First off, a huge THANK YOU to everyone for the birthday wishes!! I was especially touched by quite a few “lurker readers” (I call you that lovingly 😆) who came out of the shadows to leave me a comment! I read and responded to every single one. Thank you to all of you! I felt so special. 😊
My actual birthday was not overly exciting due to work, swim practice, soccer, the usual. But that’s fine. I got a puppy, went on the fall U.P. trip with Ethan, and went out Sunday to Aladdin and dinner. Definitely not lacking in celebratory activities!!
“The rest” of life
So how is everything else going?
About like this?! Smiling but simultaneously kind of living total chaos?!?! Hahaha.
(I watched Liar Liar up north with Ethan and this silly scene popped into my mind when I pondered the phrase “happy chaos”. Although Fletcher was maybe not actually “happy” in this scene, his spiraling meltdown was very funny, and the hair standing up thing added that extra dimension of “what-is-happening-ness”. lol.)
Nah, I’m mostly exaggerating. Things are fine, albeit, yes, rather chaotic. Mostly in part due to, ahem, a certain 4- legged creature with soft fluffy fur.
There is just a lot happening right now and puppy Charlie does not make many things “easier”.
He is generally doing really well!! He goes potty outside- no accidents ever-, sleeps through the night, etc. But he stills needs a LOT of attention, and he cannot be left unattended basically, ever. (Unless he’s in his crate, obviously.)
I also have to WORK, you know- minor detail….. And everyone else is gone all day. So he gets a fair amount of “crate time” during the day while I’m at my desk. Of course I don’t leave him in there constantly or anything, so I have to schedule play breaks and also have been taking a longer lunch break to have him out for longer stretch as well.
Which has all been working out nicely, except that it means that I am basically either: working (crate), showering (crate) or with Charlie (playing/ outside/ potty/ eating/ walking him/ etc.).
So much for breaks where I can throw dinner together, go to the gym, read blogs, etc…. At least not for now.
I mean, he is actually already getting better at kind of just hanging out in the kitchen with a toy or chew stick while I do some things. But since he is in his crate for several stretches, I usually try to give him lots of direct attention during the times he’s out. Apparently this breed (Cavapoo) requires more mental stimulation almost than physical, so we have been doing “training sessions” several times a day. He’s doing great with sit, down, come, stay, etc. (*Caveat- when he wants to. When he’s not specifically in “training mode” he often totally ignores me. LOL. Working on that….).
A few problem areas include:
🔷 BITING on things he isn’t supposed to, like our pant legs or hands or arms….(mostly happens when he gets in “excited mode” but MAN his teeth are sharp and he can be hard to redirect!!! I’ve watched a bunch of videos and we are mostly trying to a) redirect to a toy b) use consistent command words c) remove ourselves from him/ withhold attention immediately any time he does this (so he’ll learn that Biting= no more play time= sad. Playing nice= lots of praise and people play with me= yay!)
🔷WHINING/ mildly freaking out/ trying to climb gate when left in any gated area (e.g. I leave him in the kitchen to run down the hall to my room to get something briefly).
🔷 Acting semi-psychotic sometimes when off leash in the fenced in backyard. Haha. He tries to eat everything, omg! Leaves, rocks, sticks…. all fair game. WHY. Also, he thinks it’s hilarious to race away from us (and usually climb into the mulch landscaping beds or get into something he shouldn’t. Our yard has a lot of “possible adventures”.)
To combat some of this, we keep him on a long tie-out leash to go potty so he isn’t just free to roam the yard. When I do let him off that leash to play/exercise, I am always right there (obviously) and have been leaving a shorter leash on him (just dragging behind him). This way at least I can grab it if needed. I also have been making sure to mostly ignore him when he races away from me (like I literally turn around and don’t look at him) and I NEVER chase him. I am trying to get him to learn that the “hilarious” “race away from mom and have her chase after me like a crazy person” game is a game that ain’t gonna happen, ever.
But other than those things, he’s really doing very well!! He’s SO sweet and cuddly and loves us all to death (he literally wags his entire butt and body when he is excited to see us. It’s so funny!).
Walking on a leash is kind of a work in progress. He hates his harness (I think we need a better/ different one- I think the one I bought is legit uncomfortable….). He will walk along decently well but is kind of all over the place and stops to sniff things every 2.5 seconds. It also seems like he gets SUPER amped up after a walk, which is sort of annoying. (Shouldn’t the walk tire him out?! No??) He often gets the “zoomies” and it can be hard to settle him down again.
