SNOW!!!

Bellingham is swimming in snow, snow and more snow. I still can't believe that we have gotten this much:

Saturday: 3-4 inches

Wednesday: 5 inches

Thursday: currently snowing, therefore, more inches

When I heard "Winter Storm Blast" on the news, I said to myself: Yeah right. But low and behold...here it is and it isn't going anyware, anytime soon!

I have always loved the snow. I prayed and prayed for it to snow each winter when I was younger. I even thought singing: "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas..." would prompt those beautiful white flakes to fall from the sky. Needless to say, my hopes were annually crushed...living in a town directly on the Puget sound coast didn't allow much snow. But this year, it has blown past that barrier and now we are basking in white fluff everywhere. Piling up on the fence posts, clinging to thin tree branches and covering the streets thick.

Sunday's sunny shot.



Nick and I have ventured out on many walks with Charlotte and quickly discovered that she, in deed, is a snow-loving dog. Being a natural burrower, plus a pup with tons of energy, she frolicks to and fro with great pleasure. Charging up hills, cramming her face in the walls of snow, spinning around quickly to run back to us to say hi...then heads off to do it all over again. It is really quite refreshing to watch her excitement. I brings back all those childhood memories of me hanging out with my cousins and spending hours sledding, snow mobiling, fort building, snow man building and slushy making. For some reason when you are a kid, you just don't feel the cold. It interests me to know why the novelty of it wears off as we age. Yes, I do love to do a snow angle here and there, and sled on little hills, but the overall gut-wrenching excitement has definitely simmered down significantly. Now a' days, I enjoy keeping the blinds open at night to watch the sky glow and drink hot cocoa and snuggle with my man in our warm home.

Today I will go on a walk with Charlotte...perhaps my inner-child will come out for a little snow frolicking myself. She's always excited to head out there!

Is there more to life than a dog?

Little bear LOVES to kiss dad.

I know I have been blogging mostly about the dog lately...but truth be told, I honestly had no idea that I could actually love a dog this much. I guess I am shocked by my very own behavior and adoration for our new puppy. I never wanted to be one of those people who doted over their domestic pets...talking about them endlessly to anyone who was willing to listen. Last weekend I was afraid that I was in deed turning into one of those people. I had to candidly ask the bf, Anne Marie, her honest opinion if the above was true. She ever so confidently confirmed that no, I am not yet at that point. After all, Charlotte is still very new to our lives...she is still a puppy and learning new things each day; how to appropriately live in the Vann household. PLUS, people are still asking about her. So...AM says...it's OK for now; just be sure to check yourself in a few months when the newness wears off. If I'm not careful, I could easily be one of "those" people.

Lately, I have been wondering if I talk to the dog more than I talk to Nick. After a objective look (as objective as a girl can get with herself), I have deduced that it's situational. Sometimes I just want her to sit on the floor and entertain herself for hours as Nick and I share life together. Then there are times when I just wanna scoop her up and never let her go. To me, this is normal...just like all the other things in my life; all things come in cycles. At times I have a high need for daily exercise, then other times the mere idea of exerting myself exhausts me. Or those one-off days when I NEED to a certain type of food that I usually never crave...like Chinese food or oranges. Either way, I am sure a balance will be discovered.

Nick and I have noticed a pattern with Charlotte's preferred resting spots in the house. She has a tendency to settle in anywhere that resembles a cave. Her favorite place when we are in the common area of the house is under the table:

Then sometimes, when we can't find her, we head towards the bedroom and often see this:


During my working hours, Charlotte sits at my feet under the desk:

And of course during movie time, she gets the best seat in the house.

She's a funny, funny doggy.

Ring that Bell!

The last few weeks have been quite the ride with our new little addition to our family. I would say that the three of us have found a nice rhythm to daily living. Granted there is still LOTS of things to teach, learn and adjust to, but overall, the past 5 weeks of having Charlotte has been nothing but a blessing. Nick and I have continually been impressed by her quick learning and people-pleasing tendencies. In fact, it is a no-brainer to say that Charlotte lives true to the reputation Wheaten Terriers uphold: Stubborn, yet loving. She responds to her name (most of the time, though, not outside where those leaves, rocks and 1,000,000 scents reside), sits when demanded (yeah, so it may take 4 or 5 stern "SITS" but she gets it), chews only on her chew toys (besides Anne Marie's slippers) and takes good care of the house when we leave (in her crate). The biggest accomplishment, without a doubt is her bell ringing. For the past 3 weeks, we have hung a bell on our back door that we ring every time we take her outside to go potty. Last week, the association finally clicked, and she nudged the bell with her nose, then turned, sat and looked at me like: "OK mom...it's time!" This was such a big accomplishment, I was ready to bust out the champagne, shoot off the fireworks and throw a party! You have no idea how much mental space this tiny behavior modification has freed me. Knowing that Charlotte now has the ability to communicate the #1 house recking problem I was worried about, is a tremendous accomplishment. Ever since we have had her, my productivity has decreased by 85%. The divided attention of working and watching the dog SLOWED everything down. She sniffs and sniffs and sniffs everything, all day. So I was constantly convinced that the minute I turned my head, she would decide it was time to do her duty. But alas, now I feel like a free woman! A woman who can go about her business throughout the day and take her outside when she decides it's time. Granted we are still on the 2.5 to 3.5 rotating cycle, but hey...she's only 15 weeks old, her bladder is still growing.

The next task at hand: Charlotte walking on a lease. Right now, our "walks" are more like us either dragging her and being extremely frustrated OR us trying to reign her in being extremely frustrated. Any suggestions are always welcomed. Otherwise, we are going to end up with a home-body puppy who runs tracks in our house due to lack of exercise.

Look! Matching beards!

A trip to the beach in Steilacoom.

Poux meets Charlotte!

Ami visits

Almost at the 6 month marker:

This weekend my sweet sister came up for a visit. It was so great having her here. She is one of those people who require no entertainment, no plans or no elaborate agendas. I have noticed through life, that there is quite a range of need for entertainment for people: From constantly at your side to "I haven't seen so-n-so for a while...are they still in the house?" I am forever comforted knowing that if she needs something she will get it and if she wants to do something she will tell me. Self entertainers are my favorite.

