Mother's Day

By far, the best one. From start to finish, it was the kind of day I appreciate.
We leisurely started our day, in no rush. The entire family then took a stroll to our nearest Starbucks. Here's the thing: when it's just me, I can only handle taking The Bun on a 30 minute walk. When the pups come along, there are too many bodies to look after and it isn't so much fun as it stressful for this mama. So, unfortunately, the two pups stay behind on what would have been a very nice walk for them. Sad face. More back story: The Man is not fond of walks. He says it's because he walks all day on his job, up and down stairs, ladders and multiple trips throughout the job site. When he gets home, he doesn't want to do anymore walking! But on this day, he entertained my request and went along for the walk. This meant the pups could go too. I can't explain how happy this simple trip made me. I love walks and was so happy everyone could enjoy it.
Admittedly, the trip from Starbucks back to our home wasn't as relaxed because I made the fam hustle to get back. Mama had a date with a friend to go wine tasting! I used to be a member of a wine club but, when we moved, I realized that it was better for me to end my membership because I didn't drink that much wine. It was really the easiest thing to cut out of my budget. That doesn't mean I wasn't a tad bit sad. This winery (technically, wine company but I like to call them an urban winery) is my favorite because it's only 30 minutes away and has a cool view of San Francisco. Plus the place itself is really pretty and I just feel happy when I'm there. I had convinced my friend to go there when my complimentary wine tasting benefits were coming to an end (membership had its perks) and she fell in love with it too. So my friend proposed we wine taste on Mother's Day sans children. Oh, how nice it was! The weather was gorgeous, just perfect. We sat outside, drank wine and ate a delicious lunch. This is one of my dearest friends and we have such a difficult time getting together so it was a great three hours of catching up, laughing and enjoying fantastic wine.
We parted ways happily so we could enjoy our own Mother's Day dinners. While it was great to have some grown up time away from the home, it was nice to reunite with The Man and The Bun. They were ready for dinner by the time I came home! We went to this local place that has become one of the hippest places in its small town. So hip that we waited an hour and a half to be seated. Surprisingly, I didn't really mind that. What I minded was that they seem to have outgrown their space and their no-reservations policy but don't have a system that's working for them quite yet. While I vowed to not go back for a long while (I adore the place but I need a break from their growing pains nonsense), it was fun way to end the day.
The Man topped off the day with a very nice gift. This mama also cut pampering out of the budget because it was the second easiest way to save money and, quite frankly, I don't have the time to trek out to the salon that houses my favorite esthetician and massage therapist. He asked me what I would like as a gift and I told him that I would love a treatment or two at this salon. The Man gave me a gift certificate so I can get a facial and massage. Whooohooo! I don't know when I'll be able to use it but it's really wonderful to know it's there.
There you have it. Nothing crazy, nothing over the top but it was fantastic and lovely. My hubby went a-walkin' even though it's not his favorite thing to do, watched The Bun and then treated us to a nice dinner. I'm very thankful for all my blessings.

The Bun and me entertaining ourselves while waiting for dinner.

30 Interesting Facts (and why I've been sucking at blogging recently)

1. Started a new job on March 1st w/ the same company I've been with for nearly four years. This puts me in an interesting position in being like a newbie. But not.

2. Trying to manage my time better so I'm spending it with those that I love, getting things I need to get done and preparing things for The Bun & me for the next day so I don't rush in the mornings. Leaves very little time for blogging, though.

3. I worry a lot. I've been trying to manage it, though, so I can be in the moment. How very Oprah of me, I know.

4. The birth of my daughter has made mortality so much more real to me. This coincides with #3. I worry about how much more time I will have with those that I love (like my parents, husband, family, good friends) and I want to make the most of it.

5. I forget where I read this. But a person wrote that if they knew they were dying, they wouldn't want to go to places they've never been or fulfill their bucket list. They would want to spend each minute with everyone they love. I agree.

6. I knew there would be a point in my life in which I wouldn't feel young and sexy (OK, more like cute ... I don't think I've ever described myself as sexy.) I didn't think it would happen so soon.

7. I love my baby and my husband. I would like, however, to get the body I had when I was single. I was pretty pleased with that body and I think my husband would benefit from that body too. The baby, not so much. But it wouldn't hurt her.

8. I love our pups so much. I wish they had life spans like humans.

9. I love them so much they are in our Christmas cards.

10. I wish we could afford help. Housekeeping or nanny-ing. It would be really nice.

11. I've heard many reasons why I should have another child. I agree with almost all of them. I'm just not emotionally or physically ready yet.

12. Almost everyone says not to worry about money. That a family just figures it out. But I do worry how we would be able to afford another one.

13. I just realized this is supposed to be 30 "interesting" facts. Not random thoughts. All right, well ... I have only had two real boyfriends. I married the second one, in case you couldn't figure that out.

14. I am a terrible dater. I never understood the whole second date concept if the first wasn't all that great.

15. I probably sabotaged most relationships before the other person could mess up. Part of the reason I was a terrible dater.

16. I wish I could go back to my early 20s if I could keep all the relationships I have now. The only reason would be so I could enjoy every moment instead of wanting for something I didn't currently have.

17. For so long, I wanted people to think I looked my age or older. I can't exactly pinpoint when I wanted people to guess I looked younger than my age. See? Wanting what I don't currently have. Stupid.

18. I sound like I'm unhappy, don't I? I'm actually a very happy person. And quite content with life. (This points out another reason I was a terrible dater. My husband said I was the master at mixed signals!)

19. My dream job is to be famous and in movies. Funny that I'm not an actor nor have I ever done anything to pursue that dream. And, honestly, I think it sounds a lot more glamorous than it probably really is. My other dream job would be to host a travel show. If I can drag all the people I love with me :)

20. I have more confidence now than I did 10 years ago. And I had a way better body 10 years ago! Funny how that works.

21. I care more about the earth, education and the well being of humanity. I think becoming a mama made me care more.

22. I also think that my significant other makes me be a better person. It's hard to explain in few words but, in my only other serious relationship, my ex said that I made the other want to be a better person. He said I gave him drive, made him want to be more responsible. A grown up. But w/ The Man, I think he has made me be more caring and thoughtful towards others. Not even by what he says but what he does.

23. I give The Man compliments (like the one above) but I also tease him because, let's face it, we keep each other grounded, too ;) We used to be better at giving each other compliments but we've always teased each other. I hope that we can continue to praise each other throughout our relationship because it's just another way to show love.

