My life has changed so much since the last time I posted here that I thought it was time for a change.
I hope that you will come join me at my new and improved blog, Pocket Posies!
Thank you!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Monday, November 15, 2010
Allie's Minnie Mouse First Birthday Party!
 | So, as I mentioned earlier, we had a Minnie Mouse theme for Allison's first birthday party. She loves The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and just goes crazy over Mickey and Minnie. So, when I saw The Minnie's First Birthday theme on the Birthday in a Box website, I knew we had to do it! Isn't it cute? :) |
We bought the plates, cups and napkins from Birthday in a Box. The next most important thing, for me anyway, was finding the perfect birthday shirt for the guest of honor. I searched all over and eventually found exactly what I was looking for on Etsy (of course!) And I'm sad because I'm looking through my pictures and can't find one that show the shirt very well. But she will be wearing it in some of her one year shots when we get them taken in a few weeks. :)
The shirt was made by Azaria Designs Here's a picture of the design on a bib:
Cute, right? :)
The next important part was finding the perfect cake! I knew I wanted a two tier cake with pink and white polka dots. I was hoping to get the Minnie Mouse head like the one on her shirt on the cake too. Unfortunately, the bakery told me they couldn't do that because of of copyright issues. I was disappointed but I get it and it turned out wonderful anyway! I found a Minnie Mouse plush and a little figurine to put near the cake and tie it all together. Plus, the bakery threw in a free smash cake! :)
Allison had a blast opening presents and absolutely LOVED being the center of attention! And she was still grinning from ear to ear when everyone started singing Happy Birthday.
Paul's family has a tradition of putting the baby on the floor in nothing but their diaper with their smash cake on their first birthday. I think Miss Allie disappointed everyone by being relatively neat though!
Anyway, Allison enjoyed her first taste of cake and then scared the you know what out of me when she tried to grab me with her fists full of cake!
Luckily, we had the party at our church and we were able to stick Allison straight in the giant kitchen sink after her cake :)
Overall, I think the party went very well. I'm certainly not a party planning expert but it all pulled together. In the end, I just felt so blessed to have so many family members and friends who love us and our baby girl.
Friday, November 12, 2010
I'm ALIVE!
My surgery was successful, Gail the gallbladder is gone! I can't believe it's already been 3 weeks since I had surgery. I spent the first week home from work doing nothing. They gave me codeine for the pain which made me very hyper and made it hard for me to sleep. You would think I'd have spent a lot of time blogging during that week but instead I got addicted to Squidoo and spent most of my time writing pages for them!
The hardest part of the whole experience (aside from the pain and lack of sleep) was that I wasn't allowed to lift anything heavier than 10 pounds for 2 weeks. So, my poor 22 pound 1 year old got very frustrated with me. My mom and dad were a huge help and dame to the house to help me on the nights that Paul was in class. But, Allie wasn't a huge fan of having grandma put her to bed, even though I was right there with them. It was heartbreaking to have her walk up to me and say "bup" (up) and not be able to pick her up. Thankfully, we are now done with that restriction and Allie seems much happier now that her Mama can scoop her up from the floor again.
In other news, Allison turned 1 year old on November 5th! It's amazing how fast time flies, isn't it?
We had a Minnie Mouse First Birthday for her on November 7 which I will talk about in full detail in my next post. :)
Paul also got a full time job in IT while I was out from my surgery. He's already talking about letting me work part time at my current job and part time with Barefoot Books after we get married. Then, eventually I will be able to quit the job and just focus on my baby and my books! I can't tell you how happy it made me when he said that!
The hardest part of the whole experience (aside from the pain and lack of sleep) was that I wasn't allowed to lift anything heavier than 10 pounds for 2 weeks. So, my poor 22 pound 1 year old got very frustrated with me. My mom and dad were a huge help and dame to the house to help me on the nights that Paul was in class. But, Allie wasn't a huge fan of having grandma put her to bed, even though I was right there with them. It was heartbreaking to have her walk up to me and say "bup" (up) and not be able to pick her up. Thankfully, we are now done with that restriction and Allie seems much happier now that her Mama can scoop her up from the floor again.
