This is the first in a series of personal posts chronicling the arrival of a new dog in our home. After doing some research on living with pets and kids, I realized there wasn’t a ton of useful, honest information out there. I hope you’ll enjoy them and find them useful.

Farfalle was an exceptional cat. Everyone who met him agreed. Not one of those cats that hid from you, but rather, he was always close by – curled in laps, perched on shoulders, happily not squirming in our young daughter’s arms. Friends always remarked that his warm nature was more dog than cat like.

He died quite unexpectedly a few months ago from feline leukemia. It was a heartbreakingly sad process to go through. He was under a year old and was born with the illness, unbeknownst to us when we got him. Losing him left a big vacancy in our home.

Immediately we realized that our family was not complete without a pet. Shortly thereafter, the puppy pangs started. After being a cat owner for nearly 20 years (Prior to Farfalle, there was another great feline soul in my life, who lived to the ripe old age 17), I was suddenly wondering: Is it time for a dog? During my single, apartment-dwelling urban years, a cat was the natural companion. Now that I’m part of a suburban-living family unit, it seems time to make the transition from feline companion to dog parent.

Admittedly, it’s been many, many years since either my husband or I lived with a dog, so this is not a decision we’ve taken lightly. True, we grew up with dogs, but pet ownership has changed a lot in the past 20 years. Gone are the days when you train your puppy by covering your floor with newspaper or simply put the dog in the back yard to do his “business.” Now you are encouraged to crate train your puppy, socialize him with doggy playdates, and of course take him for long walks in rain or shine. We are ready to commit to all that, and more. Here are few of the things that helped us decided we were ready for a puppy.

1. We live in a house with a fenced in yard.

2. One of us has a flexible schedule, so the puppy wouldn’t be alone for long hours during the day.

3. Our daughter loves animals and we want to raise her to be respectful and kind to them.

4. We are active people. We like being outside, taking road trips and exploring nature. A dog will, too!

5. We’re responsible – emotionally and financially – and able to commit to caring for another living creature for the rest of its (hopefully long) life.

Once we decided that a dog was in our future, the next step was to do some research on dog breeds to help us get a dog whose temperament would match ours.

– Angela M.

Coming up next in The Puppy Files: Finding The Perfect Breed For Our Family

We haven’t even consumed all of our Thanksgiving leftovers, and I’m already feeling like we’re behind in our holiday decorating. I think the first order of business is to find a wreath for our front door (which happens to be pale blue, fyi). I’m torn between buying a fresh one — there are a ton at Home Depot — or going a more crafty route. Someday, I’ll make my own wreath — I’ve seen a ton of great how-tos online — but this year I’m short on time. Etsy is calling my name.

Here are some that have caught my eye.

Maine wreath, $60. Covered in moss with a tiny moose. Reminds me of our summer vacation.

This is the one our nearly-4-year old wants. Quelle surprise. It’s made of peppermint sticks and lollipops. $70

Modern Felt Mistletoe, $80, is elegant.

Fresh Eucalyptus and noble, would look great on door. Would it smell nice? For $90, I’d hope so.

Do you have a wreath on your door? Any advice when buying a fresh one? Or hanging a crafty number? — Angela M.

I’ve always been a sucker for good packaging. Even though I am keenly aware of this weakness, I was still surprised at how Martha Stewart products crept their way into my life this Thanksgiving weekend. First, there was the bird. Our mission was simple: A 12lb fresh turkey — as the Real Simple recipe for cider-glazed turkey I’d decided on, called for. Once we got to the store, I saw a whole bunch of turkeys that were 15lbs, 18, lbs, 22 lbs — but only one that was 12.5 lbs. It was a Martha Stewart Turkey. What?!? Martha Stewart makes turkeys? Who knew. The label assured me it was the turkey of my dreams — free-range, no antibiotics, naturally fed, 2.49/lb. Done, into the basket it went.

After the grocery store I popped into Home Depot to buy some flower bulbs to plant over the long weekend. The unseasonably warm weather means there is still plenty of time to get them in the ground. Again, I found myself lured by some lovely blue and white packaging that bore the Martha Stewart name. Unlike the other bags of bulbs, hers were organized by single colors. She just knows what it is I’m looking for, doesn’t she? So despite feeling slightly duped, I succombed and purchased the MS bulbs.

