I Hate Bamboo

I have spent DAYS helping Cliff in his backyard. Why? One word...bamboo. I can not begin to explain how much I HATE bamboo right now. It's one thing to buy one of the little potted sprouts at the mall kiosk for "good luck", but it's a whole different ball game when you are spending hours upon hours using tree limb clippers and a machete to take down the 100 sq ft area of bamboo in the 1/2 acre backyard. We have already hauled off two landscaping trailers and filled the alley dumpster three times... and still have about 50 sq ft to go. We started the project when Cliff bought Jake (puppy), assuming that there would be ticks, rodents, etc. in the "backyard jungle". After cutting down a small area, we soon discovered an old dog run behind the garage...fortunately it is not infested with bamboo, BUT it does a have it's share of ivy and over-grown bushes., which I will use Round-Up on later. We came to a halt this week after realizing that a neighbor's tree has fallen on top of the bamboo, so the job is postponed until we get a chainsaw. But hey, at least we've dominated half of the problem. I plan on posting photos of the finished product, but it might be a few weeks before we resume the job. (side note: besides the bamboo, we have also groomed every tree and bush in the backyard...it's looking SO much better!)

Oh, and in case anyone was interested, we had a few contractors check out the mess and give us estimates from $450 to $700. Highway robbery? I think so.

For tips on how to successfully remove bamboo, check out these sites...

• http://www.completebamboo.com/bamboo_removal.html


• http://bamboooasis.com/


• http://www.hgtv.com/videos/bamboo-removal/2525.html

Jake Meets Doc

Cliff's grandpa decided he needed/wanted a puppy just like Jake after we visited him. So I called the breeder and found out that they still had one of Jake's litter mates, "Doc." Even after drivingback from Louisiana on Saturday, Cliff decided to be grandson of the year and drive his grandpa to Tyler, TX (4 hours away) to pick up Doc on Sunday morning. Jake and Doc slept on each other during the car ride back to Wichita Falls, but they could not wait to get out and play! I have a feeling these two will be team hunting in no time!

Nice Day for a Swim!

Cliff's pup is growing up so fast! We took Jake out to Cliff's parents' house on Saturday to let him have his first water experience. We had no doubt that he would love it, but obviously being first-time parents, we couldn't just let him go alone. He started out by walking around on the steps in the shallow end, but after about ten minutes in the Texas heat, he decided to go for it and swim around by himself. After Jake was confident enough to swim in the deep end by himself, Cliff threw a "water bomb" ball into the water. Jake's first attempt was not too graceful...as he tried "digging" the ball out of the water. We could tell he was quite frustrated as he sat and barked at the ball, so finally I gave him a "love tap" into the pool. It took only a few more tries of just falling into the pool for Jake to realize he could actually jump to the ball. We were so proud of our little swimmer! Can't wait for him to start running and diving to retrieve!

He wanted that ball so bad...

His first jump...

Water-logged...

My Best Friend's Wedding...in the Bayou!

Haley and I were inseparable from the first day of school in 1st grade to the day she moved to Ohio in 8th grade. We were the two little brats that dressed the same, got glasses at the same time, spent the night with one another at least twice a week, made up skits and dance routines, started a secret club, and pestered the lifeguards every day that the neighborhood pool was open...yeah, we were "those girls". I had four friends move away during the summer between 8th and 9th grade. Haley has always been the one that kept in touch. I had the honor of being a bridesmaid in her BEAUTIFUL wedding on June 5th in Lafayette, Louisiana (well, actually Carencro, LA). I have been in multiple weddings and can honestly say that this one was my favorite! (...minus the 14 mosquito bites I received)

Side note: Before I get into the "girly" details, I need to extend a big THANK YOU to Cliff (boyfriend) and Dylan (brother) for being such troopers during our 3-day stay in Lafayette. I could not ask for two better guys to accompany me to such a special event...(and they looked so handsome too!)

Note-worthy details from Mr. and Mrs. Alex DiNunzio's wedding...

• Rehearsal Dinner: An all-day outside event; including swimming, smoked brisket, and a ping pong tournament (gotta love an athletic bride!). The setting/mood was laid-back, which made it extremely easy for Cliff and I to get to know the friends and family from Alabama and New York.


• Pre-Wedding: A morning of spa treatments (done by the bride's sister/maid of honor, Sally) and up-dos (thank you Kristen at Belle Tresse Spa and Aveda Salon) for the ladies...while the men enjoyed an afternoon at the shooting range.


• Ceremony: Outside, in the front yard of Haley's parents' estate. A true Bayou setting...a light dew on the greenest grass I've ever seen, under an old, tall mossy oak tree adorned by pink and white topiaries and tea lights. The sight was to die for! Oh, and one very important note...Carsyn (Haley's Golden Retriever) was the ring bearer...yes, adorable!


