My Little Lady

Had to take Squeaky to the vet this morning.....She had told us it was time. The house is going to be really different not having her around. She had a great life with us for 22yrs. She had been feral for 2yrs before we adopted her from the local high kill shelter. She was my nightly cuddle buddy, and in the winter/early spring, she would sleep under the covers with me snuggled up to my chest. We are all really going to miss her. 

Fly free Squeaky. Please give Tigger, Midnight, Pyro, Bella & Sampson head bumps from all of us. We'll see you again. Love you so much my Little Lady.

Reflection

I was so glad to see 2015 go and try to start the new year fresh.  With all of my own health issues from the migraines in 2015 that several people didn't believe, or thought I was using them to take advantage of to get out of doing things; then my brand new 21 year old daughter in law being diagnosed with aggressive Stage 2 Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma two months after marrying my son and having to give up her dream of attending USC as a student to instead attend USC's Cancer Treatment Center to try and save her life; several hospital admissions for her due to obliterated white counts from the aggressive chemotherapy; to me being tested for possible stroke due to the migraines only to find out it's something else that's migraine induced; I was really looking forward to a clean fresh start in the new year.

That optimism continued until 11:30 pm on January 7th when I got a call from my step-brother saying my dad had had a massive heart attack at Costco earlier, the medics had done CPR and it didn't look good for him at the ER.  How soon could I make it down there?  After getting my daughter to drive home in the middle of the foggy night from school, and going to and from the hospital for the next two days, we finally had to face the decision to take dad off the ventilator - too much brain damage from lack of oxygen waiting to first responders to arrive even though CPR was tried manually.

I thought the hardest thing I had ever done was saying goodbye to my mom right after she died from breast cancer, and dealing with my two miscarriages, but holding my dad's hand as he passed away has by far been the hardest.

The only good thing, if there can be one, is dad was an organ donor so in a way he's living on.  If you haven't considered being an organ donor, consider it.  www.dnwest.org

Time Flies...

...especially when you're having way too much fun!  Like my little man and his sister Lily are here in mommy's stamp chair before their nap time.  It's so hard to believe that my fur babies are almost a year old come Memorial Day weekend.  They grow so fast.  Who put the fertilizer in the cat box?

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great day.

Bella, Bella, Bella

TGIF!!!!!!!  It's Friday!!  We all made it to another weekend. 

I just had to share a couple of photos my daughter took of our dog, Bella.  Bella's has such expressive eyes.  It's so easy to tell when she's ticked about something, begging, or just plain trying to be cute.  However, with these photos, she obviously was trying to tell my daughter to leave her alone and to get the camera out of her face.  Don't you agree?

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great weekend.

More Migraines, Car Rides And General Ramblings

Hello everyone.  Sorry for the breaks in posting, I'm still dealing with these pesky migraines.  My doctor's are trying just about everything to help me out with the chronic pain and to try keeping me at work as much as possible.  They even got an authorization for botox injections (now FDA approved to treat migraines) a week ago, which so far have not helped.  In fact, the migraines seem to have gotten worse and are now moving into my upper shoulders where some of the shots go.  Where do we go from here??  I have no idea but it's getting depressing.

Speaking of depressing, my old man (no not my husband) is just about on his last legs, literally.  Tigger, my 17 year old cat, is having so many problems with arthritis, keeping food down, etc that I'm afraid it's almost his "time to go".  Tig's been trying to get out of the house as well as lot and hiding from people a bit more lately too.  Definitely not a good sign on a cat that's never been outside in his life. 

Our dog, Bella, on the other hand loves to get out and go for car rides.  Her favorite store?  PetsMart of course.  She loves just sniffing the entire floor and walking around like she's "something".  If she sees mommy putting on shoes, then she thinks it's time for another car ride and Bella will do anything she can to get out the door - with or without a leash.  In fact, today she made it out twice following my daughter outside before she was picked up and brought back indoors.  When we got back from our errands today, Bella made sure her displeasure at being left home was noticed....she left some "presents" in front of my son's bedroom door.  Crazy dog!! Even while being scolded, Bella kept giving my husband and I the "well you left me home" look. 

Thanks for stopping by today and listening.  Have a great day!

