Lazy Days

I was a huge slacker this weekend and did next to nothing.  And, I’m being a huge slacker by blogging about my weekend on Wednesday. 

Friday night, Dan and I planned on using a Groupon to eat at one of our favorite local restaurants, Fireside Brewhouse.  We don’t go very often because it’s a little expensive, but the food there is fantastic.  Plus, on Friday nights they have a DJ or a band.  So, I dressed up in one of my new shirts from Windi, and we headed out.  Unfortunately, the place was packed.  I guess that’s what you get when you eat dinner at 9pm.  So, we ended up across the street at BW’s and had wings and watched some baseball.  Not quite the evening we were going for, but we still had a nice date.

Saturday, Dan got up early for his busy day.  He had a business meeting in the morning, and in the evening he DJed a school prom.  But, he had errands to do before Prom, like picking up the equipment and visiting family, so he was gone all day.  Literally, from like 10am until 2am.

Me?  Oh, I slept in, ate on the couch, took a nap with the dogs, watched the NBA playoffs, and finally about 5pm I decided I should take a shower.  A good wife would’ve cleaned house, gone to the grocery store, worked on laundry, or anything that would allow for a free rest of the week.  Nope.  My butt never left the couch, except to scrounge up some food, that didn’t require cooking.

But, I think I made up for it by having a girls night Saturday Night.  I met some friends at Indiana Live for my first gambling experience.  We ate dinner at the NASCAR restaurant inside the casino.  It was pretty good, but nothing exciting.  Afterwards the girls gave me a lesson in slot machines.  I’m cheap so I did the 1 cent and 2 cent slots, but I won money.  I won $11 and spent $16 on dinner, so for the night, I spent $4.  But, I don’t think slots will be my thing.  It was exciting to win, but there is no strategy.  I like to be in control, and there is no control.  Plus, you put money into a machine and, most of the time, get nothing back.  I’d rather go shoe shopping.  But, it was fun to spend time with the girls, as always.

Sunday, we had no plans again.  So, I got off my butt and went to the grocery store while Dan was lazy and watched the playoffs.  That evening, the sun came out and it warmed up a little, so we decided to try the dog harnesses out in the Jeep.  We loaded them up in the car, buckled them in, and went in search of better custard.  We landed at Ritter’s and the dogs enjoyed some vanilla ice-cream while I had a concrete mixer.  Still haven’t found custard as good as in Utah, but one day…

The dog harnesses worked great.  The dogs could sit or stand, but it kept them in the backseat and not out the sides of the Jeep.  I was very happy to have one less thing to worry about.

All in all, it was a very relaxing and fun weekend.  I got nothing accomplished, but sometimes, you need those days.

Craft Day

If you read my little “About Me” section I wrote “I spend my days...pretending to be artsy through various craft projects.”

Well, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but I’ve never posted anything on here about my projects.  There is a reason for this.  I have a problem.  I never finish anything.  If I don’t finish it in a week, it stays unfinished.  And yet, each month I spend too much money stock piling my craft room.  I have supplies for paintings, a ¾ of the way done wall hanging, a baby blanket I started when my sister was pregnant 5 years ago, a market bag I started this winter, and 2 scrapbooks (one for vacation and one for Dan’s fighting) with a whole 2 pages finished in each.

Yet I still have a file of projects that I want to do.  Including one I did yesterday.  Thankfully, I was able to finish it!  I must admit, I impressed myself with it.

Framed Earring Holder. 
Adapted from Positively Splendid.

Supplies:

• 5x7 Wooden Frame (I bought my painted but you can go to the dollar store and re-paint one yourself)
• Burlap or Canvas (I found some in the remnant pile at my craft store)
• Self-Adhesive Monogram Letter (No sewing=added bonus).  You could also use a stencil and paint, like Positveily Splendid.
• Scissors
• Hot Glue
• Staple Gun
• Decorative Flowers (I bought fake ones, but there are a lot of cute ideas to make your own)

Directions:

1. Take out the glass and backing of the Frame.
2. Cut your Burlap/Canvas to fit the 5x7 frame.
3. Either paint or place the Monogram letter on your canvas.
4. Using your staple Gun (this was so much fun), stretch your canvas and staple to the back of the   frame.  I decided for added support, I would staple mine to the Frame Backer with the stand so I didn’t have to hang mine.

5.      Place backer back in frame.

6.      Cut out leaves from the burlap and glue to the frame.  Hot glue the flowers.

7.      Add earrings.

8.    Sit back and enjoy this super easy, crafty, stylish earring holder you just made.  Be sure to have a glass of wine to celebrate and make your husband congratulate you on finishing a project.

