Christmas Shopping Started (check)

Well, my husband was off until 6:30 this evening so, we decided to take advantage of the time we had this morning and throughout the afternoon to get started with Christmas shopping. Well, I am happy to say that we started it and pretty much got everything that we needed or maybe I should say wanted to get Cameron for Christmas. We bought him some pretty neat toys and Shawn and I can't wait to play with them (lol). Anyway, with my gall bladder surgery being this Friday, I wanted to get some stuff done and out of the way so I could feel a little bit more relaxed.

We were sitting here the other evening and Shawn reminded me that my surgery was this upcoming Friday and when he said that.... my heart about sunk to the floor. Yep, my nerves started setting in and I felt a lump in my throat. Oh, I get so nervous so easily. I know it has to be done, but I can definitely be honest with you all when I say that I am scared and pretty nervous. So, after my DH reminded me of my upcoming surgery being just around the corner... I started going full speed ahead in order to get out there and start our Christmas shopping. I have so much I want to do before Friday and that includes wrapping gifts too. So, I am going to work on getting the gifts wrapped tomorrow and we also need to go to the grocery store for a few items to get us through the week. I am so happy that for once I didn't wait til the last minute to do shopping. Yay for me!! So, have you started your shopping or do you wait til the last minute and make a mad dash?

Bookworm Award

My friend, MiMi, @ He & Me + 3, awarded me this Bookworm Award. I'm supposed to grab the book closest to me and turn to page 56 and go to the fifth line and type it and the following couple of lines. It is that simple.

Well, the closest book to me right now is The Love Dare Book which I still have yet to start, but plan on starting it after my surgery. Anyway, here we go..... And sadly, unless someone at your house starts doing some giving in, these same issues are going to keep popping up between you and your mate.

Now I am supposed to tag 5 people, so I tag...

Amy B @ Our Daily Blessing.... Life

Carla @ Masto Mama Diaries

Elaine @ Matters of the Heart

Stacy C. @ The Crazy Cotheran's

Katie @ This Crazy Life

Ready, Set, Go - You are it!! Thanks Again for the award Mimi : )

Another picture of Clifton Mill

I pulled this picture of Clifton Mill of their site. It gives you a better view then the other pictures. Pretty - huh?

Another fun time with FAMILY

Yesterday was yet another fun time with FAMILY. I don't know about all of you, but I love spending time with my FAMILY. It could be my side of the family or Shawn's side of the family, but all and all it is always a great time for each and every one of us. Yesterday we spent the afternoon and evening with Shawn's family and we had a wonderful time. We were able to just relax and Cameron ran around playing with their dog Zoe and he was able to just be himself and have fun and that was just what the doctor ordered for all of us.

I haven't mentioned this in the past, but my Dad has had a couple strokes and has LOTS of health issues. Well, the noise of kids can tend to make him quite nervous so when Cameron wants to run around like any other 1 1/2 year old and play and act like himself then I tend to get nervous and so does everyone else because we feel as though we are constantly on edge and wondering if it will upset my Dad. So, as much as their visit was nice and we did have a nice time (don't get me wrong) it was just nice to spend some time with Shawn's family and just relax and not worry about anything.

Anyway, we arrived and shortly after we decided to eat. Oh, let me tell you that his parents know how to cook. We had homemade noodles that are so delightful and yummy, we had turkey and macaroni and cheese and then some other snack type food. The snack type food consisted of taco beans served with tortilla chips, vegetables and homemade veggie dip, cheesy meat dip served with crackers and my pumpkin cinnamon muffins that were a special request from Shawn's Dad. The food was delicious and I think I ate everything and then some. Did I have a gall bladder attack? Uh yeah, a small one, but I knew it might happen after all of the taco beans I ate. Those taco beans are SO SO SO GOOD!! Oh, they are just so tasty.

After we sat down and ate the yummy food we all decorated their tree which is a tradition and then we sat around and watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse..... yep, that little boy of mine is spoiled by everyone. Around 7:00 pm we all loaded up in our van and left to go see the lights at Clifton Mill. For over 18 years Clifton Mill has celebrated the Christmas season in a very special way. The light display is one of the country's finest with over 3.5 million lights illuminating the mill, the gorge, the riverbanks, trees and bridges. There is even a 100 foot "waterfall" of twinkling lights. The flip of one switch turns all the lights on at once transforming night into a fantastical winter wonderland. The lights have been featured in Midwest Living and Ohio Magazine. There is a spectacular synchronized lights and music show that features the old Covered Bridge, a Miniature Village and a Santa Claus Museum. You can peek into Santa's Workshop to see a live Santa at work and then, every 15 minutes or so, watch him check his list and go up the chimney to load his sleigh. If you are ever in the area around this time then it is a MUST SEE. The lights are beautiful and it is amazing to see that literally everything is lit up at Clifton Mill. If you want to read more about it then just click on Clifton Mill and it will take you right to it.

On another great note and a great way to end the evening.... my father in-law and myself spent some time bonding last night and we fixed caramel corn. Yep, my favorite hulless caramel corn and that is another favorite of mine that they make. He showed me how to make it and indeed we had a nice time bonding and being the first to try it out (lol). Awww, he loves me enough to leave the side of Cameron while watching Mickey Mouse and come and make caramel corn with me (too tweet).

Well, after a great afternoon and a great evening, I decided to share some pictures of last night with all of you. Hope you enjoy them!!

Clifton Mill - WOW, look at all of those lights!!
Here is the waterfall of lights.

Here are Grampy, Zoe, Cameron and Grammy

Here is Grammy while putting the ribbon on the ornaments.

Here are Shawn and Aunt Karen helping Cameron put an ornament high on the tree.

More Thanksgiving Day Pictures

A perfectly golden brown, but who has been picking at my bird?

My plate of yummy food!!

Shawn was taking the picture, but here is the family.

Thanksgiving Day & all my Blessings

What an interesting Thanksgiving Day to say the least. It was fun, nerve wrecking, exciting and totally exhausting. It was my first time EVER preparing a Thanksgiving dinner and it was a tiring one!! My Mom normally prepares the big meal, but she was worn out so, I told her that I would gladly help out and do it this year. I must say that I was quite nervous about it, but it turned out perfectly. Shawn was a great help, but for the most part I wanted to prepare everything and I pretty much did. My sister and her kids came over, my parents were here and then of course it was Shawn, Cameron and myself.

I bought a 22 lb turkey and I must say that Tom Turkey must have been a brut of a bird back in his day. This bird was SOLID as a ROCK!! He finally eventually thawed out, but he had to spend alot of time doing the back stroke and breast stroke in the kitchen sink. I was relieved when he finally thawed out.....that was a big worry just thinking that we would have to eat frozen turkey for dinner (hahaha). Anyway, I decided that since the bird would take about 3 1/2 - 4 hours to cook that I would get it prepared around 8:00, but Shawn thought 8:30 am would give us plenty of time so I went with his suggestion. I went into the kitchen and got out my cooking bag. That was my 1st Problem..... I was reading the directions and we didn't have any flour to shake around in the bag like it instructed us to do. How in the world can we not have any flour? I mean no flour at all. So, Shawn ran to the grocery store to get flour. Good thing it was only 3 minutes down the street. I decided to go ahead and clean out Tom Turkey while I was waiting on Shawn to get back. I unwrapped Tom and washed him off, cleaning out the gizzards (oh yuck) and then tried my best to dislodge his neck out of the somewhat slushy body cavity. Oh, have you ever stuck your hand in the body of a turkey? I literally felt like I was invading Tom Turkey and his body and in the meantime my hands were freezing. I think they were pretty much frozen by the time I got done doing a body search. Anyway, I was finally able to get the neck out and I was so excited. I did it all on my own!! Shawn in the meantime walks through the door and gives me the flour. I put my flour in my bag and then proceeded to give Tom Turkey some sun bathing oil. Just kidding... it was just some cooking oil. Just some good ole vegetable oil. I got him all lathered up and gave him a bit of salt and pepper and then had Shawn hold the cooking bag for me while I put the bird in. Ah yeah, well it didn't work as smoothly as I had planned. I put the bird in the bag and he fell right through the bottom of the bag and into the kitchen sink. Yep, indeed I was wrestling this bird and he almost won. This bird is rolling around in the kitchen sink and all I can think about is that this is going to be one BIG mess!! I could barely pick up this 22 pound bird because he was lathered with all of this oil, but I finally managed. It was a real good thing that I had one more cooking bag or else Shawn would have had to make yet another trip to the grocery store and by that time he would have really been lovin me. Well, we decided to go ahead and try putting Tom Turkey in the cooking bag (yet again) and this time it worked out perfectly. Goes to show you that we have NEVER cooked a large turkey before and had no idea about gently putting him in the bag and not just dropping him in there. I guess we must have thought that those bags were a tad bit sturdier then that, but they were definitely not no Hefty garbage bags (lol). I finally put Tom Turkey in the roaster pan and I must admit that I was happy to get him in there. I was EXHAUSTED and I had to go sit down for a little bit. I felt like I just got done wrestling some Sumo Wrestler and I was so tired and yet I still had tons of cooking to do. Anyway, the turkey was done, my cracker dressing was made, the green beans were complete and the noodles were quite tasty. I carved the turkey myself...... "Did everyone hear me?" Yep, I said that I carved the turkey all by myself and I did a pretty gosh darn good job at it. I filled the plates for everyone, we sat down and said our prayer and then we started to dig in. Oh..... my food was delicious!! It was so good and I was so proud of myself for what I had accomplished. All and all is was a great time shared with my family and now I am just recovering from all of the excitement today. Tonight we are off to Shawn's parents for some more great food and good times. Here are some pictures that my Mom took of me while I was preparing Tom Turkey for his sun bathing holiday. Hope you all enjoyed your family, friends, food and shared your many blessings with one another.

Here I am cleaning out the gizzards

Here I am trying my best to pull out Tom Turkey's neck (no exaggeration at all) lol.

Is there anything else in there or did I get it all?

FINALLY..... Tom is in the bag and ready to go.

Ohhh, he is browning up nicely and looking pretty tasty!!

~ HAPPY THANKSGIVING ~

Well, my Tom Turkey has completed his breast stroke and back stroke and I think he is finally thawed out. No seriously..... I had to call the grocery store because I was so afraid that he wasn't going to be thawed out in time for the big event!! So, he is thawed, I have my green beans and bacon on the stove, my eggs boiling and my onions chopped. Now, I am sitting down and in a little while I will go in and wrestle Tom Turkey and see who wins the competition. Tom will probably win, but we will see (lol).

