Can I please trick or treat

Can I please trick or treat, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Poor Trinity! She doesn't get to go out for trick-or-treating tonight. She probably wouldn't want to be out anyway since she doesn't really like all the noise that kids make, and she seems to finally be more than content to just lay sleeping on the couch.

It is time for Feline and Furball Friday again, so if you want to play along just post your own and head over to Steve and Pickles to leave a link in comments. I hope that everyone has a great weekend.

Nothing to do with anything

Snack time, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Since I haven't been getting out to take pictures in a while, I'm pulling out of the hundreds of photo's that just sit in files on the computer. It was a very busy weekend, and has been a very busy week here. There have already been a lot of appointments to make it to on time, and lots of driving Binky Sue for either baby sitting, school play, or shopping. I had a semi sad moment this afternoon when I realized mid parent teacher conference for Little Bug, that this was my final one at the middle school. The school were I know every teacher, every staff member in the office, and they know the sound of my voice on the phone. Since Little Bug is doing great in school the teacher and I sat talking about the last four years. All the great teachers that left because of various reasons, the fact that this teacher has had all three of the girls in her class come 8th grade year, and has enjoyed getting to know each one of them...and the fact that other than looking a lot alike, there is nothing alike about any of them.

There is probably lots more that I could sit here and ramble on about, but since my mind seems to be scattered with so many thoughts this week I think it is best to just end and say that I hope everyone is having a good week.

Why you watch your step in Arizona

100_9521, originally uploaded by torri_g.

While out in Huachuca Canyon shooting portraits, we ran across a perfect reason why you really need to watch your step while out doors here in Arizona. It is a Sonoran Whipsnake which is not venomous, but I'm sure that didn't matter all that much to the lizard that was about to be eaten. I'm pretty sure since the sounds of foot steps distracted the snake from it's prey and the lizard was able to run off very quickly...that there is a lizard that would be more that willing to call me friend. Well unless it fell for the snakes tricks and ended up being dinner anyway.

I hope that everyone is having a great weekend, and always remember to watch where you are stepping.

Feline, Fethers & Kids!

Sweetpea the bird girl of Arizona

Binky Sue the starlet and her entourage

Well since I can not seem to pick just one picture for today's post, you are getting them both. If I could have gotten any one of the animals to pose or sit still long enough by themselves I would be doing that instead. Let's start with the great bird girl of Arizona picture. Puff and Kiki get time out of their cages daily to continue the bond building and keeping them at a point where they can be handled.(Puff still needs more work but is getting past his need and urge to bite so much.) What we have seen in the last week though is that Puff wants to be on the same person that Kiki is spending time with. Since their first encounter with each other went poorly, Puff bit and Kiki hissed LOUDLY, Puff tends to stay further away from Kiki. So that means he tends to land on the highest spot he can away from her...the head of the person she is with! In the last week or so we have all had Puff sitting on our head. Kiki is fine with Puff sitting further away from her, it means that she isn't going to have that lovebird beak coming at her, which is a good thing. Puff landing on heads though makes the girls nervous, they worry about...well things that birds do.
Now Binky Sue and her entourage picture. While I was trying to shot portraits of Little Bug, Binky Sue and her fab goofyness had to come out do her best paparazzi act for the camera. Her and Eclipse acting like they were trying to avoid the flash of the camera, while moving directly into the frame. Oh look out celeberties of the world, Binky Sue and Eclipse are going to take over you time in the spot light!

It is Friday and that means time for Feline, Furball and Feathers Friday time. If you want to play along all you have to do is make a post of your own and leave a link in comments. I hope that everyone has a great Friday, and a very relaxing weekend.

Don't come to our house!

Attack Bird, originally uploaded by torri_g.

If you are smart you will avoid out house this week, and not just because Kiki the cockatiel is more than willing to defend her spot on the couch. A stomach bug has invaded and has already taken down three of the five people here. So far the oldest two haven't been taken down and as Mom I'm hoping that it stays that way. It is one of those very fast to body slam you type bugs that leaves you after wards with a major worn out feeling. As long as you can stay sitting still you seem to be some what alright. I will say that you know you have been hit hard by a bug when you have to rely on your dog on their leash for their morning trip outside to help pull you back up the hill of the yard. I'm not really sure where my energy has gone today, but at least I think the worst of this thing has passed. I'm just going to try and sit very still here again today and hope that come tomorrow I at least have a little more energy than today.

