Well you would NOT believe what I bought!

Everyone talks about this new online shopping place called ETSY. The purpose of it is for people/crafter’s (like us), to have a place to buy and sell HANDMADE stuff. Its pretty cool.

OMG! I could spend ALL day just browsing, and drooling over stuff. You can add items to your favorites or even seller’s.

PLUS I thinking its cool to be able to support crafter’s like ourselves.

Anyway-I LOVE Amy Butler paper. Its put out by K & Co.

 Well, to my surprise she (Amy Butler) makes FABRIC line people!! HELLO! Gorgeous fabric! Just like my favorite pieces of cardstock! Its like 2 worlds colliding with LOVELY patterns! LOL!

So upon browsing Etsy, I began my search looking at handbag’s. A girl can NEVER have too many right?

I am normally into getting the newest Vera Bradley stuff. So I said WHY NOT try out some new HANDMADE version right?

So, after browsing the handbag’s section, I found this one particular seller at bagladiesinpa’s shop (her name is Lisa). I was SO drawn to her stuff. Fresh, clean yet funky and fun. I were a bag I would be one of hers.

 I use to sew, and can SO appreciate handmade bags and stuff, cause I could NEVER do anything like that, nor would I want to.

After looking at her collections,  I saw a style bag she made that I LOVED! But not in a FABRIC that I had to have.  I had seen other bag’s with a Amy Butler fabric I WANTED it in. So I PM’d her, and asked her if she could make me her “Cleo style” bag, using the “Lace-work” fabric by Amy Butler. Basically customize a bag for me-LOL!

She got back to me, and said she would! She also made some “accessories” that I had to have too! Smart woman.

Her photos and descriptions were great and helpful. Her communication ROCKED, as did her overall customer service.

She is a MYTIME approved seller :D. I am VERY picky so that is a HUGE compliment.

Here is what I got!

NOTE: This photo was copy/pasted from her site. I figure since I am giving her a good review she won’t mind!

 Bag, check book cover, zip bag, and key toggle

When it was done she contacted me to let me know it was listed if I still wanted it! (UM YEAH!!!! I asked for it)

After she shipped it was on my door 3 days later!

It came beautifully wrapped-so professional. Her communication ROCKED!

When I saw the bag and items, it was even BETTER in person! Very well made.

What a great experience I had. I am now buying my bag’s handmade from her, here on out.

FYI I am not related to this person, or anything. I just HAD to share my experience with all of you, cause I know only YOU could appreciate my babble about a bag-especially since its created from the same style of paper I’m addicted too!

I’ll be back later with some “stamping related” stuff to share.

OK, if you have more than one child, you MAY be able to appreciate this.

Normally this stuff does not seem funny to me until it is LONG over.

People will always ask ” Did you take a picture?”

Normally I give a look like “Are YOU insane? NO I didn’t take a picture”. But this was rather amusing.

I NEEDED to get some stamp stuff done. I needed a whopping 45 minutes of “my time”, or I was going to go INSANE!

 My kids were fighting like well……………let’s say a pack of wild animals. Sometimes, when I have really had it with the bickering, and the million time outs, I will retreat to my stamp “cave”. Its better for ALL of us to take a breather.

I can hear everything they are doing-which is good in a safety sense, but not a sanity sense sometimes! LOL!

Alexa and Amber have been at eachother throats lately. Alexa isn’t feeling great, and is on edge, and Amber is continuously provoking her.

I am in my stamp room and hear the bickering.

Alexa yelling “Take a break. Get in there. You need a time out. Get in there.”

I’m thinking oh great-here we go. More fighting.

Amber is crying “Let me out!” as well as other things I cant make out. Time to intervene

She is screeching her lungs out, and daisy starts barking-THAT is unusual. She is not a barker.

So I come flying upstairs, to interviene, only to see this

Alexa LOCKED Amber in the dog crate!

Daisy is sitting in front of it barking, and Alexa is happily watching TV.

I grabbed my camera, to which Amber’s tears were quickly turned off, and was then all happy about it.

NOW that is a good time out spot!

