Beautiful Surprise

Today was my first day back at work - it was actually easier than I thought it was going to be, but that was solely because Bella was still getting over a cold so Justin stayed home with her and I didn't have to take her to day care yet - and when I got home Justin had a surprise for me to keep my spirits up.

He took a bunch of videos we've taken since Father's Day and put it to the song I had in a previous post... my wonder boy makes my heart happy! It's too good not to share:

Family Fun

We had our first family outing on Saturday, and best of all, Justin planned the whole thing! We started the daytrip by jumping on a train... there's a scenic train that goes through the metroparks (little known fact about Ohio - there's a beautiful metroparks system here, a little bit of Colorado I get with me here) from Cleveland to Akron. At the end of the train ride we hopped on a bus and spent a few hours at the local zoo. All in all, it was a pretty perfect day!

what our family looks like at the zoo:

she lights up my life, I love her lots

We had to kick a couple kids out for our photo op

Our little turtle doesn't like the water so much!

J's wingspan isn't quite as impressive as the eagle

Apparently Bella and I weigh nearly as much as a lion
Pretty sure the scale was broke, but sometimes it feels like it. frick.

In My Arms

A song I came across on a fellow blogger's page and have fallen in love with it... not only doess she have an amazing sound and a phenomenal voice. This particular song I feel like, at least starts in some way to explain the incredibly fierce love I have for Baby Girl.

In My Arms - Plumb

your baby blues so full of wonder

your curley cues your contagious smile

and as I watch you start to grow up

all I can do is hold you tight knowing

clouds will rage and storms will race in

but you will be safe in my arms

rains will pour down waves will crash all around

but you will be safe in my arms

story books are full of fairy tales

of kings and queens and the bluest skies

My heart is torn just in knowing

you'll someday see the truth from lies

when the clouds will rage and storms will race in

but you will be safe in my arms

rains will pour down waves will crash all around

but you will be safe in my arms

Castles, they might crumble

dreams may not come true

but you are never all alone

'cause I will always always love you

Thumbs Up Thumbs Down

Thumbs Down: We got Dairy Queen blizzards the other day and they burned Justin's. I wish I were making that up.

Thumbs Up: We got a bunch of coupons in the mail today

Thumbs Down: I got excited about coupons today.

Thumbs Down: I had a fortune cookie today and it didn't have a fortune inside.

Thumbs Up: Bella smiles more and more every day - she lights up my life

Meeker

When I was feeding Bella this morning, I realized that I slept pretty good the night before... Generally I have a husband hogging the bed, a dog creeping on the bed as soon as we've gone to sleep and one of our cats laying on my legs - it's hard to get good shut eye with all that on a queen size bed. I did a quick scan and Justin was surprisingly still there (KIDDING!) so was Rocky but I realized I hadn't seen Meeker in awhile. (For those not familiar about our animal house: we've added a new member to our family every spring since I've moved to Ohio. First Meeker, then Sciota, Rocky and this year Bella.)

I started to get really upset because not only was I not entirely sure Meeker was even missing, but I had no idea how long she's possibly be gone for. I felt horrible, probably especially so because from the beginning it was just me and her. She was my companion while I was chillin' at home unemployed because the economy in Cleveland is just that awesome, and every morning since she runs to our bed when she hears the alarm on my phone, crawls on my stomach (it was a little harder when I was pregnant, not that she didn't try) and she slept in the sink which always made me laugh.

Justin went looking for her this morning outside around the house, and after he left and a tearful phone call to my mom I sat on the back porch and called her name for about five minutes making this clicking sound she usually responded to and sure enough she came waltzing from around the shed in the backyard. I think she was staying underneath the shed in all its nastiness. I've got the shampoo waiting in the utility sink for Justin to give her a bath when he gets home. She's back with a vengence now... she has some street cred, she's already smacked Rocky around a little bit. Anyway, long story short - she was lost, now she's found and the absurd family is complete again. all before noon. :)