May 20, 2021 by halipawz

Life is full of lessons if you take the time to learn – HaliPawz

Life is always full of lessons if you take the time to listen, and learn from them. My most recent one is about being judgmental of things I don’t know the full story too.

If you read any of my posts you will know I try to look at things from every perspective. I try to be respectful of everyone. My motto is, and continues to be, as long as what you are doing or who you are does not bring harm to children, animals, others, or yourself…then do you. I’m also human, which means I form thoughts based on information given to me. Sometimes those thoughts may change if given more information. Sometimes my thoughts are so ingrained I forget to be objective.

Over a month ago, a friend of mine said a friend of hers was looking for a new home for their cat because of allergies. I had been toying with the idea of getting a cat but had not acted on it because of Zipper, my Jack Russell. Zip is a lot to handle. He is dog aggressive, he is bratty, and he is just really high energy. I knew I would need a cat who could hold their own if a dog was to go after them. Zipper had been around cats before and as long as they were willing to swat him, he was fine. I could not get one while Bella, my mastiff, was alive because I knew she would be protective of the cat and go after Zipper if he went after the cat. Let’s face it, I didn’t need any more animal drama with those two!

There was something about this cat’s picture and the story that spoke to me. I inquired about it, but at the same time, I was thinking….allergies….that’s no reason to get rid of a pet, just take the shots. I, of course, did not say this out loud because I really do try to be empathetic but I’m also human and my thoughts are just….well…thoughts. So many shelters have older animals in them because they became a “burden” on the owners. I knew this wasn’t the same because she wasn’t going to a shelter, but its difficult to stop thoughts from creeping in based on past knowledge and opinions.

Someone commented on the post my friend shared something along the lines of….would they consider letting her be a barn cat?….and I instantly thought NOOOO she can’t be a barn cat!!! Here I was, already feeling protective of a cat I did not know owned by someone I did not know. I knew there was a reason but I still wasn’t 100% ready to jump in and say yes.

I knew adding to my household would not be easy. I was busy and stressed with work. I am doing physical therapy one to two days a week for a torn meniscus, trying to avoid surgery. I didn’t want to get a cat only to have Zipper terrorize it. I knew all of this but yet, I continued to ask questions.

My friend, tired of being the middle man of back and forth conversations decided to start Facebook messenger group with me and the owner. I received a video and saw Moo Moo, the cat, was a talker. I know not everyone loves a talker but I do. I knew, at that moment, I was hooked. I asked the owner if anyone else had shown interest, because, again, I wasn’t sure I was ready so, in my mind, if someone else was interested then it wasn’t meant to be. No one, outside of passing conversation, had truly expressed interest.

I said give me one week and I’ll give you an answer

The week passed. I couldn’t stop thinking about Moo Moo. I finally reached out and said I would take her. I still didn’t know anymore about why they were finding her a new home. One thing was clear though….she was a loved cat so it didn’t make a lot of sense to me. Why is someone finding a home for a cat they love? I still didn’t ask any of those questions. I focused on the questions I needed to know.

Now, for the life lessons….never again will I automatically think someone is being selfish by finding a new home for their older pet. Sometimes, it is because they are so loved, they put the needs of their pet above the emotional toll it is taking on them to find a new, loving home for them. The real reasons behind Moo Moo needing a new home is not my story to tell and I won’t. It is not important. What is important is for her family before me to know I will do everything I can to show her the love and affection she wants. She will live out the remainder of her life in a home where, it might not always be perfect, but I’ll try to get them to get along and she will be loved by me….and maybe terrorized a little by Zipper.

Moo Moo, or Mookie as I’ve already started calling her, is not happy about the change. She made sure I knew it the first night and, had it not been for her carrier, I would have been scratched up! She was SCARY mean sounding and acting. I was never so happy to see such an angry kitty. That told me she was going to hold her own against Zipper.

As I told her previous owner; her growls are ok. The humans know what’s going on, she doesn’t. She has a box right now she is hiding in. She does come out to eat. She has a whole dining room gated off for her. She has dry food, water, a litter box, and some toys in there. I gave her a can of food day one and it was gone by the evening. She ventures out a little but sticks close to her box. It will take time for her to trust me and learn how to navigate around Zipper.

As she gets more comfortable, I am sure there will be many antics and stories as I get used to having a cat in the home and Zipper and her settle into sibling rivalry as I know they will.

Zipper in the background wanting to meet his new kitty sister!

As you read this, remember, not everything is black and white. Sometimes decisions are made that might seem selfish to you but are, in fact, true acts of selflessness. You aren’t always meant to know the back story. Be empathetic of others. Be respectful of others. Last, but not least, if a story tugs on your heart in a way you don’t understand, take a minute to try to figure out why. You might just end of with a new member of your family.

Welcome to this crazy home Moo Moo / Mookie / or the hundreds of other names you’ll end up being called! 😂

If you are thinking about adding another fur member, please consider the older ones available for adoption. They need all the love they can get for the remainder of their lives!

December 27, 2020 by halipawz

McLaren Port Huron Hospital; A tale of two sets of rules – HaliPawz

Christmas morning I found myself doing something I never imagined being part of my day; calling 911 because my mom was having chest pains and felt like she was going to faint. She has had heart issues in the past so I knew to trust her instincts. When I asked if she wanted an ambulance, she said yes, so I knew it was serious. The paramedics arrived on scene and were wonderful. These guys were there quickly and moved efficiently but also understood while my mom was mobility challenged, she was still making some decisions about the speed THEY were going to go. Looking back, it was quite comical really. We even had a quick conversation about “Alexa” (echo dots) and my mom chuckled a little and said it was helping her relax.

