danielle.meyer08's blog

After months of anticipation, a 6-month-old Portuguese Water Dog named Bo is now calling the White House home.

First, the name. According to The Washington Post, which published confirmation of the White House dog news Sunday, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, chose the name because their cousins have a cat named Bo and because Mrs. Obama's father was nicknamed Diddley, as in Bo Diddley. The dog is a gift from Sen. Ted Kennedy, who owns three dogs of the same breed, known for high spirits and said to be a good fit for kids with allergies (such as Malia). Kennedy had been lobbying the Obamas to get a Portuguese Water Dog  for months.

And look at how cute he is!

Easter is just around the corner, 12 days away to be exact. So much about this holiday, sadly, has become commercialized and mass produced... hardly eco-friendly. Consider forgetting shopping at big-box retailers this year and opt for the more environmentally responsible ways to create decorations and baskets of goodies for the kids. Here are some suggestions to have a more eco-friendly, natural take on this holiday:

Make Your Own Baskets. Get a basket from a local thrift store or search your garage or attic for one. Take paper that you have laying around your house that you would normally recycle and run it through a paper shredder. You can also use scissors if you don't have a shredder. Fill the baskets with little trinkets and toys, a stuffed animal, crayons and water colors, organic juice boxes, and healthier options like fruit leather.

I had a little mishap over the weekend. I was having a great time with friends, laughing so hard at things we had done in the good ol' days. Before I knew it half of my glass of red wine had landed on my brand new, dry-clean only cream sweater, I was mortified! Of course I ran over to my computer and immediately started looking up ways to get red wine out of clothing. Oddly enough, A video from one of my favorite magazines, Real Simple came up and I followed their instructions. After bringing my sweater to the dry-cleaner for them to finish up, the stain is gone. I feel the need to share this with everyone I can, as I am sure I am not the only one with a passion for red wine and cream clothing :)

 My first snowboard trip of the season has once again reminded me that my decision to move to Colorado has been one of the best choices I have made within my life thus far. There is something about the mountains that gives me a sense of total freedom and independence from my everyday life. As we drove West, I was both nervous and excited as I anticipated what the day would bring.  It had been nearly two years since I had snowboarded on fresh, mountain powder. Stepping off the gondola, the view took my breath away. Looking straight ahead the sun’s rays were beaming off snow covered mountains. A lake sat at the bottom with the reflection of the clouds amidst its water. 

Well, it has been exactly 3 months and 19 days since I have moved to Denver and I have enjoyed every minute of my time here.  After a road trip during college that landed me in Winterpark , Colorado where micro-brews were plentiful and powder for my board was endless, I knew that one day I would make my home here. Three years later here I am, living my dream. Zach and I somehow managed to pack all of our life belongings in a 4’ by 8’ u-haul trailer (I soon found that I had a slight obsession with thrift store finds) and took off for the West. Most weekends you can find us hiking in the Rockies, soaking in the beautiful views and peaceful surroundings. Our latest adventure found us climbing our first fourteener, Quandary Peak.