I know, I am really awful....

....at keeping up with this blog thing. But of course my life is SO not as exciting as others and I am sure that everyone is going to get sick of hearing about our adorable cats and how I am depressed that my only child is growing up :)

We had a WONDERFUL surprise this week and Janell and the girls drove down to T.O. for a night to surprise Hannah and come to the play that she was in at school. Of course I knew and it was the HARDEST thing to keep a secret, but I DID IT! I think the Stringer Girls liked surprising Hannah as well. I was on the phone with Emily on their drive up to see us and I was asking her what she was doing and she, not wanting to ruin the surprise, puts her hand over the phone and says to her mom "Does Auntie Mo know?" Well now, if I didn't know, I would have gotten it out of her then!! I can't tell you how much I enjoy spending time with my sister and the girls - they are so full of life! (Janell, don't forget to send me the pics!)

Let's see, what else have we been up to...

Brian is busy preparing for the end of the school year - report cards, updating student folders, etc. I had no idea all the work that teachers put in "after hours". The man has the patience of a saint to be a 3rd grade teacher and his dedication to the kids and bettering them amazes me.

I have just been working, working and oh, yes, working. My co-worker Bryna had her baby and is now on maternity leave and I have been really struggling to keep my head above water. I have until October and then I get her back full time so I cannot wait for that day!

We have been of course camping as much as we can. There is nothing like setting up camp and then sitting down to do NOTHING except enjoy being outdoors! Hannah and I went on a girls only camping trip to McGrath State Beach while Brian had a golf tournament weekend and we had a blast.

At one point I thought I was going to light my hair on fire after pouring too much gasoline in the fire pit to start a fire, but by golly, I was not able to struggle to get a flame so I figured I would make sure it would light - and it did. :) Hannah took pictures of our set up and the fire so that Brian would believe that we did it all by ourselves. It was really great to spend time with her, although being two females camping alone, at night we "locked" ourselves in the tent by using key rings to keep the zippers together. If we wanted to go to the bathroom at night we were out of luck.

Brian and I got to get away for Memorial weekend and went camping with his family up in Santa Ynez mountains where there is nothing to do but hike, read or sit in the river (of course I did all of the above).

Well, that's all for now...I should probably get back to work :)

Good-bye Spring Break, Helloooo Summer!

We just got home from camping at Refugio Beach for the weekend and had a taste of what the summer is going to be like. I love that we are able to pick up and go camping, beach or other, it is one of my favorite things to do. It helps that we grew up camping but I never really appreciated it until a few years ago. This weekend we went with some families from Brian's Friday softball group "The Cellar Dwellers". There were three campers, one tent (that's us), two dogs, six kids and nine adults - pretty close to going camping with the Stringer Zoo :)

As soon as we finished setting up Hannah and I took off down the beach to explore the tide pools. It was alot of fun to walk with her. She is so animated and is a funny girl. I have enjoyed hanging with her more and more and wish that time would stand still sometimes. We were gone for quite awhile and when we got back the guys had starting playing football between campsites while the kids were off climbing trees (miraculously there was only one tumble out of a tree). The two dogs that were there (Buster and Rabbit) were ADORABLE boxers so we got to take them on a few walks (or other way around). Once Brian and I took the dogs and Brian had to use the restroom so I was holding to both of the dogs. As my family knows, I tend to get the dogs (both my moms and sisters) riled up with my shrill voice. I found out that was not such a great idea with two hyper boxers that can jump as high as my face.....all of the sudden the dogs were jumping all over each other and me, trying to get their leashes and barking away. Meantime I was yelling, "Rabbit, NO! Buster, NO! Rabbit, Buster get OOOOOFFF!!!" and getting all tangled up. Brian came out of the bathroom laughing his buns off and to rescue me. I guess charma got me for all the times I have riled up my mom's dog and gotten her in trouble. :)

The night brought a HUGE bonfire, hamburgers and smores and lots of laughter going around. Like my day playing hooky the other day with the girls, this was also a much needed weekend.

This morning one of the guys made us cinnamon pancakes that were SOOO good - which reminds me, I have to get to the gym tonight! Hannah and Brian went off and played football on the beach, then we packed up and headed to Woodstocks in Isla Vista, Santa Barbara for some home cooked pizza.

I have put everything away and am settling down to do some work but wanted to recap my weekend. The summer holds many more weekends like that and I can't wait!

Playin' Hooky

Work has been insane lately so I decided to take the day off and spend of day of Hannah's Spring Break with her and have some fun. We took a friend of hers to the beach and boy was it just what I needed.

