Fitting In

Our new kitty is fitting in to the family (and the big cup above!) really well! We've had him about seven weeks now and the newness still has not worn off. The kids love him to pieces and still fight over who gets to hold him. Let's hope that lasts when he's grown! He is definitely one of the friendliest cats I've ever seen. Even lets Nicholas, my almost five year old, carry him around like a sack of potatoes! LOL It's so cute to see them lying on the couch watching TV together. And I have to admit, I enjoy snuggling with him on the couch too... he's quite the snuggler.

Don't get me wrong... he's definitely got an orny side (I'm talking about the kitty, not Nicholas. Although, Nicholas is a bit orny too!). He loves to pounce out of hiding places right on to your foot or your leg. Then he jumps off and runs for cover. It can be a little annoying at times but I know he's just a kitten (still only about 3 1/2 months old)... so hopefully he'll outgrow it!

As for his name?? It's Jake! If you remember way back when I was pregnant with Nicholas, Daddy had claimed naming rights. His pick was Jake. But Jenna, my oldest kiddo, was not a fan of the name and ended up talking him into Nicholas. We promised him back then, if we ever got a pet, it's name could be Jake. So, essentially when we got the kitty, we gave Daddy back his naming rights.

:)

Our newest family member

We haven't had pets since Nicholas was a wee one, just starting to crawl. A couple weeks ago, the girls started telling me they wanted a kitten. And truth be told, I was wanting to get one too. I've always had a soft spot for kitties. So I told them to ask Daddy. There aren't many things they ask Daddy for that they don't get!

So, ask they did. And with Easter coming up, Daddy decided that just maybe we could get one from the Easter Bunny. The week before Easter, he started searching around for a Siamese kitten. In case you've never searched for a Siamese kitten, let me just tell you-- they are not easy to find. But of course, Daddy found a couple about an hour away from us at a rescue place. Over the course of the week, he emailed back and forth with the owners. They wanted a lot of info from us to make sure we would be good owners for a tiny fragile kitten. Our four year old concerned them some but Daddy convinced them that he was a gentle boy (well, most of the time!). And finally after some background checks (references, vet records), he got the ok on Easter Eve to go pick up our 7 week old kitten.

We told the girls he was going out with a friend (wanted to keep the kitty a surprise) and I took the kids bowling. When we got home that night, the kitten was hidden in Daddy's car in his carrier and after finally getting three excited-for-Easter-morning kids in bed, I got to take a peek at our baby. OH MY~~ What a cutie he is!



That night, Daddy slept downstairs with the kitty. I could hear him meowing a little but nothing too loud that the kids would hear! The next morning, one of the clues for finding the kids' Easter baskets let them to the room where the kitty was. When they saw what Daddy was holding, they actually forgot about their baskets for a minute or two! The rest of the morning went by in a blur while the kitten ran around trying to figure out his new house AND the three little bodies that were running around in it. But before long, he was right at home and doing just what he does best...

This Blog

Wow. Just wow. It's been over two years since I posted on my little blog. That's a long time... I think my longest break ever. And I've taken lots of breaks over the six or so years I've been doing this thing. But I have checked in, just to read, a few times over those two years. It's comforting and somewhat comical rereading some of the posts I've written over the years. Lots of heart and soul poured into some of it and lots of fluff and trivial stuff too. But it's a history... one I can look back on and remember little things I'd forgotten. Things that bring back smiles, tears, happiness, sadness... and joy.

So, how is life now?!?! Well... My kids are growing like weeds. My oldest, Jenna, just turned 10 on Saturday. Double digits, baby! She's in fourth grade now and just about as cute as they come. And moody, just like her mama. I can't deny this kid is mine. heehee. My middle kid, Cassidy, is now 7 and in first grade. She's still the spitfire she was back when I was writing pretty regularly here. Her favorite sport is soccer... she loves to get down and dirty. But then, she is also my girly-girl still. Very fashionable. :) Nicholas, my youngest surprise baby is already 4 1/2 and almost through his first year of preschool! He is such a joy to be around. His favorite thing to do is play with his trios (like legos, but not). He builds the coolest things with them...


My hope for this blog is to not let another two years go by without documenting our history. I know just from reading it, how important documenting that history is...

Grandparents Lunch Flub Up

This week at Cassidy's school, they get to have their grandparents come in for lunch. And very conveniently, the book fair is set up with buy 1/get 1 free books. SOOO, talked to my mom a week or so ago and she wrote it on her calendar. She came over on Saturday for Jenna's birthday party and we talked about it again. Then I saw her again last night... but forgot to remind her.

