Archive for June, 2010

Time for another 10 things!

1. TRUE BLOOD

mmmm I love me some True Blood. Eric Northman is delicious…well until he smiles. lol

2. Word Rocks

I have a couple of these types of rocks. Mine say “laugh” and “love”. I’d love to get more and put them outside. I really like the “believe” one below and “create” too.

3. Homemade Peanut Butter Cookies

My sister makes the BEST peanut butter cookies! She made some for work last week and she brought me some. They are YUMS!

3. Sobe Lifewater

Loving this right now. Gave up the pop…I KNOW, right? Amazing! I needed to get some energy from somewhere, so I tried these Lifewaters and they are pretty good…just need a bit of carbonation and they’d be perfect!

4. Pretzel M&M’s

Have you tried these yet? You need to! Go ahead, I’ll wait….they are delicious!

5. Alium Flower

I saw these flowers in front of a landscaping company and I want to fill our flower bed with them! They’re so cool, like flower lollipops.

6. Aquariums

I would LOVE an aquarium. I’d settle for one of these. But I’m afraid if I got one this would happen. Plus, they can get expensive to start and maintain. I just think fish are soothing and the sound of running water and bubbles are relaxing. I’ve had fish a few different times growing up, I’d love to get a tank again. Srsly, even if just goldfish. I love the fancy ones!

I’ve never been (that I can remember) to a “real” Aquarium either. I mean I’ve been to The Living Seas in Epcot. Maybe that counts…but photos like the one below are surreal and absolutely amazing. I want to go and see something like that. Maybe I’ll look into it! WOW!

7. Audio Books

I have a subscription to Audible.com. For about 23.00 a month I can pick two audiobooks from their HUGE library! It’s really cool. I’ve got a lot of books on my computer. I haven’t listened to them all, and probably won’t for a long time! Right now I’m listening to the 10th Sookie Stackhouse book “Dead In the Family.” Of course, it’s wonderful. I listen a work and sometimes I’ll listen at home but the book has to be REALLY good! lol This picture is my own too…my iPod, Skullcandy earbuds, and my lovely cozie.

8. Fonts

I love, love, love fonts! I have thousands of them. WAY too many! LOL

9. Fireworks

My dogs don’t like fireworks too much, but I do! I love seeing them and the BEST ones are at Disney World! I can’t WAIT to see them in October!! The picture below is from the 2010 Detroit Fireworks. Since the D is so close to Canada, they can be seen on both sides of the Detroit River, which is pretty cool!

10. Bret Michaels

Who isn’t loving Bret right about now? The man nearly died TWICE this year, AND won Celebrity Apprentice. He’s the man!

My time for a new phone is in exactly 3 days. I do not need a new phone because I ♥ my Blackberry with my whole being. I have spent long hours getting everything to work exactly like I want it to and bought numerous – ok, maybe just 4 – applications that do fun things (like tell me the weather in my city, my work’s city, the city where my in-laws’ lake home is, and Orlando or one that changes the color of my LED light to match each and every little transmission). I love my Blackberry. I really really do. I do! I swear.

So why is the title DROID!!!!!!!!!?

Well….I decided that I just wanted to “play” with a Droid powered phone. I just want to see what all the fuss is about. If we weren’t on Verizon and had AT&T, you can bet your sweet bippy that I’d be sportin a shiny new iPhone. And yes, I already have a kick ass iPod but I’d load that iPhone up with apps!

Ahh…iPhone…will you one day be mine?

NOPE…back to reality.

Ok…so I’ve sent my husband to the Verizon store probably a dozen times asking about the DROID powered phones and decided on getting a HTC Incredible. I was set in my decision. HTC Incredible. I was even looking for cases! I was GOING to pick out a Casemate Gelli case to match my beloved Blackberry’s case. The only downfall is that the HTC Incredible are backordered about a month, so I would have to wait to get my hands on that new baby.

And, and, and THEN yesterday, Verizon announces a BRAND SPANKING NEW Motorola Droid is coming out on July 15th. The DROID X. July 15th.

