Those drivers who drive for what seems like an eternity with their turn signal on.
UGH!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
More Domestic Goddess Stuff
So, first off, apricots are a no go. Unfortunately, it's just an off year for them and there are very few places that actually sell them. So no canned apricots or apricot jam.
But, I am happy to introduce the newest member of the Smith house! Meet our new coffee table!
This used to belong to some friends of ours and I commented on how beautiful their table was out on their balcony. They immediately told us to please take it off their hands! Apparently it was given to them from family, and they had no place for it, so outside it went on their balcony, forgotten and forlorn. Since we have a box covered with a blanket for our coffee table, anything was an upgrade for us! And you can't beat free!
So we took it home and tore it apart to repaint it. We then discovered that the top of the table was warped from the Oregon rains and was beyond our refinishing abilities. No problem though! A quick trip to Home Depot and we found the exact same size top for the table to just replace! And since we took it apart, we knew how to attach the new top to the existing frame. Yahoo!
So we bought the hunk of wood, sanded everything down, and primed it. After a few coats of black semi-gloss paint we now have a beautiful, functional coffee table! We are so happy to have something that looks like it's meant to be in our living room!
We were contemplating whether to paint it white or black, but we went with black with the idea that we now know how to repaint it white if we want to change it later on. Thoughts? Even though it is dark, it doesn't feel like it overpowers the room in my opinion. But I may change my mind in a couple of weeks haha.
I was so nervous to refinish anything for fear of ruining it. But when it's free, I thought this was a great place to start for me! It's definitely not perfect, but I've learned a ton for future reference. Have you guys refinished furniture before? What has your experience been?
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Domestic Goddess: Part 6
So, I went berry picking last weekend! Tyler and I found a cute little berry farm where everything was $1.25/lb. Everything! Compare that to the "deals" in the grocery store where you can buy 2 lbs of blueberries for $5. Um, picking it yourself is half the price and tastes way better! We came home with our loot: 1 bucket of blueberries and 1 bucket of raspberries. All for $6.50! Wahoo!
I proceeded to freeze all of the blueberries because we have a thing for blueberry muffins in the wintertime and make them like every other weekend. I also froze the raspberries.
Then I went raspberry picking again because I wanted jam. And voila! Here is my cooked raspberry jam. There is also a batch of freezer jam I made, but didn't snap a picture because it was in the freezer before I remembered. And I'm kinda lazy.
This weekend, apricots are supposed to be available! If they are reasonably priced, I will try my hand a canning fruit and possibly making a batch of apricot butter. I swear, I really love canning and it's such a fun hobby! I love looking at my batches at the end of the day!
P.S. Pint jars are easier and faster to fill with jam, but the final result is not as impressive as using half pints. If you want to go with the volume factor of "look how much I made today!" then stick with the 8 oz jelly jars. I realize my raspberry jam doesn't look as awesome as the strawberry jam I made earlier, but it's the same amount!
I proceeded to freeze all of the blueberries because we have a thing for blueberry muffins in the wintertime and make them like every other weekend. I also froze the raspberries.
Then I went raspberry picking again because I wanted jam. And voila! Here is my cooked raspberry jam. There is also a batch of freezer jam I made, but didn't snap a picture because it was in the freezer before I remembered. And I'm kinda lazy.
This weekend, apricots are supposed to be available! If they are reasonably priced, I will try my hand a canning fruit and possibly making a batch of apricot butter. I swear, I really love canning and it's such a fun hobby! I love looking at my batches at the end of the day!
P.S. Pint jars are easier and faster to fill with jam, but the final result is not as impressive as using half pints. If you want to go with the volume factor of "look how much I made today!" then stick with the 8 oz jelly jars. I realize my raspberry jam doesn't look as awesome as the strawberry jam I made earlier, but it's the same amount!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Last Day!
Today is the last day of radiation for Tyler! Let's please just take a moment to celebrate.
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YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In honor of radiation being over, I will take you now on a photographic journey. Documented carefully by yours truly, via her cell phone camera (which, by the way, is where much of my recent photos have come from, allowing me to be more up to date on this here blog).
Here is Tyler before going into surgery. Happy, upbeat, looking like he is alive and well. Note the sexy stance with the IV pole. As a nurse, that definitely makes my heart go pitter patter.
And here is Tyler after surgery. Haha, these pictures really crack me up. Note the severe frown in the second picture. He really doesn't look happy.
Note: Tyler gave me full permission to post these pictures of him. He vetoed some of the recovery pics though haha. I am not an evil wife.
Here is the recovery phase. This is the package Tyler's Mom sent, full of practically everything you can do when you're recovering from surgery. The first aid kit is full of candy and says "Take 1 per hour or as needed. Overdose may be required." We loved the package!