Ami arrived on Friday afternoon with a belly waiting to be filled. She spent some time getting to know Charlotte, then we were off on foot to Bellingham's finest burrito joint: Banditos Burritos. Afterwards, we did a little window shopping, which included a trip into Mi Shoes to see what was new on the shelves. Unfortunately our downtown excursion was cut short due to a puppy at home with a 2.5 hour bladder limit.

Saturday was quite different. Apparently Ami caught a bug during the night and after a few hours of "unpleasantness" woke up on Saturday exhausted and weak. She spent the majority of the day either in bed or on the couch. Selfishly, this was a bummer for me, due to the fact that Ami is so very fun to explore with, but my deepest concern was her and the baby's health...so I did my thing and checked in on her every once and a while. To her great credit, she was able to muster up enough energy for a short stroll in Fairhaven to check out a few baby stores.

Sunday, she was all healed, but a las our time had come to an end. She had a date to pick up Matt in Seattle in the early afternoon, so after church, a light lunch and a few last minute "tasks" that were planned to be a part of the weekend, she headed south. My heart was saddened because our time together felt so brief. But the beauty of timing was knowing that in 3 short days, we would be together again for the long Thanksgiving weekend!

I must mention that my favorite part of the weekend was late on Saturday night. Nick was reading in the living room and I was getting a creative burst of energy and decided to make Ami's baby shower invitations. After about a half an hour in the office, Ami came in all bundled up in a blanket and copped a squat on the floor next to me. We listed to a sermon on line (about the book of Revelation - so good, yet really intimidating to read by myself: "what do you mean 7 headed dragon???!!!) then chatted for a few hours about life. Times like these remind me of when we were young....living together in our parent's house. I wouldn't say that Ami and I "played" a lot together, but when we did, I remember it being so much fun. I looked up to her (and still do) so very much, that I warmly welcomed the opportunity to be near her at any chance. Though now that we are older and have our own lives, I still get the tingling feeling when we are together...that I can't believe how lucky I am to have such an admirable woman at my very disposal, to my very own, at that moment. Our times together may not be as frequent as I like (she is always welcome to move to Bellingham though), but when we are it brings so much joy in my heart!

Thank you Jesus for my sister!

My Sleepy Bear

Charlotte (AKA...my little bear) is rather sleepy today. To me, this is a gigantic blessing. We have been working diligently on what it means to not pee in the house, how to walk on a leash and appropriate room edict. In other words, not licking, chewing or biting everything that even slightly resembles grass, sticks or her play toys: carpet, chords, the "boot cut" feature on my pants, socks, calculators, my stamp collection, oh how the list goes on. To give her credit she is an exceptional puppy, but honestly, I am whooped and have been craving a day like today.
To paint you a picture: Charlotte always goes outside 5 or 10 minutes after a meal...she is like clockwork and does her duty. After that, we take a walk to release some of that puppy energy. Once we get home, we spend some time playing, then (when behaving) she can follow me around the house as I go about my business, and a bit later, she goes back into her crate for a little nap. Well...today she has absolutely no motivation what-so-ever for any of the above except for napping. She will eat and then fall asleep by the time I get her to take her outside. She is rather resistant to the idea of peeing, and seems her preference is to hold it as long as possible (you know you have done this on a really cold morning while all comfy in your bed). Unfortunately for Charlotte, I know better, and insist that she follows me outside. When she finally straggles out of her crate, she looks like the worse bed head you have ever seen, but ALL over her body. With her hair is every which way, her slow blinking and straggling manor, I can't help but laugh...as this is such a perfect picture to a really, really tired and out of it human. After 3 or 4 full body stretches she finally makes it outside, squats in instant she is one the gravel, and heads back inside. Sometimes I wonder if she is even awake or just sleep walking. After that hugely laborious task, she straggles back inside to her crate, plops down and is sleeping again in 2 seconds. I have a feeling it must be growth spurt day and she needs all the rest she can get to keep up with her body working hard.
Today is the first day she has had the privilege to sit along side me in the office as I work. Typically she is chewing at random things (this is not a puppy safe room - too many small objects to chew on, not to mention the carpet that looks like grass...bad for many reasons). My favorite part is when I reach down to give her a little pet, she makes these really small squeaking sounds...as if to say..."Wow Andi...do you really have to interrupt my slumber...I was getting so cozy." Just now I tried to call her over to sit by me. From 5 feet away, I got a glance, a sigh and an immediate full body sprawl on the floor, eyes shut. Her back legs are fully extended behind her rear end and front legs tucked under her head. She looks like a real person laying on a couch. Amazing. Unfortunately Nick has the camera so I can't post a shot of her body position right now...but there will be many more opportunities...I am sure of it!

Kitchen Aid, Maytag, Kenmore, Oh My!

Nick and I decided not to get the Kitchen Aid oven. Instead...I bought a $47 coil to replace the one that burnt out on Monday in our current oven (what started this whole mad oven hunt in the first place). I don't know if I should be discouraged regarding the 8 hours I dumped into research...or just chalk it up further education: I am officially savvy on Consumer Report's analysis regarding ovens.

Will keep you posted when we do take the plunge.

"Would you like room in that..."

Fall is my favorite season...I am sure I have said that in the past. But not only are the colors outside enticing and the cool, crisp air invigorating (and down right chili in the AM), but there is another perk to this season: Eggnog comes back! The funny thing is I hate eggnog...in it's straight in a cup form. But not in coffee.
One of my favorite things is a good Americano or really strong drip coffee with some eggnog in it. It gives it it's own little zip of flavor, plus I feel like I am embracing the season that much more by celebrating seasonal flavors. So go ahead...try it. At any coffee shop...just ask them for a splash of eggnog rather than cream or milk in your Americano or drip. OR if you are on a budget (like us) get some at the store and make it yourself. I even add it to Vanilla tea instead of milk...delicious!
Karen Norris...if you are out there...I know you can attest to this delicious combination!

