The Hula Obsession

Spring of 2010 will FOREVER be known as the era of the HULA OBSESSION here in the household of Living and Loving.

It started somewhere around Easter, and escalated from there. Day after day......the sound of those beads whirling inside the plastic hoop could be heard from any room in our house. Sugar Bear was determined to master the art...and master it she did.

Round and round it goes.......

It goes....THIS way.............

It goes......THAT way! Oh Yes, she can Hula BOTH directions. She can hula MUCH better than me. MUCH MUCH....MUCH better!

She is pretty darn proud of her accomplishment, and I can't say I blame her. Hula Hoopin' isn't for sissies!

It takes some serious tongue stickin' out kind of concentration.

The girl has it! Oh Yes.....SHE DOES! My Hula Hoopin' GIRL! ♥

Sunday Citar~ Sky

Welcome to Sunday Citar! This blog quote meme was created by http://www.freshmommyblog.com. You can stop by her blog to see the quotes and photos that she and everyone else is loving right now.

“There is one spectacle grander than the sea, that is the sky; there is one spectacle grander than the sky, that is the interior of the soul”~Victor Hugo

Contemplating Kitty

Day 259
(This was a day of INTENSE prayer. Gabriella's heart transplant was forefront on our minds.)




Day 260
(Just checking to see if the grass is greener on the other side.)




Day 261
(Feeling puzzled.....the serious type of mind puzzle sort of puzzled.)




Day 262
(A broken fence was mended.)




Day 263
(Mystical, Awesome and Refreshing......THAT is Kitty.)




Day 264
(Don't go far, Kitty.....We'd miss you, and that little purple car that was lost for a YEAR, and Sugar just found it THAT day!)




Day 265
(Taking time to reflect.......Life is GOOD!)

P.S. Only 100 days to go! woo hoo.....

Hosted by Chris

Team-Up Thursday~ Hair

I have to admit that when Berta mentioned the idea of doing the theme "HAIR" this week, I was a bit hesitant, but the more I thought about it, the more is became perfectly clear what I should photograph. I am a SUCKER for the sweet spot at the nap of Sugar Bear's neck where the hairs are fine and tickle my face, as I bury my face there. Sugar Bear was a bald little honey for a long long long time. I waited so long for her hair to come in. Not only do I love the sweet nape of her neck....I adore her ponytail. Her HAIR, in general, is a very sentimental thing for me.

Berta's shot is so cute! I love the expression on his face. She tells me that he became a BOY that day. His sweet baby curls had to be removed due to an extremely unfortunate gum incident. :( It really is amazing how much a haircut can change someone's entire look.

Head on over to Megan's blog to see more Team-up Thursday participants, and sign up here if you are participating yourself.

If you are participating, Please link up here, so others can come by and visit. :)

Wordless Wednesday~ Anticipation

Can't even get mad at her

The other day, I stumbled into my house, bogged down with this that and the other thing, after a long, long day at work. I quickly set to figuring out dinner, as Sugar Bear happily went about checking on her pets. One of her favorite things to do each evening is to go around and see to the needs of her various pets. It makes me smile to hear her sweet little voice calling out, "Hey there bunnies! How was your day!" She always comes running back into the house to fill me in on the cute things they just did.

This particular day, during a brief moment between setting up dinner, and getting ready to call Sugar Bear into the house, I glanced out our big picture window, taking in our beautiful view, and noticed something wasn't quite right......sigh.......

The Hubby, Sugar Bear, Daisy Dog, and myself had to head on out to the corner of your property, and tend to a little something important.

When you have a Mini Horse, things such as FENCING is pretty darn important, cause not everyone wants this crazy monster in their yard.

This particular fence was built by our neighbors, but there has been several issues with it. When Tiny, our horse, was younger, she would lay down next to it, and roll over, and end up on the other side. We added a row of barbed wire to the bottom of the fence to prevent that. At the time, The Hubby wasn't all that impressed with the fence posts and how shallow they were set. Apparently, they can only take so much of mini horse butt scratchin' before.....it gives way.

You can't get mad at her though....she is just too cute. Between her and my little workin'girl....the would be frustration turned out to be a pretty darling little distraction.

Sugar Bear does good work. She had that fence repaired in no time.

I knew I had that girl for a reason! :)

It's Good

-Baking cookies with my girl.

-Finishing a good book, knowing there is another in the series waiting on my bedside table.

-Listening to a kitty cat purr with your ear on his soft tummy.

-Yelling into a fan to hear your voice warble.

-A sparkling clean kitchen sink.

-Holding a bunny.

-Being the first to take a bit out of the curly Q in the margerine container.

-Finding the perfect tutorial online to use up an old t-shirt and some fabric that has been sitting around WAY too long.

-A brand new permanent marker.

-Two weeks until summer break!

-Making new friends.

-The constantly creative mind of a five year old.

-Being loved.

-Having HOPE that things that are not ideal can change.

-Being free from illness.

-Planting flowers with my child, and watching them bloom.

-Hula hoopin' the old fashioned way.

-Moments to myself to think of all the things that make this life so so sooooo very good!

-Princess Gabriella......This girl is my hero.....enough said!

Sunday Citar~ Smile

Welcome to Sunday Citar! This blog quote meme was created by http://www.freshmommyblog.com. You can stop by her blog to see the quotes and photos that she and everyone else is loving right now.

“You haven't lost your smile at all, it's right under your nose. You just forgot it was there.” ~Unknown

Kitty here....and Kitty there

Day 252

(Feeling like time is slipping so quickly away.)

Day 253

(Kitty wanted to help feed the horse....but he almost took it WAY too literal!)

Day 254

(Kitty went with Sugar to Kindergarten Round-up. That first step of education is a doozy!)

Day 255

(Kitty loves Fiber One granola bars almost as much as I do.)

Day 256

(Time spent enjoying the view is NEVER wasted.)

Day 257

(Kitty was up for adventure. Up, Up, and AWAY!)

Day 258

(Playing Pet Shop with Sugar Bear is a pretty fitting activity for Kitty.)

Hosted by Chris

Team-Up Thursday~ SLEEP

This week, I suggested the idea of SLEEP! I'm fairly certain it had a little something to do with the fact that I was craving SLEEP at the time. As it turns out, it was a fun theme that had me using my tripod for the first time in half a year.

For my shot, I waited until Sugar Bear was sound asleep. I snuck into her room with my tripod and camera. I let the light from the hallway fall on her face. I set my shutter speed on .60 of a second,and snapped a few shots. I wanted to just have her face lit up, so I stood in between the light in the hallway and Sugar Bear with my arms shaping an "O" above my head. This created a shadow that surrounded her face, and gave it a perfect frame.

Berta's shot melts my heart. I miss those days of holding a sleeping child. There really is nothing as sweet as holding a little one in your arms as they travel through dream land. sigh.....

Head on over to Megan's blog to see more Team-up Thursday participants, and sign up here if you are participating yourself.

Wordless Wednesday~ Sunny Day

P.S. Yeah...the other day I just felt like driving myself up a wall taking some photos of Sugar Bear in light colored clothing, in the glaring sun, with the breeze blowing the balloons. It was not too fun....but a good learning experience.