Lola vs. the Crate

I'm crossing every finger and toe, and knocking on wood as I type this next sentence...but, here goes...

Lola has conquered the crate!

As you can see in the photo above, Lola will now sleep in her crate during the day while the door is wide open!

U.N.B.E.L.I.E.V.A.B.L.E.!

I have to admit, there were a couple of days when I thought I would pull. my. hair. out. in frustration.  There are only so many times you can clean up destroyed beds, ripped-to-shreds towels, chewed blankets, and poop that looks like someone performed a River Dance production in it before "going bananas" (my special term for "going crazy")!

If you have told me a couple of weeks ago that we would be here, with Lola sleeping in her crate all night, resting there of her own accord, and seeking solace inside while I am vacuuming, I never, and I truly mean NEVER, would have believed you!  Instead, I would have scoffed at your prediction and said something along the lines of "in my wildest dreams."  And yet, here we are!  I can now say, without any sarcasm or doubt, that our little girl enjoys her crate.  I wasn't sure I would ever see the day...

It just goes to show, pray hard enough, long enough, and sincerely enough, and your prayers will be answered!  :)

Thank you, God!

Isn't that face just adorable?!

In other news, over the past few weeks I have received a couple of questions regarding what I eat on a normal day.  Obviously, on the days that I am creating a new recipe, I eat that; but there are plenty of other days where I don't feel like getting "down and dirty" in the kitchen, so I just whip up something fast, easy, and delicious.  Take, for example, last night's dinner (clockwise):

• barley cooked in vegetable broth and tossed in butter, salt, and pepper;
• sauteed zucchini and caramelized onions; and
• black-eyed peas with diced tomatoes, parsley, oregano, and thyme.

Perfectly simple.  Perfectly delicious.

Next time - an oatmeal recipe for those days when your pantry is almost empty, but you need something filling and equally delicious to get you through the morning!

Question of the Day:

If you have a dog, how long did it take him/her to enjoy being in their crate?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo