Happy Halloween!!

So this year I decided to dress up as Buckeye Scooby Doo to hand out candy to all 24 kids that came to our house this year (yes, I was able to keep a count in my head, that's how sad it was). But I had a good time and I always love dressing up as an animal. It takes me back to my days working at the Toledo Zoo...Hope everyone had a great Halloween!!

**Side note: I am behind on blogging. Coming this week will be pics from our Halloween party October 22, and from the OSU vs Wisconsin game on the 29th...

Fall Furballs

Last Sunday was one of our nicest days left in the year, temperature-wise. I took the dogs outside for some pics in the leaves before I gave them their last (probably) driveway bath until spring. Grif was more photogenic, but I did get a few good ones of Sloopy too. The first three are of my little Sloopy princess.

From here out, these are all Griffey

I think he looks so handsome in this one! He's a Big Sweetie!

Think about this before you vote...

Ok, so I am not one to get all "political" on anyone. I really think everyone has a chance to believe what they believe, etc. etc. etc. However, if you live in Toledo, I really think you need to check this out. Mark Davis, an attorney who I cannot stand, is running for a Judge position yet again. He is actually NOT recommended by 90.3% of his peers in the Toledo Bar Association. To me, those are pretty staggering statistics. Just to compare, the Judge I work for (Byers) was recommended by 96.7%. Click here to check out a website that is very well put together. It gives a lot of info that I think the average joe in Toledo needs to know about. Not just seeing his big red signs all over the city and thinking he is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Just my two cents...

Product Review - Sally Hansen Salon Effects

So I am not one to get manicures very often at all. In fact, I think I've had three in my life, and one of those was for my wedding day. And I really just don't paint my fingernails much. But about a month ago, I was at Meijer and they had Sally Hansen products buy one get one half off. I had seen ads for the Salon Effects before, so I bought a set of pink camo and silver with black spider webs for Halloween. They run for about $8.50 a set, which isn't too bad considering the price of a manicure at a salon. It took me about 20 minutes to apply, and once I got the hang of it, it was super easy. I'm very pleased with the results and I'm just curious to see how long it lasts. The box said up to ten days. I wish the picture turned out better, but you get the idea.

Petsmart Halloween Pics

So every year we take the dogs to Petsmart in their Halloween costumes, and get pictures. It's usually about $5 for a picture and a cute novelty frame, and I just enjoy dressing them up. I know what you're all thinking; Jim and I really need to have human kids! Griffey and Sloopy cooperated enough this year because I took them by myself. I've done it once before and it is a challenge, but it can be done. Above is the 2011 pic and I thought it would be fun to see what the previous years look like. Sloopy was a police officer and Griffey was Superman. I wish the picture was a little more centered, but at least both dogs are looking.

2007 - Grif is Superman and Sloops is a devil (she was only 3 months old)

2008 - Sloops as a police officer and Grif as Superman

2009 - Grif as a pumpkin and Sloopy as a police officer

2010 - Sloops as a cow and Grif as a lion

Finished Product

So we did it! We pulled it all together and got the living room finished late last night. I do have a few paint touch ups here and there, and we plan to eventually move my cabinets (full of bobbleheads and other collectibles) next to the wall by the TV. But for now, the room is done and I think it turned out great!

Renovation Realities

Okay, so I haven't blogged in a while. Sorry I've neglected it, but you'll realize why after reading this. So for starters, the above picture is my dad with his birthday present. I saw that after the OSU/Akron game this year, and just had to buy it for him. The slogan says it all...

Now for what I've been up to. I feel like I have been married to the front living room, and that I have paintbrushes as extensions of my fingers (I'm exaggerating a bit, but you catch my drift). We had to prep the room before it could be sprayed with knockdown, which was a lot more work than I ever expected. Jim did all the cosmetic stuff (patching holes, cutting trim, etc), and I was left with the nitty gritty -- painting all of the trim. So, needless to say, that made for a long couple of days.

Then on Monday, our drywall guy came and sprayed knockdown. By Tuesday, we were able to have a painting party with my parents. They were so helpful and I cannot thank them enough. I'm so blessed to have such terrific parents!

