So Cute It's Scary!

First of all....
BIG THANKS to Ms. G of Teaching Today for Tomorrow for giving me my first blog award!!!



I was really excited to find out about it!

The rules for the One Lovely Blog Award are:
Accept the award; post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. Pass the award to 5 other blogs that you've newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

So I am passing this award on to the following fabulous bloggers:

1. A Teacher's Heart

2. The Dubose Family

3. The Walter's Family

4. Niki

5. From our Front Porch Looking In

Alright, next on the agenda...
Annistyn wanted to thank her Aunt Sherry (Pouncey) for the cute Halloween onesie and bib. They go great with her orange tutu!






It was really hard for me to get pictures of her today. She was pre-occupied with EVERYTHING but me and the camera! When Finley Dog is around, you can just forget about it. He hadn't seen his sissy all day and he is just as much attached to her as she is to him! This is what I was dealing with....





We decided to eat at Pizza Hut tonight. I put on Annistyn's Halloween outfit from Target and realized we were both wearing our Halloween shirts. I thought we should take a picture. If I had been thinking strait- I ACTUALLY have a witch shirt that would have matched hers better. Maybe another day! I told you before that I wear holiday clothes. So go ahead- laugh! Make fun! I teach Kindergarten and they love it! Annistyn likes it! And I like it! I think it looks festive! I'm embarassed to even admit this but when I was in highschool I COULD NOT wait until I was old enough to wear festive holiday sweaters from Steinmart! I've always wanted to be in the stage of my life I am in now. I have about 20 Halloween shirts and about 30 Christmas ones. You'll be seeing more!!! So here is Annistyn and me before we ate.



Can you tell she had been pitching a fit? We did a re-take after we ate.





Here are some I took of her in her outfit. Again, she wasn't interested in making pictures.




Well, that's all folks! Oh yeah- I am still taking orders for Halloween cards. If you are interested I can do front/back style or folded style or one-sided on professional photo paper. As long as I have the order by the middle of next week, I will able to get them back to you in time to send out. I can also do any type of holiday invitation. Need a rush order? No problem! Here is my most recent creation. I did these for Sherry Pouncey last week. It is adorable pictures of her precious grandchildren:

Front:


Back:


One day I'm going to have my website up and running....

Kitty Prints....

One year ago today I lost a very good friend. I have mentioned him before- but today is his "angelversary" so I thought I would take a few moments to tell you about him. He has been on my mind a lot today.

Bob Cat Page was a rescue kitty. My daddy found him in crying in the middle of the woods in May of 2003. He was so tiny he would fit in my hand. Bob grew up quickly. When it came time for me to move to Troy- I took him with me. Every Sunday I would load him up and take him to Troy. Every Friday- I would load him up again and take him home for the weekend.

Bob was special to me for a lot of reasons. He helped me through some of the hardest times I have ever been through. I'm not going to go into any details- but I can't tell you the number of tears I cried on that poor kitty! Bob had huge green eyes and no tail. He often got made fun of because of his weight. Yes- I had a 20-lb. cat. I promise I only fed him Meow Mix!!! He was just a big cat!

He moved in with Michael and me in December of 2006 after we got married. He loved it here. He had his own kitty door and went in and out as he pleased. He would always jump on the dresser and paw the handle in the middle of the night until I got up. He liked his food in a "mound", so I would fix it for him and then go back to bed. I cannot tell you in words how much I loved that cat.

I bought an online memorial for him. You can visit it if you would like to. I will never forget the morning of August 14, 2008. It was around 5:15 and I stared in awe at two lines on a pregnancy test. I ran into the den and told Michael and I will never forget grabbing Bob and hugging him and telling him he was going to be a big brother. Little did I know he would never get the chance to be.

I know that everything happens for a reason. God gave me Bob for 5 years and he brought me so much joy and comfort during that time. He taught me how to be a mommy. I will miss him always but he will always have a special place in my heart...

Here is the poem I wrote for him after he died:
To my Bob Cat Page
May 10, 2003-October 5, 2008

The moment our two pairs of green eyes met,
I knew you were one I’d never forget.
Who else other than God above,
Could know how much I needed twenty pounds of kitty love.

No matter how bad I was feeling,
All it took was stroking your fur.
Or getting one glance of your twitching nub,
Or hearing your deep pitched purr.

You went with me to college
And kept me safe and sound
And never complained too much
When I drove you from town to town.

I know that I was grumpy
When you woke me up in the middle of the night
But I would give anything
To hear you on the dresser one more time.

I wish I could blow dry you just once more
Or give you one more treat
Or sit in the recliner
And feel you clawing at my feet.

I wish I could throw you over my shoulder,
and scratch you under your chin
Or look through the living room door
And see your kitty head peeking in.

