Saturday, April 30, 2016

A Shout Out To An Amazing And Wonderful Woman


As the author of this blog, I often write about things that impact me or other work at home dog Mom stuff. After rereading some of the older posts, I realized that I don't write much about what happens during the late afternoon hours after Lisa gets home. Or, when I sit at the table and witness moments like THIS.

Friday, April 29, 2016

Our Kids Fascinate Me


I often find myself watching our kids especially when they're in a playful mood. This happens a lot, however, it wasn't always this way. At one time, it was only Coco and Sophie. They napped and chewed bones together, but there was very little playfulness between the two of them. When Lobo joined our family, that all changed. We saw a side to Coco and Sophie that we hadn't witnessed before.

Thursday, April 28, 2016

A Rush To Get New Name Tags...


I have frequent dork moments. A little over a year ago I updated my phone and number. My old phone had my out of state number. The name tags on our kid's collars reflected my old number and Lisa's current number. Last fall, a dear friend of ours, while on vacation, bought our kids cute name tags. Only Lisa's number was etched in. There wasn't enough room for mine.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

While You're In the Kitchen, Mom....


I love taking photos of the kids. I, almost always, have my phone or camera at arm's reach. During the late morning, afternoon hours, it's slightly more challenging to capture photos. Coco likes to sleep under the blankets on our bed. Sophie is curled up under several throw blankets. However...

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

You Want To Spend Mother's Day Where?


Mother's Day is right around the corner. A few of the blogs I read almost daily have touched on the subject in one way or the other. What to get Mom. What not to get Mom. The best and worst Mother's Day gifts of all time. One blog touched on what Mom's really want for Mother's Day. I read through and was quite surprised to learn most of the Moms wanted a day away from their home and kids.

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Random Rant: Gratitude Should Be Extended To All


Earlier today, I had an interesting conversation with a long distance friend of mine. She vented. I listened to every word. It hit home. I witness this frequently. The frustration. Confusion. The cliques. The questions that surface. Wondering if what you're doing is enough. Is it making a difference. I asked if I could share her story. She gave me permission. It's not word-for-word, but pretty close.

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Relax. Exhale. Stop Apologizing.


This afternoon we attended a surprise 50th birthday party for a very special lady. Yes, I left the confines of my safety zone and socialized. With people. Lots of people. I hated leaving the kids, but I knew we wouldn't be gone long and would return home before dark.

Friday, April 22, 2016

The Month Of May Will Be A Test Of My Willpower


The weather today was absolutely gorgeous. Shortly after Lisa arrived home from work, we took the kids outside for playtime. We were in no rush to go back inside. I could have stayed outdoors with the kids until the sun went down, however, I had a few work things to finish up, cupcakes and cookies to bake for a surprise 50th birthday party we're attending tomorrow and dinner to prep for Lisa and I and the kids.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

The Pre-Dinner Routine...


Our kids thrive on routine. If we're a bit late serving their dinner or Lisa goes to bed a half hour later during the week, they let us know. During the week, the schedule is strict. On the weekends, no so much. Lisa gets up later in the morning, goes to bed later, etc. The kids know the difference between weekday routine and weekend routine.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Coco Has A Floating Kneecap...


Coco had a doctor appointment today. He got his annual checkup and vaccinations, a nail trim, and ear swab. Despite cleaning, his ears get red and irritated this time of year. Seasonal allergies. In addition to administering Benedryl, he has prescription ear drops we use when needed.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Trindy Primitives Is My Latest Addiction


Last fall, a couple of talented women Lisa works with opened up a shop filled with gorgeous handcrafted home decor. The weekend of their grand opening I was swamped with work, but I scheduled in some time for us to visit Trindy Primitives. I'm glad I did.

Monday, April 18, 2016

You Live. You Learn. That's Not Always Easy.


Today I was in a mood brought on by a plethora of recent stuff. Nothing major. Small stuff. It added up. Arrogant people. Realizing it had been 6 months since hearing from someone who I had once been close to. A message from a former coworker. Lack of gratitude. Being overlooked. Dealing with several adults who still white knuckle middle school mentality. My "mother" inviting me to play Words With Friends. Being on the verge of burning a few bridges. Waiting for people to reply to emails I sent days ago.

Sunday, April 17, 2016

We'll Just Have To Make Our Own


Lisa and I ran a few errands late afternoon on Friday. Out of habit, I always check out the pet section. It doesn't matter if we're at a mass retailer or the Hallmark store, I like to see what they have for the kids. Friday was no exception. And, like so many other times in the past, I was disappointed. It wasn't the quantity of stuff offered, it was the message.

Saturday, April 16, 2016

Spring Cleaning, Carrots And Snuggle Time


I was up early this morning. I tackled a few hours of desk work. The kids were up early as they usually are on weekend mornings. Shortly before noon, I was done with desk work. And, by "done" I don't mean finished. I had gotten to the point where I didn't want to be at my desk. Lisa was doing dishes and other miscellaneous things around the house. It was the perfect day to finish up with the spring cleaning.

