oh yea

Recently, I have found myself going in circles. I say often either in my head or out loud "I'm always going in circles." Its so true.

As a mother of one or multiple children, you know your work is never ending. There is always laundry to do. If there isn't, give it another 15 minutes and BAM! like magic dirty clothes appear in the laundry basket. There is always mouths to feed. Toys to clean up. Diapers to change. Pets to feed. Something to do.

I often find myself doing one of these:

I get up to go into the kitchen. Realize the cats are hungry, so I walk into the area where their food is to fill the bowls. Realize there is cat food on the floor around their bowls, so I walk to the garage to grab the broom and dust pan. In the hallway as I get the dust pan and broom I realize there is litter on the floor from the littler box and my day begins......

I begin sweeping up the litter.

I finish sweeping it up and go to empty the dust pan into the garbage can in the kitchen.

"OH YEA".... I forgot to sweep up the cat food.

"OH YEA" ... I forgot to feed the cats too.

Go to put the broom away and the dust pan...."OH YEA"..... I forgot about the load of clothes in the dryer.

Instead of taking clothes out, I hit "touch up" for another 13 minutes. Why 13? Well it wasn't quiet ten minutes as that seems too short, and not quiet 15 minutes as that probably isn't necessary for clothes that truly are ready to be taken out of dryer and be put away. I am just buying myself 13 minutes here.

"Oh yea.... I need to make up Hunters bed."

"Morgan, mommy will get your juice in a minute."

"Oh yea...... I need to make my bed up too."

"Morgan, do not color on the walls, that is for paper at the table only."

"Oh wait...let me wash these dishes first, I am tired of looking at them already."

"Morgan please do not do flips on the couch."

"Oh wait.... I forgot to do Hunters bed."

"Morgan please stop pulling the cats by their tails."

"Crap.... still didn't feed the cats."

"Morgan you ready for a snack?"

Finally I feed the cats.... It only took an hour and 23 minutes to feed the dang cats.

{If I don't hear any complaining then that means the cats and Morgan each got their own food and not the other way around.}

Some of you are laughing right now because it also exactly how you spend most of your time. Running around in circles saying "oh yea."

I feel like every little thought leads to another.....and then to that an action and before I know it, I feel like I have done so much, and its not even noon yet. Then I look around and it appears I haven't really done much at all.

But I am exhausted.

"Morgan, mommy said do not stand up in the chair."

It can make anyone feel a bit on the crazy side. Heck I may be on the crazy side already.

I feel that hustle bustle and my "oh yea's" have doubled during the month of December. Between all the work, traveling, new school for Morgan, changes in routine, holiday shopping and planning. I haven't had time to slow down to really enjoy this holiday season.

It's so different these days.

Instead of actually going out shopping for special unique and thoughtful gifts for those you love. Everyone is swapping checks or handing out gift cards. Part of it makes it easier, but then there is that part that takes away the fun. The excitement of seeing that person open up a gift and be surprised, and actually liking what YOU picked out for them. Often times you send money or a gift card and you never see or hear about what your money actually got that person.

That's not for me.

I enjoy Christmas shopping. I love gift giving. I love searching and thinking outside of the box to find something that the person I am giving to will love. I believe having to take the extra time to really put thought into a gift for someone, that means you also have to get to know them that much more. The gift cards and money is an easy way out. Its doesn't force you to think. It doesn't force you have to put thought into what that person is into. And it allows for the hustle bustle to go even faster.

So, I am taking myself back into history for a little bit here.

I didn't send out gift cards to anyone this year. I didn't send money this year. I actually took the time to see what each of my family members are into. What are their likes this year. What would really make them smile and surprise them that I knew them well enough to pick something that would rock their worlds.

I am determined to not let all this high tech, fast money and hustle bustle take away the one time of the year that I get to think of my friends and family, buying them gifts just to let them know how much they mean to me and make me smile for loving me back.

So today....

I told myself to slow it down.

When I did slow down....

I had a little fun.....check it out.

My tree.

{an all bow decorated tree - makes for a toddler friendly tree}

{I love my christmas tree bird}

{My two boys}

OH YEA..... I need to go take that load out of the dryer now!
"Morgan, mommy heard you the first time..... hang on."
Oh yea!!!


