tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32902162194284666972024-03-21T01:11:19.941-04:00Step Into My Worldall about art, kids and lifeBeckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.comBlogger765125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-76090202291636681212019-10-14T16:02:00.000-04:002019-10-14T16:07:41.832-04:00Heirloom Traditions PaintOkay I cannot say enough how much I LOVE this paint!<br />
It has a primer, sealer and chalk paint all rolled into one. And can literally be used on ANYTHING! No joke!<br />
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So this weekend I decided to take on the guest bathroom. It has been redone except for the original 90's green countertop and standard builder grade cabinet. So.......with a little rock music playing on the iphone and a roller in hand....I took off!<br />
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Sadly you will have to wait a bit to see the finished product. I ran out of paint!! But I can show you the before picture at least :)<br />
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And stay tuned...I have some fun product reviews to share. I have really enjoyed entering sweepstakes and facebook contests the last few months...as well as Product Opinion Polls which has scored me a few product reviews. So hang on...this fall is going to be fun and BUSY!!<br />
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And a Billy update....We completed the first round of chemo out of six. It did a doozy of a number on him. His counts bottomed out and it has taken him a while to recover. They usually like to do every 21 days but it's been a month and a half now. We go tomorrow to sit down with the doctor on go over the latest biopsy results. And hopefully find out when the next round of chemo starts AND if it is working at all. Still a lot of unknowns in our world right now. More than I can really talk about at this time but eventually I will. I am sure these are just more building blocks that the Lord is giving me so that I can share our struggles and accomplishments in hopes to help others. Or at least that is how I feel they are there for.<br />
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Love you guys,<br />
Becky<br />
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-92162856649052083172019-08-11T09:10:00.001-04:002019-08-11T09:10:24.139-04:00Sunday Morning ReflectionsHave you ever gotten a strong urge to write something. To share your thoughts. I don't often but when I do it is super strong and I have to believe that there is someone out there that needs to hear it.<br />
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It all started yesterday while I was taking a shower after learning how to use the lawn mower. I cried. Seriously?? What in the world. It was a darn lawn mower and weed eater. But I know it wasn't just that.<br />
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I'm a firm believer that we are on a certain path in life. That all the struggles we go through are placed in our path so that we can learn and grow. Sometimes so that we can share our experiences so that it may help others through their struggles. I'm the first to scream UNCLE....I'm really over all these tests of faith. But for some reason...while in the shower...all I could think about was my life. Some people know this stuff I'm about to post...some do not (guess you do now)! Right after graduation God decided it was time to test me. I was madly in love (so I thought) and pretty soon found out I was carrying my daughter. A few months later I was married at the ripe ole age of 17. Looking back now I am pretty sure that was not the right option BUT...life had other plans. If I would have not followed this path..I don't think I would be the person I am today. I moved way from home and every thing I knew to a place where I knew no one. Jump forward about 3 or so years and I was about to be the mom of two....moved back to GA....living in a one room motel with drug dealers across the way....and getting up the courage to call my parents to come get me. I was living in a life I didn't understand...an abusive relationship...and so lost. It took a LOT of courage to make that phone call. My family never liked the choices I made years prior but it was a choice I made and mistakes I had to learn from. God blessed me with two beautiful children during that time. And now I was a single mom of two trying to figure out what to do next.<br />
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Pretty soon I had found a program that would help me go back to school...learn an occupation...and get a job. I've since been with that job for 25 years. It wasn't easy....and working full time, single mom, trying to figure out how to make ends meet...it's tough. And I commend each of you facing those struggles now. But do know....you will make it through.<br />
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5 years later I met my husband. Well, I knew him already....but the dating part had never crossed our minds. I had years of self-doubt, not being good enough, and emotional abuse that made it hard for me to think anyone would want to love me. But he did. And as most of you know...the rest is history.<br />
Since that time I have struggled with "am I good enough", "am I pretty enough", "why can't I be thinner", etc, etc. And the whole time God is telling me to trust in him. That I AM a child of God and that he loves me. That he made me just as he had planned. I keep fighting with him on that but as I get older I am giving in and trusting ;)<br />
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Fast forward through raising the kids (that is a struggle in its self..lol). 2010 brought us with the reality that we were going to be grandparents. And let me tell you...being a mother at 18 had a huge impact on how I handled this. God lesson right there. And of course she was a huge bright spot in our lives. We love that Butterbean like you would not even believe. And life goes on...with some added small people laughter in the house on a daily basis. We continue on living our little ole lives....buying cars...buying a camper...going here and there. When I guess we needed a reminder. A reminder that you don't need all those fancy things...that life is more than that. 2014.......on our sons birthday to be exact...Billy had an MRI that would change everything. A few days later we found out that he had a brain tumor. A few months later he would have a 12 hour surgery to remove it and then learn how to live life with a new normal. While I sat there at the hospital waiting for repeated surgery updates....it became very clear what was important in life. It wasn't what we had...where we would go on vacation...but it was all about life. How precious it is...how breakable it is....how special. That day changed us both. Now when I look back on that year I know that it was just a way to prepare us for what was coming.<br />
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Shawn moved out...broke my heart! That was so hard. And then in 2016 Kayla and Butterbean moved out. I cried for months. They were both about to embark on growing their own families. All I could hope was that I taught them everything they needed to know in life. It was now out of my hands. But the timing - even though I didn't know it then - was just right. Because what was to come...I couldn't have managed with the kids at home. 2017...the year of all years. Cancer. I will never forget those words...ever. And it changed me...again. But I knew what I had to do...I knew God would not leave us....and I dug my heals in. Let's do this. Let's beat this. It's been almost two years now since that diagnosis. It's been a hard ride....long...challenging...frustrating...scary...emotional....you name it. I've learned a lot in two years. Researching, patient advocating, flushing ports, pharmacy tech wanna be, exploring every section of Northside Hospital...juggling life, job, emotions and caregiving. Now see if the kids had been at home...lord have mercy...I couldn't have juggled all of that. Just putting that out right here right now. Very quickly I have had to learn to do a lot of things on my own. One thing I have tried to teach my kids was to stand on their own two feet. To be able to support themselves. To be strong. That is the life lessons I learned over the years. My 30 years after high school has been a building block to get me to where I am today. To the person I am now. I am so much stronger than I was 30 years ago. I can take care of myself AND my family. I know in my heart that I can tackle whatever mountain is thrown our way. It may not be easy....but I CAN do it. WE can do it. So back to the shower and crying over the lawn mower....you see....that simple task...learning something I didn't know how to do....made me feel even more stronger. It made me realize AGAIN that I CAN do anything I put my mind and heart into doing. The last few months have been pretty challenging for me. And at times I have felt like I just wasn't going to make it through this. And it goes beyond just dealing with the cancer. Other things in life. But it has been God's way of opening my eyes. Showing me that I'm not through growing and learning. And that it is okay to take chances and to really believe in myself and what I am capable of accomplishing. To trust in him. Read that again.... TRUST IN HIM. <br />
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My point....this life is not easy. And so many of you have the same story...or have a similar story...or maybe you are just starting a story like this and don't know what to do. I want you to know it is okay. You will be okay. Struggles are okay. It is what shapes us. It is what makes us stronger. It will open your eyes to things you never thought you could do or accomplish. Don't give up. It's hard. Life is hard. But I'm here for you. Look around...there are others here for you as well...to help you get through and reach the other side of the mountain. Don't be afraid to to learn new things...don't be afraid to take a leap of faith...believe in yourself. I do!<br />
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-21739171022168685112019-06-25T18:31:00.000-04:002019-06-25T18:31:26.785-04:00What do I do?At least once a week I get an email, text or message asking me..."what do I do"...because they are now facing a life altering event. A loved one was just diagnosed with cancer...unexpected loss of wages...things are happening that they never expected to. And I get it! Just 21 months ago...we took what we thought was a simple trip to the ER...which in a span of a few hours turned our lives upside down. And it has been a roller coaster ride since then. I don't have super educated advice to give...but I can tell you how we are getting through things in hopes that it helps someone else along the way.<br />
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For us....it was cancer. That was the life altering event. We were not expecting that diagnosis NOT ONE bit. And we had no idea going into that ER that evening that he would not return to work again. I mean....both of our kids just got married....we were finally empty nesters and getting ready to enjoy a well deserved second half of our lives. BUT...the year prior I did make one step that I am glad I took. During our open enrollment I signed us up for the Colonial Cancer policy. I mean you never know right? Thankfully that one policy helped us tremendously because we were able to cash it in and help with some of the medical bills that we didn't expect to have. It's a one time deal though so I can never use that on Billy again. But do check into that policy and if you can afford it...look even deeper into the critical illness policy as well that has hospital coverage.<br />
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Start NOW! I can't say this enough. Start now putting back into an emergency fund. This is so, very important. We go through life thinking...that will never happen to us...until one day and you are living it. Anything you can put back is a blessing somewhere down the road. We went from a two income family to one. Thankfully he was able to receive some income from his job for a few months but once that ran out....it was gone. Social Security Disability takes 6 months from the date of diagnosis to your first pay out. Always keep that in mind as well. You need to have enough put back to get you through paying the house payment. And in our case his disability is only temporary. I just completed a 15 page re-application and we just hope they approve it for another year.<br />
