll occasionally eat a few bits hot dog to calm my stomach.

So, which one's the lie? Read on to find out.

Last August, Hans and I took Cody on a trip to MN. In the sheer confusion of writing up care instructions for the dogs, packing, and working up until the very last minute, we completely forgot Cody's food and water bowls. This wasn't a problem when we arrived to our final destination since we borrowed a bowel, nor was it an issue when we stopped in a hotel since hand feeding can be fun, and Cody can drink from a faucet. However, in the car it was definitely a problem. We didn't have a bowl to water Cody. At rest stops, I would simply pour some water into my hand and let him drink that way, but in the car this wasn't an option. I didn't actually realize how thirsty he was until one point when I went to take a sip of water, and Cody "attacked" my water bottle. He kept trying to steal my water! So, I took a big swig, and I slowly let a little seep from my mouth. Let me say that lots of Cody kisses were involved. Apparently he was thirsty! So, Number 1 is true.

Last fall, a tornado hit our house. I was stuck in my car when it happened. A tree fell behind me and in front of me. I was featured on the news (tornado not fun, news fun). Within a month, I also went on a local morning news program to discuss holiday safety with your pets. So, I was on the news twice within a month. Earlier that year, our local baseball team had a Bark in the Park night, a night where you could bring the dogs to the game. It went so well, they decided to hold another night a few months later. Apparently they had gotten a picture of me holding Cody and used it on flyers and their homepage to promote the night. Last weekend, I found out that they're using the same image to promote their Bark in the Park nights this year. So, Number 2 is true.

Yep, that's right, Number 3 is FALSE! Most of you did guess number 3 to be the false one, but for all the wrong reasons. I do, in fact, train dogs using hot dogs. Nothing special, just some cheap chicken dogs. The dogs love the hot dogs. It keeps them interested, and it makes them really excited to see me. In case your wondering, we do phase out the hot dogs, but that's beside the point. While I always seem to have hot dogs with me, I would never, NEVER eat the hot dogs. Sometimes training requires me to put them in my mouth, and I think they're not quite tasty. They're salty and slimy. Eating them is not my idea of fun. Here's what I figure. If my car ever broke down and I was stranded somewhere where no one could help, and there was the possibility I could starve to death, I'd have something to nibble on. Until that day, though, the hot dogs will stay for the dogs.

Well, I hope you all enjoyed playing. Obviously, my life is centered around the dogs...particularly Cody. If you have any questions about me or my answers, please feel free to ask!

Two Truths and A Lie

2011-02-24T10:14:00.002-05:00

So, Liz over at The Lutheran Geek had a great idea. She wanted to do a blog carnival, create a way for people to explore other blogs and get to know each other. So, she asked if people would like to join her for a two truths and a lie blog carnival. The game is the same as that get-to-know-you game we've all played. I'll share 3 "facts" about my life, only one of them isn't true. You can guess which is false in the comments, and I'll share the answer on Monday. Also, please feel free to hop on over to some of the other blogs and get to know them.

So, here are my three facts:

1) In a time of need, I gave Cody water by taking a sip from a bottle and spitting it back to him...like a baby bird.

2) This past year, I was on the news twice in one month, and my photo was used in multiple advertising campaigns for a local sports team.

3) I train dogs with hot dogs, and if I'm really hungry I'll occasionally eat a few bits hot dog to calm my stomach.

I hope you all enjoy my facts. Enjoy playing along!

Treatment of Dogs

2011-02-23T11:31:00.000-05:00

This weekend, something terrible happened. A pit bull / pit mix was shot and killed after escaping from her yard. If you watch the video, you can get more details.

Obviously, I think this is unacceptable. What I really think is outrageous is that charges have not been filed yet. In this day and age, most people view dogs as more than just an animal. Many dogs are seen as members of the family. Some dogs provide a service such as therapy or search and rescue. Some dogs participate in sports with their families, and thrive in Rally-O, agility, fly ball, or dock diving. All of these dogs are loved in ways that people without pets could never understand. The fact that the law has not recognized this is absurd.

Many people who know me, know the story of one our dogs, Sam. Sam was a stray that came to our house for food and friendship. While we left food out, we didn't adopt him right away (four dogs was enough), and we noticed that he roamed quite a distance, about three miles. After a while, though, he started hanging around our house more and more. We would come home, and he would be there. He'd whine and smile when we got home. He loved to snuggle, and he got along well with the other dogs. At least, that's how he was with us. With new dogs and new people he was much more stand-offish. If we were around, he'd protect us, but if we weren't around he'd simply keep his distance.

Then, one day, I was at home after school, changing out of my uniform, when I heard a gun shot. This was nothing new, we lived in the country, but then I heard something that caused my heart to drop. I heard a yelp. It took less than a second for me to understand what had happened. I ran outside and searched the back field, trying to see the dogs. Out came Benji, Lani, Sweet Pea, and...Sam. Except, Sam stopped short. Before he could make it to the edge of the garden, Sam fell over. I ran to him, and there was the wound, right in his shoulder. I ran as fast as I could back to the house and made two phone calls, first to 911 and then to Mom. Then I ran back to Sam.

If this happened now, I would be better equipped to deal with it (I could drive, for one). Then, though, all I could do was sit with him and let him know I was here. Mom, who was at least 30 minutes away, got there before the police or animal control. When the police and animal control arrived, we were told the only thing they could do to help was to assist in loading him in the car. I was flabbergasted. Thank goodness Mom was home, because otherwise Sam wouldn't have been able to get help. That was the day we officially adopted Sam.

