Pink Saturday & Poser

It has been a while but I decided to do a Happy Pink Saturday post.

For this Saturday I am posting a little flower pot with paper flowers that Gabby made a while back for me.

On Tuesday we went to the Cardon Children's Medical Center for Gabby's remicade treatment. We had some time to kill due to the prior authorization not being made so we had to wait to get word if she would be able to get it or not. So we get there at 8 her appointment is at 8:30 and I finally remembered to take my camera with me to snap a picture that she and I had talked about when there before.

Luckily I usually have a book in my purse so she posed with the girl reading bronze statue that is in the lobby area of the center

Gabby and girl reading

We still had time to wait. Gabby had bought some toys for donation to the hospital so we went up to the floor that she stays on when there to deliver them.

One of our favorite Child Life Service workers, Meredith, came out. It was so great to see her. We have missed her. When Gabby was in last year she would constantly bring Gabby crafts to work on and invite her to the special room they have to have craft time or music activities with her.

The hospital is amazing and so are the staff there.

Gabby is going to be holding a toy drive for Christmas to take to the hospital. More on that to come very soon.

This week was going by very slow then all of the sudden it is Saturday again.

I will hit 4 weeks on Monday of recovery and just 2 more weeks of wearing the brace and depending on people to do so much for me. It is making me a little crazy.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Eggs

This morning I went to make my breakfast of two eggs and a piece of wheat toast. I get the pan ready and crack one egg then I get out another egg and try to crack it. It won't crack to I tap it a lot harder. It turns out someone put a hard boiled egg in the carton. So I call up stairs " Gabby did you put a hard boiled egg in the carton?" With a devilish voice she says "Maybe?". Little turkey. She got me good. he he

So I put it aside thinking I will have the egg white for lunch. At lunch time I go down and get in the fridge to get my egg. Gabby had eaten it! Guess I should have ate it while I could have.

I love my kiddos.

Speaking of kiddos Coco and her kiddos are going to come down and stay with us for a week or so. I am so excited to have them here. I miss them even though I talk to Coco almost every day it is so much fun to have her and the children where I can hug them and kiss them in person. Too bad Kyle can't come down to but work calls. So I will enjoy them while I can.

Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Fall Wanted

I just love a pumpkin patch so Gabby knowing this drew this for me

There had not been much going on since my last post on October 10TH. I am still recovering and trying to not over due it. I had done that 2 days in a row and ended up hurting and learned my lesson. (I hope!)

I am so anxious for the weather to cool down. We are still in the 90's + here in the valley of unending heat. It is 99 today and I am so in the mood to turn off the air conditioning and open windows.

Enough complaining though. I have been watching a couple series on Netflix this week. Yes this is what you do when you really can't do too much. In between dishes here and there, a little more cooking, word search and reading. The two that I would suggest is called Heavy and the next is Ruby. These are both a year old but I have enjoyed them and getting motivated to work out. I forgot how much I missed exercising until I really can't do it. I have been walking and finally got my treadmill moved back in the house so I can walk even more.

During my time of recovery this girl has been my constant companion. She has always been by my side and followed me everywhere as I go about my daily tasks from room to room. But I have had to tell her to go out side to go potty. The first night & day I was home she stayed by my side of the bed and wouldn't go outside. Now that is loyalty.

Although she does look a little spastick here in this picture.

I found this note hanging on my desk from my sweet Faith. Love it!

Last night our steak had it's Halloween Dance for the youth. E'lyse and her BFF Alise decided to be Leiser 1 and Leiser 2 (instead of Thing 1 & 2)

They got together and painted their shirts & hair bows. Planning out their costumes.

I think they did a good job.

Of course the big thumbs up picture

And a close up of the pretty Leisers!

Now just a random thing. Last week I made a dish I saw on the Food Nanny. The show is on the BYU channel. Anyway she had visited a little town in California that is all Danish. She visited a little place that made the traditional Danish dinner called Frikadeller. It is basically a Danish meatball that is shaped like and egg. Boy oh boy was it good and easy to make.

Recipe in case you want to try it.

2 lbs. of fine ground pork

2 eggs

1/2 cup of milk

1 T. salt

1 T. pepper

1 med. onion finely diced

3 T. flour

Mix by hand and form using a spoon and your hand into egg shapes.

Cook in olive oil in a pan till crisp and no longer pink inside.

Make a

I also made a dish that I don't know the name for. I will call it Red Cabbage side dish.

1 head of red cabbage, shredded into med strips & chopped.

Put in large pan and cover with white vinegar.

Add 1 cup sugar

A pinch of ground clove to your liking

3 Bay Leaves

Pepper to taste

Put lid on and let boil down. It will take about an hour or two.

When done pull out Bay Leaves and serve with the Frikadeller.

We will be having this dinner again. The family enjoy it.

Hope everyone is doing well. Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Debt-DeTangler

This week was a restful I just took it easy. My recovery is coming along but have had some pulling/stinging sensations lately.

I drove myself to the Dr. on Thursday and Friday for my legs. On Thursday I went in for an ultrasound on my legs. Friday I went back for the results. The Dr. who looked like he could have been 15 (very young looking and wearing braces) said that the procedures they could do he felt would be beneficial to me and the way my legs feel. So now the wait for insurance to give the okay and they will call me to schedule the surgery.

