Monthly Recap - March 2019

So, you know how I did a monthly recap in August of 2016 and haven't posted anything since then?! Well, to whoever may stumble upon this, I'm not going to say "I'm sorry" because I doubt anyone feels like they missed anything. (: Anyone but me, that is.

I've been thinking about getting back into blogging again and while I have a draft saved with lots of pictures from hiking near Bryce Canyon last month, I haven't written anything for it. But maybe I still will.

We shall see!

Anyway, I just recently started reading the blog See You in a Porridge again and she does monthly recaps and invites others to do the same. So I figured, why not?

I video chat with my sister who is living in Japan fairly regularly and almost always mess with the graphics stuff with my niece for at least part of the call.

I was putting Molly in this crate while I ran a quick errand and Max got in with her. Cuties.

Max showed preference for Belle's old bed over the new (not cheap...) bed I got him in January.

I bought an '06 Highlander and sold a '10 Altima! Possibly not the smartest change to make, but I love the Highlander!

First ride in the Highlander with the pups.

I got the super-nasty flu that was going around and was sick for about 3 weeks! Luckily I had Molly to insist on snuggling to make things better.

Messy floor (I was sick!), but I learned that Molly searches for the sun spots like Belle did. Cutie!

Molly waits patiently...

For her chance at Max's food! Belle was never as vertical as Molly is, so this is a new element to deal with.

I enjoyed some sun with the pups.

I got a new car seat cover since the old one was very badly worn. This one zips up on both sides and has pockets that I keep their leashes in. I love it!

A sneak peek at the Bryce Canyon trip.

And... that about sums it up for me. Somehow, I feel like I should recap the past two and a half years, but I won't do that now. Maybe some other time.

Monthly Recap - July

Linking up with Kristen again because... why not?

July was a better month than June. Is it totally cliche to say that I blinked and July was gone? Probably. But that's how it felt.

Now my recap in pictures (the only way I can possibly remember what actually happened in any given month) -

I told the end of the story last month, but here are the pictures for it. After a false diagnosis of kidney failure, they started treating Belle with the right antibiotics for pyometra and she started getting better. I still spent a lot - A LOT - of time visiting and holding her (which I think she totally got used to because she is a bigger snuggler now than she was before).

She was able to come home the night before being spayed!

Here she is after waking up from the spay in the heated oxygen chamber. They used gas instead of an IV to put her out since her poor little body had already been through so much and gas is an easier recovery than the fluid. I got to open up one of those slots every once in a while to pet her and talk to her.

Not pictured - my vet's Boxer that was brought in in case Belle needed a blood transfusion. One of her clotting factors was low, so just in case there was a complication, Dr. Flynt wanted her dog close as a blood donor. Have I mentioned yet how much I love this vet?! Thankfully no blood transfusion was necessary, but I'm just a tiny bit sad that Belle isn't part Boxer now. (:

After being spayed she got to wear the cone for two weeks. This was her first full day home. Max kept an eye on her.

Her poor little chicken legs. Exposed because of the IVs they had to put in her.

Max got a 4th of July t-shirt when this one that I loved was too small for my youngest nephew. I wasn't too sad about that, and it's totally coming out again next year. (:

Belle got a super-girl onesie when a friend of mine mentioned that as a way to give her a break from the cone but still protect the staples in her belly from being licked/bitten. Sadly, it didn't work because it wasn't long enough, but I thought she looked pretty cute in her onesie.

Max, Belle and I watched the fireworks in the backyard from inside the house. Max hates them. Belle slept through them.

I figured out slow shutter speed on my phone and caught some of my nephews enjoying their sparklers.

Belle's sad little belly. I sent this picture to one of the vet techs after I noticed Belle had started bugging the staples when I was giving her a break from the cone. Teresa suggested I bring her in ASAP so they could fix what Belle had undone. They ended up taking out a couple of the staples and gluing that part closed.

I got a second fish for my office! (It's a disease, I have four of these guys at home - separate bowls of course!)

I went to shoot the Milky Way in the Uintahs with a friend of mine. We took her camper van up there so we could sleep instead of having to drive back in the middle of the night. Max wasn't too fond of the idea of a moving "house" and he ended up on my lap for part of the ride (kicking off Belle who ended up hanging out on Stacy's lap for this part).

These two insisted on sharing this tiny bed with me. I didn't have the best night's sleep that night...

Max enjoyed hanging out with his buddy Quinn.

After Belle's staples and cone came off I had to do some trimming around her neck. She had horrible matted hair from the cone.

Luckily a friend of mine saved Belle from me and was able to give her a much cuter haircut to even things out so her legs didn't look so pathetic and all the matted hair was taken off.

