While You Are Waiting

I'm working on my vacation pictures right now. But I took over 400 so it's taking a little bit. I'm going to put the bulk of them up in our online album but I know that will take a bit (did I mention I took over 400 pictures?) and, quite frankly, I've forgotten how to upload them so I will need to pester Dan about it. But I do want to post some of the best ones on my blog here (so no one has to wade through hundreds of pictures to find something interesting) and that's what I'm working on. But yeah, it will take a little bit of time.

And because of that, I'm offering two things to tide you over (though only one related). First: for the little bit of time you must continue to wait, I offer a Little Bit.

Bitty Box 3?

Bitty likes small boxes. And box-like things, apparently. This is a shallow basket currently sitting on the plant stand. It used to hold face cloths in the bathroom but is looking for a new home. It was being temporarily used on the plant stand as a catch-all (which is why Bitty is cuddling with my old cell phone), but after this picture, it has been emptied out to make sure Bitty has enough room if she wants to use it again. Though I haven't seen her up there yet so maybe cuddling with the cell phone was a big selling point.

Second: this one is a bit more related to the whole vacation thing. After we arrived in Atlanta, we went to the Georgia Aquarium (way cool, by the way) where, like a theme park or cruise, they take your picture upon entering.

Yay! Fish!

This is the pic they took of our little group. The large fish over Dan are whale sharks, huge beasties that is pretty much GA's biggest deal.

So there you go. A good 30 seconds of entertainment while you wait the hours it will take me to get my vacation pictures all straight.

But to whet your excitment even more, I have unofficially dubbed our Georgia trip as The Year of the Mushroom. Ooooo.

You can't wait now, can you?

Grumpy + Love = Bitty

A short minute and a half video demonstrating the wonder of the Love Bitty.

The Events of Last Thursday

I'm having way too much fun recording the kitties. But sometimes I get a little something extra along with my kitty cuteness.

Here's what happened last Thursday morning.

They Call Her... Wom-bitty

In another "our kitty looks like someone else" post, I submit for your approval, the Wom-Bitty:

Baby Wombat

Not-so-Baby Wom-Bitty

Scratching Post Make-Over

I meant to post about this earlier in the month when it happened, but yeah, I didn't.

When we bought our new kitty food, we also got a new scratching post. Our other one was looking a little rough.

Chloe Approved

Okay, more than a little rough.

This is scratching post number three since Dan and I have been married. We got this scratching post the first time because it was the only one offered, but then Nibby started balancing on it so when it was time to get a replacement, we wanted something just as challenging for him so he could display his coolness. So we got it again. And this time we just got it because we literally walked right by it and figured we might as well get the same one again - the kitties like it and Bitty does her own special type of balancing on it (instead of standing on the top like Nibby did, she jumps up there and lays across it, leans her arms down and basically scratches while mostly upside-down).

Anyway, I thought the condition of our old one was pretty fun so I wanted to share. Sadly, I don't find the condition of my desk chair near as funny.

Ah, kitties.

Coliti-Bitty

Bitty has colitis.

She had a bit of blood in her poop so Friday she went to the vet. Now she's got some bland canned food that we sprinkle some powder on to balance the bacteria and whatnot in her digestive tract.

It is possible that she's developing an allergy to the food we feed them, so Dan and I decided to get some new food. Dan did lots of research and found out what makes a good kitty diet. So we picked up some expensive, but high on protein and zero grain, food which has lots of fish and fowl meal in it. It smells very fishy.

But the kitties aren't eating it. I think because it smells so different. Because it really does. So I'm hoping they like it because we got two bags - and it will be a lot healthier for them.

So, fingers crossed that they start liking the food, that the food helps Sammy smell less and that Bitty gets healthy soon.

Cuteness in Bitty Form

A couple of Bitty pictures to display the total cuteness that is our tiniest one:

Dan was napping. So was Bitty. Apparently they both wanted to burrow.

Bitty saying hello to the camera from her favorite playground - the laundry basket.

Kitty Cuteness

It's been a while since I posted - sorry about that! I could say it is because life has been so busy and exciting that there just hasn't been enough time to post, but that would be a lie. I actually was sick for a little bit and ended up sleeping a lot. Which doesn't lead to very exciting blogging.

But, I've finally decided to expend a little energy and share some of the cuteness the kitties have been getting up to. After all, a number of packages have come in lately and you know what that means: kitties in boxes!

Chloe in a Box... with the Covers Pulled Up

I'm not really sure how Chloe managed to do this, but I imagine it took a little bit of time. We have such talented kitties.

Currently, two of the boxes in the kitchen have managed to get their flaps folded over and then dented to make a perfect kitty hammock. That kind of box set up leads to a lot of exposed bellys.

Cocoa Lounging in the Hammock Box

Of course, don't think that other items on the floor are neglected from becoming kitty spots. Bitty has recently taken a liking to any pillows that are put in the floor.

It's a Soft, Squishy Box... or Not

Bitty is also a fan of the alert "What was THAT?" face.

Sammy isn't a big box fan. He spends most of his time sleeping on the scratch mat in the living room. This time he was just hanging out on the mat but doing it in such a way that showed of his chubby little 'tocks oh so cutely (I think).

Sammy Tocks

(And with the size of his belly, is it any wonder that he runs a little bowlegged?)

And one more of the Samster Hamster as he lays on the scratch mat, this time belly up.

Sam Belly

Also, this weekend we got a package from Grandma Z which had some toys for mama, daddy and the kitties. One of my goodies was a black cat candle holder for Halloween. It's like Happy with a full tail!

Happy Inspects the New Kitty

Sadly, once I got down to kitty level to take the picture, Cocoa barreled over, disrupting the shot and scaring off the non-ceramic scaredy cat so this is the only picture I have. But I still think it is pretty cute. Thank you, Grandma Z!

I also got some really cute video of the kitties playing with some of their new toys but I'm going to have to learn how to use my new movie editing software. So hopefully I'll be posting that later this week.

In other news, I think Cocoa needs therapy. She has become convinced that she is a kitchen appliance.

Kitchen Appliances go in the Appliance Garage... Thus I go in the Appliance Garage

I'm an appliance, yes?

No. No you are not, Cocoa. Sigh. She has also taken to cuddling with the Zojirushi hot water dispenser on my countertop. But I don't believe we have gotten a good picture of that yet. Most of the time she does realize that she shouldn't be up on the counter and gets down as soon as there is any hint of Dan or me coming into the kitchen. But sometimes we say screw the rules, that's a cute picture!

This is what happens....

This is what happens when you give me too much free time, a webcam, a screen-shot program and a love-Bitty:

Chin Scrubbing

Happy Bitty and Happy Mama

Love Bitty

These are the WomBitty Ears

Cute Bitty

I love it when Bitty camps out on me. It is unusual and all the more special because of it.

(BTW, the 1 viwer(s) of my webcam broadcasting was Dan. He was in the back room while I was trying to learn how to use the darn thing. So yeah, that is marginally better than me viewing my own webcam).

Even More Scraping

Wow, I'm just a scrapin' fool today, aren't I? Okay, maybe two pages does not equate to a "scrapin' fool", but still, decently productive considering most pages take me an hour or more to do.

This one is Bitty's "Page 2". So now the Bitty section in the Kitty Scrapbook is complete. Only 16 more pages (out of 42) to go before that book is done (assuming we add nor lose any more kitties between now and completion).

Just Plain Cute

Now it is time for dinner (while watching still more of LOST season one), then, if I have the inclination to continue scraping, I will do a Mudbug Madness page.

Bath Time at the Zimmermann Home (Post-Dated)

Guess what Dan and I got to do?

Bathe our kitties! Yes, all seven!

The good news is I only had blood drawn four times and Dan got away bloodletting-free (thought not unscratched).

What possessed us to do such an insane thing? What else? The vet. Apparently Happy and Ashes have ring worm. Yay. *sigh* So we got a topical spray and pills for the two of them, but were also told that we should be "aggressive" in our treatment to make sure the others didn't get it. Which includes twice weekly preventative baths.

Yeah, that's not happening. Happy and Ashes will get their two-times-a-week baths, but I think we did pretty good with everyone else just to get one bath each.

I bathed Ashes, Happy, Gidget and Cocoa while Dan got Sammy, Chloe and Bitty. There were no pictures of me bathing the kitties (1) because I'm the camera person in our family and 2) because I was not wearing protective gear like Dan was) but I did snap a couple of shots while Dan was bathing them.

An Unhappy Sammy Getting His Bath

Cocoa Wondering Why the Hidden Chloe is Screaming So

I also got video of a yowling Chloe which I'm going to have to edit and post because it's funny in a poor-pathetic-kitty way.