Varying opinions can really confuse a girl

I am feeling a bit irritated at the moment. I just keep on shaking my head and wondering: Why? Why does it have to be like this? You yourself may be asking what the heck are you talking about...so here goes:
There are times in life when purchases have to be made. I am not talking about the day-to-day stuff...like a cute shirt or yogurt or a plant. But I am talking about big, important stuff, that may or may not break and would be expensive to fix: like ovens for example. Nick and I have decided that it is due time to get a new oven. Obvioulsy, since I am the head cook in our household, this gets me really excited about picking one that is just right for me! Yesterday I spent some time on consumer reports getting the overview of what brands are out there, how reliable they are rated and how much they run. If that wasn't overwhelming enough (not to mention completely unsatisfying since I am a kinisthetic person who likes to touch things), I decided to do a little on-line shopping to see what was available. From Sears to Home Depot, Lowes and Deward and Bode...I was up to my head in ovens. Being completely overwhelmed, I shut off the computer and walked away. I needed a break.
This morning, I decided to actually go touch a few...so I headed out to the DeWard and Bode scratch and dent outlet. Turns out they only had 2 viable options for me, one of which was very enticing; a Kitchen Aide - even with it's big ouchie it has on the left hand side. I started drilling the sales guy (who by the way is younger than me - not that it discredits him at all...I just begin to wonder..."how long have you worked here...how many ovens have you seen come in and out of this joint due to failure etc...do you even care about your job or are you just trying to sell me anything to make a buck?) with questions that once answered I can begin to compare with what consumer reports had to say. As it turns out, he strongly disagrees with what consumer reports reports on some equipment. He says he sees more GE than anything else coming in there for repairs than any other brand (CR rated it lowest likely to be repaired). He then took it upon himself to educate me on the difference between the European Convection and the American Convection, on the style of the coil, the durability of the knobs and the elaborate features ovens have...all of which I greatly appreciated. He even discouraged me from buying a more expensive oven because the one I had leaned toward may be a better fit for what I am looking for. I am beginning to really like the sales guy and begin to wonder if CR is really as good as they say they are. I ask him about their delivery fee, how quickly I can get it and the extended warranty plan. I ask him to put it on hold for me and I will let him know...then I move on to the next victim.
Now that I have a pretty good idea of the standard Q&A exchange, I feel well equipped when I walk into Home Depot. I began to wonder through the oven section...opening each one and checking out the options. This behavior obviously attracts sales people, thus "Larry" (the names have been changed to protect the innocent) approaches me. He asks if he can help me and I begin to probe him with a similar line of questioning that I just experienced at D&B. Contrary to what the other dude said, Larry has quite a different opinion: GE to him is the very best. In fact...when he redoes his kitchen next year, everything will be GE. Now I am getting a little concerned. Is he going off of personal experience? Is he just going off of consumer reports? What are his qualifications? So then I ask about delivery/warranty/tow away of the old oven, etc and he gets really salesie on me. Starts talking about 0% interest for one year (Dave Ramsey would have a fit) and how "he" has 2000 more ovens on-line, "he" just doesn't have the floor space to fill it with ovens. I don't mean to sound horrifically judgemental, I am just getting a little confused and information overloaded on the varying options out there. So I thank him for his time and head out. Next....Lowes.
Now I am really determined to drill this oven guy to see how he feels about different brands. I feel well equipped with the 2 conversations I just had and hope that this guy can keep up. As it turns out "oven guy" was not much of an information supplier. First he had to look up if the Kitchen Aide they had on display was an European or American convection (unlike the other two guys...they could tell by looking at it). Secondly, he thought all the ovens did "pretty good" and don't really test the difference between the baking vs. cooking capability (obviously he had never been on consumer reports because those are two big comparisons, as well as broiling, low heat and high heat). But he did raise a good point...the more bells and whistles you get the greater chance of needing to repair it. Especially now a days with the internal computers that operate the digital temperature mode. Yikes! Guess the extended warranty is a good idea...I have a hard enough time with the computer I am typing on, I couldn't' imagine an oven computer. I thanked the guy and went on my way.
When I got home I pulled up the specific model from D&B that I really liked from consumer reports. Low and behold: not tested, therefor no report. This bummed me out, then I got to asking myself the "Why does it have to be like this" question. I mean really. There are as many opinions out there as there are people. To each their own as the saying goes...but how is this supposed to help me make an informed decision? Do I trust the information from the guy who is most likeable? Do I trust the guy who takes the most time to teach me stuff, even if it is different from consumer reports? Can I even make a good judgement from consumer reports if they don't even analyze the product I am wanting to purchase? Ahhhhh....it is all just so frustrating!
So now, I have resorted to the best decision making process that works for me in the past: I ask people I know and care about for their opinion...and...not only listen to what they are saying, but also listen to myself asking about it. I can get a pretty good gut check by verbal processing things....sometimes I will be in the middle of asking Nick something and they stop mid sentence and say I have figured it out; never mind. This of course doesn't bode well with him so I give the whole thought process just to give him mind rest. But really and truly, saying things out loud really helps. Thus far, I have talked to my dad and Nick about it. And thus far, I have felt good about the Kitchen Aide option. Nick and I are going to check it out once more tonight before we commit. This will help me too...seeing things for a second time always reinforces my decisions. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks for listening...blogging is another way for me to "verbally process."

Charlotte update

Life in the Vann household gets a little better with each day. Charlotte is learning how things roll around here: Nick and Andi are in charge, she is not. It's a slow lesson...sometimes it is clear as mud to her, but in order to reinforce the #1 rule, we persevere, hoping that SOME ground is made each day. She is pretty much on the two and a half hour schedule...doing her duty outside that is. This is a great relief to me (well to us both...I am sure) because it allows me to get some work done, catch up on house stuff, as well as hit up the gym and run other errands during her crate time. We have gone on a few walks around the neighborhood. I use the term "walk" very loosely as it is more of a sniffing fest for her and a "Charlotte Come" chant for me. But no more...today I read up on how to walk with your dog, so hopefully a stroll around the block with take 10 minutes rather than 30. Yes, yes...book knowledge is very helpful when it comes to these sort of things. Luckily, I am wisely reminded by my loving husband that puppies don't go by the book, so I must remain optimistic even if she isn't perfect. Yeah, yeah...OK...I got it.