In other news, Allison turned 1 year old on November 5th! It's amazing how fast time flies, isn't it?
We had a Minnie Mouse First Birthday for her on November 7 which I will talk about in full detail in my next post. :)
Paul also got a full time job in IT while I was out from my surgery. He's already talking about letting me work part time at my current job and part time with Barefoot Books after we get married. Then, eventually I will be able to quit the job and just focus on my baby and my books! I can't tell you how happy it made me when he said that!
Oh yeah, and Halloween happened too of course. Here's my little chicken :)
Things are looking up my friends!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Wordless Wednesday - WALKING!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Saying Thanks... A Month Early :)
I am so restless lately but tired and lazy at the same time, it's not fun. I want (need) to do so many things before my surgery on Friday but when it comes down to it I don't actually want to do anything. Ever feel that way?
Part of me just wants to curl in a ball in cry. Another part of me want to clean the house, work on my quilt, send emails to team members and friends, etc etc etc...
So, instead of doing any of those things I end up wasting time online doing nothing and feeling bored and depressed. It's ridiculous. I hope you don't think I'm just whining... okay, I am just whining but I do have a point to make with this.
I participated in a fundraiser tonight. It was for a local 3 year old who has recently been diagnosed with cancer. She and her mom are currently in Texas seeking the best treatment available for her type of cancer. I was at this fundraiser back in Iowa selling books and donated 20% of the sales to help the family with medical bills.
The fundraiser was a huge eye-opener for me. I have so much to be grateful for but I hardly ever see those good things. I look at a tiny thing like gall bladder surgery and freak out. I feel bad for myself because I'm tired or stressed or because I can't figure out the perfect cake for my daughter's birthday. I don't often take the time to thank God for the blessings in my life.
Thank God my daughter is healthy, we have a roof over our heads, we are both employed. Thank God my parents are healthy and there to do so much for me even when I just need a comforting word. Thank God my fiance is not overseas fighting an impossible war. Thank God my friends who are overseas have been kept safe. Thank God for my friends who are always there for me and yes, I'll even thank Him when sometimes they aren't there for me. Thank God I am able to be there for people I love, able to kiss my daughter goodnight, able to attend that fundraiser tonight and give some of my blessings back to others. Thank God.
I'm sorry for this strange little post. I just felt like I needed to say something true, something I am feeling right now. I'm nervous about my upcoming surgery but I know that everything is going to be just fine. And I am grateful for every blessing in my life, big and small.
Part of me just wants to curl in a ball in cry. Another part of me want to clean the house, work on my quilt, send emails to team members and friends, etc etc etc...
So, instead of doing any of those things I end up wasting time online doing nothing and feeling bored and depressed. It's ridiculous. I hope you don't think I'm just whining... okay, I am just whining but I do have a point to make with this.
I participated in a fundraiser tonight. It was for a local 3 year old who has recently been diagnosed with cancer. She and her mom are currently in Texas seeking the best treatment available for her type of cancer. I was at this fundraiser back in Iowa selling books and donated 20% of the sales to help the family with medical bills.
The fundraiser was a huge eye-opener for me. I have so much to be grateful for but I hardly ever see those good things. I look at a tiny thing like gall bladder surgery and freak out. I feel bad for myself because I'm tired or stressed or because I can't figure out the perfect cake for my daughter's birthday. I don't often take the time to thank God for the blessings in my life.
Thank God my daughter is healthy, we have a roof over our heads, we are both employed. Thank God my parents are healthy and there to do so much for me even when I just need a comforting word. Thank God my fiance is not overseas fighting an impossible war. Thank God my friends who are overseas have been kept safe. Thank God for my friends who are always there for me and yes, I'll even thank Him when sometimes they aren't there for me. Thank God I am able to be there for people I love, able to kiss my daughter goodnight, able to attend that fundraiser tonight and give some of my blessings back to others. Thank God.
I'm sorry for this strange little post. I just felt like I needed to say something true, something I am feeling right now. I'm nervous about my upcoming surgery but I know that everything is going to be just fine. And I am grateful for every blessing in my life, big and small.
Monday, October 18, 2010
My Friend Gail, a Tale of Betrayal
Gail has been a friend of mine for as long as I can remember. She's always been there for me, helping me out when I needed it the most. But, lately something's changed. Gail decided to give up on me, to stop helping me. In fact, Gail has taken to hurting me lately.
I try to be understanding. Maybe, Gail is not intentionally hurting me. Maybe she is sick, maybe she is depressed. But, she won't let me help her and I think it's time to say goodbye. It's time to cut her from my life and move on, forget about Gail and our friendship, forget about Gail and her betrayal.
I should probably mention one thing before you think me callus and unfeeling, Gail is in fact my gallbladder. It's true that she has been a part of my life for as long as I have had a life. Up until now she's always done her job properly but to be honest I never showed her any gratitude.
Gallbladders don't usually get any recognition until they go bad. Gail has been working hard for 28 years, storing bile and helping me digest my food. But, it wasn't until she stopped doing her job that I paid her any attention. In fact, I didn't even know why she was there.
About 5 months ago I started feeling a "kicking" sensation under my ribs. It honestly felt like a tiny baby kicking me, so much so that I took several pregnancy tests in order to avoid being on the next episode of "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant"
3 months ago the kicking progressed to "tummy issues" forcing me to spend way too much time in the bathroom. My stomach also started bloating after every meal. I took more pregnancy tests all the while knowing that I couldn't be 8 months pregnant like my distended belly suggested.
Finally, I went to the doctor. He ran blood tests to rule out various bacteria, viruses and parasites. When all of that came back negative he sent me for an ultrasound of my gallbladder. The ultrasound was also negative, showing no signs of gall stones or sludge.
Then I was referred to a gastroenterologist (a gut doctor). The gassy doctor tested me for Celiac disease, lactose intolerance, fructose intolerance and excess bacteria in my intestines. It all came back negative.
Then the pain came. It felt like I imagine a heart attack would feel except it was on the right side of my chest. It wasn't as bad as some gall bladder pain is described. It wasn't worse than labor. But, it was painful. It sent me home early from work. It made me want to curl up and sleep until the pain was gone. Except, I couldn't sleep.
I called my doctor and told him the update. He ordered a HIDA scan which is a special x-ray that measures how quickly your gall bladder empties. Gail, my gall bladder failed the test. My doctor called and told me that my gall bladder is completely dysfunctional.
The thing is, I always knew it was my gall bladder. Ever since the tummy issues began, even after the negative ultrasound. But, I had to wait all of those months, through all of those tests until the doctors could find the answer. It's incredibily frustrating but I'm glad we have an answer.
I'm scheduled for surgery on Friday. I can't tell you how nervous I am. I know it's a common surgery but that doesn't mean I'm looking forward to it.
It will be nice to eat again without worrying about getting sick later. But, to be honest, part of me is really going to miss Gail. I suspect my liver, Lily will miss her the most, I know they are very close.
I try to be understanding. Maybe, Gail is not intentionally hurting me. Maybe she is sick, maybe she is depressed. But, she won't let me help her and I think it's time to say goodbye. It's time to cut her from my life and move on, forget about Gail and our friendship, forget about Gail and her betrayal.
I should probably mention one thing before you think me callus and unfeeling, Gail is in fact my gallbladder. It's true that she has been a part of my life for as long as I have had a life. Up until now she's always done her job properly but to be honest I never showed her any gratitude.
Gallbladders don't usually get any recognition until they go bad. Gail has been working hard for 28 years, storing bile and helping me digest my food. But, it wasn't until she stopped doing her job that I paid her any attention. In fact, I didn't even know why she was there.
About 5 months ago I started feeling a "kicking" sensation under my ribs. It honestly felt like a tiny baby kicking me, so much so that I took several pregnancy tests in order to avoid being on the next episode of "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant"
3 months ago the kicking progressed to "tummy issues" forcing me to spend way too much time in the bathroom. My stomach also started bloating after every meal. I took more pregnancy tests all the while knowing that I couldn't be 8 months pregnant like my distended belly suggested.