24. Our oldest pup, who is technically not a pup at nearly 5 years, came very close to death a few months ago. That experience reminded me of why I pushed back for years w/ The Man of why I didn't want a pet. Much less two. I still wasn't over the loss of childhood dog when we got these two. I'm way too much of a softie. But I wouldn't redo the past and not have them. Because they have brought and continue to bring so much joy to my life and to our relationship!

25. On that note, I really wish pets could be covered by human medical insurance. At Kaiser, I paid $100 for giving birth and for being in the hospital for three nights. Piko was at the vet for 7 days and we paid a Hawaiian vacation for 2. A very NICE vacation for 2. We don't have a single regret but man, that's expensive.

26. My daughter, without meaning to do so because she's just a wee baby, has already broken my heart. When I shared this w/ a co-worker, she told me her 23 year old daughter continues to break her heart. But she loves her to pieces and that's just what kids do. A regret I have? Every inconsiderate thing I've ever done to hurt my mom's feelings. My dad, too, but now I know what it's like to be a mama.

27. I feel so blessed with the company I keep. Nearly every day, I thank God for my wonderful family and friends because I feel surrounded by love. This is a very big deal to me.

28. I'm spiritual but not religious. I would actually like to be religious. But I'd like to have one in which The Man would like to also join so we can have our little family worship together.

29. I've always been very conservative about relationships and being faithful. I am pretty liberal when it comes to politics. I believe in equal rights - I don't think that makes me wildly liberal. I think it makes me FAIR.

30. It took me the span of four days to finish this. I wonder when I'll ever find time to quality blog again. I'm thinking rather than primarily writing about my thoughts, I may start documenting The Bun's milestones again. I don't want to forget things and we never started a baby book.

Family

The Man has a few favorite old photos of his family. One that has always meant a lot to him is of him and his dad in his dad's work truck. I think The Man is around 2 years old in the photo. For months now, he's mentioned how he wants to recreate the photo w/ The Bun. Of course I thought it was a grand idea. My husband has fond memories of his father. He, unfortunately, only got to spend 14 years with his dad before he passed away. So he treasures those memories and these photos with his father.
Well, we decided yesterday that we were going to take the time to finally do it. And I love how the photos turned out. The Man looked through them all and found the one that best matches his old photo. It's funny. I know it's just a photo. But I'm so glad we took the time to do it because I know it makes The Man very happy. I know he wishes there were more photos of him and our baby so I think this helps make up for it.
The top photo is of The Man w/ his Dad (his dad wearing a work hat) in his dad's work truck. The bottom, The Bun w/ The Man wearing his hard hat and in his work truck.


My absolute favorite:


I can't help it. It has all our babies :)

Updates and such

The Bun turned 4 months old this week. Wow. While she is still so little, it feels like she's been around for much longer because I can't really remember how every day life was like without her.
She still favors her right hand (she thinks it's really cool every time she sees it) but she knows she also had a left one now. And The Bun has this habit of rubbing them together like she's devising this evil plan to take over the world.
Really.
The Bun also has quite the kung fu baby grip. It hurts terribly when she feels like grabbing skin or hair. Other than that, she just likes to feel things and that isn't so bad.
In one week and a day, I go back to work. We all know the many feelings I have about that.
The Man and I are doing well. But he's been having to deal with property drama (with a home he bought prior to our marriage) and it has been extremely stressful. I feel so bad for him and it affects the quality time he has w/ The Bun. Instead of being able to spend time with his daughter, he has to call or email many folks and it eats up much of the evenings. Plus it puts him in a bad mood which I don't blame him because it really is stressful. He by no means takes it out on me or the baby but who wouldn't want to see the person she loves in a GOOD mood? Plus that leaves me alone to take care of the baby. But other than that, we are doing well and I'm thankful.
The pups have been baaaaaad lately. I think it's just one but unless you catch her in the act, we have to assume it's both. Two weeks ago, one of the peed upstairs on the carpet. Last week, someone pooped downstairs on the carpet. Yesterday, I found pee in the middle of the hallway. Also on the carpet. I have been absolutely furious because it's ME who discovered these crimes so it's ME who has to clean them. Mad, mad, mad. I haven't gotten physical (one, because unless the pup is caught in the act, she won't have any idea why I'm punishing her and two, I don't know which one did it!) but there has been a whole lot of yelling. LOTS. Yes, they are my furry babies but dammit I hate cleaning up that kind of stuff, especially on carpet!
Anyway, got to get ready for my Mommy group before she wakes up. I want to enjoy every little moment we have of bonding before going back to the j-o-b.

Pups, turn overs, grabbing and such

Dear Bun,

The pups still respect your space. Well, if they can see you. When I cover your legs with a blanket, Pili has a bad tendency to step on the blanket, not knowing she's actually stepping on you. But whenever you cry hard, your furry sisters come racing to you and then giving me this look like, "Well? Aren't you going to DO something? FIX HER!" Although I know Piko loves you too, Pili is the one that comes into your room when your Daddy and I go through the night time routine and say good night to you. What's funny is that she sometimes forgets that when we turn off the light, it's time to go. We have to prompt her. We know this because, one time, we left your room and heard a couple minutes later one bark. Just one. Daddy quietly opened your door and Pili was waiting patiently on the other side. I thought it was very polite of her not to want to wake you.
You recently learned to turn over from your stomach to your back. I'm happy for you but I can't help dread that days I can leave you on my bed like an upside down turtle are gone. You are still slow to turn over but I know that rolling is just around the corner.
You are grabbing more and more. Last week, you grabbed my glasses. You constantly grab my hair but you've been doing that for a while so I suppose I'll be wearing ponytails, buns and braids until you're five.
Next week, I'll write about your teeth coming in (oh lawdee, you are NOT happy about that!), finding a daycare provider and our maternity leave time coming to an end. I'm not excited about that but I know you will be in good hands.

Love,
Mama

Swing shift

I'm sure you wanted to know all about my cervix in its 38th week but that's going to have to wait.
The Man is at a new project for two weeks and it requires him to work from 4pm to 1:30am and the household is topsy turvy with this one! OK, it's not sooo bad but thank goodness I'm on travel restriction with work and that this is also my last week before maternity leave. Because I don't know how peppy I would be next week on this same schedule.
I'm already a light sleeper due to the body invasion I'm currently experiencing. So when The Man comes home around 2ish am, even if he was Ninja stealth-like, I'd probably still wake up. But he's not. And the pups go ape $hit when he comes home so I just wake up. Bless his heart, he tries to be relatively quiet. And he's so pooped that all he wants to do is take a shower and go to bed. But the dogs act like it's Christmas day when he comes home. So when he makes his way to the bedroom, I say hello, wait for things to settle down and then go back to sleep. Of course, because he basically is my binkie or teddy bear, it's hard to sleep with him not in the bed anyway. I get into bed around 9pm but don't fall into a good sleep until after 11pm. It doesn't help that the pups are like those faulty car alarms in the city. You know, the ones that go off for nothing and just piss you off because they stay on for what feels like hours and hours? Well, I love my pups but that's kind of what they do. I'm guessing it's because the Alpha dog isn't home and it's freaking them out that the "pack" is not all together. At least, that's what I tell myself so I don't give them the boot and make them outside dogs.
And in case you were dying to know, the doctor said that this week my cervix is paper thin and the head has dropped lower. I'm surprised I'm not sitting on her.

