Life Lately No. 3 – Puppy, Landscaping and The Flu

Hi Guys!

It’s been months since I posted a personal update and honestly, that’s been for really good reason! I have been ridiculously busy since the last time I posted and shared with you about sweet Whiskey’s surgery, my new cappuccino maker (still obsessed) and my barbeque (also still obsessed!). August feels like it was forever ago, and late August was somewhat taken up by worry for a close friend of mine who had surgery that did not go well and required revision procedures. Alyx talks about that journey a little bit more and shares a healthy recipe for cookies here, but suffice it to say I was doing things while being that annoying friend that texts you every 20 minutes asking “How are you, how are you feeling, do you need anything, are you sure you’re feeling ok, are you ok?” for a while.

In that last Life Lately post I touched on how I was looking forward to getting cracking at landscaping my sister’s yard. I am so, so happy to report that the landscaping portion is DONE! Dad is still working on the deck (it needs rails), and next summer we will build a fence and pop in gates, but the majority is done. Likely, my sister will add some more flowers, add hanging baskets, set up her raised garden and redo the front porch, but those are really finishing touches compared to all of the work we did in that yard otherwise. Can you believe the four of us laid over 2000 square feet of sod in under 48 hours? I’ve included some pictures, but since my sister has so many tips on how to do a great, low maintenance backyard more affordably, there will also be posts coming, too!

In the middle of all of that, my sister, my mum and I all caught the flu. I ended up missing some work due to developing bronchitis, and my sister injured her ribs coughing. She’s still recovering and has had a tough time pain-wise doing basic things as the injury inflamed her intercostal muscles. The worst, anyone who has broken, strained or subloxated a rib knows how awful you feel when you can barely breathe.

For me, in this time I launched a few websites and have been working on another, as well as some promotional materials for a client I love working with! Also, I think most of you saw my Back to College project with Walmart (!) which was shot and produced thanks to my beautiful friend Bridgette (who owns Bridgette Tsang Productions) in such a short time period you would probably not even believe it. Perks of having one of your best friends being a videographer and producer! You have to make hay when the sun shines and I’m also happy to be teaching Social Media for Business in this busy time as well.

I’ve been staying at my sister’s for the past several weeks to help out with a few things but it’s seriously been so fun and nice to have company in the night time that I’m a bit sad that time will be coming to an end soon. I realize not everyone has this type of relationship with their siblings, but my sister and I are friends and really value each other and I love spending time with her. She seriously has a rule that I have to stay two bodylengths back from any high ledges, if that’s not older-sister love, I don’t know what is. She also helps me with photography (bless her) so that really helps me out as well.

I guess I’ve somewhat buried the lead on this… but in late October our family grew one member larger. Please let me introduce Sylvie, the reason for that rush landscaping and my stay over at my sister’s. I didn’t know I could love a little pooper as much as I love Jazz and Whiskey, but then she went and brought home Sylvie as her own dog and I realized I could have eighty dogs in my life and love them all. Sylvie is about 13 weeks old, and doing awesome. She was howling at night for a couple of weeks but now is such a champ in the crate (only for bedtime hahaha, the rest of the time it’s still howl city, but she’s a baby ok). Her indoors training is going really well too, especially when you consider she spends time in 2 houses and roughhouses with Jazz all the time, so emergency pees pop up but for the most part, if you watch her she gives signs even when she’s distracted having fun. Her favorite things are tummy rubs and bones to chew on, and Jazz. She loves Jazz and Jazz thinks Sylvie is her puppy. Whiskey is highly skeptical of her but maybe one day soon they’ll be friends.

That is about it! Hopefully that goes a long way towards explaining why I went offline for a month, and if you know me outside of this blog, why I had a makeup free October!

Coming up is a ton of holiday content, some affordable comfort food, and maybe maybe some VLOGs. I always start filming and then am inconsistent because my life isn’t that exciting and don’t want to put out a 30 second video, or one that spans a few months (who does that). So we’ll see but if you’re interested in holiday gift ideas, tips for decorating on a budget, affordable comfort meals (like shepherds pie made from leftovers!), affordable holiday fashion ideas, or some beauty content … just keep tuned! I may even be working on a “How to Host a Holiday Dinner” post… complete with a turkey. Oh yea.

How was your fall? I’d love to hear what’s been going on in your life lately!