Racoons eating my cat food

We get these nightly visitors.....  Lately we get the whole "Raccoon Family".....  Bye Bye cat food!

Sorry it's a bad photo..... It's my iphone in the dark......

Look at those eyes......So cute yet so "Don't mess with me" all at the same time.....

There is momma Raccoon......and Hunks weedeater....

Another awful -quality- photo but I was zooming in with the iphone in the dark....

He got a little freaked out with all my photo taking and ran up in a tree.... Hunk shined the flashlight on him so I could get a photo...

 He came back and ate for awhile.....when the bowl was empty he decided to go meet up with the rest of his "gang"

 

California Lake Day

I think everyone needs a lake day from time to time.


Hunk and the girls are always "game" for taking the boat out.  I'm usually feeling "too tired" or "not in the mood"...  But one thing is always true......every time I step up and go with them I have a great time.  It's so fun and really refreshing on a hot California summer day....


When you have had a long day it really helps to sip a nice glass of cold wine on the boat while you watch your Rugrats cry because dad pushed them in kneeboard, wakeboard or just swim around. 

Ahhhhh.....  Relaxation time has begun..... Thank you Jesus for blessing me with wine living on this lake....

Kneeboarding anyone? I don't allow photos of my fat butt bikini body out there kneeboarding....  This is just not (usually) that kind of blog....The kind where I humiliate myself

And my Hunk is going back in the water....  


I may or may not be sitting at the back of the boat enjoying my glass of wine.....

My little rugrat kneeboarding......  I think she could do it all night...

Still going at it..... Little Sister sits watching for the thumbs up (go faster Dad) or the thumbs down (go slower Dad)  OR her favorite....the CRASH...


Since we are on a private lake it's so much more relaxing for this spazin mom because we are the only boat on the lake....  Unless the neighbor comes out, but we take turns, so we each always have the lake to ourselves...

After all that wine swimming, it's time to head to the barn for a yummy Hunk bbq'd ribeye steak and Grilled Peppers and watermelon... 

Bambi in my front yard

When I crawl jump out of bed in the morning and head for my coffee pot it always puts a smile on my face when I look out my slider and see this b-e-a-utiful scenery.

Aren't they adorable??

Momma and baby...

 

I just can't stop taking pictures of them...

How precious is that????  I had to step out onto the porch to get a closer look..

 

Do you see him peaking at me around the rock?  He's like "Oh crud! Someone is on that patio!"

 

He went back behind the rock and then peeked around the other side of the rock at me...  

 

Yes, sweetie, I'm still watching you....

 

He realized I'm harmless....

Feel so blessed to live in the mountains where I get to see all God's creatures roaming around....Except when it's a bear in my backyard or a mountain lion at my tank house then I freak a little 

~Ciao Bellas~

ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILDREN TO HAVE GATHERINGS AT YOUR HOME {Parenting Advise}

Our youngest son had his monthly "Pow Wow" this weekend.  He has a few friends who come over and they camp out in our Meadow. 

Because it was hot outside, because Hunk LOVES doing it and because teenage boys are stinky and must be dipped in water.... Hunk took them all out knee boarding, wake boarding and his all time favorite.......THE TUBE.... 

Which FYI is no longer usable after the boys AND Hunk were done with it.

Once they were finished using up all their energy and destroying things they were STARVED...  Then they come to Momma.

And Momma said EASY PEASY PLEASE....  BBQ hot dogs, chips and watermelon.

BAM.  Dinner is served.

Which most of them stood in our little kitchen and ate......and made another.....and ate...........and made another......and ate..

Why did I buy paper plates again?

Ahhhhh.... That's why......someone actually used a plate......

Then the boys went outside where we had an outdoor movie set up...  Only they brought out the video games to play on the outdoor screen instead.

P.S.  Those are ROOT beer bottles NOT beer...  Momma don't roll like that

It was really funny.......

Maybe not so much to him......  But the hot sauce (Rooster sauce) on his hot dog was funny to all the other boys.  Including Hunk.  Maybe even ESPECIALLY to Hunk.

And actually it really was funny to him too.

AFTER his mouth calmed down.

And even before his mouth cooled off... He loves pulling pranks and he was a great sport about having one pulled on him.

I stopped snapping photos at this point and they took off to the Meadow to begin their camp out. 

I of course didn't get much sleep because (thank you Mr. Cell Phone) I couldn't sleep until I knew they were done going on their "hike" around the property and were "at camp" for the night.

Boys....

Oh, and while they were gone on thier hike my oldest (7th grade) daughter and Hunk headed up to their "campsite" and put their tent up on top of their camper.. 

