I can't believe it!!

Ready for a wash, iron and framing!  It is finished!!

I'm in shock!!  I can't believe I actually finished it!!  Now I either need to get ink for the one printer or fix the other so I can make my working copies of Halloween House so I can finish that one.  THEN I can start my projects for the new year!!

I'm back....

Woo Hoo!!  I have the laptop back and can post pictures!!  I have been using the hubby's tablet and that thing just does not work with trying to post pictures on here!  After finishing the wolf, I picked up Halloween House and am about halfway through it.  I need ink for the printer to make working copies of the next two pages and it is put up until I do that.  So in the meantime, I picked up 6 Fat Men.  Here is how that is coming :)

I'm stitching it on 14 ct Aida Snowstorm Opalescent.  I'm adoring the way it is turning out on that fabric.

Oh and those kitty babies?

They are such precious additions.  We love them dearly.  Their newest thing is to knock off our drinks from the night stands in the night.  Waking up to "splash" is not fun.  Well, and they don't do it just at night either.  If there is a cup, with liquid, and it can be knocked off, it will be.  If it's empty, they aren't interested.  They exhibit some canine behaviors.  They run to the door with the dogs when the dogs bark because someone knocks.  They line up to beg for table scraps.  But they are still just the sweetest little devils!  Gambit is fascinated with outside.  He is an escape artist and can sneak out that door faster than a bullet.  He did get out one time with no one knowing it.  He was out all night and i could not find him all the next day.  We were all just sick.  James and Tas found him that evening and he was scared to death, but no harm had come to him.  Thank God. 

It is hard to believe 2012 is coming to a close.  I look back with all the stitching goals I had and it is a good laugh!!  I did 5 or 6 ornaments, a birth record, the wolf and I'm pretty sure I can finish 6 Fat Men.  I have learned my lesson and have very much slimmed down my selection for 2013.  I do have an HAED on the list for 2013, but it is not on the expected FINISH list.  Won't be long now until it is time for a total update of the blog :)  Hopefully now with the laptop back I can get back to a more regular blogging.  I don't have my camera so will have to use the tablet for pics, but that is ok.  At least I can do pics now!!!  Yay!!!

It is finished!!

I finished "A Beautiful Wolf" tonight, well, this early am, however you look at it.  I was having trouble getting pics to load from the tablet, but I found another way to do it, so here are progress pics of the last month.  I worked on this one project only since it was supposed to be a birthday gift for my son's 18th birthday that came and went on June 30th.  He was okay with it being late, but I refused to let myself stitch on anything else until I finished this for him.

This is where I was on July 7th.

This was July 14th.

This was July 22nd.  that big patch of white had me so excited!!  It made the stitching go so much quicker.  As you can tell, I finally learned how to grid also and this helped me A LOT!!

And this is tonight/this morning, completed at 12:07am, August 4, 2012.  Pretty good for someone who has only done small ornaments if I do say so myself!!  I am so excited and have it soaking now, and will give it a light scrub tomorrow.  As it has been a project for the last 6 months, it did get a little grimy.  Especially since it sat on a shelf for 3 months out of that 6.  Then to let it dry, iron it and go mat and frame shopping.  I'm so excited!  I showed Tyler and I actually got a "Wow!" out of him.  This kid rarely shows anything other than a deadpan "cool", so that was a pretty awesome reaction.

Oh, and if you're wondering about those kitties we rescued, bottle fed and raised that threw me out of the stitching loop there for a few months?  They are now 3 1/2 months, permanent members of our household, with permanent names of Gambit and Logan, and here they are:

Gambit has his head tucked under, and Logan is the one with his head up.  Gambit is the wild child, trouble maker of the two.  This pic was taken July 9th.  Gambit has a cast on his leg atm.  He got it caught in a chair he was climbing on and dislocated his shoulder and caused a hairline fracture while he was at it.  Oh lordie, that cat gets into some mischief let me tell you.  Logan is the sweet little angel lover boy of the two.  He is a momma's boy and Gambit is a daddy's boy.  They are 3 1/2 lbs now.  They bring so much joy and laughter to our lives, and yes, a few gray hairs.  They have a passion for jumping into the fridge anytime the door is open, and they are very fast about it.  On more than one occasion I have found them in there from the previous time someone has gotten in the fridge.  Scary thought, but luckily someone is always in the fridge in this house.  Gambit likes to "box" with the dogs.  It is quite hilarious to watch.  Of course we try and stop him from doing it with the cast right now.  He has become very adept at using it as a weapon against the dogs.  He lies in wait and loves to bop them in the head with it.  They are becoming more night creatures, so I wake up to wonderful new messes every morning.  Just this week they discovered paper towels and toilet paper.  Life is certainly not boring with them around!!

