On Top of Old Smokey...

Tom sent me this picture from the top of Pike's Peak yesterday...


When they started the trek up, they were at 7,000 ft. above sea level. At the summit of the mountain, they were at 14,000. He said they went from average weather to lower than thirty-one degrees, and this picture was taken at the edge of a cliff with a 3,500 foot drop off! Eek!

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie...

Well, surgery was a success (if you discount the fact that he peed on the vet as we were leaving!), and he's almost 100% again.

He was SO good this weekend --- he didn't once try to lick his incision, he played more gentle, he slept a lot, and he cuddled (which he rarely does!). Even his barking has been reduced!



As witnessed by the picture above, I've found him more and more up on the couch, something we'd like to break him of doing. Pre-surgery, Murdock HAD to be in the same room as one of us, no matter where we were or what we were doing. Now, it's like playing hide and seek with him. If we don't hear him running around in the living room, we have to check the bedroom, where he's been known to curl up in a pile of laundry, instead of on his bed which is 2 feet away. Occasionally, and this is the biggest surprise of all, we'll find him sleeping in his crate with the door open.

I think he's becoming more comfortable in his surroundings, and has learned what is his and what is not (which is reducing the trouble he used to get in). He's responding better to commands (he finally responded to "Go get a toy" and went to his toy basket and brought one back to me last night!), instead of just staring and wagging his tail. I was also working on "lay" with him last night. Once we get "come" and "no bark" figured out, we'll be all good! :)

On a side note, Tom is currently in Colorado studying how athletes respond to different altitudes during training. He was at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs yesterday (and was in the same building as Michael Phelps, who actually refused to meet the tour group, butthead), and will be visiting the National Strength and Conditioning Association (who awarded Tom an All-American award last year), the United States Air Force Academy, Coors Field (where the Rockies play), and a few other places. In addition, he'll be hiking Pikes Peak!

Hopefully he'll be able to sign on and give everyone a complete recap of his trip, including pictures!! :)

In Your Thoughts...

Though I know it's just a routine procedure, I can't help but still be a bit unnerved about Murdock's surgery today.

I met the vet who has been taking care of him since he was rescued today, and I really liked him. We were waiting in the parking lot for the office to open, and he was the first one in. Instead of waiting for an assistant, he helped me out with the paperwork, kept Murdock entertained while I filled it out, and talked me through some of the options for today.

I couldn't help but get the feeling that I was at the auto repair shop, though, being told that I needed more services or else my car was going to crash. The surgery, paid for as part of our contract with the rescue, doesn't cover IV fluids or pre-surgical blood work. From what I've read, that seems to be pretty standard, so I was a bit irritated when I had to pay an extra $100 for those. Since he was already there and sedated, I decided to go ahead and finish up his shots (particularly Rabies, which is SO important). Murdock was first rescued from a high-kill shelter as a puppy, and had contracted hookworm. This was 2 months ago, but the vet thought it'd be a good idea to check to make sure he is fully recovered. Oh sure, put it on my tab. Oh, and don't forget we'll need to start him on heartworm pills today, too.

Don't get me wrong --- I love this dog and don't mind spending money to keep him healthy and well. I just wish I knew for a fact that it was 100% necessary and not optional. I also feel the same way about my car. Haha.

PS -- Good Luck at Nationals tomorrow, Thomas! :) I am soooo proud of you!

Teething & Toys

I am beginning to feel like Tom and I got a baby, not a puppy.

The past few days, Murdock has begun teething (losing his puppy teeth). Just as with a baby, this had made for a very cranky puppy who has decided to chew on pretty much anything he can sink his missing teeth into. Well, almost everything. Given the circumstances, he's been pretty good. We haven't lost any shoes to the cause yet, though he did get my umbrella. (In my defense, he hopped up on a chair and grabbed it off the table when I was cooking dinner and didn't see him --- I didn't just leave it lying around).

He's (thankfully) turned to his toys to help soothe his gums. But, in true kid-style, every time I put a toy away, I turn around and four more are on the floor. It's never-ending! I walk into the other room to throw away the stringy remnants of his rope toy, and by the time I come back, there's twice as much string on the floor.

He's scheduled for a neuter tomorrow, which should just take the edge off of his dominant personality. Well, not the personality per say, but his more "aggressive" behaviors. Once he's fully recovered, we hope to start him in some basic puppy training classes, for both behavioral and social reasons.

He's a pretty good dog, he just needs some help in the barking area. If we can get that under control, and brush up on some basic commands (stay and come), we should be in the homestretch in no time...

Decor on the Cheap, Sort Of...

If I had a free afternoon and was told to leave the house, I know where my car would be headed. I could spend HOURS in stores like HomeGoods, and in fact, have. Several times.

