puppy faces

Apartment Therapy January Cure

2013-01-02T21:43:00.000-06:00

I've joined Apartment Therapy's January Cure! I've been away from blogging (and housekeeping, if I'm honest) for a long time. I'm hoping this will be a return to both.

Today is Day 1, and today's assignment is to make a list of projects.

We've been in our house for just over two years now, which is by far the longest we've lived in one place since we got married. Let's see... about 6 months together at Camp Geneva, a year and a half at Re-Member, a year in Mission... yup, this is long-term commitment for us!

Time for our walk-through...

Living Room

Clean/reorganize sewing area
Put in a shelf above piano for mail sorting area
Label the baskets I bought for said mail sorting area

Bathroom

Replace exhaust fan
Clean out vanity drawer
Recaulk tub surround

Hall

Update photos on the wall

Kitchen

Find the kitchen table
Buy and mount coat hooks
Clean out pantry
Bring dresser in from the garage
Wipe down fridge shelves

Bedroom

Clean up closet/find clothes to donate
Change air cleaner filter

Guest Room

Find another home for the big chair
Make it usable for guests instead of storage

Basement

Recycle empty boxes
Put away the random blankets/laundry that have been collecting around the washer

Well, I think that's a start!

brave dog

2012-03-30T19:51:00.001-05:00

No dogs were harmed in the making of this post.

New video

2011-07-30T18:54:00.001-05:00

Leave it to Maggie to decide that the video needs to be about her.

A Bill Of Rights for Dogs

2011-06-18T16:16:00.001-05:00

By John Bradshaw

1. We are dogs, not wolves. We have lived with mankind since you were hunter-gatherers, and are now no more or less domesticated than you. We assert the right to be treated as dogs, and not as any kind of wild animal.

2. We assert the right to have our perceptions of the world taken into account, especially where our senses are superior to yours. Our sensitive noses are continually insulted by the crude odours indiscriminately applied by man to our homes. Our acute hearing is assailed by the high-pitched sounds generated by all manner of machinery, often without your knowledge and beyond the range of your hearing.

3. We assert the right to have our feelings, which are real if unlike yours, allowed for and comprehended. We are neither inferior humans, nor senseless robots.

4. Our mental capacities are considerable, but again different from those of mankind. We assert the right to be understood by our owners, who should not expect us to comprehend every word they say, nor presume that we learn as human children do.

5. We assert the right to be taught how to cope with the world of man. For although we are the product of your world, we are not born to understand it, and need to be introduced gradually, with care and with kindness.

6. Our language is rich and sophisticated. We assert the right to be comprehended, in the same way that we attempt to comprehend you.

7. We are fundamentally social animals, and we assert the right to the company of our own kind.

8. We are domesticated animals, and assert our right to the company of humans.

9. We are individuals, each dog with its own personality. We therefore assert the right to be judged on our own merits, and not according to the reputation of breed or type.

10. We have served mankind faithfully for tens of thousands of years. Whilst we are born to serve, we assert the right for our needs and our dignity to be respected in all the capacities, both traditional and novel, that humanity may require.

11. We are dogs, not surrogate humans. We assert the right to be housed and fed according to our particular needs.

12. We assert our right to a future. Having adapted our bodies and our lives to your needs, we have forfeited much of our capacity for independence. We therefore require mankind’s assistance as we meet the future together.

From John Bradshaw New York Times bestselling author of Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behaviour Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet (Basic Books; 2011).

Reblogged from The Bark.

Apology, update, and a recipe!

2011-06-07T20:20:00.047-05:00

Apology

End of the school year = too tired to post! Sorry! I'm back, I promise!

Update

Tomorrow is the last day of school- a half day and then the afternoon to clean up and check out. I am already checked out at Smith! I have survived my first year in Helena!
Despite budget cuts, I still have a job for next year!
I am still at Smith and Central next year! (I love my schools and would have been so sad to have to move...)
I will be playing with the State Capital Band this summer, a group that puts on free concerts weekly in the Memorial Park Bandshell.
Takk and I went for a walk this afternoon.

Look closely, there's a deer in that yard!

Takk's reaction included lots of tail-wagging.

Recipe

Tomorrow is Central's end-of-year party, and I just pulled my treats out of the oven! They smell delicious. This is the second time I have made these bars and they at least look like they turned out better this time. Which is surprising, because I thought they were great last time. I will let you know for sure once they're cool enough to taste!

