Hot Diggity!

Long Overdue

2011-01-17T21:52:00.011-06:00

So, I meant to post this back in September, oops. I think it's clear I'm not really the blogging kind anymore; I'd like to at least try and blog maybe once a month though. I feel awful for slacking, especially since I actually had things to post about. :/ So here we are, photos of the day (and days following) the birth of Ammon. Just my mom, me, and the three little ladies for a little while. It was great to be able to be there and to spend time with them and to be there when Ammon arrived.

I can't remember exactly what day this was, but aren't they gorgeous!?!

And THE FORT. We all crawled and had a blast in this fortress of pillows and blankets. Even I had lots of fun in it. That is, until my fat booty got stuck somewhere near the toybox. Cali was not sympathetic. She just wanted me out of her way. LOL

Here's Miss Ella making her way through the maze.

Silly faces anyone?

Aubrey and I

Me and Ella

And me and Cali, doing what Cali loves best- eating candy. :)

Ella and my mom

And while the older kids were in school, my mom and I took Cali to the mall. We wanted her to have her own special day, as she was really missing her mommy and daddy by now. She loved playing in the kids' play area and even made a special friend that day.

Holly and Joey finally arrived home with the newest addition to their family, Ammon.

And finally, Joey and his son. How sweet is this picture! I asked Holly how easy the delivery was this time around, this is what she had to say:

Holly, don't kill me please, lol. The only photos I had of you were apparently all a little like this. Good times, good times. And just to show what a good sport I am, I'll post a crazy one of me too. hee hee

I got a little carried away with the candy corns. Hey, at least the kids thought it was funny. ;)

Thanks to Holly and Aubrey!

2010-11-02T14:20:00.001-05:00

Okay, so Holly and Aubrey decided to get creative and made this little ditty the other day. Personally, I love it! Thanks you guys. It's pretty funny. :)

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Happy 29th Birthday Nicole!!! (again) tee hee hee

2010-09-17T13:30:00.003-05:00

So, I won't say exactly how old Nicole is today (she might strangle me if I do...), but I will say it is her birthday! So Happy Birthday to my bestest friend in the whole world!!! :) Last night, a few of us gathered at Joe's Crabshack to celebrate with her. BTW, let me just say this- the necklace she is wearing is fabulous, is it not?!? She didn't want to wear it, she said it was too much; but I didn't give her a choice. I pretty much glued it to her neck. I think it is a perfect accessory to any solid colored top! So there, Nicole! Ha! And the song I chose for this special occasion I chose for a reason. When I hear this song, I always think of her.

Ain't she perdy?!?

And here's all of us but Dallas (he took the picture, thanks dude). From left to right: Misty, Katie (her butt is being grabbed by Nicole, hence the shock on her face, lol), Nicole (the b-day girl and butt- grabbin' friend of mine), and myself. Happy Birthday girlie poo! Hope today is wonderful!
Question Nicole, why did you choose Katie's bum over mine? I may never know...but I do know this- I LOVE this picture of Katie. hahahahaha

Happy Birthday Aubrey!

2010-09-10T14:07:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday to my wonderful niece, Aubrey Ann! Today she turns 9 years old; I can't believe it's been that long since she was born. And what a wonderful little lady she is growing to be! Aubrey, you truly are a special spirit, and I feel so lucky to be your aunt. I love you so much and hope today (and everyday, of course) is just wonderful. Love always,
Aunt Tara

Welcome Baby Ammon!

2010-09-09T16:15:00.006-05:00

AMMON DAVID
Born 9/1/2010

Of course, most everyone knows by now that my little nephew has made his debut into the world. But I still have to post it, lol. Here he is (I stole these pictures from my sis, I know she won't mind me using them), Ammon David born on September 1st (12:41pm), weighing in at 9lbs. 5oz, 21 in. long. A big healthy baby boy! I'm so in love with this little guy, he's super cute! And already letting his mommy and daddy get some sleep. He was already sleeping 4 hours straight (mom had to wake him up to feed him, lol) after just a few days. Now that's a good baby!

Mommy and baby (I LOVE this picture)

Holding Ammon for the first time

Ready to go home!...er, I think.

Click Click Click

2010-08-01T19:51:00.002-05:00

Nicole and I went a little crazy taking photos today, oops. We gave eachother makeovers (don't we look divine?!?), and snapped away. Nice comments only allowed! lol ;) Enjoy! I know we both did.

Happy Birthday Mom!

2010-05-24T08:22:00.004-05:00

Today is my mother's __ th birthday. Don't ask how old, I could get hurt for answering that kind of question. ;) I love you, Mom and hope this day is perfectly spectacular. Happy Birthday!!!

I don't like your face

2010-04-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

The other day a friend of mine, Charlotte, stopped by to visit. On the way out, she decided to tell Charlie goodbye. I don't think he liked that idea. As a matter of fact, I've never seen him behave this way. They chatter when they're really angry/upset; this is the first I've heard him do it. Pretty neat, sad, and funny all at the same time. And I'm pretty sure if Charlotte had actually put her hand in the cage she may have lost it. Poor Charlie boy! :)

April Showers!

2010-04-17T21:42:00.002-05:00

I guess this is the season for a lot of things- loud obnoxious birds, crazy pollen, and these weird mosquito type bugs. I mean they are seriously EVERYWHERE! Being the kind soul that I am (lol), I used to just try and catch them so I could release them back outside. The ones that didn't want to be caught, I took pleasure in just smashing them into the walls. I had the best of intentions, but frustration reared it's ugly head, and well, you know the rest. ;) This morning, as like most mornings, there were a couple of these guys flying around in the restroom, ugh. I started my shower and noticed one drowning near my feet, so naturally, I tried to help him drown. But then an overwhelming feeling of guilt came over me, so I had to scoop him up and set him on the shower ledge. In the process, I ripped off a couple of legs (whoopsies, my bad) but he was still alive- I promise. Anyways, I just noticed him dead right where I left him. Moral of the story: there isn't one. I just killed a bug today and thought I'd share. I think I'll flush him now.

The new pad.

2010-04-15T20:15:00.000-05:00

I recently moved into a new place, and someone had asked recently why I hadn't posted any pictures yet. So, here ya go! Btw, I love this place; it will be hard to say goodbye when the time comes.

I finally had my TV mounted onto the wall, yay for me!

I just love to keep the blinds open, the view to the outdoors is just gorgeous. And you have to just love the faux french double doors. Beautiful!

My patio- which conveniently has a little gate; this is so convenient when the dogs have to be walked. The flowers are new, and I just planted some herbs recently too. :) You can't really tell in the photos, but there's a pretty good drop just past the doggie poo trash bin. It's neat, but I have to be extra careful never to let the dogs near it.

Just another awesome view! I've already seen what I believe to be a small fox or wild cat and a family of raccoons. I could sit on this patio for hours.

My New Favorite Recipe Blog!

2010-04-06T09:13:00.003-05:00

I know a few of you out there have your own recipe blog, and I like them too. :) Don't hate! But I came across this one the other day and just LOVE it! I seriously printed out probably 50 recipes (and have more to print) yesterday and plan on trying them ALL out. This blog is called The Sisters' Cafe, I highly recommend you take your booty on over there and check it out. Even if you don't always like to cook or bake, this might be the blog to help inspire you to create wonderfully delicious (they have several good for you foods, too) meals without all of the hassle. I can't wait to try out every one of these. I wouldn't have ever thought a couple of years ago that I'd get so excited over recipes, but I guess things change as you get older, lol.

April Fools!

2010-04-02T11:05:00.003-05:00

I thought I'd gotten off scott-free! No April Fools jokes came my way; boy, was I wrong! I'm known for playing small pranks around the office, so I thought I was being extra careful yesterday. I wasn't careful enough, and my co-workers got ahold of the front bumper of my car. I think the whole credit union was in on it, lol. But can you blame them???
Look at the picture below, I was able to tape this next to his name tag while he was away right before the big rush of the day. Not a single person mentioned it to him (and many many people saw it), lol. And no, this wasn't all I did. I didn't go big this year, just little random things here and there- tumbling paper towel rolls out of the cabinet, taping over the mouth piece on the telephone (it took Brenda forever to figure out why no one could hear her on the other end), replacing the copier paper, taping two dozen cups together at a co-worker's desk and filling them with water, etc.....

Someone Turns 3 Today!

2010-03-26T07:47:00.005-05:00

And that someone would be Ms. Cali! :) I couldn't just pick one picture, so I posted several instead (lots from birthdays past). Happy Birthday to my youngest niece. I love you very much; I hope this day is an extra special one.

Day 2

2010-03-21T10:22:00.003-05:00

Here are just a few more pictures that I took from this morning. I don't think too many were actually expecting any accumulation, so this was definitely a surprise to wake up to. Here we are- Day 2 of Spring!

Welcome Springtime!!!

2010-03-20T21:29:00.002-05:00

Today marks the first day of spring, so it only makes sense for us to celebrate it with some snow flurries right?!? Hey, I'll take it! :) But really, I'm ready for it to warm up a bit. So I welcome spring today with open arms, even if it is snowing today.

Tara's Zoo

2010-03-16T21:51:00.003-05:00

I was surprised by this little picture of me and my "zoo" just the other day by Arthur. He works with this person who created this; he used to do this at Six Flags too. I really love it! It has all of the varieties of pets I've ever owned, with the exception of a rabbit and fish. Altogether, all of the animals in my care (though most were just temporary) have consisted of the following: hamster, ferret, turtle, duck, raccoons, a baby opossum, rabbit, sugar gliders, a few birds, several cats, prairie dog, and of course my wonderful dogs. I don't know if you can make it out, but the sign reads "Tara's Zoo". And yes, sometimes I do think I live in one. :) Thanks Arthur, it came out beautifully.

Lazy ole' Charlie!

2010-02-21T15:35:00.002-06:00

I love it when he falls asleep like this. So cute!

So, I opened his cage to see if maybe he wanted to come out and play. If he could speak, this is what he would have told me- "Shut this door woman! Can't you see I'm trying to sleep!!!". Yeah, I knew better. You see, Mr. Charlie is very particular. If he's not asking to be let out, then you best just leave him be, lol. He actually tries to close the door himself when I do this. He's so funny!

Winter Wonderland in Texas!

2010-02-19T16:38:00.002-06:00

FINALLY, I am posting some pictures of our snowfall from last week. BTW, there's still a blob of snow left from my backyard snowman; he'll be gone tomorrow I imagine. :( Oh well, it was great while it lasted. And it wasn't even all that bad shoveling the driveway. Enjoy!

Got my hair did.

2010-01-31T17:24:00.003-06:00

It's been a while since I changed my hair, so I decided it had to get done this past weekend. I miss the dark hair, so I decided to go darker yet again and get a much needed haircut. I really love it! And I used a new stylist this time around. She was fabulous! I will definitely be going back to her in the future.

Happy Birthday Austin!

