In My Own Words, Lifestyle

Four Years Later; Unpublished, Open Letter to My Dad

I walk through this world as a woman. In 2016, as a woman, a survivor of rape and domestic violence, I was devastated. I love my father more than anything, but he failed me when he voted for Trump. On inauguration day in 2017, I wrote a letter to my dad I never sent. Today, we welcomed hope into the Oval Office in a historic moment, but this letter has lived in my heart for four years. Even though we voted hate out, we have much work to do. Four years later, this letter still holds true for every one of the 74 million men and women who voted for Trump in 2020.

Blog + Dog, In My Own Words, Lifestyle

Happy 2nd Birthday Tess, My Little Liar

Last Saturday, Tess celebrated her second birthday with cake and a party hat. She also gave me quite the surprise and made me spend a good chunk of money at the vet to make sure she was okay... Yay... rescues!

Blog + Dog, In My Own Words, Lifestyle

Christmas Tree Hunting in 2020; A Family Tradition

27 out of 30 years of Christmases, I have had a live Christmas tree that has been cut down by someone adjacent to me. I am dedicated to having one even though I have allergies. Beau loves coming with to help pick one out. This is the first year in our house, and I picked the chonkiest, tallest tree possible. IT'S HUGE!!!

Experiences, In My Own Words, Lifestyle, Travel

Derecho: Iowa’s $4 Billion Storm No One Talks About

On Monday, August 10, 2020 a storm swept across the Midwest causing $4 billion in damages that will have economic effects felt around the world. Hundreds of thousands of people were affected, but national media hardly said a word. Iowans have been left behind to pick up, rebuild, find a way through, and wonder why the world didn't care.

Blog + Dog, In My Own Words, Lifestyle

Isolation Creation

My quarantine hasn't been filled with finding a new passion, getting in shape, writing the next great American novel, or baking sourdough bread. I haven't been able to be apart of #isolationcreation the way I wish I could've been. My version was raising the puppies.

Blog + Dog, In My Own Words, Lifestyle

We Bought a House for Our Dogs

WE BOUGHT A HOUSE FOR OUR DOGS!!! I'm not kidding. We did buy a house, and a big part of why and which one was based on the dogs. It was an absolute disaster of an experience. If I never ever, ever, every buy a house again ever, that would be too soon. Nothing went as planned. I was homeless and stranded in Iowa for awhile. I LOVED our realtor, and she was literally the only good thing in this experience. I'm so glad the last seven months are over, and that we're in the house instead of living under an underpass.