The furballs taking a nap upstairs...

Yay! We have color! And the ceiling fan is back up. It's a start!

I especially love the trim around the glass of our front door, but I will admit that it has been challenging to get that perfected.

And finally, yes, this is me giving the paint can a one finger salute. I've breathed in so many paint fumes the past 11 days and I'm just sick of looking at paint. I should be able to finish touching up some of the rough spots tomorrow, and then the room should be done. Wa hoo! I'll put up some final pics once the room is put back together. In the meantime, this tired little Van Gogh is going to get some much needed sleep.

Living Room Renovation

Between yesterday and today, we emptied our front living room into the guest room, and are working on updating the entire room. We have a lot of prep work to do, with baseboards, trim, and molding. We are then having knockdown sprayed over the entire room next Saturday. After that, it will be up to me (and my parents, God love them, are going to help since Jim will be out of the country) to get the room repainted and put back together before our Halloween party in a few weeks. It's so weird having the room empty, and everything just echoes, especially Griffey's bark! Unfortunately I did not get any real good "before" pics prior to Jim taking the room apart. We are just looking forward to crossing one more room off of our list of things to do in the house. And, it's good to get that room emptied and cleaned out...it needed a HUGE cleaning as we quickly learned!

Note that College Gameday is currently on the TV...great show!

Sloopy is a Hunter, Too!

Since it was so nice out today (70 degrees and sunny), we put the dogs outside for the majority of the day so they could get some fresh air and burn off some energy. Meanwhile, Jim and I were working in the front of the house. We went back to check on them, and found Sloopy with this in her mouth -- a dead baby squirrel. Since it was warm, Jim knew it was still fresh. But it was soaking wet...she had been gumming it in her mouth. We quickly got rid of the poor thing before she could continue to carry it around like a trophy. Jim gave her so much praise...maybe she missed her calling as a hunting dog? And as it turned out, a few hours later, Jim killed the momma squirrel. Body count is now up to 5...

These two are just simply adorable!

Cuddly Canines

Thursday morning, after breakfast, the pups were ready to go back to sleep for the day. After my morning shower, I found Grif with his head resting right next to his sister's on the bed. Of course, once I turned on the camera, they moved and changed positions. But I thought they looked so adorable all cuddled up together. I know it was the right decision to get Sloopy, because Griffey definitely needed a friend to spend the day with while Jim and I are at work.

Gone Squirrel Huntin'

Sooo, you might remember that we had a problem a few weeks back with some squirrels destroying our patio furniture in order to help prepare their nests for the winter. Well, my husband took matters into his own hands. And I apologize if you are an animal lover (as I am too). These pictures are in no way meant to show any kind of animal cruelty. It's more of "pest control." So last Friday, Jim had come home from work on the early side to take care of something else. I get a call at work toward the end of the day, telling me to look at my phone. On the phone was a picture of a dead squirrel in our trash can lid. Jim was so excited to have caught his first one. We decided to take some pics of his "trophy." Since this one, Jim has gotten two more, including one baby (which broke my heart). So as of now, the body count is at 3.

The Ides of March

Tonight I saw the new movie, The Ides of March, starring Ryan Gosling and George Clooney. You may be asking yourself, "How did she see it already when it opens Friday???" Well, shocking as it might be, last week I won four passes on the radio, courtesy of 105.5 FM. (I know you are laughing about this JEZ) They had a pre-screening tonight in Perrysburg, so Jim and my mom accompanied me. Now I won't give too much away, but I do think this is worth seeing. And I am soooo not the political type at all. In fact, it bores me. But this movie did keep my interest and did keep me awake! A victory in itself!! If you happen to go see it, let me know your thoughts on the film, especially the ending.

Now, as for blogging, I have been super lazy lately. My nightly routine has been to fall asleep wherever in the house, drag myself up to bed after midnight, and repeat the cycle the next day. I am trying to break myself of this. But I do have some updates on the squirrel situation, so stay tuned...