ME

Since I didn't do my own birthday post this year, I'm making a smaller version with some of my favorite "Audrey photos" from 2015.  Photos that seem the most ME.

We made new friends early in the year and they invited us to their farm.  FARM!  I was so stoked.  It quickly became my happy place.  Surrounded by all kinds of animals and far away from "civilization".  I loved visiting their farm and would crave it if we went long without visiting.  Much to my dismay, the couple split by year end and the farm is now up for sale.  The animals have all been sold.  This broke my heart on many levels.  Still, I smile every time I see this picture.  I am happy surrounded by lots of animals.  Period.

I'm also always happy with boots on and snow on the ground.  I take a picture every time we're blessed with snow here in Charlotte.  It doesn't happen often so I have to take advantage when I can.  Anyone notice a theme here with the feet/shoes photos?

What my nightstand normally looks like.  I love being surrounded by lots of books and magazines to read. It's comforting....

Alain bought this tea mug for me early in the year.  It quickly became my favorite.

Yes, I know this photo is blurry.  I LOVE IT.  My Mom took both girls up to Lynchburg for a few days this Summer so Alain & I took advantage and went out one night.  It was in the middle of World Cup and two friends/husbands of my friends joined us.  We watched the game at a local pub then went to my favorite wine bar for Open Mike night.  It was my favorite night of the year (not my favorite morning after though  ~ whew!).  Much to my dismay, the wine bar closed not long after.  Boohoo!!!  But I loved that evening.

The scariest thing I did this year. The girls, my mom & I went tubing in my hometown of Lynchburg.  Wow.  It's a long slide and the tube spins the entire time.  I cannot express how terrified I was on my first run down.  Another mom noticed my look of panic and loss of breath.  She told me to lock tubes with Clara so that we couldn't spin (too wide for the run).  From then on out, it was loads of fun.  But WOW.

When it's nice out (anything below around 75 degrees), this is where you'll find me.  With a good book and my trusty sidekick, Millie (more on that another day).

I watched our butterfly bushes like a hawk this Fall.  There was a hurricane raging all around the South/East and I didn't think the Monarchs would make it.  I cried when they finally showed up. Exactly 52 weeks to the very day as my first Monarch photo last year.  How on Earth do they do that? They are so magnificent they take my breath away. The girls and I would lay in the grass as they fluttered about above us. My count wasn't as high this year but we had a small showing.  I recently read that someone illegally logged 20+ acres at the Monarch site down in Mexico.  Heart breaking.  Truly heart breaking.  I can't even think about it.  So we're moving on....

While at the beach in November, I collected all these tiny shells.  They were amazing.  After taking some photos of them, I noticed my hand looked glittery.  Sea fairies perhaps?  Hmmmm....   I returned them to the ocean to hopefully delight someone else another day.

My love for Snoopy & Charlie Brown continues and got quite a boost this year.  I really do not like all the commercialization surrounding movies but I squealed when I saw these postal stamps.  Only my most special happy mail gets one of these babies and I smile HUGE smiles each time I stick one on an envelope. Charles Schulz was so genius.

One of my passions is setting the dinner table when friends come over.  Sometimes I like the settings so much I have to take a picture!

I couldn't believe it when I cut my strawberry at breakfast one morning and found this perfect little heart.  I'm pretty sure this was my most liked Instagram post last year.  It's just so unexpected and happy!

The hardest part of my year was having to say good-bye to my Kenzie Snooter, my furry soul mate.  This is us circa 2002.  When my Mom brought her ashes down to Charlotte, I clung to them and cried like a baby.  After having to live with my parents for four years, my Kenzie was back home with me where she belonged.  Since that day, I've felt an odd peace.   She lived a good, long life filled with tons of love.  But I still miss her every single day.  I'm sure I always will.

The three people I love most in the whole wide world.  Sitting on my favorite beach....my most happy of happy places.  Dolphin watching.  What could be more me than that?

XOXOXO,

Audrey

An Old Lady in the Snow

My Dad sent me these pictures this morning.  My Kenzie, age 14, playing in the snow.  

I don't think I've mentioned it on the blog because I have a hard time getting the words out BUT, in mid-October, Kenzie's vet gave her yet another death sentence.  We were warned that her time is limited (um, HELLO, her time has always been limited!).  How much time, we asked with tight hearts, knowing that no human can really answer our question.  A few weeks to several months they told us.  Need I point out that it's now mid-February?  She's winding down, yes, and her legs are slowly giving out on her.  Yet here she is......deep in the throes of another winter....spriteful and as beautiful as ever in the snow.

My Kenzie Snooter.  Always defying the odds.  Still amazing me.  In her old age.

In her old age!  You can't imagine how happy it makes me to type those words.

In this picture, I can still see her 4-month old puppy face!

Kenzie, hang on another week and a half because Mommy is coming to give you some love!

I miss you, my first baby.

XOXO

PS ~

This is Jada, Kenzie's "bestie".  I hold her largely responsible (along with my parents, saints that they are!) for keeping my Kenzie alive and well.  Jada always keeps Kenzie company and loves her as only another dog can.

Thanks, as always, Mom & Dad!

Because Hanukkah.....

 To all of our Jewish family and friends, here's wishing you a bright, peaceful, happy Festival of Lights.

As I went through last year's Hanukkah photos to find some for this post, I was taken aback by how much the girls have grown.

I love these two photos. For me, they capture the essence of the holiday. The last night of Hanukkah is always my favorite because ALL the candles being lit is SO beautiful!

Alain's chocolate cherry Dreidel Cake has become one of our family traditions.

Last year Sophie insisted that we make some crafts for Tio Iggy.  I LOVED THAT. We will surely be doing that again this year!  It feels good to include him in our celebrations, even in this small way.

Dreidels are BIG in our family.  Sophie loves to play.  We usually play with nuts rather than gelt.

I didn't get to do nearly as much as I would've liked because Hanukkah is SO danged early this year......and coincides with Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday).  I've grown to really love Hanukkah and I look forward to finding new ways to make it special.  

This craft we did last year made it to Pinterest and my blog has gotten many hits over the last few weeks from people searching for a Hanukkah craft. I have a new craft planned for this year and I'm just hoping I have time to pull it off.  We're in Lynchburg now for Thanksgiving and I'm soaking up this time with my family and my lovely, lovely Kenzie!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American friends!!!

XOXO

PS ~ I decided to use "Because Hanukkah" for my post title after reading this.....the evolution of the English language is rather fascinating!!!

Kenzie Love

When Hubbell had his surgery on May 1st, I told Alain I wouldn't leave him again.  I knew his time was short and I wasn't going to miss a single day.  It was hard staying put for three months and it meant missing out on some important events.  For me, there was no other option and I'm glad I didn't miss one moment of Hubbell's last three months.  The only bad thing?  I couldn't come visit our Kenzie.  

Alain and I adopted Kenzie when she was four months old, in April of 2000.  We walked into a PetSmart, I saw her gorgeous face peeking out of a crate and I turned to Alain and said, "I'm not leaving this store without this dog."  She was our first baby and I feel sure she was meant to be mine. Spoiled rotten. I think she literally has a hundred nicknames.  Pumpkin muffin, puffin, Snoop, Love Puff,.....and it goes on.  But the one that sticks, the one that I use all the time is Kenzie Snooter.  That one stuck. It's just who she is!

When she was two years old, she suddenly got very sick.  There was a period of several months when I took her to the vet every single day to measure her blood levels.  She was really not well. For some reason, her immune system was attacking itself.  Noone, not even her vet, expected her to live to see age three. 

Eventually, I think a year or two later, she was diagnosed with atypical Addison's Disease.  Once we knew what we were battling, it was quite easy to treat her with medication.  However, she's always been rather sickly and we've jumped through hula hoops, bent over backwards, spent a fortune and somehow, sometimes through sheer luck, sometimes I'm sure only with our endless love for her, kept her alive.  

She will turn 14 in December.  

For those who don't know the history of why she doesn't live with us anymore, Kenzie bit Sophie in November of 2010. It was an awful time in our lives and I was traumatized. I never blogged about it specifically because I didn't really know what to say and I was so ashamed. I was afraid of the judgment of others.  Although I know there's nothing anyone could have said to make me feel worse than I already did.  It took MONTHS to get over it even a little bit. I still feel guilty and will always feel that I let both of my girls down. I thought I could watch them both 24 hours a day and that was naive. Lucky for all of us, my parents allowed Kenzie to come live with them.  They said yes before I could even get the words out to ask.  And I do believe they've come to love her as much as I do!  (Want proof?  I took all of these pictures tonight.....this is their couch and that new bed is one that they purchased for her.  She's a lucky girl!)

As an aside, we adopted Hubbell during Kenzie's second year.  I told Alain I wouldn't survive the loss of Kenzie unless I had another dog to keep me going.  Can you imagine?  In all those years, I couldn't envision that I would ever lose him first.  Still, you don't know how much I leaned on him when Kenzie moved out.  We became TIGHT, Hubbell and I. He helped to heal my heart and, in that respect, he did help me survive the loss of my furry girl.

(In the irony of life, I also found out I was pregnant with Clara the VERY NEXT MORNING after the biting incident. And that was a humongous surprise.....one that certainly helped to keep me going at the time!)

My parents have done an amazing job taking care of sweet Kenzie.  I say sweet but she's so rotten.  I used to always tell her that she's a dog only her mother can love!  She's as smart as a whip, totally dominant, commanding of attention and so, so darling.  Everyone always adored Hubbell and would gush over how wonderful he was (and he was totally deserving of all of it ~ a very special soul, as you know). But only one friend ever told me, "You know I love Hubbell but I have a special place in my heart for Kenzie!".  When you think you're going to lose a puppy so young, before she even gets a chance at life, you develop a special and strong bond.  

Kenzie is also now completely deaf.  Hubbell was blind and Kenzie is deaf.  I've learned from both of my dogs some serious perseverance and how to overcome handicaps and still enjoy and love life.  

  

Once Hubbell passed away, I immediately made plans to come and visit Kenzie.  It's certainly comforting to be around her although it's hard not having Hubbs around too.  Those two were a pair for so long.  

When the girls and I arrived in Lynchburg on Sunday, Kenzie was sprightful, playful and happy.  I am so grateful for that.  It's been wonderful spending some time with my furry girl!

I love you, my Kenzie Snooter!