Winter Moon

We have almost two feet of snow and it snowed lightly again today. 

As for the moon - its was achingly beautiful.

So much better than the photo - I am still learning my different camera settings and this was the best photo I was able to get before the cold had me shaking to hard to continue.

Hint: if you want to take a photo at night, in the middle of winter, put shoes and a coat on FIRST!

Right now it looks like we would be starting off the new year in surgery.

The hubby has several kidney stones on each side - one is as large as 11.6 mm!

The doctor needs to check the stats and figure out if they can blast them apart or if they will need to go in and remove them.

Also we will have to have his para thyroid checked again.

Last time he had 14 kidney stones we ended up having one of his para thyroids removed (it was HUGE)

They are what can causes calcium kidney stones.

So we may be back in for surgery on his thyroid - we did the last one 8 years ago - the day before my mother died, not hard to remember that date.

We are still in the early stages, the doctor has yet to finish testing or choosing what options to pursue in treating this - please keep us in your prayers as this is causing my husband a great deal of pain.

Edit: The largest measured kidney stone of my husbands (so far) is 11.8 mm - more scans are being taken and it may not be the largest.
Also he had issues with my word - achingly - to which I suggested he start his own manly blog with manly words. ;)

Christmas Day Two

Yesterday we had Christmas with my father and step mom. 

In the upper corner is a photo of us - my hubby, me, Prissy and G'man.

Diane (step mom) was so busy it wasn't until I got home that I realized that I didn't have any good photos of her - from this visit at least.

Oh well, maybe Saturday when we see each other again.

The day, the food and our time was great!

We had to leave early due to another engagement.

Our old next door neighbors, when we lived in the mobile home a few years ago, needed some help fixing their laptop.

As her family is all out of country she communicates mostly via video chat.

Naturally Christmas is a big time for the family to get together - even if only online.

They surprised us with their newest addition to their family - chi-co, a 6 week old Shih Tzu boy puppy.

They loved our dog Patch so much that they went and bought one of their own!

I must admit they are great family dogs - and wonderful for those that are allergic to dogs.

My daughter can not handle any other dogs (so far) but she is fine with Patch as long as she washes and keeps the dog away from her face.

I have passed on the extra tips as her oldest daughter and my girls number one best friend is also allergic to dogs.

They have been best friends since before they could talk to each other!

Dastardly Duo Holidays

I love my dastardly duo, very much.
There are times, however, that I do wonder where they picked some things up...

Prissy the other days tells me: Mama, G'man hasn't been good - he's mean to me all the time. You need to take his presents back and get him coal.
Me: I'm not Santa love, you both get presents because I want to give you something not because either one of you have been good or bad - and lets face it love, neither of you would get presents if I was like Santa.
Prissy: But mama! (shock, gasp, big eyes) I love you mama! I took the trash out and emptied the dish washer... doesn't that make me good?

At this point I shake my head and walk away. She is such a scammer! She wants her brother to get nothing and her to get everything!

This year has been the best year for us so far. The kids were spoiled beyond belief!
They got clothes, toys, electronics and goodies.
For many this looks like a normal Christmas - for my children however, they fell into their wildest dreams.
You see, we are not well off. A few years ago my kids both got dollar store items, a few outfits and laundry hampers - they LOVED the hampers - played with them for hours on end.

We have been so blessed in recent years - a home, a car, amazing friends and a great job.
I can only pray that so many others are as blessed as we have been.

Christmas day one (yesterday) is done. Today round two continues at the grandparents.

No matter what day you celebrate don't forget to be thankful for life, your friends and your blessings!

Here is a cup of cocoa ~ Merry Christmas!

Enough Love...

I found a story on face book the other day that jumped out at me - especially this time of year.
It was called, I wish you enough.
You see 8 years ago today I lost my mother.

In fact I lost her shortly after this photo - within a few months - it was a sudden and wrenching loss.
The hole she left has never been filled, never gone away and has not diminished much over the years. As my kids grow, I wish for her guidance, her patience, her hugs and her laugh.

~~~

I WISH YOU ENOUGH.
Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport as the daughter's departure had been announced.
Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said:
 "I love you and I wish you enough."
 The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom."
They kissed and the daughter left.
The mother walked over to the window where I sat.
Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry.
 I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking,
"Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?"
"Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking but why is this a forever good-bye?"
"I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is the next trip back will be for my funeral," she said.
"When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, "I wish you enough." May I ask what that means?"
She began to smile.
"That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone." She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more.
"When we said 'I wish you enough' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them".
Then turning toward me, she shared the following, reciting it from memory,
 "I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
 I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
 I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
 I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
 I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
 I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
 I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye." 
She then began to cry and walked away. They say it takes a minute to find a special person. An hour to appreciate them. A day to love them. And an entire life to forget them.

~~~

I loved my mother. She was a very rare soul that knew how to LOVE.
I miss her all the time, but not for the reasons you might think.
I wish she could see my children.
My husband (who she adored)
Our home.
I know she would want to share our joys.
This week our family has been sick with a very nasty stomach bug, my husband to help me pass the time helped me set up a small area so I could paint my Christmas Village houses.
Painting them reminds me of my mother.
Of her village, her painting, her smile and my sister and I's reverence every year when we unpacked the village and placed it under the Christmas tree.
It was as if Christmas wasn't here and official until the village was set up.

So in-spite of how short our time was with our mother we did have enough love, enough memories and enough time... I just will always want more.
This holiday season the best gift you can give someone is your time. In the hustle and bustle of the season its easy to forget that love, friendship and being together is more important than anything that comes with bows.
So that when the time comes to say goodbye, you will have had enough instead of a lot of empty yesterdays filled with good intentions.

She's been gone 8 years, but the love she gave me still remains. 

The Night Circus

The Night Circus - the words themselves suggest mystery.

The story in the book evolves and changes. You start out a by-standard following a suggested path. The path twists, then twists again, a time or two the path branches off only to come back again, in the end however, its like watching a top spin amazingly fast then to have it come to a stop as a ballerina.

The whole book is a senses delight. Colors, sights, smells, people and emotions.
Its vivid, literal, magical and metaphorical, all wrapped into a sensual emotive package.
 
While the book changes, taking you with it, it ends perfectly.

If you are someone with limited imagination and rarely see what you read, this book will change you forever.
If you are like me and seeing is why you read, your mind will expand the details. Will remember them from earlier and continue to add to the whole experience.
Its amazing.

Reading it again will be even more magical. This time I will see all the hidden clues, charms and delight in them in a new way. Understanding how they come together in the end.

I will be saving my money for tickets, one will not be enough.

I will be in the very late night crowd.

And I will be dressed in Gray, Black or White with one small touch of Red.

I am also sure that I will not be alone.

Come and read with me, come and watch with me.

Never to be the same again.

Come join the Circus of Dreams

Click to find the book

I would also like to thank my sister for demanding - loudly and repeatedly that I read this book.

A Sprinkling of Magic

Every child's life needs some Magic...
                                                     ....*
                                                      *...
                                                         ..
                                                           *

For my children it's the tooth fairy

Now some have been confused.

We don't have Santa in our house and the Easter bunny isn't welcome either.

The part that people get confused on is WHY they aren't welcome.

They cover or gloss over important holy days.

I want my children to know and appreciate the real reason for Christmas and Easter.

It's not that I don't want my children to have dreams or a little bit of Magic, Childhood should have a small touch of Magic.

The Tooth fairy however, is allowed.

My children place their teeth into a bag (my girl has a tinkerbell tooth fairy pillow)

Last night my son finally lost his tooth - or rather papa finally was able to yank it from his head!

Due to the holiday we allowed him to place his tooth under his Christmas tree - easier for the toothfairy to find it.

Now both my children have been caught bragging to others that their tooth fairy doesn't bring them useless money.

They get toys, stickers, candy...

Pretty much whatever mama finds in dollar bins that looks cool and I hide it away for later.

A few weeks ago our friends Shayne & Sara invited our family to join them for a special showing of Arthur Christmas at Jordan Commons today at 9 am.

G'man, the cutie above, who looks fine now, woke up at 6 am SICK.

First it was vomit, then it switched to Diarrhea.

Really bad, every five minutes, can't make it to the potty Diarrhea.

In one hour he went through 6 changes of clothes.

I had to wash the floor twice!

I am tired and exhausted.

However, Papa and Prissy went to the movie.

G'man and I watched it on pause at home - pausing every time he ran for the potty!

Prissy came home with two huge goody bags!

Jordan Commons had Santa and Elves at the Theater and gave away very nice goody bags for everyone that came and even one little sick boy that didn't!

As for the movie, Arthur Christmas

I only recently got this move and watched it.

Its a new family holiday favorite!

One young man in the Santa family, but not a hopeful for the title, still cares.

He goes to extraordinary lengths, battles his own fears and in the end prevails on getting the last present delivered.

Its worth watching.

I encourage you to add it to your holiday watch list this year!

As for G'man - now that he cleaned out his whole intestinal track - he is fine.

Bullies, School and Parents

This year has been a hard year for a few of us parents. I have written more than one blog post on bullying this year.
Today my being at the school and staying until after first recess for the last three months finally paid off - I found the bully.
I also found out why one of the boys LIED (that would be mine) and the other wouldn't TALK (that would be J).
The Bully is a GIRL.

Today as I walked outside with G'man I found J at the end of the ramp pushed up against the cement steps by a girl in his class.
Now this girl is a pro, even in the first grade. She was close enough and leaning over him (6 inches taller than he is) but still far enough away that any teacher or duty would think they were just talking.
She was talking or rather threatening to choke him if he didn't give her his "duckies" (plastic ducks on the end of a necklace).
I told her to stop it and sent them both off - in separate directions.
5 minutes later I saw that she had once again pinned him, this time was holding onto his jacket so he couldn't escape.
Not only did I pull her aside to talked  with her teacher, I also called his mother and let her know what I found out. She has been very worried about the bullying and even more worried that they haven't found who was doing it.

She came a little while later to talk with the principle. This is where our semi good day of finding the bully went down hill.
The principle didn't help.
Didn't listen.
And talked down to the parent.
J's mom is going to the district - maybe they will listen.

Hint -
Do not tell a mother its not that big a deal.
Do not tell a boy that has been bullied to tears for months that he isn't afraid of her.
Do not spend the whole time trying to make light of the situation.

Just because she is a girl doesn't mean she's sweet, or that she won't hurt him - or that she hasn't hurt him in the past.
I say that the next time she puts a finger on either one of our boys - they come home with a scratch, a bruise or a cut and we will call the police and file assault charges.
We will defend our boys.
This is not something that is okay.
Threatening to choke someone is not okay.
Bullying done by anyone is not okay.
For a school that has a zero bullying policy, they sure didn't listen today. Something I really hope the district pays attention to. As much as I like the Principle (and I do) this is not right.
My witnessing her threatening to choke him should have been grounds for a red slip, not a slight scolding.

Hence the saga continues.
The sad thing is I am sure if we had pulled in a boy the matter would have been dealt with, quickly.

Good Friends

Right now I am out of picture space.
I have many choices to think of when it comes to my blog.

Today we (with the help of a great friend Shayne) we finally fixed our porch light and our out door plug!
This means Christmas Lights this year!

I am sorry this post is so short.
I will figure something out with my blog tomorrow

Bundle Me

Today we partied

all 5 of us.

Doesn't matter that you didn't come - we had fun anyways.

Plus I hit a HUGE sale!

Miche offered their first ever huge bundle black Friday (the whole weekend) sale!

I was able to get the above cover (for my soon to be Classic bag)

I was talked out of the smaller petite after they made me attempt to fit all my junk into it.

They won.

I know, it does happen every now and then...

The above is the yellow hope bag - one that has been discontinued for around a year or so.

I was able to pick it up for 7.00!

This Prima Bundle is the base bag and 4 covers is on sale this weekend only

for 75% off!

Really not kidding!

It is going for 49.95!

I can't even buy the base bag and one of these covers (half off) for that much!

I am so excited I can't wait for my items to arrive in the mail!

Soon I will be awash in new fun toys!

The food was good, the friends amazing not to mention it was great to see and spend time with my sister!

I hope that everyone else had a great Thanksgiving!

If you are interested in Miche, to sell or to buy

Please visit my sister at 

www.tangotildawn.miche.com

Tomorrow, God and good friends willing - we may even have a front porch light again!

Now that life is calming down again I will once again be blogging more!

See you soon!

Party Prizes

So I ended up with a HAND theme - it was by accident I assure you.

So I have Autumn Harvest Hand Cream, Lime Sugar Hand Scrub, and Sugar Cookie Hand Soap.
To view recipes (all of these are home-made) click the link. I have not added a recipe yet for the Hand soap as I used a concentrated base to make it and not an at home recipe.

I ended up with 19 hand creams, 10 hand soaps and 7 hand scrubs. I will be giving away a super pack of all 3 to the person who spends the most. The rest will be awarded at random to those that attend.

Click here to view the Miche Items. Again for any of my friends that want to buy online the party closes Friday November 23rd.

For those that are coming - its going to be so much fun! I have all the supplies, decorations, food now I just need everyone to show up!

Winter Strikes the Unprepared

Yes, those are my lawn mower, bbq grill and new swing. They are now cleaned off and packed away.
Being sick for a few weeks and poof voila tons of snow and all of a sudden it hits me - its NOVEMBER already!
Also going through my closet and guess what? Yup I don't have winter boots either!
This is shaping up to be one of those years where I am wondering where I left my head!

So I am cleaning, prepping and labeling for the upcoming Miche party, I've gone over my list of needs and the only thing left to buy is the food!
Hopefully my party won't have any "where'd I leave my head," moments.


Now I am going to share a sad, unhappy, ultimately crazy, wacky and then surprisingly wonderfully true story with you - in story form (cause its fun that way.)

Two months ago my best friend Margie called me out of the blue - she was buying a new car. An older couple in her ward were going off on an elderly mission and were selling their 3 cars. She ran right over and test drove one - love at first ride.
That however, was not why she was calling me - she wanted to give me her old car!
Yes folks she really is that generous!
A few weeks later, she got her car - after paying 10 grand to the couple and gave me her old one.

A week later I was called again. "I think I'm taking the car in... its making a sound."  
Alright first off I did laugh - I mean she gave me the car that she had been constantly taking in, so she could have a car that didn't need to be taken in.
So first Sat. she went to take the car in - they didn't have room so she made an appointment for the next Sat.
That week she was sick - both her kids had been sick all week long.
So it was more than a whole month that passed before she was able to take her car yesterday.

Without telling the mechanic what was wrong with the car she handed over the keys and allowed a basic inspection.
He came out a long time later with an unhappy face.
6,000 dollars the car needed to fix it up.
Yeah that fender bender the couple told her the car had been in... yeah it cracked the engine block and did lots of other damage - also it wasn't a minor fender bender - so yeah they LIED.
He could tell that this news was devastating to my best friend.
He prompted her to trade it in.
After a few phone calls, a walk around the lot and some very intense bargaining she got the FULL value of the car in the trade in and walked out the door with a brand new 2013 Nissan Sentra!

I am so happy that it worked out well in the end! 

SNOW, PTA and Catching Up

Today it snowed. And snowed. Then for a change of pace, it snowed some more!
In truth we would have gotten at least 5-6 inches of snow except that it was SO wet and SO slushy that it kept compacting down.
It is very very heavy wet snow.
Today it was supposed to rain and tomorrow was to be the snow... is it bad that I am worried about tomorrow?
No? Oh good!

Today I went to my monthly PTA meeting... it was just the PTA president and myself.
Good news we were able to catch up on some much needed projects and plan a few future things - not to mention that we brain stormed some future money raising ideas using the new (soon to be) school PTA website.

I also blogged today about my upcoming Miche party! Really its worth scrolling down to look at!

Now as to why I haven't posted in over a week... we have been sick. The kids, me and hubby!
I am finally getting better even though I am still slightly run down.
I have tons I need to catch up on - cleaning, party projects and of course blogging!
Being with my son 2 hours a day at school has really taken from my extra, "me time" projects.

I will try to post the bubble bath & the sugar scrub that I am also giving away as prizes at the upcoming Miche party. 

Miche, Miche, Miche!

For those that don't know or don't follow my blog - first off Welcome and second I am having a South of the Border, Miche Purse Party! (Nov 24th!) Online sales under my party will close Nov. 23rd.

First off - what is Miche? Its an Idea. A wonderful, creative idea. Its a company that designs purses - that change with you!

Step one: select the size of purse (or purses) that would be the best fit for you. Click here for page link, please check to make sure that you are connected to my party! My name and South of the Border will be on the bottom left of the screen!

A. The Prima - A great for mothers with young kids - lots of room for bottles, snacks and even a few covers that come with a matching changing pad. ALSO great for Business women who need to carry a large tablet or notebook.

B. The Demi - A great for mothers, people (like me) who like to have their camera on hand as well as a Kindle, lotions, sanitizes ect.

C. The Classic - A great for business women. Not to heavy or clunky, but will hold what you need plus a few extra's. (only Miche to come in different colors)

D. The Petite - This is great for a girls night out, dancing, shopping.

Once you have chosen a size (or sizes) I am going with the Petite and the Prima. That way I have one for when I go out with the kids - trips to the zoo, the park, hiking ect will be so much easier.
However, when I just want to run out shopping or to dinner I will want the small Petite.

Next up comes the FUN! You choose an outer shell. To make this blog simple. I will be adding photos ONLY of the ones I plan on buying this month. :) With a small bonus section at the end on the Luxe Line.

The top is the Allie! (Prima) Second is the Chelsey (Prima). The Chelsey is the only bag that can also be converted into a back pack! Great for college, business, or alternate transit people. Everything from bikes to the subway will be great with this purse!

 At top the Carolyn - brand new to the line (petite), Second up The Snowflake also new (petite)

Now one of these days I would also like to get both of these but because they are from the more exclusive line of Miche - the line that comes with all the extra's included with the bag, they are a bit more pricey.

First up is the Marseille, light, stylish (Prima) Second is the Quincy dark, detailed and subtle.(Prima)
Each size (sans petite) have Luxe options.
Visit the site - come to my party - or join the party online. If you like anything here you will love what they have online. Remember these are just a small part of what they offer, in my own select taste.

Now you might ask why you would want such a set up? If you are like me you might be at the point that you hate moving items from one purse to another to another to another.
This way I will only have to move my credit card holder and check book from the Prima to the Petite.The outside changes to match my clothes or outing NOT the inside :).
Genius!

Mrs. Clause Thriller

Alright so let me say for the record we are not big on Halloween - SEE THIS POST

This year however, since my daughter is in the after school program, she was apart of the school floor show.
Which was her and the rest of the group dancing out to Thriller.
My daughter was Mrs. Clause (mostly because she already had the dress from her cousin) I can say however that her's was THE most original costume in the whole school.

She ROCKED! So proud of her for working so hard to memorize the whole dance!
I can't explain how much she loves the after school program or how many new things she has been able to do or be apart of.

As to the adorable blue eyed cookie monster - he's my friends son!

Also tonight I finished the hand cream for my South of the Border, Miche Party! 19 in total! It is going to be so much fun and the prizes ROCK!

See link off to the side of my page for more information on the upcoming Miche party! We are going to have so much fun!

Unseen Scars - Bullying

For the several hundred that read my last post on bullying and how its hurting my son, here I am, updating you.
Things are better.
Things are worse.

Its hard to separate my life at the moment from the life of my son. He is hurt. Yet that is such a pitiful way to describe what has happened to him emotionally.
At night he is plagued with nightmares, of being hurt, of even being killed on the playground. He is in first grade in a regular city. Not too violent, not too sweet and rather poor.
At school I cannot leave him. Every day I have to be there in his class until after first recess - at which time I have to be there on the playground.
If I have other obligations or I'm sick or his sister is sick - he comes home before first recess sick.
Again he is not having accidents on purpose. He is literally making himself sick with fear.
Right now I am looking into free state psychological help, the co-pays alone for meeting with a child shrink would kill us.

