Summer? Spring? Sunny!

It has been a while since I have done a post, so I figured I should update the one person who reads this (thanks mom!).  We have been working hard to get the pool up and running this week and were successful! We did not break anything or kill each other, so all in all it was great.  The water is 60 degrees, but my oh my I can't wait to lay by it and soak up some sun on my 2 off days this week.

Ta-da!

In exactly 2 weeks from this moment I will be the proud mama of a 6 week old german shepherd puppy and I can hardly contain my excitement.  I have puppy food, toys, bowls, leash, collar, and rawhides all ready and waiting.  I am traveling to Nashville for a continuing education course and will get to go get him and bring him back with me.  I will be staying with my Uncle John and Aunt Kim this time, so it will be nice to get to visit more.  Opry Mills mall has re-opened, so I think I will have to swing by Friday after class and see if it's up to code... Banana Republic and Loft outlets are my FAVORITE places in which to shop for work/casual clothes.  My credit card may be in trouble folks, (mom).

Back to the puppy.  The breeder finally sent me a pic of the male pups from the litter from Titan's dad.  I have no idea how she got them all to sit still like this.  I like the 2 on the far right the best.  I think analyzing their eyes and postures is so funny.  I can't wait to see his personality come to life.

 I have a name picked out, but it's still held private to the general public until I get him.  This dog is going to be loved so much.  Caleb may get really jealous.  I can remember when I would go outside and just chill in the grass with all our shepherds growing up.  They never had much to say, but would just sit and listen to me talk or sing and wag their tails.  They could always bring a smile to my face and attack me with kisses and sniffs.  I remember when one dog would die, I would just hug the other one as tight as I could and cry.  No one can tell me dogs do not have feelings, personalities or emotions like humans, because they do.  Even though I have known 8 shepherds in my lifetime, I feel like I have had a constant best friend every day no matter which one it was.  That smile and that tail wagging warms my heart and I can't wait to come home to that every day again after 8 years. 

We got to work on some landscaping today.  Caleb is more into it than I am, which is fine.  The yard keeps looking better. We are putting all indoor projects on hold for the summer.  We are going to focus on landscaping, installing the privacy fence, playing with our puppy and laying by the pool.  Come fall though, I have another room to primer and paint.  We hope to start saving to put down new flooring all downstairs.  But, I am very happy with what we have done so far.  It's ours to come home to every day and we love it.  God has really blessed me. 

More project fence and pen tomorrow with my parents.  More puppy and pen posts to come! 

Preparing for puppy

Today was such a great day.  We finally got started on the dog pen so I can get a puppy!! My parents came over and brought their dogs so the whole family spent the day outside!  Titan is growing like a weed and has the greatest personality.

He has an obsession with chairs and just puts his paws up like this.  It's hilarious.  I called and spoke with the breeder we got him from just 3 short months ago and she has some that will be ready the same weekend that I will be in Nashville for a continuing ed course! Perfect!  I will bring home the newest member of our family and I cannot wait.  Now, we just have to get the concrete scheduled, put up the pen and get a house/water bowl/food bowl, food and toys! Here is the progress we made today.  I used a shovel more today than in my entire life and boy is it work! (but going to be so worth it!)

 

 It will be all concrete, sloped and with a gate.  I will just have to get the water hose and spray it out.  I am considering a certain name, but not 100% yet, so I will wait until I meet him to decide what works best.

A big thank you again, to my wonderful dad who helps with any and all projects I ask for.  It saves me so much money not having to hire someone and even more special that my dad can do things like this for me.  I am very lucky.  He is trying to teach us stuff, but he is like a scientist and has a plan for everything and my mind does not think like that :)

More to come later...

New to this!

Well I will admit I have no idea why I am doing this and can already guess my husband will hate every bit of it.  We are approaching nearly 9 months of marriage and our 3rd month of home ownership.  My oh my have we learned a lot the past few months.  Not only how to paint, change out fixtures and manage a strict budget, but about life in general.  Marriage has taught me many things such as patience, kindness, selflessness, consideration, and again patience.  It's sometimes exhausting! We have a routine now which I love, but the daily grind through the week sometimes gets to me. Work, dinner, clean, laundry, HGTV, TiVo, fall asleep on the couch and crawl into bed to repeat the next day.  Where is the fun in that?  The fun is the simplicity of it all and having that constant person by your side even if you are doing nothing at all.  I do not miss wondering what I was going to do on Friday/Saturday nights and hating when I did not have anything to do or a date to go on. Now, I get excited when I actually don't have anything to do.  If it's not football season, a perfect Friday night consists of making dinner together (or ordering out) and just chilling on the couch.  Heck, one night we had a paint party together and got a lot accomplished.  There is nothing more I like then just being with my best friend, no matter what we're doing.  There is no questioning what I will do, where I will go, who I will see and I like that.  My constant companion and the love of my life is always there.  He is such a blessing in my life.

We have embarked on many projects lately and spend a lot of time in Lowe's.  I am hoping a design star contractor will soon approach us and come renovate a room for us.  Here's hoping! I will do a blog soon featuring all my projects. P We just bought patio furniture yesterday and I cannot wait to sit on our private back deck in the spring/summer evenings by the fire pit and just relax.  The neighbors behind the trees have a small pond with a fountain and it's so nice to just listen to it.  Yes, the furniture is still in our basement, but I am waiting just a few more days to see if spring is gonna stay around for good. I put it together myself and the chairs are so comfy!

 This will get even better when I finally, finally, finally have my very own German Shepherd here in Chattanooga.  I have always wanted to have a dog over here to take to the lake, Riverwalk or Greenway and that day is almost here! Forget kids, give me a puppy!  I am currently awaiting my amazing dad to lay some block and get some filler so we can pour concrete for the pen once we have some sequential days without rain! I just need to think of a name.  That blog will come later.

Here we are:

I am still trying to figure this blogging out, so maybe next time I can put up more pictures.  Have a blessed Sunday!