Miracle Grow

While getting ready for school the other day, Emma complained that her shoes didn't fit.   What?  Emma is the queen of shoes. .  . . there's no way she has outgrown all of her shoes. 

 

We sat down, systematically went through her shoe drawer, and discovered that my little shoe diva only had one pair of shoes that fit  (I use the term "fit" loosely .. . .a.k.a we could cram her feet in and she didn't complain too much).  After school we headed to the mall.  Emma walked into the shoe store with with her little toes dangling off the end of her favorite sandals and had her feet measured.  The sandals she walked in with were a 9, her feet were now just under a 11.5.  Her feet had grown 2 sizes.   I was dumbfounded.

 

When we got home I decided to measure her on our wall and discovered that not only had her feet exploded, she had grown almost 2 inches in 7 weeks. 

 

My darling little. . insert sarcasm here. .4 year old is now wearing a 11.5 shoe and sizes 6X and 7 for clothes.  So long toddler sizes, Emma has officially graduated to the girls section. 

 

I'm not ready for this! 

 

Apparently Emma isn't the only one growing in my house.  Rooster has also had a growth explosion and now weighs 65 lbs and is officially to big for the ottoman.

 

I guess to make room for all of this growth, I'm compensating by losing. . .I'm down almost 35 lbs and feeling great! 

 

Me and my best girl! 

 

Instagram fun!

How did I miss this? 

 

http://instagram.com/

 

Instagram is a fun photography sharing site that allows you to upload pictures from your phone, manipulate the color scheme, and post for all to see!

 

I'm addicted.

 

Here are a few beauties from my collection!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Want to see more? 

 

You can follow me at

adogsdream

 

 

 

Pacific Science Center

I have no idea how I've missed this place. 

 

http://www.pacificsciencecenter.org/

 

The Pacific Science Center is my new favorite Emma friendly place in Seattle.  I mean how many places are there where I can embrace my inner nerd, have fun with my best pal, and learn new things?  They even have a naked mole rat colony.  Come on, how can you beat that? 

 

They have a section on just about everything.  Emma and I only explored a small portion of it including; the reptiles, rodents, tide pools, bugs, space, dinosaurs, butterfly garden and sat through a planetarium show where we took a trip to the moon.  The place is so big that I'm sure we could go 5 more times and discover new things each time. 

 

I was having so much fun, I didn't take too many pictures.

 

Here's Em in the butterfly garden. 

 

She's not so sure about having a butterfly on her butt.

After this shot she decided that having a butterfly on her wasn't so bad and she tried to coax the butterflies to land on her with no luck.  I guess butterflies are like cats, if you don't want their attention they will embrace you in love.  If you want them, you don't exist in their world.  Ha!

 

If you need to find us on a rainy day, try the Pacific Science Center.  We are sure to be there exploring and learning!



Happiness is . . ..

I am very thankful. 

I am thankful for all there is, and all that will be. 

 

It's amazing when you give thanks you often find happiness.  

 

I have found happiness. 

 

To me. . .

 

HAPPINESS IS

 

 

Naptime snuggles

 An old dog supervising

 

 A palm full of preying mantis

 

 A photo shoot discovered

 

 A puppy pillow

 

Emma smiles

 

Best friends

 

 and angels looking down on us from above

Mr Dignified. . . .

or not. . .

 

This should be titled. . .one more reason I love this puppy. 

 

Feeling down?  Hang out with Roo, he will make you laugh without trying. 

 

 

Roo and I go to the dog park every morning before work. Today it was 50 degrees and raining so it was a ghost town. Not a dog is sight. After about 20 minutes of running around like a crazy dog tossing sticks, Roo noticed a crow sitting on top of the 8' chain link fence. He ran over and sat and stared at it. Roo and the crow had a major stare down for at least a minute.   Roo barked.

 

The crow then flew over to the tree about 50 yards away.  Roo chased, and the crow landed on a low branch. Rooster stared, and then out of nowhere, play bowed, barked, and with all his might wiggled his butt frantically. . . .saying, "play with me, play with me".

 

I guess the crow had enough of the puppy antics because he swept down and pecked Roo right in the butt and proceeded to chase Roo clearly across the play field, making giant swoops trying to peck Roo . . . Roo had that "holy crap" look on his face as he was hauling butt back to me as fast as he could with his tail tucked so far underneath him that it almost came out by his head.  As soon as he got to me he lodged himself in between my legs as if to say, "help!"

After scaring the crap out of Roo, the crow then flew back over to its original spot on the fence.  From that point on Roo refused to even look in the crow's direction. He didn't go back to the major play field and was happy to walk the trails after that. 

 

Lesson learned, dog vs crow.  Crow wins!

 

 

 

Happy Easter!

Changes.. . . .

I took a little break from the world of blogging but now I'm back.

 

Our house has been through a bunch of changes in the past 4 months, and I'm hoping that we have met our new level of normal and happiness. 

 

Changes in review:

 

After a two years of trying to make it work, Brian and I separated for good.  We decided that in order to be the best people we could be, we needed to be able to embark on our own individual journeys and be in charge of our own destinies.  It has been a hard change, but a good change for everyone. 

 

Truman passed away leaving a giant whole in my heart. I still cry daily and miss him so much.  I will always remember his happy go lucky demeanor, and his ability to get in trouble without trying.  They say it gets easier. . . I don't believe it.  It just becomes different. 

My friend Spyder painted this of Truman.  I feel his presence every time I look at it.  

I adopted a greyhound puppy from Amarillo, TX.  Emma named him "Rooster Rootbeer Bob." 

 He has been a blessing and is probably one of the best puppies I have ever met.  He is a good distraction for all of us, and brings great joy into our lives.

Tucker is an old man at 15, and in relatively good health and is as mean as ever :)  He just went though surgery to remove a mass from his lower eyelid and is recovering amazingly well.  

 

 

I finally took life by the horns and decided it was time to build myself a proper sewing studio.  My collars are now in 25 stores in the Pacific Northwest and my house had turned into an episode of "Hoarders."  I made this a priority and after 3 months, I have officially moved in and my studio/sweatshop is in full swing.  . . . .complete with dog couch.

 

So all in all, I can't complain. . . .we are healthy, happy, and are looking for even more changes for 2013!

RIP Truman Montgomery

I've been writing this post in my head for over a month. . . but am finally able to do it. 


I am sad to announce that Truman Montgomery Anderson Schroeder left this world on December 2nd. He left our lives as suddenly as he entered it.. . .and in pure Truman fashion he scored two croissants off the counter hours before he passed away.










If you are reading this, I'm sure you know how special he was to me. He was the goofiest, naughtiest, free spirit of a dog that has ever lived. If he wasn't getting into trouble he was snuggling with me on the couch or making Emma laugh. 

Truman was a lab in a greyhound body; he was outgoing, competed in obedience, he swam, he fetched, and most of all he stole the hearts of everyone he met.

He was my heart dog through and through and is now a beautiful angel. . . .

and I miss him dearly.