You can tell it's a busy, busy time of year! Not too many people are blogging - myself included! Life has been moving pretty quickly these past few weeks, and I am looking forward to things slowing down ever so slightly, when I get to at least be done with work....
... AS OF TODAY! HOORAY!
So, yes, I am done with work for the year. The next time I will be sitting here at this desk is on January 3, 2012 baby! Ah... that feels nice.
The kids still have school two days next week! I am going to take FULL advantage of those days and get my shopping done and gifts wrapped!!!! Then, starting Wednesday, we are home together for the rest of the year. Scott still has to work next week until at least Thursday.... then, he too will be off with us until Jan. 3. :-) I love that time off together. You think you are going to have so much time... and it always goes so super fast.
We have a ton of plans already for our time off. Dinners out with friends. A huge cuzins night bar crawl.... ugly Christmas sweater style! A visit from my brother and family from Maryland. And visits to my Dad's in Plainwell. Whew!!! Good stuff.
As I wrap up my work week here, I have much to do the rest of the week! Tomorrow I have appointments all day - Luke is going to school because it's his Christmas Party! Ally has her Christmas Concert in the afternoon and tomorrow evening. I go to both performances because I am THAT Mom. ;-) I am having a girls dinner out Friday. And then, this weekend is the big firetruck birthday party for a very special four year old! One of my besties will be coming into town Saturday to stay the weekend and help us prepare for the big day.
The list is endless - the things I still need to do and get for the party. I think the ONLY thing I have as of now are the party hats and the cupcake toppers! Better bust a move!
I am really looking forward to Ally's concert tomorrow. There are no words for how it moved me last year. It was absolutely adorable. Seriously, one of the most amazing sights to see is a school of 300 plus kids all sing a song together for the finale, singing the praises of the real reason for the season. If that doesn't bring a tear of pure joy to your eye, you better check your pulse. It is awesome.
I know I talk a lot about how much I love our school... but I don't tend to overstate things. I truly feel it. I truly do love the school Ally attends. We are blessed to have the means to send her there. I truly feel thankful beyond words.
I do have a bunch of fun pictures and updates! Since I last blogged, we got our tree and decorated it... had brunch with Santa where my kids actually sat with Santa. This was a HUGE moment.... for Ally because she's almost nine and has never approached Santa... and for Luke, because, well... he's Luke and he doesn't approach anyone!!!!!!!
Ally and I also went to see one of her besties in a performance of the Nutcracker... had a great time and I have some adorable pictures from that! Was so much fun to watch all those little girls support her in her performance...... girlfriends are the cornerstone of life at any age.
So.... I will soon post these amazing pics and give more updates.... right now, I must wrap up my last work day.... and get on the party planning!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
PLEASE VOTE!!!!
Queen's school has entered the Pepsi Refresh Video contest in hopes of winning $50,000 for technology for our school. Videos win by getting the most votes, and you can vote each day until December 31st, BOTH by texting 110730 to Pepsi (73774) AND by going to the website below. That's right. You can vote TWICE each day. If we get all of our friends and families to vote, maybe we can get SMART boards for every classroom!
Queen's Pepsi Refresh Contest Site
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE vote daily!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!
Queen's Pepsi Refresh Contest Site
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE vote daily!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!
Monday, December 5, 2011
The Good Things...
This weekend was a bummer. Couldn't really do anything at all. Mostly felt drugged, or sore, or out of it. So, I slept almost all day Saturday... and Sunday, I couldn't take it anymore and tried to accomplish those things I could do from a seated position!
So.. I did all our Christmas cards. I may have also done the laundry and picked up and got the kids ready for school... and... and... cuz that's just what I do. So, it's quite possible that today I am paying for it. That, and the fact that I am at work. I hurt today and feel generally not quite right. Yuck!
But even all that said... I look back on the weekend and the things that stick out are these:
Luke really was as cute as can be. He is generally a "mama's boy" through and through, and Scott found it kinda nice that he had no choice but to bond with him this weekend. They played and did all sorts of things together... and Luke didn't seem to care that I wasn't the one doing everything for him. It was good, in a way.....
Ally wasn't around so much. She had a birthday party/sleepover on Friday... then, gymnastics Saturday morning... and they went out to lunch afterwards and brought me some food home. We all laid low on Saturday... and Sunday, Ally went to the Green and White meet with Nana and Grace. She got home in time to go to bed... after leaving within an hour of waking up. The girl has a busy social calendar. :-)
We also had some family heartbreak this weekend, as my Uncle Ed passed away on Sunday afternoon. He was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer about 14 months ago... and though, he fought the good fight for a long time, the cancer eventually took the best of him... and he passed yesterday at around 2 pm. He was only 67 and his kids are my age and younger. He has three grandchildren that will miss him terribly... not to mention my grandma, his only sister... who will mourn his loss, as she did the loss of their mother last year and her hubby far too many years ago. Please pray for my grandma at this time... while she is one of the strongest women I know, she also has suffered a great deal of loss in her life.
So... my mom and step-dad are on their way to Michigan... and with this turn of events... brings my mom visiting for the rest of the month as she has decided to stay through Christmas! So... I am selfishly excited about this. She will be home for Ally's Christmas program... and Ally's gymnastic's show.... not to mention, be around for some babysitting... :-) The kids are really excited to have her around for a while... and I'm hoping Luke can spend some time there with her and my grandma... cuz Luke and my grandma seem to have a cute little bond. :-)
It's Monday folks..... it can only get better from here! Let's have a great week blog friends!
So.. I did all our Christmas cards. I may have also done the laundry and picked up and got the kids ready for school... and... and... cuz that's just what I do. So, it's quite possible that today I am paying for it. That, and the fact that I am at work. I hurt today and feel generally not quite right. Yuck!
But even all that said... I look back on the weekend and the things that stick out are these:
- Scott bringing up a little table from the basement so he and Luke could eat dinner in my bedroom with me.
- Luke acting so gentle every time he was near me.. never jumping on the bed or climbing on me and giving me the "whisper hug..."
- Ally's friend Kennedy making me a get-well card
- Luke asking "Mommy when will you feel better?" My response, "Soon buddy!" Him saying, "Will a hug make you better?" (you bet it will!)
- Ally making me a get-well coaster at the lock in Friday night
- Luke always wanting to be the one to bring me things.. water and food.... he was such a little helper.
- Luke bonding with Scott this weekend and becoming a "Daddy's boy!"
- My hubby setting his alarm to go off all night when I needed medication so I was never in pain
- Ally climbing in bed with me any chance she had so I didn't have to be alone.
- My hubby generally doing everything and being superdad and superhubby all weekend long!
Luke really was as cute as can be. He is generally a "mama's boy" through and through, and Scott found it kinda nice that he had no choice but to bond with him this weekend. They played and did all sorts of things together... and Luke didn't seem to care that I wasn't the one doing everything for him. It was good, in a way.....
Ally wasn't around so much. She had a birthday party/sleepover on Friday... then, gymnastics Saturday morning... and they went out to lunch afterwards and brought me some food home. We all laid low on Saturday... and Sunday, Ally went to the Green and White meet with Nana and Grace. She got home in time to go to bed... after leaving within an hour of waking up. The girl has a busy social calendar. :-)
We also had some family heartbreak this weekend, as my Uncle Ed passed away on Sunday afternoon. He was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer about 14 months ago... and though, he fought the good fight for a long time, the cancer eventually took the best of him... and he passed yesterday at around 2 pm. He was only 67 and his kids are my age and younger. He has three grandchildren that will miss him terribly... not to mention my grandma, his only sister... who will mourn his loss, as she did the loss of their mother last year and her hubby far too many years ago. Please pray for my grandma at this time... while she is one of the strongest women I know, she also has suffered a great deal of loss in her life.
So... my mom and step-dad are on their way to Michigan... and with this turn of events... brings my mom visiting for the rest of the month as she has decided to stay through Christmas! So... I am selfishly excited about this. She will be home for Ally's Christmas program... and Ally's gymnastic's show.... not to mention, be around for some babysitting... :-) The kids are really excited to have her around for a while... and I'm hoping Luke can spend some time there with her and my grandma... cuz Luke and my grandma seem to have a cute little bond. :-)
It's Monday folks..... it can only get better from here! Let's have a great week blog friends!
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Post Surgery Fog....
So, I had some surgery yesterday. I realize I have never actually had surgery in my life. A planned surgery that is. I had an emergency appendectomy a while back... but with that, you are sick as hell in the ER and then, they are knocking out out. You don't know what's going on. You don't have the time to sit and agonize over it.
I did this time.
I went into my OBGYN for the normal thing.... I actually go more often because I have had abnormal paps.... and last January, had my first LEEP procedure done to remove some of my cervix that had some pretty bad abnormal cells.
So... almost two years later, the cells are back. And, just as bad. I cannot help but work myself up over this. Add to it... the fact that my periods have been out of control and having all sorts of other issues. I went though extensive testing to rule out the fact that maybe the abnormal cells had moved into my uterus, or that there was something worse. I had an ultrasound and a biopsy of my endometrial lining. All good under that hood.