Well, I must go for now, but here is to wishing all of you and yours a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving Day!! Hugs to All.

I am so addicted to blogging

Well, if you blog then you are probably as addicted to it as I am, if not more. Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I created yet another blog. How am I going to keep up with 3 blogs? Very simple.... this is my blog that I post messages on everday, my "Ohio Flowers" blog is basically for flowers and other nature pictures and my newest blog "Primitives From Above" is basically dedicated to pictures of country and primitive decorations around my house. If you want to see more of my cozy little home and how I decorate it, then go to that site and nose around. Afterall, that is what it is there for. I love visitors!! So, if you haven't checked out my other 2 blogs then please feel free to do so any time and enjoy your visit!!

~ Time to Reflect ~

I came across some pictures on my computer and thought I would post a particular one from last year at this time. Not only during Thanksgiving, but all through the year I am so very thankful for the many things that my dear God has blessed me with. I continue to be amazed by how wonderful our Lord and Savior is to us and our lives. I am so thankful that I am living life and enjoying all of the wonderous things that God created. If we didn't have the winter weather then we would never be able to experience the beauty that the snow brings.... the building of the snowmen and the fun snowball fights. If we didn't have the warm weather we would never be able to see the bright colors and the flowers grow nor hear the birds sing a pretty song, if we didn't have the rain then our flowers would never have a drink and if we didn't have fall then we would never see the beauty in the leaves changing colors. I can truly be happy and thankful for every single season that we get to experience here in Ohio. I truly appreciate all of God's beauty.

I am thankful for the food that God has given me and the time that I get to spend with family during the holidays. We may not have tons of money, but we have the love of our family and the time we get to spend with them and to me there is definitely no price tag for that.

Thanksgiving time is indeed a time to reflect on things you are thankful for, but why no be thankful year around? I don't know about you, but I am thankful year around for all of my blessings (big and small) and I couldn't be happier that we get to celebrate this time with family and friends.

Many years ago, I never thought it would be possible to have a child. To experience what carrying a child would be like, to feel those movements in my belly, to experience the kicks, the sleepless nights and to experience the beautiful moment of my child being born into this world. I definitely NEVER took these moments for granted. After years of trying to conceive and going through so much in order to have this beautiful little boy.... I was blessed beyond my wildest imagination. I prayed for so long and hard that I would be blessed with a child that was happy, healthy and (I am sorry, but had to throw it in) had his Daddy's blue eyes. Well, I received all of that and so much more in Cameron. God sent me happiness, unconditional love, compassion, laughter, energy and so much more into my life. I have this little guy that has brought so much into my world and my husbands world. He is my bright star in my dark sky, my sunshine during a cloudy day and the love and life that I waited on for what seems to be forever. Don't get me wrong.... I was blessed before, but God continues to richly bless me and our family and I am not sure that I have enough words to express my gratitude.

So, on Thanksgiving Day and year around are you sure that you thank your Heavenly Father for all of the blessings that he has given you? Can you honestly say that you are thankful for those big and small things? If you find yourself not being thankful for absolutely everything that he has given to you then I ask that you take a moment to reflect on how and why you are in this area in your life. Take a moment and spend it with God and thank him for all of those wonderful things. I know it may be difficult to thank him for the hard times that you have gone through, but in the end, don't you learn something from it? Does it make you stronger? Does it bring you closer to God, your husband or wife? If you answer "yes" to any of those questions then you have to say that you are thankful for it..... right? To be honest with you..... I can't say that I was thankful that I lost a child back in 2004, but I can honestly say now 4 years and 9 months later that it brought me closer to God, closer to my husband and it made us alot stronger and for that I am thankful. It was the hardest moment that I ever had to endure, but as I reflect on that year, that day, that exact moment, I can say that God indeed had a purpose behind it and even though we may not know it at the time...... it is eventually revealed to us in one way or another.

So, as Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, I ask that you take a moment and spend it with God and thank him for all of your wonderful blessings. I am sure he will be THANKFUL for the time that you spend with him. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families......be safe!!

This picture was taken last year at this time. You can see that he was thankful for the cool whip on the pumpkin pie : ) ~ Hugs to you All ~

Snot & Poopie

Being a Mom can make for some very interesting stories and blog entries. Yep, that is right - my blog title is snot & poopie!! It definitely isn't a blog that should be read by those with a weak stomach. So, we are fighting off colds pretty much like everyone else in the good ole state of Ohio and Cameron has been experiencing a runny nose...... big time runny nose. So, I am sitting at the lunch table this afternoon with Cameron and the other little girl that I babysit. They were eating spaghetti o's with meatballs and I decided to eat my lunch in peace after they were all down for their naps. Anyway, back to the story at hand. I was feeding the kids and Cameron decides that yep, he has a booger in his nose so, he proceeds to stick his pointer finger in his nose and try to get it out and dig for gold while he is at it. I am running off to get a tissue and he is licking the other fingers on his hands that had spaghetti o sauce on them. Just as I am walking back up to the table to wipe his finger off and clean his nose out, he proceeds to stick his snot covered finger into his mouth. OH, I wanted to scream!! I hadn't even ate lunch yet and I wanted to just vomit all over the remaining spaghetti o's. I yanked his finger out of his nose.....I tried my best not to make a big deal out of it, but it was taking everything in me NOT to get sick. Oh, it was all bad !!

On another great and wonderful note..... I need to be sure to thank my dear old hubby for this one! Yesterday just like any other day we gave Cameron his daily dose of Miralax per his doctors prescription. That stuff works like a gem and allows Cameron to go poopie without any issues. It definitely makes things softer and easier for him so there is no straining involved. Well, Cameron must have had some food that just wasn't helping matters at all. I have been told that the pectin in applesauce can cause a child to get plugged up (you wouldn't think so, but it does), Cameron is a maniac when it comes to fruit snacks and I don't think he likes to chew them all that much (just a few times) and then down the pipes it goes. He also had cooked carrots and those can tend to bind you up as well. So, with all that being said...... the Miralax wasn't working all that well yesterday and he was having issues. He was working so hard to poo and the only thing that was in his diaper was skid marks. Without much further ado, we decided to go ahead and try to help him out and gave him a suppository. Yep, I HATE doing that, actually DESPISE every single moment of it, but I also HATE seeing my son in pain and discomfort so we gave him the suppository. Within about 5-7 minutes he had finally poopied and he was on his way to much relief and comfort. I was happy that he was happy!! My dear hubby said to me "You might want to dump out that juice that is in his sippy cup because I gave him a little more Miralax." Not a problem...... remind you that this is everything that we have been told to do specifically by Cameron's specialist. I grabbed the sippy cup and it was empty!! UGH, I knew we were in for some trouble. Yep, the sippy cup was empty and Cameron already drank the juice and the rest of the Miralax. So, to get to the point -- I have been cleaning a poopie butt all day long. Not just part of the day or 3/4 of the day, I am literally talking the WHOLE DAY!! Cameron has had the runny stinky diaper to go along with that runny snotty nose all day long. Oh, I don't think I can take anymore snot or poop for a long while. Momma needs a break. I can see it all now...... the title of tomorrow's paper * MOM LOSES MIND AFTER DREAMING ABOUT THE ATTACK OF THE SNOTTY NOSE AND POOPIE BUTT *. Well, at least you all will know that if I don't post for awhile then I am clearly recovering from trying to dig out from underneath all the snoty tissues and poopie diapers. Yep, I am up to my ears in snot and poo. Gotta thank my dear old hubby for that one. Oh, he owes me or maybe I should say I OWE HIM (lol).

Another Edition of Not Me! Monday

It has been an eventful week. A busy week, but fun seeing as though Thanksgiving is just around the corner. If you haven't checked out this carnival of honesty then you should at least visit MckMama's site and see what the excitement is all about. I know, I know, they say that you should always be a "leader", but in this case it is fun to be a follower and join in on the fun and good times with lots of laugther. So, with much anticipation....... here is my list.

1) I was not waiting on a phone call this past week and holding off on using the restroom until the call came in. I did not wait until the last possible minute and then start making a mad dash for the bathroom, trying to hold my cheeks together, almost tripping over kids and toys on the way. Good thing I made it in time. (I know, tmi) AND the phone did not even start ringing just as I pulled down my pants and started using the potty. That would never happen to anyone - would it?
2) We did not put up our Christmas tree yesterday and I did not tell Cameron to stop undressing the tree after we got it all decorated. Nope, not me..... was I thinking the tree was a person or what?!?
3) I did not clean out my refrigerator this past week with the idea that I would need more room for Thanksgiving Day. I did not and would never leave leftovers in the fridge for a long period of time and then not know what the particular food was when i pulled it out to pitch it. That green and brown fur was so not disguising the food that I put in there and I still to this day have no idea if the food was meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, a veggie of some sort or an old old casserole. Nope, that was totally NOT ME!!
4) I did not go and visit my in-laws this past weekend and notice that they fixed homemade hulless caramel corn and eat practically the whole container. I would not do that at all. I have alot more self control then that. Nope, that wasn't me!!
5) I did not go on a total eating binge this week and eat a whole bag of Combo's in one evening. I did not ask my hubby to bring home more when he came home from work and then get more at the grocery store this weekend. I would never have a craving fit like that especially when I AM NOT pregnant. That would just be absurd.
6) I did not and would not totally act like a child when MckMama visited my site this week and left me a comment. That would be so child like to get so excited over something so small. Ok, I know it was a big deal, but why in the world would I act like a child over something like that? Told ya so......it wasn't me!!
7) I did not get so excited that I was one of the top 5 people to link to MckMama's site last week for Not Me Mondays and then be totally bummed that I am not even in the top 50 this week. Ah, what a bummer, but like I said, it wasn't me!!

I was granted another award

Thank you Stacy for this wonderful award. I am honored that you enjoy visiting my blog and I must say that I truly enjoy yours as well. You deserve the award!!

If you haven't stopped by to visit Stacy at The Crazy Cotheran's then be sure to hop on over there and take a look at those beautiful kids!! You will enjoy her blog..... trust me!!

"This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award." Well, I am normally not one to break the rules however there is one blog in particular that struck my fancy and that is the one below. I am going to send this blog award out to her tonight!!

