DINKWADs

Yes, we are DINKWADs: Double Income No Kids With A Dog

Saturday was a DINKWAD kind of day.

I got up early and went into work for a few hours. Not my ideal way to spend my Saturday morning, but I was feeling really behind on my work, so it felt good to catch up. Naturally, Craig slept in until 8:30 a.m., took Sadie for a walk, and then spent some time with his dad. I got home around 9:30 a.m., went for a run, and took Sadie with me for the last mile.

It was so enjoyable not to run in frigid temps. I think the temperature was in the mid-30s and very tolerable. I only ran 4 miles because I don’t want to push it too much now that my hamstring is better after the dry needling session.

Before heading out, I painted my nails and let them dry during my run.

I came back and made lunch. I’ve been bringing back Spinach Protein Smoothies (a.k.a. Green Monster) into my diet. I still love my Green Balance Juices, but I also like to mix it up from time to time. I also had a corn tortilla with melted cheese on it. (Thanks to my sister for introducing me to this snack. I have it on a regular basis.)

Afterwards I did a few things around the house, showered because I was freezing, and then took a nap. I never take naps, but I didn’t sleep very much this past week, so I was in need of one. I, of course, felt more tired after that hour, but it was the novelty of actually be able to take a nap that counted.

Next it was off to the dog park with Sadie. We try to take Sadie to the dog park at least once a week. She loves running around and exploring. Craig and I can actually talk and have a conversation and not worry about her pulling on her leash constantly.

By this time I was hungry, so we decided to head downtown and try a new restaurant that had been recommended to us. Plus, I saw the sign a couple of time when downtown this summer, and I just knew by the sign it was going to be my kind of place.

Fat Ptarmigan

We absolutely loved the urban, hip decor. There aren’t a lot of places like this in Anchorage, so we were excited to finally find a restaurant like this. The space actually used to be a gift store that Craig worked in while in high school.

It was fun watching the guys toss the pizza dough in the air. I have no idea how they got the dough so thin without tearing it.

There was even a wine named after me.

While we waited for our food, we practiced taking pictures—making sure to follow the rule of thirds.

The service was fast and we started with an appetizer (artichoke dip) and a pesto salad.

Both were awesome. I didn’t think I would be a fan of the artichoke dip because it can get really heavy for me, but I was really impressed with the flavor, and it didn’t seem as heavy as I thought it would be. I loved the salad as well.

For our main entrees, Craig had a smoked salmon pizza. Since moving to Alaska, I’ve overdosed on salmon, so I wasn’t too excited about the flavor he picked out, but it was actually much better than I expected.

I had a vegetarian sandwich, which was pretty much a veggie calzone. It was supposed to contain vegan cheese, but apparently they ran out, so they used mozzarella cheese instead, which is fine with me. I liked the veggie sandwich but probably wouldn’t get it again.

After dinner we walked over to the mall to go to the Gap because I had $50 in Gap cash to use. We did have to spend $100 in order to get $50 off. We ended up with the following: a pair of women’s jeans, a nice button-up dress shirt for myself, a skinny belt, scarf, and Craig got a Star Wars t-shirt. I’d say that’s pretty good for just a little over $50.

We weren’t ready to go home, and I was craving something sweet, so we made a stop at Paris Bakery & Cafe for a couple of sweet treats.

I had a Christmas log, which, I was told, is a traditional French dessert.

I have to admit we definitely felt like DINKWADs after reflecting on our day. Our night ended with another walk with Sadie over to our friend’s place to hang out and watch random YouTube videos. Classic.