Showing posts with label puppies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label puppies. Show all posts

Purina ONE® 28-Day Challenge

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PurinaONEVisibleDifferences #CollectiveBias

Hover over this image to shop Chloe's new favorite dog food, Purina ONE®, available at Walmart.com!

It's no secret that health and wellness is super important in the Martin household.....but being healthy is not just for the human family members! Chloe recently took the Purina ONE® 28-Day Challenge and saw some seriously "paws-itive" changes. Throughout the challenge, in addition to eating Purina ONE®, Chloe put her paws on the pavement! More walks? Yes, please! Pairing a balanced, healthy diet with regular activity is the key to success, no matter if you're a pup or a person.

We love feeding Chloe Purina ONE® because every ingredient has a purpose (just like our human diet). The kibble is 0% filler, 100% nutrition, and it supports a complete and balanced diet. It is packed with vitamins, minerals and nutrients so we can trust that Chloe is getting everything she needs to live a healthy life.
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How I Use Hartz Dog Pads for Large Breed Dogs

Blogger Amanda's OK shares why she uses Hartz Dog Pads for her large breed dogs

Thank you Hartz for sponsoring this post. Hartz Dog Pads are America’s #1 brand of dog pads and are available nationwide at Walmart, Amazon and your local grocery store.

When most people think of "Dog Pads," potty training probably comes to mind. Though they work great for puppies who are learning and small apartment dogs who are inside all day, dog pads can be used for dogs of all shapes and sizes! They serve more of a purpose than just potty pads.

I have two large breed dogs: a Bernese Mountain Dog, Kylo, and a Great Pyrenees Mix, Chloe (you can follow them on Instagram here). I love them to pieces and will always be a large breed dog kind of girl, but my goodness they track in so much dirt! My house, my floors, my car, my furniture.....it's all covered in dog hair, leaves, dirt and muddy paw prints. I promise I clean my house every weekend, but you wouldn't know it if you dropped by on a random Thursday! Throughout the winter when there is snow, sleet, etc., it has been extra hard to keep things clean.....that is, until I started using Hartz Dog Pads!
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Gift Guide for Pups & Pup Parents

gift guide for dogs

In the Martin household, the pups are a v. important part of the family and Santa always visits them - regardless of if they've been naughty or nice! I've been called a crazy dog lady on multiple occasions and I have no shame in it. Since we don't have kids, my pups are my babies! And they bring so much joy into our home and lives.

We usually give them some dog-friendly pup cakes from a local dog bakery along with a stocking full of toys, treats and if they're lucky, a new sweater, collar or leash! I love spoiling my pups but I also love giving and receiving dog-related items, they are always fitting, especially when they're breed specific! I thought I'd round up some of my favorite dog items and create a gift guide for pups & pup parents!
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Best of OKC Dog Friendly Spots

best dog friendly spots in okc
Buffalo Tee - only $12! | Shorts | Flip Flops | Lips

I was a little stumped this month when thinking of a topic for my Best of OKC series. I considered doing best patios, but it is just so dang hot out I thought I'd save that for the fall when patio season returns. Then, it hit me.......best places to go with your dog! I'm a HUGE crazy dog lady and love my dogs more than life so it seemed fitting!

Chloe and Kylo don't get out as much as they used to.....two dogs are a little harder to handle than one and Kylo's elbow dysplasia makes things difficult sometimes, but we still like to take them places with us whenever we can! I rounded up their favorite spots in town below!

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Eat. Lift. Rescue.

Top (runs big) | Sports Bra | Shorts | Shoes, old, new version here
There are no words to describe just how much I love dogs. I've been trying to type it out and explain it, but I can't express it enough. Dogs are just my "thing," they are what makes my heart whole and  my mind happy. And I'm a-ok with being a crazy dog lady.
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Things I Wish I Knew

PJ Pants (exact pair sold out, similar here and here) | Puppies & Wine Top (use code AMANDAMART for a discount!) | Boots

#KyloTheMountainDog officially hit double digits! 10 months old, that is. He celebrated on Thanksgiving with a long walk through the woods and some turkey giblets. Now that he is finally starting to exit his destructive puppy stage, I thought I'd reflect back on puppyhood and the things I wish I'd known at the time.


