MrsMama, Cat Expresser

Well, we finally got the house on the market.  Here are some of the interior shots that I took to give to the realtor.  I think it cleaned up nicely.  I especially like our bedroom; we finally removed the Country-style wall paper that was there when we moved in. 

View Full Album

I am a master at moving stuff from place to place to make things look tidy.  I usually cram things into my bedroom closet – out of sight, out of mind!  I can’t do that so much now.  We are getting new carpet this week so I will be venturing into the deepest, darkest corners of said closet tomorrow.  Wish me luck!

Now for a Frodo update.  When we brought him home from the vet’s on Friday, he wasn’t able to use the restroom by himself.  Without going into the lovely details, let’s just say that we had to help him go several times a day.  Yesterday he used his litter box successfully for the first time!  Then again last night.  For the first time, I think that he might just make a full recovery.  Happy news!

Now, if I can just master the art of giving pills to a cat.  Feel free to chime in with any tips!

I Miss You

Thank you for all of your kind comments and sweet wishes for Frodo.  We stopped by the Vet’s yesterday to get an update.  He still isn’t using the restroom but they give him about a 75% chance of regaining those abilities.  So today they will show us how to “express” a cat (manually help empty his bladder) and send him home with stool softeners.  We’re thrilled he’s coming home, although the thought of a cat on a laxative in a house on the market is not a pretty one. :P

We got to see Frodo yesterday and got lots of happy purrs and cuddles in.  The entire staff remarked what a sweet and friendly cat he is and how much they’ve enjoyed him.  (Of course, for what we’re paying this week, they’d BETTER say that. ;)

In the meantime, I’m still juggling painters and cleaners and roof inspectors and garage door-fixers and handymen and carpet ladies and hobos and realtors.  The house is supposed to go on the market at the end of the day.  I don’t see that happening.  But it’s still early…

I miss the days of catnapping with my cat.  And drinking fresh coffee.  And browsing your blogs.

Now I gotta run!

Changes

This week we have been in the process of fixing up our house in order to get it ready to place on the market.  It’s been pretty crazy!

The outside of our house was a cheerful yellow, with white trim and green shutters and a green door.  It was looking pretty faded and dirty so we painted it a warm gray with white trim, black accents and a red door.

I took some external shots for our Realtor yesterday.  What do you think?  I think *I *would totally buy it.

View Full Album

Frodo

On Friday I accidently backed over our dear, sweet cat’s tail when we were leaving for school.  It was fractured and bruised in the area that houses the nerves for his bladder.  So right now, poor Frodo is at the vet’s, with a catheter and IV.  We’re waiting to see if his inability to, well, go potty is caused by temporary swelling from the injury or if those nerves are permanently damaged.   On Thursday, the vet will remove the catheter and, if Frodo can use his litter box, he gets to come home.  If not, well…   :(

We’re all hoping he heals up!

The vet bills are mounting at an alarming rate and my children have set up a Tupperware container labeled “Coins for Kitty”.  They’ve  pooled all of their birthday money and loose change.  It’s really sweet.  And my Favorite Sister and my mother have both called in with vows of emotional and financial support.  This cat has really won the hearts of us all.

Winner

 

Congratulations, Teresa, you have won the shutterbug necklace from Hip Mom Jewelry!  Please email your contact information to MrsMomster@gmail.com

For the rest of my readers, Ann is offering a discount just for you.  If you order in the next 7 days and enter “ALLASTONISHMENT” at the checkout, you will get %15 off of your order.

Thanks for entering everyone, and thanks Ann for the beautiful necklace!

Stretched

If you’ve ever sold a house, you know how crazy things can get!

Right now we’re in the Fix-Up-All-the-Things-We’ve-Let-Go-the-Last-Seven-Years-All-in-One-Week stage.  I am feeling a bit overwhelmed.  I am alternating between cleaning, packing, doing yard work, dealing with Gutter Guys, Bankers, Roofers, Realtors, Handymen and Painters, and consuming large amounts of tea and cinnamon-sugar toast and wanting to curl up in bed and nap until it’s all over.

Oh, and I have a cold.

On the upside, I have a photoshoot with a dear family tonight.  I am really looking forward to getting out of my house for a bit and just having some fun with them.  We're heading to the red barn.

And tonight I get to choose the winner of Hip Mom Jewelry's camera necklace.  Yea! 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I can just squeeze in a cup of tea and a nap before I tackle those dings on the wall in the basement...

Giveaway!

I have something special for you today!

Ann, from Hip Mom Jewelry, creates beautiful hand-stamped necklaces and bracelets.   Her work has been seen around well-known necks such as The Pioneer Woman, April,and now MrsMama!   She recently designed this unique piece and is generously giving one away to readers at All Astonishment.

