Okay, so after yesterday’s post about ants for pets (lame!) I just have to write about the kind of dog that I really want for a pet. I’ve been researching online a little and I think that I’ve come to a conclusion about the breed of dog that would be best for our family. Here’s the basics to look for:

1. Doesn’t need a big yard…since we don’t have one

2. Good temperament and great with kids (no this is not an announcement!)

3. Little to no dander…for WE and since the dog will be inside

4. Toy to medium sized

That said, I’m thinking about a Cockapoo (Cockerspaniel/Poodle Mix). Ideally you get the poodle’s smarts/fur and the cockerspaniel’s temperament! I’ve read that they are easy to train and very good dogs. But I guess that’s what people say about every kind…I’m sure it depends on how they are raised/trained.

I can’t decide if I want chocolate, gold/white, or spotted, or black. Since they won’t shed I’m not too picky. Here’s some pics.

PS. For those of you that know Hugo, doesn’t the chocolate pup look almost exactly like him?!? (Hugo was my bestest stuffed friend in the whole-wide world growing up)

I found a breeder here in Dallas that has litters twice a year. Since I’ve never done this before – I really have no idea how to judge whether a breeder is good or not. WE says we should just go to a rescue and find one. But I don’t know about that. I guess I’d rather know more about the dog (i.e. parents) and error on the safe side. But I’m up for suggestions from any of you dog lovers out there. Here’s a picture of the parents if we decided to go with this breeder.

(Ha, it looks like the Mr. Poodle told a funny)

This breeder’s website doesn’t say a price, but I read that they can go from anywhere between $250 and $750. Again for any of you dog owners out there, I’d be interested to know approx. how much you spend a month (or year) for your dog on food, vet, grooming, dog sitters, etc. I wouldn’t want any surprises for WE

Ha, I’m totally kidding myself.

I’m pretty sure it’s gonna take an act of congress for any of this to actually happen. But hey, there’s no harm in dreaming, right?

WE and I planted this tree in the back yard soon after we got married. And it’s grown about 2 feet and has more than one branch now! Compared to all the trees we saw in Connecticut, this little guy’s still got a lot of photosynthesis and growing up to do. But it’s fun to watch it happen!

Based on what I’m see here: I figure in about 50 years we might be able to compete with A1′s front yard tree for ‘Best Fall Colors!’ =)

This little tree caught my eye.

It’s so rare to see roots developing outside the soil like that and I wonder how many winter blizzards in New England this tree will last.

There’s nothing fair about life, you know.

The only equality is that we are all equally mortal. The real challenge seems to be accepting what you are dealt and making as beautiful of a life as you can out of it.

One cool thing about getting married and being adopted into a new family is getting more Grandparents!! WE has a particular Grandma that I’ve noticed is extra special. Everyone in his family either whispers or tears up when they think or talk about her because she is so incredibly special to them. Honestly, I was rather taken a back by it at first because everyone else in the extended family is fair game for a little teasing here and there or some good ol’ fashioned gossip, but not Grandma R. She’s just too kind and perfect and loving for any of that nonsense. And as I’ve come to learn more about her I understand why. I look forward to meeting her one day and until then she’ll be for me like this tree was:

A reminder to take whatever you get and make something really beautiful out of it!

Thanks to WE, TLS, Big Chief, FavUnc, Rambo… and Jerry – it was such an AWESOME time.

And, of course, thanks to the team for such an exciting and BIG win. Not gonna forget that anytime soon! Go Cougars!!!

I’m an aunt for the 12th time!!! (That is now that I can count WE’s 6 nieces)

A4 had her girl – Hailey Ruth – this Thursday! Isn’t she beautiful!!! Now J-Dawg has a little sister to look after. But I feel sorry for the poor little lady since she has only big, mean boy cousins that will surely torture her at all family gatherings. =)

But hey, I say bring on the bows and barbies!! It’s about time!!!

Waaahhhooooo! WE and I FINALLY finished updating my mom’s website for The Silver Hanger! We were tasked with this effort almost a year ago and now after months and months of well, you know…putting it off…we are unveiling the new look of http://www.thesilverhanger.com

Go check it out! There is still some content that needs to be added but the design is complete.

I gotta hand it to my mom. She’s had this vision of what “her store” would become and surely and steadily she’s turning it into a reality. But the website is nothing compared to the store. Go see inside and try on dresses and you’ll know exactly what I mean!

(ps. I’m not biased or anything either)

There are a million reasons why I love being married to WE. Today I thought I’d share just one…

So I stayed home from work today to study for the CIA exam. I am taking part 1 tomorrow morning and JCP allows you a paid day off per part to study. So after as much as I could handle (believe me, there’s only so much you can take when it comes to Internal Auditing Standards and blah blah blah…) I finally got around to taking a shower around noon. (ew, sick- I know!) But as I went to open the shower door, this loud music suddenly came out of nowhere! My leg just started twitching and my arms shot compulsively up in the air one right after another.

Hold on, I recognize that song…

It’s the kind of song that has a beat you can’t resist and vocalists almost as good as the Chipmunks. For those at WE’s birthday bash, it was strangely similar to that tune that played in one of his birthday cards when you open it up.

Wait a minute, it IS that song!

Weeeeeaaaaahhhhh! Here we go now! Da, da, dAT, da, dat, da, Dat, DAH…

The other day WE and I were babysitting and one of the little boys (after he had gotten into trouble with his older sister for talking back) said, “Sometimes I act saucy. But I never sauce my mom.”

It was super cute. He’s only 3 or 4 years old and as I later found out, that Mom has what she calls her Sassy Sauce. She uses white vinegar or Tabasco sauce as punishment when her kids start talking back to her. It’s harmless and yet quite brilliant if you ask me.

I’ve always hoped that when I am a parent, I will be creative enough to keep most parental punishment as real to the actual consequences of a poor decision as possible. Even though I doubt that when kids are older, they will somehow magically get a nasty taste of vinegar or lemon juice in their mouths every time they speak without thinking, I bet that those kids will have developed a real sense for watching their tongue as well as the real feeling of regret when they don’t.

Words are very powerful and can do much good or much harm – depending on how they are used. What a great lesson to be learned in a very poignant way at a very early age.

So that got me thinking…what if my kids are sarcastic or mean? What if they ditch school? What if they pee on the street? Or hit their little brother?… Then what will I do?!?

Man, suddenly I don’t feel ready to be a parent at all.

…so maybe I’ll just stick to using the Sassy Sauce on WE =)

For WE’s birthday bash, I decided to make him chocolate cupcakes from scratch. I used a recipe that he had seen on America’s Test Kitchen but hadn’t tried yet.

(Even though I did actually cook these, WE should still get the credit..since it was his recipe AND the chocolate shavings on top were the perfect touch and, of course, HIS idea not mine.)

Unbeknown to me and independent of my decision to surprise him with cupcakes, WE was reminiscing this week about when he was in grade school and the lunch lady used to make cupcakes for the kids on their birthday. Well, since WE has a summer birthday – he, of course, never got a lunch-lady-cupcake and hasn’t quite gotten over that childhood wound yet. So I hope that these cupcakes 22 years after the fact can in some small way make up for all the sorrow and hurt he felt as a first-grader.

This brings me to an idea that I’ve been mulling over lately…

(more…)

There are really only a few people (outside of family) that come into your life, stay awhile, and make such a difference that you never really are the same after having spent time with them.

But that is what these ladies are for me!

Yep, that’s right – my college roomies! Since our freshman year, we have remained friends!!! We rotated in and out of apartments throughout our time at BYU and whenever any of us happened to be living in Provo and still single we always lived together. All six of us graduated with degrees. Alot of us either served missions or went abroad to serve/study. We also represent places all over the U.S. (mostly in the West and MidWest – but KU and SF have certainly shown us how to live it up back East).  I’m also ‘Auntie A’ to three boys and 1 girl (with another on the way!) I admire each one so much and each for very different reasons

I am so glad Jimmy snapped this photo at my reception – i LOVE it!

But you really gotta notice the shoes. They say it all! Pictured left to right are:

KU – perfectly worn sneakers. independent, sturdy, and practical. an urban cowgirl livin’ the life in the District

AE – classic heels. prim, proper, and tan. a Cali girl that does it ALL and does it well.

EJ – black slip-ons. petite and pretty. soft-spoken, but don’t be fooled…she’s witty and feisty too.

AF – red flats. hello…6′ tall and all Wo-mahhnn. =) loud, proud, and incredibly loving

Don’t worry, SF, I certainly won’t forget you…

(She’s pictured below and not above since she was in never-never land earlier this year just like me…)

This photo says all you need to know about SF.

(And just in case you didn’t guess…she’s definitely barefoot under all that wedding dress.)

So here’s to my ladies! You make me smile, you inspire me, and you’ve made me a better person for it!

Thank you.