But before I sing her praises too much, Sadie had a pretty big dog fail while I was gone as well…
We’ve always joked that Sadie is part hamster because she loves to burrow under blankets. Well, burrow she did… right into our guest bedroom mattress. Yikes.
I’m not sure what happened but her guilty eyes tell me she knows exactly what she did. What a stinker. The thing about vizslas is that it feels almost impossible to yell at them because they seriously seem like the most emotionally fragile dogs on the planet. Sadie will cower if we ever raise our voices at her and feebly walk over to us and roll onto her back in the most pathetically adorable way. So it’s basically impossible to get mad at her for too long, but she was definitely trying us on Friday!
I am wondering if a thunderstorm might have sent her into a panic while Ryan was at work (I swear her fear of thunder is getting worse with age) but since we have no idea what the deal is, we’re chalking the mattress up to our first Sadie destruction-related loss in years. (When she was a puppy, we lost a coffee table to chewing, a couch to burrowing – albeit a borderline gross and very cheap Craigslist couch – and a pair of shoes or two.)
Chase also didn’t nap at all on Friday and after a day of travel and no minute to catch my breath, I pretty much wanted to pass out the minute we put him to bed and did just that after polishing off an embarrassing amount of Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream.
Saturday
Saturday officially kicked off our Father’s Day weekend fun! Since Ryan planned such a fun Mother’s Day weekend trip to the North Carolina Zoo, I wanted to do something similar and plan a family-friendly adventure for the three of us.
A while ago, I stumbled upon information about the North Carolina Transportation Museum online but when I saw it was about an hour away, I put it in the back of my mind and figured it was more of a “special occasion” activity. Well, Father’s Day warrants a special occasion in my eyes and when Ryan seemed excited about the idea, the three of us headed off to the museum after a banana bread protein pancake breakfast on Saturday morning.
North Carolina Transportation Museum
We arrived in Spencer, North Carolina a little after 9 a.m. and I’m pretty sure we were the first visitors of the day.
We quickly purchased our tickets as well as tickets for the train ride and made our way to the various exhibit buildings (the museum is located on a 60-acre site), including a building that was once Southern Railroad’s largest steam locomotive repair facility on the east coast.
I’d be lying if I said I have a genuine interest in trains (or pretty much any mode of transportation) but one of the beauties of motherhood is just how much fun you can have at random places simply because your kids are having fun!
(On me: Top: Urban X via Zulily / Shorts: American Eagle Tomgirl – LOVE these for the longer length and stretchy, flattering fit / Backpack: Marc Jacobs Mini Nylon Backpack / Shoes: Slip-On Chuck Taylors // On Chase: Top: Old Navy Bicycle Polo / Shorts: Ralph Lauren Polo via thredUP / Shoes: Native)
Chase was really interested in the trains and since the museum is so large, he could easily run around without bumping into anyone or disrupting anything. I loved watching him light up when he saw an old fashioned fire truck (“wee-oo-wee-oo”) and yell “tractah” when he saw a giant tractor. It was impossible not to laugh at his endless cries of “Choo choo!” and “Alllllll aboard!”
Before we left, we made sure to hop aboard the train for a 25-minute train ride around the property which was definitely a highlight for Chase! (Quick tip if you are local and happen to go in the summer: Most of the facilities did not seem to be air conditioned with the exception of one air-conditioned rail car, so dress accordingly!)
We left around 11:30 a.m. and made our way home after a quick pit-stop at ALDI for groceries. Once we arrived home, we ate lunch and Chase went down for a much-needed nap. While he slept, Ryan took Sadie on a walk and I got some work done on the computer while I sipped on a green smoothie.
Once Ryan and Sadie returned, I worked for a little longer and then ran a quick errand to pick up a few yummy surprises for dinner and dessert as part of my Father’s Day plan!
By the time I made it home, Chase was back up and ready for action, so we headed off to Birkdale Village because I had a return to make and we figured Chase would enjoy playing with the trains at Barnes & Noble before church. Our plans for the evening took us to church for the Saturday night service. Ryan and I enjoyed the message while Chase had a great time in childcare. He didn’t seem to want to leave when we went to pick him up thanks to an amazing ball pit that called to him!
Dinner was on the agenda after we arrived back home and I placed the lasagna and meatballs I picked up from Ferrucci’s Italian Market into the oven. Ryan was pretty excited when he realized what was on the menu for dinner since Ferrucci’s is one of his favorite local hot spots!
While the lasagna and meatballs were heating up, we fed Chase dinner and put him to bed. Once he was snoozing, we dug into our dinner and spent the rest of the night watching two episodes of The Big Bang Theory before we ate cupcakes I picked up earlier from a local bakery.
We crawled into bed nice and early and I began reading A Hundred Summers, one of the books on my summer reading list, and so far I’m really enjoying it!
