Sick Kitty

The orange boy on the right will be 19 this year.  He's been with me since my first year out of college.  He's cuddly and lazy and has always been very mellow.  He's basically my favorite cat ever.  He hadn't been getting up and running to the food bowl with his sister when I fed them lately and yesterday his face was swollen on one side.  Anyway, he's at the vet today and will have surgery to remove any and all rotten teeth.  Poor thing.  I briefly debated spending the money on him because of his age.  But, he's my love and I want him to have a quality life for as long as he can.  I'll just have to tighten the belt in other areas. 

My daughter has to have some baby teeth pulled also to make room for her adult teeth.  I'm wondering who's dental work will cost more. 

Cat Nipping Our Litter Box Aversion Problem In The Bud

I bought this expensive bottle of herbal cat litter attractant online. When I took my first whiff I knew the first ingredient was cat nip. Which I already had on hand. Which is much cheaper to buy as plain old cat nip.
But, guess what? It seems to be working.

Be Gone Foul Specks (and cat urine)

Oh how I wax and I wane over the internal garage sale or donate debate. I had planned on doing a garage sale yesterday. Which is crazy because we are very busy right now. But, I could have fit it in between soccer games, seeing old friends, and cleaning for visitors. I could have.

Do you know what I did instead? I took my daughter to garage sales. I was prudent(ish) in my shopping. I let her buy a few things with her money with the caveat that she would get rid of stuff when we got home. (She did) I bought a few items of clothing her that she needed. (Brand new, tags still on Arizona jeans for 50 cents apiece!) I bought a Spam cookbook for a quarter that's going to be a Christmas gag (and barf) gift for Christmas. I bought a brand new Yankee candle for $2 (and threw out my Yankee store coupons when I got home). Do you know what? I realized by paying so little for that stuff that having a garage sales is a waste of my time. People want your stuff for nothing. It's much easier to donate and a take the tax deduction.

Today I am filling totes for consignment and filling bags for donation (including the toys Big Girl gave up). I want it all gone. And I want to keep getting rid of stuff until there is nothing left. I want moving from this house to be an actual possibility and not a complete dream because we have so much stuff to deal with.

On a completely different and way more frustrating note- my cat keeps peeing. And not in her litter box. I have taken to scooping the litter daily. I signed an agreement with the rescue group that I would return her if I didn't want her anymore and that I also would never make her an outside cat. It's just not conscionable for me to give her back knowing that this behavior will continue for another person. I'm almost positive that this is the reason she was given away in the first place. I don't really want an outside cat anyway. And other than the urine capers, I adore this cat. What am I to do????
I'm so not getting another cat. My beloved Fusty is 15 this year. He will leave a giant hole when he's gone. But, I cannot let myself fill it with another orange fluff ball. I think. My history has proven me wrong.

The Stink of the Matter Plus A Craft!

The cat not using the litter box is once again causing a major stink in our house both literally and figuratively. I'm at a loss for what to do because having a messy house is one thing. Having a house that smells like cat urine is completely unacceptable to me. I hate it.
I really want to keep Sarah because she's such a good cat. She's great with the kids and super snuggly. But, I just can't stand the pee and the poop.

So, I've been doing some research online and I think I'm going to try Precious Cat litter and a Feliway Plug In before I either put a collar on her and toss her outside or give her back to the Rescue. I want to try to keep her. It's just going to cost a lot of money.
I love cats but I am absolutely done with having them once these two are gone.

On a happier note, I was excited to see today's Motherload post on reupholstering a dining chair.
I bought Big Girl a wooden desk chair awhile ago to fit her thrifted desk. It is serviceable and fits her needs well but it has a dingy old mauve covering on the seat. I also happen to have a few fabric scraps leftover from my Grandma's stash. The only tool I'll need to get is an upholstery staple gun and some staples. I might even sand the chair down and repaint it white if Big girls wants it that way. This is a craft I feel I am absolutely capable of since it doesn't require any sewing.

Newest Additions to Our Fur Family

Here we have Sarah the cat and Road Runner the mouse. They aren't really new though. Sarah was adopted last May and Road Runner was saved from being snake food in November.
Unfortunately, you can't see Sarah's silly face because she's sleeping (in my daughter's barbie clothes drawer). Imagine a smudge of mustard across her top lip and a blot of black ink under her chin. She's quite comical and sweet which is a bonus.

