Victoria's Dahl House

February 2010 thu July 2010

2010-07-18T08:19:00.007-04:00

Wow, it has been a while since I have updated my blog! Unfortunately my computer messed up and it had taken me this long to get a new one. But, alas, I have my new purple computer and I can blog again.

In February, DeAnn and I went to New Orleans! It was a blast. Here we are in Jackson Square. It is so beautiful there...

A trip to New Orleans isn't complete with out a dinner and drink at Pat O'Brien's!! Yummy!

In early April Tim ran the Fallen Hero's 5K run at Lake Lanier. It was very moving...

And the bag pipe player did an awesome job...the music was wonderful...

Also in April was the Jimmy Buffett Concert! We had a blast! Tail gating is just part of the fun...

Renee, Abbey and Me waiting for the concert to begin...

June and July have been fun as well. Of course our annual Movie Night with the Twilight Saga...Here Chad, DeAnn, Me and Tim are posing for our group picture. Scot had to take the picture!

In June, a new boat became a new, and challenging hobby for Tim and me. We seemed to have worked out most of the kinks now...

Tim driving here....

and me driving here....

And Last but Not Least....Tim turned 40 on July 10th....Happy Birthday honey!!

Hopefully I will now be able to update on a more regular basis...have a great week everyone!

Catching up...

2010-02-02T18:44:00.002-05:00

I just got back from New Orleans and will have those pictures up shortly! Hope everyone is having a great week!

Cowboy's

2010-01-17T20:28:00.003-05:00

This weekend we all went to Cowboy's. It's a local country western bar and dance hall. We had such a great time. I learned that I desperately need dance lessons though! Here is some of the gang. Scott, Philip, Dee, me and one of Philip's friends. Scot is in there somewhere too, but you can't see him...

Here Tim and Scott smoke their "cheese wheels". One of the bar tenders proclaimed that when lit, a cigar looked like a cheese wheel! Hahaha...

Here Scot, DeAnn and I try to line dance...doing pretty good if I do say so myself!

Me, trying again...

...and just having fun!

Hope everyone has a great week and "live like you were dancin' "!

Dahls N Guns

2010-01-09T14:23:00.005-05:00

Well, Tim liked shooting Scot's gun so much that he went out and bought himself one. Yep that's right, Tim bought a gun. He go a Springfield Armory XD 40 SW. What ever that is, this is what it looks like...

Tim is very proud of his new gun and tries to go to the shooting range every chance he gets. I still haven't decided what I think of the idea of him having a gun.

Emmett thinks it's okay...

Other than his new gun, the only news here is we got some snow. Mind you it wasn't much snow, but enough to irritate me and cover the ground with a light dusting. Our neighborhood pond was very pretty though.

Thankfully this is all we got. I bet we get more though...

Hope everyone has a great week!

Happy New Year!!!!

2010-01-02T10:38:00.005-05:00

We had a great start to the New Year! Party at Scott and Philip's house, Edwardo's Pizza and a little "shootin' on the range"...

DeAnn and Me at Philip's New Year's Eve Party. We ate, we sang, we danced...

...and Tim worked...

But he did get a chance to dance with the rest of us to the Wii Dance game. It was fun! And quite the workout!

Dancing Queens...

After a few precious few hours of sleep, we went to shoot Scot and DeAnn's gun. I will load some pictures of Tim shooting next week, but this was my first time to shoot a gun...

I shot DeAnn's 38. Of course getting proper instruction from Mr. Astin first was my first priority.

...going for the gold...

Make My Day...
Hope every one had a great Happy, Safe New Year! Here's to an awesome 2010!

Happy New Year

2009-12-30T17:56:00.001-05:00

No pictures this week. Still busy cleaning up after the holidays! Stay tuned and I will have some new pictures up this weekend hopefully. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and I wish everyone a Happy New Year!!

The Cats and Me

2009-12-12T19:23:00.005-05:00

I don't normally post pictures of me on my blog, however today was the day that a couple of our resident felines decided to cooperate with us and allow us to take some pictures by the tree. Here I am with Pixie, but I think I need to change my camera setting!

Here I am with Pixie again. She is the newest member to our family and is fitting in just fine. She and Emmett are big buddies right now, getting into all KINDS of feline mischief.

Emmett was being a good boy for about five minuets here. "Quick Tim, snap the picture"!

Here I am with my baby Maverick. He only barely tolerated picture time, but I couldn't resist my most amazing cat. I love him dearly...

Here Tim is playing with one of his new toys, his new BC. Apparently it has a leak and he's gonna have to exchange it. (Sorry Timmy, but we will get it fixed)!

Here Maija is giving us her most honest "ba humbug" face...well, maybe not ba humbug, but it's close!

Hope every one has a great week! Merry Christmas!

Christmas time again...

2009-12-05T19:53:00.003-05:00

It's time to put my Department 56 homes up...I wasn't able to put them all up this year, Tim and I got some new furniture and I don't have the shelf space, however, Tim made me a bigger fireplace mantle so I could put a few of them up!!

It was also time to add Emmett and Pixie to the ever growing number of stocking over our fireplace. Makes me wonder how much weight that mantle can hold!

Maverick and Pixie took some time for a cat nap while Tim and I finished decorating. Maverick makes for the most perfect big brother!

I don't recall there being a huge feline in the Nativity Scene...however Bendi has ideas of her own...

Again, Maverick taking a cat nap. Only this time he was napping with Emmett..."we were ASLEEP mommy"!

Voila, the finished product!!

Hope everyone has a great week!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!!!

2009-11-29T08:32:00.002-05:00

And so it begins.....

We get out the Christmas Tree and attempt our decorating for the season. Only now we have 8 cats to worry about climbing the tree!!! Yes, Tim and I are crazy for having 8 cats, but they are all special and we love them!

This is the first Christmas for both Emmett and Pixie, so they were really excited about the strange goings on at the Dahl household last night...."what are all these boxes for daddy?"

Tim played with Emmett in the hopes it would satisfy his curiosity about things. It' didn't really work!

Then of course Pixie had to try playing with the garland...

Jessie and Maverick are the quintessential felines...resting under the tree...and thankfully not climbing it! Sammy did that earlier in the decorating process.

Pixie found a new friend...The Grinch!

Bendi made friends with Santa...

Maverick just fell asleep under a beautifully decorated tree!

Hope everyone has a great week and gets into the Christmas spirit by decorating and baking!!

Transfer of Redd at Mammoth Cave

2009-11-15T14:25:00.007-05:00

This weekend was a girls weekend and also the weekend Redd went to his new home!! Tim drove to Cave City, Kansas to meet Tom, Redd's new daddy! Tim and Tom did a quick tour of Mammoth Cave, had a nice dinner and then started back home on Sunday.

Apparently Redd took to Tom very fast, which is wonderful. Look at the two new housemates...awww....

Before they left, Tim and Redd had some time to say good bye! We took a few pictures to remember him by...

How cute, brother and sister...

After Redd left, I got Pixie a new bed...she loved it, until someone else moved in...

Jessie should be ashamed! hahaha...

Then everyone moved in!

