Luna's Reign Begins!

Hey there!

This past week was a pretty laid-back one for us—which honestly was kind of perfect. I always appreciate when life slows down a bit. It wasn’t like I had planned for it to be a chill week or anything—it just sort of happened that way, and I wasn’t mad about it. Sometimes life gives you that little pause, and you just roll with it.

Me and Holly were mostly at home this week. The boys were away at college, doing their thing, so it was just the two of us around the house. We kept things simple—no big plans, just regular everyday stuff. But even in a quiet week, there’s always something going on, especially when puppies are involved!

So the big news from the boys' side of things is Luna—their new puppy. She’s been doing great. She’s out in the backyard chewing on sticks like it’s her full-time job, running around, playing, and generally being the adorable ball of chaos that puppies are supposed to be. She’s already managed to totally win over my boys with her cuteness and nonstop energy. They’ve been sending us updates and pictures, and you can just tell—she’s become their little sidekick.

They’re deep into potty training right now, and they say she’s catching on. Still a few accidents here and there, but for the most part, she’s learning quickly. Apparently, she's obsessed with sticks and thinks every single one in the backyard belongs to her. Indoors, she’s been really good—sticking to her toys and leaving the furniture alone, so that's been a big relief. They’ve also been keeping her leashed inside so she doesn’t get the run of the whole house just yet—mostly staying close to where they are, especially while she’s still figuring out the routine.

The cats are slowly getting used to her, too. At first, there was a little standoffish behavior—lots of cautious looks and a bit of hissing—but they’re warming up. The boys think it won’t be long before the cats and Luna are actually playing together, which would be pretty entertaining to see. I’m just glad everything seems to be going smoothly with her so far.

Back on our end, it was a pretty standard week. Me and Holly stayed home for the most part, worked out a bit, and tried to stay on top of our health—especially with pollen season in full swing. Down here in Georgia, it’s like a green fog everywhere. The cars, the sidewalks, even the air feels like it’s coated in pollen. So I’ve been back on Claritin every night just to keep my allergies in check. It helps, but man, this time of year can be rough.

I've also been seeing a ton of ads and photos about cherry blossom festivals popping up across the country. Every time I see one, I can't help but think back to our trip to Japan. That was such an incredible experience. I think it’s got Holly daydreaming a little too—she really fell in love with it over there. The culture, the scenery, the food—everything. I wouldn’t be surprised if she starts casually dropping hints about booking another trip sometime soon.

As we rolled into the weekend, things picked up a bit socially. On Friday, I had lunch with my parents, which is always nice—just catching up and spending time together. Then Friday night, I had dinner with my brother and his wife. We went to a local spot in Senoia called Bistro. It was our first time there, and we were impressed—good food, great service, and just a cozy atmosphere. We’ll definitely be back.

After dinner, we went back to my brother’s house and decided to watch a movie. And not just any movie—we picked Zombeavers. Yes, zombie beavers. It’s exactly what it sounds like. Total B-movie insanity. We found it after talking about that ridiculous Cocaine Bear movie, which was wild in its own right. Zombeavers didn’t disappoint—it was hilariously terrible. Low budget, ridiculous plot, over-the-top acting—but also oddly fun if you're in the right mood. We laughed a lot, which is what really matters.

Saturday morning, I was lucky enough to get in a workout with my dad. We hit the gym together, and I got to meet his trainer. It was a great session, and I really enjoyed just being there with him. Those little routines—working out together, spending time—mean a lot more than we often realize in the moment.

The rest of Saturday was nice and low-key. Me and Holly stayed in, caught up on some shows, and eventually decided to order takeout. I jumped on Uber Eats and noticed—once again—that the menu prices on there are always marked up. Drives me a little crazy, honestly. I don’t mind paying a delivery fee or tipping the driver, but it feels like everything on the app is $4 to $5 more than if you just call the restaurant directly. So, Holly just decided to go pick it up herself while I went for a walk to get my steps in.

Speaking of steps, I’ve been experimenting a bit with my daily goals. Normally, I shoot for 10,000 steps a day, but this week I bumped it up to 11,000 to see if that small change would have any noticeable impact. And surprisingly, it did. Just adding that extra 1,000 steps helped me lean out a little more and stay on track with my weight loss goals. It’s a small tweak, but it made a difference for me, so I’m going to keep it up.

Sunday night, we had dinner with my dad again—this time Chinese food. So yeah, there was quite a bit of eating out this weekend. But even with all that, I managed to stay on track with my diet. It definitely makes you more mindful when you're ordering—leaning toward grilled chicken or steak instead of some of the more tempting stuff. But it worked, and I felt good heading into the new week.

All in all, it was a calm, steady week. Nothing crazy, nothing dramatic—just a week full of small, meaningful moments. And sometimes, those are the best kind. We wrapped it up feeling good, rested, and ready to tackle this week strong and finish out the quarter on a high note.

Hope everyone else out there had a great week too—pollen and all!

And of course, as always—If you're in pain, call Shane!