I think walks can also just be very over-stimulating for him at this point. The world is a huge, new place to him as a little guy! He looks at everything, listens to everything, smells everything, etc. It’s a lot to take in, I’m sure. No doubt his little brain is going a mile a minute trying to sort it all out which probably adds to the excitement factor.
Non-puppy updates
In other updates, well… there aren’t that many. Just kidding, LOL. But it’s true Charlie is really dominating my life right now.
In seriousness, many things have taken a backseat. My own personal walks + podcasts… yeah, no. The gym…. kinda sorta fitting in, but it’s been a little ugly. The bathroom remodel marches on, mostly thanks to my Dad. I have been giving it the most minimal attention I can, personally….
Also, we cancelled our planned 2 week trip to Egypt in June (due to given conflicts- apparently currently Egypt is totally fine, but it’s just so close to Israel!!!! So, obviously, avoiding the whole region. :() Therefore, I have been scrambling to re-plan our “big trip” of the year to somewhere else. I like to book these out a ways to have best pick of lodging, etc. After a lot of back and forth and destination-discussions, we landed on HAWAII. We’ve never been and it’s kind of in the middle of nowhere. So, if the whole world goes to $h!t, well, maybe we’ll be okay out there on the islands. (Although wait, hmmm…. Pearl Harbor…. 🤔😆)
I literally knew next to nothing about Hawaii and dove this week deep (well, as deep as my schedule allowed) into researching the various islands and what I thought would be the best fit for our group of 6 (us + my parents) for a first-timers trip. Ultimately decided on a week in Oahu + a week in Kauai in early June. Got lodging booked in Kauai so far!!! yay!!! OMG it looks incredibly beautiful.
*I am actually really, really sad about having to cancel Egypt. It looked amazing and I spent SO much time this summer researching it and planning it. I had an incredible itinerary planned with really cool hotels and it was going to be, I think, EPIC. It is not “unsafe” there (or, wasn’t, anyway….) as people might have misconceptions. I spoke with several people who have traveled there recently and had fantastic experiences and who all said they’ve never felt safer anywhere. But of course this Israel conflict is new and unfolding, so, definitely going to steer clear.
Alright, gotta run- I need to pick up Asher + friend from swim practice. Snuck in a solo hour and a half here by volunteering to take the early practice run!! Ivan + Ethan home with Charlie. 🙂 No time to proof-read this post, so hopefully not too many typos. 🙃
Have a great weekend! (Drop me any Hawaii recs in the comments, too!)
Daily Gratitude:
I am grateful for the weekend! Hoping to squeeze in a bunch of neglected household chores, etc.)
GRATEFUL KAE 
Hannah still is a sniffer on walks. That’s actually really good for them in terms of that mental stimulation, so if I’m on a walk with the dog, it’s HER walk, so sometimes we sniff the same spot for a lot of time. I guess I could be “stricter” about making her walk “correctly,” but I think the sniffing tires her out.
Other easy ways of mental stimulation for dog include puzzle feeders, so he has to work for his food if your dog is confident enough for them. We had a Kong Wobbler for H, but she was scared of it. Also, we do scatter feeding sometimes where we put her kibble scattered around on a rug, snuffle mat, or grass, and let her find it. They’re just easy ways to make food time both rewarding and tiring for them!
Bummer about Egypt. It would have been a great experience, but it does seem like maybe it’s not the best time for that trip. Hopefully your research can be used on a future trip!
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I always welcome and all doggie tips you have for me, Engie!!! I have heard of those puzzle feeders but haven’t gotten one yet. Definitely on my list of something I want to try!
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That photo of Charlie in Asher’s sweatshirt is so cute!! I can see how he is consuming a lot of your time and energy! It’s kind of like having a baby in the house again although less exhausting overall. It’s amazing she is potty trained, though!!
It’s a bummer to have to change plans after doing so much research. But you can always take that trip when it feels more safe so the research won’t go to waste. Hawaii will be amazing! I have only visited Maui so am no help but we had an amazing trip! I would love to go back for a future anniversary, like 10th or something. It was so gorgeous and the snorkeling was so amazing. We saw so many sea turtles on the bay where we stayed.
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Very much like having a baby in the house!!! SOOO all consuming!!
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I have been to Egypt and to Hawaii! Egypt is fantastic, so that’s too bad you had to cancel. I totally understand though.
