Around the house...

 Homeschooling, taking care of my mom, finding a momement for myself...

 All because...

Added a little sparkle to the porch...

view from the sidewalk...

garden is growing in spite of me... enjoying the fresh greens.

Cat's trying out the cat tree... it just didn't work out for us, I returned it. I will look for something a little less dangerous! I snapped this cute photo and... 

I did buy them a bag of colorful mice yesterday to make it up to them.

Just had to share...

mama nursing her babies.

Bunny Love...

My how bunnies grow in one week's time!

Today the bunnies are wide eyed, furry and cute as heck!

Last Monday they were naked and kind of weird looking.

Rabbit proof garden.

The bunny nest.

We built a shelter over the nest to ward off a stray cat that was trying to get them. But also was very helpful in keeping the bunnies nice and dry this very rainy weekend.  

Bad Cats and Old Newpapers...

After cleaning the kitchen, I stepped outside for a few minutes returning to find this nice mess of cat kibble all over the kitchen floor. Three cats sitting nearby... when I yelled "Who did this?!" a certain little Jasper hightailed it down the basement. Guilty!

On to homeschooling...

I have this old 1922 newspaper from our city. Noah and I found many interesting and amusing articles.

so many baby chicks for sale...

Noah loved this owl graphic.

Free candy at the movies for kids!

The zoo gets a fawn.

This lady refused to go to jail for making bootleg liquor without her six children. Such a good mother!  

Jasper

New editor:)

"Meow, meow Tiff don't you think I so adorable?"

Our Jimmy Mirikitani Inspired Cats

inspiration... an amazing Japanese gentlemen.

Jimmy Mirikitani's motto: "Make art not war."

Air Zoo, the Bird Sanctuary and a birthday...

Happy Birthday, Autumn Rose Laitala!

Saturday was Autumn's Birthday. She was busy with her husband and they went ghost hunting in the evening so we celebrated on Sunday. I'll have to get a photo of the cute Carnival Chalkware prizes and antique tray we got her for her birthday from Autumn to show you.

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Saturday we went on a family field trip to the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek area to visit the Air Zoo and the MSU Kellogg Bird Sanctuary.

They had really neat old planes and remind to never take my point and shoot camera on a field trip again, bad photos all day! Anyways, I won't bore you with a bunch of bad airplane photos. Noah and Brad rode in a rocket ship simulator and I turned a shade of green on the hot air balloon ride. 20 minutes later... feeling back to my old self.

Here's Noah chumming around with some WWII soldiers in the English country side.

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Then we drove a short way to the Bird Sanctuary.

I visited here when I was Noah's age. We went to a week long camp in 5th grade and one day we visited here and the Kellogg cereal factory. The Sanctuary was my favortie part of the trip.

Noah with a coffee can of corn for the water fowl.

One good photo!

Stupid camera, but this guy was so funny, he wouldn't stop honking!

Hello Mr. Eagle, you are amazing!

A tiny-wee Screech Owl.

Here's what Noah was waiting for... his favorite, the Great Horned Owls!

We were there at feeding time, can you see the white rat?

A beautiful Red tail Hawk.

This is some sort of pheasant from China. Check out that tail!

Trying to photograph the birds in cages was hard. The camera wanted to focus the fence not the bird. And then I heard Autumn's voice in my head telling me "Step back mom and then zoom in on the bird." It worked much better. I'm so glad my kids are with me even when they are not.

Words to live by.

My poor kitties need a science lesson.

Shocking news...

My cats have static cling! I gave all three of them a bath last week and used conditioner on them to try to help them with their shocking problem. It helped for a short time... at least they smell nice.
If you touch them on the nose they will get such a poke. They'll look at you like you just did something mean to them and run off! Their fur is so charged with static, stuff is clinging to them! Cats don't understand static electricity:)
Maybe a humidifier would help.

Who-who...

Who'd like to knit me a pair of these adorable owl mittens?

Really! Who?!!

Cause I'd never be able to knit these for myself. Aren't they so sweet?

I came across these researching for some owl activities for Noah. I'm in love with these mittens:)

http://payloadz.com/d1/freeproducts.asp?id=1247974

Free pattern for owl mittens.

Christmas at the Zoo

Kevin, My sister Deb, me, Noah, Caleb and Brad

Noah and Caleb in the caterpiller ~

This little guy has the sweetest little face and was so soft!

Autumn looking so adorable!

Warming up with the tiger...

The lights were even more fun with the crazy rainbow glasses we bought. It made braving the freezing cold a little more bearable. Hot chocolate at home hit the spot!

Caleb with his rainbow glasses.

Tall Tales and Decking the Halls...

Tall Tales...

Noah's parts in Annie Oakley, Pecos Bill, and John Henry.

Noah with two of his good homeschool friends:)

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A quiet early dinner for me and Brad in an antique train car before the play.

We had the place to ourselves, very nice;)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Decking the halls...

with Christmas past... old family photos, vintage silver garland, antique brooch on the wreath and a few vintage Christmas kitties.

I swear, I rearranged this mantel 5 times!!!

No tree yet, just a few touches here and there.

Harpo all tuckered out after all this decorating going on!