Really Great Friends

You know what is awesome about really great friends? That they do awesome things.  I have been thinking about my circle of really amazing people a lot lately. We've moved a lot. (A LOT).  Friends who have stuck around through that (or that we met through those moves!) have been around a while, and they just mean the wold to me.  I am so thankful that they have time and energy to put into our friendship even when life is crazy and there seems like there isn't much time or energy left.  Really great friends are simply really great.



Last weekend I also had a pretty awesome few days! One of my nearest and dearest, my maid of honor (because she hates the word matron- and I don't blame her) Jenny got a little surprise.  After careful preparation and coordination, a couple of her friends drove to visit for the weekend and planned a Saturday full of girl time with lunch, a little shower of baby and mommy presents, and pedicures.  It has been a while since I saw Jenny (in real life) and I don't know that I've ever surprise-visited anyone so it was really fun! She is super close to being due with baby #2 and between that and being mommy to the most adorable and personality-filled little 2 year old, life get's crazy.  Her darling husband coordinated everything thanks to the magic of facebook and definitely wins husband of the year!  By the way, if that weren't enough, he also cooked us delicious apple cinnamon pancakes and made chicken tacos for dinner- you rock!

I just love this family, and I cannot wait for them to welcome their newest member at the end of the month.  I wish them moments of somewhat-quietness, and as much rest as possible before #2 makes his/her arrival!

Of course Target has the coolest Baby stuff- so we ended up with duplicates, but they are different sizes :)

Just a note that these pictures are compliments of Jenny's cousin.  This is why I always usually take pictures of my own, but somehow this weekend was too fun for me to remember to do that.

The Last Few Weeks- in Pictures

Spent a few days at the beach in Connecticut, checking another state of my list.

And seeing purple sand and a very important spot.

Beach time with some beautiful people

While my family takes a little South Carolina vacation-- Miss you guys! You can't tell my brother and father are related at all, right?!

Love to see what new positions Lily comes up with!

Lastly, spent the 4th of July with some American Soldiers ;)

Advice Needed

Blogger Friends, I need some advice. I know quite a few of you have dogs of your own and I'm searching for a method that I'm comfortable with to curb some of Lily's habits. It's really one habit in particular, the potty. At my condo when I first brought her home 2 years ago she would pee upstairs on the carpet if I left her alone. She'd only pee on carpet and I didn't have much carpet in the house so I started shutting the doors to the 2 bedrooms with carpet when I'd leave her home alone and that solved the problem. Then as I would be gone for longer amounts of time I introduced her to "potty pads" and she would just pee there if I was gone and she'd have to go. She's been staying with my parents for the last 2 weeks While I travel and get this move sorted out. She is alone with their dog all day and pees everyday on their carpet now. She will pee beside a potty pad if you lay one out. Sometimes she even poops. At the new apartment there is about 90% carpet so this habit cannot last! I can get her to a pretty regular schedule, but when were both gone is when there are the most problems.

I'm coming to you for some help. Let me tell you that the way I have "raised" my Lily is mostly through positive reinforcement. I have seen it work on everything I've taught her. I know that there are different ways to train a dog and my parents often make remarks because I choose not to hit her. (not that they are abusive, that's just their discipline style). I cannot wrap my head around hitting my dog because I am frustrated that I can't teach her to do what I want her to do. I can understand in a few very serious situations the need for quick punishment that immediately teaches the lesson. When I walked Lily close to the street and she tried to run around infront of a car, I smacked her butt, to frighten her and make her immediately understand that something about what she did was very bad. I don't want her to run into the street. But smacking her when I see that she's peed on the floor after I come home doesn't cut it with me. I don't see how she'll connect the peeing as bad , especially if she did it hours before I got home.

So I'm looking for other suggestions that may help us work throuh this bad habit. Thanks in advance guys!