Over the weekend I was watching a show on Hulu Plus (we don't have cable or regular tv) and watched a show about Simplifying your life. Most of it was good a little to preachy in some parts as far as environmentalism. Don't get me wrong I do care about the earth but some things are a little too far out there for me to agree with. Anyway it got me to thinking about wanting to simplify my life more. WAY MORE! This will include further de-cluttering and slowing down the pace of life to enjoy the great things around. One of the things I did love was how the lady said ,"Do you work to keep up the standard of life you are use to just so you can't enjoy it? " WOW! That was so true a while back and I think this is one of the big problems with me and many others. We had things that take time, money & maintenance that we just work to pay for them. Yet we are unable to truly enjoy them fully due to working all the time. Vicious circle!

I have been thinking down sizing for a while and being more self-sufficient. I love this idea and this is the direction I am heading.

Now for the de-cluttering. The big part of this will have to wait until I can lift things heavier than a bag of apples. So I am working on the things that take a little less physical muscle.

It just so happens that today I came across this blog called Canny Women.Com . Cindy just started today what is called the Debt De-Tangler . What a great day to find this blog. I think that finances are one of the biggest things that weigh us down and cause stress & unease in our lives. I urge you to check out her blog for daily tips and information on this. If you are going to join her and I in this I would love to hear from you and what you are doing. I think we could be a great support and listening ear for each other.

So off I go to read up a little more on her blog and start moving forward. Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Driving With a Permit

Last week I decided it was time to take E'lyse out to do some driving since she had got her permit almost 2 weeks ago and hadn't been behind the wheel. On Thursday afternoon we went out. The day was overcast and finally lovely temperature. She drove for almost an hour through neighbor hoods and different directions to get a feel for driving my van. My van is a GMC larger van with a truck engine so other than not having a long front end it is like driving a truck with a slight lift kit. She did really well. When we got home she was talking with Dallas and they said that I make them nervous. I don't know why this is?

So everywhere that we need to run siblings throughout this weekend she has had the opportunity to drive.

Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Wednesday Gabby's Sewing & Update

Gabby has started working on Christmas presents lately. She made some pottery last week while I was in the hospital. I apologize I don't have a picture of those.

Knowing her friends don't read my blog I figured it was okay to post these sweet little "Stuffed Thingies" as Gabby calls them.

This is the one she made & gave to me

Below are pillow's she mad the pink ones are for her bed

and the Halloween one is for our couch.

These are the other ones she made for gifts.

I think they are super cute!

Yesterday I went to the two Dr.s that did my surgeries. I went in to the first and they removed my catheter. They checked to make sure it was awake and functioning and all went well so I was able to have it permanently removed. YEA!! Yes I did a happy dance and even gave the nurse a hug. I am just weird that way I get happy and celebrate. I go back on Nov. 11TH for the 6 week check up to get full clearance.

Alan and I went to lunch to a restaurant called Smash Burger . I had been hearing about this place since I was in the professional program and it was so yummy! Of course I have been eating very light and not very much. So I would suggest if there is one near you go on a day date and have a yummy burger and smash fries. SOOOO good!!

Then Alan had a few stops to make for work and I just sat in the truck enjoying being out and about with him.

We then went over to the Dr. who did my hernia repair. He checked his work and said it looked great. He gave me medical clearance to do light house work, no lifting , no heavy housework, no bending, no twisting, and a few other things that have left my mind right now.

YEA!! I was super excited to have this great news from both doctors. I feel better each morning and throughout the day I see little differences of progress.

I will not be able to do massage till after the Nov. 11TH clearance also depending on what happens with the Dr. on Thurs. & Fri.

I will take this time to recover and enjoy my progress that I make.

One more to share of big news. I actually got sleep last night. I have been off pain medicine since Sat. evening and I have been having to sleep on my back all nigh. I am not a back sleeper at all. Last night I carefully rolled myself over to my right side, this took a while then placed a pillow under my ab area and slept! Talk about feeling so much better. I actually slept in till 4:20 this morning. Felt so good!

My midsection is still very swollen and huge but this too shall pass. Happy to be doing better and able to sleep on my sides.

Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Kind of Back

Thank you my sweet friends for all the well wishes and prayers!

Media Fast is over. Last Monday I had the two surgeries and the Doctors said that they went well. The hernia repair went an longer than anticipated due to having to clean up old scar tissue this took 90 min. to take care of. This was from other surgeries before he could move forward with the repairs and he found a new one at the bottom of the abdominal wall. I was in the hospital till Thursday night with a lovely catheter in tow due to some muscles not yet ready to function on their own. What a pain, although it is nice to not have to get up and go potty so often. I know too much information! Sorry!!

I felt the need to stay one more night. I got home and that night started throwing up, not a good thing to happen after the surgeries that deal with the abdominal area. I was better buy Friday morning after a new prescription for nausea. Then there were some other problems that came up that I got taken care of.

Conference weekend was great! Watched all the sessions and enjoyed them with Alan. It is always like a fresh start every six month to hear the wonderful speakers and our sweet Prophet Thomas S. Monson. He has such a wonderful spirit and I love his stories and the facial expressions. He is an amazing man!

Today is Monday. I have been sitting around watching BYU TV, Netflix and Hulu Plus also working on word-searches (my favorites) and taking walks around upstairs. The family has been taking care of me very well, bringing up food, water and snacks, taking care of the garden for me and the house work. E'lyse has really stepped up and taken over on the Mommy chores. So grateful to have them to help me out and for their love and patients with me as I shuffle around upstairs.

Tomorrow I go to the two Doctors the first to remove the catheter, and then the other who did the hernia repair. I will be super glad when this week is over. I have 2 more Doctors appointments on Thursday and Friday for the veins in my left leg. They will be doing an ultrasound on Thursday and then results on Friday.

Honestly I am looking forward to being back to someone a normal Bobbi Jo and being able to sleep on my side again.

I will be around in the next couple days to visit you all. It is hard for me to sit here very long.

Hugs, Bobbi Jo