2010-01-20T12:42:00.004-06:00

I know I haven't blogged in a while, as I don't have computer access as often as I would like these days. There have been a few changes, so it'll be a while till I'm blogging again regularly (if at all, we'll see...). But today marks Austin's 18th birthday- officially an adult! Wowzas!!! :) So Happy Birthday to you!

7 Weeks Old!

2009-12-29T22:02:00.002-06:00

Yesterday Mallory and Marina turned 7 weeks old, so here they are. The two most precious puppies of 2009! ;) I posted more pictures on the puppy blog, in case you'd like to see more. C'mon, you know you want to take a peek.

Thank you Trying2StayCalm

2009-12-16T12:17:00.006-06:00

I'm so excited to have won something again from Trying2StayCalm. First was a giftcard to Jamba Juice, and now I've won a pair of cute little Spa Booties (just warm in the microwave and wear)! :) I highly recommend you guys to check out Shauna's blog, it's all giveaways over there- really neat stuff! She gets the opportunity to review so many things, and then has these giveaways (like almost everyday, it's great). Thanks again, Shauna! Keep em coming....;)

Puppies in a Sleigh

2009-12-10T17:39:00.005-06:00

For those who haven't visited Maya's puppy blog (or already seen them on facebook), I thought I'd post these on my personal blog. I just want to make sure EVERYONE sees them, lol. :) They're now 4 weeks old- anyone wanting a puppy in January??? ;)

Mallory

Marina

Updated Videos

2009-12-07T20:21:00.002-06:00

I invite you to head on over to our puppy blog to view some just posted videos of this past week. Our little puppies are growing up so fast! Just click here to view!

Mallory

Marina

Hiya Charlie!

2009-11-24T18:37:00.004-06:00

I'm sure maybe a few of you remember big bad Charlie boy. I've neglected him in recent posts, so I feel I must make up for it today. Maybe a couple of videos, pictures, and that should suffice for the time being. :) Charlie is just as much of a handful today as he was when we first got him- still a brat, that is. lols Prairie dogs go through what is known as rut. Rut is basically mating season, and their personalities are drastically altered due to hormone changes within their little bodies. We failed to fix him before his season hit (and you can't fix them during rut), so now we have an even bigger little monster on our hands. Oh wellsy! He certainly doesn't get out as much, since he's pretty cranky these days, moreso than usual. When spring arrives, he should be back to his calmer and less irritable self. He's still my sweet little boy though, and I love him regardless.

I'm going to be absolutely honest here, but these pictures (I have several like this) always make me a little sad for him. He almost seems as though he's yearning to be out there- outside. I was told he came from a breeder, but after reading more about prairie dogs (after the fact) I highly doubt that was the case. He was probably taken as a pup, young and frightened away from his mom and friends. Of course, this is just speculation, he could have come from a breeder, though I think it unlikely as they're difficult to breed in captivity. The only comfort that I have, is thinking that maybe he was taken from a farm or an area that his life would have been in jeopardy. Maybe his life was spared in capture, rather than to have been shot due to his family causing destruction on a property that couldn't have that. I'd like to think so anyway. In efforts to save the lives of prairie dogs, they have been sold into the pet trade vs. being killed. I guess it's a better alternative though I do have mixed feelings.
I'm sorry Charlie, but there's no way you can go back. A domesticated prairie dog can not go back, he would die and/or be killed. These are the thoughts I have when I see him staring out the window like this; it saddens me.

And then he makes these silly faces and it makes me smile again.

My b-i-l asked me today (after I'd taken these videos), whether he liked the dogs. This video should answer your question, lol. But for those who can't decide whether or not he seems happy to see her, trust me, he's not happy at all. He thinks he's pretty tough apparently; it's a good thing Chloe can keep her cool. ;)

Chloe's Birthday Bash

2009-11-22T19:02:00.002-06:00

Okay, so we didn't do anything big this year, just something small to recognize Chloe's big 11th. I stopped by Petland and picked up some birthday cookies, aren't they adorable. I think she (and Maya) must have thought they were just too pretty to eat, so they licked them a little and let them be. Oh wellsy! :) Chloe rarely gets to have wet food (too much upsets her tummy and the fact that she is long-haired and white makes for quite a mess), but on her birthdays we make an exception. She was in doggy heaven! She got a new toy, which she really likes too. When I pick out new toys, sometimes I try to pick things out that are similar to socks in shape and texture. She LOVES socks, just ask my dad. She used to run into his office as a pup (back when we lived at home with the parents) and steal his socks, lol. If his sock(s) were missing, we always knew who the culprit was. Chloe! That funny dog; she still has that obsession, too. The way she acts when she has a sock in her mouth, you would never guess she's 11 years old now. That's my girl!

If these had been labeled "cookies for humans", I think she would have loved them. Sometimes I think she knows how to read. :/ BTW, I should have tried one of these, they actually smelled really tasty.

Chloe and her new toy. It's actually a really long squirrel, with no stuffing in it. Light-weight and perfect for flinging around the apartment while in a state of pure bliss and contentment.

New Puppy Photos!

2009-11-18T18:30:00.002-06:00

I know what you're thinking, "Will she ever stop posting puppy pics?!?"; the answer is NO. muahaha! I think our girls' eyes are getting close to opening. I think I see a tiny hint of it. Yay! I can't wait to see their little eyes! The first three pictures are Marina, and the last three are of Mallory (9 days old). Enjoy!

Marina

Marina was saying, "ENOUGH ALREADY! Get that thing outta my face!". lol

Mallory

Mallory had just about had enough, too. She was a big ole sleepyhead after pictures.

Computer problems! Ugh!!!

2009-11-17T09:09:00.002-06:00

My internet browser will not load. I click on Firefox and nothing. :( I've even tried to go to Internet Explorer (which I don't use), but still nothing. Looks like my computer may have to take a trip to a computer doctor. :( This is a total bummer, considering I so wanted to post new pictures of Mallory and Marina on some pretty pink fleece with white polka dots. Darn! Does anyone know of anyway of trying to restore your computer? I'll mess with it some when i get home, but I'm so afraid of something happening and then losing all of my photos. Maybe I'll go get another flash drive and transfer them over to keep them all safe. And then just go crazy on that computer. :/ We'll see...
BTW, I'm at work now using my work computer.

Happy Birthday Chloe!

2009-11-16T08:14:00.004-06:00

Today my sweet Chloe bear turns 11 years old. Fortunately for me, she still has that spunk and energy that I've always known and loved, though she's definitely mellowed out since puppyhood. Thank you Chloe for bringing me nearly 11 years of happiness, and I know you've got several more years to give. You're very much loved! Happy b-day baby girl!!!

Clean bill of health

2009-11-12T10:24:00.002-06:00

Our puppies went into the vet yesterday morning to have their tails docked and dewclaws removed. The vet told us the puppies and Maya looked great! So we're really happy. Babies are gaining lots of weight, almost 2 oz within three days. :) Little Mallory is just as chunky as her sister now, making it more difficult for me to tell them apart, lol. Just wanted to update everyone on their progress. This is going to be difficult for us to part with them; maybe we'll have to keep one. ??? We'll see...;) Oh, and if you're looking for more pictures, I post most of the puppy pictures on the puppy blog. Just click on the link "Maya's puppies" on the sidebar to view the page. I'll probably just post pics weekly, maybe a few in between.

Our Vet Delivers

2009-11-09T10:13:00.007-06:00

For those who don't know the dilemma we faced earlier this morning, here it goes. Maya went into active labor around 2am this morning, she was pushing for over two hours when I thought it was probably too long. I called an emergency vet, they told me to give her more time- another hour or two. I thought about that for a while, didn't feel comfortable with it and then called a different emergency vet and they told me to bring her right in. So, after much deliberation, we brought our Maya in to get checked out. She received some much needed calcium and a shot of oxytocin and made a little progress. They repeated the process but she didn't improve any. They told us the first little one was probably already deceased and that Maya needed an emergency c-section to have any chance of saving the other. At this point it is 8am, I'm already crying but have to make a decision.
We decide to take our Maya from this emergency clinic and transfer her to our veterinarian (since now the office is open) to do this procedure for our girl. We trust them with our pets, and though this may seem a stupid idea, I think it was an inspired one. Both of our little girls and our Maya have pulled through just fine. And fyi, we saved $1400.00 by taking Maya to our vet. We are so happy! I want to thank everyone for your prayers, every one of them counted. Thanks again everyone!!!

Don't mind the ugly incision on Maya's belly, it'll heal soon enough. Here are our lovely angels climbing on their mommy looking for food. They'll get it down pat eventually. Well, let's sure hope so.

And this is our chunky little girl, though she actually weighs less than her sister. I would have taken a picture of her sister, but she was asleep and I didn't want to wake her. Plus, Maya needs her beauty sleep too. :)
I'll be sure to post lots more pictures when they aren't so fragile and I'm not so tired. Seriously, I only got 10 minutes of sleep, 15 at the most. I'm kinda dozing off just typing this.

Still Nothin'

2009-11-07T12:55:00.002-06:00

Last night Maya showed several signs of pre-labor, but not all of them. This morning, she's showing some other signs of pre-labor. ??? So, we don't know what the heck is going on now. :/ She's definitely not acting like herself, she's been digging alot (nesting), and her temperature is still down from yesterday. So, it could be today that she has puppies, but it's not for certain. I sure did want the puppies to make their debut today though. :( If not today, then tomorrow. I don't want to have to go another day on Monday worrying about Maya while I'm at work. I'm already not getting any sleep. Seriously, I've been waking up every hour it seems to check on her. Come on puppies, get out already! Here's another even better video of her puppies kicking the doo doo out of her, lol. It doesn't get good until about 20 seconds in, fyi. :)

Pansit Canton

2009-11-04T07:10:00.007-06:00

I had a craving last night for something delicious and homemade, something tried and true, something that would take me back to when I was a kid, so I decided on Pansit. My mother used to make this Filipino dish every now and then when I was growing up, and I always have just loved it. It's so flavorful, so tasty, and you'll love it too. I didn't bother my mom with the recipe for it last night, so I looked it up online and found one similar to hers. Now this recipe wasn't the same as my mom's, so I edited it to be as close to my mom's recipe as possible. If you wish to see the whole version as it was before I changed it up a bit, click here. I HIGHLY recommend this, it was delicious!

Pansit Canton Ingredients:

12 ounces pansit canton noodles (rice noodles)
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 pound pork, sliced in small pieces
1/2 lb.-1 lb. pound shrimps, shelled and deveined
4 tablespoons cooking oil (I used some EVOO)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 cups cabbage, sliced into strips
1 cup celery, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1/4- 1/2 cup soy sauce (to your liking)
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Pansit Canton Cooking Instructions:

In a big pan or wok, sauté in oil the garlic and onions. Then add sliced pork until cooked.
Add 2 cups of chicken broth and add shrimps, cabbage, celery and sliced carrot. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until cooked.
Add the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth, soy sauce, and the pansit canton noodles. Let simmer until noodles are soft.
Add the sesame oil and serve hot.

