We gave Chipmunk a haircut on Monday.

The hair around her ears was starting to get matted because it was so long (which is a breed trait), and she desperately needed a trim.  She has a tendency to pick up all sorts of debris while exploring the backyard.  The fur around her paws was also really long, so she looked kind of like The Grinch/Gremlin.  And now she sort of looks like a boy with a bad mullet.

Or "a" mullet.  Is there such a thing as a "good" mullet?

All I have to say is that hair styling is not in my future and it's a good thing that puppies don't bully each other because of their haircuts.

At least it'll grow back.

on being grateful

Pretty, romantic images on Tumblr and Pinterest had me yearning for a life full of writing and moody, still lighting and bright, airy lighting and tea.

And then, I realized that I spend most of the day writing; morning light is really moody and still here; afternoon light is really bright and airy; and I drink tea like it's my job.

Also, I sometimes spend evenings daydreaming while lying on my back on a suspended pergola bed, staring at the stars.

Also, I'm eating chocolate-covered pineapple because my caring and supporting husband surprised me with Edible Arrangements today.

My life is awesome.

miscellany wednesday

+ Alan made a delicious chicken and pineapple pizza for lunch on Sunday.  We dipped it in sriracha.  I love it when food is made from scratch + love.

+ Chapel Next hosted Date Night with Dr. Gary Rosberg on Sunday evening.  It was entertaining; I definitely enjoyed the fellowship and Alan was glad to know we're on the right track--for example, when we scored ourselves on our emotional and physical connections, we both seem to be doing the right things.  When we read the suggestions to improve our connections (i.e. text throughout the day to communicate or affirm your spouse), we realized that we're already doing those, too!

+ The temperature has been in the low 70s all week, with rain off and on.  It's been so cool that we haven't used the central air for the past two days; we've been content with keeping the windows open (usually, it starts getting warm around 2 p.m., so I close the windows and turn on the air).  We finally have grass that looks like grass.
Last night while we were sweeping the cracked cement slab that passes for a patio or something like that, Alan said he could buy some weed killer at Lowe's that, according to other people in the area, will kill the weeds and not the grass.  I told him that I thought half of our grass was comprised of weeds. ...

+ The dogs have taken over the pergola bed.  For a while, it was just a frame, and we could take out the futon mattress or a comforter when we wanted to use it.  The dogs didn't climb on it because they were afraid of falling through.  But, Alan recently came home with some sleeping pads that the Army was throwing away, so he stuck them on the frame.  We haven't tested it with the pads yet, but the dogs have.
And, he recently added an old quilt to make the dogs more comfy. :)

organizing life: the bathroom

Both counter space and cabinet space are at a premium in the master bathroom, and hair styling tools (especially the cords) were difficult to keep organized and out of the way.

I don't use the curling irons, straightener and hair dryer on a daily basis--or even a weekly basis, honestly--so I wanted to keep them under the sink and reserve counter space for daily items, but it was difficult to keep the cords untangled when everything was shoved in a box.  Plus, then I forget that I even have them.

So, Alan stuck some 3M hooks on the side of the vanity (3M hooks seem to be the solution to a lot of our problems around the house).  Now, everything's accessible and we have more space.  Plus, the hooks will be easy to remove!

cappellini alfredo

To those of you who know my aversion to angel hair pasta, please note that my preference has not changed.

It was just that we had an opened container of cappellini.

Also, this was the first time I've made fettuccine Alfredo since we moved to Texas!  The original recipe that my mom used at home came from my middle school FCS class.  The variety of cheeses adds some depth to the dish, but I will probably add some garlic apart from the cheese next time.

This recipe serves two.  It could probably serve three, but Alan said we weren't going to have leftovers and ate whatever was left in the pan after I served the first helping.  And actually, Alan says:

Actually it was two more servings so it will probably feed four.

Fettuccine Cappellini Alfredo

+ 4 oz. cappellini, dry and uncooked
+ 2 C. heavy cream
+ 1/8 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
+ 2 T. butter
+ 1/2 C. parmesan, grated
+ 1/4 C. jarlsburg, grated
+ 2 T. garlic and herb spreadable cheese
+ salt and pepper to taste

In a medium pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the pasta.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the cream and lemon pepper over a low setting.  Add the butter.  Once the butter has melted, add the cheeses.  Stir continuously until the cheeses have melted--if you don't stir everything constantly, the cheese will stick to the bottom/sides of the pan/your spoon and then it will be a mess.  Once the pasta is cooked, drain it (but don't rinse it!) and add it to the saucepan.  Stir until the pasta is well-coated and the sauce thickens.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve it immediately.

Also, this is almost nothing like the original recipe for Fettuccine Alfredo, so it should actually probably be called something like, "Three Cheese Cappellini."  Which is how you will find it tagged if you ever search for this recipe.