Life Lesson: Don't try to mohawk a Pekingese

This dog does NOT have hair to support this haircut. Now Cheese looks like some kind of mangy fool. It's awful. AWFUL! His hair cannot grow back fast enough! Our Havanese, Turnip, looks great with the mohawk.... But for Cheese? Yikes. Just yikes.

PEKINGESE MOHAWK = TERRIBLE IDEA!

Back to the grind!

Having four days off straight was AMAZING! I absolutely loved it! ... but getting back to work today? Not so fun. I don't know how I managed to be up by 5:30am and out the door by 6:30am, but tomorrow, the same thing needs to happen. I had better get some shut eye.

My big exciting news today? We bought our first ever sewing machine! It was one of those fancy newfangled Amazon.com Lightening Deals. I thought I'd watch it to see what the lightening price was and it was such an amazing deal, I couldn't pass it up! It looks like quilting is FINALLY in my future! I can even use my awesome new Silhouette Cameo cutter (to be arriving sometime hopefully soon) to cut the fabric squares so my shaky, unskilled hands don't have to be harassed! Yay for crafting!

In other news, I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of my latest book purchase. It's titled "F*ck, I'm in my twenties." I am not sure what exactly it's about, but based on the title alone I was obviously hooked! Hopefully it ends up being a good read. Book review to come next week! I definitely need a few good winter reads.

I am always on the prowl for new crafting books but have been having a hard time finding ones with truly awesome crafts I would like to try. A lot of books I have tried have been relatively disappointing. What makes them even more disappointing is some of them I ordered multiples of, so sure that they'd be amazing that I would want to give them as gifts! Now I have to give a few people some rather sad craft books. Then again, craft books are hard for me because nearly everything is beyond my skill level. Hopefully the recipients love them!

Ugh who would've ever thought that crafting is so dang difficult? Not me. I mean, I suspected. I know it's not the easiest. But dannnng - can I EVER get a craft project to turn out? I think my wreath would've been great if I could've found better berries. Finding the right materials is 90% of the battle - that is what I am telling myself. I have a heck of a time finding good, affordable materials so when I am left short, my projects just end up looking funky.

Well off to bed. Six short hours before I am back up and at 'em tomorrow! I brought my laptop home with me tonight thinking I would do lots of work at home but instead ended up visiting my parents and spending some quality time with favorite little cousin Zachary. He is so stinkin' cute I cannot stand it! I might steal him. But I probably shouldn't tell the world that. Thankfully, my Aunt would likely let me take him out for an adventure and would call it "babysitting" instead of "babythefting." Thank goodness for family.

Hoo-wah (don't know why, that just seemed the right thing to type),

Mrs. Dyson

Looking forward to Christmas... but why is this place such a wreck?!

Okay, us newlywed Dyson's definitely need a plan for getting our house in shape for the holidays. We've been living in this house for a year and a half now, have barely unpacked, and there is stuff everywhere. Plus, my suggestion to Lance to turn our garage into a home gym evidently hit a special place in his heart because we now have gym equipment making its way to our home as we speak. That's good though - he does go to the gym every morning, so by having one at home, we'll save $110 a month. Of course, in the mean time, we are buying the equipment AND paying the gym fee. I can't really gripe though - he doesn't buy too much for himself and if it's what he really wants, then that is okay. 

One total silver lining? He is actually getting the garage cleaned out. Funny how all the time we've been together -- more than 3 years -- he's never sucessefully cleaned something out on his own. Every attempt has been... well, pathetic, and then I have to come along and do it. Even with the garage, he's "helped" me work on getting it organized several times but never actually did anything beyond moving specific items I asked him to move. Suddenly, with thoughts of this home gym, he makes more progress in 1 hour than he made in weeks. Hmm. I am getting highly suspicious of this man. I think that he may be letting his lack of interest in getting certain things done allow him to barely try, leaving me to do the work. But I digress.

