Quilts By Nini

Hmm... I wonder

2012-02-02T08:29:00.000-05:00

Some thing I have learned about myself...

When I was working outside the home and making an insane amount of money, I was obsessed with driving new cars. Every year I had to have a new car. Nothing was wrong with the one I had, but I felt I had to have the newest greatest thing around.

When the accident happened and I lost my job, cars no longer held an importance to me. I like to think I have grown to the point that my "must haves " are not as expensive as driving a new car all the time.

I do have to say, the car dealers were more than happy to keep allowing me to purchase new cars...so what if I hadn't finish paying for the car I was driving? They would just roll that amount into the new car! Not exactly the most financially smart way to do it, but hey...I got a new car to drive!

My embroidery machine broke last week.

I really want a new, super big boy Bubba machine. One of those Brother PR650e. It is only around $7000.... and I thought about getting another PE770...and I found where I can get it for about $200 less than what I paid for mine.

In the end, I went the cheapest route. I spent $135 to get mine fixed. I still plan on getting the Super Big Boy Bubba, and I am seriously thinking about getting another machine to use as a back up. But for today, I will stay with my old faithful workhorse Bubba.

I get to go pick him up tomorrow from the Spa. I hope he really enjoyed his stay. He is averaging 2 and a half million stitches a year... NOW...Back to WORK!

Nini

Customer Service part 958

2012-01-28T08:37:00.000-05:00

Yes, I know, I complain about Customer Service a lot on here.

But seriously, I think it is one of the most important parts of running a business...if not THE most important part!

I am having some major problems with my embroidery machine (and the story behind THAT could be several posts on customer service, but I am not ready to go there!). So, I have been looking at a new one.

Since I have very little liquid cash, and not so great credit, I have limited options on where to buy. There is a shopping channel that allows you to get the item with a 4 or 5 payment plan and they don't charge interest. (which means we know that the price is a bit more than a brick and mortar store would charge, so they throw in a few extras to make it worth it)

I saw the exact machine I wanted. Larger hoop, and a few more bells and whistles. But I had zero in the bank account. I put it in my shopping cart and hoped it would be there in the morning so I could order it.

...of course, it was sold out by the next morning.

I researched all day trying to find another model that I could be happy with, but there was some missing information in the item description...like size of hoops. It listed a large and a small. I really needed to know what the size on the large was...since some 5x7 were called large, and others called the 6x10 large. (same manufacturer)

I sent a nice brief (which I know is hard for me to do!) email asking 1- when the machine I wanted was expected to be back in stock, and 2- what the actual hoop size was on the second machine I was considering.

In there defense, they did respond to me within 12 hours....more like 8.

Here it is:

Hello Ms. Morris,

You ask some great questions about our sewing machine products. From personal experience, a sewing machine can be a great investment.

To answer your first question, at this time, I do not have any information available as to when it will be back in stock. I would suggest checking _____ at your convenience for the latest up to date information.

To answer your second question, regrettably, I do not have the information available for the size of the hoop. I would suggest calling Singer customer service at ______; M-F 8am to 4pm CST regarding model number: SES1000 and I am sure they will be happy to answer that question.

I truly appreciate your understanding in this matter and hope you allow us another opportunity to serve you in the future.

Sincerely,

Robert

See...they DID respond to me! They just didn't really answer any of my questions! Now, I get to start the research all over again! If only I had some extra spending money laying around. I would just go to someplace local and buy the machine I wanted and be done with it!

Nini

January review

2012-01-23T11:24:00.000-05:00

As this month is starting to wind down I thought I would take a few minutes to think about how my month has gone ...business wise.

I set several goals for myself this month. I am happy to report that I actually came pretty close to meeting some of them, not so close on others.

I had a goal of 12 marketing projects (small projects that I won't go into here, but they involved making and then mailing them out to prospective customers. I actually finished and mailed only 3 of them.

I had a goal of finishing 8 personal Disney shirts. I actually finished only 6 of them.

I had a goal of making 4 ready to ship dresses and I only finished 2 of them.

I had a goal of making 4 onesies to list on my Etsy shop and I finished zero of them.

I had a goal of making a baby quilt, three onesies, and three burp cloths for a gift and I am glad to report they were actually finished before the baby arrived.

I had a goal of completing a birthday gift for my daughter in law, and I ham happy to report that I finished it so quickly that I had to remember where I put it when it was time to gift it!

In addition to those goals, I also managed to get one customer gift of 8 napkins monogrammed and almost complete another customer order of two onesies and two bibs.

Although my most important goal for the outfits was to try to only use fabric I had on hand! That one was met with a resounding success!

Since to day is only Monday and I still have a week to go, I am pretty sure I will be able to finish the customer order; finish the two personal Disney shirts; and I am pretty sure I will be able to complete at least 3 more of my marketing projects.

All in all it has not been too bad of a month. In my original plans, I had not taken into account that the kids would be out of school for about a week of the month. The kids will be out of school for two weeks next month, (winter intersession) so I will make my plans and goals for the month keeping that in mind.

Sometime in the next week or so I plan on having my daughter in law take some pictures of the outfits I did manage to complete, as well as a couple outfits I have not sold from last Spring. (provided we get a bit of pretty weather this week!) My plan is to have a Spring grand re-opening of my Etsy site.

I do think it is important to note...I managed to meet my goals only spending an average of two hours a day in the studio. I was expecting to spend closer to 4 to 6 hours a day in the studio; five days a week. I am pretty excited about how close I came without spending a lot of time in the studio. Just imagine how well I could do if I just added 30 minutes or an hour!

Nini

Confession time!

2012-01-08T14:20:00.000-05:00

My last three quilts have turned out less than spectacular. Add to that one customer quilt that was really bad and you see a pattern developing. I don't think I have had a single quilt after the surgery that has looked nice. (Forget good or great!)

I now have three outstanding baby quilts for gifts coming up in the next few weeks and I think you see my problem. I am seriously having doubts about my ability to turn out a reasonable gift!

I have some gorgeous fat quarters washed and ready to go down to the studio to become a beautiful baby boy quilt for my niece's new baby. The fabric is perfect. It is going to be a small turning twenty quilt. I am going to make a few onesies and burpies to go with it. I can see it in my mind as a perfect set. I'm seriously wondering if the actual gift will be any where near what I envision.

When the actual quilting starts, I will have to take careful mental notes to see what I am doing wrong (or right) and see what I can physically do to make a change. I refuse to believe I can never do another decent quilt. I'm hoping it is just that I am seriously out of practice. Time will tell.

Nini

A new year...soon

2011-12-26T21:09:00.000-05:00

Marketing.

I hate it.

All day I have been doing some research on various forms of marketing. While I did get a few ideas, nothing really that will help me. While there is a lady that makes her living telling people how to run an embroidery business...I don't want to pay her. I'm sure she has some great ideas. I'm sure she thinks her ideas are worth the price. I just don't have the money! If I had more business I could afford her ideas. If I had more business I wouldn't NEED her ideas.

As another year approaches, I wonder if I should just fold up the business and not even worry anymore. Even though my business made a profit for the first time this year. A whopping $38.00 profit...sort of. (I did not add the cost of the batting to my final amounts, which would make me be in the red again!

Maybe I'll just do some more research....

Nini

WOW!!

2011-12-22T12:53:00.000-05:00

It has really been a long time since I've been on here!

So much has happened, that I don't know where to begin....so I won't! Instead I will jump back in here like I spoke with you yesterday!

Today, Miss Heather came over with her brood and we made Magic Reindeer Food. Had a great time and got to play with Mr William! He was really enjoying looking at all the mixing going on. Since this is his first Christmas, he isn't quite sure what to make of all the activities, but he is sure enjoying it!

To the best of my knowledge, I have finished with all my Christmas shopping...EXCEPT for Christmas dinner. We till haven't made up our mind what we want to do. We have tossed around finger foods, brunch, ham and even a turkey. I only know I don't want it to be much. I would rather it be something small and quick. Of course, Hubby says we should just go to the Chinese restaurant after church...but oddly enough, they will be closed on Christmas Day! The only day of the year they are closed, but closed they are! While the main owners are Buddhist, some of their employees are Christian, so they close.

My poor tree looks kinda scrawny...it is big enough, and decorated nicely, but there are no presents under the tree... Hopefully, Santa will be bringing some loot!

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!

Nini

The decision to Home School

2011-10-26T06:41:00.000-04:00

This morning I am feeling a thousand times better about our decision to home school (not that I was feeling bad about it before!).

Last time we home schooled Mr D, I had to go over one day's worth of lessons for a whole week before I felt he was 'getting' it. Now, we are able to do one to two days worth of work in each subject each day! Sometimes I have to MAKE him stop! He is now wanting for us to read Harry Potter. I've decided that if he is showing an interest in the book we have to do it! So, starting today we will be attempting to read Harry Potter. (well, I will be reading, he will be listening!)

Reading and math are still the subjects that I worry about. He is still a non-reader, and he can now add using a number line, he loves to count out loud, and he has taken to counting to 100 as a way to occupy himself in the car. I'm trying hard not to push him, but yet keep him challenged.

We know that these two subjects will probably always be a struggle for him, just because of the way the brain injury affected him. We are hoping that continued exposure to math and reading will help him start to absorb just a bit more of it. He has always loved books, and has loved being read to since he was a baby.

Yesterday his doctor told me she thinks there is no question that the decision to home school was the best one for him. I have seen no major meltdowns since the beginning of summer. The only ones I have heard about was in information coming from his 'teacher' in public school. (and those generally came as a result from having sugar) I see when he is getting frustrated, and we talk about it and give options for how to handle his feelings. We have verbal cues for when we are in public and he is working through these issues without incidents.

If only the public school could use those simple techniques in the classroom. I mean, she only had seven students and a para pro! How hard could it have been? No, her solution was to lock him in a closet and tell me it was for his protection.

A n y w a y ! We are really enjoying the time together as we home school as well as the flexibility we now have. Some days, Mr D likes to sleep in late...to at lest 6:30! And some days he likes to get up with Sissy at 5. Some days he needs a nap in the middle, and some days he pushes through wanting to get finished before the clock has a certain 'time' on it (kinda like a race against the clock! LOL). Some days we have therapy appointments, and some days we stay in our jammies all day. Some days we have 'class' at the grocery store (sorting, counting, reading labels) and some days we bake cookies.

Those that know me, know I had serious reservations about letting him go back to public school. I only agreed to a month as a trial. But, he was enjoying it so much I gave in. Then, when things started to go bad, I let it go on way too long because he wanted to stay there. I am so extremely happy with my decision to go back to home school.

....now, if I can just find a good name for out little school...

Back to Home School

2011-10-24T07:15:00.000-04:00

What a wild weekend it has been...but then again, the whole week was kinda crazy!

Miss B and the Princess were out of school and home with me. It just didn' seem fair to make Mr D have school when the girls weren't so we took a fall break as well. During the summer, I borrowed the baby monitor so I could work downstairs while the kids were upstairs playing. It worked pretty good...and when they got quiet it was because they were plotting.

This past week...not so much! If I walked all the way downstairs, they started fighting. If I sat on the couch they played quietly. Even if they didn't know I was downstairs, the fighting began once I got the machine turned on. Not a very productive week for the sewing cause!

I had made big plans for the weekend. Miss B was going to be at her sister's house (her reward for straight A's) Mr D and I were planning a weekend of Wii and sewing. Him the Wii and me the sewing.

Unfortunately, I got one of those strange headaches. Not a migraine (which I am used to ) but some sort of extremely hard sharp pain going through my temple. I'm pretty sure it had something to do with my neck, since I popped it a bit right before it started hurting.

This basically meant Saturday afternoon and Sunday were a bust for me. I did manage to get some napkins and a towel monogrammed for our Thanksgiving guests...and managed to get the binding on the other problem quilt. But that was on Saturday morning before the headache set in.

Last night, I started feeling a bit better so I sat down at the computer to play a silly game. The next thing I know is it is after 11pm and I have to get up in less than 5 HOURS! Being out of school for a week really messed up my schedule.

Now it is Monday and we are hard at work in school. Yes, I know it is only 7 am, but we already have 2 hours in . We really only have reading and a bit of math to finish and we are done for the day.

Right now is when I can truthfully say I am so happy Mr D is a morning person like me. We can get school started and finished before most people are even out of bed. Then if we find more interesting stuff to do along the day we can add a few things here and there.

--------------

On mommy's agenda today is to start drafting a letter to the school board and superintendent about the events that led up to home schooling this time around. I keep hearing all kinds of rumors that this principal needs to go...

Nini

Thread..

2011-10-20T11:25:00.000-04:00

OK...I admit it. I am a thread snob as well as a thread geek!

When I first got my quilt machine I thought, thread was thread. I mean how different can it really be? So I stuck a spool of regular Coats N Clark on the thread stand and thought, 'Boy, I'm really quilting now!' Umm...not!

It would not take a single stitch without snapping that thread.

That began a 5 year journey to learn all I could about thread. Even if I thought I was only learning which thread I needed to buy.

Now that I have an embroidery machine, I am learning a bit more about other types of thread as well. Right now, my pet peeve is over dyed thread!

You see that nice shade of purple, or pink, or what ever your favorite color is? Well, in the manufacturing process, there are mistakes...lots of mistakes. When the thread is misdyed, it can't be sold. Some companies, just throw it away. Some companies try to salvage the thread by a process called over dye. In those companies, that is where your black thread comes from.

All that mis dyed thread is thrown into a vat and dyed black. (well, it is a bit more complicated than that, but that is the basic process.) Some companies throw in another process of bleaching the thread a bit to get some of the old color out.

A lot of people realize that black thread is almost always weaker than any other color. Some people assume it is because the black dye destroys the fiber a bit more than other colors. Well, they are half right. It is the dye that is destroying the fibers, but nott he black color.

The process of over dye makes the thread weaker. It is easy to tell if your black thread has been over dyed. If you are embroidering, and you get to the clipping of the jump stitches (especially around the face area where the stitches are small and there are lots of jumps from place to place) and you get these black 'fuzzies' everywhere. THAT is from the process of over dye.

No matter what type of thread, cotton, nylon, polyester, silk...you name it; over dyed thread is weaker than non over dyed thread. I'm sure the thread manufacturer looks at it as a way to make their bottom line look better, and they might even consider it as their way of recycling to help the planet. But for me, I will not purchase over dyed black thread again!

There! I feel much better having warned the general public against buying over dyed thread! (at least the three people who will read my blog anyway!)

Cobbler's Children

2011-10-18T13:49:00.000-04:00

I have done it several times. Put something for my kids on the back burner for my kids or family so that something that HAS to get out immediately can be done...but I have always eventually gotten back to their stuff.

This time, well, that has changed.

A year ago, my youngest, Mr D, decided he wanted his room redone and even picked out the quilt he wanted me to make for him. It had a ton of embroidery on it, and has turned out really cute. I bought the flannel for the backing and got ready to put it on the frame. Only to discover I was out of batting. I finally bought some batting, only to have to put it to use on a different quilt.

Yesterday, I went to put the last of my baby quilts on the frame to get it out the door (only a week late) when I discovered I had either measured or counted wrong. I was a quarter of a yard too short having enough. So, I did what any quilter in a pinch would do...I cannibalized Mr D's quilt. I took the nice large piece of flannel that was to be the backing for Mr D and cut it up to make a backing for the baby quilt I am making...

