The Good Girl Gone Blog: Pets

Puppy Playtime!

Feb 6, 2012

I've been spending more and more time outside since we adopted Maggie. I typically throw on jeans, whatever t-shirt I slept in, and pile it all under my big puffy coat. Gone are my days of wearing pumps just for fun, and I rarely put on anything besides my Kate Spade Snowboots.

I'm getting used to having to take things out of Maggie's mouth- she really like socks, bras and blankets right now- as well as waking up at 3 AM when she jumps in my bed looking for things to chew. I then find her a bone and go back to sleep so she doesn't bark and wake up the dogs next door.

She's such a sweetie, but to be honest, I don't know if she'd be as sweet if she couldn't have her daily jaunts in the dog park. I love that it's just down the street and that she has the chance to run off leash and play with the other neighborhood dogs.

And yes, I am starting to feel like a parent now. I've even referred to Eric as "Daddy" when talking to Maggie. It's weird.

Photo Diary: Feeling Sad? Look at Puppies!

Dec 1, 2011

Whenever I'm feeling sad/stressed/agitated, I try to take my mind off of those emotions by looking at puppies on line. (BTW, in my mind, puppies refers to all dogs.)

I took these pics of Sadie when I was home for Thanksgiving, and figured you'd like them. How pretty are her eyes? I think she'd make a gorgeous Cleopatra!

Some of my favorite puppy websites:

Northeast Animal Shelter- unlike many shelter websites, this one has great photos. Plus, I like reading the dogs' bios!

The Fluffington Post- the name really says it all. Plus, they accepted and feature my picture of Z-pack!

Where do you get your puppy fix?

Cute Puppies

Jun 14, 2011

We spent a day at Hope's house a few weeks ago. She's basically the cutest dog ever. We were fast friends!
Poor Kaeli. The last time I saw her, she wasn't feeling well. Kaeli is Eric's parents' dog, so she lives in Florida. She's a sweetheart and I love giving her treats.

Sometimes, when I'm having a difficult day at work or a personal matter is getting me down, I turn to puppies. Puppies? Yes, puppies.

For some reason, just looking into a pair of puppy eyes makes everything a little bit better. So, I'm sharing some cute puppies with you. So cute, right?

We love Zooey

Dec 27, 2010

Seeing Zooey this weekend was really amazing. We brought her back to my apartment and she "helped" pack. She even stood on the rug while we were trying to roll it up. She eventually figured out that she was in the way and stepped off to watch.

I smothered her with hugs and she reciprocated with cute puppy kisses. She followed me around and I gave her loads of treats.

I'm very proud of her. She's been going through some intense training and is very good at the command "go to your bed," which will come in handy when strangers come over. I'm still hoping that one day I'll be able to bring her up to Boston with me.

I have to say, the cutest part of the weekend was when Eric and I were about to leave my dad's house at 4:30 AM on Sunday. I was in the kitchen and Zooey was laying in the sun room, munching on a chewy. Eric walked in to say goodbye to her, gave her a kiss and said "I love you." It was so so sweet. Clearly he knows how special she is.

Photo Diary: The Best Dog Present...Ever

Dec 23, 2010

Eric and I got this K9 MeteorLight LED Ball for my dad Zooey and friends from ThinkGeek. I'm happy to report that the dogs really enjoyed playing with their new toy and my dad had a lot of fun taking photos.

He did say that it's not the sort of toy you can leave the dogs alone with, but that it requires some supervision so they don't destroy it. While Zooey is pretty good at keeping her toys intact, Bailey and Daisy have been known to destroy toys described as "indestructible."

I can't wait to play with their new toy when I see them tonight!

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Dec 13, 2010

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When I was younger, we adopted two adorable lab mix puppies while at the beach and brought them home to Baltimore in a laundry basket. They were sweet and funny and truly in need of a home.

Misty and Stormy became huge parts of our lives. Misty was the affectionate one, she'd paw you if you weren't petting her, lick you if you were sad and love you unconditionally. Stormy was slightly neurotic, loved chasing her frisbee and playing outside. We spent over 13 years with our dogs, watching them grow from puppies into adults. My stepmom, Donna, was definitely their "person," as she spent the most time with them.

