Almost Success!

I almost got all my Christmas cards done... almost. Now all I have are like 20 overseas ones. Since I'm paying a buck to send each one I feel the need to write a little more in these ones. So I think I should have them all out on Monday.
This morning we had a little miricle - Hunter slept in until 7:30! I was floored! Then he was ready for his morning nap at 8:30... and it's almost 11:30 and he's still asleep! Thank God for growing spurts!
As soon as he wakes up I am going to feed him a bottle and drag him over the mountains to Harrisonburg. We have a little last minute shopping for The Husband to do. Hopefully this perfect baby groove keeps. Until he wakes up I don't know what to do with myself. I've showered, started a load of laundry, cleaning the kitchen and packed his bag for the afternoon. Maybe I'll go nap a little longer too.

Cards

Dang! I'm still working on those pesky cards! So what is the hold up? Try my wrists. The carpal tunnel has taken a nasty turn for the worst the past couple weeks. I have to wear my braces at night now and during parts of the day. Seems all I can do are like 10 cards a day... and I have 100 or so to do total. So some of you might see a card by Christmas and others will have a longer wait. Be assured that there are PLENTLY of Hunter photos coming your way with the cards, so the wait is worth it.
As for everything else here it is all normal. Andy is gone a lot this week at night going to base functions and bowling - he's on a league. I am busy staring at cards, mailing out packages and picking up packages from the nearby town. Infact, as soon as I get off this computer that's what I am going to go do.

More Hunter Video!

You asked for it... more Hunter video!


And another for your viewing pleasure...

New Hunter Video!

I've finally uploaded some video of Hunter! I now have a YouTube account and will upload video to it on a semi regular basis for family and friends to see. Look forward to lots of Hunter stuff, some animal hijinks and more!

Just Like Sand in an Hourglass...

Holy crapola! Where has all the time gone! Christmas is just sneaking up on me. I finally got my Amazon.com gift box but I still have so many more presents to buy/make and to send off! We are also behind in sending out the Christmas cards! I'm starting to freak out. Hopefully I can get the rest of my gifts this weekend and get those cards finished by Monday. Ugh, I just want to get this all done!
Anyhow, on a totally different note - my wrist surgery is scheduled for mid-January. I've opted to get both wrists done at once. My mother in law is coming out to help with Hunter. I'm looking forward to getting this over with as well... the surgery not the mother in law visiting. My hands have reminded very numb this month. I had planned on doing more knitting for christmas presents but the pain and numbness in my hands is just too much.
Finally, I have major laundry to do today. The Husband was out of town overnight so The Cheat got to sleep in bed with me. Of course The Husband is allergic to the dog so I have to wash all the bedding before he comes home this afternoon. The Cheat is still upstairs all curled up on his side of the bed. What a big baby.

Totally Cryptic Post

I've had a strange night. The past merges with the present and the emotions are strange to deal with. Ghosts appear. Should I acknowledge or simply ignore? Shall I engage or run? I engaged the dialogue. It wasn't the earth shattering information I thought it would be. It was bland. It was unsatisfying. So, do I keep company with the ghost or do I let it fade back into the haunted past from where it came?
I feel no intense connection to this memory. I feel disappointment and loss. I feel that having it around will never make up for the damage it has done. I am no longer the child that played there with those toys and those people.
Adulthood is hitting me again.
I can never go back - and why would I want to?
Quit being a masochist SerineKat.

Too Productive

Yes, I am too productive. I don't know what to do with myself now that I am ahead of my weekly schedule... I am tempted to do all tomorrow and Wednesday's chores. I think the cause is my new Animal Dyson. Yea, you heard me - DC17 Animal Dyson in all it's purple beauty. It arrived this afternoon, it is a gift from my parents for Christmas. As you know we have our little short hair calico cat and a long hair golden retriever. I just finished with the staircase and the bin is already full. Now I just want to vacumm the whole house!
Tonight The Husband is on baby duty while I try to catch up with some office work and get Christmas presents ready. I'm still waiting on Amazon to deliver most of the gift goods. I'm also being a total loser with Christmas cards. I need to get some photos done tonight of Hunter to send out.
That's it here... just doing too much.

SerineKat

Amsterdam

Oh sweet Amsterdam. The Husband and I visited there two years ago. Such potential and such a disappointment. The legalization of drugs and sex there have really trashed the old city center. We were approached often with offers for stronger harder drugs like crack and cocaine. The hash and maryjane were sold openly in coffee shops and even had their own menus. The sex district was dirty (literally and otherwise) and full of drug dealers.
The museums, canals, bikes, and architecture were awesome. It was just such a disappointment to see so much vandalism and so many vagrants obviously drugged out on the streets. It's definately not a family friendly city... more like spring break gone terribly wrong.
Today on CNN.com was this article. It's about the government of the Netherlands clamping down on the sex shops and drugs. I think it's finally gotten back to the economy that drugged out tourists don't spend as much money as families on vacation. I hope the government and city succeed in cleaning up Amsterdam and it's image. There's so much more to the city than drugs and ugly hookers. There's the Anne Frank House, Van Gogh Museum, and the Cat Museum (I know, it's a hidden gem). The Anne Frank House is so powerful... you get to see where a family hid out for years in close quarters. Van Gogh I could care less about but I went to see the artwork anyhow... it blew me away. I have a whole new appriciation for his work now that I've seen the originals in person. I also went to a coffee house... come on.... when in Amsterdam... but it wasn't the highlight the city. As for the sex district, it's a good reminder as to what happens when you are hooking in your 40s after having 6 kids.... scary.

Surviving Motherhood

How the heck did our mothers do it? For than matter how did our grandmothers and great grandmothers do it? Raising kids is insane. It's like being caught in a warzone of cuddly creatures. They are so cute and loveable but never let you sleep, eat, pee or shower. If it weren't for my Diet Pepsi addiction I would be dead. I need the caffine to keep me awake.
Today dear Hunter was sitting in our living room, which is all corralled for his safety. He likes to crawl around and get into toys. I was in the kitchen, out of sight trying to wash his 12 bottles that somehow got forgotten yesterday. It was pretty quiet then I hear a little smack. I assumed it was Hunter hitting one of his toys on the wood floor, a new past time. I go in to investigate and our floor lamp is laying on the floor next to Hunter and he is pulling the on/off cord and smiling. Nice.
Then after a couple of hours I'm sitting in the corral with him watching TV and eating brunch. I have a full can of Diet Pepsi or as we call here 'Crack' on the table next to my chair. CRASH! Hunter pulls on the table cloth and soda is everywhere!
I'm exhausted.
I've noticed today that he's also trying to stand up by climbing furniture and legs. He's almost figured it out too... I predict walking by Friday. God help me.

Side Bar १.०: Big Kitties

So my mother goes out and buys me a Cat Fancy magazine the other day. This month's issue is all about the Norwegian Forest cat. My mother's gay cat Ozzie looks just like one of these things.
Anyhow, that's not the kicker here. While looking through the magazine I come across this picture:

My first thought is, "What the HELL!?"
They are real cats called Savannahs. I show The Husband and he is hooked. "Oh we have GOT to get one of those things!" I tell him I'm sure the cost is over a $1000 but he keeps pressuring me so we look up the link online...
http://www.a1savannahs.com/
To get the highest quality cat for breeding purposes the cost is a mere $22,000 USD, 14,000 GBP and 154,300 NKr. I know, crazy. Still, the pictures are pretty amazing.