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MEET The  Miles

"I am weird, you are weird. Everyone in this world is weird.
One day two people come together in mutual weirdness and fall in love."
​-Dr. Seuss

We're a fun loving couple with a passion for interior design, travel, our dogs, cat, & our marriage.  ​I originally started this blog as a way to document our vacations, but over the years it's morphed to a hotchpotch of everything we love. I'm currently on a mission to find what sets my soul on fire, and I have a sneaky suspicion that this blog will lead me to it. I love to inspire & lift others up, so I hope you find our site helpful as well as entertaining. Thank you for following & joining us on our journey!

JEANNiE

T Y P E   A   H i P P i E
​“When in doubt, go for the joke (and carbs)!”
#JeannieLovesCody #JeanniesCloset, #JeannieLovesMakeup 
Hi!! I'm Jeannie, the curator of this site.  I describe myself as a ​Type A personality masquerading as a hippie. Basically, I'm a free-spirit who loves to be barefoot as much as I love creating Excel spreadsheets.  As a child, you could find me up in a tree finishing my homework or inventing something crazy.

I originally started this blog as a way to share my elaborate excel sheets that I create before each vacation. I started making them in 2006 to eliminate Cody's travel anxiety, and since they helped him, I thought they might help others too!
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​I ​was born in Houston, Texas and was given the privilege of living many different lifestyles. Spring Branch exposed me to many cultures. I can still say a few phrases in Korean and I know what authentic Mexican, Vietnamese, & Czech food taste like (and they're all delicious). When I turned 13 we moved in to my grandparents [haunted] home in a very affluent neighborhood- It was both exciting & terrifying. Then the day before my freshman year of high school, we moved in to my parent's forever home in Magnolia, TX, where I was late to my first day of school because cows were in the road, and learned this was a common excuse to use, prompting me to wonder, “Where on Earth did my parents move us?!" There was even a time where I lived in my car in my late teens (how am I alive?). My mom is a daughter of a Baptist preacher who married a very Jewish man, my pop. I was the youngest of three siblings until I was 10 years old when we adopted my two little cousins after their parents passed away suddenly, making us a family of 7.  I didn't have my own bed until I was 15 years old, but even then I slept with my dog or sometimes with my older sister out of habit. I had an amazing childhood full of love, laughter, adventure, sarcasm, and independence. I believe that everything happens for a reason and whatever energy you give to the Universe, you get back, so I concentrate on the positive and try to be the best human I can be.

RANDOM FACTS:

01. Elephants, I'm obsessed (I want to come back as one- I'll never have to worry about my weight again!)
02. I live for Eyelashes & Makeup
03. I often speak in quotes
04. I'm a HORRIBLE spellre (see what I did there?)
05. I wanted to be a stand-up comic, computer animationist, and a game show host at some point in my life
06. Dresses, especially with pockets & sweetheart necklines, make up 90% of my wardrobe
07. I firmly believe puppies are one of the greatest inventions
08. Whistling is a challenge for me
09. Headbands & Hats ALWAYS
10. High fives & handshakes are a staple
11. I'm a carb-ivore
12. Ancestry.com has made family gatherings slightly awkward
13. Speaking of awkward, I make every situation just that (not on purpose, it's a gift)
14. Speaking of gifts, I can find your nipple location on the first shot (it's my carnival trick)
15. Revolving doors give me anxiety & I'm scared of cows

​FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTiONS:

HOW DID YOU MEET CODY
Short Answer: We met in 2004 during MLB's All Star Week in downtown Houston.
​
Long Answer: ​I was there with my sister and Cody was working the door checking ID's for a friend's pop-up bar, the All Star Pub, as a favor.  Downtown was flooded with people, you didn't even need to go inside the bars and clubs to have a good time. While strolling the streets I caught my sister staring off so intensely I had to nudge her to snap her out of it. When I asked who she was starring at, her exact words were,
​“That guy over there with the cool hair. I don't know why, I'm just getting this strong vibe" (she's a hippie too), and since she was married to her junior high sweet heart, we knew this vibe was meant for me.

