Moody Monday - Round

Moody Monday

Happy Mellow Yellow Monday - "Mixed Media Art by 5 Year Old"

Mellow Yellow Monday is such a cheery meme especially on days like today when it is rainy and gray.

Goddess loves creating and spends a lot of time putting art together. She has no idea how great she is. At 5 her ideas are inspiring and way outside the box. She constantly is brainstorming some craft idea and saves certain items until she has everything she needs for her project. If she is this organized and creative at 5, I can only imagine where this natural ability will take her as she gets older.

Here is one of her pieces which has since this picture, been turned into a multi-page book.


In this she used tape, chalk, crayons, paper and embellishments. She had no idea that a term "mixed media" existed until I told her. She is of course very happy with herself.

Blue Monday - Baby Bunny

This Blue Monday, I present a Easter Bunny Doll that my Father sent to my daughter on her first Easter. It was part of his collection and he wanted her to have it. It sits on a shelf in her room. Every once in a while she asks to play with it and I tell it she has to be careful because the face is porcelain. She says, "I'm good with glass things" and usually only holds it for 10 minutes before she asks me to put it back. The only reason I hold onto it is because my father sent it to her. Once a big doll collector now I see them as mostly dust collectors. I have about 20 dolls in storage tat Goddess has never seen. I hope they are still intact. One day, I will haul them out and go through them. Hopefully, she doesn't' want to keep them all.

Wish Me Luck On My New Job

I am sure you have seen this sweet, little logo on my blog by now. Baby Bindle was created by Sandra, one of the winners of the Huggies Mom Inspired Grant Program which I mentioned on Maria's Space. She is a personal friend and reader of Maria's Space. When I heard she was selected, I was thrilled that one of my readers had won.

Baby Bindle's first product is called a SeatPak. It is a one of a kind diaper bag and attaches to your baby carrier freeing your hands and arms to take care of your most prized possession. Your baby!

So, what does this have to do with me? Well, head over to this post and find out. While there, feel free to wish Sandra luck on her quest to make the lives of parents everywhere "smoother"

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter if you are interested. We would love to  hear from you and I could use all the support I can get as I head back to workforce.

Please Vote For Handsome and Goddess

Check out Handsome and Goddess and if you feel like voting for them or another participate, please do. We would love to win and finally give back to a hospital. After receiving thousands in charity care at my hospital, it would be great to pay it forward. You can vote daily.

The Weekend In Black and White

The Weekend in Black and White!

Here is my baby girl playing ballerina last week. There is just something adorable about the way the ribbon looks on her leg. 

Saturday 9: Monday, Monday

Saturday 9: Monday, Monday

1. How does your day usually go on Monday? The same as every other day of the week. My son wakes me at 6:30 and we lie on the couch until I can open my eyes. Then I get the kids ready for school. Drop them off. Park. Heard into the morning meeting. Go home. Throw a load of laundry in. Make beds. Put on the computer. Check email. Eat breakfast. Dust a room. Call a friend. Eat lunch. Blog.  Pick up kids from school. Do homework. Make dinner. Bath time. Put kids to bed. Read, Netflix, and Webkinz. Facebook. Bed.

2. Who was the last band you saw live? Bon Jovi, over 10 years ago.

3. When was the last time you purchased something over $50? Christmas Toys for the kids.

4. Does talking about sex make you uncomfortable? Hell no! One of my favorite subjects.

5. Do you wish you were someplace else right now? I would like to be sleeping in a comfortable bed, dreaming a pleasant dream.

6. Tell us about the last wedding that you attended. It was so long ago, I don't remember. May have been my own.

7. What's annoying you right now? The sound on TV movies. Constantly having to adjust the sound. Up, down, up, down. Can we get some consistency please?!

8. What is your best skill/ability? Why? I can deal with most personality types. I like most people and have no problem dealing with all.  Why? Because I can accept people just as they are. I have been doing it my whole life.  I can also forgive and forget a lot of things by simply saying, "if they could do better, they would do better. This is their best." Who am I to judge?

