today's photo challenge . . . Superstition

"A black cat crossing your pat signifies 

that the animal is going somewhere."

~ Groucho Marx

 Our cat Phoebe . . . who lived a very charmed life and definitely had nine lives.

You will always be lucky 

if you know how to make friends with strange cats.  

~ Ancient Proverb

March photo challenge - Friday the 13th . . . superstition.

Stella . . .

Good morning Stella . . . you wild eyed, lovable, mischievous, crazy, bothersome, don't know what we would do without you cat.  

“If animals could speak, the dog would be a blundering outspoken fellow; but the cat would have the rare grace of never saying a word too much.” 
~ Mark Twain

“The way to get on with a cat is to treat it as an equal - or even better, as the superior it knows itself to be.”   

~ Elizabeth Peters, The Snake, the Crocodile and the Dog

“There are no ordinary cats.”  

~ Colette

Stella Helps

I started putting together a quilt that Abbie asked me to make for Charlotte.  I am so excited about her choice of fabrics and the colors.  It really is much brighter than it looks in this photo.  I was excited when she asked me to make and it and even more excited when I saw the fabric that she had picked out.

Stella . . . as usual is right in the middle of it all.

 Just as she was when I was cutting out the invitations for Abbie's baby shower. 

Really?  She can make doing things slightly more difficult . . . but who cares.  : )

So . . . is she really that interested in what I am doing . . . or has she figured out that all this fuss if for someone that may just interfer with some of the attention she gets?  : )

loves me . . . loves me knot . . .

Richard found this heart while putting up our new fence . . . and took a picture of it for me. 

There has been a lot of stuff that life is made of keeping me busy these days . . . so haven't been posting much.  I have to be better about that. 

Things such as . . .

It's a girl!

. . . and thumbs up to that.  I am going to be a grandma in September.  I really didn't care whether it was a boy or a girl - but now I know what to shop for . . . and every grandma to be knows how fun it is to shop for a girl!

Spring Break was wonderful.  I already posted that we spent a couple of days in San Francisco.  But Spring Break also included dying Easter Eggs with Lily.

 . . . and blue Lily fingers.

We spent a day at the zoo where Lils got to feed a giraffe. 

Life through the life of a 3 year old is wonderful!   

And today - Stella had an appointment with the vet . . . yes she was nervous.  She growled quite a bit and took a couple of swipes at him.  She had to show off her attitude of course.  She will have to spend the night - I think it will be harder on us than on Stella. 

Stella

I wish this picture wasn't so dark . . . but she does this all the time so I will keep trying to get a better shot.  This is what Stella does when Luke and Abbie leave the house.  Sometimes she cries . . . but usually just watches them leave.  Stella can drive us all crazy with her antics - but she is the most unique cat we have ever had . . . and she makes me laugh.  Wishing I was home with her today . . . I could use a dose of Stella.

Shibby, Shibby, Shibby Sleep

Luke came home with this new kitten a few weeks ago. We named him Sebastian - but he is more often being called Shibby. He actually is sort of a pain - but when he falls asleep like this - I can't help but think he's adorable . . . he's still a pain, but adorable.

Friday Night

A quiet Friday night - without much planned. I'm simply happy to have a nice relaxing weekend ahead of me. I was looking at pictures tonight and realized that I have gotten out of the habit of taking them. This I will change - starting this weekend.

"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result

of getting something we don't have,

but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have."

~ Frederick Keonig

Pigtails and Puppies

Jennifer and Josh brought Lily over last night - with pigtails. I can't believe how big she is getting. I not only enjoy Lily - but it is so much fun to watch Jennifer being a mama - she is so relaxed with her and seems to enjoy every minute of motherhood.
Yesterday was Sadie's birthday - 4 years old. Sadie is such a sweet dog - and very spoiled . . . and if I do say so myself - she is adorable!!! Happy Birthday Sadie!

Flashback Friday - no wonder I brought him home!

I was looking at old pictures last night and found this one of Boo. I may have posted it before - but he's cute enough for a second showing if I did. He did grow into those ears and the collar. He was born under one of the portable classrooms at the school I work at - he needed a home and I guess I needed a kitten. He was so little! He grew into an extremely independent cat, but likes to climb into my lap when all is quiet and it is just him and I.

I just realized that it has been 8 years since I brought him home - I am a little amazed at how fast 8 years has gone by. Amy - I think you need to come visit me again. This is what Boo looked like the last time you were here. (No pressure - I just really miss you!)

Simply Saturday -

Another little doll that I am working on. She has been done - but I haven't taken the time to dress her. I cut up an old Raggedy Ann dress to dress her with. Tomorrow I will finish up her dress and put some hair on her.
I would have liked to be sitting on this window sill in the sun myself today. It was a beautiful day! I watched Lily for a few hours - so I took her for a walk and then sat out on the patio and read for awhile. I probably wasn't as relaxed and content as Boo is here - but it felt so good to feel the warmth of the sun.
I have always liked hemp jewelry - so every so often have to make something. My mom gave me these buttons last summer. I especially like the blue one. I have had this flying around for awhile and just never finished it. Why I do that I don't know. Not much of a bracelet really - but I do really like the buttons.
Chewy is such a character - I can't help but smile when I look at him. I swear he poses whenever he see one of us with a camera.

