Lots of action has been happening behind the scenes around here, from exploring new lands at Disneyland to being a full-time Pug Mama. I've also been digging deep to create unique, innovative products that will make your life so much easier. More to come on that soon! In the meantime, here's a glimpse at some recent adventures that are fueling my creative energy. Disney recently rethemed the Grizzly Peak Airfield area, formerly known as Condor Flats, to fit the rustic, Northern California mountains vibe of the nearby Grizzly River Rapids. This is the area around the Soarin' Over California ride that you may have flown by on your way to your next attraction. Well fly by no more.
The Imagineers put so much thought into this redesign, adding hidden details and back stories that a complete land in Disneyland deserves. I was especially enamored with the National Parks details, being from a family that loves to visit Parks around the country. This area now blends nicely with the Grizzly River Rapids ride and one of my favorite hidden areas, the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail.
National Donut Day on June 5th was certainly a reason to celebrate. I'm a big donut fan (maple bars are life) and an even bigger breakfast lover, so of course I had to plan something special for this momentous holiday.
Now that we live in the Greater LA area, our options for famous donut shops have grown exponentially. In Portland, you were either Team Voodoo (wacky, unusual flavors that were not always delicious) or Team Blue Star (my personal favorite). I heard about Sidecar Doughnuts from Hilary Rushford because they have an incredible, drool-worthy Instagram account. When I heard they were in Costa Mesa, I knew I had to check them out.
I went totally overboard and got one of almost every available flavor. My favorites were Saigon Cinnamon Crumb, Apricot & Sour Cream, and Raspberry. These are gourmet, freshly-baked donuts that are best eaten right away, but I couldn't help but bring some home (in the fridge) for the next morning. If you are at Disneyland, Sidecar is worth the 25 minute drive.
On May 30 we celebrated another important holiday for our little family, Chloe the Pug's birthday. Our first-born furchild turned 5 this year (they grow up so fast!) and we celebrated with a trip to the Huntington Dog Beach. It's been a tumultuous time for little Miss Chloe. We finally saved up enough pennies to pay for her eye, nose and throat surgery. She has several different issues from her extensive wrinkles and flat face. Her fur was rubbing her eyes, slowly causing clouded vision from the pigmented scar tissue. She also suffers from brachycephalic airway syndrome, causing her to work twice as hard to breathe through her tiny nose holes, and choke when her soft palette or everted saccules covered her airway.
Thankfully we were able to have these three surgeries completed at the same time, and Chloe seemed to recover perfectly. Until a week after her stitches were removed. One night she was unable to open her eye and became extremely lethargic. It turned out that one of her stitches had been missed during removal, had flipped in, and was now rubbing her sensitive cornea. After another emergency surgery, they removed the missed stitch, and now she is back in the cone for another week.
Being a full-time pug mama can be very trying! I've spent a lot of nights lately worrying about my furbaby, our bank accounts, and all the work that's falling behind. I'm so thankful we have the means to pay for her surgery, and that I can rearrange my schedule to be available for her appointments, post-procedure monitoring and extensive eye drop regimen. But I certainly hope things slow down now!! So if things have seemed a little quiet around here, it's because I've been fighting this little bronco on her latest eye drop application.
Get ready for Father's Day with this free printable card! For personal use only, please direct any shares back to my site!