Life with Pugs

We're moving!

2008-07-25T21:28:00.000-06:00

http://www.jasonleah.com/blog

Business Travel Woes

2008-07-25T21:12:00.003-06:00

Well, I wish I could say my first official business traveling went off without a hitch, but what fun would that be? I am currently sitting in the parking garage of Denver International Airport waiting for security because I came out to a dead battery. Thank goodness for laptops and wireless cards!

I took a pair of black slacks in last week to be altered for my trip this week. I fully intended to pick them up on Saturday so they would be ready for my trip, but I completely forgot. Of course, they aren't open on Sunday, so I elected to pick them up Monday morning before going to the airport. That was pretty stressful, because the tailor is about 30 minutes from our house in the opposite direction of the airport. But it worked out very nicely and traffic played nice to help me out!

When I was ready to leave on Monday morning, I couldn't find my car keys anywhere. Mind you, we have two sets, but I could not find either one. I called Jason in a panic and luckily found one set and headed out of our house in a tizzy. Of course that night, I found the second set--where else?--in my purse with the others.

Jason called me on in New Jersey Monday night to ask me if I needed the toiletries he found in the bathroom when he got home from work that afternoon. Of course! I had them all nicely packed and ready to go--and forgot to take them! I had a major melt down, because I use VERY specific products on this curly hair, and it can quickly become a mess, especially in humid climates (which NJ is). Everything worked out okay, but it wasn't an ideal situation. At least they had a toothbrush for me in the hotel.

So I went the next day to pick up some shampoo and conditioner at CVS. I am carrying it around the store, finding a few other things, and it proceeds to squirt green goop all over my nice suit jacket. Blech! It wiped off pretty well, and the day was almost over, so I was able to go back to the hotel and change.

Too much excitement for me! I hope I get better at this business travel stuff!

Happy Friday!

2008-07-25T14:32:00.003-06:00

TGIF! Greetings from the Newark, NJ, airport! I have spent the past 4 1/2 days training for my new job in Princeton, NJ. It has been a great week, and I feel much more prepared to start working next week. The week has gone pretty quickly, but I am exhausted and ready to be home and relax for the weekend. This is my first time in the Northeast, and I wish I had time to hop over the NYC, but that will have to wait for another trip. Princeton was a great little town with lots of cute shops and restaurants, and the campus is so beautiful!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Amazing Gracie

2008-07-23T13:18:00.003-06:00

Thank you all for entering my drawing! The drawing will take place Saturday, so I will let you know then who the winner is!

Last night, I finished a new book I purchased called Amazing Gracie. It was written by the guys who started Three Dog Bakery and is about their dog, Gracie. It is a very sweet, touching story that is guaranteed to make any dog lover cry. Despite that, I definitely recommend it, as it is an easy read and inspirational story!

Post #500! Giveaway

2008-07-20T16:03:00.003-06:00

Happy 500th Post to me! In honor of my 500th post, I would like to host a giveaway. I am not sure what that giveaway will be or when it will be given, but I want to celebrate all of the fun people I have met through blogland! I would guess the gift may be something homemade (but no guarantees). If you are interested in being in the drawing, please leave a comment. The drawing will be held Saturday, July 26th, so you have several days to participate. Thanks for playing and for faithfully reading my blog!

Daisy and This Week's Project

2008-07-18T08:56:00.002-06:00

Daisy got a pretty purple bandaid at the vet yesterday! Isn't she a pretty girl? I missed her yesterday--I was home all day, and it was too quiet with just me and Oscar!

One of my projects for this week was to set up my home office. I didn't have a desk or filing cabinet or anything, and I needed some things for my new job. I didn't want to spend a fortune but I didn't want to get anything that would just fall apart either. I looked and looked--office furniture can be really expensive! I ended up getting this set at Target, and I am really happy with it! It looks nice and is a good size for our office/scrapbooking room, plus it was super easy to put together. I was a little frustrated, though, because the package said "solid wood", and part of it is solid wood, but there is particle board as well. Also, the hutch portion of the desk said "fully assembled" on the box, but when I opened it up, there were lots of parts and pieces. Oh well, good thing I like Target so much, or I might be more upset!

Hope everyone has a great Friday and a wonderful weekend! Stay tuned for the next post--it will be post #500 for me!

Daisy's Okay!

2008-07-17T15:48:00.002-06:00

Whew! The vet just called, and Daisy is doing great! She is awake and ready to go, so Oscar and I are going to head that way to pick her up. He did pull several teeth, so I will get the update when I get her and share with you guys!

Thanks so much for thinking of us today. I was starting to get REALLY worried because I hadn't heard anything. I am sure you all understand!

UPDATE! I am glad to report that Daisy is officially free of stinky breath! It really is wonderful but I am not sure it was really worth all of the anxiety I felt all afternoon. But she made it through just fine! The vet did pull at least 4 teeth, so the poor little girl is missing her 4 bottom front teeth. But the vet said it would not affect her eating, because she still has her molars, and she did scarf her dinner down like nothing happened. We now have strict orders to brush regularly, and you better believe we will do it! I don't want the poor little girl to lose all of her teeth!

Oscar

2008-07-17T11:31:00.003-06:00

Doesn't Oscar look lonely today without another pug to cuddle with? I think he misses his little sister.

I do hope that he is never an only pug......I have given him about a million treats already today because I feel sorry for him (including about half the apple slices I had prepared for myself).

Oh, the life of a pug. It's pretty rough!

Daisy's at the Vet

2008-07-17T08:26:00.002-06:00

Well, Oscar and I just arrived home after dropping Daisy off at the vet. She was so pathetic this morning when she couldn't eat. The pugs go crazy in the morning for their food and run downstairs for Jason to feed them. This morning, we had to shut Daisy in the bedroom with me while Jason fed Oscar. Daisy laid at the bedroom door and whined and scratched at the door, and then when I got up, she kept looking at me like "please feed me!" Oscar seems a little confused as to why Daisy isn't here, but I think he is secretly loving all the one-one-one attention he is getting.

I will let you all know later how things go. I am really hoping for stink-free breath when all is said and done!

Scrapbook Mania!

2008-07-14T17:25:00.003-06:00

Well, I survived my first day of home training (actually, it was a pretty slow, quiet day. But I'll take it, because I have a feeling it won't be slow and quiet for long!).

During my few days off last week I did a LOT of scrapbooking! One of my goals for the week was to finish my Disney World scrapbook, and I did it! Here are a few samples from the book. It ended up being 48 pages long--we had a TON of pictures, and it was really hard to narrow them down! I kept the pages pretty simple for the sake of getting them done in a timely fashion. But I am pleased with how they turned out! Now I am decorating the actual album, which is something I haven't done before.

This is one of my favorites ways to display lots of pictures on one page--using circles

It's hard to tell from the pictures, but it's a pretty big stack of pages!

Next project will be my Disney cruise scrapbook--we have tons of pictures of that, too, and it was just 3 days! That's what happens when you have 5 women taking pictures!

We've Been Tagged!

2008-07-12T10:25:00.006-06:00

Our good friends over at Ladypug Mugs, Winston and Clementine, tagged us and gave us an award! Thanks, guys!

So here are the rules:
Show us a photo of the front of your Cold Box (or fridge, as it is known here)
tell us about at least one thing on it and
one thing you keep inside of it
Tag your friends and remember to stay COOL! And no fair cleaning it up first!!

Here is the front of our fridge (and I promise I didn't clean it up first!). Jason is very adament about the front of the fridge staying clean, so there are just two little pug magnets on the front. But on the side, I put all my fun stuff. We have magnets from some of our travels, coupons and a couple of pictures.
What's inside? I just went shopping at SuperTarget this morning (my FAVORITE store!) so there are all sorts of exciting things inside. I have really been in the mood for cheese lately, so I bought a block of sharp cheddar, grated sharp cheddar (I love sharp cheddar!), gorgonzola crumbles and string cheese.

And now the award!The rules for accepting the award are as follows:
1. Add the logo of the award to my site

2. Add a link to the person who awarded you

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs

4. Add links to those blogs on your site

5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs

My nominees are as follows:

1. Miko and Meimei

2. Willow, Belle and Turbo

3. Punchy

4. Ragus

5. Norman

6. Jemima Jones Beck

7. Weeny and Daisy

8. Miss Gayle

9. Sharla

If you don't have time to play, that's okay, we still think you guys are pretty cool!

Have a happy Saturday!

Back from the Vet

2008-07-10T10:23:00.002-06:00

We (the pugs and I) just got back from their annual check up and boosters at the vet. Teeth problems seemed to be the problem today. Oscar had a loose tooth that had to be pulled (without anesthesia--what a tough guy!), but Daisy has to go in next week for a full-blown cleaning and probably extraction, too. She has some pretty icky teeth! I am already really nervous about putting her under anesthesia, but as Jason reminded me, she did okay with anesthesia when she was spayed. I am going to try and not worry throughout the next week. She goes in next Thursday, so your thoughts and prayers would be appreciated! The vet reassured me that this is a very routine procedure, but I have just heard too many horror stories about pugs having trouble with anesthesia. But the positive side is that her HORRIBLE breath should be better afterwards!

On To a New Chapter

2008-07-08T17:25:00.002-06:00

Well, I am finished with my old job. Yesterday was actually my last day, and I went in today for my going away party. It was really touching--we had lunch and cake, and they even gave me gifts! I was totally blown away by that--it was so sweet! I have been blessed over the past 4 years to work with great girls whom (is it who or whom, Sharla?!) I can also call friends. They are incredible professionals who are so knowledeable about the field of diabetes and have taught me so much. I truly wouldn't be where I am today without them.

I am taking the next few days off and starting the new job on Monday. I am scared and excited all at the same time. I will keep you posted on how things go!

While I am off the next few days, I plan to do some scrapbooking, playing with pugs, reading, napping, and we are headed to Water World on Friday! I know it will go fast, but it should be a fun few days off!

Here it is!

2008-07-07T08:25:00.004-06:00

Miss Gayle requested the recipe for my grandma's coconut pie, so I went through my recipes and found this one, which I think is my grandma's recipe.

Coconut Cream Pie
Filling:
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup flour
2 3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup coconut
1 tbsp butter
Dash of salt

Meringue:
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 cup sugar
Extra coconut

Separate eggs, and set egg whites aside. In large saucepan, mix together sugar, egg yolks, flour, milk and salt. Over medium heat, stir constantly until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Remove from heat and add vanilla, butter and coconut. Pour mixture into prepared pie crust.

Beat egg whites on high until stiff. Continue whipping while gradually adding cream of tartar and 1/8 cup sugar. Top pie with meringue and sprinkle with coconut. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned on top.

(I don't have her crust recipe, but any crust works fine).

Enjoy!

Family Fun!

2008-07-05T18:10:00.007-06:00

After Kadesh, my parents and brother picked me up in Abilene, and we headed to Bryson, TX, for our family reunion. The reunion is held there each summer, and we always have such a good time. It was a pretty small crowd this year, but we still had a wonderful time.

Josh with my grandma

Mom with my other grandma (her mommy!)

My grandma's famous coconut cream pie--it is SOOOOOO yummy!

Me with Joshybubba

Josh had been at drum major camp all week before, so he was worn out. He and I both went out in the hall and took a little nap

We headed to Wichita Falls Saturday afternoon, where I met the one last puppy that my parents have. They have one little black lab girl left. Anyone shopping for a female black lab puppy?!

Me and the parents

I had a great time at home, but as usual, it went too quick!

Abilene Fun!

2008-07-03T07:26:00.003-06:00

Okay, so I was really bad and hardly took any pictures while I was at camp. The week was so busy and so intense that I didn't really think about taking pictures.

This is my favorite barbecue place ever. It is just a few miles from the ACU campus, and Jason and I went here frequently during college. We love it so much that we even had our rehearsal dinner here! It is SOOOO YUMMY, but while I was in Texas, I heard the rumor that Harold is retiring and will be closing the restaurant. So sad. :(

The yummy goodness!
When I graduated, I made a donation to ACU and got my name on a brick! This was the first time I had actually seen it.

They have made so many upgrades to campus since I graduated. This is a beautiful sculpture near the front of campus depicting Jacob's dream. It is really amazing--I didn't have much time to spent there, so I didn't really get many pictures!

Back from camp......

2008-06-30T20:23:00.001-06:00

Wow, I cannot even begin to describe my experience at camp. I was moved and challenged in ways I did not expect but am glad I experienced. I have much to share, which I will do when I feel a little more rested. But it was a great week, and I also enjoyed a little time with my family!

Off to camp!

2008-06-20T20:44:00.003-06:00

That's right, I am headed to church camp! I will be spending the week in beautiful Abilene, Texas, on the campus of ACU for Kadesh, as week-long church camp for high school kids. I am heading there with our youth group and will spend the week as a group leader with another guy from our congregation. I am pretty excited--Kadesh is supposed to be really awesome!

I will really miss these faces, though! But I guess it will be good practice for when I start traveling lots for work. Hope you all have a great weekend! Happy Summer!

My Sweet Hubby

2008-06-19T16:37:00.002-06:00

I came home from work yesterday to be greeted by these beautiful flowers! Jason gave me these flowers as a little congratulations gift. The picture really doesn't do them justice--they are beautiful and smell wonderful, too! I am going to hate to leave them when I leave this weekend!

Family Fun!

2008-06-18T21:59:00.002-06:00

Yippee, we had visitors (and we LOVE visitors, hint hint)! Jason's sister Sharla and her family were passing through Denver and spent the night with us Tuesday night. It was a quick visit, but we had a wonderful time with them! I just love those nieces and am so thankful for them!

Jason and Sharla at the park

Hanging out with the pugs (Daisy and Oscar LOVE the girls!)

Jason was able to take the day off and go to the zoo with them (while I had to work) before they headed back to Texas. Come back soon, please! We miss you guys (and all the other family members, too)!

More about the job....

2008-06-18T09:17:00.002-06:00

Thanks you guys so much for your encouragement!

Several of you have asked a few questions, so let me better explain the job. I will be working in conjunction with a pharmaceutical company to provide a diabetes education program in primary care offices. I will be educating doctors, nurses, medical assistants, office staff, etc so they can in turn provide good diabetes education to their patients. My territory includes Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, southern Idaho and 2 cities in Montana, so much of my time will be spent traveling to other states. It will be very different than what I am doing now, but I am so excited and thankful for this opportunity!

I will not be moving to Chicago, I just flew there for the interview to meet with the program manager. That is everyone's question when I say "I flew to Chicago for a job interview!"

Thanks again for your encouragement--you guys are great!

Why I have been absent from blogging......

2008-06-17T13:21:00.002-06:00

I GOT A NEW JOB!

I have spent the past two weeks doing phone interviews, flying to and from Chicago (in one day) for a job interview, spending the day with the person whose job I will be doing, stressing out over everything related to the job. But now it is over and I was offered the job today!

I really feel like this will be a great opportunity and a positive career move. I will still be doing diabetes education but in a completely different setting. I will be providing diabetes education in primary care offices to the staff there so they can in turn better educate their patients. It will be a LOT of travel but something I am very excited about.

Jason also recently got a great new position in his company, so life in good right now in the Stephens house. God has been so good to us and has blessed us richly!

Not Much to Say.....

2008-06-09T21:45:00.002-06:00

Has it really been an entire week since I last blogged? It has been one of those weird weeks where everything and nothing has been going on all at once. I feel kind of overwhelmed, but it will all be okay.

We had our book club meeting tonight (at my house--I love hosting get-togethers!), and we reviewed Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck. I loved this book and have many pages marked of things that really stood out to me.

One passage that I especially loved (because of our recent visit to San Francisco) was Steinbeck's description of San Francisco. I just think his words are so beautiful:
"San Francisco put on a show for me. I saw her across the bay, from the great road that bypasses Sausalito and enters the Golden Gate Bridge. The afternoon sun painted her white and gold--rising on her hills like a noble city in a happy dream. A city on hills has it over flat-land places. New York makes its own hills with craning buildings, but this gold and white acropolis rising wave on wave against the blue of the Pacific sky was a stunning thing..."

Love it! Such a great read!

Puppies!

2008-06-01T15:49:00.004-06:00

My parents have labs, and they currently have 8 lab puppies! There are 4 black and 4 yellow, and they are about 5 1/2 weeks old. They are SOOOOOOOO cute!

