Perfect Excuse for a Nap

Some of the names we gave her were Butterscotch, Creamsicle, and Graham.  We had her for a day and a night. 

Someone found her in the parking lot where Huh works.  Huh didn’t have the heart to take her to an animal shelter, so she brought her to our house to stay until she could find her owners or a family that would adopt her.

As cute as she was, we couldn’t have her here for very long because too many in our household have cat allergies.  The kids played with her and held her.  Max barked and growled at her.

I napped with her.

Knowing the situation was only temporary I took full advantage of it and settled comfortably in my recliner with the kitty.  Her sweet purr lulled me to sleep.

I miss having a cat around.  My childhood involved cats.  Lots of cats.  Curse those inherited allergies!  (Something else to be mad at my ex about?  )

Sometimes it pays to take advantage of temporary opportunities when they come, such as snoozing and cuddling with a purring kitten.  You never know when the opportunity will come again.

It was the best nap I’ve had in a long time!

 

 

Busy!

Here’s what has been preventing me from visiting Blogland:

*Back in October a sprinkler broke and flooded our basement.  We finally got the insurance money and have been having the carpets in the basement replaced, which has required moving furniture in and out of rooms and lots of rearranging.  The carpet was finished earlier this week and now we try to find spots of time to put everything back.

*November and May are the months I scrub carpets in my home.  Though the task was made easier this month because of new carpet being put in the basement, I have still been trying to get the rest of the house done before Thanksgiving.  Huh scrubbed four areas to earn some money, which helped me out too.  The last of the rooms was finished on Tuesday.

*Our front door has decided it doesn’t want to open from the outside.  The western sun has warped it and it is now time to replace it.  We’ve given the job of measuring and hanging the new door to my brother who has recently been out of a job.  He came out one day last week to measure and he is coming later today to go with Hub to purchase the door and then hang it.  Hub is considering having my brother install new patio french doors as well.

*On Thanksgiving we are hosting 60 members of Hub’s extended family.  Of course that puts me in scrubbing, shining, and cleansing mode.  Is there a way to lock the kids up so that they don’t make any messes in the rooms I need to stay clean???

*Hoob will be dancing with her dance studio at the Festival of Trees on December 2.  Her studio has scheduled “extra” practices to make sure they are ready for the performance, which requires the family chauffeur (me) to get her to her practices.

*And…

I have received a new calling in my church.  I have been called to be the Young Women’s President of our ward (congregation).  This will require much of my time for the next three years or so.  In essence, I am now the leader of 35 girls ages 12 to 18 (18-year-olds remain in the program until they graduate from high school).  Some of the duties include Sunday instruction, Wednesday evening activities, planning and participation in a three-day summer Youth Conference, planning and participation in a five-day summer camp in the mountains, and guiding them through the Personal Progress program which is a program in which the girls set goals in eight areas (faith, divine nature, individual worth, knowledge, choice & accountability, good works, integrity, and virtue) that will help them grow spiritually and reach their divine potential.

This calling will require quite a bit of my time.  I will still make my family my top priority, which also requires a great deal of my time.  All of this means that I may not have as much time to spend in Blogland.  (Wah, sob, sniff)  I will still try to post regularly; I just don’t know what “regular” is going to end up being.  I may not get around to visiting other blogs as often as I used to, but I will still try to read blogs when I get a free minute.

I have been quite busy for the last few weeks, but it has been a good busy.  I’ve still managed to meet the needs of my family, which is most important.  The one “baby” that I might have to neglect, my little Kastle here, will survive.  It might get a little dusty, some cobwebs might be found, but I’ll still try to visit and keep it “homey.” 

And now?  It is time for me to go do a load of the never-ending laundry.

Sigh.

 

There Won’t Always be a Next Time

My ex-husband informed the kids last week, that in order for him to keep his job, he has to move out of state in January.  The kids are still processing the information and say that they aren’t sure how they feel about the news.

It is unfortunate that the ex allowed opportunities to spend quality time with his kids slip away.  There were many times that he didn’t pick the kids up on his night to have them, or would wait until Saturday afternoon to pick them up on “his” weekends instead of picking them up on Friday night.  The unspoken message to the kids was that there were other things more important to Dad than his kids.  And the result was that the kids chose not to go to Dad’s house many times.  When I would ask them why they didn’t want to go, the usual answer was, “Why should we?  He doesn’t do anything with us when we’re there.  Most of the time he’s not even around when we are there.”

