Happy "Tails"

Usually our Sundays are spent being lazy, watching movies, resting up for the week ahead; however, this was not the case yesterday. Yesterday, Stephen (my bf) and I decided to join my parents and go to our farm house. We were going to practice our shooting skills and just have fun in the “country” for the day. We decided to take Stephen’s dog, Martha, with us. She’s half American Bulldog and half Mountain Cur. I know she’s not very rugged or anything, but her breed is supposed to be so we thought she would enjoy herself. This was not the case. We started playing around, and when I say we I mean my dad and Stephen. I never even got to shoot. They shot the guns probably 4 or 5 times and about that time, my mom came running to us because last thing she saw was Martha running in a greyhound like fashion across the front yard. We went after her but really didn’t think too much of it, because she always comes to us, and she has never run away before. The gunshots scared her so she ran and who knows where she ran to. It was the scariest feeling. I felt as if I had lost one of my children. We walked up and down the roads, asking the neighbors, calling for her endlessly, but there was no sign of Martha. This went on for probably four or five hours. I’m not exactly sure, but it felt like an eternity. Stephen’s family ended up bringing their family dog Bella, who knows Martha very well, to join in on the search. It was the neatest thing, they took a towel Martha had been lying on and held it for her to smell and said, “Go find Martha!” She took off and 3 minutes later, Martha was barking and jumping and trying to get to us. Now, I’m not sure if it was just coincidence or having Bella there brought Martha to us, either way I am thankful to have her back.

My reasoning for telling this “tail” is one peace of mind I did have. Martha wears an ID tag on her collar with Stephen’s information. If she hadn’t have come back, I would have had hope that someone would have found her and gotten her back to us safely. I don’t keep an ID tag on Pixie because I don’t make her wear her collar all the time, but now I think I will start. It didn’t come down to the tag, but it could have. Just goes to show that no matter how well behaved or predictable your dog is anything unusual can scare them so that they run in fear. You never know when something like this could happen to you. I hope it never does, but you may want to be prepared.

All's well that ends well!

God bless!

Craft Time

Today I am going to share a little project of mine last night. I have been trying to decorate my house, and let me be the first to say that I have no idea what I’m doing! I’m just having fun and trying things as I go. I have discovered that I have a common theme throughout my living room. It’s brown, black, and gold. I have one very pretty black and gold candle stick that I am using for inspiration. The day I purchased that black and gold candle stick, I also purchased a solid black one. I like the two as a set, the black one just needed something. So I thought, “Self, how can we make the two match?” Now, I was in Hobby Lobby, personally one of my new favorite stores…I guess that’s what happens when you start to get old! So I had endless possibilities of altering the candle stick. I went for the less dramatic approach and got a gold paint pen. That night I was so very nervous to put any paint on there, so you could barely tell what I had done. Either way, I was proud and set the two on my mantle.

Fast forward a month or so later, and I’m back in Hobby Lobby. I found a frame that was the color and size I was looking for to put on the opposite side of the candle sticks. However, there was no gold on it. So, I bought it (at 50% off, 4X6 frame cost $5.00) and brought it home with the intentions of doctoring it up a little.
After working on the candle stick, I was feeling very brave. This time I figured out that you can’t be shy with the paint stick. The technique that I have picked up on is put the paint stick wherever you want gold paint, and then take a paper towel and gently rub over where you put the paint. Worked like a charm.

Before. Supplies.

After

God bless.

Familly Affair

There is nothing like fresh cut grass. Now, I'm not going to be like others and say I love the smell, because I don't. I am highly allergic to the smell, and I will break out in welps and itch like crazy the rest of the night. It's really a little miserable, but I have medicine and I'm used to it now. I'm starting to think I may need to try another brand of medicine though. I've been using this one kind since probably the 4th grade. I'm afraid I am becoming immune to the stuff!

Back on subject-
I have the best yard crew. They are pretty much reliable and consistent. I've only had to have one talk with them about the 9:00 AM wakeup call on Saturday. After that, we've have no problems. I’m so grateful to be able to say that my parents cut my grass. They show up with the trailer, riding lawn mower, push mower, weed eater...you’d think they had their own lawn service. So yesterday evening my parents came to cut my grass. I helped them pickup sticks and move furniture around. My granddad even came to join in the fun. It was a family affair, and I really quite enjoyed myself. Afterwards, we picked up some bar-b-que and had a nice dinner in my dining room. I never use my dining room so it was glad to get some use. So back to the thought, "there's nothing like fresh cut grass". It makes the yard. It makes the house. But, I feel like it makes a family, ours at least. It brought us all together for the evening. We worked together, helped each other, then sat back to look at what we had done together. We even enjoyed a meal with each other. So, I like fresh cut grass for those reasons. I will endure the itching as long as I get some family time. Isn't that what family is about? It's about the small things, working together for one common goal, and then being able to be proud of your accomplishments. Even if it is something small like cutting the grass.

