Sunshine "Sunny"...RIP...3/26/99 to 7/07/09

Sunshine, "Sunny", was born on March 26, 1999. I adopted Sunny when she was only 4 weeks old. She was taken away from her mother too soon and she did not know how to eat or drink. For the first week I fed her water and baby food through a syringe. The vet said that she had a heart murmur and that she could die. Thankfully, Sunny was a strong and determined dog and she ended up being a very healthy dog...there were some bumps along the way but she lived a long and happy life. Her favorite things to do were laying outside with Pepper in the sun, chasing anything that moved, running, jumping, eating, sleeping, and spending time with Lana. She was a very gentle dog and loved everyone! Sunny got very sick last week and started having seizures...Elbie took great care of her during her seizures and made sure that she was ok but after each one we noticed that she got more sick. When Elbie and I took her to the vet the next day...the picture was very grim. It all just happened so fast that we were in shock. They thought she either had a brain tumor or liver disease and neither one was survivable for much longer...both would have caused her increased pain, stress, and confusion. The vet thought we were doing the right thing by helping Sunny escape her pain...she passed away lying in my lap and went very peacefully on July 7, 2009. That was an extremely difficult experience but I know in my heart that we had no other choice and that we made the right choice for Sunny although losing her was devastating. It has been very sad for all of us, including Pepper. He lost his best friend of over 10 years. Lana is doing okay and she takes comfort in Pepper and Camille's dog Lucy and the book that Papa gave her written by Mister Rogers, "When a pet dies". She does want to talk about Sunny a lot and we try to focus on our many happy memories of Sunny...she was a silly, loyal, hyper, sweet, lazy doggie :) We miss her very much but we know that she is in a much happier, more peaceful place and that she is watching over us...Rest in peace sweet Sunny Bee <3

Here are a couple of her first photos:









Sunny was always where Pepper was...



Such a sweet doggie...





Lana loved Sunny so much! (And Pepper too:) )









Elbie took these photos on my phone when we were at the vet...these were my final moments with Sunny before she passed away...we had a sweet goodbye and I am thankful for that...

Summer days...

First of all...I love summer! Things have been really great...Elbie and I have been getting lots of projects done around the house including moving all of our beautiful antique dining room furniture, crystal, and china back into storage to make a play area for Emerson. I miss all my pretty things but I definitely appreciate the huge space that we created for all of Emerson's toys! He is just about to crawl, he is very close. We are also in the process of getting the house child-proofed...yikes! We are not taking any trips this summer but we have been spending lots of time together and we recently bought a big inflatable family pool for the backyard for us to play in when we don't make it over to Papa and Tee's house to swim. It has been lots of fun...I even bought a raft for it and I lay in there by myself and it's the perfect sunning set-up :) So we are being kind of lazy and at the same time getting lots of things done...interesting balance but it is working! I have recently become obsessed with yoga...there are classes at my gym that I have been going to but I bought a yoga mat and have been doing it at night at home when the children go to bed. If you have Comcast Cable...go to OnDEmand, Exercise TV, and they have everything! It is awesome and I never get tired of it because I always do different work outs...trying to get back into shape ya know...it's definitely tougher the second time around!

Elbie and I have also been focusing on spending time with our friends as a couple and have been doing a lot of fun things and meeting new people which is really refreshing! Our one year anniversary is next week and we are really excited...we have learned a lot this first year and are going strong :) We bought each other concert tickets for our anniversary...go figure...I got us tickets to Angie Aparo which was an amazing experience as always! And he got us 7th row tickets to Incubus in August...I can hardly wait I am so excited!

We have a lot of fun things coming up...MariClaire and JT are getting married Nov 1st in Hilton Head and there are many events on the rise but my most favorite is the Halloween themed couples shower on July 18th! Mc knew how unhappy I was that we would not be able to celebrate Halloween this year because we will be at her rehearsal dinner in Savannah...which is going to be fantastic! But if you know me then you know that I love to dress up and Halloween is one of my favorite holidays so this shower is in honor of me...not really... :) Or maybe I am excited about the Bach Bash...a weekend in Savannah with the boys doing the bachelor party thing and the girls going the bachelorette party thing...it is going to be so much fun and I can't wait to see my little sister get married :)

Lana and Emerson are doing great...Lana went on vacation to Virginia with my parents, Camille, Angel, and Murphy to visit my Aunt Mary and her family for a family bbq/mini-reunion. Lana was very well behaved from what I heard and she really enjoyed herself...it is amazing how she has grown up and what a beautiful, wonderful soul she is. When Lana came home from Virginia she had a surprise waiting for her...part 1...I cleaned out and rearranged her room. She was so excited when she got home and saw it...she kept saying "what did you do? I love it mommy, thank you!" You will see part 2 soon...

