Life, Love & Pawprints

Off to the farm

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 15:14:00 +0000

I've mentioned before that I have a little zoo at home.

With four dogs and five cats, it can get a little crazy, and when my parents come to visit, we only have 2 of the pups at the house.

Where do the other seven go?

Two go with MP and the five cats go to the farm.

We are so lucky to have found a wonderful family that takes care of our babies like they're own.

Danielle lives on a large piece of land, and the babies love staying with her.

This will be the second time they get to visit, and this nervous fur-mommy loves knowing that her babies are taken care of.

If you are ever in the Tampa area and need someone to watch your furry babies, I absolutely recommend her services.

Plus the drive is super fun and you see things like this:

Only in Florida will you ever encounter a convertible school bus.

Thanks again Danielle for loving my babies!

LG gets Spayed

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 07:08:00 +0000

The Friday before last, we took LG to our local humane society to be spayed.

I'm not going to talk your ear off about the benefits of Spaying and Neutering your pets, (you should, by the way) because that's an entirely different post.

I am going to, however, tell you about something very special that I'm not sure a lot of people know exists.

When I called to make LG's appointment at the end of June, the receptionist asked me what type of dog she was, and when I said a "pit-mix", she told me about a program they had going on, starting in August.

Apparently, I could have her spayed for $20! This is $80 off of what they usually charge for a dog her size, and they clipped her nails for free as well while she was under.

The reason we were able to get this amazing deal?

The specific grant was for Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes to be spayed for $20 during the entire month of August.

We also had her Heartworm test done (Negative!) her rabies shot, as well as a microchip and her final puppy boosters. We paid less than $100.

This is beyond a blessing for us. There is no way we would have bee able to afford to have all of that done at the same time if it weren't for Petsmart Charities. I really cannot thank them enough.

I also cannot say enough good things about the Humane Society we went to. They were so nice, and also I have to say, I'm pretty sure they had almost everything to do with how well and how quickly LG recovered.

She was terrified when we dropped her off, clinging to MP like her life depended on it.

And I think the ladies noticed who were checking her in, because they let us walk her back and put her in her cage in the room with the other pups who had surgeries that day. It really seemed to help calm LG down, as well as reassure her that we were coming back for her. I won't lie, it also helped this nervous fur-mommy as well.

No matter how many times we do this, I will always be nervous dropping my babies off at the vet, no matter the reason. I know they are in great hands, but I guess other Mom's probably know what I mean when I say I'm the only person who can take care of my babies the way they deserve to be taken care of.

She is my youngest, and like I told MP, the last one (last pup anyway) that we will be having fixed for a long time, so I was thrilled to not receive a call before it was time to go pick her up.

No news is good news in those situations.

We picked her up and she kind of stumbled out of the back and as soon as she reached us sat down and started her little whine that is so typical of her when she first sees us after an extended absence.

We thanked the amazing women who watched our baby for the day, and headed to the car to take her home to her sisters.

She whined most of the way home until she finally laid down all the way down and closed her eyes a few miles from home.

MP carried lifted her crate out of the car with her still inside and brought her in the house that way. Her siblings were so excited to see her, and I'm glad we chose to do it this way; I think their excitement might have been a little overwhelming for her if they'd had direct access to her.

She slept for a little while and before I started work that night I offered her a little food so I could give her the prescribed pain meds.

She wasn't interested, so I put her back to bed in her crate while I worked the first half of my shift.

On my break I took her out in the front yard on the leash where she did her *ahem* business, and we went back inside. I offered her a little water and another small handful of food, and this time she ate and drank like a champ.

I gave her a pain pill before I went back to my office, and by the time I finished my shift about two hours later she was a different pup! Her eyes were bright and she wagged her tail when I walked in the room.

I took her out on a leash in the backyard with the other pups, and I could tell that she was almost herself again.

For the rest of the weekend we were trying to reign in her energy and we were constantly having to calm her down.

I was so afraid she would rip a stitch y'all! And that is not cheap, I know from experience!

But, by Monday she was back to herself and when I called to ask the vet if I needed to really focus on restricting her activity which was getting to be nearly impossible, they told me that at this point she would do what she could handle. If she needed extra rest, she'd take it, and if something hurt she'd stop.

Out of four female pups getting spayed in just as many years, her recovery was not only the easiest in terms of pain, but also the quickest.

Thanks so much Petsmart Charities for giving us this opportunity, and thank you Tampa Bay Humane Society for treating our girl so great!

Disclaimer: This post is my own opinions and is in no way affiliated with any other organization including but not limited to Humane Society of Tampa Bay as well as Petsmart and/or Petsmart Charities. I paid for her surgery out of pocket with my own paycheck. This is NOT a sponsored post.

Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 08:30:00 +0000

Normally on Friday I would post about my weekly menu and also goals for the week.

This week, I am going to do something a little different. Still in the realm of giving you an update on my adventure towards a healthy life, though.

Last week we went to a baseball game to celebrate our 5th dating anniversary, and I wore a pair of pants I hadn't been able to get into since I bought them last summer!

This outfit made me feel something I hadn't in a long time... Skinny.

I was so excited with my progress and couldn't wait to keep going the rest of the week.

My body had other plans though.

I woke up super sick Wednesday morning.

I hadn't been this sick in a long time, and it was kind of out of nowhere so I really just laid in bed during the day so I could be okay to work in the evenings.

No working out for me.

One good thing about being ill though?

You definitely lose some pounds!!

When I took "before" photos June 30th, and was so embarrassed. I didn't recognize the body I saw. I honestly ever thought I'd share them.

But, I took photos again last Friday, the first day I really felt better. For the first time I could really see a difference, and decided to take a huge step personally.

I posted these photos on Instagram:

The response was incredible. I was smiling ear to ear reading the comments and taking in the likes.

You all are the most encouraging people, I am so blessed to have followers like you!

You are helping me to gain my confidence back, step by step and I have to say, it is the best gift anyone could ever receive.

Thank you again so much for the love and support.

Now that I am back to feeling like myself, I am super excited to make sure I have updates to share with y'all. It feels amazing to have your support and I honestly thrive with all of your love!