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Research research research. Google is your friend. Start searching for foundations or funds that may be able to help. If you have been newly diagnosed with cancer...it is overwhelming....but there IS help out there. You just have to find it. For us....there is not a lot out there for Leukemia unfortunately. Our biggest source of help was LLS.org. They also have funds there for certain types of Blood Cancers but they are not always open. Keep checking back.<br />
- www.rarediseases.org<br />
- www.tafcares.org<br />
- www.cancer.org<br />
- www.mygooddays.org<br />
There are just a few places that I repeatedly would check to see if funding became available. If you are a Leukemia patient you will also want to stay in contact with Be The Match. They have a fund available for Allogeneic Transplant patients.<br />
If you have been diagnosed with Breast Cancer there are TONS of sources out there for you. As well as other cancers....just keep looking. Need some help...reach out to me and I will help you search as well.<br />
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Sometimes these funds are not huge. Maybe $200 a month if you are currently undergoing chemo. But to put things into perspective - Billy was in the hospital, earlier this year, for 38 days. Our hospital charges for that 38 day stay was $800K. Yep you heard that right. And currently just a month going to the BMT clinic is $25K each month. In 21 months our claims have reached 3 million dollars. Now I don't know about you but I am incredibly thankful for our medical insurance. It hurts coming out of my paycheck but I will not complain one single bit. All we have to come up with is our deductible each year. Which is not chump change but compared to the other....I will take it. So don't stop looking for funds. There are stipulations so make sure to read into what they cover. For example...we received a $5000 fund last year. We can actually, crossing fingers, apply again this July if the fund is open and available but it only covers transfusions, chemo drugs and certain doctor visits.<br />
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If you are local to Marietta - do check out <a href="https://lovingarms.support/">https://lovingarms.support/</a>. This is an amazing group with a cancer survivor/caregiver support group that meets every Tuesday.<br />
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Find support groups. No matter what your situation...find people that are going through the same things you are. Our friends and family will always be there for us but there are just some things that they will not understand unless they have walked the same path. I was talking to a friend who is now a caregiver. She mentioned to me that she thought she was ready for something like this from reading my posts about our journey but she didn't realize all the "behind the scenes" emotions that went with it. And that is so true. I can my post sound like it's a cheery day....or smile when I am out and about....but there are a lot of things that I just don't post about....emotions I don't share. One evening on my way home from the hospital I called a long time friend of mine. I just let out all my feelings to her. And I knew she "got it". She had lost her husband years prior after several years of a terminal illness. Sometimes it just helps to talk...don't be afraid to reach out to someone and just be honest about how you are feeling....any struggles you may have.<br />
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No matter your situation...take time for you. Oh man....I need to listen to what I preach huh! LOL. That is the hardest part for me - I admit that honestly. But do try.<br />
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And remember....you are NOT alone. I promise you that.<br />
Hang in there. We are given these mountains in life to climb but when we get to the top....how beautiful that view will be. How much we will have learned. How stronger we will be.<br />
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<img align="center" src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/kay_bear52/BeckyThackstonsignature.png" style="border: 0;" /><br />
<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-10583384694013634442019-06-12T09:52:00.000-04:002019-06-12T09:52:01.176-04:00Guest Room RedoMy son moved out years ago. I haven't really done much with his room since he moved out. I started redoing the furniture which was my grandmother's. I still haven't finished the dresser. And then it became a dump all for my Thirty One bags and my Artwork. We were going to build an entertainment center but then the cancer happened and now I have three huge cabinets sitting in there. It was just not happening but I so badly want a guest room. Kayla's old room was converted into Danie's room when she comes to stay with us so I wanted something pretty neutral if we had company. I spend so much time on Pinterest and watching DIY shows that my mind just never stops. I saw someone else do a brick focal wall using Peel and Stick wallpaper and knew immediately that is what I wanted to do in here. So the project began :)<br />
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My first tip...measure your wall and make sure you have enough. I just knew two rolls would be plenty...umm....no. I needed 4. And the 4th one was hardly used at that! So this project was spread over two weekends. AND keep in mind it is still in process but this is where I am currently at.<br />
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As you can see the room is really dark. Originally we had Shawn's guitars hanging along both walls. It was a really cool boy's room. I took the old quilt from my bed and used it on this one for the time being just so it had "something". I can't show you the rest of the room because....well....it's just bad! LOL. Cabinets, unfinished furniture, junk...you get the picture.<br />
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So peel and stick wallpaper is AWESOME. And you can pretty much get it anywhere...Home Depot, Lowe's, Target, Amazon. Just play close attention to your square footage. The rolls I found on Amazon maybe cheaper but they don't have nearly enough on the roll for a large wall. This room is 12x12 in size. I decided on Home Depot. It was $38 a roll....ouch....BUT what an impact it made and that was pretty much all the expense in this room.<br />
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So I started on the left side by using a level and making a vertical line 24" from the corner. This will help you get the first strip of wallpaper straight. Then it is just a matter of lining up the bricks on your next strip. Make sure you have a squeegee type item so that you can work out the bubbles. Do about a 12" block at a time when it comes to peeling off the paper.<br />
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I used an exacto knife to cut off the excess around the trim and the plug in/phone jack areas. I also ended up painting the top of the bed headboard black so that it popped from the wall. Otherwise it was blending in too much. Now I feel it has some character. While I was cleaning out my Thirty One closet I found this trinket tray. It was perfect. And the large picture I purchased back around December from a facebook ad I found. I will eventually add a floating shelf above the headboard to display the blue Mason jars and a few more blue pieces that I may find along the way. I'm already working on the rest of the room and can't wait to share that when it is finished as well.<br />
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Total cost so far:<br />
Home Depot Peel and Stick wallpaper $38 a roll (I needed 4 rolls)<br />
Home sign from a facebook ad - $25<br />
Cute 3 piece jar in a tray set from Michael's on clearance $3<br />
Quilt ladder - handmade by Art from the Heart (aka Billy and myself)<br />
Blanket on the quilt rack was a gift<br />
I already had the jars in my craft room so just refocused them here.<br />
The original quilt was folded down at the foot of the bed once I found this white quilt at Target - $60 (I had an in store credit so it ended up only costing me $10)<br />
Pillows from Thirty One and Sanctuary Girl - already had them laying around<br />
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<img align="center" src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/kay_bear52/BeckyThackstonsignature.png" style="border: 0;" /><br />
<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-12473016353962811012019-06-10T08:48:00.000-04:002019-06-10T08:48:00.220-04:00Let's make a tableAwhhhhhhh when you have an idea at 9:30 at night and want to make a trip to Home Depot so bad!!! But we all know that was not going to happen but I promise you the next day I was there and found everything I was looking for!!<br />
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We do not have a coffee table anymore. It's currently in my sons old room because it was just not fitting into my vision for the living room. But as I was sitting there one evening watching DIY shows I thought maybe I could make my own coffee table. I mean why not right?<br />
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The next day I hit up Home Depot. I do not have any pictures of the before but I purchased two large, 24" pre-made wood rounds. These are the larger of the two sizes that Home Depot carries. I then went and walked UP and DOWN the spindle isle trying to find exactly what I wanted to use for the legs. After a lot of consideration and setting up this table in the middle of the isle....I ended up with the 14" spindles. Off to find the casters....grabbed four of those and I was done.<br />
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Jump to Mother's Day weekend...remember the awfully, humid and hot day? Well this was also the day that I decided that I was going to channel the carpenter genes that I just KNEW my dad had passed down my way. HA! Whoooooa there Becky.<br />
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I started off by using the torch and burning the rounds. This did NOT give me the look I wanted event though I have done this a gazillion times. So I took the same walnut stain that I used on the office cabinet and got the top round stained. The bottom one was going to be painted. Now let's talk about these spindles a second. I am not a carpenter....I am not a house builder.....nor do I know all the ins and outs of how things go together when it comes to wood. But when I have a picture in my head of what I want...you better believe I am going to make it happen. SOME way or another. So these spindles have this screw on one end. Perfect right? Oh and I also did not tell Billy what I was doing because I wanted it to be a surprise so I wasn't asking for ANY help. So I rummaged through his tools and found the drill and drill bits. Figured out where I wanted these legs...drilled....added some wood glue...then screwed those babies in. Sounds easy huh? WRONG. Once I added the bottom and screwed it on...that table was not straight. AT ALL! Nor was it even. I was devastated. It was ugly. And I wanted to know where all this channeling of carpentry went.<br />
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So what does one do when their first furniture product does not work? We call our dad! I love that man! I threw the table in the car and on Mother's Day Sunday I was at his wood shop and we were going to make this work! First lesson....did you know you need to square up your round project! Sounds difficult doesn't it. Well it is...kinda. So you need to find the widest part.....use your level ruler and draw from one end to the next. Now do this again and make an X. Now you will need to draw a circle that is the distance from the edge that you are wanting. We figured about 2 inches from the edge and drew that circle all the way around. Now you have a circle and an X. This is how we are going to make sure the legs are perfectly placed! Back to the spindles. My dad argued with me....how dare he....that these were not meant to be screwed into the wood. I argued back that I got them screwed in just fine. Why not add some glue and BAM. I won the argument BUT to be serious....make sure you purchase the metal plates or the additions to these spindles so that you can easily add them to the wood stop. The way we did it is not the correct way but I was not buying anything else for this table.<br />