I'm thankful for two things that day. One, it was tax season, so Mom had extra money to pay for his treatment. Two, and most important, the shot did not kill Sam. However, it did leave a lasting scar. Sam had to have his leg amputated. While Sam did well with three legs, it definitely slowed him down. He could no longer keep up with the other dogs, and he got winded much faster. Long walks weren't an option without long breaks. Plus, the spot where his leg used to be was often sore, and caused him pain and discomfort.

While that was sad enough, the worst part was that nothing happened to the guy who shot Sam. The guy claimed that Sam had been chasing his horses, and in Hanover it's legal to protect your livestock. So, what problem do I have with this argument? Well, for starters, we had two horses of our own, and the dogs never bugged them. Then there's the fact that Sam couldn't have weighed more than 40 pounds...much too small to hurt a horse. Oh, and then there are the neighbors that knew that the guy had used another dog for target practice. Obviously, this does not equal a situation where I think it would be OK to use a gun on a dog.

Since this time, I've learned two things. One, keep an eye out on your dogs. Cody doesn't go out unless I'm with him. Two, laws need to change. A dog's position in the world needs to change. In a world where people are leaving their fortunes to their dogs, how can we deny that dogs are more than just "dumb animals?" Things need to change!

OK, so what are your thoughts? Do you know a dog that has experienced trauma? Have you tried to help? If you're looking for ways to help, just ask. There are tons of organizations out there.

Pet Expo 2011

2011-02-21T11:40:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm thoroughly exhausted! It's amazing how long it takes to recover after a busy, busy day. What did we do? We went to Pet Expo 2011!! Hans and I first attended Pet Expo in 2009. I was still in training to become a trainer, and I wanted to work with Cody on social situations. I was also transporting a dog from NC to Richmond, and figured this would be a great chance for her to practice as well (that dog's picture is featured with Cody on the home page). Hans and I had a blast, and I knew immediately that I wanted to be a vendor at this thing. So, last year that's what we did. I set up a booth, handed out cookies and dog treats, and got to know as many people as I could.

What did I learn from that experience? First, 10 to 4 seems much longer when you're on your feet and talking over music. Second, it's not only stressful on me, but it's really stressful on Cody. He did great for about an hour or two and then just wore out. This year, I was prepared for my part, and I decided to leave Cody at home. Mom helped out by transporting and running errands. Cody did get to walk around for a bit, but then we sent him home.

This year was much busier than last year. Part of this had to do with our booth location (we had a lot more traffic), but I also think the event was simply busier this year. We ended up running out of cookies and biscuits. Luckily, Mom was there to save the day. She brought extra biscuits from home (which was luckily only 10 minutes away) and picked up a few extra cookies.

This year we did something different, too. This year we started selling dog products. There are so many toys that I love, but they're often hard to find. So, I decided to carry them myself. What was the number one seller? The dog beds that Hans built! My goal was to sell three. At 3:50 I had sold two. I was happy, but a bit disappointed that I hadn't reached my goal. In the last 10 minutes, though, I sold an additional three!! Apparently a lot of the volunteers at the show liked the beds, but they didn't have a chance to purchase one until the very end. Woot!

The day ended with Chinese delivery and much needed sleep. Hans and I got to bed fairly early (for us anyway), and I thought I'd be fine on Sunday. Yeah, Sunday brought lots of sleep too. Luckily, Hans has today off, so we're doing some chores today. Question: Does anyone know a good recovery method? Yesterday my whole body ached. Am I just out of shape and need to tone, or is there something I could do to lessen the agony?

Anyway, here's the day in pictures:

Mom and me at my extra-large booth with Kyla and Alex.

Doggie Goodies for sale!

The toys are super-fun. I promise!

Doesn't Hans make some beautiful beds?

I love visits from clients. Meet Roxie and Shadow!

And Luke and Lily

And Connor

And Ashley! Her dog isn't quite ready for Expo yet. :)

Mom and Alex doing agility.

Mom and Kyla doing agility.

Boomer and Gail doing agility. Boomer used to be our foster dog. She has thrived under Gail's care.

All in all, it was a super-fun day. I still have to take inventory to make sure no one had any sticky fingers, but I think we did alright. And you know the best part? Quite a few people recognized me from the previous year. Go name recognition! Yay!

Battle of the Bulge

2011-02-17T22:04:00.000-05:00

C25k Update

Well, I thought I'd give you all a quick update on my Couch to 5k workouts. I have one word. UGH! Actually, things aren't going too poorly, and I've been getting everything in, but it seems to be a lot harder than the last time I did it. I guess that's because I've been going at a faster pace.

Also, a friend of mine suggested I should set the incline slightly higher to simulate running outside, so I have. Well, yesterday I forgot to raise the incline, and everything seemed so easy. Of course it did!!! At least this means my transition to outside running will be easier.

Battle of the Bulge

I've been thinking a lot lately about my weight. I've always seen myself as being a bit plump (not obese, just plump). I've wanted that Cameron Diaz body (from My Best Friend's Wedding, not Charlie's Angels) for as long as I can remember. You know, the one that looked stunning in a bikini! I would diet and workout like crazy, drop a few pounds, and then stop. A plateau would kill my motivation.

