events & halloween preview

hey guys!!

FALL TIME has proved itself to be quite busy. Remember how i told you I was making cards for the holiday boutique my stepmom is hosting. Well, that event is this saturday and over the weekend was one final push of getting some cards done!

Here are a couple more I made!

Plus look at my pretties packaged up in individual cellophane envelopes. They sure do look more professional!

 25 cards boxed up and almost ready to be picked up!

Over the weekend, my mom and I also got my nana her FIRST EVER CELL PHONE! 74 years old and getting her first cell phone! lol..i love it! 

My nana with her serious, determined face said to me, "Britt, I need a cell phone. How do I get a cell phone?"

The answer to that is a complicated, depends one as you know. All she needs the phone for is to call my grandpa when she is ready to be picked up from the store. "Ya, I am ready"=one minute usage, maybe twice a week. 

No long distance. No text. No internet.

My mom and I talked with the electronics sales lady who was trying to get us to snag a $30/per month T-Mobile phone with Intenret and text, ummm no thanks. We're trying not to confuse my nana here! We looked at other phones and settled on one with large keys and flip so my nana doesn't accidentally have buttons pushed she didnt mean to without the "cover" ya know.

The simpler the BETTER!

I can't wait to surprise my nana tomorrow with her new phone, wrapped in a Christmas bag lol.

I am also excited because Halloween is in one day! 

I've got a Halloween preview for you today: HOW I DID MY MAKEUP!

it's totally Hunger Games Capitol Residents Inspired!

mad hatter-esque

I'll post later this week my full costume as well as what makeup I used to achieve this look. And what costume will I be you may ask? 

Well, it's inspired from a lady who lives in the Capitol. She just walks by as an extra in the movie, but she's dressed all in pink and is walking a pink dog. So, im just gonna be a pink lady, maybe looking more like a pink oompa loompa! ;)


P.s. Now accepting sponsors! Some larger spots available! Would love to have you on my sidebar! :) Loves!

as of lately

so it takes ME coming to my own blog to see that I haven't written anything in a week! geez louise! 

I've got alot to spill, so bear with me if you'd like for a long post! I'd also like to apologize to the wonderful sponsors on my sidebar, because I've been crappy at supporting and promoting you! Please come back and renew for November! lol 

To be honest, I have been feeling a bit down in the dumps. My mind is pre-occupied, worry filled and with a 100 things going on in my brain at one time, does that happen to you too? I know I have built up stress because I am getting a  cold sore--ewwww! lol. Time to pile that Carmex on!

This Wednesday is my doctors appointment following up from the bronch with my pulmonary doctor. I am not sure if i mentioned this in my last post, but if we change my trache again, we're going to do it with me in the hospital for at least one night stay to make sure I am breathing properly and everything's ok. As of Wednesday, my plans are up in the air.

Seriously, I sometimes think that God uses other plans, His plans, to get in the way (as my humanity sees it slightly) of my plans for my own good, of course. Having these breaks of normal routine can drive one crazy with the uncertainty or "interruptions" of daily life, but at these exact times, I learn to trust MORE and confide MORE into my heavely father. At these times, I turn MORE quiet (because believe it or not, i am a loud person!) and with more silence I listen better to what He is saying. 

 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
---Romans 8:28


I don't always hear what is He is trying to tell me because I've become distracted with the noise of the world, but sometimes, these trials or worries MAKE me bury within in my shell of solitude and just be still. 

I could sure use being more still, because I get anxious and feel like i HAVE to move. I am restless. God helps me rest.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
---psalm 46:10

Sigh. Let's move on.

Last week, i made cards in prep for a holiday boutique that my stepmom is hosting in a couple weeks! She'll sell my cards for me there! 

My sister is going to sell her fancy picture frames! If I had planned better, I would have noticed that I was running out of blank cards & envelopes.

I will have to get creative and just find, cut and fold in half some blank cardstock. {workin with what i got yo!} This serves as a reminder for me to buy a pack of black and white cardstock and/or a pack of neutral colors in addition to stocking up on blank card packages! 

Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to get to Michael's!

Here is a fave I made:

On Saturday, my caregiver Sofia and I stopped by a couple yard sales in my neighborhood. I scored a cute scarf for my hair for 50cents. I also got the dvd, Waitress, starring Keri Russell! 