I hope that everyone has a good Tuesday, and look out for any invading bugs.

Sibling Sunday

PA135613, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Just missing one of the siblings for this picture, oh wait she would have to come out of her room to be a part of the picture! It has been a long week here in Arizona, a good one, but a long one none the less. Binky Sue and Sweetpea will be heading back to school tomorrow which is going to be a good thing really. I love all of the girls very much, but a week spent with two teen girls who can literally fight about anything and everything under the sun is just way to much. I found out this weekend that they can even fight with each other while in their own rooms and chatting online! Now that is really something I guess. Once again I say thank goodness they head back to school tomorrow.

Little Bug had a good week this past week though. Her clear EEG results, turning 13, going shopping with birthday money. The last part of her shopping trip will happen tomorrow after we get Binky Sue dropped off for her baby sitting job.

Next Saturday I have a senior portrait shot to do which I'm oh so very excited about. Which reminds me for family that reads I need to know what size photo's you want of Binky Sue's portraits. It has gotten put off longer than I really wanted to but Binky Sue keeps talking about wanting to re-shoot something, and then doesn't, and then does, and now I'm not going to. Gosh I love that teen baby girl of mine, either she just doesn't know what she wants or she is trying to make me feel like I've lost my mind. What was I talking about originally? Oh yeah...senior portraits next weekend. I'm excited about shooting them because he wants to do some outside portraits and right away I thought of the canyon area's. All those great places to go shoot that Binky Sue wanted no part of for her's. His Dad is happy to find someone that isn't going to charge an arm and a leg for them, and there is a possibility that this could lead to more portrait jobs. WOOHOO!! Army Guy helped me this weekend to set up some stuff in the now empty dinning room area that will lead to much quicker set abilities for portraits. I got a chance to play with some lights that had be given to me, and figure out best places for them. Oh if you ask Binky Sue, I blinded her in the process of trying to get the lighting set just right.

Anyway, sorry for the kind of rambling Sunday post here tonight. After having the two big girls home this week I'm feeling a bit on the scatter brained side here. I hope that everyone has had a great weekend, and that there is a good week just waiting for us all.

You have to share!

You have to share, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Running behind most of this week so pulling from past photo's for this week's Feline and Furball Friday. Both Trinity and Mia love playing in the back yard and digging holes is their most loved thing about the back yard. Of course if one finds a good spot to dig there is the look from the other of "You have to share that spot with me!" One of these days I need to grab a chair and sit taking photo's while they run at high speed chasing each other through the yard.

It is time for Feline and Furball Friday again, and all you have to do to play along is post your own and leave a link in comments. I hope that everyone has a good weekend.

Wow! That is super Chocolate

100_9490, originally uploaded by torri_g.

I know you can't tell just how chocolate something is by the label on it, but if you take a quick look at the suggested serving size and then the amount of calories for that serving size you can get a pretty good idea. Little Bug wanted a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, and chocolate ice cream for her birthday. Sweetpea found just that and then some today. Chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, with chocolate crumb crust around it. I don't care how thin a slice you cut, there is no getting through it...at least not for me there isn't. I can honestly say that there is such a thing as to much chocolate, and this cake is it. If you would like to see pictures of this beast of a chocolate cake, just click on the picture and it will take you to the set that I have up on flickr. The warning is that I think just looking at the picture of it will add calories to your daily count, so view with caution. Oh and even though this is just an 8 inch cake, I think we are going to need help with getting through this one because Binky Sue and I with our one small slice tonight don't think we are going to want cake again for the next 6 months or longer.

Happy Birthday Little Bug!

Little Bug, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Well it is here! The first day of her teenage years has finally arrived! This Little Bug just isn't so little anymore, but I think we will keep the name anyway. If you read yesterday's entry you know that she is already having good day, and since everyone got up...even her older sister's who are lucky enough to have the week off...just to tell her happy birthday this morning before she heads out to school, her day is going great so far.

