Thursday, November 27, 2008

Girl Party

It's a sleepover
On Wednesday evening my niece Ayla came over for a fun filled night of playdough, books, coloring and jumping on the bed. She finished out the night with a bath and crashed on the "big girl" bed. What a wonderful way to spend the evening! Aaron and Tracy: hope you enjoyed your evening!
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Whew, what a night!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

A Look Into Our Lives

Our little family
dog (noun) a domestic carnivorous animal with a long muzzle, a fur coat, and a long fur-covered tail, whose characteristic call is a bark. Latin name: Canis familiaris

Our dogs are such a big part of our lives. They are great company, feet warmers, toes lickers, motivation for excercise, comedy shows and wonderful companions. And with Brian currently working third shift, they give me piece of mind at night. Not that long ago if you would have told me that we would be parents to three dogs, I would have laughed and said "yeah, okay". Who is laughing now? But I wouldn't change anything. Our dogs have become members of our family; I couldn't imagine our lives without them. Don't get me wrong, there have been times when I ask myself, "why oh why...three dogs...this is crazy" but when they make you smile or make you laugh it reminds me why.

So you may be asking, how does one acquire such a large furry family. Let me enlighten you. Meet Kahne, our golden retriever. My stepmother and I had picked Kahne out when he was just eight weeks old. She loved golden retrievers and had always wanted one. Sadly, a few short months later she unexpectedly passed away. When I moved out, Kahne came with me. You could say he holds a special part of my heart and reminds me of her every time I look at him. According to Brian, Kahne is my dog; he thinks I am Kahne's favorite. :) They say golden's are loyal and smart and with this I must agree. He loves running out in the woods, swimming in Lake Michigan and just being your best friend. He will always be my first "baby".
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Brian and I felt guilty when Kahne was home by himself and wanted to get him a friend. And so came Emmy. Emmy is your typical lab mix who sometimes doesn't seem to have all of her ducks in a row. We met Emmy at a local animal shelter and instantly fell in love; she was only five months and still had that puppy cuteness. She had been brought into the shelter after being hit by a car. They saved her back leg but her paw is flat as a pancake and a bit deformed. Adoping Emmy meant an unknown future with her "bumb wheel" but we couldn't imagine our lives without her. To our suprise, she seems to function just fine and has had minimal problems. She has found a special place in our hearts.
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Then there is Dillon. Dillon came to us a little over a year ago. Some of you may remember Dillon, he was featured on WZZM as the dog that was away from home for a little over two years. The Kent County animal shelter picked him up and because he had a micro chip was returned back to his owners. Within a few weeks after his story aired the owners did not want him anymore. The owners had asked our neighbor to take him and give him away at a local auction where people will bring "free" animals. Of course, my heart went out to him and we decided to give him a forever home. Dillon, also referred to as the "Dillman" "Little Man" and "Dillon five-o", is one of most unique beagles I have known. He hates the outdoors but instead loves the anything that is soft, warm and comfortable. The couch seems to be his object of choice and since we do not let our dogs on the couch I am constantly shooing him off. (the below picture was an exception) We have a fenced in backyard which is wonderful for the dogs; however even when we let them all loose, Dillon doesn't take off. He is perfectly content roaming the yard and sticking close. He must love his new home as much as we love him. :)
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Monday, November 17, 2008

Big Buck Down

Opening day 2008
One of the many things that Brian and I have in common is that we both enjoy hunting. He is much more dedicated than me, but I was really looking forward to this year because opening day fell on a Saturday. Our freezer is looking pretty bare and since we rarely eat beef, venison this year is a necessity. We headed out to the woods a little after 6 in the morning all bundled up for a long day in the woods. Brian and I sit together and I was "it" for the day. Lucky for me, a nice 5 point came in range. Brian and I were both so excited we about fell out of the treestand we were shaking so hard. Brian even got the whole thing on video. He may not be the biggest buck ever, but I am pretty proud of him!
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I couldn't have done it without him; love you Brian!
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Tuesday, November 11, 2008

A Day at the Park

I met Jody and her family on what I believe was the last nice Saturday of the year. The colors were perfect and the weather was nice and comfortable; the kids totally loved the leaves. Enjoy!
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Friday, November 7, 2008

Schueller Family

This past weekend I met the Schueller family downtown for their session. It had been overcast most of the day but as soon as we started the sun began to peek out, which made for a gorgeous fall day! What a wonderful family! You guys were completely down to earth and Brian and I were so glad to have met you. Enjoy! :)
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Thursday, November 6, 2008

Cameron

This past weekend my cousin Angie and her husband Chris were in town celebrating their son Cameron's first birthday party. Before the party, I snuck over to take some pictures of the birthday boy. The last time I had saw Cameron he was just a couple of months old; has he grown! He didn't want to give up too many smiles for me, but was adorable none the less. He never made a fuss and was very interested in all of the fall leaves. Cameron has the most beautiful blue eyes and blonde hair. Chris and Angie, I believe the girls will be chasing him around the playground when he gets older! Thank you for letting me be part of his special day. :)
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