Ruby.... That's not very lady like!

Happy New Year ladies and gentlemen!  I trust that you all had a classy, safe and fun holiday season. Mine was pretty awesome...in Omalala for Christmas.  Gave my parents their surprise trip to Australia!  The three of us are going in September.  We are all very excited.  Stayed in for New Year's EVE as the weather in Chicago was been PRETTY miserable.  Snowed for 48 hours on New Years Eve into New Years Day.  RCH Jr and I stayed in, I made chili (YES, you read it right, I cooked), we had some Veuve and watched Dick Clark's party...very exciting.  New Year's Day, of course, my favorite day of the year, college football all day and my Huskers finally won a bowl game.  WOW.

My biggest news is about the newest addition to my family....NO, I didn't have a baby...thank goodness.  But I did get a puppy!  Miss Ruby Caroline, she is a Corgi and probably the cutest puppy you have ever seen...Yes I am biased.  It has been quite a journey the past week.  I drove to Catawissa, Pennsylvania to pick her up and drove through the snow storm in Indiana to bring her back.  I didn't see pavement for 200 miles....the roads were really, really bad.  But look at her, pretty worth it.

So I am very lucky and can bring her to work.  Well, we are working on the whole potty training thing...FUN.  And it just so happens, I have a dog that....well, likes to eat her poop.  I know, classy, right?  Well last week, when she was doing that at the office, I yelled at her and said Ruby, that isn't very LADY LIKE!  Well we laughed about it and it really got me to thinking about how to be a classy pet owner.  So here it goes ...ladies and gentlemen seriously....

1. NUMBER ONE...first and foremost.  I know she is my furry kid and I love her.  But she is still a dog.  Always remember that.
2. Not everyone will LOVE your dog, so don't expect them to.
3. Clean up after her...yep that means, poop, puke, whatever.
4. Make sure they behave, don't let your pooch chew on someone else's shoes, pants, etc.
5. Don't obsess over your dog.  Post pics, have fun, but go easy.  See rule number one.
6. BE a PARENT.  Discipline your animal.   Come home and let her out.  Be committed.  Don't let her overeat.  Take her to the vet regularly.

Well, that's all from SMB here in Chicago.  It has finally warmed up.  And I have to say, it has been a LONG road in the past two years and at this point, I am pretty happy with all parts of my life.  Things are very good.  I truly believe that happiness is what you create and I can thank ME for making that happen.  And that ladies and gentlemen seriously is the classiest move of all.  :)  I am very much looking forward to a 2014.

....Keep your chin, standards and heels HIGH....

BONSOIR, CHEERS and CIAO BELLAS!