San Francisco Favorites

2008-05-30T18:05:00.005-06:00

Many people have asked me what my favorite part of San Francisco was, and honestly, I cannot pick out one thing to call my favorite. I loved it all. Seriously. From the time we got off the plane until we left again, I loved it. Okay, there was a brief time on the bus as we drove through the rough part of town that I didn't love, and I wasn't terribly crazy about the people on the streets asking for money, but you get that in any large city. But I loved everything else. When we first arrived in SF and stepped out of the airport, I could feel the cool breeze and it was so refreshing, so different from the air in Denver. I loved being close to the water, I loved taking public transportation everywhere, I loved the beautiful flowers and plants everywhere, I loved walking up the hills, I love seeing all the quintessential San Francisco sites, I loved the different cultures represented, I LOVED IT ALL (can you tell?).

Jason and I even had a brief conversation while we were there about what it would take to live in San Francisco (but that conversation was short-lived, as we realized we would have to sell our souls and be forever in debt to live there) because we loved it so much. I am not sure if the love-fest would continue if we actually did live there, but we sure loved visiting.

But if I HAVE to pick my favorites, they would be:
Cliff House (not so much the house, but the beach and the view)
North Beach
Lombard Street
Alcatraz
Japanese Tea Gardens

I hope we get the opportunity to visit San Francisco again someday. We loved it!

SF Day 3

2008-05-29T16:39:00.005-06:00

Sunday was our last day in SF, and we woke up a beautiful, sunny day! We headed to North Beach, where I had the most amazing breakfast. We went into a little bakery, and I ordered homemade granola with yogurt and fresh fruit. It was outstanding, and I wish I had it again right now!

We then headed to Fisherman's Wharf to catch the ferry to Alcatraz. We arrived a bit early, and Jason was still hungry, so we stopped to get him some tea and a crepe to snack on. It was a banana and Nutella crepe, and I LOVE Nutella! We then walked down and hopped on the boat over to Alcatraz.

We really, really enjoyed our visit to Alcatraz. The history of the island is so amazing--I had no idea that families of the prison guards lived on the island, and I didn't know that a group of American Indians lived on the island for 19 months in the sixties (after the prison closed) to protest being forced onto reservations. The audio tour of the prison was very good, and the flowers and birds on the island were beautiful. We loved it and spent several hours out there!

We did a little shopping on the Wharf when we got back, and had In 'N Out for lunch (Jason's favorite). We spent a little time that afternoon in Chinatown (not as long as I wanted), then headed to our hotel for another nap. We had dinner at The Stinking Rose, a garlic restaurant in North Beach, and had an Irish coffee at the Buena Vista. It is right off one of the cable car lines, so it was so fun to sit inside and sip our coffee as we looked out the window at the twinking lights outside and the cable cars going by.

We then took a very fun cable car ride back and walked to our hotel. It was a wonderful way to end our wonderful trip to San Francisco!

The boat to Alcatraz

On the ride over to the island

One of the cells--I don't know what I was expecting, but it was so tiny

The view of the city from the island

There were THOUSANDS of seagulls on the island! Apparently it is a wonderful habitat for birds, because there are no predators around. It is seagull nesting season, so there were tons of them sitting on nests. They even had part of the island closed to visitors so the gulls would not be disturbed.

One of the windows in an original building on the island. I just love it because of the contrast between light and dark (plus if you look closely, you can see a sailboat off in the distance).

The flowers on the island were beautiful! I was so excited to see calla lillies, because I have only seen them in flower shops!

Our lunch stop

Dinner (see the sign above? "We season our garlic with a little food." They even had garlic wine, garlic martinis and garlic ice cream!)

I was still full from our late lunch, so I only had salad.

Jason had lamb wtih garlic mashed potatoes

Mmmmm, Irish coffee

Our last cable car ride of the trip

SF Day 2

2008-05-28T18:00:00.006-06:00

We woke up Saturday to a cool and drizzly day, but that did not slow us down! We had breakfast at a little cafe in North Beach (SF's Little Italy), which was very good, and then we walked over to Coit Tower. We didn't go up into the tower, but I walked through the bottom of the tower to look at the murals. We then walked down all those steps and caught the bus to the Golden Gate Bridge!

It was pretty amazing to be at such an iconic landmark. We walked about halfway across, and honestly, I didn't love that part of it. I am not a huge fan of being suspended high up the air, so all I could think as we were walking was how freaked out I was. I didn't get near the edge and walked as close to the traffic side as possible. We were amazed, though, at the enormity of the bridge and how they could possibly build such a structure. It is beautiful and a must-see.

After the bridge, we headed to Golden Gate Park. We walked through the Botanic Gardens and then the Japanese tea gardens, where we stopped for tea and snacks. It was beautiful, and we really enjoyed that.

We then headed back towards "home" and stopped for some quick Chinese food close to Union Square. Once at our hotel, we took a nice, long nap!

For dinner that night, we had reservations at the Cliff House to celebrate our anniversary, and it was definitely one of my favorite parts of the trip. The Cliff House is on the west side of San Francisco and has a beautiful beach with AMAZING views of the Pacific Ocean, plus a really cool history. We arrived shortly before our reservation time, but I wish we had arrived much sooner to spend some time on the beach. I LOVE the ocean and could have looked at that view for hours.

Our dinner was great--I had crab cakes and halibut, which was very fresh and very good. After dinner, we took the bus back to our hotel and called it a night. It was another wonderful day!

Our breakfast stop in North Beach--I had a prosciutto omelet (I LOVE prosciutto!) and coffee. We also stopped for lattes before heading to our next stop to help us warm up in the damp, chilly weather!

Coit Tower

That's me on the steps coming down from Coit Tower

See, I was really there!

View of the Golden Gate Bridge from the entrance

Jason kept talking about how many people commit suicide by jumping off the bridge each year, which did absolutely nothing to help my anxiety level

Our yummy snack in the tea garden--I had jasmine tea and Jason had green tea

That is the Cliff House in the upper right corner

View of the beach in front of the Cliff House

San Francisco Fun Day #1

2008-05-27T19:05:00.007-06:00

To celebrate our 5 year anniversary, we decided to spend the weekend in SF. We left Denver Friday around 11:30 in the morning, after dropping the pugs off at Moxie's house. Once we arrived in SF, we took the BART to downtown SF and walked to our hotel. We stayed at the Intercontinental San Francisco at 5th Street and Howard (found a great deal online!) which just opened in Febrary and was amazing! We were on the 22nd floor in a corner room, so two of our walls were floor to ceiling windows!

We were too excited to sit around, so we headed to catch the cable car, located just a few blocks from our hotel. The line was LONG and the car was CROWDED, but it's something you have to do in SF! We went first to Fisherman's Wharf, where we stopped at one of the seafood stands. I had a crab sandwich, and Jason had fish and chips. Yum! We were so excited, though, that I forgot to take a picture! We then went to Ghirardelli Square--Jason had the World Famous Chocolate Sundae, and I had a brownie sundae. On our way to the chocolate shop, we passed the Keane Eyes Gallery, and we HAD to stop in! Moxie's mom has a pug print from the gallery, and it is beautiful! Unfortunately the painting I wanted was $22,000, which just wasn't in the budget. But check out the website--the artist paint things with big eyes and has several pug pieces. My favorite was the fawn momma pug with the black and fawn babies on the gold background.

After Ghirardelli Square, we headed to Lombard Street, "the crookedest street in the world" (pictured in earlier post), which was one of my favorite things in SF! Because we used public transportation while we were there, we didn't get to drive down the street, but we did start at the top and take the stairs down. The landscaping was AMAZING (beautiful hydrangeas growing all along the street) and beautiful red brick paving. You just don't see things like that in Denver!

After Lombard Street, we headed back to Fisherman's Wharf. We walked up Pier 39 and looked through some shops and visited the sealions. They were so funny! We then took the bus back to the hotel and had an evening snack of wine and cheese before we called it a night!

Jason having fun on the cable car

My sundae! I can't believe I am saying this, but it was almost too chocolatey for me (the brownie part especially). I could only eat half, and Jason finished it off for me (after devouring his own!).

Those crazy sealions--they were so entertaining!

San Francisco!

2008-05-26T18:40:00.003-06:00

Our trip summed up in one word: AWESOME!

We spent the last 2 1/2 days exploring San Francisco and had a wonderful time! We loved it and have lots of pictures to share, which will be coming soon!

Birthday Fun!

2008-05-22T19:19:00.003-06:00

To celebrate the pugs' birthdays, we celebrated with cookies and presents. Oscar received a football cookie for his "gotcha" day, and he and Daisy shared it.

Mmmmmm, waiting for the cookie!
Wow, that was good!
I LOVE this picture! I was trying to get Oscar mid-lick, but his tongue was just sticking straight out!
Sweet Daisy
Cookies, Round 2!

