looking ahead for the new year.

Welcome to 2013, friends! I hope you celebrated in style! True to form, I stayed in and watched episodes of HIMYM before falling asleep early - which, in all honesty was absolutely perfect and just what I needed! Today, however, was filled with fun and friends and (lots of) food, so Claire and I both did our fair share of celebrating!

I've been thinking lately about this blog and how much it has changed over the past few years. When I started out, I really had absolutely no idea of what I was doing. Some days I still feel that way, actually. For awhile, I put a lot of time into promoting and giveaways and product reviews and advertising and blah blah blah, but all that brought was a great deal of frustration. Thanks to a good friend, I remembered why I started this blog in the first place: to create a journal of my life with Claire. I want to be able to look back some day and remember all of the fun we've had, all the lessons I've learned through her, and especially all of the love and laughter she's brought to my life. There is enough seriousness in life, and this blog, for the most part, allows me to document stories that counteract that.

That being said, my blogging goals for 2013 definitely include staying true to my original purpose. Others are:
-- less Instagram pics and more professional photos of Claire and friends
-- go to this year's BarkWorld conference with Katie, Neely, Lauren&Paige, Lauren and Joey, and Blake
-- have more people write guest posts and/or start a series
-- create a new design
-- if there is a conflict with blogging time and quality time (with Claire, with friends, with Claire AND friends), let quality time win every time.

What are some of your goals for 2013, related to blogging or otherwise?

TGIF.

It has been a busy few weeks around here. I'm sure that most 27-year-olds are out on this Friday night having a grand old time with their pals and staying out until the wee hours of the morning, but not this girl. Nope. I can honestly say that there is nowhere else I'd rather be than in this bed, snuggled up with Claire. Let's give a quick recap of recent happenings, yes?

• Work. Work is always crazy busy, but especially when you're covering for a coworker. [Elizabeth, next time you go to Switzerland, don't forget to pack me in your suitcase. Just kidding... or am I?]
• Preparing for a conference. I have a little over a month to do some research, make a powerpoint presentation, and come up with an hour's worth of pediatric social work goodness to present at a national conference. [I'm really excited about this opportunity, and I've got some great material. The only hitch is that I have a slight phobia of public speaking...]
• Uganda. The missions trip with Visiting Orphans is three months away, and it's coming up quick! We've been doing a lot to prepare, both individually and collectively. A lot of the planning has been for our fundraising event that is tomorrow night [if you're in Nashville, you should come!]
• Dog-sitting. I love my friends. I love dogs. So, it just makes sense that I help 'em out by doing this, you know? Also, Claire loves it! She gets to hang out (a) with me, (b) explore new places, and (c) hang out with her puppy friends. What more could she possibly want? [Answer: an endless supply of Nylabones].
• Photography. My other job. You know, aside from being a social worker and blogger. I absolutely adore photography, and I cherish the times that I get to use this creative outlet - especially when getting to take pictures of people's beloved pets! [That being said, I'm booking shoots into the fall, so let me know if you're interested!]
• Working out isn't my favorite way to spend my time, but it's important. You know, for my health and all that. I try to go 2-3 times a week, which gets a little tricky now and then, but I try to make it happen. [Unfortunately, in this case, it's not the thought that counts].

Even with all of this great stuff going on, the most important thing is that I get to spend some solid time with Claire each day. She goes to school with her friends on my busiest days, so when we get home, we usually just get into bed and cuddle [and there's no complaining from me about this!] while I blog or read or watch a movie. During the other days of the week - the less busy ones - I rush home, pick her up, and we go for walks and hang out at the park for a couple hours. Lately, I've been trying to squeeze in some time to teach her some new tricks, too - she loves to learn, that's for sure!

Claire is one of my main priorities, and because of that, I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. I'm always up for a quiet night at home with my best friend - especially with the busyness that has been going on throughout the past few weeks. It's no sacrifice at all. :)

    

i love a rainy night.

Remember my awesome friend Lauren who I met at the BarkWorld conference along with her dog Paige? You know, they are the talent behind the 1-800-Pet-Meds and Nylabone commercials! Wellllllll, Claire and I went to visit them (and Paige's brother Dexter) in DC over Christmas on our way back to Nashville from Cape Cod.

Claire, Paige, and Dexter hanging out together in DC!

At the time, Lauren said that she and Paige were getting ready to start canine freestyle [I totally wish we had classes like this in Nashville because I would love to try it!]. And hey, they just won first place in their first competition! Available for your viewing pleasure, here's their winning routine, performed to "I Love a Rainy Night!" Choreography by none other than Miss Lauren herself!