And this is the longest I have EVER let Tyler's whiskers get. I told him he didn't have to shave after surgery which he was thrilled about! (Normally he only goes 1 day without shaving before I withhold kisses from him. I think this was like 4 days haha) Apologies for the sub-par picture, but it is my camera phone here. Really, this pic doesn't do justice. I did not kiss him with a face that scratchy!
Next we move onto the pictures of Tyler receiving radiation. First off, this is the countdown chain for how many days left of radiation. Today we are down to the last ring!
For radiation, he has to remove his clothing from the waist down. So, he comes to the clinic from work, and just takes off his pants and puts a gown on. I seriously LOVE the collared shirt he wears under the gown, in combination with the dress socks. Ooh baby!
Here's a close up of that beauty. . .
While this is not the end of the cancer journey, it is *hopefully* the end of the radiation journey. In about a month he will get a follow up scan to evaluate how effective the radiation was. We are hopeful all signs of the tumor will be gone by that point, but we won't know for sure until then. Here's to more waiting to figure out what happens next!
...
...
...
...
YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In honor of radiation being over, I will take you now on a photographic journey. Documented carefully by yours truly, via her cell phone camera (which, by the way, is where much of my recent photos have come from, allowing me to be more up to date on this here blog).
Here is Tyler before going into surgery. Happy, upbeat, looking like he is alive and well. Note the sexy stance with the IV pole. As a nurse, that definitely makes my heart go pitter patter.
And here is Tyler after surgery. Haha, these pictures really crack me up. Note the severe frown in the second picture. He really doesn't look happy.
Note: Tyler gave me full permission to post these pictures of him. He vetoed some of the recovery pics though haha. I am not an evil wife.
And this is the longest I have EVER let Tyler's whiskers get. I told him he didn't have to shave after surgery which he was thrilled about! (Normally he only goes 1 day without shaving before I withhold kisses from him. I think this was like 4 days haha) Apologies for the sub-par picture, but it is my camera phone here. Really, this pic doesn't do justice. I did not kiss him with a face that scratchy!
Next we move onto the pictures of Tyler receiving radiation. First off, this is the countdown chain for how many days left of radiation. Today we are down to the last ring!
For radiation, he has to remove his clothing from the waist down. So, he comes to the clinic from work, and just takes off his pants and puts a gown on. I seriously LOVE the collared shirt he wears under the gown, in combination with the dress socks. Ooh baby!
Here's a close up of that beauty. . .
While this is not the end of the cancer journey, it is *hopefully* the end of the radiation journey. In about a month he will get a follow up scan to evaluate how effective the radiation was. We are hopeful all signs of the tumor will be gone by that point, but we won't know for sure until then. Here's to more waiting to figure out what happens next!
Domestic Goddess: Part 5
Technically this one is a work in progress, I haven't actually done it yet, but I have the supplies and I'm working on getting the courage to follow through. My friend from church recently taught herself how to sew. She is unbelievable! She comes to church wearing fabulous dresses she made herself! I told her how I'd love to be able to do that, so she said she'd teach me! We went to Fabric Depot this week (AKA every fabric imaginable under the sun available here) where I purchased this fabric.
Isn't it pretty? And being 40% off, it became even more beautiful. And it kept calling me back to touch it again. I figured, I had to buy it. Now I need to figure out what to turn it into! I'm thinking of doing a dress, so off to find patterns of dresses I like. Enter this number:
Seriously, there is a Kate Middleton engagement dress pattern? Haha, I laughed so hard when I saw this, how the model has long brown wavy hair and has a huge blue diamond ring on. I laughed and proceeded to look at other dresses. However, this one also kept calling me back! And it turns out, the fabric I purchased goes along best with this pattern. So my friends, I will be attempting to sew this dress! I am terrified beyond belief and way out of my comfort zone. I'll let you know how it all turns out!
P.S. Should I do the V-neck shown for Kate Middleton's dress? Or turn it into a cowl neck? I really love cowl necks, but I'm afraid of drawing attention to my, er, chest. Ideas?
Isn't it pretty? And being 40% off, it became even more beautiful. And it kept calling me back to touch it again. I figured, I had to buy it. Now I need to figure out what to turn it into! I'm thinking of doing a dress, so off to find patterns of dresses I like. Enter this number:
Seriously, there is a Kate Middleton engagement dress pattern? Haha, I laughed so hard when I saw this, how the model has long brown wavy hair and has a huge blue diamond ring on. I laughed and proceeded to look at other dresses. However, this one also kept calling me back! And it turns out, the fabric I purchased goes along best with this pattern. So my friends, I will be attempting to sew this dress! I am terrified beyond belief and way out of my comfort zone. I'll let you know how it all turns out!
P.S. Should I do the V-neck shown for Kate Middleton's dress? Or turn it into a cowl neck? I really love cowl necks, but I'm afraid of drawing attention to my, er, chest. Ideas?
