I love how relaxed Artem is in this picture but I hate the shadow the flash made. I think my next big purchase for the camera is an external flash. Maybe I'll ask for it for Valentine's Day. Nothing says, "Happy Valentine's Day sweetie!" like an external flash.
7/365
Artem has always worn my flip flops around the house and I've got a million blackmail pictures for when he is older. The other day I noticed he's progressed from flip flops to my Nikes.
8/365
We have a neighborhood dog that we call Ditch. We've lived in this house since 2002 and for as long as I can remember, Ditch has been here. He literally lives in the ditch, hence the name; we are so creative, and he's never bothered anyone. Quite the opposite, he goes out of his way to get away from people when they come near. Everyday when Artem, Bella, and I take our daily walk, we go by Ditch. We stop and say hello and Artem waves at Ditch. Ditch doesn't run from us, he knows we don't mean him any harm.
A couple ladies in the area feed Ditch and people are always leaving him bones and table scraps in his bowls that sit on the side of the road on a cement slab. We always joke that Ditch is the best fed dog in the neighborhood.
In the past people have tried to catch him. They've even gone as far as putting sleeping medicine in his food so they could get him. Just when they thought it had taken affect and tried to get near him, Ditch mustered up the strength to run away. Ditch wasn't going to be caught and kept in someones backyard. He belonged to nature and loved the freedom.
A couple years ago we had a whoper of an ice storm and I was worried about Ditch getting cold. I cried to Randy that Ditch needed a dog house so my dear husband carried wood, tools, hay, and shovels down into the ditch in the freezing cold and built Ditch a dog house into the side of the creek bed. He built it solid and lined it with hay and even crawled inside to make sure it was warm and that water wouldn't get in. For the years following, you could see where Ditch had made a path in the grass that led to the dog house Randy built him.
Last week I drove by the creek like I do everyday and listened to Artem yell, "Ditch?" from the back seat like he does every single time we drive by. I didn't see Ditch that day, but noticed there were flowers laying where Ditch's food bowl is always at, but no food bowls. I called a friend that lives on our street and she said she saw a sign last week that said Ditch had died. No reason given, just the date and that our dear friend Ditch was gone. A day later I saw that someone had built this container from bricks and people were putting flowers in the container as a way to memorialize the sweet dog that didn't have just one family, but many. Rest in peace old boy, you will be missed!
9/365
I couldn't pick just one picture today. I had two favorites.
After an hour of jumping at the gym, Artem had to take a break and watch the action instead of being the action.
It's electric!! Artem's hair stood on end every time he went down the bouncy house slide.
10/365
How does he stand to wear them this way??
11/365
Happy Birthday to my friend Wanda. I have been practicing taking pictures where the closest image is clear and the images in the back are blurred. I still need more practice, but I'm getting there.
