Wild Tree Foods

One thing my dog and I have in common is our love of food. Thankfully, Dave has no thumbs and cannot feed himself. If he could I am convinced he would be one big torso with little legs sticking out of his sausage body. If Dave were a human the Jerry-cam would be filming him in bed while a wall was cut out of the apartment to get him out- he loves food that much. I once saw him take down a 100 pound Rhodesian ridgeback for one piece of dry food on the floor; he then ate the ridgeback's leg for dessert.

I kid, of course, but I still never trust that puggle around a sandwich. Or anything else I would like to eat myself. I am a bit more discerning than Dave when it comes to my food.

For example I only eat things off my own floor, while Davey has a strict "any floor will do" policy. I say all of this to explain why I am writing reviews of dog products beside reviews of food items. It is because those are the two most popular items I bring into the house, food and stuff for the dog.

So I am pleased to announce that the next product has been both human and canine approved by this household. It is, on the surface, a no-brainer. I with my love of cake and Dave with his love of cheese, a product like the strawberry cheesecake blend from Wildtree has a distinct advantage in our home.

I originally ordered the cheesecake blend because I was looking for a low fat/low calorie way to add flavor to dessert recipes. This product has filled that need perfectly. I went through my first bottle within a few weeks and had to order a replacement right away, plus a new flavor to try.

The wonderful thing about the Wildtree products, this product in particular, is how wholesome they are. The strawberry cheesecake blend contains just four ingredients, the top ingredient being strawberries. This shows through in the smell, taste and quality of the product.

Best of all the blends have no fat and very few calories, so I can easily use them to flavor my favorite low-fat cheesecake recipe without worrying about adding calories. I have made a wonderful cheesecake with the blend and several different versions of a light fruit dip. Dave has licked the bowl clean every single time. Well, except when I beat him to it.

I whole-heartedly recommend this great blend and am looking forward to discovering other Wildtree items. The blends can be ordered on-line through my representative Beth, or you can host a party in your own house and try the products for yourself. Despite the perks of having an in-house party, I am a poor host, so I love that the low pressure online option exists. With that said, if you do book a party- be sure to invite me, I'm an easy sell since I already love the stuff.

Wildtree cheesecake blends are $8 each and are available in four flavors- strawberry, lemon lime, raspberry and mixed berry. I can make three or four recipes out of one bottle, and to date have found nothing comparable for taste, quality or wholesomeness.

Davey Loves Fat Cat

The most played with toys in our house are, without a doubt, Fat Cat toys. Dave, our 2 year old pug/beagle mix spends hours with these toys every week. Despite the slightly deceiving name Fat Cat Inc. makes toys for both dogs and cats.

For those that don't know me, let me introduce you to Dave. Here he is, happy as can be post tug/fetch play session:

Looks innocent enough, no?

No.

Dave is a destroyer. Like so many of his fellow canines he sees a stuffed toy as a challenge. A toy with stuffing is an object to be disemboweled- the consumption of the squeaker heart the ultimate prize. We long ago gave up hope that some flimsy stuffed toy could keep the beast that is Dave occupied for any length of time.

No toy is safe in the jaws of the monster. The sweet happy smile above is a ploy to lure soft little toys into those scissor teeth. In this house there are disposable toys, and then there is Fat Cat.

The geniuses at Fat Cat surely have met a fiend far worse than Davey the puggle. While Fat Cat toys are by no means indestructible, they manage to still be fun while creating minimal carnage.

The Flip-Flop Yankers are my absolute favorite Fat Cat toy. These colorful, creative characters are made of extra tough material and re-enforced with a nylon belt down the middle. Plus they have minimal stuffing (mostly in the head) so they are fun but not too messy if your furry friend has the same toy goals as Dave.

Here are the before and after of Dave's beloved Yanker, the Yanker on the left having experienced countless hours of yanking.

Although clearly deaf and flat headed, the used toy above is still very much viable, and fun. Which is really the most important thing in this house, after eating squeaker hearts, that is.

Dave has a whole collection of Fat Cat toys, including a beloved "Big Mean Kitty" from the Terrible Nasty series, a postman, a rainbow trout and an "ex-boyfriend". They have lost their middle stuffing but Dave has chosen to let most of them keep their limbs so they are all the better to flop around during tug sessions. As you can see from the pictures below the ex, aka "torso" has had some Davey-surgery and will be retired tonight.

Keep in mind, "torso" has been in service since July of 2008 and the rest of the toys were Christmas 2008 gifts. Davey gets a TON of playtime out of each one, tug being his game of choice.

Fat Cat toys are available at pet stores such as PetCo or can be ordered in packages of 3 on-line through the Fat Cat website. Individual toys are $10 to $12 for the larger toys shown above. Locally I get my Fat Cat toys from Sirius Cooks in Oak Park.

I Flippin Like

The lovely people from Wellspring are giving away one of their adorable products via the equally lovely Auntie Thesis (http://auntiethesis.blogspot.com/2009/02/giveaway-flipping-over-flip-notes.html).

I have to admit, I never heard of this product before the giveaway. At first glance my list-making Virgo soul cried out for this product. The rest of me, which often misplaces said Virgo soul's lists, concurred and insisted upon the cute little Lime Blossom design featured in the center of the picture above.

Sure Auntie isn't giving away the Lime Blossom, but I have a Virgo sister, a Virgo cousin, a Virgo nephew and at least a dozen Virgo friends who are all going to covet my flip notes. So you see, I NEED to win to save myself and my lime beauty.

My Love Letter to HP VT, the perfect girl for me

What could possibly be better than a notebook computer that looks like the most sumptuous clutch you ever laid your paws on? Nada. A handbag can’t do all this little beauty is capable of. And no notebook ever looked this good. Nothing you could even put in a fantastic handbag could compare.

When I first laid eyes on this amazing Vivienne Tam design it was love at first sight. Her delectable reds and violets- so delicious I could take a bite, that feminine form with curves in all the right places, the compact body, the productivity, the Intel Atom processor *swoon*. I only need the chance to pamper her like the goddess she is.

I will be such a thoughtful, caring partner. Never will I toss this angel around. No flopping her onto the bed or arm of the couch carelessly like I have done with those before her. I promise no slumming at designer knock-off websites with this upscale love. Oh and the sophisticated Vivienne Tam sheath I would wrap her in each night as she purred herself to a contented rest.

The world and its intricate web are ours to explore together, if only she were mine. She deserves to be pampered like only I can. We must be together this Valentine’s Day, my VT and I.