Are you still there?

Hello!

...Umm...anyone still out there?

I know, I know...I have been on quite the blogging hiatus. And for that, I am sorry. Life has been such a whirlwind lately and, unfortunately, the blog took a backseat in my mind.

But things are settling down and I am back on track! Of course, it took a few of my readers scolding me for not blogging to kick me back in gear...so, apparently I have been missed?

Let me just quickly summarize everything that went on in the past two months: my mom's birthday, my dad's birthday, my father-in-law's birthday, Thanksgiving, a bridal shower, putting our house for sale, buying a new house, a cruise, my dad having surgery, Christmas, Piper contracting mange from the kennel we left her at, moving into a new house, still trying to sell our old house, a bachelorette party, New Year's and a wedding.

Alot, people.

I will be updating you on a few of those items later on next week. I promise. But, for now, I must get work done so that I can make it to the aforementioned wedding!

Glad to be back!

Piper Passes Kindergarten + FITBF

Hello, my friends! I hope everyone had a fantastic week and is looking forward to the weekend ahead.

Jarrod and I have had a pretty uneventful, but good week. On Tuesday night, our little pipsqueak graduated from her training school. They grow up so fast, y'all! I was so proud of how she acted that night. Usually she is the most hyper dog there, but that night she was calm and well-behaved. She did all of the commands with ease and paid attention when we called her. The trainer was in shock, and honestly, so was I. For a moment I thought we had the wrong puppy. But, she aced the exam and received her certificate!

Putting on her cap

Receiving her certificate and enjoying a treat

Our little graduate

Throwing her cap

She can now sit, lay down, shake, drop, come, and stay. She also knows "leave it" when I have a treat in my hand and will only take it when I give the okay. She is so smart!

Tonight we are heading up to College Station to see my Baylor Bears play against the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday. Jarrod's youngest brother and cousin attend A&M, so it should be a fun game with lots of banter. I plan on being decked out in my green and gold! Sic 'Em, Bears!

Now, for Fill in the Blank Friday!

Link up with Lauren at The Little Things We Do!

1. The most selfless thing I've ever done was  .... Is it bad that I can't think of a particular instance? I am sure that I have done something that could be considered selfless, but it doesn't jump out in my mind. I enjoy doing nice things for others, but I can't say that it was "selfless." It was just me doing a good deed. Ask me in a few years once I have kids...I am sure I will have an answer then.

2. When it comes to working out  I am not a fan. I have never liked exercise. Sweat? Gross. But, I have been keeping up with the Couch to 5k program, and I am actually enjoying it. Although I am not seeing a whole lot of results, which is slightly discouraging.

3. A woman should always  do something that makes her feel pretty. Pedicure, haircut, shopping...whatever it may be.

4. I wish I could  magically make more time in the days  and then I'd  be able to complete all the craft projects and Christmas shopping that I want to do!

5. A best friend is  someone that you can be your total self with. And they are there for you always. Especially in the darkest times of your life.

6. I can't get enough of  pumpkin desserts! I made pumpkin chocolate chip brownies last weekend and made pumpkin muffins last night. Yummy!

7. This weekend I am  heading to College Station to watch the Baylor vs. Texas A&M football game, hanging out with the in-laws, and then relaxing at home with the hubby.

Happy Friday!

TGIF

I don't know why, but for some reason the weeks always seem to drag after a three-day weekend. Is that just me or does that happen with y'all? This week was no exception, and I must say that I am so happy it is finally Friday.

On Tuesday we took Piper to her first puppy training class. Actually, it is a beginner level class. I figured we should go a step above, since they teach the same stuff in both classes and she met all the requirements for the beginner class. With that said, I thought there would be more dogs her age. I was wrong. Most of the dogs are one year old or more. There is one dog that is four years old. And he bites everyone. Poor Piper almost got mangled by him. And the trainer is a little...odd. She would instruct us to do one thing (vaguely, I may add) and then change the entire thing right in the middle of it. We were so confused. And has anyone ever heard of clicker training? We are learning to do that...but I sort of feel that it is a completely extra and unneeded step. I am going to give the class another chance, but...I don't know. We will see. At least Piper didn't flunk on her first day of school.

