About 3 months ago the kids came across an organization called Solar Aid. You can click through to see more detail but basically they supply solar power to impoverished areas. Help people and the planet at the same time. Sister and Brother loved this idea. They wanted to do something to contribute. Specifically they wanted to host a pet show. Knowing how much work it would be for parents to load up pets and truck them somewhere for 15 minutes of fame and thinking we wouldn’t have very much participation, I hesitated. But they persisted, “would you at least ask the other moms?” So I did and the response was surprisingly favorable. And that is how it happened that Saturday at our house started with 8 dogs and bunny. (A hermit crab, mice and chicken showed up later.)
We awarded certificates and the ribbons we made for such categories as “Best Ears” (the basset), “Best trick”, and “Most Awesome Animal”. The weather was perfect. Everyone had a great time and between entry fees ($1/pet) and profits from the lemonade/cookie stand the kids raised $27 for the cause. This will definitely be an event we repeat …. someday.
If Saturday started with dogs, it ended with cats. Kentucky Wildcats to be exact. Several weeks ago Will’s company passed out blank college basketball season brackets. In a friendly little contest the employees fill out the brackets with who they think will win each game and earn points in the process. Hubby loves basketball and likes very much to watch it but he doesn’t really follow teams anymore. In fact, I don’t think he’s actually seen a whole game since kid #2 arrived. Consequently, he was as surprised as the rest of us to learn that should Kentucky win against Connecticut he would win the whole contest and the not very small sum of cash that went with it. With so much at stake we arranged for the kids to play with cousins for the evening and headed to my parents’ place to watch the action on the big screen. In the end the Cats came up one point shy but it was a rewarding day nonetheless.
Today big things happened too. Brother got a new bike … a reward for finally taking the training wheels off his too little one and riding just fine without them. And Sister got a fish tank with two goldfish (Red Top and Golden Monster aka Monty) Several months ago she asked for fish and I firmly stated, “No. Not until she could consistently take care of the pets she had, without daily prompting, would I allow another animal in the house.” After much discussion it was agreed that 90 consecutive days would constitute “consistently” but the rules were strict. If she missed a day or if she had to be reminded because the task had not been completed by 9am then all days accumulated up to that point would be for naught and the count would start over. We had several false starts but today marked the 90th day so today Granddad (who wanted to buy her a fish at Christmas but was not allowed to because of the rules) took her to the local pet store to get set up. He paid for most of it but she took money from her own savings to buy the special things she wanted in the tank. I am so proud of this accomplishment for her but a little worried too because now she has her sights set on a ferret.
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Well it seems as if Krista may be ours. We posted a sign near where we found her and contacted the local animal shelter. No one has responded so far. She is a sweet one and so intelligent that if anyone does come to claim her I might just make an offer. We will take her to the vet this coming week if there are still no takers. She will need a checkup and perhaps shots. How is it that even the free pets end up costing money?
#10 “Make a Christmas mobile.” This one Sister & I did while Brother took a nap. I found a not so hard 
scrapbook paper and used ribbon to hang them. Simple. Fun. For now we’re using the light in the living room as a display hook.
#11 “Have some hot chocolate with marshmallows.” Finally, an easy one. :) Sister wanted to do some Christmas shopping so she convinced Will to take her on a Daddy/Daughter date to do so. Knowing I was not going to be in the mood to make hot chocolate when they got back I subtly suggested (Okay, it wasn’t really subtle.) … I told Will to swing by 