Another toddler in the house?

We have really enjoyed Lilly as our new pet.  This past week we put all the Christmas decorations up and got the tree up.  I really thought we were going to have some problems from Gavin touching all the ornaments.  Well, we have had minimal problems from Gavin, but tons of mischief from this kitty!! She is constantly climbing the tree and nabbing all the ornaments and using them as cat toys.  Hopefully it will become old news quick or she gets to spend a lot more time in "time-out!"  Ha Ha!

Cheap Entertainment

 The kitty's room is the laundry room.  I have been finding Gavin in there a lot with Lilly.  He likes to make the dryer her bed and play in there with her.

 

 

The boys are completely fascinated with the washing machine.  They watched 2 whole loads be washed the other morning.  Of course, we had to jimmy-rig it with a pencil, so the lid could stay up the whole time.  At one point, Gavin lost his sippy cup during the spin cycle.  I think he was traumatized and learned his lesson.  Luckily it did not break open!

 

School Pics

I did not buy any school pictures this year, because we got a whole bunch of pictures taken from Tyler's co-worker instead.  The kids still came home with little magnets with their pictures on them to convince us to buy them.  I really was surprised at how cute they were!!!  I'm a little sad that we didn't get them, so I just took a photo of them.  They aren't the best quality, but something I can now have for free! :)

Another set of stitches...

If you recall back in June, Jordan gashed his head open while playing outside the first week we moved to Ohio. Tyler, being the doctor he was, did the stitches himself.  So yesterday, Gavin was running into the living room and he tripped and fell right onto the corner of the piano bench.  Ouch!  Tyler knew right away he needed some stitches.  So we set up our kitchen island for another round of stitches.  I was laughing because Gavin was so innocent in the whole thing.  He simply laid down. 

 

I joked that he was like Isaac in the Bible getting ready to be sacrificed on the alter by his Father Abraham!!  We gave him Tyler's phone to watch a movie and he was completely distracted.  He didn't even flinch or cry!!  He totally surprised us.

The case of the missing ring...

I take my wedding ring off at night and I've never had any problem for the last 8 years getting it back onto my finger the next day.  (Tyler is now on his 3rd wedding ring.)  Last weekend, the kids were playing in our room.  They were jumping on the bed and then reading books.  I decided to practice the piano.  After I showered, I went to get my ring, and it was gone!  I looked in all the usual spots I put it and I could not find it.  Right off I knew to ask the kids.  (One time Tyler "lost" his phone for over a day.  It took us that long to finally enlist the kids for help, and Jordan right off said he had it in his room!)  So Makenzie said that she saw Gavin have it and then she took it and put it on her finger and that was the last she remembered.  Great.... grabby hands had touched it last.  After a deep clean of the room, I started expanding my search to the whole house.  I started getting worried because the kids spent a lot of the day outside.  If the ring went outside, it was for sure lost.

So, of course, I did what every faithful mom would do.  I gathered my kids around and we said a prayer asking for help.  I really wanted to have faith that I would find the ring although my extensive search already was not profitable.  I remember a dear friend of mine from Missouri when we lived there lost her wedding ring outside in my backyard.  She came back with her children when the sun was already down to find it.  They knelt down in prayer and within five minutes we found the ring!!! I was completely amazed.  So I kept that experience in my head, knowing that we could have some divine help again.

The whole day went by with no success.  Well, there was success in a different way.  Makenzie was getting ready to go camping with her dad and she misplaced her flashlight.  After several minutes of looking for it, she finally came downstairs with it.  She was so happy! She said that she had said a prayer to Heavenly Father asking for help and then that is when she found it.  So I'm glad I used that example earlier.

The next day came and I came to the conclusion that the ring must be in a weird spot and I will hopefully just come across it.  I really started looking in some weird places thinking that would be a good hiding spot for it.  The subject of the missing ring was mentioned again when Tyler and I were going to bed.  I decided to make another sweep by our dresser (for the third time).  I looked in all the drawers, under and behind the drawers.  I looked at the vase of fake flowers and emptied out all the gems inside to see if it got stuck in there.  AND then... I saw it when I was putting the flowers back.

It was embedded in one of the flowers!! I can't believe I didn't see it earlier.  I dusted the flowers earlier that morning.  I had looked in the gems twice.  But there it was!!! Such a relief!!! I was literally heart broke for those two days thinking I had lost something so special to me. I told Makenzie the next day where I found it and she says, "Oh yeah!  That's where I put it!"  Thanks, Sis, for putting me through all that torture!  I gave many thanks to my Heavenly Father for helping me find the ring!

Meet Lilly!

We became proud owners of a kitten this past week.  It wasn't planned, but we sure do love her!  Tyler took Makenzie on one of his scout campouts last weekend at a ward member's property.  Makenzie right off found this kitten.  They became inseparable.  Although there weren't many houses around the area, it's hard for me to believe that this kitten is a wild stray.  It is very loving and mellow.

Tyler hates cats-- so he says.  He claimed we would never have one.  But here his little girl was melting his heart as he watched her interact with it.  At the end of the camp out, he decided to bring it home.  All of the kids were so excited.  They've been wanting a pet for a long time now.  The problem is we keep renting in "no pet" places, including this one.  What are we to do?   Tyler has seen the light and thinks a cat is a good first pet.  They aren't very needy and are easy to litter box train.  Lilly (the name chosen by Makenzie), is so very tolerant of the kid's grabby hands.  She doesn't meow, hiss, or scratch.  She just takes in all the "love and affection."   She is very playful and has brought in so many laughs this week. 

Everyone all had to take their turn with the kitty:

The kitty still prefers Makenzie over everyone else.  

Lilly sleeps with her every night.

Gavin will not say "cat" or "kitty."  

He always asks where "meow" is or where's his "Lilly."  

 

Jordan loves playing patty-cake with the cat.


Tyler not knowing he was getting a turn with the kitty as well!