Cute as a Bug

I can't believe that I haven't blogged about my new car! I've had this sweet VW Bug for over a month now, and it is probably the most fun I've ever had with an automobile. I have coveted the new Volkswagen Beetles for over ten years now. We knew that we would need to add another car to the family, as the older boys really needed some wheels to get around town. We debated for a long time. Do we buy something new for ourselves? Do we buy something cheap for the boys? Do we go for another SUV or minivan?



And then my husband found this listing on Autotrader from a local seller. It fit all of my criteria for a car...it had to be used, under ten years old, under 100K miles, with a sunroof, and it was cheap enough that we could pay cash, Dave Ramsey style. This little car had been driven by a senior citizen in Florida, who only put 40,000 miles on it in the eight years they owned it. Perfect!



And did I mention? It has the adorable flower vase in the dashboard, too! This little bug has a lot of kick, and it can get up and go like a sports car! It gets great gas mileage, and it's perfect for driving around town and getting to work.

Ed has dubbed the car "Rosebug", which is a play on his nickname for me, Rosebud.


Maggie took her first car ride in the bug today, and I could tell that she liked it, too. Rosebug is just the right size for us girls to tool around town on a sunny day.

Maggie had her yearly vet's checkup, and she now weighs a very slim 65 pounds! She lost almost 30 pounds in the past year, thanks to her new diet and exercise plan. The vet says she looks great for a ten year old lab, and I have to agree. All of the extra weight of last year just aged her too quickly and put too much stress on her arthritic hips. Now, she's a playful puppy again!

Do you know an overweight dog who could stand to lose a few pounds? Here's the plan our vet recommended last year.

1) Switch to diet dog food. (I had thought that senior dog food was formulated for older dogs who don't move around as much, but as it turns out, senior dog food is higher in calories and formulated for dogs who have trouble keeping the weight on as the get older.)
2) Cut her serving size by one third.
3) Cut her biscuits and treats to only one or two small treats a day.
4) Add a half a can of drained, uncooked green beans to some of her dry dog food once a day to give her fiber without the extra calories.
5) Increase daily exercise slowly, and walk several days a week.

Maggie loves her Green Bean diet...it's her favorite meal of the day! She has a shiny coat, clean teeth, and she's much better with her sore hips these days. The best part about having a thin dog? They typically live much longer than overweight dogs. We love our old girl and want to keep her around as long as possible.

Happy Friday, everyone!