MIssing the Lake

Since the weather has gotten so nice, I've been missing the lake more and more...I can't hardly wait to get down there, even if it means raking an entire forest full of leaves when I do! Since I was feeling a little homesick for it, I decided to make a few online scrapbook pages about camp, my favorite place in the whole world...

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Hope everyone can visit me this summer, when the residents of Seward Ave move south! Oh, and if you want to make an online scrapbook of your own, check out Smilebox 'cause it's free! I did!

Testing out Digital Scrapbooking

I've become somewhat obsessed with scrapbooking over the past few months, and recently came across a new way of doing it: digital scrapbooking. Well, I had no idea what this was, but it turns out it's just like regular, except instead of buying actual supplies, you buy digital ones online, use a program like Photoshop to organize it all, and then you can email, print, or have books made of your creations. Pretty cool, but I was a little intimidated, so I searched around trying to find some freebies, and I came across a super simple site called Smilebox where they make the formats for you and you simply drag and drop your own pictures. Here's my offering, hope you enjoy the cheesiness!

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Review: Lean Cuisine Lasagna with Meat Sauce

I'll admit it, I tried the Lean Cuisine Lasagna with Meat Sauce mainly because I also bought the equivalent Smart One and wanted to compare. And I was a little disappointed with this one. While it wasn't bad, the Lean Cuisine option (at least mine) seemed to have way less cheese and sauce, and way thicker noodles. Now, the lack of sauce I really don't mind, since some of the Smart Ones really heap it on in lieu of other ingredients, but the lack of cheese annoyed me. This one tasted like lasagna noodles with sauce, so I ended up adding a pile of parmesean cheese to the dish in order to make it more palatable. Now, straight out of the package, both the Lean Cuisine and Smart Ones lasagnas are 6 points. However, I was able to eat the Smart One without any additional cheese, which I think ended up costing me about 4 points. (I'll admit it, I added alot of extra cheese!) So stick with the Smart Ones for this meal!

Review: Lean Cuisine Chicken Club Panini

The Lean Cuisine Chicken Club Panini isn't too bad, but don't believe that what you're eating for dinner is going to look like the picture! Basically, it's a frozen sandwich that comes with a nifty little grilling thing, that should "grill" the bread while in the microwave. When these first came out, the grilling tray worked really well, and you could have a little sandwich. Recently, the grilling tray has been redesigned, and my sandwich ended up sticking to it. I was forced to use a spatula to remove it, which I feel defeats the purpose of a frozen dinner: to not have to do any dishes! Anyhow, it was very tasty, with cheese, chicken, bacon and tomatoes all mixed in. It is also very filling, so the 7 Points that it "costs" you to eat are worth it. The biggest problem, for me at least, is that it doesn't have even one serving of vegetables, so you do have to prepare some extra sides,. Baby carrots go well with it, I like their crunchiness to contrast with the chewy sandwich. Bottom line: for 7 Points, it's definitely worth a try, especially when you can find it at WalMart on sale for $2. And on an additional note, if you don't put the two pieces together to make a sandwich and instead have it openfaced, you feel that you're getting even more bang for your Point!

Aldi's Deck Furniture

I have to say, I am a very recent Aldi's convert. Before the Grandmother came to stay with me, I was strictly a Tops and Wegmans shopper, but she has broadened my horizons to the sterile and inexpensive yet amazing and environmentally friendly grocery experience of Aldis. While on one of our shopping sprees, I found some deck furniture that I decided I had to have. However, once I saw the flat box, I was a little dismayed. Yes, it was only $99, but I was required to assemble it all. I was undaunted, however, being reminded by the Mothership that I have built entertainment centers, bookshelves, dressers, and have even mastered that which still befuddles my other family members: the collapsible dog crate. Because the weather was unseasonably warm we (me, the Mothership, the Grandmother, Woody, Izzy, and Emma) all repaired to the shady front porch, and I commenced assembling the lawn furniture. About 5 minutes in, I realized that I was a little over my head. Not because the directions were too hard to understand, or because I am a complete idiot. Oh no, it was because the fabric pieces that the seats were made out of were too small. As in so small that I was required to stretch the fabric about 3 inches wider for it to attach to each side of the frame. I would just like to note that this step was nowhere in the directions, so I'm not sure how other Aldi's shoppers less...creative...than myself fared. But I persevered, and lo and behold, two hours later, I was able to sit on my deck, enjoying a nice cool lemonade made by the Grandmother to celebrate this grand occasion!