  1. Buy some earplugs. You know how they say you're supposed to let a crying baby cry so it doesn't get used to being picked up instantly? Well, you should let a whining puppy whine, too. But man, one certain Bernese Mountain Dog whined LOUDLY and non-stop for the first month of his life with us. We didn't get a good night's sleep for weeks! I remember going to the grocery store and just sitting in the car in the parking lot and enjoying the peace and quiet for a few minutes. It was heaven! If only we had spent $2 on a pack of squishy orange earplugs, puppyhood may have been less exhausting!
  2. Never underestimate what pups will use as a chew toy.** Read all about that here. Currently, the rug in our den seems to scream, "pick me!" but always having real chew toys readily available seems to help tremendously! We try to keep his favorites toys on rotation so he doesn't get bored playing with the same ones all the time. When we bring one back out, he gets so excited! He also really likes koozies.........whatever, dude.
  3. Taking a puppy to a patio bar will mean you have to talk to strangers for hours! Great if you're single, not great if you're married and looking for a quiet, relaxing day with your spouse and no one else. Maybe consider renting said puppy out to your single friends at an hourly rate? Ha! Kidding. Kind of. 
  4. Puppies like schedules.  My husband and I both work full time, so our schedules are pretty consistent Monday through Friday. After a few weeks of potty training, we started to notice a reoccurring trend.......we always had a case of "poopy puppy" on the weekends. Whenever we changed up our schedule in the slightest, the poor little guy got all thrown off (as did his digestive system.....yuck)! We did a lot of crate scrubbing, towel washing and bath giving....it was not fun. Once we started trying to replicate his weekday potty and sleep schedule on Saturdays and Sundays, it helped tremendously.
  5. Don't worry, it gets better. When Kylo was a puppy, I caught myself saying "Chloe was never this bad!" all the time. However, I just read back on some old posts (here and here and here) and ya'll......she was definitely that bad! Maybe worse! Killing rabbits, pooping in the car and climbing out the car window while I was driving? Heavens! Knowing that she turned into the best dog in the universe gives me so much hope and reassurance for Kylo......even though he is already pretty great! 


In hind site, what would you have done differently with your pup? If you're looking for ideas on preparing your home/life for a puppy, check out puppyspot.com and their No Puppy Mill Promise.

Thanks for reading! 

xoxo,

Amanda

**We're anticipating the stuffed ornaments hung on the bottom of the Christmas tree to go missing soon....I expect to find them on someone's bed. 
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Puppies Make Me Happy

Fact: Not much in this world makes me happier than puppies do.

There's a reason I have over 140 pounds of dog in my house. I get so much joy from those two fur balls....even if they eat enough to drain my bank account, bark at all hours of the day/night, slobber on my work pants and leave dust and dirt and hair all over my freshly cleaned wood floors. #worthit

When I came across this Puppies Make Me Happy tank, I knew I had to have it. I'm a self-proclaimed dog aficionado / crazy dog lady and proud of it. It's perfect to wear to the gym with bootie shorts but I also love to style it with a cardi for a cozy look.


Photo by Chad Hamilton - The Athlete's Media

The Puppies, Wine and I'm Fine Weekend Tee is becoming a go-to for me. 1) Wine and puppies are the greatest combo since peanut butter and jelly and 2) it can be worn so many ways! It's great with leggings and booties and a plaid shirt like I'm wearing here, but would also be cute with Nikes and a zip up hoodie for a sportier look! Throw on some skinnies and pumps (or even boyfriend jeans and flats) and you have a whole different outfit. Confession: it's also super soft and comfy to sleep in. Guilty as charged. 


I love Puppies Make Me Happy for obvious reasons (because puppies really do many me happy...duh), but what I love most is that a portion of their sales go to dog-related charities and shelters. Win-win! Their clothes come with a "lifetime happiness guarantee," so you really can't go wrong. Also.....they sent a tennis ball to Chloe and Kylo. They really know their audience. 


Check out all the clothes Puppies Make Me Happy has to offer and use code AMANDAMART for 10% off your purchase! A few shirts I have my eye on (i.e.: adding to my cart as I type) are this Puppies And Fitness Crop and this Muscle T. So cute and functional and I love all their sayings! Plus they have "Humans Make Me Happy" hoodies for your dogs....if you're into that sort of thing ;) 

Happy shopping!

xoxo,
Amanda
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ATX Part 2: The Adventure

As promised, I'm back to tell you about what we did in Austin outside of stuffing our faces with delicious food.