But what about her furry babies?

I had a Marley and Me moment the other day. Meaning, I saw the movie, bawled my eyes out at the thought of Piko and Pili leaving us and then I looked lovingly at my very cute yet sometimes disgusting pups. They're so small that they will always seem like puppies to me even though they are full fledged dogs.
Things have been pretty chaotic for us since the start of 2009. January 1st rolled around and we made it a priority to hunt for a new home. Then we made an offer and went through all that shenanigans. During this crazy time, we also found out I was pregnant. Then we moved. (Shoot, that's still a work in progress - we have stuff at our old place!) And we've had to learn to adjust our spending habits because we can't necessarily live in the style we are accustomed to because we now pay mortgage, insurance, HOA fees and a plethora of other bills that come with the joy of being homeowners. OK, I'M the one a bit challenged with this but I've made many changes. For instance, switched from my expensive ass shampoo and conditioner to the $3 stuff (which my hair can totally tell, isn't fooled for a minute, and is currently fighting with me.)
We have taken no recent pictures of the pups. But I don't feel so bad about that because we haven't taken many pictures, period. We don't even have pictures of our new home or baby bump progress pictures. The lack of photographs is a result of our move. I have no idea where my old camera is and we don't have the adapter to charge our new camera.
But I wanted to reassure everyone that our pups are still around and loved. We didn't give them the boot after we found out about Sticky Bun. In fact, The Man thinks it's hilarious to tell me that he wants to try the baby clothes we received as gifts on Pili to see how she looks in them. They still rule the house. For now. I don't know if that will still be the same when SB is here. But they are loved and adored. There were times, though, after discovering a couple of "accidents" in our new home, when I wanted to kick their furry butts outside and make them outdoor dogs. But I didn't. In fact, we want to make sure things go smoothly so, after finding this article on the internet, we are going to be doing the following in the next month or so ...

Every pet, even the friendliest one, has the potential to bite, especially if the pet feels threatened, scared or becomes overly excited. Animal bites can be serious, but you can help prevent them by following some basic tips:
• Spay or neuter your pet; this will help decrease aggression and other problems. Done
• Do not play rough games, like wrestling, with your dog. Done
• Keep your pets' vaccinations up to date, including rabies. Done
• Take your dog to obedience classes. Done ... but you'd never know it.
• If you don't want your pet to go in the baby's room, start forbidding it now, before the baby is born. Yah right. Our pups act like they put down the principle on this home.
• Play recordings of a baby crying, turn on the infant swing, or use a rocking chair so your pet gets used to the sounds. Won't play recordings because that's creepy but we'll do everything else.
• Sprinkle baby powder on your skin so your pet becomes familiar with new smells. Piko loves the taste of Cetaphil. No really, you would think it was peanut butter. So I better make sure she doesn't like baby powder or lotion or that baby is going to get some major lovin' from her.
• Never leave your baby alone with any animal. And I was going to have the baby sleep with them on the doggy bed instead of a crib. Darn.

This just confirms my belief that you are already a momma if you have a furry animal and treat them nicely. Because this is a helluva lot of work for just a "pet"! ;)

Internet is a necessity, not a luxury

I've decided. Because being without our lovely wireless Internet and catching glimpses on my phone is not the same.
We are STILL moving and will probably be moving for weeks to come. I'd estimate we have about 75% of our stuff at our new home. But little things that we need to pack remain at our old house, things that we don't need but, boy, do we miss when we realize it's not here! Off the top of my head: our cutting board; soy sauce; muffin tins; Pine Sol; Windex; fax/printer paper; things like those.
Oh, and Happy Tax Day! On that note, the note of things that take your money or cause you to be broke, our first mortgage payment is on May 1. Oh dear!
As for everything else ... well, our one year anniversary is tomorrow. Wow, it's been a year. So much has happened, though, it feels to me that it's been longer. We aren't doing anything at all fancy. I requested that, instead of buying a gift, we have a very nice dinner out and he give me a sincerely written (not written on the way home in traffic!) card. As for my gift to him, I wish I could have taken him on a trip. Or even treat him to just a weekend getaway. But we need the weekends to continue to move. And we aren't comfortable spending that much money until we see if our budgeting goes according to plan and find out if we have as much as we estimated after bills. What to do, what to do.
He's not a spa guy (I've tried, ladies, oh lawdee how I've tried!) but I do know The Man needs a massage with the kind of work he does and the extreme stress he's been under lately.
If you read my blog at all you know I LOVE spas and I truly believe massages are sacred. So I certainly have reservations about places that give me the impression of a factory churning out massages. OF COURSE it has to be a good massage. But I'm also very much about the ambiance, the relaxation and basically, basking in the massage after glow glory.
Quite a few people I know have been singing the praises of Massage Envy. From what those folks have said, ME sounds like it's a great place to get a massage. But what about all the other aspects I love so much about spas? I am a big fan of Yelp so I checked out the reviews of the local Massage Envy. They had overall great reviews and many people recommended the same therapists. They also had great things to say about the location.
While I will probably always love spas, ME sounds like the kind of place The Man would enjoy. He thinks the prices spas charge are ridiculous and he is very uncomfortable trying to relax among strangers. Besides, ME prices are pretty fantastic! I booked a 60 minute massage for him and a prenatal massage for me for the price a 60 minute massage for ONE would cost. I think he will appreciate getting all his knots and kinks worked out, especially after the stressful week he's has so far. And I will certainly benefit from a good massage - my first prenatal one!
It's not a trip to Hawaii. Hell, it's not even a trip to Monterey! But, over all, I think it's a very nice way to celebrate our very first anniversary - in our first home together, with our two pups, and a bun in the oven. And it is better than a trip to, say, Reno :)

Um, hopefully I didn't offend anyone with the Reno comment!

