Mary's Stuff

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Penguin love

I don't know how she does it: Mary Jo always seems to know what folks like. Heck, she even always seems to know what dogs and kitties would like.

She gave Deacon a penguin toy and let me just say he LOVES it. He has it with him most of the time, and he LOVES it when you throw it, and he LOVES it when you try to take it away from him.

See what I mean? He's LOVING it folks.

"Ah, my little penguin of love. Let me take you away from all this..............."

As for me, I still love baking. Yes, I too love penguin toys, but baking can be fun as well. One of the blogs I follow showed how she had created some small two layer cakes, so I gave it a try.

I didn't really like the frosting I made (experimenting around at this time to find some good frosting recipes), but the cakes themselves were good and looked cute. I used the cake mix recipe for cupcakes so the cakes were a bit more sturdy than when made the regular way for a cake mix, so I think that's what made them work.

And the boys don't really like cake with frosting, so since the process involves cutting out the mini cakes from bigger cakes they liked eating the scraps. A win/win. Now I want to make some more and try different ways of decorating them. Fun!!!

How cute is this?

Saturday, January 10, 2009

What a copy cat!

Man, I think Lire saw Mary Jo's blog about Fat Girl, and decided she also needed one of them fancy blue casts! Bummer dude. What a copy cat!

Tuesday Mark was getting some stuff out of the fridge, Lire jumped into the fridge, Mark tried to shoo her out, and when she fell her leg caught in the handle for the bottom freezer and lets just say it WASN'T PRETTY. Lots of yelling by a cat, lots of yelling by Mark and Steven, and just plain ole freaking out. Come to find out she'd torn the ligaments in her left hind leg. WASN'T PRETTY.

Surgery needed to be done, and Friday morning it was done. The vet tech let us know she did NOT do well afterwards, shredding to pieces the cone they put on her so she wouldn't shred her cast, and fighting the cast. She said Lire was a very sweet cat, letting them pet her and purring at times, but then she'd spent most of the rest of the day sleeping and fighting the cast.

We got her home, and we discovered first hand what they meant about fighting the cast. Have you ever heard cats fighting, all the yelling and screaming?? Oh man, that was NOTHING compared to the sounds and fury and energy Lire would make when attacking the cast, biting and clawing, and you could see it hurt her as well to do so! Let's just say this was one mad cat.

I tried staying in the room with her, but at 2:05 am I realized she wasn't going to settle down, so I finally went out and slept in the living room. I got up at 5:30 to give her a pain pill, she was looking and acting much better, she took the pill with just a bit of fuss (even in a Greenies pill pocket she spit it out the first time), and I had to clear her mouth of Cotton (that will teach her to attack a cast: they do have a strange way of fighting back). Now THAT was fun.

Heck, paying the bill will be fun. Right.

So this morning has gone pretty darn well. She's only attacked the cast a couple of times (the cotton revenge must have made an impression), and while I was out of the room, getting some breakfast to fortify myself for dealing with one mad cat, she managed to crawl under the bed and she seems happy there. She growls when you come near, so for now I'm leaving her alone.

Maybe I should use myself some cotton as a shield in future encounters.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

And a Happy New Years was had by all.

Every new year should start with a Llama involved. I'm right on with that. Here's the proof.

And parties with your friends and family. Hanging out. Talking trash.

Or talking 'bunny to mouse'. Cari is talking on a bunny, and Trevor is talking on a mouse. Yes folks, you may have a cell phone, but according to Trevor 'bunny to mouse' is the way to go when you want to talk to your friends.

Cari appears to be a firm believer in this craze as well.

And hiding: hiding should always be a part of the New Years Day celebration. Here Randy is hiding from Trevor since he is not a firm believer in the 'bunny to mouse' cell phone conversation craze that is currently sweeping the Vander Yacht household.

In between the new cell phone craze antics, that were very entertaining, I was able to get a picture of Trevor and Carrie. But when I tried to take a second shot he closed his eyes. I mentioned that, tried to take another, and he closed his eyes for the third shot as well!

When I confronted the young offender, asking why he had closed his eyes on purpose (maybe I should have called him on the mouse phone), he told me he WANTED to see what he looked like with his eyes closed.

Silly me, if you think about it, he's right. You don't get to see what you look like with your eyes closed except in pictures. His logic was sound.

So here goes Trevor: here's what you look like with your eyes closed.

I took the big ole honking chocolate penguin Linda sent me. It is SO COOL!!! Leah loved it!

And I had I had to show Doug opening his IPod. He liked it a lot!!!!!! Happy New Year Doug!