Ah the teenage years, when the good night kisses get quicker, shorter and there is way more time spent hiding in the room. I can not believe that time has passed so quickly and my last baby is finally a teen. Happy Birthday Little Bug! I hope that your day is filled good things.

What is normal?

100_9434, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Alright everyone who reads here knows that Little Bug had a sleep deprived EEG last Friday. Today I got a phone call from the Center for Neuroscience with probably the most amazing news I have heard in the last 3 years 8 months. Little Bugs EEG was normal! NORMAL!! No spikes, no slow sharp waves, it was flipping normal! No epileptic activity of any kind. It is what we have been so wanting to hear, it is what hearing sent Little Bug jumping up and down in the living room screaming at the top of her lungs that she was normal again finally. Which by the way will make sisters wonder just how normal you really can be if you are jumping up and down screaming it. I'm not sure happy is enough to describe just how Little Bug feels about hearing this news. Both Army Guy and myself are wondering where this takes us now since we know that in the last couple of weeks she has had seizures, but now that the EEG is showing normal activity it is leading us to the thought about the migraines. After talking to the nurse today the doctor called to talk about that and that come next month for her appointment we will be having to talk about it. Little Bug of course wants to come off of the Depakote that has been part of her daily routine for just shy of 3 years, and just shy of 4 years since the onset of the Epilepsy. I'm not so sure that dropping medicine is going to be part of the plan next month since the depakote is also being used to fight migraines. For right now though Little Bug is viewing today as the best pre-birthday ever. For right now I am going to agree with her because even if it is migraines causing the current seizures for right now tonight that isn't a thought going through her mind. For the first time in about 4 years Little Bug isn't thinking about Epilepsy...she is just back to being normal.

Relaxing Sibling Sunday

100_9454, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Our weather has taken a very wonderful turn to cooler temperatures for the weekend because of hurricane Norbert. It is noon here and only 60 degrees, with wonderful breeze and giving me the chance to turn the air conditioner off for the very first time since...May? Such a pretty day is finding everyone in this house just relaxing. There have been some chores done like laundry and dishes, but other than that not much is getting done here today. I think after this last week we all have earned a day to just chill out.

The whole family will be home for a long weekend this week. Binky Sue and Sweetpea will be home for the whole week due to fall break time. The first quarter of school was done on Friday, and the first report cards should be coming in very soon here. Little Bug is not happy once again about the fact that her sister's have fall break during her birthday, but that is only because she would like to have the week off. Speaking of Little Bug, there are only 3 days till her 13th birthday. The last of my girls will be a teenager come Wednesday! Since she still has yet to tell me anything that she wants for presents I'm probably going to spend Wednesday running the million errands trying to find things for gifts, and her dinner meal. Usually with Little Bug I have the list months in advance, for some reason this year she hasn't been as kind to Mom...maybe something to do with being a teenager this year.

Since we are so relaxed here this weekend, there really isn't all that much for typing about. I hope that everyone is having a great Sunday, and that the coming week is good for all of us.

Hooked up Little Bug

Hooked up Little Bug, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Well, we made it through the sleep deprivation and only a little on the crabby side. Little Bug had her EEG done yesterday, and this was her first smile for the day because she knew as soon as she was hooked up a power nap was about to be allowed. I think the tech became her new best friend yesterday morning because she was going to let her close her eyes and sleep.

Now according to the tech the doctor will have the results as of yesterday afternoon, and I should be able to call this week and hear those results. I'm still not going to hold my breath for that, but gosh that would be great if that is how is works out. I would like to hope that this EEG was a normal one, but after doing this for four years now there are a couple of things that I just know. When the tech asks you all kinds of questions before the testing begins, and comes out a couple of times during the test to verify information...odds are that they are already seeing things on the test. When they ask about what medication and have a look on their face of "Are you sure she took it?" Odds are really good that there is something going on via the test. However, we shall see once we get the results.

