New Year's Eve!!!!

Well of course I couldn't miss the opportunity to make my last post of the year on New Year's Eve. It is tradition in my family to have game night. That's what my plans are here as well. I even bought a new game for the occasion.

Back in Phx the city is gearing up for the Fiesta Bowl sponsored by Tostitos. Therefore it is tradition to drop a LARGE replica Tostitos chip into a bowl of Tostitos salsa at the stroke of midnight. Yes, I know it's a rather lame tradition. Lol! Nonetheless it's a tradition! In honor of my AZ roots I plan on having some Tostitos chips and some Tostitos bean dip. However, the dip will be well disguised in a 7-layer dip that I plan on making this afternoon. I am curious what the tradition is here!

Side note: I obviously grew up watching and caring very much about the Fiesta bowl and parade. It's awesome that for my first year in Texas the bowl I grew up watching is hosting TCU. I've even been to the TCU campus! Since a Texas school is in the Fiesta bowl it means Fiesta bowl shirts are on display at numerous stores. Go Horned Frogs!!!


Happy New Year's Eve! Everyone back in the Phx area, enjoy yourselves!

A White Christmas in Dallas!

I can't believe it snowed on Christmas eve than stayed around for Christmas! Amazing!! I was baking when it first began to snow. I was thinking it would be done snowing and possible gone by the time I was finished in the kitchen. Little did I realize it was going to continue for as long as it did.

It was very enjoyable to see snow and throw a few snowballs. All of my snowballs were sadly misshaped due to my hands being so cold. But oh well! It was fun to take the boys out in the snow too. For my family back in Phoenix I'm sure most that read this will chuckle to themselves as they picture the "Cody-man" in the snow. Cody isn't fond of cold weather! He actually did rather well dealing with the snow. He had a harder time yesterday with the cold rain and sleet that turned to snow.

Below are pictures of our Christmas snow!

Merry Christmas!!!

Lots has been going on. I do love this time of year but I also find it stressful. Trying to find the perfect gift for those on your list. Dealing with crowds of people. Not to mention...traffic! By the time Christmas Eve comes though I seem to relax and take in the moment!

It was gorgeous yesterday, I almost didn't need long-sleeves. It really didn't feel like Christmas time though. But never fear, today we had a major temperature drop. It's now a icy rainy cold day. Definitely feels more like Christmas! Some hot cocoa will taste great later!!!

For me and the pugs it's our first Christmas in Texas! I want to wish everyone back in Phoenix a very Merry Christmas! Know that me and the pugs are doing well and are happy here in Dallas! Much Love!!!! Below are some fun holiday photos with the boys!!!!

Despite Being Miles Away!

As I was making my previous post my cousin Glenn called me. He was ecstatic! As I picked up the phone he excitedly said, "Guess what?". I replied with the appropriate response of, "What?". Then he began to tell me that Amare Stoudemire was in the store where he works. He proceeded to explain his encounter and then hung up to go get a picture with Stoudemire. Lol!!!

I saw Kurt Warner at the same mall Glenn works at about a year ago. Believe me I was similarly excited!! That mall is a hot spot for the valley of the sun celebs!

I know this post seems more appropriate for a ventures in Phoenix blog than a ventures in big D blog. However, despite me being so far away from my fave cousins it's nice to know they think of me first to share exciting things with. Even though I'm not in Phoenix the bond that we share is still very much there!

Colder Temps!

Now being from Phoenix, I have little experience with colder temperatures. I did spend a couple of years in Seattle, which helped me get used to a colder climate. At the time I lived in Seattle I often thought if I could live there and handle the icy rainy dark days I could live anywhere.

I must admit I expected Dallas weather to be slightly more comparable to Phoenix weather. In retrospect I'm glad it's not. However, the colder weather is taking some getting used to for me. Today I was determined to take the boys for their typical long walk to the park and back. I have avoided this long walk in recent weeks partly due to the colder weather. But as I already said...I was determined today. I decided I needed to just get out and start walking with the boys hoping that I would soon get used to the icy wind that was blowing at me. The first 10 minutes I was freezing. I reminded myself a couple times to not be a wimp and that this is Dallas cold not Chicago cold or Green Bay cold. I'm happy to report all three of us made it through the walk! I doubt the boys felt a sense of accomplishment but I definitely did! Thirty degree temperatures in the middle of the day do not exist where I come from!

Story to end with...I talked to my cousin Trevor last week. When I told him it snowed the other day he was in total disbelief. For some reason the perception of Dallas is that it's warmer than it truly is. I really had no clue Dallas ever got snow until I moved here either.

Stuffed Reindeer Massacre and Peanut Butter!

Cody celebrated his 8th birthday yesterday. I hope he enjoyed the toys he received! Simon tore one toy apart just minutes after I gave them the 2 new toys that my mom had sent. It was a stuffed reindeer massacre!

I would venture to guess that one of the highlights of Cody's day would have been when I gave each dog an empty jar of peanut butter to clean out. They both love peanut butter! Cody gets bored and moves on to something else typically when his jar is completely cleaned out. Lol! Simon on the other hand continues to clean out the jar even after it is clearly all gone. It's as if he is expecting it to replenish for him.

Simon obviously doesn't much appreciate toys that he gets. But as for Cody...he has played with only the new toys he received yesterday. I have yet today to see him play with any of his old toys. His favorite seems to be a bright yellow duck that rattles and squeaks. I guess squeaking dog toys wasn't enough the manufacturers had to add a rattle noise. Lol!!!

A short story to end with. For Cody's first birthday I bought him a stuffed birthday cake that sang 'Happy Birthday'. Big mistake!!! Cody loved hearing the music and constantly squeezed the cake in the right spot for it to start singing. It wasn't that terribly annoying to me at first but after waking up many mornings to the sound of that singing cake it got old real fast! Finally, after numerous encounters with Simon the singing mechanism inside the cake broke! Thank you Simon!