Cody & I locked eyes across a crowed street and I did what I like to call, 
“eye flirting."  Essentially, it's making intense eye contact, never breaking it, to the point you have to turn and walk backwards (this ensures the other person you're interested, giving them confidence to come and talk to you without fear of rejection). After walking a few steps I realized he probably wouldn't leave his post, and something was telling me that I had to go and talk to him, so we turned around, walked right up to the velvet ropes, and yelled, “HEY BOY!" until we got his friend's attention, who in turn brought me Cody.

He admitted seeing me walk by a few times but couldn't get my attention... We introduced ourselves, shook hands, and it felt like we'd known each other forever. It felt familiar.  He felt like home.

He abandoned his post to come with us. He hopped the ropes, grabbed my hand, and started navigating us through the crowd, but a series of events unfolded that lead me to believe that he had a girlfriend and possibly a baby.  Even though he assured me it was his best friend's newborn daughter that adorned his phone's screen and he tells all his close friends,
“I love you" when ending a call, I decided to walk away from him thinking (and saying to my sister), “I will NEVER see that guy again!" Oh boy, was I wrong.

Luckily he exchanged numbers with my sister and called a few hours later when it was evident I didn't need a bathroom, just an exit. His opening line won me over though,
“Wow, that's a long pee!" For some reason that made me laugh and feel guilty simultaneously, causing me to lower my guard. We spoke on the phone for over six hours that night. He told me he was going to marry me one day, he spoke about our children and what their names would be, and gave me one of the best compliments I've ever received, “I deserve you." 

#JeannieLovesCody
​​Eyelashes- What kind are they, where do you buy them, & how long do they last?
Currently I'm wearing KISS' Boudoir [Anywhere eyelashes are sold], Eylure Vegas Nay [Target or Ulta], but I also wear Ardell Double Ups #205 & #118 [Sally's, Target, HEB, Walgreens, CVS, basically anywhere eyelashes are sold]. I don't pay more than $7 per pair, but for special occasions I'll splurge and purchase Lily Lashes [I pair Venice & Paris together].  My lashes last me well over a month unless I sleep weird on them- then they only last me 1 drunken night...
WHERE ARE YOUR BELL BOTTOMS FROM?
​They are Free People's, "Just Float on Flare" bells and you can find them at Free People, Nordstrom, Macy's, Dillards, and Asos to name a few.  They cost $78 but every pair, minus my first, I purchased while on sale for $30. I buy a lot of my Free People attire from Poshmark.
WHERE DO YOU SHOP?
80% of my closet is made up of Modcloth dresses and the rest is Free People, Asos, Target, Thrift stores, Forever 21, Sevenly, Charlotte Russe, Urban Outfitter, & local Houston boutiques.

​
I 100% agree with Carrie Bradshaw when she said, "I like my money right where I can see it.  Hanging in my closet,"  so much so, that my husband converted one of our spare bedrooms into a giant walk-in closet [ya, he loves me]. I have a Pinterest board where I like to save all my wardrobe additions.​
WHERE DO YOU BUY YOUR HATS?
Hats are from Forever 21 ($20)
Headbands are from Nordstrom, the junior's department ($7)
WHAT MAKEUP DO YOU USE?
I like to mix it up, but currently I'm using Huda #FauxFilter foundation, Tarte Shape Tape concealer, Sheer Cover for contour & setting powder, and Anastasia Beverly Hills eyebrow pencil.

*Note: I also love MAC's waterproof liquid foundation*
how did you lose all that weight?
By counting calories and taking Vasayo products! Check out my blog post for a more in depth look. You can also follow my progress on my Facebook page: Vasayo Vixen / and in my Instagram stories (I post every Monday)
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CODY (CO-DiY)

T H E   H A N D Y   H U S B A N D
​“I live my life by one rule and that's the rule of Elmore City, Oklahoma.”
#CoDiy  #CodyLovesJeannie
This is my husband Cody and the 5 photos at the top are a pretty accurate depiction of who he is.  His name should be spelled CoDIY because he's either in the building, re-building, or designing stage of a project (which is why I married him... for the free labor).

