Mr. Tiger and the Praying Mantis

Today when we got home from work there was a Praying Mantis on our front door screen. It was so neat-I've never seen one up close. David took some pictures with his phone of it and I took this one from inside the house. We came in and shut the door so that it could be left alone. I couldn't help but wonder how Tiger would react to the praying mantis so I grabbed the camera and opened the door. I didn't even get a chance to point it out to Tiger when he started meowing at him.

Here is Tiger frantically pawing at the window trying to get at him and meowing and purring like crazy.

I think he was studying it and wondering how he could catch it and "play" with it. That's code for eat it.

Rely for Life

Today was Rely for Life. It was a BEAUTIFUL day to be outside-sunny and a little breeze. It's sponsored by the American Cancer Society and my mom asked me to participate with her. It was at the Tuscola County Fairgrounds here in town. It was an amazing sight to see all the people there to help find a cure for cancer. There were so many "teams" as they called it-they had everything from fresh baked breads to hand crafted items. I had to laugh a few times, because it looked like cousin Bubba went to Walmart to get a cardboard box and a can of spray paint and made a sign that said "walk a freak for a cure" and they really, really were freaks with dog collars and leashes around their necks and had people walking them around the fairgrounds! Mom worked with a group that did baked goods and coffee and cappuccino. We walked around the track a few times and left for a little bit-we went to grab some dinner and came back to the house so that mom could rest up a bit. Then we went back closer to dark to see the luminary portion of the Rely to begin. We were talking about it when we walked around the track that there were so many luminary bags-white lunch bags with in memory of or Survivor on them-that it's just a small portion of all the lives lost to cancer. It will be such a joyous day when Jehovah will bring an end to all this sadness.

The Fairgrounds-all those white bags are the luminary bags


Me and my mommy. I'm proud of our self portrait
I made the bags for mom-though she'll say she made them :) This is for his older sister Sue who passed away from breast cancer when I was very young.
This bag is for my mom's mom-my grandma. She passed away from colon cancer.

This is my mothers bag-she is a survivor of breast cancer and I learned tonight that I was her caregiver when she lived with me in Pontiac as she underwent her radiation treatments. I'll always be my mommy's caregiver. I love her very much.

My mom and Jan. Jan works with my mom in the pharmacy at VG's

while mom worked hard at serving coffee....I worked hard on self portraits

I think I did pretty good on this self-portrait.

This was the beginning of the luminary part of the Relay. They had 4 people come up on stage and give a little story and had these huge boxes on stage with candles in them.

Some of the bags that had the candles lighted in them.

Mom was one of the first groups to light her candle since she was a survivor.

My candle was lighted up because I was a caregiver-some lady asked if I wanted her to take my picture-I said no that's okay I got it. Hey you never know she could have ran away with my camera. Okay the lady was actually nice, she asked me if I could take a picture of her family with her camera and also used my candle to light her daughters.

Mom sharing her flame with a couple guys in the bleachers.

The track that we walked on the little lights are are peoples candles flickering-yes they warned us to keep the candles at a safe distance from "our person and the persons around us"

Our bags with there candles lighted inside of them.

Our Weekend with Anthony

We’ve had visitors this week. David’s mom came up for a visit and then we had a surprising little visitor – David’s 3 year old nephew Anthony. He arrived Thursday night after meeting. On Friday David, his mom and Anthony played some Rock Band and then they went swimming. When they came home we had a yummy dinner and then Anthony and Grandma went on a little bike ride around our park. On Saturday I made us a yummy breakfast of pancakes and cheesy eggs, and bacon. When I was a little girl my mommy always made me a pancake in the shape of my initial “J”, since I learned to cook from my mom I made Anthony a little “A” pancake. He was so excited that I made that for him, and of course as a bad picture taker I forgot to take a picture of it. After we had breakfast, David went to the Kingdom Hall and did a little work with my dad and then we went swimming, and I got sunburned – I tell ya I put on enough sunscreen that I don’t understand how I got burned. When we were done swimming we went to my parents for grilled hot dogs. We went outside and Anthony and David went for a couple rides on the four wheeler around their house. Anthony talks in second person and told us all that “me and Uncle David rode really fast and me told Uncle David to hold onto me belly real tight and ME WENT FAST” It reminded me of Talladega Nights the Ballad of Ricky Bobby "I wanna go fast, I wanna go fast!" Aunt Jennifer also went for a few rides around the house and went to the back of the property on the four wheeler. Then David’s mom went for a little spin too. Anthony also got to feed the fish in the pond and had fun when the fish came up to gobble the food. Today is Sunday, I think it will be a day of rest – well for me anyway. I think I’ll take a nap when I get done posting this! Yawn….I have to get some energy built up to keep up with that little one!

