well, here we are in december and i didn't post a thing in november. i have been keeping busy with shoots, editing, kids and of course the puppy. it's all part of this journey we call life. i have learned a lot lately about what is consuming my time and my money and where God really wants me to be in all of this. that is a little deep to dive into at this hour so we'll save that for next time (before january, i promise). i usually like to share some of my fav pics from recent shoots (i found some new spots this year), however, many of you have asked to see pictures of our sweet "little" puppy, Daphne! she is almost 11 months old...and still VERY MUCH A PUPPY! we were told that she is a boxer/hound mix, but have heard many times that she resembles a great dane! so here is my journey with as the proud owner of a (not so new) puppy.
the first photo says it all! she is a CLOWN! always into something.....and looks so innocent at the same time. she was about 3 months old in this photo.
in the next picture she is 4-5 months old. notice the sock hanging out of her mouth. she always brings something from the yard to the door after her hours of exploring and destruction! she loves being outside....so much that i find it difficult to get her back in when i need to leave....or go to bed at 2 am! look at her sweet, innocent eyes.
here she is just checking things out. she appears to be protecting us by using her scare tactic growling at a noise she must have heard outside. don't let her fool you.....she is really watching to see when someone may be back inside to discover the first of two eaten phones. she did leave the wires and battery in tact.
she had a playmate in october. my grandma came to visit with her 10 month old yorkie, zoey. she was very attentive to her and always intersted in what she was doing. it was helpful to distract her from her troublemaking tendencies. i think this pic was taken a few hours after we found her exploring under our screened in porch. she dug a hole and found her way in....and of course had a bit of trouble getting out! unfortunately, that hasn't stopped her from taking another chance.
this is the look i see way too often...what?!?! you want me to come in?!?! yeah, right!! do you see all that i have to play with out here?!?! she likes to turn our mulch for us, climb the ramp to the kid's clubhouse, take the lid off the sandbox and dispurse the toys all over the yard, attempt to find loose slats in the fence (she has succeeded a few times), socialize with the neighboring pups....the list goes on. notice the green gutter extension laying against the fence behind her.
ok, she looks so cute, right? we went in to a local pet store and shared some of our fun stories about daphne's outside adventures. and look what we came home with.....a cow bone. one that cannot be destroyed. this should keep her busy and out of trouble, right? ummmm, yeah, for ONE day. it is now in two pieces....somewhere in the yard with all of the other items she has shredded for us.
look at that face! she looks so sweet. she is actually in "time out" here. i had my back to her for 60 seconds (a suggestion to try to control some nipping behavior). seems to work and also allowed a few cute photos ops. when i turned around, this is the sweet face i saw. i just happened to have my camera in the same room so i could capture her "pout". i really need to keep a camera in hand. i have missed some great shots! one day i caught her walking on the railing of the deck and another running through the yard with the tongs and maridnade!
honestly, i am laughing as i type this! she really is sweet....just not so innocent! we do accept a bit of the responsibility. she really needs training beyond the puppy class and a walk every day would probably help too. our schedules the last two months have been extremely busy with little time for our puppy! she's great at the basics....she sits and waits and is really well mannered when we have visitors. she isn't a barker (except when she is in the midst of her back yard adventures). she sleeps well at night and doesn't fight us to go in her crate. we focus on the positives and try to laugh off the negatives...sometimes that is easier than others.
there is never a dull moment here! keeping busy and trying to have fun in the midst of the chaos! i try to take time each day to appreciate the little things and remember how much God has blessed me. and to realize that the kids are growing up right before my eyes! i don't want to overlook their special qualities that make them who they are. there is so much joy in that.
zach makes some hilarious comments that keeps us laughing. my recent favorites....it was few days before halloween and i had just found out that my neighbor was pregnant. so i told zachary that hailey was going to be a big sister. he looked at me and his response...."for Halloween?" the other classic.....trying to keep things picked up is always a challenge (especially this time of year)so i said "we need to get the miscellaneous stuff off the trunk in the kitchen"....he looked at me a little puzzled and said..."who is miss lena?"
raegan on the other hand is creative, artistic, imaginative and inventive. she loves to write stories and design things on the computer. she is quite impressive. she is 16 in an eight year old body. she is a night owl just like me, however she likes to sleep in in the morning (which makes getting to the bus a bit of a challenge for us). she always has big ideas she is trying to execute and is so detailed in the planning. she definitely has a dramatic element...not sure where she gets that, but it truly makes her who she is.
one last thing to share with you....a quote a friend shared with me today...."BE YOURSELF, EVERYONE ELSE IS TAKEN". i just LOVE that. it seems so simple, yet is so complex. i want to be the kind of mom that encourages that kind of confidence in my kids! i guess that is why God gave us friends. i thank Him every day for surrounding me with family and friends that love me and encourage me in this journey. we need each other....and remember (another quote i heard) "in perfection, we create competition, but in imperfection we build community!"
until next time.......
and last but not least, a few shots from a shoot that help me answer some of my most 
