It’s that time of year again. Everyone’s looking for costumes. Last year, Beau and I were ballerinas. I had a plan for this year, but weather and a last minute trip made that plan impossible to carry out.
This year, we’re a farmer and a pumpkin patch.
Last night at midnight, Dylan and I ran to Walmart because we didn’t have any costume ideas, it was midnight of Blog + Dog before Halloween, and where else is open and shoppable that late? This costume pairing was a last minute thing to say the least. Walmart had a cute pumpkin costume for Beau. Sold. There were wearable short overalls. Not necessarily my thing but fine. I have boots and flannel at home. Farmer it is.
I’m embracing my agricultural heritage this year. Beau is embracing her destiny as my punkin’.
Honestly, I don’t give a crap about Halloween. I think it’s fun to dress up with Beau. I mostly see Halloween as the gateway holiday to the holiday season I wait for all year long. Happy Halloween now bring on Christmas!!!
bisous und обьятий, RaeAnna & Beau
Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3779861″]
I love dog mom clothes. It’s advertizing. It says “Hi, I love my dog more than I’ll ever love you.” It may also say, “Hi, I’m a crazy dog mom. Try me.” Okay. All it probably says is “I have a dog and enough money for this tshirt.” If you know me, I’ll personally tell you all three of those sentences, but the first is the most apropos.
I really love being a dog mom. It’s probably the most rewarding thing I will ever do in my entire life. I shouldn’t have children because I will probably always tell them I love them almost as much as the dog. Reasons why:
Dogs clean their own butts. There’s a solid three-ish years you have to do that with the human children.
Children are sticky. My dog has never been sticky. Not ever.
I can put my dog in a box and leave for several hours. Children: Hello, CPS?
Children are a lifelong commitment.
I wish my dog was a lifelong commitment.
Children can talk. My dog only barks when there is danger or she has to shit.
Children will probably grow up to hate you in some small way. Beau only holds a grudge for 20 seconds.
I can pack Beau up in the car and go anywhere anytime. Children have school and other boring crap I have to go to and be a part of.
Waking up to my dog’s butthole is unpleasant, but it’s better than an expensive, sticky, talkative child.
I love kids. I think they’re super great. Especially when I can hand them back to their parents. Being Fun Aunt RaeAnna is my favorite thing to be to children. I can whoosh in with presents and fun times before whooshing out several days later. I’ll even take them for weeks at a time! My heart is with my dog. I love being her Mom more than anything. I love working from home because I get to cover Beau in kisses any time I want to.
I have been collecting Dog Mom clothes because it is my favorite part of my identity. Here are all the fun Dog Mom things I found!
Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3613966″]
I’m just here. Holding fruit. Being stepped on. By my dog.Beau and I playing tug-of-war with treats.Me in my wellies, jammies, and sweater trying to get Beau to pose.Beau running away in her sweater and hat/leg warmer set.
The struggle is so real.
Have you ever tried to take a picture with a dog?
I think I’m probably a lot dumber than I think I am because I keep trying to take picture with Beau. She’s drop dead cute. You can look at me without triggering your gag reflex. Getting us both cooperate at the same time is a little like trying to put a cloud in a bottle. I firmly believe Beau is the smartest and most beautiful being to ever grace this world, which is why I like sharing her through my weekly Blog + Dog posts. She makes cameos in my other posts and pictures with frequency because the light of my life must shine.
Beau can be as uncooperative as she is smart. The key to taking great pictures is taking a megabajillion. Out of the megabajillion, I usually end up with one-ish great one. The others are hilarious, but not what I had in mind. Every single time I try for a picture, I’m always far more optimistic than realistic. THIS time, it will be perfect. Spoiler alert. It’s not. I can honestly tell you, I have never gotten THE picture originally imagined. I don’t know how photographers do it. They are magicians.
Hilariously, Beau hates having her picture taken or being recorded. I can strategically place my phone to record her or take a picture while looking the other way. The moment she realizes it’s there and looking at her, she stops. She’s like a shy little kid who was born to be an actor but hates being watched. I’m relieved that she is no longer terrified of my camera. When I first bought my Nikon, Beau growled and barked at it the moment it came out of the case. She does not trust it, but she will at least be in the same room with it.
A multitude of strategically placed treats are my go to. I will hide them in my hand, under my leg, in a bowl, between pages, anywhere remotely plausible. Beau loves treats. Every picture with her in it – except the ones where we’re sleeping – I have treats hidden. I am not adverse to bribery, obviously. It works. Kind of well. I get cute pictures. She gets the nom noms. I can post dogtastic pictures for dog-lovers to adore. Win-win-win.
I’m a major perfectionist. I have had to let that go when Beau is in the photoshoot. Otherwise, I would spend hours not getting the picture I had in mind. Dog photos are pretty much an experiment in winging it with treats.
xoxo,
Beau + RaeAnna
Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3542712″]
Growing up, I had a fenced in backyard, so letting the dogs out to go potty was easy any time of day. Living in an apartment, it’s not quite so easy. I actually have to put on pants and leave my comfy home to take Beau potty. The responsible dog mama that I am, I take her out first thing in the morning and right before we crawl into bed at night. (Also a few other times throughout the day; I’m not a monster.)
Potty breaks first thing in the morning and last thing at night are inconvenient. I look more of a mess than I usually do, which is saying something because working from home does not inspire great fashion choices. I have come to mildly enjoy the inconvenience of our late night dog walks. It is usually very late in the evening, so everyone is asleep. I like walking around in the peace and quiet. I even break the rules and let Beau run off the leash when I’m absolutely sure no one else is around. She’s my runner. She loves the freedom to chase leaves and be free. I may mildly enjoy the walks, but Beau loves the walks.
Posing like the fashion icon I am in my red wellies.
