Always his Head

Jayke, Connor, His friend ?, Mason, and Alec

Jayke got invited to go skiing with Mason a few days ago.  I was a little worried about letting him go since he never has been and also based on my limited and unpleasant experience skiing.  I've been once.  Once is all I needed to determine it wasn't for me.  Turns out Jayke is just like his momma!  He had the exact same experience.  He fell down the entire mountain.  Only difference is he hit his head really hard.  Hard enough for the parent he was with to text me to see if he could take Tylenol.  It never fails, every time he goes any where he either hits his head or just gets a headache that sidelines him.  Poor kid.  

At least Bob and Angie got a few pics of him on skis since it will probably be a once in a lifetime thing!

After the great fall down the mountain, Angie took Jayke, her son, and his friend to the tubes.  This was much more enjoyable for him.  I'm glad he got to go so that he can say he has been and know whether or not he wants to do it again.  He just has no dare devil in him.  Probably why we haven't had to spend any time in the er yet.  I wish he had a little more in him...not er levels but just a little bit.

Perfect North Slopes

Your Face Looks Cold...Let me Lay on It!

Josie's feet

Josie.  How she has changed the dynamic in our house is amazing.  Even Laynie is running around thinking she is a pup again!  Josie is always busy attacking someone, throwing her toys around, or just lounging around like below...

She must have felt I looked cold and needed to warm my face!

She also enjoys watching movies with Jeff and me...

Luna enjoys her.  She likes to lay with her, play with her, and especially loves bathing her.

Nemo seems a little unsure of her purpose here.  He plays with her but mostly just watches.  He is particularly patient with her when she wakes him up by jumping on his head.  He nicely tries to push her away instead of smacking her like he does Luna.

Josie doesn't discriminate.  She will even jump on Laynie's head and give her a quick bath before tumbling off.

First GREAT Valentine's Day...Maybe Ever...

I've always HATED Valentine's Day.  Probably because I never had someone I truly considered my "Valentine" but this year, that all changed.  I was really looking forward to this day mostly because I had such a great gift to give to Jeff.  I had been working on it for weeks and oddly, had managed to keep it a secret.  Normally I would be too excited and ruin the surprise but not this year.  Turns out I wasn't the only one with a surprise to give.

A ring of the doorbell brought the roses in the picture above while I was busy doing my usual Saturday ADD cleaning.  That would be when I start one thing and get distracted by something in another room and never truly get anything finished.  That's how I roll these days in my advanced age. 

I love getting flowers.  LOVE it!!!  Funny that no one ever sends them to me, no one until now that is.

Later that evening Jeff showed up with more goodies.  He and I have an ongoing "fight" about who loves who more and who can come up with the most creative way to say/prove it.  He bought me the sign in the picture above to remind me that he SUPPOSEDLY loves me more (he is wrong...as usual btw) he also got me a book that he had to fill in what he loves about me.  This was both sweet and humorous...much like our relationship.

My gift to him had a theme.  I gave him one of the below jars (filled with his favorite candy) each day starting on the Monday before Valentine's Day leading up to the grand finale...

The Jar's Contents and notes

Sour Patch Kids --"You're my candy crush"

Gummy SweetHearts--"You have my heart"

Hershey's Kisses--"Kisses for you"

Sweet Tarts

Gummy Sour Worms--"Hooked on you"

....and the final jar, which I gave him on Valentine's Day was 365 love notes (reasons I love you, lyrics, quotes, remember whens and anything else I could think of) one for each day over the next year.  Some what similar to his book he gave me only on a grander scale (because I like to go over board).  He loved it, of course, but maybe not as much as I loved making it and giving it to him. I also gave him a colts t-shirt and a new blanket (card with the blanket read "It's cold, lets cuddle!")  I'm betting he cheats and reads more than one note a day, which is why I actually put over 400 notes in the jar...that and because I mis-counted.

 We went to Fuji for dinner so I could have scallops and back home to watch a movie.  

I did the same thing for Jayke...jars of treats, a new Nike t-shirt and a Hershey's I Love You chocolate.

Before the actual holiday we also celebrated at work by making Valentine's boxes and passing out candy and little Valentine's to every one.  We also had a breakfast carry in.  Our department is always the one that comes up with these ideas and gets everyone involved.  We have fun every day.  

Laura, who sits in the cube next to me, made us each personalized Valentine's, mine is below and very fitting.  Wish I had thought of this idea...

She nailed it!  

Goodbye Buddy

R.I.H. Simon. I will miss the clickity clack of your toes on the floor, the persistent staring when you need to go out, your counter surfing for food, and wiggling in front of me for attention. I hope you are chasing squirrels in heaven this evening! Good boy!

