March Recap

It was a wild and crazy month, in terms of everything. The weather couldn't decide what it wanted to be, poor C and W's seasonal allergies started up, and we had a very dramatic end to the month. Details below...

Cold frigid weekends mean we hunkered down and watch indoor go-kart racing.  

First brief respite in the temps = we are outdoors!

He is a very good noodlehorse boy.

Big bro helps his sister stuff her BAB birthday bear.
The machine is quite loud. I don't fault her for being scared of it. 

She enjoyed the shopping portion much more.

Mmmm...food samples!
My kids love family shopping trips to Costco.

Reading on weekend mornings.
There is always a steady supply of fresh library books thanks to my husband!  

My baby girl turned 3!
She posed when I told her to smile for this photo haha 

I finally set up my art/computer desk and finished up a very overdue personal memorial project. It felt so good to scratch the creative itch and have a dedicated art space again.

We went to our new town's annual Easter Egg Hunt.
The kids were in two different age group events.
C did awesome and held his own among kids 2-3 years older than him.

I helped baby girl and we found one of the golden eggs!
She got a special prize and has been cuddling it since then. 

I was in the office at work when the cameras in my driveway and backyard started going off like crazy. NGL it was very scary seeing huge black clouds of smoke pouring from the neighbor's garage and being completely helpless to do a single thing. I called W who was working at home to check on him/our house and it sounded like the fire department was on its way already. I watched my next-door neighbor jump our backyard fence and try to put out the fire using a household-sized extinguisher while the firefighters were en route. 

Unfortunately I have a 99.9% confirmed suspicion that this was probably caused by the neighbor himself. He smokes cigarettes outside his house and that location is his usual spot. Thankfully no one was hurt, but it is scary to see in aftermath how bad it could potentially have been. 

February Recap

Another month has flown by! I am starting to look forward to making these recap posts. It is a nice way to look back on everything and be excited for what is to come. 

The kids working on the monthly craft project at Home Depot.
We have been going pretty regularly and have become friends with the employees and other families. 

Husband and I celebrated Valentine's Day by trying a new-to-us restaurant.
The food was okay, but we value and enjoy our time together so it always worth it. 

My shadow is always watching...
It's been 3 months since Onyx came home, which is a major milestone in the adoption timeline.
I think I have a pretty good read on his personality now. He is definitely the quintessential greyhound, and more like a cat than a dog in someways. 

I had a really productive puzzle month! This one was my favorite. 

We bit the bullet and splurged on Legoland Season Passes.
In addition to theme park perks, the pass includes unlimited admission to a bunch of
other attractions like the Legoland Discovery Center and SeaLife aquarium.
The kids had SO much fun. 

In case you haven't heard...there was another snowstorm.
The kids were cooped up at home with us for a couple days,
so I introduced them to one of my favorite childhood movies. 

We had a break in the cold weather and did playground/park day. 
We swung by the barn first to check on Quest. The fur kids got to meet for the first time. 

Quest was perfect from the get-go (as I expected). Onyx was a little more wary but he warmed up and behaved very well. This photo makes me all sorts of happy on the inside <3 

We were enjoying the last bit of warm afternoon sun on the weekend.
Onyx has a whole entire fenced yard to himself but he always chooses me.
He gives the best hugs.

January Recap

 Oh boy I actually am doing this thing! Monthly recap post below. 

Our morning weekday routine continues - waiting for the school bus. 
Onyx sporting a new addition to his wardrobe, I wanted something that was good for milder weather.

Bday party and my kids are the only two still sitting and EATING at the table XD
Fellow parents will understand why this made me laugh so hard. 

This was my favorite from C's artworks this month. The three of us walking in the rain <3 

His first real roach at home!
 Onyx has been with us for close to 2.5months now.  

During pickup one evening, I noticed that C's teacher featured one of his artworks and a little winter poem he put together. I was so excited for him! 

His eyes trying to guilt me into feeding him early while I was working on my puzzle.
And another new item to the doggie wardrobe, sighthound body type makes sizing very strange. Ordering stuff is always a gamble.

So much snow.
After living in with a HOA for the past 6 years, I've forgotten how exhausting shoveling a driveway is...

Trying to make the best of it! 

Onward to 2026 & December Recap

Happy New Year, dearest blogger friends & readers! 

It has already been a wild start to the new year and we're only 5 days in. Poor baby girl had a bout of food poisoning this past weekend and it was not fun. 0/10 do not recommend. 

On the upside I did end 2025 with two weeks of PTO and immensely enjoyed the time away from work and with my husband and kids and our closest friends.  

My personal 2026 goals are super mundane and modest because being a working full-time parent with two toddlers underfoot is already THE challenge. 2025 was a lackluster year for riding but my fitness improved just by pushing a lawn mower, redoing all the landscaping, raking leaves, and shoveling snow from my driveway, front steps and sidewalk. Having Onyx as my loyal and ever-eager walking buddy has been really nice too. And of course, I'd also love to keep blogging here as best I can with the aim of monthly posts. 

To start, here's the December Recap: 

Waiting together for the school bus to arrive. 

"More petting, less working!' - Onyx

During break, we met up with close friends for an ice-skating playdate. My husband is a trooper and handled the on-ice part. I never learned how to rollerblade/ice skate as a kid and definitely do not have any talent or skill in this area. 

