Thankful

I am Thankful. Thankful for this family of mine.

Thankful for my husband who is most times,

the only thing that holds me together.

Thankful for Teddy, and his goofiness.

His ability to make me laugh.

Thankful for Tucker and his sense of humor.

His laugh is one of my favorite sounds.

Thankful for Julian and her inquisitive mind.

Her enthusiasm and ideas.

Thankful for Janey and her silly ways.

Her faces and expressions crack me up.

This is all I need, this family of mine.

I'm the luckiest girl in the world.

Tag!

Jennifer tagged me for a 5 things MeMe. Since I am totally procrastinating working my way through my to do list, I thought it was a great idea!!

5 Things Meme

5 Things I was Doing 10 years Ago
1. Being a mom to my first daughter. Actually her two brothers wouldn't leave her alone, and the only time I got her to myself was to feed her! And when she woke up in the middle of the night.
2. Settling in to our new house STILL. Actually, I feel like I am, even NOW, still getting stuff done that was on my initial to do list!
3. Trying to get ready for the holidays on little to no sleep.
4. Getting to know my new, improved sister
5. Going to my 10 year reunion. Right after giving birth.

5 Things On My To-Do List Today
1. Empty cat boxes. It has actually been on my list for a week. I love it so much, that I keep moving it to the bottom. NOW it is mandatory. And for those who wonder, NO, I can't get the boys to do it. They do SUCH a horrible job, I have to not only redo them, but clean the entire bathroom. I know they planned it that way, and let me tell you...it worked.
2. Make my christmas list. Preferably without having a panic attack.
3. Laundry. Wash. Dry. Fold. Put away. Repeat. All day. Every day.
4. Find an outfit for my 20 year reunion. This will require alcholic fortification, so I should put it last.
5. Take a nap. I only added this once I woke up and saw what a crappy, rainy, cold day it was.

5 Snacks I Love
1. Rice crackers and cream cheese
2. Popcorn
3. Apples and peanut butter
4. Pistachios
5. Gushers

5 Things I Would Do If I Were A Millionaire:
1. Pay off our house
2. College funds for the kiddies
3. Buy a beach house (although, I might need more than a million!)
4. Secretly mail $ to people in need. Real need.
5. Make a donation to family members. With the SIGNED stipulation they NEVER ask for money again.

5 Jobs I’ve Had
1. Kennel worker at a vet/boarding kennel. Scooped shit, cleaned cages, bathed animals (alive and dead), helped at appointments, and more. Loved it.
2. Nanny. For years, and many different kids. Got to go to cool places, and do all the fun, creative stuff that comes when you actually have energy!
3. Worked in an insurance company. Doing the most boring stuff on earth. So boring you felt like you would die. So boring I fell asleep standing up. So boring I considered selling an organ for cash. Did I mention it was boring?!?
4. Cleaned houses
5. Stay at home mom. The job is great, but the pay sucks!

So now I get to tag 5 people. Fill out your MeMe, and have Fun!! I guess I also have to tackle my to do list now......

I tag:
Deb
Anemone Pie
Sandgroper
Kristin
Falk Family

Squirrely Boy

Ever since forever Teddy has loved squirrels. Love, love, loved them. He has stuffed squirrels, Tshirts, figurines..you name it.

The first time Steve and I went to New York City, I was amazed at the tameness of the squirrels in Central Park. I called Teddy to tell him I had taken a picture of Daddy petting one.

He hung up on me.

Years later Teddy and I went to the Central Park Zoo where he spent much time trying, and finally succeeding in getting a squirrel to eat from his hand. Yes. We have pictures. And video.

Over the years we have trained various squirrels to come to the kitchen window for nuts. This is yet another thing that makes Steve crazy!!

Teddy and I were on the way to my mom's the other day. A very strange animal darted across the road. I had NO idea what it was.

I didn't know WHAT it was, but whatever it was....I had just run it over .

