New Job Update

The new job is going really well. I'm really liking it, although it's kinda strange not having any Internet connection at all. We had a couple of nasty storms last week and I really would have liked to be able to jump onto the net and check the weather - but thank goodness for the radio and all the weather updates there.

I promise there will be more updates soon, as soon as I get used to this new schedule!

Last Day

Today is my last day at this job. I'm starting a new job on Monday.

I'm really excited for this new job. It's about 10 minutes from home, versus the hour each way that I have now. Plus I'm going to have full benefits and a 401K, things I don't have now. Yay!

Plus, since I'm not going to have to get up at 5 a.m. anymore I won't have to have the same bedtime as an 8 year old. The even better part about this is that it means I will have time to blog and write at night. I've decided that I really want to take this writing thing seriously so I'm going to treat it kind of like a job, I'm going to make sure I carve out time in the evenings to write and I hope I will have something substantial to show.

Another benefit of this new job is that I'll be able to workout in the mornings now I think. I won't have to leave nearly as early anymore, nor get up as early, so I'll have plenty of time to walk the dog and get in a good walk/jog now - maybe I will finally turn into a runner.

So in honor of my last day today I'm bringing in some donuts. I figured that my coworker needed to try the super yummy donuts from my local grocery store - love them!

Have a great day everyone!! I know I will!

House Update

So I was all set to do this last night but the Internet has been acting up.

We haven't gotten too much done with the house yet but we are slowly making progress.
Last weekend I worked on putting all of the basics away in the kitchen. We still need to paint it but it's going to be last because we know it is going to take the longest due to the wallpaper and boarder that we are going to have to remove. So almost all of the basics are put away now - I just have to go out into the garage and find the boxes with my pans in them - I kinda need those! Once the room is painted everything else will be put away. And since the kitchen is functional I finally got to bake something! I made next week's Tuesday with Dorie recipe, so watch Central Cooking for that next Tuesday!

Sadly that room has had about the most work done to it of any room so far. The other rooms are functional but don't have much put away yet. The basics are in every room, and for the most part they are in their official spot, the rooms just need to be finished. But really we're at a point where there is no point in putting anything else away until after we paint.

Which makes it a good thing that painting will be starting this weekend! We're going to paint the living room/dining room and hall on Saturday. That's the biggest area and once it's all painted we will be able to put a ton of stuff away. Then we will do the bedroom and office and finally the kitchen.

I promise to post lots of before and after pics very soon!

Grux

Meet our furbaby, Grux.

Doug and I met Grux the Wednesday before we went to Indy, so July 29, and officially adopted him when we got back on Sunday, August 2. This is what has kept me so busy the last week and kept me from updating.

It's been a very fun but challenging week. We've been trying to get him used to going outside, hanging with us, not running after every small animal outside, and (most importantly) going to the bathroom outside. It's taking a lot of work. But it's totally worth it.

We found Grux (or, the pup formerly known as Sparky) on Petfinder (by the way, I totally recommend Petfinder!). He was at a nearby Humane Society and we could not resist his picture. He looked like such a happy, fun dog. We actually looked at it before we moved and were surprised to see that he was still available. We weren't planning to get a dog quite so soon, but we just could not resist him.

We went to meet him and the second they let him out of the room he ran right to Doug. Then he ran around saying hi to every person and animal (a cat and a bunch of brand new puppies) in the room. We were instantly smitten. We told them that we wanted him and asked about picking him up Sunday - the lady was more than happy to accommodate us because she was so happy that he was getting a home.

Even before we got him he was the most spoiled dog ever. We found a Petsmart near our hotel and bought him some toys, Doug's mom bought him a toy, and so did Doug's aunt who was up from Alabama. Seriously, this dog is not lacking in toys.

We picked him up on Sunday and learned his tale: he was rescued by the HS from the local pound (they are sure if he was picked up or abandoned), where he was about to be put down. It makes me so sad to think of my little ball of energy being so close to being gone, he's just too sweet! So we brought him home and took him on the tour of town to both of our parents' houses. Then that night Doug's bff and his fiance (aka the puppy uncle and aunt) came over to see him. Less than a week later he's also been to my bff's house (puppy aunt also). This dog loves to meet people and absolutely adores car rides. He's a great fit for us!

Oh and a lot of people have asked about the name. Grux is actually part of the title of the newest DMB album: Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King. We think it's a cool word, and it was the nickname of a cool man, and it seems fitting since we got him around our DMB trip. The name seems to fit him and he already responds to it.

So, that's why I've been MIA lately, but now that he's settled in a bit I'll be back more. And expect to see lots of Grux in the future.

I'm Alive!

I promise, I am still alive. Last week was crazy. And I know, I totally suck at blogging frequently.

I'm hoping to get updates from DMB/Indy, how we're doing with the new house, and what has kept me so busy here soon!

What I Read in July

Wow, packing and moving really hurt my reading list last month. I only managed to finish two books; that's really bad for me! Although, I am currently reading The Other Boleyn Girl and it has taken me forever to get through it, I actually started it right before we moved - so I've been reading it for over two weeks now. But I did manage to read two good books last month:



Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist's Quest to Discover if Her Life Makes Her Ass Look Big, or Why Pie is Not the Answer - by Jen Lancaster. Not my favorite of her books, but still very good. You can read my review here.



The Duggars: 20 and Counting!: Raising One of America's Largest Families - How They Do It - By Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. Yes, those Duggars. The ones from TLC. I actually really liked this book. I didn't think that I would. I put a hold on it at the library back in March after watching a Duggar marathon and didn't get it until July, so apparently I'm not the only fan! I figured that I'd just skim the book but I almost completely read it cover-to-cover. There were some great tips and ideas in it about money saving, moving, organizing, some incredible looking recipes, and even some good tips for raising kids (ok, right here let me say that I don't totally agree with the Duggar lifestyle and wouldn't raise my kids the way they do, but there are some good ideas here, especially for how to get you kids to enjoy quiet time). Overall this was a really good book, and a quick read too! I'm glad I read it.

Hopefully August will be better, if I can ever finish TOBG!