For Christmas this year, we have the most excellent plan: WE ARE SLEEPING IN! For the first time in both of our lives, we are not going to be getting up at the crack of dawn to go to someone's home. We are going to sleep in and spend some quality time with our dogs before we head out. This year, Lance's family is meeting down at his grandparents so I am hoping we can load up all four dogs and take them down with us. The pups LOVE to run around their property and it would be the perfect Christmas present for them. Just the thought of being able to sleep in on Christmas and then get up and go down without being rushed to be there by 6 or 7am makes my heart melt. I can't wait!

For my side of the family, there is talk of getting together on Christmas eve which would be great. On my side, we do a gift exchange where everyone buys each person (or couple) a stocking stuffer gift. I think I got pretty dang creative this year! Anyways, getting everyone on my side of the family together on one day at one time is really difficult. I have cousins a few hours south who have a 1 year old, cousins an hour north who are always busy and we rarely, if ever, see them, and my brother in Texas. I know Scott won't be home, but I'd really like to see my cousins! Granted, it's also hard because my south cousins and my north cousins rarely see each other, so when we do all get together, Lance and I feel like we are intruding on their reunion, but I understand since my north cousins don't really come around much. Anyway, hopefully we can all sit down together on Christmas eve. The only bad news? My mom can't order her usual Azteca platter to avoid cooking! That's okay though. 

Anyways, for Christmas, hopefully everything goes nice and smooth. As long as I get to be with my husband and my puppies, I am all set! The only thing I really want for Christmas is a clean and organized house. I am working on it, but progress is very slow. Every time I get one room cleaned, it seems like the mess and clutter just migrated. Right now, I have our spare bedroom about 80% cleaned up, but now our bedroom is a nightmare. I figure if I just keep at it, things will eventually get better. Plus I have some stuff to take to the Goodwill which will clear up more room for us! 

I better quit rambling and get to cleaning and doing some laundry. Sometimes I let the stress of our constantly disastrous house overwhelm me so much that I just can't get things done. I sit and wonder "What in the heck am I going to do to get this clean?!?!" Maybe for Christmas, someone will give me coupons good for hours toward helping me clean and organize my house. That would be the ultimate gift! Although I know so many sweet and generous people, I know if I asked for help that they would gladly pitch in. I just can't drag anyone else into our mess!

Okay, time for dinner. Then cleaning and laundry! Someday, our house will be clean, organized and all our half finished projects will be complete. Oh to have a fully painted home! To have new flooring installed! To have a railing for the stairs! 

Love,

Mrs. Dyson

Sunday's Moment of "Awwww"

This Sunday's moment of "Awwww" is brought to you by Cheese.

P.S. I am LOVING using Instagram! The effects are so neat =).

Magnolia Dog Park

Tonight we took our first trip up to the brand new Magnolia Dog Park! We live about 10 blocks away from it (it incidentally borders our old apartment complex we lived in before we bought our house). They did an absolutely beautiful job creating the dog park and it was pretty busy! They have a large dog area and a smaller area for the wee pups. We didn't bring Juno or Cheese because we weren't sure how it would all work up there, but Turnip and Rockford are well seasoned at playing in the big kids' area! Both of the big boys had an absolute blast! They took off, running and playing with all of the dogs. Neither Turnip nor Rockford has ever had a problem with getting aggressive or fighting with other dogs, even when the dogs are 10x their size! The pups ran and played for about an hour, then Lance and I decided we were too frozen and headed back home. We drove them up to the park because A) it's freezing and B) to get to the park, it is straight uphill and the climb alone would kill the doggies. 

Next time, we're definitely going to bring Cheese! He is our only puppy who plays fetch (he is so great at it!) so I can play fetch with him in the small dog area. He wouldn't do well in the large dog area - he gets too protective of me and he'll fight other dogs who comes near his toys. It would probably be good for him to get some exposure though. Juno won't ever go to the dog park. She just PANICS! Maybe if Lance stayed in the little dog area with her she would be okay. I don't know though. Tonight when we left for the dog park with the big boys, Juno screeched like I didn't know a dog could! She is such a little princess brat. But she's our (read: Lance's) princess brat!

