My Baby is 11!

Noelle wanted to eat catfish for her birthday, she we grabbed her best friend, her sister, and Tita, and headed to Moe's Original Barbecue downtown.  Noelle loved it, which thrilled me since I picked it.  I knew they had catfish, and I was just hoping she would like it.

They let her use a Sharpie marker and write on the tree in the middle of the restaurant.  They all wrote their names.

I can't believe she is 11.  She is such a blessing to me.  She is always my big helper, and she actually enjoys helping out around the house with the girls.  She often calls herself the good one, because she knows that she is my easiest child to parent.  However, I am fearing the emotional teen years.

And no, she doesn't look like me.  She looks JUST LIKE HER DADDY.  Unfortunately he had to be out of town, and missed her birthday.  Poor Hunter was sick, so he missed out too.

She opened up her presents from Tita there, and then wore her robe.  I want one of those, it is cute!  Happy Birthday precious girl.  I am proud to be your momma!

Making Birthday Snowmen

Noelle loves Pinterest almost as much as I do.  She wanted to make something different for her birthday, so we settled on covering oreo cakesters in white chocolate and adding embellishments to turn them into snowmen.

They were fun to make.  She was so proud of them and excited about taking them to school the next day to share with her friends.

Her friends loved them.  They were a big hit, so we decided to make a station at her birthday party where her sweet guests would make their own.

Oh Christmas Tree!

 We ventured out to a new Christmas tree farm this year since the one we have visited in previous years closed.  So, we headed out, in the search of the perfect tree.  I drove everyone crazy wanting to look at every tree before we picked the perfect one.  We always get an imperfect tree.  You know, the ones with two trunks, and the one's that lean, or the ones that are missing large chunks of limbs.  There is just something about them that says, pick me, pick me.  We have a great stand, so we can overcome most problems so that the ugly duckling can also be a Christmas tree.  We found our perfect ugly duckling.  I love how everyone is standing around watching Hunter cut it down.

 Paul finally jumped in and helped him at the end.

Then the four of them dragged the tree to the car.  It did turn out to be such a beautiful tree all decorated.

After dropping the tree off at home, we ran to Petco to hunt down Santa for a contest.  Unfortunately, we didn't win, but we did get lots of samples and toys for the dogs.  We love Petco......for the record, Annie didn't like it to much.  It made her a bit nervous, but Rags and Pippa felt fight at home.

Fun in the Sand

Since the boys left early, the girls and I got to stay and play in the sand.  They had a blast with some friends they met making a giant sea turtle.  He turned out pretty cute I think.

This was my real surprise.  Pippa liked the beach.  She didn't just like it, she loved it.  Every time she went outside, she would start trotting down the boardwalk towards the beach.  She would turn back and look at me to see if I was coming or not.  She just wanted to sit there and feel the wind and let the salty air soothe her achey bones.  I hope Pippa has many more trips to this place with us.  I never feel like I get enough time there.  We always tell the beach good bye when we go, and we always come home and start planning our next trip.

Thanksgiving 2011

I called my mom around the beginning of September and let her know that I really wanted to go to the beach for Thanksgiving.  I normally host Thanksgiving at my house, so I thought she and I should discuss it before I set me plans.  We love the beach in the fall, and with the struggles that two of my kids have in school, I just really wanted to get away.  I love the Cape because I can load up the entire family, pets and all and head out and truly relax, because well, there is nothing else to do.  Mom said she had been thinking about the same thing, and would love to go with us.  She then called my brother who said he would also like to join us, so I was excited.  I would have my whole family under one roof for Thanksgiving.

We were able to catch a few family pictures with all of us together.  It was great to be able to spend time with my niece and nephew.  I'm sure they don't really know who I am, so it was nice to be able to spend time with them.  Getting to know them was a real joy for me too.  I hate that we don't see each other more.

Hunter loves the beach.  He is always up to something.  He had fun in the bay finding all kinds of interesting critters.  He even brought home a shell with a crab still in that about scared me to death.  He and Paul left the beach early so they could get back for the Auburn vs. Alabama game.  

