steph's stuff

Why?

I have a million things I could post about - pictures with my new lens, pumpkin carving, field trips, and photo shoots. But, truth be told, my mind has been elsewhere since Friday afternoon. All I can think about is Stef and what she's going through. My heart is breaking for her and her family. I wish this wasn't happening to her. I wish I could take it all away and give her back her life. I wish I could turn back time to when this picture was taken. And I wish there was a miracle cure for this $*#&^%$#%@ disease. Why her????? Why? :(

And, lest this sounds like I'm just sitting here crying, I'm not. I'm ACTing through the tears - I'm finding things to do that might help - I'm researching - I'm planning - I'm DOing - I'm not just sitting here.  She is a dear, dear friend and I won't sit back and let her go through this alone. And I ask that you not either.

Breast Cancer Awareness

I am now aware. You or I can get breast cancer. Without any risk factors. It can strike anyone at anytime. And, yesterday, it struck a very dear friend of mine. I'm devastated, confused, angry, sad, and upbeat and determined at the same time.

Tia has designed a Komen Foundation icon in honor of our friend. Please feel free to put this icon on your own blog. This awful disease needs a cure. And now!!

I think I'm in love :)

I got a new lens today. And some potential good news about a friend. Making for a very happy, happy day!

*ETA: The lens is the Tamron 17-50/f2.8 (here). I was so worried about getting a third party lens, but this one came highly recommended and it has great reviews. So far, the color and sharpness have been outstanding!!!

This was one of those "Mommy needs someone to pose on the front porch for 2 seconds and I'll bribe you" kind of pics. :)

Our trip to Nebraska

We stayed at the most wonderful lodge in Nebraska City - the home of Arbor Day, actually. I can't wait to go back again. We had a beautiful room on the 3rd floor, with french doors overlooking huge orchards and paths into the woods.

Tom and Andrew got ready to go see the Texas - Nebraska football game early, early Saturday morning.

And the girls and I sat and waited for Stef and her kids to arrive. And then they did!!! And I only took a couple of pictures because Stef and I didn't stop talking all day long. We let the kids get to know each other in our hotel room for awhile first and then we went out to an outside tree/nature activity center. The kids got along sooooo well all day long - even in the cold and the snow and generally miserable conditions for an outside day. Then, we all piled into Stef's car (Tom and Andrew had taken our van to the game in Lincoln) and got food for the kids and then we took them down to the hot tub for a couple of hours.

After Tom and Andrew got back from the game (Texas won!!!!!!! - see Andrew's happy face below), I drove to Stef's house (see photo below) and spent the evening with her and her kids. I don't think we stopped talking for a second - we talked scrapping stuff, kid stuff, husband stuff, legal stuff, biopsy stuff, and everything else you can imagine. Good, good times!!! And then we came home the next day. And that's the end of the story. :)  I would do it again in a heartbeat!!!

And, yes, I realize my pics are horrible - I totally didn't care - I wanted to be in the moment not spend my time getting the perfect settings.

Lovin' this!!

I just have to say how much I love this tool!! I've had a the cropadile for months now, but have never sung its praises. And I'm not much of a tool person and I hadn't used eyelets in months, but I love this thing. I can't stop making mini-albums with it!!! And, yes, Stef also loves this silly thing. I'll have an update on our Nebraska trip after I get a chance to download pics. Hi sweet little Zach!!!!

Leeeeaaaavinggggg on a ....

oh boy, no, it's not a jet plane. Rather, we're leaving in a loaded down minivan for a 9 hour drive to Nebraska. Drive there on Friday and drive home on Sunday.

Sound like torture to you??????

NOPE!!! Not even close!

We are a roadtrip family and we can't wait to pile in the van tomorrow. We have activity bags packed for the kids, new mags for me and honey, lots of snacks and drinks, a bit 'o chocolate for me, and we're headed out tomorrow morning.