Let me start by saying it was a long drive with two fur balls in the back. One in particular has a lot of anxiety when riding in the car ever since being involved in a fender bender.......insert 6+ hours of panting in our ears. The other, to our surprise, was perfect. I guess those puppy training classes are paying off!

We stayed at a little "Hacienda" apartment via AirBNB. It was super cute (on the inside) but a little dated. However, it was conveniently located (right of South Congress), allowed dogs of all sizes and was much bigger and cheaper than a hotel room. Win.


After spending all of Friday morning waiting in line/talking to Kylo's fan club/devouring Franklin BBQ, the pups were ready for some down time and we were ready to be away from them for a bit.

Puppy parenting, man...it's exhausting.

We dropped the babies off at our AirBNB and headed to SoCo for some coffee and retail therapy. We walked all the way up and then made our way back down. There are some really cute shops (obsessed with The Gypsy Wagon) and some not-so-cute shops. I found these heart shaped floral sunnies and couldn't live without them!


We stopped for Happy Hour Moscow Mules and picked the dogs back up to head to Zilker Park and let them stretch their legs for a bit. We strolled down the running trails at Ladybird Lake and loved them - it amazed me just how many active people their are in this city! Props to you, ATX. OKC folk can learn a thing our two. 

Watching the Austin Bats emerge from the SoCo bridge was next up on our itinerary (yes, I make vacation itineraries; insert nerd emoji). I googled the heck out of their emergence times....we even called the Bat Hotline (yes, that's a thing). The only information we found said they come out right before sunset. Sunset was supposed to be at 8:21, so I assumed they would emerge around 8:15. Wrong. We waited and waited and waited until we were about to miss our dinner reservation and didn't see a single bat. Bummer. Maybe next time.

The next morning, we needed to work off the copious amounts of food we had consumed, so we put on our Nikes and LuLu and headed to Mount Bonnell, the highest point in Austin. The "hike" to the top took all of two minutes. It wasn't so much of a hike as it was a long staircase (maybe 6 or 7 flights), but we still enjoyed it!

The view was fantastic; Austin's downtown skyline, the Colorado River, and miles of Texas Hill Country. Yes, please. Once at the top, we discovered plenty of small trails to explore that made the word "hike" a little more realistic.



Next up, SUP ATX! I have begged Cole to take me paddle boarding every summer since we met and it FINALLY happened! It was a lot harder than I anticipated. The first 10 minutes were basically me hunched over trying not to topple my board, but once I got the hang of it I really enjoyed myself. We paddled down Ladybird Lake towards downtown, floated down the Barton Creek turn off, and then made our way back. SUP is not something I'd do on a regular basis (or in OKC where there is nothing pretty to look at...), but I'd definitely do it again in the right location!


Our afternoon was blocked off as "patio time." Upon the recommendation of our Franklin BBQ line friends, we hit up Rainey Street, a block of historical bungalows that had all been converted to open air patio bars.

We planned on relaxing and enjoying each other's company over a few beers. It didn't happen. Let it be known that if you take a cute puppy into public, you will have a constant flow of people wanting to talk to you every where you go. Thanks, Kylo! It was mentally exhausting! We patioed and we beered, but we did not relax.

The dogs certainly enjoyed themselves, though. Every bar was dog-friendly (even inside!) and some went so far as to provide cucumber water for our four-legged companions. Kylo always drinks more than his fair share of H20, but he downed that cucumber water like nobody's business. I guess he is more high-class than I realized.


That being said, if any single friends want to borrow Kylo for an afternoon, we guarantee you'll have a group of guys or gals waiting in line to talk to you. His starting rate is $10 an hour.


We had so much fun in Austin and ate so much way too much food. Check out my Vlog recap on YouTube!

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Meet Kylo

It's no secret that I've wanted a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy for years and years and years. I nagged and pleaded and strategically planted hints. It was a talking point in many-a-conversation between me and my husband. Facts and logic certainly were not on my side.....but the cuteness factor was.

I got my yearly bonus from work on the same day that a Bernese Mountain Dog breeder I followed on Facebook posted this picture.


Naturally I text it to Cole and said something like, "This is what I can spend my bonus on!" Never in a million years did I expect to come home at lunch and have him agree with me.

Fast forward a few weeks........and say hello to Kylo! Yes, it's from StarWars. Nerd alert.


He turned 10 weeks old yesterday and weighed in at a whopping 15.5 pounds. Insert wide eyed emoji.

