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If you remember from Sunny's Tipi post I had his new setup:

One day we'll get it right. Changing their setup can be stressful on them. That's why I thought he wasn't pooping AGAIN. Turns out he was using his new tipi for his outhouse. 

That log Travis found. The yellow on it is wax. Sunny can fit through it. 

Splooting and sleeping...again. He's nocturnal.

He loved hanging out there. But we had to take it out.

Travis said, "There must be some bug in it. It's creating a mound of sawdust under the log!" I said, "We don't want Sunny to get anything. Take it out, and shake it. Look to see if you can see a bug." He did just that. I said, "If there's a mound of sawdust again we know a bug is still in there. Can we put the log in the oven to kill the bug?" He said, "No the yellow stuff is wax." 

The sawdust happened again. Out went the log! 

I'm kind of sad he doesn't have it. I hate where we keep changing things on him. I don't want him to get a parasite from whatever the bug is! 

I've learned that there's a lot to learn with pets! I've never had anything but a frog and fish. 

Random Tid Bits

1. I'm not really starting out the semester the best. Usually I have more done, but we had one week less on the break because Thanksgiving was so late. 


2. On Sunday Mica was talking about how they go back to school on Monday. I rolled with it. I sent them to bed early, from all the late nights previously. We got up early. Mica went to the bus stop. When Isaak's carpool didn't seem to get there, I had him call her. Turns out there was no school. We called Mica, who was wondering why he was alone at the bus stop to tell him it was a Teacher Planning Day. The award for the best parenting of the year goes to us!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. On Tuesday the bus didn't show up for Mica, so Travis had to take the kids to school. Thankfully there's enough room in our Subaru for his bus stop kids.


4. I'm ready for wellness. Isaak had Strep. Mica had some nasty cold. I swore it was Strep because he got it after Isaak. He never got a fever. His sore throat came and went.
   
   My Mom and Dad were really sick. My Mom had to go in to get a chest x-ray, was put on antibiotics and a steroids.
   
   My Sister Terra's whole family got Influenza A. It's the worst in the US, right here in Douglas County. I was worried about my nephew Emerson, with having an already compromised immune system. He's ok.
   
   One of my Uncles has been in and out of the hospital, since before Thanksgiving. He's having internal bleeding, crazy number for his hemoglobin. He had to get an iron fusion, blood, and more than one colonoscopy.
   
   One of my Aunts had a UTI.
   
   One of my cousins turned jaundice. They rushed him off to the hospital. He had no health insurance. Too old to be on his parent's, went to college later, so he doesn't have a job to help. I'm sure an expensive scan later...he had to get his gallbladder out. The surgery was just this week. He got health insurance through school; as of January 1. It was like cement. They had to keep him in a day later than normal.
   
   Have you had any sickness in your neck of the woods, so to speak?
5. That whole thing with students complaining about a few questions on my test last semester...lingered. The Education Director emailed me about it 3 times. Every time was right before the end of the day. His mailbox was full, so I couldn't email him about it. He never called me in to talk to me. I feel odd about that. A girl had problems with 4 questions on the final exam. There were 120 questions on the exam. Yes one was picky, so I'm changing that. The rest were not. First thing on Mon. I see the girl. I smiled and said, "Hi!" She looked down, and didn't say anything. I'm thinking this is more her problem, than mine. If she's going to get that upset over 4 questions on a test, how is she going to be in the work world? 

Sunny's #tipi #teepee #leopardgecko #diy #craft #gecko

Our Leopard Gecko Sunny got an upgrade tank. He had a 10 gallon. After doing some research we found out it is just too small! He needs a warm side of the tank, and a cool side. He should have 3 or 4 hides: One on each side + a moist hide when he sheds.

On Facebook Market Place I kept my eye out for an upgrade. Finally I saw one! A 30 gallon tank for $30. We had to buy a top cover, but that was a good price. I got some non adhesive shelf paper, for the base. He was in the tank as soon as Travis cleaned it up.

We filled it up fast.

I had this ingenious idea of making Sunny a Tipi, for a hide.

