Moving on

Well we have definitely been missing our beloved pookie kitty and received a sweet note from the vet but we also need to move on. Josie has been going from room to room looking for her (well it appears that way whether she is or not she can't tell us). I still shed a tear here and there but at the end of the day we know we gave her a good life and she is up with the great fly hunt in the sky. I almost miss the chasing shadows in the middle of the night and wake Momma up any more. Perhaps if circumstances were different we would have noticed changes in her behaviour but given the disruptions of the last year with the introduction of the girls to her home and then moving it would have been hard and it's life. I think I preferred it this way to be honest, and I don't think she was in that much pain until the end.

Ok so moving on, we managed to get the attic fan installed back in which given the temperatures the last few days and what they are predicting in the next week is a good thing! It's helping to bring the temperature down in the living areas. The ceiling fans are another matter it's really getting to warm to spend a lot of time up there and we just aren't sure how we need to wire this up. I think that perhaps with James's and Matt's connections they will work it out eventually.

RIP Lani

I'm gonna miss you baby but I am comfortable you led a good life if somewhat shorter than expected. You were a sweet cat, playful full of life had the prettiest, softest of fur I just hope these last few days you haven't suffered too much, sorry love. Honestly the decision to let you go was easy and I'm relieved it wasn't anything I did, and from the sounds of it I don't think we could have done anything differently.

I will remember you fondly, how can I not from the first time we saw you to when we brought you home. Always the mischief maker and now who is gonna catch them flies?! Josie? I don't think so! I'm going to miss the leg hugging and the crawling up under the sheets. Gosh last week I remember you going silly while under the sheet so full of life I'm only sorry baby you had to end it so soon.

You were a beautiful cat with a good soul have fun up there honey gonna miss ya.

Lani passed fighting to the end but purring. James was with her petting her and they had to give her a 2nd dose of the sedative before she gave in, my dear dear friend love you.

Success

Ok I was wondering what to expect with story time at the local library yesterday...would it be just a simple librarian sitting reading a story with the children on the floor listening in a quiet corner of the library, alright so that's what I was expecting however wow, the kids were given a floor show! By some sheer miracle I was actually there early having tried to be an over achiever that morning making an almond-pear cake, cook the butternut squash and get the girls up on my own all before 9 am which didn't happen but I was close so as 9:45 having finished breakfast I was hmm do I try to make this or do I wait until Wednesday... Ah no I rallied got the girls changed, shoes and socks...(I think we need bigger shoes for Isabel already /sigh) got us all into the car and headed off down to the library.

Got us all unpacked and managed to be there with 10 minutes to spare! Har I'm good :) I didn't really need to ask where the baby / toddler reading group was going to be as it was pretty obvious from the gathering in a corner of munchkins and babies already a fair size. So 10:30 the doors to an area in the back opened and we all filed in...they had a bunch of chairs for the adults, a computer and a felt board set up at the front with a line delineating where the lady was going to have her things to read stories to the children. She got her microphone set up and then started to explain that she needed room so that everyone could march around and that signing and participation were actively encouraged. I'm thinking wow this could be interesting, so I settle in at the end of a row with the girls in the push chair wondering if I want to take them out or let them be, I opted for keeping them in the chair just in case as it was our first time. Oh I think they are going to be let loose next time. So she starts and out come puppets! And her felt board and oh wow! She does some sign language she does counting, she does animals and everyone is following and joining in. We all had a fantastic time and I can't believe the quality of story time oh and did I mention music as well? Cudos to Livermore library and I can say for sure we will be back for more.

Only downside is the girls fell asleep in the car on the way home and once we got home I couldn't get them back to sleep until late in the afternoon so they really didn't have their normal naps which meant for tired grumpy children in the evening with Auntie Debbie, but it also meant for an uninterrupted nights sleep yay!

