First post of the New Year :)

Of course I had intended to make a nice New Year's Eve post yesterday.  Reminisce about what I've learned in this first year of cross stitching, my laughable goals not met, my love for all things cross stitch, my new found fascination with wrangling the budget to buy stash, hiding said stash from hubby so I don't have to be "fair" and wrangle budget for him to get something of "equal" amount (don't worry, he gets plenty all the time, he really does, music stuff, games, books, etc  and I don't, but for whatever reason if momma spends the guys think they should get something of equal value, go figure :) ).  I was also going to do the editing of the blog.  Yep, great intentions.  But, I was just blah.  Hubby and I both were.  We didn't want to fiddle on the computer, read, watch a movie, do "our thing" (him play games, me stitch), we seriously considered going to bed early!!  He finally decided to hope over to his brothers and I finally found a movie to put on.  And for whatever reason we slept until 1:30 today.  Yes, we are late sleepers as it is, I get up on a normal day anywhere between 10 and 11, but 1:30 is out of the ordinary.  Although in our "neck of the woods" New Year's means ringing it in with everyone firing off guns and they do it for hours.  Not necessarily a peaceful way to try and get to sleep so we were up till 3am or so.  We lazed around a bit and then I headed off into the cave.  Halloween House has been back on the snaps for a week now and here is how it looks: 

The new level of the house is where I started with a blank canvas, so I think it is pretty good progress.  The kitties have finally discovered my threads in their little tray on my lamp and like to get into them in the night now.  Drives me bonkers as I so love being able to leave them in the little compartments on the tray.  But no, now I have to bag them up each time I finish stitching and drag them back out when I'm ready to stitch.  Needless to say, I make sure I'm going to be able to stay awhile stitching.  I can shut the door on the room, but with the temps in the teens at night this room gets way too cold and I wouldn't be able to get it warmed up to stitch in the next day. 

The kitties.  Oh my babies.  Those 2 little bitty things have sure grown.  They are little scamps too.  They can no jump to the tallest heights of the house, are great little mousers (even if they prefer to just play with it, not eat it) and they never cease to entertain us.  They rip roar through the house after each other.  They snuggle and love on us.  They terrorize the dogs by day and curl up by them at night.  It can be so funny because Angel a.k.a Devil dog does NOT want them laying by her at night and if they even get within 3 feet of her she snarls and barks.  But I'm telling you, Logan is the stealth master at sneaking up beside while she is sleeping and laying down just barely touching her.  It is so funny and cute at the same time. 

That one is Mr. Gambit, daddy's boy.  He loves his daddy.  He's also the escape artist and loves to run out the door.  He was missing for 24 hours one day and it traumatized the whole house.  Tas and James found him next door.  Another time he got out, I found him by our car.  I was leaving and had just let the dogs in.  I swear it is the part of him that thinks he is a dog and he is wanting to go out with the dogs when they go.  Yes, he thinks he is part dog.  We had a trainer come work with us on the dogs and I've continued to work with them.  They are working on "sit" and "down".  I use kitty treats (hey they're tiny and lots of 'em and when you have 5 dogs, that works).  I kept telling James I thought Gambit was learning to "sit".  He said no way, cats don't learn commands.  One night I was working with the dogs and of course the kitties line up too.  Gambit is sitting and the guys were like he just wants the treat.  I said they all do, but if that is all, he would just swipe it from my hand, you know that.  And yes, at that moment he swiped and kitty ninja attacked my hand.  I pulled it back, told him know, and did the hand motion with a firm "sit".  He sat.  Each time I would go down the line with the other critters he would stand back up, but when it came his turn, hand motion, "sit", he would sit.  Yes, he thinks he's a dog and the guys had to shut up :)

Sorry this one is blurry, I could not get him to sit still for me.  This is my baby Mr. Logan.  He is momma's boy and he gets treats when I'm working with the other critters but in no way does he follow a command.  He grabs the bag and takes them.  He doesn't antagonize the dogs as much as Gambit does.  Gambit chases Issabella, Logan does not.  He has no interest in going outside.  He's a good boy.  Except when he falls in the bathtub.  I can not take a bath alone.  He must go in there and prowl the edge of the tub.  Try and swipe my goes, lick my shoulder.  A few times he's tried to turn around on the thinner part of the edge of the tub and that has not worked out well for him.  It ended up not working well for me either as I was stuck in the tub he was clawing his way out of!!  His favorite place is the top of our armoire.  And it is his place.  If we put our keys, a pen, change, anything like that up there, uh yeah, he will promptly knock it all off when he gets up there.  He also has another nasty favorite past time.  We always take drinks with us when we go to bed, a soda or a glass of tea.  I usually make sure I finish mine before I fall asleep or that it has a lid on it.  James is not always so wise, but he is learning.  Yep, Logan knows when a cup has something in it.  He can not resist.  I'll hear the cup start sliding in these little bitty nudges, then splash!  And he's just sitting there, pretty as can be, watching it spill.  They love to snuggle together, play together and get in trouble together.  They are very much a part of our home, family and lives now and I couldn't imagine life without them. 

I'm looking forward to a new year of stitching.  I'll have my goals/projects up soon.  Much, much fewer than last year.  I'm not making many personal ones.  We are having great difficulties with my son Tyler and I just don't know where that is going to lead.  All I can say is that I'm hoping we get his epilepsy stabilized soon and get him moved out.  He really needs to become responsible for himself and experience real life instead of being unpleasant, judging everyone else while he sits back and is supported by us while he plays his games, chats with his online friends and sleeps.  I'm finding a lot of strength in prayer and relaxation in stitching :)