Charlotte has had a lot of interaction with people this week as we hosted our couple's group on Monday night and a church plant meeting on Tuesday night. She has taken to everyone really well, including Belle, Kristen and Trevor's 2 year old daughter. It must be "your the same size as me, therefore I will chase you around and sniff all over," kind of thing. It is so wonderful to see her interact with others. I SO badly want her to be a friendly to all kind of dog, yet obedient to her Alpha dogs. I realize that all these blogs about this dog may seem a bit over zealous and a perfectionist...which may or may not be the case. I am trying to balance the desires for having a well behaved dog, letting a puppy be a puppy, yet implementing the wisdom's that these books portray. I am sure that in 3 months from now, I will look back and laugh at my nervousness and compulsive attitude, but until then I will just persevere without overloading myself.

She is a bit of a lush when it comes to being in Nick's arms. I try not to get jealous.

Women who inspire me

Last Friday, my dear friend Cory stopped by with her kiddos on her way out of town. She is a Tupperware rep and a friend hosted a party at her home in Bellingham the night before, so Cory came up on business. I try to snag any opportunity to see Cory since she and her fam live in Port Townsand and our visits are few and far between. Kristen stopped by for the short visit as well and I was thrilled to have 3 of 4 old roomies together in the same room again.

I am always amazed when I reflect on how much can change in 5 years (we were all roommates our Junior and Senior years at Western). We had a lot of laughs back then and also helped each other through some tough times. I never would have imagined a few years later Cory would have 3 kids, Kristen would have 1 and I would be married and running my own business. Life changes so steadily, so quickly sometimes.

It encourages me so much to know that these women have taken what life has thrown at them and succeeded with flying colors. God absolutely has guided them, but it also takes a certain amount of faith and trust to persevere through the "stuff." I was sitting on the floor with these women and admired their strength. Being a mom is a tough job (not speaking from personal experience, but as you already know...I am challenged enough by the puppy). Cory has her 4 year old, 2.5 year old and 9 month old all in check. You can tell in the first 10 seconds of the kids playing that she is great mom...they aren't out of control or recking the house but instead enjoying their time at a house that is so not cool for little people - AKA: no toys. They listen and respect their mom when she is directing them and she even makes a game out of getting themselves ready to go. At the same time...Kristen swoops in, a natural mom, and sees how she can aid her friend in parenting: Picking peas off the floor, offering Cory some water, asking Zoey and Zac questions. It is really awe-inspiring to watch. I am honored to have these women in my life and even happier to see their enthusiasm for, what seemed to me, hectic and overwhelming lives (I think the photo above is an excellent snap shot of what everyday in the Feren's (Cory's house is like). How lucky and blessed am I to have their wisdom so very accessible.

I Got my Sanity Back!

On Thursday, Charlotte and I spent another full day together. By 5pm, I was done. Again, the mental preoccupation was enough to send me to the hills in hysterics. Instead...Nick got a phone call from a wife in hysterics. To sum that conversation up in a nice, neat, calm little package, I relayed that what we were doing wasn't working and I needed a little break. Lucky for all three of us, Thursday night was my first bible study with a new group of wonderful women from Oikos Church (thanks Kristen!). I not only had the chance to be re-grounded with the Grace of Jesus, but also spoke to the woman hosting the group who also just got a new puppy. We swapped stories and I probed her with pottie training questions. She also passed along a book that worked well for her 10 week old, well trained "pees ever 3 hours, poops twice a day" puppy. What a dream.

Friday came, and Nick wisely decided to work from home that day. We shared the responsibilities of taking care of Charlotte which absolutely helped my mind frame. I was more relaxed, happy and well-balanced. A combination that any husband wants for his wife. We also decided to switch things up a bit more regarding Charlotte's schedule. We put a box in her crate which minimized the space for her to live. (Don't worry, she still has room to be comfortable).

This means that she would be less likely to pee in the crate since she would also have to be sleeping in there. We also decided to take her out every hour and a half no matter what to avoid accidents. Both things worked beautifully! Charlotte has officially had her first day of no accidents in the house...AND slept through the night. Chalk it up to a great day in the Vann household.

This morning was Charlotte's first doctor's visit. We decided to sign her up for Banfield's Wellness Plan (thanks mom!). This is basically an insurance plan for your puppy. For a monthly premium she gets all her vaccinations, a full examination, free office visits, a discount on meds if she needs them, a free flee treatment and will be spayed at no charge (I can hardly make it through the day with one puppy, can you imagine me with 6 of them!). Charlotte cleared the exam with flying colors, plus got two more vaccinations, which is leaving her rather cuddly and sluggish this afternoon. I reeled the doctor with my 1,000,000 questions ranging from how to clean eye boogers to why does she hiccup so much. Though the books that we read are helpful, they seem to skip some very important day-to-day details that a girl like me must know. The people at Banfield were great and I would highly recommend they to anyone (they also have adult dog wellness plans!).

The rest of the day is a chill one for us. Nick and I are catching up on house stuff and just enjoying a slow weekend. We usually slam our weekend full of activities, but with this new life of living in two hour increments, we are a little more confined to the boundaries of our yard.

One thing I have to say is I LOVE this dog. I call her my little bear because...well...she looks like one. She is so well behaved, always wanting to please, always wants to cuddle and is rather cooperative when it comes to things that could be irritating, like clipping her nails. One of my favorite things about her is how she pushes herself back when sitting. Apparently our hard wood floors are rather slick for her cute little bootie! My blogs may get a little more balanced with time, but for now...she inspires me to write.

