Gloria vs. the Wrong Couches

In our move from LA to VA we, unfortunately, had to leave behind some of our most prize possessions, including our beloved teal green La-Z-Boys (RIP La-Z-Boys). It was with much sadness that we came to be in need of new couches.

For those of you who know me well, you know that I spend a lot of time on the couch. Reading, sleeping, cudding with Gloria, whatever it is, I like to do it on the couch. I'm also a little cheap. So after several weeks of shopping, when we came across Ashley Furniture's Rutherford Brindle set we fell in love. When we found it online, it was the perfect mixture of quality, stlye, comfort, and value.

Three weeks of anticipation later, these showed up at our door:



For those of who haven't bought couches lately, these fine couches are the Ashley Furniture Palmer set. Nice couches, but not what we ordered.

We're not sure how long it will take for the furniture company to come pick these up and deliver the correct couches, but everytime I turn around, Gloria seems to be making use of the new, but wrong, furniture:

Gloria vs. the Cowboy Cabin

This past week, Kyle decided to take his girls (Gloria and I) for a weekend trip to the Cowboy Cabin in West Viriginia to relax, unwind and celebrate our great escape from LA. Unfortunately, Gloria didn't quite get that we were all three going at first....

Gloria, making sure she didn't get left.

After a couple of wrong turns (the GPS couldn't find it), a narrow escape from the police (there was a drunk driving check point - Gloria was NOT a fan), and having to stop to ask for directions in the surprising bustling Adult Entertainment store (the only establishment on 522 S after you pass through Berkley Springs), we finally made it to this adorable and homey cabin.

Cowboy Cabin

We, of course, let Gloria pick her bedroom first (to make up for her ridiculous idea that we might leave her):

Gloria's bedroom

Gloria really enjoyed playing fetch/chase in the yard with her dad:

My two favorites

Kyle wanted to go kayaking, so we took a little trip down (and up) the Potomac. It was gorgeous, the water absolutely clear and the perfect temperature, but given my track record, we decided it would be a terrible idea for me to bring my camera. Here are the pre and post pics:

Before Kayaking

The Potomac - The rental place didn't do drop offs so we paddled up and floated back.

We forgot to hold our Kayak Paddles Correctly

After Kayaking, we cleaned up for dinner (which unfortunately, Gloria couldn't come) and K took me to this gorgeous Scenic Overlook at sunset. You can see Pennsylvania, Maryland, W. Virginia and the Potomac all at the same time. We met another couple who took our photo and we took their's. Then we headed across the street to the romanic candle lit steak house where we were uncerimoniously denied entrance due to a lack of reseravations. We went to our backup restrant, a cute little Grill with live music on the patio, and ironically enough, we ran into the other couple, who was also turned away from the steak house. : )

Panorama Overlook

Finally, we went back to the cabin (we were missing our little girl), and decided to cuddle with her under the stars. While we were all three snuggling, we started talking about our little family and Kyle asked me what was missing from our family. I, of course, gave him my standard answer, "George," the name of the mini aussie brother we plan to get for Gloria once we have a yard. Instead of giving me his standard answer of "yeah" with the standard smile and kiss, he said "Yes, but something else is missing," got down on one knee, pulled out a gorgeous ring, then proposed! None of the night-time photos turned out well, but in daylight, here's the spot:

Where Kyle proposed

Needless to say, the Cowboy Cabin will always have a special place in our hearts (and on my finger)!

Gloria vs. the Ah Choo

A year after getting her, we've just found out that Little Miss Gloria has allergies. Bad. You may wonder why we're just now noticing this. I imagine its directly related to the fact that we've lived in the desert for the past year, and she's allergic for grass.

Regardless, anytime she runs in tall grass, she starts sneezing, repeatedly. But she's a dog, so she loves to run in the grass, and especially to sniff it.

Her solution? Run in the grass sniffing and sneezing as long as she can stand it, then take a quick break on the concrete. She does this in about 20 second increments. 15 seconds in the grass, 5 seconds on the side walk. It sounds something like this:

*ah choo* *sneeze* *sniffle* *ah choo* *head shake* ______ *ah choo* *sneeze* *sniffle* *ah choo* *head shake* repeat.....

It's so.cute!

Gloria vs. Viriginia

On July 28th, Gloria began a new adventure! She and her father took a red-eye flight out of Los Angeles and into her new home of McLean, Virginia. We specifically booked the read-eye because we were worried about the heat, and after hearing that seven dogs died due to heat on an AA flight only a week later, we were happy with our decision.

She wasn't too happy about about leaving her mom (and her mom wasn't too happy about her leaving either), but after a TAS approved long and tearful goodbye (apparently I was sad enough looking that they told me to take as long as I needed before I put her in her TAS screened crate), she was on her way.

Post - Trip Gloria giving her dad the stink eye for keeping her from sleeping.

Since moving to Virigina, Gloria's had a major change in lifestyle.

She now spends her days frolicing in the grass! She hasn't seen that stuff since she was 8 weeks old and in Ohio!

And she thoroughly enjoys her two walks daily, one before dad goes to work and one 9 hours later when dad gets home.

But most of all, she misses her mom (I'm sure) who'll be joining her August 12th, exactly one year from the day she and her mom first met! It was love at first snuggle.

A Little Confused

Gloria's having a little trouble figuring out the bathroom situation in her new place. You're so close to figuring it out G!

Gloria vs. the Ice Cream

We've reached a new level! Gloria found a bowl of ice cream on the coffee table and was happily eating it when I noticed (it's so cute, she balances her front feet on the table and her back on the couch). I told her to leave it from across the room and she left it!! No physical pulling, just verbal!! She obviously wasn't happy, she growled at the cup intermittently with licking her sugary chops, but I was proud!