December 2013

December...oh December...

This month kicked my butt emotionally, physically, mentally.

I am soooo happy it's almost over!

I did get some snuggle time in with Bella this month. 

I can see a big difference in her. 

She's not as mean...and she's been using the litter box.

I'm sure she misses Mom as much as we all do!

I found this Essie polish. I hate paying full price for polishes since I still receive EXCELLENT discounts from the wholesaler Mom used to purchase from! 

The girls and I went for evening walks when the weather permitted it.

I won't walk in rainy or too cold weather.

We used to bundle up and enjoy walking in the cold, however, with my neck/shoulder situation that is no longer a possibility. 

My Influenster Jolly VoxBox came.

There were some pretty neat items in it. 

We have had some really cold, cold weather. One morning my front left door was even frozen shut. 

I finally used my Birchbox points and purchased our favorite hot tea from Mighty Leaf... Chamomile Citrus.  

If you haven't signed up for Birchbox, you can do it here. 

I look forward to my Birchbox each month. Lately they have been so good and there's almost always one product that I favorite! I even subscribed Emil the Man's Birchbox. He loves it!

It's hard to believe my baby will no longer be a baby. In 13 days she will be 13.

I can't handle it. I need time to stop....now. 

Then just a few weeks later my CC will be 18. Time really does fly.

It's sad.

I was looking through old pics and found this of me and my sweet friend Ebony.

She moved to NY to be with family. I miss her and our conversations so much. She's one person I can truly tell everything to and not have to worry about being judged. 

She listens. And she loves. She's the best friend anyone could ask for. 

While cleaning I found a box of Mom's earrings that I forgot I had. 

It's always nice to find little surprises like that.

Ha...I just noticed my feet in this pic...

my feet in the last pair of shoes Mom gave me.

How appropriate! 

And of course I enjoy wearing her earrings. We certainly did have the same taste in earrings. 

The girls and I have also enjoyed taking silly photos. 

I really need them to stop growing up so fast.

I love that they still love to be with me and want to be with me.

I treasure every minute together with them. 

My Aggies are playing the Chick-Fil-A Bowl on New Years Eve.

I'm pretty sure this is Johnny Manziel's last college game. 

So my CC bought me a A&M cap to get game ready! 

Abdelkrim is here visiting us. It's our annual December tradition.

And what is a visit from Ab with out playing a little Monopoly.

He assured me that he would win this time. 

He didn't. 

Twice. 

I certainly enjoyed beating him. He wasn't a fan of losing though.

He's a world renowned scientist.

He's made amazing achievements in cancer research.

And he can't beat me at Monopoly.

In 28 years, he's only beaten me once...last year.

Is This My Monthly Post?

I feel like this is me most of the time. 

My head just turns in circles after work and my short drive home sometimes isn't long enough to get out of adjuster mode and into home life mode. 

I absolute love my promotion at work. 

I love my new position.

I love my new team.

But it is alot of work. 

Some days are not bad at all....

and other days....

I pray for sanity to make it through each hour!

Then you get the funny ones....like the 65+ year old man who didn't have money to maintain auto insurance BUT let me know how lonely he's been for the past nine years and he sure will make a trip down here to see me because I sound like a nice woman....

....ummm... No Thank You!

So while I wish most days were like this..... 

they just aren't!

So what have we been up to? The last couple of weeks of October were very pleasant. The first few weeks of November as well. 

We took our boys out to get fresh air.

I will post a couple of pictures of my precious Charlie..... 

and Micah...who rarely goes out. He never wants to come back in! 

And he's scared of the wind and cars and loud sounds....

He probably still has flash backs of being abandoned in the dog park! 

I'm not posting much on Charlie because honestly, my heart just cannot handle it.

He passed away October 21, 2013.

My heart is still broken. I still ache for my baby boy. It hasn't stopped hurting and I still can't stop crying.

He was my love, my baby, my prince, my snuggle buddy, my heart, my son I never had.

Nights are still hard with out him. 

....CHANGE OF SUBJECT....

What else have we been doing?

CC has obviously been taking "selfies".

Lena's been catching up on Grim and Once Upon A Time.

I am enjoying my last few weeks of college football.

And yes, this IS my mantra!

I am pretty sure we watched Johnny Manziel's last game on Kyle Field. 

While I would LOVE nothing more than for him to return one more year, I really don't see that happening.

He is amazing!

He is a talent like we have never seen.

He plays with his heart...I hope that continues as he begins his NFL career!

And of course I have been scouting Aggie gear for the colder weather...

(like what blew in last night!)

Lena's been enjoying watching her Zach Mettenberger, the quarterback for the LSU Tigers.

They meet with A&M today

We are truly a house divided! 

And I even threw in a little NFL watching for good measure. 

I watch ONE Dallas Cowboy game and I end up with a double spider bite on my stomach. 

See....good things just don't happen when you watch the Cowboys play!

November 1 brought back Starbucks red cups!!!

I have certainly had a fair share!!

And the girls and I stocked up on supplies for home made Caramel Apple Cider. 

I made my first batch of Praline Apple Bread this year.

I've really been slacking in the baking department.

This has been a rough year.