Things recently, though, have changed. Yes I want to eat healthier, but I don't want to deny myself foods. Yes, I want to exercise, but I don't want the only reason to be because I'm trying to lose weight. I want to be healthy overall, and that's going to take more than a slammin' bod.

The other day, I said something I never thought I'd say. I told Hans that I'd be perfectly happy with my current weight and size if I was physically fit. If I could run a marathon or climb a mountain without getting winded (something I used to do on a regular basis) I'd be happy. That, however, is not how I currently am. So, my current goal is simply to train my body. I don't want to beat my body into submission. I want to show my body what it can do.

My body can walk dogs, lift crates, carry Cody, run up and down stairs, and sleep well at night. Imagine what it could do if I really put it to the test! If I can love my body instead of resenting it, if I can love myself, then I think I'll be happier in the long run.

Oh, one last thing. As I think back over the blogs I've written in the past, I realize this is something I've touched on before, but it always seems to escape. I can't promise that I'll always have this mindset, but I certainly will try. I like this mindset so much better than the one that tells me I'm not good enough! Here's to hoping.

Thank You

2011-02-17T07:23:00.000-05:00

First of all, thank you to everyone who commented on my blog the other day. That post was meant to do two things. 1) I wanted to share my story, get it out there, and encourage others to do the same. It is only recently that I have felt comfortable in letting others know that I was that geeky, picked-on kid in school (why is there such shame in that?), and I believe it's important for other "geeky, picked-on" kids to know they're not alone.

2) I simply wanted to promote a better attitude towards others. I guess this goes hand in hand with encouraging others to share their story, but the truth is, if we don't share how we feel, how can we expect others to change?

In response to one comment that was left regarding "angry" comments I had made on another's blog, I am truly sorry if they came across as angry. The truth is, I was a little sickened by some of the adjectives used, and I was hoping to convey a sense of hurt and disappointment, not a sense of malice. Who knows? M\aybe my awkward years made it so I really can't convey my thoughts in a decent way. :) Still, though, I am grateful for that comment, and I am sorry you have ever been treated poorly, for whatever reason.

I want people to know that it is NEVER ok to treat people poorly. I don't care if they look funny, smell odd, talk with a lisp, committed a crime, or simply like different things than you like. What you say, do, think, feel, act, can and will affect someone else. I am not saying that I am perfect...far from it. In fact, the only reason I stress this point so much is because I'm having so much trouble learning it myself. I'll end that story here, because there's a lot more to say and another blog post in the future would probably be best. For now, just know that I am grateful for your comments and your support. Thank you!

By the way, if anyone finds this post to be a bit random or disorganized, forgive me. It's earlier than I usually post, and I haven't had my breakfast yet! :D

Acceptance

2011-02-15T23:19:00.000-05:00

We all do it. How can we avoid it? It's everywhere. We judge. We judge people on the way they look, on the way they act, on the clothes they wear, and even on the way they drive. I'm not perfect. I judge too. When, however, does a simple passing judgment turn into something mean and cruel? Where's the boundary?

I read a popular blog, and I probably shouldn't. The girl who writes it always leaves me incensed. Sometimes I'm upset because of how she views herself and how she thinks others view her. Other times, I just feel she's a b**** (See? I'm being judgmental!). Still, I continue to read.

Recently, she blogged about an experience she had, and, while her writing was quite good, there was one thing I couldn't get passed. Her descriptions of the people she interacted with were horrible. Those descriptions may have come from a genuine dislike of the people, but they were still awful. They made me feel sorry for the people she was describing, and they made me angry towards her. I took personal offense to the comments that were made, and I wanted to smack her. The question I had to ask my self was why. Why did her comments upset me so much? Well, aside from the general lack of respect towards humanity, I'm sure it had something to do with my own past.

When I was a pre-teen puberty hit me hard. My straight hair turned curly, my body developed a shape I certainly wasn't used to, I quit swimming, I developed acne, and I probably could have showered more than I did. I also started at a new school, a small private school. One would think that going to a smaller school would be easier, and in some ways it is, but it also limits the number of people who could potentially be your friend.

Middle school was hard. I started out OK, but for some reason lost it somewhere in there. Kids made fun of my acne, and tormented me for dandruff (which I still have no recollection of ever actually having). That was bad enough, but what was worse was simply being ignored. I was shunned from any social activities. At my small school, we still had recess and I was simply barred from any of the games. I'm still angry at the teachers who wouldn't allow you to read during recess. Boys that I had crushes on would call to ask me out as a prank. Apparently it was hilarious to them that I actually liked someone. When I caught on, I learned to hang up, but it didn't stop them from laughing. They simply made up my answers. My mom tried to help by talking to the principal and to teachers who in turn talked to my class, but you can only imagine the damage that caused. For three years I was in Hell.

By the time high school started I had learned to lay low and avoid anything that could turn into a painful situation. Girls at my high school were kinder, but I never truly found my place (other than being the teacher's pet). I feared what people said about me behind my back, and I found myself on the offensive, trying to make that preemptive strike before I could get hurt. I hid who I was and who I had been from everyone. Even in college, I tried to keep things secret. I still remember crying as I showed Hans a picture of myself from eighth grade. He won me over by not laughing and by telling me I was beautiful.

Looking back now, I have no fondness for those days. The only good thing that really came from it is that I found my solace in my dogs. Had it not been for them, I would have been much lonelier, and I certainly would not be where I am today. Anyway, I have to wonder why children treat each other so.

