A few moments...

A few moments to share an update. I really like my job at David's Bridal. My managers are fabulous and the other consultants are great! I love Ms. Becky in our Alterations Department. She actually reminds me of my Grandma M. The work environment is great. They are all a bit like a loving disfunctional family. Crazy but still willing to claim you! Lol!

My mom and MIL have made it possible for me to work and I don't know where we would be without them. Slowly but surely things are getting squared away at home. I was very sick over Thanksgiving holiday so we were not able to have everyone over. I ended up getting sick earlier in the week, losing my voice to go along with it, but I continued to try and work. All was well until I got sick AT work. Luckily, not all over a wedding dress. I left shortly thereafter and was five minutes from home when I got sick again, this time at stop light (thank you!). Made life interesting. Mom was at the house with the boys already and told me that I wasn't going to be worth anything to just go to bed and she would stay until John got home. Sleep is an amazing cure. A few hours of hard sleep and I felt like I had some control over my body. It has taken until just yesterday for me to feel more like myself.

There are a few things going on with John's job but God will walk us through them. He has a plan and I pray I have the faith to trust Him. John seems okay but I feel like there is another shoe waiting to drop.

Jonathan has been doing well with his classes at PCI and seems to really enjoy it. He would love to have a different job right now but, as he says, it pays the bills. Isaac seems content with where he is right now. He is waiting on Alysha to transfer to the school down there to finish her classes. They are doing well together. The distance isn't so great (about 2 hours) that they aren't able to manage. I am proud of them for making this work. They have long term plans that will get started when she finishes school. For now, they are happy where they are in life and I could not be more pleased with how they are dealing with everything.

Mom and Grandma and Grandpap are doing okay. They just got Grandma's flu shot today. Her birthday was on 12/2. I thought about her all day at work but neglected to call her until yesterday. I apologized but Grandma just laughed it off, telling me she had a great day and thanked me for calling her. It's better than NOT calling. Lol!

Missed Dad greatly, yesterday.

I work all day tomorrow and then there is a company Christmas party that evening. Just thought I would share a quick ramble on a few things.

Stay safe and Happy Christmas!

A Birthday Party

My middle BIL's girlfriend had her birthday yesterday so we celebrated with a party today at my MIL's house. A few days go DH calls me from work. He and his brothers had cooked up the idea to have a surprise party for their mother (whose birthday is on Tuesday) at the same time as middle BIL's girlfriend. So, I was asked to make the cake.

Now, if you read my post about my youngest's birthday party, you remember that my MIL showed me how to make icing roses. So, I told DH that I would like to try and make her cake a little more than a 9x13 still in the pan with icing slathered on. He was game so I went to the store.

Wilton makes these $12 starter kits with several tips/bags/mini colors/couplings and instructions (I suggest YouTube or Wilton website videos!), so I picked up one. I figured I could at least try. If I was completely inept then I could always call my mom to rescue me. I grew up watching mom decorate the most fantastic cakes (we never had plain, boring cakes until we became teens and were too complicated and moody...lol). So, I figured I had a head start.

So, here we go.This is two 9 inch rounds stacked. I used two boxed chocolate cake mixes and two tubs of chocolate icing. I filled the pans over the halfway mark to let them mound up. When they cooled I cut off the top keeping in line with the top of the pans to create a flat surface.

And here it is. It is far from perfect but God gave me the patience to keep trying. The best part? My MIL loved it!

I am glad I took pictures before we left the house to head over to MIL's because in the midst of DH fixing vegetable beef stew in the dutch ovens outside, the MIL's oil carafe that sat on the back of the stove fell over on the cake and flattened two of the roses! Lol! I had not put it back far enough when I returned it to the kitchen. Hahaha! I had a great time creating this and thank God for the talented women in my life that have taken the time to teach me their craft.

Ugh.

A two-day migraine, this time. Three pills in total. I was beginning to wonder if the pills were actual medication or just powder. Eventually, the pain did recede but not before it completely messed up my plans for Friday evening.

For three weeks in a row, I have been unable to attend the "knit nights" at our yarn shop with Mom and Tater (my niece). Hopefully, next week is a different story. I really liked getting together with so many different people and just visiting.

I have finished several baby blankets in the diagonal dishcloth pattern. I try different patterns all the time but rip them out and go back to my dishcloth pattern. It works for me. Mom says that she did the same thing. She would start a pretty pattern and then rip it out and do a basic. After having some time to think on it, the basic pattern blankets are great because the pretty ones don't get used all the time. Those are the "good" blankets. The garter stitch blankets (mine are usually made from cotton) tend to be the ones the babies can grow with and drag behind them all through the house. That works for me.