So, now I am awarding this wonderful award to... Daddy's Dream ~ Mommy's Miracle.
I came across this blog tonight and this gal's story touched my heart in so many ways. Not only did her story touch my heart because she too dealt with infertility, but because she also lost a precious little boy by the name of Braxton after he was born. I can't imagine the pain that her and her husband went through on Valentine's Day. After reading about her story and reading many other posts... you can really see that her faith and trust in God is strong and that they are both putting God at the center of their lives and getting through some difficult times together. Please take a look at her blog and say a prayer for Destiny, Jesse and little Braxton. May they find peace knowing that their precious little boy is resting safely in the arms of God.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

It is strange to say, but I feel as though I get more and more excited for the holidays since Cameron is getting older. Have you ever put yourself in your childs shoes and thought about how they view Christmas? My husband has always told me that it doesn't take much for me to get excited over things. I agree, I can't help it, but I love all of the wonderful things that are around me. I literally feel like a small child in an adult body. I know that sounds kinda corny, but that is how I feel. I get so excited for the holidays. It doesn't matter if it is Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving or Christmas..... I love them all. Now, if you were to ask me if I am more excited about the holidays now that I have a child, I would say "yes." Oh heck, I might be more excited then my own child and he isn't even 2 years old. Is that bad? I am so happy that I am the one that is preparing the Thanksgiving meal this year and I am already deciding on what we should get Cameron for Christmas gifts and I am so excited to make Christmas cookies with Cameron and watch him eat them and well I just love this time of year!! Ok, that was totally a run on sentence if I have ever seen one : ) Hahaha, good thing I probably won't ever homeschool my child. (lol) Anyway, we went out to the grocery store last night and we also picked up our 22 lb turkey for (get this) $7.00!!!! Is that amazing or what? I don't know about you, but I love a good deal and that 22 pound turkey for ONLY $7.00 was an UNBELIEVABLY GREAT DEAL!! We also decided to go to Wal-Mart and look at toys for Cameron. We have pretty much decided what to get him and now we just have to get some more money. I am all set for Thanksgiving Day when my parents come to visit and my meal should be quite tasty.

We put our Christmas tree up today and we truly enjoyed the family time. Cameron and I pretty much decorated it all with my primitive decorations. Cameron helped me find just the perfect spot for each and every ornament and he was just as excited as a kid in a candy store. It was just so neat to watch him and see the smile that he had displayed on that cute little face of his. Looking through the eyes of a child is something that everyone should do..... I know that I enjoy it every day that I am able to be home with Cameron and it only gets better everyday. Here are some pictures of us putting up the tree today. Hope you enjoy them!!

Hop, Skip, Jump and Fall

HOP
SKIP

JUMP

FALL

HOP, SKIP, JUMP and FALL - Yep, that is Cameron's newest stunt that I caught him doing last night. I heard all of this squealing and knew that he must have been doing something that he was really enjoying. I came around the corner from being in the kitchen, grabbed my camera on the way and this is what I see him doing. I just about fainted because just as I was coming in, I see him in mid air. Uh Yeah, let's talk about me being nervous!! He was jumping from the foot rest over to my chair and kept doing it over and over. I have no idea how long he has been doing this, but indeed he was having a ball......a fun moment that I cut short. I know, Mommy is a party pooper, but I am just so afraid he is going to get hurt plus I don't want him to get in the habit of climbing all over someone elses furniture and thinking he can do it whenever or wherever he wants. Yep, I nipped it in the bud, but after I got pictures of course (lol). Can you remember your little ones doing stuff like this? Is it just the boys that are so daring or are girls just as bad if not worse? Share your thoughts and share them here!!

Good Day Here in O-H-I-O

It has been a GREAT day here in O-H-I-O. My Ohio State Buckeyes won today (oh yeah) with a great score of 42 to 7. I must admit I was a little nervous when the score was 14 to 7, but we pulled ahead and pulled off another win which is exciting!! Sorry to those of you that DON'T like my team, but I have been a Buckeye all my life and I am a pretty BIG FAN!! I have nothing against Wolverines..... afterall, I have a couple bloggy friends that are Wolverines through and through (HeandMe+Three) (McCrankensx4) and well Davisix doesn't care for my team either, but that is ok because I still love you all : ) I do want to give a shout out to Kelly @ Close to Home..... she is a Buckeye Fan and lives in Ohio as well (WOOHOO). Hope you were watching it girl. It was exciting!!

On another note - guess who left me a comment today? Yep, none other then MckMama!! I was so freaking excited that she left me a note. I was really beginning to wonder if she reads all of the comments that everyone leaves her or if she visits other blogs, but I guess she answered my question today. It was great to see that she stopped by for a visit and toured my blog. Well, I am off to the grocery store and then we are putting up our tree (how fun). I love this time of year minus the cold weather of course.

Small Fryday Contest on MckMama's Site

Would you like a shake with that Small Fry? How about a McFlurry? Well, if you love fries from McDonald's then you will love this Small Fry..... she is so stinkin' cute!! You won't find this Small Fry at McDonald's, but you will find it at My Charming Kids .

You gotta check out MckMama's site if you get a chance. If you aren't familiar with her then check out her site, her beautfiul kids and that wonderful miracle baby Stellan!! You will see what the HYPE is all about. She is also having a contest and I so hope that I WIN : ) Go on now, creep on over there and check it out. Have fun exploring her site.....trust me, you will love it!!

Blog Frog

Hey All,

If you haven't checked out this site then you should do so soon. It is a great site for all sorts of bloggy friends to connect.

TheBlogFrog turns your blog into a social blog. When you are a member of TheBlogFrog, you can install "Social Add-ons" to make your friends a part of your blog. You can install the Recent Visitors Add-on and it will show a picture of your friend when they visit your blog. The Chat Wall Add-on let's your friends send you notes, or you can use it to write a mini-blog post. The News Feed Add-on will tell you when your friends have posted and what they're talking about on their Chat Wall.

TheBlogFrog is also a personal blog directory. It helps you find blogs by High School, College, Email, and more. TheBlogFrog can even suggest bloggers you probably know, just by looking at your blog.

Ok, enough of my rambling..... just check it out for yourself at http://www.theblogfrog.com/

Go on and become part of the team!!

Busy Weekend Planned

It is a busy weekend planned for us. First of all, it is a great weekend for ALL OSU Football Fans. Yep, it is the weekend that our good ole Ohio State Buckeyes play those Michigan Wolverines from up north. Hopefully my team with pull of a win. GO BUCKS GO!! That game takes place on Saturday and you might not know this about me, but I love me some Ohio State Football games!!!! That Chris "Beanie" Wells is definitely a force to reckoned with. If you haven't checked him out then you should. He is indeed a great running back. I will post a picture below of him.....look at the height he gets when jumping over someone (WOWSERS)

Secondly, we are going to put up our Christmas tree this weekend and I will decorate the rest of the house with all my other cute decorations. I might even post some pictures later this weekend so you all can see some of my cute primitive decorations that my Mom has bought me over the years. They are cute or at least that is my opinion. Everyone decorates differently and that is why there are so many decorations out there - right? I think next year I am going to get Cameron his own tree and we can decorate it with all sorts of little ornaments that he makes for me and his Daddy. We will call it the "Cameron tree". It will be cute, I am sure.

We also need to grocery shop this weekend. Not only do we have to do our normal weekly shopping, but we also need to shop for Thanksgiving food since I am being the wonderful hostess this year. I can't wait to be the one to prepare it all and have my family over. We are going to have turkey of course, green beans w/ bacon, homemade noodles, cracker dressing (that is an old family favorite on Thanksgiving Day), pumpkin pie, pecan pie and of course cool whip. Oh, I love Thanksgiving Day!! What a great time to sit down, eat and reflect on what you are thankful for. My THANKFUL list gets longer and longer every year. I am truly blessed beyond my wildest imagination. Don't we all have so many things to be thankful for? God is good!!!!

Shawn has also been working his 2nd job so, I am missing him and his company tremendously so my other to do thing on my list is to spend some quality time with my dear sweet husband. It will be great to do things together as a family whether it is grocery shopping or just sitting on our bums..... we are still spending it together and that is what I love most!! Gotta love some family bonding time - I know I do : )

This Little Piggy

Have I told you all that Cameron is real rough on this socks? Well, this little boy of mine is one to walk on his tip toes and I think he gets that from watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. There is one episode where they say "Tip Toe, Tip Toe, Tip Toe" and well Cameron picked up on it rather fast. Anymore he wears out the toes in his socks before anything else. Well, I put some socks on him this morning and I knew that they were thin in the toes, but thought he could get at least one more day out of them before I pitched them. They didn't get that far. Probably mid afternoon, Cameron came up to me and stuck his foot in my face. He was showing me his toe that was sticking out of the sock. I got busy and forgot to take his socks off and put another pair on and he came up to me again showing me his toe that was sticking out of the sock. I went to pull them off and he threw a fit. I told him that he had plenty of other socks or slippers that he could wear, but he wanted the hole socks. He kept saying "hole" "hole Mommy hole" and so I decided to put them back on. What would it hurt - right? Well, it left his piggy toes awfully cold. I took a few pictures of him this evening and had to share his piggy toes with all of you. Gotta love him sitting in the basket and isn't it too cute seeing that little piggy sticking out of the sock? Oh, how I love those little piggies and so does he. I remember when I was pregnant with him..... every ultrasound that we had done was always showing a foot and if not a foot, then definitely his little piggies!! Oh, I could just eat em up - I love them that much : )

Happy Boy Every Morning

One thing I won't ever take for granted is the fact that my son wakes up every morning with a beautiful smile. I walk into his room and he is talking, playing and having a good time. I kid you not..... it is every single morning! Alot of people find it hard to believe that he doesn't wake up on the wrong side of the bed or crib at least once in awhile, but I must admit that I am telling you the honest truth. He is always very happy every single morning. He wakes up every morning with a sneeze and then you hear him talking and playing and then you might hear him yell "Hey Mommy" and if it isn't that then it is "Hey Daddy". It is so cute. There are times that I peek in on him and just watch him for a couple minutes before I let him know that I am there and it is just great watching him when he doesn't even know it. I love that children get so excited over the smallest of things. My husband always tells me that I get so amused or so excited over little things, but I can't help it. I am just so happy to be alive and I love all of God's wonderful blessings..... BIG and small. I took a few pictures of Cameron this morning, but he must have heard me coming up the steps because this is what he looked like as soon as I walked into his room. Yep, what a beautiful greeting that I receive every single morning. A happy boy........ what more could a Momma ask for?!?

