Mindy magic

If you're not a cat person, then you are excused from reading this post (although on a side note, there must be something wrong with you)...I want to share a little Mindy-love.
The week before school started, the kids were gifted some big boxes, so they went to work making things from them.  Abigail decided to make a fort/home for Mindy.  I am fully convinced that this cat understands exactly what the kids say...no sooner had Abigail declared it ready than Mindy went in and did all of the things she was supposed to do.  She played with the feather dangling from the ceiling...

 ...she went to the window and looked out...

 ...and then she settled down inside it for a long nap.

 The kids were so delighted.  Have I mentioned how awesome this cat is?!

She does have an annoying habit or two...like insisting on getting drinks from any flower vase I have in the house.  But she's so cute about it that we can't stay annoyed for long!

When working on a project with wood glue and a chair, who needs clamps when you have a cat?!

Here she is getting her birthday treat.  Not tuna, or meat, or even a cat treat...no, her favorite treat in the world is homemade spaghetti sauce.  She closes her eyes and eats it in a happy coma-like state.  Crazy cat!

 We are thankful for our sweet cat!  She lives as though the whole world was put here just for her joy and delight and yet she is mild-mannered, patient, sweet, and very laidback.  She loves Nerf guns and she doesn't mind loud noise, children jumping over and around her, or visiting babies who are still learning to be gentle.  She loves to be in the middle of our family, always a part of the action.  The Lord gave our family a wonderful gift when He gave us our sweet Mindy!

Bits and pieces

Here are a few bits of pieces of our life over the last week or two, in no particular order...

We enjoyed time with one of our friends' baby while they went to a meeting...people insist that it's an imposition, but little do they know just how much we enjoy loving on a baby in this household!

 I had to take this picture of Abigail on Sunday...she just looked so tall and young lady-ish...

 I have been busy this week putting together stuff to sell at a kids' consignment sale.  It was a big project...but at least it's done now, and our household has 173 items fewer than it did previously!

The kids have been playing "MacGyver" lately and have been very creative in their props.  Notice that David's bazooka is actually his pogo stick. :)

Grandma Minota got into the fun and sent the kids a camouflage/bad-guy-trapping net.  The kids love it...

 ...and so does Mindy, of course!

Getting back into the swing of school

We have finished our first week of school!  I am pleased to report that it went very well, and we already felt 'in the swing of things' only a few days into the new year.  We start our school days at eight o'clock and are usually done around two o'clock, and for the most part, our school day is structured and orderly.  Surprisingly, the one who had the most trouble adjusting to the new routine was Mindy!  She had gotten used to following the kids around all summer while they ran around and played busily, so this holding-still idea threw her a little bit.  After a few days, though, she settled back into last year's routine...first, lie in the middle of the table and wait patiently for us to pay attention to her.

 When we just ignore her and keep on working, she bats pencils, tries to chew erasers, and then walks around on top of the kids' papers so that they can't do their work.

 After I intervene, she usually tries an attention-getting stunt...sometimes she brings one of her 'mousies' and waits for someone to play fetch with her; sometimes she gets up on top of the kitchen cabinets and tightrope-walks all the way around, and the more the kids giggle, the more she shows off.

 Finally, quite satisfied with herself and convinced that no, indeed, we are not going to leave the school table anytime soon, she settles in on her window seat (which is right next to our school table) and naps for most of the morning.  Every class has its clown!

Neither of the kids are allowed to clown in class, but one of my students doesn't hold still in the traditional sense.  This is his current favorite reading/thinking/studying pose. (And as long as he's not disturbing anyone else, I let him 'sit still' just like that...because although it often seems he's not paying attention at all, he usually has a complete grasp on whatever we're studying!)

For those of you who have wondered why we start school at the beginning of August, here's part of the answer...

Add in the humidity and other 'extras' to figure out the heat index, and it becomes clear that August is HOT down here.  Since we'd rather be inside with the A/C when the weather is like this anyway, we do school during August...and then, when the weather is nearly perfect in May/June, we're done with school and outside playing.

We are done with 3% of our school year -- nice work, guys!  After a successful first week of school, a little R & R is in order!

A furry friend birthday

Happy 2nd birthday to our sweet Mindy!

First day of school 2011-2012

We did it!  One wonderful day of school done...only 179 more to go! :)