The Evolution of Dog Ownership

When Jeff and I first brought Addy home, I had agreed to a short list of Jeff's rules for having a dog. I, of course, never intended to actually follow these rules, but I figured it was worth a few days of promising in order to actually get the puppy I had been wanting for so long...


Rule #1: The dog will stay outside or in her crate at all times when we are not home.


Rule #2: The dog must stay on the ground floor of the house. She is NEVER allowed in the bedroom.


Rule #3: Our dog will always remember that she is a DOG.


The following pictures are intended to show you how well these rules (specifically the third one) have turned out in the 13 months or so that we've had Addy.

These were taken this past weekend at the lake, where she traveled on my lap, wore a life jacket, rode in a float, and slept in bed beside us. :)


Nothing softens a man's heart like a beautiful blonde!

Reason #1...

... Why living in your hometown can be difficult:

Let's just get right to the point... I have gained a lot of weight since graduating from high school. There, now it is out in the open.

So this summer, I have committed to eating healthier and working out more often. (Lucky you, getting to follow this wild adventure too!) And so far, I've done pretty well... (2 days and counting!) Well, yesterday I went to a kickboxing class with my mom at our gym. I had brand new tennis shoes to sport and, since it was stifling hot here yesterday, I decided to wear a pair of shorts to the class. Problem is: my shorts were a little too short and tight around the thighs. (Is this awkward? I'm sorry for the mental image.)

So... I walk into the class a few minutes late and who is right beside my mom -- but a friend from high school who also happens to be the posterchild for exercise. Now, as if being in a hot room surrounded by mirrors was not enough, I have to stand next to this beautiful girl (who literally did not drop a bead of sweat) with my shorty-shorts riding up on me, literally drenched in sweat. Awesome!

In conclusion:

Dear friend at the gym,
Please know that I was well aware of the way my legs looked in those shorts - and I'm not proud of it. I did fail to consider the number of kicks and leg raises presented in a kickboxing class when selecting an outfit to wear. I was thoroughly embarrassed and apologize for what you may have seen. Believe it or not, being at the class was really an attempt to correct the problem! Thank you for not judging in your heart.

Love,
Elizabeth

Getting Started

Ok, let's be honest, my blog has been set-up for weeks now but I've been waiting for something "interesting" to happen to write about. Well, that didn't happen so, here you go: A glimpse at my mostly regular life...

School has been out now for over two weeks. I have become an expert at creating very elaborate To Do lists in my planner - in extremely neat handwriting, I might add - and then promptly avoiding the list by surfing facebook, logging calories, shopping, and now... blogging. Summer is off to an awesome start!!

On a more positive note, last week I got to spend time with two very special groups of people. First, Jeff and I spent three days at Sandbridge Beach with my dad's entire extended family - 34 adults & five babies. Here are a few things I learned about myself from spending quality time with the Mulvaney Clan.

1. My transparent, freckled skin is an Irish blessing. (Please tell that to my bathing suit.)

2. Mulvaneys love to cry. (This was especially insightful for Jeff, who I think truly believed that I had an emotional eye disorder.)

3. I can actually be a little stalkerish when it comes to babies. ***NOTE*** I have baby fever pretty bad. I'm over the "going out" phase and now, literally, dream about being up all night with a newborn. Weird, I know.

4. I did not get the Mulvaney "drinking gene."

5. My family is great. We don't get to see each other much, but I really had a great time. Jeff and I talked on our way home about how lucky we are, and how special family is. It was great to talk to my different relatives about things like my history, my faith, and my future. :)

After the beach trip (and a thrilling meeting about summer school), I headed west to spend four days with my very best friends (from Clemson) in the mountains of North Carolina. These eleven beautiful girls never fail to make me cry AND laugh more than anyone else in the world! This year we had a special addition to the crew, baby Quinn McDonald - the first boy ever invited to spend the night with all twelve of us! :) It was so nice to be around a group that makes me feel so comfortable and loved. We had lots of girltalk, cheez-its, and fun. Can't wait till next time!