Want more Lauren&Paige? Check out more amazing videos from our pals here!

angel eyes.

When I went to BarkWorld back in October, I had the pleasure of meeting Miss Courtney Johnson from Explore.org - an organization that uses media to promote the philanthropic acts of others. Amazing, right?! Well, interestingly enough, Explore.org has a social media community on Facebook called Dog Bless You, which specifically focuses on the selfless acts of animals. [Seriously, how much more incredible can this organization possibly be?!] Courtney contacted me a few days ago and let me know that they are currently running a Facebook campaign called "Angel Eyes" - and I want to challenge you all to join in this very worthy cause.

For the remainder of this month, Dog Bless You is running a "like" drive: for every 5,000 new "likes" on the Dog Bless You Facebook page, Explore.org will donate a guide dog to a blind individual through an accredited guide dog organization. There are two ways in which you can get involved - and my hope is that you will do both! First, take two seconds and click the "like" button on the Facebook page for Dog Bless You. Next, spread the word! Share the link to this post on your own Facebook page to let others know about the amazing work that Explore.org is doing. The more people who know about this campaign, the more people can help!

  

the dearest of the dear.

We're baaaack! We took a couple days off from blogging while my cousin Caroline came to visit, and both of us are very sad that she had to return to Boston. But what better way to raise our spirits than to see that we got another blog award! YAY!!

According to my pal Katie who passed this award onto us, liebster means "dearest" in German. I have to take her word for it because... well... I don't speak German. This award is intended to help up-and-coming blogs get the attention they deserve, so in accepting this award, I now have the honor of passing it on to five other blogs who have less than 200 followers!

1. The Giving Paw - Neely's organization is amazing. It is a wish list service that allows your family and friends to give cash gifts to help pay for pet care - including food, toys and treats, unexpected emergency medical expenses, etc. In addition to helping you put together a wish list for your pet, this site is also the home of Neely's blog. Check out both!

2. Ours for a Lifetime - Cabana was placed with Mimi for training, as the intent was for her to be a guide dog for the blind. However, Cabana decided on a career change and is now happily enjoying life as Mimi's playful pup instead.

3. Live Bark Love - Kas has FIVE dogs - Evee, Bailey, Diesel Wayne, Kylie Anne, and Cinco - and they are all incredible at agility. Her blog has a variety of pictures and videos, which are sure to keep you entertained for hours on end!

4. Smart Dog - Laurie's blog has the best of both worlds - informative posts and funny posts. Her style of writing pulls you in and keeps you hooked, and you'll be checking back daily to see if there's an update. I feel like I know her and her dogs personally, so giving her this blog award is the least I can do!

5. Ossian and Koda - I met Ossian and Koda (and their parents) at BarkWorld 2011, and I fell in love with them instantly. I think I can safely say that Ossian fell in love with me too, but Koda was a little wary. I'm hoping that I'll see them again at BarkWorld 2012 so that I can sneak Koda some treats to get into her good graces. Anyway, one one of the things that I love about this blog is that some of the posts are written from their point of view!

So there you have it: five up-and-coming blogs. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
 
 

i'd just like to thank...

You know what? I'm just going to admit it: I like blog awards. But I would, because I'm all about encouragement and praise [giving it and receiving it], and a blog award falls right into that category! So thank you, Lauren and Desmond for thinking of us and passing it on! I'm excited to extend the compliment to six of my favorite blogs, too! But before I do the honors, I'm supposed to list some fun facts. These fun facts are going to be related to today and this weekend in particular, along with some other random things that are on my mind!

1. I'm spending this weekend puppysitting for Claire's friends Ollie and Darby while Erin&Jake go on a cruise. Claire hasn't seen them in awhile, so they're having a ton of fun catching up and playing hard. Rambunctious is a good word to describe the three of them right now, as I'm watching them take turns tackling each other.
2. Claire usually smells like maple syrup - hence the "last name" of Butterworth - but when we're at La Casa de Ollie&Darby, I find that she tends to smell like molasses. No complaints here! Either way, she's sweet as sugar... [I had to say it].
3. Claire's favorite treats are frozen 2" raw marrow bones. They're excellent for her teeth/breath, but I believe the cause of her pancreatitis was from giving her 4" ones. They were a little too rich for her. Note to self: 2"=good, 4"=pancreatitis. We're taking a hiatus from them altogether for just a little while. Solely because I'm nervous that the pancreatitis will flair up again without Claire taking a substantial break from all things rich and delicious.
4. I find it amazing how people learn to communicate with their dogs. I swear, sometimes Claire just looks at me, and I know what she is thinking and/or asking. I don't think one can understand this unless they've experienced it, so if you don't know what I'm talking about, you probably think I'm crazy. Go adopt a dog and then you'll see what I mean.
5. I took today off from work so that I could do some life-giving activities (including taking a long nap with Claire, which was very much needed). It made me realize that people need to live a little more of a dog's life; dogs spend the majority of their time sleeping, eating, playing. Sometimes they do work (agility, pet-therapy, rally, tracking), but they keep a good balance. Minimal stress. They've got it right. So do Europeans. [Just saying].
6. I'm considering making some homemade dog treats this weekend. You know, if I am feeling ambitious. Got any suggestions?