But, still I had the crazy periods, so we decided I would have an endometrial ablation.... at the same time we removed more cervix... which meant, bigger surgery for me. But the good drugs after! ;-)
So, this is my second cervix removal... and while I went through my total anxiety attack... a part of me just wanted them to take everything out. Luckily, my doc can talk me off a ledge like no one else can... and he assured me this was the best next step and that he was as aggressive as he could be in there.
Still... you hear the words "precancerous"... "stage 0 cancer"... "in five years this will turn into cancer" ... and you freak out just a bit!
I really toyed with whether or not I would go into this detail on my blog. Then, I heard from a friend very recently... that a good friend of hers and someone I have met in the past... was just diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer at the age of 31. She was NOT good about getting her paps.
Do you get your paps yearly? I assumed everyone did. I am discovering more and more people do not.
It is a simple, albeit, uncomfortable procedure that could save your life people. This is not an option.
Go do it now.
Caught early, the survival rate is 97%...... caught late.... 17%. Those are some pretty drastic odds there.
Did I mention you should do it now?
Besides... they catch things even earlier now... like they did with me... and they get it out before it can even turn into something else. I am all for total removal of what could go bad. Just get it out!
Knowledge is power. Take control of your body. Take care of yourself. Go get a freakin' pap people!!
Today, I am feeling much better than yesterday. I was in and out all day. I have the best nurse in the world in my hubby who has waited on me non stop. He brings me my drugs and won't let the pain come before he's popping a pill into my mouth. He feeds me. Waters me. Loves me. He and Luke brought a little table in my room so we could have dinner together. We make the best of mommy being laid up.
I will continue to take it easy for the rest of the weekend and should be good to go back to work on Monday.....
I did this time.
I went into my OBGYN for the normal thing.... I actually go more often because I have had abnormal paps.... and last January, had my first LEEP procedure done to remove some of my cervix that had some pretty bad abnormal cells.
So... almost two years later, the cells are back. And, just as bad. I cannot help but work myself up over this. Add to it... the fact that my periods have been out of control and having all sorts of other issues. I went though extensive testing to rule out the fact that maybe the abnormal cells had moved into my uterus, or that there was something worse. I had an ultrasound and a biopsy of my endometrial lining. All good under that hood.
But, still I had the crazy periods, so we decided I would have an endometrial ablation.... at the same time we removed more cervix... which meant, bigger surgery for me. But the good drugs after! ;-)
So, this is my second cervix removal... and while I went through my total anxiety attack... a part of me just wanted them to take everything out. Luckily, my doc can talk me off a ledge like no one else can... and he assured me this was the best next step and that he was as aggressive as he could be in there.
Still... you hear the words "precancerous"... "stage 0 cancer"... "in five years this will turn into cancer" ... and you freak out just a bit!
I really toyed with whether or not I would go into this detail on my blog. Then, I heard from a friend very recently... that a good friend of hers and someone I have met in the past... was just diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer at the age of 31. She was NOT good about getting her paps.
Do you get your paps yearly? I assumed everyone did. I am discovering more and more people do not.
It is a simple, albeit, uncomfortable procedure that could save your life people. This is not an option.
Go do it now.
Caught early, the survival rate is 97%...... caught late.... 17%. Those are some pretty drastic odds there.
Did I mention you should do it now?
Besides... they catch things even earlier now... like they did with me... and they get it out before it can even turn into something else. I am all for total removal of what could go bad. Just get it out!
Knowledge is power. Take control of your body. Take care of yourself. Go get a freakin' pap people!!
Today, I am feeling much better than yesterday. I was in and out all day. I have the best nurse in the world in my hubby who has waited on me non stop. He brings me my drugs and won't let the pain come before he's popping a pill into my mouth. He feeds me. Waters me. Loves me. He and Luke brought a little table in my room so we could have dinner together. We make the best of mommy being laid up.
I will continue to take it easy for the rest of the weekend and should be good to go back to work on Monday.....
Pepsi Refresh Project!!!
My daugther's school, Queen of the Miraculous Medal has entered the Pepsi Refresh Project! They were chosen as finalists and can win $50,000!!!!
They intend to used this money to purchase smart board for their classrooms!
I need you, my blog friends, to help us out by VOTING DAILY!
You can vote by texting the number 110730 to Pepsi at 73744. You can do this every day. How easy is that???
You can also go to the website:
http://
But, please, please, please! Vote as often as you can and as often as you can remember!!!!!!
They intend to used this money to purchase smart board for their classrooms!
I need you, my blog friends, to help us out by VOTING DAILY!
You can vote by texting the number 110730 to Pepsi at 73744. You can do this every day. How easy is that???
You can also go to the website:
http://
But, please, please, please! Vote as often as you can and as often as you can remember!!!!!!
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