September 12th, we've made it.

{Click on a picture to enlarge}
Well it's our due date! It looks like today is going to come and go without a birth, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a wonderful day. In fact, this whole weekend has been awesome! I went to drawing group again on Friday morning, and we had some friends over for a BBQ that night. After eating, we walked over to the local high school football game. On Saturday, Jess, Evey and I checked out a new "play cafe" called Firefly. 3 year old Evey had fun dressing up and running around. Jess and I had a nice time chatting and sipping (decaf) coffee.

Today after church, a big breakfast, and a nap, we took Gatsby on a walk at Whetstone Park. It was the perfect late summer / early autumn afternoon.

We're all waiting for you, Baby Perkins! Come anytime.

Our little family...

We are only one week away from the due date!

Our third year together.

{The only photo taken of our little family on our 3rd}

Last Thursday, June 17th, was Rudy and my third anniversary, (and our second anniversary of having Gatsby). We had such a great day together.

While taking Gatsby on a walk we heard music and lots of people so we went to investigate and found a public pool within walking distance from our house! After we got home from the walk, we went down for a swim. It was about 90 degrees out, so a dip was just what I needed.

That night we went to go see The Life Aquatic at the Wexner Art Center's Drive-In movie's first showing for the summer.

The showing was free, and the night couldn't have been more perfect. There was free caramel corn (my favorite!) and fireflies dancing over people's heads.

We even got to bring Gatsby! He mostly slept on his little bed and was admired by all. The guy behind us even took a picture of him because he thought he was so cute.

I had forgotten how much I really love this movie. Cate Blanchett's baby belly is pretty cute too.

{A shot of a previous showing from the Wexner's site}

Snow!

{Our backyard}

I thought I should post some pictures of the snow from a couple of weeks ago. Amazingly, all of it is almost gone, and the temperatures have soared to the mid 60's! Rudy and I were marvelling this morning that it went from the low 30's to the 50's and now to almost 70 in a matter of days. All I can say is that I hope this weather pattern continues, and that we really are approaching spring.

{View of our neighbor's car from upstairs}

{Gatsby with the pups at Whetstone park on my birthday}

In regard to the above picture, remember this little adventure from when I let Gatsby off the leash for the first time? I swore he'd never go off leash again. However, after months of walking the same path, I've started giving him bouts of running free with the other dogs. And he finally gets it!! Even when he goes off and chases something, he always eventually realizes he's alone and that he better catch up fast. Sometimes it takes him ten minutes, but I've learned to calm down and know that he'll be racing around the corner in no time.

Christmas with the Perkins.

After getting home from the festivities with my family here in Columbus, I decided we should take some pictures of our little family so we could remember Christmas 09 forever. Or just for fun.

Here is our tree with all the presents that my family sent from California (thanks everyone!!) on Christmas Eve. I don't want to take the tree down anytime soon...it feels like it just got here!

Just wanted to say hello.

Alicia Bock

Today has been crazy. I'm very grateful for the hot water I'm about to stand under, and the Belgian waffle I just ate.

This photo of balloons makes me very happy.

I need to start applying to Interior Design school. AHH!!!

Rudy and Gatsby are taking a nap on the sofa with the light from the Christmas tree twinkling, and the cold outside.

I love the way the ice crystals look over everything in the morning. Glitter everywhere.

Gatsby on Desire to Inspire!

I have written about Pets on Furniture before, and have been a fan for some time. I decided last week that I would submit a photo of Gatsby from his 2nd birthday portrait session, then forgot I had done it until today, so I checked.

To my surprise, the little guy was on there!! I don't know if this is really something to get this excited about...

Check him out here. My favorite photo of the bunch is the one of the baby chihuahua asleep on the computer, (after the one of Gatsby of course).

Lately.

I've started working this week at Crimson Cup Coffee.

Rudy's wonderful mom and step-dad will be here this weekend!

Gatsby and I have started up our walks at Whetstone park again after our two week break, while the little guy was healing after being neutered.

Today when I went to the store I decided not to put Gatsby in his crate like usual and left him sleeping on the couch. When I got home he was still sleeping! Anyone who has had a dog with separation anxiety will know how unbelievably happy this made me. God is a miracle worker.

I start teaching K-3 Sunday school at our church this Sunday!

The picture above is from 3191 Miles Apart.

I'm about to make blueberry muffins.

In the backyard.

A couple of days ago it was beautiful and sunny so Rudy and I spent some time in our backyard. The picture on the right is on our crumbling stairs which are being torn down and replaced today! Too bad that pretty vine is being torn down also.

The best fall weekend.

This weekend we went apple picking.

Made a pile of leaves.

And carved pumpkins on the porch with the neighbors.

Life is good.

Love, Chelsea

The sofa has arrived! (and more)...

After nine weeks of waiting, our sofa has finally arrived!

{Our empty living room}

It's even better than I had hoped for. Now we just need a coffee table and we'll be in business. I might bring this one from the bedroom to use in the mean time. I would also love this rug for the room.

The only thing that Gatsby gets to be on the sofa for is taking pictures. Since then, it's on the floor for him! (Don't worry, I made him a very comfy bed in the corner).

Also! I put some candles and old mason jars in the fireplace. The thing can't have real fires in it, (sad). I plan on getting lots more candles to put in it, (happy).

Here is a picture of our fridge for good measure. The drawing of Frida on a tortilla is from one of my most favorite people, Jessi Walters.

