Rants, Recipes, and Running

Last weekend we decided to escape the grind, and head to the mountains for a quick weekend. It could not have come at a better time. Life has been crazy lately. Isn't it for everyone, though? ;)  We have been working tirelessly to get our house ready to sell. We had the professional photos taken Thursday. That long list of things we were "going to get to eventually" when we bought the house, but never got to.....we have been attacking "that list": Painting ceilings, walls in the stairwell, painting baseboards, touching up walls, planting plants, and making our house look "unlived" in ;) Not to mention work has been super busy for both of us lately. All good and exciting stuff. But busy! Prior to our get-away, I found myself saying "I wish we never had booked this trip! We don't have time to be going away!!" -- which is kind of sad. We rented this adorable little hotel-cabin in Greer, AZ. Which is a little ski-town at ~8000 ft elev...

I have brushed on this fact in the past. But a year ago, had you asked me "Abby, do you want to get a dog?" I would have laughed hysterically in your face. And now we have a 6 1/2 month puppy who has permanently "staked his claim" in the Nastase household. So crazy! And what's even weirder, is that he's become my little buddy who I worry about, have to put him to bed, won't let my husband clean his ears because " he likes it better when I do it ", and has made quite the showing on my Instragram page. Miles the Golden Retriever has kind of stolen my heart. He's gone from this : Miles at 5 weeks when we picked him out and got to hold him for the 1st time. Miles at 6 weeks when we brought him home. My goodness he was cute....     To this:  Miles sleeping in our living room at 6 months. He is now 45 pounds, and he thinks he's "kind of a big deal". Here is how Miles has changed things around the hou...

Had you asked me a year ago "Would you ever consider getting a dog?", I would have responded with hysterical laughter. I did not grow up with dogs, so was never a "dog person". In fact, I was always kind of scared of them. Except for when I was about 6-7 years old, and I was a "pen pal" to a cocker spaniel who lived next door my parent's lake home. His name was Sam, and we would write letters back and forth. I was a strange child . On the flip side, my husband loves dogs. He grew up with a dear Golden Retriever named Charlie. Every time we see a Golden while we are out running or hiking, I'd watch Ryan melt a little. And then one Sunday evening in November, he asked for a dog. My initial response was a vile one. "A dog?!?!?! Have you lost your mind?! I would NEVER get a dog". Then I promised Ryan and I would do my researching and pondering...... And here we are....Meet "Miles"     And here is how we are cop...