Kylo loves to chew. Fingers, shoe strings, zippers, sticks, acorns, Chloe's tail.....you name it. He also really, really, I'm talking REALLY loves to eat. He is very vocal; always moaning or grunting or whining or barking. It's cute now but it won't be for long.

He is the star pupil in his puppy training class but can't quite seem to nail down the whole not-going-potty-in-his-crate thing (we do a lot of dog-laundry these days). However, he is learning fast and improving daily.

If you want to watch Kylo grow, follow him and Chloe on Instagram (@chloe_and_kylo). They're pretty popular and they get way more likes than I do.....
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Chloe, Rabbit Slayer

Ah, the face of an angel.


Or a killer. It's whatever.

This spring, baby bunnies have been abundant in my 'hood. I love sitting at the kitchen table and watching them hop around my yard while I eat dinner. They're so tiny and cute with their cotton tails bouncing through the clovers and their little bunny noses wiggling non-stop. They make me smile and giggle.

Chloe likes them, too. They're fun to play with. They're quick and agile, two things Chloe is not, so chasing them is a never ending game for her. Sometimes we see them while we're out for a run. Containing our excitement is not a strong suit....

"Shhh, be vewy vewy quiet. I'm hunting wabbits."

Oftentimes while mowing my lawn, my shins get pelted with rocks, sticks or chew toys, courtesy of Chloe. She does a good job of hiding them, I'll give her that. Halfway buried and covered with grass weeds, no one will be able to find them or steal them from her. I always do a walk-through before I start mowing as a feeble attempt to avoid shin bruises.

Yesterday on my walk-through, I saw something fuzzy. I went to pick it up, assuming it was a toy.

It wasn't.

It was a baby bunny. A dead baby bunny.

I screamed a little, jumped back, ran inside and called my knight in shining armor to come pick it up because obviously I couldn't bring myself to do it. I guess Chloe's speed and agility has improved as of late... Must be all those episodes of Full House she's been watching. Comet is an inspiration!

Holding back tears, I said a few words as we buried the bunny under a tree. I hope it lived a happy life. Rest in peace, Little Bunny Foo Foo. I'll never forget you.

Chloe got the silent treatment from me the rest of the evening. She will now forever be known as "Chloe the Rabbit Slayer." She's pretty proud of herself, to say the least.

In other news, I'd like to give two-thumbs up to Nex-Gard, the best tick medicine in the world. The
Rabbit Slayer has been 100% tick-free for two months now (something I thought we'd never accomplish).

After trying every tick remedy known to man with no luck at all, I begrudgingly spent $120 on the newest, chewable tick preventative that promised results. I expected nothing from it, but within a week The Rabbit Slayer was completely tick free! It was worth every single penny.

It doesn't hurt much that there is a Bernese Mountain Dog on the box, either. I think its a sign....don't you agree?
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In an Instant: A Kentucky Christmas

I'm only a month behind on posting this.

Don't look at me like that, I've been busy. We'll just call this a throw back Thursday.

Christmas was a little different for my family this year. Instead of the usual Texas traditions, we spent our Christmas in Kentucky in my parent's new 'hood. It was cold, it was different, it didn't really feel like Christmas, but it was wonderful..... Lets just never mention the tamale disaster of '13 again (read as: Cincinnati tamales ≠ Texas tamales).


1. Like I said, it was cold. Real cold. Like 5 degrees with a dusting of snow and a northern wind cold. Good thing I left my NorthFace sitting in terminal B of the OKC Airport......

2. Cassie had a little too much Christmas cheer. Bless her old soul.

3. The Kentucky Horse Park was a must see, despite the cold. I do believe I will be returning on a warmer day to take full advantage of what it has to offer.

4. Cassie (golden retriever) loves to shred wrapping paper. Chief (sheltie), being the old fart he is, hoards pieces of paper just so that Cassie can't enjoy them. Sibling rivalry at its finest, ya'll.

5. We toured the Lexington Brewery and Distillery. Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout makes my taste buds dance. I'm talking the full on Cha-Cha.

6. I'm head over heels for this marketing scheme. Seriously, though, how do you pronounce Louisville?

7. A lovely morning at Churchill Downs. I highly recommend touring this place if you like interacting with the attractions. I could have easily spent six hours here. You best believe I will be attending the Kentucky Derby in the near future. Give me all the Mint Juleps.

8. Fulfilling my dream of being a jockey. Just another reason to visit Churchill Downs!

9. One of the many stops on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. I've made my jar of bourbon cherries last longer than a month...can't say the same for the bourbon chocolate balls.