Not the vehicle you want in your driveway, especially on Christmas morning

We arrived at McLaren Port Huron Hospital right behind the ambulance. My sister was walking ahead of me and we came to the ambulance doors. She knew we did not go in those doors but we continued to walk around trying to find the patient entrance to the ER. We walked in the wrong direction first and had to backtrack. I know, as a society, we have become “sign blind” so I try to read signs. I don’t remember seeing any once we were off the road, saying which direction our ER entrance was. Perhaps I missed it because I was following my sister and concerned about my mom, but I just don’t recall one. Perhaps a small sign under “authorized personnel only” reading “ER entrance” with an arrow would be helpful.

We found the entrance after asking a paramedic who had been with another ambulance and walked it. Signs all over saying “Visitation was restricted” but I looked at the signs as we walked in and never saw one stating exactly what the visitor policy is. We both walked in, wearing masks, and we were both told to have a seat in the waiting area. We sat down, figuring they would get us back to see her. Another associate walked back in from being outside and said “only one person is allowed to wait” While we did not like it, we had anticipated this so we had driven separately. My sister and I exchanged a few words / plans and she left. I stayed. We UNDERSTOOD the rule, we were just very confused as to why we were both told to have a seat if only one could stay.

A few other people came in after us, all wearing masks, waiting to be seen in the ER. They were taken care of before I was taken back. Completely understandable, they were needing care. I just wanted to be with my mom to make sure she was ok. Then a couple came in, without masks, with a newborn saying they were directed to the ER entrance to be seen in pediatrics. The baby was 5 days old. The ER staff had a conversation with them through their plexiglass barrier and instructed them to sit down. I want to point out…again….they were told to sit down in the SAME waiting area I was in, and they did not have masks on. They were not rushing their baby to the ER and just forgot them in their panic. They had “orders” with them so they knew what was happening. There was also a security guard sitting in the staff area behind the plexiglass so it shouldn’t have been any issues to tell them to put a mask on. It wasn’t until more staff were called in to get clarity on why they were there and where they needed to be and a bracelet was given to the mom when masks were handed to them to put on. The mom put her mask on, loosely, but on, covering her nose and mouth, the dad did not even attempt to secure his mask. It was so loose I can only imagine it would fall off walking down the hallway….he did not even make an attempt to cover his nose and his mouth was only half covered. NOTHING was said to him about any of this and they both proceeded to follow the staff member down the hall. I was very confused. The baby was the patient, why did BOTH parents get to go in yet I was told only one person could see my mom? Signs everywhere say you must wear at mask at all times in the building, yet these two were allowed in without any and even when given them, one was still choosing to not really wear it and it seemed to be ok?

I want to pause here in my story to say EVERY staff member I came in contact with were wonderful to me and to my mom. She had great care, her nurse in the ER was amazing with her. I am, in no way, complaining about the care she received. This is purely about how the rules seem to be different for different people.

While in the ER room waiting with my mom I had to chuckle at the lack of real privacy in the newly remodeled emergency room area. I heard EVERY conversation the nurses and doctors were having, both with each other as well as with other patients. I was a little surprised a new area just recently built, would not have a little more privacy in general. This is just a side note but also explains WHY I heard the following conversation so easily, I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, it was just so crystal clear.

We were just waiting for test results when I heard a nurse ask a doctor how he was feeling. Based on his response, I assume he was recently recovering from COVID and his wife was still recovering. I learned she had maintained a fever for 16 days, he was better but still had a tickle in his throat and proceeded to indicate to them with a cough. Here is why I’m sharing this….imagine my surprise to see him (the curtain was not closed all the way so I could see a lot of staff) saying all of this, including the fact his wife was still sick with it, and he was not wearing a mask at all while he was talking to them! Everyone else I saw was wearing surgical masks or N95 masks but he wasn’t wearing anything during this conversation! He is a doctor, in a hospital where masks are required, talking to staff, without a mask on. He was not actively eating or drinking, but he was actively talking. A lot. I heard him complain about the “dictator governor” yes, he used those words as well as sharing his philosophy on how horribly everything in Michigan is being handled. I honestly felt sorry for the staff because they were there, hearing all of this. Most of them were RNs and I can only imagine it would be frowned upon if they complained about him not wearing a mask around them and / or sharing his political views with them. Some of them might have agreed with him, maybe all of them agreed with him and it was no big deal, but just from the tones and limited responses, I don’t think everyone agreed with his philosophy but what were they going to do? I do believe he was wearing a mask when he went into patient rooms but I am sure if any patient was already worried about COVID and heard him talking like I did they may have been concerned.

Actual text from me to someone about the doctor conversation taking place

The irony is, I agreed with his philosophy on some aspects. I do think it is silly restaurants aren’t open. I have personally seen restaurants maintain proper protocols and safely take care of families in my state. I have had meals in a restaurant with no issues. I do agree some of what is allowed to be open and what isn’t in Michigan doesn’t make a lot of sense. His reference to the toll these choices are taking on people’s mental & emotional health is a valid concern. I just could not believe he used the term “dictator” amongst co-workers in an open area where everyone could hear. It reminded me to be appreciative of our “no political conversations” work policy.

As I stated, my mom’s care was wonderful. The staff she dealt with treated her well. They were patient with me when I called to get updates and talk about her care. She said everyone on the floor she was on was wonderful and made her having to be without us, especially on Christmas, bearable, and I can not thank all of them enough for that. What I don’t understand is all of the mixed rules and messages. It appeared to be…if you followed the rules, great, but if you openly choose not to, no one seems to care. I also think the same rules should apply to everyone. If it’s one visitor then one visitor for everyone. Not to mention that they allow 0 (Zero) visitors once the ER patient was admitted so I had to say goodbye to my mom from the ER still not sure what was wrong with her….on CHRISTMAS….but both parents were allowed in for a non emergency. Just doesn’t make sense to be.