We also got a [hopefully] working VCR! Remember those things? lol. I have a small collection of VHS movies at my dad's house that i'd just love to see again!

said scarf

oh herro

my fave that we took

lol i look psycho

also, i'd like to mentioned that one day last week was a GREAT mail day!! ya'll know how much i love letters and packages!!!

And lastly, wouldn't you like to know that Helen of Eat.Enjoy.Live. is having her ONE YEAR BLOGIVERSARY GIVEAWAY CELEBRATION going on this week that yours truly is participating in!! Go check of my dear friend across the pond's blog and enter there or here for some mucho fabulous prizes!! Giveaway ends Friday, Oct 26th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

hello & thank you

Wow! You guys are are alllll sooo amazing! I received many prayers and comments from my post last thursday. Thank you sincerely! :)

I am doing just fine. I actually just woke up from a 2 hour nap. 

I went in for a bronchoscopy friday morning as you know. I feel dumb because it's a bronchoscopy not bronchotomy as I was calling it lol. CORRECTION! 

I ran into my doctor as I was headed to check into the Endoscopy dept (which by the way, the long hallway was unoccupied with nothing gracing walls=scene from a creepy movie! lol) and got to talk with more in detail about what's been going on.

He said he was nervous about changing my trache that same day too, because i have such a "great track record" with this particular trache. He wanted more time to discuss more with his colleagues, if i change it etc, because if we change it, he'd like to to do so with me in ICU and have me stay overnight just to make sure I am breathing right and that everything is going well.

I have a follow up appt with him on the 24th of this month!

So let me tell you how friday went. We got picked up at 9:30 am. My bff C met me there and we headed upstairs to Endo around 10am. I checked in, filled out detailed paperwork, got registered with my hospital band and then Tara, the pre-op nurse got me ready with pulse oximeter, blood pressure cuff and IV. She was so great and attentive. I let her know that getting an IV in me and it still working was difficult, but she used the smallest IV needle, one they use for infants! and double taped it and got it with one stick!! Thank You Jesus!

ready to go in pre-op. thanks to C for helping me document

Around 11:10, I was ready to go back to the procedure room, which I was able to stay in my wheelchair as the doctor could do the bronch with me just tilted back in my chair--much easier and comfortable for me. I went in room 3 with the bright white lights and classic rock playing in the background. My nurse for this phase was Dennis and he brought me another blanket just fresh out of the warmer because it was FREEZING in there, had to have been 55 degrees! I asked him, are you guys used to this cold and he said yes, we are moving and walking around so we heat up. 

Him and another lady who was part of my team, never got her name, kept asking me if I was ok and if i needed anything. Dennis paged my dr. twice so we didnt get started til just after noon. Around 11:45 anxiety was setting in and i was shaking my leg. My arm with the IV was aching and i thought maybe my IV had collapsed, but dennis looked and it wasn't swollen so he just slowed down the drip because he said that was prob the reason why it was hurting in addition to the cold. I started taking deep breaths and praying. Remembering all the smiling faces that were praying for me and asking the Lord to be with me and let everything go ok.

I saw my name typed on the big screen that my dr. would be seeing once the camera was inserted in my trache. it had the time and i kept glancing at it. I dont know if it was the calming presence of God or the cold or me getting bored waiting, but i literally starting dozing off and 2 minutes later my doctor arrives..time to get started! He told dennis what combo of "happy juice" as Tara called it and pain meds to give me in the IV and what steps he was going to do. Dennis added it and after that I was awake but out of it too, not remembering everything. Dr. A said everything went well and that my tissue looks ok.

Another nurse directed me as I drove just a bit down the hall to recovery. My nurse there was so fantastic, giving me ice chips and my own souvenir box of tissue! hahah (they have to give it to you once they open the box). After 30 minutes i was cleared to go and had permission to eat or drink whatever I wanted as long as i was awake and alerted. 

minor battle marks

I met Sofia and C outside the double doors and we walked back downstairs. We grabbed hot coffee and waited for transportation OUTSIDE where i could defrost in the warm sun. I then called my mom and nurse on duty here, Heide to let them know i was ok and what happened.

I got home shortly after 2 and ate a most delicious breakfast since i hadn't eat from the night before. My esophagus was sore for a couple days like someone punched me, but by sunday morning felt normal.

I was so thoroughly impressed with everyone who was involved in my whole bronch procedure. Everyone was so kind, efficient, used the correct supplies and made sure I was as comfortable as possible.

So there my friends was how my friday went! I could babble on more about the weekend, but I dont have any fancy pictures to show you...

