Merry Christmas!

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I’m going to keep this post short and sweet. Personally, I hate the day after Christmas when society just pulls that holiday bandaid off without even thinking. There’s so much build up, so much planning and so much hype… then on December 26th it’s just done. The Christmas music stops playing on the radio. The made-for-tv movies switch back to lifetime baby-mamma-drama rather than holiday love stories. The cookies start getting stale and our waste lines start to grow.

I want to continue the love and joy that is Christmas just a bit longer. I hope you took today off work like I did. Let’s all just decide to make it an extended weekend. Keep your twinkle lights on and your Christmas movies playing for just a few more days.

Border Collie Christmas 2 cats & chloe: puppy for christmas, border collie christmas

Merry Christmas, from my family to yours…

Hugs and Cheers — The Geoghegans

PS. I created THE BEST Paleo Almond Butter Kiss Cookie, on a complete whim. Do you think it’s okay to blog about Christmas Cookie Recipes after Christmas? It’s an amazing recipe. You need it in your life. Especially before the whole30.

A Charleston Must: Morris Island!

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Remember that time, last week, when my mom and sister randomly decided they were going to road trip down to Charleston and they called, begging me to join them? Willingly opting to spend 7ish hours in the car with your mom and sister can be a tough decision… so after a little pondering I agreed to join them, but on these three conditions:
1. Chloe could come along.
2. While glamping, there would be AC in the camper. {read about that hotness here.}
3. We had to go to Morris Island with Captain Howie of Adventure Harbor Tours.
Honestly, I was going to go one way or another. I just needed a few items to leverage. Who in their right mind would turn down a trip to Charleston, South Carolina anyway?
I immediately booked our morning on Morris Island with Adventure Harbor Tours. In doing more research, I also realized that this was the only beach in the Charleston area that allows dogs to run around, foot loose and fancy free. SOLD!

My mom was quite enamored with the awesome pontoon boat we rode out to the island. She said numerous times that she had boat envy and that the pontoon ride was her favorite part of our entire mini-vacay. {My family has a slight obsession with boats and campers… It’s the closest we will ever get to being pirates. And I’m okay with that.}

We spent about 2ish hours on Morris Island. Personally, I could’ve stayed all day and been a happy girl. Chloe {the border collie} on the other hand, who is used to swimming in our freshwater river, she learned REAL QUICK that she couldn’t drink sea water. Somewhere on that island is a buried treasure {or two} that no one really wants to find.

Speaking of treasures - if you like seashells {heck, even if you don’t} you will like what you find on Morris Island. I found two Sand Dollars, a Whelk, several sharks teeth, and a trillion other shells. The last time I went {three years prior} we found a giant shark’s tooth and even some starfish {that were alive so we didn’t keep them!}

Below is the pictures we took 3 years ago after I “we” found this huge shark’s tooth on Morris Island. We still fight over who actually found the tooth and who is it’s rightful owner. I guess, since we are married now… what’s mine is yours?! Ha!

We got to enjoy a cool view of the Charleston Harbor, Fort Sumter, and the Charleston Bridge. Being on a boat just does my soul good. It really was a wonderful morning! I’m not sure where I went wrong in life but I’m pretty positive I should’ve found a career that allowed me to spend my days on the water!

By no means was this a sponsored post. I just want each and every one of you to know that the next time you are in Charleston, in addition to oooh-ing and ahhh-ing over the gorgeous homes and southern flair, you need to visit Morris Island with Captain Howie of Adventure Harbor Tours. I promise you will have such a great time. And if you happen to be traveling with your k9 companion - you will both thoroughly enjoy running and playing on a practically deserted beach.

Before we could wrap up our adventure, Chloe had to snag a picture with Captain Howie. Considering this was her first vacation ever, this dog did it right! Thanks again to Adventure Harbor Tours for yet another memorable trip to Morris Island! {Oh, and when you book your tour with them, be sure to tell him Chloe sent you!}

 

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PS. Please don’t forget! You don’t have to be jealous of my vacation - you can win your own! It’s not too late for you to enter to win an AWESOME #SummerofGo Vacation from my past post sponsor Tommy Bahama! I would really love to win this myself… But if I don’t win, I would love for a 2 cats & chloe reader to win it! What are you waiting for?? Go get your pretty little pirate booty entered y’all!

Rainy Weekend Fun

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Good Sunday Morning to ya!  We are starting our third day of rain here in Virginia and {North} Carolina.  I drove down to our family cottage on Thursday night, with the high hopes of doing a little work Friday morning and then catching some rays on a boat for the remainder of the day and most of Saturday.  

Ha.  Apparently Mother Nature had other plans - which forced me to stay inside, hunker down and work all day Friday.  Perks of “working from home?”  I don’t actually have to work from home!  It turned out to be a very productive day… until my k9 decided to go outside and roll in something.  {Something other than roses and pine needles.}

My dog, the one that acts like an anti-dog, must’ve known that I needed a break.  I mean, why else would she roll in something less than pleasant?  She forced me from my pop-up office.  She forced me outside with my dad’s over-sized golf umbrella.  She forced me to cut loose, take a brain break, and play.  In the rain.  Gotta love furbabies right?  

