New Addition

We have a new addition to our tiny home and his name is Archer. He's my parent's cat and has spent the past 4 years happily becoming as fat as he possibly can in their home. My mom recently developed serious allergic reactions (requiring two hospitalizations) and the doctors told her that she would have to give up Archer as he is a serious contender for causing her anaphylaxis. Of course, he is now at my house indefinitely as we wait to see if the doctors will be able to narrow down what is causing my mom's allergies. This has been a bit of an adjustment as Darcy is a well behaved fellow who knows the house rules. Archer on the other hand, likes to tear food bags apart, shred toilet paper and knock things over. It's only been a week, though, and Archer and Darcy have become fast friends and they spend much of the day chasing eachother around. I know this is good for both of them and they can be pretty funny at times. God grant me patience, however, as I try to find Archer proof spaces to keep the cat food.

Weekly Theme: Family

My niece, Mara, playing with the Calico Critters family she received for Christmas.

Christmas

Merry Christmas to everyone and a Happy New Year!

Weekly Theme: Family!

I thought that would be a fairly easy little challeneg over the Holidays. :)

Weekly Theme: Food - Candy Apple Pie

Today is the last day of work for the student worker in our office. She's been with us for over a year now and we've grown very fond of her. This afternoon we are throwing a small office going away party for her and I volunteered to bring the dessert. Hence, myself working in to the wee hours of the evening to bake the Candy Apple Pie I read about here. You are, by the way, looking at the entire available workspace in my kitchen. Needless to say, you have to plan out baking and cooking projects in stages.

This pie is quite decadent and also pretty simple to put together. Don't forget to add and entire layer of caramel over the chilled graham cracker crust.

My cat, Darcy, was convinced that I had something savory hiding up on the counter. He's good at begging and stopped once I showed him I was working with apples. Cats usually aren't overly fond of fruits and mine is no exception.

The best part was mixing together melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon...and then adding the apple slices. The smell was heaven!

Add another layer of cream cheese mixed with a little bit of lemon and sugar, top it with homemade whip cream and caramel and you have...

Apple Candy Pie!

Feather

I just really enjoy feathers. I'd have more around the house if my cat wasn't so intent on killing them.

Weekly Theme: Water

I took this picture some months ago, but it seemed to go with the theme well. This is the small pond in the front of my parent's house. You can see the little goldfish who live there.

Delayed Thanksgiving

Here are some of those Thanksgiving pictures I was talking about last week. My mom enjoys going "all out" for holiday meals and such.

My dad posing by the turkey. My sisters and I come by our decorating obsessions honestly.

Little Big Man

My nephew Joseph received a pair of Spiderman roller skates from his Aunt Caroline. Nothing is cuter than seeing him "skate" with his dad.

7 Things

I've been "tagged" by Just A Plane Ride Away, my new and lovely blogger buddy. I'm new to the whole "meme" phenomenon so I will do my best!

Here are 7 random things about me:

1. I have serious texture issues. By that, I mean that I will not eat certain foods with a particular crunchy texture (think celery or onions); I can't wear certain types of clothes without wearing undershirts so they won't touch my skin (think wool) and I am extremely picky about my bedding or blankets or pillows, specifically because of how they feel when I touch them.

2. I developed a reputation in my family due to said texture issues for being difficult about food and clothes. It wasn't until I worked as a casemanager for developmentally disabled children that I realized I probably have some type of mild sensory integration disorder - as many of the children on my caseload exhibited the same texture difficulties along with their other developmental disabilities.

3. I enjoy spending time by myself. I probably need about 2 or more hours a day (1 hour during lunch and at least two 30 minute blocks when I get home and before bed) and I usually spend that time reading. This explains how I manage to read roughly one book per week.

4. I love hanging out with close friends and family - but throw me in to a group social setting with people I don't know well and I will develop an immediate headache. I think it's from smiling too much, but it happens every time.

5. I love maps. When I was 13 I wallpapered my bedroom with National Geographic maps, and yet remained startlingly ignorant of world geography. I thought Argentina was a large city until I was probably 15 or so. I still think it sounds like one, right? I've remedied this problem with a large world map in my current office, and enjoy spending time just looking at all the places in the world.

6. I will sometimes eat Honey Nut cheerios for breakfast and dinner for an entire work week - because I am just too tired to think of cooking when I get home. I almost always cook nice meals exclusively on the weekends.

7. I am in love with a new camel colored purse I bought last weekend.

Okay! Those are 7 random things about me. I tried to think of more obscure stuff for those of you who know me well. Now, I get to Tag my other friends. Feel free to do it if you have the time, and I think you have to link back to me and in the comments section to let me know once you have completed it. No obligation though!

1. Brian
2. Cayce
3. Janae
4. Sally
5. Tim

Weekly Theme: Sunlight

My flight left in the evening on my way home from Baltimore. I was amazed at the colors the sun made as it was setting.

Fungi?

So, I went on a walk in the woods with my niece and nephew a few weeks ago and came upon these creepy looking balls growing out of the ground.

Being curious, I nudged one very carefully with my toe and was startled when they started puffing out what looked like brown gas. I assumed these were spores of some sort and also concluded that I had exposed myself and the two little bits to some sort of poisonous fungi and that we were going to die. Well, we didn't die, but I swear I had never been so startled in my life! I've never seen things like this before. Anyone know what they are??