Future drummer?

David and Anthony playing Rock Band

I love the look on their faces, priceless!

After an awesome set list!

Anthony swimming with David and his mom

Ring around the toes!

Wonder who made this big splash?!?!?!?!

Anthony and David on the four wheeler – at times he looked petrified for a couple seconds then laughed with glee, I wish some of the pictures had came out better, but they were going to fast for me to get them.

This is one of the “ME GO FAST” moments, he went to wave at us but then decided it was safer to hold on to Uncle Davids arm

Going with my mom to feed the fish or is it fishes?!?!?!?!

Tina on the four wheeler – she was going a whole 2 MPH on it, she’s smart better to be safe than to flip it over on herself.

David and Anthony cuddling on the couch at my parents

I don’t know what my dad was doing – he sure wasn’t dancing but it looks like it to me and Anthony was showing him how big he was by jumping off the little stool.

Our House

Well every time I think about it being Our House, I think of that song by Madness- Our House...."Our house, in the middle of our street Our house, in the middle of our ...Our house, was our castle and our keep Our house, in the middle of our street Our house, that was where we used to sleep Our house, in the middle of our street." Yes I know that I'm dating myself but it's ok!

Let's see, We have almost everything unpacked, we have a few things that still need a home, or that have a home and we are not happy with where they are at. But it will take some time and we are on the fast track to making this our home sweet home!

I love coming home for lunch, it's such a nice break to my day. It's also very nice to come home to have lunch with my honey bunny - we have been enjoying that mid day break where we can see each other. It's very nice. Sappy yes....but it's okay, you'll get over it. LOL

Our Mr. Tiger cat has adjusted very well to his new surroundings. He loves all the windows, except for when we first moved in and a stray neighborhood cat tried to attack him through the screen. It frightened him a little bit, he was cautiously approaching the windows not anymore he runs right to them, I laugh because I think he is the "neighborhood watch cat" even though I do not know what he will do if that cat comes back!

This is what we have done so far. Enjoy!

Our Master Bathroom, with the giant tub!


Our bedroom - it's slowly coming together, complete with a Mr. Tiger cat who was VERY excited that I was walking around the house taking pictures.


The extra wonderful walk in closet that I'm still working on sharing with David....see he has his suits in there!

If you can't find the cat either look under our bed, or in the closet. He likes the closet it's his secret hiding spot - he's scared me a few times by jumping off of something onto me.

Walking into the laundry room from the dining room


Laundry room/pantry - we now have some shelves to put up to lessen the clutter on the rack.


The kitchen is so nice and open and bright when the sun comes through the skylight.

Wayne and David breaking in the living room by playing with the Wii, I always thought that the Wii was suppose to be an active video game. They look like bumps on a log!

The office, complete with a "wheel of fun" for Tiger...it's not even a wheel it's just a play house that he completely ignores. Apparently it's not a "wheel of fun"

The rest of David's clothes in the spare bedroom closet. Maybe just maybe one day we will be able to share a closet. Anything is possible!

Well that is what we have done so far. It is turning into home sweet home. We are so very happy and it's nice to have a place to call our own.

The other nice thing - I got my boot off from that stress fracture, it's so nice to wear matching shoes, or better yet get back to my hillbilly roots and go barefoot.