Welcome to the family, Atlas

You already know we are dog people. Our two furry kids, Jack & Rory pretty much take over our lives. (and I'm actually pretty surprised that I haven't written more about them here...)

proof that for 5 seconds, Rory was smaller than Jack

We got Rory as a puppy and have experienced just about every problem you can face with a little wall-chewing, turkey-eating, fur ball running around under your feet! But we've also loved every minute of her growing up. We're cheesy like that.

she's a goof. a BIG goof. and we love her.

We're also huge suckers for the huge puppers. Big dogs make us drool. But, since they can easily (and literally) eat you out of house and home, we can't commit to buying another one just yet. Instead, we decided to start working with a giant dog rescue called Big Dogs, Huge Paws. They are based in Colorado but are quickly expanding to Texas. We decided that we really wanted to be a foster home to dogs that had nowhere else to go. These gentle giants just need a place to live while they try to find their forever home. We went through the foster approval process and were finally matched with a dog...

Everyone, meet Atlas:

just chillin out max and relaxin all cool (don't mind the dead grass)

She is an 8 year old Brazilian Mastiff, weighing in at 101 pounds. Oh, she may look like a grumpy old lady (and she can be sometimes) but really she's a sweetheart looking for a new family. Her family had to move over seas and couldn't take her with them. Sad deal.

We got her at the end of May. Literally the DAY before my family arrived. So if I wasn't already in a full on, last minute finish-projects-clean-house-get-groceries-do-yardwork frenzy, I was now. Luckily we knew it was a possibility, so our house was all foster-ready. (more on the total house re-arranging coming soon!) Surprisingly we made it through the family visit just fine (although my family chose to rename her Alice) and have gotten in to a good groove ever since.

Here is how Atlas spends most of her time:

Sleeping on her bed with her toys. And snoring. Did I mention she snores? Loud. But I guess you can get away with that when you're old. I'll let it slide.

What about you? Looking for a Big Dog of your own? Check out BDHP and take a look at the dogs they have up for adoption... you might find yourself a new forever friend! http://bigdogshugepaws.com/

FUNK

You read that right: I said FUNK. That's what I'm in today.

I thought I would have a chance to catch up on the blog in the past few weeks, but boy was I WRONG! May has been crazy!

My family (mom, dad, and two brothers) all came to visit me for 5 days last weekend. While it was great to see everyone, it put me in a tailspin the two weeks prior to their visit as I tried to clean and finish up a million unfinished projects around the house before they got here(which of course means that I have tons of upcoming material for the blog!). But all that frenzied activity has made me tiiiirreed! I woke up cranky this morning and I can't seem to shake it.

So I turned to this little dude, who instantly changes his mood with a little "Dog Days are Over":



I love that he gets all cranky and starts whining until he hears the song start again. Everytime I hear this song, I want to break in to a dance similar to his!

So here is the full version of the song for anyone else that is having a FUNKY Friday! Let's turn it back in to a Feel Good Friday!

Big Day

It was a big day for the little girl yesterday...who, might I mention, is not so little anymore. She weighed in at a whopping 99 lbs! Thank goodness we just barely avoided the "over 100 pounds" extra charge!

She was finally spayed (yes, Bob Barker- I choose to spay and neuter my pets) and when we picked her up, it was exactly like David After Dentist in Dog Form. I definitely felt bad for her, but it was hard not to laugh picturing her saying things like this:

She's recovering very well, but I still laugh at her wearing her Cone of Shame!

Four Wishes

Paige just wanted us to play a game of "I Wish." It started out with 2 wishes per person, but quickly expanded to 4 wishes per person. The only rule was that you couldn't wish for more wishes, although we should have made a rule that you can't copy someone else's idea (but some were too good not to double up!)

Here is what each person wished for (I think it's funny how they vary with age):

Meghan:

-wish I had my own airplane with a pilot so that I could fly anywhere I want, anytime I want

-wish I had enough money to never have to worry about it

-wish I owned my own successful event company

-wish I could eat anything I want, and as much as I want, without getting sick or fat

Shawn:

-wish I had $100 million

-wish I owned my own company (company TBD)

-wish I was a professional baseball player

-wish dogs could talk

Paige:

-wish dogs could talk (her idea first)

-wish I got $50,000 every day

-wish I had my own airplane and pilot

-wish I could eat anything I want, and as much as I want, without getting sick or fat

Luke:

-wish I had $1,000 (later changed to $1 billion when he realized he couldn't make it very far in Hollywood with only $1000)
-wish I could read dogs' minds

-wish I could fly and could give my flying powers to my friends to fly with me

-wish computers could talk so I didn't have to read them

Maybe we'll see a shooting star tonight and one of our wishes will come true!

(image credit)

Rory & Me

When I first saw the movie "Marley & Me" I thought- how can a dog be so crazy? So destructive? So hyper? Maybe it's because I had grown up with only little dogs so their craziness/destruction/hyperness was proportionally much smaller than this giant yellow lab in the movie. But it just didn't seem like well-trained dogs would act like that...

...and then I got Rory. Don't get me wrong. Rory is a great dog, just like Marley was. She is loving, fun, and full of energy. But leave her alone without toys and BEWARE!

In her short life, just shy of two years, she has already managed to: eat my drywall, chew my cabinet door, eat a rug, rip the back of my couch, and leave her lovely hair everywhere. None of this is all that bad, considering most was done while she was a puppy.

