5 Little Words #2

Well, It's time to get back to those 5 little words given to me by rxbambi (started, of course, by Little Ms Blogger).  I've been really super busy lately with kids and dogs and laundry and such.  Speaking of dogs, one of the words I'm supposed to post on is Chocolate.  Chocolate and dogs?  Don't get the connection?  Well, read on.

Chocolate

Today I'll let you know a few thoughts I have about chocolate.  But first, it's time to say goodbye to Snickers.  She obviously fits in this word category because of her name.  And because she's as sweet as candy. (ooh, isn't that sticky sweet!).  Today I'll be taking Snickers to her new family.  They seem to be a very nice young couple with another dog that looks like a large version of Snickers herself.  I understand they will be changing her name to Daisy.  That's a sweet name too.  This couple met Snickers last week at PetCo and walked her around the store with their dog Gracie.  They loved her, so they filled out the application, got a great recommendation from their vet, and were approved.  I met them yesterday at a local dog park and the dogs played together well.  Today we'll be meeting at another park where Hope Rescues has an adoption event going on. (That way I don't have to deal with the money; they can pay Hope directly!)  Then I'll watch Snickers go off into the sunset.  Ok, not sunset, but off to be with her new family.  

We'll be getting a new foster dog sometime soon.  But first we'll take a little break and work on Ginger's issues (barking and fear-biting).

So,  chocolate.  I do love chocolate.  You know that stereotypical chocoholic woman?  The one for whom you'd buy a tea towel with some sort of "chocolate is better than sex" saying on it.  Well, that's me.  Minus the tea towel, as no one has ever given me one.  I have gotten cards about chocolate.  And I've gotten chocolate as gifts.  The thing that sucks is that I'm a diabetic.  And, as you learned from my previous post, I have issues with food.  So if someone gives me a lot of chocolate, I usually eat it all.  And if it happens to be sugar-free, I'll eat it then be in horrible pain, with horrible gas and have horrible, well, let's not go there.

What more can I say?  I could go into the history of chocolate, or the manufacturing of chocolates.  There's lots of info on the internet.  But that would get long and I do hate long posts.  So I'll be back with my next word.

5 Little Words

5 Little Words.  Seems like a not-too-hard challenge.  Little Ms Blogger recently passed along a little meme to Rxbambi containing 5 words for her to comment on so they could get to know each other a little better.  Now Bambs has passed 5 words along to me!  She got to choose the words.  I get to comment.

So, here goes:

Hope 

Confession: I have an addiction.  No, it's not a fun one like drugs, alcohol or sex.  It's an annoying one.  It's food.  I've known for a while that I have a food problem.  When I'm happy, I eat.  When I'm sad, I eat.  When I'm lonely, bored, tired, stressed, you get it, I eat.  But I have hope.  I meet often with a group of people like me.  We talk about our challenges with food and we help each other with coping skills.  It has helped a lot.  That gives me hope.

Since I'm diabetic, the word "hope" reminds me of Christmas and a fundraiser the American Diabetes Association does called "Gift of Hope".  Diabetics submit their original artwork that then appears on the holiday cards.  One of these days I'm going to submit something.  I hope I get around to it!

Hope also has a completely different meaning in my life.  You've no doubt seen my posts about the foster dogs I've had in my home.  Happy Gilmore was the first.  Now we have Snickers (for just another day or two).  I'm fostering for a great organization called Hope Animal Rescues in Alton IL.  These ladies are amazing.  They started their rescue in response to hurricane Katrina.  According to stats on their website, to date they have rescued 873 animals and have rehomed 841 of them (after this weekend, it will be 842 when Snickers goes to her forever home!).  Most of the animals come from animal control offices on what would have been their last day of life.  They truly get a second chance at life.   Here is Snickers making herself comfortable on my clean laundry and on the couch rolled up in a mirror-image of Sassy.

Ok, stay tuned for the next words.  I'll try not to take too long!

Happy Hour Friday

Happy Friday, Everyone!  Thanks to Otin and RxBambi for hosting Happy Hour Friday.  

Now, what makes me happy this week?

• I'm up at the butt-crack of dawn.  Actually, way before dawn.  One kid came in at about 4 a.m. because of a wet bed.  After getting up to help him, my DH and I couldn't go back to sleep.  DH got up so the puppy wanted to get up.  She wouldn't poop for him in the rain so when she got in bed with me she wouldn't settle down.  I finally got up before 5 and took her back out into the rain to poop. Now she's asleep on the couch and I'm blogging.  
• Blogging before everyone gets up makes me happy because then I don't feel guilty about blogging instead of doing all the "mom" things!
• I'm happy that I'll be spending the evening with my sister at a friend's house.  We'll be at a scrapbooking party.  I hope there will be wine. Maybe I should bring some!
• I'm happy that I went to my workout yesterday despite wanting to stay home.  I'm not particularly happy about how sore my legs are today.
• I'm happy that Mark Buehrle of the White Sox has leant his name to a bottle of wine (Buehrlot) and that proceeds from the sale of that wine benefit my favorite charity, Hope Animal Rescues.  If you like wine, why not try a bottle?  The link is on Hope's website.
• I'm happy that the puppy follows me around like, well, a puppy.
• I'm happy to have a wonderful husband and great kids.  Today I'm going to make sure I let them know that.

