Randomness

Here is your daily dose of deliciousness:

He is so cute!

Moe can't resist playing/bugging him even if he is asleep. I am guilty of this too!
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I keep seeing this throughout the house, and each time it startles me because I think it is a pregnancy test! It is a 4 GB memory stick! It does look like a preg. test though, doesn't it?

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The momma cat and her 4 kittens continue to be priority in our house. We are now feeding the momma. She seems to have more milk in, and the babies are growing. The kittens still haven't opened their eyes.

Kevin is particularly fond of the gray cat. I like the momma. She is sweet.
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And yes, I am back to my hooking ways. hehehe :) I finished the kitchen rug and one for my mom. These are incredibly easy to make, and way up there on the useful scale! :)

Have a great weekend!
~Karen

Oh, and uh, quit flooding me with emails and calls about wanting the cats. ahem ahem...hint hint...okay, here is where I beg...
PLEASE! Call or email today. You know you want one....If you call now, you will get 2 cats for the price of one.....and I will throw in an extra cat if you call in the next ten minutes....

Chaos

We are surviving. And Ralphie is still alive. These things are surprising given how rough and tough toddlers can be. I can only conclude that puppies are made of some strong stuff.


Ralphie cried in his crate last night, so Kevin brought him to our bed. I did not get good sleep since Ralphie likes to sleep on our heads. It is uncomfortable. Also, did I mention puppies have stinky milk breath? It reminds me of my own children's breath when they nursed.

The house breaking has been easy so far. He naps, he wakes up, I take him outside and he goes, and then he comes in for some play. The same schedule was repeated all day, and he did not have any accidents. I am hopeful we will not have any.

The kittens seem to be doing fine. We broke down and purchased some kitty food. She nurses the four kittens non stop. She allows us to pet her and the kittens. This is shocking since they are only 2 days old. None of our neighbors have claimed her. I have a feeling none will. We might end up being the host family for them. I don't really want them indoors. I don't mind feeding them outside though.

Have a great week!
~Karen

Weekend Fun!

I have been hoarding felted wool sweaters for some time now. I knew the right project would come my way, and I would put them to good use. They are easy to come by. Check any thrift store or yard sales, and you will find wool sweaters that have been felted. You can cut them into strips and they will not fray.

Then the fun begins! You can make a rug! Go here for EXCELLENT instructions.

It is super soft and durable. I haven't decided how big it will be.

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Yes, today Ralphie came home. He is the most attended to dog ever. Poor thing. The kids follow him everywhere, and are constantly trying to "take care" of him. ("take care"=animal torture by toddlers)

I took Ralphie out to use the potty, and while we were out there we discovered a momma kitten with a bunch of newly born kittens. I have never heard a cat make the sound she did. At first I thought she was a skunk. She is a nice cat, and seems fine with human contact, but she isn't too sure of Ralphie.

Anyone want a cat? Free to good home.
~Karen

Bragging Rights

What a fine looking garden we have!

I forgot we planted butternut squash in April. It took all that time to finally start growing. At first we thought we had some weird looking squash. You know my love for the butternut squash.

Isn't it beautiful?

I really do enjoy cooking the veggies up. I know all the hard work that went into it, and I know no chemicals have been used. It has been a great learning experience for us. I don't ever see a time we won't have a garden.
We are already discussing next year's garden. We are planning on expanding. We need more variety as well.

Tomorrow we get Ralphie Boots. I bet the kids won't sleep well tonight. I will try to update with some pics.
~Karen

Countdown: Four More Days

We are picking Ralphie Boots up Sunday, and the kids couldn't be more thrilled.

This poor little guy has no idea what is in store for him...For starters....these two have plans....

Moe wants to put him in some of his play cars and push him around. Mimi has a pile of doll clothes she knows will fit him. I have a feeling the poor little guy won't get a chance to settle in. I am excited too. As a kid we always had a variety of pets, and I think I learned a lot from those experiences. I hope the kids enjoy having Ralphie as a family member.

Have a great week!
~Karen

Fabric Pull Shades

Mimi has been waking up early every morning complaining about a stream of light coming in through her blinds. We couldn't take it anymore, so I purchased these cheap-o light filtering pull shades. Kevin installed them without difficulty.

I decided the shades needed some altering. They were kind of ugly. So, I looked through my fabric and found some to use. And I purchased some spray adhesive.

It wasn't a difficult project, but I will say I don't like spray adhesive. It sticks to your hands, and dries really fast so you can't move the fabric around. Also, I don't recommend brushing your dog after using the adhesive unless you like having furry fingernails.

I did wash the fabric in advance. I starched and ironed it as well. I think that helped make it easier to work with. If you decide to do this, pick a thin fabric so you can adjust the shade with ease.