"I am sitting...now where is my treat?!"

"Whew...puppy training is tough!"

Tomorrow we are driving to Austin for the Texas vs. BYU game. We are taking Piper to a kennel, which I am a little apprehensive about. I mean, she is a baby! What if the other dogs don't like her? What if they bully her? What if she doesn't make friends? Is she going to be scared?

Obviously I am joking...


Sort of.

"You over there! I order you to feed me treats!"

Well, that is all I have for now, folks. Until next time....

Football Season is Here!

This weekend, Jarrod and I are making the hike up to Austin for the Texas vs. Rice game. It is the first game of the season, and I am really excited that we are able to go. We went to a lot of the games last year, and it was so much fun to hang out with Jarrod's drumline friends and participate in the school spirit.

Jarrod and I at the Texas vs. Rice game last year

Even though I am a Baylor girl, I have always enjoyed Texas sports. I was a big fan of Major Applewhite growing up. Chris Simms? Not so much. There were a few dark years when I swore I would go to Texas A&M...but I just blame that on youth. I was a lot younger and didn't know any better. ;) I do sometimes wish I had gone to Texas for college, but then I have to remind myself that I would have never met Jarrod at that Baylor happy hour. :) God knew what He was doing.

Jarrod and I at the Texas vs. OU game last year

In front of Big Tex at the State Fair

We are planning on taking Piper to a couple of tailgates (when we don't have tickets to the game), so of course, she will have to be supporting her team. I want to get her a jersey, but Jarrod is firmly set on no clothes for dogs. He is no fun. We did end up getting her a Longhorn ID tag and we are planning on ordering a Longhorn collar and leash. She is gonna be stylin'.

Petco.com

Petsmart.com

So, we've got our Texas fold out chair and Longhorn tumblers packed. Our burnt orange shirts are washed and ready to be worn.

Football season is here. Hook 'Em!...and Sic' Em!

Wordless Wednesday

A couple weeks ago we took Piper to get her rabies shot, microchipped and spayed. Our poor lil' pipsqueak was so tired afterward.

I think this picture says it all.

Mystery Mutt

Piper as a baby...so tiny!

Me: I know Piper is a yellow lab mix, but I wonder what she is mixed with....

Jarrod: I dunno.

Me: I think she may have some terrier in her. She sort of has a terrier frame.

Jarrod: I dunno.

Me: Or maybe she is part chow. She does have a purple spot on her tongue.

Jarrod: I dunno.

Me: But, she does have a strong jaw...maybe she is part pit bull?

Jarrod: I dunno.

Me: Of course, she can jump pretty high. So do you think she is part chihuahua?

Jarrod: I dunno.


Sadly, this was a recent conversation between me and Jarrod. Sigh.

Sleeping Beauty

Piper sleeping for the first time at her new home.

A little blurry, but look at how much she has grown in under 2 weeks!

Getting comfortable in her kennel. Such a little lady.

So sweet.

July 4th Weekend Wrap Up

Jarrod and I began our Fourth of July weekend by taking Piper to her first vet appointment (at least with us). She already had a couple of shots and other medications prior to the adoption, but we wanted to check her overall health and make sure we were on the right track. The vet decided that she probably got her first round of shots too early, so she got her second shots again. He also said that she looked to be 11 weeks old, about 2 weeks older than we initially thought. They grow up so fast!

We left from the vet and headed up to visit my dad at the skilled nursing facility. We brought Piper along so that he could finally meet the grandpup. I think he really enjoyed seeing her.

Later that night we went out for a sushi dinner and then came home to watch Marley & Me. I had never seen the movie before, but I had heard that it was good. I thought it was funny...until the end. Yeah, I cried. I think it is safe to say that any movie where an animal dies, I will be bawling my eyes out. However, I am pretty sure Piper enjoyed the movie. She was watching it intently with us. Anytime a dog would bark she would sit up and stare at the TV. Pretty cute and entertaining.

On Sunday we went to church and then headed over to our COR group leader's new house to grill. I decided to make dessert for the get together and used a recipe for cake balls from the Bakerella blog. I changed it up a little and made German chocolate cake balls. I think they turned out pretty well.

