five things- photo free

1. Yesterday blogger informed me that I have uploaded the maximum amount of photos.

has anyone else ever done that? what did you do, buy more space from picasa- or delete some? I am going to look into it right away--- I have ten thousand photos to down load from Christmas, and those are just the ones of Charlie!

2. Today I went back to the urologist in a snow storm. My appointment was at 8:00 AM- downtown. I left 40 minutes early. It was snowing hard. 35 MPH on the freeway. No accidents, but oh so beautiful in the city... I actually loved the drive.

3. There is no trace of kidney stone! It could still be there- most likely I passed it but didn't catch it, since I stopped straining urine 4 days after the pain quit. Gee Whiz- straining urine -not so fun- but more fun than the two patients in rooms on either side of me were having! I could here every word of their pre-vasectomy exam. Oh gosh, the first guy was absolutely sure he was ready because his wife would, "never say yes again if he didn't do it." I really wonder what they are thinking of my passed kidney stone & the fact that I need to drink more water & lemonade, eat less salt & less meat? I'm sure they heard all about it- and ya they don't care... they were having vasectomies!

4. We have at least 6 inches of snow. It snowed all day yesterday & most of the day today. It seems like we should have 12 inches with all that, but I'm glad we don't.

5. Trent played outside for at least 2 hours. The boys are gone, Chloe is at a friend's house, Trent is too- hailey may be leaving-- I finally have the computer to myself & I can't download pictures!

awe dang-

catching up....

Just like everyone else...

I've been really busy these last couple of days.

I feel like I am running mad, then when I want to blog someone else is on the computer!thursday the blogger moms had our annual Christmas luncheon & I made this-

The Pioneer Woman's Olive Cheese Bread

OH MY GOSH- heaven on a piece of bread is all I can say. My husband hates olives & i've been dying to make this for a year or more. This was the perfect opportunity. I do have to say that the olive cheese topping was over the top & a little too much for even me. Next time I make it

and I will make it again

-- oh yes--

I will use two loaves of bread or half the topping recipe, but it was fabulous!

I just cannot resist posting a picture of these gifts!
It's better than Christmas morning.
I love the blogger moms....

Thursday night we had company & went to the H.S. Christmas Choir concert. Hailey sang a solo- beautiful. We came home to marcus, brittany & brittany who stayed up & talked mission & Brazil talk with the kids, I went to bed. marcus served his mission in Recife, Brazil just north of where jack is going. They had so much fun talking & jokin around in Portuguese. Marcus can't wait for jack to come home so they can talk it up.

Friday morning all hell broke loose as I had my pre- Christmas melt down.
ya- it was ugly & ya- I pretty much do this every year.
It stinks to be my kids, well this year- my boys.
I woke up & jack's college stuff was everywhere- dishes & cups all over the counters- and I snapped. I had cleaned everything before I went to bed, then got up 1000 times during the night to pee into a strainer, when I came downstairs in the morning it all got to me. The kidney pain, constant peeing - having a kidney stone the week before Christmas is not nice and neither am I.


I headed out the door at 8:50 for an appointment with a Urologist down town, by myself. It's been a long time since I have sat in a doctor's office for 40 minutes waiting... I guess I shouldn't complain... but I am anyway...
When I finally gave my sample & headed to the exam room a nightmare awaited. the walls of the exam room must have been paper thin because the lady on the right was having lithrotripcy on Tuesday & the gentleman on the left was having trouble urinating but the catheter they took in & out was working just fine. Holy Hell. I was humming & tapping my feet because I was getting nauseous listening to this.

The doctor gave me three choices. I could #1 wait for the stone to come out & be uncomfortable, which could result in a passed stone or emergency removal. #2 I could have surgery & remove it through my uriter that afternoon or #3 Tuesday afternoon. I asked him to leave the room & started to sob. I had two Christmas events this weekend, plus church the Sunday before Christmas- I didn't want to miss it... and Tuesday Megan, Tony & Charlie get here. He came back in & I asked him if I could go in Monday.
Monday it is.


Saturday night (after finishing up our shopping) Brett & I went to our third concert at the symphony. It was the Holiday Pops concert.

this guy deserves a medal, being married to me... it's been a rough week.

the concert was nice, but definitely not my favorite of the series.

EXCEpT- they did play Sleigh Ride- one of my favorite Christmas songs. I love the percussion & dream of being the percussionist who gets to slap the boards together! How fun to watch that!! Brett bought me a small pair of binoculars after our last concert so my eyes were peeled & I was smiling big. Brett was sleeping. At one point he feel asleep so hard that he dropped his program & it hit the wood floor with a loud thud. oops. Like I said, it wasn't our favorite of the series but I really enjoyed it.

this morning this guy came downstairs and asked me "which jacket should I wear to church today?" one is his dad's - the other fit him in kindergarten, maybe? Well, I said... maybe a shirt & tie will do? Trent has NEVEr wanted to wear church clothes- it's been an issue with him for years. I figure what the heck, he's going to church- so I don't push it too hard. He wears dress pants maybe a sweater & dress shoes, but never a shirt & tie- heaven forbid a suit. Maybe all this missionary talk has changed his mind?

Good news tonight-

I haven't had had to go potty 1000 times a day today & NO pain! I'm thinking about canceling tomorrow... ya - I'm canceling :)

p.s. some of the photos in this post were taken by Chloe & I love them so here they are!

*are you glad you read this post, or was it just plain too much information?

romancing the stone...

Last Friday was such a great day I just have to post about it- even though it has past.

the cubscouts
got together to start step one in our Christmas gifts for parents- this friday is step two... so far they are turning out divine!


Chloe had a perfect bun for ballet & decided to document it- isn't this a cool photo?!
Brett & I dressed up all snazzy & ran downtown to pick up one of his clients from Ohio & his wife. We had a fabulous evening - first we went here for dinner- it was my first time eating there & it was
so muCH FUN!
I Loved it!
the view... the food... ahhh!
(I had a diet coke & didn't even know- it would maybe be my last)
then we had tickets on the plaza...
for this!
We were thrilled to have tickets! Brett entered the lottery to get them months before & we were not only lucky to get them, but on the plaza... wow. It was beautiful. I loved Natalie Cole & David McCullough. The whole show was centered on Christ, the Christmas season, our country at Christmas... it just doesn't get better than this. I will be so excited to see it next year on PBS.


Friday night I was really, really wishing Megan's town was closer-- she & tony & charlie were invited to be Mary, Joseph & baby Jesus for a multi-denominational live nativity. Can you even believe how cute they are!?

Saturday morning we woke up early to go to our church Christmas breakfast. As soon as I sat up in bed... I knew I was in trouble. I was hoping I had just slept wrong, but no. I know that pain- kidney pain. We went to the breakfast as a family & brett & I left early for the ER. There is such a looming feeling in the ER. I could tell the nurse didn't believe I had a kidney stone- she even told me later that rarely do women come in who are not pregnant with a stone. I wish she had been right.

Saturday is kind of a blur I don't want to think about--- but Sunday Chloe put together her annual Christmas gingerbread - this year a train! I bought the kit for a train thinking Trent would want to help, he just wanted to eat it.
Yesterday, Monday- we got a call from Tony & Megan was in the ER!?
She had had several gall bladder issues with her pregnancy & now-- it had to come out!
My goodness- poor thing- she just had Charlie two months ago. Now this... oh boy. She said she is feeling good now, I am hoping she is resting. They will be here in a week. I just hope the trip isn't too much for her.

Monday was full of prayer for megan wrapping presents & resting... then this morning I called the Urologist who got me in on Friday morning. The nurse told me the average stone takes 10-14 days to pass- WHAT ON EARTH!? that was that- I'm done waiting for this stupid stone. I told Brian to get ready- we are going shopping. I have a million & one things to do. He is busy most of the week- today had to be the day to get it done.


I really don't want to be out in public at all. I look like death warmed over & the last thing I want is severe kidney pain while driving... eeek. Lucky for you I deleted the one & only picture of myself I have taken in a while. We headed to the post office to send off our family gifts, then out to buy some things still missing from my list.

so I am back to sitting on the couch wrapping presents.

one thing is for sure- I won't be up late Christmas Eve wrapping presents this year.

stoned

after a good week & great friday night.... (we were lucky to get tickets to the Tabernacle Choir- Natalie Cole & David McCulough concert)

I spent Saturday morning & afternoon in the emergency room.
Now I am home trying to pass a kidney stone- damn.
Brett & I left the ward Christmas breakfast early, then sat in the ER - the exact same room I was in 10 years & three months ago. It looked just as I remember. This time we didn't have a 3 week old baby trent with us.
This will be my SIXTH stone.
The previous five were pregnancy induced so I was hoping to never have one again....
if it makes you feel any better- this has been the easiest stone experience I have had SO FAR. That is saying a lot- since I wanted to scream and die with my others. Of course, by saying that I have jinxed myself-
damn again.

Stone or not- this is going to be the best Christmas ever at my house. Morphine induced I lay on the bed thinking of my sweet little family all being together for Christmas. I've thought about it all year & it was my only Christmas wish. I am so glad this stone has chosen to come now & not in 12 days- YES it's 12 days until Christmas! I have so much to do & a headache & a kidney stone.

*missionary jack update:
our bishop checked & jack's mission papers were processed on Friday! YOu know what that means? He should get his call this week- wednesday & thursdays are the days we usually get them, here in my town. WE are all SO EXCITED TO FIND OUT WHERE HE WILL BE SERVING! if you have not made you guess --- go down a few posts & put in a guess! there will be a winner - hopefully this week!!!