Just the Girls Today

Today, I am mentally exhausted and it is only 3:30pm. The puppy...she's racking my brain. Let's start from the top:

Last night when we finally hit the sac with Charlotte settled in right next to us (in her crate on the floor). Without a whimper, she was down and out for the count. It was a big day after all...she got new parents, a new home, new smells...oh life must be exhausting for a puppy. I woke up several times throughout the night...hoping that she was alright. I think scary SIDS (Silent Infant Death Syndrome) thoughts were running through my head. I mean, I know Charlotte isn't a baby, but still...she is so little and cute and relies on us so much. I just didn't want anything to happen to her. So when 6:30am rolled around, I was relieved. The morning routine (take her outside immediately, then feed her, then take her outside again, then play with her, then put her in the crate - See I am very By-the-book) was supposed to be Nick's job. But I was just so excited about this new creature that I had to be apart of it. We quickly discovered that this "feed her then take her outside to pee" thing doesn't really happen like that. She peed in her bed during the night. She has been after all, peeing in her bed her whole life up until now...so it's up to us to break her of that habit. So as I clean her bed...Nick takes her outside to see if she has any left. Nope...she's empty. So, he brings her back inside to eat breakfast. She takes a few bites and considers it done. She is not interested in water, so we pick her up out of her bed so she can poop, but alas...she has already left us two lovely little nuggets (for those of you who don't have an animal...I hope I am not discusting you too much. As a matter of a fact, I probably wouldn't have even read through this whole blog last week, for I had no knowledge of what life is with a puppy. But for those of you who have had a puppy...you are with me...I know you are). I am in shock and beginning to freak out at this point (note that it is 7:05am)...I mean...dogs aren't supposed to POOP in their bed right???? The book says so!!!! So, this time I take her out to see if she has any more and Nick cleans it up. Shockingly enough, Charlotte is all about playing and not about doing her deed. We try to be stern, but when she is running all over the place and frolicking in our garden, it's tough to keep her to focus on "going poddy." Alas, we figure she once again, emptied her tank inside and we head back in.

By this point I am both freaking out and trying to remain strong. I have the "day shift" with her all by myself and am trying to syke myself up for this adventure. I am reminded by Nick that he is just a phone call away, so if anything comes up, just call him. Nick has had 10 puppies in his life, so this is cake. I, on the other hand, am summoning all the strength I have not to quiver and cry in the corner.

By 9am it is time to take Charlotte out again for another pee. I take her out of her crate to take her outside, and bam...instant puddle on the floor. I figure this is better than in the crate, but not quite up to par with the backyard. I take her out anyway, so she can associate that that is the poddy place. Nothing gets through to her...she is running all over the place...deciding to test the limits and head to the front yard via crawling under the deck. Tricky little thing. Now it is confirmed...it's time for a leash. So...I gather her up, her crate and head to the PetStop for a collar and leash. With her, my purse and canvas bag (be Green!) in hand, I am realizing that trying on collars is going to be a bit of a challenge. The nice worker lady helped me after a 10 minutes of analyzing of which one fit Charlotte's' personality best. Pink collar with little bones it is - adjustable! We discover that she can kinda get out of it, but by next week...it will be the perfect fit. On the way home, Charlotte is not too fond of the car ride, but this may be a blessing, because she hardly even realizes she has a collar on.

Once she is in the house, in the crate, I realize it is time for a run for me. I gather my stuff up and am really anxious about leaving her alone. What if someone breaks in and steals her? What if she just stops breathing? I am frantic, but trying to get a grip. After all, I am so fortunate that I can be at home with her all day anyways! So I go on a super short run and pray that she is alright. Honestly, I don't even think she missed me. She has taken to her crate quite well...her chewys and christian rock music is all she needs it seems like.

The lunch routine is pretty much exactly like breakfast, except this time, she can't get away while outside because I am loosely holding the leash...much better for us all.

After lunch, I realize that puppies are mentally exhausting. Yes...they take up time to feed and pee and play and clean up their messes, but really my mind is always thinking...is Charlotte OK? Sometimes, I walk past her crate to pretend to be getting a pen or something just to make sure she moves. We are trying to teach her to hold herself (yeah...that's working great....) and independence. So for now, she stays in her crate between meals and after play time. But that doesn't stop me from going over there every 4 minutes just to check...see I just did it. She's fine. She's actually amazingly sweet. Just lays in there...so very content...waiting for the next go around.

I am discovering that it is tough for me to balance between wanting to raise a good dog by being firm and just wanting to just play with her all day. I know that it won't be like this for much longer (hopefully 3 weeks max), but it is almost like torture to know that my little furry, bear like creature is in there. But then I remind myself that this is good for her (they like to have their own den) and for me (she realizes that we are top dogs around here).

I am just relieved that Nick will be home in an hour or so and we can tag team this together. Can you imagine if I ever have a kid??? I am going to be freaking out! Ohhhh...now THAT makes me tired just thinking about it. Oh and just as a side note...I haven't gotten a lick of work done today. Ahh well, I pretty much knew that was going to happen. Tomorrow is another day!

Charlotte Is Here!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen....
It is our esteemed pleasure...
To introduce to you....
The newest member of the Vann household...

Charlotte Autumn Vann!!!

That's right folks...it has been a long time waiting, but we finally have our dog! Some of you may be scratching your head intensely, wondering if what you are reading is a joke. After all...this is Andi right??? The girl who doesn't even like dogs. The girl who would just walk on by a puppy without a mere glance. The girl who took 2 years to adjust to the fact that her mom has a dog and that petting her might be a good idea. Well, I am here to say that it is not in fact a joke.
It all started around this time last year with a letter in the mail from my mom. Attached was a photo copy of a "mop head" dog and a note saying "I think you two should get one of these." I laughed it off and shook my head at her persistence. After all...her getting a dog was a shock to all of us...we never had animals in the house growing up...in fact, my dad used to throw gravel at the neighbor cats who tried to poop in our driveway - talk about reinforcing the fact that domestic animals are bad. I told myself, no way would we get a dog. They are expensive, they poop, they shed, they are an inconvenience and they tear apart your house. Nick reinforced this fear last Christmas by surprising me with a puppy. A fake puppy of course, but due to my response, he was more than relieved that it was a test rather than the real thing.

