Things I Wish I Knew

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#KyloTheMountainDog officially hit double digits! 10 months old, that is. He celebrated on Thanksgiving with a long walk through the woods and some turkey giblets. Now that he is finally starting to exit his destructive puppy stage, I thought I'd reflect back on puppyhood and the things I wish I'd known at the time.

1. Buy some earplugs. You know how they say you're supposed to let a crying baby cry so it doesn't get used to being picked up instantly? Well, you should let a whining puppy whine, too. But man, one certain Bernese Mountain Dog whined LOUDLY and non-stop for the first month of his life with us. We didn't get a good night's sleep for weeks! I remember going to the grocery store and just sitting in the car in the parking lot and enjoying the peace and quiet for a few minutes. It was heaven! If only we had spent $2 on a pack of squishy orange earplugs, puppyhood may have been less exhausting!
2. Never underestimate what pups will use as a chew toy.** Read all about that here. Currently, the rug in our den seems to scream, "pick me!" but always having real chew toys readily available seems to help tremendously! We try to keep his favorites toys on rotation so he doesn't get bored playing with the same ones all the time. When we bring one back out, he gets so excited! He also really likes koozies.........whatever, dude.
3. Taking a puppy to a patio bar will mean you have to talk to strangers for hours! Great if you're single, not great if you're married and looking for a quiet, relaxing day with your spouse and no one else. Maybe consider renting said puppy out to your single friends at an hourly rate? Ha! Kidding. Kind of. 
4. Puppies like schedules.  My husband and I both work full time, so our schedules are pretty consistent Monday through Friday. After a few weeks of potty training, we started to notice a reoccurring trend.......we always had a case of "poopy puppy" on the weekends. Whenever we changed up our schedule in the slightest, the poor little guy got all thrown off (as did his digestive system.....yuck)! We did a lot of crate scrubbing, towel washing and bath giving....it was not fun. Once we started trying to replicate his weekday potty and sleep schedule on Saturdays and Sundays, it helped tremendously.
5. Don't worry, it gets better. When Kylo was a puppy, I caught myself saying "Chloe was never this bad!" all the time. However, I just read back on some old posts (here and here and here) and ya'll......she was definitely that bad! Maybe worse! Killing rabbits, pooping in the car and climbing out the car window while I was driving? Heavens! Knowing that she turned into the best dog in the universe gives me so much hope and reassurance for Kylo......even though he is already pretty great! 

In hind site, what would you have done differently with your pup? If you're looking for ideas on preparing your home/life for a puppy, check out puppyspot.com and their No Puppy Mill Promise.

Thanks for reading! 

xoxo,

Amanda

**We're anticipating the stuffed ornaments hung on the bottom of the Christmas tree to go missing soon....I expect to find them on someone's bed. 

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The Devil Car

Hiya, Chloe the Great Pyr, here.

My humans keep referring to me as the "Christmas Puppy" and I'm not real sure what that means. I think they are going crazy; they put a tree in the living room, right where I sleep! It's a good thing they found one without a bird nest inside.

But let's back up a little. I have a story to tell.

Have you ever been so scared you nearly pooped? I have. It was a snowy day filled with running and bacon (the best kind of day; I love visiting Grammy Pam). I was happy when it was time to get in the car because that meant we were going home. At home I can come inside and lay on the rug where it's warm.

I love car rides. Or, at least, I did. Until found out how scary they can be.

I was looking out the back window as we rode along when all of a sudden ..... SMACK. Then BANG, right by my face. I fell down, it was awful. It scared the poop out of me. I had to climb over the backseat and get to my humans ASAP so they could hold me and pet me and let me out of the devil car!

But then we just sat. And sat some more. All while being stuck in the devil car. They kept talking about the snow and ice and how slippery and cold it was but I wanted to get out and run home. I have a fur coat, after all. I wouldn't freeze.

Then....get this.....they picked me up and put me inside a HUGE, loud car with only one seat. I had to sit in their laps! It was terrifying. There was a stranger driving. They laughed at me, which made it worse. Luckily the stranger took us home and I got to sleep on the rug.

I think they called it a "tow truck." Terrifying.

