Here kitty kitty

I've had cats on the brain lately. Not that I'm objecting, because I am a total sucker for them. Right now, my Nobi is sleeping next to me on the bed. We are currently cat-tending for Lola, the furbaby of a chick I work with. She's a tiny little thing, that Lola. Last night, I dreamed about Bellbell. It was a sad dream. I dreamed that everyone else was ready to let her go and let her be put down, but I wasn't ready to I kept hiding her from everyone. In my dream she was shrinking. And Jade, poor Jade, just lost another of her furbabies. My friend Heidi just had another litter of kittens brought to her this evening to foster. I guess it's kitty season in my life.

This is Nobi, waking up for her picture, but enjoying her corner of our king size pillow top bed that she thinks was purchased purely for her.






This is Lola. I couldn't get her to hold still for her photo opportunity. Although her belly pic is lovely, I must admit.

Thought I'd Post An Update

It has been forever since I've posted an update, so I thought now would be a good time. We've had a lot of changes.

We are doing fantastic.

Selo's health is good right now. He hasn't had any attacks for about a month, all his meds are steady. We had a bit of trouble with his stomach med, since all it was discontinued, but we got it changed and he is doing a lot better. He feels good, he looks good, and he is able to carry on a normal and active life again.

Work is going well for both of us. My job is booming, especially with the financial market dropping so harshly. I am busier than ever at work, and it is great. Selo has something in the works that could be a very, very good thing for us.

We are making progress in our finances. We are getting things caught up, and paying all of our monthly bills, with money left over. At this point, we are also making some serious payments on Selo's medical bills. We have made some excellent progress, and have high hopes for our financial future.

We are traveling again. We are traveling people, and it's diffuclt to stay put for so long!For Thanksgiving, we will probably be gonig to Saint George. Christmas might be in California. We are planning a 7 day trip to Las Vegas in January to spend a week with another side of the family. Look how beautiful the resort we will be staying in is! Our time share has really paid off. We have gotten more out of it than we ever paid. It has been sooo nice to able to travel again.

We have a sweet new baby. Her name is Shinobi, and we have enjoyed having her. We spoil her, and she loves to show us how grateful she is. She is a little snuggler and is constantly on one of our laps or curled up next to us. And she is very much a daddy's girl. He picked her out and named her, and she has him wrapped around her little finger.

No plans to have any children yet. We just finished with a big mess with his ex wife. (Thank heavens it is over!) We are enjoying it be just the two of us, and having the time to get to know each other, strengthen our marriage, and the freedom to go whenever we want. We are planning another year or so, and then we will talk about starting our family.

We are loving our home. Our apt is wonderful and we haven't had any problems. We'll probably stick around here until we have our first child. Our new ward is suited very well for us. There are a few kids, but mostly married couples that are in the same life phase that we are. We will probably be getting callings soon, and we are looking forward to all the friends in the ward.

I think that's it for now. Have a wonderful day!

Our New Baby <3

So we have a new baby, and yes, I'm totally smitten. It took me plenty of begging, but Selo did go to Petsmart on Saturday. As soon as we got to the cats, he said "I want to see that one" and pointed to a tortie sweetheart that was loving the window separating us. She is now the newest (and most spoiled) member of our home. We both love her to death, and she rubs and snuggles plenty back. Here's the catster profile I made for her. I warned you that I was a sucker for her. I'm glad we got her. After Selo had fallen in love with her, we got to hear a little more about her background. She had been adopted once before, but had been brought back. She doesn't care for other animals, even as sweet and loving as she is to us. So when she didn't get along with the dog in her first home, they had to bring her back. We are glad, though, because she connected with us right away. Okay, so maybe she connected with Selo first, but I adore her just as much. I love having her follow me around the house and climb into my lap on the couch and snuggle under the blankets with me in bed. *happy sigh* (Pictures are on the profile I made for her.)

Oh and, the grocery service? Fantastic! It was sooo great.

Not Sunday Appropriate, But I Could NOT Stop Laughing

Can't Get Enough

LOLCATS
Thanks to Tim with MFO: Blog for leading me to this site. I can't stop laughing :)

Making Plans for Piper to Come Home

You guys probably think I am crazy for talking about my cat so much. And for being so determined to get her back. But I miss her so much I almost don't care. I have been so lonely without a furry friend in my home. I feel like someone is missing.

I called my grandmother and asked if she would bring Piper back when they fly back from Myrtle Beach next weekend. She said they couldn't because they are flying Southwest. But they are flying back to NC in May and flying on American then. So I am going to call the airline and ask about the animal travel requirements. Grandma said that between her, Grandpa, and my Aunt Tamra, they will be able to get Piper back here for me. I will probably meet them at the airport just so I can get her as soon as they step off the plane. I told Grandma I still had the tranquilizers I got from Piper's vet for her before we moved to NC, and I would make sure she had those. I might just mail those to Judy, so that the pills are there. And the carrier is still back there. I left it when we moved hoping that Piper would be caught and brought home.

I need to prepare to have her here, too. I need to get a litter box, because she will be kept inside for the first few weeks she is here. Once she gets used to being here, I will let her out. But cats have to gain their bearings before being let outside. So I will need a litter box and litter. We will need food, and food and water dishes. I need to find out if she still has her collar, and if not, get another one. I also want to make sure she has a tagc with her name and my mobile number on it.