I seriously decided his tipi plans on Christmas Eve Day. I went out to get the material. Then on Christmas I started making it. I kind of felt like he deserved nicer things, than he had.

I knew I needed some kind of base just to help hold the sticks where I wanted them to be. I used the lid to Orange Slices bought at Walmart - God I love those things!

Then I figured out that most tipis online have 6 sticks. Kitchen skewer sticks are the perfect size for Sunny's tipi, so I used them. I just stabbed holes with a knife tip, and stabbed the skewers through. Then I tied the top with hemp rope, and secured it with Elmer's Glue.

After the anatomy to the tipi was made I had to cut out the canvas, and I started sewing. I sewed around all the skewer sticks, and I sewed the door open.

When I was all done, I took the base out. BUT it was too flimsy, so Travis was nice enough to cut out a masonite base. He glued the skewer sticks to it. I think that's great because it's less likely to tip over. 

I debated on using fabric paint to make a pattern, sew beads on (he just licks, doesn't eat things off like that), or add the God's Eye I made last year out of toothpicks and embroidery floss. I went with the God's Eye. It was the perfect size, and I liked the colors. It was originally made to be a Christmas ornament. 

I worried a bit with the top of the skewers, but Sunny doesn't climb in his tank. Only when he's being held. He'll climb up to your/my shoulder every time. The tipi is really steep. We didn't place it near anything where he could get from one thing, to the top of the tipi. 

Here was his new set up:

I couldn't see him enjoy it because he was sleeping under Travis' sculpture hide. I learned a new word lately. When an animal lays all flat like to sleep it's called, "Splooting". Sunny sploots all the time!

It didn't take long before I heard Travis say, "Sunny is in your Tipi! Come look! It's the cutest thing!"

Sure enough he was checking out the tipi. 

Do you see the back corner? That's where he typically poops.

It was days where we didn't see any poop in his poop spot. He always poops there. I was thinking, Here we go again! Do we need to start giving him baths, and put him back on meds? Then it dawned on me...I bet he's shitting in his tipi! I told Travis to check!

Sure enough...there was about 5 poops in his tipi.

His tipi is his outhouse! He likes to poop in private.

What's the craziest thing you've ever made?

WW: Kidney Ear {Linky}

This looked like an ear to me, but I guess it was a kidney. It was in Mica's Healthcare Academy room.

Help Me Deicide...

We have a microfiber love seat. We've had it for years. It's really showing it's wear. I've scrubbed, washed, and now when I clean you can see scrub spots it's that filthy. I really need a maid service. sigh! Travis sits on one side. He's typically dirty from working outside, and on sculpture. Isaak sits on the other side. He's a messy boy.

I want a new loveseat.

Looking at prices, it's in someways cheaper to buy a couch with a loveseat, than just a loveseat on it's own. I like our dark brown leather couch.

NFM also known as Nebraska Furniture Mart has a lot to offer. It's good for the area because it's locally owned. BUT it's bad for the area because it's so big that nothing else moves in, and survives.

Most of their stuff is neutral. I enjoy sitting down to see if I like the fit of a loveseat, but online I'm seeing way move I like than NFM has to offer.

We have faux painted walls: Yellow, then glazes of red, the glazes of brown. I really don't want to repaint them. I love our walls!

I could go with a neural colored loveseat, and cover it with something colorful. In that case, I might as well keep what I have, and cover it.

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Go the opposite of red-orange (wall color), and go with a blue-green loveseat. Our couch is dark brown leather, so anything will go with it.

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I'd really like an accent loveseat. All I can find online are accent chairs, or accent couches. Most are not sold in the US, or are $1000s of dollars. So many people are saying, "Just make your own." I may like art, but I don't trust myself with a sewing machine. 

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I like this, but who wants a loveseat with no arms? That's not a cuddle friendly loveseat. 

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So do I just keep looking? Cover the loveseat I already have - repurpose it? Buy something plain, and cover it? 

Look up "bohemian" and "patchwork" couch, or chair, and I typically like most of it. 

Disclaimer: This post may include link(s) where I have gotten paid for.

I'm ready for Spring!

Mica is taking a school trip in the spring. He's going to Chicago. 

I'm so ready, for this to happen, for him and us. 

• I'd like to be done with the monthly payment, for his trip.
• It will be nice to have a break from Mica, and Mica have a break from us. He's a good kid, but I honestly think everyone needs a break from their routine at times.
• He'll have fun! 

I really love that their bus is a company has more than one staff member on duty at all times. One of their staff stays outside their door in the hallway at night; to make sure nothing bad happens. Kids would have trouble sneaking away. Mica's a rule follower, but you never know peer pressure could set in. I teach college aged kids, and have seen the change in what I like to call "kidadults".

The boys haven't been to Chicago, since they were this old...

It's really time we all go again. A great friend lives there. We could stay with him.

Mica will experience the big city once again, without us.

I know Mica's not flying, but I'd like the best carry-on luggage. Do you have any brands you recommend? We have toiletry bags, bigger suit cases, but nothing in between small and big.

I'm not sure what Mica's itinerary will be, but with it being Chicago there's lots to do. Here's things I would want to do:

• Eat a Deep Dished Pizza
• Go to the Museum of Science and Industry
• Check out art at the Chicago Art Institute
• Visit The Bean and other outside sculptures
• Go up the steps to the Willis Tower, ok maybe the elevator
• Visit Chicago Cultural Center (one I haven't been to)
• See Sue at the Field Museum
• See Jelly Fish at the Shedd Aquarium
• Experience art at Smart Museum of Art (one I haven't been to)
• Experience more art Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art (one I haven't been to)
• Get a taste of culture at the Swedish American Museum (one I haven't been to)

What would you want to see in Chicago?

I do love those city passes, but I kind of feel like they make you go see things you don't want to see. Then you don't go see things you do want to see.

Disclaimer: This post may include link(s) where I have gotten paid for.

New Year...Deep Clean

I'm not one for New Years Resolutions. I just think people make them, they follow them for a month or two, then break them. There's nothing wrong with that I suppose. I just make short term, and long term goals. They are typically connected to New Years at all.

As soon as the New Year was over I'm said, "Ok let's get cleaning!"

I happily took down the Christmas decor. Usually it's a, "Crap we have to take down all the pretty thing!" This time it was, "It's great to get the Christmas decor down. One more thing done!"

The first thing I deep cleaned was the kitchen floor.

Travis is so apprehensive with moving the fridge out to clean under it. He worries about the waterline, and the cords. Boy did it NEED it!

There was a layer of dust under there. Having allergies, and asthma I felt so satisfied with cleaning that dust out! I followed up with cleaning under the stove as well.

I kind of wish I had house cleaning services. The night after cleaning I was feeling really stuffed up!

What things in your house need to be deep cleaned?

Disclaimer: This post may include link(s) where I have gotten paid for.

Random Tid Bits

1. On the last week of classes, I felt so bad for Mica. He had his Science Fair presentations. He had to give 3. The last presenter put his form in another student's spot. They are listed by number, and I guess the last digit was covered up. He had to present his project to yet another person. Thankfully this kid just rolls with the flow.
   
   The year earlier he was told to leave his stuff in his class, or wherever - do not bring it to his Science Fair Presentations. He left his stack of books, and stuff in the cafeteria, for that last presentation he shouldn't of had to do. Then he went back up to get his stuff, only to find it was all gone! He went to the lost and found, asked the cafeteria person if they knew who took it, and asked the office. It wasn't in any of those places. I told him, they may have turned his books into the school library. Nope! Thankfully he found his stuff the next day. A staff member turned it into the office. Talk about a heart stopper! If that would have happened to Isaak, he would have lost it.
   
   Then Mica checked his grades. He has B's in 2 or 3 classes, when he should based on his assignments have A's. His homeroom teacher thinks it's a computer glitch. She emailed his teachers. Mica's like, "Well B's are good." BUT he earned A's! We still don't know if this was fixed. 