Overall, I understand everyone is just trying to do the best they can during these unique times. I just think there should be some consistency within the hospital and I believe the workplace is not the place for your pollical views on the situation. Oh yeah…..and if you’re in the ER at McLaren Port Huron Hospital…..just know everyone around you will be able to hear every conversation you’re having because the sound carries! LOL

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April 23, 2020 by halipawz

Dawn Powerwash Dish Spray; My Review – HaliPawz

I recently purchased some Dawn Platinum Powerwash to see how well it works. I found it at Sam’s Club and it came with the sprayer and three bottles. I figured if I ended up loving it, then I would be happy with three bottle, if I hated it, then I spent too much. As someone who does not have a dishwasher and has to wash all of her dishes by hand, I am always trying to find ways to get the dishes clean without using a lot of water. I am also limited on counter space so I try to do my dishes often rather than letting them build up.

Dawn Powerwash states that you are able to spray, wipe, then rinse the dishes. It is supposed to cut down the amount of time you spend washing dishes.

Once I was at home, I decided to think about what is something I hate to wash and I wanted to try it. I found Bella’s dog bowl. Since she is a Neapolitan Mastiff and her bowls get dirty quickly. Now I know this isn’t a typical item to wash and is a little extreme, but I figured, why not start here. I will say it has a pleasant odor to it….until it doesn’t. What I mean is, it is pleasant but if you have an exceptionally dirty dish, once it hits that dish, it may mix with the smell of whatever is on it and it doesn’t stay pleasant. It’s not putrid or too intense, but you really smell the change.

I sprayed the bowl thoroughly

It said for heavily soiled items to let the suds sit for a few minutes. I sprayed the dish and let it sit for about 10 minutes. I figured that would be plenty of time to let the suds attack all of the dirt and grime in her bowl. The suds were completely gone (think foaming bathroom cleaner and how it disappears) when I went back. I took a couple of paper towels and wiped around the edges. I did scrub it a little bit in the heavier areas but with a paper towel, you can’t really scrub too hard.

Bella’s dish after ten minutes and one wipe

As you can see, it didn’t do a lot. It removed a little bit of the grime, but it didn’t remove a lot of it. I sprayed the dish again and let it sit for another 5 minutes. The second time was quite a bit better. More of the grime wiped out but it still wasn’t what I would call “clean”

Bella’s dish after the second spray with regular Dawn dish-soap in it

I decided to fill the bowl up with regular Dawn dish-soap and hot water to see what happened. I forgot to take the picture after the second spray until I had already started to put the soap in it so that’s what the blue stuff is in the picture above.

I let the soap sit in the dish for about 5 minutes and then washed the dish like I would normally. As you can see, it did a lot better job, but in all fairness, this was truly the third wash, so I had an expectation of it being a lot cleaner.

After the third cleaning without scrubbing really hard

I decided to use the product in normal, everyday use to see what I thought of it. I used it on a frying pan and after I wiped it clean with a normal dish cloth and rinsed it, I still felt like it was a little greasy but not bad. Almost like there was a slight film on it, but it was definitely cleaner than if I had just used water.

On lightly soiled things, it worked well. I didn’t feel like there was a film. On silverware and on plates I just used for a sandwich or something like that, it worked OK. I can’t say I am in love with it. I think squirting a little bit of dawn dish-soap on a dish cloth and using a little bit of water would get the same results without a huge difference in water use.

Here is where I will say I like it. It is a great pre-treater and cuts down on water use. I throw my dishes in the sink, including dirty frying pans, etc, I spray them lightly with a coat of the Dawn Powerwash and then after I eat, I will go in and wash the dishes with a little bit of Dawn dish-soap and the water running very lightly. The dishes get clean a lot quicker and I don’t have to rinse as long because I’m not using as much dish-soap on the cloth.

I know it may seem like overkill to use both, but I find it is truly a lot quicker to do dishes and I don’t feel like the dishes still have a light greasy feel.

I mentioned the odor earlier and I have to say I think that was just with the dog bowls and the dirt and grime from it. I haven’t smelled it on the regular dishes as much. It maintains a pleasant smell.

Overall, I would say if you have a dishwasher and you do a majority of your dishes in it, then I wouldn’t bother adding it to your dish washing options. If you are, like me, someone who has to do all dishes by hand, I think you would find it a good product to pre-treat all dishes, especially really greasy ones and you may use it to wash simple things but you still want to keep your Dawn dish-soap handy.

If you have tried the product and you love it, please let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you!

If you like this and want to stay up to date with my posts, follow me on Twitter @HaliPawz or Like me on Facebook.com/HaliPawz

May 29, 2019 by halipawz

Sometimes the broken road is still the best path to the destination – HaliPawz

Six years ago today, I went on a first date. I don’t remember the details of the date but it must have went ok because there was a second and third. It led to a short relationship. This was a rough time for me in general. It was the first date I had gone on since my dad passed away in January of the same year. His first name was the same as my dad’s. He was so different from anyone I had ever dated. I took all this as a sign. Maybe I needed something, someone, different than those I had dated in the past.

William truly was different than anyone I had ever dated in so many ways. He was younger than me, a lot younger. He attacked life in such a unique way. He was tall, thin, and did not look like anyone I had ever dated either. He made me happy. So happy that I invited him to go to Michigan with me for a family wedding. While there were some fun moments in Michigan including showing him Lake Huron & Lake Michigan, there were also some difficult moments. Between his nerves of meeting my entire family at one time, my emotional state of still dealing with my loss, we ending up arguing more than we should and didn’t handle them well. The drive back to Missouri was not a fun one and, while we tried, we eventually parted ways. One positive discussion that came out of our trip back was he convinced me to take a chance and take the muzzle off of Zipper. He said I had to remove the muzzle or find a new home for Bella. He made me realize it wasn’t fair to either of them living the way they were. They both deserved better. I appreciated his bluntness and perspective on the situation.