Eventually I will get back to Mr D's quilt. I only have to buy some new flannel and some new batting!

Nini

Customer Service

2011-10-13T11:50:00.000-04:00

In my previous life I worked in customer service. Most recently as an insurance customer service representative (as well as underwriter) . I helped train other customer service reps. I know a thing or two about customer service. I firmly believe that the absence of good customer service int h US has a lot to do with why our country is in such a financial place right now. I mean, if the only thing you have to judge where to buy something is price, why not go to a foreign country?

There use to be customer service in the United States. We used to pride ourselves in how well we treated our customers. Treat them well and they will come back. I remember when I was younger, much younger, my grand father used to drive out of his way to get gas at a particular gas station and pay a penny more per gallon for it than the closer station. My grand mother used to tease him about it all the time, but his response was always that the guy there always washed his windows just a bit better than at the closer station.

That has always stuck with me.

Now, you are lucky if the gas station even has something for you to use to wash your windows...I mean they even charge for air now.

As a quilter, one of my most important supplies is thread. My quilter is very particular about the type of thread it will use. Then, there is the whole problem of not quilting enough lately to be able to make a minimum order for most wholesalers. And retail? I can't believe anyone would pay those prices!

A few years ago I was fortunate enough to find a good wholesale supplier with good prices and no minimum order requirement. But most important was her wonderful customer service! If I had a question about a particular thread I knew an email would be answered quickly. I knew that her statement that orders were filled within 24 hours was so true. I actually had orders arrive the next day!

I am working on two baby quilts that need to be delivered on Saturday. Last Tuesday, I discovered that I was out of the color of thread I needed for one, an knew I had no thread for the other. I placed an order for the thread and got a few other items as well. True, it was still a small order, but it was right at $50.00. I saw on her website a notice that her website would be changing names soon, but would continue to offer the same quality service as before. Her turn around time was still listed as 'less than 24 hours', so I saw no reason to worry. In fact a lot of the vendors I use have been updating their websites so I didn't give it a second thought.

Yesterday, I got a rather strange email from someone I didn't know stating my package had been mailed. There was no company name...no address...nothing except a strangers name. I tried to click on the 'tracking' info and got absolutely nothing out of it.

Last night, with no fabric here, I sent an email to my favorite thread seller. I was concerned that I wasn't going to get my quilts finished in time. The money came out of my account last Tuesday, so I knew there was no problem there.

This morning I had an announcement in my email. Not only did my thread supplier change websites, but she retired and gave all her customers to another company. That strange info about that package yesterday...yup, that was my notice that the package I have been waiting on for a WEEK has finally been mailed. I am now the unwilling customer of someone I don't know.

Now, I am at the mercy of the post office, I seriously doubt that my package will get here before Saturday (so the quilts will NOT be finished in time for their showers!!!) I cannot even get my login info to work on the new site to see how much the thread has gone up (because you KNOW it has!)

So, these new owners of my customer info have several strikes against them.
1-the manner in which the change took place does not sit well with me. The "notice" was non existent and the change in shipping time is making a huge difference to me.
2-the fact that I cannot get into the site means I am not likely to be a repeat customer.
3-the fact that they sent me the email about my package without any previous knowledge that my package was in their hands.
4-the fact that it is now being shipped via the post office (which has really sucky tracking info) as opposed to UPS as normal.

OK...that is four strikes...I think they are out of here. So seriously thinking about filing a paypal claim. I know I will not get my money back. That really isn't the point at this time. I just want them to respond to the many emails I've sent about my order....some sort of acknowledgement that I am upset....anything!

Nini

All the shirts are finally done

2011-09-11T17:12:00.000-04:00

With a little over 11 days to go, I finally managed to get the last shirt done this afternoon. With each shirt taking about an hour to complete, it was no easy task. Yesterday I managed to get 7 completed; even with taking a detour to Joann's with my oldest daughter.

So, now that I can be reasonably sure that the two kids , hubs, and I will be dressed for Disney, I can go back to more fun things...like planning Disney! LOL!

A few changes to our line up, my daughter and her wonderful husband have decided to join us. Of course, they missed out on all the fun milestones of the countdown, but will be there for the actual fin IN Disney!

I've also gotten a new computer (which is part of the reason the shirts have taken so long.) I needed a design that was in the computer...but the computer had died. After trying for w a a a a y too long to get the computer in the studio to play nice, hubby decided he would go buy me a new laptop. My only problems with it so far is that the keyboard is 'different' and I am having a bit of a problem getting used to typing on it....or maybe I am the one that is a bit 'different' and it is having trouble decifering what I am banging into the keyboard...not sure which!

Wow! It has been a long time...

2011-08-27T08:34:00.000-04:00

I just realized I had been so busy I had forgotten to post on here!

Well, Mr William decided to FINALLY make his appearance on Aug 24. He is perfectly healthy and absolutely gorgeous! It is so nice to be an honorary grandmother again. I can hardly wait to let the spoiling begin... and can you believe this...I am actually letting the family have time together before I swoop down to claim him as my own! LOL!

As (I think) I posted earlier, I am taking my business in a whole new direction. I will be focusing on one or two tshirt designs at a time. Being able to personalize them to the wearer will be so much fun. So far I have a football shirt that has been posted, and while I had some buzz in the beginning, they have not sold as well as I had hoped.

Of course, I have made a few onesies and burp cloths and have decided I really LOVE doing these. I get to have a semi baby fix while working. Getting paid to make things for babies...can anything be any better??!!

Of course, I am putting all the business stuff on hold until October so I can finish getting everything ready for the Disney trip coming up in just 26 days, 18 hours and 32 minutes! The biggest chore I have left to do is the 22 shirts.

And then, the even bigger task is to get some pictures made of all the shirts! I have promised so many people that I would post pictures of them, so I have to get busy on them!

So, here is my very brief update. I promise not to stay away so long this time!

Nini

Happy Anniversary!

2011-08-16T07:46:00.000-04:00

Yup, it is that time of the year again! On this date 34 years ago two important things happened. One, Elvis left the building for the last time; and most importantly, I married my lifelong friend.

This morning I woke up to find a dozen beautiful roses (in my tea picture! LOL!) and a box of my favorite Keruig coffee cups! Gotta love a man who knows the way to MY heart!

Nini

Remotes?

2011-08-11T06:41:00.000-04:00

Our house is some sort of a remote waste land. Ever since Mr D learned how to take batteries out of the remote to power his 'toys', remotes are hard to keep in their 'home'. It is easy to put your hands on a dozen dead remotes at any given moment in time.

So, there are lots an d lots of generic remotes. You know those that can be programmed for any tv, or dvd player. Which is fine. We work very hard on trying to teach Mr D not to cannibalize a remote for his toy, but so far our luck has been mediocre. Of course, our best strategy was to buy a gazillion batteries and keep them around, but it is really funny how fast you can go through a gazillion batteries!

My current problem has to do with the satellite tv system. We have 4 receivers and each one is on a different frequency and requires its own specific remote. They are not interchangeable.

The remote in the bedroom came up missing over the weekend. Since it never leaves the bedroom it should be easy to find. There are only two people who ever watch tv there, and they both understand the concept that the remote must remain in that room. So far, it has eluded capture. (since it obviously has run away!)

This morning, the remote in the living room has disappeared. Now, this one has a bit of a disappearing habit. It frequently attempts to leave the premises, but is usually apprehended in either the toy box, laundry room or one of the kids bedrooms. Its favorite temporary hiding spot is in the cushions of the sofa. Most of the time it is apprehended before it can make its get away.

A quick search this morning was unfruitful, but a full scale man hunt will begin once the kids have left for school. (It has long been suspected that the kids are sympathizers of the fugitives).

Nini

2011-08-08T16:11:00.000-04:00

When last we 'spoke' I had listed two dresses...well, that was the worst experience of my life! One never would get back to me, but I saw she bought another person's dress on the same website, Custom Boutique Resell Group (CBRG). The other person was a piece of work of the highest level. She was a phoney buyer...or more accurately a buyer that was using me as her wholesaler and reselling the outfits and passing them off as her own, and even used MY pictures to do it!

It is the first time I have had a negative experience selling anything, so I was totally taken back! But it did serve as a way to jump start me in redoing my business plan. I'm seriously reworking everything starting with what I am selling to the way I will do business.

I have today listed all my sample dresses on CBRG. Hopefully they will sell so I can get started on my new plans. Stay tuned for more details coming soon!

Nini

Back to Work

2011-07-26T16:27:00.000-04:00

So, today I decided to go back to 'work'. I got two outfits listed on my FB shop, and spoke with a customer about another custom order.

I keep saying that organization is my worst enemy in business, but I think my worst enemy is actually procrastination! I managed to get down to the studio early enough to finish up my boo boo from yesterday (turned out really nice I might add!) but once I came up to put it on the computer, I had a ton of trouble getting myself back down to work some more. I already have two more Back to School dresses cut out, just a few hours and they will both be finished.

Then, I also managed to get one up on the website that has been finished forever, but did not like the pictures of it. Still don't like the pictures, but it is now listed.

This is the Cars outfit.

A total of Nine appliques. It isn't exactly what I had envisioned, but I think it turned out pretty cute.

So, now I just have to finish dinner, and get back down to work on the other two BTS dresses. Motivation...where are you?

Nini

Anniversary time!

2011-07-20T07:15:00.000-04:00

In a few weeks we will be having our thirty fourth anniversary. While I really wanted to go to Disney, it doesn't seem like that is in the cards (especially since we are going in September for a week!)

So I am looking at something special to do next year. But then again, we don't have a lot of luck with the biggie anniversaries...like:

For our 25th, we were going to take a cruise...got two new babies instead!

For our 30th, we were thinking of a big party...got a new grand baby instead!

For our 35th, I was thinking in terms of a Disney cruise with a vow renewal ceremony on board...I wonder if there is going to be an 'instead' for that one?

(of course, the man in question did say he would take me to McDonald's and a dollar movie afterwards if I really wanted to!)

Nini

Not a victim!

2011-07-16T18:32:00.000-04:00

Yesterday and today I have had a killer of a migraine. I mean the kind I probably should have gone to the hospital with...numbness on the right side, unable to move or speak. Of course today's wasn't as bad and didn't last as long, but it did take half my day.

I know that the migraine is partially due to the neck issues I have and the fact that I may need surgery again soon. The neck pain is sometimes so bad, I would love to have a migraine to take my mind off it...almost.

This afternoon I decided I am not going to be a 'victim' any more. I'm tired of the pain in my neck keeping me from getting things done I want to do. I spend every afternoon in pain. So, today started my first day of refusing to give in to the pain.

I walked on the Treadclimber for a quarter of a mile. Not a lot I know, but I kept going until the pain in my hips was too much to ignore and then slowed down. When it was over I had walked for a little over a quarter mile (.28) and I am not hurting right now.

So, my goal is to find a way to do the things I want to do without hurting my neck. I guess some research on ergonomics is in order. And to be more active...I mean I have a trip to Disney in just 68 days. I need to be able to walk all day!

Nini

Technology update...sort of

2011-07-10T07:15:00.000-04:00

Since I last spoke about my silly little printer problem...great things have happened. After weeks of not having a printer, I broke down and .... C A L L E D the company. I know, I know...anyway, they were very helpful. It seems my model of printer does this all the time. So, they sent me a new one...FREE of charge. All I had to do was 1-give them a credit card to hold $89.00 and 2- send the defective one back.

So, I can now print out anything I want to...if I had paper! See, the girls discovered Paper Dolls... I no longer have paper to call my own.

And my software woes are a bit better now. I have given up on the free program! It is so counter-intuitive it is driving me crazy! I have started using the other free trial ..Embird. I love it! I watched two short video tutorials and can make it do what I want...add names for personalization to designs I have purchased. So easy. Well, easy compared to what I was working on!

I think if I had to I could actually merger two purchased designs into one. No actual designing on my end...but I can now personalize things for other people. Of course, now I have to purchase the full software package at $150.... but I guess it is a matter of getting what you pay for!

Now if I can just get my computer issues worked out a bit better...this flat screen hooked up to a laptop is starting to get old really quick!

Nini

I Pod...anyone?

2011-07-06T07:38:00.001-04:00

A little over two years ago, I had this great idea. Since we were going on a trip to Disney, I thought Miss B should have a nice small I Pod to listen to during the long car ride. Valentine's Day, she received a cute pink Ipod Shuffle with her name engraved on it.

That I Pod disappeared before we ever made it to Disney. True, it has turned up a couple of times since then, but only once since the trip.

Fast Forward to this Valentine's Day. I asked her if she would like a new I Pod for this trip. She was all excited...couldn't WAIT to see what she got...a nice lime green I Pod with no engraving...she was beyond happy. Her I Pod has been her constant companion since February.

We decided to get Mr D an I Pod for Easter. Same reason. Another trip to Disney. His was a cute blue one...no engraving. It disappeared during our trip to Savannah.

(Now, in all fairness, I have to say I thought the hotel staff had taken it. We left a bag on the bed that had the earphones in it, and when the I Pod disappeared, I was sure it was in the same bag. Of course the hotel denied ever seeing it...even though the knew what color it was)

Because we used that I Pod as a reward system for Mr D, we really needed it, so Hubby found a white one at a pawn shop for $20. Then, on Friday, the kids were getting some stuff out of the car and guess what they found...a cute blue I Pod...

Yesterday, the kids were playing in Mr D's room and guess what they found...that RIGHT! A Pink I Pod with Miss B's name engraved on it!

So, now we have 4 I Pods for 2 kids. (Not including Mom's) I think my kids have too much electronics!

Nini

2011-06-28T08:39:00.000-04:00

So, my last rant was on technology. I'm thinking this one might be as well!

My printer STILL refuses to work! It keeps telling me there is a paper jam and there is nothing there. I know there is a way to reset the error message, but can not find it! The manual is less than helpful. It tells me to "remove the paper'! I already KNOW this part! I am waiting until 9 am to make the call to Epson...hopefully they will be able to help me. This printer is only a few months old and I am NOT buying another one!

I am trying to learn some new software for the embroidery business. I have lost several orders because I can't personalize the outfits with the Disney font. I have a free version of SEU that has allowed me to do just that. THANKS JILL FOR THE HELP!!

But, I can't seem to make it work for purchased fonts. There is so many cute and adorable fonts out there...so I downloaded a free trial version of Embird. Since it is one of the programs that most digitizers use I thought it would be a good investment.

Now, that is the only thing I have downloaded to the computer (plus we did add a anew flat screen...but no new software). Now, for the past 4 days I have been unable to load anything on the thumb drives. Well, more accurately, I can't get the embroidery machine to recognize anything that I load to the thumb drives. It still only shows the original 4 or 5 design on each drive.

Actually, this problem didn't appear when I downloaded the program, because since then I have downloaded a couple new designs and had no problems getting those to be seen by Bubba...it is just adding anything new...now on to the thumb drives that seems to be a problem.

I plan on getting a new thumb drive and see if the problem is in the actual thumb drive...because the old computer won't let me add anything to the thumb drives either...

I have all this work to do and can't get ANY of it to the actual machine....what a wasted day!

