Where Joy and Sorrow Meet

Today has been the long anticipated day that I....wait for it....was due to go pick up MY NEW PUPPY!  Those that know me well laugh and are still in a state of shock that I, the anti-outdoorsy, bug, tick/flea, dirt kind of girl decided to take on the task of becoming a dog owner.  It's something I've considered off and on for a year or more.  Let's face it, I get lonely living alone and was ready for a companion.  If a canine companion is all I can muster at the moment, then I decided to bring it on!  I was very picky about my choice of dog and waited for just the right one at just the right price.  Unexpectedly, I came across a girl I knew from high school selling puppies her dog had.  They are yorkie poos, half mini-poodle and half yorkie.  They are small dogs full grown, hypo-allergenic, don't shed, easy to train, etc.  Pair those traits with the awesome price she asked and I found myself a puppy!  Risking the ridicule of most friends and family, I decided that due to my fear of ticks and allergy to grass that I would paper train this new little housemate.  I've done some research on how to do it best and am determined to make it work.  Since I just got him this afternoon, I don't have much to report as far as that goes yet.

So, I woke up early this morning thinking of all I wanted to do before I brought Bentley home.  I got everything finished early and was literally on my way out the door when I look, as I do very often, out my window to check for snakes.  ***If you don't recall the posts I wrote previously about snake sightings at my house, go back and search my archives if you'd like.  Terrified isn't the word.  Petrified is more like it.  Only in winter am I able to walk in and out of my house without being scared of another sighting.  Today, I saw it.  A snake.  A big black snake.  I.FROZE. and began to sweat...a lot, as in my hair was wet.  I think I would have been less scared had I looked out to see a grizzly bear.

All I knew was that my door was bolted and there was no way in this world I was sitting foot out there.  I called my precious uncle and he arrived quickly with a hoe to attempt the cold-blooded murder.  Do I realize it was only some sort of harmless snake that is actually good to have around to kill mice, insects,etc?  Yes.  Do I care?  NO!  He got a couple good jabs at it before it slithered in a hole underground. This was not my friends, the result I was hoping for.  Our next step was to try and wash it out.  While I was still behind closed doors, my uncle stuck the water hose in one hole and turned the water on.  Nothing.  We then got some ammonia, which is said to work in bringing the little varment out.  Nothing.  Did I stop there?  No.  I went and got three more bottles of ammonia and poured the entire contents of them down the hole. Nothing.  I'm hoping (and praying) the thing died in the hole from the blunt force of the hoe, or from suffocating from the fumes.  Either way, I am now once again terrified to enter or leave my house.  Feel sorry for me.  I'm not in the least bit exaggerating.

Needless to say, the above put a large damper on the excitement I was feeling about getting the puppy.  After running and screaming down the sidewalk to my car, I proceeded to go pick up sweet Bentley.  Let me just say he is THE cutest puppy ever!  He weighs four pounds and is already completely attached to me. I can't go anywhere in the house without him following me.  He doesn't want to be anywhere other than in my lap.  He went to the vet and got his first shot today, along with some oral treatment I am supposed to start tomorrow.  

To top off my day, in typical Amy fashion, I was holding Bentley tonight and noticed a tiny little "something" on my jeans.  I looked closely and noticed it was moving.  UGHHHHHH!  Poor Bentley evidently has worms.  I hear it's very common and I'm pretty sure that's what the oral meds are for I am to begin giving him tomorrow.  But, I don't do well with stuff like this.  Between this and the snake, I'm pretty much spent.  I put sweet Bentley to bed (in which he's sleeping soundly and not crying..thank goodness) and vacuumed the entire downstairs and then got a shower.  I still feel like I need another one.  I'm not a very happy camper right now.  I plan to call the vet in the morning to get specific directions on what to do.  But, those little jokers better disappear quickly and leave my sweet Bentley alone!