I am currently working on a new blanket in the dishcloth pattern with Bernat Baby Coordinates yarn in Lemon Custard. One of the girls my two oldest went to school with is getting married and just found out she is expecting (good timing). She is doing the nursery in a John Deere theme (she's a farm girl to the core!!!) so I figure the light yellow will work. I will make another one in a cotton variegated to give her a basic go-to blanket. You can never have too many blankets when you have babies.

For Family

Since my mom hasn't updated her blog since the WV Birthday weekend, I will try and fill family in on what is happening.

Grandma was supposed to have cataract surgery on August 18. Last week, at her check-up appointment before surgery, the doctor found a membrane containing fluid behind her eye. It isn't supposed to be there. So, he cancelled the surgery and scheduled an appointment for her to see a specialist in Pittsburgh on August 14, tomorrow.

Grandma is very nervous and anxious about it. She was hoping to be done with all the surgeries before Emily's birthday. Now, we don't know what is happening.

Mom has become something of a knitting whisperer! Lol! She has a group of ladies in a small community south of our town that have come together as a Prayer Shawl group. Another group has started at our church that meets every week with Mom. We also have a new yarn shop in town! She has just started, so she carries the basics and a few specialty yarns but is building her stock based on what her customers are looking for instead of stocking everything and stuff not selling. The shop hosted a Knit til You Drop night a few weeks ago and it turned into a weekly meeting. I missed last Friday's Knit Night because of feeling ill from a migraine that lasted three days. However, I am praying very hard to be able to make it tomorrow night!

Since Mom will be in Pittsburgh with Grandma and Grandpap all day, she has asked that I take Tater, my niece. Mom taught Tater to knit just over a month ago (she picked it up immediately!). Tater has been going with mom to all her Prayer Shawl meetings in the small community south of us and has attended Knit Night the last two weeks. Mom doesn't want her to miss tomorrow's Knit Night just because she is exhausted from the day in Pittsburgh. So, I am hoping, praying, that God gives me a pass for tomorrow evening so I can take her. Oh, that reminds me. I have to fix something to take with me.

Blazing Star

Thanks to my SIL, Dana, I have found out what that purple spikey flower is that my youngest took photos of at my Grandmother's.

Liatris. Also known as Blazing-star, Gay-feather, or Button snakeroot.

After reading Dana's warning about Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife), I started looking. One site that talked about invasive plants recommended replacing it with something called Blazing star. So, I went looking for that.

BINGO! That is exactly what is in my Grandma's front garden! I didn't think it was the Lythrum salicaria since it had not overrun the entire planting area (she still has loads of daisies and lilies that pop up and her tulips are as beautiful and strong as ever) but since I am not well-versed in plant life as Dana, I wasn't going to ignore it. Plus, Dana is just a fount of information anyway. I learn alot from her.

So, I know that my updates have been scattered, eratic, and random at best. I have been working through my yarn collection trying to get all the pieces I bought certain yarn and thread for completed. I recently completed another baby blanket out of bulky yarn (like the type Moo made our afghans out of, Dana) that was pink and white variegated. I am going to be making a christening outfit with some thread soon. Following that, I have some bamboo crochet thread I have been saving for a special project. Mom purchased a pattern book of purses and bags months ago. In it is a pattern for a reticule (a small, delicate lace purse) with a satin liner of any choice of color. I finally have all the things needed. Hopefully, I won't mangle the pattern too much.

I plan on making more cup cozies and coasters. Market bags and baby blankets are on my list, too. All out of worsted weight cotton or other organic material. My hands just can't deal with the acrylic. Maybe I can get away with Cotton-ease but I am not sure. For now, I will stick with my cotton cones.

WV Birthday - June 20 - 146 years old

My two youngest sons ran around our community with my mom and grandparents. They explored a local historical home complete with archeological dig, Fostoria Glass Museum, The Mound Museum, and the former WV State Penitentiary. They had a blast! My 10 y/o took this photo from the top of the Mound.

Nature's Wrath

Last evening was an adventure I would rather not repeat.

Following VBS, we exited the church to find the skies north of us dark and ominous, while those to the south looked like the perfect spring/summer evening, dotted with pink cotton candy clouds. Then enters the tornado warning. We live in WV, people!!! I left Louisiana YEARS AGO, happy to be away from such things!!!

I race the storm home, drop my mom at her house and head to mine. Then...nothing. At least for an hour or so, anyway.