Sunday
Sunday kicked off on a great note! After more than a week of Chase waking up at 6 a.m., he slept past 7 a.m. which gave me a chance to ease into the morning a bit with a hot cup of coffee before mom mode kicked in! Ryan headed off to the gym at 6:30 a.m. and I spent some time on this blog post before Chase was up and we made Happy Father’s Day signs together.
After Ryan arrived back home, we flip flopped workouts and I headed off to Orangetheory. I took Friday and Saturday off from any exercise and felt like I had a ton of energy for Sunday’s class. It was an endurance day which isn’t usually my favorite but I ended up really enjoying the format of Sunday’s workout. It kicked my butt and I was ridiculously sweaty by the end which always seems to be the case after an OTF workout.
I immediately changed into my bathing suit when I arrived back home and Ryan, Chase, Sadie and I wasted no time heading out to the boat to spend the rest of our morning on the water.
We threw down our anchor at a nearby beach and had a great time swimming, splashing and playing endless rounds of fetch with our favorite water dog.
By the time we dried off and made our way back home, Chase was ready for his nap. While he slept, I had two recipe projects to tackle and got to work in the kitchen.
As always, Chase’s naptime flew by and before I knew the whole gang was in the backyard playing with Chase’s water table.
The rest of our Sunday was pretty low key. We hung around the house, ordered pizza for dinner and made our way to bed nice and early. I hope all the dads out there enjoyed Father’s Day and felt extra loved all weekend!
Hope you guys have a great Monday!
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Sounds like the perfect weekend! And love how your interests become so different once the kids become invested in something! The transportation museum does sound unique. Happy Father’s Day to Ryan!
Poor Sadie looks so sad and guilty but your weekend looked like a blast! Our son is a bit younger then chase and not totally into cars, trucks, or trains yet but this weekend while strawberry picking his face lit up when he saw the big tractors going by so it seems we are close!
Strawberry picking sounds like a blast!! Hope you guys had fun!
Our Vizsla has thunderstorm issues too. Maybe that’s what happened with Sadie? We give Chester pills we get from the vet when there is a storm. It helps calm him down. I agree with how “sensitive” this breed is. Our Weasel gets all pouty if she thinks she did something worng. We don’t even have to say anything. Though our youngest. Rascal, shows no remorse. She’s still learning…… (YES! we have THREE Vizslas <3 )
I really want to ask our vet about some kind of medicine for her the next time we go. Her storm anxiety is only magnifying with age. And I LOVE that you have three vizslas! They are just the best dogs! <3
So true about enjoying things you never thought you would just because your child does and is having such a fun time. There’s nothing that can beat your child smile. What a fun Father’s Day!
What a fun weekend! I’m so curious to see what our little guy becomes interested in as he grows older. I know I’ll probably be learning a whole lot more about something I’ve never cared about before, but can’t wait to see what it is!
I love the sign that Chase made for Ryan! It’s definitely one of those things that doesn’t look like a lot but probably means so much to a parent 🙂
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Hi Julie,
I haven’t been able to read this whole post just yet before babies and work called, but I sure can relate to kiddos not napping at all and not feeling like there’s a moment to catch a breath! You are an amazing mama though. ?
Quick question- I am searching for water shoes that won’t totally shred my toddler’s heels. I have tried crocs and stride rite’s rubber shoes and both have rubbed raw spots on her poor little feet. Can you please tell me what Chase’s shoes are? It looks like he doesn’t wear them with socks and so I’m assuming they don’t rub. Thank you!
They are Natives and they are the BEST! I cannot recommend them enough. The perfect summer shoe! They make them in tons of different colors, too! –> http://bit.ly/2sOZI5t
Aw what a precious weekend! The area you live always looks so cute and cosy! Also, your top is adorable!! Going to check that one out now 🙂
Hi Julie!! So glad y’all had such a blast and my heart is truly melting at 1. the picture chase drew for his dad and 2. guilty Sadie. I know how y’all feel about yelling at the dog. Our dog Riley pooped in our gym room last week which he NEVER does and after getting scolded he just looked so sad and cowered on the couch so I gave him a big hug.
For Father’s Day, my parents came to town and we did a cookout with my boyfriend’s parents and his Pop Pop. I marinated chicken in Meyer lemon juice and zest, olive oil, Italian seasoning. salt and pepper and then we threw it on the grill. We also had chicken sausage, cheeseburgers, and of course a little limoncello and ice cream cake for dessert. Hope yours was amazing!!
P.S. THANK YOU for the What I Love About Dad book idea. He loved it and totally teared up a little at a book from his daughters and son!
Aw I love that you plan family outings for holidays, I think that’s the best way to celebrate! And I lost track of all the things our dog destroyed when she was younger, we don’t need to worry about it as much now. But if I’m gone for a long time during the day I occasionally come home to see she got into something. But like you said it’s so hard to be mad at them!
Did you save a cupcake for Chase?
