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Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is my favorite holiday and although we aren't really able to celebrate this year, I'm trying to make the best of it. I love taking Abby around our neighborhood trick-or-treating. As odd as this may seem, one of my criteria for picking this neighborhood when we bought our townhouse was that it would be good for trick-or-treating. I also really love handing out candy to the kids and seeing what they are dressed up as. But we are rolling with the punches and dealing with it as best as we can. Since Abby can't trick-or-treat, we got her a pumpkin full of her favorite candies. Aunt "Ah" Cassandra and Uncle Joe also dropped off some candy for the kiddos too.


Here's Miss Abby with her loot.


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Abby really wanted to carve a pumpkin, so we made sure to still do that this year. She draw the face and Daddy cut it out for her.


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Both kids are sick. Abby still has a fever. My tonsils are so swollen they are practically touching. I went to the clinic at Walgreens and saw a nurse practitioner. On top of having H1N1, I also have tonsilitis. But on the upside I got 2 prescriptions so hopefully I will start feeling better. I really need to get back to school and back to normal.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

My new bling

For our 8th wedding anniversary, my sweet husband bought me a gorgeous pink sapphire and diamond band to wearing with my wedding rings. Luckily he waited to get it sized because some dork doesn't even know her own ring size and told him a whole size bigger. Anyway, it was done being sized and today I got it back. I love it!


By itself:

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With my wedding rings:

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Friday, October 23, 2009

Friday Fall Fotos

It's been cold, windy and rainy too many days this week. Yuck. The leaves are so beautiful though.

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These were all taken at NIU today on my walk to class.


Have a nice weekend!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

I <3 Malinowski too.

I saw this in an anthropology forum that I read. For my fellow anthro classmates, you'll probably chuckle. For the rest of you, you might finally *get* what the heck anthropology is. (C'mon you know you've said "huh, what's that?" when I've told you my major/career plans).

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Today

Last night Abby was up throwing up for a few hours. She's totally fine now thank goodness! This morning we took her to the orthopedic doc and her bone is healing...they see new bone growth. So happy! Luckily Josh called in today and was able to stay with Abby so I didn't miss one of my long days of school.


My Dad seems in good spirits. Tomorrow is the first CT scan since his treatments began so I'm very much hoping for some positive news.


I have my tenative schedule picked out for spring. I register on November 4th. I have to go and declare my political science minor and talk to my advisor to be sure I'm on track. I'm scared of getting bad news and nervous about fitting it all in but onward I march.


In pictures....

Me (see how life has beat me down...I look tired despite Starbucks and makeup, LOL)

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Around campus:
Creepy skeletons...

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More pretty leaves...

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The end.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Scenes from my day...

Walking around campus yesterday, I saw...


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Lots of cute & creepy squirrels either burying their nuts or chasing each other.

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the end

Monday, October 19, 2009

My Review of Cuddle Comfort Blanket

Product: Cuddle Comfort Blanket by
Submitted at: Brylane Home
Review Status: Pending

Love it!

by M from IL on 10/19/2009

Pros:
Attractive Design, WARM, Easy To Clean, Comfortable, Soft
Best Uses:
Winter, Spring/Fall
Describe Yourself:
Budget Shopper

I had been wanting one of these and thought about getting the one you see on tv until I felt the material which was quite scratchy. My husband bought this one for me for my birthday and I was so happy I waited. This is so soft! It's also nice and warm and long enough to tuck under your feet. I'm a bigger girl and the arms fit me just fine. The sleeves are nice and wide.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Date night

As Abby has been getting around really well on her own with or without her walker (she scoots on her booty) we felt it was okay to have a date night. So we got all dolled up and went to Applebee's. It's not the fanciest but it was 5 minutes away in case we had to rush home. For me it felt good to get out of the house. I also haven't been taking much care in what I wear or doing my makeup lately so it was nice to make an effort. One thing I'm making more of an effort with is really enjoying my good moments and taking notice of them so that they can get me through the bad moments. So I'm going to make more of an effort to have date nights with my husband, take pictures, just find time to take that deep breath and enjoy it all.


Awhile ago, I bought a knock-off version from China of the Bump-it. They cost 1/2 the price and work pretty nice. It's not something I'd want in my hair all day but it sure beats teasing it and using tons of hairspray to get some lift in my hair.

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Josh and I ready to go out....

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And a random photo of the inside of Josh's car...

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Saturday, October 17, 2009

What Cancer Cannot Do

I have posted this before but it seemed like time to post it again. It helps me to read it.

What Cancer Cannot Do
by unknown

Cancer is so limited
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendship
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Birthday & Anniversary Pics!

So although our anniversary and my birthday were both pretty rough this year because of Abby's broken leg and my Dad's diagnosis, we did make the best of both days.

On our anniversary, our awesome friend Matt came and watched the kids so that Josh and I could go out for dinner to our favorite place, Nat's on Maple. This was prior to our new camera purchase, so it's all camera phone pics.