And now he’s moving away from them.  This past weekend Yawlin was at his dad’s house and he said that it was fun because his dad played games with him.  Maybe the upcoming move is affecting the father and causing him to think?  How sad that it took a forced move to make him value time with his kids.

And perhaps there is a lesson in this for all of us.  When we get so busy that we allow that ”busyness” to rob us of time spent with our family, and we rationalize it away by thinking that we will make it up to our family ”tomorrow” or “next time,” the danger is that we will continue to think that there will always be a next time.  But sometimes life throws a curve ball, and the “next time” never comes.

Enjoy them while you’ve got them.

 

A Week of Afternoons…Friday

 

 

A Week of Afternoons…Thursday

 

A Week of Afternoons…Wednesday

 

A Week of Afternoons…Tuesday

 

A Week of Afternoons…Monday

Last month I did “A Week of Mornings” by posting one photo a day for a week.  Each picture was taken sometime during the morning.  For November I am going to do “A Week of Afternoons” and post pictures taken during the afternoon.  I love this time of year and the photo ops are plentiful.  In fact, I love the fall colors so much, I think I will post two photos a day instead of one. 

I urge you to notice the beauty around you, even in the smallest details.  It is a glorious world we live in, and we have a lot to be thankful for.

Enjoy your week!

 

November Traditions

At the beginning of October I listed some of the traditions our family has for that month.  Though our family doesn’t have as many traditions for November, we do have some.  Here they are:

*I decorate the house with Thanksgiving decorations.  I’m one of those people who is saddened by the fact that Thanksgiving seems to get pushed aside in favor of the Christmas season.  I don’t listen to Christmas music or put up Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving.  Though I don’t have as many Thanksgiving decorations as I do Halloween or Christmas decorations, the decorations I do have please me.  I have a collection of turkeys and a collection of pumpkins, a few Pilgrims and Indians, and fall foliage.  They are placed throughout the house and, because of their cheery fall colors, help to brighten the house.

*I keep a bowl full of mixed nuts (with a nutcracker) or pistachios on the kitchen counter for snacking.

*On Thanksgiving Day our blended family has worked out a visiting schedule that works for us.  On the “even” years we visit my parents and extended family for Thanksgiving dinner.  Later in the evening my kids leave to go with their father to visit his family for dessert and Hub and I, and his kids, go visit Hub’s family and siblings for dessert.  On the odd years we do just the opposite.  My kids go with their father to his family dinner while the rest of us go to Hub’s family dinner.  We join up with my kids later in the evening and go visit my parents and siblings for dessert.  We like this schedule because everyone gets to see both sides of their family. 

This year, being an “odd” year, we are hosting Hub’s family dinner at our house.  My kids will leave with their father mid-morning to go to his family dinner.  After hosting Hub’s family for dinner and cleaning up, we will pick my kids up so that we can go visit my family for dessert. 

For whatever reason, Hub’s ex never expresses a desire to have her kids for Thanksgiving, so his kids are always with us on Thanksgiving and they follow the schedule Hub and I are doing.  

*Whether we are having dinner at my Mom’s house, or only seeing her for dessert on Thanksgiving, we all make sure to sample her sweet potatoes, homemade fudge and caramel, and pumpkin pie.  They are to die for!

*Last year my daughters, step-daughter, and I participated in Black Friday.  It was the first time for the girls to experience it.  They liked it so much they have decided that Black Friday is our newest November tradition.  We will bring the newspaper with us when we go to my parent’s house for dessert on Thanksgiving and will peruse the ads to decide on what deal(s) we will try to get.  My sisters and Mom also like looking at the ads with us, though they participate in Black Friday activities in their own towns.

*A tradition I keep, just for me, is to continue to walk our dog on the local trails for as long as the weather permits.  I love the fall colors and our weather here has been gorgeous!  Pics to come next week!

This is my favorite time of year.  Family, pretty scenery, good food, focusing on the good in my life and giving thanks for it–it all adds up to a season of satisfaction.

 

What’s in YOUR backyard?

“I’ve lived in this state for all of my 65 years, and I can’t believe I never came here before this.”

So said my dad while experiencing Moab this past weekend for the first time ever.  Hub and I took my parents on some ATV trails and hiking in Arches National Park.  They wished we were staying longer than just a weekend.

Here are a few images from our Moab excursion over Halloween weekend:

Colorado River

Hub walking out for a "Photo Op."

Dad taking a picture of Delicate Arch

Hiking back down after seeing Delicate Arch.

Moonrise

Isn’t it amazing how we sometimes don’t appreciate what is in our own backyard?