You'll have to decide for yourself whether this particular lawn set is worth $99 and (quite) a bit of your time. Looking back, with the memory of my mental anguish fading, the possibility of future gatherings with a margarita in hand seem to outweigh the pain I experienced putting this together:)

Our Day on the Deck

This weekend was absolutely beautiful, with weather that would make you think it was summer!

Except that daffodils don't grow in summer.

It was between 80 and 90 degrees Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, so naturally we spent a lot of time out on the deck. (And to think I was worried that it was a waste of money!) The Grandmother and I enjoyed our new deck furniture that is remarkably comfortable for only costing $99.

Well, it only cost $99 before you factor in the 2 hours that it took Sarah to build.

Izzy, Emma, and Woody spent most of the afternoon alternating between chasing around the deck, navigating the maze of furniture, and napping in the shade.

"See, I'm exercising!"

Of course, staying hydrated was foremost on everyones minds, since water is both healthful and enjoyable on a hot springy day.

Izzy, proving herself to be genetically Labrador by watering the entire deck.

And then by jumping on her mother's lap, to ensure that everyone was happy, healthy, and thoroughly hydrated!

Emma had a different method of staying cool today, one which photos cannot truly depict, so I leave everyone with this video of Emma's First Swim:

Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend as much as we did!

Polka dots + bows + green heels = best shoes ever!!!

So, recently my mother requested that I buy her some stuff from the JCPenney website, and I only needed about $20 in purchases to qualify for $50 off my order. Naturally, I didn't have too hard a time finding something to buy, since I'm an easy sell. Our order arrived at the house yesterday, and contained inside that big box of glory were these little gems:

(image from JCPenny.com)

I have to tell you, these shoes are right up there on my list of favorites! The heels are about 4 inches, which sadly puts me at 6 feet, towering over many, but the platform makes the heels quite comfortable. My only issue with the shoes is that I couldn't get a size 10, and the 9.5 is a little snug for me...if anyone has them or can find them, I'll gladly pay you! But for right now I'll suffer, because these are surely worth it. For those of you who don't wear a 10 (lucky dogs!) they still have green and black available at JCPenney for $44.99. Highly recommended!

Just a quick note from Sarah and the Grandmother

Since the Grandmother came to live on Seward Ave, reading the Sunday paper after I get home from church has become a bit of tradition. Quite often we'll run across something that makes us laugh hysterically, but this little offering from The Ashton-Drake Galleries almost gave us hernias from laughing so hard:

(image scanned from promotional mailer)

I never knew that baby monkeys were born in diapers and t-shirt, and came out with a pacifier!

Yes, it's Little Umi, the most lifelike baby orangutan ever, except for, you know, real orangutan babies. You can get all this at an incredible value: just 5 easy payments of only $25.99. If you're interested in this masterpiece of amazing realism, head over to The Ashton-Drake Galleries at All Things Collectible, just search for Little Umi. Enjoy the wonderful weather today!

Review: Smart Ones Traditional Lasagna with Meat Sauce

Smart Ones Traditional Lasagna with Meat Sauce
Points Value: 6

This was a very tasty lasagna for a frozen dinner, and only 6 points, too! Anyone who knows me is aware that I hate boxed dinners, but if they were all like this, I would probably eat them more often. It didn't take long to cook, and was delicious enough to be considered "regular" lasagna. While my homemade is a bit better, this was quick and easy to make, and tasty. I had a side of green beans with it to add to my veggie count for the day, and rounded it out with a glass of milk. Total points for the yummy meal? 7! That leaves some leeway for desert tonight, but I'm actually kind of full from dinner!

It's Not a Diet, It's a Change of Habits!!!

Welcome to Sarah and Woody's Fit Pharmiechick Challenge!

Well, we've already discussed Woody's failed diet and exercise regime. What I didn't mention, because I didn't want to hurt his feelings too bad, is that since I got the puppies I've lost 10 pounds. Of course, this really isn't much in the grand scheme of things, but it's something. So I've decided that in light of my mild success and poor Woody's further weight gain, we are going to get serious. We'll diet, we'll exercise, and we'll blog every step of the way! And please, feel free to join us on our Cruise to Lose!