Since she will be staying in NC for a few more months, Judy is going to update her on her shots out there. I had planned on doing it once she got here, but since she won't be here for a while, it's better not to wait.

I love that I can make these plans! I love that getting my Piper back is a reality! I realized today that Piper will be four years old this year. Man, I miss her.

I Get My Piper Back!!!

Judy sent me an email today. Piper let Judy pick her up, and Judy took her into the house. When Judy left after lunch, Piper was sitting on the couch sleeping.

This is a big deal!!!

Why? Because Piper is a stuck up cat that doesn't like people. She is exactly like her mom in that aspect. I got Chani (Piper's mom) when she was a kitten and raised her. Piper is from Chani's first litter. Chani was never very social- she didn't like to be pet or held, didn't like to be around people too much, loved being outside, and- although she was a good mom- was never too close to even her kittens. Piper is even more of a snob than Chani was. What this means, is that she would spend days and almost weeks outside by herself. She can hunt, and does so very well. Even though she has food available at all times, she mostly just hunts. She used to come home and inside maybe once a week for a night or two, and then back out on her own again. I made sure she was fixed and healthy, but she was very much on her own. I was the only one she would let pet her or even go near her. So when Selo and I took her to my step-mom's to stay when Selo's father passed away and we didn't know how long we would be gone, Piper escaped. That was clear back in November. This is the first time she has allowed someone to get close enough to her to actually "catch" her.

I am so excited because that means I can have her back. I had to leave her when we moved across the country, and I have missed her so much. But now that she has allowed Judy to pick her up, Piper might actually stick around the house close enough for me to find someone to bring her home. My grandparents are in Myrtle Beach right now, and will be coming home at the end of this month. I'm going to call them this weekend and ask if they will bring her back when they come.

I get my Piper back!!!

My First Movie!!!

I just made this movie. And I don't care how cheesy you think it is. I made it. I shot it, put it on my computer, cropped it, edited it, and put it all together. All by myself. And I am so excited. *happy dance*

PS Thanks Veloxe for helping me find the software.

I Miss our Kitties

I miss them all. I miss Piper, the stuck up little snot that was too good for everyone else. I miss Sarabi, the rambunctious one that was always playing with or chasing something. I miss Naala, the little cuddle bug that was always on my lap or my shoulder. I miss seeing them, hearing them, chasing them, playing with them, holding them, snuggling with them. I practically had baby cribs set up for them, they were so loved.

I dreamed last night about my cat Bellbell. My family got Bellbell when she was a kitten and I was 7. She was my cat. Slept with me in my bed, stayed in my room, and was there with me every time I needed someone to cry to. She is 18 now (almost 19). I have had several dreams of her getting older- her eyes going cloudy, getting athritis and having a hard time moving, stuff like that. Last night was no different. I know I am going to lose her soon.

I miss having a cat. I miss the presence of another being near me. I guess I am just one of those people that needs an animal.

They are so cute.
(((Little Guy = Sarabi, Bella = Naala)))

Thoughts on 2007

It has been a busy and emotional year for Hubby and I. I was just on the phone a few minutes ago talking to a friend about how difficult this year has been, and it made me realize how much we have been through.

January- Vacation to Myrtle Beach. Hubby's first time on the beach, and first real vacation (he said that!). This is where he proposed to me <3

February- Hubby's birthday. His first birthday away from all of his family. We had a big party for him to make sure he knew there were still plenty of people around that cared for him. My schedule at work changed. Hubby's youngest daughter had a seizure. (She is fine. Her mom took good care of her.) We start feeding the stray cat at Hubby's home, hoping to catch her.

March- WE GOT MARRIED!!! We got our endowments the same day we were married. Married in Washington DC, reception in Wilkes, temple trip and reception in Utah. Hubby started his new job the week after we got married, and we spent the week in Florida (paid for by the company!) so he could "train".

April- Hubby's youngest daughter's birthday. She turned four. Hubby's ex-wife got married. (Congrats to them!) We find out the cat is pregnant.

May- My schedule at work changed, again. The cat has her kittens. We fall in love with every one of them.

June- I left Corp America to become a full time caregiver. What a change! We moved into the lower part of a house, and I cared for the elderly couple upstairs. I started my blog.

July- Still adjusting to one income. Child support AND insurance (for us and Hubby's girls) began being withheld from Hubby's paycheck. Both are needed, both are huge. We pull the belt a little tighter. Okay, a lot.

August- My grandmother passes away at 90-something years old. We fly to California. Hubby's oldest daughter starts first grade. My Uncle Dachie passes away.

September- My sister has her first baby and my first nephew. Three days later, Hubby's oldest daughter has her birthday- she turned seven. We find homes for the Mama kitty, and three of her five babies.

October- I had my birthday- I turned 25. We find out Hubby's dad is sick, and book him a flight for the next morning to fly to Utah. Two hours later, the next call is to tell us he passed away. We book my flight out there as well.

November- Attend the funeral for Hubby's sad. Very very hard time. Hubby ends up in the hospital. The doctors can't find what is wrong, and send him home. We are waiting for the doctor to give approval for Hubby to travel so we can return to our own home, and back to our lives. It finally comes, and we go home. Even though my grades were still through the roof and I was caught up (or ahead!) in all my classes, I had missed to many days of school and the policy stated I was to be removed. I voluntarily withdrew to avoid any bad marks. Hubby and I left a few days later for our long awaited "honeymoon" and vacation of the year. We went to California with a bunch of our friends and went to FFXI FanFest 2007. It was an absolute blast. Then we went back to Utah for our planned Thanksgiving trip.

