That "Ah ha" moment

It has been a fairly quiet week around here.

Why?

Well, I have laryngitis again!

Just woke up with it one morning.

Sure does make it hard to communicate with Dan since

he is hard of hearing - but we are getting really

good at charades.  LOL

I have been getting the "itches" to get something done around

this house - anything!  I mean, we (meaning Dan) have been in 

the house since the middle of June and we have done

NOTHING!  I got here permanently the end of August and I

was determined NOT to unpack all the boxes since we were just

"going to have to repack them again."

I didn't even hang pictures on the walls.

Well, I have had ENOUGH!!!!

I can't live this way any longer.

So, we have done some things around here.

Nothing major - but at least the house looks lived in

instead of just someone camping.

When Dan came he put our bed up in the guest bedroom, as that is really the only room that is not going to have anything major done to it.  Yes, we will paint the walls and put carpet in the room - but no major remodeling.

Well, it was just sorta stuck in the room and didn't look all that great.

So, I decided that we were going to move the bed and set up our room like we actually lived here - headboard and all.  We even put up curtains and a picture over the bed.

For the guest bedroom bed we had been using a blow up mattress (remember we sold almost every piece of furniture we owned with the house in Lake Placid).  That is what I slept on the weeks that mom and I came up before we both moved up here for good.  It was just sitting on the floor and looked like - well, you can imagine.  Anyway, after moving our bed into the master bedroom we moved the blow up mattress to the guest room.  Still on the floor and I was not happy, so we went out to the Boy's Ranch Thrift Store a couple of weeks ago and bought a queen size bed frame - put a piece of plywood on it and then put the blow up mattress on that.  Not the best solution, but better than it sitting on the floor.

Well, last week I had enough of that nonsense too.  So, on Friday we

went over to Lake City and bought a queen size bed!  We will be picking it up tomorrow after Dan's doctor's appointment with the cardiologist.  Well, since I was getting a bed the next thing was to get a quilt for the bed.  Now, I had one on the bed but I wanted something that we could live with after the house is all done - and I found the perfect on one of the websites that I visit frequently.  It will arrive on Friday.   I'm excited that if one of my kids actually comes to see us they don't have to sleep on the floor!

Saturday was our anniversary - so we decided to go up to Valdosta and do some shopping - We went to all my favorite stores - Hobby Lobby, Kirklands, and Pier One.  I picked up a few things at Hobby Lobby (all Christmas related), some chargers at Kirklands (1/2 off), and a Christmas pillow at Pier One.  Also, while we were at Pier One we noticed a headboard that we both really liked.  We had talked about getting one from IKEA and then having to paint it - but this one would be perfect and it was on SALE.  Well, silly us, we didn't decide to get the silly thing until we were on the way home - so I called and reserved it - then we headed back to Valdosta on Sunday.  And, since we had to go back, I was able to go to Kohl's and Target (picked up a couple of things for the babies this weekend).

When we got home - Dan attached the headboard to the frame and it looks AWESOME!!!!

Now, I can't wait to pick up the bed and get the quilt.

I'll have this room looking like someone lives here yet - still haven't found the right drapes yet but we do have shades in the room and they might just have to do for a while.

Oh, I forgot!  Saturday night we went to Outback for our anniversary dinner - Dan's favorite restaurant.  It was really VERY good.
We enjoyed our day just being together

(even if I can't talk).

Monday I took Mom back down to Gainesville and she had the final tube removed and all the staples out.  Then she went over to see the oncologist and he has put her on a pill that kills all the estrogen in her body, since the type of breast cancer she had was estrogen fed.  He says that she will need to take the pill for five to ten years.  The good thing - the pills only cost $4.00 for a thirty day supply.  She doesn't have to see the surgeon or the oncologist again until February.  Yippee!!!!

So, I'm sure you are wondering why I titled this post what I did.

Well, there were actually two "ah ha" moments for me this week.

