Father's Day Contest...Help Me!

Shell pointed me towards Fibers.com last night.  She is doing a giveaway from them and she also mentioned that they are doing a Father's Day Contest.  You design a shirt and then people vote on it.  The person with the most votes wins great prizes!  Including an iPad!!!!!  Well, I couldn't pass this up so I designed a shirt!  To view it and VOTE please please please, you can go here.   I designed a shirt for the huz that reflects our life trying to promote Organ Donation Awareness. 

Each person can cast a max on 3 votes per account (no creating duplicate accounts because they log your IP address) so if you create something, let me know and I can vote for you guys too.  Right now the highest vote is up to 27 votes.  Surely we can beat that!!! 

2 Years Old

Happy Birthday to my little Monkey.  Today she turns 2 years old.  To read her updated, go here.

Friday Fragments

There are a lot of bloggers out there who have Friday Fragment posts on Fridays to help them sum up their week.  This week, I think that I need to do this too. There are so many things that run through my mind, but I never write them all down or have enough to say about them for an actual blog post.  Also, I am participating in a new Friday Follow.  Please bear with me as I am SO very new to this! 

Monkey has fallen onto her head twice this week.  Twice!  We call her Monkey for a reason.  She climbs on EVERYTHING!  Unfortunately, this week she has decided to master the art of not so gracefully falling.  I think that she just likes to give her mother a heart attack as well! 

My mom's neighbor lost their precious little Yorkie Tuesday night.  He was so cute and sweet.  I really hope they find him and someone didn't just take him because they saw him wondering.  I always try to contact the owners whenever I find an animal.  I like to think that others do the same.

We spent Tuesday night in the pool.  It was Mouses first time in the pool and I don't think she knew what to think of it.  She just kept staring and looking at all of us as she was floating in her baby ring.  She was just too adorable though.  Monkey on the other hand is turning into a regular little fish.

On Sunday my little Monkey will be turning 2.  I just can't believe it.  After everything she has been through, she is going to be 2.  We have been so very blessed that she hasn't had a lot of the issues that a lot of other liver babies have had.  We thank her donor angel every day for the gift of life she was given.  Without her transplant, she probably wouldn't have made it this far.

About a month ago I discovered Roasted Red Pepper Humus.  I have always said that I hate Humus.  Well, this is the best stuff I have ever eaten!  I don't know if the last Humus I tasted wasn't flavored or what, but I am eating my words...literally.  Another good thing about it is that Monkey will eat it.  That is saying something.  She doesn't eat anything unless it is in the form of the McD's nugget or fruit or something sweet.

We are going to New Orleans for a week starting on June 4th.  I am SO excited that I can't stand it.  We are going for the huz's work.  He attends the Microsoft conference every year and this year it is in LA. The girls and I are going because we have family that lives close by.  I haven't been to LA in almost 20 years.  I am SO excited that I get to take the girls with me to visit with family we don't get to see very often.  I am also sad that they won't get any beach time due to the oil spill.  I truly hope they get that fixed soon. So many endangered species are going to be hurt by it. Ugh!  Let's just move one before I get on my soap box!

My straw bale garden is growing lettuce, green beans, cucumbers, and A LOT of grass.  So disappointed in the whole grass thing.  That wasn't supposed to happen with straw bales.  Oh well.  We will see if I can keep what is growing alive long enough to harvest.  If I can, the family will not want to green beans!  There are like 10 plants growing right now!

Cutest Pet Pic Contest

Today is the first day of the Cutest Pet Pic Contest hosted by Supah, Shell, and Chief's.  If you would like to enter link up on one of their pages.

Here is the picture I am entering.  It is not the picture I wanted to enter, but I think that it is just as cute!  The pic I wanted to enter is MIA right now which is sending me into panic attacks that I am missing more pics that I didn't know about!  Anyway, here are my three little cuties, plus the wonderful huz.   My two 70ish pounds dogs and the 19pound cat who all think they are lap fur-babies!

India, Nala, Binks (and the huz)

Wordless Wednesday....6 months

My little Mouse turned 6 months on the 24th!  I can't believe that she is 6 months old already.  It seems like we just brought her home yesterday.  Happy 6 month birthday my beautiful little mouse.  You have changed our lives for the better. 