Friday, January 2, 2009

You'll shoot your eye out kid!

For New Years Day we woke up 'kinda early' (everyone was partying and such the night before for gosh sakes!), threw some stuff in a rented van, and took off for Washington.

We arrived at Grandma Jo and Bampa's house and there was a party going on. Lots of great folks, lots of good food, and lots of fun to be had. We jumped right in.

Richard found the bar. Nuff said.

Caroline: you HAVE to like this picture! Look how cute you are!!!! You have to or I'll disown you. You are so cute: deal with it. I love this picture.

In fact, look how cute you and Carol are here. I adore you both, and I LOVE the pictures.

Look how cute Cari, Grandma Jo, and Carol all are. Just one big ole group of cute people.

CUTE, CUTE, CUTE!!! I am so darn lucky to have such a wonderful family.

Wow, my cute family is hanging out, discussing world events and such, and it looks like Steven is drinking. Heck, he's 21 now. You go Steven!

Hmmm...looks like Grandma Jo is explaining the facts of life of alcohol to Steven, now that he's 21 and can now FINALLY drink (yeah, right). You go Grandma Jo, you go girl!

Steven does not look convinced about the facts of life about alcohol explained by his Grandma, even though he's now 21 and now FINALLY able to drink (yeah, right).

Oh. Looking at this picture I think he'll follow the example of his shirt and 'Just Do It'. What a brave guy to be 21 and finally get to drink alcohol (yeah, right). You go guy!

My cute family continues to hang out and I notice that Jessica seems to be having a 'tude'. Brian is talking young lady: you need to pay attention and give him the proper respect. What is your problem? Dillion and Megan are behaving themselves. What's with you young lady?

Oh I see. Doug is your problem! That explains it. You go girl!

Go Jessica, go!

Man, when that girl gets a tude, she doesn't waste any time or effort, eh?

Hmmm... I think I see what's going on here.

The bar tender appears to be a bit young to be dispensing alcohol. Perhaps he has provided a bit too much to Steven and Jessica and that accounts for their attitudes. I have the feeling this is the case.

Oh my gosh, look at this! He is way too young, and appears to be serving alcohol to anyone who will ask (NO Trevor, no alcohol for Randy!!!! You KNOW how he gets! No, for the love of God!).

Someone stop the madness!

I wish people would realize that while young bartenders are popular at this time, and some people seem to like it (like Randy), that it is not a good idea.

"Ha! All I gotta do is get these folks wasted, put out my tip jar, and the tips will get me through college!!! Grandpa Keith was right!! I'm going to be a doctor yet!"

I have to go to something else. I can't deal with the bartender issue at this time. It's too much to bear.

A new event. Every Holiday we take a picture of the kids. Look at how our group of six has grown to a group of many. Amazing.

Here they are. Our originals. Like I said, I have a cute family.

Man, now Doug appears to have a tude. That bartender needs to be stopped! Put a cartoon on or something! Give him a puppy or something!!

Oh yeah, back to the kids. We always take a funny picture. The bartender is innocent of this crime. No puppy needed at this time.

Doug seems to have gotten over his tude. Thank goodness.

I'll post more pictures tomorrow: the boys want the computer so I gotta go.

And the title of this post about shooting out your eye? Heck, just messing with your mind. That bartender got to me too. Guess I'd better get me a puppy for protection.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Boys will be boys

I woke up this morning, went out to the living room, and turned on the Christmas Tree to see the pretty lights. This is the pretty sight I saw.

What the heck?

All the friggin ornaments were off the tree as well, piled on the couch.

What the heck?

And the angel had lost her lofty position on the tree. Again, WTH?

So, after some investigation, I discovered the event that created this havoc involved some young men, late night, alcohol (it wasn't stated during the confessions, but I'm pretty sure alcohol worked it's magic way into the event since it involved young men and it was Happy New Years Eve), wrestling, Christmas Trees falling, ornaments flying, and such like that there. And angels toppling.

Man, I bet the angel is so mad!

God will get them. I know he will.

2009 finally makes it's way home.

Last night was a fun Happy New Year! Lisa and Andy always throw a great shindig. Always. We go to their house for tail gating parties before football games, and so of course we had to go to their house for a Happy New Year. It fits a pattern folks. It fits a pattern.

Football talk I'm pretty sure.

Snowboarders enjoyed the 'snow'.

Santa was a bit off on his timing, about a week late.

After a Happy New Year we went home. Mark went to bed.

Some young men we know began to plot. Man, this doesn't bode well for someone. I wonder what they're up to?