Oh--could I get your opinion on something? I am wanting to paint those letters that spell out "CAMERON" on the wall. Do you think I should paint them red or black? I just want them to stand out a little bit more. Let me know your thoughts!! Thanks : )

Christmas Pictures - Take 1

I have been told by numerous people that I take great pictures. So, after all of the compliments, I decided to take some pictures of Cameron so I could get some Christmas cards ordered. Cameron is always in a good mood and is so happy so I don't ever really need to worry about running into that issue so, I got him up this morning and decided to snap a few pictures. Ok, ok, I ended up taking about 65 pictures before I noticed that I wasn't getting anywhere fast! I got Cameron dressed in a cute sweater vest that his Aunt Karen bought for him and he looked so stinkin cute. I tried taking a few pictures on a chair that use to be mine as a little kid, but that didn't work and the lighting was way off. I then decided to take him into the kitchen and put him on his booster seat. All I really wanted was a cute head shot of him with a great smile. Would you think I could get at least one? Ah, no way!! He wasn't having it and if he did give me a smile, it was just one of those cheesy fake ones. Not anything that I would want to send out on a Christmas card. He started looking outside, looking at the ceiling, yawning, touching his tongue, rubbing his eyes, playing with the blinds and the string on the blinds and before I knew it, I started trying everything to get him to smile. I think I did everything except stand on my head to get a smile. Have you ever noticed that when you want to stage pictures that the kids don't ever want to cooperate? The only time I can ever get a cute picture of Cameron with a genuine smile is when he has food on his shirt from lunch, snot on the sleeve of his shirt, dry patches of skin on his face or when he just doesn't have a cute outfit on at all. So, after bribing him with marshmallows, fruit snacks, chocolate milk and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.... I finally gave up. So, I decided to upload the pictures to my computer this evening and couldn't find a single one that I would use for cards, but indeed I found alot of pictures that would be great for your entertainment. I guess you all can see what I went through in order to get a cute smile and yet it didn't happen. So, Christmas Pictures (Take 1) will be put in the record books and we will try Take 2 in another week or so. Hopefully, I will be more successful then. Until then here are a few pictures that I thought would give you a good laugh. Enjoy ~ he was definitely a character today!!

Starting a Collection on the TV

Does your child or children have toys that make lots of noise and drive you crazy? Well, these 2 toys sit on top of the tv right now away from little man and his busy fingers. Why? Because these toys are driving me crazy!! I am sure if you have been to McDonalds lately then your child or children have received these and you are enjoying the wonderful noise as well. You are probably asking WHY I have not turned them off and then given them to Cameron?!? Well, my child is way too intelligent. I have tried turning them off and giving them back however he turns it back on and continues to bang the toy up against something and all I am hearing is " What we gonna do" , "Ow Ow Ow", and "I really need a doctor" from Mr. Giraffe and the good ole Lion says "You Got It" and 2 other sayings that I can't seem to understand. Anyway, when there are noisy toys that tend to drive you crazy then you have to do anything to give yourself some sanity. So, for right now Mr. Giraffe and Mr. Lion will stay up on top of the tv until I gain some sanity back and then they can return to their wonderful homes...... Mr. Busy Fingers and his hands!! So, are any of you dealing with these wonderful toys? If not these toys then feel free to share what toys drive you completely nutty. I know that I am not the "ONLY" parent out there that hides noisy toys or puts them up away from other busy fingers. Go Ahead and share because I am anxious to hear!!

Baby News - Congrats to my cousin!!

I can't believe that this is the first time that I have been blogging today!! What in the world is the matter with me?!? Well, I had my flu shot yesterday and my arm is pretty sore and I have been having lots of aches and pains, but I am sure it will go away here soon. Anyway, I haven't done much at all today. My kitchen is a mess. My dishwasher needs to cleaned out and filled back up and there are toys all over the house. It looks like a tornado went through our home. On a very exciting note...... my cousin and his wife had a baby last night at 10:25 pm and they had a baby boy and he weighed 9 lbs 7 oz and was 21 inches long. He is so cute!! So, a big congratulations go out to Dave and Annie on the arrival of little Grady Joseph. He is precious!!

Well, that is it for me tonight. I am off to watch Biggest Loser and hope that Vicki gets booted tonight. Oh, lets talk about evil...... that is one evil woman!!

Snow + Flu Shot = Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Today was the day that I went to my doctors office for pre-admission testing. Well, unfortunately my dear old doctor persuaded me to get a flu shot while I was there. I wasn't really all that interested, but since I am a diabetic and I have a history of getting sick quite frequently during the winter months he thought it would be wise. So, I bit the bullet and said ok. Hahaha, I am such a fool. I am feeling the pain and discomfort tonight. The last time I got a flu shot was 4 years ago and I told myself I probably would never get another. Well, I guess I ate those words. My arm is killing me and I am feeling pretty yucky tonight. They told me I would have aches and pains and indeed I do. They also took blood as part of the testing and did an EKG. The gal that took my blood was less then pleasant and had NO CLUE on how to put a needle in to draw blood and then when she had to switch the vials for more blood...... HOLY MACARONI. I thought I was going to go through the roof and all I could think of was "Yep, that is so gonna leave a bruise and I think that needle just came out of my ear on the other side of my head". Uh Yeah, she was clueless to say the least. I have been sitting here this evening and wondering why they even have unpleasant people working in that field. I mean for Pete's Sake, it isn't a pleasant experience to begin with and then you throw some rude woman on top of it that makes things worse by her not being familiar at all with a needle or people skills. Yep, I was just happy to leave there when I was done.

On another note..... it was snowing all day and I thought it would be perfect to warm up with some homemade chicken noodle soup and I must say it was SO GOOD!! My hubby took today off to stay with Cameron while I had my appointment and so he was here and we put everything together to make a delicious pot of chicken noodle soup. I of course added the spices to give it that final touch, but it was yummy and I of course had to take a picture.

So, who out there gets flu shots and do you believe that they work? Do you have any side effects you want to share? Are you ready for winter? Have you had any snow and what the heck - do you like homemade chicken noodle soup? Come on share your thoughts with me. I am waiting and listening!!

Mmmm, hot chicken noodle soup - YUMMY!!

A view out our back door this morning.

Picture Sharing Time

My little man is growing up and fast!! He is talking so much, climbing, acting as though he is an adult and did I say climbing? Anyway, I took some pictures of him yesterday and thought I would share them with you. Is he just the cutest little man or what? I can't believe he is going to be 2 years old soon. Oh my goodness, where in the world has the time gone? My little baby has disappeared right before my eyes. I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday. Now he is talking and carrying on conversations and he is so smart and well before I know it he will want to climb more then just chairs, tables, couches, plastic totes and well the list goes on. Anyway, here are a few pictures - Enjoy them!! Hopefully you can see that sweet disposition shining through in these pictures. He has such a sweet personality. I wouldn't trade this little boy for NOTHING. Nothing I tell ya!!

Not Me! Monday

Yep, it is that time again..... Time for Not Me! Monday. So, if you are ready, let's get started - Shall We? If you are not familiar with this fun game then be sure to check out what all the fun is about by clicking on over to MckMama's blog .

1) I DID NOT leave the house to run errands with my hubby wearing my Vlasic Pickle Pajama Pants. Nope, not me! I would never leave the house with these bright green pajama pants on and risk someone that I know seeing me. That would just be crazy and who in their right mind would do such a thing?

2) I was not in the process of washing clothes and notice that a table close to our laundry room was dusty. I did not turn around, grab some dirty clothes out of one of my piles and dust the table and then throw the dirty piece of clothing into the washer. Nope, not me! I have alot more sense to go get a dust rag and some Pledge and then dust my table off.
3) I did not find an interesting looking vegetable (mushroom) while preparing my dinner the other night and start laughing hysterically over the way it looked. I totally DID NOT laugh because I thought it looked like someones tushie. Seriously, does it not look like a tushie to you?

So, now that I have shared some of my Not Me! Monday's - why don't you take the time to leave me a comment and share one of yours? Go Ahead & click the button to leave me a note. I would love to hear from you!!

Weekend Snapshot

I am a fanatic when it comes to taking pictures of flowers. My husband and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary on Friday and he bought me some beautiful roses. The name of the roses is "lipstick". Anyway, I decided to take a few pictures of the flowers and of course an important symbol in a marriage "Our Rings". I personally thought that the pictures turned out beautifully. So, what do you think?

Time 4 A New Look

I have been debating on whether or not to change my background on my blog and I finally decided to take the big step. Ok, ok it isn't that big of a step, but I was wanting something different, but was trying to decide on sticking with something with boy colors since I have a little boy or should I go with something girly since I love pinks and purples. Ah Hah, I decided to go with something in the middle. I am just glad to have a new look......yep, an overhaul has been completed. I told my hubby that I wanted to have someone design a blog for me, but he said "Nope." Oh well, we will just keep changing it every time I get bored.

So, did I mention to you all that it is snowing here in Ohio? Yep, it is totally crazy, but it is snowing and I am not liking it at all. I am just not ready for the cold weather (yet). I didn't get the Christmas lights done because it was raining earlier so we decided to put that off until it was done raining so perhaps that will happen tomorrow. Shawn is watching the OSU Buckeyes and they are winning (GO BUCKS). The current score is (OSU 30) and (Illinois 13) so hopefully we will pull off a win with 11 minutes left. Cameron is taking a nap and I could probably head that way, but I have some cleaning to do. Uh yeah, I hate cleaning the shower, toilets and sinks!! I don't mind cleaning other things in the house, but I despise cleaning the shower, tubs, toilets and sinks. Hmmm, maybe I could persuade my dear hubby to help (I know it is a brilliant idea - is it not?). Anyway, I better stop blogging and get cleaning. Ta Ta for now!!