***Note: Preparation and cooking time takes approximately 1 hour (I'm slow so it took me a bit longer).

Maya's x-rays

2009-11-02T10:16:00.004-06:00

I know my intention was just to post the puppy stuff on Maya's blog, but I just couldn't help but post this here, too. We finally went in to the vet this morning to get a puppy head count, and sure enough, there are TWO puppies. I was beginning to think three because of how big they're now getting, but nope, just two. Which, by the way, I think is the perfect number. If only they could have told us the sexes of both; that will have to be a surprise. :) I'm also really happy that we got to spend a lot of time with Dr. Turner (who is just amazing, btw), asking lots of questions and listening to his advice. I feel really good about things now, and completely prepared. I'm sure the next post about Maya will be about her newborn puppies; wish us luck! They should be here by Saturday!

And here is the same x-ray just closer so you can see the details. I don't think it's too hard to see, so I won't bother trying to point out the puppies. But yes, you can clearly see the two little skulls and their spines. Those are just the cutest alien-looking things I've ever seen, lol. :)

Halloween at Work

2009-11-01T08:04:00.004-06:00

Every year at work, we all (well, most of us anyways) dress up in costume for Halloween. It's a lot of fun! This year I wasn't sure I was going to dress up; I even went to look at costumes one day but couldn't find any that I liked. Lucky for me, my co-worker offered to lend me one of her costumes that she'd used one year, and I loved it! Here are just a few pictures I had taken throughout the day-

This is Jaylie, aka THE INDIAN

Jaylie and I

Lynda and myself. I kept forgetting to put my hood on; no one knew what I was without it. :(

Again, I am hoodless. But here I am, with Charlotte (a pirate) and Bethany (Minnie Mouse).

Our group photo! You can kinda see the whole outfit I had one if you look closely; at least I remembered to put on my hood. :)
I hope everyone had a great and safe Halloween last night. And I also hoped you remembered to set your clocks back an hour this morning.

Blog Update

2009-10-31T08:33:00.002-05:00

I recently posted a video on Maya's puppy blog that is pretty neat. If you're interested, go check it out. Just click here to visit her page. :)
And of course, a Happy Halloween to everyone today! Be safe and have lots of fun!!!

Extra 50% off at Payless, thanks to Oprah

2009-10-29T09:40:00.010-05:00

Today (after Oprah airs) and tomorrow, Payless is offering an additional 50% off of Payless accessories and shoes. I actually went in last night, tried on, and placed a few pairs of boots/shoes on hold for today. So, I'm all set! All in all, this will come out to about $55.00 plus tax for these four pairs. I'm sooooo excited; I LOVE my shoes! And what a bargain, considering you can use this additional discount off of sale merchandise. To acquire your coupon, head on over to oprah.com and look for the link that she has on her website. The store that I shopped at won't honor the coupon until later today, but the actual coupon says you can use it as early as 10am this morning. I'd check with the store you plan on shopping at to see when they will accept it.

These are already on sale for just $39.99, meaning I'll only pay $19.99.

These boots are currently on sale for $29.99, which means I'll pay $14.99.

These awesome pumps are $14.99 now, but will be $7.49 later today.

These may look metallic, but there aren't; they're just brown. :) They're regularly $22.99, and I can't wait to get them for only $11.49. Whoo hoo!!!

Arthur's New Project

2009-10-27T09:41:00.005-05:00

Arthur and I have talked on several occasions about making a little porch potty for our dogs. Now I think is the perfect time to finally get this project moving, as the weather has just been awful. Living in an apartment is sometimes just terrible when you have animals; being on the second floor isn't any better. It's not that we hate to walk the dogs, but when the weather isn't being kind to us, walking them in rain, ice, sometimes sleet is not always an option. So the idea came to me that we needed more than just potty pads indoors to help out with this. The girls have never liked to use the potty pads, so I figured if we constructed something that was most like the great outdoors (like turf, for instance), they'd be more inclined to use it. Hopefully, this is something Arthur will get started on in the next couple of weeks; below are a few ideas we plan on using to get started. Wish us luck! And I sure hope the girls will use it. Also, I want to add that with Maya's puppies on the way, I also thought this would be a good tool in helping to potty train them. Since they will be susceptible to contracting diseases from other dogs/animals in general, I won't be able to take them outside or get them near anything that could harm them. Basically, they can't go outside until fully vaccinated. I think this would be an awesome way to help them learn to use the potty appropriately. We'll see...

I really like this idea of a pull-out tray (in plastic) for easy cleaning. :)

Our Jack-o-lanterns

2009-10-26T14:01:00.002-05:00

For the past several years I have always made sure to have a carved pumpkin or two. Arthur was kind enough to be sure I didn't forget. Yesterday he brought home two pumpkins, and we got to work on them. I think they turned out well; of course, I always think mine is better. lol

Arthur's artwork

Mine. Do you know what movie this is from? That's a little Tara Trivia for ya!

And check out the amazing glow of my lil' pumpkin man. :) Cute and a bit creepy all wrapped into one.

Halloween Mummy Cake!

2009-10-24T11:42:00.004-05:00

I thought I'd post a couple of pictures of the cake I made earlier today for a party later tonight. I thought it was a cute idea and different, so I gave it a whirl. It's pretty simple, but a TON of frosting- two chocolate cakes layered and covered with chocolate frosting, then covered with more buttercream frosting. This makes for one heavy cake!

Maya's Box

2009-10-23T07:40:00.002-05:00

Arthur finally put together a whelping box for Maya (that she and her puppies will live in for a few weeks), and so far I think she likes it. She even went into her box on her own last night to just chill out. :) He did such an awesome job, and made this exactly the way I wanted. Thank you, Arthur!

Napping in her box

Chlo-jo saying "hi".

Though her hair is slightly messy, I still just love this picture. I just love her doggy smile! ;)

Update on Maya

2009-10-20T09:54:00.002-05:00

A couple of night's ago when I had my hand on Maya's belly, I was able to feel movement from the puppies inside. The little one on her right side is an active little bugger, especially in the evenings. :) Even if you look really closely, you can see her tummy move along with the puppies' movements. It's so cute! We've determined she's at least having two (she has one on each side), but three would be a perfect number. We're getting extremely anxious waiting for these little ones; two weeks to go!

Biggest Loser Contest (numero dos)

2009-10-15T08:41:00.002-05:00

Yes, we have started yet another biggest loser contest here at the office. Only thing is, it started over a month ago and I just got started last week. I have until the 13th of November to kick booty! There are a few people that have been doing fairly well, I'm not one of them. ;) But I am trying, at least now I am. So far, so good, but I've got a ways to go if I'm going to have a chance at winning. I'm probably a good 10-12 pounds behind some of the other competitors, yikes. But that is more reason for me to really push myself. It's tough, when you lack the motivation to do something you know you should be doing. Luckily, I've found that motivation again and I'm not letting go without a fight. Will I win this time around? Not likely, but there's still a slight chance. I'm doing my best to sabotage the others; I made a delicious cake for everyone on Tuesday. hee hee Yep, that's right, I fight dirty. So what!?!

Photos from the Fair

2009-10-12T10:46:00.007-05:00

We probably picked one of the rainiest days to attend the Texas State Fair, but I'm glad that we did. It rained a few times throughout the day, but it wasn't enough to damper our plans. If anything, this rain kept the crowds away, and we never had to wait in line for anything. The cool breeze was a plus, as well. It was a great day! Unfortunately, because of the rain, I didn't have my camera out for most of it. So yeah, I didn't take too many photos. Oh wellsy...

The fried food was great, as always. I think I may have gained like 10 pounds from the deep fried pecan pie, Fletcher's corndogs (which are fab, btw), fried bbq egg rolls, ice cream, and fresh lemonade. I decide to pass on the fried butter this year. It just didn't sound appetizing to me. Ew!

Big Tex!

And how could I not take a picture of the ferris wheel?!? Preetty.
Nope, I did not ride this thing. For one, it's scary looking, and two, the weather was just too unpredictable that day for me to even consider it.

A view from the Texas Skyway (looking down on Midway Park)

I couldn't help myself! That booty was just too pinchable for me to resist. ;)

Arthur in front of the Esplanade

A big storm was supposedly coming in (it was supposed to be really bad). It looked very scary!

Check out those awesome clouds! The sky was even green, though you can't see it from these photos.

But it only got a little windy and then rained for maybe 5 minutes or so. Bummer! This is what the sky looked like minutes after. Blue and just gorgeous!

And of course, me being the animal lover I am, we just had to head on over to the livestock petting area to check out the animals. This is one of my favorite pictures, this little kangaroo is just taking it easy. He's like, "Hey, what are you looking at?!?"

Then he finally decided to grace us with his presence and came out for a quick peek. I just wanted to yank him outta there and cuddle with him. :) Of course, you know I really wouldn't do that, lol.

When I took this picture, all I saw was the cute camel, now all I see is poo. Where did this poo come from?!? Oh wait, I know the answer to this.

I like to call this photo- THE STAREDOWN. The camel won, btw. And nope, there wasn't any spitting involved (I told Arthur he'd get in trouble for spitting on the camels).

And last but not least, here's a photo of an up and coming Elsie the cow. She was so precious and had the most beautiful little face.

All in all, the day was great! We bought little souvenirs here and there, loved the food sampling, the music, and the shows were great, too. I highly recommend the Kroger Birds of the World show, in case you're nearby.

Introducing Maya's Puppies

2009-10-07T14:19:00.006-05:00

I have created a blog journal for Maya and her puppies. Here is where you will find all the latest updates on her and her upcoming litter. We thought it would be nice to have a journal for us to write everything down in and keep track of things. And then I thought it would be even nicer to share it, for anyone who cares (I can't think of too many people who might, lol). :) Click here to visit her page!

May not be suitable for young children (NIPPLES)

2009-10-03T17:11:00.003-05:00

Okay, so no, I was totally kidding about it being unsuitable for children, lol. These nipples are only doggy nipples, perfectly okay for all ages. I just thought it was a nice title. "Why is she posting pictures of her dog's nipples?" you may ask. Well, it's not the nipples I'm posting, actually. It's the fact that Maya is preggers, and we are just so thrilled. No, we haven't had it confirmed by a vet yet, but I'm 99 percent sure. We've just been playing the waiting game for the past several weeks, but I'm completely confident that she is now. She used to have a flat tummy, seriously- it sometimes almost seemed concaved even. Today marks the beginning of her fourth week of pregnancy. In case you didn't know, most dogs have a gestational period from usually 60-63 daysish. That makes her at about the halfway point. We're so excited and anxious to meet the little ones. We will be having a 2D x-ray done in a couple of weeks to determine the number and sizes of the pups. It's so exciting!!! :)

Just look at that little round belly! So cute!!! btw, it's more noticeable in person than in these photos. You're probably thinking you can't see anything. Trust me, she's pretty big for her.

