Siena's Shenanigans and Other Events Since I Stopped Finding the Time to Blog

Things at the Nut have been crazy lately. My day job has been going as usual, I started teaching two boot camps (on the Nelson Lawn!) and then there's the "extra" project I've got going on the side. Sheesh. Not to mention having fun with friends, spending quality time with the fam and enjoying/chasing after my very large puppy. This is one summer for the books. Here's an abridged version of what's happened since I last blogged almost three weeks ago. Shame on me...

Siena Update
1) Siena has developed quite the sense of, er, humor. Her latest "game" is taking a prized possession from inside and running outside to chew on it. The fun part comes when Ryan or I go out to get it from her. The chase is cute the first couple of times, and then it gets old--quick. Her most recent treasure was a water spritzer. The same one that we use, I mean used to discipline her. Funny, Siena, really funny.

2) While I was making stir-fry for this post, Siena sneaked up and literally slurped up one of my noodles, Lady and the Tramp style. She sucked a long noodle all the way to her mouth with the tip hitting her nose. I laughed hard at this, which I'm sure is not the best way to teach her to not go after people's food.

3) Siena has a BFF. Her name is Izzy, and she lives next door. I've mentioned her before. Apparently, Siena can't bear the thought of them being outside at the same time without being able to run around/bite/play together. So, my little darling puppina JUMPED THE 4 FOOT FENCE to get to her. Then Ryan and I spent all day adding chicken wire and fence extenders to the chain-link fence to prevent further rendezvous.

4) Siena has also entered destruction mode. This was once a double-knotted, heavy-duty chewing rope (with minty floss!). Now, it's the spaghetti monster:


More moments of zen with Siena:




People and Plant Update
1) This summer has been unusually cool. And it hasn't been that humid. It really doesn't feel like the big Mo, but I'll take it. A few weeks ago, Ryan and I, along with some friends, hit up the annual Shakespeare in the Park festival. This year they put on Othello, and it was fantastic. You can bring your own food and wine in, too, which makes it that much sweeter. As you can see, we had quite the feast.






2) Sadly, I forgot my camera on the 4th, but I guarantee it was filled with Kodak moments. We first hit up my parents for a grill out with a ridiculous amount of meat, and then went over to a friend's for more meat, beer and bocce ball, which Ryan is now obsessed with. I have to admit that it is fun, despite it having the most boring wiki entry ever.

3) Ryan and I have been working our butts off in the yard, and we're finally reaping the rewards. You may remember the garden we planted back on Memorial Day? Well, little garden has grown. Check this out.


Besides making pesto with the loads of basil I've grown, this weekend we even got our first red grape tomato. Here's my moment of zen:

Silver Ain't Too Shabby

Every year, I put myself through sports-related hell. Maybe you've heard of it? It's called Kansas City Corporate Challenge? For some reason, year after year, I sign up for a multitude of events, many of which I am not talented in (swimming, track, tug of war, to name a few).

However, I am talented in tennis, so each year I get really pumped to play doubles tennis. My partner and I, who eerily look related, have similar styles of play and make for a great team. The first year we played we took bronze; the second year we took silver (only because I was in Disney World at the time -- for work, people. I was WORKING HARD). This year, J Squared, as we like to call ourselves, was hoping for the gold. But no. I, my friends, was a headcase. But I'm getting ahead of myself...

We were supposed to play Saturday, and I was psyched for it. Then I spazzed out, forgetting what time we were meeting to warm-up or play and arrived at the courts more than an hour early. Then, once it was time to play, our competitor didn't show, and we won by forfeit. This was good, but bad because we only spent 30 minutes playing with another team who was in the same situation, but, like us, refused to go home without doing anything. (Seriously, I don't wear a skirt for nuthin.)

Then on Monday, during our semifinals match, I came with no game face. I kept over thinking, over hitting, under hitting and doing anything else besides getting the ball in the court. It sucked. I can't believe the other "J" in J Squared didn't smack me. The team we played was good, no doubt, but we ended up playing a grueling three set match that lasted darn near three hours. It should have lasted one hour, but we pulled it out. Barely. Sheesh.

Then, after 20 minutes of rest and six baby carrots (we didn't intend on the marathon tennis), we hit the court again...for....another...three setter (another 2+ hours of tennis). Dear Lord, help. We ended up losing, but I swear it was only due to muscle fatigue and brain failure. And for our state, we really did make some hella good shots. (I finally pulled my ish together for this one; I was too exhausted to continue being a headcase.)

Here's a pic of us before the match:



Thank GOD we didn't take one after.

Summer Lovin'/Domestic Bliss

Although we celebrated Memorial Day a few weeks ago, this weekend is the first one that felt like it was really summer. I wore shorts and flip flops all weekend, and I went to a pool party (without even getting burnt!). That's a recipe for summer right there.

This weekend, Ryan and I also did some outdoor upgrades to the Nut, including the planting of five native grasses along the backside of our neighbor's fence. Previously, nothing had grown here except weeds, so this was a major improvement.



Each grass plant is supposed to grow five feet tall. They don't take a lot of water, either, so they're quite eco-friendly (and require little commitment from us, which rocks).




After we were done planting, Ryan moved some of the extra dirt we had to a wheelbarrow. While I was taking pictures, I captured Siena in the wheelbarrow. How she got up there without tipping the whole dirt-filled thing over (the wheelbarrow has a very wobbly tire situation going on), I have no idea.


If fact, she was actually quite content in the wheelbarrow.

Although, I haven't come up with a nickname for Siena's love of gardening, her most recent eccentricities have landed her three new nicknames (in addition to these mentioned earlier this year). There are as follows...

1) Scooter Paws: Siena LOVES sliding around on our wood floors. Ryan and I can stand with our feet hip-distance apart at opposite ends of our living room, and she'll run from person to person, sliding under our legs. I really should try to get video of it sometime...

2) Frito Lay: On certain days, Siena smells just like America's beloved corn chip, Fritos. It can be a day or two after a bath, and she'll smell like this. It's not really a bad smell. It just makes me want to eat chili. It's weird, and I can't explain it.

3) Puppina: One day, I said Siena was acting like a puppy princess, and then this came out of my mouth. Sometimes, for extra fun, I call her Pumpkin Puppina, as she is the color of pumpkin.

A "Sex"-y Weekend

Tish was in town this weekend to see family, which, of course, includes me. We had the best time. From grubbing on Gates in fancy dresses to seeing Sex and the City (loved it!) to getting tipsy on martinis to road-tripping it to Springfield, it was a whirlwind blast. And sadly, went by way too quickly. Below are just a few choice shots from her trip.

Here's Tish looking sweet, innocent, even demure.





And here she is looking a bit loud, crass and crazy. Can you seriously tell me how this is the same person???

Oh, wait. She's related to these people. See the resemblance? (I love the Kellers.)

Here's us all dolled up before dining at Gates and enjoying the best movie of the summer.

At every chance I got during her trip home, I pointed out what wonderful things the Midwest has to offer to those who might want to live/move back here. Now I only have to create a hot acting scene here in KC...