And while the bathing was not fun, the aftermath was sort of entertaining. All the kitties looked disgusted with the whole situation and proceeded to turn sulking while re-bathing themselves an Olympic sport.

Ashes: Must Get the Wet Off!

Chloe: I'm Not Talking To You

Chloe refused to look at me and kept her back to me the entire time I tried to take her post-bath pictures.

And Unladylike Happy

A Delicate but Disgruntled Gidgie

Bitty was especially cute and pathetic (though more annoyed than sulky - and more hiding that bathing).

Rat Bitty

I've also got a great video of her post-bath that I need to edit then will post later.

A Hedgehog-esque Cocoa

Spikey Post-Bath Sammy

Yep, so as you can imagine, everyone had so much fun.

And in theory, we need to do it again.

In theory. But in practice? Not so much.

Scrapbooking Kitties

Lookie what I did today:

Bitty Baby Page

I was productive.

Christmas Laundry Kitty

First off, Dan and I are lazy - we have pathetic Christmas lights this year. I wanted to outline the house in lights since it looks so plain, but Dan won't let me operate our ladder (which honestly is probably a smart move) and he's been working so hard, I didn't want to push him to do it. So we have three bushes with net lights.

Our Christmas Lights

I must say, I do like the net lights. Quick, easy, but rather pretty. Dan did a good job. Of course, now that we are actually trimming the bushes (yay for having hedge trimmers!) the lights look even better - and the bushes look very square (which actually they are - I'm surprised Dan hasn't gotten out there with a level when he trims them). It was hard putting the lights on last year when there were runners from our bushes growing out five feet or more. Seriously. We don't have bushes, we have fluffy, freestanding vines in our front bed. They would take over our house if they could. They've tried.

Fun pic of our lights. Because I can.

Anyway, that takes care of "Christmas". Now let's work on the "laundry kitty" bit of this post title. To do that, I give you a balancing Bitty (well, not give. She's ours and we aren't giving her up. But I'll show you a picture).

Hamper Bitty

This is Bitty showing off her immense balancing talent. Not only can she balance on top of the scratching post, but she can balance on our laundry hamper. Which if fairly impressive since the middle section is just the edges of mesh bags with a rope in it stretching from one side of the hamper frame to the other where it is tied off (if that makes sense).

I have such talented babies.

Not Poof-ness

I mentioned a few days ago about the soft-sided fabric leopard print cube the kitties stole from their Uncle T and how much they loved it. Well, now I've got the pictures to prove it! Okay, mostly I wanted to play with my camera now that I have a tripod (swiped it from the yard sale last week) and don't have to worry about deciding between blurred pictures from the camera moving or evil glaring kitty eyes from the flash. Anyway, the pictures are still cute, regardless of the reason I took them.

Also, does anyone know what this thing is called? I keep calling it a "poof" but it so isn't. And one day I'm sure the kitties will get one of those little beanbag like poofs (Foster and Smith in particular have one I want) and then I'll have a real poof and a not-poof so I should really find out what this is called so I don't end up calling it a "not-poof".

Bitty in the Not-Poof

Cute Bitty (but isn't she always)

I promise, that's Happy, not just her eyes

Nibby isn't really a box man, but he loves the not-poof

Nibby was trying to chase off Bitty by harassing her but she refused to leave the poof. He gave up.

Chloe has the best method of not-poof takeover. She just steps on the top until whoever is in it races out and then she settles her little behind in the newly dented poof. (Nibby tried that with Bitty but she kicked his butt).

Cocoa and Gidget have both been in the not-poof, too (though neither on it when it gets collapsed) but I haven't been able to snap pics yet.

Insert Witty Title Here

A conked Bitty for your viewing enjoyment:

A sleeping Bitty wedged between my afghan-covered legs and the love seat.

Also, in my last (two) post(s), I mentioned something about the early Christmas present Dan and I got. Wanna guess what it is? I'll give you a hint: it starts with "Kitchen Aid" and ends in "Stand Mixer". Woo hoo! I'm so excited - as is Dan. He's been wanting one of those forever. I have a feeling I'm going to love it almost as much as I do our food processor, which I absolutely adore. Dan's already thinking of things he wants me to make with it.

In other Christmas gift news, the kitties also got this cute little singing Christmas thing (sorry, no clue what they are called). Normally, I'm not a fan of this whole genre of Christmas item, but this one is freakin' hilarious. It makes me laugh until I cry. As proven by the stellar camera work in the video below. I was fine until that little hat on the penguin gets going - that does it to me every time.