FYI: I did get to eat rubio's on saturday with my mom and oh it was totally yummy! You have to try their blackened tilapia taco!!

tomorrow.

hey guys. 

so for the past two weeks Ive been experiencing off and on pain at the trache site. I had a routine trache change then, and normally within 2-3 days, the soreness is gone and i feel back to normal. However, this last time has been continued waves of sharp pain. I've been taking pain meds for 12 days TODAY!

just after my trache change 2 weeks ago. ouch.

We waited a week to see if in just a few extra days I'd be feeling better and the pain going away--NOPE! So we called my pulmonary doctor tuesday (since monday was the holiday) and between calls back and forth with the nurse who works with my doctor, they quickly responded and got me scheduled to go into the hospital tomorrow morning for a bronchotomy and another trache change. Thank you God!

I'll be lightly sedated for the procedure which will be through the endoscopy department. With the bronch, they'll take a tube with camera down my throat to see the tissue from the inside and what may be causing these throbs of pain. There may be built up scar tissue there that has been and is making my routine trache changes so difficult and traumatic. The doctor will also change my current trache that has a cuff/balloon to a trache WITHOUT the cuff. It is known that having the skinny plastic cuff can be irritating to the skin (as it's attached from the inside around my trache to extending down my chest), so hopefully the new trache will be much better and easier for me.

This whole ordeal is a major reason why I haven't been with it in blogging these past couple weeks. I sure do miss you friends!

I am not sure how tomorrow will go in terms of how I'll feel after and the couple days ahead. I am getting a bit nervous. will it hurt to swallow (like can i eat or drink?) or if there'll be swelling. Despite this worry, I KNOW that God is with me all the days of my life, in good times and in trials.

His grace, protection and comfort carry me through.

I cannot eat or drink anything after midnight tonight and i check in at 10:30 am tomorrow. Thank you in advance for your sincere prayers and sweet comments.

Here's to hoping that i'll get to eat and drink after it's all done, im gonna be thirsty and hungrayyy! hahahah.

I'm SO gonna be ready for starbucks and Rubio's!

Really, I am glad to be going in and getting checked to help solve this problem! All these days of taking pain meds and feeling shocks of pain is Riduculous! I am so thankful to my nurses and to my doctor's office for helping me so quickly!

I'll give you all a update as soon as a i can.

I can't wait to be feeling myself again! I can't wait to be back blogging more regularly & being in better correspondence with all of you.

Behold, Me thinks my face will look like 

THIS tomorrow:

 +___-

lol.

have a great friday, saturday & sunday!

love,

britt

The book barn, church stuff and movies

Happy Sunday and official end of the first week of October!!

What did you all do this weekend?

On friday, I traveled to Ross with my roommate Nickolina, our nurse and our caregiver Sofie. We then hit Target--I know, twice for me in one week-that's UNUSUAL! You bet I hit the dollar spot again lol...i also got a pair of E.L.F fake eyelashes for $1 for my halloween trial run makeup.

Yesterday we baked  two more cheesecakes based on this recipe; one with yoplait key lime pie yogurt, the other w/chobani pineapple greek yogurt--i tasted that batter and oh my was so delectable!! Then in the afternoon, we watched Dark Shadows starring Johnny Depp. I rate it an odd good movie with a some funny parts as well as couple racy moments. The entire cast was so in character..perfect!

Also, mid-week, i plan on watching/reading some of the General Conference talks that occurred this weekend. Did any of you tune in? what were some of your fave highlights?

One last thing before I leave, as I have my church group coming over for fellowship:

you'd be happy to discover The Book Barn, where Danielle one of my newest kind sponsors reviews fiction, memoirs and biographies! I just discovered in her latest post that she mentally casts characters for movies from the books in her head! So funny, because I kinda do the same thing, like for instance, I totally wished that Judy Greer shoulda played Effie Trinket in the Hunger Games. I mean, look at her nose, face and mannerisms!! Stop by her blog for a book recommendation or leave a comment of your opinion if you'd read any of the same books! And on her personal blog, Daniellesque, she's having a book bundle giveaway, 7 hours left, so hurry hurry!

coffee talk with Natalie Blair

Hi my amigos!

How's your thursday going? 

I am excited because I am CO-HOSTING Coffee Talk with Natalie Blair today!! 

The questions featured for today are from me! Go ahead and read my answers, link up if you'd like (we'd love to know yours!) and go visit Nat for her revealing answers!