9. If someone asked a friend of yours, "Hey, what is one thing your friend is exceptional at?", what would they say about you? Why? She is a good person. She will say hello to everyone and takes takes good photos.  Why? Because, that's why.

Journaling My Medical Drama of 2010 - The Final Chapter

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3


Last week, I spoke to my friend Maria who I had called accidentally while trying to call my friend Marianne, who was in the hospital for a heart problem. It was great to talk to Maria even if it was an accident. We worked together before I stopped a paying job to be a stay at home mom. She was big Maria (she is over 6 feet tall) and I was little Maria (4'11 and 3/4). For a while we sat next to each other and were just the Maria's. Any way, I digress as usual....while talking to Maria she said, "so are you eer going to write part 4 of the medical drama?" I asked, "you read my blog?" She said, every day and mentioned how she has watched the kids grow through my blog. Cute. She has never even met Goddess but knows all about her.

My reason for holding off on the post was, I wasn't far enough from this particular experience. It was still to raw but I can do it now. After discussing it with Maria on the phone, I am ready to write it down and let it go.

So....Maria and anyone else reading, here is the final installment of my medical drama.

Last we left off, I was home. It was the 21st of December and I was walking up and down the hall.  That night was OK. The next day sometime after lunch, I started feeling some pain. It started small enough but soon progressed to an unbearable. Every breath I took made it worse. Every move I made was excruciating so much so that, doing anything brought tears to my eyes.

When I had to go to the bathroom, Teach would come over, I would wrap my arms around his neck and he would lift me. Then I needed another minute or more before we started moving. The bathroom is only two doorways away but it would take us almost 5 minutes to get there and then the same thing. He would help me with my pants, then lower me to the toilet. Coming in until he was needed to help me again. Goddess saw us coming back from the bathroom and asked if we were dancing.

The pain was so bad that I wanted to die. It felt worse than anything I had ever physically experienced in my life. There was no breathing through it and if I had a knife in my hand, I would have killed myself to stop the suffering.

Beside this pain, my stomach had been leaking a disgusting fluid for two days and although I wasn't concerned about it, it added to my stress. My clothes were soaked. The pain unbearable and unable to even participate in my kids lives. I was there but not.

I called the doctors office on the 23rd asking his front desk to please have him prescribe a pain killer for me.  She asked if I had run out and I explained that I was sent home with nothing but couldn't breath through this pain. She put me on hold and when she came back said, "the doctor wants you to get to the emergency room." He says you shouldn't the kind of pain you are describing. I told him you said, your pain was above a 10 he said, it shouldn't even be at a 4!

Turning to Teach, I started crying and told him what I was told. My biggest fear; "they are going to keep me!"

I called Clarissa and told her that I had to get to the ER, could I drop the kids off to her. She said of course and wouldn't come to the car when I dropped off. She said she could tell by my face how bad my pain was and she didn't want to cry or make me cry.

The ride was unbearable and Teach called out each bump. I was leaking everywhere from my stomach and the pain was above a 10. He got a wheelchair and we headed in telling them that I had just been released 2 days earlier and was told by my surgeon to come back.

We were there almost 5 hours. Waiting for test results while I suffered and worried about the pain and whether they were going to keep me. Teach told everyone who came in that if there was no infection, they would have to give me something for the pain so I could be home for Christmas and if anything, we would come back.

The fluid was supposedly serous fluid and there was nothing showing up in my blood. The verdict was that this was the beginning of an infection from stool going through my sutures. If this was only the beginning, I hate to think what a full fledged infection would have been like.

I asked for pain killers and they gave me an antibiotic. Since being on antibiotics off and on for over 6 months I was concerned about going on another but took it anyway. I guess these people don't believe in antibiotic resistance.

When the nurse was leaving I asked for a pain killer to get me through the ride home. If you know me, I don't take meds unless necessary. If I am taking a pain killer, I NEED it.

I took two because of my pain level and we headed back to get the kids. We called Clarissa to have them ready and I asked for a plastic bag because I was feeling nauseous. I called my girlfriend Susan because she had text me while I was at the hospital and as speaking felt very loopy and tired. Teach was getting the prescription filled while I waited in the car. When he came back I told him I was tired and felt loopy like I couldn't hold my head up.

He asked if we could pick up the kids and take them to McDonalds because he had promised them. I told him fine since I would probably sleep through the ride.

Nope!

We got the kids, drove to Mickey D's and on the way back, I started getting very nauseous. We were only 6 minutes from home when I threw up. Unfortunately, the bag had a leak it leaked all over the car.

For the next two days, I would take my Oxycontin with the biggest regret since it made me nauseous 15 minutes after taking it.  Then I would sit there unable to hold my head up with a throat full of vomit waiting for it to finally come up. It went something like this. Teach would come over with the pill and water. I would take it. He would come and sit with me holding a plastic bag over my face, until I finally 15-30 minutes later would throw up. How the hell do people get addicted to that stuff?

Day 3 I woke up and refused to take the pill. It wasn't worth it. The pain was now an 8 and I could breathe through it.

When I finally got back to the doctor's office he wasn't there and I had the day wrong. So I made an appointment through his office at wound care at the hospital. They were great. I loved them but while there, they made me very nervous. They didn't like the fluid coming out of my stomach, didn't think it was serous. The cultured it. I also had two holes that were refusing to close. One was 3 cm. and the other 10 cm. They wanted to do another cats scan which I refused. They did a sonogram and when they made me head down to admissions to get a hospital band. I totally lost it. They probably thought I was crazy but I was sure I was being admitted. Wiping my tears they stuck some probs in my belly holes and under sonogram tried to figure out what was going on. They worried that there was an infection or that some of the sutures had popped. Really?!

I should have split this into two posts. This is way longer than I intended but there is so much to cover and its not just for you guys my readers, it is for me too.

Anyway, the short story is. Finally after a month of problems after surgery, more antibiotics and still wearing a surgical band. Me and my belly are doing much better. It isn't an attractive belly anymore. It kind of looks like a little baby butt with the line going through my little gunt but really all that matters is I am much better!

Enough!

So how was the start of your New Year?

Dinosaur Train Make A Match Game - Review

es with a cute little fully decorated Buddy figure. Great for ages 3 and up, and 2-4 players
 
What I Can Tell You:
My kids and I love games. My parents didn't spend a lot of time playing games with us which is why I do it with my kids. Kids love spending time with you and games are a great way to do something together as a family but also provides a valuable opportunity to teach, manners and social skills.
 
Dinosaur Train Make A Match Game with a Buddy figurine, takes the basic rules of your typical matching game and adds an exciting twist.
 

To begin play, 48 game cards featuring favorite Dinosaurs from Dinosaur Train are shuffled and laid face down in 6 rows of 8 cards each.

Players take turns turning over any two cards ‹so all players can see them) to find a matching pair. The game features ³Take Buddy² cards, ³Wild Cards² and ³Lose a Pair² cards to add to the excitement.

If you got the Take Buddy cards, you literally took Buddy the little figurine. We loved the Take Buddy cards and laughed or boo'd everytime someone swiped him from another. The holder of Buddy is the rock star of the game.

Just like every matching game, the person with the most sets wins. However, if you are holding the Buddy figurine at the end, you get an extra 4 points which means, you could still win if you have less sets. Such a cute idea!

T

The Healthy Home - A Must Read

What I Can Tell You:
This is one of the most interesting books I have read on protecting my family from the every day products I use in my home and on our bodies.

I was shocked at how many toxins we have in our house. Once you get educated, it is easy to see why these items are a danger to you and your family.

We are all scent based and if something smells good, it is good for us. This is far from the truth. I remembered while reading this book that a friend of mine while taking clothes out of the dryer after as wash commented on how nice  her clothes smelled. I wanted to call her and say, stop using products with scents. Our pores take in these toxins created by scientists in a lab.

"The whiff of mountain spring comes from Scientists dressed in white lab coats and masks, sitting on stools mixing compounds until they reproduce natural smells through the use of chemicals."

It was also an eye opener to read  the section on pest control. The cartoon shows a guy wearing a protective suit armed with an oxygen tank and a spray can standing over two unprotected kids. The words under it are: "I think I saw a fly." In the summer, I spray the gazebo like crazy to keep the flying nats and mosquitoes out. It is time to read the labels or like for some pyretha (thanks Vexcon).

There is so much to discuss here. Like did you know that OJ after a few weeks loses Vitamin C? Or that Milk is acid producing which means it cancels out calcium intake.

I could go on and on. This is one of those books that you will want to highlight, dog ear and discuss with your friends and family for years to come.

How To Flirt With A Naked Werewolf

Don't you love that title?

It's title of a book by Molly Harper the author of the Nice Girls series.

What I Can Tell You:
I can only imagine the kind of book Molly could have written this year. It was a ridiculous winter.
Mo or Moon, our female lead in How to Flirt With A Naked Werewolf is a girl after my own heart. She takes chances, she is fun, witty, sweet and can kick ass and take a punch!

When Mo finds herself looking for a change after a broken engagement she packs up and heads to the wide open spaces of Grundy. Where she finds a job, makes friend's easily and eventually comes face to face with the blue-green glowing eyes of a wolf/man. 

The story is quick and witty.  Mo has a way with words, especially when it comes to the male anatomy. I loved it.  Research Werewolf girlfriends on the internet? Too funny.

The cover is adorable, giving hint to how fun and clever the story is.

I am looking forward to the sequel; THE ART OF SEDUCING A NAKED WEREWOLF, due out next month.

If you like paranormal romances, this is a great book.

This Way ThursWay #92 - The Ballerina

Goddess spent some time playing dress up again today, so I grabbed a few for Freda's This Way Thursway.

Alphabe-Thursday - T

T = Tongue

Eating snow is my kids favorite thing to do (beside sledding) in the winter.

T = Touch

All photos are available for purchase. Email me here

One of my favorite pictures this year. A father's loving hand! My daughter was complaining about hair in her mouth when dad came in to save the day.

T = Tools

Goddess loves to create. She is a natural and uses many elements to make art. She thinks outside the box and comes up with things that no one else does. Her teachers have always been impressed with her creativity.

Finished product was a Valentine ornament

Primose Family Dance-Off - Enter and/or Vote for My Crazy Kids

This has been one of the funnest (yes it is a word, I looked it up) and most rewarding campaigns I have been lucky enough to be involved in. Anytime I can include the kids, it is a good time.

We put on the music and the kids danced their little butts off. They laughed and carried on for about 40 minutes listening to songs like Who Let The Dogs Out, Celebration and YMCA. They had a blast! My son who has been listening to Baby Einstein tapes to go to sleep since he was born now listens to these songs instead. They ask for a Dance Party every afternoon after school and we boggie down before homework. Beside working off some energy, they are having so much fun! I love our new ritual.

Primrose School is hosting a Family Dance Off to promote healthy habits, physical fitness and good old fashion good times, along with a contest that anyone can enter.

ABC Wednesday - F Stands For????

Frozen


Framed
Yesterday when we headed outside, I grabbed an empty picture frame. My kids were like, what?????? Asking them to grab a piece of the frame and pretend they were the picture was so much fun. I love the result!

When the kids come inside after playing in the snow they are freezing. I can ask them 100 times outside as I sit there freezing and pleading to go in. It is only after we are heading up the house steps that they say they are frozen. It takes us about 15 minutes to thaw out as we remove everything. Then it is hot chocolate, blanket and TV time with the family. It is soooo worth being frozen for two hours.

The Happiest Project - What Makes You Happy?

My crazy baby makes me happy. Her faces crack me up. She is a total clown.

Color Carnival - Daddy's Loving Hand

Daddy's Loving Hand, originally uploaded by on_angel_wings2001.

I love her face in this picture. She looks so happy. She was complaining about hair in her mouth and couldn't get it with her wet gloves. She asked for help and daddy stepped in to assist.

The hearts were added in Picnik because it fit the photo. She looks soooo happy. One of my favorites from the day.

Mommy and Me Monday

It is scary how fast the years go. My son is only 4 months old here. He is going on 8 this May which makes this almost 8 years ago and I look so much younger, so much thinner.

This is before his mole appeared under his nose which I am completely in love with now.

There was a time, about 2 years ago when he didn't want any pictures drawn with a mole. He would try to erase it. When I put it on his Mii in the Wii game, he wouldn't play with that Mii. Now, he accepts the mole. If he one day chooses to remove it, or grows a stash to cover it, it would be hard for me but as a loving mom, I would respect his wish and not make a big deal of it. At least I don't think I will.

Happy Mellow Yellow Monday - "Girly Room"

Here is my son hanging out in the "girly room". I walked by asking him, "honey, what are you doing?

"Hanging in the girly room" was his answer. He was playing with Squinkies that belong to my daughter. Too cute. I love that at almost 8, he is so not embarrassed by this.

Self Portrait Sunday - February 20, 2011

After taking a few weeks off from Self Portrait Sunday due to life and medical nonsense, I am back and hoping some people will play along. Freda?????

Hearts A Flutter

The snow is still very present here. The hearts have been active and love is in the air this month being February and all.

God Loves Me More Than That

What I Can Tell You:
We are not an overly religious family meaning, we don't attend Church every Sunday and we don't follow the rules of Lent however, we do celebrate God and talk about him daily. My children know who he is, what he wants for and from them and pray to him every night.  They have tons of questions that sometimes are very hard for me to explain. What I do tell them, is how much he loves them. That he created everything and we are here because he loves us. Love is a big part of our God talk which is why this book was so perfect for my famliy.

The photos are beautiful and take up two pages when held flat. Also each page has a simple sentence  or question that will keep a child's attention if you are reading out loud or will enable first time readers the comfort of trying to read alone or out loud themselves.

"Tell me, please is the Lord's love high?
 Higher than the moon in a starless sky!"

Maria Says: Great for ages 4-9

Alphabe-Thursday - S

What is that???

Let's get closer....

It's....

A Snow Angel

New VC Andrews Book Hits Shelves Feb 22, 2011

What I Can Tell You:
My sister and I grew up big VC Andrew fans and have read so many of her books. Family Storms is a 2 part series and I cannot wait to get book 2.
 
As man VC Andrew fans know, VC Andrews died in 1986 and her family works closely with a ghost writer who has taken synopsis' created by VC herself and created stories that will continue to excite long time fans of VC Andrews.
 
Family Storms, is about Sasha who after losing her mother when she is struck by a teen driver named Kiera March.  Kiera's mother takes Sasha in and has her living in her beloved deceased daughter Alena's room.  While dealing with the loss of her mother, an injury from the accident, and now a "new" family situation, Sasha feels alone and tries to be the person she knows her mother would want her to be. She accepts the gifts Ms. March presents to her, handles herself with the elusive Mr. March and deals with the jealousy of a Kiera who was never put first when her sister was alive.
 
When Sasha shines in the adult March's eyes, Kiera does what she can to make sure they never put another "daughter" ahead of her.
 
I personally loved this story. It stays very true to the VC Andrews library. I found myself wanting to yell "Sasha, don't trust her" so many times.  Kiera is evil and will obviously be found out, hopefully Sasha can make it out with her diginity and be a stronger person in the long run.
 

ABC Wednesday - E

E = Eating

My son will only eat eggs, if it looks like this....
Yummy! Green eggs and ham rock.

Tuesday Takes - Siblings

Look at the size difference on my son and daughter who are only 23 month apart! Oh and yes, that is my son, not too daughters, he needs a hair cut in the worst way. Bangs only because I love long hair on boys.

Fun on A Snow Day - Silly Camera Tricks

The kids have had 6 snow days so far. Most days we take them outside to play in the snow but when it's cold, we still have a lot of indoor hours to kill.

Goddess and I played with some silly camera tricks. She loved the results and still laughs when she sees these two weeks later.

Don't let go....

