Happy Friday!
The husband and I are about to head out to not one, but TWO birthday celebrations tonight! And then we're off to the beach tomorrow to stay at my grandmother's condo for the rest of the weekend. So I wanted to get this post out really quickly before we get going!
Freebie #1: https://everymove.org/ORmoves
A website that encourages you to get active for a cause of your choosing through Oregon Moves, a partnership between EveryMove and LifeWise Health Plan of Oregon. I love how easy it is to track your activities, knowing that each "active day" you achieve leads to a $1 donation by LifeWise to a good cause. I'm sweating for PlayWorks - what will you choose to get active for?
Freebie #2: Purina Pro Plan's Run for Rescues partnership with MapMyFitness
For those specifically wanting to get active for an animal-focused cause: If you sign up (for free) for MapMyFitness (mapymyfitness.com), you can also sign up (for free) to join the Run for Rescues group, which will donate 10,000 meals to animal rescue groups if 1 million running miles are logged. You have to hurry on this one - this challenge ends on October 28th!
Freebie #3: Free 3-day trial at The Xtreme Edge Gym in Beaverton, OR (http://www.theedgegym.com/)
A plug for my local gym. The staff are very welcoming, and the group classes are super fun. If you happen to live in the area, it's worth checking out. There's something for everyone!
Freebie #4: Free McDonald's Fries!
For those living in either Oregon or SW Washington: If you download the McDonald's app, and the Portland Trail Blazers score 100 or more points when playing at home, you get a coupon for free fries at McDonald's! You don't even have to attend the game to take advantage of this. (Let it be known that while I do not think it's a good idea to eat fast food on a regular basis, I do have a soft spot for McDonald's fries and will definitely be treating myself to this deal!)
Freebie #5: Free admission days at local Portland, Oregon museums
I missed out on sharing information with everyone about the Smithsonian-sponsored Museum Day Live (free admission) to museums around the country, but The Oregonian is saving my butt on this one and shared a list of free admission days to the following Portland-area museums. (If you live outside of Portland, visit freemuseumday.org to see what's available near you!)
*The International Rose Test Garden - always free
*The Oregon Historical Society - free for Multnomah County residents
*Portland Art Museum - free on the fourth Friday each month from 5- 8 pm (kids 17 and younger are always free)
*Portland Children's Museum - free on the first Friday each month from 4 - 8 pm
A more complete list is available at freemuseumday.org/pdx.html
That's all for today, folks! Make sure you stop by next week to see what's next on the list!
A.
Showing posts with label dog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog. Show all posts
Friday, October 10, 2014
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
I'm still here!
Hello, Internet!
I know my blog has been quiet for some time now... but no more! I'm back!
(You've all been very worried, I'm sure.)
My life has been full of ups and downs during the past few months... I started a new job that I absolutely LOVE, but we also weren't able to keep Dexter, our second dog. After a week, we realized that we couldn't give him the intensive training that he really needed to make him comfortable around ALL people, and not just our immediate family. We returned him to the shelter with heavy hearts and tears in our eyes, but we know there's someone out there who can give him the home he needs. So, for now, we're content to be a family of three.
Our house continues to be a work in progress. It was move-in ready when we purchased it, but now that I'm living in it and settling in, I've started a list of all the things that I would love to update - hardwood floors, expanding/re-doing the backyard, re-painting the walls and ceiling a new color, and so on. It would have been so much easier to do all of this in the beginning, but it's taken me a while to learn the feel and flow of the house and how our family fits into it. I don't know if anyone else has this experience with their home, but it's definitely been my journey. However, I'm sure just about everyone can relate to the budget issue playing a role in home updates... scraping together enough money to tackle one big project at a time. Plus, living in the Northwest certainly limits our ability to complete outdoor projects for most of the year (although we are having a very lovely streak of warm weather, even in October!).
My goal here is not to make excuses, but to remind myself that it's perfectly alright that I haven't yet completed every project on our to-do list.
One step at a time, right?
It's also my goal to hold myself more accountable to this blog, trying to make Tuesdays and Fridays my "blogging days." I feel bad that I missed out on sharing some more freebies with all of you - free coffee at McDonald's, free admissions to local museums, free admission to national parks... oops! Don't worry - I've got a new list to share with you this Friday. :)
See you then!