I just finished my first peppermint mocha of the Christmas season, and now it is off to make some spaghetti for dinner, do some laundry, and settle down and watch a nice movie on Netflix! I can feel Christmas in the air!

Love,

Mrs. Dyson

Black Friday 2012

Normally for Black Friday, I am one of those who gear up to hit the stores at midnight, then go again at 4am, then again at 8am, and I never stop shopping all day long! This year, something was different. I didn't get bitten by the Black Friday bug. There were the usual ads for TVs and BluRay players and tons of DVDs, but nothing was appealing. I don't know - maybe I am finally old enough to realize AND accept that just because it's a good deal doesn't mean I need it. Also, I've realized lately that I've been burning through money on Christmas presents and it seems like every time I turn around, it's another $100 here or $100 there. Learning to be fiscally responsible isn't an easy thing. Sure, it's easy to tell yourself that you need to be more fiscally responsible, but actually listening to yourself and learning to be disciplined? That is a whole other beast.

I digress. We slept in on Friday and got up around 9:30am. After a quick shower, we ran over to Fred Meyer to pick something up before their 6 hour sale ended at 11am. I cannot say what it is we purchased, as it is a Christmas gift for a family member, but we wanted to be sure we nabbed the deal since we were actually buying it for another person to give to a family member. We are apparently now in the business of dealing housewares on the side around Christmas. "Hey, you, you want a good deal on a toaster oven? Step into my van." 

After a very quick jaunt through Fred Meyer, we made an obligatory stop at Starbucks for a delicious peppermint mocha to officially start off the Christmas season, and we headed out to one of my all time favorite stores: Home Depot. I love this place. The biggest reason I love it? The guy who always mixes my paint, Mark, is the best person ever. He knows everything about home projects and loves to chat and give advice. Ever since buying our house, I am just obsessed with understanding how construction workers and electricians are able to do what they do. To build a house? To wire it? To plumb it? I think it's fascinating! I love wandering around, looking at all the tools, wondering what I could do myself. At this point I should probably mention that Home Depot is Lance's LEAST favorite store. This is simply because he knows that I will spend hours, and hours, and hours wandering through it, touching everything. We went there on Black Friday because I really wanted to pick up one of their Home Depot Ginger Bread Store Kits. That's right - you build a Home Depot Store out of ginger bread! I LOVE funky stuff like that! So of course, we had to go get one! And they were a great price too - something like $7.88 for the entire kit. Love it!

We also decided to pick up some new bar stools. We have a great stainless steel bar table from Williams Sonoma that we love, and it has really cute round red bar stools with it, but we sit at the table and use it so often that the bar stools just because impractical. We couldn't sit at the table for long, and they are so uncomfortable after a short period of time that when people come over, we couldn't use them as extra seating. So, thanks to the great Home Depot Black Friday ad, we found these amazing leather barstools on sale from $126 each to $56 each. They are basically a regular, armless kitchen dining chair that are extra tall. We LOVE them. They are still a bit too short for our bar table, but they are so comfortable that we decided to make it work. I think our table is meant to be a pub table, so the only stools that will work will be the round ones, but since we use it daily and need the seating to be comfortable, the compromise was worth it!

Other than that, for Black Friday we didn't do too much. On our way from Lance's parents house to my parent's house, we did stop at Michaels craft store and I ran in and did some quick shopping. We showed up at 4pm, right when they opened, and I made a quick 30 minute trip through the store. Their scrapbook paper was 50% off and if you shopped on Thanksgiving, you got an additional 30% off your entire purchase. Needless to say, I bought several books of scrapbook paper, a few new scrapbook albums (at 3 for $11!), some scrapbook paper storage containers, and a nifty scrapbook storage thing on wheels. The only reason I bought the storage thing on wheels was because it was a door buster and when I saw one left, I got SO excited that I managed to find the door buster, I had to buy it! I can also use it for work (it's kind of like a giant briefcase, so it'll be perfect for all my catalogues for work) but for $24 down from $90? I just had to let myself get sucked in to that doorbuster!

