Friday Things
1. So, big news… we moved this week! I’ll definitely be sharing some pictures as we get settled in and things organized; this week we’ve worked around the clock just to get everything out of boxes. Our movers went through 250 pounds of packing paper, so we had our work cut out for us!
2. Joseph hasn’t missed a beat and has been absolutely awesome… he slept the entire time that the movers were loading the trucks, then he stole the heart of the settlement attorney at our closing, and he broke in his new room by sleeping for 10 hours on Wednesday night. He has been crazy happy and smiley almost constantly. Basically, he’s the best.
3. Ever since I was 11 years old, I’ve had room darkening shades in my bedroom (minus time spent in a dorm during college). In our new house, there are not room darkening shades in the bedrooms, and our room faces directly east. SO… there is officially no sleeping in (not that there was with a 3-month old anyway, but still).
4. Duke and Einstein have been adapting pretty well to the new house. They got here late on Monday evening after the movers had left and did a lot of panting before bed that night. Since then, Einstein has been completely fine, and Duke is mostly okay, except that he is terrified of the steps on the deck. We previously had a walk-out patio and now we have a deck with a full set of steps down to the yard. Duke is not a fan of those steps. He’ll go down sort of okay, but is terrified to come back up. The backs of the stairs are open, so my husband taped cardboard to the back thinking that would help. He’s doing a bit better, but it’s still a whole production when he needs to go outside. Any advice is more than welcome!
5. We are craving to see a movie at the theater… what have you seen lately that you’d recommend?
6. I saw that there will be dozens of vintage WWII aircraft doing a flyover of the Washington DC area next Friday to honor the veterans that served in the war. I wish I could see it… I bet it’s going to look awesome!
7. Tomorrow is the Kentucky Derby! Do you watch? How do you pick the winning horse? I usually find a fun name and ride it out. I was thisclose to picking a winner last year, maybe I can pick the actual winner this year.
8. As I predicted last week, my Penguins had a very short-lived playoff lifespan. I was going to root for the Blues, but they’re out, too. I’m all-in on Minnesota now… who are you rooting for?!
9. The Americans season finale last week was fantastic! That show may have morphed into my very favorite on TV right now; if you’ve never seen it, you should absolutely check it out.
10. TGIF! As I mentioned, Einstein has made himself right at home (even with packing tape still stuck to his bed)… I hope you have a restful weekend!
Good info. Lucky me I came across your site by chance (stumbleupon).
I’ve bookmarked it for later!
Congratulations on your new home! We’d love to see pictures of this house when you can post. Are you still living in PA, why did you move? Your old house was beautiful! Joseph is getting so big! Have a great week Michelle.
Hi Lucy, Thank you! We are still living in Pittsburgh! :)
Am watching the Derby pre-race show while tapping this reply. I choose a horse the same way you do, by name unless a gray horse is running then I’m all in for it. Don’t envy your move but it’s always fun to arrange a new home. Movie: Want to see The Longest Ride but might wait for DVD. Love a good romance!
Congrats on the move and how adorbs is your baby!!! I am a MN girl, so nice to see you are backing the Wild now – GO WILD!!! We need all the support to get through the Chicago round!
And….my own Golden girl used to sleep just like your Einstein ;) I miss having a Golden around but I love seeing your pics!
Michelle,
Congrats on your new home, Joseph is adorable, and getting so big! Poor Duke, my Golden, Teddy doesn’t like stairs very much. He tries to jump down and trips up them. I was concerned that he had sight problems, thankfully he doesn’t, he just hates them. Treats and rewarding helps, good luck Duke!
Michelle,
I thought had recently moved into your house. Moving is so stressful.
I wish I could relax like Einstein.
Annamaria
Joseph is just so cute! He matures with each picture! Sorry to hear about Duke and the issue of the stairs – can’t believe you moved – thought you had moved last year….lol….yeah…I’m a St. Louis person and couldn’t believe we were out o it so fast too…sigh….
Love love love all the photos of growing Joseph, and of course, I always look forward to pictures of your Goldies, being a mom to 2 Goldens, myself, and 2 young boys (5 & almost 3 this month). Movies? Well, talking about your big move into a new home….. if you like animations, I just took my boys to see “Home”, & loved it! very cute! But way too soon to take Joseph with you at this point. I took my first one at 18 months to see Winnie the Pooh and it was only 1 hr long & not loud at all. Sorry…no adult movie recs from me for a while. Are you still in Pittsburg? Where did you move to? Happy new home & new memories to you!
Hi Angie, Yes, still in Pittsburgh!
Do yourself a favor – GO NOW and buy those shades. It will be so worth it! (I understand)
Congrats on your move! With all you have to do so appreciate getting those daily emails.
Thanks for all you do! Love your cutie patutie Joseph :)
Congratulations on tHe move, hope you get the room darkening blinds up quick, I”be recently see Age of Adeline with Blake Lively and The Woman in Gold with Helen Mirren. I highly recommend both.
Regarding Duke and the stairs, a lot of dogs have issues with stairs if they have not had prior experience with them, and especially if to the do they appear open and your do. The first important piece of advise is to act normal about the stairs, do not act concerned, as he will pick up on that and be even more concerned. The second this is to cover the openings so that they appear solid. Then put him on lead and with confidence walk him up the stairs, with his getting a treat and a good boy at the top. Before long he will be zooming up and down the stairs.
