I am a Christ follower, a happily married woman, a devoted daughter, a loyal friend, and a hard-working assistant principal. I am overjoyed to finally add proud MOMMY to our miracle baby to my profile!!
Here are just a few of the items that I fell in love with...
How precious is this dress? It would be so adorable for Easter!!
I am always looking for baby shower gifts and these minky burp cloths can be personalized and would be GREAT gifts.
If you've followed my blog for ANY length of time, you know I LOVE anything and everything monogrammed. These damask bags would be cute for a hostess gift or for yourself, just because!
But I think my favorite item is this pink and houndstooth monogrammed tote. She has it listed as a diaper bag, but I think it's SO versatile and can be used for the beach, a purse, or an overnight bag.
Please stop by Get Dolled Up Boutique and check out all her PRECIOUS items. BUT WAIT...by being one of my blog followers you will receive a special discount. When placing your order, enter the coupon code KNIGHT and recieve 15% off your order!! How awesome is that???
You can also follow Get Dolled Up Boutique on Facebook HERE and receive status update on all her new products, discounts, and specials.
Don't delay, this special coupon code only lasts until March 5th, so get to SHOPPING!
I have recently found some of the most adorable Etsy sites and I just couldn't keep them all to myself.
I am hosting April bunco at my house and plan on having an Easter theme. So I searched high and low for the perfect little Easter pail for my ceramic Easter eggs. Check out these sweet little pails from Monkey See Boutique...
My cousin's two little girls just turned one and two (the SAME month) and I wanted to send a little gift for both girls. I found these adorable embroidered bloomers from Bella Claire Baby...
And I'm always looking for cupcake toppers. It seems as if cupcakes are the easiest dessert to serve at parties and cupcake toppers make them fun. I found some of the cutest toppers at The Paper Kingdom...
Do you have any GREAT Etsy stores you'd like to share with me? I'm always searching for new and cute Etsy shops :)
The sun has been shining bright and the temperature has been in the high 70's. I couldn't resist stopping by the local nursery to pick up a few flowers.
These hydrangeas were to DIE FOR! I had to get a few for our front porch.
Most of our potted plants didn't make it from the winter temperatures, so I picked up a few flowers for them too.
This center flower DID make it though, so I just added a few little blooms to go around it.
And I have NO idea what these pretty pink flowers are. I must have planted them a few years ago. But over the past few days they have decided to make their spring debut.
I love geranniums, always have. They need very little attention, yet continue to bloom, bloom, bloom.
With all the attention I gave our yard this weekend, I couldn't pass up these tulips on sale at the grocery store for inside.
SOOOO pretty!
Spring is JUST around the corner and I'm doing my best to try and hurry it up!
My friend Tiffany updated her Caring Bridge Journal and I have to say that I was SO happy to hear how upbeat and hopeful she seems.
Here is a paraphrase of her last two journals:
Today was a good day. I went to the doctor today and he said that I will not be doing IL-2 this week. Instead, I will go in the following week. The spot in my neck has really gone down after the first treatment of IL-2 and the doctor is very happy with the results.
Tiffany was also thrilled to welcome a new niece last week. AND, she was honored to find out that the baby was named after her...Brynlee Tiffany.
I went to Sunday school last week and I have to say it was so rewarding. I don't say a lot during the Sunday school class but I did last Sunday. When I listened to people speak about my cancer, I couldn't believe how much this cancer has affected so many people...people that I don't even know. God has His reason for me having cancer. I don't know what that reason is because I can't see it yet, but I know He will show it to me. I will not say that I'm not upset about the cancer spreading, but I have to say my FAITH is strong again. It has taken so many prayers and lots of conversation with friends and family, but I have faith again.
