Momma's Girl!

Do pets really take on their owners personalities? Some people don't believe this, I do. You've been reading this blog and you know Emma Grace, our 2 year old Shih tzu, is my 3rd child, and what you need to know now is that my life, schedule and world really does revolve around her.

Seriously, having a pet takes time, planning and it's a huge responsibility. All my pet friendly friends are very aware if this. My entire day is scheduled around her. I rise early enough to have breakfast, shower and making sure she gets her morning constitutional completed. There is nothing worse than coming home to a mess, or a panicky puppy, so planning is essential! Even my social life revolves around her...how long has she been in the house alone? What time was her last potty? Is it close to time for her to eat? Did I leave lights on, not leaving her home alone in the dark.

Once this weekend and several times over the last months, people have commented on her demeanor. When it come to meeting a new person or spending time around human people, she is quite adaptable. She is sweet, loving and gentile. I hope with all my heart she got those attributes from me. If you come visit, and I know she gets this from me, she loves for you to come visit. She will greet you like you are long lost family, no matter who you are or how many times you come in and out of her door to see her. Never obnoxious or aggressive, she is a good little hostess. She will sit beside you or curl up on your lap, your choice. She shares her toys, will snuggle up in bed with you, if you so wish and will even clean up any scraps you may have should you eat while your here.

Emma makes you feel welcomed. She wants you here..and let's you know it. When you leave, she actually sulks, staring for hours out the window watching for you to return. (that she definitely got from me!)

This week she let me know she really has taken on my personality. Last Christmas, Dory, my baby sister gave her an Elphaba/Glinda intertwined chew toy. Anyone who truly knows me, knows I am a HUGE Wizard of Oz/WICKED fan. So the toy was appropriate. Emma Grace immediately separated them and Elphaba got taken to her safe toy spot. She has played toss with her, but Glinda has been her choice of the two. At first I thought she had crossed over, but then she let me know why Glinda had been chosen.



Glinda had become the chosen toy to destroy!



It wasn't "Off with her head!" ,it was tear open her head and scatter her brains everywhere!



Glinda the Good Witch has bit the dust. After a short ceremony, Emma and I took her to the compactor...Good Emma, you chose Elphaba, just like your Momma. I truly believe our pets DO take on our personalities! She's matched me to a T! Or should that be an E?!

Momma's girl!

Onto a new week!

This past week wasn't so hot. I spent most of it nursing a toothache. Yes, I confess, we have been here a year and a half and we haven't found a dentist. So, thanks to modern advertising, I chose Aspen Dental. Everybody always looks so happy,content and their smiles look well manicured. HA!
They are convenient, efficient about getting you an appointment, but after I sat through 18 dental X-rays, (that my husband fussed at me about, because there was a big news release this week about the direct correlation between brain tumor's and dental X-rays)I was told, I have a beautiful smile....DUH!...no cavities, in need of a hygienists good scrapping, and the culprit is a failing old silver filling, with a crack in it. Thanks to an intolerance to hot and cold, I need a root canal and a crown?! Bleck!!!
Ok...I thought, I can handle this. Wondering how much it would cost. Well, now here is where the story gets better. In all my years of climbing into the dentist chair, I have never experienced this one! Seems Aspen Dental CANNOT, WILL NOT, do the root canal? They will extract the tooth at a cost too embarrassing type, but they offered to refer me to an endodentist. They will clean up and scrape the heck out of my mouth, build up my tooth and place the crown, for a mere $17,000. That's after my insurance pays. And just exactly how much will the endodentist charge?
Sad, mad and still curled up on the ginormous sectional, I sulked. $2000.00 for one tooth? But, I am not having it pulled...they originally placed the filling there once, can't someone do it again? The only thing they did for me was give me bad news, and possibly the chance to meet a local Neuro surgeon, and a still throbbing tooth! I guess come Monday I will start searching for a one stop/full service dentist...not such a good week. I was glad it ended!
Then, I felt something warm on my face? It was the sun,shining through the patio door! It was orange and warm...so I grabbed my camera, and here is the end to my crappy week.












Even the neighbors, with their new additions were out enjoying it!








Come on Monday....Momma needs a full service dentist!!

