The other day when Ava got home from school she was playing with Skits.  She was holding one end of his chew toys and he was biting the other end and she was swinging him around her in a semi-circle and he was still holding on with a tight grip with his teeth so when she swung him she was lifting him a bit off the ground and it was like he was skimming across the carpet.  Plus he was growling.  It was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.  She was laughing so hard.  I was trying NOT to laugh cause it was hurting me so badly. ;D  I haven’t heard Ava laugh that hard in a LONG time.  She was doubled over in laughter.  It was a great moment.

I needed more rest today.  Skits was the one who got the rest tho.  I’m thinking he’s feeling a little more secure in his surroundings.  We had some success in potty training today.  The girls gave me a nice long break when they got home…they pretty much played with him all night long.  They took him outside when he needed to go.  It was nice.  All three of them were very cute together.  It is a lot easier having a puppy when you have kids who are old enough to help out with things.  When we got Baxter they were practically babies themselves! ;D  Oh, and I put on his collar today.  He HATES it!  I put him in his kennel when I went to get the girls at school.  He must have survived.  He was just fine when we got home.  Yay!  He also discovered he likes his bones…a lot…today.  So we started working on taking away his bone and giving it back to him.  He’s chewing on my hair right now.  Weirdo. ;D

It’s like having kids.  You forget what it is like having an infant or you wouldn’t do it again.  Same with puppies.  ;D

So I know you are thinking I’m crazy for getting another dog.  Especially while still recovering.  Hey.  So do I.  Do we plan these things?  If I told everything that was going on in my life right now you’d probably shoot yourself. Isn’t that how it usually is if we stepped in someone else’s shoes for a bit?  When is it ever the right time to get a dog? Yeah.  That’s what I figured.  I needed something good in my life.

We actually have been looking for another dog for a good 6 months or more.  I just don’t announce everything on this blog.  Believe me if I did you wouldn’t read it anymore! ;D  We found an add for this litter of puppies last week.  I knew I was sick but everything else about it was working out.  So we did it.  I just means that Corey and the girls are helping out with him a little more.  And boy do the girls ever want to help out.  I mean there is FIGHTING in the house over who gets to do what with Skits.  No one wanted to go to school this morning. ;D  I could have used the help…but that would have been a little irresponsible. ;D

paper WoodsyII, Ornate Frames, love sticker, clipped heart, dog sticker Amore all Jen Maddocks Designs

This morning Laney and Ava were arguing about some pencils they got for Christmas.  I guess there was some confusion as to which pencil belonged to which girl.  Not in Ava’s mind.  Somewhere in there Laney said something to the effect of it didn’t really matter anyway.  With that said Corey politely asked Laney to give the pencils that Ava wanted to her and take the other ones…since “it didn’t matter” and it would “make Ava happy”.  Well Laney didn’t like that one bit.  So we spent the next few minutes explaining and giving examples to Laney of making other people, in a family, happy even when you don’t want to.  Examples of when Ava has done it for her.  When I do it for Corey like when I take his laptop or phone to him at work when he forgets it…and he forgets a lot…and I don’t want to.  Or when I have to go pick him up in a hail or lightning storm when he is on his bike and it wasn’t convenient (and he should have looked at the weather before leaving).   Real life examples of things that have happened to us that I figured she would remember…she was there for the time I had to pick up Corey when he was bike riding.  I don’t remember everything surrounding it but I remember all three of us had to drop what we were doing and drive in the horrible weather and go get him. ;D

After many examples and much thought and still pouting Laney came to the conclusion, “Pencils are NOT part of the family!”

I got about 2 hours of sleep last night.  If you read this blog at all you know I operate quite poorly on small amounts of sleep.  The reason I didn’t sleep was because I was in pain.  I’m sick.  Again.  Or still.  However you want to look at it.  I don’t talk about it much because I just don’t want to dwell on it.  I’m soooooooo over it.  Argh!  So I was laying in bed last night trying to decide if it was better to lay there hoping eventually I would be so exhausted I’d finally drift off or get up and try to do something productive.  I ended up just staying there.  Mind racing.  Not a good thing.