Oh how I love technology and a teeny tiny update

now I can be even lazier and more disconnected (yet connected?) with the world by being able to Twitter on my blog and have it update my status. YESSSSSSSSSSSSS.
The keys and garage remote are in our hands now :) We have laid down some serious cash for a bedroom set as we designated it our #1 priority since it was preventing us from moving in, like, yesterday. We have very relaxed landlords so we can take our sweet time in moving in. More importantly, we figured out that we have just enough cabinet space that we designate the pantry as the "powder room" for the pups.
Look. We were trying to figure out how we can have them do their deed outside the house. We (okay, I!) am too prissy to have them get dirty in the yard and then come back in. The Man was going to cut through the garage door and we were going to train them to go in a spot in the garage but, during our walk through, we were told that the garage door is a fire retardant door and would greatly slow down a fire in the garage from spreading into the house. The Man did not want to mess with that. We thought, maybe they could go in the laundry room? But that would require them to go upstairs on the nice carpet and Mama Lu ain't havin' none of that.
Then I eyed the pantry. We figured we could put our huge kitchen appliances there for storage as well as cleaning supplies in the room. And the pups have a little room to do their deed in private. (Their set up is similar to a kitty litter box but not quite.) DONE.
So there you have it. Although we are still in desperate need of a dining table, a couch, a couple of plush living room chairs or recliners, an entertainment center and an office desk, we are much more at ease knowing there is a powder room for the pups.

I love this little blog group so much!

You guys have made me laugh with your comments regarding the last post. THANK YOU. I'm seriously okay. It really was a good thing that it was kind of drawn out (two weeks is a long time for Miss Impatient over here!)
We looked at ELEVEN houses today. Just to see our options. And to narrow down which homes we actually wanted to view the interior with our realtor. Truthfully, none were as spectacular as the first house. But you know what? They were less expensive which is something we can certainly be thankful for and happy with!
But let me tell you the gifts Piko and Pili gave us today ...
I scheduled their vet visits today because I figured not a lot of people would be going because it's the weekend and it's Valentine's Day. The Man and I took them for their annual check ups and shots. Afterwards, we decided to look at the homes we found on the internet. We chose 11 to drive past and check out from the car ... just to see.
Well, I know it's not safe but the pups usually ride with us in the front. But they started behaving badly after the third house, whimpering and wiggling and wanting to stick their heads out the window so we put them in the back seat.
On our way to the fifth, The Man glanced back and yelled, "Oh no, Piko!"
She pooped on his baseball hat in the backseat.
He knew it was our fault for not picking up on her whimpering so we couldn't really get mad at her. The Man found the nearest park and I took them for a bathroom break walk while he cleaned the mess. His seats are cloth. The pups and I walked around for five minutes and when we got back to the car, he pretty much cleaned up everything ... it didn't even smell anymore. Great! He said that although it was soft, it was still hard enough to pick up easily. It might be TMI but, I think, an important piece of information nevertheless.
Although we're a bit grossed out, we decided to keep on keepin' on. We were on our way to the next house when I glanced back and BAM! Pili's little body was hunched over and she was in mid-poop in the exact spot where Piko just pooped! I yelled, "Pili's pooping now!" and The Man, shocked that this could happen again, slammed on the brakes. Because it would be our luck, Pili's poop is totally wet and basically a puddle. To make matters worse, because oh yes, they can get worse, she was slipping and sliding on her own poo when he slammed the brakes and tried to get her balance back by stepping all over the backseat.
The Man immediately pulled over and it was now MY turn to clean up the mess. I almost gagged because it was a lot messier and stinkier than Piko's. (The Man got Piko's nastiness in one pick up. I had to use many, many, many napkins and babywipes to pick up her sh*t puddle.) In the meantime, The Man attempted to clean Pili's paws because they were all soiled. They sure taught us a lesson. We went straight home, washed Pili and continued looking out homes without them.
I swear, it was bowel movements galore today. Happy Valentine's Day to us :)

Ohhh SNAP. Christmas pictures!!

I love, love, love my husband. Our only planned amateur photo shoot (we were going to have his little brother take the pictures) was rained out. I worried because I had no idea how we would have another willing and able person around when we were available to take pictures. But The Man had no doubt he would be able to take care of business with his trusty tripod and our little canon camera.
We woke up this morning and took the pups to Alameda. Poor guy, he was feeling under the weather but he put a brave face on because he knew how much I wanted pictures for our holiday cards. It was colder than a mother effer but by golly, he did it. He's so talented! And I have to add that he was missing the piece that attached the camera securely to the tripod so it was balancing precariously the entire time :)


We could NOT figure out how to get the puppies to look at the camera.


Our dogs couldn't be less interested in what we were doing.


Good enough - we'll take it!


Poor guy, he is sick and shivering the whole time. And if there hadn't been fog, you would be able to see San Francisco and the Bay Bridge in the distance. But there was. So you don't!


Looks romantic. But we're both thinking, "Did the camera take the picture yet?" And again, no San Francisco skyline :(


Hauling the dogs back to the car and getting our frozen rear ends back home! (I think Gil FINALLY understands why I love the car seat warmers so much!!!)

I was hoping to be one of those annoyingly on the ball people who sent out their Christmas cards right after Thanksgiving. But now I'm just part of the normal geeky crowd who loves to send holiday cards made up of pictures of themselves.

I freakin' LOVE this season! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!

PS: Poor hubby. He had cold sweats that night and a fever. He ended up calling sick on Monday ... he thinks someone sneezed in his food when we ate out on Saturday night!

Happy Birthday, Pili Monster!

I should also write, "Happy Belated Birthday, Piko!" Her 2nd birthday was three weeks ago but I didn't have my act together. They aren't blood sisters. They're the same mixed breed but from different mamas. I still don't have my act together but, luckily, my PDA reminded me that it was Pili's 2nd birthday first thing this morning. I decided to take pictures of both pups to commemorate their birthdays.

Puppies+Early Morning+Old but Trusty Camera = well, this:


Hmm. OK. Let's try again -

Jeezus. Let's try one more time -

OK, I lied. One more try ... ONE more.

Well, it looks like we drug our puppies but I was running late for work at this point so this was as good as it got.

Everyone who knows us knows The Man and I adore (and may be even obsessed with) our dogs. They make bad days better and are big relievers of stress. They are freakin' awesome. Even though they can be smelly, gross, poop machines a lot of the time. They are still pretty great.

Work has been and still is crazy busy. And it will continue to be for a few more months. My friend is keeping a countdown for me and I have 57 work days left. Ugh. I work anywhere between 8-14 hours a day and I'm lucky if it's an 8-hour work day. But if I end up working 8 hours, I have to pay for it on the weekends and end up doing some data entry or paperwork Saturday or Sunday. Last weekend I worked both days. But you know what? I still like my job way more than my last one. This is just my least favorite time. I keep reminding myself how lucky I am that I get to work from home and typically get to set my own hours. That this is the time where I work really hard and it pays off later. But 57 days (not including weekends) is an awful long time before my least favorite part of my job is complete. A looooong time.

