Pug Love xo

This sweet little girl is the runt of the litter and she stole my heart with all her cuteness!

Chubby little guy likes to gives kisses

Oh she is such a good mama xoxo

Pugs behind bars.....

love love love

I seriously could play with them all day !!  Look at those faces !

Big smoochies good bye.....

   Okay, so everyone out there knows all about my little obsession with Pugs.   I have loved them forever!   I don't know if it's their smoochy little faces, the googly eyes or their cute little pig tails... but I am definitely smitten by them.   When I discovered friends of ours had a mama pug who had given birth to 6 little ones I made a date to come and visit and get some lovin!  Of course I had to ask how much for they were asking for them and unfortunately it wasn't something I could come up with.  Dang it!  It didn't take long for them to be sold though , all except one little chubby black one.   Hmmmm..... one left eh???   I think it's a sign dont' you??   

One Year Later....

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.    

- Ben Williams

He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader.  He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.

 -Unknown

The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.         - Andrew A. Rooney

My little old dog: A heart-beat at my feet.
- Edith Wharton

  This time last year my buddy Storm was fighting for his life.  He became extremely ill with a liver disease, which baffled our vet, and we almost lost him.   We don't know how it happened or what caused it , but his liver was green and not functioning properly .   For several days I watched him waste away and  lie around on the floor at the vet office getting only a small wag of his tail every now and then as a sign that he was somewhat aware of my presence. I'd spend hours there in the cage with him -petting him, talking to him, walking him and giving him as much love as I could.  It was so hard to leave him there and  at one point it was recommended that I put him down because he was so close to slipping away which only crushed me further and I cried for days! 
   I felt so helpless but determined to fight whatever this was and go to whatever lengths needed to get him back to his playful self.  I told my vet to do whatever he could and if it didn't work I would let him go.  I needed to know in my heart that I did everything I could and then I would be at peace if I needed to say goodbye.
  It took intense treatment, which consisted of several meds and feeding him with a syringe, and lots of round the clock care.   It was difficult and exhausting not to mention stressful as I knew the bill was getting larger by the minute.   After a few days at the vet we were able to bring him home to continue his treatments.  Yay!       With all our love, my cooking ground beef and rice for him , and all the prayers our friends and family were sending out,  he slowly recovered , gained back his weight and even some muscle mass which our vet thought may never come back .
  Soon he was back to normal... better than normal.   He was like a new pup!   Playful,  rambunctious and healthy!   I was sooooo happy!   I had my best friend back, my sidekick and shadow .
  It's been a year and so far so good.  Storm remains healthy and happy which makes me very grateful.  I love my doggie and anyone who has a pet knows what that bond is like.  He is not just a dog, not just a pet, he is my best friend and loyal companion.  He is always happy to see me, doesn't care how I look, or act, doesn't judge me , always ready to go for a walk with me and always makes me smile. 
  So looking back at Storms battle I am reminded what he adds to my life and how happy I am to have him .  I only hope he feels the same about me xoxo

 

She loves to laugh and make others feel good. Her big hazel eyes take in her surroundings and instantly she sees things others miss. Ideas come at her in waves and she embraces them and has the courage to make them her own no matter what anyone else thinks. She's beautiful, colourful, fun , funky, caring, talented, sensitive, and my biggest inspiration. She is Michaela and she is my daughter. I feel honoured to share with you these candid shots of my little artist working hard on a self portrait. Isn't she great?

Did I mention she hates it when I take her picture???

To Busy To Blog.....

I' ve been super busy for the past month with my very ill dog , Storm who almost died from a liver disease. I'm very happy to say that with intense therapy from my vet and his caring staff, and with tonnes of love and prayers from all my friends and family, my baby is recovering well and is alive. My vet Clayton can't believe that he survived because he was at death's door just 2 weeks ago and it looked extremely hopeless. He's a miracle and I love him so much and so grateful he is still here with me to make me smile every day. Anyone who has a pet knows how heartbreaking it is to see them suffer and how heartwarming it is to have them in our lives. All they want is to love you and receive love back. Why can't more people be like that?

Quiet Moment

Mark and I stole an hour to go for a quiet boat ride together after a busy day of yard work and driving kids back and forth to work. Sometimes a little break together is just what we need in our busy lives to reconnect and share a few laughs. It was a beautiful ending to a perfect day.

A Bear Cub Stopped In For Breakfast.....

So picture this. I'm sitting in the living room writing another "god I hate this rain " status on facebook, because nothing exciting was happening , when I look out the glass door leading to my little deck and there is this beautiful little bear cub snacking away on yesterdays garbage bag! I grabbed my camera and opened up the door , he was leaning up against the door eating, and it scared him away....but only briefly. The allure of stale hamburger buns and coffee grinds was too much for him/her so it came back not minding one bit that I was snapping these pics only a foot away!! Thank goodness just before this I had let my soggy wet dog in and banished him to the basement or I may have missed out on this wonderful experience. Yes Gladys made a mess, ( that's the name I gave my new friend..... I thought it fitting since it was destroying the Glad garbage bags in search of yummies!) But It was totally worth it to see such a beautiful little creature so close. I hope he goes back into the woods and finds it's mom though , I don't want her to find me !!