How's this for a mix of emotions in a day?  I'd love advice from you dog owners about dealing with worms, tips on paper training, or suggestions in general.  At this point, I'm trying not to regret my decision. 

Favorite Things- Diet Edition

“Favorite Things” posts are by far the most fun to write!  Since starting this diet (update at the bottom of the post), I have learned to adapt my taste buds to all different types of foods.  I’ve found some really great low-carb ideas and some not so great.  I wanted to dedicate this “Favorite Things” post to my new favorite diet foods.

1.      Kangaroo Pita Chips- Technically, I am not supposed to be eating any packaged foods.  However, who has time or even wants to have time to cook three meals a day?  Not this girl.  So, if I find packaged foods that meet my criteria of low carb/high fiber, I snatch them up!  These chips are an example.   There are only 18g of carbs and 3g of fiber in 11 chips, which is plenty.  Most chips have little to no fiber, which helps balance out the carbs.  These puppies are seasoned so they’re good by themselves, or even better with some sort of dip.

2.      Guacamole from ALDI- I'm a new fan of guacamole...especially when it's cheap AND tastes good!  I can't remember what brand it is, but it's the only type I saw at ALDI.  It does have a lot of fat, but it's the "good" fat and is very healthy due to being made from avocados.  To use for dipping, I make my own chips.  I take a carb balance tortilla, cut into thin strips, and bake  on 425 for about 10-15 minutes.  They work perfectly.

3.      Progresso Tomato Basil Soup-  This soup is very high in fiber and tastes like it came from your favorite girly sandwich shop downtown with those cute little crackers and mint leaves on top.  I take string cheese and melt it in the soup.  Perfect combination. 

4.      Life Choice Peanut Butter Crunch Protein Bars- Albeit another packaged food, they have 10g of protein and 6g of fiber, with only 23g of carbohydrates. 

5.       Florida Oranges- I've become obsessed with oranges.  I can't get enough!

6.      Sweet Potato Fries- Sweet potatoes are full of fiber so surprisingly, they are allowed on this diet.  I stick these in the oven for about 30 minutes and they’re crispy and downright tasty!

Update:

The diet is going well, I guess.  It’s sooooo  slow, though, and I don’t do well with that.  I’ve been trudging away at eating protein, fruits,  veggies, and doing without SUGAR for about six weeks now and have been stuck at 7-8 pounds for a long time.  I won’t say there haven’t been times when I’ve eaten things I shouldn’t, because there have been.  However, I am pretty doggone proud of myself for how hard I’ve worked, regardless of what the scale is saying.  This week in particular (cough cough) I have been craving any morsel of sweetness I can find.  I’ve managed to refrain for the most part.  I feel MUCH better physically, and I appreciate the favor I’m doing my body in feeding it all the right things.  I never eat as healthy as I do when I’m on this “diet.”  I am choosing from now on to refer to it as my new lifestyle.  I hope to eat like this from now on.  I owe it to myself and my God to honor the temple He has given me.  Prayers are still appreciated, as I am still learning to transition into healthy eating habits.

Ms. Spontaneity

I'm not sure how I would explain my personality. I am all about having a plan. I don't like surprises. My calendar is my best friend. I have a "to-do" list beside me at my desk 24/7. However, there's a part of me that's very spontaneous. Once I get something on my mind, it's almost impossible to let it go. This happened last Thursday. Around 1:00 pm, I decided I wanted to paint my kitchen....immediately. I got out of school at 3:00 and by 4, I had picked out the color, gone to the store, and had my gallon of paint ready to go. I sought out the help of some friends but was so impatient, I ended up painting the whole thing before they even arrived! I was pretty proud of myself! Here's a shot of the before- I didn't like the green the first day I walked in and saw it being painted.

And, here's the after. I LOVE it and am so glad I followed through with the oh so spontaneous idea of mine.  It looks more blue in the pictures that it really is.  It's more of a blue-gray color.  It's very tranquil- perfect and exactly what I was going for.

