A Girl and Her Dogs

While visiting my mom in Silver City, she captured these photos of me snuggling with Shelty and Max. This first one shows one of the best things ever. It's a Miwa sandwich with Shelty and Max for the bread. Snuggling like this with Shelty has always been one of my favorite things. While I was pregnant she slept with me and was my body pillow. During the winter she used to sleep with me under the covers. Truly delightful.





As many of you know, Shelty recently passed away. She had been sick since before Christmas. Struggling to breathe and fighting a ghost. The vet did lots of testing and it looked like everything was fine, but she still fought to breathe, lost her appetite, and couldn't get enough air to go on walks. At the time that these photos were taken, I knew her time was likely limited. I am so glad that my mom took the time to take these picture of us snuggling. Sadly, on February 15, I just couldn't let her suffer anymore. I realized that her quality of life was really gone and that it was only my attachment to having her around that was keeping her here. She felt she had to hold on for my sake--she has always been so tuned into me and my emotions. I was terrified she would suffocate while I was at work and that she would die alone. I knew I would have to face losing her someday and the least I could do was to stop her suffering. We had to put her down. It was so difficult to let her go, but seeing her finally able to lay her head down peacefully and relax was actually quite healing for me.
I have always said that Shelty is my angel girl, she always has been and always will be. I take comfort in knowing that the 11 years we had together were full of amazing memories which are mine to cherish forever. I am now taking time to try to build my relationship and closeness with Max. Hopefully, if he and I can build more closeness and trust, he can attain more "normalcy."

Soccer Dude

I have officially become, dah, dah, dah...a soccer mom! Isaac has been wanting to try out soccer for a while now. We stumbled upon a team that practices about half a mile away and we could sign up for just 2 months. Done deal! So 2 days a week we head down to the park and Saturdays he has a game.
As many of you know, I have never been a fan of running. However, I recently decided to try it again. I have been working out for a year now, and felt that maybe I would feel differently about running at this point in my life. I don't *love* it, but I do like it, especially when I see the heart rate monitor telling me the amazing number of calories I just burned running. While Isaac is practicing, I run around the park. It works out well and it's nice to get done with my workout earlier, leaving the evening to relax. So for the next month, at least, I'll keep running 3 days a week. As for Isaac and soccer...I don't know if it's a love affair. He usually doesn't want to go to practice, but by the time he gets there I can see that he's really excited. And when we leave, he is pumped up. We'll just have to see if he ends up wanting to go another season.

Silver City and the Giant 7 Year-old

So, in September, as I usually do, I went to Old Navy and bought Isaac a whole winters worth of the next size (the one he's growing into) of jeans. In December I noticed that he was struggling to get them on, up, boxers tucked in and snapped. Then I noticed how the hem had crept up onto his leg. Okay, so I went to Old Navy and bought him another set of jeans in the next size, size 8 (he's still just 7). I figured they'd be big, but that's what adjustable waists are for...They fit him perfectly in length and waist. Geez! About 4 weeks later, it was deja vu--difficulty getting the pants on. Ummm...seriously? Two sizes outgrown in one season?
I was, needless to say, shocked, for about a week. So naturally, I had to weigh and measure him. Yeah, 70 lbs. and 51". And that was at the end of January, who knows where he is now.
Anyway, Isaac has been skateboarding since the beginning of the school year. Every week he seems to improve and is trying new tricks. Luckily, he isn't too much of a dare devil. He tries new things that are a realistic stretch of his skills. The mom in me says "Whew!"



Toward the end of January, Isaac and I made a spur of the moment trip to Silver City for a few days, where my mom has recently moved. Silver City has an amazing skate park, which Isaac got to visit a few times. I included a picture of him practicing going backward. He has been practicing going down and up in a bowl, back and forth so he is going forward then backward. He also tried out the tunnel into a lower portion of the park's bowl. If you know skate parks, the last picture will show you about half of the park, and you can see how awesome it really is!

Gift Card Cupcakes

Ok, I'll keep it to a minimum. I have been super lame about updating this thing, and for those of you who check in and wonder what happened to me, sorry! I've been busy, and honestly it's much easier to just throw some pictures up on FaceBook and not have to deal with lots of silly Blogger issues I don't know how to fix--Blogger never acts the way I want, I really want it to look a certain way, but know no HTML and therefore have to try to force Blogger to play along.
Anyway, my friend Heidi saw these somewhere and I had been looking for an excuse to make one (or some). Christmas for the nieces provided just the excuse I needed! No they are not edible, but they do hold gift cards in them and I think are super cool. Once I get through quilt-mania, if I get through quilt mania, I might just have to make another one. Here's a link to the video on how to make them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkVm1Tif6gI

Cousins

One of the coolest parts of Lorrie's wedding was that all the kids got to be in the wedding. When the fun dance music started, the kids were the first to get out there and start boogying down. Here they all are strutting their stuff. From left to right: Stephanie, Ashly, Samantha, Isaac, Sarah and Daisy. I'm so glad that Isaac has such great cousins, even if they are *all* girls! He sometimes complains about being the only boy, but I remind him that being the only boy on either side of the family has its rewards, too. Being the youngest doesn't hurt either. After I remind Isaac of the benefits, he remembers being the only boy can be pretty good!

Handsome Gents

Here are my guys! What more can I say? They are handsome and I love them!

Proudest Boy

Isaac was SO excited to be in the wedding and to get to wear a tux...he was only disappointed that he didn't get to keep the tux, that's my boy! At the wedding he caught the garter and this is the blissfully proud face I snapped afterward. Way too cute. When he told Uncle Brian that he caught it, Brian told him he had caught four garters. Then Isaac told Brian "You should really get married." Then he offered some advice about going to a restaurant to meet a girl, or Target. There you have it single gents, if you're looking for a wife all you need to do is catch a garter (or two, or three, or four) and then take a trip to Target. You'll be hearing wedding bells in no time!