So again today I went to school with my son. We did class work in which one of his class mates had me biting my lips to stop from laughing.
They have a game called silly sentences.

She did this all by herself in spite of my trying to get her to exchange man for dinosaur and to remove the word happy.
I have to give props to his teacher - how does she read these and not lose it?
I would also like to point out that the rest of the sentences the kids came up with were not off color like this one, they were cute and silly.
We did recess as in the photos above and then I left to run home before returning again for my PTA meeting.

Now as I said my son is better - its been three weeks since he has been bullied on the playground.
And he is worse because the fear is so deep rooted in his brain that he can not move past it yet.

This is yet another reason I am so happy that I joined the PTA this year. I was able to talk to them about it today and we are moving forward with the Watch Dogs, program. Where dads (and moms) join a program and then dedicate extra hours to being on the playground, before and after school and they help keep the playground a safe place.
It would have started at the beginning of the year, however, we lost our main leader and its been a struggle to move forward.
Thankfully we have two new dads who are eager to help. (The main gist of the program is to help bring dads into helping at the school.)
I love that I have another place to voice what is going on with my son and have even more people to help support and implement changes. 

9 kids, 4 moms and the Zoo!

First off ~ We the mom's ~ Survived!!!

The rest of the zoo and people present may be scared for life, but we did it! 

The kids chased chickens.

Sang inappropriate songs to peacocks.

Made hearts out of rocks.

Ran

Ran

and

Ran some more!

 

We lunched (snacked) 

in a secluded corner

It was an amazing

crisp

clear

fall day!

Bright blue sky.

Orange, red & yellow leaves

with the crisp Autumn air!

Our zoo's newest "big" baby.

Born sept 23rd.

We walked the whole of the zoo at least twice.

Yelled ourselves hoarse (okay just me) 

and road the carousel.

And for those that say 

I never appear on my 

blog...

Here I am.

Sort of

;)

Prissy 9th Birthday Party

I know, I know I've been doing a lot of photo collages lately - I have a cold and not a lot of energy for a really great post with lots of details and great shots.

Needless to say it was great - only down side was my BFF was to sick to come.
Hopefully she is feeling better today - I know I'm not!

So good luck to you all, I'm headed back to bed!

Prissy's Parade

Magna Home Coming Parade October 2012

To insure that the parade had more than 5 entrants they invited all the school clubs in the area to join the parade.

So my daughters after school, HATS, program joined in.

My daughters pleading for me to take her, wait and watch was poetic.

"Mama, your ruining my life!
This could be my only chance to be in a parade!

Please, Please, Please let me be in the parade!"

Yes, I'm a bad mama, I didn't want to go to the parade.

However, knowing how much she wanted it and how many friends she has made in the program, I went.

She had the time of her life and I got some amazing shots of Magna Main!

The men (hubby and son) stayed home and played Mario.

My daughters face is painted up to look like a cute bulldog since her school is the Bulldogs!

You can double click the photo to see it really large 

Blessings, BFF's & Agents

Yesterday as I already mention here, was Prissy's 9th birthday.

So far my daughter's b-day haul is amazing!
A pink scooter (Auntie H)
4 mini purses  (Auntie & Uncle B)
and a new
CAR!
Alright a barbie car, but she is thrilled!





However, I have the BEST BESTEST FRIEND EVER!!! (and yes she will HATE that sentence!)

She gave me a new car! Well new to me, its her old car!

Seriously isn't it amazing!

I think its amazing so, you have to say, Oh My Gosh! Its Amazing!

Even getting the car for free it will still make our budget tighter, the insurance, gas and up keep not to mention yearly fee's and registration but my hubby and I are cutting the extra's, tightening the belts and I once again (almost 6 years without) have a car!

I was able to get it over to my insurance agent's office two minutes after closing time

have I ever mentioned my luck?

Well I won't in this post because not only was I given an amazing car - that I could never buy -

My insurance agent Bessie Porter (best agent ever) let me in and spent a whole hour going over new policies and working to get me the best price!