Sarah's Goal: 135 pounds, size 12
Woody's Goal: 22 pounds, size small (dog clothing, of course)

Since I have absolutely no intention of posting my true weight at the present on any website, we're going to track ourselves based on percent of goal. Right now, we are both at zero, but that is soon to change!

Pharmacy Rules to Live By

1. Drop your non-urgent prescriptions off, and then come back the next day. This cuts down on not only your wait time, but that of people with urgent prescription needs, like the kid screaming in the first aid aisle because his ear hurts and he wants to go home, but needs his antibiotic prescription.
   
2. Don't ask why it's going to take 15 minutes to fill a cream/ointment/tube of toothpaste because all we do is "slap a label on it." Your prescription is no more important than anyone elses, and despite not having to be counted, it still requires being entered into the computer, processed through your insurance, labeled, checked by the pharmacist, and then bagged. Your label doesn't miraculously print the instant you walk up to the counter, and you're really only offending your pharmacist and technicians by suggesting that their jobs are so simple.
   
3. Don't yell at the pharmacist/technician/cashier if your insurance isn't working. Save all that nastiness and call your insurance company up yourself, instead of demanding the pharmacy staff do it. Chances are, we won't get anywhere by telling the insurance representative that yes, our patient should be covered. But you might. And consider this - when you ask us to do this, it takes up a lot of our time that could be spent checking prescriptions for others. Same thing goes if someone else asks us to do it, and you are waiting for your prescription...that's why our wait times are so long.
4. Don't yell at the pharmacist/technician/cashier if your Vicodin, Soma, Oxycontin, or methadone prescription is too early to be filled. It's really no one's fault but yours that you took too much, and unless you are willing to pay my salary until 2045 when I reach retirement age, I'm not breaking any laws for you. If it's too early, shut up, go home, and wait it out. By acting up, you only made it harder on yourself, because now you have a note in your file warning everyone that you try to get early refills on controlled substances.
5. Don't bad mouth other pharmacies or pharmacists to us. It's almost guaranteed that we went to school with that pharmacist, are friends with his or her spouse, or used to work at that pharmacy. Our profession is very small, and we know everyone. Badmouthing someone only makes you look like a complainer, and make us hope that you find another pharmacy to go to.

Woody's Vet Visit

My poor dog-friend Woody is very sad today...we went to the vet hoping his new diet and exercise plan had worked, and he ended up gaining weight. Even I haven't had to go back to the doctor weighing more after being told to go on a diet! And it turns out he has some kind of tumor that required his backside to be shaved, which led to a great deal of embarrassment this afternoon.

"I can't go on a walk looking like this...people will stare...STOP LOOKING AT ME!!!"

Poor Woody. We have to go back and visit Dr. N next week for a biopsy. At least he won't have to be shaved again!

I hope Russia has a Humane Society now...

While I was tooling around the internet today, I came across this particular article and am a little shocked. Basically, the Russians decided back in the 50's to shoot some dogs into space to see if it was safe for humans. The rockets used were not outfitted to return home, but were rigged with a needle for euthanasia. Nice, right? I know animal welfare is low on many people's radar, and I'll admit that I can condone animal research in regards to medicine that has the potential to save lives, but I refuse to use cosmetics that have been tested on animals because it seems so unnecessary, as does the use of dogs to test if space was safe for lifeforms, because we really have never needed to go into outerspace, other than to prove how much power we have to our enemies. I think it's a very good thing for the Russians that this happened before PETA was around.

Visiting the Doctor

Emma and Izzy had a very busy day today, with their second vet visit. I was a little worried that Emma was too skinny, and Izzy had some sort of parasites, and they both had runny eyes, but Dr. N says they are doing great! Emma went from 8 pounds at 8 weeks, to 15.5 pounds at 11 weeks! Izzy went from 10.9 to 16.2. Soon they'll be too big to snuggle on my lap:( To round out the big day, we stopped at the Mothership's house and the puppies got to investigate a new yard, while the Grandmother was swapping out winter clothes for some spring ones! They seemed a little scared of the new surroundings at first, but quickly acclimated. Sadly, I forgot my sneakers, so we didn't get to walk down to camp, but the lake was beautiful from the top of the hill. And on a final note, summer is officially on the way...Tom Thumb's is open, and the Grandmother and I enjoyed the first soft serve ice cream of the year! Yum!!!

Hartz Scrunch 'n Punch and Nylabone Puppybone

Today the Grandmother and I went shopping at WalMart, mainly to pick up some rawhide donuts for Woody. While perusing the pet department, I came across some toys I thought looked like fun for the puppies and cats.

