SOCIAL MEDIA

Cocoa Daisy August Layouts : Siren's Call

7.31.2011
It's Your Favorite

Here they are! Such a bright and happy kit, perfect for August! The add-ons are fantastic and there is such a wide array of options for you...be sure to check them out.

It's Your Favorite

I am pretty much smitten with the canvas pennant banner pieces by Maya Road...love them!

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1st Grade Class

1st Grade Class

Leo

Leo

Check out the gallery of what the other Cocoa Daisy designers came up with here and be sure to snag your kit before they're gone come August first!

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Leo + Zoey = Puppy Love

7.28.2011
Zoey and Leo

  • Leo loves to snuggle and give hugs and kisses
  • Leo loves to play with toys and fetch and jump through Zoey's hoola hoop
  • Leo loves to take walks on the Bearskin Trail with us every night
  • Leo loves to sit on everyone's lap (Ethan's especially)
  • Leo loves to scrounge for people food...he won't eat his food until he absolutely knows that there is no chance of getting any tiny morsel of what we are having for dinner (he has already gotten some tasty little morsels here and there)
  • Leo loves to listen to NPR
  • Leo loves to tear around the house like a madman with his toy lion in his mouth
  • Leo loves to play and give cuddles to the neighbor kids as well as to Zoey
  • Leo loves to catch up on his rest while we are away at the beach or running errands (so nice to not worry about him while we are away)
  • Leo loves his new home where he is discovering all the new sights and smells and family and friends that love him
Welcome to our family Leo!  We love you!


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it has been an incredible past few days...

7.24.2011
what we had thought was initially endearing with Buddy, has turned into a bit of an obsession. He won't let me do a thing without being at my immediate heels. He also will have an anxiety attack if or when I leave and in addition to this he has started snapping, growling and baring his teeth at the neighbor children and now with Zoey on occasion. The snapping, growling and baring his teeth occurred for the most part yesterday. He's had two panic attacks that were pretty wild. I'm certain that the shelter that we got him from was given incorrect information when they were told that he is good with children and that he's never snapped or growled at anyone. In all the situations in which he did this it was unprovoked and there was no food, treats or toys involved. The kids weren't even paying attention to him. They simply walked by him and he jumped up and snapped at them or growled. The kids weren't even in a group, it was just one on one and I was there to witness it in it's entirety. If it was just Ethan and I we could spend the time with him and perhaps work out his issues, he does not seem as though he was successfully socialized as a puppy and we are wondering if there were some abuse issues with him and his past owners or between the owners themselves as he is extremely skittish and like I said earlier, obsessed with being with me every second possible. I took a shower this morning and his nose was at the base of the tub. At first these things seemed adoring but after awhile we noticed that he wasn't acting happy or excited but more scared or compulsive.

Yesterday we had a family meeting immediately after Buddy started showing more signs of aggression and talked about how this wasn't a good fit for our family. We shared with Zoey that we could help Buddy by giving the shelter the correct information on Buddy's behavior and tendencies and then they in turn would be able to help find him a better home without children. I could see him being a perfect dog for a single older person as he would devote himself to the individual and wouldn't have to worry about little people competing for attention. Beyond that though, I believe he has additional issues that will take time and patience and the right environment to remedy. At this time, I'm not willing to sacrifice the safety of Zoey and her friends for the sake of trying to make it work with Buddy. We were all pretty bummed yesterday, Zoey the most of all. She broke down in sobs a couple of times throughout the day and that pretty much did me in.

