The Urban Nest

Ella and the Sun

2012-02-15T08:27:00.000-06:00

Ella really loves the sun. She's taken to basking in the sun where ever it may be now, not just behind the curtains. I'm even being a nice person and opening the curtains in the morning for her, even though I'm not the biggest fan of morning sun. But if my spoiled puppy likes the sun, then I'll open the curtains for her.

Etsy Shop

2012-02-14T20:21:00.000-06:00

I started an etsy shop!

Check it out, it's cute crafts, gifts, scrapbooks, photos, cards, and such from me, Chase, and Chase's mom, and coming soon...my mom! It's called Quirk Crafts. Check out the Etsy Store Here and the Blog for it here.

A Stamp for Ella

2012-02-14T08:02:00.001-06:00

Look what I found buried in the dollar bin at Michaels?!

Too perfect for my little gonzo dog Ella.

She really is One of a Kind.

Watching the AKC Dog Show

2012-02-13T20:01:00.000-06:00

Spoiler Alert!

Ella and I are watching the dog show! She was so cute, she noticed their were dogs on tv and followed them across the screen, growled once, and then barked. But no one barked back, so she hopped up on the foot stool. I think she's sad the short hair dachshund was robbed of the top five. But good news for wieners all around, two dachshunds made the cut and the wire haired wiener won the group! They've never had a dachshund win best of show at the akc...so maybe it's one of Ella's breed's year.

And yes, I'm watching the dog show.

Ella's Bone Treat

2012-02-13T08:15:00.000-06:00

After we gave Ella a bath the other day, we let her slightly damp, fluffy self nosh on a chicken flavored bone shaped snack. It was giant and she loved it, so I snapped this cute picture.

Auto Show

2012-02-12T11:14:00.000-06:00

Yup, I went to the Chicago Auto Show! Chase got tickets from work, so we ventured with the in-laws to the auto show to look at car porn. It was an interesting experience...lots of suburbanites, mis-behaved children, and finger prints along side swirling car displays and fancy concept cars. We tried out the new Mini Cooper and finally saw the Mazda 2 which is so going to be my next car! Matte Silver paint was the coolest color on display, but overall everything was very muted.

That's me in the Mini Cooper above, in which Chase said "see, it's okay to have fun in photos."

Leslie and Dwight check out some random car on the fancy side.

Ford was having a raffle for these awesome giant stuffed animal dogs! I was an adult, and did not enter to win one.

Chase checks out and approves the new, larger Mini Cooper.

All the cars that I looked at and said, "oooh, that's a cool car!" ended up being concept cars, which apparently take forever to become real cars. This one (above and below) was the Toyota concept car, and while I'm not a big car person, I have to admit, it's pretty cool.

Overall, it was an interesting experience. If I went again, I would definitely wear more comfortable shoes and go on a weekday when all the annoying children and their parents were safely tucked away in the suburbs and school.

In-Law Evening

2012-02-12T10:55:00.000-06:00

After our auto show experience, we went to Leslie and Dwight's for dinner with homemade pasta and hockey game watching. Ella enjoyed riding in the front seat as usual.

Dwight makes pasta dough while Ella waits for a kitchen counter slip.

Chase and Dwight roll the pasta.

Leslie becomes the dog spot of choice for hockey game watching.

Things That Are True

2012-02-10T23:02:00.002-06:00

There's been lots of good Michigan humour about lately...This one I found on facebook.

Snowy Dog Park Visit

2012-02-10T15:46:00.000-06:00

It started snowing and Ella got excited. So I dropped Ella and Chase off at the dog park and they played while I went to shop for groceries at Target. She once again had a blast. She had the park to herself, chased tennis balls, ran like crazy and then hopped into a big planter and tried to bury one of the tennis balls. Too cute. She left totally soaked, tired, and happy and then got a bath and a big bone when she got home.

Ella Waits in Car

2012-02-09T20:50:00.000-06:00

Poor Ella, a lot of her life is waiting in the car for the other one of us to come back. Chase said she gets really sad when I leave (she's my buddy after all). Tonight on the way home we decided to be gluttonous and order pizza for dinner. Chase snapped this cute picture while he was waiting with Ella for me to pick up the pizza. He should be a photographer! And yes...we have matching coats :)

From Michigan

2012-02-09T11:42:00.000-06:00

A cute list of reasons you know you're from Michigan...most of which are completely true! Check them out on theMittenState.com.

