The Best of 2016

As 2016 came to a close this weekend I could not help but look back on what a great year we had. I am so blessed to have so many people in my life to call my friends but one thing in particular sticks out the most of why 2016 was so great.

Newman. 

All my life I have wanted a dog to call "my own" and 2016 was the year for me. I moved out of my parents house in 2011 and headed off to college. I was never financially ready for the responsibility of a four legged friend, but I would still visit the humane society on a weekly basis for a couple of years, dreaming and waiting for my time. 

Once I got out of college and got a full time job, we decided to start looking for puppies.  Eeeeekkkk of course I would take in a blind or a three legged dog, just to have one. But Dennis wanted a slower process. 

We found Newman and haven't been happier. Having a puppy of our own has been a huge responsibly and I'm so blessed to have Dennis along for the ride. Newman isn't easy, but he's a work in progress. 

A dog is a forever "purchase" and something I will never give up on. I can't imagine my life without this crazy shithead and I'm so happy he came in our lives when he did. We have never been more active, worried, or ready to rush home in the last 3 years before Newman. 

He's the best!

14 Things I Do Every December

We made it.

We finally made it to Friday! Has this been an exhausting 7 days for anyone else? Christmas is in two days and I'm beginning to panic....But who has a stress free December anyways?  I have already made my new years resolution for 2017. Have you?

Mine includes never leave the house for the entire month of December. Everyone and their third cousin comes out of the cracks and behind the trees and fill the parking lots and store. It doesn't help that we live in a "me me me" society and people are angry drivers and even angry shoppers. It's like people have forgot what the 25h is really about.

But I can't be the only one to ever say that. 

I have simply decided to do my shopping throughout the year so come December 1st, this lady isn't a great ball of fire when she gets in her car. Heck I spend more time traveling to the store and waiting in line, than I do actually shopping for a gift. 

Dear Neighborhood Pet Store,

Today I felt like the biggest piece of sh*#. Raising a dog is much harder than it looks and sometimes I just feel like I'm doing it all wrong. Today I feel broken and confused. I'm not sure if this is normal, I'm not even sure how to fully process what has happened today. Or I might just be over reacting and taking it too personally.... Which is likely.  Is this how it feel to be a parent? I can't fathom how I'm going to feel when I raise a tiny human.

Dennis and I both work full time so Newman is home all day by himself for the most part. So our weekends are great to wear him out and play all day with him. This week he has chewed on my favorite throw pillow, and chewed a hole in our brand new rug... That we didn't even have it for a full 48 hours until he got ahold of it. With the start of the week already in shambles, I'm not surprise what was to follow.

Newman is wonderful at home with just the two of us(and the cats), but when we get in public he cannot contain his excitement. I swear he's a different dog. once we leave the house I'm a nervous wreck. 

So here I am Pet Supplies plus, apologizing.  I want to say sorry for the mess I left in your store and the sceen that occurred. Newman is only a puppy I am a new doggy mom and we are still learning how to behave in public. I understand we looked like a hot mess together, but I promise you we are working on our behavior every day. Newman does not get the privilege to go in stores and outings often, and I'm sure you understand why after we left.

I want to thank you for having such a wonderful toy isle. Newman seemed to approve when he had to pick up every ball in sight and throw down on the floor, causing them to bounce throughout the store. Oh and the stuffed toys, those were great too. He managed to get slobber on one in result making me have to buy it. It of course had a squeaker... we try to stay away from those, because I can't think straight when Newman chews on one all night.

After we somewhat composed ourselves we headed for the checkout lane.... I just needed out of there.  With parents hiding their children from the tiny lady trying to keep her dog on all fours was a no-brainer. I don't blame them. 

Back in the car I lost it. How could something/someone I have such a bond with completely ignore me and disrespect me in public? I was humiliated.

This must be how it feels for parents when their children throw a tantrum in the candy isle at Target. But at least your child is small enough to pick up and carry out of the store without everyone watching.  I can't carry my 55 lb pup with a bag of kitty litter in one hand.

Once I got home and let out a far share of tears I managed to forgive my turd of a dog and go on with my day. This experience, in the long run opened my eyes to let me know that he needs more training and how to act in public places. And it just doesn't happen over night.  We are working on this and will conquer it one day. We promise.

It just might take us a couple weeks.

You Know You're a Dog Mom if.....

I feel like a lot of people I know are making the wonderful decision of getting a puppy. Like some, this took a lot of planning and decision making. I had to beg and beg for almost a year, until I got my Newman. I'm sure it didn't help that every puppy I saw I wanted to take home. But we finally found ours and made sure it was the right time in our lives. We just bought a house, so getting a dog next just made sense.

I grew up with dogs, but never had to raise one myself. To be honest the first couple of days were hell. He wouldn't stop whining and I felt like I was doing something wrong. After all, it's just a puppy, how hard could it be? Well,  I was certainly in for a treat. The second night after we brought him home I was in tears because I thought even a baby would have been easier at the moment. But I kept telling myself, we were all adjusting. Though a lot has gotten better, Newman still knows how to test my patience and make this momma bear not happy.

Newman has now become our little slice of heaven and sometimes I feel like we took on more than we can handle, but he makes life fun and unexpected. Here are just a few things I have learned from being a recent dog mom. 

1.You take millions of picture of them sleeping or just sitting still. No just me? I constantly catch myself having to clear more space in my phone by deleting random pictures of Newman... that all look the same. Please tell me I'm not the only one for this one. 

2.You have to train them to not sleep in your bed... and fail miserably. When we first became pup-parents we made a no dog in the bed rule. That quickly changed, because he was miserable sitting on the ground looking up at us with those big sad puppy dog eyes. But luckily it's turned into a weekend only thing. Newman is almost 50lbs and there just instead enough space for him anymore. 

3. You dress them up. Again, we made a rule before getting him that we weren't going to be those weird people that dress up there dog... Well, Dennis said nothing about not putting him in my clothes (jackets and hoodies) and of course I became hooked and now I feel like he needs his own closet. 

4.Snapchat just makes more sense now. Dog filter without a dog? Just doesn't feel right. Now, you and a friend plus your dog can all have puppy faces! It's just the best. 

5.You start to buy healthy food so you both can share..Sometimes I catching myself writing down fruit and veggies on the grocery list to give to the dog and not with the intention of eating them myself. I'm pretty sure he eats better than the humans in the house. (Insert head in palm)

6. You buy furniture for yourself, but they quickly claim it before you can... I went our and rewarded myself the other week and got a outdoor chase lounge. By the time I unfolded it, went inside to get a drink, came back out, Newman was already chilling like he's order it on Amazon and has been waiting for me to open the box... 

How do YOU know you're a dog Mom?

If you would like to see update pictures of Newman follow along on my Instagram page.

Exploring My Life and Growing in the Process

Exploring nature is something that I was recently introduced to. Growing up I was not into sports...nothing's really changed there. Besides that I'm currently on a co-ed softball team, (my poor team) just to stand there and look pretty, right? .... no really. I can't hit, can't catch, most certainly can't throw,  but I can run those bases when needed. So I might be good for something there, I guess.

Back in the day I wasn't all enveloped in summer activities, unless it included laying out in the backyard getting a tan. (You're allowed to hate the old me, I won't judge you) I was your typical girly girl growing up. LAME! I was very much into staying indoor and "not sweating."

Something changed in my life and I so happy it did. Dennis. Dennis grew up with a small family that has a heart for traveling. Father from the Netherlands, born in California and now living in Indianapolis. I grew up with a large family that has never moved out of a small town called Newburgh, Indiana. The farthest my family has ever traveled was to Golf Shores Alabama. It just amazes me that even in our upbringing we are complete opposites. In every way.

Dennis is extremely outgoing and knows everyone. We don't live in a huge town now, but at the grocery, softball game, or even the occasional local bar, he's always saying hello to a childhood friend. Me on the other hand, I get sever social anxiety. I can't be in crowds, hate talking in front of people, and can am really awkward meeting new people.

Sometime I sit and think about how on earth we were ever put together to be in a relationship.