This journey is made easier because of each and every one of you!

Happy Friday, and I hope you have a wonderful, exciting, fitness filled weekend!

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From my soapbox

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 08:17:00 +0000

I am not sure if I have mentioned it before, but our baby LG is a Pit Bull mix. We adopted her when she was a pup, the lady said she was 7 weeks but I'm pretty sure she was stretching the truth. She was definitely closer to 5 weeks based on my experience, but she was a big pup so she did look a little older.
I truly believe the younger you adopt an animal, the more attached and loving they become. This is especially true with pit bulls and pit mixes.
I have always believed that there is no such thing as an "aggressive" dog, just bad owners.
I have known 90lbs dogs who were aggressive and "dangerous" and I have also known 2lbs dogs that were just as aggressive and despite their size difference, still quite dangerous.
What did these dogs have in common? An owner that didn't really care or take the time to socialize the dog.
Our pups know nothing but love, and I know I am biased because they are mine, but they really are four of the most loving, gentle, affectionate, personality and love driven dogs that I have ever been around.
And people tell us this too.
Sadie has never met a stranger, Scout is the goofiest little thing most people have seen. Lucy is a sweetheart and just wants to give hugs and lay in your lap. And LG, we always joke she can't hold her "licker", she looooves to give kisses.
Even our cats are special. Cubby will jump into your arms and his mini, CJ (Cubby junior) is turning out to be just like him, hence the nickname.
Why am I rambling on and on about this?
Well, it makes me so angry that I have to technically tell a little white lie every single time I introduce LG to people and they ask what breed she has in her.
I always say she is a Great Dane mix. Which is probably mostly true, but really, she is more recognizable as a pit bull.
People have this awful stigma about pit bulls and pit bull mixes, and if you ask me, this should truly be directed to owners.
It is all in how the dog is raised! LG may be a brindle pit mix,but she doesn't have one aggressive bone in her body. She is just a loving pup that thinks she should fit in everyone's lap.
I always told MP that one day I would adopt a pit bull puppy and prove to everyone that it doesn't matter what type of dog it is as long as you give it enough love and affection throughout their life.

And I think I am doing it right.

Would you really believe that she sleeps with the kittens almost every night?

The four pups are so close and such a pack, they really are siblings and act like it.
Of course LG has her moments where she doesn't know her own strength, but never once has she scared me or made me nervous to have around other dogs or cats.
So the next time you come across a pit bull or a mix, don't think automatically that they are a bad dog.
You should always approach every situation with an animal you don't know with caution, of course never pet a dog unless the owner tells you it's okay. And of course remember to teach your children basic animal safety.
But don't judge the dog by its breed. Treat a chihuahua with the same caution you would a pit bull. Remember that it's probably an owner they had at some point in their life that caused any emotional damage you may encounter.
Don't think that the dog you read about in the newspaper is just like every other dog of the same breed.
And remember to give your babies an extra kiss today and everyday! You are their best friend, their entire world! Treat them like you want to be treated!
Not all pit bulls are bad!

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On Mental Toughness

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 04:35:00 +0000

This quote is constantly running through my head these days as I am starting to work more and more fitness into my routine.

There are days where I feel like I didn't burn nearly enough calories, or didn't go far enough. Most days I feel like I quit way too soon.

I am also trying to accept the fact that I am starting from absolutely no fitness in my life, at all.

I am not going to be in the same shape after two long walks that I was when I was practicing for Cheerleading 40 hours a week.

There is a very good chance that I am going to be slow, or even not have the greatest workouts during these first few months.

A lot of times, especially if I try to run, my shins give out a lot sooner than the rest of my body. I've been quite impressed by the capacity my lungs still have after being a smoker for as long as I have, but I am also constantly frustrated with how little my ankle and shins seem to be able to handle.

But, as long as I am getting off the couch and doing something everyday, I am making progress towards my ultimate goal of a skinny me.

That is what I keep telling myself anyway.

And it is getting better and each day the workouts seem a little easier. Every day I feel a little bit stronger and I can go a little bit longer without pain.

And it is only going to help I have been and plan to continue working on mental toughness a lot this week.

There have been too many times in the last 30 days that I have ended a workout early because my shins are on fire or my ankle is rolling. But I am always so angry with myself as soon as I am home and the pain has faded. I always chastise myself, I could have gone longer, I could have gone farther...

I hate cliches, but the reason they are still around these days is because they are so true.
Pain is temporary but pride is forever.

Giving up is not in the plan this week. I want to be proud and happy after I finish a workout, not frustrated with myself.

Part of this journey is setting yourself up for success. I'm not going to run a marathon next week, just like I'm not going to reach my weight-loss goals in 30 days.

When I started to get really serious about this journey, I took a "before" picture. I took updated photos the other day, about 30 days later, and there is definitely a difference.

I'm not quite ready to share those photos with the world, but the few people who did see them, said they could see a difference too.

Baby steps, people.

Also, the winner of the Spark Giveaway has been chosen! I listed all of your entries as they came in and thanks to randomnumbergenerator.com we have a winner!

Congrats @KTAdams0422! Email me your address so I can get this to you ASAP!

Thanks everyone who entered! There will be another giveaway soon, I promise!

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Week 2: Menu & Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 04:10:00 +0000

First off...

Details here!

But now, to the regular scheduled posting!

Week two of my goals and menus!

I ate basically oatmeal this week, pita bread and hummus and more oatmeal. (Payday is today so I can finally grocery shop!) so no menu really this week.

But, anyways... Here we go! I'm already on a roll just by writing this post, right? Ha!

Last weeks goals:

Fitness/Health

Wean off of mountain dew completely. Success! I have not had more than a tiny sip of soda in over a week, and I'm feeling great!
Outside physical activity every day, at least 30 minutes (walking the pups or running solo). The weather definitely did not help at all, but I did get a set of weights and sampled a few routines I found on Pinterest. I'm still looking for one I really like, and I'm definitely open to suggestions!
No fast food! Another success!
Drop back into the 130s. There was one day I hit 139... But now I'm back up in the 140s. It's a little frustrating, but I know I'm only really a week into the "big change" so while I'm a little bit discouraged I am not letting myself give up! I know I am losing inches and will continue to feel great as long as I keep up the hard work.
Continue squat and plank challenges. Like I said, I got a set of weights and so I have been incorporating lungs and squats into those workouts.
Bed by 1:30AM every night. Pfft. Oops.