And these two, look at the tans they got in the middle of November.  It is crazy how dark they get so quick.

Where Do I Live Again?

Last time I checked, I lived smack dab in the middle of the city.  However, all the creatures of the country must know that I am a country girl at heart, and they are showing up regularly.  And unfortunately for some of them, they just aren't welcome here.  We have a small urban chicken coop in the back yard.  It is great for teaching the kids responsibility, and about food production.  However, since they have arrived, we have seen some wildlife we didn't anticipate.  My opossum friends keep coming around, so I humanely trap them and move them to a large wooded park where they are safer and can find more food.  This is the first of three that we have trapped.  This is the smallest one.  We give them all names and send them on their way.

This fellow on the other hand, doesn't quite need to be in the middle of the city.  Let's just say I was a little more than shocked to discover this one (I didn't kill it, it got hit by a car.)  Now we have a new threat which doesn't just want the chickens, it also wants my dogs.  We now have a nice sized pack of coyotes.  I haven't caught a picture of them yet, but they are letting their increasing presence be known.  I went out around 5 a.m. with the dogs.  I turned my back on Pippa for just a second to watch Annie, and one started across the street towards Pippa.  I screamed and waved my arms and got to Pippa first to scoop her up, but it terrified me. I got Annie and Rags in as quick as possible.  They are making me nervous as they are getting increasingly aggressive in the city since their isn't as much food here for them.  They have been attacking dogs on leashes, so I'm not a happy city dweller right now.

Introducing...Annie

I have been happy with having two dogs.  Very happy in fact.  But after losing Lulu, and bringing Pippa into the home we still had a very sad Rags.  While Pippa has done wonders for me, and she has helped me to still be sane she has not enjoyed Rags company, and I have felt bad for him.  We pet sit Willa sometimes, and he always perks up when she comes in the door.  He is so happy....but the last time Willa's family came to the door to collect her, his face fell.  It broke my heart.  He truly needed a friend.  I started looking for a friend for him, and thought I found the perfect one.  However, due to a strange turn of events, I was not able to adopt that dog, so my search continued.  There was one particular dog that I watched for a few weeks that was in Wedowee, AL.  I called and talked with the shelter staff about her, and after learning her story, I felt like she needed a chance.  I took Rags up to meet her, and they played so hard together.  They slammed into walls and had so much fun.  I could tell she would bond well with me, because she was extremely bonded to the kennel worker.  So, I brought her home on a trial basis....see, Annie had come from a sad situation.  She was owned by a man and his wife.  They had around 70 dogs, but for them, there was something special about Annie.  She got to live inside with them, and it was obvious she was well loved.  The wife died of cancer, and the man tried his hardest to take care of all the animals.  They were all fat, happy, fixed, and loved.  However, he was overwhelmed.  The county decided to step in and relieve him of the burden the animals had caused.  So off Annie went to a shelter to wait for someone to come.  Sure enough, a family did come for her.  They took her home, and left her outside.  They allowed children to take sticks and poke them at her.  After weeks of abuse, Annie had enough of it, and started cornering the children anytime she saw them.  She snarled and barked and let them know she didn't want to be abused.  So that family packed her up and took her back to the shelter.  So, there she sat again waiting.  Rags and I were her next hope of a home.  However, I knew that we had four children at home that Annie may not like considering what she had gone through in her previous home.  Annie settled right into our home and was so excited to see my bed.  She snuggled up right in the middle of it, and looked so content.  That of course was until I brought the four kiddos home from school.  She lost it.  There were times when I really wondered if it would all work out, but now she understands that my children at least will never hurt her.  They bribed her with treats and tons of affection, and now she loves each and every one of them.  Rags is happy again.  She is the most bonded dog I have ever had.  Paul and I often say that if we lived on the streets, you wouldn't have to worry, because Annie would be right there by our side.  She is a loyal little one, she is a quick learner and doing great with training.  She is proving herself to be our smartest dog ever.  She is 6 years old, weighs 24 pounds, and looks a lot like our favorite boy, Rags.