Thursday, April 21, 2011

Some Fun Blogger Tricks...

Today I was able to figure out a few tricks thanks to RS Designs and the tips they had there for changing the fonts of your blogger posts and template.  Surprisingly simple for html...
Go on check it out - you know you want to. :)
Here is the link
Anyway I finally have a font that fits me.  This is Beautiful Mess here...not strait and tidy typing lines. Now I am using the font 'Handwriting - Dakota'  so if you can't see it on here you gotta download it to your computer for an authentic experience lol
Anyway thats my random moment for you today. Your welcome.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Copper - A Formal Introduction...



This is Copper :)  He arrived in our lives yesterday although we have been searching and waiting for him for a little while now.
It started as a conversation - Ed wanted a dog. I reminded him of Selah. He still wanted a dog - Selah even, but I needed a dog we could raise to trust. I wanted the right dog and I wanted to start off right.  SO this time I read a book - "How to Raise the Perfect Dog" by Ceasar Millan.  It gives a body hope.
And the search began - the right breed - the right breeder...the right puppy.


I am so glad that I found all three!! Heidi and her family were one of my favourites but they were all the way in Alberta.  I thought it was worth a shot to see if they were willing to meet us in Calgary or Banff (somewhere more central) and to my surprise she said she had a friend coming out this easter weekend.  Her friend ended up coming right past us and so the pick up/drop off couldn't have been more simple.


This kids are happily learning how to train Copper along with me and its going well. Eliana is  very calm with the puppy and good at encouraging him.  Gabe is doing his best to be a puppy and hasn't quite got the hang of Copper's name yet so for the time being he is Popper.




And Copper??  He is such a sweetie.  I have been doing my best to follow the dog whisperers advice and we are just about through 24 hrs with a pup that has had no accidents yet and is getting used to his collar and leash.  Last night he buried his nose in his 'momma scent' blanket and had a surprisingly mild night.  He did whimper a bit that was it.
Our cat Pepper does keep looking at me like "what have you done...." but all in all we are off to a great start!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

How I Plan to Win....

This morning WWIII erupted in my house..of course over something small and relatively inconsequential...But this momma had enough.
It all came down to one little girl (who is completely capable of cleaning her room quickly and effectively when Daddy asks her) absolutely refusing to clean her room when her Momma asked.
A couple of hours later, after reminding and prodding and all other sorts of coercion, I laid down the ultimate ultimatum.
"Clean up this room now or I will take whatever toys are left on the floor out of here!"
To which Eliana responded, "Ok - I don't need any toys."

Shoot...now what.

I sent her to time out while I came up with a plan and this is the result.


Notice the room is clean? Yup I did that...I know I didn't 'win' this time but let me let you in on my plan....
*Step one - clean room while little girl is on a time out.
*Step two - purge all non-essential type toys (big blue bag on its way to the thrift store)
*Step three - saran wrap ALL other toys into the toy box under strict instructions that there will be all sorts of trouble for the person who dares to cross the not quite invisible barrier of cleanliness.
*Step four - New rule in home - All Eliana's toys are mine. Yup mine (I now have quite the collection of polly pockets)
*Step five - Eliana doesn't know this yet but as she completes various cleaning tasks she will be able to earn her toys back.

I'll let ya know how it goes.

Monday, April 11, 2011

I Heart Faces - Shadows


I heart faces this week is Shadows and immediately I thought of this photo of my cousin.  This was taken at the tea after my grandmothers funeral and we were all sitting around sharing stories and the moment.  Natalie was sitting in front of the window and some of the only light in the room and so I started clickin away. I immediately liked the dramatic shadows and her expression.

Go check out more shadows over at I heart faces


Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Of Life and Death and the Bit in the Middle...

You know that feeling right...the one right in your gut that spreads its lethargic tentacles through every vein in your body. That makes you feel small and somehow out of place.


I get this feeling when I feel deep loss...or start to recognize an impending loss.  When we stand face to face with death we recognize, if even only subconsciously, that we can not control all that much when it comes to life and death. It will come for us all one day and the inevitability can make you feel incredibly powerless and small. In this place it is hard to let someone go, to release them with our hearts into a place of so much insecurity and doubt. It is from this place though I have found so much comfort and clarity and surprising peace in the moment.  For  I have been reminded of the hope we carry (or can carry!) because of Jesus.


1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.  Romans 5:1


I love how the message states the same set of verses.


 1-2By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.


Doesn't that just breath hope and life into your heart? It sure  does for me.


This past week I had to say goodbye to one of the most influential women in my life - my grandmother.  When I was little she was one of my caregivers and her house was our safe haven when life was chaotic and unpredictable. She instilled in us all a deep appreciation for family and the joy it is to extend hospitality. I think she could make just about anything from scratch and I have more than one blanket in my house that she lovingly made for us.  I could go on and on but maybe this might sum it up - she was one of "those ladies" - the ones that others look at and want to be like. She was such a gift in our life.
And that hope I was talking about? Is SO important, especially now. I am so thankful that I have hope that my Grandma is at peace, resting in the beauty of God's glory....probably planting a garden...lol



Monday, April 4, 2011

I Heart Faces - Favourite Face of March


No time this week for any special edits but I still wanted to get in on this weeks i heart faces. Thought this little bean was just too cute.