Tomorrow! Tomorrow!, One Thing They Do Agree On, and Birthday Fun

Beth and I went to see a production of Annie, put on by the home school academy at our church. It was grade school through high school students, and it was really good! One night they served dessert and the second night was dinner. We went to the dessert night.

 

We learned the girl who was supposed to play Annie got sick two days before the show so C, (in red) a fourth grader knew all the lines, choreography, and music... but was too scared to sing. So they had a high schooler sing off stage (with a mic) and C lip-synced the entire show! And I didn't find this out until after the show! We couldn't tell! She was that good! I heard the original Annie was there for the second night, so she got her moment too! 

Poppy, Moxie and Maya are learning to love tolerate each other. Moxie even got brave enough to come out and sort of face Poppy. Poppy is so excited to have 'someone' to play with but the cats don't like her kind of play. 😊

So far so good

"Come On! Let's PLAY!!"

NOPE!!

 But there is one thing they agree on ~

Bubbles!!

My birthday was on the 17th and when I went into work there was a Happy Birthday banner, some flowers, candy... the office is closed on Fridays so I have no idea who did it! I sent a text to who I think did it but she never responded. It was so fun to see this when I came around the corner!

The girls celebrated my birthday and Father's Day together and they got us tickets to a Seahawks game in October! Chuck and I have only been to one other game and we're excited to go again. We might need to buy some new football gear!

Bubbles, Furniture, and Anesthesia

We have learned that the pets love bubbles. Well, Poppy and Moxie love them, Maya isn't too sure about these glistening things that float and then disappear right before your eyes. See Maya protecting herself in the cardboard fort?

 

Poppy is an absolute maniac with them. We get the bubbles out about once a day and give these guys a workout!

 

Some friends were getting rid of an old table and I've been wanting one behind the couch for keys and stuff right by the door. Now the cats use it as a perch to look out the window and earlier today we were looking for Poppy and Chuck spotted her laying under it. It's getting a lot of use!

At Beth's last dentist appointment he mentioned she had a cavity and the tooth needed to come out. He said the tooth looked really fragile and he was afraid it would break into tiny pieces so she had to have oral surgery. I was nervous about it so I waited until the morning of the appointment (the 25th) and tried to be casual (she knew she was going to the dentist to have a tooth pulled but that was all) when I told her the doctor was afraid the tooth would break so they were going to give her special medicine that would let her go to sleep and when she woke up we'd go home. She was very nervous when we were walking into the building.

We got her checked in and they let me come back to the room. I could tell it was sterile so I just stood at the door while they put on the BP cuff and put a paper hat on her. I told her I needed to go move the car (I had actually parked in the wrong area) and I'd be right back. I sat in the car for about 10 minutes, went into the waiting room, grabbed a magazine, and I'm not kidding, the nurse came out before I could even open it, to tell me they were done and she was ready to go! 

They wheeled her out and helped her into the car. She was so groggy! I helped her into the house and as I'm unlocking the door she quietly says, "I just wanna take a nap." I laid her on the couch and she was out! The next day she said she didn't remember being in the wheel chair!

The tooth came out in one piece, there was very little swelling, and she hasn't had any pain. I gave her ibuprofin before she went to bed that night but she hasn't had any pain at all. All of these things were such an answer to prayer!  She stayed home from work on Thursday and Friday, and she's doing great. Looking forward to church tomorrow. That pink thing on her arm is the stretchy gauze stuff that covered the IV site.

Waves

The last week has been full. A birthday, dentist appointment, card games and pet entertainment.

We all went to Scott's for dinner then came back here to give Chuck his gifts, eat pie and play Skip-Bo. He turned 64 this year and I'm so grateful for him.

 

Diana and Peter brought Poppy over and she ran and played and kept them from sitting for too long. In and out, in and out most of the night. But that's good because it means she's potty trained. 😊 She really is such a good girl!

Beth had a dentist appointment. Just a cleaning, but they said she has a wisdom tooth that has to come out so they're referring us to an oral surgeon. Beth is really good about procedures like this so I'm not going to make a big deal out of it. I'll try not to freak out in front of her.

Preparing for x-rays.

 

Mia and Moxie are the best. These sisters will antagonize each other, hide around a corner then attack when the other walks by, they chase each other around the house... so much fun to watch! And they're so curious. About e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.

But mostly the week has been about my sister. I was able to talk to my brother-in-law Ken. More like my brother really. He and Kathy met when I was in grade school. 

This is a terrible copy (and I can't find the original) but I was about 8 here. He's really been a part of our family my whole life.

He told me they were in bed and he got up to fix the heater and she got up to use the bathroom. He heard her go back to bed so he was talking to her about the heater and she wasn't answering him. When he got to the bedroom... she was unresponsive. It was that quick. 

She had some health issues I wasn't aware of so I'm curious to see what they put as the 'cause of death' on the death certificate.

The waves of grief are coming less now. I was doing okay yesterday and when I got in the shower I sobbed. Couldn't stop it. So I didn't.

Thank you all for your kind words. It was very healing to read all your comments. I'll get back to reading and commenting on your blogs soon. I hope you're doing well.

Cats, Cut, Check Mate

It seems like I just wrote my last post yesterday but now I see it's been a week! Time is just flying by.

The cats have been such a great source of entertainment. Sharaya and Ally say they love to watch TV and now we've seen it for ourselves. This is Maya. She couldn't take her eyes off that hockey puck!

 

We went to Diana and Peter's on Sunday for lunch. Diana got Peter got a new griddle for his birthday and he couldn't wait to try it out. I'm glad we got to he his testers! The burgers were delicious! While we waited for them to cook, Diana and Sharaya played chess and Beth copied her letters. (She does this at home every day.) It was my second time seeing Poppy, their puppy (does anyone else remember that Christmas song from the 60's? "Poppy the puppy, loves little girls and boys, he checks the list, you won't be missed, you'll get your share of toys." I think I still have the 45) but I didn't get one single picture! There was even some great shots when Poppy was chasing Peter around the yard but I completely missed the opportunity.

 

After dinner we played Phase 10. Have you ever played it? My family used to play Frustration Rummy and they're very similar but I think Phase 10 is more frustrating! (Can you tell I lost?)

I got my hair cut last weekend. You can't really see a difference but I've had an undercut for a few years and this time I got layers. Only about an inch of layers. I'm not a big fan of change so I take baby steps when I can. 😊

 Before

 After

 

 

 On Friday Beth and I are going to see Beauty and the Beast at the 5th Ave Theater! We are so excited we can hardly stand it!

Second Christmas, Bird Watching and The Cat's Pajamas

Chuck's mom and sister used to buy the girls matching pajamas and stuffed animals every year and they got to open them on Christmas Eve. When Ally was born Sharaya asked me to continue the tradition and I was more than happy to ablige!

 1994

 2014

 

This year I didn't get her a stuffed animal because I bought her cats some matching pajamas! They weren't very cooperative when it was time to get dressed. By the time they got Moxie's on, Maya had already wiggled out of hers!

 

We always open our stockings first, then have cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Then we get to the presents! We like to open ours one at a time. One person plays 'Santa' and hands out each gift, that way we all get to see what everyone gets. 

After we're done opening presents, dinner goes in the oven (if it isn't already) and then we turn on The Muppet Christmas Carol. It's tradition! While we watched TV, the cats watched the birds.

 

I don't ever remember doing two Christmases before. When the anticipation of one was over, you still had another one to look forward to! It's not the same when the whole family isn't together but it was still fun to have two of them!