I also gave Tiffany the money that was donated by a lot of you last week. I gave her a sweet little card and told her that so many people were moved by her story and wanted to help her and her family financially. She wrote me the sweetest email and I could tell how thankful and grateful she was for your generosity. To be honest, I think she was speechless. It was a gift that was totally unexpected yet SO appreciated. I was able to give her $500 and plan to give her the remaining donations in a few weeks. If you'd like to donate to Tiffany and her family, please click on the Chip-in button below. If you want to know more about Tiffany and why she is in need of your donations, you can visit my post HERE.
Please keep Tiffany in your prayers and ask the Lord to rid her body of the cancer.
In a few short days, the hubby and I will be traveling to Texas to visit my parents. And I can HARDLY wait!!
We have been trying to plan a trip to visit my parents during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for the past three years.
There is SO much to do during Rodeo time. You can visit the animals...horses, goats, bulls, etc. You can watch the calf scramble...this is where kids are put in the arena with a ton of little calves and those kids that can grab a calf and tie them down, will get a scholarship...it's quite HILARIOUS to watch :) You can see some of the greatest country music starts peform like George Strait, Reba McEntire,and Clay Walker. But the reason we are attending this year is to go to the World Championship Barbeque Contest!!!
Here is a little info about the Barbeque Contest:
The world’s largest livestock show has to be able to feed huge crowds! The Lone Star State hosts a colossal, Texas-sized picnic to launch the annual event. Just as the rodeo competitors hone their riding skills and shine their buckles, several hundred others are polishing their culinary tools and preparing to heat up their own winning run at glory. The World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest is three days of cooking, competition, eating and dancing. The sweet aroma drifts over the Houston metropolis, drawing crowds like bees to honey. A record 221,229 guests joined the feast in 2010. Live musical entertainment is provided at the Miller Lite Stage at The Garden, with room for dancing.
You can read more about the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo HERE.
Now if that doesn't sound like fun, I don't know what does!!! There are tons of competitors and barbeque pits EVERYWHERE!!!
I am so looking forward to sinking my teeth into some good ole Texas Barbeque!!!
Not to mention that I'll get a LONG weekend of visiting with my parents.
Pretty soon we'll be in Texas, eating a TON of barbeque, hanging out with my parents, and loving every minute of it!
I have been sick as a DOG for the past week. So bad so, that I ended up taking off FOUR days of work, what?!?! Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with strep throat. This means my new BFF's have been a runny nose, stuffy head, achiness, coughing, and fever. YUK!!!
I have also been quarantined in our bedroom...literally. The hubby was determined NOT to get sick, so he seriously wanted me to stay in our bedroom the entire four days. I got so tickled when I saw him walking around spraying Lysol on E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. And, he even pulled out the rubbing alcohol and wiped down a few things that I touched...like the remote control. The hubby even spent the last four nights on the couch :( But, on the positive side, he isn't sick at all!!
I am feeling quite a bit better today. No fever and no runny nose...but the dry cough is still very much present. So much so that I think I coughed for an hour straight before I finally fell asleep and then again for another hour straight at about 4:00 a.m. FUN :(
I am so thankful for hot soup, orange juice, and my bed...I have gotten pretty close to them over the past four days.
*** I have a new update from Tiffany's Caring Bridge Journal and wanted to share, she needs our prayers MORE THAN EVER right now. Please read the update at the very bottom of this post.
Again, thank you so much for all your prayers and monetary donations for my friend Tiffany. You can read more about her story HERE.
I wanted to give all of you an update on how she is doing and about her chemo treatment, IL-2.
Tiffany was admitted into the hospital on Monday afternoon and she began the prep work for her IL-2 treatment, which was to begin on Tuesday morning.
Fortunately, Tiffany's hemoglobin was up and everything looked good to start the treatment on Tuesday morning. Tiffany was given the option to start the IL-2 Monday night. Like Tiffany would say, "Why put off something tomorrow when you can do it today" therefore, she started her treatment Monday night. Now if that isn't someone taking the bulls by the horn...I love that about Tiffany!!