Cody's Birthday!

Cody is about to celebrate his 8th birthday on Sunday. I can't believe I have had the little guy for nearly 8 years. Such a lovely and yet sometimes stubborn little boy.

I opened up my email today to discover a birthday ecard from Cody's vet in my inbox. After the card loaded it had dancing dogs that cheerfully wished Cody a happy birthday. It was very cute and hilarious!

As far as what Cody wants for his birthday...warmer weather! The poor little guy is not fond of cold weather. He has a big fur coat but still shivers when I take him outside. I doubt that birthday wish will come true for him so he will have to be happy with a rawhide and a Christmas toy for his bday gifts! We had snow the other day and more is predicted it would be quite ironic but yet irritating to Cody if it snows on his bday. Lol!!!

Thanksgiving!

It will be my first Thanksgiving in Texas! I'm excited to be here and I am not regretting my decision to stay in Texas for the holiday. However, I am preparing myself for a few slight homesick moments that may creep up on Thursday.

There's only been one other Thanksgiving that I have spent not in Phoenix and without family visiting me where I was. That was a very drizzly Seattle Thanksgiving. Thankfully the weather in Dallas will be better than in Seattle. One huge difference this Thanksgiving will be that I will be cheering for the Cowboys to win on Thanksgiving day. Not that I have hoped for them to lose in the past but I have been more neutral than I am now. Yes, you all read correctly I will be cheering for the Cowboys to win! I can't stand the Raiders!

I hope all of my family enjoys their Thanksgiving! Know that I'm thinking about all of you!!! Much Love!!!!

Sweetness!

The last time I received flowers was from my uncle for my sweet sixteen. Yes, it's been many years since then. My uncle had taken time out of his work day to bring them to me at my high school. It was a very memorable moment!

Well, I received flowers for the first time from a boyfriend this past Friday night. When my boyfriend arrived at my door I opened it to see him standing there with a little grin on his face. I didn't see the flowers at first, he had them behind his back. Before he stepped inside he brought the flowers out from behind his back. I was definitely surprised!

The flowers are red roses with a red bow. I love the color red! I am much appreciative to the fact that he had the idea, took the time, and spent the money to get me flowers. I said in the last post that he is a sweet guy! Such a sweetie!!!!

The Motorcycle Show

Growing up I never was seriously interested in motorcycles or things in that category. My uncle and cousins rode ATVs. Every time I tried to get on an ATV that was completely stationary and not even turned on, I would hear, "that's not for a little girl, it's too dangerous for you". Whatever!

Well this past weekend I went to a motorcycle show. Yes, it was clearly out of my comfort zone. But I wanted to see what it was all about. I went with a very sweet guy(my boyfriend). For him motorcycles are definitely within his comfort zone!

We spent about 3 hours looking at bikes and equipment. It was very interesting to see how much equipment is available. At first I was a little tentative since I was out of my element but then I got into it. I started snapping pics and enjoying the many bikes that were not just bikes but artwork.

I had a great time doing something that I never thought I would ever do! The first 3 photos below are my faves! I had to include an ATV as the last pic just for my cousins(N, T, and G).

Menu Change

I was chatting with my mom on the phone last night when she told me in an excited voice, "I got my way." I was a little confused at first. However, I quickly clued in that she must be talking about the Thanksgiving day meal with her sister's family. The original plan was Mexican food at their fave restaurant. During a recent visit with her sister and family for the day my mom told them she was a traditionalist and wanted the typical menu for Thanksgiving. After my mom left their house a little more than an hour later her sister called to tell her they had changed their minds about Mexican food. They reconsidered and now plan on serving the traditional Thanksgiving day meal. Sorry Tommy Turkey you will be cooked in their household as well now!

Soon after my mom told me about the menu change she reminded me that my blog was now inaccurate. So this post is strictly for my mom! Lol!!!! I'm happy they decided against their original plan, it will make Thanksgiving day more enjoyable for my mom definitely.

Now my only thought is....will Mexican food be discussed for Christmas? Just for the record I still find that side of my family to be a little bizarre since they considered Mexican food for Thanksgiving and I still find my home state bizarre too since Mexican food restaurants are open and taking reservations for Thanksgiving! Lol!!!

6 Months in Big D

Congrats to me and the pugs! As of today we have lived in Dallas for 6 months. So far so good! I like the weather. I like the people. The traffic moves faster than in Phoenix. I didn't have to suffer through 115 degree heat this past summer. Not to mention I know what rain looks like again. Back in Phoenix rain is a bit of a foreign concept. Overall the state of Texas has much more to offer too. I think all three of us have adjusted quite well!!

I've only missed Phoenix once since moving here. Even then it was for a brief time. I guess I'm not all that surprised that I don't miss AZ that much. Especially since when I moved back there from Vegas I had plenty of opportunity to make it more permanent and I didn't.

I have to admit though there are still moments when I stop and look around then say to myself, 'I can't believe I live in Dallas'! Last year at this time I never would have imagined I would be living here. Now I can't imagine being in Phoenix dealing with the over 90 degree temperatures in November. What a change!

Mexican food for Thanksgiving....bizarre!

In Arizona Mexican food is rather popular. Alright, make that hugely popular. A friend of mine in college once admitted to me that she ate a burrito at least once a day during the summer. That's overboard in my opinion! As for me, I grew up going to Mexican food every Friday night. Even in my early college days going to Mexican food with friends on Friday night was a rather frequent thing. As for now, it's a rarity for me to go much more than a week without some form of Mexican food. By the way the Mexican food in AZ is quite different than here in Texas.

For years my mom's side of the family has wanted to break holiday tradition by serving Mexican food instead of turkey for Thanksgiving or ham/turkey for Christmas. I have successfully deterred them from this idea for numerous years. I'm a bit of a traditional girl! Turkey should be served on Thanksgiving not Mexican food, in my opinion.

