When JoAnn and I went to Wal-Mart last Friday, I bought myself a $10 bouquet of flowers.  If I am careful, I can make these last about 2 weeks.  Not bad for $5/week, don't you think?
                                

We have a box ready to go to Jesse's and JoAnn's brother (my bil) James for his weekend birthday.  Cards and all kinds of goodies are inside!
                              

I baked those caramel bars (they turned out deliciously full of calories!), washed dishes (several times)
 

and this morning the table is cleared, washed off, and ready for another day of food abuse!
                                   

I did Jesse's and my laundry, and then combined the girls' 3 baskets together and finished all of their laundry, too!
                     
I'm tired in my bones this morning, but it's a "good" kind of tired!

Luci and Annamarie woke up slowly this morning. 

Early this morning, Abreeana was all dressed up with no where to go!  (She's as cute as a little bug!!!)
                         

And, Sushi was all dressed up and ready to go - but, she truly had some place to go!
                                                   

Marie came with her dog, Zoe, to take Sushi and Zoe to the "Dog Park."  The place she is taking them is a lake and has a place the dogs can play in the water, hose sprays to keep them washed off and cool, and fountains where they can get a drink.
   
Sushi could barely contain herself when she saw Marie.  The 2nd picture was left blurry intentionally because it shows Zoe and Sushi in all of their fine dog kissing and nonstop perpetual motion!!!!

                
                 Bye-bye Marie and dogs.  (Good luck Marie! LOL!!!!)

I'm getting ready to eat a breakfast burrito with JoAnn.  Oh, yum!  I'm tired from yesterday's work but feel good that I accomplished so much.

Rissy has an ear pain, so Jesse is taking her to the doctor this afternoon and I doubt she will leave with Stephanie tomorrow morning (Stephanie & JanaLyn are spending the night before our house fills up with guests, again, this next weekend), as Rissy will, most likely, not be allowed to swim for a few days.

I love my flowers and my life!
                          

Be Blessed  ~

I started to have a bit of bone aches - NOT PAIN (!!!), just aches; so, I took it easy on Saturday evening and Sunday and used my pain killers.  It was definitely bearable considering what I went through two weeks ago!  I hope to never go through that kind of pain again!  Only two more treatments with this new drug and I'll be done with chemo.  YAY!!!!

I watched "Hello Dolly" with the girls yesterday, in the late afternoon.  We all piled in our king size bed and enjoyed the music.  I probably haven't seen that play or movie in 20 years and still remembered all the lyrics and lines.  I'm a hopeless entertainer!!!  Jesse called when dinner was ready and we had a delicious fruit salad, baked beans, and charcoaled chicken meal.  We had just enough of that cinnamon coffee cake left for our dessert.

Saturday night brought a few rain showers and a reprieve from the 100+ temperatures.  The cooler temps weren't "cold," but they were definitely 10 - 14 degrees cooler than what we have been having for over a week.  Before that we were keeping the blinds closed and drapes pulled until it felt like we were living in a dark tomb! 

Seriously!  Annamarie and Luci's bedroom was one of the brightest!  That's because I've never chosen curtains for their window!
                     

One other day, last week, they came in from the pool totally exhausted.  It takes a lot out of them to splash and scream like little girls, I guess!!!

Three of them climbed in the king size bed in the girls' room to watch a movie and we lost two of them to sleepyland!
  
Luci and Abreeana were out like lights!

Anyway, today is a busy one for me.  I've done quite a bit of housework.  I swept and spot mopped the kitchen floor this morning before most of the family was up.  JoAnn worked so hard last week to mop the entire kitchen and Sushi has shed hair here, there, and everywhere, since then.  I was trying to get it cleaned before JoAnn woke up, as I felt sorry for her having done such a big job and it already being dirtied!

I also did Jesse's and my laundry, all small baskets of the 3 girls' laundry, and now all that's in the washer is the girls' whites being bleached. 

I have a new dessert in the oven.  Carmel bars, from a carmel cake box recipe.  They sound good.  We'll see.  At least they are bars and not individually placed cookies.  I love the cookie bar idea.  Just mix them up, spread them in a pan, and cut them later into individual portions.  Easy, schmeazy!

I'm waiting for Jesse to get home early.  He had to meet with one friend and pick up something from another friend's house.  Then he was on his way out to the other side of town to pick up some mowers that had broken.  One mower he had back from the repair place for less than a week before something else went wrong.  What a pain!

