Little Brown Eyes Looking Up–Kip

If you know me or have been reading my blog this past month, you know how I feel about homeless animals. If not, go check out this post from a few weeks ago. You may even know about Kip, a sweet little terrier mix that I was able to foster. If you don’t know about Kip, go here first.

We fostered Kip one Saturday night from an amazing adoption center up in Park City known as Furburbia. Furburbia is the adoption center where rescued dogs and cats stay during the day then, at night, they are all loaded into the van and taken to a ranch, only to go back to Furburbia the next day. We hadn’t been planning on it but when we took Bronson back to the center after fostering him Friday night, a lady who worked there asked us if we’d be able to foster Saturday night as well. Bronson was a great dog, but had a weird relationship with our kitty, Stella. He was very giddy when she was around and liked to get in her face. Stella was just interested in letting this guy know that this was HER house by hissing repeatedly. Lovely. So, we figured we should see if a smaller dog was better for her. That’s where Kip comes in.

The little guy was sitting in a crate with a chihuahua named Clyde (gotta love these names, right?) and my husband suggested we take him out. Seriously? A little white dog with fluffy ears and an even fluffier tail? I mean, I can understand that he doesn’t like little “rat dogs” as he likes to call them, but I thought he would want to take out a Min-Pin or something. Guess not. So, we took out Kip and he was a doll. He had lots of energy and would jump up to put his paws on my knee. We decided we’d foster him for the night and came back a few hours later to get him.

Kip sat on my lap for {most of} the car ride home. I’m sure he would love to stick his head out the window but as soon as we cracked the window to see, he not only put his head out, but started to put his paws out as well. Not happenin’. He climbed back in the backseat to investigate and took a little nap. Then, before I knew it, a little nose was poking my arm trying to figure out how to get back on my lap.

He got along very well with our Stella girl. He was curious about her but only for a few seconds, then it was on to investigate the house and find a nice bed to snuggle up on! Kip was SUCH a snuggler. He snuggled…

And snuggled…

Kip loved car rides. He loved looking out the window…

But really, he just wanted to snuggle! Kip snuggled in the bed in the car…

He snuggled on the passenger’s side on the ground where he could catch some shade…

He snuggled with my arm as I drove…

He snuggled on my lap as SOON as we got in the car {and before I started to drive – don’t worry!}

He even liked to snuggle between the front console of my car!

We watched Kip on Saturday night and when we took him back Sunday morning, we were asked if we could foster again that night through Tuesday morning since they’re closed on Monday. They really needed fosters and we really loved Kip, so we had Kip those two nights as well. As I ventured up to Park City Tuesday morning for, what I thought would be, our last trip, they asked if we could take him that night too since they just got a litter of puppies in and didn’t have room again. “Of course” was my answer :)

However, the day before, we had noticed how sick Kippy was feeling. He had a very runny nose and was coughing. Wiping a kid’s nose is one thing, but have you ever wiped a dog’s nose too? I definitely felt like he was my child. The adoption center gave us some meds to give him. Whew! Don’t worry, although he was a little out of it… Kip still loved to snuggle…

And even snuggled upside-down on newly-washed laundry…

Stella started getting used to having a fluffy buddy there with her each night and the two started snuggling together which just warmed my heart…

Kip even went to find her in her “nook” in the closet and snuggled up right with her. How precious!!!!

In just four days, they became buddies and Kip became my little man. However, I knew we were only fostering him. He was sick and needed to go back to the shelter to 1) be able to be taken into a vet if needed and 2) to find his FOREVER HOME! I wish more than anything we could adopt him and welcome him into our home for a very long time.

It was very difficult for me once we took Mr. Kip back to Furburbia. I knew he was a very sweet dog and would be able to find his new family but it still broke my heart. I was going to miss waking up to seeing him asleep on my leg. I was going to miss him walking all around my car while I was driving. I was going to miss his little short legs scurrying across the kitchen floor. I was going to miss having him stop on the way up the stairs from a walk because he wanted me to carry him.

I do miss all those things. I miss the little guy.

I have been keeping up with the adoption center and it looks like Kip still hasn’t been adopted while the other two dogs that were in his crate with him have been adopted. It makes me sad. It truly tugs at my heart. Kip has such a special little spirit and deserves a loving, permanent home.

