maybe….

….it’s a RedRyderbbgun…withacompassinthestock.

Or maybe not. : )

a spoon full of sugar

…. or smooshing her head real tight… helps the medicine go down in the most undelightful way.

I know… lame. But it’s one of those either you’ll laugh about it or it will become more of a nasty job than it already is sort of things. So today we’re laughing at my smoosh-faced kitty. Say what you will, but she swallows the nasty pill and we can move on with our lives. : )

*added* We have a "pill popper" thingy... used to stick the pill into the back of her mouth. But she has still got to swallow it. Hence the smooshy face part! : ) We do the 'blow on her nose' thing too. We can't tell if it works, but we do it a few times anyway. LOL

Have a great weekend everybody!

sorta wordless sorta not

Today it’s pretty chilly out.  See!

 

TWENTY-FIVE, people!  I live in Texas and to me, this is cold. 

I need me some of this…

…and some of this….

…and of course, a little bit of this.

Yum!

And I’ll probably be needing these today too.

(thick socks and warm shoes)

That little snowman mouse on the left side is probably one of my favorites.  He is just sooo cuuuuuute! : )

It’s beginning to feel look a lot like Christmas!

Random Dozen #15

1. Which physical trait do you now accept--maybe not love, but accept--and no longer feel extremely self-conscious about?   Probably my ears. They kinda stick out. I’ve covered them all my life. Still do. And don’t have any intentions of changing that, but they don’t bother me like they did when I was younger.  I guess it helps that I have control of fixing my own hair now (I’m not wearing it pulled into a harsh pony tail in the back) and nobody is calling me Dumbo anymore. LOL Sometimes I wish I could just slap my hair up in a pony tail though. So I get a little jealous of all you girls with nice flat ears.  : )

2. This week Meredith Baxter Birney, best known as the mom on the favorite 80s sitcom "Family Ties" came out of the closet, which led me to formulate this question: Who do you think is/was the best TV mom?  Well, it certainly wasn’t her…even before this revelation!  Maybe June Cleaver.. so idyllic.  Maybe Claire Huxtable.   Um.. the mom on Father Knows Best.  Gosh I can’t think of many… after I post this I’m sure I’ll think of the perfect answer.

3. Do you speak any foreign languages? Are there any you'd like to learn?  Nope.  I wouldn’t mind learning American Sign Language (ASL).  Daughter is learning it and it’s just so expressive and beautiful.

4. Who is your personal hero?  People who have a real walk with God. 

5. What is one holiday food that you find extremely difficult to resist over- indulging in?  Dressing. 

 
6. Tell me about a Christmas decoration that has special meaning or sentimental value. This is the last ornament our son chose. We knew at the time that it would be his last Christmas and he loved that little ornament so much. 

 
7. How do you feel about snow?  I love it when we’re all home safe, have power and it’s a snow day.

8. On average, how many hours of sleep do you get each night? Not that I'm jealous of any number over three or anything.  7  But I am quite a napper, so I wonder sometimes if I’m getting enough.

 
9. Tell me about your first crush.  Dunno that I ever really had one… and if I did, I guess I don’t remember it.

10. You're stuck in a room for 2 hours with only a chalkboard and chalk. What will you write/draw?  I am no artist. I would probably write my name.  And then write it backwards. I know.. I’m weird. I’m a lefty and I have this thing about writing backwards.  And I’d probably doodle a couple of little things too.

11. Do you dress for the current temp or for the day's forecast?  Forecast for the day.  If it’s 35 outside but it’s supposed to hit 75, I’d be burning up in a turtleneck.  But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t bring along a jacket or a hoodie that I can shed (or add) later in the day.

 
12. Favorite Christmas movie is?  I have no idea. I was thinking about that the other day. I really don’t know.  I can think of some movies, but I can’t say any of them are “favorites”.  A Christmas Story makes me laugh evvvery year and we watch it because hubs likes it. But it gets on my nerves after a while because it seems like there’s a lot of hollerin’ and carryin’ on in that movie. 

To check out everybody else’s Random-ness, hop on over to Lid’s place.

gettin’ scrappy

When November and December start rolling around, I start gathering my thoughts… and my photos… because I know it’s time to get scrappy! Scrapbook calendars, that is!

Last year my theme was Disney, of course, since we went over Thanksgiving. I had loads of cute photos.