2. We've been rewatching Orphan Black. We all love the show. I never realized it's rated M, and the first time we watched it Isaak was probably 8 or 9. Now he's 11. Dang Tatiana Maslany is a great actress! Underrated, for sure. I think we counted, and she plays around 12 or 13 different roles: Beth (cop), Sarah (punk), Katja (French Girl), Alison (Soccer Mom), Cosima (Science Geek), Helena (Ukrainian Messed Up One), Rachel (Stuck Up), Krystal (Prissy), M.K. (Introvert Artist), Tony (Trans), and others on videos like (Jennifer and Camilla) they don't always name. You can tell when one is trying to be the other. How does she do that?











3. Every year, for the past few years I have the boys write for this:
   
   
   
   
   
   They've never won, but it's still good to make them write. Isaak seems more about it than Mica. Mica's more the reader. Isaak's choosing to write about the Soccer Mom Alison from Orphan Black. It was from a book. Who knows if it's ok - being an M rated show. 


4. The boys were a bit ticked off at me, for not having a Dance Party for New Years Eve. They apparently like that. I just wanted a chill holiday. PLUS Nebraska is rated the highest for Influenza A. Not that I think we should build a bubble, for our family, but I don't really want sickness drug in. Isaak's "friends" wanted to know if he was having a party. He told them, "No". Then they proceeded to say they'd hang out together, but never invited him. What did the want? Our food? Thank Gawd he has other friends at school! One is our carpool, and takes Isaak to school a lot!
   
   What did you do, for New Years Eve?


5. At this point I'm tired of food, and we had a Pot Luck, for work on Thursday.

WW: What Have We Done? {Linky}

On Amazon Prime Days they had a Playstation 4 on a great sale. It came with a game, and a digital code for another game. I got it, and saved it for the boy's Santa gift.

Fast forward to Christmas:

The boys got it, and hugged us. Mica said, "I didn't think you'd ever buy us something like that." Truth - They've never had a game console.

Mica set it all up.

When he got to the digital code, well I had to look into that. I didn't even know Amazon had a spot for digital codes.

Then my brother-in-law made a comment, "I wish PS4 was just like PS3 - FREE." I had no idea what he was talking about. Don't you just get the games, and play them?

I took a Mica to a Game Stop. I won a $20 GC. They had buy 2 preowned games, get 2 free. I'm like, "Ok". We got to the counter. The guy working said, "You do understand that these are multiplayer games. You'll need subscription to play them to get their full features." Me, "I guess we'll get that."

Later my Brother-in-Law told Mica he would need en ethernet cord to make things upload faster. We got that too.

Let's just say, I'm not a gamer, and had no idea what I was getting into.

Here's the boys playing Playstation 4 with their cousins.

They sure do talk to the TV A LOT! The guy at the bank said, "Good job with holding out, for so long." 

I got an off brand 2nd controller, for them to use and for me to review. It's a company that takes forever to get things out. At least I don't have to pay for yet another thing. LOL!

Are you a gamer? I most certainly am not. 

I Hope You Christmas!

Christmas Eve morning rolled around, and we were all still in Christmas Festivities madness.

My sister Terra was getting over Influenza A. My nephew Emerson and Brother-in-law both just got Influenza. Mica was going to bed at 7:30, for a few nights because he didn't feel good. Isaak was feeling better, but had Strep Throat earlier in the week and the week before.

We decided Emerson would stay home with his Dad. Otherwise we were good. I many times questioned if Mica had Isaak's Strep Throat, or an ear infection, but he remained fever free through all of it, so he went to have Christmas Eve with everyone.

Here's the best photo I could get of us. Mica's lips were like that in just about every shot. The ceiling is going to have a light up there. That's where the chimney flue went from our fireplace that we sold. For now it looks like a graduation hat on Mica's head. Am I right?

We went to church. It's something we only do about once a year. Sorry, but I'm truthful, plus there's a story there. My older sister dropped the bomb that they don't want to do the church thing anymore. I want to mention that we are faithful; we just don't go to church. Before the service I texted to my older sister to pick up hand sanitizer because my Aunt was asking for it. She texted, "See that's why I stayed back to get things ready, and get things like that. ;)" I texted and said, "Well I thought about it, but decided since I'm a few years younger than you I need to put a few more years in to going." I was surprised that Isaak participated in the youth sermon, and sang. 