Done with That-Onto this

Done with This

I finished my Christmas shopping today. I picked up some last minute Lotto Scratchers (a family tradition) at a gas station. Then the kids and I ran through Target and bought food items for the mail carrier, recycling guys, and the trash men. Tomorrow I take my credit card out of my purse. I'm out of cash so I'll be limping along with my debit card for gas and grocery purchases. I've spent more for this Christmas than in years past, I'm almost sure. I'm glad all shopping is done. Now I just have to wrap and send.
Here's to a joyful December!

Onto This
Ever had one of those moments where rational thinking goes out the window and you do something impulsive? I guess it's not really that impulsive since I've been thinking about it for awhile.

Today I bought mice for pets. I have always had an affinity for rodents and have had many hamsters and mice before. While I think hamsters are a lot cuter and cuddlier, they also have a nasty bite. Mice don't bite. But, they do stink a lot.

I also bought a cage with kit for them while I was in the pet store. Unfortunately, I wasn't paying close attention and bought a cage that has bars that are a bit too wide and they can sneak through. Hubby found one sitting on top of the cage when he came home. They are both black and white males. One is fuzzier than the other. The fuzzy one is wily. Little Guy named him Stabber. The sleek one is shy and timid. Big Girl named him Road Runner. I'm probably going to regret this purchase before long but we're having fun watching them run around in a ball right now while Hubby is on his way to Petco to get a better cage for them. He's being a real sport about it since I didn't consult him about our new pets. I KNOW I told him what he was getting into when he married me with the pet situation. I've never been without a pet. Even when I lived in the dorms at college, I had a contraband pet mouse named Morton. He was awesome and sneezed every time you held him. He lived for about three years. I don't know if Road Runner and Stabber will live up to his legacy.

Our pet total comes to 5.
One Abby dog (the best dog in the world!)
Two Cats- Mr. Fusty (big, furry, grumpy, and snuggly) and Sarah (docile, agile, and very silly)
Two Mice- Stabber and Road Runner (withholding judgement until further notice)

A Very Good Dog's Life

Once upon a time Abby lived with a family that did not let her on the furniture. I think it took less than a week to break her of that after the kids many attempts to haul her butt up on the couch for petting. I'm not sure if we ruined her or fixed her.

I snapped this picture today while she was resting comfortably on my reading chair.

Once You Shop You Can't Stop

Shop N Save- yesterday

Groceries & Food Bank Donation at Check Out Minus Coupons & Discounts= 41.04


Dierbergs- Today

Groceries, Cold Medicine, Gifts, Laundry Detergent, and Fabric Softener Minus Coupons= 47.03

(I found Tide on clearance for $3 and Tylenol Cold PM for $2 and bought some detergent for my Mom)


Two Things Going on Here-
1. We're all suffering from some low level sinus thing. I took Big Girl to the Dr. today and she has a double ear infection. So my throat is sore and I have a minor headache.

2. My cats are refusing to get along and pee (and poop) fighting over territory. I'm almost sure that I'll have to return Sarah to the pet rescue where I adopted her from. To say that I am disappointed is an understatement. I don't even put my steam cleaner away anymore and I just can't live like this even though it's tearing me up to give her back. My first priority is to my old baby Fusty.

Chloe's Last Day & Pet Adoption

Chloe has hung on through the whole weekend. But she cried all night long. Hubby slept on the floor next to her last night. I made an appointment for her today.

I tend to make rash and impulsive decisions when I'm upset. And lately the only thing I could think of to fix this pain was another cat. So, on Saturday I took Big Girl to Petco just to see if there was a pet adoption going on. The short story is that now we are foster/adopting a 6 year old calico named Sarah. I brought her home Saturday. She seems really good natured and I think we'll end up keeping her. The timing is so bad I know but there is a tiny spot of joy in all of this sadness.

Going to go pet my sick kitty for a few minutes.

The Waiting Game

Chloe cat is so weak she can hardly stand. She's still not in any discernible pain so we've decided to let nature take it's course and let her die a natural death at home. She still loves to be petted and still has a weak meow but I don't think it's going to be much longer. This stings so much. I was up all night worrying and crying. I also indulged in a little online shopping for shelter kitties.
I don't think we're ready to adopt another cat but I'm thinking it would help soothe the pain of that empty space Chloe will be making in our lives. There are so many kitties that need homes.

What I haven't felt like discussing.

Our oldest cat, Chloe, is dying. She is 15 years old. I've had her since she was 6 weeks old. She is not in any discernible pain but she isn't eating and her lips and nose are turning black. She is very weak. It's been happening slowly for a few months. At first she just stopped sleeping with my daughter who she slept with every night like clockwork.