Hope everyone has a great week!!

Nothing new...but Redd found a home!!

2009-11-08T19:47:00.002-05:00

Not too much new to report this week. Redd did find his forever home though...we will really miss him, but he's going to live with one of Tim's friends in the Chicago area.

Since I don't have much to report, I just listed a few pictures of this week, mostly of the cats...shocking!

Here Maverick is peeking over a pillow...wonder what he's thinking?

We had some Halloween fun with Emmett! He's a devil on a daily basis, so I found the perfect costume for him! Isn't he cute?

Like I said, we will all miss Redd. Here he and Tim are taking a nap, or at least trying to rest for a quick few minutes.

We are still looking for a home for Pixie. She is just too cute!!! She loves people and will follow you around. Precious.

Here they are playing...

Hope every one has a great week! Maybe I will have more news to report next week!

Happy Fall Y'all

2009-11-01T18:07:00.005-05:00

Well, here it is already November 2009. Halloween has come and gone and now it's almost Turkey Time!

On Sunday, Tim and I went with Scot, DeAnn and the kids to Amicalola Falls to have a picnic and walk around the beautiful grounds. Then we went to Burt's Pumpkin farm to see what was left of all the fall time gourds!

The water was freezing of coures, but the weather was absolutely beautiful! The falls are gorgeous any time of the year.

A lot of the trees have lost their leaves, however we did have some beautiful fall foliage. Here Tim is matching his surroundings!

The kids had a good time climbing downed trees. Christian almost blends in too well, you can barely see him!!

So need less to say, I have taken a new approach to fall time and have decided to make the best of it and enjoy what God has provided in each season! Just look at the beautiful trees in the background!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-25T16:00:00.011-04:00

We have had a busy week in the Dahl Household. Miss Georgia, seen below, went to her forever home with Abbey, Kevin and Katelyn. We will miss her but she is in a great home!

I also ordered, received and set up my worm composter. 1,000 worms and counting! I am so excited to see how they recycle!

Wormies!!! All 1,000 of them.

Here I am holding up two of them. Boy, they are kinda fast.

Then, on Saturday night, Tim and I, along with Scot and DeAnn, went to Philip's Halloween Costume party. Tim was a vampire tyrant and I was a vampire mistress. We had so much fun!

Vampire Tim's more serious side...

The happy vampire mistress...

DeAnn went as a witch and Scot was a sorcerer.

And here Scot and DeAnn are with Philp, the birthday boy.

I hope everyone has a great week and Have a Spooktacular Halloween on Saturday!

Week Number Five...

2009-10-17T07:30:00.005-04:00

Well, Halloween is almost here and the kittens are growing as fast as time flies...

Pixie absolutely LOVES to cuddle at your neck. Here I am trying to read the paper over her loud purr...she is so adorable and sweet, and LOUD.

See how sweet and cute she is???!!! Look at that face!!!

This week we worked on eating some dry food. I mixed it with their wet food and they chowed down. However, they do seem to prefer the wet over the dry...

Play time! Maverick is observing Redd on the computer...oh and look Maverick and Emmett are on the screen saver! I wonder if that confused Redd?

Emmett just loves to groom the kittens, especially after they have eaten. Georgia and Redd are getting their nightly baths.

And now Pixie is loving on Tim. She can't get enough of that warm spot around your neck.

Hope everyone has a great week! And be sure to look forward to next week, for at the end of the week, the kittens will be ready for their Forever Loving New Homes!!!

Starting week number FOUR

2009-10-10T19:59:00.002-04:00

As cute at they are, they grow very fast. Here the kittens are at week four. Georgia is already yawning while Redd and Pixie are just about to doze...how nice it must be to catnap during the day!!

Other goings on in the Dahl Household include Hagrid, pictured below, trying to escape...AGAIN!! This poor crab has managed so many failed attempts at escaping that it's not even funny anymore. And there Fluffy is cheering him on....nice.

Sam and I had a nice few moments on the couch. I was petting my boy and he almost fell asleep. He's our middle feline, and so, so sweet. We love him very much.

Now back to the kittens, Here Georgia is hanging her head. I have noticed that she is the only one to "prop" her head up when she sleeps. It's so cute but it has been hard to get a picture of her actually doing it. Finally the moment presented itself!

FREE BIRD!!!!! Here Redd is running as fast as his little kitten feet would carry him. He's very adorable and has started learning the litter box. He's a smart little dude.

Sweet Pixie is just...well, SWEET! She's tiny and beautiful and loves to roam around the living room, especially when Emmett is about. Emmett loves to groom and Pixie loves to be groomed!

Speaking of Emmett, this would be the "kinder, gentler" side of him. HAHAHAHA..he did manage NOT to break or destroy anything in the house this week so I guess that is a good thing!

Hope everyone has a great week and is getting ready for Halloween!!!

Growing up Kitty

2009-10-03T21:41:00.004-04:00

This week the kittens have begun teething, they are getting bigger and more mobile. They still like to sleep a lot though.

Also this week I began decorating for the fall time. I got my dining room finished and Tim put Halloween lights up for me on the front door. I'm not usually a "fall time" person, but the weather has been perfect and that ever so slight chill in the air has me in the mood for autumn.

Here the kittens are busy with their full time job of cat napping.

Emmett is so good with them, he loves to groom them and take care of them. Which is quite unusual since he's a hand fed cat, (hand fed by yours truly)...

Here Tim is putting my Halloween lights up....Emmett is trying to escape there at the bottom of the picture...still a very bad kitty :)

And we have success....

While Tim was putting the lights out on the back deck, Maverick decided to take a rare moment to himself outside. Here he is wanting back into the house, how sad....

And of course here Maverick is doing what he does best. Sleeping.

Hope everyone has a great week!!

Growing up is hard to do....

2009-09-27T15:41:00.003-04:00

Well, the kittens are growing fast, and boy are they cute!! We give them time to run around and build up those little kitty muscles is their legs. Looks like one or two of them are doing pretty good climbing up on Tim!

The little boy liked to climb up on me. He's so cute and fat...guess his foster mommy is feeding him well!! :) Of course when the kittens are out, the other cats like to see what is going on. Here Emmett is checking out the babies...

Tim is so good with them. He even helps me "poop" and "pee" the kittens. Hopefully in a couple of weeks they will be ready to learn about the litter box!! I know I will be ready for that.

They got so big, that I decided to make the big move to the garden tub in our master bath. We filled it with plenty of warm towels and all their toys. They seem to be able to move about pretty well and were sleeping soundly at last check...

Not to be outdone with attention, Emmett decided to let his presence be known. It was an absolutely beautiful day (after all this rain) so we let the cats out on the deck. Emmett did his level best to get my attention...AND HE DID !!!!!! Look at this mess!

And just look at this sorrowful face....ummm humm.....bad kitty!

Of course my precious Maverick never does anything wrong. Here he is about to go to sleep in Tim's chair...he's my baby boy!!

Hope every one has a great, and dry, week! Until next time...as the kittens grow...

Week Number Two...