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My Valentine

Yep- for this girl, Valentine's Day is dreaded every year.  With each passing one, I hope the next will bring something different.  So far, it hasn't, but my faith isn't in myself or a man- it's in MY GOD!  That's the love I chose to celebrate yesterday.  Although I woke up in a terrible not so good mood, my heart was full and content by the end of the day.

It started off before school when my sweet co-teacher brought in the cutest notecards and a precious note that made me feel special.  Then, it continued around 9:00 am with office aide #1 bringing in a bright red wrapped gift.  I was very confused when she said, "It's for you."  I read the note and tears came to my eyes.  The gift was a coffee pot (notice the note), in which Scarlett had heard me say recently that I didn't have and needed to purchase due to my new craving for coffee.  She's so thoughtful and creative!  I LOVED it! 

Later yesterday afternoon, office aide #2 comes in with three roses and a bright pink bag.  Again, "It's for you."  What in the world?  Inside the bag was a candle, chocolates, and a heart-shaped soap.  This note was one of the kindest and special ones I've ever received.  I will keep it forever.  I still don't know who sent it, but I think God used them yesterday to fill my heart and provide me an earthly representation of HIS love.  I will never forget it.  The note says this:  Amy- Thank you for being who you are.  You are someone that can turn a bad day into a great day.  You know how to make others feel special simply by how you treat them.  You are a fantastic teacher and I know for a fact your kids adore you.  On this day of love, I want you to know so many love you and that's because you show love to others.  Most of all, thank you for showing others that being a child of God is so special.  God has blessed my life (along with others) for knowing you.  MHBS is very lucky to have someone like you. (Please believe I shared this not to boast or be prideful of myself.  I, in fact, feel very undeserving of the words this person spoke.)

After school, I come to my car to find this.  It's a gift basket for my mom and me from my precious friend, Amanda.  Inside was chicken salad, chocolate covered strawberries, homemade heart cookies, plates and polka-dot napkins, and more.  Overwhelmed....that's what I was.  Another reminder of how blessed I am by the absolute best friends in the world. 

My day ended with dinner with my sweet and precious Mom.  She is the most incredible person and is my rock.  I couldn't have asked for a better Valentine's date. :)

I don't know what I did to deserve all my "happys" yesterday.  Somehow that dreaded day turned out to be such a blessing.  I'm seeing God more and more lately and I think yesterday was just another way He made His presence known to me through some truly awesome people.  THANK YOU- to everyone who played a part in making my day so special. I will have a new perspective next Valentine's Day.  I will make sure those closest to me know they're loved, like I knew yesterday.  Although, it wouldn't hurt to have a husband for next year either.... :)

In Recent News....

This post has been a long time coming.  I have logged in numerous times only to sit and look at the screen in hopes a blog topic would grace the presence of my brain.  Obviously, it never happened.  I typically don't write about my life because...well...there just isn't much exciting about it.  I work, I go home, and I work again.  It's a monotonous, BLESSED, and sometimes boring cycle.  But then I thought, you know....this blog is for me and it's always fun to look back over old posts to see what I was up to at that time.  Hence, this post. Lately.......

I'm still obsessed with my precious niece.  She's just the best thing that has ever happened to me and I think about her nonstop.  She's starting to talk more and more now and we just all think everything she says and does is the cutest.  I miss her from the moment they walk out the door to head home until the time I see her again.  She's my sweet angel. 

I've been spending a lot of time rehearsing for Winterfest.  If you remember my post from last year, it's a youth conference my friends second family and I sing at in February.  Last year was our first year and boy, was I nervous!  We sing on stage in front of 6500 people and I'm certainly not used to that type of audience!  It was such a blessing last year and I absolutely cannot wait to go back next weekend.  We're learning new songs that are amazing.  If you're interested, download Stronger by Hillsong, Awakening by Chris Tomlin, and Mighty Fortress by Christy Nockels.  If you love Christian music, you will LOVE these songs.