I hear that around Day 40, we'll be able to see/feel the pups moving around in there. And this is the baby daddy, Rumble (sorry you can't see his face too well). He's only 3.5 lbs., very cute! The only thing he didn't have that we were looking for was smaller ears; I was hoping to balance Maya's big ears with a male that had smaller ones. Oh wellsy, I guess the pups are doomed for big ears, lol. But really, this picture doesn't do the little man justice- he's soooo much cuter in person. I think his and Maya's babies will be sooooooo precious! And I've seen two of his babies from other litters, they are just precious! :)

Happy 30th Anniversary!!!

2009-10-02T09:49:00.004-05:00

Yes, today is my parents' anniversary and yes, it's been a whole 30 years. Whoa! I hope you two have a wonderful day, time to relax, go out to eat, and ENJOY eachother's company. I love you both very much. And the picture is the most recent I have of the both of them; it was taken with my niece, Aubrey, for her baptism this past month.

For Debbie

2009-09-28T18:35:00.002-05:00

I am posting this for a friend of mine, Debbie, who has recently discovered she has stage 2 breast cancer. Please head on over to her blog and give a dollar if you can. Their hope is to reach 100,000 people. One dollar from each person can make such a difference. So please, if you can and are able, please donate a dollar for not only Debbie, but for a great cause as well. I hope Steve, Debbie's son, doesn't mind if I quote him on this, but this is what he had to say- "I've named this movement: 'A Dollar for Debbie'. The idea is to ask people to just donate one dollar upon visiting the site. Our goal is to get 100,000 visitors to the website to donate 1 dollar. 10% will be donated to MD Anderson and 90% will be donated to fund Mom's bills. Anything left over will be given to fund breast cancer research. Nobody else gets a cent, that's the idea, very simple." Please also keep Debbie and her family in your prayers and head on over to her blog to donate if you can. Anything can help and would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!
Tara

Fart Scares Baby!

2009-09-27T13:30:00.006-05:00

Okay, so this is super silly, but it had me laughing really hard. It just hit me funny, I guess. I hope you enjoy it, too! :)

Fart Scares Baby @ Yahoo! Video

Albertson's!!!

2009-09-19T09:01:00.006-05:00

We struck again, this time at Albertson's. In case you haven't been following my blog regularly, my sister and I occassionally go out to random supermarkets and just go crazy with it. It's a lot of fun! Insane yes, but well worth the insanity. When we hang out, I always make sure to bring my camera, just in case.

Love this picture! It looks as though someone needs to be institutionalized, lol.

Not only do I look cold, but I WAS cold. It's just too bad I couldn't cram my entire body in there. Now that would have made for a good picture!

This isn't the first time she's done this. I have a sneaky suspicion that this won't be the last...

Check out my melons (not those ones, the fruit)!

And check out Holly's, er, lemons.

That's a stress reliever ball she has there, in case you were wondering.

Nothing says a good time like several packages of Depends and wipes. Whoo hoo!!!

Holly and her wrapping paper cane.

Okay now this one is one of my favorites. Not only had Albertson's not cleaned the restroom since 2pm the previous day, but you could tell (if you know what I mean- nasty). So my sister, being the awesome person she is, failed them on their bathroom inspection. She notes, "Inspected by HD, Albertson's chief bathroom inspector. This bathroom will be reported immediately for ickiness." I bet they love us for that one! ;)

I tried so hard to fit my fat butt into this car, but it just wasn't meant to be. If you loved these, you'll love our others. Click here, here, and here to see our previous trips to the grocery store. Yes, they are just as crazy; don't say that you haven't been warned.

Aubrey's Birthday/ Baptism Weekend

2009-09-15T08:00:00.002-05:00

This weekend was a blast! As always, I have such a great time spending time with the family. It's a shame time has to fly on by too quickly. And like I mentioned before, it was my niece's eighth birthday on Thursday. She had her baptism on Friday, and I'm so glad I was able to be there to share in such a special moment with her. I can't believe she's eight already!!! It's just crazy. Anyhoos, I put together a small slideshow of a few pictures I took this weekend. I didn't take very many pictures unfortunately, as I always forget I have my camera. ;) And then the battery died on the last day. Pooey!

They Never Cease to Amaze Me.

2009-09-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

There's not a whole lot to say about this.

Aubrey's Baptism Cake

2009-09-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

I thought I'd share just a few pictures of the cake that I made for her special day. Nothing fancy, just simple. Fluffy white cake filled with strawberry filling; I can't wait to try it. :)

Filling the cake

I don't know how easy it is to see, but I also placed little candy pearls in between the larger icing beads around the CTR emblem.

Happy Birthday Aubrey!

2009-09-10T12:05:00.002-05:00

Today my little niece hits the big one, 8 years old. I still remember when we found out my sister, Holly, was pregnant. We were all soooo excited, for Aubrey was my very first niece (I have yet to have any nephews). She is so special and has such a sweet and gentle nature! I have the most amazing nieces, it must run in the family I think. ;) This picture was taken by my brother in law, Joey. Feel free to swing on by my sisters blog, to check out all of the other photos they took for Aubrey's big day tomorrow (she'll be baptized as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). They are all so beautiful, but I guess it's easy to do when you're photographing something so perfect. Aubrey, I love you so much; I'm so proud to be your aunt. Congrats on the big "8", and I can't wait to see you tomorrow.

Happy Birthday Holly!

2009-08-31T08:17:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday to my favorite sister! Today Holly turns, well, I don't know if I should say it or not, though it's by no means old. So I won't! ;) Thanks Holly for being such a good big sister. I really do love you, and of course, always will. You're such a good person, and I envy what a great mom you are. If I ever have kids, I hope I can be half as good as you are. Thanks for always making me laugh, as I can always count on you for that. We need to make a late night Wal-mart run pretty soon- I miss those. Happy Birthday!!!!
Love,
Tara (your favorite sister)

Slideshow!

2009-08-30T10:28:00.004-05:00

As I've done for most all of my foster kitties, here's another slideshow! Lulu has found her a home, so now it's just down to three. However, I will be keeping Lilly and am considering keeping Maggie as well. Molly is still looking for her forever home. We'll see what happens...
P.S. Half of these photos you've probably already seen from the previous post.

I won, I won!!!

2009-08-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

First let me say a big THANK YOU to Shauna over at trying2staycalm.com. She has all of these awesome giveaways. I only enter here and there, and that's why I was so surprised to have actually won something. And my prize= a $10 giftcard to Jamba Juice (which I LOVE). Their smoothies are delicious. Yay! I can't wait to get it! Thanks again, Shauna!!!

The Quad.

2009-08-27T21:39:00.009-05:00

I recently came across a woman who'd come to have these four little fur babies. She was unable to care for them, and was about to take them to the shelter. I just couldn't let her do it, and of course, have now taken them in until permanent homes can be found for them. I had no idea what they looked like, what condition they were in healthwise, or even how friendly they were. I got lucky! They're not only healthy and full of life, but adorable. Not everyone likes a black cat, but I think these babies are the cutest little black kittens ever. They love to be pet, they purr all of the time, and most of all LOVE to play. All four babies are little girls. :)

This is little Molly. She's short-haired, but soooo soft. One of the softest! And has these big expressive eyes.

And this kitty had my heart from the very beginning. As soon as I let little Maggie out of her crate, she just cuddled in my lap and purred away. She's very friendly and has medium length fur. So sweet!

And here's little Lulu (the smallest of the sisters), meeting Maya for the first time. I don't think she likes her much, lol.

Maggie, again.

Maggie playing with her sis, Tilly/Lilly (I haven't decided which name I like better).

And here's Lulu again.

And this is Tilly/Lilly, the most magnificent of them all. She's a beauty, and very sweet as well. Ms. Tilly/Lilly and Maggie are the sweetest of them all.

Lulu and Maggie were tired after a long evening of play and one delicious dinner.

Boy Falls Asleep on Power Wheels

2009-08-22T20:12:00.001-05:00

Kid Falls Asleep On Power Wheels @ Yahoo! Video

It was too cute that I just had to post it. :)

My Best Friend is Back Home!

2009-08-17T10:29:00.002-05:00

No I'm not referring to my best friend, but Chloe's. When Arthur goes out of town, he always takes Maya with him. It's always a treat to see Chloe and Maya greet eachother after being apart for a few days. It's obvious how much they care for one another, even if Chloe is a little grumpy sometimes. It also makes me think back to when we first brought Maya home. She was a spunky little puppy and full of energy. Chloe couldn't stand it! After a couple of weeks of this, Chloe was tolerating Maya, but that was it. She ignored her for the most part. But over time, the two really enjoy eachother's company. I still remember the first time Chloe played with Maya, I was thrilled! It still melts my heart to see them play together. So why am I thinking of this, you ask? Well, last night, Arthur and Maya returned from their trip back home. Last night while lying in bed, Maya got up from the pillow and moved to the foot of the bed. Chloe followed- she just wanted to lie down next to her buddy. It was so sweet! I see the opposite happen most times, as Maya can be a bit too pushy. If Chloe doesn't want to play, she'll get up and move away from her. That's why I just had to take the picture. I didn't have my camera with me, so I just used my phone (hence the quality of the photo).

Happy Birthday, Little Brother!

2009-08-14T09:33:00.004-05:00

Glitter Graphics & Comments

Happy 15th Birthday, Taylor! Wish I could be there to celebrate it with you, but alas, I am not. :( Have a great day! Love you!!!

Glitter Graphics & Comments

Chloe the Incontinent

2009-08-11T07:38:00.002-05:00

Yes, so Chloe bear has been having "accidents" again. This happened a few years back off and on, but I didn't do anything about it, thinking she was just being lazy. She went into the vet for a separate incident, I mentioned the accidents, and he suggested it could be either an infection or just her becoming incontinent. Nothing was ever done about it, but she was on antibiotics at the time and the episodes stopped. That is, until now. So I thought for sure it had been an infection the first time around, since antibiotics fixed it, but apparently that wasn't the case. She doesn't have an infection now, so Chloe is becoming incontinent. Poor Chloe bear! But she now has special meds to help her in that area. These are supposed to help those muscles contract to keep the urine in, because we sure don't want the urine on the bed, carpet, or futon. :) So far, so good.
Don't pee on my futon, Chloe!!!

Mr. Bug's Photoshoot

2009-08-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

He looks a lot bigger than he really is. I'm guessing he's only about five to six weeks of age- tiny little thing. We have yet to find his litter mate, and I'm not sure we ever will. I love him so much already that I'm considering keeping him. I probably won't because of my situation, but I sure wish that I could.

I have a photo similar to this one of Tucker (one of my first foster kitties).

Here it is! Little Tucker. :)

One of my favorites.

Just one of those crazy shots you get once in a while, lol. ;)

Yeah, I was messing with Photoshop, seeing what I could do with it some. This photo along with the one below it are my absolute favorites. And I didn't even put him here, he must have known this would make for some great photos. You go Bug!

The look of innocence. Love it!

