Lately

Lately, around here I have:  

picked up a humane society dog from her spay and transported her back to the shelter.  (She's a sweetie and traveled so well in the car), 

had a bowl of yum--brown rice, broccoli, carrots, sprouted teriyaki tofu, and tamari, 

finished bottle feeding our last kittens for a while.  These three are still here but they are around 9 weeks and 2 pounds so they can be spayed/neutered whenever our next appointment is, 

been swimming a couple of times with this guy, who loves to jump in the pool and make a big splash, 

transported this cutie pie, Smudge, (a former foster), to Petsmart where she got herself adopted a few days later.  

made a couple batches of massaged kale salad with strawberries and coconut for Mr. GV, 

packed up this little one, Shirley, 

and her sister, Laverne, and wished them a happy life as they went off to one of our adoption partners, 

went with my mom, sister, and this guy to a local consignment sale, 

where I bought two things:  a stack of people magazines for $2 and a tuxedo T-shirt for my nephew.  Tacky as hell but he loved it and so do I, 

managed to accomplish some reading, of course with some help, 

took some more picture of Simon (the tiny trio is named Alvin, Simon, and Theodora) because of some interest in this sweet Siamese boy, 

made Happy Herbivore's Taco Soup (good but IMO needs more liquid to be more soup-like), 

and found that our local chain grocery store now carries vegan cookie dough.  Most of the time I make mine from scratch but I wanted to support their vegan choices so bought a container.  My nephew got to enjoy the first half here after an especially good day at school and the other half was taken to a board meeting for the humane society.  

In addition, we cancelled Hulu!  That's $7.99/month we won't be paying.  We can still see all the shows on Hulu that we want, they just won't be available until 8 days after the broadcast showing instead of the day after.  We are watching less and less TV so that suits us just fine.  

Kindergarten Parade

What's cuter than 11 classes of kindergarteners marching around in a parade?  Maybe a bunch of puppies doing the same?  

In April, J participated in his kindergarten parade, which was themed "A Year in the Life of Kindergarten."  

Here you see the Grand Marshal.  The Grand Marshal is always driven around in a fancy car, you know?  

1st grade or bust!

St. Nick represented December,

while March had a class full of leprechauns and lucky clovers.  

J's class represented April, which is the month in which a huge festival takes place in our town.  

(My apologies for the lack of puppies in this post.)  

Spring!

I have to say, while I am fond of cooler temperatures, it seemed like a very long, cold winter this time around.  I was ready for spring, and most of what it brings.  

Milo enjoys sitting out on the deck with me, rocking on the patio chair.

The red bud in the lower yard is beautiful.

The apple tree is trying to get going.

The weeping willow is coming along nicely.

J picked some phlox for me, and I had just the right tiny little bottle in which to display it.

There have been several visits to the park.

And a poster made (mainly by J with a little help by me) for a festival here in our hometown.

But there's some bad associated with springtime in the South as well, namely tornado season.  Here we are hunkered down in the tiny guest bathroom----2 dogs, one cat, and 3 humans.  

J and Mr. GV found a way to pass the time.

Me?  I sat there and obsessively checked the radar, the warnings, and in general just worried.  That's what I do during ugly weather.  It makes me feel like I have some control which of course I do not.  :)  

What is springtime in your neck of the woods like? 

Easter activities

The day before Easter, J, Mr. GV and I went to a "Breakfast with the Bunny" fundraiser for our favorite local humane society.  Along with breakfast, J got to hold a bunny for the first time.  He was thrilled!!  Mouse the bunny was sweet and so soft.  It was another great way for the kids to learn about treating an animal in the proper way.  

J was a happy boy when the pancakes were replenished.  (He had a Sonic cup full of water, his drink of choice.)  

The next day, on Easter, we had an egg hunt in our front yard for J.....

....and his NaNa.  J likes a little competition and since he's the only child in the family, and my mom enjoys competing, she was nominated.  I love the look on her face in this picture.  She was mock-sad because J had just found an egg hidden in the magnolia tree.  Ha!

Mr. GV did yard work while the rest of us played.  We are getting rid of the plastic fencing around our raised beds.  It was impossible keeping them taut and the deer just put their necks over it or jump inside the bed anyway.  

J got an Easter basket with some nice things, but his favorite was definitely this Plants vs Zombies graphic novel. 

As a matter of fact, it was tough to get him to do anything else.  He finished it within a short while, but I'm sure he will be reading it over and over.  (By the way, that's a bag of recycling in the background, not trash mounding up, I promise.)

I hope everyone had a good Easter weekend (if you celebrate), or just a great weekend!  Mr. GV and I don't celebrate it in the religious sense, but we do enjoy participating in fun activities with J that go along with the holiday.  

6th Birthday

Last month, J had his 6th birthday!  We woke up to snow, but it didn't keep us from celebrating!

J with his mommy.

Breakfast at Huddle House.

There was a scheduled karate camp that day, and J wanted to go.  (The birthday child gets a "drum roll" by the other kids if it's their birthday.)  

Afterward, it was time for a surprise movie date at The Lego Movie.  

J is trying to act all cool in this picture.  *Sigh.*  

J and his NaNa enjoying a game of air hockey before the movie starts.

Dinner was J's choice, which of course was at the Chinese restaurant where we are all known very well!

His Mommy and NaNa hurried back to the apartment to get the surprise party ready.  They had decorated while he was at karate camp.  J had been told that he wouldn't be having a party this year.  

The party was Lego-themed as well--primary colors, Lego cupcakes, and a few Lego gifts.

Naturally J got interested in his Lego Movie book....

Here his Mommy is telling him the story of his birth.

Group picture of those that were able to celebrate his day with him!

Weekend

Last weekend I decided to go play Bingo to benefit a local Humane Society.  We have adopted two dogs through this organization (Pearl and Milo) and we are hoping to get more involved in the future.    I won a game and got the one thing on the prize table I was interested in---a tote bag that advertises the organization.  

On Saturday we attended the open house/fundraiser for the new facility the same organization has recently purchased.  Their current building is not structurally sound, and this building could not have been available at a better time.  J got a paw painted on his face and participated in the coloring contest.  

That afternoon I ate at a local Italian restaurant for the first time, where I was able to get some pasta with marinara sauce, a salad, and some crusty bread.  

Ahem.  This is the purse that J picked out for me at a local store.  This also might be the ugliest purse I've ever seen.  

While the other two were browsing in another store, J and I hung out in the foyer area.  Here you can see J was enjoying playing spy with his Nana's binoculars.