On my birthday, Josh and the kids took me to Rosati's which is my favorite pizza place. Love their stuffed cheese pizza! They gave me a Hello Kitty that they made at Build-A-Bear. She is sooo soft and she has a heartbeat you can press and hear and feel.

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Hanging in there...

Dad starts chemo today. He's actually getting it right now. I'm having a really hard time. He's so upset about losing his crazy beard. I told him the he'll still be him even if he loses all his hair. How is this really happening? I am trying to so hard to be strong and to keep going on with life as normally as possible but it's very hard.

My life feels turned upside down. At the beginning of the semester I felt overwhelmed but my goals were all A's and getting myself into grad school. Now my goal is get through the semester and hopefully graduate in May. I would really like to graduate in May and have my Dad there to see it, so that is what I am focusing on....getting to that day.

Abby may need to have her leg re-set. The bone fragments have a gap between them that wasn't there last week. Tomorrow morning I will take her for another xray and we'll see what the doctor says then. I am anxious about it, but I do trust her doctor to do the right thing for Abby.

I am so thankful for the support from my friends (whether they live in my computer or my real life). Please keep thinking positive thoughts and remembering my family in your prayers.

I will leave you with a photo of the gorgeous bushes that I saw on campus yesterday. This is just a camera phone picture so the quality but could be better, but...


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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Fall Fotos

Since Josh and I didn't get to have our original anniversary plans happen, we decided to try again yesterday. So we had a lovely lunch at Ellington's and then went for a walk through park to see the gorgeous fall leaves. This was also a great excuse to play with our new camera. Here are some photos from the park. These are unedited so you can see what sort of pictures this camera takes. I'm quite pleased with the outcome.

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The mighty (LOL) Kishwaukee River...

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My handsome hubby...
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Tuesday, October 13, 2009

little update

Abby's orthopedic appointment didn't go so awesome. There is a gap between her bones that wasn't there last week. It's probably because the swelling has gone and the cast is loose. The bone is still aligned great though so we are waiting until Friday for another xray to see if it moves anymore. If it does, the bone will have to be reset which is something that her doctor will do in the hospital under anesthesia. I feel really sad and worried about that. Abby did go back to school today and it went well for her. It was nice for us adults have to a break too.

My Dad starts radiation tomorrow and then has his first radiation/chemo treatment on Thursday. I am trying to be positive and calm, but I feel very sad. I hope that it lessens his pain. I hope that it shrinks the cancer.

On a happier note, this is the sweater and necklace I got from my parents for my birthday. I realize you can't see much of the sweater, but it's a different color than I usually wear.

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New glasses

Just wanted to show off my new glasses...still not sure what I think of them. I don't think they are bling-y enough for me, but it is also good to have a change.


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Sunday, October 11, 2009

Family Time

Yesterday we spent the day with my parents, sister and brother-in-law. Helping around the house and just enjoying our time together. We even got to celebrate my birthday. My Mom made a homemade apple pie from the apples Evan picked off of their trees in the backyard.

Dad and Mom.

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Cassandra and Joe.
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The kids being silly.

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Dad and I.

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My hubby.

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Thursday, October 8, 2009

Trying to be positive

Last night I learned that my Dad has incurable Stage III b or Stage IV lung cancer that has spread to his lymph nodes and surrounding bones. Although this is not great news, I am trying to remain positive. He is going to do chemo and radiation treatments in hopes to shrink things and minimize his pain. Please pray for him and for our family.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

At least it's hot pink, right?

Today Abby got a full leg cast for her broken tibia. The final word is that she broke her tibia in nearly the same place as last time. She is most likely going to be spending the rest of 2009 with her leg in a cast. First the full leg cast for 6-8 weeks and then on to a short leg cast where she can bend her knee for however long is needed. Unfortunately the long leg cast means she will need a wheelchair to get around.

She is coping well and her pain is under control, so that's good. She chose a hot pink cast again.


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Also, please keep my Dad in your prayers.

Brokey Leg: The Sequel

Last night Abby broke both lower leg bones in her left leg. One break is in the same spot as she broke it in January. Both breaks are at about the calf level. From what she has said, it seems as though as the kids were playing soccer and a little boy kicked the ball into her leg and she fell down. All I know is that I was sitting at my desk doing homework and I heard her screaming "Owwie, owwie" and Josh and I ran outside to help her. I knew as soon as I saw her leg that it was broken. We took her to the ER and they set the bones. Luckily she is not in as much pain as last time. Her leg is in a full splint so I imagine a full leg cast is coming as well. She will most likely be missing this week of school.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

It's a baby shower

Today was my sister's baby shower. It was such a nice time. The food was awesome because it was from Sweet Dreams in Sycamore. Cassandra and Joe got a lot of lovely things for their baby girl. I can't wait until she is born in November so she can wear all of her cute little outfits especially that I love my Auntie bib I got her.

Some photos...


The parents-to-be:

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Cassandra and our Mom...
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