On the brighter side, though ...


BABY'S BACK. Welcome home, Gertie!!!!! Her right front headlamp and bumper were all sorts of bad two weeks ago and now she looks as good as new.


We are dreading to find out what my premium is now. But at least Gertie's back where she belongs and looking spiffy! And I just keep telling myself, "57 more days ... just 57 more days ..."

Sunday Excursion

This past Sunday, The Man and The Mrs. packed up the pups and decided to walk the Golden Gate Bridge. We wanted to walk earlier in the morning but couldn't wake up! We ended up getting there around 10:30am. Plenty of cars, cyclists and pedestrians. And, oh my, the tourists. But who could blame them? The bridge is a landmark, after all. As expected, it was quite breezy. The fog continued to roll in and our walk to Marin didn't have much of a view of the city. But the walk back to the San Francisco side made for a pretty stroll as the sun was breaking through the clouds.

This was taken after I waited in a long line to use the bathroom before we started our walk. Oh, talk about awkward! The women's bathroom had a long line and some women ahead of me had the brilliant idea to use the men's facilities. So a small group of us headed there. They had two stalls and two urinals. While we waited to use the stalls, I saw many a men and boys use the urinals. Luckily, their backs were to me but let me just say that they are disgusting. I saw guys who splashed the floor because they couldn't wait to aim their kibbles and bits into the urinal. Ugh. I was gone so long that The Man was getting worried about me. In the future, I will just wait in the women's line. Oh, and I totally rolled up my pants before entering in the bathroom. It was bad enough my shoes were touching the floor but I sure as hell wasn't going to have anything else. *Shiver*

It got a little humid on our walk, with the sun coming out and there being no shade on the bridge. Yes, even with the fog! The Man rolled up his sleeves and we stopped for frequent water breaks for the pups.

Behold! The glory that is Piko, The Man and Pili. Oh, and the Golden Gate Bridge :) Poor Piko. This pic really shows how she gets allergies when she goes outside and she just tears and tears.

This was taken on our walk back from Marin to San Francisco. If you look closely, you can see the cityscape behind me. And thank goodness I was wearing a jacket with removable sleeves. It was getting HOT! And I just realized after posting all the photos that Pili is camera shy! We'll have to make sure she looks our way when we take future pictures.

Lessons learned:
1. Pack snacks. While it's roughly only 1.5 miles each way, a person can get hungry and there are NO vendors on the Marin side. Just two sets of bathrooms. (Word to the bridge keeper uppers: that would also be great to have on the San Francisco side!)
2. Either wait in line to use the women's bathroom or hold it. At least until you are crossed the bridge and are in Marin where there are two buildings which both house restrooms. Ahhhh.
3. Go earlier in the day. It was crowded by the time we got there and the fumes from the cars can be a bit much. But we just about finished our walk when we passed a police-escorted protest which took up a lot of room on the walkway and caused traffic on the bridge. Bless the Bay Area and its' protests :)
4. Have wipes for Piko's bottom. Won't even go into detail about that.

I had a great time but The Man said it will be several months before we do it again. That's OK. He's so great to entertain me and my whims and I finally got to do something I've never done before. Can you imagine? I've lived in the Bay Area for nearly 30 years and never walked the Golden Gate Bridge. What a treat.

A nice weekend

How was your weekend? Ours was very nice. Vero and her hubby came to visit and the liquor was flowing ... in a respectable fashion. :) They are fantastic house guests and The Man was happy to see his best friend. We drank, we ate, we played games, we drank ... lots of fun. Thanks for visiting us!
After they left, The Man pleaded with me to go with him to San Francisco to run an errand. I was pooped and didn't want to go but he bribed me by saying we could bring the pups. I'm glad I went with him because he was picking up an item he bought on Craigslist. Call me a worrier, but I'm always leary of meeting strangers. And not that I'm strong enough to overtake someone that may want to rob The Man, but at least I could furiously call 911 and scream at the top of my lungs. Anyway, we were in a sketchy part of San Francisco but all went well. OK, we were actually on the cusp of sketchy. We were parked in front of nice apartments. And then right across the street were not-so-nice apartments with six cop cars out front. And no, I'm not exaggerating for effect.
I got this great idea after he was done that we should take the pups across the Golden Gate Bridge. I told him I don't recall ever walking the bridge, I know he hasn't walked the bridge, so wouldn't it be fun? He reluctantly agreed (he didn't have much room to bargain since he did drag me to SF to run an errand) and away we went. We found the place to park but it was packed. Of course it would be - this is a landmark and it was 4:00pm. Tourists galore! We parked in the the overflow lot and made our way to the bridge.
It was on the crowded side but not overwhelming. The pups were having a ball! They were pulling on their leashes and leading the way. Good to know Obedience Training paid off. The Man and I knew we weren't appropriately dressed as we passed people in parkas, scarves and beenies. But we kept truckin'. I wanted to walk the length of the bridge but we realized that we only had one poop bag left and The Man didn't want to risk it. He's a reasonable fellow.
We only walked half of the bridge but had a good time. The pups didn't get tired at all (usually Piko gives up on life halfway into a walk) and I exclaimed how much fun the girls were having. The Man said that he thinks it was more terror - between the cars, people and the wind whipping us, he thought they were hauling ass, not because they were excited but because they were scared for their lives. I prefer to think they were very excited.
What was best about this visit is that The Man admired the views we saw from the Golden Gate Bridge and said to me, "You know what? You're right. San Francisco can be beautiful." Oh happy day! He hates going into the city which made me sad because there are parts that I love. I understand not liking the hustle and bustle but there are just some places that are lovely. I convinced him that we should come back in a month, dressed appropriately, earlier in the day so there would be less people and cars. He agreed. We'll also bring a camera so we can take pictures and post! I know, we'll totally look like tourists but it's OK. It will be worth it!