Well, just the other night during a call from my mom she told me that her side of the family has decided to go to Mexican food on Thanksgiving! I was surprised but not completely shocked since this change from tradition has been mentioned numerous times in the past. Oh and get this, they even have reservations at their favorite Mexican food restaurant for the occasion.

My next thought is....are there that many Zonies cramming into Mexican food restaurants on Thanksgiving that 3 weeks in advance reservations are needed? What a bizarre side of my family my mom's side is! What a bizarre state I come from that Mexican food restaurants are not only open on Thanksgiving but are accepting reservations weeks in advance!

Well all I have to say is I seriously doubt I will regret my decision to stay in Dallas for Thanksgiving and not fly to Phoenix!

Seattle

As I have mentioned briefly in other posts I used to live in Seattle. The move to Seattle was my first big move away from my hometown. It was an eye-opening experience to live in a city with basically the opposite climate than what I grew-up with. I moved there in December right in the middle of their rainy season. The rain didn't bother me for the most part until April. By the time April rolled around I was sick of it.

Despite the cold dark rainy days, I actually considered moving back to Seattle before Dallas came into the picture. Well, I suppose I did a little more than consider it since I had gotten to the point of looking for an apartment. I had even narrowed the apartment search down to 2. For some reason though it just didn't feel right and I canceled my plans!

This past Sunday my Cardinals played the Seattle Seahawks. Months ago I would have cared a lot. I would have felt like both were "my" teams. Matter of fact my cousin Nick even referred to Seattle as being "my" team in a voicemail he left yesterday afternoon for me. Oddly enough though the feelings I used to have concerning everything Seattle I no longer have. When I changed my mind about moving back there I was finally able to close the book on Seattle, so to speak. Seattle is simply a place I used to live in but not the place I was meant to call home. It was a place where I was able to grow and mature for a few years. I certainly learned a ton about myself while I lived there. However, it doesn't represent the same things it used to. I've moved on! The idea to move to Dallas came out of nowhere about a month after considering going back to Seattle. I'm happy with my decision!

Below is a pic of Seattle's Puget Sound. Seattle Mariner's stadium is on the left and the Seattle Seahawks stadium is on the right.

Weird/Slightly Frustrating Week

This week had it's fair share of frustrating moments. At the beginning of the week I had an issue with a low tire. I truly couldn't figure out which tire it was that was low. Could I find my tire gauge? Nope! After making that statement I wonder how many of my male cousins will be on the phone to me about not having a tire gauge in my car? For future reference for anyone, air machines at QT stations are free!

I'm not sure what the deal was with laundry this week but I sure had problems getting it done. I had the right amount of quarters for 2 loads. But then one of the machines at the clothes center ate my quarters. Yesterday knowing that I needed to get the rest of my clothes done I went out to buy a roll of quarters at a bank. Can you believe the bank was out of quarters? I was shocked when the teller told me they had no quarters. I finally got my laundry done last night.

Simon was a little under the weather on Thursday. He had a cough. It was a cough but at the end he would make these weird motions like he was choking. When you take a dog into the vet with a cough they immediately freak out a bit in fear that the dog might have kennel cough which is highly contagious among dogs. So Simon and another dog that was in to be seen for his cough were segregated from the rest of the animals in the waiting room. Simon checked out fine. The other dog was a confirmed case of kennel cough. During his office visit Simon had to pose for a picture for his file which he loved because he was rewarded with numerous treats after his posing was done. Though the vet said his weight was fine he is a pound more than I would like for him to be. So Simon will be dieting in the near future!

To finish off the week, as I was walking my dogs last night I slipped in a huge puddle. I felt like such a klutz. My pants were soaked and muddy. The one thing that did make me laugh though was the look on Cody's face as he watched me slip. Simon didn't seem to care much but Cody had a look of panic on his face as he was trying to get out of the way so I didn't take him down with me. Anyone that knows Cody knows he has numerous "freak out" facial expressions he makes! Lol!

This week reminded me of another weird/bizarre week I had back in July. During that week I broke my blender, lost my keys in a recycle dumpster, and fainted at the doctor office. While using the blender the top broke and the ingredients of my smoothie went all over the kitchen, the dogs, and me. To get my keys I had to climb into the dumpster. And at the doctor office I literally became quite the sideshow for the entire office staff. Embarrassing!

Pug Standoff

Sunday night was quite the night in pugland. The boys get along great. In fact it's difficult to take one to the vet and leave one home without hearing the whimpers of the one left behind. Despite getting along so well, they do have their moments when things are not right in their world. They've had some serious squabbles in the past.

The issue last night started with a kong. For those that have no clue what a kong is...it's a heavy duty rubber dog toy in which you can fill the inside with peanut butter or some other treat. The dog then tries to get the treat out of the middle of the kong. I use peanut butter because it keeps the boys busy for hours.

Simon some how got a hold of a kong last night that had a small amount of peanut butter still in it from earlier in the day. Cody's kong had been cleaned out already. Cody sat there envious! At one point, Simon noticed me moving some furniture around and realizing he needed to get out of the way he moved him and his kong rather quickly leaving behind some peanut butter. Cody got to the left behind peanut butter first which didn't sit well with Simon. Moments later I turned around to see Cody had gained possession of the kong. While Simon was sitting around looking at me as if he had been robbed of his most favorite possession. For the next 2 hours before bed the pugs had a standoff. Simon didn't want to be anywhere near Cody. Later, when I told them to go to their bed, Simon refused and opted to stay on the opposite side of the room far from Cody. Cody took his kong and laid in their bed with it. After awhile I realized Simon was never going to bed if I didn't do something about the kong. So the kong came up missing thanks to me and I placed Simon in their dog bed alongside Cody. They seemed fine once the kong was no longer in the picture!