Thank you Verizon for this timely announcement.

So of course, since I made a decision on what phone I want, another lovelier, wonderfuler phone comes out. At least I didn’t actually make a purchase.

So the Droid X. It’s a monster of a phone. I think it’s twice the size of mine! It’s HUGE! I need to see it in person…actually, maybe it would be better to be surprised. lol It just looks HUGE. Not iPad huge, but cell phone HUGE!

Yup…that’s the monster above. But boy does it look cool when people are using it!! I’ve watched probably 10 videos and read a few reviews. The only thing I am concerned about is that I really like the way the HTC Incredible’s screen looks! But, there are all kinds of apps and widgets so I guess I will find a look that I like.

Here’s the Incredible.

Pretty, isn’t it? Hmm…

See the dilemma? What to do…what to do…

Topaz was actually really good at the vet. He wasn’t too worked up and didn’t need a muzzle. The vet came in and looked at his face and had me lift his lip so she could see his tooth.

She thinks the molar is bad, possibly chipped, and most likely needs to be removed. So we got an estimate: $325.00 – $450.00. I guess it’s not too bad, but we rarely have this much money to spend on anything. But if it’s needed, we’ll make it work.

Of course, I’m worried about him having surgery and having a seizure, but I guess we’ll cross that road when we come to it.

She did give us antibiotics for him – Keflex (Cephalexin) – and so far so good on not having a seizure. he has been rubbing and scratching at that side of his face too, so either the swelling is bothering him, or the antibiotics are already doing their job and it’s getting better…I dunno.

Either way, I sure hope we can keep the seizures at bay during this issue!

We took Topaz to the vet on Thursday for a blood draw to check his Potassium Bromide levels and to get a heartworm test…both were fine…we also had the vet look at a swollen spot on his face to see if it was a tooth issue or what. Topaz was SO worked up by the time we got to the vet that it was dam near impossible to get the muzzle on him, let alone examine him in any way. So the vet said to watch it.

We did and today we noticed that half of his face (the same side) is swollen, so we mulled it around a bit but then gave him Benadryl to see if that would help. I thought it was a bug bite because it swelled up so quickly and the dogs had just came in from outside. Plus, he’s acting completely normal and not favoring it or anything.

Well, there has been no change, so we’re going to take him into the vet and see what’s going on.

Our appointment is at 8:00pm, the vet is doing emergency surgery right now so we have to wait till then. Gives me a chance to get ready and we’re going to try to give him some Valium an hour before we are to leave and see if that helps him calm down any…it didn’t before, but we maybe didn’t give it enough time to kick in before. Hopefully it will work this time and calm him down!

Pictures of his face:

Will definitely update…

A little inspiration this Saturday afternoon from PravsWorld.

Original link: http://www.pravsworld.com/content/inspiration/125/three-words-that-make-relationships-better

Three-Word Phrases, can be tools to help develop every relationship.

There are many things that you can do to strengthen your relationships. Often the most effective thing you can do involves saying just three words. When spoken sincerely, these statements often have the power to develop new friendships, deepen old ones and even bring healing to relationships that have soured.

The following three-word phrases can be tools to help develop every relationship.

~ Let me help:
Good friends see a need and then try to fill it. When they see a hurt they do what they can to heal it. Without being asked, they jump in and help out.

~ I understand you:
People become closer and enjoy each other more when the other person accepts and understands them. Letting your spouse know – in so many little ways – that you understand them, is one of the most powerful tools for healing your relationship. And this can apply to any relationship.

~ I respect you:
Respect is another way of showing love. Respect demonstrates that another person is a true equal. If you talk to your children as if they were adults you will strengthen the bonds and become closer friends. This applies to all interpersonal relationships.

~ I miss you:
Perhaps more marriages could be saved and strengthened if couples simply and sincerely said to each other “I miss you.” This powerful affirmation tells partners they are wanted, needed, desired and loved. Consider how important you would feel, if you received an unexpected phone call from your spouse in the middle of your workday, just to say “I miss you.”

~ Maybe you’re right:
This phrase is very effective in diffusing an argument. The implication when you say “maybe you’re right” is the humility of admitting, “maybe I’m wrong”. Let’s face it. When you have an argument with someone, all you normally do is solidify the other person’s point of view. They, or you, will not likely change their position and you run the risk of seriously damaging the relationship between you. Saying “maybe you’re right” can open the door to explore the subject more. You may then have the opportunity to express your view in a way that is understandable to the other person.

~ Please forgive me:
Many broken relationships could be restored and healed if people would admit their mistakes and ask for forgiveness. All of us are vulnerable to faults, foibles and failures. A man should never be ashamed to own up that he has been in the wrong, which is saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.

~ I thank you:
Gratitude is an exquisite form of courtesy. People who enjoy the companionship of good, close friends are those who don’t take daily courtesies for granted. They are quick to thank their friends for their many expressions of kindness. On the other hand, people whose circle of friends is severely constricted often do not have the attitude of gratitude.

~ Count on me:
A friend is one who walks in when others walk out. Loyalty is an essential ingredient for true friendship. It is the emotional glue that bonds people. Those that are rich in their relationships tend to be steady and true friends. When troubles come, a good friend is there indicating “you can count on me.”

~ I’ll be there:
If you have ever had to call a friend in the middle of the night, to take a sick child to hospital, or when your car has broken down some miles from home, you will know how good it feels to hear the phrase “I’ll be there.” Being there for another person is the greatest gift we can give. When we are truly present for other people, important things happen to them and us.

We are renewed in love and friendship. We are restored emotionally and spiritually. Being there is at the very core of civility.

~ Go for it:
We are all unique individuals. Don’t try to get your friends to conform to your ideals. Support them in pursuing their interests, no matter how far out they seem to you. God has given everyone dreams, dreams that are unique to that person only.

Support and encourage your friends to follow their dreams. Tell them to “go for it.”

~ I love you:
Perhaps the most important three words that you can say. Telling someone that you truly love them satisfies a person’s deepest emotional needs. The need to belong, to feel appreciated and to be wanted. Your spouse, your children, your friends and you, all need to hear those three little words: “I love you.” Love is a choice. You can love even when the feeling is gone.

For more inspiration follow PravsWorld on Facebook and Twitter.

So, I wrote last week about cleaning our kitchen and surprisingly it has stayed clean all week! YAY!

May sound trivial, but is a huge feat for us. Hopefully this will continue. It’s so nice to have the kitchen clean and I’ve really been keeping up with it…cleaning as I do things, putting things away. I really hope it never gets to how it was before. I’m really going to try to make sure we don’t go to that dark place again. No reason for it at all!

This weekend I am cleaning my office, which I’ve been calling the hoarder room all week. It is a mess. Plain and simple. No other description necessary. I should post before and after photos but I am so embarrassed at the state of it.

But starting tomorrow, I will begin to clean it. I really don’t have much else to do this weekend, thank God. Just gonna clean this room and veg with the hubbs and the zoo.

If the weather holds out, we plan on giving the Puppa a bath as well. Should be fun! LOL He also has some mats on his undercarriage that need to be taken care of. So does the Miss. Maybe we’ll get to those too.

But back to the kitchen. what a difference. I can cook, I don’t have to balance and move things around to make room on the counter to prepare and make dinner/lunch/whatever. Tomorrow morning, I can wake up and have some cereal and use a clean spoon from the drawer and a clean bowl and not have to wash them!

Now, we just have to keep it up!

Today is WORLD APS DAY!

As you know, my husband had APS. He’s been diagnosed since 2004. It’s been a rocky road and pretty scary at times, but we can’t look back and can only live in the now and hope for the future.

2004 was the year that changed our lives forever. 2005 is the year when we started using that change for good.