Can I recommend them? We’ll just have to wait until next spring to see. But I will say, the turkey was a fine bird. — Angela M.

More posts like this.
Things to do with Martha Stewart’s home keeping handbook (besides home keeping)

Are you planting bulbs this fall?

Organic fabrics can be tricky business. Sure, they’re processed without chemicals, and the cotton is grown without pesticides. But the results can be fabrics that are either paper thin or burlap thick, with a texture to match. When I set out to find a pair of organic sheets, I knew I had my work cut out for me, but the idea of not having all of those chemicals rubbing around on me while I sleep was appealing, even to a girl as un-environmentally friendly as me.

After spending way too much time researching the best options, I settled on a set from Charles P. Rogers, and they’ve completely changed my opinion of organic cotton. These beautiful sheets are soft and luxurious, with just the right amount of thickness to keep you warm, but thin enough to drape well and not wrinkle too terribly. They wash beautifully, and the fitted sheet actually holds on to the corners of my gigantic mattress. At $140 for a Queen set, they’re not the cheapest option on the block, but in the world of organics, it’s actually very reasonable. And a good set of sheets is one of those investments whose value can’t be quantified – there’s just nothing like it.

Next thing you know, I might even insist on organic cotton tees! Well, maybe not quite yet. –Becki S.

We are blessed with two extremely loveable yet mildly neurotic mastiffs. I’ve written before about the lengths we’ve gone to to soothe our male dog Sofa’s anxiety issues. One huge help has been hiring someone to stay with our dogs in their home when we go out of town. The only problem is, each of our two dogs weighs 100+ pounds, so unless she has a friend available to help, our dog sitter has to walk them one at a time. So to help alleviate the dogs’ stress of being alone in the house or having the routine changed a bit, this is what I devised:

1) Two words: Kong Wobbler. Our dogs are pretty crafty and mighty chewers, so normal Kong toys weren’t much of a challenge for them. The Wobbler is a whole ‘nother story. Instead of rubber like regular Kongs, this one is made of thick, hard plastic that unscrews so you can put treats inside. The bottom is weighted so that the toy wobbles (of course) and rolls, and the small opening makes it a lot more challenging for our dogs to get to the treats. We did a test run with the Wobblers before we left town, and our dogs were positively obsessive about them. They chewed them furiously without doing much more than putting a few grooves in the plastic, and because the toys are a bit slippery in addition to being wobbly, our dogs actually got a lot of exercise jumping up to chase after them. One note: when the hard-plastic Wobblers hit the floor, they are loud. So unless your home is fully carpeted, don’t give out these toys if you plan to take a nap.

2) This may convince you that I’m a little neurotic, too. There’s nothing that makes our dogs happier than a new toy, so I bought new versions of several of their proven favorites, plus two all-new toys to try. After removing all the tags, I divided the toys up into bags labeled with days of the week. On the designated day, our do sitter can simply open a bag and hand a brand-new Doggles MonsterPull, Kong Plush Snake or JW Pet iN Action toy to each dog. Presto, occupado!

Nothing can replace a lot of love, some human playtime, or a good long walk, but so far it appears that these strategies are keeping my dogs sane—and our dog sitter, too. –Mary T.

P.S. The iN Action toy is new, so I don’t know yet how that one will work out, but all the rest of these toys have been proven to stand up to extremely vigorous play and chewing.

Around the holidays, besides the focus on entertaining, gifting and shipping deadlines, my thoughts often return to where I want to spend my charitable dollars to help those in need. This year, I’m thankful to be working for a company that partners with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® in their annual Thanks and Giving® campaign which asks all holiday shoppers to “give thanks for the healthy kids in your life and give to those who are not.” It costs an incredible $1.7 million a day to operate St. Jude, and more than 75% of that funding is derived from public donations. Luckily, some of our favorite home retailers have answered the call again this year with an assortment of holiday goods benefiting St. Jude. From hostess-gift-giving to stocking-stuffing to holiday decorating, the Williams-Sonoma family of brands has us covered while donating 50% of the purchase price of the following products to this worthy cause.

