Since we've been talking about healthy changes, I have been looking for ways to make healthy eating easier. I found this giveaway hosted by a fellow blogger for a Nesco Dehydrator and Jerky Maker. Go on over and enter the rafflecopter giveaway and try to win it for your family!
Just visit Life According to GreenVics and see for yourself what a great product this is and to enter the giveaway!
http://www.greenvics.com/2012/07/nesco-dehydrator-jerky-maker.html
Birbitt Thinks giveaways are great, and even better when they are for something truly healthy and wonderful!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Meet Isha
I believe that I mentioned that just before our move we got a new puppy. We had intended to wait until after we moved and got settled, but I had seen a picture of what was listed as a border collie mix puppy on our local Craigslist board, and they were only 6 weeks old at the time so I figured she'd be pretty laid back until after our big move.
Now the story of bringing home this puppy was a crazy one, full of excitement and mishaps. My friend and I decided to go up together, because her husband was out of town and she thought the adventure would be fun. So we drove the hour and 15 minutes to the town where the puppy "foster-er" had the litter. When we arrived she had two bins of puppies, the bin with the puppies shown on Craigslist and the bin with another darker litter which she also claimed were border collie mixes.
The boys and I went straight to the bin of lighter puppies, and played with them all trying to decide which puppy would be ours. I was instantly drawn to one particular puppy, but I wanted to be sure she was truly the right puppy for us. She was our puppy and we chose her to come home with us. My friend also chose a puppy, from the other bin, and he turned out to be a huge little guy once he started growing.
So we all got in the car, 2 adults, 2 children, 2 toddlers, and 2 puppies and headed back home. My friend decided that she needed puppy supplies and so we needed to stop at the pet store. She moved the car over a lane and suddenly we heard this horrible noise. She had blown a tire, and so she called for roadside assistance and they came but could not release the spare from underneath the car. So a tow truck had to be called, which proved to be interesting since there were 6 people and 2 puppies in the car and the driver could only carry 2 people in his truck. It was eventually decided that he would tow the car with us in it.
So we arrived at the tire store, and were told it would be a 45 minute wait for the tire to be repaired. Luckily there was a Wendy's nearby where we got water for the puppies (one who cried the entire time since leaving the foster), and some food for the now very hungry children since it was 4:00 and we had left at 12:30. After filling the bellies we went back for the car, which was ready, and then to the pet store for supplies.
We arrived home at 7:30 that evening, so what should have been about 3 hours ended up taking all day. I very seriously considered naming the puppy Calamity Jane, but decided against it since I didn't want her entire life to become a series of mishaps. We instead called her Isha, which means woman, and we all know women are strong, independent, intelligent, and loyal (all the qualities we wanted in a dog).
Here is a picture of Isha the day we brought her home.
Isn't she just so cute and tiny? We loved her and all her fluffy puppiness!
After a few weeks we determined that she was a Border Collie, Jack Russell Terrier mix which wasn't exactly what I wanted and really was something I never wanted but we loved her and so I decided to stick with her. So far it seems that while she is a very hyper dog she is still a very good dog and we are happy with her. We have since discovered that she also has some beagle in her.
Here is a picture of her now, at 6.5 months old.
She's still so cute, but not so tiny anymore! She's also no longer fluffy, and she's MUCH stronger now. Her puppy biting stage has gone, and she's mostly obedient. We still love her very much, and she makes us laugh at how she hops and bounds everywhere instead of walking and running. Toys are much harder to find for her now since she likes to chew them apart and pull out the stuffing and squeakers.
Birbitt thinks puppies are such wonderful little things and bring laughter and joy to a home in a way no other animal can! :)
Now the story of bringing home this puppy was a crazy one, full of excitement and mishaps. My friend and I decided to go up together, because her husband was out of town and she thought the adventure would be fun. So we drove the hour and 15 minutes to the town where the puppy "foster-er" had the litter. When we arrived she had two bins of puppies, the bin with the puppies shown on Craigslist and the bin with another darker litter which she also claimed were border collie mixes.
The boys and I went straight to the bin of lighter puppies, and played with them all trying to decide which puppy would be ours. I was instantly drawn to one particular puppy, but I wanted to be sure she was truly the right puppy for us. She was our puppy and we chose her to come home with us. My friend also chose a puppy, from the other bin, and he turned out to be a huge little guy once he started growing.
So we all got in the car, 2 adults, 2 children, 2 toddlers, and 2 puppies and headed back home. My friend decided that she needed puppy supplies and so we needed to stop at the pet store. She moved the car over a lane and suddenly we heard this horrible noise. She had blown a tire, and so she called for roadside assistance and they came but could not release the spare from underneath the car. So a tow truck had to be called, which proved to be interesting since there were 6 people and 2 puppies in the car and the driver could only carry 2 people in his truck. It was eventually decided that he would tow the car with us in it.
So we arrived at the tire store, and were told it would be a 45 minute wait for the tire to be repaired. Luckily there was a Wendy's nearby where we got water for the puppies (one who cried the entire time since leaving the foster), and some food for the now very hungry children since it was 4:00 and we had left at 12:30. After filling the bellies we went back for the car, which was ready, and then to the pet store for supplies.