SO... this morning, I take Nicholas to preschool then go to the Y. I stayed there pretty much the whole time till I had to go get him, at 11:15. To get to the preschool, I have to drive past Cassidy's school. And I suddenly remembered the lunch.... hadn't thought about it at all since Sat. I quick called my mom to see if she'd remembered... tried the house and she didn't answer so I was hopeful she'd remembered. Called her cell and when she answered, she felt so bad... she had forgotten until around 10:45. BUT she was on her way. Only problem, they live a half hour away and she was supposed to be there at 11:10 (I called her at 11:10! LOL)

So I called the school and let them know what was up. Her awesome teacher had the secretary tell me all would be fine... she'd just have my mom come to the classroom for a bit. So I called my mom back and let her know she'd be taken care of.

Her teacher has emailed me twice to give me updates... let me know she had made it and then another email to tell me she had my mom helping out some in the classroom. She said Cass was sitting with my mom and her little friend in class, just loving the extra attention.

So, in the end, it worked out. I'm sure I'll hear all about it when she gets home.

Fa la la la la....

So, I think I'm finally done shopping. Unless I can finaggle a way to get to Walgreens and spend my $25 gift card (I got it for filling a prescrip) on stocking stuffers. Not that the kiddos need another dang thing... but what an addiction shopping is, eh?


Anyways, the kiddos and I went out pretty much all day yesterday so I wasn't even around when the board went down. We met my sister and my niece (and her baby) at the mall. When we left, my sister went to the door with me so I could get get the car, get something out of my niece's car, then get the kiddos at the store door so they didn't have to endure the pure cold.

So then we left, went back to our neck of the woods about 35-45 minutes away and went to Walmart. As we were checking out of Walmart, I reach in my pocket. And find.... my niece's freakin' car keys from when I'd gotten the stuff out of her car!!

UGH. And the mall is more than a half hour away. UGH again. SO I called Andy and he was about five minutes from home (the opposite way that we were) so we met at home and the kids stayed with him while I went back to the mall to give my niece her keys.

UGH.

BUT then since I was out, well of course I decided to do just a little more shopping. So I went to Meijer and picked up a few odds and ends. Found Cars and HSM wrapping paper for J & N (already had Pony for Cass).


Then last night, after all the running around, I finally got started on wrapping! I spent about 3 hours and I'm probably a little more than halfway done. The computer room was a sight while I was doing it but I got it all cleaned up and stuffed away, only to be ready to get it back out tonight!


Fun, fun, fun!


Today, I'm finishing up the slideshows I'm making for Christmas gifts! Almost done... just need to add finishing touches then get them all burned!

Confession Time

As part of the preparation for First Communion, second graders at our church have to do their First Reconciliation.

AKA... CONFESSION!!

It was last night at church. Poor Jenna, my second grader, when I first told her a month or so ago that she had to do it, she freaked. Thankfully, as it got closer and they talked about it more in class, she got a little less freaked.

So, there were six priests there (including our Pastor, Father Mark). Jenna decided she wanted to go to Father Mark (as did pretty much all the other second graders). We had to line up outside the reconciliation room to wait our turn. She was third in line. The first two kids came out smiling... YAY... then she went in and shut the door behind her. And a minute or so later, she was back out.

She made it! And realized it wasn't THAT scary after all...


Since I hadn't done it in a lonnnnnnnnnnng time, I went after her. And so now, I have a clean slate. Haven't committed any sins today.


We've already talked about when Cass and NickNack go through it... Jenna's planning (as of now) to do it with them.


My baby girl is growing up, isn't she??....

Our Tree

Our Christmas tree is finally up... and surrounded by a baby gate. One of those superyard thingamajigs!


No pictures (I'll have to take some) but so far the gate is keeping Nicholas, my very very very busy two year old, from destroying it. He's reached a couple candy canes and several ornaments but that's about the extent of his damage. LOL He can't get close enough to topple it over!

OH BOY!

My oldest kiddo, Jenna, LOVES birthday parties. Most especially, she loves the goodie bags! According to her, no party is complete without them. Doesn't matter what's in them... it's the thrill of getting them.

So anyways, tomorrow she is invited to a birthday party. It's a boy in her class that we go to church with. He and J are in religion class together then a lot of times, we sit with him and his mom at church. His mom and I actually used to be good friends several years back.


Anyways, so I called his mom last night to tell her that Jenna would be coming to the party. She thought she better let me know that Jenna might be the only girl there! Turns out he only invited three girls. One cannot come and the other she had not heard back from. When she asked Jordan if he wanted to invite any girls to his party, he named Jenna because (in his words), "she's cool."




When Jenna first heard she might be the only girl, she didn't want to go. But I *think* she's since changed her mind. We'll see how she feels tomorrow. His mom said she'll understand if J decides not to come to a party full of boys!

I'm not sure what she'll do. It might all come down to how bad she wants the goodie bag...