Lesson Learned!

Because I am a dumb ass.... I thought I would share a "What Not to Do!!"

Last week we celebrated Cora's 15th birthday by talking her to the beach. I was having issues that morning, so I took a pain pill..... Well... It's not that bright of an idea to take a pain pill before you go to the beach, Because You just don't feel yourself burning! Yup! That's my back... I spent the day building a 10 dome sand castle with bridges and moats... and while I was bent over digging... I did that to myself. Awful! Miserable! Yes- I'm aware of that thing called sunscreen... I just didn't have any. And No... there's no pictures of the sand castle because I forgot to take my camera with me. ((My mind has gone to mush here lately! There's just tooooo much for me to keep up with these days!))

Either way, the kids had a blast:) And Cora was happy. Here she is blowing out her candles with the silliest look on her face. That's what a happy kid looks like:) ...Happy Birthday Baby!

I've been having a hard time getting 'work' done here lately. The kiddos are with me everyday... And by the time the evening rolls around, I'm falling asleep. BUT... Yesterday I got a lot done! Hopefully this week the sun comes out so I can get everything listed:) This jug however, will Not be for sale. A while ago I did a trade with my friend Becky and she sent me this terra cotta pot. I of course had to crackle it, and age it... And it will evenually go to live in my Garden Room. I did paint a few other regular flower pots for the shop- Just haven't been able to get a good picture yet.

...and then there's these guys:)

They keep me busy all day, too. We are down to 11 now... I really don't want to discuss it. I just want to think I did what was right.... So....Here's Porkchop:) He's almost like a mini Otis, without the attutide, lol. Don't let that cute face fool you... He is a monster!! This guy will climb right up your leg to steal the sandwich you are making... And he's quick!

And speaking of Otis...
:)
He's so sweet when he's sleeping, LOL.

Almost as cute as Rufus is, huh?

Don' they just make you want to go take a nap....

Until Next Time:)

A Whole Bunch of Randomness

Check this out:) I saw my cardiologist yesterday because I've been having problems with my heart rate... and they hooked me up with a monitor for the next couple of weeks to make sure I'm not losing it. But look at it:) No more wires! No more electrodes all over the place... Just this little machine the sticks to you. I can even take a shower with it....just can't submerge it in water....Oh, I am so pleased! Now I just hope I can catch these PVC's(meaning my heart beat is skipping). My SVT (means my hearts beats too fast) is out of control here lately. I take my regular meds at night, then I've been taking extra doses during the day, and I don't feel a difference. So hopefully they can see what is going on and get me on some better medicine. Keep your fingers crossed:)

After my appointment yesterday I took a drive out to one of the most comforting places I know. This is the lake I grew up next too...When we were kids we swam in it everyday- sometimes from the time the sun came up to the time the sun went down. I have so many Good memories here....from getting a concussion...to spending my days sitting out in the middle of the lake on our wind surfer. No, us kids didn't wind surf- we could barely pull the sail up- but we'd take just the board out and sit on it all day. (lol- I got the concussion from back diving off the wind surfer- jumped up and came straight down on the board- luckly I had friends with me to pull me out of the water! Good Times, hehe) But this was always my thinking spot. When things weren't good at home I could come down here and watch the water and somehow it always made things better. I even brought my oldest here when I had to tell him something important. But yesterday I found myself drawn back here- and it still feels like home:) A part of me just wanted to jump in and swim again. I don't know.. I can't explain it... There's just a freedom that comes with it.... Stupid heart!

It's been raining A Lot lately and poor ole Rufus is scared of thunder. And we have recently discovered that he hides when it starts to get loud...here he is under a cabinet- he has himself crammed in the back there! Poor kitty! He did the same thing when I took him to the vets last week. For as big as he is he sure is a big chicken!

See my alarm clocks? LMAO! Felt like we were having a party or something this morning...at 5 am!

Oh... and the little guy in the middle is Porkchop. Don't think I've introduced him yet...Soon I'm gonna have to do a "I have an addiction to cats" post and introduce you to everybody.

