Finally

Finally, I am back to blogging. It has been an extrememly eventful year! I have the final word on my back and neck issues. I have to have fusions done, and mutiple screws, pins, cages and rods put in my lower back :( So I have promised my boss that I would not do that at least until spring so she won't lose a supervisor over the holiday season. So basically, it means that I can't lift or be on my feet moving, or go up and down the ladders, etc. My co-workers have be awesome about this and I have never worked anywhere else where people have been so helpful and worried about someone's problems. We are a small bookstore so we do get to know each other on a more personal level, but still - these people have been AMAZING. After I have my back surgery, then we will worry about the spinal cord compression in my neck, which means more surgery, but I need to get the lower in good shape to be able to heal the upper faster. The oddest thing is that I have the feeling of an electrical stilmulation machine constantly going in the back of my neck. For those of you that have ever had physical therapy with one of these machines, you know exactly what I am talking about. So, I have been handling this ok, trying not to get too depressed about it, because basically there is nothing that I can do about the pain until surgery and then that is not even a guarantee that it will lessen the pain, and I will have to be in a brace for 6 weeks after the operation. I am continuing with the PT exercises and hoping that the pain will decrease somewhat as my back gets stronger. On the other hand, it's been a year of this and it is not much better - I have more stability, but the pain is still there.

I can no longer go up and down the stairs more than 2 or 3 times, so I save my trips, to check on the girls at night and when I absolutely have to go down there for something. My girls have been a huge help with the laundry, but now that M is having trouble with her legs because of her MS, she is not doing as much, so DH stepped in. I came home from work yesterday and he had washed and dried almost all the laundry. However, it was all on the living room couch, unfolded! LOL!! Can't complain though, it was all washed. He also cooked dinner last night. For those of you who know my husband - you know that this was a BIG deal LOL!!! He made steak. He is going through this HUGE health kick now that Mandi was diagnosed with MS and he had read that you can live without medicine if you follow a healthy diet and excercise. He made an appointment with a nutritionist and is researching supplements. I am ok with this as we all need to eat healthier and as long as he doesn't bring any weird herbal concoctions home, we will be good. I am good with omega 3 and B vitamin supplements as well as some others, but some of the stuff is just - well - let's just say different.

I have also been trying to teach our dog how to pick things up for me, but alas, if the item is not wrapped in food, or attached to his toys, he wants nothing to do with it. He is 5 years old and has been taught not to pick up the kids toys or stuffed animals and to never, ever put a book in his mouth LOL!! So now that I am trying to get him to pick something up for me if I drop it, (usually a book) he just looks at me like I am nuts. I might be. . . LOL!

On the sports front, JJ, Ty and Allie are all playing tournament basketball (does that surprise anyone LOL)! We are basketball from Saturday morning until Sunday night. Plus JJ made the school team and Ty is wrestling as well. JJ also starts practice for baseball in January. I would just like 1 month where the is nothing to have to run to - no practice, no games, no meets, NO NOTHING (ok, I know - bad grammar).

I will post a bit more later, as the mess on the dining room table is calling my name - I guess the laundry that I folded really does have a home of it's own to go to. I do have some new books to talk about as well as some photos to post. - See you soon!!

Little Visitor

Isn't he just the cutest little guy (or girl) . This baby squirrel has decided that it likes the crab apples on our front tree and visits us daily for dinner. Always comes between 2 and 5 LOL!! He is so cute, and unfortunately not afraid of the dog. Not that I want it to be scared but I don't want it to be comfortable to come to the kids! Although A is now determined to leave it a bowl of peanuts to hide for the winter.

WOW ~ been awhile!!

It really has been a while since I have updated this thing LOL!!! Too much going on as usual ~ TONS of baseball including Fall Baseball and football has started as well as practice for basketball. My JJ has decided to grow about a foot in the last year and turned 13 this past Thursday. He is now just over 5'9" tall! And is he FAST!!! He runs the 40 yard dash in 5.2 seconds! He still does not like to have his picture taken!! LOL

So, both JJ and Ty made it to All Stars for the summer baseball season!! And JJ's team went to State!!! His team came in 3rd place!!!

Ty's team did not makeit to state, but they did have an awesome run!!

M is a senior this year and is taking courses that I didn't even know existed!!!! She had her senior pictures taken, and even though I know she is almost 18, I still can't believe how grown up she is! She hid the pictures somewhere on the computer so I can't post them LOL!! What a BRAT!!! We had some really bad news with her this past July - she had some really wierd syptoms and it turns out she has MS :( - I originally thought that she had some type of neck and back problem like I do, but the drs ran a whole series of testing and mri's on her and she has a lesion on her spinal column. So that really sucks - she is going through the denial stage at this point and overdoing everything. I am not going to go into all the details about her treatment because the last time I did that about one of my kids, someone I don't even know freaked out LOL!!!!

S and A are still their sassy little selves!! LOL!!!!

I am still here LOL!! Just a lot going on right now. I changed my background and lost all of my blog links so I will be trying to update that first, before blogging. I am back to work regular hours and even though my back does not like it, it is necessary as we have run up some bills the past 8 months :(!! I have not had much time to sit on the computer - acutally, I just can't sit that long. My back and neck are getting stronger, but the pain is the same - and the dr.'s tell me take muscle relaxers - apparently, they don't have children or have never taken muscle relaxers - cuz I don't know about you - but I can't take them and function much to drive and work!!! I am asleep within 20 minutes of taking them and then have a hard time waking up :(!!! I also can't do any stairs at all anymore or any type of climbing - apparently with the climbing motion, it is shearing off the tissue surrounding the nerves in my lower back - I will update soon!!! I am going to go lay on an ice pack!!!

Prom & Opening Day LL Photos

Trying to Post a new slide show

I am trying to post a new Prom Slide Show, but my computer - or the sites - are not allowing me to :(!!!!!!

Gas - URGH!! For the truck - not me LOL!!!

I know you have probably seen these before, but since I just put $65 worth of gas in my truck and didn't even get to half a tank I thought these were appropriate LOL!! I also have a winner picked for the RAK and since I already have her address, I will post a pic of her gift later this afternoon and you all can guess who is getting it LOL!!!!!!

Where Did My Babies Go???

So, I have about 100 or so rolls of film that still needs to be developed. One would think that I would be bringing in a roll or 2 every week, but not me LOL!! They are put away so I rarely remember that I have them LOL!! But I did remember yesterday bcuz Walgreens had a coupon in their paper that you could get a roll developed free. WOOHOO - I brought 1 roll in the morning and the guy said that I could also use the .99 CD coupon as well - so the developing and the CD only cost .99! WOW. I love the CD's, especially with film that I know is older. With the CD, I can edit and crop and take out red eye, etc. So anyway, DH brought a roll to another W and they wouldn't let him use a coupon for the CD since the developiong was free :P LOL! but my girls brought in a roll each to the same place I went and they were allowed to use them - who knows. So in all, I got 4 rolls developed free, 1 roll I paid for, and then I have 4 .99 CD's!! I was a happy girl - so here are a few of those photos - the rolls were back from 2000!!! OMG! I really need to start getting these developed!!!!!!!! But as you can see my babies are not longer babies - scroll done for current pics. These picutures are a bit grainy because I enlarged them.

A at 2

The Girls

S was 7 and M was 9

JJ just turned 5 - it's his b-day in the pic

And finally - T was 3

Where has the time gone!!!!

READ THE POST BELOW AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE RAK - LEAVE A COMMENT BY APRIL 15TH!!!!!

New Layouts and Books and Scrapbook Goodies and a RAK!!

The sun is finally shining today and even though it is chilly - it's not too bad! A little warmer (30 degrees) and it would be the most wonderful day!! My typing is getting better - as I have better control over my fine motor skills - the fingers get tired very quickly though. So along with the caps in my post - there will probably be several typos!! :P

Mandi finally decided on a prom dress - holy cow - the $$$$ - but I guess you only go to prom once and to the girls it is a huge deal, and it makes her happy, and she is paying for most of it LOL!! Not that is funny, but she is learning very fast the value of money. She has the one in the middle - it is aqua in color and is gorgeous!! The "poofy" styles are back in - I haven't seen them since we (meaning my age) went to high school - and even then - I didn't have a "poofy" gown. There are going to have to be a few alterations in the hem because she is so darn tiny. I really like that a lot of the dresses now have lace up backs, like this one. Not so many alterations have to be done on the sides then because you can adjust the lacing.

I went shopping the other day and bought tons of new stamps. Generally I am not a stamper, but I have seen so may gorgeous cards online lately, that I couldn't help myself. I have so much as far as scraps of paper is concerned and I hate to toss it - so I think cards would be good!! And the fact that there was a really GOOD sale at the store that I went to helped LOL! I also bought a new embossing folder for my Cuttlebug - I love this machine and have since gotten rid of my hand squeeze quickutz, the sidekick and the big red sizzix machine. I don't think I have had an easier die cut machine with more possibilities than the Cuttlebug.

These 2 sets are my FAVORITE!! Of course the cupcakes would be LOL! but I love the birds and owl on the other set - I also just ordered some stamps from Verve Visuals. I just had to have it after I saw Amber's cards that she made with it.

http://stampingscrapbooker.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/03/scrapnextras-da.html
Someday, I promise I will learn how to make the link just say one word LOL!

I have not made may cards, but have been so inspired by Amber's blog and her cards and then to blog surf through hers - oh my!!! Those girls are TALENTED!

NEW LAYOUTS

I BOUGHT NOTHING NEW FOR THESE!!

I am sort of on a mini spending freeze as far as scrapbook supplies are concerned. I did a quick inventory of my office that you can hardly walk into and decided that I have enough papers and "STUFF". So now I am limiting myself to stamps and cuttlebug products. Oh and some of the new quickutz revolution die cuts BUT those are things that I will use over and over and over again!

BEAUTIFUL SARAH

BOYS AND THEIR TOYS

SUMMER SASSY SARAH

PUPPY LOVE

SPIRIT

PRACTICE

BASKETBALL SUPERSTAR

The girls and I also had some great crafting time together over Easter. We altered some frap bottles for gifts. Sarah didn't get to make any because she was working and homework, but I guess I could just drink some more so she can have some bottles to work with LOL!!

The first bottle with is done with Easter egg fabric appliques and bling! This one was for Mary. The second bottle with the blue eggs was for Pam. The bottles that Allie made are in the 3rd picture - how cute are those - the flowered bottle was for me :) and the superman was for DH (everyone calls him Super Dave so we "collect" superman stuff for him lol! - and notice the CRAB on top of his LOL!!!!!). The last picture of the bottle is on that I made for Linda (with the bunnies) and the one with flowers - Mandi made for her boyfriend's Mom. She gave it to her on Easter Sunday as a hostess thank you. They had tons of family over the guys started calling her Mini Martha LOL! So I do have some more bottles in works - some have Charlie Bears going in to them (doggy treats) and one has a ring of monkeys on it, and you never know where they may end up - my house - your house - the neighbors house LOL!! So if you leave a comment - make sure you tell me your favorite candy!

FAVORITE READS

And of course I have been reading as well!! When don't I??!! I can't wait for this one - The Hollow by Nora Roberts. It is the 2nd book of the Signs of Seen Trilogy and is due out on May 6th!! You gotta read it!!


And Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyers is coming out on August 2nd! This is the 4th in the Twilight series - There is Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and now Breaking Dawn. Now I know that typically you would think that this is a teenage/young adult series. It really is not though. The characters are younger - but I think that the series are suitable for ALL ages to read. I let my 12 year old read them, as well as my 14 and 17 year olds. AND ME - but I'm not gonna tell you hold old I am! LOL

Currently, I am reading The Mane Event by Shelly Laurenston - I just started it, but it seems like it will be ok. It is about a Pride of gorgeous shapeshifting lions and about all I know so far is that the "mane" character is a retired Navy Seal and has to shave his head everyday otherwise his mane grows back LOL!! and he is hot for the female detective that is investigating a murder at his sister's house. If I like this one, the next in the series is

This one is dependant on if I like the first one enough to read it. It is different in the fact that it is a Pride of lions - typically, in these types of stories, it is wolves as the shifters.

So if you know me - even semi-well - you know that I am not a big fan of Martha's - not that I don't like what she does or what she makes - it's just that I don't have a lot of time or patience for the projects she does. A lot of her projects and recipes are older-fashioned IMHO and there are just not enough hours in the day -(that is one reason why I don't do flower arranging anymore - not cost effective enough for the time that it takes) BUT when I saw her new COOKIE Book, I was in heaven!!! I had to have this book - it has some of the yummiest cookies ever!!! So as I try new recipes, I will let you know how they are. Oh and although I never watch her show, I did happen to catch a glimpse of it on TV last night AND she was making CUPCAKES - so i watched my first Martha episode last night and then went to her website this morning to find the recipe for these coconut cupcakes she was making and am going to try them this weekend!! cupcakes and coconut - what could be better??!! And she has this video slide show of all her favorite cupcakes and cupcake shops! I am slowly changing my mind about watching Martha - at least for her cupcake week!! Cupcakes and cookies are the one thing that I will spend more than 30 minutes in kitchen for!!!
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3e37788aa306c4df62fc95103373a0a0/?vgnextoid=d5a9080aae2e8110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default

Ok, so I am off to do some spring cleaning. My littlest DD has grown soooo much over the past year that I HAVE to go through her clothes and get rid of. Plus - and I know I am not the only Mom who does this - BUT I still have all my kids toys so we are having a HUGE garage sale this spring - everything is going - none of the girls play with barbies anymore, the boys don't play with any toys so all theirs can go - it will be HUGE!!! Do you all watch the show "CLEAN HOUSE" on the Style network - OMG this is my new favorite show - I LOVE IT!! http://www.mystyle.com/mystyle/shows/cleanhouse/index.jsp If you have not watched this show, please try to catch an episode - they have some really good tips and budget-wise design style!! I love the newer cast - the designer is awesome! So I am doing a "CLEAN HOUSE" on my house - now granted my house does not look anything like the ones on the show (well, except maybe for my office and Al's closet, and the sunroom LOL) but I am taking a lot from the organizer and putting it to use in my home! Maybe I'll post some before and after photos! and maybe not LMAO!! They also have a cool yard sale kit on the site we can download for tips to making some $$$.

Ok, last but not least, since you have read this entire post LOL! I am giving away a RAK. It is almost a year since I have had my blog, and you all have been sharing my stressed and not so stressful times with me, so I am going to thank you by offering a RAK - just leave me a comment and on the 15th - Allie will pick a winner. And don't forget to tell me what kind of candy (that would fit into a bottle) you like just in case you are on the "list" to get one.

Don't send a lame eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

College Bound

I just read a post on another blog about a mom bringing her daughter back to college after spring break. M has 1 more year of high school left and then she is off to college. This past week, we brought her for a tour of one of the biggest colleges here which is about 1 1/2 hours away. Not a horrible drive so we could go get her on the weekends, but the campus is sooo huge. 983 acres of land. It is so huge that they have an "urban" side and a "country green" side. And that is exactly how our tour guide described it. It is a beautiful campus right off the lake, but I just don't know if I am ready to let her go yet LOL!!! I know I can't stop her from growing up and am so proud of her for her high school accomplishments, that I know that she will succeed in college, but is just hard to let her grow up and move out. Oh well, better get used to it as there are 4 more after her URGH! LOL

Happy Easter to All My Bloggin' Buddies!

What LoriAnn Means

You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily. Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life. You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you. At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

What's" Your Name's Hidden Meaning?