Just Born

1 Month

2 Months

3 Months

4 Months

5 Months

6 Months

Mission Monkey Day

Hello blog-world! I am participating in what's known around the world as Mission Monkey day! What is Mission Monkey you ask? Well, there's this blogger friend of ours known as Pixie Momma, aka Michelle. Michelle has a little girl, or Monkey as she's known by who was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma. To learn more about it, click here. Monkey is a sweet little 16 month old girl. She doesn't deserve this. Nobody deserves this.

But the good news is that Monkey only has Stage 1 (low risk). The bad news is the medical bills are mounting and the Physical Therapy (starts today) isn't covered by insurance. Michelle is using the donated money to offset medical bills. She will donate and unused portion to another family dealing with the same issue.

This is why the blogging universe is banning together like never before to rally around Michelle and Monkey to provide support. In addition to further entice you to lend your hand, and donate to the cause, we have over 50 items that have been donated. Many bloggers are hosting these fabulous giveaways and all you need to win one of these items is just one raffle ticket.

Donation pages:
Princess of Sarcasm - http://bit.ly/9nUmBp
The One and Only Oka - http://bit.ly/9KZSOG
SupahMommy - http://bit.ly/bSMrGw
Jenn B Says #1 - http://bit.ly/bYzHAH
Jenn B Says #2 - http://bit.ly/bej01D
Amber - http://bit.ly/cTGq29
Two Little Monkeys - http://bit.ly/cZKjzK
Mommy's Nest - http://bit.ly/9tLjoy
Chief's Hiding From the Kids - http://bit.ly/cfKIiO
Jenny - http://bit.ly/dftIS2
Jana - http://bit.ly/aUKVjM

You may donate any amount of money via PayPal as it's linked directly to Michelle's bank account. However, in order to be a part of the raffle, this is how that's going to go. If you donate the following, you get the subsequent number of entries:

• $10 - 2 entries
• $20 - 5 entries
• $30 - 10 entries
• $40 - 15 entries
• $50 - 20 entries
• $75 - 35 entries
• $100 - 50 entries
• $200 - 125 entries

The raffles for each item will start on or around July 1st.

Click on monkey to donate...please help!

If you are donating money via PayPal, I need to know who it's coming from. For example, look at the first picture below. The link takes to you this screen. Press the plus sign and then indicate your blog name/blog email address so I can track you accordingly.

And, here's the thing: this could be any of our kids. Thank you for your time and thank you for your donation.

There are also a few other things going on to celebrate Mission Monkey please visit them all!




Twitter party!











More info can be found here - CASH PRIZES!!!!!!


Kerri over at Kerri's Klutter is donating $1 for each and every linkup she receives for her weekly meme, Comment Love Letters. In addition, Adrienne is matching Kerri's donation dollar for dollar! Go and link up and support Mission Monkey!



ZGirl and Travis are participating in a weight loss challenge and they are asking for your sponsorship. Please visit them and lend your support!

Jenn over at BabyStepsInHighHeels has a challenge where she's going to donate $1 for every comment/new follower from now until the end of May. Please visit her!

Tell the truth Thursday

I know that this is very late, but honestly here is the reason I didn't get anything posted today. Well, this and the fact that I actually cleaned the front room complete with vacuuming!  *be shocked, I am*

I have bangs!  I have never looked good with bangs imho, but I LOVE these!

Sassy side view

I LOVE purple!

Edit:  I also wanted to tell the truth about my weight.  It's bad.  It's gone up due to no exercise.  So, I joined WW online last night.  We will see what happens!

Zombie Apocalypse? I'm good.

I am pretty sure that over the past 2 days I could have made a very good stand in for a zombie had the zombie apocalypse occurred.  Sunken eyes, drooling, incoherent moans, and shuffling around the house where absolutely all taking place in this household.  Monkey has woken up 4 of the past 6 mornings at 4:30 or 3:30!  It seemed like the later I let her go to sleep, the earlier she got up.

The night before last she went to bed at a decent time and so did Mouse.  Unfortunately I couldn't sleep one bit!  I got maybe 3 hours of sleep and they both actually slept all night!  What is wrong with this picture?!  Oh well, I will just have to try to catch up this weekend.  Though, I doubt that is going to happen.  We have a wedding to go to Saturday and then Sunday we are celebrating Monkey's 2nd birthday! 2?! Already?!  Surely she can't be 2!  Well, she is surely acting like a 2 year old! 

Now I am off to try to get some things done around the house that were neglected during my days as a zombie.  Oh, and I think Monkey would be good during a zombie apocalypse too.  The huz keeps saying that she got her transplant scar from fighting zombies!

4:30a.m.....we are NOT friends!

