My Foot Warmer

It's been colder than usual lately. Which means that my feet have been colder than usual. Even with my thick socks and slippers they are cold.

In fact about the only time my feet aren't cold is when I can sneak them underneath someone sitting next to me. Hubs really doesn't like this much and the kids never sit long enough for the chill to completely leave my feet. Which leaves me with one choice. Our dog Gigi. This dog just emits body heat like you wouldn't believe so my feet warm up pretty quick if they are underneath her. The only problem is that in order for my feet to remain warm and snug under her, I have to also pet her. Normally this wouldn't be a problem but Gigi is one of those dogs where if you give a scratch, she expects a belly rub. And then next thing you know she'll be trying to sleep in your bed with you. Now that's just not something I can do.

So as you can see, every night about the time my feet are freezing, I'm faced with the same dilemma. Do I let the dog warm them and then have her pushy dog self try to climb into our bed later in the night or do I just deal with my cold feet on my own and sleep without the dog trying to sneak into bed with us. It really is a trivial problem to have I know. And any true dog lover would just let Gigi warm her feet and then sleep in her bed afterwards. The thing is I am more of a dog liker than a dog lover. This means that my like has it's limitations which means I am doomed to suffer from cold feet. Until I get this look from her every night. It's kind of like this one in which her expression says...


Hey let's make a deal, I warm your feet in exchange for sleeping on the soft bed. So then I warm my feet on her and later that night I shut the door so she can't come in. And then I feel guilt for about two seconds and then I fall asleep. Until the next night when we do it all over again. Gigi isn't really a good negotiator but at least she keeps trying.

Wordless Wednesday

"Ice Poinsetta"


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Driving the Roller Coaster

One of the many things that I truly dislike is a roller coaster ride. They just make me sick. Hubs and the kids though, they just love them. So whenever we go to Six Flags or any other amusement park I always pass on the big rides and just look forward to the kiddie rides which I am able to stomach.

But I've discovered another roller coaster ride that I just love. Since I live in a fairly large metroplex area we have lots of bridges and overpasses that go up pretty high. And like me as a child, my kids love it when we go on the highest one. But they have taken it a step further than I ever did as a child. They pester me nonstop until I tell them we are about to drive up on the big overpass at which point they all stick their arms up in the air and start telling each other excitedly, we are almost to the top...hold on here it comes. Then once I peak at the top and we start to descend, the screams and laughter break out and for them it's just like a roller coaster ride (well okay I'm sure my nine year old Z. doesn't really think that but he participates just the same). So here I am driving in my minivan chugging along anywhere from 60-70mph depending on how late I am, and it's complete roller coaster chaos in the car. Anyone looking in our van would see one thirty something mom speeding down the road trying not to laugh. While at the same time four pairs of arms are waving around in the air and four mouths are screaming in roller coaster like joy.

For me it's the best of both worlds, I get a part of the excitement of what my kids experience when dad takes them on a real roller coaster but I never actually have to get on one. Instead I can stick with the smaller rides that don't make me sick. What could be better than that?

Four Days and Counting

I have four days left until I get to enjoy my last Christmas present from Hubs. And I am getting so excited.

I will head out Friday evening just me and another friend and we will drive our excited selves down to Austin. Where we will both then spend the remainder of the weekend cooped up in a hotel conference room attending one photography class after another. Yes, I know this doesn't sound like fun for some of you. But for me, this is BIG stuff. I'm hoping to come away from these courses with just a little bit better knowledge of what I am capable of doing with my camera. Because at this point it's all user error.

So that gives me four days to work my tail off. so that when I get home after a brief two days, the house won't be falling down around me. I can dream can't I?

Oh My..

Some days I just feel like I go from one mess to another.

A. is currently on her third top of the day and it's barely naptime now.