I thought my human's learned their lesson after that, but a few days later they put me in a car just like the devil car! It was a different color, but I'm smarter than they think. I knew we were in harm's way, so I hopped over the backseat and stood between them on the arm rest. I tried to tell them it was dangerous, but they kept driving! So I kept standing. I was panting pretty loudly because it was so scary, I thought they would understand, but they didn't. They just laughed.

If they think I'm getting in a devil car again, they're crazy. They can't make me. I think I'd rather cross a bridge (and that's saying a lot!).

If you see my humans, please plead my case. I'd really appreciate it. You can also mention that I'd like scrambled eggs for breakfast on a regular basis and I'd also like more rugs in the house so I don't have to walk on the wood floor. Oh, and a puppy brother.

In the mean time, I'll be sleeping on the rug by the inside tree.

________________________________

Please note the wreck was not our fault and no one was hurt. Besides Chloe's mental state, of course. The car had seen better days (notice the wheels going two different directions....), so we got a new one out of the deal. With no hail damage and fewer miles! 

3

Not cut out for a K-9 modeling career.

Growing up with a professional photographer as a father meant that I fell in love with photo shoots from an early age. Regardless of whether I was behind the camera as a five-year-old styling my Barbies, in front of the camera for senior pictures, or behind the camera again shooting local landscapes or action shots,  I loved it all. Still do.

It's no surprise that I was almost as excited to take engagement pictures as I am for the wedding. Almost. It was the best day, you guys. At least for me.

I got my nails and hair done, shopped for the perfect outfit (or outfits to be exact), cleaned my ring and pinned 67 engagement picture ideas to my wedding board. I'd had my heart set on Candi Coffman Photography for quite some time, and I knew she wouldn't disappoint. 

Cole put on his patient pants along with a smile and put up with my need for cliche kissing photos.....aaaand a few other "corny" shots. OK..... a lot of corny shots. But it made me happy and that's what matters. What a guy. 

Chloe, however, ... bless her heart. She made her debut at our last stop, a wooded park with a bike trail. Although very well behaved, she made it clear that she is not cut out to be a K-9 model. 

I mean, look at those crazy eyes. 

You woulda thought we just got done beating her or something.

At least we got one good Chloe picture out of it. This one's going above the mantel. 

Maybe her soon-to-be puppy brother, Guinness, will be more photogenic. 

Here's to hoping! 

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Chloe, Rabbit Slayer

Ah, the face of an angel.

Or a killer. It's whatever.

This spring, baby bunnies have been abundant in my 'hood. I love sitting at the kitchen table and watching them hop around my yard while I eat dinner. They're so tiny and cute with their cotton tails bouncing through the clovers and their little bunny noses wiggling non-stop. They make me smile and giggle.

Chloe likes them, too. They're fun to play with. They're quick and agile, two things Chloe is not, so chasing them is a never ending game for her. Sometimes we see them while we're out for a run. Containing our excitement is not a strong suit....

"Shhh, be vewy vewy quiet. I'm hunting wabbits."

Oftentimes while mowing my lawn, my shins get pelted with rocks, sticks or chew toys, courtesy of Chloe. She does a good job of hiding them, I'll give her that. Halfway buried and covered with grass weeds, no one will be able to find them or steal them from her. I always do a walk-through before I start mowing as a feeble attempt to avoid shin bruises.

Yesterday on my walk-through, I saw something fuzzy. I went to pick it up, assuming it was a toy.

It wasn't.

It was a baby bunny. A dead baby bunny.

I screamed a little, jumped back, ran inside and called my knight in shining armor to come pick it up because obviously I couldn't bring myself to do it. I guess Chloe's speed and agility has improved as of late... Must be all those episodes of Full House she's been watching. Comet is an inspiration!

Holding back tears, I said a few words as we buried the bunny under a tree. I hope it lived a happy life. Rest in peace, Little Bunny Foo Foo. I'll never forget you.

Chloe got the silent treatment from me the rest of the evening. She will now forever be known as "Chloe the Rabbit Slayer." She's pretty proud of herself, to say the least.