In 2005, myself, my husband and our new friend (and fellow APS patient), Tina turned a support forum and informational website into a brand new non-profit dedicated to bringing awareness to APS and education and support to APS patients.

My first priority was to make sure our website and online support forum was informative and honest. I didn’t want another APS patient to be as lost as we were when my husband was diagnosed. I was lucky to find that first forum on Delphi and Tina to point me in the right direction.

I thank God everyday for bringing her into our lives. I wish more people would try to get to know her, because you’d see the wonderful person she is. She’d literally give you the shirt off her back.

I really hope that the APSFA has helped people learn more about APS – the real APS, not the “take coumadin and you’re cured” APS. To me, that’s the most important thing because APS is not a bed of roses. It IS life threatening. Many people die from it, and sometimes they don’t even know they have it before it’s too late.

I have met some of the most amazingly strong people during the past 5 years. I don’t know how people live with being so sick each and everyday. I guess you just get up and do what you can. I don’t know if I could do it. Especially those who don’t have great care and who are basically dismissed by their doctors or even by their friends and families.

Unfortunately, we’ve also lost some people as well – nature of the disease, I guess. It’s hard though because I have so many friends who have this disease and it hit close to home when someone passes. Way too close to home.

I wish patients got better care. I wish they got taken seriously.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the APSFA over the past 5 years. Everything we have done we do for each and every one of you. You are all in my thoughts and prayers on a daily basis. Keep fighting and keep spreading the awareness! Together, we can get the word out!

In my last “10 Things I’m Loving” post I listed this song as one of the things I was loving. At the time, the video wasn’t out yet…but it is now. And it’s below!

*WARNING* there is swearing, so it’s not kid or work friendly.

I can’t get enough…his new album comes out later this month! I can’t WAIT!

So the design ended up being more than one of Irene Alexeeva’s kits. What can I say? I like her style and omg I love those little pigs!! I still have to make the side graphics and for some reason my countdown to Eclipse isn’t working anymore so I’ll just put some yummy Twilight pictures there. I really like how it turned out!

The dishes are almost done…well minus the ones in here that I find while cleaning tomorrow and the ones that are throughout the rest of the house if there are any. There’s some soaking in the sink to put in the dishwasher this next time I turn it on, it wasn’t full.

I don’t even want to discuss the state the kitchen was in. It could have been on an episode of Hoarders, i swear. This room (office) too. I’m not at all proud of it, but omg…definitely time to change. No reason to be living that way! It’s nothing but laziness, really.

Well, once again, I vow that I am done…changin my ways! LOL we’ll see how long it lasts. I always say that! But really, we shouldn’t have to take an ENTIRE weekend to clean the house up! Absolutely NO reason for it!

I totally plan on changing it. I am surrounded by junk in here. I am gonna go through the room and just throw shit out that we don’t need.

I had a shelf made over the dog’s cage so I could use it to put stuff on. Well it’s piled with junk taller than me! omg, I couldn’t even tell you what’s under there! And then there’s junk all over the floor…mail, papers, blankets, just junk.

Tomorrow it will be clean. I assure you.

I found the cutest kit today in my Google Reader! It’s called “Very Own World” and is a hand-painted kit by Irene Alexeeva. I love her kits! I have a few of them.

I got it at After Five Designs. I’ll have to add their button to my sidebar, I’ve shopped there a few times this month…a couple of my favorite artists have moved there.

I also went to Gorjuss and found a little cutie to add to my blog header! I just ♥ her work! I want to get prints and hang them in my house….one day!

Anyway, I will be hopefully working on this today in between doing the dishes (UGH!) and cleaning the computer room…which I actually may save until tomorrow since the kitchen will take for.ever! I’m actually excited to get started! I need to find a little pear too that I can add. I think I have another Irene Alexeeva kit with a pear in it. Oh, and I have one with little pigs too…hmm…

Ok, gotta feed the dogs and get the iPod going to I can Jam out while I clean. P!nk, Paramore and Eminem are my kitchen cleaning jams of choice lol