Vacation At Last

I am finally on vacation. I will be spending the weekend getting everything packed and ready.

I am so looking forward to this vacation. I have always wanted to fly and now I will get my chance. Lindsey is excited about it too. This will be a great experience to share with her. We have been reading alot of info about flying. Trying to pack everything correctly so that it will be an easy and quick process.

The only thing I worry about is getting to the right place at the right time.

I would really hate to miss my flight. Thank goodness it is a non stop flight. That does make me feel a bit better. No lay overs or connecting flights to worry about.

I Hope that the weather is good next week. We have our little ponchos, just in case it decides to rain. Hopefully it will be sunny. Heaven knows my pale white legs could use some sun.

I really love Walt Disney World, there is so much to do. One of my favorite things is THE CASTLE. I guess I have some left over childhood dreams of being a Princess and living in a castle with my Prince Charming, having people to wait on me hand and foot, not having to work but just doing whatever I feel like doing all day.....everyday. Ahhhhhhhh..........to be a Princess.

Hey maybe they will pick Lindsey and I to spend the night there, after all it is "The Year Of A Million Dreams" and that would be really cool. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

Well gotta run, still have lots to do before we head south. Keep us in your prayers that we have a safe trip. HAPPY EASTER to all!!!!!

Talk to you soon!!

Feeling Better

As you all know, I have not been feeling well lately. However, I will not be having surgery.

It seems that my gallbladder is functioning. It does have some degree of abnormalities, but the Dr. says that it is borderline. He says I fall into the "might" catagory. Surgery might help and then again, it might not. The IBS could be what is causing the abnormal functions of my gallbladder. So..........if we can get the IBS under control, then the gallbladder should function in a closer to normal way.

To get a handle on the IBS, means to STAY on a special diet. A low fat diet. This is not an easy thing for me to do. I am supposed to avoid all dairy products, all fried foods, all spicy foods, and the "trigger" foods (the ones I know cause problems), like Broccoli, califlower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cucumbers, radishes, onions, peppers, eggs, etc, etc.......

Watching what I eat, has made a difference. I have been doing pretty good with it lately (unless you count the fried onion rings that I ate last night at Smoky Bones-----and I did pay for it, I was miserable).

The biggest thing I could do to control the IBS is to reduce my "STRESS", I don't really have any good ideas on how to do that. Winning the lottery would help, but since I don't play it , don't really know how that is going to happen. But, my vacation starts in 6 days. I will not have to work for 10 whole days.....YEA!!!!!!!! Lindsey and I will also be in Disney World. What better way to leave all the stresses of your life behind. I can't wait!!!

Hope everyone has a good weekend and a wonderful Easter!!!

Still Testing

Nothing with me is ever simple or ordinary. This is no exception.

I saw the surgeon, on Tues. but he said that the sludge in itself is not reason enough to perform the surgery. He wants to know more details of what is going on inside me before he does any surgery. Which makes sense, but means that I have to be poked and injected and pictured and so on.

So on Friday, I had a "hida scan with a ccr injection" performed. It is a gallbladder function test. It wasn't as bad as what I had read, but wasn't a day at the beach either. With this test you lay flat on a table with an x-ray type machine very close over the top of you. There was a monitor to my left and it was positioned so that I could see it. I was then injected with a radioactive dye, which shows up on an x-ray and the screen. I watched it go through my right arm, into my heart and then into my lungs. This was pretty quick, only a few minutes. The dye then proceeded to go into my liver, which took a bit longer. I began to see the dye going to one spot near the bottom of my liver.......my gallbladder.

The technician explained the test to me as we were going along. He would say," the dye is now entering your ______" and "in a few minutes we will see it enter the _______". It was kind of neat, but scary at the same time. The machine would take pictures every couple of minutes. The technician would adjust the lighting on the screen every now and then, as to see the other organs that the dye had moved from (mainly the liver).

Once the dye had entered my gallbladder and began to go into my small intestines, I was given the second injection (the ccr part). It makes your gallbladder contract, which you CAN feel, and then empty as it normally does with the bile.

The fact that the second injection is given means that there are no blockages entering or exiting the gallbladder. No stones, no tumors etc......

That is about the only thing that the technician was able to tell me. He could not tell me if my gallbladder emptied as it is supposed to. (40% of the contents should empty)

So I will have to wait until Tues. (27th) to find out the results and to see what the Dr. recommends that we do.

In the mean time, I watch what I eat and take alot of Mylanta. This has helped somewhat. The pain and indigestion aren't as bad. Not totally gone either, but not as intense.

I'll post again, when I know more.........

Hope everyone has a good weekend!!!!

Gallbladder Sludge

Art Work By: Secret Agent Josephine

Have you ever heard of gallbladder sludge? Well, I had not until this week.

I have been having some digestion problems for quite some time, but really had not been too concerned due to the fact that for about 15 years I have had IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).

So when I was having eposides of nausea and indigestion, I was just concluding that it was due to the IBS. Usually I can watch my diet, try to eat healthy avoiding the high fat foods and dairy products, and only have a few episodes of misery. But in the last few months it has become a almost constant problem. I first thought that I was just overeating or eating the wrong foods too often. Like the icecream that I know is going to cause me problems. I started paying attention to what I was eating and tried to stay away from the things that I know cause problems, but still I was having indigestion and such. So I began the ritual of following my meals with tums or rolaids. Then came the pain........ I started having this gnawing pain in my upper abdomen. This went on for a few days and then it began to hurt into my upper back, between my shoulder blades. Sometimes it can get pretty intense.

I decided it was time to visit the doctor. So I did just that this past Tues. He said that we needed to do some test. Upper GI and an abdominal ultrasound. Which was performed on Thurs. I got the results on Friday. Dr. says I have "Gallbladder Sludge" and that my gallbladder needs to come out. I see the surgeron this coming Tues. ( 20th)

Three weeks before our vacation to Disney World and I need surgery................Just my luck.

I'll keep you posted.

Spring Break

Spring........warm days, flowers blooming, more daylight hours, no more having to wear a coat........Come on Spring!!!

I am so tired of being cold. I know that Spring is just around the corner, but I am growing impatient.

However, I am looking forward to SPRING BREAK!! My kids are too. Each of them have started counting down the days.

Adam starts his Spring Break this weekend. He will be off to Cancun on Monday. Flying for the first time. He is a little nervous about that part of it, but very much looking forward to the trip. He has been busy getting everything together to travel. I know he is going to have a wonderful time. Of course, I will be worring about him the whole time he is gone. Thinking about all the things that can go wrong, like a Mother does. So, Please, keep him in your prayers.

Lindsey and I also have travel plans for Spring Break. We will be going to Disney World. Just the two of us. We have to wait until April, but are still making our plans. We have our, "Unofficial Guide To Walt Disney World 2007" and are going through it deciding what we are going to do when. A big Thank You to "A Travel Expert" aka, Michael, for helping us with this. He has helped us with booking a Disney Resort Hotel, our Park Hopper Tickets, and our flights there and back home. We, like Adam, will be flying for the first time. Thank goodness, it is a non stop flight. I am a little nervous about it, (fear of the unknown and all) but I have always wanted to fly and now will have my chance. Plus I get to share the experience with my daughter. Adam says that he will be able to give us the scoop on flying, since he gets to do it first. A fact that he seems to be taking great pleasure in. He keeps saying," I get to fly first!". So keep all of us in your prayers, Please, that we have a safe trip.

Well got to run, it's my day off today and I have tons of errands to do. Hope everyone has a Good Friday and a Great Weekend!!!

Dentist.....YUCK

It seems that everyone is visiting the dentist lately.

Lindsey and I have both visited and will be visiting a few more times to get all the work that needs to be done completed.

I hate going to the dentist. I have never had good teeth and they can always find one that needs filling or crowned. This time was no exception. I lost a filling and knew that I have needed to visit the dentist for awhile, so I finally did. Of course the filling I lost couldn't just be replaced.......no, it was infected. So I had to go on an antibiotic for a week and let it heal so that they could do a root canal and then crown this tooth. I had never had the pleasure of a root canal before. Believe me I NEVER will again. I have NEVER in my life had a tooth hurt so much. I felt my heart beating in my mouth for several days. I was on the verge of calling the dentist and saying, "Just Pull It". He gave me some pain pills to take, but it is hard to take those things and work. So I would take tylenol every four hours untill I got home from work, then take the pain pills and sleep. Finally after almost a week, it stopped hurting. I got my permanant crown in and it was time to move on to the other problem teeth.