Sweet Sixteen

Wow! My little girl is sixteen years old today. It seems like yesterday she was holding my hand and asking me to push her higher on the swings. Why does the time have to go by and our babies have to grow up so quickly? I loved all those little girl giggles and cute little pig tails. Even when she was upset with me she was still so cute! After having 2 boys she was a beautiful surprise for her father and I and has been a blessing ever since. Michaela you have blossomed into a beautiful young girl with a big heart and creative talents galore. We love you so much, please don't ever change. xoxoxoxox

Happy 22nd Birthday Brendan

Every time I celebrate the birthdays of my children I feel this little twinge of sadness because another year has gone by and they are a tiny bit closer to leaving the nest. Brendan turned 22 today and has grown into such a wonderful young man . I am so proud of the person he has grown to be and know that the day he decides to fly away out into the world I will have to let him go. I can only hope and pray that the world is kind to him and treats him well. Brendan, as you celebrate your birthday today always remember how much you are loved and how proud all of us are of you.

Me And My Bro

If I could go back in time only once it would be to the early days of my childhood in Nova Scotia when I was carefree, stress free, played outside from earlier morning till dark and my best friend was in the next bedroom over. My brother Chris just turned 40 yesterday and it's so hard to believe we are grown ups with our own mortgages, families and jobs to worry about when it seems like only yesterday we were fighting over his "dinky" cars and plotting our next adventures on our bikes! Chris and I are very close in age only 13 months apart (poor mom) and so we were each others playmate for many years whether it was climbing trees, swimming in the brook that ran out behind our trailer, claiming clubhouses...mine was the barn while Chris proudly put dibs on the old outhouse. Not a problem little bro it is all yours! I would take advantage of the fact that I was older of course and had first choice but he was very proud of his little stinky piece of real estate and nailed signs all over it "Boys only" " Girls not allowed" Oh how funny and precious these moments seem to me now and how I wish we were those two dirty faced little kids again.
But alas! We had to grow up and grow up we did becoming awkward teens together, getting married , buying homes, having children, losing jobs..... It really doesn't leave much time to play!
I've been a very lucky sister to have a brother like Chris and I'm very proud of the fine young man he's become. I guess having an outhouse for your first home can teach you a few things about life ! Love you Chris and Happy 40th !

Heart The Arts Prompts-week #5- "Thrive"

Week # 5's prompt is "Thrive".....hey it even rhymes! So didn't know what I was going to do AT ALL until I started to play around and just had fun with it. I guess it is about all the things I feel I should be doing in order to thrive in my life. Hope you like it, I have to go work on week #6 now! Happy Sunday!

Nice Surprise

There is nothing special about today. Just an ordinary Thursday, no birthday, no anniversary , no what a great friend day...just your typical day before Friday. I think that is why it was such a wonderful treat. When you have had a tough week and come home with arms full of groceries and a head full of "what on earth am I going to make for dinner tonight that everyone will like..." and the other hand full of bills you just picked up from the mail..... It is just the most sweetest nicest thing EVER that you discover someone was thinking of you and sent you a little something to brighten your day. That is what happened to me on this average, nothing special day before Friday. I dropped the groceries to the floor and with a squeal of delight opened up a package ( that was sent mainly for my hubby ...guitar strings, stand and picks) and it contained a little treasure of beads for me!! Oh what fun! I felt like a little kid with a loot bag at the end of a party! Thank you soooo much Blaine for being so thoughtful and for making an ordinary Thursday feel so special.
P.S I absolutely love the little note and beautiful photo of Olivia. What a sweet little girl you have. I think Thursday is my new favourite day of the week! xoxox

All The Best In The New Year

Another year has gone by and our family is thankful to have our health, great friends, and loving family members. From all of us to all of you, " Happy New Year!" Cheers to an even better 2010!

Things I've Learned In 2009

1. The dirty dishes can wait-especially when I'm feeling creative! 2. When you believe in yourself, others will believe in you. 3. Smiles can change the outcome of an otherwise not so cheery day. 4. Surround yourself with positive people. 5. Live life with no regrets. 6. Hold on to a great friend-they are treasures and hard to find. 6. Tell your children and family you love them everyday. 7. Do something that scares you and you'll discover it isn't so scary after all. 8.laugh instead of cry. 9. Love yourself. 10. Be Happy!

Merry Christmas!

Getting the Christmas tree this year seemed impossible due to all the busy schdules and lack of four wheel drive in our truck. However a very good friend of mine just happened to have an extra tree cut down in her garage.... I know, who does this? So my dear parents stopped by with said tree in the back of their truck and saved Christmas! Here are a few photos of that visit and of the Schmidt Christmas tree all decorated up.....before the cat knocked it down. So glad I had some photos taken! (big sigh!)

One Flaw In Women

Women have strengths that amaze men. They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy. They smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous. They fight for what they believe in. They stand up to injustice. They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution. They go without so their family can have. They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
They love unconditionally. They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards. They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding. Their hearts break when a friend dies. They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left. They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart. Women come in all shapes, sizes and colours.. They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you. The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning. They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideas. They give moral support to their family and friends. Women have vital things to say and everything to give. HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN, IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

Cam's Graduation From D.H.S June 26, 2009