Kittens!

I don't even know how to get this post under control. So many pictures. You can't even imagine the amount I cut.

Here is the short story:

Mama was found as a stray at a friend's house. She was taken in to the vet because she has a large hernia and a deformed spine and foot. Well it turned out she was pregnant and probably a year old at most. She was so skinny no one could tell she was pregnant until they were x-raying the spine.

We all know the statistics - fix your pets. Cats in particular start young and are prolific breeders. She is probably at most a year old herself.

5 babies are here and they are cute and healthy! Mama is a super nice cat and excellent with her babies. If I had room I would be fighting to keep her actually. She has a spay appointment coming once her babies are weaned. They are 17 days old for this photo shoot.

YouTube videos for your kitten fix:

http://youtu.be/9DAYJ-zPscs
http://youtu.be/k8oMLcYeyyA
http://youtu.be/c0q1SBV2KHk

Their eyes are just opening but their back legs aren't working. We tried to get some baby photos with so-so success.

Mama always had the eagle eye on me and if she had had enough or the baby was peeping she got up and retrieved baby back to the kitten pile.

Now that their eyes are open they are starting to get into grooming.

As you can probably tell, the 2 Tux kittens were the hardest to get photos of.

I am hoping to try another photo shoot later - although the will only be getting more active. :)

Boulder Garden Loop, AKC All-Breed Obedience Trial, Kitten Sneak Peek!

Today is absolutely a double-post day. The kittens need a post of their own.

So first, the weekend dump...

We hiked the Boulder Loop Garden off Little Si on Friday night and managed to find the fire damage section.

I have no idea how I missed this before.

And we got to see a whole lot more of it than planned when we found bees and I ran the wrong direction resulting in us joining the wrong road and then I had to double back to get us home.

Saturday we dropped by an agility trial at Argus so that Nim could meet his crazy cute 5 month old niece. I hope to get them photographed together later.

We also got to pick up a stash of smoked meaty bones.

It is hard to say who is more excited about this. Nim leaves messy scraps and Emile is right there to eat them up.

The rest of Saturday was intensive study session with my buddies.

I am glad I am on my third test because by now I am used to starting weak, thinking I will never learn it, and having it all work out in the end.

This morning (Sunday) we were up by 5am and on the road by 6am for our first ever Obedience trial. We are starting in Beginner Novice. Nim and I were the only "A" dog in the Beginner Novice group. You get one "A" dog in a lifetime. It is the category for people who have never shown in the ring before. After that, even if your dog is new, you are no longer a new handler, and they are all "B" dogs.

Nim is ridiculously happy next to his new crate. I ended up running over this brand new crate (which I paid rush shipping on) after the trial. I think it will still work however.

Basically, I couldn't be more proud of Nim. I am more weak on Obedience rules as compared to Rally rules but Nim did really well. It is nice to see literally years of work starting to come together.

This is our score. In each section you can see where I lost points. Not surprising the most amount was the heeling work. When I lose his focus he tends to swing wide and then we get a "tight lead deduction."

Good boy Nim!

Peek!

Friday and Some Hiking Photos!

Finally yesterday I got off work at a good time to hike and more importantly it wasn't 80+ at 4pm so we could hike without collapsing.

The days are shortening and between work, studying, and the heat, we aren't getting out enough.

It makes me happy to even have some hiking photos to post. It feels too long. As you can tell by his tongue it was still pretty hot.

This has been my worst summer in years for hiking and as much as I want to get away in the fall, that just may not happen this year. But I hope to make up for it next season.

I think when you have a big dog like mine you are also aware that their long distance, heavy hiking life will be short so I want to do as much of it as we can.

Hiking makes us both happier. This photo below is my favorite one (I am not loving hiking photos on the phone). What you can't see is that I am sitting on the ground in front of him. It was nice to just doing nothing but sit and be there with Nim. It was very quiet except for all the nature sounds too.

It was an evening we both needed.

Eventually I got my rear up and we made it home. I scavenged my garden and had one ready lemon cucumber which I love. Thankfully I don't have to feed a family on this garden because it isn't even enough for one adult, but I do get such a thrill out of the little successes I have.

Enjoy the 3-day weekend! I will be studying like a mad woman but I have little breaks planned.

We have our first Beginner Novice obedience competition on Sunday and I will be meeting up with a friend who has 5 surprise kittens from a rescue stray so be prepared for an avalanche of cuteness coming later.

Another Enrolled Agent Exam Done! - SEE Section 1 - Individuals - Passed

I am so relieved right now. I went early into Puyallap and completed another exam for the IRS Enrolled Agent (tax). One more section to go.

As usual, I will sprinkle in pretty pictures with accounting/tax talk.

I woke up early. Nim puked on my behalf and then proceeded to pace around the house with me wondering why I wouldn't feed him. Eventually I gave him a peanut butter Kong and hit the road by 6am to get to the testing site.

The traffic was considerably better on a Monday morning than when I tried to do this on a Saturday morning. I even was early enough to read some of my Vogue Magazine. Now I have no fashion sense, I mean really none - made worse by the fact I hate shopping. But I love Vogue. I get so many fabric inspirations for quilts in that magazine and September is the big fashion issue. I love it.

As I sat there reading and waiting for the testing center to open up I was also very hungry, but I was too nervous to eat which was frustrating.

This exam felt different than the first part I took I think because I have more hands-on experience doing individual tax returns which definitely helps my knowledge. Also, in many aspects I would say my Exam Matrix study questions were harder than several of the IRS exam questions (this is a good thing)!

As usual there were probably 3 - 5 questions I flat out guessed. One of them I had never even heard about before. Always a fabulous feeling. 

And now, the weekend ramble...

The weekend was full of studying as you can imagine. After some extensive online research I realized my sister's laptop that I have borrowed for about 2 years was chirping because it was overheating.

Cookie rack to the rescue!

I would take study breaks to do cone work for obedience. Nim and I are sucking on this right now, and naturally we have our first traditional obedience trial next weekend. :)

Nim had a lot of happy sitting in the sun.

And Kong time.

I am thrilled to have this test done!

So thrilled that I rushed home and did the thing I would normally NEVER do and already schedule the final section I need to take having only barely started studying for it: SEE section 2 - Business.

I am really trying to push myself to get this done before the quarter starts at the end of September and I have to add back all my teaching assistant work.

Congratulations, you survived another post about accounting!

Wait! One more piece of good news...guess who's jacket was still sitting in the lost and found from last time! I guess they couldn't get anyone to take it. :)

Sunflower Friday

I hope everyone has had a nice week. First things first. There are 4 photos in this post and the last one is of three snakes. It will be below the photo of Nim. You have been warned. :)

My sunflower is blooming! I was a challenge to get the entire plant in the photo.

I hope more of the buds bloom. I am so proud of this flower. I may not have grown much this year, but I grew a sunflower and tomatoes.

Nim hasn't had a great week. Not enough activity. I hope to make it up to him after the weekend.

I was so excited to see a few of my snakes. However, upon further research I suspect I photographed them mating. Get a room guys.

Have a good weekend!