My Anniversary Date

Well, as all of you know I celebrated my 5 year wedding anniversary yesterday. We took Cameron over to spend some time with his Grammy and Grampy and then we took off for Texas Roadhouse for a nice dinner out. We ordered a cactus blossom for 2 which could have been for 4 (it was still a pretty big size), we both had prime rib and mashed potatoes and Shawn had a salad and I ordered green beans, but never received them. It was just the right amount of food for me. I didn't stuff myself til I was miserable, but I was trying to avoid that because I didn't want to have another gall bladder attack and I think I did a pretty good job because I am still feeling great!! We had a wonderful time and just as 7:30 pm rolled around we both took a moment to think about our special day 5 years ago. Yep, we got married on a Friday evening during a candle lit ceremony and it was just beautiful. A day to remember forever. Now, we are getting ready to go to the grocery store and put up Christmas lights while the weather is still somewhat mild. We normally don't turn the lights on until after Thanksgiving, but we try to put them out while the weather is still somewhat mild and not so bitter cold. Hope you all are enjoying your weekend.

Wedding Pictures - 11/14/2003

Thought I would also share some wedding pictures with all of you. ENJOY!!
Ok, ok, I am seriously done blogging for today!

Wedding Vows - Part 2

Here are my vows that I wrote for my husband Shawn and I thought that I would share them with you all today. 5 years ago today I married my best friend.

~~~~~~~~~

Today has finally come and I couldn't be happier. I have been praying for someone as special as you to come into my life for a very long time.You are one amazing man....you have shown me compassion, love and understanding like I have never seen before. You are always there to make me smile, to lend a helping hand or just to listen and that means so much to me. You complete me and make me a better person. God really answered all my prayers when he brought you into my life and I thank him daily for you.Today as we both become one, I promise to you in fronf of all of our family and friends to love you, cherish you, support you and make you happy forever and ever with NO NEVERS. I decided to write you a poem and I will share it with you now.

~~~~~~~~~
TODAY IS THE DAY

Every night I prayed for you,

My one true love, a dream come true

God sent you to me from up above,

Showing me that there is such love.
I give you my heart

Mind, Body and Soul,

I give you my love

For you make me whole.
I give you my past

My future and now,

I give you my thoughts

My hope and this vow.
I give you my voice,

And the music I sing,

I give you forever,

I give you this ring.
Today is the day that I become your wife

And we life happily ever after for the rest of our lives.
I love you honey....

Wedding Vows - A trip down memory lane (5 years ago TODAY)

You are my best friend, my companion, my confidant, my lover, and the answer to my prayers. God has seen fit to bring you into my life, and I thank him daily for you. You know how to brighten up even the darkest day of my life, and you give my life a sense of meaning that has been lacking for many years. I don't know if you truly understand how much your love and you mean to me. The simple thought of you makes me smile, your touch makes my heart leap, and the simple glimpse of your eyes and your smile makes my heart melt. There is not enough in this world to measure how much I love you and want to make you happy. Everything you do and say makes me want to be a better person, and makes me feel like a different person. I get lost when I am with you. Your beauty, smile, eyes and presence all show why I have fallen in love with you and want to be with you for many years to come. You make me feel like everything I do and think has importance. I have a sense of comfort around you like no other. Though we haven't known each other for very long, I feel we have known each other for a lifetime. You are my soulmate and you have all my "Endless Love" because I am "Truly" in love with you. When we are apart, just the thought of you makes me sit back and smile and think of all the wonderful things you have brought into my life. Take any of the dozen roses I bought you and multiply it by two, and that is the number of hours in a day that I think about you. The roses are a symbol of my love, and the love I have for you is unmeasurable. Here lays 11 roses, and the rose I have right here completes the dozen just as you have completed me. I can remember like it was yesterday when you gave me your first gift. You gave me a card before school started. You came to see me before open house to see my classroom, and your trip to a football game to set in the cold. These three situations did not go unnoticed. It means so much to me to know that you care about me and all that I do. Watching our love grow, has been a blessing. God has lead us together and now he will see us through whatever life has in store for us. There is nothing that we cannot overcome as long as we have God at the center of our lives. It only makes sense to keep the one that brought us together at the center of our lives. I pledge to you my undying love from now and forever. You can count on me in good times and in bad. I will be your rock and your foundation. I Love you With all my heart, my soul, and my being. I will love you forever and ever, NO NEVERS. You are the one that completes me, and I thank you and love you Lisa, and I can’t wait to spend my life proving this true.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wanted to take some time to take a trip down memory lane and that I did. It has been 5 WONDERFUL years that I have spent loving my husband. He has completed me and has truly made me a better person. I can't imagine my life without him. He is a great husband, father and friend and for that I am so very blessed. As you read in "his" vows above, he gave me roses on our wedding day in front of everyone and still to this day continues to give me roses. Here is a picture of the roses that he bought for me today on our 5 yr Wedding Anniversary!! I will post my vows to him later on for you all to read, but to be honest...... there is no comparison. WOW, what a wonderful blessing I have in Shawn!! I love you my sweetheart forever and ever with NO NEVERS, NEVER ANY NEVERS!! Here is to hoping that you all experience the great love with your husband or significant other just like I have with Shawn. When you find the "right" one you just know and trust me........we just knew!!

THERE WILL BE A DAY

I was driving in the car yesterday on my way home from my doctors appt and heard this song on the radio. I posted it to my sidebar so you all could take a listen. I don't know about you, but I LOVE THIS SONG. Before you take a listen you will have to stop my music down below and then hit play on Jeremy's song. Be sure to let me know your thoughts. Jeremy Camp's new CD comes out on November 25th. ENJOY!! The words are very true......

FREE PHOTOBOOK OFFER

If you don't have a snapfish account yet then I would encourage you to sign up tonight (ASAP). There is a photobook offer out there and it regularly costs $29.00, but the only thing you have to pay for is the shipping. I don't know about you, but Christmas is around the corner and what a great gift it would be for all of those that have kids. So, check out this link and start on your book. The only thing is that you have to have it complete it soon.

Here is the link...... http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahshow/20081029_tows_messyhouse/7

and instructions.....

Overwhelmed by what to do with growing piles of your child's art projects? Peter has a great solution! "Take digital photos of their artwork, upload them to Snapfish.com, and they will send you back a beautiful, bound book of the kids' artwork. So, over time, you can build a library of your children's artwork—let the pieces go, but keep them in this form forever."To help you get organized, Snapfish.com is offering The Oprah Winfrey Show viewers a free 8" x 11" custom-cover photo book! *Create a Snapfish.com account now or log in to your existing account to receive this special offer. Get your free book! * This offer is only good for one standard 20-page 8" x 11" custom-cover photo book per household. Coupon dispersal ends at 11:59 p.m. PST Friday, November 14, 2008. Free photo book must be redeemed by 11:59 p.m. PST Sunday, November 16, 2008. Offer does not include customary shipping and handling changes or additional pages. Offer applies only to mail-order delivery to U.S. customers. Offer cannot be combined with other coupon codes. Coupon cannot be resold or otherwise transferred and is void on the earlier of redemption or the offer end date.

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I have 2 photobooks already and I love them!! They are great gifts or just great for yourself, but you can design them or just fill in here or there with pictures and also add text. Have fun with them and enjoy the *FREE* offer!!

Surgery has been scheduled

My appointment today with the surgeon was pretty cut and dry. I went in and he basically told me that with my liver enzymes so high and since I am a diabetic that they don't want to take the risk of leaving my gall bladder in instead of removing it. He said that if we leave it in and try to treat it then I risk doing more harm to my other organs. So, we have my surgery scheduled for December 5th (Friday). They asked me if I preferred to do it on the 24th of November, but I wasn't too into doing that so close to Thanksgiving. I have my parents coming in for Thanksgiving and I was really looking forward to making a nice meal and taking time to reflect on what Thanksgiving is all about. I just love holidays so I didn't really want to schedule it before hand and then not be able to enjoy my Thanksgiving dinner with my family. So, I am hoping to enjoy my turkey day with the fixins and then get prepared for my surgery. There are certain things that they told me to stay away from in the meantime and here is the list....... fried foods, butter, margarine, salad dressing, oil, desserts such as pies, pastries and ice cream, bacon, hot dogs, cream soups, gravy, whole milk, cottage cheese, potato chips, buttered popcorn, nuts, mayonnaise, olives, chocolate candy, etc. etc. --Ok, so you get the point as to what I am getting at - right? Basically, I can't or shouldn't eat anything. Gotta love it.

Oh another thing..... my surgeon was concerned about my liver enzymes being so high. He was concerned that possibly a gall stone could have made it into my liver and if that is the case they would have to put a scope down my throat and retrieve it from my liver. Uh yeah, talk about freaking me out!! That almost made me fall off the table backwards. I know, I know, I would be sound asleep, but it is just the thought that freaks me out.

On a great note. I got to stop by and visit with my grandparents a little bit and Cameron even took the time to say good bye and that he loved them. Isn't that sweet? He doesn't even know them, but he still said it. Ah, he makes my heart melt and he amazes me every day!!

A busy day today

Not only do I have my doctors appt. today with my surgeon, but my hubby is home with me ALL DAY TODAY!! He took today as a personal day to go with me to see the surgeon and Cameron and I are so enjoying the time we have with him today. My appt. is at 2:45 pm EST and I am actually looking forward to hearing what he has to say. I am hoping that he can get me in for surgery rather quickly because I am just tired of the discomfort. My main concern is that he is able to do it laparoscopic. I definitely am not no Barbie so that is in the back of my mind. Back in 2004 when I had emergency surgery for my ectopic pregnancy, they were able to do it laparoscopic so, I am hoping I haven't gained too much weight since then and then they have difficulties with this surgery. I just need to stop worrying about it. I just want an easy and fast recovery time. Well, I will keep you posted.

