It Seems We Have Come To a Compromise...

This is Lily.
She is 'the neighborhood' cat.
Except for she spends neigh a second away from our hood.
It could be that we feed her twice a day.  And rub her behind the ears when no one is looking.
She is an outside cat.
Except for she tries multiple times a day to be an inside cat.
I leave the back door open while the kids play outside.  (much to my husbands frustration: air conditioning the back yard is not wise financially...I agree.  But, I can hear them and they can hear me...gives them a sense of freedom and me a sense of control...it works.)
Well, you can bet Lily will sneak in every chance she gets.
Usually, I just need to say "Liiiiilllllyyyyyy" in a motherly tone and she stops in her tracks.
Other times I have to send the kids to retrieve her and put her back outside. 
Because, I am allergic to her.  She knows this.  I have told her multiple times.
Cats love feline-allergic people...have you noticed that??
So. 
I know that she will try. 
She knows she will not win.
But today we seem to have come to a bit of a compromise.
I caved.
After two attempts to assume her favorite 'off limits' spot of the armchair in the back bedroom, she settled for the door. 
And I did too.

Summer List 2012

Summer List 2012

Swim  Plant a Garden Tomatoes Catch Fireflies Make Rootbeer Floats  

Go to Boppi and GrandBob's beach  Outside Movie Night  Swim in the Ocean   

Sleepover with friends  READ Crafts Build a sand castle Watch the Sunset  S'Mores  

Camp in the side-yard  Stay the night at a Friend's house  Sprinklers  Go to the Library  Make Popsicles Aquarium  Go to the Park  Play in the Creek  Memorize Bible Verses 

 Catch spiders  Build a Fort  Go Fishing    Have a Water Fight  I.N.K.

Apple Fritters from Cleveland Donuts  Read under the stars   

HIKE  Ice cream sundae Sunday Fly on an airplane

E says the darndest things...

Wanting to jot down some of the things Eli has been saying lately...
In no particular order, but all pretty adorable.

"When I turn 5, I want to have my party at Chuck E. Cheesus." ('Cheesus' sounds like Jesus.)

Very matter of factly, in response to Kevin telling him he is the coolest dude: "Yeah...that's what the guy in the lunch room tells me everyday."

When asked why he does not eat meat: "Because I think chickens should live."

In the same vein...whenever we drive by Chic-Fil-A he sings the Tim Hawkins song with his added lyrics:
"Chic-Fil-A...I could eat you 7 times a day...BECAUSE YOU KILLED THE CHICKENS!!!"

Sooo many more, but these are the ones that come to mind right now...

He keeps us laughing!

Where Have I Been??

It's a good question, really.

I feel badly to fall behind on blogging...but life has been busy.  We have done Spring Break. We have had family visit. We have entertained quite a bit in our back yard as this is one of the best times of year back there. Spring and Fall in Georgia??? So. Lovely.

My little sister is engaged. (!!!) It's true!  She will start her new life with a wonderful man, AJ, sometime this Fall.  So my mind is happily swimming in wedding details and loving every second of it. 

We have had sickies. (Chlo had the flu over spring break...poor. girl.)

Eli has started going to school a couple days a week.When he is there, is said to love it...enjoy it...fit right in!  Of coarse, when he gets in the van he doesn't like it and never wants to return.  We have some things we are addressing with some challenges he is facing...it's all too new and a bit on the emotional side for me.  Maybe I will write more about it in the future???  Maybe not.

Had a hot date with Kevin in the ATL that involved tapas and salsa dancing lessons.  Oh. Yes. We. Did.

I have been on Pinterest maybe twice in the last three weeks. (thus, the lack of Pintentional Posts.)

Life has been full.  Mostly good full.  But full.

I am tired. 

I am needing to learn how to allow margin in my life.

I have decided that if I can not find the time to shower in a three day period that I am lacking margin.
(Good measure, yes?)

So.  This week: Shower at least 3 times. Go to bed before midnight every night. Savor my family.
This seems attainable.

Around the House This Week...

St. Patrick's Day and a little Pintentionality

For our third year running, we tried to catch a leprechaun.  Chloe is so into this.  She reminds us every year.  Her first grade teacher asked the whole class to make traps this year to share with the class...Chloe could not wait to get started.

This years trap was complete with a ladder to the upper deck, bed, table/couch, chair, TV and a washer and dryer.  Chloe was hoping the comfort level would have a luring effect on the leprechaun. 

According to the letter they wrote,  they did in deed  appreciate her attention to detail

and thought it to be one of the comfiest traps in town.

While we did not catch the little guys, we were amused by their creativity in thrashing the back yard.  Hammocks all topsy-turvy, bike propped up on a ladder and lawn chairs placed on top of the pergola.  What a mess.

Our favorite evidence was the footprints and green water in the toilet. 

I saw on Pinterest that other leprechauns did the same thing...must have been a union thing. 

Pintentional Post #8

Spring is in the air here in Georgia...
But after a few days of the sickies, I thought the house could use a little freshening up.

Found this idea on Pinterest and it smells fabulous!
Apparently it is supposed to smell like the Williams Sonoma store...I do not shop there often enough to vouch for that...but it smells awesome in my house!

All you need is:

a pot

a lemon

some vanilla extract

 some rosemary sprigs

and water

Simmer all day and have your house smell yummy!

At Christmas time I always simmer:

Clementine peelings and cinnamon in water

This is also a super yummy smell for the house!