School is out, time for wedding planning!!

Now that school is out and I'm off for the summer, it's time to get into wedding planning mode and finish off the last few details of the wedding...decorations is one of them!  Today we are meeting with one of my student's parents who is super awesome with crafts!  We are hoping she can give us good ideas and ways to decorate for our wedding.  We're excited!!

Our officiant, Casey, is also in wedding mode since she is out of school as well!  She's doing such a fantastic job helping us get the ceremony together.  She ROCKS!

This past weekend we were in Washington in Camano Island for Joel and Meghan's wedding.  It was an inspiration for us to get back into wedding planning mode since the both of us have been so busy at work!  It was a great wedding and it was so much fun - beautiful, even in the sprinkling rain!  :-)  Meghan's dress was BEAUTIFUL!  Congrats, you two! 

Where has the time gone?

I cannot believe how fast time flies.  School is almost out and I'm really sad this school year is coming to an end next week - I really enjoyed my group of students this year.  They are quite funny and very sweet.  I will miss them so much!  I hope the next group will be just as great!

I do look forward to having time to focus on the wedding.  There are 59 days till the BIG day!  I am excited but also a little stressed just thinking about the little details that still need to be done.  I just received my reception/dance dress in the mail!!  Yeah!!  A few days ago I got my white hoody with the words "Just Married" on the back of it.  Corny, I know, but I need something cute for the honeymoon!!  :-)

Wow, so it's been awhile...

Hmm...last time I blogged was the beginning of October?  WOW!  I've been doing a lot of blogging on my school blog than my personal blog.  So a lot of things have happened since then.

• Nessa got engaged.
• Chris and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary.
• Chris proposed on our 3rd anniversary (5 days after Nessa's engagement!!) during our Bachata dance class!  We quickly picked out colors and our wedding date!
• Flew Ophie home for Thanksgiving - we haven't had her home for Thanksgiving for years!  Nessa came home too - it was nice!  Ophie and I celebrated our birthdays together.
• Over break we went dress shopping - didn't find the ONE at David's Bridal or Anderson's.
• Found the ONE in Big Lake at Donna's Corner, of all places!  I liked Arctic Rose - wide selection there.
• Everyone was home for Christmas - it was nice!
• New Years Eve Chris and I performed with our dance team at the Denaina Center party - it was awesome!  We rocked!!
• We had a great time with friends at the Denali Winery thanks to GROUPON in January!  :-)  
• Chris and I performed at the Wedding Fair - it was fun!  We did Bongo and I did the ladies routine.
• We fell in love with The House of Bread - we saw their 100lb. cinnamon roll and sampled it!  Chris won a door prize too!  Bread, bread cookbook, and a butter knife!
• A few days later, I won the Press Contest for the Beatles Mystery Tour concert - I LOVED it - I knew almost every song!  I love the Beatles!!
• I performed with the ladies on our team at PJaxx Salsa Night for their competition.  It was fun!  No more butterflies!  Chris and I also had our first competition and couple performance - we have always performed with the team and this time it was just us!  We didn't win but it was a lot of fun - thrilling!!  We can't wait for the SALSA FESTIVAL!!!
• School is going great - my students and their families have been so great!  I LOVE THIS YEAR!!!  :-) I'm gonna miss these kids - this year has gone by so FAST!  

Buddy Update...

Gosh, Buddy keeps us on our toes!  After his little incident, we took him to the vet Saturday morning.  Luckily we were able to get him in to see his usual vet on such short notice.  Buddy suffered a stroke in his back which caused him not to be able to feel his right leg.  The x-rays showed that he had small herniated discs and a large lump in his stomach.  That was the big concern - the lump.  It could be cancer.  So we scheduled an ultrasound for that week.  The scary part was when the vet gave me his home phone and call him if something happens to Buddy over the weekend. 

Poor Buddy can't go on walks; no more going up or down stairs - he still manages to get across the house...slowly...resting in between.  He has figured out to sort of use his leg as a cruch. 

The ultrasound procedure was interesting; poor Buddy was put upside down on his back - he didn't like it.  He especially didn't like it when the doctor had to push the ultrasound thing into him - he was a little squirmy there and had sad eyes as he looked at me...I wanted to cry but of course I had to be strong and not cry in front of all these people!!

Luckily for Buddy, the area we were concerned about is just his adrenal glands that are larger than normal due to the Cushings Disease.  They are peanut shaped which is good, otherwise if it was just a large mass, then it would have been a tumor.  We have to look into seeing a specialist to determine whether we should change his medicine or increase the dosage...we still have the problem of him not opening his mouth all the way.....

Buddy, Buddy, Buddy....You are truly loved....

Devastated...

Who would have thought my week would end like this.  First, I was sick all week...sick since Sunday night.  It has not been fun.  I even took a sick day this week to recoup.  I missed 2 nights of dance class, barely made it through 1 dance class (got a little dizzy), missed dinner with friends Thur. night and was hoping I'd feel better for First Friday Art Walk.  My throat hurt a little today but I wasn't constantly sneezing.  I felt well enough to go to First Friday and have date night with Chris.  I called Chris on my way home from work and he was walking Buddy.  Unfortunately, the walk didn't go well.  A block away from home, Buddy couldn't walk.  Chris had to carry him home.  Not good.

I called Buddy over to me to see what was wrong with his leg and he couldn't even walk to me - it was as if his right back leg was stuck or frozen stiff.  I immediately called the vet to schedule the earliest appointment.  I hung up and cried off and on for 30 minutes.  It kills me to watch him try to get up and walk; he looks like he is going to fall over and break his leg in half.  I gave him a treat; he is SO excited and tries to get up for it but can't.  Then I give him the treat and he has a hard time eating it.  I don't know why he is having a hard time opening his mouth but he can still eat his meals every day.

I know people may say he is just a dog, but he is part of my family.  I just feel cheated in a way; I feel like his life is too short with me and that I haven't had him long enough.  I adopted him when he was 5, turning six in the winter.  Now he is just shy of his 10th birthday.  I never thought a 5 year old dog was "old."  It never really crossed my mind that dogs live 11-14 years.  Wishful thinking on my part I guess...hoping that he'd live a long time.

Chris did make me laugh through my tears; I guess he ran into a little girl on the way home carrying Buddy and she asked him if Buddy was lazy.  It was pretty funny for a sad situation.

I knew someday I would have to say good-bye to my sweet puppy, but I thought I had more time.  I am still hoping for good news tomorrow at the vet...maybe this is all just a small sprain???  Sigh...

Halibut

Parmesan Cheese Halibut

• 1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
• 2 T butter soften
• 1 T & 1 1/2 tsp mayo
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1 T & 1 1/2 tsp chopped onion
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3 splashes of hot pepper sauce
• sprinkle panko bread crumbs
• 1 lb. halibut

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven at 375 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients except for the halibut in a bowl.
3. Place halibut on baking sheet and spread mixture over halibut.
4. Then lightly sprinkle panko bread crumbs over the mixture.
5. Bake 15 minutes and then broil for 2 min.  

Recipe from allrecipes.com

My Poor Blog....

I've been really neglecting my blog lately...whoops...a lot of my time has been spent on my school blog!
Since my last Aug. post, I've...

• performed three times with the salsa team
• helped throw a surprise party for Jeannie's belated birthday
• really been enjoying my class this year - they are so cute!!
• gotten sick the last day or so....stinkin' cold or something...a lot of pressure behind my eyes....
• taken Buddy to the vet...Buddy had to have an increase in his medicine - he is due for another blood test next week to see how he is doing
• been dancing like crazy!  :-)  I love it!