The Shaffers

awesome husband award!

Guess what I came home to today! (BTW, I did NOT Photoshop these at all - they are gorgeous!) 

Getting ready to go to our annual birthday sushi feast...  :)

Whoa... I am really behind on this posting stuff...

More to come later.  As for tonight - I'm celebrating!  :)

#7 - #14

#14) I've learned... that you should leave the haircuts to the professionals. (Reference: the big pigtail debacle of my earlier years when i thought one pigtail was quite enough and proceeded to snip the other one off.)

#13) I've learned... that there CAN be a little tail on the end of a capital "U".  (Ironically I had to learn this lesson twice in my life - once when I was 10, the other when I was 27. Jenny, you knew this one was going to make the list...)

#12) I've learned... that you can't pay for something with a Kleenex.

#11) I've learned... that no matter how finely you chop onions, they're still onions.  And I WILL find them.

#10) I've learned... that if you poop on your mom as a baby (yes it was diarrhea and yes she was wearing a white outfit), you will hear about it at least once a year for the rest of your life.

#9) I've learned... that you should always use the spell check (or just spell things right in the first place). People can make many assumptions about you simply based on your spelling ability.  (And yes, I totally had to spell check "diarrhea".  I'm an A+ speller, but let's be realistic...)

#8) I've learned... that it doesn't matter how big your house is, it just matters what's in it.  Wait, that didn't sound right... Ok, what matters are the people and the love that are in it.

#7) I've learned... that I have no idea how we existed before cell phones, debit cards, and the internet. (I'm feeling the pain since I lost my debit card this week... agh!)

#15

#15) I've learned... to stop and smell the flowers. ok, so water them first, THEN stop and smell them. {if you were over @ the house this weekend, this was one of the sunflowers I killed.  amazing what a little water will do...}

PS - Craig gave me my birthday present early. I am SO in LOVE. {yes, i'm referring to craig of course, although i could very easily be in love with this new camera too}.  He is so very thoughtful and loving.  I'm seriously a lucky girl.  :)

#16 - #25

#25)  I've learned... that I find it very difficult to finish the things I start. ;)

#24) I've learned... to rejoice in what I have and to know that fresh new experiences are always ahead.

#23) I've learned... that some surprises are worth waiting for.

#22) I've learned... to think before taking action when it comes to big life decisions. Sometimes your desire to want something will be squelched by the negative consequences that come along with it.

#21) I've learned... that oftentimes it's really hard to remember #22.

#20) I've learned... that what's socially acceptable and what feels right may be two different things.  Go with what feels right 99% of the time.

#19) I've learned... that the tendencies you have early in life usually show up later in life {playing school, arts and crafts, etc.}

#18) I've learned... that true love is taking the seeds out of the watermelon before you serve it {thanks, Baba!}

#17) I've learned... not to be too quick to judge others, yet be observant enough to know when someone has a negative influence on you or your surroundings.

#16) I've learned... that having quiet time every day is a must...

...which is what I'm about to do right now.  :)

 

#26

I've learned... that if you drop a puppy on its head at the pet store, at that point you should probably take him home with you.

#27

#27) I've learned... that no matter how old you are you can always count on your mom: for moral support, for a helping hand, for a good laugh, or for a solid kick in the tush.  :)

Thanks SO MUCH for your help today on our patio, mom.  Can't wait for the day we can all just sit and relax on it together!

#28

#28) i've learned... that the simple things you take for granted in your early years... (such as going to pump water, then going out for hot dogs, then convincing your grandfather that you need ice cream too...) are some of the fondest memories 20 years down the road.

here's the hot dog stand we always went to. it's a little hole in the wall with BIG memories for my family back in chicago.  i was there probably 52 times by the time i was 10 years old with just about every member of my family, but when i think of when it was most special was when i was with my grandparents (sorry mom)...

and here's an actual picture of one of their hot dogs  - they actually smoosh the french fries into the hot dog (hold on while i wipe the gobs of drool from my keyboard)...