• Home
  • About
    • This IS My Real Job
    • 5 Things I’ve Learned…
  • Beautycounter
    • Become a Beautycounter Consultant: FAQs
  • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • Travel
  • Amazon Lists
  • Instagram
  • Fitness
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Heather's Dish

Heather's Dish

Puppy Love

Share
Pin
Tweet
0 Shares

This face.  I love it.

Y’all, I love my little boy so much.  I love how he’s started saying, “MA MA MA MA MA MA” even though it doesn’t count because he’s not trying to say it to me (yet).  I love that he throws his body around in his exersaucer, only ever wants to be standing and jumping, makes faces with every bite of food (before he lunges for another one), and loves being naked more than anything in the world.

 

I love him.

 

But there was a time when Nate and I were only parents to two other babies – our furbabies.

First it was Bunker – my first baby boy.  I remember thinking that if motherhood were anything like mothering an 8-week old puppy, it was going to be one of the hardest and most rewarding things in the world.  I was right.  I remember when it was just us and Bunker, and we thought that being “parents” to a lab was crazy difficult.  I remember when we went on our first vacation without him and had to take him to a dog boarding place the night before we left.  I cried for probably 4 straight hours, ate 3/4 of a pizza and watched Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood before passing out.  And I remember how even though we had a blast, my heart ached to see my little puppy again.

 

I remember how we used to take Bunker to a park by our apartment where there was a big hill.  One of us would stand at the top and the other at the bottom, and we would take turns yelling, “YAAAAAAAAAY BUNKER!!!” so that he would run up and down the hill til he passed out.  I remember the first time he swam – we were at another park with friends who had grown labs, and Bunker was only 4 months old.  I gently put him in the water with my hand under his chest to hold him up, and within seconds he had pushed off of me and swam the entire rest of the day til he passed out.

 

I remember how the first night we had him we tried to let him “cry it out” in his crate for about 20 minutes before we both gave up and slept on the floor with him so he wouldn’t feel so lonely.  And then did that for like the next 4 months.  Oops.

 

I remember falling asleep on the couch with him on my chest, and I remember thinking, “I should enjoy this – it may not happen again.”  It didn’t.

 

I remember so many things about those years with just Bunker, but even more than that I see what an amazing dog he is now.  Loving, happy, and full of life.  Stubborn, head-strong, and sassy.  Obedient (most of the time) and protective.  We really could not have asked for a better boy.

Then came Keira – our first and only (as of now) baby girl.  She was the result of two things:  1) me crying enough about wanting to have another puppy for probably about a year and 2) Nate’s desire to have a female dog that would be his little girl.  I remember the day that we found her:  it was freezing cold and in the middle of September.  We drove around to several different places, the last being Boulder Humane Society.  We went there to look at another dog only to find out that it was already adopted.  We were about to leave when Nate saw this little black puppy huddled in the corner of the outdoor play area, one of the volunteers trying to coax it back inside.  We went over and asked if we could play with her, and the volunteer basically said, “Good luck” and left.  She was terrified and cold.  She cowered in the corner and shook when we tried to hold her.  But something in that little puppy’s eyes spoke to Nate and we ended up taking her home with us.

 

I remember the first two weeks of having that little girl in our house – how she couldn’t be housebroken, how she was scared of us all the time, and how she ran from Bunker.  And then I remember the day that she realized that we loved her and she could trust us.  It was all over.

 

I remember the time we had a birthday party at our house and she was so scared of all the people that she hid in the corner.  I went and picked her up and she was so relieved that she just full-on peed all over me.  I carried her around and wore that shirt the rest of the night – gross, sort of, but I wasn’t going to put her down again.  I think that was one of the first times I realized that if I could be OK letting her pee all over me, I could be OK being a mother to human kiddos too.

 

But that scared, timid little puppy has grown into the sweetest, most obedient little girl ever.  She and I have to stick together, you know – being the only girls in the house and all.  She loves with all 45 pounds of her little body.  She can run like the wind, jump like crazy, wrestles with Bunker (who is more than half her size), and cuddles like a champ.  She can curl into a ball so small that you’d swear she’s half her size.  She’s amazing, beautiful, and truly a gift.

