Indy (aka KiKi)

This is Ryan, my oldest back in 2002 with our dog and Indy is on the back of the couch.



My name on this blog has been Indy but my real name is not Indy. It is my cat's formal name. We now call her KiKi. She is about 13 years old and we've had her since we were first married. We lived on-campus because my job at Lake Erie College required that I live in the residence halls. My lucky husband!!! So, we had Indy at LEC and she was our first baby.

My husband brought her home from work. Someone at his law firm had kittens that needed a home. She was so sweet and little. We named her Indy because she was a wild cat, jumping from high places in our apartment and running all over the place like Indiana Jones. Our dear friend (that also unintentionally named this blog) named her Indy. We loved the name.

In the middle of the night when I would get up with each baby, Indy would keep me company. She would purr so loud when I was feeding the baby that I thought she might wake them up. She loved the smell of babies and would always come running to any of our crying children. She never had any of her own babies but she mothered mine.

When I got back from Vegas in April, I was shocked to see how skinny my thin cat had grown. Each week, she has gotten thinner and weaker. And last week, she spent the week in the animal hospital. Everything has been tried short of a neurologist. So a decision must be made.



I have laid down beside her to say goodbye many times this week. She doesn't act like my KiKi anymore. So, it doesn't feel the same. I just keep hoping to hear her purr and make her know how special she was and is to me. My first pet. My first baby. Bye Bye, Sweet Indy, KiKi.

Changes

My kids are already on summer break. Shocking, I know. It is too early for Ohio. Chances are the weather will be freezing cold next week. Just in time for the city pool to open. But we are optimists here. Pool passes are purchased and I bought sunscreen. We are ready for summer.

My kids are running around outside with a little neighbor boy and a friend from school. It is the perfect ending to the school year. They are eating Popsicles, shooting hoops and playing hide and seek. Elle is asleep and I actually cleaned the house for an hour or so.

It is a strange day to be a mom. You say goodbye to the teachers that you really don't know. They have cared so much for your children. You say goodbye to bus drivers and janitors. You bring in a token of thanks for all that they do. But, how do you say thank you for what they have done? You really can't. They care for your children as their own. And somehow when they say goodbye today, my sad little "thank you" wasn't adequate but it will have to do.

The bus brakes squeak as the buses whiz by our house. Bus drivers are eager to start their summer break. And so are the children. Another year is done. Where did it go? Some days are sooooo long but the years seem to pass so quickly.

We stopped by to see Ryan's first grade teacher today. She grabbed Elle's toes and said "How many years until we will see you here?" It hit me like a ton of bricks. I often want to rush to the next stage because I am so tired and drained. But, I know that I will cherish these school age years. I know I will miss this time of screaming children, Popsicles on the back deck and play dates. Another summer break has started. Ready or not.

Sucker

This is your warning. If you are a parent of a small child in preschool or a primary school, start practicing the word "No." You may soon be asked by your teacher if you'd like the classroom hermit crabs, hamster or fish. "No."

You could say you already have your hands fun, someone is allergic, your husband will kill you, your kids already have ten pets, you are moving, your cat will eat them or that you had the pet as a child and you are still recovering.

I did not say no. I thought they would be fun and a great learning experience. I am the only one learning. It has been four years since my oldest was in Pre-K. We still have the hermit crabs. All three of them (Bought an extra one the first weekend because I thought one was dying. He was only moulting). The ones that I thought would die by August. They are in my hallway upstairs. Why the hallway? Because they hit the glass with their shells at night (nocturnal!!!) and my kids complain about it and wake me up to tell me. So, I moved them in the hall. They were in my closet for awhile and that seemed dumber than the hall.

I also have a frog that we raised as a tadpole. STILL ALIVE! How is that even possible? More on this another day.

So the moral of this story is to not expect silly little animals to die. They won't. And your kids will move on and you will be left taking care of these pets. It will cost you money and you will hope (and dread) their death.

Sorry Miss C. from Pioneer. You'll have to find someone that doesn't read this blog to adopt "Sammy and Timmy" from your Pre-K class. Parents, you have been warned. Just say "No"!

Not a Fan of Skinnygirl

I am addicted to bad TV. I know it is awful but I just love it. I never met a Housewife show that I didn't love. Well, maybe Jersey.

I have heard Bethenny Frankel's Skinnygirl Margaritas for a couple of years. We had some friends over months ago and someone brought me one as a gift. I am always in search of a drink that doesn't have a lot of calories but still tastes good. I cracked open the Skinnygirl on Friday and gave it a try. And....not so good. I was really disappointed. It doesn't taste like a margarita and it isn't good. Sorry Bethenny.

