Peachisms

So we have had our little puppy for 2 weeks now. On monday she will be 13 weeks, and I must say she isn't a little puppy now. Our trainer says she about 3 or 4 years old now, which makes sense.

What Peach can do:

• lets us know she wants to go out side by jingling a bell on our back door
  
• stays in her crate for up to 4 hours during the day without accidents
• sleeps 9 - 10 hours a night with no potty break (crated of course)
• will sit on command either verbal or hand command
• runs in circles
  
• can find you playing hide and go seek if you make noise
• can climb on the couch but understands she isn't welcome there
• can sneak out of a blockade unless its a locked baby gate or closed door
• knows and distinguishes different people (cries when mommy goes upstairs, sits and waits at bottom of stairs for Brandon, jumps on hallways blockade to get to daddy when he comes home.)
• will dance for a spoon full of peanut butter

What Peach is learning to do:

• play fetch
• drop it, take it, leave it
• roll over
• stay
• catch in mid air
• walk nicely on a leash
• go to bed quietly without crying
• go potty outside 100% of the time

What Peach likes:

• playing hockey with ice cubes
• her fuzzy green froggy and tug of war rope toy
• snuggling with daddy, and mommy sometimes
• playing fetch with mommy
• biting feet
• stealing bath mats
• playing with towels
• trying to steal laundry as we try to fold it

What Peach dislikes:

• the rake and broom
• being without her people for too long
• the dark
• eating at a specific time
• being crated (initially, she seems to get over the insult after a bit)

So in conclusion, we are getting used to our growing puppy, as she turns into a smart, funny little girl.

MIA as Usual

So, I've been a bit too busy to write anything here yet again. I'm not 100% sure why I write here, except for the fact I like to look back over time and see what was going on and how much things have changed.

Last friday Brian and I unexpectedly adopted a puppy. Her name is Peach (Princess Peach Pluchino), she is 12 weeks old today and weight about 14 pounds. She is full of energy, lovey and completely not potty trained. Its been an emotional roller coaster this week, as I guess I did not heed people's warnings about how hard it is to train a puppy. She likes to pee on our new rug, poop in front of her crate and eat acorns. She is also snuggly and warm and cute which almost balances out all previously mentioned offenses. She does not sleep late which means I will not be sleeping late for a while. But hopefully a month from now I can look back and she will be potty trained, house broken and much less of a pain in my behind.

She is very very photogenic, so included are some of her photos.

If its love...favorite song of the week

"And there’s a thousand ways you can skin it
My feet have been on the floor
Flat like an idle singer
Remember winger
I digress
I confess you are the best thing in my life
But I’m afraid when I hear stories
About a husband and wife
There’s no happy endings
No Henry Lee
But you are the greatest thing about me

If it’s love
And we decide that it’s forever
No one else could do it better

If it’s love
And we’re two birds of a feather
Then the rest is just whenever

And if I’m addicted to loving you
And you’re addicted to my love too
We can be them two birds of a feather
That flock together

Love, love
Got to have something to keep us together
Love, Love
That’s enough for me

Took a loan on a house I own
Can’t be a queen bee without a bee throne
I wanna buy ya everything
Except cologne
’cause it’s poison

We can travel to Spain where the rain falls
Mainly on the plain side and sing
’cause it is we can laugh we can sing
Have ten kids and give them everything
Hold our cell phones up in the air
And just be glad we made it here alive
On a spinning ball in the middle of space
I love you from your toes to your face"

81 one days of being Mrs. Pluchino :) Life IS great!

So long, but not farewell...

Hello again, its been a while, but house stuff, life and vacation got in the way of me documenting that I have a life. Funny how hard it is to record what happens in life when you are too busy living it.

So whats been new with us you might ask? We have been going pretty much non stop. First on fixing the house up. Then with work and trying to fit in some fun on occasion. Then VACATION. We went for 10 days to New Hampshire followed by Maine for some much needed family time and relaxation.

We are now back, and Brian has started his football season, which means, I am a "football widow." I get my husband from about 8 pm everyday until I go to bed, and then saturday afternoons and sundays. This only lasts until November, and then I get to bother him much longer each night. This widow -ship is not 100% horrible, as it give me more time to make dinner, do chores around the house, get together with friends and maybe return to an exercise routine.

Some pictures from out travels...

Volleyball
House pictures
New England

My favorite photo of the month...


Some quotes from our trip...

Brandon "I've got an iron vault. Your have a cardboard box."

Matt "Hamsters and flamingos have never been known to get along. Natural born enemies."

Brian "I dare you to eat a hamster."

Mora (to Brian who is growling at traffic on the way home) "God, you do need to play Halo!"

So all in all, the past few weeks have been lots of fun if busy :)

Our House is a very very very fine house, with one cat in the yard...

The Outside

Kitchen Before

Kitchen After

Family Room After

Family Room Before

Tuesday, June 29th: I rushed up to north jersey to close on our house. We then caravanned down route 9 (not very fun) to our new house. We unloaded one truck and went back to apartment for another load. At this point after unload that truck it was midnight and far past my bedtime. I went to bed (passing out to a point where I had an intelligible conversation with Brian) and Brian, Shiv, my mom and brandon continued to move. Jamie and Matt were apparently part of this mas exodus too, although I only know this from stories as I was snoozing in preparation for work the following day.
Wednesday, June 30th: I got up at 6 am to go to work. Stayed until 2:30 against my will. The boys and my mom oraganized, cleaned and preped the downstairs walls for painting. I came home and we went to home depot to pick our paint colors, ceiling paints, primers and various other supplies...one of many many trips.
Thursday, July 1st: I worked all morning and then came home for more trips to home depot for more paint...The painting continues.
Friday, July2nd - 5th: Never ending projects everyone is forced to do via me. Some highlights....painting of walls, furniture and ceiling fan, cutting down trees, mowing the lawn, unpacking the wedding gifts, organizing the stuff into respective rooms. There were many many projects, but this is just a few to name. I want to do a before and after at some point, but in order to do this I need the before photos from my hubby.
Tuesday, July 6th: Back to work for Mora and Brian while Annie (and Brandon too) are busy busy painting molding, cleaning windows and being poor slave guests.

So a few photos of what was done, but more to come when things are completed.

"Wrap it up, B"

So, eventhough we don't have a real closing date, we are wishing and hoping and praying to close on our house this monday or tuesday and subsequently move in and begin making our house our home. Below are pictures of the packing process, mostly at the end. I've included a before of our room for some perspective....I cannot wait to move, paint, fix the floors and begin to decorate and unpack all our fun wedding presents.

Thanks to all our friends and family who have offered and provided their love and support throughout this horrible process. NEVER BUY A SHORT SALE!!! EVER! :)

When I first moved in...clean, neat and clutter free...when I had time to be a housewife.

Post wedding/honeymoon chaos when we just gave up.

Our bedroom then....

Our bedroom after, with our bed disassembled and a place for me to wait while they set a date.

All of our possessions...there is more hiding around the corner too...

Doesn't this look like so so much fun to move??!!??

No News is No News

We are impatiently waiting to hear whether we have a mortgage commitment so we can close on the house we have been waiting for for about 6 months. I'm tired of this. The end.