Puppy Likes Me

2012-02-08T22:33:00.000-06:00

Ella cuddles with me when she sleeps while we're watching Conan tonight after puppy class. So I snapped this picture with my mac photobooth that was on my lap. How freaking cute is this?!?! Awwwww!

Our Weekend

2012-02-07T16:06:00.000-06:00

We had a lovely weekend this past February3rd-5th. It's actually pretty cool to have time to hang out together since I'm not in a show and the team is out of town. Chase and I stole a moment and went shopping in the loop for some work supplies before stopping at Dairy Queen for their BOGO on blizzards. I opted for Butterfinger and Chase the M&M.

Ella caught up on her sleep...went to the dog park with Zoe and then slept through the superbowl. She even walked most of the way to the park from Chase's parents. She loves the dog park and held her own really well against the big dogs she was playing with.

Saturday night we went to the newest restaurant in the South Loop, Acadia, with Chase's parents. It was delicious, you can read my 5 star review here.

And Chase bonded with Ella. She really likes it when Chase is home during the weekend. They're buddies.

A great weekend all in all.

My Thoughts on Smash

2012-02-07T12:44:00.000-06:00

Smash premiered last night, but I was able to watch it on Demand a few weeks ago. It was okay, and I'll probably watch it again, but it did have some less realistic moments mixed in with the generally realistic-ness of the whole piece. I live tweeted through the show a few of my thoughts...

Ella Helps

2012-02-03T16:15:00.000-06:00

Ella helps me fold clothes...or, why doing laundry with a puppy is tricky. She started by stealing socks from the bottom of the pile and then decided jumping on the top would be the easiest. She routed around for a while and then decided the warm, soft pile was a good place to relax. If she wasn't so cute...

Ella & Chase Watch Hockey

2012-02-03T10:00:00.000-06:00

Very Tired Puppy

2012-02-03T09:00:00.000-06:00

Because sometimes, putting the toy down before falling asleep is just too much work. Is this the puppy equivalent of falling asleep with a book in your hands?

Snowpocalypse Anniversary

2012-02-02T13:23:00.000-06:00

Hard to believe it was a year ago that we were buried under 18" of snow. Today it's sunny and 43! Relive the snow drama in my four posts from last year:

Snowpocalypse
SnOMG
A Snowmageddon Morning
Real Life Snow Day

Ridiculously Cute Sleeping Puppy Photo

2012-02-02T13:02:00.000-06:00

Ella officially LOVES that footstool.

Makes you wonder what she's dreaming about.

How Ella Rang in February 1st

2012-02-02T13:01:00.000-06:00

Ella finds another comfy sleeping spot. She just plopped on the pillow. Too cute. Unfortunately her nap was interrupted by the fire alarm going off during the oven cleaning cycle. Oops.

Wordless Wednesday - Ella Sunning

2012-02-01T09:00:00.001-06:00

Ella's New Ball

2012-01-31T20:48:00.001-06:00

After seeing this ball with another dog at the dog park, we thought Ella would like it. So we took her to Petsmart and let her get her very own. She loves it. Bonus? It doesn't fit under the couch! We stuck some of her Martha Stewart chickens (The barn for the chickens is currently in the repair shop...) in it and she loves pulling them out.

Ella and the Vintage Tupperware

2012-01-29T09:05:00.000-06:00

Ella was being a bit of a punk, and I think slightly bored, so I put some icecubes in a little round tupperware and let her try to figure it out. She was really funny as she pushed it and then picked it up and ran around with it. That is, cute until she got frustrated and started trying to eat her way through the top.

Why I Have a Teddy Bear

2012-01-28T22:54:00.002-06:00

Post Park Ella

2012-01-28T22:04:00.000-06:00

We took Ella to the park today so she could romp and then gave her a bath at Soggy Paws afterwards. (She was not a fan of the bath part) Then she came home and plopped between the pillows and blanket on her chair.

Yet Another Cute Puppy Photo

2012-01-27T09:15:00.000-06:00

The other day we had to take Ella out in the rain...it was POURING...and even despite her little rain coat and trying to keep her under my umbrella she got wet. So Chase scooped her up to dry her off and she seemed perfectly content to sit there in her towel, which of course, I thought was too cute.

Puppy Pictures

2012-01-27T09:00:00.000-06:00

I played around with some puppy close ups on my point and shot camera. I had read a cool way to take photos of your pets was to take close ups of their little parts. They're not the best, but a good start. Next time I just need to do it with more light!

