A Playdate for Puppies and People!

As I’d mentioned a while ago now, we had hopes of heading out for a puppy (and people) playdate with my friend Yolanda.  Unfortunately we got rained out and had to postpone.  Fortunately, the weather was perfect today.  🙂  And, as promised, I tried to be less of a hovering mother hen, and more of a stand-back-and-take-photos kinda gal.  So without further ado, our family playdate:

Alice on Yolanda’s lap

Yolanda and Lily-Ann, blowing coloured bubbles.

Indigo and Lily-Ann, hanging at the pond.

Lily and Alice

The girlie – way too cute for words.

Rooty-toot checking on Deedee

Damon and Roo

Lily-Ann and Roo

Deedee and Alice, having a break.

Roo, Alice, and Deedee – under the chair.

Alice and Deedee – being goofy.

Indigo trying to initiate play with Alice and Deedee

Deedee and Alice, watching Indigo (who is off camera).

Yolanda cuddling Deedee while Roo mugs for the camera.

Thank you so much for having us all over Yolanda.  It really was a fabulous afternoon, and a much needed break from all the overtime hours I’ve been putting in lately.  🙂  Very much looking forward to doing it again soon.

I came “this close”…

…to not posting in my blog tonight.  If it were a Friday, I wouldn’t have (not posting on Friday’s is becoming normal for me).  But, alas, tis only Wednesday.  It’s just been a really long day, with some disappointments, but some highlights too.

The disappointing bit?  It’s time to start asking folks who have booked afternoon sessions to plan on keeping those sessions indoors.  I was hoping to keep shooting outside for another couple of weeks before the heat took over…  but today was brutal.  I always do my best to keep my clients in the shade as much as possible – but that puts me right at the mercy of the elements.  And today was bad.  Even with sun screen my face was bright red by the time I got done.  Thankfully, most of that was heat and it faded to a less noticeable pink by evening.  We’ll still be fine shooting outdoors in the evenings, but it’s time to start looking at indoor locations during the afternoons (which always makes me kinda sad).

The cool bit?  I’m so totally in love with HEARTSY that it’s ridiculous.  Seriously.  Okay, don’t know what Heartsy is yet?  Here’s the low down.  Heartsy is basically the Groupon of the hand crafted world.  Generally they are for Etsy merchants, and they are AWESOME!  I’ve only been a Heartsy member for a few days and I’ve already purchased TWO of them.

I got me a couple of fabulous crocheted hats coming from one vendor, and another is making me a custom iPad case to match my camera bags.  Wanna know how much I’ve spent?  Less than ten bucks!  I am so freakin’ hooked on Heartsy, it’s ridiculous.  Love it!

Wanna get yourselves something cool?  Sure, you can just head over there and sign up…  BUT, if you go from this link:  http://heartsy.me/users/133015/referral?c=plink  You can get a $5 sign up bonus, and I’ll love you forever because you’ll give me a bonus when you make your first purchase.  And, like I said…  Heartsy ADDICT!

Once you sign up, you will totally want to sign up for the Heartsy VIP service.  I think it was only about eight bucks, and with your sign up bonus it’s only $3.  Why do you want this?  Because you get bonus dollars to spend at each of the vendors AND they’ll give you another $10 bonus to spend on a voucher…  so basically it’s FREE MONEY!

Repeat after me:  TD is a Heartsy addict!

LMAO  Okay, tell me if you see a down side, because I haven’t found one yet.  Today I put in orders on Etsy that came to a total of $80, and I spent less than ten.  Folks are totally getting awesome hand made stuff for Yule this year.

So yeah…  disappointing day in some respects.  But on the TD-is-getting-some-super-awesome-custom-hand-made-stuff-for-next-to-nothing front?  Darn good day.  LOL  And I know this totally reads like one of those gawd awful advertorials (ads that are passed off as editorials), but I couldn’t help it.  I’m hooked.

Oh!  One of the vendors who’s voucher I purchased (for the iPad bag that they are customizing with an adjustable strap and extra pocket) still has some vouchers left.  Check them out at:  http://heartsy.me/users/133015/deal_referral/3446/  With the VIP perks, it’s $12 for $38 dollars store credit…  apply your five dollar sign up bonus and ten dollar VIP bonus and you’ll be getting it for $5 (if I did my math correctly).  LMAO

And I’ll say it again:  TD is a Heartsy Addict.