All in all, a great Thanksgiving and a great Black Friday! Oh, I did get one other Black Friday item that I ordered from the Overstock.com sale. It should be here Wednesday and I cannot wait! It's a Silhouette Cameo cutter. It's like a Cricut, but 10x better and more advanced! I am going to be able to craft my little heart out!

Saturday we basically lounged around all day. Lance got his brakes worked on. I slept. And now today he is working on his side project and I am upstairs, blogging in bed. I think I'll head in to work for a few hours since I left early on Wednesday. Nothing too exciting, but it's nice to have a low key weekend. It's also nice to know that the things we did buy on Black Friday are useful! No buyers remorse here! I would've written this while sitting in one of our amazing, comfortable new bar stools but unfortunately, the bar stools don't also tune out the sounds of South Park on TV, which Lance loves to have on while working.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and got everything on Black Friday that their little heart desired! I know I sure did! 

Love,

Mrs. Dyson

Holiday Crafting - My, My Your Wreath Looks Fine!

Being a perpetual addict to Pinterest and surfing the DIY blogs, I stumbled upon quite a few different posts about making holiday wreaths. After reading the instructions and seeing what AMAZING results these people got from simple materials, I thought that I would attempt one myself. I am not an experienced crafter, nor have I had crafts turn out well in the past. Still, I armed myself with a shopping list and headed to my local Hobby Lobby one dark, rainy Seattle night to buy my wreath making supplies.

I started with round wood wreaths. And yes, that is my dog crate full of craft supplies. Dog crates - keeps dogs inside and keeps dogs OUT of your stuff.

Then I found some fabulous fall colored flowers. Note to self: visit Hobby Lobby when floral is half off! They are always half off at least once a month. Otherwise, fake flowers are really expensive. This simple "craft" project started adding up. Oh, and in our tiny house, my craft area = our tiny coffee table and the couch.

 I also wanted to put something else on the grapevine wreaths to make it a little snazzier. I found some great sparkly braches, but am not entirely sure how I am going to use those yet. I tried putting little snips of them between the flowers for some sparkly foliage type craftiness, but I am not sold. Anyways, gold pod things that I cut off and wove into the wreath.

Then I added the flowers. Super simple!

I finished it off by tying some ribbon at the top. I think I might add a bow at the top, too. 

Yay! Wreath! I think I will try to add more gold pods and work in my sparkly branches, that look like this:

So hopefully I can get these to be spilling out of the flowers and then work them into the wreath! It looks to me like it still needs something extra. Anyways, not too shabby for my first foray into wreath making! Definitely going to wait until floral is half off at Hobby Lobby before I make any more wreaths. Just what Lance needs - me to start stock piling wreath making supplies and silk flowers! Poor man. 

Anyway, happy day-before-Thanksgiving! Off to try some new recipes. Making some fall harvest water and some pumpkin gingerbread trifle then finishing up with my Oreo turkeys! Lots to do tonight! 

Mrs. Dyson

My #1 Marriage Secret

Happy Wednesday! Only 1 day to go before Thanksgiving! In the spirit of this food-eating holiday, I wanted to share my #1 secret to maintaining a happy marriage with Lance. Why the connection? Because it all comes down to food.