The girls and I laid out in the sun, read magazines, played mad libs and just relaxed! At the end of the day we went to a lookout point and asked some looky lou's to take our picture and capture the day. Hanging out with the girls was a great way to get away from it all. They love life and love to giggle, be goofy and just be real. Too bad that this stage doesn't last forever with them huh?

Suggestions anyone?

Here's my dilema: (Is that how you spell it??)

#1 Due to Jack's recent run in with some bad food he now has permanent kidney damage and needs to eat a different, prescription food than the other two cats for the rest of his days here on earth AND for the next 7 days he is on antiobiotics to continue to flush/fight the junk in his system. So, I need to keep Jack's food away from Smokey and Zoey but have NO idea how to do this. Last night he was locked up in Hannah's room but that meant that I had litter boxes and food in 2 locations and those of you that know me know that I can't stand mess (and litter is so disgusting). AND I can't keep them apart ALL day long. Suggestions?

#2 How in the world do you get a cat to take a pill? I chopped it up and put it in Jack's food but he won't touch it. I tried holding him and shoving it down his throat but Hannah and I were almost scratched to death. The vet makes it look so easy....

I am searching the internet for ideas but thought that one of you might have a good suggestion. Aunt Lucy???

Jack is coming home!!!!!!!!!!!!

For those of you who have been praying for us these past two days I am sending you a little message to say THANK YOU! I spoke to the vet this afternoon and we are allowed to bring him home where he can be more comfortable. Not out of the woods yet but he is alive and my daughter is going to be THEE happiest 10 year old today at 5:00 PM. Janell, mom, dad thank you for letting me cry and express my sorrow and anger. Brian - thank you for being there to support Hannah and I and keeping us busy last night. Now life can return to normal and Jack can go back to sleeping with his girl.






More to come on the details of the Jack drama later tonight!

Finally the weekend!

This has been a CRAZY week here in the Mack household! (Of course not as crazy as my big sister's week I am sure)...

I have started a gym membership and got a personal trainer to get me into shape - since the metabolism went down when I hit 30!!!! Going from walking a couple of times a week to going to the gym every day and getting my butt kicked is a huge change and exhausting!

I feel like I am barely keeping my head above water with work, social events and Hannah with school and HER social events. I think that I have said this before but I don't know how you mothers with more than one child do it! And I don't even have a husband to attend to either so kudos to all you ladies that hold it all together!

Last night I went to Brian's softball game and pizza which is always a good time because he has a great group of friends (and it's even better when the Cellar Dwellers win like last night)! The rest of the weekend is a Hannah and Mommy weekend. We are getting our hair and nails done (after the gym of course) and then just chillin'. Maybe the movies - maybe getting in our jammies and having a movie night who knows but I am so happy to relax with my daughter and find out how SHE is doing - life gets so busy that there are times that even though I see her every day I am out of touch with her and what's been going on.

Soooo, I should probably get off the couch and start moving for the day...happy Saturday everyone!

All in a days work....

I recently obtained a new friend who has been a great help to me both at work and in my personal life. She was originally hired here in CRESA-Land to relieve my workload and take on the project accounting, however her job duties have included walking with me to lunch (ESPECIALLY if it's across the street), listening to me crab about the frustrations at work and my sorrows and joys that come from home. She had NO idea what she was in for when she started this job and if she leaves I have already decided that I will go with her wherever she goes...



She will however be leaving me to go on maternity leave from May until October and I think I might die! (Do you think my rear end looks as big as her tummy?) Sorry, I was loading the picture...We measured her stomach today - well I did and she had no choice but to stand there and take it - and he tummy sticks out 8 1/2" with still another 2 months of carrying that little sucker around. Holy moly! And no Bryna, you may not measure MY stomach! :)

I have really lucked out in finding a co-worker like her. When the guys are at their project meetings work really is fun (as long as I am in a good mood). She sings to me and lets me feel the baby throw kicks and punches at her stomach after lunch. I am not sure what I offer her but she seems to enjoy my company and laughs at my corny sense of humor.

It's all in a days work.....

Hannah Joy's Three Loves (besides me of course)...

There are three main things that Hannah cares about passionately in this life. They should be school, school and ME but instead they are Smokey, Jack and Zoey. The three adorable cats that the Mack Girlz household revolves around (and Brian tolerates).

Smokey (a.k.a. Smokey Joseph Mack when he gets in trouble) is a 7 year old Russian Blue with bright green eyes that we rescued when he was one. He is our first cat and the "guinea pig". Before he came into our home he was in a house with 19 other cats and clearly had to fend for himself. Hannah loves when I tell her the story of how he came to be in our home. She was 4 at the time and the only thing that she remembers is that we didn't come home with a kitten like I promised but instead a year old cat. It was a cold and rainy January day when we went to the adoption center to get a kitten and as soon as we walked in the door little Hannah zeroed in on two very cute black and white kittens. But as soon as the lady told me that we had to take BOTH and not just one I immediately started looking at other cats. (Ironic since now we have three). I broke it to Hannah as gentle as I could that we were not under any circumstance bringing home two cats and she should look at the other cats they had. She of course was disappointed and did not want an adult cat. Through her tears and the mini-fit that she was pitching her attention turned to the large Russian Blue that was trying to chat with her through his cage. He was already adopted by someone else so we kept going (trying to avoid those 2 kittens). The woman that had adopted the Russian Blue came in to pick him up and wanted to hold him a little bit before she took him home but when she was sitting in the chair, it was all she could do to hold onto him as he was squirming and trying to get down. The woman asked Hannah if she wanted to hold him and my stubborn daughter refused until I flexed my muscles and she reluctantly sat down and opened her arms. He jumped right on her lap, settled down and looked at all of as to say "This is my girl". Soooo to make a long story short my teary eyed 4 year old was NOT happy with taking him home but I thought we had found the perfect cat and I was right. He has since become my cat and the man of the house. He loves to talk and uses his large frame to knock some sense into Jack and Zoey. They love him and snuggle with him because he has more body heat then the 2 of them put together but when he is tired of them he tells them and they stay away.

Now Jack (a.k.a. Jack Black Mack). Jackie was supposed to be the kitten that Hannah was supposed to get the first time around, but both of us fell in love with him when we saw him. Again, we adopted him and poor Jack (or Porchie) as he was named when we got him had a

rough life for the first 4 months of his life. He was abused as a kitten by his previous owner who broke his tail and one of his front paws. (How anyone can be so awful I have no idea). When we heard this and held him we KNEW that we had to bring him home cause we had more than enough love to make up for what he had been through. So, no tail and all, we brought Jack home. It took him about a year to fully warm up to us and while he is still skittish and a little freaked out, there are times when you know that he feels the love we give him. He has become

Hannah's cat and will be the one to sleep with her and comfort her when she cries. He ends up wet with tears but stays right by her. Jack is our miracle cat. Awhile back he got out of the house and after 4 long weeks of tears in our house, he came home, thin as a skeleton and feet torn up he had somehow found his way home. I wish that cats could talk and he could tell me about his adventures. Hannah was a wreck during the time that he was gone and my heart was heavy hurting for her. The joy that came back into her when he came home was undescribable. Those two are truly special to each other. He is the unruly middle child though and tends to get in the most trouble around the house. Constantly picking fights with little Zoey and Smokey, I often end up playing peacemaker when Jack goes on his rampage. (Doesn't he just LOOK like a troublemaker?)

And last, there is little Zoey (a.k.a. Zoey Marie) who is the most controversial member of our house. She came to us by way of (well, ummm, I'll tell you the story and you can tell me if it's right or wrong)...Zoey is our princess and the smallest member of our house. She is almost 3 years old and is the size of a growing kitten, probably weighing 5 lbs. Very cute, very vocal about everything and very much a pain in the butt. She originally lived in a neighboring apartment before she just "happened" to show up in our house. She had been the property of a not so nice person who left her for an extended peroid of time in his 2nd floor apt. She would cry day and night and after doing all that we could legally, some of the neighbors decided to take matters into their own hands. Late one night after he had not come back for almost 2 weeks we took the pool scooper and poked a hole into the screen (the window was open just a little bit). As soon as it was big enough for her to get through she jumped willingly right into the net. And so she came to live in the Mack household. Weeks later he arrived home and was promptly arrested so THANK GOODNESS I grabbed her and didn't look back. She is by far the neediest cat in our house (or on the planet for that matter). If you are sitting down she is in your lap, when you are laying down she is on your chest of your back. Even when Hannah goes to the bathroom Zoey has to go with her and be held like a baby. So bizarre, but we feel very important and needed. Poor Brian...whenever he walks in the door there she is waiting for him to love on her like he is there to see her before he has a chance to say hi to Hannah and I...we call her his girlfriend and I really think that SHE thinks she is. She tries to snuggle up to Jack and Smokey and sometimes they tolerate her but most of the time she is too high maintenance for them. Hannah even has a cat stroller that she takes Zoey for walks in. Just for the record, I will not be caught dead walking that thing anywhere. :) I keep trying to pawn Zoey off on Janell and while she would love to have her I don't think Uncle Scott is too keen on a third furry member of the family and although she truly is adorable, her charm does not rub off on him. What if I beg Scott?

So that's the entire Mack household and there will be no additions in the near future....

Being Auntie Mo

I decided to write on a topic that makes me smile and feel all warm and fuzzy....being Auntie Mo. There has been alot of sadness this week, between Brian's Nana passing away and my best friend Jana's tragedies at home I need to focus on something that makes me smile.

Besides being a mom the second best thing is being Auntie Mo. Now, I know that those of you that know the Stringer Girls will agree that those four smiley faces is enough to make a bad day turn into a bright sunny day.

I talked on the phone with all of them today and Bethy instantly put a smile on my face when her little voice said hello. At one point during the conversation (while she was having me say hello to Abbey and Eli) she dropped the phone and when I said "Did you drop me?" she replied "I not drop you." I love the stage where they are still trying to form the right sentences.

Emily is the reserved one that always gets on the phone, slowly and carefully saying "Hi Auntie Mo." She will tell me the details of things and then say "Do you want to talk to Katelynn?" When she's done with me, she's done with me.

Then it's Katelynn's turn "Hellloooo" she says. She tells me about the latest Nancy Drew book that she is reading and what the other kids are up to. I always ask her if she is helping her mom and of course she is.

Hailey is usually last (or after Bethy who puts the phone up to her ear). I hear the tiny "hi" coming out of her, then a bunch of jibberish that is quite possibly THEE cutest thing I have ever heard. I am sure that she is telling me what a pain all the other girls are and how she wants out of her diaper or her bangs out of her face. Sometimes I just get hung up on but most of the time I get to re-cap the conversation I just had to Janell (who is probably rolling her eyes, because she has already heard what they have said to me). :)

I hang up the phone (like I did today) feeling like the luckiest Auntie in the world and wishing that I can squeeze all of them. I am so glad that they are living in San Diego and really dread when they have to move away. I will miss the birthday dates that I have with each one and I will miss Bethy ready to pack her bags to come home with me after I have spent the weekend with them. (Sigh)

Being Auntie Mo is truly a priviledge...

All Alone.....and LOVIN' it!

I have been left alone this weekend, Hannah at her dad's house and Brian on a boys' trip to Palm Springs and at first I was having a pity party for myself but let me tell you, this was SO needed. I am sitting on my bed, in my p.j.'s (at 6:30 pm) and watching a movie while I catch up on Janell and Scott's blogs. No "MOOOOOM, can I go outside??" or "MOOOOOOOM, the cats got out!!" Sheer silence downstairs and therapy for me. Between 2 jobs and Hannah and keeping up with Brian I am plain pooped. I DO NOT know how my sister and other women manage to do it with more than one child. There is a never ending pile of laundry, always dishes to be washed, animals to clean up after, etc. So this is absolute heaven for me. Think I have gone on long enough about how much I love the silence? :)

P.S. Brian and Hannah - I will be ready to give you my full attention again when you guys get home... xoxo (and 2 days of you guys away is really all I can handle).

Health Video???

So today was the day my dear innocent daughter got to watch the "Health Video" a.k.a. Sex Education Video in her 4th grade class. There has been much anticipation in our household waiting for this event, (both from her AND me). Now don't get me wrong, I have no problem explaining things to her as she is very easy to talk to but the anxiety that I am having is the other influences beyond mine that she is now experiencing. She called me at recess and giggled a little bit about how silly the video was and she made me smile because she was so open with me, but as I hung up the phone a feeling of sadness came over me. The innocence is slowly leaving her and I am terrified. Someone told me when she was born and not sleeping at night that that would be the hardest thing to get through. They were wrong, this is by far the worst feeling and the hardest part of parenting that I have had to deal with. I pray that God will guide her as she grows and continues on her path of life. For now though I have decided to lock her in her room and make her watch Barney again. :)

The life I lead....

So to give everyone who doesn't know me, or maybe who hasn't talked to me in awhile, I am going to give you the briefest version of my life to date and of course the pics to go with...

Most of you know Hannah, who adds spice to life and if she doesn't give you a heart attack from laughter, will make you want to commit yourself with the attitude that comes off of her. (Payback I guess - right Janell?)

Hannah is in 4th grade and with one more year left of elementary school I am starting to have major anxiety with the thought of her entering a world where I can no longer shelter her from society (and mean kids). Hannah's loves are of course, ME, her three cats (Smokey, Zoey and Jack) and her cousins - who you can see from the picture have no choice but to look up to her.

She wants to be a vet when she grows up and I believe that she will in some way be helping animals as a profession when she grows up. Under her girly attitude, she has such a compassionate heart!

This of course is not all, but I should probably get back to work. More later, then everyone will be caught up. :)

Blog Virgin

Okay, so I thought that I would try my hand at the blogging world, not that I think many people are going to read mine, but I really want to keep in touch with the Stringer Zoo! So, bear with me as I get started and enter this new world....Stay tuned for more.