After church we went back to my Mom and Dad's to have a huge meal of soups, shrimp, cheeses, sausages, dips, veggies, crackers, and more. 

That's when my Mom started looking really bad. Feverish! 

Everyone liked their gifts. We all loved the sweet treats a little too much!

Here's one photo of my youngest nephew walking around with the Spider-Man blanket we gave him. I gave him that, and a Paw Patrol video. For his birthday my sister said he loved PJ Masks. What did I get him for party plates? Paw Patrol. He'd never seen Paw Patrol. I said, "Well I'm getting him a Paw Patrol DVD, so he knows what it is."

I hardly get good photos of people unwrapping gifts, and spending time with each other. It's always dark when we have Christmas with my family, and dark when the boys open their gifts in the morning.

Here's a photo on Christmas Day of the boys with their cousin's the same ages as they are. My nephew Evan wanted a hoodie. It's hard to find one under $50! I just didn't want to pay that! I found one on Amazon for $28. Then my nephew Elijah wanted one. Then Mica saw me ordering it, so he wanted one. Isaak liked it too. Aunt Terra got my boys hoodies as well.

My boys hate me a little because I told my Mom to get them these sets instead of Legos:

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They are very complicated. Everything is paper! They each fit their personalities. Isaak's into plants. Mica's into books. I'm sick of Legos. Travis said, "Well you can put them together, and give them to your grandparents." Isaak said, "No way am I going to put that much work into something to have them put that out probably once a year." Ha! 

They got a lot of things they LOVE from their grandparents. No worries. I will do the paper sets with them. It may take a year, but we will get them done.

Christmas morning I got up at 7. Isaak was on the love seat at 6! Just waiting... until we all got up. This is the first year he hasn't believed in Santa. I'm glad he was still excited for Christmas! He doesn't look excited in this photo. He was just sick of waiting for us!

There were a few gifts I was pretty darn excited about giving...

Mica's Spacex Long Sleeve Shirt:

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BUT Mica decided to slice the box with a scissors, and sliced his shirt. We had to pick on him because in preschool he took his shirt, and cut it with a safety scissors right in the middle. This time he sliced right in between the A. I ordered a new one, thinking the sliced one could be a night shirt. But I did decide to try and sew it. I didn't do too bad, so I canceled my order. The best option would be fabric tape, but I'm not a sewer, so I didn't have any. 

I was oddly excited about these steam punk glasses I got last minute. Isaak loved trying some on at The Mall of America. I don't know how much he'll really wear them, but they look crazy, and fun.

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I gave both boys Cheez-it Boxer Briefs, in Cheez-it Cracker boxes. The crackers remained closed, and I slid the boxers in there. It was just a fun way to give their gifts.

I loved Code Piano, I got for Isaak to review. 

Travis and I didn't get each other too much. We got our new phones. That was a lot! 

He did pick out a saw, and a tortilla press. I got a Pizza Peel last minute, to review. He ended up loving it, and made pizza right away. It kind of looks like a spanking paddle. Ha!

I got a few shirts I picked out, and a new kitchen mat. I know not that exciting, but I really wanted a new mat! Our old one was peeling. Plus this one is red. Why not add more color into my already colorful kitchen?

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I also got a Kamboocha Starter Kit, from my Mom. I asked for it, but I'm slightly nervous trying it out. All I have to do is follow the instructions, but I'm horrible with instructions. Only I could mess up Amish Friendship Bread, that was passed down to me. I have to get past this fear of screwing things up.  

Both boys hugged us when they got their first game station, PlayStation 4. I have a lot to learn. Who knew it only came with one controller? Not me. I didn't know you have to pay extra to play online with other people. It's all new to me. I told that to the Game Stop guy, when Mica went to pick out a few games.

What were some of your favorite gifts you got or gave?