Finally some fun in the snow!!

R.I.P. Goldy

Last June, as a parting gift for coming to a birthday party, Izabella got a goldfish. She named her Goldy. She grew very quickly, I'm sure it had nothing to do with the overfeeding *wink wink*. Anyway, Izabella loved her and we loved her and all the neighborhood kiddos loved her. She was funny because she was always begging for more food and when you stuck the tip of your finger into her bowl she would suck on it as if it were food.

Well...last Saturday I had gotten up, as usual, and went to make my coffee. As always I surveyed all the animals while doing this. I usually give Soxy some lovin first cause she's the first one I see when I come downstairs. The only dog I know that has a couch to herself! A nice couch, too! I look into Emily's tank to see what she's up too, to see if she's still got any fish left swimming around with her. I glance at Fred, our betta-who's in a *fish* fishbowl on our dining room table, and then I move to Goldy's bowl to usually find her still scouring the bottom of the bowl for any left over food she may have missed. Well this particular morning I found everyone doing the usual EXCEPT Goldy. At first, I just thought I couldn't see her from the angle I was looking so I walked over to look right down into the bowl and there was NO Goldy. I looked on the counter, behind her bowl, etc. Then I looked down on the floor and there she was :(. I went to get a papertowel to pick her up with and when I did she was very dry and her fins were all stuck together. Then her eye moved to look at me and she was still breathing so I didn't know how long she'd been there. So, I put her back in her water...I didn't really know what else to do and if there was any way of saving her before Izabella woke up then I could avoid telling her that her goldfish died. So, that seemed to be working, she started swimming around and her fins began to look like normal and she was eating. Whew! Later that day, I decided to tell Izabella what happened just in case Goldy started to go downhill. I wanted to prepare her just in case. So, she got a kick out of the story because once Fred had jumped out of his bowl while her and I were eating dinner and he almost jumped onto Izabella's dinner plate. We both thought it was pretty funny. All seemed fine with Goldy until......

Sunday morning. I checked on her first thing and saw that she wasn't swimming around so much anymore. In fact, she was breathing much slower and something was happening to her eyes. She was completely vertical, it almost looked like she was standing on the rocks with her fins as feet. We watched her for the rest of the day. Steve and I decided it was time to let her go *swim with the fishes* so while Izabella had all her friends over I had all of them say goodbye to Goldy and we had a little fishy funeral. All drains lead to the ocean right? Izabella had been a little sad about it on Saturday but about 10 minutes after the funeral was over she told me she was ready to get a new one. She was glad she'd had Goldy but she was ready to move on.

So...tomorrow we'll be fish shopping. I want to get 2 this time, just seems like such a lonely existance when your a fish swimming all alone. We'll post a pic of the new additions once we've gotten them all settled in.

R.I.P. Goldy, you were a good fish!

Merry Christmas from The Mingolla Kingdom

12 Days of Christmas...Mingolla style ;)

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

a partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

2 black eyes and

a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

3 rusty pennies,

2 black eyes and

a partridge in a pear tree.

On the forth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

4 chocolate raisins,

3 rusty pennies,

2 black eyes and

a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

5 cherry stuedels.......

4 chocolate raisins,

3 rusty pennies,

2 black eyes and

a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

6 snowballs throwing,

5 cherry strudels.......

4 chocolate raisins,

3 rusty pennies,

2 black eyes and

a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

7 belly sliders,

6 snowballs throwing,

5 cherry struedels.....

4 chocolate raisins,

3 rusty pennies,

2 black eyes and

a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

8 shiney hineys,

7 belly sliders,

6 snowballs throwing,

5 cherry struedels.....

4 chocolate raisins,

3 rusty pennies,

2 black eyes and

a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

9 Christmas cards,

8 shiney hineys,

7 belly sliders,

6 snowballs throwing,

5 cherry struedels.....

4 chocolate raisins,

3 rusty pennies,

2 black eyes and

a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

10 whoopie cushions,

9 Christmas cards,

8 shiney hineys,

7 belly sliders,

6 snowballs throwing,

5 cherry struedels.....

4 chocolate raisins,

3 rusty pennies,

2 black eyes and

a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

11 children skating,

10 woopie cushions,

9 Christmas cards,

8 shiney hineys,

7 belly sliders,

6 snowballs throwing,

5 cherry struedels.....

4 chocolate raisins,

3 rusty pennies,

2 black eyes and

a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelvth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

12 gooey kisses,

11 children skating,

10 woopie cushions,

8 shiney hineys,

7 belly sliders,

6 snowballs throwing,

5 cherry struedels.....

4 chocolate raisins,

3 rusty pennies,

2 black eyes and

a p-a-r-t-r-i-d-g-e in a pearrrrr treeeeeeeeeeeee-eeeeeeeee!!!!

Thank ya, thank ya very much!!!

** written by Steve, Susan and Izabella Mingolla**

Merry Christmas!!

'tis the season...

This was this last week of school before Christmas break. Izabella's class had their party on Thursday and I wasn't able to go, but Steve was home and it's the first time he's gotten to go to her class this year. Izabella got Mrs. Hankinson a little nutcracker from the holiday shop at school, then we also found her a cute little fleece Christmas blanket. Izabella also wanted to get her new puppy some chew toys so we did. It looks like they had loads of fun.

A few weeks ago, all the kids were over playing. It was a nice day, for once, so they had been outside for a bit. I went to check on them and see what kind of trouble they were into and found them with Mr. Lovell. He's a wonderful man who lives across the street from Ms. Sandra. His wife passed away a few years ago and he keeps to himself for the most part, but he's such and interesting man. He loves to work in his garden and he's given us many of the flowers in our flower beds over the years. He took up making clay pots, etc a few years ago and he's gotten really good at it. At the last festival at the park, he got a a vendor tent and sold his work. I hear he donated all the proceeds to charity and doesn't keep a penny. That sounds just like him. :) Back to the girls...when I found them with Mr. Lovell, he's given all 4 of them a hunk on clay and they were each making something a little different. Alex made a cute little plate for her teacher's present. Reagan made herself a little plate with a curly little R right in the middle. Izabella and Christina both made cookie plates for Santa and his Reindeer. They are both very different and oh so cute. Mr. Lovell told them to come back a few weeks later and he's have them ready. Well, here's the final result, I think they turned out awesome and will definitely be in the family for a long time to come. So precious!

Decking the halls & Christmas parade FUN!

We spent the Saturday after Thanksgiving decking the halls in the Mingolla Kingdom. I had 2 lovely helpers as you'll see. One of my favorite times of year!

The city also had their 5th Annual Christmas Parade and Izabella and I went. We met up with the Brown's. It was the first one I've been to and it was really a lot of fun. Thank goodness the weather held out and didn't rain on us. It was cold enough without that!

We are thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving!

What Izabella is thankful for in the following order ;) :
food
home
trees
water
technology
friends
school
animals
moon
clothes
money
vehicles
family *whew...I was begining to feel left out ;)*
not blind
health
smart
U.S.A.
languages
strength
toys
carpet ??
ceiling ?? *I think she was trying to say her home or shelter?!*
color

I am thankful for my entire family, I wouldn't have made it through this last year without each of you. I am thankful for Izabella, she's my heart walking outside my body and I don't remember life without her. I am thankful for Taylor because of the woman she is becoming but GAWD help me is turning 18 soon.

I am thankful for Steve, my greatest love and biggest pain in my ass that I can't imagine living without. I am thankful for our health. I am thankful for our friends *freaks* and how much we've been able to help each other out over this last year, couldn't have done it without you! You're family now, like it or not! I am thankful to have a job when so many others do not. I am thankful for life! I am thankful for each day and I am thankful for driveway drinking :)...just saying!

Happy Thanksgiving! Here's to another turkey day, GOBBLE, GOBBLE!