The lightning started about 9:30pm and, hoping to create my own therapy to help get over my fear of severe storms, I stood outside and took some pictures. After loading them onto the computer, I realized that I needed to pick up my 18 y/o from work. DH and I both thought that the storm had blown by us. I got two minutes from the house and visibility turned to...well, let's just say that high beams, high wiper setting and 5mph still wasn't good. I arrived in the WalMart parking lot in time to watch grocery carts drive themselves in CIRCLES!!! In SIDEWAYS RAIN! Yeah, the good little southern girl in me is screaming "Cloud rotation! Cloud rotation! If it was daylight, it would be green outside!! GET OUT OF THE STUPID CAR!!!" (Yeah, she wasn't very nice...).

So, with half of my body soaking wet after running into the store, I have to wait for my son since he has to finish locking up. DH calls me, "I am packing the boys into the company car and heading to Mom's." So, Mr. Chef and I continue to wait for a lull, however small. The mad dash to the car ends up with both of us soaking wet. He calls his grandmother to let her know we are on our way. The normal 5 minute trip takes 15 minutes. There are rivers in the streets that I probably shouldn't have driven through but I did.

After being at my MIL's for about an hour, things have calmed down. The rain is almost done and coming straight down, now. We leave. About 1-1/2 miles from the house, there is a line of cars waiting on emergency personnel to let them pass. A power line is down. And the have had to forcibly evacuate to neighborhoods just passed the elementary school near my grandparents' home. DH and I told them where we were going and they told us we would be fine. It's beyond us that it was still really bad.

DH and I discover that we have standing water behind our home. The creek looks like a raging river. There is mud everywhere.

But my kids are safe and happy, having gotten to sleep in their own beds last night.

This morning my mother calls to check on me and tells me that my aunt and uncle are in the living room. Uncle had to call 911 last night because the storm ripped the power line OFF their house!! The power company tech came out and couldn't work on it last night due to the storms continued activity and the the fireman, when asked how things looked in town, told Uncle that he really didn't want to know. Things were that bad.

So, today we will all assess the damages and be thankful to God for the life we have. Sometimes, it takes a good rumble to make us realize that things don't matter...people do. Blessed be God.

Quick update

Mom's home. My brother and his oldest son spent the night at my house. My two youngest sons had a blast with their cousin! It only took them 1 hour beyond bedtime and about a dozen reminders to go to sleep for them to quit whispering. A new record for my kids during sleepovers, actually! When my older brother's two boys spent the night it was closer to 3 hours and me feeling like a broken record. Of course, the road trip had my nephew tired to begin with.

I am still sick. Dana, I am sorry if I gave it to your husband and son! Really! We had a great visit despite my less than stellar health.

Mom gave me beautiful hair sticks from an artisan that my SIL found near their home. Even though I can't quite get the hang of ONLY using hair sticks, I can still use them as decoration after I anchor my hair with a band. My SIL made me a beautiful necklace and bracelet set! I will take pictures and show you later. I plan on wearing them with a black dress for my 18 y/o's high school graduation (Yes! Thank you, God, for the miracle of him fixing his flubs in time!). She (SIL) also made a great birthday card! I will take a picture of that, too. The great thing about Dana is just getting a card from her is more "gift" than anything! Her work is fabulous and amazing! Her oldest son is talented in that area, too, so I can't wait to see what he comes up with as he gets older and more confident.

So, it's late. As stated earlier, I am still sick. I am going to drag this tired, sore, stiff body to bed. A return post could take a few days...I hate being sick...

So, yesterday...

...was obviously my birthday. It also reminded me that I have posted about my birthday every year since I started this blog. This will be the third year.

Just like the last few years, this is a progressive birthday. I had all these great plans on having dinner AND dessert ON my birthday. Nope. Didn't happen. Why? For the first time I can ever remember, I have a summer cold. It started yesterday afternoon just before the kids got home from school. Joy. So, my DH took pity on me and sprung for takeout even though he was perfectly willing to cook dinner for me like he had planned. It was just too hot and I was just too cranky to put up with the oven being on.

Today, I am still sick but moving better (it's amazing what a few doses of medicine can do for a person!). My mom called this morning and told me she is coming home today and will be back around dinner time. My brother (yes, the one with the broken knee and bionic parts) is bringing her home and my nephew gets to tag along! Yay! Well, those two are camping out at my house tonight (yeah, not even worried about the clean laundry that still needs folded or the boys' room that still needs to be finished...that's what being sick does to me).

