The Furry News

Ten days ago the McKibbin family adopted two kittens from the Cat House. It was a surprisingly extensive process to adopt these two, more reminiscent of a match.com experience than I expected. McKibbin indicates this is customary. Each kitten came with a three page application, family interview, microchip implant, and a diligent, friendly, cat-loving case worker.

Pictured above is Ms. Maggie. Her brother, Miles, bats at the wrist strap of my camera every time I try to take his picture. Photo sessions are more of a game than anything else. I have yet to get a good mug shot of him but I have fun trying.

They're both delightful and mischievous, so, they fit right in. I guess the match.com approach really works.
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Reading with Naomi: A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Dinner Line Up: Rice Noodles with Thai Peanut Sauce & Veggies.
Quote of My Day: "Mommy, soon the kittens won't be little anymore. They won't want to play with us because they'll have big cat things going on."

Driveway Discussion

N: I really like the summertime.
Me: I'm glad.
N: How come you're glad?
M: I'm glad you're the sort of person who finds a lot of things to enjoy. Not everybody finds such joy in this world.
N: Maybe those people are waiting for us to live on Mars.
M: Maybe.

Under Construction

Months ago McKibbin and I scheduled time off from our respective jobs this week. We had visions of traveling to the northern center of the state for the Nebraska Star Party.

Our vacation plans, however, were crushed by the construction zone of our cabin, and various odds 'n' ends around our house needing attention. Essentially we traded in a week-long road trip with canoes, campfires, a three-man tent and two telescopes for manual labor.

It sounds like a raw deal, I know, and someday I would like to attend one of these Star Parties. To be honest, though, I rather enjoy working with my husband. I like reading books outloud in the car together. I like the forward motion of working as a team. The way he jokes around in the aisles of Home Depot, or completely dismisses ill advice from hardware store clerks. He has a knack for these things. Diving into the project list gives me the chance to follow McKibbin's lead, or try to anyway.

Instead of packing up the car this weekend, and icing up food in the cooler for a week at Merritt Reservoir...I located my work gloves, and purchased the mega-sized bottle of ibuprophen. Though I would consider my purchase of cold beer to have stayed relatively constant.

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Recent Happening: Submitted an Admissions Application to UND Engineering College. Pending their acceptance, I'll start an online Civil Engineering degree program this fall. The duration of panic between filing out and sending in the application only lasted 2 days. Not bad.

Her Girlz

We have the final gathering of Naomi's American Girl book club tonight at the Public Library. Yes, I'm that mom. The one who organizes the group photo and shows up to the last gathering with copies for everyone. But it's a sweet group, and my camera-happy habit can't come as that big of a surprise.

Color-By-Salads Weekend

Being vegetarians McKibbin & I occupy a specific and quirky space throughout the BBQ and grilling weekend of July 4th. It's called the side-dish. This weekend our kitchen was "cold salad" central. Cashew-Broccoli salad with a lime vinaigrette. Roasted potato salad with honey dijon & rosemary dressing. Tortellini salad with garden tomatoes and parsley.

Naomi was thrilled to eat among other omnivores. She will often consider our household to be cruel and unusual vegetarian punishment.

She also set off her first fireworks this year. McKibbin was thrilled to finally, finally have company with the 'splosions. I try my best, but prove a lousy audience for the smokey, noisy byproducts of fireworks.

Swimming. Sunlight. Bug-spray. Thrilling pyrotechnics. Friends. Family. Sigh. We had a great weekend.
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Currently Reading: Apollo's Fire: Igniting America's Clean Energy Economy by Jay Inslee & Bracken Hendricks
Naomi Reading Outloud: Jess by Mary Casanova
Recent Undertaking: Teaching myself to make chocolate covered pralines.

Burning Question

We've all fielded some version of the burning building question, right? Let's assume your house is on fire. What do you grab as you rush away from the flames? Naomi's book club was posed this question by their instructor last night. One by one the kids listed the thing they would grab and transport to safety.

The list was your usual suspects: the Hannah Montana movie, various Nintendo Wii games, a baby blanket, a beloved book, the Barbie deluxe dream house, Hot Wheels, etc.

We circle around the table finally arriving at Naomi's turn. Loud and clear my girl pipes up, "I would grab my mom and dad, because, the rest of it is just stuff."