If my heart was a house, you'd be home.

Sometimes the best part of vacation is coming home, especially to little brothers and newly born puppies or boyfriends and pajama days.

Or better yet, both.

My family loves pets. Animals of all sorts. We've had lizards, turtles, chickens, dogs, cats, mice, hamsters. Snuggly and fun; scaley and quiet. Inside and outside. We really don't descriminate. If you can give it an absurd name and take it for a walk (well, even if you can't), we're sure to love it. And love them, we do.

When I left for vacation, our dogs, both Blue Tick Hounds, Bobby Glenn and Amy Louise were expecting puppies once again. Just after the fireworks started for the start of a new year, the little ones were born - five of them, to be exact.

Yesterday, Aiden and I went to feed Momma Pup and snuggle the baby pups before Aiden had to go to school for the day. The five little warm bodies have yet to open their eyes to the warm colors of dead leaves and the winter sun around them. They whimper and cry for their Momma as she eats and we grab them out of their comfy den, one by one.

I mean, really, look at those legs.

As Aiden squeezes their little, chubby, milk-filled bellies, they stretch out their legs in an attempt to feel solid ground. Eventually Amy gets exhausted with their cries and carries the pups one by one back into their warm home. But until then, we squeeze and cuddle and laugh and take photos.

Not everyday is as glamorous and sweet though. Today was a day filled with earaches and sneezes; emptied tissue boxes and pajama pants; video games and D3: Mighty Ducks; a boyfriend's hugs and Vick's vapor rub. Today, was a sick day.

Most of the time, I take photos to capture a moment. To remember that place, that time, that look. To savor how cute Aiden looks, to remember a trip, a night with friends - but sometimes, I take photos to savor the feelings.

Sometimes the quality doesn't matter.. Sometimes, I don't care that I'm shooting without a flash and can't hold still. Sometimes I frankly don't care how the image looks in the end or that no matter how long I edit, it never comes out clear.

Today, was one of those times.

Because nothing takes away the winter-cold-blues like matching plain white t's and hours of movies. Maybe it was the Vick's or the Excedrin but I like to think that hours of cuddling and laughing fights away colds the best.


ps; I'd love to hear from you. Each day, over 30 of you stop by here and read whatever happens to be on my mind that day. While I like seeing your reactions, I'd love to hear your comments too. What do you like here? What can I do more of? What don't you like? If you blog too, I'd love to visit - leave a link.