This year’s theme… weeeeell… we did go to  DC and I did take a lot of photos. But they don’t necessarily fall under the category of ‘cute’.  So I have several photos from the DC trip… and one from Austin… and a few from our recent trip to visit family in Missouri. 

I’ve started gathering supplies.

But I need a few more things. Then I’ll be ready to set up shop and get scrappy!  And calendary!

I also bought these when I went to Hobby Lobby yesterday.

Because somebody can’t stay away from the tree and seems to enjoy eating little bits of it.  She ended up sick and she’s on pills twice a day for an upset tummy.  Volunteers… anyone…anyone?  The vet told me to put balloons under the tree. Supposedly cats don’t like the movement and they’ll stay away. 

I guess I need to get on it!

the pageant

A church we were involved with in the past has hosted a Christmas pageant for many many years. It’s very professionally done and always amazing. I used to go before I met hubs. And then he and I used to go together until we had little ones, since it was hard to get a sitter for them. And then life and church moves and the like happened, and we haven’t been since 2000. Hubs even worked on the crew in 1999 and 2000. Anyway, we have a long history with this group but haven’t seen most of them in years.

So we decided tonight to go to the pageant since this is pageant weekend, as it’s affectionately called. This is the first pageant Boo has seen. She was entertained and moved by it. We recognized people in the crew and on stage, since we’ve had history with many of them. We even had the opportunity to chat with some old friends before and afterwards. What a sweet time.

Anyway, it was a beautiful evening. It always starts out with something current with many songs of the holiday. Bright costumes, dance numbers and lots of fun. And then there is a shift to Biblical scenes including Jesus’ ministry on earth, His death on the cross and the nativity. Very moving experience every time.

This year they also included cardboard testimonies (similar to these). I think that was my favorite part. I recognized some of the faces and knew some of their stories. But many others I did not and it was very moving. Very real and that’s what made it all the more special.

So I feel a little lighter in spirit right now… not feeling quite as Grinch-like as usual. Feeling expectant of the holidays… not the presents and the fun… but looking forward to celebrating Jesus’ birth and anticipating all He has in store this Christmas season.

Christmas tree ‘09

Every year we usually put up our tree right after Thanksgiving.  When I was a kid, it seemed like we were the last family I knew to put up the tree and that drove me nuts, so now that it’s up to me, we do it early. I love it. 

When we were first married, I wanted a blue and mauve tree, since my house was ‘country blue and mauve’. (I have since been liberated, thankyouverymuch, but hey, it was a long time ago!)  Anyway, I wanted non traditional colors on my tree and there were none to be had.  At least none that I could get MY hands on.  So I made my own. They weren’t all that fancy and I’ve since thrown them out, but I have the pictures. It was ‘cute’.  And I guess at the time, that’s what I was going for.  A friend and I were discussing this yesterday, and I was telling her how Hobby Lobby carries every color of ornament you can imagine now and how I must have just been ahead of the times.  She was as well, since she had a stunning mauve and crystal tree before she had kids.  NOW her tree is traditional red and gold etc. (But she still has the other stuff.)  I used to decorate that tree with her on a Friday night back in the day. And then usually spend another Friday night together with her hanging out putting it all away when the season is over.  NOW she decorates it with her family and I usually end up helping her put it all away sometime in January.  LOL

This year seemed a bit like the passing of the torch.  Instead of me doing most of it and directing Boo as to where things go, we just told her to have at it and every now and then we would point out a ‘hole’ and she hurried to fill it. She did a great job and it turned out really pretty.  Every year hubs would pick Boo up and let her put the angel on top of the tree.  This year she stood on the arm of the couch and did it herself.  I’m sure hubs is glad she did it that way!  She’s grown! LOL

There are lots of special dated ornaments on the tree. Things both kids picked out through the years. Things we picked on vacations etc.  Here are a few….

There are several kitty ornaments… of course.

And some mice.  Most of my mice didn’t even make the tree this year. I’m thinking about getting a smaller tabletop tree and doing it just in mice… just for me.  : )

And some vacation ones… of course Disney!

And this year was DC…well that ornament is of Mount Vernon, but it still counts.  : )

Here’s the whole thing.  Yes we have a ‘skinny tree’… but we love it.  We don’t have to move any furniture and it fits nicely in a corner where we can all enjoy it.  This is our second skinny tree and this one doesn’t shine the lights as brightly, so I’m not as pleased with it overall.

And then there’s the kitty enjoying our work.  : )