After having a hard time dealing with our vet concerning our cat Izzy, I have not wanted to deal with taking her in. Hubby is especially torn up about it since he's her cat. They have a weird bond.

I don't know what to do.

Pantry Fog & Pet Loss Grief

Monday I took my kitty to the vet for the last time and said goodbye. I'm still second guessing that decision and remembering the last few seconds of her life and watching the light go out of her scared eyes. It has not been a happy time here. I keep thinking I see her out of the corner of my eye. I had a dream about her last night and she was not the thin sick kitty she had become. She was the fat, spunky, silky fur ball from a few months ago. Some part of me thinks that I can fix my grief by immediately adopting a kitten who seems exactly like her. But that is not an option as Hubby really(!) doesn't want another pet. I've been through this before with two of my dogs and I know the grief eventually goes away but the love and affection stay. It will just take a little while to get to that part.

I've been fighting two of my major stress relievers. Eating tons of junk food and shopping for pleasure are so appealing to me when I'm emotional. At first I had to remind myself that food is not a cure for grief nor is it a shoulder to cry on. Food is simply fuel for our bodies. That was difficult to think about when all I wanted to do was crawl into a box of donuts.
And I've been trying my best to stay out of any store unless I have a need to buy something specific. We have too much clutter already and I would like to see our stagnant checking account numbers rise.

So far this week I have shopped at Aldi and spent $11 on staples and snacks for preschool. Yesterday I succumbed to my desire to shop and went into a new Dollar Tree. I spent $27 on toys for my kids, party favors, and groceries. This particular store has a small freezer section. I found a big bag of Green Giant white shoepeg corn and a bag of frozen blueberries. I'll go back again when I need to grocery shop.

As far as the pantry challenge goes I am committed to finishing the month and going into February. My in-laws will be here on the 10th so I will have to shop for them. Even though I didn't stick to just eating from my pantry I think I did a pretty good job of eating from our pantry so far. I think we've saved money.

Breakfast- veggie sausages and banana slices
Lunch- Soup, cheese and crackers for me and little guy. Hubby has leftovers. Big Girl is buying today (cheese pizza day)
Dinner- Pickle burger using old homemade pickles, a box of augratin potatoes I found in the pantry, green beans from the freezer, french bread that's in the bread machine right now. A chocolate pudding pie using things I found in the pantry.

Pantry Challenge Day 24 + 25 And not a happy day for me.

We've made the decision to put our sick kitty down. She has no interest in food and even dry heaved at the smell of her canned food. It's time. We said our goodbyes this morning. I have to say that I'm really not that interested in cooking or cleaning today at all. And I feel incredibly guilty about making this decision but I can't face the alternative.

Day 24-

Breakfast- the rest of the fruit pie and cereal
Lunch- Taco Bell on the way to Grandma's
Dinner- Kids ate at Grandmas while Hubby and I snuck off for a special 13th anniversary dinner.

Day 25-
Breakfast- pb toast and milk
Lunch- ? Maybe grilled cheese. Maybe yogurt.
Dinner- Hamburger helper made with boca patties.

It's time for another grocery trip. But, I just don't feel up to it. I think I'll throw some flour, water, oil, and salt in the bread machine and let it make us some bread.

Kitty Update & Pantry Challenge Day Eleven & Twelve

Day 11-
Dinner- we had leftovers

Day 12-
Dinner- We have a Mexican style stir fry and refried beans topped with taco sauce and cheese.
I made extra rice so tomorrow night we're probably having Chinese style stir fry.


Our kitty is not improving despite multiple forced syringe feedings daily. She hates being fed, won't eat on her own, and frequently vomits up what we've managed to get down her throat.
We're going to try giving her some dry food but things aren't looking so great right now.

Pantry Challenge Day Five

On the Menu:


Breakfast- kids had oatmeal with banana and milk, hubby had a veggie burger
Lunch- Hubby took leftovers from the freezer, Big Girl took hers in a lunchbox- pistachios, cheese stick fruit roll, apple pie, and a few pretzels with a fruitables juice box (I imagine she'll have leftovers). Little Guy and I had fast food after I picked him up from pre/k. I was starving after skipping breakfast (I know, I know).
Dinner- Spaghetti Pie without the crust, garlic bread from the freezer and leftover apple pie.


Today was my errand running day. I stopped at the vet to get more special cat food for Izzy and heartworm preventative for Abby, did the pharmacy drive thru pick up for my prescriptions, ran to Wal-Mart to get pet food and went to the library. Now I have to go syringe feed the cat, fill out some bills and rebates, throw a load of laundry in the wash, and work on putting away Christmas decorations. Got to get back to it.

Day 2 of Pantry Challenge and a Kitty Update

We're not exactly off to a roaring start with the pantry challenge. *** Foods from our own fridge/pantry.

Jan 1-

Breakfast- banana pancakes with peanut butter ***
Lunch- My Mom made a big salad ***
Snack- Hubby and I went to see Avatar and shared popcorn and soda $$
Dinner- $5 cheese pizza from Little Caesears with free bread sticks with our movie tickets

Jan 2-

Breakfast- drop biscuits and cheesy eggs ***
Lunch- Ramen noodle soup/leftovers ***
Dinner- at a friends house and I made chocolate cake (***)

Our cat is managing to eat a little of food here and there. We bought Hill's a/d and she seems to like it. Of course, she's vomiting up most of it. I still don't know what we're gonna do but I'm praying we can turn this around without a vet's intervention one way or another.

Frugality and Pet Ownership Don't Always March Hand in Hand

My baby cat Izzy is sick. She's been wasting away for a little while and today the vet discovered that she has Fatty Liver Disease. Our visit for blood tests and x-rays was $350.
To help reverse her disease it will mean several hundred more dollars, placement of a feeding tube, and weeks of home care.

We have an appointment on Monday and I'm not sure if it's for euthanasia or for getting a feeding tube. I feel ill equipped to deal with this.
On one hand- I love my cat and want to keep her healthy and alive.
On the other hand- She's thirteen years old and this will be her second expensive surgery.

A wormy situation.

I took my girl, Abby, to the vet today and the vet found heart worms.
When I decided to adopt her I knew that all the dog food coupons in the world wouldn't make dog ownership completely frugal. It's one thing I'm willing to spend money on because she is fully a part of our family now.

Not getting Mother of the Year any time soon.

You guys, I have been out of it for a while. It's been sneaking up on me for some time- this exhaustion and brain fog. Even my Dr. suggested that I might need to get my thyroid tested because I'm fatigued. I didn't even tell her that I was tired all of the time. It didn't even occur to me that I am tired all of the time. I've been taking iron supplements just in case.

Yesterday I forgot that it was early pick up day at Big Girl's school. Even though I'd mentally reminded myself multiple times and I had it written on the calendar. Thankfully she was not even a little upset with me since she got to spend some time in the after school care with her school mates. But still.

Add potty training a stubborn boy. Hubby car wreck and injuries. Stomach Bugs. Car shopping. And two birthdays this month. I'm not even going to the Valentine's Day party at school today (I didn't volunteer for this one) because I don't have the inclination to take Little Guy to the drop off care center.

We have our parents as teachers lady coming tonight and it's going to take me all day to shovel the toys up and vacuum the dog hair. My MIL gave me a dog breed dna testing kit for Abby. I sent it off a week ago and I am so looking forward to seeing what all is going in there.

What's Going on Today

No plans to shop or go anywhere other than school pick up and it feels great.

I just signed up for my free bottle of Suave since they are giving away bottles all day.

Doing laundry so I stay caught up.

Taking a bath with jr. so I can keep an eye on him while I clean up.

Taking care of my sick dog Abby, who may or may not need to go to the vet. She's been dry heaving all last night and she doesn't have an appetite which is very weird for her. She loves her Beneful that we just switched her back to. Poor baby. I did get her to eat a piece of cheese so maybe she just doesn't want dog food.
update: She's eating again and no more dry heaving. Still not spry so maybe she just ate something nasty in the yard like doggies do. Poor baby, I was beginning to really worry about her. She's only been with us a few months but she fits in so well and we're all so attached to her. The above picture was taken before Christmas when Big Girl was pretending to wrap her up like a present. See how docile she is... only a dog like her could survive with us.

Prepping dinner which will be cheesy rice and bean burritos and a big spinach salad. Turns out I just put the spinach in the burritos to save time and effort. I'm a big fan of one dish meals.

Picking up toys, sweeping the kitchen, scrubbing the bathroom downstairs, and keeping an eye on the diaperless wonder. He still hasn't pooped in the potty but I'm determined not to buy anymore daytime diapers.

Looking for the Affluenza library book that is now overdue. I have no clue where it is.

Last night Hubby took us to The Old Spaghetti Factory for their 40% off menu. The kids were so well behaved and we had wonderful food. Hubby took the leftovers for lunch. It took half of our entertainment budget for the month but it was worth it.

And now I must get to it after I read some more Grocery Cart Challenge links. I love seeing what people buy for food.