Mona Update - Kelly

Miss Mona has been living with us for a little over six months now and Nate and I have to agree- while it hasn't been the easiest few months she is a fabulous addition to our family.

As some of you might now she had some pretty big health issues that developed right after we brought her home that resulted in a major surgery over the summer followed by pretty extensive follow up care. But we're happy to report that a week ago she got a clear bill of health and is as happy as can be.

Mona is a totally different dog than Lucy- she's super curious (there is absolutely no hiding when someone new comes over even though it takes her awhile to realize even the strangers that come in to our house are going to be nice to her), she's super responsive (all you have to do is say "no" loudly and her ears will be down, eyes, closed, curled up on the floor...), and she's SUPER cuddly (Lucy will tolerate being pet for a few minutes- Mona would literally stay next to you all day if you'd let her!).  Somehow their personalities seem to compliment each other perfectly- I think they're both happier dogs because they're companions.

Mona is also IN LOVE with Nate... seriously, he can do no wrong.  If he leaves before me in the morning Mona will roam our apartment (which isn't that big, mind you) for a good 20 minutes before she'll give it up that he's actually gone.  And you've never seen a happier dog than when he walks in the front door after being gone- even if it was for 15 minutes.

Even though two dogs can be a bit crazy at times (the poor squirrels in our neighborhood likely have post-traumatic disorder from our little angels terrorizing them... ) we couldn't be happier about Mona being a part of our family. :)

New Favorite Bar - Brady

I've got one. Last night Kevin and I decided that Molly needed somewhere to show off her new haircut. (The groomer put pink bows on her ears which I had mixed feelings about and which Kevin took one look at and said "Humiliating." He doesn't think Molly is a pink ribbons kind of gal.) Here are the best pictures I could get, so you have a visual:

Anyway, we'd heard about this bar around the corner called Jake's Pub that allows dogs to come in. We had a blast this summer taking Molly to dog-friendly patios so I was excited about finding a place we can bring her along to in the winter. I didn't really get my hopes up, though. I thought it might be awkward and crowded and stressful or that she'd misbehave or annoy people or never settle down. I had planned to take her on my own while Kevin was at a work happy hour but kind of chickened out and settled in for a quiet evening at home. At the last minute, though, Kevin texted and asked if I wanted to meet at Jake's, and we went for it. It was fantastic.

First of all, there was hardly anyone there, and the people who were ooo'd and ah'd and made a big fuss over Molly. Second, shortly after we arrived another dog named Mika came in. Mika is a regular, apparently, and her owner encouraged us to let Molly off leash, saying the owners and bartenders didn't mind at all. It was a fabulous decision. Molly and Mika wrestled, ran around, ogled the pool balls, and only caused a little bit of trouble. (Molly kept going behind the bar and looking for toys - we had to lure her out with popcorn every time.) She greeted everyone in the bar, and they all petted her and told her they liked her ridiculous bows. AND, for the humans in our family, Jake's carries local and seasonal beers on tap and plays good music.

It was the most fun I've had at a bar in a long time. I've had a rough couple of days, and for a few hours I was 100% happy hanging out with my dog in a bar. I think I know where I'll be spending many a winter night this year.

Rocktober - Brady

I always feel like there's way too much to pack into October. It's such a great month with such great weather, there are awesome October-themed foods to eat (Oktoberfest beer, pumpkin everything, sweet potato everything, apple everything), and you actually welcome - because you're not tired of it yet - cool mornings and evenings. Here's a little bit of how we made the most of it. 

GRRACE's Rescue Romp:

GRRACE is the organization we used to find and adopt Molly. Every year, they hold an annual picnic, and about forty beautiful Golden Retrievers take over a barn at the Lebanon, Indiana fairgrounds. We had the best time. Everyone kept saying they couldn't believe we drove all the way down from Chicago "so Molly could have a play date," but we couldn't believe they thought we'd miss it! It was also Kevin's birthday weekend, and although he now knows what he'll be doing on that Saturday for the rest of Molly's life, I don't think he minds. :)

A small taste of the chaos.

Kevin's birthday donut, on the drive down.

The Chicago Marathon:

We looooove watching The Chicago Marathon when we're in town. There's something so inspiring about it. 

The front-runners.

Molly taking it all in.

Coffee and pastry stop down the street.

Several hours later, the not-front-runners pass by as we have brunch.

Camping at Starved Rock State Park:

Wow. We just barely summoned the energy to squeeze in one more camping trip this summer and it was worth it. We had beautiful autumn weather, somehow finagled the prettiest campsite, and beat the crowds to the trails. I had trouble deciding which of our many pictures to include here.

Trip to Portland, Oregon:

Another one with too many pretty pictures to choose from. We flew out to Oregon to visit Kevin's aunt and uncle, to see my cousin and his family, and just to check out a city we'd heard so many great things about. It exceeded my expectations. We ate incredibly well, the scenery was beautiful, and the people were friendly. We can't wait to go back. 

And now it's November, and we're home, and we will be home for quite some time, settling in for the holidays and then for winter. It's getting dark by 5 p.m. now and it feels like there's a little less to pack in. Just lots of time for reading, watching movies, sitting by the fire, getting lots of work done, drinking coffee, and eating comfort food.