I love you Abby

Yesterday my parents had to put my dog, Abby, to sleep. She had a growth on her leg that burst open and the doctor said they would have to amputate. That on top of liver cancer and congestive heart failure, we had to put her down. She would have been 13 years old on April 9th.

I had asked for a dog on my birthday and Christmas lists for years and years, and finally, as a junior in high school I got what I wanted! Since I left for college she stayed with mom and dad and because they bonded so much, I couldn't take her back with me when I was finally done with school. She was such a comfort to my dad when he was home sick for all his surgeries and recoveries. They were best friends.

And now she's gone and we're heartbroken. But we know she is running free and without pain in the soccer field of the sky. Over the summer we will head out to scatter her ashes on her favorite place, "The Field". Anytime she got out that's where she ran to. Dad let her run there every night despite wet and cold, he got her out there.

Abby loved popcorn, cheese, peanut butter, apple cores and anything else anyone would feed her from the table. She was very adament that all attention went to her and would bark like crazy every time anyone hugged mom or talked to her on the phone. She was a sweet and naughty puppy and grew into a sweet and loving dog. Rhys adored her and whenever I called Nana and Papa on the phone he would say, "No, I want Abby." So Mom or Dad would get her to bark for him on the phone so they could chat.

These pics were taken last summer, but I think they are the epitome of that great relationship. We love you and miss you already, Abby. I'm not sure how to explain this to Rhys, but he will especially miss you.

Holy Chex Mix, batman!

There should be a 12 step program...I have found heaven and it tastes delicious....

"This version of Chex Mix included caramel popcorn, Caramel Chex cereal, Chocolate Chex cereal, honey roasted peanuts, round pretzels and milk chocolate candies. The Caramel Chex pieces were basically Corn Chex pieces drizzled in caramel (yum!), and the chocolate Chex pieces weren't as tasty as the chocolate peanut-butter pieces in another variety of Chex Mix. The addition of the caramel popcorn and Caramel Chex pieces made this taste like Cracker Jacks, since the were also peanuts. But it was a great sweet and salty combination, well worth devouring in one sitting."

Ode to Spring Break

Oh Spring Break, I looked so forward to you for weeks. But I had no idea what you had in store for me. Between the oven and coffee maker breaking down, the barfing flu for myself, a son who decided it was time to get up between 5-6 am every day and merely nap a 45 minutes in the afternoon, a whole household of massive runny noses/coughing/fever/miserableness, topped off with a healthy dose of work related issues - I'm just not sure what to pick as my favorite event?

And the saddest thing of them all, I could only check off 2 things on my massive Spring Break to-do list. I guess it will have to wait until the summer, only 6 weeks until finals......

So until next year, Spring Break, maybe I'll see you in Mexico or someplace tropical and fun. I'm sure barfing in a hotel bathroom would feel much more like a holiday than this one.

Sincerely, me

Something else

Do you ever have one of those super sucky days for no reason?? Today was one of those days...I'm thinking it's just premenstrual and I'll be fine. But it kinda sucked. However, after a 45 min workout, a long heartfelt talk with the hubby, working with sick and dying people for 9 hours, I'm feeling much better. Things could be worse, and I know everything will fall into place in it's own time.

Here's a cute pic of Rhys that I love. He picked out the outfit and put it on. He is stylin'.

Finally, a good haircut

Isn't it nice to go to a new hairperson and she actually kicks butt and does something different?

I should have taken a picture of my before pic. Here's the history....I haven't had my hair cut since October. In December I tried to get my hair cut, but the lady was booked, so I just trimmed it myself. It was ok, but not too great. I wanted to grow it out so I could curl it for the 80s wedding I was in over the New Year. So fast forward to March 14th ----still no haircut since my hacking trim attempt. IT was shoulderlength, long and pretty stringy.

And she did a great job! I think, for Iowa, this is pretty cool. Now I just have to color it and get some of the brassiness out.

Rhys is down for his nap and is conked out after we played at "Pump It UP" this super cool warehouse that his daycare kids went to. It's full of bouncy castles and slides, and we all got to have fun and then eat lunch together.

So here is my hair - post-bouncy castle!

Ch...ch...check one two

Since I enjoy my friends' blogs so much, maybe I should utilize my own?? So here goes nothing.

To tease you with the amazingness this blog may hold in the future..enjoy the picture of Rhys' second/Jonnie's 29th bday cake. Yes, I made it and as beautiful as it was, it was not as delicious as my Sister-in-laws mother's cake. Which was not as artistic, but kicked the crap out of mine in the taste department!

"What?" you ask, "Is that a bunt scotcharoo with milk chocolate completely drenching the entire thing?" Yes it is, yes it is.

Wow

So, this is it. I'm moving more quickly into the 21st century....but I'm not going to buy a stupid Ipod, so there.

More to come!

Trailerific

I got pretty excited when I heard that the New Moon trailer was going to be shown before The Half Blood Prince. It was like the fateful Peanut Butter crashing into my Chocolate. I mean, what could be better, right?

But nope. I did not get any NM loving at the the midnight viewing of HP's The Half Blood Prince last night. I hope that some of you get lucky though - I'm all about sharing the love.

A very happy (and lucky!) Amanda shares her experience at New Moon Movie.org