I have, however, made my dessert for my birthday. When DH and I were on our mini-vacation he took me to Applebee's and I loved it. I was so stuffed that I couldn't even eat dessert! And what a dessert I found! So, I decided to make my own version for my birthday. And here it is:

I don't know what Applebee's calls it but this is my Strawberry Chocolate Mousse. Underneath the mousse is a layer of crumbled Oreo-type cookies. This is such a simple dessert! Start to finish (if you don't wait to plate it until later) would be about 30 minutes.

Ingredients are simple:

• Dreamwhip packets - I used two packets
  
• Instant Chocolate Pudding - 2 4-oz. packages
• Oreo-type cookies - I will leave the number of packages up to you! Lol!
• Milk
• Vanilla Extract
  

Just follow the instructions for Mousse on the back of the Dreamwhip Box (double the recipe if you want a lot...that's what I did). I crushed the cookies in a gallon-size storage bag - and freaked my boys out at the same time! The ramekins actually belong to my 18 y/o from when he made Creme Brulee a few weeks ago. I put about a serving spoon of cookie crumbs in the bottom. Two serving spoons of mousse on top of that and then a fanned strawberry on top of the whole thing. Assembly took about 5 minutes for 5 ramekins. I have enough to do about 5 or 6 more.

I may not get overly excited about my birthday, like I use to do, but I certainly enjoy experimenting with desserts..

Well, DH is almost done with the steaks and the redskinned parsley potatoes are about ready to come out of the over (geez, it's hot in this house!!!), so that's it. Give the dessert a try! You'll love it!

Rocks in the head...Water on the brain

So, my adventure with my van continues as I have YET to hear back from the garage about an estimate. Thankfully, my mom, who is still in NY with my brother (who is healing nicely from trying to rearrange his knee!), told me to get her spare key from Grandpap and use her car. Yay!

On Monday, Pap picked me up from the house so I could get Mom's car. He moved it into the front driveway so I could get it cleaned out a bit. Mom, I love you but your car does not look like it use to! Lol! I completely EMPTIED her car! No more cows or lions! Well, I did leave the cow license plate.

Anyway, while I was cleaning the car out and detailing a little bit, Aunt Martha came over. She hasn't been feeling well. The doctor told her that she had an inner ear infection but it was getting worse and the pain around her right ear was increasing. So, they were going back to the doctor's office. A few hours later, she returned. Now, understand, I love my aunt to no end. She has been the aunt that spoils you, teaches you, tells you crazy stories that you make her tell YOUR kids, and you are terrified of disappointing her. I have so many wonderful memories of my childhood that revolve around my aunt and her two sisters (my mom and her youngest sister). So, when I tell you that I laughed at my aunt when she told us how sick she was, please, understand I am not being mean! My laughter was based on genetics!

A bit of history; my mom has vertigo, my Aunt Nancy (the youngest sister) has vertigo, my grandmother has vertigo...for years, Aunt Martha has explained all this to people and ended with the statement that she "has curly hair". Well, that curly hair didn't protect her this time! She has vertigo!!! Lol! As bad as she feels with an ear infection and a diagnosis of vertigo, she finds it all very funny! She has an appointment with an ear specialist next week, I believe, just to make sure that she is okay with her hearing, as it has been effected, of course.

OOT Post

I am currently on a mini-vacation with my hubby. He has a convention he has to attend for work and they encourage the spouses to tag along. We have been coming to these for 6 years and I love them. Not only do I get to explore my home state but DH and I also use this time as an extended Honeymoon. We didn't have a traditional honeymoon, as he had to work a few days after the wedding and I became an instant mom to two wonderful boys that quickly learned how to push every single INVISIBLE button I didn't know I had! Lol!

So, the trip to the convention was wonderful. Although we got a late start, we enjoyed the drive quite well. I will post pictures when I return and hopefully you will be just as awed as I am to live in such a beautiful place. It isn't any wonder why it is called, "Almost Heaven..."

A rare adventure did occur for us this evening. Around 5:30, just before DH and I were to get ready for dinner and the convention Meet-and-Greet, the filament line (fishing line...) running under the left lens of my glasses SNAPPED! I am over 4 HOURS away from my eye doctor! In the geographical CENTER of this state and my glasses just broke! I am LEGALLY BLIND without them!!! Small freak out moment, then common sense kicks in! I head to the hotel gift shop to talk with the proprietor (people are STILL better than computers in emergencies!). YES! There is a Wal-Mart Vision Center 40 minutes away - not a big deal to people who drive 45 minutes just to get to a Michael's Craft Store and a Books-A-Million! (Sorry about the big, bad store, Dana but I was desperate!!!)

