This is for you, George...

Our cat, George, is obsessed with boxes. This is so true...

(From The Cat's Meow)

Breast Cancer in Female Cats: Did You Know?

Anyone who knows me can figure out how much I love our furry kids. We have two cats (George and Gracie) and our dog, Einstein. I would do anything to protect them.

I am an animal lover but have always been particularly fascinated by cats. I like to educate myself on cats and feel like I know almost everything. This morning, I found out something new. Did you know that female cats can get breast cancer? It is the 3rd most common tumor in female cats. Read the Halo Pets article below to learn even more.

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Did you know that cats get breast cancer too? In fact, breast cancer is the third most common tumor in female cats. Since October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month—learn how to check yourself and your cat!

How do I check my cat for breast cancer?
In addition to a routine veterinary visit once or twice yearly, I recommend a monthly "whole body check"—from the tip of the nose to the tail and out to the ends of the toes! In addition to looking at your cat's eyes, ears, mouth, skin, and hair…make sure you get a good feel as well! Run your hands along her head, neck, back, sides, down the legs and under the belly to check for any lumps, masses, swellings or sore spots. While people have only two breasts and there is no trick to finding them, cats have many breasts (also called mammary glands), and they are found in two straight lines extending from the left and right armpit, down the chest and into the groin area.Feel for breast lumps while your cat is standing and then gently roll them over on their back so you can look at the area also. First, while they are standing, move your hands under their belly all the way up into their armpits. Then slowly move your hands back to their groin area (where their legs attach to their body). Many overweight cats have quite a "pooch" in this area and you may need to massage the skin and fatty tissue to detect any lumps or swellings.

What if I find a lump?
A lump can be very small or quite large. They may feel like a hard pea or be soft and squishy. They may have a broken (often called ulcerated) surface and may even ooze a little. If you feel or see any type of lump, contact your veterinarian immediately. Breast tumors have an 80-90% chance of being malignant in cats. Don't wait to see if the lump grows or changes from month to month….get it looked at right away. It is always best to detect and deal with breast cancer early for the best outcome.

What can I do to minimize my cat's risk of developing breast cancer?

Spay your cat!
The single most important thing you can do to is to spay your cat prior to their first heat cycle. Spaying has been well-documented to reduce the risk of breast cancer to miniscule numbers. For example, cats spayed prior to 6 months of age had a 91% reduction in the risk of developing malignant breast cancer when compared to unspayed female cats. If you have adopted or rescued a cat (and we hope you do!) and are unsure if they are spayed, your veterinarian can help you determine that. Many cats spayed later in life do not develop breast cancer…but you should be on the look-out with that monthly exam and notify your veterinarian if you find anything amiss.

Go Natural!
Choose a natural cat food that avoids the use of preservatives, artificial colors or other synthetic chemicals. Although there is no proven link to feline breast cancer specifically, many synthetic chemicals have been linked to serious human reproductive and other health problems.

Stay lean and fit!
Fat doesn't increase the risk of breast cancer per se, but extra pounds can certainly hide a lump. Keeping your cat at a healthy weight will help you detect not only breast lumps, but any unusual swelling or abnormality on your cat's body. Wellness exams and early detection are key to successful outcomes with most cancers or other medical conditions.

3 Nephews and a Little Lady

Our niece is here! Molly Madeline arrived on 10/10/10. Isn't that a cool birthday? She was 7 lbs, 10 oz and 21 inches. I will be meeting her soon!

Kyra Finally Won!!

The Emmy voters finally wised up, and Brenda Lee Johnson (aka Kyra Sedgwick) won the 2010 Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series! Kyra has been nominated 5 times in a row and this is her first win. The Closer is the best show on television. Brenda's character is quirky, funny, serious, talented and most of all, well-written. I never cease to fall in love again and again with Brenda and the other detectives with every show.

Kyra was also one of my best dressed (in Monique Lhuillier) on the Emmys red carpet.

She was there supporting John Krasinski, but Emily Blunt was radiant in lavender Christian Dior.

Rounding the top 5 red carpet looks were Mariska Hargitay, Kim Kardashian, and Julianna Margulies. Mariska wears Vera Wang to many red carpet events. Let's be honest - does Mariska Hargitay ever look bad?? The answer is No!

Kim Kardashian looked lovely in white by Marchesa. The pair from Marchesa designs the go-to label for Hollywood, and their dresses never disappoint.

Julianna Margulies wore black L'Wren Scott and looked fabulous. The Good Wife is another great show with a female lead. If you haven't been watching, watch the Season 1 DVDs and catch it when Season 2 premieres in September.

Finally! New York pics!

Over the July 4 holiday, Pat and I went to New York. It was the first time for both of us. We had so many great experiences despite the heat and our tired feet!

We stayed at The Warwick, a great hotel only a few blocks from Times Square. We walked to Times Square on our first night. It really is the center of the world. The activity was exciting.

We visited the Times Square museum that has an actual New Year's Eve ball on display. I had to take a picture of this cool wall inside the museum. People from all over the world post their wishes and dreams on this wall. It felt sweet and poignant.

We went to the Top of the Rock (Rockfeller Center) and saw New York all around us. It was one of our favorite experiences.

Central Park and In front of Empire State Building

On July 4, we traveled to Bronx to see the Yankees. The new stadium was impressive. It felt so patriotric to be at a baseball game on Independence Day.

That night, we watched fireworks over the Hudson River. It was awe-inspiring to be in New York watching the show with 3 million of our closest friends!

Some Well-Deserved Good Publicity

Cats often get a bad rap from the world. They are no longer persecuted like they were in the Middle Ages, but they often don't get the credit they deserve.

(A side note: The number of cats became so low in the Middle Ages that the population of disease-carrying rats flourished, resulting in wide-spread epidemics and plagues throughout Europe. Take that, you cat-hating morons...but I digress...)

The Dumb Friends League Animal Shelter created a great video that sings the praises of the domestic cat. It is a great illustration of how amazing cats really are. Take a look...

He's Finally Here!

Logan Richard, my newest nephew, entered the world today. He arrived at 12:04pm and was 8 lbs, 11 oz and 21.5 inches. Allison, Drew, and Logan are happy, healthy, and relieved!

Whoops...0-1

Einie is disappointed that Ali did not pick Chris, since Chris was a good guy. It was a great first effort, but Einie is not used to such a pressure-cooker situation. He'll be sleeping in this morning and every morning in the future.

All is not lost...Einstein said that Chris may be the next Bachelor.

Einstein's Prediction

Following in the footsteps of Paul the Octopus and Triton the Sea Lion, Einie has decided to become the next great predictor.

As a lifelong viewer of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, Einstein the Admirable has decided to reveal his greatness today.

His first challenge? Predicting tonight's Bachelorette finale...

His pick? Chris !!



Einie says you can take it to the bank!

Gracie's Debut

As Miss August, Gracie made her calendar debut on refrigerators and walls today...

We are proud of our Diva Gracie!

Happy Birthday, America!

Have an safe and fun 4th of July!!

Keep your pets safe around fireworks!

Another Special Gracie

A heartwarming story about another beautiful cat named Gracie...

Amazing Grace

A Big Day

Today is my funny, caring, and amazing husband's birthday!!

Happy birthday! I love you!

Spock the Vulcan Cat

I had to share this neat story from peoplepets.com on my blog...

"She was a cat made in Internet heaven.

The 2-year-old calico was sweet, and friendly, but there was something else rather unusual about her. She was born with a birth defect in her right paw, which mimicked the splift-fingered hand gesture made popular by actor Leonard Nimoy on Star Trek.

That certainly got the attention of members of the Atlanta Humane Society as they walked through the Fulton County Animal Services looking for animals to rescue.

So they named her Spock, and featured her on the homepage of Atlanta Humane. Within a week, news of the cat with the sci-fi foot went viral, inspiring geeky commentary and photo illustrations from Trekkies on Fark.com.

Soon after that, Spock found her forever home — fittingly, with a family of Star Trek fans, though this one had no idea about all the buzz.

Freelance photographer Hannah Wildner and her 14-year-old son Chas, had been traveling to the Atlanta Humane Society in search of a dog, but as cat lovers, made time to meet some of new feline friends.

"My son was walking by her cage, and she just kind of hopped down, and was like, 'Hey, take me,'" Wildner tells PEOPLEPets.com. "When we found out her name was Spock, my son thought that was really cool, but for my husband and me, it just clenched it because we're Star Trek fans. Our other cat is named Rebel Alliance."

As she settles into her new home, the Wildner family is finding that Spock has rather un-Vulcan-like traits. According to Wildner, the perpetually saluting kitty is friendly, happy and active, and not at all calculating or controlled. "She's just a little cuddle bug.

"Her housemate Rebel Alliance, meanwhile, seems more closely related to the Star Trek character Spock, and she is none to happy about Spock the cat's presence."Rebel Alliance is very reserved, and she doesn't like to be held," says Wildner. "It's always on her terms. Rebel is top kitty. They'll have to figure out their social order just like siblings, but it'll work out."

We're Wanted, Dead or Alive

We traveled to Nashville to see Bon Jovi last week. We saw them two years ago, too. As usual, the concert was AWESOME!!!!

Our seats were in the balcony on the last row. I couldn't get great pics, but the show was still amazing. They played almost 3 hours! The entire show is pure energy, and they just make you smile. I think they are genuinely having a good time and enjoying themselves. They play all your favorite songs and do a good job of working their new stuff into the set list. It is fun to watch artists with that much talent.

Bon Jovi has been around since 1983! If you've ever watched a bio of the band, you see that Jon Bon Jovi is the CEO and a genius businessman. Every part of the performance is thought out. They use big screens that split apart and then come back together. Some graphic designer or engineer is living his/her dream designing sets like theirs. You can tell that Bon Jovi are pros.

Relivin' our 80s childhoods...with our foreheads cut off! (No, I'm not a professional photographer!)

Once, Twice, Three Times a Kitty

We're 3?!?!

Yes, George and Gracie are 3 years old. They've had an eventful year and are amazing furry kids. Since last April, they got a new daddy, a new brother, and a new house. They have been well-behaved and adjusted so well. They have the best personalities and are very vocal, especially Gracie. She'll have an entire conversation with you. George is still the sweetest boy and purrs every minute of every day.

Happy birthday, Georgie & Miss Grace!

Wedding Cake, Part Deux

For tradition's sake, we ate our wedding cake for our first anniversary. We weren't expecting much, since it had been in my parent's freezer since last April. Mom predicted that it would taste like their refrigerator!

Much to our delight, it was good!! Since the wedding, we got many compliments from our guests about the wedding cake. Our baker was a chef and did wedding cakes on the side. She also did it for about half of the price of normal wedding cakes. I'm such a saver that I loved that!

Here's to old wedding cake! I might have another piece tonight! :-)

It Doesn't Feel Like a Whole Year

Pat and I celebrated our one-year anniversary on Sunday. It doesn't feel like it's been that long! We went through many things during our first year of marriage. I lost my job last summer, and it wasn't easy. I couldn't have gotten through it without Pat. He keeps me positive and focused on the "bigger" picture.

Only last month did we move into our new home together. Just like many others, I put my house on the market during the worst housing slump in years. My house took 16 months to sell.

With the move, we are finally getting to use our wedding gifts. Thanks to all our wonderful guests! I really want to have another wedding. (With the same groom) The first one was so perfect and fun!

We may not have had an "ideal" first year, but I wouldn't change a thing. I am at a better point in my career, and the hardships only made us closer. I look forward to everything to come and am happy to have a wonderful partner! I love you, hubby!

Twins!!

Congratulations to our amazing friends, Stephanie and Tim! They had their twin boys this morning! Tim was born at 7:37am and weighed in at 7 lbs, and Alex was born at 7:38am and weighed in at 6 lbs, 2 oz.

Good luck and love to the first-time parents!

Moving On

Times have been really busy. After 16 months on the market, my home (mercifully) sold. I haven't blogged about it, because I was afraid to jinx the outcome. Now I can talk about it, because it closed on Monday!

Pat and I found a beautiful home together. It has 5 bedrooms and 3 baths with a finished basement. It has everything we want. I moved out of my old house yesterday and closed on our new home, too! It was a long and busy day.

The buyer and agent of my house made things very difficult and requested unnecessary repairs. One of those repairs included having my chimney cleaned and inspected by a licensed chimney sweep! Who knew there was such a thing?!? I had never even used my fireplace. I half expected for Dick Van Dyke to show up! Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ee!

Since nothing about this past month has been easy, the only time available for the chimney sweep was yesterday at 8am! The movers came at 8am, the chimney sweep was there at 8am, and our closing was scheduled for 9am! Craziness!! If Mom and Dad weren't there to help, we'd have been in trouble. Thank the good Lord for awesome parents!

The possession date of the new house isn't until Tuesday, so I'm staying with Pat and Einstein. It's going well -- all things considered. We can't wait for our next moving day and for all this to be over!

Oscar Fashion - Award Season is Over!

The fashion at the Oscars this year was pretty and ladylike without any major fashion missteps. Sandra Bullock was my best dressed and best speech of the night. She, very sweetly, thanked her deceased mother for giving her confidence and support. She is such a likeable and humble personality that it is almost like seeing your sister win the award (while wearing a custom, Marchesa gown and insanely expensive jewelry).

Elizabeth Banks wore grey Versace. The hair accessory was a great choice, and I loved it.

Meryl Streep looked incredible in white. She managed to look age appropriate and fashionable at the same time in Chris March. Mariska Hargitay got less attention, but I loved her in Vera Wang. I've never seen her look bad. I guess having Mickey Hargitay and Jayne Mansfield for parents doesn't hurt...

Rounding out my top five is Sarah Jessica Parker. Her dress was beautiful on television but not as good in a still photo. I liked how different it was from all the other gowns. Even though it was Chanel, she is the only one that can get away with a dress like that. 

Happy Valentine's Day

Pat surprised me by sending me tulips for Valentine's Day! Tulips were in my bridal bouquet and are my second favorite flower behind bluebonnets. (Too bad, you can only find those during springtime in Texas!)

So sweet!!

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Kitty-us Relax-us

A species most often found in loving homes where the organism can live in comfortable and pampered surroundings; complete relaxation reached by the lack of worry of being poked in the stomach, having a more dominant animal pounce, or the occurrence of loud noises; most often found in the wilds of temperature-controlled homes...

Birthday Wishes

Today is Dean's birthday. Happy Birthday!!!

We're Going to Be an Aunt/Uncle (Again)!

Pat and I learned yesterday that we'll have another niece or nephew in the fall! Allison and Drew are expecting a baby on August 4. They are waiting to find out the sex of the baby. We are all so excited with it being the first grandchild for Pat's family! Congrats, Al and Drew!!

New UA Stadium Intro

The University of Alabama released their new Bryant-Denny stadium intro for the upcoming fall season. This video gives me chills.

I have tried to explain the elephants in the video to others before. I couldn't ever do it justice. I LOVE the elephants with wearing war paint!! So incredibly awesome!

13 and Counting

Awards Season Has Started!

Last night, the Golden Globes kicked off the award season. Despite the rain and potential hair issues, most everyone on the red carpet looked beautiful even with rain splotches. Purple and blush were the popular colors of the night.

My three faves...Emily Blunt (in Dolce & Gabbana), Jennifer Garner (in Atelier Versace), and Diane Kruger (in Christian Lacroix)

I feel the need to give out 3 honorable mentions. Courtney Cox looked the best she's looked in years with a gown designed by Victoria Beckham. (Yes, Posh Spice!) Lea Michele was lucky to wear Oscar de la Renta at her first Golden Globes. Jane Lynch rounds out my picks for looking so pretty. Her style is usually very boyish, but she really stepped it up!

Should I just change my blog's name to "Alabama SI covers"?

BF promotion

I have to brag on my hubby for the genius and generous promotion he's working on with Bama Fever. It's not "done" yet, but he gave me permission to blog about it.

Bama Fever will be offering Alabama fans the opportunity to help the earthquake victims in Haiti. When you go to their stores, you can donate your old 12 national championship clothes to the people of Haiti and be able to replace it with new 13 national championship gear from the store.

Go Bama!

Roll Tide Forever

It has been too long since I've posted. It's not because I didn't want to or because I didn't have anything to talk about. For goodness sake, the University of Alabama won their 13th National Championship!!!! It was truly amazing to watch history being made. You couldn't help but feel sorry for Colt McCoy (a very classy guy), but his arm is healing and he just got engaged. (On the Texas stadium 50-yard line!) I think he'll be fine when he's counting his NFL millions...

Even a week later, it still hasn't sunk in. I can't wait until the first game against San Jose State in the fall. All the videos and images have to change from 12 to 13 national championships and 21 to 22 SEC championships.

It was just Alabama's year. I am so glad this team won it. The players were such great guys off the field, so it makes their 14-0 run even sweeter. How can you not smile after hearing McElroy and Ingram talk about team work and dedication?

GO BAMA!! ROLL TIDE!!

Our Miss August 2010

The GBHS 2010 calendar came out, and Gracie is Miss August! She will only give out autographed copies by request. She IS our little diva...

Heeere's Gracie!

All work and no play makes Gracie a very dull girl...

Happy New Year!