Luckily Beau does not care how fashionable I am. I am the absolute least attractive dog walker in my apartment complex. In light of this, I have documented a few late night walk outfits because I look insane. Comfortable but a nut job. I have to wear whole shoes because I’ve been stung by scorpions on more than one occasion. I recently became the proud owner of Hunter wellies, and they are my go to. If I get stung by a scorpion in those suckers, I’m cursed. On the chillier nights I wear my flannel puppy pajamas. Obviously, they are the best jammies ever. I couldn’t find the exact pair, so I linked something equally puppy-rific (shorts, top). On warmer nights, I’m in my professional jammies. Red wellies always. I almost always wear an over-sized men’s sweater because comfy and warm. Surprisingly, I have been on the receiving end of many compliments in my hot mess outfits.
Here’s the thing. Being a dog mom isn’t all about cuddles and cuteness. It’s a lot of inconvenience. Late night dog walks kind of suck. Picking up dog poop definitely sucks. It’s all worth it because I get the unconditional love of my sweet Beau. xoxo, Beau + RaeAnna
Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3532922″]
Picking up dog shit sucks. But you gotta do it. I use bags made out of quinoa because it’s good for the environment. I’m a bougie bitch.
Where has the time gone??? | Under $15 and super duper comfy shirt. | Yoga Pants for days!
It’s adoption day!!!!
Two years ago today, Beau came home with me. She is the best Valentine’s Day gift I could ever ask for. I honestly have no idea where the time has gone.
I saw Beau at the shelter two days before I brought her home. She had to have an exit visit with the shelter vet before I could take her home. It broke my heart leaving her in the shelter for those two nights, but I was so excited to finally have her home.
On the way home, she was sweet but so nervous. She had been through a lot in her short year and half on this Earth. I didn’t know it at the time, but she was very sick. Lots of issues. In the car on the way home, she took a big runny poop in the back seat. It was memorable. Thankfully, over the first year, she went through lots of vet visits and medicines to get all better. Now, she is the picture of health.
I named her Beauvoir after Simone de Beauvoir. She goes by Beau because it’s easier.
In the two years I’ve called her mine, we have done a bunch. We have traveled to both sides of the country. We spend a lot of our time snuggling in bed while I work. She enjoys treats, long runs, and stealing people food. She went through a lot before coming home with me. She’s still growing and opening up. The last year, she has become a crazy new dog. Beau is the light of my life, and I wouldn’t trade these past two years for anything.
Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3476414″]
Here is a series of Beau pictures. They’re all perfect and very much us.
Enjoy Beau’s stream of consciousness.
The wretched hat is placed upon the head.No. Thank you. Stop. I don’t like it.Oh! Treats. I’ll sniff.I said, “I. Don’t. Like.”I don’t like the rain. I don’t like the hat. The treats are hardly worth this.Anytime now. We can take the picture.Food?This is not worth it.Is this a good enough pose? I look stupid. Is my expression conveying that?Why did the dog cross the road? To get away from you.Won’t you leave me along, devil woman?!?You. This. Is. Exhausting.I am being followed.There. We look good. Here’s my sweater | My hat/leg warmers | Mom’s hat | Mom’s Sweater | Mom’s scarf | Mom’s jeans | Mom’s boots | I’m done.
Beau and I wish you a Happy New Year!!! I can’t believe it’s 2019 already. Holy wowza!
We spent our New Year’s Eve with family in the Chicago area. A very low key night surrounded by the people we love most. My 63 pound dog was miniaturized by her 170-ish pound Great Dane cousin, Dexter. They snuggled on the couch along with a tiny, old girl, Ana, and three cats. It’s a big couch, but four people, three dogs (totalling 200+ pounds), and three cats is cozy. We celebrated with food and an Avengers movie marathon. We know how to party hard.
We said our goodbyes to family and friends in Chicago yesterday. My grandparents live directly on the way from Chicago to Texas, so we stopped in for lunch. Then, we were convinced to stay for a few days. Working from home, I can do this.
I visit my grandparents in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas often. I haven’t been since the end of May. One of the first things Grammy said when I walked in the door, “I was wondering what happened! You’ve been gone sooooo long.” For awhile, I was here almost every month. After the I love you and I missed you’s were exchanged. “You’re staying the night.” Then my grandpa, aka Poppy Walt, wanted to take us out to dinner. And Grammy said, “No, they’re staying a few days. She has nowhere to be.” I guess I’m staying for a few days. Not that I or Beau are complaining. They live in a gated golfing community, and their backyard overlooks a fairway, a lake, and some mountains. REAL shit hole, I tell you.
Since we drove over night, Beau was cozy in her backseat blanket cuddle puddle for nine and a half hours. When we arrived, she was so happy; she loves it here. There is so much space to run around in their woodsy backyard, and the big house has lots of sniffs to find. The rain dampened her high spirits, but life isn’t perfect.
I couldn’t resist taking these cute pictures. I found her sweater, hat, and leg warmers at Target. She HATES the hat. I won’t lie: she is not a fan. At least, she hasn’t transferred her hat hatred to me as the hat-putter-onner. She really likes the sweater though. It’s warm and snug. The leg warmers helped her bear the rain, surprisingly. I’m still in a festive holiday mood, so I donned one of my go-to red sweaters, my favorite red scarf (budget version here), and a white hat. I also live in my grey Aldo boots, and these jeans. Seriously, these boots are the best. For otk boots, these are an incredible deal! Beau is for sure the cuter of the two. Although, she got her beauty sleep… I drove through the night.
Not a bad start to 2019. Rang in the New Year together in Chicago. Day 2 and 3 will be in Arkansas. Day 4 will be home to Houston. Ruff life. We’ll see where else 2019 takes us on our travels!!!
Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3425835″]