DH and I get ready for dinner like we planned, I just did it blind and working with a 300+ degree flat iron, to boot. Into the van and away we go. We drove over Powell Mountain and, although it was a great big blur, it was so beautiful! The greens of spring were everywhere! And we came across the greatest village name: Muddlety! I love it! Muddlety, Muddlety, Muddlety...it's just fun to say!

We finally reach our destination and wait patiently for the repair work to be completed. Dh told me that he watched her work through the glass and she was really putting muscle into pulling that filament through my frames! Oh, I hope this lasts for a while! Afterward, I suffered the normal bouncy/shakey feeling after not wearing glasses for an extended length of time. It wore off before we got to Applebee's (loved it!). A great storm rolled in while we were eating and continued on our drive back to the hotel. Due to the rain, it took longer to get back but that was okay. The Meet-and-greet was still going on and the gentlemen thought it was cute that DH had to run me all over the mountains to get them fixed.

On high note! As we were leaving the restaurant, I received a call from my 18 y/o. Several months back a dear friend of the family (and substitute music/band teacher that taught me AND my older two sons) suffered a severe stroke that left a once-vibrant man a shadow of himself. Well, my son called me this evening to tell me he saw Mr. P today! He is walking almost perfectly! He is eating without trouble! He looks FABULOUS! He said Mr. P told him his next job is getting his speech back to normal. Oh, thank you, God, for such wonderful work! This man is a blessing to so many! So, I told my son to call Grandpap, as they were great friends and it broke Pap's heart to hear what happened to Mr. P but this will give him such joy. So, Mom, smile. He's going to be okay!

Good morning, All!

It has been raining here off and on for the last few days. We will get moments of pristine skies and beautiful sunshine only to have it quickly fade into storm clouds and pouring rain. This is good, though! We are behind on our needed precipitation for the last few months. This is needed.

Well, my grandfather has been doing so well after his pacemaker surgery. He isn't allowed to drive, yet, so I get to have fun running him and Grandma around on errands they want to get done. We went to Wal-Mart, yesterday. They needed to buy groceries for the house since the last time he stocked up was before his stay in the hospital. It worked out well since I had to pickup milk ($1.99 a gallon!!! Whoohooo!! got three) and peirogies, dry cereal and all the fixin's for Ham and Broccoli Bake. I will post my recipe at the end.

While we were walking around the store we noticed a great many men who walked and held themselves in a similar fashion. After watching them for a few moments, I realized they held themselves like my husband, our boys' friend Tom, my grandfather, my cousin...hmmm...all are some form of military. Why are they--AH! MOCK RIOT at the old Penitentiary!

The Penitentiary hosts international mock riots that bring military and police personnel from all over the world.

So, Mr. Chef's last day of school is coming in a few weeks. He reminds his dad and I every weekday how many he has left. All I think about is how many days I have left until I have to leave him in Pittsburgh...

Mom is still in NY with my brother and his family. His knee is healing nicely from what I learned during a quick phone call to Mom, yesterday. She is losing so much weight and sounds so happy! Being up there has not only been good for them, since she is able to help with the boys, but it has been fabulous for Mom. I wonder if my brother knows how wonderful it is to hear her so happy and relaxed.

Aunt Martha still hasn't completely backed up her computer files and reinstalled her system programs. She told me that she and Uncle have been enjoying the lack of Internet access (thank you, Mr. Virus!) and have been spending a great bit of time just sitting in the living room with the many new kittens (yes, THERE'S MORE!). She, Mom, and myself are trying to build up our handcrafts to take to a craft show at Uncle Sonny's nursing home this fall. So, she has been working on that as well. I have become quite competent at crocheting shopping bags! I have a pattern for a beautiful delicate reticule with a satin lining and seed pearls. Hopefully, I will be able to work on it soon. It's still a bit intimidating when i read the pattern, as I have never really worked from one. It's all been by sight and feel. One day, though, I will get it done.

So, it's time for the recipe!!! This is by no means a secret family recipe. I personally feel that food is food and everyone should be able to cook a basic meal, so NO SECRETS! This is my maternal grandmother's recipe. My mom wrote it in a family cookbook and gave one to me and my two SILs. Mine has stains and creases all over! It has been well-loved! Oh, and this recipe has been doubled for my family, so you are getting those measurements. If, after you make it the first time, just divide everything in half. Although, this does reheat quite well and tastes even better the next day! I am going to try and give conversion temps and measures, too, so Miss Linda!- it should work for you, too!

