11-12-13

The title of this post really has nothing whatsoever to do with what I'm going to write, I just wanted to call it that.
So, for some time now Mommy and I have been making soaps together completely from scratch (lye, oils, and all that good stuff) and really enjoy it. We've made some really pretty ones lately and are looking forward to taking pictures of them to list in our Etsy shop that we hope to start soon and hopefully sell some. They're really pretty and smell really good as well, I'll post the link whenever it's up and running.
Right now I have my own Etsy shop where I sell my handmade earrings. Mommy just got that up and running for me last night and there are some Christmas earrings there, too, so please check it out. A part of the proceeds I hope to make from my earrings I'm going to donate to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as it has forever been my dream to somehow donate to them and it has always been so dear to my heart and I just hurt so much for those children. And whenever our soap store is running we're going to make a specific kind of soap so that each bar of that which is sold we will donate the full amount to the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society as that is something that is very dear to our hearts as well.
Our goal is to eventually make some other things to sell, like lip balms, candles, and whatever else we can think of, so we'll see how that goes.
It's so fun to do things with my mommy and we always have such fun together no matter what we're doing. And it's so great that we can make our soaps together and everything and I wouldn't have it any other way. She's my best friend and there's no one on earth I would rather spend time with than her.

In other news, we got some snow last night! Unfortunately, it's mostly melted now and later on in the week, the temperatures are supposed to be back up in the 50's and 60's, which isn't cool for me because I prefer the cold weather and was so happy about the snow. Oh well, hopefully we'll get a lot more later on this Autumn/Winter. A white Christmas would be quite welcome as well, we'll see.

Grace be with you.

I've Started Another Blog!

So my favorite grocery store in the whole world is Kroger. Mommy and I go there almost everyday and I go in with my grocery list (and the beautiful grocery bags she made!) while she waits in the car. So many times I surprise her by how little I spend and so she suggested that I start a blog about my love of Kroger, so I did.

http://thekrogerqueen.blogspot.com/

I'll try to update as much as possible.
Now if only I could think of more things to write on here...

Grace be with you.

Lovely Day

Pictures from when Mommy & I were out today.

God's creation is stunning.

Despite the fact that it is miserably hot, it is still a gorgeous day....and I'm listening to Christmas music.

Grace be with you. 

S'Mores & "Merlin"

The time is 10:10pm and here I sit, leg up, in the dark, with the only light coming from my lap-top, and that, is how I like it. I meant to write a blog post earlier, but was otherwise engaged writing in one of my stories (I'm in the midst of writing 4) and then wasting too much time on Pinterest. Now, I have no e-mails to write, nothing new on Twitter or Facebook, so here I am. Regrettably the main thing I have been doing throughout all of this recuperating is watch movies, which isn't bad, I guess, since I can't really do anything else and ideas for stories don't often just flow right when you need/want them to. Besides, I rarely watch many movies, and I have some DVD's that I am unable to watch any other time, so why not?
One of the worst things about having surgery and not being able to get around or go anywhere is the fact that Mommy & I are missing Starbucks frappuccino happy hour, which makes me sad. Often they sound so good (ok, maybe they always sound so good....particularly java chip). Ah well, so goes life sometimes.
I am now enjoying my new bedding that Mommy, Daddy, & Chris just put on for me. The sheets are light pink and the comforter is burgundy and it is tufted. It all looks so pretty. And, of course, it wouldn't be the same without my Nani Bear and big Winnie The Pooh bear right next to me (yes, I'm 23 and still have to have stuffed bears on my bed...indeed, Nani Bear comes with me everywhere we go, he's been with me during my doctors' visits, surgeries, scans, chemotherapy, and radiation - I even created a fanpage for him on FB, which has 7 'likes', all of whom I know, indeed, I'm one of them, so clearly, I'm not showing off). I like to have my story journals on my bed, too, in case something pops in my mind that needs to be added.
The movies I've watched (over the course of 5 days) are as follows (some on Netflix, some are my DVD's, and 2 on YouTube):
"The Christmas Card" (about 4 times- DVD)
"The Parent Trap" (original and remake- DVD)
"The Parent Trap II" (DVD)
"Once Upon A Christmas" (DVD)
"Twice Upon A Christmas" (DVD)
"The Muppet Christmas Carol" (my favorite movie ever- DVD)
"A Princess For Christmas" (YouTube)
"Luther" (the story of Martin Luther- YouTube)
"Roman Holiday" (Netflix)
"Neverwas" (Netflix)
Then I've watched a few shows on Netflix. Just a few nights ago, I decided to rewatch "Merlin" (Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Angel Coulby, Katie McGrath) on Netflix, which I've been enjoying immensely; just as good the second time around.

Oh, just yesterday I was informed of some wonderful news that one of my best friends is preggers! I do so look forward to the baby's arrival (due December 15th)....even though we live miles apart and I won't be able to hold the baby for quite some time, regrettably. She and her hubby are going to be wonderful parents and I'm so happy for them!
I am also delighted because Manchester United have won the Premier League and Manchester City lost the FA Cup. Good tidings all around, save for Sir Alex Ferguson retiring from managing Manchester United after 26 years. Ah well, all good things must come to an end.

