Love: Meet Camp!

Everyone, meet Camp!

Jack and I have known for quite a while that we wanted to adopt a dog. We had originally planned to wait until we moved into our new apartment, but the best things rarely go according to plan, right?

For my birthday, my friends came over to celebrate and brought donations for the Animal Humane Society (they're the best, right?). On New Year's Eve, I was looking at local shelters Jack and I could distribute the donations to. When I was on their website, I noticed one of the shelters had just received a litter of lab puppies. Naturally, I dropped everything and drove to see them!

Of course, the puppies were adorable. Beyond adorable. But I had to go look at the other dogs before I called Jack. And in the very last kennel, furthest away from all of the other dogs, was Camp.

I'm not sure love at first sight is a thing for humans, but I'm positive it is with pets. My heart melted when I saw Camp. He wasn't at all what we were looking for, but he turned out to be exactly what we needed. Two days later, we picked him up from the shelter and brought him home. And just like that, two became three.

Being dog parents has been such a change! I honestly find myself talking in puppy voices in public, and packing a "diaper bag" of sorts for Camp when we go out for a few hours (redemption points that we brought him to a beer garden, right?). Not to mention, we now have a third bedmate who sleeps right between us. So yes, things have changed a bit. But we're loving it (can you tell?)

Dog overload coming your way. You've been warned!

|| Photos are property of Twentyapolis. Must give credit. ||

Recipe: Morning Jumpstart Smoothie with Blueberries

I'm a big fan of breakfast; always have been, always will be. I'm definitely not one of those people who wakes up in the morning and miraculously goes without eating until lunch time...like seriously, how do they do it?

I eat at work each day between 8:30-9:30 a.m., so my breakfasts need to be something I can easily whip up at work. Needless to say, I'm a pretty loyal oatmeal and Kashi cereal girl (healthy + easy). But a few days ago, Jack decided it was time we needed a good blender (we honestly didn't even own one). I didn't know a thing about smoothies, and think I even pledged at one point to never be one of "crazy, smoothie-obsessed people."

Well, my foot is definitely in my mouth. I'm over the moon for these smoothies. Not only do I feel so, so good after eating them in the morning, they couldn't be easier to make. And they're healthy. Yes's all around, in my book.

While I'm new to smoothie making, I have to say, the first smoothie I made was pretty good. Good enough to be blog worthy, at the very least!

The best part about smoothie making is there's really no rhyme or reason for how you need to do it; just throw everything in the blender and let it blend. Easy peasy.

Morning Jumpstart Smoothie with Blueberries

|| Photos are property of Twentyapolis. Must give credit. || 

Mood: January Feel

January, I'm excited you're here. 2014 taught me so much, but I'm excited for a fresh start and a year of new adventures.

Speaking of new adventures, see that cute little pup below? Say hello to Camp! I can't wait to introduce you in a future post. We're not even two weeks in to 2015, and I can already tell this is going to be a good, good year.

This month, we're looking forward to weekends in bed with Camp. To staying cozy and cuddly and warm. To starting Corepower Yoga Sculpt teacher training (yay!). To planning our move to our new apartment in February. To a new year.

one || two || three || four || five || six

Holiday: In With the New

I've been told that there will be years that ask questions, and years that answer them. Years that are good, years that are bad, and years that are great. Years that challenge you and years where things fall in to place.

2014, you challenged me. You knocked me down and picked me back up over and over again. I could never predict you, outsmart you or prepare for you. We had some extreme highs and some extreme lows. 

Damn it, you were exhausting. But I learned a lot from you.

An endless winter. An amazing (but very stressful) job. Visits to Wisconsin and weekends in Minnesota. Allergic reactions. A trip to China. A very dislocated shoulder. Unbelievably supportive friends. Endless visits to the physical therapist (currently on month seven, ya'all). Camping, concerts and doctor bills. And all the other bills. Weddings, babies and thankfully no funerals. Big scary changes and "it's about time" changes that are still dragging their feet. Allergic reactions galore. Weekends in Seattle, Vegas and NYC. Budgeting and saving money, and then booking a yoga trip to Costa Rica with that saved money. More allergic reactions. Lactose intolerance. Finally being able to do a headstand again (yay!) Signing up for yoga teacher training. Fights and makeups. Complete and total fear and doubt, mixed with days of power, confidence and certainty.  Good days and bad.

Even until the bitter end, 2014, you really tested me. As I wrote this post, it was 12:10 a.m. on New Year's Day, and I was finishing this post from my bed. A full-blown allergic reaction on New Year's Eve? Needless to say, I popped some Benadryl and said goodbye to you, 2014. You were a worthy adversary, but I daresay, I'm over you.

Cheers, 2015. I see some good things ahead...

|| Photo is property of Twentyapolis. Must give credit. ||