Okay, time to pass on the award! Make sure you check out these amazing blogs - they keep me laughing!

1. Barley&Ali - Ali left a comment on our last post, and I've been obsessed with her blog ever since! While you're visiting her blog, leave a comment for her and let her know that you're thinking of Barley as he recovers from surgery.
2. Magnolia the Therapy Dog - This was the first pet blog I ever read, and it's been so cool to follow along with Maggie's adventures. I love the way Jay writes, and his posts are peppered with adorable pictures of Maggie! He also inspired me to work with Claire as a therapy dog, and I can't possibly thank him enough for that!
3. Sage&Erin - Erin posts about once a month, but even knowing that, I find myself checking her blog every week to see if there's an update! I feel like Erin and I could be friends if we lived near each other because she's just that awesome! She started this blog to chronicle her memories with Sage, which is why I originally started my blog as well. Start reading at the beginning - you'll laugh, you'll cry, and everything in between!
4. Life with Arie - I met Katie in October at the BarkWorld conference, and I loooove her! We became fast friends. And how could we not, when we're both "Life With" girls? Her blog is a great mix of fun and helpful information. And she does product reviews, which has saved me both time and money when looking for things to buy Claire!
5. Dog Milk - This website is chock full of products (for dogs and dog lovers alike) that you can't find at chain pet stores. Each item that is featured links up to the designer's website so that you can find it easily. If I had hours of free time, I'd gladly spend it browsing this site!
6. Fido and Wino - Shauna's blog began when she was single and continued on through dating, marriage, adopting two dogs, and now... she's having a baby, y'all! This blog chronicles ALL of that. But now that a baby is on the way, she talks more about Fido and less about Wino. She's responsible like that.

Now I'm ready for some chill time with three sleepy dogs. So I'm going to go do that while you check out those blogs!

  

welcoming the wintertime.

Since I've lived in Nashville, I've noticed that the fall season holds on as long as it can until winter finally comes crashing in. After the blazing hot summer that we had, it will be nice to pull out the cozy blankets, sweaters, and scarves. [Remind me that I said that in a few weeks when I'm crying out for the summer to come back]. It's supposed to rain all day tomorrow and then drop to 32*F tomorrow night. Being from New England, I'm used to lots of ice, but I'm also used to snow plows and rock salt and ice scrapers.

During my first winter in Nashville - which was also my first winter with Claire - not only did I learn about the city's lack of proper equipment to keep everyone safe during snowy/icy conditions, but I also learned about how dangerous rock salt is for dogs. It gets between their paw pads and causes abrasions. The dogs then lick their paws, leading to the ingestion of rock salt, which makes them extremely sick. When the vet warned me about this, I bought little booties for Claire - not as a fashion statement, but to keep her safe. She was high-stepping around town for a whole ten minutes before deciding that she'd had enough, and she ripped them off and tore them to shreds. I got the message. That was not going to work. I ended up spending the winter wiping her paws off with warm water every single time we came inside.

When I went to the BarkWorld conference a couple weeks ago, I found out about a product that will change your life. Or, it will at least change your winter: thanks to Morton Salt's Safe-T-Pet Ice Melt, I don't have to make Claire wear boots, nor do I have to worry about washing her paws constantly. It's salt-free and chloride-free - safe for pets, safe for people. And guess what else! Morton is making a donation of $20,000 to the ASPCA to help keep pets safe in homes and in shelters. But they need your help!! Increase their donation by visiting the Morton Salt Facebook page and "liking" the page - Morton is going to donate an additional $1 for each "like" that they receive before January 31 which could equal up to $75,000 in total donations. They have also posted some great winter pet safety tips on their FB page too, so go check it out, and then let me know if you have any tips to add by leaving a comment for me!

  

the five people you need to know.

