The Grandpuppy

It's a new wave hitting Millenial's parents, or rather Baby Boomers:  The Grandpuppy.

Many Millenials are forgoing children in their twenties, and some even completely, and opting instead for a fluffy baby.  Their new either purchased from a breeder or adopted baby becomes the talk of the family, the pride and joy of the "grandparents".  Baby photos are often swapped for portraits of parents and puppy, puppy dressed in holiday gear, and even some appearing in engagement and wedding photos. 

The grandparents are equally enthused.  One woman became overtly giddy upon describing her pride about becoming a "grandparent," noting the new addition would get along greatly with her husband and her current dog.  "Would my dog be the aunt?" she asked me.  And it posed a rather interesting conundrum.  What is that relationship?  Or is it negligible at best?

And then, of course, as grandparents do, the new grandpuppy must be overly spoiled!  Think new toys, top-of-the-line crates, multiple dog treat options for when the puppy comes to visit, and, of course, some even compete for "nannying" rights when the parents are away on business or vacation!  Others simply rejoice for the times the spend together, but don't necessarily berate the parents for visiting times and playdates.

But these new parents certainly spare no expenses for their fluffy babies!  Dog sitting services are the newest craze, catering to everything from simple daily walks to overnights, potty and crate training, and even extended-stay care, one company will keep the dog for up to a month!  If Millenials are pushing back starting a family, these trial run periods with their four-legged alternates are certainly providing great insight to later baby-dom, even though they are not perfect mirrors, I'm sure.

Either way, we are seeing more changes in the family "unit".  And the Millenials and Baby Boomers are, again, leading the way.

Wine Glasses

Not all wine glasses are created equal.  We have the most amazing family; they donate their wares when they upgrade, saving us from having to fork over the cost of everything all at once. 

So, that said, we had the most eclectic collection of wonderful wine glasses in our home.  Most of them were the small kind too - think old Italian restaurant.  And we loved them: they were always full at home.  Well, more like, 4 oz of wine literally filled them!  We always felt super blessed to enjoy the most wine at all times!

Then my father-in-law came to visit.  We poured wine, had a good time, and then at the end of the bottle he and my mother-in-law laughed kind-heartedly and said, "I lived through the sixties.  Time you got some 21st century wine glasses."  Well, more to our amazing family wares: new Lenox wine glasses!  It's amazing what appreciation can do for you!  Now, we can just fit more wine in the glass :-)

Get Healthy, Stay Healthy

I recently listened to a few audio recordings from health professionals: JJ Virgin of The Virgin Diet and Brendon Brazier, founder of Vega.  They are extremely interesting, yet they have some very contrasting views in dieting.  Here's what I mean:

JJV:  Will Power is a myth.  If it were real, we as humans wouldn't have made it this far
BB:  Being and staying healthy and well nourished will help promote more and stronger will power

JJV:  Sleep is by far the most important thing you could do, if I had to pick one
BB:  If you feed yourself better, you'll have more energy which means you won't need as much sleep so you can have more time to get things done

JJV:  I believe that we are more like chemistry labs than simple math equations.  It's more than simply calories in, calories out, and more of the quality of the food you put in.
BB:  I love liquifying my meals.  You get more nutrition and it takes less energy to absorb.

So whom do you follow?  Who do you choose to listen to?  Can be tricky right?

Well, they do agree on some things, which is very welcoming!

#1)  Not everyone's the same.  Don't expect the exact same eating patterns of person A to work for person B

#2)  The better the quality of the food, the more nourished you will be.  Get rid of toxic foods like gluten, dairy, and sugars. 

#3)  It's never about dieting.  It's about truly changing the way you eat and the mentality around food. 

#4)  Listen to your body. 

So, what have you found that works for you?  Share with us!  Meanwhile, I'm going to take JJ's advice and get some shut eye!  One of the best ways for me to get over a cold!!

Semi-Warm Activities

You wake up in the morning, realize it's sunny and above 40, and think "WOW!  It's finally nice!" and walk outside.  Still, it's not warm enough to just "be" outside, so you find yourself stuck in a funky middle place.  I want to be outside, but I don't want to freeze.  What can I do and still enjoy the wonderful hints of spring?  Here are some ideas to keep you outside, even if it's just for a bit:

Have a cup of coffee on your porch.  The warmth will alleviate the cool breeze.

Have a glass of wine with gloves on.  It'll keep your hands warm, but you'll enjoy the flavors of the wine more!

Take the dog or just go for a walk for an extra few blocks:  The added walking, especially if you can walk at a decent speed, will warm you and keep the coolness at bay.

Work in the garden: you'll work up a bit of a sweat in the process!  Great exercise. 

Park further away when you run errands.  You'll not only get some extra exercise in, but you'll also enjoy a few more moments of the outdoors!

Let me know how they worked out!