Although we missed the warmth of Texas friends and family, it was a blast exploring Kentucky with my parents and my brother. Don't worry, I brought back my fair share of touristy t-shirts.
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Just Peachy.

I love halloween. I spend a good 352 days dreaming up my costume each year and look forward to the big day for months. When I realized the annual halloween party fell during the two weeks I had to be out of town for work, I was crushed. In all seriousness, I almost cried. It was like taking candy away from a two-year-old. Thankfully, the Ghost Runner's 5k Dog Run, which Chloe and I were already signed up for, was having a costume contest. Clearly I had to dress up; Princess Peach couldn't wait another year to make her debut. I had to tweak the outfit a little and come up with something for Chloe, but I was so in.

Playing dress up never gets old, but contrary to popular belief, running in a tutu is not all its cracked up to be.... read as: running in a tutu causes extreme chafing on your inner thighs leading to lots and lots of pain, sometimes even bleeding. Thank goodness for Gold Bond. I'm sure I looked super cool when I kept reaching down my tutu to pull down my compression shorts mid-run.




You might remember last year's dog run when Chloe was well behaved and kicked butt.....this year was slightly different. The second the race started, she thought she needed to run like a sled dog. She pulled and yanked and tugged the entire 3.1 miles (I guess I'm too slow for her) until we approached the finish line.... It must have looked scary because she planted her butt and refused to cross. How embarrassing, Chloe. Everyone was watching......

After the race, the costume contest took place. Sadly, Princess Peach and Toad did not place :( We were beat by an OU football player and cheerleader. I was extremely disappointed that I ran in a tutu and underwent extreme chafing for nothing. And I especially hate to lose to a sooner. I hate OU. Go Pokes. The silver lining is that I still got to dress up for halloween; the chafing was totally worth it. The other silver lining? Cole got second place. He's so dang fast, what a stud.


If you ever want to make your own tutu, follow this tutorial. Its super easy and makes you feel like a princess fairy. Notice: glitter goes everywhere.

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Run with the Pack

For months I've been using the hash tag #thechloediaries. You probably get tired of seeing Chloe's face all over your TL, but I don't care. She is my dog child and I love her. However, I hate when people make social media profiles for their dogs. Sorry, but its stupid.... Until now.

I think they made Pack Dog with me in mind. Dog obsessed, Instagram junkie, social medialite. I've seen every episode of Dogs 101 and can't look at a puppy without going "awwww." Typical white girl? Maybe. Regardless, to say the Pack is the greatest thing since Beggin' Strips would be an understatement. Its basically Instagram for dogs - my dream come true.

Chloe: fighting crime one tick at a time.
You know you want to "track" Chloe. I mean, she's a hoot, seriously, guys. Go ahead.... Follow this link. While you're there, make your own pack profile and we can all be pack pals. If nothing else, you can at least look at cute pictures of puppies for hours on end. It doesn't get better than that, trust me.
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Puppies & Pajamas

As I'm sure you know, I have a thing for the K9 breed. Read as: I'm obsessed with dogs; I want to own 15 dogs; I want to save every stray; puppies are my kryptonite. White dogs, black dogs, skinny dogs, fat dogs, tall dogs, small dogs, I love all dogs (no thats not an Eminem lyric, come on now).

Naturally, back in 1997, Air Bud was my all-time favorite movie. It inspired me to beg (literally, BEG through dinner table prayers on a daily basis) to get my own golden retriever -- plus the main star was a total babe. After three years of this nonsense, my parents finally caved. We brought home Cassie, who is now old and white faced but still has a heart the size of Montana and can out-swim you any day. 


Such a dreamboat. Best. Movie. Ever.
You can imagine my excitement when I learned that Air Bud would be screened outside at the Oklahoma Humane Society's Midnight Woofness Pajama Party this Saturday night...!!!!! Of course, any movie watching has to include some munchies, right? This event just so happens to include Roxy's Ice Cream, Taste of Soul Eggroll and Mutt's Hot Dogs food trucks - my favorites. In addition, there's a Midway with fun activities, giveaways, a DJ, an appearance from Rumble the Bison (Thunder UP!), cute t-shirts (proceeds go to help local animals), and $25 pet adoptions! Its like all my favorite things all rolled up into one! They are even doing a local scavenger hunt leading up to the event (follow @OKHumane on Instagram to get the scoop!).