Sh*t Chicagoans Say

2012-01-26T22:37:00.000-06:00

If you haven't figured it out yet from my facebook and twitter feeds, I LOVE this new trend of "Stuff ______ say." The opera and musical theatre versions are fabulous, as is this Chicagoan one. Some of my favorites: "You don't live in Chicago, you live in Skokie" and "I've always been a Blackhawks fan. I'm a huge fan of Toes." Plus the guy shouting "NOOOO" and smacking the ketchuped hot dog out of the girl's hand actually made me laugh out loud.

Puppy Training Class

2012-01-26T15:40:00.000-06:00

We started a great training class last week and just had our second session Wednesday night. Classes are going great! (You can read my Yelp review here) We're in the basic obedience class at the Anti-Cruelty Society and Ella is a little champ. She's really bright and totally food motivated! She had a little trouble with "down," but she got it yesterday! Before class I made a cute little pouch for her treats with my new sewing machine and converted my photo purse from old Miss Battle Creek photos to appropriately obnoxious puppy parent photos...Ella seemed to approve.

My creation! A little janky on the outside stitching, but not too shabby I think. I even managed to sew in a contrast upcycled lining and make it so the dinosaur parts lined up on the fold over flap!

Prescription Puppies

2012-01-26T15:30:00.000-06:00

Dad, Chase, and Sam in May 2009

A new article on Glamour.com says doctors are prescribing puppies as a prescription for depression. I remember my Grandma's doctor suggested she get a puppy for her blood pressure, which is how Sam came into our lives. It's not hard to see why though, it's hard to be annoyed or upset when you come home to a cute face and wagging tail. Read the article here.

Wordless Wednesday: Passed Out Puppy

2012-01-25T21:47:00.000-06:00

Ella Loves to Look Out the Window

2012-01-24T14:02:00.000-06:00

Another Snow-y Puppy Video

2012-01-24T13:55:00.002-06:00

Here's another video of Ella pushing the snow covered tennis ball at the dog park. She's too cute, if I don't say so myself.

Ella Protects her House

2012-01-24T11:00:00.000-06:00

Ella has been getting more spunky and definitely protects her house. She lets us know when people walk by and gets disturbed when people and/or birds are outside her window. Most recently, she spent some time staring at the kids across the street making snowmen.

Ella and the Snow Covered Dog Park

2012-01-23T15:45:00.000-06:00

We took Ella to the dog park to let her run and romp in the snow. She LOVED it. She didn't even care that there weren't any other dogs at the park when we arrived, she just ran and ran and chased snow covered tennis balls and snow balls and dug in the snow. It was so cute! Above, you can see her excitement at trying to get to the park, and below as she runs around.

Ella and the Ice Cubes

2012-01-21T00:31:00.000-06:00

Ella loves to chase and munch on ice...and more recently, she's enjoyed playing with lots of ice cubes in a little tub.

Cute Puppy Pictures from this Week!

2012-01-19T17:27:00.000-06:00

More cute stuff Ella has done this week. After teaching Ella not to bark at the sewing machine, she sits and watches me sew. Especially if I'm working on one of her toys.

Her favorite activity: sleeping and using toys as pillows when she's bored of the regular pillows.

Watching tv.

...and helping me write for my social media gig.

Shelter Pet Project

2012-01-19T12:57:00.000-06:00

LOVE these funny commercials to promote pet adoption of pets trying to figure out their owners. So cute and I'm sure exactly what Ella is thinking.

I Upcycle Sew!

2012-01-16T23:36:00.000-06:00

I finally made something on my cool new sewing machine! It went really well! I only managed to get my bobbin tangled 5 or 6 times and only called my mom once. I made two super cute upcycled projects (what is upcycling?...find out here). The first was this little t-shirt bag that I created with an "I Heart NY" shirt I'd had for years and the second was a little heart shaped dog toy for Ella. I took some fabric scraps from an old pink striped tank top of mine and made it into a little stuffed heart, then put a rope and squeaker in it from an old toy she had destroyed. She loves it! (Yay!) Ella gets a new dog toy, it doesn't cost anything, and I get the joy of actually making something!

I also got the joy of teaching Ella not to bark at the sewing machine. I used the same technique I used to get her to accept the hair dryer. While I used the machine with one hand, I fed her treats with the other hand. I'm sure it looked quite cute, she sat on the bench next to me munching treats and watching me sew.

Success! Ella likes her new heart toy!

Cupcakes!

2012-01-16T23:26:00.001-06:00

A little dark chocolate, dark chocolate truffle center, chocolate frosting love for my Monday.

Training Ella...or Ella training us?

