Happy Halloween!!

Today is my first day of FREEDOM since Charlotte has been sick! I take my eyes off of her for one minute yesterday and she went all over the living room rug. FUN STUFF!!! The vet called this morning to check up on her and we found out for sure Charlotte had ingested some sort of toxin/chemical. We have 3 guesses... Paint chips that were scraped off from the gutter, chemicals/cement from the pool deck being resurfaced, or fertilizer/plant food. All three of these should NOT have been in the back yard. The painters were to clean EVERYTHING, the pool guy was an idiot and dumped all his stuff on the lawn and we have told the lawn guys no more tree food in the backyard!!! Don't get me started.....this all happened when I was not at home... Anyway....Charlotte is doing better...still not great...but better. I am on my way (I get 2 hour time frames) to get some last minute Halloween stuff. This year we will be handing out candy on the porch/walkway. No more kids running across the yard!! Then off to a Halloween Party tonight! Be safe :)

Charlotte Update....

Thanks so much for the nice thoughts, emails and texts! This will be short since I am so dead tired. I stink at not being anxious. I anticipated Charlotte having an accident, so I was up most the night "hearing" her rustle in her crate. She did fine...I did not :) (I did the same thing when my grandmother got out of the hospital and I volunteered to be the night watch person once a week....I did not get a wink of sleep....we had a baby monitor in her room and I was up all night making sure she was still breathing). It's not looking good for when I have a kiddo! I drove a sample to the vet so we'll see what's up. Lil pup is doing better...but not really back to her old self. The vet wants her to rest. Ummmm....try getting a 6 month old crazy puppy to rest. This is torture for her! Ok...nap time for Madeline...30 minutes...all I want is 30 mins.

Oh how quickly the tide turns....

I am sorry that I haven't been up to snuff on my email responses and blog comments. I had such a busy, wonderful weekend...that I should have know the other shoe would drop soon. And such is life. Charlotte has had HORRIBLE diarrhea, vomiting, and blood in her stool (SOUND FAMILIAR??!!!!). She had a horrible accident in her crate this afternoon and it's getting worse. I am yet to take her to the vet since I think it has to do with her new food (I did go myself to the vet to ask them what to do and they suggested the bland prescription food since it sounded like tummy issues due to new food also) So I spent almost all day today

• Trying to get the stench of doggie grossness out of the house
• Washing a crate and filthy dog who is scared of the water sprayer
• Trying to dry a dog in this chilly weather with a blow dryer that she is also...you guessed it scared of!
• Bleaching her bed, towels and floor!!!

(I have babysat and nannied for MANY years and have had my share of gross, stinky accidents. But I will take an exploding diaper any day....this smell makes me want to throw up!!!) If it gets worse tonight...I'm taking her to the emergency vet. I have images of Ellie being sick flashing before my eyes! I know there is no Way I can have 2 dogs with this rare disease...but the similarities are uncanny! Please send good vibes Charlotte's way!!! Update: It's 12:30 am and just got back from taking her outside....still not doing so good....ughh!

Wonderful Weekend...

Sometimes I get so caught up in what's going wrong in life...I forget to be be thankful for what is going great!

Geoff and I have this little "ritual", that someday we want to pass on to our kids. Right before he passes out (I am the night owl), we do our I love yous (man, is he going to kill me or what), and then "What was the best part of your day". Sometimes it's a little thing, sometimes it's a major victory.

Yesterday, I had to pause and say..."Ya, know what...this whole weekend was perfect". Nothing super, special, life altering happened.....just a weekend were nothing went wrong and every event put a smile no my face.

My "perfect" weekend consisted of .....

• Weighing in on Friday and losing some more weight....not the 10 pounds I wanted....grr...but 7. Down to 155/54. 20 pounds (give or take) to go!!

• Taking our dogs to a Halloween Party, then Wag-O-Ween downtown. I guess what made me smile was the fact that tourists were asking to take the pups pictures 7 asked me (wasn't counting the ones snapping away without asking...weirdo's). Had fun conversations about dogs with each of them. And while I thought they just wanted pictures of the dogs...they asked me to be in them! Too funny! But made me smile!

• I also got a phone number from a guy!! Ok, Geoff wasn't so thrilled with that one...but while he was getting the car, I had 2 tired pups, leashes in my hand, a backpack, camera and smoothie...so the poor guy couldn't see my ring. (I very quickly said I was married and showed him the ring). I haven't had that happen in YEARS!

• Had a wonderful time at my friends Halloween party (cops came 3 times for noise violations!!! Haven't been to a party were the cops came since I was in college)

• Great brunch with the hubby on Sunday.

• Watched "The Secret Lives of Bees" with some of the girls and it was AWESOME...almost like the book (pretty darn close...couple parts were different for "drama"). The actors they choose were perfect for the roles!!!!

• Played tennis/had practice for almost 3 hours (our coach was CRAZY). But I finally have a backhand stroke...and am learning to serve deep!

• Monday had a great day with hubby (he has ever other Monday off...hence the long weekend). Did errands...signed up for the YMCA and watched Mad Men and How I Met Your Mother episodes that we were so behind on!

• Curled up with a good book last night....

May not seem perfect to everyone....but for me...it was divine!

Here are some party pictures...

The house...

Spooky Picture of the back yard!

The entry

The Pirates (don't you love Fabio...I mean Geoff)

!st Place goes to....

Jake!!! For his mailman costume!!! (Charlotte got a runners up prize for her bumble bee costume).

Man did he score some loot!!! Next up for today....Wag-O-Ween downtown and costume party for us tonight!! (No Rainbow Brite for me this year...I tried last night...and it's 50% there...since I had to make it from scratch with no pattern...no way was I going to wear the skanky costume that I can't return...darn it ...didn't read the whole policy. Maybe I'll have it done by Halloween, but not the party tonight.)

Here's some pictures for this morning!

Hard to take a picture of a picture

Jake and Charlotte's loot! The big box is full of doggie treats (all natural/high quality)

10 Things on my mind...

I have so many random things going on...there really is no way they each could be their own post...yet making one rambling post would be too much.

So, being the list lover that I am...here goes:

10.) Needing to get a recipe for pumpkin mousse from Lauren. Yes ladies....if I were ever to gain my 40 plus pounds I lost ...it would be eating that. It's like pumpkin crack. I now completely understand how people can become addicted to drugs!!!! Even Mr. Picky husband loved it (and we all know is utter disdain for trying new things...haha)

9.)Totally scored some major deals at Linen and Things going out of business sale!!! I wanted to do something different to our comforter and tie it in with the new master bath (pictures to come). This is not as traditional as I usually have had...but I love it all the same...

8.) Talking about great deals....I went back to Bed Bath and Beyond this weekend so I could use my 2 awesome coupons and get these

Sweetest, Softest, Robe Ever

and....Lambie Slippers

7.) Charlotte's back from training....and crazier than ever!! I have pictures upload of her...but the best one is of her in a bumble bee costume :) If you can't wait till later this week to see what a 6 month old puppy looks like....this is Charlotte's twin (from the same rescue we got her from).

6.) We finally broke down and have a cleaning lady come to the house every other week. LOVE IT! Our neighbors use her and she is REALLY good and reasonably priced. My mom was right, if you can afford it, the first thing you should invest in is a cleaner. Far less arguments, more time to relax...and with a house this size with all the remodeling going on...it's just too much for me. My allergies thank me :)

5.) FIL and BIL came last week. We had a nice time...a little too much football for my liking. And I'm starting to see that while I can't understand how Geoff can be so addicted to football....I can see why he thinks he's "not that bad" and says "sure most guys what as much football as I do". Good Lord...Geoff has nothing on his dad and brother. It's sad they can't have meaningful conversations about what's going on in their lives, but they can talk FOR HOURS about football stats...sheesh.

4.) Sooooo ticked off with our construction guy. Over budget, over time limit, and doing a crappy job that I have to complain to get anything done right. UGH! I wish people would have pride in their workmanship and not try to 1/2 ass it!!!

3.) Trying to figure out how to add some length to the "Slutty" Rainbow Brite costume. No time to make it from scratch so I had to buy one and make it PG-13 instead of X rated.