In other news, I'd like to give two-thumbs up to Nex-Gard, the best tick medicine in the world. The
Rabbit Slayer has been 100% tick-free for two months now (something I thought we'd never accomplish).

After trying every tick remedy known to man with no luck at all, I begrudgingly spent $120 on the newest, chewable tick preventative that promised results. I expected nothing from it, but within a week The Rabbit Slayer was completely tick free! It was worth every single penny.

It doesn't hurt much that there is a Bernese Mountain Dog on the box, either. I think its a sign....don't you agree?

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Just Peachy.

I love halloween. I spend a good 352 days dreaming up my costume each year and look forward to the big day for months. When I realized the annual halloween party fell during the two weeks I had to be out of town for work, I was crushed. In all seriousness, I almost cried. It was like taking candy away from a two-year-old. Thankfully, the Ghost Runner's 5k Dog Run, which Chloe and I were already signed up for, was having a costume contest. Clearly I had to dress up; Princess Peach couldn't wait another year to make her debut. I had to tweak the outfit a little and come up with something for Chloe, but I was so in.

Playing dress up never gets old, but contrary to popular belief, running in a tutu is not all its cracked up to be.... read as: running in a tutu causes extreme chafing on your inner thighs leading to lots and lots of pain, sometimes even bleeding. Thank goodness for Gold Bond. I'm sure I looked super cool when I kept reaching down my tutu to pull down my compression shorts mid-run.

You might remember last year's dog run when Chloe was well behaved and kicked butt.....this year was slightly different. The second the race started, she thought she needed to run like a sled dog. She pulled and yanked and tugged the entire 3.1 miles (I guess I'm too slow for her) until we approached the finish line.... It must have looked scary because she planted her butt and refused to cross. How embarrassing, Chloe. Everyone was watching......

After the race, the costume contest took place. Sadly, Princess Peach and Toad did not place :( We were beat by an OU football player and cheerleader. I was extremely disappointed that I ran in a tutu and underwent extreme chafing for nothing. And I especially hate to lose to a sooner. I hate OU. Go Pokes. The silver lining is that I still got to dress up for halloween; the chafing was totally worth it. The other silver lining? Cole got second place. He's so dang fast, what a stud.


If you ever want to make your own tutu, follow this tutorial. Its super easy and makes you feel like a princess fairy. Notice: glitter goes everywhere.

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Run with the Pack

For months I've been using the hash tag #thechloediaries. You probably get tired of seeing Chloe's face all over your TL, but I don't care. She is my dog child and I love her. However, I hate when people make social media profiles for their dogs. Sorry, but its stupid.... Until now.

I think they made Pack Dog with me in mind. Dog obsessed, Instagram junkie, social medialite. I've seen every episode of Dogs 101 and can't look at a puppy without going "awwww." Typical white girl? Maybe. Regardless, to say the Pack is the greatest thing since Beggin' Strips would be an understatement. Its basically Instagram for dogs - my dream come true.

Chloe: fighting crime one tick at a time.

You know you want to "track" Chloe. I mean, she's a hoot, seriously, guys. Go ahead.... Follow this link. While you're there, make your own pack profile and we can all be pack pals. If nothing else, you can at least look at cute pictures of puppies for hours on end. It doesn't get better than that, trust me.

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road trippin' with my two favorite allies

"Boyfriend and girlfriend go to isolated cabin in the woods..." It sounds like the start of a good number of horror films. Cabin in the Woods, Evil Dead and Friday the 13th to name a few. But don't worry, this is just your every day rom-com. Or is it?

Last weekend, Cole and I hit the road and made our way down to Fort Cobb, Okla., to his family's cabin, for no reason other than to relax and get it ready for summer. Let me tell ya, folks, it was just what the doctor ordered. Laying in a hammock on the first spring-like day in Oklahoma, cuddling with my man with my pup at my side.....it doesn't get any better than that. Are you jealous? Cause you should be.

