Have Shoe Grips....Will Travel!

My new plan for 2013 involves a pedometer, shoe grips, dogs, and the outdoors.  I'm going to pack up all that exercise equipment and focus on going outside and walking 10,000 steps a day. 

  I love walking, the dogs love walking, and we all love the outdoors.  I take my dogs for an evening walk every day and always have, but lately those walks have been getting shorter and shorter.  I decided I'll take my camera, put on my pedometer and away I   away we go!   There's still lots of snow on the ground which is quickly turning into ice because of the warmer temperatures--35 degrees Fahrenheit--and that makes for slippery 

My downspout covered in ice.

That glaze on the snow is ice.

conditions.  After a nasty fall two weeks ago, which I haven't regained full use of my left arm and shoulder yet, I'm not taking any chances.  So shoe grips are definitely going on until the spring!

And away we go....the dogs are definitely loving an afternoon walk!

Skinny Bathroom Goes Orange!

Skinny bathroom before...

Skinny bathroom...after.

I finished painting my skinny bathroom.  The planned bathroom renovation was put on hold.  Make that two bathroom renovations  that were put on hold for now.  The holidays meant company coming over, and both bathrooms in the yellow brick house needed a makeover.  What better way for quick improvement than a can of paint?  One can of orange, one can of white, one can of dark brown and one can of beige.  I bought a few matching accessories and pulled my orange flower mirror out of storage--surprised to see how well it matches the orange on the walls!

 The smaller bathroom is waiting for a walk-in shower and an updated vanity-right now it's home to a 1960's turquoise sink. I kept the sink and painted around it!  I painted over the old paneling with a dark brown, and updated the color on the walls.  I painted the light switches red and wrapped a scarf around the blinds to pick up the red and turquoise colors in the room then hung a red metal replica of an old truck on the wall.    I now have bright, sunny, and 'sort of' new again bathrooms.  It'll make the wait for the bathroom renovations manageable for the time being!

My small bathroom with the 1960's sink..before...

Small bathroom...after.

My 1960's turquoise sink still intact!

Follow The Snow Trail!

Rosco leads the way on the trail in his winter jacket with Sadie following close behind.

At our house when it snows, we not only have to shovel the driveway, walkway, front porch and steps...we have to shovel through the snow in the backyard to make trails for our three dogs so they can easily walk from the back door of the house throughout their backyard.  Do they deviate from our man made trails?  Nope.  Are they spoiled dogs?  Yep!

Meet Panda The Puppy!

This is Panda--my new grand-puppy!  This is Belle's baby, he's only twelve weeks old.   Mr. B. and I met Panda for the first time on Christmas day.  He's fluffy and adorable!  A little shy, but full of love and friskiness once he gets comfortable with his surroundings.

Lola holding baby Panda wrapped in his puppy blanket.

Everyone but Rosco loved meeting Panda.  He didn't want anything to do with this new puppy in his house!

   

A New Year Is Coming...Hurry Up Already!

On the couch Cosmo sleeps, and Rosco watches as Mr. B. shovels the driveway to clear the snow...again!

The snow, the rain, the cold...hurry up already-it's time for a change.  A New Year equals a new start.  It won't change the weather, and it won't change my clothes, house, body fat, temperature, or job situation, but there is that optimism that things (events) will be better.  So... goodbye to the old and hello to the new.  WOW!  2013--We made it!!

Lola--kick that year (2012) out of here!

Snow...be gone!

Our hot tub covered with cold snow and icicles.

...and Rosco, I promise, this is the last Christmas outfit you'll have to wear.  This year that is!

I Survived The Holidays...But Boy Am I Tired!

Tired Rosco--can't keep his eyes open

Too much excitement, too many visitors, too much food, too many photos and all the changing in and out of too many Christmas outfits!

Hoping everyone had an exceptionally happy Christmas.

A smile brought to you by...The Happy Reindeer Rosco

Rosco looking out the window checking on the guests as they arrive in the driveway.

The Snowman That Arrived Before The Snow!

Still busy painting my bathroom yesterday, when suddenly, the doorbell rang.  A package arrived, and out of that package came a snowman!!  An adorable, smiling snowman carrying white flowers. 

 An unexpected, and much needed surprise from my baby sister in sunny California.  It's funny that my snowman arrived before the huge snowstorm sweeping throughout the Midwest.  This is what it looked like outside when the happy snowman arrived.

See---no snow---not yet, that is.

 Today, it's another story.  The snow is moving into the region.  Soon, we'll have a snowman in the front yard, but it won't have flowers!

The view out of the front window today as the snow is making its way across the state.