Waiting for our cookies!

Daisy and Oscar received new collars for their birthdays--we will have to show them off one day. We are so thankful for our little puggies and are so happy to celebrate another wonderful year with them!

Hope everyone has a great, long weekend!

Happy Birthday, Daisy!

2008-05-22T06:52:00.005-06:00

Today, Daisy is celebrating her 4th birthday! I can't believe my little pug girl is 4 already. She has brought such joy to my life, and I can't imagine how boring our lives might be without our dogs. Daisy lives her life with such vivaciousness and never meets a stranger. I love this little girl!

Tonight we will celebrate with doggie cookies and bully sticks (we meaning Daisy and Oscar not Jason and me). And tomorrow we get to go see Moxie!

(FYI, Moxie is Daisy's best gal pal. The two have been buddies since they were just babies! Anytime we say "Moxie!" Daisy's head tilts, and she gets all excited. Moxie came to visit recently while her parents were out of town.)

Highlight of My Weekend

2008-05-18T22:07:00.002-06:00

Okay, it doesn't take much to get me excited. I have to admit that I am addicted to lip balm. But not just any old lip balm, I am pretty picky about it. It has to be the right consistency, not too waxy and not too sticky. I typically use Softlips raspberry flavor. Last year I fell in love with a lip balm at Bath and Body Works. I bought 3 or 4 tubes just in case, and lo and behold, they stopped carrying it. I was so sad when I finished the last tube......

until tonight! I was going through my bike bag and found an unopened tube of Bath and Body Works lip balm! I shared my excitement with Jason, and he just didn't get it. But it made my night!

On another exciting note, we went out for our first real bike ride this weekend and went 23 miles! It was pretty tough, but I have to get serious about training, because I went and signed myself up for a 100K ride in August! I know, crazy, but I knew it would help me if I had a goal in mind. We'll see how I feel after the ride--50K was pretty tiring last year!

Have a great week!

Questions Answered, Part 2

2008-05-16T22:24:00.003-06:00

Dwayne asked:
"Do you think you'll ever end up living in Oregon...maybe Salem, Oregon, but I might be asking a bit much?" Funny, that is actually something we have discussed. I wouldn't count on it (Jason loves living in the big city, and I don't think Salem is big enough for him) but it would be very exciting to work with you guys!
"Oh, and do you ever wonder if your pugs would prefer to go through life naked rather than in the clothes you dress them in?" I am pretty sure that Daisy and Oscar LOVE dressing up in clothes, especially Oscar.

Page asked:
"How did you become interested in pugs? How did you get Oscar and Daisy?" It's funny, I am not sure what sparked my interest in pugs. I guess I just thought they were super cute, plus I heard they were good apartment dogs, and we were in an apartment at the time. We had Daisy first--we looked for a pug locally, and when we didn't find what we wanted, we almost purchased a pug online to have flown to Denver. Thankfully, just before we made our decision to do that, we looked at the ads in the paper and found the ad for Daisy. We rushed over and met Daisy, her sisters and her mom. We were the first people there, so we got to choose first, and thankfully we were fast, because as we were standing there, others came and all the puppies were spoken for quickly! After we had Daisy for almost a year, I started wanting a buddy for her. Jason wasn't interested in a puppy, so we put our name on the pug list at the Dumb Friends League. I checked their website every day for a pug. One day I checked in the morning like usual, no pugs. I just happened to check the website around lunchtime, which I did not usually do, and there was Oscar! Thankfully, I had a slow afternoon at work, so I rushed home to pick up Daisy and headed to the shelter. We met Oscar, and everyone got along, so he was ours! We had to leave him overnight to be neutered, so I went back the next day to pick him up. Poor thing was sick with kennel cough, and he was pretty sick for several days. He seemed so sad and confused for the first few weeks, but he quickly became a part of our family. I can't imagine life without him!

Stay tuned for more answers!

Happy Gotcha Day, Oscar!

2008-05-14T06:28:00.002-06:00

Three years ago today Oscar came into our lives, so we celebrate his "birthday" today! We are so thankful for this little guy--he keeps us laughing and is always ready to cuddle (and eat). We love you, Oscar!

Oscar's first day with us--he was so scared and sick

This is one of my favorite pictures of Oscar--I think he looks so distinguished

And these last 2 picture just make me laugh!

San Francisco!

2008-05-12T22:24:00.005-06:00

Jason and I will be celebrating our 5 year anniversary later this month, and we just decided to take a trip to San Francisco to celebrate! I have never been to California, so I am super excited. It will be a quick trip, but we are really looking forward to it. Do any of you have suggestions for things we have to do while we are there?

Questions Answered, Part 1

2008-05-10T18:14:00.004-06:00

You guys have some great questions! It will take a few posts to answer them all, so here goes.....

AM asked:

"How did a Texas girl end up in Denver?" After I graduated from college, I had to do an internship to become a registered dietitian. I wanted to get out of TX for a new adventure, so I applied to several internships in Colorado and Seattle. I was accepted to my top choice, which was an internship in the Denver area. Jason got a job several months after we moved here, so we decided to stay once I was finished. And here we still are! We love Colorado, but it is not necessarily somewhere I see myself living forever (I think I have some gypsy blood in me).

"Do you think you'll end up back in TX one day?" Sadly, probably not. I wouldn't mind living in TX (my favorite places in TX are Austin and San Antonio) and being close to family, but Jason really doesn't like TX. So we will probably never move back.

"Human kids one day?" That is a good question and one we talk about regularly. We probably will, but at this point neither one of us really feel ready. I know, everyone says you are never really ready, but we REALLY don't feel ready. I want to do some more traveling and have some adventures before kids are a part of the picture. But if it happens, it wouldn't be the end of the world.

"Where did you and Jason honeymoon?" Jason and I took a Carnival cruise in the southern Caribbean. It was a 7-day cruise; we flew from Dallas to Atlanta to San Juan Pueto Rico to get on the boat, then we had stops in St. Thomas, Martinique, Aruba and Barbados. We had a wonderful time, and a cruise was a perfect fit for us for our honeymoon.

On the boat on formal night

In port in St Thomas (it is BEAUTIFUL there!)

Riding the tram to the top of the hill in St Thomas overlooking the port

A cathedral in Martinique

In Barbados we went sea kayaking and snorkeling with sea turtles. It was SO FUN!

The Natural Bridge in Aruba

Aruba was our favorite. We took a Jeep tour of the island, with several stops at the big tourist areas. It was hot and deserty but so beautiful. The water and beach were amazing!

A lighthouse in Aruba

Pug Mommy asked:

"What is your all time favorite book?" This was a hard one for me. I love reading and love books, but I had a hard time thinking of a standout. But I think it is probably the Little House on the Prairie series. I LOVED those books as a child and have such fond memories of reading them, of visiting Laura Ingalls' childhood home, of playing Little House on the Prairie with my friend Laura.

"How did you and Jason meet?" Jason and I met through a mutual friend. One of my friends was friends with his roommate. I went to their house on Halloween in 2001, and we first met that night. We didn't spend any time together until the following spring semester, when we started hanging out and getting to know each other better. We started dating that February, and the rest is history! I took my first trip to Starbucks with Jason in Abilene, TX! It was Jason's senior year and my junior year in college.

Everyone's doing it.......

2008-05-06T13:04:00.001-06:00

Okay, I am jumping on the band wagon and following everyone else's lead. If you have a question you are dying to ask me, ask away! Leave your questions in the comments section, and I will answer them as soon as possible!

Furry Scurry Fun

2008-05-04T22:06:00.002-06:00

This last Saturday was the annual Furry Scurry, a huge fundraiser for the Denver Dumb Friends League (where we adopted Oscar!). This event is a 2 mile walk held in Denver's Wash Park. This year, there were more than 10,000 participants, and over $800,000 was raised!

Jason and I both planned to go, but he came down with a nasty case of food poisoning. I was really nervous about taking all 3 pugs, but I couldn't bring myself to leave anyone home, so I loaded them all up and off we went! We met my friend Andrea and her parents' basset hound, Molly. It was really crowded, but we had a GREAT time!

We're ready to get out of the car!

And they're off! There was quite a lot of pulling and racing to be in front, but overall they were incredibly good (much better than I would have ever imagined).

It was a great morning, and I am glad we could participate in fundraising for such an important cause!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2008-05-02T08:44:00.002-06:00

Today is my dad's birthday. Happy birthday!!