I guess I 'll have to sit by the pool instead...

Nini

2011-06-22T07:44:00.000-04:00

Been a while since I posted on here...truthfully been a wee bit busy and haven't had time to sit down and actually type. I had lots of ideas for posts, but just never had the time.

So, I will start off this post by complaining about technology (or lack of it). When we got back from our trip to the beach, my laptop wouldn't work. Actually just the screen died, so it is now hooked up to a monster of an old monitor so I can see what is on the screen...ARGH!

Somehow, Mr D's IPod got left behind at the hotel. I called back to see if they had found it, and even though the manager knew what color it was before I told him, they haven't seen it...RIGHT!

My printer decided it doesn't love me any more...it had started 'curling' up the bottom edge of the paper (which is the top edge as it comes out...meaning it is not the leading edge) as it prints. Made for a very messy looking piece of paper. Not bad, but if I had had a need to print a customer invoice or something important it would have been hard.

Last night, I was trying to print out the coupon for Chili's free kids meal offer, and it kept splitting the coupon into 2 pages. After 5 tries, I finally had to copy and paste it into a word doc and play with it to print out the right way. (the waitress told me they had a lot of people having trouble printing it out so I guess I can't really blame the printer for that one!)

Then, as a last straw, I had to print out the revised Disney hours for our September trip...and I got a paper jam. Three Times. And it is still jammed, even though nothing is in there. After an hour, I decided I didn't really need the revised hours and shut it off.

Later today I'll see if leaving it in the corner alone for a few hours will give it an attitude adjustment.....

Nini

2011-06-09T10:13:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, it is really difficult to post some things. Trying to be vague in details to protect the innocent, will sometimes have the effect of protecting the guilty. So, as this is weighing very heavily on me today, I will only talk in vague terms and silently convict the guilty.

When one person makes a selfish decision, it not only impacts their own lives, but those of so many more. It impacts your family, all those who know you, your friends and coworkers, your spiritual family, and even people who never met you. It impacts your victims and their family, their friends, coworkers, spiritual family, and casual acquaintances. The impact can be subtle and not so subtle. The impact is long term and has many still unforeseen consequences.

I've often heard people ask how God can allow bad things to happen to good people. But, God allows the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. He allows free will. He allows the guilty to make victims of the innocent. He also allows us to rally around the innocent to try and protect them. He allows us to decide how we want to deal with our anger and hurt. It all boils down to choice.

I know that everything happens for a reason. I also know better than to question God when I can't see the reason. It is there, we just have to wait a bit and keep searching.

So, as you make your choice today, think about how long term those choices can be.

Nini

It is Nursery Time!

2011-06-06T08:44:00.000-04:00

After 6 weeks of work and fun, it is time to put the nursery together. Although I am not 100% happy with the way everything turned out, I do think it will turn out pretty cute!

Let's see, I got three burp cloths (and I have no idea why only 3...it was supposed to be 4!); five bibs (again, it was supposed to be 6); one crib sheet (which I cheated and bought!); one window treatment; one bumper pad; one foot stool reupholstered (easier than I thought); one set of rocker cushion slipcovers (NOT my forte); one diaper bag; and one quilt.

Missing are the nursing cover up; changing pad, and pillow for the rocking chair.

The nursing cover up ...well, I just couldn't find the pattern I liked. None were quite 'right', so I am still working on that one.

The changing pad...I completely FORGOT it! I know Mama is looking for a contoured one for the actual nursery, but I wanted to make one to put in the diaper bag...One that is washable and matched the bag. I had decided to wait until after the Diaper bag was finished and completely forgot it until a few minutes ago. I guess it will come a bit later.

The pillow...well, I ran out of batting, so I have to wait for it to come back on sale. It usually runs on sale every couple of weeks, so I'm sure it will be time to finish that in a few weeks.

Now...the pictures will come later. I want to make sure Momma is completely surprised, and she might just peak here for some clues!

...guess I better make sure I have batteries in the camera!

Nini

Savannah and Tybee

2011-06-02T08:25:00.000-04:00

Was GREAT! We had a blast. The weather was perfect (even though they had 2 days of record high temps, we chose those days to be at the beach, where it was 10 degrees cooler and had a nice breeze blowing!). We did a lot of educational side trips (even though the Princess did not like one of them) and still managed to have a ton of fun.

Of course, one of the times when the kids had the most fun was at the hotel pool. Strange how something so minor could become on e of the highlights of the trip! The kids managed to convince dad to get in the pool as well. We had the whole pool to ourselves.

The Princess was a bit hesitant at first to leave the steps, but once she did...look out! She was on the rope in just a few seconds flat...she can move just as fast in the water as he can out of the water.

Mr D had purchased a snorkel and goggles at the beach and was dieing to try them out. Unfortunately he doesn't understand the concept that the top of the snorkel has to remain above water if you want to breathe in...and after a week of using them in the pool at home, he still doesn't get it!

Miss B still thinks she should have been a fish. It would have been so much easier to enjoy the water, knowing that you never have to get out!

We tried to eat at some local places, but the one time we tried at the beach...well, it was less than stellar. Our favorite meals ended up being at the 'chain' restaurants we could have eaten at while at home. We did eat at one place for lunch on River Street that was pretty good...but was a bit too heavy for the heat.

We all came back tanned, and tired!

Now, to get sewing for the Disney trip...I am sooooo far behind!

Nini

Vacation?

2011-05-21T09:14:00.000-04:00

Well, it is official. I have procrastinated so perfectly that this morning when I woke up, there was not a SINGLE item packed!

Those that know me know how odd that really is. I usually start packing as soon as the dates are firm! At the very least I have a packing list ready with a list of things that need to be bought. We leave in two days.

Normally, the husband is in charge of getting the vehicle ready to travel. He is also in charge of getting his own things packed. And oddly, he loves to go shopping the night before we leave to get anything that has been forgotten.

This trip he has to work over the weekend. So all those jobs are now mine. Sometime this weekend, I have to find time to get the van serviced and detailed, gassed and packed. And I haven't even started PACKING!

To top it off, Miss B has no clothes to wear! She is so hard to buy for! Yup...she is at THAT age. Of course, she has a complete weekend planned with church activities and spending time with her older sister. I'm not sure exactly how that is going to work itself out. Probably she and her Dad will take a late night shopping trip Sunday night.

Of course, every time we go on vacation, something happens back here that requires at least one phone call from work to the husband. (once he even got a call from the bad guy's mom. She was afraid her son was about to get shot, seeing as how they had him surrounded. His advice to said worried mom? "Tell him to give himself up!")

So, we always wodder what is going to happen with this trip. Sometimes it makes for an interesting trip. Is THIS the call? How about THIS one?

And of course, there is always the added adventure of always seeing someone that knows the husband. Now, we have gone to his hometown. It is about a 14 hour drive from where we now live. VERY small town. Does he run into anyone that knows him from when he was a boy? No, we run into someone that knows him from HERE! We never go to Disney without someone recognizing him. While we haven't been to the beach in a long time, we never go without running into someone that knows him. (A few times it has been the bad guys that recognize him. Can be a bit strange to be at a restaurant somewhere a long way from home and hearing someone say..."I know you! You arrested me back in.....")

I suppose, if I really want to get something done, I need to get off the computer and get to work.

(and to any bad guys that are interested in the fact that we are going out of town...our house will still be occupied! Large size son and two dogs........)

Nini

Time to BRAG!

2011-05-20T12:14:00.000-04:00

A few years ago, we tried to get Miss B tested for advanced classes at school. I mean she did get out of Kindergarten reading on a 6th grade level. You would think they would have some sort of program for gifted kids that were bored out of their mind in SECOND grade.

Her teacher at the time said she did not qualify for even testing for the gifted classes. She felt Miss B was struggling in class...even though she was making straight A's. She would not pay attention in class and didn't do her homework at home...she did it at school during class and her teacher wouldn't let her turn it in early, so she just didn't turn it in.

(I am no expert, but it seems to me if a student was bored in class and make straight A's that is not exactly struggling, that is true boredom!)

Shortly after, we started home schooling.

During our last days at that public school, she was recognized by the school board as having aced her CRCTs.

Today, she graduated the fifth grade with several awards. Among them...an award for scoring the highest (a perfect score) on the language arts part of her CRCTs. She also won an award for highest score (of her class) on her standardized writing test. She also got her award for the Beta Club, for being on the merit roll, and a couple of others. One she did not get was perfect attendance. But, very few of the kids that got the perfect attendance award got very many other awards.

Who says Disney School isn't a learning experience?

Nini

I love Mr D...I love Mr D...

2011-05-06T12:30:00.000-04:00

Yes, I am repeating this over and over in my head...and even a few times out loud!

For the past few months we have been experiencing a change in his behavior. While it was expected, it is not welcomed. Meltdowns have gone from a weekly occurrence to a many times a day occurrence. Some have been violent, some more subdued. He is learning things at school that I do not like, but now that he has seen these work for other kids, I really don't know how to 'unlearn' this behavior.

This morning he had a major meltdown before school. Started with his bath, and ended with his getting dressed for school. By the time he left on the bus, it was over and he was all smiles and his sweet self.

...then I went downstairs to discover the FLOOD!

Seems more water went on the floor than it did in the tub...there is actually a part of the ceiling that has given away in my studio. (all be it a small piece...it is still there!). My first clue was a water puddle by the door way...then water soaked boxes (and contents) on the table, followed by the soaking t shirts that just came in for our Disney trip.

I at first hoped it was the refrigerator that was leaking...nope, a quick look at the ceiling confirmed...water fall started in the bathroom directly overhead...more accurately, in the bathtub from Mr D's morning bath time fun.

Now it seems our choices are...a very stinky boy...or Momma giving a boy his daily bath. I see no good coming from either answer...sigh!

Nini

I Miss my mommy!

2011-04-22T06:50:00.000-04:00

Determined not to write a long, sad post. So I will make it quick.

Six years ago today, My Mom left us for heaven. It was sudden and unexpected. The resulting pain and grief will be with me until the day I see her again.

By the way, Mom, your roses are beautiful this year!

Nini

2011-04-19T07:10:00.000-04:00

On Friday is the sixth anniversary of the accident that took my Mom. I went in to the week knowing it was going to be emotional for me. (And, yesterday was the anniversary of my Step father's funeral.)

Yesterday, a lovely woman at church died. I think she was in her 90's; and she had Alzheimer's . She had lots and lots of children, grand children, great grandchildren, and a few great, great grandchildren. (In fact, just a few weeks ago, she was living with her daughter, who is raising her own great grand daughter!)

This was especially hard on Miss B. Every time she saw Miss Eva, she would give her a hug. She knew that Miss Eva probably didn't remember her; but she felt that giving her a hug each time she saw her might make her remember her a little bit. She also thought it was sad that Miss Eva would forget that people loved her. So, by giving her a hug, she would at least remember for a few minutes that she was loved.

I love my daughter and her sweet, sweet heart.

Nini

Poor Bubba!

2011-04-16T11:39:00.000-04:00

Well, Bubba has been under the weather for the past week. In the middle of a shirt for Disney he decided he didn't like the design and messed up royally. I diagnosed the problem, researched the cure and attempted a home grown remedy.

He got better, then today took a turn for the worse. He will visit the 'doctor' on Tuesday. But until he gets well, I have no embroidery machine.

So, now I have no projects to work on. I have about 20 projects working (counting all the Disney shirts as just one project, by the way) and evidently they all involve the embroidery machine. I have a couple of baby gifts I can plan, but they really need the embroidery machine to carry out. The kids rooms still need some stuff made, but, again, I need the embroidery machine to do them, and I really don't want to cut out the drapery panels until I can embroider the trim.

In looking through all my possible projects, I seriously can't find a thing that does not need Bubba to finish the project...and as all the embroiderers out there know, you generally have to do the embroidery first...

One of those times where you don't realize how much you need something until you can't use it. Although I probably should have realized it...considering I have almost 4 million stitches in about 14 months time...and I was unable to use it for a couple of months due to the neck surgery! Oh yeah...Brother recommends you have your machine serviced at 1 million stitches....

Nini

Fabric!

2011-04-08T20:38:00.000-04:00

For the past several months, I hae been agonizing about how to better store my fabric. I've seen lots of expensive 'solutions' that don't seem (at least to me) to really be workable in my studio. As I was sitting at the embroidery machine tonight doing a test design for a friend, I realized that I had a full kitchen in my studio that we weren't using as a kitchen. In fact the last time any food had been made there was a couple of years ago!

I have a whole row of empty cabinets...uppers and lowers! So now, they are starting to be filled with nicely folded fabric. Unfortunately, my pile of fabric is not going down as quickly as I had hoped. I've barely made a dent in it and have already filled two cabinets!

I think I need to work on a few more storage ideas before I decide this problem is solved, but at least I think I am finally on the way to a better storage system!

Nini

From Facebook

2011-04-07T08:16:00.000-04:00

Next time you see a child ' misbehaving' or hear a child screaming, please stop and think, 'could that child have special needs or sensory issues?'. Please spare a thought for the child who struggles to stay calm and regulated and for the parents who are constantly stared at, judged and criticized. *Make this your status in support of ...families living with autism and special needs.*

One of my 'online' friends had this as her status this morning. When I saw it, I almost burst out in tears! I can't even count the number of times people have thought Mr D was just misbehaving. (even had one unfortunate incident where someone who didn't 'know' Mr D tried to discipline him to stop being bad...did NOT end well!

Sometimes I think I should make out cards to pass out when we start having melt downs (or as you might see it a 'temper tantrum' ) Or maybe a sign for him to carry on those bad days!

Nini

Wild and funny ride!

2011-04-05T09:34:00.000-04:00

Last night we had another of those Spring storms the south is known for. We knew it was approaching, but with 80 + weather it was hard to think about a ...storm?

As the evening grew closer, the clouds started pouring in and the wind really kicked up. Soon, it was too hard to ignore that it was coming...but too warm to actually close the windows. (and since we knew a really cold front was behind it, no need to turn on the A/C!)

Hubby had taken the kids fishing; and then a second trip with our Son in Law. They were just getting back from their fishing excursion when the kids went to bed. We still had an hour or so before we needed to start worrying about the storm, so all was fine. However, the wind was so bad I had to lock the deadbolts to keep the doors closed.

Hubby got home from the clean up of the fish (but, knowing him, NOT the clean up of the mess!) around 11...just as the storm was about to hit. We watched the approaching storm on the tv (that is when the satellite didn't go out!), and made the decision to get the kids up and go to the basement around midnight.

Now, at this time it actually had just started raining a bit. We decided to go down really early! But the weather man was painting a doom and gloom picture of what was happening around us, so we decided to be safe rather than sorry.

We have an office that is built in an interior room of our basement. In fact, you can't hear ANYTHING from outside when you are down there. We have recliners in there for the kids to sleep in, so they were all toasty and happy.Well, the dogs don't like it down there, so we had a bit of trouble keeping them down. I suggested we turn off the light in the stair way (since they are both a bit of chickens in the dark!)

Hubby decided it would be better to close the door leading to the stairway. Now...before I go any farther, you have to know that the doors on both sides of the stairway lock. At top and bottom. It is for security purposes. When the house was built, the basement was an unfinished area. At the top of the stairs is a lock that you can easily pop...like a bedroom or bathroom lock; while at the bottom, it requires a key to go up.