Later in the day I talked to my little sister Bailey and she shared with me something pretty selfless and amazing...that she had thought about it and decided that she wanted to give Zoey her dog Leo. She's had him since a wee little pup and he's a pure-bred cocker spaniel. Zoey knows him and has spent days and nights with him already at grandma's house so I know the two of them get along already...they pretty much wear each other out. :) Leo is 4 years old. We've agreed to do a trial run with Leo after Buddy is situated back at the shelter. Talk about a roller-coaster type of a day. Zoey is still sad about Buddy but is excited at getting Leo for a friend since she knows he's a good puppy already. I am thankful to my sister for being so giving and selfless and loving to all of us, especially Zoey. She's off at college and just doesn't have the time to commit to caring for Leo as she once did. This seems to be perhaps the perfect union. Here's to hoping anyways. We know now that Zoey is ready for a dog, as she was perfect with Buddy...but she needs the right dog for it to work. Buddy was pretty much a basket-case. :(

Here are some pictures of Zoey and Leo take from earlier this summer when my mom was passing through town and stopped in to visit with us.

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And here are some photos from Thanksgiving 2008 taken of the two of them...

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Feeling sadness regarding Buddy for sure, but I am hopeful that things will turn around for the better for all involved now.

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it's been a pretty rough day...

7.23.2011
Fairy
just thought I'd share one little bright spot.  Zoey drew this little fairy friend today and shared it with me.  I love all the little details she included and the obvious time she spent on it.  Her and her friend actually both drew one and wrote a letter to the fairies.  I have a feeling their letters will be answered in the morning.  :)
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It's like having a baby in the house again...

7.22.2011
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We are all pretty much smitten with him...he's been super good with Zoey, he's a good eater and is fully house-broken (thank goodness!), he's a couch potato when inside (I guess pretty common considering he's part greyhound), and he absolutely, positively will not leave my side! If I'm sitting on the couch and get up to get a glass of water he's right beside me. If I go to the bathroom he's trying to charge right in along with me. I cannot do a thing without him right at my side...right now I'm typing this and he's about 2 inches from me. This morning while outside he was sitting under my chair. It's kind of fun having a four legged admirer though, I have a feeling Zoey is getting a wee bit jealous. Good thing that she's usually no more than 2 steps away from me too! :)

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Buddy Bear

7.18.2011
Buddy Bear

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We R Memory Keepers Projects

7.17.2011
Trick or Treat - We R Memory Keepers

Here are my first projects created for We R Memory Keepers featuring some of the collections they will be showing at the Craft and Hobby Association Show.

Trick or Treat - We R Memory Keepers

Beware Door Hanger - We R Memory Keepers

I love the fun little cardstock stickers from their Spookville Collection featuring cute trick-or-treaters and other spooky things!

Beware Door Hanger - We R Memory Keepers

Happy Halloween - We R Memory Keepers

I was lucky and also got to play with the Autumn Splendor Collection.  This collection I could create a million and one things with!  I love the color scheme (Fall is my favorite season) and the designs and patterns really compliment one another.

Fall Fun - We R Memory Keepers

Fall Fun - We R Memory Keepers

I also love the chipboard pieces included in the layered chipboard tag sticker sheet...some of them are perfect for creating a quick yet beautiful card.

Enjoy Each Moment Card - We R Memory Keepers

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Bear Cupboard Run : 2011

7.16.2011
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Zoey ran this morning in the 2nd annual Bear Cupboard run and had so much fun!  She did really well too...was in the first batch of kiddos that returned to the finish line.  I am so proud of her and so happy that she genuinely loves something that is so good for her to do as well.

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She met up with some of her buddies there again and they all opted to get their faces painted.

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Paw prints for the girls and Mateo opted to get the full bear cub face for himself.

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Here is the start of the race...Zoey's in there somewhere.

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Here she is coming into the finish line...

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It's safe to say that she beat the bear...he barely made it to the end.  :)

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Here's a shot of her right after crossing the finish line...

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And comparing ribbons at the finish...

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And Ethan went on to run the 10K (the cubby run with Zoey served as his warm-up), so here is a shot of him at his finish line.

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Such a great day filled with such amazing positive energy!  I'm so glad that Zoey has the opportunity to take part in this every year!  It was made even more special this year because her Grandma and Grandpa and Auntie and Uncle were here to watch as well.  So cool to have their loving support!

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