Life before twelve

Some people think I'm absolutely crazy when I tell them I wake up at 5 a.m. three times a week to run a bootcamp, but despite my weekday madness, I'm actually a sleep lover. I go to bed between 9:30 and 10:30 and wake up either at 5am, 6am or on weekends..... 11:30 a.m.

I love laying in bed on weekends - Derek and I used to get in gear and make breakfast around 1 p.m. on weekends.... which has its downsides as we never really got that much accomplished on the weekends. Everything has changed since Lexi Doodle entered our lives 3 weeks ago.

We go to bed after our 11 p.m. pee and bedtime routine, get up at 3:30 a.m. for another bathroom break, and then again at 6 a.m. - we can usually squeeze another hour of sleep out of her until 7 a.m. when it's time to get up, eat breakfast, go for a pee and take our morning walk.

It's been good parental training for Derek and I, as by noon on a Saturday, we've made a huge breakfast, gone for a walk along the harbour, gone grocery shopping, done housework, watched the Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show (it's true) and are making progress around the house (finally getting my home office set up).

Life before twelve? Who knew.

New Camera

My cup overflows. First Lexi joined our lives.... and now my DSLR - I purchased a Nikon D3000 this weekend and have taken hundreds of photos with anyone or anything willing to pose for me. I can't wait to learn more about this camera and get shooting. I need baby models... may need to convince friends to let me babysit. It's 11:30 so I should go to bed, but I've had so much fun editing and going through all my photos.

Check out some of my efforts from yesterday and today

Loving Little Lexi Doodle

I can't imagine loving something more than Lexi. She's such an amazing puppy. Her potty training is all coming together - she goes to the top of the steps when she wants let out, she's learning all her commands and was the star of her very first puppy class yesterday - she gives the greatest snuggles and just flops into your arms and will lay there forever.

My mom hadn't met her yet, as she and my dad are away for the summer on the boat, but I was anxious for Pooda and Mom to meet her, so my mom took a three and a half hour ferry round trip to come and visit us for 2 hours!

Pooda and Lexi were great together - they had a very special bond, something you don't often see with Pooda, and I can't wait for them to spend more time together. Lexi also gets along with Farley, my brothers Labradoodle, and tomorrow they're attending a 'Doodle Romp' in Vancouver - where 19 other labra and goldendoodles get together.

When opportunity presents itself

So the thing with life is that it twists and turns. You go down one path, and then something comes up and you switch gears.

I tend to always hesitate when it comes to opportunity. Opportunity scares me. Failure scares me. And those two often go hand in hand. However every once in awhile opportunity partners up with success and blessings. Sometime the status quo is the easiest route, and more often than not, I take it. I always read about the amazing things people accomplish and do – the way they put their selves out there, and reap the rewards by utilizing their opportunity, and yet – I still sit back and wait for things to happen.

Anyways – opportunity has allowed me to work from home for the next few months. It’s a big deal and project that I get to do – and it’s setting me up for being able to work from home in the future. I’ve been having great discussions with a few mentors in the past few weeks, and I’ve decided I’m going to begin to work towards my ultimate goal of becoming a photographer, by studying, taking classes and beginning to purchase my equipment. My new/old/same/different job (long story) isn’t in photography – but it’s allowing me the time to begin to pursue over the next few months.

And if I fail… at least I took the opportunity. No regrets.

So in the mean time…. I’d like to announce the arrival of little Lexi Doodle – Derek’s and my new Goldendoodle addition. Why not make working from home a bigger challenge by adding a 12 week old puppy!

She’s adorable… when she’s sleeping. We picked her up 8 (fast and short) days ago and she’s coming along nicely with her training. A bit clingy to me… but we’re working on me become a pack leader and ignoring her fluffy adorableness.

She also needs plenty of socialization, but we start puppy classes next week and then we signed up for a ‘doodle romp’ where other Golden and Labradoodles in Vancouver meet up – plus lots of walks and trips to the dog park.

Note to self: Puppies are a lot of work. I spent so many years begging to get a dog, I never actually thought Derek would cave and think it was a good idea. Ha Ha. I love her so much already though.