First, I'll be going down to Lake Placid in three weeks to keep the girls while their mom is at another training - I was suppose to keep them here, but Lorelai is in a Christmas program on the Wednesday night that they were suppose to get here.  Melissa couldn't wait until after the program to bring them or she wouldn't get to Jacksonville in time for her training Thursday morning - soooooo - Nana goes to Lake Placid.  Melissa won't be back until late Saturday and they have moved Ada's birthday party to that Sunday (Ada's actual birthday is the 11th) Dec. 20th.  Dan and I were going down with the camper on the 23rd to stay until the Sunday after Christmas.

Well, it just doesn't make sense to come home on Monday the 21st and turn around and go back to Lake Place on Wednesday, the 23rd.

What does all that have to with "ah ha"?  I have three weeks to buy and wrap all the Christmas presents - YIKES!  Well, as of this afternoon - everything has been ordered online except my mom (have NO idea what to do there) and Dan's kids - but we know what we are doing there.

The second "ah ha"?

Christmas cards!

I bought these beautiful Christmas Cards and was getting ready to 

sit down and get them all ready for the mail.

When what do I remember?

No address book!

It's packed up in one of those boxes that I refuse to unpack.

So, either I wait and send them out really late - like June - or I wait a little longer and use them next year.  

I think I'll just wait till next year - 

sorry everyone!

The rest of this week is going to be really busy -

Dan's appointment tomorrow and picking up the bed.

Thursday - Thanksgiving!  We are eating in the Dining Room this

year which should be easier on everyone!

Friday we are planning on driving up to Cuthbreth and see the girls at their dad's. I figured that's the only way I will see them and it's just a day trip.

Saturday - let's pull the Christmas decorations out of storage and see

what we can do for a tree.  I don't care that I will only be here two and a half weeks - I want a tree!  (Gosh darn it!!!)

At least - that is the plan.

That should keep us busy the rest of the week.

Oh, and I have a sewing project that I have to get done.

Yep, busy times!!!!

I'll fill you in on how well the "plan" works in the next post.

Hope you all have a fabulous Thanksgiving!!!!

Another trip to Gainesville

 Saturday we went to the "Fancy Flea Market" in Madison.  
It was FABULOUS!  There were so many wonderful things there.  
We bought a couple of things that we had been looking for and one thing I just couldn't pass up.  

We have been looking for an antique table to go beside Dan's chair when we get the Family Room built and we just happened to find one Saturday.  We also found a really unique coffee table that we will be able to use in the living room or family room - it's the perfect size for either room.  

But the piece that I am the most excited about is an antique dough bowl!  It is probably about four feet tall when stood on it's end and it is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!  Happy anniversary to me!!!!!  I can't wait to get the remodeling done so this beauty will have a place to be admired.
I am over the moon!

After our trip to Madison we came back to a local church for their "Ole Timey Days" where they had all kinds of old farm equipment and had a cane syrup cookin along with a lot of FREE food.  Lima Beans, Sausage, Cornbread, Corn on the Cob, Biscuits and Gravy, Funnel Cake, and Boiled Peanuts.  I had everything but the biscuits and gravy and the corn - just too full.  I did come home with a stalk of sugar cane, after the gentleman heard me telling Dan about "chewing cane" as a child and eating cane syrup and biscuits on my grandfather's lap.  Good times.

We had a wonderful day
 (I'm still over the moon with excitement over my dough bowl)!

Yesterday was another trip down to Gainesville.

Dan keeps telling me that the trip will get easier, but I don't

think that is the case.  It just seems to get longer and longer every time.

Anyway, mom's appointment was at 9:45 and we arrived by 9:30.  We did not have to wait long before she was called back, nor did we have to wait long for the doctor to come in.

He removed one of her drains (one left) and removed about half of the staples she has left.  He is confident that he will be able to remove the last drain and the rest of her staples next week and we have an appointment with the oncologist as her follow up visit right after her last visit with the surgeon.

Hopefully, we will be through with all the doctors and all the follow up this time next week.  That will be something to be thankful for!