2010 - A Year In Review

Diabetes, two graduations, band reviews, migraines, seizures and strokes.....oh my!!  This is how 2010 has been for me and my family. 

You see, I have had migraines off and on for the last 16 years, however, since May 2010, I've been getting them more frequently to the point of every 10-14 days at times with each episode lasting 5-7 days.  Not much relief time in there or much time to get my full time job done correctly.  I think I've spent more time off since May than I've spent at my desk scheduling patients.  For the last three months, I've been off work trying to get these things under control.  My docs have tried just about everything except botox injections (that's next) and we have had no success except the shots and I can't work on those!

On top of all of this, my diabetic husband (has had it 51 years and we've been married 20 years) started having seizures last Monday, December 20th at 7:15 am from a sudden low blood sugar.  By the time twelve noon came around he'd had 6 seizures totally with two of them in the ER and one while the ambulance crew tried to get him on the gurney to go to the ER.  After a CT scan, we discovered he'd had a stroke as well.  The doctor's are not sure if his stroke caused the seizures or if the seizures caused the stroke.  We'll let the neurologist figure that out.

My 14 year old daughter graduated from Middle School in May and is now a freshman at Merced High School and on the colorguard squad.  She's very good at spinning the flags and rifles and I'm so glad she's found something she enjoys and it good at.  Plus, it keeps her out of trouble and all of the other stuff teens now face these days.  During the fall marching season, the Merced Marching 100 did really well in the band reviews they participated in; even capturing the sweepstakes prize in several categories at two of those band reviews.  Now, we're on to the Winter Guard season with Sunday, Tues, Thurs practices and Saturday competitions until at least Easter.  Good luck MM100 Colorguard!

My 18 year old son finally graduated from high school this last semester.  He had to leave full time classes the end of 2009 and go into independent studies to help take care of his disabled dad during the day until I could get home.  Unfortunately, it's taken him a bit longer than he liked to get his diploma so he could start college.  While I was off work because of my migraines, he unfortunately, had to help drive me to and from doctor's appointments thanks to the migraine medications and/or shots.  He also threw his back out getting some things out of the trunk of the car after a huge grocery run, poor kid.  At least he'll be able to go to college this spring semester and start getting his degree in teaching.

What is my wish for 2011??  I am just hoping for some better health for all of us.  What is your wish for 2011?

Thanks for stopping by.

Digital Family

Did you know when using digital images, size is not a problem? Sounds weird doesn't it? LOL Ok, let me explain.

I'm starting on some of my Christmas presents, especially for my brother and sister-in-law since I have to mail them.  So since they had not seen my family in a couple of years, I thought sending an album with pictures would be a great idea as well as a cute table decoration. Both my brother and sister-in-law are computer programmer's, so the robot theme fits their family perfectly, especially since both of their kids are taking after mom and dad.

I started off by printing all of MFT's digital robots onto white cardstock in different sizes, and then also downloaded and printed off some Stephanie Fizer robot digital paper.  After coloring all of them, and cutting out the smaller ones, I layered the larger images onto Stampin Up! pretty in pink, razzleberry cardstock and designer paper.  I then lightly stippled bashful blue ink around the images to fill in all of the white areas and held everything together with Stampin Up! pretty in pink brads before putting everything into a frame I picked up at Wal-mart.

Next, I took the Stephanie Fizer robot digital paper and covered a Stampin Up! chipboard mini brag book (inside and out), and the holder, that I had in my stash.  Once that was done, I inked the edges with Stampin Up! basic grey dye ink using a stipple brush allowing the brush to "hang over" and stipple the side where the images would be.  Once that was done, I added my cut out images and pictures to the inside.

A quick and simple ensemble that I'm sure my brother and his wife will enjoy.  Of course, I'll probably add something else to the mix as well.

Thanks for visiting today.

Mommy...Seriously!!

Non stamping related post for you today, but I just had to post these pics about our chihuahua dog, Bella.  Now that it's getting a bit cold in the mornings when she wants to go out, and with the rain starting to arrive, my husband and I thought she needed a couple of coats to keep her warm and dry.  I mean this dog shivers like crazy if the temp inside the house gets below 69 degrees, so those really cold mornings starting late November and into the spring are really going to suck.