December- Many, many changes. I can't even list them all yet. But Christmas was wonderful. We had a great time celebrating our first Christmas as a married couple.


I am amazed at this list! I try to take things one day at a time, but looking back at this helps me to understand why sometimes I just can handle it all at once. I'll tell you this though, I am so glad I have my husband. He has been an amazing strength to me through everything, and I am glad to be there for him when he needs me, too. We still have some communication issues we are smoothing out, but he is amazing. We have a commitment to stand by each other through everything, and thinking back on just our first year of marriage, we are doing just that.

Busy Bee

Wow, I didn't realize it had been a couple of days since I had written. I've been so busy I haven't even thought about my blog. (But I have thought about my blogging friends a lot!) And this week is going to be even busier. I am pretty sure that next week will be busier than this week, too.

I saw some more of my family this weekend. It was nice. I sure miss the ones that are on the other side of the country. This Christmas will be interesting.

I haven't played much FFXI lately. You probably could have guessed, because I haven't blogged about it. I really get into when I do play, but I hardly think about it when I don't. My friend, Lavinia, gave me a ten day trial to WoW. *gasp* Yes, I accepted. *gasp* But I haven't tried it yet. I barely play the one I have, lol I'm not sure I want another one yet. I am thinking about trying the one my sister, Kendra, plays though. It's called Maple something-or-other. She says she has played it for a long time, she really likes it, and there's no cost. It's worth looking into at least.

I have almost all of my Christmas cards finished. I decided that instead of sending out a stack of 150 cards every year, I am limiting our Christmas cards to 25. They will go to our family, and very close friends. For me, it keeps the spirit of Christmas stronger if I don't spend so much time, money, and pain (in my hand!) on stuff like that. I would rather spend time with them.

Not much to update on the kitties either, right now. Piper ran away from my step-mom's the last time she was there. She hasn't come back, but they still see her around. I am hoping the little snob will come to me when I am there this weekend and let me catch her. She's going to be a sad little kitty if she doesn't. The kittens are growing and adorable- as usual.

Still working on selling the stupid truck. I am so sick of the darn thing I am ready to donate it. And if it's not gone by the end of the year, I will donate it.

Selo's car still isn't fixed. He has been trying to get the part for over a week, but no one seems to have it. What a joke!

I have proudly gained ten whole pounds since Selo and I got married. I am now a whopping 115. And Selo has lost some weight. I was looking through our wedding pictures the other day, and I was surprised to see how much weight he has lost. I always think he looks great though. I have such a hot and sexy husband ;)

I think I will go catch up on some blogs now. I have noticed that I usually read a blog only once a week or every other, but I will read and comment on everything that I hadn't read yet. I like that strategy, because I get so much more out of it!

Here is a nice referral for anyone looking for stair lifts. I hope you have a wonderful night!

Update

Hubby is doing better. He is gaining more strength each day. He will call the doctor again tomorrow to discuss how he is feeling. Once again, we are hoping for approval for him to travel. Sure, we could always disregard the doctors orders and go home anyway (and I can't say we haven't thought about it), but we don't want to A) do any permanent damage to Hubby and B) we don't want something to happen while we are traveling and have him end up in the hospital in the middle on the country where we would have no support and no help. We are playing it safe and following Drs orders. Hopefully, tomorrow, the doctor will order Hubby to make arrangements to go home. We are almost holding our breath for it.
I miss my kitties. I miss a lot of things about NC, but I really miss our babies. Even Hubby has mentioned that he misses them. Piper is going to be so happy when we get home and she is allowed to go outside again. She will probably stay away for a week, at least. And the kittens are going to be so big. They were growing so much while we were home, I can't imagine how much they will have changed after two weeks. They will probably be really excited to go outside, too.
I'm a little concerned about school. Even though I am keeping up with my classes- okay staying ahead- my instructors would be completely within the rules of the school to remove me from class. I have stayed in constant contact with all of my instructors, and so far, things look good in my favor. I just don't want any surprises when I get back.
I haven't even logged into FFXI for a week and a half. Maybe even two weeks. I miss it. Last thing I remember, I was skilling up on worms. Paralyze, Sleep II, Silence, ect. I wasn't doing any damage spells, just ones that would raise those specific skills. My elemental magic is already capped, but the others have some work to do. I need to level my WHM and my RDM too. I don't think I have partied on either of those for months. And can I just say how jealous I am that Selo is already 75 on his BLM? Words cannot express my GRRR.
I finally have the black nail polish I've been wanting. I wanted one that was dark and thick, not something that was transparent or weak on my fingers. I had acrylics for years and years, and decided I was tired of them. They are fake, costly, and a crutch. It may seem ridicules, but I have been happier without them. I now have a basic black on my nails. Easy to keep up, simple, and still makes a statement. I'm all about making statements.
It has been nice to spend so much time with my MIL lately. I absolutely love the woman. I have heard the horror stories of MILs, and I have heard of women getting along with their MIL. But I must say, I am impressed with my relationship with my MIL. She is always telling me how much she loves me and how good I am for her son and how happy she is that I am in his life and in her life. What a boost of confidence it is to hear these words- and so frequently.
I have done so much blogging lately. Have you noticed that? A lot of it is rambling, but useful rambling if nothing else. I haven't had my mind entertained by school and by my job, so it all comes down to my blog. I hope I haven't bored anyone too much. lol
*yawn* I think I'm going to go get started on supper. MIL should be home from work in an hour or so, and I'd like to have some food ready. Have a wonderful evening!

