October 15th, Real Life "Best in Show"

Have you ever been to a dog show?  Me neither.  Well, I got the chance this month when my very good friend Sheila and her husband Dean told me about the dog show their dog was going to be in here in Boise.  They've had Bichon Frises in the past, but this time they were showing their Standard Poodle.  He's a very handsome silver 2 year-old.

The event was at the Western Idaho Fairgrounds.  And I've got to say, you've just never seen so many dogs before!  All shapes and sizes... it was amazing!  I didn't stay for very long, maybe about 30 minutes, but it was worth checking out, and I had a good chuckle at some of the similarities between a real dog show and the movie, Best in Show.  If you get a chance to check out a dog show, do, its well worth the $5 bucks to get in.

Sheila and Dean giving their boy a treat after the show.

A cool black and white great dane... such awesome dogs!

Happy Birth-Day to My New Niece Madelyn Kristin!

Today my "little" brother Morgan's wife, Debbie, gave birth to a beautiful baby girl... Madelyn Kristin.   She was three weeks early, and weighed 6lbs. 2oz. and was 20 inches long.  I can't get over how excited I am to have a new edition to our family (although I must admit, I was bummed that no one in the family pool picked the correct birthdate... Haha)!

As you can see below, mom and baby are doing great.  I just can't wait to meet her.  If she's even half as cool as their other daughter Kaitlin (aka Kitty) she's going to be one fun little lady!

Mama and baby doing great... doesn't Deb look amazing? She looks better than most movie stars and she just gave birth!

24 Hours with Steve

Our neighbors are friends with this wonderful woman named Staycee who fosters puppies.  She always has a litter that needs a home.  In her most recent litter some of the puppies looked so much like our Linus that Dick and Jennifer had to call us to come see.  That's where we found the most adorable baby ever.  David picked him up and the little guy snuggled right up into the crevasse of David's neck and it was all over... we both melted!

Could you resist this face?!

I begged David to let us keep him, but the best I could do was get him for 24hrs.  So... Stacy generously let us bring him home for the night.  In the car on the way home, I thought and thought of ways I could get David to want to keep him... let's give him a name!  I said, "How about we call him Magnus?"  David hated it.  David said, "Let's call him Chilli, because he's so Chill."  I hated it.  Then David said, "Why don't we call him Steve."  It's so un-dog-like I loved it.  So it stuck.  His name would be Steve.

Linus, being the little prince that he's become, did NOT like the newcomer.  And he especially did NOT like the attention we were giving Steve.  He's used to being an only child, and a spoiled only child at that.  He did a lot of pouting during those 24hrs.  but in the end, I think he started to like the little guy.

When bedtime we were having so much fun cuddling with Steve that we decided to try out letting him sleep on the bed with us.  Unfortunately, little guy had a pretty bad case of kennel cough, and he couldn't quite get comfortable.  So, I decided to put him in the kennel they lent us for the night.  He cried.  David couldn't stand it, so I brought him back into the bed with us.  But that didn't work either and David got up and went and slept in the guest room for the night.  Poor David!

Steve and I went right to sleep... well, maybe not right to sleep, but we did okay.  The next day David and I did our best to get Linus used to Steve.  We played.  Rested.  Played.  Rested.  Then David had the idea to go play tennis.  We decided it was safer to take the puppy with us.  We didn't get much tennis in, but it was a fun experience anyway... he was so cute strutting around the tennis court, we couldn't stop laughing.  When we got home Steve was pretty tired... he crawled under a table and feel asleep... we just laughed... he's exactly like Linus was at that age.

 

7 pm came way too fast for me, and soon enough we got a call from the neighbors that it was time to hand Steve back over the fence.  David and I gave him hugs and kisses.  I started crying... I'd fallen in love with that little pup.  David and the neighbors joked that I need to get myself a real baby!  Ah!  Wouldn't that be nice... I guess that's something David and I will have to work on.  The stork can't come soon enough for me!

Friends in the end!

October 8th, 2011 - Take Steps of Crohn's and Colitis

Saturday was beautiful!  This year has been a nice easy autumn, and I've really enjoyed the gradual ease into the cold weather.  It truly couldn't have been a more lovely day for a walk-a-thon.  David and I arrived right around 3pm and got our "team" signed in.  I was so proud arriving at the registration knowing that our team was able to raise more than $2000!  They gave us all this shwag, which, I was actually a little disappointed by... it mostly when into the trash which I look at as an extreme was of money that could otherwise have gone to research, but I guess I see what they are trying to do... create awareness, branding, etc.  They just could have done it was better stuff.

BTW... Thank you again to everyone who contributed!!!






While we were getting situated, I was able to speak with a few fellow sufferers of Crohns and Colitis, and I can't begin to tell you how amazing it was to talk to people who go through the same thing I go through on a daily basis.  Their stories were heartfelt and inspirational and I was honored to share in them.  I loved the camaraderie, the fact that I didn't have to explain why I ran to the bathroom so much, and the idea that we were all working to raise awareness and help find a cure together.  I was so encouraged I offered to be on the volunteer organization committee next year... you never know, maybe we can step it up a bit and get people to really take notice!

My friend Desiree came to support me on the walk with two of her kids, Isaac and Anna.  Desiree's son Isaac was the first to cross the finish line and he was so proud of himself.  Later, Isaac took his little sister up on stage to participate in the "Best Team-Name Contest," which we did not win, but it was so cool to see how enthusiastic they were about participating.  It meant a lot to me to have a friend like Desiree show up with her family in tow... the support was awesome.

David and I went home at the end of the event both feeling great about participating.  And as for me, I can't begin to tell the world how incredibly grateful I am to have the loving and supportive husband that I have in David.  I'm not sure where I would be without him!  Like I keep telling everyone who asks, a cure is just around the corner, and with this disease effecting more and more people every year.  If you get a chance to check out The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, please do.  The fight for a cure starts awareness and people like you and me!

Writer's Block?

Hello Faithful Readers,

I apologize for my long absence.  I guess you could say I've had a case of writer's block.  Although I've had plenty to write about in the past few weeks (which I will be elaborating on in the next few posts) however, I've frankly not been feeling very well these days, and its taking its toll on my creativity... and energy... and thus the writer's block I've been dealing with is more an issue of physically sitting down to focus and write than the inspirational/creative writer's block most people talk of.  So, the next few posts are my way of catching up... I think I'm getting back on track now.

Thanks for your patience and for staying tuned!

Rabbit, Rabbit!

Have a lucky month!  Go Broncos!

picture found at http://www.postersandprintsblog.com/postersandprintsblog/2009/8/9/lucky-bunny-the-white-rabbit-print-release.html