Take Time. Bake. Cook. Lots Of Extras To Share.

It doesn't matter how old you are. Or, where you "are at" in life. With each week. With each day. You live. You learn. Over the weekend, I was reminded of that on several occasions.

Our Home Feels A Little Naked

Earlier this month, I published a blog column about having to rehome my beloved house plants and why and replacing that hobby with another. So far. So good. A couple of people picked up their adopted house plants yesterday. The last 2 were claimed today. Aside from my lemon tree plant, I'm officially suffering from house plant empty nest syndrome.

Certain Things Should Never Go Out Of Style. But, They Have.

Lisa has been hinting that she was craving cinnamon swirl bread. Yesterday, I made her a loaf. When she arrived home from work, I handed her a slice. Fresh out of the oven. With real butter. Still warm. Lisa exhaled. No words needed to be exchanged. I. Just. Knew.

My Ability To Fold Dog Bed Blankets According To Sophie...

One of Sophie's idiosyncrasies is she has to fix the blankets on the dog bed she chooses to nap on. Each time. Because. Apparently. I don't fold them correctly. This is WHY I have to smooth and refold the blankets each night on EVERY dog bed in our home.

What You See Is What We Eat

I published a blog column last week about taking a 30+ year hobby of mine to a whole new level. Since then, I have been taking strides to expand my horizons. Step out of the box. Be adventurous. Introduce Lisa to more of my culinary creations that she has never tried. And, reintroduce ingredients that she tried years ago and didn't like. Throughout this journey, I have taken photos and posted them on social media.

Once Upon A Time, There Was A Gigantic Dog Bed And A Chew Bone...

We have a gigantic dog bed in the kitchen. All 4 of our kids can lay on it at the same time. It is very close to our kitchen table. In front of the doorway to our bedroom. During the day, at least 1 of our kids are laying on this bed. I'm not a fan of where it's located, but due to the size, it's the only place we can put it. This dog bed has caused me to have a lot of not-so-graceful moments. Including today...

Show Up. Be Present. Spread The Love. It Matters.

In a nutshell, this weekend represented everything that we love about our neighborhood and our neighbor friends who have become family. Originally, Lisa and I had deemed this weekend as a "no plans" weekend. I had work stuff to do and projects to finish in the Bodacious DIY Dog Mom Project Workshop. But then...

The Famous Candy Corn Hat...

I was rummaging through my myriad of photos. I came across this. The candy corn hat that a couple of friends sent us a few years ago for our kids. My heart melted. Yep. That Dog Mom mushy, gushy meltiness. It happened.

Willa Has Almost Mastered The Art Of Making Pillow Forts

When it comes to napping, each of our kids has a thing they do. Coco makes his blanket forts on our bed. Sophie goes around in circles pawing at the blanket on her dog bed of choice to bundle it up before laying down. Lobo won't sleep on a dog bed unless it has a thick plush blanket. Willa? I just discovered her thing.

A Tiny Snippet Of My Work At Home Dog Mom Life Day...

I spend a lot of time with our kids throughout my Work at Home Dog Mom Day. Whether it's snack and snuggle time or getting on the floor with them, there is no shortage of fur-baby love. Sometimes, I'll sit on the sofa. Just the sound of me sitting on the sofa jostles them out of nap time. They all come running. Coco, Sophie, and Willa jump on the sofa. I lift Lobo on the sofa. I talk to them while giving kisses and belly rubs.

I Am Taking A 30+ Year Hobby Of Mine To A Whole New Level

I published a blog column the other day about having to give up a hobby of mine after 8 years. You can read about that here. As I mentioned in that particular blog column, it's hard and I'm sad. However, I have already found a new hobby to replace my obsession with household plants.

I Just Realized It Is THAT Week!

I can't believe I'm saying this because I'm still a bit shocked that September is half over. But, here it is. The last of our Bodacious Fall/Halloween items went up for sale today. This is what I spent most of the weekend working on. These pieces are all hand cut, sanded, painted, distressed, and detailed by us. Yes, even the brooms!

My Beloved Plants Need To Be Re-Homed, But I Am Okay With This...

Take a look at this photo. Ignore the big pile of freshly washed throw blankets. Look beyond that. Notice the bakers' rack against the wall with all of the plants? Okay. Now it's time for me to make a confession...