• Reception: Globe lights were strung from trees to the house to light up the dance floor and tables. A bartender was serving on the pool-side of the house, where cocktail tables lined the edge of the pool. The DJ set up his equipment on one corner of the wrap-around porch and played a wide variety of songs picked out by the bride and groom. Caterers from Prejean's delivered a true "Deep South" Cajun meal...I couldn't stop eating the crab cake appetizers.

• Cakes: The groom's cake was dutch chocolate with a chocolate chip cream-filling, covered with pretzels. The bride's cake was made with layers of wedding cake AND strawberry cake (Haley's favorite flavor).

• The Get-Away: As guests lined the driveway holding sparklers, Alex and Haley ran towards the BMW...only to surprise everyone by making a bee line to the swimming pool and jumping in...in tuxedo and wedding dress. We (the bridal party) followed them. :)


• Wedding Favors: Haley's step-father (operations manager for the company who distributes Louisiana Hot Sauce) had a personalized label made for the bride and groom, so everyone went home with a real Louisianan treat!
  
  

Take a few minutes to glance at the pictures from the weekend, as well as the businesses that made it all happen! (websites below)

• Wedding Website: http://alexandhaley.com/index.html


• Photographer: Travis Authier http://www.zoomphotostudio.com/


• Official Photos by Travis: http://www.pictage.com/788003


• Hair & Makeup: Belle Tresse Salon http://www.belletressespa.com/


• Bridesmaid Dresses: http://www.dessy.com/dresses/bridesmaid/2780/


• Caterer: Prejean's http://www.prejeans.com/


• Florist: Rodney at Les Amis www.telefloraflorist.com?id=87053100


• Accommodations: Drury Inn & Suites https://wwws.druryhotels.com/


• Wedding Favors: Bruce Foods http://www.brucefoods.com/
  

A Tough Goodbye

June 3rd was my last day of work in Dallas. I never would have thought I would actually be upset about leaving, but...I'll admit...a few tears were shed on the drive home. Leo and Rebecca (or "Becks") made a lasting impression on me. Although I considered my nanny position as "birth control", I do hope and pray that if and when I have children, they are as loving, smart, happy, and animated as those two. I can't wait to watch them grow up!

Disclaimer...

Alright, so my failure to update the blog (as often as I'd like) can be summed up by three words...I AM BUSY! I know that I am new at this, but my goal is to not let a week go by without an entry. Also, I blog while I am work, so photo uploads may be delayed until I can get home. Bare with me...please! :)

Fat's "Jake" Junior

Meet Jake. He is a pure-bred chocolate Labrador Retriever from Tyler, TX. Cliff and I picked him up on May 8th (after a bit of convincing from yours truly). Jake was bred to be a champion. His parents, both derby and field champion dogs with senior hunting certificates, are Stricklin's "Buck"aroo JH (sire) and Bayou "Roux" Belle Starr (dam). In other words, this pup is a hunter's dream. Within his first month of being part of the family, he has already experienced the Katy Trail in Dallas, played with my two Golden Retrievers (trust me, you will hear stories about Kaymen and Solomon), done to work with me, road-tripped to Austin, and met about 25 family members. Needless to say, "Jakester" is going to be very social and out-going. Cliff has already potty trained him and taught him to sit and stay. We are "crate training" him during his puppy months, and he seems to actually enjoy going to his bed when we ask him to. A lot of people see crate training as animal cruelty, but as long as the dog sees the crate as a "safe place", they don't mind it one bit. (For more information on crating, please see link below.) He currently weighs 30 pounds and is very interested in his stuffed duck toy, mini milk bones, and his Kong (when it's filled with peanut butter). I will eventually post videos once he learns new tricks. I hope you enjoy watching Jake mature as much as I do!

• http://cratetraining.net/
• http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/crate_training.html
• http://www.akc.org/index.cfm?nav_area=homepage

Starting right now...

Those who know me know that I am constantly in "go" mode. I always find myself squeezing as much as I can into every single sunrise. I am one of those people who wishes there were more than 24 hours in a day, because even after I have checked off everything on my list, I somehow find something else to do before I allow myself to rest...whether it be that single weed in the flower bed that I saw on my way in, or that quick 3 mile run that I can fit in before the sun goes down...I am always going to find that one thing that could have been put off until tomorrow.

With that said...why do I choose to blog? Good question.

Although my lifestyle may be on the go, I wanted to challenge myself to take a minute (or 15) to share a few words about those moments, places, friends, family members (and animals), and memories that make me stop and say, "wow, I am blessed."

So with that said, enjoy and visit often!