By the time I finished, he was sooooo tired. Poor little baby. And below is a little video for your viewing pleasure. He's so precious, this one.

Before and After

2009-08-08T08:00:00.002-05:00

It's been over six months since my weight loss (still have to lose several) and my rhinoplasty. I thought I'd go ahead and take a similar picture in the same room, same position, same lighting, etc.. So here you go- I think this is the most accurate before and after picture I've posted since the surgery. It's kinda shocking, I think. But then again, I'm very critical of myself as anyone else would be I'm sure. What do you think?

I think this one was taken in January weeks before my surgery. Ewie, lol. And this is me today! What a difference, eh?!?

BUG!

2009-08-07T11:31:00.003-05:00

Lately our neighbors at the apartment complex where I live have been on a mission to get rid of all of the stray cats. What they don't realize is that it'll never work. The best way to get the numbers down is to Trap-Neuter-Release. And it is exactly what it sounds like- you catch them, get them fixed and rabies shots, and then just re-release them back where they came from (there are programs that do this locally at no cost). You don't get rid of the cats, because another colony will ALWAYS move back in. Apparently, our neighbors thought they'd trapped and rehomed all of the kitties, but they must've missed one. Momma Cat (this is her nickname, due to the fact that she procreates like nobody's business; I'm sure I could find a more appropriate name for her, lol) had another litter of two kittens. Arthur and I took it upon ourselves to catch them, tame them, and find permanent homes for them. So far, we've only got one but plan to catch the other tonight. They are super cute and look extremely healthy! This little orange tabby we have I have named Bug. It just came to me, I know it's a strange name, but I think it suits him. Plus, he seems to respond really well to it too. It's only been a few hours, but he's already made huge progress. I can let him out of his cage and he'll come to me when I call his name; he beginning to understand the joy of being pet. He also LOVES (and slightly fears) Charlie, lol. I'll post again when the second kitty is caught.

Goodbye Phoebe and Good Luck!

2009-08-05T09:09:00.003-05:00

This isn't what I had in mind when I first got Phoebes, but it was the only thing I could do to insure her happiness. After a month of trying to get Charlie and Phoebe to get along, I knew they never would. So, not being in a position to have two separate cages and not being able to let them out at the same time, I made the decision to find her a new home. I was very particular of who took her- I only wanted someone who'd had them as pets before. And I got lucky! This wonderful woman took her in who already has a prairie dog, Yogi. Yogi grew up with a friend named Bullwinkle who recently passed away; he was very lonely and missed his friend terribly. If you remember, Phoebe loved Charlie and wanted so much for him to return her affection, but Charlie wasn't having it. Charlie is a meanie! :( So I was pretty sure that as long as Yogi accepted her, they would be great together. They were introduced to eachother yesterday and they are truly a perfect match! They fell in love with eachother instantly and even share the same cage (sometimes animals connect instantly, some take a few days/weeks even). I'm glad there was an instant connection. I couldn't be happier! So yes, no more Phoebe and there will certainly be no more "friends" for Charlie. He prefers to be the lone prairie dog in our household, and that's how it'll have to be. :) We'll miss you Phoebe, it's too bad you couldn't stay.

Then and Now- The Bowser and Chloe Edition

2009-08-04T07:46:00.004-05:00

This is my parent's pooch, Bowser as a youngster. He was so adorable then, of course, still is too. :)
What a cutie!

This is Bowser now. Bigger, but still just as cute and cuddly (and a bit neurotic, if I do say so myself, lol.)

Bowser and Chloe back in the day. She didn't want to have to sit next to him in this picture. Can you tell?

Bowser and Chloe now. She still doesn't like to sit next to him, lol. Aren't they a cute pair, though?!? They look like siblings. ;)

"If you get any closer, I'll rip your head off!" I imagine that's what Chloe is thinking in this picture. hee hee

27!

2009-08-02T19:47:00.005-05:00

Let me start out by saying I couldn't help myself when it came to adding this version of "Celebration" onto the playlist. It's a horrible karaoke version that had me rolling in laughter when I first heard it. I hope you love it too (it's also obvious that they are not from America either). Too funny!
Most of you know that I was unfortunate enough to have yet another birthday come and go. It's all downhill from 25...But on a lighter note, I had a great birthday (and celebration the previous week while visiting with the fam). I just wanted to share a few more pictures, most of the gifts I received. Thanks for all of the "happy birthdays" I got from you all! :)

My co-worker and friend, Brenda, surprised me at work with this. Isn't it cute!?!

And my sister gave me a much needed caddy for all of my cake decorating supplies. She knew I didn't have one, and I was so happy to get it. Until now, all of my supplies have been crammed into small drawers; the color gels had leaked and stained the cabinet liners I had in place. This is so much better!!! Thanks Holly!!!

Yessssss

Here is my new toy- I have already put it to good use and now have extra drawer space in my kitchen. You can't see all of my stuff I have in the caddy, but it's all in there (under the tray). :)

And while out shopping with Mom, I had a hard time trying to pick out an outfit; we came across these Spanx (which I'd wanted for a while now) and had to have them. They are awesome, as long as you know how to wear them. ;)

And this is exactly what I look like when I put them on. Yeah, right. I always love how ads use these skinny little models to model something that is clearly not designed for their body type. Hmmm...I'll never understand it. Do larger women really think this is what will happen when they struggle to put on their pair of Spanx? Not likely...
But yes, these do wonders in making you look inches less and more lean. Just don't plan on breathing while wearing them.

And last night, my friend Charlotte and I went out for a night on the town. We had a lot of fun! Another friend of mine was going to come, but then flaked at the last minute. :( But we had fun without her. I'm actually kind of glad it was just the two of us- so much fun. Thanks Charlotte for making my b-day a blast. We'll have to do this more often.

2009-07-29T07:21:00.007-05:00

While also in Corpus this past weekend, it was my Dad's birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad! I didn't have a chance to post anything while at home, so I'm just now getting around to wishing him a happy birthday on my blog. Oopsies! My birthday is this weekend, so we got to have our birthdays celebrated together.
Here's the cake! Those candles burnt faster than any I've seen before. By the time the birthday song had ended, those candles were pretty much gone, lol.

My dad and me (the cake was delicious, btw)

Mom and me

Aubrey anxiously awaiting the birthday festivities

Ella saying "cheese" for the camera

My brother-in-law, Joey, and little Cali (she loves her blankie)

Austin and Taylor (my youngest brothers)

My big sis, Holly, and me

Austin (playing Game Cube or Xbox???)and Chloe bear

Ella and her smile

Taylor didn't really want his picture taken, but at least he was a good sport about it. Chloe didn't mind the photo taking, lol.

My brothers (Austin, Mark, Taylor) and me

And the coolest water slide EVER! I just couldn't help myself, I had to join in on the fun (even though I was the only adult on it that day)

Though the quality of this particular photo really stinks, I just love her little face here.

I have no shame, I know. And no, I wasn't honestly afraid of the kiddie slide, I was just trying to make great photos. Mission accomplished!

Corpus Christi

2009-07-27T19:08:00.004-05:00

I headed back to my hometown of Corpus Christi this past weekend, and it was wonderful! My bestie, Nicole, had informed me that she would be in town that weekend and it had been a while since I'd seen my family, so it was the perfect time to make a trip back home to see everyone. I took a lot of pictures, so I'll have to break my visit down into several posts. On Friday, Nicole and I went to the beach, a favorite past time of ours. We used to take trips to the beach all of the time when we both lived here. I'm not particularly fond of the beach (it's too sandy for my taste), but I have great memories here nonetheless. It's not quite the same without our friend Lesley, but we made due without her. We miss you, Lesley!!!

A view from my beach towel.

These are our model faces. Notice how serious we are, lol.

Just the two of us

And a trip back home wouldn't be the same without going to my favorite restaurant, Kiko's. They seriously have the best Mexican food EVER!!! No joke.

My first bite of their cheese enchiladas. I was in heaven!!!

And another place we frequented often, La Paletera.

They're known for their fruitcups, but I have always been addicted to their fruity freezes. I LOVE their pina colada freeze. Yummmmm
Thanks Nicole for being my buddy, I miss you and wish you lived closer. Maybe soon you will be... wink wink

Boredom is a beast

2009-07-22T12:20:00.002-05:00

So I'm here at work, starving to death; I thought I try and do something to make the time fly by. Windows paint is fun sometimes, so I decided to just play around with it. What do you think? Creepy isn't it?!? lol

This was my first one of the day. No real expression, just a face.

This one is frowning. He's hungry too, I think.

This one just had lunch and is happy. ;)

Sorry, I know this post is lame. But like I said before, I'm bored.

It's a scorcher...

2009-07-14T12:00:00.000-05:00

and that means time for a trim! I hated having to cut Chloe's hair this past weekend, but it was so necessary. Not only will it keep my little girl a little cooler through this horrid heat, but it makes her hair much more manageable, too. I'm no pro, but I've always preferred to trim Chloe's hair myself. Maybe it's the fact that I know she dislikes other dogs, and the thought of her being dropped off alone with strangers and "meanie" dogs makes me sad. Maya on the other hand is so much more easy going and I haven't a problem dropping her off at the groomers. She's probably made many friends along the way, I imagine.
Here's my Chloe bear- probably pounds lighter. I took off at least 3 inches!!! I miss the long hair, but I think she looks cute with shorter hair, too. I'm sure she's relieved. ;)

I'm in Heaven!!!

2009-07-13T18:29:00.006-05:00

My make-up came in today, all 30+ pieces of it. Whoo hoo! I have yet to try most of it out, but the shipment came quickly and all of it was in stock. I'm impressed!

Here's a better look of my goodies. Each item was less than a dollar, yay for cheapness! I hope I love their nailpolishes- I got a few of those as well. :)
So I put just a few things on for this picture- a luminance healthy glow bronzer (it's really shiny, maybe a little too shiny), some eyeshadow, liner, blush, and lip gloss. Am I glowing? Nope, that's just the sun in my face, lol. ;) All in all, this isn't bad makeup. I'm in make-up heaven!!!

Phoebe and Charlie

2009-07-12T13:49:00.009-05:00

It hasn't been all lemondrops and gumdrops over here. Charlie and Phoebe have issues to work through, well Charlie mostly. They get along sometimes, Phoebe is a little over the top at times and Charlie needs for her to come down a notch or two. She just won't leave him alone, she's constantly wanting to groom him, kiss him, jump on him- poor Charlie. He gets pretty irritated with her and starts to bite pretty hard. I thought he only got irritated with me, but it's nice to know he has a low tolerance for anyone, including his own kind. I took a few pictures a while ago (before the irritation set in, lol) of Charlie and Phoebe together. They are pretty cute!
This picture looks as though Charlie is telling the cameraman (me) to go away. Clearly, this is a private moment. Can you see Phoebe reaching up for a smooch. She really wants the relationship to work out. And FYI, no, I do not house them together. It's a pain in the butt having to keep to cages clean for now, but they aren't getting along 100 percent. I have to wait a while in hopes that they'll come around before they can be put together. They're cages are side by side at the moment, and I take them both out together to run around the apartment. A couple times a day I arrange play dates for them in the in the bathroom even. Only time will tell...

