10 Favorite Products

I saw this on a friend's blog ::Lauren's top 10:: and have been thinking about my 10 favorite products ever since. These are things I use pretty much on a daily basis and they make my life happier and easier. So...here goes...

1. My Asics GT-2150 running shoes. I am a runner. I love it. I love to grab Diesel and go for a run outside. I try to run every day. These shoes are my best friends because when I start to really increase my mileage I start to have issues with my IT band (Illotipial band in your thigh). I am also flat footed, and these were recommended to me by my physical therapist, because they have great support for the arch of your foot. I've gone through several pairs of these the past few years (always buy new running shoes every 500 miles!) and don't plan on switching anytime soon (except to pick up the updated version, like the GT-2170 beauties below)!

http://asicsamerica.com/

2. Lipton Spiced Chai Black Tea. Love this stuff! I make myself a chai tea latte every morning and drink it on my way to work. I absolutely love how it tastes, and since I only use skim milk and two Splenda's (I know, artificial sugar isn't good for me, but I can't bring myself to use the real stuff), it is super low calorie compared to the ones you buy at coffee shops. This is what starts my morning off right.

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3. My Kindle. Oh man do I love this little piece of technology. I have always been a reader. I devour books. I always get so into them that I literally can't put them down. This tends to annoy my husband, but he survives :). Speaking of husband, I just bought his spoiled butt a Kindle Fire for his birthday. It's great, however I am perfectly content with my "basic" Kindle, because I pretty much use it strictly for reading. I'm not gonna lie though, it'll be nice to have the Fire around for surfing and movies and all of the other goodies it has! Gone are the days of lugging around huge books in my purse (although I still love the feel of an actual book).

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4. My iphone 4. This probably should have been first, just because I use it for so many different things. I am an Apple user all the way, and I don't know that I could ever get something other than an iphone now. It goes with me pretty much everywhere. I use it to play songs when I work out, I use it to play games when I'm bored, I use it to surf the internet (hello, Facebook addiction), I use it as my alarm clock and my calendar, and occasionally I use it to talk :).

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5. St. Ives Apricot Scrub. This stuff is amazing. It keeps your skin clear from blemishes and makes it feel so soft. I love using something with little built in exfoliators, because it makes me feel like I'm actually cleaning out my pores and getting rid of all the dirt and make-up that's there from the day. I like that it's gentle but still has Salicylic Acid in it to keep pimples away.

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6. On that note, my go to zit zapper is Clean & Clear's Persa Gel 10. I am fortunate and was blessed with good skin but I, like everyone else, can get annoying little, and sometimes not so little, blemishes. This stuff works miracles. Just a little dab and bye bye zits!

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7. No7 Advanced Hydration face cream. This stuff is amazing, plain and simple. I also use the Protect Perfect version. My face gets super dry in the winter, and it got to the point where no matter how much lotion I put on, my face would still get those dry, flaky patches (ew!). Then I discovered this lotion. Bye bye dry face! Seriously, if you have dry skin, try this out!

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8. Nail polish. Namely, O.P.I. I also love Essie's 3-way glaze and Orly's bonder base coat. I absolutely love going to the nail salon to get my nails laquered, because I love having my natural nails but hate when my polish chips. But since it's so expensive, I've started doing this, an idea I found on Pinterest and then adapted to make my own. First, I put on Orly's bonder base coat. It's a little bit rubbery, so the polish really sticks. Then I add a coat of Essie's 3-way glaze, followed by a coat of color, and finally another coat of the glaze. I hate having to apply more than one coat of polish, because I'm too impatient to wait for it to completely dry and hate nail polish "bubbles", and that's why I love O.P.I., because I love their colors and it's quality polish. I love doing my nails. I do them once or twice a week. It gives me some time to myself and makes me feel good.

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9. My Fossil watch. I wear the Fossil watch my momma-in-law gave me two Christmas' ago every single day. If I forget it I feel naked. I never realized how much I checked the time, especially at work, until I forgot my watch. I absolutely love it, it's sparkly and shiny and hey, it tells time too!

www.fossil.com

10. Finally, I'd have to say my yoga pants. I have several pairs and if I'm at home, or even running errands, you'll probably find me in them. I also wear them when I'm working out. I love that they aren't baggy like sweats but they are stretchy and comfy. Yes, I'm not so lazy that I can't throw on a pair of jeans, but when I'm around the house or have to run to Target after a work out, my yoga pants are my best friend. In fact, I just got done with a run and have them on right now :).

www.target.com







There ya have it...my top 10. I'd love to see yours!

xoxo

Dory

It's the little things...