2012-01-15T22:16:00.002-06:00

So we're working on some of Ella's issues. We start training classes on Thursday and I've been watching episodes of the Dog Whisperer (cheesy, I know, but the revelation of being calm and asseritive has been amazing). One of our big issues has been seperation anxiety. She cries and howls when we leave, but we've made a small break through thanks to that little kong teether toy above! Fingers crossed that it works more than once.

But we're making progress!

She's still the perfect puppy though! And she only has one or two issues, like barking at the door. But I love her so much! She does so many cute things, like this...Ella waits for Chase to come home from work.

Staycation

2012-01-15T22:16:00.000-06:00

Chase and I finally took a day for ourselves and spent the evening where we were married (aww!). We stayed Friday night at the Chicago Mart Plaza as a reconnect day/late anniversary celebration. We spent the evening at the chic bar in the hotel eating, drinking, and laughing. And Ella spent the night with her sister-in-law buddy Zoe. She seems like she had a good time based on the photo Leslie sent me Friday evening, above.

Ella and Snow

2012-01-13T01:17:00.000-06:00

I tried to take a few photos of Ella and the couple inches of snow we got. (She moves fast...it's hard to walk the dog and take pictures at the same time!) She seemed content with it, I'm sure she'd love to play and run around in it. Hopefully we'll get a little more and can find a park she can play in with the snow soon.

I wish this photo was better...she was super cute after she stuck her nose in the snow pile and had little snowflakes all over her face.

Ella and the Disconcerting Snowfall

2012-01-13T01:06:00.000-06:00

Ella had seen snow on the ground before but she'd never actually seen it falling. I caught the second part of her concern for the what was falling from the sky and hitting her balcony as I was getting ready to take her out. It was starting to be a pretty decent falling of snow, decent sized flakes at a good pace. No worries though, once I took her outside she was totally fine with the snow. She's definitely a curious puppy that likes to know what things are.

High School Flashback - Showchoir!

2012-01-11T23:36:00.002-06:00

Vintage!

Someone posted videos from my showchoir days in high school. I found them totally randomly as I checked my stage name on youtube. SO many memories...good and bad. Still haven't quite let it all go....but I still remember all the words, and some of the choreography. That's the power of music for you.

This is from my sophomore year, when ~~Ean~~ I had the ballad solo :) My solo starts at 7:35 and we took 1st place. I'm not sure who posted them, but it was a fun evening flashback and crazy to see how far my voice has come. The one below is a little better video quality, from my freshman year, and I believe was shot at nationals here in Chicago at Navy Pier, where we took 4th.

Sleepy Puppy

2012-01-10T14:57:00.000-06:00

Ella's been a bit sleepy and mopey lately. We're guessing it has something to do with her three dog park visits and two Zoe visits last week. She had a busy week. Here are some of her quirky sleeping positions...

Happy Birthday to My Little Brother

2012-01-06T17:04:00.001-06:00

Just had to share this super cute picture from my mom's blog post about Travis' 1st Birthday, it's SO cute. Happy Birthday today to my little brother. Check out more photos from my mom's post here.

See Ella Walk!

2012-01-06T15:34:00.001-06:00

Ella actually went for a walk! After doing a children's show this morning, seeing as it was 52 degrees outside in January, I thought Ella might like to take a jaunt to the mini dog park at 16th and Indiana Street. She did! She walked five of the six blocks from our house to the dog park! I was so proud! She tossed her ball around a bit and explored. But there weren't any other dogs there, so we called it quits and walked home. Well, I walked home. Ella had had enough, so I had to carry her all the way home. I think we tired her out...we took her to the big dog park last night and she chased a black lab around for an hour, so she's had lots of fun lately.

I caught our reflection in a window on the way home though, and thought we looked so cute, I just had to take a picture (above).

Golden Elite on Yelp!

2012-01-06T15:26:00.001-06:00

My awesome Yelp Elite status continues! I'm an Elite member of Yelp.com for the 5th year in a row! And that means I now get the shiny gold badge you see above. I guess my yelp prowess is just that awesome :)

Check out my Yelp account here: kirstena.yelp.com

Ella Hearts the Yoga Mat

2012-01-04T20:26:00.000-06:00

It's quite apparent I'm going to need to go to yoga class as whenever I get my yoga mat out Ella either claims it as hers or tries to eat it. It's hard to be mad at her though when she looks this cute!