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We flipped it over. Added the bottom and started screwing the bottom to the legs using 2 inch wood screws. Casters were simple to add which I placed over the screw holes so that they lined up straight with the spindle. You don't have to use casters but I wanted to be able to roll this table around.<br />
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So here she is! I used the same chalk paint that I had on hand. Antique waxed it and added a clear coat. It turned out I didn't like it as a coffee table but I rolled it into my office and it now holds my second Cricut. And I am pretty proud of it after all. My first real furniture build....I learned a lot from my dad....it was some precious time spend with him....and I know that I can honestly do whatever I set my mind to!<br />
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Cost of this project was CRAZY STUPID. But I had a Home Depot credit so it all evened out.<br />
The rounds are about $11 each. The casters are $4 each and the legs were about $5 each. So all in all it was around $65 to make this table. I already had the paint and stain.<br />
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<img align="center" src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/kay_bear52/BeckyThackstonsignature.png" style="border: 0;" /><br />
<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-64226418998696382982019-06-08T08:23:00.001-04:002019-06-08T09:10:53.639-04:00New Office CabinetHappy Saturday morning!<br />
While I was sitting in the floor painting a cabinet yesterday it hit me....I should just start my blog up again with all my projects along with how to's. I mean...why not? That's how I get my inspiration so might as well share. And with all the upcoming changes to Facebook it is an easy way to share.<br />
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If we are friends on Facebook I know you have seen this project already. It really sparked my interest in redoing furniture on a budget. A lot has changed since I posted here in September 2018. My hubby was diagnosed with a secondary cancer - MDS - Myelodysplastic Syndrome - which amazes me that it is listed as rare with only 200,000 cases a year. I beg to differ. This diagnosis was not what we expected and it was an automatic Bone Marrow Transplant, which took place February 8th of this year. Since then we have been taking each day, step by step, in his recovery. Which has been a long one with way too many hiccups. He is currently around day 127 post transplant. We meet with the physician Monday to go over all his latest biopsy results and test results to see where we stand. To keep myself busy I've been diving into redoing the house on a strict budget. Like.....literally as free as possibly! And I've been hitting each room little by little.<br />
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This project was specifically for my office/extended craft space (yes I've taken over half the house with crafts). Our floor plan is a pretty open concept which is surprising to me since the house is 20 years old. You can walk a complete circle from the kitchen through the living room right into the office and craft room then back into the kitchen. Just a few walls in between. So when you walk into the front door you land right into my craft room and office. There are no doors that separate them. We have talked about closing them in but I think it would lose so much of its open feeling if we did that. So needless to say both of these rooms need a huge make over so that they are appealing to look at. I've had the same old hutch style desk for about 15 years and just stack stuff in the corner. My cricuts sit in the floor. I have two direct sales companies as well as my Art business so paperwork is everywhere. You get the picture.<br />
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I started scoping out Facebook Marketplace for the "perfect" cabinet. Twice I missed out on one. I finally posted what I was looking for on Facebook and my friend Deborah came to the rescue! She offered up this gorgeous washstand that was originally her grandmothers! At first I was a little hesitant to do what I wanted with it....it was old....had a lot of memories....BUT I had a goal in mind and just made sure she didn't mind what I was about to do to it.<br />
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Mother's Day weekend was the transformation day. It was HOT...it was HUMID...and was NOT a good day for painting furniture! So make sure when you do a project like this it is not humid because paint just does not like that kind of air! First step was removing all the amazing hardware which has a beautiful patina to it. I was going to paint them black but once I started looking at all the colors from age....they had to stay original. Next....I had to get this coating off this cabinet. It was made with a cherry type stain with a shiny coating. I wanted the top to remain real wood so I sanded and sanded....and sanded....30 minutes later and I had sanded all that junk off the top down to a beautiful and stunning OAK finish! It was gorgeous. I used what stain I had on hand which was Dark Walnut and fixed that top up all nice and pretty! The it was time to paint. For this project I used Behr Chalk Paint from Home Depot. I was in a hurry...wanted to get started on this...and grabbed what I could find. This color is Farmhouse White. I started to sand in some areas but it was just not working out for me so the chalk paint went right over this shinny surface (which I did get all cleaned up by the way...that is super important). This took 2 coats. </div>
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Next step was the Antique Dark Wax from Behr. Using a rag I would add just a little touch of the wax to certain areas of the cabinet and then wipe it back off and smear it in good so that I had it in the cracks. I wanted an aged look to this cabinet. Once I was done with that and everything was nice and dry....I took some sand paper and just went back over areas and started sanding off the paint. You can see these sand spots on the drawers. I know a lot of furniture redos are all nice and crisp paint...no blemishes, etc...but that was not what I was going for. I wanted aged, old and rustic. I fixed the inside with my nail gun. A lot of times in these old pieces the bottom of the cabinet is a thin piece of wood. This one had broken so I just nailed it back into place. Added the original hardware back on it. And my last step was to spray paint it with a clear coat of Rustoleum Clear. Why? Because I am not familiar enough with Behr Chalk paint to know if it would stay or not AND this is going to be used a lot so I wanted to make sure it was going to last. As it set out in the garage drying....in this humidity....it crazed and cracked. At first I was so frustrated but now I love it because it adds another texture and old look to this beautiful cabinet. I mean come on...people buy crackle paint for this....mine was ALL natural!! </div>
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This cabinet has made its home in my office and now holds my rolls of vinyl, unfinished quilting blocks, and a few items from my direct sales companies as well as holds my Cricut Maker, which sets nicely on the top. It fit so perfectly into my cleaned out area and adds so much charm to the room. It has now become my focal piece and inspiration for the office redo. </div>
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Cost of this project:</div>
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$30 for the Chalk paint and wax (which have tons left for many more projects)</div>
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$90 for the cabinet</div>
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Hope you enjoyed this and I look forward to sharing all my repurposing projects and getting this blog started back up again. </div>
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<img align="center" src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/kay_bear52/BeckyThackstonsignature.png" style="border: 0;" /><br />
<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-59690604813785487742018-09-27T03:00:00.000-04:002018-09-27T03:00:00.720-04:00CaregivingCaregiver - a person who provides direct care (as for children, elderly people, or the chronically ill)<br />
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I knew about being a caregiver from my family members taking care of my grandparents through the years but I really never stopped and thought about what it meant to be a caregiver. <br />
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This is for those of you new to caregiving...or maybe you have been doing it a while. I am by no means an expert but I don't mind sharing what it means to me and my feelings throughout this process. <br />
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We never ask to be put in this category. There are no classes for it. It's like when you are a first time parent...there are no books that truly tell you how to become a parent or the process. It is really a learn as you go deal. I mean you have the little self help advice books, etc...but a real guide...there just is not one. For the new caregivers out there....I will not sugar coat it...it's not easy. Not ONE bit. But there is just something that clicks when it is someone you love and you are now the one who has to get them through what ever hurdles they are trying to jump. It's a 24/7 job. It's physically demanding. It's emotionally draining. It is financially stressful. But it is what we must do for the ones we love. For the ones that have been doing this a while...you are an amazing, special person. I've only been a "caregiver" for year now...I dabbled a little bit back in 2013 but this time around...it is no joke. <br />
First off...it is scary. There are so many unknowns that have put you and your loved one in this place. Maybe it is from cancer...maybe from an injury...elderly parents...or even a family member struggling with addictions or illness. So for starters you are learning about this new hurdle...the ins and outs...the what not to dos and what to do...don't eat this but make sure you eat that. For me....learning about Leukemia was not a walk in the part. I had to learn about the cancer its self...how it is treated differently from other cancers...the risks...the statistics...what he can eat and what he can't...that simple things like tending to a garden he just can't do anymore...all of which is emotional draining and stressful. Hearing that your loved one was just diagnosed with cancer...well it makes your mind go in a million different ways. You have to reel that in...you have to start educating yourself. <br />
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The next big step for me as a caregiver is being an advocate and learning everything I can. You have to remember when they had this surgery, when their last biopsy was done, what medications they are on, when they stopped this medication and started a new one. I can tell you how many and the names of all the drugs he has been on..Vancomycin, Daptomycin, Invanz, Flagyl, Amoxicillin, Cipro...he has taken Levofloxacin, Acyclovir, Doxycycline, Clindamicin, Levaquin...his chemo was Cytarabine...I'm sure there are a few others in there that I can't remember at this moment that he took early on. I had to start writing everything down just so I could keep up with it. Now I can pretty much rattle off every surgery....every biopsy...what physician said this...what physician belongs to what group, etc. It's a lot to take in. But you need to. Because there will be a time that you will have to stand up for your loved one and say "hey....look...we have done this and it didn't work...we have taken this and it caused more issues"...or as in our case we flat out told the doctor we were no longer taking Cipro because the side effects out weighed the benefits. Or when we knew there was something wrong with his shoulders I just flat out said...here is the deal...we need to see someone else that can look at this issue that is NOT getting better that the drugs he is on is NOT fixing...so....who can you send us to? Your loved one is not going to be able to keep up with it all. Especially when some of these medications or the disease it's self really plays havoc on the brain. Billy has some memory issues now...he can tell me something that happened and not have the time frame right or has things confused with other things...a lot of this is due to the medications. And especially chemo...the dreaded "chemo brain" is a real thing. So it is important for me to go to as many doctor appointments as I can so that I can catch the things he doesn't remember. <br />
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Stress. It's real. If your loved one has to stop working...there all of a sudden is a tremendous amount of responsibility thrown in your lap on top of everything else that you are having to take in. Finances...taking care of the home...if you have kids making sure they are taken care of and where they need to be...the list goes on and on. But remember YOU are only ONE person and sometimes a few of these things just will not get done when you want them too. And that is OK! Was kinda hard for me to learn if I'm being honest. I'm a gotta do it all myself kinda girl. Well, this last year has taught me that it is okay to rely on other people. They DO want to help. Let them! I am still learning this actually but I'm trying. Make sure to look for resources in your area or on line. Places that maybe able to help you with some financial things. Even if it is grocery gift cards!!! It helps!<br />
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Your feelings....don't bottle them up. It is very important for you to be strong for your loved one or the family...but at the same time you still have to take care of you. You have to work through these emotions. I would drive home from the hospital and that would be my time to cry. Ugly tears. Which is not good when you are driving down 2-85 in rush hour traffic...just saying. But that was the time I had. I needed to be strong at the hospital...there for anything he needed...be strong for the kids at home...so that was MY time. I've even called a friend and said "hey look...I don't want you to tell me that it's all going to be okay....I want you to listen and let me bitch and get angry for a little bit...to let me get out all these feelings I am holding in". It was a good drive home and I felt so much better. But there will be days when you don't feel strong...when you feel in the way...when you feel like your not helping. There are sometimes that I sit here while he is in the hospital and I feel like I'm just in the way. I try to sit off to the side and not bother him so he can rest but every time he moves, etc...I want to jump up and see what I can do to make him comfortable or give him something to drink or press for him to eat. Those are the hardest times for me actually because I feel useless. I can't fix what is going on...I can't make things better...and I just have to realize that this has to take its course. And then I remind myself I am not useless. That even though he doesn't feel good...even though he doesn't say it...I know he appreciates me being here and just being by his side. I want to believe that just my presence is comforting to him. I know for me.....his presence...even if he is sleeping 99% of the time...is comforting to me. <br />
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This job has no pay...and as someone told me this week...we didn't sign up for this club....but deep down....the knowing that you are here for this person that you love so very much...there is not enough money in the world to replace that feeling. Caregiving is hard....and many times it does not end how we want it to. But you have to believe that during that time you were there for that loved one...it was a special time...it was a time of tremendous love. <br />
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I strongly urge you to find a local support group via social media...in your area...or online. Just so you have somewhere to bounce things off of with people who are doing the same thing you are. I am a part of many Leukemia and Lymphoma groups for this reason...we talk about the side effects of drugs...remission..reoccurrence...we laugh...we get excited for those that are celebrating milestones and we cry for those that have lost their loved ones. <br />
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And in case you don't hear it and need to...YOU ARE AMAZING and what you are doing for your loved one will not be forgotten. Hang in there. Mountains are made to climb. <br />
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“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the things which you think you cannot do.”<br />
— Eleanor Roosevelt <b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-26611654410780579182018-08-17T07:37:00.003-04:002018-08-17T07:38:12.869-04:00A lot has happened since May<br />
A lot has happened since I last posted in May.<br />
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We finally were able to get past the swollen lymph notes. He did end up having not only a needle biopsy but then turned around and had two of the nodes removed. Both biopsies came back good and only revealed reactive lymph nodes. He continued his antibiotics well into June.<br />
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The Leukemia dr....the ENT....the Infectious Disease doctor...no one could figure out what was the cause of everything. Which we guess is good? Either way we are over that hurdle.<br />
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But during that time frame his shoulders began to hurt considerably. So we added a Rheumatoid specialist to the mix of physicians. All those tests came back normal as well.<br />
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The Leukemia doctor finally was able to release him from the BMT clinic. That was a happy day. But on the same day his platelets fell with no explanation. Over the course of a month they would fluctuate and the oncologist referred us back to the BMT for another Bone Marrow Biopsy. The fear was that his Leukemia had returned. After an agonizing few weeks we found out that he is STILL IN REMISSION! Thank you Lord.<br />
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We just saw the Leukemia doctor this week and he does not have to return for another 6 months. This is AWESOME! So right now he is cancer clean. We also began seeing an Orthopedic for his shoulders. It appears he has Frozen Shoulder. The cause....possibly the chemo and being inactive for 10 months. So we start physical therapy in a few weeks and he received shots in each shoulder.<br />
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I think we are finally over the biggest hill and we can now start the decent to a semi normal life again. We are 11 months from his initial diagnosis. It's hard to believe that it has been so long and then on other days it feels like it has been forever since this started.<br />
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We have a full few months. With Physical Therapy...Paulding Meadows...hopefully a trip away...then another art show in November.<br />
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We also celebrated our 20th Anniversary on July 31st. I tried my best to make this the most amazing anniversary. Every day in July I shared on Social Media why I love him. Sharing pictures from the past...his crazy antics...and just simply wanting him to know exactly why he means so much to me. On our anniversary I was able to give him a sign that I made, with a little help from my friends, that had I love you spelled out in a bunch of different languages. He really is the center of my life and I love him so very much. I'm looking forward to many more anniversaries to come.<br />
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Okay stay tuned because I will be posting my kitchen backsplash redo that I accomplished back in May as well as a few other DIY projects we have finished and a few in the works.<br />
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<img align="center" src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/kay_bear52/BeckyThackstonsignature.png" style="border-image: none; border: 0px;" /><br />
<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-3652730403754499312018-05-06T20:00:00.000-04:002018-05-06T20:00:12.969-04:00A note to my children<br />
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A note to my children....<br />
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I know with Mother's Day only a week away...that you both are pondering "what should I get mom"....or you have already asked me "Hey mom what do you want"....or I know you have already asked your dad ;)<br />
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Well.....<br />
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The last 7 months has taught me so much in so many different ways. One of those things has been material items. Sure it is great to have the latest and greatest....to have fun toys or more craft supplies or pretty bling or this and that. But does it make you happy....I mean deep down truly happy? Is it what you really, really want? For me....not anymore. You see.....7 months ago I was pretty sure I was going to lose your dad. I really and truly was scared. Underneath the strength I tried to muster daily....it was always in the back of my mind. Real quickly I realized that over time we let ourselves become wrapped up in things that don't really matter. And we lose sight of what truly makes us happy in life.<br />
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3 months ago I got to watch the birth of my second grandbaby. THIS! This is what matters. 2 months ago your dad was told he is in remission. THIS! This is what makes my heart smile to the heavens. Watching the two of you grow into adults and then grow your own little families....THIS is what every mother wants. I have done my job as a mother......and now I get the chance to sit back and watch YOU grow into parenthood with your dad sitting right here beside me. To watch Butterbean give her mom a run for her money....to watch Peanut smile and laugh......the joy that brings me is unexplainable.<br />
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You want to know what I want for Mother's Day...<br />
my sweet children...<br />
I already have everything I want in you...in my grandbabies...in my family. There is nothing on this earth that means more to me than that.<br />
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I love you always,<br />
MOMBeckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-33507821596391364562018-03-24T07:04:00.001-04:002018-03-24T07:04:42.626-04:00What Cancer has taught me<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">What Cancer has taught me:</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li>First and foremost Cancer Sucks</li>
<li>To live life with no regrets. Stop putting off the things that we want to do. Don't be sorry for living your life and making memories</li>
<li>What true friendship looks like - they are there for you no matter what you need and even if you didn't ask</li>
<li>How to open up and accept help from others. Which is always hard for me since I love doing for others but have never been great at accepting help. Your friends and family are there for you. Lean on them. </li>
<li>Not to take anything for granted. Not. A. Single. Thing. Enjoy the gift of life</li>
<li>Don't sweat the small stuff. In the big scheme of things...the small stuff is just that...small. </li>
<li>It showed me how to look around and see our true blessings. Not what we can buy next. Or that new cool phone. Your TRUE blessings...which are right there with you...beside you...those are what really matter in life. </li>
<li>It taught me that even though it feels like your life is falling apart - like you don't know how to continue or move to the next chapter - stressing over bills and cleaning the house - it really is about rebuilding - adjusting - and how your life will be so much stronger. </li>
<li>That you are really stronger than you believe you are...even if you feel like your falling apart inside...that strength will pull you through. </li>
<li>It taught me just how strong my faith really is and to surrender it all...to trust in that faith to pull you through the darkest of times. </li>
<li>It taught me to never give up....EVER</li>
<li>It has showed me what true courage is. Watching a loved one go through treatments..fighting for life with everything they have....that...that is true courage. </li>
