to pace yourself when drinking puppy champagne!

So today was Sweetie McGee's first birthday! She started out with a little happy birthday song that her Mama and I sang to her. Then it was a rollercoaster ride of treats, walks, fetch, and naptime. The highlight of the day was a puppy shopping spree. Her Mama and I took her to a really cute puppy boutique shop in Cedar Park/N. Austin. If you have a dog and live in Austin you must go by. The lady that owns it is so sweet. She stayed open an extra hr to help us out, and loves making the dogs that shop there so happy. It's called Doggie Deli Boutique http://www.doggiedeliboutique.com/. On the spree Sweetie picked out a new harness and leash, as well as some new toys, treats, and a party hat. She got a cookie shaped like a bday cake, and some treats in the shape of a burger and fries. By the time we got home she was so excited to play and try her new treats she ran in circles for a whole 5 minutes!! Then it was puppy nap time. Oh well it's only her first bday, and a wonderful one at that. Here are some pics I hope you enjoy them.

As for the rest of us that don't get to nap whenever we want, and lick ourselves in public, today was still nice. A gorgeous morning with blue skies and 70 degrees turned into a blistering hot 100 degrees and as musty as the old guys that play racquetball at my gym. However the morning was wonderfully peaceful. I've recently started using a french press to make fresh coffee in the morning and I'm really enjoying this new coffee I've gotten. It's called Costa Rica Tarrazu by Archer Farms. It is absolutely delicious. As I sat with an english muffin and my new perfect coffee I felt like I needed the perfect soundtrack to get my work done. I created an Aretha Franklin radio station on Pandora.com to listen to while I worked. I think it's pretty impossible to listen to those old soul artists and be anything but in a wonderful mood. So here is my challenge for tomorrow. If you haven't discovered www.pandora.com you need to check it out NOW! Go there and get started it's free! Once you've created an account start building stations. But tomorrow I want to challenge everyone to make a station that is from that old soul era. James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, etc., and listen to it for a couple of hours. I'm curious to see what it does to your day and current mood, because it had such a wonderful affect on mine, so leave me a comment and let me know.

I'll leave you with a thought today. It may seem silly or ridiculous to throw a birthday party for your dog (if you don't have a furry family member of your own), but something amazing happens to you when you share your love with someone else, no matter how many legs they have. The time we spend on this earth is so short, it's a shame to not give yourself as many great moments as possible. So whether it's great coffee, a song that takes you back, or a ridiculous party for your furry friend, make an effort to add something to make your time special everyday. Goodnight.