Fostering is a beautiful thing. There are opportunities to foster litters of baby kittens, injured dogs that need rehabilitation, or just a cat or dog that needs somewhere warm to snuggle at night. The opportunities are out there and fosters are in high demand. Even if you can’t foster for a prolonged period of time {like us} try it just for a night. You’ll be helping out a shelter and helping an animal more than you know.

I pray that Kip is feeling better and warming the hearts of others just like he warmed mine :)

I love that little guy with the soft, floppy ears and cutest little trot. I miss my little Kippy. I miss those brown eyes looking up…

Coral Craze

I admit it, I am color-obsessed! I love bright colors year-round so, obviously, the Summer is no exception. Turquoise and teal are my favorite colors/shades and I sport them everyday with my wallet, make-up bag, cell phone cover, sunglasses, etc. However, my go-to Summer color this year is CORAL!!

I got a little Pinterest happy and re-pinned a whole lotta coral which I wanted to share with you! Some of these corals are a little more orangey and some are a little more pinky :)

I think coral is a great color for Summer (and even Spring!) You find a lot of it in the malls, boutiques, and even in antique stores. It’s a classic color that is seen a lot in my wardrobe whether through blouses, jewelry, or even just my nail polish! Speaking of which…

I think I have more “coral-y” colors than any other color in my nail polish collection. It goes with so much – brown, gold, aqua, yellow, white, black, lavender, etc. As you can tell in the above pictures, coral really makes neutrals POP!

Here are a couple other Pinterest favorites from the week:

I don’t know what it is about me and foxes. How cute is that picture?

Anyway, what’s your go-to Summer color? Do tell!

Join in on Pin-teresting Wednesday over at The Vintage Apple!

Surprise! Trying Something New

As promised, today I have something new and fun to show you on my blog! I’ve always LOVED watching people’s vlogs. (Vlog=Blog in video format!) Call me crazy but it’s a fun way to get a different & even better glimpse into someone’s life.

If you blog, you clearly like to read about new people and I’m sure you would agree that looking through pictures people post about their lives helps you get to know them even better, right? Well, maybe after this video and hearing what I sound like and seeing all my quirks, you’ll {hopefully} like me even more! :) I could be wrong and really you’ll just see that I’m a total dork and never come back ;) For those of you who already know me, well, this is just an added little treat!

I found out about an awesome company called Eco-Emi which I’ll explain more about in the video but basically they’re all about eco-friendly products and send you goodies each month. It’s like Christmas morning each month!! (Okay, minus the eggnog and lights and “White Christmas” playing in the background. Just go with it, alright?)

I wanted to do a little “haul” showing you guys everything I got from them this month and figured a vlog would be the easiest way to do it! Plus, it’d be fun to switch it up a little! I know the sound and lighting aren’t perfect but I think it still gets the job done :)

P.S. I know some of you are at work/school and maybe can’t watch/listen to this right now so I’ll post the wrapped pictures as a teaser of what you’ll have to come back and watch later!

Ladies and gentlemen: Now presenting, Chelsea’s very first vlog!!

So, what’d you think of my very first vlog? I’m a total dork, huh? It’s okay, I embrace it :)

What do you think about Eco-Emi? Do any of you already get these monthly packages in the mail? If there are any products you want reviews on, shout me a comment or email letting me know and I’ll post it on here! :)

Here’s to going green, doing our own part to living an eco-friendly life and taking care of our environment. And…. “World Peace!” Miss Congeniality, anyone? :)

Sushi with a Side of Jazz

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! This past week was busy and luckily I got some great pictures of what went on! My friend Kate over at Kate Sullivan Blogs was here visiting Utah so it was great to spend time with her and enjoy the beauty of this part of the country! We had a great time catching up, talking about the differences of Utah versus Virginia, walking around until our feet hurt and we could barely move, and even saw a car with a Virginia license plate. This is a big deal, okay?

Thursday, as I’ve mentioned, was the 2011 NBA draft so the husby and I headed over to the big watch party at the arena! It was awesome and the adrenaline was surely pumping. The Utah Jazz had the #3 and #12 picks and ended up bringing on two awesome players! We are known to be the LOUDEST fans in the NBA and the crowd of 7,500 that night proved that :)

This weekend we went out for much needed sushi. Much needed. I’m talking, I needed this sushi so badly my mouth has been watering for weeks. We had been planning on going each weekend but for one reason or another, it didn’t happen. We went to a cute little place called Yellowfinn and enjoyed a plethora of rolls (four to be exact!)