This is only the second time that they have had this type of a standoff. I'm not sure I deal with it in the correct manner but I do the best I can. It's actually a little funny to watch Simon move around the room in an effort to avoid being too close to Cody. While Cody appears to be glancing over at Simon trying to figure out what the issue is. Cody is a little slow sometimes. But still oh so lovable! LOL! Below is a pic I came across from their puppy days. They are playing tug of war with a bone.

Sightseeing with Mom

So my mom was here for an entire week. Which is why I haven't posted in awhile. It was a bit of a roller coaster visit. Some ups and downs. My mom and I are practically complete opposites which makes some things quite difficult. Not to mention I put way too much pressure on myself concerning everything running smoothly while she is here. But I can't help it! More tense moments than I would have preferred...the good news is we got through it.

Places we went to while she was here: the Arboretum, Cowboys Stadium, and Pioneer Plaza. We went on a tour of Cowboys stadium. It was worth the price of the tour. The tour guide our group had certainly LOVES working for Jerry Jones! As he went on and on about how great Jerry is! Note to any females that go to Cowboys stadium for a tour...leave your purse in the car, no purses allowed on tours. However, remember to take your camera out of your purse before leaving it in the car! My mom and I left our cameras in our purses and I had to run back to the car twice. Once to put the purses in the car then to go back and get the cameras out of our purses.

We also went to Fort Worth for a day. We found a cute souvenir store in the downtown area but my mom decided she wanted souvenirs of Dallas rather than Fort Worth. So we simply browsed. We also went to a chocolate factory. In my opinion the chocolate factory was the highlight of that day in Fort Worth! I regret not buying more chocolate however!

Overall it was a nice visit. There were some issues but what mother/daughter combo can be together for a full week and not have a few little squabbles? Possibly there are a slight few that can do it. I remember as a child my mom and her sister would always try and convince their parents to stay longer when they would come to town. Now that I'm an adult I can't help but wonder if my mom and her sister were truly serious about that? I like having my mom here for a few days but I also like getting my life back to normal once she has left Dallas....no disrespect meant to you, mom, if you read this!

My Family

My birthday is fast approaching. It's this Wednesday! In recent years it has not been as happy of an occasion as it likely should be. My family has suffered through some devastating heartache. Some years ago I lost my grandfather whom was everything to me. He passed away a little more than a month before my birthday. Then in 2007 I lost both of my grandmothers 3 months apart and my favorite uncle passed away during that 3 month time span as well. We actually lost my grandmother on my dad’s side of the family just a little more than 2 weeks before my birthday. So needless to say since I was so close to those family members when my birthday rolls around it’s not as happy for me in recent years. I have trouble getting into the right frame of mind to celebrate. I tend to be a little weepy as my birthday nears.

Due to the drastic changes in my family the dynamics are certainly different. I mean no disrespect by this next part to any of my family members…I’m just being honest. I have never felt a close bond with my mom’s side of the family. It’s cordial, it’s enjoyable to get together with them. But there isn’t a single person on my mom’s side of the family that I would call on the phone to simply chat with when I’m bored. For the most part I would refrain from asking them any advice too. It’s just not that type of relationship that I share with any of them.

Now my dad’s side is different. I identify fully with them. I’m a Peterson for sure! My personality, my looks, my beliefs all come from the Peterson side. I’m an only child so my cousins are quite important to me. My cousins Nick and Glenn I talk with frequently. I think of them both to be more like my brothers than my cousins. I also have a cousin named Trevor that cracks me up. He’s like a walking sports encyclopedia. He can quote numerous ASU stats if anyone ever needs him too. Go Devils! On my dad’s side I’m also tight with my only aunt and some distant family members. Obviously it’s kind of a small group of us!

I went through boxes of family pictures today. I don’t mind people seeing me when I was just a youngster! Lol! First up is me and my grandpa Peterson. Then me with my fave uncle Dale. I look a little scared but trust me he was an awesome guy to be around. I wish I could've found a good pic of me and Nick but I only came across toddler pics of us. I thought he might not appreciate me showing his toddler pics. Your welcome Nick! Next is me with Glenn at his graduation and then me with Trevor at a family dinner. None of the pics are all that recent but they are all my faves. Well the first 2 are my new faves since I just barely discovered their existence! The last pic of Simon is very random. I found it in a box today as well. I started laughing because I was recently asked if I can touch my tongue to my nose. Lol! Well Simon has no problem with that!

Preparing for Mom to Visit pt.2

In the last post I talked about the boys being boarded and me going to San Antonio with my mom. Lots of things change around here in a relatively short amount of time. San Antonio trip has been canceled. Instead we will stay around Dallas and Fort Worth.

This blog nearly made my mom cancel her trip to Dallas. Apparently she read my last entry! Doesn't everybody get a little anxiety over their parent coming to visit from another state? I think it's somewhat typical. Well, after saying she was canceling then saying she didn't know whether to come or not she has decided to come after all. I knew she would end up coming due to the fact that it's my birthday this coming Wednesday. Since I'm away from home the birthday celebration will be different and rather low-key. In my family you have to be in PHX in order to be acknowledged. I doubt most of my relatives that would normally meet for dinner with me will likely take time to pick up the phone to call me on Wednesday. A select few will but the majority won't.

Little does my mom know that the day she called to tell me she was canceling her trip I had been online planning out the activities we will be doing while she is here. Yes, I'm somewhat of a planner. For some things I can be spontaneous but a visit from mom is not one of those things. I need to be organized and make sure she has a good time while she is here. My need to plan certain things may have come with maturity. When I lived in Seattle I never remember showing my mom much of the city. Now I take more time to plan things out to ensure we both have a good time and she enjoys Dallas. Aside from maturity though I really am loving Dallas and I want my mom to see that! Hence, we are staying around Dallas for the duration of her visit!