What's better than two pugs?

2008-05-02T08:33:00.003-06:00

Three pugs!

Yep, that's right, we have three pugs at our house right now! Moxie's parents are going on vacation, so she is staying with us for the next week. Daisy and Oscar are SO excited! She is Daisy's best friend and Oscar's girlfriend.

Sad.......

2008-04-30T19:49:00.003-06:00

Tonight Jason and I had to go by the local animal shelter to pick up something, so while we were there we had to look at the dogs. It was SO sad--I almost cried while we were there and got teary in the car thinking about it. There were so many beautiful dogs just wanting to be loved, wanting a home. Some were so scared and shaking, they were hiding in the corner of the kennels, others were eager for attention. They were all behind glass, but a couple of times I put my hand up to the glass, and they tried to sniff my hand, begging for me to pet them. It was soooo heartbreaking.

Whenever the time comes for me to get more dogs, I don't know if I will ever be able to get a puppy again. There are so many dogs in shelters and rescues that need homes. I have often considered volunteering at an animal shelter, but I think I would be an emotional wreck. I know some of you have worked with rescue, and I so admire those of you who do. Thank you for all you do!

I did it!

2008-04-28T20:59:00.004-06:00

I finished the 7th Harry Potter book tonight, and it was SOOOOOO good! I couldn't put it down, and now I am a little sad that it's over. The series is definitely a must read for those of you who have not read it!

It's Fixed!

2008-04-28T06:32:00.000-06:00

Thanks to my genius husband, my laptop is now fixed!!! Apparently some things were jostled loose in the slam, but he fixed everything and all is well. My computer is just like new! I am so thankful for a husband who loves computers and knows a lot about them!

Broken Laptop

2008-04-24T20:48:00.003-06:00

Well, I have gone and broken my laptop, so I will not be doing much blog checking or emailing for a while. I will have some access at work, but if you don't hear from me for a few days, that's why. Sad day. :(

While I would like to use this as an excuse to get a new laptop (perhaps a pink laptop!), this one is only 6 or 8 months old. Plus, it is broken because I slammed it shut in a little fit of anger. So no new laptop for me. It will probably have to go to the shop or to HP. That'll teach me a lesson! Keep your fingers crossed that the hard drive is okay.

Pugs in Sunshine

2008-04-24T06:47:00.003-06:00

Daisy and Oscar have been enjoying our nice sunny days!

Harry Potter

2008-04-22T21:45:00.002-06:00

*******SPOILER ALERT--DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HARRY POTTER SERIES*******************************

So I am a little behind the times and am just now working my way through the Harry Potter series. I LOVE them--they are so creative and imaginative. I have actually been listening to them on CD to and from work, which makes the drive much more bearable (okay, it really isn't that bad to begin with, but it's more fun with Harry).

BUT. Tonight I am not happy with JK Rowling. Not happy at all. I am in book 6 and Dumbledore just died. I CANNOT believe it. I am in shock, I am horrified. JK, how can you do this to us, your loyal readers and HP fans?! The injustice. And killed by Snape?! Auuuuuuggggh!

My brother tells me book 7 is worse, that he has friends who sobbed through the entire book. I don't think I can handle it. I like happy stories. I know, it has a happy ending. But surely there was a better way. Blech.

On another note, tonight I went to a drug dinner and wore my new dress (see below). The waiter was making his rounds with more wine and said to me "If I were a cross dresser, I would wear that dress. I love it!" Is that a compliment or should I be worried?

But I don't wanna get up!

2008-04-22T07:10:00.002-06:00

This was Oscar as I was getting ready for work this morning

I know, buddy, I feel the same way in the mornings.

I almost forgot!

2008-04-21T18:26:00.003-06:00

I intended to include this with my last post but it slipped my mind. But I wanted to post this in honor of my neighbor!

This is the dress that I wore to the tea. I didn't really intend to match my table, but I wanted a chance to FINALLY wear this fun dress that I recently purchased.

My neighbor and I went swimsuit shopping several months ago (me for the cruise, her for a fun tropical honeymoon), but we were a little distracted. I found this dress and LOVED it but didn't plan on buying it until my neighbor pursuaded me I NEEDED it! So I bought it. But then I had buyer's remorse and took it back. A few weeks later, I decided (with again the help of my neighbor) that I did in fact need it, and I went back and bought it again! I am glad I did, because it really is a nice dress, and I love summer dresses! The picture doesn't do it justice (all it does is shows how short I am!) but the black portions are all embroidered.

Thanks for your shopping help, neighbor! We may have to shop together more often!!!

Ladies Tea

2008-04-21T07:26:00.004-06:00

This past Saturday we had our annual Ladies Tea at church. I was a table hostess (even though I swore last year I wasn't going to do anything this year but attend--but I am a sucker who can't say no) and had a wonderful time. I went with a black, white and red theme and was very excited to find everything I needed for very cheap! Like I said before, I LOVE a good deal!

This picture does not do the roses justice--I purchased them at Sam's, and they are beautiful! I received so many compliments on them Saturday. I also used my china, which was fun because I rarely use it. I did decide, though, that I need to start using it more often. That's what it's for, after all!

Black tablecloth: $9.99 on clearance at Bed, Bath, Beyond

White cloth napkins: $4.00 for all 8! at Tuesday morning

Vase: $4.99 at Ross

I did enjoy decorating and hostessing my table--but I still want to just go and enjoy myself one year!

For inquiring minds.....

2008-04-17T18:22:00.004-06:00

Several people asked about the cost of my Cricut machine and cartridges, and while it was expensive, I am happy to talk about it because I feel like I got a good deal (and I LOOOOOVE good deals!). I actually purchased everything off ebay. I went with the "buy it now" option on everything. The machine, which comes with one cartridge, was about $165 (including shipping). The Disney cartridges were about $40 each (including shipping). The cheapest I could find the machine anywhere else was $185 at Walmart (before tax). Everything was "new in box" and worked perfectly on arrival. So it was a bit of an investment, but I definitely did some research and found what I feel was a pretty good deal. And I LOVE it!

On a completely unrelated note, I just have to share how well Daisy is doing. She never acted really sick, but she is now getting her energy back and is back to her hyper, crazy self. I chalked up her lethargicness to her getting older, but I guess it was really the infection and not feeling well. Poor little girl. Jason says she is back to her annoying ways, but I find those annoying ways endearing. Well, most of the time.

New Toy!

2008-04-16T18:48:00.003-06:00

I know, I know, too many posts in one day, but there is just too much to share with the blog world! But I am just so excited, and I can't hide it!

I have had my eye on a Cricut machine for a while but never imagined I would have one of my own due to the cost. But I recently received a bonus at work and thought I should treat myself to a little something for putting up with those crazy patients. So I did it--I bought a Cricut machine!!! And you know what? I LOVE IT! It is the most amazing thing. I feel like I have died and gone to heaven. I can't believe I have scrapbooked this long without it! Can you tell I am excited?!

Along with the machine, I purchased 2 other cartridges--one of Disney fonts and one with Disney characters. It will be PERFECT for my Disney scrapbook. I CAN'T WAIT! Anyone want to come have some Cricut fun with me? RPM? Nevis? Punchy?

Bipolar Colorado Take 2

2008-04-16T18:42:00.004-06:00

Yesterday it was 80 degrees here. And today?

The view outside my scrapbooking room.

Please spring, come and stay.

Weekend Fun

2008-04-16T06:49:00.003-06:00

Last Saturday we spent the day skiing at Crested Butte. A friend of ours had free ski passes and offered to share them with us, so we took him up on the offer. We had never been there before, so it was fun to try someplace new!

We drove to Gunnison after work on Friday and spent the night there. The drive was VERY scary (icy, windy, low visibility in spots, cars running off the road) but thankfully Jason is a very good driver. We headed to Crested Butte on Saturday morning. It was a BEAUTIFUL day--sunny and semi-warm. Plus there were no crowds! We had a wonderful time!

This is where we had dinner on the way home

It may have been our last ski day of the season, and it was a great way to end it!

Daisy Update

2008-04-12T07:06:00.001-06:00

I took another urine sample to the vet yesterday, and it was good news! Her numbers are MUCH improved, so I think she is going to be okay! Her pH was back down to normal, and there was only a trace of protein. So it looks like it may have just been an infection after all! The vet wants me to keep her on her special food and finish her antibiotics and then bring another sample to him in about a month.