Happy Holidays!!!

Summer Kitty Camp (a.k.a. Misty's House)

You guessed it.  This is THAT post about the cats.  You know the ones I told you that were here while their owners are off traveling and enjoying their summer breaks.  These same four cats where together last summer in June or July, just as Val was taking the plunge to move back out here to Florida with her then 4 year old daughter.  And as Hunter and his dad left for their summer time in Cape Cod.  

As you know, I love animals, and obviously I love cats. Considering that I have had my two since 1997, when I moved into my very own apartment/townhouse.  

My two boys are getting old, but still have a lot of life in them. They have traveled the world and been and seen it all with me.  They have given me unconditional love, comfort and purrs. I love them so much, and I can't even imagine the day that I know will come and they will no longer be with me.  My heart aches and my stomach turns just thinking of that....so I am not even going to think about it now.  

*breathing*

So, here I am again with all four cats and an active baby this time. Let's just say they provide much entertainment for Morgan.  She loves watching them and chasing after them. When she does catch up with them, she pets them and lays her head on them.  Well, that was until Jagger decided to be a grouch and bit her arm (lightly).  She of coursed cried, and Mark of course thought about tossing him out the back door, as I quickly jump in to check on Morgan and rescue Jagger.  Trying my best to explain to Mark that he isn't himself right now.  He is out of his own environment, he is stressed out with three other cats trying to sniff at his rear end and well, sometimes her "gentle" petting doesn't feel so gentle, especially to a cat that is on guard at the moment.  

Instead, I placed Jagger and Maddie off in Hunter's room.  Only letting the two of them out for a few hours here and there when I am able to keep an eye on all the action.  Jagger also attacked Milo twice, unprovoked.  Milo, the biggest one here, but the gentle teddy bear lion he is, wants nothing more than to be left alone. He isn't going around sniffing any ones rear end. He isn't growling or hissing. He just wants the same respect.  Unfortunately, Jagger saw Milo as an easy target to pick on.  Off Jagger goes into the locked room again.  

At this point, Mark doesn't like Jagger at all.  In fact, had Val left us a key, Jagger would be home right now, only getting attention when I go over to feed him.  

The first few days there was a lot of meowing, hissing, growling, sniffing and claiming territory.  As of now, they are all starting to chill out and leave each other alone.  In truth, they are all really great, sweet and loving cats.  All of them love attention, love to be petted and are declawed and gentle.  Unlike a lot of cats, these cats are all very accepting and loving to people and children.   

Right now there is a lot of laying around, playing around and running outside after lizards anytime the door is opened, front or back. They all come back though, so I let them go.  Oh and as you can tell by the pictures below, none of them seem to be afraid of the camera. In fact, they all seems to like to be in the spotlight.  HA! 

Look at them.  Truly beautiful creatures.  So soft.  So furry.  So funny at times.  I think cats are such amazing animals.  They are just small little panthers running around.  

As you can see, Milo is pouting in his picture. It was the best he would give me. In fact, Milo, the one I normally have to push out from the front of the camera.  He wouldn't even look at me. Anytime I would get in his face, he would turn his head the other way.  He is ticked right now.  He wants all these other cats gone, ASAP.  

But do notice in the one picture, of him and Maddie laying side by side.  Yea, there is a picture I have of them (some where) laying next to each other like this last year also. As I mentioned in a recent post, Milo and Maddie secretly think they make the purrrr-fect pair.  

I am off now to go scoop the litter boxes.  Yea, with four cats, that's a slot of s---t poop to scoop or my house starts to smell pretty foul.  Thankfully, my own litter box has its own secret little spot built in the wall out in the garage, that my cats have access to through the laundry room.  However, Jagger and Maddie's litter box is the guest bathroom, and so I must scoop or it will stink.  

Jagger is only here for 10 days, while Maddie is here for three weeks. Its not so bad.... but I do say its my last year to run the Summer Kitty Camp. It takes weeks and weeks to get all the cat hair out of this house. 

(The only female)

(The Alpha Male)

(The one REALLY in charge if wants to be)

(The sensitive one)

(Under all that fur, they really do love summer camp at Misty's)