Doesn't it look like Phoebe is smiling? She's so cute!
I just love this picture!

And look at how strong she is- she can hold the corn wheel all by herself. :) Below are just a few videos I took today. They were both out running around the apartment, but then Phoebe got tired and decided to head back her cage to take a nap. Of course, I had to disturb her.

But Charlie, he was having a blast hanging out with Arthur. He just loves to climb all over you, nibble on your hands, all in hopes that he'll be getting a good back scratch. He loves to get scratched- it's his favorite! :) Notice how at the end he almost went up Arthur's pantleg, he's sneaky like that. Just another day at the Smith and Goode zoo.

*And this has nothing to do with this post, but I know some of you were probably wondering. I hadn't been feeling well- went in to the doctors and will be having some lab work done later this week. I am feeling better, so that's good news. But due to the fact that I wasn't well, I didn't get a chance to go to Chick-fil-a on Friday. I know, I was totally bummed! So yeah, no pictures. :(
If the doctor's find anything, I'll be sure to keep everyone informed.

Cow Appreciation Day!!!

2009-07-07T08:34:00.004-05:00

Oooh, I just love these. I didn't get a chance to dress up last year, but all of my friends and co-workers did. They just loved it! And you don't have to go all out to look like a cow, just the basics. There is a kit down below (just click on the link) that you can print out and tape to yourself. :) It's pretty cute! Free is good.

5th Annual Cow Appreciation Day
Friday, July 10, 2009

Come into any Chick-fil-A® restaurant
dressed as a cow and receive a free meal.

Show your appreciation for the cows while eating more chicken. Put on your best cow costume and join us on Friday, July 10. Don't have a costume? Make your own using our starter kit.

Plus, you can add to the excitement by
entering our:

• Kid's Photo Contest
• Facebook Photo Contest

©2009 CFA Properties, Inc. Chick-fil-A®, Chick-fil-A Stylized®, Eat Mor Chikin® and the Chick-fil-A Cows® are registered trademarks of CFA Properties, Inc.
DR PEPPER is a registered trademark of Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc.

5200 Buffington Road, Atlanta, GA 30349-2998
Privacy Policy

Monday Monday

2009-07-06T08:58:00.000-05:00

So when they say to supervise your prairie dog at ALL times, they mean it. Charlie chewed up some of the carpet in the bathroom while I was having dinner...he got a time out for that one. Charlie, Charlie, what will you do next?!?

Great Make-up Deals!

2009-07-04T12:45:00.008-05:00

I originally received an e-mail about this cosmetic line, e.l.f.; though the e-mail's origins are proved to be false, e.l.f. really does offer $1.00 only products. *In the e-mail, e.l.f. was affiliated with both Nordstrom's and Bloomingdales, however, they are in no way connected. You can find lots of these products in your local drugstore.*
I'm a make-up junkie, but hardly ever buy any because they are sooooo expensive. Just go to www.eyeslipsface.com to order yours. You can enter "carolina" into the coupon code at checkout to receive 50% off of orders up to $15.00. Enter "winnerelf" to receive 50% off of orders of $15.00 or more. I don't know if you can use more than one coupon code for one order, but you can sure try. There are several codes I found on this website ("freemini" for a free miniature makeup kit, and "gtlbangle" for 3 free gold bangles, etc.).
I've already made my purchase. With shipping, each item came out a little less than a dollar each; you can't find that kind of deal at most drugstores, either. I'm not too sure about the quality of the make-up, I'll probably end up getting what I paid for- hopefully not. ;) I just hope that all the items were in stock and shipping doesn't take too long. Thanks again, Aimee. I usually use Snopes.com to verify most e-mails, but just failed to do so this once. But hey, I still got a great deal; I just hope I like the make-up. tbd

Charlie's other half

2009-07-03T08:24:00.003-05:00

Here she is! I think she's such a pretty girl; yep, you probably can't tell the difference between her and Charlie. All prairie dogs look kinda the same, lol. I can tell the difference though. :)

Pretty girl.

And how could I not post a picture of Charlie doing what he does best- napping. I always keep an old t-shirt in his cage. I just throw the shirt in his cage and let him put it where he wants to. He takes the liberty of dragging his "blankie" around where he plans to sleep. He loves his blankie!

She's Here!

2009-07-02T16:24:00.004-05:00

Well, we got our new baby last night. She's just a little bit smaller than Charlie, not by much. She seems really sweet; I have to admit that I'm a little nervous to hold her or handle her right now. I know she's in a new place, with new people and smells- it's probably a scary thing for a little creature like her. I know Charlie didn't enjoy it at first and it took a while to adapt. So, I'll be letting her acclimate to the new environment before I start to handle her. Arthur held her briefly, she didn't seem to mind at all. But I'm a bit of a chicken, since she's not exactly a baby anymore. I'm sure a good bite from her would hurt. I put an old t-shirt in her cage last night to sleep with and she just loved it. She was all snuggled in it when I awoke this morning; maybe that'll help her bond with me- having my scent in her cage. I'll keep everyone updated and let you know how she's doing. I sure hope she's not another Charlie, lol. And speaking of Charlie, he seems pretty interested in meeting her, as does the little girl. I bet they stayed up late last night chatting back and forth from their two cages.
BTW, I'm still trying to decide on a name. I've placed a poll on my sidebar, so please vote for your favorite one or two (you have the option to vote for more than one at a time). I think it's really in between Bunny and Phoebe, but I do like Tilly too. We'll see...

We are expecting a new arrival!

2009-06-30T17:50:00.003-05:00

Of course, a furry little one, lol. As we depart with our wild kitties (though no longer wild), we will be adding to our little family. As we love our Charlie, we will be gettting another little prairie dog, a little girl. The little girl we are planning on picking up this weekend is currently 10 weeks old, not as young as Charlie was when we first got him, but still a lot younger than he is now. I wanted a little girl in the very beginning, so I'm super excited to be getting one. And of course, this is for Charlie's sake as well. He'll be getting fixed soon, but I feel he's just so lonely when we're not home. They're very social animals and he so needs a buddy to hang out with. So, stay updated. The Goode-Smith zoo is growing!!! ;)

Wild!

2009-06-29T09:05:00.005-05:00

So I decided to help someone out (this someone is trying to help out a neighbor) by taking in a couple of very feral kittens. When I say very, I mean very. These kittens were downright mean, lol. But I'm almost just about finished with these two girls, one is now is the sweetest baby, the other is still a little shy but loves to be pet (she's a little purr box, too). Originally I had four of them, but it was taking a lot of time having to work on one individually, so they took the two boys back to work with them. They were at least 8 weeks old; an 8 week old kitten is really difficult to tame, btw. So, I've had to separate them from eachother in order to do this. I'm guessing they'll be ready for adoption by this weekend. I just really hate seeing feral kittens- knowing that they could be loved indoors by a family and never have to worry about anything again. Did you know that Kittico (based out of Dallas) will help you trap feral cats/kittens, spay/neuter them, and administer a rabies vaccine free of charge? Feral adult cats are usually re-released into colonies they came from, as they're pretty impossible to tame. I think it's pretty wonderful that this person I'm helping is doing this for the babies. She really cares about them, and how could I not help out a little by making them "adoptable".
This is Asheira. She's the one that's still a little shy. Here she is trying to play with my leg, lol. And oh my, does she love to play! She plays crazy hard!!!! :)
This is the ugly duckling of the bunch, Sabrina- she has a tooth that is out of place and catches on her top lip. I think it gives her character. She has free roam of the apartment now, as she's fully tamed. She can be a bit skittish at times with loud noises, but she'll grow out of it. She loves Charlie the prairie dog, maybe a little too much. Charlie hates her, of course. If you look closely, you can see Charlie (eyes closed in concentration) in this picture with his arm outstretched trying to grab a hold of her. He's so funny, he cracks us up all of the time.

Here you can see how her tooth has her lip caught slightly. She may be ugly, but she's my little sweetie!

Finally, a place to put my shoes.

2009-06-25T13:00:00.001-05:00

The floor of my closet has always been the resting place of all of my shoes. This isn't a pretty sight, and it gets uglier when I can't seem to find the shoe I'm looking for. So after plenty of complaining and the constant enlistment of Arthur in my searches, Arthur decided to do something about it. He built me a little rack to put them on. I was joking with him when I saw it for the first time because I thought it looked more like a bookcase to me than a shoe rack. I was expecting something much smaller with cubes or something. I painted it a dark chocolate brown and I was finally able to put in the closet for the first time tonight. I LOVE it! I think Arthur did a wonderful job. And it fits all of my shoes perfectly, for now at least. ;) I mean, I did have to stack my flip-flops, but you get the idea.

Girl Time!

2009-06-24T20:45:00.007-05:00

My mom was able to come up and visit this past weekend (we gathered together at my sister's place)- I miss her already. But we had a great time! I didn't take a lot of pictures, I'm really bad about that actually. I planned on taking a ton, but that never happened. So pooey!!! :( But here are some of them and unfortunately the majority as well.

Cali waiting for our blueberry muffins. I was waiting for them too. They were divine!

Seriously, I didn't want to post this picture. Not only am I not wearing makeup, but my face is completely distorted and funky. Spare me the "you look fine" comments- I know what my face is supposed to look like and that ain't it. But the two girls beside me are adorable!!!

Ella being her silly self. I think she was telling me something funny. I think it was something about poop. :)

Sweet Cali. For some reason, she reminds me of my little bro, Taylor, in this photo. Not sure why...

Just Aubrey and I

My mom, sister, the girls, my aunt Cindy, aunt Karen, and cousin Kellye, and a friend of Kellye's were lucky enough to attend the Jonas Brothers concert here at the new Cowboy's Stadium. They had a lot of fun. No, I didn't go- didn't feel the need to. lol But I was able to help out with a couple of posters that were made before the concert. Here's Aubrey after completing her poster for Nick. She did such a great job!!!

The final product!And here's Ella's poster that she made with a little help from her mama. Good job, Ella!!!And here's my poster! Kevin needs some love too, I couldn't leave him out. Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of the poster that was made for Jordin Sparks (we didn't want to leave anyone out); that poster was a last minute thing. If we'd known Miley Cyrus was to make an appearance, I'm sure we'd have made her a poster, too. We're just cool like that!

And I just had to post this video. While everyone was partying it up and the concert, I had baby duty. She can be really shy at times, so we were all a little unsure of how upset she'd be when she realized everyone had left. Everyone but me, that is. I'm glad that we got to spend some quality time together, as I don't get to see them as often as I would like. She's such a cutie, I love the little expressions she makes. They just don't get any cuter than this! And she was loving that Baby Einstein DVD. Seriously, little ones love these videos.

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T23:26:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to say a little Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, especially to my own. Thanks Dad for all you have done and all you continue to do. I love you!