This trip fell together so darn easily - it was like it was meant to be. Honey and Andrew get to see a Texas game this year after all, and the girls and I .......

get to see Stef!!!!!!!!! :D

(picture of us taken at CKU-A in March 06)

Thank you - one year later

One year ago today, I took Emily to a new pediatrician for her annual physical. And within 2 minutes, she was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes (last year's entry). I was so terrified her health, her wellbeing, and her future. And now we sit here one year later and it's so much a part of her daily life that it doesn't really phase us. She is still not on insulin - her doctor feels strongly that she is stable right now and may stay in this extremely early stage for a long time. So, we are very lucky and have not yet had to deal with daily injections. And we know that it will get complicated in the future. But, for right now, she's so darn healthy and it's just a normal part of our lives to check her glucose levels and adjust her meals accordingly. So, I wanted to say thank you to all of my wonderful friends who have helped us through this past year. You all know who you are - everyone who has left a comment on this blog or emailed me or even hugged me - thank you for the emails, the phone calls, the hugs, the cards for Emily last year, and for just being there. You have made my life so much better than you could ever know.

And on a totally different subject:

WE'RE GOING TO NEBRASKA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

I may have found a roadtrip

If you were paying attention to my last post, you might remember that I mentioned that I was really feeling the need for a roadtrip. And feeling the need to see some scrapping friends. And I was seriously investigating some possibilities and lining up some dates that looked good. Ya know, carefully planning it all out - organizing everyone's schedule, etc...... Capricorns are not impulsive creatures. At all.

And then, as I was talking to dh about a friend and how much I hated that all of my friends were all far away, he said, "She lives in Nebraska, right? Well, it looks like I'm not going to get to Texas for the Longhorns game over Thanksgiving and Texas is playing AT Nebraska next week. Let's roadtrip to Nebraska and I'll go to that game instead and you can visit with Stef."

Um.............OKAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's not worked out yet. I can't find a hotel because it's a Nebraska home game and I'm gonna have to find tickets to the game on ebay, but I MIGHT BE GOING TO NEBRASKA TO SEE STEF next weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

God love a football lovin' dh is all I can say - I would have never, ever done anything this spontaneous on my own. I will admit to totally freaking out about how I'm gonna pull this off and hoping that Stef isn't secretly cussing to herself that she has to put up with me all next Saturday after I invited myself, but maybe Capricorns can learn to be impulsive. :)

Update and stuff

So......I've gotten too busy to keep up with anything lately. Here's my attempt at a catch up post.

• It's been almost 3 weeks since I've scrapped.
• And I don't know when I'll get back to it.
• The good news is that I'm getting some photography clients and the editing and uploading, paperwork, ordering, etc. is what's taking up my time.
• Some of the clients are freebies that are helping me build a portfolio, but then again others are paying clients who contacted me. =)
• But, I miss scrapping.
• My mom was here for a very nice visit.
• I'm volunteering at the kids' school in the media center once/week.
• I'm also room mom for Libby's kindergarten class.
• Both girls are in girl scouts - Emily in her last year of Brownies and Elizabeth is a Daisy.
• Elizabeth is still loving her violin lessons.
• She's gone 5 days without a migraine - the longest in forever, it seems. Fingers crossed that the meds are working.
• I've sold almost all of my Longaberger baskets on ebay. Yeah me!!!
• I have about 9 loads of laundry to do.
• Totally not kidding about the 9 loads - if I do sheets, it's gonna be 10. Ugh.
• I miss my scrapping email friends. :(
• I'm feeling the neeeeeeeeed to get together with some scrappy friends. Anyone want to do something? =)
• I need to find that 25th hour in the day.
• I just found out today that a friend from way back died. Three years ago. Hello, people - I should have known that. I am so totally sad. :(
• Okay, back to photoshop now...........

My mom

My mom to the rescue! We needed a break from the normal routine and Mom provided that. We went shopping, visiting at the kids' school, out to dinner, to the playground, and just played. Great weekend! Thanks, Mom!