Monday, July 21, 2008

Blog Candy!!!

Don't know what Blog Candy is? Blog Candy is free stuff from the owner of the blog. Korin has a great blog site that I check out daily and today she is giving away blog candy! If you want to know more, just log onto her site:http://inkydoodle.blogspot.com/2008/07/blog-candy.html

Today is Monday, which means that it is blood work day for Momma. I don't have any results though because her doctor is out of town and the doctor filling in for her is in a satellite office today. So maybe tomorrow we will know where she is out as far as her platlets are concerned.

Yesterday was a quiet day around our house. Momma wasn't feeling very good--I think she was missing my dad just like the rest of us :>) ---although she couldn't tell me exactly what hurt. She just felt BLAH. So she took two naps instead of one. I washed her hair, did two loads of laundry, stayed in my PJ's all day and read. I'm reading a book that I received for my birthday called "Rhett Butler's People" and I'm really enjoying it. If you loved Gone with the Wind you will enjoy this look into Rhett and the people in his life that helped make him the way he was.

Jeff and I went to see the "Dark Knight" this past Saturday. We went to the 10:30PM show and it was sold out. You have to see it just for Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker. Everything that people are raving about is true--his performance is awesome. The movie itself I enjoyed until about 3/4 of the way through and then it sort of lost its way for me. I can't say too much because I don't want to give anything away but it is definately a must see.

We have a heat advisory here today--another 100 degree and hotter day. Thank goodness I work indoors!!!!

I hope everyone has a great week---keep smiling :>)

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Taylor's Cupcake Challenge

Taylor over at Taylored Expressions (http://tayloredexpressions.blogspot.com/) issues a cupcake challenge every Friday. I have never participated but since I needed to make a thank you card for my dad, I thought "why not". Here is my card:

I used Sahara Sand from SU for the main paper, Cupcake Paper for PP, a SU sentiment, twill tape and these wonderful "stones " that I just got from Sweet and Sassy Stamps. I also dry embossed some circles but you can't really see them.

So if you want to play along here are all the details you need to know.

1.You're not required to use cupcakes for the challenge, but if you got 'em why not use 'em!? :)

2.You're welcome to create something other than a card, just stick as closely to the sketch as possible and you'll be eligible for the prize drawing!

3.If you're uploading to Splitcoast use keyword TECC25 (for Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge 24 4

4.Each week, I plan to have a Featured Cupcake Sampler! The cutest and most creative sample from the previous week will receive the featured cupcake sampler honors. The winner will receive the sketch ahead of time in order to create a card that will be featured along with a link to your blog on Cupcake Friday!

5.Featured Cupcake Sampler this week is Donna from Serenity in Stamping!

Friday, July 18, 2008

Here Come the Weekend

Instead of "here comes the sun...." I am singing "here come the weekend and I say.." I'm sad. My daddy goes home tomorrow---Mom is picking him up around 10:30 :<[




It has been such a blessing and a joy to have him here this week. He and I really are two peas in a pod and I will proudly say that I am a Daddy's girl. Every night when I got home from work, he had my house straightened up and a big glass of tea waiting for me. He made sure that Jeff's mom had whatever she needed and he helped Jeff out in the yard. I took him out for breakfast again this morning so that we could have some additional one on one time.




Jeff's mom (Momma) is still doing well. We started her on the Topamax for her headaches on Tuesday night. Wednesday she did great--no headache but today she had one. So I don't know. It's only been a couple of days so we will see how it works out for her.




I promised pictures from my trip to Madison and here they are.....



Who would have thought that you could lay on a beach in Madison? I sure didn't but my BFF Kathi found this great beach on Lake Wingra. We spent several hours just enjoying our treasures (aka books) that we had scored that morning from the Half-Price book store. This beach was adjacent to a zoo, so we of course had to check that out as well. I will never forget this huge oragantang!!!!

It was a great weekend--a wonderful Summer Celebration (that's code for Kathi's birthday but don't tell anyone :>) ) We drove up on Friday afternoon, spent Saturday morning at the Farmers Market and the Half Price Book Store and then went to the beach. We went to the zoo and then back to our hotel for some rest and reading and then had a wonderful dinner. Sunday we headed back to reality.

I'm thankful for a wonderful friend who appreciates the same things in life that I do, the ability and freedom to read whatever I choose and the opportunities that each day gives.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

A Good Day

Yesterday was a good day. Tracy and Jeff took Momma to Hillsboro for blood work, a doctor's appointment and a transfusion. I went into work late and took my dad out for breakfast.

It was so nice to have one on one time with my dad and breakfast is his favorite meal. We sat and talked about his friends, my friends, his work at the apartment complex and life in general. After breakfast, I dropped him off at my house and then I went to work. He spent the day with Ali (momma's dog) and Indy (my cat). When I got home from work, it was still just us. I grilled some brats, made some butter noodles and we had a nice quiet dinner.

Momma's platlets were at 2 yesterday but her white blood count is coming down and her hemoglobin is good. They gave her three bags of platelets this time instead of the normal two to see if she would be able to go a little longer between transfusions. The doctor prescribed her an anti-seizure medication for her headaches--the doctor said that it is the lowest dose of this drug but she wants Momma to take it and see if it will stop the headache. Her blood shot eye is nothing to be concerned about and she goes back at the end of August.

Jeff, Tracy and Momma got home around 9PM. I convinced Tracy to stay instead of driving back home and we all pretty much were in bed by 10:30PM.

I am thankful for my daddy and the bond that we share, I'm thankful for Tracy and her willingness to drive to our house and then to Hillsboro for momma's transfusions and appts. and I'm thankful for the quite moments that we are given every day. These moments sometimes are fleeting but they are precious because they allow us the time to reflect.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

A Day for a First

So today, I took Jeff's mom to Bobby's for ice cream as usual. What wasn't usual is that we saw a woman with a blue Macaw and the bird was eating ice cream!!! Of course I didn't have my camera but trust me when I say it was a sight that you don't normally see. The woman was sitting at a table with the bird on her arm. There was music playing and in between bites of ice cream, the bird was bobbing up and down to the beat. It was actually really cool.

My mom went back home today and my dad is going to spend the week with me. Mom said that she needs a break :>) She and dad are both laid off right now and she is not used to having him around 24/7. I'm looking forward to having some one on one time with my dad.

Jeff's mom had a headache again today. I gave her some Tylenol and after a couple of naps she seemed to be doing better. Her right eye is extremely blood shot and I'm not sure why---she said that it hurts and I imagine that it does.

We watched Extreme Home Makeover tonight and the family was that of a blind and disabled 19 year old boy. It was so inspiring to see this boy who sees himself as able, not disabled. Which brings me to what I am grateful for today.....

I am grateful that I have full use of my arms and legs, that I have the ability to see all that God has created and given and that I can function without the aide of others.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Some Cropping Time...



I ran away last night for a couple of hours and actually finished a couple of layouts. They both are from Christmas of last year. This past Christmas I was really struck by the traditions that families have and those that I have continued or started. This first layout highlights two of my favorite......






The first is my mom and dad's wedding anniversary. They were married on Christmas Eve and when I was young I always gave them a gift certificate for dinner. Once I graduated from college and they started spending the holidays with me up here, I always took them out. This year we went to Bella Millano.


The second tradition I started when we bought our house in 2004. This was the first time that my husband and I put up a tree. That first year, once the tree was completely decorated I turned out all the lights in the house and just enjoyed the lights from the tree. Every year since this has been my tradition. It is usually just me in the house and I found that it is a great time to reflect on the past year and what Christmas really means.


The next layout also has to do with traditions......


About the same time that we moved into our house, our friends the Cheathams started inviting us and my parents over during the holiday. We have dinner, play games and exchange gifts. The Cheathams have four legged children and we always make sure that Santa visits them just as he does us humans. This layout shows their "children" minus one cat.

So that is what I accomplished last night plus three layouts of my Christmas cards. It was a wonderful evening spent with my good friend Becky, an acquaintance and hopefully someday friend Brooke and Mary, the owner of Scrapbook Cafe.

My parents are here today. Mom and I drove to Hillsboro and had our hair done by Melanie. On the way home we stopped at Ice Cream Man for some Fat Elvis (gotta have it) and ended the evening with some Steak N Shake. My dad stayed with Big Momma while we were gone.

Big Momma had another headache today but her spirits are good and ,so far, her nose is not bleeding.

Today I am thankful for good friends who share a similar interest :< ), my parents and all they have done and do for me, and the unquestioning love of an animal.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Big Momma Update

Today is Thursday, which means that it is a blood work day for Momma. She woke up with a headache so I gave her two Tylenol and sent her back to bed before I left for work. I spoke with Jeff around 12:30 and he said that they were on their way back from the hospital which is my cue to call the doctor's office to let them know to expect the results.

Her platlets are at 40,000, her white blood count is at 17 and her hemoglobin is at 12. The white blood count is still high (normal is 4-10) but hopefully the antibotics will do their thing and it will continue to go back down. She has an appointment with the doctor on Tuesday followed by a transfusion.

Her last transfusion on July 3rd was followed by a stay at the hospital. Her white blood count was in the 20's and she was not feeling good at all. The doctor initially thought that her pre-leukemia condition had developed into leukemia but on Saturday told us that she was wrong and that it was simply pneumonia. She spent the holiday in the hospital and came home on Monday.

We had a nice visit with Luke and Jen last night---they came and had dinner with Momma which meant a lot to her.

I don't have any pictures to post as I didn't take my camera with me on my trips back and forth to the hospital. However, I will have some pictures to post from my girl getaway to Madison, WI.

Today I am thankful for family, the ability to read a good book and the fact that Momma is home.