I am so happy and relieved! Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers!

American Idol

2008-04-10T20:05:00.002-06:00

Hmmmmm, I think maybe they counted the votes wrong this week. How could Michael Johns be voted off? Granted, it wasn't his best performance, but he did way better than some of the others. Poor guy, he looked shocked! And he was one of my favorites. Sad day :(

Weird Little Oscar

2008-04-09T07:46:00.003-06:00

Apparently Oscar got a little hungry last night and got up and had a snack. When Jason went downstairs this morning, he found an empty bag from the hamburger buns we had in our pantry. I guess Oscar was hungry, and the pantry was open but the only thing he could reach were the buns. Can you imagine just eating bun after bun after bun? I think there were only 3, but they must have filled him up because he didn't even want any breakfast (which is REALLY unlike Oscar).

Things like this never happened when we just had Daisy. We didn't have to worry about the pantry or trash or anything. But I wouldn't trade Oscar for anything, although I tell them all the time it's a good thing he's cute!

I just found the bag that Jason left on the counter. Can you see the hole? Busted! And there are crumbs all over the floor!~

All About Me in Pictures

2008-04-08T20:01:00.007-06:00

Many of you have had this on your blogs already, but I am just getting around to doing it. But it was fun!

Here’s how it works:
1. Go to http://www.photobucket.com/
2. Type in your answer to the question in the “search” box

3. Use only the first page

4. Insert the picture into your Blog

Ready?

1. What is your relationship status?

2. What is your current mood?

3. What is your favorite band/artist?

4. What is your favorite movie?

5. What kind of pet do you have?

6. Where do you live?

7. Where do you work?

8. What do you look like?

9. What do you drive?

10. What did you do last night?

11. What is your favorite TV show?

12. Describe yourself.

13. What are you doing today?

14. What is your name?

15. What is your favorite candy?

If you haven't done this, join the fun!

Another update

2008-04-04T20:40:00.002-06:00

Well, the vet called this evening with Daisy's bloodwork results, and thankfully, everything looked fine! I didn't actually get to talk to him, as we played phone tag back and forth several times, but he seemed to think all of her chemistry panel was right where it needed to be, indicating that it is not a liver problem. Thank goodness! At this point, we will give her 10 days of amoxicillan, try some new food to help lower the pH of her urine, and take her back in for another urinalysis after her course of antibiotics is finished. The vet seemed a little perplexed by it all, but I am just so thankful it doesn't (so far) look like anything serious. Thank you so much for your prayers, concern and well wishes. I can't imagine what I would do if anything happened to my little Daisy!

Update

2008-04-04T11:06:00.002-06:00

Thank you all for your concern regarding my sweet little Daisy. We just returned from the vet, and something is amiss. They did bloodwork and a urinalysis. The urinalysis showed large amounts of protein in her urine and the pH was pretty high. There was a little bacteria in her urine but her white blood cells weren't elevated, which the vet felt meant that it isn't an infection. He started amoxicillan, though, just in case. He said it could be something with her liver or something metabolic, and her blood work should show that. He may be able to get the results from her blood work this evening. So that's what we know! Poor little girl, she was so nervous at the vet! I will let you know when we find out anything else. Thanks for thinking of us!

Worried

2008-04-03T18:05:00.003-06:00

Okay, those of you with dogs will understand why I am worried, and those of you without dogs may think I am crazy. But I'm okay with that!

For the last month or so, it has seemed like Daisy lost some weight. I tried not to overreact and decided to just keep an eye on her. It didn't make much sense, since we had actually been getting less activity, but we tried to feed her a little more and not worry. In the last few days, it definitely seemed like her weight was down. I took her by Petsmart today, and her weight on the scale there was 16.5 pounds. I called the vet, and at her last appointment (last summer) was 19.1 pounds. Eek! Almost 3 pounds is more than 10% of her weight! So I made an appointment to take the little girl in tomorrow for a little check up.

They asked me if she had been drinking and urinating more, and I honestly haven't noticed a difference. She has always been a good drinker and pee-er, so it is hard to say. But I will let you know what we find out! Hopefully it is just my imagination and everything is just fine.

Tricia's transplant

2008-04-03T08:45:00.002-06:00

Please join me with your thoughts and prayers for the Lawrenson family. I know some of you follow their blog, and Tricia had her double lung transplant last night! This family is amazing, their faith is evident and they have already touched so many people through their blog and through their story.

Product Review

2008-04-01T08:16:00.002-06:00

As previously mentioned, I purchased several new things for our Disney trip.

One of the first things I bought were a pair of Keen sandals, as seen below. I must say that I LOVE these shoes. I wore them all over Disney World, in the Bahamas and even on our kayak trip in Castaway Cay, and my feet did not hurt once. I wouldn't recommend these shoes on the beach, as sand tends to get stuck in the toes, but just for walking around they worked out great!

I also purchased a new bag to carry around Disney World. I ended up getting a PacSafe bag, and it is great! It has anti-theft features, so I felt really good about carrying it around. And it was the perfect size and not too heavy.

Visitors!

2008-03-31T07:07:00.007-06:00

A few days after we returned from our Disney vacation, we had visitors! My sister was on spring break, so she came to visit with her boyfriend and his daughter. We had a great time! They came in late on Wednesday night and stayed through Sunday afternoon. Jason and I had to work Thursday and Friday, so they entertained themselves during the day, and we hung out at night.

We went out for Coldstone one night. Mmmmmm!

We went to our church Easter egg hunt on Saturday

We played Uno, and Oscar helped

A. LOVED the pugs, and they loved her!

We had a great visit! It was really fun to have a kid around for Easter, because the Easter bunny came to visit!

Back from Vacation

2008-03-28T07:08:00.002-06:00

We have been back from vacation for almost two weeks, and it has been really hard for me to adjust to being back. Not only was it nice to just get away from reality for awhile, it was really nice to spend so much time with family. My family was always close growing up, and I am so thankful I married into a wonderful family. And I love all those nieces and nephew--so fun! Makes me wish we lived closer to family......maybe someday!

Last Day of Vacation

2008-03-24T18:38:00.003-06:00

Sunday, we had an early breakfast on the boat and then disembarked. After we gathered our luggage and went through customs, we headed to the Daytona Beach area to visit Jason's uncle and aunt. We had a GREAT time visiting them, and even took a Harley ride while we were there. Now we want one! It was great spending time with them--the visit was just too short! We had to head back to the airport fairly early, while everyone else stayed in FL until Tuesday.

The kids had lots of fun catching lizards and picking grapefruit.

Night 3: Triton's

2008-03-24T18:32:00.003-06:00

For dinner on our last night of the cruise, we ate in Triton's, a Little Mermaid themed dining room . It was so pretty and very good (I had duck, which was very tasty, and Jason had lamb shank)!

One of Jason's sisters and her husband had an anniversary at the end of our trip, so they were given this very lovely dessert, complete with a "Happy Anniversary" message.

After dinner, we saw the show "Disney Dreams" and then rushed around to get our luggage packed and outside our stateroom by 11 pm.

(oops--out of order) Cruise Night 2: Pirate Night!

2008-03-23T16:50:00.004-06:00

Night 2 on our cruise was Pirate Night! We were encouraged to dress up in Pirate Gear for dinner, the show and the Pirates IN the Caribbean Party.

The kids in their pirate outfits. They were SO CUTE!

The show that evening was "The Golden Mickeys"

After the show, there was a Pirates IN the Caribbean Party on deck, complete with music, Mickey and fireworks! According to the cruise director, Disney is the only cruise line allowed to do fireworks while at sea.

Cruise Day 3:Castaway Cay

2008-03-23T16:15:00.004-06:00

Castaway Cay was definitely one of the highlights of the Disney Cruise line experience. Castaway Cay is Disney's private island in the Bahamas. We learned, on one of our excursions, that Disney does not actually own the island but leases it from the Bahamian government. The Bahamas is made up of about 700 islands. You can purchase one if you so desire, but if you plan to bring in tourists, you have to lease the island from their government.

The island was VERY beautiful and was not at all crowded, since the passengers on our ship

were the only guests there. Jason and I went on a nature hike and sea kayaking excursion in the morning and rode a banana boat in the afternoon. It was great fun!

The family beach

The kids on the beach

A sighting of Captain Jack Sparrow

A ship from Pirates of the Caribbean

And the sign that awaited us when getting back onto the ship

Cruise Day 2: Nassau

2008-03-21T15:31:00.003-06:00

Our first stop on the cruise was in Nassau. We spent the morning doing some exploring and shopping and then hung out on the beach in the afternoon.

