Busy Busy Bees

That's what we've been - busy!! Last week we were just busy getting ready for this week and this week we were out of town for four days. We spent the beginning of the week in Memphis. Cole had a check up at St. Jude and everything went well. His MRI was fine - all clear. He's growing too, which is a blessing!! A few other things were discussed, but nothing life changing at this moment. Things we need to think about for the future. We're looking at some programs for the summer, maybe some art classes or something - but that's expensive, so we're thinking about it. Cole does need to work on things at home this summer - getting ready for second grade. I bought a book the other night that's full of work to get kids ready for second grade. So that's a good start. I have some other things we can work on. We also went to the Parent Teacher Store today and looked around. Cole is going to pick an animal and we're going to learn all about it this summer!! We saw cute little tubes of animals in the store and this prompted the discussion of how we could learn about animals. So far, his pick is a jaguar but I was secretly hoping for penguins. I like penguins. Anyway, I'll have my work cut out for me!!

Speaking of work, I'll be working a little for the next two months. I'm filling in for a maternity leave at Cole's school. So I'll be working for the next two months - YEAH!! I'm so excited - it'll be great experience and exposure. I spent a little time there today getting to know the teacher's routine and such. I think it's going to be a great thing. And getting paid regularly will be wonderful!!!

We have our big vacation planned - we're going to DisneyWorld May 31st and we're already counting down the days - 91 days now. Cole is so excited. He's ready to go now and wants everyone we know to go with us. I would love for him to be able to bring everyone he wants with us - he's have a blast. I'm hoping this trip will be even more fun for him than the last - hopefully he'll want to ride more older rides and not just the kiddie stuff. We keep checking out the website and looking at different shows and rides - trying to get him interested in more things. I can't wait - I'm just like kid at Disney. I want to see it all, take it all in! Did I mention I can't wait!!!

I've got a few scrapping plans this weekend - at least, I want to. I want to make a few cards for Lois - that's what my last blog post was about. I have a few layout ideas in my head I'd like to get on paper too. And I have tons of other things I need to be doing - first, cleaning the apartment - it's a wreck from dumping all the stuff in the dining room from Memphis. And we are moving. Yep - Moving!! I have a friend I've known for 15 years I guess. She's living in London right now and needs someone trustworthy to rent her house - and we aren't totally happy in our apartment. It stinks - literally - so it's working out for us and my friend - YEAH! So in the next week the other tenents will be moving out and we'll get keys in a week or so and then we'll start moving in. We're going to paint a little - Cole wants a red bedroom and since he's a little aprehensive about moving again - we'll do whatever it takes to make it an easy transition. We did the same thing when we moved in here - he got a complete Lightning McQueen bedroom and bathroom out of that deal!! So he'll probably get a red bedroom this time. The better news is I'll get a scraproom!! I've already been looking at paint colors - trying to decide what color I want to go with. I instantly thought pink - I mean I'm so outnumbered with boy stuff here - Pink is wonderful. But, I'm not sure that I really NEED a pink room. I mean my scrap stuff is so random - different color containers, totes, etc. So I'm thinking a yummy brown maybe. I would like some extra details though - I was thinking about some design around the top of the walls - maybe a scallop - the Scrap Etc. store had that at their location in Trussville and it was so pretty! So maybe a lighter brown with a darker brown scallop! We'll see!

Well, We're off to dinner with my parents. So, gotta go -

lisa

Doing something nice feels great, doesn't it?

So I have a ton of blogs listed on my Bloglines page and check it often for updates. I'm addicted to reading other people's blogs. So I was reading Wilna's (she's going to be teaching a class at the Scrap Etc. Event in April). She had this request posted and wanted people to make cards for a friend of hers that has cancer. Well, that's something that really speaks out to me, for obvious reasons. So I'll be making a card, posting like Wilna suggests and asking anyone who may read this to do the same. So you can click on this picture at the bottom of the page and it will take you to Wilna's blog and the post all about this. Please consider it. I'm no card maker, but I can try. I know when Cole was sick he got lots of cards in the mail and it was always something the really cheered him up. He LOVED getting mail!! So - check it out and see what you think - see if you can find it in your heart to make something sweet for her!!