You can bet your bottom dollar Chloe and I will be in attendance; Cassie would too, but she's in Kentucky...she sends her regards. Put on your PJs, grab your pooch and join us! The block party starts at 7 p.m. and goes until Midnight in front of the Oklahoma Humane Society Adoption Center on Western Avenue. More information can be found at www.midnightwoofness.org.

There might even be a Midnight Bark (that's from 101 Dalmatians, if you didn't catch the reference). 

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road trippin' with my two favorite allies

"Boyfriend and girlfriend go to isolated cabin in the woods..." It sounds like the start of a good number of horror films. Cabin in the Woods, Evil Dead and Friday the 13th to name a few. But don't worry, this is just your every day rom-com. Or is it?

Last weekend, Cole and I hit the road and made our way down to Fort Cobb, Okla., to his family's cabin, for no reason other than to relax and get it ready for summer. Let me tell ya, folks, it was just what the doctor ordered. Laying in a hammock on the first spring-like day in Oklahoma, cuddling with my man with my pup at my side.....it doesn't get any better than that. Are you jealous? Cause you should be.


The cabin was wonderful. It was decorated much like I assume my grandparent's house was in 1973. Lots of pea green and mustard yellow, crocheted pillows and fruit table cloths - so hipster! Upon our arrival, Chloe decided to go for one of her runs (ie: she took off down the road when she jumped out of the car. Just call her Chloe the Exploree). She also decided to later dig four large holes and get dog poo all over Cole's new Chucks.... How dare we tie her up and go eat without her! What were we thinking?! The cabin came complete with an outhouse. Yep, an actual, real life outhouse. Lucky for me there was a working toilet installed inside, too.


We made our way down to the lake to see if the recent "blizzard" had helped the water levels. It hadn't. But it sure served as a pretty photo backdrop. Oklahoma is just about due for Tornado Season; here's to hoping it brings a lot of rain along with it because I don't think this dock serves much of a purpose right now.... I can't catch many fish off of it, thats for sure.


     Cole is a great model, don't you think?  




That evening, we headed down to the local bar, The Crow's Roost. It may be a hole in the wall, but it was hospitality at its finest - thats what I love about small towns. As soon as we walked in the door, the owner, your typical smoker lady bar tender, knew exactly who Cole was (even though he hadn't been there in almost a year). She chatted with us the whole time and hugged me when we left and said she hoped to see us again soon. The best part? It was a dog friendly bar. Its safe to say I made several new canine friends. My favorite event of the evening was when we dropped quarters in a pickle jar of goo. If you could get it in the shot glass, you got a free beer. Not to rub it in, but I made it and Cole didn't. It was nice to finally beat him at something, even if it was by pure luck (I have yet to be that lucky when it comes to basketball or Mario Kart)!

The next morning, we ate breakfast at the convenient store just down the road. I wish my local 7-11 had a menu like this. If it did I would be considered a regular (and also be about 12 pounds heavier). Bacon, sausage, eggs, hash browns, biscuits and gravy, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes... you name it! And all for around $2-3 a pop. Can't beat that. It was even decorated with vintage Coca-Cola decór to make you feel right at home. You would be drooling over a picture of my bacon egg and cheese biscuit right now, but I forgot my camera and both of our phones were dead. Please forgive me. We did meet this super friendly dog though, he really didn't want us to leave and kept pawing at our feet while crawling in circles. Can we keep him?!?


After some exploring, taking Chloe on a walk, our hammock time and an episode of Game of Thrones (Season 3 is about to premiere, if you aren't caught up, I suggest you get on it!), we headed out for lunch at the Deckboat. The best steak in town, mind you. My waist line can attest to how delicious their food was. I ordered some of the best fried catfish this side of the Mississippi - and Oklahoma knows how to do catfish! It also came with bread, a salad, french fries and cake to boot! Hi, hello, delicious. I will definitely be returning (preferably with a very empty stomach). I brought my camera this time, but accidentally scarfed down the food before thinking about taking a picture... it was just that good. Can you blame me?

It was the perfect relaxing weekend and just what I needed before starting Convention week at work. The copious amounts of Oreos, Sour Patch Kids, Kettle Chips and other goodies I consumed didn't hurt much either... We all need a pig out weekend every once in a while, right? Lucky for us, nothing too horror film-ish took place while we were there.... Other than fighting off a few angry wasps and discovering a dead mouse... But no worries, I have plenty of experience in that area.


