I hope that everyone has a good weekend, Little bug and I are probably going to spend today trying to catch back up on the sleep that we lost because of the test, so a lazy Saturday seems to be in order.

How to properly rest your paws

Paws, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Another close up picture of Eclipse this week. She is showing how to properly rest your paws with the help of Army Guy in the background. What you need to do is if you are feline, is climb up on your humans lap and take the sphinx position. Humans find your favorite recliner and let the resting begin.

Eclipse has been doing a lot of resting this week. She gave all of us one heck of a horrible scare this past weekend, and most of this week I feel as if I have been holding my breath for the worst. Eclipse is always the hunter of food that she shouldn't eat, and last weekend she managed to find probably one of her most loved should not eat foods...candy bars! I can honestly say that finding one of your animals laying in a pool of their own blood will stop your heart in mid beat. I can also say that having a hysterical Binky Sue screaming about her cat is not something that I really want to live through again soon. Now let me just point out that Eclipse is doing okay...she has been one very pampered kitty this week, and has had to be isolated in Binky Sue's room. After eating candy it passed through her tiny kitty system, the damage that caused the bleeding was from passing it out of her system. The good news is no surgery needed for a blockage, the bad news is that poor little miss kitty kitty has to heal from a tear. Eclipse is probably thinking by this point in time that her human Mom is out of her mind with all of the checking on her during the day, and checking of the liter box, oh and the checking of little kitty behind. I know she would love to be out and about doing her usual things, but vet recommended keeping her away from any other animals that might feel the need to help clean her.
I found myself having to have a conversation with Binky Sue last weekend about the what if's, and the fact that she at that point in time was going to have to prepare for the chance of losing little miss Eclipse.

The painful reminder was that we open our hearts to these wonderful animals and they don't life spans that match our own, which will lead to a painful heartbreak when their time here is done. Now yes, Eclipse is doing fine like I said...probably in the next week she will be able to rejoin the rest of the mini zoo here in a normal daily routine. Lessons learned from this are;
1. Keep the freaking candy hidden and personally hand it out so that no one leaves anything laying around.
2. When Eclipse is doing her wander through the house watch her like a freaking hawk!
3. Buy myself some kind of hand and arm protection for the possibility of having to wash a cat so quickly.
4. That no matter the amount of blood, it spreads and will make the house look like a murder scene.
5. In my house after such a stressful thing happens, there will be tons of really horrible bad jokes made as the situation starts to calm. (I'm talking really horrible jokes!!)

I know that this has been a very long post for Feline and Furball Friday, but it has been a very long emotional week. Even more emotional was to read about the loss of one of the Feline Friday kitties who lost his battle with cancer. I'm going to link over to Ellipsis and would like for everyone to head over there and read about the wonderful kitty Elvis, and leave comments of support to his very sad Mom. Later in the day I will also link over to Steve and Pickle for the Feline and Furball Friday.

I hope that everyone has a good weekend, I think we may all need one this week.

Carly's Tribute to Elvis

Playing the pass the tickets game

100_9420, originally uploaded by torri_g.

This morning Army Guy called me and asked if I would like to head to Tucson tonight for a Chris Cagle concert. Who know such a question would be such a difficult thing for me to answer. His First Sargent had them but can't go tonight, so he went ahead and took them just on the off chance that we could use them. Well, since we are looking at having to keep Little Bug sleep deprived tonight for the trip to TMC tomorrow for the EEG, and the thought of making two round trips to Tucson in much less than 24 hours doesn't really sound all that great, we can't use the tickets for tonight either. So who do we give them to now? It is a wonderful thing that the MWR gives away the free tickets to all kinds of shows, but couldn't it be done a little more in advance? Oh well, I'm sure there will be other tickets another day that can actually be used.