Some of it is simply because children are mean. They have to establish an order, and someone has to be on the bottom. However, they learn these behaviors too. They see these behaviors on TV and in their families, in books and on blogs. As a society, we are taught that different is bad, that if someone doesn't match your way of thinking then they're wrong. I was different. I was socially awkward and having trouble coping with some big changes in my life, and the other children saw that and attacked.

The only way to change this is to change the way we act ourselves. If we, as a society, are more accepting of others then so will our children be. Acceptance is not something you can teach, but rather something you can show. Telling your children how to behave is not the same as showing them. The blog I read angered me because it did not teach a healthy way of living. Sure, it may be how she felt, but why did she have to spread that? So many people laughed at the poor women she described. How can mocking someone be funny? How can teasing someone, no matter what their flaws, be hilarious?

As I grow older I am finding that I am much more accepting of who I am, and in accepting myself I can accept others as well. I pray for my children that they may live a life without ridicule, and that they may spare some poor child as well. Instead of spreading this disease that most call "society's norm" I hope we can instead learn that the "norm" is to be different...very, very different. Instead of teasing or mocking or ridiculing we can embrace, or at the very least simply avoid.

I don't expect everyone to get along all the time. There are plenty of people I don't like, and I wouldn't want to be forced to be with them. However, I encourage everyone to take some time before judging. Get to know the person you are looking at. If you don't like them, fine, but make sure it's for the right reasons and not simply because they're different or "odd." Get to know someone, and love them for who they are.

A Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T12:22:00.000-05:00

Saturday

Saturday was crazy. I only had two appointments, and I wasn't going to adoption stand, so I figured the day would be light. When I look back, it really wasn't too busy, but time seemed to slip away and before I knew it short tasks were taking hours. I got a lot accomplished, but when all was said and done, I looked at the clock and realized that I had not been home for more than 13 hours (minus the ten minutes I stopped by to let the dogs out midday). I was exhausted, and I had eaten terribly...adding to my exhaustion. Bed was more than welcome.

Sunday

Sunday I felt groggy and sluggish. I hadn't been running in two days and I knew I had to do it, but oh how my legs ached. I got through it...barely, and then Hans presented me with a Valentine's Day treat. You see, we both have to work today, and we knew we wouldn't see much of each other, so we decided to do the V-day thing yesterday. Anyway, Hans made me waffles. Yummy, yummy waffles. We then got ready for the day and went to church.

Since we were celebrating V-day, we decided to make it really fun. Up in MN there's this bakery called Great Harvest Bread Company. The closest one to us here is in D.C., so we decided to make a day of it. The plan was to go to Great Harvest and then to take Cody to one of the multiple dog parks in the city. That was the plan.

There was only one Great Harvest open on Sunday, and it closed at two. I suggested we merely change our plans, maybe stay in the area, but Hans figured we could make it if we hurried. So, he did some quick research on a dog park, found one that looked perfect (lots of open space, room to run, rocks to climb, etc.) and we were off. Two hours later, we were ten minutes too late. Great Harvest had closed. To make matters worse, this beautiful, sunny, 60 degree day had turned cloudy and a little chilly as we headed north. Oh well, it's not to cold for Cody, so off we went to the dog park.

If you know Hans, you know his true calling was as a doctor. Well, at least that's what his hand writing would lead you to believe. An hour later, we were nowhere near the dog park. Why? When reading the address Hans had written down, he and I both believed the number was 20115. Instead, it was 2011 S, as in south. Luckily, we had my phone to discover the mistake and we headed back from whence we came...closer to the dog park.

As we approached the dog park, I could tell immediately tell that it was nothing like what I wanted. I wanted acres upon acres of land. It didn't have to be fenced in, it just had to be big. I wanted a place where Cody could run and splash and really wear himself out. This park was not that. I was a little peeved and became seriously ticked-off we realized that this park, while long, was also extremely narrow, and that instead of acres of grass it was more like a walkway of dirt. Looking in, it looked littered and over-crowded and plain-old disappointing. Honestly, I could have done better here in town. There wasn't even enough space to throw a frisbee. How could Hans have done so poorly? I wanted this day to be wonderful, magical, full of memories to last a lifetime. Instead, I was faced with disappointment followed by let down. Great! Happy V-Day to me!

We thought about chucking it and heading home, but we had fought all the NOVA traffic and we were going into the dog park, dog gone it! And you know what? As we entered the dog park, and passed the smelly trash cans full of bags from responsible pet owners, my bad mood went away. Cody was soooo happy. He ran around from dog to dog, sniffing butts, looking for some sort of toy. Cody obviously didn't care that there wasn't tons of acreage. He didn't care that the bread shop had been closed. He didn't care that NOVA traffic is scarier than I'm used to. And he didn't care that the temperature had dropped 10 degrees since the sun disappeared. All Cody cared about was that he was in a new, exciting place, and that he got to share it with his two favorite people in the whole wide world.

Hans' and my lives are so busy right now, and we try to do as much as possible with Cody and with all the other dogs in our house, but the fact is we rarely get to do these things together. Cody and I will go to the dog park. Hans and Cody will go for a walk. Hans will run the dogs on the treadmill, while I train the dogs in the other room. Most of our time spent together is brief or is spent decompressing after a long day before giving in to much needed sleep. I guess that's why I wanted yesterday to be so magical. The thing is, I was trying so hard to make everything perfect I couldn't see what Cody saw...that everything already was perfect. It was perfect because we were together...oh and because Cody got to play with a tennis ball. :)

So, on Valentine's Day I encourage you all to look for the small perfections in your life. Share that time with that special someone, be it husband, wife, dog, cat, brother, sister, mom, or dad, and let them know how great you think they are.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Posting a Post

2011-02-10T13:14:00.000-05:00

Last post for the day, I promise!

