Blogging by Dee

Can you believe tomorrow is February already? I cannot. It seems like January just started! But, as you can tell from my last post, I am definitely ready for spring any minute now. Daddy brought home gifts from Chicago for all three of the kids. Pieter was overjoyed with three new workbooks, and Micah with a kazoo. Aubrey received a craft photo frame that she will be able to decorate with Daddy and put up in her room. So today we took photos to put in it. Let me tell you, it was only a minor struggle to get the little princess NOT to wear her play makeup for the photo shoot, nor her plastic play shoes, or her hand-chosen un-matching outfit. But now I wonder if I should have just let her be and shot her like that. Oh well, another day. She's certainly not changing any time soon! :) So here are the photos. She decided on the one with her brothers in the shot too, and is quite happy with it.

From Norah Jones CD: Feeling tired By the fire The long day is over The wind is gone Asleep at dawn The embers burn on With no reprise The sun will rise The long day is over http://youtube.com/watch?v=S22n1VVZ6g8 Photo taken by me, this morning. Enjoy the listen, it's helping ME relax at least. One more day with no husband at home, and finally, after almost 2 years of him working out of state Monday-Friday, Pete will be home. ALL THE TIME. Working from home. (shh, I am a little worried about this lol) but oh so happy! Is winter over yet?

First off, Pieter is feeling a bit better today, and is kind of happy there is no school as he gets a bit more computer time that way. ;) Lucky boy. I am anxious to hear what the culture results tell us. Secondly, I took some new shots for my Facebook page now that I am another year older. I do that about once a year so help me decide which is best? And one last photo, showing off my turtle shell brace, which I cannot WAIT to stop wearing 24/7!! Third, I got my birthday gift from Pete - a BRAND new laptop battery, which is EXACTLY what I wanted! My old one was having issues and out of warranty, only down to lasting 30 min and wouldn't recalibrate. So this new 8 cell lithium has so far lasted over 3 hours this morning and still says 57 minutes remaining! Wowza! Super special news saved for last, I was graciously invited to join one of the most talented group of work-at-home-moms on the 'net, the other two most talented I am already a part of ;) This amazing group of mom...

Poor Pieter had to come home early from school yesterday and head to the doctor as he has some sort of infection - leukocytes in his urine - we'll have more results on Monday. But he is so sad and not feeling well and I feel awful for him. And even worse, he lost 5 lbs! :( and is down to 45lbs. That is 30th percentile :( Down from 90th, then 75th, he just keeps losing :(

Last night I was ordering some beads from a fairly large supplier who, as I checked out, I learned had changed their shipping policies substantially, making it not cost effective at all to order from them any more. At first I just started looking elsewhere for beads, but then I decided to email them. I have to say I am saddened by your new policies and the $5 handling charge for orders less than $50. I have ordered from you quite a few times and have sent many customers your way for more beads, but with these new overwhelming shipping fees, your prices are no longer better or even comparable to other online retailers. In fact, another shop I rarely purchased from has just reduced it's $50 small order limit to $25. And their handling charge was only $2.50 before. I thought you would like to know what your customers think about your new prices, and why some of your business might be dropping off. Thank you, Danielle Design Artist ~ DoodlesJewels.com http://w...

I say it's MY birthday too ooo! I am singing and my day got better. It didn't help that Micah had gotten up for the day at 5:30am. Blech. But friends came over at 10 with a huge frosted cookie that said, "Happy Birthday Danielle" and chatted for awhile. Then my cousin and kids brought over lunch around noon - from my favorite sandwich shop! And my mom helped with the kids as she has so wonderfully done for my weeks of recovery now and I took a nap from 1-4pm! Needless to say, I felt much better, although a bit disoriented, when they woke me up. A great friend from church brought us enough dinner for an army - pot roast, carrots, potatoes, mm my faves, and squash, fruit salad and a homemade angel food cake (also my fave!) with whipped cream. After dinner my mom and dad came over and we ate the cake with fresh strawberries on top. Now it's 7:20, the kids are in the tub (as I sit here watching them on my handy dandy laptop) and they will be in bed soon and ...

Officially "in my thirties" today. Wow. I still feel about 18 other than my energy level. Birthdays are not so special when you are the adult, which is really a bummer. But I am happy to have my kids surrounding me in love today, and enjoying their company, and the warmth of our house. Maybe the sun will come out and my mood will change to match it. Come on spring!

Remember how I hadn't taken my painkillers in days? Well my smart mom asked me if I was going for a medal or something. Really I was just trying to be done with them, but this morning when I woke up I really could hardly move for a few minutes. I hurt so bad. I finally got up enough energy to get out of bed, even though it hurt so badly, and took a Vicodin. Only one today though. I could take another now, am hurting again, but not as badly as this morning and I figure weaning down to one a day is good for now. I am a month out from my next (3 month post op) appt anyway which would be the earliest they would see enough bone growth to ditch the brace, start PT and be done with pain meds. So I am stopping trying to prove something, at least for now. I am jut so tired of not being able to say I am doing awesome when people ask!

My current project is converting some jewelry into pieces the owner will actually wear. She sent me 8 or so necklaces and so far here is what I have created that we both like :) And here is a piece I did in 24kt gold and Swaroski crystals for a friend's mother. It shows the mother and father's birthstones on the outside, my friend and her siblings as the middle sizes and the grandkids in the middle :)

Yes, that is right! I haven't taken any Vicodin since Friday morning at 7am! Now,don't get me wrong, I am in an ok amount of pain - maybe a 5 on the pain scale - but I am making it with no narcotics! I have taken Tylenol once and might again this morning but I am trying to hold off. I have been feeling so darn exhausted, I wondered if some could still be from the meds. Though I have been on them almost a year now. I hurt my back last Feb so about 11 months. YUCK! I don't seem to have any more energy since stopping the Vicodin, but I am pretty proud of myself for dealing with the pain without meds. A nurse friend of mine told me I was pretty much a wimp when it came to pain LoL so I took matters into my own hands and weaned cold turkey. I was only taking one Vicodin (5/500 - the lowest dose ones) at breakfast and one around 4pm so it wasn't crazy but still! Be proud of me, willya? I am! Now back to laying down *yawn*

Look who I found snuggled in Pieter's top bunk yesterday :)

Trying to take it easy when I can, slowly but surely healing. I am horribly tired lately so we're going to do some bloodwork to check my hemoglobin levels.

Aubs and Micah in the snow. Pieter hasn't wanted to go out in it lately and I cannot say I blame him ;) Aubs and Micah in the snow. Pieter hasn't wanted to go out in it lately and I cannot say I blame him ;)

A few more items I have made lately :)

Surprise! Watch for this set for sale soon with a matching outfit!