Dog Organization: Food & Drink Station

When we first got Bella I was very pleased to find that with all that hair she barely sheds.  But there were other areas of her life where she wasn't capable of being quite so tidy.  Enter her food and water situation.  Water would get everywhere on the floor, little bits of food were left behind lodging themselves in tiny places or even stepped on, ground and crushed making them even harder to find and clean up.  My main concern was that this would attract ants and then (YUK!) spiders.

I was at the Home Depot when I saw a wet shoe... container? mat? and I heard the choirs of angels singing.  I brought it home and arranged accordingly - Bella's Food and Water Station.

Every month or so I hose it down in the sink, let it air dry, and everything is as good as new.  Now if I could just teach her how to vacuum up the bits of toys that she routinely destroys I'd be in business :)

TESSA! and Pin's House

On Sunday morning we dragged ourselves out of bed and away from a food coma to join our friends Kalie, Jason, and their new arrival TESSA! for breakfast at Ruth's Diner. By the way that is exactly how they spell her name, exclamation and all.  No, I don't know if that is true.  That is what her name is for ME (seeing as how I'm pretty much the most important person in the universe) since every time I looked at her she SMILED! or FROWNED! in a creepy scary baby way.  Very adorable.

We've been to Ruth's many times before and it was pretty much the same except I highly recommend having breakfast with Kalie, Jason, and TESSA! to anyone.  They are pretty much the nicest people ever and I am very willing to overlook the fact that they love camping as much as they do.  

It's ok TESSA! auntie Sarah will take you to Disney Land as many times as you want.

The reason that Chad and I had to drag ourselves to breakfast was because the night before my good friend, Pin, made dinner for us and her husband forced us to drink gave us wine.  Lots of wine.  Actually, this wasn't his fault.  They have a decanter and well, Sanda and I just had to prove how different decanted wine is from regular old bottled wine... over and over.  I am sure my dad is just so proud of his daughter's scientific abilities.  Perhaps one day I will recall the exact details of my experiments... maybe when the hangover finally passes.

Pin wanted me to make sure I explained correctly why she made dinner for Chad and me.  You see, I loaned her my husband.  Wait, that sounds bad.  I loaned her my husband to help her study anatomy.  That's better.

Pin made an amazing feast: coq au vin, garlic mashed potatoes, homemade bread, and caprese salad.

Pin was very concerned that we weren't eating enough.  I was concerned that my pants were never going to fit again so Pin recommended that I lay on the floor to help... so I did.  Sanda took the couch.  Chad took pictures and, being the trooper that he is, remained in the sitting position while they brought out, what else, more liquor.  I think Pin's husband was concerned we were thirsty.

I had to sit up to take this picture, after that I resumed my position on the floor.  I have suffered through Thanksgivings where I went to THREE dinners in one day and I still have never been so full that I had to lay on the floor.  Sanda and I decided that Pin will be cooking for us once a month and I will be starting a new diet plan before then: I won't eat unless I'm at Pin's house.

A 5k Stalking Experience

I started my Saturday with an early morning 5k with my friends, Sanda and Nicole.

This is Sanda's face to scare off the "competition":

It was there that we learned that there is a Taylor Lautner look-alike running (ha-ha) around Salt Lake City.  Sanda and I performed many inconspicuous maneuvers to capture him on iPhone Camera but seeing as how we aren't sure how old he actually is and we never did ask his permission to post his picture on a website (no matter how obscure) I give you:

His very Taylor Lautner-esque backside.

After finishing in Sarah/Nicole record time we decided breakfast was in order and so we headed over to Salt Lake Pizza & Pasta for brunch which rounded out the fun nicely.  It kind of made up for Chad having to work all weekend :)

HaniBella Lecter

Moon River / Harry Mancini

On Saturday mornings I have been doing a 7k walk/run with my good friend Nicole, sometimes Sanda and SOMETIMES WHEN SHE IS BEHAVING Bella.  

The first time Nicole and I went on a run we took Bella with us.  Even though Bella was acting cute and cuddly she decided at one point to try and bite to death an innocent runner.  Fortunately this was a seasoned runner who hopped over Bella's bared teeth and didn't otherwise miss a beat.  

Bella was very upset that she wasn't sly enough to get her target but not as upset as I was that Bella is trickier than she first appears.

After that Bella stayed at home with Chad.  

This weekend Nicole urged me to bring Bella and I was only willing to allow her if she was wearing her muzzle and pinch collar.  I was laughing at how scary this makes my 14 lb dog look when Nicole came up with Bella's running nickname: Hanibella Lecter.  I see a close resemblance:

Bella is slightly cuddlier than Hanibal Lecter... but definitely more deadly.

Claaariiiiccccce...

Bathroom Organization: Drawers

I had some girlfriends over the other night and was trying out some new makeup on one of them.  When I reached down and opened a drawer they all started making fun of the insane way that I organize even my drawers.  Ladies, organization is my art, passion and problem.

My favorite new addition is the test tube organization from my boyfriend; the container store.

I have the fever and the only cure is more organization.