Blogging is very interesting to me. It's cathartic and infuriating at the same time. In many ways, it's better than journaling because I can throw my thoughts and feelings out to an open audience. There's the possibility of feedback and support. That said, there's also the problem that anyone can read it.

There are so many things I'd love to talk about on the blog, but I don't. Either I'm worried what y'all in blogland might think, or there are too many people I know personally who would read it. That's the frustrating part.

That said, one thing I will NEVER do is post something and say that I don't want comments or feedback. I might tell you it's not needed, but I'd never deny you the opportunity. What's the point in telling you if I don't want to know what you think about it? Sure, some comments are best left unwritten, but that's the commenter's problem, not mine.

This post was created because I recently read a blog that made me want to post something. I wanted to offer support and suggestions, but the blogger then stated that she didn't want to hear opinions. She didn't want to know what more experienced people had to say. She didn't even want to know what the world at large would say. If they didn't agree with her, she didn't want to hear it.

It infuriated me. Who is she to say that I can't give tips?! If she didn't want comments, she shouldn't have put it out there. She should have told a friend and moved on. So, please know that I'm always open to comments. I'm open to comments that agree. I'm open to comments that disagree. I open to comments that spark debates. I'm even open to comments that are so awful they need to be deleted. Why? Because I wouldn't post on this blog if I didn't want to know what others thought.

This blog may be about my life, and what I'm thinking, but it's also a conversation. What kind of conversation would it be, if I was the only one who talked?

My Greatest Fault

2011-02-10T13:01:00.000-05:00

I am not a perfect person. For the benefit of my husband, I'll repeat that. I am NOT a perfect person. Although I often like to believe I am, I have many a faults. I have a fast temper. I'm often socially inept. I'm terrible at making decisions. I love chocolate just a little too much. But the one thing I feel is my greatest fault is my inability to ask for help.

Maybe it's because I grew up an only child, with only myself to count on. Maybe it's just how I was raised. Who knows? Maybe it's just the way I was born. The fact is, though, that I hate asking for help. I first noticed the problem in college, but didn't think much of it. Lately, though, it's been on my mind.

Asking for help makes me feel two things: 1) I'm weak. I should be able to do all of this on my own. I don't need anyone to help me. I actually know where this one comes from. It comes from my Baba (grandma). She was such a strong woman, and she did so much on her own. She cooked and cleaned and fed two children, all in a country where she couldn't even read the language. That takes guts. But maybe, she had more help that I realized. Maybe her friends helped her get jobs, or her ex-husband helped her with child support. I don't know. I do know that I often wish I could be as independent as she.

2) I often fear that the people I'm asking help from will feel like they're being taken advantage of. A good portion of this fear comes from the fact that there are so few people that I will ask for help. I'm afraid that I've had to go to them too many times, and that they'll soon get frustrated and a little ticked off. I'm also afraid that I won't be able to repay the favor, and I'll always be living in debt...even if it's just emotional debt.

I've gotten by in life quite well without asking for a lot of help. Some I've done on my own, and some is help that was given without me asking (I love that kind). But what happens when I truly need help? If I can muster up the courage to ask, I often can't articulate what I truly want for fear of looking dumb or for fear of asking too much. I don't want to show my "weakness" my need, and if I do, I don't want people to think I'm selfish.

Just so you know, there's nothing I'm asking the blog world for other than an open ear and sometimes a few comments here and there. I really just wanted to share a little piece of me with you. I don't have the answer on how to make this better, but at least I can admit it's a problem. And, isn't that the first step to recovery? :)

Old Fashioned Money

2011-02-10T12:45:00.000-05:00

Bear with me as I have a few posts to post. There's a lot I want to talk about. The first of which being money.

A friend of mine and I got into a discussion (aka heated debate) over stocks and the stock market in general. Many people have a love-hate relationship with the stock market, but still feel that the right stocks are a great investment. I, however, refuse to invest in the stock-market. I absolutely refuse.

There have been times that I've thought about it, but I have two fears: 1) That I would make some money and want to invest more (much like gambling). 2) That I would lose everything. I think the high you get from investing in stocks, the adrenaline rush that you're "taking a risk," and the thrill of actually making something (even if it's small) is just too much for me. I really don't even want to be one of those people who go through an investment firm, and use it as a retirement (slowly making money in a calculated manner). Again, the risk is just too great. I don't like gambling...I've seen the effects it can have, and frankly it's a little scary.

For me, I'm much more of an old-fashioned gal. If I could shout from the roof-tops I would shout "INVEST IN LAND!" I like having something tangible, something I know I could use. Land is like gold to me. It will never truly be worthless, because it can always be used for something...even if that use is just letting the dogs run wild.

I would invest in real estate if I had the money. A few houses, some basic property, heck I may even add money to this house if I had the funds. I could possibly be persuaded to invest in a business, but it would have to be one researched so solidly that I personally knew the owner and had eaten with his/her family...on more than one occasion. Do any of you understand what I'm getting at? I would invest in myself.