48 hours

P6172823, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Little Bug doesn't know it yet, but in less than 48 hours she will be one very tired little girl. She has an EEG scheduled for Friday morning in Tucson. We are not doing a 72 hour ambulatory EEG, just a sleep deprived same day one. Oh wait...sleep deprived for her means sleep deprived for me too! Well thank goodness Army Guy has Friday off because he is going to have to do the driving up there and back. The real fun part of this is going to be keeping her awake for the hour and a half drive up there Friday morning. Heck it should be fun keeping myself awake on the ride up there. Little Bug should be happy that it will just be the one day and not having to wear the equipment for 72 hours. I know that I'm happy that in case no one remembers to call me with results or get back to me in the next couple of weeks, her next doctors appointment is the day before Thanksgiving, so no waiting 3 months to hear what the EEG showed. For just a little more added fun I have to take her this afternoon to get some blood work done, which she also doesn't know and for a very good reason! Her and Sweetpea are my pass out kids when it comes to getting blood work done, and if they know in advance they will have themselves completely freaked out before we even get to the lab.

Anyway, the Mom in me is hoping that this is a clear EEG, but in light of everything that has gone on here with Little Bug I'm doubting it will be. I happy with how quickly this EEG has been set up, just not real thrilled with the fact that I had to sink to such a mean level to get someone to finally listen to me. Oh well...every now and then we all have to sink to a mean level to get the results that should have just been common sense.

I hope that everyone finds some calm in their week, based on reading my list of regular blogs, there doesn't seem to be a lot of calm going on.

Is it a trick road sign test?

Center of the road?, originally uploaded by torri_g.

While out and about I ran across this and it just made me laugh. Keep left, keep right...well that means stay center of your lane I guess. They have it likes this for both directions of traffic, and for the life of me I can not think of a time that I have ever seen it done this way. I could be wrong but usually one directions gets the keep left sign, and the other direction gets the keep right sign. To me this is either a sign that the drivers here are not aware that they need to stay in the center of their own lanes, or someone on the road crew needs to go back to school for road sign usage 101. Either way it is a perfect funny for today.

I hope that everyone is having a good week so far, and that there is some humor in your day.

Update:

Do to getting a very funny e-mail with title suggestions for this picture, I'm doing a copy and paste with other idea's for title. All names of people who made suggestions have been removed.

Especially when driving: K.I.S.S (keep it simple stupid)

Shoulda bought that Smart Car...

NARROW ROAD

Which one first?

How many road signs does it take?

Drivers license test, trick question . . .

Even road crews overthink a problem . . ..

We have 4 of them for a reason!

Who says you have to choose? When you just can't make up your mind
where to go.

Telling us where to go.

Because common sense wouldn't tell you this. . .

Getting Close Up

100_9351, originally uploaded by torri_g.

For as stressed as last week may have been around here, this week has been completely relaxed. My really happy for the week, other than getting to spend time with hubby who was on leave, was Eclipse allowing close up pictures to be taken of her. To make them even better she even looked right at the camera for a couple of them. Of course being given the chance to capture them I took lots of pictures of kitty, heaven knows when she will be willing to give me the opportunity to do it again. Know if I could just get Miss Angel to sit somewhere other than in the dark area's of the house so I can maybe get some good close ups of her also.

It is Friday so that means time to head over to Steve and Pickle's for Feline & Furball Friday. If you want to play along just post your own and leave a link in comments. I will come back later today to post the link over to Steve and Pickle once they have theirs posted. I hope that everyone has had a great week, and that the weekend is a very relaxing one.

Link to Steve & Pickle's Feline & Furball Friday

Quiet Week

100_9203, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Having a quiet week here this week, and enjoying every minute of so far. Army Guy took leave for four days of this week for our 19th wedding anniversary, and to finish using up his use or lose leave days for the year. Yesterday was a perfect anniversary as far as I'm concerned. Binky Sue's gift to Mom & Dad was sending us out for breakfast, and the rest of the day was spent just relaxing with each other catching up on those endless conversations. I'm finding that with each year that we draw closer to the 20 year mark there is a "WOW" factor that runs through my mind. As I'm sitting here typing this morning the words of a friend are running through my mind..."I can see you two sitting on your front porch, holding hands waiting for the girls, and grand babies to get there for a big holiday dinner." We aren't to the point of grand babies yet, and hopefully still have a few more years before that stage of life gets to us, but Army Guy you are still the only one that I want to be holding hands with waiting for anything!

I hope that everyone is enjoying a quiet, peaceful week.