The lack of posts, pictures and activities have certainly proved it! 

We girls have also been trying to get in nightly walks. 

There is nothing like ending a crazy, hectic day with a evening walk, breathing in fresh air and being silly with my girls. 

We make some of the best memories on our walks.

I also found this from when we went to Milberger's Autumn/Fall set up. She was spooky, off in a corner. 

I like her! 

.

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I have made the switch from an iPhone to an Android. I'm getting used to it. Never thought I'd be an Android person. It's not SO bad I guess....if I could just learn how to use the darn thing!

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My neck/back problem has not improved. Even after the cervical ablation. I did find some relief initially, aside from the fact that the area gets hot and feels burned, even to this day. My thumb twitches uncontrollably. I tried to buy groceries a couple of weeks ago...just simple things like cilantro, spinach, trout fillets, greens onions...little things like that. 

Just putting the items on the conveyor belt made the neck/shoulder area even worse. I drove home in tears and have been on muscle relaxers ever since. 

I cannot get a good nights sleep because I always hurt. There HAS to be some resolution to this.

People just can't live in pain like this all the time, can they?

I am so tired...tired of being tired, tired of hurting, tired of not being able to do things I used to be able to do, tired of telling my girls I can't do this or do that, or I don't feel like doing or going somewhere because I'm hurting again. These are the last months/years that they are going to still want to do things with me and I'm missing out on all of it. I hate that. You can NEVER get that time back.

I hate that this injury happened. 

I hate that I'm not me. 

My poor husband...I'm not even going there with what all he has had to put up with and without.

I just keep pushing forward...trying to make the best out of what I can do

and just keep praying they'll find some way to help me.

BETTER THAN ANYTHING PUMPKIN CAKE, SAUSAGE ROLLS & DRESS FIRST

With the weather getting cooler I have been wanting to make a pumpkin...something.

So, I made a Better Than...Anything Pumpkin Cake.

It is super simple and easy and very, very good.

All you need to purchase is:

*box of Spice Cake mix

*large can of pumpkin puree

*low-fat Cool Whip

*pumpkin spice 

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1) Pour the Spice Cake box mix in a large bowl

2) DO NOT ADD any of the ingredients on the box...

instead use 3/4 of the canned pumpkin puree

and 2 tsps of pumpkin spice

3)Bake according to directions

4)Once cooled (at least 1 hr, over night preferable) add Cool Whip to the top 

Now you can also add Caramel Ice Cream Syrup to the top or crushed candy bar pieces,

but I think just this simple recipe was just right. 

The girls loved it!

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Mom would always make us homemade sausage rolls. 

I do not have the time or patience to do that, 

so I cheated....

I used Kiolbasa brand all beef sausage cut in halves lengthwise

Pillsbury Country Style Biscuits 

I added a little shredded cheese to the flattened biscuit, placed a sausage

half on top, then folded the edges together,

and placed the sausage rolls seam side down.  

Bake according to the directions, rub the tops with butter and you 

have simple, delicious, warm sausage rolls. 

They are not as good as Mom's homemade dough sausage rolls, but they sure do hit the spot when that's what you are craving!

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With Football on and Homecoming everywhere, I found myself looking at pretty, dress-up dresses.

Peaches-N-Cream Barbie was always one of my favorites, because I loved her dress so much. 

I always wondered why they didn't make us girls dresses as pretty as they made the Barbie dresses. 

Well, I found one that came pretty darn close!!

I found an amazing website, Dress First,  with absolutely gorgeous wedding dresses, special occasion dress, prom dress, homecoming dresses..you name it!

And they are all extremely affordable! 

I fell in love with this dress too...

Oh, to be young...and pretty...and thin....

I guess I can just keep wishing..

Ha!

There's pages and pages of gorgeous dresses.

Some even offer free shipping...

you can't beat that!

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My Aggies have been performing well. I can't honestly say that I loved every play this last week. In fact, there were moments during the game where I literally felt nauseated. But my Aggies pulled through. It's so sad to think Ben Malena won't be there next year and more than likely neither will Johnny Manziel. Mike Evans has proved play after play what a skilled and excellent player he is!

I love watching them on the field!!

Hello October

Not much has been going on here...other than College Football...

my favorite time of year!

Every Saturday you will find me plopped in front of my TV, all day preferably, watching 

as many SEC games as the schedule allows.

It's not secret the Aggies are my very favorite.

I am a huge Johnny Manziel fan.

And I think this is just the ultimate, most awesome pic!! 

And college football means....

~~~~fall is here~~~~

I took this picture of the full moon the other night. 

The clouds were just passing over it.

I love that the morning air is getting crisper

and the evenings are getting chillier.

I have had more than my fair share of Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Frapps, Cafe Misto's....

and pumpkin bread.

In fact, I hope to be making a Better Than...Anything Pumpkin cake this weekend! 

This is so, so true. 

We have a first cool front moving through this weekend. 

It's got me in the mood to be in the kitchen cooking and baking up a storm!! 

I love the fall colors...

and smells..... 

....This pretty much sums it up right here.... 

I am really hoping after this procedure that was done Wednesday I will be able to do normal things again. There is nothing I would love more.