Friday, July 22, 2011
Cancer Update
So as word gets out about Tyler's cancer, I've received a pretty standard list of questions that follow. Here are a few.
What kind of treatment is Tyler getting? Will he have to have chemo?
Tyler is getting radiation. His type of tumor is very responsive to radiation and there is <0.5% chance of the cancer returning after his radiation treatments are complete. And even if the tumor comes back (which we are NOT expecting to happen), chemotherapy will knock that sucker out once and for all. But for now, we are just expecting that radiation will treat it for good.
What exactly is radiation treatment? How often does he have to get it done?
Radiation is where beams of energy are aimed at the affected area, in Tyler's case his lymph nodes in his abdomen. These beams are very precisely aimed at each time so as to make sure that only the specified area is being treated. He receives these treatments five days a week for 4-5 weeks. Currently he is scheduled for 22 days of treatment, with the possibility of extra days at the end to make sure it is all taken care of. The treatment itself takes only about 10 minutes. It takes longer to get him properly positioned and the beams lined up than the radiation is being delivered.
How will this affect Tyler's fertility? Will you be able to have children?
Radiation treatment should not affect Tyler's fertility. There is a risk that this might happen, but I compare it to surgery: there is always a risk of death but you don't count on it. While Tyler receives these radiation treatments, his testicle is enclosed in a lead "clamshell" to protect it from any radiation. There will likely be temporary fertility as a result of radiation, but nothing permanent. In any case, we banked sperm to be on the safe side. For $100, we figured we could spare that much to ensure our children's future.
Yes, we will be able to have children, but doctors recommend patients wait a year after radiation treatment to make sure all of the radiation is out of your system before you try to have kids (think radioactive sperm instead of radioactive spider. . . Spiderchild!). No studies have actually been performed to test how soon following radiation a couple should try to conceive, but a year seems like a safe amount of time, so that's what the doctors say.
What are the side effects of radiation? Is Tyler able to do anything while he's receiving it?
Side effects are based on where in the body the radiation is aimed. For Tyler, his abdomen is getting the treatment, so GI upset (read: nausea, constipation, diarrhea) are his symptoms. Patients may experience a degree of fatigue or skin irritation, but Tyler hasn't had any of those problems. His first week on radiation he was extremely nauseated and fatigued for about 6-8 hours following radiation, and then he'd be back to normal. Now he is on a strong anti-emetic (Zofran for my nursing friends :)) which essentially makes him completely normal. He is able to go to work, and actually goes to radiation treatment on his lunch break.
The most annoying side effect would be the gas that Tyler has. Oh. My. Goodness. I swear, we are going through more air freshener these days! It doesn't matter what I feed him, every night it's a stink storm living with him.
How are the two of you handling all of this? Is there anything I can do?
We are really well now. We have answers to our questions and are hopeful about the future. It was rough at the beginning, but Tyler's radiation oncologist (AKA Radonc) is awesome and very reassuring. We feel like we're in good hands with these specialists and highly recommend them to anyone in need of radiation! Tyler is halfway through his treatments now, so we are on the downhill stretch!
What kind of treatment is Tyler getting? Will he have to have chemo?
Tyler is getting radiation. His type of tumor is very responsive to radiation and there is <0.5% chance of the cancer returning after his radiation treatments are complete. And even if the tumor comes back (which we are NOT expecting to happen), chemotherapy will knock that sucker out once and for all. But for now, we are just expecting that radiation will treat it for good.
What exactly is radiation treatment? How often does he have to get it done?
Radiation is where beams of energy are aimed at the affected area, in Tyler's case his lymph nodes in his abdomen. These beams are very precisely aimed at each time so as to make sure that only the specified area is being treated. He receives these treatments five days a week for 4-5 weeks. Currently he is scheduled for 22 days of treatment, with the possibility of extra days at the end to make sure it is all taken care of. The treatment itself takes only about 10 minutes. It takes longer to get him properly positioned and the beams lined up than the radiation is being delivered.
How will this affect Tyler's fertility? Will you be able to have children?
Radiation treatment should not affect Tyler's fertility. There is a risk that this might happen, but I compare it to surgery: there is always a risk of death but you don't count on it. While Tyler receives these radiation treatments, his testicle is enclosed in a lead "clamshell" to protect it from any radiation. There will likely be temporary fertility as a result of radiation, but nothing permanent. In any case, we banked sperm to be on the safe side. For $100, we figured we could spare that much to ensure our children's future.
Yes, we will be able to have children, but doctors recommend patients wait a year after radiation treatment to make sure all of the radiation is out of your system before you try to have kids (think radioactive sperm instead of radioactive spider. . . Spiderchild!). No studies have actually been performed to test how soon following radiation a couple should try to conceive, but a year seems like a safe amount of time, so that's what the doctors say.
What are the side effects of radiation? Is Tyler able to do anything while he's receiving it?
Side effects are based on where in the body the radiation is aimed. For Tyler, his abdomen is getting the treatment, so GI upset (read: nausea, constipation, diarrhea) are his symptoms. Patients may experience a degree of fatigue or skin irritation, but Tyler hasn't had any of those problems. His first week on radiation he was extremely nauseated and fatigued for about 6-8 hours following radiation, and then he'd be back to normal. Now he is on a strong anti-emetic (Zofran for my nursing friends :)) which essentially makes him completely normal. He is able to go to work, and actually goes to radiation treatment on his lunch break.
The most annoying side effect would be the gas that Tyler has. Oh. My. Goodness. I swear, we are going through more air freshener these days! It doesn't matter what I feed him, every night it's a stink storm living with him.
How are the two of you handling all of this? Is there anything I can do?
We are really well now. We have answers to our questions and are hopeful about the future. It was rough at the beginning, but Tyler's radiation oncologist (AKA Radonc) is awesome and very reassuring. We feel like we're in good hands with these specialists and highly recommend them to anyone in need of radiation! Tyler is halfway through his treatments now, so we are on the downhill stretch!
Why I'm So Decor Challenged
So, I feel as though I owe you readers and explanation for my lack of decorating skills. First off, Tyler, being a man, has about the same amount of decorating abilities as a chipmunk. It was assumed going into this marriage that I, being the woman (yes, we're sexist like that), would decorate our home in a tasteful, eye pleasing manner. I figured it was something that would come naturally to me, like getting dressed each day.
Boy was I wrong!
Let me explain.
I grew up in a home where the walls were stark white throughout the entire house (which, coincidentally, may have allowed me to be so comfortable inside hospitals). This provided a solid background for the decorations that changed, not just every season, but every month. Yes, 12 times a year decorations would change. We would decorate the house for various holidays throughout the year. When there wasn't a holiday to celebrate that month (May, August, etc.) we made up holidays and decorations. Enter: Strawberry Season for May! And Sunflower season for August! And Snowflake Season (AKA winter) for January! (which is quite ironic considering I grew up in California where I never saw a single snowflake at my house. Ever.) You see, I grew up thinking it was perfectly normal to change the decorations in a house every 3.6 weeks.
It wasn't until I was a teenager when I went to my friends' houses that I realized that they didn't celebrate Strawberry Season like I did. I went a step further and realized that they really only decorated for Christmas and maybe Halloween. I then realized that they had beautiful homes that were decorated for year-round enjoyment.
Now don't get me wrong, I love my mom and appreciate her enthusiasm for holidays (boy, I'm sure I was the most excited kid for Sunflower Season!) but it left me with a considerable lack of knowledge for decorating my house. I do not want to change the decor every month; I don't have the time or care that much to put such effort into something that huge. But now I am left hopelessly stupid when it comes to home decor.
And now that I'm not in school to suck up all of my time, I can actually focus on beautifying my home. Friends, please help me. What blogs/websites do you look to for inspiration? What basic rules are there that I am completely unaware of? What are your tips/tricks for simple decor in your homes?
Boy was I wrong!
Let me explain.
I grew up in a home where the walls were stark white throughout the entire house (which, coincidentally, may have allowed me to be so comfortable inside hospitals). This provided a solid background for the decorations that changed, not just every season, but every month. Yes, 12 times a year decorations would change. We would decorate the house for various holidays throughout the year. When there wasn't a holiday to celebrate that month (May, August, etc.) we made up holidays and decorations. Enter: Strawberry Season for May! And Sunflower season for August! And Snowflake Season (AKA winter) for January! (which is quite ironic considering I grew up in California where I never saw a single snowflake at my house. Ever.) You see, I grew up thinking it was perfectly normal to change the decorations in a house every 3.6 weeks.
It wasn't until I was a teenager when I went to my friends' houses that I realized that they didn't celebrate Strawberry Season like I did. I went a step further and realized that they really only decorated for Christmas and maybe Halloween. I then realized that they had beautiful homes that were decorated for year-round enjoyment.
Now don't get me wrong, I love my mom and appreciate her enthusiasm for holidays (boy, I'm sure I was the most excited kid for Sunflower Season!) but it left me with a considerable lack of knowledge for decorating my house. I do not want to change the decor every month; I don't have the time or care that much to put such effort into something that huge. But now I am left hopelessly stupid when it comes to home decor.
And now that I'm not in school to suck up all of my time, I can actually focus on beautifying my home. Friends, please help me. What blogs/websites do you look to for inspiration? What basic rules are there that I am completely unaware of? What are your tips/tricks for simple decor in your homes?
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