Hah-WEEEEE!!

Holly and Owen. A match made...well, not in heaven. Dear lord, it's making me crazy, as much as I love them both. Owen screams when she gets near and he has food, but then turns around and dumps it in the floor so she can eat it. Or he gets up behind her and pulls her tail, grabs her head, twists her neck around and pokes his fingers in her eyes to 'play'. Or he sits on the couch with a 'Boat!' (bowl) of snacks/raisins/etc ie. not necessarily dog friendly food, and proceeds to either drop some on the floor, into the cracks of the couch, or just make it easy on himself and dump the entire contents into the couch, thus saving the time it takes to accidentally spill that amount.

Holly, in turn, goes to the couch at various times during the day sticking her head into and under the cushions, looking for treats. She immediately runs under the table when he's forced to eat there (it's a battle, I have to take a few losses here just to get non-liquid sustenance into him) waiting for the inevitable bits that fall from his plate. She sniffs and licks his toes, he screams, I yell at her and chase her out only for her to sneak back under when I turn, about 0.78 minutes later.

She is fed 2 times a day, and she used to really scarf it down, but lately she's been a bit slow with eating. I should be better at removing her uneaten portion, but alas, I'm always doing something else. Or at least THINKING about doing something else. Owen loves dog food. I think it's the crunch. He also loves dumping it out. And for some reason, Holly likes it better when he dumps it out, she gobbles it up pretty quickly. Maybe it's because there is competition, no longer safe in a bowl in her crate.

And Owen seems to think that by hiding his face, I can't see him.

We love tooshies!

It's time for I ♥ Faces' weekly contest and this week they ♥ Tooshies! Now, I have some cute nekkid tooshies floating around on my comp here, but the rules clearly state NO NEKKID BUTTS! And I am not a rule breaker. Simply because I always get caught. Who else gets pulled over for going 37 mph? As far as I know, I'm the only person in existence to get that honor.

Anyway, here is Owen's tush from March. On the beach, chasing the gulls, I know the photo could use a little creative touch but I'm SO behind in posting photos, I feel as if spending more time on this would not be good for my photo karma. Poor baby. His tooshie is hidden by the swim diaper and then the shorts over that. But the saggy pants aren't stopping him! We almost had gull soup for dinner.













Head on over to I ♥ Faces to see some really cute tooshies! And maybe in the meantime I'll edit his pic and reupload it. Mwahahaha.

I am so behind...

I have taken tons of pictures. But they need some work, resizing, etc. Let me see if I have any that are already fixed to go...

Ok, this is our neighbor's daughter in law. I really like the processing here. Her eyes are so bright.













And here is Owen, doing something with yogurt...you might say he's eating it. Remember my post about how glad I was that he was using utensils and the food wasn't getting everywhere? Yeah. I should have kept my mouth shut.














And here he is looking bored with me. I'm sure he is, he's too smart for the likes of this old broad.

Christmas card preview

If you are expecting a Christmas card from me and want to be surprised, you shouldn't be reading this post. But I won't post all the images I'm using, just two. Two of my favorites.

I can't believe I have such good looking boys.

I Heart Faces - Sun flare

I took this photo back in January, hard to believe almost a full year has gone by since then. It was a lucky 'mistake' as I didn't realize how much sun was hitting the lens, but once I got in and saw the larger image, I fell in love with the streaks of sunlight lining the photo. And his blue eyes just really popped :) Go check out the amazing work of the awesome photogs posting at I ♥ Faces!



PS...don't forget to click the photo for a larger version ;)

Happy Veteran's Day

Not sure that's the best title, it seems a little irreverant for the day. I would, however, like to take this moment to thank my Boom-Pa for the part he played in WW II, and all the years he served this country. He is a true hero and a perfect gentleman, with a side of wise man to boot. You ask him a question, you get an answer, gentle and honest and soulful. I remember as a young girl I used to sit on his lap and 'play' with a small piece of shrapnel under his skin on the pad of his thumb. I would ask him why he never had it taken out and he would reply "Because it doesn't bother me." Never a need for the non-necessities in life. He is a rock, and a soft place all wrapped up in one.