After her doctors appointment we went over to the mall and went to the post mastectomy bra store; however, we were not able to have her fitted yet as she must be a minimum of four weeks out from surgery and not have any scabs from drains.  Guess that means it will be after Thanksgiving before that will happen.  We also have to have a prescription filled out by the doctor that will allow her to get at least one bra paid for by Medicare (or at least 80%).

Then we headed over to the mall - I had a coupon from Yankee Candle that I wanted to use and a friend could use the same coupon - so mom and I both got a couple of candles (okay, actually four candles each - buy two get two free, and I had an additional $10.00 off my purchase - happy girl!) - I should be set until after the first of the year.  I do love to burn candles, especially in the fall and winter.  They make the house smell so, so good!

Our final stop was at Perkins for a very late breakfast (11 o'clock).  It was "free pie Monday" so I got a piece of cherry pie to bring home to Dan.  Mom also brought her piece home, but she got pecan. Then we headed home.

It was after two o'clock before we finally got back to the village.

After I dropped mom off at her house and got her all settled I came home, jumped in the golf cart and Dan and I went down and purchased our tickets for  dinner on Thanksgiving day.  None of the family is coming up this year so the three of us are going to eat in the dining room.  Should be an easy day for me!

Then we stopped by a friend's on the way home, but by this time I just wanted to get to the house.  I had not been feeling too chipper all day, and it was finally catching up to me.  I did get a light dinner fixed and took a trip over and emptied mom's drain before coming home and going to bed.  (Didn't even watch Dancing With the Stars or football)

This morning I woke up not able to talk.  Have really taken it fairly easy and hope to feel better quickly.  Now is not the time to get sick!

C

Where did November go????

Disclaimer:  This was written last year on December 3rd and for some reason was never posted.  I am posting today because I want to have a record of the pictures, etc.
Please forgive the lateness of the post.
For an update that is current please scroll down past this post. 
Thanks!



I have no idea where the month of November went.

One day it was October 30th and I turn

around and it's December 3rd.

Goodness, time really seems to fly by!

It isn't as though we are that busy -

during the week we keep the babies and that does

keep us hopping..

Adalyn will be a year old on the 11th of December -

already a year old.  It is so hard to believe

that this time last year we were still waiting for this

sweet little one to be born.

I can't believe how poor the quality of these pictures is, but they were taken

with my phone and I guess I was trying to take pictures, see the baby and take care of Lorelai.

My three girls!

Love them!

Speaking of Lorelai ......

Talk about growing!!!!!

We are going through some times right now - she is two

and one minute she is the sweetest little girl you have ever been around and the next she is screaming her head off because she didn't get her way.

It is a little trying right now, but we'll work through it.

I guess all kids go through this stage - I just don't

remember it with my kids.

A couple of weeks ago was our anniversary - and I surprised Dan with a weekend trip to Disney World.  I had been working on the trip for over three months and had everything already paid for.  From our hotel room at Disney Port Orleans Resort, to our dinners - one at the hotel and the other at the Luau, to our lunches - one in Epcot and the other at the Magic Kingdom at Be Our Guest.  We had a wonderful time - just not long enough.  Wish we could spend a week up at the parks so we would be able to really check out all the different things to do.  Maybe IF we ever get another camper we can go up and stay at the Ft. Wilderness and really enjoy all the things that Disney has to offer.

We did not have Thanksgiving at our house this year.  The kids went up to Lakeland for the holiday and Dan's nephew came into town for a couple of days.  So we went out to eat at the country club - they had a nice menu (yes, you could actually chose what you wanted).  Dan and Dale had the Traditional which consisted of turkey and ham, sweet potatoes, dressing,  green beans, and a roll.  I had prime rib with a baked potato, and green beans.  For dessert, Dan and I had apple pie and Dale had a pumpkin roll.  We also got a ham dinner for my mom and took it to her since she did not want to go out.

Saturday afternoon I packed up all the Fall decorations and Dan took them to the store room and picked up Christmas.  I spent the rest of Saturday and Sunday after church putting up our Christmas decorations.

I had taken pictures with my phone but for some reason I can't download them

Doctors, doctors, and more doctors

Well, it seems like all my time lately has been going to

different doctors.

