A few weekends ago, Trey, my little chiweenie, was lucky enough to be invited to his first birthday party! It goes to say I was a little nervous as this was his first gathering, but we’ve visited the dog parks occasionally, so I had no doubt in my mind Trey would have a ball. I kept reminding him that first impressions are everything. He remembered that…for a little bit.

It was Dixie’s 5th birthday. She is known (and envied by every girl) for her long lashes and Melissa Jill, a local photographer, is her mommy. Aren’t they the cutest little family??!

With Melissa being an awesome photographer, all the guests were lucky enough to have family portraits taken! So fun, yet a little exhausting (well, for me anyways). Trey wanted to play more than pose but we managed to get a picture. As you see, Sophie (on the left) was a little more open to wearing her birthday hat. As for Trey, not so much. We’ll just pretend his ears are too big.

Along with family portraits came a group shot. When Melissa asked for all of us to put the dogs on the couch and then stand behind them, all I could do is look around and ask if she was crazy. You want MY dog, not only sitting sweetly on a couch, but WITH a bunch of other dogs around him?! Yeah, that’s not gonna happen. So I chose to just hold Trey. He did manage to escape for a second and I had to scold him as I literally thought he was going to cause all the dogs to jump off the couch. Oy, the joys of being a mom (hehe, like I have ANY idea.)

The fact Melissa captured this photo is amazing in itself.

And, after all the playing, the doggy-guests were treated with their very own piece of birthday cake. It must have been delish, because Trey kept trying to eat everyone else’s. Yeah, we are still working on our manners. (Points to who can identify who is holding this cake and why.)

All in all, it was a gorgeous day & fabulous to meet other local doggy families. Thanks MJ & Dixie for inviting us! We can’t wait to come next year.

All images taken by Melissa Jill Photography

Last night I put on my Betty Crocker hat and made some yummy, red velvet, heart-shaped cupcakes. I had plans to hand deliver a cupcake to each and every one of you, but, unfortunately, I couldn’t find the portkey (Forgive me for the Harry Potter reference. I couldn’t resist.). So, I hope these not-so-professional iPhone photos give you a little (visual) taste of them.

As we all know, Valentine’s Day is known for being the day when lovebirds make the extra effort to show their love for their special someone, but I wanted to take this day to give a BIG hug and say a HUGE thank you to all my past, present (& future) clients. Each and every one of you have all contributed to the success of idieh design and I am so thankful for you all.

So, I hope you are spoiled a litte more than usual today. As for me, I’m going to continue to rock out my red high heels & heart-shaped sunglasses with a big smile on my face. Happy Heart Day. xx

Yes, I know it’s almost the end of January and I’m just now writing a post to reflect on my 2011 goals, but hey, work with me here. After revisiting my 2011 goals, I am happy to say I’m rather pleased with what I accomplished and, to be honest, didn’t really realize it until now. No, I didn’t 100% complete all of them, but I did touch on each of them in one way or another.

My 2011 goals (completion percentage in parentheses):

1. Join a boxing gym (65%)

No, I didn’t join a boxing gym but I did complete an intense one-month bootcamp that I really enjoyed. If I was made of money, I would have continued, but, unfortunately, I am not. I also stumbled upon a Living Social coupon for a 10-session dance class, but have yet to use it. That will come in the next few months and let’s just say I’m beyond excited. If I can get my workout in via dance, I’m so there.

2. Learn to cook one new meal each month (50%)

I didn’t learn how to cook 12 new meals, but I did add a few to my VERY short list. I always turn to Rachel Ray to give me the helping hand I need in the kitchen. I will say my first attempt at her Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts with Tomato and Basil and Potatoes with Peppers and Onions was a huge success.

3. Go part-time with the day job (allowing me to focus on idieh design) (100%)

This one gets a HUGE, huge check mark. I went part-time with the day job in May and I’m loving every bit of it. Now, for when I no longer need the day job…

In addition to going part-time, I also launched the new brand of idieh design. And with a new brand comes a new website. Get ready for it to launch in the next month or so. This is something I have seriously put all my heart and soul into and am very proud of. Which leads me to one other HUGE undertaking for my business. We are now in the business of designing websites. More posts to come of clients I’ve worked with to re-brand not only their logo and business collateral, but also new websites! High fives all around.

