Celebrating our Daughter's birthday

Happy Birthday Daughter

Happy Birthday Baby girl!

I hope your birthday brings you as much joy and happiness as you have given to me, and on your special day you feel as special as you truly are.

May you always be blessed with the good things you deserve.

My heart is filled with memories of a sweet little girl who touched my heart and changed my world forever.

I've enjoyed watching you grow into the beautiful young woman you are today.
How lucky I am to have you as my daughter.  I'm also lucky to have you as a dear, close friend.

We have shared so many fond and memorable moments together and many of those were filled with great laughter.
I cherish every moment shared with you and look forward to many, many more.

I know this world is a better place for having you in it, I am so glad you are a part of mine.
You are a very precious gift that I treasure.  You are a wonderful daughter and I'm very proud to be your mother.

You will always be my baby.
I love you.
Mom

Memorial Day Weekend

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***As we honor our nation's fallen soldiers this Memorial Day weekend, with gratitude I salute the many brave and courageous men and women of the United States Armed Forces.
I am thankful for each and every one of our past, present and future service men and women.

May everyone enjoy some special family time together over this extended holiday weekend!

HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!

Monday Message

~ My Monday Message ~

Special thoughts and prayers for the people of Oklahoma who suffer tremendous devastation and fatal tragedies due to tornadoes.

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Sometimes there are things around us that cause us to have the feeling ...

That there are times when we want to hold those who we love a little tighter and a little longer.

Counting my blessings...

~ Tammy ~

Aeon's Outing

We took Aeon  for his first visit to PETSMART with us.  He seemed to be smiling most of the time!  Of course he loved all of the attention from any and everyone that came up to him.  I was happy to learn that they have a scale in the store.  We had Aeon hop on up there and wow... he had already gained 1.8 lbs since the Vet visit on Monday!  That makes a total of 41.8 lbs now!  One good thing is, he'll most likely never weigh what a huge German Rottweiler that we saw there weighs, 160 lbs!  Biggest Rotweiler I've ever seen!  Most of the people that saw it would take a step backwards, Aeon was imtimidated by that big dog and backed up too.   I'm sure Aeon's senses were on overload while there, with all the food, treats and toys.
He got a new toy while on this trip, Mr Bear as he is now known!  Aeon is still not a real happy traveler, and whines a bit while in the  car.  Hopefully time will change this.  He was however very happy to spend some social time around other people and dogs.  

Aeon about to go to the PETSMART for the first time.

Aeon is excited to get out.  

We bought these portable stairs and trained him to use them for easier entry and exit from our Vehicles.

Aeon's smile says it all!

Aeon likes Mr Bear, he's fun to chew on and he brings him to me to throw sometimes too!

Mr Bear is nice to cuddle with for nap time too. 

He had a great time at PETSMART!...

~ Tammy ~

Belated 3rd Birthday and Mother's Day celebration

Aeon - @ 17 weeks/4 mths

Aeon is "growing like a weed" as they say!  At our visit to the Veterinarian yesterday for his check-up and third serious of vaccinations, plus his first Rabies shot, our Vet said Aeon looked great and that we were doing a fine job with him.  Aeon now weighs 40 pounds!  I had guessed right on the dot with my estimate of how much he would weigh this time!  The Vet said he expects Aeon to most likely weigh around 80 - 90 pounds in the future..."He'll be a big a boy!" he said.  Aeon should only need his yearly check-up and vaccinations in one year now too.

Aeon has done well with most of the training techniques I've been using so far. Positive reinforcement and rewards of praise or with food or both.  I question whether I should hire a trainer or continue with what I have been doing.  He is young yet and seems to learn quickly and follows commands well, but he doesn't always do it on the first time. Sometimes when given the command to "come" he does so when he chooses to, or after asking him several times, or not at all.  On lead he performs much better for sure.  Most days I think he "gets it" and understands what is asked.  He is a bit strong willed (hard headed!) at times but all in all he's very good.  We have still been on alert when he is outside and afraid to let him run freely until he stops seeming to want to eat everything he can get into his mouth.  The nickname "Hoover" as in the vacuum, is very fitting!  He has the potty training pretty well mastered and usually rings the bell on the door to get our attention when he needs to do his business.  He has learned a couple of new tricks now too.  I'll ask him to get his toy or ball out of a bucket(wastebasket) and he will.  I hope to get him to put them in the bucket as well.  I figure he can help me by picking up his toys and putting them in the bucket!  We'll see if we can achieve that one!  Ever since the first time of giving him ice cubes, he has learned that when we get some ice from the auto ice maker on the door, he wants some too.  He will come running from another room if he hears us getting ice, ever so pleased to sit in front of the refrigerator and wait to receive a piece or two each time!  He can recognize the words and get those items that I tell him to go find or get as in Mr Lamb, Mr Monkey, Mr Frog, and his Ball or Bonie(chew bone).  He also knows very well the words, Dinner and Treats!...and is very excited after hearing them!  

