Tuesday, November 21, 2023

November 2023

Catching up on a couple typical weeks


Daisy likes to torment us all by getting on the bookcase.


And distracting Ally from homework.

Ally could not be more delighted about her cats getting along. It really is amazing.


They even beg for food together.

The day came for Ally to drive herself to school. 





She was annoyed but kept humoring me for pictures.



This is the selfie I got as proof of life that she made it to school. We are so incredibly proud of her.


On Election Day we took Cloey to the polls with us. We were too lazy to walk so we drove and Cloey insisted on sitting on Becky’s lap.

One week Ally brought Maggie to therapy with her.



Adorable



We hosted a small Guatemala Girls birthday gathering for Ally.



In the end only Gabi could come. But we had fun. The girls painted pottery and Kim and Becky and I caught up.

Gabi had never held a cat before. She said she was always too scared of them. But Maggie was so soft and friendly. 



We are back making shelter dinners every other week. chili and cornbread this time.

Cousin Kimn came over for lunch one Sunday.

Ally got the best Fab Fit Fun box ever!

Home early from school and ate yummy lunch at home.

Home early for therapy and she drove herself. It was amazing. Ally told me this week that it seemed like I had more energy and I told her YES because I’m not driving so much now that she has her license and can drive herself. 



Working on her art assignment. It was a mini mural.

Daisy always making it hard to do homework.

The finished piece was amazing.

There is an art show at school at the end of each semester. I stopped by to look at Ally’s pieces on display. 


We are in Ohio now to spend Thanksgiving week with my side of the family. 



Sunday, November 19, 2023

Seventeenth Birthday

Ally turned 17 on 11/16/23.


New shirt to wear to school. This is 17.



Beth came over to help me decorate, like she does every year for 17 years now. 






We printed out pictures of Daisy and Maggie and hung them up all over living room and kitchen. It was a cat mama theme!





We wore shirts for her age and met her outside dressed like this.

Ally loved it. 

Thank you to family for cards and gifts. Ally saved this gift bag from Becky and me to last. She was pretty happy to get a new phone case. Meanwhile Beth and Becky and I were laughing. 

So she finally looked further in the bag.

To discover the new iPhone! 

She was pretty embarrassed that she missed the main gift. But she was also thrilled.


Dinner time. We ordered pizza from our favorite place.


We tried to get a good photo of Ally with her cats under the banner.

They were not cooperative 





Best Aunt Ever!


Beth left after dessert. Ally had some homework and it was a school night.

But what a fun day it was celebrating our 17 year old.