A.
I know my blog has been quiet for some time now... but no more! I'm back!
(You've all been very worried, I'm sure.)
My life has been full of ups and downs during the past few months... I started a new job that I absolutely LOVE, but we also weren't able to keep Dexter, our second dog. After a week, we realized that we couldn't give him the intensive training that he really needed to make him comfortable around ALL people, and not just our immediate family. We returned him to the shelter with heavy hearts and tears in our eyes, but we know there's someone out there who can give him the home he needs. So, for now, we're content to be a family of three.
Our house continues to be a work in progress. It was move-in ready when we purchased it, but now that I'm living in it and settling in, I've started a list of all the things that I would love to update - hardwood floors, expanding/re-doing the backyard, re-painting the walls and ceiling a new color, and so on. It would have been so much easier to do all of this in the beginning, but it's taken me a while to learn the feel and flow of the house and how our family fits into it. I don't know if anyone else has this experience with their home, but it's definitely been my journey. However, I'm sure just about everyone can relate to the budget issue playing a role in home updates... scraping together enough money to tackle one big project at a time. Plus, living in the Northwest certainly limits our ability to complete outdoor projects for most of the year (although we are having a very lovely streak of warm weather, even in October!).
My goal here is not to make excuses, but to remind myself that it's perfectly alright that I haven't yet completed every project on our to-do list.
One step at a time, right?
It's also my goal to hold myself more accountable to this blog, trying to make Tuesdays and Fridays my "blogging days." I feel bad that I missed out on sharing some more freebies with all of you - free coffee at McDonald's, free admissions to local museums, free admission to national parks... oops! Don't worry - I've got a new list to share with you this Friday. :)
See you then!
A.
Friday, July 11, 2014
Freebie Friday - July 11th
Happy Friday, everyone!
Okay, where to even begin with this post...
Well, first things first: Our little "furry" family has grown by one - we got another dog! The initial meet and greet with our first dog and the new fella went really well at the shelter, but things have been a little tense back here on our home turf. Our first dog, Blaze, doesn't seem to quite understand why our new little guy, Dexter, is still in his house! We don't quite feel comfortable leaving them alone together, so we're constantly keeping an eye on both of them. But, each day seems to get a little better - Blaze is becoming more tolerant, and Dexter is becoming more comfortable with his surroundings. (I should also mention that Blaze has a torn toe pad that's healing, while Dexter is recovering from his neuter procedure done earlier this week. As a result, both dogs are supposed to be taking it easy, which is easier said than done for two active dogs who are still getting to know each other!)
But, wait folks - that's not all! I also started my new job this week! And while things are going pretty well on that front, there's always a bit of chaos that comes with taking on a new position. I do my best to leave work at work, but it sure can be hard sometimes - especially when there's so much to be done!
The cherry on top of this messy sundae? My husband has left town for the weekend, leaving me alone to supervise the two dogs.
So, we'll see how this goes.
To focus on the positive instead of stressing about what could or might go wrong, let's celebrate another round of freebies! Here are some of my latest favorites:
1. Free popcorn samples (plus a free take-home tub!) at Goody's
Okay, where to even begin with this post...
Well, first things first: Our little "furry" family has grown by one - we got another dog! The initial meet and greet with our first dog and the new fella went really well at the shelter, but things have been a little tense back here on our home turf. Our first dog, Blaze, doesn't seem to quite understand why our new little guy, Dexter, is still in his house! We don't quite feel comfortable leaving them alone together, so we're constantly keeping an eye on both of them. But, each day seems to get a little better - Blaze is becoming more tolerant, and Dexter is becoming more comfortable with his surroundings. (I should also mention that Blaze has a torn toe pad that's healing, while Dexter is recovering from his neuter procedure done earlier this week. As a result, both dogs are supposed to be taking it easy, which is easier said than done for two active dogs who are still getting to know each other!)
But, wait folks - that's not all! I also started my new job this week! And while things are going pretty well on that front, there's always a bit of chaos that comes with taking on a new position. I do my best to leave work at work, but it sure can be hard sometimes - especially when there's so much to be done!
The cherry on top of this messy sundae? My husband has left town for the weekend, leaving me alone to supervise the two dogs.