*Salutes*

It is now 11:10.

Grace be with you.

P.S. You can never go wrong with S'Mores, whether they're made over a fire or in the oven, they're delicious.

Posting this at about 11:32 because I have to read through anything I write online thoroughly at least twice before posting it.

It Has Been Awhile

To my few followers and readers, forgive my long absence. Sometimes I just have no idea what to write.

Tuesday I had follow-up scans to make sure the cancer has not returned. For some reason, I had been worrying about this for a very long time and have cried- well, sobbed is more like it - several times because I was so afraid something had returned.
We got the results today and all is clear and fine. My Radiologist (who is always so nice and awesome) told us that the scans look great and everything is looking really good. He told us that since everything is looking so good, there's a very, very slim chance of anything returning. Because I was so happy about the news, I started crying a little bit and Mommy told him how I had been so worried and he told me not to worry and that he'll do the worrying; he's great.
We are just praising the Lord for this wonderful news.
Tomorrow is my Oncologist's Birthday so last night I made PB cookies and Espresso bars and we're going to take them to the Oncology Center for him and all the nurses. We had planned on doing it today but he doesn't work on Thursdays. But since tomorrow is his Birthday, it all worked out perfectly.
I must say, I do look forward to seeing the nurses there. All of them are kind of like my friends now, and they're all just the sweetest. I've always felt that way about them, but can't say enough how much I appreciate everyone there and how grateful I am to the Lord that he blessed me with such wonderful doctors and nurses throughout all of this.

I have an Etsy shop now, so far I'm just selling handmade earrings, but I hope to get inspiration of other things I can make and sell. I sold one pair of earrings within just a few days of it being opened, so I was thankful for that.
I also have a Pinterest, if anyone is interested in following me: pinterest.com/1maiden4manutd.

Oh, on the 20th, I have an appointment to see a surgeon because I have this kind of swelling on my foot that's been there for several weeks now and my Dr. thinks it's a cyst, but because of my history with cancer, and knowing that I wouldn't be comfortable until we know for sure, she said we should go see a surgeon. He thinks it could be a popped blood vessel and told me to put heat on it at least 3 times a day for 20 minutes each time, which, unfortunately, I haven't been able to do it that often a day, but I have done it at least twice most days. It will start to go down, but if I accidentally skip a few days, it gets bigger again. He said that it's nothing to worry about at all but, if it is a cyst, it would have to be removed, so we'll see what he says on Monday.

Other than all of that, I do not think there is anything new with us.

My hair is coming back nicely and Mommy and I decided that it's getting long enough now to where we don't need to use hairspray anymore (she always fixes it for me because I am not used to short hair and because she likes it...as do I).

In other non-related news:
Last Christmas, I made one of my best friends a scrapbook/cookbook type thing and I keep meaning to post about it (it's taken me long enough) because I took pictures of all the pages and, if I may say, they're quite cute. I'll have to try and post those pictures soon.
I also need to keep up with writing here, as I do enjoy it.

And now, my friends, farewell.

Grace be with you.

NEEDTOBREATHE Makes Everything Better

Two days ago Mommy and I awoke with colds. Daddy had been sick with one and just when he was on the end of his, then we each manage to wake on the same day with colds. Poor Chris has to do everything around here, which I hate, but he never complains and he takes very good care of "his girls."
So I thought since I have nothing better to do at the moment I would write a blog post about something or other.
Since I've been sick I've mostly stayed in bed the whole time either on my lap-top trying to figure out what to do or watching stuff on Netflix or watching "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" on HULU and if I'm not doing that I'm just laying here listening to my favorite band, NEEDTOBREATHE, on my iPod touch. The past two nights I'd leave it on my bed and have it playing all night. If you have not heard of them or just haven't heard them, you must, because they are awesome beyond awesome. Like, seriously, all four of the dudes are just so dang cool. Indeed, right now, they're still playing whilst I'm writing this and drinking some honey vanilla chamomile tea that Chris made for me. Plus, I just got 3 of their ringtones on my phone. I was just thinking about giving you a list of my favorite songs by them, but after making a playlist on my iPod, it turns out I apparently have 42 (I have 53 on my pod) favorite songs by them, so that might take awhile. We'll just suffice it to say that they're awesome and you need to purchase all of their CD's (4).
I actually told my cashier at the grocery store the other night about them and another favorite band that Chris and I like called Young The Giant.

I would share some of my favorite NEEDTOBREATHE videos but alas, embedding them has been disabled. And for some reason embedding Young The Giant videos didn't work.

NEEDTOBREATHE

Bo Rinehart, Joe Stillwell, Bear Rinehart, Seth Bolt

Young The Giant

Sameer Gadhia (the lead singer) is standing in the front and he's the only one I know, so it's him and the other dudes. I know their names, just not who's who.

Now I believe I will end this post and blow my nose and then watch something. You, however, need to go to youtube.com and find some NEEDTOBREATHE and Young The Giant videos and listen to them and then purchase both bands' CD's, because they're awesome and because I'm sick and I told you to do it.

Grace be with you.