Getting big and into mischief...

Boxer's are know for their personalities.  They are ever so patient...

You can dress them up and pose them without complaint.

Not that she enjoys this, but she'll tolerate that my kids will make her where things on her head on clothes on her body.

They are loving!  Not just to each other, but to their family.  They don't realize they are pups.  They think they are kids with 4 legs.

They are the messiest kids I've ever had!!

These moments....

Make it all worth while.

They are crazy in their own way, and they make me laugh even when I'm mad at them.  How can you be mad at those faces.  Even when there is poop on the floor.

I promise some crafty posts next.  These 2 consume a lot of my time.  Seriously, it's like 2 toddlers all over again.  And here I thought I had sent all my kids off to school full time.  LOL.
 
Until next time.

And then there were 2

Who would have that that in under 1 year we would have not one, but 2 additions to our family?  Well, 3 days before Christmas, Miss Pepper got the best gift ever...

 

Welcome Buster the Boxer to the family!!  It's like having 2 toddlers home with me all day!!!

Until next time.

Happy Birthday

Sending much love and birthday wishes to our beloved Pepper the Boxer!

Happy 1st Birthday sweet girl!!!

Until next time.

Getting back to the swing of things....

is not as easy as it sounds.  It looks good on paper, especially when I write it down in my day planner, but...  it's not so simple.  It feels as though I run in the same circles day in and day out.  Similar to the movie "Ground Hog's Day".


Not that life isn't interesting and fulfilling.  IT IS!!!  I'm choosing it to be!  Remember that little addition to our family???

She's my handful!  But, she is the one that makes me STOP and enjoy the moment.  Yes, my kids make me do that too, but with Pepper, it is different.  She makes us ALL stop.    She has brought so much more to our lives than I could ever put into words.  I post about her on FB so much that my friends tell me she needs her own FB fan page.  LOL.  She already has her own Instagram hash tag.  You'll find pictures from me and my kids if you search #peppertheboxer on Instagram.

I've seen a HUGE difference in my kids since Pepper came into our lives.  Less electronics, more engaging, more activities outdoors, and MORE family time, even when it's working with Pepper and training.  Believe me, she needs to be "worked".  She's high energy.  And she's the best thing to happen to our family... and she saved me!  I'll explain that more down the road.

If we don't engage her enough during the day... she WILL TP our house.  LOL!!!

I am always, and I mean AL-WAYS taking pictures.  I don't have a fancy camera and I mostly take pics with my cell phone because that is the one thing I have with me at all time.  I have all these great pictures and memories yet I do nothing with them.  Yes, I want to document our lives and have those memories, but I never find the time to do it.  I actually MISS scrapbooking... and HATE it at the same time.  In the 10 years I've been in the scrapbooking business (for others and retail) I have yet to complete ONE album, ONE smash book, ONE daybook, ONE journal.  I've taught countless classes, done dozens of scrapbooks for others, and yet.... I have NOT ONE book complete for any of my children.  Not one book complete for our family.  I guess that is the price you pay when your hobby turns business.  Live and learn.  I have.

Last October I thought I might give a go at Project Life.  The goal was to start January 1st.  Guess what happened?  EPIC FAIL!  Here we are at the end of May and I have yet to start!  I have sketches and a few plans, and Lord knows a heaping wad of pictures that need to be printed out.  LOL.  So, the plan.... start PL like... ASAP!!!  I'm not going to attempt to go back in time and start from the first of the year.  I'm going to attempt last week.  If things go well, I will work on the week before and keep moving backwards when the "last" week hasn't hit yet.  Of course, I still don't have a work area since my "shop" is still consuming our office.  That is in the process of changing.  All in in due time.

Other than that, I have so many other fun and exciting thing going on that I will share with you soon.  Wish me luck on this Project Life journey!  I think I'm going to LOVE it if it is as simple as it looks.  If I can only remind myself to not make it complicated. :) 

A new addition to our family...

Once again, I have neglected my blog.  I can't believe I haven't posted since October.  There are 6 drafts started, but none of them finished.  So much for that New Year's Resolution of blogging more.  There is still time to make up for it, right?

We've had a lot going on at home... so much that I will need to make a few blog posts just to catch up, otherwise I will bore you all to death with so much detail in one post.

On February 23, my world was literally turned upside down!  We got a puppy!!!  We had already decided a few months ago that it was time to bring another 4 legged friend into the house, but the timing was much sooner than I had planned.  It all started on Friday afternoon when my husband walked into a pet store while he was waiting to pick up a part for a job site.  This sweet little girl had been out playing in the pen.  She captured my husband's heart!!

Later that night, he told me all about his encounter with this furbaby.  Much to my surprise, I said I would contact the pet store in the morning and see if she is still there.  OMG, I did say that didn't I.  LOL.  When Saturday morning came around, the kind gentleman told me that she was there and he put her on hold for me.

Lindsay and I packed up in the car to go meet the little lady that stole my husband's heart.  Within meeting her, she captured our hearts too... and the rest is history!  Welcome home Pepper the Boxer! 

Homecoming! 2/23/13

Welcome home, Pepper.  12 weeks old

So my world was turned upside down!  Raising a puppy is a lot of work, but is also a lot of fun.  The first few weeks were tiresome!  She is crate trained, so that was helpful.  No howling at night when we put her to bed, and only a few accidents in the house.  Keeping up with her is like keeping up with a 2 year old child!!  Let me tell you... this little girl thinks she is human!

Look at the size of those paws!!!

Pepper, meet Kitty.  Yeah, this is going to take some time!!

As the weeks have gone by, she has given our lives an entire new meaning.  Talk about team work within the family!  She has truly brought us closer together.  Everyone pitches in and helps out with taking care of her.  She is MY responsibility all week while everyone is either at work or school.  Yes, she drives me absolutely insane some days.  She really doesn't like it when Mommy works.  Walks, playtime, and snuggle time is what she wants from me all day!  But seriously, how could you resist that face?

First trick Pepper learned in 2 days - "Paw"

She is unbelievably smart and picks up on anything we teach her within days!  Heal and come... not doing so well with, but everything else... brilliant!!!

Still not going so well!  2 weeks now.

Those eyes kill me!!

We think she looks like a Beanie Boo!

March 25, 2012.   She's getting bigger!

Practicing "Lay & Stay"

Pepper's favorite spot in the yard

Guard Puppy! April 10, 2013

So proud of herself!  Took her a week to dig up this rock!

They are still squabbling!  Pepper makes a game of it.

That's our Pepper the Boxer.  She's here.  She's family... and I wouldn't have it any other way!  She's mighty popular on Instagram too!!  I may have to give her her own FB fan page and Instagram account!

Until next time...