By no means am I complaining or unhappy. In fact I adore how opposite we are. It makes life interesting... very interesting. When we are faced with a new journey or obstacle you can guarantee there will be some sort of disagreement. It might be weird, but we grow best this way. We challenge each other everyday with our different view points and ideas. But it WORKS.

I can't imagine having a partner that is a mirror of myself. D might not "get" me all the time, but he sure does push me to get out of my comfy zone and do something new.

These past 3 years have been wonderful.  Hiking and being in the woods was something I never did before D. Now hiking is something we are constantly doing and thriving to do. We have both discovered a place and a passion where we can grow together without having to communicate. Being in nature allows us to go new places and explore new things.

Healthy Snacks for your Dog

What furry friend doesn't like sweet treats? I'm sure the same boring dry food gets old after a while, so why not switch things up a bit and keep them happy and healthy? Here are just a few ways I do so and they are all "Newman Approved".

I want to first start off by saying I am not a health expert or veterinarian. I am only sharing information from person experiences and what I have learned from other dog parents and what has worked best with my pup. Also this new pupmom has done her fare share of googling and worrying.

Sweet Potato Chews
These are SO easy to make and your dog will eat them up in no time! No really, they do take a while to bake and I felt like Newman went through 3 potatoes in a matter of days, ok 2 weeks. This was a fantastic healthy treat when training our pup to get in and out of his kennel and while potty training. He even caught on to the word "potato" and ran to the kitchen wagging his sweet little tail. I have made these time and time again, and Newman is only 5 months. Should I start growing them in my garden next summer? I might be on to something here.

Carrots 
Now this one took some time and a few tries. I first started off by cutting them into smaller pieces and freezing them for a cold treat, but Newman wasn't into it. We switched things up and went a little more basic.... eating them right from the bag. Carrots can be kind of a mess, but he loves them so much he will eat every crumb. 

Frozen Peas
Newman's MOST favorite treat so far!! Newman will roll and roll until he can get the entire bag. He is all ears when you open the freezer and shake the bag of peas. I loved training him with these because although he is smart, it took a few tries to master some tricks. These were certainly a "guilt free" treats when teaching new habits. 

 

Watermelon 

This is a great sweet summer treat! Make sure it is SEEDLESS watermelon and let them go to town!(Stay away from the rind.)  Here I cut up a watermelon in cubes for myself and instead of throwing the rest away, I let Newman take a few licks before throwing it in the compost. He LOVED this new snack.

Sunday's with Newman

Sunday's are for rolling around in the grass with your dog... or and if you can squeeze a Starbucks in you're golden! Some of you may not know, but we drove to North Carolina to pick up our sweet boy. He was born on a farm with sheep and donkeys. So now back here in Indianapolis Newman just loved to lay in the grass and be outside. If he could do it all day I'm sure he would. 

Look at that smile^^^ 

Homemade Dog Treats: Sweet Potato Chews

With how pricy dog treats can be and how sensitive my pups tummy is Sweet Potato Treats are a must. 

Homemade Sweet Potato Dog Treat Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 250* F

Slice sweet potatoes long ways into 1/4" think strips using a sharp knife or you can use a mandolin. (which seems much easier and I will be ordering this bad boy for next time.)

If you aren't using the mandolin, lay the potato on it's side and make one slice and then turn on the flat side and start cutting strips. 

Once the slicing is done put all slices in a bowl and add a splash of olive oil. 

Stir and toss well to coat throughly. 

Place on a cookie sheet, lined with aluminum foil. 

Bake for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. 

Allow to cool and store in the refrigerator in a airtight container. You can store them up to 3 weeks or even in the freezer for up to 4 months. 

These are Newman's FAVORITE treat in the world! Give them a try and let me know how your pup like them! 

Hiking: Indianapolis Eagle Creek Park

Newman just keeps growing and growing. I know this is something all "dog moms" and most certainly human moms say all the time . . . But now I can relate. He has literally double in size since we got him and it's unbelievable. We are starting him young and getting him used to car ride and hiking. So far he's not too sure about sticking his head out the window (perfectly ok with this crazy obsessive momma) but is loving hiking. We have finally found something to wear him out! 