Area Conquered: Under the Couch

2012-01-04T19:26:00.001-06:00

Ella has finally discovered she fits completely under the couch. She has finally conquered the skill of sliding under the couch. She'd gone part way under the couch before to try to get a ball, but a renegade ice cube was the piece that had her sliding all the way under. It was so cute! Especially when she slid part way out and let me pull her by the front paws on the way back out. Seven months old is proving to be a very productive age.

Snail Mail from Grandma Betty

2012-01-03T21:25:00.001-06:00

I got this super sweet note and photo from my Grandma Betty in the mail today. Love it. The photo is date 1986, Petoskey State Park on the back. So fun to get a blast from the past via snail mail and to see both our happy faces. I love the colors of the 80s photo. I don't remember the actual photo being taken, but it is definitely a favorite memory of mine now.

Passed Out Puppy

2012-01-03T20:51:00.000-06:00

Our weird little puppy and her unusual sleeping arrangements.

First Homemade Dinner of 2012

2012-01-03T19:51:00.000-06:00

I love, love, love doing shows, but there's always a bit of content that comes with closing a show and having a few nights at home. Chase and I get to see each other and I get to cook dinner. So the first post garden night of 2012 found us noshing of "Made up Manicotti." I meant to make lasagna, but when I had no noodles, I winged it and made some beef stuffed manicotti.

Puppy Photos by Chase

2012-01-02T22:06:00.001-06:00

Some puppy pictures from the past couple months shot by Chase in honor of Ella's 3rd month adoption anniversary. Can't believe she's 7 months old today!

New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-01T00:01:00.002-06:00

11 Favorite Moments of 2011

2011-12-31T10:00:00.002-06:00

Sometimes it's hard to remember everything that happens in a year; and while our 2011 was by far calmer and less busy than our 2010, we still managed to do some cool stuff. As I looked back through my 2011 iphoto album, I thought it would be fun to edit down to 11 photos from the year.

So here are our favorite moments and their corresponding photos from 2011...in no particular order...

1. Snowpocalypse: A very snowy start to the year led to 21" of snow, a real life snowday, a VERY burried car, snow photoshoot/play session, and a trip to China town with some nearby neighbors.

2. Vacation to Mexico: Even though we were a touch stressed out at going, a week off in sunny mexico with Chase's parents was a welcome week off and our first vacation since our 2008 honeymoon.

3. Adopting Ella. We finally got a puppy and she's been such a sweet addition to our life.

4. Playing Jean MacLaren. I finally got my big leading role debut at Music by the Lake in Wisconsin. It was an amazing two weeks of theatre and dance.

5. Chase gets invited to the White House. Not only does he go to DC, but he gets a press pass at the White House, meets the president, and adds another feather to his cap of awesome things.

6. Art on the Walls. We FINALLY got art on the walls. After four years of living here, we finally added art and curtains to the living room.

7. Cooking Class. We learned how to make super yummy coconut shrimp at a cooking class at the Chopping Block.

8. Meeting my new Cousin. My mom's brother had a baby last year and we finally got to meet her. She's one cute baby. It's hard to believe we're cousins and are that far apart in age. But it was great to hang out with her in the summer and at Thanksgiving.

9. Home for Thanksgiving. We were able to go home for Thanksgiving this year for a true Brenda Leyndyke Thanksgiving. It had been a few years since we got a good old fashioned huge Thanksgiving dinner at my mom's.

10. Ella's first stairs. It's been fun watching Ella figure things out, but we were most happy watching her learn how to use the stairs. At my parent's house she went from being scared of the stairs to racing up and down them like a pro.

11. Seeing Chase's Grandpa. Although the reason for the visit was sad, it was heartwarming to see Chase with his Grandpa...and fun to watch him show off Chase's cup ring to everyone in the dinning room.

Spoiled Puppy

2011-12-31T09:03:00.000-06:00

So with fixing her broken toys, and all the toys Ella got for Christmas...she's now officially spoiled. It may be time to get her a toy bin. She also is in love with her new gator toy from my brother. When she first got it she was growly at it, but now has taken to running back and forth with its tail in her mouth.

Ella's 1st Christmas

2011-12-30T14:57:00.000-06:00

Ella was a little terror during the evenings, but she really enjoyed her 1st Christmas. Lots of backyard running, treats, and presents for this little puppy. She even wore here Christmas bow! As you can see, come Christmas morning, she was a little tired.

The window by the cracked door was her favorite spot on Christmas Eve.

My mom got Ella a stocking full of toys...which were a big hit.

She also loved ripping open wrapping paper.

Tired Christmas puppy.

