Day 30

As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat. ~Ellen Perry Berkeley

Pardon the poor picture quality. This is how I spend most of my evenings, after I've settled the girls into bed, and gotten anything that needs done, done, and I can finally settle down for the evening. Cody settles into my arms, belly up, just like an infant, and promptly falls asleep. If I had been able to capture the entire scene, you would have seen Piper sitting next to me, getting her head scratched. I just love my babies.

Day twenty nine

"You are without a doubt the worst pirate I’ve ever heard of." – Pirates of the Caribbean

My friend and I went to Stu Leonard's today. Basically, it's a grocery store...but it's a gourmet grocery store, I guess. All around the store, there are buttons to push, and different animated things happen. In the fish market, this parrot waits for his button to get pressed, so he can sing annoying songs. I WISH I had taken a picture of the elderly lady dancing along.

Day 28

"Badges mean nothing in themselves, but they mark a certain achievement and they are a link between the rich and the poor. For when one girl sees a badge on a sister Scout's arm, if that girl has won the same badge, it at once awakens an interest and sympathy between them."
Juliette G. Low

Abby began Girl Scouting about 4 months ago. She has earned 13 badges so far, with 2 nearly finished. I'm running out of room to sew them onto her vest. There are girls who have been in Brownies for 2 years who don't have as many badges as Abby does. She will be moving up to Juniors in September, and will have opportunities to earn new and different badges. I hope she will be as gung ho about it then as well.

Day 27

"A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand." ~unknown (at least to me)

We had friends over for supper on Sunday, and when tasked with getting dessert, one of them brought a cookie cake. She didn't get anything written on it, which, to Abby was horrible. Rob got out a can of frosting and a piping tip, and Abby proceeded to draw "daddy" on the cookie. Notice the lovely flower in his "hair"

Day 26

"Kilroy was here"

I know it's not the exact image...Abby ducked down as I was taking the picture, and when I saw it on the camera, it made me think of Kilroy.

Day 25

"Cousins are friends who will love you forever"

Mariella and her cousin playing together. If you look closely, you will see the tubing for her neb. She is playing one handed, and holding her Sprint cup at the same time.

Day 24

"Never rely on the glory of the morning, nor the smiles of your mother-in-law" ~Japanese Proverb

My In-Laws sitting outside at the Cape House. We are very lucky that they let us come and stay there...it's a very nice vacation spot, that we are able to use, free of charge, whenever we want to.

Day 23

"Drab habitat of whom? Tabernacle or Tomb-or Dome or Warren-or Porch of Gnome-or some Elf's Catacomb?" ~Emily Dickenson

My father in law collects Garden Gnomes. They live outside at their Cape Cod house all summer long, and in the winter, he brings them in...they have a special shelf they live on, and he paints and repairs them, so they are fresh and bright for the next summer.

Hiatus

I have pictures from the weekend, I just haven't gotten them up...I will get them up today or tomorrow. I'm a total slacker!

Day 22

"They're sure housework won't kill you, but why take the risk?" ~Author Unknown

Apparently, all it takes is a well placed threat to get the girls to clean their playroom. It's actually done, and done well. Daddy said we weren't leaving on vacation until the playroom was cleaned...since they want to leave as early as possible...they took the time to really clean it well today. We can't leave things on the floor when we're gone, because the cats might find it inviting to pee on. We'll be having someone staying here, but she will have to leave to go to work...so we need to keep it clean.

Day twenty one

"It's natural. It's logical. It's kind and compassionate to all cats. It works." ~Cat Faeries

These are the products that will hopefully stop my cat from peeing on the couch. There is a cleaner that is supposed to be the best on the market...so they don't continue to pee where they have peed before, and a pheromone product that supposedly tells the cats that they don't WANT to pee there. I hope so, because I love my cats like my own children, but I can't be cleaning up pee all the time, and I don't want my house to smell like a kennel...so, hopefully we can get this problem under control.

Day 20

"When life gives you limes...Make a Mojito" ~Dan Storey

We had company for dinner, and while Rob is the one who likes to cook, I enjoy making dessert. I actually really like to bake, but it was far too hot to actually turn on the oven. This is a frozen Mojito cake. (it contains no rum) The crust is crushed pretzels combined with butter. The topping is cream cheese, cool whip, fresh mint and lime. It was really very delicious.

Day 19

"I found I could say things with with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way- things I had no words for." ~Georgia O'Keefe

Abby is working on a badge called "Color and Shapes." One of the activities included mixing paint colors to see what happened. We used finger paints. She mixed the primary colors, as well as red and white. The girls had a great time painting. Abby used her fingers, Mariella isn't so fond of slimy textures on her hands...so she painted with a plastic fork.

Day 18

"You can't argue with a river, it is going to flow. You can dam it up, †put it to useful purposes, †deflect it, but you can't argue with it." ~Dean Gooderham Acheson

We went out for ice cream tonight after dinner. The ice cream shop had a porch area that overlooked this. I'm not sure if it's a dam or a natural formation...my assumption is that it's a dam, but one never knows.

Day 17

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world" ~Nelson Mandela

Mariella had "Kindergarten Graduation" today. The 3 classes put on a little show, sang songs and showed off what they had learned. We learned that her teacher is moving on to teach second grade (2 teachers are retiring) and the Paraprofessional that has been at Granger School, in the kindergarten for 22 years is being transferred to another school. Due to declining enrollment, they are dropping one of the kindergarten classes. I guess we are all happy that they aren't laying her off, but her presence in OUR school will be missed.

