Room for One More

The glare of the snow completely ruined this picture but I only managed to get one shot before everyone moved!  This is a $99 cat condo from Pet Valu, and it is one of the best cat things I have invested in.  Looks to me like there is room for one more......nah!
(Also notice that skitashmoo is making a rare public appearance!)

Mission: Something Old / New

I thought this was perfect for this mission!  This is my DD's 'old' green GloE Bear and her 'new' to her blue GloE Bear!  Of course they are sitting on an old 70's chair that was recovered so I suppose it is also old and new but I'll save that one for another day.  I feel so lucky to be part of a community that can help replace a bear within hours of asking for help!!!

Mr.Salt

Warning.....this cat is heavier than it appears.

Pooping Butterflies

The kitty in my picture is pooping butterflies!

Eat your Pancakes!

Plain ole pancakes by Pancake.

Mmmmmm

Is it Bedtime Yet?

I can't wait for today to be over.  I'm done.  Finished.  Totaled.  I'm ready for bed, comfy pj's and a book.  Here's this weeks reading material.  I picked up Indigo Springs because of our friend Indigo, it practically jumped off the shelf at me.  The Beyond Belief book was one that had been talked about, parenting without religion...I'll let you know how it is.

Here is the final straw tonight.  Poor Wes has been begging to play in the snow all day.  So I made his sister take him out.  It lasted five mins until she drilled him with a chunk of ice, "But he said he wanted to have a snowball fight".  Yeah he's three.  He doesn't even know what that means.  So needless to say there were tears, screaming and time outs and that was just me.  Here's a picture of big sister in trouble......

I guarantee bedtime will be early tonight.  Really early.

Snowpile

There was some snow relocated to my front lawn today.  My DD has been begging to play on the giant snowbanks along the streets and I won't let her and I knew this would be a dream come true!

Then I realized they were digging down deep enough to also collect some grass and mud.  The pile quickly became my worst nightmare as I imagined the muddy snowpants and mitts.

 

Oh well, you can't stop fun from happening especially if there is mud involved.  Here they are enjoying their giant snowpile!  Its bigger then it looks huh?

Sleeping Beauty

I took this picture in the dark while DD was fast asleep.....she didn't even wake up when the flash went off!  I love all the 'stuff' that she needs for sleep: 3 princess pillows, unicorn, cat, a jar with a frog that turned into a prince, a princess lamp, half a million books, a cup of water and her favorite blanket 'Bappy'.

Cat Crapper

I know you are all excited to see this so here it is...my new cat crapper!

OK it isn't as fancy as Mamarazzi's but its new to me.  (Yes, this is how exciting my life is, I'm excited about a new crapper.)  This fab new model has a cover that is super easy to take on and off for cleaning (note the handle on top!), and it even has a plastic cat flap to help keep the smell in.  I had to take off the flap tho cuz the cats wouldn't go in...but I'm hoping that once they get used to the new box I can put it on.  I'd say the smell has been reduced by about 50% just from having the lid.  As an added bonus is the litter doesn't get kicked out in every direction making me lose my mind stepping on little cat litter crunchies.  It was worth every penny. I'll also throw in a cute picture of Ernie to make this post less creepy and full of poop.

ETA- I can't say cat flap without thinking of Lenny Henry...

Library

I love the library and I am so happy my DD shares my addiction.  Here is her 'hurry up and take the picture so I can get back to my games' face.

They have lots of educational games that she can't get enough of.  We were having some mom and daughter time so she played while I browsed.  I was looking through the new arrivals, and was rather disappointed.  I said to the lady next to me, "Gawd its tough to find a good book".  She gave me a dirty look, made a 'pffffft' noise, took the latest Jackie Collins book off the shelf and walked away.  THAT is why I do not belong in Strathroy....nuff said.

Chair Design

This is one of DS's creations.  Normally he likes to line things up, put them in order or end to end like a train.  So this one caught my eye.  Perhaps he has started to give things their own space....that concept may be a good thing!  They are nicely displayed on my wooden chair of torture I have sat on for over a year at the computer.  If a padded room is not available at least opt for the padded seat.

Icicle Prison

If you have icicle bars on your windows does that make you an ice queen or just a very chilly princess?

Princess Dress Up Day

I'm cheating tonight.  Its been a long day and I can barely keep my eyes open never mind hold myself upright.  So I thought I would share one of my recent favourite pictures I took. My DD wanted to have a princess dress up night and somehow wrangled her brother into going along with the plan.  Once I could stop laughing long enough to hold the camera still I snapped this photo.  Its a keeper.

Please notice my gorgeous orange fuzzy kitchen chairs.  Also keepers!