Congrats on the move. Joseph continues to grow and is such a sweet handsome baby.
congrats on the new place :)
Duke will be LEAPING down the stairs in no time and this ‘issue’ will be a distant memory…mark my words!
Congras on the new home but I am confused. Didn’t you just move, get brand new kitchen appliances and lay a new patio and landscaping this past fall? Well anyways how fun! I am glad that the boys are all loving their new surrondings! Spring is a great time for a new home! Have fun!
For the stairs, I would suggest installing a runner with cheap outdoor carpet (you don’t have the get the green stuff, they have neutral colors too). My dog had issues with the stairs outside at my house when we first arrived, and I think it was both the open risers and lack of traction. The outdoor carpet stair runner fixed both.
Love all your posts….your baby is a doll and everything you put out there is delicious or beautiful.
Don’t miss this film…just saw it this week and LOVED it.
THE AGE OF ADELINE.
Congratulations on the move! I had a Siberian Husky who was terrified of stairs, too. However, the trip down was more scary for him than the trip up. It took a lot of patience, encouragement, and incentive to get him used to them. When he was super reluctant, he would get a small treat for every few stairs he could go down (he would freeze up part way). Then I backed him off to a treat after the whole staircase. After a while the need to answer the call and some praise was enough to motivate him down. :)
Congrats on the move…poor Duke, hope he gets use to the stairs soon!
Joseph is too adorable for words!
Being from Northern IL, I am of course, pulling for the Blackhawks!
Mn has really improved, so this round won’t be easy. GO BLACKHAWKS!
In regard to Duke going outside… I’m not sure how wide the stairs are, but maybe you can purchase a large enough wood plank that would go down half of the stairs so he could use it as a ramp. That way he won’t even see the stairs or the openness behind them, and it would also work in wet weather as opposed to the cardboard placed behind the stairs. You will have to figure some way to secure it so it won’t shift, but that may be less scary for him. Either way, best of luck!
Congrats on your move! It sounds like all went well!
As a girl from St. Louis, I’m going to break the rules here… and say we’re all about the Blackhawks in the Silver family. If Kane stays healthy, we have a chance to win again! Go Hawks!
Go Wild!!
Wow – moving! I KNOW what a chore that is! Glad you are all moved – now you can take your time unpacking.
Love the pic of Joseph – and Einstein – so precious. Sorry Duke is so scared of the stairs, but he will overcome it. It won’t be long at all until he is bounding up and down those stairs.
Have a great weekend!
Go WILD!! Being from MN I had to say that :) Have a great weekend Michelle!
I’m excited to go see the Avengers! Haven’t seen it yet but I’m sure it’ll be awesome!
Love the photos of Einstein…..and Duke and am glad to see that your four-legged babies are still a big part of your family, even after a new baby! Great example of keeping the fur babies involved and integrated in the family. Congrats on new home! Agree with other posters: practice going up & down with tons of praise and treats!
That sweet baby gets cuter every time you share a picture. <3 Congrats on the move. Let's Go Rangers!!! (and since you won't, how about Anaheim? :)
Congrats on your new home (are you still in Pittsburgh?)! Joseph looks so grown up already – what a cutie!
Yes, still in Pittsburgh! :)
i took the dog up and down with his leash on and kept encouraging him, telling him he could do it. i’ve used it for other situations as well.
RE Duke & the stairs: Not uncommon for a dog to have issues with a particular set of stairs, even if he doesn’t with any others. I’d work on this daily, beyond just him coming up the stairs to get back into the house. Offer him treats from the top of the stairs and praise him effusively when he does come up — and I mean really gush over how wonderful he was for going up the stairs, as if you’re throwing a party to celebrate stair climbing. A clicker would help here as well. If you don’t already use one, read up on how to “charge” the clicker as a reward marker, then click-treat and heap praise on him every time he comes up the steps until it’s as natural as anything else.
What about your new fire pit?!?
Congratulations on the move! It must be overwhelming, but also nice to begin anew. I haven’t seen any movies in theaters in a long time, but I just watched “The Imitation Game” and I loved it.
Make Duke a little ramp to walk up.
Hi Michelle, Congratulations on your move!! Love the picture of Joseph… :)
I’ve been using an eye mask for years (our bedroom faces east, too). Works great! I got a pretty, cushy pink one on amazon.com.. http://www.amazon.com/Macks-Dreamgirl-Contoured-Sleep-Mask/dp/B002ZJ70QQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1430476566&sr=8-3&keywords=pink+sleep+mask
Thanks for your awesome blog and hope you get some ‘rest’ this weekend!
Congrats on the move! (Didn’t you just move like last year?) Always a good reason to purge things and start fresh! For movies – Avengers IS awesome. Fun, lots of humor, makes one look forward to the next installment. And as for those Pens, they’ll always be #1 in our hearts, right? Let’s just hope that Letang takes care of himself and considers retirement this year…poor guy. But as for your “new” team – have to say, you made me cringe with your support for the Blues….being a native Minnesotan and original season ticket holder for the Wild, I could have told you that your money should have always been on Parise and the boys!!
Yes!! GO WILD (from another Minnesotan)!!! :)
5. The new Avengers movie was GREAT! The Age of Adaline and the Longest Ride are both really good, too. I recommend reading the book for the Longest Ride first, though. It’s a good adaptation, but I always love the book better haha!