It has been bitterly cold for the past several weeks. Both of us are bundled up for our walks.

For my birthday, one of my closest friends generously treated me and the husband to a restaurant that served Japanese hambu. We decided to finally do a lunch date during our time off and it was so good. The staff was 10/10 and even gifted me a complimentary drink.  

It was another SUPER cold day so we did an afternoon unlimited playpass + arcade food. One of C's best friends from daycare also happened to show up (we parents think alike!) and the boys had a ton of fun together. 

Our first Christmas morning in our new home <3

Onyx modeling on Christmas Day. The cute holiday bow tie was a gift from a pet store groomer who stopped to admire him while we were bathing him in the self-service dog wash. We always seem to meet folks wanting to say hi to Onyx.

No holiday break is complete without a barn visit to see my best mareface <3 Quest is doing super and holding her weight very well so far this winter.

We arranged a huge group playdate at a local ninja gym for C's close friends. My baby girl T got to enjoy a lot of obstacles fit for her size and ability and had fun.

I was SO impressed with C for tackling the warped wall repeatedly. It was so cool seeing him persist and finally figure it out. His confidence grew each time he reached the top!

Onyx got a nice fluffy donut dog bed for Christmas. I think he likes it.

Introducing: Onyx

I had a doggy-shaped hole in my heart and it needed to be filled. It was only a matter of time before it happened. 

Long-time readers and close IRL friends know that I have mused about adopting a retired racing greyhound for a very long time, close to two decades. 

I knew it would take time for my husband to get comfortable with having a dog in the house though. After we got married and bought our condo together, we made a point to stop by several greyhound adoption centers and even met up with a local adopter who generously hosted a meet-n-greet at her home for us. Each encounter further cemented my resolve that greyhounds were the breed for us. However I could tell that W was still hesitant, so I did not push the point. 

Fast forward six years, two kids, and one house move later. 

When Seeing Eye puppy raising program didn't work out (the issue was ultimately with my workplace. I'm very disappointed with them but that's a story for another time...), the conversation about greyhound adoption came up again. This time my husband was ready...or more ready than he was before. 

I put in the application and in less than 24 hours, a volunteer got back to us to go over questions and next steps. She commented that one of my references mentioned that I was a horse owner; they loved hearing that as the combination happens quite often and those adoptions go very successfully. I re-iterated that I had young kids who knew how to behave around animals but they are toddlers. The volunteer appreciated my candidness and reassured they take everything into consideration when evaluating dogs and matching them with a family. 

After a very busy month of October and early November birthday celebrations for both me and my son, our appointment day finally arrived. We packed plenty of snacks for the kids and drove 2 hours south to the adoption center. My nerves and excitement somehow made the trip feel both long and short at the same time. 

When we arrived, we let the kids off the car and let them stretch their legs while we waited outside to meet the adoption center owner, L. 

After asking us a couple more questions, she said "I think I have just the dog for you." 

She had one of the volunteers bring out a gorgeous black greyhound with kind deep brown eyes. We were introduced to CET Onyx who was just about to turn 4 years old. He had a respectable track career with 103 races, winning 9 and coming 2nd in 17. The breeder/owner has a toddler-aged son so Onyx was exposed to young kids his entire life. 

He and his littermates arrived at the adoption center less than a week ago and he was a perfect gentleman from the start. 

After Onyx got a chance to meet us and the kids, the volunteer handed the leash to my husband and we went for a family walk on property. Onyx walked politely. He was interested in another greyhound who was meeting her adopter in the fenced-in kennel yard but his excitement was contained, nothing out of control. 

We waited until the kennel yard was free and got our chance to meet and observe Onyx off-leash. While chatting with L, I kept a close eye on my kids as they decided then it was time for zoomies. Onyx was at most mildly interested. After doing his business, he came back to the adults and asked each of us for pets. We couldn't have asked for a better first-time introduction as he was exposed to my kids' unfettered antics and didn't even bat an eye. 

When we got home, it was the flurry of getting essential supplies and ensuring the house was dog-proofed (which is ironically similar to baby-proofing). The adoption center advised us to set up the crate and dog bed well in advance so the kids can get their curiosity out and eventually ignore it entirely. The suggestion was ingenious and worked perfectly. After about two weeks during which Onyx got neutered, UTD on shots, and a full vetting done, he was ready to come home. 

The first night was the toughest one, as expected, but after that he adjusted without further fuss. He's been with us for almost 3 weeks - we have a routine (which greyhounds love) and he's learned the rules of the house with minimal accidents and mishaps. My kids help feed during mealtimes and have been taught to respect his space when he's sleeping and eating.

...he sleeps in weird positions. 

Greyhounds are infamous for being 40mph couch potatoes and I can personally attest to that now. He is the laziest dog I've ever met/owned in my entire life. He enjoys nothing more than sleeping on his comfy dog bed in the same room we're in. Everyone who has met him so far has been impressed by his chill, laid-back personality. 

We're still in our early stages and I'm still ever watchful especially when the kids are playing in the same room but so far Onyx has been a quiet, gentle addition to our family. 

The kids were reading their new library books to him <3