Perfect Easter.

We had a wonderful time spending time with my family for the Easter holiday. Visiting Kerrville is always so calming for me. And Ella loves spending time with Mimi, Papa, Eliza, Aunt Jeni and Uncle Jeremy. Even doggies - Alli, the Golden and Cohen the yellow lab - get to tag along. :)

Arlo update = in temporary foster home

My efforts last week to try and save lil' Arlo paid off. R.O.A.R.S. Rescue group agreed to pull him from death row literally hours before his time was up. He's currently in a foster home. Over the next few weeks and months, Arlo will receive medical treatment for heartworms and will spend some time with special dog trainers to address his fear of new situations.

http://townlakedogs.phanfare.com/album/582586#imageID=38321736

Arlo...woof woof!

Going to meet this little guy at the Town Lake Animal Center today...a perfect playmate for Alli - our Golden Retriever. Stay tuned for details on how the meet-up goes! :)

Viva Terra

My Mom and I talk frequently during my 1 hour commute home from work. It's the perfect slot of time to catch up! On Friday, she was telling me about this new catalogue she received in the mail -- junk mail, you say? Not hardly! It's one of her favorites now!

It's called, "Viva Terra - Eco Living with Style". How perfect. This goes right along with the Ulitmate Green Home that I'm going to win. ;) Now I know just where I'll purchase some of my favorite home furnishings.

Ahhhhh. Love it!

http://www.vivaterra.com/pls/enetrixp/!stmenu_template.main

daily thought = st. paddy style

"Never iron a four-leaf clover, because you don't want to press your luck."

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

hipples.

Ella said the funniest thing tonight when I was putting her to bed. She was snuggling with me - as she always does when 'lay down with her for 5 min'. She had her arm around me and rubbed her hand across my chest and said, "Are those your hipples?"

I said, "Yes honey, those are Mommy's nipples", trying not to laugh. Ella followed by saying, "Yeah, those are Mommy's nickles."

I couldn't help but giggle silently to myself. :o)

Ahhh...the innocence of childhood.

front row to hipster scene = SxSW 2008.

I stepped outside my office door at 4:30 pm this afternoon and snapped a few pics of the SxSW characters that had been strolling past my window all week long...

gonna win this.

So HGTV is giving away the Ultimate Green Home. The pictures are beautiful. I'm in love. It's just perfect...and it's gonna be MINE! :o)

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/green_home/

The natural feel is so comfortable - yet sophisticated. Oh, how it inspires me to upgrade things in my own home. I feel like re-decorating! Uh oh...I've got the bug.

.daily.thought.

I get a "Daily Thought" e-mailed to me everyday from my favorite magazine, Real Simple.

This one is especially nice.

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.

bestest bd ever.

So...I had a birthday last Friday. And I have to say - my family, friends and co-workers made it uber uber special. Hubby showered me with gifts every day for 4 days leading up to the big day. The best part about that...it was TOTALLY his idea! And it was adorable to see how much he enjoyed doing that for me. Too, too cute for words.

My 'lil sis "birthday-ed" up my office at work on Wednesday. Complete with colorful polka dot confetti, bubbles and play dough. I loved it! She even brought me the hippest cupcakes in town...sold directly from an airstream camper on South Congress Avenue. Right on. And waaaay yummy! After she decorated my office, we went to have a drink on the patio at Hotel San Jose. We tried their famous "Michelada"...a mixed drink of Mexican beer and Bloody Mary-esque spices. Slurp, slurp. YUM.

On Thursday, my girl pals - Katie and Jami - took me for lunch at Ranch 616. I had their fried oyster sandwhich on foccacia bread. The oysters were soooo good. Then creme brulee for dessert. Thanks gals...y'all are the BEST!

Thursday evening when I arrived home from work, I had a special package on my front porch from my Mom and Dad. It was full of wonderful surprises. A really fun dress and cool sweater bought from a boutique in Aspen and an awesome silver cuff bracelet and earrings from a artisan store in Breckenridge, CO. I love my stuff, Mommy and Daddy! Muah!

On the morning of my birthday, I arrived at work to find a GORGEOUS flower arrangement created and arranged for me by my co-workers. It was super sweet! Katie gave me bag full of chocolate kisses and old fashioned candied necklaces and candy dots. :) How fun! And Ella thinks the idea of a necklace made of candy is about the coolest thing she's EVER seen. Ahhhh to be young.

Later in the day, Tiff's Treats were delivered to the office, courtesy of FG SQUARED in honor of my b-day. Double yum. As if that were not ENOUGH already...my co-workers then called a meeting in the conference room at 4pm to give me ANOTHER gift. OMG! Inside the adorably-wrapped box was a gift card to my absolute favorite store...Anthropologie. I still can't believe they did that!

The cherry on top was dinner that night with Neil and Ella at the Cheesecake Factory - complete with singing waiters.

I mean this, everybody...thank you thank you thank you for making this the bestest bd ever. It's one that I will never forget.

.beautiful day.

Oh how I love a spring day. It's March 11 here in Austin, TX...the Red Bud trees are in FULL, glorious bloom. It's almost as if the landscape has become an impressionist painting - with bright pink brush strokes almost everywhere you look. I love it.

The sky is the most perfect shade of blue imaginable...and the birds are singing their best ensembles outside my office window. The anticipation of the SXSW Music Festival is high!

Oh SPRINGTIME...how I love thee.