2009-09-19T20:27:00.003-04:00

Well, the kittens will be two weeks old on Monday. I am keeping them this weekend to give Tanya a break. They are growing well and are as cute as can be. But best of all, they slept thru the night last night!!

This is the male, (gold one) and one of the females sound asleep after their morning feeding and pooping session!

This one here has personality PLUS!! She was sleeping with her paw over her eyes to keep the light out. This one is Tim's favorite.

Tim is so good to help me feed. Here he is feeding his favorite one, and as you can tell, she LOVES to relax...

and just "hang" around...

I can't decide on a favorite so I just kiss them all!!

They all need love and I give all that I have...

Not to leave out my very own babies, I love them dearly as well. Emmett is growing into a very handsome kitty...but he has a tendency to get into LOTS of trouble.

I hope everyone has a great week!

BABIES!!!!!

2009-09-13T10:19:00.007-04:00

This week ended in a perfect way for me. We had a feral momma cat come into our office. She was almost ready to deliver, but no one to take care of the kittens. Which meant that we were going to have to euthanize them. Well, not if Dr. VerSteeg, Tanya and I have anything to do with it!!

Dr. V delivered three absolutely beautiful kittens by c-section. Tanya and I worked and worked on them to get them to breathe and "come alive". It worked!!

I kept them their first night of life and Tanya is going to keep them until they are old enough to be given away, in about 6 weeks.

I just love feeding and caring for new born kittens. They are so sweet and so tiny!

Here Bendi is checking out the babies, making sure they are sleeping well...

Of course cute and tiny doesn't always mean quite. For those of you who don't know, kittens have a massive set of lungs and they are very LOUD when hungry for food!!

Then some sleep all the time, the two grey tabby cats appear to be females...

And the beautiful sleeping beauty here is actually a handsome boy!

Of course our family of nosy felines had to check out the new kitten and give their seal of approval.

Like I said, days like Friday make my job the most wonderful job in the world! Hope everyone has a great week!

Labor Day 2009

2009-09-08T20:43:00.007-04:00

This past weekend, Scot, DeAnn, the kids, and her parents invited Tim and me to spend Labor Day weekend with them at Lake Hiwassee. This beautiful lake is located in Murphy, North Carolina in the Nantahala National Forest. It truly is a beauty to behold, none of my pictures do it justice...

Tim is in the process of taking more dive classes, so he decided to get ready to do two 15 minute nitrox dives while at the lake. He also wanted to help DeAnn and Brady with their dive ambitions. So, naturally while getting his gear together, a feline had to make his presence known. Can you find Emmett in the picture below?

Once we got there, the kids were ready to go!! Here Leah is sitting with Tim in all her gear! This little girl means business...

Tim, preparing for his big moment...

And taking the giant leap of faith...

Helping DeAnn learn how to clear her mask...not an easy task I am told.

On Sunday we went to a Flea Market. This was the largest Flea Market I have ever been to. They had absolutely everything under the sun and, then some. It was fun walking around looking at all the wares and talking to the local people.

Here Leah and I are looking at Mood Rings...

And then all the kids wanted Mood Rings, so Mood Rings they got! It was fun watching them all turn colors.

On Monday, before we left to come home, we took one final ride on the pontoon boat. It was an absolutely beautiful day and a wonderful way to end the 2009 Summer Season!

This is me thinking ahead to next summer...

New Toys

2009-08-30T19:22:00.005-04:00

Tim and I have so much fun with the cats. And it's a good thing, since that is about all we do, play with the cats...well, it's what we do most of the time. Emmett is fascinated with our television. He loves to sit (as close as he can...) and watch this one particular show we like called Universe on the History Channel. Here he is striking a post...

Bendi is not as interested. She does her own cat thing, but she is always close by!

On occasion, when the cats are good, we get them a new toy. This toy is a scratching post with catnip on it. Here Sam and Emmett are checking it out. They especially love the catnip, which I call Kitty Crack...they go crazy for it!

Jessie is not as interested in toys but he loves to sleep in Tim's lap. Here is his trying to nap as Tim does his computer work. Awww....

Tim and Maverick, having a moment of rest...

And finally, Maverick doing what he does best. Sleeping. Poor thing packs himself into this small cubby in the Kitty Condo...but he's so peaceful and we love him very much!

Hope everyone has a great week and enjoys Labor Day Weekend next week!

Home Sweet Home, with Animals....

2009-08-22T19:48:00.008-04:00

Well, I guess at some point vacation has to end and the reality of home sets in...while Tim and I love to vacation, we always, ALWAYS, miss our babies...and this week was little Emmett's first time out on the deck...he had a blast, but he had some company too...here is our handsome ED.

Here Emmett is getting used to the area. He started off on the couch and managed to move around from there...

He found his way to the table, a kitty "no, no" but since it's his first time we over looked that!!

He finally decided to relax on the couch...isn't he just the cutest!! We love our new addition.

Not to be outdone, Jessie wanted some premium mommy time. While I was having my Saturday morning coffee, we decided to have a "moment". He's our old man and we love him very much!

Y'all remember Hagrid, my hermit crab, right? Here is a recent picture of him.

Well, I decided he was bored and lonely so I got him some friends while Tim and I were in Florida.....let me introduce you to Aragog and Fluffy!! Here Hagrid is with his claw around Aragog...they were fast buddies!!

And here is Fluffy...he's the smaller of the three, but he holds his own...

Here is another close up of Aragog.

And some final pictures of Tim and me in Panama City beach. These photos were taken with my cell phone, so they may not be as clear.

Here Tim is posing at the new Pier Park...it's a really nice new shopping area at PCB.

Hope everyone has a great week!!

More Beach Pictures

2009-08-16T18:28:00.008-04:00

As promised, here are some more pictures of our trip to Panama City Beach, Florida. On Monday, we had a short morning storm. Not enough of a storm to get Tim and me off the beach however!!

Here we are in front of our hotel, the Holiday Inn Sunspree. We have stayed here several times and just love it. It really is a beautiful hotel.

Me when the storm is about to hit....it was actually really beautiful.

From my beach front seat, I got this picture of a break in the storm area....I love times like this.

After it was all said and done, Tim was soaking up rays reading a book. Yes, Tim was reading!!!

Our last night there, we ate at the Boatyard Restaurant. Here the Pirate Ship is just about to dock...

And this was our view from the dinner table. We are ready to go back!!!

Summer Vacation 2009

2009-08-09T17:37:00.006-04:00

Finally this past weekend was our summer trip to Panama City Beach Florida. We spent almost a full week there and really enjoyed ourselves! I always love my trips to the beach. I get to rest and relax and not worry about the everyday life issues. And, like DeAnn said on her blog, there are just too many pictures to post at one time, so they will come in different blogs!

First things first, after 5-6 hours in the car, one gets very hungry and thirsty, so a greatly anticipated visit to Margaritaville is in order! Here is my margarita...isn't she a beauty!

Tim and I did actually order food, which was delicious, but sadly no pictures were taken of that!

Now, with tummies full and a beach calling our name, we just checked in, got our suits out and went directly to the beach...no unpacking for us at this point!

Although it was later in the day, about 4:30 when these pictures were taken, you can tell it was a very beautiful day to be at the beach.