Instead of using MY money to invest in a business that OTHERS had created, I would invest it in me. A piece of land, a house, or even a car, with proper care can be more valuable than anything else. Yes, housing prices may plummet, and that house that was once worth $500,000 may only now be worth $250,000, but even that is better than nothing.

What else do I feel about money? If you ever get any, pay off all your debts...ALL OF THEM...first thing. Pay of the credit cards, pay off the loans, pay off that friend who loaned you $5.00 last week. The lack of stress from having them paid is amazing (who wants to pay off my home loan?), but even more so, you are, in fact, saving money by paying off sooner. Interest is a bitch, to put it plainly. Pay off that $10,000 in credit card debt, and you've probably saved yourself an extra $10,000.

Imagine being debt free, owning a home, a car, and lots and lots of land. The money you make may only be enough for basic bills...water, electricity, insurance, etc, and you may wonder what you're going to do for retirement. The options are endless. You could build on your land and rent places out (providing money for you and for future generations). You plant fruits and veggies and sell them at a farmer's market. You could sell everything and take the cash and run. You could give it all to your kids with the condition that they take care of you. You could do whatever you want!

Now, I can't tell you how to get out of debt. That's something for you to decide how to do. And I can't say that the stock market has been a terrible thing. Obviously, that would be a stupid and very misinformed statement. However, I can say that it's not for me. Maybe someday I'll change my mind. Maybe someday I'll have so much extra money, that the risk won't be as great or as scary. Maybe then I'd be willing to invest some of the extra, just for fun. Until then, I will NOT treat the stocks as my way of getting rich or getting out of debt. Stocks for me are not a career, they're like a night in Vegas...I'm only going to spend what I can afford to lose.

Starting Over

2011-02-07T10:52:00.000-05:00

I want to be a runner. I've always wanted to be a runner. I remember in elementary school how we would have to take the Presidential Fitness Test. Part of that test was running a mile. I could never do it (I also could never do a pull up...something else on my goal list). I remember in high school how I ran a full mile for the very first time. Ironically, I was sick with a mild case of bronchitis, and I think that actually helped me to pace myself.

Anyway, I have some pretty lofty goals as far as running goes. For the past few years, I've wanted to run a marathon. What's the problem? I've never even run a 5k! Yes, I can run a mile now, but in actuality it's more like a slow jog and it leaves me feeling beat up. The farthest I've ever run was 2 miles on a treadmill. Last year, I started the Couch to 5k Program with my SIL, LutherLiz. She had posted it on her blog, and a lot of people decided to do it with her. I actually got through the program, but I was at a such a slow pace that I never actually made it the full 5k. This does not work for me.

So, this year I'm starting over. I've been jogging every morning, and I've been loving it, but I haven't made the progress I'd like to. So, I'm doing the C25k again. I've determined a much better speed for me, something a little faster, that will have me completing a full 5k in a decent time. Then, it's on to bigger and better things. In case you're wondering, right now I'm still using the treadmill. I know this makes workouts easier, but frankly I hate running in the cold. I'm very much looking forward to warmer weather and running with the dogs.

So, who'd like to do this with me? I could definitely use the support and the accountability. If you're in, let me know. Either way, I'll be regaling you with updates every once in a while. Thanks for being there for me!

Swimming To England

2011-02-04T19:09:00.000-05:00

I was thinking the other day about what running a business is like. What can you compare it to? What did I think of? Crossing the Atlantic. Swimming to England. "What?!" you may ask. How on Earth does this analogy work? Well, let me explain.

Crossing the Atlantic without a boat is a mighty big task. Heck, it's probably one of those impossible, never-ending tasks. You have this amazing goal in your head, and all you can do is work towards it. However, crossing the Atlantic isn't easy. You can't get there in one night, so you're going to have to take a rest. You may just float for a bit and let the waters carry you. If, however, you rest for too long, the waters will simply carry you back from whence you came (or you'll be eaten by a giant sea monster). So, after a short break, you must start swimming again. Crossing the Atlantic is hard...very hard. It's exhausting, and you'll often feel like you're alone, but you know that somewhere there's someone cheering you on.

That's the best way to describe starting and running a business. You're never going to stop. You're always working towards something. Sure, you have to let yourself and your business rest sometimes, but if you rest for too long nothing will change. You won't grow, and that ultimately will equal regression. Yes, it's exhausting, and that's why you have to love what your doing in order to do it. If I didn't love swimming, do you think I'd want to swim across the Atlantic? NO! If I didn't love working with dogs, do you think I'd continue a dog training business? Absolutely not.

Bear in mind, that this analogy is not just for running a business, though. It can work for almost anything in life...weight loss, schooling, starting a family...anything. The fact of the matter is, life isn't always easy. You're not going to be able to float to England. And, it isn't always fair. There are sometimes hurricanes to swim through or around. However, in the end, it's all worth it. Whether you're starting a business or trying to lose 500 pounds, in the end, you'll feel a sense of accomplishment and self-worth.

Oh, and for those of you who have started a journey and have "failed," do not think of it as the end of your journey. Think of it simply as a new beginning. One of my favorite quotes of all time is from You've Got Mail. Birdie is talking to Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) about closing the shop her mother had opened and says, "You are daring to imagine that you could have a different life. Oh, I know it doesn't feel like that. You feel like a big fat failure now. But you're not. You are marching into the unknown armed with...nothing." So, whether your business has failed, or your marriage has failed, or your weight loss journey simply isn't going as planned, know that you are not a failure. You are victorious and brave, because you dared to do something different, something scary, and that is certainly not failure.