I’m so thankful for my life, so thankful for our beautiful family, and so thankful to have such sweet puppies to love on and care for.  I often think about the gifts that God has blessed us with, and every single time I do these two dogs are two of the first things to pop into my head.  And I just had to share 🙂

 

Happy Friday y’all!

Share
Pin
Tweet
0 Shares


19 Comments

Subscribe for the latest.

« Pumpkin Quinoa Energy Bites
#theproteineffect »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You have to agree to the comment policy.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Carrie @ Season It Already! says

    October 23, 2012 at 7:48 am

    Pets are important pets of our families! I am so glad you put this love into words.

    Reply
  2. janetha {meals & moves} says

    October 22, 2012 at 3:01 pm

    <3<3<3 LOVE

    Reply
  3. Aishwarya says

    October 22, 2012 at 12:50 am

    Dear heather,

    You are an AWSOME women whom I adore!!! I love the way you deal with life and I swear you are an inspiration, you have inspired me alot that I have spoken about you to my family and my would-be.
    I love your writing but was really hesitant to give a comment, Bu tafter this blog I felt that I SHOULD appreciate your efforts and hence here I am… I love how beautiful, god fearing & lovable you are
    Keep up the good work dear heather and May GOD bless you and your family

    Take care
    Aishwarya
    India

    Reply
  4. Aishwarya says

    October 22, 2012 at 12:48 am

    Dear heather,

    You are sn AWSOME women whom I adore!!! I love the way you deal with life and I sear you are an inspiration, you have inspired me alot that I have spoken about you to my family and my would-be 🙂
    I love your writing but was really hesitant to give a comment, Bu tafter this blog I felt that I SHOULD appreciate your efforts and hence here I am… I love how beautiful, god fearing & lovable you are 🙂
    Keep up the good work dear heather and May GOD bless you and your family 🙂

    Take care
    Aishwarya
    India

    Reply
  5. Anna @ On Anna's Plate says

    October 21, 2012 at 8:26 am

    Aw, I love this post. Everyone told us that we’d “love” our dogs less after the baby came, but that’s simply not true. I know it’s not true for y’all either. 🙂

    Reply
    • Heather says

      October 21, 2012 at 11:20 am

      i know, i hated when people said that to us! if anything having Wes has brought us all closer, even the dogs. they have taken on this role of being protectors for him, and i love it!

      Reply
  6. Sarah says

    October 19, 2012 at 10:56 pm

    Your pups are adorable, but I can’t get over Wes Such a handsome little man now! What is going on?! He’s not that big! He’s a tiny baby! 🙂

    Reply
    • Heather says

      October 20, 2012 at 7:08 pm

      I KNOW – I look at newborn photos of him all the time, and I just can’t believe how fast everything has gone by. He is such a little boy now!

      Reply
  7. Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean says

    October 19, 2012 at 2:11 pm

    this made me cry. i love my dogs so much 🙂

    Reply
    • Heather says

      October 19, 2012 at 5:21 pm

      hopefully happy tears!!! 🙂

      Reply
  8. lindsay says

    October 19, 2012 at 12:16 pm

    i have a similar furr baby. chocolate too. She is a blessing. I think the the more the merrier, right? well, most of the time.

    Reply
    • Heather says

      October 19, 2012 at 5:20 pm

      haha yes, most of the time 😉

      Reply
  9. Christine says

    October 19, 2012 at 12:08 pm

    Reading this put a smile on my face. There’s nothing quite like becoming a parent to a crazy, loving Lab. Our chocolate lab, Ike, is 5 years old and we love him to bits. He’s my best bud.

    Reply
    • Heather says

      October 19, 2012 at 5:20 pm

      Bunker’s 5 too and I just love him more as the years go on. I don’t know if I can ever stray away from lab mixes ever!