Whenever I close that door I always check to make sure it is not locked. In fact, I rarely close it when I am downstairs. (I think you can see where this is heading! LOL)

After the storm was over (more or less) we were ready to head back upstairs. I woke up the kids and hubby was going to go on up to fix another cup of coffee. Yup, you guessed it! The door to upstairs was locked from the other side and we didn't have the key with us.

Normally this would't have been an issue...since we rarely lock the back door to the kitchen. But this time all the exterior doors were locked with the deadbolt!

Now, hubby likes to think of himself as a McGyver type. So, he proceeded to try and pick the lock. No luck. Then he decided to use a knife to jimmie the lock. No luck. Then he decided to take the hinge bolts out (why are they on THAT side of the door anyway??!) Well, he got them out, but the door still wouldn't budge!

He went back to my studio...I thought to see what other tools I had to work with. No, he went out the basement door, in the rain, up to the kitchen to make sure the deadbolt was locked. It was. (by this time the kids were back asleep in the office and I was thinking of turing on the sewing machines to do a bit of work!)

After a few minutes,(a little after 1am) we started hearing a lot of commotion upstairs (yes, it woke up the kids). You have to know that during the worst of the storm we could not hear a thing from outside. At one time they said it was almost a continuous lightning strike!

Down the stairs comes hubby....he had broken into my house through the kitchen window. It was the only one he could find unlocked! When he went to open the stairway door to 'free' us from the basement...he forgot that the pins were out of the hinges and almost knocked himself in the head with the door!

So, now my basement door is sitting in the basement entry way. I think it will stay there for quite some time. And...I am sure that the next time hubby closes a door he will check to see if it is locked from the other side first!

Nini

Why is it so hard to find....

2011-04-04T09:09:00.000-04:00

a child sized dress form? I mean really. If I had $300 to spend I can find lots and lots. I want a nice pretty one... but I can't seem to find any. I can get an old boring one for under a hundred...just no pretty ones!

I guess if I didn't have any money at all in my pay pal account I would be able to find what I was looking for...oh well!s

Nini

Fabric Storage

2011-03-20T19:01:00.000-04:00

URGH!!!

It seems that no matter what I do to the studio, it still is a monster mess! My fabric is stored in plastic bins, but seems to have taken a life of its own and is sneaking into the rest of the room. I have places for thread storage, places for scissor storage, places for ruler storage, places for sewing machine feet. I even have a spot for the storage of the big roll of batting.

I have a cutting table (that doubles as an ironing board with the right top), a place for my serger, a place for my sewing machine, a place for my embroidery machine, and even a place for the extra sewing machine that belongs to my daughter. I have a computer desk, a tv, and my 12 foot quilting machine frame.

I even have a kitchen sink (as well as a refrigerator and stove!)

But no place for my fabric! I've thought and thought and researched...but I am at a loss as to how to tame my fabric. Part of the problem is I have small pieces and large pieces. I usually purchase fabric in 5 yard increments, but sometimes I will only buy 2 yards. Then after my project is finished, I will have the left overs. Sometimes less than a yard, sometimes more. The, I also save the even smaller pieces for my embroidery and applique.

I know the first step is to try and purge some of the smaller pieces, but that is really hard for me to do! Who knows when I might need some of that particular fabric in an applique?

I have a couple of projects about to get started, and the possibility of a large project coming soon, so being able to find things is a must! Maybe I can come up with a plan....

If you have any ideas, send them my way!

Nini

IEP mess

2011-03-15T16:13:00.000-04:00

Since Mr D's IEP meeting back in October, I really didn't look at the ACTUAL paperwork. I mean we talked about all the things he needed, and were all in agreement on what should be done. In fact his teacher was upset that the HWT was agreed upon by the OT that was in attendance. The subject of the HWT lasted for almost half of the 3 plus hour meeting.

So, now that she is basically refusing to use the HWT method, I read through the IEP for the first time. It does NOT mention HWT to be used in the classroom, only that they should use 'block lettering'. In fact, a lot of what we discussed was not in the final written IEP.

This is very upsetting. I assumed that since there was so much discussion on the subject of what type of handwriting was to be used, and the various ways it could be accomplished, that something about it would be included in the final paper.

I have learned some important lessons. Read each and every word and compare it to my notes, prior to signing it. Never assume that the school is out for the best interests of the child, and never think ...not even for a second...that if things are going smoothly at school, that the first two things won't come back to bite you in the behind.

On our next IEP I will have someone else there with me as well as taping the meeting. I will not sign it until I have taken it home to read and study. Once I sign it, it becomes a legal document. I am so tired of dealing with a school that doesn't really care about the child. Only about getting the money and making their life easier.

A bit harsh...I think not.

Nini

Decorating a Pre-teen's room

2011-03-08T15:13:00.000-05:00

OK...this has been in the process since Christmas! Now we are in March, and I am still at it! I found a perfect bedspread/quilt; found the perfect wall paint; found an area rug that matched perfectly. I have been looking for either window drapes or fabric since sometime in January.

I thought I had found it. Fabric.com was having a great sale. I love the Fairy Frost line by Michael Miller. It is so scrumptious! So, I ordered 11 yards of the Leaf color and 2 of the Orchid. It came in today. The Orchid is perfect. The Leaf...not so much!

I know you should always pick the paint last. Paint is the easiest thing to match up. But once we found the quilt, I thought it would be easy from there on, so we settled on the three colors for her wall and painted.

The paint's name is Light Willow. It is a spring green with a hint of blue undertones. The fabric is the right spring green, just not the right undertones. Too much yellow and not enough blue. (and, yes, I understand that a spring green has yellow in it...but it can have blue undertones as well)

So, now I have to decide if I want to keep trying to find a fabric that will match better, or just go with this. Miss B will be home from school soon...maybe I'll let her decide!

Nini

Out of the mouths of Babes!

2011-03-01T08:29:00.000-05:00

As I play with my grand daughter each day, I am amazed at how much she is like her Daddy at that age!

There, amongst all the three year old nonsense, she has some amazingly clear thoughts, and knows how to argue her points!

Today, she wanted me to snuggle while watching Disney on tv. I told her I had to mop the floor. She explained the only Mommies mop the floor and I was a Memaw, so I had to snuggle. That is what Memaw's do!

When I tried to explain that I was a mommy too, she informed me I was only a Memaw because Miss B and Mr D were at school. I couldn't be a Mommy until they came home!

She know what she wants and knows how to argue her point! Maybe a lawyer in the making!

Nini aka Memaw

Disney is on...and maybe add .....?

2011-02-27T08:08:00.000-05:00

With all the talk about the government shutting down next Friday because the kids in Washington can't play nice and decide on a new budget, got us worrying about our income tax refund check. It was due to be back next Saturday. Kinda scary. We started preparing for it by getting all our ducks in rows...

Imagine my surprise when I saw that it was already in the bank!

It made us start thinking in earnest about how we were spending it. We have a couple of bills that needed to be paid for (some dating back 6 years to before the accident...when I actually made lots of money!) And after they were paid there wasn't going to be a lot left over.

In the mail yesterday, one of the bills had a settlement letter. You know, one of those that say you owe us this amount, but if you pay us this amount within 30 days we will call it even. That new amount is less than half the original amount! Doesn't take a rocket scientist to decide what we were going to do!

So, after Monday...our basement remodel will officially be paid for! It only took us 7 years!

But, that left a lot more money for us to 'play' with. After much discussion...I am getting the deck around the pool (wooooo hoooo!), hubby is going to pay the room and meal portion of the Disney trip (another big woooo hoooo!) and.....we are going to try and squeeze in a short 3 or 4 day trip to the beach!

I may be getting THREE vacations this year! One to Disney; one to the beach; and one sitting around my own pool! Can a girl get any luckier than that!!!!!

Nini

Been a long time...

2011-02-20T08:18:00.000-05:00

Wow...it has been almost a month since I posted here. I guess that is a good indication as to how sick I really was. I had the flu, followed by a sinus infection. Unfortunately, as the sinus infection seems to be getting better, it wants to settle in my chest....and we all know that means a bout of either bronchitis or pneumonia. Neither of which I want...so I am planning on ignoring it and maybe it will go away!! LOL!!

The weather was beautiful yesterday, so we took a trip a couple hours east to Augusta. Did a bit of shopping at the PX at Ft Gordon, and had a nice and noisy drive home. (Mr D had a pack of gummy worms before we left Augusta...hyper city!)

The topic of conversation on both drives was Disney in September. It appears that it is a GO! I will make the down payment the first of March and hope for free dining.

Of course, Miss B will not be wearing any dresses, so I only get to make some t shirts for this trip. I have been informed, also by Miss B, that she does not want to match with us. We'll have to see what that actually means. LOL

It is so nice to have a trip to plan for!

Now if we can just make a decision about home schooling ...

Phones!

2011-01-22T08:38:00.000-05:00

Well, I was all ready to come into this century with a new fangled web enhanced phone. I had actually narrowed it down to a choice between the I Phone and one of the new Android phones. I have spent the last week or so researching the phones and plans to see what would work best for my budget and wants.

Last night, I got to play with one of the Droid phones and decided I love it. Since I hadn't been able to actually hold one of the I Phones it was great to feel how it .. felt in my hands.

So, I come home and try to just upgrade my current phone with T Mobile and get the phone of my dreams. Wait a minute. It is going to be HOW MUCH to upgrade? I can get the phone as a new customer for only 80.00; but if I upgrade I have to pay full price of...499.99??

Seriously? I have been a customer of T mobile for over 6 years! Even with problems I have remained loyal, when my phone stopped working after only 6 months, I remained loyal...even though they told me the phone wasn't under warranty! When they charged me twice for the same phone (and took me over 4 months to get it straightened out) I remained loyal.

So for my loyalty...they charge me over 4 times what a new customer would be charged! It is making the I Phone look better and better.

And, for that whole number portability thing...it only applies if you change companies. If you stay with the same company, you can't keep your number if you just start a whole new account! GRRRRR!

OK...I still have 3 weeks before my contract is up...and I can wait until then to make the decision...but seriously!

Nini

It is clean! And there is a FLOOR!

2011-01-16T07:14:00.000-05:00

Miss B is somewhat of a hoarder. We have had a real time of it getting her to keep a fire code violation free bedroom. I came up with a new plan and some strategies from Mr D's therapist.

For Christmas, we were going to redo her room. She got to chooses the colors, fabrics, everything except the furniture (which is barely a year old and she chose that)

For the past 2 weeks we have been painting her room. I used to paint a room that size in less than a day, but I have discovered my neck is not as happy painting as it used to be. I have been working around the junk and the stuff and well, the garbage as I went from wall to wall to paint.

Yesterday, we bit the bullet, finished up the painting (except for some touch ups that will happen today after church services), and started tackling her room. An hour later, her room was semi-clean. The only left was her closet. So, we made a deal...if she got her closet finished before dinner was ready, I would fix them hot chocolate to drink...

I'm not sure how hot chocolate was such a big motivator, but it was. It took her less than 45 minutes to find her closet floor, and to get it VACUUMED!! A total of 4 garbage bags came out.

She is now allowed one plastic bin to keep all her treasures in. Nothing more. If it doesn't fit in her treasure box, then it goes out. If she wants to keep more, then something in there has to go out. We have been working up to the treasure box for the past month, and she really seems to have taken to the idea. I am really surprised at how well it has worked!

Now, in February I will have the floor guy come in and put down her new hardwood floors. I already have the bedspread and shams, and have the pattern to make her some really cool pillows. We are going looking at fabric for curtains today or tomorrow.

I think it is really coming together.

And most importantly, she is super uber proud of herself for doing it.

Nini

School...or the lack thereof!

2011-01-12T10:55:00.000-05:00

Just got a call that services were cancelled for tonight. Seems the back roads are still pretty treacherous and slick. So we were discussing the possibility that school will also be cancelled for tomorrow.

Which brings up the possibility that we won't get back to school until next week. Monday is a holiday, so we could conceivably not go back until next Tuesday.

The last day the kids were in school was December 17...for only a half day. It may be January 18 before they get back! A whole MONTH out for Christmas break! If that had happened when I was a kid I would have thought I had died and gone to heaven!

The snow is only pretty for so long. Playing in the ice and cold is only fun for so long. Staying in the house with a crabby Mom can only be an adventure for so long. I believe it is time to say "So long" to the 'vacation' and "Glad to see you " to the new school year!

Please!

Nini

Bring on the milk and bread!

2011-01-09T08:03:00.000-05:00

Officially, the totals of ice are up and snow is down. Not sure if that is good or bad, but we are starting to plan for it. After church services today, we will make a short shopping trip to get some much needed items like ...well, milk and bread!

For generations, people here in the south stock up for disasters by purchasing milk and bread. I have always done my part by getting a new loaf of bread and a gallon of milk, but have never quite understood the 'why'. I mean, what can you really do with milk and bread? It isn't going to get your electricity back on any sooner, it won't keep you warmer, it won't even make a good meal!

But, somehow, it makes us all think we are prepared for what weather might come our way. Hurricane, Blizzard, Tornadoes, or even Floods. It doesn't matter what gets thrown our way, we can survive if only we have milk and bread.

I am seriously thinking this may have been our problem during the civil war. We stocked up on milk and bread when Sherman started knocking on our back door instead of bullets.

Nini

Snow?

2011-01-07T19:16:00.000-05:00

I chose to live in the Atlanta area for a reason. A big part of that was the weather. Sure, winter gets cold, but it only lasts a few weeks at best, and we get snow ....maybe once a year.

This year I was pleasantly surprised to have a White Christmas. According to the record books, it is the first one in over 150 years.

But when ...for the second time in two weeks that dreaded "S" word is in the forecast...that is a bit too much!

The weather forecast is changing every few minutes. The latest one has us getting between a tenth of an inch to a quarter of an inch of ice...followed by SIX inches of SNOW between Sunday night and Monday night. Seriously? We had 58 degrees today.

I am seriously hoping that this is just an exaggeration on the part of the weather people. I really NEED the roads to be clear on Tuesday morning! The kids are supposed to be going back to school on that morning! I need my break!

While I ponder that, I'll go gather up all the supplies needed for an extended period without power. And...of course, for us in Atlanta, that includes milk and bread!

New Years

2011-01-03T08:04:00.000-05:00

So, here it is...finally...the first Monday of the New Year. Normally the day kids go back to school, but because our school district is trying to save money, we don't go back until the 11th.

Been thinking and rethinking my 'resolutions' for the new year. They really aren't something that is totally written down...and they generally get started and stopped and then restarted through out the year. Of course, for me and our family, one of those is to loose weight. Since I am the gate keeper for the kids this should be a little easier than normal. I mean, I can't very well cheat when I won't let the kids cheat...

Now, on to the money one. I am seriously rethinking the whole Disney vacation thing. I know I can make it work, but it will be really tight. I really need a new stove. I really want to go to Disney.

Need vs want.

A new stove will be more energy efficient (people that know my stove will say "Duh!"). It will save me money in the long run, it will be more fun to cook on day after day (hmmm maybe keeping me on the diet!), and would just look a lot nicer than the one I have!

A trip to Disney will be a LOT of fun....for one week!

