Lilly

I did it.   It's all on me.
Well, J did forward me the link to the pictures as an enticer.  (admitting that she knew I'd want her)   but it was I who called the lady and set up a meeting 1.5 hrs later (the lady lives coincidentally 6 minutes from me)....and I didn't even tell J.   I called her and told her that I bought one and then admitted not buying her but explained that I was in fact standing in a walmart parking lot and that I HAD to have her. because J....she's so freaking cute you could just die.  I love her.

I didn't want another dog for a year.   Just one summer of no poop.   and then figured at that point we'd see how we even felt about it.
I didn't want to have to worry about a dog when traveling.
(sigh)

And then I saw her face.
and oh my goodness this face.

and yes.....she's this cute

and she's this cute when she sleeps

She's a spaniel mix.   Her mom is a cocker spaniel and her dad is a cavalier king charles spaniel.  and that made her the cutest little spaniel I ever saw in my LIFE !
She's all of 8 weeks old and the size of a water bottle.  She's just teeny.
As I left J's work after showing off our new puppy, I turned on Lady and the Tramp so the kids could see what Lilly will look like when she's bigger.   As I entered the freeway my stomach turned over a little and with the idea of taking on a new puppy a bit of buyers remorse set in.     I have to keep looking at that face to help me get through a full on anxiety attack because really people......what was I thinking ?  and also OH my hell.

Entirely Her !

To balance out all those cute pictures of her sweet smiling face....here are the pictures in between.   They capture her personality to a T and I love them all.

Sydney

It all started with a pair of boots.
I had this idea for Sydney's 9 year pictures to be in combat boots and a floofy dress.   You know that contrasting style look.
I put it together, grabbed my friend and her camera and we headed downtown.
Syd was a real sport.   Thank goodness I have my 1 girl to do this to.     I don't really see my boys as willing participants so much !
Here are a few of my favorites.   A few out of the 91 I still have on my computer mind you :)
I think they turned out great.  I love that I was able to capture her personality in so many of them.
It's like Cyndi Lauper hit SLC.  What ?  that's the look I was going for :) ha ha

(To acheive pictures like this you need.....lighting.   We went at 6:30 pm to get the good light.   A good eye.  My neighbor has a great eye.   A dream, that's where I come in.   A good camera.   Lightroom to edit.  oh and lets not forget.  The most beautiful child.   and a mom who isn't at all biased)

Syd ran her first marathon today !

It was a 1 mile marathon at Thanksgiving point.
She ran it with one of her best friends.   She and I ran the 2nd 1/2 of the race together and she came in 4th in her age category.
Pretty darn good for her first time.

She said she wants to run another one.   We might try a 5k next  ?????   you never know.

Teacher Appreciation Week !

I found this post through a blog through a blog through a blog.   You can get LOST in this place.  

I immediately knew that it was something that I had to do.    I missed the window of opportunity last year and sadly I haven't felt the overwhelming desire to do it for Syd's teacher this year.   Lucky for me though I love the big boys kindergarten teacher and didn't have to wait another year.

Like everything else though....I had NO IDEA where I had seen the original post.   Thanks to pinterest search engine and a few clicks I found the original blog posting. 

      

I knew that it would be a little pricey and so I offered to share the task with a couple of the boys friends moms from their class.   After purchasing all of the supplies though I had only spent $38.00.    I would have been willing to spend $20.00 per child on their teacher and could have done it alone.   but alas....the invitation was already extended so we added a gift card for a pedicure and called it a day.

Both moms came over to help put it together this morning so that we could deliver it when school got out.

I did see some other supply cakes on pinterest and wasn't as happy with the way they looked....so I stayed pretty close to the original recipe.     

supplies

building.
I bought the designed nesting boxes.  They were only 1.00 more than the plain cardboard looking ones and we didn't have to paint or wrap them.    Plus they were cute enough that they'll be used after it's taken apart.

All done.  
I wish I would have taken a picture without the gift card stuck in it....it takes away from the final  product.
Not bad for 15.00 a kid !  (think if you only had 1 kid :)

We put little notes and drawings from the boys in one of the boxes.   

We had talked about filling them with other school supplies...hand sanitizers, markers, stickers etc...but in the end decided the pedicure would be nice too.   

Why do I love you.......

let me count the ways !

1- because you wore these snow goggles while riding your big wheel up and down the street today.
2- because you kept them on while playing in the backyard by yourself in the sandbox.  happily.  for nearly 30 minutes.
3- both of which obligated me to give you a bath and through it all, you kept the goggles on.
and  4- because that sweet face melts my heart.

I don't have any sense whatsoever !

Spencer - Mom, can we go to the store so that I can buy something with my money ?
Sydney - How much money do you have Spencer ?
Spencer - I have 2 dollars.
Sydney - That's all 2 dollars ?  you don't have any change ?
Spencer - No I only have 2 dollar bills.
Sydney - You mean you don't have any cents.   Say, I don't have any cents then.
Spencer - I don't have any cents.
:)

                               Here's a four dollar smile picture if I ever saw one.