A Fabulously Flawed Life

I've been watching TONS of movies lately and I love a great opening. So I've got to give props to a couple which have gone above and beyond: Adventures in Babysitting My Best Friends Wedding Hitch Watching movies is my 2nd favorite thing to while flat on my back. {{he he he!}} What are your favorite movie intro's?

The past 1 1/2 month's I was in too much pain to even think about capturing family moments on film let alone blogging about them. However, now that I'm on the road to recovery I can give the Grandparents a couple Kodak moments they missed. Santa had a great time on Black Friday (the morning before she hurt her back) and got some great deals for the boys. I was really worried that this Christmas wasn't going to be a memorable one. I should have had better faith in the resilience of children. They were so grateful for their gifts and had such a fun morning. Drake screamed after opening EVERY present. It caught on with the other boys and needless to say it was a loud but exciting morning. My mother showed Dylan a picture of me when she was here over the weekend and he said, "Oh. That was when Mom could bend." So here you go, another picture of Drake screaming like a banshee and me bending. {{giggle}} One of the traditions we have is Santa writing the boys a letter ev...

Hey Ladies. My back surgery was a success and I can now stand comfortably, which I haven't been able to do since Thanksgiving! I had a herniated (ruptured) disc in my back, L5 S1, and therefore underwent Discectomy and Laminectomy surgery. The doctors found a bone spur that was causing the additional pain I was experiencing with my sciatic nerve running down my left leg. Right now all is well, I can't bend or twist which makes life a bit challenging. I'm either completely horizontal or completely vertical because it still hurts too much to sit. However, I'm so grateful to be on the road to recovery and will start physical therapy soon. I'm very weak, two of my toes in my left foot are still numb, and I feel like my body has atrophied. ;) However, I feel so blessed to have my pain meds actually working and therefore I'm comfortable most of the time. At this point I'm just flat out grateful that I can stand. Boy, how I've taken tha...

I'm hijacking Laurie's blog to tell you that her surgery went well yesterday. The doctor said it was a severe rupture and she also had a bone spur, which is very painful, but he cleaned everything out and is optimistic for a full recovery. She's still in the hospital and is still in pain, but there's finally a light at the end of the tunnel, even if you have to squint to see it. Thank you all for your prayers, emails, meals and babysitting. I know Laurie and Jason appreciate all that's been done to help their family through this difficult time. She's got a tough few weeks ahead while she recovers from the surgery so keep the prayers coming. Lisa

You Should Make 2 Resolutions Take a Trip Spend More Time With Family and Friends What Should You Resolve to Change Next Year? So friends, what trip are we taking this year!?!

I got a call from my Grandma today. I adore her. I've lived with my Grandparents twice in my life. The first time was when I was 11 and my family moved to Texas. All 7 of us lived with them in their 3 bedroom duplex. It was a challenge but I remember feeling so grateful for their sacrifice and service for my family. The second time was when Jason and I decided we wanted to have a second child and therefore needed to move home and be closer to family. Jason quit his job and we moved back to Texas. My Grandparents opened their arms and their home to us so willingly. They adored 1 year old Davis almost as much as we did. Every morning when Davis woke up, the first thing he wanted was Grandpa. Their bond was unbreakable and it was such a blessing to see. I loved living with my Grandparents during those 6 months and developed a bond that I still feel today. I'll never forget the sacrifice and love they gave me and my family and I'll be forever grateful. They made it so...

Back in September, I had this fun idea to have The Tip Junkie Awards . It would run just like the Oscars with nominees and Tip Junkie readers will vote for the winners. You know, feature the 'Best of 2008'. It would be a way to remind everyone of some fabulous {{but forgotten}} tips, as well as feature Mom-preneurs, and give away lots of amazing gifts. win/win/win So I lined up 20 fabulous prizes and had Shannon get my blog all dressed up for the occasion. I can't tell you how excited I've been to announce it. At the time, I had no idea that my life would completely stop in it's tracks and I would be bed-ridden for 5 weeks. So with as much positive attitude I can muster, I've decided that the Awards must go on! So help an invalid out and head on over to Tip Junkie and nominate your favorite tips in several categories. The only rule is that they had to be featured on Tip Junkie in 2008. I'll collect all the nominations, add some of my own, and announce them...