Saturday, October 27, 2012

Shopping with Mom

I love to shop with mom & today we were in the mood {as was most of Colorado Springs, it seemed}.

We used our JoAnne's & Hobby Lobby coupons (mom got fabric, of course) and I got:

Plate holders for my Copy-cat HAPPY!

Doesn't the pumpkin add that extra touch to my candy corn wreath?

Poppies & berries for my hallway vases.
I got an employee bonus too - soon I'll show you pics of my upcoming purchase with the arrival of those funds!!

Friday, October 26, 2012

Clean-up Aisle 4

...so I came home from my vaca to an occupied house, I was unaware!

My dad picked up my mom & I from DIA on Wednesday at 2:00pm and I was unpacked and enjoying a pot of coffee by 5:00pm {always TORTURE arriving from sunny Phoenix having worn flip flops & shorts...only to be greeted by 30 degree weather & SNOW!}, to readjust to my chillier home climate.

It was 10ish & I decided to tuck in for the night...I crawled into bed and felt the brush of cat food in my sheets.  What?!?!?...GROSS!  How did that get there...then about 2 seconds later I realized...MICE!!!  All sorts of creeps ran up my spine, did I touch it, was it sleeping there...AAAGGGGHHHHH!

I hopped out of bed, threw back the covers, and discovered the "secret stash" if you will.  The pesky rodent(s) were fattening up for the winter with my cat's food...while my house was vacant and I was vacationing in AZ...the mice had a vacation in my warm, unoccupied house!  I pulled off my bedding, washed it, and began vacuuming.  I noticed the droppings, but swept them up & cleaned Simon's bowl - thinking they were insects and I should have put the bowl of food away (I forgot in my rush to pack: after a day of Apple training, on the heels of getting sick, & having completed a week of parent-teacher conferences).

I have a cat, but Simon was staying at Mom & Dads until we returned from AZ.  The saying is true, 'While the cat's away...'.
Last night I went to Wal-Mart and purchased 8 traps & 2 of those sonar/radar repellent thingies--didn't want to chance my cat not being a mouser.  I placed 1 of the plug-in detectors in the kitchen & another upstairs in the hallway.  Then I went about setting my peanut butter traps.  I kept wandering looking if my traps had sprung, because I kept getting the creeps all last night - but NOTHING!

This morning I checked my upstairs traps, NOTHING.  I decided to take a shower, then check the downstairs ones.  What should I find, but that pesky varmint in my trap - YAY!!!!

Uh, but what to do now?  I AM NOT GOING TO TOUCH THAT TRAP OR THE RODENT IN IT!!  So who ya' gonna call?

Dad!  Thank heavens for dads...clean-up aisle 4 INDEED!  Dad was out shopping and swung by my house to inspect the trap & dispose of the mouse (I swear I saw it wiggle, but he said the mouse was long dead; I trust him, no verification needed!!).  I reset the empty trap & hope to catch his pesky pals soon, if they exist.  I found three "secret stashes" of food: the aforementioned bed, my boots, & my downstairs throw quilt.  So I spent last night searching every nook & cranny, vacuuming, & washing everything those little rodents trolled over.  My house sparkles!

That is all for now, 1 pic because really?!?!?!  those mice GROSS ME OUT {alive & dead, apparently}!!  Maybe I only had 1, cross your fingers...

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Copy-Cat HAPPY!

Have I mentioned: I LOVE MY FAMILY!?!?!?!?  {Okay, I know I say it a lot - but geesh, it's true!} 

Today my sis surprised me with a Halloween Happy {umm, my pal Clare's family introduced me to the term HAPPY - a present just because; rightfully titled, because they make you happy :0)...I loved the term/idea so much I shared it with my mom & sis...now we too give HAPPYs!}.  Happy Sunday indeed!  Every year we visit in October {love my schedule, which includes 2 week fall/Christmas/spring breaks} and I HEART my sister's Halloween decor.  She found some cute mini candy dishes at the Target Dollar Spot a few years ago...I look for them, but they haven't been heard of - plus it was like 8 years ago!

Well, every year she just laughs at how much I love them...{she must too, because she's never volunteered to give 'em up either!}

Presh, right?!?!  AND for $1 each...
 Well, today I opened my Fry's HAPPY...

SUPER CUTE...can't wait to hang them!  Plus, there's 1 more, she wasn't sure if I'd want 3 or 4 -
the 4th is a Frankenstein!
I also commented on her door wreath...

Delish, right!?!?!?
Then while trolling the aisles of Joanne's we found it's twin...for 60% off.  I couldn't resist:

Can't wait to get it hung!
All I have to do is tie a raffia bow on & it's ready to go - the scariest part is packing them in my suitcase to ensure they make it home safely.  I'm such a copy-cat...thank goodness my sis doesn't mind!

Kristan

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Wild Thing

So Gams, Addi, & Auntie went on a Wild Zoo adventure today at the Litchfield Park Wildlife World Zoo.  It was so much fun, I can't lie it was pricey...but when you consider that the money goes to the zoo & 6 others nation-wide, which are rescuing exotic pet/endangered animals, I don't begrudge the cost {as much :0)}.

We saw tons of birds, primates, & turtles.  Also, we saw a white rhino, lemurs, warthogs, a baby jaguar, a baby tapir, & quite a few aquatic friends too!

Like to see some pics, you ask?  OF COURSE:
Addi liked the hot pink birds!


Gams & Addi playing with the Capuchin

Feeding the giraffes - "Not like at your zoo, Gams.  I like giving them lettuce & crackers!" says Addi.

Addi loves the goat kidds!

She actually touched the horseshoe crab, surprising!

"Help me touch the starfish, Auntie." - "I did it!" Addi says.

"Again!"

One more time, for a photo!

It was a great day - Addi is enjoying a nap & getting ready to scream for "Brother, Brother - NO OTHER" at Nick's Centennial Freshman football game tonight.  Gotta love fall, family, & Phoenix!!!

Monday, October 1, 2012

Scarecrow?


Not the best photo...but Thurs. 9/27 was Scarecrow Day.

My costume was fun & very fall - the day was crazy but so worthwhile!!  Have you figured it out/heard...my Kinder team is THE BEST!!

Great teammates make all the difference.