Oh and I feel here I need to mention good grief what a dinner last night! We had skirt steak marinated in cola, paprika, EVOO and lime juice. I had James get the grill flaming hot and we good to go. The steak was just so tender...and I made my own salsa with fresh lime juice and the flavours just complimented each other so well. The rest of the meal I cheated a bit with hard shell tacos from the store and a pre made slaw mix but easy, delicious and even the boys enjoyed it. Ah I love finding things everyone likes :) Oh and dessert ahhh almond-pear cake so tasty and there is enough of that left for today to go with the chicken piccata tonight.

Of course all of this is now tempered with the somber news that Patrick Swazye passed away. I admit it I had a crush on him when I was younger I mean who didn't when he danced with Jennifer Grey? Probably one of my favourite all time movies, and who didn't weep with ghost? He was just a good guy who worked hard who had a wonderful marriage with a long time sweetheart. Honey you fought for her and you and you have left a lasting impression, you will be missed.

Tea and relaxation

It's been a great weekend so far, cooled down to something more bearable, James has not really had to work as well which is nice given the week he had and has been able to regain a little sanity. I'm able to now enjoy a lovely pot of tea in the china and hoping that when the girls are older they will gain my love of tea so we can have a party:)

Granny and Granddad Apple will show up in 5 weeks, looking forward to their company! Will have to make sure we do some things while the weather is nice. I'm thinking a trip to the zoo again, hmm maybe down the coast if it's not too cold and maybe to see the redwoods. There are a ton of places to explore around here and I know I haven't even touched the surface of them.

I'm also planning our first trip to the library on Monday for story time, lets see how the girls behave at least someone else will be reading and I can hopefully keep them under control, wish us all luck.

Abigail is doing fabulously and taking steps every day which is nice to see. Ah the sheer pleasure of sitting enjoying the peace and quiet in our home is wonderful. Oh I'm sure the novelty will wear off eventually but still it will be our home really...we an decorate and paint it the way we like, eventually...for now well we make do and mend and there are plenty of projects to keep us busy. Ah but but but it's quiet and peaceful right now. Ok I admit there is noise from the school during the week and more traffic but weekends oh the bliss. I also enjoy driving around here and seeing the lovely hills and mountains it's it's home. Not sure why I'm so happy here but I am, gosh I'm even thinking about the wine festival next year and taking a pleasant walk around downtown Livermore.

New Recipes...

So I've been trying out some new recipes this week including a very nice summer-strone one that we all had last night including the ladies who seemed to also approve, tonight I'm trying a watermelon gazpacho with shrimp which the concept just interests me. The summer-strone used couscous to bulk it out and was flavoured with fire-roasted tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, paprika and topped with fresh parsley, grated lemon rind and parmesan cheese, all in all a very satisfying soup that the whole family enjoyed definitely going to have to do that one again.

Rachael Ray's new season starts next week so I'll be getting fresh ideas from there too, Mum and Dad watch out :) I even commented to James last night I just don't miss eating out much at all and the new dinners make meal times interesting and full of flavour. I've kind of mapped out my menus for next week but I'm thinking of modifying them a little as it seems an awful lot of ingredients, alright so I know my fridge is somewhat empty but even so it just seems a lot, admittedly most of it will be from the veggie aisle and I'm using up meat...(ponders the situation at hand).

Hoping today is not going to be as hot as it's forecast...I really don't like the 100's they can go back to where they came from please...I get especially worried about the girls in the hot weather as we still have yet to mount the ceiling fans (hoping this weekend but it has to be cool enough to be up in the attic too for the workers.

I'm also thinking plant pots of herbs...that would help save some grocery bills and we have a nice patio area we could put them on and use them to deter the girls from maybe running and playing too much on the concrete rather than the grass, oh and must get hook. Hey will be nice to have my husband around a bit more this weekend even given the horrific week and weekend he has had.

Here's to a new day

Not even 8 am and I'm done emptying the diaper pail, scooping the cat poop, vacuuming, cleaning the kitchen counter down and sweeping the floor. Yeah I know I wouldn't exactly call myself the cleanest bunny in the world but I'm trying really I am. The garage has been tidied up to the extent we can put the scion in there if we want to, due to the low hang of the opener the van won't be fitting in until we replace the door and mechanism, but I will be glad when it does go in there although I highly doubt we can fit both cars in but you never know the little car is pretty little. I also washed the kitchen and larger bathroom floors yesterday and did my first really good clean of that bathroom. James is planning on mowing the lawn again tonight and I will be cooking burgers. I have to question the thought of actually cleaning my windows tho as I know the moment I clean them dirty hands will be all over them hehe.

