Doggie Ring Bearer

We've all seen the pictures of pets in weddings.

The question in my mind is - how does this work with energetic, hyper dogs?  Namely, our 3 year old Jack Russell Terrier whose favorite pasttime is greeting people.

We would absolutely love for Dozer to be a part of our wedding ceremony.  Wouldn't he be so adorable in a little doggie tuxedo?

If we were having an outdoor ceremony, I would be a little less worried.  However, we're having a private (family-only) ceremony in a small chapel.  The chapel has agreed to allow him in the building if we pay an additional deposit.

So now the question is - will we regret having him there?  Will he be whimpering to go run around and greet people?  The last thing we need is a distraction from the ceremony.

But we LOVE our dog.  He is a huge part of our lives.  We've had him since our second month of dating!  And we're the silly couple who brings their dog everywhere.  So why wouldn't we include him in our wedding?

Besides, I have this great poem I want to read at the ceremony, that would fit perfectly if Dozer was present.

Falling in love is like owning a dog

by Taylor Mali

First of all, it's a big responsibility,

especially in a city like New York.

So think long and hard before deciding on love.

On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:

when you're walking down the street late at night

and you have a leash on love

ain't no one going to mess with you.

Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable.

Who knows what love could do in its own defense?

On cold winter nights, love is warm.

It lies between you and lives and breathes

and makes funny noises.

Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs.

It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.

Love doesn't like being left alone for long.

But come home and love is always happy to see you.

It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,

but you can never be mad at love for long.

Is love good all the time? No! No!

Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.

Love makes messes.

Love leaves you little surprises here and there.

Love needs lots of cleaning up after.

Sometimes you just want to get love fixed.

Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper

and swat love on the nose,

not so much to cause pain,

just to let love know Don't you ever do that again!

Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.

Because love loves exercise.

It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.

It pulls you in several different directions at once,

or winds around and around you

until you're all wound up and can't move.

But love makes you meet people wherever you go.

People who have nothing in common but love

stop and talk to each other on the street.

Throw things away and love will bring them back,

again, and again, and again.

But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.

And in return, love loves you and never stops.

 

So, what's your opinion?  Have you been to a wedding with dogs involved?

The Lucky Winner

We celebrated the 4th of July weekend at a friend's lakehouse on Toledo Bend Lake.

I think the lakehouse is Dozer's favorite place in the world.  He spent the entire time swimming in the lake and rolling in the mud.

We had a blast hanging out at the lakehouse.  I relaxed in the hammock, read a book, went on a boat ride, and kayaked.

Of course, the main event was the cookout!

In addition to Beer Can Chicken, Jerk Chicken, and Beef Tri-Tips - we also had a Grilled Pig.

The guys used a nifty roasting box called La Caja China - to cook the pig.

I didn't eat any of the pig; it hit a little too close to home considering I had a pet pot-belly pig for 15 years of my life.  Austin and I neither one eat pork, actually.

It was a fun weekend, but it was too short!  Unfortunately, I had to work on Monday - so we left the lakehouse on Sunday afternoon.  We still watched some fireworks from our balcony, though!  Dozer was not a fan of the loud noise - poor baby!

Were your pets afraid of the fireworks?
Our friends' dogs at the lakehouse barked everytime the neighbors set off a firework!  Dozer didn't bark, but he got really scared and wanted to stay near us.  He's also afraid of thunder and other loud noises.

Giveaway Winner
And...the lucky winner of my Birthday Giveaway is #29 - Heidi at Basil Vodka!  Please e-mail me at redheadreports at gmail dot com with your shippping address to receive your Gym in a Bag.

A Day in the Life of the Redhead

My typical day starts with a hearty breakfast.

In this particular case, my first meal of the day was migas and hashbrowns with OJ.

After a long day of work which includes a packed lunch, I head home and walk in the door to be greeted by my pup.

He is a ball of energy.  He also believes that the reason we buy him toys is so that he can destroy them.  He takes this job very seriously and can go thru an "indestructible" toy in less than 3 minutes.

