His Little Green Vest..

no, not an elf - It's Lafferty when he was a puppy!! Isn't he just precious!! Lafferty was in the Guide Dog for the Blind program until he was "career changed" out of the program (due to health problem) and we were soooo very fortunate to adopt him. Anyhow, I ran across this pic the other day and just had to share it. I was lucky enough to get several "puppy pics" of Lafferty from his puppy raiser Nancy.

Soon Lafferty will have a NEW VEST to wear - his Therapy Dog vest. We just recently passed our certification and now I just have to finish submitting all the paperwork and then we will be an OFFICIAL Therapy Dog Team. We are part of a local group of Therapy Dog Teams called Dogs of Endearment. Tomorrow, Sat., Dec. 8th you can find several team members and their dogs at Spiegelhoff's Grocery Store in Kenosha, WI on 80th Str. They will be bell ringing for the Salvation Army in the AM. If you are in the area, be sure to stop by and say hello. Lafferty was all set to help out too - had his Santa hat and sweater all ready, but I got poky with my paperwork and since we are not OFFICIAL, we couldn't volunteer. We hope to stop by though and show support and donate to the Salvation Army.

A Few Days Late...

but that's OK. The kids didn't mind opening three boxes on the Advent Calendar today to catch up!! I made this calendar last year, but was a little late in getting it out and filled with goodies this year!!!

The kids take turns opening one box each day ('course, Isabelle really liked opening three boxes today and thinks it should be that way everyday!!). Each box has some sort of goody inside to share, or a "CLUE" as to where to find the goody (if it won't fit in the box). So far, we have had some spiced cider, chocolate coins and new, warm fuzzy socks. I love doing this. I have goodies hid all around the house. The only thing I need to be careful about this year is GULLIVER - our new chocolate lab!!

We just adopted Gulliver from Midwest Lab Rescue in Feb. Lafferty, our yellow lab, never gets into anything, but Gulliver lately has been garbage picking!! That stinker!! He just started doing it about a couple weeks ago!! Never touched anything before that. Not sure what provoked him, but now I am not sure if I can trust him. Guess I need not only worry about Gulliver, but the kids too!! They start snooping to find gifts and such about this time. Gets harder and harder each year to hide things!! AND - not to mention, I FORGET where I hid things!! I used to wonder how my Mom could forget about gifts she hid away, but oh, how I know all about that now!! I need to make myself a list of what and where I put it!!!

COW FOR SALE...

No - not really, but my daughter thought so!!! Saturday, we went to the local tree farm to pick out our Christmas tree, and of course the kids could care less about picking out a tree when they saw the cows, goats and chickens - much more interesting, RIGHT??!!

My youngest daughter Isabelle and son Zach, were enthralled with the cows. Two very friendly, very hungry black cows (that's my best cow terminology) were the highlight of Zach and Isabelle's day!! Isabelle happened to notice a tag on one of the cow's ears (the other cow didn't have a tag in its ear). Isabelle said, "Mommy, that cow is for sale because it has a tag. Can we buy that cow Mommy??? It's only 45 dollars." Just precious!! Simple and precious...

KI Memories is in the house...

...my house that is. I broke down and bought a bunch of the new KI Memories Pop Culture Line!! I am totally loving all the bright colors and funky pattern paper. Can't wait to work with the lace paper too. Fortunately for me a couple of my kit clubs are including lace paper in their upcoming kits too - Yay!!! More, more, more is BETTER!!!

Here is a picture of my loot.....

Alas - the picture doesn't do it justice!! It was late in the eve. when I took the picture and did not have very good lighting, but trust me - the colors really do POP!! Just the thing to pull out and work with on a dreary, cold day!! Which leads me to tomorrow!! My bff Tracy and I are going to Archivers to scrap all day and into the night. We are also taking a Christmas Tag class - something to get us in that holiday spirit!! I cannot wait. Now it is off to pack for the crop and as usual, bring way, WAY, too much stuff!!

Time to SPOOK...

I had so much fun making this treat box to pass around our neighborhood. The kids loving "Booing" their friends. Sunday night, I rushed to finish making the box and then we filled it with all kinds of Halloween goodies. Just before 8pm, the kids ran next store and dropped the box on our neighbor's doorstep, rang the bell, then ran around the corner to watch! This be told, is "BOOing". Half of the fun of it, is figuring out who "BOO'ed" you!! 'Course with my youngest daughter around, it's not too hard to figure out, since she CANNOT keep a secret. The very next day she rushed to the neighbor's after school, and blabbed!! Too cute!!

Last night, it was our turn to get SPOOKED!! After a little investigation this morning at the bus stop, the kids are pretty sure they know who BOO'ed us. Tonight, time for the SPOOKS to make another doorstep delivery!!!

Here's a picture of the Boo Box I made. I saw the idea for the Boo Box in a Paper Crafts magazine from last season. We always doing Boo-ing in the neighborhood, but usually just fill a bowl or bag with goodies. I loved the idea of the decorated BOO Box. The craft -colored box itself comes in a pack of three I think, from Oriental Trading Company. The boxes can be decorated any way you choose. Would be great too for a cookie exchange....HMMMM next project!!!

Things That Go BUMP in the Night....

Like a few of the Halloween decorations I put up Sunday getting toppled over by the evening winds!! Enough to get me out of bed and check out those noises coming from outside on my porch. Course my pooches didn't budge - some watch dogs those two are. Alas, no damage to any decor, but I need to figure out a better way to keep things PUT!!!

Picked up a couple more new Halloween decorations to add to the display today and finalized the kiddies' costumes!!! Abbey, my oldest, is going to be a DIVA Pirate now, not a DIVA Vampire (let's hope she doesn't change her mind again!!!!); Zachary is going to be Captain Jack Sparrow, of course with a little urging from MOM, though he is pretty excited about it too now that we have the complete costume ensemble; and Isabelle is going to be a Pretty Princess Witch (we had to throw the Princess part in there!!)

Hubby and I have a costume party to go to also, though I never need a reason to dress up for Halloween. Think hubby is going to be Captain Jack Sparrow too with a little urging from me of course. See I have this thing about Johnny Depp, like many of us females do. I LOVE Johnny's Captain Jack character especially, and well, WHY NOT have hubby dress up like him too!!! I can pretend....

ARGGGHHH - nothing like being kicked off your blog so hubby can check his fantasy football scores - too lazy to get his laptop out and check!!!! Ok - think sooothing thoughts; or better yet, back to thoughts of Johnny Depp.....

OK, I digress. Back to blogging.

Nov. 4th is Lafferty's big date. Lafferty is my yellow lab and I have been taking him to Therapy Dog Training. Nov. 4th is his test date, to see if he gets certified. I am very confident he will pass with flying colors, still I get nervous (if anyone messes up, it would be ME, not Lafferty!!!). Lafferty was in the Guide Dog Program for the Blind, but was career changed due to a health condition. We were fortunate to get him and he has been the best dog I have ever owned. I really want to be able to share him with others. I feel so blessed to have him. I love our other chocolate lab Gulliver a lot too, but Lafferty is just special. Everyone that meets him senses this. They are struck my his calm manner and always claim it must be his age; he is seven now. I am always quick to tell them he has had the same calm, sweet manner about him since the day we brought him home when he was only a year and a half old.

Lafferty in his puppy days!! Soooo Cute!! And Laffery Now....

And IN DISGUISE!!!!

Now for the FUN STUFF....

Here are some pics of LO's I did for Hannah's recently. Also, I did a really cute Halloween mini album I posted on the Hannah's design team blog. I may be technically challenged, but not creatively challenged.....at least not at the moment!!