Lisa

Ta Da.....

The paper rack is complete (except that it needs more paper). I rolled it into my guestroom yesterday and by the afternoon it looked like this:


And then I decided that it needed something else. So I got out some paint, a plastic cup, an a wonderful pink oral swab (we have a large amount of these from when Cole was going through treatment so now I paint with them) and then I ended up with this:

I like the end result now - and I added the names for each shelf with a dry erase marker so I can change it when I need something different. You can see that here (or check out my gallery at SIStv for more pictures):



A few days ago I posted a charm bracelet for a swap at Scrap Etc. and here are pictures of all the envelopes that are almost ready to be mailed. I was a little nervous about taking on such a task - and seriously still am a bit since I have to get them all mailed as well. Take a look:



So today, we're chilling at home. We went to church this morning and it poured while we were there, but stopped enough for everyone to get out and to their cars without getting soaked. We've been home since then just hanging out. Jason has been doing homework but is playing on the bed with Cole right now. The race is on and I'm wanting to get busy doing something scrap related but I'm not sure if that's going to happen. I want to start working on Cole's birthday pictures, but I really want some new paper first - maybe Basic Grey's Cupcake line - that would be nice. So I guess I'll wait a little longer and maybe play around on the computer while I can - Jason sometimes hogs it on the weekends with all the homework.


Oh I have a movie to watch, I forgot about that! We did watch a movie together the other night - this one:



And I have this one to watch sometimes this weekend - maybe tomorrow since school is out!

Ok - I guess that's all from me - I'm off to upload pics to the gallery at SIStv!

lisa

My new paper rack is fabulous!!

Before I show off my fabulous paper rack - I just have to say I'm so sorry I don't do spell check - I appologize to the few readers I may have!! I tried to update this earlier today with some random ramblings but the page kept freezing on me - which it did again tonight. I had to just go through blogger instead of my blog to log in and update. But while the page was stuck there glaring at me - I saw many typos. So, I'm sorry. I will try to do better with the spell check thing! And about this blogger thing - I can't open anyone else's blog either without the freezing up thing happening - so I dumped the music so we're Kenny free for now - sadly!

Ok - now to the paper rack........

It's fabulous. It's big. It's wonderful and it's still empty because they just left. So here a few pictures. Check it out.....

The full view!

A close up.

And another shot!

It has all those slots and hold 12x12 with no problems - the piece there on the top shelf is 12x12. I can just picture it with a little ribbon on the edge of each slot with a tag attached that states what's located there (brand name, cardstock - whatever)!! I'm a little giddy!!

Jason has decided he's had enough homework for the night and wants to watch a movie - but I only rented chick flicks since I knew he'd be doing homework the whole weekend. When I said I rented "The Waitress" and "I'm not the woman for you" he said - ok, maybe I'll just do my homework.

Off to find something interesting to watch - interesting to him, I guess!!


Lisa

Will the craziness ever end?

So just when we thought everyone was good - feeling good, healthy again - or at least on the way to being healthy - Cole got sick last night. Poor guy threw up sometime during the night and either slept through it - or just pushed his gross covers out of the way and rolled over. He didn't cry for us, nothing - and he has always come to wake me up if something was wrong, or cried at least. And I always hear him. So, I feel terrible that I didn't hear him and don't have any idea if he just laid awak all night or what?? So I kept him home today and he missed his Valentine party. I'm the room mom so I had to email and make some arrangements to get some things taken care of. I waited until I was sure Cole wasn't going to spew again (are you ever sure though?) and we drove up to the school and I ran in the stuff for the party. This was around 9:15 or so and he's only been up since 6:30. He fell asleep in the car on the way home - he was really tired. He only slept a few minutes (maybe five) but that revived him. He got a little burst of energy there for a bit. We made a bed in the living room (we had an inflatable mattress from the weekend) and he snuggled in with about a gajillion stuffed animals and watched cartoons. He's eaten some goldfish, drank some watered down Sprite and now he's napping again. He's been asleep about an hour now I guess. So I really hope the rest will help him out!! Bless his heart!



So over at Scrap Etc. we've done a charm swap fro a bunch of us that are attending the event in April. Everyone is mailing their stuff to me and I'm dealing it all out and mailing them back. The charms are so very cute!! I made my bracelet today with the charms I've already received and it's too cute!! Here's a picture:

There are several charms there that I'm so envious of - things I don't know how to make. Most of them I think I could do - but some?? I'm clueless how they did it. So I hope they will all share once we get everything completed - that way I'll know their secrets!! HEE HEE

My dad emailed me earlier with good news. He had a paper rack built for me. It's wooden and will have wheels - he send me a picture of what it's modeled after, but I haven't seen it yet. Since he's been sick and Cole's sickly today we won't be seeing them tonight - but probaby this weekend. So I'll be doing some paper organizing soon!

On the work front, I may be taking a long term subbing job soon - it'll be for someone's maternity leave and for about two months. That will be wonderful. I would love to be able to depend on steady work. I have several dentist appointments though and those are going to have to change so I can work - Working is way more important!! Well, at least the money is to pay for the dental work. So it'll just go a little slower than originally planned. That's ok though. I hate going to the dentist anyway. The only good thing about the dentist is it is right next door to a scrapbook store - Scrapbook Mania - that always makes it a little nicer. Sometimes I don't go in because my mouth hurts too bad to be fixed with scrapping supplies, but most of the time paper is purchased!!

Well, i'm going to check on Cole, he's been napping long enough I think - or we'll be up all night long!!

Lisa

GOOD grief!!

My last post was all about how we weren't going to get sick for Cole's birthday - well that's not really how things happened. We got through the weekend just fine until about 11 Sunday night. Well, that's not true - Saturday night I got a really bad headache - really bad. Sunday, all day it hurt. No sinus medicine was helping, Tylenol was no help either. I ended up with an ice pack on my head for a while too. Finally I took the last two Aleve and that must have done it. I started feeling much better around 7 or so. Then around 11 Jason got up and took some pepto - just didn't feel good at all. He ended up sick all night - throwing up - the whole thing! YUCK. He gets super dehydrated fast so after being sick about four times - he was white as a ghost and so weak. So a call to 911 was made and the Fire and Rescue guys were here pretty quickly. They got an IV hooked up and started pumping in the fluids pretty quickly. They had to take him to the ER to get checked out. This was about 6 Monday morning. Cole woke up when he heard the guys going down the hall but I shushed him back to sleep so he would miss the action. Not something you want your SEVEN year old to wake up to on his BIRTHDAY!!! So I had already called my mom and she was on her way. I got Cole dressed, me dressed and grabbed clothes for Jason and whatever I thought we would need. We went to the hospital and waited for Jason to get loaded up on hydrates :) His lab work showed it was a virus, we were hoping for food poisoning since we had not eaten the same things. No such luck. During all of this I was queasy and yucky feeling - I knew it was coming for me too!! I just hoped Cole would be safe from the February Curse. That's what we're calling it now - this thing that happens to us each February. So I took the medicine Jason got from teh ER - I know you aren't supposed to share meds but come on - it worked!! So I'm still a but tired, we didn't sleep at all Sunday night. I'm sore like I've been sick but I never actually got to the spewing - thank gosh.

Jason rested the rest of the day - slept mostly. He's feeling better and went to work today even though I thought he should be at home. On the way to school though Cole is gagging in the back seat. Sometimes this is nothing - sometimes it's because he was doing something silly with his mouth - blowing spit bubbles, making silly faces, whatever. Sometimes he gags because his mouth is open too wide or he's making sounds that require his tongue to move a lot. But with this virus going around, who knows - so we turned around and went back home. He's been fine so far but I did make him take some children's Pepto - so maybe that will help. He really didn't want to go to school - but i'm not sure why. I don't think he's quite smart enough to fake sick yet - maybe, but I'm just not sure that he gets that yet. So we're home, still. I really need to go to the grocery store and I told Cole I would have a surprise for him when he got home today which was going to be his room decorated for his birthday - but that's out since he's here. I did hang up 'Happy Birthday Cole" for him in the hallway and that got him excited. Now he's asking if I'll take him to the toy store today. So if he feels good enough this afternoon, maybe we'll venture out to Walmart and he can pick out something fun.

