Twen-tee-four-teen.

So it's 2014 (these new years always sound so funny at first).  Weird.  It's weird!  We moved to California at the end of 2011.  Bug has lived longer here than she did in Minnesota.

We got this yesterday.

Which is exciting, weird (again with the weird), sad, and maybe the slight feeling of a small burden lifted.  It's always hard to have something so concrete (and recognized by the state) in regards to Bug's health,  but it is what it is.

After a super-busy morning yesterday playing with friends, she refused to nap, so our New Years Eve-ning sunset trip to the beach was foiled by both the fog and her literal inability to stand up or walk after five minutes of running around.  SUPERFUNTIMES.

(Remember to click on the photos to see them less-compressed..)

Rolling into the parking lot.

She pretty much comes alive whenever she gets to the beach.

Never been to the beach in the fog.  Normally if I see it rolling in I'm all, "Dammit.  There goes the beach trip."

Possibly the most-excited one there.  

It's a tad cliche, but time seems to just go by faster each and every year.  I can't seem to ever find myself fully enjoying any given moment.  I always seem to be thinking ahead to whatever's coming next, even if that next thing is not that particularly exciting.  Spare me the yoga bullshit; I want to know if anyone else legitimately struggles with this as well.  I feel like I could only "live in the moment" if I were on some all-expense paid vacation that didn't require some sort of dreadful conversation about taking time off work and about who would cover what on what days and is it going to be paid time off?  And did I schedule all the bills correctly?  And do I have time to workout?

One thing I wouldn't have to worry about on this vacation would be the dog, because he is officially back with Mimi and Bobo in Minnesota.  We are sad, but as a whole, it was probably the better decision.  Probably.  Maybe.  We have to vacuum the goddamn floor three times a day to keep up with all the things we apparently drop.  And I miss the snuggles.  I do not miss the growling, obvs.

My parents finally took him to have his teeth cleaned, and while he was under, they ended up pulling four teeth, because they were in such bad shape.  DOG PARENTS OF THE YEAR, RIGHT HERE.  So not only did we off-load our poodle, we off-loaded a damaged poodle.  He has been recovering well, though, and ate two bags of chocolate-covered pretzels in the middle of the night as a pity snack.

I miss him.  But we will see him again when we go home again in April.  Hi, Basie!

Oh, so I finally got that photo thing going.  You can visit my website here, and like me on Facebook here.  I'm not always the best at self-promotion.  Here's to hoping I get better at that, because I had a TON of fun with the holiday portraits (and one corporate event!) I did over the last few months, and would love to do more.

Christmas was super fun (and HOT.  It was hot here.)  Matt's family came to visit from Wisconsin.

We indulged a bit.

Finally, Bug matched outfits with someone who isn't me. 

We took Grandma to the park and showed off our super awesome and hard-earned "big girl" swing skills. 

Spun Dad around until he threatened all sorts of things. 

It's so hard here, right?

Jim's first trip out here.

We're pretty sure he had fun.

A unicorn!  A picture of the three of us!

Christmas morning brought a super-awesome train table.

And a ridiculous gift from Mom (and Dad), because, I mean, she's three. 

We brought the firefighters down the street some cookies.

And hung out at Balboa Park with everyone else in the city on Christmas.

My husband always has to take something already obnoxious, and make it more so.

We tried to convince them to look at real estate on Coronado.  "We'll contribute!" we said (HAHahahahahHAHAHAHAHA).

Anyway.  Hope you all had nice holidays.  I'm excited to get back into the routine next week.