Tim tried his hand at boogie boarding, but the waves were very calm on this day...better luck tomorrow Timmy!

Monday morning we woke up to a beautiful, although stormie day...but not for long, the weather cleared up and we enjoyed the rest of the day. This is the view from our room on the 6th floor.

Now, when relaxing on the beach, you must have ALL the proper beach equipment. That includes, boogie boards, floats, cooler, drinks, food, chairs and umbrella. And how is one suppose to carry all that you ask? Well, with the Wonder Wheeler of course! It's a life saver!

Here Tim is setting up house on our little piece of temporary beach property...ahh, the joys of beach front property!

Next time I will have more pictures. I hope everyone has a great week!

New Week, New Post

2009-08-01T21:48:00.008-04:00

Nothing too new to report this week, so I though I would blog about the summer. It seems as though the summer goes by so fast, and it gets faster and faster each year. I try to savor every minute, as many of you know, summer is my favorite time of the year.

(A curious on looker during our bike ride at Berry College...isn't she cute)!

This year we have spend a lot of time with friends. We have had bike rides at Berry College, camping in the back yard, time at the lake and added a new family member! Here are some of the Summer of '09 memories...

Here Tim is at the lake on Memorial Day with the kids...

And camping with Scot and the boys...

And our new little man...Emmett, the final addition to our feline part of the family...Emmett has the most unusual facial expressions.

Guess I fell asleep after work one day and Tim was quick with the camera!!

My handsome Maverick Renegade...

Bike riding at Berry College...

DeAnn and me at the Old Mill, taking a much needed rest during our ride...

Of course there are other memories as well, and more pictures to come, as summer is not over yet!! Hope everyone has a great week!

Birthday Month!!

2009-07-26T18:43:00.005-04:00

Tim decided very early on this month to celebrate his birthday all month...ALL MONTH. And so he has!! Today we were able to meet Scot and DeAnn for a nice afternoon birthday lunch at Joe's Crab Shack!

It's so awesome to have friends that will celebrate anything, anytime anywhere, and indulge in a Birthday Month!!

As some of you may, or may not know, Tim has been...shall we say, intrigued by the 2012 theory of The End of Time situated around the Mayan Calendar and Nostradamus writings (and many other galactic alignments). So Scot and DeAnn found him the most PERFECT book to read up on the matter. Beyond 2012, Catastrophe or Awaking? Cool!!

They are also kind enough to support his cigar smoking habit with a couple of really cool cigars. A Ghurka Black Dragon Fire and K. Hansotia Ancient Warrior. Umm...decisions, decisions....

DeAnn even made Tim a chocolate pound cake, which was delicious. Tim has it hidden in the fridge somewhere as I type...probably planning to eat the rest of his after smoking his cigar!

Evan our loving felines are willing to celebrate...well, not really. You can see how excited Jessie and Emmett are to celebrate...

And Maverick....

Here I am with two of my boys! Mavie and Emmett are battling it out for lap space, which mommy just doesn't have a lot of!!

Anyway, as the month of July comes to an end. I think it is safe to say that Tim has had an awesome birthday month!

Summer time!!

2009-07-18T19:36:00.002-04:00

I just LOVE summer. I can't think of a better time of the year for me, except for maybe Spring. I do love Easter...however, summer time really makes me happy. I love everything about it. The weather, the foliage, the food, the drinks, the beach (if we ever get there this year)...

Tim and me, Panama City beach, circa 2007...

But for now, I am going to blog about my cats....what else! Everyone is doing great. Emmett is fitting into our family just perfectly. For a 9 week old kitten he sure can hold his own, yet he still has that kitten playfulness in him.

Sound asleep, all four feet in the air...silly kitty!

Here is he trying to squish in with Maverick. Maverick, as you can tell, is really concerned about the 2lb growth on his belly...Nice smile there, Lil' Em...

And what's wrong with this picture, besides Tim at the dinner table with no shirt on? Emmett found his way up on the table. Wonder who taught him that?

Not many of the other felines would cooperate with picture taking this week but this is what I could get...Ed guarding the back deck...he looks really busy.

Maija posing with her eyes OPEN for a change.

Jessie, the toothless wonder...he loves to show off his gums!!!

Sammie, also on the deck for some afternoon sunbathing...looks like he's more on the prowl to me.

And, I cannot forget Hagrid. I love my hermit crab. He has managed to stay in this particular shell for about 2 months now. He really needs a new one, but I can't find one that is the appropriate size. I need to find one soon though, I would hate to see him walking around naked.

Mommy and Emmett. He's my (final) growing boy!

Hope every one has a great week and is enjoying these "dog days" of summer as much as I am!!

Happy Birthday Tim!

2009-07-12T10:36:00.011-04:00

This week was Tim's birthday week. He had sushi for his birthday dinner, got presents and really enjoyed himself.

He got some clothes and a G-Shock watch from me. Tim likes to have a different watch for many occasions and this one is for his visits to the lake and beach.

On Saturday morning, Tim decided he wanted to go to I-Hop for a pancake breakfast.

Then he wanted to go spend the birthday money that was burning a hole in his pocket. He has had his eye on a Spanish Guitar and now he has the money to buy it!

It's a Manuel Rodriguez e Hijos guitar hand crafted in Madrid, Spain. It has an absolutely beautiful sound and I cannot wait for Tim to learn some Spanish songs!

Then, following the theme for the day, Tim decided he wanted a Cuban sandwich which he made himself. He even slow roasted the pork it was super delicious! Tim is quite the cook!

All in all, I believe he had a really nice birthday! Happy 39th birthday Timmy! I love you!

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-05T19:14:00.009-04:00

Happy 4th of July everyone!!!

I hope everyone had a GREAT Independence Day. We had a nice day as well. Tim's brother Rob was here for a visit and we had a nice time going to Lake Lanier and then to the Mall of Georgia for the Annual Fireworks Show. I love Independence Day. I love what it stands for, I love the people who died to give us this day and I love that it's slap in the middle of Summer, my favorite time of the year!

Aww...brotherly love...

Here, while we wait for the action to begin, Tim and Rob debate the finer points of Farkle. Tim loves this game for some reason and plays it every chance he gets....I unfortunately do not follow in his love of this particular dice game.

I, however, had the last book in the series of my vampire chronicles to read. (The next one comes out in October!!) So I decided to for go Farkle. As I said before, not my favorite game...

Bendi also decided to get into the Spirit of 1776...she decided to sit herself on my table....A very big KITTY NO NO!!!!!

The fireworks show was beautiful, and lasted about 15 minutes. Now, just waiting for next year!

Hope every one has a great week!

New Week, Some New Pictures...

2009-06-24T19:14:00.006-04:00

This past weekend, I actually went camping. Yes, I, Victoria Dahl, went to sleep in a tent on the ground. It was....shall we say, unusual. Being that I only like camping at the Hilton it was quite an experience for me. Thankfully we camped at the Astin's lake house and I was not far from the house or kitchen or the bathroom or the living room....

I did not take many pictures. I wasn't looking my best all tired and wild eyed from a night of hearing scratching and sniffing at my head. I can only imagine that it was a dog...or a raccoon...or a doe...being the animal professional that I am, I opted to remain calm and wait out the unwelcome sniffer by holding my breath and not moving for 10 minuets. Below is the only existing picture (I think) of me camping.

We did have fun though. Had a nice campfire grill dinner, huge campfire with smores and a nice white wine sangria...it was fun for all of us. As soon as dusk hit, Christian was the first one at the fire to make Smores. I have never seen a child so excited to build a fire and eat a chocolate cover marshmallow graham cracker cookie!!

Leah followed closely behind, however if you look ever so carefully in the background, you can see that Brady beat her to it and is chomping on his smore...

I do have some other pictures to share. Some are of lake fun, others are of my wonderful and beautiful and loving felines. Hope everyone had a nice fathers day...Tim got kitty kisses...and have a great week!

How YOU doin'?

Go away...I'm trying to sleep!

Cats and Camping

2009-06-17T17:30:00.005-04:00

For the last couple of weeks, Tim and I have enjoyed Scot, DeAnn and the kids as they came over for a visit and some camping. Since Scot is allergic to the dust mites we call cats, he and DeAnn "roughed" it in a tent in the backyard! You can't have camping with out a campfire and Smores...

Here Scot and the boys are getting the campfire ready, Brady is guarding the Marshmallows.

Although not much into camping...DeAnn and I got into the groove by roasting marshmallows for our smores...

...and Brady just flat out burned his!!!

Some fun was also spent with Emmett. The kids just adore him and he loves them!

Look Ma...no allergies!!

I love him...he's so cute!!!

Can I have him mommy? He wants to come home with Piper!!

I am awfully adorable.....

Hope everyone has a great week!

It's a cats life for the Dahl's

2009-06-03T10:33:00.008-04:00

Well, as some of you may know, Tim and I have been fostering an abandoned kitten I found at the front door of my clinic. His name is Emmett.

He is absolutely adorable. He's tiny, black and full of vigor. He is a kitten after all...

Our house if full of cats, which actually is very beneficial when raising an orphan. Since Emmett didn't have his mother or litter mates to learn from and play with, he had my cats, most importantly he had Maverick...this way Emmett can learn the important cat stuff like fending for yourself, hunting and covering his poop in the litter box. (Maija is desperately trying to teach Emmett to cover his poop. She can't stand uncovered poop...I digress)...

Maverick has the patience of a saint. Which for a cat is most unusual. I think it's because Mavie is a Ragdoll and by nature they are patient cats...and very loving...and HUGE. Mavie is 17 lbs now.

Here Emmett is peeking over the top of the Kitty Condo...he's just tall enough to peek over the edge. Mavie was tired so he moved to the luxury suite at the top. Even Tim has gotten used to having lil Em in the house. Much to his dismay...I think Emmett is growing on him.

So, thus far we have success in raising this precious orphan kitten who has seeming adjusted very well. All in a days work for the Dahl House!

No pictures

2009-06-01T10:21:00.003-04:00

No pictures for this week. Although, we did have fun...Delaine came for a visit and we went to Lake Lanier. I forgot my camera which is probably for the best. I managed, yet again, to get sunburned in a bizarre stripy kind of pattern...I even have a finger print where I forgot to put my 50++ sunscreen. Not a pretty site. Oh well, we had fun! Hope everyone has a great week. New pictures next time!

Memorial Day!!

2009-05-28T19:52:00.012-04:00

I just LOVE long weekends. This past weekend was of course, Memorial Day. I had to work on Saturday, but we were still able to spend Sunday and Monday with Scot, DeAnn and the kids at the lake. We had a blast. The waster was to cold for me, however the kids and Tim seem immune to freezing cold temperatures. And I have pictures to prove it!

First in was Christian, followed closely by Leah. Brady was a little more apprehensive and took his time. As you can see, Tim and Christian have the "take no prisoners" attitude. I just marvel at that line of thinking...and worry...

After freezing their bums off, Tim and Leah decide to go on a wave runner. Awww...how cute it that?

Look at that wake...."this isn't a 'no wake' zone is it Uncle Tim..."?

Scot, DeAnn and I decided to just enjoy the relaxing day and stay warm on the deck. No need to freeze in May, right?

Here Scot has the right idea...

Lots of fun was had and the food was wonderful. Now if every weekend could be a long weekend at the lake!!

Foster Kitty

2009-05-17T16:20:00.011-04:00

This week has been one busy week. I became a foster mommy to a tiny three week old kitten! Imagine my surprise (well not really) when last Monday, I drove into work and there at the front door was a small bucket with a tiny, tiny kitten in it. One lone kitten, no mommy, no litter mates, no note. Poor little thing was all cuddled up trying to keep warm in the chilly morning air.

Of course I fell in love instantly. He's a small black bundle of energy who stays hungry and pees and poops like a champ! I am still bottle feeding him (Tim helps when he can) and I have to stimulate him to use the bathroom. But, we are working on it and soon he will be ready for a loving forever home.

I call him Emmett.

The other cats are not too sure what to think of little Emmett. Maverick, so far, is the only one to give him the time of day. Way to go Maverick!!

If ANYONE knows of the perfect home for little Emmett, please let me know. He's a special cutie and needs that perfect home!

Everyone have a great week!!

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T11:55:00.015-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!!

Today, Tim and I are spending a nice quiet Sunday morning with all our cats on our back deck. They love to go out there. Bendi, of course, is the animated trouble maker and the only one to use my table and her claws to move around on her back...

There has always been something uniquely bizarre about Bendi, which is why she's a perfect addition to our home. Here she is chewing on some silk flowers. I have always been of the opinion that silk flowers provide no nutritional value, however Bendi begs to differ...

(nom...nom...nom...)

Our other more rational felines (if you can call them that) are relatively normal. Here Ed has enjoyed a rather magnificent breakfast of dry food and grass, and perhaps a lizard or two...you can always tell he has enjoyed himself when he licks his lips!

Maija and I have a love/hate relationship. Here we have a rare moment of her actually enjoying my company and not biting the crap out of me. She has her moments...Maverick is terrified, and I mean TERRIFIED, to come outside. He would rather be relaxed at the threshold of the door and pretend he is actually enjoying the sunny deck...

Sammy on the other hand has no problem what so ever immersing himself in the glow of the mid morning sun...he LOVES the outdoors. If we aren't careful, he's out the door every time it is opened!

Jessie typically minds his own business, but he did manage to join us outside for a little while. Of course he had to have the whole entire love seat to himself. He is not one to share anything, food, toys, affection, love, water...nothing. Nada. He rules. And, last but not least, Tim was sitting outside enjoying the day as well. Bendi was making her rounds to mark every chair and person in site.

I just love days like to day. The weather is perfect, the animals are getting along, the birds are singing and the coffee is just right. One of the main reasons Spring is my favorite time of the year. Hope everyone has a great Mothers Day and a wonderful week!