The cabin was wonderful. It was decorated much like I assume my grandparent's house was in 1973. Lots of pea green and mustard yellow, crocheted pillows and fruit table cloths - so hipster! Upon our arrival, Chloe decided to go for one of her runs (ie: she took off down the road when she jumped out of the car. Just call her Chloe the Exploree). She also decided to later dig four large holes and get dog poo all over Cole's new Chucks.... How dare we tie her up and go eat without her! What were we thinking?! The cabin came complete with an outhouse. Yep, an actual, real life outhouse. Lucky for me there was a working toilet installed inside, too.

We made our way down to the lake to see if the recent "blizzard" had helped the water levels. It hadn't. But it sure served as a pretty photo backdrop. Oklahoma is just about due for Tornado Season; here's to hoping it brings a lot of rain along with it because I don't think this dock serves much of a purpose right now.... I can't catch many fish off of it, thats for sure.

     Cole is a great model, don't you think?  

That evening, we headed down to the local bar, The Crow's Roost. It may be a hole in the wall, but it was hospitality at its finest - thats what I love about small towns. As soon as we walked in the door, the owner, your typical smoker lady bar tender, knew exactly who Cole was (even though he hadn't been there in almost a year). She chatted with us the whole time and hugged me when we left and said she hoped to see us again soon. The best part? It was a dog friendly bar. Its safe to say I made several new canine friends. My favorite event of the evening was when we dropped quarters in a pickle jar of goo. If you could get it in the shot glass, you got a free beer. Not to rub it in, but I made it and Cole didn't. It was nice to finally beat him at something, even if it was by pure luck (I have yet to be that lucky when it comes to basketball or Mario Kart)!

The next morning, we ate breakfast at the convenient store just down the road. I wish my local 7-11 had a menu like this. If it did I would be considered a regular (and also be about 12 pounds heavier). Bacon, sausage, eggs, hash browns, biscuits and gravy, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes... you name it! And all for around $2-3 a pop. Can't beat that. It was even decorated with vintage Coca-Cola decór to make you feel right at home. You would be drooling over a picture of my bacon egg and cheese biscuit right now, but I forgot my camera and both of our phones were dead. Please forgive me. We did meet this super friendly dog though, he really didn't want us to leave and kept pawing at our feet while crawling in circles. Can we keep him?!?

After some exploring, taking Chloe on a walk, our hammock time and an episode of Game of Thrones (Season 3 is about to premiere, if you aren't caught up, I suggest you get on it!), we headed out for lunch at the Deckboat. The best steak in town, mind you. My waist line can attest to how delicious their food was. I ordered some of the best fried catfish this side of the Mississippi - and Oklahoma knows how to do catfish! It also came with bread, a salad, french fries and cake to boot! Hi, hello, delicious. I will definitely be returning (preferably with a very empty stomach). I brought my camera this time, but accidentally scarfed down the food before thinking about taking a picture... it was just that good. Can you blame me?

It was the perfect relaxing weekend and just what I needed before starting Convention week at work. The copious amounts of Oreos, Sour Patch Kids, Kettle Chips and other goodies I consumed didn't hurt much either... We all need a pig out weekend every once in a while, right? Lucky for us, nothing too horror film-ish took place while we were there.... Other than fighting off a few angry wasps and discovering a dead mouse... But no worries, I have plenty of experience in that area.

See you soon, Fort Cobb. Stay classy. 

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the chloe diaries

Its been a while since my last "Chloe post." Over the last few months, she seemed to get over her terrible twos. She stopped chewing on furniture (with the exception of my parent's patio furniture... see photo below), stopped digging her way to China in my backyard, she decided garages weren't so bad, and my kitchen floor wasn't made of lava after all. She became a relatively well behaved dog....... until now.

That little angel?!! Thats the one. This bad behavior began after spending a week in Dallas at Christmas. The spoiled brat got to be a regular ole' inside dog (I guess its true what they say about being spoiled by grandparents). Upon returning back to Okla., Chloe decided it was time to rebel. The terrible twos may be gone, but I think she's in her teenage years now.