Dexter's Story

2009-06-21T17:12:00.013-05:00

***Warning: this is a long story, turn away if you can't handle it, lol. I meant to post this a long time ago, but this was before I was a "blogger". And the pictures were taken from my cell phone before I owned a decent camera.
About a year ago, before a bad storm was to hit, I was taking the dogs for a walk when Chloe stumbled upon a baby bird that had fallen from his nest. It looked as though another animal had disturbed the nest, as his little sibling was about to fall out as well. They were way to small to be fledglings- still had only their pin feathers and their bellies were completely bare of anything. So, I scooped up the baby bird (yes, you can handle baby birds and the mom will not reject them-most people don't realize this. Birds have a very poor sense of smell. The only thing that may prevent a mama bird from accepting her young is if they have been separated too long) and tried to think of the best way to get him back in the nest, as the nest was way to high for me to reach. Since I was in a hurry and a storm was on its way, I just took him inside and put him in a box until the storm had passed. Unfortunately for me and little "Dexter", the storm had left him orphaned and homeless- the nest was completely gone and there was no sign of his family. I checked frequently, but with no luck. So it was up to me now to try and raise this little baby- I was hoping I would be successful. I picked up some birdy formula and began feeding him- this wasn't easy. I eventually found a method that worked for us both; mourning doves don't feed the same, as say most songbirds do, so feeding was tricky at first. We were learning together!

I made sure to keep him especially warm, since he was pretty much naked still. A little heat lamp did the trick. I still remember waking up in the mornings, wondering if he was still alive (as I'd never tried to raise a dove before completely on my own). Then I'd hear his little "tweet", and my heart could start beating again.

After just a few days, his feathers began to come out! He was looking so handsome! I still had him in just that small little box- I knew it wouldn't be long before that wouldn't be good enough. I came home one day from work, and he hopped right out, gave a little tweet, and ran straight to me. My heart melted. And around this time, he began to fly. He first took flight after I'd called for him- he just flapped his wings and flew right to me.

Of course, him flying around made things a little tricky for me. I could no longer fix his formula while he waited in his box, for he was constantly on my shoulder trying to get to his formula before it was ready, lol.

So, I had to get him his very own cage. Voila! Poor thing didn't like to be in there though. He would pace back and forth and tweet for me to let him out.

When I did let him out, his favorite places in the apartment was either in this little box shelf or on the top of the futon. Notice how I added bedding to my shelf- I figured it would just make him more comfortable, ;).

Here he is getting so big! What's funny is that I remember as he grew, I didn't think he was growing that much. Looking back, he was pretty large (for a youngster, that is). Weaning the little booger wasn't easy, I'd give him seeds, but most times he'd just pick them up and spit them out; that's why I decided to cheat. I knew the best way to get him to start eating solids was from his mother's example, but since that wasn't an option, I had to find another way. I went to Petsmart, bought a diamond dove, kept this dove with Dexter for a day or two until he picked up how to eat. He was a seed eatin' pro in less than 24 hours- I'm a genius, I know. ;) And I returned the dove back to the store, just as I'd planned.

This is one of the last pictures I took of him. I found a rehabilitation center for birds nearby in Hutchins, Texas. It was hard to let him go, but I knew what was best for him (or her, I never did know what the sex was- I just picked one out. He actually was probably a she). I told him since day one, that he would get to go home again- so that's what I did in the end. It was in those last couple of days, that he first cooed. He was all grown up and telling me he was ready.

I still remember the day I took him in, it was so sad for me and Arthur both. The person in charge was amazed that I was able to raise him on my own, with no experience. And she was even more amazed that I was able to wean him (I didn't tell her my secret, lol); she said he looked great and definitely was eating well. I guess that means he was a bit on the chunky side? :) He liked to eat, what can I say...
When he was taken to the bird enclosure, he was definitely a little unsure of it. He pecked at every bird that came too close (he wasn't fond of the diamond dove, either) because he wasn't used to being around other birds. Over time, the center had reassured me, that the lack of human contact would eventually cause him to break any bonds he'd had previously with humans and would be able to be released again. He eventually was. I still think of him, and hope he's living or has lived a good life; maybe even had a family of his very own. Just maybe...

Tweetest Backgrounds Giveaway!!!

2009-06-20T15:08:00.004-05:00

Tweetest backgrounds is now up and running. For those who have a twitter account, this is a really cute website to get your own custom backgrounds for free. Since they just launched, they are now having a giveaway- your very own brand new Ipod touch. Awesome, yes I know!!! Just click on the link above to visit the blog to learn more.

Whoo hoo!

2009-06-15T11:50:00.005-05:00

I just found out a little while ago that I won the Biggest Loser contest here at work. I am super excited, and most of all, very proud of myself. For those of you who want to know how I did- I weighed in with 16.4 pounds lost (though it was really seventeen earlier this morning, hee hee). And our contest just lasted for a month; unfortunately for me, I still have a little ways to go. Fortunately, however, I'm more than halfway there now. This was such a great motivator, I'm so glad Brenda and I decided to put it together. Not only have I lost a good deal of weight, but I now have an extra $280 in my pocket. Yay!!! Thanks to everyone who has said such sweet things, I appreciate the support. And if any of you have thought about doing this at your work, go for it! I so recommend it. And about the picture (yes, I even added it to my sidebar, ;) ), I just wanted to show the new "skinny" me. Yeah, it doesn't look all that different, but I can see a difference especially in my face. I've always had a fat face, lol.

***For those who are interested in how I lost the weight- my weight loss plan consisted of really watching what I ate. I only starting jogging/walking close to two weeks into the contest. For breakfast (and I ALWAYS ate breakfast), I usually had either cereal with a lot of fiber and very little sugar, oatmeal, or sometimes a couple of eggs with orange juice (not from concentrate, either- I LOVE Simply Orange). Everyday I indulged in one or two snacks throughout the day as well- fruit snacks, 100 calorie packs, teddy grahams, or sometimes just a piece of fruit. For lunch it was usually a lean cuisine, sometimes a low fat sandwich, and if I didn't bring my lunch for the day I went to Taco Bell and got a fresco style burrito (7 grams of fat and around 200 calories, not bad) or a couple of fresco chicken tacos. Now here's the hard part- for dinner I usually would just have a Slim fast shake; some days I was too hungry to just have a shake and would have to have a "real" meal- something very very small, though. I always eat dinner before 7:00pm- never later. There you have it, my weight loss secrets. Oh and another thing, yes, I did indulge and go out to eat on occasion. I went to Chili's, Marianos, Ton's Mongolian Grill, Olive Garden, and even Buffalo Wild Wings during this time period. Did I get the healthy items on the menu? Nope, sure didn't. ;) So see, you can give yourself what you want sometimes and still stay on track. No one is 100 percent perfect!

Maya's 2nd Birthday!

2009-06-08T08:41:00.005-05:00

We didn't do anything extravagant this year. Just a little birthday song, a new toy, and snacks. Yay!!! I can now say that she's no longer a puppy, she's a full-grown lady. And what a beautiful lady she is, too (her hair could have used a little more TLC before the picture taking). :)

Here she is waiting for her snack and toy.

"Can we start the 'party' already?" Nevermind the half naked man in the background of this picture. ;)

Chloe just looked bored out of her mind, lol.

And we finally decided to get our girls kongs. Maya just loves hers, she carried it with her everywhere she went (she even tried to bury it in the carpet at one point).
Chloe investigated hers, but wasn't too interested in it. That is until Maya started messing with it.
Here she is saying, "Hey, that's mine! Get away from that!!!". Too funny!

Happy Birthday to my little girl!

Graduation Cake

2009-06-05T14:59:00.002-05:00

Okay, well, I just finished "the cake". My co-worker, Brenda, had me enlisted to do this cake since fall of last year. I have to admit, I was dreading it too. It wasn't too awful, but I'm still disappointed. The picture looked much better. :( I was excited in the beginning, as I was trimming the cakes. They looked much better before I iced them. Too bad! Oh well, here's the before cake.

...and here's the after. Of course there are a total of three cakes here. It looks sloppy to me and not perfectly symmetrical. I just wish the history book had been a little thicker, it looks weird- the lines are all over the place. Anyhoos, I did what I could, and it looks okay I think. The next time I make a cake like this (if I ever do), I'll be sure to change a few things.
I bet it tastes good, though. It's chocolate (of course) with a vanilla cream filling. Yummy!

Biggest Loser Update: Journal Style

2009-06-03T10:50:00.004-05:00

Okay, so I'm posting this more for myself than anything else, but I don't care who reads it (obviously or I wouldn't be putting it on the internet, lol). I have less than two weeks to go before the contest ends, I'm pretty excited. I've been doing much better than I thought I would have, so far I've lost a total of 13 pounds. Since January, I've lost over 20! Whoo hoo!!! I started to incorporate exercise into the weight loss "program" almost 2 weeks ago; I think I've missed 3 days (all for good reasons). And I found out that jogging in the heat is a bad idea. Note to self: wait till the sun goes down,- you'll have more energy. ;) I don't normally run at night, but since Arthur went with me yesterday I did just that. It was so nice, such a change from doing it during the day. For the first time, I enjoyed the run and especially the breeze; I might even go as far as to say I loved it. There were moments where I just felt a surge of euphoria, it was awesome! Unfortunately for me, Arthur couldn't jog as far and quit on me. Poo! Next time, I'm running solo. :) So I definitely want to try to get up early early in the mornings to jog, when it's still a little dark out. We'll see if that'll ever happen, I've never considered myself a morning person. You don't ever want to get on my nerves in the morning, I'll hurt you. Seriously, I will. Why am I rambling about this, you ask? I find it motivating! I'll take any motivation I can get at this point- I'm only halfway there to my ultimate goal. But it's within my reach now.
I think I have a pretty good chance at winning the contest here at work, too. There's only one person I believe will give me a run for my money- Charlotte. I've seen everyone else's numbers, so I have an idea where I stand. Next Monday (15th) is weigh in, I've really gotta step it up! Tara, you can do it!!! And think of the new clothes you can buy with your win!

Niiice

This is NOT what I want to look like. Ew

Maybe I should take Chloe with me on my jogs, too. Then again, maybe not.

Getting bigger (the dog, not me)!

2009-05-31T17:48:00.005-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted about Charlie, so I thought I'd do so and give a little update. Charlie is one heck of a feisty little guy and very stubborn, lol. He has his good days, they are very few and far between. He really just prefers to keep to himself. But I still can't help but love the little booger. You should she him "play" with Maya, it's hilarious! You see, Maya thinks he's playing, but he's not. He gets really mad at her and chases her all around the apartment; Maya thinks it's the best game ever, lol. Poor Charlie! ;) And I can't get him to stop biting me, luckily it never hurts much. It's more of a pinch than anything. We still let him out all the time, he does his own thing. I think I can say it's a love-hate relationship. We love him, he hates us (most of the time). I think he's the cutest when he's mad, so I have no problem with his attitude. His tude just makes him unique.
He does love his dog treats, below I've posted a video is him eating them. That's one of the few times he nice to me, he just wants the food, lol. He's such a terd! :)
Look at that fat face. How could you not love a little face like that?!?
He looks like he's up to something...
Aha! I caught you chewing on Arthur's shoelaces. Shame on you, Charlie!!! ;)
I love seeing him sleep. He's so cute when he starts having his prairie doggy dreams.
He's having one here, lol.

