Moving Helpers

We were very busy this weekend packing for our move. I was hard at work when I realized it was suddenly quiet. This usually means that the dogs are up to no good in another room in the house. I walked out of the kitchen to look for them only to find that they too were very hard at work...

Sweet dreams!

Merry Merry Merry

Have I mentioned that I absolutely love this time of year? I really, really, REALLY do. I love the decor, the cold air, bundling up in comfy clothes, the warm drinks (at the moment I am craving Mexican Hot Chocolate), the lights, the music, the shopping, the time with family and the deeper meaning of the season.

If it weren't completely tacky I would leave up all of my decorations year round. And I say this in all seriousness. Having the Christmas tree on makes me smile. Michael typically gets up before me in the mornings and always has the tree on when I get up since he knows how much I love it. Love that man.

I finally purchased stockings and have been burning my favorite candle (Aromatique Christmas Greetings) since before Thanksgiving. It makes the whole house smell like Christmas!!

Oddly enough Parker and Cass haven't tried to knock the tree over, eat it, or carry it off to covet in some remote corner of the yard. (That is where we find a lot of things) They also haven't touched a single wrapped gift... Such an accomplishment at our house when something doesn't get chewed up :)

With all the cold weather both Parker and Cass haven't wanted to spend a whole lot of time outside in the evenings. I can't really blame them. At first we were giving them free reign on the furniture and then one day while we were standing in Home Depot I noticed that we were completely covered in dog hair. We were THOSE people with dog hair all over them. Kinda gross, even I have to admit. Needless to say I went home and used an entire lent roller on the couch and rug and have now have added a pet hair vacuum to my list for Santa. (Although Santa has told me in no uncertain terms - NO) This week has been ALL about re-introducing them to their seriously cute dog beds that I bought for them before we had even picked them up from the breeder. I like to plan ahead :) Correction. I LOVE to plan ahead. Their beds are adorable, but for some reason I just can't get Parker interested in his. He wants to be right beside us even if that means sleeping on the cold floor or standing and just resting his head on our laps now that sitting with us is off limits. I am not sure how long this will last given that I wanted to cave on night one, but Michael stood his ground.  Cass on the other hand LOVES her bed and dashes for it the second we let her in the house.  If you haven't noticed we are obsessed with our dogs. For now they are our kiddos.

Gobble, Gobble...

Michael and I headed to Texarkana for a relaxing Thanksgiving in a place I still like to call "home" even though I am a big girl now with a home of my own. There is still no place like home with my whole family. Margaret and Brett were even in town :) We had lots of good food prepared by Mama Buchanan and watched lots and LOTS of football.  And of course we gobbled down our share of yummies. I hope you enjoyed your time with your family as much as we did.

crowd pleaser

They could smell the food and were big fans of the ham :)

Now it is time to gear up for Christmas. My absolute favorite time of the year. I already have my tree up and the Christmas lights purchased :) FA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA.

Farm. Family. Fun.

I have been dying to take the pups to the farm since we got them, however I was not dying to sit in my own sweat in 100+ degree heat. So we waited. And finally, like all wonderful things that come with fall, the farm weekend was upon us. We threw on our "farm clothes", packed up the "farm gear" and headed to "the farm". Now mind you that we don't actually farm. I think by true definition it is a ranch since we do run cattle on it, however once upon a time it was a farm so that is what we call it. My grandmother was raised there. The front half was actually a general store many years ago. I love that this piece of land, that we all enjoy so much, has meaning and memories that come along with it.

I will warn you now that I took way too many pictures with my new camera. Also, I am learning and know very little so don't judge my photos or editing skills just yet. I am loving everything about the process.  Good thing, because I have a very long way to go.

Our family loves to fish! I can remember having a mickey mouse fishing pole when I was little...

Grandmama loves the dogs, even when they jump and climb all over her.

I am ready to go back already. There is something to be said for a day in the great outdoors without tv's, phones, computers or the hustle and bustle of everyday life here at Home 101.

Poop Monday

What is it about Mondays? Nothing catastrophic happened. It was just consistently annoying.

6:00 - coffee (Thank goodness for coffee)

6:15 - find the dogs have dug a whole the size of Cass. I discover this when I let the dogs inside. they run in at 90 mph and track mud all over the floors and then run through the house before I can catch them. just grateful at this point that it was mud and not poop.

6:30 - shower in the guest bathroom because I was too lazy Sunday night to finish the caulking job we are doing in the master bath. my razor forgot to make the trip. I will definitely be wearing pants today.

7:00 - cleaning out my hair brush I dropped it in the toilet. well poop. literally. (I kid!)

7:30 - drive one hour to our sales office to sit in meetings.  where is the coffee?

12:30 - no time for lunch, drive to customer appointment

2:30 - stop to grab lunch to go after appointment

3:00 - realize I am supposed to be on a conference call. but I am still stuck in traffic. at some point during dialing in, getting out a pen/notebook and driving I plowed through a red light. dang it!! the cameras got me.  (So not only has it been a lack luster Monday - but it is going to cost me $75)

5:00 - home. let the dogs out. finishing working. went to check on them about an hour later to find that they had pulled up the new sod we put down this weekend and drug it all over the yard after chewing it into bite-size pieces. in an attempt to stop the madness I was picking it all up quickly and throwing it over the fence. (our neighbors love us) and then it happened. warm. smushy. stinky. IT'S POOP. I thought I was picking up a chunk of sod and it was fresh POOP. let the dry heaving begin.

Is it Friday yet?