One cold and rainy January day, I left Chloe inside while I went to work. When I came home that afternoon, I assumed she would want to go outside and pee after spending eight hours locked up... I mean, I would if I were her. I opened the door and started to make my way to the back gait (my house doesn't have a door to the backyard, so we have to go out the front door and walk around to the side gait every. single. time. Chloe knows the drill, don't be fooled). Chloe, on the other hand, didn't want to go to the backyard. Instead, she took off running down the street in the pouring rain, stopping often to wag her tail and see if I was coming, then sprinting away again. What a jerk. Luckily, I was still in my work clothes (sarcasm)..... I eventually caught her a few streets over and after a good spanking, I drug her home. I assumed this was a one time thing, giving her the benefit of the doubt.

A few days later, she got lucky enough to come inside at Cole's house for a little bit. When it was time to go back out, she planted her butt on the floor, spread her toes and had to be carried out the door. About a week later, I was bringing her back over to Cole's. When she got out of the car, she went straight to the front door, wanting to go inside. When I told her no and walked to the back gait, she took off prancing down the street, AGAIN. This has happened several more times in the weeks following...... A couple days ago, I got home from work and was planning on changing clothes and heading to Hot Yoga, so I didn't let Chloe inside. I guess she didn't like that too much. She proceeded to sit at the gait and bark her head off. How rude of me! Don't worry, it gets better.

Most people probably think the stuff seen in Marley and Me doesn't happen in real life. Well folks, I'm here to tell you that it does.

On our way back to OKC after a short weekend road trip, Chloe was acting strange. She generally sleeps in the back seat of my truck, nudging my arm to say hello from time to time. This time around, she was panting like crazy, wouldn't sit down, was drooling all over my arm and was driving me INSANE. About halfway through the drive, vomit EVERYWHERE (now Chloe has suffered from motion sickness since she was a puppy, however, I give her doggy dramamine before every trip and until now, it has worked like a charm). I cracked the windows to air the car out, sped my way to the nearest gas station to clean it up, and continued on my way.

When I got off the highway in OKC, I thought we were home free. Thinking I was being nice, I rolled the windows all the way down (she typically loves to stick her head out). At a red light, I smelled something awful. I figured she had farted. But no.... I turned around and she was taking a dump.... IN MY BACK SEAT! What the *%&@, Chloe! She then proceeded to climb out the window, Marley style. I have never been so glad to get home in my life. I still don't know what her problem was, but I pray it never happens again. I continually heard my Uncle Bruce's words going through my head, "Never buy anything with a mouth."

With that said, anyone want a free dog?? Part Great Pyrenees, Aussie, Lab, Irish Wolfhound, Maltese (yes, we got her DNA tested - her grandma was a slut). Loves to chew on metal objects and Christmas lights, attracts ticks like nobody's business, and never, EVER barks at creepy strangers. Will trade for Bernese Mountain Dog.

(juuuust kidding)

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santa clause & hohoho & mistletoe & presents to pretty girls

'tis the season! It is officially December and I am officially in the Christmas mood (even though its a balmy 75 degrees outside). I got my house decorated, convinced Cole to let me put up a Christmas tree at his house, and have been consuming my fair share of egg nog and peppermint cookies. I like to call myself the Christmas Queen, don't judge.

One of my favorite parts of decorating the tree is unwrapping all of my ornaments and remembering the stories behind them. The little bear is one of my favorites, my dad got him for me, and I think he is adorable. Even though the large quantity ballerina ornaments were not allowed to be hung in Cole's house, I still managed to sneak Sleeping Beauty on the tree, thank goodness! Although it is sad that I won't be there to help decorate the tree at my parent's house this year, it is fun to have my own tree. 

Although decorating my house and my own Christmas tree is fun, writing my grown up Christmas list is not. I've reached the time in my life where my list consists of things I simply don't want to spend money on. This means they are all boring things like a Swiffer mop or heater fan, or incredibly expensive things like a new laptop or giant flat screen TV. And of course a Bernese Mountain puppy, a new Jeep Wrangler, and an all expense paid trip to Tahiti. 

