The Cats First Day Outside

Our kitties are just over a year old and up until last weekend had always been house cats. This is because where we used to live was on a busy round in the middle of a town and far too dangerous for kitties to be running around.. Plus we had a much bigger house (3 storey town house) so they had plenty of room to run around. A couple of months ago we moved back to our home town on a nice quiet housing estate but had to compromise on size as our home town is so much more expensive. With the new place being considerably smaller, having a nice garden and being in a quieter area, we knew it was time to let the little munchkins out.

I'd read that when you move you shouldn't let cats our for a couple of months so they can get used to their new home and stuff so in this time we had Vinnie castrated (Chester got done last year) - he hadn't been done before because he's on daily meds as his immune system attacks itself - but the vets said it would be fine as long as he had extra medication before/after. We also got both Vinnie and Chester microchipped and they had their vaccinations.

Vinnie

We were so nervous about letting them out for the first time as we didn't know what they'd do - if they'd just do a runner or not! We'd been advised to let them out hungry so we did.. They were a bit cautious at first but were soon chasing flies, rolling around on the patio and doing funny walks on the grass - lifting their paws up really high as they walked lol.. So funny to watch! Today was the 4th day of them being allowed out (they come in when it starts to get dark, we don't want them out at night) and they still haven't left the garden yet! We do have a 6ft fence right the way round it but I'd have thought they'd have jumped onto the BBQ then onto the shed to get up but they haven't so far..

Chester

They both seem so much happier now which makes us happy. I'd love if they never left the garden as it means they'll always be safe but I'm not counting my chickens! I don't think either of them would go very far though as they're very in and out and such soppy little home boddies! I love our little munchkins so much and wouldn't change a hair on their super cute little faces :) xxx

I'm Not A Crazy Cat Lady.. But These Are My Cats!

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I can't be a proper cat lady, I'm not elderly (yet) or single. We do have 3 cats though. They're brothers that we picked from a litter of 7 and they've purrrfectly completely our family. For as long as I can remember, I've wanted at least one cat but I was never allowed one growing up. Aaron and I helped our neighbour rehome his 2 when we moved into our home and afterwards it made us realise how much we'd love our own.. A few weeks later we put down a deposit on 3 boys (We'd planned on getting 2, we got there and nearly picked 4 (!!) but settled with 3) and a few more weeks later brought them home.
Ever since that first day, they've been such a joy to have. They each have completely different personalities but are all so well behaved and adorable that I can't help but take wayyy too many pictures of them! I've probably taken over 1000 since we got them in May. I kid you not.

Their 2nd day with us.

They always sleep in funny/unusual positions!

My favourite picture of my boys.

We don't have human children, we have 4 legged furry cat children and we love to spoil them when we can afford to with new toys or treats. The next thing I'd love to buy them is a bigger bed or individual beds as they've outgrown their last one and are making do with a furry blanket at the moment. They also broke their last play center by all jumping on it at once, it was pretty tall and the bottom snapped!
Anyway, time to get to know them!

I'm Vinnie.. Mummy's favourite! I'm the soppiest cat you'll ever have the pleasure of hearing purr ;) I enjoy playing with my brothers but I look much cuter when I'm keeping mummys lap warm whilst being fussed over and she doesn't even mind me snoring, phew! I'm a real softie where humans are concerned and thoroughly enjoy being cradled in mummy's arms, I'll purr away and often have a snooze.. With my brothers I give as good as I get when we play fight! I love a belly rub but if I'm in play mode mummy or daddy may get a little nibble, oops! I also like chilling out on the kitchen window sill watching the world go by, sleeping on mummys handbag or sitting on mummy or daddys warm laptop.. when they're trying to use it ;) I've been poorly the last few months with swollen paws and mouth ulcers but mummy found me a different, more caring vets and they figured out I have an immune deficiency and may well be on tablets for life. I'm ok with taking them and I'm starting to feel a bit better already, yipee! :)

I'm Chester, I'm a daddy's boy and also the boss! I'm the smallest but the most energetic, nosey curious and mischievous out of the 3 of us and also the most likely to make mummy or daddy laugh - for instance when I stand on my back feet like a meerkat - I do have a soppy side too though. I enjoy jumping up into the kitchen sink (ever since daddy tried to get me to drink from the tap..) much to mummys annoyance!! I also have a game I play with daddy where he picks me up, holds me upright on the way up to bed and I lean over and try to touch/sniff everything on the way! I absolutely love Dreamies and once even managed to jump up, grab a pack, tear it open and eat the rest of them, yummy! I'm not too fond of sharing my food, I will growl at my brothers but do end up sharing, sometimes.. This week I went to the vets and came home without my marbles, if you know what I mean! I'm healing well though and still running around like normal!

I'm Braxton, I'm the good looking one ;) and nannys favourite. I'm the biggest and have the thickest and softest furr out of the 3 of us. I love a fuss and I'm slowly growing to enjoy being picked up but not too often as I get nervous easily. I used to get scared when mummy stroked my belly like she does with Vinnie but now I enjoy it (on my terms of course) and will stretch right out for her! Daddy made me an awesome place to sleep.. A hammock hanging over the radiator but I also like to sit in the bottom of the veg rack whilst mummy cooks! I'm the most vocal, particularly when mummy is preparing our food.. My favourite game involves a bird on a string, I'm the best (quickest!) at that game. I also recently went to the vets to have my marbles removed - thanks a lot mummy and daddy!! Unfortunately I had to go back 2 days later as the stress of it made me very poorly :( I'm on tablets (bleurghh!) but they seem to be doing the trick and I have a bit more energy now.


This post is an entry into the Tots100/Swell UK competition.

Life Update #3

So if you read my last life update, you'll know I had a job.. Had being the operative word. I done training, I done shadowing shifts and I done shifts alone. I also had a panic attack at work and patronising, rude and ignorant staff to work with. The second time I came home crying, Aaron said enough was enough and to leave if I was unhappy. I thought working in a care home would mean the staff would be lovely.. Don't get me wrong, a couple of the staff were nice but they were on days. I was on 12 hour night shifts and they weren't consecutive either. It was mostly one day on, one day off.. So one night I'd be working a night shift and sleeping in the day, then sleeping that night again - when I'd just been sleeping in the day.. Then working the next night. It really messed me about, I was like a zombie. Everything happens for a reason though.. It obviously just wasn't meant to be.

In other news..

- Our cat Vinnie was ill on and off for 2/3 months and after changing to a much better vets, we found out he has an immune deficiency and may be on tablets for life. He's still not quite there (he had swollen paws, they've gone down but he still has a mouth ulcer) but he's okay in himself, bless him. Braxton and Chester are booked in to have their bits chopped off this week, Vinnie isn't allowed to have his done until his medication/dosage is sorted out properly and in routine though.

- We drove up to Birmingham for our friends sons Baptism last month where I was made a God Mother to their eldest which was an honour. We stayed the night in a lovely hotel, it was a bargain at £25 and easily worth double. We visted Ikea the next day too.

- I turned 25 years old. I'm now half way to 50! WHAT! Aaron took me out for a nice meal and we had a walk along the beach afterwards. At the weekend we went for drinks with his parents, uncle and auntie and some friends.. I got drunk and had a hangover for the first time in a few years, oh dear!!

- I'm still volunteering at Barnardos and love it. They're all such a good bunch of people. We have a lot of laughs and I thoroughly enjoy doing my 3 days a week there.

- I'm loving that it's getting colder again. I love wrapping up in snuggley jumpers with a nice scarf and wearing darker colours, having more gravy dinners and stews and the smell outside in the evening. Roll on fireworks night and Christmas now :)

- I'm also absolutely loving watching Wentworth (the Australian prison drama on Channel 5) it kind of reminds me of Bad Girls, does anyone else remember that?!








Current favourite song: Nelly - Get Like Me.

What are you looking forward to the most now it's getting colder? xxx

Life Update #2

I've only gone and received THE BEST news today... *drum roll* I HAVE A JOB! I HAVE A JOB! I HAVE A JOB! Oh my giddy aunt!
As you may (or may not) be aware, I've been unemployed since this blog started, around a year and a half ago now. Unfortunately there aren't enough jobs for the amount of people out of work and so finding a job has been a heck of a task!

My new job title is Bank Care Assistant. This means I won't have set hours and will be covering holidays etc. but the lady said I will pick up quite a few hours as there is always plenty going, plus I'll be able to do days and/or nights. The rota is 4 weeks in advance too, so I'll know what I'm doing from one week to the next which is much better and means I'll be able to stay at Barnardos doing volunteering as I really enjoy it and won't feel like I can't go out or plan things just in case.. Aaaand I was told it can lead to permanent, set hours too so that's something to strive towards.

Vinnie, Chester and Braxton.

In other news.. 

- The kitties are growing so bloody quickly! They're not even 6 months yet and look at them! There is so much to say about them but I'll leave that to a separate post. They're doing well though, bless them.

- I've really been enjoying the warm weather, we've lit the BBQ several times, had days down the coast and I've got loads of washing done! I haven't enjoyed the storms much though!!

