Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

I have a goal of filling and paying the shipping costs of Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes this year. However; I have to start actually making some sales from my Etsy shop first. Come visit my shop and see what you think!!!! http://www.bookwormhlw.etsy.com

Baby Hats

I am in the middle of making baby hats right now for my etsy shop.

Listing!!!

O.k. I have officially listed some items to sell.

Begginings

Well, I decided that I am actually going to sell jelly and jam. I opened a shop and am working on the logistics of the appearance of the shop on etsy.com ( http://bookwormhlw.etsy.com) though I still haven't made any jelly or jam yet to sell. I am still trying to collect materials and try to figure out how much it should be selling for. If any one has some tips or comments please let me know. I still have to get a canner and maybe some more jars and definitely more pectin since I only have one package left over from doing some jam and jelly last year. Oh well, maybe next weekend, I might be able to do that, we will see.

Trip to NY

This weekend, my parents and I took Isabelle to NY. Alicia had her wedding yesterday. It was a beautiful wedding. I really liked the dresses that Beth made for the flower girl (Katiann) , junior brides maid, (Caylin) the bridesmaid, and the maid of honor (Laura). Katiann had a pretty yellow dress and yellow ribbon in her hair. All the bridesmaid and the junior bridesmaid had very pretty light green dress made out some eyelet material. They were all different but similar. Beth did a very good job on the dresses. Beth also made little Emily and Isabelle matching dresses to the wedding. We traveled out on Friday. It didnt take real long to get out there especially because we had started out in the morning where Isabelle had a little nap in the morning in the car and then she took her afternoon nap while we were in the car for the rest of the trip. I am very thankful that I had my parents with me to help me with the stops were we had to feed her, get her changed the adults fed, and everyone in the bathroom if they needed to while we were stopped. Everyone just pitched in and did what they could to get everything done. It was a crazy weekend!!! Of course, it is crazy when your family is having a wedding. Isabelle had a blast though she practically fell asleep at the reception but that’s o.k.!!! It was during her nap time. She had fun walking around the big room, people would have a big smile on their face as she walked by, and her cousins had a fun time following her all round!!! I hope the best for Alicia and Reagan and I hope that they live “happily ever after” or the best humanly possible. I think that Alicia will like the present that I picked out for her. It is a bunch of little things that will help start off her kitchen. It was also fun to have Isabelle play with her cousins that she doesn’t get to see quite all the time (they live 2 hours from us). But I was fortunate to have my parents stay with Isabelle in the B&B in Moravia, NY. They had a perfect room. They had a room with a room off the side of it where they could put our crib that we have Isabelle sleep in. The apartment that my husband still has, that I wish he would get rid of, is not suitable for Isabelle. She wouldn’t have a room to sleep in or a safe, clean, baby space to play in for one thing so that’s why she stayed with my parents at the B&B. The owners of the B&B are really nice and are almost like family. I did however managed last night to have my husband and pack some boxes of kitchen stuff that he would never use that I could either store in my parent’s attic or use!!!!!! I am trying all the time to get him to weed out stuff that he wouldn’t use so that it would be easier to keep some things more (organized; if he would work on that!!!), and it would be easier for him to actually move to MA when the time comes (soon, I hope!!!). Isabelle and I went to church with my husband and his family this morning. It is hard to go to that church especially because there is no one in the nursery to watch Isabelle so, I had to have her stay with us during Sunday School and in the service with us. She has been such a good trooper!!! It took us a long time to get home today because of the fact that we went to church. We had to leave later where she had a 1 ½ hour nap and then we stopped for lunch. She didn’t have the rest of her afternoon nap so she ended up napping a little bit on the last leg of our trip. We also had to stop in Westfield, MA because my bicycle that we were trying to pick up while we were there had ended up in Heather and Tim’s garage (long story!!!!). Its a good thing that we have Baby Einstein Cds, Baby Einstein DVDs, her books, and toys that keep her busy!!! She is such a good baby to take care of. The weekend was a fun but stressful, and interesting very quick trip. And it went a lot better than it could have. We are now finally home and it it is a little bit before 9:00 PM . We now have to get everything out of the car into the house, get Isabelle into pjs, give her a bottle, put her crib back together, and put her to bed!!!! It is really past her bedtime. She usually goes to bed around 8:30 or 8:45 pm.

I will post some pictures later.

Trip to the Cape

Yesterday, my mom, Isabelle and I went to Cape Cod to visit my Grammy and Grampy. We hadn't seen them since Christmas time. Isabelle decided to get up at 7:00 AM, just like on Sunday. We also had a very long, but good sermon so she was more then ready for a nap by the time she got in her car seat to go home, have her bottle and take a nap. She got in a good nap in the afternoon though. Yesterday, she barely had any naps. She wouldn't have a "swing" time so she instead tried to help me get us ready to go to the cape. That means, she gets everything out. Upstairs she got out one of my shirts from one of my drawers and got out several of her books from the shelves. Downstairs, I was trying to pack a bag with some of her toys in it. That meant that she was taking out toys faster then I could put them in and she was following our cat, Madeline around the house. I thought that she was going to spend a lot of the almost two hour car trip taking a nap. Well, she decided that she was going to wake up about half way through the trip while we were in Boston. I don't know how she can keep on going like that sometimes. I wish I could have some of that energy. I think that sometimes she thinks that she is the energiser bunny. She had a lot of fun playing at my Grammy and Grampy's house. For one thing, we forgot to bring baby gates with us. So, she had a lot of fun "running" all around. She would go from the living room to the kitchen , go around the kitchen island, around the dinning table, over to the stairs and back to the living room where we were trying to visit. She would do it over, and over, and over again!!!!!! She also had the experience of going to a restaurant for the first time and sitting in at a restaurant table in a high chair. She had her first visit to Seafood Sams. We were in a good spot; a corner. She really liked looking all around and seeing what other people were doing . And she liked watching the fans on the ceiling while she was eating her Gerber dinner, her bottle of formula, a mini saltine cracker, and a Gerber Graduates "wagon wheel". Then we went back and played for a while and then we went home. She did sleep half the way home in the car and then the two of us were playing and singing songs and I even found some children's music on my computer to play. Now, we have Friday's trip to NY to pack for. That is going to even harder on her. At least, I won't be all by myself. I was really glad that she didn't get up at 7:00 am again. I really didn't feel like getting up a 7:00 this morning and I even got in my shower and my breakfast before I made her breakfast and got her up.

Friday and Saturday

Friday and Saturday were busy days!!!!! My dad and I walked Isabelle to the library to go to Baby Bookworms. Isabelle just loves Baby Bookworms. She loves all the kids that go and Mrs. Sheppard who does the program. In the afternoon, after Isabelle went down for her nap, my dad and I went on some errands. I picked out a new pair of glasses. I was glad that Parrelli Optical had more pairs of glasses covered by MassHealth then at Dr. Gurley's office. I found a pair of glasses that were simmaller in shape and color as my current pair of glasses. We then went to Trader Joes. I am trying to learn how to be as frugal as I can possibley be. I am learning a few tricks from some of the blogs I am reading. I found that it is better to buy gummy omega 3 vitamins at Trader Joes rather then the ones I have found at Target. They are a 120 count bottle for 8.99 rather then a 60 count bottle for 6.49. I am doing all that I can possibley do to be frugal. I also got a few things at Walmart but I was dissapointed to find that the only knee-highs there were black when I really wanted tan ones. Later in the day, Isabelle and I played. Saturday, I went to the ymca with Isabelle for her swim class. And then my mom and I both got our hair cuts done. I soo needed a haircut. It will be soo much easier to get my hair done now.

Pictures

I was experimenting with the program that I downloaded from Picasa. So here are some from today and yesterday.

My Day

Today I went to the eye doctor. My rhuematologist wants me to go on plaquenil for my lupus which needs an o.k. from an eye doctor. I also need to do something about my glasses. My lenses are not really in all the great condition right now. They can't be cleaned entirely. So I spent part of the afternoon being dizzy, having a bit of a headache, and my eyes not seeing quite right for some tasks. Unfortunately MassHealth doesn't cover putting new lenses into my old glasses. So I have to get some new ones. They have a very small selection of frames that MassHealth would cover. They two that fit my face the best look like reading glasses. So I decided that I would shop around before I enter a two year commitment of a pair of glasses.

I had some time before my exercise class tonight so I decided to turn some of my frustrations into 18 minutes on a treadmill which was the equivalent of 1.03 miles. I had a good time at my exercise class tonight. It is stress reliving as well as relaxing. I also get some good prayer time in during the relaxation time.

Happy Easter!!!

I hope everyone had a happy Easter yesterday. I did besides the fact that my husband wasn't with me. I wish he could have been with us yesterday. Because of Easter I can live. Jesus died on the Cross for my sins. Without him, I could not get through life.

Isabelle love the music in the beginning of the service. We kept her in the service until the children's sermon. She was swaying to the music. We had brass instruments, Tiphany, bells, and our choir singing in the service. Isabelle liked seeing everyone and collected every one's papers. She loves to "collect" things right now. She loves to see "how much" of something she can hold at one time.

We went to my Nana and Papa's house for Easter dinner. Aunt Kathy and Jim was there. So was my Uncle Tim. My Aunt Becky and Uncle Mike came to. It was nice to see some of my cousins. Alyssa was there. And Emily and her finance, Miles even came. And my sister Heidi and her husband, Ryan was there. It was a nice time. Its hard to be there without Clifford because, everyone asks me where he is and what he is up to right now. Its hard to talk about it but I am thankful that I have a family who loves me and my family of three and who is willing to care for my family of three.

Marriage

I was shopping for a wedding card today in the Hallmark store. I found one that said


"A marriage made in heaven
is a very precious thing....
It's all the joys and blessings
that a life of love can brind.
It's living for each other
and always being there
To offer sweet encouragement,
to understand and care.
A marriage made in heaven
is a blessing from above;
It's what you'll find together
through a lifetime filled with love."