Though their deaths hit us all hard, my stepmom was the most affected. Misty and Stormy had been her babies- she'd cared for them for practically their entire lives, taking them on walks, playing with them and caring for them when they were sick. Though we'd adopted again at that point, she still struggled to replace the void left by the death of her dogs.

When searching for the perfect Hanukkah present for my stepmom, I came across LadyBirdLand, an Etsy shop that customizes pendants with illustrations of your pets. I knew it would be the perfect gift for my stepmother- she'd be able to keep Misty and Stormy close to her heart.

I sent Allison, the artist, pictures of Misty and Stormy, along with a few descriptive words to help her create the illustration (Misty- affectionate, sweet, cuddly, warm; Stormy- energetic, frisbee, outdoors). I also chose to include one of her suggested tag lines, "Every little dog she loves is magic."

It may sound sappy, but I'm positive that pendant was the best present I've ever given. In fact, my stepmom even said it was the most special gift she'd ever received. Sure, it doesn't bring back Misty and Stormy, but it helps keep their memory alive.

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Zooey's New Home

Nov 29, 2010

Zooey is now living with these two monsters, Bowser and Day-Day, also known as Bailey and Daisy. They're usually quite sweet, but don't come between them and their tennis ball!

How blogging broke me out of my shell

Nov 3, 2010

I've always said that one of the best parts of blogging is the friendships you make, both online and offline. Take Amy, for instance.

I met Amy almost a year ago when she hosted the Boston Fashion Blogger Mixer. I remember being slightly terrified to interact with so many fashionable ladies, but I attended the event regardless. I spent FOREVER just trying to get dressed. Oh how things change! Now I'm constantly tweeting with Boston blogger friends, making future plans to actually hang out with them and randomly hiding from the rain in the Haberdash at SOWA!

Like I said in a recent job interview, blogging has really broken me out of my shell and made me more comfortable interacting with people I'd otherwise be scared to approach both online and in person.

I think it's pretty fabulous.

Also, I might be starting to not hate small dogs. How can you resist when they're so stylish?

Penny is so sweet. She was so cold, Amy had to buy her a sweater and she was still shivering! Can you tell she's dressed as a bee?

Editor's note: I'm still never getting a little dog. Ever.

High school flashback

Sep 27, 2010

As I advanced through high school, our dress code only got more strict. What was initially a "no jeans" and "mandatory collared shirt" policy eventually evolved into a "only pants/skirts in neutral colors" and "Land's End polo shirts in approved colors with a school logo" mandate.

These navy pants are from that period in my life and have rarely made an appearance since then. Maybe it's because they're so billowy, or maybe it's because I had to wear them to school, but they've really been sitting in my drawer for years!

I must say though, they are extremely comfortable and fit surprisingly well. They're a size 0 short, and if I wear heels, they don't need any alterations!
How cute is Zooey? Please don't steal her, she's my closest confidante and BFF right now!

Oh, and this strapless top? Totally not Beth Tfiloh friendly ;)

Outfit details: Top- Old Navy, Belt- Primark, Pants- Aeropostale (cringe), Shoes- DSW?

This must be love

Jul 31, 2010

I have the hardest time saying no to this face. Zooey has pretty much taken over my life. Whether I'm dropping tons of $$ at the vet (who is so, so dreamy...he's like my McVet), waking up extra early to walk her or bringing her to work, pretty much everything I do somewhow involves Zooey.

She's been really great so far- the only problem? She has a phobia of men. This makes me particularly sad because it means she was probably abused in the past by a scary man. Also, it means that Zooey barks and puts on her scary face whenever we're around guys. It's so weird to see her transform from a sweet, tail-wagging, bundle of adorable to a scrunchy-faced, snarling animal who tries to bite your ankles.

Even still, we're working through Zooey's issues. As my parents said, if I ever want to date again, I need to figure out a way for Zooey to feel comofortable around men. I really hate yelling at her, so this training thing is going to be hard.

Any suggestions?