The IL-2 treatment is an IV drip that lasts about 15 minutes. The doctors will give her the treatment every 8 hours with a goal of 14 treatments. The effects of IL-2 have already taken a toll on Tiffany, for that matter she got sick immediately after her first treatment and was vomiting every 10-15 minutes for 2 hours :( She had chills all night long and didn't get any sleep due to chills. Fortunately, the doctors were able to give her some medication to help her sleep and she was able to get some much needed rest during the day on Tuesday. This is going to be a long journey for Tiffany and she needs our continued support and prayers.
One of our teachers at school sent out an email asking fellow employees to respond with words of encouragement, prayers, verses, or motivational words for Tiffany. Then our art department created these beautiful collages with all the responses submitted. These collages will be hung in Tiffany's hospital room as a constant reminder that so many of us are behind her and believing in her.
Our school (as well as Tiffany's friends) havebeen preparing dinners at least twice a week for her and her family. Tiffany's son is a senior at our school so at least two days a week, he stops by the administrative office and picks up the dinners that have been prepared for their family. It's been a great system so far.
If you still want to help monetarily, I am leaving the Chip-in open for donations. We will give Tiffany the money we have collected so far this weekend. Tiffany and her family LOVE football, so I think this will be a Super Bowl they'll NEVER forget!
I copied this update from Tiffany's Caring Bridge:
Thursday, 1:00pm: The afternoon was a rough one for Tiffany. She was very sick and had a fever. She did receive medicine to help this. Her heart rate was at 145.
Thursday, 3:40pm: Temperature was at 103.4 bp was 98/52 and heart rate was at 143. She was eating a little bit of fruit. This was good.
Thursday, 4:00pm: Tiffany is still running a fever 103.4 and they cannot give her anything until 6pm. She is retaining fluids and her body is very hot, she feels miserable. The doctor has decided to skip this treatment. This is the worst Tiffany has felt so far. The doctors did say that the treatments would get worse with each one. This makes it very hard to mentally and physically to get ready for the next treatment.
Thursday, 6:15pm: Heart rate is at 118 still giving her medication for the nausea and fever. The plan is to give her the next treatment at midnight. Tiffany is dreading this. We are praying for her strength and peace during this time.
Thursday, 9:15pm: Tiffany is feeling a little better. At this point all vitals are looking good and they will do the treatment.
Friday, 12:25am: They are about to start treatment. Tiffany knows this is needed and is doing what she can to find strength to get through it. Her fever has gone down, heart rate is at 101, blood pressure is 95/50 and gave her some more medication to help her with the nausea.
Friday, 9:25am: Today will be her last day of treatments. Tiffany's doctor was in this morning and the plan was to do a treatment at 8:30 and 4:30 and have Tiffany go home tomorrow afternoon. When it was time to have her morning treatment Tiffany's vitals went up and they made the decision not to give her the 8:30 treatment. They will try for the next one at 4:30. Not sure if they will try and get one in at midnight or not. I guess we will wait and see.
CSN Stores has a ton of items...have you ever visited their site???
It is absolutely out of this world and a one-stop shopping site! They have items that range from modern furniture to kitchen tables, purses to bookshelves, lighting to outdoor accessories, and SO MUCH MORE. Honestly, they have 200+ stores ... I could go on forever! You just need to go and check the site out for yourself.
Not only can I spend hours browsing through all the sites, but they have a TON of things for men too. And with Valentine's Day just around the corner, I already have a few items picked out to surprise the hubby.
If you haven't taken a look at CSN Stores...it's a must see!
I FINALLY took the plunge and ordered a new cell phone. Don't freak out...but I've had the SAME EXACT cell phone for the past two years.
We use T-Mobile as our cell phone provider and I purchased the G1 two years ago for Christmas. I would LOVE to have an iPhone, but since we use T-Mobile, I thought I would go for the G2.
It should arrive by Friday this week and I can NOT wait!