I wish my marriage was like that . I wish that my husband would be here for Isabelle and me. That he would understand what I am going through and encourage me to keep fighting to be there for him and Isabelle. And care about my thoughts and feelings. I miss him right now. I like it when I fall asleep in his arms. I am making alot of tough decisions right now and it costs me to make them but I know that that they are the right decisions. My husband needs prayer and so do I so that I can keep making those tough decisions. I want my husband to want to take care of me and do it.

Spring Day

This morning Isabelle and I went on a walk. It felt and looked like spring. I saw some spring flowers on poking up through the ground and blooming. It was so warm that I had to take off my fleece jacket that I had started out wearing and I rolled up my long sleeves. We walked to the library and I picked up some books that I had on hold. We both had a great time. And I got in some good exercise.

Grape and Apple Jelly

I am planning on making some batches of Grape and Apple Jelly somewhere in the beginning of May. If anybody would like some just let me know. $3.50 a jar and 15 cents per jar for shipping if I need to ship it. My Grape Jelly won a first place ribbon in the Topsfield Fair last year.

Sick Days

The last few days, Isabelle hasn't been feeling very well. She has been throwing up and not eating much. She hasn't been herself at all. She hasn't wanted to do anything but cuddle and sleep. She has mostly just been holding down pedialyte. I called the doctor's office and she has an appointment for 11:30. She did have an almost normal breakfast this morning and she is playing the pack n play downstairs and watching a Baby Einstein DVD so we will see how she will do later.

Busy Days

The last two days were really busy.

Wednesday

I made twelve lumps of pizza dough. I put all of them but one in the freezer.

Isabelle and I played.

I also made a pizza for my parents that we ate for supper.

I also made cupcakes and chocolate chip cookies from dough that I had made and put in the freezer a while ago.

Thursday

I decorated the cupcakes and cut up veggies and made dip for Bible Study.

First Post

I have never been good at journaling but I decided to give blogging a try. Maybe this will help me get my feelings, thoughts and frustrations out. Maybe people will understand more what I am going through. Maybe I can figure out the way my path of life should be. I have a couple of goals for my life.

1) Get the most of life even though I was recently diagnosed with Lupus. I have it pretty much under control right now except when things like a stressful phone call happens. My family and my friends and my church family are helping me out right now and I really appreciate that. I go to church on Sundays. Isabelle loves going to the nursery!! Even though she misses her morning "rest" time. Nursery is way too exciting to take a rest unless you are really, really, really, tired out and then you can have some cuddle time with some nursery volunteers that you really like. I go to an exercise class on Mondays. Isabelle gets to play with her grandparents and then have them put her to bed while I am at the YMCA. My parents make sure I get to where I need to go since I don't have a car or a license right now though at some point I would like to fix that. I really like my exercise class because it gives me some stress relief and it gives me a chance to strengthen my mussel. On Tuesdays, I go play with Isabelle at the YMCA in the gymnastics center for the preschool open gym. She has a lot of fun and it is really fun to play with her!!! Isabelle and I are going to try out a playgroup tomorrow morning. That should be fun. On those Thursday nights, I go to a women's Bible Study at church. I really like going. For one thing, they make me laugh!!! It is good to have a time where you can laugh when not everything in your life is not going the way it should. They give a lot of moral support and prayer support. They make sure that I have a ride to Bible Study and a ride back. I really appreciate this. I get to talk about things and get some feedback from them. It helps me to deal with issues. On Fridays, usually my Dad and I take Isabelle to Baby Bookworms at the library. Isabelle loves books and music!!!!! Although right now they are having a little break so I think we might visit my Nana and Papa who only live about 15 minutes away. On Saturdays, Isabelle and I have a swim class and then my dad takes her home. Right now, my best friend, Tina meets me for some lap swimming and then we usually go out for a bite to eat and then either do some errands that we both need to do or go watch a movie at her appointment with her. If I don't have a really busy week or a really stressful week, I might even get in an exercise video or two. I also do some pt exercises at night as long as I haven't had a really stressful day. All those things keep me healthy. In the fall, I couldn't even walk the mall and when I went to the Topsfield fair in October, I barely could get back to the car. I couldn't even get in and out of the bathtub without being in pain. I also have a prescription that helps out with the mechanical issues of my knees.

2) I want my marriage to be in a better place. I need my husband to get a job and be able to take care of the three of us. Right now Isabelle and I are with my parents in MA. He is still in NY. I miss him and love him. I like it when he holds me tight as I fall asleep. It makes me feel loved.

3) I want to continue to live in MA for the time being. I know that I am loved and well cared for. I go to a church that supports me. I like how my primary care Dr. is right down the street. And he is Christian who goes to my church. It is nice to have medical care from a Christian perspective. My ruematolgist is not very far aways so it is easy to get a ride there and someone doesn't have to be babysitting Isabelle for very long. It is also nice that an emergency room isn't very far away either.