So, we'll see how this goes.
To focus on the positive instead of stressing about what could or might go wrong, let's celebrate another round of freebies! Here are some of my latest favorites:
1. Free popcorn samples (plus a free take-home tub!) at Goody's
My local coupon mailer included a lovely little deal for a free mini-tub of popcorn. So, I stopped by on my way home from work yesterday, and I discovered that Goody's is happy to give you free samples (much smaller than what's pictured above) of all of their yummy options. My coupon got me a bigger take-home sample, so I enjoyed a lovely pre-dinner snack of sour cream & onion popcorn. Mmmmm.
2. Free home improvement items at Harbor Freight tools
http://media.snagajob.com/employer/images/logos/21243_HFlogo_lg.gif
My local paper, The Oregonian, has been carrying coupons for Harbor Freight Tools that include free tarps, free tool sets, free tape measures, and free flashlights - no purchase necessary! Time to stock up!
3. Free movie screenings through Gofobo
http://indiesunchained.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/gofobo.jpg
I've been to several free movie screenings through this website; the last one was Obvious Child, starring Jenny Slate. All you have to do is sign up with your email address, and you'll periodically get invitations to free screenings in a city near you. (Disclaimer: this is definitely one of those freebies that you have to be on top of - tickets often go fast, and you have to get to the theater early because they give away more tickets than there are seats to try to get a full house.) It's hard to pass up a free movie these days, so I definitely recommend signing up for this one!
4. Throwback freebie: Chalupas!
http://www.grubgrade.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Taco-Bell-Bacon-Club-Chalupa.jpg
I'm feeling a bit nostalgic today, so I just wanted to reminisce for a moment on one of my all-time favorite "freebies" - the Free Chalupa coupon that was handed out at Portland Trail Blazer games if the team scored 100 points or more during a single game. Sadly, this one is no more (replaced instead by a free Egg McMuffin from McDonald's - meh), but it will always have a special place in my heart - even if my digestive system is much happier without it.
5. Gold Standard Freebie: the Library
http://www.wccls.org/sites/all/themes/wccls2011/logo.png
Ah, the library... one of my favorite places, both as a child and as an adult. While I know that the library's services are paid for by our tax dollars, it's "freebie" status goes waaaaaaay beyond just books - I'm talking music, movies, books-on-tape, and even admission at local attractions! If you live in Washington County, Oregon, go to your local WCCLS branch and ask for the Cultural Passes to places like the Lan Su Chinese Garden, Pittock Mansion, the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, the Portland Children's Museum, and several other spots around town. If you're outside the county, I challenge you to go to your local library branch and learn more about their programs and offerings (and check out a book or two for some summer reading).
Help me spread the freebie love! What are some freebies you've enjoyed this week?
A.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
The First Post
Okay. Just take a deep breath, and let it out slowly... Place my fingers over the keyboard. Look at the screen. And...? Oh, geez. Alright. Just type something. Anything. What's on my mind? Isn't that the whole reason I started this blog - to get my thoughts typed out and share them with The Internet, in case someone, anyone, might be interested in what I'm thinking about?
So, I guess the first step is to introduce myself, explain what the heck I'm doing here?
I can do that.
Hi! My name is Ashleigh, and I decided, on a whim, to start a blog. I've only blogged one other time in my life - does anyone remember Xanga? - and I think it's safe to say that my posts as a teenage girl were pretty predictable. "Oh, so-and-so is super cute, and we made EYE CONTACT today!" "Oh, I love my BFFs and we're so cool and we're going to go to college together and live next door to each other and..." Or, "Oh! My life is so difficult - I go to a great school, have a wonderful family, am surrounded by awesome friends, but my hormones are out of control! WHY DOESN'T ANYONE UNDERSTAND ME??"
You know, the usual teenage angst that plagues us all at some point in our lives.
Thankfully (for my sake, and I like to think yours, too), this is not that blog.
Disclaimer: this blog is still about me. But it's about twenty-seven year old me, instead of fourteen year old me. I like to think that alone will make for a much better reading experience.
A brief introduction: I am married to a wonderful man, and almost two years ago we adopted a black lab-mixed breed rescue from a nearby animal shelter; I often refer to him as my dog-son, and I am his dog-mom. He's covered with a beautiful brindle coat - hence the "Brindle" part of this blog's title. The "Brick" half of the blog's name refers to the purchase of my first house with my husband a few months ago.