The park and Gatsby's big adventure.

{The prairie}

For the past two days I have taken Gatsby to Whetstone Park. The huge area includes Whetstone Park of Roses, a massive rose garden with fountains and gazebos galore, a native prairie area with walking paths through five foot tall grasses and a nature trail along a creek through huge trees.

Yesterday I met one of my mom's friends there so that the pup could have some good play and explore time with four other dogs. However, after about a half an hour in the forest, as I call it, he went missing among all of the trees and overgrowth.

{Entrance to the rose garden}

It took us, and just about everyone else in the park, at least an hour and a half to finally find him. People saw him running like a madman all over the park. One couple called to me and said they saw him running into the rose garden from in the forest. Another saw him make a beeline for the prairie. He was last seen running from the prairie back into the forest, at which point I saw him for the first time in an hour and a half and started chasing him with everything I had, screaming, "IT'S ME! STOP! CAN'T YOU SEE?!" He was so scared and gone wild that he just kept running further and further into the woods. I couldn't see him anymore and couln't run anymore. My legs gave out and I thought I might throw up.

{The nature trail where I first lost Gatsby}

Soon I came to a woman who was walking the other way on the path with her dog, so I asked if she'd seen him. No, she hadn't, but she would keep her eyes out. In a couple of minutes, I heard her yelling for me, so I went right to the spot she had last seen him. And for the first time since I lost him, I just stopped and said, "I'm here, please just come back."

And five minutes later he did. He ran right to me, doing his 'you left me' yipes and looking a bit crazed in the eyes. I walked him back out of the forest and thanked everyone waiting for us by my car, took a deep breath and started home.

Minutes after we got in the car, Gatsby started breaking out in massive hives, probably a result of running through God knows what. His whole face was swollen, including his little lip flaps, (I don't know what else to call them), so I turned around and went to the first vet I saw. They were so extremely kind and gave him a shot of benadryl and steroids and he was better within the hour.

One of the scariest parts of the whole caper was that Gatsby wasn't wearing any kind of identification. Even if someone found him, there was no hope of them finding me. On the way home from the vet, I stopped by PetPeople, our Clintonville neighborhood pet store, and had a little pet tag made with his name and both our phone numbers.

After a good long night of sleep and a morning of Gilmore Girls I am feeling much better. Gatsby just seems a little more tired than usual and is looking at me right now like, "will you please take me outside, I'm sooo bored." So out I go.

Gatsby's 2nd birthday portrait.

Yesterday was Gatsby's 2nd birthday. I figured this was a great excuse to take some portraits of the little guy.
The photo above is my favorite of the batch, but I figured I would share a couple more too! I get a kick out of his ears in the two below. He is always such a character.

Gatsby's first day of training.

Our dog Gatsby has a horrible habit of barking and howling anytime we leave the house. This goes on for as long as we are gone. When I was teaching last year, he would yell for the full three hours I was gone every single day. It is a horrible situation, and one that causes me anxiety every time I have to leave him alone, especially because we have very nice neighbors who I would like to keep as friends.

So today I am buckling down and starting a training plan. I will be leaving my house every hour on the hour for five minutes. This will continue everyday until Gatsby has gotten used to me being gone for that amount of time. Then, I'll up the time to ten minutes, etc. This is the perfect time for me to start doing this with him, seeing as I have not found a job yet and Rudy started school again this week. No distractions and no excuses!

Say a little prayer for the both of us. We'll need it:) And if you have any advise or similar stories, please feel free to leave a comment.

The dog park!

{click on the picture for a larger view}

Before Rudy and I moved to Columbus, I searched high and low online for dog parks that I could take little Gatsby to once we got here. Big Walnut Park has been what I expected and more. It is like doggy heaven. There are always dogs running and jumping and swimming and playing. I love it! And it tires Gatsby out like no other.

This is a montage of three pictures to show just a tiny bit of what the park is like. Can you see some of the leaves turning red in the background? I can't wait for fall!

A wonderful weekend.

Rudy, Cody and I had a great weekend exploring Columbus. The boys took a bike ride up to Antrim Park, where Gatsby and I met them. What a beautiful place huh? It is only about five miles away from our house. We are surrounded with beauty. And the weather could not have been any better.

On Thursday we went to see The Books at the Wexner Center of the Arts. It was amazing. They played a cover of Nick Drake's Cello Song. I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

Our dining room: an update.

It has been weeks since we put up our bookcase and took out all of our books. I thought it would be a good time to share some updated pictures. I would really like to put a rug under the table (maybe this one) and some window treatments up, but both of those are pretty minor, and I'm happy with it for now.

Gatsby really enjoys the dining room as well. He does his best thinking here.

A bored Chelsea.

Poor Gatsby. It is a rainy day here in Columbus, and I have tried to occupy my time by painting, eating banana bread, and listening to npr. But nothing helps. I'm just plain bored. So! I decided to put a scarf on the poor helpless pup and take some pictures.

He sat very well for the first one. Very dignified.

But then the epic battle ensued. GET THIS THING OFF ME, he cried.

In the end I had to take it away because he got it off and began chewing on it. And because it was a gift from the lovely Sierra, I couldn't have that, now could I?

PS. No dogs or scarves were harmed during this photo shoot.

A cute little dog.

Here is cute shot of Gatsby looking at something on the floor. I can't wait to get him a playmate!