Those pesky dandelions...

I know dandelions are a weed and most lawn lovers hate them.  My husband forbids them in our yard lol (he's a lawn natzi).  But getting up close to one is super cool.  I mean they have these curly cues that are in the center of them.  I love my macro lens because you can get really close and then zoom in once you've downloaded them.  I know, I know I'm simple.  But that's how I roll!  Enjoy!

Pregnancy Progression of Ginger

I have been working in studio quite a bit lately improving my skills.   Its been a lot of fun actually.  I have been working along side some really great photographers.  Not to mention I have a great teacher.  I was asked if I would like to shoot a pregnancy progression.  Ummm well of course I said yes.  I was asked to pick my favorite one or two so that I can repeat those for the progression images. I really love both of these and honestly can't decide which one.  For me they are quite different and different enough that they speak different things.  For me anyway :).  Nonetheless, here they are.

What a great engagement session with Jason & Pam. These two are without a doubt perfect for each other.

The big ONE! She is just too stinking adorable!

Little Audrey turns ONE!

So I wanted to add a Pinterest Pin It button to some of my photos of little Miss Audrey.  Her photos were so adorable that I hope they could inspire someone else.  So this post is my test.  I'm hoping it works!  Wish me luck.

My wonder dinner...

I have been planning all week to make a nice big dish of lasagna.   It's Saturday and I am doing it.  Noodles all set and the layering started.  On my 2nd layer I realized that I forgot to add a pound of cheese.  Ahh.. no biggie so I finished up the last layer on top and it's looking good.   I thought... Hmmmm it looks thin for some reason.   Well I was quick to remember that I totally forgot to add my meat mixture that I cooked up last night.  Ugg!  Well you can't just take it apart so to save my dinner I opened up another jar of sauce and mixed in the meat and added it to the top, added the cheese and sprinkled on the Parmesean.  Well let's hope it's not a total loss.  

Friend post #1

So I thought I would do my first "friend post" from my previous blog post of "those that surround you". 

My first post is of my lovely friend Hannah.  I met Hannah today for just some afternoon girl time.  We met up at the camera store and then we were off to mark off a couple of items on her list of stuff to get done.  I really enjoy spending time with her because she is just so laid back and has that "sure, that's fine" attitude.  She is super fun to go shopping with and the more I go shopping well I think the crazier it gets.  Seriously, when we are together it's a lot of ghetto talk and continued laughter.  The things I love most about her are well... her personality and her courage.  She is such a sweet girl who is so trusting and kind.  I love the fact that she is dead set on what type of man she wants to marry and the life that she will build with this person.  I like most that she never will let her values or her faith become tainted for any reason or for anyone.  She will not sacrifice one for the other.  I like it when we talk of the man that she wants to marry.  She wants him to have a strong faith in God and she wants him to be able to keep the faith for her children.  I like it that she has this all planned out and she won't sacrifice any of those dreams just to have a boyfriend/husband.  Hannah has a beautiful voice and I like it that when we're hanging together she is constantly blurting out a small chorus line over and over again.  I giggle a little every time she gives a blurt out with song.  When ever the music moves her.  I am pretty impressed with her talents as she is a singer, musician, photographer and quite the comedian.  She isn't afraid to do something new and she is always ready to do it at a moments notice.  I am twice Hannah's age (oh that sounds bad) but age is nothing but a number and has no bearing on a friendship and that I like. 

I am super lucky to have a someone like Hannah in my circle!  I love this girl!

She totally has no idea that I am even posting this about her so she might be mad at my choice for the picture. 

Calf liver dog treats...

I made calf liver dog treats today and wanted to share the recipe with those who bake their own treats.

1 pkg of calf liver (3/slices)
2-1/4 C of wheat germ
2-1/4 C of dry powdered milk
3 TBS of brewers yeast
3 eggs
1 C of water (ONLY add to moisten a little at a time)

First I cook the calf liver in a little garlic infused olive oil on medium heat and cover.  Cook just a couple of minutes or until brown through.  Then I puree or grate and set aside.

I mix the wheat germ, dry milk and yeast together in a mixer.  Add the eggs one by one and add some water until the mix is is a little moist.  I only add the water as needed.  Then add the pureed liver.  Mix and add water little by little until the mix is tacky moist.

I prefer to use a sheet of parchment paper to bake on.  I use a regular spoon to just spoon a half dollop on the pan.  These cookies do not rise so you can place them rather close together for baking.  I usually cook up a batch and then wrap the remaining mix in plastic wrap (2/times) and then put it in the freezer. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

Keep the cookies in an air tight container and place in the fridge. Cookies are good for about a week in the fridge but normally my dogs eat them well before then.

when you're ready to pull the frozen log out I also thaw my mix in the fridge and then I bake them.

My dogs absolutely love these cookies and I really must love my dogs because the smell of cooking liver is in my opinion disgusting.  I can't even touch them before cooking.  I cut the package open and dump right into the pan.  I make my own treats for them because then I know what is going in them and liver (beef or calf) is super cheap and can be found in the frozen meat section.  And by cheap I mean $1.50 for a package (3/slices).  I will sometimes use ground turkey (1 lb) in this recipe.  It is also about $1.50 for a 1 pound package.

Good luck and I am certain that your dogs will love them!

Those that surround you...

