Awards!

My friend at Joyful Sister gave these awards to me....
I want to thank her and encourage all of you to read her blog and find inspiration in her encouraging words.
I hope that everyone is having a great week and know that I will find the time soon to read all of your blogs...
I am trying to juggle still living my ordinarily crazy life with the addition of Bella and bathroom training!
12 floors up?....I think that I am losing my mind (if it hasn't already left it yet!)

Goings on...

So, what has been happening in my life.... I feel like I have not been writing as much and here is why:


Cute? you bet!! Frustrating? way more than you could imagine....why?
Well, after successfully (word used lightly) training her to go on the paper until after her third vaccine, she now does not want to go to the bathroom outside. Literally, yesterday was the first day and I spent an hour and a half in the morning, about an hour in the evening and NO LUCK.
I went back to the crate training method, which is, I put her in the crate at night to sleep and in the day when there isn't anyone home....theory: she will not dirty her "house". Generally works...

Example #1: this morning she had only done a little poo, understandable...night time is a long time to hold it for a puppy....so I scoop her up in my arms (she hates the elevator) and then my other dog wanted out also. I put her down for 2 SECONDS to put his leash on...and she pees in the hallway...AGH!

Example #2: after the last episode, I left her in her crate for about 2 1/2 hours and she had not gone. So I sweep her up in my arms, praise her repeatedly (hoping that doesn't make her pee on me) and take her outside.... 2 HOURS later....NOTHING!!! I took her walking (which is a slight exaggeration seeing as she does not like to walk yet), running in the park, let her off her leash thinking that might help.... 2 HOURS and NOTHING!!!
So, my friend, who has trained some guide dogs, brought some water down for her to get it going...and thankfully it worked....came upstairs and fed her and then tried taking her out in mid poo (a joke in and of itself in a 12th floor apartment) but to no avail....
AHHHH, no wonder she is now like this:
I will keep up the vigilance...I KNOW she is a smart dog and will get it...(right?...I mean what dog does not like to go outside? hopefully mine will not be the first! hahaha)

and for those that may miss this (read: none of you but I don't care because I LOVE my Black and Gold):
Steelers 38
Cincinnati Bengals 10
WIN!

Lovin' in Blogland

My blogger friend Coffee Slut has awarded me this:


Can you feel the love? I CANNow as with all fun awards there are some "rules".....
display it, link it to who sent it to you, give it to 7 others with their links included, and leave them a message so that they know! Sound good?
Want to know what I am really thinking??? It's not like I read THAT many blogs...so really, I love all of my blogs listed over there! I seem to look for others, but then never continue and stick with the few that I have. Maybe I will venture for some more bloggy friends, but please know I would give this to all of you that read my blog. Alas, only 7 is the rule so here goes:
Beth
Lynn
Jodi
Gabriela
Marina
Calandria
Sonja

Hope you all have had a great weekend.....

Costumes

Now, if only I knew how to sew, or if someone could send me this costume...funny thing is I LOVE CANDY CORN!!!!

Your Halloween Costume Should Be

Candy Corn

What Should You Be For Halloween?

Pumpkin Soup

Check out the fun recipes at Linda's 2nd Cup of Coffee. She has started a recipe exchange for Fall.
This week, I would like to add my Pumpkin Soup. It is D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.!!! My friend Elke from Australia shared this recipe with me when we lived in Houston together.
I hope you enjoy it...let me know if you try it.
Oh, and yes, I live in Brazil, so we use fresh pumpkin here. I am not sure how it would taste with canned pumpkin!

Ingredients:
1 Pumpkin, cut into smaller pieces
1 Sweet Potato, peeled and cut
2 White Potatoes, peeled and cut1 White Onion, chopped
Fresh Ginger, grated
Garlic, chopped
Butter
Chicken Broth

Coconut Milk, to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste

-Melt the butter and stir in the garlic and ginger, until lightly browned
-Add the rest of the ingredients, except the last 3. Cook on low until it is VERY soggy, mushy. (about 1 hour)
-Blend in blender
-Return to the same pot and add the coconut milk, salt and pepper.

I like to use fresh cracked pepper. It adds color, texture and tastes so yummy! Not too much though...it will take away from the other yummy flavors in this soup!
As we say here in Brazil, Bom Apetite!

Ocean and Moon

Sometimes the view when the moon comes out is just amazing. We can't always see the moon at this angle because of the changing of the Earth. When we do, and it is a full moon, we are treated to beautiful reflections off of the water.
Sometimes the ocean looks so dark and mysterious....the sounds of the waves crashing sooth my mind. I can always lose my thoughts in just listening to the intensity of them.
They are always different....the color, the intensity, the distance...
the ocean changes with every wave....from night to day, it feels like a different ocean, alas, it is the same vast expanse of crashing waves and beautiful colors

Halloween is coming...BOO!

I like Halloween.
I always fondly remember dressing up and walking around my neighborhood. We would carry big pillow cases to see what we could collect from our lovely
"Trick or Treat"....
Sometimes I feel bad that my kids don't get to experience this oh so American pastime. Alas....
for your Halloween enjoyment

You Could Be a Vampire... If You Had To

Like most people, the thought of being a vampire has crossed your mind. But you're not sure if you'd do it, even if you could. Living forever doesn't sound half bad, if you could live forever with the people you love the most. But do vampires even love? And would the vampire version of you even be you? It's all too much to contemplate. Luckily, the chances of you ever becoming a vampire are astronomically low. What you would like best about being a vampire: Living forever What you would like least about being a vampire: Blood stained teeth

Could You Be a Vampire?