And Tel! I convinced The Man that he has to go with me to the Hula Show! With you not around, I've been hard pressed to find a companion :(

Thankful

I know I'm a bit early but it's not really about Thanksgiving. I woke up this morning full of thanks in my heart.
Honest, it's totally true.
I woke up with a content feeling and I thought, "Life is good." And I wanted to write about. Because it's so easy to complain about what I don't have but wish I did, the money I don't make but wish I did, the body I don't have but wish I did and the things I haven't done but wish I did. It's just too easy. I know complaining and venting are good outlets and help keep me sane but I also believe in balance. So since I woke up wearing my Mary Sunshine hat, I figure I would just go with it.
My parents and I finally have a great relationship. Well, we've had one for about five years now but it's been a long time coming. They are NOT the type of parents that ever wanted to be their kids' friends. Oh no, there was a clear parental line that they not only drew out but stuck an electric fence, to boot. They were some serious disciplinarians when I was growing up. (Who had an 11:00pm curfew when she was 19 years old? *Hands flailing* Me, over here! Me!!!) But they've loosened up - well, my Dad said he's old and too tired to fight:) - but they also remind me that they will always be there. When I hated, HATED, my old job, I finally let out my frustration during a coffee date with my dad. He then told me, "You will never be homeless or worry about about food. As long as we're alive you will always have a roof over your head. You shouldn't be at a job that causes so much stress and anxiety." How could I not almost cry when he said that? Even though he and my mom have stayed at their jobs that they have sometimes hated, they believed that I should find my happiness.
My sister is my best friend, knitting professor, and the person I love to visit most. It's so funny how you can be very different and, somehow, be very much alike. She is on the quiet side, likes to hide from parties and very very smart (I'm ashamed to admit that I don't know half the books she mentions and some of the words she says) but when we're together, we are loud, we laugh a lot and she tells me exactly what she's thinking. I love it! I have such a good time hanging out with her and she is so kind. For the first part of my life, she was my second mom. Now that I can trusted to go out in public and not accidently kill myself, I think she's felt she can be more of a friend. I know not everyone has a good relationships with their siblings so I am very thankful that my sister and I are tight like this! *fingers crossed*
Oh, The Man. He is a funny character. So serious and quiet. He HATES parties or places that require him to socialize. He is extremely independent and probably never ever talked to anyone as much on the phone as he talked to me when we first dated. He's also the type to bottle up his fury and release it when no one is watching. The Man, whether he realizes it or not, isn't comfortable showing emotion. I've come to understand that he rarely let's anyone into his world. He's polite and he'll do small talk, but he is very private and keeps to himself.
Somehow, he let me barge into his world. He let me in. I get to see him talk baby talk to our pups. I get to hear him sing terribly to a song while he's using the wrong words. I get to laugh at him, too, and he doesn't get embarrassed! He just sings louder :) For better and for worse, I see all his emotions. And when I really think about it, I think I'm the only one that does. He is also my best friend. He can read me like a book. He knows when I'm in a rotten mood or when I need a hug (although now he just sticks a puppy in my face.)
There are also so many things I'm grateful for in my life. I love my job and really like my boss. I have a job that lets me work from home most of the time. I'm grateful that my nine-year-old car is paid off and will drive it until it gives out! I'm thankful I'm able to rent a cute house with nice neighbors. I love my pups - they are tiny people with fur coats. I am very thankful to have free puppysitting. This is probably the most Mary Sunshine of all but I'm thankful that all my loved ones are safe and relatively healthy.
It's so easy for me to forget the good things in my life because I'm quite good at bitching about the things that irritate me or go wrong. There's just so much! hehehe ... but I want to recognize all the good in my life, too.

Dreams and do overs

Dreams are a funny thing, aren't they? Well, I remembered mine from last night, which doesn't happen too often, so I'm going to write it down before I forget. Oh, and Cyn, it was about YOU.
Hahaha, don't be alarmed. It was brief and nothing too odd. In my dream, we lived very close to each other in LA. Anyway, we talked on the phone about as much as we do now and we never saw each other. It was time for me to move back and we realized that we should have made a better effort to see each other and appreciated the fact that we lived close by. Then I woke up. See? Nothing embarrassing or crazy :)
I have very few regrets. Things that aren't necessarily earth changing but would have made an impact in my little world. But this dream reminded me of one thing I would like to do over. wished I had enjoyed university life more. Especially now that I have responsibilities! I wished I had taken advantage of living away from home and asked my roommates/friends to go on road trips. I met some incredible people in college but we were either too lazy or complacent to think to leave the campus. And if you knew what parking was like in San Francisco, you would know that we had a point not wanting to leave our sweet parking spots. Sounds stupid but it was such a pain in the ass arriving for class 45 minutes later and STILL being late for class because I couldn't find parking. But I also know that we could have taken public transportation. I think it would have been so fun to go on a trip with Cyn and Kim or a few of my sorority sisters. Or just done day explorations because we had the perfect schedules to do those kind of things! Now we have work schedules, errands and responsibilities.
I wish I had been a nicer child to my parents. I was a typical baby of the family so I was a little bit spoiled and a little bit bratty. They were pretty strict with me so I retaliated with lack of appreciation and lots of attitude. Since my teen years, I've learned to appreciate how truly wonderful they are and to be eternally grateful for their unconditional love, I say "I love you" whenever I see them and will probably be making up for punk ass attitude for the rest of my life. If I could do it over, I wouldn't have been embarrassed to go out with them, have shut them out, and would have asked to go on more family trips. I would have also been smarter and insisted to join a sports team when I was a freshman and pushed to have a job during high school (my parents thought both would distract me from school work) so I would have been out of the house more and we wouldn't have driven each other so crazy!
Another thing I would do over is how I treated my childhood pup, Chewy. This is actually a difficult confession because I still feel really, really feel bad. Chewy was a sweet dog that was neglected. He was an outdoor dog that hardly went inside because he wasn't potty trained. He certainly didn't have the comfort of sleeping with us upstairs. He was so sweet but wild because we didn't train him. Anyway, he led a depressing life. I got him when I was in 5th grade and was a decent owner up until the end of high school. Then he was hardly walked and stayed outside, no matter if it was raining or very hot. When I went to college, he hardly received any attention. He was fed, given water and that was it. While my parents liked Chewy, too, they didn't know how to deal with an untrained dog (which, ironically, was the result of our decisions.)
Yes, I'm a pet lover. And a dog may be just a dog to other people. But it makes me cry to think of how much he suffered outside, how lonely he must have been because he had a selfish teenager (then college student) as an owner. Dogs have so much love to give and they are entirely dependent on their owners for their quality of life. Oh lawdee, I must sound like Oprah. For a long time, I didn't want another dog after Chewy passed away. I knew that I was a crappy owner who wouldn't or couldn't devote the time a dog needed. Even my sister would remind me how much time a dog required whenever I entertained the idea about getting a new one.
Years later, I started to dating Jon and he wanted me to get a dog. I told him, "No! I'm not over the loss of my dog yet." Chewy passed away in 1999. I told you I have a lot of guilt. But The Man really wanted a Doberman and thought it would be good for me to have a companion when I'm home alone. But the guilt! He obviously wore me down and four years later, I have TWO pups. And obviously I had a say regarding the breed. What a difference maturity and help make in raising pups - it's like night and day! I'm a much better owner but I still regret how neglected my childhood pet was and wish I could do it all over. I loved him but, honestly, my parents and I had no business having a dog.
But I have plenty of "no regrets" too. To just go over a few, I don't regret my long term relationship with the boyfriend before The Man. Oh, you bet I wish I could have a do over of how we ended so I could have really socked it to him! But I don't regret that relationship because I think I learned a lot and that being in a relationship all throughout college kept me out of trouble. I know that I'm a better girlfriend from that experience. I don't regret attending a State university rather than a U.C. I admit I'm envious of those with degrees from UCLA and UC Berkeley, though, but I met so many fascinating people at SFSU and learned so much from my professors. I loooooved my university in case you couldn't tell :) I definitely, DEFINITELY, don't regret briefly leaving non-profit because that experience made me realize that I am meant to be in non-profit (but I do regret the I-hate-my-job weight that I gained!)
There's plenty more I could write about but these are just the things off the top of my head. I would ask what you would do over or what you do not regret but it's up to you to share.

