So You Want a Dog?

It's been a month ago now (I'm behind on everything), but we took Munch to the dog beach at Bear Lake for his first time and he was in doggy heaven. I was like a proud mom watching her kid graduate from preschool, seeing my pup splash through the waves and chew on sticks. 

In March, it marked a year since we rescued our Munch. We couldn't imagine life without a dog. We sure got lucky, because Munch is perfect for us. Everyone's experience is different, but I thought I'd just give a little spill of the things we've learned since becoming dog-owners. Maybe it will help someone else who wants to add a canine friend to the family. 

Tip 1: Check your local shelters before buying a dog from a breeder!!

People might think I'm a goofball, but I'm definitely passionate about pet adoption! My very favorite dogs we had growing up were poor puppies that we found as strays. My parents live up a canyon in a secluded area and people often drop their dogs off and leave them for dead (sad face). We often found these strays and my big-hearted, sensitive mom would take them in. My parents' current dog is one we found when I was 15. He had been wandering around in a snowstorm for hours. My mom loaded him in the car and brought him home. I remember helping her feed him and warm him with towels . . . his whole body was quivering. We couldn't find his owner, so we kept him as our own and named him Ringo. He is the sweetest and most loyal dog, and I swear it's partly because we took him in and loved him when no one else would. They say an elephant never forgets . . . I like to believe dogs are the same. Because of my childhood experiences, I knew for my adult life, I wanted to adopt my first dog. Brian and I chose to adopt through Four Paws because they are a no-kill shelter. Sadly, many shelters put dogs down if they don't find forever homes. Four Paws rescues many of the dogs at our local shelter when their time runs out. Four Paws sincerely cares about the animals they provide for and they want to find homes that are a good fit. Because of this, Four Paws was super amazing to work with. They let us do a "trial run" with Munch before we officially signed all the papers. They also had a lot of information on all their dogs because they really work on getting familiar with each dog's personality. Oh, and an added bonus with Four Paws is that they fix all their dogs and have their shots up to date, so you won't have to worry about it. Since rescuing Munch, I think I'm going to go with the rescue route for life. Munch is the sweetest dog. Again, I think it's because we gave him a home when he went without for so long. I don't know where Munch came from before Four Paws, but we've found evidence that he was abused. He flinches if we make quick movements or pick objects up. It is tragic to know he probably didn't have the best life as a puppy, but I feel a little bit of fulfillment knowing I can now give him the love he so deserves. Going to a dog shelter is heart-breaking. There are way too many dogs that go their entire lives without loving homes. Many of them have terrible pasts (we refer to it as Munch's "thug life"). I wish I could adopt them all (maybe one day when we have a bigger yard . . . scooping poop should be fun). So please, please, PLEASE if you are considering getting a dog, check with shelters before going to a breeder. You might not get the exact breed you want, but get over it. The dog's personality matters much more than what breed it is. Surprisingly enough, you can often find full-bred dogs at shelters if you check frequently (they get snatched up fast though). Tragically enough, this is due to irresponsible breeders and irresponsible owners, which brings me to my next tip . . .  

Tip 2: If you do go to a breeder, make sure they are reputable 

If you really do want to pay for a full-bred dog (which will cost more money than pet adoption, mind you), make sure you do your research on breeders. There are way too many irresponsible breeders who don't care about the safety of the dogs. They have only money in mind. With that being said, there are breeders who are passionate about what they do and they act responsibly, making sure their dogs go to safe homes. Choose one of these loving breeders to go through and avoid evil puppy mills at all costs! 

Tip 3: Do your research

Different breeds are often more apt to have certain personality traits, abilities, or health problems. For example, some breeds have higher energy levels than others. If you get a higher energy dog, you'll have to plan on having space for it to run around and you'll have to walk it more frequently. Certain breeds make great running partners while others are just not natural-born athletes. Certain breeds are also more likely to have joint problems later in life, so that's something you need to be familiar with and prepared for. If you think you want a certain type of dog, do your research beforehand. You might find that in reality, it's not the best dog for your lifestyle. I once heard a story of a couple who bought a dog when they were both in school and working, only to later find out the certain breed required constant attention. They didn't keep the dog for long and then sold it to the first person who was willing to buy. Not a great situation for the humans or the dog. The problem could have been avoided if they would have learned about the dog before bringing it home. I have another example from my own life. When "101 Dalmatians" came out, I was obsessed to say the least. I was a dalmatian for Halloween two years in a row and I watched the cartoon on repeat. Then I begged my parents to get me a dalmatian. Since at the time, I was their only precious daughter, they caved and let me get my dream dog. From my childhood memories, I recall that dog being a total demon. I don't even remember his name, I only remember being terrified of him. If you didn't know, dalmatians are VERY hyper dogs. Every time I set foot outdoors, I was knocked over, held down and drooled on by that dalmatian. I have a very distinct memory of being pinned under him, screaming for help while my parents watched and laughed. So anyway, a dalmatian might not be the best choice of dog to get for your three year old . . . unless you hate your three year old.

