The Puppy Pool & The Stranger

It has been very warm here the past few days...

So we thought we would buy Mac a puppy pool for our deck! He doesn't love swimming, but he likes going up as far as he can, while still being able to touch the ground with his paws.

Well we found the perfect one at Menards... We thought it would fit in our car...

I kept saying "Nick your sure it won't fit?!"

Man were we wrong.... It wasn't even close to fitting! After calling some friends with big veichles and no one being able to pick us up. A stranger with a truck drove up to us after we had been struggling for quite some time and offered to bring it back to our house for us.

This is why i love Minneosta!

Thank you so much stranger! Mac is loving his pool :)

A Day at the Track.

We recently discovered we have a go-kart track less than 5 miles from our house. It also has mini golf and panning (yes panning for gold, minerals, stones etc)

We took our moped (YES NICK FINALLY FIXED THE MOPED after 2.5 years of it not working) up to the track on a hot summer day, with a snapple in hand.

I figured Nick would let me win... you know that's kinda cute when boys do that.

Nope, he crushed me. Guess were out of the honeymoon phase ;)  I was kinda timid of the track- there were really sharp turns and i couldn't control my car very good.

We had a blast though, every once in a while he did slow down to talk to me, and watch me scream and swerve to miss the guard rails.

Don't think I need to go go-karting again anytime soon.

Family Dates

Nick and I met up with my brother, my cousin and her boyfriend for Sushi and drinks.

You know what... dates with your family are pretty fun. We had a good time trying to figure out what our waiter was saying to us. How to figure out the bill with our groupon... and trying everyone's different sushi.

Alex (my brother) does not like sea food of any type. So i was very surprised when he actually ordered sushi... let alone liked it.

Thanks Nick, Alex, Caitlin, and Eric for a  relaxing fun night!

Happy Father's Day

For father's day we spent the afternoon at my grandparents. We also celebrated my Grandpa's birthday... which isn't until July, but oh well a little early celebration never hurt anyone.

Grandma made the best pulled bbq beef sandwiches! I also got to see some of my cousin's and go up my Cally's softball tournament.

We brought Mac to all of this (of course- he's our child) This was the first time he has met my mom's side of the family. He was wild at times, wouldn't stop begging for food. (sorry everybody) But overall he did well. We were nervous, as grandma isn't a dog person.... funny wonder where my mom gets it from ;) And i wonder when I became such an avid dog fan.

Some days I swear I am just like my mom and my maternal grandmom, then other times i feel as if I am the total opposite.

Off to the softball game!

Mac loved all the attention

Happy Father's day to all you papa's out there. And especially to my dad! I am beyond blessed to have such a wonderful, caring, involved Dad. Not only is he a great Dad, he is genuinely a great man and a great human. I hope to be as patient and humble and understanding as him someday.

yes, that is my mom photo bombing.

The Other Side

I have had severe shoulder pain since high school... it just progressively got worse and worse.

Well lately I have been the patient. (I am a nurse) So it was very strange for me to be on the other side of things.

Seeing musculo-skeletal specialist, x-rays, physical therapy, etc.

It is not fun being on the other side.

Be grateful always for your health.

Even with shoulder pain, I am beyond grateful for how healthy I am.

There are a lot of sick sick people in the world. And you never know when you could be one of them.

Beach Date

Finally it worked out for me to get together with Jill. Who's wedding I am going to be in this fall!

We met up at the beach, soaked up the sun, ate popsicles, and did some shopping.

Is there anything better then going to the beach with your best friend? Such a simple fun thing to do.. i definitely don't do it often enough.

Thanks for a fun, relaxing, girly day Jill. Hope we can do it again soon! xo

Wedding Season

It's that time of the year again....

Wedding Season!

We have 7 weddings to attend this year- we love weddings!

Food, dancing, friends, love. . . whats not to love about weddings. Sure they take up some Saturday's of my summer/fall, but what an honor to be able to watch 2 people commit their lives to one another. I am such a sap.

Plus you can't wear the same dress to different weddings, so i think some shopping is in order ;)

The Circus is in town!

The circus has come to my city!

I have NEVER been to a circus... needless to say I was over the moon when I found out i would be able to attend.

Especially since I saw the movie Water for Elephants my desire to go to a circus was only heightened.

My good friend Paige attended with me... What we thought was going to be a wonderful night at the Circus kind of turned into something different.

Tiger trainer

Camel Act

Acrobatics

Let's just say that when they were doing the acts with the animals, I about lost it. I felt so sad for these animals. There was one camel that kept going rogue and did not want to participate... and they kept whipping it.

It was one of the most horrible things I have ever been too. Was it entertaining, yes. But I will not support circus's or ever go to one again.

Paige and I the entire show had discussions about using animal's for entertainment which led us to talk about Blackfish.  The documentary on captivity of whales... How is a circus any different?

I guess I didn't realize all these feelings the circus would provoke in me.

Animals are not are play things, they are not our slaves.

After a chidhood of wanting to go to the circus and not having the opportunity, what a disappointment to go as an adult and have it be such a heart wrenching experience for me.

Dungeons & Dragons: The journey continues

Nothing like rolling some D20's on a Monday night with some good friends.

Vet Appointments

At least every month, if not every other week we have been taking Mac to the vet.

Weather its for vaccine's, puppy check up, etc.

The first few times he was very scared and shy and sat there quietly.

I honestly think the Vet is worse for me than it is for him.. I just want to comfort him the whole time, he has thee cutest, softest whimper when he is scared and just wants his mama.

He only weighed 9 pounds on his first visit there.

First time at the Vet

Since then he has gotten a lot more comfortable with getting examined. He still hates when we touch his paws.. but with time I think that will improve too.

Brave boy

Still needs papa sometimes

I hope with time it will get easier for me to see him going to the vet. I am not looking forward to the day when he has "his surgery" and has to wear the cone of shame. Poor guy, he doesn't know what's coming.