A work in progress

Ok, why is it underlining what I type?? I can't figure it out!!! UGH! Anyway, I have been DREADING undecorating after Christmas because the house always looks so dull after you take down all the decorations. Especially when you have literally one or two decorations to your name. So, before Mommy and Daddy left and to encourage me to undecorate, Mom bought me a few decorations. It's a work in progress but I spose we have our whole lives to collect decorations, right?



The mantel. Grammy made the doily, Mommy C bought the 3 matching vases and candlestick, and Momma B gave us the picture frame!


This is about the only other area of the house that's decorated, haha! Does anyone recognize the quilt?? (Aunt Deb??) :) We got the shelf for Christmas, the rocking chair was made over and cushions rebuilt by Mommy and Grammy, and there's a very antique doily from my Great, Great Grandma! :) We're getting there, slowly but surely! It sure does make you thankful for the few things you do have! :)

I love cow poop....seriously

Haha! Gotcha! :) It's not real cow poop, of course! Actually it's chocolate covered sunflower seeds and they are delicious!!!


Thanks for the cow poop Auntie and Uncle Tim! :)

Cat television and a poor pup

So, before I moved to Idaho, EVERY Thursday (and a few other days during the week) Raja and I trucked up to Gram's and Gramp's for coffee. Raja LOVED going to Gramma's, especially during the winter. She would sit in their window with the birdfeeder right outside and watch for hours. Before I moved out here, I would wonder if they had any birds or what kinds of birds. I was very nervous about not having any birds. Well, let me tell you!....We have birds!!!!!! It's almost frightening how many birds we have. Let's just say the cats are very happy! Well, for Christmas Ma and Pa C. got us a birdfeeder! Being that it's a tad bit cold and the ground is frozen, I figured we would wait until spring to get a shepherds hook to hang it on. But I wanted to hang it up NOW! So, Jed pounded a nail into our back porch overhang thingy and we hung it up there. Voila! TV for the cats! :)






I especially love it when they "chatter" at the birds. I wish I knew why they did that. It's the strangest thing.


Ok, so this is not a good picture, but it cracks me up. This morning when I got up, I noticed Izzy didn't come to greet me like she ALWAYS does. She was asleep in her bed and wouldn't even acknowledge me. I began to worry and Jed said that she wasn't acting herself at work either. We finally got her up and noticed a pretty significant limp on her left front paw. (This is not the funny part.) She was terribly mopey looking all day, it broke our hearts and if it continues we plan on taking her to the vet. SO, I was trying to take a picture of sad looking Izzy and Raja and her INSANELY long whiskers got in the way. Haha!


"What Mom, I'm so cute and angelic. Look at me smile! I have beautiful whiskers!"


Here's the look that broke Jed's and my heart. She did this all day long. I just wanted to cry! We felt so bad for her, we gave her all her favorite toys...her pink octopus and rope. She didn't even feel good enough to rip them apart! Poor baby girl! I hope she didn't break another leg!!! Argh!

Passing time in Idaho

Snuggled in on a cold winter night.


Jed's eating his peanut butter chocolate. :)


Izzy being a brat....but she's cute. :)


I think she might be a daddy's girl. What a goober.

FINALLY......my piano!!!!

I almost thought that I would never be able to say those words...."my piano." I was so excited and happy on Christmas morning when I opened my confirmation letter of the piano, I cried like a little baby! I am not quite sure Jed knows how much it means to me, but it's one of the most amazing gifts I've ever received. Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!


The Williams Symphony. It has more buttons than I have figured out how to use, but I'm working on it! :)


Izzy likes to lay by my feet while I play. I love it. :) (I don't love it when she lays on my feet and licks or bites them though; which also happens, haha!!!)

Dress up

Izzy was helping fold the laundry...well, maybe it was more like me bored folding the laundry and the dog was an innocent bystander. But it sure did provide for a load of laughs!






Nun dog!


Sister Izzy, how cute! :)


"I feel embarrassed. Mom and Dad are laughing at me!" (Those eyes get ya every time!)


Little orphan Izzy.



Let's just say, by the end of all this, Jed and my stomachs and faces hurt so much from laughing. Why have animals if you can't enjoy them right? Don't worry! Izzy is a good sport! :)

Shoshone Falls

While Mommy and Daddy were out, I decided to take them to Shoshone Falls, which is about 45 minutes from our house. It was very windy and chilly, but beautiful and we were the only people there! (Jed couldn't go because he had some friends visiting and needed to show them around the farm. :( )






The snake river








This was the view on our way home of the snow covered mountains. You'll probably be able to see it better if you click on the picture to enlarge it.

Christmas with Ma and Pa

The time FINALLY came that my Mommy and Daddy came out to see us! I don't think I stopped smiling the entire time they were out here. It was so nice to have family around again....a little too nice. It made it VERY hard to let them go again, ugh. While they were out, we got to celebrate Christmas again! :)



All the gifts under the tree.



Izzy opening her presents. She got a new football and a pink Octopus. She chewed off one of the legs in about 5 minutes.




Jed got sunflower seeds in his stocking!




Handing out the presents.



Santa brought Jed a level to help hang his wife's things!




Raja opening her gift from Gwam.



BACONNN!!!!



I was very excited about this gift...a recipe box made by Daddy out of Grandpa Coats' black walnut.



Meanwhile, while we were busy opening our gifts, Raja got a little impatient and opened her bacon on her own and pulled out a piece and started eating it!!! I wouldn't have believed it myself if I didn't see it with my own eyes!




New slippers! Yay! My old ones had holes...but I'm still sad to throw them away.



A birdfeeder for our gazillions of birds. We will go broke buying seeds! (But the cats will have some entertainment)



Mommy opening her ornament and Jed opening his shop vac.




Dad enjoying his desk calendar. :)



Jed ready to suck up something.




Pretty happy about this present too. Lately, Jed and I have been having a streak of breaking things. I busted one of my Pfaltzgraff plates so Mom and Dad replaced that one. Jed later broke one of the bowls...so we have yet to replace that one. I think we will start buying rubber place settings.



Snuggling with Raja in our new blanket.




Mommy frosting Christmas cookies




Decorating Christmas cookies.




Izzy wants a cookie




Yummmmm!!!




Daddy enjoying his gingerbread cookie. I might have gone a little overboard....I made about 4 dozen gingerbread cookies, about 5 dozen Christmas cookies, a batch of cinnamon rolls, 2 loaves of homemade break, a tray of maple walnut fudge, and a tray of peanut butter fudge. We still have a bit of food left, so visitors are welcome!




Cooking a chicken in my rotisserie oven from Aunt Deb and Uncle John. (We used the spices you guys sent out and it was to die for!!!)




Jed also got a wheelbarrow for Christmas....so we tried it out! :)



Another Merry Christmas! :)

Christmas Continues!

We got another package in the mail the other day from Aunt Debbie and Uncle John! All the support and presents from our family have been overwhelming! We are truly blessed.








Izzy got a present from her cousin, Piper!




She knows how to open them herself now too!




Raja says, "where's mine?" Seriously, this cat is a tad spoiled, she thinks all presents are for her!




Raja says, "See, I knew there was something in there for me!"




A kitty ornament! (And I don't think it's breakable, which is what we need around here!)




And some yummy treats!




Izzy likes her treats too. They actually keep her busy for more than 1/2 an hour!




All the loot! Complete with his and hers fly swatters!!! :) Thank you so much Aunt Debbie and Uncle John! We miss you lots! Come see us anytime!



Ness guarding the presents. :)