I wish I had met Bernie, my uncle's dad. Bernard Conway, many times decorated and passed before I had a chance to know him. My Uncle D is a true dad to me, the one I turn to when I have a bad day and need to blow steam, or want to figure something out or have a technical question, whether it's housing or computers. He knows just about everything. He himself was in the Air Force as well as his father. I must say I'm pretty glad my aunt realized her first 2 husbands weren't quite what she was looking for because the third time was the charm. I did get to know (and live with!) his mom for a while, one of the more memorable people in my life. I have a ring she left me, one that his dad (Bernie) had made for her. He got the stone while in South America, a huge amethyst, some story about breaking the bank in a casino and they got paid in gems...can't remember all the details. But it's quite a story, let me tell you. I get to think of him, and her, and Uncle D every time I wear it. I just wish I had met him, one of the many vets I remember today.

There are also my two brothers who have served in the armed forces, Caleb and William. Both during times of war and turmoil. I love them both and am so grateful they are home now, safe and sound.

Blessings to all who fight and support our country, our freedom. I honor you with my heart today.

I had some pics all prepared to post, but I've decided I should post photos of those who I'm thinking of today instead.

Ok, I'm going to keep looking, but I think all the pics I have of Boom-pa are on my old 'dead' heard drive that I have yet to try and recover photos from...b/c I am scared. Anyway...here's William...see the tall dude hiding? yeah, he was hiding in ALL the pics. You wouldn't believe what a little pipsqueak he used to be.












And there there's Caleb, another little munchkin. Oh, I guess you get double Caleb b/c he's also in the above pic with William. I can still kick his butt, btw. And that hat? He gave it to me. And then he stole it back. If you see him, please retrieve it for me. Love ya, Caleb!












Uncle D...this photo is altered w/round corners b/c I was working on a PW rounded corners challenge. And I like the coloring of this, which I didn't do to the original.

I am thankful for...

So I have been spending a lot of time surfing around, looking at photo sites and whatnot. I have been doing some of the Pioneer Woman's photo challenges, but I need MORE to keep me moving, and challenged. Not that her stuff doesn't challenge me, but sheesh...she has so many people following her and some AMAZING photographers, it's sometimes depressing to see how pitiful I look against the others. I am pretty sure that the I ♥ Faces crew has just as many outstanding picture takers, but it's something new to me so I'm on board. Hooray!

This week's contest/challenge isn't so much of a contest, but a chance to share your story in pictures. I figure for me it's a chance to learn how to submit a photo to I ♥ Faces and make sure I know what the heck I'm doing. I have some pics I took a few days ago that I haven't posted, so I'll simply use them. Not that it lessens the thankfulness part, mind you.

Here is Owen. Being true Owen. This little guy has made me crazy, angry, exhausted, emotionally drained yet so exhiliratingly happy (is that a word?). We waited so long for him. I don't think I will ever forget the hurt of not having him when we thought we should...not that I simply didn't get what I wanted, but the hurt of needing to feel those little baby arms and smell that little baby breath and feel those little baby fingers and toes.... we weren't prepared for a trial of several years waiting and pregnancy loss. I wasn't prepared to NEED and ache and cry and feel my heart being ripped open by others' unplanned, unwanted pregnancies. That really doesn't sound exactly like I meant, I have a hard time describing how it feels...but it's an ache that will always be echoed in my soul.

I see him on a daily basis and sometimes I still can't believe he's here. So I am grateful for him. And for being blessed with the job of being his mother. I'm grateful that the scab on his nose (and the two on his forehead that are hiding behind his hair) is only a surface wound. I'm grateful that when he pulled the refrigerator tray out, he wasn't injured. I'm grateful that when he climbed into the kitchen sink he didn't fall and break some body part. When he pulls the cat's tail, I'm thankful that she only nips at him. I'm thrilled that the tv is covered in handprints, b/c it's keeping him from falling when he climbs up to reach the high shelf of DVD's. I am thankful that he likes yogurt and fruit (because he doesn't like anything else!). And I am even thankful that he poured a bottle of oil on the couch, because that means he is HERE and he is OURS and he gives the sweetest kisses and says 'yotes' for yogurt and lets the dog out of her crate when I'm sweeping up broken glass and he loves his 'wubby' (brother). I am thankful for Owen.

And the dog. Yes, she has definitely added some insanity. But Zach still misses Elmo so much, he was wishing the Halloween Candy Witch would trade him a puppy Elmo for his candy instead of money. But Elmo is in doggy heaven, we have Holly, and Zach loves her. So she will stay.

So there, the pics I took a couple of days ago, and why I am thankful for them.

Quickly posting pics...

Here's Owen from H'ween. He's too damn hard to get decent photos of (and yes, I know you shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition).