Good Draco Von Jody

Recently, I had the unfortunate task of saying good-bye to our dog.

Draco, the giant schnauzer, was a great dog. Unfortunately, he had hip issues for as long as we had him. Near the end of his life, I tried a few different things to help the pain, but nothing seemed to make him comfortable enough to be happy. 

Having a dog is a wonderful thing. This dog wasn't living life to the fullest, so it wasn't fair to keep him around for my own sake. 

Near the end of his life, I made sure he saw as many of his dog and human friends as possible, gave him lots of treats (including a people breakfast as his last meal), and brought him to the park and water as often as his pain would allow me to. 

This is the first time since I had to say good-bye that I have thought about him for so long without crying. The pain has subsided significantly, and though he could never be replaced, I now feel I would be ready to accept another dog into my home. 

Draco had a good home here, and he is missed. Thank you, Draco, for all the love you brought to our lives.  

I would also like to thank The Kemptville Animal Hospital. Their staff are absolutely amazing and helped make this difficult time go as smoothly as possible. They are knowledgable, kind, and patient! I highly recommend them! Plus, they have photo albums on Facebook of their patients! Adorable! 

{Daily Odd Compliment: You're like mathematics. A little difficult at times, but worth getting to know}

What Dreams May Come

Wow. It's been too long since I have written. The half-a$$ed craft room attempt doesn't count. There has been a major life shift and dealing with it has not been the easiest, but for now, let's take a look at the present..

. 

I'm feeling grateful for a multitude of things in my life, and it has given me a reason to push forward. I'm not one to stay stagnant. I do well with change and for that reason, am constantly seeking it.

This day is no exception. 

I have something pretty big up my sleeve and I can't wait to scream it to the world.

Can't wait to put up a sign in front of my house (not an apartment building).

Life doesn't wait, so I won't have to wait too long to showcase my skills and the things I love to do. Of course, dogs will be involved in this, because as I stated in my post about dog love, dogs are a necessary part of my life now. It's just how it is.

So, I will be keeping up with this blog more as I venture out on my own, away from the comforts of a government desk. Hope you will follow along with me!

{Daily Odd Compliment: I don't mind being alone, but I'd rather be with you.}

Puppy Love

I haven't always been a dog person. But, once Draco shoved his way into our lives, I was hooked. I now know that dogs are one of life's necessities. 

We have pretty much always had pets growing up, but nothing too serious. 

A dog is a fair amount of work and while I was pregnant and we were talking of getting a dog, there is no way I was going to get a puppy. We love to travel and the idea of having a dog seems like a hassle. I wasn't convinced until I saw picture of the black hair ball and long tongue sitting in the grass. 

Of course, if they had properly represented his size, I may have hesitated, but he is the perfect dog for us! 

This past march break, I took care of many dogs and I absolutely loved it! 

So a dream was born - A doggy daycare. 

Who wouldn't want to be surrounded by dogs all day?! 

I want to take a personal dog trainer course, to be able to understand and work with dogs a little better. But if there is 1 thing I have learned from dogs, it's that love is most definitely the way into anyone's heart! 

Currently, besides randomly dog sitting, I work for the Government. 

Ottawa is a Government city, so it's really no surprise, I'm sure. However, every time I walk into the office building, I feel a part of my soul die. 

I want to give all the love back and that's not happening here. 

I'm not exactly sure of who I am (does anybody?) but I know I don't like the person I am becoming by working in this glass building. 

So, on weekends, I clean up dog leavings, to get me a little closer to my dream.

This week, I am taking care of Cleo and Xander again and it's heavenly. 
Cleo even let me cuddle with her! Seriously, that never happens! 

Here's to the future being even more dog filled!

{Daily Odd Compliment: Your smile is proof that the best things in life are free}

Big Girl Room Part 2

I thought I should write a post about a few of Abby's bedroom amenities, enjoy! 

 

My personal favourite is the headband holder, for which my inspiration was drawn from Jessica at Sunny Tuesday.

 

I love how easy it was for me to make! In hindsight, I should have measured the area between the buttons because I made a few spaces too tight for some of Abby's headbands. However, I was able to put some hair clips in those spaces.

 

 

My next coolest project I stole from Laura at Come Together Kids.

 

Instead of using a beanbag chair cover, to make a seat out of stuffed animals, I used a Princess sheet that wasn't being loved. I folded the sheet into 3 and measured the length to make it even.

 

How could I actually think I can do work without the help of the dog?

 

This is what the seat looks like once it is sewn. Since I realised it was waaay too big, I cut a section off after it was sewn to make a pillow, where all the doll blankets are kept (when I have a more time, I will sew the opening shut a little more).  

 

 

I think she likes it! Success!  

 

Another neat thing Abby and I made together is her jewelry organiser. I have seen some that are much fancier, but I wanted to make her something personalised, simple, and of course, awesome.

I glued one of Abby's pictures, as well as a few bows I cut out of a colouring book, and some stickers. I used my favourite craft supply - Mod Podge. 

 

To finish it off, I screwed in some picture hooks and attached a ribbon to it.

 

 

And, every room needs some art. This was another collaborative project that my sister and I made.

We took some of Abby's artwork and cut it to fit the 5x7 frames. Then, I laid out the puzzle pieces to get an idea of how I wanted them. I used double sided foam tape to affix the pieces to the glass. You can't really see it in this picture, but the puzzle pieces stick out a little, which I like.

 

All in all, I had a lot of fun putting this room together for Abby, and she is actually trying to keep it clean! Go team!

 

 

{Daily Odd Compliment: I can't live without you. I said to my computer. But I'd say the same thing to you}