The new stove will cost less than half that of a trip to Disney...meaning I could almost get the matching refrigerator for the same price...but I don't NEED a new refrigerator.

Sometimes it is really hard to be the adult around here...

Yup...I am planning another Disney adventure!

2011-01-02T14:31:00.000-05:00

Although, it is a bit difficult when you don't know the dates! LOL

I am waiting on the school system to give us a calendar for next year. will be be on the 180 day schedule or the 160 day schedule?

I'm pretty sure it will be during the Fall break which is generally in October, but the exact week changes quite often.

Since I won't be making customs this trip (boo) I will have more time to plan the t shirts I will be making! And of course, since it will be for only 5 or 6 days, it will be even more challenging to find the perfect restaurants for each night. We will only be getting the 4 day park hopper passes available on the military salute, so adding more days is completely out of the question.

...of course, if we end up going before September, we could save about 30 bucks a night....that is how much extra the dining plan will be for a 'Disney Adult' as opposed to a 'Disney Child'. Each member of the family gets to choose one restaurant, and then we will vote on the remaining one or two.

==================

Of course, we are still planning a family vacation to Branson in May/June....I so hope my money goes a bit farther than I think it will! LOLOL

Nini

2010-12-31T15:28:00.000-05:00

I am a quilter.

A quilter that hasn't really quilted much since I discovered sewing customs for Disney.

I am also a sewer; an embroiderer; an appliquér; and an all around fabric junkie.

So my question to all you fellow fabric-a-holics... how do you store your small fabric pieces. And how small is too small?

I have an over the door shoe rack that was supposed to hold all my fabric for applique. But somehow, it exploded and I probably need two more to hold the small pieces. Then, there are those pieces that are too large for the shoe holder, but too small for any thing else.

Organizing your fabric stash should be fun!

Nini

The New Year is coming...

2010-12-28T08:27:00.000-05:00

The New Year is barreling down on us, ready or not. This year, while I am ready for a new start on a brand new year, I am not ready.

The only resolution of any consequence is for the whole family to loose weight. We start our diets on Monday. Since hubby and I really need to loose some serious pounds, and both kids are starting to get chubby, it is time for a family wide (no pun intended) diet and fitness program.

I think the hardest might be Mr D. His teacher gives him candy as a treat for good behavior and getting his work done. He is so NOT going to be happy with that change!

I also want to work a bit on the business. I would like for it to grow (at least to a point where I have a positive cash flow) but I am not 100% sure I am willing to devote the time to it. I prefer to take a slower, more leisurely approach to it! LOL!

I have some organizational issues to deal with in my studio...I need more storage ideas for my fabric stash...and I am going to re-do both kids bedrooms.

I have a trip planned to Missouri to visit family, and would like to take another Disney trip, but that might be on the back burner.

Last year I wanted to try and blog at least once a week. Looking back over the year I managed to just about meet that goal....

And I did manage to get the studio moved to the basement, as well as get an embroidery machine.

I sold a few items, and sewed a ton of stuff for our Disney trip...

And lastly, I got cheated by someone on an online sale! That one still burns! (although the story is not yet over!)

I hope all your dreams for 2010 came true and that you have a lot of things planned for 2011.

Happy New Year!

Nini

In just one short week...

2010-12-17T12:47:00.000-05:00

it will be Christmas Eve, and my family will be gathered around for Christmas festivities (including the traditional meal).(sorry Korey, no hot wings this time!)

And then the new year will be upon us before we know it. Time to start thinking about New Year's Resolutions. Maybe I should look back to last year and see how many I kept. (I can't even remember what they were!)

Happy Holidays!

Nini

Anyone for a Disney redo?

2010-12-16T20:35:00.000-05:00

The magic of Disney has struck again.

I sent an email off to Disney when we got back, outlining the problems we had with our room. I really didn't expect any answer, but it helped me to vent off some of the anger.

Yesterday evening, I got a phone call from Fiona at Disney. We talked for a minute or two and then she started reading a script. I almost lost interest, until she got to the good part. Disney wanted to make sure we returned (as if there was ever really any doubt about that!) so they are comping us a room for two nights! Since there is no expiration or limitations on the offer (only has to be a moderate), and we can use the Military Salute tickets...it looks like we will be going back to Disney in 2011 after all! I can add two or three more nights to make it worth while to drive down, and hopefully still get the dining added to our trip.

Now my biggest problem is waiting for the school system to publish their calendar for next year. I would like to take this trip without having to worry about the kids missing too much school. They normally get a week break in October, so I am thinking that would be a good time (weather wise) to make the trip.

Of course, since Miss B will probably no longer wear the custom dresses, I have to figure out what I will make to wear this trip....

Nini

BRRRR!

2010-12-14T06:51:00.000-05:00

Yup!

It is a bit cold here!

I don't mind the cold weather when I can stay in. In fact, I sleep best when my bedroom is cold. (I started my habit of sleeping with a window slightly open when I was pregnant about 33 years ago!) Hubby throws on an extra blanket and has learned to deal with it!

Weather dot com has the weather at 15 with the wind chill of 5!

I have to go out in this today....Mr D needs more meds at school. I have to get there this morning, before it has a chance to 'warm up'! The wind is supposed to die down this morning...and that dreaded S word is supposed to start sometime this evening!

Everyone always teases me about how early I get my Christmas stuff started. But, if I had done my normal Christmas things this year, I wouldn't be as far behind as I am! I have two gifts to return, and rebuy, and a total of 4 more have-to-get gifts, and then of course my kiddies might like for Santa to actually bring them something this year, so I have that to do as well!

Since they are out of school next week, all this HAS to be done this week. Something tells me it is not going to happen this week!

Funny about the cold last night. I woke up cold once (which in itself is very unusual!) and thought I was at Disney!

Nini

Presents, Presents, Presents...

2010-12-11T17:37:00.000-05:00

Finally!

I have finally finished 4 out of the 18 Christmas presents I aim making. Took me an hour or two to decide what exactly I wanted to do after I got back from Wally World to get more towels!

See, I ordered some from the same place I order my t shirts. But somehow I managed to order the wrong ones. I wanted regular finger tip towels, but I ordered finger tip towels with a grommet in them. Usually known as golf towels. The ones I wanted were a dollar a piece cheaper...oh well. I'm not sure if they will take them back, since it was my own fault and none of theirs.

If I have to keep them, I have NO IDEA what to do with them! LOL!

The towels are actually turning out a lot cuter than I thought they would, but I'm still not sure that a towel will count as a Christmas gift. Seems a bit skimpy to me!

So, now off to the mall for some more Christmas shopping...and I really hate malls!

I may have something to wrap in a day or so.

Nini

Decorating the Tree

2010-12-10T10:54:00.000-05:00

It never really seems like Christmas to me until we decorate the tree. When I was growing up, the tree never went up until 7 days before Christmas. Period! No exceptions! EVER!

Even after we went to an artificial tree. Still only one week before Christmas.

When I moved out, the first purchase I made for my new apartment was an artificial Christmas Tree and one set of fancy, smanchy, twinkling lights. (This was back in 1972!) That year, I put my tree up TWO weeks before Christmas! After all, I was an adult and could do what I wanted!

After kids came along, we had a new wrinkle in our plans. Often, we were not at home for Christmas. We were in the army and only had one vacation a year. So, we usually spent the Christmas break at both parent's house. One in Missouri and one in Georgia.

Being gone for a month really put a cramp in the whole tree thing. If I put it up before we left, I had to take it down when we got back. Not much fun!

Then when my oldest daughter was born exactly three weeks before Christmas, a whole new wrinkle was put into the mix. She wanted her birthday and Christmas to be completely separated, so no Christmas decorations were allowed to go up until after her birthday. (a rule that she broke this year , by the way! Her tree was up before Thanksgiving this year!)

This year, since we were going to Disney right after Thanksgiving for 10 days, putting a tree up in a timely manner was again put in jeopardy! See, I like real trees. All the good real trees are gone shortly after Thanksgiving, so we had a very, very limited choice. We have very tall ceilings, so it has to be a tall tree to not look strange. And, of course, we have to put the tree in an awkward space, so it can't be too full (even though I LOVE full trees!)

We were relatively lucky this year. We got a smaller tree than we wanted, but the tallest one we could find. Since it wasn't as tall as normal, it was about 25 dollars cheaper than we had budgeted.

Then came the light issues. I am positive, that last year when we un-decorated the tree, that the lights were all put back on the fancy light holder thingys. But, when we got them out, they were all thrown in the box, with the fancy light holder thingys, in a tangled, jumble mess.

It took two of us over an hour to untangle the lights...only to discover that over half the lights did not work! So, wonderful hubby went on the search for lights. Now, lights are very important to me. Ever since Germany, I only want white lights on my tree, and they have to be twinkling, not blinking!

See, blinking means a whole section of the string goes out at the same time...leaving a whole section of the tree dark. While twinkling means each bulb is independent in the flashing. No dark spaces in the tree.

Store #1 only had white in blinking. He bought me 3 boxes of these lights. He meant well. But after they were on the tree, he agreed they were not doing it! So off he went to store #2. They had the same type of lights as store #1, unless you wanted to buy a set of 500 feet or more. So, off to store #3. This time he found what we needed and got me two more boxes.

So, we managed to put those two boxes on the tree last night. The tree now has ENOUGH lights, but they are not very artfully arranged. In fact, I really dislike...very strongly...the way the lights look. I wanted to take them down and redo them last night, but my back and neck had other ideas, so I hoped that they would look better in the morning and went to bed.

No, no Christmas Elves came in the middle of the night to decorate my tree.It was still waiting for me to finish when I got up. But my resolve to redo the lights was gone. Not that they looked any better, just I really did not have the time to do it!

So, this morning, I have been putting some ornaments on the tree. With the help of a three year old. Let's just say that the number of breakable ornaments is quite a bit less than there was this time yesterday!

I think it is time for a break from tree decorating for a while!!

Nini

Christmas is a comin'....

2010-12-09T07:13:00.000-05:00

And the goose isn't the only thing getting fat!

Sorry, I couldn't resist that one!

I have exactly 2 gift bought for the kids that still live in my house....and 2 gifts (out of 20) for those people that do NOT live in my house! We normally already have the tree up and the house decorated. I have not made a single teacher/doctor/therapist gift (I have 18 to make this year...that is what public school will do to you!)

But Christmas is still coming at an alarming speed! It doesn't seem to care that I am not ready. It seems to think that I am as far ahead of the game as I normally am. I used to have all my gifts bought by mid October. By the beginning of October I had so many lists made it was pathetic. I had a list of what foods I needed to purchase (and what week they were to be bought...the non perishables were bought during the summer!); I had lists of where the decorations were to go, what day each item was done, what time each item was put on the stove for Christmas dinner....well, you get the idea!

This year....nothing!

I now have only one week to get 18 gifts made. I'm thinking a Christmasy kitchen towel embroidered by my machine. Quick, easy, and is definitely doable in a week...if I get around to finding the towels....

I guess I need to get off the computer and get to work!

Nini

Good to be home

2010-12-06T15:37:00.000-05:00

....well, almost home!

Disney was fun, but we are almost to Macon. That means about 2 more hours and we will be home. We had a very magical trip, but decided next time we would take a break. We will only do two park days in a row with a park-free day before we do two more park days.

That was a lot of walking around!

While I love Coronado Springs Resort, we were left disappointed in it this time. We had requested a ground floor room close to the parking lot and we ended up with a room as far away from the parking lot as possible, and on the second floor. Then, for 4 days we had no hot water to speak of, no water pressure and the only sidewalk to the parking lot was blocked off due to some emergency construction on the water lines. It is really hard to believe that they kept that building open with those conditions!

Of course, we did get an autographed picture of Mickey and Minnie for our troubles....

It will be great to sleep in my own bed tonight, and the kids are actually looking forward to going to school tomorrow. Now it is time to plan my Christmas shopping, cleaning, decorating, birthday shopping (no, I haven't forgotten about your birthday, just haven't bought anything yet!), unpacking, laundry, and I'm sure a million other things I have forgotten about! LOL!

Less than 3 weeks until Christmas and I haven't even started! (I work best under pressure!)

Nini

Disney part two

2010-12-03T08:25:00.000-05:00

Still at Disney...still having a blast! Tonight is Steamboat Willie dress night! I can hardly wait! It was my favorite dress as I was doing all that sewing, and I have been looking forward to this night since we started planning. Not for the food...but for the dress!

I've also gotten a few ideas for more things to make to sell. I'm thinking a grand re-opening of my Etsy shop in January. Lots of ideas and lots of designs floating around in my head.

Nini

Disney!

2010-11-29T14:50:00.000-05:00

We arrived on Saturday, around 11am. We took a quick stop at the room to unpack, eat lunch, and change. Then we headed out to Magic Kingdom. WOW! The crowds were so bad! I knew to expect the crowds to be bad, but somehow I didn't really think too much about it.

Even though there were really thick crowds, we still managed to ride quite a few rides and watched both the 3 pm parade and the new MSEP, the nighttime electrical parade. The main thing I want to say about Magic Kingdom...the castle with the Christmas lights was spectacular! I have seen many, many pictures and videos of it, but they were nothing compared to the real thing! They were so spectacular, I could not bring myself to even take a picture of it, there was no way to even begin to give it the justice it deserved.

Yesterday we spent the day at Epcot and had dinner at Biergarten. We had a blast! Unfortunately, the Princess did not grow the quarter of an inch that she needed to so she wasn't able to ride all the rides she wanted to. That is ok...she and Memaw played a lot of "house" while the adults and big kids rode!

Today was Animal Kingdom and dinner at Chef Mickey's.

I LOVE BEING AT DISNEY!!!

Nini

2011

2010-11-26T11:52:00.000-05:00

As I sit here with only 15 hours until we go to Disney, rushing around to get all the last minute details of the outfits done, I realize I have met at least one of my goals I set for myself for this year. I have gotten an embroidery machine and learned how to use it.

I started thinking about next year and realized, my big sewing goals for next year will include becoming friends with my serger. I already use it to finish off all my seams. but have no idea how to do a rolled hem. As I was finishing up the last of the hemming on the dresses I realized the rolled hem would have finished for me and I would have been through...

So, next year I will learn how to use the rolled hem on my serger.

Small statement, but HUGE accomplishment...let's see how that goes!

Nini

DWTS

2010-11-24T07:26:00.000-05:00

OK, I admit it. I am a fan! I have watched from the very beginning.

This season, it started the night of my neck surgery. It was on in the hospital room (I think) but I don't really remember it. Last night was the finale.

The fact that Jennifer Gray won seemed almost like a message to me. She had almost the same surgery on her neck a year ago...and we are 'close' in age. (OK...I'm older, but not by too much! LOL!). A couple of weeks into the competition I was amazed at what she was able to do...since I was still unable to move my neck at all, and had no stamina to speak of. It was a little reminder that my life as I knew it was NOT over, just put on hold for a few weeks.

Seeing how the dancers improved and grew over the past 10 weeks, and knowing how much I had improved over the past 10 weeks, it just seemed right to me that Jennifer Gray won.

.....................

Now if someone would just have a show about how not to get sick three days before Disney, I would greatly appreciate it!