Rain Drops on the Perquimans River

Blond Border Collie swimming for the ball

Blonde Border Collie
Blond Border Collie with Tennis Ball

Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix
Border Collie Shaking out of the Perquimans River

How’s your weekend going?  Doing anything fun?  The current weather report is showing rain on and off until next weekend.  Playing ball in the rain was great, but here’s hoping there’s no more poop rolls in our near future.  Happy Sunday y’all.

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Valentine’s Photoshoot in the G-House

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Now that I am working from home, almost every day of the week, my human interaction is quite limited to business emails and social media.  Today I needed a break from my computer.  
Lately I’ve been toying with the idea of giving Chloe her own instagram account… because let’s be real… all the cool pets are doing it.  Beyond that - she’s a unique dog.  Blonde Border Collies are few and far between.  They are as hard to find as those collector edition, teddy bear beanie babies were back in the 90s.  So if some silly cat from South Africa can have thousands of followers, I have hope for C-lo’s page.  And yeah… I follow that silly cat from South Africa.  He’s just so stinkin cute!  
But where does one start with the idea of having an instagram page for your pet? I’m pretty positive you have to be able to master a solid photo sesh with said pet.  
Which is what I attempted to do on my 30 minute get-away-from-your-desk-break today.
Pretty sure we failed.  Miserably.  
I spent more time saying “NO! No, sit still!” “Do you want a cookie?” and “Rockie stop pulling the backdrop down!!” than having a good time.  
Turns out Chloe is a much better model when she is in her natural habitat (i.e. playing in the snow) than she is posing for biscuits.  
With that being said, we decided to pick one to turn into a Valentine’s e-picture just for you!
Cute, right?!
After uploading the pictures to my computer, I was shocked to see that one of the “pictures” was actually a video.  I know I’m not the first to accidentally record when you mean to snap.  But this totally wasn’t the case!  Apparently my camera decided to make a video all on it’s own.  And as it turns out, I love this video more than the pictures!  You will see me bribe my dog with cookies, my horrible photography skills in action, and Rockie crash the shoot.  
And now, just a few others that you may love on this lovely loving holiday.  

After pulling down the left side, Rockie decided to go to the right side and poke chloe in the butt… until Chloe went all diva-licious on us.  Which unfortunately isn’t on the video. 

Then the cat stole the ribbon and left.  

So with all that being said, I am pretty darn positive that chloe will not be getting her own instagram account.  At least, not if Rockie has anything to do with it.
Happy Valentine’s Day Loves!  While I’m counting down the days until my husband returns from military obligations on the other side of the country… I hope you’re holiday is a bit more exciting than mine!  Spend it with some actual humans okay?
Oh - and if someone can explain why my camera gave me the video, I’d really appreciate it.  Muah!

Snow Day in #hrva

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Well, it happened.  Finally.  Here in Hampton Roads, VA (aka #hrva) we were finally served our own little piece of the winter!  And the world shut down.  All because of 4ish inches of snow.

It started coming down last night and quit early in the morning.  Going to bed as flurries fall outside my window always reminds me of Christmas… there’s that child-like excitement of going to bed wondering what adventures and winter magic the next day will hold.

Really.  It’s quite cheesy.  And yes, everyone in our region freaks out.  Schools close before the 5th flurry even hits the ground.  People loot the grocery stores 10 days ahead of the “storm” as they pillage  for the last loaf of bread and creamy peanut butter. 

It happens.  And it’s obnoxiously crazy.  But local hysterics aside, it’s all still magical.  That first glimpse of the snow covered streets and the stillness that surrounds the neighborhoods…. just magic.

Our roads were horribly icy.  Schools were canceled today and from what the neighbor told me, Newport News Schools are closed until Tuesday!  Oh, and the high school exams, that were supposed to be today, were completely canceled!  I’m pretty positive that’s like winning the Super Bowl in 10th grade!

In between working my three jobs I snuck out for a few minutes of snow filled fun with Chloe.  The dog absolutely loves the snow.  And I am really starting to feel a lot better after my 22 days of the Whole30 Challenge so running around felt great!

Speaking of Whole30… I have had so many people ask me about what and why and how I am doing what I’m doing.  And I absolutely cannot wait to share it with anyone and everyone who will listen!  So maybe tomorrow, if I’m not too exhausted before bed - maybe I will write about that.

In the meantime I need to get my butt off the couch, away from The Bachelor (on demand) and get the kitchen clean before my husband gets home from work.  Oh wifey duties… you drive me crazy.

Catch you tomorrow?  Maybe?  Same place.  Same time.  Night chickadees.  Stay warm.