heeeere kitty kitty!

You wouldn't know it but I'm a cat person. I'm not a dog person. Actually I can't stand dogs. 

They gross me out. But before you hate me for that, I just wanna say that I think that way about MOST dogs, not all. 

Our neighbor has the most beautiful one-balled boxer named Jackson that the boys (and I) have played and loved to be around with.

Here's another thing I've kept to myself the entire time we've been here in this house: I've always hoped to find a lost kitty to adopt. 

It's true. I've longed for a kitty for sooo long. I've begged. I've convinced my children to ask for one to their daddy. But he's not a cat person. He's not a pet person. So NO has been our answer every time.

Before we had kids, I really wanted a kitty. So we took home Indy. She turned out to be the 'cat from hell'. 

She even looks eve-ill in this picture!!

Since THAT cat, he's forever convinced that cats are evil and good for only one purpose: target practice.

But have you noticed how much we like to go outside? No? Well, we do.

So we're outside and I hear a meow. I see a cat and it scurries away. 

No big deal, there's always wild cats in the neighborhood. 

Then I saw a tiny white furball behind some bushes and I thought AHA! 

This is the moment my dream comes true! 

...but it took me nearly 20 minutes to catch her...

Confession: why I think this event is so amazingly bizarre is that while I was outside, I was fuming about something. I won't go into details but when I'm angry about something, it's like it just builds up inside me like a ball of fire, ready to aim my anger at anything that crosses my path. When I am in that state of being, I have made it a habit to ask God to take it away. I specifically asked Him to tell me whether or not it was worth being angry about. Obviously He said NO WAY Jose!!! literally after my request because that's when I heard the tiny meow. He showed me something beautiful instead and took my anger away.

Hey you guys!!! I found the cutest white kitten to adopt in my own backyard!!!

Only she was feral and full of fleas. 

No worries, because after her clean up and several full tummies, she looks like this: 

Yep, we're keeping her. 

The best part is that the hubs finally admitted he likes kittens...what a softy!

*insert evil snicker here*

last days

So as May ends, it's just a bittersweet reminder that our home will no longer be ours. I know it's not much of a house---it's a duplex, it's worn, it's old, it's crusty--but it was our first home as a family and I feel the tears coming on about it. 

I gave birth in it. I danced to LMFAO's Party Rock in my underwear in it. I washed a thousand dishes in it. I enjoyed plenty of nice meals with a beer outside while I watched the kids play in their blue pool. 

I never once thought bad about this home, never wanted to move out of this home. Sure the carpet sucks and the ceiling is low, but I have that sense that it belongs to me and my family and that's why I feel so attached to it. 

It's almost quitting time folks. Time to pack up every single one of our belongings and try to dispose of uncompleted and broken toy sets. Time to start new. 

All the pictures that I've taken in this house will hopefully give the boys the feeling I get when I see the pictures my parents took in their first home. The feeling of vaguely familiar. The feeling of comfort. 

The next two weeks will be jam packed with dirty trapos and boxes. 

The next month will be full of adventures as we seek a new place to live northeast of Houston.

The next year will probably be as memorable as these past two and a half years, if not more so.

Cheers!

Follow me on Instagram @sanlynet

dirty mouths

Why is it that I can never resist taking pictures of them with ketchup or pudding all over their face? 

messy boy

Lord save me, but Jonah is the messiest maker in the history of the world.

That boy can get dirty in the cleanest of rooms.

I guess it's hereditary, but NOT from my side, definitely his father's. :)

The other afternoon, I saw him 'painting' on the window. 

 It was very abstract-y brown.

And then I asked him what he was doing. 

He didn't answer. But he posed for the camera. 

 He refined his work.

 DANG YOU SNACK-PACKS!

Why are you so messy, son!!?!?!

birthday/mother's day

Weekend full of celebrations. 

My sis and I have a birthday 2 days apart and they somewhat coincide with Mother's day too.

Apparently the second week of May is uber-popular with birthdays...everyone I know seems to know someone with a May 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 birhtday.

So it goes like this: We have cake and my sister, Caren and I and my mother all exchange gifts.

This year, my sis requested a colorful cake. A cake we Pin-a-holics have all seen on Pinterest. 

 A RAINBOW CAKE!!!

 It was SO pretty and sweet! 

And afterwards, we exchanged gifts and hugs!

My mother is always very specific about what she asks for any occasion. This year she requested kitchen utensils, as the ones she had were falling apart. So we gave her those and some TOMs too. 

I had made my sister one of those DIY earring holders, but she's always been saying I needed to make her a necklace holder. No need because when I walked into Claire's the other day, I saw this and found it just perfect for her. You see she likes purple? 

Jonah was eating Spongebob.

After the presents opening, we headed outside even though everyone was begging for a nap.

We set up horseshoes, had some equipment for badminton, and brand new dodgeballs. 

Mother's Day 2012

Busted lip, but still gorgeous as ever.

And of course they had to give Mommy some kisses....

...'cause they love me.

biggest dandelion

The greatest thing happened to me on my way back home from a trip to the grocery store...

I saw a dandelion.

When I see them, I automatically think of Andrew.

I picture him blowing his heart out to get all those dried seeds to float away.

On the side of this house was a patch of un-mowed grass.

In this patch, was the biggest and most beautiful dandelion I have ever seen.

This weed was SO big. You wanna see?

It was perfectly shaped. Perfectly hued. It was perfect for the boys. 

This dandelion was not mowed down for a purpose.

Its destiny belonged to the hands of the Witty brothers.

...and away they went...

They were spectacular, I don't know why I didn't save one to scan in.

Poor Jojo couldn't blow a single seed of it. 

But MAN, HE TRIED.

No more. They're all gone gone. 

Thank you weed for being so much fun.

Flashback of two years and a month ago on one of our trips to the college: 

 Dandelions are so much.

When we were kids we would blow as hard as we could. Because the number of seeds left was the number of how many kids you would have when you would grow up. 

Naturally you'd try to blow them all off save for two or three...

What memories do you have of dandelions?

Sun Bright

Sun. Sun. Sun. 

We require it. Daily.

The college near us has a pretty sweet campus. It's a private college, after all. 

I've never taken my camera there since we just walk around to spend energy and get exercise. 

It's a couple of blocks from the house, so it's an easy walk. 

However, it's a hard walk with two boys so we don't get to enjoy it as often as I'd like.

I've had a live-in babysitter. You guys know her, her name is Dawna. 

And she's my baby-sister. And also a free babysitter. For me. Only.

Sorry, you can't have her :)

She's helped me out a lot with the boys these past few weeks and I thought it'd be great

to go take a walk. I'm so thankful she was there to help. Without her, I would have 

never gone.

There's these stairs with "slides" on the sides, and Andrew LOVES to "slide" and run down them.

Everything's more fun when you have someone chasing after you...

...and sliding down with you.

I think this was the first time for Jonah to slide down them, too!

Head first, because they're daredevils just like their parents.

The boys are in heaven when Tia Dawna is around. They love her so much, sometimes they forget they have a mommy.

Water nearby means added fun

Greatest. Baby. Sitter. Ever.