Have a great week!
~Karen

A New Day : Recovering From Bad Ones

It's amazing how a good night's sleep can make things all better. Today has been great .... fewer tantrums....more patience on my part ...and a great library group and activity today. We have actually enjoyed one another today. I guess we all have our bad days, and we just happened to all have it on the same day!
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The kids are napping now, and I have finished the bathroom rug. SEE:
I am already planning on making more in different shapes and colors. This is an easy and quick results project. I have a collection of felted sweaters that would make a great rug...hmmmm :)

Hope everyone is having a great week!
~Karen

Parenting & Coping

It's been one of those days. Parents of toddlers know what I am talking about. Days when everything goes wrong, and everything makes your kid cry. It can be the tag on her shirt or her favorite toy has dead batteries, and all of it is simply too much for her. UGH! I am trying to handle each crying episode as they come...Offering distractions, trying to resolve whatever is so upsetting, and finally resorting to time outs. Oh! It is exhausting. I can't imagine having such internal chaos all the time. It must be exhausting to be a toddler. I am ready for Friday. Is it tomorrow? :(

Now the kids are napping.

I have distracted myself this afternoon with a new project: Rugs!
I have tried crocheting these before with no luck. It always curled up into a bowl. Then I came across the BEST tutorials. In less than ten minutes I understood how to do it. The instructor is great. Let me know if you try it, and how it goes for you...

Also, any advice or words of wisdom on parenting...if you have none, please offer a "hang in there!" I need it! :)
~Karen

Onion Video

Taco Bell's New Green Menu Takes No Ingredients From Nature

Ralphie Boots

In two more weeks Ralphie will be coming home! We visited him this weekend. :)
~Karen

Q & A

No one ever leaves me questions to answer...I am running out of things to blog about. Sure, my kids are cute. Yes, I have way too many projects ongoing. But, I am running out of stuff! It's not your fault. It is mine. Generally I operate in a drama free zone with blips here and there on the drama radar. So, I thought I would blog about some things that are sure to fire up some drama and hate mail! I am joking.

Political views?
I am a democrat. I am a far leaning left one. I think of Obama as more of a moderate.
I am for gay marriage, and think gay married couples should have the same rights as heterosexual ones.
I am against the death penalty....
I believe in socialized health care. Go here. I think one of the biggest frauds committed on Americans is convincing them "socialism" is a bad word and only bad things will come from it.
I believe in gun control....lots and lots and lots of gun control.
We should get rid of the "don't ask don't tell" policy the military follows.
I am for separation of church and state.
I believe in legalized abortion now, but have hopes that in time we will not need this option.

Most of all, I believe in compassion. Our policies as a nation should reflect this. I believe we should care about one another, and we should live a life that reflects this.

hmm...that should be enough to get some hate mail flowing...

Religious views?
I am a deist. Here is a definition of deism.

Mostly I am a deist because I think something is responsible for all of this. I am not sure what it is, but I am sure it is far greater than I will ever be able to understand. But, I don't think whatever it is is involved in the day-to-day activities of people. I know my extended family thinks prayer can bring snow on Christmas. I see the misses not the hits. So, I choose to think of God as uninvolved. Otherwise there wouldn't be so much suffering in the world, while my mom's prayer for snow comes true.

Thoughts on parenting?
Generally rewarding and at times draining! The monotonous day-to-day things, like doing dishes and washing clothes, drive me nuts. I also wish the whining phase would soon pass. I am tired of the whining.

Reading?
I love reading. I love books, and I will never own a kindle. First, they are pricey. Second, I love to hold a book. If a book doesn't have my attention or if I can't find a character I like in the first 20 or so pages, I quit reading it. I hated "Twilight" for this reason, and gave up reading it.

I can't think of much else. If you think of something you'd like to know, ask away. I think, all in all, I am pretty boring and that is okay with me! I really love the life I have and at the end of the day I am happy with the life Kevin and I made. :)
~Karen

I'm Bad! Michael Jackson Fever!!

This is great:

You can buy it here.

Funny, huh?

Me Loves the Garden!

This zucchini was hiding from us. It is the biggest one I have ever seen. I am gonna make some bread!

Yummers!
~Karen

Crafting & Cooking

I've been busy working on a blanket for Uncle Keith and Auntie Mei. They requested "earth tones"...I hope this is what they have in mind! I only have to crochet a zillion more of these squares before I can start connecting them all.

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I love cooking vegetables!

If you are at my house during meal time, there is a good chance you will get this meal!
It is simple.

1 onion
3-4 summer squash/zucchini
fresh garlic
fresh basil
2 cups butternut squash
1/3 cup vinaigrette dressing

3-4 servings wheat noodles

Cook on medium heat with lid on until veggies are soft.
Boil noodles until soft. Drain noodles and add to veggies! Stir. Eat!

Yum!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARA & GRACIE! WE LOVE YOU!

Have a great week!
~Karen

Hacks & Deals

My mom taught me a great hack this past weekend.
She got a huge seedless watermelon for us, and she must have sensed my lack of excitement at cutting the thing up. She asked if I had a gravy ladle and a knife.

First, you cut the watermelon in half.


Second, use the ladle to scoop out the edible portion of the melon.

It scoops out little balls. Sweet, huh?

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On my way to the grocery store I stopped at a yard sale and bought two chairs for $1 apiece!

Good grief! Ignore my crafting mess. Look at the cool blue chair! It is an early Ethan Allen chair. It still has tags on the underside. It is comfy too. I like the blue, while Kevin isn't so sure about it. I also liked the price.

Hope everyone has a great week.
~Karen

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