Smudge Love

I haven't blogged in way too long! I'm sorry you guys! It's been a roller coaster of events around here including the culmination of my eldests junior year in high school and the new found interest and work at a local dog shelter for my youngest daughter and I. For the past few months we've been volunteering every weekend and fostering dogs during the weekdays. It's been very rewarding. Our first dog was a Pit puppy named Brenda. She was adorable and we had her for 2 week until she found a loving family and was adopted. Next we took in Karrie, a chihuahua mix, who we still have today. But in the midst of those two precious pooches we also too in an adorable Sharpei/German Shepherd puppy named Smudge. Smudge captured our hearts very fast with his goofy clumsiness and beautiful puppy ways. I could not part with him but I also knew I couldn't keep him. We already have 5 pets and I want to stand firm as my oldest daughter is about to graduate next year and it feels like time to simplify our lives. So I was blessed to find Smudge a home with friends who live nearby so we can go visit him!
It really is the best of the situation!! Although we miss Smudge, we're so happy he's still in our lives!! I hope you're all having a great summer so far! I'll try to start posting more for you guys!

Anita Renfroe | William Tell Momisms | Official Version

Happy Thanksgiving!

For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, For love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends. -Ralph Waldo Emerson Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'm thankful for each and every one of my blog friends who I've so enjoyed getting to share and know through this wonderful process! I wish you all a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving! XOXO

Bruins surprise parents with son home from Afghanistan 11/12/11

Just to make you smile today~~I can never get enough of these wonderful reunions! God Bless our soldiers and their families!

Something Borrowed Dance Scene, Kate Hudson & Ginnifer Goodwin

I had a snugly night at home last night. It was the 1st really winter~ish night we've had all year so far, and we ordered a tomato, cheese, and basil pizza, snuggled up under faux fur blankets, turned out all the lights and watched Something Borrowed. I'm having trouble finding movies that I like lately, but this one is really cute. It's not for the kiddos as it's a bit racy but other than that, rent it! Here's a really fun dance scene from the movie~~I'd love to learn how they do this dance! Here's to good friends, good movies, and good times! XO

Bluefly Closet Confessions presents Giuliana Rancic

This is just because I have Giuliana Rancic on my heart today following her announcement that she has the early stages of breast cancer. My daughters and I have loved watching her show on E! "Giuliana and Bill." They have shown my girls what a beautiful, healthy relationship looks like and what to look for in a husband someday! She's inspired me to make an appointment for a SUPER *long* over due check up of my own. I've been dragging my feet about this for years but made an appointment today to have a mammogram this Thursday. I suggest all my sweet friends reading this do the same! So thank you, Giuliana! You're going to beat this thing and continue to be FABULOUS!!! We've never met but you've captured our hearts and we love you. Your friends in Texas~~~XOXO

THE X FACTOR 2011 - Stacy Francis - Audition 1

This is ABSOLUTELY one of the best videos I've ever seen!! If anyone ever tells you that you can't do something, don't believe them!! Stacy~~YOU GO GIRL!!!! XOXO

Kiss A Stingray for 7 Years Good Luck! Who Knew?!

I just had to show you all this hilarious photo of me kissing a stingray in Grand Cayman. They say that it brings you 7 years good luck and since we just broke a HUGE antique mirror at my home last month, I needed to wipe the slate clean!! BTW...that's the OCEAN, NOT a swimming pool! Can you believe the color?! Heaven!!

There you go! 7 years good luck! I kissed it twice, so I figure one got rid of the broken mirror hex and the second kiss was a bonus 7 years!! Well, I gotta go buy a lottery ticket now! You guys have a great day! XO

Indian Cuisine Lesson with Priyanka!

We had the most fun evening the other night, when a new friend came to teach us about how to make wonderful Indian dishes!! here are some of the ingredients laid out on my kitchen island!

My friend, Stephanie, was visiting from India with our new friend, Priyanka, who offered to teach us how to cook some Indian chutneys and Dosas!

All the wonderful spices and herbs all ready to make chutneys!

Priyanka in her beautiful traditional Indian dress!

Here are the ingredients ready to be blended for a mint/coconut chutney! Delicious!

Sambar is a spicy and comforting Indian soup! It was perfect for my daughter who has been fighting a bit of a cold for a week or so!!

Mustard seeds pop in hot oil and then are put into the chutney~~the aromas were amazing in my house!

Here Priyanka was cooking curry leaves with peppers~~~I never even knew there was such a thing as curry leaves!!

Adding the leaves into the soup~~

And the finished product! So fabulous!

I forget the name of the pancakes we ate with the chutneys~~they had cheese and spices inside!

Dosa batter~~Dosas are crepes that you dip into the chutneys~~my mouth is watering!!!

Priyanka making a dosa!! The evening was so fun~~we hope to make Indian food at home again soon!!

I Just Love This Kid~~This is so sweet~Ronan Parke - Britain's Got Talent 2011 Audition - itv.com/talent - UK V...

Now This Kid Can SING! Enjoy Ronan Parke - Lady Gaga Edge Of Glory Acoustic Ronan Parke Sings

Soldier~Pet Reunion To Make You Smile

There's a new television show I came across the other day that focuses on soldier's reunions with their families. It's a sweet show and I love watching the happy reunions, especially those of the children seeing their parents for the first time in a long time or the animals. If you ever had a doubt that animals have memories and love us as much as we love them, just watch this! It's sure to bring a smile to your face!!