My Cats

2009-05-05T20:41:00.010-04:00

Well, this past weekend Tim and I went with Scot and DeAnn on another bike ride on the Silver Comet Trail. We had a blast, but managed to wear ourselves out on a 30 mile ride. I think next time we will plan better. We didn't have a camera, so this week 's blog is going to be all about the cats!!!

Hello....People of Earth....I am MAVERICK...

Leave me alone, I am old and deserve peace and quiet...

I smile for no one...except myself...

I am the cutest thing to ever reign supreme....

Dude...I just live here...

...and I just eat here...

As you can tell the cats were in a very typical lazy feline mood this week...must be nice to be waited on hand and foot!

Hope everyone has a great week and enjoy this lovely spring time weather!!

Spring Time Fun

2009-04-27T20:59:00.007-04:00

This past weekend was a wonderful weekend! Nice weather, great friends and relaxing on the Silver Comet Trail. The trail is a multi county paved trail full of runners, bikers, families, Rollerblades and all sorts of folks having fun. We joined Scot and DeAnn and the kids for a nice Sunday afternoon on the trail. Here are some of the pictures...

The flowers were beautiful and the purple Iris were in full bloom. Below, Tim found a nice stream for a quick rest.

We really enjoyed our weekend and can't wait to go back! Hope everyone has a great week!!

Jimmy Buffett Concert

2009-04-19T11:01:00.016-04:00

This past week I went to the Jimmy Buffett concert. I love this man. I love his songs and I enjoy the temporary get-a-way from every day life that his music provides. For the past three years Tim and I have been able to go to his concert and this year we were able to tail gate with some friends!

Tim and I went with Abbey and her husband Kevin, and with Renee, my co-worker. We had good drinks and conversation and a VERY convenient port-a-potty. Who comes up with this stuff?

ONLY at a Buffett concert would you see this mess!

And the man of the hour...couldn't get close enough for great pictures, but at least we have the memories!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Easter Weekend 2009

2009-04-15T20:09:00.012-04:00

Easter has come and gone, but I have some pictures that capture the memories! We celebrated Easter with my family as well as my birthday this past weekend. We had great weather, great company and best of all, I got presents!! For some reason, Tim wanted to make our Easter Ham look like a fish. A fish. Think about that. How bizarre can you be? Guess that's the Yankee in him, ha ha... (well, maybe not, I think it's just the TIM in him).

My Swamp Jasmine is in full bloom and it is absolutely beautiful. It's one of my favorite plants.

Here Tim is fixing our Easter Ham to look like a fish. Only Tim would think of this...

After lunch, it was time to open gifts! Yay!! I got some cookware that I have been wanting as well as a really nice wooden hors d'oeuvres platter with my initial on it.

Here we have a nice family picture! Brian (holding Katie Lee the dog), Lisa, Tim, Me, Granny and Mom.
Hope everyone had a great Easter and may you enjoy this beautiful spring time weather!

My Birthday in Savannah!!!

2009-04-05T19:01:00.012-04:00

Happy Birthday to me...

This past weekend was so much FUN!!!! For my Birthday, Tim took me to Savannah, Georgia. My absolute favorite city in the world. I just simply love it there. We had such a wonderful time walking the beautiful squares, eating local food and of course Shopping!

It was the first of the month so all the local craftsmen were selling things on River Street, while on W. Broughton Street, Savannah College of Arts and Designs, SCAD, was having a festival of food and art of the world with live bands and dancing.

At City Market, local bands were also playing and people were just enjoying life!

The gardens are just starting to bloom and weddings were taking place on several of the Historical Squares.

My birthday dinner was at the Pink House. The food was absolutely wonderful...

It was really beautiful and I can't wait to go back.....

More pictures to come later!! Hope everyone has a great week!! Happy Spring!

Weekend Fun

2009-03-22T20:57:00.004-04:00

This weekend turned out to be a really good one. And, what better way to spend it than with friends! Scot, DeAnn, the kids, Piper, Spirit, Tim and I all went to Little Mulberry Park this weekend for a cook out and a nice game of Old Fashion Frisbee...

Here we are getting the grill ready for hamburgers and hotdogs! Everybody stand back...Tim has a "reputation" with fire and grills. (Ask him sometime how he burned his eyebrows off).

He may have the pyromaniac gene in him, but he sure can make a good hamburger...as you can tell here as Tim and Scot eat lunch at the ever manly Pink Easter picnic table, courtesy of yours truly!! :)

DeAnn and I had a nice time watching the kids and walking the dogs. Then a game of frisbee took place. I didn't actually paraticipate in the frisbee game, digesting lunch and all....but I did watch the dogs!

Spirit is such a good dog!!

So a great weekend was had by all. Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend and have a great week ahead.

Cats...as usual.

2009-03-15T16:09:00.007-04:00

Tim was out of town this week and the cats really missed him. Especially Jessie. Of course I missed him too. It was too cold to go outside and make some fun pictures so I just made some of us inside this week. Hope everyone has a great week.

Here, Maverick is not overly excited about a kiss from mommy...

But he is excited about a drink of water. Notice how he has to lie down to drink...LAZY FELINE!

More 5K excitement

2009-03-08T19:36:00.013-04:00

Ok,

Here are some action shots of the Berry 5K

Here Tim is running his heart out!

Here I am running, Scot was taking pictures of us as we all ran by....

Tim sees the finish line, just a few yards ahead.....

Run Timmy, Run!!!

Christian and me at the finish line. Whew, what a run, but it sure was fun!!!!

The 2009 Berry 5k

2009-03-08T10:22:00.008-04:00

This is the very first 5K that I have ever completed. Not that I have ever entered one, but I actually entered and finished this race. I mostly walked it, but I did run some of it. And for a newbie, I think I did pretty well on my time, approx 45 mins...well, at least I wasn't dead last to cross the finish line. I have a few pictures here, but more to come this week as soon as I get them down loaded

Testing my patience

2009-03-01T10:25:00.008-05:00

The weather lately has really, REALLY been testing my patience. And now, today, the weather man had the audacity to predict snow. I mean really, it's March 1st for goodness sakes. Where is Spring? General Beauregard Lee predicted an early spring, what's the deal? I long for warm days with a gentle breeze and the sound of birds chirping and creeks trickling cool water. Drinking sweet tea on the back deck, while petting a feline to two, or six...

I have no pictures this week because it's been too cold and windy for words so, again, I will post some older pictures of warm days in the sun...Have a great week! And keep your fingers crossed for Spring!

Nothing New...

2009-02-23T13:15:00.007-05:00

Nothing new to report this week. It's cold and I am patiently waiting for Spring to spring...My daffodils have bloomed and I see my tulip and purple iris are beginning to sprout. So at least I know Spring is on it's way. Hope everyone has a great week!

Enjoy some pictures from the past year at the Dillard House, Berry College and of course the cats!

Oh Maija...

2009-02-15T20:56:00.011-05:00

At first glance, this picture may look normal. An entertainment center in a house, seems normal enough. But, take a closer look...

It appears that Maija has decided to become a trinket to be on display. She does think she's the most beautiful feline to ever reign supreme.

This climbing on our entertainment center is a new thing for Maija. She is apparently trying to teach Bendi bad things...

