Pandora

For Christmas this year my husband bought a new big screen TV and blue ray player for the family.  I don’t think we’ve ever even had a NEW TV before so this was really exciting for everyone.  The boys haven’t been doing good in school and have been really trying our patience lately so instead of buying a bunch of expensive stuff they were asking for we decided to spend our money on something everyone could enjoy.  Chris was feeling bad though that he didn’t have something to wrap up for me for Christmas, especially since I rarely watch TV and even more rarely want to go to a movie.  I’m more into music.  Well, when he hooked up the blue ray player it had these 4 colored buttons that connects to websites like youtube, netflicks, something else I forgot, and Pandora.  I had never heard of pandora before but we set up an account and it’s the coolist thing!  I absolutly love it.  It’s basically steaming radio that only plays music you like.  It started out by asking for my favorite song or artist.  I put in Goo Goo dolls and it plays music that is similar to them.  If it plays something you don’t like you can give it a thumbs down and it wont play it again on your station.  So far they have played song after song that I love.  I’ve had fun making other stations with guns N’ roses and other types of music.  Another neat thing you can do after you have a few stations is the quickmix which mixes your stations.  It is really neat to listen to the music on that nice TV but when I’m not feeling well and just want to stay in bed I can pull up pandora.com on my laptop and listen to my same stations.  Considering that the blue ray player was a special bonus deal Chris got it was a pretty great Christmas present for me. 

Christmas Spirit

I waited very impatiently for Christmas this year.  I’m not sure why exactly but I skipped right past Halloween without even acknowledging it and had a few thanksgiving decorations up in October early.   Although, before it was even Thanksgiving I was sneaking out a few Christmas decorations here and there.  My birthday was the day after Thanksgiving this year and what I wanted was to get the Christmas tree up!  I have been sick and slept nearly all day on Thanksgiving and again on my birthday.  I woke up so late it was technically not my birthday anymore but my boys (primarily my youngest son) helped me get the tree up from the dungeon and at least erect.  Today (Sunday) I finally felt like doing more and everyone helped me decorate the tree in red and gold.  It looks very nice. 

Now, I just have to figure out what to give for gifts this year.  It will be challenging since I have so many medical bills right now.  I am always pretty crafty but this year I don’t have much energy or time.  I have been sleeping so much and my awake time is usually time I’m not feeling like doing much.  I have a few ideas up my sleeves but mostly I think it will be more of a token “it’s the thought” year.  A smile and a hug may be all some people get but I think everyone will understand.  One thing is for sure, nothing can put a damper on my Christmas spirit this year.

“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”

―Mother Teresa

“Every gift which is given, even though it be small, is in reality great, if it is given with affection.”
―Pindar

Quote

“Buying something on sale is a very special feeling. In fact, the less I pay for something, the more it is worth to me.”
―Rita Rudner

This couldn’t be truer of me.  I don’t even enjoy shopping if I can’t find a good bargain.

Tison

There is a little boy that has captured my heart.  I read about him on International Friends of Compassion Blog.  He lives in Indonesia and has burns over 40% of his body.  He is now 9 years old and IFCUS is helping him get medical help and it looks like he’ll be coming here to Fairbanks for his surgeries.  I want so desperately to be able to see him and to give him a Project Linus blanket.  I’ve been trying to think of what type of blanket would be right for him and I just read that he’ll be coming very soon!  My heart is bursting at the thought.  This little boy will be coming from a very hot climate to a very very cold one and even if he only used that blanket while he was here it would enough.  He will be here for 1 year!  Well, I am going to get in touch with someone at the hospital where I work and see if I can find out more information.  Please keep this little one in your prayers.

The Treasure Principle

Since I’m pretty much been stuck at home, mostly sleeping but sometimes not.  When I am awake I can’t be too active so I try to at  least keep my mind active.  My reading stack is way out of control and so I picked up a harmless looking book off the top and started reading.  It was a book I got at Church, The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn.  It didn’t take me long to read it but it really made me take stock of what I have and take advantage of.  I never thought of myself as “wealthy” but by his terms I am.  I was amazed at the amount of giving in his examples.  What really caught my attention was when he talked about giving in other ways like volunteering.  He said God gives you talents that you are meant to use them to help others.  Most people think about how they can make money from their talents.  You can also help by giving your time by volunterring.  There is a lot packed into this little book!  Check the link on the left called “Bugs picks on Amazon” to get your own copy.

“A good deed is never lost: he who sows courtesy reaps friendship; and he who plants kindness gathers love.”
―Basil

Comfort colors?

Is there such a thing?  I know there are comfort foods but colors? 

I have been sick for a while now but I was having an especially painful day today.  I finally got to the point where I couldn’t stand it any longer and took some pain medication.  As I laid on the couch waiting for it to kick in my eyes caught the ragged waist band of my sage green lounge pants.  The elastic could be seen in a few areas and although I know most people would throw them out my thought was actually, “how can I fix that?”.  These pants are always the thing I look for when I’m not feeling well.  Well, then I noticed that my shirt was a newer-not-so-washed shade of the same color…..and as I looked around I noticed my blanket, and my couch and even my curtains and area rug in my living room are the same color.  It makes since to me that if sage green equals comfort to me that my couches and other things in my livingroom where I live to be comfortable would be that color…. and my blanket that I like to snuggle with when I don’t feel well of course needs to be that color.  The curtains, well I guess they had to go with the couch.  I’m just glad my mashed potatoes aren’t that color.

Is it just me or do other people have a comfort color?

Giraffe blanket

Well, I finally finished the body of the blanket and last night I added “grass” and the trim to finish the edges off nicely.  Now I’m working on the tree and that’s certainly interesting.  I learned a new stitch in the process.  Well, it’s a decrease actually and I had to go to google to learn how to do it before I could continue.  What I found interesting was the page I learned the stitch from was the same place I bought the pattern from.  Good ‘ol Annie’s Attic! 

So hdc dec means half double crochet decrease and here is where you can learn how to do it –> http://www.freepatterns.com/content/content.html?content_id=8  There is even a quick time video.

Handmade Especially for You

I’m trying to brighten up my thinking so I’m brightening up my text as well ;O) 

I was reading my email and came across this information about Handmade Especially for You which is another charity where people can use their talents for crochet or knitting to help others.  Leslye Borden makes handmade scarves in soft and beautiful fibers to brighten the day of a battered woman.  You can read the article from Crochet! Magazine by clicking  here

I think this is a beautiful idea.  I would help if I weren’t already hosting Project Linus for this area.  I can spread the word though.  I think this is a wonderful cause. 

No news is not always good news

I went to the doctor again for the umpteenth time and again…..a big fat nothing.  The most recent tests I did also came back perfectly normal.  So STILL no clue as to what is causing my abdominal pain although my stomach is getting more and more upset.  Ever since this started I have been only able to eat bland foods.  I would have some lightly flavored yogurt for breakfast and then white rice was the only other thing I wanted.  I have eaten boxes of white rice.  This past week it got a lot worse.  I’ve had bad heartburn and no appetite at all.  I went several days without eating anything but a few crackers.   I was so tired and weak that I slept most of the time.   When I would try to take a few bites of something to try to get my energy up I noticed that the pain I’ve been having would suddenly start hurting worse a while after I ate it.   Then last night I woke up dry heaving.  Every time I layed back down it would start again and  I would have to rush for the bathroom, only I didn’t have anything in my stomach to throw up.  So, today the doctor prescribed me something for my stomach and got me an appointment with a surgeon for an assessment.  She said they might want to do an EGD (scope into the stomach).   She faxed all of my info to him (all of which says I’m perfectly fine only in severe pain).    Anyway, I guess I have some hope from that.  I have to count my blessings; Things could be worse.

Giraffe blanket

I have been working steadily on the baby blanket for my friend even though it’s slow going.  I slept a lot today.  It’s a cute pattern though.  I got it from annie’s attic (anniesattic.com).  It’s the Giraffe Afghan & Pillow Pattern Pack.  It even has instructions to make a toy giraffe to go with it.  Right now though, I’m just concentrating on the blanket.  My colors at a little different too.  The exact shades were not available where I was at so I have a darker green and the other colors are just the closest shades I could find.  I couldn’t even find fun fur in green so I’m going to try something fuzzy…… we’ll see how it looks.  If it doesn’t look right I’ll order some fun fur online.  I’ll post a picture as I get a little more accomplished.