Music and Memories

2011-02-02T15:59:00.000-05:00

Everyone talks about how smell is the memory's greatest trigger. For instance, the smell of peppermint always makes me think of Christmas, and the smell of a gas stove (particularly one cooking onions in butter) reminds me of my grandma. However, I'm always surprised at how much a certain song can do that too.

There are some songs that just make me feel good. Take Disney, for example. I've heard Disney songs so many times and in so many places that I can't help but be happy whenever I hear a Disney song. Occasionally, I'll find one that strikes a certain memory, but those are few and far between.

Then there are songs like "The Way" by Fastball. That song came out when I was 12 or 13, and every time I hear it I instantly remember riding in the car with my cousin, Tina, having a blast. That's a very clear memory. Granted, it's faded a bit, and it's been diluted with other memories of that song, but that's the first memory I'm taken too.

And then there are songs where the simple melody brings back a series of emotions and memories. You see, like most people, I go through phases. Phases where I want to listen to a certain artist or a certain genre non-stop. Occasionally, I'll return to that artist or genre, but the passion is never the same as what it initially was. This morning, I returned to the Decemberists.

For some reason, I got their song, Red Right Ankle, stuck in my head. As I hummed the melody in the shower, I hit one note, just one, and I was immediately taken back to sitting on a back balcony with friends on a hot summer's night.. Ironically, the memory did not match the song. I never heard that song when I was sitting on a back balcony with these friends. However, the song reminded me of them and of good times.

Later this afternoon, I listened to Death Cab for Cutie, and I was transported to a ride up I-95, headed up to D.C. I just can't help but find it amazing that one tune, one simple song could take me back so much. Part of me wants to relive these memories. I want to repeat the past and relive everything...it was wonderful. I know, however, that repeating the past is neither possible nor healthy, and there are many other wonderful memories to be made in the future.

You know, it's a good day for this sort of introspection. On this 60 degree day (the warmest in months), I'm reminded that the world is ever-changing, and if I just roll with it I'll soon be in the sun and warmth again.

What's Happening to Hollywood?

2011-01-31T11:28:00.002-05:00

What has happened to Hollywood? I know I am certainly not the first person to mention this, but Hollywood is too thin. WAY TOO THIN! The actresses all look hard and skeletal. Actresses who looked amazingly beautiful ten years ago now look rough and kind of scary. Take, for example, Jane Leeves, actress who played Daphne Moon on Frasier and who now plays Joy on Hot in Cleveland.

THEN


NOW

Is it just me, or does she not look so great? Now, I love Jane Leeves. I think she's great. And, I know there's an age difference between these two photos, but I don't think age is the problem here. I really feel that if Jane Leeves were ten pounds heavier now she would be much cuter. She would possess a certain softness that she once had, a softness that she lost with the loss of a bit of weight. When she played Daphne Moon, she looked healthy and happy. Clothes seemed to fit perfectly and her collar bone showed off the gentle curves of her neck. Now, as Joy, she looks like she's trying to hard. Clothes seem to hang off her in a less-flattering way, and her collar bone seems to jut out at hard right angles.

Again, I don't mean to pick on Jane Leeves, but I'm using her as an example for the rest of Hollywood. Do people really think this looks good? I've noticed this on plenty of other actresses (Mary Tyler Moore, Meg Ryan, and Jennifer Love Hewitt to name a few). In an attempt to fit into a size -2 all these actresses have lost that wonderful attractive quality...femininity.

So, who do I think is stunningly beautiful? America Ferrera! Sure, she's dropped a few pounds since her role in Real Women Have Curves, but she's not scary thin. Her face is full but well-shaped. Her curves are plentiful and beautiful and her clothing only helps to accentuate her beauty. What do you think?

celebrity profile

Grammar Rules

2011-01-30T16:26:00.001-05:00

I read a few blogs (probably more than I should), and generally I enjoy them. Lately, however, I've been concerned about something...GRAMMAR! I know I'm not always perfect, and I probably overuse commas and parentheses, but there are a few rules I want to go over here.

Me vs. I
This is the one I see most often. People tend to overuse "I". I think this comes from being told so many times that they were using "me" too often. So, I thought I'd help out here.

If you're debating whether or not to use "I", use this general rule: Take out the other person.

Example: Hans and I are going to the store.
The trip to the store was fun for Hans and me.

All I have to do is remove Hans' name. Would I say, "Me is going to the store?" NO! I'd say, "I am going to the store." Would I say, "The trip was fun for I?" No! I'd say, "The trip was fun for me." Actually, I'd probably say, "I had fun on that trip" but that's a completely different issue.

There, Their, They're
This one is a little easier. The rule is: "Their" is possessive, "they're" is they are, and "there" generally falls into all the other circumstances (usually location).

Example: Their cat is white.
   They're going to get a white cat.
   There is a white cat in that house.

I certainly wouldn't want to say, "They are cat is white," so why would I use 'they're'? Most people don't have many problems with this.

To, Too, Two
'Two' is obviously a number. I find it easiest to remember "to" as headed to a location. 'Too' can mean also, or it can be used in circumstances where you're signifying amount (too many, too much, etc.)

Example: We're going to the show.
   There are two shows.
   That show was too long. OR We enjoyed that second show, too.

I don't really know how else to explain this. Any ideas?