We arrived home at 7:30 that evening, so what should have been about 3 hours ended up taking all day. I very seriously considered naming the puppy Calamity Jane, but decided against it since I didn't want her entire life to become a series of mishaps. We instead called her Isha, which means woman, and we all know women are strong, independent, intelligent, and loyal (all the qualities we wanted in a dog).
Here is a picture of Isha the day we brought her home.
Isn't she just so cute and tiny? We loved her and all her fluffy puppiness!
After a few weeks we determined that she was a Border Collie, Jack Russell Terrier mix which wasn't exactly what I wanted and really was something I never wanted but we loved her and so I decided to stick with her. So far it seems that while she is a very hyper dog she is still a very good dog and we are happy with her. We have since discovered that she also has some beagle in her.
Here is a picture of her now, at 6.5 months old.
She's still so cute, but not so tiny anymore! She's also no longer fluffy, and she's MUCH stronger now. Her puppy biting stage has gone, and she's mostly obedient. We still love her very much, and she makes us laugh at how she hops and bounds everywhere instead of walking and running. Toys are much harder to find for her now since she likes to chew them apart and pull out the stuffing and squeakers.
Birbitt thinks puppies are such wonderful little things and bring laughter and joy to a home in a way no other animal can! :)
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Where have I been?
To say that life has gotten crazy would be an understatement, however I am back now and working hard! Our family has been making some pretty amazing changes these past few months! I can't tell you about all of them just now, or I'd have nothing to talk about for the rest of the month, but I will let you in on it all.
First we moved into a bigger apartment in March, which we so desperately needed! We had been living in a 945 square foot 2 bedroom apartment which was very small for 5, and overly cluttered with all the stuff you need for 5 people, and for homeschooling, and to entertain a busy toddler! So we now have a 1300 square foot 3 bedroom apartment and we are all much more comfortable. We feel like we all have room to breathe now, and when the boys are irritated with one another it's no big deal because they can go to separate rooms.
Also with the new apartment comes a huge and beautiful city park right next door! My boys love it, there are mock rock walls, and climbing things, and slides, and swings, and monkey bars, and ladders, and bridges, and grass, and all the things boys need. I like that it's close, and that instead of the typical sand this park has wood chips which are much easier to LEAVE at the park instead of carrying it home in our shoes, and hair, and clothes. Of course wood chips also don't resemble a litter box, which means no stray cats leaving their "presents".
Also since moving we have been more and more making the switch to natural, chemical free products for our home, and eating more organic food. Since we now live closer to the center of our city we are within 2 miles of a weekly farmer's market, and within the delivery area for a mobile farmers market. Much of our produce now comes from those two places, and it's grown by people who care about the quality of the food, not about maximizing their profits.
I am so excited to share with you over the coming month some of our new favorite stores, and products, and to tell you more about the great changes happening in the Birbitt household! :) Get ready to hear about some great products that you may or may not have heard about before, and keep your eyes open because once I get 100 followers here on this blog, there will be a celebration (and a giveaway).
For now I will just say that Birbitt thinks changes can be a wonderfully liberating experience, and while they sometimes make life crazy for a time, there is usually something great at the end! This time the greatness comes in the form of easy access to some wonderful places, and more space to fill with books!
First we moved into a bigger apartment in March, which we so desperately needed! We had been living in a 945 square foot 2 bedroom apartment which was very small for 5, and overly cluttered with all the stuff you need for 5 people, and for homeschooling, and to entertain a busy toddler! So we now have a 1300 square foot 3 bedroom apartment and we are all much more comfortable. We feel like we all have room to breathe now, and when the boys are irritated with one another it's no big deal because they can go to separate rooms.
Also with the new apartment comes a huge and beautiful city park right next door! My boys love it, there are mock rock walls, and climbing things, and slides, and swings, and monkey bars, and ladders, and bridges, and grass, and all the things boys need. I like that it's close, and that instead of the typical sand this park has wood chips which are much easier to LEAVE at the park instead of carrying it home in our shoes, and hair, and clothes. Of course wood chips also don't resemble a litter box, which means no stray cats leaving their "presents".
Also since moving we have been more and more making the switch to natural, chemical free products for our home, and eating more organic food. Since we now live closer to the center of our city we are within 2 miles of a weekly farmer's market, and within the delivery area for a mobile farmers market. Much of our produce now comes from those two places, and it's grown by people who care about the quality of the food, not about maximizing their profits.
I am so excited to share with you over the coming month some of our new favorite stores, and products, and to tell you more about the great changes happening in the Birbitt household! :) Get ready to hear about some great products that you may or may not have heard about before, and keep your eyes open because once I get 100 followers here on this blog, there will be a celebration (and a giveaway).
For now I will just say that Birbitt thinks changes can be a wonderfully liberating experience, and while they sometimes make life crazy for a time, there is usually something great at the end! This time the greatness comes in the form of easy access to some wonderful places, and more space to fill with books!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)