Chick Days

I know this picture looks like her Momma had shoved that poor duck in her mouth. Nope, McKayla tried to give the duck a kiss just as Daddy was snapping the picture. Luckily, I pulled her away before she gave the ducky a kiss!

Yesterday was a beautiful day! It was 71 sunny degrees out. We were all feeling good, even Russ. It's Chick Days at our local Farm & Home. For many years I took our kids to see the baby chicks & ducks, so I couldn't miss the opportunity to take McKayla.

At first she wasn't a bit sure what to think, but she warmed up pretty quickly. She did not like petting them.

Here's a few pictures from our little trip to town.

Cleaning closets & drawers :(

So most of you know I've been having some skin problems. I've been tested for Lupus & Pemphigus, both of which came back negative. While I'm so very thankful for that, I'm sure it's going to take me a long time to figure out how to deal with what did come back.
It turns out that I have quite a few skin allergies. I'm still learning what I need to stay clear of because it is a lot of stuff!
My Dr. did tell me to try & have only 100% cotton clothing, towels, bedding & anything else that I will be coming in contact with. This has been a real challenge for me. Today Ashley & I cleaned out my closets & drawers. I had to get rid of over half of my clothes. You know what the strange thing was, most of the clothes I got rid of did not surprise me. They are a lot of items I've worn once or twice but was just never comfortable in them & itching a lot, especially since the skin lesions have started. I thought that was interesting. I had to replace my sheets to 100% cotton. I still have not found socks, but did find a site that I could order a few other clothing items for that will be 100% cotton with Latex free thread. I was thankful for that.
Another thing I have to cut out of my life is fragrance. Oh' my is this a hard one. Fragrance is in everything! I finally found a shampoo & conditioner at Sally that were fragrance free. I'm hoping my Mom can find a few other options at the beauty supply stores she goes to. After much searching the only body soap I could find was Dove. I found Cetaphil to wash my face with. I did finally find expensive make-up that would work, but haven't purchased it, yet. I'm doing without for now. I have not been able to find chap-stick, curl booster or hairspray. I did find some dish soap & laundry soap. I even found some cleaning supplies.
On to the next allergy, that would be all the rubber mixes. This one was hard one. You would be surprised what that includes. The biggest thing for me though is rubber stamping. I took that one hard. But, if you could be conscious of rubber for just one day I think you would be surprised what it's on. So far today my surprise were my travel mug has rubber on the handle, my umbrella has rubber on the handle. The shoes I walk the dogs in when it's wet outside are rubber. In fact, the soles on a lot of shoes are rubber! Steering wheels & mattresses have rubber. Most of my pens, especially drug rep pens have rubber on them. One of them didn't & that one says Viagra on it. I don't want to stick that in my purse!!! I guess I'll have to actually purchase a pen. This also includes many of the elastics, purses & hoses. I'm not sure what I'm suppose to about my Cpap machine. I haven't tried to figure it out, yet. I'm also not sure what happens if I would have to have oxygen.
If I thought all of those were bad this one is really killing me, I'm allergic to Formaldehyde. That is in so much stuff, including paper!!!!! EEEKS! I purchased some white cotton gloves for scrapbook, because if the rubber didn't do it that paper would. It's also in many of our clothes except 100% organic cotton. There's more, but I honestly have not got it all in my head, yet.
There is another one paraqphenylenediamine which is found in textile dyes, cosmetics, photocopying & printing inks
Last but not least I am allergic to caine, anything ending with Caine. I'm not sure how that works if I have to get stitches, but I don't want to find out! I also have to watch sunscreens to make sure they are PABA free. I'm really fair skinned, so that isn't a good thing for me.
Basically I think I need a bubble! I know I need to win a million dollars to free myself of all these products. I guess I could just build a plastic house!
Pity party for one is now over!
Saturday I'm packing my scrapbook stuff & my white cotton gloves & going to crop!!!

If you made it this far, thanks for reading my vent. I'm a little overwhelmed tonight. I've stayed up late & trying to figure out what I use that I need to get rid of.

McKayla

Here's a fun picture of McKayla. She has learned how to drink with a straw. She now refuses to drink out of a regular sippy cup! I'm so glad they make no spill sippy cups with straws!

I took this with my cell phone, so it's not the greatest quality picture. You would know she would learn something new on the day I left the house without my camera.

Success!

Russ had surgery today! His surgeon said it was a success & he should have a full recovery within a few months!

McKaylaABC

View Project at Shutterfly

Surgery date, maybe?

In today's mail hubby received 3 appointment cards from his surgeon's office. One was for a pre-op pe & the other two were for surgery f/up appts. Talk about confusing, since we still haven't heard anything from his work work comp caseworker.
Hubby called his surgeon's office & was told they have him scheduled for surgery on Feb. 10th. They couldn't tell him who scheduled the surgery.
He then got a hold of the work comp nurse who knows nothing about this. She said she is still waiitng on the paperwork from their surgeon.
We have no idea what is going on!

Finally!

I've been trying for days to get into my blog & update. I've deleted cookies & Internet files. I've done scans on my system. Nothing was working, today it works. Who knows what I was doing wrong.
So, update on hubby. He did not have surgery on the 20th, as scheduled. His work comp caseworker canceled it. He wanted him to have a 2nd opinion with an IME physician. Last Friday we had to go to St. Louis for an appointment with the Dr of their choice. That surgeon agreed with hubby's surgeon, so it looks like he will have surgery. We are still waiting on his work comp nurse to get her stuff together. She told hubby to call & schedule it, but his surgeon's office will not schedule until they hear from the work comp company. I can't say I blame them, especially after they canceled the last surgery late on the Friday afternoon before his schedule morning surgery on Tuesday!!! Working in a Dr's office for a few years, I was very embarrassed that they did that & felt very bad about it. I am not sure when we will know anything. The wc nurse told us it would be at least Thursday before she would have a chance to even look at the Dr's report.

On to the fun stuff. I've been scrapping like crazy! I escape to my scrap room just about every evening & make a page or two. McKayla has 3 books full of pages & quite a few pages without a book, yet. I have been using all those "can't use because they are my favorite & must be collected" supplies. Wow, is it fun!
Over the weekend, I cleaned my scraproom for top to bottom & re-arranged it. I had gotten very sloppy about keeping supplies sorted into the correct drawers, just tossing them in any old drawer. I usually remember what I've got, but finding it was another story, but not any more. I also took the time to group my cardstock by colors, another thing I had gotten lazy with. It's so much nicer.
I hope to get some of these pages scanned & post soon.

Surgery

I thought I would update. We found out, yesterday, that hubby will be having back surgery on January 20th.
I don't know much more then that. We didn't get out of the surgeon's office until 5:30 p.m., so his nurse that does the surgery scheduling was gone. We were told she would be contacting us with more information as soon as she got the surgery authorized.

Hubby is in the hospital

He fell on the ice last Friday morning. We had to call an ambulance to come & get him. He is not able to walk or even roll over.
He was transferred to a larger hospital about 60 miles from our home. We are waiting on MRI results right now. So far, we know that he has narrowing of the spine & arthritis of the spine.
Hopefull we will know more, soon.
Please keep him in your prayers.
Thanks

A few more pages!

Isn't she just the cutest little cat?!?!

These pictures were taken at Alley Spring this past October. It's a beautiful place that I'm sure will become a favorite place for her.

I made this page using the last page kit I had from the BG class I took at CK Convention. I wasn't thrilled with this page, but I didn't want to waste it, so here it is. I'm hoping someday I will find some embellishments that will liven it up a bit. Who knows, if I keep scrapping like this, maybe I will dig something out of my stash that will work, lol!

I even scrapbooked today!!!!

This is my favorite page of the day. Once again, a leftover layout from a Basic Grey class at CK. I added a few things & changed a few things around. The picture is of dh's Grandpa, Grandma, Mom & Aunt. I haven't added any of that because I need to ask his Grandma what year this was taken.

I got these stickers with McKayla's Farm Rocking chair in mind. She really does not like that chair, so this is the best picture I got.

This page kit was from a Basic Grey class I took at CK convention a few years ago. I finally added pictures to it. I just chose a variety of picturs of McKayla. She is between 4 & 6 months in all of these pictures.

I have been scrapbooking!

I finally got some pages done!

I couldn't get my scanner to scan properly, so I had to take pictures. Some are not the greatest.


This one is from a paper kit I picked up at CK last year. I think I got this idea out of Quick Pages. I just love these pictures of McKayla.









So, I can't get this thing to let me type by each picture. I'm so savy with computers, NOT!

Baby Mine page is made with a set of Cosmo Cricket stickers.



