Been staying busy...

Totally miss not being able to update you on the pug and me but we have been doing Great Lately.

You know the shirts and hats that say " Life is Good"......I can totally relate. There are a couple of curve balls that have been thrown but " No worries"....i have the worlds greatest brother and couldn't be more thankful for his words of encouragement....."in this lifetime" we experience a lot.

God allows us to go through things so that we can learn from them. God also shows us that he has a sense of humor and he needs a good laugh sometimes to. I am not saying this in any disrespectful way but I think that we all need the mood to lighten a little. things that I would never imagien happening have....and just when you thought that God hated you and wanted you to have a broken heart you eventually see that it was all in the way you interpreted it.

God loves us....he protects us, and he provides a life for us that he wants to see us live. SO, i gladly accept Gods help in this life and I know in turn he will forever watch over me.

Today, i saw and heard the saddest news "of a life" that I was taking care of at the hospital. Imagine hearing that you will be dead 6 months from now.....imagine that......you dont expect it and you get the worst diagnosis of your life. The worst.....you are left alone with the expected future that you have no control over. You are this person with no hope and all alone......How would you live from that moment on....who would you be....would you be bitter....would you laugh.....would you cry.....I saw all that in one day.....And i think about life and my life that God has given me and I couldn't be more blessed. For all the sorrow, confusing times, rediculous things that can happen....i am thankful for mine.

This week I have seen people living in extreme poverty, filthy conditions, and I wonder if they think that this is all there is to life. Some people are just hard to explain....but when I look at it I think of my beginning. The trailor on connecticut hill, the trailor in king ferry, the house being built in king ferry......the memories......of what life was like. How we were stereotyped and how I was embarrassed about living poor. BUT......the big thing is this. Our home, was FILLED WITH LOVE. We were a family and we had eachother.........we had sober parents, loving/caring, God loving parents. They made it work.....they had to for us. Our best christmas.....connecticut hill, in a broken down trailor....with a cloud hanging from the ceiling. That is part of my life. I saw my roots over the past week, and how much God took care of my parents and provided for us. I saw how blessed I am to not worry about things financially.....the conditions I saw people living in was so depressing and SHOCKING.

Why am i saying all this....because this life is exactly that. This life. Without it we are nothing. We can make it what we want. Or we can accept things for the way they are and never change or decide that change is best. this life can give us the best news ever on one day and then give us the worst diagnosis the next. I love this life....but my heart hurt today.,......and it ached with the most heaviest burden for this patient. I cannot even imagine what it would be like to hear that diagnosis and then be expected to move forward. But, you know....God knows what he's doing. He gives and he takes away....and at the same time.....he teaches others. Like me. Today, I felt the loss of my brother all over again...but it was for only a moment.....and then it left me. But I could relate to this patient...in some way...knowing that death hurts....and it hurts family....and it hurts after you've Lost someone you love.....In all sincereity.....i took her hand and looked in her eyes....and felt her pain. My heart broke.

LiL Pugs New PJ's...cant believe i never posted this

Hey now.....This was not my idea-it was entirely the pugs....I promise!!

"The Courage of Integrity"

The highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity.

Choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over popularity...

these are the choices that measure your life.

Travel the path of integrity without looking back;

for there is never a wrong time to do the right thing.

(author unknown)

Sunday Night Concert

On sunday I thought that I was headed to a Christmas Concert! We arrived at the Beautiful Landmark Theatre and my "Jaw hit the Floor". It was absolutely geourgous. There was a 3 band line-up and it was not a Christmas concert. I saw Bethany Dillon, Sanctum Real (they rocked) and Steven Curtis Chapman! These are all Christian Artists and they were awesome. I loved the fact that Steven Curtis Chapman had his 2 boys on stage playing in his band. His 16 year old was incredable on the drums.....and his 18 year old played the base guitar. He was definately proud of them .
http://landmarktheatre.org/
My Friend Iris is the one that took me with her to the concert. It was a great way to end a weekend of work.

Cute nephews...STOLE THESE...Thanks Cynthia

Who's the Boss?

" I'm the Boss"......

Joke of the day:)

Joke: What do you do if you're a doctor and a patient leaves the office and falls down dead?

Answer: Turn him around to make it look like he was walking into the office.

Shopping Spree with Stephen

This was fun tonight.

I had a blast and so did stephen.

We went to a TON of stores!

Express, American Eagle, Steve and Barrys, and DSW.