Food, you see, is one of Lance's favorite things. And when Lance does not get enough food, or any food at all, and becomes hungry? Things go downhill, quick. Don't get me wrong - I am married to the sweetest, kindest, most generous, loving man in the world and I absolutely adore him. But we have had times where he's gone too long without eating and his adorable "pudding face" (had to use that, love that his sister calls him that) turns into that of a demon husband. He becomes inconsolable. What does he want to eat? "Nothing," he'll respond. Is he sure? I can get him anything. "No, I'm not hungry," he insists. This is when my red alert goes off in my brain. He is so hungry that he is in a terrible mood, but he is refusing to eat. What to do? And this, my friends, is what I've learned. When Lance is grumpy and needs food but absolutely refutes that he needs/wants any, I go find something to eat. If we're eat home, I'll make a salad. If we're out, I'll ask him to drive through somewhere. I'll make sure to get something he knows I would normally eat so he doesn't get keen to my plan. I then take a few bites and suddenly change my mind. Now *I* am the one who isn't hungry. And what are we going to do with the food? I only took a few bites, and it would be such a shame to waste it... That is where I get him. He's hooked. He can't look at that food, knowing it's just going to be thrown away. He *always*, without fail, tells me that he'll finish it because he doesn't want it to go to waste.

Fast forward to 20 minutes after my sudden need for food and changing my mind. Lance's stomach may not be full, but it's getting there. He is no longer dark, gloomy, and looking to eat small children. Our day is saved AND he is none the wiser! Often times, he'll later sigh and say "I sure am glad I decided to eat that. I was so hungry!" 

This is one of the challenges we face in our marriage weekly, sometimes daily. My man needs to be fed regularly otherwise we risk letting his demonic, soul swallowing hunger beast out. And when plans aren't made to ensure that doesn't happen, my trick is able to work to keep peace on this planet. God speed.

Mrs. Dyson

Christmas = WIN!

Why do I love the holidays so much? I LOVE to shop for people! It is so fun to have a challenge and figure out something that someone will enjoy. Granted, not everything is something a person needs, but still. It's good to have a fun thing or two every once in a while.

I think we went a little overboard this Christmas. However, I have already gotten ALL of our gift buying done, wrapped, and most presents are already delivered! Now we can focus on crafting, baking and decorating for the holidays! It'll be nice to relax without having any wedding planning or big events coming up. I've told Lance that all I want for Christmas is to sleep in on Christmas day! For 26 years, I've gotten up at 6am on the 25th of December, and the time has come for me to sleep in!

Anyway, just needed to brag that I have all my shopping done, gifts wrapped, delivered, and now we can just relax through the holidays! Something tells me that if Lance were on his own with the Christmas shopping, we'd be out buying everything on Christmas Eve (which he has done before!). Sigh. Failing to plan is planning to fail!

Mrs. Dyson

Move Over Turkey Muffin Men!

Okay, I am completely obsessed with making turkey-shaped objects for Thanksgiving. In the past, I've tried creating "turkey muffin men" that have never turned out. This year, I found the most amazing idea on Pinterest and now I must try these! Granted, they may not actually taste good, but they are so cute! How can I not? 

Picture (and recipe) : http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/11/oreo-turkeys-and-cookie-pilgrim-hats/

Looking forward to a turkey filled Thanksgiving day! If only I was crafty enough to make the little labels, too! 

Tonight? The time to make wreaths is here! I might even go all ultra-blogger and take step by step photos while doing it. That would be mind blowing (for me at least!).

Mrs. Dyson

It has been TOO long!

Well, now that I have let Blogging fall to the wayside for... over a year and a half?.... I figure there is no time like the present to get it started again! Lately I've really been trying to get into crafting and baking so I figured this would be the perfect place to keep the world updated on my progress. 

I love finding new things to try, but dang - my version never quite looks like the one online! Ugh. Oh well. I suppose it is the effort that counts, right? I have also been trying a lot of DIY house stuff. I recently repainted our formerly deep pink bedroom to a light purple. I am about half done with the facelift, and even went so far as to get us real bedside tables and lamps, but for now I have run out of steam. Thank goodness for Home Goods though. I found a large cork board with a thick, grey frame around it that I love to hang over our awful fuse box. Now I need the curtains to arrive from Urban Outfitters (my new obsession). Once I either re-paint or get new closet doors, install the new trim that's waiting in the garage, and get the curtains up and going, I think we'll have a very nice master bedroom! We are going for a boho-chic-crazy kind of vibe. But what else would you expect?

Love,

Mrs. Dyson