it's as simple as A-B-C...

A. I love my neighborhood. The colors during the changing seasons are to-die-for.
B. I love taking long walks with Tison, Mr. Butters, and Sausage Bear.
C. I love the walks even more when I am able to bring my camera along!

{photos taken over holiday vacation}

reflections on labor day weekend...

I suppose I forgot what it feels like to spend time outside since this summer has been so blisteringly hot, but Labor Day felt blissful! The day began with the typical "Where do you want to go for lunch?" question. Requirements included a patio and beer. An obvious choice was The Real Pickle. The patio only spurred on the desire to spend every minute outdoors, hence another decision was made to go straight to the park with all the lawn games we own! Frisbees, bocce, foxtail ball, a few chairs, and Sausage Bear in tow, I was even rollerblade clad!

After we had our Vitamin C fill at the park, Cory and Shelley lended their backyard grill to some corn husks and vegetable skewers. Do you remember that feeling when you were a kid after spending an entire day playing outside? Do you recall how good it felt when you laid your head on the pillow to go to sleep? Extremely exhausted and incredibly happy... that is how I felt this Labor Day.

Do you still follow the no white after Labor Day rule?

we're dreaming of a tacky Christmas....

Last night Tison and I made tacky Christmas sweaters in preparation for various holiday happenings. It was so much fun! Even though I had to brave the roads with all the crazy Christmas shoppers to get supplies, it was totally worth the end result.

{Even the dogs got in on the action... I don't think they were as excited about it though.}

 {What?? Just wearing our normal work attire...}

It's so easy to do a good deed...

If there is one thing that I have learned as a young adult, it is that I LOVE dogs! My sisters and I grew up with cats- Frisky, Ginger, and Oreo. The neighbors used to have doberman pinschers.... I am sure they were as sweet as can be, but they totally freaked me out as a kid. It wasn't until I left for college that my parents got Rosie, the family shih tzu. She isn't much bigger than the cats I grew up with, so it wasn't much of an adjustment.

Two years ago my boyfriend adopted a puppy that is part weimaraner, part dalmatian. His mother was left tied up at an abandoned house. Our friends Cory and Shelley had no idea she was pregnant when they rescued her. Sausage Bear (I wasn't around to help with the naming) instantly won my heart. I had no idea that larger dogs were so sweet! 

At this time last year I was going to my parents' house for dinner, when a helpless and emaciated dog came right up to me as I was getting out of the car. What was I to do? Even when the vet guessed that he was part pit bull, part great dane, there was no stopping me from opening my doors to whom we now call Mr. Butters.

Even though the house can almost never remain clean, I don't know what I would do without my boys :)

My aunt just sent me this link.

(this is at no cost to you)

Just one click and you have donated food to an animal shelter! Please visit this site. Who knows? You might be helping to save your next pet!