We Are Going To Show Up. With Food. And, Enjoy Our Evening With Some Of Our Favorite Humans

I currently have fresh roasted tomatoes simmering and reducing on the stove with fresh herbs, olive oil, and garlic. Our home smells ah-mayyy-zingggg. This pan of yumminess will top my fresh Crostini along with mozzarella. Oh yeah. Bruschetta, bay-beeee! And, I'll be frying up some freshly picked eggplant and green tomatoes.

You Know What's Better Than Binge Watching An Entire Season Of Something On Netflix?

Lisa took a "staycation" day today. We got up at 7 a.m. Spent lots of time with the kids. Worked. A couple of days ago I made 4 jars of homemade raspberry jam. We gave a jar to our neighbor friend. I used the rest to make raspberry bread and turnovers. All homemade.

In Another Week We Will Begin Making Pieces For Christmas. Gah!

I posted another batch of Bodacious Fall/Halloween pieces yesterday. Last year, we did something similar, but I included details and lettering on the pumpkins. Happy Halloween. Trick or Treat. Happy Howl-O-Ween. Etc. This year, we decided to post as blanks and offer free personalization. I made one for our home to display as an example of what the finished piece would look like.

Do I Become THAT Dog Mom Or...

We have several large baskets in the closet that are filled with clothes and costumes for our kids. Every season, I'm determined to take adorable photos of our kids in apparel whether it's costumes or a cute Summer outfit. I have opened the door, taken the baskets out, put them on the table, hold up a few pieces, and...

Skeletons, Pumpkins, And Spiders...Oh My!

Less than a week ago, I posted a single Halloween piece that we created in the Bodacious DIY Dog Mom Project Workshop. It sold within seconds. Yesterday, I started working on another Halloween piece using one of the large wooden ladder shelves Lisa made last month. I finished it early this morning.

Back To Work In The Bodacious DIY Dog Mom Project Workshop!

After a chaotic and fun-filled weekend, this was the scene today. Lisa had today off. Vacation day. Early this morning, she did a little work in her woodshop. I spent most of the day in the Bodacious DIY Dog Mom Project Workshop.

Chaos. Kindness. Dozens Of Cupcakes. And, One Of The Best Days Ever!

It is late. I'm exhausted. I had no intention of writing a blog column this evening. However. After the last couple of days, I could not put off sharing the story of the past 48 hours...

We Have Got Some Major Brainstorming To Do

For over a decade, I used to work for several online deal and coupon sites. One of the biggest hurdles to get over was the cost of shipping. In the online shopping world, the cost of shipping was the determining factor between making or breaking a deal. It didn't matter if a pair of shoes was 80% off. If the cost of shipping was too high, well...

There Is More Than Enough Comfy Spots In That Room, But...

I took this photo earlier this morning in the Bodacious DIY Dog Mom Project Workshop. In that room alone, we have 3 DIY dog beds and the DIY indoor dog house. There is plenty of room for each of our kids to have their own space to sprawl out and nap. 

Our First Bodacious Halloween Ladder Shelf

Early last month, Lisa built a bunch of wooden ladders in her woodshop. The original plan was to paint them and sell as a simple ladder shelf. We have one in our bathroom and we love it. However, as the weeks rolled along, I veered away from that idea. I wanted to get creative with the ladder shelves. So, that's exactly what I did.

We Are Not Hosting Our Usual Halloween Party This Year

With all the time I've spent working on Fall and Halloween pieces in the Bodacious DIY Dog Mom Project workshop, I've thought a lot about Halloween. For the past 6 years, we've always hosted a Halloween party of sorts at our home. We invite neighbor friends and beyond. I make a gigantic "cauldron" of corn chowder, homemade bread, pumpkin whoopie pies, and other treats. This year, none of that is going to happen...

'Tis The Season. The Months That End In "Ber..."

It was a hectic day in the Bodacious DIY Dog Mom Project Workshop yesterday. Lisa distressed all of the Bodacious Pumpkins on Monday. I put them together and tied the twine bow as a finishing touch. I also started working on a couple of original pieces.

The Bodacious DIY Dog Mom Project Workshop Is In Full Swing

Yep. It's the first day of September. In my Work at Home Dog Mom life, that means the Bodacious DIY Dog Mom Project Workshop is in full swing with making Fall decor and planning out our Christmas pieces. Is it me or has this year flown by?