We stayed in contact off and on over the years. I always had a soft spot for him. He moved to the east coast. One day, out of the blue, he called and asked if I was home. I was. He stopped by. We talked, we laughed, Bella loved on him. I reminded him of the role he played on Bella & Zipper living together, usually peacefully.

He loved the east coast and invited me to come out to visit him. I wanted to but life got in the way. Honestly, I probably got in the way. There was a part of me, I’m sure, who thought “why go? Is there really a future?” Some of it was just the timing in general. I was at a new job and time away wasn’t easy.

Before I could really make it happen, he moved again. This time to Florida. No matter how much of a soft spot I had, there was no way I could be with someone who doesn’t want roots and I made assumptions, such as, he doesn’t want roots, he’ll always be moving, etc. Someone who can just pick up and move on a whim. I could never do it. Between the dogs, the horse….my love of boxes of stuff and my hatred of moving….I did not understand his choices at the time and didn’t see myself being a part of it.

So why am I sharing this story?

Back in March I went to Florida for a family trip. I was supposed to join up with my mom, along with other family members, to watch my niece Breanna march with her high school band at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. The trip did not go as planned in many ways, more on that in another post, but I found myself with some free time in Florida without family. As I posted pictures on social media, I learned a friend from Kansas City was also at Disney with his son so I hung out with them a little but William also reached out to me. Not going to lie….because of the way we communicated and his, no, to be fair, our past, I did not put a lot of stock in our conversations. He told me he was going to be in Orlando the second day of my trip and maybe we could see each other. I said sure. We did not see each other. I chalked it up to typical way things went with us.

We continued to talk while I was there. He said he was going to try to come see me after work the night I was going to be at Universal Studios. I said sure…..and if I was being honest…..never expected to see him. Pitbull was doing a concert there the evening I was going to be there. I knew none of my family members would not want to stay for it so I planned on staying and then just catching an Uber back to the resort. There was a Mardi Gras parade before the concert so I was looking forward to a fun evening.

While we were all at dinner, William confirmed he was on his way up. Even then, because I misunderstood something he had said to me, I did not believe I would see him. I know, I know….I sound so negative but I have always been open about my belief that relationships and me don’t mix so I don’t put a lot of faith in things working out when it comes to anything to do with relationship stuff.

I’m standing along the parade route and he messaged me asking me where I was. I saw him in the crowd headed towards me and smiled. His presence always makes me smile. His high energy hasn’t changed. His exuberance for life can be exhausting sometimes but some things changed that night. The parade was fun. The Pitbull concert was amazing, he is such a great performer, especially with his passion for Florida, but that’s not what changed. It was sitting in William’s car, waiting for the traffic to clear out so we could head back to the resort.

Mardi Gras Parade float at Universal Studios Florida

We talked. I mean we really talked. He’s in sales and he’s great at what he does, but because he’s great at it, he sometimes goes into “sales speak”. For the first time, I shared with him how difficult it is to talk to him when he does it but it wasn’t in annoyance, it was in communication. Even the drive back to the resort was filled with great communication. We talked better than we ever had. We stopped the surface chit chat and really talked. I gained a new appreciation and understanding for who he is, for how he is sometimes.

He stayed in Orlando and we spent some time at Disney Springs the next morning. It was nice just spending time with him with no schedule or agenda. I knew we didn’t have a lot of time because he had some things to do before heading back home but we enjoyed the time we did have.

Here it is, May 29th and things have changed between us. We are still talking. We have decided to see where things could go between us. We both have changed so much in the last 6 years but what hasn’t changed is the feelings we both have for each other. When we talk or spend time together, he makes me feel like I am the most important thing to him. There are a lot of things stacked against us. Our schedules are hectic, he works long days so communication is often short or via text. We are long distances away from each other, which isn’t easy, but we both are committed to trying.

Who knows what the future brings. When I mentioned to him our 6 year anniversary from our first date (no clue why I had the date saved on my calendar all these years) was coming up, he said “6 years ago, I was still figuring life out”. I laughed. I’m 44 and still figuring life out. The road to today has been filled with twists, turns, potholes, even complete roadblocks….but the destination, while still not completely clear, seems worth the journey.

Happy Anniversary William, lets hope the next 6 years isn’t as broken!

January 24, 2019 by halipawz

3 Women and an Oven – Bakery review – HaliPawz

I have been thinking about Pink Champagne cupcakes for a while now. I remembered last year that a local grocery store (I think Hy-Vee or Cosentino’s Price Chopper) had them but told me they were seasonal and this was last January if memory serves me. Why the month stuck in my head was because I would have thought they would be seasonal for February because of Valentine’s Day not in January I recently went to the grocery store I thought had them last year but I didn’t find them. The bakery department was closed so I could not ask anyone at the time. I had planned on going back a different day. Fast forward to today when I was thinking about them so I googled pink champagne cupcakes in Kansas City. It was in this search I came across 3 Women and an Oven bakery After looking at the website for a few minutes I went through their Instagram photos and thought everything on there looked amazing. The detailing on their cakes and cookies was beautiful. I was excited to try them. Even though their location really isn’t on my way home or even close to anywhere I go I thought it would be worth the trip to try to make it before they close at 6 PM. Their cupcakes are $3.75 and their babycakes ( mini bundt cakes) are $2.25. The products were nicely displayed and sparkled in the light. As I was checking out, I saw where they sold the “fairy dust” to make your own cakes sparkle.

