Feline like a pushover

Mysterious orange kitty showed up last night on our driveway. Hillary and Henry sat outside with it for a good hour. That was mistake number one.

Kitty was on our porch this morning as both girls left for school. Henry discovered it when he woke up as well. He played in the shade and I got the camera. Taking pictures of Kitty with children.... that was mistake number two.

I don't like cats, but this cat really likes Henry

Little Henry convinces me to hold Kitty whilst he takes the photo.

(I was in my pajamas with residual mascara smudges, so that was mistake number three.)

It's about 4 o'clock now, and I have called several neighbors to get the 411 on this cat. Nobody seems to have any idea. I also called animal control. No calls have come in about a lost orange cat. I refuse to have them pick it up, because we all know what happens to lost cats after about 72 hours, don't we? I don't hate cats that bad.

I even called the neighborhood vet. Apparently, I can bring it in to have some "testing" done on it (at my expense) to see if it has the swine flu or any other horrible diseases. They will be happy to scan it for that little computer chip thingy at no charge to me. I will do that at my earliest convenience. I heard that cats love to ride in cars, so that should be an interesting road trip.

This was mistake number four.......

I caved at about 4:30 today and that is tuna fish, in a saucer, on our front porch. Kitty has imprinted successfully on all three children. Note the pure joy on the faces of my youngins. I like cats a little more today than I did yesterday.

Hillary has been googling "what to feed a cat" for hours. She learned that it is absolutely not milk. I am considering this an educational experience.

Approximately 8:00 pm tonight. Kitty has a blanket on the north side of the porch.

As I tucked Hillary into bed tonight, we had this exchange:

"Goodnight Hillary."

"Mom? what will we feed the cat?"

"I will buy some cat food tomorrow."

"Oh, thanks Mom. I read tonight that you can just donate the leftover cat food to an animal shelter if the owner comes for their cat."

"That sounds like a good plan."

"Oh and Mom? I hope it doesn't have that computer chip thingy in it."

Happy Birthday Maddi!!

The day my life turned on its end, and finally felt right to me.

Happy 1st birthday! A piglet cake that would later prove to be only the beginning of Grandma Nolene's masterful cake-making career Two years old Maddi turned 3 while we lived with Grandma and Grandpa...
lucky for us, we lived there for another birthday, too

Doesn't every girl ask for a Barbie cake at some point?

See how the babies from our neighborhood have grown!
Lucky number 7
Great to be eight! clearly not a baby anymore





..........Happy 10th birthday? Where are you??...... scrapbooking and I have parted ways.




back on track in year 11. Maddi became part amphibious that year.

Just last year at 12 years old. Wasn't that just yesterday?



what about this one? Bear Lake was just last year.I know that "buried in blankies" was not as long ago as the date on the reverse side insists.

Now we've arrived at this??
it is physically painful to accept


Just today at the Junior High. Moms are still very cool when they show up with cupcakes.

Happy Birthday Maddi! You are such a blessing to our family, and I love you more every day!
Love,
Mom

Lately,

I am shocked to realize that I no longer have babies to baby. These days, they can pretty much do whatever they want or need to do by themselves. At some point in the past, I thought this would be a devastatingly tragic time when there would be no more babies. I might have even dismissed the notion held by so many that "every stage is a wonderful stage." I'll tell you that it is true. My kids get more enjoyable each day, well.... each year. We have our days. Anyways, I still have little Henry to latch onto. Most of the time, he lets me. The girls have come into their own, as of late. Just look and see what their little autonomous selves did this week.

Maddi staying on top of her educational game.

Hillary in the Knowlton 5K. It was a torrential downpour. She finished it, no complaints at all. And yes, I will work on my "anticipation of subject entering frame."It was so much wetter than it looks.

Scooter boy is not particular about rollin' in his jammies. He won't go anywhere without his new 5-piece Transformers protective gear.

If you ever wondered what Kermit the Frog or Elmo look like on a scooter, just push "play."