Porkchop is really the apple of our eye around here... Well, until he steals you lunch. LMAO- my oldest has lost 3 sandwiches so far to him...Can't turn your back on your food at ALL around here! That's why he's named Porkchop- when he was a kitten, the bf gave him a piece of a porkchop that was way too big- and he ran around here with it hanging out of his mouth Growling. The other cats were trying to get it, and he wasn't coming off it, lol. And the name just stuck!

Thought you might like to see a custom sign I made for Victoria over at Dark Squirrel Miniatures... I did the under coat with a pale yellow and crackled over it with black. This was also the first time I used embossing powders to do a sign, and it turned out Perfectly! The letters are a shinny silver and stand out beautifully:) I'm glad she got me to broaden my horizons:) ...ok I'm just realizing this is a picture of the sign Before it was aged..sorry about that. You can see the finished sign here.

And last but not least! My dayliles have started to bloom. If I'm lucky I will have them blooming for another month or so. These ones were just planted last year, and are doing really good:) And as the bf learned the other day- they don't smell, but they will leave you a little orange Hitler mustache when you smell them to closely! lol

Until Next Time:)

An Arts and Crafts House

Friday night.... the bf and I went to the most beautiful wedding at The Hermitage Museum and Gardens....when you get a chance- check out the website. You can see the front of the house there. I ran out of space on my memory card about 30 pictures in...but here's a few pics that I thought you might like to see.

We loved this girl, and all had bets going as to who would be the first person to try and make out with her. Hey- You get enough liquor in anyone, and I bet she'd be they're best friend, lol.

I loved all the planters around the grounds. Gave me lots of inspiration for more garden urns! Look at the green moss around the bottom- Love it:)

The house itself is built in the Arts and Crafts style... and OMG, there was so much detail:)

Just look at all that work:) Makes you wonder how long it took someone to carve all that?

Or how many people carved it? Was it just one person that did all this? It's just so stunning!!

I'm sure I could spend a whole day here just taking pictures....They have a rose garden here that one day the bf and I would like to see. You know we love our roses:)

Lol... Thought you might like to see what me and the bf are looking like theses days:) We don't ever get a chance to get all dressed up, so it was nice to have an excuse to look all 'fancy':)

Hope everyone is enjoying there weekend.....

until next time...

Welcome back to the Garden..

It's that time of year again when everything is starting to bloom..... And it's really making me want to learn how to make mini flowers.... First I must find the patience and some steady fingers... lol... So- Instead.... I thought I'd take you on a tour through the garden, and hopefully it inspires You to make some Pretty flowers:)

I LOVE LOVE this first pic! This is one of the bfs orange crush roses... I took the picture with the camera pointed up so I could catch the sunlight. Makes me think of new beginnings...

I love the detail inside those roses.... In the afternoon...when the sun is hitting them just right... they are bright orange... But this year they are more of a red.

As always our 'tea=rose'? bush is about to go into full bloom. It blooms all summer and just smells amazing!

This is new- Our neighbor bought these as an early birthday present for the bf....they are blueberry flowers. He loves blueberries, and since the blackberries did so well last year.....our neighbor decided we should try blueberries this year. My birthday was last week...and we always buy plants for each other.... We just haven't been able to do it yet. But......soon:) Not too sure what I want yet... But we will probably end up with more Roses:)

A shot of the blueberries into the sun:)

The clematis's have taken over this year. One day we will have a trellis behind them so they can grow up instead of out....

But MY GOD are the beautiful! And some are the size of my hand!

Last year my other neighbor gave me a bunch of iris's that I planted around our big tree in the front... didn't think they'd bloom this year... But they are:) They remind me of dancers....so delicate!

And what would my garden be without a cat or two? LOL..... We caught JD using this strawberry plant to keep the sun out of his eyes..... Too freaking cute-

oh.... and I found my shadow. OK- so there's still a little kid left in me. LOL. I won't tell you how many shadow pics I took...