2.)We joined the church down the street last Sunday. I finally am at a place where I can go back to a church. I searched and searched to find an open minded church. And here the one 2 blocks from my house seems like the best fit for us :)

WARNING: Some ultra conservatives might not want to read this last post...Sorry in advance....but it's on my mind...

1.) On my theme of religion. I am SO OVER people equating being a good Christian = being only a republican. As a liberal/conservative (former hardcore Republican)....I am so tired of the "holier than thou" approach that is being thrown out. It's like SOME people (not all) are trying to speak for God. I even heard someone say that "if you read the Bible, you know you should vote Republican." The GAUL of these people. This is the same exact attitude that made me quit church for 8 years!!! (great timing to start back up huh?)

Then I hear the sermon for last week!!! Our awesome, smart (he went to Columbia and Yale) pastor said that we should not try to speak for God. We are only human and can not say without a doubt that God would want "so and so" to win. (We have both people who are Republican and Democrat that are running for office at our church.) WOHOO finally, in a place were judging is not allowed and we aren't being told one party is morally more riotous than the other!!

I *heart* pumpkins!

Seriously...it's a disease. If it could be fall everyday I could die a happy woman. But why do I LOVE fall....pumpkins!!!!

My entire house smells of Bath and Body Works Pumpkin (and not the pumpkin spice...ewww plain old pumpkin). I LOVE the smell of pumpkin candles or the wallflowers they have. (Side Note: For a less expensive candle...WALMART...of all places...has a great smelling candle...better than Yankee candle even...everyone is shocked when I tell them the candles we have out right now are from Walmart) My love of pumpkin is shared by my neighbor Joe. So I invited him and James over for a pumpkin dinner (complete with pumpkin soup bowls my in laws gave me). Well my husband (as many of you know) has the taste buds of a toddler (he is getting better). Now I've learned to cook something and if he doesn't like it he can make something himself. He has no love for pumpkin....sigh..... That's until I made Penne Pasta with Pumpkin Cream Sauce from Rachel Ray magazine....he actually said he would eat it again!! And the party favorite Pumpkin Leek Soup from Real Simple Magazine. It was AWESOME!!! This is my next goal..... Pumpkin Moose Trifle

New Orleans

These are long overdue but it's the first chance I got to proof these pictures! My apologies in advance for the bad photography but.... Madeline + moving tour van+trying to learn manual mode+ lots of shadows one second then bright light the next=crappy pictures

View from the Westin

Upper Ninth Ward...notice the dull yellow line near the base of the building? Now add about 3 feet and that's how high the flooding was in that area. Not "too bad" right?

Yup, FEMA trailers are still there.

Welcome to the Lower Ninth Ward. Look at the levee. Real sturdy huh? Ohh and that grass on the left hand side...well needless to say, nothing is going to be built there again.

Other side of the levee. You see neighborhood after neighborhood like this....(did I mention you get a fine if your grass is tall? ) Nice modern art? Nope, there are the water levels after the storm surge. Don't believe the water was that high? Look closely at this building...see the different color in the brick. Add three feet and that's how high the water was in the Lower Ninth Ward. The numbers on the house represent the date the house was inspected, the unit that came ...and on the bottom middle was the number no one wanted to see...the number dead inside the house (in this house 5).

Brad Pitt "Green" homes. Personally....I think it's wonderful he's helping....but the architecture does not fit this area at all!!

And then there is the beauty...Garden District has some major $$$ ...ohh and it doesn't flood either!

Top: Anne Rice's home (over 2 million...we asked..hehe) Bottom: Where Payton and Eli Manning grew up and parents still live

Just a pretty home :)

The French Quarter

(we ate at Muriel's and highly recommend it...my diet hated me for it. Three words Bourbon Bread Pudding)

And Finally.... The Dog Whisperer at our conference

Some days....