They started with a cleaning, which I hate, but it does make your teeth feel better....cleaner....etc. This, of course, does lead to the finding of all the other problems. Like the what they say will be a small filling, until they start to fill it. Then, it turns out to be a small cavity under an old filling, which means, that the old filling has to come out. Making the small filling into a rather big one. Which , of course needs to be crowned. This was the story of not one, but two of my teeth. Both on the left side of my mouth. One on the top and the other on the bottom. The one on the top was a real pain. It was the very back tooth and is not exactly straight. So it wasn't the easiest tooth to get to. The dentist kept saying I'm sorry that we are stretching your mouth so much. Add in the fact they are trying to put what seems like twenty things in your mouth at the same time and they have you practially standing on your head in the chair. Plus you have been injected with so much novacaine that you can't feel your nose or mouth for hours, and when they are finished, they ask you " How does that feel?" Like you can tell at that point. Of course when the medication wears off you can answer that question......IT HURTS!!!!!!!! Duhhhhhh, you have given me 5 or 6 shots, had my mouth pryed open as far as you could for 2 hours, hit me in the mouth with instruments and had not only your hands, but your assistants hands in my mouth at the same time. How do you think it feels?

I am so looking forward to my next visit. They can start on the right side of my mouth......Joy, Joy.

I guess I could just have all my teeth pulled and get false ones. It probably would be cheaper. Oh well..........

Snow Day

Finally, we have enough snow to build a snowman.

We had a snowball fight, built the snowman, had another snowball fight........



Then we decided to walk up to the school. The snow was so pretty. No one had been up there and there were no tracks anywhere. So we had to change that. We walked a few laps around the track and then headed to the playground, to have yet another snowball fight. We also made snowangels on the front entry way. It was alot of fun.

The snow was perfect. It was easy to quickly pack together a snowball.

I am glad that this is my weekend off. I have actually been able to get out and enjoy the snow and got some exercise in too. It felt good getting outside in the fresh air and not having to rush to do anything or trying to do twenty things at the same time. All I had to do was make a snowball and hit whoever I was aiming at.

I did manage to get some cleaning and laundry done. I can't stand it if I don't do at least one load of laundry a day.

Hope you guys are enjoying the snow too........

The Gang

We managed to get everyone together for a family picture, so I thought I'd share them with you!!

I haven't blogged in quite some time. I have meant to, but just haven't.

Since my last post was in November, I guess I have a bit of catching up to do.

We did the Christmas thing (thank goodness that is over) it is soooooo stressfull anymore.

I really think I could just skip it.

Then comes Jan., we are busy at work still with all the returns and the bounce back from the holiday season. Bounce back also means, cleaning.......YUK!!!!!! We have to take down all the holiday signs and such and clean everything. Then there is the beginging of the clearance process of all things winter. Gloves, hats, scarves, etc.... Get rid of all you can before the summer stuff arrives. Like the bathing suits that start coming in before the end of Jan.

It still amazes me how many people buy bathing suits in Jan. and Feb. I guess they have to get one before Spring Break.

As for the kids, they are doing just dandy. Lindsey is definately a girl......her world revolves around her cell phone, makeup, shopping, wanting to hang out with her friends and talk about boys, and primping. I don't think she can pass by a mirror without checking her hair and makeup. She has also become Miss Attitude. Questions everything........and she's only 12.

Another thing she loves to do is take her picture. She does it constantly and is actually pretty good at it. She can set the timer or just hold the camera and take her own picture, and they are pretty good shots. She is so photogenic.

Adam is busy with his classes and working. He is still working in the afterschool program 3 days a week and working in the Alumni Office at Western 2 days a week. He does find time to hang out with his friends and of course attend Westerns ballgames. He is planning to go to Cancun for Spring Break. He has never been in an airplane, and is a bit apprehensive about it.

Hartsul comes to visit almost every weekend. He usually finds something to keep himself busy. He is always on the move, usually kicking or tossing a ball of some sort. We have a big yard and he loves getting out and playing.

Michael spends his time working. He is either at his office working, at the dinning room table working or on the phone working. He does manage to play some ball with the kid and is always willing to help with homework (especially math) if needed.

Well that is what we have been up to lately.......

Try to stay warm all, talk to you soon.

Black Friday

Black Friday...... a once a year tradition of watching adults stand outside in the cold for hours before a store opens to literally run in to try to find that special toy or electronic device and to fight the person that dares to even get close to what you are thinking about buying.

I am still amazed at the fact that people will actually fight over toys and such.

Then there are the people that get mad because they have to stand in long lines to check out.
What are they thinking? Do they actually believe that the thousand people that entered the store before them are going to just wait for them to checkout before they attempt to move toward the checklanes. Of course, there are always the rude people. The ones who no matter how you try to please them, just can't be satisfied. If you offer to adjust a price $2 they want $5. If you have something in pink, they want purple, etc..etc..etc.....

Then add in the fact that the stores are not amply supplied with the items that are in their ads. This makes people sooooo mad. "Why do you have it in your ad, if you aren't going to have it in the store?" Like it is something that we personally are responsible for. Like we want to work 10 hours a day helping people that want the impossible. Give Me A Break!!!

Thank Goodness we only have to do this once a year.

Living Out Of Boxes

Well we are moved in and offically living out of boxes. We are in that process of trying to find a place for everything. Deciding what will stay and what will be gotten rid of is a real task. I would love it if I could just stay home and get things organized. We work all day and unpack and rearrange at night. Sure is a slow process, but we will get it there.


I have managed to get Lindsey's room almost finished. I really like how it has turned out and so does she. Still need to hang the rest of her things on the wall, but the room is put together and the blinds and curtains are hung.



















Our bathroom mirror was delivered on Tuesday. It is a bit bigger than I thought it was going to be, but I love it.




















I am hoping to get the rest of the house in order soon.
I'll try to post more pics as I get things put into their proper place.

Well got to run. I have to be at work very early in the morning.

Hope everyone has a good week.

Packing

Well I have begun the dreaded packing. Putting everything in a box or storage container and moving it to the house. Doing this has forced me to go through and throw away alot of JUNK. I can't believe how much stuff I keep and I know that a few months from now that I will NEED some of the stuff that I have thrown away. That's usually the way it goes, save something for two years and never pull it out, but throw it away and suddenly you find a use for it. Anyway, that is what I have been doing lately.

All this packing and going through things has given me an opportunity to take a trip down memory lane. I was going through some pictures today and of course I had to stop and look at a few of them.
The one above was from one of Mamaws birthday gatherings, I think. I know it was at 'Po folks and I have other pictures of her opening gifts. I'm not sure what year it was, but Adam was small, so I would guess around 1987 or so.


Gee......I guess my natural hair color IS dark brown or almost black.
My son has sure changed..... Still handsome, but definitely has done some growing. He has hopefully learned to shave properly now. His first attempt, I think he had a bit of a problem knowing just when to stop with the shaving cream.
This was always a favorite picture of mine though. He had an old razor with no blade in it that he would use.

I like this picture of Mom & Dad. It was taken at Michael and Linda's Wedding. Twenty one years ago....
So many things have changed. My life has sure taken some turns, as I guess everyones does.

They are supposed to get our propane tank installed tomorrow and then the heating and air guy can get it hooked up and running so that we can move in this week end.

Well I guess I need to get back to packing boxes. I hope you enjoyed my little trip down memory lane. Wish me luck, I still have alot of junk to go through.

Girls

Here it is Sunday and the last day of Fall Break. It's back to school and work tomorrow, but it has been a good week. We have managed to get alot taken care of and had some fun too.
Lindsey and I spent one day shopping. My daughter REALLY likes to shop. She saw some of her friends while we were out. They have a good time together.....just being girls. They like to primp and giggle and giggle and giggle.........





As you can see, they like to pose for pictures too!!!

I really am glad that Lindsey likes for her friends to come over. I like seeing her have friends and feel comfortable bringing them here. (and not being embarassed having Mom around) It is a good feeling knowing that the girls parents are comfortable letting them come over too.

Sometimes she drives me nuts with the I want, I want, I want, and the smart mouth she seems to have found somewhere (part of being a pre-teen I suppose), but she is a good kid and I am very proud of her.

Have a good week all!!!!!!

