Remember...

Happy Birthday, Maddie. You would have been two-years-old today.

The world misses your sunny smile.

I also want to acknowledge Veterans Day. Thank you to the soldiers who have fought and continued to fight for the country. Though I do not always support the war, I continue to support the troops.

The good, the bad, and the beautiful

Andrew and I adore our greyhound Lucas to a sickening degree. He is definitely beyond spoiled. But sometimes we harbor some seriously mixed feelings towards our boy.

Don't get me wrong. He can be a total sweetheart--patient and kind. He's not at all a kissy dog, but he is more than willing to accept any love you throw his way.


Luke accepting my drunken hugs as I return home from my bachelorette party.
Just this weekend, we were at the vet when we met Charlie, a small three-legged dog with a big personality. I walked Luke over to Charlie to say hi, and that's when Charlie was shot by Cupid's arrow. Charlie was smitten. Even though he was missing a leg, he jumped all over Luke, slathering him in big wet doggy kisses. What did Luke do? He stood there like a perfect gentleman--accepting this brilliant display of affection--though I don't think he returned Charlie's strong feelings. I thought it was adorable that Luke let this tiny eccentric thing jump all over him--never batting an eye.

His patience is abundant. He is accepting of all mild forms of torture inflicted upon him...


A not amused Luke wearing my bachelorette sash and bow.
But he's not always so angelic. No, sir. See, Luke is battling an addiction of sorts. A filthy addiction. Phew... this is hard to say. I'll just blurt it out and get it over with. Luke eats trash. If it's in his presence, he's eating it. It doesn't matter what it is. Old towels, coffee grounds, styrofoam, animal fat (yum!), empty bottles of drain cleaner (yikes!)--his palate is quite undiscerning.

There's no photo of this--but believe me, we have had plenty of opportunities to capture the scene of the trash can on its side, days' worth of garbage trailed through the house. We just aren't in a very photogenic mood when we return home from work to find this disgusting surprise awaiting us. Usually, instead of running for the camera, we simply curse for a few minutes. We eventually realize that swearing does not make the mess magically go away. So we move on to the final phase--acceptance--and call on the arsenal of cleaning machines at our disposal--the mighty Dyson, the Bissel Spot-Bot, and the Bissel Steam Mop. Because there's really nothing I'd rather do after a full day of work than come home and give my house a deep clean. LIES! I JUST WANT TO RELAX, DAMMIT! WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME, LUKE? WHYYYYYYYY?!

I'd like to mention that we even bought a supposedly pet-proof trash can with a lock to prevent curious snouts from exploring discarded food stuffs. Either that lock is a piece of junk, or Luke is Doggy MacGuyver. (Fun Fact: Richard Dean Anderson, MacGuyver himself, went to my alma mater, Ohio University.) I have a hard time opening that blasted trash can lock, so let's just go with the Doggy MacGuyver theory, shall we?

But as annoying as cleaning up the trash is, it's very hard to stay mad at him. I mean, just look at this face...


I tried to fix his flash-induced demon blue eyes, but they still look rather creepy, no? Oh, well. He's still a very pretty princess.

Honeymoon Riviera Maya Style

Instead of captioning each photo, let me provide a quick summary of what you are about to see. Andrew and I spent our honeymoon in the Riviera Maya, Mexico. Our week was spent relaxing in the pool and on the beautiful beach, visiting Mayan ruins, and snorkeling in the reef (not pictured).

While on our adventure, we became acquainted with several creatures that made a home for themselves on the resort. One was a peacock, and I'm sure you know how much this pleased me. And the others were long-snouted long-tailed furballs called coatis. Much of our trip was spent seeking out these critters and trying to touch them, to their dismay. I did finally get to scratch a few of their ears. That was pretty much the best day ever. Oh, and don't you think the coatis seriously resemble Luke? Snouts galore!

P.S. Don't mind the giant Star Wars Storm Trooper. That was from the resort's nightclub, Galaxy. We never stayed up late enough to make it to the club (that sun really tuckers you out!) but we snuck in once before it opened for a photo session.

Now what? The afterlife of a wedding gown...

Ladies and Gents, I need your advice. My wedding gown has been hanging in our bedroom since the wedding night, and it's getting kind of sad. It has fulfilled its purpose and now I'm not quite sure what to do with the little guy. There are some purple spots on it from the flowers in my bouquet, so no matter what it will need to be cleaned. But then what?

Do I have it preserved in the off chance that I one day have a tiny daughter with the same taste as her momma? Or do I donate it to a good cause? Or try to sell it in a consignment shop or Craigslist?



My dress by Essense of Australia
I love my dress but I know I will never wear it again. What is the best way for this sentimental packrat to give my gown an afterlife? To my married ladies out there, what did you do with your wedding dress after your wedding?

Happy Halloween!

We went to our good friends' annual Halloween party last weekend. Here's our costumes.

Link from The Legend of Zelda


Max from Where the Wild Things Are

What are you going to be this year?