I can’t help but share a good thing.  😉

Lily and Marie

I initially planned on sharing a couple stories today…  the girlie had her pre-k graduation ceremony today (no, she won’t be in kindergarten next year, she’ll be in pre-k again – so next year this time we’ll have another pre-k graduation).  She had a playdate too.  I also considered sharing the little tale I shared on FB, which I suppose I still can because it’s short (though I considered telling the elongated version).  But instead I’ll share something else, but only after the story I shared on FB.  LOL

Today, the girlie said to me that she was going to pretend to be a lichen.  But she went on to clarify: “a lichen that grows on trees mom, not the people who turn into werewolves”.  I thought it was pretty cute.  And if nothing else, I think we can safely say that we’ve provided her with a well rounded education thus far.  🙂

So…  early in the evening, I dropped the wee girlie and my husband off at my parents place before heading to a photo shoot.  My parents were heading out and asked if we could watch everyone.  Well, when I came back after my shoot and was making myself a grilled cheese sandwich the girlie came running into the kitchen and asked me to get my camera to take a picture of her and her Auntie Marie (my sister and Lily-Ann Marie’s namesake).

Firstly, Lily-Ann never asks me to get my camera to take a picture of her.  She’s sick of me taking pictures of her.  I have to barter to get pictures of her these days.

Second, Lily and Marie are often not even on talking terms.  They love one another, but they each have a problem with one another too.  With the girlie, it’s the green eyed monster.  Marie gets my attention (or my moms) and the girlie doesn’t want to share it.  With Marie, the problem is that the girlie is three…  and three is chaos.

So, for Lily-Ann to come running into the kitchen asking me to take a photo of the two of them together?  That’s big.  She further elaborated (when I took too long at the hot stove) “Mom, Marie is outside.  I asked her and she said yes.  Go get your camera, I need you to take a picture of us.”  What else could I do?  I turned off the stove and got my camera.  But asking me to take ONE picture?  Nuh uh.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Do you hate it when I…

…basically post to say I’m too freakin’ tired to post anything interesting?  Well, you might not want to read this then.  LOL  Because that’s exactly what I’m doing today.

It’s seriously been a long freaking day.  I am sooo beyond exhausted at this point.  Instead of my usual bedtime at around midnight, I’m seriously considering turning in, like, now.  Yeah.  My brain really just isn’t functioning at a reasonable capacity – and I need to be sitting at a reasonably functioning level by tomorrow morning.  LMAO  So, I hope you don’t hate it too much, but I’m posting to say I’m too tired to post.

Night all!  😉

Sharing

Sometimes I just need to share, and quite honestly I don’t see anything wrong in that. I think it might just mean that I’m human.  😛

Frying Pan to the Brain Pan

Any time you share close quarters with another human being, there will be times when you’d like to take a frying pan to their brain pan.  People get on each others nerves.  It’s just the way it is.  What makes a relationship work, is knowing that you can make it beyond those kinds of moments.

When it comes to the important things, you need to be able to see eye to eye.  But those little things – that usually don’t matter?  Those are the things that will drive you insane.

• You like to sit down and work at a task, from start to finish.  Power through.  Getter done.  Be done, and put it all away.
• They like to putz a little with this, then work on something else.  Take a break.  Play a game.  Go back to the first thing for a while.
• You like to get everything done with time to spare so you can relax after the rushing around.
• They like to take their time, fiddling with things here and there, then go crazy in a dash of speed at the last possible minute.
• You like to have a plan.  To set things out.  To know what’s going to happen when, so you don’t feel stressed, and know what’s coming next.
• They don’t like to think about what’s coming.  Just tackle things as they come.  Do things when they feel like it, and let the rest fall wherever it happens to.

Yeah…  those little differences.

You can let those differences drive you nuts to the point where it can drive a wedge between you.  Or you can just take a breath, and know that sometimes things will go your way, and sometimes things will go theirs.

We all let frustration get the better of us some days.  But as long as you express that frustration, and let it out before it turns into anger, then it’s a lot easier to deal with.  Some days though, some days it gets to the anger point.  And honestly?  I figure you might as well get one good yell out, and then move on.  Bottle things up, and you’ll end up with trouble.

Anger really is a wasted emotion.  You don’t think straight, and you can’t accomplish anything when you are all bent out of whack.  So let it go.  Honestly?  As nuts as they make you, you probably make them at LEAST as nutty.  So get angry, but then let it go.  It’s not worth holding onto.  And the longer you hold onto it?  The worse YOU will feel.