Preparing For Mom to Visit

The question of the day is....How posh do the boys living conditions need to be while I'm out of town for 2 days? I just got done calling around to different boarding places for the pugs. Their vet has boarding but they have a few extra charges I'm not too thrilled with. Extra charges that will significantly run up the boarding bill. For a few dollars less than what the vet's office charges the boys can stay in a Petshotel suite complete with cots and a TV. I doubt they have a need for TV but the fact that the boys are in their own room with a sound-proof door would help them sleep better. I have to say I was shocked to do the math and discover the boys could stay in a posh suite for cheaper than what the vet's office would charge. So how posh do they need things to be? I'll be fretting over the answer to that question for the rest of the weekend!

The reason the boys will be boarded is because my mom will be coming to town and we will be taking a venture down to San Antonio during her visit to Texas. I have no clue if other daughters or maybe even sons get nervous when mom comes for a visit. But I sure do! I love my mom don't get me wrong. It will certainly be nice to see her. However, I worry about things going just right while she is here. Since I left Phoenix for Dallas I feel pressure for Dallas to make a good impression on her each time she visits. Hence my anxiety has begun!

This will be her second visit to Dallas. I am curious to know whether she is enjoying flying to Dallas to see the 3 of us more than she enjoyed visiting Seattle when we lived there? I plan on asking her that this time around. She does make quite the fuss over coming to see the pugs. At times I question if she is more excited to see them or me?

During her first visit here, I felt like I was on vacation too. We were never home and I had each day full of things to go see. It was fun but my hope is for a more laid back visit this time. With a short trip planned to San Antonio I'm thinking it's a good balance between being home in Dallas and sightseeing in San Antonio. We shall see how all this goes. I'm sure I will continue to get more and more nervous over the course of this coming week.

Random Thoughts

In my last post I talked about the rainy day Dallas had on Saturday. Little did I realize that come Wednesday we would still have rain. It is nice to have so much rain. But I'm ready to see the sunshine again.

Despite being in Dallas I still have to cheer for my Cardinals back in AZ. I figure since I'm in Dallas I will rarely see the Cards play on TV. Which is fine I understand that. Then this Sunday low and behold I did get to see the last 7 minutes of their season opener. Nice to see them but the outcome of the game stunk. Why is it they always have to play San Francisco in the season openers? And why is it that San Francisco always acts as though it's the Super Bowl when they play against the Cards? Relax 49ers it's only week one!

What's up with the pugs? Simon loves to eat. He's not overweight by any means. Picture the living dog version of the Hungry Hungry Hippo game. That's how Simon is with food. In PHX there was a pecan tree in the backyard which Simon loved. He feasted on pecans nearly every day. Well, just the other day Simon discovered something to replace his thing of the past pecan feasts.....acorns. Most of them are not ready to eat yet but he tries to. And I try to get them away from him. He usually wins most battles. He gobbles things up so quick it's almost impossible to prevent him from eating things he shouldn't. Frustrating!

Rainy Day

First off, I love the rain! I didn't grow up seeing much of it but I've always enjoyed rainy days. I suppose there were times when I was extra nervous driving in the rain but after living in Seattle for 2 years I certainly got over that fear.

Today is a very soggy day in big D. I paused for a few moments while laying in bed to listen to the rain before getting up for the day. Every morning the boys need to be walked soon after getting up. On a rainy day this can be a challenge. Cody is not a fan of getting wet. However, I decided since the rain was only a misty type rain we would attempt to do at least a portion of the morning walk. As we started out the rain was not too bad to deal with. I didn't feel I was getting majorly wet. Cody was coping just fine. About two-thirds into the walk the rain picked up. By that time there was no choice but to finish the walk in the rain. Despite the heavier rain coming down on him, Cody only stopped once during the walk to look at me as if I was crazy for having him outside in all the wetness.

After getting the boys home from the walk I had to decide whether or not I wanted to go for a jog as is my typical Saturday morning workout or opt for the fitness center. Once again the rain was lessening up, so guess what I did? Of course I opted for the jog. It wasn't long into the jog when the rain became, what I would classify, a downpour. I was rather soaked by the time I got home especially my shoes since I was unable to avoid going through some puddles. But I didn't care! I completely enjoyed being out in the rain. Simply put, I'm much appreciative to being in a place that has weather!

Labor Day Road Trip

It was Labor day yesterday. After working out in the early morning I decided rather spur of the moment to take a little road trip. Before starting out, I took time to pack up some snacks and my lunch since I try to eat as healthy as I can. Stopping for fast food is not something I wanted to do.

I started out thinking I knew exactly where I was going. I soon realized I was on the wrong freeway. Well it was the right freeway but the wrong direction. I consider myself to be one of few women that has a decent sense of direction. Generally it takes a lot to get me lost. However, I think I left my good sense of direction in Phoenix! No, I don't have GPS. Yes, my cousin keeps telling me to get it. I prefer to not listen to him! By now it's a bit of a competitive thing to see just how long I can live in Dallas with these crazy streets before having to get GPS.

Back to the road trip...I got turned around and finally headed in the correct direction. When I was making my way to Dallas for the move 4 months ago. I stopped the first night in El Paso and the second night in Fort Worth. Yes, I probably could have continued on to Dallas the second night but I was tired of driving and it was getting dark since I didn't get up early enough to start out for the long drive. Coming into Dallas from Fort Worth I saw sights I had never seen before. Small rolling hills that were filled with green grass along and trees here and there. To people from Dallas it's no big deal. But to me, I'm not used to seeing small rolling hills loaded with green grass with a decent amount of trees along the way. I grew up in a brown desert with plentiful cacti!

During this short road trip I came along a few ranches. Those I do not remember seeing when I first made the trip. I came across a place selling honey. I bought some! Haven't tried it yet! The honey is basically my one souvenir of my Labor day road trip.

By the time mid-afternoon approached I decided I should get back. I turned around to make the trek back into Dallas. Not sure how I did it but I wound up on yet a different freeway then I was on when I left Dallas that morning. Oh well! I was fine since I kept seeing signs for Dallas. Then somehow I missed a turn-off for Dallas, I thought about getting off the freeway and turning around yet again! However, I decided to see if I could recognize anything else along the way to see if I could figure things out. I soon noticed the skyline of Dallas in the distance. I quickly approached another turn-off for Dallas. I eventually found my way home to two pugs whom were waiting patiently. Or maybe impatiently, I'm sure they wanted to be walked since it was early morning since they had last seen me.

The road trip as short as it was served it's purpose. I wanted to remind myself of those scenes I saw coming into Dallas back in May. Especially since I struggled just slightly with some feelings of being homesick last week.

Weak Moment Pity Party

Since I moved here I haven’t missed Phoenix one bit. However I knew a weak moment of missing my hometown had to come at some point. Sure enough on Wednesday night I was a mess. It was the simplest thought of home that soon made me think of all the things I’m missing out on.

My weak moment pity party started like this….I wonder how everyone in my old neighborhood is doing? Soon progressing to city news, after such an impressive season last year the excitement for the Cardinals new season must be at an all time high. And I’m in Dallas missing out on it! Just lovely! Not to mention, I’m missing out on the ASU football season as well. Go Devils! I’m not going to get any big news about the PAC 10 here. In case you can’t tell from what I just said…I love football! I grew-up around the sport thanks to my grandpa and uncle. My fave uncle used to coach high school football for numerous years. Our family really has lived and breathed the game as long as I can remember. Thank goodness they didn’t mind dragging along a little girl to the manly football games. Because still to this day I love the sport and I believe I understand it better than some of my male cousins. Take that boys!

Back to my pity party… next up, I settled on thoughts surrounding my birthday. My birthday is coming in a few weeks and I won’t have the typical celebration. No going out to eat with each side of my family. No spending time with my fave cousins(Hi Nick!) and aunt. Before long my thoughts turned from sadness to frustration when I thought about how I can’t find decent Mexican food in Dallas, something AZ is known for. After awhile I decided in order to put an end to my somewhat ridiculous pity party I needed to cash in the day and go to bed early.

On Thursday morning during my early morning walk with the pugs I made a point to think about things that are better here in Dallas. Which wasn’t hard since I was walking in relatively mild temperatures and didn’t have to deal with the blazing sun while on the walk. Weak moment over and done with!

As of yesterday I’ve been here for a full 4 months. That’s pretty good that I made it 4 months before missing my hometown. When I lived in Seattle, I doubt I made it that long before missing Phoenix. Especially since I moved there at the beginning of their dark and rainy season!

Pleasant Surprises in Big D

I did a reasonable amount of research before moving to Dallas. I had a general idea what it would be like. However, I knew I would discover some surprises. Below are some of the surprises I have discovered.

There's very few cowboy hats. I generally make a mental note every time I do see one. All in all not many walking around with cowboy hats.

I knew from my research that there was more green grass and trees than I was used to seeing in Phoenix. That's for sure! Now to someone moving here from the East Coast or the Pacific Northwest, they would not agree. They would be looking for more trees. But for this Zonie I was pleasantly surprised to see how much green grass and trees are all around. Not to mention a few lakes. In my area there are quite a few parks even a dog park nearby and a beautiful lake.



The amount of small creatures I see is rather remarkable too. Not much going on small creature-wise in Phoenix. Since moving here...I've seen a raccoon, numerous squirrels, bunnies, frogs, an armadillo. Possibly I'm missing something but that's all I can think of right now. My first armadillo sighting came one Sunday morning just a few weeks back. I was on a walk with my boys when I saw this thing that I could not identify. I watched it for a few seconds. It eventually turned a little so I could see it's tail. Sadly, days later it was my first roadkill armadillo sighting. Yuk!

Dallas is more pet friendly than I imagined. There's many doggy daycare options. There's even an indoor off-leash dog park. First time I've ever seen one of those! Seattle needs to think about getting one since it rains so much there. There's also many self-serve dog washes. I've only taken my boys to a self-serve dog wash once since moving here. The experience was alright but just alright. Neither one of my boys seemed comfortable with the process there. They are used to taking bathes but not used to me taking them somewhere and having a bath in that manner. I remember I tried the drier on the boys. I've never seen such frightened looks on their faces. Both of them were likely thinking, "that's it, I'm outta here". Advice of the day... never try to use a drier on a pug at a self-serve dog wash!

It's not that hot here. People that talk about the dreaded Texas summers should move to Phoenix for one summer. This has been rather easy to deal with this summer in comparison to what I'm used to. As long as I don't have to deal with 115 degree heat, I'm good! I moved here in May, I couldn't believe it didn't actually start to have "summer like temps" until mid-June.

It also rains more than I thought it would. I love rainy days! The first few weeks I was here it rained so much I thought I was back in Seattle.

A rain related story to end with...Dallas had just had a bad storm in mid-June. Once the rain cleared late in the day I decided to take the boys for their one mile walk. I didn't imagine the residential road which we usually travel down would be flooded but it was at one little section. No problem I figured since it's just empty land on both sides of the street. So here we are, all three of us attempting to walk up a small hill in order to avoid walking through the flooded section of the street. The hill was completely saturated and we were all three getting stuck in the mud. Poor Cody hates getting dirty and hates water. He was not a happy camper! Simon however, seemed to be leading the way through the mud. Eventually we made it over the small hill and on to the sidewalk. I have to admit I felt silly for even trying to take the boys out after such a storm. The ground was too slippery and muddy.

Pet Peeves

Title of this entry was completely inspired by some things that occurred this morning. Since my pet peeves also relate to pet issues it's a bit of a play on words!

I know there are a ton of pet owners that love the retractable leash. I'm not one of those pet owners! When I lived in Seattle, while working as a leasing consultant at a downtown apartment complex there were numerous times I would be showing the property to a potential resident when a current resident would be out with their dog. The dog would simply wander in my direction while the dog owner would be searching through their mail they were retrieving from their mailbox. A wet dog nose coming at a potential resident is not a highlight when trying to feature the best parts of a complex.

Why is it that many of these pet owners can't seem to figure out how to reel their dog back in when it's wandered over to a person? Just this morning while I was jogging in the park a small dog, whom didn't seem friendly, wandered away from it's owner while on a retractable leash. The owner struggled to reel him/her back in while I attempted to jump back and forth from side to side to avoid getting bit.

Another huge pet peeve of mine. Owners that have decided to use the neighborhood park as their designated off-leash dog park. I had somewhat of a confrontation one morning after witnessing an older gentleman nearly fall over when his "leashed" dog was being picked on by one of the "non-leashed" dogs. I had kept my mouth shut for numerous mornings but that particular morning after witnessing the older man nearly fall I had to say something. Now it seems I have a reputation at the park. Since the confrontation, the off-leash annoying pet owners move as far away from me and my dogs as they can. However, on some mornings(like this morning) something even worse than "off-leashers" being at the park takes place. The "off-leashers" go across the street to a kids daycare. Their dogs are peeing and doing other business all over playground equipment meant for little ones. I'm not even a parent(to human kids at least) and I find that irritating and irresponsible of the pet owners. I wouldn't want my kids going to daycare on Monday after these dogs have been all over the kiddies play things.




In closing I will include my dog Cody's pet peeve. Cody has a firm belief that all people were placed on this earth to pet him. In many circumstances he literally lets out a sigh when a person walks by and doesn't acknowledge him.

Tax-Free Weekend

This past weekend was the 11th annual tax-free weekend in Texas. Something completely new to this Zonie. When discussing tax-free weekend with some people I was told to steer clear of malls and most other shopping centers for the weekend. Yeah right! That was not about to happen. Of course I had to check it out. It's the first time I've ever lived in a city that has a tax-free weekend.

I got up and out to the mall promptly at 10:00am on Saturday just to see the native Texans taking advantage of these tax-free days. Typically at 10:00am on a Saturday there are few people there yet since the doors just barely opened. Not this Saturday though. The area where I usually choose to park was completely full except for 2 parking spots designated "compact car only". I drive an SUV, trying to park my SUV in a compact parking spot isn't a smart idea. So I went in search of a different parking lot in front of Macy's. I found a decent spot, not too far from the front entrance. When I went into the Macy's it was certainly busy but not wall to wall busy! Thank goodness! When walking through the mall people were all around. The crowds didn't seem out of the norm other than the fact that the mall was crowded at an earlier time than what is usual for a Saturday. At least it wasn't out of control crowds with people running people over. I'm not sure if running people over to get into a store happens here in Dallas? Sadly it does occur in Phoenix yearly on what is known as the biggest shopping day of the year. So did I take advantage of the tax-free weekend and go on a shopping spree? Nope, sorry to disappoint. I looked around a bit that's all.

Personally, I think this is a weird time of the year to shop. It's still hot out so I'm not in the mood to look for fall and winter clothes. Yet it's towards the end of summer so what is the point in buying another pair of flip-flops when there's not much left of summer. Perhaps I make little to no sense! Nonetheless that's my opinion! Once mid to late September arrives I start to think about updating my wardrobe and getting ready for fall. Then again I don't have a family that includes 4 kids that all need back to school clothes. If that were the case you can bet I would have been doing some serious shopping. Afterall, the motivation for the annual tax-free weekend is to help families prepare their kids for the new school year.

Here's the odd thing about me. I hate crowds! I'm rather picky about the times I choose to shop because I don't like it when it is overly busy. The fact that I was so eager to get to a Dallas mall during this past weekend shows one of two things...my curiousity I have for my new city or some weird personal growth. Possibly a combo of both!

Niceville, USA?

When I first arrived in Dallas I couldn’t believe how nice everyone is. Not that way where I come from. In Phoenix people live in a bubble. Meaning that they keep to themselves. I’ve noticed in Dallas if someone doesn’t say hello to you they will likely at least give you a nod of the head. I call it the “Texas nod”. Back home I could walk my dogs and not care whom was walking past me. Now while juggling two dog leashes and who knows what else I actually have to do the Texas nod or say hello. Pressures on! Lol! That's alright, I'm adjusting well!

People also seem to start conversations up in just about any place. I’m on first name basis with the hostess at a local restaurant. A cashier at the grocery store loves to talk my ear off about this, that, and everything else she can think of. One of the oddest conversations I’ve had with the cashier was regarding Michael Phelps. I’m still baffled as to how Michael Phelps came up in our conversation so easily one day. It’s not like I was wearing a Phelps shirt when I came thru her checkout line. Bizarre!

One particular time at Bed, Bath, and Beyond store, I was shopping for things for my new apartment. During this shopping trip I was asked more than once by an employee if they could help me find something or if they could get a basket for me. After awhile an employee just brought a basket to me without me asking. That kind of service I really have not come across in any other city I’ve lived in. I doubt I’m the only one that does this but I’m the type of shopper that never feels I need a basket. I walk in, look around and before I know it I have more items than I can carry. Not sure why I so rarely think to get a basket.

Another example of Dallas nice, I was at a stop light recently. It was a stop light on a small street coming out of a shopping center. An older woman in a car was in the left turn lane waiting to turn. The light turned red for her. It was no longer her turn to go. However, she remained in the intersection. Did anyone honk at her to wake her up so she could see she was in the middle of oncoming traffic…nope! Everyone just politely moved around her. I was the only one that honked! Hey, what can I say? That’s how we do things in Phoenix. We use our car horns frequently. Lol!

