I Love Weekends off

I used to get every other one off. But then one of the waitresses went off to college and my boss didn't see fit to hire a new one. So there went my every other Sunday off. I still get every other Saturday off but it just isn't the same. I never knew how much I needed those weekends off until I didn't have them anymore. So it was arranged that I get this weekend completely off.

On Saturday it was opening day for the Duck Hunting Season therefore my mighty hunters already had their whole day planned. That left Pixie and I to have our annual Girl's Day (which of course coincides with opening duck hunting day) This is our third. We always begin with breakfast. Usually at Ihop as it is Pixie's choice. This year my sis-in-law joined us. We got up early this year and first went to the Farmer's Market.

I love going to the Farmer's Market. You never know what you will find there but it is always good. I left with 3 1/2 pints of raspberries, two turnovers. a tart, some honey sticks and a loaf of home made whole wheat and ten grain bread. It was a very fruitful trip. Pun intended. Then it was off for breakfast at, you guessed it, Ihop. We lucked out as it fruit crepe time. Yumm! After breakfast a quick stop at Petco to get tags for the dogs and of course some treats.

Then it was time to hit the mall. I hate going there and avoid it if at all possible, but it is the mecca of all shopping to my 6yo. So as a treat, off we went. The other thing that always coincides with opening Duck Hunting Weekend (not sure how that happens) is JC Penny's having a kick ass sale. This year Pixie was able to get 2 or her favorite brand shirts, Bobby Jack. That of course is a picture of her in it above. Then it was off to Wally world for more puppy supplies, and household incidentals.

By the time we got home and let the girls out (with a minimum of accidents) it was nearly 1 pm. I did some house cleaning and then had to get ready for a reception. By the time I got home, the men were home. I crashed early. laid down for a nightly snuggle with the kids and next thing I know I wake up and it is almost 11 pm. Fell asleep on top of the covers and with the light on.

Today was a lazy morning. Hunters off hunting again so just me and Pixie and pups. My morning surprise was a nice poopy mess to clean up. April has regressed a bit since the introduction of May to the household. I know they are only 11 weeks old but April was doing so good. However May had no training, living in an outside kennel until we brought her home. It is rough so far. Anyway by the time I got done cleaning the floor of their kennel, feeding them and bathing them both (quite a chore with two puppies weighing 23 and 24 lbs. Bathed separately of course.) it was after 8 am. So much for sleeping in on ONE of my days off...LOL. Breakfast for Pixie, a little computer time, dishes, hunters come home and next thing I know its almost 1PM.

Hahaha. What day off? Grocery shopping, friend visits to meet the new pup, have friend over for his birthday, mop the kitchen, feed the dogs, sigh. Now its almost 7pm. Baths for school, try to relax, get stuff gathered up for work tomorrow and before I know it, it will be bedtime.

But it was good having the weekend off and I feel refreshed to go back to work tomorrow. The life of a waitress/Mom/Wife/Puppy Mom. But that is probably a whole other blog entry.

Hope you all had a great weekend.

I Love Puppies

And I better! As I have just become the proud owner of another one. We brought Miss April home about a month ago. She has adjusted well, and is a precocious little one. Loves to chew, and we are working on it. She is very playful and loves to play tug! She is already learning sit, stay and fetch. She loves attention all the time. The only problem we have is she is a a little to rambunctious for the liking of our 6yo. When Chloe tries to run away from April, then April thinks she is playing and goes after her ferociously.

The people we got her from are friends. They watched April when we went out of town overnight a week after we got her. And we have been back at their house every two weeks to get April's preventative worm meds. And every time I go back I fall in love with one of the female black labs they have yet to find a home for. I tried to talk Maverick into getting her but he said absolutely no!

She is a sweet little girl and the polar opposite from April. Even when all her brother and sisters are running around like hyper puppies, she sits calmly by and watches them. I keep telling Maverick "Look at her. She is so sweet!" And he would say "You don't want a dog like that" To which I would reply "No, YOU don't want a dog like that. That is exactly the kind of dog I want."

See April is going to be a hunting dog. So it's good that she is full of energy because she will need it. But I want a house dog. A lover who is happy to cuddle up with me while I read. And someone who doesn't terrorize Chloe. Someone I could put pretty pink collars on.

So tonight we take April back for her last medicine dose. I don't even go near the little black one because I know I can't have her. We took the tractor out to their pumpkin patch and had a blast picking pumpkins. I got a Cinderella pumpkin. It looks just like the one that turned into her coach. We got back from the patch and I could hear April barking away. Its funny how I could pick her out of the pack.

That's when Maverick told me to get my dog it was time to go home. So I went chasing after April. And Dave (our friend) said "Didn't you hear him? He said to get your dogs!" I look up and everyone is staring at me. I quickly stood, brushing at the front of my shirt. "What did I do? Why is everyone staring at me?" And Maverick said, "The wheels are turning, but she hasn't figured it out yet." Then Maddie said, "He told you to get both your dogs." I looked at Maverick and he had that grin on his face.