She's a Monkey Now

I haven't updated on our kittens for a while. A good update, dedicated just to them. With pics. I put two pictures here, and the rest HERE.

As I said, we are potty training them. This means we are training them to use a toilet, not a litter box. They are already box trained, and we are making the transition from box to toilet. Naala has picked up the concept with no trouble. Sarabi, well, she's another story. She understands just fine. We know this already. But she is stubborn. But lately she has been waiting until she goes outside to do her business. We think she learned it from Piper, because Piper has done that for years. It's not exactly what we want, but we aren't fighting it. We don't want her to feel she can ONLY go outside. We want her to be comfortable going inside. They are making progress though, and we are pleased with that.

Today, they decided they were monkeys. Instead of playing on the ground and chasing each other horizontally, they enlisted a trees help. They would chase each other up and down and up and down.

They are growing so much! They are now four months old, and more than half way to their adult size. They spend at least half the day sleeping. When they are active, they are very active! The morning and most of the afternoon and evening is spent outdoors. They sleep inside at night. We will still put them outside when winter is here, but I am working on a box for them to be in if they need some extra warmth.

Naala is still dealing with some stuff. She no longer has worms, and is finally gaining the normal weight. We were scared for a while. As for her eyes and nose, they are still runny. At this point, it probably won't ever go away. It is more like allergies now than a sickness. Simply watery eyes and a runny nose. I clean her face about once a day, to keep it from building up. Other than that, she is much better.

Our home was sprayed for fleas about three weeks ago. All three cats have been receiving their regular flea treatments. We don't anticipate any more problems with that.

Soon, they will enter a new stage of adult-cat-hood. It is the stage of being fixed. I hate the thought of tearing up their poor little baby bellies. lol But we certainly do NOT need any more babies around here! I am looking into some discount vouchers to help with the cost, and then I will be making an appt to get them both fixed. We are hoping to get them fixed on the same day, so their recovery will be at the same time. I really hope it doesn't change their personalities to have them fixed.

Sarabi is learning to sleep on her own- finally! I can't tell you how much sleep I have lost. It started when her mom was taken to her new home. Sarabi would come to my head at night, snd snuggle her way into my hair. Not on top of, not underneath, not next to, I meant into. So that her little body was surrounded by my hair. (I pull my hair off of my neck and up onto my pillow when I sleep.) Then she would take her claws and "nead" my head. This would probably be relaxing- considering my love scalp massages- if she wasn't using her claws. And finally, she would purr. Really loudly. Like, 40 decibels loud. So in some, she would pull my hair, claw my brain, and blast my ears with purring. Not a restful nights sleep if you ask me. Anyway, between Hubby and I, we have changed her sleeping habits. She will now sleep next to us, by our feet, or snuggle us- which is fine. Great in fact. Come winter time, we are all going to enjoy the extra warmth.

I think Naala is camera shy. Sarabi loves to pose and play in front of the camera, but Naala is always hard to grab. I've taken a few pics, but they are mostly Sarabi. I will try to get a few more of Naala. Enjoy!