The rest of the pages were all Quick Quotes. I took a couple of classes at CK a few years ago. I have no idea why I've been hanging onto them for so long? I decided it was time to use them. The first page is of my Grandma Daniel. I'm sure she made this dress & it would have been a big thing for her, I'm sure. Her family was not wealthy, so having a new dress would have surely been a treat. I wish I would have asked her about these pictures, but unfortunately I never saw them until after she had passed.
The next two page are pictures taken a few hours after McKayla was born.
The next two are some silly pictures I had taken of Nathan quite a few years ago on a trip to Nauvoo. They seemed to go with the quotes that were with this page kit.
The last two pages are pictures of my Grandma & Grandpa Owens. Once again, I do not know much about this pictures. I know two of them were taken in their home library. I also know the dogs name was Vivian & Grandma loved that dog. Both of those have been journaled on other pages, so I left these as is without the journaling.

Thanks for looking. I'm not sure what I did wrong in this post. I know it's hard to read & follow, but I just can't get the pictures where I want them.

MIA

I have been feeling pretty sick the past couple of weeks, so I haven't been around much to post. I haven't been doing any scrapping at all & the baby is not here, so no new pictures to post.
She will be here next week, so hopefully I'll start feeling better so I can enjoy her.
I hope to start scrapping again, soon.

Shopping with the Rowdies!!!

WhooHooo, we went shopping, today! We didn't find much at all, but we had a great time as usual! We went up to a scrapbook crop & shop in Mt. Sterling. Not much shopping going on, but there sure were a lot of croppers having a great time! We stopped at Dot & came home with a bunch of groceries, lol! We have to find something to buy!

So, since I didn't get any scrapping done today, I thought I would share some of my favorite pictures of McKayla.

In this pictures McKayla had decided she was going to feed herself. She didn't do a half bad job, but did need a bath, lol.

Stop growing up so fast baby girl!

These pictures crack me up! I had just changed McKayla into this little outfit for the first time. She was playing & suddenly noticed she had something on her feet! She sat there giggling & squealing at her feet. Too funny, I can't wait to scrapbook these pictures!

I took this picture while we were eating out at Colton's. How am I ever going to be able to turn down those eyes? They make my heart melt!

This is bright eyes first thing in the morning! She wakes up like this nearly every morning.

She sure knows how to start the day off right!

One more for tonight

I love this one!

Time to share a few short videos from our trip

Here's one of Ashley & McKayla right after we got to Eminence.

Still trying to upload the pics...

and thought I would share this little tidbit with y'all.

Some of you know of our dog Mia's hatred for one of our neighbor dogs. Mia is the sweetest dog ever. She makes friends with neighborhood cats while we are walking. She has made friends with the dogs in the neighborhood, but there is one dog that she will not make up with.
That dog is a Rottweiler named Bo. Now, I've made friends with Bo, he's always been fine with me. I've never seen him do anything out of line, except roam the neighborhood, grrrrrrrrrrrrr! But, for some reason Mia & all the town dogs do NOT like Bo! Mia actually broke our living room window while trying to get at Bo one day when he was in our yard.

So, just now I'm watching Animal Police Houston. There is a Rottweiler on the show. Mia was laying on the couch next to me going insane! She was growling & barking at the tv going insane, just like she does when Bo comes around. As soon as the segment was over she calmed right down & is back asleep!

I guess Mia just does NOT like Rottweilers!!!

I'm home!

I'm home from visiting with our kids & grandbaby!

Mom, Dad & I went down to visit this week. We rented a little cottage that we have rented before down there. We really like renting it, instead of a motel room, it is an old home with really pretty woodwork & has 3 bedrooms, living room, dining room & kitchen. We can really spread out & have fun with all the family there.
I have missed McKayla so much! Yes, Ashley if you are reading this, I said that just for you since you thought we hadn't even missed you! We do!

We got down there & met the kids at the rental house. After catching up & loving on the baby we went out to their house, since my parents had never been there. Next we went to Alley Spring. If you've never been there, it is absolutely beautiful. I got some great pictures while we were there.

Then we went back & ate supper & played with McKayla.

The next morning we went down to West Plains to shop. We ate at Colton's, yummy!!! The fried pickles there are so good!

We spent the evening at the house just relaxing & enjoying time, together.

This morning we spent the morning at the house just spending time together & packing, sadly it was almost time to start back home. First, I took McKayla outside & let her play in the leaves. I just had to take some fun fall pictures.

After that we drove into town & went to a little antique shop that Ashley just knew I would love. She was right, I did! I got a really cool Tang pitcher & a box of hand drawn note cards with scenes from the Ozarks. One of them is of Alley Spring, where we went the first day, so I will be using that on the scrapbook page.

It was a great visit & I already miss them. It's going to be way to long before they get here for Christmas.