We had to have Simon put down today.  He was my first dog that I got on my own and, obviously,  the one I've had the longest.  17 years.  He lived in 5 different homes with me.  Traveled over 1200 miles to South Carolina and back.  Survived a hard year living in Grandma's garage when we didn't have a home of our own.  Was in a pack with many, many other dogs and cats throughout the years.  They came and went but he has always been there.  He has protected me, infuriated me, entertained me, and loved me til the end.  It was a tough decision but the right one.

Jayke and I took it pretty hard last night not hearing him pacing around the house.  Laynie and Nemo have been checking his bed regularly.  Laynie has looked in the closet, one of his favorite spots, and out side.  She didn't want to go into her crate without him.  Jayke is sleeping with his collar.  I pulled up some old pictures to try to help him cope.  This is his first loss.  All I could say was that tomorrow it will feel a little better and the day after that it will feel better than the day before.  He will always miss him but it won't hurt this much after a while.  He seemed to find some comfort in that and the stories I told him from when Simon was a puppy.  Also in knowing that he has no more pain.

Luna

Photo cred goes to Jayke

I Feel Like a Kid Again!

Because we made these for work!!  A Valentine's Day box and our whole department is exchanging Valentine's.  Jeff was the first one to put a Valentine in my box...he insisted!

Farming Kitty

Josie LOVES playing Farm Heroes or Facebooking.  

Hobnob aka HobKnob...

Jayke made the Spelling Bee...again.  He has made it every year except the time he was sick on the day they had the try outs, so to speak.  That was in fourth grade, but he was back this year!  He looks oh so thrilled to be there too.  He did well, unfortunately Hobnob took him down.  He put a K in it...which, I think I would have too.

Later that evening, I took the opportunity to use it in a sentence for him.  Mom told me how after school, he was holding the kitten and said, "Ew, she smells today" as he handed her to my mom.  After a while he came and took her back and said, "She smells better now.  Maybe its me who stinks.  I have worn these socks for four days in a row!"  Um....EW!!!  Turns out I haven't needed to be buying him those expensive socks after all.  He only needed one pair!  I told him later that I didn't hobnob with boys who have stinky feet.  He told me I'm "Sooo mean!"  I hear that often these days.

On another note, we survived another science fair project with very minimal anger, frustration, and yelling.  He investigated which kind of salt would melt ice the fastest.  I believe we got an A again this year.  I haven't seen the final grade yet but that is what he tells me.

Best Sub Eva!

That is what Jayke said about Mr. Matheny who subbed in his class today.  He is the father of Jayke's friend, Braden (in the green jersey) and chose Jayke and Braden, of course, as his special students.  Love this selfie which I found on Jayke's instagram account and promptly stole.  

Thank God the Season is Almost Over!

The team is doing well but I've been more than frustrated with this season and Jayke's lack of playing time.  Today we played Jeff's son's team.  The Central Bearcats.  We are down a man so Jayke actually got to play some today instead of just being subbed in to give other players a 2 minute rest.  I thought that he did really well for a kid whose confidence has been shattered and his play has diminished due to never getting a chance.  If you don't play the kids they will never learn and never improve.  They have to have a chance and this season Jayke has gotten less and less playing time with each game.  If he is yanked out any time he misses a shot he isn't going to take shots anymore.  I watch his body language on the bench and it becomes more and more deflated as the game goes on.  Finally, today, he got to play more in one game than he has all season!   It took Adam breaking his nose for Jayke to get an opportunity to play more.  Was it enough to make up for the damage that has been done this season?  Not hardly.  He played well though and I was proud.

We won by 30 some points.  Jayke scored 3 points but his defense is what I was most proud of (and always is).  Good job, buddy!

Eleven--Minecraft, Bouncing, and iTunes!

Birthday party time!  He chose Skyzone again so I enlisted Jeff to help drive 10 boys to Indy to bounce their brains out at the indoor trampoline park.  We had a really good group of kids this year.  

Mathew, Kaidan, Landon, Jonathan, Brayden, Mason, Mason, Jayke, Zach, and Perrin.  We had to wait a bit before our jump time so Kate, the party hostess came out to entertain the boys.  As  you can see, they liked Kate a lot.

Jayke got a special shirt that would allow him to jump to the front of the line...his buddies chose pink for him.  He didn't mind.

We had a minecraft creeper cake.  Dad and MJ picked it up for me, as usual.  They had no idea what it was.  I had a hard time explaining as I'm not even sure what that crazy game is.  Jayke loved it though and knew exactly what it was, of course.