Changes

I am getting back to normal. Thank heavens! This weeks has been a hard one for Hubby and I, so I am relieved to begin a comfortable boring week this week.
I am glad for school tomorrow. I haven't done any school work for a week, and I am really looking forward to it. I miss the dedication and hard work to accomplish a goal.
Loni is the chief of our newspaper staff. She wrote me and asked me to do a personal interview with someone that is coming to speak at our campus. Oh how I would have loved to do it! That is exactly the direction I love to go with my writing. Sadly, though, I had to turn it down. I work during the time the interview was scheduled. As much as I would love to have the newspaper and writing first in my life, I must work to be able to attend school, so work must be my priority. But I am honored and pleased that I was singled out above everyone else on the staff to be offered the opportunity. How great is that?!
I think everyone has or has had a blogspot. I have noticed, lately, that blogspot is growing. My friends are joining blogspot for their personal and family blogs. My web host has had a blogspot for a business and technical blog. My school has a blogspot focusing on the treatment and prevention of drug abuse. Maybe I just never noticed before, but I hadn't realized how diverse and how many different people and organizations really use blogspot.
My family took me out for my birthday yesterday. We went to a little coffee shop and had a nice laid back lunch. I love dressing up and stuff, but it's so nice to be able to relax and just have fun. While we were there, they gave me some gifts. Can I just say I love my step-mom, Judy? She gives the best presents. She gave me a cake pan, with a lid with handles. I had been looking for a nice cake pan, and she got a really nice one for me! She also gave me . . . drum roll, please. . . a box of books! Now *you* may not be impressed by this, but I certainly am. See, Judy shares my love for reading. We both could close the world out any day of the week and spend it buried in the pages of a book. So to have been given an entire box packed full of books was a most appreciated treasure.
In the crazy week I just had, I forgot to tell you what Hubby gave me for my birthday. Yes, I know, how could I? Anyway, he gave me a card. It was so sweet. And when he gave it to me, he told me to read it out loud. Here's what it says: (on the outside) To My Wife In case you were wondering- I notice. . . (on the inside) I notice how hard you work to make things the best they can be. I notice how much you give, never expecting anything in return. I notice that you never forget to play or laugh or love or make me feel important. . . And in case you were wondering, I notice how incredible you are at being a wife and still finding time to be my friend. Happy Birthday Love Always (then in his own loving handwriting) You have helped me grow more than you know. For you, here is a sweetness to show how sweet you are (in which he handed me my favorite candy bar) and something comfortable to show you how your love comforts me (in which he handed me some comfy pants). To my Wife, my Lover, my friend, and companion, for time and all eternity. Your loving Husband, yours Always, (insert Hubby's name here). Awe <3>
Hubby found the camera :D Don't know where he found it, considering I looked everywhere I could think of, but I am grateful all the same. I am glad to be able to be camera happy again. It's like I won't remember anything if I don't have 16 shots of it lol I bet my children will love that!
I want to take a few pics or videos of the kittens for you. I put a collar with a bell on Sarabi the other day, and she went crazy. Not bad "get this off of me or I'm going to hate you forever" type crazy. More like "wow check out this great toy Mama just got for me" type crazy. She was a funny kitten to watch already, but she is hilarious with that collar on. Hi-lar-ree-ous I tell you. They are both doing well with potty training. They both know exactly what they are doing, but Sarabi is so dang stubborn. She had Hubby so frustrated today he wouldn't even touch her. That hurt her feel-bads, I'm telling you. That kitten would do almost anything to have his approval, and he loves her like nothing else. I'm just glad I don't have to compete with the kitten for his attention, or I would be in trouble! He is so good to both of them, and so helpful in taking care of them. I know, I know, I sound crazy. But it's my life, and I am happy. I love watching him with them. Anyway, back to the potty training. We are almost ready to move to the next step. Last time, we weren't really sure if they were ready for it, but we did it anyway. Big mistake. This time, we are both positive they are ready for it. Plus, they are now big enough to jump from the floor up to the toilet without needing "stair-steps" all the way up there. That will make a big difference.
My flowers are so pretty. I have been taking such good care of them, and it is showing. The ones in the front yard are coming back to life and blossoming. The one in the kitchen window (the one Hubby gave me "just because") is looking more beautiful than ever. And my plant outside is *almost* ready to be re-planted. I am just waiting a few more days before I move it to the bigger planter. Then I will move the window flowers to that planter, so it can continue growing. Ahhh, the love of fresh plants and flowers. Pull the curtains back, and enjoy how beautiful it is.
Okay now that I have rambled on forever, and my legs are going numb, I'm going to end here. I hope you all have a wonderful week, and have lots of happy moments!

PS I am finally learning enough HTML to do something with it. Yay! See that link in the post above? Yeah, I did that. Without looking. That means I am making progress. Go Me.

Sniff, Sniff. No Way.

Sitting at my computer, minding my own business, playing my game. Hubby is next to me, playing the same game. Naala is attempting- again- to get to my ice cream bowl. Sarabi had just jumped into Hubby's lap and was settling down.

Hmmm, something isn't right.

Me: sniff, sniff

Him: sniff, sniff

Me: sniff, sniff "Um, Babe?:

Him: "It wasn't me. It was Sarabi."

Me: "Yes, I know it was Sarabi. That's not the problem."

Him: "What's the problem?"

Me: "Why is it here, and not in the bathroom?"

Him: "I don't know. Is it under the bed?"

Me: "I don't know. She's your cat. Why don't you look?"

Him: "Because you are on the outside, and I would have to crawl over you to get out."

Me: "Oh."

So I get out of my chair and begin the search. Since I enjoy giving them the benefit of the doubt, and simply closing the door until the litter box no longer becomes lethal, I start with the bathroom.

Me: "It's not in the box, Babe."

Him: "That's not good. Are you sure?"

Me: "Well I didn't exactly dig around in it."

I grab a flashlight, and begin looking under the beds.

Me: "It's not under this one. And not under this one either."

Him: "I don't know if she actually pooped. It might have just been a fart."

Me: "First of all, something that toxic should not be in an animal that small. It could kill her. Second, she was standing on the back of your chair. That means she would have placed her little rear end as close to us as she could have gotten it, before releasing her deadly gift. She's a cat, I don't know that she is that intelligent."

I am now searching under chairs, tables, behind couches, ect. And still no proof that what we are smelling really exists.

Him: "I really think she just farted."

Me: "You're crazy."

Him: "Maybe. But you know I'm right."

The search ended there.

Him: "Maybe she's mad because we won't share our ice cream with her."

Me: "Maybe I should take her to a vet. That's just not normal."

Hubby's little SBD kitten is now sleeping like an angel ever so peacefully on the couch. Far away from the gift she left us.

Eyeballs, Oceans, and Kittens

Yay! I'm not so disgusting anymore (even though Hubby told me I am beautiful no matter what <3).