Yummy!!! I prefer to hand feed him his dog food; it always makes for a pleasant experience. Anything to have a happy Charlie.

Hand painted cakes

2009-05-29T10:03:00.007-05:00

So I received an e-mail today from a friend with all of these gorgeous cakes. Most of them done in fondant, some buttercream, but my favorite was one I saw with a sugarpaste. This cake had been handpainted, and it was truely exquisite! This,now this is something I want to do! I've always thought I was pretty artistic (not trying to come off conceited in any way, though), and I know this could be something I can do. I love to paint too; I haven't had much practice with painting but could work on that. Here are just a few examples of some hand painted cakes, my favorite one (the one in the e-mail I received today) is the last. I would just love to learn how to do this!!! :)

Here it is, the masterpiece of them all! Love it!!!

A little boost never hurt anyone, right?!?

2009-05-27T10:48:00.007-05:00

So, I've been doing really well on my weight-loss "program", if you can call it that. I basically do what I feel I need to do to lose weight, nothing special. Just watching what I eat, trying to exercise frequently. However, I have been thinking that maybe I should add something to my daily regimen to help shed those ugly unwanted pounds faster. I've heard of alli before, I know of the side effects too. But when I went to the website to view the Q&A, it was really funny to read about it. With side effects like these (which won't likely happen if I'm eating as I should), it makes you think twice about wanting to take alli, lol. I still may give it a go, though. Like I said, I eat pretty good these days; hopefully I won't have any "accidents". Below are a few suggestions I found on their webpage. I have put all of these suggestions in laymans terms for anyone who may need help understanding what is being said. If you are easily offended (in other words, have no sense of humor), you may want to discontinue reading.
***
"Start trimming fat from your diet now, even before you begin taking alli. Then pick a day to begin taking alli, such as a weekend day so you can stay close to home if you experience a treatment effect. Make the timing work for you. If you're getting ready to travel or attend a social event, hold off on starting with alli until the event is over." (You'd better stop eating junk food now, or else... Stay home for the first few days because your diarrhea is going to be off the charts! Now is not the time to stray too far from the toilet; you're going to need it more than you know.)
"While no one likes experiencing treatment effects, they might help you think twice about eating questionable fat content. If you think of it like that, alli can act like a security guard for your late-night cravings" (Alli will affect you in ways you cannot imagine. Not only will your bowel movements be unpredictable, but you'll be in so much pain that you'll never want to fall off your diet plan again. Thank you, alli!!!)
"You can't "save fat grams" from lunch and "spend them" at dinner. Spread your daily fat gram allowance of 15 grams on average per meal over the whole day" (Use common sense and don't be an idiot. This ain't no Weight Watchers!)
"You may feel an urgent need to go to the bathroom. Until you have a sense of any treatment effects, it's probably a smart idea to wear dark pants, and bring a change of clothes with you to work" (Since you'll probably crap your pants a few times, always bring a change of clothes! I'd suggest some wipes, as well.)
"You may not usually get gassy, but it's a possibility when you take alli. The bathroom is really the best place to go when that happens " (So if you're a normally gassy person to begin with, you're in trouble! I hope you can run real fast, too.)
"You can use a food journal to recognize what foods can lead to treatment effects. For example, writing down what you eat may help you learn that marinara sauce is a better option than Alfredo sauce" (Note to self: stay away from Alfredo sauce! And I don't think I'd call this a food journal...)

Happy Birthday to My Mother!!!

2009-05-24T20:39:00.003-05:00

My mother turned another year younger today- I kid you not, she's getting better with age. ;) Mom, I'm glad you've had a great day. Can't wait to see pictures of what you got for your birthday, I'm sure it's fabulous!!! I wish I was there to help eat the cake, it sounded delicious. Of course, it doesn't help that I'm starving over here either, lol. And I want to thank my grandmother for bringing you into the world. I am so lucky to have you as my mother. You're the best! I love you so much!!! Happy Birthday! And I'll be seeing you soon. I can't wait. Yay!!!
Love,
Tara
P.S. I chose this song that's playing right now because it couldn't fit more perfectly.

Drumroll...

2009-05-24T07:25:00.004-05:00

...Aimee!!!! Turns out that 7 really is a lucky number afterall. Yay for Aimee, boo for everyone else. ;) Aimee, do you still have my e-mail address? If so, give me your mailing address and I'll send it out to you as soon as possible. Congratulations!

Funny video!

2009-05-24T07:22:00.003-05:00

I saw this on a cat rescue website and just loved it. P.S. I will be announcing the winner of the giveaway soon! :)

Trying to get the perfect shot

2009-05-23T20:16:00.004-05:00

"Huh?"

Even with her hair in her face, I really do love this picture. :)

Isn't my Chloe just as sweet as can be?!?

I don't know if you can see it too clearly, but Maya is sticking her tongue out at me, lol.

Maya is telling Chloe a secret, I think.

Last but not least, one of my favorites. It's just so cute! fyi, I finally updated their pictures I have of them on my sidebar. Maya still had her puppy pictures up- they needed to be updated. She's no longer a little baby- she'll be turning 2 years old in just a couple of weeks. We're hoping to breed her in September; we know she'll be a great mommy and have beautiful little babies. We can't wait!

200th Post Giveaway!

2009-05-22T08:20:00.004-05:00

Who doesn't love a giftcard from Bath & Bodyworks?!? A $15 giftcard can be yours just for commenting on my blog either today or tomorrow. Not only is this a celebration on my bloggin' success (lol), but also a way to thank all of my faithful followers and commenters. I LOVE comments! The winner of this giveaway will be chosen by a random number generator. Good luck!!!

***And to answer a few questions about the dog I found last week. After a couple of days of having him, he was starting to get a little over protective of me and ended up biting Chloe when she came up to cuddle. Poor Chloe, I know! My babies always come first, and the dog had to go. It wasn't a difficult decision to make, although I had become quite attached to him. He really was a good dog, one of the sweetest I've known. He just didn't like to share me and was a better fit for someone who didn't have any other pets. You should have seen the way he followed me around and how he would block the doorway when I showered, lol. He was so cute! But anyways, the next day we dropped him off at the shelter and had the employees there keep us updated. He was held there for 3 days to allow his owners yet another chance to claim him, they did not. I now strongly believe that he had to have been abandoned. I did EVERYTHING I could to find his owners and got nothing. :( But the good news is that the shelter workers notified me (before his hold was even up) that someone was already interested in adopting him. And yes, she adopted him as soon as she could, and he now has a new family- one that will hopefully love him throughout the rest of his life. And in case you were wondering, we would have pulled him from the shelter ourselves (and taken the liberty of finding a new home for him) if for any reason he hadn't been adopted in time or taken in by a rescue group. We wouldn't have allowed him to be put down for any reason.

It's Possible! And hey, this is my 200th post!!!

2009-05-19T10:35:00.002-05:00

I finally did it! I finished Spider Solitaire in less than 100 moves, 96 to be exact. I was so excited, I still am. Yay me!!! lol And as far as the 200th post goes- details of what kind of giveaway I will have will be announced soon in my next post. Thanks! :)

What a day!

2009-05-14T07:55:00.002-05:00

Okay, well the apartment I now reside in is officially a zoo, as of today. Ugh! This poor little doggy was wandering the streets near my work yesterday, he clearly belongs to someone. He's pretty well-mannered and very sweet. Not being able to just let him be, I decided to take him home until his owner could be located. So far, no luck, but I will continue to put up flyers in the area and at the shelter and vets' offices. He gets along just great with Maya, Chloe too (Chloe isn't in love with him though- just tolerates him, lol). Just when I thought the house was pretty full, the new dog (I call him Lucas- Luke for short), started whining at the sliding glass door. I had heard a noise earlier, but it sounded like a bird to me and ignored it. But since Luke was so insistent on it, I listened closer and discovered it was a kitten meowing. I went outside and found that it was inside a car, under the hood. I had to get ahold of the neighbor and have him pop the hood, and out came the little black 5 week old kitty cat. So now, I have a new dog and new kitten, temporary of course. They both received well needed baths, those dirty little things. But I just thought I'd share with you my little adventures yesterday. Any of you want a free little kitten??? Anyone know of someone missing their doggy???
***Update: I have found a home for the kitty! Yay!!! One down, one to go...

Hot Diggity!

Long Overdue

Thanks to Holly and Aubrey!

Happy 29th Birthday Nicole!!! (again) tee hee hee

Happy Birthday Aubrey!

Welcome Baby Ammon!

Click Click Click

Happy Birthday Mom!

I don't like your face

April Showers!

The new pad.

My New Favorite Recipe Blog!

April Fools!

Someone Turns 3 Today!

Day 2

Welcome Springtime!!!

Tara's Zoo

Lazy ole' Charlie!

Winter Wonderland in Texas!

Got my hair did.

Happy Birthday Austin!

7 Weeks Old!

Thank you Trying2StayCalm

Puppies in a Sleigh

Updated Videos

Hiya Charlie!

Chloe's Birthday Bash

New Puppy Photos!

Computer problems! Ugh!!!

Happy Birthday Chloe!

Clean bill of health

Our Vet Delivers

Still Nothin'

Pansit Canton

Pansit Canton Ingredients:

Pansit Canton Cooking Instructions:

Maya's x-rays

Halloween at Work

Blog Update

Extra 50% off at Payless, thanks to Oprah

Arthur's New Project

Our Jack-o-lanterns

Halloween Mummy Cake!

Maya's Box

Update on Maya

Biggest Loser Contest (numero dos)

Photos from the Fair

Introducing Maya's Puppies

*May not be suitable for young children* (NIPPLES)

Happy 30th Anniversary!!!

For Debbie

Fart Scares Baby!

Albertson's!!!

Aubrey's Birthday/ Baptism Weekend

They Never Cease to Amaze Me.

Aubrey's Baptism Cake

Happy Birthday Aubrey!

Happy Birthday Holly!

Slideshow!

I won, I won!!!

The Quad.

Boy Falls Asleep on Power Wheels

My Best Friend is Back Home!

Happy Birthday, Little Brother!

Chloe the Incontinent

Mr. Bug's Photoshoot

Before and After

BUG!

Goodbye Phoebe and Good Luck!

Then and Now- The Bowser and Chloe Edition

27!

Corpus Christi

Boredom is a beast

It's a scorcher...

I'm in Heaven!!!

Phoebe and Charlie

Cow Appreciation Day!!!

Monday Monday

Great Make-up Deals!

Charlie's other half

May not be suitable for young children (NIPPLES)