This hound dog knows how to find a good trail.

^ so far loves the water.  

^"mom please stop, you're embarrassing me in front of the other dogs"

^ok, we're done here

^i'm pretty lucky,  right?

When Dennis and I first started dating we took a picture at this exact same spot, so it was fitting to recreate it, but now with out "plus one". 

We have Expanded by Four Feet : Our First Puppy

Well well well, here is our little man!! Meet Newman. He is a Redbone Coonhound. Everyone thinks he's a Dachshund , but little do they know he's going to quadruple in size.  He is already waking us up at 5:45am, snores like a lion and keeps us on-the-go all day long. Newman has been adjusting well, he still whines when the washing machine turns on, when we leave the room, or when a car horn goes off, but that will soon fade. He sleeps through the night and has only had a few accidents in the house... hopefully he stays that way. His kitty siblings aren't too sure about him yet, but they are coming around slowly. On Thursday of last week we left Indianapolis  and drove straight to North Carolina to pick up our pup the next morning. This was Dennis and I's first "road trip" together and surprising it went really smoothly. He drove while I got to talk his ear off and keep him awake for 9 hours..... I'm sure he loved it. :) We arrive in NC around 5am and was able to get some shut-eye for about 2 hours and then it was time to pick him up at 7am. He was born on a farm with sheep and lots of other dog.  Much to our surprise he slept most of the way back home to Indianapolis, with just a few potty stops along the way. We arrived back in town on Friday in the evening and snoozed the rest of the night away.

So far.... 

+ He would rather play with cat toys than the dozen dog toys his momma bought him

+ For a little guy, he can snore pretty loud

+ He's afraid the jump off the sofa

+ 10lbs going on 90

+ Not a fan of bath time 

+ Loves peanutbutter 

Newman has surpassed all our our expectations and we couldn't be more excited we made this life long decision.



Make sure to follow me on Instagram and snapchat for more updates on Newman and to watch him grow! 

Snapchat: steph_wilhite 

Puppy Proofing

Over the summer Dennis and I came up with a little agreement. I get a full-time "big girl" job, and we talk about getting a puppy. Getting a puppy has been something I have talked about since we first started dating..... almost 3 years ago. We already have two cats, we've been living together for over 2 years, just bought our first house together, no kids in the near future......why not get a dog?! 

This Thursday... i'm sorry.....did you hear that, THIS Thursday! eeeeeeekkkkk we will be driving 9 hours to North Carolina. We are leaving Thursday evening when I get off work and driving through the night to pick up our sweet boy in the morning. Fingers crossed we can make a pitstop and catch some z's in between driving. With all my planning and over analyzing I have been purchasing doggy items for weeks now. I have done my research and for the most part feel like we are ready to conquer and enjoy this next chapter in our lives. 

These are what I have learned to be "must-have" item when getting a dog.... I'm sure I will write a post later if all of these were a waste of my money. 

We went with a leather collar that he can grow into. I wanted something plain and natural so I wouldn't get bored with a color or pattern and want to change it every 5 seconds. Easier on my wallet that way.

 

// Leather collar // Leash // 

Grooming supplies are a must if you are not wanting a sticky fur-ball. I use a fulminator on the cats and it's worth EVERY penny! Go grab one asap.... seriously, go. 

// Brush  // Flea Spray // Furminator // Shampoo // Toothpaste // Nail Clippers //

This dog bed is so pretty I would sleep on it! Check out the link below to see more fun patterns like this one!

// Bed //

This crate is great for crate training and keeping the pup pup somewhere during the day so he isn't tearing into our sofa. Plus this website is selling them for 20% off. 



// Crate //

These toys will have to be a trial to see what he likes and what he doesn't.  How cute is that heart tug-a-war toy?!

Raccoon // Heart rope  // Kong // Tennisballs // Tug //  Chew // Carrot treats // Wet Noses //

Stick around to find out what we are naming our little guy.

Also follow me on Snapchat: steph_wilhite to follow us on our journey to North Carolina this weekend! 

woof, woof