I have ground turkey and ground beef out for dinner and haven't a clue what I'm going to turn it into.  Maybe cooked with a brown sauce over white rice.  Another thing that is easy.

                        
Wouldn't it be nice to take a chill pill, like Abreeana, forget about all else, wake up, and find that someone has your dinner cooked and waiting for you . . .  with carmel bars for dessert????

Time for Jeopardy!  I think I'll take a little chill pill time for myself!

Be Blessed  ~

So far, the chemo treatment has been without painful side effects.  I'm having some blacking out when I stand (typical) and my taste buds are starting to die, as usual.  The shot the "NEW GIRL" gave me yesterday hurt like a big dog!  I know the needle is very little (usually can barely feel the stick) and the $6500.00 shot (that's NOT a typo!!!) is thick and supposed to be injected very, very slowly.  I guess we were talking and she didn't do it slowly enough.  The pain crept up on me as I walked out the door and by the time JoAnn brought the Suburban around to the front door I felt like a wasp had stung my belly.  I paused before climbing up into the vehicle (trying to remember how I have pulled myself up into it, in days gone by).  My head was swimming with thoughts of "Oh, man!!!  This shot really hurts!!!  Owwww-eeee!" 

Yesterday, I got so much done around here before leaving for the shot.  I cleaned the microwave oven.  Something someone fixed had exploded in there and they didn't clean up their mess!     I also cleaned the burners and gas deflectors on the range top.  SOS'ed them and everything!  It's all spic and span shiny!  Then, I emptied the dishwasher so JoAnn wouldn't have to.  I loaded it with the smaller dishes I could fit in there and hand washed the bigger pieces.  THEN . . . (do you sense I was on a roll???!!!   ) . . . I went through my closet pulling out all of the clothes from fall and winter.  They still have to go out to the garage Rubbermaid bins, but they are off of their hangers and folded - the biggest part of that job.

After my shot, we went to Wal-Mart.  My first trip there since I began chemo.  I needed to pick up an RX for Rissy and more of my L-Glutamine and also the recommended L-Lysine for mouth care (according to my chemo doctor).  They didn't have Rissy's RX ready, so we stopped and got Annamarie some sundresses and a skirt.  Then it was off to the produce department for onions and tomatoes.  They had a lot of their fruit marked down (probably because it was peaking at its ripest stage) and I bought blueberries, apricots, peaches, and strawberries at a greatly reduced rate.  Since I was so close to the bakery department, I went there for donuts, saw a cinnamon brunch coffee cake I HAD to have   , and picked up some garlic bread. 

THEN, back to the pharmacy.  There at the pharmacy line, my worst Wal-Mart fear came to pass.     A woman in front of me at the drug pick-up line turned around and coughed (without covering her mouth) right on me.  We're talking that huge hack-it-up kind of cough that left her "cough air" under my nose!  OH!  NO!!!       She was pretty much a "rough cut" looking woman and I told JoAnn later (after the "eeeew look" was off of my face) that maybe it was "just" smoker's cough and she didn't have bronchitis or anything else contagious.  I was mortified, as you can imagine.

Two clerks in Wal-Mart stopped me at the beginning and then at the end of my shopping extravaganza. 

One said she and some other employees had been praying for me.  Her church had received some donated homeschool stuff and she had been thinking of me.  She said she couldn't believe she had run into me in the store!  I *did* know her and thought it was sweet of her to stop me.  She mentioned she had NEVER seen my hair down, and I quickly explained it wasn't my hair, but a wig.   

The second clerk stopped me when I was on the way back to the "impending deadly cough" pharmacy experience.  She prattled on about me, the girls (I looked at her carefully and can tell you, without a doubt, I've never seen this gal before in my whole life!!!!), how a bunch of the Wal-Mart employees were praying for me and our family, and how she almost didn't recognize me with my hair down.  Again, I explained it was a wig, as I stalled for time, hoping something about her would register within my brain.  She said she knew my sister-in-law (HOW did she know JoAnn was my sil???!!!) was doing our grocery shopping with the girls; and, she even said she saw my  husband (she knew him, TOO???!!!)  with JoAnn and the girls shopping.  I looked down at her name tag . . . "Flo"  . . .   Nothing familiar rang a bell.     She had a distinctive gap between her top, two front teeth . . . Surely THAT would resonate somewhere within me in my brain's recognition department.  But, it didn't.  So friendly "Flo" remains a kind soul, whom I remember not!

We paid for our stuff ($100.28 for fruit, donuts, and my powdered potions!) and I got to the car just in time.  I have a handicapped parking sign that I keep in my purse, but rarely use, and was glad I had chosen to use it this time.  The heat index was over 105 degrees (no Lori W - no storms here, but maybe tonight into tomorrow morning) and I SURE didn't need to be walking in the heat.  HOWEVER, I unloaded JoAnn's purchases and my own in the back of the Suburban, while she seat-belted Abreeana.

Last night, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to fall asleep again, due to that medicine that takes away side effects, but makes my already hyper brain spin.  I took 2 Benadryl at 10:00pm and never made it to the 10:15 weather report.     I found myself desperately trying to stay awake and it suddenly dawned on me, "You don't need to watch this.  It's going to be HOT, again, and that's all you need to know!"  I slept hard, despite having to get up several times to use the restroom.  Each time I got back to bed I fell, immediately, back to sleep.  One time I stubbed my little toes on my foot on the loveseat at the end of our bed, when I was making the trek to the restroom.  I remember thinking, "Praise God!  If I can feel my toes that means I have no neuropathy setting into my feet!" 

Yes!  Always the Pollyanna.  Even in my sleep!  

Stephanie is headed back here with the girls.  She is bringing a movie she insists I'll enjoy watching with her.  "The Making of an American Quilt" with Wynona Rider (at least I *think* that's who is in it).

Well, they just walked in the door.  I'm off to greet the masses!

Be Blessed  ~

I got out of chemo yesterday fairly quickly - 2:15pm.   The chemo tech I love told me that they have found that taking Claritin or Zyrtec the morning before I have the bone marrow building shot (this afternoon) helps with side effects.  I guess your histamine start up when the shot is given and the antihistamine tablet suppresses the overactive histamines.  I'll give anything a try.

I saw the doctor's nurse yesterday morning, while I was getting chemo.  She said she had been in contact with the doctor about me (my doctor is in Texas on vacation) and they want me to start taking that awful steroid drug that is a "speed pill" for me.  I have to take 1/2 half twice a day on day 2, 3, and 4 after chemo.  They hang a bag of the same stuff during chemo and, sure enough, I was up until midnight at which time I took an Ambien.  That didn' t help at all, so I took 2 Benadryl at 1:30am and STILL didn't fall asleep until almost 3am.  I'm feeling a little dopey this morning from lack of sleep.

I go in for my shot this afternoon and afterward (since I'm still feeling pretty good today) will stop at Wal-Mart to pick up a prescription for Rissy and see if we can replace some sun dresses for Annamarie in a larger size.  Nothing big, but a little bit of an outing and at a time I hope won't be too crowded.

We're have over 100 degree temps with horrid humidity making it feel 105 degrees, or worse.  Hopefully, not everyone will be in Wal-Mart trying to cool off!

The girls are having fun with Stephanie.  Luci called last night around 10pm crying.  She was exhausted.  I need to teach her to tell us her body is tired and that she needs to go to bed, instead of crying and acting like bedtime is a punishment.  Jesse was already asleep when she called and I had just gotten into bed and under the blankets.  The bedroom phone is on the floor under my nightstand (an old mahogany sewing machine and cabinet).  Bending over is something I'm not supposed to do since it makes me dizzy. Bending over and hearing a crying child, as I was about to climb in bed for nighty night, definitely wasn't good!!!

I got the rest of my summer clothes out of the bins in the garage and JoAnn finished washing them for me Wednesday night and Thursday.  Today I need to pull the few heavier dresses the girls and I have (we kept them in the closet just in case a cool day popped up) in our closets.  I think we're safe until October to *not* need heavy dresses.  I'll keep the longer sleeved, light weight fabrics in the corners of our closets.  I always toy with the idea of throwing away some of my tops.  I may only wear them once or twice in the summer and can't decide if wearing them once or twice justifies my keeping them.  I'm fairly sure that if I threw them away I'd immediately wish I hadn't.

Not much else boring news around here.  Considering the traumatic week I had last week, *boring* sounds like a reprieve to me!  I changed my primary care physician yesterday.  The clinic I went to was so filthy, but the reception and medical personnel are wonderful.  Someone from church runs a clinic and I asked someone else first if it was clean and tidy.  I was assured it was very clean and so I asked insurance to transfer me to them.  They didn't ask why, and I was prepared to praise the other place's staff; BUT, the clinic smelled like dog urine, the vents overhead were filthy, and the tongue depressors, cotton balls, and the plastic shields (that you pop on the thing they use to look in your ears and throat) weren't covered.  They were in glass jars, but the lids were sitting on the counter.  The tongue blades weren't individually wrapped and I envisioned someone coughing or sneezing BIG TIME without covering their face.  Ewwwwwwwwww!

Considering I'm being treated for cancer and my immune system is suppressed, I didn't think my fears were unfounded, nor did my insurance company's nurse advisor!  So I made the quick and easy change to a new clinic.

My big news for the week:  I have teeth, a new doctor in a clean place, and *soon* I'll have a closet that has a bit more room (minus the winter/fall clothing).

Be Blessed  ~

Jesse just called to ask them when I need to be there.

I have to be there at 9am and I'm not dressed, haven't had breakfast, am contemplating wearing my wig this time (which will take a minute longer to put on), have to gather my reading material, and so on.

Better not linger!

Be Blessed  ~

I arrived at the dentist's office early with an empty stomach.  That helped a lot!  They took me back a minute or two after 8am and I handed over my sheet of lab work results and my 2-toothed bridge.  My wonderful dentist decided gas was safe and it was started.  His assistant was full of questions about my cancer and chemo treatments, so the time went by quickly, before I saw the dentist.

He arrived (remember this is the guy with the southern accent and soothing banter of conversation) and immediately put me at ease.  He was able to "pick away" most of the cement stuck to my permanent tooth and apologized when it was time for the drill by saying, "I'm sorry, I'm going to have to make a little noise, now."  He did, but for only short bursts of time.  He  talked to me the whole time he worked and gave me opportunities to answer.  I must admit, it didn't feel any different from the times I have had Novocaine AND lots of premedication to sedate me.  He did an excellent job of being gentle and keeping a calm atmosphere.

He guessed, when I was in so much pain two weekends ago, that I must have gritted my teeth and caused the front teeth to loosen.  When I was eating my tortilla with beef fajita meat, it was just enough of a tug to loosen the teeth the rest of the way.  I was in his chair a little over an hour and a half.  It felt more like all day long, but he DID make it pleasant for me. 

Jesse took me to IHOP for breakfast afterward.  I had been told not to use those front teeth for 24 hours - just to be safe - so, I ordered pancakes with scrambled eggs.  Eight dollars for a meal I could have come home and fixed for much less.  But, the time alone with Jesse was really enjoyable.

I came home, rested and watched the news on TV and before I knew it, it was time to go to my general physician to have my leg muscle checked out.  We got there early, too, and sat in the car (in the HOT sun) with the a/c running - waiting for them to return from lunch.  Jesse went in and told them I was in the car and to call us when they were ready.  They did and ushered me to the exam room quickly.  There were lots of children and adults in the waiting room coughing, etc.

I saw a new person and she was wonderful.  She has had 3 family members with leukemia and took a special interst in helping me.  She spent a lot longer with me than I had expected and explained the symptoms of shingles to me and wanted me to contact her immediately if anything like she described happened.  She thinks I've pulled a muscle on the side of my leg but wasn't sure.  She contacted one drug company that makes Neulasta - the shot I get the day after chemo.  She also was going to contact the drug company that makes the chemo drug I'm now receiving.  She said she'd call me with her findings today. 

Apparently, she has direct access to the drug companies and I become a statistic once her call with my symptoms is made.  You know the paragraph on the drug info sheet that says, "There have been *some* cases of blah, blah, blah reported . . . " and then it names the percent who have experienced the side effect - like less than .5% people?  Well, I guess I'll be in that less than 1/2 of a percent of people who have experienced neuropathy in a place other than the feet or hands.

The doctor ushered me out the front door just as quickly as I was ushered in.  She said at least three times, "I don't like you being here with all of these sick people"  Frankly, we were uncomfortable with me being there too!  I prayed for protection from all the germs flying willy nilly!

Anyhow, for now, I am to ice my leg when it bothers me and take Tylenol for the pain.  In the great scheme of things, considering all I've been through, this isn't pain I would consider taking even Tylenol to relieve.  It's mainly an irritation.