House Goals:

Walk LG every day! She definitely was walked everyday, MP has taken over that role because honestly she pulls me down when I try to take her. It's something I know we need to work on. We recently introduced clicker training so hopefully we will see progress soon in our walks.
Dishes to be finished every evening before bed. I tried! I really did!
Sweep every day, vacuum three times a week and steam mop once a week or as needed. I seriously failed at these challenges is week.
Fold and put away laundry as soon as it is finished. No more leaving it in the basket until its so wrinkled it needs washed again. I plead the fifth.

This weeks goals:

Health/Fitness:

Work cardio into my fitness routine on a more regular basis.
Accept that I am going to be a walker and start to build endurance for longer walks.
Look up a good walking routine that will be fun to stick with.
Continue to tone and work on upper and lower body as well as core strengthening.
Continue to be soda free and drink at least 100flozs of water a day and also continue to eat clean and healthy.

Home goals:

See last week, ha.

What are your goals this week? Did you accomplish what you'd hoped to last week?

Have a great weekend!!

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Chasing Rainbows

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 04:12:00 +0000

As summer starts to come to a close, I am constantly reminding myself to enjoy the freedom I've had since May, when my most recent semester of classes ended.

I took an online class as well as a calculus class on campus, and it was a lot of work, but am happy to report that I finished very well, and was also accepted into the Bachelor program at my college.

I start in the fall, and will be a full time student for the first time in a very long time. The way the program works is that we take four classes, but only two at a time; we take two the first 8 weeks and two the second 8 weeks. The classes are obviously on an accelerated time-table, and they have already stressed how important it is to keep up and make sure you are organized when it comes to deadlines and also checking in with your course and professor for updates.

The two classes I will take during the first 8-week "mod" are online and the second "mod" I will be on campus for both of my classes. This involves a temporary schedule change at work, but I will have to just deal with not having my beloved Tuesdays off for 8 weeks.

Thinking about all of that, especially now that I see it all written out, I am slightly overwhelmed and a little bit nervous.

I know I am more than capable of completing the semester with flying colors. I am very confident in my abilities as a student. What I am not confident in though, is the consistency this type of schedule requires and whether I am capable of keeping that up for so long.

I didn't take classes this past summer, and it was the first time I haven't been in school or taking some sort of academic class since I returned from my year long break after my sophomore year back in 2009-2010.

It probably sounds crazy but I have had a really hard time relaxing this summer. I really thought that not having classes and constant due dates and assignments and to-do lists would calm my mind down. But I think that in the last three years I have gotten so used to having something on my mind that this entire summer I have literally created things to fill the void this summer.

And I am not complaining.

I have become so obsessed with making sure I eat right and get excercise. I am so desperate to see a change in myself by having better habits and it has given me confidence in a place I didn't usually have it.

The habits I am working so hard to build... I am thinking and hoping that they will help me with the consisency I need to succeed. I am starting to think I won't have a problem keeping with school and the due dates and the work.

I am looking forward to the fact that these are only 8 week classes, which is just about my attention span for a subject anyway. Just as the class is starting it will seem to be ending, and I'm hoping that makes this program fly by.

I know that the rest of the summer will fly by, and so I am giving myself a personal deadline.

I want to make sure that I am as successful as possible in my program and everyone knows that a clear mind when it comes to personal issues is the first step in success in other areas.

I always say that you can't love someone unless you love yourself first.

Well, I want to love MP but also I want to love school.

So, in the meantime, I am going to work on myself: my health and fitness and overall confidence. And let myself dream at the same time, and remind myself to relax.

I have the time to chase rainbows for a few more weeks.

PS: have you entered my Spark giveaway yet? Details here!

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O, LG...

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 04:43:00 +0000

When we adopted Lyla in February, I knew immediately that she was special. I knew that she would quickly find a very special place in our hearts and stay there.

Four pups is a lot of work, but it is so worth it. She is so worth it.

Not only is she just 45lbs of pure love, she also has the biggest personality I have ever seen in a puppy so young.

We are constantly reminding ourselves that she is still young, and has a lot more to learn!

One of my favorite things about LG?

She loves the camera.

I am not even kidding. She will be laying around in the yard, enjoying the sunshine, and if I bring my phone or camera over to her to take a picture, she will actually model.

Yesterday I took my phone over to her and took a picture.

I smiled and said "Good girl!" and she rolled over and I took another picture.

I was totally joking, mostly for MP's benefit, and started saying things like, "work it girl! The camera loves you!"

For about a minute she rolled around and posed for me.

Every time I took a shot she would change positions and look at me and wait for another click! Not even kidding!

Here are a few of raw photos from our little shoot yesterday with my iPhone! (Please disregard the junk in the backyard, it has kind of become a dumping ground as of late.)

She has my heart!

I know she will bring us nothing but love for the rest of her life.

Are there any little funny things your pups do? I would love to hear them! Sound off in the comments!!

Have a great week everyone!

PS: have you entered my Spark giveaway yet? Details he re!

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Spark Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Sun, 28 Jul 2013 05:00:00 +0000

If you follow me on Instagram you know of my new addiction: Spark!

My long lost soul-sister, Meggy over at New Last Name, New Body introduced me to it, and this girl is really the reason behind my sudden drive to be healthy.

If you ever need inspiration check her out on Instagram or her blog, you won't be disappointed!

The first time I ordered Spark, I chose the Watermelon pouches, rather than the full canister... I wanted to make sure I liked it before I spent $50 on the canister.

Well, I don't think I need to say it but I will.

I love Watermelon Spark!

Before I discovered Spark, I was a Mountain Dew addict.

I could consume (probably more than) 6 cans a day easily.

You don't even want to start the math for how many calories that ends up being. Trust me.

Ad yes, I did drink them because I liked them, but also because I liked the caffeine and sugar jolt tha would help with little house tasks from time to time.