I usually take Dozie on a walk to get the mail, then Austin & I head to the gym for a nice evening workout.

Then it's time for dinner.

Austin loves to grill, so on nights like these - dinner is particularly easy for me!  I just kick back and relax while he takes the reigns.

Beer Can Turkey. It was out-of-this-world delicious: moist and flavorful!  I recommend you make this pronto.

All you need is a turkey and a can of beer. 

This recipe would work on the grill or in the oven, whichever you prefer.

After dinner is cleaned up and lunches prepared for the next day, I like to relax and read a good book.  This week, I've been reading Marley & Me.  I've already seen the movie, but I definitely recommend the book as well!

Do you have a daily routine, or are you more of a spontaneous person?

I enjoy a bit of spontaneity every now and then to spruce up my otherwise typical routine.

Rainy Day

This morning, I woke up before it started to rain and went for a run around the neighborhood.  I set a new personal distance record: 6.2 miles!  It took just over an hour for me to finish my run, and by the time I got home, I was ready for breakfast!

I was incredibly thirsty, so my first priority was fresh-squeezed orange juice.

I cooked up some "Migas Verdes".  I scrambled a few eggs, crumbled tortilla chips, and verde salsa in the skillet, then chopped up a few green onions and sprinkled some cheese on top.  I added more chips and salsa around the perimeter of the bowl.

I had a couple bites of this before I made myself a bowl of cereal:  Special K with a sliced banana, peanut butter, and ground flaxseed. 

After breakfast, my body was ready for some rest!  Naptime!

We made a quick trip to the store to buy some charcoal before lunch.  Austin fired up the grill for steaks.

He also grilled some corn on the cob.

We had sweet potatoes and mushrooms on the side.

We ate outside on the patio so we could watch the rain.

Dozie was very curious about what we were eating for lunch.

Of course, he had to balance the t-bone on his head before he got to eat it.

But it was definitely worth his effort.

For dessert, we tried a VitaBrownie.  It was very chocolatey and delicious.  I added the pecans myself because I prefer to have a "crunch" with my brownies.

If only I had a bowl of ice cream to go with it, this would've been perfect.

I've also tried the Vitatops.  These 100 calorie "muffin tops" are great for an easy snack.  Just pop it in the microwave for a few seconds, and it's ready to eat!  I love the nutritional facts behind them, too.

We made a short shopping trip to the outlet mall, then came back home to watch a movie. 

We watched Earth.  It was an inseresting educational film about the earth and the creatures who live here.  There were lots of baby animals in the movie!  My favorite scene was when the Mandarin ducklings were jumping out of their nest for the first time - they were fearless about free-falling to the ground below.  Fortunately, their crash-landings were cushioned by the piles of leaves beneath their nest in the tree.

The rest of the rainy evening was spent reading, doing laundry, and baking homemade raisin bread. I'm planning on using the bread to make french toast in the morning.

What is your favorite rainy-day activity?

I like to listen to the rain while curled up reading a romance novel.

Indulgence

Lately, I've been attempting to maintain my self-control around snacks.  I failed today.

Or, if you're a glass half-full type of person, I succeeded at increasing my indulgence!  Which technically I deserved to reward myself, since I set a new personal record on my 2-mile run yesterday!

I went a little nuts and ate an entire bar of Orange Dark Chocolate, along with four Fig Newmans.

No, you don't need to have your vision checked: you read that correctly!  I ate all of this for a snack.  A little excessive, perhaps.  Am I feeling slightly dizzy from all the sugar and deliciousness?  Yes, as a matter of fact I am.

Where did these goodies come from?  Sally at Newman's Own Organics hooked me up with the best care package ever!

Newman's Own Organics is the Second Generation of Newman's Own.  The ingredients list on all of these items contain the word "organic".

Be careful, though, because apparently there is such a thing as "organic corn sugar".  Just because it's organic doesn't mean you should eat it by the bucketful.

To demonstrate why I felt the need to make this statement, see below:

As soon as this guy walked in the door, he was ripping open bags and munching down on snacks.

