In Celebration of the Irish Clear Hound

First, put on these beer goggles.

Meet Sparky, My Irish Clear Hound.  I'm not sure how old she is but she sure is plucky!

Everyone should relieve themselves before the big event, to avoid unnecessary stops.

Places, everybody.

Stay close to your loved ones once all the fun begins.

Ready, set, go!

Be yourself and have fun.

Dance like there's no one looking.

Really show your spirit.

I hope you all had as much fun this week as I did meeting up with others who share my affection for this breed of dog.  I recommend the Clear Hound to anyone. No mess, no fuss, no shedding.  They are totally hypo-allergenic and they never make a sound.  Training is easy-peasy with these beauties, who were originally bred for their incredibly stealthy stalking skills while hunting, but who really make excellent family pets as well.  They are rare, and sometimes hard to find, but worth the effort, and they are surprisingly inexpensive compared to other exclusive new breeds.   Happy St. Patrick's Day folks!

A-B-C, easy as 1-2-3, simple as do-re-mi, baby you and me

Note how she tries to take the camera with Righy? That's my girl. When you have a beverage in your hand, just get what you want with the other. I's no big deal, when you are Hannah the Bold.

Only six months to get back up on that horse again

Six months after Hannah got this hobby horse for her birthday she was finally willing to take a little ride in the basement.   Right after she tried to stick some keys in an outlet.  Age two is evertyhing we could have hoped for. 

and her little world turned upside down

This came as a surprise:

things I'll regret saying in front of Claire

"That is totally freaking me out."

I said it a few weeks ago when Lord Honey played a YouTube video clip of dancing babies who also break dance, ride skateboards down flights of stairs, and roller blade.  All wearing things just short of wife beater t-shirts and gold necklaces, and with moves to match the clothes, so I was justifiably freaked out.  I knew immediately it was a bad idea because she found ways to use the phrase appropriately within minutes.  She stopped saying it eventually and I was somewhat relieved that she was less freaked out. 

Yesterday, as we drove away from the home of her future husband who was celebrating his fifth birthday in style, Claire used the phrase again.

Mommy: Did you have a good time at the party? Is Logan your boyfriend today?
Claire: He is my boyfriend every day. 
Mommy: You don't say that on the days when he hits you, or when he won't let you hug him at school.
Claire:  I always love him, Mommy.
Mommy: Well, I don't think you should marry him if he hits you.

Claire:  Well, sometimes he hits me because I freak out. 
Mommy: Why do you freak out, Claire?  I don't understand.

Claire: Sometimes I think he is going to hit me and I just freak out, and then he does hit me.

I am now officially freaked out, myself.

Good things in dance class, February 2011

Claire wins the race, along with everybody else

Despite Claire's superior reasoning and logic, she has not yet realized the fallacy behind everybody getting a first place medal. No matter, it is enough that she got a medal, didn't fall, and only hit one gate a little tiny bit.

Joy.

My day care can beat up your day care. After the race they fed us pizza and sodas and the proud and excited parents took a lot of pictures and froze our butts off.

This is the young man Claire intends to marry. I think he shows every sign of having a soul patch and being underemployed while he skis his way through his twenties and thirties, but Claire sees her prince. Except she loves him less on the days he doesn't let her hug him, and then insists that he will not be coming to her birthday.