Perhaps because I was overly tired today I really missed the kids.  Maybe I missed them a little too much.  Today they went back to school after being home for two weeks on Christmas break.  I don’t know who was more depressed about them being gone.  Me.  Or Baxter. ;D  I was thinking about them going off to college.  And how I don’t want them too.  Yeah.  I didn’t get enough sleep.

Headed to the dr tomorrow.  I hope they give me some good meds! ;D

Today wasn’t all bad.  Corey came home and surprised me with this.

Here are the specs.  Just so you know.  We don’t live in the lap of luxury. He does computer work on the side.  When that money comes it we usually play with it.  He found a great deal on this Canon 40D.  I mean great.  My Canon Rebel XT has been having problems for awhile now.  I just haven’t said anything.  I told Corey not to buy it.  He surprised me with it tonight.  He said it was a birthaversary present.  That’s what he said he was going to call presents now.  Anniversary and Birthday presents for me.  Cause our Anniversary is in February and my birthday is in March.  He made me laugh.  And cry.  ;D  Thank you Honey.  You blow me away.  Now to get better.  So I can play. ;D

I am taking this class over here at JessicaSprague.com.  It “officially” started last night.  I did lesson one today.  OMGosh!  I’m having so much FUN!!!!

It is fun going over all the photos from the last year.  It is easy to forget all the things that have happened over the last year.  There have been so many things!  I used this template and just chose a collection of pics to highlight 2009.  I love doing these types of layouts! ;D

Today it was warm enough for the girls to venture outside.  Not to mention it was warm enough for me to get out there with them for some photos. ;D

The girls made a fort in Ava’s room today.  (I did not help them.) It turned out really well!  They want to sleep in it tonight. ;D

I love having the girls home on break.  It reminds me of when they are home for the summer.  I love them and miss them when they are at school all day.  Can you tell they have been good and not fighting?  If so I’d want to be shipping them back to school asap!!!! ;D  Wink wink!

Think.  Think.  Think.

Winding down.  Finishing up.  Making resolutions.  Thinking ahead.  Yep.  It’s that time of year.  Again.  Ali is posting her word for the year. Some are wondering if they should strike out and do project 365 again.  Or for the first time.  Yeah.  I’m thinking about all these things too.

So for me I’ve decided that a new blog header might be nice.  Two.  A new Jen Maddocks Designs logo was in the works so that needed to be revealed.  It is in my sidebar.  You will see it below and on my new paper packs now.  Three.  I need to go through my blog and see what links and other things I need to keep/remove/add.  Working on that.  What about you?  What sort of “resolutions” or things are you working on?

I have a couple of new items for the store and I have a Freebie for you. Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for making this a fantastic break out year for me in the digital design world. I cannot wait to see what 2010 holds! ;D

Last night was Laney’s open house for dance class.  Parents get to come into the class and watch what the kids have learned so far, rather that peeping through the window.  Corey and I were extremely impressed with Laney.  She is a wonderful dancer!  She wasn’t smiling much and I asked her why afterward.  She said, “Mom.  Dance is HARD and I have to concentrate!!!!”  Here’s December Daily day 14 layout…

Crystal Clear Flakes Dana Zarling
Photo Cuts Masks No4 Katie Pertiet
cutmat, bird Flitter Lynn Grieveson
paper, overlay, word art, date stamp JMDesigns

I’m adding a new paper pack to my store today.  It is called Joy.

This weekend we had a birthday party for Laney with her classmates.  It was a pool party.  It was very low key and very fun!  It was nice to get in from the cold into the warm pool.  The kiddos were all exhausted by then end of it!  I did a layout with one of the photos I took and I used one of the new papers from Joy. ;D

Joy, Moments, Mini Trees, Postcards, Old Keys, December Dayz Elements all JMDesigns