As Wyatt put it, "This is the best Christmas EVER!"
This year the grandma's made Christmas pretty awesome. There were Lego's and makeup, dolls and beyblades, some clothes and movies, video games and the ultimate gift was DS's.
From us the kids got a slightly early gift.
On the 17th, I answered an ad on craigslist for a dog needing a good home. The person who had the dog wanted it to go to a family with a good yard. The dog is a female boxer between 1 1/2 to 2 years old.
We took Braxton over to meet her and make sure they were compatible. We especially didn't tell the kids because I didn't want to get their hopes up. Every once in a while Kelly would remark how she still missed Lucy, that devils spawn. So I thought how cool, I should try to get her a dog for Christmas. I searched the humane society but every dog except for 3 were pitbull mixes so I checked around and my mom suggested craigslist. I found an ad where a woman had found a boxer and no one had claimed her and she couldn't keep her. I answered thinking I had no chance, I mean come

on, the pictures show a pure boxer and she is cute. I received an answer Friday night and we agreed to meet Saturday. Except for her trying to lord it over Braxton she was great. So we took her home to take a test run and if it didn't work out we could give her back. Yeah, I don't plan on giving her back. Except for a few quirks she is pretty cool.
We have named her Bella, (you know our breed game, boxers, Brewtus, Braxton) she is a cuddle monster, likes to lay either on you or beside you. If you get up to get something its very likely that she will take your seat. My biggest gripe right now is that I can't leave her in the house without her destroying things.
Case in point. The kids and I left for one hour, when we returned the house was in shambles. The knocked over the laundry bucket and had socks thrown everywhere. Bella had the metal garbage can  knocked over and garbage strewn around the kitchen. We had a plastic bag of clothes from grandmas house that was destroyed and spread down the hallway. There was a box of macaroni and cheese chewed on and ground into the living room rug and I found the guilty party in my craft room where she had opened a new package of quilt batting and had a mouthful of it.

Due to this episode I occasionally call her Lucy.

Lets see, I have been on the news in the morning with my photos and the news channel posted the picture on their Facebook page.
Oh wait, on the 10th I did a craft fair with me showcasing Park lane. That was a bust but the lesson learned was inspiring. Across the room was two woman with nature photos on cards, photos matted and framed. I watched as more people bought the photo cards from them then purchased anything from anyone else. Even my mother in law bought two cards from them.
This really hit me hard.
It was a light bulb on for a couple of reasons, one, what to make my mother in law for Christmas and another, for me to look into selling my own photo cards. I occasionally take some really good shots :) why not try.
I'm going to look into getting into the Tucson Craft and hobby association so that I can find out about the craft fairs around town.
who knows right, and we all have to get started somewhere.
Oh and when I gave my mother in law the 10 photo cards for Christmas?? She said she has no plans to use them she'll keep them for herself. I'm floored and not sure how to take it because she has never commented on any of my nature photos before and my favorites are framed around my house. Go figure, sigh....giggle.
I'm excited about this opportunity.

*Carrie*