Snickerdoodle Blondies
I found this recipe on Tracey's Culinary Adventures. She saw it on Brown Eyed Baker.

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (This time I used 2 cups of all-purpose, 2/3 cups of whole wheat.)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature (I used butter last time, margarine this time.)
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan lightly with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (I don't have a paddle attachment, so I used the regular beaters), cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping to scrape the bowl as necessary. Beat in the vanilla. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until combined. Stir the dough one final time with a rubber spatula to ensure any flour on the bottom of the bowl is incorporated.

Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan. Spread in an even layer - I like to use my fingertips to spread the dough. I just put a piece of plastic wrap between my fingers and the the dough so it won't be too sticky. Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the surface of the blondies springs back when gently pressed. Remove the pan to a wire rack and let the blondies cool completely before cutting.

UPDATE: They are cooled! The texture is different this time- a little smoother and chewier. Not sure if it's necessarily better or worse than last time, just different. I'm also not sure if the difference was the margarine or that I was more patient in letting things get to room temperature...

Speaking of dog food...

2011-05-06T21:19:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to share what we are currently feeding our dogs. The Nutrish Just 6 was very nice, and Takk enjoyed it, but so far you can't buy it near us. All three puppies eat Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Bison. We love it because all of their tummies tolerate it really well. They each eat different amounts based on their individual metabolisms: Takk and Fry both have about 2 cups a day, Maggie more like 1 1/2.

Dog Food Network? (Plus a free sample for you!)

2011-05-02T15:01:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Nutrish for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

We take dog food very seriously in our house. Believe me, I knew that would be the case when I married a guy who once ate dog food during a children's sermon at church (he ruined the pastor's point, by the way) and who enjoyed splitting a Milkbone with his dog Bear. Before Phil and I adopted our first pup, I assumed all dog foods were created equal. Not true! Dogs are not built to digest grains like corn or wheat, which serve as a filler ingredient in many dog foods.

Enter Rachael Ray Nutrish just 6 dry dog food. Now, I'll admit I was a little puzzled by the name, as Just 6 definitely contains more than 6 ingredients. Upon closer inspection, the package promises "just six natural ingredients plus vitamins and minerals," so I suppose that covers the listed sodium chloride, potassium chloride, etc. At any rate, the ingredient list was very similar to our dogs' current food, which is a "limited ingredient diet." Lamb meal and brown rice (longtime favorites in our book) are the star ingredients of Nutrish Just 6. Even better, it contains no corn, no wheat, and no soy. That means happy doggy digestive tracts!

Takk was chosen as the lucky test subject. He was more than happy to oblige and could not wait to get his teeth on this new food! Nutrish Just 6 is a standard brown uniformly shaped dry food; personally I appreciate food companies that don't waste time and money on making their kibble into cute shapes. Seriously, Takk is not contemplating the visual aestethic of his food as he wolfs it down!

And he definitely wolfed this down! Delicious! "How dare you try to escape, tasty morsel! Come back!"

And look, he was sad when it was all gone... "But wait, is there more hiding under here?"

I'm still thrilled later, too: no burps, no gas! Happy puppy tummy = happy humans!

You know what else I love? A portion of proceeds from Nutrish benefit animal rescue organizations! With three rescue dogs in our house, that means a lot.

Your dog can try Nutrish Just 6, too! Click here for your free sample!

Blue steel?

2011-04-30T23:24:00.000-05:00

Couldn't resist posting another... he's just so ridiculously good looking!

Takk shakes :)

2011-04-30T21:19:00.003-05:00

Just a sneak preview from Takk's photo shoot for an upcoming sponsored post!

New video of the puppies!

2011-04-27T16:21:00.001-05:00

A bowl full of lemons: Silhouette GIVEAWAY!!!!

2011-04-22T19:26:00.000-05:00

A bowl full of lemons.: Silhouette GIVEAWAY!!!!: "A SILHOUETTE GIVEAWAY!! I was sent a Silhouette Rhinestone Starter kit this month, to try out and giveaway along with a Silhouette SD Mac..."

Check out this super-fun blog, and check out the Silhouette Machine! I seriously want one of these! :)

spring break!

2011-04-01T19:12:00.001-05:00

takk, originally uploaded by abbyanne.

snuggling with my buddy buddy :)

TARDIS

2011-03-09T11:31:00.002-06:00

Reblogged from Dog eat Doug - March 8, 2011

Sometimes I think Phil looks at me like I'm a cat... especially when I get super excited about Doctor Who...