Your vs. You're

'Your' tends to signify possession, whereas 'you're' is a contraction for you are.

Example: You're a very nice person.
   Your sister is a very nice person.

Again, you wouldn't say, "You are sister is a very nice person," and you wouldn't say, "You a very nice person." The 'are' makes all the difference.

Who, Whose, Whom
This is a very tricky one for a lot of people, and I'm not nearly as great with it as I used to be. However, there is a very simple rule. Simply answer the question you're asking (I always answer in the masculine to make the rule easier). If the answer is 'he', then the correct word is 'who'. If the answer is 'his' the word is 'whose'. If the answer is 'him' the word is 'whom'.

Example: Who is going to the concert? Answer: He is going to the concert.
               Whose concert tickets are these? Answer: Those concert tickets are his.
   Whom are you taking to the concert? Answer: I'm taking him.

Now then, there is one more form of who, and that's who's. This is a contraction of who is, and generally follows the same rule as who.

Example: Who's going to the concert? Answer: He's going to the concert.

Alright, I hope I haven't confused anyone too much, and I really hope I haven't offended anyone too much. It's just this is something that bothers me. Too many people are abusing the English language, and we need to start learning how to speak properly. That said, if you catch me abusing the language, feel free to call me out on it. I'm always looking to improve my speech as well as my writing. Thanks for listening!

Something Smells

2011-01-26T13:21:00.000-05:00

What a day yesterday was! This was the view of my basement around 11:00 yesterday morning.

Let me start at the beginning. Last week Hans and I noticed a slight leak in the basement. This is not entirely unusual in this area, and while we new it wasn't from outside moisture we assumed it was a mild leak coming from a hose we have down there (maybe needed a new washer or something). Then, on Friday, Hans was downstairs dealing with the dogs, and I was upstairs getting ready for the morning. When I flushed the toilet, Hans discovered that the leak was NOT from the hose, but was instead from a sewage pipe. EWWWW! Luckily, we had a home warranty and could easily get someone to come out and repair it.

I had noticed over the weekend that the leak was getting worse, and things were getting stinky. When the plumber came out, he informed us that it wasn't just a small leak. We could see the crack from the top of the pipe leading into the floor. The plumber had to drill into our floor and replace the whole pipe. I couldn't use the bathroom for the day. Luckily I had appointments and my appointments had toilets. :P

Right as the plumber was leaving the treadmill repair guy came. Get this, something had simply come unglued!!! Actually, that's about how I feel most of the time...coming unglued. Anyway, I now have a working treadmill again!! Woot!!! Sprinkles can get walked without going into the cold and rain, and I can walk without going into the cold and rain. It's a beautiful thing.

Other than that, I've been busy catching up on work. Things have been hectic but good. Let's keep this up!

Being Michael Scott

2011-01-25T10:42:00.000-05:00

Some of you may know that I love the show The Office. I couldn't even begin to tell you what sucked me in, but I just love it. It makes me laugh, and that's always a good thing. My least favorite character, however, is one that almost everyone else adores...Michael Scott. I understand that the show wouldn't be the same without him, and I don't think I'd enjoy it as much if he weren't there, but that character just irritates me (especially in the earlier episodes). However, the other day I was watching an episode and I was struck by a startling realization.

We are all Michael Scott.

Here's the thing about Michael. More than anything, he wants to be cool. He wants a cool job and a cool girlfriend, and lots of cool friends. Jim is the coolest guy in the office, and Michael wants to believe that he and Jim are best friends. Pam is the prettiest, and so Michael imagines that Pam is attracted to him. Michael is too afraid to show his true personality, so he puts on this over-the-top act so people will think he's cool.

And I have to wonder, how many of us do this on a daily basis? How many people buy the coolest fashions and read all the hip magazines just so they can fit in? How many young girls starve themselves simply so they can be as thin as a model and be "cool?" How many people truly act like themselves 100% of the time? I know I don't. There are very few people who have seen 100% of me. That said, I feel like one of the lucky ones. My job allows me to act more like myself than anything else, and that's a blessing. But how many people have that?

Maybe if we stopped looking to please other people, maybe if we took time to realize what we really wanted instead of worrying about what others think of us, then maybe, just maybe, we'd be a little happier. And when you're happy, that comes across well. And when you come across well to others, you make friends. And the more friends you have, the cooler you are. Ah, it's so simple yet so complicated.

So, my challenge to you: Stop being Michael Scott. Start being you.

Missing a Gene

2011-01-24T11:02:00.000-05:00

I know I've mentioned this somewhere before, but I feel it needs mentioning again. I am missing a gene. I know I am. It's the gene I call, "The fashion gene." This missing gene also affects any design ability. I'm terrible at choosing furniture and colors and clothes. I'm as happy covered in dog hair and dirt as most people are dressed up with fancy shoes.

Take, for instance, this recent picture of Natalie Portman:

Most people I know who have commented on this dress said it was hideous. They blasted the rose, they said she made pregnancy look awful, and they even reconsidered seeing her newest movie because of this dress. My reaction? What's wrong with it?

Sure, I might choose a different color (I'm not huge fan of pale pink), and they could have done more with the rose, or they could have made it slightly smaller, but I don't hate the dress. I've definitely seen worse in a dress, and I think it works on her.

Am I wrong in thinking this? Is my style different or missing? I'll let you decide on that one. Until then, I'm going to try to perfect the style I do have. Wish me luck!