They usually sneak up and scare them, but since the boys were gone, they had to do SOMETHING.

Morning came quickly.....

I woke up and started making this...........

And this.......

teenage boys are hungry after Pow Wow's

or before them

or during them

or

anytime

and

all times

 I heard them come down and went to see what they were doing....

ummmmmmm.....OK

Ah.  They are seeing if the projector works on my sons stomach.

It's a Rugrat Screen

sorry....silly things crack me up

Hello there teenage friend......

His reply.... "I smell bacon...... you so love us don't you?"

To which I responded "Yes, I do, now keep your paws off until it's ready or I will have to hurt you......after I have more coffee."

Did I mention all these Rugrats are on the wrestling team?  So they could pretty much make me look like a pretzel (all be it a very plump one) if they felt like it...... 

Instead....

They mind.

They love me.

They are good boys.

But I still needed more of this.....

To have the energy to finish more of this......

After going to bed at 2:30 am

Think they are hungry? (and tired)

Breakfast is ready boys...  Come and eat...

Then clean up your mess, pack your crap and go home....

Kidding!

In fact most of the boys stayed until after dinner...

Did I mind?

Nope......We want our home to be "the hang out" place for the kids.

We can keep track of them and their friends without them realizing we are watching

AND

they think we are cool and fun parents

(we so have them fooled)

It's a WIN WIN SITUATION.

I'm all about that

and

I'm all about cheese

(sorry, I'm in a mood)

Moral of the post.... Encourage your kids to have their friends come over.  Try to make a fun environment that will encourage them to WANT to come over. 

This allows you to get to know their friends, see how they behave, influence them in the proper ways to behave and we have really been blessed by many of the children who come and go through our home.

I have a list of kids that I'm honored enough to have call me "Momma"

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Ciao Bellas~

~Momma~

P.S.  Another easy peasy dinner to make for a group is "crockpot chili verdi" or for breakfast if you don't want to do bacon and pancakes do "breakfast burritos"  Whatever you do make it easy on yourself.  Teenagers will eat anything.

Fashion Show's for Cats? YOU BET.

Fashion shows for cats?  You betcha!  At least when you have Rugrat daughters and a cat who is grounded to the house for a couple days.

We had some tractor work done and they asked Hunk if we had any dogs that would be an issue with bringing their dog.  Hunk told them no, because as many of you know while the rugrats and I were in Maui out lab Nestlie (of about 14 years) passed away.  Hunk waited to tell us until we got home because he knew it would be hard news to take. (And our dog Buck ran away one too many times and we never found him)

Here is our Nestlie:

Don't you love her nails?  My sweet girl.  We love and miss you Nestlie.  RIP precious animals of past

Soooooooo.  Hunk told him we didn't have any dogs.  What none of us thought about is our CAT (which we only have ONE cat left).  I guess his dog has never seen a cat but has chased plenty of squirrels in his day.  You can guess where this is going.  It started with a chase under a vehicle, and older man chasing his dog with a stick and slipping and falling (feeling more embarrassed than hurt), then turned to our cat trying to climb out sliding glass door, lots and lots of screaming and just when it looked as though our kitty's life would be coming to an end he shot out and made it to a tree before the dog got him.  He stayed up there for hours...

Since the tractor work has gone on for two days the cat has found a new home inside.  Only one poop accident on the carpet, I am have been impressed!

So my daughters just showed me these photos and I had to share with you. 

Welcome to the Kitty fashion show......  My daughter is helping with this post as she would like to leave the remarks about the clothing. (smile)

\

New from Calvin Kline, plaid is back in with this sexy look.

Come to the lake in your summer outfit.  Notice how the green bring out his eyes and the holes in this outfit allow for cooling.

Take this fashionable hat!  It has storage for all your cat nip needs.

Check out this vibrant bow?  Huhhhhhh ladies? 

Going to work at the office boys?  I would highly suggest this I love Sugar Pine Christian Camp tie.  It's the perfect accent to any outfit.

Don't you wish your tie was hot like mine?  Dontcha? .... Dontcha? 

For the cold winter days try this new fashionable coat.

Check out this choker for the ladies....

One free baseball with any purchase.... (Momma here.....did you notice he is rubbing his eyes.... I'm sorry Kitty)

A night out on the town?  Not a problem with this awesome sheer coat

.

The ribbons on this coat make a nice accent to this baby blue color.

Thank you for watching my fashion show.  My cat appreciates your support.

Did you like it?

Signed, Momma's Rugrat