On October 30th mom had her surgery down in Gainesville.  Since we had to be there so early in the morning we decided to go down the night before and spend the night.  So glad we did - Friday morning there was a dense fog advisory out and the visibility was less that 1/4 of a mile.  I would have been a nervous wreck driving those back roads, before dawn, with that kind of visibility.  We were at the hospital/Women's Center at 6:45 for her 7:00 check-in.  They took her back to pre-op by 7 - did all they had to do - then she went down for a nuclear test on her lymph nodes which took about an hour.  Then it was back to pre-op to wait for her turn.  She went back to surgery right around noon.  It was close to three hours before the surgeon came to me to let me know the surgery went well.  Plan was to release her from recovery to go home - around 5.

Well, at 6 the recovery team came for me and let me know that mom was having an issue with her respiration and would sometimes "forget to take a breath". They said that they would not release her until her respiration was above 85.  At 7:30 her respiration was still low and I told them that I was not comfortable with the idea of my driving two hours home, after dark, by myself with her.  The roads between Gainesville and Dowling Park are deserted and if I had a problem there would be no where to go for help.  The recovery room team called her doctor and he gave permission for her to be admitted for one night.  So, at 10 o'clock she was finally taken to a room and I left the hospital to find a room for the night.

Silly me, I thought that I wouldn't have any issue with finding a room for the night since the University of Florida was playing an away game - WRONG!  There was a music festival going on in town and hotels were booked solid.  After going to three different hotels one young lady at the desk called around and finally was able to locate a room for me (a premium room, but at that point I didn't care) and I made it to my room around midnight.

Back to the hospital by 9 in the morning and had mom in the car and on our way home before 10:30.  She has done amazingly well - no pain medication what so ever (other than Tylenol on Saturday) and she is up and doing things around the house.  I go down and check and empty her drains, make sure she is eating, and visit a few times a day - but she wants to be on her own.  

We have been back down to Gainesville twice to have her drains checked and have some staples removed.  The doctor told us yesterday that he would probably remove one drain next Monday along with half the remaining staples and the the last drain and staples the following Monday.  He gave us information for a shop that sells post mastectomy prosthetics and bras and we will go there after her appointment next week.  She should be ready for a bra by then.

Dan and I both had doctors appointments here in the Village last week - all is well but we have been referred all over the place.  Dan has to see the cardiologist in Lake City the day before Thanksgiving and I see a gynecologist  in Gainesville in December as well as getting a mammo done in December and a bone density test in Lake City in January.  Hopefully, once all that is done we will be through with doctors for a little while at least.

We have jumped through a couple of hoops here with the bank.  Finally have all the paperwork and plans from the contractor turned in to the bank, signed the loan application - have had a quote for the homeowners insurance done, and today we had the initial appraisal done.  We are hoping to close the middle of December and get the renovations started in January.  At least, that is the hope right now.

Other than that - things have been quiet around here.

Things going on!

Once again it has been a month since I posted.  I thought that I would be able to stay on top of things, but I really need to get better at this blogging thing again!

Let's see if I can update you on the last month.

The last time I posted I said that Autumn Fest and the Car Show was that weekend.  We did go down to that - I even volunteered to work the Door Prize table.  That wasn't hard at all and I was near the entertainment stage and was able to listen to some great "oldies" music.  

There were not as many cars here this year as last but there were some pretty ones.

 Dan's favorite

One of my favorites.

(There was a 65 Mustang that I just loved, as that was

my favorite car growing up, but for some reason, I don't have

a picture of it.)

I think a good time was had by all who attended.

The following week we had a surprise - we had the girls for three days.

Melissa had to attend a conference/training in Tallahassee so

she brought the girls up and we were able to keep them.

It was fun and exhausting at the same time.

We had not kept all the toys we had when we were down south

so it was a little more challenging keeping them entertained.

However, we did enjoy it.

I spent a lot of time on the phone trying to get all of Mom's records up here, but that was finally accomplished and she had an appointment within the week.  She saw both the oncologist and the surgeon (two different doctors) and the surgeon wants to get the films from down south before any final decision was made.

