What's up with us!

I guess I have been a little busy, because I haven't posted since September. I am not sure what all to update you all on. I did get some money towards the rechargeable batteries from the insurance company.....a whole $147.00 towards $800 worth of batteries....YIKES right? At least I didn't have to battle them for it.

Jacob is still working at a local electronics store. He needs to take a certification test and then start applying again. We hope that the certification will help him with getting a job. Elijah is in 10th grade and doing well. He is having a very good year and still likes ROTC. I married my girlfriend back in June and we are doing well. We have been together for six years, but this will be our first married Christmas. I am not sure if that is a big deal or not, but I love Christmas anyway.

I decorated over Thanksgiving break. There are lots of presents under the tree, but I have been saving for a while. I had some medical issues back at the end of October and early November. I am going back in to see the gynecologist to see what can be done to help with that. It isn't anything too serious, but something that needs to be addressed.

I haven't watched the news since the election. As a parent of a special needs child, I was not a Trump supporter and I am still not a supporter of him. Enough of politics though. We are still waiting on gutters, insulation, a mailbox and for the fence to be repaired since the storm in APRIL! It has been almost 8 months! At least we have a roof and the majority of the damage is fixed.

Tiger was sick for several weeks and the vet finally figured out it was a severe allergy to fleas. He is off medication and wearing a flea collar. The other three cats are have flea collars too. We give him melatonin at night. He is finally growing back some hair and seems better. The other three cats are good too! They are a big part of our family.

Overall, Life is good. I am happy as are the boys and my wife. I love saying "my wife". I'll try to write more often, but we our lives are not that exciting!

Cats!

No one could have told me that I would end up with three cats in my house. My ex-husband and I both liked cats and had two cats before our boys were born. KC was an orange tabby and Ridgeway was a Norwegian Forest Cat who we found and took in. KC died when Jacob was about 2 years old. Ridgeway grew old with us and died in Nov. 2008. Both boys took it very hard. Elijah still cries for Ridgeway.

We knew Ridgway was getting older and when our neighbor’s cat had kitten we decided we would take one. We chose the black tabby and brought him home when he was two months old. Ridgeway was still with us at this time. He died about three weeks later. The neighbor asked if we could foster Tiger’s mother. They were keeping two of her kittens, but the mom would not let them integrate into the household with another cat they had. We took in Shadow so that Tiger would not be lonely.

Elijah and stopped at a pet store that December and they had cats and kittens up for adoption. We saw a precious black and white kitten and Elijah really wanted him. Now Elijah knows how to work it…pouty lips with his “please momma, please”. We decided to get the kitten and bring him home. We knew Shadow would not be with us long and Tiger would be lonely again. The kitten was named KiKi, but we soon changed her name to Perky and it has stuck. She is a perky little thing and fit right into our family.
Shadow stayed with us until February 2009 and then returned home. We had our two cats, Tiger and Perky, who got along very well and who both boys loved very much. The cats were great with teaching Elijah how to be gentle and loving to others. Every time we went to a pet store though, he would ask for another kitten. I would tell him NO, we just didn’t need another one.

This past November while talking to a friend at work, I mentioned that Elijah sure did want another kitten, but we just couldn’t afford one. She told me about a kitten that a friend had rescued that she took in. She really couldn’t keep the kitten because she had two cats already and lived in an apartment. She told me her friend would pay for the kitten’s first shots and to be neutered. I talked to the boys about it and we decided that we did want another kitten. On Dec. 11, 2009, Oreo joined our family. He has been a great addition. It took some time for Perky and Tiger to really accept him, but they are great friends now.

When I ask Elijah and Jacob who their favorite cat is, they both respond….ALL THREE! They are all very loving cats and continue to help me teach both boys how to treat others. They each have their own personality….Tiger is the big boy of the bunch and the most laid back. Perky, well is Perky, and always getting into trouble. She constantly wants to escape to the outside. Oreo is the baby and very much into mischief, but in a kitten type of way. We will never forget our Ridgeway though, he was the first cat both boys ever really knew!

New Addition to our Family

We added a new kitten to our family yesterday. His name is Oreo! He is precious, but of course Perky and Tiger, our other two cats are not too impressed. Oreo was quite scared yesterday when I brought him home and he hid out a lot. Today he has been more adventurous. He is out playing with Jacob right now! This morning, Elijah went to find Oreo and brought him to me in bed. He then looked at Oreo and told him, "No hissing, you be friends with our cats." Well it is not Oreo doing the hissing, it is the other two.

Jacob, who is 13, is having a ball with him right now. Both boys are sweet with all three cats and it is nice to see them be that way. Jacob was just using baby talk with Oreo. Elijah was in hysterics earlier playing with her. She is just a few months old so a true kitten. Hope they all three can get along.


I made a ton of sugar cookies today to take to school next week and use with my students. I have to make enough so we have them here at home too. They are a favorite of both boys! I also made two batches of pralines. I am taking a batch to a potluck lunch we are having next week. Both batches turned out yummy!

Only one more week and then we are out of school for two weeks! I am about done shopping. I just have a few gift cards to pick up!