Finally, I went to the doctor. He ran blood tests to rule out various bacteria, viruses and parasites. When all of that came back negative he sent me for an ultrasound of my gallbladder. The ultrasound was also negative, showing no signs of gall stones or sludge.
Then I was referred to a gastroenterologist (a gut doctor). The gassy doctor tested me for Celiac disease, lactose intolerance, fructose intolerance and excess bacteria in my intestines. It all came back negative.
Then the pain came. It felt like I imagine a heart attack would feel except it was on the right side of my chest. It wasn't as bad as some gall bladder pain is described. It wasn't worse than labor. But, it was painful. It sent me home early from work. It made me want to curl up and sleep until the pain was gone. Except, I couldn't sleep.
I called my doctor and told him the update. He ordered a HIDA scan which is a special x-ray that measures how quickly your gall bladder empties. Gail, my gall bladder failed the test. My doctor called and told me that my gall bladder is completely dysfunctional.
The thing is, I always knew it was my gall bladder. Ever since the tummy issues began, even after the negative ultrasound. But, I had to wait all of those months, through all of those tests until the doctors could find the answer. It's incredibily frustrating but I'm glad we have an answer.
I'm scheduled for surgery on Friday. I can't tell you how nervous I am. I know it's a common surgery but that doesn't mean I'm looking forward to it.
It will be nice to eat again without worrying about getting sick later. But, to be honest, part of me is really going to miss Gail. I suspect my liver, Lily will miss her the most, I know they are very close.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Weekend Sale Starts Today!
Save big this weekend with Barefoot Books! Enter code AUTUMN at checkout and receive 20% off your entire order, plus you will get free shipping with orders over $60! Whoo hoo!
30 Days of Truth - Day 2
As you can see I haven't done a very good job of posting every day despite this challenge but I will carry on :)
Day Two - Something You Love About Yourself
This one is hard for me. Really, it is. I do get a lot of compliments about my smile but I wouldn't say I love that about myself, when I smile my eyes get even squintier (see previous post).
So, I'm going to say I love my warm heart. I know it sounds like a cop-out but it's really not, I promise! My mom always said that I wanted to save the world. When I was a kid I used to feel bad for toys that I couldn't take home with me because I just knew that they were crying on the shelves after the light went off. I used to hold fundraisers for St Jude's and various other foundations that were set up to help people. I would set up a lemonade stand and donate everything I earned to whatever organization was near and dear to me at the time.
I always want to do whatever I can to help my family and friends whether it's by lending an ear or taking action and raising money for a friend of a friend's sick child. I want the people around me to be happy. I want all people to be happy. I want to adopt every neglected or starving child. I really do want to save the world. I really do love that about myself. Maybe I can't save everyone but maybe I can save at least one.
I'm not sure if this is the kind of post that's expected for this challenge but it's all I've got. I'm working on finding more that I love about myself, I really am. :)
Day Two - Something You Love About Yourself
This one is hard for me. Really, it is. I do get a lot of compliments about my smile but I wouldn't say I love that about myself, when I smile my eyes get even squintier (see previous post).
So, I'm going to say I love my warm heart. I know it sounds like a cop-out but it's really not, I promise! My mom always said that I wanted to save the world. When I was a kid I used to feel bad for toys that I couldn't take home with me because I just knew that they were crying on the shelves after the light went off. I used to hold fundraisers for St Jude's and various other foundations that were set up to help people. I would set up a lemonade stand and donate everything I earned to whatever organization was near and dear to me at the time.
I always want to do whatever I can to help my family and friends whether it's by lending an ear or taking action and raising money for a friend of a friend's sick child. I want the people around me to be happy. I want all people to be happy. I want to adopt every neglected or starving child. I really do want to save the world. I really do love that about myself. Maybe I can't save everyone but maybe I can save at least one.
I'm not sure if this is the kind of post that's expected for this challenge but it's all I've got. I'm working on finding more that I love about myself, I really am. :)
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