No christmas tree this year...

With a house full of kittens ... Mike and I have decided not to chance putting up the tree this year. Here are a few pictures from when I was trying to put up some of the other decorations!

backyard friend

We finally got a picture of our "teradactyl"... aka a great blue
heron (we think). We see him every fall/winter in our backyard. I
think he is hunting frogs! Usually we see him back towards the
creek... but this time, he was up closer to the house and eventually
waded his way through my iris bog.

our new reindeer...

Here are some pictures of the reindeer that Mike and I built on Saturday!! I am really excited with how they turned out! They are not perfect, by any means... but I am still very proud of them! (and have already started thinking of ways to make them better if we make any more). The tree is from our backyard. It was different colors of tan until I put a clear coat of acrylic spray on them... then they turned the greenish shades they are now.

Thanksgiving stomach virus...

Mike's niece and nephew (or someone in his family) gave me a nasty stomach virus! While we didn't go up to Maryland for thanksgiving, due to my work schedule, the rest of his family went. His sister and her family stopped in Richmond on their way up and back. ... Mike's dad, sister, niece, nephew, aunt, uncle and cousin all got the same bug. and a nasty one at that. We all got sick around the same time... (Monday evening). I was laid up in bed for 2 days... and I am barely functioning today. Getting ready to call it a day here soon. It may take me a while to recover from this one... I lost over 4 lbs in 24 hours... haven't really been able to eat in over 48 besides the occasional cracker or pretzel. all other attempts to eat didn't fare so well....

What happens when we try to watch a movie...

The cats decide to entertain us ... in and on the entertainment center. Cowboy and Paisley were in the entertainment center for the entire movie (Tropic Thunder). Paisley would periodically look up at the tv to see what was going on...Tater decided to get a closer view of the credit once the movie was over.

Pot Pit Quiche...

Ok... so what is a pot pie quiche. It is what I am currently addicted too... yummy! Basically... I put one of those refrigerate pie crusts into a pie plate, I cook up some chicken, cube it up, peel some potatoes... cube them up and cook them, along with some frozen broccoli and cauliflower until almost done. Mix that all together... throw in some cheese and corn. ... mix... then dump it into the pie crust. Whip up some eggs with a little milk...add some seasonings... and pour it over the pie. Bake that puppy up and mmmmmmm....good! That is my pot pie quiche...or p-quiche as Mike likes to call it.

Not much new happening on Mike's job hunt... the job market is pretty quiet right now. He is officially collecting unemployment... so it is nice to have that money coming in. To pass the time, b/c he can only cut the grass so many times in a week (and it is getting colder out)... Mike got a gym membership. He used to work out all the time back when we lived in Salem... he would use the Roanoke College gym. He has been spending a good bit of time there during the day, and I think it is helping with his overall mood. ... which is good.

My job has been keeping me pretty busy. My ratties sure do like their Heroin. No bites lately... which is really good. All the animals I am working with now are my animals... I am the only person they are used to. The only times I've really been bitten here at work by rats... are when I am dealing with other peoples animals. I have good ratties!

well... speaking of ratties... time to switch out some syringes!

Progress!! the bathroom project...