<li>Cancer does not make us a survivor....WE have it in us already....each one of us. </li>
<li>It has taught me just how strong our love is for those we hold close and cherish. An unbreakable love. </li>
<li>That care giving is hard but we do what we must for those we love</li>
<li>Life is short and it is up to us to make our time here amazing and make so many memories. </li>
</ul>
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-38141617521013025912018-03-18T16:39:00.000-04:002018-03-18T16:40:47.138-04:00Harry Potter Birthday party<br />
Summer last year..."Butterbean" told me she wanted a Harry Potter birthday party! Well you know Nana has to oblige. I was so excited to start looking around Pinterest for ideas. The projects were super easy to make and so cost effective. I would have to say I spent about $10 total on decorations!<br />
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We had the party this weekend and it was a huge SUCCESS! The kids had a blast playing with their wands with Harry Potter glasses on. They sat and watched the first movie and part of the second. LOVED the cupcakes and the photo booth was fun for all!<br />
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Here are the links to do your own DIY Harry Potter party! I hope you enjoy these as much as we did!<br />
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The photo booth was so much fun! I used a project board from Michael's....cut out the center and then layered the board with brick scrapbook paper. The wanted posters were found by searching through Google and just locating a good quality picture to print.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWhbzK1xt6J6CnRhGpneOCc_LOq7jcY7XLIxHS0UaTQUlPQazJzMMTrULidkGAZ3IZxiayqeo2KXu1dVkwLjJGgtV3F-RC1rDSy3RQLdf_vwLVJqS6xZO9-D8nOjCYlHFbxMk5arGcN67/s1600/IMG_6987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWhbzK1xt6J6CnRhGpneOCc_LOq7jcY7XLIxHS0UaTQUlPQazJzMMTrULidkGAZ3IZxiayqeo2KXu1dVkwLjJGgtV3F-RC1rDSy3RQLdf_vwLVJqS6xZO9-D8nOjCYlHFbxMk5arGcN67/s320/IMG_6987.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my favorite picture by far of "Butterbean" in her Slytherin robe</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxAArONX5zLtFYIJJeu7N-bw-YgElVzDrxeaV8kFful1C-rVIbOC3dZKt2GFr0lPpgTC4vn8SwVM84y4SjvWzsivYhy8CIAbRPDIHbsSOG86bcnLMj2_BntTc5neS_7GEzUwYKZGU92EEd/s1600/IMG_6991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxAArONX5zLtFYIJJeu7N-bw-YgElVzDrxeaV8kFful1C-rVIbOC3dZKt2GFr0lPpgTC4vn8SwVM84y4SjvWzsivYhy8CIAbRPDIHbsSOG86bcnLMj2_BntTc5neS_7GEzUwYKZGU92EEd/s320/IMG_6991.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Peanut" was just toooooo cute!</td></tr>
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The wands were another project that was pretty easy to do and I used left over skewers that I had sitting around in the kitchen. Add some hot glue and paint...BAM.....cool wands! Here is the link to the <a href="http://boxycolonial.com/diy-harry-potter-wands/" target="_blank">blog</a> I used for my wands.<br />
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The Golden Snitches is another quick and easy project. I bought the candy from Walmart and used a simple wing svg file for my Cricut. The wings are hot glued onto the chocolate wrapper.<br />
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The Sorting Hat took me a little longer to make. But I think it turned out super cute and something she can play around with. I already had the yarn at home as well as the batting to make the hat puffy. You can find the pattern for this hat <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/harry-potter-sorting-hat-2" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Her robe I found on Target.com as a Halloween costume. And the Slytherin scarf I hand made using a simple double crochet stitch.<br />
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The potion bottles was another one I LOVED making. A friend of mine was able to get me some empty liquor bottles. Once I washed them out I just took tissue paper and mod podged it on there. Making sure to wrinkle it up for texture. Cover the entire bottle with tissue paper. Once it is dry I just went over it with acrylic paint (even adding several colors on a couple of them). Let your paint dry and then take an ink pad in either black or brown and just rub it over the bottle for an aged look. The labels were found <a href="https://overthebigmoon.com/halloween-decor-harry-potter-potion-bottles-free-printable/" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Just print them out and mod podge them on the bottles.<br />
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For the house crest signs I bought $1 store frames and then cut the images out with my cricut. Attach the vinyl to the front glass and then paint where ever you would like to add color. The SVG files can be found on etsy or if you are a member of some cricut facebook groups...you can find the free files there. They are for personal use only.<br />
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The candles are made from toilet paper rolls. <a href="https://dreamingindiy.com/the-best-do-it-yourself-halloween-decorations-spooktacular-halloween-diys-handmade-crafts-and-projects/" target="_blank">HERE</a> is a link to your own DIY candles. The only thing I done differently is that I decided to sit ours around the house instead of hanging from the ceiling. Time was of the essence and it was just easier. I also found that I had to add some thick double sided tape to the candle before inserting into the roll so that it would fit snug.<br />
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Last but not least....the Butterbeer cupcakes. I AM NOT a baker so this was a little tough for me. It is all from scratch. I would suggest using a different tip for your frosting bag since these really look like "poop" cakes but ya know....the kids didn't notice...just the adults...ROTFLOL! And prepare for a major sugar high! The recipe can be found <a href="https://www.sugarandsoul.co/harry-potter-butterbeer-cupcakes-recipe" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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There was just a few more items I would have loved to make such as <a href="http://www.chicaandjo.com/2013/07/17/harry-potter-party/" target="_blank">Pin the scar on Harry</a> or the <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/88735055142248126/" target="_blank">9 3/4 wall</a> but I just didn't have the time to get it all done. I hope you can try a few of these out and be sure to let me know how it goes! Now I am excited to see what the next party theme will be!<br />
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-57765628795972807572018-03-13T18:13:00.003-04:002018-03-13T18:36:16.853-04:00Are you ready for me???<br />
Is the world ready for me to get back to blogging?<br />
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Well - with a little push from a friend...I'm BACK :)<br />
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And I can't wait to share what really makes my heart smile. Crafts....paintings...DIY projects...and my family! Some come on over to the dark side and follow me so you don't miss an update!<br />
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If you follow me on Facebook you know the last 6 months have been crazy...what am I saying...it's been upside down! BUT...we are on the road to a normal life again. I plan to keep you updated with Billy's Leukemia journey here as well as speak out about Leukemia Awareness!<br />
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I hope you will come join me on this journey.<br />
<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-23763126677024211472016-03-30T06:46:00.002-04:002018-03-13T18:03:25.154-04:00Let's Save Some Money!Who doesn't love saving money?<br />
Couponing has been a part of my life for many years now. I remember growing up...my mom had a huge trash bag of coupons and rebates. Do you remember the Green Stamp catalogs? Saving has always been a part of my life. Over the last few years I have discovered some key players that I would love to share with you as well. I will also share my referral link. Let's be honest...referrals are important and will help you save even more money. Another feature that you need to make sure you have in place is paypal. Most of these apps will pay you using this payment program. It's easy to set up and I use paypal for EVERYTHING!<br />
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I have a close friend who just paid off her house!!! at the age of 44! SERIOUSLY! I want to be that person. So currently all my "extra savings" I get from these apps, etc, are rolled directly into a principal payment on my house. You could roll them into an extra monthly credit card payment or maybe into a vacation fund. I promise you the money begins to add up! I paid for a trip to Disney last year by using these apps, ebay and yard sales! <br />
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Every Friday I set down at the table and start making out my grocery list. Once I have my list done or close to it...I then whip out my phone and check my savings apps. I do try to work my grocery list around what coupons and specials I have that week. Some weeks are better than others but I figure every little dollar helps. Here are my favorite apps and why:<br />
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<b>Ibotta:</b> - by far my favorite. To date I have saved $731.95 and that is over 2 years. My highest month was $98. Ibotta is simple. You choose your store and view the rebates. Each rebate will need to be unlocked either by watching a video, viewing a recipe or taking a poll. When you are done shopping - scan the products and then scan your receipt! It's THAT EASY! Here is the fun part. There are bonuses you can complete to earn even extra money. AND....if you grow your "team"...as your team redeems rebates it helps you earn money. For example.....for this month....if I redeem 15 rebates and my team earns $15...I get a bonus $2! So as my team is using the app it goes towards the team total. I just then need to do my part and redeem rebates. Want to give it a try and look around....just search for Ibotta in your app store. Sign up AND when you redeem your first rebate you will receive $10! My referral link code is <b>ctn2cw </b>and if you know any family members, etc, refer them through your app and receive $5 when they redeem their first rebate.<br />
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<b>Checkout 51</b> - this one is a little slower but you can get generic foods a good bit of the time. Here is a funny...my husband drinks Miller High Life. Well for the last 3 weeks they have had $1.50 rebate when you buy Miller High Life. So I have scored $4.50 just on his normal purchases :) I've only been using this app for about a year. It's a little slower but I have earned $52.75. I'm not aware of a referral code or bonus money with this one.<br />
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<b>Reciept Hog</b> - Now this one is EASY! There is nothing to do but scan receipts. That is it! You earn coins and then can redeem the coins for cash. Some receipts earn you slot spins which you can then use and earn more coins. I scan every receipt that comes into my house! A secret hint...you want to make sure and scan EVERY week because you will earn bonus coins for leveling up. I have earned a $10 Amazon Gift card and currently working on $10 in cash. I'm not aware of a referral code on this one either. It's a slow earner but it is so simple why NOT do it :)<br />
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<b>Shrink</b>: Do you like health foods...this app is for you. Lots of items from Whole Foods, etc. Simply Organic spices. GoodBelly juice...even Beechnut Baby Food. You can unlock the products. Earn points. Receive coupons. currently I have $12.80 waiting on me. You can redeem your cash at $10. Invite friends and earn $2 when they redeem their first rebate and they will earn 1,000 Shrink Points redeemable for $1 cash. My referral code is <b>DMOCGP</b><br />
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<b>Saving Star</b> - Make sure you activate these rebates BEFORE going to the grocery store. They change often and can be things like - Earn $3 when you spend $12 on Kens Salad Dressing. It does not have to be $12 all at once but over multiple shopping trips. Just make sure to pay attention to the requirements for each product. I go through and add all the items that interest me. When you have the item just scan and upload your receipt. I have saved $36.51 in just 2 months. You can cash out at $20. I'm not aware of any referral codes or earnings.<br />
