Happy New Year!

Sorry that we're late checking in this evening.

We spent our morning recuperating from our exciting New Year's Eve celebration of family movie night and a rousing game of Apples to Apples.

We spent our afternoon waiting for a very important football game.

"Is it time yet?"

We spent our evening cheering on our team and celebrating our first Rose Bowl victory in 26 years.

It is a truly happy new year so far.

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We spent New Year's Eve taking down the Christmas decorations, including the tree, and returning the house to "normal" (whatever that is). That meant invading Miss Maisy Mae's room and taking away her tree. When we returned to her room this morning, we found... um... we couldn't find... well, we couldn't find the cat that we'd left in there!

We did find the heating element from her bed that Mae pulled out of the bedding. But where's Mae?

Look closer. Can you find her?

Smart girl didn't just go under the blankets. She tucked herself inside the blankets. 

"It's 13 degrees outside, Lady, and Mae's popped holes in the window cling. It's cold in here!"

We've had some pretty major developments on the Maisy Mae front. Our girl is throwing timidity to the wayside (which is good, since Ruby Roo has already corned the scaredy cat market around here). She's turning into a regular Chatty Cathy, greeting me with conversation whenever I enter the room. Not only that, but...

Wait for it...

She comes out of her hiding spots or off her high ledges to meet me at the door. And...

Wait for it...

She climbs into my lap without invitation. And...

Wait for it...

She very nearly follows me through the door into the main house whenever I leave her. And...

Wait for it...

She sits at the door and calls to me whenever I'm not with her.

SO worth waiting for!

The Very Best Christmas Gift Ever

Their stockings were stuffed and filled to bursting with the very best items from the clearance shelf. There was one for Max and one for Ruby, a pretty needlepoint one for Mae with the wrong name on it, and socks for Simba and Chuckles too.

Charlie demanded an immediate inspection of his stocking, but only because he smelled food within.

Max checked them all out one by one while the other kitties snoozed and loozed. 

But then she got distracted.

And helped herself to an ornament or two. She especially enjoyed playing a round of tether ball with the one hanging from the long string in front.

The stockings remained stuffed for most of the morning... until Simba was found wresting on the floor with an entire knitted behemoth full of catnip toys. 

This is the one he chose.

A green satin tube full of stuffing and catnip made a grumpy old man as happy as a kitten.

His joy was contagious and, wouldn't you know... there were fabric tubes of catnip in each and everything stocking.

The toys were wrestled,

And rested upon,

And chewed, 

And kicked into submission.

The best 99 cents (times 4) that Santa ever spent.

And when play time was over...

The old man took to his new Christmas bed (which made Charlie very happy to have him out of his bed for a change). 

Meet and Greets

Mama Mae was NOT feeling it upstairs living in the family room by herself after Garnet moved.

"NOPE! Not liking this. Not one little bit!"

So, Mae moved back downstairs to her old room.

Which is where the Christmas tree is living right now too.

Yep... We're living dangerously.

We've also decided it's time to integrate her into the regular goings on of the household. She's lonely and it's no good for her socially to separate her from everyone at this way way way too busy time of life around here. So she did some meeting and greeting.

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She met Max...

Who hissed at her mama... twice.

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She met Roo...

Who sang the not-too-friendly song of her warrior people.

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She met Simba...

Who scared the crap out of her (quite literally, I'm afraid).

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"That big boy freaked Mae out. Seriously..."

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She met Chuckles-the-Wonder-Pooch...

Who thought she smelled divine (and who didn't seem to impress Miss Mae one way or the other).

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But, believe it or not, she's much happier back downstairs.

Even with the interlopers.

She looks ecstatic doesn't she?

I swear she's thrilled... purring, kneading, much more relaxed than upstairs. 

Stay tuned for further developments.

Charlie's Gotcha Day Present

But first... a pretty girl you might recognize (or maybe not since she's SO grown up from her time here in Teeny Tiny Tabby Town!). She had a birthday yesterday too.

It's Roxie!!!

Just LOOK at those gorgeous lynx points! Mother Jefferson certainly had quite the variety pack. (If you missed brother Clay's guest appearance, check out yesterday's blog post). Roxie's mom Carol reports that our pretty girl celebrated her special day with her favorites: chicken and ice cream. 

Thank you for the pictures, Carol. I love seeing updates from all of my fosters, but Ruby's siblings will always have a special place in my heart (and while our girls look strikingly different, their eyes are quite alike).

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September 3, 2011... Charlie came home forever.

So what do you get the dog that's thrilled with everything?

We opened the door to the foster room, that's what.

"Whoa, mister... not so fast."

"Charlie can sniff Garnet's back if Garnet can sniff Charlie's toes... okay?"

"Belle is going to stay RIGHT HERE!"

"That's okay, Belle. Garnet will rub herself on the dog for you and test for danger."

"See? No Kaboom!"

"You try it now."

"No way!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"The Roo does NOT approve of these shenanigans!"

"Come on, Belle! He's nice!"

"Okay, then... your loss. There's more Charlie for Garnet then!"

"Hey, dude. You could use a breath mint."

"Oh girls... he's DREAMY!"

"Would you quit sniffing my head? You'll steal all of the dog smell!"

"She's swell, Mom. Can we keep her?"

Don't get any ideas.

Happy Birthday Ruby Roo!

365 days ago, our Ruby Roo was born.

She made her blog debut as Willie Rae Jefferson 362 days ago.

351 days ago, we were completely enchanted by her orange splotch and big round eyes.

309 days ago (give or take), she said goodbye to her brothers and sisters.

252 days ago, we made it official (although we knew much earlier).

Today, Ruby Roo turns one year old.

We celebrated with feather boas and Hello Kitty cupcakes.

Simba enjoyed the cupcake frosting even if Ruby didn't.

And her brother Clay (now Casper) sent his regards on Facebook. Looks like he had quite the birthday party himself!

PS-- If any of Ruby's other siblings are reading, we would love to see your grown up selves too!

In an amazing coincidence, today also marks Charlie's "Gotcha Day".

2 years with the Chuck... good times.