Hill's Healthy Mobility Challange For Your Fur Babies!

This post brought to you by Hills Pet Nutrition. All opinions are 100% mine.

We love our Dog Lucky, and as an owner to the most fun loving Jack Russell terror in the world, our  family is adamant in providing him with the basic needs that will ensure him with a long and happy life style. These basic needs incudes food, shelter, and lots of love! When I recently learned about the Hill's Healthy Mobility Challenge at Hill's Pet Nutrition I was eager to share this fun and exciting opportunity with you. The Hill's Pet Mobility challenge encourages you to switch your dog’s food to Science Diet Healthy Mobility Food to  promote an active and healthy life for your fur babies. This is a great opportunity for you track your pet's progress over 30 days and then come back to their Facebook page and share your story. To give you an idea what this product offers, here is a list of the research behind the Hill’s Science Diet:

• Revolutionary, tested nutrition specifically formulated to help dogs facing quality-of-life changes due to mobility problems
• High levels of omega-3 fatty acids for enhanced active mobility and improved joint flexibility in just 30 days
• EPA, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate for essential bone and joint cartilage support
• High-quality lean proteins for lean muscle and ideal body weight
• Clinically proven antioxidant blend for healthy immune function

Our dog is approaching his sixth birthday, and we want to ensure he will live a long and healthy life. That’s why I am registering for the challenge on their Hill's Pet Nutrition on Facebook. When you register for the challenge, you not only get the chance to improve your pet's lifestyle, but you will receive $30 in Hill's Healthy Mobility Coupon offers. Registering automatically enters you in a sweepstakes where 30 winners will receive FREE pet food for a year! This is a great contest, and most of all, it's all for the love and health of your most loved pet. I encourage everyone to go over and learn about Hill's Pet Nutrition to find out which products are best for your four-legged friend!          

                        

"Let loose of what you can't control. Serenity will be yours"

 

Excellent article on Letting Go Uncontrollables and Unchangeables. These are a few photos that make me think of peace or "letting go". The sunset photo was from our  very last sunset at the Lake. I think that is my most favorite part, the moment where the sun touches the water. It's such a glory of nature seeing the Sun; the  provider of life and energy being so vulnerable. Next year I will have to focus on photographing sunsets at the beach. My little girl was memorized by the sunset and couldn't stop jumping up and down " It's going down, it's going down"!! While clapping her hands. I live near the lake-shore by the way. The worst of it is when we get hit by the snow lake affect in the winter. I can't begin to describe to you how much I am dreading the thought of another winter.

A Birthday Fit For a Prince.

 

 I hope my son forgives me for the God awful amount of sugar on that fondant cake.  I had to do a separate photo session with him since the lightning at his party was very dim. As you may have read, my last child turned 1 years old a few days ago. On his birthday we took him to a local water park where he splashed around with all the other big kids for at least an hour and a half. We know he enjoys that place so much and all the big kids love playing with him so we knew this park was perfect for his day. The following day we celebrated his "party" at a Go-cart center. It was the first time I ever hosted a child's birthday party. I think I did pretty well and kept costs low. I decided not to buy him  any gifts  since he has plenty of toys at home including those of his big sisters'. I know my husband was a little shocked when he saw the cake I brought home. He was puzzled and  with a grunt he said, " this is a wedding cake"! I told him, "well, these types of cakes are trending with kids right now" [ BIG SMIRK] and I continued to explain to him that Adrian is my last baby and we decided we are no longer going  to have any more children( this is definite);  SO therefore, I am going to make  his first birthday special for ALL of us! I must say, It was a great day indeed. Everyone at the party had a good time. My parents and family had nothing but similes on their faces and to see them smile and happy makes me happy.  I have yet to give my daughter a big party, so I promise to make it a special day for her 3rd birthday this coming December.