One of Ella's favorite activities at my parent's house is running up and down the stairs.

Food = Love

2011-12-30T14:51:00.000-06:00

It's no secret that food equals love in the Glover/Leyndyke houses. If you're fed and full, then you're happy. And that means you know how much we care. Here's just a few of the food dishes and offerings from Christmas this year.

Christmas Photos

2011-12-30T09:00:00.000-06:00

Some photos from our 2011 Christmas. It was a quick trip, but it was great to see my parents and brother.

Ella and the Hockey Stick

2011-12-28T21:17:00.002-06:00

There just must be something about stick shaped things...although she doesn't get as mad at the hockey stick as she does at the swiffer.

Ella and the Pub Mix Container

2011-12-28T17:18:00.000-06:00

Holiday Card Outtakes

2011-12-27T23:16:00.000-06:00

The verdict is in...our holiday card was a hit! Here are the images that didn't make the final card.

Merry Christmas + Our Holiday Card

2011-12-25T09:00:00.002-06:00

A big Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and best wishes for a fabulous New Year from Kirsten, Chase, and Ella! Here's our awesome holiday card for this year...thought up by Kirsten, designed and shot by Chase :)

My Birthday!

2011-12-20T15:56:00.000-06:00

For the third year in a row, I spent my birthday at a tech rehearsal for the show I'm in. It's not too bad of a way to spend a birthday (and I'm always thankful to be in a show). Mom and Dad came down the previous Saturday though (one of my three days off in December) and had birthday lunch at Bucca de Beppos. It was great AND they brought me my favorite cake ever (which I've been eating for meals ever since).

Then Chase got me this super cute birthday card! The dino is fuzzy! Thanks everyone for a nice, mellow birthday.

Chase's New Camera

2011-12-13T09:00:00.000-06:00

Chase got an early Christmas gift from his parents, a little digital tilt-shift camera. A pretty good little camera compared to a big tilt-shift lens that costs a couple thousand. I like it because it makes things look like little toys. Here's a morning shot from behind our sliding glass door.

Christmas at our House 2011

2011-12-12T09:00:00.000-06:00

I've been feeling extra Christmas-sy this year and was excited to decorate for Christmas. We went with our Charlie Brown tree again...although I really wanted to put up a big one. (We thought that might be too tempting for the puppy). I still need to get a wreath for the door and maybe some seasonal flowers for inside. I have Christmas lights for outside, but still haven't decided if I want to put them up or not. I'm feeling the cheer this year!

Our Advent Calendar....a new tradition started last year.
Chase's Mom fills it with candy and little surprises for us.

Mr. and Mrs. Gingerbread from my Grandma Glover's now reside with us.
They're my favorite and remind me of childhood Christmases.

Vintage ornaments from my Uncle Neil adorn the tv unit.
Please ignore the dust. Ick.

Christmas corner sits atop our "office area."

Cooking Class Candids...A Birthday Dinner

2011-12-11T14:41:00.000-06:00

Last night we celebrated Dwight's birthday with a cooking class at The Chopping Block. Everyone had a great time at our last class so we went back for a second glass instead of a traditional out to eat dinner. The instructor was great and the wine kept flowing. The theme of the class was "Cooking Date Night: Swiss Alps." We made Cheese Fondue, Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin, a huge potato pancake/hash-brown type thing, and some cabbage with bacon. I didn't take as many photos this time, but here are a few random ones...and we did have a picture of Chase and I together, but we looked a little weird in all of them, so you'll just have to pretend.

Ella's 1st Snowfall

2011-12-11T14:29:00.000-06:00

Ella saw her first snowfall this past week. We just had a light dusting, but I was lamely excited for her to see snow. She was totally fine with it, although she did wander around trying to find where all her dirt had gone. And she looked super cute in her little winter coat!

Our Crazy December

2011-12-10T11:00:00.007-06:00

Forgive our lack of posting...December for us is usually a pretty crazy month for us. There are lots of rehearsals, photoshoots, games, and events for us. I go into tech for my show on the 16th and Chase plays at least two games a week. In fact, since I shot this calendar picture, we've had to add several more things to it. Ella's going to meet her first dog walker a couple times in the next few weeks to help us out.

It's crazy, but we love it.

Happy December.

Cute Puppy Photo

2011-11-30T09:00:00.001-06:00

Ella and her cute winter coat.

