Guess who stayed home alone while Mal and I went to Body Pump tonight? Yep, Turd Ferguson! He’s growing up! 
Instead of putting Murphy in his crate like we usually do, we let him roam around our bedroom for nearly 2 hours while we were out. It was the first time we didn’t crate him and he passed with flying colors. Murph didn’t freak out and nothing in our bedroom was destroyed. Baby steps!
Dinner
Mal and I took turns preparing dinner while the other person took a shower. Showering immediately after Body Pump was a necessity this evening. It’s SO hot (and gross) outside!
For dinner, we had Cheesy Sweet Potato Crisps.
And a side salad topped with Athenos feta crumbles and Creamy Asiago Cheese dressing, which I am now addicted to thanks to my husband.
Sunday Movie Night never happened, so Mal and I are watching our movie tonight. We need to start it soon because my wake up call is at 4:30 AM tomorrow morning! 
Good night!!!
{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
4:30… wow.
That picture of Murhpy is PRICELESS!
4:30?! Well, maybe it won’t be 90 degrees by then at least.
The salad looks amazing! And, I put those sweet potato crisps on my menu list for next week – they look quite tasty.
Its like going from the crib to the big boy bed. My dogs always loved their crates.
Aww…what a cutie! Which movie is being featured!?
GO MURPHY!!! Pugs are pretty good with not being too destructive, aren’t they?? I have 2 Jack Russells and they have always had full run of the house but one of them was very destructive up until he was about 2 years old. I used to come home regularly to the bed pillows completely ripped apart or the wooden window-sills eaten away!! I am so happy that he grew out of this because it was so expensive to keep replacing things! I probably should have purchased a crate for him!! Seeing Murphy on your blog has made me want a pug so badly but my Jacks would not be happy with a new sibling!
Good job, Murphy!!! Hopefully he’s not just gaining your trust and plotting some horrible destruction when you’re least expecting. I fully believe he’s that smart
I’m just kidding of course. haha
I need that asiago cheese dressing in my life!
Yay, Murphy! It is so hard being able to trust pups for the first times when you leave them uncrated!
Dinner looks great…that dressing I must look for!
Yikes! 4:30?!? Hope it’s for something exciting!
That so great about Murphy! I just did that with my dog almost exactly a year ago. It was like he had to get over the 2 year hurdle before he was ready to be out without me around. He was about 2 1/2 the first time we left him out in our condo crate free. He’s been excellent ever since….well, except for when I left out gingerbread cookie ornaments once.
Your dinner looks fabulous, especially on a hot day after working out. I’m going to try the sweet potato crisps soon! That Turd Ferguson story is hilarious! Good job tonight Murphy!
We went from gating the dog to letting him roam and now back to gating. He kept having accidents with the full roam of the house but having just two roams seems to help.
Today was the first day of Summer for the Northwest and I was dripping in sweat after my run! I had to take a shower STAT! haha
Good boy, Murphy!
Wow your up early tomorrow you must have either plans or work. Have a good evening and those sweet potatoes are calling my name.
This looks so yummy! Also, from twitter, I can’t WAIT to find out your book’s title!
I die every time I see Turd Ferguson. That’s my new name for Debbie Downers, Wet Blankets, etc. It’s so great to call someone a Turd Ferguson.
That’s really good that you can leave him alone for a little while now, eventually he will be okay during the day, too, probably. It takes time, but will make your lives easier knowing he isn’t stuck in a crate all day.
What a tasty looking dinner!!!
UGH! Tina, whenever you bake/cook something I am always craving it. I have to get me some sweet potatoes like NOW! ahhh!
YUM! I love the looks of your crunchy, crispy dinnah.
OMG YAY for Murphy!! I def know what you are going through. My pup Noodle can only be trusted alone in the room, no wandering the apt for her!
glad to hear that murphy didn’t destroy the place! i remember when we first let our jack russell roam free – it was a scary day!
That’s awesome you left him out without a hitch!! We’re taking baby steps with our puppy… of 6 months
Cheesey Sweet Potato Crisps?! That concept has me very happy and then disappointed that I can’t make them now at 9:00 at night, haha. They look so, so good!
Yay for Murphy behaving!
He’s so adorable in that picture, with his toy in his mouth. Hehe.
My dad’s family just got a puppy (she’s 12 weeks now) so they can’t leave her alone at all. She still wakes them up in the middle of the night to pee, too. It’s like having a newborn baby!
Yayy Murphy–good job doggie!! I still need to try those sweet potato crisps! Gosh, they look so yummyy–Must. Buy. Sweet. Potatoes!
I bet Murphy had a lot of fun being out! I’m glad it went well.
I love Murphy’s “I’m innocent” picture!!!
Your dinner looks delicious and I don’t even like shrimp!!
good boy Murphy! Our Chloe (she’s 1) is allowed, now, to stay home (gateless) and she does well. Once and a while I find a chewed up flip flop but nothing too damaging:)
HAHA Tina, you and your fam (especially Turd Ferguson) crack me up. I can always rely on your posts to brighten my day, or night
So thank you for that!
Hope you get a good night’s sleep with that early wake up call!
Go Murphy! So proud of you!! Enjoy your movie and get to bed! 4:30am :-O!!
Good boy Murphy! We have an almost year old ‘puppy’ that freaks out every time we leave. We crate him when we leave and come back home to him swimming in a puddle lol I hate crating him when we leave but we have no choice :/ Good to know at least someone’s puppy is doing good!
Hurray! Murphy now gets the “Trusted Dog” award!
It’s awesome knowing that your dog is that well trained, no? 
Wei-Wei
Goodness gracious that dinner looks INCREDIBLE! I might have to replicate it for my dinner tomorrow!
And aww Murph, looking adorable as always
Murphy is growing into a man! That’s exactly how I trained my pug. Leaving him out for just an hour, then two hours, three, etc…
I found a gym that offers BodyPump near my new condo. I’m going to go sometime before the end of the month. I’m scared.
Way to go Murph!
We’ve started doing that with Bagigis when we go to get groceries or other short trips.
Yeah Murphy! Keep it up
A shower just to cool off in this heat is totally necessary.
Glad Murphy was so well behaved! That dinner looks scrummy.
That is very impressive! My puggle still has to be crated (he’s a very destructive little guy!). I’m jealous!
Go Murphy!
(Tina, I noticed a little mistake in your post. it should be that you’re “addictED to”, not “addicting to”.)
YAY Murphy! I have been keeping my pup, izzy out of the crate during the day a little bit at a time too this week. It is just TOO hot, all she does is sleep anyways