This necklace features an original drawing of a camera by Hip Mom Jewelry’s artist-in-resident.  The optional second charm can be hand-stamped with the winner’s choice of a word or two.



I chose the words “captum momento” for my second charm.  It means “capture the moment” in Latin and is a reminder for me not only to freeze those fleeting bits of time with my camera, but to truly live in the moments that I’ve been given.

Faithful readers know how much I like Jane Austen’s prayer:
"Teach us... that we may feel the importance of every day, of every hour as it passes."

If you would like a chance to win one of Ann’s camera necklaces, take a look at her website then leave a comment below.  If you become a fan of Hip Mom’s Jewelry on Facebook, or Tweet about the contest, then you will get an extra entry.  Just let me know in your comment.

Good luck!  Contest ends Sunday night.  I will randomly choose a winner and will let you know on Monday.

You Won’t Want to Miss this One

 

Keep your eyes open for an upcoming giveaway.  You will not want to miss this one!

All Choked Up

Here are a few self-defense techniques we’ve been working on in class lately.  They are actually pretty practical to know.  I remember a time when I was a girl; a boy grabbed me by the throat and started choking me, just like in the video.  I was shocked and frightened and had no idea what to do.  I dare him to try that on me now. ;)

The second technique (escaping a bear hug from behind) is also practical and very easy to do.  Just be careful when you’re throwing those elbows – once I accidentally gave Miss Munchkin a bloody nose in class after she tried to pick me up.  Sorry Sweetie!

The Best Laid Schemes

Well, CountessLaurie asked me to blog about Martial Arts.  Actually, she asked me to blog about "Marital Arts", but this is a rated-G blog, so I'm afraid I will have to pass.  ;)

And right now, I'm not going to blog about Martial Arts either.  I have a realtor coming to my house in a few hours and this place is a mess!  I'm off to clean and stuff things in closets....

Happy Friday!

Ewwww.

I've been putting off doing our U.S. Census.  It's been sitting on our counter for weeks, just mocking me.  Then the cat threw up on it and, well, it is not a pretty sight. 

Sigh.  I'd better hold my nose and just do it.

Miss Margo Mae

Lindsay's beautiful baby, Miss Margo Mae, has been gathering a bit of attention lately.  She has been chosen as one of Ree's favorite pictures in her "Green" contest.  There are some incredible photos there so check it out!

Congratulations, Lindsay, she really is amazing.

For my new readers, Miss Margo was the baby in my first Newborn Photoshoot.  You can see her here, before she was born.  You can see me practicing on creepy babydolls here.  And the results from our first Shoot here and here.

Easter Suprise

Check out Ree's blog today.  There is a very cute baby you might recognize.... :)

In Honor of Aging

For those of us who are getting Older, I'd like to dedicate this little song:

April 1st

“April 1.  This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other three hundred and sixty-four”. Mark Twain, Pudd'nhead Wilson, 1894

I am not a fan of April Fool’s Day.  First, I do not like surprises and secondly, I had a bad experience with an April Fool’s Day prank in college.  Feeling very clever, I put red KoolAid in the shower head of our shared bathroom and waited for the blood-colored water to freak out some sweet young thing.  Think Carrie.  Instead, my suite-mate walked into our small bathroom and said, "What's that smell?"  She walked over the shower, fully clothed, and turned it on to investigate.  I spent the afternoon scrubbing little red dots out of her white pants.  She was mad for a month.

This morning, when Master Munchkin woke up, he did not spring from bed like he always does.  He couldn’t!  Apparently, sometime in the night, Miss Munchkin snuck into his room and wove a ball of yarn into an intricate maze of above his bed.  It was fairly elaborate and must have taken quite a bit of time.  By the time I came back with my camera, he had escaped and destroyed the evidence.  But it looked a little like this.

The children then ran around the house and changed all the clocks, which caused MrMama to get to work early.  I think that was really funny!  It wasn't quite so funny when I woke up from an afternoon catnap and thought I missed getting the Master out the door in time for his Martial Arts lesson.  No, I wasn't laughing then.  But the kids were.

I’m so glad the children have branched out.  The previous 3 years have consisted on taping down the sprayer to the kitchen sink and aiming it just so.  I hate that trick!  I’m usually the one who gets spayed when I turn on the water.  I fall for it every year.

Reader’s Choice

All right, Dear Readers, what would you like to see next on All Astonishment?

• Shots from my new camera
• Something related to my Favorite Sister 
• Part 2 of How to Snap your Dog’s Sanity
• Hear about the latest from Martial Arts class
• A photography tip
• A self-defense tip
• Discover what happened on April Fool’s Day at our house