Here are some pictures of the "LIL Teen Model"

My nephew is staying for the weekend

Ill post pictures of him of course. He is going to take care of tacori while Im working. Were also hitting up the local mall to see what DEALS we can find. End of season clothes right now!
I went to pick up my new glasses "for seeing" and the crafstmanship was very poor. SO I refused them and I hope that they have it right tonight. I didn't know that you could get your glasses the same day you order them. I guess that they cut the lenses and not a machine. I have never had a pair of glasses that look liked the lens was miscut before. Anyways. Off to work. Love you all.

My New Chunckys

Yeah...I got these at 40% off because the sales associated misquoted me the discount price. Im very happy.....I've wanted a pair ever since Cynthia got some. They are really cool!!!

The Pugs DX

Here is an x-ray picture of what the problem is with Tacoris left hind leg. We have an Appointment at Cornell Veternary Hospital on Dec.3 to have an initial consult. Cant wait till she starts feeling better. She will be on "cage rest" for 8 weeks.....imagine me keeping her down for that long. Yeah, it will be tough. Apparently, Cornell is the best veterinary hospital around and they have 24 hour staff that care for the animals Post-Op. I'm wondering if dad will think its a good idea to go there.....seeing how he worked there for a while ....he would probably know?!?!

Guitar Hero the Trilogy continues

It is and has been my goal to get as many people as possible "hooked on" guitar hero. JUST KIDDING:) Anyways, this is my roommate and Mark(her boyfriend) they are finally attempting to play a "not so easy" game....huh Renee!? Whos laughing now?!! Kidding.
Everyone...Meet Renee.......She'll probably be pissed at me for posting this but "oh well" LOL



Lincoln....this is the girl that sent me that funny phone message with the little guy saying " Hello, this is your friend calling you....why are you not answering your phone???? silly

The Hair is back to normal...

A wopping $210.00 later......and I look like me again.


Please take this piece of advice from me and apply if ever faced with changinf your hair stylist. Dont ask a random stranger where they get there hair done and actually go to them! Well, the hair cut itself is good....but the highlighting turned me colors that were not to pretty. Here is my latest Hair....I call it the "back to normal look".....however, i did have a touch up of blonde alll over my head from my 1st visit to Shannon, the best Hair Stylist ever!

The Pugs new PINK sweater

I was in Target yesterday and found this cute sweater. I had to get it....LOL. It actually didn't bother her to wear it. I always thought that people who dressed there dogs were "completely ridiculous and stupid".....I guess I belong in that category now.

The Second attempt

WOW.

The essence of destiny

Watch your thoughts, for they become your words.

Choose your words, for they become actions.

Understand your actions, for they become habits.

Study your habits, for they become your character.

Develop your character, for it becomes your destiny.

(author unknown)

The Hair cut looks good...but the highlights "not so much"

Tomorrow....I should be getting this fixed. Lets hope that everything turns out a lot more balances and less shocking.

Fun Times on Halloween

This is what partying with a candy corn and a cheerleader looks like!

We had a freaking Blast. Have to love hanging out with people that take life as seriously as you do. LOL

We had fun.

(Auntie YA YA's night out ...ended with a late night call to Joanna to discuss what time it actually was....and i was off by about four hours.
LOL- She still loves me. I'm her lil SIS.)

There's a NEW Veterinarian in Town

Tacori and I went to see a very nice veterinarian. Thanks to MOM....We now wont be spending $600 for x-rays. We have an appointment scheduled for November and we will finally have the answers that we are looking for. The New Vets cost for x-rays are under $100.oo and I could not be happier. I had been planning on purchasing another pug in the near future so that Tacori has a play friend in the day time. I can't do this right now....my roommate would probably leave.
Anyways. I was thankful that we finally met someone that is more reasonable in cost. I took the pug to Petsmart today and she got a new stuffed animal, a sweatshirt, and some really expensive chewsticks. But, my pugs gonna get what she wants because she is suffering and deserves to be spoiled.

I spoiled myself and bought some new plates, a lamp, and a rug for the kitchen. Tacori is sleeping on it!

Man Slam Part II

I used to miss Him...
but my Aim is Improving (Alison James)

The Puggy is Sick

very rough night for the pug and me. 3 episodes of puking throughout the night for the poor little pug. I started her antibiotic last night and then she started hacking at 0130 this morning. It finally stopped at about 0530. I have to restart her medication at 830 tonight and seee how she does. I would like to sleep tonight. I hope that she does well. She has been sleeping all day. I hope that she does not have an infection brewing.