Mas VIDA

 This blog is under construction, so bare with me please. I took this photo last week when my daughter and I were walking around the rose garden. Sure, there were plenty of healthy firm roses, but, this one had character and strong details. I thought it was beautiful in it's own unique way.  Lately,  I have been thinking a lot about my big sister who lives in Orlando. She just got engaged and will marry within 7 months.My children are going to be the flower kids so it will be an exciting event for the whole family, accept, one little unfortunate detail... the groom's mother's has cancer. His mother Debra fought Leukemia a couple of years ago and unfortunately, we found out yesterday that her cancer has returned in her spine. She will undergo chemotherapy this whole month and will need a bone marrow transplant. Debra is only 47 years old and a mother to two children and three grand-kids. She is fighting for her life, and what I admire about this woman is her extremely positive attitude. Her son took a photo of her and shared it on Facebook. She has visible bandages all around her neck and chest, but she is dressed in casual dressy cloths. Her hair is combed nicely and although her eyes look weakened, her smile is strong. Heck, I don't even look that good on a regular day,  which shows you she is not letting this thing take her down, the woman is a trooper. This is what she responded to us on FB what we asked her what we could to do to help her, she said," Pray for the cure for all not just one...if they find even one the rest will follow...I know this in my heart".  and this my freinds I leave with you tonight to think about. Let's raise awareness on this terrible disease.Check out some great information on Cancer Awareness.

National Breast Cancer Foundation

American Cancer Society   

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society 

Run For The Cure 

Just Beachin' it

I must confess, I had the most wonderful time with my family this weekend. I am so happy and thankful my husband has been so involved this summer.  I can't begin to tell you how much FUN we are having as a family. We live fairly close to Lake Michigan, and if your from the Mid-West, you know when the Sun comes in season we are ALL out at the Great Lakes. We usually like to go to the beach about an hour before sun sets. That is when the weather has cooled off and the sky  looks extraordinary. Depending on what lake you go to, the Great Lakes have really beautiful and clean beaches. What admire most about going to beach is watching my children play. I love how Lexi splashes in the water with so much joy and excitement as she tumbles in the waves. My little Gordito ( Chunk) is a little timid at the beach at first, but he calmly warms his way to the shore and  loves to tap the water. My husband stands in the water and goes back and forth between the two of them. He really does well with our children, very engaging and loving. Than there is me with the camera. Almost every moment is captured with a snap. What I love the best about ending a perfect day at the beach is going out to eat ( Go Figure). This weekend was at Applebee's. I don't think it has hit me yet that I will be leaving them for a whole week. I am going to miss them.... a lot!

Lexi getting into character

Adrian staring deep in the outskirts of the sunset

Sweet moment. Lexi comes from behind and hugs him

She refuses to let me photograph her

Our Buzzy Bee

Caution, this is one of those  mommy "bragging" posts. Our little buzzy bee is now 2 and a half years old. It use to be that we kept track of her age with month-days ( like birthdays). For example, 8 months old, 15 months, 26 months. I just used my fingers and it appears that she is 30 months old. After a certain point,  you just stop counting, and that's when you know you no longer have a little baby. If could describe her in one word, it would be dazzling. She is that little girl that brightens the room when she walks in. She is extremely freindly, sociable,  and seeks out the crowd in a playground. She doesn't care how old the kids are, she wants to be your friend.  I often have to tell her to leave the older kids alone! I don't think there is a day where she doesn't make us laugh. She learns new sayings very day. Her latest saying, " do you want to play games"? I know it sounds simple to the average person, but when those little new sentences come out we are shocked with laughter. Also, she almost has the ABC's song down. Right now we are working on counting in Spanish.
And finally, she has potty training down. Not perfect of course, she has her little secret accidents, but I am proud to report the potty training challenges are almost a pain of the past! Her favorite gadget is  my Iphone. She loves it so much she wakes up with it, thanks to all the awesome toddler freindly apps. So there she goes, my little buzzy buzzy bee. In this photo she is wearing her Bee costume, she wanted to wear it to the playground, and I say, why not?

A Nostalgic Weekend

We had a beautiful weekend this fourth of July 2011. I drove down to my mother's home ( an hour away) and stayed the night with the kiddos. It's always a treat for my parents when the kids stay the night and since gas is so high, It makes the trip that much worth it to stay the night.  My daughter absolutely loves her grandma and "pa pa". So, this weekend I attended the air show, carnival and balloon launch. Unfortunately, there was too much wind for the balloons to launch but they still had them lined up for show. The weather was just comfortable and perfect so that was a bonus.

Woof! Woof!

Even a dog has a story. Meet Lucky! This is actually my parent's Jack Russel Terroir, but Lexi and I love him like he was ours. He is about 6 years old and has snow white fur. He really is a beautiful dog.My mom is always complaining that she is going to give him away but of course, they never do because I know they love him very much.  My parents took him in as a puppy when I moved out with my husband when we were dating. Although, I left for college before this time was different because I think we all knew I was not coming  back. My parents were so depressed that they got a dog to make up for the "lost". Lmbo. Six years later, my parents survived having all 3 of their big old kids leave, but rest assure, their little hero Lucky still stands beside them . :)