oh hey there it’s been a while since i’ve blogged last. the holidays were super busy, and i really enjoyed spending time with my friends and family. i honestly cannot believe it’s almost 2018. 2017 went by way too fast – probably the fastest year yet for me. this week’s blog post is going to be a little different! i’m going to be sharing my tips and tricks for training and raising a puppy! kylo is about 1.5 years old now, so i feel like i’m not a pro, but def have some experience and tips i think would be helpful. here are tips for training your puppy! a know it’s pretty common for people to get puppies as gifts for christmas, so if you’re feeling a little lost, i hope this helps! of course i have to add a disclaimer that – no, i am not a professional and no, this will not work for every puppy. just like humans, all puppies are different. it’s all about adjusting and finding which way works best for you and your companion. if you have any tips for me, leave them in the comments below! kylo may be over a year old now, but he’s still learning every single day. tips for raising and training your puppy potty training i know there are a TON of different ways to train your puppy to go to the bathroom outside, but the one i found most successful and easy was crate training. with crate training, we left kylo in his crate while we were gone. it’s said that puppies (most) will not go to the bathroom in their crate where they sleep. this really helped because when we would come home, we would take him outside (of course) to go to the bathroom. so he’s learning that he cannot go to the bathroom in his crate and that outside is the proper place to go. dogs aren’t like humans, they don’t communicate fully with language. they learn a lot by environment! so, by taking your puppy outside to the bathroom each time you come home, he’s learning what to do in each environment (ie. your home and outside). we did NOT use puppy pads! as i said before, they learn by their environment. i thought that by using puppy pads inside the apartment, he would think it’s ok to occasionally go to the bathroom…

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hey it’s monday sorry my post is a day late, but that crazy busy christmas season, ya know? this week on the blog, i’m talking about my favorite winter activities! i hope it gives you a little bit of inspo and maybe some ideas for when you’re bored during the cold winter months. so here are my top 5 favorite winter activities! enjoy xo ice skating if you don’t know, i’m from michigan. and being from michigan naturally means starting skating lessons at a very young age. i started skating when i was around five years old and stopped my lessons when i was around 14. it’s one of my all time favorite hobbys! a winter without a skating session on the ice rink, is not a winter at all in my opinion. so find your nearest ice rink, rent some skates, and lace them up! seriously, i couldn’t imagine a winter without skating at least a few times during the months. has anyone else ever done ice skating lessons? i would love to know!! i’m so nostalgic for it every year. christmas decor a few blog posts back i shared with you a few minimalist diy christmas decorations. Decorating for christmas is always the best and it’s even more fun when you get to make a few of your own. Also very cost effective. Making your own ornaments is also really fun and a creative way to add a personal touch to your home and christmas decor. christmas lights i feel like this is everyone’s tradition, but driving around to see the christmas lights outside everyone’s house is the best! i used to do it a lot growing up and i still love it. some people go all out! i’m not sure if it’s something i’ll ever do when i get my own house. it seems like a lot of work lol but its fun to see everyone else’s. so if you’re ever bored, grab yourself a cup of hot chocolate and listen to some christmas tunes while you drive around and check out all the lights! hiking now, this isn’t for everyone, i know it’s super hard to get out in the snow when it’s freezing and you want to be cozy. BUT, going on a hike in the winter is so so so pretty! going back into the woods where the snow is still all over the…

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hello sunday this week i decided to get a head start on my new years resolutions. it’s something i’ve been thinking about a lot recently. it could be the fact that i naturally just reflect on my year and goals, etc. when december hits, but there are so many things i want to accomplish in 2018. YES 2018 – CAN YOU BELIEVE IT. like where did the last 20 years of my life go? this weekend we also finally got a good amount of SNOW. once february hits, i’m sick of the snow. but i hate when it’s cold in december and we don’t have snow. it’s just a waste of freezing and cold weather lol wake up earlier i say this every night before i go to sleep BUT i really want to start waking up earlier. even just 15/20mins. it would make all the difference in my morning! it’s so so so so hard to wake up any earlier than you have to in the winter. i find that the fact that the sun isn’t up yet, just means i shouldn’t be either haha but i’m going to make much more of an effort. confidence i feel like for the most part, i’m a pretty confident person. BUT, i wouldn’t say i’m as confident as i could be. i still second guess like every picture i post on instagram and i’m constantly telling myself “i’m not good enough” when it comes to blogging, etc. that sort of negative thinking needs to stop! but in a world of social media and comparison, it’s no wonder i can’t help but think that way sometimes. people are going to judge you no matter what the heck you post – and do you know what? – who cares! does it really matter what anyone thinks of the photos i post? or the content i write? no. it really doesn’t. it doesn’t affect my life or theirs in any way. SO I NEED TO KEEP THAT MENTALITY ALL THE TIME. everyone on the internet is so sensitive anyway. it’s rather annoying. so i’m going to be confident and just post what i want because I CAN. patience i’ve probably made this one of my resolutions since i was like 10 years old but PATIENCE. i am without a doubt the most impatient person you’ve probably ever known. it’s so horrible. i need to…

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