Two Crafts

I just finished two crafts! Yay! I've been kinda on a crafting binge lately, but these are my last for a while. I need to work on my book and school! The first are some pillows I got for our bed. It was looking a little bare. The end product is not perfect, but I kinda like it that way. And it was dirt cheap!

Before:

After:

Price breakdown:

3 Ikea pillows $3.99 each

10 feet of rope $2.12

Total: $14.09

The next is something I started in Utah with Allison and just finished. She has one just like it and when I saw it I knew I had to make one of my own. So I did (after she showed  me how)!

I almost didn't add the buttons but I'm so glad I did! That's what I just did. The rest was done before we even left Utah. Look how cute it looks with the big picture:

And the whole thing cost less than $10. Thanks Allison for the help!

My puppies

So I've had requests for a post on Ruby, how we got her, etc. Then I realized I've never done one about Swift. So, two birds with one stone.

Swiftarama

After Zumi had been dead for a month, I felt it was time to find a new shiba to love. I knew I would never be able to replace Zumi--he was truly the best dog I've ever known--but I needed to fill the void. So I looked on various websites, including Craig's List. Every shiba I called about on Craig's List was already taken. Then I found the ad for Swift and saw it had just been posted. I called and went and saw him the next day. Then took Kurt to see him on Saturday. On Saturday night, we decided to make him ours, so on Sunday morning, an incredibly snowy day, I drove down and picked him up. He loved us right away. Swift loves attention. Way more than Zumi did. He's a very hyper dog and does this little high step prance when he gets a toy. When we get home, he grabs a toy and runs around in circles. He often comes to me when I'm sitting on the couch and puts his head on my lap and waits for me to pet him. He's going through his teenager phase right now, which isn't fun, but he's still adorable and we love him. We are Swift's third home in only a year of life. His last two owners both got sick and weren't able to take care of him. His name was Bear Bear before we saved him from a life with a stupid name and renamed him Swift.

Ruby Tuesday

Ruby came into our life by happenstance. I was sitting at work one day when I got an email from my old coworker saying a friend of hers was moving and they had a shiba inu they couldn't take with them. Was I interested, she asked. Of course I was! So we arranged, via my friend, to take Ruby--then named Little Bear--for the weekend to see how our dogs got along. At first, they were great. They played and took naps together. By the end of the first day, though, Swift started getting territorial. And they started to fight. A lot. Never serious--no injuries or blood drawn--but it was still scary. I still really wanted Ruby. At work on Monday I asked people at work if this was normal for two dogs newly living together and they said absolutely. They said it should get better. So we decided to keep Ruby. The fighting has all but stopped and they get along great, even if Swift pushes his alpha role a little too hard. The third full we had her--the week I was gone for school--Ruby escaped from our background. She was missing for four days! And Kurt and I were out of town. Finally, through the help of some awesome friends--we were able to find her. Ruby is an incredibly sweet dog. She loves being pet and will paw at you if you stop petting her too soon. She loves rolling against and on our feet. She's barked only once and that was actually last night. We love our Ruby Roo!

Free Mirror!

When we went to Utah over July 4th weekend, my grandma gave us a gorgeous mirror:

Then she gave me a great idea. She painted her other one black with a natural sponge so the gold frame would show through the paint. So I decided to do it too. And I love the results!

The picture keeps uploading sideways for some reason. Grrr!

It looks so great above my kitchen table! And I would include a pic of that but my table is a disaster, just like the rest of my house. So yay for free stuff!

Kitchen Reno, Day Uno

Kurt tears into the wall.

Let the demolition begin!

July Goals

I'll forego the normal "I can't believe how fast the month is going by!" schpiel (sp?). Instead, let's just go ahead and talk about my goals:

-Read at least two, hopefully three, books for school (and write papers for them).
-Finish my book (this is the month!).
-Organize the office (includes building our new bookshelves and finding a place for the old ones).
-Ride my bike to work on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. This month I will conquer!

And that's it. Believe me, it will be enough.

June Goals Recap

Time for accountability...

-Design our kitchen reno (soooooooooo excited about that!) Check
-Read and write a paper for one book for school (I have no assignments due till August 18th, but I want to get ahead as much as possible ... in fact, I've already got 2 creative assignments mostly completed!) Not check :(
-Finish my YA fantasy book (yay!!!!!!). I can't believe I'll be able to say I've written a book. It's surreal. Not check :(
-Ride my bike to work every nice day in June. I failed horribly at this in May. Kurt surprised me with a helmet and bike gloves of my very own, so I have no excuse! Well, other than hating the waking up at 5:30 part. Not check :(


I didn't do so hot this month. But July will be better!!

South Carolina!

I went to South Carolina May 28th through June 12th for my residency for school. That was June 2nd through the 11th so I went a little early so I could spend some time with my family in Charleston. I didn't take many pictures, but I tried! We played games and ate lots of food and generally laughed a lot and loudly. Because that's how my family rolls. On Sunday, we walked the Cooper River Bridge, so I thought that was the perfect opportunity for taking pictures.

My little brother, Collin, who we all call Bud or Boy. Even Kurt does it.

Caroline

Lovely expression, Dad.

I took another series of sports continuous shots of Collin running up the bridge. Here is my favorite sequence:

Then I took some shots of views from the bridge. Here are my favorites:

Dos of my siblings.

My mom getting me back for years of bunny ears.

Then I went to grad school! I didn't take any pictures myself, but I stole some from the facebook page. 

Talking to someone before a reading. We had lectures and workshops all day, then readings at night. It was a very jampacked 9 days, but I love it. Energizing and tiring at the same time. 

Sitting at lunch with some of my friends, Nick and Kyler.