I would love to see you running to me
With your swishing belly sag,
Or see you sleeping soundly
In my Vera Bradley bag.

I wish I could watch you chase our frogs
Or swat at bugs through the door.
I never thought I’d say this-
But I wish I could see you bring a mole in once more.

Even when I get on the computer,
I can’t help but think of you and your eyes of green.
Usually I could barely see what I was doing-
You always sat right in front of the screen.

How can I make it without seeing you sleeping on your back
Or doing yoga in the den?
How can I live the rest of my life
Without my furry friend?

There is no greater joy
Than coming inside alone
And being greeted by a loving nudge
You truly made our house a home.

And though you’ve gone through Heaven’s cat door
Even though we had to part-
You’ve left me with five years of memories
And four kitty prints on my heart.

Our house will never be the same
Our puzzle will never be fully whole.
But I know that when I get there-
Heaven will have a lot fewer moles.

You’ve celebrated good times with me
You’ve gotten me through ones that were tough.
I guess always knew that no matter what-
Nine lives would never be enough.


I love you, Bob Cat!!!!






















"And I bless the day I met you
And I thank God that He let you
Lay beside me for a moment that lives on
And the good news is I'm better
For the time we spent together
And the bad news is you're gone"

- Diamond Rio

Up, Up, and Away!

Every day is something new! Annistyn has been trying to pull up on the side of her crib lately, and tonight she finally made it!





If you are wondering why she is wearing a tutu- I had been taking her picture in it. I found it on the clearance rack at Gymboree yesterday. I thought it would go cute with her pumpkin onesie. Here are those pictures:





As you can see by her excitement, it doesn't take much to entertain her! She is very easily amused!


She has also already discovered two of life's essentials: purses and shoes!



She picked the talking purse as her prize from Grandmommy yesterday. It sings and there are a bunch of pieces that she can put in and take back out. She LOVES purses. Her shoes were sitting beside her on my bed. (I had taken them out to show her Daddy.) So she decided she wanted to play with them too!



What can I say? I taught her well!

Here are two more of her "fall" outfits she has worn this weekend. Friday night was the Rabbit Moon dress and leggings:



And tonight was the Peaches and Cream dress. It actually has pants that go with it, but it wasn't that cool outside so I just put on a matching diaper cover. This morning she wore her smocked green pumpkin dress, but had fallen asleep on the way home. I didn't want to wake her up to get her picture. I will put it on her later and take some.




Yesterday we went shopping and it was the first time since Annistyn was born that I actually enjoyed it. I don't know if all new moms go through this or if it is just me- but I have had the hardest time feeling like myself again. When you have children, I guess you loose a part of yourself because you have someone else that comes first. Even though I had pretty much lost the baby weight- I still just couldn't get used to the way I looked. For one- even after the weight is gone, nothing goes back to where it was before! I feel like I look tired all the time- probably because I am! I have just felt like I am 53 instead of 23. I have also been hiding in loose fitting clothes for the past 7 months. So a few weeks ago- I decided that I had to do something. I have lost 7 lbs. and I boxed up the baggy clothes and maternity jeans (which I loved) and I have felt a lot better. So I had a great shopping day- and I even tried on pants in my "before Annistyn" size and guess what- THEY FIT! I have a long way to go, but at least I am making progress. I just can't feel like this forever. I LOVE being Annistyn's mommy and I wouldn't trade it for ANYTHING in this world. At the same time I know the importance of feeling good about yourself. I want Annistyn to have self-esteem, so I guess I better get some! Now if I can just shake off the fact that I feel like I leave Annistyn everyday for other people to raise her while I go raise other people's children at school. That may take me a little longer....

October "Fest"

Since I had to vent a little on my last post, I wanted to make sure I put some happy thoughts on here tonight!

First of all- Happy October! I wanted to share some of my "festive" fall decor. Here is my mantel. Sorry I didn't turn the TV off first!







My sweet doggie wanted me to take his picture too:



I am loving the cool temperature at night! Annistyn is getting to wear her new fall clothes. Here she is tonight in a new outfit:






I will start wearing Halloween sweaters to work next week. Several of mine match Annistyn's Halloween clothing so hopefully I can get some mommy/daughter pictures! I am still debating on her Halloween costume. I am not taking her to the big trick or treat at our square. I think that is a little much this year! I have almost decided to just get a Halloween-colored tutu and put it with her jack-o-lantern onesie and a pumpkin bow. I hate to spend $50 on a costume that she won't really wear that much! Next year she will be a little older and will probably get to trick or treat. I know I have to decide in the next couple of days and get one ordered!!!!

Well, believe it or not- that's all I have to say tonight. Hope everyone enjoys their Friday tomorrow!