I’ve mostly been to Maui, and also to the Big Island, so I don’t have any recommendations except to enjoy. It’s the most beautiful place I have ever been.
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Ooh, I’m glad to know you’ve been to Egypt!! If/when we eventually go, I’ll have to pick your brain, too! I am super bummed, but oh well… such is life. The good thing is that there is never any shortage of other cool places to go instead. I keep hearing that Hawaii is “the most beautiful place” people have ever been, so that is very exciting! I now have lodging booked in both Kauai and Oahu, so I’m feeling relieved that at least that part is in place.
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Hawaii will be so much fun! Yes it’s less exotic and cultural than Egypt but it will be different kind of fun. I loved it when I went there over 10 years ago and definitely go back with the kids one day. Egypt will always be there for when things get better, hopefully soon.
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Yes, I’m disappointed, but oh well. Not much we can do. I also think Hawaii will be super fun for the boys at their ages. We considered lots of different ideas including different European destinations, but ultimately decided the mix of water activities, hiking/ adventurous things, history and beauty in Hawaii will appeal to our whole group. As teen boys they are in a stage right now where “active” trips are a really great fit (they LOVED Costa Rica so much), so I think Hawaii will be the most fun for them. I was actually a little worried that Egypt would be “too hot” for them and so much history, tombs, etc that while I am sure they’d enjoy it, it maybe wouldn’t be as exciting right now in other ways. Maybe Egypt will be best in a few more years anyway when they’re college aged, etc.
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First of all, belated Happy Birthday! I’m one of those lurkers who hasn’t commented much (maybe ever?) I’m glad you had a good day! I’m also really happy in my 40s and feel pretty good about being 43, even though I’m definitely starting to see the many ways my body is and is going to change.
I just wanted to say that getting a new pet is A LOT. You seem to be handling it with a lot of grace! We got two new cats almost a year ago, and one of them is still turning our lives upside down in a lot of ways. He’s amazing and we love him, and he’s also a lot! I’ve been living with baking sheets hanging over the edge of all my counters for a couple months now because it’s the only thing that will keep him from jumping up there. I’m sure you’ll find a nice rhythm with that sweet puppy soon, and then it will change into another nice rhythm as he gets older and more mature. Good luck! And please keep posting photos of him. He’s so adorable!
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Hi Noemi, thanks for the birthday wishes!!!
And thanks for the pet encouragement. 🙂 It really is so much to deal with! Overall things are going well, but it’s kind of a big whirlwind, too. I do have moments where I just miss my freedom to walk out the door, or heck, just around my house!, without having to worry about where the puppy is, what he’s doing, if he can be left or not, etc. I am seeing little glimpses where he will just lay and snooze on the couch and relax… I think once he gets out of the puppy stage and more into the dog stage things may look really different!! Fingers crossed. 😉 I laughed at the image of baking sheets hanging off your counters. hehe. We have a similar odd setup with our puppy gates. I didn’t want to drill into our drywall, so I bought free standing ones. Well, they work great, except he can push them open if he tries hard enough. So I scattered dumbbells and some weight plates on each side of the gates to prevent that, which looks… kind of dumb in my kitchen. ha. But it gets the job done, at least. 😆
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Oh, I can just imagine how much work Charlie is. When we got Muffin she was a kitten, and I felt like THAT was a lot of work- and cats are about 1000 times easier than puppies. But it’s just someone else in the house needing your attention, and you feel responsible, and one more thing to fit in on top of everything else… obviously it’s totally worth it, and Charlie won’t be a puppy forever. Things will calm down!
That is truly a bummer about Egypt, but I think it’s a good idea to be cautious. Hawaii will be amazing! I’ve only been to Maui, and we hiked, snorkeled, went on long bike rides… you will love it. And you can always go to Egypt another time.
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YES- all the attention they need is exhausting!! And I think the big thing is just always being aware of the timing. He is great in his crate but obviously I can only leave him in there for certain stretches. I feel like I’m back to baby years where I’m timing my grocery run around the baby’s nap, etc. Ha. Kind of frustrating sometimes, especially since the rest of my family is gone a lot. So most falls to me, of course…. but he is so worth it!! Adorable and getting better and calmer little by little… (though he is still totally has psycho moments, too, lol!).
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Egypt sounds like it would be absolutely unforgettable and so fascinating so that is a bummer, but OMG having followed your travel blogging I think all four of you are going to absolutely LOVE Hawaii. We did Hawaii when our kids were little (5 and 6) and still had a great time but I think going at your boys’ ages is absolutely perfect.
