We were playing cards in the diningroom with a few friends. A simple game of “Oh Hell”. We were laughing it up. The children were in bed. I was mastering the game and was boasting rather loudly about that fact. I had set myself up to go out on the next turn. I looked out of the corner of my eye and saw Pooter our cat jump up on the entertainment center. This is not a regular occurance for him so I watched as he manuvered over the top, across….a flaming candle. Everything unfolded before my eyes in slow motion. He jumped down, ON FIRE, yelping. I ran after him and then thought to myself…”How stupid. He’s just going to run around and catch the draperies, the furniture and everything else on fire.” I dismissed that thought and ran after our flame ball.
The smell of burned hair became very apparent as I finally caught him and put him out. His fur that was snowy white had balls of black. He looked like he had been attacked by the pepper shaker. As I gently cut off the little black fur balls I heard the group in the livingroom finally sigh with relief, start laughing hysterically and look at all of my cards. I had laid my hand down face up. Brilliant.
Moral to the story….never offer flaming cat diversion unless you want to be taken away from the obvious victory.

Oh PS…Pooter is fine.

TESTING TESTING DOES THIS THING STILL WORK??!! Please please say yes. I have so many adventures to tell about our trip to Europe. Stay tuned today. I will be writing more if this works.

Most of last week we were either out of town, running between cities or in the mountains skiing. I left like I lived with my hair on fire. I could not catch up to save my life.
The neighbor girl came over while we were gone to feed our old kitty. She did a fabulous job. She always does. We decided to take Macy Mae with us. That was an adventure considering she gets car sick most every time we get two blocks away. Miraculously she did not!
Yesterday after receiving a phone call and an email from my wonderful friends saying that they sent me something I got concerned. Why did I not receive those boxes. Simple explanation. Since being home yesterday was the first real day home. I ran to the store. In the meantime our ever so efficient neighbor girl did not realize we were home and came in got the mail and took it to her home. She does this every time because she puts it in a box by her door until we get home. Normally she does this because Macy Mae is home and EATS the mail. Dogs….can live with them, can’t live without them.
Last night I noticed that the mail was in fact gone or had not come. This was a cause for concern. I went and asked the ever so wonderful neighbor girl if she had seen the mailman that day. She came out with three boxes, and a stack with ZERO bills. Now that is a cause for much celebration.
When Hula Girl came in her eyes went straight to the boxes. With a squeal of excitement she begged me to open it. The box was from none other than Mamacita herself. Inside were mounds of Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy books. She spoiled her rotten. Last night we started one of the Nancy Drew books. Excitement ran crazy in our home. Then to top it off in another box Mamacita had baked two loaves of bread. UUUUUUUMMMMMM I love love love fresh baked bread.
Last night we had a lovely supper of Baked Potato Soup and home made bread. YUMMY! At the end of the night there was only the crust of the bread left so I went ahead and threw it in the trash. Trash day was the next day so I went ahead and took it down to the curb. This morning when I went outside to bring up the cans I noticed that the local wild life had a feast on the crust. This was evident because the bag was ripped open and the bread crust was gone. All that was left were the crumbs.
So the wild life and my family thank Mamacita for her love she sent via mail. SMOOCHES and thank you thank you thank you.

Have you ever been gripped by the uncontrollable craving for guacamole that you consider smashing an unripe avacado? Nope me neither. One would think I was pregnant. So NOT the case.

We live 3 houses from the open space in our community. Our open space is over 1000 acres. It’s beautiful. With that open space the deer have found it a safe place to roam about. We counted a few of them on the hillside the other day. There are over 100 now. Occasionally they will get bold enough to saunter down our streets to taste the smörgåsbord of delectable delights from the gardens. Last night it was the tender young leaves of my greenery, the night before it was the heads off the remaining flowers. They love my yard. Honestly I don’t mind them coming in and invading but what I do mind is the nice little round balls they leave all over my yard. I already have a dog to pick up after plus an almost toilet trained son.
My life is defined by poop!

Well it’s finally up on flicker. Click on my flicker and you’ll get the pictures of me from tot to teen!

Here’s a few pictures that are me when I was little!!
Hope you enjoy!

Me when I was 5 months old

Me with my glowing parents
I have a few more that I will load up later!!! ENJOY!

I had a great entry….Hula Boy decided it was time to play his Thomas the Train computer game. He hit escape. Any questions? I think I’ll go cry now.

Having a teenager in the house (part time) I have received quite an education. Lakota has stayed this weekend with us and I am officially “phat”. I know I need to go on Adkins or at least Weight Watchers, but hey I am working on it!
She came over this weekend to work on her audition for South Pacific for her school. Her mom (even though very talented in other areas) is not at all into theater and arts. So I offered to help her work up her act.
We chose “Lullaby on Broadway”. She already knew the words, but has never been directed on how to give an audition. Being 15 years old I informed her that an audition is much like a job interview. “Smile…do your best and never let them see you sweat.” is the advise that I gave her. I think she will do fantastic.
She has never seen South Pacific so I rented it. I can honestly say that I don’t think she was too impressed. You know a lot of kids these day…are overstimulated by flashy acts and big stage presence and don’t understand that simplicity is not overstated. Big stage presence does not mean that you have to cover the whole stage. It can be simply done by presence on the scene.
Anyway…prime example…Lakota went home and told her mom that she did not think she wanted to do the audition. (this was before I worked with her) She was nervous about singing and acting in front of a panel of judges and what part could she play in “South Park” anyway. WHAT????SOUTH PARK????
Have mercy…what should we do with these kids today. I swear I’ve heard my mother come out of my mouth more than once this weekend. Oh well…she’s only 15.
On top of her education, I have received an education as well. I now can quote lines from both “South Park” and “South Pacific”. Although I must admit I get a little confused. I mean it an easy thing to do. “I’m gonna wash Kenny right out of my hair, and find out who killed him!”

IT’S BEAUTIFUL! There’s still snow but the sun is shining. The mountain behind us has a beautiful skiff of fresh snow and no one has hike up it yet. It’s freaking freezing and for me to say that you know it has to be. It was around what 0 last night. I’m generally hot natured but this weather had me shivering in my boots!
I am looking forward to the standing rib roast I’m making for lunch and the playing of the movie, “The Christmas Story”!!!!!!!!!!!! It is my all time favorite Christmas movie and it’s playing all day. I should just go out and buy the crazy thing, but you know how it is….it’s all about the kids after kids!
Anyway for those of you celebrating other holidays I want to wish you a Happy Holidays. For those of you celebrating Christmas, from our family to yours….MERRY CHRISTMAS.