See you soon, Fort Cobb. Stay classy
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the chloe diaries


Its been a while since my last "Chloe post." Over the last few months, she seemed to get over her terrible twos. She stopped chewing on furniture (with the exception of my parent's patio furniture... see photo below), stopped digging her way to China in my backyard, she decided garages weren't so bad, and my kitchen floor wasn't made of lava after all. She became a relatively well behaved dog....... until now.

That little angel?!! Thats the one. This bad behavior began after spending a week in Dallas at Christmas. The spoiled brat got to be a regular ole' inside dog (I guess its true what they say about being spoiled by grandparents). Upon returning back to Okla., Chloe decided it was time to rebel. The terrible twos may be gone, but I think she's in her teenage years now.

One cold and rainy January day, I left Chloe inside while I went to work. When I came home that afternoon, I assumed she would want to go outside and pee after spending eight hours locked up... I mean, I would if I were her. I opened the door and started to make my way to the back gait (my house doesn't have a door to the backyard, so we have to go out the front door and walk around to the side gait every. single. time. Chloe knows the drill, don't be fooled). Chloe, on the other hand, didn't want to go to the backyard. Instead, she took off running down the street in the pouring rain, stopping often to wag her tail and see if I was coming, then sprinting away again. What a jerk. Luckily, I was still in my work clothes (sarcasm)..... I eventually caught her a few streets over and after a good spanking, I drug her home. I assumed this was a one time thing, giving her the benefit of the doubt.

A few days later, she got lucky enough to come inside at Cole's house for a little bit. When it was time to go back out, she planted her butt on the floor, spread her toes and had to be carried out the door. About a week later, I was bringing her back over to Cole's. When she got out of the car, she went straight to the front door, wanting to go inside. When I told her no and walked to the back gait, she took off prancing down the street, AGAIN. This has happened several more times in the weeks following...... A couple days ago, I got home from work and was planning on changing clothes and heading to Hot Yoga, so I didn't let Chloe inside. I guess she didn't like that too much. She proceeded to sit at the gait and bark her head off. How rude of me! Don't worry, it gets better.

Most people probably think the stuff seen in Marley and Me doesn't happen in real life. Well folks, I'm here to tell you that it does.


On our way back to OKC after a short weekend road trip, Chloe was acting strange. She generally sleeps in the back seat of my truck, nudging my arm to say hello from time to time. This time around, she was panting like crazy, wouldn't sit down, was drooling all over my arm and was driving me INSANE. About halfway through the drive, vomit EVERYWHERE (now Chloe has suffered from motion sickness since she was a puppy, however, I give her doggy dramamine before every trip and until now, it has worked like a charm). I cracked the windows to air the car out, sped my way to the nearest gas station to clean it up, and continued on my way.

When I got off the highway in OKC, I thought we were home free. Thinking I was being nice, I rolled the windows all the way down (she typically loves to stick her head out). At a red light, I smelled something awful. I figured she had farted. But no.... I turned around and she was taking a dump.... IN MY BACK SEAT! What the *%&@, Chloe! She then proceeded to climb out the window, Marley style. I have never been so glad to get home in my life. I still don't know what her problem was, but I pray it never happens again. I continually heard my Uncle Bruce's words going through my head, "Never buy anything with a mouth."

With that said, anyone want a free dog?? Part Great Pyrenees, Aussie, Lab, Irish Wolfhound, Maltese (yes, we got her DNA tested - her grandma was a slut). Loves to chew on metal objects and Christmas lights, attracts ticks like nobody's business, and never, EVER barks at creepy strangers. Will trade for Bernese Mountain Dog.

(juuuust kidding)


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santa clause & hohoho & mistletoe & presents to pretty girls

'tis the season! It is officially December and I am officially in the Christmas mood (even though its a balmy 75 degrees outside). I got my house decorated, convinced Cole to let me put up a Christmas tree at his house, and have been consuming my fair share of egg nog and peppermint cookies. I like to call myself the Christmas Queen, don't judge.


One of my favorite parts of decorating the tree is unwrapping all of my ornaments and remembering the stories behind them. The little bear is one of my favorites, my dad got him for me, and I think he is adorable. Even though the large quantity ballerina ornaments were not allowed to be hung in Cole's house, I still managed to sneak Sleeping Beauty on the tree, thank goodness! Although it is sad that I won't be there to help decorate the tree at my parent's house this year, it is fun to have my own tree. 

