Tuesday, March 27, 2012

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. 

Monday, March 12, 2012

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.

Thursday, March 01, 2012

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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