The sunrise from our verandah
The lighthouse we passed coming into the island
The straw market--it was CRAZY in there!

Yes, there was a Starbucks in Nassau. We went in but just to use the bathroom. Now I wish we had gotten something to see if it tastes the same there as it does here!
Hanging out on the beach. It was a nice, sunny day but the water was a little chilly.
And I know you will all be impressed with this. This is the hospital where Anna Nicole Smith had her baby and where her son died. I had forgotten this happened in the Bahamas, but our taxi driver back from the beach drove by here and told us this is where it all took place.

Cruise Day 1

2008-03-21T07:09:00.005-06:00

After our 5 days at Disney World, we headed off for our Disney Cruise! It was so awesome, because Jason's entire family (except one person) went on the cruise. We are never together all at the same time, so it was great fun. He has 3 sisters, and between them they have 8 kids, so we were able to hang out with our nieces and nephews for a few days. SO FUN! There were 17 of us in our group.

The Mickey pool (there were 3 pools onboard)

Some of the kids in the Mickey pool

At the Sail Away party

During the lifejacket drill

On the first night, our dinner was in the Animator's Palate restaurant. It is a really fun restaurant, because the pictures on the wall start out black and white and turns colors throughout dinner. It was fun and entertaining!

And we enjoyed many Mickey bars during our time on the ship!

Disney World Day 5: Back to Magic Kingdom

2008-03-20T16:33:00.002-06:00

Wednesday we went back and spent the day at Magic Kingdom, riding some of the rides we had not been able to get to on day 1. It was a short day, so we were able to go home to rest and swim before returning for the parade and fireworks. The parade was good but the fireworks were really awesome!

And the next day we left for our cruise (and I have TONS of pictures from that, too!).

Disney World Day 4: Animal Kingdom

2008-03-20T07:13:00.002-06:00

Day 4 (Tuesday) was spent at Animal Kingdom, which I like but is probably my least favorite of all the parks. Our first ride was the Kali River Rapids. Thankfully we had rain ponchos, otherwise we would have been SOAKED!

On one of the walking tours in the park
Waiting to see "It's Tough to Be a Bug" the 3D show inside the big tree
Expedition Everest, a new roller coaster that is AWESOME!
Outide the Dinosaur ride

Favorite parts of Animal Kingdom: The Festival of the Lion King show and Expedition Everest

Animal Kingdom was a short day, so we were able to go back to the house we rented and napped and swam, then headed to Downtown Disney for the evening.

Disney World Day 3: Epcot

2008-03-19T19:03:00.004-06:00

If I had to pick a favorite park, it would probably be Epcot. I love the entire park but especially the World Showcase portion. It is very different from other parts of the Disney Parks in that there are very few rides, but I love experiencing the things from different cultures.

Above is outside the Mission: Space ride. This attraction had special meaning for some members of our party.

Jason and I on the Finding Nemo ride

Inside Epcot is a CocaCola store which offers samples of various sodas from around the world--it was fun trying the different flavors! (mmmmmm, Beverly)

We saw quite a few characters in Epcot!

Jason felt the best way to experience the 11 countries represented was to try food from each. He made a valiant effort but couldn't make it through. Below: crepes from France

Bratwurst and saurkraut in Germany

Mid-day we hit the wall and had to have a latte to perk us up.

With our nieces. They were so much fun!

If you go to Epcot and enjoy fireworks, I would highly recommend Illuminations as a must-see. It is done over the lagoon in the World Showcase and is wonderful. I love it!
Epcot was our longest day but was well worth it. We had a great time!

Day 2: Disney's Hollywood Studios

2008-03-19T07:36:00.003-06:00

We spent our second day at Disney's Hollywood Studios. I love this park because I love old movies and love it's "old Hollywood" feel.

One of our most favorite rides in all the parks--the Tower of Terror!

Another really fun ride--Rock 'n Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

Some fun backdrops

Mickey water tower

Topiary version of Mickey water tower

Jason and I went back that evening to see the Fantasmic show. It is a really cool show over water using fountains, lasers, fire, fireworks. I love it!
Another great day was had by all!

Disney World! Day 1: Magic Kingdom

2008-03-18T17:48:00.004-06:00

The first portion of our vacation was spent at Walt Disney World with Jason's oldest sister and her family. It was GREAT! We spent 5 days at the parks and had so much fun. It was especially fun to go with 3 of our nieces and see how much fun they were having.

First stop: Magic Kingdom!

"it's a small world after all"

Jason looking cool on the Jungle Cruise

My favorite ride at Magic Kingdom: SPACE MOUNTAIN!

Funny moments of the day: getting stuck on Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion

And we were a little chilly this day! I expected to be really hot in Florida, but it was a little cool on Saturday and really windy. But it was still great fun!

Back!!!

2008-03-16T21:57:00.001-06:00

Olivia, you were right, we were on vacation! We have been gone the past 9 days on a fun-filled trip to Florida and the Bahamas! We spent 5 days at Disney World, and then went on a 3-day Disney cruise. It was so much fun, and I have tons of pictures to share, but I am TIRED! Plus I want to climb in to my warm bed--when we left Florida, it was in the 80's and we came back to snow and 38 degrees in Denver. Brrrrr!

Prayer Request

2008-03-05T18:19:00.005-07:00

UPDATE: Alfred has been found! Woo hoo! Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers. I was really worried about him!

Please pray for our sweet friend Alfred.

He is missing, and we are very sad and worried.

New Hair

2008-03-02T22:12:00.003-07:00

I scheduled a hair appointment for this weekend, and I was ready for something new. I have never been one to be afraid of cutting my hair, and I actually prefer my hair to be short. I didn't want to do anything drastic, just a little different.

So here it is! The straight version of the new do and then the curly version. (Please pardon the 'it's-Saturday-and-I-don't-want-to-put-on-makeup" look, as well as the self-portraits. It is hard to take a picture of yourself in the camera!).

Nothing crazy, just a few inches shorter (but my mom wanted to see the new do). It feels so much better to have all those dead ends off and extra bulk cleaned up. I love getting a hair cut!

Bipolar Colorado

2008-03-02T22:04:00.003-07:00

(title courtesy of my husband)

Remember the 70 degree weather we had yesterday? It was SO nice--Denver actually broke a record with 74 degrees, and we spent much of our afternoon outside walking the pugs and riding our bikes.

But today? We woke up to this:

What you can't see in the pictures is the strong wind and sideways blowing snow. Ick! It was barely 30 degrees and snowed on and off throughout the day. Thankfully we aren't getting as hammered as our friends in the northeast, but we are still ready for spring to stay!

This is why we are more than ready for our upcoming vacation to Florida!

Happy Leap Day!

2008-02-29T21:06:00.001-07:00

I hope everyone had a great leap day! I have an aunt whose birthday is today--anyone else know someone with a leap day birthday?

Hope you all have a great weekend. Our weather tomorrow is supposed to be 70 degrees (YIPPEE!) but Sunday is forecasted to be 40 with a chance of light snow. But I will take the warm weather while we can get it!

Birthday Fun!

2008-02-27T18:06:00.002-07:00

Last Saturday was my birthday! I turned the big 27 and had a great day! We went skiing that morning at Breckenridge. It was cold and snowy, but we had a great time! We came home fairly early, and I took a nap (the BEST thing to do on a birthday, in my opinion!). And instead of birthday cake, I had my FAVORITE ice cream that night--Birthday Cake Remix from Cold Stone Creamery. It is SO GOOD! It is cake batter ice cream with brownie, fudge and sprinkles mixed in. It is YUMMY!

I received several wonderful gifts--here is one that my mom sent (a pug tote bag!).

And here are several cards I received!

We went out to dinner on Sunday and are going out again this weekend. It was a great birthday!

Ski Day!

2008-02-21T18:57:00.004-07:00

Today Jason and I took off work and went skiing! It is so crowded on the weekend, so it is nice to get up on the weekdays. We went to Vail and it was a BEAUTIFUL day--sunny and warm with packed powder. We had a wonderful time!

Dog Show!

2008-02-21T18:45:00.003-07:00

Last weekend there was a big dog show here in Denver, and we went! It was four days, but we just went Saturday morning to see the pugs. They were SO CUTE!

It was great fun!