Also, just want to let you know that this morning I spilled coffee all over me, my laptop and floor! DOOM & GLOOM! Thank God it wasn't a ton of coffee spilt on my laptop---i did place my laptop upside down on my bed hoping the cafe would leak out..it's working! so far so good!

As you can see, I am about to post this post that I shoulda had done last night and ready to publish this morning, but im not on top of the ball! I've had a bit of pain still bothering from my trache change last week. It's been either my trache or my arm, arm or trache!

So let's get to it:

1. You're at Target or Walmart, what's the first department you hit?

At Target, I totally hit the dollar section first! 98% of the time, i always find something that I want (think gift items!). I love their little 8pk notecards, stick note papers or 2 pack gift bags! After this spot is checked, I usually wander over to junior's clothes OR makeup aisles!!

At Walmart, I usually go to health & beauty departments, then stationary, grocery or the $5 movie bins! lol 

I heart Target clearance clothes!

I'll take $12.48 over $24.99 anyday for the dress above!

2. What are 3 items you always have stocked in your home, fridge or pantry?

Did you know i keep a stockpile of health & beauty items? I do! In a cabinet in my room. I love stocking up on these items when they are on sale AND i have a coupon for them, which means i score them for CHEAP! I always have extras of deodorant, toothpaste and body wash (because i dont want to run out and smell lol)...so if you ever run out, call me!

3. Do you prefer shopping alone or with others? Why?

I like both. I used to go shopping all the time alone (before i got on the vent--and I had more freedom that way), but for the past 6 years I have to shop with others because I can't be alone if something happens, like a part of tubing popping off and i cannot put it back together or on myself. I've learned to enjoy the company and I actually love shopping with my mom or friends. It's not as bad as it might seem, because there are moments where I'll go browse on my own (not too far away from whoever is with me), so that's nice.

4. What's the biggest splurge you've ever made?

Oh wow..biggest splurge? Well i can tell you and (I am embarrassed) that I spent about $25 for DiorShow mascara. I regret that the most because the brush was too dang big for my eyes lol and I didn't like it..it certainly didnt pass MY test of being waterproof/smudgeproof! 

oh my foolish ways! but i love makeup & clothes the most..dang it!

5. What's the best deal you've ever snagged?

 AH deals are my thing!! Just this past weekend I got two nail polishes for .44 cents each! and I've gotten a tee shirt at target for $3. Two dresses & two shirts at forever21 for about $19 total with their B1G1 free sale items labor day sale! Another one that was really money saving was getting Oprah Magazine subscription for only $5 for the whole year!

cherry vanilla cheesecake

Happy Fall!

Happy October first!

Do you have any special plans or traditions once it's October--not including Halloween, because that gets it's own discussion! ;)

Fall time means cooler temperatures--a most welcome event for 100+ degree weather here in Arizona! I love being outside, taking evening or morning walks around my neighborhood, and seeing the leaves slowly turn autumnal colors. and who could forgot pumpkin stuff?---oh that's another separate post of celebrating!

With cooler temps, means I get to bake more often(because it heats up the house)...YAY! I LOVE baking things from scratch for my house people (nurses/caregivers) family and neighbors!

I have a yummy recipe for you today. I made this cheesecake a few days ago. I never in my life used yogurt before in a cheesecake!

I adapted it from Joey's Cheesecake by Jennifer, on Allrecipes.com, however, since we couldn't find cherry-vanilla yogurt, I mixed a little light vanilla yogurt with a full 6oz. cup of light cherry yogurt, with the total amount of yogurt being around 8oz. I also added more vanilla.

Ingredients

• 1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
• 2 (8 ounce) packages lowfat cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar (next time i'm using splenda)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract ( used 1 teaspoon)
• 2 eggs
• 1 (8 ounce) container blueberry flavored yogurt (see notes above)

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.)
2. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in yogurt. Pour filling into crust.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until filling is set. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. (the cheesecake needed baking for about an hour). I kept adding  3-5 more minutes of baking time after the 35 minutes was up. I recommend to just keep checking to make sure it doesn't burn. I baked it til the outer edges were turning golden brown and the middle wasn't as jiggly. refrigerated overnight and ate the next night...perfect!!

whatever flavor of yogurt you choose will be the flavor of the cheesecake. next week, I am making this cheesecake again for another one of my caregiver's birthdays, but with lemon flavored yogurt--yum!! Maybe i'll even add some lemon juice!

This recipe was so easy to make, I highly recommend!