I was able to sleep in today as we didn't have any other kids, but our own. Cameron let us sleep til 8:30 and it was quite nice. I am hoping to leave a little early for my doctors appt. and perhaps just get out of the house. My grandparents (my Mom's parents) were laid to rest at a cemetery close to the doctors office so perhaps Shawn can take me over to see them before going to the doctors. I surely do miss them!! I was closer with my Mom's parents more so then my Dad's. As they got older and had more health problems my Mom would go and visit them often to help with housework and of course just to visit. I would go along to help and to visit them. I remember when I would go visit, I would sit on their couch (my grandparents called it a davenport) and my Grandpa would tell me all sorts of stories. I would always get to the point when I would get worn out with hearing the same stories over and over, but now I would give anything to talk to him again. When I graduated from High School, my Grandpa took me to Maui. My Grandma passed away years previous and my Grandpa was into traveling. He always said that you couldn't take your money with you when he passed away so he did things up big!! We flew first class to Maui and enjoyed a nice long week there. It was BEAUTIFUL. He paid for me to go para sailing and then I would go to Whalers Village in Kaanapali, Maui and go shopping. Ah, it was so much fun and I remember it like it was yesterday. Whalers Village was right next to where we stayed so it was nice to go there during the day when my Grandpa was resting in his room. The food, oh yes the food was delicious!!! They had a chef that would make anything and everything you wanted and for breakfast I was always ordering waffles with strawberries and cool whip (YUMMY) and then I would order some guava juice. Oh that juice was so good and you can't find anything that tastes like it here close to home. Dinner would often consist of steak or lobster and if I tried to order something cheaper.....well, he wasn't having it. He wanted to do it up BIG and indeed we did. It was a great time and it was so wonderful sharing it with him. So, after reminiscing about old times..... I thought I would leave you with a picture of my grandparents. Do you ever feel that with your family that grandparents are the glue that holds the family together? If it is then enjoy your time that you have with them because unfortunately for some reason or another after then have left this earth, things change and then you rarely get to see the rest of your family. I keep trying to get my side of the family together, but they always have an excuse. Sad, but true!!

Here is a picture of my grandparents..... Clara & Jack

Wordless Wednesday - My 2 Favorite Boys!

I am a LUCKY gal

As many of you know..... my hubby works a 2nd job in order to allow me to stay home with our son. Have I mentioned that I am so thankful that I am able to do that? Well, I am, but boy oh boy do I miss him when he is gone all day and in the evening. Tonight he had to go and work from 4-8 pm and we surely missed having him here with us. I fixed dinner and Cameron and I ate, but it just wasn't the same without having my hubby here. Granted, I am so happy that he is working the 2nd job and bringing in some extra money and it allows me to stay home, but I can still miss him when he isn't here - right? Anyway, I set him a plate aside in the refrigerator with some barbeque chicken and peas and he was so happy to come home and have his dinner ready. He was hungry and I don't blame him. He worked hard for our family today and I am so very blessed. It is a part-time job so he won't be gone all of the time and I have to remember that, but I still long for him to have dinner with us and more importantly I love the adult conversation. Cameron was so happy to see his Daddy tonight..... he asked about him after his nap, during dinner and a couple times before he got home. We are both just happy that Daddy is home and we love and appreciate him so very much.

Gall Bladder Discomfort

If any of you have had issues with their gall bladders then you know what I am talking about when I say "DISCOMFORT". Ugh, I woke up this morning and had major discomfort in the middle of my chest, right under my breasts and I tell you -- it hurts like crazy!! I must admit it is heck when you get older. I literally feel like I am falling apart and I don't care for the feeling at all. Shawn had to go to work since he is off with me tomorrow and I am here with two little ones when all I really want to do is crawl up into the fetal position on my bed and cover up with my blankets. I unfortunately "have to eat" since I am a diabetic which doesn't help the way I feel. It just adds to the symptoms which is so much fun. I ate a bagel this morning. It was plain and I put nothing on it and it still made me feel like I wanted to vomit. I am so nauseated and I feel just awful. I called my parents just to make sure that my pain, nausea and discomfort was from the gall bladder and everything that I described was what they recall experiencing before they had theirs taken out. So, those multiple stones are wreaking havoc on my gall bladder and causing so much pain that I could scream. What is really sad is that these gall stones are probably so small, but yet they cause so much pain, discomfort and nausea that you would think there were some boulders rolling around in there.

On another sweet note..... Cameron woke up before Shawn left for work so, Shawn went upstairs to get him. I was relaxing in the recliner trying to get comfortable, but had a feeling that I was just wasting my time. There is no getting comfortable when you have gall stones and a gall bladder that needs to be taken out. Shawn was telling Cameron that he needed to stay here and take care of Mommy today and just as he comes down the steps and around the corner, Cameron runs over to me and asks "Ok, Mommy?" It was so cute!! He then held his arms out and said "Hold you Mommy." It was the most precious thing that I have seen. They may be little, but they understand and they are just so sweet and caring. I love it!! I just love my little boy to pieces. Well, my appointment tomorrow is in the afternoon and I am ready to have this done. I am hoping that they say I can have the surgery soon because after this spell, I am ready to get it over with. So, here is to hoping that the pain goes away and stays away!! I will keep you all posted on what the surgeon has to say.

The Love Dare Challenge

Have I told you all lately how wonderful my husband is to me? Well, let me tell you again just in case you forgot. My dear hubby came home tonight from work and had a little surprise for me. As most of you know, we saw the movie Fireproof over the weekend and we loved it. It is highly recommended and trust me, you will really enjoy it!!

So, there is a book that goes along with the movie Fireproof and it is called The Love Dare. Well, it is a 40 day challenge for all couples. It will help you understand and practice unconditional love. Whether your marriage or relationship is hanging by a thread or is strong and healthy, it is a journey that everyone should take. So, are you ladies ready to take the challenge with me? My hubby brought home the book for me tonight and I am so excited to get started. He said that he bought the book at the local Wal-Mart for around $10.00 so, if you are willing to take the challenge then I would love for you all to join me. Come on - I DOUBLE DARE YOU to take the 40 day challenge!!

Yet Another Award and I love it!!

My good friend from Stacey has awarded me with another award. Thanks Stacey!! I am so happy that everyone enjoys following my blog and to be honest (I love feeling the love from all my blogger girlfriends). I am suppose to now share this award and pass it along to other blogger friends however I feel as though all of my followers are great bloggers and I truly enjoy your sites. I love being a part of your life in the blogging world. Thanks Again Stacey for the award!!

Not Me! Monday

You are absolutely right -- it is that time again to post your Not Me! Monday's. Join in on the fun and be brutally honest about the things you wouldn't dare to share.... you know, the things that you wouldn't ever dare to do. Here goes all of the things I would NEVER DO or THINK ABOUT DOING - Nope, Not Me!!

1) I would NEVER eat a small movie theater popcorn with halfway butter and butter on the top. Nope, not me. You know that all of that butter is just too bad for you and it totally clogs your arteries. I am way to healthy to eat that!!

2) I did not and would never think about sneaking peanut clusters into the movie theater so I could enjoy them with my salty and buttery popcorn snack. Nope, not me!! There are rules for a reason and that reason is that they want all your money. I would never break any rules. (lol)

3) I did not bawl like some baby while watching Fireproof on Saturday. I am not that sensitve - no way, not me!!

4) I did not take advantage of the movie Fireproof this weekend and tell my hubby that he needed to be more "Fireproof Like" and help me clean the house and do the laundry. I would never do such a thing.

5) I did not clean like some maniac yesterday afternoon -- cleaning the countertops off, washing them down, moving stuff around, cleaning the cupboards. Oh no, not me! I don't ever have that much energy!!

6) I did not stay in my PJ's all day yesterday and not take a shower. I am way to clean of a person to do that!! AND my hair was not standing totally straight up at attention all day long either!! Not me...... nope, nope nope!!!!

7) I did not have 2 cappuccino's late last night because I was so cold. I told everyone not too long ago that I wasn't a coffee drinker.

8) I did not and would never think about picking a nick-name for one of the girls that I babysit throughout the week. I would never call her finger sucker because she is constantly sucking on her fingers and it totally DOES NOT drive me crazy!! I am too nice to do something like that.

So, what did you NOT DO or NOT SAY this past week? Anything you don't want to share?

I've Been Tagged

My friend Stacey, over at McCrakensx4, tagged me and now I am it! Now it is my duty to post 15 things that alot of you might or might not know about me. I hope this helps everyone get to know me a little bit better. Here we go!!

1) My husband and I met through a blind date on August 10, 2003. He proposed on September 15, 2003 and we were married on November 14, 2003

2) I will celebrate 5 years of marriage this week - Nov 14th

3) My husband works 2 jobs in order to allow me to stay home and I appreciate it with all my heart!! I love that he allows me to be a SAHM. It is a dream come true.

4) I love being a MOM

5) Unlike alot of other families, I have a great relationship with my in-laws.

6) I hate to admit it, but this is my 2nd marriage.

7) I have learned ALOT from my previous mistakes in life and God has been by my side through it all.

8) My favorite color is purple

9) I love Mexican Food

10) I love movie theater popcorn w/ lots of butter

11) I am deathly afraid of spiders, centipedes and have a strong dislike to clowns

12) When I was about 12 years old, a friend of my cousins threw a brick from the top of a slide and it hit me on my forehead after I dared him to drop it. I had blood everywhere and of course stitches.

13) I went to a private school for 3 years.

14) I was a cheerleader in middle school and loved it.

15) I went swimming with the dolphins in Orlando, Florida after my grandpa passed away and left me inheritance money. He always wanted me to be able to do that.

Now I am suppose to tag other fellow bloggers in order to get to know them a bit better.

Here are the bloggers that I choose.

-Lyndsay @ Handsome Little Men

-Amy B. @ Our Daily Blessing...Life

-Kelly @ Close to Home

-Jennifer @ Grace Like Rain

While I'm Waiting Lyrics by John Waller

I'm waiting I'm waiting on You, Lord And I am hopeful I'm waiting on You, Lord Though it is painful But patiently, I will wait I will move ahead, bold and confident Takeing every step in obedience While I'm waiting I will serve You While I'm waiting I will worship While I'm waiting I will not faint I'll be running the race Even while I wait I'm waiting I'm waiting on You, Lord And I am peaceful I'm waiting on You, Lord Though it's not easy But faithfully, I will wait Yes, I will wait I will serve You while I'm waiting I will worship while I'm waiting I will serve You while I'm waiting I will worship while I'm waiting I will serve you while I'm waiting I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

Is Your Marriage FIREPROOF?

If you haven't heard the song "While I'm Waiting" by John Waller then you gotta check it out. This song is AWESOME!! It is a great song that is motivational and it puts things in perspective. Totally worth listening to and trust me when I say that you will enjoy it!!

