Self Portrait Challenge - { Flashback 2010 }

hibernating this winter with favorite friends...






I am super-excited that SPC is doing the Flashback theme again in January like last year! The idea is to use at least 2 of the 11 themes from 2010 combined in one photo.



Here are the themes I have included this week:

With Someone

Speech Bubbles (over on Flickr, I added the speech bubble above Skye's head, "I hope she doesn't get up for a very loooong time...")

5 Senses (Sight - reading)

Six Word Story (stated above the picture)

studying......

Who is studying harder here?

which one is cuter?

I was just going through some pictures from this spring so far, and found this one of our doggie, Skye, and my beautiful sister, Anna.





Most people say Anna & I don't really look anything like each other, it's almost like we each got a different half of the gene pool from our parents.

There are some similarities, though... we sound like each other on the phone, so that's something! Oh, and we both love chocolate chip pancakes with peanut butter.

Self Portrait Challenge - { with someone 3 }

When Skye came to us, she was confused and lonely and reserved.
Sadly, she seemed used to not getting much love.

After a little over a year now, her heart has opened up.
She loves being loved, and she loves back.





If you ever want to consider getting a pet, please consider adopting from a shelter or a rescue group. Just because they aren't puppies anymore doesn't mean they don't need you.

Use the picture link of Skye in my sidebar to find dogs by breed that are needing homes in your area (cats, too!)

the art of camoflage

If I could add sound here,

I would insert the well-known theme from Jaws...



bah-DUM

bah-DUM

bah-DUM bah-DUM BAH-DUM!



Just be careful what you leave laying around, as it may be used to sneak up on you...


and if the aforementioned sneak-er keeps their eyes closed, you might not even notice them...

Fingerprint Friday { pals }

There's nothing like the love of a child... or a pet...





There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in:

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints.

2. Be sure to link so others can find the entire list of participants! Go over to PamperingBeki's blog to add your link to the list of participants.

another before & after for this week

Skye came to us in February, and since her fine white coat was quite short when we first got her, and it was cold (or cool) until just the last couple of weeks, I hadn't seen a need for a haircut.

Besides, we all thought she looked adorable as her curls grew out!



But then during our vacation last month, she went to a very nice pet boarding facility. While she did have lots of fun with the staff, they didn't brush her like I usually did, and her coat became irreparably matted by the time we came home.

Then the warm weather crept up.

And if that wasn't enough, Chad loves taking nature walks in the spring, and I'm happy he takes the dog along... but she came home from one such walk last week with so many burrs and sticks in her coat I couldn't even count. That was the last straw. I took her to the groomer that day.



This before & after post was my girls' idea - thanks, girls, for your inspiration :)

Fingerprint Friday { unconditional love }

Our little mini-schnauzer definitely loves my girls. They have done all sorts of things with her that I was sure would send her hiding, yet she just sits with them patiently (most of the time!) I think she is happy to have little girls who love her enough to deck her out in play jewelry when they're donning the plastic beads as well.

God knew what He was doing
when He created this little dog!






There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in:

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints.

2. Be sure to link so others can find the entire list of participants! Go over to PamperingBeki's blog to add your link to the list of participants.

those deep eyes

She's been with us for over a month now,
and I still wonder what she's thinking about sometimes.
She's telling a story with her eyes,
I just wish I knew what it was.

the twelve days of birthdays

If your kids were born twelve days apart, with one of them having been born on Valentine's Day, then you know how crazy it can be with all the gifts, cake, parties (both birthday AND Valentine's varieties), cupcakes, candy, cake, cards & tissue paper, and oh, did I mention cake???

First came Nicole's birthday. This started off with a gift for each sent home with daddy from their uncle, aunt & cousin - Webkinz pink dragons! Can we say, ecstatic?!!



Ah, this was precious - the card that Claire made for Nicole...



Mmmm, every year Nicole asks for chocolate cake with chocolate frosting (a girl after my own heart), and I added a huge helping of sprinkles because I know she loves them, even at nine years old.



Four days later came the joint party - a pajama party complete with pajamas (of course), pizza, a movie & Funfetti cupcakes.

Here's all the girls in their pajamas, eager to get their sugar rush on.



The girls received a couple of joint gifts at the party... this particular one was so fun - two hands shot up from amidst the crowd for all to see and squeals of delight from all the girls arose - apparently Cooking With Mama for the Wii is quite popular among the young folks these days. Kit Kittridge, too.



Our sweet Skye had only been with us for a day when the party descended on her.



Two days later we were at Gramma & Grampa's for another little party, including one of their Auntie's famous cakes. I've mentioned before how my sister is talented in areas I am not - case in point, cake decorating. No one would ever want to eat her masterpieces, if it wasn't for the fact that it was chocolate cake under all the pretty frosting. The ladybugs and bumblebees were edible, too.



Doesn't every family turn the lights out when the candlelit cake comes to the table, to get the fullest effect?



A few more days pass, and we reach the finish line of the birthday race... Claire's and St. Valentine's Day.

Leapster headphones are more fun than the Leapster itself...



Yeah, no looking back at my sister's cake now, alright? M&M's are another art form in and of themselves, didn't you know that? Claire has asked for a rainbow cake every year for three years in a row. I got this idea from Beki. Oh, and the flavor is lemon, in case you're curious.




So if you've been wondering why I've been scarce here on my blog, now you know. I hope to now return to my LBB - Life Before Birthdays. Oh, wait - my nephew's birthday is Friday...

At least I can get one last slice of cake.

our newest little girl

As of yesterday, we are so excited to say that we have an addition to our family...