Vote for Gwynn

Blake entered our little munchkin into a Cutest Canine Contest and we NEED your votes! Rules state you can vote 5 TIMES a DAY! Just go to this website and register. Search for Gwynn. Contest runs thru Tuesday, April 14th.

http://desmoinesregister.upickem.net/engine/Welcome.aspx?contestid=5698

She knows she's cute. We know she's cute. Jump on the bandwagon. Vote Gwynn for Cutest Canine! You know she's cute too!

Triathlon Training Log - Day #1

5:30 am: Alarm abruptly wakes me. In return, I abruptly turn it off and fall back asleep.

5:45 am: Husband's alarm wakes me. I quickly tell him to shut it off and that we are NOT running this morning. He more than happily obliges my request and we quickly fall back asleep.

6:30 am: Dog wakes us and has to go outside. I cajole her back to sleep and we get an additional 15 minutes of sleep.

6:45 am: Time to get up and start the day.

10:00 am: Receive email from co-worker about afternoon run. Yes! Running buddy to ease me back into a routine and take my mind off the task at hand - I disassociate.

1:30 pm: Begin afternoon run. Fight wind, knee pain, and side ache for the next approximate 40 minutes.

5:00 pm: Head home and prepare for swim workout at pool never previously visited.

6:30 pm: Leave home in search of never previously visited pool.

6:45 pm: Arrive at believed location of pool and begin search for pool.

7:00 pm: Still searching for pool.

7:01 pm: Ask if pool is at current location.

7:02 pm: Find out that pool is NOT at current location.

7:03 pm: Resume search for pool at NEW supposed location and come up empty handed.

7:10 pm: Decide to visit local YMCA and ask price for use of pool. Find price too steep and head home to cook supper.

7:20 pm: Start preparing supper of Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes while watching Dancing with the Stars.

7:45 pm: Scarf down supper after working up quite an appetite while in search of pool's supposed existence.

8:30 pm: Fear that Shawn's performance was missed while on search.

8:45 pm: Excitedly watch Shawn perform.

9:10 pm: Set up trainer for tomorrow's early morning bike ride...

I'm It (Finally)

My Friend Michelle tagged me in what seems like FOREVER ago to play a fun little photo game! You are supposed to find your sixth photo folder and pull and post the sixth photo inside. Blake only recently finished organizing our photos so let's see what I come up with!

From the Misc Photo Folder:

Morgan and I at a Democratic Rally at the Indianola Balloon Field during the summer of 2004. I mostly (okay ONLY) went because Sheryl Crow was going to play BUT by the grace of God, I also ran into my FAVORITE accounting professor...good old Mr. MJ. Good times! :)

Now I'm tagging:

Jen @ http://thewaukeehummelfamily.blogspot.com/

Laina @ http://justjackedwards.blogspot.com/

Ali @ http://coppolamama.blogspot.com/

and

Jeanette @ http://soontobeamomofthree.blogspot.com/

Have FUN!

Training is Imminent

Officially, training is scheduled to begin next Monday. The past couple weeks have been spent relishing the fact that I do not need to adhere to a specific training schedule. I've worked out when I've WANTED to not because I've HAD to. I've made it into town ONE morning at 5:30 for a run with a friend. MANY more mornings have been spent w/ early morning texts that go something like this:

Me: "I say we reschedule."

Friend: "Okay."

Friend: "Didn't get sleep. Not running in AM."

Me: "Okay."

Friend: "Dogs kept me up during storm. Run over lunch?"

Me: "YES!"

Friend: "K, SNOOZE!"

(we didn't run at lunch either)

Friend: "I'm so comfy."

Me: "Let's procrastinate. My throat hurts and I could use the sleep."

Friend: "K."

That is why when said friend sent the following comic strip, I had a good laugh.

What We Didn't Know

When Blake and I decided to adopt Gwynn, we knew we'd have some extra responsibilities to fulfill. We'd have an extra mouth to feed, vet bills to pay, dog walks to take, and training to persist. We knew we'd be getting a dog.

What we DIDN'T know was:

We'd also be getting a Parrot:

A Cow:

A Baseball Player (for the WRONG team):

A Frustrated Padres Fan:



A Cuddler:

A Launderer:

A Mooch:

A "Terrier"izer:

A Patriot:

A Personal Trainer:

A Breakfast Mate:

A Lover and A Kisser:

A Snoop:

A Chauffeur:

An Avid Reader of Better Homes & Gardens and Supporter of her Mother's Employer:

Who would have thought some"pup" this small would bring such joy and excitement to our lives.

We've even started acting like her.

CRAZY Dog Owners.

Is there a Tooth Fairy for Dogs?

Because my dog Gwynn sure deserves a visit.