Happy Friday!

Random Thoughts Tuesday

It's Random Thoughts Tuesday thanks to the Un-Mom! Check her out for lots more links to random thoughts!

• I'm supposed to be cleaning my room.  (DH doesn't want to trip on anything during the night.  It's a problem now that he's "older").  
• BTW, today is my DH's 42 birthday.  I should bake a cake!  (I'll probably just go buy one.  He won't eat it anyway).
• I volunteered in the workroom at my kid's school today.  What is it about me or my kids that makes me so recognizable?  This woman in the workroom was talking to me and asking questions about my kid like we knew each other.  I don't know who she is.  This happens to me a lot.  People will know my name and I have no idea who they are!  Maybe I've just forgotten them.  Maybe I'm getting too old! (I'm only 43) Maybe I should go see Dr. Grumpy!
• My sweet Ginger is not so sweet to people she doesn't know.  I paid a trainer to come to my house and tell me what I already know.  I have to be consistent!  I have to be the pack leader.  I have to insist that she listen to me.  I have to work with her and not just send her out and hope no one will walk by.  
• Most of the things the trainer told me about the dogs are the same things I've been told about my kids.  I have to be consistent!  I have to be the MOM (i.e. pack leader).  I have to insist that they listen to me and when they don't, I have to follow through with the threatened punishment.  I can't let them treat me like a door mat.  Grrrr.  I'm working on it.
• My feet are cold.  My shoes are wet because I went out with Ginger in the rain just in case someone walked by.  Someone did.  So I was able to get Ginger to sit while the person walked by.  But Sassy barked her ass off!  Good thing for them I love dogs.
• I made it to my "Finding Inner Peace" class last night.  But I hadn't done the homework since I missed the last two classes.  So, no, I've not found my inner peace or my dharma yet.  Still looking.
• I need a good mantra too.
• I'd better go clean my room.  That's the least I can do on DH's birthday.

Fabulous Award :)

Thank you, rxbambi, for nominating me for this award!  I hope you didn't do it 'cause you felt you had to.  You know, because of our "relationship".  Anyway, I'm honored.  The rules of this award are that I have to tell you all my 5 most recent obsessions.  Then I have to pass the award on to up to 5 worthy bloggers.

So, my obsessions:

1. Chocolate Devotion at Cold Stone Creamery.  If you love chocolate but are trying to stay away from it, DO NOT go to Cold Stone and try one of these.  They are addicting.  I could get one every day.  Luckily, they cost $4.16 for the smallest size.  More (I think) than a latte so too much to spend every day.  

2. Dogs.  I love dogs.  Right now I am totally into fostering for a great rescue.  Our latest foster, Snickers, is the most adorable little thing.  She's so cute I don't even mind that she's not house broken.  Her newest thing is to climb into the laundry basket full of clean laundry.

3. Laundry.  I guess I must love laundry.  I'm constantly doing it.

4. Finding my dharma.  I'm searching for inner peace and my dharma.  At the moment, they are both being rather stubbornly elusive.  I'll let you know when I find them.

5. Blogs.  I love reading blogs.  I'm trying not to spend too much time on them.  But they are rather addicting.

I'd love to nominate for this award:

Julochka at moments of perfect clarity

McGillicutty at Inner Rambling of a Mid Life Mama.

Check them out.  They're Fabulous!

Aloha Friday 10/2/09

Aloha!  It's Friday.  A day to take it easy.  So we are just going to answer an easy question!  Then scoot on over to An Island Life for more Aloha Friday fun.  

My question today is in honor of our new foster puppy Snickers.  So, if you had to choose only one, would it be a Snickers bar or a Milky Way?

As cute as Snickers is, my first choice is the Milky Way.  Sorry Snickers!

Everyone does not love a Snickers

Queen Sassy here.  I have to disagree with Barb's last post.  Everyone does not love a Snickers!  Why is she here?  She has completely disrupted my life.  Sure, she's cute and all.  But I'm the one who deserves all the love and attention!  And she's been playing with my toys, chewing on my blankets, and loving on my boys.  

I thought my life would get back to normal after Happy Gilmore found his forever home.  He was here 5 long weeks.  But last we heard, he was being loved and adored by his new family.  Good.  I never really liked that dog.  He was always playing with my toys and my boys.  Now this.  Why do they need another dog around here?   Plus, she got to go to the gym with Barb today.  Something about socialization or some such.  Ginger and I would love to go.  But did we get to?  NO!

OK.  I guess she really is pretty cute.  And, as far as puppies go, she's very calm and sweet.  But I'm the queen here.  Would one of you kind-hearted people PLEASE take her home with you?

Thanks.  Don't forget to love your dogs!

Sassy