VERY BAD "PUGGY NEWS"

WARNING:
If you at any point in time want to take your pet to a veterinarian it is crucial that you be selective. I took my dog to get her spayed and she walked away with multiple problems of which some may be LONG TERM. They spayed her and ended up hurting her left hind hip and left knee. Also they left a disolvable stitch hanging out of her abdomen and when i took her in for a recheck they said nothing about it. They gave me an anti-inflamatory medication and told me how to dispence it to her. Today, I took the Pug to a DIFFERENT " HIGHLY RECOMMENDED VETERINARIAN and he assessed my dog over ONE HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTES. He found that she has multiple problems due to her surgery and tried to solve some in the office. I showed him the bottle of medicine that she was on and he stated " WOW< THIS IS A REALLY STRONG PAIN KILLER". I was SHOCKED! The original veterinarian told me it was for SWELLING and said nothing about PAIN KILLER. Then the New VET removed the stitch from her abdomen..... he did minor surgery in front of me. Then he put the skin glue on her stated " he was really bothered that she was left in that condition....Then her gave her an antibiotic and gently sent her out the door. We have to have X-Rays that will cost $600.00 to find out whats going on with her hip.

I figure that if we all pray hard enough maybe the original veterinarian will do the x-rays at their cost and then tell me what could be wrong with her. I am still very upset at them but I would perfer the $$$$$ came out of their pocket not mine.

So Please pray that they will see things from my point of view....Please Pray that my Pug heals by some miracle so that she will not walk around with a limp for the rest of her life. She is only SIX MONTHS OLD. I am not pathetic....she is all that I have as "My immediate family"....... Love you all, Reaah and Tacori

Right to Know!

Dear family,
I am reporting to you that I have a jinx when it comes to cameras. Do not let me touch, hold, take pictures, etc with your camera. My very own camera, my first expensive camera, was broken by me without any of the preceding occuring. I took a video and then switched it back to picture mode and the screen turned pink, took pink pictures, and upon downloading the pictures were pink. NOT COOL. I ruined my own camera. Thank God it happened 2 days after I had bought it and was able to exchange it for another camera. I am very happy now. I just hope that I do not break it on day 15 because then i will be S.O.O.L. so on that note you all have been forewarned. Thanks, your camera jinxed relative......and yes, it does run in the family....Love, auntie YAYA

Jammin Out with The Pug on the Pillow

Stephen has a PS-2 and this awesome guitar game of which I became obsessed with within a matter of 5 minutes. Its crazy addictive.....I've been thinking about getting one for myslef. Totally made me chill out for a couple of hours with the nephew and feel like a kid again. I know what your thinking....." you have got to be kidding, she really needs to grow up"....I couldn't agree with you more. What is this....I'm almost 30 and I'm playing video games...scarry thought! LOL
Tristen and I went out to breakfast at Friendly @ o7oo on saturday. We had a good time! Stopped by lowes to find that they have ALL THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS in the WORLD there and we had to look at every one. It was actually fun. We spent an entire hour in there and of course Tristen picked out some really cool guys that are intended for the christmas tree but he wanted to play with them instead. Whatever makes him Happy!

Really cool pancake. He ate 85% of it. The smiley face motivated him!

Dear F.M. Mom

Thanks so much for your influence in creating a blog. Mainly through observation I saw how easy it was to do. My next step is to really start posting items on "the bay". Seeing how I now have a new camera....that is possible. I will need some assistance in where to purchase a scale for weighing items. Totally miss hanging out with you all. PS. Thanks for the shirts you sent me a while ago....i really like the red one.

Puggy Palace

My living room from the hallway.


This picture was taken in my bedroom. See my new curtains, they are awesome.


Tacori has her own favorite chair. Wherever I am she has to be able to see me. Very silly pug!

Mi Madre

I found this picture of mom and had to post it. I am totally gonna miss her when she leaves next week. However, I know that my "Texas Four" need there Nanny fix...so we will part with her for now. Mom called today and let me know that she had her hair highlighed again. I'm talking her into growing it out even more. BEAUTIFUL MOM, LOVE HER SO MUCH.

Clean up time...clarity arrives

Today was spent sorting through a pile of paperwork that was sitting in the corner of my room. Yes, apparently I have been neglecting my life and responsibilities for a while. While sorting I found a number of materials that have been helpful at answering questions that I have about my job. Then, I saw this and thought it would be neet to post. I have always been a sucker for words of wisdom....sayings.....slogans....etc.