I got her!

Knocked her right off her ball. Believe me, she deserved it.

Fun with a wire cleaner

Alphabe-Thursday - R

Today at Alphabe-Thursday the letter is R. Let's see what we have in the Flickr Folder today.

R = Rolling. My kids have not owned a sled yet. They simply roll and slide down the hill on our property.





R = Running. The kids love playing in the snow. I understand and loved it too when was a kid. These days can't warm up and just want to go inside. Usually we stay out for an hour and a half. Thankfully Teach usually sends me inside after and hour and takes the last half. He takes them out almost every day. Thank God he does, I would simply send them to the deck if it were up to me.

You Capture - Cold

Oh my word...it has been coooollllddd this winter.

The view from the front of my house


Brrr...


Here is my deck, notice the kids playhouse, the snow is practically up to the roof!



The chairs are in the same position they have been in since Teach winterized our deck. I look forward to being able to use them again.


This is the image I see of my car most mornings this winter.


One day we will take those outdoor Christmas ornaments down. The reindeer need to be dug out and I know somewhere under there are some of those big, inflatable, Christmas decorations.

Ruby Tuesday - Valentine Craft Idea

After more than 5 snow days this year, the kids were home yet again due to the weather. While I love having them home, cabin fever was setting in for everyone and if I could keep them apart for a little while, there would be some peace and I could give my voice rest from having to repeat "leave him/her alone, stop fighting over it, take turns, stay away from each other, get out of his/her room, will you guys please knock it off!" I mean really, why do siblings fight so much? If they are not loving and hugging each other, they are complaining, or tattling, or upsetting one another.

Goddess loves crafts! Handsome likes crafts and since he was busy I didn't call him for the first round.

Supplies:

• Wax Paper
• Mod Podge  (everyone needs this in their house, you can use it in 1,000,000 ways).
• Left over Tissue Paper (we used some white and red from Christmas and I grabbed a pack of Valentine paper from CVS and I had some left over from last year).
• Glitter (optional)

Tear up the tissue paper.

Put down the wax paper (it was long enough the small end of my rectangle table)and lay a generous layer of Mod Podge over it. We did half of the paper at a time to figure in drying time.

Then just have the kids put down the tissue paper. The glue will soak into the paper. Just over lap paper to create a mosaic, filling in all the empty spot on the wax paper.

Then I sprinkled glitter over it and walked it to the deck to shake off the excess. There wasn't much excess, that Mod Podge is some amazing stuff. Love It!

Next let it thoroughly dry (the hardest part for the kids). It only took about 15 minutes.

Then cut out shapes of hearts in all sizes. I just eyeballed it as Rachel Ray would say but I am sure you could use templates to get the perfect heart shape. Mine looked pretty damn good I must admit.

Poke a hole in the heart toward the top for hanging. You can use a hole puncher or I have a screwdriver type type that has a point on it. I use it for jewelry making and while I am sure it has a technical term, we will just call it the pokey thing.

Next I took thread (sewing thread, I am sure any color would work fine but I used black as it is all I have. We don't do much sewing here). and put it through the hole and back again to create a knot so I could hang the heart. I staggered the sizes of the thread to that the hearts look like this....

Wah La...there you have it. Cute Valentine stained glass ornaments that are easy and fun to make. Even Handsome, enjoyed himself.

My First Twitter Giveaway - Valentine's Ankle Bracelet from Street Angel

This is my very first Twitter follower giveaway. Maria's Space is only 2 followers away from 1,000 Twitter followers. This is very exciting to me and though it is a totally selfish plug, here it goes!!!!

Most of you know, I have a sad, lonely, little shop on Etsy called Street Angel which has unfortunately not seen a sale in over 3 months. OK, I digress...Check out my sweet banner from Street Angel. Love it!

I recently made a beautiful anklet for Valentine's Day and thought, what a great giveaway for Maria's Space.

Isn't it festive?!

Here is a close up of the beads

The white ones are glass. I love the richness of the red. Almost like velvet.

If this is your type of jewelry, why not try to win it.