You can check out the song by going to http://www.myspace.com/johnwaller

Do you want to see a movie that will inspire you and touch your heart? Well, I certainly have the movie for you. My husband and I had a date today and it was so nice to get out and enjoy the day just the two of us. My husband asked me what movie I wanted to see and I said "FIREPROOF." He was really surprised that I didn't want to see Nights in Rodanthe, but after hearing all of the wonderful things about Fireproof I knew it would be money well spent. Not only was it money well spent, but after the movie was over, it totally left you thinking about how you treat your spouse. You don't have to be going through a divorce or be experiencing problems to enjoy the movie, but I can honestly say that it makes you stop and think about whether or not you are treating your spouse the way that you originally vowed to treat them. I definitely feel as though it is a movie for all married couples to see. I encourage all couples to see it and realize that you can always improve upon your marriage in one way or another. I will admit that unfortunately there are times that my hubby and I get caught up in the everyday moments of life and we sometimes forget to remember our vows. We forget what we promised to one another and we might say hurtful things. Marriage is hard, it definitely isn't an easy job, but it is a job that requires each person to give 100%. You need to appreciate one another for who they are and not try to change them. You need to love one another unconditionally and never take each other for granted. If you feel as though your marriage needs the smallest bit of improvement then I encourage you to spend the money to go see it. You could have the perfect or pretty close to perfect marriage and still go see it and then share the word with others. All I can say is that it is a MUST SEE!!

So, grab yourself some buttered popcorn, a pop and something sweet if you are like me and sit down and watch this great movie. I can promise that you won't be disappointed. You might actually want to go watch it again......just like me!!

So, is your marriage FIREPROOF?

It is time for a date & a time to remember

Just got done getting cleaned up for the day and I am ready for my date today. We decided to go see the early movie since it is cheaper and then who knows what we will do. I already told my hubby that I definitely want popcorn with butter and pop so I am quite anxious to go and enjoy myself. It has been SO LONG since we have been out on a date. I am pretty excited.

To change the subject..... the weather is cold here in Ohio and dreary. It went from 70 degrees to 40 degrees and well that is what Ohio weather is all about. I hate that it changes so rapidly, but it does. I am use to it seeing as though I have lived here all my life. Yep, that is 33 years!!

So, I am sure you all watch your local news - right? You all probably have a local news station that you watch more then others - right? Well, my hubby and I have been watching Channel 10 News here in the Columbus area since we got married (the morning news) and have come to like these news anchors quite a bit. You feel like you know them seeing as though you watch them every single morning for about an hour. Anyway, one of the news anchors that we have watched for many many years has been battling with breast cancer. Unfortunately it spread to her pelvis and spine and of course it made her battle that much more difficult. Heather Pick was an amazing woman. She came and gave the news for 5 hours while she was battling cancer and then would leave for chemotherapy and keep coming back every day after that. I couldn't believe the strength that she had and shared with all of us. She pretty much made you feel like you shouldn't ever complain about anything, but live life to the fullest. Unfortunately, Heather lost that battle yesterday morning with her family by her side. You watch her every morning, 5 days a week and you feel like you know her personally, like you are best friends and it is truly a sad day to know that she lost that battle. It is hard to describe her personality, but you all would have loved it and you would have grown to love her as much as everyone here in the Columbus, Ohio area did. She leaves behind 2 beautiful young children ages 7 and 4 as well as a husband of 10 years. She was only 38 years young!!

If you all could say a prayer for her family today that would be wonderful. I am sure it is a difficult time for all of them. Heaven has certainly gained a sweet spirit and yet another beautiful angel. She will truly be missed.

Plans This Weekend

We have our plans all set for this weekend or at least some of them. Shawn and I are planning on going to see FireProof the movie and perhaps go out for dinner. Shawn's parents were nice enough to watch Cameron, but it isn't like you have to twist their arm or anything. They just love spending time with him and he loves spending time with his Grammy and Grampy. The are addicted to that little boy just as much as anyone else. It is their only grandchild so they love him to pieces and I can't blame them one bit. He is definitely a spoiled rotten little boy and is loved so much by so many.

Shawn gave me an option as to what movie I wanted to go see and I of course decided on FireProof. It was a tough one because I have heard great things about Nights in Rodanthe as well, but I thought Fireproof would be the best option. Why wouldn't you want to watch a movie that makes you think more about your marriage and how you can improve upon it. I heard that it definitely gets you thinking and that is a good thing. As goes for dinner out -- I am not sure if that will happen, but if it doesn't then you know that I will be getting me some popcorn and a pop. My husband and I always get ourselves a different popcorn because he is the type of person that just likes the popcorn the way that they fix it and I of course love extra butter. I know, I know, it isn't good for me, but I love it and enjoy it tremendously. Oh my goodness, I just can't wait to go out on a little date with my hubby. I am quite excited !!

I just got done fixing myself a french vanilla cappuccino. The temperatures are starting to drop here in Ohio and it is suppose to be in the 40's this weekend. I thought it would be tasty and warm and after hearing from my good friend Angie and her coffee, I thought it sounded kinda good. I am not a big coffee drinker, but I do love a warm cappuccino every now and again.

So, I caught Cameron in his Halloween candy yesterday. I got it off the counter because I was going to allow him to have something out of his pumpkin after lunch, but with the day that I had yesterday..... well, I got side tracked and then the next thing you know he is helping himself. I couldn't be upset with him because afterall I was the one that got the pumpkin off the counter and then totally forgot that I left it in arms reach of him. I tell ya, he can reach everything now!!
Anyway, he ate a small snack pack of plain M&M's and also a kit kat and was getting ready for a lollipop, but I caught him in enough time.

Well, I leave you with a few pictures that I took yesterday and today. Hope you all are having a blessed day!!

You Gotta Check Out This Site !!

If you have kids then you gotta check out this site. I saw it on our local news station today and I LOVE IT!! It just started in Columbus, Ohio however it will be stretching throughout the US in the next few months.

Do you enjoy going out to eat? Do you want to save money? Do you have kids that sometimes don't eat that much and you hate to spend the money? Well, I have the answer for you . . .
Check out http://www.kidsmealdeals.com/ and type in the following zip code 43147 for example and then hit search. This will pull up a list of restaurants, then click on the restaurant and it will tell you when you can enjoy a night out with a *FREE* kids meal. I don't know about you, but I love *FREE* things and I found this site to be so neat!! It will be great when you can all take part and locate your favorite restaurant and take advantage of the great deals. In the meantime just keep checking back and hopefully you can start using it in your area soon.

Ok, ok enough of my rambling - now go check it out!!

Sickness, Puke & Poop OH MY

It has indeed been an interesting day here at my home and it is only 12:05 pm. I am not sure if I have mentioned this before, but I take care of two little girls in my home in order to make some extra money. Well, one girl left yesterday with a temperature of 101.6 and I heard from her Mom today that they took her to the doctor which is very unusual for them. They never take her to the doctor which I find odd, but anyway back to the matter at hand. Her mom informed me today that her temperature went up to 104 degrees last night and she might have strep. So, I have been cleaning like a maniac today and spraying EVERYTHING, I mean EVERYTHING down with Lysol with hopes of killing any germs. The last thing I need is a sick child. Then, we were eating lunch today and the other girl that isn't sick (whew) is eating her mini ravioli which I cut into smaller bites. Well, I try to tell her not to eat so much at once, but she doesn't listen and shovels as much as she can into her mouth. Well, she is starting to choke on her ravioli and then she pukes all over the table. I was eating with the kids and about lost my lunch too. I couldn't believe that she puked all over my table. Oh, I was so disgusted. I was just totally grossed out. Have you ever seen a child puke out mini ravioli? Well, make sure you keep that at the bottom of your list of your must sees - GROSS!! So, once I finally started moving from all the shock, I moved over to the sink to get a washcloth so I could clean up that disgusting mess, turn around and she is trying to eat the stuff that she just puked up. I about lost it!! Cameron at this point has his mouth wide open and is staring at her like she has totally lost her mind and I was thinking the same thing. OH MY GOSH, what a day it has been here today!! I have been dealing with sick kids, puking kids and tons and tons of poop of which I forgot to mention. Yep, I am in desperate need of a break. Calgon PLEASE take me away!!

Doctor's Appt Scheduled

I scheduled my appointment with my surgeon yesterday. I am due to go in and see him next Wednesday at 2:45pm. I am a bit nervous, but not as nervous as what I was when I first found out I had to have surgery. I feel as though I have some peace regarding this situation and I have to thank God for that and all of my blogging friends that prayed for me. It will be quite interesting to hear what he has to say about my gall bladder and how bad it looks. So, I will be sure to keep you posted as to what happens next week and when my surgery is scheduled. Thank you again for all your prayers. It is wonderful having such great friends even if you are all far away and we have never met.

Fun with Food Photo Contest

This site is doing a photo contest for the best picture of your child with food. The photos can be anything to do with food - kids with food, animals with food, you with food - whatever you can dream up. Just have fun!! Here is my picture of Cameron, enjoying his cake on his 1st Birthday!

The CHANGE America Needs is in the Bible

As you can see and as you read, you will notice that I am still very much upset over the election results. I know that some people that visit my site may not agree with my view, but I feel very strongly about how I am feeling when it comes to Barack Hussein Obama taking over for our country. I saw on another friends site this saying and I am a firm believer when it comes to this..... The CHANGE America Needs Is In the B-I-B-L-E !! I realize that alot of people are fed up with George Bush and that is understandable. I realize their frustration however I don't agree with the decision that alot of people made yesterday during election time. I see that our economy is in the slumps, gas prices are just ridiculous and the only thing that we can do from here is to improve upon these issues, but I don't feel as though Obama is the answer. People are so tired and worn out with struggling to make ends meet, to find a job, to get a job, to keep a job, they are tired of the war and the list just continues to go on, but people are grasping at straws and they aren't making a rational decision. They are so wanting a change and they feel as though voting Blue is the answer. The answer that we all need is in the Bible..... it is in God's word and it is an unfortunate shame that people can't see that.

Why would people want to vote for someone that believes in abortion? Why would they want to vote for someone that is going to raise taxes? Aren't we struggling enough when it comes to money? Why would you want to pay more taxes? Why would you want someone running our country that associates with terrorists? Why in the world would you want someone running our country that has a wife that says for the very first time she is proud to be an American. Why have someone that doesn't support our troops and what they have done for our country?

I could literally go on all day long, but I don't think I have enough time in my day. God is in control and is time that we pray as a nation and ask for guidance and peace as this country gets ready for change.....change that we might not be ready for.

So, I leave you today with a song to think about. Have you heard of the song God is in Control by Twila Paris? If you haven't heard it and you are feeling as discouraged as I am right now regarding the elections then I encourage you to google the song and take a listen to it. Here is to hoping that it will bring you all some peace. We all just have to stand together and remember that GOD IS IN CONTROL !!!!!

