tgif!

The week is over.
(How is it Friday already?)
Here's a little (ok, probably long and rambling...) review of my week.

Last Friday we went to an auction to support a local Catholic school. One item up for auction - a birthday party for 8 kids at the local fire station. We bid and won. Max's 5th birthday party - planned! I haven't had a party for him the past two years. I figure I would NOT have a party while I still can. ;-) The poor guy has a January 10th birthday, so it's hard to think of planning and more gifts so soon after Christmas.

Remember how I said I was going to run last weekend? Didn't happen. Didn't want to.
I haven't put on my running shoes since last Thursday. And Sunday is the Shamrock in downtown Portland.
5k here I come...ready or not. (not...)

I was in a funk all week. And now I've had a headache for a day and a half or so. Nothing awful, but just low-grade enough to be annoying. Tylenol, Aleve and Ibuprofen have been my companions the past couple of days. Thank God for pharmaceuticals.

Because of above-mentioned funk, I haven't picked up my camera much at all. So, I don't have any picture to share today.
I'm feeling very uninspired...
SO, I took the leap and signed-up for Tracey Clark's Picture Inspiration!
I'm committed now. (Remember my One Word for the year is cultivate...haven't done very well so far.)
I am behind two weeks so I have my work cut-out for me this weekend.

And if money grew on trees I'd sign-up for Camp Shutter Sisters.
It looks like an amazing good time!...a girl can dream, right?

And last but not least - I got a package in the mail that I'd been waiting for today. YAY!
And I had a good little chuckle when the dog "goosed" the mailman while I was signing for the package.
(That's my girl. It's the little things...tee hee...)

Happy Friday friends!
xo,
a

just around the corner.

Spring is just around the corner.
Trees are about to bloom.
And I know that the sun is out there...somewhere. It's not here right now, but it will be soon.
It always comes back and pulls me out of winter's grip just in time.
When I just can't stand another gray, rainy day.

ten minutes.

I awoke to a little hand tapping me on the arm. This is how he wakes me in the middle of the night.
I know the drill - get up, grab my pillow, and follow him back to his room.
I crawled into bed, got settled and looked at the clock.
3:18 am.
And then a little voice said, "Would you like to snuggle with me?"
I couldn't help but smile as Max hugged me and wrapped an arm around my neck, snuggling close.
We laid there for awhile. I turned over to see his cute face and I wrapped my arm around him, and he wrapped his arm around me.
And as quickly as it had happened, he said, "I think I'm done snuggling."
I gave him a kiss, rolled over to the side I like to sleep on and glanced at the clock.
3:28 am.

Ten minutes.

The best ten minutes I've ever experienced at 3 in the morning. And it totally, utterly, completely makes-up for all the nights spent sleeping on the floor of his room before he had his big boy bed.
Perhaps the best ten minutes I've experienced in the past year.
Yes, it was that heart-melting. It was just what I needed.
I wish I had a great photo of this moment to go with this post, but better than a picture - I have that experience in my heart and soul now.

Sometimes ten minutes is all you need.

maggie monday.

It's Monday. And for me that means it's Maggie Monday.
I'm not fond of Mondays, but I love my Maggie.
And Maggie makes my Mondays a little less Monday-like.
(If that makes ANY sense...)

This is my Maggie Monday photo. I took it while my mom was in town and we were tag-teaming a HUGE pile of ironing. I despise ironing. I put it off and then when I finally get to it the pile is HUGE, and my dread of conquering the pile is just as HUGE. So, we tag-teamed it.
Maggie sat there watching my mom.
Max was playing and would run over to Gma and tell her something and then run back to continue his play.
I think I was on my laptop downloading photos from my trip to Seattle. (And yes, I did do some ironing.)
I grabbed my camera and took a few shots.
I like this one the most.
Max in action - constant motion of a four year old.
Maggie lazing around - constant relaxation of an eleven year old dog.
My husband's shirts, ironed and hanging on a chair.
And even though you can't see her, I know that my mom is in the picture.
It makes me happy on this Monday.

I thought I'd include the original photo, straight out of the camera SOOC:

(It's a little dark. I can't seem to get the settings right for the usually dark light in my house. I need to work on this. I lightened it and applied cross process in Picnik.com. I'm sure you've figured out that cross process is my favorite action. Rounded the corners and added my blog name.)

That's it for now.
Happy Monday!

thank you.

Thank you all for the sweet comments on my little blog here.

You are all too kind. 

I enjoy sharing my photos and getting feedback. And I've really enjoyed finding YOUR blogs, which lead to more blogs. 

So many blogs, so little time.

But I love reading your words and viewing your photos. It's a little piece of happy in my day. (Not that my days aren't happy - you know what I mean...)

TGIF!

The hubs and I are headed out to an auction/gala tonight. I love getting the chance to go out with my guy, but dread the dressing-up...sigh... It will be a fun evening with friends though!

Other than that, I plan to get a run or two in. The Shamrock Race is a little over a week away.

First race of 2011.

What are your weekend plans?

my girl.

Today I took Maggie to the vet.
She has lymphoma of the mouth. Poor old lady girl.
She has had three rounds of chemo, and has her platelets and white blood cell levels checked before proceeding with the next round of chemo.
(Again, poor girl...)

Most vet visits I end up taking Max with me, but today my mom was in town to watch Max.
SO - Mags and I had a ride in my little red Honda.
Just us girls.
Kinda like the good old days.
{Except we both have a little bit more gray hair.}

(I took this one with my Droid and processed with Vignette.)

snoopy. rediscovered.

The Snoopy-in-the-box is still alive and kickin' at my parents' house.
Minus ears. Poor Snoopy.
I remember playing with this as a child. And it was fun to watch Max try to wind it while simultaneously holding one hand over one ear and shrugging his shoulder up to cover the other ear. (Can you picture this? Cuz I didn't get a picture of it...)
I did get a few pictures of Snoopy though.