Puppy Love

What a day!! A few days ago my neighbor found 2 abandoned Black Lab Mix puppies at a construction site. They were undernourished but otherwise healthy. She was considering taking them to the SPCA so I asked if I could first try to find them a home. Today I spent a big chunk of the day doing a little photo shoot and sending out a mass email & posting photos on my Facebook page! Tonight it all paid off when they were adopted by a family with acreage and a 10 year old little boy who lost his 2 year old Lab a few weeks ago when it was hit by a car. I am so happy that these 2 precious little lost babies will bring comfort to a little boy grieving the loss of a pet. They will bring him so much joy and in turn they will have a wonderful new home!

God Is Good!

Meet Bob

Meet Bob. Bob was being used by a group of young boys as a football last week when my youngest daughter caught eye of the inhumane games and rescued our little friend here. After quite an exhilarating bicycle ride home, Bob remained tucked into the safety of his shell for quite awhile. We decided to leave him in our back yard to let him calm down a little but and when we returned to check on him, he had traveled all the way across our big yard! It was good to see he hadn't suffered any injuries. We kept Bob for just that one night and then decided to free him in a neighborhood pond where we'd seen many of "his kind" living together harmoniously. We drove to the pond, set him down right at the edge and waited. It took Bob about 3 seconds to jet his head out of his shell, LEAP into the pond, and swim away at the speed of a motor boat! I've never seen a turtle so happy! It was fun to see. So this weekend we had "Free Bob" day here at our home. And as much as I know my little one gets attached to these little critter she rescues and releases...I also know she's excited to see them back in nature. She's got a big heart, that one. :)

United Breaks Guitars

You've got to just *LOVE* this guy!! Sometimes there comes along something that is just so perfect & so creative, that you've got to share it. This was sent to me in an email and I wanted to share it with you, just to make you smile. :) Musician, Dave Carroll, recently had difficulty with United Airlines when they damaged his treasured guitar. Dave spent 9 months trying to get United to pay for damages with no luck. So he posted a funny, yet very effective, retaliatory video on YouTube. The video has since received over 10 million hits!! Taylor Guitar sent him 2 new custom guitars in appreciation for product recognition in the video. So the moral of the story is: When you are frustrated and feeling defeated, don't get mad, don't let it ruin your day, don't go to a bad place and curse and get kookie~~~just get creative! :)

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day, everyone!! Mothers can be biological, step, or the wonderful women in our lives who I like to call "Soul Mothers." To all the women who reach out and make a difference in the lives of all the children around them ~ May God Bless You today and every day!! The love of a Mother is like none other!

What's The Problem? Cat Got Your Tongue?!

I know you're there! I can see the visits to my page, so please, you guys, leave a comment! You've been SO quiet lately. What's up with that?? It's no fun to write to silence~~This is a fun place to share and get to know one another!! Leave a comment and I'll answer you!

I promise! :)

London In The Spring Time!

Oh what a lovely wedding it was!! William looked so happy & Harry, well...you know Harry!! He was SUCH a rascal when he turned around and looked at Cutie Katie as she came down the aisle! Oh my~~I don't know if you could tell but we were all just a hootin' and hollerin' when he did that!!

Anyway~~I was just so happy to be there!! Did you see me? Really you couldn't miss me~~I was the one in the hat! ;)

Image courtesy of http://www.faceinhole.com/!!

Give it a try for your friends~~too cute!

Turtle Time!!

After stuffing ourselves on Easter, my little girl & I decided to take a walk to get a little post dinner exercise.  As we walked, we came across a baby turtle on a neighbors driveway.  The little gal (we think) was all dried up and crusty and couldn't move~~we both actually thought she might be dead, but being the optimist that  my daughter is, she scooped her up and ran all the way home to get her into some water.  After a few minutes she slowly started to come to life.  My daughter's been asking for a turtle for a long time so, of course, she saw this as an opportunity for a new pet!  She aptly named her "Shelly."  I mean really, how cute is that?!  So after calling the Texas Turtle & Tortoise Conservation folks to get scoop on how to care for little Shelly, we've got her tucked away in a little Tupperware bin filled with water, rocks, turtle food, and leaves.  They explained that due to the water draught here in Texas, the mama turtles are laying their eggs in people's yards and then wandering off to find water.  The babies hatch and then take off looking for mama and water, and then when they can't find either, they die.  So little Shelly is one of the lucky ones as she was found and saved!!  Turns out Shelly is a Snapping turtle...not the best to keep as a pet, so we'll be taking her to the Nature Conservatory that has offered to give her a safe home, in a few weeks.  But for now, my little one is loving her temporary friend, checking out turtle books at the library and becoming quite the little turtle expert!  You never know what a little walk in the neighborhood will bring! 

Boy Serenades Girl For Prom Date

OK This brought tears to my eyes!!  Did you all see this, this morning on the Today Show with Hoda & Kathy Lee???  This is really sweet.  What a lucky girl!!!

                          http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29054368/vp/42339306#42339306