Taking Care of the Puppies

I mentioned yesterday that each dog's bowl of food is different. Three out of the four dogs need medications, only two have a full cup of food for each meal and one of them has special dog food. Luckily, my mom left very clear instructions for feeding them. 

My dogs are very happy when I feed them. 

That one below is Rigley. My oldest brother, Ben, got her as a puppy when he was in college. Eventually, she became the family dog. She's a mix of a whole bunch of breeds, which include doberman, samoa and bisenji. 

Ben always spelled her name "Rigley", but my mom changed the spelling to "Wrigley" when she took over ownership. I still spell her name without a "w", even if it makes more sense. A lot of Cubs fans agree (they play in Wrigley Field in Chicago)!

More of Yesterday

Since I came home, I've been snacking like a crazy person on these croutons. They are amazing. Go buy some. They are Nonni's Focaccia Croutons. You will love them even if you don't put them on salads. 

I also got back to exercising. I did Exercise TV on demand. I absolutely love these programs, because they can be very challenging. They also change the programs all the time! It keeps things interesting. 

I did the 6-Circuit workout in the "total body" section. I only needed a mat and two sets of hand weights (one light, one heavier). I used 5 and 10-pound weights, but I also grabbed 8-pound weights halfway though. I was supposed to use a medicine ball, but I was able to substitute my weights. It worked perfectly, except for one part where you throw the ball into the air and catch it. Sorry, but I did not want to try that with a 10-pound weight!

It was a fun workout, and I am very sore today! It wasn't overly challenging for somebody like me who lifts weights regularly. However, the instructor kept the workout very fast-paced and also worked cardio into it. I was panting from that.

I didn't do much for the rest of the day. I was (and am) still jet lagged, and I just couldn't get the motivation to go out and do anything. I guess I realize that I'll be extremely busy starting next week, so perhaps I'm just taking advantage of my free time for now. I also passed out at 8:30. Smiley face :)

Today

Today was much busier than yesterday. I slept in an extra 30 minutes...until 6. That's pretty good, considering I fell asleep at 8:30 pm. I started out with 40 minutes on the elliptical (while watching "Community" on demand), and then I made breakfast. I found Trader Joe's steel cut oats that cook in 8 minutes in the pantry. 

Not only did they cook quickly on the stove, but they were delicious! I topped them with fresh strawberries and blueberries, along with some of my mom's High Fiber Cereal (also from Trader Joe's). 

Oh my goodness.....WHY on earth have I been dousing all of my oats in sugar for so many years? Even sprinkling cereal (without sugar) adds extra texture and flavor. Plus, why not add fresh berries when they are in season? I think it may be time to say goodbye to the brown sugar. 

After breakfast, I was all over the place. I drove to the north side of the city to pick up my books at Wilbur Wright Community College. I start my biology class there next Wednesday. It was easy to find, but there was crazy traffic on I-90 at 11 in the morning. Then, there is construction around the school. I'm going to have to find a new way to get there!

I drove back to the suburbs to fill my car up with gas, and some nice man gave me a free Daily Herald. Then, he tried to sell me subscription. At least I got to keep the paper...

I then stopped by Chipotle for a burrito bowl, because I was still sad that I missed out on my Tex-Mex in Dallas. I got rice, chicken, some shredded cheese, black beans, avocado, pico de gallo and lettuce. The restaurant was a mad house at 12:30, but the staff there is so efficient! Well, the lady actually swiped my credit card and didn't even print a receipt or ask me for a signature. They sure are good at getting people in and out quickly!

Of course, my burrito bowl was fantastic. 

I then set out to run my second set of errands: going to my second school to get books! I drove north this time (the city is south of where I live) to College of Lake County. I bought my chemistry books. I bought one more thing before I went home, but that's a surprise for another time!

Oh yeah, how cute are the puppies when they want a treat? They always expect one when they come back inside. All four dogs were actually standing in front of me before, but Mickey and Cody always run away from the camera. I don't get it!

When I got back (after photographing the pups), I made a delicious snack. 

I melted some of this Finlandia Chipotle Jack cheese (which tastes AMAZING melted)...

....onto one of these tortillas. These Smart & Delicious Soft Wraps are ridiculously good for you, because they have so much dietary fiber. 12 freakin grams. They also come in yummy flavors, like tomato basil. We have spinach, as well. (Update: We have regular, not spinach.)

I broke into my mom's hummus stash as well. Good stuff. It was good for dipping. 

It's now 9:05 pm, and I am deliriously tired. Crazy. I'm city-bound tomorrow to see my girls, so I need to get some sleep so that I have energy. I can't wait to tell you all about my new and exciting purchase! It has a lot to do with my blogging.