Tip 4: Make sure you have the time 

Being a dog owner is a real commitment, especially since dogs live for over ten years on average. This is a living, breathing thing that needs your attention and love. You'll need to walk it, feed it, clean up after it, and socialize with it. If you are not home often, you might want to wait for a time in your life when you are around more to get that pup. So yes, if you're in school and working, I'd suggest waiting. If you travel a lot and don't have someone to care for your pet while you're gone, wait. Brian and I both grew up our whole lives with a dog around. Honestly, the hardest part of moving away to college was being away from my dogs. After we first got married, we were dog-hungry, but we knew getting a dog would be irresponsible of us. We were both in school and working full-time. We hardly had time to spend with one another . . . how would we have the time to pay attention to a needy dog? When we got a better handle on our lives, we brought Luna home. The nice thing about cats is that they aren't near as dependent as dogs. Luna worked with our situation at the time since we were only home a few hours a day and were also living in a small apartment. Brian and I made the decision early on that we wouldn't get a dog until 1) we were both done with school and 2) we had a yard where a dog would have room to roam around. Even though I missed owning a dog for several years, I'm grateful I waited.  

Tip 5: Puppies are cute, but they're not for everyone 

Puppies are probably one of the most adorable things on the planet. However, they are also destructive. They will chew things apart. They will have accidents. They will be annoying at times. Yes, puppies are cute . . . but they are not always the answer. If you get a puppy, you will need the time and commitment to train it. You will also need patience. I mean, a puppy is a baby after all. It doesn't know any better. It's a baby you need to teach. A baby with claws and sharp teeth. Just keep that in mind. While I love puppies, Brian and I knew a more mature dog would be better for our life situation. While we are home more, we both still have jobs. We wouldn't have the time to work with a baby dog. And while puppies are cute, so are grownup dogs. Munch is probably around four-years-old. This means he is still young and playful, but he's old enough that he is rarely naughty. He's a great age for our situation. He was already trained to some degree when we brought him home, and he still has the energy to go on runs and hikes with us.  

Tip 6: Be patient 

To be a good dog-owner, you must have patience. Your dog isn't going to act perfectly the second you bring him or her home. Your dog will make mistakes and you will make mistakes too. Don't be too hard on yourself or your loyal friend. Over time, your dog will get comfortable, feel more at home, and also behave better. With time, you will also become more familiar with your dog's strengths and weaknesses. We quickly learned that if Munch isn't on a leash, he will make a mad dash for it. There were several times last summer when we accidentally left our gate door open too long and Munch took off, painting the town red. It was embarrassing to say the least, when we had to drive around asking neighbors if they'd seen him. Luckily, we always found him or he came back home. Now we know better though. Munch knows better too. A year later and he knows he's not supposed to leave the yard. Another thing about Munch is that he was attacked by a bigger dog while at the shelter. When we first brought him home, he actually had some battle wounds from the attack. With that being said, Munch can sometimes be hesitant around other dogs. We've had to be patient working with him on this. We've learned that if we are in a controlled environment, he has no problem being around other four-legged friends. Be patient. Over time, you and your dog will find your groove. If you feel you need extra help with your dog, many places offer affordable obedience classes.    

Hopefully those tips are of assistance. I'm no professional dog expert but just wanted to share some things we learned from our own experience. We can't imagine our lives without Munch. Being a dog-owner is the absolute best. It can be a lot of work, but I know you will love it!  

Waffle-filled Weekend

Do you ever get just the silliest notions in your head of random things you want to accomplish before you die? One of my many silly notions that I've never been able to let go of is that I wanted an orange cat, male preferred, and I would name him Waffles.

On Saturday morning, Brian and I both woke up craving waffles. But being the lazy millennials we are, we refused to prepare our own waffles. Therefore, we got dressed and took the motorcycle over to our new favorite local spot, The Waffle Iron. I went with a sweet waffle and Brian went with savory. We shared a little.

A while after consuming our gourmet waffles, we decided to wander on over to Petsmart to check out the adoptable cats. We've been doing this lately, toying with the idea of getting a second cat if we just so happened to meet the right one. Well, on Saturday the stars aligned because there were adoptable KITTENS. And there was the most adorable, playful, clumsy, ORANGE, MALE one. I looked into his sweet green eyes and then turned to look at Brian. That's when we both whispered in voices of utmost reverence, "Waffles . . ." 

We then held him and played with him for a bit and it was settled. This cat was my silly notion coming true. He was meant to be Waffles Weller. And of course, I'm telling my side of the story here because it's the only side I know, but I think Brian was even more excited about taking Waffles home than I was. He grew up his whole life thinking he didn't care for cats. He's making up for his lost childhood of being surrounded by evil barn cats. Anyway, I filled out the paperwork and Brian shopped around for some toys and kitten food. Just like that, Waffles was ours.

If you are in the Cache Valley area and ever see the cats at Petsmart, they are actually cats rescued by an organization called Four Paws Rescue. This is the same organization that we adopted Munch (our dog) from. I can't say enough good things about Four Paws. They care about the animals so much. They're a no-kill shelter and they do their very best to get all their animals foster parents. This way the animals can flourish and be around other pets and people before going to their forever homes. I highly recommend adopting from Four Paws if you are searching for a pup or cat to love on.

It's only been a few days and Waffles is already right at home. He's a social thing. He also hasn't developed his coordination very much yet. That whole idea that cats always land on their feet? Yeah, I don't think that's true with kittens. Luna, our firstborn cat, had a much more difficult time adjusting to Waffles being on her turf. But hey, we didn't even warn her. We just came home with a new cat that just so happens to attack her tail 24/7, so I can't blame her for being a little prissy over it. We've basically rocked her whole world. The first day she basically just followed him around and hissed at his butt, but I'm happy to say she is now back to her normal self. The two of them have started playing together and even cuddling. Luna also tries to bathe him when she gets a chance (such a good big sister).

So . . . we are officially the creeps that have more animals living with us than people. My friends are all having babies right now. Me? I adopt cats. You can't leave a baby home alone or expect it to use the litter box. Cats are easy stuff.

Sunday Best: The Lipstick Tragedy

And then Munch came along and stole the show. I need to take modeling lessons from him . . .

coat: Adornit, blouse: Kohl's, jeans: Head Over Heels, flats: PacSun, earrings: Adornit 

I wore this outfit on Wednesday. I even wore lipstick which made me feel pretty snazzy.

I'm a radio deejay on a Top 40 station. Sometimes we have tours from schools come through to check out what a radio station is like. On Wednesday, a tour of middle school students came to visit. My station is pretty popular among the middle school students, so I was excited to introduce myself and play it cool with them. Luckily, I was also dressed to impress. They came into the station, said hello nervously, and started asking my questions about what it's like to be a deejay on the radio. Then we took a group photo together.

Immediately after they left, I realized I had lipstick smeared across my front teeth. Fail. So much for tricking any teenagers into thinking I'm cool. It must be true what they say. I have a face for radio.

Here's to a brand new week of daring to wear lipstick! Also, my coat I'm wearing from Adornit? It's a true work of art. Heart eyes for forever.

Truth Tuesday

•  Brian and I got this idea for a children's chapter book series, and we're totally running with it now. We started story boarding tonight. It sounds a bit ridiculous . . . but it's ridiculous ideas that make you famous (or something). Plus, even if it never goes anywhere, at least we can say, "Hey, remember that time we wrote that goofy book series?

• I shaved my face for the first time yesterday (peach fuzz central). I learned how from A Ting Thing on Youtube. Check out her face shaving tutorial right here. Then watch all the rest of her videos. She's a sweet little bubble of energy, and I'll basically buy or do anything she tells me to now.  

• I'm toying with the idea of running a FULL FREAKING marathon. I'll probably chicken out and change my mind. I'm thinking it's probably the most ideal time in my life to train for one. But then I start thinking about the pain of a half marathon and I can't even imagine doubling it. 

• I'm a total huge fan of Beauty Redefined. Today on Facebook, they posted about how girls' and women's time spent on social media is correlated with depression, anxiety, loneliness, and a whole bunch of other things I don't need in my life. I really believe it, too. That's why I'm making an effort to spend less time in front on the computer screen and scrolling through Instagram. I just recently found out that some people actually track how many followers they have and who and when people unfollow them using some sort of an app. That just sounds exhausting. If you do that . . . stop. Stop right now. That's a waste of energy that could be spent elsewhere.