Life is change. Growth is optional. Choose wisely. ~Karen Kaiser Clark~

We must become the change we want to see ~ Gandhi~

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." ~Martin Luther King, Jr.~

When you're finished changing, you're finished. ~Banjamin Franklin~

"Man Slam" LOL

behind every good man is a ton
of baggage that has been
suppressed and is just waiting to
come out... (author unknown)

Want a dog...Check here first!

I found something very interesting on the web. There is a doggy rescue site where you can see if any dogs in your local area need a home. Apparently a man sunk $1,000,000.00 into this site because he found out what happens to animals if they are not adopted....we all know what that means. Anyways...Take a look, you might be surprised what you can get for next to nothing.
The web address is http://www.dogsindanger.com/

Tacori: on the road to Recovery

This Little Pug Girl is definately feeling better. She is running and jumping around like she has nothing to be worried about. Well, I noticed that she has a left leg limp and a outpouching of her surgical site. I presume that she popped a stitch somewhere between here and there since she has seen everyone she knows since the day of her surgery. We are Post-op day 4 and she is hopefully going to continue to heal without any more problems arising.

Grandma Joan, kindly enough, came over and spent sunday and monday with me. This was to my advantage because I was able to have her watch Tacori on sunday when I went to work. She is a GREAT Dog-Sitter, and a highly recommended one. Tacori thanks her for the multiple treats as well.

While grandma was here I took her to the nearest mall and got her "fashion approval" on a pair of glasses. Yes, my eyes are starting to cause increased blurred vision which has become an inconvenience. So, I will be getting some very stylish glasses within the next couple weeks. I'm excited! My new look.........:)

I have some beautiful new window treatments in my bedroom with Grams assistance as well. As soon as I can get a digital camera I will post pictures. I love them. Mom and dave installed them today....they did a great job and the window looks so much better with "actual curtains" instead of the quilted blanket and tan curtain combo I had up there....I know... pretty bad. Grams thought the same thing. LOL

I have to finish writing a paper tonight, which I hope pulls my average up a little more. I found out that I am not the only person to get a failing grade on my epidemiology miderm. One girl got a 49, I'm thanking God for my 63. I'm just hoping that the professor gives out extra credit. Please know that this is the worst semester that I have ever experienced, I am usually a better student than this. Just pray that I make better grades "from here on out" and can pass with a B. That is all I want. Thanks

Puggy Surgery!!!!!

Not a good day for me. I packed the pugs bag for a trip to the vets! She must have known that something was up because when we got there she did not want to go with the vet' nurse. She plopped down and would not budge. I had to take her leash off her and the nurse carried her into the pre-op doggy waiting room. All of the sudden I heard a TON of " Tacori Barks" and I knew that she was so scared. Last night I had my worries and a hard time sleeping because I knew she would have a painful experience today. So, when the nurse asked me if I wanted all the extra pampering for her.....My response was "How much does it cost....and yes". Like I really cared about the price.....She is my LIL Pug and I will not expose her to unneccesary pain. So yeah "Vet Nurse"....give her that Fentanyl Patch and lets call it a day.

I was told that I would hear from the vets by 2 pm today....and at 5pm I finally called to see what was happening. Terrified that they would tell me some bad news....I primed myself for the worst. The response I got was unexpected when she said "What is your last name?"....and I told her.....and then she said " Oh, the little Pug"......and at that I was relieved. She said "she did great, her blood labs look good, and she is doing well".

So, Now I'm thinking...I wonder if they put her to bed with her blanket, and favorite stuffed animal, and chew toy that I packed for her. LOL....It is so funny to have a Pug that is like a little human. It requires a lot of work.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

NOTHING SPLENDID
HAS EVER BEEN ACHIEVED
EXCEPT BY THOSE WHO
DARED BELIEVE
THAT SOMETHING
INSIDE THEM
WAS SUPERIOR TO
CIRCUMSTANCE
(BRUCE BARTON)

FAMILY PICTURES

Party at Joannas

On Monday, we celebrated tristens 4th Birthday. Here are some pictures that were taken at his party. we gave him a Leap Frog Magnet Speller for the fridge and a Spiderman 3 action figure. He had a Spider man cake with a spider man web and figurine on the top of it. Dinner was awesome, we had some homemade fried chicken for dinner. Joanna, that recipe rocked. Here is a picture of Grampa Dave, yeah he can still "party like a rockstar".

Today

We had a normal morning of getting our java at McDonalds. We found out that they have a coffee club. Unfortunately, they were out of coffee cards. The pug and I are going to Aunt Danilee's House for lunch. She picked some fresh berries from her friends house and I guess that we'll probably get to have some of those to. The pug is "lounging" on the armrest of the sofa, her mid morning nap. What a Life!