Today

I received a phone call from the kitty doctor's office a while ago, saying the boys were waking up and everything had gone fine. I'll go pick them up about 3:40 this afternoon. Now I must go and do some slight rearranging in this house to keep them relatively confined and inactive. Hah! We'll see how well that goes!

This Friday

Our two little guys will go in for their hoo-ha-ectomies (thanks to Rose for this terminology!) this Friday morning. I have no clue how to restrain their activity after they come home! I guess we'll just have to wing it! Wish 'em good luck!!

And some new videos

These are not nearly as funny as the box video, but they give an idea of what's "normal" around here these days!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBkfIupcQr4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbA-wk9MNYk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2Xe2yVMNbQ

Enjoy!!

Comparisons

Can't help it -- the comparisons are just too much fun!

First up is Audace as a baby (aka Pete!) and then a baby picture of Ruse (aka Foster). Third is a more recent one of Audace and then one of Ruse. Clearly, I need better closeups of both of them. That'll be my mission for today! Li'l cuties!!

Abbi's birthday

Kira and Parker went to the skating rink to help celebrate Abbi's birthday. Now both she and Kira are six! Yayyy!!

Birthday weekend

Parker turned eleven last Friday, but the celebrations were on the weekend. He is the expert at putting candles on his own cake -- and then blowing them all out! He also got to take in an Astros game, and he even caught a fly ball! Happy boy!!

Poor ol' box

This one "bit the dust," so I guess I'll have to make my grocery purchases with an eye for intriguing box shapes in the near future!

Fresh water

Mmmm ... nice fresh water -- mostly to play in, of course!

Up high

The "children" have discovered that they can get to the highest surface in the house -- great for snoozing in peace and quiet. I have no idea how many times they had done this before we figured out where they were hiding!

Seals!

Here's a fun website: http://www.says-it.com/seal/index.php Thanks to Laurence for pointing it out: http://isfullofcrap.com/oldcrap/2006/09/seals.html

Make your own seals! I've made two -- one for Grace and one for the kitten-cats.

Miscellaneous

1) Grace and Audace wonder what the heck Ruse is doing inside that box. (And if you really want to see what these guys do with and to a box, be sure to go here and watch it on video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hW-KpJtcqc )

2) Ruse has his front leg around Audace in order to give A's right ear a thorough cleaning!

3) Audace decided one evening to go exploring ... and he settled into one of the highest-up places in the house -- on top of the tall cupboard that's above the microwave that's above the rangetop. Crazy kitten-cat!

Tummy Tuesday #2

Another tummy in view these days -- Ruse's! Audace frequently sleeps on his back with his nice, soft, white tummy just beckoning to be petted. Now Ruse is joining in!

Helpful kittens!

Audace and Ruse ... helping Austen eat lunch!

Grace forgot!

This has happened before with other cats of mine, but I've never been able to come close to capturing it on camera. This is still "iffy"! Grace forgot to pull her tongue back into her mouth; in these two pictures, the very tip of her tongue is still sticking out. I hope it's visible in the blog pix -- or you may have to click on the photos and enlarge them to really see what I mean. What a kick she is!

More aquarium photos

First - Kira posing in the diver's suit and mask. Second - Parker in the diver's suit and mask. Third - another view of the downtown Houston skyline, this time from the third floor balcony, just outside the restaurant's waiting area.

Aquarium visit

Last Sunday, Aug 13, we went to the Houston Aquarium -- last day-trip before the new school year began. The kids enjoyed it all. Anne and I liked the restaurant best!

In these pictures, you can see Parker, Austen, and Kira at the pools where there were manta rays and other sea life that kids could touch -- one finger only! Last is a view of the downtown sky and skyline from the aquarium entrance. It was a beautiful day, although a bit sticky! Not horridly humid as I've experienced in the Virginia/Washington, DC, area, though!

First day of school

Today is the first day of the 2006-2007 school year. Kira enters 1st grade and Parker, 5th grade. Both are very excited. Austen is entering 8th grade, but of course we are not allowed to go with him or take pictures or anything mushy like that!

Tummy Tuesday!

Kittens are so soft and cuddly! Audace frequently sleeps on his back -- and that soft little white tummy just begs to be rubbed! Ruse usually sleeps on his tummy (as here) or on one side or the other.

Entertainment!

These are a couple of things that have entertained Audace and Ruse lately.

Learning to watch the Cat Sitter DVD is such an adventure. Where do all those things go, anyway?

And slippy-sliding on the Sunday ads is just the greatest of joys!!

Kira and kittens

Kira believes it's her job to control the kittens ... as if anyone can control kittens! In late June, she was able to play alone with the kittens, that is, without any brothers around to keep saying, "Don't...!" You can see this movie here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtWULzPpHgc

Then in July, she was arranging the kittens in some baskets -- she actually succeeded for a minute or two -- long enough for me to take some photos!