This is my friend Lindsay. She is the best! School wouldn't be nearly as fun without her.

So yay for South Carolina!

June Goals

I can't believe June is halfway over. It helps that I was in beautiful South Carolina for two weeks of family and school. Oh, how I love the South. But more on that later!

I don't have many goals for June, since it's almost over. But here are the ones I do have:
-Design our kitchen reno (soooooooooo excited about that!)
-Read and write a paper for one book for school (I have no assignments due till August 18th, but I want to get ahead as much as possible ... in fact, I've already got 2 creative assignments mostly completed!)
-Finish my YA fantasy book (yay!!!!!!). I can't believe I'll be able to say I've written a book. It's surreal.
-Ride my bike to work every nice day in June. I failed horribly at this in May. Kurt surprised me with a helmet and bike gloves of my very own, so I have no excuse! Well, other than hating the waking up at 5:30 part.

I'm going to start a recap of my goals at the end of every month, stating whether I fulfilled them or not. Need to have some accountability.

PS--We named our second dog (who escaped for 4 days!). Her name is ... Ruby! We love her so much! She's fat and has a little head and is very sweet.

PPS--It's PPS right? Not PSS? Anywho! I just wanted to say that I'm on day two of my new med and so far so good. I'm very hopeful that this is a permanent change.

PPPS--Pray that I find my glasses! DOH!  Nevermind, I found them!

What I'm Doing Right Now

Enjoying a beautiful day (from my guest bedroom)

Smiling at my bird doorstop (that I snagged for $4)

Folding laundry (the bane of my existence)

Trying, unsuccessfully, to get pictures of my dogs (that's right, I said dogs)

Ah, there we go (poor guy is sick)

And the new one (who doesn't have a name yet!)

The Handyman Can

Strangely, ever since we moved in our closet floors have bugged me. No, driven me crazy. They were basic, chipped paint wood with nasty carpet extras thrown on top. Gross right? I thought we'd just put in new carpet, but when we helped Jen and Evan move into their home I got a great idea.

Cedar planks! They look good, smell good, and keep away moths! Kurt did such a fantastic job on them--they look professionally done! 

May 26th

Without you, the ground thaws, the rain falls, the grass grows.

Without you, the seeds root, the flowers bloom, the children play.

The stars gleam, the poets dream, the eagles fly without you.

The earth turns, the sun burns, but I die without you.

Without you, the breeze warms, the girl smiles, the cloud moves.

Without you, the tides change, the boys run, the oceans crash.

The crowds roar, the days soar, the babies cry without you.

The moon glows, the river flows, but I die without you.

The world revives

Colors renew

But I know blue, only blue, lonely blue, within me blue

Without you.

Without you, the hand gropes, the ear hears, the pulse beats.

Without you, the eyes gaze, the legs walk, the lungs breathe.

The mind churns!

The heart yearns!

The tears dry, without you.

Life goes on, but I'm gone.

Cause I die, without you.


It's been a great three years.

Freedom

I got the best news yesterday.

No, I'm not pregnant.

I've made mention on here about the weight one of my meds made me gain.

25 pounds.

TWENTY FIVE FREAKING POUNDS.

In four months, might I add.

I've been struggling and struggling to lose it, but I've only managed 9 pounds so far.

I complained about it to my therapist, who suggested I just lose a total of 15 pounds (which puts me at 10 pounds over my pre-medication weight) and just maintain that.

I decided I could do it.

But it made me sad to think about the skirts and shorts that would never fit me again.

(And to think I'd never get down to that weight again.)

Well, I met with my doctor yesterday.

Who wasn't so alarmed about my weight gain

(she said I look fit and strong)

until I mentioned how much my fat percentage has increase.

She didn't like that at all.

And so, starting June 14th, I go off Zyprexa and start Saphris.

They're in the same drug class, but Saphris, while generally causing weight gain, only causes an average increase of 2 pounds per year.

As opposed to Zyprexa, which causes an average of 25 pounds.

There's no guarantee this med will work as well for me (mentally speaking) as Zyprexa,

but it's worth a shot.

Yesterday as I drove home,

I nearly cried from the relief I experienced.

It felt like Christmas.

A Visit From The In-Law

Kurt's mom and landlord/friend came to visit us this past weekend. We had a great, busy time! On Friday night, we made french toast and watched 2012 (which wasn't nearly as bad as I expected it to be). Oh yeah, and we went to Lowe's to get supplies for...

our garden! We planted a little 20' by 20' garden with roma tomatoes, cilantro, zucchini, butternut squash, eggplant, and green beans. It was hard work, but only took us 2.5 hours and we got a good work out in.

Action shot!

Shelley was the brains of the organization. She's a master gardener (literally.. she took a master gardening course at Thanksgiving Point).

The finished product. I'm really excited about this. I feel so self reliant!

Then we took them to my favorite, India Oven, gorged ourselves to sleepiness and took naps. After that we headed down to Colorado Springs to visit Garden of the Gods:

Pretty amazing huh? It was so pretty.

I love the way Shelley is looking at Kurt in this pic.

One of the guys who named it was named Malancthon Beach. True story. That's why I have the pic: evidence.

That guy on the left is Carlos, Shelley's friend/landlord.

After Garden of the Gods, we headed over to Manitou Springs (it was literally 2 minutes away), which is a super cute mining town right at the base of the mountains. We stopped and indulged in some cheese and chocolate fondue.

On Sunday morning we took Shelley and Carlos to Washington ('Wash') Park and walked around. It was a gorgeous day!

Come on, guys, at least look like you like each other.

Are my calves really that huge (in a bad way)? Agghhhhhh!

After church we visited Shelley's cousin up north of Denver, then came home and went to bed. It was fun having her here!