So there you have my exciting "patch me up day" that I experienced yesterday!  I'm feeling much better today with the anticipation of both visits behind me.

=======================================

Jesse didn't work at all yesterday, by the time he was done with me, it was too hot to work.  He left early this morning and drove around the block and then back home, deciding it was too early to run noisy equipment in a residential area.  I think he left at 6:30 and came back to have a cup of coffee with me and watch the news until 7:15.

I have inserted some Father's Day pictures.  Father's Day seems like ages ago, but it's only been a few days.  Talk about leading a "full life"!!!!!  Not exactly the pleasant sort of fullness, but "full" no matter how you view it!

The girls didn't go to Stephanie's last night.  She'll come here to do some laundry this morning and then take them home with her.

Rissy found a small "Snapset Pool" in the garage, so JoAnn set that up for the children yesterday afternoon.  I didn't realize we had one left and was glad she found it.  It was enough to keep them wet and cooled off yesterday.  I put chlorine powder in it and it should, hopefully, stay clear until they come back this weekend.  I don't know WHAT we will do about buying that other pool.  It's so early in the summer and I think it would be a good investment, but I bet Jesse is leaning toward NOT buying it - now that they have that little pool here and Stephanie's big pool can be used a few days each week.

No plans today.  Just have to take a bath and wash what little bit of hair I have left!!! 

Chemo is tomorrow. 

I want to fix dinner tonight, since I feel up to making something basic and simple.  I'm sure JoAnn is really sick of cooking so much.  She's used to eating out all the time and we RARELY eat out.  She's done everything she could do to keep our household running they way we are used to things running. 

I couldn't ask for a more hard working, or better, sister-in-law!

I've quit listing that same book that's been posted FOREVER with each of my posts.  The truth is, I'm not really reading it.  I carry it with me, but never open it.  It is a good book and I will finish it *some* day.  After that, I've promised to mail it to Lori K.  It may be next winter before she receives it . . .

Be blessed ~

The dentist said I could come in at 8am today and he would look at my tooth problem.  *IF* the teeth can be glued on and nothing has broken, he will buff (*drill*)  the cement off of my tooth and put the bridge back on with new cement.  If the problem is more extensive, they won't have time to help me today.

Hoping for the best.

I also have a 1pm appointment later today.  The problem I've had with numbness and some pain in my left leg (above my knee) COULD be serious and the chemo doctor told her nurse to tell me to see my regular physician about it.  The oncologist doctor doesn't think it is chemo related.  She also said shingles starts out like the pain I'm experiencing. 

Hoping for the best there, too.

Jesse isn't working today, so he will be able to take me to these two appointments.

We're up, but I'm having nothing to eat or drink so my stomach doesn't act up when I'm at the dentist's office.  It's best for me to have nothing on my stomach - that way nothing can churn around in there while I'm in the dentist's chair.

I don't know that I'll be back on here today - we have lots going on.

I'm really hoping the dental visit is as simple as a "glue job" and it's all over very quickly for me.

Good news!  Jesse located a small pool for the girls at Big Lots.  It's around $90 and just big enough for them to splash around in and cool off.  I think he'll pick it up today.  The girls go to Stephanie's house tonight, where there is a huge pool.  We'll have to level the ground before setting up our pool here.  Maybe when they come back it will be ready for them to enjoy.

Be Blessed  ~!

1)  What do I fear and dread the most?  Actually, what is the *only* thing I am truly phobic about? 

(the dentist)

2)  What have we plied money into these past few years?  I'm talking about tons of money over many, many months? 

(the dentist)

3)  What has kept me happy thinking, "At least with chemo, I don't have to go *THERE*?"

(the dentist)

4)  What, in the scheme of things, isn't really the worst that could happen, but *could happen* anyway?

(going to the dentist)

5)  With the horrific bone pain I experienced last weekend, the experience of our dog trying to overdose on Luci's psych meds (as well as 92 million vitamins) on Wednesday, and the fact I went to Olive Garden on Saturday (the first trip out since chemo began) and my food was the only food that was not good, what ELSE could happen to me in a single week?

(the dentist)

6)  What is one of two things they tell you in chemo class that you absolutely can't do (get pregnant is one - what's the other thing)????

(the dentist)

(the dentist!)