Suddenly my little monkey has gone crazy decided that the perfect time to wake up is 4:30a.m.  It's like she was abducted by aliens!  She has forgotten that mommy will surely die if she has to get up any earlier than 6 is not a morning person. At. All.!

Hence why there was no post yesterday.  I spent the majority of my day trying to peel my eyelids off of my eyeballs while they were screaming for "just 5 more minutes mom" of precious rest.  Nap time did not go well either.  She decided that 10 am was nap time.  A full 2 1/2 hours too early.  I thought that this was going to be great!!!  I could get a little shut eye and then when she woke up, I would be wonder woman a little above barely functioning again. Ha! No dice.  Mouse had other plans.  She decided she was going to be a hold me baby which I normally don't mind.  This time however, she had to be sitting up. Which meant I had to stay awake to hold her due to her lack of self sitting skills.

By the time she was ready to be put down again, Monkey woke up.  A measly 1 hour after she had fallen asleep.  For the rest of the day she went through fit of cuddling and turning into a daemon child crying for the slightest things.  Seriously, one time I stood up from the chair to adjust my pant leg! Seriously kiddo?  It's not something to cry about.  I promise.  I guess what I am trying to say by all of this boo hoo, what happened to my little princess stuff is that if this is what 2 brings, we can skip it and go straight to 3.  I mean it.  I used to always say that I never wanted to wish her life away, but give me the damn magic wand and pixie dust already if this keeps up, I am going to go crazy! 

4:30 a.m. should be no one's friend.  Especially when you are SO not a morning person.  Yet, again today, she felt the need to push that big red invisible button that says "Wake Mommy up WAY too early!".  Tomorrow is SO the huz's day.  Mouse and I will be content to sleep in and let him deal with the impostor posing as my little princess.  Even though I think she was abducted by aliens, I still love her.  Just not the time she chooses to wake up!  Now....off to nap while the napping is good.

Wordless Wednesday....Big Hair

Monkey was rocking big hair the evening after Mouse's Baptism.  We had put her hair up in a top pont tail and this is the result after taking it down!

Post It Note Tuesday: Cute or Worrysome?

Mission Monkey Minute

This past weekend I was visiting Things I Can't Say and saw that she had done a post about a blog that she had found.  As she went on, my heart broke and I instantly started tearing up.  Once I clicked over to read the blog posts as Momma's Pixie Dreams, I started to full out cry my eyes out. 

Their own little monkey was just diagnosed with Neuroblastoma.  She is just 16 months old.  It breaks my heart to see this family hurting.  It doesn't matter that they have a different diagnosis than my own monkey had.  I know the pain and the overwhelmed feelings and especially the fear of not having an answer.  I read this post from Shell at Things I can't say and decided to send Ian an email.   I contacted him in regards to donating a blanket that we made either to their fundraising efforts or directly to Monkey.  It was up to him.  He told me that he thought the blanket should go directly to Monkey.  So, as soon as I get it washed and dried, Monkey is going to be the first official child we donate a blanket to from a family we don't know. (Jax was the first and we know them)

So, I am extending a challenge for Mission Monkey.  Please, please grab her button and get the word out.  You can find it at Ian's blog or at Big Momma Cass's.  Please pray for Monkey and her family.

I am also taking part in Ian's Mission Monkey Minute for the day:

1 - How old do you act?


I am sure that the answer to this question is too old.  I have always been more responsible and mature for my age.  Don't get me wrong, I have my moments of fun and silliness, but not often enough.  So, I would say that I probably act like I am 40 or 50 sometimes.  Other's like I am still in my 20's.
2 - As far back as you can remember, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I always wanted to be a Vet, then a Marine Biologist, and then at 14 I decided on Pediatric Trauma Nurse or Flight Nurse.  To this day, I still want to be a nurse.  Maybe someday...


3 - If you were to write a book based on your life, what would the title be?


Liver, Spit up, and a whole lot of mess

4 - What's something that you do that's considered "childish" by most?


Probably playing computer games still.  I like to color.  I can't help it!  Sometimes when I get angry with the hubs, I say hurtful things.  SO trying to stop that so don't judge.


5 - The last question isn't a question. Write a story of a time of when you or someone you know overcame great adversity.

This is a story that some of you already know.  It is about my own little Monkey.  She was born May 2008 with Jaundice.  When we were still in the hospital we were in danger of her not being able to come home with us because they had found out there was something wrong with her liver.  It was eventually decided that she could go home as long as we came back to see a GI Dr on a regular basis.  We happily agreed as long as we could take our little one home.  After numerous blood tests, medications, and trips to see the GI Dr, she wasn't getting any better. 