Engagement pics, a wedding and Halloween delight!

The Man and I are extremely happy (and relieved) with our engagement pictures. I LOVE our engagement photographer. In fact, Jon and I said that if we hadn't already put down the deposit for our photographer in Hawaii, we would seriously consider having our engagement photographer travel for our wedding. He was so easy to work with, very patient with our questions and has comparable prices. It's really easy to tell that he loves his job and takes great pride in his work. Most importantly (and I believe this is just as important as taking good photos,) he provides great customer service. Didn't pressure us or rush us and helped us understand the difference between eight photographs when all of them looked the same to us! He had taken 85 pictures of us and (thanks be!) there were some photographs that we really really liked. Yes, I have fully embraced the weddingness and am glad we decided to take pictures to commemorate our engagement.
Make no mistake, though. We ended up dropping a butt load more money than we thought we would. I have no doubt that my bank is going to call me again to make sure my credit card wasn't stolen (they did this when I put down a deposit for the venues and bought my wedding sandals all in one weekend.) But we truly hope and believe that this will be our first and last marriage so we chose 1o different photos that we can treasure when we are old. Two are with the puppies.
We also attended Kim's wedding this weekend. It was beautiful. I felt like such a sap because I teared up when she came down the aisle. She had a gorgeous dress that made her looks like a princess and she was simply beautiful. Her wedding was at a vineyard in Livermore and the weather couldn't have been any better! The sun was out, we had a breathtaking view of the vineyard and a nice breeze to keep us cool. The bridesmaids wore pretty deep red gowns and all her guests looked so nice. I feel like I'm doing a review of her wedding. I don't have any pictures but I'm sure Kim will post some once she comes back from her honeymoon. I think she had the best reading I've ever heard at a wedding - "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" by Dr. Suess.
I'm very happy for Kim. It's hard to believe we've known each other since 1999 when we were college roommates for two years. She has always been driven. She was the editor-in-chief of our university paper and is an editor now. Kim is so smart yet humble, very funny and very sarcastic. I think she's such a talented individual and I'm really thankful we have been able to stay friends for eight years. I'm not that great at maintaining friendships (I suppose because it takes effort and I need to make that more of a priority) so I treasure our friendship. I'm so happy she has found someone that knows how great she is and can match her intelligence and wit. I think she likes being challenged :)
Last but not least, Halloween pics. Because we are "that couple" and have been "that couple" for quite some time, I will admit that we took them to a Doggie Halloween Party so we could show off their costumes. And here they are for your enjoyment (as well as mine:)

"We are in hell. Save us."

Wild Boar.

Miss Piggy!

Bumble Bee!

I'm sure that at this moment, they wished we had human children (as oppose to furry) so we wouldn't focus so much on them. Little do they know that life is really good right now and they will probably won't get nearly as much attention once the fur-less children come. Heaven help us all when that happens.

More wedding, work and pictures ... finally!

I should be better at posting but all my pictures are on my personal computer and I always use my work laptop. So I've been putting it off.

Wedding - my Sister has been awesome. She was worried she wasn't earning the title of bad ass MOH (OK, I add the "bad ass" and she just says "Matron of Honor") but she has been fantastic! Check it out:
- She negotiated with the photographer and I just put down the deposit. She loooooves his work and since her eye for photography is better than mine, I trust her. She was so enthusiastic that they had a rate I could work with that it was infectious and now I'm super happy too :)
- We pretty much have a videographer because the photographer has added that component to his business (unless the DVD sample they mail out to me is terrible so fingers crossed!)
- We also have the reverend that I wanted (didn't negotiate but that's OK. And Sister is the one who contact him first to make sure he was available and had a decent rate.)
- Sister has initiated contact with a musician recommended by J.A. so cross your toes for that. Oh, just cross everything and hope everything will all pan out.
- After that, she will be tackling hair and make up stylists!
Sister is even trying to help with stuff that stuff I didn't ask her to which is very sweet of her. I'm trying to figure out what I want as a head piece because I don't want a veil. I'm not sure if I want a haku (head lei) like I had for my graduation ceremony or a rhinestone head wreath (like a tiara but, well, a head wreath.)

I'm so ticked at myself. I was at my JC consultation two weeks ago (I"ll get to that in a minute) and I was flipping through O Magazine. I saw these crystal sandals that I thought were cute. "That might be cute for the wedding!" But I figured I would find something like it on the internet. My 'tarded self did not think to write down the maker or rip out the ad. Side note: No, I wouldn't have felt guilty because I pay good money for JC and yes, I feel like I am entitled to rip out an add from a magazine, if I choose. Call it wrong or right, but that's how I feel. Yet I didn't! And OF COURSE I haven't found them anywhere because I don't know the name! I bet you're thinking, "Well just go on Oprah's O Magazine website, silly." I did. But it was an AD not an article so it's not on there :( I just went on to Zappo's last night, though, and bought three sandals to see which I liked best because, just like Nordstrom, they have an outstanding return policy. Another side note: How scary is it that my credit card company just called me today about "suspicious activity" on my credit card and they're really not suspicious because they are all purchases from me! Ay-yi-yi. My poor pocket book. So hopefully one of those sandals will work out. I have a feeling I will probably fall in love with the one that costs twice as much as my dress because that's just how it works out, right?

Speaking of dress, the dress shop ordered a sample of the dress I think I want (remember, I tried on something similar by a different maker so there's no guarantee that this dress will fall on me the same way) and it should be in by next weekend. I'm so scared! I hope it looks good because the three Nordstrom dresses were HIDEOUS on me. I looked either pregnant or too busty. Ick.

