Monday, June 29, 2009
Spider girl
Karys, bless her heart, has had a serious issue with mosquito bites this year. She has been eaten up with them.
So we didn’t think much of it when she started scratching a spot on her shin a couple of days ago.
Then yesterday I noticed that an area about the size of a silver dollar - with the “bite” in the exact center - had turned really red and the skin in that area was hard to the touch.
Carmi’s mom took Karys to the pediatrician’s office this morning. Two docs consulted with each other and agreed that the bite is not from a mosquito but is, in fact, from a spider.
This photo was taken earlier this evening. Her leg already looks 100% than it did just 24 hours ago.
Friday, June 26, 2009
You’re not a cat
We snagged us a raccoon.
Carmi gave Animal Control a call this morning and they sent a guy over a little bit ago.
He said the raccoon looked like a younger one and didn’t act as though it was rabid so we just let it go.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
R.I.P. Michael and Farrah
Michael…thanks for the music.
Farrah…thanks for “the poster”.
What a bizarre day.
Too many times
Eliana handled the new kitty a few too many times today.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Getting comfortable
Accident report
Zane’s summer camp group went to Zuma Fun Centers today.
When I stopped by the school to pick him up this afternoon, one of the teachers walked over to us with a paper in her hand which was an accident report.
“Oh Lawd”, I thought.
She told me that Zane drove a go-cart at the amusement center. When the ride was over, he was supposed to apply the brake but… umm… he didn’t. He smacked into the pit entrance and received a nice welp on his forehead.
And this is the young man who keeps telling me he wants to drive my car?
Calico
Ever since we caught momma cat 2 days ago, we’ve seen no sign of the kittens.
Yesterday morning, the food inside the trap had been eaten and the trap had been sprung but there was no critter. So I put fresh food out and reset the trap.
This morning, I looked out the kitchen window and saw that, once again, the food was gone and the trap had been sprung. However, I still didn’t see an animal inside because of the way the trap was positioned.
Carmi and I scratched our heads. We assumed it was possibly a groundhog or maybe even a raccoon big enough for it’s butt to stick out the entrance and keep the trap door from closing.
I was getting Eliana and Zane ready to leave when I glanced out the kitchen window again and saw a huge orange tabby walking across the yard. Maybe he was the culprit?
Carmi and the kids were trying to see where the big cat went when Zane noticed something in the trap.
Carmi rushed outside and I heard her squeal.
I ran out to find this r-e-a-l-l-y cute calico kitty in the trap.
Carmi has always wanted a calico kitty.
Welcome to the family.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Blog for 24
Back in 2006 and 2007, I participated in a blogathon where sponsors pledged money for a charity if I stayed up and blogged every 30 minutes for 24 hours.
I have to say it was fun. Hard…especially for an old man like me…but fun nonetheless.
I’ve wanted to run a similar event on my own. An event that was geared specifically towards raising money for charities involved with international adoption.
So I finally got off my duff and put together a site called Blog for 24.
I haven’t begun promoting the site anywhere else because you’re our peeps and I wanted you to hear about it first.
Don’t have a blog? No excuse. I’m working behind the scenes right now to allow anyone to blog right from the site.
Take a look and please consider joining me.
{extended}Monday, June 22, 2009
Momma cat
We caught the momma cat last night.
Carmi is taking her to the vet this morning to get a rabies shot and to have her spayed.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Hanging Rock State Park
We were invited by our local Chinese church to go with them and another Chinese church to Hanging Rock State Park for a cookout today.
The lady talking to Eliana and Karys is one of the leaders in our local Chinese church. This is the sweet lady who takes time almost every Sunday afternoon to come to our house and lead Zane in a Bible study. She really loves on our children.
Carmi had a long talk with this Chinese woman whose husband is American. The couple have adopted two young boys from Taiwan.
Zane enjoyed his very first boat ride.
There are several waterfalls in this state park. We took a small hike to this one before leaving to come home.
