Can I just "look" at them

Teetering on the steps just to get a closer looksy.

whine whine

Millie wants her new sisters, the hamsters, in the worst way. She is getting bolder. First she just sat looking at them. Then she whined and got closer. Then she jumped on the cage or tried to bat their exercise ball around. She's having a heck of a time getting in at them. The hamsters are totally unfazed by her. They had better never get loose, though. Then all bets are off for Millie. Emily laughs at me as I tell Millie that we don't eat our hamster sisters. They are not a snack. :)

Dr. Dolittle's got nothing on us

Goldie and Sandy- as close up as they'll let me be.

Their new digs.

Our pet for two stinky days- Shelly

This is how it started. Millie started barking wildly at something in the yard. It was a turtle. After many anguished pleas to keep it, we caved. We went to Target to get a proper house for it. Then we got it food and later some fake plants and slate. Well, this turtle was having none of it. It looked miserable. It kept clawing to get out. It also smelled worse than an athlete's socks after a big game. Much worse.

Emily begged us to keep it. But it was getting sick so Jay and I put it back in the bog we think it came from. Feeling bad for the kids, we bought them two hamsters and all their accoutrements while they were at school. The girls came home and were only mildly amused by the hamsters and upset about "Shelly" the turtle. They felt a bit better when we told them that she was happier in the bog.

Well, these new hamsters are dumb as posts. They refuse to go up this one tube to get to their food. The other tubes have been well traversed. Being the worriers that we are, Jay and I kept placing them by their food and putting peanut butter in the tube. Then one bit Em as she put her finger in the cage. Sigh.. Oh and Millie just sits by their cage and whines.

Hopefully they will get used to us and not want to get away whenever we come near them. Does anyone have experience with these critters?

Birthday adventures

Tara's day started with a trip to the playground. Then we got lunch at a Chinese restaurant. She was treated to a little plate of diced and rolled cucumbers and carrot cake by the waitress. Tara liked that. Then it was off to the toy store. She got just what she wanted thanks to Aunt Dee, Uncle Jim, Tom and Sheri.

On to the house where she played and played and played with her new toys.

The girls and I had a few rounds of Connect Four, Guess Who and Crazy 8's. Emily started laughing so hard when we played Connect Four and declared that I couldn't do diagonals. I didn't go for that. She has a very infectious laugh.

Right now she and Emily are blowing huge bubbles in the kitchen, still wearing her birthday hat.

Millie is a bit freaked out by the all the hubbub and is sleeping by my feet.

What a beautiful sunshiny day.

My dad got a 1995 Buick Roadmaster yesterday. He has been wanting one for a long time. I'm happy for him.

Almost 7

Tomorrow Tara turns 7. Today I went to a breakfast with Mom thingy at school. I spent my time between the first and third grades. Then we went back in the afternoon with a cake for Tara and treat bags that I made for her classmates. She was so happy to have all the attention. She got her birthday hat and pencil, which all kids get on their b'day. She really wanted that.

Tomorrow we are going to the toy store to spend some birthday money and gift card. They are burning a serious hole in her pocket. Then she wants to go to a Chinese restaurant, much to the joy of her father.

It was a happy day.

Then I ate Cheerios...

This is one of those "And then I ate Cheerios" entries. Boring for everyone else. Feel free to stop reading. It's going to be boring. Consider yourself warned. :)

Jay and I went and saw C.S Lewis's Prince Caspian today. Jay was in his element. When I was pregnant with Tara ( not knowing yet that she was a girl), Jay suggested naming the baby's middle name Aslan. That was vetoed. I know that Shawn and Kirk would have been on Jay's side. Thank goodness Tara was a girl. Otherwise, she may have gotten a wacky name. Anyway, the movie was amazing to watch but I was so tired, I started to fall asleep in the theater! Jay nudged me. How could I fall asleep?

Now I have some time to study for my praxis and read for fun. The problem is that I have learned over time to speed read in order to get through my college subjects. Now I speed read through books. It's like eating too fast. I am not savoring the books anymore. I'm ruined! Ok that's a bit dramatic. ha ha

Over 20 schools have my application. No calls. Nada. Maybe they haven't started the interview process yet. I hate the waiting.

I've been sewing a cover for Jay's hot tub. I'm basically just covering some Styrofoam with marine vinyl. I've tried all kinds of needles. It's as thick as leather. My fingers have about fallen off. One half of it done. I am not looking forward to the other half. It was so thick to sew, that I punctured my fingers from the other side of the needle trying to push it through. I tried thimbles, taping my fingers. Who knew it'd be this tough?

The Cheerios were delicious.

Beautifying

pre-haircut: Mom says, "No bangs!"

Goofing around with Sharla.

All done!

I took mom to get her hair done today. She hit it off instantly with Sharla the stylist, who is a sweetie. I took before & after pictures, although the pictures don't do justice to how cute her hair really looked at the end!

I noticed that mom was much easier to transfer in & out of her chair. This is because she has been working hard in physical therapy on her core strength. Go mom!

Millie Starr

All clean. She's really filled out since we got her.

Playing with Jay.

Then she dug holes in the ground. Evidence. :)

Millie got groomed today. She looks and smells fabulous! We washed all her bedding, too. Now she sleeps with Em every night in a little dog bed. She is the most obedient dog I've ever seen. And I've had about a hundred dogs pass through my life. She loves to dig holes, her only vice. Now there are pictures to prove it.

What would we do without our Millie. Now Emily, previously terrified of dogs, wants to be a vet. That alone proves that Millie is one heck of a doggy.