Halloween: Phineas and Ferb Pumpkin

Halloween doesn't excite me. Sure, when I was little the idea of getting dressed up and getting candy was kinda fun....for about 5 minutes and then I wanted to go home. *laughing* I was odd like that!

Now every year the Hubs likes to hand out candy and this year the Bubs got to help. Oh, they had so much fun! The Bubs got to wear a silly cowboy hat and be his social self and the Hubs got a kick, as he always does, out of the little kids in their cute get ups.


We also carve a pumpkin every year. Up above you see the Bubs doing the dirty work for me with the pumpkin. ;o)






Last year's pumpkin sported Thomas the Tank Engine. This year it was all about Phineas and Ferb. Y'all, I couldn't find a P & F pumpkin carving template anywhere! I ended up drawing a free hand template while I looked at coloring pages online. Eek!



In between handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, the Hubs told me that the pumpkin was a hit with the parents and kids alike! One lady even took a picture with her camera phone.

I hope y'all enjoyed your weekend and have a wonderful week!

Even if it's not pretty and happy...

I've been blatantly putting off writing here, lately.

I love my blog and, most especially, love reading and commenting on what others in the blogosphere have to say and share.

I don't like to use my blog to whine or complain, gripe or moan.

Sometimes, though, the urge to do so overwhelms me...when that happens I tend to stay away from my blog. I just think that no one needs to hear me dump out my woes and indulge in a self-pity party. ;o)

However, I feel that a dose of honest sharing might be a good thing right now.

The Hubs is still in a lot of pain. There are days when he's completely unable to function. On those days, of which there are more than a few, I go between tears to a horribly potent mixture of despair, frustration and anger. Going through that much pain for as long as he has has begun taking a toll on the Hubs and I get very frustrated that it's not getting better any faster. It took the military docs far too long to diagnose this problem and now he's paying the price.

So there I stand, helpless to do anything to make it better or offer even the tiniest bit of relief.

He's such a good husband and father. I hate that this pain is making him feel like he's become less of one. It's so not true!

So, I'll pray.

I'll listen.

I'll comfort.

I'll encourage.

And, every now and then I'll share. Even if it's not pretty and happy.

Thanks for listening.

Time flies and boys grow...

So sorry for my bloggy absence...it's been an interesting time at my house, lately. The Hubs is still recovering from his shoulder surgery. He has okay days....and then he has pretty rough days. Today was one of them. He's resting now and I'm prayerful that his season of painful days will be coming to an end soon.

When my Dad reminded the Bubs earlier that tomorrow would be his last vacation day before the school year started, he was both excited and shocked. I think it snuck up on him....I know the feeling!

E-man gets taller everyday. He's able to get his hands on things that I'd previously thought were out of his reach. We all have to take extra care not to leave our drinks around or any of the t.v. remotes as he has a distinct fondness for snatching both!

My how time flies...and how little boys grow!

Ten Years~

Ten years of marriage.

120 months

*

521 weeks

*

3,650 days

*

87, 658 hours

*

5,259,487 minutes

Ten years of marriage to a man who is your best friend.

Shared laughter & tears

*

Misunderstandings & makeups

*

Holding hands & holding babies

No matter what comes our way, I never lose sight of the fact that I am a blessed woman...

I married you.

Happy Anniversary, My Love.

Sweet Shot Tuesday~

Okay, I know I haven't been able to link up with Sweet Shot Tuesday in a few weeks...and I've really missed it! I did try and swing by and take a look at what people had been submitting. Y'all are so very talented!

The picture below is so precious to me. We don't have very many days where the Hubs feels like he can do something like this. Yes, he's been having more "better" days. On those days he's able to do very basic tasks around the house and with the boys. We've come to cherish the days that he feels functional. The day we did this, I know he wasn't 100% but he was determined to have some fun with the fam. And we did.

We caught the go-kart area of a local arcade/mini-golf at a great time...no lines! The Bubs and Hubby were the only two on the course and their laughter and joking around could be heard over the rumble of the karts. I was couldn't help but laugh along while I caught these snapshots.

The Bubs now says that he can take our car out for a spin now that he drove his first go-kart. "I drive good, Mommy! I can drive the car now!"

Poppi and E-man hung out on the sidelines, taking in the sight of Hubby and Bubs whizzing around the track.

While these photos aren't specimens of photographic genius, they're pretty special to me and I'm more than happy to share them. Thanks for stopping by! Have a sweet Tuesday...

Our trip in pictures...LOTS of pictures.

Mono Monday: Father's Day

These photos aren't from yesterday.

Nope.

Between cooking, guests and chasing young'ns, the camera stayed in its bag.

*sigh*

I did, however, have plenty of photos to choose from to display the Hubby's love and affection for the boys.

It was surprising for me to note that, considering how much his arms/shoulders bother him, there were quite a few photos in which he's holding, hugging or tickling the boys. All of which I know for a fact aggravate his shoulders.

But he did those things anyway.

Because he loves his boys.

A daddy's love.

"A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty."

~Author Unknown

Surgery...The Day After

First things first....the procedure was successful! The surgeon was pleased that the Hubby's rotator cuff (and everything around it), while not 100%, was not damaged enough to warrant surgical intervention. Hubby's right bicep was detached, lowered and re-attached successfully as well. We're hoping that with intensive physical therapy after he heals, there will be less pain.

It was a long day. We got up around 4 a.m. and were on the road for the 2 1/2 hour drive by 5 a.m. My dad, thank goodness, was able to take a day off from work and watch the boys for us. It was a classic "hurry up and wait" scenario after we got to the hospital. Paperwork hadn't been done and there was a bit of a wait, but the nursing/support staff were friendly and efficient. In fact, they wanted to know if I'd gone to nursing school because of some of the questions I asked (I'm guessing). I had to laugh and tell them that I'd had waaaay too much experience with hospitals and that I'd grown up around nurses.

Anyway, we didn't get home until around 9 yesterday evening, but the Hubs had a nerve block done on his arm so it, and his shoulder, were still completely numb. He slept in a recliner last night and is, as I'm typing this, conked out on the sofa. Sleep is good at this point...it's better than being concious and in all that pain.

In a few months, we may be going through surgery on his left shoulder but that's another day and another post! Thanks for all your kind comments and prayers. They mean a lot!

Exciting News! Sort of...

The Hubs has been going through a lot of medical difficulties the last year or so. Doctor after doctor, diagnosis after diagnosis, treatment after treatment and....nothing. No improvement and very few answers. Bring on the frustration!

For those of you who don't know (I have some new followers -Hello and welcome to you all!) the Hubs has been having severe pain in his arms and shoulders along with weakness and loss of dexterity/muscle tone.

Yesterday, after a few more diagnostic tests with an orthopedic surgeon, the conclusion was reached that Hubs needs surgery on his right shoulder...the left will come later. The surgery will involve both his shoulder and his bicep which will have to moved and reattached. Um, the bicep not the shoulder.

Anyway, we're happy to have some sort of action towards his recovery but we're tense because, well, it's surgery. We know it may not completely solve everything that's bothering him with his arms but it's certainly a step in the right direction!