Vocabulary

When I was on fall break, I gave Jessica a call one day and she said Harris was also on fall break.  She was trying to come up with ideas to keep him occupied.  She created a game with colored stickers, numbers, and little cars.  It took Harris only a few minutes to complete the sorting game.  She suggested that he help her scramble them up and complete the sorting game again.  Nope.  Not happening.  That was old news.

Another day, she sent me this photo and said they were trying to do some things that were calm and quiet so Linley could rest undisturbed.  She also mentioned that she may run out of ideas before the end of the week.

I gave them a call when I was on my way home from work that afternoon and complimented his craftiness.  I learned that Harris had been practicing with scissors and glue. 

A couple of days later, I got another photo and message.  This time from Bridgette.  Lillie, Lydia, and Luci had also been crafting.

Another day when I was talking to her on the phone, I reminded Jessica of the age-old craft of gathering leaves and using a crayon to create a rubbing on a simple white piece of paper.  Then, Harris could use the scissors again.  She said she had forgotten about that and right about that time, Harris returned to be within earshot.  He said, "Did Grand B have an idea for an activity?"

We both burst out laughing.  What does he know about an 'activity' and such vocabulary?

Hope all your Jack-O'Lanterns are smiling.  Happy Halloween!

Toby - Ugh!

Toby has been miserable lately.  He's been scratching and shaking his head and flapping his ears for a month.  I thought maybe he had a yeast infection in his ears and began treating them with some drops but that didn't seem to help much.  He was scratching his beard and his shoulders.  Then, he started licking his feet incessantly.  Next came biting at his hips to the point that he had bald patches and sores. 

We tried an expensive grain-free, potato-free dog food to no avail.  We put him on an all-meat diet and still no relief.  The groomer came and cut his hair down short and even that didn't help like it has in the past. 

So, on Tuesday I broke down and took him to the veterinarian to get it checked out.  Dr. Paul said we were on the right track thinking that he has allergies but he probably isn't allergic to his food.  He probably just has seasonal allergies. 

He got a close examination and a shot of cortisol.  Within twenty-four hours he was no longer scratching.  He still shakes his head, flapping his ears some but not nearly like he was doing at all.  In fact, it is almost as if he is back to what is somewhat normal for him.

Of course, there are still issues...

When Mike first retired, he said Toby would watch me get in the truck and back up to go out the drive and then would trot right into the den and jump up on the couch.  Of course, I would fuss about it and finally Mike started making him get down.  However, when neither of us are at home, he would camp out on the couch.  So, I started booby-trapping it to keep him off.

He shifted his lounging spot to the chair in our bedroom.  So, I set up a barrier to keep him off it.

Then, one day last week, I came home and noticed that somebody had wadded up the quilt that lays at the foot of the bed.  This was when he was still licking his feet, so I could see some stains on the quilt and knew that Toby had been up on the bed.  I raised a ruckus about it and Mike defended Toby saying he didn't believe Toby had done that.  The very next morning, Mike got out of the shower and there he was.  Mike told me that he looked in the bedroom and there was Toby, "up on there like it was HIS bed!"  So, that afternoon when I got home from work, this is what I found:

That afternoon, the magazines and pillows were off the couch. 

So, I'm on the lookout for a hefty crate and Toby is going to be enjoying some time in there while we are out of the house.  I do intend to win!

Happy Birthday, Jessica!

Hope your day is a happy one!

Random Ramblings Volume # 6

First of all, let me confess.

I really don't know what volume this really is.

I just randomly picked out the number six.

So, we're going with it.

Fall has officially arrived here.  We had warm t-shirt weather yesterday at mid-day and by the time it got dark we had sweatshirt weather.  Then, it started raining and today it is really cool.  I'm ready for it and I think Mike is as well.  I know that my allergies are ready for it!  I'm alternately sniffly, stuffy, coughy, and have itchy eyes.

As much as I love my job, I am always ready for the weekend and today is a lazy Saturday.  I got up at the same time this morning as usual but only to let Toby out to take care of his business and feed him.  Then, since it was still dark, I crawled back in bed and snoozed a bit more.  What a luxury!

When I finally did get roused enough to get up, Mike was already in the kitchen cooking bacon, eggs, and biscuits for breakfast and I simply made coffee.  I had clean-up duty but it was worth it to get the generously prepared breakfast with no effort!

I've spent the remainder of the morning sipping coffee and catching up with the blog feeds to which I subscribe.  Every time I glance up and see this little vignette on the chopping block table, it makes me smile.  I love those happy pumpkins even on a grey day!

I also like this cluster of fall leaves in the urn on the island.  It just speaks to me.  Of course, I know that in a while the counter will be cluttered with the fixings of a meal and need to be cleaned again.  But, for now, it makes me smile.

I also smile at this simple seasonal decor on the kitchen mantel.  It truly is the little things isn't it?

I was intrigued by a news post this week.  I saw this photo posted on a blog and had to learn more.  The backstory is quite interesting.

Doesn't this picture make you want to light a fire and put some marshmallows on a stick?  Oh, what a cozy and relaxing looking space at Rattlebridge Farm!

If I still lived in my old house that was close to the road where you could see such a fun decoration, I would copy this idea in a heartbeat!  I just love those striped and polka-dot witch's legs I see around anyway and this is probably the cutest application of them that I've ever seen!  Thanks for sharing Home Is Where The Boat Is.

I cannot tell you how much I agree with the perspective of Emily in Wear Better Pants.  I read the transcript, of course, but I'm sure the podcast is wonderful, too.  They usually are.

I've also done a lot of thinking and trying to encourage my daughters lately because I remember well how hard it is to mother little children like they are doing.  I think they are doing an amazing job and are just, well, amazing anyway much like Karianne describes in her book So Close to Amazing.  I know that they are already keeping this idea in mind and encouraging their children.

I thought this was the cutest idea that it made me want to go to the farm stand and get more pumpkins and pull out my hobby paint and create one.  But, really, we probably won't have any trick-or-treaters and pumpkin season is half over at this point.  I did pin it for next year, though!  I really love lots of Jennifer's ideas over at Dimples and Tangles and often get inspired to perk things up and add a bit of spunkiness and bright colors.

If I was buying for myself, I would get one of these ASAP!  And a pair of those pajama pants with the monogram.  Have you seen those?  And have you seen those sparkly slip-on sneakers?  Don't they look fun?

My daughter has been making these signs. The one above and the one below were donated to her children's school fundraiser recently.  Aren't they attractive?

I'm sure they made the silent auction bids go higher, aren't you?

This one saying home is another of her creations.  I really don't have a spot for any of them other than on my back porch but I do love them!

Well, that wraps up my randomness for a while.  I'm spending the afternoon watching SEC football, sipping on spiced tea, listening to the washer and dryer run, between folding loads of laundry and stirring up a pot of soup.  Hope your Saturday is random and relaxing as well!

Rambling Men

Yesterday afternoon provided Mike a little bit of time after selling vegetables at the farm stand, after moving some hay, after cutting some grass.  So, hearing some sweet voices playing outdoors up the hill from our house, he decided to do a bit of rambling round the farm.

First, he went up the hill toward those sweet voices and found another fellow who was up for a bit of rambling.

Down the hill they rode and across the field they went to visit Mike's mom.

Then, back through our yard they traveled with just a short little pause to say hello.

I love those rambling men!

Easy-Going

Have I mentioned what an easy-going little thing our newest granddaughter can be?

Here she is all snuggled into a sweet towel after a relaxing bath. 

And then, out of the corner of her eye, she sees it coming.

Ready or not.

That brother of hers closes in to smother her with kisses!

Yep!  There he is talking to her and laughing with her and showering her with kisses.

Not just once!

Really. 

Over and over again he shows how much he loves her

And she watches with rapt attention.

And waits for the next wave of his showering kisses to come.

Almost always with a sunny look of anticipation.

Relaxing in the Bath

Relaxing in the bath is something almost every woman enjoys and Linley is really no different - even at five weeks she enjoys lounging in the tub!

Of course, just out of the camera view is her mother who is sponging her off and lathering up the soft cloth to clean out her little rolls.

Then, there is also the older brother with the old cell-phone with no battery who is wheeling and dealing in his corporate world!  

The Newest

This girl.

She is growing so fast!

She is looking and learning about everything around her at five weeks.

Sometimes she gives a little half-smile - mostly for her big brother.

She likes to stretch out and kick and wave her arms around.

She is such a pleasant little thing and so easy-going.

Our little Linley is taking in the world around her and listening closely to everything we say to her with intense concentration.  At five weeks, she is such a sweet joy to all of us!

Silly Faces

During my fall break from school I went over to spend a little time with the newest grandchild and her family.  While she was busy with her mother, I took a little time to be entertained by her big brother.  

Like most four-year-olds, he is glad to pose for the camera sometimes.  So, while he was sitting still (an oddity in itself), I snapped off a few shots of this rascal.

The serious demeanor quickly became an opportunity to make silly faces.  Let me tell you, he really has some silly ones.

Of course, between most of these snaps were some giggles and wiggles.

The scowls dissolved and more and more often the giggles took over.

There is also the opportunity to stick out one's tongue without getting reprimanded.

And again the giggles were hard to hold back even with his tongue sticking out!

Then, of course, comes the all-important question...

Can we look and see how the pictures turned out, Grand B?