One last bit of wedding news and then that's it. Wedding-ed out yet? Thanks to J.A., I FINALLY have an on site wedding coordinator! My ceremony site is the same place she had her wedding ceremony. She recommended her old on site coordinator when I told J.A. how I'm in limbo between the Sales and Catering people. I called the gal and she said that she would find my file and assign my event to her. Yippeee!! It was so frustrating not being able to move forward with room rates (because there are supposed to be special "wedding" rates for me and my guests) and not being able to discuss the details of my ceremony. Because, if you couldn't tell already, I just want to get all the planning over with as soon as possible so I don't have to think about it until April.

Jenny Craig - Not sure if it's the food or the work stress but I've lost a total of seven pounds between WW and JC and I have 11 more to get to my goal! I'm not making time to exercise so I'm really depending on the program. It's about nine months since I've been this weight (I'm not sure exactly when I got to my heaviest but I remember I finally got on the scale last April after months of avoiding it and saw that I had blown up since my last weigh in.) I'm certain that having a date to work towards also helps drive my desire to lose the weight.

Work - I thought I would want to write about it but I don't. Nothing much has changed since I last wrote. It's still stressful and I think about it a lot. I'm still working long hours and on the weekend but I love it 10x more than my old job so I suppose it's not that bad.

And finally! Here are some pictures on our day trip to Santa Cruz for The Man's 30th birthday -
I don't know why he always has to make a face. I told him that the odds were hard enough of us both looking good in one picture and that he was just making it slim-to-none with his funny faces. (I think he's still handsome in the picture but I can't tell him that because he would just get a big head:)
Aren't our kids cute? They really are our kids. I mean, we can't handle the human kind yet but Piko and Pili are prepping us. And it's sort of scary just how much we adore them. The Man just bought those sun shades that suction cup to the passenger side windows so the puppes won't get hot in the backseat. See, told you. The Man and I also talk about how our puppies make us temporarily forget about our stress from work. They really do!
I thought this was a really cute picture because, while the day was overcast, it was still humid. So Pili just collapsed right next to the water bottle. What you can't see is that she next rested her chin on the side and stuck her tongue out to drink the water. Oh, I just realized you can also see the poop bags. Ignore the poop bags.
I still think it was a beautiful day even though it was overcast. The beach, along with our puppies, help put Jon* and me in better moods. I think both are therapeutic. Yet free! :) So that's how we spent The Man's 30th birthday. I know Pookie is thinking right now, "Uh-uh! I know how Jon releases his stress - freakin' Kung Fu movies!" She's right. But the puppies and beaches are something I can actually enjoy.

All right, that's most of the stuff going on in my little ol' world right now. Hope all is good with you!!

*I'm with Kim - I can't get used to the Jun/Jon changed either! So I told Jon that it was going back to Jon and he said that it's not neccessarily wrong. Evidently his family writes Jon, Jun or John. Well damn. So it's back to Jon y'all!

Late, but he doesn't give a hoot.

My dad doesn't visit this here little blog. Heck, who am I kidding? He doesn't do the Internet. Just as well, probably. Plus, he's in the freakin' Philippines so we completely missed celebrating Father's Day together.
If you read carefully my blog a couple entries back (OK, so I've pretty much lost all seven people that bother to glance at this,) I said I would revisit the deal about my Dad vs. Neighborhood Stray Cats. While it may rile you up, keep in mind that my Dad is, in general, an awesome dude. Who is OLD SCHOOL.
My dad's garden is neat. He's not a landscaper so it's a hodge podge of greenery. But it's impressive - multiple rose bushes; rows and rows of orchids; hanging plants of which I don't know the names; an orange tree; lemon trees; apple trees; asian pear trees; callalillies; a persimmon tree; tomato plants; grapevines; eggplants; onions; summer squash; and on and on. Believe you me, it is a pain in the ass to water these plants when he goes on vacation. But that's beside the point. His garden is his pride and joy and he spends a lot of time making it flourish.
My dad hates the neighborhood cats. They poo and pee on his plants which, of course, either makes the plants sick or kills them. The cats also eat the eggs of the birds that decide to nest in the backyard. That really ticks off my dad. Whenever he sees cats getting comfortable in his yard, he goes after them with a waterhose. He also recently rediscovered his slingshot and shoots stones at the cats. Told you he's old school.
Before you get indignant, he never hits the cats. He hurls stones in their direction but never actually hits them. He just wants to scare the bajeezus out of them. And I think he likes shocking me more than anything. I had yelled in protest the first time he told me he used his slingshot on the cats. (Jon laughed.)
As we were leaving for the airport a few weeks ago, we walked through his garden. He wanted to remind me one last time,
"Don't forget to water my plants. Especially if it gets hot. OK?"
"OK," I replied. Then I noticed something. "Hey dad! You put mesh wiring over the soil of your rose bushes!"
"Yes. I'm tired of those damn cats pooping on my soil."
"But I thought you were using your slingshot on them." Me, of course, egging him on.
"I wish I could! Damn cats." Then he looked around. "But I don't want the neighbors seeing me and saying something."
Oh, Daddy.
He really does love animals. This is the same guy who dotes on my pups. He is the one that told me Piko was "... becoming a little lady" when he discovered she had started her period. He also yelled, "She's just a child!" when it looked like she was choking on a chew toy. He had ran to her and thumped her back while trying to pry the toy from her throat. My dad also holds Pili like a baby and whispers inaudible baby talk to her when he thinks no one is listening. He worries that they don't eat enough so he makes them chicken soup and rice, steak, and sometimes, fried rice. He also picks up my pups at noon every weekday so that they aren't alone for too long and puppysits until I pick them up after work.
Ask my nephew. Or if my puppies could talk, I'd tell you to ask Piko or Pili. Because they would all say he's a good Papa. Who's just a tiny bit protective of his garden.

Ooo-weee

This morning I ran four miles. FOUR!

This is a first for me. The most I've ever ran before is three miles. I think. I don't care much for running. That's a lie. I think running sucks. But I know it's good for me so I'm trying to get over the mind block. Thus the half-marathon. That and it's a good cause (donation link on the right side of the blog. I'm just sayin'.)

Scoff if you will but I'm proud of myself. I expected to do it in 1 hour and 20 minutes but I did it in 1 hour. I am so happy! I know I'm no gazelle but, for me, that is a GREAT time. Hot damn. (Now just 9 more miles to go!)

It almost, almost, makes up for the fact that I've gained back the 4 lbs I lost. But not quite. But I won't get into that because, when I think about it, it REALLY PISSES ME OFF.

On a completely different topic, I haven't put up a picture of the kids lately so here it is -