While I by no means profess to have mad interior design skills, I do have an eye for colors and textures, and have the lucky gift of visualization. Before Tom and I had even moved one single box into our new digs, I had been to the hardware store three times for paint chips, and had already begun sketching layouts for the furniture.

Despite the fact that we haven't picked up a paintbrush yet, I'm still working on finishing the space up, even if it's only mentally. I'm always on the hunt for a piece of artwork that I love on Etsy, always looking for a luxurious steal on Overstock.com, or waiting on baited breath for some tips from the youngsters at This Young House.

So, during a moment of boredom on my lunch hour, I decided to peruse the home decor "aisle" on Overstock.

How fun would this be on a coffee table (or even a dining room table) filled with little white tea lights? Of course with Murdock, there's no way we could do this...

I've been hunting for a silver framed mirror, preferably with a beveled edge and a bit of a "romantic" feel to sit on top of the mantle above the fireplace. I've determined that a 16" x 21" is too small, but a bigger mirror becomes quite pricey...

I love candle sconces lately. I think they're pretty impractical, though beautiful. I'm not a fan of these because they're gold, but these would look fabulous hanging side by side in an entry way next to a mirror...and for less than $20, c'mon!!

And these, these are the pillows that inspired this post. Sigh. I wish I had a space for these right now. I LOVE them. They'd look fab as an accent on our master bed (dark cherry wood, pale blue sheets, crisp white duvet). Le sigh. And again, for $28 for 2, these pillows are seriously cheap!!

Anybody know of any fantastic place for bargains? (Specifically a mirror? ;) )

The Problem with Cooking for 2 People...

...is when one of them isn't around for dinner.

As I try to be an industrious housewife, I sit with the grocery ads on Thursday, find what's on sale, and try to create meals around them. This week was going to be AWESOME:

• Grilled steaks & broccoli cheese casserole
• Marinated chicken & roasted parsley potato wedges
• Garlic butter pasta with shrimp
• Turkey burgers and onion rings

Last night, as Tom noticed the menu on the fridge, he remarked, "Those steaks sound good, except I won't be home that night." Umm, okay. We'll do it the next night. "Nope, won't be home that night either." Okay, lame.

Tonight neither of us are home for dinner. Tomorrow night Tom has an awards banquet. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday Tom has track meets.

So, this girl will be eating Ramen all week and freezing all the meat she bought. If any one would happen to take stock of what's in my freezer right now, this is what they'd find:

• 2 lbs. frozen ground turkey
• 3 lbs. 93% lean ground beef (the only kind Tom will eat...)
• 4 lbs. chicken breasts
• 2 lbs. chicken tenders
• 2 ribeye steaks
• 2 lbs. pork loin roast

I figure if I continue stockpiling meat, we'll have no shortage during grilling season! ;)

OK...My Turn

While I love this dog to death i honestly think we got the one pup in the litter that had ADD. For example, Beth and I were in other room one day andbecuase we wer enot paying attention to him, he tried to eat a cup. Are you freaking kidding me?!? But I realize a major problem is that he does not see both of us all the time. He spends most of his time with Beth and when I finish school I will be moving in with him and I hope things change. He challenge her on a daily basis and sometimes it's funny, sometimes it is not. But I will work with him as much as possible to make sure he is trained to the best of our abilities.

Now when Beth said she wanted to get a dog, I was ecstatic because I wanted a dog real bad. I did not realize she wanted a small dog though and that took some getting use to. I have had a large dogs my whole life. When she found him and we went over to see him. I really liked him. He was a lot more calm at his foster home and now that he is in our place he is on a 24/7 sugar rush. I really do like him. He is a very intelligent dog and he picks up on things quickly, which is good and bad at times.

Overall I love dogs and he is no exception I just hope that Beth and I can come to some agreement on a training method. Right now what is going on is not working so we are hoping that thing swill change. But these past couple of weeks have not been the most consistent. As mentioned earlier I was finishing up the semester and not able to be at the house. When I am there with him he is alright, still a little misbehaving but not terrible, but when I talk to Beth on the phone I can hear him barking and doing God knows what in the background. But after today I will be at the house permanently and able to help Beth with the Little runt. We will keep you updated on our progress. Wish us luck!

I Need an Accessories Intervention.

I have an unhealthy relationship with accessories. It's a bit masochistic, really.

Just like a needy teenage girl gravitates towards loser boys with a long rap sheet, I gravitate towards accessories that are useless and cause me strife.

When I buy purses, I tend to get trendy, colorful, seasonal handbags. That doesn't sound so terrible, does it? It's not, if you are one of those uber-trendy people who consistently switch up their handbag weekly. I am not.

I buy these purses with that goal in mind, but I have been known to carry a spring purse around during Christmas, and vice versa.