As he opened his gifts we all had to laugh as each gift was the exact same thing.  He got $110.00 in iTunes gift cards!!!  I asked him if he told everyone that was what he wanted and he said no...it was what I told everyone who asked me though.  It was, after all, the only thing he told me he wanted since he just got everything you can imagine for Christmas.  He did get another pair of shoes from Meemaw and P'pa!  

When we got back from Skyzone they played outside for about an hour running around playing hide and seek.  By the time they came in they were worn out and the remaining five who were spending the night quietly watched a movie until they all fell asleep.  In the morning they went out and played in the rain and mud until everyone was picked up and it was time for Jayke and Zach to go to their basketball games.  They will probably all have pneumonia in a day or two.  Happy Birthday, Jayke!  Hope he enjoyed this party because it will probably be the final one since he is off to middle school next year.  I don't think you have birthday parties in middle school...at least that is what I'm going to try to get away with!

Josie...For Now

It is a really bad idea to watch Pet Vet on the morning of your son's birthday party when you haven't gotten him a gift and don't have a clue what to get.  I've had fur baby fever for a while now.  I know the dogs are not going to be with us much longer and that will eliminate a lot of cleaning so I finally talked myself into it.  I decided to get The Boy a kitten for his birthday.  Now, I just had to find one.  

I made a quick stop in Pet Smart and checked the Action For Animals kitties but they were all full grown.  I refuse to bring an adult cat in because I think that would be more difficult for the other furry kids to adapt to.  Jayke was immediately onto me when I came out of Pet Smart with nothing.  We checked ARF next but they were closed.  I posted it on Facebook that I was looking for a kitten hoping someone would have a freebie that needed a home but no luck.  We finally decided to try the Animal Shelter with not very high expectations.  

I had an idea of what kind of cat I wanted.  White, long hair, maybe a seal point...something pretty and different than what we have.  When we went in I knew immediately they didn't have anything like what I had in mind, but sometimes a cat chooses you...and that is exactly what happened.

The volunteer handed this little girl to Jaykeb and she wrapped him around her little paw!  She cuddled up to him like she had loved him her whole life.  Then he handed her to me and she just lay her head on my chest as if she was saying, "Finally, I've been waiting for you."  That was it.  She had a home.

We went to the counter to pay and were greeted by Izzy, pictured above.  She approved the adoption, Jayke forked over his birthday money (by choice, so now I STILL owe him a gift) and we had ourselves a new baby!  He even made a donation to the shelter for the other kitties.  Such a softie!

Her name at the shelter was Josie.  So far, it's still Josie but I feel like we should give her our own name.   He disagrees.  It will probably stay Josie.

She has to stay separated from the others until we can have her tested for feline diseases but everyone knows she is here.  We let her come out as long as we are watching and making sure the other cats stay away.  They are curious but so far, no issues.  Josie walked right up to Laynie and rubbed on her.  Laynie is an old pro at receiving new pets into the house.  She was less than impressed but Josie is determined to make new friends.  

She has made ONE for sure.  The boy had tears in his eyes when we finally got her home.

I took the picture below of the other two feline residents and I think I interrupted them about to smack each other.  I can't say whether that is due to the newbie or not, they smack each other quite often and I'm sure will be smacking Josie soon too!

Bet you thought that was a picture of my new dog in the beginning, huh?

Amp

Finally got it hung.  I have to figure out what else to put up there with it but it's up!  Love it!

Fun Gift

Happy Birthday, Oma!  For Mom's birthday, Jayke wrote 52  (one a week) "Remember Whens" and "I love you Because" notes on paper, folded them and placed them in a jar.  We decorated the lid with matching scrapbook paper and ribbons and made a card referencing which color was which kind of note.  Weren't we creative???  I have a feeling many more loved ones will be receiving a similar jar in the future.  I may have one already in the works for someone. ;)  

New Do

It's hard to tell really but he now spikes his bangs and he loves it.  The other kids at school told him he "upped his swag points" and made his day!  Now we have to keep him stocked up on hair product though.

We Like to Rub it In!

For anyone who may be in Colorado wishing they had one...here is our dinner when 

Jayke finally got back from Georgia!  Aunt Robin has been trying to get someone to send her some PK...we decided to send her a picture and posted this on her Facebook wall!  :)

Jayke spent 11 days with his dad this Christmas.  This was the first time Mike has asked to have him this long over Christmas.  I think next year we will make is shorter.  Jayke was texting me with about 4 days to go asking me when he was coming home and I was ready for him too as well!  He was sick the first few days and Mike was sick the second part of the visit.  Hopefully next year, no sickness!