Chloe's Christmas list is pretty simple: things to chew on. After discovering my cable and internet was not working, talking to three separate Indian dudes for an hour at a time, and getting a whole new receiver box, I discovered a certain someone had chewed through the cords that were attached to the outside of my house. Said someone has been staying at Cole's house until I can get the replacement cords idiot-proofed. Turns out, she had a liking for those cords, because she did the same thing a few days later at Cole's. What a jerk. Luckily, Santa brought her some new chew toys that resemble rubber wiring, so hopefully that will keep her happy for the time being. Also, if anyone wants to give me a new pooper scooper, it got chewed up too....... I'd like a big red bow on top, please. 

With the beginning of Christmas season comes the end of football season. Every year I wonder what I'm going to do with all the open weekends. This year, however, I'm really looking forward to having some free weekends to simply do nothing (how old does that make me sound?!). 

OSU, God bless, managed to get a bowl game on New Years at the Cotton Bowl...... No, not THE Cotton Bowl, the "Heart of Dallas" Bowl against Purdue .... yeah, whatever that is. But, as the "loyal and true" alum that I am, I will still be cheering for my Cowboys come New Years for the last game of the season. Until then, there is lots to get done, hot chocolate (with peppermint schnapps) to drink, presents to wrap and carols to sing. And don't forget, the best way to spread Christmas cheer, is by singing loud for all to hear. :) 

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the dog days are over

I like to pretend I'm a "runner." Technically, I guess I am. I run several times a week, but I hate it. I don't think I will ever enjoy it....but I still make myself do it. Somehow I got the bright idea to sign Chloe and myself up for a dog 5k..... The Ghost Runner's 5k Dog Run sounded fun, plus it benefited a dog rescue, couldn't go wrong with that! It also killed two birds with one stone: keeping myself in shape AND giving a 70-pound city dog the exercise she needs. The latter has been a large part of my motivation.

Chloe and I definitely had our struggles during "training." Turns out getting a dog ready for a 5k is a lot more challenging than just getting yourself ready. However, I am very very proud of her - she kicked butt, finished the race, and didn't even dislocate my arm OR stop dead in her tracks (at least not until after the race when we tried to walk through a gate....). There were a lot of dogs that  had to be carried, had to stop in the shade because they were over heated, or couldn't finish at all. Not Chloe, she was a trooper. She got rewarded with a new toy afterwards and is currently shredding it to pieces.

Although the race itself went great, it took a lot of work and frustration to get there. Chloe, bless her heart, is terrified of bridges, metal grates, lawn mowers, garages, doorways, wood floors, stairs, and doesn't seem to understand that not everyone at Lake Hefner wants to say hi to her. Can you believe those jerks?!


I wish I could say this only happened on one occasion as we prepared for race day.........

But it didn't.....

Something about bridges, man. Maybe she heard a story about trolls? Luckily there were no bridges or changes in the pavement on the course.

When Chloe and I first started running together, it was a disaster. She was slow, uninterested, and didn't understand what I wanted. I wanted to run fast but couldn't run at a consistent pace. It was a mess. She has come SO far (as have I!). Turns out having a running buddy, human or canine, really helps you keep a steady pace and have more motivation to hit the pavement. She slowed me down enough to find a workable pace and I figured out how to communicate to her what I wanted her to do. As she matured, she got faster, too. Although this is nothing special for a lot of you, we are currently running 10 minute miles without stopping. Thats a huge improvement for me and I have Chloe to thank. Although she seems to enjoy sprinting down the street with Cole more, she still makes my runs much more enjoyable.....even if its just with a funny story to tell later about another bridge catastrophe.

 

Even though the dog days of training are over for now, she will still be accompanying me as I get ready to run the Dallas Turkey Trot with my brother and cousins on Thanksgiving, as well as the Midwest City Holiday Lights Spectacular Night Run in December (I hope!). If you want to start running with your dog, I recommend checking out Runner's World, they have some great tips! But make sure your dog is up to the task and start slow....and watch out for bridges :)

1

#candycorn

I forgot this thing existed.

In my defense, my life has been pretty busy the last nine months (we'll get into that shortly). And honestly, I don't want to be one of those people that assumes everyone wants to know everything that goes on in my life. I don't want to advertise myself, "Hey go read my blog!" or "I got seven views today! Three more and I'll update again!" .... I hate that (sorry). BUT, on days like today when nothing is going on at work and time is dragging by (Its 10:50 a.m. on a Friday and I've only had two emails....), I enjoy reading friends and family member's blogs to pass the time. So I thought hey, maybe updating my own will take up some time as well! I don't care if anyone reads it, I'm not THAT great of a writer, who are we kidding? But I can amuse myself, pretend that I'm funny and post a few pictures. So here goes.