Just kidding………………………………………..but you have to admit its pretty funny. I was unsure if I should make Alexa go in there for her time out for shoving her sister into a dog crate!

Lucky for her she isn’t feeling so hot.

Now these are they days Im not so sure I will miss when they are all grown.

Ok so maybe I AM turning into a crazy dog lover!

I call her Daisy Doodle, and Alexa calls her Crazy Daisy. Its really cute to see the kids participate in her care by following commands, and giving rewards, putting her in and out of the crate, feeding, brushing, and of course playing.

I had to share this photo of Daisy with her adorable PINK doggy coat

C’mon you KNOW I was going to have to get her outfits! LOL! She is too adorable not too. She actually likes it. (I think). She is very compilable with whatever I want to do. I think its great I get to start her out like that

But, I had to share my success with all of you, since you did help me with all your advice So thanks. I especially appreciated the phone calls and emails I received. Really helpful.

Daisy has her first appointment tomorrow, and it should only cost me well over a $100. YIKES :C Now there goes my stocking stuffer’s! LOL! I think she’ll fit in there nicely.

I also want to direct you, who have dogs, to this place—->Ask Me Dogs, that I found, which is like a SCS, but for DOG OWNERS!!! How cool is that? It has an online pet expert that can help with any question, as well as other owner’s give helpful advice.

So I wanted you all to know after all the advice I did the following………………which has lead to success!

No Success Story

 Tuesday-  I deciding to TRY to let Daisy have the run of the kitchen (used lots of gates), instead of being crated. What’s weird is she goes in the crate at times on her own during the day, and when I leave or can’t watch her every move (today I made my bed, and she found and ate a crayon Alexa left on the floor while coloring ;C). She doesn’t mind it all. No crying, fussing or freaking. Totally happy to chill. Come night time-watch out.

OK Night comes- I have her gated in the kitchen, which is good size, and cord safe :D. I kept her crate open, but thought if she could see us it should work. Our room is off the Kitchen. Well she jumped, and jumped and jumped till she knocked it over! Came into our room, and tried to jump up on our King size bed-Um, yeah, not happening. She cried and cried-so I decided that SLEEP would WIN. I then let Daisy sleepwith us. Jason was so NOT happy. But, you wouldn’t even know she was there. She was very good. She woke me up twice in the middle of the night, by nudging my arm, went out for a potty break, then back to bed. I realized I didn’t want this to be long term, so made the decision for the following night to stick it out, be consistent, and try something that would hopefully work.

Just like kids right?? Now is the time to NOT instill BAD habits.

Now Wednesday Night

I keep her crate open. Put up all the gates in the kitchen. I move her bed to the doorway, where there is the gate, but she can see us sleep (thanks Dawn and Bobbie). I then swaddle her like a baby in this blanket that she dores (it was Noah’s when he was a baby). She loves to be swaddled-funny huh??

I included my t-shirt, and her favorite stuffed squirrel. Left a nightlight on, and ran the DISHWASHER!!! That seemed to help.

She would get up, and just whine, as oppose to bark, and yelp.

I would tell her down (to make her stop jumping on the gate), and then Daisy Bed. It took several times of me getting up and re wrapping her, and putting her there with the commands. So after several trips I stopped getting up but used my voice, and a snap of my fingers (my mom use to do that with our dogs), and VIOLA. She went to her bed and slept She did wake up at 1:30 and 5 :30 to go out, but then quietly returned to her bed, without fuss!!!

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now here is a photo of her swaddled in her blanket, on our Suede video rocker chair that she has deemed HERS. You can see her little squeeky squirrel she carries around.

She litterally lets me lay her down and wrap her up. Its Hilarious.

Let me go on and say that Daisy is like the best little thing on 4 paws. Seriously, amazing. She is very well behaved, and is already getting some simple commands. I am using one-to two words to teach her.

I am doing the bell thing as suggested for going out to use the “potty”. She will ring the bell on the door sometimes too! She hardly has any accidents-which I am so thankful for.

She has long curly hair in the “back”. Needless to say she has had 3 baths!!! I never bathed a dog before, but she loves it. Stays perfectly still, then lets me dry her, and brush her. She then let Jay and I cut her hair-NO PROBLEM!

