Presenting Her Royal Highness...

Well I sort of figured it out. You'll have to turn sideways a bit, since I haven't quite grasped how to turn the photo, but as promised, here's a pic of our new fur child.



She's a Rottweiler/Chow-Chow mix, and is fondly known as "Princess". She's 3 months old now, and the housebreaking is progressing quite nicely. Early in the process, however, I had my doubts and christened her "Princess Poopy Puppy." She's still a cutie.

Cheers!

Absolutely Fab!

Here's to all of the women who are not pleased with their bodies! If you are totally happy and content in your own skin, way to go! The rest of us could learn from you. If you aren't, but are ready to quit beating yourself up about it, check out Chloe's new site. She is one amazing woman (and her stationery is darling!).

Cheers!

Two Thumbs WAAAAYYYY Up!

OK, I'll admit it. I'm a sucker for a feel-good movie. Now, I'm not just talking strictly happy endings, boy-gets-girl films here, and certainly not necessarily the Oscar winners. I'm talking about the movies that make you want to go and DO something, like end world hunger, follow your dream, become President of the United States. You know, the little things.

After I saw "Legally Blonde", I (for one brief insane moment) considered taking the LSAT just to prove I could get into law school. When looking at possible careers, I never once considered (and have never seriously since) becoming a lawyer. Law school wasn't even on my distant radar.

"Field of Dreams" is another favorite. Not that I have aspirations of building large athletic complexes in the middle of Iowa corn fields, but more of the "everyone has a purpose to fulfill" dream.

I was stunned (and quite frankly, disappointed) at the end of "Pay It Forward", but the message was so clear. Giving with no thought of receiving is such a noble act, and I wish that more people followed this lead.

But my absolute all-time, hands-down, without question FAVORITE movie of this type is "Rudy". Now you have to understand that, while I enjoy watching college football, I'm not a fanatic. While I certainly appreciate the almost legendary draw of Notre Dame, I didn't go to school there. So why is it that EVERY time I see this movie, I sob through the last half-hour like a baby?

"Rudy" is about perseverance. Never giving up. Here was this working-class Catholic kid from Joliet, Illinois who always dreamed of playing football for the University of Notre Dame. College wasn't really on his family's radar, let alone Notre Dame, and yet he made it happen. Worked his tail off to get into Notre Dame as a transfer student, then to make it as a walk-on for the Fighting Irish.

There is something about seeing this kid (played convincingly by Sean Astin) telephoning his dad, who never believed that Rudy would play for Notre Dame, to tell him that he would indeed be dressing for one game during his senior season. It sends chills just thinking about it.

After much turmoil on the team (Coach Ara Parseghian's resignation, hiring of Coach Dan Divine), and only after the entire starting lineup requests that Rudy be allowed to "dress in their place", Divine allows Rudy the opportunity to dress. Not only that, he actually gets a minute or two of play. Divine, being a newby to the hallowed stadium, cannot fathom why the players (and even the coaches) are so gung-ho on letting this clearly inferior player actually get field time. But play he does, showing everyone in the world the value of perseverance.

Tears flow freely every time I watch Rudy's teammates carry him off the field as though he had just scored the winning point in a nail-biter of a game, instead of making a tackle that had absolutely no effect on the outcome of this Irish trouncing of Georgia Tech during the 1975 season.

Daniel Ruettiger graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1976. This, in and of itself, is an accomplishment to be lauded. But because he also pursued with singular focus his dream of playing Irish Football, he is an inspiration. Watch the film with lots of kleenex, and even if you have no love of football, you'll hear the "echoes cheering the name" of Rudy and Notre Dame.

Cheers!

Acknowledgment is the First Step...

Well, thank you Lisagh! After reading your entry of February 9, I think I'll have to join your virtual support group. I am definitely addicted to blogs. I actually have my best friend to thank for this. She first introduced me to the blogosphere. First it was Quinn. Then I found Mel's site. Then it was Monogram Momma's.

After that it was a huge snowball effect.

I have about twenty blog links on My Favorites. And that's just because I have the tiniest morsel of self-control (as well as limited web time) that keeps me from scoping out every single link on every single blog. Because I'm sure if I looked, I could find about 500 that interested me.

The worst thing about it is I have no desire to recover. I never considered myself a peeping tom or a nosy nellie, but reading these blogs is, I guess, a form of virtual voyeurism. I thoroughly enjoy the glimpse into other people's lives, especially when I can get good ideas for crafts, menus, shopping, or just a bit of fun. I love "meeting" people from different parts of the country (or other countries, like my aforementioned preppy friend to the north!).

Now, I'm not one to encourage enabling behaviours (that's for my blogging friend, Mel), but for the time being, I'll acknowledge my problem, but enjoy my addiction!

Cheers!

Here, Goggy!

Well, we took the plunge and became dog-owners.

A wonderful local shelter had several pups and we took this one home with us. As near as our vet can tell, she's a Chow-Chow/Rottweiler mix. Our new little fur-child has, of course, added a new dynamic to our happy home.

While my husband grew up with dogs, I never had one, let alone a puppy. So, at 8 weeks old, there was a lot to consider.

Like housebreaking.

It doesn't matter what you call it, teaching the dog to "do her business" outside is a massive undertaking. Having been a high school teacher in a previous lifetime, I (mistakenly) believed that if I could deal with teenagers on a daily basis, then I certainly had the skills to housebreak a puppy.

Well, needless to say, she's the one housebreaking us. Thank goodness for steam cleaners. We've finally come to an arrangement in which about 85% of the time, she goes to the door to let us know that she wants to go outside, 10% of the time, we physically take her outside, and 5 percent of the time, she relieves herself inside, either intentionally or not.

And then there are my human children.

We were most concerned with how Sweet Baby Son would react. We were completely unprepared with Sweet Son #1's reaction, as HE was the one who wanted the dog.

Quite frankly, he's terrified.

Puppies nip when they play, and SS fears for his very life. You'd think she was a full grown pit bull or doberman. We did talk about it and even offered to return the pup to the shelter, but of course, he wouldn't hear of it. He wants a dog, just not one that nips.

SBS, on the other hand, has an agreement with the dog. She's no dummy. She knows who drops food when he eats. So she gets to eat and he gets to beat. He's a bit overzealous when it comes to "petting" the dog. Plus, if she really wants to get away, she runs. Really fast. Like, terror in the eyes fast. He calls her "gog" and gives her hugs and she nips him lightly. Like I said, an agreement.

We are a bit concerned though. In the church nursery one Sunday, he patted one of the other boys on the head and said "goggy". Maybe we need to get his eyes checked.

Cheers!