We Adopted a Puppy!

In case you haven't heard the news, Max is now officially our furry baby!

On Friday night, Lorie, a very nice lady from SOAR Doggy Rescue, brought Max to our house to oversee his first meeting with Beatrice.  (I'm presuming that she also took a surreptitious look at our fence, but there was no "grand inspection".)

Beatrice's First Trip to the Shelby Farm Dog Park

I took Beatrice to the Shelby Farms Dog Park for the first time today.  She was a little scared at first, but soon relaxed and had lots of off-leash fun, running through the grass and exploring.

Calligraphy Desk Inspiration & The Possible Benefits of a Glass Top Desk for Calligraphy

Pilsen Desk in "Salt"

A new Crate & Barrel catalog arrived in the mail over the weekend.  As I flipped through the pages, a picture of the Pilsen Desk in Salt caught my eye almost immediately. When I imagine my ideal craft room, it includes a dedicated spot for writing and calligraphy, and a desk similar to this would be perfect.

We are (Almost!) Approved to Adopt a Puppy; Meanwhile, Poor Beatrice Dog Recovers from Sedation

Max!!! Photo Source: Tweet by SOAR Doggy Rescue

Today I received a call from Andra, the director of SOAR Doggy Rescue.  After asking me a few questions about Beatrice and how well she got along with other dogs, she said that she had reviewed our adoption application, and we were approved to adopt Max!...well, almost approved.  There are 2 steps left: the contract, and the home visit.

Puppy Adoption: Is This "The One"?

We just back from got back from SOAR Doggie Rescue's adoption event at Hollywood Feed in Bartlett, and we may have found the perfect friend for Beatrice!  His name is Max and he's 3 months old.

Puppy Adoption: Meeting the Puppies at FCAR

This afternoon, Husband and I drove to Rossville, TN to meet the puppies available for adoption at Fayette County Animal Shelter.

First up was Augie, a black and white spotty puppy with fluffy fur:

Husband holding Augie

Puppy Adoption: The Quest Begins!

As many of you know, Husband and I are thinking of adopting a puppy.  It isn't a 100% percent final decision yet, but still--cue the happy dance!

Help Me Pick a New Blogger Template

I am on the hunt for a new blogger template, and I want to hear your opinions.

I'm currently using a template called NoteBook Scribbles, created by Blogger Candy.  It's absolutely adorable, but I feel like it can be difficult to read.  I always change the text to Arial, size large, to combat that problem. Plus, the mobile version is definitely lacking.

Doggie Easter Baskets + Beatrice with her Easter Bunny

Just before Easter, I went to Hollywood Feed to buy dog food, and naturally spent ample time browsing, so as not to miss any other items that my sweet baby might need. That's when it hit me: it was absolutely necessary that I make Beatrice the dog an Easter basket. The need for doggie Easter baskets was so obvious.  How could I never have seen it before?

In my excitement, I must have been sending out strong telepathic waves, because shortly thereafter both MiddleSister and YoungestSister sent me this via Pinterest:

Culinary Adventures: Gluten Free S'mores Brownie Pie

Cooking can be fun, but it can also be a lot of work, and take a lot of time.  In the end, I like for my efforts to be rewarded with an actual meal.  Thus, I almost always cook dinner entrees.  I'll occasionally try making a side dish or an appetizer. I very rarely attempt baking or desserts (with the notable exception of creme brulee, which I've made 3 times now.)

Then, Husband and I invited guests over for dinner. Not only were these our first dinner guests since we got married, these were our first guests period.  It felt like a significant moment, and I wanted to make a special effort.  I had seen a recipe on Pinterest for S'mores Brownie Pie from Sally's Baking Addiction, and decided to mark the occasion by making a gluten-free version.

This is the image that caught my eye on Pinterest.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Season 2, Episode 11: Raina Becomes a Creepy Hedgehog (Recap)

I wrote this post at the beginning of March, but never got around to finishing and/or posting it.  In the grand tradition of my family, I'm late.

I have a confession: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D is now the television show that I most look forward to seeing.

Whenever I reflect on this, I see a vision of my mother giving me The Look, which is something like this: