Goodbye, Dear Friend



We knew that this day would come.  We've talked about it occasionally as we saw her limp a little more than usual.  We just kept hoping it could be put off a little longer.  A couple weeks ago Princess went camping with Dad and the kids.  She fell in the creek and she just hasn't been the same since.  Last night it became apparent that she couldn't take care of herself any longer.  So, this morning at a little past nine, Princess left this world for a better place.  She will be greatly missed.  Her are the things I have loved the most about her:

• She was such a sweet dog and she loved everybody.  She always wanted to be near the people she loved.  I remember when I would come home from college or for a visit she would run circles around me.  She usually ended up sleeping on the foot of my bed sometime during the night.  Even in the last couple of weeks she would lay at my feet even though I know she would have been more comfortable on her soft bed.
• She loved cats.  When Mom and Dad moved in with me, my cats were not very thrilled.  By the end, she had become friends with most of them.  Sandy even came out and sat with us last night as I worked with Princess trying to help her feel better.  This is saying a lot because Sandy did not like Princess at all in the beginning.  In fact, I wondered if we would survive having them in the same household.   
• She loved cookies and bones, but she would never eat them.  She loved to bury them.  If she was in the house when she got one she would spend the longest time wandering around trying to find a good place  to put it.  We found cookies under the couch cushions occasionally.  One night I woke up in the middle of the night because she was trying to bury a cookie between my bed and the wall.  I was a little annoyed at the time, but it makes me laugh now.

We will really miss this loving, sweet, faithful friend.  I truly believe, however, that we will see her again.  She won't be old and tired anymore, just beautiful and happy.

Here are some pictures of Princess:

This picture is of Taylor and Princess.  He's twelve years old now, which means Princess was about the same age.  That's 75 in dog years.  She had a good long life.

You could always tell when Princess wasn't happy.

And this is when she was happiest, camping with Dad.

P.S. If you want to share your memories of Princess you can write them in the comments.  I think that would be a great comfort to Dad.

Fairy Tea Party in the Woods

Cassidy spent her birthday with us and wanted a tea party for it.  I wasn't able to do it before Dad took the kids up to the campground so we changed it to a fairy tea party in the woods.  Here's what was on the menu:

Unicorn Calzones

Sugar and Spice Sandwich Swirls (except I didn't do the swirl part)

Mini Angel Food Cakes with Blueberry Pie Filling

and

Strawberry Milk

I went up the day before and made flower crowns for them.  They got to choose their own papers for the flowers.  I let them try the crowns on and then we stowed them away for the next day.

This was a "no boys allowed" event so I made plates of food for them and they were exiled.  For a while, they watched from a rock a little ways away.

JJ, Taylor, and Burke (the orange behind the tree) watching from afar.

Kelsie was a big help.  She helped me set everything up and she took most of the pictures.  When everything was ready we called the girls together.  Since it was a fairy tea party they had to pretend they were fairies and have their pictures taken.

Then, the feast began!

I love the looks on their faces in this picture.  It was a happy day!

KayLee entertained us quite a bit.  I think she may be attempting the "Aldridge look" in this picture.  Dad taught it to her.

 It got a little goofy near the end!

When the girls were done, I let the boys come and finish everything off.  I think they enjoyed it more than the girls!