God bless.

Whew! You have missed so much going on in my life. So, where do I start? On June 10, 2010, I celebrated one year of being a homeowner. I guess we can start there. June 10, 2009, I signed for my very first house. This was going to be my house! I could design it how I wanted (fat chance), I could paint it the colors I wanted (in my dreams), and I could be out of my parents house in 3 months, tops (who are we kidding!?!). Notice my sarcasm? Well, this cute house that I just fell in love with needing much more than paint. My parents, who were great and helped me through it all, knew what I was getting myself into, but I was living in "first time home owner fantasy land" apparently. I was completely and totally unaware/ unprepared of what was to come the next few months. My new home needed everything, and I mean everything done to it. Come to find out, I am terrible at picking out paint colors, so I needed lots of help there. I also had no clue about how to design a new kitchen, bathroom, etc., so I needed loads of help there. Everything was a joint effort, but I am so thankful I had all of my parent’s help and support or it would have never gotten finished! Turns out, I knew nothing of remodeling a house! All but two of the paint colors I picked out came out terrible. Let's just say I have a few gallons of paint in the barn just sitting there.

Note to self* buy the samples before you buy the gallon!

Anyway, last summer was spent painting, tearing up floors and knocking down walls, installing central heating and air, refinishing hard woods, getting a new roof, adding a front porch, designing a kitchen, and more painting. There were many late nights, lots of hard work and sweat, and even a few tears (and blood!). Then, there was the purchasing. The purchasing of all new appliances, lighting, ceiling fans, etc (this was the fun part!). Next thing I knew, I was opening up my very own Home Depot Credit Card. Yay for 12 months no interest! Somewhere around October/November I was able to fully move into my home, but it wasn't home yet. It wasn't until I decorated for Christmas that it started to feel like home…a good six months later.

Somewhere in the midst of all the renovations, I got a Yorkie puppy named Milly. Now, as sad as it all sounds, and it was very, very sad, I'd prefer not to forget her. This is why she is being mentioned. About six and a half weeks after I got her, I came home one night to the most terrible site ever...she was really sick. Hours at the vet and up all night with her, she passed that morning...................................................

October 4th, I went to Atlanta with my sister to go look at a Yorkie/Poo puppy someone wanted to "rehome". That's the term craigslist uses because they aren't allowed to sell animals or something like that. We went and visited this pup, and this was not the pup for me. First of all, it was a boy. A boy!? What do I do with a boy dog? No bows or dresses, forget that! Second, this pup was wild! So, we left to "think it over" and ended up at the Atlanta Humane Society. http://www.atlantahumane.org There, I had the heartstrings pulled to help this one tiny little grey pup. The lady handed her to me, and she was almost lifeless. I couldn't say no, so after a little paper work and a small fee, I was the proud parent of a Maltese, Poodle, or mix. She was approximately 6 months old, probably 4-5 pounds, and again, lifeless. I cried the entire way home. Not sure if it was because she wasn't Milly, or because I was just scared of being a pup parent again. Anyway, long story short, got her home, fell in love, took her to the vet, and found out she was sick. After a week in the hospital at the Atlanta Humane Society (Big thanks to them for being so great and footing the bill! If you are looking for a new pet, please consider adoption!) I brought her home and discovered the sweetest little personality ever! After a bath, I realized she was cream/white in color. I then figured out she was originally grey because of the newspaper clippings she was living in. So, now I have a new pet who adores me (doesn't that make you feel great?); however, she doesn't adore anyone else. She is the product of a puppy mill, http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/puppy_mills/" so she probably had no interaction unless it was unkind until the Atlanta Humane Society got her. We're working on that and now 8 months later, she has come way out of her shell!! She's even getting to like some people! Oh, by the way, her name is Pixie...her adopted name was Sarah Palin. That was way too big of a name for such a little pup!

Big breath! Now that you have a little background on me, I feel like I am properly prepared to get you up to date.

God Bless.