So my other list of things to do is a trip to the store just need a few more items for burgers tonight of course in a few hours I get to take a nap with the girls and recharge my batteries so it's all good. We are getting there with homes for most things now and if I look for something and take it out of the remaining boxes I at least don't put it back into the box and find a new place for it.

Looking forward to hitting up the library next week for reading time with the girls should be interesting if nothing else but planning on trying to go a couple of times a week to get us all out of the house.

Lists...

There are times I'm just like my Mother, not that that is a bad thing and I aspire to be like her really I do. I actually plan my meals every week and create my shopping lists and even organize my lists by aisles, crazy I know but it does help to save time in the store really it does and planning meals well that means every night I'm not sitting here thinking what shall we have for dinner and realizing half the time I don't have the items to be able to cook that, either they are in the freezer still or at the store not useful. I actually had a friend say to me but what if you don't feel like that for dinner...well honestly the way I cook these days I never don't feel like that for dinner, most nights we have something different to look forward to, even tho I try to use the same basic ingredients, but it's amazing what you can do with the same ingredients but different herbs and spices, take the last two days for example, we had chicken and couscous two nights in a row, the difference being the first night the chicken was marinated in tequila and lime the next pan fried with breadcrumbs and basil. Ok so she also had an aversion to chicken that wasn't organic and free range, well yes I agree chicken can be a bit tasteless but it's cheap and dressed up you notice the herbs and don't notice the lack of flavour of the meat so much.

So for next week I'm considering a grilled red snapper sandwich...mmm maybe some kebabs, oh my taste buds are tingling!

Up go the blinds

Yay we received the blinds for the kitchen that we ordered oh about a week ago from Lowes and about 7 days earlier than they said they would arrive...so not going to complain. We purchased cellular cordless blinds for the kitchen, I just didn't want untidy cords for the cats to play with or the girls (ok so they aren't going to be tall enough for a long time to play with them but still). It also just keeps the area clean which I like for the kitchen. James ordered them in pepper red and they are a nice colour. It took us oh probably an hour all told to get the first one up...first I tried but I didn't find an instruction leaflet immediately and after about 20 minutes of trying to figure out how the blind when into the brackets I found the instructions with the 2nd blind...and of course I had put the brackets in the wrong way hence the trouble. Not sure why James struggled when the put them brackets up but he took about half an hour to get the blind in (I may have slightly stripped one of the screws). So anyway one blind up another to go. If we ever get spare cash James already wants to switch our other blinds over to the cordless variety, I have to confess I likey but I think the other blinds we have up might be a bit more energy efficient something to look into for sure.

Yesterday successfully cut out another bottle on the girls, I'm slowly slowly weaning them off of the bottles, so now they only have 2 a day, one at 5 am then another before they go to bed. Both girls will drink out of a sippy cup which makes things easier. Kicking my heals at having to delay yet another Dr's apt we are like a month overdue now but can't be helped, it's such a pain in the butt to have to do it on my own I really need that 2nd pair of hands, specially when they have to have injections.

My list of things for the weekend is growing...and James is scrambling around trying to find coverage hehe. But the replacement motor for the fan in the attic has been ordered. Now we have to figure out about the fans (I suspect we will pay for someone to come in and install, James said the wiring in this place is cooky and he's not comfortable doing it at all).

Breathes ah so happy to be in such a lovely place even tho it's got issues, it's so much quieter at night here and far less traffic. Don't get me wrong I loved where we were but...but it wasn't practical and when you have neighbours and a parking lot well you get noise, and there is the freedom of being able to do my chores when I want and not having to worry about running the dishwasher after like 9 pm or the vacuum at 6 am!