Ick and Ugh. I save animals. And find them. And help them. I don't run them over!!! So, guilt ridden, I turned the car around. When I got back to the scene of the crime, the poor (already) tail-less squirrel was laying in the road. Twitching. I did what anyone would do under those circumstances....(drove off) scooped him up and put him in my brand new car.

By some weird act of (irresponsibility) luck, I had my camera in the car. And a sleeping bag!!

See honey, my car is NOT a mess! This stuff comes in handy.

I wrapped Squirrely up and was sad to see the labored breathing, blood, and lack of response. After we were done at my mom's I checked on him again.

(And, yes, I DID have fleeting thoughts that he might escape into my car.

BUT...he's almost dead, remember??)

Except, he's not. Dead. And he's not so stunned anymore either. In fact, he is now a plain old everyday wild animal.

In. my. car.

Much to the FURIOUSITY of my oldest son, we decided to let him go. We drove back to the scene of the crime, with Teddy bitching the WHOLE way.

I was ruining his dream. A fox would eat Squirrely. He would jump in the stream and drown. Ummm...someone needs to tell Teddy he is 17.

When it came time for the release, Teddy refused. On the grounds it was aiding and abetting the ruination of his lifelong dream to be a squirrel owner.

We released our now lucid friend back onto the side of the street he was headed towards.

We watched his tail-less little self run off happily into the woods.

Where a hawk flew down and killed him. KIDDING on the hawk!

Wordless Wednesday

* Story to follow!!!*

Super Snapshot Saturday

Again it is Saturday and Angel at http://www.emilymakes3.blogspot.com/ is hosting Super Snapshot Saturday. This weeks theme is FUNNY.

Sometimes it is an advantage being older.

And sometimes you get what is coming to you!

Drat.

This is Slash.

Slash has had a run in with the new bully cat in the neighborhood.

Slash is usually pretty tough.

Bully Cat has also gotten to AJ. Swelling his eyes shut and biting the heck out of his face.

Bully cat has cost me about $500.

At last sighting, Julian noticed that bully cat (great....now I am singing 'Smelly Cat' from FRIENDS, but adding bully instead) had a bad cut on his leg. My vet is the best. She has agreed to vaccinate and neuter bully cat out of the goodness of her heart. Then I can release him at Steve's work where he will be a shop cat, and live off the millions of mice who love to eat grass seed. Bully cat has NO IDEA how good he has it. My vet lent us a "have-a-heart-trap". Easy peasy. Put food in it, set it, gotcha a cat. Can I just say how disappointed I am in my animal catching skills? I can find animals abandoned on roadways, in fields, and in the woods. I will stop my car to move dead cats and dogs out of the road (drives my husband CRAZY). But I can't catch a cat living in my own damn yard?? The other night, he sat out there mocking me. NEXT to the trap. I have tried dry cat food, wet cat food, tuna and ham. So far I have caught AJ...

And two of these.

Sigh.

Super Snapshot Saturday

Angel at http://emilymakes3.blogspot.com/ is hosting yet another SuperSnapshotSaturday.
I forgot the last two Saturdays, but in my defense, I have only 4 brain cells left, and they do not work well with each other! This weeks theme was "YOUR CHOICE". Ahhh. This is like asking me to choose my favorite KID. A near impossibility. I have so many pictures I love for many different reasons. Some are sentimental. Some are funny. Some tell a great story. This one I chose as kind of a joke to my OHIH friends.
This is my daughter Janey's first hamster. She begged and begged for one, and after finally relenting we went to pick one out. There is a mom-and-pop pet store near us, and we have been lucky enough to get all our small critters from there. The owner handles the babies as soon as possible, and all her hamsters are so sweet. Well........ with the exception of this one. He is a nasty bully. He likes to attack unprovoked and he has quite the temper. We have had him for about three years, and his disposition has improved NOT AT ALL.

His name is PRINCE CHARMING.

Trick-Or-Treat

A Beautiful Flower Fairy

A Ghoulish Dead Bride

Happy Halloween 2009

Pouring down rain.

Still.....a good night!