Now this is not to say that all are nice. Every city has their share of non-nice people. There’s a person in my apartment complex I would place in the non-nice category. As a whole, this city has shocked me with their cordial ways.

Short story to end with. During the 2 day drive to my new city. As soon as we entered the state of Texas I started to see signs that said, “Drive friendly, the Texas way!”

Born and Raised Zonie!

I am from Phoenix, Arizona. Those in California refer to us as Zonies! This is one Zonie that kind of likes the nickname. Others may not. Phoenix is an interesting place to grow up. It doesn’t have the glitz and glamour of L.A. But it seems to try hard to pattern itself after L.A. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times as a young child I heard my grandmother tell me Phoenix was going to be the next L.A. There’s some similarities at this present moment. It’s rather crowded, over polluted, and on it’s way to being too expensive for some.


As an adult my biggest complaint about Phoenix is the fact that it lacks a true identity. There are so many people that have moved there in recent years that it’s kind of difficult to find someone from Phoenix living in Phoenix. With all the new population growth the city has little culture that it’s clinging to. It’s like a newly discovered city that people are making into whatever they want it to be. People don't adapt to Phoenix. Phoenix is being made to adapt to others. Don’t even get me started on all the cement in the city either! Geesh! Stop pouring cement and plant a tree for goodness sake! Oh that’s right, they can’t plant many trees…it’s too hot. Desert plants only!


Safe to say Phoenix is a sports town. Take your pick on what sport you prefer. Choices are: hockey, baseball, basketball, and football. Something for everyone. I grew up going to Arizona State games. Go Devils! I have numerous memories of ASU football games. I even had Sparky the Sun Devil earrings for game nights. I probably shouldn’t admit that but oh well! The city has only had the opportunity to celebrate one championship. The Arizona Diamondbacks won the World Series in 2001. Exciting moment! I remember a lot of horn honking all through the night. Apparently in Phoenix driving around and honking your horn is the way you celebrate a championship. I’m sure there’s other ways to celebrate but like I said the city has only had one championship so celebrating is not the city's forte. The surprise Arizona team of this decade would have to be the Cardinals. Numerous losing seasons and then finally a break thru year that carried them all the way to the Super Bowl this past February. Awesome! I’m sure back in Phoenix there is much chatter and excitement concerning this season for the Cards. But lets face it, the city belongs to the Suns. They generate the most buzz! I remember certain great play-off runs that made malls look like ghost towns. No one cared to be at the mall on a Saturday afternoon everyone was home watching the Suns. However, the city is still waiting on the Suns to deliver a championship. Keep waiting Zonies! Keep waiting!

A story to end with, I have a cousin that has been a diehard Dallas Cowboys fan since he was very young. Don’t know how he became such a fan since just like me, he’s a born and raised Zonie. None the less, his fave team is the Cowboys. There is a decent amount of Cowboys fans living in Phoenix so my cousin is not alone. Over the years the home team Cards have been bumped from TV to show the Cowboys. Well, last season was a different story. The Cowboys games were suddenly not the top choice for the TV stations due to the Cards showing signs of a promising season. The lack of Cowboys games on AZ channels didn’t set well with my Cowboys loving cousin. When the holidays rolled around he would continuously make rude remarks about the Cards. That didn’t set well with me! We met with his family for Thanksgiving, then for Christmas, and then for New Year’s. Well by the time New Year’s came around I was done listening to his remarks. We had the hugest blowup argument that I have probably ever had with a family member. Oddly enough a mere 5 months later I started calling Dallas home. Bizarre!

My handsome men!

Along for the ventures in Dallas are my two handsome men. Two pugs! I love being a pet owner and proud mommie to 2 pugs. I could really talk non-stop about my boys. But I will try to be precise for now!

When I first got them I was under the silly impression that they would be rather similar in personality since they are both pugs and both male! Boy, was I completely wrong. They are virtual opposites! The oldest named Cody is my shadow. He is super friendly at all times, not to mention a little co-dependent. Occasionally he will fall asleep in one room with me nearby only to awake and find out I'm no longer in the same room he is. Then the search is on to find where I went. The youngest is named Simon. He is a rough and tumble little one. Much to my dismay he loves to take risky moves flying off the back of the couch. Thankfully, he also has a tender side. He's more likely to let a person hold him.

For the pugs this is their fourth city to live in. I'm sure they don't get the specifics of where we live now. Nor do they care. Though they have likely observed that there's no family around anymore. I've been trying my best to get them accustom to their new surroundings as I get myself used to things here. I take them for daily walks. They also go once a week to doggie daycamp. Not to mention the occasional trips to the groomers.

A short story to end with. Last week when I went to pick the boys up from doggie daycamp they were both in "timeout". Their reason for being in timeout? They were tag-teaming a dachshund. Naughty little pugs! LOL!

My intro!

It was a little more than 3 months ago, May 4th, to be exact when I became a Dallas resident. Welcome to my blog about my ventures in Big D!!!!

This is a blog that will focus on an outsiders view of the great city of Dallas, Texas. Though my experiences will be here in Dallas. Many should be able to relate to leaving one home and attempting to make a new home somewhere else. The struggles with making new connections with new people. Trying to make your new residence feel like home. Not to mention remembering your address correctly when asked to write it. It's been 3 months and I still pause before writing out the city and state! Thinking to myself, "Where am I?" All of this while attempting to get used to new freeways, new streets...completely new surroundings. With the struggles comes the excitement of many of these ventures. Like a raccoon sighting in my apartment complex! Or just this morning I looked at my two dogs that now have registration tags in the shape of the letter D that hang from their collars. I couldn't help but smile!

As I get more comfortable with my new home I hope to venture out to see other areas of Texas. I'm living in a different state, a section of America in which I've never lived before. From time to time I hope to take trips around Texas. All of these ventures will be recorded right here!