Our Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T20:17:00.002-07:00

Our Valentine's evening had been pretty low key, which is just the way I like it. And look what my mommy sent me for Valentine's Day!

It is a blanket, and I LOVE it! So do Daisy and Oscar, as you can see!

And this is the card that Jason gave me. It is SO cute and says inside "I can't keep my paws off you!" I LOVE pug cards!

Hope you all had a wonderful day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T06:56:00.002-07:00

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ...I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35 & 38

Thankful today for the love of family, friends and God!

Preparations continue.....

2008-02-11T17:13:00.000-07:00

for our upcoming vacation! I didn't have any luggage, so I found some cute Liz Claiborne at Macy's and then found it for less expensive online. It came in today, and I love it! It is hard to see in the picture, but it is actually brown with pink trim. Very fun (and hopefully easy to find on the baggage carousel!).
And in the background you can see two pugs who wish they were going on vacation with their mommy!

Is it Sunday night already?

2008-02-10T21:18:00.000-07:00

Is the weekend over already? I just can't believe how fast it goes sometimes! We didn't do anything terribly exciting--we had planned to ski on Saturday but Jason is a little under the weather, so we decided to stay home instead. But we did run lots of errands, which felt like quite an accomplishment! And today it was warm (relatively speaking) so we got out and took a long walk. It was sooooo nice! I am so ready for spring--enough winter already!

Hope everyone has a good week!

New Shoes!

2008-02-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks, I have been searching for some shoes for our upcoming vacation. I wanted something really comfy and cool that would withstand several days of lots of walking.

So I finally ordered something today! I have always wanted a pair of Keen sandals, so I figured now was a good time to try them out! Here is the pair that I ordered:

I actually ordered them off ebay, and I am so excited to get them! I have never bought shoes on ebay, but they said they were new and were much cheaper than on other sites.

Have any of you worn Keens? If so, what did you think?

Happy February!

2008-02-02T20:36:00.000-07:00

Is anyone else in shock that it's February already? This is one of my favorite months--I love Valentine's Day, plus my birthday is this month. Doesn't get much better than that! Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Welcome, Emma!

2008-01-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

Our friends over at Ragus Pug have a new addition to their family! Please visit their blog and welcome sweet Emma!
Emma, may the rest of your years be blessed and full of puggie hugs, kisses, toys, treats and lots of love!

BARGAINS!

2008-01-26T09:47:00.000-07:00

I recently heard that Bath and Body Works was having a really awesome sale, but I didn't really need anything, so I decided not to go. But the thought of a good sale got the best of me, and I ended up going last night. And it was an AWESOME sale!

I ended up getting all of this stuff for $13!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Much of it I can't use until the fall, but that's okay. I have a pumpkin candle from several years ago, and it is the best candle I have ever had (even better than Yankee candles). So go to Bath and Body Works to find some AMAZING deals! The sale ends tomorrow!

Still here!

2008-01-22T20:40:00.000-07:00

We are still here, we just haven't been doing anything exciting. We did go shopping this weekend and found some AWESOME deals on clothes and shoes. I love bargains!

Daisy and Oscar had a good night tonight. Jason got home before I did and then left again, but I did not realize that he fed them, so I fed them when I got home. They had two dinners! Of course, they didn't tell me they had already eaten--they just ate it right up!

Suggestions, please!

2008-01-16T18:52:00.000-07:00

Okay, I need some help. We are going on a Disney cruise in a few months with Jason's family. We have been instructed to pick Disney characters to represent ourselves. Any ideas on which ones we should pick? I am not good with decisions, and there are so many to choose from! Jason told his sisters I could be Grumpy, so don't pick anything nice for him. Thanks for your help!

Rest

2008-01-16T06:59:00.000-07:00

This morning I was doing a quick blog check and read Punchy's blog about Tricia, Nathan and Gwyneth Rose. I have found links to their blog on several blogs that I read, and their story is so touching and their faith so amazing.

Their story, and several others from blogland, were heavy on my heart this morning. Shortly after reading Punchy's blog, I came across this verse, which held special meaning to me today:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul."

May you all be blessed with rest for your soul today and always.

Our Weekend Fun!

2008-01-14T18:07:00.000-07:00

We spent the weekend skiing! This past weekend was one of the few weekends we didn't have anything going on, so we decided to take advantage of that and go ski! We headed up Saturday morning.

Some of the scenery on the way up

We have to go through this tunnel on the way to the ski resorts

In the tunnel

More roadside scenery

Saturday we skied at Beaver Creek--they have escalators that take you up to the lifts!

Saturday night we ate dinner at the Blue Spruce Inn, and it was delicious! I had Steak Diane, and Jason has Texas Venison medallions. It was YUMMY! And we had a bottle of Malbec, my new favorite wine. Mmmmmmm!

Sunday we skied at Breckenridge, and we had a great time! The sun was out, the slopes were nicely groomed and it wasn't terribly crowded. It was great!

This week, we are planning to go to Vail and ski on Thursday. Fun times!

Girls' Night!

2008-01-11T22:43:00.000-07:00

Tonight I met up with some girlfriends for a girls' night! We had dinner together and sat around and just talked and laughed and drank milkshakes! It is such a blessing to have such wonderful Christian girlfriends.

Say cheese, Andrea

That milkshake was REALLY good!

Susan, our wonderful host and milkshake maker

Sweet Andrew entertained us with his dancing skills

Natalie and Whitney

De-lurking Day!

2008-01-10T06:33:00.001-07:00

Today is National Delurking Day!

If you read this blog but do not comment, today is the day to start doing so! Please let us know if you read our blog. Thanks!

Nothing exciting.....

2008-01-09T20:57:00.000-07:00

My mom was worried about us since I haven't updated in the last few days, but we are okay! We have just been taking it easy so there hasn't really been anything exciting to write. We also have been working out harder and eating healthier to get ready for our cruise that is coming up in March, so that has been tiring! But we are still here!

Last weekend I did quite a bit of scrapbooking--I worked on our Thanksgiving pages and also my trip to Texas from this summer. I am struggling a bit with page ideas and inspiration, but I am hoping that, once I get back into the swing of things, ideas will come easily.

Hope everyone is having a good January!

Happy Birthday!

2008-01-02T06:29:00.000-07:00

Today is my mom's birthday!

I know I have said this before, but I am so very blessed with such a wonderful mother. She is a living example of Christ's love and faithfulness. I love you, Mom, and I am so thankful for you. Happy Birthday!

And yesterday was Jason's mom's birthday! I am also very blessed with a wonderful mother-in-law. Happy Birthday, Linda!

Life with Pugs

We're moving!

Business Travel Woes

Happy Friday!

Amazing Gracie

Post #500! Giveaway

Daisy and This Week's Project

Daisy's Okay!

Oscar

Daisy's at the Vet

Scrapbook Mania!

We've Been Tagged!

Back from the Vet

On To a New Chapter

Here it is!

Family Fun!

Abilene Fun!

Back from camp......

Off to camp!

My Sweet Hubby

Family Fun!

More about the job....

Why I have been absent from blogging......

Not Much to Say.....

Puppies!

San Francisco Favorites

SF Day 3

SF Day 2

San Francisco Fun Day #1

San Francisco!

Birthday Fun!

Happy Birthday, Daisy!

More Questions Answered

Highlight of My Weekend

Questions Answered, Part 2

Happy Gotcha Day, Oscar!

San Francisco!

Questions Answered, Part 1

Everyone's doing it.......

Furry Scurry Fun

Happy Birthday, Dad!

What's better than two pugs?

Sad.......

I did it!

It's Fixed!

Broken Laptop

Pugs in Sunshine

Harry Potter

But I don't wanna get up!

I almost forgot!

Ladies Tea

For inquiring minds.....

New Toy!

Bipolar Colorado Take 2

Weekend Fun

Daisy Update

American Idol

Weird Little Oscar

All About Me in Pictures

Another update

Update

Worried

Tricia's transplant

Product Review

Visitors!

Back from Vacation

Last Day of Vacation

Night 3: Triton's

(oops--out of order) Cruise Night 2: Pirate Night!

Cruise Day 3:Castaway Cay

Cruise Day 2: Nassau

Cruise Day 1

Disney World Day 5: Back to Magic Kingdom

Disney World Day 4: Animal Kingdom

Disney World Day 3: Epcot

Day 2: Disney's Hollywood Studios

Disney World! Day 1: Magic Kingdom

Back!!!

Prayer Request

New Hair