Pink Champagne cupcake from 3 Women and an Oven

I Purchased a small assortment of cupcakes and the baby cakes. I was excited to try them so decided to try one of the mini cakes as I drove home. The first thing I noticed was the frosting was a little hard. I took a bite and could not believe how dry it was and the cake was cold. I took another bite and yes, it was very dry. It was lemon raspberry so I was thinking perhaps the fruit affected the cake but you would think it would make it moister, not dryer. I decided to try the red velvet mini cake. It was also dry. It had a nice flavor to it, but was so dry it wasn’t enjoyable.

I decided to wait until I arrived at home to try any more. I wanted them to warm up a little to see if it made a difference.

I opened the box when I arrived home and was disappointed to see the lemon candy had fallen off the Lemon Drop Cupcake. The frosting was so hard I could only sit it back on to take a picture, I couldn’t place it back into the frosting. Now, I do want to point out, as someone who likes frosting, there is a nice amount of frosting on their cupcakes. It would be nice to see if it is soft when they are freshly made.

I decided to try small bites of the remaining cakes because I was afraid if I waited until the next day, they would be too dry to even eat.

The mini carrot cake was next. It was moister and had warmed up, but I have to say the flavor was lacking slightly in my opinion. So far, my excitement over these cupcakes was dwindling and I hadn’t even tried the main reason for my purchase; the Pink Champagne cupcake!

Almond Cake Bundlet babycake 3 woman and an oven

Mini Almond Bundt Cake sparkling in the light

The almond cake was next. It was so cute. The small almond sliver on top. The cake sparkled in the light. The cake was moist, the frosting was dry, but the flavor was amazing! So far this was my favorite! I have to admit, even though I had more to try, I ended up eating the whole mini cake!

I decided to take a little break to avoid a huge sugar rush but knew I’d come back to them before the night was over.

After a small break, I decided I needed to try a cupcake. I had been focused on the mini cakes because they were easier to try small bites of. I cut a small piece of the lemon drop cupcake out, making sure to get frosting and cake. It was very lemony The cake was heavy and dense The frosting was stiff and a little dry except around the cake There it was softer and easier to eat. I placed the remaining cupcake in an airtight container to finish tomorrow at lunch. One thing I would say, and this is just my opinion, but if there had been a little bit of lemon filling in the cake, I think I would have liked it a little more.

Next, I tried the mini pink champagne cake. I bought a regular cupcake and a mini one with the hope of taking the mini one to work the next day to eat at lunch. It was the only flavor I duplicated. I took a small bite and was sadly disappointed. The cake had a burnt flavor to it! While it didn’t appear to be burnt, it still tasted burnt. I could not taste any of the pink champagne taste I remembered from the grocery store ones I fell in love with the year before. Had I had this one first, I know I would not have driven 30 minutes out of my way to get more. Oddly enough, it also left a weird after taste. While I’m typing this I can still taste it and not in a pleasant way.

Now the time had come for me to try the Pink Champagne cupcake. I had taken another break. My palette was clean. I have to be honest, I wasn’t as excited as I was earlier in the evening, especially after having the mini one but I thought, perhaps it’s a different batch than the mini one. Maybe I will be pleasantly surprised.

I do have to give them credit, the appearance of the cupcakes are beautiful. The frosting looks delicious, the cakes sparkle.

I did not cut a small piece on this one. I decided to take a bite the way a cupcake was meant to be consumed. I took a bite, making sure to get frosting and cake. The frosting was moister than some of the other cakes. From the size of the cupcake, it was difficult to get a bite from top to bottom, so the cupcake was a good size. The flavor was disappointing. It had that same burnt flavor but I could taste some of the “champagne” flavor in the cupcake, which I could not taste in the mini cake. I couldn’t tell if it was a burnt flavor or if the champagne flavoring was just off or maybe even old tasting. I wish I could explain it, but it tasted old or burnt. I did decide to wrap this one up in an airtight container as well and if I get a different taste tomorrow, I will definitely share.

Overall, 5 flavors and only 1 would I want to purchase again. The almond cake. Perhaps if I was eating a fresh one I might have a different take on a couple of them, but flavor is flavor and some of them were lacking in that area.

I love cupcakes but don’t see myself making the trip to south Overland Park to purchase cupcakes from them again. I have found other places around Kansas City who can do an almond cake just as good. My quest to find an amazing Pink Champagne cupcake continues!

What are your favorite go to cupcake places? Doesn’t have to be just in Kansas City, I’d like to hear your favorite place in your city!

July 23, 2018 by halipawz

Alzheimer’s Walk 2018 – HaliPawz

Alzheimer’s is a viscous disease affecting every family member, extending into the community and impacting so many lives in such a negative way.

To Donate, click here

My dad was outgoing, he had an amazing mind where he could see a problem or obstacle in something he was doing and then go to the garage and build something to solve it One year, when I was young, he came out of the garage with a pitchfork sticking out of a wooden plank, with some wire fastening it all together and said we were going to “push” the snow instead of shoveling it because his back was bothering him. It worked 30 years later someone else thought of the same thing and patented it and sold it.

My dad was all about family too. Family was so important to him This is why I try to join my family when I can in the walk It is important to me because I don’t want to see another family go though what we went through Watching this brilliant mind deteriorate slowly Watching a man who was a volunteer fireman, walking into burning buildings with none of the safety equipment they have today, go to being scared, not knowing where he was or who he was with.

My dad gave back to the community in so many ways, serving on the fire department, then the fire board. He was a GOOD neighbor to all.

Alzheimer’s Flower Garder Photo Credit: BCBS

I’m asking you, if you’re reading this, to be a good neighbor to everyone affected by Alzheimer’s. If you personally have a loved one affected by Alzheimer’s, you know the importance of finding a cure. If you haven’t been affected by this disease, I hope a cure is found so you never have to be.