On Monday we cleaned up around the house, visited with my parents and then took Piper for a long walk. Afterwards, we enjoyed the sound of fireworks from the comfort of our living room. Piper slept through it all. Miles hid in his room.

Overall, a rather relaxing and boring weekend. But, it was a lot of fun and extremely productive. I hope everyone had a wonderful July 4th as well!

Three Things Thursday

1. Hanging out with good friends always brings a smile to my face. This past Monday night, Jarrod and I had dinner with my cousin, Jessica, and her husband. We went over to their apartment and she cooked a delicious meal, pot roast with potatoes and carrots. Yum. We provided the alcohol and dessert. We were really excited because Piper was also invited to this little shindig. Jessica and Griffin have a 10 week old beagle puppy, Stoops, so we were looking forward to introducing the two and seeing how they interacted. It was interesting, to say the least.

Here are some pictures of them...fighting playing. I, unfortunately, wasn't able to snap a picture of Piper exhibiting her wrestling moves, but she did pin Stoops a couple of times. That's my girl.

2. I'm an old, married lady now, so I started clipping coupons. I have a lot of friends and relatives that have started doing the "extreme couponing" and, while I am not going to the extreme with it, I wanted to see if it really would help reduce our grocery costs. I began clipping coupons two weeks ago and since that time we have gone to the store twice. After looking at our receipts, it appears that we saved over $50. Not to shabby, if I say so myself. All of the items we bought were things we needed or used on a regular basis. I figure as time goes by I will get more used to it and have more coupons to work with, which will help me save even more. I also think that since we are saving so much money, my shopping budget should increase. Jarrod disagrees. He is no fun.

3. I love long weekends. July 4th weekend begins tomorrow and I am so excited. I can guarantee that I will be sleeping in and getting all the relaxation I can. I have been in a rut and have been feeling extremely exhausted lately. Who knows why, but I am hoping that an extra day off from work will fix that.

Happy Thursday everyone!

The Little Pipsqueak: Meet Piper

Hi, my name is Piper!

I love my pillow

I love to play with my toys

I love to cuddle

And sleep next to my Daddy

And just be plain adorable....
Thanks for your help in picking my name!

Our New Puppy

Meet our new addition to the family! Isn't she just precious?! She is a 7-8 week old yellow lab mix. We adopted her from an organization named Pup Squad. They rescue puppies from local shelters to help them become well-adjusted, healthier animals for people to adopt.

We just love her. She is so sweet! And Miles and her *seem* to be getting along. We haven't really let them interact too much, but we did introduce them through a baby gate. Miles didn't hiss at all. The puppy was a little scared, but I just think that is because Miles was bigger than her. And because she has never been around a cat before. I think they will become fast friends. Hopefully.

We are still trying to decide what to name her. We have a few ideas, but cannot come to a consensus. Want to help us out?! Vote on our poll (located in the sidebar on the right) and let us know what YOU think we should name our new puppy. If you don't like any of our choices, choose "Other" and leave a comment with your suggestion!

We will reveal our name choice later this week!

Meet the Family

I feel it is only fitting to introduce the family that will be inspiring this blog. I mean, I am not going to talk about myself all the time. Just most of it. Hey, that's how I roll.

So, without further ado....

Photo by Kristin Rae Photography

Meet Jarrod. An amazing husband and friend. A ridiculously good looking man that brings copious amounts of love, laughter and entertainment to my life.

Meet Miles. My furbaby. A curious little guy that loves to cuddle. Loves his mice and treats. Is definitely spoiled rotten.

Meet the Parents. Vince and Carolyn to be exact. A Yankee father known for his "war stories" and a mother who loves to shop. I think they like Jarrod more than me.

Photo by Helen Byrd Photography

Meet the In-Laws. Jeff, Val, Josh, Justin and Kristina. A rather rowdy bunch, these individuals never disappoint when it comes to entertainment. They are fun, sarcastic and very family-oriented. My kind of people. Hence why I married their son.

And there you have it. My family. I am glad we have now been properly introduced. And with that, good night Internet world.