The next week I drove down to Lake Placid to keep the girls again, as Melissa had to go to a different conference/training down in Miami for four days.

I left on Tuesday and came home on Friday - the girls were sick a couple of days and Justin (dad) picked the girls up from school on Friday and kept them on Saturday before Melissa got home.  Lorelai had a hard time - between strep throat and a stomach bug (which had her throwing up a lot) she did not have fun with Nana.  I was glad that she was feeling better when I talked to Melissa on Sunday.

Monday of this week I took Mom back down to Gainesville for her pre-op stuff - blood work, X-rays, and EKG.  Her surgery is scheduled for Friday morning.  We have to be there by 7 AM and since we live about two hours away she and I are going down Thursday night and spending the night.  She has to shower the night before and the morning of surgery with a special soap and she didn't want to have to be up by 4:30 in the morning to get all that done and I really didn't want to drive two hours in the dark with all the deer that we have around here.  Anyway, we think it will be better if we just spend the night there and then go to the hospital from the hotel.

Tuesday we went into town and did a little shopping - Dan and I are going to have to go back - didn't have everything on our list - but I think Mom got everything she needed.  Dan and I are going down to her house later today to put a few things up for her and then we'll see what else we need to do.

Tomorrow Dan and I both have blood work here in the village and then have doctor's appointments next week.  Not sure how mom's recovery will be but it will be a learning curve for all of us.

Tonight we are going over to a friend's house for hot dogs and a fire in the fire pit.  Should be fun

I think that has caught you up on everything that has gone on in the last month - oh- one more thing!  We finally got the paperwork from the contractor Monday and delivered it to the bank yesterday!  I really don't think anything will happen around here until after the first of the year what with the holidays,  but at least we are one step closer!

Before I sign off for today - I have some pictures of the girls on their very first day of "school" that I have not shared.  So, I'll leave you with a couple of those.

Adorable Adalyn

Lovely Lorelai

My heart

So sweet

Lorelai in her class

See ya!

My sweet little one.

(Not too sure of all this - but all's good now!)

That's it - talk to you soon!

Back to the "blogging" world

Hello my friends!  It has been a very long time since I have blogged and I have missed letting you know what is going on around here.  I just seemed to be so bogged down in things for the last year and I could never seem to find the time to sit down at the computer - but so much has changed in just the last couple of months.  I think that I am ready to come back.

As some of you know, Dan and I sold the house in Lake Placid and have moved back up to the North Florida area.  We think that this is the best move for us at this time in our lives and we have brought my mom up here too.  She purchased her own home and has been busy the last month getting unpacked. We (or I should really say I) have been in touch with an oncologist and they have requested all of mom's records from Watson Clinic.  As soon as they receive them and a doctor reviews them they will call to set up an appointment for mom and we can go forward with her treatment.  We are not sure, at this point, what the course of treatment will be but we do need to have the problem dealt with.

Dan and I are in a holding pattern right now when it comes to the house here.  We  purchased another foreclosure and we are trying to tie the remodeling money into the mortgage so we are waiting for the contractor to get all the paperwork filled out for the bank.  He had a scope of work completed and then Dan decided to change up some things on the "new" garage and the family room.   I won't take the time today to go into all the details of what we want to do to the house, but lets just say that we will pretty much have a brand new house when we are finished.

The hardest part of this move (for me anyway) is not seeing the babies every day.  I knew I would miss them but it has been a lot harder than even I thought it would be.  The one saving grace has been Skype - I am able to see them at least once a week - but it still isn't the same as being able to hold them and love on them in person.  I can not begin to tell you how my heart swells when I answer the phone and here "Hi NANA!"  - it brings an instant smile to my face!  They are my loves and I miss them!

I really don't have much else to say today - I just wanted to let those of you that still read this blog that I am back - that I will be blogging about what we are doing and I'll have lots to say about the house remodel (when we ever get that started) and will even throw in some other stuff too.  Next weekend is Autumn Fest and the car show - so I'll probably have some pictures then.
Until then - take care and I'll talk to you soon!