My adorable robin's egg blue leather Coach satchel? Bought in August, carried around until May, in Ireland, when it was no longer large enough to hold my passport, hotel card, travel itineraries, and souvenirs. I bought a HOT black and cream tote, carried until July, when the handles ripped the day I left for vacation. I hastily bought a cute yellow and canvas summery tote at Target, which I carried until October, when my new 1154 Lill clutch arrived. This clutch, which I am still carrying, has become the bane of my existence. Once, I was careful to not get it dirty, to keep it lightly packed, lest I ruin its shape, and was determined to not overuse it. Now, I throw spare change in the bottom (discoloring the gorgeous fabric that I personally picked out for it), cram every piece of technology (BlackBerry, iPod, camera, GPS) I can into it, and have brought it everywhere.

After being told my numerous people (family, friends, coworkers) that I need to get a new purse, I embarked on my mission to find the right bag. It needs to be big enough to hold all my garbage, but not so big that I start carrying around useless stuff. It should be fun and bright, because that's how I roll. :) It should be sturdy, but not ridiculously priced.



Sigh. I love this. But purple? Really? I own nothing purple. So why would I want a purple tote? Because I like purses that are bad for me.

And this, this is a masterpiece. I love it.


I don't care if it's big enough to transport a small family. I want it.

And then look! It's counterpart, but a clutch!

I know what you're thinking...but Beth, you don't need a clutch. You are trying to get rid of the clutch you have now so you have a spare hand to open your front door, carry an umbrella in the rain, etc., both of which you were unable to do yesterday...

I know. But I want it.

Guess who's going to Target to check all three of these out this weekend?

This girl.

10 bucks says I come back with something completely ridiculous, and likely in fall colors.

Puppy = Parenting

When Tom and I decided to get a dog, this was our criteria:

• Must be smallish/medium-sized. Under 35 lbs.
• Not a puppy.
• Non-shedding a plus.
• Calm demeanor
• Easily trained

This is the kind of dog we got:

• Small now. May grow to 40 lbs. Or more.
• 14 week old puppy.
• Short-haired, shouldn't shed, but does. (I'm covered in white hair, and I wear a lot of black. Awesome.)
• Crazy. Loves attention. Usually goes crazy when not receiving enough attention.
• Doesn't listen.

We really picked a winner, didn't we??

I'm convinced that having a puppy is like being a parent. The catch is that we are SO not ready to be parents yet. In a perfect world, we're at least five, if not more, years out from even thinking about being parents.

So why am I looking into daycare, keeping track of doctor visits for vaccinations, calling Tom when the dog misbehaves saying "You will never believe what YOUR dog did...," and speaking in baby talk?

More similarities between puppies & babies:

• They both need structure/schedule in their lives. We have feeding and bathroom schedules pretty much down to a science in our house.
• When Tom's not around, I feel like a single mother, and when he walks in the door, he is usually greeted by me saying "Your turn. You deal with him."
• Dog walker = baby sitter. I never wanted to be the person with a dog walker. Alas, I'm spending more money on this than I do on myself in three months...
• Parenting strategy. Tom and I already started playing the good cop/bad cop game. Not a good idea...
• Boundaries. We set them, he tests them. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
• Being constantly interrupted while on the phone. "What? What do you want? Why are you barking [crying]?"
• They climb into your bed at night. No joke. Okay, so I let him sleep with me 1 night. Then I stopped. Then Tom let him once. Now I wake up every morning to find him on Tom's pillow. Well done, Murdock. Well done.

So in summary, this puppy, while giving us much joy, is a TON of work. Hello, parenting.

Introductions...

This is us:


(circa 2005 - look at how young we were!)

And this is our ridiculously cute but at times ill-trained puppy, Murdock.

This blog will follow our transition into marriage, our adventures parenting our puppy, our experience as we "build our nest," and just our general day-to-day musings.

This is our story thus far: (abridged version)

Tom and I (Beth) began dating in the fall of 2003. It was quickly obvious that we were headed into a long-term relationship, which eventually gave way to a long-distance relationship once I went away to college. The next several years encountered many good times, and a few challenges. But, we've persevered and will be getting married this August. Currently, Tom is finishing up his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education. He is also becoming a certified K-12 teacher, and will have two minors, in Health Education and Fitness and Health Promotions. Tom is an All-American in Track & Field, specifically the weight throw and shot put, and is planning a professional athletic career (specifically in the hammer event) once he graduates. I am a writer at a small media company outside of Chicago, with a degree in English and Business. While no one can say for sure where we're headed, we're planning for a cross-country move in a year so Tom can begin professional training!

Stick with us in the coming months --- we can't guarantee it will be a smooth ride, but I promise, we're fun!