A Monday Post to Make You Feel Good

....because you probably didn't have a morning like mine.

How I feel right now

So this morning my three kids went back to school after 16 days off, which in years past as a full-time mom, would be cause for a celebration of sorts; however, this year I've been kind of dreading not having them around  - maybe it's because they help so much with the Cardi Boys. Yes, that's probably it, well anyway, one of my new 2011 calendars says my daughter (who will be called R) had an orthodontist appointment at 8 a.m. this morning, requiring my husband and I to make creative arrangements (last night) about who would drive her there and who would be responsible for getting the other two kids (W and E) to their respective schools on time. I decided to drive R and W to the ortho appointment and then to their respective schools, while my husband stayed home to ensure E got on her bus.  This is where it all came undone, as follows:

1. Running late; rush out the door and forget breakfast for R & W.
2. Get to orthodontist at 8:05 a.m.; park car; while still in car, fumble around in pile of papers for appointment card to drop into bowl for prize drawing; read card; see Thursday, January 6, @ 8:00 a.m. on card; read card three more times being sure to blink hard in between each attempt because eyesight is failing; try hard to remember why R has appointments on both Jan. 3 and Jan. 6; remember that Jan. 3 appointment was cancelled and rescheduled to an office more convenient to R's school; feel really stupid and frustrated; tell R and W that we have to leave and come back on Thursday.
3. R and W talk mom (me) into getting them breakfast in the McDonald's drive-thru.
4. Sit in drive-thru long enough without moving for W (who is 7) to exclaim, "What's going on?! Do you think they spilled someone's chocolate milk? This isn't good service."
5. Order two value meals and Egg McMuffin + large fully leaded coffee (for me).
6. Get up to window to pay; girl asks, "Did you get an Egg McMuffin meal?"; answer, "Yes" while thinking (plus a bunch of other stuff); hand girl debit card (don't remember hearing price quoted); take receipt and card; shove both in console.
7. At pick-up window, lady starts to hand me a really small bag and some OJ; "Not mine," I say; eyes roll; girl who took my debit card shows up to inform me I still owe her some $; hand back card; take correct bag of food and most importantly - coffee; listen to nice lady in window explain why it's not a good idea for McDonald's to have two drive thru windows going at the same time; take new receipt and card.
8. Drive R to school out in the middle of nowhere; go inside and tell Attendance lady that R was late due to an orthodontist appt. (no, it wasn't completely true, but that was my story).
9. Drive W to school 20 miles in opposite direction; nature called while waiting in car in bus loop for what seemed like eternity.
10. Get home; go to retrieve Cardi Boys from ex-pen in family room - whilst nature has hung up the phone and is now knocking on door; discover this:



Dewi howling (Jon behind him); ex-pen has been pushed into middle of room; edge of wool rug has been shorn

11. Release dogs; clean up rug fibers.
12. Visit "Girls'" room; there's no TP; get TP from laundry room.
13. Feed Cardi Boys.
14. Reluctantly call vet to make appointment for Jon Farleigh's neuter; schedule for this Thursday, Jan. 6; blood quickly drains from my head into my stomach (my poor baby!).
15. Read e-mail; discover calendar ordered online this weekend is now 30% off.
16. Notice Cardi Boys are not underfoot and house is too quiet; call boys, but only Dewi comes; Dewi barks and sits up on hind quarters (potty dance?); follow Dewi to back door, but instead Dewi leads me to bottom of stairs; notice Jon Farleigh smiling at top of stairs (he can go up, but won't come down); discover nature's calling card on carpet; remind self that Jon's still mentally a puppy; clean up carpet; take Boys outside; come back inside.
17. Five minutes later notice Cardi Boys are not underfoot and strange muffled sound is coming from family room; discover both dogs huddled in corner under real Christmas tree (yes, it's still up); find chewed off lower branch attached to mouths of both Jon and Dewi - pine needles and mangled bark everywhere (need to look up whether Frasier Fir sap is harmful to dogs); clean up tree mess.
18.  Remember why I was dreading the kids going back to school = me alone with bored Cardi Boys. [sigh]

If you're still reading this, bless you!  I promise my next post will be much less time-consuming. Happy Monday!

Birthday Cake (not fit for human consumption)

So I bought Jonny a birthday cake at Three Dog Bakery. My very first cake purchase for a pet - ever. But, since this awesome doggie bakery/boutique has opened up in town, I honestly couldn't wait for the time to come.  I mean, who wouldn't want to get their furry baby an adorable little homemade and personalized (by someone else) bone shaped birthday cake? (Apparently only the dog-obsessed according to my husband and children - but that's another story.)



Peanut Butter Icing, Chopped Peanuts and Carob

 Anyway, as I was paying (13 bucks well-spent) for the little cake, the girl behind the register said, "Oh, and it feeds 10." Since, as I stated before, I'm new to the whole doggie birthday cake thing, I was momentarily dumbfounded and I'm sure appeared like a deer in headlights as I thought to myself, "surely she means 10 dogs," but I was too embarrassed to ask her. So then I quickly glanced down at the ingredients posted on the display case and read: wheat flour, honey, bla, bla. I thought, "surely this cake isn't for people, she must mean 10 dogs, but who invites nine dogs over to eat cake? Oh, just buck up and ask her already!" [lift eyes to make eye contact] "Ten dogs, right?" I finally asked. "Uh huh," she said with a slight grin. Or maybe I imagined that. Boy, did I feel stupid when I walked out. :)  The dogs LOVED the cake, by the way, and still have eight more servings saved for later.

The Partying Cardi Boys

I would ever so much like some of that, please!

Dude, this ROCKS!

nomnonnomnom

Please put us where the cake is, and hurry.

I will wait for crumbs.

Happy New Year...Birthday, Baby!

Today is special in many ways, but mostly because it's may baby boy Jon Farleigh's first birthday! Happy Birthday to Jonny and his sweet littermates!
MyCorgi original post and more photos here.

More to come after the cake cutting this afternoon!
Happy New Year, y'all!