Why does this always happen to us in February?? I don't get it. It always happens! Now the whole family is sick. First Jason's uncle Alex, who was here for the party this weekend, then Amanda, Jason's sister, then his brother Drake. Now his dad has it, his sister in law too. I don't know where this came from, but geez - cut us some slack. I just hope I'm done and don't get sick again and that Cole's fine. We wondered if there was a way to legally change someone's birthday - can we change it to a different month? one that doesn't have a sickness curse attached to it??

Off to see what kind of surprises I can come up with for Cole today!
lisa

OUCH - the flu shot hurts

So Cole was snotty all weekend so we stayed in a lot. We missed church Sunday and school yesterday. I was thinking he could go back today but then the school nurse called and said someone in his class was diagnosed with the flu over the weekend. YUCK! I woke up Sunday morning with the bad feeling in the back of my throat - just sore and irritated so I though - NO we can't get sick before Cole's birthday. Let me recap the birthday disasters we've had:


1st b'day - just fine for the most part, he had a runny nose
2nd b'day - normal, everyone was well
3rd b'day - everyone was sick - at least all the Tanner's were - we all had the flew
4th b'day - in the hospital, little thing called a brain tumor and bacterial menegitis
5th b'day - me, jason, grammy and granddaddy spent the weekend spewing
6th b'day - PERFECT - no one was sick


So, you can see a healthy birthday isn't common for Cole - at least one where everyone involved is healthy!! So we called the pediatrician and asked for a call back and eventually called back because I'm a wee bit impatient. We got an appointment for today but by the evening he really seemed better. In the meantime Jason and I go to Bruno's and get a flu shot. My arm hurts - still, 24 hours later. Cole just has a cold - not the flu. His doctor totally understands my need to be the mom that brings him in just for a cold and totally knows she can write me a 'just in case' prescription and that's ok. So we have a prescription in case he develops a bad cough, body aches, or fever. Here's hoping I don't develop any of those things either or I'll have to go to the doctor too.


So it's back to school tomorrow and the car pool line will be so sad - Cole hates going back to school after missing a few days. I hate sending him but lets face it - he's got to go! Lots to learn!


You know my last post was a little sad about sweet Maddie and cancer and all those sad things. Sunday afternoon I found out my dad's boss had suffered a heart attach and died. He was only 55. No known heart condition. Very sad. One of his daughters is expecting too. I pray that the stress doesn't put her in danger. It's just so sad. This man and his daughters went to our church and I remember them always sitting together, in the same spot - for as long as I can remember. He's been a good friend to my Dad and I know he kept Cole in his prayers when he was going through treatment (and still now I'm sure). So now after you've said a prayer for Maddie, please pray for Johnny's family. I hope we can make it through the week with no additional prayer requests.


On to better things - I've finally got my scanner working. Linh asked what kind we got - it's an All in One Lexmark 4530. It's wireless - which freaks me out a bit. We can now print from our laptop - which is freaky when I'm sitting here on the desktop, Jason is down the hall on the laptop and something starts printing! Freaky!! But the good thing is it finally works wirelessly - at least on the laptop. I still can scan to the desktop - but that's ok - baby steps are good! I spent a good part of yesterday trying to get it to work and today it just did - miraculously!


So I have a ton of layouts scanned now and they are posted in my SIStv portfolio - I did 22 layouts at the retreat, so I'm not posting them all here - that would take forever!


And I'm so very thankful that blogger just saves your posts for you because I just lost everything in an attempt to make a link and good ol' blogger had already saved my draft, therefore saving me the frustration of having to type this all over again!!



So before anything else crazy happens here's a few photos of the day from the last week - I've been terrible about doing one a day but I'm going to make myself do it for the next week - in hopes of starting a habit! Ok, so I only had two to post and one is sideways. I will do better. I will do better. I will do better!!




lisa

Happy February!