Come early summer, I started singing a different tune. Nick and I began talking more about what would it mean for our family to get a dog. I liked the idea of having a permanent running partner...a companion throughout the day as I worked at home...a cheery creature to greet you at the door no matter what the day had brought you, what the weather was like or how you felt at that moment. A dog started to sound really, really good. So we investigated and turns out that my mom was right...a "mop head" was quite appropriate for our family. More formally named a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, it carried all the characteristics that fit us to the T. First and foremost, Wheatens have hair not fur...so no shedding. Secondly they are extremely physical animals so enjoy running, biking and just plain being outside. Very apropos for the Vann's. Thirdly, they are smart dogs...hard headed yes, but completely loyal (some (Nick) may describe me being like that). They are active when we are active and chill when we are chill. And lastly, they are friendly...greeting all people and other dogs with an excited hello. That was enough to convince me it was time to start looking.

In mid-July we stumbled upon a breeder in Everett and met 3 of her pups. They were adorable and at the perfect age for adoption, but due to bad timing (remember last summer was the busiest time of my life), we decided to wait it out.

In October, we decided to give it another whirl and were extremely disappointed to find that most Wheaten breeders in the Washington/Vancouver, BC area had litters in the Spring. Even more so disappointing, our back up, the breeder we met during the summer originally planned on having another litter in December, decided not to put valiant efforts in impregnating her female Wheaten due to her increasingly busy schedule. We even went as far as considering having a puppy shipped to us from the mid-west, where they seem to be in abundance. After deciding that we are not in support of what could have been a puppy mill, we moved on. If God wanted us to have a dog, then God would deliver a dog.
He did...through my mom. During their last visit up here, my mom, with all her Internet savvy skills found an add in the Seattle Times listing Wheaten puppies. She passed along the number and I chatted with the breeder that very night. After a 20 minute interview (the breeder questioning me on the conditions of our home, yard and lifestyle) we decided that we should meet the pup and see if we were a good fit. We met up with her and the pup on Sunday night on our way home from Ridgefield in Bellevue. As it turns out, this is the one and only time she bred her Wheaten. She said that it is a lot of wear and tear on the mother, plus a lot of work for her to take care of the pups. Due to the owners care and attachment to the pups, she insisted on meeting the potential owners AND viewing their home before allowing the transaction to occur. Well...tonight was the night that Nick and I learned we passed the test. Charlotte was hand delivered after a thorough evaluation of our fence, kennel (thanks Diana!) and bushes that acts as the barrier between us and the freeway. We signed the contract, got the papers and was handed our puppy.

Tonight has been completely dedicated to showing our new puppy the digs and at the same time, reading fervently through the How to Raise a Puppy book (again...thank you Diana) to ensure we are doing everything right. We are happy to say that she has already had a successful pee outside. And believe me for the anal, by-the-book-when-it-comes-to-new-and-unknown-things me, this is a big deal. I would say Charlotte is adjusting well to our home. She slides around a lot on the hardwood floors chasing from one toy to another. We can tell equal time spent with Nick and I is important as she scurries over to Nick for a hello and belly-rub then back to me for a hello and a face-lick. She likes it best to be sandwiched between the two of us while sitting on the floor, but mostly she is content if we are in eye site. They say that the first night away from their mom is the toughest. We will find out very soon. I predict lots of whining in her crate next to us and every ounce of my body wanting to put her in bed with us. But alas...the puppy book says no, so I too have to say no.
The first few days are a big adjustment for the pup...afterall...we ripped her of the home that all she knew and is now living with 2 strangers. But, by this weekend, I am sure she would love a visitor or two. So please feel free to stop by anytime this weekend to say hello. We want her comfortable around people and need you to help her get there!

Halloween

Halloween took Nick and I to Ridgefield, WA this year...to hoop it up with my prego sister and her hubby. After a 5.5 hour car ride from Bellingham (rush hour traffic in Seattle, Federal Way and Tacoma...go figure), we arrived just in time to watch Ami finish up sewing her costume. She has always been the "creative one" out of the two of us. So of course after getting her and Matt pirate costumes from Value Village...she felt compelled to buy some fabric to add "just a few things" to their get up. Low and behold, 6 hours later slaving in front of her sewing machine, she had created a brand new costume for both her and Matt. Yep...that is my sister. I, on the other hand, opted to ditch my two potential costumes that I brought for Ami's masterpiece 2 years ago: Poison Ivy. With a fully leaved tube top, skirt and mask, along with ivy earrings, green fishnet stockings and green boots...I was set to go in about 45 seconds thanks to her. Nick dug down deep into his Texan roots and discovered his "inner hick." Overalls, flannel top, a roped chicken and a nasty mullet that was enough to keep him at an arms distance most of the night. We hopped in the car and headed to Kennedy School in Portland (http://www.kennedyschool.com/). A super cool renovated school that now operates as a few different restaurants, bar and theater. Dr. Theopolis! (that's him in the photo above - FYI: not in a halloween costume...that's just how he rolls) took over the stage and for a price you can't beat (free - the perks of being 2 hours late) we rocked out to their oh-so-funky tunes for an hour or so. I started to bonk quickly and my family decided for me that I was hungry (which was true) so we hit up a bar which overtook the school boiler room and enjoyed some nice late night snacks. We had a great time...but what may have taken the cake was people watching. Portland is known for some extravagant people in the first place, so WOW were there some funky costumes!

Isabella Marie (not to be confused with Isabelle Marie)

Nick and I were fortunate enough to have our friends, Ron and Cathy over last week for dinner...their 3 month old Isabella Marie totting along with them. It was such a blessing to see them for the first time as parents. They were absolutely GLOWING...truly happy parents, soaking up the joy that their baby gives them. I of course did my fair share of drilling questions to Cathy throughout the night about labor. This is a big, scary, somewhat impossible feat that boggles my mind. So while I had a candid audience, I thought I would take advantage of it. Cathy is a trouper. Believe me...I know...I have gone hiking with the woman...she is tough as nails. So of course it didn't surprise me one bit to hear not only did she have her baby al' natural...but also standing up. She said laying down hurt her back...the tub just wasn't working out...the big ball helped a little, but what truly worked the best was standing up. And a few hours later...there she was.I mean...really they probably could have put her up on some bricks, left her in a cave being flooded with water and a 2 year old on her shoulders (you must see the movie Apocalypto to appreciate this imagery), and she would have just survived right through it. But alas...Isabella is here, healthy and loving life. She has officially doubled her weight in just 3 months. She has begun to strengthen her neck muscles, but still enjoys being swaddled as tight as can be. But I have to admit, the best part about their visit was I have never seen Ron and Cathy so happy...what a blessing it was to see this.