And so tonight we brought home April's sister and named her May. So Miss April Cotton Teal and Miss May Lily Garnet are now happily sleeping in their kennel together. We had some adjusting and I know we are in for much more, but I love my girls. Hopefully tomorrow I can get a picture to add to this post.

Goodnight everyone.

I Love Coffee

The more flavor the better. I am not into black plain icky coffee. I love my caramel, chocolate, vanilla, hazelnut...any combination thereof. My most favorite coffee is a Caramel Mudd Macchiato from Mountain Mudd Coffee in Troy, Missouri. Of course being in Wisconsin, the chances to get said coffee are few and far between.

As I type, I am sitting in a local coffee house. No Global Chains for me. Well I do enjoy a Starbucks every now and then. But the local coffee house is my place of choice. Could be that my friend works there. Could be the wi-fi. But probably a combination. Also, once I discovered my coffee of choice, my Barrista (not sure of the spelling.) of choice, began trying to replicate my beverage. We have it close. Its called a Caramel Muddy Puddle. YUM! Not Mountain Mudd, but close. And Mountain Mudd doesn't have the ambiance. After all, you can't do much in a little hut in the middle of a parking lot where you can ONLY drive up for the coffee.

As the weather begins to turn cold, coffee becomes my beverage of choice. Hawaiian Chocolate Macadamia nut, Toffee hazel nut, and lets not forget Caramel Muddy Puddles. There is something eminently satisfying about enjoying a nice warm cup of coffee in the chilly morning air.

Well today we hit a nice weather spell. not cold but not warm either. Just perfect! But Maverick had to have emergency oral surgery and wouldn't you know my coffee house of choice is two blocks over from the oral surgeon. And I seized the chance to enjoy a muddy puddle and visit with an old friend at the same time. now however I need to get back to the Oral Surgeons. Wouldn't want my honey to come out to an empty waiting room.

Hope everyone has a great day.

I Love the New TV Season

Hello my name is Ursula and I am a TV addict.

I love, love, LOVE the new television season! Of course it always starts before the current season has even ended. Teasers begin to show up in entertainment magazines, websites, and blogs. By midsummer there is already enough information out there to begin picking your future "wanna check out" shows. I am positively giddy waiting for the ever popular issue of TV Guide detailing all the new shows coming out. Then the week after when they highlight the returning shows.

The week the Preview guide comes out is the best. I eagerly sit down and devour every single page of articles detailing the new shows. I read and plan my entire week's viewing. Did I also mention they also give the new season's schedule for the year? The beginning of the season is always hectic. There are all the new shows to try, then wean out if they don't make the cut. There are the inevitable overlaps. I can only watch one and tape one. What happens when there are three shows in a time slot I want to watch/try out?

This year I had all my shows mapped out with nary a conflict. No more than 2 shows in a time slot. YAY. No need to sacrifice. Then a week or so ago I got an email touting the new download store Amazon Unboxed. They were offering free downloads of 5 pilots. Two of the shows were on my list of "want to try" 3 had already been relegated to the "not gonna bother" list. (A combination of lack of interest and/or blah reviews) But hey, free. Also they offer the option to download to any video capable MP3 players. Well I have been wanting to try the video capability on my Zen for forever! So I downloaded all 5 to my Zen. And then watched.

Haha. Jokes on me. I ended up adding three more shows to my "want to try" Thus tipping the balance of my perfectly scheduled viewing. Three shows in the same time slot, twice in the same night.

Some networks have begun showing the episodes online the day after they air. But in that scenario you are held hostage by what they chose to make available. usually shows that are already popular or shows they WANT to be popular. So then you get online. See if you can get an inkling of what they are making available, but sometimes you don't know until after the show airs. By then it could be too late. You could already have chosen to watch the show they WILL re-run online and skip the show they don't, hoping they would.

Well by a few weeks into the season my viewing schedule is whittled down to a managable one. Who knows what will happen this season. So far I only have two shows that are keepers after only one episode. Bionic Woman and Journeyman. And Bionic Woman was one of my "not gonna bother" Thanks a lot Amazon Unboxed.

Did I mention I LOVE the new TV season. Yes I am a TV addict and proud of it.

I Love Blogs

Welcome to my new blog. It may not be interesting to you, but this blog will be all about what makes me tick. Things I love, things I love to do...thus the title. I Love...

Each blog entry will be about what I am loving that day or even that moment in time. Some times there might be I don't Love...entries. If you find my blog interesting, follow me. If not, then don't read it.

OK well, in keeping with the title, I am going to point you to some blogs I love reading!

1)Chris Brogan He is very much into social networking. If you are new to social networking, even if you aren't, read his blog. If you don't know what social networking is (like I didn't until earlier this year) then crawl out from under your rock and join in. Use it for business networking, use it for fun. I guarantee you won't regret it.

2)Jim Long Aka newmediajim. Jim works in the media business and the new media business. Jim is also very much into social networking. Thats how I met him.

So Check out these blogs and let me and them know what you think.

Ok gotta run the Pixie to Girl Scouts. Have a great night.