Just that It made me laugh for a bit, and sometimes that's the best medicine:)

So Until Next Time....

It's me again... fussing this time!

But I have pretty pictures... So does that help? LOL...

Please tell me why it took me walking all the way to the Post Office this morning before I realized it was a Federal Holiday and that the Post Office was closed?! Yup... my car is still dead, so I'm walking.... Now, don't go feeling bad... it's not far... And I don't mind! I actually like walking. My heart doesn't like it, lol.... But it's good for it! Walking never hurt anyone. In fact.... when I see my head doc every week, I take the stairs instead of the elevator. I don't understand why more people don't... You're only going up 2 floors people! I always tell her I know it's going to be a good day when I can actually make it up the stairs, I may be a little winded by the time I get up there, But I'm there, and that's a great feeling. The walls leading up the stairs are soooo white! And I was telling her the other day that they should paint murals on them, and that might encourage people to walk more?! Don't you agree?!

So... I went back out yesterday for one more pic op in the garden before the sun went away...... This time I tried to set up a 'Pumpkin Patch' picture. Oh- and you asked yesterday where the bench came from- I have no clue, lol... People give me things? I dunno why? lol- I'm not complaining, I like the things they give me... but I'm not sure where it originally came from. It goes in the garden- it's not 1/12 scale..... More like a giant barbie scale, but it works.... And I like the finish on it, too:)

We also had a visitor yesterday.... I tried to get her more involved in the pictures, but she was a very uncooperative ladybug! lol ...... and now that I'm seeing my kitty planter in the back- I'm thinking he needs a couple coats of pink paint- doesn't he look like the Cheshire Cat from this angle?

And before I go..... I just gotta bitch about this new medicine I'm on..... The doc has me on this med to try and regrow those missing nerves.... It's a long shot, and I know that, but it's a chance that I'm willing to take at this point. I've been 'sick' for a long time, and Damn it, I'm ready to move again! I know in the back of my head that there's very little chance this will work, but I have Hope... so we will see.... And I'm not giving up until it's over, so there.....

OK.... So, I'm up the 3rd dose of it, and the symptoms are very apparent! My appetite is Gone. All the weight I worked so hard to gain will soon be gone. My toes and fingers now tingle for no reason. Kinda like when they go to sleep cause your sitting on them wrong- but I'm not even sitting on them kinda thing. I'm waking up soaked every morning because my body is Not maintain it's body temp during sleep. I've taken my temp during the day and it's around 97. I get hot- sweaty, icky, I'm going to throw up hot- then so cold my teeth chatter and my bones hurt cold- It's ridiculous! My IBS is driving me nuts, I wake up in the middle of the night throwing up and find myself sleeping in the tub to get a break. Oh... and I'm forgetting things. Forgetting to mail things, forgetting to do things that I do everyday, asking the kids questions twice and not remembering it. I feel like I'm losing my mind some times.... But I'm rolling with it. Mostly, lol. In 2 weeks, I'll up the dose again..... if I can make it that far. I'm suppose to be on this for at least 6 months before we will know anything. You know sometimes in life, you just got to deal with the bs to get to the light at the end of the tunnel... one day at a time, and one foot in front of the other.... Well..... today's just one of those days where I think I'm just going back to bed, lol.

Until Next Time...

Health update...

Thought I'd take a minute and give you a 'health' update seeing as I've seen 3 of my main specialist in the past week:)

The first visit was with the doctor that had done the nerve leg biopsies (the one that was done what seems like a year ago...) ....well, it seems that I have No small nerve fibers....nice. Maybe that is why my legs go numb and are covered in spots when I try and stand or sit? Either way... not too much can really be done... But he is trying a medicine that is used to control seizures to see if they can't regrow those nerves. So we shall see what happens. The medicine is so nasty. For the first 2 weeks, I have to sprinkle it on food, and OMG... is it gross! I'll go back to see him in March and we will see what happens then.....

