My Sugarplum Cottage

A Room With a View

2009-09-26T02:31:00.006-06:00

How would you like to wake up to this every morning?
I spent a cool, crisp morning on my lanai sipping my "mock-ffee," while breathing in the awesome view from my room. How grateful I am to bask in the beauty of the soothing ocean. The crashing waves, the rushing sounds of palm trees and the smell of the salt water sea heals my spirit and restores my soul. Thanks be to God for the beauty of the earth!

Under Construction Again!

2009-09-12T15:02:00.006-06:00

Hi Everyone!
My sweet daughter is giving my blog a new make-over for Fall.
Thank you Heather! It will be a surprise for me, as I have no idea what she is up to! So much fun! It should be up by today or tomorrow. I will miss My Cherries, but they will return after the holidays.

Thank you "Cherry " much Heather!

2009-08-22T22:05:00.001-06:00

This little entry is for my darling princess daughter, Heather. Thank you little one for coming to my rescue to save my sick blog. I love the fresh new look with all the cute little sweet cherries. Please continue to help me so it doesn't fall to pits. I love you! Your friend- Mom

My Blues are Lifting and Drifting away!

2009-08-16T00:33:00.003-06:00

It has been three days after surgery and although this day has been the worse as far as pain goes, I can tell that my blues are starting to lift and drift away.

Mentally and emotionally I am slowly adjusting to not having very many teeth in the right side of my mouth and I will just have to be patient until next Spring when I will get my three new teeth. I get my new tooth on my left side this Fall.

It takes a long time for the body to make bone and fuse together with the bone implants that was put in. I will have to have additional surgery to place 3 metal sockets down into the new bone part and then that has to fuse and turn to bone and then I get my new teeth screwed in place. I am going to ask my most wonderful Surgeon if he can do all three surgeries at once, rather than three separate ones. Regardless, this won't take place until late fall or early December.

Weight loss would have been a nice side effect, but unfortunately, smoothies and ice cream are loaded with calories.

When you read this entry sweetheart, know that I am very grateful for your love and patience in having such an ornery moany and groany wifey. I love you, Mark!

A Blue Brain

2009-08-13T21:18:00.010-06:00

Ok... I think this is what is called surgery blues.

This is a pic of a
Blue Brain.
I think I am blue. This is my
Blue Brain definition:
I hurt too much to do anything, and I just wanna cook and clean and scrap.
I am too tired to do anything, and I just wanna cook and clean and scrap.
My attitude is too blue, and and I just wanna cook and clean and scrap.
My mind is too fuzzy, and I just wanna cook and clean and scrap.
My body is too weak and I need to get work done.

After the pain goes away and the tiredness ends and my attitude brightens up and my mind clears I will cook and clean and scrap and yes... even do all the tonz of work that needs to be done. Until then I guess I will lay low, watch videos, and sleep to heal and dream about tooth fairies to help make the Blue-ness go away.

A day for Tweezers and Scissors- with a bit of Alcohol!

2009-08-12T14:53:00.003-06:00

Today was a day to pull out my trusty tweezers and a pair of scissors. And nope... I do not mean for scrapbooking, although I truly wish so! OK... so here is the story.

I have a few hormones that have gone wrong and every other month or so I get an annoying whisker! Yep, you heard it right... a whisker! And I found that if I spray it with a bit of hair spray first, it stiffens up a bit and I can pull the darn thing out, even with cheap tweezers like mine.

As for the scissors... well, this morning my big toe was hurting bad, like I was walking on a lentil. For those of you who do not know what lentils are, I guess I could say it felt as though I was walking on a kernal of unpopped popcorn!

Come to find out it was a plantars wart! Oh gross says I! So out comes the scissors and out comes the tweezers again, with plenty of alcohol, (not the drinkin' kind) And.. five minutes later out comes the plantars wart!

It hurt like heck taking it out, but I was not going to pay anymore medical bills this year. My 16 thousand dollar smile will be enough!

I need a Tooth Fairy

2009-08-10T23:41:00.003-06:00

Does the tooth fairy really exist? I certainly hope so because after this week I will have 4 teeth (all in tonz of pieces) to put under my pillow! On a more serious and sad note, I have to admit that I am experiencing more emotional and mental pain than I am physical, and the physical pain is quite intense!

My mouth has not handled root canals at all. Most of my teeth that have had root canals are exploding into fragments and teenie tiny pieces below the gum line and it requires 2 surgeries for each tooth loss to get things fixed. That means this year I will have a total of eight surgeries!