In Kauai I would definitely check out Waimea Canyon which is gorgeous. There may be cool hikes you can do down into the canyon but I’m not sure because our kids were young so we didn’t check it out. We also loved hiking in Lihue Koloa Forest Reserve with the kids, and my husband and I did a kid-free hike that you guys would all love in the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge near Princeville that was a little more intense but totally fine for teenagers. Are you staying in the north or south? We stayed in the north but it’s not a huge island so you really have plenty of time to explore the whole island.
Also, our two favorite beaches/beach hikes were:
1) Kauapea (Secret) Beach in the north–You walk down a steep trail (but not very long) to get there which keeps the big crowds away. To get there, take the Kuhio Highway (the main road around the island) and turn right on Kalihiwai Road, then immediate right onto Secret Beach Road. You’ll see cars parked on the side of the road and the trail starts there. Beach is here: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Trailhead+to+the+Secret+Beach/@22.2194631,-159.4270307,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x7c06ef62afce1581:0xfa8327f803ec874f!8m2!3d22.2194581!4d-159.418276
2) In the South–Makawehi Bluff. The scenery is just amazing, and you can walk up to the bluffs pretty quickly and easily from this little beach. I actually don’t know what the beach is called but it’s just east of Shipwreck Beach (it may still be technically considered part of Shipwreck Beach?) which is right next to the Grand Hyatt-Poipu. You just turned onto Ainakoa Street from Poipu Road (it will be a right turn just past the Grand Hyatt if you’re coming from the town of Poipu itself) and then drive a ways to the beach and park (no parking lot there, you just park by the side of the road–it appears to be a place where more locals hang out but you’ll see plenty of cars). Then you can just take a short hike up to the bluffs. The beach there is also nice.
Here’s the Bluff on the map.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Makawehi+Bluff/@21.8739451,-159.4351693,16z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x7c071a8b39d95c8d:0xc6f894243e8170d!8m2!3d21.8767847!4d-159.4324224
There is also a longer trail–the Mahaulepu Heritage Trail–like 3 miles each way or so, which starts from Shipwreck Beach, and goes up to the bluff and keeps going but we didn’t do the whole thing.
For Oahu, definitely don’t miss Hanauma Bay for amazing snorkeling (and less rough surf, which can be challenging to find in Hawaii!). We went at 6am because at the time it was free and much less crowded (I think it’s no longer free if you go early) but I know that’s not your typical style on vacation (we found it was easy to get up early the first few days we were there due to the time change making us get up naturally early!). So maybe do some research to see if there are other less crowded times like late afternoon.
Okay, as you can see, I love Hawaii. You are going to have such a great time!
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THANK YOU!!! Oh my gosh, this is so great. And yes, I think it will be an amazing destination for our family!!
We are staying in the north. That looks like the most gorgeous area and in June the weather will hopefully be okay there. Definitely will plan to do day trips around to the other areas as well.
Thank you for all these specific tips!! Totally saving everything! If you think of anything else, send it my way! Oh, and you are right that we normally aren’t super early morning people on vacation, BUT, we also are flexible and CAN be early people if it makes sense to be. (In Egypt was planning to do a sunrise hot air balloon ride in Luxor which would obviously be very early, but worth it!).
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I’ve been to Kauai quite a few times and it is absolutely gorgeous. Happy to provide any insight/tips that would be helpful. Since you are going in June hopefully you have read/heard to stay on the North side (Princeville is the big town there)? It is drier in June. I went to Oahu when I was 12 but my company has an office there so I’m sure some of my colleagues would be happy to provide some tips through me if you are interested. Feel free to reach out.
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I have to research more about all the specifics and will definitely let you know if I have questions or have things you could reach out to your co-workers about! Right now I was just focused on the basics and getting lodging booked. Now that that’s done, I can start moving on to the rest. 🙂
We are staying in Princeville actually! The north side looked absolutely to be the best fit for what I was envisioning “Hawaii” to be. Looks just beautiful!!
Also, we’ll be in the Waikiki area in Oahu, so I think I will be ready for a more low key, quiet week for the second half in Kauai. 🙂 Should be a nice balance, I hope.
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Haha, I can imagine with a puppy, you have even less time than before… but at least Charlie is cute 🙂
I am sorry about your canceled trip to Egypt, but I understand why you reconsidered. You won’t be disappointed though – Hawaii is beautiful (I’ve only been once but want to go back!)
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