I teach her sit, down, treats, eat, out, fast-fast (that means we are here to potty not sniff the entire yard), and then there is crate-go, and bed Daisy.

I just might actually be able to do this.

So my point was thanks for the advice.

I also think we made the best move buying Daisy. She is a great breed for what we as a family were looking for. Plus she is definitely MY DOG. I am HER PERSON!

I felt like picking her was like a Grey’s Anatomy show, when Meridith says to Derick (when he is deciding over her and Addison) “Pick me, choose me, love me” Yes I am pathetic

That was exactly what I told Jason. I said that is what she is saying. She belongs with us.

He said we made a good choice. She truly is a darling.

OK thats it for my dog insanity. Thanks for bearing with me, as I am so new to this. I know its a stamping blog, but I wanted to share it with you Plus the beauty of a blog is I will never really know if you read it or not, and I can still throw it out there!

NOW I am really going to get stamping! I think I have a “routine” in place, so it may just happen.

Till tomorrow. Don’t forget Saturday Sketch time

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Well here it is! The much anticipated Smilebox of the Princess party! I couldnt get the video portion to work-but when I can you KNOW I will fill you all in!

I love how I was able to capture the moments of her party with this Smilebox.

The party went so perfect! I think they all had a great time. You could hear a pin drop during the craft time! And each girl gave Alexa her gift themself.

Most special to me was to see how accepted Alexa was, and her social interaction with the girls! I tell you these girls parents did an excellent job raising such lovely princesses!

To see Alexa as happy as she was was all I could ask for!

The girls made crowns, necklaces, and decorated jewelry boxes!

We used Alexa’s set and polyshrink, and the center charm for the necklaces, and for the top center of their boxes! It was really cool. Whatever wasnt done got sent home with them.

I’m so thankful for my mom who came to help me set up, and Jason did an amazing job too! He is in charge of the decorations-Im in charge of ordering him round! LOL! If it weren’t for them it never would have gone so smoothly.

He’s use to my stress over these things after all these years and takes it quite well

The best part was when it was all over Alexa came out to me and gave me a huge hug and kiss and said “Thank you mommy for my party. It was so fun. It was the best ever.” Then another squeeze and kiss!

That melted my heart!

All I wanted was for her dream party to go well, and it went better than I could have hoped for!

Thanks for following our journey I cannot believe my baby is EIGHT!

WE ARE HOME!!! We got DISCHARGED!!!

Alexa had a great night, O2 levels were normal the entire time,and they felt she was well enough to get out of the hosptial! What a great present!!!

Im so extatic I could burst!

As we were leaving the floor (Alexa decided to walk instead of take the carriage) the entire staff stood at the exit of the floor and sang happy birthday-Alexa was walking off the floor as they were singing it and she ran by them saying Thanks everybody Im outta here! it was so cute. I pray I dont have to go back there till the last day of Chemo! I will go to say thanks and goodbye! But hey one day at a time right?

Then we arrived home to a GORGEOUS bouquet of flowers from Diana (BIG THANK YOU!!! Most beautiful bouquet and ballon ever) bunch of cards, and packages! OMG! You are all so sweet. Thanks to all of you for the well wishes, thoughts and prayers. We still arent fully out of the woods-we dont want a relapse!!! We have email birthday wishes, and messages on the phone! You are all just amazing and bring tears to my eyes. I hope to replay top you all, but thought Id post ONE HUGE THANKS here!

I have a TON to do today, and tomorrow but promise I will post lots of photos-most likely Monday-ish. Please bear with me Im in overload!

Then its a doctors visit Tuesday and Chemo on Wednesday! YIKES!

Its a gorgeous day and God has truly blessed us!

Just wanted to let you all know the awesome news!!

See ya later! And thanks again!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEXA!!!!! I LOVE YOU!

Hello stamping friends. I have alot to share-and really want to say that I truly get energized by all the wisdom you share, or thoughts, and hugs or prayers you send.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

OK so where do I start-

Well the o2 levels keep dropping at night. There was just an epiphany amongst the doctors after my pleading with them to figure out WHY can she look amazing ALL day AND night but only at night her O2 levels fall so low-and she looks still HEALTHY?? Im was like there HAS to be a REASON. These things dont happen for NO reason!