Next was my urologist.... I had my cystoscopy- that's where they peek in my bladder to make sure everything still looks alright, and it did.... so that was good. But I must say.... I love going to a teaching hospital..... It's always so amusing! I'm getting to get personal here (or as the bf put it, a bit disturbing!), so if you think it may bother you... you may want to STOP reading Now! LOL.... OK, so there I was laying on the table, with a nurse getting ready to cath me... and she was teaching another nurse how to do it... when I hear.... "When you put the betadine on the urethra it will wink, you ready.... See... Did you see it wink".... "Yeah, I did...".... It took everything I had not to laugh..... You know-there's just somethings in life you just don't need to know, and now I've shared it with all of you, LOL!

And then there was today's visit. It was suppose to be a recheck on my thyroid. Last year they found several nodules and cysts, did biopsies and everything came back ok... went back 3 months later and they had begun to shrink. But today, when he looked at them on ultrasound, they had grown. Enough to where he kept saying he was 'concerned'... so he did a few more biopsies and they will call me in a week. If all goes well, I will see him again in a year for another followup. nice.... one more thing for me to think about. I came home from the docs today, took some medicine and then slept all day. Maybe tomorrow I'll get some 'work' done....

That is if I totally don't freak out on my neighbors first. Why, oh why, are you letting your little children ride their scooters up and down the street, in the dark... Screaming? Don't they have school tomorrow? Aren't you worried they might get hit by a car? Don't you have any consideration for your neighbors? Maybe I'm over-protective with my kids- but they are in the house at Dark! (and they're teenagers!) There are just too many weirdos out there!

Ok... I think I'm done complaining.... for now. I'm going to go sleep this off.... And try this again tomorrow.

Well.... We're home early!

What a strange week! An earthquake and a hurricane?! wtf? We didn't feel the earthquake in NC, but my bf felt it here in Va... and my other sister felt it in DC.... crazy!

We got kicked out of North Carolina yesterday due to the hurricane that's coming..... in a way I'm kinda glad, cause I'd rather be here with my trailer and cats! We've been praying for days that it would just go away.... but I fear it ain't listening to us!

So while I can... I thought I'd jump on here and show you a little bit of our week!

I took this picture Wednesday evening...... Stunning! I can't wait to blow it up and frame it!

We stayed in a house that was called the Happy Crab! Which was perfect considering my Nephew's birthday party was all done in Sponge Bob:) The house was huge.... with a whole lot of stairs! We sure got our exercise considering the kitchen was on the 3rd floor! It's a good thing I've got 3 kids, cause I don't think I would of been able to run up and down all day!

We celebrated my Nephew Gavin's 1st Birthday Wednesday! He's so awesome! And busy! LOL

I spent the morning baking, and my sister decorated these:) Aren't they so cute.... and Yummy!

My favorite part though was watching him eat it:) Too cute!

We found out Wednesday evening that we were being evacuated Thursday morning.....Which was the day of the wedding. Luckily the Preacher moved up the time for us... So my sister was still able to get married.... But we had to do things a little backwards. (but if you know my family, we do everything backwards, so why not that day, too....lol)

We had to have the car packed when we left for the wedding, because we had to drive out of Duck, NC and into Kitty Hawk, and they wouldn't let us back into Duck.... So we did the wedding cake before the wedding! I wanted to make sure my sister had the traditional pictures of cutting the cake.

Speaking of the wedding cake.... Isn't it cute! I've done cakes before, but never like this, so I was kinda proud:) My Mom made the fence around the cake, and I did all the chocolates.

And this is what they did to it. We couldn't take it with us.... And were actually going to leave it in the fridge for the home owners.... But.... It started with everyone eating the chocolates, then they started using the chocolates as spoons and dug out the middle of the cake. LOL.... At least they enjoyed it, huh! Honestly... It didn't bother me! I was just glad everyone liked it!!!