Even if you only have $5 to donate, please consider donating. Alzheimer’s affects everyone in so many ways. I have said so often, I had to grieve for my father every time I went to visit him until he passed away. His physical body was there but I couldn’t interact with him, couldn’t ask for a solution to a problem. I am blessed I have a similar mind, just wasn’t gifted with the same talent to actually BUILD the stuff. I keep trying though!

Want to walk but don’t have a team? Join ours! It doesn’t matter if you know us or not. Come out, have fun, a support a great organization. Just click on the link below to join our Team! We’d love to have you walk with us.

To Join our Team or Donate, Click Here

Let’s work together to find a cure!

The End of Alzheimer’s Starts with Me Photo Credit: Alzheimer’s Association

May 5, 2018 by halipawz

I visited Rockstar Burgers restaurant in the Westbottoms, Kansas City Missouri – Halipawz

Rockstar Burgers Westbottoms KCMO

I volunteer every year for the American Royal. For the last couple of years, I have driven by Rockstar Burgers on my way to the AR complex. It always catches my eye. The artwork on the outside is very much an attention grabber. There always seems to be people there, which, for the Westbottoms, says a lot.

Today was no different. I had signed up to volunteer for the BBQ sauce competition and sure enough, my eyes gazed to Rockstar Burgers as I drove by. I had a pretty tight schedule today so I knew it would have to wait until another day. Not to mention I am back on track with my eating healthy and watching my caloric intake, so a burger would not be on the list

As luck would have it, we finished today’s portion of our volunteer duties early. I did some quick calculations in my head and knew I’d have time for a burger AND a swim before I had to go to my next appointment. I was heading to Rockstar Burgers. I figured today was as good of a day as any.

I walked in and was greeted. The decor is a lot of graffiti but it’s unique and eye catching. They have normal tables as well as bar height tables. The chairs are torn, the tables are wobbly…all of which just adds to the character and charm of the place.

The waitress came over to get my drink order while I perused the menu. Since they are open 24/7 they serve breakfast and burgers with a mixture of other items thrown in. I asked the waitress how big the patties were. She said the regular burgers were the thin patties, about .25 lbs but the Rockstar Burgers were 1/2 pound. When I inquired what was on the Rockstar burger she rattled off so mush I couldn’t remember it all, but I disregarded it when I heard the word egg. I am not an egg on my burger type of person. The confusing part is, when I stated, “so if the others ones are .25 pounds then the double cheeseburger is 1/2 pound. She told me no. Then she said… maybe .5 pounds. At that point, I was lost so I went ahead and ordered the double cheeseburger, fries, and a strawberry shake.

Menu at Rockstar Burgers

They have free WiFi which is always nice. I did have to ask for the password but they have Free WiFi on the menu so I didn’t feel awkward asking for it.

My strawberry shake arrived first.

Rockstar Burgers Strawberry Shake

It was a nice size shake. The shake was ok. It could have had a little more strawberry flavor to it. It was nice and thick, which is how I like my shakes. I don’t think I would order it again unless I was just really in the mood for a shake.

My food arrived. I was pleasantly surprised at the size of the burger, especially with the confusion over the size. They only put 2 strips of bacon on it, which for an extra $3 I guess I would have thought maybe 3 slices. You don’t get to specify the Temperature of the burger so I figured it would come out well done. I was right. The bacon had a really nice flavor to it. It may be why you only get 2 slices, they spend more for a nice quality bacon. The bun was fresh, there was plenty of cheese on it. The burger overall was good. I’m not saying it was memorable, but it was ok as burgers go. It was filling. The fries were ok. I had to add a little bit of salt to them but they were nice and crispy on the outside, hot and meaty on the inside.

The staff checked on me often and removed any trash each time.

My bill, with tax, came to $16.50 before too. While a little pricey for lunch, I had splurged on the shake and bacon, so it was average price to me. More than I would normally spend when dining alone for lunch, on a whim. When it came time to check out, they bring the card scanner right to the table. It pops up with the total as well as 3 gratuity options, 15%, 18%, and 20% with the amounts clearly showing. You just select one, sign with your finger, and remove your card (if it has a chip). Super simple.

They also have a full bar, which is open until 1am according to the menu.

While I was there eating, it began to fill up The more people who entered, the louder the restaurant became The music is at a tasteful volume though, so you don’t feel like you’re competing with it to talk / listen to others

There is also an option to sit outside but they don’t have a lot of tables out there so I’m sure they fill up quickly

Overall, I’m glad I stopped in. Looking around as I walked out, I realized there are a few other restaurants in the Westbottoms I should try. I normally just drive in, volunteer, and drive back out. With the American Royal moving at some point, I really should make the Westbottoms a destination from time to time.

I think Rockstar Burgers would be a fun place to go with a group who just wanted to have a few drinks and some burgers. The atmosphere is fun. The staff is friendly and very efficient. The menu warns you there may be a wait because they cook to order, but I didn’t find the wait to be too long.

If you’re in the Westbottoms, it’s worth checking out!

Have you been to Rockstar Burgers? Leave a comment and tell me about your experience!

April 16, 2018 by halipawz

Mounted Archery for the fearful rider – HaliPawz

I had my first mounted archery lesson last week. I had talked about it in a previous blog sharing how I’m not a great rider but I wanted to change that this year. It was a freezing cold day for April in Missouri so I was happy to have half of the training inside the wedding barn at Von Holten Ranch. Complete side note; if you are planning a wedding or need an event space near Sedalia / Mora, Missouri and want a beautiful venue ran by two really great people, definitely check them out!