AWARDS - I love them!!

I love, love, love awards and my sweet friend Angie from Davisix blessed me with another award. Thanks Ang.... you are so tweet!! I too enjoy reading your blog and must admit that you keep me in stiches quite frequently. You can tell from many states away that you are a great Mom with a huge heart and more importantly you love God with all your heart. Those are important things to me - ya know?

Anyway, here are the rules.....
-Post the award on my blog
-Link it back to the sweet person that gave it to me.
-Link it back to the originating post
-Pass it on to 5 deserving people (I am only doing 3)
-Post the rules for the recipients

Ok, this is the hard part. How in the world do I pick just five people to pass this very deserving award to? Everyone that I follow and everyone that follows me have GREAT blog sites and I enjoy reading each and every one...... ok, ok, quit rushing me!! Here are the magical winners.

1. Kelly - Close to Home (she is a fellow Ohio State Buckeye and I have really enjoyed getting to know her and I love reading her site.)
2. Debra - Clothed with Scarlet (she always shares God's word and is always willing to share a Bible verse to help you through the day.) Thank you Debra
3. Amy B. - Our Daily Blessing.....Life (she is new to the blogging world, but contacted me through e-mail. What a sweet gal. She is also a Mommy to an IVF Baby-just like me. Please visit her site and make her feel welcome as she joins the wonderful world of blogging!!)

I know you are all probably saying....where are the other 2 winners? Well, I decided to change the rules just a little bit, at least for my post. I am only awarding this award to 3 people. Haha, don't you love how I just changed the rules? I guess I am in one of those moods today. Hope you all have a blessed day!!

Disappointment with Elections

I sit here and watch the news as the votes are rolling in and I am trying my best not to get discouraged, but I am. I am pretty upset that my great and wonderful state of Ohio voted for Obama and alot of the other states are coming in with the same results. I personally had a feeling that it would end up this way, but I was keeping the faith and holding out hope. I guess that since this is "my blog" then I can voice "my opinion." I myself wanted McCain to win. I am Pro-Life all the way and I personally don't feel as though there is enough that we know about Obama. What I do know about him, I don't like at all. I feel as though he is shady character and I don't trust him one bit. Don't get me wrong.... it is history in the making, but I am a strong believer that it is the wrong decision for our country. At least I can say that I made the right decision!! Here is to hoping that some of the other items on the ballot go my way.

THE RESULTS ARE IN

Well, my doctor just called me with the results of my ultrasound that I had done today. I had no idea that my results would be back so soon, but unfortunately they were. I was hoping I wouldn't get this news, but unfortunately he informed me that I have several gallstones. Seeing as though I am a diabetic, have lots of symptoms and have quite a few gallstones he is recommending that I have surgery to have it taken out. UGHH, that is so not something I wanted to hear. I have had 2 surgeries, both female related and I hate the way I feel before and after surgery. My first surgery was for my ectopic pregnancy, where they removed my right tube and I got so freaking sick after that surgery. I was vomiting like a crazy maniac and I was miserable!! I also had a c-section when Cameron was born, but that was actually an a ok surgery because it resulted in me having my little miracle. I am just not looking forward to going under and waking up and dealing with all the side effects. It makes me nervous and to be honest I am down right scared. I realize that everything is in God's hands, but I can still be nervous - right? So, from here I need to contact a surgeon that my family doctor recommended and talk to him about surgery. My biggest issue is that the hospital that I will be having my surgery at is about 30 minutes from my home. I could go to the local hospital which is about 5 minutes from my home, but I don't know of any "good" surgeons locally and this is kinda a small town. I guess it is best to head into the Columbus area and have the surgery there. I will just feel so far away from my hubby and my little Cameron. I don't know what is worse...... the feeling of having the surgery or the feeling of not being close to Shawn and Cameron. I hope God grants me with some peace about this situation because right now I am a nervous wreck!!

Election Day

Well, today was an early day for me. I got up around 6 am and outta bed I hopped. I went downstairs to take my shower, blow dry my hair, brush my teeth, get dressed and I was out the door. I wanted to be able to vote early and indeed I did. My husband voted last week and I never got around to it so I went by myself this morning. I got there and totally forgot which precinct I was suppose to be in, but I finally found a couple that lives in our neighborhood and knew that was the line I was suppose to be in (whew). Luckily, my line wasn't too long. I got there about 7am and there were probably about 20 people in front of me. I was done voting in about 30 minutes. I was so happy that I wasn't in one particular precinct in our county because there was one precinct that was out the door and around the building. I felt sorry for them that their line was so long, but it was funny that I was able to go in, vote and come back out and notice that they hadn't moved much, if any (hehe). I know, I know, that sounds ornery, but I couldn't help it. I was just excited to be able to get in and get out without having to spend much time in there. Afterwards, I left there and headed to the hospital to have my ultrasound done on my gall bladder. I am hoping that everything is ok, but with my liver enzymes being elevated I am kinda nervous. So, we will hopefully know something within the next day or two. I will keep you all posted on that!

Well, I better let you all go so you can get out and vote unless you are of course voting for the opposite person that I am voting for and then you really don't need to vote.... we don't want that vote counted anyway (lol). Here is to hoping that my presidential nominee wins!!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Muffin Recipe by Special Request

Well, I have had many a people request that I post the recipe for the pumpkin cinnamon muffins so here you go. Let me know what you think after you have tried them. They are delicious and I can guarantee that you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients Needed
- 1 box of Yellow Cake Mix
- 1 (15 oz can) of pumpkin
- 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice
- 1 1/2 cups of cinnamon chips

Mix the Yellow Cake Mix with the Pumpkin (DO NOT ADD THE OIL, EGGS, or ANYTHING that the box tells you to add to make a cake). Just the cake mix powder and the pumpkin. Add your 1 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice and beat until smooth and mixed well. Once that is all mixed then fold in your 1 1/2 cups of cinnamon chips. Scoop into your muffin pans and follow the baking directions on the box for cupcakes. I normally bake mine for about 19 minutes.
Alot of people can't find the cinnamon chips or have a difficult time finding them. I can tell you that they are made by Hershey's and can be found at Krogers (that is where I get mine). I also wanted to mention to you that if you are a member of Weight Watchers then these muffins are 8 pts each. I normally use my Pampered Chef stainless steel melon baller to scoop the mix into the muffin cups and I only use 1 scoop. If you use more then 1 scoop then you might have to bake them longer.

These muffins are so tasty. They last a long while, they stay moist for quite some time and they are DELICIOUS and loved by everyone. ENJOY and let me know what you think of them after you have tried them out for yourself.

Weekend Snapshot - A beautiful sunrise

A beautiful sunrise to start out the weekend. Isn't that just beautiful? I took this picture while I was on the way to visit my parents. Of course I was the passenger so, I was able to take it from the car.

Yet Another Edition of Not Me! Monday

I so enjoy sharing some of my Not Me! Mondays with all of you and I especially love reading all of yours too. In order to join in on the fun then you gotta check out MckMama's website and also check out that beautiful little MckMiracle (Stellan).

1) I so did not make 2 batches of pumpkin cinnamon muffins and on the 2nd batch eat about 3 of them right in a row plus some of the batter. I would never do such a thing. No Way!!
2) I did not and would not allow my son to lick the beaters after making the above mentioned muffins and then keep giving him small amounts on a spoon to eat. Oh heck no, I would never do such a thing. That would not be a good thing at all.
3) I did not make fun of a woman that was our waitress this weekend at Rebecca's just because she was so bubbly. Whoa she was way over the top and I would never do such a thing. That would be too mean.
4) I did not allow my son to watch enormous amounts of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse shows once we got home from my parents house yesterday just so I could get things done around the house. Now that would just be insane and you know that I love it when he is following me around like a tail.
5) I did not cut my hubby's hair during the week and then sweep up the hair off the floor, grab the attachments and suck up the hair off of his shoulders. That would just be too mean and you know that wouldn't be a good thing if you almost gave him a hickey with the sweeper. I would never do such a thing and laugh while I was doing it. I am way too nice for that and not ornery at all.

What a GREAT weekend

WOW!! What a great weekend. We got back from our wonderful visit with my parents today and I miss them already. My parents live about 2 1/2 hours away which isn't too far, but we don't get to see them too much since we are on a rather tight budget and gas is rather expensive. We have cut ALOT of corners since I quit my job to stay home with Cameron and extra traveling when the gas prices are so high is not something that we can do alot of. I wish that the gas prices would keep going down, but with the elections around the corner I have a feeling that they might go back up. Can we ever get a little break with the gas prices? Ok, that is another subject for another day. Anyway, we jam packed alot of fun into our weekend that we spent with my parents. We got there rather early on Saturday and we sat down to visit with my parents and then we left to go to Amish Country which is only about 30 minutes from my Mom and Dad's home. We ate at our favorite restaurant which is called Rebecca's and then we left there to walk through the antique malls and of course we stopped by Country Gatherings. My Mom and I love Country Gatherings and it was so much fun seeing all of their Christmas decorations out. I wasn't sure I was going to be too into seeing all of the Christmas decorations already, but it was fun once we started looking at everything and we even bought a few things for Christmas time. So, when Thanksgiving is over, I am ready to start decorating and I can hardly wait!! After we left Amish Country we headed home for a DELICIOUS meal prepared by my Mom...... oh, it was soooo tasty!! Another thing that I wanted to share is that my Mom allowed me to bring her Mom & Dad's desk home. This desk was always in my Grandma and Grandpa's front room, they would sit at it every single evening and call my Mom or my Mom would call them and they would have their evening talk. It was something I use to sit at as a little girl and color or draw when I would visit them and now it is something that belongs to me. I am pretty excited that my Mom allowed me to have it and since I am such a sentimental person, you can imagine how much it means to me to have it. It really brings back alot of memories for me and seeing as though my computer is on the desk, it is something that I will use everyday and proudly think of my grandparents.

Well, here are some pictures that I took this weekend and I thought that I would share them with you. I also included a picture of my grandparents desk with my computer on it. Yep, it looks great and it fits in perfectly right here in my family room.

Be sure to check out some BEAUTIFUL pics that I took of God's beauty on my other website. Here is the link..... http://www.lisasohioflowers.blogspot.com

My Grandparents Desk

Country Gatherings - our favorite store

Look, an Amish Buggy!

Slow moving buggy ahead.

A picture taken right outside of Rebecca's Restaurant