Sadie Loves Weekends

We laugh at Sadie during the week when we get up early and get ready for work. She is usually sleeping at the foot of our bed - and she completely ignores us. I guess she remembers one of the few times she had to go outside and is afraid that unthinkable situation will happen again - or maybe she just doesn't want to get up so early herself. Whatever the reason she will not even acknowledge a scratch behind her ears. If she could make herself invisible - she would.

Weekends are completely different. Richard usually gets up first - and after awhile she will follow him out to the kitchen. She doesn't seem to mind getting up if it is her choice. Then . . . she decides I need to be up too and she comes back into to wake me up. After that she usually follows one of us around the house or yard - with an occasional nap somewhere nearby.
Today she has settled herself on the bed near me as I am cleaning the bedroom and working on taxes. I really do enjoy her company.

Silly Crochet Project

I am not sure why I decided to crochet Sadie a hat - and I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do. I was thinking dog beanie. This is what I ended up with.
Of course she acted embarrassed when I first tried it on her - and she wasn't too thrilled about having her picture taken. She acted like she didn't even want to look at me.
But say the magic word - "WALK" - and she is ready to show the world her beanie.

"The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too." ~ Samuel Butler

Signs that I am on Vacation . . .

I wore my slippers all day . . .

Boo was inside all day - warm, cozy, and snoozing on the back of the sofa . . .

Sadie followed me everywhere - and found a spot close to me under the desk . . .

Time to do the things I like to do - I baked another butterscotch pie.

"A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in." ~ Robert Orben

Smile

I sat down at the computer this morning with a quilt around my legs to keep me warm. This is Boo's invitations to come cuddle up. He settled in on the floor next to me and he is still there four hours later.

"There is, incidentally, no way of talking about cats that enables one to come off as a sane person." ~ Dan Greenberg

I found this rag doll for $5 - how could I not buy her and give her a place to sit on this old school desk. She sits sort of back out of the way - and I love catching sight of her smile when I walk by her. I attended a workshop yesterday for work and the speaker talked about the power of smiling. How it can change our own mood and the mood of others instantly. I have enough rag dolls in my home to be reminded to smile often enough.

"Peace begins with a smile." ~ Mother Teresa

What a Mess!

I have the favors done for Jennifer's shower. I am just about ready- except that my house is a mess. This is why I need a space of my own.
I do function pretty well in chaos though - so it will all come together.
I found this old picture of "Boo" He was so cute - no wonder I brought him home. Yes Amy - this is the psycho cat that terrorized you while you read. :-)

"Don't Sweat the Little Things."

3 Day Weekend!!!!!

I went to the scrapbook store today. I am making invitations to Jennifer's baby shower and wanted to get some things. I told myself I would only get what I needed for the invitations. . .
. . . and I did pretty good. I only bought a few extra things that I didn't really need.
I doesn't matter what I bring home - if it comes in a paper bag, and I sit it on the table - then Boo feels he is entitled to lay on it.
From the look of him here - he thinks he is entitled to do whatever he wants.

"I can’t decide if I have a cat or a cat has me." - Esther Marton

Sadie is in a Mood

Here is a recent picture of Sadie. She had surgery last Monday and still is not eating very well - so she is a little on the thin side. She is a picky about what she eats anyway - but it seems to be worse. We finally bought some different food - and coaxed her into eating it. It is probably just the fact that she had surgery - but I was getting concerned. She is also a little moody these days - I left her for two weeks when I went to Iowa - then two days later took her in to be spayed (in other words deserted her at the vet's office - I was feeling a little guilty). So maybe her mood is because she is mad at me - or also due to the surgery. For whatever reason - I am again amazed at how much this dog has won my heart. Jennifer looked at me last night and commented that she never thought she would see me like this over a dog. If she is mad at me - she must be getting over it - she is starting to follow me everywhere again.

"Dogs are miracles with paws." ~Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy

Cup of the Day

My family tells me I am OCD - which may be true. One of the things that makes them say this about me (and there is more than one thing) - is that I have a thing about matching. Each day my coffee cup somehow has to coordinate with the outfit that I am wearing that day. (It honestly bothers me if it doesn't.) Richard and the boys think this is weird of course - although Richard does go along with it - by picking out a cup for me on days I am running late. (He would probably deny that.) So this is the cup of the day.
We took Sadie out for a ride.

She obviously was enjoying the day. You have to love those ears!

"Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful."
~ Annette Funicello

Posting Pics of the Pets

Boo is curled up on my lap purring - as I am typing. He mostly is a very independent cat - but also very loveable, and still playful. He was born underneath one of our portable classrooms at work. He was very young when I brought him home which I think made him very attached to us. He does have sort of a cautious, wild streak in him. He was the most adorable kitten.

Sadie

How can I not love this face?

Boo

I didn't even know I had this picture of "Boo" - found it looking through photos on my computer today. Luke must have taken it. He is a part of our home and family - yet seems to at times keep himself a little distant and private. When he wants to be - he is truly lovable. His original name was Foster - but we now call him Boo.

"It is difficult to obtain the friendship of a cat. It is a philosophical animal . . . on that does not place its affections thoughtlessly." ~ Theophile Gautier