On this particular day, Maija has decided to see how many living beings she can annoy. The humans, she annoys by climbing on things she shouldn't. The felines, she annoys by waking them from their cat naps. Poor Ed...little does he know what is about to happen.

I just had to add a picture of Maverick because he's my baby and I think he's the best looking feline, awake or asleep!

I hope everyone has a great week!

Time to Ski

2009-02-11T14:03:00.008-05:00

This past weekend, Tim and I, along with our best friends and their kids, went to Ski Beech, NC. I am not too fond of the snow, but we all decided to take this long weekend vacation. As it turned out, we had a really nice time. The actual air temperature was warm, and the resort was able to make snow so everyone could enjoy a good snow ball fight and some good down hill skiing.

We got there Friday night, just in time to see a beautiful sunset. Our cabin was right off the ski slopes so we were able to watch all the nighttime adventurers do their thing. It was actually kinda funny to see how many people "took a powder" right outside our window.

The kids, and yes that includes Tim, really had fun with snowball fights. I joined in on Saturday morning and wound up falling backward down the steps into the snow. Like I said, snow isn't my thing.

Saturday we all went ice skating. It was an outdoor rink, which was nice, but the air temperature was so warm that the rink started to melt!!

Sunday afternoon we all went skiing, first practicing on the bunny hill. Finally Tim, Scot, Brady and I went down an intermediate hill and had a blast. I don't have any pictures of that as I was charging down hill at a fairly fast pace and thought better of getting my camera out!

I have to say that I had a really nice time. Good food, good weather and Great Friends!

Ode to Hagrid...

2009-01-31T15:31:00.011-05:00

Well, not really. For two reasons. One, I don't write poetry and Two, I don't sing, out loud. Ever. But I do love to talk about my hermit crab Hagrid. I just love him. He is a land hermit crab, also know as a Purple Pincher. I got him almost two years ago during a trip to Panama City Beach, Florida. I have no idea why I wanted a crab, nor did I have any idea the huge amount of time and effort it takes to keep these little "hermies",as they are often referred to, alive. Trust me, it takes time and effort.

When we first got Hagrid, well, when I first got Hagrid, I thought he was this cute little crustacean that would live on in the tee tiny little cage that the store sold him in. Well NO. That small plastic container is nothing more than a carrying cage which is grossly inappropriate for a Hermit Crab Habitat. Oh, no, Hagrid lives, and thrives I might add, in a 10 gallon terrarium fitted with half a foot of sand substrate, shells, climbing toys, water food, humidity reader and thermostat.

Most of the sand I actually brought back from the beach. You should have seen the looks I got from people as I gathered wet sand off the beach and packed it into a ziploc bag. He needs distilled water, water conditioner, special all natural food, fruit, and salt water. I have two books, several web sites and an online store that I utilize which specializes in food and shells. He needs at least three shells as he seems to want to change his wardrobe at least 2-3 times a week. Also, he has moulted two time already and has grown from a 1/2 shell, when I bought him, to an 1 1/2 inch shell. It is getting more and more difficult to find natural shells for him to grown into, hence the specialty stores on line. Sad but true.

His favorite snack is a coconut piece or a "Crab Cookie". He also loves dried pineapple and citrus pieces. He does not seem to care for vegetables as much. Who can blame him, I prefer coconut too.

He has escaped from his cage twice now. The first time we found him behind the television in the den. The second time we found him surrounded by six incredibly lazy and useless felines staring at him as he tore across the living room in route to the television again. I finally got the good sense to put a wire top on his cage so he can't get out. And believe me, he has tried.

Tim refers to him as "the bug". I chose to believe this is Tim's loving pet name for my little crusty baby, however I don't think Tim care for him as much as I do.

Anyway, that is the life of a Hermit Crab owner. Hope y'all have a great week!

Too Cold for Words

2009-01-25T14:20:00.005-05:00

Quite frankly, I am too cold this week to think of anything interesting or cutesie to say. It has been a very long week for me and cold weather is not now, nor has it ever been my friend. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of a nice warm Spring/Summer day. In the mean time, I do have a new picture of Maverick sitting on his throne, otherwise know as our bed!

Now that is one handsome feline, if I do say so myself!! Hope everyone has a great week. And stay warm!

I Love My Job

2009-01-17T20:30:00.014-05:00

I Love My Job

I really do...some days are better than others, but overall, I really enjoy what I do. I love all the animals and getting to help the doctors make them better, or bring them into this world or just giving them a good clean bill of health is really fulfilling for me. Sometime I actually get to bring my job home!! Sometimes...

Here is a picture of me with a 6 hour old boxer puppy. Her mother was in distress and unable to deliver her babies. We had to do an emergency c-section to try and save the babies. Unfortunately only a couple of the pups made it, but this little beauty is one of them!! I got to bring her home and feed her and nurse her while mom recuperated from her surgery that day.

The cast of characters at our clinic is precious. We have two clinic cats. They are Camille, our elderly lady of elegance and beauty and Lizzie, the younger more, "spirited" feline. Camille spends her day lounging around in the sun on her special bench. She is a wonderful quite cat who will sneak outside if she gets half a second to do so...

Now, Lizzie is beautiful and she knows it...

Sometimes the doctors bring in their pets. On this day the greyhounds came in. Farah and McCall. I ADORE these dogs. They are the best ever...I just absolutely love them. They are very well trained and sooooo sweet!!!

Of course we have a few animals that need a really good home and Ivy is a good example of one. She is a wonderful cat that was brought to us as an emergency. She was hit by one car then by a second. The third car pulled over and the driver picked her up and rushed her to us. She was very badly injured, but we were able to save her!!! She has a badly broken leg and we may have to remove it, but she will be just fine. AND, she will make some lucky human a wonderful loving pet. She has the will of a fighter and the heart of an angel to survive what she endured, and she is determined to find that perfect home!!!

How can you be surrounded by such wonderful animals every day and not love it!!! Hope every one has a great week, and stay warm!

Now that the new year has started...

2009-01-10T17:10:00.008-05:00

Well, now that the new year has started, the members of the Dahl household are recuperating from the holidays. (The cats stay so busy you know...) Here Jessie and Maverick are taking a very sweet brotherly nap. Poor Maverick has no idea that Jessie's leg is lopped over his chest. Cat feet going everywhere!!

This next picture is Jessie in one of his "finer" moments. He just woke up from his nap. Poor thing has very bad teeth, he has only a handful left. I had just given him his daily dose of antibiotic. He really HATES his antibiotic. But, mommy must take care of him!

To prepare for our February trip to Ski Beech, North Carolina, Tim bought Wii Ski to practice. Well, Maverick just had to help daddy play. Here Maverick is having a ball trying to "trip" Tim up on the downhill slope.

Finally exhaustion takes over and everyone has to take time for a nap. Maija is watching over the household while daddy and Jessie saw the logs. Maverick is there too, but he didn't quite make it into the picture!

Hope everyone has a good week. We here at the Dahl household will be catching up on some needed cat naps!!

Starting the New Year Off Right...

