five year plan

it just took one dream to take away a fear that has been holding me down for days or weeks or months - well for quite awhile. i have just been really down about what to "do" next.

i achieved all the freakin' goals i set for myself when i was "little" (insert short joke as you will). anyhow, i really did... i finished high school, i finished college, i got a good job, i freed myself financially from my dad, i lived by myself in a new city, i successfully found another good job, i fell in love with my best friend, i adopted an animal from a rescue society, i built a house (how i wanted it), i started a garden and planted trees in my own yard, i bought a new car (all by myself and didn't get "taken" by any car salesmen - in fact i paid below msrp!!), i drew disney cartoons with a disney artist (and got complimented on my talent!)... these may seem so silly or insignificant or whatever - but these were parts and pieces of the goals i have set for myself during my life, so far. but i got stuck - i feel like i've been spinning my wheels, without the benefit of having a smokin' "burnout".

well - i'm back.

i have a "five year plan"... or something. and i'm not afraid. nothing has to happen overnight, but there's no need to procrastinate either. i don't think i'm ready to spell out the plan... but on top of the plan i also want to write a book - i've always thought i would write a book. maybe that's why i started this blog - to get the words flowing... i'm not sure if the words are flowing freely yet, but the creativity is definitely coming back or coming out or boiling up!!!!!!! and it makes me excited.

superstars!

roommate kelly from college had some amazing recipes (and a true talent in the kitchen). last night i spent three hours

baking her sugar cookies recipe. dear husband says they are of girl scout quality - he's so cute sometimes! today i spent another three hours icing the cookies, and placing them into individual bags to give as gifts tomorrow at mom's day brunch to all my SUPERSTARS, and during visits throughout the day to the grandmas' houses. i hope everyone enjoys them as much as we enjoyed the "mess ups". i am guessing i have too much time on my hands to be able to spend 6 hours making cookies.

but time is something i have right now - money for fancy gifts is what i don't have. so hopefully the thought (and effort) is what counts (or at least is appreciated). but obviously nothing could really repay or show how much i am glad for everything my mom, grandmas, aunts, have done for me - to be who i am today.

sometimes i wish i was this sexy... (seriously...)

carter

in no way shape or form do i consider myself a dog whisperer.

i'm probably closer in relation to the dog yeller - and not old yeller, either.

we have a love/hate relationship

it's fair to say that 50% of the time we cuddle, walk nicely on either end of the leash, fetch the ball for each other, and sit and stay

it's also not fair but true to say that 50% of the time we do not speak the same language, resulting in whining and commands repeated loudly (even though our trainer taught us not to repeat).

i have to be honest in saying i do not know how we ended up adopting this particular puppy.

ok, that's a lie. i know perfectly well how it happened.

this was three months after we moved into the house, and we wanted a puppy (sometime in the future). we were reading books on the best type to have, and talking to everyone about where to find the perfect puppy. we had it narrowed down to a few breeds that were basically "lazy" and "tiny" and wouldn't mind being in a small house with a little yard.

one sunday we passed by a pet store that had huge banner out front saying something about puppies and a rescue foundation. i begged everyone to stop "just for a minute" to see the puppies... i just wanted to "look". they were all chihuahuas and adorable, and not the type of dog we were looking into adopting. and then there was one that was not a chihuahua but he was absolutely beautiful, and he really wanted me to hold him.

as i cuddled this beautiful tiny shy puppy, he nuzzled into my neck and i was in love.

we found out he was at least half miniature pincher

a breed familiar to the fiance

his mom was only 6 pounds

so the rescue didn't expect him to get much bigger than that

well... our puppy is now almost 14 pounds (and he's all muscle at that)

he bounces around the house energetically and loves to run

he is by no means a "lazy" dog but luckily he does love to cuddle still

if it weren't for the cuddles, i might have gone crazy by now