Now that I drink Spark though?

I have three a day and have more energy than I ever have before.

I couldn't be happier without Mountain Dew.

I usually will have a Spark to get me going in the morning.

I drink one before and sometimes during work, depending on whether I needed one during the day.

The best part about Spark?

The mental focus power I seem to have after I drink one.

I was drinking Mountain Dew all day just to stay kind of focused.

Now though, even work is easier!

As soon as I realized how much Spark was likely to change my life, I started immediately looking for a way to share this amazing drink.

Yes! You read that right! I want to giveaway Spark to one lucky person!

How to win two pouches of Spark as well as a blender bottle:

1. Follow @LilMsPaws on Instagram and comment letting me know you followed! 

2. Follow my blog via google friend connect and comment letting me know you followed! (Link in profile) 

3. Share the photo above and use hashtag #MsPawsIsGettingSkinny 

Winner will be chosen Aug 5! 

Good luck!!!

This giveaway is funded solely by me. All opinions are my own. I am in no way affiliated with anyone but myself.

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What I ate this week

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 04:39:00 +0000

I wish I could say the salad above was my own genius, but, I'm not going to try to fool y'all. You would totally call me out anyway when I show you pictures of what I put together!

See? No color whatsoever. Simple tilapia with homemade low fat Mac and cheese.

The salad above though, is from my favorite restaraunt in Tampa. They call it their "Mediterranean Salad" and it's salmon, feta cheese, strawberries, mandarin oranges and light balsamic vinaigrette, and its absolutely delicious. Not only does the fruit go perfectly with the balsamic dressing, the salmon is also the best I've had since moving to Florida, everytime we go.

Also, they deliver! Even better! My big butt doesn't have to even leave the couch to enjoy something so wonderful!

I did take the picture, however, and used the amazing "A Beautiful Mess" app to design the extras. I am hoping, that along with my weekly menu and goal posts, this "What I ate this week" will become a regular over here at LL&P.

See that hash tag? The annoying one you will get sick of seeing if you follow me on Instagram? I mean it y'all! Ms. Paws is getting skinny, and I mean it this time!

I am really trying to make the right notices when it comes to meals, I have gone a full 24 hours without a Mountain Dew, yay Spark!

My favorite meal this week? A simple grilled chicken breast and plain steamed broccoli. It doesn't sound like much, and really it wasn't. What made it the best meal of my week? That I made the choice to have something simple and healthy, when I could have gone another way.

We went to MP's parents' house for dinner, and the family decided we'd order from Chilis.

I sat and stared at the menu for ever until I stumbled upon the kids menu. Not only was it super cheap, but it was also the perfectly healthy meal I was looking for.

It is all about baby steps, people. And this week I am absolutely headed in the direction of a skinny me!!

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Week 1: Menu & Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 04:58:00 +0000

I've mentioned it briefly before, but I am going back to school full-time to finish my bachelor degree in less than a month, and it is my goal to not only look and feel great, but to also have really awesome eating and health habits set for myself, so continuing to eat clean and excercise will not be an added stress when I'm back in school.

These posts are meant to hold myself accountable. Each week I will comment on how I did the previous week and also set new goals for the coming week. I will also lay out my menu so that I can continue to build a little bank for myself to look back on later in the year when things are busy with school.

I really hope to keep this up! Last week I started a lot of the habits and have (miraculously) carried them through to this week. Baby steps people!

On the menu this week:

Pan seared TIlapia
Grilled Chicken breast
Green Bean Salad
Hummus and pita rounds
Spaghetti squash
Tuna salad
Strawberry and banana smoothies
Brown sugar and raisin oatmeal

Weekly health goals:

Wean off of mountain dew completely.
Outside physical activity every day, at least 30 minutes (walking the pups or running solo).
No fast food!
Drop back into the 130s.
Continue squat and plank challenges.
Bed by 1:30AM every night.

Weekly house goals:

Walk LG every day!
Dishes to be finished every evening before bed.
Sweep every day, vacuum three times a week and steam mop once a week or as needed.
Fold and put away laundry as soon as it is finished. No more leaving it in the basket until its so wrinkled it needs washed again.

So there you have it! I'm excited to check in next week to see how it goes. I will try to make this an every Wednesday thing!

Happy hump day people!

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It's the little things in life...

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 04:15:00 +0000

It's the little things in life that are sometimes the best.

I admit I need to stop and appreciate these moments more, and this summer I have really enjoyed the extra time with MP now that he has a 10-15 minute commute rather than 1-2 hours.

It makes a big difference.

One of my favorite things about my relationship with MP is how we can have a great time with each other at home, with nothing more than Wikipedia and YouTube.

This sounds totally crazy, but it's true.

Last night we somehow got on the topic of Marlins, and somehow ended up stumbling across the Narwhal.

How crazy is that thing??

And say Narwhal out loud.

Isn't that the greatest word you've heard all day?

They call them the unicorns of the sea. The horn, tusk looking thing?

It's a complete mystery!

We know that it is actually an overgrown tooth, and, considering the Narwhal is a completely gentle animal, it doesn't use the horn for aggressive purposes at all. The best theory scientists have is that they use it for communicating with other Narwhals, and possibly also for sensing the conditions around them.

Totally random, right?

That is just one recent example of where our conversations can go sometimes.

The blessing of spending the rest of your life with your best friend is one of the best in life I think!

Are there any random little quirks about you and your significant other? I would love to hear them!

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Picashare Review

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 04:30:00 +0000

Happy Friday everyone!

What is better than the impending weekend?

A present from Ms. Paws you say?

Well, you are in luck my friends! I have a very special treat for you today!

I recently discovered an amazing app for getting your iPhone or iPad photos straight to your blogger blog.

What is this magic app called you ask?

Picashare!

There is the free version as well as the $.99 (best $.99 I have ever spent!) and they are essentially the same app.

The only difference is with the free version you can only upload three of your photos at a time. With the paid version you can upload as many as you'd like.

It is super simple, and fast!

Here are a few steps to get you started.

Step 1: After you have downloaded Picashare, you will want to log in to your Picasa account, which you automatically have included with your Blogger blog. You will use the information you use when you log into your blogger.com dashboard.

From there, you will be able to select the photos you'd like to upload.

Step 2: Once you have chosen which album you would like to choose from, your pictures will all be there for you to look through.

Step 3: Choose your photos (remember with the free version you can only do three at a time).

Step 4: The app will then ask if you'd like to caption your photos. This part is totally up to you. Once you've captioned them or you'd like to just move on, tap upload.

Step 5: Then Picashare will ask which album you would like to upload your photos to.

For photos I know are going straight to a post I place them in the second album, just so I can know exactly where to find them in the future.

Step 6: From there Picashare will automatically upload the photos you've chosen so they are immediately accessible when you are creating a post in blogger.

Step 7: As soon as Picashare says your upload is complete, your photos are immediately accessible on blogger. Simply create a new post just as you normally would, and when you are ready to upload your photos, proceed like you normally would to upload from your computer.

And select "From Picasa web albums"

Step 7: Select to choose from the album you saved to earlier, and simply highlight the photos you'd like to use in your post, and click "Add Selected".

So there y'all have it! The easiest and quickest way ever to upload photos from your iPad or iPhone to blogger and Picasa.

Let Me know if you have any questions or if I need to explain something a little clearer.

Have a great weekend and let me know if you download Picashare!

Disclaimer: I was in no way compensated for this post, Picashare, apple and any other company you can think of all have no idea I wrote this post. It is completely my own opinion. Also, I have no idea how to use Wordpress so I can't guarantee whether this would work or not. All I know is blogger!

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Ch-ch-ch-changes!

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 04:12:00 +0000

I have mentioned a few times that I have the privilege of working from home.

And yes, it is a privilege.

I love not having to drive to work everyday. Not putting miles on my car every day is wonderful for my wallet as well when it comes to maintenance.

Overall, I feel very very blessed to have found this wonderful company a little over a year ago.

It is a wonderful opportunity to earn money while I also earn my degree. I also know that finding a position in the company in my degree field is a very good possibility after graduation.

I work for a large home shopping network taking sales calls. For the first year I worked with them I worked anywhere from 9PM-3AM 5 days a week. I had afternoon classes when I took the position, so it worked out perfectly to start so late.

It also has worked out well when family has come to visit and a few other special occasions.

But what hasn't benefited, is my health.

I have gained about 40lbs, my IBS and diet issues are worse than ever. I am smoking cigarettes again...

It is a scientific fact that no matter what type of schedule you think you have set your body up for, your metabolism does not function correctly at night.

And this is so true for me. My body doesn't handle food well after midnight, I usually will end up sick in the mornings. I also at night have a really hard time realizing when I'm full. And when I'm tired? Food is my go-to to keep me energized and awake.

I was also recently accepted into the Bachelor of Science program at my college, and I'm so excited to have a final goal and a finish line in sight.

I want my health to be better when I start school at the end of august, and I know studying will be easier if I have more energy and feel better.

I had myself on a very screwy sleep schedule last semester, but it was a schedule and it worked.

And you know that wonderful company I mentioned earlier?

Well they have allowed me to change my schedule!

My new work window will be 6PM-12AM, 5 days a week!

No more zombie Ms. P!

This also means that I will be working the same hours as MP.

I cannot wait to rejoin the living.

This also means that I am going to be back on a normal schedule, and I cannot wait to see how my workouts and also my school work improves!

I am hoping to also fit in a lot more blogging. I don't know if you all have noticed but I have been trying to post every week on Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's. I would like to post more and hopefully will as time allows!

Thanks again for following along y'all! I cannot wait to share this new journey with you!

Happy hump day! :)

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(Free) DIY Patio Makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 04:07:00 +0000

As you all know, we moved a little over a month ago to a new place, about 45 minutes away from where we were before.

There are quite a few reasons for why we left where we did, because really, we LOVED our house. We always said if we could have picked it up and taken it with us we would have.

It just wasn't in the best neighborhood. And I'm being very nice putting it that way.

There was also the 45 minute commute for MP to and from a job where he already spends his entire shift driving around town.

There were good and bad things about where we lived before, but the best, was our backyard. It was fully fenced and BIG.

Needless to say, with four pups it was something we were not looking forward to giving up when we moved.

We knew we weren't going to renew our lease at the end of the 12 months, so we honestly started looking for our new place in DECEMBER. Yes, you read that right. We started looking about 6 months ahead of time.

And we STILL found this place almost at the last second.

We had a long wish-list, but there were a few"musts" at the top of the list. I wanted to feel safe, be able to walk my dogs right out my front door, and I knew I wanted to shorten the commute for MP...

But, we also knew that finding a place that allowed all of our pups was our biggest challenge, so we (and by we I primarily mean me) started looking really early and kind of took on the mindset that we would take what we could get as long as they let us keep everyone together.

And then, after some searching online, I happened to find the only apartment company that allowed all of our dogs, which also happened to be the only one in our entire city that has fenced in back yards.

The "complex" is really about 40 acres of matching duplexes. We have two pools, a dog park, and so much more.

The area is so quiet, everyone has a background check to live here, EVERYONE has dogs,

I am sleeping so much better at night knowing how safe we are here.

And...

O, my goodness y'all.

Our yard... Is huge.

And we have a covered patio.

It's an oasis.

MP and I are technically paying an extra $100 a month for patio and the larger yard, and it will be the best $1200 spent at the end of our year lease, I can guarantee that.

I talked a little about it here, and as soon as we moved in we knew that we wanted to spend a lot of our time outside, taking advantage of the space.

Before we moved we did a little research and realized very quickly that the patio set we wanted was way out of our budget right now. There is always the chance that we will find a great deal, but for now we are resigned to the fact that we can't make that big of a purchase right now.

I told my parents about this, and when my mom came to visit a few weeks after we moved in, she brought with her lots of goodies.

She kept pulling things out of her trunk, and I was reminded of Hermione's magic bag in The Deathly Hallows.

Two of the things she pulled out were patio chairs that our family had used since I was a child.

My parents had since upgraded, but had always kept the old, white plastic set in the gazebo.

I am so thankful we did!

She also brought me a few cans of white paint to spruce them up a bit.

Amazing what a few coats of paint can do!

Now that we had the two chairs, we knew we would need a table of some sort.

Tada!

We flipped over a Tupperware bin that we had used for moving and painted it white.

The plastic wasn't the best at holding the paint, and it was a little hot that day so we had a few drips, but overall I am very happy with the way that it turned out.

My lovely momma also brought us the cushions, and I think they really tie the space together.

So there it is y'all!

My (free) patio makeover!

Let me know what you think!

Happy Monday and have a great week!

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Elfa Closet Redo

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 04:53:00 +0000

I have been in my new place a little over a month now, and there are quite a few things that I have already done to make it even more functional.

It really wasn't that bad to begin with, there were just a few storage issues that had to be worked out.

For instance?

The closets.

Ugh.

The doors are those awful sliding doors, with tracks that have been painted over about 100 times and are just worthless at this point. Those were the first things I removed.

And as soon as I started to hang things in my bedroom closet, I realized that the wooden "rod" they had in place was just not going to cut it.

With just barely a third of my wardrobe hung it was already starting to sag. Not good.

So that came down.

And I was left with the empty closet that you see above.

So when my mom came to visit, a stop at The Container Store was at the top of our list.

I will go ahead and say, if you don't really know what you're looking for, the Container Store can be pretty overwhelming.

After looking for a few of the more obvious items we needed, we made our way over to the closet section.

The Container Store has a brand called Elfa, which really reminds me of Ikea in that it is very DIY centric and is meant to transform awkward spaces into organizational dreams with very little skill required.

There are employees there who will help you specifically design your closet. You can literally create a new closet from scratch, from a little broom closet to a monster walk-in-closet, Elfa is your one stop shop.

This is where I come back to what I said earlier.

This entire process has the potential to be either very simple, or incredibly overwhelming. It really just all depends on how prepared you are when you walk in.

I am sure there is a way online that you can figure everything out from home before you go in, but my Mom and I didn't do that.

We just walked in with very, very basic measurements of my closet, and a general idea of what we wanted it to look like.

Add to that an employee who obviously didn't know the system very well?

It was very frustrating.

In the end though, we walked out very impressed and I was very excited to put everything together.

A few days later MP and I tackled the project.

About an hour later, we were done and I was so impressed.

Complete transformation.

It is very sturdy, and, for the first time since I lived at home, I can actually fit everything that I want to hang in one place.

I have a ton of clothes, it's kind of ridiculous.

Anyone want to shop my closet?

Ha!

Anyways, back to the magic Elfa closet...

It also solves the issue of a place to store linens, as I do not have a linen closet.

And, look at the awesome Pinterest trick I learned!

Store your sheet sets in one of your matching pillow cases so it's all in one place! Yay for Pinterest!

And yay for lifehacks!

Are there any spaces in your home that were just not functional at the beginning that you were happy to change?

Share your hacks! I'd love to see them!

And I have a few more of mine coming up as well!!
This post was not sponsored in anyway by The Container Store or Elfa. I was not compensated in anyway for writing this. These are my own opinions. My mom purchased the materials at full-value, without incentive. This again is in no way affiliated with the Container Store or Elfa.

OHP: 4th of July Style!

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 04:32:00 +0000

Since we moved to Florida 3 years ago, it has somehow become a tradition to spend most holidays at MP's parents' house.

His entire extended family in the area joins in on the festivities.

There are usually 11+ dogs and about 10-15 people.

This creates quite the zoo at times.

But it is so much fun.

These holiday gatherings have come to my favorite of the year, and I wouldn't want to spend these special days any other way.

This year the 4th is going to be even more special, because I have been put in charge of deserts!

And we all know where Ms Paws turned first for ideas....

Good ole Pinterest.

And since today is Wednesday, and tomorrow is the 4th, what better way to share my findings with you all than a quick lil Oh How Pinteresting??

I'm so excited to join Michelle in this link up, she's one of my favorite bloggers, I have been following her since before she was married and now she has the most adorable little baby boy. Baby A is quite the cutie! You should definitely stop by her blog and check out her adorable family! She also recently got a promotion towards her dream job, so wish her congratulations too while you're at it! :)

PS: This post was so frustrating to put together. I've got it now, but the new way to embed pins is really just plain annoying, especially compared to how easy it was before.

PPS: Does anyone else rarely take the time to change the description on the pin? *Raises hand* So please don't judge the captions. They're not mine. I just liked the pretty pictures. :)

And that's all folks! Head on over to Michelle's page to link up, and I hope yall have a wonderful day tomorrow! Happy 4th!

I love Bloglovin Linkup!

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 04:32:00 +0000

In order to help bloggers transition away from GFC as the main way to follow blogs, Northern Belle Diaries and Postcards from Rachel have teamed up to host I Love Bloglovin'. Google Reader is no more!

Now, let's get this party started!

Have an image of yourself ready so we have your pretty face to look at!

An update on the pack

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 13:12:00 +0000

And when I say pack...

I do mean pack.

We have ~~ten~~ nine right now.

We do have a home for one, thank goodness. She went earlier this week.

Sweet Daisy.

She was abandoned in our old neighborhood and we took her in. Her new forever home is with a woman who I work with.

She is awesome.

She has kids.

Daisy will love it.

I just hope that the family's current pup accepts her.

It is ultimately up to the dogs, of course.

I also mentioned the three kittens.

We call the little girl Clementine.

And the identical twin boys "LB" and "DB".

They are so sweet.

We have had them about a month, and they have grown so much. They are fully weaned and eating kitten wet-food on their own now.

Feeding times are always a little bit of a frenzy, but it's cute and I have to admit... They are adorably cuddly when it's getting near dinner time.

It has been such a blessing as well to watch their personalities develop and begin to see the differences in the dynamics of the litter.

Clementine is so much bigger than her brothers, but she is also a sweet-heart and loves to sleep the day away in your lap.

LB and DB are so much a like it's incredible. They are little menaces when they team up, and sometimes their little yells during fights catch your attention.