Let it go.  Take a breath.  And remind yourself…  chances are, there are worse things out there.  I for one, feel much better facing those “worse things” with my best friend at my side (even if he does drive me absolutely batty from time to time).

The puppies are five weeks old today.

Well, today marks the puppies fifth-week-irthday.  Yep.  They are five weeks old today.  And while it’s never something you hear about well bred Chihuahuas, I’ll say it anyway…  They are getting SOOO big.  LMAO

Okay, so yes.  “Big” is relative.  But they are sooo much bigger now.  And they are running around.  Using the pee pads.  Giving kisses.  Climbing things. Wrestling.  Squeeking (they are trying to bark, but it comes out more like little squeeks).  They are way too adorable.

Today we took both Deedee and Alice for their first play date.  Granted, they were being held more than they were being played with, but that’s good for them too.  🙂  You won’t find a guy who adores tiny puppies more than my dad – and every Chihuahua who has ever been through our doors has made it’s way into his arms at some point.  Well…  every Chihuahua except Nico (but he was a special case).  LOL

Here are two quick snapshots I nabbed (I was too busy being a mother hen to snap more than a couple):

Deedee and my sister, Jewles.

Alice and my Dad.

Tomorrow = another day.
Another day = another playdate.
This time at my friend Yolanda’s place… where I will TRY to hover less, and try to photograph more. LMAO But I can’t promise anything.

Through my daughters eyes…

This afternoon, the wee girlie picked up a pamphlet I had sitting on a side table, and rolled it up like an old fashioned pirate’s scope.  She then proceeded to peer through it, and began listing off things she could see.  It wasn’t long into this little adventure that she asked (while staring straight at me through her paper spyglass) “Know what I’m looking at Mom?”

I grinned widely at her, and gave her a goofy look.

She continued, “I see blonde hair and blue eyes.”

“Are you looking at me?” I ask, feigning surprise.

“Nope.  I’m looking at Daddy.”

“What?!?!” I exclaim.  “That sounds like the Mommy to me.  Does your Daddy have blonde hair and blue eyes?”

The girlie giggles, knowing full well that her Daddy has dark hair and is the only one of us without blue eyes.  “Yes, he does.”  She continues, “I see blonde hair and blue eyes.”  Still giggling.

“That sounds like Mommy.”  I scrinch up my nose, wrinkle my brow, and give her a goofy sideways look.

“Nope.  It’s Daddy.  He has beautiful lips and pretty skin.”

“What?!?!?  Are you SURE that’s your Daddy.”

“Yep.  It’s Daddy.”

By now she’s absolutely busting a gut, and I have to admit, despite the fact that we are being completely silly?  I’m feeling awfully lucky having a daughter that sees me the way she does.  🙂  Yep.  I’m a pretty Mommy…  pretty freakin’ lucky to have her as a daughter.

It wasn’t Boo Radley.

Well, the mystery giver wasn’t Boo Radley, however it WAS one of our neighbours.  We got a lot done at tonight’s Camp fYrefly board meeting – super exciting times ahead.  And when I arrived home (about a 1/2 hour ago) Damon said “I found out who’d left us those things.”  So here is a thank you to our neighbour Jeff.  It was a kind and generous thing to do, and was very much appreciated.

The girlie wore one of the hair dolls (little dolls with hair elastics attached) to school today, and I do hope he saw her with it as we were leaving the house.  The gifts were used and will continue to be.  Used and appreciated.

So while today started out kinda crazy (had a resurgence of the toddler temper), it ended up being a good one.  Lots done, lots to get done.  And a nice surprise too.

A bit of a RAK mystery.

It has now happened twice this week (so I guess it’s not so “random” an act of kindness).  Someone has left little “gifts” for us either in our mailbox, or next to our front step.  It’s never anything big…  just dollar store finds.   Things like a toy dinosaur, hair elastics, dog bowls or dog toys.  But all unexpected and generous.  The mystery lies in the fact that this individual has done so both times without leaving a note or any clue to their identity.

The first time it happened, we thought we must have missed a visit from a family member.  That perhaps they’d stopped by unexpectedly to see the girlie, and when we weren’t home they decided to just leave the things they’d brought in the mailbox.  But when no-one stepped up to say “it was me”…  well…  now we’re not so sure.

Whomever has left these sweet little treasures can be sure they’ve been received with gratitude.  Truly a sweet surprise both times.  All the items will be used (many have already) and we will think of your generosity every time we see them.  Thank you!