• It's been one year since we adopted THE MUNCH! Munchy is our dog. We adopted him from the most wonderful rescue shelter here in Logan. Since I'm a complete psycho and find any excuse for a party, we celebrated our pooch this past Sunday. I kind of jokingly sent a text to my sixteen-year-old sister saying, "Want to come to Munch's adoptiversary?" And they came! My parents and siblings came on Sunday, and they wore party hats and ate cake FOR MY DOG! Munch wore a party hat too and had his own special dog cake. I'm hoping to write up a post soon on our experience with pet adoption because I'm so weirdly passionate about it! I just want everyone to adopt now since our experience was so grand! But until that post . . . I'll leave you with a few phone pics from Munch's party.  

This baby sister of mine also drew the sweetest sketch of Munch that I may have to share here at a later date. 

Luna in the bottom-left corner kills me. She was all kinds of jealous that Munch was getting the attention. 

Truth Tuesday

• I've only listened to Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud" a million and one times. So maybe old Ed isn't the most drop-dead gorgeous man on the block, but whatever girl snags him up is a lucky woman. Holy smokes, he's romantic. And he adopts cats from animal shelters . . . major bonus. 

• When we originally bought our house, I thought it was beyond charming that it had a fireplace. However, I didn't know how much we'd actually use the fireplace. Turns out we use it a lot in the winter months (at least when there is no inversion). Last night, there was this wonderful snowstorm going on and so Brian lit a big old fire. Sitting near a fire is one of the most soothing things. We had all the lights off, so the orange glow of the fire was the only light we had. I listened to those flames crackle and watched them reflect and dance across our ceiling for a lengthy amount of time last night. It was the best.  

• I wouldn't mind going on vacation for a solid month. Just saying. I probably shouldn't be saying that right after the holidays. Didn't I have a long enough break from real life?

• Brian and I somehow just managed to find out that movies at the theater are cheaper on Tuesdays. Why didn't we know this sooner? I'm a little embarrassed to admit this . . . but tonight we went and saw "Taken 3". I can't help that I love watching Liam Neeson be a bad a**.

• I've never been too obsessed with board games or card games until lately. I can't get enough game nights, man. Lately I've been loving Spot It and Scattergories. If you want a good laugh, you should play Scattergories with my dad. If you get offended easily . . . then don't play Scattergories with my dad. 

• I bought a couple fake ear cuffs that I've been wearing on repeat. I really like the look and it's nice because I don't have to commit to getting a second piercing in my ear that I'd probably end up sick of in a few months. And to be honest, I like feeling a little rebellious. I'm Mormon, so a lot of us don't have tons of body piercings. So yeah, I sort of like tricking my friends into thinking I got a second piercing. I'm obviously easily entertained.  

Now here are some random photos of life to end this nonsense. Sadly, I'm not wearing my ear cuff in any of them:

The Holiday Whirlwind

Wait. What? I have a blog? I completely forgot.

Who has time to blog during the holidays anyhow? But then so many good things happen during the holidays that are begging to be documented. So now, here I am, playing catch up.

There's so much to talk about. Christmas happened. My birthday happened. It's 2015. But let's just stick with Christmas right now, before I start hyperventilating.

This year was weird for me. The holidays went especially fast. Thanksgiving happened and then in the blink of an eye, it was Christmas. We spent Thanksgiving with my family. The weekend after Thanksgiving, we ran a Santa 5k. All runners dressed as Santa Claus for the race. Brian signed up to do it with me mostly so I'd be happy. This is something I've anxiously been looking forward to for the past year and it didn't disappoint.

I mean, just imagine it. Hundreds of Santas were running together through the streets of Ogden, Utah. It was a great sea of Santas. I felt like I had an instant bond with my fellow Santa runners. I'm sure they didn't feel any bond, because I'm a wacko person, but that's fine. I felt it. I was beyond excited. That's all that matters. To add to this awesome experience, there was also an aid station where kids dressed as elves passed out milk and cookies. There was water too, but whatever. I know I'm making this all sound very glamorous, however, running several miles in a Santa suit is very hot. And those beards were itchy. Gotta take some bad with the good I suppose.

I mentioned the holidays were strange for me. For some reason, I had a super hard time getting in the Christmas spirit this year, which doesn't really make sense because on the surface it seems I did everything right. I tend to be the type of person who goes overboard on holidays. I think everyday leading up to the big day needs to be a major celebration. I understand that can be exhausting for people around me. I think it was exhausting for me as well this year. But I kept making Christmas goodies, putting up decorations, and forcing myself to watch any holiday movie I could get my hands on all hoping this void would be filled. I went to White Elephant parties (where my gift was literally a white elephant), I sang Christmas carols. Heck, Brian and I even organized the Christmas program for our church's party. 