After sushi, we drove around then watched the sun set at a park, being sure to avoid the million sprinklers that were on. Then it was time for dessert. Frozen yogurt to be exact. Let’s be honest and say that dessert is necessary on the weekend! I went with the coconut fro-yo with cheesecake pieces and pineapple. Talk about Heaven on Earth!

The only things I’m not including from this past week are the pictures of Kip plus the great fostering story I have and the details of a very important and exciting phone call that I received (and would LOVE all your thoughts and prayers until I know more!!!!)

Also, tomorrow is going to be an exciting day on Life is a Sunset because I’ll be sharing something NEW with you which I’m excited and nervous about at the same time! :)

Hope you enjoyed my smörgåsbord (I say this word all the time) of pictures and events! What did you do this weekend??

Happy Birthday Mamacita!

A HUGE Happy Birthday going out today to my most beautiful and caring Mom!

She’s the strongest woman I know.

She’s been following blogs far longer than I’ve been blogging, always sends me links to blogs she loves that I could take pointers from, and… now she reads MY blog :)

So, this one goes out to you, Mommy Dearest! Thanks for always being so cool and so hip. Those candles ain’t got nothin’ on you! :)

Oh, and just so everyone knows how cool and hip she really is, here is a little excerpt from an email she sent me last night:

“Getting ready to "git down"...maybe do some pop & lock. Ya know, chill, break a beat.”

When I asked her where she learned that lingo:

“Just hangin with a local B-Boy. Learnin' some moves.”

Gotta love her!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM! I love you :)

Fill in the Blank Friday {6}

Happy Friday! Last night was the NBA Draft! I’m not sure how many of you are into sports or basketball but it was a pretty exciting night! As I mentioned, we went to Energy Solutions Arena (where the Utah Jazz play) for the watch party and it was such a blast! Pictures (and video, maybe) to come soon!

Also, before I start filling in my blanks, I wanted to give a shout-out to one of my close friends/sorority sisters (who also just so happens to blog!) Ashlyn over at My Unrehearsed Life! Her Google Friend Connect went whacko and deleted all of her followers :( So, head on over there and check out her awesome blog. She talks about everything from fashion and beauty to health and all that’s going on in this busy time of her life! I just love her and I’m sure you will too!!

Now, let’s get started, shall we? As always, link up with The Little Things We Do if you want to join in on the fun!

1.  The last thing I ate was     an ice cream sandwich that I was forced to eat last night. Seriously, who likes chocolate these days anyway?? ;)

2.  The next thing I'd like to eat is     a nice, juicy grapefruit half sprinkled with a little sugar for breakfast!

3.  The best things     are usually the little things. Like how my cat Stella follows me out into the kitchen every time I walk out there just to be near me and rub against my ankles. Or how it feels to drive around with the sunroof open while the sun is setting.

4.  Something that makes me supremely and utterly happy is     to be in San Diego. I’m telling you, there is something about that part of the world that won’t allow me to be unhappy or bothered. I know the meaning of bliss because of San Diego. Also, to travel with my friends. Some of my favorite memories are from cruises during Spring Break in college. Sigh. Those were the days!

5.  Sports are     AMAZING to watch in person! The adrenaline that pumps during a double-overtime game, the screams and chants going on all around you. I love it! More specifically, I love basketball and football. Baseball games are fun but a lot more chill, usually.

6.  I miss     home. Virginia. DC. The beach. My family. My friends. So, basically this girl needs a trip back to the place where it all makes sense! Oh, and I miss Kip :(

7.  Right now I am     jamming out to “Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5. Literally jamming. This may or may not have been going on for over an hour. I like the repeat button. I heard the world premiere of this song on The Voice the other night and loved it. BUT, it gets better. I listened to the actual studio recording and, WOW! The beat is awesome. The song is awesome. I’m linking it for you below!

Maroon 5 - Moves Like Jagger

That’s all, folks! Enjoy your last June weekend!

 

Photos: Ship51

Confidence is Key

Have you visited Ashley over at The Shine Project? I’ve only known about her blog for a few days but can already tell how beautiful she is (on the outside AND inside!) Every Monday she posts a “challenge” for the week. These challenges ask us to search our mind and soul for our answer and to write about it and share it by linking up. This week the topic is on confidence and the question is:

IF YOU SAW A MOTHER TREAT HER DAUGHTER THE WAY YOU TREAT YOURSELF, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT MOTHER?