I still have trouble finding my way around. Did ya really think I could get the oceans straight? But I would like to thank Jessica for pointing it out to me. Were the rest of you just going to keep laughing about it without telling me? ROFL
The kittens are doing well. They are growing up so fast! I know, you hear that all the time. But I'm such a sucker for them. Just imagine what will happen when I have my own children to adore.
Been doing research on TTC lately. One of my sisters is TTC her first baby, so I have put in a lot of time finding info. It's all really interesting, and I am glad I got a head start on it. If you have any info, I'd love to pass it on to her.
I need to scan this photo my (other) sister gave me and put it up here for you guys. Not only is she beautiful, but she is *so* photogenic, too. She takes her own photos of herself, and better than anyone else ever could. The chick amazes me.
I might go to church with a friend of mine this weekend. He invited Hubby and I when I first moved out here and I talked to him about it today. I'm not looking to replace my religion, rather, I would like to expand and strengthen my faith.
Alright, well that is my nothingness update. Looking forward to the weekend. But right now, since homework is done, I'm going to grab a shower (just call me Belle!) and get in game until Hubby gets home. Have a great night everyone!

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And I'm back in the . . . BLOG!

Hi Everyone! I had a great vacation over the weekend. Hubby and I went to visit my "grandpa" Ronnie in Cherokee. We had a good visit with him and the girls- Chloe and Emma. We went to the Apple Festival, and it was a blast. Monday, I laid around on the couch all day. I don't know if I was warn out from the weekend or what, but I was sick. Sinus cold and headache. Last night I took some NyQuil and was in bed by eleven. I got a much needed 8 1/2 hours of sleep. This morning, I felt SO much better. Yay for NyQuil!
Rewind to last week: Friday was great. I took my math test. I had been studying since the first day of school for this. I felt really good about it afterward, even though I was so nervous. Well I got the results today, and I got a 96%! All that studying paid off! I also had a meeting for the Cougar Cry. (The WCC student produces newspaper.) And guess who is the newest writer for the paper? You got it, me. *Big grin* Loni was so happy I was there, and she was assigning me topics before the meeting was half over. I have several stories I am working on now. I love writing, and I know I can write. It's going to be great to have someone to focus my writing on. Plus, I think it will help me move into some more serious writing, which is something I have been wanting to do but didn't know how. This is going to be such a positive change for me.
Back to the present: I have a meeting for the SGA on Thursday. The admin counselor for the paper is the same admin counselor for the SGA. And since he liked me, I think I have a good chance for the SGA. I will be doing an article on the SGA meeting for that paper too, so that will give me a good "in" to ask lots of questions. I am excited about the meeting.
School is going pretty well. I have been working hard and studying hard, and it's beginning to pay off. It's nice to see my hard work being put toward something so great.
The kittens are doing well. They are growing so much. They spend most of the morning outside, and then come inside in the afternoon. Sarabi and Piper are beginning to get along. Or maybe I should say Piper is beginning to be more tolerable of Sarabi chasing her. Naala doesn't seem to find the same thrill in it, though. Her latest toy? A gold chain. Expensive little baby, isn't she?Hubby and I are "in progress" for potty training them. So far, it has worked well. I look forward to the day they are completely potty trained- no more litter box, mess, or cleaning up.
Yesterday, since I did nothing but lay around, I got a lot done in FFXI. I cleaned out my MH for both my main and my mule, and even for Xaint. I did a bunch of beginner quests: Cornettes, Yag necklaces, and Crawler calculus'. I put five stacks of Earth Crystals on the AH. Five stacks! And I have a good amount of all the other types of crystals still in my MH. I lvled my BRD from 8-14. I love BRD. It is an easy job, but keeps me busy. I hate dumb melee jobs like NIN or WAR, they are just so boring. (Don't hit me!) But I like BRD, because although I melee, I am still active in the party. I am thinking about trying PLD, or even- Heaven forbid- DRK. We shall see. But for now, I am enjoying BRD, and I'm going to keep lvling it.
Well, on to my homework! And then I am off to work through my email. I had over 60 emails this weekend. I feel so loved!

Update, in a nutshell

I finally finished my math homework. I did the entire first chapter, and we are already preparing for the first test. Wow! But I sure put a lot of work into it. Here's a SS of the first chapter's homework. I would have had a perfect score, except I got marked down for not including a comma in one of the answers. Yeah, a comma. Are you serious? Anyway, I would have had a perfect score. Not to say I didn't struggle. Holy crap, I hate multiplication. I can do the addition, subtraction, division, algebra, even some geometry. But when it comes to multiplying huge numbers, I suck.

English is okay. It's going to be a lot more work than I anticipated. But I can handle it. I finished my first two homework assignments, and I will be ready to turn the second in before it is due. So far, I am staying on top of all my work. Which isn't easy. But I'm working my butt off.