Ham and Broccoli Bake

Preheat oven: 350 degrees F/180 degrees C

Baking Time: Cast Iron - 50 minutes; Glass - 40 minutes; Metal - 35 minutes. These are all estimations so watch your food!

********************

16 oz/500 g - cooked chopped or diced ham (size of ham pieces is your choice)

2 cups/500 ml - Instant Rice

1 cup/250 g - Shredded Cheese (I've used cheddar, mozzarella/provolone combo, etc.)

1 cup/250 ml (liquid measure) - Milk

26oz/Family Size can - Cream of Chicken/Cream of Mushroom

1 small to medium - Onion, puree'd

12 oz-16oz/375-500 g - Frozen, chopped Broccoli

1 cup / 250 g - Corn Flake crumbs

3-6 tbsp/60-120 ml - Butter, melted (this all depends on how many crunchies you want on top!)

1/2 cup/125ml - water

3-quart/3 liter baking dish (the one above is a 3-quart cast iron braiser), Buttered and set aside. Medium sauce pan

Large Mixing bowl

Salt and Pepper

********************

Cook Broccoli, Cream of Chicken/Mushroom soup and water in medium sauce pan until hot and slightly done. In large mixing bowl, combine ham, instant rice, cheese, milk, and onion puree. Salt and pepper to taste.

Add broccoli and soup mixture to large bowl and mix together. Put mixture in baking dish. Combine corn flake crumbs and melted butter; spoon or sprinkle over top of dish.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake. For final FIVE MINUTES (5 min), remove foil and place back in oven. When done, let rest on counter or stove top for at least 5 minutes.

Hope you like it. I have made my own changes to Grandma's recipe over the years. My husband has to be told every - single - time, NO, you cannot have the whole thing! Anyway, I hope I got the measurements right. I grew up learning to cook by just looking at it and I still eye-ball recipes, so don't be afraid to adjust this one!

Some of you know that my mom collects cows. Those of you who are family know that it is leading towards the need for therapy. . . I think I figured a way around it, though. Take a picture of each cow, frame it, and hang it up for her. THEN SELL THE HERD!

Yeah, right! Like I would live long enough to get them out of her room! Anyway, let me introduce you to a few of her cows that I actually LIKE!

This is Clover. I just love her face (and the fact that she is SMALL!).

This is a burlap-covered cow that Mom received a few years ago from a dear family friend. Don't know if this cow had a name but I love the textures and the organic feel of her.

I plan on taking more photos of Mom's cows in the near future. Some for fun, others for documentation purposes because she has several antiques. Oh! And she has the best salt-and-pepper shakers! I grew up with those things on the table at dinner! Just wait until I can post those.

Migraines & Mom - Part 3

So, mom is home now. She is going to have rehab 2-3 times a week to keep her knee moving. So far she is doing well. We went out to one of her churches on Sunday (She came home on Saturday) for a wedding. She did not officiate because she wouldn't have been able to stand that long. However, she had another pastor coming anyway and he performed the service. It was wonderful. The groom owns a flower shop, so of course there were flowers everywhere! They were just gorgeous. The bride wore a tea-length, autumn brown satin dress. It was beautiful.

One of the blessings during the wedding on Sunday evening was that it was my first afternoon/evening without a migraine. I had one that morning that was taken care of with my medicine and time. Thankfully, I was able to function through it. Since going off my Topamax, I have been in a constant state of migraine. One long period of pain. I was finally able to describe the pain to my husband. It feels like someone is shoving a pike into my skull and using a blade to scrape the thinnest layer of skin off my scalp. ...Lovely...

My pain tolerance has increased, though. I seem to be able to handle the...geez, what can I call it?...symphony of pain, I guess. My worst day was Saturday, September 29 (?). The 16-year-old took his girlfriend to Homecoming at the high school and I was the driver. We drove the 30 minutes north to pick her up and take pictures with friends before dinner. On the way to drop them at the restaurant, my migraine hit - HARD. I faked a smile and a laugh expertly. Since they were eating just a few minutes from the rehab center Mom was at, I was going to see her until they were finished. I stopped to get some food and, in tears, drove to the center. I could hardly see by the time I got to Mom. I tried to eat but it was like cardboard in my mouth. I curled up on Mom's bed and slept for over an hour before the kids called to be picked up. I, again, faked the smile and laugh all the way to the house - I had a young lady who's hair was in need of repair. I then drove them to the dance. After I left the school, I had to call my husband. My head was causing me such agony, I had to have him talk to me just so I could make it home. When he got me in the door, he was prepared - medicine, water, wet washcloth, bed - all ready to go. I was helpless, couldn't function on my own at all. I seriously thought I was going to be able to get over this in a few hours and then pick up the kids and take them to the bonfire party at a friend's house. I woke up at 2:30 a.m. when my husband came home from taking the teenager's girlfriend home from the bonfire.