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I've been very bad!

I haven't updated in so long!  The kittens are thriving and 10 or 12 weeks old now?  They are active little troublemakers and such entertainment.  I can't find my blasted camera to post pics, so this will be a pictureless update.  We have decided to keep the kittens, are you really surprised?  How could we not?  As such, they have permanent names, Asher became Logan, and Booger became Gambit.  Gambit is just like his namesake and does not know if he is good or bad!  Logan is the lovey dovey of the two, at least to us, not so much to his brother.

The last month has been focused on my baby girl, Cashew.  She became deathly ill after I used Sentry flea and tick drops on her.  They very nearly killed her.  Two weeks into that battle, she had to fight a very nasty infection where she ran a 105.3 fever.  The poisioning of the drops and the infection were overlapping, but with the poisioning hurting her kidneys we were first focused on that.  Then we cha ged to the infection when we had just about given up hope and didn't think she was going to pull through.  On the 1st I took her for a check up as she had started vomiting again.  She was about 80% herself, but I panicked when she started vomiting.  Boy, am I glad I did.  More tests later and her platelet counts were down to 8.  Yes, 8.  They should be between 148-448.  She was on the verge of hemorrhaging and woukd have died within a week.  Underneath all of this was erlichicia (spelling is wrong I'm sure), which is a tick-borne disease.  She is on prednisone and a 3 week round of doxycycline and had a short burst of meds to help with the vomiting.  We are unsure what stage she is in, so we don't know what the future holds.  The prednisone will temporaril bring up the platelets while the doxy goes to work.  We'll hpjust have to see if they stay up once she weans off it.  We do 't know if this will be long term or short term.  On a good note, her kidney function had greatly improved and she has mostly recovered from the sentry drops.

On the 30th my Tyler turned 18.  So hard to believe.  He is taking a 13 hr course load in one tiny summer session and going nuts.  I am very proud of him.  I did not get his wolf done in time for his birthday so I am not allowing myself to stitch on anything else until I finish it.  But oh how Halloween House, 6 Fat Men, Christmas and Halloween ornies and smalls are calling to me.  I still have 2 and 1/4 pages to go on wolf.  Soon.

I hope everyone is having a great 4th.  I am putting together a little spread for my guys.  We aren't going out, too many idiots on the road around here.  We'll probably watch a movie later.  Of course I will stitch on wolf also!

Stay safe, cool and have great stitchy success!

No Stitching

Once again, a no stitching week.  So this week will be another personal update.  If you're more interested in stitchy news, don't read any further :)  There, that is my disclaimer :)

I don't have very many pics this week.  It has been a week full of appointments and not as many opportunities to pullout the camera with the kitties.  Monday found us on the college campus taking care of some of Ty's stuff for the summer.  Tuesday I played cabbie for my father-in-law and helped out with a situation with granny.  Wednesday was Seb's counseling and Ty''s dermatologist check up.  It seems like the late afternoons were spent trying to get a hold of doctors to get med prescriptions figured out, trying to call and get Ty's neuro appt in Dallas scheduled (still waiting to hear back and will be calling back on Monday) as well as trying to schedule Seb an appt for his knee (we can never get through, we're talking 30+ minute hold times).  Pharmacy not notifying us upon pick up there was a problem or hold on getting a prescription filled.  Just crazy.  Then a moody teenage on that?  Now let's top it with a normal down loop in the marriage cycle.  You know how most marriages have their typical patterns, same 'ol, same 'ol, and some of that same 'ol, is the same 'ol thing that can be a down point?  Yeah, we hit that point and just need to make time for us again.  We'll do it though.