However, we discovered something.  Bella hates wearing coats, especially her rain coat.  Last week it was pouring outside late at night and she kept trying to back up and out of the raincoat for about five (5) minutes before sitting her bottom on the wet grass (which she hates) until my husband took it off her laughing like crazy. 


The same holds true for her little pink jacket.  She hates wearing it even though she's shivering outside or even inside.  However, she's so cute in them!!  I'm sure someday she'll get used to them, especially if she wants to stay warm and dry.

Bella

Sometimes someone special comes into your life, even for a short period, and just touches it. Well, that describes the newest member of our family. Over 1 1/2 weeks ago, my daughter found a stray chihuahua in the front yard, shivering on President's Weekend. Since the animal control office was closed for the holiday, we fostered the pup for the weekend, and then my husband called them on Tuesday morning to come and pick her up while we tried to find the owner thinking it was someone on our street. However, no one claimed her.

On Tuesday morning, when the animal control officer came to pick up the dog, my daughter started crying he couldn't take her and that the dog was hers now. Well, Sarah was finally convinced we could not handle another animal in our household, and begging the officer to let her say goodbye one more time, he took Bella out of the truck to allow Sarah to hold her again before finally saying it was time to go since he was trying to hold back tears.

Within the next hour after Bella left, Sarah had convinced grandma to let her have the dog if her owner didn't come forth and claim her. So after work that day we went to the animal shelter and put the adoption deposit down on Bella. For the next week, every couple of days, Sarah insisted on going out to the shelter to see "her dog". When the 7 day waiting period was over, and she could actually hold the dog and play with her during a "meet and greet", the shelter worker went to open Bella's cage and the dog ran out through the workers hands into Sarah's arms. The worker had to take Bella from her into the "play area" (shelter rules) before Sarah could actually get reacquainted with Bella. Within just a couple of minutes the shelter realized this adoption was going to be a good thing and immediately scheduled Bella for spaying the next day with going home the following.

Although Bella has her own fluffy bed instead of a box lid like she did during fostering, she's actually sleeping now back on Sarah's bed again. Apparently the dog rates more than her parents. The dog is allowed into my daughters bedroom freely and the parents have to ask for permission. Now how's that for messed up?

Happy Birthday To Me!

"When you wish upon a star......" Remember the opening line of Disney's famous song? It's tied to pretty much anything Disney.

Yesterday was my 42nd birthday, and what a birthday it was. Besides dealing with a sick cat, and my mother in law having the outside of the house painted causing a migraine, I did get some stamp time as well as taken out to dinner. I would like to introduce you to my birthday present/thank you for taking care of me for 3months with my broken ankle present from my husband.

Yes! Those three Thomas Kincade "paintings" in the picture. They are actually gallery wrapped canvas prints of actual Thomas Kincade paintings from his Disney Dreams collection. We were watching ShopNBC one night as Thom was guest starring and un-veiling the newest painting in the collection - Cinderella! Well apparently ShopNBC got a special deal since he was there so my husband got the three that have been released in the gallery wrap (Cinderella hasn't been released this way yet) for the price of two!

Here they are closer up.

I have never owned, let alone dreamed of owning, a real Thomas Kincade painting/print. Now I have three! Thank you honey for a wonderful present.

Gotta Learn To Relax

Now for those of us that have four legged children, learning to relax can be an issue......for them that is.

Now, take Midnight here for example. She's always sleeping on her back, paws in the air, and not a care in the world, Mom and Dad will take care of everything for her. However, do not wake her up. You will be told off! This cat does think she's talks, or at least chatters a lot at you and only she understands what she's saying.

Sometimes learning to relax means you have to learn to share the recliner with Mom after a long days work...

or learning to share the stamping chair with Mom or another four legged sibling. Sometimes this doesn't always work out, and a heated "discussion" breaks out between the fur children.

The hardest part about relaxing is when Mom doesn't understand that a box is more fun...

than the toys that came in it. Who cares that it was Mom's stamp toys in the box. Finders keepers!

Reflections

This was my PTI Guest Star Stamper Mother's Day entry for April. The picture is one of my favorite of my mother. She looks young and healthy with no hint of the breast cancer battle to come.

