Look ma, I'm a Stormtrooper!

LOL That's what I feel like wearing this silly thing, but the doctor says I need to wear it 24-7, for six weeks (the full recovery period), ugh! I think it looks like a Stormtrooper because of the white plastic. Anything to make light of an icky situation. If you're thinking it looks uncomfortable, you're absolutely right. Its a PITA, literally. ;)



The home nurse came the other day for the initial evaluation. She was pleased with my progress so far, changed the bandage (with Kendalyn looking on), and we talked about the plan for the next six weeks. Basically someone is going to come 2 to 3 times a week for PT and blood tests. This home nursing that the hospital provides is such a wonderful service. Imagine having to get in and out of the car every day with this brace and limited mobility, especially with 15" of snow! The staples come out on the 26th and hopefully I'll feel a bit better then. Those little suckers, all 43 of them, poke (and itch!)

Most of my day consists of sitting on the couch watching TV, telling/asking my DH to do things for me *evilgrin*, and taking my Vicodin! Unfortunately the computer chair is not the most comfortable place to sit, or I'd be able to surf and post more. I'll try to update as often as I can (with DH taking dictation), but I'm not making any promises.

Thank you for all your well wishes. I really appreciate them. Its great to know there are people thinking about me.

Holy Snow Batman!

Ok Ok Ok I admit it, I jinxed it! I have been saying for the past 3 or 4 years that we haven't had snows like I remember as a kid. I know your perspective changes as you get older, and what seemed like a a lot back then really wasn't that much, but I'm basing my memories on pictures we have of my father shoveling snow in NJ in the early 80's. The snow was piled up over his head! We used to get a few inches at a time that wouldn't melt by the time the next snow would fall, creating HUGE mounds of snow for making snow forts and for wonderful sledding! We haven't had that kind of snow in YEARS. Until now LOL!

Monday night, central IL got about 15 inches of snow! Luckily we had already left for Springfield, so we didn't have to drive in the blizzard. We have a friend who plows our driveway when it snows, but this was too much for his plow, so he called a guy from the county and explained the situation (with my surgery and hip) and the guy from the county plowed our driveway! I was amazed! Anyway, here's a pic of our driveway after he plowed it and after Rob shoveled another 3 inches or so off!

Me and My Hip (part 3)

Ok tomorrow's the big day! My surgery is scheduled for 7 AM. Now of course Mother Nature has decided to mess with us and plans on dumping 4 - 8 inches of snow on us by the end of the day tomorrow. Hopefully that won't cause any trouble with the surgery, but who knows.

My friends keep asking me if I'm worried or nervous about the surgery, but to tell the truth, I'm not. I'm more anxious than anything else. I just want to get this part over and done with so I can move on with my life. I feel as though my life has been put on hold since my hip started bothering my back in November. It's a terrible feeling, not to be able to play with your child, or even walk through the grocery store without limping and taking forever!

So here's the plan:

Tonight - We're going to Springfield to spend the night at my SIL's house. It's a lot closer to the hospital and since we have to be there at 7 AM, it's easier than having to leave here at 5! We were going to go out to eat tonight, but that all depends on the weather! I'd rather order pizza and have everyone safe and sound at her house than try to navigate through lots of snow!

Tomorrow morning - 7AM check in at the hospital - surgery sometime after that - the surgery should take about an hour and a half. Then about 3 days in the hospital, full of "fun" physical therapy and morphine LOL!

Friday (hopefully) - come home and get settled in here. Rob is taking off all this week and at least all day Monday. He might take half days for most of next week, but it all depends on how I'm feeling and if I think I can handle taking care of K by myself. She's pretty good and can do most things by herself, but this might be a bit much for her.

That's it in a nutshell. I'll try to check in, either here or over on SCS, but I can't promise anything until I get home. I'm taking some stamping stuff with me, but I don't know how much time or energy I'll have to stamp.

If you want to send a card, my address in the the RAK group list or you can contact speale on SCS. She has it!

Oooo SCS has a new challenge!

It's the Featured Stamper Challenge. You can read more about it here! Featured Stamper

This week was Kurtis (krabearkub)! He's one of the few male stampers on SCS and he does some amazing work! Go check it out!

Krabearkub's Gallery

I had so much fun with this challenge I made 2 cards!

The first one was inspired by this card Diamonds and Windows

The challenge was to CASE the card, but to change at least 2 things about it. I changed the stamps, colors, ribbon, punch shape etc... but the inspiration is still obvious (I think!)


Stamps: A*Muse scalloped circle, Awareness, Karen Foster Snap Stamps
CS: Pretty in Pink, Shimmery White
Ink: Regal Rose

Then the other card I was inspired by was this one. Scalloped Thanks

I loved the crisp clean look of this. I really liked the colors Kurtis used, but we had to change something, so I changed the colors and since I didn't have the same flower stamp, I changed that too. I also popped the flower part up with mounting tape. This is a serious contender for my shoebox swap card!



Stamps: All Year Cheer, Island Blossoms, IBB (Itty Bitty Backgrounds)
CS: Chocolate Chip, Sahara Sand, Cool Caribbean, So Saffron, Certainly Celery
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Cool Caribbean, So Saffron

I Found it! I Found it!!!!

OK so this is just a silly little thing, but I finally found my Signo white gel pen! It's been missing for who knows how long. (Well actually I know exactly how long considering where I found it!) LAST VSN we were to make a pencil pouch, and I stuck the gel pen in the pouch when I took the picture. That was back on November 11th!!! It's been missing all this time! I'm just happy I found it!

World Series Album

My DH's Grandmother finally got to live her dream last year! At 87 years old she not only got to go to the World Series, but the Cardinals won, both the game she was at AND the Series! She was the happiest person on earth that week!

DH's cousin took her and then she sent me some pictures of them having a blast at the game. As soon as I saw the pictures I just knew I had to make an album for her (Noni, DH's grandmother.)

Being the terrible procrastinator that I am, I put it off and put it off etc... Then I found out that Noni wasn't going to be spending Christmas with us, but in Chicago, so I put it off yet again. (I know really, really bad, but I wasn't inspired.)

Then today I saw the instructions for a flip album. Hmmm maybe I could make that work for the World Series Album. I only had a few pictures, but this album only takes a few pictures! I think I'm onto something! LOL

Here's the link to the instructions. Flip Album Instructions

SO for the next 3 hours I worked on the album non-stop! I was on a roll! (And I haven't scrapped in MONTHS!) I left a lot of blank space for Noni and Carrie to write in their thoughts/experiences etc... I thought it would make it that much more personal. So here it is! Noni's World Series Album!