I just love how little they are.

Get 'r Done Round #2

As if you didn't know it already, I really love my family. My amazing parents visited Nick and I this weekend with a mixed agenda of business and pleasure. The business/pleasure ration is very much 3/97 but still...we did have a few projects to get done around the house. Luckily my dad's livelihood and hobbies are one in the same: fixing stuff. So we had at it and got a lot done. Lamely, I did not take a single photograph while they were here (I have no excuse...I need to train myself to be more picture orientated), but I thought a bullet list of our accomplishments could take place of a picture. To be fair, my dad did 97% of the stuff, but because he is an inclusive kind of guy, he would say that in a matter of 2 days Mom, Dad, Nick, Brea and I:

• Rewired the garbage disposal so it doesn't blow the breaker every time we turn it on
• Replaced weather stripping around our front door for higher efficiency during the cold months
• Repaired the wood base one of the french doors...the wind can be harsh around here
• Fixed the shower door to stop the water from leaking out
• Re-caulked the kitchen and bathroom sink
• Tuned the locks on all the doors for easier functioning
• Partially built the air filter replacement system for our furnace
• Replaced broken shingles on the roof (see that wind is fierce!)

There were times when Nick and Dad were working together on a project and there was no room for me...so I cleaned things that I typically put off...like washing our big bay windows...inside and out and vacuuming under the couches (I really try to avoid this at all costs...). It was great! Plus, dad helped me with quarterly taxes...yuck!

But don't think we didn't squeeze any fun in there. We toured the town on Bellingham and Fairhaven on bike, had a celebratory birthday dinner for dad (steak, potatoes, corn, salad and dessert of course: Buttermilk Yellow Cake, layered with chocolate pastry cream, bananas and whipping cream), hit up Hellingham at the Up-Front Theater (improv show) and went to church. So...not too bad for a weekend with the folks. Nick and I know we are spoiled with such great parents (including ours in Texas!!!)...what a blessing God has given us!

Fall is Here

I was reflecting about my blog today and found myself a bit frustrated with it. I seem to fail in the "blogging often" category. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if any one even read this anymore because my blogs are so few and far between. I figure this is OK considering in a few years, it will be nice to look back and see where I was (sometimes it is so easy to forget) and where I am (sometimes so hard to imagine).

I admire my consistent blogging friends...like my dear friend Anne Marie who is traveling through Italy right now and posts every day, if not multiple times a day to write in great detail about the adventures she has taken part of. Or my incredibly creative and amazing photographer friend Shannon, who posts often the most beautiful pictures of her kids, nature and so easily blogs about the perks of life (like kids cocoa at Starbucks). I doubt I will ever be an everyday, creative photo posting blogger...but as I tell myself so many times throughout the day about many things..."compare and dispair Andi...compare and dispair."

On a different note....I have been enjoying the beautiful Autumn weather. Fall has always been my favorite season. All the color changes, the crunchy leaves that are so fun to stomp on and the crispness in the air. I often look out our front windows in our living room and see the leaves from the neighbors yard dance their way from the branch to the ground. It really is quite a sight. I also love to add a few Autumn accents to the house.

I wouldn't call myself a seasonal decorator, but I just so happen to have a lot of brown, red and orange stuff. Chalk it up to buying my condo a few years ago in Kirkland in the fall and needing to turn an empty place into a decorated home. It didn't even dawn on me until the following January that most of the stuff I bought were fall colors, because that was what was available in the stores. Ah well...I don't mind...it just gets me even more excited when this time of the year comes so I can switch it up a bit.

Today I am particularly cheery because I my work-space is bright and warm. Our house is a comfortable 69 degrees without the furnace running (thanks to a passive solar home design).

My "office"

It's the little things in life that makes the difference. Speaking of which...make sure you vote! I sent my ballot out today!

Wedding Season 2008 Comes To A Close

A feeble attempt of my photography to portray how Steve can transform a tent into an elegant wedding reception. Check out his website for real pics of his talent.

Late on Saturday night, another season came to a close in my life: 2008 Wedding Season. After the bride and groom had made their vows, cut their cake and danced their first dance as husband and wife, I made my quick rounds of goodbyes to the families, vendors and staff, slipped on my jacket and drove myself out of Semiahmoo Resort. It was a joyful drive home...a 30 minute trek of reflecting over the summer's festivities, experiences and well... nightmares.

I learned a lot this spring and summer as a wedding coordinator for the oh-so-talented and amazingly gifted Steve Moore (http://www.stevenmooredesigns.com/). Like how to ensure a wedding will start on time when the bride arrives an hour and a half late to the venue for pictures, and has yet to apply her makeup and put on her dress. (Please note that the groom was impeccably timely....come to think of it...all the grooms and groomsmen this summer were ALWAYS attentive, helpful, timely and courteous. Too bad society has given them a bad reputation for being just the opposite of that.) Or the time the groom disappeared during the garter toss and I sprinted up and down the halls of the resort to locate him while his bride sat patiently in the middle of the dance floor with 400 eyes on her and twenty single men swarming her. Or the SEVERAL times a weather call had to be made 20 minutes before the ceremony because of the dark clouds and gusty winds felt like Washington's first typhoon approaching. Don't think for a moment that weather-calls are easy decisions to make when thousands and thousands of dollars have been committed to these outdoor venues, rented chairs, string quartets, sound systems and flowers, not to mention the hours dumped into finding the "perfect spot," laying out the ceremony floor plan and practicing just how the processional will transpire.

Don't get me wrong, of all the nightmares that happened this summer, the beauty, elegance and charisma that a wedding brings out far out-weighed the traumatic, dramatic and sporadic moments. For example, seeing the happy couple stare longingly into each other's eyes throughout the night...knowing that this wedding is going to last. Or the times when not a single glitch occurs (logistically) during the night and the MoB, FoB, BM and MoH all come up to you to compliment the workings of a well-ran wedding. And of course...the most important of all...being surrounded by such an amazing team of professionals who love what they do and do it well. Nothing makes a wedding coordinators job easier than having vendors who are reliable, consistent and enthusiastic. Wow! I do feel so very blessed to have seen what I have seen, done what I have done and I look forward to another season of it next year. Until then, I will continue to do behind the scene stuff, building up my business, oh and enjoying my Saturdays OFF!