Growing up, I helped raise my brother while mom worked nights trying to make ends meet. She had made mistakes in her life; three marriages with two ending in divorce. During one of the divorces, we had to hide out because of the violence we were escaping from. During that time, mom never let my brother or myself suffer any bitterness from her, she always had a smile for us and plenty of love.

Mom was an excellent crafter; painting, ceramics, needlepoint, making afghans, decorating cakes; you name it, if she put her mind to it there was nothing stopping her from getting it done. She was also the best teacher when it came to painting and the ceramics and this is where I got my love of painting and talent from. God gave me the talent, my mom helped me channel it and refine it. When she became disabled from a snow trip accident while preventing another child from being seriously hurt, and took up babysitting as her income, she discovered a lump in her breast after one of those kids accidentally hit her in that same breast. At first the doctors thought it was just a cyst, but biopsies proved otherwise, and my mom began the fight of her life. For four years she fought that battle, with being declared clean for one of them. Radiation, chemo, surgery, positive thinking; you name it, everything couldn't save her.

On May 19th, 1991, my mother, my mentor, my best friend lost her battle with the ugliest disease in the world one week after Mother's Day. I missed saying goodbye by 5 minutes.

Today she still is cancer free in Heaven with our Lord and Savior, and yet the pain here is still there although somewhat diminished. My kids understand why I don't like mother's day a lot since it brings back bad memories.

Cherish your own mother more each day since you don't know when she'll be gone.


Stamps: PTI Friends Till The End
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Frame, Dimensionals, Prismacolor Markers, Stampendous Class A Peel Stickers

Welcome Baby Gary!

Two weeks ago I was blessed to become an aunt again. However, this time, the blessing was so special. You see, the baby that was born, was born almost one year to the day the grandpa he's named for "graduated" to heaven from cancer of the brain.

Gary Lee Skaggs Sr was a very special man in more ways than one. He was more than just my brother-in-law, he was my friend and confidante (even before my marriage), my financial adviser after my grandfather passed away, and my fellow "outlaw". Gary used to tease me about being a fellow "rebel" and "non-conformist" of the family and always said "us outlaws have to stick together". He always had a smile on his face for you and kind words for your deepest sorrows. When my husband was hurt in an auto accident, he drove myself, my son, and mother-in-law to the hospital accidentally driving by the accident scene with my banged up car still at the intersection. As we all panicked, he stayed calm praying for us and for Ken while silently berating himself for taking that particular way to the freeway. While Ken was being sewn up at the hospital, he held my hand keeping me calm. He helped me with all of the insurance mess that follows an auto accident as well including the settlement; talking me through each step long distance from his home in Idaho. Christmas 2006 he put outdoor carpet on the doorstep of my mother-in-law and ours so both my husband and his mom wouldn't slip and fall going down the stairs. A few weeks later, we found out he had a brain tumor. Two months after that, he was gone, but his legacy lives on.

His legacy continues on in the lives of his sons, in all of us, his granddaughter born one week after his passing and in his newborn grandson. What is your legacy?

Anyone Want A Cat Nap?

I totally love my cats...my fur children. They bring so much joy and laughter into my life. Quite often my husband and I will find all five of them asleep on our bed at the same time, sitting or playing in a box, or just being silly. I snapped this picture not too long ago of all five asleep on the bed and they're just too cute when that happens. They all have their "spot" and someone had better not try to move them from it or take it, because we have a cat fight otherwise on the bed. Midnight will actually "tell you off" by meowing or squawking at you.

Introducing clockwise: Squeaky, Tiny, Tigger, Midnight, Mittens (behind the PJ's my husband threw on the bed). Midnight always has to sleep in a very undignified pose, usually on her back and twisted around. Tiny and Squeaky have to sleep near each other with Mittens on Daddy's side of the bed. Tigger just wants the girls to leave him alone.

Ever have a child enjoy the box more than the toys? Well Mittens loves to play in boxes and sometimes just sit in them for hours. We think it's because she, Midnight and their brother were abandonded at the vet's office in a sealed box and she feels more "at home" in one.

Midnight loves to also lay on the ground in unladylike positions. What a big mouth! Isn't she cute though?