- Annie

Penny was one of five puppies that were dropped off at the rescue center in the middle of the night with their mama. She was the first one to be adopted, so we got to meet all her siblings which was fun! This little guy was SUPER cute! And of course Noah was right in the middle of the puppies from the moment we got there!

Emma was a little more overwhelmed and timid, but she handled it really well! I was so proud of both of them!

*melt*

Penny rode home on my lap and was so quiet and content almost the whole time (a 2 hour and 20 minute drive)! The only sound she did make was when she was dreaming. AND she kept the towel dry for the ride home – double win.

Since the light at the foster family’s house was awful and it was much crazier with all 5 puppies, I took a minute to grab a shot of the kids with Penny when we got to my family’s house for Thanksgiving dinner. My sister, Abbey, was head over heels in about 10 seconds.

Love.

- Annie

It weighs on me – their loss. All such good people… In the last week I’ve cried for all three of the women who have lost someone so close to them. My heart aches for them. I feel exhausted by the idea that the darkness that once visited me is ever looming in the back of my head – waiting to make my heart freeze with fear or possibly to make me sick again someday. Even more than the residual fear that I will always have, I feel responsibility.

I’ll never understand why I was chosen to live. This confusion and gratitude must be somewhat similar to what people who survive an accident feel when they live and someone else in that accident doesn’t make it. It’s unnerving sometimes… I feel such an overwhelming calling to make it count. If God chose me to live when so many other people die or lose their loved ones, I feel like I need to make sure He knows I’m grateful. He needs to know I was worth sparing… He needs to see me living with purpose. It’s something that I honestly believe I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.

Part of that for me is treasuring every single moment I’m given. So when I read this on Jen’s blog today, I just had to share.

- Annie

“There is a story of a woman running away from tigers. She runs and runs and the tigers are getting closer and closer. When she comes to the edge of a cliff, she sees some vines there, so she climbs down and holds on to the vines. Looking down, she sees that there are tigers below her as well. She then notices that a mouse is gnawing away at the vine to which she is clinging. She also sees a beautiful little bunch of strawberries close to her, growing out of a clump of grass. She looks up and she looks down. She looks at the mouse. Then she just takes a strawberry, puts it in her mouth, and enjoys it thoroughly. Tigers above, tigers below. This is actually the predicament that we are always in, in terms of our birth and death. Each moment is just what it is. It might be the only moment of our life; it might be the only strawberry we’ll ever eat. We could get depressed about it, or we could finally appreciate it and delight in the preciousness of every single moment of our life.” ― Pema Chödrön

- Annie

- Marianne Williamson

- Annie

Onion and Pear Compote

Ingredients:

• 1 large sweet onion (about 4 cups)
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 pears peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
• 2 Tbsp raspberry vinegar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Sauté onions in oil over medium heat until softened and browned.
2. Reduce heat and cook 10 more minutes.
3. Add all other ingredients and cook until pears are slightly softened but still crisp.
4. Using a slotted spoon, romove the pears and onions from the skillet into a bowl, leaving behind as much of the liquid as possible.
5. Increase heat to medium and cook until the mixture has thickened into a glaze.
6. Mix into the pears and onions.
7. Make sure to refrigerate what you don’t use right away.

I had something similar over baked Brie at Argentine Bean so I did a quick recipe search the next time I was at Kroger and found this. Blue cheese isn’t something I like, but I’m glad I tried the jam recipe! Delicious!! The way I diced my onions and pears made it more like a compote, but I wanted to keep the pieces bigger since I love the texture of pears. I had a little bit today over a wedge of The Laughing Cow Swiss cheese… Yum.

Hope you enjoy!
Annie

- Annie

Also, this came for their room the a little while ago and I’m SO excited about it!!

- Annie

02.03.12 – Conversations

02.04.12 – Pretend

02.05.12 – Family
All the photos of me were taken by Toby.

02.06.12 – Visit with Amanda

02.07.12 – Traveling to Sessions

02.08.12 – Bathtime

02.09.12 – Time with the Kiddos and a Visit from Grandma

02.10.12 – Snow… Finally.

02.11.12 – At the Scherrer House

02.12.12 – Writing Her Valentines

02.13.12 – Winter Day

- Annie