Holidays are coming!

I am getting super excited about starting to prepare for the Holidays. I hope to have all my Christmas shopping done (with the exception of the red man) done by Thanksgiving.

I am very big on home made gifts. I like to give gifts that mean something to the person. Most of the people we give gifts to do not Need anything. So i like to spend time preparing things for them that are sentimental. For example: My brother in law is a single father. He never has his kids picture made, well because he doesn't think about it. So I am going to have their pics done & have a large one made for him for his home.

My sister on the other hand is tricky, she never wants anything, needs anything or mentions anything. Hmmmm.

What are some of your favorite gifts to make? or give?

Happy to report

that my Mom has been home for 9 days now and seems to be making progress. Alie-Grace seems to be feeling a little better since last weeks raging kidney infection.

Fall Break

Original Plan: 3 day scrapbook retreat with some of my consignment besties.

*mom's bloodclot changes plans*

2nd Plan: Spend two nights camping in Chattanooga with hubby & kids.

*mom's blood clot in limbo*

THE PLAN: Mom back in Vandy on Wednesday night. Dad driving her crazy. He is such a worrier. Mom insists we go to Chattanooga & take DAD WITH US!

On Saturday morning around 7am we rolled out for Chattanooga. We arrived around 9 and made camp and got set up.

Steven & I leave Dad there on the lake watching speed boat races and head into downtown. We had lunch @ the kids favorite pizza place The Mellow Mushroom & went over to the aquarium. Super nice to walk in for free (we joined last time we went)! After seeing the sights there we walked around in the Art district for a while & headed back to camp to prepare dinner.

Pork tenderloin, potatoes & fried corn ! YUMMO

The kids played & had a blast @ the camp site.

Then had a ton of fun making smores with their daddy.

Breakfast: Grilled Bacon, Scrambled eggs, Fried Potatoes & toast! See why I love Camping!

We headed out to Ruby Falls. WOW It was so beautiful. The kids loved it.

We headed back to camp, ate lunch watched boat races & packed up.

The kids watched 2 new movies on the way home and went strait to bed.

*Mom enjoyed her "relaxing weekend in the hospital"

Blog O' Blog I have not forsaken you...

....I actually think about you often when I am needing to vent or feel connected to the world but there is NO time anymore. Eventually I will find time but for now we are still in the adjustment perid.

So here is the run down of my life in the last 7 weeks or so...........

August 5th- In a whorl wind mtg I accept a new FULL TIME JOB! @ the little kids school
August 8th- Consignment Mania (my Fav time of the year begins)
August 9th- Visit Nursing Home (Grammie sitting in bed talking very lucidly, tells me to "hurry on to work we will catch up this week")
August 10th-Kids first day of School (Kate's first day of MIDDLE SCHOOL)
August 11th- Grammie Dies (WOW)
August 16th- Car messes up!
Aug 17th- the vomiting Kate developed the night before still has not gone away.
August 19th- Kate goes to Vandy ER from peds office with possible appencitis.
August 22nd -Kate still in Vandy! No appendicitis, complications from a virus causing Mesenteric Andenitis (inflamed Lymph Nods in belly)
August 23rd- Grammies Memorial Service (Kate did not get to go)
August 24th- Start New job
August 8th-22nd -Still Working Sale every day but 1! Thanks Brea for all your patience.
August 30th-Wes turns 9! Backyard water party, water slide , pool & grill out.
August 30th pm -Kate back to Vandy with severe pain
September 1st- My Mom has major surgery (also @ Vandy)
September 1st - 9pm Katie released
*So far total school days missed 12 of 19!
September 10th- Back in ER with Katie due to unequal pupils (possible complication from all meds)
September 11th-My moms 5yr Cancer anniversary and she is still in hospital dealing with this crap even though she has been "cancer free" 4 years!
September 16th- Mom comes home (much weaker than expected & not recovering well but home)
September 21st - Mom rushed back to Vandy @ re-admitted. ( complcations from the drains & a contagious infection from surgery)
September 25th - Kate back @ Vandy ! Bladder Infection! WOW we never thought to look there!
Now has missed 17 of 34 days of school!


Today September 28th, Katie is better than she has been in weeks, my Mom is still at Vanderbilt & is not doing very well. I am exhausted from re-joining the working world and juggling my life lately. I am grateful for ALL the prayers for my family over the past few weeks.

Vanderbilt.....give my kid back

Sweet (& sassy) Katie has been in Vandy since August 19th. She started throwing up on the 16th & was no better by Tuesday night. Begged out of going to the ER and by Wednesday morning we were NOT GOOD. We rushed to our peds office, were rushed over for some STAT test and then I was sent rushing to Vandy with her because she managed to beg her doc out of the Ambulance ride. They ruled out Appendicitis quickly and diagnosed inflamed lymph nods in the belly as the cause of the pain. Problem is she still can't digest food with out writhing in pain so 6 days later we are still here.

Grammies Memorial Service was yesterday & she had to miss it. That was torture. She was right there holding her hand when it counted though. I hope she doesn't end up with issues from missing it.

Tonsils are OUT!!!!

thank goodness, maybe we will not have to deal with so much sickness and days out of school this year NOW.

The pic in Hospital gown is her right after we arrived and before the Loopy Tylenol.

Top rt is her right before we went home. She had just finished a Banana pop and Apple juice. She came back sitting up on the gurney asking for a snack. If you know her at all you know she is ALWAYS hungry.

top left. I really thought that her throat would b so sore we could knock this thumb sucking out easy. NO GO. Evidently your throat is NEVER to sore to suck your thumb.

Summer days with Daddy......

CONSIGNMENT TIME AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!

it is that time of year again!
my girl friend Raelene came over two different days and helped me sort through and make
Good Will, give back, trash & Sell piles. She came back 2 days later and helped me get my gigantic Sell pile ALL on Hangers.

For some reason the kids wanted to play right under our feet but we managed to get it to that stage so now I have to re install my printer & make my tags.

Or maybe I should get a number first!

Swiss Cereal

When i was little my grandmother lived in Miami. Every time she came to town she would do a lot of cooking for us and one of the things was this cold cereal she called Swiss Cereal. It was so sweet and full of fruit (& fat). So lately everytime I go to the nursing home to visit I am over whelmed by a craving for this creamy creation. She was having a pretty lucid day last week to I began to probe her on the Recipe. I had to figure some of it out myself.


SWISS CEREAL

1 cup Raw Oats
1.5 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
.5 cup of granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla

raisins if desired

chill over night (covered)

mix first 2 ingrediants together until smooth, then add sugar and vanilla. The raisins are added before chilling overnight because they plump a little. In the morning stir and u may need to add a little more cream.....Now add any fruit you like. I love it with apples and bananas.

Summer Days

Picking Blue Berries and making Pies with Daddy.

Riding the Fire Truck in the July 4th Parade

Farming and fixing fences

Ballet and Guitar

Family time & Kissy Faces with the hubs!

These are just a few things we have been up to this Summer so far.