I can't believe January just flew by like it did. We had a good start to the month on Friday. I subbed and had a great day, we also went out to dinner and bowling to celebrate my cousin's birthday and that was a lot of fun. I'm still better at Wii bowling than the real thing, but it was fun. We slept late Saturday too, which we rarely get to do when Cole is home. But since he was at Grammy and Granddaddy's - sleeping late was nice. I got up around 9 and went to fix my morning cup of Diet Dr Pepper and turned the laptop on. This is my routine every morning - either the laptop or the desktop. I check my email and I check on one of our sweet little friends we met at St. Jude. I've been following Maddie since we met her - probably even before since we had friends that knew her. The cancer community is like that - sometimes you know all about someone before you actually meet them. You hear their name called over the intercom at St. Jude - paging them to their appointments. Well Maddie was this sweet cutie pie - always the epitome of girly girl. Always in pink or purple, usually some hearts somewhere and a little sparkle too! She was always smiling - always!! Such a sweet personality. It seems like so many of the kids we've met just sparkle in some way - they stand out to you I guess because they are battling something bigger than them with a smile most of the time. They tend to perk up more quickly than any sick adult I've ever known. They forgive their parents quickly for having to hold them down for an ouchie, or something like that. Maddie was really a beautiful little girl. I could also see where a lot of her good spirit came from - her Mom. Brandi was so sweet - also usually with a smile on her face. Probably not because things didn't stink though - I mean, come on, she's in a hospital with her daughter who is fighting cancer. She still had a smile for other parents. A hug to share - so caring and sweet. I never saw her in the halls of St. Jude without a smile for someone. So it was easy to see how Maddie would bloom into the very same type of person. We chatted whenever we saw each other but the kids didn't know each other. Cole kept to himself a good bit when we were there - tending to just play with us or boys - not quite up to playing with girls then I guess. Anyway, I felt very lucky to have met these two special girls!!

Maddie's family was told in early January that her cancer was back and it was just as bad as it was several years ago when she began this fight. The decided to end her treatment and take her home. So home they went, hospice was now taking care of everything. I cannot begin to imagine what they went through to make those decision. I cannot begin to understand or comprehend. What I do know is that their faith in God was so strong, they knew that by believing in Him, praying to Him, asking Him for comfort in their time of need - that will get them through those weeks at home waiting to see what would happen. I prayed each night before bed for Maddie and that her and her mom especially would have time together to make some very special memories that Brandi would hold close to her heart forever. I prayed that she would have a good nights sleep, and a wonderful day with her family, I prayed for a miracle.

On Saturday morning at 3:19am Maddie got her miracle. Not the one I had prayed for exactly but a miracle nontheless. Maddie left her family, holding her mom and dad's hand early Saturday morning. I can't imagine their heartbreak. It took all morning yesterday for me to even get the lump out of my throat. I couldn't even tell Jason because I was so close to tears everytime I thought about telling him - another sweet baby we know is gone.

So the second day of the month was just sad. I hugged Cole a few extra times and was so thankful that he was making a mess in the living room!! I know without a doubt that Maddie's parents would much rather be picking up her toys every day than picking up the pieces of their broken heart and trying to live without her. I wish they could have the joys I have with Cole. We were just so lucky to have the kind of cancer Cole had. I never thought, back then, three years ago, that I would be glad that we had a 'good' cancer. But we did. We were so lucky. We are still lucky. Lucky that we had cupcakes Thursday to celebrate the three year cancer free anniversary. Cole doesn't understand it at all. He never heard the word cancer. I try to tell him things now but he just doesn't get it. And you know, it's ok. He'll get it later and for now, I'm just thankful that he'll be here for me to share the story with.

We head back to Memphis at the end of this month for a big check up. Since it's the anniversary of Cole beginning treatment he'll have all the tests he's had before again. Xray's, psych testing, lots of stuff!! I'm nervous already - just a bit. I always am until we get the word from Dr. Gajjar that everything is fine. Clear scans. He always says it like he knew they would be fine, but no one knows - well God knows of course. Sometimes I just wish He'd clue me in a bit, so I wouldn't stress so much. Jason has to work and has school too, so he isn't making the trip. That stinks. I hate going without him. My mom is going with us though so that will help a ton. I'll be glad for the company - there's no way I could go through the whole thing by myself. Well, I could, but it would be stressful and boring at the same time, with no adult conversation.

Please keep Cole in your mind at the end of the month - just for clear scans and good tests results. Also, please keep Maddie's family in your prayers too. They need it so very badly. My heart breaks for them. Hug your kids!!

lisa