Carrying my camera bag, not my purse.

At least 3 times in the last week, I got mad at myself.....well, disappointed is more like it. This camera habit of mine is getting worse. I look at everything as if I am looking through my lens and when I see what I think could be a perfect shot, it peeves me!

On Sunday driving home from Chilly-Coffee, as Trenton calls it, after we dropped him off from our weekend, the sky had become a beautiful portrait of reds, yellow, oranges with fluffy clouds, stretching farmlands and I was cameraless!

What to do....well, I whipped out the iPhone and did my best. The end to a perfect weekend of grandparent fun.











Then Monday I was off doing my Zumba thing and looked up....it is evident, I am fascinated with the sky and universe!


Note to self...pack your camera bag instead of your purse!

Off my rocker? I just might be!

After a whole 9 days off from Zumba, jumping feet first back into it yesterday was refreshing. Actually, I taught two classes...double Zumba, I think so!!


Seeing those smiling, sweaty faces was rejuvenating! They are the reason I continue to do is. To inspire and share the gift of Zumba!

And then, I got home, sat down on the couch and it hit me....I AM OFF MY ROCKER!! Because of the little vacation, I have classes to make up, and my Deerfield class has increased to two times a week. That means that this week I will be teaching 8, YES EIGHT, classes?!

As I sat, tired and sore I realized I have to find a way to pace myself...hummmm, how do I do that? I'm wishing I had that gaggle of birds about right now!


Wish me luck? Thankfully, I only have one class tonight. The doubles come on wednesday and Thursday. I better check my protein shake mix and ibuprofen supplies, cause I am gonna need them both!

No beach sunrise just a cuddly Shih tzu

Here is the last sunrise....


It was sad leaving the sand, surf and the morning reminder that we live in a glorious world created especially for each and every one of us. How appropriate that the last sunrise occurred on Easter morning...did rise from the grave on this day and we are grateful he did.

The weeks weather was cool and breezy, and we actually only got about 2 hours of tolerable tanning. All the other spring break beach attendee's had the same problem. One of my favorite pics is this one.


I entitled it, " we don't care how cold it is, we're just gonna lie here, bundled up and soak up the sun, surf and chill!"

We left early, shortly after the sunrise. When David went to check out the gal at the front desk commented that she thought she was gonna have an easy Easter holiday at work, then she checked her check out list....she had 150 check outs scheduled! I would like to think everybody was sad they had to depart as well.

David had the car all packed and we were off. I completely packed up my camera and became disturbed that I could've gotten a few more shots. iPhone in hand, I managed to get some cool tunnel ones.









And the light at the end....





Traffic was amazingly light, the weather simply beautiful and sunny. There were a few quick rest area breaks and we stopped at Bob Evans for our Easter dinner and then rushed on home to Emma!! She was almost as excited to see me as I was her!! I have spent every moment together reinforcing just how much I missed her...I have become a crazy small dog lady. Oh well,so be it.

We are home, David is off to the office, and the washer is on over drive. Now I need to quit snuggling with Emma and get myself ready for a double Zumba day? After a whole week off, this could be interesting....

Just a few more days?? Alrighty then!

The sun peeked out for a few yesterday, but for the most of this day it was cool, dreary and wet. But that was perfectly ok! To prevent cabin fever, we headed out searching for target and the local lighthouses. Yes, I actually got back in the car after a 4 day break...it was soo worth it.
Every morning I have waken at the " butt crack if dawn", trying to get awesome sunrise pictures. I am bored with it. So,when David offered to find me Bojangles for lunch and the lighthouses, I jumped at the chance for fresh scenery! MAN...It was even more rewarding than we thought. Quite by accident, we stumbled onto some bogs. The pictures are my FAVORITES!!












The dead waterlogged tree stumps resemble monks or nun's gathering for prayer. Each one has a distinct personality! It was thrilling to get these, and I pouted to go back after we passed them in the car...the pout was worth it!




Glowing with excitement I crawled back in the car and we were off to the lighthouses. The stone one was the first one built by the United States Goverment and we both climbed up to the top. Me in hesitation because it had metal, see through steps, but the shots from the top were awesome! Thank God David didn't take any pictures of me crawling back down! If I could've I would've turned around and baby belly crawled back down....yes, I have a huge fear of heights and stairs. But, it was SOO worth it!














