Bad Mastiff

I don't even think Prince Charming can help now... 

San Diego (part 1 of 467)

It's been a couple weeks since we boarded a plane in San Diego and headed back to San Antonio and I am just now feeling back in the groove here at home.  We miss everyone already and can't wait until we can be together again soon.  There are countless reasons why the trip was truly fantastic so I will try to share some highlights with you by posting a few pictures each day.  As long as you don't mind that it might take me until Christmas to finish.  


Here we go...

Rylie taking Miley's song to heart, "It's the Climb"  Go girl!

Monkey see, monkey do.  Little sister following big sister footsteps up the hill.

Rylie collected flowers from Grandma and Grandpa's backyard to make a bouquet for Daddy!

Grandma Shields and Rylie replanting a flower that got... well... uprooted by an eager bouquet maker :)

I love this picture... 

Jordan and Rylie making handprints

Reagan

Peyton

Soon-to-be big sister, Peyton and Grandpa

Grandpa Shields with Rylie and Reagan

Picture proof of Rylie's long legged genes!

Pictures I Like

These are a few shots from one of my recent practice sessions while the girls were playing on the playset in the backyard.  Right now, these pictures of Rylie seem to me like ordinary pictures among many but I think one day they'll stir up vivid memories of swinging our hot Texas afternoons away while we wait for Toby to come from the hospital. 

  

Lesson Learned: Gardening

Lesson: What's on top doesn't always represent what's hiding beneath the soil!  

I walked past this large, full foilage and thought to myself, "surely there is a reasonably sized carrot under there."  So what did I do?  I yanked it up and look what I found... a puny little carrot.  Cute and kind of funny looking.  I think I prefer the visible fruits and vegetables.  They're a bit easier for impatient and impulsive gardeners like myself.

Just for fun... I thought you'd want to know that both dogs were all over the carrot when I was trying to take a picture.  If only you could see the snarf Arnie left next to it. NOt to self: avoid the super slippery patch of goo on the tile.  I should probably clean it up but it's Saturday and it just doesn't seem right to work that hard right now.  

The Affair is Over...

Brace yourself, this is big.  Really BIG.  I'm saying so long to my companion of many years.  DC, it's time to go our separate ways.  It's not you, it's me.  Well, actually it is you.  And it's me too.  

I just wanted to share my farewell message with you all - my dear friends- because I am going to need help, encouragement and probably a lot of grace.  I have only started cutting back and I am already typing this with a headache.  I am sad because I really don't have anywhere to turn.  I don't like coffee or tea and I can't drink juice (unless I decide that I'd like to have a migraine) so here I am taking a dramatic step into a lonely world of H2O.  Rumor has it there are some nice and healthy bubbly waters that might quench the cold bubbly cravings that I have but it those drinks have big shoes to fill.  

If you are thinking that this post is absolutely pathetic and incredibly dramatic, I totally agree with you.  But, for those of you who have known and experienced this affair, you know.  You know what this means.  Sniff, sniff.    

Once Upon a Time...

We went camping with our good friends, Nate, Lauren and Sammy Salinas, but never blogged about it!  These pictures are some of our favorites so I am counting on this being better late than never! 

And we wonder why Rylie is such a big fan of Nate's??

Reagan alerting everyone that there is a fire and it is "Hot!"

Just cute

Reagan got some fiddle stix action.  She was a big fan.  Maybe you'll see her tearing up a lacrosse field one day!

Lauren and Sammy

Sometimes all you need is to get away

Our fearless roasters...

photo credit: Lauren Salinas

(there are other shots by Lauren mixed in here but I have to give credit for this super cool one and the fact that she was up early enough to catch it!)

A Super Cute Sammy Sandwich!

Lauren, Sammy and Nathan Salinas

Another one of Lauren's great shots... just have to give a shout-out to the great gal behind the camera!