Play Food

2011-11-28T09:00:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite toys when I was little...and forever after that...was the plastic play food. We had tons, McDonald's chicken nuggets and fries, a waffle breakfast set that had eggs you could crack open and had scrambled or fried insides and a skillet that made noise for the plastic bacon, even a cute baby food set with jars and a bottle, and so much more. Since my Uncle Neil's baby was visiting, my Mom pulled out all the play food for her to play with and she loved it. She sat there for hours playing with it. It was really cute.

Because sometimes reaching into the plastic bin of toys just takes too much effort.

Ella was slightly confused as to why she couldn't play with all the plastic toys.

The next morning, my mom had set the table in place settings for the baby to play with.

It's never to early to start learning etiquette.

This breakfast set, by the way, made by Fischer Price back in the day, is now selling on ebay as "super vintage" for $109. Crazy.

A Visit to Grandma and Grandpa Leyndyke

2011-11-28T08:00:00.000-06:00

We went to see my Dad's parents the day after Thanksgiving. It was great to see them and have them meet Ella. We had a yummy lunch, chatted, and even got a lesson in how to use my Grandma Betty's vintage Singer sewing machine that she gifted to me (photos to come). Ella bopped around their back yard, house, and then had a lovely nap on Chase's lap for about two hours, photo above.

Ella saw her first deer. She was not a fan. She barked like crazy, hair standing up, and growling. She loved sitting on the back porch though. I think she enjoyed the breeze, bark back and forth with Molly who lives kitty corner, and being able to see if any menacing deer were coming.

Awesome bumper sticker in their basement.

Family photo, in which my grandpa said "say whiskey" before it was snapped.

Oh, and if you're looking for a Michigan house, theirs is for sale, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and lots of land. :)

Post Thanksgiving with the In-Laws

2011-11-27T22:18:00.000-06:00

After our return from Michigan, we got together with Chase's parents for an evening dinner and holiday planning session. Skipping the turkey route, the menu was a Chase favorite: Taco Bake. Learn more about Taco Bake here.

Ella and Zoe enjoyed a little playtime before both modeling their new winter coats. They were custom make for each of them by the same lady on etsy. Zoe liked Ella's so much, she just had to have one of her own.

More Thanksgiving with the Leyndykes

2011-11-27T21:06:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving with the Leyndykes

2011-11-27T20:30:00.000-06:00

Photos from our Thanksgiving back home in Michigan. It was Chase's first Thanksgiving at my home and I think he liked it. My Grandparents, Uncle Neil, wife and baby were there as well, so it was a fun, family weekend. And a slightly different Thanksgiving than we have had in a while with the addition of a puppy and a baby. We had the traditional 23 pound turkey, stuff, potatoes, green bean casserole (mom let me make it!), jello salads, pies, and dinner rolls from one of my favorite childhood restaurants. It was a perfect Thanksgiving weekend.

Pretty apple place cards, an idea we tweaked from Real Simple Magazine

Butter Turkey (which Neil promptly decapitated)

A last minute check before calling everyone to the table

My made from scratch apple pie nestled between Mom's two pumpkin pies!

My Puppy and Me!

2011-11-23T09:00:00.001-06:00

Me and the puppy photos Chase snapped before and after our Christmas Card Photoshoot. And yes, I got her a cute Christmas bow to wear!

Family Photo

2011-11-22T22:13:00.000-06:00

One of our cute family pictures from our Christmas Card Photoshoot. And further proof that we excel at candid photos.

Happy 3rd Anniversary to Us!

2011-11-22T09:00:00.000-06:00

We got married three years ago today! Always grateful that I found the man who never judges me, even when I'm licking the serving knife from my own wedding cake.

New Puppy Toys

2011-11-21T09:00:00.000-06:00

Ella rocks out some cute new puppy toys...including a 2 Liter Ginger Ale Bottle.

Behind the Scenes - Christmas Card Photoshoot

2011-11-20T15:38:00.001-06:00

Some behind the scenes shots from our Christmas card photoshoot from today. Look to be receiving your very own Agnello-Dean family photo in your mail box come Christmas time! The shoot went surprisingly well, all shot with remotes and just the three of us. Ella did well in her first group shot, got lots of treats, and promptly passed out afterwards.

The 96 cent Toy

2011-11-17T09:00:00.000-06:00

Just like that commercial with the baby playing in the box her new toy came in...we gave Ella an empty flavored water bottle and she LOVED it. She chased it all over the place, chewed the cap, and then chomped the crap out of the bottle. Kept her entertained for hours.

Kirsten's Dog Toy Sewing Shop

2011-11-16T17:03:00.000-06:00

...is open for business.