Super Mom

Fall Break is here and I have so much that I want to get done this week.
I guess I need to become.........

SuperMom

AKA:
Soccer Mom, Chief Everything Officer, 'The Boss', Working Mom

SUPER POWERS:
mother's love; mega-multitasking; "the look"; cure-all kisses; temper tantrum tactics; mind reading; cheerleading

VULNERABILITIES:
sleep deprivation; child's cries;work/life balance; cute kiddie clothes; mothering co-workers; parental pampering

CATCHPHRASES:
"Go to your room and think about what you did."
"A mother's work is never done."
"Can't talk now, gotta go get the kids!"
"Because I said so, that's why."

I saw this on line and thought it was really cute and ohhhh so true.

All moms are Super Moms, with all the chauffeuring that moms do.......sporting events, school programs, sleep overs, dances, parties, etc., etc., etc.

Not to mention all the errands that go along with these things. You know that science project can't be done unless you buy that $7.00 tri-fold poster board, or I can't go to the B-day party with out a gift. Of course the dance requires a new dress, it's a never ending thing. Then you add in all the Dr. and dentists appointments, plus other errands that must be taken care of ...........I get tired just thinking about it. But it all goes along with being a MOM. And we wouldn't change it for the world.

This week my Super Mom tasks consist of taking my car in for repairs, painting a hallway, the laundry room and two closets, hanging wallpaper in the entry way, ridding the cabinets of all the construction dust, packing things up to move, taking my daughter shopping, going to physical therapy 3 days, getting the cable guy out for installation and the mirror guy out to measure for the mirror and shower doors, go shopping with Michael for the base boards for the living room, kitchen and hallway, and of course there will be laundry and dishes to do, not to mention the cooking too. Hopefully I can get it all done............

Guess I better get started. Have a good week and I'll try to keep you posted on how Super Mom holds up , afterall she's not getting any younger and has a bum foot. (I dropped a pack and play on it at work. Nothing broken, but badly bruised and very sore.)

Painting, painting and more painting....

It seems that painting has become our second job. I don't think we are ever going to run out of things that need to be painted. We have all the walls painted, but are currently working on the doors, windows and the trim. Having to clean and sand the windows before you can even begin to paint them, is very time consuming. We should get the bedrooms completed this weekend...hopefully.
Our appliances should be arriving next week sometime. I can't wait. They will make the kitchen actually look like a kitchen.
The tile has been laid in both baths, the kitchen and the entry way. We have picked out the carpet that we want in the bedrooms and the hardwood that we want in the rest of the house. Now we just have talk to the flooring people to see when they can get it in and installed. Meanwhile......we paint. I'd like to get all or at least most of the painting done before the floors are laid.

















We finally got the issue with the pocket doors resolved.....Thank Goodness. I was begining to think that they were going to have to be torn out and re-installed. I'm still not sure that they were installed properly, but the door company representive says that if they were not installed correctly that they would not open and shut properly, and they do. The problem that we had was that if you touched the wall, it moved. You could actually move the drywall with your hands as if it were attatched to nothing. They have since reinforced it with a metal strip. I just hope that we don't have any problem with it down the road.

Anyway, this is what is up with me..... Working (preparing and getting geared up for 4th quarter....Holiday Season, yes it is fast approaching), shuffling my daughter to volleyball games and practices and painting, painting, painting.........

The Bird Has Left The Nest

My baby bird has left the nest. WAHHHHHH........
I know that it is time for him to spread his wings and fly solo,
but it is still a hard step to take. Hard for me anyway.

All I can do is offer my help and be prepared to stand back or jump in if needed.

When children come into our lives we have time to prepare, to think about it, time to get to know and love them. But when they leave, no matter how much we've talked about it or planned for it, it's still a drastic change. One day they are there with their long legs, their music, their cars, their friends, their questions, and then, they're gone. The bird-leaving-the-nest metaphor.

My hand is no longer on the bicycle seat, it is time to let go.

I will worry, as Mothers do, but I know that he will do just fine.

I just hope that his roomates are BIG sports fans...........

Volleyball

Lindsey has been going all summer to volleyball conditioning, learning the ins and outs of the game and getting in better shape to hopefully make the team.
Well, I am proud to say that SHE DID. All of her hard work has paid off in a big way.
She went to two days of try outs and made the High School team. My 7th grader has made the Freshman team at Warren East High. :) :)
They played their first game on Tuesday. They did not win, but Lindsey got to play and she played really well. She was out there diving after that ball.....
I have to say, I am very proud of her. She really likes playing and I think it has been a good thing for her. She has made some new friends and found something that she is really interested in.

Back To School

Well it is that time again.....Back To School.
Summer has been WAYYYYY to short.
Lindsey is now a Middle Schooler.
I can't believe it. She is a little nervous about it, but I know that she will be fine.
She is looking forward to meeting new people.
Now we just have to get her used to actually getting up in the morning. She has gotten used to sleeping until 10 or so. This morning was no problem, but give her a few days and she'll be saying I don't want to get up, can't I sleep just a few more minutes. Hopefully it won't take her long to get back into the routine of school.
Then of course, with school comes......the HOMEWORK. I sure haven't missed that.
Well, gotta run. Have a good day!!!

Television

Well, I think I am well caught up on my tv watching.

I have watched everything. Old shows new shows. I watched cooking shows, building shows, remodeling shows, medical shows, and on and on........

I do have to say that TLC has become one of my favorite channels. I really like the Property Ladder; Flip That House; Little People, Big World; Shalom In The Home;Trading Spaces and Miami Ink. If you haven't seen any of.....check them out.

I saw Untold Stories of the ER last night. We actually watched a couple of these back to back. Some of the stories were really strange, others were interesting....strange, but interesting. The show does, however make you stop and think about how your life can change in just a small frame in time.

Anyway, this is what I have been up to. Rather boring, but relaxing. I have been over at the house a little, but it is sooooo hot that I can't stay long. I let the guys in the other day to finish the cabinets. They look so good!!! The contractor and the plumber will be back, hopefully, next week to finish up their work (installing the lights and fixtures). Then it is up to us to get the rest of the flooring down and the rest of the painting done. I'm begining to get tired of painting, but still have alot to do. Slowly but surely it is coming together.

Well I need to run......Boy Meets World is on........

Talk to you soon.

Listen.......

This house is soooooooooo quiet!!! It's downright eerie.

The kids have gone on vacation with their Dad. There is no music playing, no sports on the t.v.,
no video games making those repetitive noises, no one in the computer chair, no one to chauffeur here and there, no one saying can I have______ or can ______ come over, no one saying "I'm bored" or "I'm hungry (ten minutes after eating)".

I have none of this......Instead I have TOTAL SILENCE.
I could hear a pin drop SILENCE.
I can hear my own thoughts SILENCE.

A whole week of this? I don't know if I can handle it.
A week of actually being able to watch an entire show on t.v. with out someone saying, but I've been waiting all week for this show, or but the big game is on. (of course with Adam every game of every sport is THE BIG GAME)

I actually know what the remote looks like now. It actually can change the t.v. to a channel that is NOT sports related.
Am I dreaming......is it the drugs........No I think it is real.
Gee so many channels, so many shows and silence. How will I ever make it through the next week. :) :) :) :)

I do miss my kids, really I do. But I think I will enjoy this coming week.
I will have some major ME time :)

And just so everyone knows, the surgery went well. I am supposed to call on Monday for the pathology report. So keep your fingers crossed for me.

Love to all and have a good week end. I'll be relaxing on my sofa recliner watching some t.v.

Hospitals....Yuck

I really hate hospitals..... I had to go for some pre-op tests on Monday. I had to have some blood drawn and an ekg, etc....etc..... I hate it anyway, but the Dr. had not sent the orders over and I had to sit there until they faxed them over. I sat there waiting and watching the t.v. and the people going by the office I was I was in. Across the hall was a conference room, where I saw a family being escorted in. Then a few minutes later I saw the Dr. go in. The look on their faces brought back some memories. I started thinking about how many times I myself have been in that position. It was down right depressing.
Finally, my orders were there and I was called back. Didn't take very long at all.

I have to be back on Wed. at 6a.m. I am having some laser surgery done. Kind of like a D&C, but with a laser. At least I don't have to stay in the hospital.
I am really dreading it and just want it to be over with.
Maybe I'll actually post a little more since I'll be home for about a week.