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<b>Find & Save</b> - this is my newest addiction. Every so many days it will change the offers available. These can be any store around you so look at it often. Currently I can save 2% by spending $75 at Ingles, 1% for spending $75 at Aldi, .50 for spending $12 at McDonald's, etc. Just choose the rebate (pay close attention to the details. I had a receipt rejected because I didn't spend enough and it was a One Shopping trip total and not accumulative trips). I have saved a little over $27 so far in just a few months. At $25 they automatically dump the funds into your paypal account. There is a referral program but it changes every month. So if you refer someone they need to join and redeem their first rebate by the end of that month. For example...so if you want to join this today please make sure to upload a receipt by tomorrow and I will earn $3 :) Then you turn around and share it with your family and friends so that you can earn $3 per referral - my referral code is <b>BB6F</b><br />
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<b>MobiSave</b> - this is another one that you must choose the product BEFORE you check out. The rebate redeemption is based on the time stamp on your receipt. I general use the generic rebates the most. But currently they do have Beechnut baby food so if you have babies...you can use Mobisave and then turn around and use Shrink both and double save!!! I have $7.15 in savings so far and only have used it about a month or so. When your rebate is approved they automatically upload the money to your paypal account. No need to cash out. <br />
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<b>Shopmium</b> - this one is new to me so I don't have a lot I can report. Just a few rebates on this one. Seems like most of them are connected to Walmart. Refer a friend and when they redeem you will earn $2. My referral code is KMUGGHGX and they will receive an offer for a FREE Lindt Chocolate Bar! This is automatically uploaded to your paypal account when your rebate is approved.<br />
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and finally...this one is online only but if you love to shop online this is a great money saving tool!<br />
EBates - it is full of shops and stuff we use all the time. Just click on the store and shop directly through Ebates. You will earn a % of your shopping trip back! Do you shop at Kohls online? You can earn 6% back on your purchases! Go check it out! I love Ebates. And currently if you refer 3 friends you can earn up to $75! This earning period ends tomorrow. http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=ebsLzsNZgSvTNItabtOqaQ%3D%3D&eeid=28187 (just copy this link into your browser)<br />
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I hope you have enjoyed these tips. And I hope you will check them out. Come back and let me know what you think!<br />
happy saving<br />
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-31713467387526364942016-01-03T20:39:00.002-05:002016-03-30T07:29:47.963-04:00Happy New Year!!!Happy New Year everyone!<br />
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I sure hope yours has started off better than mine. I caught something or another the weekend of Christmas and by New Years Eve I was running a fever and feeling like dirt. Turns out I had a sinus infection and double ear infection along with some yucky head congestion. NOW...finally....a few days into the New Year...I'm feeling kinda human again.<br />
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So with that said....I laid around the house most of the holiday. No celebrating. Just sleeping.<br />
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I have managed to squeak out 4 paintings and some crochet projects. And several orders placed which is fantastic.<br />
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A few 2015 highlights -<br />
we traveled to Ohio for the Thirty One Conference - Townsend Tennessee - Cancun Mexico - Disney World Florida - Charleston South Carolina - and several camping trips in between. It was a busy traveling year for sure. My son Shawn and his girlfriend Anna got engaged. Smiles for Care Bags donated 500 bags to Chemo Centers, Relay for Life and the Paulding Foster Program. I hit my highest sales ever with Thirty One (over $30K). It was a great year! I can't wait to see what 2016 brings. I don't have any goals in place...no New Years Resolutions...nothing on the books. This year I have a feeling is going to be a "fly by the seat of my pants" kinda year. I am open for anything. The only thing set in stone so far is Shawn's wedding in September. The rest of the year is an open book and ready for me to TAKE IT ON!!!!<br />
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cb0c94b43849826f4ce4869456f7f349b07cfa37204e8f2df6<br />
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-23557191560999281942015-10-29T06:48:00.000-04:002015-10-29T06:48:07.719-04:00Smiley 360so I found this cool page where you can take surveys and hopefully qualify for a mission. If you do...you will get some free goodies in the mail and then just write a review. <br />
Here is the link if you want to check it out. <br />
<a href="http://h5.sml360.com/-/1jfcv">http://h5.sml360.com/-/1jfcv</a><br />
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On the home front...we made it through Disney. That was amazing and I can't wait to go back and maybe spend some extra days there. Danie really did have a great time. I loved the campground as well. Now, in just 6 days, I will be embarking on another trip with my sister to celebrate her 40th birthday. We are heading to CANCUN! woooooooo. I am really excited since I have never been. A though nervous as well. <br />
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Billy had his MRI a few weeks back. The neurosurgeon has since left the practice but his ENT called and said everything was stable but she does want to chat with me. I hated I missed her call so I will be anxiously awaiting to hear from her. <br />
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We have had 8 more Chemo Care Bags sponsored which is exciting. I would love to hit 600 before the end of the year. If you are interested in sponsoring a bag please let me know. We have options for $15 and for $20 :)<br />
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It's hard to believe that we are about to hit November and just a few months left in this year. It has really flown by and we still have a lot to do. A trip to Murphy and a trip to Charleston! Oh and before I forget....a serious dream come true is happening this Sunday. I will be dragging my hubby to WalkerStalkerCon and getting my picture made with Norman Reedus (daryl)!!!!!!!!!! OMG! I am beyond excited and I have NEVER had my picture made or been that close to someone famous from a show/movie. Let's hope I don't get all nervous and stuff and make a blubbering idiot of myself!<br />
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-49519363459160960732015-08-08T16:46:00.001-04:002015-08-08T16:47:46.980-04:00I'm BACK......Man it has been awhile.....I am so sorry about that. Life gets in the way sometimes and it takes a little bit of an awakening to get you back on track.<br />
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So just a quick update...<br />
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<li>Billy is doing great. He still has his paralysis on the left side of his face but he is trucking along! We have a routine MRI in October but I'm confident everything will be okay. </li>
<li>Butterbean is growing like crazy. Can you believe she started Pre-K! (gasp)</li>
<li>Shawn is ENGAGED! Yep you heard that right. Looks like they are planning a September 2016 wedding. Stay tuned! </li>
<li>I'm doing great. I have really put all my energy into our newest project - <a href="http://www.facebook.com/smileswithchemocarebags">Smiles with Chemo Care Bags</a>! Last year we donated roughly 150 bags to the local cancer centers. My goal for 2015 was to donate 300! Well.......so far as of today - August 2015 - we have donated 329! Our current project is finding enough sponsors for 150 bags to donated to the survivors at the upcoming Making Strides Breast Cancer Walk. We are currently about 100 bags shy of our walk goal. I am so blessed and excited to see how this journey has grown. And I can't wait to get it even bigger and better over the years. Just touching so many lives with a smile makes my world wonderful!! </li>
<li>I just got back from our Thirty-One Conference. It was AM-A-ZING! Billy went with me and it was so nice to see him get involved and enjoy being with our team...learning about Thirty One - and meeting Scott Monroe. I am so excited to grow my team in 2015...become a better leader...and inspire other woman to step out and do things they may not have ever thought about doing. To achieve their "why"! Big Goals for 2015!</li>
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I can't wait to get back to sharing our family....sharing my Thirty One journey....and just being ME again. </div>
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Upcoming fun....I will be attending my first vendor event next weekend! I am a little nervous but so excited! Paulding Meadows will be here in September (our 5th year!) And in less than 5 weeks we will be taking Danie to DISNEY! And in just a few more months my sister and I will be embarking on a journey to Cancun to celebrate her 40th Birthday! </div>
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So much to look forward to!!!</div>
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-4444764559859796452014-05-30T13:05:00.000-04:002014-05-30T13:23:36.529-04:006 Month mark and Chemo Care BagsIt's hard to believe that we are coming up on the 6 month mark of Billy's surgery. Just a few more days to go. Things are going well. Billy seems to be doing great. We've been on a few camping trips, put a playset together, planted the gardens and just normal day life. Hopefully 6 months will be the turning point for him. I know he is very patiently waiting for some feeling or movement to come back to his face....and I know it is so frustrating for him. Somedays it feels a lot different than other days so I am guessing that is a good thing? I just don't know. It's hard to research because each patient is so different in their recovery. But overall...he is a trooper in my book. <br />
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School is out for the summer. Shawn is taking a summer break and then back into college for the Fall. Hopefully only 2-3 more semesters to go. Danie is moving up in to the last class she will stay in before Pre-K! I know! I'm not ready for Pre-K. It's still a year away but still. She is almost 100% potty trained. I'm so proud of her. <br />
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My latest adventure...because you know I must have one....are a few things. <br />
We've started a Making Strides Breast Cancer team for November here in Marietta. Team Hakuna MaTATA. You see.....over the last month I have had two VERY precious and super special friends diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Each one is so totally different than the other as far as treatments, recovery, etc. Both equally scary. Somedays I feel I just can't do enough for them so that they can feel as though they are not alone in this. I don't want to them to feel that way. that little Becky Angel sitting on their shoulder at every appointment, every chemo treatment, each surgery....<br />
so I've been fundraising where I can for the walk. But I am most excited about is the kick off of our Chemo Care Bags! I'm looking for sponsors!!!!! $20!! That $20 will buy this cute thermal bag and all the goodies to go inside it: water, crackers, jolly ranchers, puzzle books, inspirational messages....And then on the outside of the bag I will tie a cute little card which will say:<br />
Chemo Care Bags - filled with love from your Angel Sponsor (insert name). <br />
