Sunday, January 27, 2013

It's true: I made curtains.

I sure do love this boy.

Soon to be pecan pie.

The elusive hound dog in his natural habitat.


I made these!! Check out {this tutorial} from Young House Love. 

No one does '80s bangs like The Nug. No one.

Chalkboard on our laundry room door.
Made from a little chalkboard paint and the decorative frame from an old ceiling light. 

What do you do when you have a million wine corks? Call them decorations.

Yum.

Rainy Saturdays call for Bean Boots. 

Mmmmmm...venison French Dip. Check out the recipe {here}. 

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Raspberry sherbet skies

Texas has the most stunning sunsets, like delicious sherbet.
Photographs can rarely do them justice, and this is no exception. 


Cute surprise for some special ladies.
Can't give away too much cause these are in the mail as I type.



If you've never been here, I'm sorry.
If you're not in East or Central Texas, you're pretty much s-o-l, cause it's kinda local.




I went to Ikea on Saturday...and it was glorious.



Custer got brushed today. This was just the fur from his haunches.
Clearly, it's almost time for his spring hair cut. 



I feel like I can finally call myself a real blogger. I now have an {Expedit}.
The decor is a work in progress, obvi but, man, is this a great shelf for storing records. 

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Pies and Pups and Peppermint, Oh My!

Doesn't it look like he's giggling? I love this guy.

The addiction to Rusty Taco continued with breakfast tacos


I got over 10,000 steps for the first time (since I've had my {Fitbit})

Buttermilk Pie made with {this recipe}
 

My last peppermint mocha K-Cup from Nikki


Friday, January 11, 2013

2013 Second Simple Goal: Explanation


I think dogs are the best thing that God ever made. I love them. When I give to charities, they are almost always dog-related, but I really want to get serious this year about making a standing, recurring donation. There are two charities that I feel a strong connection to: {Kane's Krusade} and {St. Francis Rescue}

I love all dogs, but bully breeds hold a very special place in my heart because they are so often victims of abuse and neglect and, on top of that, are maligned by the media. It literally makes my heart hurt when I think about it. 

Kane's Krusade is an amazing (I'm not using that word lightly) education and outreach group up in my homeland of Springfield, MA. Check out {their Facebook page} to learn about the work that they're doing. Kim and the volunteers that work with her are nothing less than angels that work miracles for {misunderstood dogs}.  

St. Francis is a pit bull rescue group closer my current home in East Texas. Pit bull fear, neglect, and mistreatment is an issue everywhere, but I feel it strongly here. Maybe it's just because I'm more sensitive to it now than I was when I lived in other parts of the country, or maybe it really is worse here; I don't really know. But I do know that here in East Texas we are in desperate need of bully breed advocacy and rescue groups, and the people at St. Francis (and the Nacogdoches Animal Shelter, with whom they work closely) are in the trenches. They deserve all the help and support they can get. 

When I am overwhelmed by the sadness and evil that I see in the world, people like the folks at Kane's Krusade and St. Francis remind me that there is more good than bad in the world. Like my high school science teacher, Mr. Vennell, used to say: There must be more love than evil in the word, or we wouldn't still be here. 

Friday, January 4, 2013

2013 First Simple Goal: Explanation



Back in the spring, we signed up for a new homeowners insurance policy and, not a month later, they kicked us to the curb because they said we had a vicious dog on our property (as you all know, we don't; remind me to post the whole story later). Anyway, they dug their heels in and wouldn't relent because Custer is a Chow mix and Chows are on their list of "dangerous breeds". This makes me so mad for so many reasons, number one being that they have a list of dog breeds that are considered inherently dangerous. But, also, because Custer is the biggest people-loving dog that has ever graced this planet and is the best behaved of all my furkids (although they're all pretty darn sweet). I mean, look at this guy! He's made out of fur and gentleman.


Anyway, we didn't bother trying to reason with those jackasses and just moved on to an insurance company that doesn't have a dangerous breed list, but it's been in the back of my mind that I should get the Big Guy {CGC certified} just in case we have to deal with this kind of stupidity in the future. I looked over the {test "questions"} and I think he'd pass most of them with flying colors, but I know he could use some basic manners and listening help, especially when other dogs are around. So I found an obedience club that offers a 6-week course to help prepare dogs to take the CGC test. Classes start March 12th. Fingers crossed!

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

*Bringing in 2013*












Lazy, laid-back, perfect New Year's Eve and Day. The best way to bring in 2013!
(By the way, Clyde wasn't available for photos because he was snoozing under a blanket all day...)