Friday, April 15, 2016

10 Reasons Why We Would Never Board Our Kids


With summer approaching, people are already posting about upcoming booked vacations and other summer plans. It won't be long until casual conversations with other people will include the infamous question, "Have you got any exciting plans for the summer?" Nope. We don't. We haven't in years. That's not going to change this year or next year.

Thursday, April 14, 2016

It's Time To Get Out There...


I've dropped hints that I'm launching a blog mom blog site. Although I've been working on this for almost a year, I haven't made it public. I have yet to create a Facebook page and promote on my various social media streams. I know the routine. I've been in this line of work for almost a decade now. Once everything is set to go, keeping everything up to par and increasing traffic will be a full time job. My goal is to become affiliated with various companies, test products and join in on BlogPaws.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Pumpkin Pie Crunch Dog Treat Recipe


Not all pups like peanut butter. Our kids LOVE peanut butter. However, I've met lots of pups who will snub any treat made with peanut butter. With that in mind, I wanted to create a recipe that's peanut butter free. In the weeks ahead, we'll be creating more.

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Where Our Curiosity Ends


Before I even begin to write what I'm going to write, I want to make a few things clear. We are not looking for a new home. We've lived here for almost 4 years. Our landlord, who lives upstairs, is a wonderful lady who adores our kids. A few of our neighbors have become family to us. We love our home, the neighborhood and plan on residing here indefinitely. The only thing that would change that is if the universe did an extraordinary shimmy shake and perfect little house with a decent price, ample backyard and within an hour commute to Lisa's work presented itself.

Monday, April 11, 2016

My Manic Mondays


I refer to Mondays as my Manic Mondays. I am fully aware of the memes and banter that ties into Mondays being the worst day of the week, however, none of that has persuaded me to label Monday as manic. It sorta just happened on its own...

Sunday, April 10, 2016

National Sibling Day Isn't Just For The Hoomans


Today is National Sibling Day. I've already scrolled through several hundred photos and captions by those who are honoring their brothers and sisters. It's sweet. Some of these tributes have gotten me a bit choked up. I have one brother. Our communication has withered down to sending a text on each others birthdays. That's it.

Saturday, April 9, 2016

It's All About Respect


I'm already dreading April and summer vacation. Two words. Human. Kids. On one end of the stick, I love seeing kids outside playing. In this day and age of technology, it's refreshing to see human kids without an iPhone or gaming device in their hands, running around and enjoying the outdoors. On the other end of the stick, they're loud.

Friday, April 8, 2016

With $25 We Can Buy 4 Jars Of Peanut Butter And 3 Bags Of Flour


We're into the second week of April and I'm already irritated with the upcoming event season. I understand the point of having events is to raise money and such, but this year the fees for a lot them are through the roof.

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Mommy, I Know You're Trying To Work, But...


Once in a while, I need a change of scenery. I don't want to work in the confines of our home office. My go-to place for a break is the kitchen table. I grab my Chrome Book, notes and set up shop. Lobo and Sophie aren't disturbed by the noise in the kitchen. Lobo, on the other hand, is curious and at my feet. Once I'm settled, he settles in either the kitchen on the Pet Pillows with a blanket and his "Stinky baby" or in the living room, on the sofa.

Monday, April 4, 2016

Random Rant: Dear Mother Nature



Dear Mother Nature,

You're probably feeling the wrath right now. People are pissed off at you. It's April. Why are you doling out frigid temperatures and making that white stuff fall from the sky. We got a taste of it over the weekend. Yesterday. It wasn't much.We had to cancel our plans, not because of the white stuff, but the wind. Our kids, more noticeably Sophie, are terrified of the wind.

Sunday, April 3, 2016

The Original Miss Beckett's Bites


I remember the first time I saw "sandwich cookies" for pups in a retail pet store. It was years ago, before I started making homemade dog treats. I purchased a container. When I opened it, it smelled like human sandwich cookies. I tried a bite. Meh. A little sweet, not too bad, but quite obvious it was a pup sandwich cookie and not one made for humans.

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Lobo Is A Sensitive Boy And He Remembers...


For the first six months, when Lobo joined our family, he had extreme anxiety. If we were out of his range of vision, he'd bark. If we went outside, he'd bark. At times, I was tempted to jam earplugs in. His bark is high pitched. However, we understood the reasons behind his anxiety and it all had to do with the nightmare he was rescued from. We were patient and worked diligently on easing his anxiety and building trust. For the most part, Lobo's anxiety subsided and we were able to leave him home alone for a few hours.

Friday, April 1, 2016

Sophie's Peanut Butter Mouth


When Coco was our only child, we didn't have to worry about leaving food on the end tables in our living room. He's a picky eater. I can count on one hand how many times he attempted to swipe food. The few times he did, it was mozzarella sticks and half of a grilled cheese sandwich. And, one time, we caught him with his face deep into a container of chicken tenders. Every time, we laughed. It was so out of character for him.