That Means Comfort: Surviving the Cold

I'm sure we aren't the only ones who are getting tired of the polar vortex wreaking havoc on us. But luckily, while temperatures continue to dip into the negative numbers with alarming regularity, we've been bundled up and cozy at home (we're also extremely happy to have an attached garage during weather like this). While we've spent many evenings cuddled up in front of the TV, we have managed to get out and do a few things in the past few weeks too. No cabin fever for us!

A few weekends ago we participated in Devour Downtown, the event Indianapolis hosts twice yearly. We went with some of our friends (one of the many couples whose wedding we have the privilege of attending this year) and enjoyed a nice evening of conversation and delicious food at BARcelona Tapas (yes, the same place Leslie and I went last time). It was a fun time - but really, how could it not be?

Earlier this week we decided to have a game night, just the two of us. We ate some leftover finger food from the previous weekend's Super Bowl party and played Pretty Pretty Princess and Disney Trivial Pursuit. Leslie won the Disney game, of course, but I did manage to be a princess at least once. We even let Ellie wear the crown for second. She wasn't a fan.

One of the things we've been missing lately is our weekly trivia night. We used to go to a little bar near our apartment with some friends for a few drinks and a trivia contest. Our team usually did pretty well and it was always a good time just hanging out. But since we've moved we really haven't made it back but for a handful of times, and it sounds like many of the others that used to go regularly no longer do so. We decided to see if we could find anything like that closer to our house, and sure enough, there's trivia offered at some of the nearby bars and restaurants. We decided to check one out this past week and, while we didn't too well, had a great time. I don't think we'll do this every week, but will hopefully make it somewhat of a thing.

We've also had some guests to the house recently. Leslie got a chance to catch up with one of her best friends this past Saturday. They talked for hours about weddings (Leslie is in her wedding this summer), work, and everything else. We then had Leslie's parents, sister, and niece visit on Sunday. It was nice to catch up with all of them, plus it's pretty entertaining to have a two-year-old running around.

All the animals have been doing well. Ellie continues to be her royal self - often sitting on top of the kitchen cabinets, surveying her subjects (meaning us) and passing judgement. But while she often seems aloof, as cats usually are, she's still very sweet to us and even friendly to strangers. I don't think a night goes by where she doesn't spend the majority her time snuggled up on the foot of our bed. She loves to look out the windows and play with fuzzy toy mice around the house. Of course that's all when she's not napping in the chair in our bedroom.

Frank is a funny little guy and he continues to amuse us with his antics. Around the time of our trip to Disney with Leslie's family, Frank was diagnosed with luxating patellas, making it painful for him to jump and run. Our vet suggested that we wait and see how things go - as he gets older it could potentially worsen and need surgery or improve and no longer be an issue. Well, we're very happy to report that Frank is much more active these days. We assume his condition has improved quite a lot - he's tons more playful and has started running and jumping and playing all on his own. He loves to play with his big sister, lay around in the sun, or curl up in any box he can get his paws on. He has also developed a love of TV and will often jump up on the TV stand to attack things on screen. Luckily for him the cuteness factor outweighs how annoying it is to have half the show blocked by a ball of fur.

Leo is as energetic a puppy as they come. He loves to chase his ball, squeeky toys, and even just run around the backyard with a stick in his mouth. We try to take him on walks when it's above zero out, but even a decent size loop does little to tire him out. Even with as hyperactive as he is, he is still a very sweet little boy. Most of the time he wants nothing more than to cuddle up on one of our laps while he chews a rawhide or toy. He's a very quick learner and already knows a few tricks (it took him all of three tries in about a minute to learn "shake"). Plus, he's even picked up on things like getting his paws dried off after coming in from outside. As soon as I get the towel and call him over he comes running, sits down, offers his front paws for cleaning, and once they're done turns around and extends his back legs to be done. There's no doubt that he will be a very smart and obedient dog, even if he's a bit wild right now. But hey, he's only three months old.