Belle enjoying the drive home.

My sister sent this picture to all of us. I love it. I miss them both! My grandpa passed away in June. My grandma is still alive, but her mind is going so much that she's definitely not the person she used to be. I still love her of course, but I miss the way she used to be.

Sleeping all the way home after visiting my grandma (she's in a carrier bag that I use for her when we go visit - it's easier than keeping track of her on a leash - and I kept her in the bag and put her on the passenger seat where she surprised me by just crashing.

I love when they sleep close. (:

Part of my drive from Salt Lake City to Vail, CO for a family reunion the last week of July.

I rode the Alpine Slide 6 times - 3 times alone, 2 times with this nephew, and 1 time with a niece.

My niece and I in the gondola on our way back to the hotel.

These are from a gorgeous hike that the whole family went on (my parents, my 7 siblings and I, my 5 in-laws, and 29 nieces and nephews ranging in age from 17 to almost 1).

Booth Falls.

Visiting my grandma with my sister and her family. Max was enjoying all the extra love.

Belle was exhausted after that grandma visit and slept like this the whole way home.

My sister sent this picture of my grandmother in front of her greenhouse. I love that she got this picture!

After a month of visiting the recliner, debating on whether or not to buy it or wait for a bigger discount (close-out sale), I finally brought it home on Saturday at 60% off! Totally worth it. I love it. And so does Belle. I think she thinks I got it for her.

And that's it! My goodness.

Monthly Recap - June

I think about doing this every time I see it on Kristen's blog. Since I'm currently off facebook and instagram (taking a bit of a social media break) and I haven't blogged in a very, very, very long time, I figured June would be a good month to jump in.

So, what's new with me?

I moved cubicles at work going from a space with very low cubicle walls and feeling completely exposed, to a place with high walls and some privacy (very helpful for the whole HR part of my job). This meant moving all my plants with me of course, and I had to take the chance to spread this guy out for a minute. He's been really happy here.

Here he is in a more contained fashion. I love him!

After giving Max a haircut I realized that his seat belt harness is a bit big... blast it.

I've missed the last few weeks of my weekly temple visits, but this picture is from earlier in June when I hadn't missed any yet.

Here's the last picture I have of my grandma and me. It was such a blessing to be able to visit him several times before he passed. I love his hands.

I had so many sweet moments with him talking about life after death, my grandma and how we'll still be here to take care of her (he told me once when I was telling him it was okay for him to let go so he wouldn't be in pain anymore and that we'd watch over my grandma, "I want her to go with me."

The picture used for his obituary. His funeral was beautiful and it was so touching to see how many people loved him and came to pay their respects to him.

My sweet Max wanting to cuddle.

A friend of mine blew this picture up and printed it for me. It's hanging in my cubicle. I love it!

I went on a hike with the pups and Belle needed a break. My friend took these pictures.

Little Belle got her teeth cleaned - and 8 teeth pulled - two days after that hike.

Where they put the IV during the procedure.

My nephew was in town for a few days without the rest of his family and we went to visit my grandma.

Belle got super-sick after the dental. Having no idea what was going on, I took her to the vet Monday morning. Tuesday she was diagnosed with kidney failure and I was extremely close to having her put down.

Poor sick little girl. Wednesday morning after just speaking to a vet about putting her down, the vet I had talked to on Monday (Dr. Flynt) came in. One of the techs mentioned something leaking out of Belle's vulva. I had noticed this before and mentioned it once or twice, but because there were other things going on, that was never really addressed. When Dr. Flynt heard about the leaking she immediately treated Belle with a different antibiotic. Apparently Belle had pyometra. An infected uterus. The treatment - a spay surgery. The long-term outcomes - she gets spayed, she's totally fine. Our problem - she was definitely not healthy enough for surgery, so that became our goal.

I spent as much time with her as I could at the beginning of the day and after work. Friday I was with her basically all day. This picture is from Thursday when she was doing a lot better than she had been. She had been completely limp (rolling head if I didn't support it) on Tuesday. So seeing her able to sit up, even for a second, was huge!

During my post-work visit on Thursday one of the techs gave me this invoice. Thinking it was my bill for the day, I thanked her and started putting it to the side. She then pointed out that it was showing a credit for $250. Someone had called in and anonymously put money in my account for Belle's treatment. I still can't express how grateful I was, and what this meant to me. I still get emotional talking about it, it was just such an incredible gift.

Since Belle's medical crisis didn't technically end until July I'm not including after pictures. But just to not leave anyone hanging - she was able to be spayed on Saturday and she is doing just fine. She's been making improvements everyday and is fast becoming her normal feisty, sassy, little self.

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