Although decorating my house and my own Christmas tree is fun, writing my grown up Christmas list is not. I've reached the time in my life where my list consists of things I simply don't want to spend money on. This means they are all boring things like a Swiffer mop or heater fan, or incredibly expensive things like a new laptop or giant flat screen TV. And of course a Bernese Mountain puppy, a new Jeep Wrangler, and an all expense paid trip to Tahiti. 


Chloe's Christmas list is pretty simple: things to chew on. After discovering my cable and internet was not working, talking to three separate Indian dudes for an hour at a time, and getting a whole new receiver box, I discovered a certain someone had chewed through the cords that were attached to the outside of my house. Said someone has been staying at Cole's house until I can get the replacement cords idiot-proofed. Turns out, she had a liking for those cords, because she did the same thing a few days later at Cole's. What a jerk. Luckily, Santa brought her some new chew toys that resemble rubber wiring, so hopefully that will keep her happy for the time being. Also, if anyone wants to give me a new pooper scooper, it got chewed up too....... I'd like a big red bow on top, please. 



With the beginning of Christmas season comes the end of football season. Every year I wonder what I'm going to do with all the open weekends. This year, however, I'm really looking forward to having some free weekends to simply do nothing (how old does that make me sound?!). 

OSU, God bless, managed to get a bowl game on New Years at the Cotton Bowl...... No, not THE Cotton Bowl, the "Heart of Dallas" Bowl against Purdue .... yeah, whatever that is. But, as the "loyal and true" alum that I am, I will still be cheering for my Cowboys come New Years for the last game of the season. Until then, there is lots to get done, hot chocolate (with peppermint schnapps) to drink, presents to wrap and carols to sing. And don't forget, the best way to spread Christmas cheer, is by singing loud for all to hear. :) 


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the dog days are over

I like to pretend I'm a "runner." Technically, I guess I am. I run several times a week, but I hate it. I don't think I will ever enjoy it....but I still make myself do it. Somehow I got the bright idea to sign Chloe and myself up for a dog 5k..... The Ghost Runner's 5k Dog Run sounded fun, plus it benefited a dog rescue, couldn't go wrong with that! It also killed two birds with one stone: keeping myself in shape AND giving a 70-pound city dog the exercise she needs. The latter has been a large part of my motivation.

Chloe and I definitely had our struggles during "training." Turns out getting a dog ready for a 5k is a lot more challenging than just getting yourself ready. However, I am very very proud of her - she kicked butt, finished the race, and didn't even dislocate my arm OR stop dead in her tracks (at least not until after the race when we tried to walk through a gate....). There were a lot of dogs that  had to be carried, had to stop in the shade because they were over heated, or couldn't finish at all. Not Chloe, she was a trooper. She got rewarded with a new toy afterwards and is currently shredding it to pieces.

Although the race itself went great, it took a lot of work and frustration to get there. Chloe, bless her heart, is terrified of bridges, metal grates, lawn mowers, garages, doorways, wood floors, stairs, and doesn't seem to understand that not everyone at Lake Hefner wants to say hi to her. Can you believe those jerks?!


I wish I could say this only happened on one occasion as we prepared for race day.........


But it didn't.....

Something about bridges, man. Maybe she heard a story about trolls? Luckily there were no bridges or changes in the pavement on the course.

When Chloe and I first started running together, it was a disaster. She was slow, uninterested, and didn't understand what I wanted. I wanted to run fast but couldn't run at a consistent pace. It was a mess. She has come SO far (as have I!). Turns out having a running buddy, human or canine, really helps you keep a steady pace and have more motivation to hit the pavement. She slowed me down enough to find a workable pace and I figured out how to communicate to her what I wanted her to do. As she matured, she got faster, too. Although this is nothing special for a lot of you, we are currently running 10 minute miles without stopping. Thats a huge improvement for me and I have Chloe to thank. Although she seems to enjoy sprinting down the street with Cole more, she still makes my runs much more enjoyable.....even if its just with a funny story to tell later about another bridge catastrophe.

 

Even though the dog days of training are over for now, she will still be accompanying me as I get ready to run the Dallas Turkey Trot with my brother and cousins on Thanksgiving, as well as the Midwest City Holiday Lights Spectacular Night Run in December (I hope!). If you want to start running with your dog, I recommend checking out Runner's World, they have some great tips! But make sure your dog is up to the task and start slow....and watch out for bridges :)
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