DING! The lightbulb lights up-and they order labs (waiting for those results) one of the meds she is on can affect this type of thing!

HELLO! Why was this not a thought SOONER???

So we will see what happens with that. That result can seriously inmpact future thought on her O2 levels

Alot of people asked “what the NORMAL O2 saturation is ”

well

90-100% is “normal” generally above 96% is better.

Alexa has been 71-75% at night. You will notice MOST people from about 92% -88% start to get blue in the fingers and around the mouth, 71% um yeah usually WAY BLUE-I would FREAK OUT if this happened-like so much so I dont care what state you live you would hear my screec of PANIC.

Alexa is as pink as a piggy-perfect. Now that my friends is WEIRD. She is one big walkin puzzle piece.

They also agree that due to her heart surgery her O2 levels may normally fall during the night and her body has learned to compensate for that.

So we will see.

Now for the totally AWESOME news-next best thing to going home-

They are giving us 2 DAY passes to go home!

What does that mean you ask? It means that Alexa can go HOME for a few hours during the DAY-tomorrow-where I will then stay at home to prep for her party on Sunday, while her “Pretend dad” (LOL! aka-her biological father-sorry if you knew him or the story you’d get my horrific sarcasm he is quite the jerk) will take her back to the hospital for the night, and she can come home again Suday, for the day in time for her party, then go back Again after. UNLESS by soome miracle she does well enough to be discharged, but Im not even getting too hopeful with that right now. Ill take the little piece I can get right now, and that is giving Alexa her much anticiapted and well deserved day!

Now what is the day pass thing about you ask? 

Since she is perfectly fine during the day, and I am super mom (LOL!) they trust me with her. No pessure right? I can take her home for a few hours. This is not a light thing and not regularly practiced. But when dealing with kids like Alexa when special occassions arise they do their best to let them have as normal a life as possible while getting treatment.

So yeah!

Now for the brownie comment.

I unfortunately am a stress eatter. Being one is a vicious cycle-cause you eat the HUGE MOIST CHOCOLATELY yummy brownie and you feel “happier” till 8 browne hits you in the rear-litterally and nothing fits, then you are depressed again-causing you to eat yet another fine fattening dessert. Now your clothes are snug and definitely NOT happy. All the hard work you did to lose the last bad gain of pounds is out the window!

So by now you will see I found the most amazing brownies here at the store, and instead of snuggles from Jason I am eatting those. WHY OH WHY! I really wish I were a stres anorexic cause then I would look HOT!!! Pre-baby sexy! LOL!

Thank God Jason loves me like I am right? I am very lucky

OK its getting late. I have suffered serious migraines today-most likely stress related-go figure. I was trying to lay down and get some rest, and Alexa wanted to go to the playroom. I was quickly informed “C’mon Mom, let go! You are SO lazy!!!”

KIDS!

I cannot wait to post-the photos and Smilebox of Alexa’s party. Thanks again for the prayers!

Where do I start. Thank you again for the well wishes, emails, thoughts and prayers.

Sorry its late. I ran around all day on less than 3 hours accumulated sleep.

Good News-Ambers murmur is fine! Thank GOD!!! Thank you for prayers and concern-at least I have answers and can rest on that.

More good news-Why seriously focus on the “This hospital stuff sucks, and being here for Alexa’s brithday would suck worse” type attitude. Im over that! I am sitting here looking at her sleeping-and and just plain ole thankful! PERIOD!

You know why? Cause there is much worse a situation that I could be in. She could not be with us. Im am blessed that despite the rollercoaster we are mainly on the UP, compared to too many. So what if we are stuck here. BIG DEAL.

It will be OK.

I believe that. I have to believe that. We will have a next week! And thats all that matters.

SO all in time we will go home and resume our new type normal, we have come to know over the past 1 1/2 years. Whenever her little body is ready.

So PLEASE keep Alexa in prayer for her lungs to clear and let her be free from needing oxygen.

