YIPPEE, we get to keep one...

Camryn here:
News flash, news flash, Dad changed his mind and we get to keep Mom's fav kitten!!!  Mom figured it wouldn't hurt to ask once more, so her did.  And Dad said yes with no hesitation.

Her just pretending to be all innocent

Hay twine is easily multi purposed, the kittens all love it

Look at those dorable feet.  Bet they'll hold a mouse real good.

Margeaux is going to be thrilled that one of her little ones is staying here with her.  Now we gotta decide on a name.  For some reason "Maizee" (pronounced Mayzee) is what keeps coming to Mom when she thinks of a name.  Mariel is another but, the Calico may be called that for Mariel Hemingway.  So it may depend on what Pam wants to name her girl.  Both names are Mom's ideas.  So what do you think? Should she be Maizee or Mariel?  Dad said either way he'll call the girls M & M, ha ha Dad made a funny!

Later

Uncle Onyx comes thru...

Camryn here:
Yesterday Mom took Margaux to be fixed, though no one realized she was broken!  All I know is Margaux will no longer be a baby maker.  She's in the house recuperating for a few days.  In the meantime Onyx has his hands paws full big time.  He's taken it upon himself to be a substitute Momma kitty.  The kittens aren't to terribly apprecative...

Kitten: "Hey, that tickles"

Onyx: "I've been watching Margaux, I know just what to do now"

Kitten: "Hey Uncle I think you missed a spot!"

Onyx then moves on to his next victim kitten...

Onyx: "hold still now I'm almost done"

Kitten: " I never looked like this after Momma bathed me!"

Onyx moved from kitten to kitten making sure each had their bath! Things moved kind of fast making it difficult to photograph each victim kitten getting their turn. Not every victim kitten were as cooperative as these two!  Mom was trying to get pix of the two still needing homes to put on craigslist.  Unfortunatly she didn't feel the  "I got bathed by a dogs wet tongue" look would look to good!  Funny when Margaux bathes them they look vastly differant!

No kittens were harmed during their bathtime adventure

The kittens have been cuddling with Onyx during Margaux sabatical too.  I don't think I have to tell you all, Onyx is a very special dog with a heart of gold. He's always been nice to the kittens but, it's as if he understands their needs with Margaux being MIA right now.  Being a herding breed however his attempts to keep them rounded up are met with annoyance most of the time. Plus Onyx is a senior so the kids do wear him out, these guys only stop moving when their sleeping now. I'm so glad horses don't have litters!! At 7 weeks they've been eating both soft and hard food for several weeks, and of course drinking water and using the litter box.  Still as big as they are Marguax was still allowing them to nurse.  The Vet felt it wouldn't be wise to allow this for a few days, so Margaux is in the spare room up at the house lounging. 

Mom would've waited till next week when three of the kittens leave for their new homes but, as Margaux had been out on a few "dates" she knew waiting to long would mean being fixed would've been more difficult on her.

Later

Memorial Day...

WE MUST REMEMBER

THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED, ARE SERVING  & WILL BE SERVING

(photo by Chris during 2nd tour in Iraq)

HAVE A SAFE & HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

It's a Zoo...

Camryn here:
It's a zoo around here, with 4 dogs, 1 cat, 5 kittens & me right?  So I don't quite understand why Mom & Dad went to a Zoo (Cleveland) today, when they have one right here!  Mom wanted to see the Giraffe's and the new (since last year ) Elephant Crossing exhibit.  I asked if she'd maybe bring a Zebra home for me, she said she'd try but, the Zebra's stayed pretty far away so that didn't happen SIGH.  She did of course bring tons of pictures home, a few with Zebra in the background.

This was the Bull Elephant, he was out by himself later in the day.  Wonder if he thought the rock was hiding him?

Dad thought maybe the big stick was being used as a tooth pick LOL

All the girls were out in the morning.  Mom thought the one facing her might be preggers.  Her really enjoyed their exhibit as it was spacious and they looked happy.  Their trick fence sounded VERY powerful, you could hear the click, click, click from a distance.

The baboon guy was sitting high above all his girl baboons right in the middle of the enclosure as if on a throne.  The cardboard box he'd just ripped apart was strewn out all around him.  Their enclosure was a typical Zoo enclosure but, Mom could see how the Zoo peoples tried to keep them from being way bored.

They had Camel rides, Mom didn't partake in this though she was tempted.  She felt bad for the Camels (there were four) as she was sure being led about in circles endlessly didn't make for a happy life.  They did only work two at a time while the other two rested awaiting their turn.  Also Mom took note that rides were in a nicely shaded area.

 This was all she could see of the Gorilla's as they were sound asleep.  She loved checking out this ones feet anyway.  Biggify it, pretty cool!

This baby Giraffe suddenly took off running away from it's Mom and was tearing around circling the Ostrich...

Mom Giraffe came a running.  The Ostrich who had been minding it's own business high tailed it outa there real quick like...

Ostrich is running for Dodge  and baby is like "Uh Oh, Mom's mad!"  Take note of the Zebra in the background.  I still want one...

Mom is lecturing junior about proper Giraffe behaviour I think.  He even looks all "I'm sorry Ma"

This guy was reaching out over the enclosure wall.  See, its true the grass is always greener on the other side!  Mom liked their enclosure too.

Later...

Kittens, kittens who wants a kitten?...

Camryn here:
Well the little ones are about 6 weeks old now.  A few are avid explorers and visit with Onyx during the day once they've climbed down from the hay palace.  They can get down, but not back up yet.  Two have homes, another has a possible home. Mom did ask Dad today if she could keep one.  It's Mom's birthday today so her played that card.  Dad said only if Margaux found a new home.  Not to worry Margaux is staying.  She's also getting fixed next week.
Here are some pix Mom took of the rottens last night...

This is the one Mom wants to keep, it's a she.

Her has the cutest black tail and is quite independant...

Little Calico girl has a home lined up with one of Mom's work friends...

Ginger boy says that calico tastes just like chicken!!! 

Hogging the food bowl!

Grey tabby boy will go live with one of Mom's horse friends.  He'll have his own boy to sleep with

Can you tell that Ginger boy is a camera hog?  He manages to get in almost every picture! He still needs a home.  He's the most athletic.

I think their planning an attack on a sibling here

An attack in progress

Ginger needs some rest after all that play.  Gold head boy is looking for a way down.

These two boys are like frik n frak, where you see one the other is normally nearby

Gold head boy, also needs a home.  He's seems to have a quiet soul.

Take note: Margaux finds one of the few places where she can get away from the kids in the barn

She does love her kids, but even a wonderful Momma needs a break from time to time!

Later

Some Me time at last...

Camryn here:
     Finally some Me time.  Day started out as usual, got my nummy breakyfast.  Just as I was finishing up my trimmer arrived.  Great way to start the day getting a pedicure for sure.  Mom had noticed last week it was needing done, if my appointment wasn't scheduled already for the next week her'd have moved it up.  My feets really grew quicker than my norm.  Mom n Sherry think perhaps the Omega 3's combined with the season amped the growth.  If it's the same next time she'll bump me up to 7 instead of 8 weeks and go from there.  As always I have excellent feet and am as good as I intend to be.  Meaning I behave but, have a tendency to slowly lean and add weight to poor Sherry.
     Mom of course played with the young ones while I got to munch in my pasture later.  No hand grazing :).  After my allotted time her called my name, when I looked up right away I heard "CLICK" and of course headed right for Mom.  I got a little lunch after, while Mom cleaned my room n paddock area.
    When I was about done with that she headed for the house and came down with my saddle.  SIGH work time!  I've been doing so good with my bitless in the paddock Mom felt it was time to try it in the pasture for the first time.  She mounted up, we did our "flex, flex, back, flex, flex routine, then puddled about in the paddock.  At first being as I knew the back barn gate was open to grass I asked to go there a few times.  Mom said "NO", till I quit asking, then thru the barn we went.  I remembered I gotta whoa before leaving the barn from last year.  Once we were on the grass and with no bit, I asked to please eat some, Mom said "no".  So rather than bothering to ask again I simply told Mom that I was going to eat grass.  Mom said "NO WAY Jose" and even though my name isn't Jose, the way she said it I decided it was best to listen.  Great thing happened when I listened too, I heard a CLICK and got a TREAT.  So needless to say riding in the pasture even though I didn't get grass worked out great for me in the long run.  I did make a few half hearted attempts to head for the lushest grass area, but Mom simply asked for me not to and I listened.  Mostly we worked on my turns off leg cues, and practiced one rein stops at a walk.  We circled trees, followed Margaux, she followed us, I watched her head thru tall grass outside the fence then come back again later.  The last part threw me for just a minute, but Mom did the one rein that we'd been practicing.  I wasn't gonna take off but, Mom thought it a good moment to throw in what we'd just finished with.  Best thing about the one rein stop is I hear a CLICK and get a TREAT!!!  It was nice to be outta the paddock for a change.  One bad thing happened today, Mom moved the saddle back to the barn, so I'm thinking we'll be working lots more now SIGH. 
Later

Warned you didn't I...

Camryn here:  Don't say I didn't warn you, Mom took lots of piktures so gotta post some more <SIGH>

Reason they're nicknamed "Mitten Kittens".  They look like they've got mittens on...

The Ginger isn't a mitten but, boy is he handsome.  Mmmm, Haflinger colored so of course he's handsome right?...

The black spot is Mom's fav.  She's got Cat-a-tude!

Little guy (he's the smallest) gets lessons in proper hygiene...

Vogue, vogue, vogue...

Below kitten high jinx!

"PEEK A BOO"

"What's down there?"...

"BOO on you Skaredy Cat!"...

"HEY, where'd he go?"

Playing in the hidey hole was their favorite game.  They've moved on to another not so amusing to Mom.

They've found it fun for some unknown reason to drop down behind the hay and get stuck along the wall.  This has Mom laying across the hay to play "fishen for kittens" multiple times a day.  Mom's feet and bum up in the air is something to see LOL. 

The girls have found a way thru the pallet maze under the hay back out.  Unfortunatly the route leads directly to Onyx who they are rather intimidated of.  The boys being boys (none to bright) haven't found the route and remain trapped till Mom rescues them.  Once they've been rescued they of course high tail it right back to trap themselves all over again. Took Mom like forever just to clean my stall and paddock because of them.  Again I say thanks cause I didn't have to work ;).   Momma Margaux bless her heart went down to calm them the first few time, she'd jump out to alert Mom to their whereabouts.  Lately though she just looks at Mom like "Those kids just don't listen"!  I think she rather appreciates they're dissapearances from time to time. 

Later

Dreadfully adorable kittens AGAIN...

Camryn here:  Yet another Camryn post is pre-empted by those dreadfully adorable kittens AGAIN!  What is up with humans and babies?  Mom just melts when they come running across the hay all "mew, mew, mew".  Course she melts for my nickers too, so maybe I shouldn't be to upset?  That and she spends so much time melting over them I haven't had to work to hard either.  And they are cute, even I have to admit that.  I even enjoy standing at the gate watching them either tumbling about or napping now that part of the kitty hay castle is removed.

Don't they look all peaceful eating their mush lunch with Margaux...

Uh Oh, lunch time interuptous...

Sloppy lunch face is all concerned...

Calico freezes in place...

Scaredy cats getting all big.  Over what?

Onyx pokes his head up and they kittens get their first sight of a dog!!! Mom had just removed the hay bale so now we can see the kittens.  Before they'd been in a kind of hay castle surrounded by bales.  Their world is getting larger.  As you can see their dog sighting concern didn't last overly long before they headed back to lunch.

Calico and Grey Tabby are both spoken for, only three more to go!!!

Mom took tons of piktures, soooo I'm guess the next several posts will be pre-empted by cute kittydom.  Sorry guys.

Later

Nekkid for a little while...

Camryn here:
This is one of the few times you'll be seeing me buck nekkid during the summer months.  Mom had to take my sweet itch rug off to wash it, so while it was off her took some pictures of me for a change.  Instead of those dreadfully adorable kittens!

Nekkid and eating, a wonderful combination I'm thinking :)

Just heavenly all this delish grass...

Mmmph, nom, mmmph, kinda hard to talk with my mouth full...

Mom's been taking me out to handgraze, right now I'm up to 20 minutes.  In a coupla weeks "if" the pasture ever dries she'll let me loose stead of keeping a lead on me.  In the meantime, she remains attached and my time is limited.  Though of course her has to take time to play with the dreadfully adorable kittens before I get my grass time!!!  What's up with that? 
We've been riding with my bitless in the paddock.  Mom says we'll only use it where there is no grass.  The neighbor went to a clinic and the teacher said "if you can't control your horse on the ground, you shouldn't be on it at all".  Neighbor told Mom that, when her said she'd only do bitless in the dry lot with me for now.  Mom just laughed and said "if her was turned loose in a cheesecake factory she'd be uncontrolalbe at first too!"  That's cause Mom knows after all winter I just can't help myself and will settle down once I'm on grass most of the day again.  I like that Mom gets that kind of thing myself. And I don't mind wearing a bit when her feels it's best at all.
Later...