Now on to the good part, the kitties had their vet check Wednesday and all looked good!!  They got a tiny bit of wormer.  I was a little stumped on some of what my vet said and talked to Linda, my handy dandy wonderful kitten encyclopedia friend.  We came to the conclusion that although my vet is really, really awesome when it comes to dogs, he may not be the bomb when it comes to cats.  Nothing against him, and if these were perfectly healthy, perfectly started kittens, then it would probably be fine, but these guys started out with a short stick and I really want "the bomb diggity" when it comes to the kitties.  I think I found just such a vet today and will take the kitties there at 6 weeks for their first shots and see what I think :)  Which leads me to something that is just been heavy on my mind as I go through the stumbles of raising these two little guys.  See, I'm adopted.  I was taken away from my biological mother at 18 months.  Yeah, I got the first 18 months, but it wasn't great.  Then I was booted to 6 different foster homes between 18 months and 4 1/2 when I was adopted.  Their reasoning was, they didn't want the foster parents to get attached, but it instead taught me not to get attached.  So at 4 1/2 when I was adopted, although I loved my mom and dad very much, I never really attached until adulthood.  My parents and I went through a lot of angst, and as I've gotten older and we talk more, we realize just how much none of us knew back then.  If the state would of offered post adoptive counseling, things might of been different, but they didn't do that then.  So we didn't understand each other.  I remember how much pain I felt, and how detached I felt.  If I was such an awful BABY, that my OWN mother couldn't love me, how could anyone else?  Let me tell you, that thought alone drove so many decisions in my life to way too late in adult life.  Bad decisions.  It took a long time to realize it wasn't me, it was her.  I've met her and I don't hate her, nor hold it against her.  She is a product of what she was raised.  But we have nothing to do with each other.  But at least I was able to realize it wasn't me and to be able to finally accept love in my life.  Then I look at these little guys and think of all the things their mother is not going to be able to teach them, things I'm going to try and fumble my through, and things I will miss and hopefully their instinct will kick in.  And I hurt for them.  I hurt that they are missing out on that bond that they should have been able to have.  I know, they have me and James.  But, we aren't momma cat.  We can never replace her, fill that void.  I worry when I see them desperate to snuggle with one of the dogs that they are craving that furry, animal to animal contact that I can't give, and I keep praying one of my dogs will step up and give them more than 30 seconds of that connection.  I love these little guys so much, who woulda thunk?  I do have a few pics...so here they are so we can end this morbid little post with a smile :)

Logan in one of his favorite spots.  (oh yeah, we're pretty sure *Asher* is a boy, so his name is now Logan, if it turns out to be a girl, it will be Rogue) 5/13

Gambit (formerly known as Booger, who is most def. a boy) sleeping soundly. 5/15

Issy has quit being stuck up and decided to start trying to figure out just what these little creatures are!  And yep, Logan's eyes are open, although Gambit didn't like the flash!! 5/15

We're starting to walk!  Logan actually did this 1st!  Gambit had a little trouble because he was so belly heavy!  5/15

Logan, I'm coming to get you!! 5/15

James - Logan is snuggled up under James's chin and Gambit is wrestling in the crook of his elbow :) 5/15

And of course Lil Momma (Cashew) has to make sure they are ok!  5/15

Gambit and Logan napping, aren't they just tooo cute?  5/17

Logan trying to play with Gambit.  5/18

Gambit is more interested in Lil Momma! 5/18

No Stitchy News - Picture heavy

I know, 2 weeks and no stitching news, no news whatsoever!  How bad am I?  Horrible I tell ya!!!  But it has all been for a good, good cause!!  Yes, the kitties are still with me!!

This is from the 27th when they came into my care :)

Kitten B on May 2nd....

Kitten A on May 2nd....  Yes, they were Kitten A and B because I tried not to get attached for numerous reasons...yes I said tried..and yes, in this picture Kitten A is drinking from kitten B's bottle....oops, we weren't sleeping much then!

May 5th....Kitten A, now Asher, snuggling after feeding time with Cashew, now "Lil Momma".  Don't worry James was taking care of Kitten B, now Booger.

May 7th, top is Asher, bottom is Booger, showing off how big their bellies are getting :)

May 12th, the 1st day Booger opened his eyes!!  And I'm past due for more pics!!  On the 13th Asher opened his eyes, and just today he took his first steps!!  We're not talking scooting here, we're talking up on all 4's and wobbly steps!!  I'm so proud!!  This first half of the week has been full of appointments so I haven't had a chance to breathe, much less take pictures, and sadly it may be Thursday before I get to do that.  These two little guys are my reason for not stitching the last few weeks.  I'm hoping Thursday evening I might get some stitching time in.  Lord knows I've missed it!  Oh, by the way, we are now so attached, we're keeping them.  And depending on the sex of these little guys, Booger will become Gambit (if he is a boy, Storm if a girl) and Asher will become Logan (if a boy) or Rogue if he is a girl.  Time will tell!!!  This week we'll go to the vet for a little check up.  I hope everyone is having great stitchy success with no frogs and I hope you enjoyed these pics!  If you want to follow these guys a little more, they have their own place   www.boogerandasher.shutterfly.com
Shanda