But now... now she's older, wiser, trickier, and well trained. Now she knows what is right and wrong. She listens to commands (mostly) and everyone tells me she is very well behaved for her age (ha!). Now she knows what she is not supposed to do, and has to be extra crafty so she can do it anyway. Case in point: last night. As I was cleaning up dinner, I started to plan ahead for my meal the next night. I decided to make some turkey chili, so I took a 1 pound package of ground turkey out of my freezer and set it at the back of my stove to thaw. I continued to clean and then ran to the store to get a few things. Shawn was at the house, but fell asleep on the couch.

When I came back from the store, I was so tired. I noticed that Shawn had decided to go to bed and had left the dogs out unattended. The first thing I said to them was "wow- he must trust you more than I do!" Then I noticed both dogs licking a wet spot on Rory's dog bed. I went to examine it and saw no evidence of what they had destroyed/consumed so I brushed it off, figuring Rory found a hidden rawhide somewhere. In my desperation to get to bed myself, I put away all the groceries and completely forgot about cooking the turkey for chili.

Fast forward to this morning. I wake up and immediately think of the thawed turkey. I rush to the kitchen only to discover that it's gone. I check the freezer and fridge to make sure it didn't mistakenly get put away. Negative. I scan the room, checking the floors for this tube of frozen poultry. Nothing. It has officially disappeared.

Then I remember the wet spot. Could it be?? Did Rory manage to get on the counter, grab the frozen ground turkey, and eat the ENTIRE thing- packaging and all- before I got home?? Well, at this point, I wouldn't put it past her. She was smart enough to eat all evidence of her crime so I can't really prove anything. I'm half amazed and half annoyed. This dog is a criminal genius.

So much for chili tonight. I guess we'll order pizza.

Just Cool It

Merry Christmas! I hope you had a great holiday weekend! My Christmas was super low-key and lovely. I slept it, relaxed with the dogs, and then spent the afternoon with Shawn's family.


I was very blessed with some wonderful gifts this year. Many of them are slowly adding to my kitchen arsenal of gourmet gadgets. Soon I will have a kitchen to envy!


One of my biggest scores was a Wine Cooler from Shawn. It holds 36 bottles (wowza!) and is the stand alone black fridge-looking kind. I immediately plugged it in and put my 3 bottles of awaiting wine in there to chill. Man, 36 bottles is a LOT to fill!


Yesterday I finally found one of my favorite Texas wines and bought 2 bottles to add to my now growing collection: Fall Creek Chenin Blanc. I tried it this year at Grapefest in Grapevine, TX and it was delightful! I love fruity, light wines, and this one hit the spot! Plus, at under $8 per bottle- you can't go wrong!

(image credit)

I've searched stores for it since September and finally found it at World Market in the Arlington Highlands. Locals- go get you some!

Christmas Eve

Today is Christmas Eve and it makes me miss my family. Since I moved to Texas I've had to choose going home for either Thanksgiving or Christmas but rarely both. (darn you expensive airfare!)

One of the traditions I miss most during Christmas is my family's annual Christmas Eve Dinner. No, we don't have a fancy homemade spread. No, we don't gather with extended relatives and dine on turkey or ham. No, we don't go to fancy restaurant.

Our family tradition every Christmas Eve is to go eat at Fort Wayne's Famous Coney Island. Yep, a hot dog stand. Well, it's more than a stand. It's a little restaurant full of small-town charm and home to the best Christmas Eve Coney Dog ever.







It's not much to look at, but it's delicious and it's tradition. We've taken many people there with us over the years and everyone enjoys it. We used to get a glass Coke bottle with the Holiday Santa on it every year too, but they stopped selling those (boo).

After dinner we drive around downtown and look at all the big light displays and holiday decorations before making our way home for the night.



It's a great tradition that I certianly miss. What are your Christmas Eve traditions?

The Next Big Thing

Check out Greencastle's #1 news anchor: Eric DeFreeuw, live in action!



I don't know if you knew this, but he's kind of a big deal. He's like a one-man news team! Look at him go!

Helpful Tips from Dad

You never know what you're going to learn from my dad.

Today, it's how to peel an egg without peeling an egg. Crazy.

Watch:


Or here is the article: How to Peel an Egg

been away for a while...

I know, I know. I haven't been keeping up like I should.
But that's what happens when you're on vacation.

For the record, I did make the jump. And I survived.
(Pictures to come soon)

For anyone who wants to know what skydiving is like, just try it. I dare you!
It's amazing though, actually very calm and quiet up there (after the "5,000 feet in 30 seconds" free fall that is!) I loved it and I would do it again if you came with me!

Up next for the DeFreeuw Big Adventure: White Water Rafting in West Virginia.

to live another day...

Well, it didn't go down as planned (literally).

We were all psyched up to do the "big jump" yesterday, and unfortunately the winds of nature had another plan. Only my dad and Big Rob (as I've decided to call him) were able to skydive. They both had fun, despite the haphazard landing! (pictures coming soon) As for the rest of us, well I guess we get to live another day and will have to re-schedule for later this week.

But mark my words, I will jump before I leave Indiana at the end of the week. I've worked myself up too much not to!

Father's Day is coming up quick

Here's a gift idea for father's day. Well, if your father likes motorcycles I guess. Or if he wants to impress ladies like Sandra Bullock.



Give him Jesse James' new "Dopp Kit" from Kiehl's



The kit includes: Facial Fuel Energizing Face Wash, “White Eagle” Ultimate Brushless Shave Cream, Ultimate Man Body Scrub Soap, Facial Fuel Energizing Moisture Treatment and a deluxe sample of Ultimate Strength Hand Salve. It retails for $66 and all comes in a West Coast Choppers logo case.