half way there

After hours of messing around with Blogger, I have the background I wanted, at the expense of all the side pictures and widgets and stuff. I don't know why I just couldn't change backgrounds. Oh well. I will work on getting my other stuff back up now.

Health Report

We are still battling ringworm. Sahara had stopped medicating herself and a few spots came back. Canyon now also has one on his chin. I hope we are at the very end of it. Its been going on for over a month now.

James had to make a trip to the Dr. in Memphis while working there. Dr came up with the idea that he has an infection in his prostrate. After a round of antibiotics, the symptoms reappeared. He went back to the Dr today and was put on 2 more rounds of antibiotics and will go in next weekend for an antibiotic hip shot. He was told it would lay him out for a day or 2 so he had to pass on getting it today because that would put him out of work. Urine and blood test all came back OK. Hopefully what ever is going on will get fixed with all the antibiotics he will be getting in the next 20 days.

James' Uncle Mark...

...past away on Friday at 5:30ish. They really don't know why other than he had been sleeping 20 or so hours a day for a while and he wasn't getting enough oxygen. This is the information we got anyway and may hear more details later. He had a brain aneurysm many years ago so I don't know if that had anything to do with it or not. Funeral is Monday at 10.

Nothing newsworthy

Sorry I haven't posted this week. Just that nothing has really happened to tell about.

Canyon has been with his wavier worker 3 days a week for the last 2 weeks and has a great time with her. He comes home really pooped tho. Last night he didn't even make it to 7 o'clock. I fed him dinner at 6:30 and he crawled up in my arms and fell asleep straight after.

Progress reports came home today and Sahara is all A's and 2 B's and Canyon is all A's (participation mostly for him).

James has been trying to figure out ways to sink every extra dollar we have in his new bike. We are proud to announce that he has been smoke free for the last 8 weeks! YEA!!!

Nothing else is really going on with us right now.

New roof

The roofers apparently came and finished the job today. I went out to check it and was wondering what was going on. Then I heard a message on the answering machine that they are ready for payment. I had to call back. It looks very nice from the street, but what did they do to the patio??? They say its MODBID which is way better than shingles on a flatter pitched roof and will last forever. It's a single (layers fused together with heat) layer of a rubber/tar composite and is really thick but does not look all that great. Looks unfinished to me. James is going to look at it when he gets home this weekend to see if we want to add shingles over it and bump up the cost or leave it be. I think, if we can get the shingles, we might just tackle it ourselves.

front of the house

close up

the patio done with MODBID

James' new toy

He managed to beat the storm home last night from his dads with his new Harley. Canyon didn't care much for the life of a truck driver. 14 hours in the car and you end up back where you started. They brought it back on a trailer. Sahara is in the process of cleaning the seat and saddlebags. Canyon and James are polishing the chrome.

Ike arrives

It's kind of hard to see, but here are 2 twisters trying to get started over Russellville taken from my back patio. They never made it to the ground. Lots of rain, but not nearly what they were predicting. Actually Gustav packed a harder punch for us then Ike did.

Roofers are here

I was told they wouldn't start until early next week, but when Sahara and I came home from the grocery store after school/work, there were 4 of them sitting under the trees in the front yard. Most of the shingles had been hauled up to the roof. About an hour later, a truck with 2 or 3 more guys came and they got started. But then the beginning arms of IKE came and scared them away. Maybe they can get it done tomorrow. Because when IKE is all here we will be getting up to another 10 inches of rain. JOY!

Shingles are here!

Depending on IKE, we should have a new roof by the end of next week :)

Aww!

Gustav gave us a little fairy village.

The kitties have a mama

Sahara's friend told her she had kitten formula and would bring it to school tomorrow for the kittens. I told Sahara they wouldn't make it that long. It has been 4 days now without a mama. She called the girl and we went over to her house to pick the formula up right away. Sahara decided to bring the kittens with us. Turns out the friend has a cat who had kittens today, but only 1 is there. It's possible that the dogs may have gotten to them. They are little dogs and there are no signs of a slaughtering so I think either that mama cat wasn't done, or only is having 1. So we put the 3 with her and she was fine to accept them. Her milk wasn't in yet so they didn't latch on, but hopefully that will happen. The little girl kitty was barely breathing when we left. The 2 boys were stronger and might have a better chance.

More pictures from Sahara's 13th B-day party

We just don't have a break

After downsizing the cat population at our house, Sunday Sahara found 3 screaming newborn kittens in the horse trailer. They were being swarmed by ants. Like a SCIFI amount. It was bad. But no mother for them has showed up and we got rid of our lactating mama cat. The shelter wont take them and every vet I call give us a new number for Furry Friends who say they are so overwhelmed as well that they can't take them. I really need to just put them out of their misery. They have been without milk for at least 36 hours now. They are only a week old.
:(

Teenage tea party

I had Sahara's birthday (the real one) at The Reflections Tea Room. We had invited 9 girls, but only 3 made it. It was a small group, but they seemed to have a good time. They lady who hosted the party was a photographer as well and took a ton a pictures. They wont be ready for a few days so until then, here are some from my camera.

1 One of the food trays.

2 Sahara waits with Taylor for tea.

1 She opens gifts.

2 I guess she is embarrased about something here.

I will post more when I get them.

I offically have a teenager on my hands now. That night, after the party, she went on a double date to the movies with another girlfriend who couldn't make the party because of a softball game and their boyfriends!!!

The BIG downsize!

Mom and I finally took care of the cat problem. We are now down to our one female fixed cat and a dog. It was sad to see the little ones go. Little black and white Jasper and little calico Alice, both about 8 weeks old, wander off. But mama Maisy called for them and they came running to her and hopefully will stay with her and be safe. Funny thing is Maisy is not Alice's mom, but she adopted her. The 2 bigger boys were ready to take off and explore. Their mother happy to be free of latching on babies that were about her size.

Mom is here to visit!

I tried to keep it a secret from Sahara, but she had guessed and then I let the word slip on the way to the airport to get her that I hoped she would be allowed to fly in because we were in the middle of Gustav. Gustav lasted a good 2 days straight. The storm got stuck over Arkansas and stalled. We got in the state 4 to 13 inches of rain in the 2 days. Our area was in the 7 to 8 inch mark. We have downed trees and limbs everywhere around the town. But our house fared pretty well this time. We were out of power for about 8 hours, but other in the state were out for up to several days.

Labor Day at the Lake

Sahara cooled off in water that actually was a bit chilly, but refreshing.

Canyon liked to cover his whole self in sand.

The boys from the BBQ (standing on top and the one who jumped) like to be dare-devils.

No picture of me, but even staying in the shade most of the time, I got burnt.

Big BBQ Bash

We had a BBQ yesterday for Labor Day/Sahara's b-day/Aunt Paula's b-day/Trevor's b-day/Tristan's b-day. The kids all turn 13. Sahara and Aunt Paula's (I don't know her age) on the 4th and Trev and Trist on the 5th.

Tristan - Trevor - Sahara - Aunt Paula

Tristan and Zach, playing football in the yard, stop to pose for a picture.

Sahara - Skyi - Tery - Tristan - Trevor - Zach

Our 'teenage' tribe. Minus a few 'regular' boys who didn't make it to the party.

It was a super hot day. 98 in the shade. And we have very limited shade. Canyon wouldn't play with the big kids. He just sat around drinking water.

Most of the time, Mila and I and all the kids sat in the living room watching movies. It was tooo hot outside.

I think Labor Day needs to be moved to November.