​​Cody is the youngest of three brothers and the son of a Houston Fire Fighter & a hard working mother.  He grew up playing baseball at Spring High School and was even offered a partial scholarship to play at a college in Texas.
Cody is down for anything.  I come up with a lot of random ideas, and no matter how insane they seem, he rolls with it- even when he's apprehensive. One year I cut giant hearts out of poster boards to wear on our heads (the dogs included) for Valentine's day.  The next year I dyed bonnets blue and we took photos in a field of Blue Bonnet flowers (again, dogs included).  There he was, with a giant smile on his face during all of it! He supports me in my schemes and he supports me in life. I couldn't ask for a better partner in crime.  Plus like I stated earlier, he's super handy and easy on the eyes (hubba-hubba)!

RANDOM FACTS:

01. He has a collection of levels, flashlights, & buckets
02. If something is hidden under anything (and I mean anything), it's lost forever
03. His Mustache; people come over and strike up conversations, like when we're shopping for apples (It's now all about the beard, see his "Beard Q&A" below!) 
04. Currently he's rebuilding our 1974 Ford Bronco
05. He loves Socks 
06. The kid has mad "Booty Pop'n" abilities
07. Craft beers are his preferred choice
08. Bourbon is always a good idea (Old Fashions to be exact)
09. He laughs uncontrollably when trying to 
tell a truly funny story making it impossible to understand what he's saying
10. He went from being a Welder to IT to Project Manager
11. 3 words I use to describe him are: creative, courageous, & funny
12. He was deemed Best Dressed at his High School
13. His motto at the top comes from a Skype conversation we exchanged:
  • Cody: No shi chacha
  • Jeannie: what the hell are you saying? Wait. No she-ka-ka?
  • Cody: Hahahaha! Ya, cha cha... ka ka, same thing
  • Jeannie : Cha cha is a dance, kaka is poop.  get it right
  • Cody: Well, no cha cha either.  “I live my life by one rule and that's the rule of Elmore City, Oklahoma.”
  • Jeannie: HAHAHAHA!!!  WHAT?!!!
  • Cody: The city footloose was filmed in
  • ​Jeannie: I won't even ask you why or how you know that off the top of your head.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTiONS - BEARD ADDiTiON:

DOESN'T THAT DRIVE YOU CRAZY?
No, being a man has not yet driven me to insanity. ​
Did you grow that because of Harden or Keuchel?
No I didn't. I've had a beard probably before they started shaving.
Are you growing that for Movember?
No, If you know of any man that can grow this in 2 weeks I want to meet that Greek god! ​
How longer are you gonna let it grow?
 I will continue to grow it, but I will also continue to shape and keep it clean.
Aren't you worried about fecal matter being in it?
Hmm no because I bath daily and own shampoo. I also don't rub poop in my beard.
Are you trying to be one of the "duck dynasty guys?
Absolutely not... Unless that means I get paid like they do.  Also I only wear my camouflage when I go hunting, not in everyday life.
Can I touch it?
Not sure way you want to touch hair but if it make you go away then sure, go for it.

LASHES LOVE

T H E   B O S S​
​“It's a big world out there, and I'm going to kiss everyone in it..."
#LadyLashesLove 
We rescued Lashes Love from the Houston Humane Society a few months after our house flooded (a pipe fitting busted while we were on vacation allowing 6" of water throughout our house). To lift our spirits, Cody got a 55" Samsung Smart TV & I got Lashes, proving that, "When life gives you lemons, adopt a puppy!"

We were the first to inquire about her, calling within the first hour of her photo being uploaded.  When they brought her out she ran full speed to us, tail wagging the entire time, & her tongue licking EVERYTHING (including the air)!
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After playing with her for 20 minutes she stopped, took a deep breathe, and with a sleepy face glanced at my lap and decided that’s where she needed to nap at… Cody let out a deep breathe and said, "We're getting her."  The next day we brought Diesel to meet her which sealed the deal... Lashes Love found her forever home.

