On Pets and Happiness

This may or may not have just been an excuse to share some more pictures of Pippin with you. He is always so golden, I don't quite understand it myself. I'm always blown away when I look back at pictures I took of him. Like , I actually captured that. I bottled all your weirdness up and put it in this photograph. Is my dog-mom showing? I took these yesterday afternoon in the 78 degree heat while we took a little break from our hike at the top of Camels Back.

Sometimes I just look down at this little fella curled up on my lap and it doesn't seem real. How can something bring me so much happiness? Sure he can be pretty stinky, and he tries to hump guests sometimes, and he barks at the kind neighbors, and he doesn't eat his nutrabits (okay, inside joke). But I love him and he loves me/maybe has some attachment issues. It is amazing how much happiness this stinky butt brings. I wouldn't trade him and all his weird little quirks for any other pet. Our family feels complete with him around. He's part of the pack.

Hope you're enjoying a lovely, warm day.
xx Emorie

P.s. Why does blogger destroy the quality of my gifs? Ugh.

Texture Samples | Signs of Spring

It's been raining constantly and fiercely for quite a few days. When I didn't wake up to the pounding sound of rain on the roof this morning, I knew I had to get out first thing and hit the trails with Pip. We've been itching to go hiking for days, seeing as it is or regular morning routine to do so. I love the rain, but it is a bit of a bummer when it keeps you from your daily walk through the hills. Mudslides are kind of a thing, haha. This morning was lovely, to say the least. We went an extra long route to give our legs the stretch they needed. It was rather cold and windy (I was bundled up in a hat and down coat), but I rarely noticed. Spring is starting to take life in these hills and it is wonderful.

If you ask me, the best time to go out on the trails (well, besides, you know, everyday...) is the day after it's been storming. There is hardly anyone out there, except maybe a few trail crew teams filling up holes left by the rain. You may even see some deer! And there are lots of treasures to find all over the place from the plant life having been blown about. I collected some pretty pieces to hang inside. Pippin wasn't too fond of the treasures, he got tumbleweed stuck to his face on several separate occasions, haha. He also didn't quiet understand my picture taking and decided to munch on all the grass I tried to photograph. Whatever, jokes on you Pippin — it totally enhances the image :)

See the first post in the Texture Sample series: The Foothills Near Our Home in Late February

xx Emorie

This Will Have To Do

I've been laughing over these pictures since taking them this morning and just had to share. Pippin and I went out for our normal walk/casual hike in the foothills this morning, and oh goodness it is a beautiful day — rather chilly and terribly windy, but definitely beautiful. I couldn't help getting out on the trails, and Pippin sure doesn't mind when we've got the hills too ourselves. I had my phone on me (I was expecting/hoping for a call), so I decided to try to get a picture of him, when we were standing up on the top of the ridge. He sniffs at the the air so enthusiastically, and looks rather small but majestic with his fur flapping about. Then this happened:



Hahaha! Right when I'd try to take a picture of him he'd either shake out viciously, jump from to side to side of the trail, or try to climb up me. I guess he was a little excited to be out and running free off leash. My next attack plan was to sit and try to get him on my lap for a selfie. Well...



He, of course, just wanted to lick my face. I don't know how I didn't see that one coming. I let him off my lap after that and decided to take a calming rest on that ridge. I love sitting up there and looking down at how small Boise is. It is also a rare treat to have the trails all to ourselves. I snapped one more picture, right before standing up to continue our hike and captured this:



This will have to do. I actually rather like it; I think it captured our spirits this morning perfectly.

I hope I didn't get you too excited, in my post yesterday, by promising a giveaway today. Because unfortunately it has been post-poned until tomorrow. So get excited for a giveaway tomorrow. Again. Please forgive me. Life stuff happens, you know?

xx Emorie

Just Because

Here are some blurry iPhone pictures of Pippin enjoying the meat off a bone last night, just because. They probably would have been more in focus if I hadn't been laughing so hard. After Pippin picked off the little bits of meat from the bone, he was determined to go hide it somewhere for later. He didn't understand why we wouldn't let him wonder off with it and insisted he had to stay on the towel (we strategically placed on the floor); confusion and hilarity followed.

I'm that embarrassing mom with a camera in your face when you least want it, aren't I?
Regardless, he is the luckiest little pup in the world.

xx Emorie

*For the record, this was completely his granddad's idea. So spoiled.