I started the low-glycemic index diet again two weeks ago.  This is the same diet I was able to lose over 20 pounds on a couple years ago.  I did well until Thanksgiving and well, you know how hard it is to be on a diet around the holidays.  I've prayed about this for a while and thanks to God found the strength despite my hesitation, to start it again.    It's basically leaving out all carbs (unless they are natural carbs found in fruit), no processed food, etc.  This diet makes me feel SO much better.  I love that what I am feeding my body is all-natural and HEALTHY.  It's not always easy, but the reward outweighs the struggle.  I covet your prayers to stay strong and keep this lifestyle up.  I've lost 5.6 pounds the first two weeks and am hoping to lose lots more.  For now, my new favorite foods are a Jennie-O turkey burger between two pieces of lettuce, Carb-balance tortillas and natural peanut butter wraps, and peanuts.  I can't do without those staples!

I can't believe school is nearing an end.  Summer break is still over three months away, but time is flying!  I'm excited to go to the beach again with my family this summer.  We're moving the party from Gulf Shores to Destin this year.  That will be a nice change.  I'm super excited to go to Minneapolis as soon as school is out to visit Josh and Ginger, the boys, and new baby boy Willingham.  I've always wanted to visit the Mall of America so Lord willing, this summer will be my chance.  Don't count on me to ride the roller coaster in there, though.  I was the one scared to death on the kiddie coaster at Waterville in Gulf Shores.  If only I had a video of my face.......

I guess that wraps it up!  I will post pictures from Winterfest when I return.  I am going to try and post my dieting progress again occasionally, just in hopes of keeping myself accountable.   If it bores you, feel free to pass on those posts.  I hope this finds everyone doing well....and doing a snow dance by the way.  What's winter without at least one snow day?  That's what I'm hoping for.  Happy Hump Day!

Amateur Design Challenge

If you're a regular reader (anyone?), then it's no secret that the bare wall in my living room has been an eyesore  since I moved in.  I wrote a plea for help a few months ago in which I explained my debacle.  I decided that Santa's task this Christmas would be to save me from this design dilemma.  I asked for Hobby Lobby gift cards, money for furniture, and a bookshelf I found online just hoping I could find something, ANYTHING, to fix this wall that bothered me daily.  Well, Santa delivered.  I in no way claim to be Candace Olsen or a female version of Nate Berkus, but I'm pleased with how it turned out.  It's still not 100% complete and there are a few things I am still searching for, but it's much better than before.  Here's the before and after. (Thank you, Picnik.)

As you can see, the television table was too short to fill the wall, but too tall to place a picture above it.  I didn't know what to place on each side.  My symmetric mentality limited the possibilities.  I felt like what went on one side needed to go on the other.  Finally, I gave that up and decided to go with a chair and bookshelf.  The chair is a brown chenille wingback from Kirklands.  It was $329, marked down to $229, and the day I went in.....it was $185.  I checked my phone on a whim for a coupon and found a 15% off so I used it right away.  I ended up paying around $160 for the chair.  You can't beat that!  Santa (aka my mom that went all the way to Decatur for me) bought me the bookshelf for Christmas.  I searched all over for the perfect one.  This one came from BIG LOTS for $60.  I loved the open back and the criss-cross pattern on each side.  The curtains are from World Market- one of my obsessions, and the cross is from Hobby Lobby.  

It's a work in progress, but I have had so much fun designing my own little space.  Next, the bedroom.  :)

Playing Around with Picnik

What do you get on a night when nothing is on TV?  A new blog design!  I had so much fun playing around on Picnik making this new blog design.  True, it's nothing in comparison to Haley's (She designs them for anyone, so send her an email if you're interested.), but I was pretty proud of myself!  Now, on to some "pinteresting" and shopping around on Ebay.  What would we do without the internet??