On a Sunday afternoon at 10 weeks of age, her stool turned completely white.  Our pediatrician had always told us that if this happens we need to see him first thing.  So, first thing that Monday morning, I called him and he had us come in right away.  The next thing I knew, he was making phone calls to Children's Hospital and calling me back after hours to talk some more about Monkey.  He told me that he thought that she had a disease called Biliary Atresia.  I knew about it, but didn't want to say that I thought the same thing.  It is a disease that affects between 10,000 and 16,000 infants a year with an unknown cause.  He told us that we were to go straight to Children's Hospital in the morning and speak with them. 

When we got there, we were told that they were going to run more tests.  Then the Dr. asked me what I thought it was.  I finally said the words "Biliary Atresia".  He said that he thought so too, but we would see what the tests say.  So, after a full day of tests, they told us they were going to admit her.  The last test of the day was not promising so they were going to run it again in the morning.  Then we would go from there.  The next morning, the test showed the same poor results.  They told us they had one more test to do, but it required surgery.  Then the surgeon told us that if the test failed, he would immediately do a surgery to try to help her liver function.  It was VERY hard to accept.  Our little Monkey was not even 11 weeks old and she was already having major surgery. 

That Thursday she was officially diagnosed with Biliary Atresia as the last test had failed.  She immediately had a surgery to help her liver function.  Unfortunately, the surgery did not help her and a few months later she was placed on the Liver Transplant list.  We waited 22 days for a new liver for our little girl.  Waiting was hard, but we knew she was in good hands with her team at Children's.

Once we got the call, we had to wait to see if the liver was a good match for her.  After a little over 24 hours from the call, we were told that the liver was good and we would be going into surgery soon.  At 5 1/2 months, and after 6 1/2 hours or so of surgery, our little monkey had a new liver.  It was amazing.  Her new liver started working before the surgery was even over.  The first time I saw her, she had a flat belly.  She hadn't had a flat belly her entire life.  After 10 days we were sent home.  Just in time to celebrate Thanksgiving.  We had so much to be thankful for.

And we still do. Our little monkey is going to be turning 2 soon and you would never even know that she was sick. She is a normal little toddler who loves life as much as she loves her new little sister. Miracles do happen.  We have two living with us.



Please stop by Ian's blog and show your support to Monkey's family by posting your own Mission Monkey Minute. 

Mommy Tattoo

So, I have been wanting a few tattoos for awhile now.  One of them was a mommy tattoo.  For those of you who don't know what a mommy tattoo is, it is a tattoo that memorializes your children. 

Well, Saturday (May 1) I finally got to get my mommy tattoo.  I am SO happy with it.  I thought that I would share it with you all.  The pics aren't the greatest, but I hope you get the hint.  Now that I got this one, I want more!!!  Though, I have to wait awhile as we don't have a money tree growing out back.  Though, that would be a lot more appreciated than the large tree taking up the entire middle of our yard!

Long time no bloggy...time to tell the truth

I know that it has been an incredibly long time since I have posted anything.  So, in honor of To Tell the Truth Thursdays, I thought that I would come back and tell you why.  Honestly.

I have been having a little bit of a bloggy identity crisis I guess.  I am not sure that this blog is what I want it to be.  I am not sure how to get it to where I want it to be.  I have been feeling like my random rantings aren't all that important to anyone but myself.  I have also really been less than inspired to write anything at all. 

I have been feeling a little less than supported in certain ideas that I have had and I think that has lead me to have general blah feelings about most of the ideas running through my head.  Also, I have been spending a fair amount of time on the internet doing research for the book I want to write as well as a few other ideas I have had.  One of which is a straw bale garden.  Also some time way too much time on that horribly addictive website that we all love to hate known as Facebook!

So, I know that this is a short list, but in general I have been feeling blah about the blog.  I have been feeling blah about myself and the worth of my ideas.  I have just been feeling blah. 

And through all of this blah feeling, I miss it.  I miss getting comments from people I don't know or from the bloggers like Fidget, Lori, momma shenanigans, and Tanis (among others) that I have grown to love through their own shared stories.  Even if they could really care less about why I have been gone. 

I ran across a quote on Facebook and I really liked it.  It kind of touched me and I want to really try to live by it.  "Don't worry about who you know, make yourself worth knowing."