4. Read before going to sleep at night (100%)

We’ll count this as a success and the best part, it wasn’t hard at all for me to accomplish. I really enjoy reading and especially at night, right before I go to bed. It helps to shut my brain down, because if you know me well, you know that’s a very large task in itself. Some books on my list were The Help, The Hunger Games Trilogy, and of course Harry Potter. (And, I did manage to read a few non-fiction books here and there. Look for this to be a more focused goal in 2012.) Yes, some nights were missed (I mean, when I don’t go to bed until 1am, sometimes you just need to go to bed.) To continue this goal into 2012, I’m currently reading Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Just look at the cover and you will wonder what is wrong with me. Reading THAT book, right before going to bed?! What can I say, I love Halloween and all things scary. I just do.

5. Focus on ME in 2011 (110% and more room to grow…)

Yes, the goals above were important ones, but this, by far, was a MASSIVE undertaking in 2011 and is definitely continuing into 2012. I won’t lie, there were some bumps (okay, maybe boulders) along the way, but I’m still surviving. I could probably right a whole post just on this goal, but I’ll keep it short and sweet for now. How did I focus on me?

I started by weeding out some very toxic people in my life. This is still a work in progress, but I have come a LONG way this year. One way I’ve done this is by trusting my gut.

I also adopted a new puppy (I can’t believe he’s already turned one!). Trey, to say the least, has tested my strength as a human being. He’s taught me being a single mom is a tough job, but, I love him to pieces and he keeps me company.

And, last but certainly not least, I bought a house. I have to repeat this. I. BOUGHT. A. HOUSE. Woah. Who would have thought. Not me. And this was totally not on the to-do list for 2011. But I am so happy it was added. Posts to come of the new crib and the steps I’m taking to Heidi-fy it.

Well, there ladies and gents, is a very small and brief re-cap of my 2011. 2012 goals are in the works and I’ll be sharing those soon. How did you do on your 2011 goals?

Happy Friday! In spirit of today being the opening day for The Smurfs, I thought I would provide you with this…

You guessed it. That’s me. Dressed up for Halloween. As a Smurf.

At what age? I’m not sure. But, one thing is for certain. I don’t mess around when it comes to Halloween, no matter what the age. (Hence the clear understanding at the time of the importance of covering every single inch of my exposed skin in blue paint. Why I have huge white circles around my eyes? That’s still under investigation.)

But, this does make me question, should I be Smurfette this year? I’m pretty sure I could totally embrace the “You smurfed with the wrong girl!” Seems fitting at this time in my life.

I hope this brought a smile and a few giggles to your day! La la la-la la la…

In the past, when I was faced with tough decisions I would analyze, analyze, and again, analyze the pros and cons of each decision. At the end of the over-analyzing, I would be back at square one, still wondering which decision to move forward with. I would find myself tucking away innate feelings and thoughts as though they didn’t matter and concentrating on the other party at hand and how they would feel and what was best for THEM. You get the point.

Recently, I have been faced with some tough decisions that left my heart, again, playing tug-o-war with my mind. My heart was telling me to do one thing, my mind another. And, until recently, I can’t remember a time I made a decision and didn’t end up questioning it, over-analyzing it, and wondering, “Did I do the right thing?” Until now.  This time I really stopped and listened to what my gut was telling me to do.  It was empowering, refreshing, eye-opening and bottom line, very foreign to me. I couldn’t fathom why I felt so free when the decision wasn’t exactly all happy and smiles. I realized what it felt like to dig deep and listen to my gut, to put ME first, and to be 110% confident in my decision.

After 28 years, these simple words, “TRUST YOUR GUT” are finally resonating with me. Whether it’s regarding a business decision, a new venture,  a relationship, or just being approached by everyday life decisions, I challenge you to take the time to listen to your gut. It knows best.

Image: somavenus’ shop (etsy)