I was shocked how long it takes to get a new tooth! (an implant) I won't be getting my new teeth until Spring of next year. Well, actually I will be getting one new tooth this fall.I am afraid my smiles are going to be rather reserved.

I am grateful for a supportive scrubby who loves his toothless wife. I am trying to be positive and count my blessings.

Many of you have asked about my Little Lucy, our Maltese puppy. We have her on quite a few vitamins and supplements. Hopefully her hair will grow back and she won't have anymore lumps. I couldn't bear the thought in losing her. I love her so much!

I have become very prayerful these days. The tooth fairy may not be real, but one thing I do know... God is real.

Oh My goodness... My blog is Sick!

2009-08-10T23:20:00.003-06:00

So much has been happening in my life lately. Life just got crazier and crazier. And now my blog just went crazy too. Half of it is missing and not showing up!!! Yikes I am not sure what to do. I am going to have to reset things. I am so sorry to all of you who come here and just see the same entry over and over and over again! Believe me, I hate it more than you do. I wish I was better at this tech stuff. I am working on it. Please bear with me everyone. I'll get it fixed.

Been MIA

2009-07-10T22:30:00.000-06:00

It has been one heck of a year. There have been so many different and unusual events in my life this year... mostly stressful, and I could get into depth but I am going to try to keep it brief. First off- something is happening to my teeth! I keep having them shatter or explode below the gum line and then I have to have surgeries and go through the process of getting implants. I have been in so much pain due to complications from the last surgery, and that is not all... it looks as though I may be losing another one! I am too young to keep losing my teeth. Besides the expense, which is huge, it is emotionally difficult. Yikes! This has got to end.

Now about my sweet puppy, Lucy Matilda. She actually isn't a puppy anymore as she will be 2 September 1st, but we still call her our puppy. In February she got her Rabies shot which is required by law. We nearly lost her due to a reaction from the shot. For two weeks it was touch and go. I wrote about in my blog already, the short version.

Well... to make a long story short, yesterday while brushing her I gasped at a huge bald spot that just kept getting bigger every hour! The hair just kept falling out! Today Lucy had surgery and had to have a huge chunk of her skin taken out to send to a pathologist, along with a myriad of blood tests. We are hoping it hasn't turned cancerous! The condition which has caused the hair loss is totally due to the Rabies vaccination. Her condition is extremely rare and my vet had to file a complaint with Fort Dodge, the maker of the Rabies vaccination. I get her blood test results tomorrow and the pathology report next week. So we just have to wait. Meanwhile sweet little Lucy is in pain and all stapled up. The incision was quite big for just a 5 1/2 lb. pup! Wow, what a day. Sadly, I had been so caught up in my own pain and healing that I didn't see this coming.

Has this slowed down my scrapbooking and crafting and cooking and all the fun things I do? Definitely! I am also involved in my church with a huge calling and I am in charge of a big Summer Social coming up soon. God will have to help me pull through! I cannot do this on my own.

Back to Lucy... I had no idea how much you can love your dog. It is unreal! I love her like she was one of my babies. I will be posting pictures tomorrow, and I plan on keep on up better with this blogging. I am through with enduring this year, and now it is time to embrace life and get on with living joyously.

January and February Mini Albums

2009-06-19T12:01:00.000-06:00

June Mini Album For GGS Club

2009-06-19T11:43:00.000-06:00

Feeling Frustrated Today!

2009-06-19T11:29:00.000-06:00

Today I am feeling very frustrated. It seems the more I try to learn about blogging and iphoto, imovie and In design, (just to name a few) the more I realize I do not know!!! Yikes... trying to manage settings and stuff. How do other people do it? Do you take classes, or do you just keep surfing and reading and surfing and reading?

I am sure eventually I will get things figured out. Sigh! Until then I will just keep moving along and try to remember that the turtle won the race.

I am also recovering from yet another oral surgery. It has not been my year... medically speaking. I am into my 4th oral surgery and have one left to go. Sigh. And, I just recently I fractured my foot. This has definitely slowed me down. So, OK... from head to foot I have had a few set backs. But it is not going to stop me. No way! I am going to pursue and and have a incredible, successful year. That a girl! Go get 'em!

Mini Album for Laura

2009-06-17T15:47:00.000-06:00

I got Laura's album made for the GGS club! It is a patriotic album. I made me one too. I love celebrating the fourth of July, and I am passionate about anything Americana. And I am one of those who gets a lump in my throat whenever I hear Lee Greenwood sing I am Proud to be an American/God Bless the USA. Last November I lost my nephew who was killed in the line of duty. I have a deep gratitude in my heart for those who serve our country. God Bless you Charlie! I love you and I miss you!