Hartz Scrunch 'n Punch

I really thought this one was going to be a winner. Henry and Ruthie have been putting on a bit of weight, and the picture made it look like it was big enough for them both to play with and get a bit of much needed exercise. But either the kitten featured on the packaging was some mutant miniature kitten that would fit in a teacup or my cats are mutant gigantor cats from outerspace, because the proportions were a bit out of whack.

Exhibit A: Mutant miniature kitten

Exhibit B: Ruthie and Henry

Exhibit C: Ruthie, the 6-pound-but-apparently-ginormous-to-Hartz cat

However, the size was not the issue with this particular cat toy, since both Henry and Ruthie (and dog-friend Woody) seem interested in playing with it. The problem is the toy's inability to stand up. It just sadly lolls over to the side, and the Knockem Out Fun is minimal because of this. Henry and Ruthie gave up about 3 minutes in.

Bottom line: I wasted $5.84 on a toy they will never play with, when I could have invested $1 on 6 jingle balls that would last a year.


Nylabone Puppybone
This was actually a teething bone that the puppies have had before, originally from PetCo for $4.99. Today while I was in WalMart, I found it for $1.98. Naturally, I'm saddened by the blatant overcharging at my newest favorite store. But onto the info on the toy - it's a chicken flavored inedible bone especially made for teething puppies.

The first few we had lasted a few days, and Izzy and Emma loved them! The two purchased today lasted approximately 15 minutes, so I guess my babies have developed into the "strong chewers" that Nylabone warns you about on the back of the packaging. Nylabone also recommends not using this in puppies with any adult teeth, which required me to Google what age puppies get their adult teeth at (around 5 to 6 months, apparently). This particular bone is only available in small size, so in a few weeks, my puppies would have outgrown it anyhow, regardless of their natural chewing ability.

"Isn't this chicken just the best flavor, Izzy?"

Bottom line: Seemed to be enjoyable to Izzy and Emma, but if you have experienced chewers like Izzy and Emma have rapidly become, pay the extra cash for a Kong, since even the $1.98 at WalMart is a little pricey for 15 minutes of chewtime.

JCPenny online vs catalog shopping

Just a warning to everyone...I was trying to buy some stuff for my mom online from the JCPenney catalog, and couldn't figure out why my shopping cart total was way higher than what she estimated it would cost. Finally I realized that the prices were significantly different. We're talking $10 to $20 higher per item online compared to catalog prices. I called customer service, who informed me that despite the advertisement on every single page in the catalog to shop online, the prices are different between catalog and online. So if you see something half price in the catalog, call to order. I'm quite sure now that my mother and I have paid full price online for stuff in the past and not even realized it. Pretty sneaky, JCPenny. And kind of inappropriate too!

I love days off!

Today was a very busy day, considering that I wasn't working! I went to Geneva with my mom, which is always interesting, because I always get to see about 50 people from my "old" life, before I got a real job and moved away. I also got to go to Long John Silvers and have a hush puppie after seeing 50 bajillion commercials for it on television. I will not be going there again in the near future. I'm still feeling a little funny from all the grease, and it was about 10 hours ago!

Seriously, it's not as good as it looks. I promise you.

We also went to the outlet mall, and I found a killer Coach umbrella, which I love. On a side note, I found Coach dog collars for $68. Maybe I'm just cheap, but holy cow! I got collars that are even cuter (although without that adorable hydrant tag...) for $2 on clearance at Target.

I will find you a cuter collar for $60 less, and you can donate your savings to the SPCA.

My last stop on the journey home was PetCo, which is quickly becoming my new favorite store. My mother and I were investigating dog training, when the trainer herself came over to talk to us. I am determined that Izzy and Emma will eventually get a Canine Good Citizen diploma. But we're starting small, with the Puppy Kindergarten.

I'm sure they'll be model students.

We picked up some Gentle Leaders for the puppies, since they are quickly developing "Pull Grandma Right Over" brute strength. And amazingly, within the 10 minute training time listed on the packaging, Iz and Em were walking like civilized dogs! Obviously, they aren't perfect yet, but I'm confident that with a few more Gently Led walks, they will be well on their way to model canines.

This collar might actually be worth $68!