The kitties also got gifted with a second hand (formerly their Uncle T's) soft-sided, leopard print cube. They can't decide if they want to crawl in it or on it but they know they love it. I've got the camera out today to see if I can take some cute pictures. We shall see!

Everyone Loves TMFP

What is TMFP, you ask? That is my new pretty red laptop. And I lurve it! It's so fast! And pretty! And what does TMFP stand for, you ask? The *something* Princess. Why, you ask? There is a Avril Lavigne song, Girlfriend that has a line "I'm the MF princess" and that line just tickles me so much. Dan says I need a shirt that says that, but I would never wear it out in public. So I named my computer that.

Hey, at least I didn't name it after a Dune character like some people that will remain nameless *coughDancough*.

Anyway, everyone is really enjoying my computer. Me because it is lovely; Dan because I am less likely to become a Luddite with a working computer; the kitties because they got a new box. And they look so cute in that darn box that I can't find it within myself to throw it away. I've tried to twice but someone is always in it and looking so cute, I have to take a picture.

Shh, don't tell Cocoa she doesn't fit.

Bitty tried to do the "normal" kitty box thing...

...then she realized the smaller compartment was a better fit.

Chloe takes the traditional route.

Nibby shakes things up.

And Because I Can
More scrapbooking stuff - aren't you thrilled? Shaddup. My blog, my pointless posts. Now look at the pretty:

I've noticed a sports theme with my scrapbooking lately...

The text is an edited version of what I posted on my blog for that event, which can be found here.

Kill Me Now

Wow, almost 2 weeks since I have updated. Shame on me. Quite a change from updating a couple of times a week.

In my defense, I have felt like utter monkey pooh. But I figured it was time to post so people could be reassured that I have not, in fact, dropped off the face of the earth. So, without further ado, updates:

Hockey
Okay, it might say something about my priorities that are a bit off since I just got back from the cardiologist and yet the first topic on my blog update is hockey. But this is the playoffs, baby. All other things take a back seat.

So, the Ducks didn't sweep the Wild in the First Round like I thought they would - they let the Wild win 1 game. But I can totally deal with the series going to Game 5. It gave the Ducks a nice rest before Round 2, which started last night. They are playing Vancouver and, if last night's game was any indication, this will be a very one-sided series. Ducks won 5 to 1. Ouch. Poor Canucks, huh? But I don't feel bad enough for them to want any of the next games to be any different. I am interested to see what happens in the Red Wings/Sharks series since the Ducks will play the winners. Not sure if I am interested enough to watch it, though. That could cut into some serious nap time.

And speaking of nap time...

Cardiologist Stuff
Yeah, as expected, the results from my last heart monitor thing were normal. Woo freakin' hoo. So we still don't know what exactly is going on. But I maintain if it keeps getting worse, I will no longer be able to drive, much less hold down a job. Dan's even driven me to work a couple of times. It's nice because then I can nap on the way home.

Anyway, the cardiologist said that when people come in with the symptoms I am describing, they usually have coronary heart disease. But due to my age and lack of strong family history of early heart disease, he thinks not so much. But he wants me to take a stress test just to make sure.

That's right. A stress test. Yet again, woo freakin' hoo. So Monday, May 7th, I will be injected with radioactive material and made to run on a treadmill. I. Am. So. Not. Excited.

The cardiologist did say that he is more inclined to think it is asthma. So I guess if the freakin' stress test doesn't show anything, I'll have to go back that route. The pulmonary function test I took back when came out fine which would indicate it isn't asthma, but apparently it doesn't always show up on those. Back when, I was using Advair and that seemed to be helping, though after the PFT showed up okay, the doctor said it most likely helped just because it was clearing up some inflammation issues left over from my last bout of bronchitis.

Anyway, the cardiologist suggested that I get back on the Advair to see if it helps, so I picked some up today and took my first treatment this morning. It is hard to tell if it is helping. Pressure-wise I'm probably hanging out at a 7 now, with forays into 6-dom, but I had a lovely spike into the town of 9 that made me start yet again contemplating exactly when I needed to have someone take me to the emergency room (the only thing Dan and I can totally agree on is if I do manage to pass out, I'm going). And yes, I've been rating my "discomfort" the past 2 weeks. I'm trying to find a pattern - if the pressure relates to how much sleep I get, if I have sugar, caffeine, if I exercise. So far - no pattern.

Okay, where was I? I got sidetracked.... Oh yeah. Asthma. Basically, the cardiologist said we could play around with which medication I am on (breathing-related or heart-related) but it was "a crap shoot" so he decided to leave me on the heart stuff and add the Advair to see if it helped. Yeah.

Anyway, I guess we will know more after the freakin' stress test. Oh, and did I mention the true joy that will be for the freakin' stress test? I have to stop taking my heart medication for it. I take the test Monday and I can't take the meds Monday or Sunday. Yeah, no meds AND a treadmill. I'm so going to pass out.

Okay, enough of that junk. Fun stuff...

KITTIES!
The babies are doing wonderfully. Princess keeps trying to eat Chloe and has been thinking about making a Bitty-snack, but otherwise is good. Cocoa is doing great with no teeth. Ashes is sweet, as always and Nibby has been super-balancy. Gidget is one giant fluffer kitty and I'm thinking about shaving her for the summer (shh! don't tell her that!) and Happy is her insane but lovable self. Yay for healthy and happy kitties!

Smile for the Day
And now for something that makes me happy: Cuteness! On that site, you can find adorable little pictures and videos that will make you definitely go "aww".

And with that, I'll leave you some supercute for the day:

It'll fit - I swear!

Granola Bitty

I just think this is the cutest picture. It cracks me up when I look at it.

Bitty decided to camp out in the empty CostCo-sized granola bar tonight. It prompted Dan to say that we now can no longer throw that box away.

Isn't she so cute? How can you look at her and not want to eat her up like, well, like a granola bar?

Updates as far as the eye can see...

Okay, not quite that many updates. But a few of them.

Here they are:

• I've added a new pic to the Home section
  
• The Bitty page has been updated some - pictures are even up (and very cute, if I do say so myself)!
  
• New (and adorable) pictures of Chloe are up on her page
  
• And last but not least, the main Children page has had some goodies added.

OMG, is that all I've done? I could have sworn there was more!

Love is a warm kitty

I think the kitties missed us while we were gone. Yesterday while I was standing in the kitchen, reading an SPCA newsletter (ironically about how much our pets can bond with us), Nibby started demanding attention by stretching up to put his paws on my thigh. I scratched his head and went back to reading my newsletter. Well, apparently that wasn't good enough and Nibby jumped up into my arms! When he was a kitten, he used to climb up my clothes so I would hold him, but he hasn't be able to do that since he was declawed. He's never jumped up into my arms like that! Awww, the big man missed me!

And speaking of kitties that missed me, Bitty has been following Dan and I around since we got back Sunday. Well, once she was done hiding under the comforter due to the changes. She even gave me some great cuddles this morning, standing in as my alarm. And now both Gidget and Nibby are on my desk, Nibby stretched out in such a way that every so often, he can put his paw on my arm.

Awww, I love my babies!

News and Whatnot

Just some news to catch folks up (if anyone does actually happen to be reading!)

1 - Kitties are wonderful, though Bitty is a scaredy-cat (now opening the closet door freaks her out) and Chloe is way too addicted to boxes. Everyone else is lovely.

2 - Chloe must have gotten the "addiction" gene from her mom because I am addicted to candles. I ordered more, much to Dan's amusement.

3 - Dan's temporary crown keeps coming off. The dentist should be back tomorrow, but they say they can't do anything more than what he is doing (which is constantly re-gluing it), so we are now just waiting for the news that the permanent crowns are in. Poor guy.

4 - My grandma shattered her wrist on Tuesday. She had surgery yesterday (though she could not be put under due to her health, so it was all done with local anesthesia - ouch!). She's got three(?) pins in her wrist and will be in a cast for about the next three months or so.

5 - I had a speech to do at my Rotary club today. I think I babbled a little, but it went well (I think) and it was nice talking to people afterwards and getting to know them better. The more I get to know those in the group, the more I like them!

6 - Dan is still reading Harry Potter. He's so slow! Okay, he really isn't. He's just not obsessed like I am. But I'm dying to talk to him about theories of book 7 but I can't yet because it will spoil the secrets for him.

7 - Sunday is my birthday. I am looking forward to it. Dan, my parents and I are going to a Japanese restaurant in Richardson to have the "chef's menu". Expensive, but what are birthdays for if not to splurge? And Dan said that the kitties each got me a book. That's always good!

And since 7 is a good number, I will stop there.