He eyed the cupcakes before bed so he actually got his while I was making his dinner… pretty great appetizer, huh!? 🙂
I’m so glad our vizsla isn’t the only one that gets in to trouble like this!!! We lost some pillows, a couch cushion (old couch) we flipped over and a couple holes in our carpet that we covered with a rug. You’re right-they are so cute it’s hard to stay mad for long! I heard that many years ago vizslas were used as bed warmers for the royalty in Hungry. That explains why ours LOVES to burrow under our covers in the morning! Love your blog!
YES!! I heard the same thing! Sadie will stand on top of our covers and just stare at us until we lift them up so she can burrow underneath!
It looks like you had such a great weekend, I love that you plan fun things for Chase! I can’t wait to be a mom to do fun things with my kids that you normally wouldn’t do without them. Your top is super cute! I love that look, but I feel like they don’t look that great on me, haha. I hope you have a great day, Julie! Xoxo
Sounds like a perfect weekend! I have a smaller pup (a westie mix) and he LOVES digging into furniture. He hasn’t caused any destruction yet, so fingers crossed his burrowing stays mild, but I could totally see him doing this!
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Yikes, sorry about your mattress. Our dog has not torn up anything in years (knock on wood), but the last time he did he basically turned my phone into phone confetti. That museum looks so cool, my little guy is super into trucks and trains, he would love something like that.
Hi Julie,
Sounds like a great weekend! I’m not sure if you have tried/or anyone suggested, but our dog has a fear of thunderstorms too. We rescued her two years ago, and she was three at the time, so we’re not sure if there was previous issues, however we’ve noticed as she’s gotten older she’s extremely scared of storms, loud noises, and fireworks. We have not given her medication yet, but we invested in the “thunder shirt” and it’s made a huge difference. She use to pace the house and a couple times had accidents while we were gone. Knock on wood she appears to handle the stress better with the thunder shirt.
Poor girl! And poor you! My dogs weren’t afraid of thunder until they hit about 7 or 8. It SUCKS. We got them Thunder Jackets! Look them up, Sadie needs one, apparently! It’s like a hug. I put it on my dog when it storms and he is pretty content! Good luck!
Love your style and thredUP finds! I’m curious– have you ever sold anything on the site? I’m thinking about it, but was curious to hear others’ experience. Thanks!
Our 10 year old Siberian Husky has all sorts of anxiety too! I swear by the Thundershirt! It’s a bit pricey but so worth it! 🙂
We have it! The Thundershirt definitely helps but she is still a bit of a mess if it’s really storming outside. :/
Oh, Vizsla! That guilty face, though. Too adorable. Our Vizsla is kind of like the anti-vizsla when he gets in trouble. You can yell at him or spank his booty and he rarely gives us that guilty look! Just takes it and moves on with life. My parent’s was very much the same as Sadie 😉
That’s so cool that you can appreciate the trains and museums a lot more now that you see Chase’s excitement for them. And poor Sadie … my little maltipoo CANNOT handle being yelled at either, so I choose not to. He is a pretty good boy though. Glad you had a great weekend, Julie! 🙂
Does Chase not fall asleep in the car? If I took an hour car ride that close to nap time (12:30 for us) then he would fall asleep for sure and then there goes nap time in the crib. Just curious how you handle longer car rides or if he still naps fine if he snoozes in the car 🙂
It totally depends. Chase usually naps between 12:30 and 1, so that time was a bit of a gamble. I do try to pack interesting toys and books that he doesn’t normally play with to help combat naps in the car and fortunately it worked on Saturday! On Mother’s Day, however, he slept the whole way home from the zoo! But I am with you that car sleep means NO crib sleep these days and that’s rough!
I feel the same way you do about trains/automobiles, but still ended up having fun with my husband at a train museum near where I live (we went last year). It’s amazing how much joy you can wring out of a loved one’s joy! It’s fun! Sounds like you had a really great weekend. Sorry to hear about the mattress disaster! Yikes! Glad that overall, Sadie’s been a sweetie pie. I have a friend whose puppy destroyed everything in her wake, much to her chagrin (especially because she was tight on money at the time.) That lasagna sounds delicious! And yay, bringing back the banana bread protein pancakes – that’s the first recipe I ever tried from your blog!
Thanks for another great recap!
Check out the Smoky Mountain Railway and Tweetsie Railroad for more NC trains! The latter is an amusement park of sorts. The train ride has a coyboy/native American shoot out (that is pretty dated and kind of racist) that the kiddos love! Theres a kilwins inside the park too that always smells like what i imagine heaven to smell like.
Haha, Sadie definitely looks guilty in that first photo. But she also looks like she’s sorry, I can see why it would be hard to stay mad at her.
Sounds like a perfect weekend!
Sadly, Sadie is not the first dog I’ve heard of burrowing into a mattress. Have you tried the thunder jacket for her if she gets anxious during storms?
Chase is so adorable! He favors your Dad so much! Poor Sadie, have you tried the thunder jacket? A friend of mi e tried in on her dog, who is also terrified of storms, and it seemed to helped a lot!
This looks like such a wonderful way to celebrate Father’s Day! Also, isn’t it sweet watching little ones get excited over things? It makes it that much more exciting for us adults.
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