I finished and turned in my applications for the Cougar Cry and the SGA. I am looking forward to hearing back about both of those too. Plus, I called the school to find out about getting my truck in to have the starter replaced. Waiting to hear back from the instructor, but a student told me it shouldn't be a problem. I know, I know, don't get too excited. But hey, one more step in the right direction!
Sarabi and Naala are doing well. They are so playful and so cute. And they love being outside, even though they WON'T go in the grass. Every morning they *run* for the door, and stay out until I make them come inside. They play on the porch, and under the cars, and around the door but they hate the grass. I have started picking them up and putting them in the grass, so that they have to walk through it to get back. Eventually they will need to leave the porch, and that means grass. Sadly, they still have fleas. After doing a lot of research, I'm not surprised a bath didn't get rid of them. We are actually going to have someone come in and spray for fleas, and then all the kitties will get another bath and top spot flea treatment. Until then, it's a bath often to keep them from being eaten alive. Soon enough I am going to create a Catster profile for each of them, and probably remove (or definitely retire) the Sweetie, Jack, and West Kittens profiles. Sarabi is so playful and fun to watch. And Naala is so snuggly and cuddly. It's hard to be sad at all with those two babies around.
I've been thinking about DigiScrapping lately. I filed everything away a while ago until I could get organized and time to do it. But every time I see cute pics I want to get going with it. I think I am going to start when my sis has her baby, and go from there. That is a good reason and a good place to start.
Speaking of family, Hubby and I want a vacation. We had a few in thought, but nothing planned. I have the week off for my birthday (Fall break, hahaha), and we are thinking about the FFXI FanFair in Nov, and we are still considering Michigan/Canada with Sanny and Gary- and Teasia now. We have some ideas, and we are talking, but nothing for sure yet. Suggestions are welcome. We'll have something figured out soon enough. lol Either that, or we will just show up in Michigan randomly one day, like we did last time. (Love you Sanny!)
I have been thinking about Hayden lately. He will turn six in ten days. I am going to get a birthday card and send it like I always do. And I will write Anndra (Hayden's mom) the usual yearly update letter about me and my life. Even though I never hear from them anymore, I keep sending birthday and Christmas cards. John and Anndra are Hayden's parents and Hayden is there son, but a significant part of my heart will always love him just as much as every day that he was in my stomach and I was with him in the hospital. My love for him will never fade. And I love John and Anndra dearly for being so wonderful. They make a wonderful family. I just want to make sure Hayden knows that my love for him (and his parents, for that matter) has never and will never fade.
I have been *so* addicted to YouTube right now. Not just anything on there, the YouTube Democratic Debate. I am constantly fishing the net for more, and diving into anything I can find. I love politics. The more I can find to feed my political hunger the better. I really hope the Republicans take the opportunity for theirs coming up. If not, I would love to see them answer questions and present themselves anyway. I understand the whole"end of quarter" conflict. However IMO, this is a brand new and first rate way for the candidates to connect with people.
It is spreading like wildfire, and they would be smart to take advantage of it to the full potential.
Church was so good yesterday. I taught the 8-10 year olds, basically Levi and Tamra. They are so much fun. Congratulations to my cousin Erica, on her engagement. She is beautiful, and they will make a great couple. And pardon me for being selfish, I am so excited to have another young married couple (specifically that don't have young children yet) near us that we can get to know and become friends with. I love Erica already, and I am excited for the opportunity to get to know her even better. Last I heard, they are planning to be married in the Hawaii temple.
One more thing before I go, I love my husband. And I feel SO loved. A hug and kiss every time he gets home from work, encouraging words to keep me going on my homework, snuggling me at night, doing the dishes so I don't have to, making sure my car has plenty of gas so I won't have to worry about it, protecting, supporting, and loving me. Sugar, I couldn't ask for anyone better than you <3

My weekend- and one other thought

Friday-
Went to the store, and bought some groceries. But while I was there, my flip flop broke! In the middle of the store! Grr. I only have one pair of flipflops because I couldn't find another pair I liked as much, and now they are gone. Sadness. You should have seen me gimp-walking around the store with one broken shoe. Hubby was laughing at me. lol Okay I was laughing too. But I'm still sad about my shoe :(
I spent the day cleaning the house, and getting ready for Frankie and Jessica to come over. They got here about six, and we sat down for dinner. Pasta and hamburger, salad, and vegetables (I still think they were a little overcooked). I did pretty well, if I do say so myself :) We watched Little Rascals (SUCH a cute movie!) and played with the kittens. Jessica and especially Frankie just loved having all of them all over them. It was fun to watch. During the movie we had ice cream and chatted. After the movie, we packed the three kittens and the mom into a nice big box, and Frankie and Jessica took them away. They took them to Frankie's mom's house, where they will have LOTS of places to play and run free. And although we knew we would miss them, it was so nice to see them go somewhere they would be so happy- and to such nice people. Thank you Jess and Frankie!!!
While they were leaving, I had to go upstairs. There was no hot water. So the CNA's husband came over and we all played with the breaker for a while. Finally it started working, and we had hot water right away. I went back downstairs, and Hubby and I bounced around our house excitedly for a few minutes. We had four less cats!!! That means less food and water bowls, less cat boxes, and less animals under our feet. Yay!!!