I don't have kids, but I think this would be really fun to do, and easy to make.  To the guys out there, don't forget, Mother's Day is coming up.  I'm thinking I have a couple of mom's who may get a personalize earring holder in a couple of weeks.  That is, if I can bring myself to finish more projects.

I want to be..

A Runner.  More than anything.  I want to run races and to be excited for summer to start so I can start race season.  I want to be involved in the running community.

But, I struggle with finding motivation.  I read blogs, I have a playlist, I have the right clothes, the right shoes, I eat the right things.  I warm up, get the dog ready, and off I go.

And it never fails that at the end of my run, I feel defeated.  I don't get the time I want, I don't go the distance I wanted, and that is when I even make it out for a run.

Maybe I have high expectations for myself.  I know I've made progress.  Just 4 years ago I couldn't run for 10 minutes.  I did the couch to 5k program and progressed so slowly.  I did get up to running a mile just last year.  I've ran a 5k around my neighborhood.  I've ran 800's.  I've ran for an hour straight.  But, I want to be able to go out, for 30 minutes and run consistantly and have gone 3 miles.

One day.  I will not give up.  Instead, I'll find a new blog to read for motivation.

Harness

I love sharing positive feedback from new products with you guys.  Sunday I ordered 2 Large Dog Harnesses from Hunter K9 Gear.   The harness is nylon with plastic buckles.  It has a padded chest strap and, of course, it's pink.  And, they got delivered today.

After much trial and error with the fittings, I finally got both dogs in the harnesses.  They actually did pretty good so I decided to take them for a walk before it started to storm.

Stricking a pose

Both dogs did great, and I felt like I had so much more control.  Daisy didn't pull at all, and I only had to tug lightly for her to respond.  I wish we had done this a year ago.  Penny didn't like it as much.  The slightest tug had her sitting down and pouting.  I'm hoping she'll adjust quickly.

Showing off her new trick

Daisy is more interested in modeling

She loves getting new "clothes"

The harnesses also game with seatbelt attachments so they can be strapped down in the jeep.  Now Daisy won't have to fight for space, and I can feel comfortable with them in the car.  The only concern I have is with the plastic buckles.  If we get in an accident I'm not sure they will hold, but hopefully we will never test that. 

Practicing her "Blue Steel" Pose

Day off

As I mentioned earlier this week, I didn't have to work today!  I'm not going to lie, I really needed a day off.  Unfortunately this wasn't one of my "mental health days" where I take a day off to be lazy.  Today we had Dan's one year colonoscopy.

Yesterday, Dan stayed home and did the prep which sucks.  Poor guy couldn't eat anything all yesterday, and could only drink clear liquids.  So, I grabbed dinner at Qdoba (Yum!) so he didn't have to suffer through watching me eat.

I have to admit, I was really stressed about this appointment.  There really wasn't any reason for me to be nervous.  Dan has been feeling better every day.  He's more and more like the "old" Dan that I met and love.  Plus his PET-CT scan came back clear.

I think it had to do with the fact that the last time he had his colonoscopy we were just excited for some answers, and the prep actually relieved Dan's symptoms, so it wasn't as annoying.  Plus, after the last one, we got really bad news, and no answers (yet).

Thankfully, I can report that Dan's all clear once again.  And once again, I was stressed for no reason.  We are celebrating with left over chicken parm with spaghetti.  Tomorrow, once Dan has freedom to drive, sign legal paperwork, and make life altering decisions again, we will really celebrate.

Wed-nes-day

Wednesday are very bitter sweet for me.  Every Wednesday I feel bored.  I'm bored of working.  My motivation and productivity fall off the cliff.  I'm bored of cooking, but nothing else sounds good.  I'm bored of sitting at home and watching tv.

But, what never bores me...You guessed it.

My pups.  Today I taught them how to roll over.  This was an immediate hit, not only because of the treat reinforcement, but the belly rubs while getting treats.

 

How do you make it through your Wednesdays??

New Love

And no, we didn’t adopt yet another animal, although a mini-giraffe would be super fun, until the dogs gave it a heart attack.

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Nope, this past week I have fell in love with my grill.  The weather has been warmer, so I’ve been experimenting.

Sunday – Grilled Naan pizza’s

Monday – Tequila lime BBQ Mahi Mahi with grilled squash and zucchini

Tuesday – Mango-Cilantro BBQ Chicken legs

It probably helps that this is the view from my grill.

We eat dinner between 8:30 and 9, so it's pretty dark out.

And the dogs get to be outside the whole time, which means they aren’t tearing up my house.  And, my house stays nice and cool and doesn’t smell like fish. 

I spend most of the time standing in front of the grill, watching the dogs,  with a glass of wine, imagining a grass filled backyard with beautiful gardens, and secretly hoping my neighbors have their windows open to smell the wonderful food wafting from my grill.

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