Cool huh!!!! And then in July I will take them to the Cancer Center here at Kennestone and hopefully Paulding Hospital (depends on the amount of bags sponsored). See.....one of those special friends of mine will be undergoing chemo. And I think of her sitting there during her treatments....and what a smile she would have on her face if some stranger walked up and gave her a bag of love. So in my heart...that is what I feel these bags would be...bags of love...unconditional....simply stating you are loved and thought about daily. I would hope that some other person out there would be doing the same thing and my sweet friend would receive a little something from them. It is what my heart was leading me to this morning as I drove into work. And by all means...I MUST listen to that heart and what it is telling me. Sooooooo....if you think you would be interested in being a sponsor just let me know. $20. Full of Love. I plan on ordering and filling these bags to deliver in July. If you don't live near me...that's okay. You can send the money via paypal, cc, check in the mail, etc.....however and whatever works for you. Between us all we can put a smile on someones face that so needs it. <br />
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-36790244273381932642014-04-03T06:11:00.002-04:002014-04-03T06:11:44.026-04:004 Months today<br />
I can't believe that today marks Billy's 4 month surgery anniversary! <br />
Crazy isn't it. <br />
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To be honest I feel like it has been much longer than that. It is amazing to me how far he has come in 4 months. He really is my Hero and I applaud his determination. <br />
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Monday was his neurologist appointment to go over his MRI that was taken last week. Everything is looking good. I had no doubt that it wouldn't. What was left in there is so small....it would take forever for it to grow again. Or well...that is my professional opinion :) Dr. Hadgipanayis was very glad to see how well he was doing. Loved how his eye was looking after the eye surgery. He didn't seem to positive about the facial paralysis but I point blank told him we were not going to give up on that and we are staying positive that it will come back. <br />
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Earlier that morning we took a trip back up to the Neuro ICU ward and delivered 30 Thirty-One Pocket A Totes that I had embroidered with the words "Believe..." and then filled with goodies. We explained to the nurses that Billy was a patient there in room 3107 4 months ago and that this was just something our hearts compelled us to donate. A bag is to be given to each family as they come in so that they will know someone is thinking about them during this tough time in their lives. The nurses were excited and they loved seeing how well Billy was doing. We even saw a familiar face while we were there. After that we headed to Floor 9 to leave Dr. Vivas her present. Just a small token of thanks for all her caring and hard work. And yep. It was a Thirty One bag too...lol. She called later on that night to thank us personally and to see how the Neuro appointment went. She on the other hands thinks the small things we have seen with Billy's face is a good sign! That's why I love her...she is so positive and upbeat about things. <br />
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So we are good to go for 6 months. At that 6 months mark we will head back to Emory for another MRI and to see Dr. H and Dr. Vivas at the same time. So it will be an Emory filled day for sure. At that time Dr. Vivas said we will re-evaluate his facial paralysis and then discuss further measures. I think at that time we may talk about a hearing aid also. It will not help him hear as that part of his ear is gone, but it will help him re-route sound to his good ear. As far as the facial paralysis they are talking about connecting the facial nerve to his tongue nerve to help with some of the dropping. I'm just not sure about that personally. I love him just as he is. And if God sees fit that this is the way he should be...then who am I to question or complain. I see my love. Not paralysis. So really that ball is in his court. I am not sure he would like another surgery...I know I wouldn't. But.....I will continue doing as I have and just pray that what shall be will be. I am just happy that I have my husband with me....healthy...and happy. <br />
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-8899006297127450132014-02-23T15:36:00.001-05:002014-02-23T15:38:13.014-05:0012 weeks Post OpIt's really hard to believe that in just a few days we will be at 12 weeks post op. 3 months! WOW. <br />
I'm so proud of him for the journey he has taken and so quickly. 12 weeks ago I honestly didn't know how we would get to the next step and here we are....<br />
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Last week Billy returned to work...his first full week... 11 hour days for 5 days. And he did awesome! I knew he would be pretty tired and come Thursday it was showing on him. But he got up and went each day without any hesitation. He has spent the weekend pretty much resting up which is fine with me. Each week will be another step closer to getting his strength back for sure. Tonight we are celebrating with Omaha Steaks, chicken kabobs and veggies. Thanks to our dear friends Emily and Howard Bach!! <br />
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Billy's eye is looking better each day. There is still a little bit of an area swollen and the stitches haven't desolved totally yet (I saw one yesterday). But over all it looks good. I know he is super glad it closes and has made that part of life a little easier. <br />
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Our fundraiser has went very well. We are 20 bags short of reaching our goal of 50 bags but I am so super excited that we have raised enough for 30! I called and got the okay with Emory to bring them to the Neuro-ICU ward in March. Now the process of filling them all and just getting them packed to go. I'm still hoping to raise enough for the last 20. The link is to the right of this blog....I haven't updated the latest donation so we are almost at $400 :) awesome isn't it :) Thank you to everyone that has made it possible. <br />
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Thanks for hanging in there with us....<br />
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-59497822235683511592014-02-10T14:56:00.002-05:002014-02-10T14:56:26.575-05:00Totally AWESOME!!!!hmmmm I am thinking my kids would have a fit if they heard me say Totally Awesome...lol! That is rather 80ish isn't. <br />
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But it is TOTALLY awesome! Today we headed back down to Emory Midtown for a Physical Therapy appointment and to see Dr. Vivas (the ENT surgeon). Physical Therapy went well. There are still a few things that are challenging for Billy but that is to be expected. I mean really...we are only 10 weeks post op so I think where he is right now is amazing. He doesn't experience too much dizziness which I think is GREAT. The balance will always be a challenge for him but I think he is doing outstanding. The Physical Therapist RELEASED him! WOOT! So one down and one more to go. <br />
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Then we headed over to see Dr. Vivas. Have I mentioned how much I love that doctor! Totally amazing and I am so glad we started this journey with her. She smiled so big when she saw Billy. The last time she saw him he couldn't eat and had pneumonia so it was a large improvement. She took a look at his face....and said hmmmmmm several times. She seems to think that she may have seen some twitching....and he has experienced some signs of tingles (almost like you have laid on your arm for too long) in his face. She says this is good. That the nerve will start firing back up and make those kinds of sensations. I have told him to not get discouraged. I really, truly, deep in my heart feel that his face function will return. It will just take time which we have plenty of :) She was impressed with his spunk today and how ready to get to work he is. Everything looked great. Incision looks good. She stated that his stiff neck is from the muscles that they had to cut into...which I had no idea they did. Who knew you had muscles behind your ear. So the best part...she RELEASED him too!!!! <br />
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Now for the final okay.....tomorrow he heads back to the Eye Surgeon to see how that is healing. If all goes okay he will be able to return to work on February 17th!!! AWESOME!!!!! He is on cloud 9 and ready to get back to a "new normal" life. I'm very excited for him. It's been a long 10 weeks for sure but he has come so far. <br />
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Dr. Vivas did mention that after about a year IF the facial stuff does not improve that they would recommend a muscle surgery that brings his droop back up. And also a hearing aid. It doesn't give him hearing on that side but will reroute the noise so that he can know where it is coming from. Large, noisy rooms are hard for him right now. But we will see how this year goes. Our next appointment will be in March to see Dr. H, the Neurosurgeon, again and another MRI. We still have a little fraction of that pesky tumor left in there so it will consist of monitoring to make sure it is not growing. But our Emory visits are deminishing! YEAH! <br />
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I'm sure my blog posts will be slowing down....please know that I am not ignoring anyone...just not as many updates because really....he is DOING GREAT! That is a good thing. I've enjoyed reviving my blog again so I may just keep plugging away with our happenings around here. Maybe this year will bring lots of new beginnings for us :) Time will tell. <br />
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Much love and lots of hugs!<br />
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-52619036706263902622014-02-05T17:03:00.003-05:002014-02-05T17:41:54.564-05:005 days Post OpToday is 5 days since Surgery #2. <br />
Today....it is looking so much better. <br />
Today I can't help but think about how much of a blessing these last 9 weeks have been. Conisdering the circumstances. <br />
Today I am so Thankful for each day and what it brings with it. I know that we can face any hurdle head on and tell it WE will WIN! <br />
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So here is a quick snapshot of Saturday afternoon. Looking pretty rough there. All swollen and just yuck. I hated touching it to put medicine on it. I was so afraid I would hurt him.<br />
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And then you have today! Woot! Looking so much better don't you think. Still very puffy on the top eyelid but the bottom is looking better and the bruising is turning a lovely shade of green. I think by the time he is at 7 days Post Op it's going to look GREAT! It is so great to see him blinking and not frustrated because it will not close. I can almost see BOTH of his beautiful blue eyes!</div>
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Heading to the Dr. Monday and Tuesday of next week. Crossing fingers to get a release from them both so he can get back to work. I know he is anxious and ready. Although I will miss my helper at home. It's been nice coming home to an empty dishwasher :) Actually I think we both need to figure out how to retire and just travel together where ever we want! Yep I think that is a good plan. Now if we could only win the lottery!<br />
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And a blessed Angel made a donation to our ICU bag fundraiser. We only have about 25 more bags to go. Isn't that awesome! I am not giving up and plan on reaching our goal of 50! It's going to be FANTASTIC taking them all up to the ICU hall in March!!! <br />
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Stay tuned....updates next week after the Dr appointments.<img align="center" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/kay_bear52/BeckyThackstonsignature.png" style="border: 0px currentColor;" /><br />
<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-32601445665247741682014-02-01T08:09:00.003-05:002014-02-01T08:09:47.276-05:00Results of Surgery #2Yesterday was yet another surgery day. This was by far not as intense - only a little over an hour - but it was still so hard to see him hooked up to stuff and knowing they were about to put him to sleep again. I really do hate that feeling of helplessness. There is nothing I can do but be there for him when he wakes up. <br />
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Today's surgery was to fix his eye. I have a few pictures to show you why and some are graphic so beware. Because of the facial nerve not being cooperative right now...billy's left eye will not close. This is bad because it will dry out the cornea and cause other vision problems. We don't want this to happen. So we decided to go ahead with the neurosurgeons suggestion of the Gold Weight Implant. They insert a small gold weight into the upper eye lid. This helps the lid close. He also made several incisions along the edge of the eye and pulled the bottom skin and lid up so that the two lids would now close. The first picture is before surgery. As you can see when he tries to close his eyes this one does not close. We have been doing drops all day and lubricants at night. <br />
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And here he is yesterday afternoon after surgery. you can see how the eye lid on the bottom is pulled up and tucked now. He can actually blink which is so nice to see. <br />
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And here he is this morning. This is as wide as he can open his eye. Looks like I belted him a good one doesn't it. I hate it for him. He says this hurts worse than the brain surgery did. The eye is such a sensitive area but hopefully it will heal up quickly. He is on strict orders of no bending over and picking up stuff for two weeks. OUCH. Yeah he wasn't too happy with that. BUT we are going to try and get his post-op appointment a few days before he goes back on the 10th to see Dr. Vivas and the Physical Therapist If all goes well we hope he can get released to go back to work. I am afraid it may be delayed one more week. But honestly I just want him better before he takes on work. I know he is itching to go back. </div>
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Just a few more days will be 9 weeks. The longest for recovery they said would be 12 weeks so I think he is doing awesome. This surgery yesterday is just a small set back but was needed. And hey....if all else fails I can sell him at the "we buy Gold" place since his eyelid is real gold...lol! </div>
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On the fundraiser home front we had a donation for 5 more bags. Now we are up to 17!!! I am super excited about that and we only have 33 more to go. I so can't wait to take these to the ICU ward in March!</div>
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-52957850242862934022014-01-30T13:54:00.005-05:002014-01-30T13:56:14.470-05:00There is still time - fundraiserWe are so excited how much we have raised so far....$125 will purchase 8 bags! That is 12 bags we have so far and our goal is 50. Just 38 more to go. And there is still time if you would like to help. My goal is to get them all purchased by mid February so that we have time to buy all the goodies for the inside and get them ready to pack and deliver in March. These bags will be filled with snacks and extras for the families waiting with their loved ones in the ICU Neurology Ward at Emory Midtown. <br />
Here is a sneak peak... I really love how they turned out. <br />
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Tomorrow is our next step in this journey. Billy is scheduled for surgery at 9:30 in the morning for his Gold Weight Implant. I know this will help him out a lot with his eye. And then in just 10 more days we will be heading back to the ENT surgeon and Physical Therapist to try and see when he can go back to work. He has done great over the last few weeks. Even walking on ICE!!! I was impressed! I told him we had some stories to tell the physical therapist for sure. <br />
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Thank you for hanging in there with us and please do share our fundraiser. It is located on the right of this blog. Just click on that link and it will take you straight to the YouCaring site. We appreciate every little bit to help us bring smiles to other families that may be as scared if not more than I was 8 weeks ago. <br />
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-28441861852554898112014-01-22T17:56:00.000-05:002014-01-23T06:13:09.622-05:00Gold Eye Lid WeightSo today has just been one of those days. I think a stop at Starbucks this morning would of set the day on track. lol. <br />
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But on a good note....Billy came up to the office today and had another office visit with Dr. Long. He is our ocuplasty surgeon at the clinic. We wanted to evaluate the left eye and see what our next step will be. I was kinda taken back that his vision in that eye had changed from 20/40 to 20/150. A lot of that could of been just the irriation from the eye being so dry. And he also used drops that morning so hoping that was some of it. We attached a trial weight to his eyelid and he can finally blink! YEAH. I know it has to feel better. But unfortunately we have one more procedure to do. I was really hoping we could put off the surgical weight but he is now scheduled for a Gold Weight Surgery next Friday. <br />
Actually two procedures. The first one will consist of a small incision in the eye lid and they will then insert a Gold (we are using Titanium) Weight in the lid. This will help his eye stay closed and reduce the use of so many drops and lubricants for his eye. And will also help him outside from the wind blowing in his eye or the sun blinding him. The next procedure will be a small cut at the corner of the eye where the surgeon will "tuck" his eye. The bottom of the lid droops also so this will pull the bottom lid up and will help it meet the top lid better for an almost full closure. He will once again be put to sleep. Surgery should be no more than an hour. A WHOLE lot better than the first surgery. After this we are hoping it will be the last procedure he will need. <br />
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I haven't given up that he will regain his facial movement. Nope....I'm sticking with the positive that it will come back...along with lots of prayers. If it doesn't we are all okay but ya know...I just feel it will come back. It may not be tomorrow...may not be next month...but eventually :)<br />
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And our next visit with the neurologist is scheduled in March along with another MRI. <br />
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Thank you for hanging in there with us :)<br />
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And thank you so much to those that have generously donated to our fundraiser! I am excited that we have $125 so far and still 39 days to go. So far that will buy 7 bags and I have 4 already so we are at 11 with just 39 more to go! This is awesome! You guys are wonderful!!!<br />
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<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3290216219428466697.post-71428595758511355412014-01-21T14:32:00.001-05:002014-01-22T17:56:25.656-05:00Week 7 <br />
Can you believe that! Week7! We are over the half way mark!!! YIPEEEE<br />
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Today we headed back to Emory to visit with Dr. Vivas and the Physical Therapist. More about that in a moment. Let's do a catch up...<br />
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I got a little excited for Billy yesterday....as we were going to bed he said the left side of his face was hurting! OH YEAH! Well...don't get me wrong...I don't want him to hurt but pain is good...means that nerve is working in there! I know it is so frustrating for him and I just want him to be able to see small bits of rejuvenation going on. And another great thing...the swelling at his incision, the CSF leak, went back down to normal. Shewwww...THAT made me feel better for sure! <br />
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He also had a great day Saturday heading down to the deer camp with my dad. It was a quick day trip. Down there, recover a deer stand, and come back. He drove to my dads and back by himself (and yes I worried like a new mom sending her kid out in a car for the first time) and they headed on down for a while. He did great. Didn't use the cane and his eye didn't give him too much of a fit. That was all an A+ in my book. Sunday we just kinda relaxed a bit. I let him chill out, kicked back in the recliner, while I worked a little and piddled around the house. <br />
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Now to the Physical Therapist visit...<br />
He did pretty good with all the tests she put him through. I didn't get to watch him walking with her down the hall but it sounded like he wavered a little bit but not bad. For the most part he did excellent. She has given him instructions on some harder exercises. We asked about work but she is not ready for him to go back yet...and personally...I think he needs a few more weeks under his belt first. Soooooooo with that said....we go back February 10th to see the PT and then Dr. Vivas. If all things go okay and he has increased his points with the physical therapist and closer to the 100% point range....we will be pushing to get the okay to go back to work that week. Crossing fingers it all goes as we hope. He is sooooo ready to get back to work. We stopped off at the gym so that he could check out the machines and such....in hopes that he will want to visit the gym and try to get some of his stamina back before he does go to work. I know that first week or so is going to zap him totally. BUT I feel great knowing I have some eyes on him while he is there at work :) Will not make me feel as nervous knowing someone is keeping an eye on him for me. We took a trip to Walmart on the way home and he actually decided to go out to eat. The first time in 7 weeks he has been out to eat. He was worried of making a mess with his face...HA...I fooled him...I made a bigger mess than he did! LOL. Over all the day was great. Lots of good news and a goal for him to look forward too. I think he is so excited of the potential of going back to work..that it is 44 degrees outside and spitting snow and he is packing up Christmas decorations and blowing the dirt out of the garage. lol. <br />
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Also I wanted to share a new venture we are doing....https://www.youcaring.com/other/just-believe-/128391 - I found this website You Caring that will allow you to set up individual fundraisers. I LOVE that! So off I go on my newest goal....to raise enough funds to buy 50 pouches that I can fill full of goodies and donate to the patients families at the Emory Healthcare Midtown Neurology ICU ward! I remember so clearly 7 weeks ago today visiting Billy at 10:30 that night...after waiting very impatiently as he was having a 12 hour surgery...and seeing him for the first time in ICU. For 2.5 days I sat there with him from 6 in the morning until about 10 at night. It was the most scariest time of my life. So began my project stirring in my head...to raise enough money to buy these bags and fill with crackers, gum, candy, notebook and pen...anything that will help pass the time. Because I know for me...I didn't want to leave his side. And most of the time it was just me there by myself. I want someone else in that situation to know that an "angel" is with them...holding their hand and letting them know that they are in someone else's thoughts and prayers. Maybe it will even bring a little smile to their face in a time of need. Yep that is my goal. And then anything over and beyond the pouches I am donating to the National Brain Tumor Association. In hopes that just a little bit of $$ will go a long way in helping other people catch these Brain Tumors earlier or to help with education or cures. I have huge dreams and hopes.....but it has to start somewhere...right :) Even if it is $1....that is $1 more than we had!<br />
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And I am so proud to annouce that we have a total of $90 so far!!!!! wooooohooooooo! <br />
<img align="center" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/kay_bear52/BeckyThackstonsignature.png" style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor;" /><br />
<br />Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11791892490751034347noreply@blogger.com1