ballerina girl

A Dog's Life: Part 2

I was driving to a friend's house today and I couldn't believe this sign that I saw:

(look familiar, Melissa?)

Hmmmmm. Is someone trying to tell me something?

I think adopting this dog's life philosophy might just work for me.

And my family.

We have had a pretty barkless week.

I am happy to report that personally, I have had a "bark free" week, and it has been absolutely amazing. The sweet, sweet behavior that we are getting from Holland as a result of it makes me wish I had stopped barking a long time ago. She is really catching onto the motto, too, and her barks have been few and far between this week, as well.

We are one, big, barkless, tail waggin' family!

Anyone else out there barking less and wagging more? Please do tell.....

Just Like Grandpa

A Dog's Life

Jonathan and I were driving downtown Seattle the other evening, heading back to my mom's after a wonderful date, when I saw this bumpersticker that caught my attention. It said,

WAG MORE, BARK LESS.

I immediately giggled. I thought it was so cute. I wasn't prepared to think much more about it, however, after a few minutes went by I just couldn't stop thinking about it! What a great motto to live by - silly as it may be - it says a lot! And truth be told, I have been barking way, way to much lately. Barking at my husband, barking at my daughters, barking at my mom. Not just ordinary doggie barks either, but big, scary, growling, guard dog, barks. Not fun.

So having said that, I have decided that I am going to adopt this motto and work on wagging more and barking less. Way less.

And if I see you and get excited, I will do my best to not lick your face and leave a puddle.

Seattle Bound

Forgot to report that we were headed to Seattle for a few days. Sorry for the lack of posts. I will be back up and running once we return!

XXXOOO

This Week's Ten.

I am constantly amazed at the range of stuff that comes out of Holland's mouth. Verbal stuff. Thought processes. You know - those four-year-old, random streams of consciousness. Questions. Insights. Etc. I love to jot the things down that she says, and I go through phases of being really, really good about this and then phases of being very, very lame at this. But for this "ten" post, I thought I would share some of her recent ramblings, quotes, and such. Beware- they range from princess obsession to curiosity about resurrection! Here goes....

1. "Mom, did you know that dinosaurs are nice except for the egg stealers and the sharp tooth? The egg stealers are mean because they steal eggs, and the sharp tooth will eat ya."

2. "Mom, I have a problem here....." (usually followed by some sort of dilemma involving a princess figurine who is unable to get her skinny, little arm into her "enchanted ballroom gown").

3. "Mommy, when you die, will you raise from the dead like Jesus did?"

4. "Babies don't get cool princess stuff and they can't have cinnamon either."

5. Then the other day, I was repeating something to Holland over and over again (probably telling her to put something away or to come here so I could comb her hair), and she said very sternly, "Mom, if you say that one more time, I am going to scream to bloody mercers!"

6. "Mommy, I don't ever want you to get sick or die."

7. Grandma, Dylan FINALLY said "ga-ga"! (she has been waiting for Dylan to say "ga-ga" since the day we brought her home from the hospital).

8. The other night at bedtime, she was telling me a story about her friend at school who got his finger closed in the door. I responded, "yeah, I know", and then she said, "did you see it on the news or something?"

9. "Love means that people are friends together, and they love, love, love each other, and God made us love. It means that you love everyone in the whole wide world and that's all."

10. And one of my most favorite things she has said of late....
"Mom, you are the bestest mom that I have ever had in the whole wide world!"

Happy, Happy Tuesday!

a spring time jig!

love thursday

Another post inspired by the wonderful shutter sisters.

I adore this picture. It captures the love that my daughter has for her Grandpa in such a way that it melts my heart every time I look at it. I grew up without knowing my Grandparents so the relationship that my daughter has with her Grandparents and her Mimi is very special to me. She is incredibly blessed to be so close to them all.

Happy LOVE Thursday!

Ten on Tuesday

1. We went to Kennewick this last weekend so we could go on a date for our anniversary and have the grandparents keep the girls. We had a great evening. Dinner and wine tasting at an upscale winery, a movie, followed by a fun, little photo shoot in an old timey photo booth!
2. We went out again last night since it was the acutal day of our anniversary, however, we had both girls in tow. I don't think Jonathan and I said more than 5 words to each other. No romance there.
3. I forgot to report that a couple of weeks ago while waiting in the lobby of my hair salon (spa paradiso which is in the uppity Davenport Hotel), I made eye contact and got a big smile from this guy as he was pulling up his hood on his black hoodie as he was departing. I think he was trying to be incognito, but that smile would be recognizable anywhere! What a smile it was!
4. Jonathan and I both are actively training for our bloomsday race. I think he is on target to zip right past me leaving me in the dust. Not feeling too happy about this - I am attributing it to his stride though. His legs are a lot longer than mine. That matters, right?
5. I'm missing Grey's Anatomy and House - does anyone know when they are suppose to resume?
6. Holland is very into wearing multiple hair accessories these days and also styling her own hair. She has a morning routine of "washing her hair, blow drying it, and then flat ironing it" (all with her pink and purple plastic electronics!). I'm just going with it! Why not? It's just another preschool girly phase that may not be around for too much longer, and besides I'm not too good at the hair thing so this takes the pressure off! : )
7. Our front and back yards are nothing but rotten, mushy grass. Too much snow for too long. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck.
8. I'm trying to wait patiently for spring to officially arrive, but it is just about killing me. If I knew this meant that our summer and fall would be extended then maybe it wouldn't be soooo bad.
9. We are headed to Seattle next weekend. We won some ballet tickets at a charity auction so we are gonna make a long weekend out of it! Yippee!
10. I just heard a loud crashing sound of something falling to the ground followed by a quick, "Dylan did it Mommy, Dylan did it!". Sure enough - she did (this time, anyway).

Happy Tuesday, Everyone!

Happy Girl Lucky - that's me!

I am such a happy, lucky girl! Today is mine and Jonathan's ninth wedding anniversary and I just couldn't be any happier (or luckier!). Every year, without fail, he writes me a beautiful poem for our anniversary and he always incorporates symbols from what each year's gift is suppose to be (e.g., first year - paper, etc). This year's gift is willow, and the poem that he has written is so beautiful. I think it will rank up there as one of my favorites! You can click here to read this year's poem and there are also links to each previous year's poems!

Thank you, sweetheart! I am so incredibly blessed. I love you.

playing around photographically

whattayathink??

At 10 months old

dylan loves:

to smile, to laugh, to giggle

to crawl all over the place

pull herself up, especially in her crib

skirt around the coffee table - (very cautiously)

to squeal uncontrollably with holland

laugh hysterically with holland

to eat big people food - (she is offended by baby food)

attempt to dress herself by putting clothes on her head

empty out and fill up any container

to be chased

to give open mouth kisses, especially on chins

to streeeeetch her socks until they are pulled all the way off

to play with balls

to babble, babble, babble

say "mamamamama" when in distress

to be tickled

to play peek-a-boo

looking in the mirror

to explore all things shiny in holland's room

(actually just to explore all things holland!)

to bang pots and pans from holland's play kitchen

play giddy-up horsey

bounce and swing and be turned upside down

swipe her hands across her tray clearing it completely from any remaining breakfast, lunch, or dinner morsels

scattering DVD containers all across the floor

drinking from a sippy cup or better yet, an open cup

to hear you say "hooray" while you're throwing your hands up in the air

climbing, climbing, climbing

tearing pages out of catalogs

listening to music

to mouth anything that she finds

play in her crib once she wakes up

compose music with her feet on the piano

pump her leg up & down aerobically

bury her head in your chest if she gets excited or shy

to smile, to laugh, to giggle