Random Facts

She gives the BEST high 5s! Seriously, listen- you can hear it haha #puggle #LashesLove #high5 #LadyLashesLove

A video posted by JEANNiE ZiNDLER-MiLES (@buxom_blonde) on Feb 1, 2015 at 9:02am PST

01. HHS named her Puggy Sue
02. She drinks from the bottom of her water bowl
03. Breed: Puggle {Pug / Beagle}
04. She's never met a stranger
05. Her Heaven will be filled with tennis balls, her favorite toy elephant, & plenty of people to smooch
06. Pillows, she MUST sleep on a pillow {sometimes my face is her pillow}
07. All her favorite toys can be found in her food bowl {for safe keeping of course}
08. The Gremlin noises she makes sound terrifying
09. Nicknames:  Smooch, LaLo, Mommas, Lady Love, Lady Pug, SPK {sour patch kid}, & Moo Moo
10. Her breathe smells like garbage on a hot day and she loves giving kisses
11. She constantly needs to be touched
12. The best burp you will ever hear comes from her baby mouth
13. When she's hungry or out of water she alerts us vocally or by scooting her bowl across the kitchen floor in to the living room 
14. She gives the best high fives, seriously. Proof is in the video; listen to how solid her paw hits your hand, she means business!
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THE MiCK

S W E E T   B O Y
​“Thank God you left, now I can finally poop!"
#TheMickMiles
The first time I saw his photo and read his SPCA story, he imprinted on my heart.  I couldn't stop thinking about him, even a week and a half later, so after crying when realizing Diesel's one year anniversary was approaching, we knew we needed to turn that sadness in to something positive. I called the SPCA and inquired about ​“Ricky." The lady on the phone was so ecstatic, her reaction was as though we just told her, ​“I'm giving you $100,000,000!!" (Ricky is 9 years old). We met him on Good Friday. He wasn't even supposed to be there.
The manager, Ken, walked ​“Ricky" in to the lobby.  He ran right up to me and made out with my face (Ricky, not Ken). I looked up at Cody, and we both knew, ​“he's coming home with us."  We didn't bring him home right away though.  We thought the right thing to do was to let Ricky spend one last night with his foster parents.

I opened my eyes on Saturday morning to Lashes sharing my pillow, so I used that time to tell her about
​“Ricky" and to assure her that she'll still be the one to go with dad to Home Depot and will always get first dibs on my lap. She kissed me, so I knew she was game. When they met, they instantly wiggled and smooched each other, it was like they were already friends. Signing the paperwork was my favorite memory by far. Every time someone would come in to the lobby, ​“Ricky" would put his booty in the air, tail wagging, and would ​“woof," jump, and bounce. He had been extremely quiet before, ignoring everyone, but now it was like he was saying, ​“I'M GOING HOME!!!!"​​

Random Facts

01. He was the last Harvey dog that needed a home
02. We didn't like the name Ricky, so we quickly decided on Mickey, but it only took him 2 days to start responding to "The Mick"
03. Breed: Puggle {Pug / Beagle}
04. Nicknames: Mickey, Little Kid, Handsome, Houdini, Pisser, & Shitter
05. His bark sounds like he's saying "WOOF!"
06. Toys confuse him. We keep putting them in his face, but he doesn't get it
07. He has "Happy Feet!" Instead of wiggling his booty or wagging his tail, he does tiny steps that looks like he's dancing
08. Vegetables are his #1 food of choice
09. He hates going outside. He waits for us to leave and then he poops on the floor by the pool table (even if we take him outside beforehand)... We're assuming he has his reasons, but we still love him
10. Just like Lashes, Mick loves to lay on pillows (must be a puggle thing)
11. The SPCA removed a large nodule from his head and helped him lose almost 20lbs
12. Leash/harness it doesn't matter, he's able to escape it (like Houdini)
13. He was a "boy's dog" at first, but now he realizes that I'm better (you can't tell that Jeannie is writing this, can you?)

PEARL GiRL

M O N S T E R 
​“I bet that brick wall taste AMAZING!"
#PearlTheMastiff
Pearl ​“Snap" Miles chose us on Pearl Harbor day, but in true kismet form we oddly had her name picked out beforehand, so it was just a crazy coincidence and further proof she was meant to be ours. She weighed 19.2 lbs when we brought her home at 9 weeks old.  Her dad, a Texas Grand Champion, weighs in at 235 lbs, and her mom, a world champion that was flown in from Hungry, is 210 lbs, so our girl Pearl will defiantly hit 200 pounds fo sho! ​
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We've nicknamed her Monster because she's currently pulling off our tree skirts, eating the Christmas trees, scaring Mick by jumping on him, barking in Lashes' face, chewing on the coffee table, and the list goes on and on, BUT MY GOODNESS IS SHE CUTE!  None of that matters when she runs up to you and gives a gazillion kisses and then plops in your lap.​