Bethenny was on Watch What Happens Live (LOVE THIS SHOW) last Thursday and they brought up the sale of SkinnyGirl. Guess how much she is being paid for it by Beam Global? 110 million! That is the rumor.

I should march right into my kitchen and create a scrumptious drink. If Bethenny was offered $110 mill for a nasty drink in a cute bottle, can you imagine how much I could get for the Twinsburg Tankini, The Cleveland Cutie or the Ohio Hottie? I am on it.

Call Me Nasty

If you are a mom of a child under three and you had a shower today, you are one lucky lady! Elle is not a patient child and getting two boys on two different buses in the morning puts me at the bottom of the "to do" list. If I can get a shower, I love the bonus day of the day where I don't wash my hair. For men out there, this may gross you out. But, most women wash their hair one day and skip a day. People that color their hair are told to do this so their hair is a bit healthier and less likely to look like a Brillo pad.

I have read time and time again about the new Suave dry shampoo. People were raving about it in magazines. I didn't think it would work for me because I have super oily hair and I work out a lot. So, in my attempt to not be gross, I thought it was worth the $2 to give it a shot. Guess what? I LOVE IT! I think my hair looks better with it in it even on the second day without washing my hair. You don't see the powder at all. It gives my hair body and it smells great.

I am in love. And I just want to shout it from the roof top that I found a product that does what it says it is supposed to do. It does more! So girls, add it to your list. You may have to search a little bit for it. I found it near the other Suave products after two attempts. It is a new product so not all stores may have it yet. You will love it. You really will.

Leprechauns' Magic

A month ago, Ryan was saying that there was no way a bunny could bring Easter baskets to our house. "It can't be real" he told his little brother. With Easter about a month away, I figured we would soon have to have the talk.

Yesterday, Ry flies into the house screaming something that he has to go upstairs and check his room to see what the leprechauns brought him. I caught him before he ran up the stairs because Elle was napping. "Sorry honey. Leprechauns do not come to this house." He said he didn't understand. I was just in Ireland and we decorate for St. Patrick's Day so they must come. They came to school.

I exhaled and put down my tea. Since when was St. Patrick's Day a kids holiday? I know this sounds horrible. I think of it as a party day. Maybe some West siders really go downtown sober to watch the parade but most of us either party or wish we were. Teachers have really gotten into stories about leprechauns and each classroom has a story about their desks being turned over, gold coins being left and little tricks being played. When did this all start? And isn't Ryan done with the Easter Bunny, Leprechauns and Santa? If he wasn't, I better get in the game.

I exhaled again and grabbed our big tub of old candy. Sorted out the gold and green ones and hurried up the stairs. Messed up their messy room unsure if they would even notice and left the chocolates on their pillows. I left Irish flags in their rooms and green things on their beds.

As Elle woke from her nap, Ryan ran as fast as he could up the stairs. I felt relieved that I made the right choice. I knew I was holding onto these special days where he and Kyle still believed in magic. He loved telling me I was wrong that the leprechauns had come after all. I was completely wrong Ryan. Thank goodness I was.

Bad TV Did Some Good

I turn 40 this year. Gulp. I am not really upset by it. More excited about the party I will throw to celebrate hitting a big one. I had a friend pass away a couple of years ago from cancer at a young age, so birthdays do not bother me anymore. Each one is a gift. The wrinkles on another hand...I could live without them.

I watch a lot of crummy TV. The kind most people don't fess up to in public. In my defense, usually I am on the treadmill watching it closed caption while blaring the Black Eyed Peas. So, as long as I am working out, I think it cancels out the negative effects to my brain. As I watched the Housewives of Orange County on Sunday night, I realized that the Housewives have saved me tons of money. I know without a doubt, I will not be getting any Botox, lip injections or a face-lift. These women go to the best of the best. And they look HORRIBLE! They are trying to look younger but they look like freaks.

Here is Tamara from Orange County getting Botox.

If you know me, you are probably thinking that I am not the type to get any work done. I am pretty sure that I never would have wanted a face-lift in my future. But, I might have been talked into Botox in the next decade. But, now I am cured! I see how it turns out and I think I will stick with my lines. They show how happy I have been and all of the laughing I do. And that is fine with me.

So thank you Housewives of Whatever County. Continue to get your plastic surgeries. Would you also start showing a downside to fabulous make-up, hair and shoes? Thank you.