And thanks for “listening” to a crazy sleep deprived, and thankful mom ramble about her new found attitude. One I do usually adopt but this time was late in the game.

Tomorrow is another day.

Ill let you know what happens.

Oh boy, am I ever bummed.

Alexa had a rough night last night, and her oxygen levels were hovering at 75%. Needless to say we will NOT be coming home today. I should have remembered that the minute you get all psyched to go home something comes up.

I hate being here for so many reasons.

God only knows what else she can pick up here as well.

I just saw the doctors this morning since we arent going home. I just found out we may be stuck here till at least Friday!! The family next door to us is dealing with the new reality that their 3 yo little boy has Cancer. So they are busy with them-understandably

This is old hat for us-I remember sitting where she is today. Looking at the long scary road ahead.

I am thankful we are 1 year and almost 7 months into our 2 1/2 year treatment.

Alexa has overcome many obstacles before, so I remain prayerful, and hopeful for my baby, and hers, and every-other person going through this.

There are alot of kids with Cancer on the floor this week-you can see winter is near. We ALL dread this time of year for just this reason-long scary hospitalizations of unknown consequences.

OK Im off now-Alexa wants to go to the playroom, and Im upset. The later we get home the less I get done for her party, and Im just stressed.

Amber had a heart murmur detected and has a cardiology appointment tomorow for tests, that I wont be able to make, and that is really stressing me out.

OK pity party over.

WOW are you all the bestest group of people a girl could have!!! I so appreciate the prayers and support. You have NO IDEA how much it helps me get through. This entire 1 1/2 year process thus far, has aged me 10 years-I swear.

I have excellent news-prayers are really workin!

How many people pray for their child to have a bacterial infection? Seriously?

Well when you child cant effectively fight a VIRUS- you do.

Alexa looks AMAZING today!! Like a whole new girl. Antibiotics are workin and her immunity levels have sky rocketed-in a good way, so much so that they are testing to ensure her immunity level is where it says it is. The test called IVIG. So lets pray that God is showing his power.

If her immunity is LOW then they want to attempt to SAFELY administer IVIG to her. Alexa had an anaphylacitc reaction to that last time they attempted it-like serious!

So Im not too sure Im down with that-even attemptig it again is reall scary, so they may have to get through me FIRST cause Im not thinkin thats gonna happen.

BUT lets see what happens first.

She has gone back to being demanding and ordering me around for 3 different flavors of ice cream and all that fun stuff!

Needless to say, if  all stays well, no fevers, she can get through the night without O2 then we can go home tomorrow!!!

YEAH!!! Im still going abit nutty here-not havin any good coffee! You know me and my Dunkin Donuts. I hardly slept at all-the chair by day bed by night does not cut it. No complaints-it could be worse, I know.

Also an update of the CHaD fundraiser-they were hoping to raise $25,000, and they raised $34,000!! Yeah!! And to all of you who may have participated-thank you!

ll let ya know!

LONG STORY SHORT 

Well the much anticipated possibility has happened-Alexa has gotten pneumonia and here we are in the hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock.

She started to take a turn early this morning-and lo and behold she has pneumonia in her right lower lobe.

Her breathing is labored and she has fevers on and off. She went from OK to so not ok in just 2 hours. She has been so out of it all day, and when she is awake is miserable and vomitting tons of mucous-

Last year when this happened it was a NIGHTMARE, as we have to depend on Alexa’s own immunity to fight this-something that is already compromised by her Cancer and Chemo treatments

We are hopeful she will be OK for her big Princess party this weekend. The doctors are doing their best!

She is on some “big gun” antibiotics, but they are thinking its VIRAL-

Please say a prayer for Alexa, that she recovers quickly, and does OK.

Needless to say I have NO IDEA how long we will be here-and I cant access my photos from here, so no eye candy.

Im so stressed right now-where s my Vanilla Bean and Kahlua Chiller when I REALLY need it?

If you get bored give me a call here! LOL! Alexa is sleeping pretty much the entire time. I forgot how utterly boring and exhausting this is.

Ill keep ya posted! Just need to hope Alexa’s counts fight this nasty bug.