For quite some time now I have been thinking about the people that I am surrounded by.  I meet up with friends whether it be for a girls night, an exercise class or for that double date or just whatever.  Do you ever really stop and think about the people in your life and what it is that you are so fond of or what it means to you to have them in your life?  Well I have been doing just that for a while now and I mean really taking notice of these friends.  It was brought to fruition today as I was having coffee with a two friends from my zumba class.  One of the gals mentioned how nice it was when someone just takes a moment to say, "thank you" and how they cherish every single one of them.  So this just made the thoughts of the people that I am surrounded by even more exciting (if that makes any sense).  So I thought that I would do a "friend post" of all those wonderful people that I know.  What makes them great and what just draws me in to keep them in my circle.  Not to mention that I want my friends to know that they really do mean a lot to me.  So, if your inclined watch for those people to show up here on my blog.  And soon you will see that I really am surrounded by amazing people. 

A quick stop...

Tonight after zumba Jeannette, Sara with an H and I decided to make a quick stop at Target to hit Starbucks.   Ten seconds of walking in the door we found ourselves looking at stuff...  as we wander we continue to get further from our purpose.  Oh the joys of hanging with friends looking at all kinds of goodies that we could fill our arms with.  Not to mention the laughter among us.  Its awesome!   Its the small things that entertain us.  Thanks ladies for the quick stop off that lasted over an hour!

Coffee shop geek...

Today I am doing a little something totally outside my box!  YUP... I am acting much like a coffee shop geek.  Met up with my girl Hannah at Barnes & Nobel and brought our laptops.  I see people doing this all the time but had never personally done it.  Whoop!!  I can totally mark this off my bucket list!  Had a nice quiet time though.  I may do this again!

Out with my hottie...

Its such a great day that my hottie and I decided to take a walk.  The dogs decided to go for a swim.
I love days like this.

Little Rocky...

He is about 3 weeks old and has a serious appetite.  He is healthy and beautiful.

Meet Rocky...

This is Rocky.  This is what it's all about peeps!  This baby is just absolutely precious.

Fare well and on to new beginings...

Dylan's farewell party came and went so quick.  It makes you feel old when you are seeing your children venture off to see the big wide world.  Dylan is off to Germany for two short years for the USAF.  He is missed much already.  This guy has spent a couple nights at our house a time or two.  I used to love it when there was a house full of children!  Then they grow up.   I am glad that DK (that's what I call him) is well on his way.  He will do great things I know it.  His momma (the real one) has without a doubt puffy eyes today.  I hope he gave a little extra squeeze while hugging her goodbye.   I LOVE YOU DK!  AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON.

And it's back to work...

It's Sunday evening and it's back to work for me tomorrow.  My vacation last week was quite UN-eventful but relaxing.  My weekend was awesome!  We were able to spend time with friends which was really great.  My hottie and I went fishing with our long time friend Westy.  My hottie hasn't fished since his father died so getting out on the water for him this weekend was just  so good for him in so many ways.  There was a little fishing tournament on Saturday then some foo foo drinks and good food that night.  Sunday the Mike's and I went fishing.  Oh I was in my glory.  I haven't been fishing in like five years since Sr. passed.   We have a rule that the first fish in the boat gets a buck and then the biggest fish in the boat also gets a buck.  Well I could smell the two bucks that should have been mine!  I wanted nothing more than to beat the Mikes out there.  (heavy sigh).... My hottie had to bring the first one and the biggest one in.  Dang it!  Westy also had to show me up too!  But today was a good day because I use a baitcaster reel (only baitcaster reels) and I did not backlash a single time.  Not to mention I had great casts out there!  It was like riding a bike!  I am ready to go again.  Bring it on boys! 

Thanks for a great weekend Westy, Surra and Nikki.  We love you guys!

A not so tasty breakfast ...

Being that our garden is growing so nicely and really producing already I decided to juice yellow and green beans a cucumber and a red delicious apple.  YUCK!!!  oh it taste awful.   I am not even sure that I could add like another apple to it either.  Well I was able to get it down but it was hard. 

Stepping into technology!

So I have downloaded the Blogger mobile and this is my test to see it works or I have to read more on it.

Thank goodness for cats!

I was working on the computer today in the office (where I also have squirrels) and behind me I hear this crash and something hit the wall!  I turned around because I thought maybe one of my squirrels had gotten out (they freak out super easy) but it was No Tail kitty!  She had caught a mouse that was about six feet behind me!  EWWWW!  This is her first mouse (that I know of anyway)  and yup...I now see that she has left if for me on the living room floor.  ugggg!!!!!!  Where is my hottie (at work).

Well, it's off to give my kitty a treat and to take care of the present she left for me.

Oh man!!  I just went to clean up the mouse and he is GONE!     oh man!  Now I have an injured mouse combing the house! 

Every now and again...

This past week I had a girl named Missy come and bring me a baby squirrel.  With squirrels and their cuteness factor being off the charts well she fell in love with this baby.  Missy is such a sweet person that of-course I just fell in love with her!  What an awesome personality she has.  She was totally all about making sure this baby was safe and going to be taken care of it is incredible.  She called a day or so later to find out how her little baby (Squirt) was doing and how she wanted to help out.  She was so dead set on helping out that she came by tonight with lots of stuff that we use everyday in caring for these babies.  I was just beside myself and it was like Christmas at my house for the squirrels!  I will be seeing a lot of Missy I am sure as she is just all about doing what she can to help out.  I often come by those that drop off babies and some will ask if they can call and just check on the baby or babies that they drop off to see how they are doing.  But I have to say it really just warms my heart when I come by those like Missy or those like my best friend Laurie who loves to come over and feed the babies for me.  I love this because it is nice to have the help and not to mention to find someone that loves those babies as much as I do!  So many, many thanks to Missy and Laurie!!