Marty usually starts the day spending early morning with Aeon, letting him out of his crate, giving him his breakfast and his vitamins, taking him out to do his business, etc.  They come to wake me up shortly after all of that and it's a full on excited puppy morning again for him from there.  I'll admit that I am not usually a morning person, but Aeon sure makes me smile and starts my day in a happy way with his vigorously wagging tail and happy smile on his face that seems to say..."Get up mommy I'm so happy to see you, let's play!"   

Aeon and Mr Frog, his new buddy!

Aeon watching TV.

Aeon also likes to watch TV right next to Daddy!

More "Down stay" learning.

He sure is a handsome guy!

He still has a ways to go to grow into those big paws!

This face just melts my heart!

It's very hard to say NO to that sweet face!

Gorgeous!

more "Tales of Aeon" to come again soon!...

~ Tammy ~

Enjoying Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day

A special wish for a wonderful day to my Mother, 

my Mother-in-law, 

my Sisters, 

my Daughter 

and all Mothers on this Mother's Day! 

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Most of all the other beautiful things in our life come by twos and threes and by dozens and hundreds.  Plenty of roses, stars, sunsets, rainbows, sisters and brothers, aunts, uncles, and cousins, but only one mother in the whole world!

Monday Message

~ My Monday Message ~

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So true!...
~ Tammy ~

Ever have one of those days?

Ever have one of those days?  You know like where you say that quote to yourself, "Maybe I should just go back to bed and then start my day over, or perhaps get out on the right side?!"  Well whatever comes to mind similarly to those anyway.  My day began with me stubbing my toe on the doorway as I sleepily walked to the bathroom.  That provoked some choice words, a bit of a limp and a very sour mood which of its self was bad enough.  But then shortly after that I was really not happy when I realized I didn't have any creamer for my morning coffee enjoyment that I am use to having, needing and wanting to begin my day with.  "Pffft! Why me?!", I was thinking.

Well off I went, or limped, to the local drug store because it was the closest and quickest for said creamer.  I parked my car carefully away from others as I always do, in hope of not getting my doors dinged.  As I approached the store to go in I saw a person with a severe walking disability and so I slowed my step to allow them time to get to, and through the automatic doors ahead of me.  It felt like it took forever and I thought maybe I should have just hurried passed them instead of waiting for them!  I then entered after they did and quickly got my creamer and also snagged a few other items along the way to the check-out.  I found myself now waiting behind someone who began counting out change to make their purchase.  I started thinking "Oh great this should really take forever, and how quickly I achieve my purchases with my handy debit card!"  I may have even let out a breath of disgust!  Yes re-thinking it, I'm sure I must have!  Eventually, my creamer was purchased, bagged and in hand as I headed out feeling a little peeved that the 'change counter' took so long!  As I entered my car I saw the person that had paid with change leaving in a car that looked like it belonged at the junk yard, and it sounded like it too.  I am really surprised that thing was even running, let alone drivable.  I thought to myself, "I sure wouldn't like it if I had to drive that car!"

I started feeling a little shameful and also felt sorry, and well, not real happy...with myself. Ya know?  I like to think that I am most often usually a good person, someone who's considerate, compassionate and sympathetic of others.  But I realized up until that point that I wasn't being, and all I had been concerned with and wanted was my own self pity for my stubbed toe, and my self fulfillment of my wants, and I had been a little mad at the world.  It was then at that moment too that I was saying "Thank you God" and feeling very grateful for the many blessings in my life!"  Not just the material things, but my life as a whole and my love for, and from my family.  How fortunate and grateful I truly am for that, and them.  Also how much I truly do appreciate my nice car that I worry about where to park, and that my debit card is always money whenever I need it, and that my stubbed toe was something I would recover from, unlike the person with the severe walking disability.

More to the point, what I'm trying to say is... 

Sometimes we need a reminder, or to remember that others have more to worry about or have it worse than we do.  When I think of or see the problems and struggles that others have, it's a huge realization that I really don't have any problems, or anything at all to complain about!  Nothing at all!  

It's very humbling, when you have one of those days!...

~ Tammy ~

May!

Well Hello

It's so nice to welcome your arrival!

A Spring Beauty!

A close-up of my beautiful Irises from my yard.  

They're always so beautiful at this time of year.  They always make me smile.

These are also a loving reminder of my sister and make me think of her because she gave them to me from her garden some years ago.

Love their gorgeous colors...

~ Tammy ~