I rode with my nephew to the wedding, and the poor thing slept the whole way. He's so cute.... He held that rope the whole time!

And my sister had her dream wedding on the beach! That's me on the left... then the preacher, then my BROTHER in law (I'm a little excited about that, I've never had a brother! And he's awesome, Fits right in with us!!!) Next to him is his best friend holding Gavin.... And then the guy on the right is my Dad.... Getting ready to hand of my sister! I think we all cried!!! Actually getting tears again now thinking about it!

All in all it was a good trip, just wish I didn't have to say goodbye to everyone at the end though.... I miss them already!

So... we're home.... and now we've got a hurricane coming, Awesome! I just PRAY that it doesn't take my trailer!

Until Next Time!

What a week!

Yeah! I know... he's smiling now.... Today it's cool- Tomorrow when it starts to itch... he's not going to be smiling anymore. This is Cameron.... my youngest.... he hit one of his skinny friends, playing around and broke his ring finger right where it meets his hand.... and will be wearing this beautiful shade of green for 5 weeks. Doesn't he know it's summer time and like a million degrees outside???

However.... he can still hold the play station controller so "It's all Good!" LOL

I also want to thank everyone that left me a comment about my 'other' family. I really do appreciate it! I have cried everyday, more for the family then anything.... I miss them dearly. I've been trying to text her several times a day to let her know I love her..... I also made her some signs that she can put in her purse. LYLAS is something we've put in letters since childhood.... it means Love You Like A Sister...... I also have a book for her.... When we were in higschool, she handed me a note in the halls one day.... It was a poem she had found in the library about best friends.... Made me cry then... and still makes me cry now... But years ago, I turned it into a book, and have just been waiting for the perfect time to give it to her..... I still need to sit down and write her a letter, but I just can't get my words right yet..... soon.

Thought I'd share some cuteness.... God knows I need it.... When I came earlier... this is what I saw....

Wilbur is the black one.... And the orange one is Otis.... They just look so cozy....

One more picture before I go...... See my monster blackberry?? I still can't not believe how many blackberries we got from our vines..... And.......... I made Jam:) I'm actually quite proud of myself.... I didn't use a recipe.... But I did read several websites about how to do it before I did it... Just used equal parts berries and sugar..... mashed everything, let it sit over night, strained it and then boiled the crap out it.. I honestly didn't think it would work..... But it did :) And OMG is it yummy! I went and bought some yummy bread earlier and later me and the kids are going to have another taste:)

As for everything else..... I'm so behind! LOL.... Story of my life, hahaha..... I have so much to get listed on Etsy.... Just haven't really been in the mood to do much of nothing.......

so
until next time.....

Some new houses

So.... what happens when the kids are away....... Mom sleeps, lol.

However..... due to some really sad news.... I had to find a way to get my mind of things.... so in between all those naps.... I've been painting houses. I've been working on 3 sizes... like this little Monopoly house...

I made several sets to go on Etsy..... Here I'm using a Monopoly house and a hotel... the wooden ones.... They've been painted with 3 layers of brown paint, a layer of the crackle medium... and then the top layer. And all the windows and doors are stamps I carved myself out of the end of a pencil eraser...

....my pictures are hazy though.... so I'll have to wait till I can get some better ones! The humidity is terrible here! It's just too darn hot!

This is the last type of house I painted. They're some kind of Lego houses? Found them at the thrift store in one of those grab bag bags.

As for the sad news.... My oldest dearest friend called me yesterday to tell me that her baby sister had been hit by a car and passed away Saturday morning. She was 25... with 2 little kids. I grew up with this family! Spent everyday at their house.... And everywhere that me and my friend went.... the little sister went, too. She was my baby sister, too. And it kills me that I can't be there with them.... I just want to hug her and tell her I love her! She knows it.... but its just not the same.

Life is just too short!

Please remember to tell the people who mean the most to you that you love them.... You never know when life will change and you'll miss you chance! I love you baby girl! LYLAS always and forever!

Until Next Time......