Nini

Roses

2010-11-22T18:34:00.000-05:00

I can never think of Roses without thinking of my mom. She loved roses. I don't think she ever had any rose plants after we moved from Forest Park, but she always loved them.

Every year, on the anniversary of the accident, we would give people that meant something special to us that year a rose. Last year, on the fifth anniversary, we decided to plant 5 rose plants in her memory instead.

I was struggling with the last tshirt for the Disney trip in a few days. I knew it should be something to do with Belle from Beauty and the Beast, but I was having trouble finding just the right design. See, I had already messed up one shirt and needed to redo it.

I finally decided on the Rose under Glass from Frou Frou by Heather Sue. I love her designs, and this seemed like it would fit the bill.

As I started stitching it out, I couldn't help but think of my Mom. By the time I was finished with the shirt, I was in tears. But not sad tears, tears of joy. I thought about how happy Mom would be to see the way my kids are turning out. And I remembered how she wanted to go to Disney with us, but was afraid she would slow us down so, no matter how hard we tried, she would not go with us. The last time we went before she died, she promised she would go with us one time.

With this rose shirt, I feel like she is finally going with us!

Nini

Silly, Silly Me

2010-11-19T08:36:00.001-05:00

I have been going over my lists for Disney. Trying to make sure I have printed everything off the computer that I will need. When SUDDENLY it hit me! I am taking the computer with me and will have internet while I am there...there really is NO need t print anything!

So, I guess that means I can go back to making sure all the clothes are done, all the packing is done, all the shopping is done, and all the other 'stuff' is done!

Miss B got her hair cut last night. It looks cute...she is worried that this morning the kids will call her a pouf ball. Of course once she said that her brother started calling her that...I told her not to worry. That is what brothers are supposed to do. They call you names so that you get used to it. Then when someone else does it, you aren't bothered and they stop!

She bought it...crisis averted.

This morning she remembered that BBB was something she REALLY wants to do. She almost started crying and said they wouldn't be able to fix her hair up like she wanted them to...I assured her that they would be able to just fine. Another crisis averted.

Then, she realized we would be leaving in just seven and a half days. Nothing of hers is packed, and she isn't going to be ready to go. I reminded her that I always did all the packing and had everything under control. Another crisis averted.

I'm getting the feeling that I have a new job description...Crisis Averter. I kind of like that one! Makes us relate on a whole new level!

Here we come Disney...ready or not!

Nini

Nine more days and...what was that? Oh No!

2010-11-18T07:01:00.000-05:00

Ah...Ah...Ah...CHOOOOO! Yup. That's right...a sneeze. Not just any sneeze, but a SNEEZE...probably from allergies.

Around here, we usually spend October locked in an allergic grip. However, this year has been different. We have had unusually warm weather since September. My yard is normally brown and crunchy (Bermuda grass) by October. It has just turned brown and started to get crunchy a day or so ago.

Mr D usually starts the allergic symphony, followed by me and Miss B shortly after. Mr D has been sneezing for the past week. I guess I have started now. Miss B will be joining us within aa few days.

Our very first trip to Disney was in the spring when the 3 of us were in our Spring symphony of allergic sneezes. At that time I was glad it wasn't the fall bout. Fall is much worse for us. I thought I had planned this trip so that the allergies would be over with by the time we leave ...I mean it gave us 6 whole weeks to get rid of it!

I will now stock up on Calritin for the kids....at least they won't have to deal with it too much. I just have to find something I can take. Claritin is very sedating for me. So far I haven't found anything that works without putting me nighty night.

(did I mention that sneezing makes my throat hurt....) I really wanted to make this trip without even thinking about my neck. Guess THAT isn't happening!

OK...enough whinning. Back to the Disney planning and sewing!

Nini

Ten more days and one hour

2010-11-17T01:32:00.000-05:00

Yup, that is how long until Disney. So why am I up at this hour you might ask? Well, I forgot to pick up my Lunesta today. I was doing fine until hubby decided to start snoring.

Well, I guess I'll get up and work on the 12 remaining shirts. Nope, ran out of bobbin thread. Unfortunately, the Wally World here doesn't carry embroidery thread anymore, so I have to wait for Joann's to open at 9.

Of course, by then I will be sleepy and not fit to sew, but maybe I can get one or two knocked out before the day is out.

So, I have been going over my lists of things to do and things to pack and things to remember.... and now it is 30 minutes later than when I got our of bed.

I really hate insomnia. I was really hoping that after the neck surgery it would go away...but nope. Still here.

Nini

Eleven days and 18 hours!

2010-11-15T09:03:00.000-05:00

Yup...it is really getting close now! We get to do online check in on Wednesday. Friday is the kids' last day of school until the second week of DECEMBER! (And on a sad note...three weeks from now we will be driving back home...BOOO!)

Am I ready? Nope. Will I be ready? Maybe. Am I worried? Not yet. And...oddly, I haven't started packing yet. I normally have almost everything packed by now, but since the clothes we are wearing are still in various stages of construction, they are all hanging in the basement. Once I get them finished, they will hang there until we are ready to pack the van and truck. So I really don't have as much stuff to pack as I normally do...even though we are going for a longer period of time.

We are about to head down to the studio to try and get a few more shirts done this morning, so I can get back on schedule. Somehow this weekend didn't work out exactly like I had planned. But I did have lots of fun spending time with my family...so it is all good.

My most important and exciting part about the trip planning is I FINALLY figured out how to get the Broadband2Go working on the laptop. So now I can surf the web while driving...if I want to. But more importantly, I can have access to the web at Disney without paying the $10.00 a day! True, purchasing the usb/modem and the first month's charge is more than the amount for internet while we are there...but I can use this when we travel anywhere, and not worry about if the hotel has internet...or if they charge extra for it.

And also a great note on the planning front...Our PettiSkirts came in! Yes, I did end up having to pay for them twice, and the original person who they were ordered from is being a not very nice person and will not refund my money or send me my merchandise...but the person who stepped in to help me get them on time for the trip came through with flying colors! If you EVER need to get some pettiskirts...do not hesitate with getting them any where else. Go directly to Princess Heirlooms. She will not disappoint you! First quality, Fantastic Service and she is a good person too! Can't beat that combination!

Now...let's see if I have a picture of the two girls in their pettis for you..

Fall Allergies are in Full Bloom!

2010-11-12T08:42:00.000-05:00

Usually our Fall allergies are in October. Can almost be guaranteed they are over completely by the day or so after Halloween.

This year was a bit strange. At Halloween we were still having high 80's during the day and high 60's at night. We have only had the cooler temps for the past few days. I think our first light frost was just a day or so ago. And it was REALLY light.

This morning Mr D got up with a very stuffy nose...and promptly started sneezing. Miss B, Mr D and I all have Fall allergies. Mr D usually starts first and within 2 weeks, I follow with Miss B a few days after me. If this trend holds for this year as well...we will all be in full blown allergy attacks for Disney which is in just 14 days! I have added allergy meds to my medicinal arsenal for the trip...Yuck!

Come on ...join the fun!

Nini

ARGH!

2010-11-11T11:08:00.000-05:00

I have a gazillion things to do to get ready for Disney. I was going along so smoothly this morning. I was on the home stretch for the 4th shirt. Only a few more bits and pieces and the shirt would be finished and I could not only 'tick' off another full day of outfits finished, but I could reward myself with starting to cut out the last dresses.

Miss B said something to me and I looked up for a half second. Yup...my machine got angry because I didn't feed it breakfast and took a hunk out of the shirt the size of Vermont! Tried unsuccessfully to fix it, but there is no repair for this type of missing chunk.

I decided it was probably best if I left the machine and all thoughts of sewing alone for a while and come back up stairs... so after Therapy appointments today, we get to go purchase a new t shirt. GROWL!

Anyway, I am now under 30 shirts and still have 16 days left....this looks like I might be finished after all!

Nini

2010-11-10T17:29:00.000-05:00

I hate the news media!

There, I've said it and now maybe I can get on with my life!

You always see them hounding the family of victims after a car crash. Or the victims of a violent crime. Or the family of someone who was murdered. They ask stupid questions, like "How do you feel about what has happened?" I mean seriously, how do you THINK they feel? How is invading their privacy, during one of the most trying times they will ever face, NEWS?

Why do they think I want to know such intimate details about their suffering. Why do I need to see the pictures that are on their Facebook page? To the new media, everyone is fair game. Victims, their families, the accused and their families. Even the friends of the victims and accused are at the mercy of the public's "Right to Know".

Can we for one minute remember that the accused also has innocent family members. Can we remember that after the media no longer think it is newsworth, the victims still have to go about their daily life.

I do not want my privacy invaded. I do not want my family and friends privacy invaded. If I am ever the victim or the accused, who will stand for my rights?

....and don't even get me started with them not checking the facts.....

Nini

Did someone say Disney?

2010-11-08T19:55:00.000-05:00

Eighteen days and seven hours! The countdown is on! Only eight more days until I get to do the online check in!

Now, the big question...will I get everything finished in time? Well, I managed to get 3 shirts finished tonight, and as long as I keep up with 3 a day I should be fine!

I have a nice, well thought out list that will help keep me on track with everything else, so I guess I can say, so far ... so good!

Nini

My own special fireplace!

2010-11-06T18:09:00.000-04:00

My family likes to tease me whenever they get a chance. I usually manage to make that happen quite a lot!

Our gas fireplace has not worked since the builder pulled out of the subdivision shortly after we bought the house seven years ago. It is undersized and doesn't fit right, so until I get the money and inclination to have it replaced, we really only have a mantle with a bit of fake wood in it!

Occasionally I like to put candles inside to pretend we have a fireplace. Yesterday I took the Princess home. My son was sitting in his recliner enjoying a rolling fire in his fireplace. It had been spotting some small snow flakes through out the day, and was very chilly.

I came home and decided to light some candles and put a tiny, tiny one in the fireplace. (not much bigger than a votive actually!) I sat down in my recliner with a nice warm blanket and did not give it another thought...then hubby came home from work. See, the recliner is the only chair in the house that can't see the tv.

He saw that I was sitting there...in front of the 'fire' and told me I would probably freeze to death waiting for it to get warm!

Maybe, but it sure was pretty!

Nini

Three More Weeks!

2010-11-05T09:20:00.000-04:00

So much to do and so little time! Three weeks from now, we will be loading up the cars for our trip to Disney.Will I get it all done? Stay Tuned!

Nini

Family

2010-11-04T06:49:00.002-04:00

Family

Some family you are born with, and some family you choose. But, they are both family. One set isn’t more family just because you weren’t born to them; and the other set isn’t more compatible just because you didn’t get to choose them.

When one member of your family rejoices, you rejoice. When one member of your family is in pain, you are in pain.

When something good happens to a member of your family, you think how lucky your family is. (and by extension how lucky you are). When something bad happens to a member of your family, you hurt as much as if it had happened to you.

As I write this, I am rejoicing beyond belief that my youngest daughter has decided to put our Lord on in baptism and start her new life as a “baby Christian” (as her younger brother called it). The highest high a mom can feel.

I am also saddened beyond belief by the news that another member of my family, a wife, a woman more courageous and classy than I could ever hope to become, is having to deal with the great sadness and betrayal that no wife should ever have to face.

It is unbelievable that you can feel such extreme highs and lows in one short 3 hour period.

New Music...from the 70's

2010-10-29T09:12:00.000-04:00

For my birthday my son and daughter in law gave me an Amazon gift certificate. I'm using it to load up my Ipod for the trip (what else!). I discovered you can buy the music from Amazon a lot cheaper than I Tunes.

I had a large collection of 33s and 45s from my 'childhood', but they didn't survive my children's 'childhood' quite so well! (Once, while we were in Germany, I found them playing...they were basically skiing...using my vinyls as skis on the tile floor!) I actually still have them in a box...somewhere.

So, my goal was to find as many of the albums and singles as I can afford and put them on my Ipod. So far I have some old Chicago, Moody Blues, Raiders, and some Phil Collins. In my research I neglected to find out how the music is different...when technology is involved. I saw the songs, listened to that brief snipet of music and got all excited!

When I listened to the music, it wasn't quite 'right'. See, I've listened to it so many times, I have memorized the subtle changes in tone and tune...some of these songs were just a bit 'off, while some didn't even sound like the same people singing.

So, the next time I download oldies, I will pay more attention to the words, re mastered, re mixed, and re recorded! They are NOT all good!

Nini

I'm convinced...

2010-10-23T09:04:00.000-04:00

... Kids can learn ANYTHING if you put it to music!

Think back to how you learned your ABC's. I am willing to say there is probably not a single reader who did NOT learn them through that cute little song to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

My youngest two learned the books of the Bible through a couple of cute songs. My learning disabled son has learned the lyrics of complete songs after hearing them only once. My oldest daughter learned the 50 states through a song in , I believe, the 3rd grade. My Grand daughter (age 3) can sing almost the complete song "Stuck Like Glue"

When my youngest two were little, and we used to spend hours in the car each weekend together,I used to look everywhere for kids CDs that would teach a foreign language. Never found any, but heard lots of people say it was a good idea.

Kids LOVE music! Look at all the games they love to play...Ring Around the Rosy...(who cares that it is talking about the Plague!). The best way to get a short person to clean up their mess is to sing the "Clean up Song". They learn the importance of continuous love with "Jesus Loves Me". The Little Einsteins company discovered that as babies children can be exposed to classical music...and they LOVE it!

If I knew how to write music, I would make that my life's mission...unfortunately, I can barely read music...
and see if I can make this a reality!

Nini

35 days and 15 hours

2010-10-22T12:11:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note about the darling Cinderella Coaches for the Pick A Pearl in Epcot. They came in and are perfect! I really wish I had gotten one for me as well!

I probably won't get any sewing done this weekend, cause I'm having too much fun playing grandma! I forgotten how much fun it can be to have a little princess running around all day.

She has been her normal self...wanting me to take her to the mall...She is getting a biot sneaky though. I told her I wasn't supposed to drive so we would have to wait a few weeks before we can go to the mall...and she told me we could go ahead and go...she wouldn't tell anyone!

I think we have most of the planning etc under control...but I still keep thinking I am forgetting something.....

Nini

36 days and 19 hours!

2010-10-21T08:59:00.000-04:00

Yes, I know you are tired of the constant Disney talk! (but it is better than my constant surgery talk!)

There is so much on the agenda for today. I don't want to do any of it! ZI am about to go down and work on another t shirt...My plan to have them all completed by this weekend is not going EXACTLY as planned, but pretty close. I'm guessing as long as I have them finished by the first of November I will still have time to get all of the remaining family's stuff done in time to enjoy those last few minutes of the countdown!

I had all the luggage out, and ready to start packing, but hubby has made me move them from he dining room. We are refinancing our house and the lawyer is coming over tonight to sign the paper work. So...they have to leave the dining room table! They will be back tomorrow morning for the packing to begin!

I am working on a list of last minute purchases, and so far it is still manageable. My only concern is how the kids have managed to need all new jeans...since the beginning of the school year. NOT fun!

Now I just need to finalize some plans and make a final list of things to get done before we go. I love this time of the trip planning! Almost time to go and the final preparations make it seem so REAL! I truly am ready to leave TODAY! I think hubby is getting tired of me saying."..If we leave now, we could be at Disney by...." LOL (I even half way have him convinced t leave a day early...just don't know how to make that part swing financially!)