And rather than break it up, I think it's almost too funny to watch them sit across from each other and bat their paws back and forth.

Rarely do they make contact with each other, but occasionally there is the butt-wiggle and a pounce, and then they run off to different sides of the room.

The miracle of life is great. God is good.

We will have them fixed at 3 months and then start to find the right homes for them.

Let's hope for no foster failures like the Cubster.

Who is wonderful, and fat.

He might as well be called Garfield.

And then there's Gracie, who hides most of the time.

It's hard to catch a picture of her, but I will post a recent one when I have it.

Then there's S who turned 4 the first of June.

She's adorable and lovely.

There is also LG and LuAnn. They're my goof-balls, but that's not a surprise.

LG is getting big, fast. It's hard to believe she was smaller than the other pups at one point.

I can't wait to see how big she gets!

Then there's my little side-kick, GS.

She almost caught a lizard once on one of our solar lights, and since then she is convinced that there are lizards living there.

Every single time we go outside she immediately goes straight to the same light and doesn't leave it until we all go inside.

She makes us laugh.

Side note... We have a look-alike competition coming up, and are looking for good ideas. Feel free to suggest some in a comment!

So that's ten. I think. Correct me if I'm wrong. I tend to mis-count often which can lead to the occasional funny scenario.

But it all works out and we do sleep well at night.

Well, we did when we had working AC.

More on that later.

Happy Sunday, and be sure to enter the $500 Tory Burch giveaway if you haven't yet!

DIY Coffee Table - Repurposed Camp Trunk

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

A few weeks ago I was browsing aimlessly on Pinterest, and I saw a coffee table that I loved. Someone had found an old antique trunk and was using it in their living room.

I apparently didn't pin this, but I do remember saying this aloud to MP.

He remembers too, which is like a miracle.

But anyway, last week my Mom came to visit.

She drove to Florida from Missouri.

Crazy, yes I know.

The reason?

She had a car load of furniture and goodies to bring me.

I love everything my mom has added to my home over the past years, and I cannot believe how blessed I am to have someone so generous but also do detail-oriented and creative to help me decorate.

My favorite thing from her haul this time?

She had refinished my old camp trunk.

She had made me a coffee table.

And not from just another piece of furniture.

This trunk got me through 8 long summers away from home.

I lived out of that thing.

The memories associated with that trunk will stay with me forever.

She surprised me, knowing that it would mean the world.

That's what I mean about her having an eye for the little details.

She also remembered that I had been planning to paint an old desk I had found blue to match my living room turquoise and blue palette.

That energizer bunny of a woman also brought paint to finish that as well.

She also painted an old book case as well.

Did I mention how blessed and thankful I am to have her eye for detail to help decorate?

Thanks again Mom!

Later this week I will post all the pictures of what we accomplished for a little half home tour.

So stay tuned!

And in the mean time, be sure to enter the giveaway if you haven't already!

Also you can always follow us on Instagram to stay completely up to date!

Real women (insert verb here)

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:01:00 +0000

I first wanted to say hello to all of the new followers!

So glad you've decided to follow lil old me, and I hope you decide to stick around!

I can't believe how many of you have entered the giveaway so far, I'm so excited to find out who wins! Don't forget to enter if you haven't! The giveaway ends June 28th. Thanks again to Neely and Stephanie for hosting!

I have never been good at transitions so I'm just going to say we're moving on now.

Ok.

Have y'all ever noticed that a lot of people in blog-land seem to be paired up?

A lot of us bloggers seem to either live with our man, or you might be married, or there's just that special guy in our lives.

Regardless, there seems to be for a lot of us that person to (presumably) help out with the "manly" chores.

Like taking out the trash, cleaning up after the puppy, installing closets or hanging pictures. Mowing the lawn.

But, doesn't it feel good sometimes to do those things yourself?

I posted this photo to instagram the other night, after I had spent over an hour mowing my lawn.

We recently moved and this was the first time I've had to mow the lawn, and the first time is always tricky, figuring out what works and what doesn't which maze is best to weave.

It was also thundering the entire time I was mowing and so I was going as fast as I could trying to get it done before the pending monsoon.

I also had the pleasure of finding out that there is not an outlet on the outside of my house, and my lovely mower is electric.

I had to plug the extension cord into an outlet in the kitchen and there was not once, not twice, but (probably) more than three times that the pups unplugged my cord.

I was convinced almost every time that I had done something to break the mower. And I'd look over my shoulder at the half mowed, half forest looking lawn and want to cry.

I just wanted to get it done and over with.

When I finally finished, I was drenched head to tow.

Before I move on let me paint you a picture of the outfit I sport while I mow: Tall socks pulled over cropped pants and long sleeves, a scarf and glasses: I'm terrified of bugs.

So I basically stripped down, lit myself a celebratory cigarette (so sue me) and I snapped this photo literally seconds before the monsoon came.

Moral of that long-winded story?

It sometimes feels good, no great to accomplish tasks like that all by yourself. Hence the title of the post... Real women .... Insert your choice of verb here.

For me?

Real women mow their own lawns.

And?

Hang their own pantry shelves.

And?

Hang their own wall art.

When MP arrived a few hours after I had finished, and even though the sun had already set, he said he could tell that I had mowed and that it looked great.

The next morning you could see the spots I missed. But, we'll talk about that another time.

Happy Tuesday y'all!

$500 Tory Burch Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:01:00 +0000

If you're a fashion lover, get EXCITED because today 22 bloggers have joined together to give away $500 to TORY BURCH!

We know fashion can get expensive, so we want to help you out!

Tory Burch is one of our favorites, and we're sure that the winner will agree with us!

Before (or after) you've entered the giveaway, please make sure you stop by the sponsor blogs. You'll love their blogs as much as we do, promise!

1. A Complete Waste of Makeup

2. The Vintage Modern Wife

3. The Perfect Compilation Tape

4. I Love You More Than Carrots

5. Every Day Is Your Runway

6. Jodi Bean's Blog

7. Notes on Lifestyle

8. A Night Owl

9. Follow the Ruels

10. Pink Heels Pink Truck

11. Lip Gloss and Lunges

12. My Beautiful Crazy Life

13. Just a Few of My Favorite Things

14. Dreaming About Someday

15. Mama Love Diaries

16. Haute Mommy Blog

17. Two Martinis

18. Simply Clarke

19. Love to the Moon & Back

20. Stress Case

21. Brady Cakes

22. Life, Love, and Pawprints

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks and have fun! Be sure to visit everyone's blogs! They are all wonderful ladies!

Happy Monday!

I'm alive... I promise!

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 01:19:00 +0000

Hello everyone!

I promise I am still alive!

I realize it has been just entirely too long since I last posted, but if you have been following along on Instagram, you know things have been busy!

Just after my last post was published three adorable baby kittens appeared in my life and they took a lot of my time. Add to that, moving 10 animals 45 minutes away... Things were a little crazy around the Paws Household.

But no fear, I am back and with a vengeance! I have the perfect little blogging area in my living room so I can still be in on all the action, and I'm so excited to share it with you all as well as USE it!

I also have something very special coming up in the next few days! So stay tuned, and I promise, you will have your fix of Fur-children galore soon enough!

Until then, to tide you over...

And if that wasn't enough, be sure to follow along on Instagram for full access to our lives!

Also, be sure to check back tomorrow for a big surprise!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Day 7, Blog Every Day in May

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Tue, 07 May 2013 05:48:00 +0000

Here we go! One week into the Blog Every Day in May Challenge! How's it going for you? Leave a link in the comments so I can check out your posts!
In the mean time, here's day 7, a hard one for me to write!

Day 7, Tuesday: The thing(s) you're most afraid of.

I will go with an obvious, but still something that gives me basically panic attacks almost every single time I leave the house.

I’m not kidding. If I am heading home and hear sirens when I get close or see smoke near where I know my house is, it takes all of my self control not to put the gas pedal to the floor and get home as fast as I can.

I mean, look at that face... Why wouldn't you rush home to see that? ;)

It’s probably (almost certainly) irrational, but I am absolutely terrified of something happening to my fur-babies…

And now that I am responsible for three more souls? O my anxiety is through the roof.

The other night I was reading a blog and stumbled upon a post where the blogger was saying goodbye to a pup she’d had to put down. I immediately started sobbing and before I knew it all three babies, LG, GS and Ms. Mae were all over me, snuggling and worried. It took me far too long to calm down.

I haven’t had to leave them alone yet, MP has been (thankfully) home every time I have left, but today, I have to drive over two hours round trip to Tampa for a dentist appointment that could take up to two hours. I’m not looking forward to leaving everyone alone for that long, but I will plan carefully and also make sure that I’m ready to take care of the baby cats as soon as I get home.

O goodness, please pray for my nerves, I’m going to need all the happy thoughts I can get this afternoon!

What are you most afraid of? Head over to Story of My Life and link up with us to participate in the Blog Every Day in May challenge!

And don't forget to check back tomorrow for day 8, for some advice from little old me!

Catch up on previous Blog Every Day in May challenge posts here!

What I DO {or} Day 6 of Blog Every Day In May

noreply@blogger.com (Ms. Paws) — Tue, 07 May 2013 03:32:00 +0000

Quick note: Sorry about the lateness of this post, something went wonky with blogger when I scheduled it and it was somehow set to go tomorrow rather than today. I didn't sign on to blogger until just now so I'm just catching it. But, here is day 6 and make sure you check back tomorrow for day 7 where I talk about one of my biggest fears.

Day 6, Monday: If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, 'what do you do'?

I mulled for a while over this one… I wanted to pick something that you all didn’t know just from seeing my blog; I wanted to portray myself as more than just a student and a part-time telephone sales person. I wanted to find something beyond raising my fur-children…

But then my door-bell rang early Saturday morning and it became clear that I know the exact answer happened and I couldn’t really avoid the fact that what I do… is obvious and everything. What I do…is save animals’ lives.

The past two days I have adjusted my sleep schedule around three little souls that stole my heart the second their big round blue eyes found mine.

My life for the next four to six weeks will revolve around those three little kittens, so new, innocent and delightfully dependent.

They already recognize my voice, they already know my face. If they aren’t in their container they are wandering around my sun-room, adventurous and happy to explore. Their little feet move quickly but they trip over paws often, slowing them down and making them easier to catch.

This one though?

She’s a mischevious little one. She is the only girl and immediately had a home with a good friend of mine the minute he found out she existed. He wants to call her Figaro, but I (secretly) call her Clementine. She’s adorable.

The other two, little boys, don’t have names yet, but we call them “blue-dot” and “black-dot”, referring to the small dots we put in their ear with (non-toxic) marker to tell them apart. The two boys are adorable, look exactly alike, and MP already said he can tell that one of them is going to be a “foster-failure” (in which we keep a baby that was meant to find a forever home elsewhere).

These little babies make the sleep-less nights, extra cleaning, extra responsibility during an already impossibly fully time in my life, but I love it and like I said… it is what I do.

I laughed out-loud Saturday evening when I realized what this post was ultimately going to be written about, how I would answer this prompt.

I had told MP, literally, the night before the kittens were found, how much I had loved hand-raising Cubby, and would love to do it again, but knew that now was not the time, with a move just three short weeks away and summer semester looming close. Money is also (always) tight and the extra burden of formula for a litter of kittens is overwhelming. I guess fate had other plans for me though! Told you it's what I do.

It wasn't long though before my door-bell rang again, and I'm sure that my neighbor with the $20 bill was sent by God. Literally. My neighbor has offered to help cover costs. Even a little bit helps a lot.

These little babies are so worth it, and make what I “do” so worth-while and so fulfilling. The day the little babies are grown and their forever homes contact me to let me know how perfect their new family member is, I will smile and completely forget how much sleep I lost and the scratches on my hands. I will just remember those big eyes locking onto mine with recognition evident, the little cries that let me know my babies need me, and for now I’m their momma.

How would you answer this? Head over to Story Of My Life and link up for the Every Day in May Challenge, we’d love to hear answer!

Happy Monday!

Catch up on other Blog Every Day in May posts here.