This morning, on my way to work, I looked down and saw this:

...averaging 33.2 miles per gallon!

This made me super happy and just put me in a great mood. My commute to work is about 32 miles each way, so this made me smile. Just another reason I love my Sorento. Pretty darn good for a crossover. Sometimes it's important to smile and be happy with the small little things in life. THIS made me happy!

What are the little things that can make you happy?

What made you happy today?

xoxo

Dory

Wow, it's been a very long time since I've blogged last. I got busy, and a bit lazy, but I will try my best not to let that happen this time. I've recently gotten the urge to blog again thanks to two wonderful blogs I found. One is an inspiring blog from my friend and wedding photographer, Lauren ::check her blog out here!::, and the other is a college acquaintance who has an awesome food blog that I've already borrowed several recipes from (and they are delish!) ::check her blog out here::. Since it's been so long I will just give a very brief update of my life the last two years:

1. Kevin and I got hitched! We had a perfect wedding on a beautiful June day in Eau Claire, WI (where I'm from) at Wild Ridge Golf Course and Club ::webpage::. If you're ever in Eau Claire, check them and their beautiful course out. We had an amazing, cities-based photographer (Lauren from above). She doesn't do weddings anymore, but check her out for your other photography needs ::website here!::. We had an amazing honeymoon in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. If you're going, check out our resort. It was so amazing. ::website here::.


The following wedding pictures were taken by Lauren at LCphotography (see link to website above!)

and the honeymoon....

2. I got a wonderful job. I'm the Business Office Coordinator at a memory care facility for seniors with Alzheimer's/dementia. See my "about me" for a quick description of what I do. I love it. I still plan to go to school (U of M hopefully!) for my Master of Healthcare Administration, and this job is a great stepping stone to my dream job as Executive Director for a community such as the one I work in now, or as a director of long-term care in a hospital.

3. I got a new car! I know this isn't "huge" news, but I'm super excited about it! I'ts a 2012 Kia Sorento and I love it for more than one reason: it's good on gas, it's the perfect size crossover, it has enough room for the pup in the back and future car seats in the back seat, it's very comfy, and it's darn cute, too!

Isn't it cute?! This is the color I got, too!

4. Our sweet little puppy (see previous posts) turned into a big (72 pound), loveable, rambunctious dog. I have lots of nicknames for him, including pupperdoo, Mr. Magoo, Mr. Magoozle, Mr. Moozer, Bengal (his middle name), schnooks (also his grandma's name for him), boozie-boo, etc. It goes on and is slightly embarassing, but I just love him to pieces. He is the sweetest, most cuddly dog I've ever had. He's a momma's boy and spoiled rotten. We do fun things like go on walks and runs, play with his favorite toys like his itty bitty cowboy and his kong and "play wrestle" (dad does most of that with him, because his 72 body is pure muscle and he is one strong and heavy bugger).

Here is our boy all grown up

and for last Christmas...

...not a happy reindeer.



Well, I suppose that's it for "big" news.  I am super excited about getting back into blogging, even though I'm still a novice at it. Any advice for me?

xoxo
Dory

Lots of News!

Wow...so many life changes since the last time I wrote! Everything has been so crazy busy! I guess the biggest news is that Kevin and I got engaged! April 29th is our anniversary, which was on a Thursday this year, so Kev took work off Friday and we headed up to Duluth Thursday night for our anniversary weekend (we first met in Duluth, so it seemed appropriate). We took Diesel with us and stayed at the new Sheraton thanks to Kev's momma, who let us use her points. Friday was cold and rainy so we stayed around the hotel, spent a short amount of cold and windy time in Canal Park, and relaxed. We were happy that Saturday was better for weather, although a bit chilly. We had planned on driving up the North Shore and hiking in a few different places. We first stopped at Gooseberry Falls, which is beautiful but fairly crowded. We walked around the falls and took some pictures before continuing up North. We drove to Split Rock Lighthouse right when it started to rain and get very windy. We ran up to the platform where the lighthouse is, which overlooks Lake Superior. We stayed only long enough to snap a couple pictures, it was so windy! Then we continued up north to Tettegouche State Park. We geared up and headed out. Diesel was such a good boy, he just loved jumping over fallen trees and running down the steps and hills. We hiked around and over several waterfalls and it was absolutely beautiful. The sun wasn't shining but we were very comfortable hiking in our light gear. We ended up hiking down to the base of a beautiful waterfall, where we decided to stop on a fallen tree and eat the picnic lunch we had packed. As I was unpacking and getting Diesel some food and water, Kev asked if I wanted to read my anniversary card. I said I did and he pulled out a really beautiful card that was perfect for the occasion and said the sweetest things. He wrote a sweet note at the bottom of the card and then in very tiny writing wrote "p.s. look down". When I did he was kneeling (as much as he could since we were sitting down) and holding out the exact ring I had wanted! Before he could give a speech I freaked out and hugged him...he just barely had time to blurt out "will you marry me" before I gave him a hug. It was perfect! Right after he asked me the sun came out and it was so beautiful! I couldn't have imagined a better way for him to propose to me. After he asked we spent a few minutes with just the two of us (and Diesel of course) and ate some of our lunch. Then, we called our parents. Kevin's parents and my parents already knew, he had asked my parents permission the week before! They were soooo happy for us! It was the best day ever. Eventually we hiked back up to the car, went to the hotel to get ready and were surprised by champagne and chocolates sent up by Kevin's mom. We quickly got ready because we had dinner reservations at Bellisio's in Canal Park. We had a fantastic dinner with some really good wine, then we stopped by Grandma's restaurant to see my good friend Sarah. After that we were so full and tired from the day we just ended up going back to the hotel, relaxing in the hot tub with a couple of drinks, and going to sleep. Sunday we stopped by the chocolate store to get some treats for us and our parents, walked around Canal Park then headed home. It was the best weekend ever.

