I found this a while ago and I thought I would share it. If your dog could teach you, you would learn these things...When loved ones return home, always run to greet them. Never pass up an opportunity to go for a joyride. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be Pure Ecstacy. Take naps. Always stretch before rising. Run, romp and play daily. Thrive on attention and let people touch you. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do. On warm days, stop to lie on your back in the sun. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree. When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk. Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you are not. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle Enjoy every day. While trying to explain to a young boy why dogs don't live as long humans he said he already knew..."people are born so they can learn how to live a good life--like loving everybody and being nice...Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long". HAVE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY LIFE!

Yesterday was Lily's birthday. My beauty girl turned 8 years old. For the first few years of her life, we celebrated with HUGE birthday parties here at home with all of her friends. With all the party preparations demanding so much of my time (including grandparents coming from out of town) I found myself (the consumate cook/baker) too busy to bake and got her cake from Publix. That all changed three years ago when I discovered the appeal of the "offsite birthday party"...CB Smith waterpark to be exact. She wanted a certain cake that is a specialty of mine in the shape of a princess. I used a barbie as the base and her "dress" was made of the cake. BIG HIT! Last year she wanted the same recipe in the shape of a heart...not hard at all but I realized at the last minute that I didn't have what I needed to make the royal icing to write "happy birthday" so I cut the letters out of fruit leather. Also a big hit. Well, this year she didn't have a party. We still went to the waterpark with her best friend and we (our two families) are going to Universal Studios to celebrate our birthdays. The only thing she asked for was that we go out for sushi at her favorite place. Now you must understand, my daughter is obsessed with all things Japanese. Her dad travels to Japan at least once a year, feeding her obsession much like stoking a fire. She has all of the Myazaki movies (Spirited Away, etc.) on DVD, strange little Japanese toys and loves snacking on unusual Japanese candies. So what kind of cake do you think she wanted this year? Cupcakes in the shape of sushi. I did it, of course. Here is a pic. More on my page. How did I do?