And let's not even talk about how much money we spent on Christmas lights this year. The sad part is, we didn't have some out-of-this-world light display. Munch the pooch kept being naughty and chewing through extension cords. Let's just say Brian and our dog didn't have the most cheery relationship through the month of December. 

Anyway, I kept getting frustrated that I had this empty feeling during the holidays. Who was I? Scrooge?! The Grinch?!

I kept blaming it on the fact that we had no snow. Christmas just isn't Christmas for me if it's not a White Christmas. It's easy to blame things on the weather. But I think the void was actually there because I needed an attitude adjustment. 

While the presents, and the lights and the snow are fun bonuses to Christmas, I think I kept forgetting the simple truth behind this special time of year. When you take all the chaos, food, parties, and glitter away, Christmas is really about a baby. He was sent here for us because God loves us. That baby, born in the most humble of circumstances, grew up to be a very brave man. He's the man who suffered and died for me so that I might overcome my faults and insecurities. He lived a life where He was often lonely, and He made that sacrifice so that I never have to feel alone. For that, I am very grateful. I know I said this post is just about Christmas, but let's delve into the new year a little bit. In 2015, I'm looking forward to strengthening my relationship with Christ and being able to understand my eldest brother a little better. I'm so very grateful for His life and example.

Now I know I really just needed to adjust my focus during the holidays, but I also knew a little snow would help my attitude. Christmas morning, I woke up to find my wild dreams came true. We fell asleep on Christmas Eve to dead, brown grass. We woke up Christmas morning to a thick and pure blanket of snow. That experience will make this Christmas one I will never forget. I didn't really want any presents this year . . . just some magical snow. God delivered!   

And I know I'm late to the party . . . . but here's the Weller Christmas card if you missed it: 

Are we hip or what? 

XO

Sunday Best: Welcoming Winter

sweater: AdornIt, jeans: Kohl's, boots: Kohl's, necklace: Maurice's, leather cuff: Millie Made

Earlier in the week when I sported this sweater, I was uncomfortably warm. It shouldn't be uncomfortably warm to wear a sweater in December but that's been the case as of late. All last week, I went on my jogs with Munch (our pooch) outside in shorts and a t-shirt. Winter, say what?? 

I can't complain. I've loved spending the extra time outdoors basking in this odd December sunlight. However, I'm ready for some snow. And this weekend, some snowflakes finally started twirling from the sky. Perhaps we will have a white Christmas after all!  

XOXO - Have a super fab week! 

P.S. If you need any last minute stocking stuffers, check out my mom's Millie Made shop. She creates amazing leather cuffs and other jewelry. The one I'm wearing in these photos says, "BE BRAVE", a constant reminder for me to break out of my comfort zone and take some risks. I'm so grateful for that message I can wear on my arm.

These Summer Days

Isn't it kind of sad that so many times life seems to evolve around the weekends?

It's Monday. Such a loooong time until the weekend.

Wednesday! Hump Day!

It's finally Friday!! All is right in the world!!!

I love me my weekends, don't get me wrong. However, I also love me my weekdays. That might partially have to do with the fact that I try to treat my weekdays a lot like I treat my weekends. Work hard, play hard.

Every day I'm always asking BWell, "What do you want to do after work today?"

I'm sure there are plenty of times where he just wishes I'd stop being a psycho and sit still on the couch for a minute, but he's a good sport and always finds adventures to go on with me.

The adventures feel like they've doubled this week, and I think it's because of the official arrival of summer this past Saturday.

I'm thoroughly convinced that small towns do summers right. Everything is so beautiful in our little valley right now. I couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

In the past five days, we've really tried living it up when we are not at the office. I might not get a summer vacation anymore, but I make do with what I have. There have been hikes, countless motorcycle rides (one of those landed us in Bear Lake with friends), trail runs, and long reads in the hammock until the sun sets and I can no longer see the pages of my book.

I've been going to bed exhausted every night and waking up grateful to live another exciting day. I hope and pray I can always live like that.

Sometimes life can be really hard, but sometimes it's really good. Right now is one of those really good moments. I'm trying not to question it or worry about when the hard times will hit next, I'm just trying to be grateful for it. I'm basking in it like sun rays. It feels so sweet right now.