Here it is!

About a week after getting home I got a phone call from my old executive director. He was wondering if I would be interested in taking a job at another Brookdale facility (I worked at Brookdale while I was in school). The job is full-time and temporary while the activities director is on maternity leave. So, I've been working with elderly dementia residents at this facility as the activities director/coordinator. It's a fun job and I love getting to spend so much time with the residents. I've really gotten to know them and become close to them. The woman I am filling in for will return sometime in September, and then it will be another adventure starting (hopefully right away!) a new job.

I was reading my last posting about how Diesel has grown so much and was 26 pounds at the time. Wow...that even seems small these days. We weighed him last night and he is now 45 pounds! He is really getting to be a big handsome boy. He's taken well to me going to work every day...he is very comfortable in his kennel and doesn't mind being in it while we are at work. We started him with obedience classes, another of which we have tonight. Lately he has been naughty puppy and has discovered that with his long deer legs he can put his front paws up on all countertops to check for food. Once he gets up he uses his paws to pull whatever food there is towards him. Leaving any food on the counters or tables has been another thing we've had to learn not to do. We will ask our instructor tonight what the best way is to get him to stop. We really can't complain, he's a very good boy, especially for being only 6 months.

This past weekend we had our engagement party. Kevin's parents threw it for us at their house in Rochester. Kev's mom really went all out. She got napkins and tablecloths that match the colors for the wedding, and a gerber daisy (my wedding flower) for each table. There was TONS of good food. Kevin's Aunt Donna brought lots of yummy salads and her famous pinwheels and homemade salsa, and my parents brought awesome cheese and meats from Wisconsin. My momma also made Kevin his favorite; rhubarb cake. Kevin's mom made my favorite, red velvet. There were a lot of people both friends and family who came. I was so happy that all my bridesmaids came except one, who was on vacation in Alaska, and my Aunt Verna also made it. The best surprise of all was that my sister came! I had absolutely no idea she was going to be there. She flew in all thew ay from D.C. to come to the party. When she came downstairs and I saw her I was totally shocked. It was the best surprise ever! We ate, drank (maybe a bit too much, but that's what happens when one of your bridesmaids is a bartender making you yummy drinks and shots, I gues), danced and visited. It was a very successful and fun party, and I was happy both the families finally met each other.

Well, that's a quick update on life since the last time I wrote. I will try to be better about keeping this updated from now on!

Easter weekend and since

Diesel laying on the big doggy bed

The last couple of weeks have been pretty busy...Diesel has gotten so big! When we got him he was 17 pounds and now he's already 26!! We've been spending a lot of time with our friends, Debbie and Dave, and their boxer Lester. Lester and Diesel just love each other! Kevin and I also spent quite a bit of time spring cleaning, which I was excited about but Kevin was less than thrilled haha. We stayed in the cities for Easter, and spent the day with our friends Aaron and Katie.

Aaron and Katie

We went over to Katie's parents' house (she was house sitting) and made such yummy food! Asparagus on the grill with mushrooms, garlic and parmesan, a big salad and scalloped potatoes with ham.