Growing my Computer Knowledge

Man oh man...it only took me a year and a half to understand how Blogger works, but ahhhhh....now I can rest at peace because: I GET IT! That whole side bar thing really through me for a loop, but see what can be done with a Saturday morning (as your husband is at Whistler, riding his heart out)...an updated profile and new picks, links and blogs!

Go COUGS!

Last weekend the Lopez clan hit I-90 East for yet another Lopez Family extravaganza. All six of us (well...7 if you count my sister's bun in the oven) piled into the Toyota Sienna, with the new pop up camper trailer in the back and hit the road to Pullman (a 7 hour drive - one way).
For those of you who know Matt, my brother in law, you know that the Cougs are not to be taking lightly. For as long as I have known him, Cougar Football would rank high, if not the highest, on the list of all-time-favorite-pass times. I am talking a die hard. The man has flown my sister all over the country to watch the first game of the season, not matter what the cost. He LOVES it. So the family decided to take this 14 hour road trip to see just what the fuss is all about...we were to attend our very first Coug football game.
This being my first time to step foot in Pullman, I have very low expectations. After all I have heard to two repetitive things about this school:
1. They party hard
2. Extra curricular activities (besides partying) was cow tipping
So needless to say, when we drove into town I was pleasantly surprised. I saw hills, green trees, a beautiful campus and lots of young people with energy that can only be given off in a college town. We parked our car and trailer in the overflow parking lot near campus (our accommodations for the weekend), and hit the town walking. First stop was dinner: Stella's, the land of amazing Pizza and Calzones. After dining on our fab pizza (I recommend the Birkenstock) we began to soak up what was to be a common sight for the Cougar weekend as we toured the campus: clusters of young college students, screaming, cursing and just pain ol' having fun all around us. Matt was an amazing tour guide...full of random facts about the buildings and landmarks. We put in miles and miles and I am happy to report that I was taken away by the campus. As I said above, college campus' give off this vibe of energy and exuberance. WSU was no exception. You could almost smell the individualism, new experiences, youth and learning in the air. I was astounded at the Student Union Building...the x-box players, the full size movie theater, the Rock Band playing hard with their audiences pounding free Full Throttle's, one after another, the Bookie (Barnes & Noble), the goreous view of the Stadium...it was quite impressive. We headed back outside for a closer birds-eye view of the stadium...preparing ourselves for the game yet to come. Then, the peace and solitude quickly ended as we ventured to the land of skimpy clothes, high heals and foam parties: Greek Row.
My adorable cousin Matthew, is a "pledge" in one of the fraternity houses at WSU...a freshman this year (gosh they grow up so fast). I couldn't tell you which one, because they all sound the same to me: Phi Betta Kappa, Delta Phi Betta, etc, etc, etc. Anyways...my determined mother thought it would be a great idea to visit Matthew, so she gave him a call and passed the phone to Matt to get directions. So there we were, 6 (7) gawking, plainly dressed (as in wearing jackets and tennis shoes not the obvious college wear of short skirts (girls) and no shirts (boys - headed to the foam party), out of towners walking down Greek row looking for cousin Matthew. Finally we stumbled upon him and he took in his family (like it or not, here we are) with amazing grace. Luckily, he was on "risk management" (making sure the "brothers" aren't getting out of control) so he gave us a tour of the frat and the run down of what it's like to be a "pledge." After a bit, we parted ways and headed back the 2 miles to the camper trailer...after all we did have to rest up for our game the next day.
The game, I am sorry to say was a bit of a bust. Cougs lost to the Oregon Ducks 63 to 7 or something terrible like that. However it was great fun to finally capture the true experience of being at a game ourselves. Plus I got to eat the best ice cream ever from WSU's very own creamery, as well as work out in the state of the art recreation center, and analyze the cheerleaders moves with my sister (I may have caught a collective 10 minutes of the game). After wards, we hit up Stella's for yet another dinner, then back up to the Student Building for a free viewing of Get Smart (hilarious).

My balloon visor...it was 80 degrees and we were sitting in the direct sunlight. Good think Nick always has balloons in his pocket.

All in all the weekend was awesome! Well worth the drive over there...but what can I say...I am a sucker for family time, new experiences and delicious food!

The boys - Wow...there's a lot of legs in this pic!

David and Isabelle's Baptism

Four glorious months ago, our friends Pete and Joy gave birth to two very adorable and healthy children...TWINS: Isabelle Marie and David Aaron. The kids have been enjoying their life thus far; which consists mostly of eating (at the same time while holding hands...I mean really, could they be any cuter), sleeping and taking in all the smiles and dreamy eyes of anyone who meets them. I would say that Pete and Joy have adjusted beautifully to parenthood. Their eyes shine with pride when you talk with them. And believe it or not, doubling their family's size has brought them closer together than ever before. It brings Nick and I great joy to watch our friends love their kids with all they have to give. Joy, LeAnna (Godmother) holding David, Nick holding Isabelle, LeAnna's Daughter, and Peter

Nick was recently asked by Pete and Joy to be their kid's Godfather. With great jubilation, Nick accepted and has been enthusiastically sharing the news of his new-found role to everyone...not to mention threatening (with a wispy voice, while scratching his neck): "If you hurt those kids, I will have to break both your kneecaps." It's funny what given a title can do. He may need to catchup on some Godfather movies to play the role just right.

On Sunday, we took a trip to Bainbridge Island to be a part of Isabelle and David's Baptismal. They were sprinkled with water and anointed with oil, asked to be blessed by the Holy Spirit and commissioners of Jesus Christ. It was a beautiful site and an honor to be a part of such a special day (Isabelle above, David below). The hours following consisted of great food, conversation and watching Nick clean up David's spit-up every few minutes. It will be quite the adventure to watch these two grow up to be individuals and we look forward to their trips up to Bellingham...so Uncle Nick and Aunt Andi can show them the ropes.