DIY Pet Stairs

If you  read my last blog post about adopting my puppy Bexar you read about how we rescued him from the shelter. As he's grown bigger we've noticed he has a limp when he walks and can't jump very well. He has a large scar on his inner leg from a previous injury. He loves to cuddle in bed but unfortunately he's gotten too heavy for me to lift.

 My finance Johnathan and I went looking for some pet stairs to put at the end of our bed so Bexar is able to easily climb up. We checked several stores and couldn't find any so we decided to take the weekend to build our own.

We measured the height the bed to determine how tall we would make our stairs. Then Johnathan designed them on the computer using his engineering program software. By designing them on the program he knew exactly how many pieces of wood we needed and what size to get them cut to. We headed to home depot and picked up our wood, sand paper, paint brushes, nails, and wood stain. 

 Johnathan got started on the project right away and sanded down all of the wood pieces. He then nailed them together piece by piece until the steps were constructed. I mostly watched through this process, I'm not very good with a hammer and nails but I was ready when it was time to stain.

 We stained three coats, letting each layer dry for an hour before starting the next.

 The final product looked better than either of us thought it would and it was a lot of fun to make too. Bexar was unsure of the stairs at first but after about a week he figured them out and now he runs up and down all day!

Adopt Don't Shop!

How One puppy Changed my Heart Forever

A few months ago I decided I was ready to get a puppy. With all of the stress from college I was looking for a health outlet and something to focus on when I needed a break. My heart was set on purchasing a Maltipoo puppy. A maltipoo is a poodle - Maltese mix. I fell in love with their tiny stature and their size was perfect for my apartment. Not having much money I poured over craigslist ad's and finally came across an adorable puppy I could afford. I contacted the phone number on the advertisement and the woman who answered the phone agreed to meet me that day. I inquired several times for her address but oddly she never gave it to me and we agreed to meet in a McDonald's parking lot. I was a little suspicious but I could understand her wanting to meet in a neutral location. I've never purchased a puppy before so I didn't know the right questions to ask when she arrived with the puppies. She brought three puppies with her to the meeting and I chose an adorable female. I asked her if the puppies had received any shots and she gave me a wrapper for a Parvo shot she claimed to have administered herself. I gave her the $300 cash we agreed on and she sped off in her car without even counting the money. This is when I became worried. 

I named my new puppy Nala and took her home with me. When I arrived back at my apartment I fed her dinner and she scarfed it down. I put down some pee pads I purchased and I could already tell she was a smart puppy because she already knew how to use them. Our first couple hours together she was running around, exploring my room, and playing with her toys. Then she started vomiting. She vomited sbout once and hour and then started having bloody stool has well. As soon as my fiance got home from work that night we rushed her to the emergency vet. The vet tested her for Parvo and sure enough the test was positive. I was devastated, all I could do was cry, and I felt like it was my fault for purchasing the dog. We admitted her to the hospital right away for treatment. 

Being college students we couldn't afford her bill out of pocket so we had to get a credit card. Her vet bill was around $1500 and  she was in the hospital for 5 days. I called several times a day to check on her and I just wanted to be reassured that she would survive. After 5 days the vet said she needed to stay longer but we could no longer afford it so they sent her home with medicine. We stayed up with her around the clock force feeding her chicken and Gatorade. We kept her wrapped in warm blankets and made sure she was as warm as possible. The next day things took a turn for the worst and she started having seizures and could no longer stand or walk. It broke my heart to watch her suffer. I tried contacting the lady I purchased her from to let her know the other dogs could be infected but she never returned any of my calls or texts. She was only a pound and her tiny body couldn't keep up much longer. She passed away two days later. I watched her take her last breath and that was something I never could have prepared myself for. 

For a few days I just wanted to be alone. I no longer had a puppy and I felt like it was my fault that we were out so much money. I was also angry that I couldn't save her. About a month passed and my heart was empty. My fiance and I agreed to visit the local rescue shelter, San Antonio Pet's Alive, and adopt another puppy. As soon as I entered the puppy room I fell in love with a tiny two month old German Shepard mix named Franklin. He was incredibly lovable from the start. As soon as they took him out of the cage he rolled over for a belly rub. We checked first with the adoption counselor and she told us our home was fine to introduce another puppy to as long as we cleaned thoroughly. We adopted Franklin, renaming him Bexar (Bear) and took him home. 

He was a very curious puppy. I held him on my lap during his freedom ride and he climbed up my shoulder to look out the window. He was shy and skittish his first couple weeks at home. He was generally afraid of men and tried to latch on to the carpet if you picked him up. He also had a ringworm infection and had some bare patches of skin. Bexar slowly trusted us more everyday and I have learned so much from all of the challenges. 

He has brought so much joy to my life these past couple of months. He is incredibly smart and he will ring a bell when he needs food or wants to go outside. He also loves to cuddle with me in my bed. My favorite of all though is when he comes running to the door to greet me, even if I wasn't gone very long. Bexar is now six months old and has come so far since the day we saved his life. I am so happy I chose to adopt and make a difference in his life. So many dogs and cats wait at shelters everyday to be loved. These dogs can make as much as a difference in your life as you can in theirs. Please consider adopting and save a life.  If you would like to see all of Bexar's adventures please visit http://instagram.com/my_teddy_bexar/

Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 lb box of Lasagna noodles
64 oz. jar traditional pasta sauce
15 oz. container ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb ground beef

Lasagna is one of my favorite childhood recipes. I love to serve this dish with salad and garlic bread. Even the pickiest of eaters can't resist!

Start by greasing a 9x13 baking dish and preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. I prefer to use a clear Pyrex pan but metal pans work just as well. Start boiling water for the pasta in a large sauce pan. While you are waiting for the water to boil you can start browning 1 pound of ground beef in a large skillet.

Once the water reaches a boil place the full box of pasta in the water. Do not split any of the noodles in half. They will shrink as they cook and will fit perfectly in the pan. When your ground beef is completely cooked turn off the burner, rinse and drain, then return to the skillet.  I find it easiest to mix my sauce in with the ground beef. When your noodles are finished boiling turn off the burner but don't drain the noodles. I have found that draining them makes them sticky and hard to work with.

Before you place any noodles in your baking dish line the bottom of the pan with a layer of sauce. This prevents the noodles sticking to the pan. Then line the pan with one layer of noodles. I used a pair of tongs to transfer my noodles from the water. Shake off as much excess water as you can.
Next is the ricotta cheese. Ricotta cheese can be difficult to spread so I mix mine in a bowl with an egg and it is one hundred times easier. Lightly spread over the noodles and then top with sauce and shredded mozzarella. Repeat for three to four layers.

Tightly cover dish with aluminum foil and place on the center rack. Cook for 45 minutes, the last ten uncovered. After removed from the oven allow 15 minutes to cool before slicing.