Wordless Wednesday - Puppy Edition

2011-11-16T09:00:00.000-06:00

Love this photo Chase snapped of Ella hanging out on the ottoman.

New Planner!

2011-11-15T10:00:00.000-06:00

It's that fabulous time of the year when I get a new planner! I was a little behind this year, I usually shop for a new one in September/October, but I just got mine for 2012 this week. I opted for a slightly different style for the new year, slightly larger and with a printed color.

And yes...that's Ella sneaking into my frame with her ball. Puppy approves of the new planner as well.

Ella's Island - part two

2011-11-15T09:00:00.001-06:00

More cute puppy pictures of Ella on her footstool. She loves it...and even manages to surf on it as it rolls across the room.

Double Dogs - Dinnertime Difference

2011-11-14T14:27:00.000-06:00

I gave Ella and Zoe some of their dinner one night in empty toilet paper rolls...which they love. I'm assuming it's something to do with being able to rip it apart and find their food. But it cracked me up the difference in how they went about it. See Ella above, and Zoe below.

Double Dogs - Playtime

2011-11-14T14:24:00.000-06:00

Proof that Ella and Zoe can actually play together! After the first couple days of having Zoe here, they both got around to co-exsisting and even started playing together.

Double Dogs

2011-11-11T11:48:00.000-06:00

Chase's parents are visiting Grandpa Les, so we have Zoe for the week! Adventures in two dogs for five and a half days. Day three here and things are going better than expected. Ella and Zoe are managing to coexist very well. Zoe is warming up to Ella and even starting to play back instead of just growl. I've even successfully managed to take them out together and not get tripped, stuck, or completely overwhelmed. Score me!

It's definitely interesting having a puppy and an 8 year old dog though....Chase and I have decided that if we ever had two dogs (which is pretty unlikely anyway) that they would have to be close to the same age. Poor Zoe just doesn't have the interest in keeping up with crazy Ella. Although right now it's totally peaceful...they're both sleeping!

Wordless Wednesday - Sleepy Car Puppy

2011-11-09T09:00:00.000-06:00

Puppy Crazies

2011-11-08T14:03:00.000-06:00

Ella gets into her full blown puppy crazies...running around the whole house. This is the tail end and result of her craziness.

Ella and the Swiffer

2011-11-07T17:28:00.000-06:00

The first couple times Ella met the Swiffer, if was cute and funny...but now her relationship with the Swiffer has gotten more intense...

Snowman Stress Relievers

2011-11-07T16:47:00.000-06:00

We've had a tad bit of scheduling stress in the past few days, so I grabbed these Snowman Cookies on my grocery shopping trip today and ate away my stress. Five of these babies and a glass of milk had me feeling better in no time.

Ella's In-Law Visit

2011-11-07T15:47:00.001-06:00

Ella spent the evening with Chase's parents during one of our game/rehearsal nights and we got a cute puppy report card complete with artsy Ella art. Love.

Basket Traps Ball...Ella Sad

2011-11-07T09:00:00.000-06:00

Ella tries to figure out how to get her favorite ball out of the laundry basket after it accidentally was captured. And yes, I eventually tipped the basket so she could get it.

How Chase Must Feel at the Grocery Store

2011-11-05T09:00:00.003-05:00

I saw this commercial the other night and it just made me think of Chase. I asked if this was how he viewed/felt at the grocery store and he said yes. The grocery store scares him.

Finally Park Ready!

2011-11-04T09:00:00.004-05:00

Who knew getting your puppy ready to go out to the park was such an ordeal. In Chicago you need a rabies tag, a chicago sticker, and a park district tag to take your dog to the dog park. That's a lot of test, shots, and jingle! But she's finally ready! We can't wait until Chase gets back so we can take her to the dog park!

Ella makes a run for it...

2011-11-03T15:31:00.000-05:00

...in her playpen. So I've been trying to leave Ella alone for a little bit everyday so she can get over her separation anxiety. I put her in her little playpen and went downstairs to clean up our storage space. When I got back 20 minutes later...this is where I found her. She had moved herself AND her playpen all the way around the bar until she got stuck between the stool and the china cabinet.

Crazy Puppy.

Ella's Shopping Adventures

2011-11-03T15:20:00.001-05:00

I took Ella to Petco and while I was contemplating doggie boots, Ella found something she wanted. She climbed right in this great dane sized bed that one of the employees was unpacking.

It must be because she's getting bigger. When we stopped by the vet to pick up her dog park tag I had her weighed and she came in at 14.5 pounds!