Do you see the writing on the glass?? HOW RUDE!!! Seriously, why would someone do that? The picture is awesome, but, now I have to get it home and photoshop all the writing out!! Grrrr! My baby sister Dory loves lighthouses, and I am pretty sure I am going to have to fix them, and get her some prints! She has seen the first 2 pics, but not the written on one. If your reading this, SEE, I told you!
The day ended with warmed up left over pizza and a view that is priceless!! We were suppose to be headed home this morning, but, David has had a royal mess at the job site....no boards, delayed source replacements and standards waiting on both. Looks like we might get out if here on Sunday. I guess i will have to suffer for two more days?! Poor Bevy!

Long days are working.

See...he looks calm and relaxed! This trip has been good for both of us. I've been scurrying to get up early for sunrise shots and he's been hanging up later just to be with me. I'm sure this will all change when we get home.
For my Birthday yesterday we had breakfast and then wandered up and down the boardwalk so I could get some shots. David would stop and wait, never once complaining about my 25 shots of sea grass or the pier. I managed to get several good ones.














Gorgeous clear sunrise on a day that normally brings rain.


A day of photo shooting followed by toes in the sand, sunny, book time on the beach. Dinner and a stroll along the beach before bedtime...it has been one of my best Birthdays...I even got 2 beach chairs and a commemorative Virginia beach sweatshirt, cause I didn't pack enough for windy 60 degree weather. Ahh....mother nature is giving us longer days and the Milam's are taking advantage of it!

Stowaway for the week.

It's not very often...well, it is a lot less often than what we thought moving to Ohio would allow, but a tag-a-long trip was in order and at first I said "no, I can't just up and take off." David quickly shot back with, "We talked about it at work, you should tag-a-long so I can celebrate your Birthday with you in the one place you love the most." I immediately felt guilty! He travels a lot without me, and one of the pluses to moving to Ohio was that I would be able to travel more with him...the last trip was to Vegas in January of 2011. So I asked myself, "Why not? Can't I figure out a way to do this?" immediately, I juggled classes, got Emma snuggled down at the dog sitter's and Saturday morning, me and my great big Vera Bradley duffel stowed away to Virginia Beach!




Please understand that David does still have to work. 3-4 days of this trip. But, all the other free time is mine! This morning was one of those working days. Actually, he had to leave, as most of you guys know I call anything before 10am, "the buttcrack of dawn!", but he left in the what I would call the middle of the night...4:15am. Gently he kissed me goodbye on the forehead and quietly slipped out. I am sure he was thinking i would sleep half the day away....MAN was he wrong! After he left I was wide awake...I remembered our room has the perfect view for sunrise, and I got excited that it was almost low tide and for the first time in my life, I was gonna be the crazy lady wandering the beach for sea shells! I slipped into my capri's, baseball cap and flip flops and like a thief in the night, I was off to score some awesome shells!!


I wandered the beach both ways for 45 minutes and could only find 2 common intact mollusk shells. As I walked, I said my morning prayers and I even added a simple little, "come on God...once in my life I bolt out here at low tide, can't you give me one fantastic shell?" The winds picked up, there wasn't one other soul on the beach, I was hungry, wanted coffee and couldn't get the sunrise out of my head. So, I gave up. I carried my 2 intact mollusk shells back to the room, made me some coffee and took my seat on the balcony. Lesson learned, we are necessary, special and unique just as we are, even if we are just a simple intact mollusk shell.
Wait...the winds were stronger, there was an odd darkness coming my way, and it brought with it sound....a morning storm :( here is what I waited up for;







And after my 5th cup of coffee and a brown sugar cinnamon pop tart..look what I discovered!!








Good things do come to those who wait. They aren't the terrific, awesome shots I wanted, but am still proud if them!
Tomorrow is my 45th Birthday and I know David thinks I just wanna sleep in...I made him swear to wake me if the sunrise looks the least bit promising!! Who knows, it almost always rains on my Birthday. You know what they say, April showers bring May flowers!