I joined a Scrapbooking Club... Girls Gone Scrappy!

2009-06-15T15:00:00.000-06:00

Earlier this month while having the blues or somewhat of a mid-life crisis, I mentioned to my sweet hubby that I felt as though I needed to belong to a club, or get a pen pal, or get a new friend...or something! He suggested joining a scrapbook club. At first I thought his suggestion sounded a bit far-fetched, but then I recalled reading something about a club on Marion's blog and decided to check it out.

I contacted Marion, feeling a bit skeptical as the spots were basically full, but she e-mailed me back with the good news- I was in. I paid my dues and made it just in time to receive the June kit- a Tim Holtz kit filled with goodies to grunge and distress. So now I am officially a member of the GGS (Girls Gone Scrappy club. Hooray for me! Every month each member gets a kit from Marion to make a mini album, and we also exchange a mini album we make from our own stash for a member of the club. For the month of June I was assigned to exchange a mini album with Laura.

So Fresh and Clean

2009-01-24T15:04:00.000-07:00

Today Lucy had her bath. As always, Papa helped.
I had to take her picture and post it.
Gotta capture the moment!

Oh Lucy... I love it when you smell so fresh and clean!

Lucy...Our Polar Puppy

2009-01-17T23:53:00.000-07:00

This past week Papa has been taking Lucy outside to see the snow. She loves it! By the way... Lucy is bi-potty... meaning she goes potty outside or inside in a "puppy-paper-padded potty-box," depending on the weather. This has actually worked out wonderful for us because when the weather is bad, Lucy uses her potty box. ( I know... this is way too much information)

It has been so very cold outside that all of the snow froze solid. Today, Lucy discovered that she could walk on the snow. Now of course... Jesus walked on water, but Lucy didn't need faith or any miracle--- it just happened, because she only weighs 5 lbs. OK, you would have had to have been there to see it. Unlike other times in the snow when our little bunny-pup sunk... this time she stayed on top! And I think she knew there was a difference! So, I had to post this picture of her. She looked like a baby polar pup to me!

"Shot" Down for a Week

2009-01-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

Last week Little Lucy had her Rabies shots. She came home and acted very tired. I thought this was normal, but it carried on late into the evening. By morning it was evident that something was very wrong with Lucy. She would not play. She would not walk. She just stood. When I picked her up, she cried out in pain. I was devastated and called the vet. They told me to bring her right in for the doctor to see her.

To make the long story short... Lucy had a terrible reaction to the vaccination and had to have some sort of a counter-reaction shot to reverse the effects. We could have lost her! Everyone in the family has been praying for Little Lucy. Even Megumi in Japan prayed for her. And our prayers were answered! It took about a week... but finally Lucy turned around and is now back to herself once again. Thank you everyone for your prayers! It made a difference!

The picture I posted is Lucy after coming back from the vet. She wanted to be everywhere we were. We couldn't leave her side for the rest of the day. Now... as a disturbing bit of information... I started doing my homework on vaccinations for dogs. Did you know that a 1o0 Lb. German Shepherd gets the same amount of vaccine as a tiny 5 lb. puppy? Well... it is true. All dogs get the same amount! And... you can ask your vet for a Titer test to check for your dog's immunity. Chances are that your dog will keep its immunity to a shot for several years and will not need a shot. Bottom line--- you do not need to give your dogs the amount of vaccine shots they say you do. Check out K9author on YouTube who also wrote the book, Scared Poopless.

Success Beigns

2009-01-02T23:00:00.000-07:00

Today my DH installed shelving in my scrapbook room and pantry.
I am so blessed! I am so grateful! Thanks Honey!

Oh, The Places I Go

2009-01-02T13:00:00.053-07:00

• 7 Gypsies

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

Today marks the beginning of a New Year, and a new beginning for me. Today I am beginning my blog. Yep... it's about time I learned how to blog! To be honest, I have felt rather intimidated when it comes to things like- learning how to use my camera, Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, my Cricut.... you get the idea.

Like so many others, I decided to take part in Ali Edwards one-word challenge. What a great idea! As I read through the list of words on Ali's blog I felt so inspired. One cannot read through a list like that without having a bit of positive energy flow through ya. Try it... it's a feel good feeling! For me, choosing just one word was kinda tough, but I am sticking with my first choice. Drum roll... My word for 2009 is...
SUCCESS!
I looked it up in the dictionary and it says...
success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.

That is what I need for 2009! Lots and lots of Success!
And by the way... learning Photoshop and InDesign, and how to use my camera and my Cricut are just a few of the goals I plan on successfully succeeding in 2009!