My agent has had a very hard year.

At the first of the year she moved her office - from a dud parking lot to right around the corner but much easier to get into and nicer looking office. (several of her other clients are still complaining - idiots)

Then her oldest child, Cassidy Porter (who my daughter now LOVES) was in a very serious car accident.

An accident that claimed two of her friends lives, placed her in a two week coma and then 4 months in the hospital, she is now left with scars and survivors guilt.

I think she is looking forward to next year with joyous abandon.

If you live in Salt Lake City and need an agent - mine is amazing!

As for my best friend, well you can't have her!

For the next few days I may be absent - I have to clean the house - kids got sick, hubby got sick and I got sick. Two weeks of someone being sick all the time has left the house in a sad state.

So to get the house back into shape for our family birthday get together I really have to buckle down and get to work!

I

Nine Years of Loving Prissy

9 years ago I was in the hospital.

It was a time of joy, of family, friends and living through the scariest thing I'd ever had to face.
Birthing my first child.

I'd had some minor complications at the end of my pregnancy, words like hypertension were thrown around and a new special diet was adhered to.
It was all a little too late.
When I woke up in labor 9 years ago we went to the hospital, I was told a few key things.

1) I had 3 protein in my Urine (this is bad)

2) My blood pressure was 180/156 (this is really bad)

3) I was having 8-10 level contractions and barely wincing - the nurse hated me. (this is because I have an amazingly high pain tolerance)


My stubbornness is what saved me.
IF I had agreed to a normal doctor, I might have died. IF I had given in to fear and allowed the hospital to dictate my birth plans, I would have died.
If I hadn't already told and re-told my midwife what easy births my family had, I might have died.
As it was with a fast (2 hour) delivery they still almost lost me.

My body pushing, straining and pumping so much blood at such a fast rate did something unexpected, it decided I no longer needed blood or platelets, I dropped down to an 18 crit count. Not death defying by any means until you add in the fact that I was losing platelets as well.

If I had given in and allowed them to do a C-section, I would have bled to death before they got Prissy out.
She would have been saved and would have grown up without a mother.
I was given 3 bags of packed blood and platelets - they didn't even wait for the bags to fully defrost before pumping the slush into me - with warm towels wrapped around me and my arm to keep from having even more issues.
Now this does not mean that you shouldn't listen to your doctor - it means you need to be informed, understand your choices, your rights and then go with your gut.
 

She has grown so fast!
From cutting off her hair to broken arms she sure has kept us busy!
Her allergies and asthma have changed our life forever ~ not always in a bad way!
Her laugh, her hugs, her amazing capacity to love everyone.
I don't know how I lived my life without her, I really don't.

Happy Birthday my big girl, with love, Mama

Speak

It is a crime that I never heard about this book until a friend told me about it and then loaned it to me to read.

I had heard about the movie, but since Kirsten Stewart is not among my top favorite actresses I hadn't really delved in deeper.
I will be watching this tomorrow!
Also I think in this movie she would play the part spot on!

The book though - where to start? For starters both my children will be reading this in Jr. High. They will be reading this with me. We will be having many discussions on this book - about talking to me if they need me. About standing up for kids being bullied, about not letting anyone hurt them. The dangers of sneaking off to "cool" parties.
About depression, rape, violence, friendship and getting help.
I am sure that more topics will come to light - things that I might not have seen the first time reading through.

So Thank You Angel! This book is amazing!

To watch her life, her hurts, her heart, her pain and her art. To see how others view her, how she views herself and how one great art teacher see's her - truly and really see's her.
One person among hundreds holds the power to help, and help he does. Without hurting her more, without pushing.
The writer is amazing, the story starts simply, carefully winding its way to being an emotional masterpiece.
I highly recommend this book to young teens. To see, feel and walk an emotional road.
For ladies who have been hurt - this is a book that will bring tears and possibly the start of healing.

This book will be one for my bookshelf of favorites, on my kindle and in my heart for all times.
A book  that took 5 hours - with bathing kids and making dinner - to read. So no matter how well read, if you have dyslexia it won't matter - you can read this.
Take the time - it may even change your life. ;)