- We had a lovely night out with Aarons parents, uncle and his other half recently, that was nice. It's good to get together every now and then. We won't leave it so long next time though!

- I've really been missing watching Home and Away, sad I know but it's my favourite and it stops every summer.. Booo!

- I've been addicted to Big Brother again this year, I can't help it. Don't judge me!!

- Since starting volunteering, I've really noticed an improvement in my mood. I've been a lot happier, I smile more and I'm less of a grump bag because I'm not cooped up in the house every day on my own. It's like a big heavy weight of gloom has been lifted and I love it :) I'm sure Aaron does too!!

Current favourite song: Stooshe - My Man Music

Hope you're all well too xxx

MoneySupermarket: Big Night In

MoneySupermarket are holding another fantastic competition as they believe (and I agree) that staying in is the new going out and they would like to see how us bloggers would spend £50 on a night in, courtesy of them. Those who take part will also be entered into a draw to win £500!! To find out more, clickety click right here while there is still time for you to join in too!
I had a couple of ideas when I was contacted about taking part but after a very stressful day Friday (Aaron came home with flowers for me to cheer me up and he hasn't done that in about 2 years!) I knew what I'd like to spend it on. Another reason I chose to do what I did is because me and Aaron sat down last week and decided we need more quality time together away from his Xbox and my laptop and phone so this came at the perfect time!
We decided to have a cosy, chilled out night in Saturday night with no Xbox or laptops which had become a very rare thing, sadly.. I was allowed my phone whilst The Voice was on so I could Tweet about it but that was it! We bought 2 DVDs (Ted for before The Voice and Twilight BDP2 for after!), Haribo, chocolate, wine, cider, bag of treats for the kitties and a lovely colour changing scented candle and ordered in a Chinese takeaway so we didn't have to cook! As you know, we have been doing Slimming World but decided to have a massive blow out for one night.. We're back on track now though.

Twilight BDP2 was brilliant! Ted.. wasn't.

We hadn't had alcohol in months so this was such a treat! :)

Yummy Chinese :) Couldn't eat it all though!

Tiff & Aaron love it so, the happy world of Haribo!

Mmmmmmmmm :) nom nom nom!

Couldn't leave our babies out could we!

Vinnie, Chester and Braxton.. Chester licking his chops!

Loved this candle! Will be another when we go shopping!

In my comfies! :)

My best tips for having a great night in are:
- Get comfy! PJs, fluffy socks and a big wooly cardi are a must for me!
- Don't cook! Who wants to cook when you're trying to have a lovely night in?!
If it's a cosy night in like mine:
- Get chocolate! It's not the same without it!
- Grab a blanket/throw/duvet! To snuggle up with of course.
- Light a candle. They add to the cosyness and make the house smell lush!

Thank you Money Supermarket for supplying us with £50 to spend on a night in - We haven't had a cosy night in with quality time together in absolutely ages so it was just heaven! xxx

We Got Some Kitties!

You may know if you stalk follow me on Instagram or Twitter that we have 3 little kittens, yay! You may also know that before we bought them, we said goodbye to 2 cats, Dotty and Callie - I wrote about why etc here.
Our house felt empty and too quiet without the cats, we both hated it and just over a week we'd had enough lol.. We decided to get some kittens, this time getting them straight from their mum and making sure it was from a good home. A week later, a lady on Facebook contacted me and said she had a litter that we could have first pick from. We drove down the next day and also got to meet the mummy cat who had such a lovely temperament. We picked out 3 boys, left a deposit and went back for them 3 weeks later.

Braxton, full tabby.

Chester, tabby with white socks & belly.

Vinnie, black with white socks & belly.

I'm pleased to say that these 3 bundles of fluff settled in very quickly. They love cuddles and snuggle up with us on the sofa for a nap after they've tired themselves out from running and jumping around chasing each other!
Braxton (named after that hottie off Home and Away) is slightly more of a daddys boy! He's the one that's needed the most fuss to get settled in as he's the least confident even though he's the biggest! He is the fluffiest and probably the least cuddliest although when he does cuddle, he nuzzles into you which is soo cute!
Chester (named 'cause we got him from Colchester, clever eh? lol) is a daddys boy - he won't lay with me for long but will sit with Aaron for hours! He's the smallest, most playful and a right character, he is also the scratchiest! All of my scratches are from playing with him the little bugger :)
Vinnie (we just liked the name) is very much a mummys boy, he is always round my legs or on my lap. He is such a softie when it comes to me and Aaron, he has never used his claws even when he plays but he is the most dominant and won't turn down a scrap with the other 2!

I'm always adding pics of them on my Instagram if you wanna see what they're up to/cute pics etc!

Do you have any pets? xxx