2009-01-04T10:15:00.006-05:00

This New Years Eve we went to Rome to celebrate with our friends and their kids. We had a really good time. It has kinda of become a tradition to go spend the night with Scot and DeAnn and have Eduardo's Pizza, which they have flown in from Chicago. Tim and Scot split the spinach stuffed pizza (YUCK) and Dee and I split the sausage stuffed pizza. YUMMY!

Then we usually play a game, this years choice was FACT or CRAP. Very interesting to say the least. It's a really good game for those of us full of useless information, which would be yours truly. I can store some really strange facts in my head...Scot however, just wants to win, win, win, and has on occasion challenged me, not his best decision sometimes!

The kids were also excited about the new year, they had a yummy cheese pizza all to themselves and tons of chocolate milk! Leah just loves to be around all of us and and here she is with Tim. She is such a loving, delightful child! Look at that smile...I don't have any pictures of the boys, they were in the living room playing the Wii and having a ball.

We had pizza, a good bottle of wine, champagne at midnight and then bed. I hope everyone had a great New Year's Eve and wish everyone a very Happy 2009!

Christmas Pictures

2008-12-30T10:09:00.011-05:00

Here are a few pictcures from Christmas Day...We had a very nice Christmas this year.

A family photo, Mom, me and Brian my brother. Tim and Granny. Oh, and let's not forget Kaite Lee the dog!!
Granny and Tim.

Tim had to do all the cooking this year. It was part of his Christmas gift to me. I had to do nothing, and it was wonderful. Since I had to work, I figured, ok let the man cook!

Then it was time to open gifts...

Even Maverick got into the action, with his wrapping paper skirt...funny cat. We had a nice holiday and are getting ready for the New Year. Hope every one has a great 2009!!

MEWOEY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-12-28T17:35:00.002-05:00

Well, now that Christmas is over, it's time to clean up. Tim and I have been busy taking Christmas decorations down today and we are about 90% done. Now all we have to do is look forward to New Years Eve and a new 2009. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and I will post some new pictures as the week progresses. Quite frankly, I'm just to lazy to complete a whole blogger page right now! Hope everyone has a great week and Happy New Year!

FRIENDly Family Christmas...

2008-12-21T15:44:00.013-05:00

This weekend was a special weekend with our friends and their kids. Us gals had a girls night and the boys had a boys night. I had to work part of Saturday, but we still had a very good time shopping, opening early Christmas presents and meeting old friends at Jillians for games...

It is always so much fun watching the kids. Brady, Christian and Leah are three very special children with very special parents. We are very fortunate to have such loving friends in our family!!

Scot and DeAnn getting into the Christmas Spirit!!! Christian and Brady are excited by Mario Kart!

WebKinz for Leah! I would have LOVED these things when I was a kid...

Here are some pictures of our weekend leading up to Christmas. I love watching Tim play with the kids...

So just a few more days to go...Hope everyone had finished their Christmas shopping and has a nice Christmas dinner planned! Enjoy and Have A Very Merry Christmas!!

2008-12-14T08:28:00.009-05:00

"Christmas is coming,The goose is getting fat,Please to put a penny in an old man's hat.If you haven't got a penny,A half-penny will do,If you haven't got a half-penny,God bless you"!

I have no idea why I remember this poem, but it probably has something to do with the fact that grandma and grandaddy always recited it around this time of year! In fact it was the first thing I though of when I woke up this morning...

So, Christmas is coming and people are getting cranky at the Mall of Georgia. Perhaps if they knew about the above poem, they might pause a second and remember what Christmas is all about.Tim and I went to the mall yesterday to finish up our Christmas shopping. I packed my patients, woolly bully coat and off we went. I really enjoy watching people and yesterday did not fail me. There are all sorts of people out and about, most of them complaining and fussing about something incidental. I felt bad for these people They have obviously lost the feeling of wonderment about the holiday. However, we then walked past the Santa Clause set up and watched hundreds of children with stars in their eyes waiting to tell Santa what they want for Christmas. The adults that were fussing need to take a few minuets to watch and LEARN from the kids.

Anyway, I don't have anything really special to say this week so I though I would just post a few pictures of Christmas past and some of my tortured cats in reindeer antlers. I hope everyone who reads this blog this week will remember to be nice and kind and think about what this Christmas season means to them. Merry

Christmas Everyone!!

My Snow Village

2008-12-06T21:21:00.000-05:00

About 13 years ago I made the decision to start collecting Department 56 Original Snow Villages. I began this collection because for Christmas every year, my granddaddy always gave me money. Instead of buying clothes or something else that may not last, I decided to use my Christmas money on something that would last. So, the year Tim and I married I began my collection. My first house was "Nicks Tree Farm". I went to the store and was told by the sales lady how to look for and inspect each and every house I collected. Little did I know how much went into seriously collecting these beautiful villages! There are the trees, the people, the animals, the cars, the streets and all sorts of things to add to make your village "come alive".

Now, each year I would save the money granddaddy gave me and buy a new house for the following Christmas. I would research each new house added every year and see if there were any houses that would be retired. On occasion, I would buy a couple of houses (you have to buy before they are retired).

Each house in my village has a special meaning, but my most prized house is Graceland. This house was a special order, limited addition to the Department 56 collection and I just HAD to have this house.

Thankfully I got my Graceland and it is proudly displayed every year in a place of honor! (No one but me is allowed to touch Graceland). Elvis rules!!

Every year granddaddy would laugh as I called him up to tell him which house I bought and why. He seemed to really enjoy my enthusiasm for my houses and would inspect my growing village each year.

In 2003 granddaddy passed away, leaving a very deep, sad and irreplaceable hole in the heart of our family. This was also the last year I collected a Department 56 house, with the exception of the United States Marine Corp. Recruiting Station that was introduced a couple of years ago. This one I got in memory of granddaddy.

So while my village isn't extraordinarily huge, it's complete. Every time I look at one of my houses, I think of granddaddy. I can still hear his laughter as he looks upon them... (Laughing and shaking his head). Of course Christmas has never been, and will never be the same with out him. However, I have my beautiful houses to keep his memory alive and each and every year we celebrate the lifetime of memories we had with him. Merry Christmas Granddaddy!! We love you and miss you!! Tell Shelby hello for me…

My Granddaddy and Shelby....

I miss you both.

Time to decorate the Dahl House

2008-12-01T19:50:00.000-05:00

Well, it is once again that time of year to begin decorating the house for Christmas. For Tim and me that can be kind of daunting. You see, we have 6 cats, all of whom LOVE to climb the Christmas Tree. Fortunately this year, only one managed to get in our tree (so far), and that would be Bendi. She is the most challenging and mischievous feline ever to grace this wonderful Earth. She's a joy and headache both at the same time.

We started to put up our tree and the felines reigned supreme...Bendi, of course, got caught several time impeding our progress as you can see...

But, we persevered and began the process...

Finally we finished and enjoyed the rest of the night, only to begin putting up my Villages next... to be continued!

NIGHTY NIGHT ALL!!!!!

2008-12-01T14:24:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Victoria's Dahl House!

I am in the process of learning all this blog stuff, so stay tuned to see what I am able to come up with...