March's Toy Society drop

For those who read yesterday's "trauma drama" post, here is the reason I had the camera in the car!

I made a little Shamrock doll for this month's Toy Society drop.

After Curly Girl's ER visit, I asked if SHE wanted to keep the little doll but she said no, that some other child might need it more....


We couldn't find anywhere that wasn't occupied in the ER so we dropped her on a bench in one of those bus stop kiosks outside the entrance.


I hope she brightens someone's day.

Trauma drama

Today was NOT a good day. Unless you stop to think how it could have been an even WORSE day.
At 6:25 am, while I was signing papers for our son for school, Curly Girl fell down our stairs...all 16 of them...face forward...and landed on the tile floor below.

She was sick with a fever (and her FIRST visit from Mother Nature)....and just toppled over....she doesn't remember a thing.
She doesn't even remember going TO the stairs...

Ripstick Boy called 911 while I laid on the floor next to her and tried to wake her up...she was unconscious which REALLY scared me.

I didn't want to roll her over in case she was badly hurt but I was afraid not to in case she couldn't breathe. The blood scared me the most.
I am so proud of how quickly her brother took action.

The Fire dept guys got here first but then the ambulance came and whisked her away. It happened so quickly, it made my head spin.

Meanwhile, I was in a total fog......The captain of the Fire department had to tell me to go get dressed, get my wallet and purse, etc. so I could go with her.
I wasn't sure if I'd be able to reach Dean so Rip Stick Boy rode in the ambulance with her while I followed in my own car. I had my camera since we were doing a toy drop today (that post will come later...)

Here she is on the gurney....


We were lucky in that the ER was empty when we got there. They took care of her right away. After checking her out, they did a CAT scan. Later on, they gave her fluids and antibiotics for her virus.

Her sweet face is beaten up and swollen but she is okay. She broke her nose...just a teeny fracture thank goodness and bit her lip.
You can't see from the photo but she looks like she's been in a fight with a raccoon.
She is going to be one sore little girl this weekend.


During all the activity I saw this....pretty neat how they do this.
They wrote all her vitals and info down on the bed sheet.....including her codeine allergy.



I know we ALL are guilty of complaining about being in the ER forever, but I can tell you this is one of those times that you don't mind being in ER for 6 hours.

Here she is walking with Dean back to the car.

Thank you God for sending us angels.......

Making my own luck

While taking a break from working on my ornament for my partner this month, I managed to make a cute St. Paddy's day decoration.....




I found the pattern here. (don't you just love google?) It makes up very quickly....

"The Precious"

*disclaimer: Dean denies all knowledge of any event in which his driving expertise is questioned,tested, or criticized.



Yep. That's what we called this old Ford Explorer.
We dubbed it 'The Precious" because Dean had fits if anything got it dirty.

Now, that being said, between dogs and kids, I give you a VERY short list of a few of the things that 'yuckified' it:

Hot Chocolate: Ah, the splendor of hot cocoa while driving through the neighborhoods looking at holiday decorations. Yeah...until Dean GUNS it after a stop sign and the cups fly out of their cup holders. Doesn't even matter that they have lids. The cocoa goes all over the floor AND the seats. Thank goodness we had golf towels in the car to clean up most of it.
Not one year, oh no, we learned the hard way. It took us several years to give it up...well, I guess we still do it. And I admit, the FIRST year, I used coffee mugs...but it was Dean's fault for driving so badly.

Root Beer: On a hot summer day, who needs a bottle of root beer? Our son does! (of course, it was a glass bottle, not screw top.)
Dean takes a corner a bit FAST and plop! The bottle pops out of the holder and rolls UNDER the back seat, emptying the contents there. Thank goodness it was only HALF full. (ha). Of course, I was HOWLING and Dean was fit to be tied. I thought he was going to make the poor kid walk home!

Ginger: While Dean drove a U-Haul to Oklahoma, I took the kids and dogs. We 'forgot' how nervous Ginger got while riding in the car back then.
I was reminded a little after midnight when she got REALLY sick with... (wait for it...) diarrhea!
So, there we are, on the side of the interstate cleaning her AND the car up in the freezing cold AND rain and wind.

Imagine the joy the kids and I shared driving another 2 hours with all the windows rolled down in 20 degree weather. We were BLUE. Thank you God for giving me a good sense of humor...
Of course, the Precious never was quite the same. After that, I dubbed it the 'poop mobile' and refused to drive it for about 3 months. It took two detailing jobs to get the smell out.

Memories aside, I never wanted a Ford....

BUT....

this was one terrific vehicle. (We have to see how long the Subaru lasts before naming the Precious "The BEST" but Dean is convinced it will win...)

When he traded it in, the service guy couldn't believe it had 246,112 miles on it.
He also commented on how 'clean' it was.
Little did he know all the horrors that poor car endured at the hands and paws of our family!

Now, the last thing we wanted was a car note in this economy....but when a car dies, it dies....so here is the new Precious II next to dependable Precious...it sure has big shoes tires to fill....

Not brand new...but new to us.
Although the kids both agreed no food in this car, I noticed Ginger eyeballing it suspiciously!

Fairy pouches and fireplaces...

I've been busy creating things for Missy's "Fairy Went A Marketing" swap.

I made this little bag using her tutorial. I am a total nimrod when it comes to reading patterns but hers was great.

I put 10 little 'fairy fireplaces' in the pouch. They turned out so cute! You can see one in the doorway of our fairy house...we light it up at night and it is lovely!

this is the life....

You see that wadded up blanket next to Suki? Yea....that usually hangs DOWN in front of Leo. We rolled it up for the photo.

Leo will climb in his little secret bed and stay there ALL DAY LONG.

A birthday in the house...

Happy Birthday to Ripstick Boy!


Today Ripstick Boy turns 14. I had a funny post all planned out but when I sat down I just got emotional.

It is hard having your little boy grow up and I'm not handling it very well.

That being said today is his special day and not the time for me to be a weeping willow. I'm so lucky God chose me to be his mom. I love him so VERY much!

Happy Birthday sweetie!