Elbie's beautiful sister Amy came in town a couple of weeks ago and we loved being able to spend time with her. She is such a unique and good-natured person. She has a big heart and I love her so much...I just wished she lived closer or that we had the money to go for a visit...hopefully in the spring...maybe mardi gras?? Hmmm??? Well anyway...it was wonderful to watch the bond that she had with Lana. They had an instant connection and it was like they were kindred spirits as Elbie's mom said. I am lucky to have such a wonderful extended family with Elbie's family...they are all truly amazing. I wish we could go to New Mexico and visit with Elbie's Dad and that side of the family...it is definitely one of our goals for this year or next year.

Well...I guess that is all for now...here are some recent photos...love you all!

Bad, bad blogger

So yes I am a terrible blogger...things are quite busy! Last Friday was graduation at work and I was pretty emotional about it. I was so proud to see how far the students have come and to celebrate all of their successes. It was a wonderful experience AND I played Pomp and Circumstance (the graduation song) on the piano in front of 400 people and didn't mess up...yay! :) It was a joyous day for lots of reasons! My last day before summer break is June 12th. I get 6 glorious week off and I am very happy about it. Everyone keeps asking me what am I going to do. I am going to do nothing! :) Well... except spend time with my amazing family, work out, swim, sun, sleep, just enjoy being lazy! 6 weeks will go by way too fast. But I am very lucky that I have a job where I get such a big break.

Emerson is almost 6 months old...can you believe it? He is so funny...he is a very curious little guy and loves to look at everything around him and study things. I think he is going to be extremely smart but also a handful! He rolls all over the place and is starting to try to sit up. He loves his sister Lana so much...any time he looks at her, he smiles...it is so precious! He is sleeping pretty well at night these days...sometimes for 10 hours...which is lovely! He is starting to get some teeth-yay! Next week he will have baby food for the first time...I can't wait to see how he reacts to it! He is growing up way too fast but he is fascinating to watch!

Lana just finished kindergarten!! WOWZA...the year went by so fast! She has learned so much and has some really great friends that she met. She is reading above grade level and loves to draw, color, anything creative. She is such an amazing little artist. She will be going to dance camp this summer and the theme is...Rockstars! How perfect for her...she is very excited! She is being a good helper to Elbie at home during the day with Emerson. I have 2 1/2 more weeks of work so they are on their own until then but they are starting off very nicely :)

Elbie is doing great and loving spending so much with Emerson. He is an amazing father...watching him with Emerson is magical. They have such a special bond! Things are going well with Elbie at work and he is happy that he gets to spend quality time with both children for the next couple of weeks...they are doing lots of fun stuff! Today I cam home from work and he had made a yummy dinner, a red velvet cake, german chocolate cake, and cupcakes! Then he did all the dishes and is letting me go to bed super early tonight...he is wonderful and thoughtful and he is all mine! :)

Here are some recent photos...I am so behind! That is another thing I am going to do on summer break...get all caught up on editing :)


Lana and Mommy at her dance recital...she did a great job!


Elbie and Lana at her kindergarten musical...they sang songs in Spanish and Mandarin! And a couple in English :)


Mommy with her precious babies!


My family at my gallery exhibit...my photo is directly behind us...the dying flower photos :) More of these photos will be on my photography blog whenever I get around to updating that!


Pool time! Lana is such a good swimmer after taking lessons...this is the first summer without her wearing floaties and she will actually go under water! Big steps!


Lana with her best friend Madeline. She came to spend the night and imagine that...they had the same bathing suit! They are hilarious!


Lana hunting for Easter eggs :)


Emerson just chilling outside in his diaper...


Don't you love his little personalized outfit from Robin? He makes the funniest faces!


He was not happy with me at all during this shoot...he would not smile...just kept looking at me like "really mom? really?"


Tired little guy after swimming...he went right to sleep!


Brother and sister love <3 They are so cute!


"The Curious Case of Elbie Wood" is one of Emerson's nicknames...they are clones!