It's 12:32 am and I can say I made it through yesterday...(my mom's birthday). As opposed to last years disaster of flying home and basically crying for 4 days straight while fighting a nasty cold (told ya I used to be always sick). I wised up this year. I called my aunt a day early to tell her "I love ya, but please don't call to check up on me tomorrow...pass the message on". I know she means well. But on those 2 days a year...all bets are off and it takes everything in me not to me a wreck. How did I make it through today relatively unscathed? I tried to honor my mom by not being a blubbering idiot/crying basket case :) No...I just tried to make her proud by as sad as I was last year. I know that's what she would want most. Geoff made it a point to watch a bunch of movie and TV with me, since he knows that was my mom and I's "thing". My mom was the person I could always count on to watch the cool independent films that none of my other friends had even heard of...and she would also watch the scary, gory, horror films with me too. Can't say I didn't have my 10 minutes of crying upstairs while I was suppose to be folding laundry (Geoff was none the wiser thank goodness...I know it's hard for him to see me hurting, and he really tried hard today to make it a non stressful day). In hindsight...dummy over here should have know going through albums to find her Rainbow Brite costume pictures would have been a bad choice.....duh!!! I totally remember the picture....and when I couldn't find it....I just broke down, cause the first thought in my head was "mom would know where it is...wait a second..." insert tears. I think about her everyday. On days like yesterday it just hits a little harder. Thanks for letting me talk it out...

5 hours of sleep in 48 hours....

And I don't even have a new born baby to blame it on!!!! I have always liked to be prepared in life. My earliest memory of this was in kindergarten. I was up almost the WHOLE NIGHT anxious about starting school. I kept going to my backpack making sure I had all my crayons and pencils. Throughout the night, more stuff was being added to the mix (just in case). This continued all through college. First day of school, I could never fall asleep. Cause that wasn't bad enough...now I am doing it before opening my business. My mind is going 100 MPH. I slept only 2 hours on Wednesday night! I was re-reading manuals, books, making spreadsheets. And decorating/cleaning (told ya I was nesting). There are post it notes everywhere with "ideas" and to do lists. So I marched myself to Office Depot and have a new and improved filing system that I can throw in the car and take on the go. And then I marched myself over to Verizon and bought a new smart phone with a to do list!!! (Sorry Iphone, you were cute...but definitely not for a business owner) Last night ....I slept without walking up once for a solid 7 hours without even moving positions(that never happens...I'm a tosser). I love sleep :) Here are some random updates:

• Got one AWESOME recipe for those who asked... Parmesan Pasta with Chicken and Rosemary was a hit!! So easy to make and I tweaked the recipe a bit so that I used whole grain penne so it was a little healthier (and Mr. Picky, who hates anything healthy said he couldn't even taste it). With steamed asparagus it was wonderful. We have a friend who is a vegetarian so I had made him a portion without the chicken, and he loved it too. (side note: I would not use the whole 3/4 a cup of water...I used just the water that was still on the pasta after I drained it and the cheese stuck to it perfectly.)
• I got a rough draft of the building layout for the doggie daycare. IT LOOKS GREAT! And I get a old dog/lil pup lounge right by my office :)
• Just found out I might have to go back to California for a trial in November. Ugh...will this estate ever be closed??!!!

I should be doing paperwork, but....

Ok, ok, ok...last post today! I just had to share these updates. They are long overdue (and tomorrow I will update with the New Orleans trip pictures).

My fall decorating! Notice the cat in the window. And we got some fall looking plants for the planters by the stairs...the mums should be blooming in the next week or so.

(And no our roof is not falling apart...we are waiting for the new gutters to come in)

The foyer...I have changed things around a bit. The table used to be in a hall under a mirror.

We have a problem with mice...(new mirror from Home Goods)

The bench was moved from out master bedroom and I bought at the pillows at...wait for it....Home Goods

Wow...crappy pictures coming up....sorry in advance

The darn man room/"family" room upstairs that took WEEKS of our lives we will never get back!! Artwork to come and shelves for all the pottery...and that makeshift entertainment center is going too. And the table's one day will be painted black.

And the best for last! Jen, this is for you....FINALLY! The two long photos were taken by my talented friend. I saw them on her blog and knew I had to have them!!! After MONTHS of waiting for them to get framed and also waiting for the remodel to finish so I could have my wall back. Can you tell I have a thing from GREAT photography??!!

Sometimes I wish I was a kid again....