I can't believe it!  Last night during dinner, I felt the cement break loose.  I ran to my bathroom and spit out my second and third teeth right smack into my hand!

To new readers:  I'm a dental phobic and need tranquilizers, gas, AND Novocaine to make it through a dental visit.

Because of my suppressed immune system, going to the dentist is risky.  I can't be cut because my platelet count is low and my blood is thin.  I'm not sure I can have gas, because my red blood count (the cells that carry oxygen) is low and nitrous oxide could compromise my breathing.  AND, I'm not even sure my dentist will be willing to work on me seeing that I am undergoing chemo.

I'm guessing that the only option will be for me to go in cold turkey with nothing more than Lidocaine on my gums and let him drill (OH YUCK!!!) the cement off of my own tooth, then cement the crown and fake tooth back into my mouth. 

HOW AM I STAYING SANE?  HOW AM I COUNTING IT ALL JOY?

I'm not.

I feel like I'm ugly with no hair and, now, have no front teeth.  I feel like the ONLY thing I'm fearful of is dentists and now I will be forced to face my dentist with no anesthesia or sedatives OR gas (which never puts me to sleep, anyway; but, at least, keeps me from jumping out of the chair).  AND, I missed an incredibly good dinner last night and spent time feeling sorry for myself and crying in our bathroom. 

The thing I'm glad about?????

"Pollyanna,"  you'll have to reach REALLY deep to figure out what you can be glad about in *this* dilemma.

Okay, I'm glad I didn't swallow my teeth (which I DID do one time when I only had one crown).  I think these two teeth cost something like $2500 back in 2005 or 2006.

I have resolved to fight the spirit of depression, the spirit of self pity, and I *will* get through this, but I don't know if they'll put off my chemo scheduled for Thursday or if the dentist will make me wait until my doctor (oh yeah! she's vacationing in Texas this week) gives him a permission slip to work on my teeth.  I may have to walk around here for a while with no teeth.

Nope!  Not feeling the joy today!

Be Blessed  ~

I can't put down any of the gifts we've purchased, because it's entirely possible DADDY will read my blog before tomorrow.  So, for now, MUM's the word!

                              
Yesterday I took a two hour nap.  RARE, RARE, RARE!!!! for me.  I felt sleepy and kind of out of touch with things all day yesterday.  I made a chart to keep track of what medicine I take at what time.  I've never done one before (a chart or a spread sheet - just filled in a template of what someone had started) and was pleased that I actually was able to accomplish something basic and simple - but hey!! . . . it was "something big" for me!

Jesse came home earlier than usual last night and when he came home, JoAnn left with Abreeana to shop.  She was gone until late.  I had begun to have some acheyness in the numb spot around my knee and Jesse tried to help me.   His answer for everything is "take a pill" and my answer to pain pills is that I first must define uncomfortable or irritating from "pain" - either mild or moderate.  I don't take pain pills without questioning the pain to begin with.  I'm not a drug abuser - even with prescription drugs.

Abreeana was missing from her bed this morning.  I look and looked through the rumpled sheets, but she was no where to be found.
  

I found her sitting at the table eating breakfast.  She's just the cutest thing and tiny as a bug.  I've taken to calling her "Itty Bitty" and that makes her giggle!
                                  

I looked around my "fake greenery house" this morning and am amazed at all the silk greenery I've amassed.  I have used trees to fill out bare or empty corners, and I've used tress and small bush-like trees as room dividers.

Here is how my formal dining room is distinguished from the formal living room - by using a jungle!
  
The black rug under the coffee table also hleps suggest this is a separate room from the dining room.

I wish I was as good at landscaping as I am inside.  We have lots of weeds in our planters and I haven't a bit of strength to pull them this year.  I can't even see to it that the bird bath is filled with water - God has to do that by bringing rain!  Among the weeds, I found some sunny, yellow flowrs (um . . .weeds?) growing around the bird bath.

                                          
                                                    I think we'll just call these yellow flowers,
                                             as they are the most cheerful thing in my planters!

One of the ladies that brought food from church brought us an adorable cupcake dessert.  Imagine that!  Cupcake desserts twice in 7 days!!!  Anyway, I put the whole thing in the refrigerator to keep them fresh and will share them with the girls when they arrive home later this afternoon.  It's too cute to not take a picture!

All of the cupcakes form a ladybug, and then the cupcakes frosted with white have ladybugs stuck in them.  SOOO cute!  The cupcake cake is a vanilla and chocolate variety.