And as the perfect end to my day, I tried on every pair of shoes that I own, and many articles of clothing, and am now donating two 50 gallon garbage bags full of clothes, shoes, and purses to my church's rummage sale. There's some pretty nice stuff, everyone, so if you're interested, it's at St. Lukes, Friday and Saturday 9 to 1. The Mothership and Auntie Gogo helped organize the merchandise, and there's lots of fun stuff there!

My favorite blog

http://www.drugnazi.blogspot.com

Well, this is my favorite blog, besides my own! Seriously the DrugMonkey, formerly known as the DrugNazi, is like a liberal, older, male version of me. Except that I think he works for Rite Aid or CVS which would totally suck. I work for an awesome company, as long as I forget the fact that I have to wear an incredibly unflattering color shirt every single day that I work. But seriously, check this blog out...pharmacists will understand, maybe doctors will figure out why we're so unpleasant all the time, and to anyone who has called me twice a day for 14 days straight to find out when they can get their Soma script filled only to get the same answer 28 times, now you know how we really feel about you!

I *heart* blogging!

So my "Adventures on Seward Ave" blog has really become a fun pasttime, but I realized I have lots and lots of opinions on pretty much everything, which probably annoys my friends and family to no end. I like to buy things, so I'm always "reviewing" purchases for people, I like to read other people's blogs, so I'm always recommending those to friends, and I really enjoy watching television, movies, and of course, my favorite pasttime is reading. So instead of being an "oversharer" and annoying those I love, I thought to myself, why not put my thoughts and ramblings into a blog? That way you can have the joy of reading them, or not. It's up to you. But I highly suggest it!

Enjoying the great outdoors

This Saturday and Sunday, the weather was absolutely beautiful. So what better way to enjoy it that clean up the yard and then chill on my new deck that was built last October, and thus has yet to really be enjoyed. The deck is a perfect place for the puppies. If we put a gate up at the stairs they can't run away, and there's lots of room to run and play and learn to fetch!

Woody has totally turned from a country puppy into a city dog and doesn't really enjoy being outside unless he's barking at our dog neighbors. Still, if everyone else is outside, he wants to be too!

"I really hope you aren't expecting me to bring that back to you."

Izzy and Emma, however, have fully embraced the outdoors, which is great news since we have so much cleanup to do at the lake this spring and summer.

"See, I can help with the yard work, Mom!"

We worked on some training while we were enjoying the sun. The girls seem to be picking up "no bite", since they haven't been gnawing on any of us too much. "Off" is going pretty well too, although the idea of a walk still inspires some very frenzied jumping. Fetching, however, seems to be a skill that will require a bit of work. They like to chase everything, but sometimes forget to bring it back, depending on the toy and the distance. It took me a while, but I finally figured out that if the item is easy to pick up, they will bring it back every time, and expect you to throw it again and again...and again.

"Emma, it's my turn now!!!"

Emma is kind of turning out to be a toy hog. She would be an amazing soccer player, based on her skill of avoiding poor Izzy. She kind of reminds me of Marley, the "labrador evader"! We're going to work extra hard on this, so it will be safe to let them free at camp this summer to play in the lake.

"I am victorious!"

Izzy, on the other hand, is a total lap hog. And it doesn't matter who it is. Here she is with Grandma. I'm pretty sure that she was looking at Emma with her chew toy at this particular moment.

"I point my tongue at you, toy hog...look who's on Grandma's lap now!!!"

Overall, it was a pretty great weekend for this early in spring. The only ones who didn't enjoy it were my poor Henry and Ruthie. Unfortunately, they aren't allowed outside, although a few escapes were made last summer down at camp. With the help of a new screen door installation, that will not be happening this summer.

Poor Little Henry.

I hope everyone has enjoyed this beautiful weather. It's made all of us on Seward Ave even more anxious for summer...

It's Finally Spring!!!

I'm normally not a big fan of spring, since it's usually muddy and messy and I hate getting dirty. But this year, I am so sick of winter that I started contemplating moving to Hawaii. Fortunately, it seems that better weather is finally here (71 degrees today!!!), so I got to decorate outside for spring!

My new wreaths that I got yesterday at The Christmas Tree Shop. I have to show them up close because they are so awesome and only cost $4.99!

"Don't you just love a bargain?"

Sadly, it started to rain shortly after the door decorating, and I didn't even get to start cleaning up the back yard:

Sad yard. :(

But I'm hoping this weekend will be nice, and I can rake away to my heart's content!