The water was c-o-l-d but the kids still wanted to get in so badly.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Adopting again
Guess what?
Looks like we’re adopting again!
Now before my mother has heart failure, let me quickly add that we’re adopting another four-legged child.
I was in our master bathroom this afternoon and kept hearing what sounded like a very young cat meowing. It wasn’t our inside cat and I knew there was no way another cat could have gotten into the house undetected.
I kept listening and moving…listening and moving…and finally traced the source of the sound. It was coming from our air conditioning vent!
After I left to go pick up Eliana and Zane, Carmi and Karys did a little sleuth work of their own. They discovered one kitten under our house and two more roaming close by.
We’ll keep one. ONE, Carmi. And we’ll find a home for the others.
Monday, June 15, 2009
His first day was a success
We enrolled Zane in a summer camp and today was his first day.
It’s not “camp” in the sense that we ship him off and won’t see him for 6 weeks. Rather, I drop him off at an intermediate school on my way to work in the morning and pick him up on my way home from work in the afternoon. It’s an all day, every day affair.
Carmi and I paid in advance for the entire summer (10 weeks). For an average weekly price that is s-e-v-e-r-a-l dollars less than your typical daycare cost, he gets a morning snack, lunch and an afternoon snack. Even the cost of any field trips they take is already included. It’s a great deal really.
I have to admit that I was a little concerned about how he might handle it. I mean, there are 60+ children enrolled and we had no idea that he knew any of them.
Would he socialize? Would he eat? Would he hate me for leaving him with total strangers?
Let me tell you…all fears were squashed as soon as I walked in to get him.
There were kids scattered all over the cafeteria. Before I finished scanning the room, a child’s voice cried, “Zane! Your dad’s here!”
Then I saw him.
He flashed that million-dollar smile and anxiously motioned for me to approach the table where he sat playing checkers with another mate.
I spoke to the other guys sitting there before Zane and I started walking for the door.
All the way to the car and for the entire trip home, our young man talked non-stop.
He went into great detail about everything he ate. He told me about every board game he played and that RISK was his favorite. He showed me the special necklace he made. He described every game - like basketball and volleyball - that he played in the gym. He sought sympathy and the comfort of a bandaid for the fresh boo-boo on his knee.
And when he finally slowed down long enough to draw a breath, he smiled again and said, “I like”.
I’d say his first day was a success.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Up
I took all three kiddos for a matinee showing of the new 3D Disney-Pixar flick called “Up”.
“Up” is a cute comedic adventure starring a 78-year man named Carl Fredricksen who has spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. Due to his age, he thinks life has passed him by. One day, however, a twist of fate and an 8-year old “Wilderness Explorer” named Russell changes his outlook on life. The pair go on adventures encountering wild terrain, unexpected villains and jungle creatures.
This was Karys’ very first visit to a movie theater. It was too loud for her - which I should have expected - but she actually sat through the movie which I really didn’t expect.
Well, let me back up. About halfway through, she started calling “Dad” every few minutes and saying things like, “I’m ready to go home now” or asking, “Can we go home now?”
Other than that, she DID stay in her seat.
{extended}Paper and pens
Carmi normally works from home on Fridays. However, our cable - and therefore our internet connection - went out suddenly last night and still wasn’t functioning this morning so she had to go to the office.
Which means I had to take the three children with me to physical therapy this afternoon.
They really were well-behaved anyway. But it sure did help when one of the nice ladies at the front desk gave them paper and pens to doodle with.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
I have to brag on Eliana too
I have to brag on Eliana a little bit too.
Eliana loves to read and, in our somewhat biased opinion, she does a great job. Carmi and I had our opinion affirmed today when we looked at Eliana’s report card.
Performance level was rated in reading, writing and math - either “below”, “proficient” or “above”. In writing and math, she received a rating of “proficient”. But in reading, our Empress was rated at “above” for end-of-year.
{extended}