Yesterday was one of those days...you know...the days that make you want to sit on the couch and have a good cry. I was feeling overwhelmed to say the least (that and hopped up on coffee...I was "punchy" to say the least). I just wanted to have no responsibilities and live a carefree life...just like when I was a kid. I should have know that this summer would be the calm before the storm. Granted, I am taking on a lot right now with renovations and getting my mom's estate in order to the point I won't have to worry about any of this once my business is open (haha...yeah right...a girl can hope can't she?) I feel like I am nesting, even though there is no baby in the near future. I seriously have a list as long as my arm, on what I want to accomplish each month until the business opens. You might think I am ultra organized...nope right now, writing things down is the only way I will remember anything. Thank goodness for Post it notes! What scares me is the fact that I got word yesterday we might (gulp) have a location!! I should be happy...and I am, but then that scared/anxious feeling hits. The WTF am I doing feeling... Is this too much for me to handle??!! But then I breathe in.....breathe out. And then I get a phone call from my best friend (wonderful timing Laura) and we chat for almost an hour. And right before dinner my husband opens the door and brings me these "just because"....just after I was flustered our dinner was not what I had expected (which he said he loved, and from a picky eater that means a lot!).

Back to basics...

Don't get me wrong...I don't want to be ungrateful about losing weight....BUT on the other hand, I have not cooked one meal in over 3 months (insert cringe here). I was doing SO WELL on learning to cook right after the kitchen remodel. Then I started the eating well/counting calories...and darn it...I was too scared to cook. So I am going to suck it up. Research my meals, and just eat smaller portions and substitute ingredients! (All these recipes are from Cooking Light, Real Simple and Rachel Ray magazine) This weeks menu:

• Wheat Penne with Pumpkin Cream Sauce (hence the "substitute ingredients" ) Served with Roasted Asparagus
• Puttanesca Sauce Over Wheat Pasta (with Shrimp and Veggies on side)
• Turkey Tortilla Casserole
• Skillet Shrimp and Chicken
• Coconut Curry Chicken
• Mushroom Tamales
• Pumpkin Soup

Send good cooking vibes my way!

Top 10 Reasons I Have Not Posted....

Excuses, excuses right?

Well...here they come...10.)I was at a Camp Bow Wow conference in New Orleans from 4 days...our keynote speaker was Caesar Milan AKA The Dog Whisperer. I got tons of ideas from other franchise members ...and learned a TON about marketing! I have to admit, I was drained after 10 +hours of pure lectures/speakers/round tables. (I have tons of "tourist" pictures I will post. Just know, we took a "Post Katrina Tour" and I was shocked. My heart aches for the people in that area.)

9. ) We got home home at 1 am Wednesday morning and then had to be out of the house by 9am to drive to Augusta for Geoff's conference.

Side Note: Nothing to do in Augusta (unless you like the Masters...kidding??...which brings me to #8)8.) August, great place to get fight a cold! Hey, for all who know me. I used to get a nasty cold once a month. I had the immune system of a toddler!! Then I had my sinus surgery in Feb. of last year and NOT ONE COLD SINCE. I fought this one hard...all I had was achy feeling, chills and a wicked sore throat...that's it!!! No hacking cough, stuffy nose...nada! I beat the system! 7.)We get home last Friday and are TIRED...we get home to construction still being done on our house and having to clean DUST.....EVERYWHERE!

6.) Don't forget a week and a half full of laundry

5.) Opening over a weeks worth of mail/bills/junk and magazines (see #4)

4.) Must catch up on a weeks worth magazines, Rachel Ray, US Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, Real Simple, Martha Stewart Halloween,...the list goes on...and yes we know I am a magazine whore.

3.) Reading my book club book....darn it...this month I will do it in a timely manner! And read The Secret Life of Bees in time for the movie...which I know is coming out because ...see #2 2.) Trying to catch up on over a week and a half of TV shows....I am losing the battle on that one. Thank the Lord for the DVR!!

And the #1 reason is...

1.) Trying to be active...I am now starting to place Tennis 2 times a week (and for those that don't know...Wii tennis doesn't help you at all in "real tennis") Taking Jake's for walks in the AM for at least 45 mins. Working in the garden....just trying to step up my game before gym time :)

And that my friends is why I have not been posting for the 2 days I have been back. I promise to read all your blogs this week! I also promise to update mine in a timely manner!