I'm back from the BarkWorld conference (and missing my new friends already!), and I have so much to tell you all! I'm going to break it up into multiple blog posts over the next couple months so that I don't have a 234901245562 word post coming at you all at once! Aren't I sweet? :)

In this post, I want to introduce you to five great people who you really just need to know. Seriously, your life will be better with them in it. I have BarkWorld to thank, and now you all will have me to thank! So here we go!

1.  Neely Raffellini is the mastermind behind The Giving Paw and The Pet Entrepreneur. The former is a pet wish list service where you can register your pet so that family and friends can help you with cash gifts for all of your pets needs and wants. The latter will allow you to contact Neely so that she can help you start up your own pet-related business - and she is currently helping me launch my own (details are soon to follow!) so I can personally vouch for her awesomeness. She will help you take your idea and run with it, educating you about the essential tools that you will need for your business to succeed, and she'll stick with you every step of the way! If she can deal with me and my thousands of questions, she will certainly be able to help you!

2.  Lauren Girard is hands down one of my new favorite people, and her dog, Paige, is one of my new favorite dogs [Watch out, Lauren, because I might steal her if I get the chance!] Lauren is so down-to-earth, hilariously funny (she can keep up with my humor, how about that!), and one of the most genuine people I have ever met. She is a huge proponent of clicker training, and her work with Paige is proof that positive reinforcement is the way to go! Lauren and Paige are in a number of commercials, have been featured on the David Letterman show, and have had an article written about them in Readers Digest. Visit them at Lauren&Paige; watch some videos, be amazed, and feel your heart melt when you see these two together!

3.  Katherine Moore and I hit it off right away - and why wouldn't we, as two gorgeous brunettes who love their dogs?! Katie has a blog entitled Life With Arie (I, for one, love the title!) where she shares tips on nutrition and pet care, in addition to sharing stories about her beautiful white German Shepherd, Arie. When I started reading Katie's blog, I was instantly pulled in because of her writing style - she writes like she talks, so her personality just shines right through! I do have to tell you all a little secret about Katie, however: she is also a master at making animal faces (particularly the llama). I think you all should visit her blog and leave a comment telling her to post a picture of this imitation... Just don't tell her that you heard it from me!

4.  Rabon Major is the fresh new face that you'll see at the Atlanta Humane Society. She has been working extremely hard to ensure that all goes smoothly for the upcoming opening of their new (and incredible) site in Alpharetta GA. In addition, she manages ALL of the AHS social media - follow her on Twitter (@atlantahumane) and "Like" the AHS page on Facebook to stay up-to-date about the dogs and cats of AHS, AHS rescue operations, and all of the fundraising events.

5.  Lorien Clemens of Pet Hub had me astounded when she told me all about this business. Pet Hub is your one-stop-shop for all pet owners. But what had me amazed is the part where you can create a profile to streamline all of the information about your pet (care instructions, medical conditions and treatments, veterinary providers, likes/dislikes, etc) and send the profile to those who are caring for them while you are away. In addition, the service provider watching your pet while you're on vacation can write updates about your pet which will then be emailed and texted to you so that you will know what's happening when it's happening. Thanks to a QR tag affixed to your pet's collar, if he or she gets lost, anyone who finds them can type in the URL to pull up the profile, allowing your pet to come home to you as soon as possible. Check. It. Out.

There are a number of other fantastic people who I met at the conference, and I will absolutely be telling you all about them in upcoming posts. I'll give you a chance to get acquainted with these five for now, but be sure to check back for more!

...That was still a 234901245562 word post...
  
  

gearing up for barkworld.

I realize that I have been somewhat MIA over the past few days (in person, by phone, text, the blog, Twitter, FB... you name it!) but I've been extremely busy at work trying to tie up loose ends. Especially because I'll be spending the next few days in Atlanta at the Barkworld conference! Claire will be hanging out with her friends at Bark-O-Lounge; I really wish I could bring her to Atlanta with me, but the doggie daycare at the conference filled up pretty quickly, and I think she would destroy the hotel room if I let her hang out there while I was attending the sessions. But she'll have fun as usual, and she will be working as Lead Squirrel Chaser, so she'll be busy! While she's having fun doing that, I'll get to spend some time with blogging buddies, network like crazy, hear Victoria Stillwell speak, and participate in some really great workshops! My goal is to keep you all updated about the conference, and I can promise you that I will do my best - the next couple days will be pretty packed, so I may not get a chance to blog until I get back home, but I will certainly try! You can guarantee that I'll be tweeting throughout the whole thing though, so feel free to follow! I'll talk to you all soon!