I can't believe my baby is almost officially a FIRST grade student. On Monday afternoon, I will have a first grader and a fourth grader. I'm sure I'm not old enough for THAT.

Day 16

"On my honor, I will try...."

Today, I sewed Daisy Scout petals onto Mariella's Daisy Scout Smock. Each Petal corresponds with a tenet of the Girl Scout Law, and each week, they do an activity that helps them earn a petal. I don't mind sewing them on, except that they are supposed to be "iron on" patches...but they don't stay ironed on...so I had to sew them on...sewing on iron on patches is not the easiest things to do...the adhesive is sticky, the fabric is stiffer, and my fingers are not happy with the amount of times they have been stuck.

Day 15

"The world is a playground, and life is pushing my swing" ~Natalie Kocsis

Today was Field Day at the girls elementary school. The fourth graders were in charge of decorating the playscape for the occasion.

Mariella did fine, which I knew she would, but I would have worried the entire afternoon, if I wasn't there. It was fun watching the girls participate, and I'm going to make sure I'm there every year, even if the principal doesn't want parents there.

Day Fourteen

"Happy Birthday, Dear FLAAAAG...Happy Birthday to you"

In the US, it's Flag Day, basically, the birthday of the US Flag. Abby had to plan a celebration for a "flag holiday" for a Brownie Badge, and we chose Flag Day. She asked that I make a cupcake cake shaped like a flag.

Day 13

Nothing better than a home grown tomato

The picture was taken yesterday, but I was running around all day, so I didn't get it posted. My parents gave me the topsy turvy thing last year, but the plant broke before it could bear fruit...This year, I have 2 green tomatoes already.

Day twelve

"Pikachu...I choose YOU!"

These are the balloons that nearly killed me this morning. I have a latex allergy. I KNOW I have a latex allergy. I've NEVER, in nearly 19 years of knowing I have a latex allergy had a respiratory reaction to latex. I offered to pick the balloons up for my friend's son's birthday party. I was very careful not to TOUCH the latex balloons. I did not, however, realize that the latex "fumes" in my closed car (it was raining) was going to cause my lungs to totally seize up. By the time I got to my friends house, I could barely talk. I was afraid she was going to have to call 911. A couple of hits of the inhaler, and I was ok...but my lungs still hurt, and it's been all day. I don't think I've ever been so scared. I guess I need to talk to my doctor about this one.

Day 11

Breathing is the greatest pleasure in life. ~Giovanni Papini

Seemed time to take another picture of our new friend. M. had varying O2 sats, between 91 and 95, but I was going to let HER decide if she needed anything. As we were getting ready to do bedtime meds, she took a breath, and decided she needed a treatment. Let me tell you, when treatments start at nearly 8pm, I'm so glad for the superfast treatment times.

Day TEN

"She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes."

I have tackled Mount Laundrious, and WON! This is merely a portion of the mountain. I had washed and dried several loads of laundry, and it sat in baskets for over a week. I don't mind the washing and drying part...however, the folding part always gets me. Normally, each person is responsible to put their own away, but I haven't switched the drawers to summer yet, so I'll take care of the putting away, too.

Day 9

"She just took credit for my salad. That's not right."

- George, in "The Big Salad"

My supper for tonight, a huge salad. That's a LARGE mixing bowl, 2 bags of lettuce, a pint of grape tomatoes, some candied pecans, dried cherries, dried cranberries and crumbled bleu cheese. It will more than hold me for the night. Yummy and good. The quote is from Seinfeld.

Day Eight

"The first step to recovery is admitting there is a problem."

I'll admit it, I'm addicted to bad teen Vampire romance books. I like the "happily ever after," the 'supernatural' aspect of them...I even like the cheesy dialog. I've been to Forks, Washington. (A BEAUTIFUL area of the US, if you ever get a chance...go there, Twilight fan or not) Yes, I'm sure there are better ways to spend my time...but I also know that I am in good company...I know quite a few Twi-hard fans, either openly, or in the closet. I just choose to embrace my sad, sad addiction.

Day Seven

"Clean it up [clap, clap] Clean it up [clap, clap]"

Apparently, to certain 6 and 9 year olds that live in this house...This IS clean.

Day Six

"The rain, rain, rain came down, down down....the rain, rain, rain came down"

That is the view outside my door right now. It's grey, gross and disgusting. We're under tornado warnings too, and I can hear the thunder booming. Hopefully, the weather will be nicer tomorrow.

Day 5

"Rebel Cat"

Yes, I know this is a day late...I got the picture yesterday, but didn't get it posted. This is Cody, scouting for the Rebel Troops, apparently, he's come upon a small platoon of StormTroopers.

Day Four

"Clean cup, clean cup. Move down."

-Mad Hatter, Alice in Wonderland

It's a American Girl Tea Party...at least I think it's tea....they kind of look like they're falling down drunk.

Day Three

Asthma Education Day

Color me surprised when 4 out of the 9 girls (not including MY children) said that they had REAL stethoscopes at their house.

Day Two

Cuddles

Our fur babies. They both prefer to be cuddled up with ME, but this is a close second. They are about 2 months apart in age...both were rescues from the shelter. They are a happy addition to our family.

One

"She looks good, satting well"

When my oldest was in the hospital with a respiratory virus, the residents stood in her doorway, looked at her O2 and said, "she looks good...satting well" She should have been, she was on 2l of O2...and really, she looked like crap. Now, whenever we do O2 sats at home, someone is bound to say..."She looks good...satting well"

Introduction

Project 365 is a challenge to bloggers to take a picture every day and post it. Here goes nothing....