Koda's Big Adventure

Heyoooo.

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend! I know Koda did.

Happiest.

And hope you are feeling better than me!

Sorry I have been sort of MIA lately. I have been battling an annoying cough/stuffy nose for like a month and a half now, and after "taking it easy" this weekend with minimal drinking (well except for some beer/wine at an Autumn bonfire/festival Friday night at our local farmer's market...oops, forgot to take pics) and spending time outside in the sun before falling into my East Coast winter depression, my allergies have been HAYwire. Oh my goodness. I am on the last day of antibiotics, still taking allergy pills and cough medication and nose sprays, and STILL feel like I am going to keel over.

Friday, I walked the pup for a couple miles and headed to the outdoor festival with some friends, and Saturday brought about a 5.5 mile Breast Cancer walk (my grandma and aunts are survivors!) and then my mom and I took Koda to the doggy park for his very first time. I also bought him a new collar so he didn't look like a raggamuffin. Sunday, I took an hour spin class (exercising has proven to be the best part of my day the last few weeks...it seems to open up my nasal passages and I can breathe easier and cough less, so I have stayed up on it, doing some form of a workout everyday) and then took the pup to another dog park. He made so many friends!

He looooves car rides. This is when he is the most calm!

I was nervous about bringing him to a dog park since huskies typically have a very rough playing style and I was afraid of other owners misinterpreting his playing, but he was so good.

Husky friend!

He spent lots of time rallying the other dogs to run, meeting girlfriends (both human and canine), being infatuated with a Great Dane that was spotted like a cow, had two different colored eyes, weighed significantly more than I do and was about twice as tall as me, and exploring and sniffing around the ground and trees.

See the Great Dane Cow? 

Exploring

Proud Mama!

He was not so interested in me. He had plenty of other things to worry about than posing for a picture with his mother. The above picture was captured on the way out, after this one:

Slippery husky!

And all of this outdoor activity, while it was lovely to feel the last bits of warm sun this year, led to a more cough-ier, sneezier Sam. Not pretty.

Luckily, the dog park yesterday was close to The Promenade, a nice outdoor shopping center (more outdoorsy-ness! Reiterating my weekend here has made me realize how much I really was outside during prime allergy season!) that has Chipotle! 

My family has a thing for Chipotle, especially my little sista and her boyfriend. They were even there, chowing on burrito bowls, when the East Coast experienced that earthquake a little bit ago!

Certified Chipotle Addicts

We should make that a trademarked bumper sticker. Whatchu think, Chipotle?

I am a big fan because of their food with integrity morals. They support locally-grown produce and naturally-raised animals, and use organically-grown foods as much as possible. Oh yeah, and as a total guacamole snob, their guac is actually bangin'.

I used to get chicken salads up to a few times a week when I lived in Arizona...I could walk to a Chipotle from my house. Anything spicy/Mexican/Southwestern is totally up my alley, so I am addicted, as well, and with the closest one being about 40 minutes from me now, I don't get to indulge as often.

But you better believe I jumped on the chance of a brown rice (!!!) burrito bowl yesterday. I typically avoid processed white foods like white rice and white bread, so I was pumped that they had a brown version of their awesome signature cilantro and lime rice at this location.

So much flavah

Brown rice + black beans + fajita veggies + chicken + mild pico de gallo + hot salsa + little bitta cheese + guac + lettuce = perfect, nutritious burrito bowl.

I also love love love the handwritten type on their bags and cups. I wonder who the artist is that does this?

Handwritten Type <3

Speaking of art, hopefully this week I will start being able to bang some things out. My to-do list is piling up, but feeling so blah lately isn't the best motivator. When I have free time right now, all I want to do while I sniffle away and chug water is snuggle up to my leopard blanket and pup and catch up on TV or read (I finally finished Rant! Whoa, how did it take me so long. Book is AMAZING!). When I get out of this funk, I am going to be so ready to get back to drawing, but lately it just hasn't sounded so appealing. I want to get back to my normal self, stat!!!

I am going to enjoy my Free Iced Coffee Monday, thank you very much. Supplemented with a cocktail of green tea/honey + medicine (well, separately, not mixed together; no purple drank for me), all day long. Feel better, my fellow allergy sufferers!

Anyone have any tips? I think I have tried everything!

Have a fabulous day. Catch ya later!

xoxo