      Reply
  10. Kelli H (Made in Sonoma) says

    October 19, 2012 at 8:07 am

    Such a sweet post. I love reading about puppy love. I’ve had my boy for 13 months now and he’s the best thing that’s come into mine and David’s lives. He brings us so much joy, entertainment, and love. Dogs are seriously the best.

    Reply
    • Heather says

      October 19, 2012 at 5:19 pm

      Amen girl – i can’t imagine my life without them!

      Reply
  11. Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says

    October 19, 2012 at 7:47 am

    This was such a sweet post. Literally made me tear up thinking of your pups and my sweet Ginger. They really are like kids with their own personalities and quirks. I can still remember sitting on the kitchen floor with Ginger the weekend we got her at 8 weeks old soothing her in the middle of the night (b/c my husband refused to let her in the bedroom) and crying my eyes out from simultaneously feeling horrible for her and for my sleep deprived self. I look back at that now and how awesome of a dog she is and feel like a proud mom 🙂

    Reply
    • Heather says

      October 19, 2012 at 5:19 pm

      now I’M tearing up thinking about YOUR story! i just can’t get over how much like kids they are!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Bean Bytes #11 says:
    October 21, 2012 at 10:01 pm

    […] post made me cry. love my dogs so much puppy love via Heather’s […]

    Reply

Subscribe



Featured on BlogHer.com




Instagram

For my @fasterwaytofatloss friends, here’s an AM For my @fasterwaytofatloss friends, here’s an AMAZING low-carb day dish: roasted cauliflower with smoked paprika and almonds! It’s so simple to make, incredibly flavorful, and pairs really well with truly any protein. Enjoy!

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH SMOKED PAPRIKA AND ALMONDS
* 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp smoked paprika
* 1/2 tsp garlic powder
* 1/2 tsp pepper
* 1/3 cup slivered raw almonds
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Spread the cauliflower florets onto a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
3. Sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder, then toss to evenly coat it all.
4. Roast at 375 for 25 minutes, tossing halfway through.
5. When there are 3 minutes left, open the oven and sprinkle the almonds on top.
6. Roast for another 3-4 minutes until the almonds are just lightly toasted, then remove and serve immediately.
Captain’s log: Going on day 174 (give or take) o Captain’s log: Going on day 174 (give or take) of being iced in, virtual schooling, working full time, creating snow day memories, working out, eating healthfully, and trying to remember to wash my face (spoiler: today I did not wash my face. Yet). Getting me through: significantly lower expectations, coffee, and drinking smoothies by the fireplace. If there’s a silver lining in the quarantines from last year it’s that I know now that I can handle much more chaos than I thought I could 🤪
A little #howitstartedvshowitsgoing situation with A little #howitstartedvshowitsgoing situation with my avocado plant! Swipe to see this little guy as a teeny sprout 🌱 

I remember when I wasn’t sure it would sprout at all, and then one day the seed split and there it was! We also hit a point November-January where there was zero growth and I wondered again if it was a waste of time.

Now there are new leaves, new height, and (most importantly) stronger roots, all because of a little patience and care (it’s a metaphor y’all 😆). I find myself excited about the next season where it will be planted in dirt, which will offer new challenges - and growth- of its own. What a blessing to learn such deep lessons from a humble seed!

God, thank you for the little things that show us how much the little things matter. Amen.
Why am I looking away? Simple: because it was the Why am I looking away?

Simple: because it was the best photo out of a billion that I took of myself 🤣 Sometimes it all works, today it didn’t. 

Wanna know what DOES work though? This amazing new deodorant! The biggest question I get about cleaner products is always about which is the best natural deodorant. Friends, I’ve found some decent ones in the past, but this one takes the cake!

And, because I know I’ll get asked, my favorite scents are in this order: Fresh Coconut, Soft Lavender, Clean Rose. The coconut smells like a vacation, and couldn’t we all use a vacay right now? 🏖 Link in the ol’ profile to shop!
🙋🏼‍♀️ Hi, my name is Heather and I str 🙋🏼‍♀️ Hi, my name is Heather and I struggle getting enough protein into my diet. Who else can relate?!

One of my physical health goals this year is to gain lean muscle and get stronger, which means that I need to be getting enough protein in on a daily basis. For me a great source of lean protein is chicken breasts, but if they don’t taste great I’m not having it! So, if this is you, I have a solution for you: BRINE YOUR CHICKEN BREASTS! 

Here’s my fail-proof brine recipe for perfectly flavorful chicken breasts. Cook ‘em however you want - just make sure you brine them first! The difference is enormously worth it!

Recipe is for about 4-6 chicken breasts:
•3 tablespoons kosher salt
•3 tablespoons honey
•2 cups lukewarm water
•2 cups cold water

In a large saucepan bring the first 3 ingredients to a simmer. Remove and stir until the salt is dissolved, then pour in the cold water. IT MUST BE COLD - otherwise the brine will start to cook the chicken breasts! When the mixture is lukewarm, add the chicken breasts, making sure they’re covered in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 1-6 hours (I recommend 6 if you can). When they’re finished, remove from the brine, rinse, pat dry and cook as desired!
🏃🏼‍♀️Who else is struggling with findi 🏃🏼‍♀️Who else is struggling with finding cardio equipment for their home gym on a budget?

I love running, walking and hiking, but weather, childcare, and a certain global pandemic make consistently getting out to do those kinda difficult. I’ve always enjoyed my #homegym, but quality cardio equipment is expensive! 

So what’s a girl to do?

This past fall I randomly decided to look at steppers, and found this @sunnyhealthfitness one on @walmart for $50! I just wanted something that I could use for 20-30 minutes 4-ish days a week, and it’s been an amazing fit. Would I like a Peloton? Duh, of course. But this has worked so well with the budget and space we have!

What’s your biggest struggle in curating a home gym?
A blurry pickup line photo to tell you I can’t r A blurry pickup line photo to tell you I can’t recommend seeing a counselor or therapist enough. I was weird about it first, felt like my problems weren’t big or messy enough to warrant professional help. And when I did start seeing my counselor I was awkward (this shouldn’t be a surprise). But here we are 4 months later and I’m seeing some incredible life-giving movement. God is so good, and I’m so thankful for friends who normalized counseling and therapy for me!
So. It’s been a while since I posted on the feed So. It’s been a while since I posted on the feed (or really in my stories too). Truthfully I’m still heavily processing the last 2 months, which were preceded by 10 other hard months. Life is brutal and beautiful and next-level hard and a joy, all swirled together. I won’t pretend that everything is OK; it’s not. I’m not.
.
BUT GOD.
.
This past weekend I had a moment of complete clarity and joy and the knowledge that I will be OK. And for that only-God moment I’m so thankful. For all of you who have been praying for our family, who have offered the sweetest words and condolences, who have truly been there, waiting and wading with me through the hard - thank you. God is still good. He is still on his throne. And I am so unwaveringly thankful for that!❤️
Just a couple quick reminders: ⭐️ healthy doe Just a couple quick reminders:

⭐️ healthy doesn’t have to be hard
⭐️ you’re allowed to “mess up”
⭐️ you’re allowed to be multidimensional
⭐️ don’t overcomplicate it 
⭐️ YOU ARE CAPABLE 

I have so many thoughts swirling around in my head these days, and half the time I don’t know which way is up. But I do know this: focusing on simplicity is the name of the game this year for me. It starts with the things I can control: my food intake, moving my body, my thoughts, my actions. The rest will stem from there!

Does anyone even do a word of the year anymore after 2020? If you do I’d love to see you share it below!
Follow @HeathersDish
POPSUGAR Select PLUS

You might also like…

5 Lessons I Learned from Traveling Alone || HeathersDish.com

5 Lessons I Learned from Traveling Alone

A Long Winding Road

#fullhomehappyhome @samsclub

Full Home, Happy Home

WOWZAH

A Toast For My Sister

Copyright © 2021 · Heather Disarro · All Rights Reserved

Copyright © 2021 · Heather's Divine Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in