Gwynn went to the vet yesterday to get some of her baby teeth removed. I knew she had two for sure. The vet had told Blake 4. Come to find out she had six removed. SIX! Now those of you who know Gwynn may be asking , like myself, if she has any teeth left. I want to pry open her mouth and take a peek but I don’t want to cause her any more discomfort than she’s already experiencing. Poor thing!

I must say she is being quite the trooper! She greeted me at the door w/ her tail wagging and quickly assumed the “rub my belly” position just like always. When Amy stopped for supper she whimpered and whined impatiently until I finally opened the door to let her in. It wasn’t until halfway through the night, she got restless and let out sighs of what I imagine were pain whenever she repositioned herself in the bed. I equate her operation to my wisdom teeth removal. I sure was NOT greeting visitors with tail wagging. I was laying on the couch under my Grandpa’s watchful eye, dozing in and out of consciousness only to throw up. Anesthesia and Rachel are NOT a good mix.

Blake gave her an antibiotic this morning and I gave her some pain medicine. We’re also taking it easy and not giving her any chew toys. I must say it’s a bit difficult trying to figure out what she needs and how much pain she’s in when she can’t communicate with us in words. Instead I find myself relying on the vet’s knowledge, my intuition, and Gwynn’s body language. Hopefully we're doing a good job. This doting mother doesn't want her baby to be in even a smidgen more pain that necessary.

Iowan Hospitality

Over the past couple months I’ve experienced Iowan Hospitality at its finest and it has simply made my day.

Case #1

While approaching Downtown Des Moines one night, I realized I was change-less. Well, near change-less anyway. The last of my nickels, dimes, and quarters had been spent on one of two things:

(1) An item from the vending machine, or
(2) A lotto ticket our whole department is SURE we’re going to win.

Well there was also that time all my change came rolling out of my purse in the parking garage and I thought, “Oh someone else needs this more than I. Let them have it.” In any case, I was unable to fill the parking meter for the full 45 minutes it demanded. I needed that change now. Pulling into a parking place, I searched my purse, searched my cup holders, searched my coat pockets, and searched the console. I came up with 20 cents! Praying this would be enough, while secretly knowing it would not, I got out of my car and proceeded to the half buried in snow parking meter. It was blinking a red EXPIRED. No help there. I starting feeding the parking meter: First, the dime. Second, the nickel. Last, the…this is the part where time slows and I see my final nickel careening toward the pile of snow only to get swallowed up. I bend over and start digging through the pile of snow. It’s GOT to be right on top. Just a little bit deeper. A little bit deeper.

Then I hear, “The meters stop running at 6.”

I respond, “Oh, I know, but I don’t even have enough change to get me there.”

“Here,” my Iowan Angel says to me as she hands me a quarter. JACKPOT!!!

“Thank you SO much,” I reply hopeful she is able to see how truly grateful I am.

I turn to put the quarter in the meter. 6 o’clock on the dot.


Case #2

Last Friday several inches of snow blanketed Des Moines in white. It didn’t come as a surprise. All the weathermen had forecasted it. And yet, the roads were a snowy, icy, slick mess. I was prepared for my normal 20 minute commute to take an hour. I was NOT prepared to get stuck up hill with a line of cars behind me. Approaching the hill I knew I would probably need some extra momentum to get to the top. I waited till the coast was clear and I gunned it (well as much as I could considering the circumstances). Then, a 4-door, made of steel, 4-wheel drive (do cars have 4-wheel drive? In this story they do), probably loaded down with some extra sandbags, white car pulled out in front of me (this, by the way, is NOT an example of the Iowan Hospitality I am so grateful for). I hit the break to avoid rear ending this car and then returned my foot to the gas. It was no use. No matter the amount of pressure I was applying to the peddle, my car was ever so gradually slowing down. Just a little further. You can do it. You’re almost there. Then, all forward moving progress was lost.

I ran through a list of options in my head and came up w/ one: Put more pressure on the gas and move your tires around. It was a good one, I know (sarcasm intended). But it didn’t help.

Then, a man out shoveling his walk came to my rescue. We tried backing it up to regain traction. We tried turning around. He tried pushing. We were all about ready to give up when another gentleman out running with his dog, approached us and asked if we needed help. You bet we did!

We got to work as the two gentlemen got to work pushing me up the hill. These men were WONDERFUL! In what seemed to me like an eternity (I worried the men were straining too hard, I worried I would run them or the dog over), these two men pushed me up the rest of the hill until I was moving on my own. I stuck my hand out the window and screamed, “THANK YOU” at the top of my lungs while waving. I sure hope they heard me.


Two WONDERFUL examples of Iowan Hospitality that most definitely made my day. I just HAD to share in hope that this hospitality would become contagious and stir you into action. I know it’s made me think about what I can do to make someone’s day just a little bit better.