After sleeping until 8 a.m., I awoke still suffering from the migraine. It didn't go away until almost 1p.m., when we left for my MIL's birthday party. That was a rough 18 hours.

I am hoping that I can keep the migraines under control through the weekend. I have a photo shoot with a couple on Saturday and Mom has church on Sunday. The photo shoot is going to be a blast! It is my husband's best friend from high school and her life-partner. They did not have any formal photos for their ceremony (I think it was a year ago?) and would like me to do an album for them. They loved the photos I did for T's culinary portfolio assignment and my oldest's senior pictures, so they are thrilled I am going to do this with them. I got paid in CAKE when I did T's culinary shots. I wonder if I can get BROWNIES this time. Hubby LOVES brownies. See? You don't have to get money...bartering is fantastic! I just love that T is in culinary school!

This is one of the water lilies my MIL has growing in her Koi pond. Every time I have been over there, the lilies are closed but at her birthday party they were open and beautiful. This is an unedited photo, right down to the little bug on the petal. Lol!

Migraines & Mom - Part 2

For Dana - I completely agree about the food Mom has to be eating but from she says, it is pretty decent. They give her fruits and vegetables that she really likes and that has a lot to do with her weight loss, I believe.

Well, the doctor has taken me off the Topomax. He agreed with my husband, who wanted to flush my pills down the toilet, that this has to stop. So, for the next month the whole family gets to help me keep track of my migraines.

Migraines & Mom

Okay, so Mom had her surgery on her left knee. She is now in a rehab center for a few weeks and is doing very well. Besides her knee healing, she has also lost weight! YAY! This is what we have been waiting for. It is difficult to exercise if you can't walk - now she is starting to lose weight that she has been trying to get off for years.

I am going to the doctor today. I actually have to leave in a few minutes. I just needed to get this out of my system first. My migraine medication, the preventative - Topomax, is causing me so many problems. The good things no longer outweigh the bad. I can't continue with it. My memory STINKS! I am unable to remember things the kids have told me. I don't remember conversations. I can't concentrate on anything - I haven't made any jewelry in so long! I am unable to focus on simple tasks, like cleaning the house. Ugh! It's a monumental feat to get things done. I lost the van in the store parking lot the other day. This wasn't just forgetting the exact location but knowing the general direction to go - I LOST THE VAN! Luckily, my 18-year-old was with me and I just followed him, after I told him I did not remember where the van was.

My system reacts to medication in such an odd fashion. I could only take 1/4 of the dose of Topomax my doctor wanted me to take. I don't like the way I am right now. I don't like forgetting things. I am afraid that one day I will forget to go get the kids or even forget that I have kids.

Am I scared? Yeah. Do I think that another medication is the answer? . . . I don't know. I just want to be me again.

Mom

Well, Mom had her knee surgery today. She is in a fair amount of pain but that is being managed with the medication they are giving her. After reporting to the hospital before 10 a.m. this morning for check-in, with the anticipation of surgery at 12 noon, she wasn't taken back into the O.R. until almost 4 p.m. It made things rough, having to spend the whole day in the waiting rooms, jumping when the phone rang, hoping the next doctor stepping in was going to be hers. In the end, things went well.

One of the many unique things about today, I had a few brief, wonderful conversations with my SIL's mother. Dana's mom was in visiting and was able to talk with me about Mom when I called to leave a message for her and my brother. She is such a sweet lady! Dana, Mom says to tell your mom, "Thank you."

Another unique moment occurred throughout the day. Aunt Martha took the day off and came to the hospital with us. She brought this fantastic book on photography that she checked out from our local library! Now, the three of us (me, Grandpap, and Aunt Martha) are determined to BUY THAT BOOK! It is full of wonderful information and humor! Plus, I had a blast playing with Pap with it. I would leave the waiting room - he would take it; he would leave the waiting room - that thing was mine! Aunt Martha laughed and giggled every time! Now, if I could just remember the name of that book. Help!

Oh, and the photos posted for today, I took today. The petunia was shot this morning in Grandma's yard while the dew still rested on the petals, before we left for the hospital. The clouds and sun were shot through the glass of the waiting room window (Aunt Martha saw a flag hanging down the street - she humors me - and then we saw this shot).