Jesse called and wants us to get dressed so we can go out for lunch.  Mexican food is probably the food of choice.  He mentioned Golden Coral, but I don't feel strong enough to walk around and get my own food through a buffet line.

So, that's it for today.

Be Blessed  ~    

Shushi is fine.  For those of you who missed it, I posted a "Pulse" asking for prayer when she was headed to the Critical Care and Emergency Vet Clinic on Wednesday.  She tore the trash out of the girls' bathroom waste basket this morning.  I guess it's true, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks," but, neither can you teach a new dog new tricks!!!

I have a few photos left to share regarding Stephanie's birthday last Friday.

                            
                                          (Gifts from her sisters and one from Jesse & me
                                                     and a card from my parents.)

I had a relatively quiet day yesterday.  No more shooting pains.  Only a few cramps in my feet and toes, if I stand on my foot, the cramps go away.  No need for any pain medicine - none at all.  I took it easy.  Puttered around the house doing a few things like cleaned off my desk top, arranged some food in the kitchen (the groceries our neighbor brought us), and cleaned off my bathroom sink of prescription medicines I'm not using.  I read a bit and then tried to rest/sleep, but those Charlie Horse cramps in my toes kept me awake.  It's hard to sleep when your feet and toes start to cramp.  Tends to keep you awake!  So, I waited for the news to come on at 4:30pm.

                           
                                    (It's more exciting to "give" than to "receive"!!!!!)

Marie came over to visit, but she and JoAnn were in the den and I stayed on my bed most of the day.  I wasn't quite up to visiting with company.  Today Don has come back to try to install that garage door opener.  He's in the garage and JoAnn, Abreeana, and I are locked up in the house.  I told Jesse to tell Don I wasn't up to having visitors today, either.

We ate leftovers for dinner last night.  We had some barbecued beef and buns from one meal and chicken, rice, vegetables & fruit from another that church people had brought this week.  I had fruit for breakfast again today.  There's nothing better than a fresh fruit salad.  Oklahoma has slim pickins when it comes to fresh fruit, so this was especially good to eat!

                                                      
                                                                          (Lots of hugs and thank yous!)

The girls will stay at Stephanie's house until tomorrow afternoon.  They are really enjoying swimming in Stephanie's big pool.  Also, there are cement steps that lead down into the pool and that is a perfect area for Luci to play around, since she is very intimidated by the size and depth of the whole pool.  Stephanie talked with Jesse last night and, I think, asked him to get the girls "noodles" to help teach them to swim or paddle around in the water.

                  
                                   (This may be a duplicate.  I took 3 group photos
                                        and can't tell one from another, now!)

I found a ham bone in the freezer yesterday and will make a pot of beans and ham for dinner.  My meal ideas are the easiest ones to make, lately!  Nothing like the old days, where I cooked things that are time consuming or complicated!

(Bad side view of the messy Cupcake Tower I made!)

Jesse is working fast and furiously to get done as many lawns as possible.  What he doesn't finish today, he will finish tomorrow, giving him a day on Sunday to relax.

                                            
                                                 (JanaLyn hugging Abreeana - Abreeana with her "smiley eyes"!!!)
                                                        (Both of them had package ribbons tied in their hair!)

The temperatures continue to be in the mid 90's and VERY muggy.  I'm glad I don't have to go anywhere out in this heat.  I don't even walk to the mailbox, one of the girls usually goes or Jesse picks it up when he comes home at night.  I don't usually get anything interesting in the mail, anyway.  There's an occasional card or note from a friend or family member.  That's always nice.  Much better than only getting bills and junk mail - but, unfortunately, we receive our fair share of that, too!

                              
                                                             (Stephanie, me, and Tango.)

No plans for today.  I've already made our bed, cleaned off my desk, balanced the checkbook, and paid a bill online.  I made a spread sheet using Excel to keep track of the pills I take and what time I take them.  That was as creative as I could be for today!

JoAnn will go pick up Jesse's Father's Day cards and gifts for me.  I wanted the girls to have something to give him - I'm teaching them to be givers and not takers all the time!  I should be fine staying by myself while she shops.  As long as I stay on top of the bed and only get up for an occasional drink, etc.

No goals or lofty and ambitious ideas - just planning to make time to relax.

Be Blessed  ~