I used to have confidence when I was younger. Confidence to dance on the beach boardwalk like a wild banshee in front of a ton of other families. Confidence to run for Vice President of my elementary school without thinking twice about it. Confidence to make friends with anyone, anywhere. Confidence to be super close with my teachers. That all changed once I entered middle school.

I became intimidated, scared, and timid and didn’t believe I deserved friends that I had a lot in common with, good relationships with my teachers, or to be recognized.

I’m that same way today. I constantly second-guess myself, talk myself out of doing something because I think, “other people can do that, but not me.” It’s not necessarily a question of whether I’m confident about my appearance. I’m a woman. There’s constantly something I want to change about my body, but I get over it. It’s more about my inner confidence. I like to believe I have a lot to offer the world, but my actions don’t show that.

As women, we’re constantly told that confidence is the number one thing guys look for in a girl, that women should be confident, etc. etc. So, what if we aren’t confident? Then we get called “insecure.” I loathe hearing that word because the truth is, no one else has ever been in our shoes. They don’t know about that one comment someone made behind your back or that one time someone spread a fake rumor about you just so her friends wouldn’t want to be friends with you. And, yes, that really happened.

But, if I sit here and ask myself the question of if I saw a mother treat her daughter the way I treat myself, how would I feel about that mother… I’d think the mother was way too hard on her daughter. Don’t get me wrong, I think mothers should be tough on their daughters. I think mothers should be close with their daughters but also be their toughest critic. However, that doesn’t mean mothers should talk their daughters out of everything they want to do.

If I saw a mother say to her daughter on her very first day of middle school, “Have fun, pay attention in all your classes, be sure to lock your locker, but hey… you don’t deserve to be friends with any of those girls you meet” I would not think good things about the mom. My mom has always been great about encouraging me to get together with girl friends and to stay in touch with them today. I still find myself saying things like, “Oh, I’m sure they’ve been swamped with work and family stuff. I don’t want to bother them” all the while thinking to myself they don’t care to talk to me or I don’t have anything worthwhile to update them with.

But you know one thing? This blog has been amazing for me. It’s brought me back to a place where I used to be. It’s brought me to blogs from girls all around the world who I can relate to, who can relate to me, and who help bring that confidence back. I’m sure a hater would tell me that’s pathetic but I don’t really care. I’m confident enough to say I’m a woman with my own insecurities. I’m real. I’ve been hurt, I’ve been lied to, I’ve been burned but I know good people are out there everywhere and I want to open myself up to the opportunity of being a good friend and knowing that I can offer them something just by being alive.

1. I will keep blogging and reaching out to anyone who I can relate to, even in the smallest way
2. I will put it out there to the Universe (big thank you to The Secret for this one!) “I expect to do whatever I put my mind to”
3. I will put myself in situations where I feel good about myself and refrain from situations that don’t bring out the best in me

We have to believe we can. Whatever it is, we have to BELIEVE it. After fostering dogs this past week, I felt happier than I have in a long time. I felt confident in what I was doing and felt GOOD about what I was doing. I felt right. I choose to believe in me.

Wishing everyone a Happy NBA Draft Day!!!!! GO UTAH JAZZ!! We have two lottery picks this year. Tonight we’ll be joining in on the watch party at Energy Solutions Arena! :)

Pinterest-ing Wednesday {1}

I’m thinking I might start alternating between my Wednesday posts every week. I love Wedding Wednesdays but don’t want those of you who aren’t interested in wedding things to get bored. Also, I’ve found a couple Wednesday link-ups that I just can’t pass up.

So, tonight (although I do realize it’s already Thursday by now for some of you) I’m linking up with The Vintage Apple for Oh, How Pinterest-ing Wednesdays! Here are some of my Pinterest favorites from the week! They are totally random and there is no theme :) I guess that’s just how my brain works.

So, if you don’t want sweets, a cute dog, or anything in the shades of white and aqua after reading this post, then I don’t know what to tell ya ;)

Also, if you’d like, follow me on Pinterest here!

P.S. if you post any photos found on Pinterest on your blog, remember to cite the actual source of the photo, not just Pinterest. (Personally, I choose to link all my pictures back to the source.) Be nice and do the right thing :)