RECAP:

January: The last time I updated. Life was swell. 

February: Nothing of any significance. 

March: I took the first step into adult-hood. I got a dog. Say hello to Chloe!

This little bundle of joy has become my baby. I am now THAT girl that constantly posts pictures of their dogs. If I'm not careful, this blog could quickly turn into my own version of a "Marley & Me" type column. My dear friend and Stillwater roommate Chasity brought Chloe and her brother Champ home one evening. They were found in a ditch on the side of the road when they were about eight weeks old. Being the dog lover I am, I couldn't bring myself to take Chloe to the pound. She was just too cute. And I had been looking for an excuse to get a puppy for quite some time. Sometimes I wonder what we were thinking keeping two puppies, but I am SO glad we did. Chloe brings me so much joy and even though she is a mess (there are currently about six chewed up golf balls, two Joe's cups, and four pieces of carpet in my backyard), I wouldn't trade her for the world. I don't know for sure what kind of dog she is, but I'm guessing some sort of Golden Retriever, Border Collie, something or other mutt. 

April: Ho-Hum

May: After months and months of counting down the days, Graduation finally arrived! I somehow managed to pass all my classes and graduate in exactly four years. Good for me! It was a huge weight off my shoulders. I was lucky enough to have several family members travel to Stillwater for the big day. Although I was too exhausted to go out on the town to celebrate like I should have, I was still able to spend the evening with my favorite people. I am so glad I got to spend those four years in Stillwater. I met some of my best friends there, hopefully ones that stay in my life for a long time. We had some crazy times; the good, the bad and the ugly. But through it all, we built memories that will last a life time. "Nights we won't remember, friends we'll never forget," is one of the truest statements ever sung (props to Toby Keith). Goodbye Stillwater, it was great while it lasted. 

June: I guess this is where life really begins? After going on a never-ending house hunt and re-locating to Oklahoma City for a job that turned out to be a no-go, I was lucky enough to score the perfect gig. I am now the Director of Publications and Web Master for the Pinto Horse Association of America. Hey ohhh! Combining my love for horses with my major makes it a perfect fit. After only being on the job for a week, they shipped me off to Tulsa for 18 days of the Pinto World Championship. I would definitely say I jumped in head first, but it was great to be back in the horse show world. Since then, it has been a whirl wind of magazines, newsletters and the dreaded website work. (Please don't go look at the website - it is a disaster. I am in the process of re-designing it. Can you say headache?) If you want to see what I do, you can view the latest magazines on line at http://issuu.com/pintohorse

July/August/September: Since returning to OKC, I think I have become an old lady. The OSU starting QB was born in 1994 (say what?!). Britney Spears "Oops I Did it Again" is considered old school. I can't drink more than three beers without getting a little bit hungover (the days of out drinking the boys are long gone). My days consist of work, working out, TV (usually Sex and the City or Friends reruns), dinner (sometimes just Cheez-Its) and going to bed by 10. Repeat. I guess thats what growing up is all about? Luckily I have my faithful companion, Chloe, and my incredibly attractive boyfriend, Cole, to keep me company. And when I'm lucky he cooks for me or takes me to S&B Burger Joint. What a sweetheart, huh? Since I am an alum now, I also get to tag along to OSU Football games and sit on the alumni side from time to time - do these people even remember how the cheers go? Or are their memories starting to fail?

All in all, life is great. I love where I am headed and look forward to each step along the way. Though sometimes I want to speed up or hit rewind, I have to remind myself to slow down and enjoy the simple things, because one day when I look back, they'll be the big things.

WOW, that was wordy. Don't worry, my plan is to keep posts short, sweet and simple from here on out (and cover more humorous and interesting topics, instead of being so diary-esque). Now I'm back to eating candy corn and staring at an empty email inbox.

Catch you on the flip side.

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