I'm trying to get all my pictures uploaded to Shutterfly, so hopefully by tomorrow I will have some great pictures to share & some fun videos.

MMmm....

I made this one this afternoon. I've had these supplies in my stash for many years! I just knew one day I would have the perfect picture for those die cuts & paper!
This was McKayla's first taste of carrots. She wasn't to thrilled!

Vintage ATC card for Leah

I made this card for Leah at A Charming Place. She offered to make me one of her harvest ATC cards that I admired. So, I asked her what she preferred & she said something vintage.
This is what I came up with. It's suppose to look like a little file folder. The picture is of my Mom on a tricycle. I used UTEE on it to make it look older.
I hope Leah likes it :)

Jungle

I'm glad this page is done! It wasn't really hard it was just so time consuming.

The paper is from a Debbie Mumm paper stack. I loved this paper and decided since there were 3 sheets I would try to do this with it. I chose this picture of McKayla because she is sleeping in her jungle swing.

I want to put Stickles on some of the flowers as soon as I get a bottle.

Sorry for the glare on the picture. I tried scanning it and that just didn't work. This was the best picture I could get.

Thanks for looking!

A Beautiful Day

I took these picturs on September 10th. We were just sitting around the house & decided to take some pics. I love the picture of McKayla trying to give her Momma a kiss. She had on her first pair of tennis shoes.

I'm not sure why the scans are so dark :(

Challenge #3 ATC

Here's my ATC for this weeks challenge. We were suppose to make the background out of anything but plain cardstock, making it 3d. I used felt for this one. I stamped the swirlies with a glue ink pad & then sprinkled purple glitter on it. The stickers are K&Co.

If you are interested in our ATC challenges, there is a link to the side that will take you to A Charming Place.

Time is going by way to fast!

I was just looking back through some of my older post. I think I might just cry after looking at my post after McKayla was born. How has 6 months already passed?
I haven't seen her for a month, now. I miss her so much! How do grandparents that are days away from their grandbabies do it? I'm only 5 1/2 hours away & that seems like forever away. We are going down next Monday to see her. I'm so excited & can't wait!
Her Momma tells me that she is sitting up on her own & trying to crawl. She's been pulling up to the couch.
I'm really missing her!

Christmas ATC

This weeks challenge at A Charming Place was to make an ATC using more then three ribbons. I came up with this one.
I could not get this to stay straight on my scanner, so I gave up! I also couldn't get the pretty sparkles on the tree to show up.

I can't figure this out!

I can't figure out why all the post are are so teeny tiny. Any ideas?

Rolling

I forgot all about this short video I wanted to post.

I took this at our family camp-out when McKayla first started rolling over & over & over.

I will NEVER EVER STASH CHOCOLATE in my scrapbook room, again!!!
Seriously, I am about to puke! I hid a package of miniature Kit-Kat's in my scrap paper storage. I've been sitting here eating on them.
Well, yea you are probably guessing it. I just reached in for my 3rd one!
A FREAKIN MOUSE HAS BEEN EATING ON IT!!!!!!!!!!!
GROSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One more post for tonight

I'm not sure why the ribbon looks like it's not straight. I guess it's the bulkiness of the ribbon slide.

Here's a card I made, today. I love this new stamp set!

A few ATC cards I've made the past couple of weeks.

I've been having fun making & trading ATC cards. They are so easy to make & fun to try new techniques out. It's fun to make cards using themes that I don't really have a reason to use in my scrapbooks. I love using up my scraps or that one sticker left from a set.

There are only 2 rules for making ATC cards.

1. The size for these is 2 1/2 x 3 1/2

2. You don't sell them, you trade them.

Where has the time gone?

I have so been ignoring my blog.

I've actually been scrapping a bit, so I'm going to spend the next few days trying to catch up & share my projects & pictures of that sweet baby girl.

Ashley when you read this, I need new pictures! I'm missing that baby!

Here's a page I made last week. I actually used the last pictures I posted here. I didn't do that on purpose, so I was surprised when I saw they were the same pictures.

One more!

Just one more picture, just because it's so cute! What was she thinking, maybe about that bottle she just finished?

I can hold my bottle all byself, Grandma!

I just love these pictures of McKayla. She was so determined to hold her bottle & she did!!!
She is growing way to fast!!! By the time I see her, again I'm sure she will be a pro at this!
Slow down baby, don't grow so fast, Grandma is missing it!



By the way, I was in my scrapbook room scrapping, when her Momma brought her out to me, so that is why all the scrapping tools & such in the background.