Still here...just busy!

So, here's a quick update.

Oldest started classes a week earlier than we thought, the 16-year-old had uniform fittings for band, I have had two migraines that snuck up on me, Saturday involves a Band Car Wash and a military funeral Mom is officiating, I have four jewelry projects that I HAVE to get done...what else?...oh, yeah!...I GOT A CALL BACK FOR A JOB!!!! YAY!!!

As I said, this will be quick! So, the job is for a church here in town, as their Wedding Coordinator. I have been doing this stuff on a volunteer basis for 10 years for my own church and I love it. When I get the chance to return to college, I plan on also taking accredited courses online for Wedding Planning/Coordinating. I don't just want to hang a shingle and say I can do this. I want the experience, yes, but I also want the credentials to go with it. I will say this, life can't be replaced by the classroom, sometimes.

I don't have the job, yet. The pastor (who is also my mom's supervising pastor) wants to meet with me again to go over the separation of responsibilities. That way I know what my job is and what his job is. I already know, but he is worried that I may try to take on his stuff since I worked with older pastors that weren't able to do as much and took on more tasks than traditionally necessary for an in-church coordinator. Hey, each church is different. They run it their own way. With well-established churches, such as this one, they have the weddings down pat. They just need a referee, basically. PICK ME! PICK ME! *insert jumping up and down here*

On a lighter note, I finally got my husband to play with my camera a little bit. He is the one who took the picture of me that is now on my profile. It took him 30 minutes to get that picture! I have all the rest to prove it! The shaking, the blurring, the bad focus...oh my. At last, he just put the camera on a stack of books, set the timer, and went about trying to make me laugh! We had fun. It all started, actually, with me wanting him to take pictures of my hair for my hair journal. I am getting it reshaped next week and wanted pictures just in case something went wrong and I had to get it severely cut!

Hey, this is the longest I have had my hair since I was in Kindergarten and gave myself a haircut! Besides, my younger brother's hair is long, too. Only thing is, his looks shorter but when you pull on those corkscrew curls, boy does it get long!!! Love you bunches, G!

Okay, the quick note has turned into a longer one. Just wanted to let you all know I was still here.

Quick Wedding Tip: To keep the Flower Girl and Ring Bearer in place during the wedding, (i.e. standing in one spot!) tape a Gold Dollar to the floor! Tell them that if they keep their foot on that coin the entire wedding, unless they HAVE to move, they get to keep it! After the ceremony, have the photographer take pictures of them on their hands and knees with the bride and groom getting the coin off the floor. Make sure that each child gets a copy of the picture as a keepsake. I have kids from 5 years ago that still have their dollars and their pictures! They loved the memory it made. The bride and groom loved the personal touch the pictures created.

Mom's Home!!

YAY! Mom's home!! My mom went to the WV United Methodist Annual Conference this past week. She left last Wednesday and got home Sunday evening. During that time she had her birthday, too.

I have been driving my DH crazy! I will stare at the phone, wanting it to ring or itching to pick it up and call her. I would sit around with this sad look on my face and he'd ask, "What's wrong, Hon?" I missed my mom, that's what was wrong.

Well, she called last night! I was thrilled. DH was thrilled...beyond thrilled, actually. His exact words were, "Oh, thank goodness! She's home!" LOL! He loves picking on me.

Today, I am off to the store to make sure I have everything for my first night of VBS decorating. While I am there, I think I will look at some of the new beads they have gotten in. I was recently asked about bartering some of my creations and I am thinking very hard about it. Since I haven't really ventured out of my comfort zone of family and friends, I am a little nervous and intimidated because this person is so talented with what they do. I still look at the things I make as just a hack-job. I am a bit of a Jack-of-all-trades but a master of none. I think all SAHM's are that way. We have to figure it out or the house falls into chaos! DH says that I should give it a go. Well, sink or swim. We will see.

Church Pictures!

Since my previous two post were a little depressing (sorry for worrying you, Dana), I thought I would post some new pictures that I took on Mother's Day.

I went to church with my mom and took pictures of the Lilac bush outside of one of her churches, the stained glass at another, and the stained glass and sanctuary at her third.

(One of the few remaining Lilac blooms outside Clouston United Methodist)

(One of several huge stained glass windows at the Presbyterian Church.)

(This is Cameron UMC sanctuary. I love this picture. The shadows from the pews captured me and I just had to take the picture. The B & W setting just makes the picture more captivating.)