Saturday-
Hubby checked his email, and saw a bounced message from his ex wife. *sigh* He had sent her a message asking how his daughters were doing and if she was receiving the child support he was sending. But instead of answering him, she bounced the message. So now, she has him blocked from skype, gave him a wrong telephone number, returns mail he sends to their address, and won't answer his emails. And she says HE is being the difficult one?
On a happier note, I am a moderator for another one of my yahoo groups. This one is on marriage and relationships. It is a wonderful group! The ladies in there are so supportive and sweet. And I am honored to be a moderator for them. It is a pleasure just to be part of that group, and I am blessed to have been accepted (an application is required for membership and they are very careful who they approve). And now I get to play a more active role. Thanks Tiffany :)
In the afternoon, Hubby and I went to the Davis' and fed the animals. We agreed to take care of their pets while they are in Florida this week, and they have a houseful! Two big dogs (Ashley and Lexus), four cats (Nick, Charcoal, Mimi, and Oreo), and three guniea pigs (no idea the names). It took us about an hour and a half to get there, feed and water them all, and get back home. Not to bad for that much.
By the time we got back home, I was fighting a migraine. Yuck. Hubby had me drink some water and get some hydration. I was in FFXI at the time, working on ZMs. (More on that later- it's exciting!) We also watched Lion King, and had a great moment. Hubby named his kitten! I have been calling her Gracie, he has been calling her Little Guy (we thought she was a boy when she was born). But during the movie, he picked her name. She is name Sarabi after Simba's mother. Pretty isn't it? And it was only appropriate to name the other kitten we kept Nala. So we have Sarabi, Nala, and Piper. Isn't that cute? I really like them, and Hubby is very pleased with it. He was having such a hard time picking a name he felt really fit her. This is perfect :D
(I will have the Cat Family updated soon to reflect all the new changes.)

Sunday-
Got all my school stuff together. I sat down and played "Pack the Backpack". I remember as a little girl being so excited to get all my fresh pencils and new notebooks together and seeing them. I hated the social aspect of school, but I've always loved learning. Fresh paper and pencils represent new learning. It brought back good memories to pack my backpack. I have my outfit picked out for my first day of school. Starting tomorrow, Hubby and I are going to be getting up at a regular time and maybe even having breakfast. We will be on a more regular schedule, because that's what I have to have if I am going to do well in school. I'm really blessed to have such a supportive husband, who lets me *clears throat* control his schedule. lol Although I dare say he is as excited about me being in college as I am. He says he is happy to have a wife that is so motivated and interested in improving herself. *big grin* I love my husband. Oh yes, back to school. Tomorrow I go in to drop one class, and Thursday is my first day of classes.

And one other thought: PAID BLOGGING

I have been thinking about Paid Blogging lately. When I first starting blogging here on Blogger and began searching other blogs (in and out of blogger), I noticed a lot of bloggers doing Paid Blogging. This was such an interesting concept to me. Although the more I read, the more I got a bad taste in my mouth about it. These people were being paid to write an opinion. How could their opinion not be warped about something if they were being paid to write it? So lately I have been doing a lot of research on it. Everything I found was good great and wonderful about it. And I knew that wasn't what I wanted. Obviously, paid blogging is great, that's why it is so popular. However everything has a downside to it. I knew there had to be some negative feedback about it somewhere, I just had to find it. I wasn't about to make a decision about something that I couldn't find any negative info about. That's not an Educated decision, it's a biased decision. And the decision of whether or not to begin doing paid blogging is a big decision to me. I wanted to know all I could about it, before making that judgement call. I finally found what I was looking for, the other side of paid blogging. I found opinion, experience, and reasoning to offer a negative side to the paid blogging. I would like to thank Elizabeth from Table of Five for helping with this. Elizabeth, I do not wish any sadness to ever come to you, and I want you to know how much I appreciate your honesty and openness. Once I finally had a change to read information about the other side of the paid blogging world, I was able to make my informed decision. I have been inspired. She has inspired me to consider paid blogging for my own little site. I have chosen August 30th as the day I must have my official decision made, and if so, I will begin Sept 1st. At this point, I will try it. I will join three paid blogging sites, and see what I can do. I have decided I will do no more than one paid blog per day. The concern I had about paid blogging was I didn't want it to compromise the overall atmosphere of my blog by replacing or changing the way I generally post. Having only one paid blogging post per day will keep this in check. Then after a trial period, if I feel I can do more, I will do so. If I feel that it has compromised my blog, I will stop. i know that paid blogging will not be a full income for me. However, as Elizabeth stated, it can give a little extra money. And that money can fund other hobbies I would like to try. And if it doesn't work out, I'm not losing money that I am counting on. (If you would like to read about Elizabeth's experience, click here please.)

Now if you do paid blogging, I am open to suggestions of which paid blogging sites to join. I know about a few, but I am looking for more. You are welcome to leave a comment here, or email me.

Thank you for your comments, thoughts, and opinions about this!

Kitten update

They are doing better. Almost finished with the anti-biotic, tomorrow will probably be the last dose. The three with the eye infections are still getting the ointment twice a day. That will continue until they go to their new homes. Which will happen- this weekend! Tomorrow morning I am taking them to Granny's so she can choose which one(s) she wants to keep. Then Friday night, Frankie and Jessica are coming to get the rest. He is keeping one himself, and his mom will be keeping the rest. They are so cute, and so much fun, but I am so ready! I will be glad to have only two cats, one litter box, and one food and one water bowl. I'm thinking I will update their journal and online photo album one more time before they go. I wish I could get a really good video of them playing with Sweetie's tail- it's so funny. But my camera sucks and I can never get it to work the way I want fast enough. (Note to self: get a more user friendly camera! That takes good pictures and videos!) We still don't have an official name for Hubby's little baby yet. He still calls her Lil Guy and I call her Gracie. But he says he will come up with something. Once the other kittens are gone, he will be able to focus more on her. lol OMGosh he sure loves her. Anyway, that's the latest in The Kitten News.