Brandy Von Holten is a GREAT educator. She has a way of making everything fun, she’s down to earth, but she makes sure you truly understand what it is she is teaching. The first half we did classroom type training where she broke down the basics, not only of mounted archery, but of archery in general. She put in a ton of time to make it easier for us to acquire the items needed for this sport and when something wasn’t available the way she thought it should be, she just designed it herself and had them ready for us. I admire anyone who can think a couple of steps ahead to make a solution of a problem because I feel I have those traits in areas I excel in.

Luke and Beau waiting for their turn to learn Mounted Archery

When we broke for lunch, I won’t lie, I was apprehensive about continuing. I’m not sure if it’s because it was starting to get real and we were going to be putting our education into practice, including involving our horses or if it was because it was all so overwhelming in general. To qualify for the beginning student level in the international division, you have to be able to make all your shots in a full canter (for non horse people….a run). Ummmm, I’m the fearful rider! I don’t even canter my horse in general, let alone dropping the reins and shooting a bow and arrow! All I kept thinking is…..nope, this isn’t for me.

We started eating lunch and I openly discussed my concerns with my friend who was also learning this sport. I knew Brandy would do everything in her power to keep us safe. I knew she was passionate about the sport and truly believed it was something I could do, so I sucked it up, finished my lunch and pushed past the nerves in my stomach to go out and start the second half of our training.

One thing we learned QUICKLY is our “mounted archery bow” we purchased on Etsy WAS NOT going to cut it for this sport. Brandy had a bow for us to try as well as she tried ours and we laughed at how different they were. We initially chose them because we didn’t want to put a lot of money into something we might not enjoy. Needless to say, it was a good thought, but was a true fail. The style of shooting was almost impossible with the bows we chose. We learned to shoot off our thumb, a very traditional style of shooting, but also very difficult if you have the wrong bow.

Not the right bow for Mounted Archery

The bow is cute and would probably be good for a young girl learning archery so I might put it up for sale after I get my correct bow, but I can guarantee I will not be using it to shoot from my horse.

After some clear instructions from Brandy, it came time to shoot from the ground. Without even thinking, when we had been practicing at an archery range, not once did I think….”hey, you’re gonna be on a horse, so you should probably stand facing one direction and shooting to the side!” I also felt a little crazy because Brandy said to wear our hat or riding helmet if we were planning on wearing them when we were riding our horse. I ride with a helmet, so here I am, freezing cold, gloves on, hoodie up to cover my ears from the cold wind, and then my crazy riding helmet! I say crazy because, let’s face it, if you’re a plus size rider with a round face, you know there is NO good helmet for you. Even the “low profile” helmets look bad on a round face.

It came my turn to shoot having switched over to using Brandy’s bow instead of my Etsy one and I discovered something. I’m a decent shot! Please understand, it’s painful to shoot off the thumb and it’s difficult to shoot the right way but thanks to great explanations from Brandy, I was able to get off some pretty good shots. I was proud of myself! A lot of it is hand positioning and shooting based on a feeling but it was a lot of fun watching the arrow fly from the bow and hit the target!

My FIRST attempt at shooting a Korean Recurve Bow with off the thumb shooting. Do you see the RED??

We had a lot of fun goofing around, trying to stay warm, while everyone had a shot. The nice thing was, every woman there was encouraging each other, it didn’t matter if we knew each other or had met for the first time, we encouraged, we worked with each other to help each other understand the techniques, and mostly, we laughed. We laughed a lot. We laughed at how many times we dropped the arrows, we laughed when we were being silly, and we were all comfortable being ourselves. We ranged in ages, we ranged in riding disciplines, we ranged in riding abilities but none of it mattered. We were all there because we were excited about learning something new. Something we could do with our horse.

My second attempt at shooting

We had “mastered” (and yes, I use the term very loosely) the art of shooting on the ground, so it was time to tack up our horses. I am not quick at tacking up my horse (for the non horse people, it means putting the saddle on them) in general, but when the nerves kick in, I feel like I’m even slower. Luke was antsy and kept pacing, which made me more nervous, which made him pace more….do you see the pattern? My stomach was doing flip flops so I had to run to the restroom. By the time I was done tacking up, everyone else had been tacked up and already on their horse.

I went and brought my mounting block over and had a little panic attack. I was so excited to try this and panic just hit me. I couldn’t bring myself to throw my leg over. Thankfully, Brandy, sensing my concerns AND having worked with me and Luke in the past, walked me through it a few times, showed me Luke really could care less about the arrow flying from the bow near him, and, in time, I mounted my horse. The irony is, the minute my butt is in the saddle, I’m usually good again. It’s just the swing over that sets my heart racing. I took a couple of spins around on Luke to get familiar with him and the arena, then it was our turn to go through the pattern and shoot. I have NEVER been led on my horse, so I was a little nervous about it, thinking I would panic, but I was handed the bow and we set off down the lane. I came to the first shot and I wasn’t thinking about not having the reins in my hand, I was thinking about shooting this bow and arrow correctly. I didn’t shoot it correctly the first time. I held it too long and didn’t shoot great. The second time I had to pause my walk, get reset, and then shoot. My second shot wasn’t great either. Third time was the charm. I started my walk, I pulled back and let the arrow fly. It HIT! I shot a bow and arrow FROM MY HORSE AND HIT the target. The pride I felt was a little crazy. I did it. I fought past my fears and did it.

Click here to watch a hilarious video of my first shot…..my helmet looked crazy but wait until the end, you’ll see the pride in my final shot. Thanks Brandy for the fun video!

I know I’m a long way from my goals but I am taking the first steps. Not only am I learning mounted archery but I’m agreeing to compete with friends in a country tough challenge at Von Holten Ranch. I’m setting up lessons with Brandy as well as another great trainer so I can focus on my skills, my nerves, and now, archery. Until this year, I would always say I owned a horse, but I never felt like I had the right to use the term “equestrian” This year is going to change. By the end of the summer I hope to proudly say I am a rider, I am an equestrian, and I am a Mounted Archer!