Full-disclosure: He's a vulture.  He eats everything. 

Want to know a little about the soy crisps that he's eating?

• 
  
  Serving Size: 1 oz, Calories per Serving: 110, Calories from fat: 20, Total Fat: 2.5g (saturated fat: 0gm, trans fat: 0g), Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 650mg, Total Carbohydrates: 14g (dietary fiber: 3g, sugars: less than 1g), Protein: 9g

I had an interesting conversation with Sally about these.  They have a very high protein content - at 9g of protein per serving - which caused Austin and I to ask a question regarding the "soy" ingredient in these crisps.  As we suspected, they are made from unfermented soy.  Now, I'm not an expert on soy, but I do know that fermented soy is proven to be healthier than unfermented.  Some research indicates that there are risks associated with unfermented soy, such as skewing estrogen hormone levels in both men and women.  I encourage you to do your own research on this matter, but here's my outlook: eat everything in moderation and you'll be just fine.

Anyway, the crisps taste great!

Moving on to what I have deemed "the best cookie ever":

Newman's-O's are a healthier version of Oreo's.  They are made out of organic ingredients, with a much lower fat content than Oreo's.  Oh, and did I mention that they taste amazing?  The mint-chocolate flavor is my favorite.  I keep accidentally referring to them as Oreo's though.  I guess Newman's-O's just doesn't roll off the tongue quite as easily.

While we were stuffing our faces with treats, Dozer was sitting in the corner looking awfully pathetic.

Okay, who am I kidding?  Jack Russell Terriers do not sit still.  As usual, he was jumping up and down attempting to snag a crumb of whatever we were eating.

Fortunately, Newman's Own Organics has a line of organic dog food that Dozer was lucky enough to sample.

He loved it.  And clearly he's no longer interested in his dry kibble.  "That sh*t's for the birds".

Dozer was completely satisfied with his organic dog food.  But we didn't stop there.  It was his lucky day: he also got to sample a Salmon & Sweet Potato treat!

We took this opportunity to work on his begging skills.  He likes to paw at the air.  He probably thinks this improves his chances of earning the treat.  He would be correct.

Do you teach your pets tricks?

Dozer is quite the talented pup!  He can sit, stay, lay down, stand up, beg, jump, balance food on his nose, kennel-up, and fetch.

Jack Russell Terrier

I always had a lot of pets when I was a kid.  We raised a rooster, chickens, a pot-bellied pig, two German Shepherds, a dachshund, a peek-a-poo, beta fish, hamsters, and several cats.

The first pet I've owned as an adult is my Jack Russell Terrier, Dozer.  My boyfriend gave me Dozer for a Valentine's Day present!  He is "our" dog, and I couldn't ask for a better pet.  He is obedient, energetic, friendly, and can always make me smile.  He is two years old, but acts just like a puppy!

This post is an illustration of just how fun a Jack Russell Terrier can be.  As you can see, we've taught him how to balance food and other objects on his head and hold them there until he is given the command "free".

I cannot imagine a day without Dozer.  He is my constant companion - I take him on walks and runs with me, and I cuddle with him on the couch in the evenings.

Is there anything in your life that you don't ever want to live a day without?

I can't imagine a day without coming home to greetings from my precious pup and my wonderful boyfriend.

Welcome!

Howdy Y'all!

My name is Ali, and I live in Houston, Texas.  I am a recent college graduate enjoying a balanced, healthy life.

I have a 2-year old Jack Russell Terrier named Dozer.  He is an extremely friendly, energetic dog.  I often take Dozer on my walks and jogs around the neighborhood.

I love writing and photography. I started this blog as an outlet for my creativity, a way of challenging myself to continue to grow and learn.

I plan to write reviews on good eats, travelling experiences, fitness, and much more!  I enjoy reading books and frequently watch movies, so you can expect to see reports on those as well.

Do you have any pets? What's your favorite animal?

My favorite animal is a pig; I had a pot-bellied pig named Charlotte when I was a kid.