The Weekly Austin - 8.31.09

Best Friends - 9.30.2008

Poolside

I recently received three big envelopes in the mail. Each was stuffed with old family photos. Apparently, my sisters have been emptying out my dad's house and distributing the millions of pictures he accumulated over the years.

As soon as I saw these two, I laughed. I have no idea where they were taken. I'd guess it's about 1981 or so, but the location escapes me. 

Who the heck drinks champagne from a paper cup, at the Ramada? Oh yeah, my dad.

I remember spending a lot of time in the water as a kid, both at the beach and at the pool. By the time I was four, I knew how to ask if the hotel had a pool, and figured out in about five minutes how to get there. I always had tan lines, always had tons of bathing suits, and back then, I didn't care what I looked like in them. "She swims like a fish!" my dad would say.

My Aunt Irene taught me to hold my breath and swim underwater, and how to body-surf. Mom taught me about riptides and currents, and Dad? Well, Dad mostly showed me how to look really goddamn cool.

Pugtastic Tuesday - 8.25.09

Staking Their Claim - 8.24.09

This new rug I picked up for the kitchen has quickly become the pugs' favorite hang-out spot. Alabama in particular loves to stretch out and snore in the sunshine.

The Weekly Austin - 8.24.09

Little Cheese - 8.23.09

Just before I took this picture, Austin figured out how to balance one Crayon on top of another. He thought it was the coolest thing ever. Hence, the cheezy grin.

That's Love

I love my husband.

That was the first thing that popped into my head this morning. Before I opened my eyes, I felt the weight of his arm on my hip, flopped over across my stomach. I could hear him breathing, not awake yet. This is my favorite time of day, my favorite way to wake up. Love. Love in bed next to me, dozing in soft morning light filtered through a thin curtain.

Then he wakes up, the mood is broken, and we descend into ridiculous tickling, belly-button poking, pulling of armpit hairs (his). But love's still there, just like always. It runs under the surface of everything, every day. Even in the middle of a fight, the blood thumping in my ears beats out love for him.

You Are My Goober, and I Love You - 4.01.07

Pugtastic Tuesday - 8.18.09

Today on "This Pug House," ... 10.30.06

The pugs dealt pretty well with all of our renovations, until we started on the kitchen. Pugly was very upset about having to eat breakfast on the patio, and 'Bama missed her rug by the sliding door where she spent hours laying in the sun. They expressed their concerns by leaving piles of poo on the rug in Austin's room. What can I say? I have classy, classy dogs.

The Weekly Austin - 8.17.09

Peepers - 7.14.09

I'm overflowing with love for this kid. My boy. My Bug. Bubba. Lil Man. Boo. A million nicknames for one little person. His baby chub is melting away and leaving a lean little boy behind. His face is taking on a more adult shape; hands and feet are growing and learning new tricks. But his eyes...his eyes are the same: Huge. Blue. Rimmed with long, black lashes that seem a stark contrast to his reddish-blonde hair. Eyes that are full of love and trust and joy.

My boy. I love you!