So final countdown is ON...and those shirts are going to finish themselves...so I better get started!

Nini

Great Progress today....

2010-10-18T17:04:00.000-04:00

Wow, the kids are spending their last day of Fall break goofing off...just like kids should!

I managed to make old fashioned Oatmeal...the kind you have to cook forever (5 minutes), and comes plain. I managed to make Macaroni and cheese for lunch and managed to get three t shirts finished...and promptly took a 2 hour nap!

So, not so much progress you say...well, I actually moved the walker out of the living room! Woo Hoo! Ok, in truth I haven't used it in a long while (I've actually been using it to hang some Disney clothes on ) but I guess it has been like a security blanket. If I need it ...it is there. Otherwise I ignore it.

I very much want to get the shirts finished. I have other stuff I want to get finished, but I will not start until I get the shirts finished. They have been on my list since the very beginning. How dare I bypass them for something cool I just discovered! Seriously, they are coming along nicely. I managed 3 in the amount of time it normally takes me to do 2. Having a little helper to iron the fabrics and fetch stuff for me really did help.

...now to find a way to bribe her to do it all the time.....

Nini

40 Days and 20 hours....

2010-10-17T07:56:00.000-04:00

Yup...that is how long before Disney! I am going to try and get a good count for what is missing in the clothes department and get them FINISHED!!!!

Yesterday, I bought the little white gold plated Cinderella Coaches to hold the Pearl from Japan's Pick a Pearl at EPCOT. Now, I kinda wish I had bought one for myself!

With just a little over 40 days until we go, I'm really starting to feel like it is real. We have grabbed all the luggage from downstairs and it is now sitting in the dining room. After my daughter gets back from her weekend trip to Savannah, I will commandeer the piece that she took with her and then I will get started packing. (well, actually I will start getting rid of the musty smell in them.) I usually put them away with a fabric softener sheet tucked inside. That way they smell so nice when you pull them out. Unfortunately, someone else put them away after our last trip and forgot that step.

And in case anyone is worried that I am posting exactly when I am leaving my house unprotected. I have 2 ferocious dogs and one 6 foot 7 inch guy staying at my house while I am gone. (plus all the deputies in a three county area will be keeping an eye on our house...)

Now, for a few words about my grand daughter. I found out last week that I 'might' be getting her back during the day. It is not definite yet, but a high possibility. It was enough to keep me on cloud nine for the entire weekend! I could not imagine how much I have missed her! Having her around during the days will be such a good thing. I miss my Princess!

We took a short trip to the north Ga Mountains yesterday. We were hoping to see a bit of fall color, but I am thinking we are about a week too early.We took one of Miss B's friends with us. It was really cute watching the two of them together. They were trying so hard not to be 'babies' and yet kept finding things that made them more of a child than they wanted to be!

One of the cutest things we saw was a relatively new shop. It is called "Goats on the Roof"! It is hilarious! Last time we were there it was a quilt shop. I knew they were going out of business, but I really didn't expect it to be this!!!

They literally had goats on the roof of the buildings! There was a series of ladders, bridges, and slides for the goats to go from one building to the other and an on the ground fenced in area for them to play. You could get goat feed for a quarter and put it in a conveyor belt type contraption to feed those goats that were on one of the roofs. When the feed dropped to them it rang a little bell and the goats came running! It was hilarious!

The inside was a cut,e normal, run of the mill souvenir shop, while the other building was a snack shop. They had chairs sitting around a fire pit for relaxing and lots of porch swings.

If you are ever in the Helen, GA area...look them up!

Nini

Customer Service

2010-10-13T07:39:00.000-04:00

I guess I have worked all my life in customer service. I've worked in Food Service Industry, various office staffs, greeter at the USO, and lastly in the insurance industry.

It has always been drilled into my head, that if there is a problem, go to the customer before they have a chance to even know there might be a problem.

In getting ready for Disney, we needed some pettiskirts. Now, I know we could have made them, but it is such a pain, that we decided to purchase them instead. That meant research, research, research. I checked so many different sellers I started to get dizzy. Some had good prices, but bad quality, some had good quality but bad prices.

There was one site over and over that kept coming up on top. But she was one of the most expensive providers.

We decided to go with one of the less expensive sellers. She had been in business for quite a while and had noting but positive, glowing reviews. She said there would be no problem getting them exactly like we wanted. So, I sent her the money via PAYPAL. See, whenever I purchase something online, I like to go through PAYPAL, because they have such a good return policy. If you don't get your merchandise, you get your money back...no hassle, no problems...

About 2 weeks after I ordered, I started noticing something different about her site. There were more and more negative reviews and complaints. More and more people complaining that their merchandise wasn't arriving as promised. Yet, I wasn't too worried. I mean you have to expect some delays when ordering something...she told me going in it would be 3 to 6 weeks.

As time went on, I started getting more and more scared. Nothing in the form of shipping info and nothing but negative complaints on her site about not getting their merchandise.

But, she kept assuring me it would be there soon, and that all was well. In fact, just before my surgery, I sent her a message and her response was very re-assuring, and calming. They would be shipped immediately.

Three weeks go by and no pettiskirts.

I start researching (it had now been 59 days and I thought the cut off for filing a claim through PAYPAL was 60 days...) She was still reassuring...

Then the horror...I discovered you only have 45 days to file a claim...not 60. So I sent her a message...letting her know my great displeasure in her lack of customer service. I mean if there was a problem, how hard would it be to send me a note to let me know? If I am expecting merchandise and weeks go by with no information, I get worried. However, if I am expecting merchandise and I hear from the vendor that there is a problem with the supplier, I feel like they are looking out for my interests and relax.

Well, I do get a response. She tells me that she shipped it as she told me she had...(well THAT was the FIRST time she indicated that it had been shipped) and she didn't know why I hadn't gotten it! She promised to look into it and get back to me the next day....well that was a week ago and still no word from her! Imagine that!

Today I ordered the pettiskirts from someone that I should have ordered from right away! It cost quite a bit more...since I had to have them RUSHED!!!

I am not going to name the offending seller...I don't want this to be vindictive. I want this to be about Customer Service.

So, to all my customers...I promise that if you order from me and I have a problem getting your order to you in a timely manner, I promise to:

-keep in touch with you as to when to expect your merchandise

-if there is a problem with one of my suppliers, I will let you know and give you the option of cancelling the order

-once the package is mailed (or shipped) I will email you the shipping confirmation

-after a reasonable time, I will follow up with you to 1)make sure you got it and 2)that you are satisfied with it.

-always be quick to give you the bad news...as well as the good news

Customer Service is all about keeping your customers happy. Sometimes that means your pocket book might not be as happy in the short term, but the long term is always better!

Nini

I want to drive!

2010-10-11T19:03:00.000-04:00

Or maybe...I want to Rest!!! or how about...I want to do...ANYTHING!!!

This past week I found I was taking my 'discomfort' pills more than I wanted to, so I decided today to not take any. I discovered, that after an hour of sewing, I still was exhausted, the difference was, I could not rest. I could not find a single position that was comfortable. I suppose I could have gone to bed, but I really, really didn't want to do that!

I'm not in real pain, just very very tired. And, the more tired I get, the more difficult it is to hold my head up and the more discomfort I feel.

This afternoon I decided to take a couple of steps towards closing the pool. I gathered up all the pool toys and brought them inside. That's it...nothing strenuous. Took all of 15 minutes. (three trips to the garage) I am so tired, I could go to bed and sleep through the night! This is ridiculous!

How in the world am I going to be able to walk around Disney all day?

Nini

Seven Weeks...49 Days!!!

2010-10-09T10:07:00.000-04:00

Yup! Only 49 more days until I will be in Disney. Actually at this precise moment, I will be finishing up breakfast and getting ready for the last hour and a half drive to Walt Disney World!

I still have so much to do to be ready, but a full knowledge that it will get done! I am feeling better than I expected to feel 3 weeks after surgery, and have manged to get 5 T shirts done this past week. Right on schedule.

Since 99% of the planning is done, I have been working on our next vacation. By popular demand it has been going somewhere this summer after school. Since the school system will not be putting out the schedule for the next school year until APRIL!!! I can't actually plan anything for during the year. Right now I have ideas for going back to Disney for a short jaunt, followed by a beach trip on the way home; a trip to Washington DC (trying to include a short beach trip in with that); a cruise (Disney of course); a trip to Missouri to visit family; and a vacation that really doesn't suit my planning style...but here goes...NO PLAN!

I am ready to throw the last one out...but there are some people (short ones) that think this might be a good idea. The whole "be a gypsy" type plan is not in my comfort zone...and I'm not so sure hubby is ready for something like that either!

I have set a budget of $2000 for the trip, and so far I am finding some really good deals. Of course, this will only work if I plan enough for food! Hubby will NOT skimp on food on a vacation! (I guess that is why he loves the Disney Dining Plan so much...plenty of food!)

(I guess now you see why I haven't posted so much lately...not that much to talk about!)

well, I need to go get started on my 49th day activities...translation...sewing!

Nini

Really? Tide? Clean up your act!

2010-10-06T16:46:00.000-04:00

This has been bothering me for some time. There are two current commercials out for Laundry detergents that have me scratching my head.

In one, a teenager is aking her mom where her favorite green shirt is...mom replies that it is not 'her' style, while scenes show Mom clearly wearing the shirt, getting a stain on it. Mom runs up to the laundry basket, pulls out the green shirt and washes it with their detergent. Next scene shows daughter wearing the shirt with Mom making a comment about finding it...to which daughter replies, it must have been hiding in her closet somewhere.

In the second, Dad and two sons are about to eat something they know they shouldn't eat. The boys make a comment that Mom is gonna 'kill him'. Dad promptly drops something on her table cloth, and quickly runs to the laundry room, with the boys yelling "busted". Flash forward to everyone standing around a nice freshly laundered table cloth and mom asking whats going on. To which the dad gives the boys a sign to be quiet!

What are these two commercials teaching us and our kids? that we should LIE??? Come on now. How can they expect us to equate cleaning with their product to the dirty habit of lieing?

I try to teach my kids to tell the truth. We all know that the truth always comes out...isn't it better for it to come from us and not someone else?

Seriously...do we really need Tide telling us it is ok to lie to our families? Even encouraging it? Come on now...time to clean up your act Tide!

Nini

Watermelons...whatever!

2010-10-03T16:56:00.000-04:00

Here it is October!

As most of you know, we have a pool. In order to level out the back yard, we had to have some grading done in the back yard. Besides my much talked about mud pit...we also have a LARGE pile of dirt. This pile of dirt is at least as tall as I am. and almost as big around as the pool!

Shortly after the pile appeared, we discovered a volunteer watermelon plant. The kids like to say it was from when we ate watermelons in the back yard, but truthfully, it was already growing when we had watermelon our one and only time in the back yard!

This vine has completely taken over the pile of dirt. About a month ago, hubby noticed there was actually a small watermelon growing. We have been wondering if it would ever last long enough to get ripe. So, we did what every responsible parent would do. We didn't tell the kids about it.

It has steadily kept growing. We checked on it about once a week. Hubby did everything he could do to hide it from the kids. (including discouraging them from playing in the back yard by not cutting the grass!) It was getting lots and lots of sun and growing like crazy!

A few days ago, we had decided that if we didn't get a cold spell it might actually ripen!

Today...Miss B decided to go into the back yard...with in 2 minutes she was bringing in this gigantic watermelon...unfortunately it is not ripe yet.

Now I guess we have to cut the grass in theback yard! LOL!

Nini

Update

2010-09-28T14:13:00.000-04:00

Well, it is official. I had the surgery and I am feeling so much better that I can't believe it has barely been a week. I'm thinking I will get down to the studio tomorrow to start back to sewing.

I am now wishing I hadn't postponed the IEP meeting for Mr D. Of course, the school did not have my copies of his records until this morning, so I wouldn't have had any time to work on this. And while I am on the subject of Mr D's permanent records... it came to 232 pages. Over 90% of that was copies of things I had given them...so why did they charge me $58.00 to make the copies!!!!

So, now I'm back into full force working on getting his IEP stuff ready. Our meeting is in October (I believe it is the 26...)

Now...to work on ways to tackle this boredom thing!

Nini

Fall? Fall? Not yet!

2010-09-17T06:49:00.000-04:00

Wednesday is the first day of fall. We are expecting temps in the 90's.

Now, I for one have to say I don't mind one little bit! I have an air conditioner that works fine, have one in my car too, and....I have a pool. I was really afraid we weren't going to get a lot of use out of it since it was put up so late. But, since school has started, we have managed to get one or two days a week in it. We could have gotten more, but Mom is having a few issues that make planning a little difficult (!) even though I know that the only time I don't hurt is when I am in the pool.

However, after Monday I really won't care! Well, maybe I will. As soon as the cooler weather comes, I'll be able to wear my beautiful collar without much discomfort.....

So, Summer, I will give you one more week. Then it is time to take your toys and go home. We really enjoyed your visit, but it is time to go. I look forward to your (early) visit next year.

Nini

2010-09-16T17:36:00.000-04:00

So, since I said I wasn't going to talk about the surgery on here...I'm trying to think of what I CAN talk about!

OK...I have almost all of my t shirts finished for Disney! At least of the shirts that I have already bought. I managed to get 3 more finished up today. So it looks like I will get at least one of my goals done before I take a trip to the expensive "hotel" on Monday! (see, I didn't mention that "S" word!)

Although, it seems that every time I talk about having to stay at least one night there...I keep calling it a hotel! Maybe sub consciously I am thinking this is going to be easy.Or maybe I am telling myself I need a vacation. Not really sure, but I do find it both eerie and funny!

Today, Mr D played with his football before catching the school bus. It was really finny. He is doing much better on throwing than I thought he would. Of course, he thought the way the game works is he throws the ball and Cissy goes to get it! She wasn't too happy with that game after a few minutes...so he declared that he won, because she quit!

Nini

I have a new blog!

2010-09-15T07:04:00.000-04:00

Since I know most of you don't want to have the details of my surgery, I will now be using my new blog to document all the craziness that we go through for the neck fusion. It is called...ACDF along with Nini. I know, not a very catchy title, but I figured it said what it needed to!

See, when I was doing my own research I could only find negative stuff about the surgery and recovery time. But, the statistics show that it is successful in over 97% of the time. Evidently it is true...you only let people know if you get bad customer service and not good!

So...if you want to follow along with my wonderful and amazing journey into neck surgery...follow http://acdfalongwithnini.blogspot.com/ If not...stay here and I will promise to leave out any major details of the surgery and recovery.

Of course, I may not be updating this one as frequently as I had been previously....so you all get a rest!

Nini

More research...

2010-09-14T07:16:00.000-04:00

So, I have a time for the surgery next week. Eleven am! Seriously? Seriously! Um, do they realize I can't have coffee that morning? Um, will someone please be on the lookout for my husband? I'm pretty sure he is going to find a way to disappear for a while...and will come back with coffee breath!!!

Yeah, I know. It is the only time he ever cheats on me... Every time I have surgery or something that means I can't have anything to eat or drink in the am, he picks that morning to be super hungry! He usually waits until I go in before he goes to get a BIG breakfast and several cups of coffee...but with it not being until 11:00, he may just disappear for a while!