West Elm
Mercury Glass Owls, $14-19
St. Jude Charity Mug, $10

Pottery Barn
Etched Mercury Spiced Vanilla Filled Votives, set of two, $19.50
Mercury Spiced Vanilla Candle Pot, $29.50
Mercury Rose Filled Candle Pot, $24

Pottery Barn Kids
Oatmeal the Bear, $20
Oatmeal Ornament, $10
Tartan Sherpa Throw, $59.50

PBteen
Sparkly Sequin Pillows, $25
Sparkly Sequin Word Pillow Covers, $29
Sherpa Stocking, $25

Not interested in product? The Williams-Sonoma family of brands will also donate $5 for the purchase of your eGift Card when you select the St. Jude option at West Elm, Pottery Barn, PBteen, Pottery Barn Kids or Williams-Sonoma.

To donate directly to St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital®, click here.

– Sarah C.

As this Thanksgiving rolls around, we are thankful that is our FIFTH Shelterrific Thanksgiving. We’ve covered our favorite feast from many angles, and thought it might be worth taking a moment to click down memory lane. From the great brine debate to the ultimate one-hour holiday meal, there’s a lot of great advice in these here posts. See some of our favorites, below.

How do you cook your bird?

Domino’s One Hour Thanksgiving

With the holidays coming up, I’ve been debating all of the various ways I could dress my Thanksgiving table. I always dream of being the kind of girl that uses chargers – they have this way of making a table setting look instantly glamorous and elegant, no matter how ordinary your dinnerware. But really, who has storage space for a set of plates that aren’t really plates, that you use only once or twice a year? Moreover, who has energy to hand wash one more round of dishes at the end of the night?

Leave it to the geniuses at Chilewich to come up with the solution. Their Dahlia placemats look absolutely amazing under even the simplest white dishes. The metallic tone is the perfect touch of glam for a holiday table. And the best part about these beautiful mats? They’re plastic – so they can be wiped off, rolled up, and stashed in the tiniest corner of your kitchen cupboard until next year. Though really, they’re so pretty and polished, I have a feeling I’ll be using these year-round…which is definitely more than I could say for those chargers. Plus, at only $8 each, they won’t break the bank.

I’ll be using them to top a classic white linen tablecloth and set off my white dinnerware from West Elm – with a beautiful red apple on everyone’s plate (these gorgeous candles from DL & Company would double as excellent favors/gifts for your guests, if you’re so inclined) and a few mercury glass candlesticks, this year’s Thanksgiving table will be stunning, with hardly an ounce of effort on my part. –Becki S.

You have my apologies for posting about Christmas before Thanksgiving (even though the local big box stores were crowding out the Halloween costumes with lights and tinsel prior to October 31), but for once in my life I thought I’d get a (slight) jump on holiday shopping. I’ve been subscribing to the Fab.com mailing list for awhile. If you’re not familiar with Fab, it’s another site featuring limited-time online designer sales, only Fab sticks with modern design. And unfortunately, you’ll need to sign up to be a member to see the goods. But they are good — for instance, a modern take on holidays in the Design Decor Shop. Alas, my favorite item in the shop, the Mistletoe Garland, is already sold out, but as of this writing, still some cool stuff to liven up your modern holiday pod, like this chevron table runner by the same designers, or this tree stand by Pascal Charmolu. If you’d rather shop for presents than for decor, check out Fab’s gift ideas, all under $100. — Mary T.

Martha’s Crafts Dept. is showcasing a sunny, bright and cheerful Thanksgiving tablescape we’d like to replicate.

Gorgeous plantable ornaments to deck your tree, at Casa Sugar.

Find out what wine is perfect for your Holiday meal — less than $5 a bottle — at Serious Eats.

A mouthwatering alternative to plain old pies of pumpkin and pecan: Maple walnut pie, at Simply Recipes.

Tour a modern houseboat in Seattle that redefines small space luxury at Contemporist.

Deck your halls with wreaths of velvet — and find out how at Craft!