Misson: Wooden item

This barely qualifies as wooden.  I think this may be one of the ugliest pieces of furniture that I have ever owned although it may be debatable.  I was at an auction (I LOVE auctions!), and I had just scored my couch and chair for $15.  Yes $15!  When this item came up for sale no one wanted it.  Silence filled the room.....and I gave them $2...SOLD!  It may be ugly but for $2 it is has been a great solid piece of furniture.  It holds my tv up on top and the DVD player and all the kids movies behind the doors, and the drawers are filled with colouring books and crayons.  It hides mega clutter and therefore is good.  When I brought this pillar of ugliness home I sat it at the far end of the room and stared at it.  Thats when I saw it.  What I had missed all along.  My new tv stand has breasts!!!!!!  From that day forward I have never been able to look at it the same way again.  Even my furniture has pancakes.....

Hand Drum

Yes yesterdays picture was of my hand drum.  I made it two summers ago under the teachings of Mary Lou Smoke.  It is a 12 sided drum, so made of 12 pieces of wood, rawhide, and artificial sinew.  The wood for these drums needs to be sanded by hand, and rubbed with bear grease for protection.  The rawhide is soaked and applied to the wooden frame wet, and then sewn by hand to pull it tight for drying.  This one does have a dream catcher type background complete with bellybutton and umbilical cord.  Each drum sounds as unique as its creator.  Each piece was individually smudged during assembly and then activated, given its voice, by ceremony.  It was a very moving experience as a group of women gave voice to their drums.

Here is Mary Lou singing the Water Song which we sang during our drum making.  (This video does nothing for the sound of the drum tho thats gets lost in recording)  My children love this song!!!  Anytime we are doing a repetitive task this song appears to make the time pass.  I can remember stringing electric fencing with my DD and singing at the top of our lungs out in the fields...and last week while doing dishes.



The first song I sang on my own for the group was this one...

What am I?

It's handmade by Pancake herself.....so what is it?  I'll tell you tomorrow but only if you guess!!!

Ignorant

On our way to the library we came across a car parked on the sidewalk.  It was at the corner of a street blocking both directions.  What makes it worse was that this is a car belonging to a business.  I have enough trouble getting around these days without having to lift children and wagons around cars on the sidewalk....GRRRRRR.

Yup thats enough room to get by huh?

I suppose they left half the sidewalk and are feeling good about it.

What business would be so rude and inconsiderate?

Good question!  Its this used car lot next to the beer store.

Squirrel Snack

River loves to hunt.  She had never seen a squirrel before we moved here as the dogs had dispatched them all years ago.  She is convinced she can catch a squirrel.  Here she was this morning wishing those branches were a little stronger.....

Back in the house lounging on top of my computer desk planning her next hunt....

Sir Fitsalot

Its strange how things we talk about on LM's end up manifesting in real life.  Take for instance this episode at RCSS today.  This is the line in front of me.....

Here is Wesley having a tantrum........

These pics just do not do justice to the noise level associated with this episode!

So instead of giving me dirty looks and scowling someone could have let me go first and take my child out of the store but that would take away all the fun they have looking down on me.  Luckily it was a rather small tantrum in comparison to what has been happening lately.  Sooo hows that line moving?

Yeah its not moving at all........

At the other end of the spectrum DD celebrated her half birthday today.  Children who have summer birthdays get to celebrate their half birthday at school instead.  She proudly wore her crown everywhere today announcing to anyone who would listen that she is now five AND A HALF!  Happy half birthday baby....

Walkin With My Girl

It was a good day to walk on the sidewalk in StrathVegas today.  We were going to Vinny's to look for second hand snowpants.  When Avery heard we were going there she said we had to bring the wagon "to bring home all the toys"....LOL!!  She did get a new toy that she is proudly taking to Show and Share tomorrow but I'll save that pic for another day.  Here's my girl marching on.... "C'mon Mom, you can do it.  It's ok Mom I'll wait for you I know you brought your Lupus!"

This Stuff Smells

This stuff does smell and that can be good, bad or bring back memories.

Green and Shiny

I thought I would try a 'mission' today and collected some green and shiny things in my world for you to see....

My coffeemaker is named Alice, she is a very good friend.  Her clock is green and shiny.

The canola oil in a spray can I bought when I couldn't find any WD40 has a green shiny lid.

My plaintain chips come in a green shiny bag.

Buzz Lightyear is a little bit green and not as shiny as he used to be.

One of my many favorite spoons is shiny and green too.

What is green and shiny in your world?

(Do not leave the answer boogers in my comments kthanks!!!)

Mother Nature 1 - Sign 0

Mother Nature loves me yes I know cuz this is where she put the snow!  This is the view out my window today...note the now blocked view of the torturous sign!