Sex & The City

I went and saw Sex & the City on midnight last Thursday night and it was everything that I wanted it to be. Sweet Michael took me to the opening premier because none of my friends are around anymore.

I'd never really watched Sex & the City until about a year ago. My friend Cori had the entire series on DVD. We would swap series between all of the girls to catch up. They were addicting! I never thought I would be one to get into them but Carrie left you feeling hopeful and happy at the end of her narrative.

Anyway, we were all suppose to go on our own and watch the show. I'm glad Mike took me! If any of you guys are fans, you should go! Even if you're not, Mike had never seen a show (so he says ;)) and he followed it just fine. You will love it, I promise.

She Wore An Itsy Bitsy...

We went shopping today and I couldn't resist buying this for Tillie. The family is going to Red River, NM in a couple of weeks when Joshua gets his month of leave and Tillie will be all set! She's ready to show off her booty.

I think Tillie likes to wear bikinis.

Pirate's Booty

Earlier this week, I took Samson and Matilda to the lake for some much needed exercise. I think Tillie was a fish in another lifetime. As soon as she saw the lake, she took off running and dove head first and swam to her heart's content for an hour. I had to make her come out of the water. She loooved it! I knew she loved water because when I run a bath she climbs up and topples in. Then she splashes and splashes and will climb on the back of the tub (it has a ledge like steps in the back) and jump off like she's diving off of a diving board. I guess that should have been a clue. That girlie loves water.

Samson is another story. It cracks me up that the horse of a dog is afraid of everything. If a bush blew and a twig hit him, he would jump and run to me. It's beyond comical. At one point, he was wading in the water (and that's an exaggeration. He never got more than his paws wet) and he saw a rock jutting out of the water in front of him and he got all scared and started growling. Even after I walked up to it and touched it, he thought for sure the rock was going to run after him and bite him. He wouldn't go near it. I don't know that he's necessarily afraid of water, but he's afraid to get too far from me and venture out. He's our sensitive little boy.

Oh, and Tillie found a hidden treasure. Tillie is pretty good about learning when I tell her not to chew on things, but for some reason it's impossible for her to resist sunglasses. If I leave my purse on the floor, she will dig through it until she finds my sunglasses and then take them in the corner and gnaw on them. That's why it's so funny that she found this old pair of glasses along the lake:

She pranced around with them like they were a grand prize or she had just taken them from a ship full of pirates.

ZZzzzzZZZzzzzz...

Are you getting enough sleep at night? Adults need a recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night in order to achieve optimal health. When we sleep, our pineal gland restores our body of melatonin (to help our circadian or sleep rhythm) and serotonin (important for many things including depression). These are among other hormones which are vital to our metabolism and cellular oxidation.

Lack of adequate sleep can lead to behavioral changes including mood swings and irrational or immoral attitudes and actions, loss of concentration throughout the day, decreased energy, headaches, digestive problems or lowered immunity.

If you aren't getting enough sleep, it's important to find the cause. Do you have trouble falling asleep due to restlessness or mind wandering? Do you have trouble staying asleep due to nightmares or awaking to go to the bathroom? Figuring this out can help treat the cause and allow you a better night's rest.

Here are some helpful tips so you can catch your "z's" and keep them:

-Exercise regularly. 30 minutes at least 3 times a week can rid underlying anxieties that you may have. However, don't exercise too close to bedtime or this will hinder your ability to fall asleep.
-Sleep in complete darkness. Even the slightest bit of light can throw off your hormone production and disrupt your sleep rhythm.
-Read inspirational or spiritual literature before you go to bed.
-Consciously slow your breathing and imagine your body relaxing. Start either at your forehead or your toes and climb all the way up until your whole body is relaxed.
-Avoid bedtime snacks. If you must have something at bedtime, try a relaxing tea like chamomile or ginger. Definitely avoid sugars or grains.
-Listen to a relaxing CD of nature or white noise.

If you are questioning whether you have sleep deprivation, keep this in mind: you should be able to fall asleep within minutes of laying down; you should wake up in the morning without an alarm clock; and, when you do wake up, it should not be a jolting or disruptive event and you should feel refreshed. If you fit in this category, try the above mentioned techniques. If you are still having trouble, try such products as the rising sun alarm clock and talk to your chiropractor about underlying causes.

Reality Bites

Here is the reality...

Mike did not take the rent house. Before he signed the lease, it had rained and the master bedroom flooded and mildewed. There were other problems, too. The landlord turned out to be the realtor. The realtor lied about being the landlord so that he could swindle more money by making statements like "the landlord needs someone to move in now. The landlord needs X for pet deposit," etc. etc. It was very sneaky and untrustworthy.

So here we are. Mike's rent is up at the end of the month. It would be wise for him to just get something temporary; like say, an apartment for a shorter term, save up some money and then buy. But there's Sammy. The apartment complexes in this area don't like big dogs. Sammy is very large. Well over the weight limit. Besides that, it wouldn't be fair to Sam. He needs a yard and room to stretch out his big paws. But then, he's very lazy and would probably be ok in an apartment. He doesn't run around much or chew on things or get in trouble. But if he had an accident...well, let's just say it would only take one to ruin the carpet. And living in an apartment, he would have to learn to go to the bathroom on a schedule when you walk him down which could take some training. And you would have to pick it up with a doggie bag. Eeew. It would take at least two per trip for him.

I think about not seeing Sammy's droopy eyes anymore and cry. He is such a sweet creature. He wants to hide his big head in your lap or under your armpit and would cuddle all day if you let him. I love him.

Traveling Adventures

Mike took me and the pups to Kingwood last weekend. It's always so hard to travel with Tillie and Sammy. Samson is getting so big that he almost takes up the entire back seat of Mike's Civic. He usually ends up sitting on Tillie. She just sits there looking like a squished bug with her tongue sticking out and eyeballs protruding.

They like to go to the Gallagher's back yard. Sammy is a gardener. He makes sure that by the time he leaves, there is not a plant left that is still alive (sorry Mrs. Gallagher!). They both love the low lying ivy. That's the usual hang-out for them to curl up and get some rest. And the good news is that they haven't figured out how to kill that yet.

Mike's sister, Tara, was up from Victoria with her beautiful baby girl, Hannah. She's such a treat! It's always good to see them.

On Saturday, I met up with a friend from college who lives down there now. We talked like we never lost touch. Funny how that happens. She's planning on coming up to Dallas to visit. Good times!

Opening Soon!

Today I went and put a deposit down on the space in Southlake! Yay! It still has to be approved by the current tenant (it's a sublease) and the owner, but the realtor congratulated me and said it shouldn't be a problem! Finally! It's such a primo space. In the square. Above the shopping centers (Gap and...get this...Starbucks!). I'm so excited. It's pretty small; only a reception area and a treating room, but to me it's perfect.

So, no, I don't have it yet. But I'm pretending that I do. And unless I hear otherwise, you must all pretend with me. It should only be a few weeks. The realtor said he anticipates me starting the lease by the end of the month. Go to the website and check out my space...181 Grand Avenue Ste 200 Southlake, Texas 76092. www.southlaketownsquare.com.