Random Facts

​01. “Pearl!  Quit licking the brick wall!" was one of the first things we ever yelled at her
02. Breed: English Mastiff
03. Nicknames: Monster, Pearl Girl, Goat, Pretty Girl, Lady, No Ma'am, Turd, and Pearl Snap
04. Loves to walk behind things- especially Jeannie's clothes hanging in her closet (see photo #4 above).
05. Will climb up you just to give you a kiss
06. She sleeps behind Jeannie's head on the pillows
07. Absolutely loves water (she proved that when she leaped into the neighborhood lake)
08. 10:00 pm is when Pearl gets her 2nd wind
09. Metal, the remote, Mick's poop, are some of the things she tries to eat
10. Best travel companion. She sits perfectly in the car- very chill
11. She chews each piece of food at least 27 times 
12. At 5 months old, she already weighed over 70 pounds
13. Defiantly is a daddy's girl
14. Loves children, other dogs, playing in the dirt, and giving smooches
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STEEL[iE]

T H E   C A T
“Hi. I live here now."
#SteelyCat
Steel strolled in to our lives two days before our 11 year wedding anniversary (the “steel" anniversary - can you guess how he got his name?).  Cody was working in the garage and Steel sprinted in and demanded to be pet.  He actually scared Cody at first. Then Cody made his first mistake. He text me photos of him petting this rando cat in our garage, so naturally I ran out there and started to gush.  I never had a cat greet me like a dog, give me kisses, and snuggle up so close.  When Cody went inside to grab a drink, Steel tried to follow,
showing us that he's an indoor cat. I posted, “Found Friendly Cat" on multiple Facebook pages and on Nextdoor (a great app for neighborhood networking) but no one claimed this adorable guy.  We kept our garage open a few inches, allowing him to come and go as he pleased, and even though he was being fed by six other houses on the street, he would be at our door every morning waiting to greet us.  After a few weeks, it was apparent that we now owned a cat.  We took him to the vet to make sure he was healthy before bringing him inside to meet his new siblings (safety first), and once we were given the “all clear!" An inside cat he became.  It took about two weeks before he felt brave enough to jump the "safe zone" fence to be on the couch with us and the dogs, but he's doing it!  We never thought we'd own a cat, but there was no way we could turn this guy away.  Welcome home Steely!

Random Facts

01. We first thought he was a girl until he fell asleep in my lap and I got to move around some fur to reveal, ya know, his balls.
02. All 3 of our dogs are ready to play, sniff, and kiss him, but he's not quite at that level yet
03. We know he's a tabby cat, but he's clearly mixed with something else due to his tail (we're hoping a Maine Coone)
04. Nicknames: Steely, Steely Dan, Ninja, & Kitty Kitty
05. His favorite sleep spot is our vintage avocado green chairs.
06. He's super playful- and WiLL jump on your back to initiate playtime.
07. Food is his main motivator
08. He looks both ways before crossing the street
09. He likes hiding inside trunks and under the couch and scaring you by grabbing your arm/hand
10. Pearl wants to be his best friend- we believe it will happen very soon (snuggles will be in their future!)
11. We're remodeling our laundry room just to make it more "Steel Friendly" 

OUR HARDEST GOODBYES.

DiESEL HOSS

O U R   F I R S T   B A B Y
​“Walk?!  Did you say walk?!  [sigh]  No, you said guac-amole”
#DieselHoss
Diesel was born on Aug. 1, 2009. We picked him at a breeders house when he was 7 weeks old, already weighing a whopping 16lbs! He was a ball of pure cuteness & anxiety. We knew he was our dog the minute he face planted into the ground due to relaxing a bit too much while I was scratching his belly.  D is what you'd call a dogs, dog- Don't get me wrong, he loves house guest, but due to his intimidating size people tend to tense up causing him to tense up & become nervous which makes the people more nervous... it's a cycle.  But the minute he brings you a toy, you're in for life!
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RANDOM FACTS:

01. Breed: English Mastiff
02. He weighs 170 lbs {which is on the low end}
03. Nicknames: D, Bo-Bo, Bubee, Handsome Face, Little Kid
04. He loves wearing his collar
05. We've found socks & panties in his poop {One of our nieces witnessed this and in a scarred voice asked, "does he eat pants?" We assured her that corduroys would never make an appearance} 
06. His poops are massive
07. We buy 28.5 lbs of dog food every 2.5 weeks
08. He sleeps on our bed {which is a Tempurpedic}
09. If you say anything resembling to the word walk, he gets super excited and we normally have to go for one (one time I asked Cody, "do you want some guacamole?"  and Diesel got so excited and went to go get his leash... GUAC/Walk, in his defense, they do sound similar)
10. He wants to live on a beach
11. My lap is usually where he sits
12. Every morning I blow dry his hair and he gets a little taste of toothpaste
13. He has no problem hurtling the couch but he won't step over a cord on the floor

*Sadly, our sweet boy passed away on May 30, 2017.  He started our family by making us puppy parents, he taught us what unconditional love was, and he made our house a home. His massive energy is greatly missed everyday.
He was a true gentleman to the very end.  Diesel passed away while sitting in my lap, his head resting next to Cody's arm, and Lashes kissing his face. Such a great dog. He didn't make us have to do "it."  We are so thankful that his last thoughts were of pure joy due to a car ride. We love you sweet precious baby angel- Our 'lil lap puppy. Check out his memorial here 
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DiVA LOVE

T H E   D i V A
“AAAH!  His drool hit me!"
She left as quickly as she came into our lives. We only had the pleasure of spending a week with her.  She was only 11 weeks & 1 day old when she passed away on Jan. 30, 2011 at around 10:30 am at the Barker Cypress Animal Clinic where she had been for the past 2 days, hooked to an ivy due to dehydration and lack of eating. We rescued Miss Diva from Furry Pals Rescue Organization. Diva had been dumped in a dumpster by a backyard breeder along with her mom and other siblings (people suck sometimes). It's here where we believe she contracted her disease that eventually took her little life, trichomonas foetus, a parasite that isn't common that is contracted by drinking dirty water.  
We 1st met Diva Love at Groomingdale's where we INSTANTLY fell in love with her, we brought her home that day [Jan. 21st] & she was spoiled immediately.  We named her Diva because she would let out a scream that I’ve never heard a dog make before when Diesel’s drool would fall NEAR her, it was hilarious. She never walked, it was either run full speed (sideways), or hop like a bunny., and all she wanted to do was either be in your lap or playing with Diesel.  She was fearless & fabulous. She had the ability to stand one ear straight up while keeping the other one floppy. In the mornings we called it her bed head ear because it would be flipped inside out and she would have this grumpy face as she looked up at you (she was not a morning person). When we would sleep at night, is when it was the cutest. She would either sleep across your neck like a “Diva scarf" or curled up as close as possible in your armpit.  When we had to make the decision to lay her to rest, it really wasn’t a decision. The parasite started to affect her brain and she started having seizures, when we got to the clinic they handed her to us, stating we could take as much time as needed, but the once little pug grunts & soft feminine breathing was now an eerie horrible moan. It was the worse noise we’ve ever heard in our lives. We jumped right up and begged them to end her suffering. I gave her kisses while Cody softly stroked her- both of us telling her how awesome she is and how much we love her as they gave her the medicine that closed her eyes and ended her suffering.  Then the weirdest/most beautiful thing happened; all the dogs that were being held in the back kennel, that had remained quiet (for the most part) all started howling. It was like they knew her little energy left us. *Goosebumps everywhere*.  Even though we only had her for a short while, she made a big impact on our family.

We love you Diva Love. and we will visit your flower at Granny & Papa’s house where you can still bring a smile to our faces.

Random Facts

01. She had the same birthday as me (Scorpios rule!)
02. Breed: Jug (Jack Russell and Pug mix)
03. She ran sideways, never in a straight line
04. She loved to sit on shoulders, like a little parrot
05. The
“Love" in Lashes Love is a tribute to Miss Diva Love
06. Even though we only had her for 2 weeks in 2011, we still cry about her today.  That's how big of an impact she had.

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