Misfit Monday

Sometimes it's a very small world.

Last week, I saw one of our sales misfits driving on our street while I was outside playing with Cub.  The next day, we noticed a sales order was written up for one of our neighbors - Hannah's (Cub's babysitter) house.  They had no idea that they purchased their flooring from us, so it was kind of fun telling them.  

Cub has this new thing he likes to do.  We can't tell if he's going to be a ballerina or a karate-ist (not sure what a person who studies karate is called) but he likes to lift one of his back legs up when he's pushing on the door. 

Or while he's pushing his rocket.

Buttin and I have pretty much decided that our kiddo needs a real haircut - he's now sporting what I like to call a "Farrah mullet".  We haven't made an appointment and I'm not sure I'm ready to say goodbye to his curly blonde mop, but we will eventually.

Dog vs. Cat

We love Riggs.  The cats don't really love Riggs.

Mouser avoids Riggs.  Scratch antagonizes Riggs.

The dog trainers told us to just let the cat and dog interaction happen organically.  Their theory is that Scratch will scratch Riggs on the nose a couple of times and Riggs will get the message.  Riggs doesn't seem to be getting the message.

The main issue with "organic" interaction between Scratch and Riggs is that we don't want Cub around while there is cat scratching and dog growling.  This afternoon Cub was playing with the front door (sounds like a fun kid, right?) and Scratch and Riggs met for Kitchen Death Match 5. 

It went on for about three minutes.  I still can't tell, but it looks like Riggs wants to play.  Scratch (for the most part) was the one chasing Riggs.  It was pretty funny.  Scratch was vicious and I had no idea that fat kitty could move so quickly and jump so high.  We had to eventually break up the interaction when Scratch jumped up on the entertainment center and we didn't want Riggs to hurt the tv (I mean, the cat). 

Here are a couple of pictures from today. 

This is Buttin pulling Cub and me in the wagon while walking Riggs at the same time - it was like a workout. 

Cub woke up from his nap after only 45 minutes so Buttin brought him to the couch where they slept for another hour.  It was pretty freaking cute. 

Long Day

Cub decided to wake up at 5:00 AM (actually, I heard him fussing a little at 4:45 AM) and then he only took a 45 minute nap. 

He woke up kind of grumpy and pretty much stayed that way. 

Here he is in a brief happy moment this afternoon (not surprisingly we were outside).

Filanthropy Friday

I'm a member of the Austin Apartment Association community outreach committee.  Our largest project of the year is The Doc & Gayle Young Food Drive. This year we have a very ambitious fund raising goal - $50,000.  This amount of money will buy food packs for 1,250 Austin families during the Thanksgiving holiday season. 

The Doc & Gayle Young Food Drive is awesome in many ways - but truly outstanding in one very unique way - 100% of all donations go directly to the families.  In my year of doing Filanthropy Friday, this is truly an anomaly. Most of the charities rated four stars (highest) by Charity Navigator give about 85% - 90% of all funds raised directly to the beneficiaries - there are always some administrative and/or fundraising expenses.  The Austin Apartment Association and their members absorb any costs associated with the food drive and that's amazing! 

This year - I donated $50 to the Doc & Gayle Young Food Drive.  It wasn't completely self-less, $40 bought a food pack for a family and $10 got me a t-shirt!

Maybe one day, someone will name a charity in my honor - I'm thinking - The Stephanie Cookie Dough Outreach Project or The Stephanie White Trash Christmas Spectacular-a-Thon. 

The House

It looks like the house will be ours!

The option period ended last night and we came to an agreement (with the sellers) on some money for repairs.  Yippee! Yippee! Yippee!

It seems like everyday Cub learns a new game.

Here he is playing a new favorite - Throw stuff in the trashcan even though mama says no.

Then make a cute face so that mama goes into the trashcan to retrieve the golf balls.

Wordless Wednesday

Updates

Update on me:

I got my blood tests back from my doctor visit last week. Apparently, my "joint soreness" wasn't just in my head.  One of the blood tests,  the ANA Titer (pronounced tighter not tit-er or teet-er), came back 1:320.  My doctor said that this test is not very specific and not indicative of any disease (but most people who have lupus have elevated ANA titer tests), but did refer me to a rheumatologist.   My doctor also mentioned that the specialist will probably tell me that my test results are no big deal, but we'll probably repeat them in a year or if my symptoms worsen. 

Update on Riggs:

Riggs is a farting, disobedient puppy; however, he's very cute.  We had a follow up visit from our trainer today and she got to see Riggs in full defiant mode.  I was thankfully that he was acting up even with her around because I thought his "special" behavior was reserved for only me.  We have lots of practice.  

Update on Cub:

He's healthy, happy and silly.