I have actually been feeling pretty good these past couple of days. I managed to get 2 more t shirts finished yesterday. Still have a gazillion more to go, but I think I have it figured out how to get them all finished before it is time to go. If I can average one a day, I will have plenty of time! So, I just need to double up on a couple of days (like 14 or so) and I should be able to make up for the 2 weeks I won't be able to get anything done.

Yes, I said 2 weeks. I think I should be able to get back to sewing after a couple of weeks. Not for long periods of time, but at least long enough to get a shirt done a day. I know it will help me stay sane (ish). The only concern I have is the stairs. Once I master that, there will be no stopping me.

Ok, now to the title of my post. Research. I have done so much research on the upcoming surgery my head is spinning. I found a website that lets you post your thoughts, concerns, questions, etc about your experience with this type of surgery. It was very SCARY!!!! If it could go wrong, these people have had it happen to them. They are very bitter. Very Bittier! They cannot imagine anyone coming out of the surgery fine. So much so, that when someone posts about a successful surgery, some accuse them of lieing!

Now, I know that the odds are that this type of surgery is 97% effective on my type of problem. I know that there is a chance that all the problems (pain and numbness) may not go away because the current nerve damage may be too bad and permanent. I know that this surgery is designed to prevent future damage and problems, and that it could actually make the problems worse. (of course that is a very very small chance.) I'm not going in expecting a miracle, but I am hoping for the best possible outcome.

I personally think 97% is pretty good odds. There are millions of these types of surgeries done all the time. My surgeon has done hundreds of thousands over the years. But if you go by the percentage of people that actually post, it is more like a success rate of less than one percent! I realize that when people have a good outcome they are less than likely to go to a site to post that. Most people use this type of site as a place to ask questions, and to complain (look for sympathy) when things go wrong. However, before this site became THAT type of place, it was full of useful information.

So, I am thinking of posting my daily thoughts after the surgery here. I would love to be able to come back later and see what type of feeling I was having then...and to see what my perception of recovery was at the time it was happening. So, for those who are not interested in that information, sorry. I might decide to put all these posts in a different blog. Guess I'll have to wait and see how I feel about things next week!

I have my pre-op hospital info round to go today. Last time I had one of these, it lasted about 30 minutes...they are telling me to expect a minimum of THREE hours for this one.should be interesting!

Nini

This time next week...

2010-09-12T12:54:00.000-04:00

...I will be freaking out!

There, I admitted it! I will be freaking out this time next week. Probably not for the reasons most people freak out before surgery though. I will have to admit that not everything I want to get done will be done, and that no matter how hard I try to 'will' it to be the way I want...it is not gonna happen!

So, I guess I also have to admit I am somewhat of a control freak. I will be giving complete control to someone I have only met once (even though he is highly qualified and came highly recommended.) I have to promise to do what he says...even though it is very contrary to what I want to have happen.

I guess I will just have to keep telling myself that it is all for a good reason...being pain free at DISNEY!

Nini

Day Two of Flare Up

2010-09-10T08:55:00.000-04:00

Wonderful Start to the day!

Miss B had her Student of the Month award ceremony. She seemed completely bored with the whole situation...but then again that is the way she is.

I managed to have a nice conversation with Mr D's teacher, she let me know that they will be using the HWT method soon for his full time writing instruction. She will not be able to reschedule the IEP meeting with so little warning, so we will do an amendment for 30 days and then have another meeting. Not the best solution, but it is really the best we can do at this late date.

My arthritis is really flaring up today. I usually just double up on a couple of the meds to get through the day when it is bad, but since I am supposed to be avoiding all before the surgery...I am trying oh so hard to be a good girl!

Since the flare is primarily in my hip and lower back, I cannot seem to get comfortable anywhere I sit. Standing is out, laying down isn't much better. I think the Princess and I will just chill out and watch Disney Channel today. She won't mind me getting up and moving every few minutes.

I've heard that this is a problem I will be experiencing for a few days after surgery. Except it will be my neck bothering me and not my back. So I guess I am just getting a jump on the fun!

I guess I just need to conserve my spoons a bit today.

Nini

Good news/Bad News

2010-09-09T11:59:00.000-04:00

Good News...My surgery is tentatively scheduled for Sept 20. Disney is still on, although I may not be able to ride all the rides I want to, I still plan on having a ton of fun!

Bad News...I can't take most of my arthritis medicine between now and the surgery date...and for 3 months AFTER!

I am already feeling the no meds part, after only one day. Of course, I also discovered that most of what I won't be able to do for a while after surgery...I can't really do now!

Sweeping is out. Moving furniture is out. Reaching over my head is out. Bending is out. Sitting for very long is out. Getting comfortable in any position is out.

Of course there will be a few more things I can add to that list after surgery, but I think I am getting an early dose of what to expect...LOL!

Seriously, my type of arthritis has good days, bad days and some great days thrown into the mix. I think it is a coincidence that I am having a bad day the first day after stopping some of the meds. I have gone a few days without meds before with no real adverse effects (like when I can't seem to remember to pick up my meds at the pharmacy!)

I guess I don't really need to get all the stuff on my list done today...right?

Nini

Is summer really almost over?

2010-09-06T15:17:00.000-04:00

Today, the kids and I played in the pool for several hours. Yes, I am sunburned, but I still had a blast! By next year we should have a deck around it and some landscaping done. I know I will be happy to have a great view OF the pool and not only FROM the pool!

It was really cute watching the kids learn to hold their breath under water...without drinking all the pool each time! I think if the pool had been up longer this summer they would have both learned to swim.

I did manage to take advantage of the great end of summer sales and get the kids a few pool toys. I already have a list of requests for next year.

I'm guessing we will still be able to use the pool for a few more weeks. The water has cooled down quite a bit and feels downright icy when you first get in, but the air temperature is still in the upper 80's, so as long as the night time stays above 60 we should be able to get in it.

Of course, we are only 12 weeks away from Disney. Only about 7 weeks before Halloween. It is always freezing for Halloween, but generally warms back up for Thanksgiving.

I am really looking forward to the cooler weather, if only because it means Disney is getting closer. But, also, the thought of wearing a neck brace in the sweltering summer heat is not something I want to entertain!

Nini

I have the sweetest husband in the world!

2010-09-05T18:28:00.000-04:00

That's right....the sweetest husband in the world!

He knows how important making all the outfits is for me on this Disney trip. He went with me today to buy some more T shirts, and after getting back, had the kids play outside while I got some sewing time in.

Now, don't you agree...isn't he the sweetest!

Nini

2010-09-04T08:10:00.000-04:00

OK...I admit I am weired! When something is wrong with me I do a ton...I mean a TON of research...and usually it makes me feel better. The fear of the unknown is so much worse that knowing what is actually wrong.

Let's take my migraines for instance. They scared the bejeebers out of me. During my 2nd pregnancy they were so bad I would have TIAs. Basically mini strokes. The right side of my body would go completely numb...and I could no longer feel the baby move. Very scary stuff. Once it was explained exactly what was going on, I knew everything was ok, and it stopped bothering me so badly.

Now, they barely even stop me. The pain isn't any less, I just know that it will pass soon and try by best to pretend nothing is wrong. Rarely do I have to stop what I am doing when a migraine strikes, even though I still have them almost daily.(except for reading...I still can't 'will' myself to be able to read when I can't really see...LOL)

When the doctors say surgery, I do as much research as I possibly can. I go into the first meeting with the surgeon being able to almost know everything they are going to say. I know the terminology, I am prepared.

For example, my rotator cuff surgery. I did so much research that I even knew the percentage of women my age having the surgery and their expected outcomes. I knew how much pain to expect and how long of a recovery time I would experience. Knowing this made the recovery time less painful than I believe it would have been and much shorter. I was able to stop pain meds after the first week. Doc had wanted me to stay on them for at least a month. The only real problems I experienced was the physical torture...sorry I mean physical therapy that I had to go through for 8 weeks!

Same for my wrist and lumpectomy. Being prepared makes it less scary.

So, how come this neck surgery thing is scaring me more than reassuring me? I have a copy of both MRIs (lumbar - which we are doing nothing about; and cervical). I have the report from both. I have researched each and every term that is used in the report and know pretty much what it is saying. I can look at the scans and see 90% of what the report is saying. ( it is funny, knowing what you are SUPPOSED to be seeing makes it oh so easy to actually see it!)

I guess my problem is that there is no 'title' to what is wrong, making it harder to know what they will be doing to fix it. The report actually gives 4 different names to what my current condition is. Although they are similar, and are treated in a similar fashion, there is enough of a difference to make a large cone of uncertainty.

The surgery can range from minimally invasive, removing the offending bone spurs; to removing the actual vertebrae and replacing with bone grafts and metal plates. Hospital stays range from out patient to a hospital stay of 48 hours ...or more. Recovery time is from 2 weeks to 6 months!

Now, how am I supposed to prepare for that much of a difference??!!

I don't like surprises. I want to know going in if I should be fearful or relaxed.

Then, there is the stuff that the first doctor DIDN'T tell me about. Like the evidence of "an arachnoid cyst in the supracerebellar cistern"..trust me, you don't want to know what this is! LOL

So, on Tuesday, I will either be comfortably prepared or horrendously scared.

Nini

2010-09-01T16:44:00.000-04:00

Note from Mr D's teacher today:

"He worked hard when he arrived. I'm really concerned with his grade level performance and him needing to rest frequently. I'm sending a packet for tomorrow. Just send back when completed."

Now, in order for you to understand my complete and utter 'displeasure' with the above statement, you have to know that I spent 3 hours before I registered him and 4 hours in an IEP meeting discussing 3 points. One - that he is NOT on a 2nd or 3rd grade level in his work, but is on a K or 1st grade level on reading! They insisted in placing him in a 3rd grade level special ed class! Two - that the meds he is on make him sleepy and he frequently needs to rest or take a nap. We even discussed the possibility of me sending in a favorite blankie because he is a blankie baby and likes to have his head covered when resting.

The other point was his frequent doctor and therapy appointments and his need to miss a lot of school due to this!

I have to say that I am positive that no one listened to anything I had to say! Sheeeesh!

Nini

A New Month!!!

2010-09-01T08:09:00.000-04:00

September

What will it bring?

New problems, or new solutions masquerading as problems.?

The results of my MRI are in. At first I was really, really freaked out about them. I mean, I had been researching the worst outcome so I could be prepared for the worst and hope for the best. I had even put the words..."having surgery" into actual speaking...just to see how they sounded out loud.

I even joked that it would have to wait until after the first of the year...couldn't let it mess with Disney!

But when the doctor called...I was not prepared for what he would say. He really didn't give me an option. He said surgery.

I knew I had two ruptured disks in my lumbar (lower back) spine, and bone spurs growing on three disks. I knew they suspected the same results in my neck. I was hoping for shots directly in the disks to relieve the pain. The doctor was confident that would be all that was needed. He wanted an MRI to rule out other problems and to accurately pinpoint the area that would work best for the injections.

Basically, what they found was a lot worse than what was expected. The arthritis in my neck had attacked the bone so badly that it had moved my disk to a point where it is cutting into my spinal cord. He said there was evidence of nerve damage...but the thing that got me was his statement, that some of the doctors that saw my scans could not believe that I was able to walk. He said the neck is so unstable, that it could cut the cord completely with just a little movement...like a fall... Very Scary!

So, he gave me three doctors...I researched and liked his first suggestion. I'm waiting to hear from his office. Since there are a variety of different surgeries that can 'fix' what ails me...I'm not 100% sure which one they will do. They are all pretty much the same surgery, just different methods of removing the offending portion. I may or may not require a bone graft...the good news is, I should have only a minimal recovery time (2 to 3 weeks) and be able to still go to Disney...just have to be a bit careful as to what rides I go on, since if there is a bone graft it takes about 6 months to fully graft....

So, if the doctor that ordered the MRI has his way about it, I should have my surgery before the end of this month and be on my way to recovery...and Disney!

Nini

Desperately seeking weight loss ideas

2010-08-30T07:10:00.000-04:00

First a bit of back story.

Growing up I was always skinny! Very SKINNY!! If anorexia had been around then in the minds of people other than doctors, everyone would have thought I was. I had a very healthy appetite, just great metabolism and never gained an ounce. I wore a size 4 (back then it was really really hard to find any size smaller than that) but since I was 5' 10'' I had to wear a size 8 because that was the smallest size a tall came in then. I always looked like I was wearing clothes that were a million sizes too big (which I was) and that made me look even skinnier! Soaking wet I MIGHT weigh 80 or 85 pounds!

First baby took care of that! I gained 100 pounds with him. The doctor was worried I was underweight and told me not to worry about loosing the weight...my metabolism would take care of the extra! Famous last words!

Said baby is almost 33 now.

So, for the past 33 years I have been overweight. But, truthfully I have never had trouble loosing the weight for special occasions. Like, a few years ago, we had Weight Watchers at work. There was a prize for the most lost...no problem. I quickly lost 20 pounds during the 12 weeks without even trying hard. Kept it off for almost a year, but then came back.

Last year for Disney I wanted to loose at least 30 pounds. I started in February and lost 30 pounds relatively easy by our September trip to Disney. Now it has all come back...along with about 20 extra.

This trip has been in the planning stages since January. We leave in 89 days. I have done the same things as in the past, but I have continued to gain. I tried Alli...but I don't eat enough fat to make it work! I mean I had to work hard at eating 15 grams of fat at each meal!

I try to eat relatively healthy...only one helping of whatever we eat, no snacking, and stay as active as I can with my arthritis. I actually eat about half what I feed to either of the kids.

In the past, both Weight Watchers and South Beach have worked for me.Will power is never my problem...

Right now, I can eat two to three bites of food before I feel full. I am eating ...probably only one meal a day. I just don't get hungry. But still the weight keeps creeping up. Since July 4th (when I had that tummy thing where I lost 10 pounds that weekend) I have gained over 30 pounds...while DIETING!

I need to jumpstart this thing...but I really don't know how. I've read and researched all the 'old wives tales' about eating more to trick your metabolism to loosing weight..as well as all the medical stuff about why not to do each of these things.

So, tell me... what are your weight loss trick . I mean I really am tired of looking like I did when I was 8 and a half months pregnant with my first kid!

Nini

Two Weeks down....

2010-08-27T08:07:00.000-04:00

Well, today marks two weeks of school completed...

So far I am less than thrilled, but Mr D is very happy!

One of the side effects of his meds is that he gets sleepy during the day. Another one is that occasionally he can't sleep during the night. Both were explained in DETAIL at our IEP meeting. While it is not in writing (therefore it didn't happen evidently!) they promised to make allowances for his sleepyness at school. We even talked about my bringing in a blanket for him to sleep.

Last night, between his meds and a storm, he woke up at 3 and did not (could not) go back to sleep. I sent an email to his teacher ...just as an FYI. She wrote me back saying...basically that was too bad. His academics were more important than his rest and she would send a lot of work home with him over the weekend so he could 'catch up'!

If I remember correctly we are sending him to public school...I should not have to be teaching him at home as well!

I guess this is just something else I need to add to his new IEP in a few weeks..

Evidently, everyone at that school knows more than all the doctors he has been seeing for the past 5 years...and can make the decisions as to what he needs and what is best for him!

Nini