The weekend was perfect, and we spent a lot of time taking the dogs outside and to dog parks. This past weekend we met up with some of our friends with the boxer club and let the dogs run around. We put Diesel back on his leash when all the dogs get there, because they run so fast we don't want him to get run over! We can't wait until he's old enough to run around with them! Last night we went back over to Debbie and Dave's for some pizza and to let the dogs play. It was a super fun night with good food and great conversation. We just can't get enough of doing stuff with Diesel, we just love him so much! This weekend we have a wedding to go to, and my dad found us a hotel that will let us have the dog, so he's coming on a road trip with us (he loves the car) and my sister is flying in from D.C. I can't wait to see her!

Our First Boxer Outing

Thursday my parents came up to our house to visit and meet the puppy. Dad really loves him! Diesel is the best cuddler and they both snoozed on the couch together, so cute! We also looked at some of the pictures from my trip, I have so many! We went out to eat at Chili's, where I got a BBQ pork sandwich (missed BBQ while I was gone!) then came home and hung out until Kev got home. We all went out for dinner at Olive Garden. We had some good wine, pasta, of course soup salad and breadsticks, and Kev and I shared a yummy chocolate dessert. After dinner mom and dad headed home to Eau Claire. On Friday Kev worked a half day and we left for Eau Claire around noon. We stopped by my momma's office so some of her co-workers could meet Diesel then we headed to Smitha's house. Landon (her 2 year old son) was a little nervous of Diesel at first, but they became fast friends. It was so cute! I can't believe how big Landon's vocabulary has gotten in the 2 1/2 months I've been gone! Before we left we got pictures of Landon and Diesel hugging, so cute! Friday night we went out with Alyssia and Smitha for a drink then went home and went to bed early (still feeling a little jet lag). On Saturday after breakfast we headed to Rochester. Right when we got into town we went straight to sushi since I've been craving it forever and hadn't eaten it since I'd been home. I got my rainbow roll and was super happy! Things didn't go as well as we had hoped with Bella (Kevin's parents dog). She doesn't really like other dogs, and didn't want anything to do with Diesel even though he was just wanting to sniff her and play. We had to keep them separate for the weekend. We left pretty early Sunday morning because we wanted to get home. Before we went home we stopped at the pet store and got Diesel some more toys, then Kevin's friend Dave called and invited us on a boxer outing. They are members of the Twin Cities Boxer Club and some of the dogs meet up once a week or more to play and walk together. We met up with them (Dave, his wife Debbie and their boxer Lester) and 7 other boxers. It was such a perfect day, sun shining and pretty warm. The dogs were all so happy to see our puppy, they all just love each other! Diesel was so excited, he made it almost the whole walk before he was totally pooped out. He really attached to a beautiful reverse brindle girl named Stella, they were giving each other lots of kisses. Kev and I are now joined in the Boxer Club and we are so excited to hang out with the members and their dogs more! The people are all so nice and it's so fun to get everyone together. We were happy Diesel ended the weekend with positive memories of dogs instead of any negative ones. Diesel was pretty much done for for the rest of the day/night, he was so tired after all that playing and excitement. Kev and I rented "Did You Hear About The Morgans?" and watched it while our little boy slept. We all went to bed pretty early. Overall it was a fun weekend!

The new addition to our family

The last Friday I was in Africa Kevin went and picked up the puppy that we have been waiting for and wanting for over a year: he is a brindle boxer puppy, and we named him Diesel. He is now about 13 weeks old and has been here for a week today. He is our little tiger. He is the most perfect puppy, and he is perfect for our little family! When I got home from Africa on Sunday Kevin surprised me by bringing Diesel to the airport. I was such a happy girl! I hadn't seen Kevin in 2 1/2 months and he brought me the cutest puppy I have ever seen! We've spent the last week loving him. He is such a smart puppy, he's only had about 3 accidents in the house since I've been home, and at 13 weeks I would say he's about 80% potty trained. He is the best snuggler in the world, and since he's so little he's still sleeping a lot. It's so cute when he plays, he hops around like a little bunny. He is going to be a big boy, he has long legs, a big wide chest, and huge paws. When he runs he looks so awkward because he hasn't grown into his body yet, but it's so cute! He isn't even fazed when he runs into something or falls over. We have been taking him outside and to different places like the pet store, because we want him to be well socialized. We don't want to take him to the dog park yet until he gets his final shots at 16 weeks because we don't want him to get sick or him to possibly get any other dogs sick until his vaccinations are all finished. We found a vet for him, one that has been recommended to us, and set up an appointment for this coming Wednesday. He'll be getting his final shots, a general check-up, and a microchip. My parents came up yesterday and my dad just loves the little guy! It was so cute! Diesel goes straight to him to cuddle, and they fell asleep on the couch together a few times. He definitely loves his grandpa! We just love him so much, and he's so smart and eager to learn. We are working on sit and stay and he is picking it up so quickly. We can't wait to have more great times with our little boy!