My little house ("Brick") and my little family ("Brindle") make up the center of my universe. I am completely in love with my husband and dog-son, and I am really enjoying making this little house of ours a home.
The idea for this blog came to me at 6:45 am this morning, when my dog was lying next to me in bed and hitting me with his paw to wake me up so that I would get out of bed and feed him breakfast. I wasn't quite ready to leave the comfort of our new king-sized bed, so instead I lay there petting him, and thinking about how handsome my dog-son is with his brindle coloring. And then I somehow got to thinking about how much I miss writing, and journaling. (Don't ask me how I got there - I often have a hard time tracing my line of thought, as my mind always feels like it's spinning with new ideas and questions and comments and I can hardly keep up.) And then, suddenly, it just seemed very clear to me - start a blog. Write about the things that I love, the things that are important to me. Write about things that bring joy to my life. I figured it would be a nice way to start focusing on the positive instead of the negative, as I tend to worry and stress a lot. (I'm very thankful for my husband, who helps keep me grounded and can put things into perspective for me when I get a little lost.)
So, here it is. My blog. There's no plan. There's no timeline, or deadline, or any real purpose to this other than to allow myself the opportunity for self-reflection and ramblings without interruption.
Alright, how do I end this post... The End? Bye for now? Cut to commercial?
Ugh, how embarrassing. I'll get this whole blogging-thing figured out eventually... right?
So, I guess the first step is to introduce myself, explain what the heck I'm doing here?
I can do that.
Hi! My name is Ashleigh, and I decided, on a whim, to start a blog. I've only blogged one other time in my life - does anyone remember Xanga? - and I think it's safe to say that my posts as a teenage girl were pretty predictable. "Oh, so-and-so is super cute, and we made EYE CONTACT today!" "Oh, I love my BFFs and we're so cool and we're going to go to college together and live next door to each other and..." Or, "Oh! My life is so difficult - I go to a great school, have a wonderful family, am surrounded by awesome friends, but my hormones are out of control! WHY DOESN'T ANYONE UNDERSTAND ME??"
You know, the usual teenage angst that plagues us all at some point in our lives.
Thankfully (for my sake, and I like to think yours, too), this is not that blog.
Disclaimer: this blog is still about me. But it's about twenty-seven year old me, instead of fourteen year old me. I like to think that alone will make for a much better reading experience.
A brief introduction: I am married to a wonderful man, and almost two years ago we adopted a black lab-mixed breed rescue from a nearby animal shelter; I often refer to him as my dog-son, and I am his dog-mom. He's covered with a beautiful brindle coat - hence the "Brindle" part of this blog's title. The "Brick" half of the blog's name refers to the purchase of my first house with my husband a few months ago.
My little house ("Brick") and my little family ("Brindle") make up the center of my universe. I am completely in love with my husband and dog-son, and I am really enjoying making this little house of ours a home.
The idea for this blog came to me at 6:45 am this morning, when my dog was lying next to me in bed and hitting me with his paw to wake me up so that I would get out of bed and feed him breakfast. I wasn't quite ready to leave the comfort of our new king-sized bed, so instead I lay there petting him, and thinking about how handsome my dog-son is with his brindle coloring. And then I somehow got to thinking about how much I miss writing, and journaling. (Don't ask me how I got there - I often have a hard time tracing my line of thought, as my mind always feels like it's spinning with new ideas and questions and comments and I can hardly keep up.) And then, suddenly, it just seemed very clear to me - start a blog. Write about the things that I love, the things that are important to me. Write about things that bring joy to my life. I figured it would be a nice way to start focusing on the positive instead of the negative, as I tend to worry and stress a lot. (I'm very thankful for my husband, who helps keep me grounded and can put things into perspective for me when I get a little lost.)
So, here it is. My blog. There's no plan. There's no timeline, or deadline, or any real purpose to this other than to allow myself the opportunity for self-reflection and ramblings without interruption.
Alright, how do I end this post... The End? Bye for now? Cut to commercial?
Ugh, how embarrassing. I'll get this whole blogging-thing figured out eventually... right?
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