Desserts are my new hobby.

2011-02-27T16:09:00.000-06:00

I have been baking! The past few weekends have involved Muffins That Taste Like Donuts (tried it with half whole wheat flour and soy milk this time, with great success!) and two batches of Peanut Butter Cookies (ack, I can't find the recipe to post now!) with Nutella replacing some of the peanut butter in the recipe... today, I went no-bake!

salted brown butter crispy treats from Smitten Kitchen

Makes 16 2-inch squares or 32 1- x 2-inch small bars

4 ounces (1/4 pound or 1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan
1 10-ounce bag marshmallows
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (about half a 12-ounce box)

Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square cake pan with 2-inch sides.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot as while you may be impatient for it to start browning, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute.

As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.

Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan. I liked to use a piece of waxed or parchment paper that I’ve sprayed with oil to press it firmly and evenly into the edges and corners, though a silicon spatula works almost as well.

Let cool, cut into squares and get ready to make new friends.

Wow, we have a lot of work to do!

2011-02-12T23:10:00.000-06:00

Watch Useful Dog Tricks on YouTube here.

My dogs can't do any of these things! I wonder if Jesse just walks around pulling off socks and turning lights on and off, looking for treats...

It's official!

2011-02-12T20:24:00.000-06:00

I stopped by the Humane Society this afternoon- our two week Pawsibility period with Fry had come to an end and it was time to make it official! Paperwork is signed, microchip is registered, blog header is updated, we are a three dog family!

Fry's first video appearance

2011-02-08T20:04:00.002-06:00

Saturday Morning

2011-02-05T09:40:00.000-06:00

Well, I've been up since about 6:30, when Small Fry started crying in her kennel. I got up, planning to let her out and then head back to bed... but she was so excited that I just didn't want to put her back in her kennel! I also knew that she was too wound up for me to let her hop in bed with us! So she and I have been snuggling on the couch and watching the pathetic excuse for Saturday morning cartoons we have here in Helena. Now I'm just debating whether I should sneak out to Great Harvest for some Extreme Cinnamon Swirl bread before Phil gets up...

Hmm, I think I hear puppies stirring the bedroom. Perhaps the rest of the family will be up soon.

It's true, a new puppy!

2011-02-04T21:10:00.000-06:00

Yeah, we're completely crazy. Three dogs? Come on, though, this face is just too much. Phil met her while walking dogs at the Lewis and Clark Humane Society. We apparently have a thing for 8 month old dogs, since that's the same age both Maggie and Takk were when they joined the family. Her name is Fry, from the show Futurama, and also because she's the "small fry" in our family. The Humane Society does a two-week "Pawsability" trial period, so we haven't formally adopted her yet, but so far she's doing well at home. She and Takk are both a little frustrated that we won't let them play more, and Maggie is taking the aloof approach. We're halfway through and will have to make our final decision by next week. Hopefully things continue to go smoothly this week!

Ten Canine Commandments

2011-01-28T21:15:00.000-06:00

Hooray for Skype!

2011-01-25T21:51:00.001-06:00

Last weekend we had a chance to talk to Chris and Stacy and the kiddos using Skype. So great! We definitely miss seeing them in person, but thanks to the internet, we can at least see everyone!

Grace told us about the debate surrounding her possible first sleepover, Claire squeaked and squealed about who knows what, and Jack...

Us: Hi Jack, how are you?

Jack: Can I talk to your dogs? I see your dogs! Can they see my dog? Did you see my dog? Do your dogs have any toys? They do? Can I see their toys? Can I talk to your dogs again?

LOVE IT.

Birthday Dog

2011-01-17T17:21:00.001-06:00

01.16.11, originally uploaded by abbyanne.

Yesterday was Takk's "birthday," as arbitrarily assigned by the staff of the Black Hills Humane Society. He's two years old, and celebrated by doing, well, this.

I think Maggie is this dog's "Bond Girl."

2011-01-14T16:08:00.000-06:00

Could Takk be a super villain?

At home

2011-01-08T12:04:00.002-06:00

01.06.11, originally uploaded by abbyanne.

Maggie and Phil snuggling :)

Happiness is a warm puppy, right?

Sleepy Maggie

2011-01-04T21:01:00.002-06:00

DSC_0895, originally uploaded by abbyanne.

We got a new zoom lens for Christmas (thanks for the Amazon gift card, mom and dad!) and are having tons of fun playing with it!