March 18, 2018 by halipawz

Dog Hair on the Furniture; it’s that time again – HaliPawz

It is that time again. Shedding season has begun in my household. I know, I know, it’s a year round thing when you have larger dogs, but the excessive shedding has been going on for a few weeks now. With the weather starting to turn nice, I had my patio door and my front door open at the same time and watched the fallen hair travel all around my hardwood floors. When you see it on the floor, you know it’s on the furniture too. I keep blankets on all of the living room furniture to catch the hair, but sometimes Bella decides she wants to do some rearranging and pulls it off to find herself a more comfortable spot.

Blankets moved, Pillow flipped down for comfort, Toy in paw

Back in 2015 I created a video showing my technique to removing dog hair from my couch. It was one of the first videos I ever shared. I did not have any editing skills, still don’t really, but the end result was still OK. I happened to see it today when I was looking for a different video and thought it was a perfect time to share it again.

How to remove dog hair from furniture

Hope the tip works for you. Do you have another method you prefer? Share in the comments.

March 14, 2018 by halipawz

Psychological WARdrobe of weight loss – HaliPawz

Losing weight has its benefits, and here is no doubt about it. I think sometimes though, we forget that our body is going through more changes than just the loss of fat from our body. As the pounds come off, we have to address a variety of things, things other may not completely understand. For me, one of the hardest areas is my wardrobe. I know this is more psychological than anything, but it is something I’m sure others losing weight may have an issue with as well. It’s like waging war with yourself, but no one is the winner.

I’ve lost 50 pounds so far. While I am happy with the weight loss, I am still very overweight and I’m back on track trying to lose another 40-50 pounds. I will share more about the “getting back on track” part later. Today I want to address clothing. I wear black pants and button up shirts with our company logo on them every day at work. Seems pretty simple. When I started the job a year ago, I paid close attention to the sizing chart Lands End provides with their business attire. I made sure I selected shirts matching my measurements. When I first started wearing them, they fit fine, they buttoned up ok, but when I sat down, I HATED the way they fit. I do not usually wear button up shirts and I’m sure this is the reason. They would pucker in the belly area, reminding me, and everyone else, I am overweight. As I lost weight, the shirts slowly started to lose the visible pucker. It was nice. The only problem is I now look like I am swimming in my shirts when I’m standing up. When I heard they were placing a Lands End order, I went ahead and had them order me one new shirt. ONE. Not five like I currently own, but ONE! My rationale was, I’m not done losing weight so I didn’t want to use up my uniform allowance on shirts too big for me. It sounded good. I knew the truth though….I knew I didn’t want to go back to wearing a shirt which would pucker in the belly. The shirt arrived, I took it home, I tried it on, and, yes, if I was being honest, I would say it fit me EXACTLY like the first set of shirts fit me when I first started losing weight. The only difference is, I have five BIG shirts so I don’t have to wear the tighter shirt.

We were taking pictures for work so I wore one of my baggy shirts and brought my new one along to put on for the picture. Again, my reason for the second shirt was because I knew we were doing the pictures later in the day and I have a propensity for spilling something on me and I wanted a spare shirt. Let’s face it, we all know the real reason, I wanted the baggy shirt for comfort then change into the tighter shirt for pictures and THEN change back into my baggy shirt for the rest of the day. It is a little ridiculous, I know. I admit it. Typing it here and now reminds me how silly it is, but it’s something I have to get past.

I own two pairs of black pants I wear to work every day. I do a load of laundry every other day throughout the week. I have one other pair in the same size, but they don’t have pockets, so I will only wear them when I truly forgot to do laundry. The sad thing is, over a month ago I bought a pair of pants in my new size. They fit great. You can actually see my legs. They don’t look like they are two sizes too big and dragging on the ground…..which, by now, I’m sure you can imagine is EXACTLY how my current work pants look. I’ve worn them ONCE to work. They weren’t baggy. They weren’t loose. They weren’t comfortable. I felt like I looked fatter in them.

Please understand, body image isn’t really an issue with me. I openly admit I’m overweight. I’m not the type of person to wear a bikini the size I am, but I don’t feel it would be wrong to do so if I wanted to. I just don’t want to. I’m happy with myself and who I am. I just can’t let go of the baggy clothes to wear clothes to fit my new size. I’ve gotten used to the comfort of the ones I’m wearing and when they are tight, it bothers me. I try to convince myself to wear them, because then they would be tight and it would motivate me to keep losing weight and I TRY to do it. I look at them in the morning and think to myself, just wear them. It’s how your clothes USED to fit you before you lost the weight and then I grab the more comfortable clothes.

I use other excuses as well, such as, I don’t have the money to buy a bunch of clothes in my current size only to have to buy more when I finish losing my weight. Another one is, maybe I’ll like the smaller size and then get frustrated because I only have one pair. The funniest one, to me, is well I can’t find the exact same pants I’m currently wearing and I don’t like the material of the new ones as well so I just don’t wear them. I know it is all psychological. I know the clothes fit me now like my old one’s fit me when I was 50 pounds heavier. Perhaps just putting this down in words, sharing the craziness, will help me to realize it is time to start wearing some of the clothes to fit me today.

What are some of the psychological obstacles you face in your weight loss? Has anyone else had trouble giving up their larger clothes? I have given up a few pairs of jeans because they just would not even remotely stay up anymore and with my weird build, belts don’t really work. Baby steps I guess.

No matter where you are in your weight loss, remember someone has gone before you and someone is coming behind you with the same, or similar struggles. Don’t give up. If you get off track, just plant the seeds to get back on.

Every day is a new day, embrace it, and move forward!

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