Today I am questioning myself why blog this week...but I know many of you have a habit of checking regularly and I don't want to make you long for information. So here I am....with nothing. This week has been super busy at work. I'm watching lots of TV. I'm petting the kitties. I'm making sure the air conditioner doesn't freeze over because it is pumping cold air around the clock. My dentist gave me a clean bill without cavities.
Philip recovered from his surgery fine. He got so swollen it was tough to look at him but he says the swelling is much better and he is eating more normally. He has a follow up appointment with the surgeon next week. He is now driving and doing his own thing in his own car. He started working for Ryan last week. He isn't really liking the long office days but I think he will get in the groove.
My eyebrow lump is still there.....still. It is smaller but the beads are still there. Not as beady which I think is a good sign. It has only been 5 weeks so I suspect everything is still good and doing what we want. No appointments on the horizon. I'm kind of tired of being chronically sick and not being able to plan ahead. Halloween? I don't know. Thanksgiving? I don't know. Christmas? I don't know. This planning 1 month at a time isn't real natural for me. But I am doing good and I am coping.
So no news is good news and things are all good....just uneventful.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Wisdom Teeth and the caregiver update
Happy Saturday. As I mentioned, Philip got his wisdom teeth out yesterday. We went to Dr. Egbert in St Marks. He was a recommendation from my friend Kimberlee. He is a really nice guy that has oral surgery down to a science. Bonus is he is on our insurance so that helps too.
They let me come back into the room as Philip was given his IV and given his happy juice. It was a slick process. All 4 teeth were impacted but only the top were bony impacted. Dr. E said it would be fairly easy and thought they would be done in 45 minutes. Must have gone real smooth because they came to get me after about 30 minutes. Philip was all done, laying with gauze in his mouth and trying to follow along the conversation. They told me to go get the car and they wheeled him out and we headed home. Philip said he was groggy but not sick which was nice. After all those YouTube videos of ridiculousness from teens getting their wisdom teeth out, I wasn't sure what to expect. They said Philip slept through the entire surgery. Although he was pretty grumpy for a few hours, he was coherent and alert. No foolishness here.
We spent most of Friday trying to get him some food and getting the bleeding to stop. We focused on liquid foods which he was okay with. One genius thing I tried is deli ham chopped up really fine so he could taste it on his tongue but didn't have to chew. He really liked that. Lots of pudding, yogurt, and protein drinks too. I guess my month of soft/liquid diet after my gum graft came in handy because I could figure out what he might like.
He slept like a baby last night. I did give him another pain pill at 5:30 am and he slept until 10:00. Today his jaw is sore. The numbness has worn off and he is feeling pretty good otherwise. He is starting to eat food...still soft but his favorite friend so far today has been chicken noodle soup. We didn't even have to blend it!
One thing we are struggling with is how to keep his face iced. I've learned frozen peas and corn are better than ice. Also, you can't put it against his skin so I wrap the frozen veggies in wash cloths and then decided to wrap it around his head with a dishtowel. It looks ridiculous but it works perfect. He even let me take a photo! This was yesterday afternoon.
One thing I've realized is I've never had to be a caregiver. Yesterday when he got called back and I was left sitting in the waiting area, I realized I've never been on that side of the door. Sitting in the waiting room for an hour imagining what torture he was having to endure was tough. And then having to be the responsible one making sure he gets nourishment and his medications on time is new to me. I can't help but think about Mom. She has almost always been the one on the "other side of the door" for me on countless times. I have been able to understand a little about her experience and how hard it is to know your child is going through a procedure. It really has little to do with the physical process of being a caregiver but the emotional and mental process of having a child not feel well.
It is a good experience for me to go through. Being a patient has helped me help Philip but being a caregiver, has helped me appreciate everyone who is has helped me. Thank you.
They let me come back into the room as Philip was given his IV and given his happy juice. It was a slick process. All 4 teeth were impacted but only the top were bony impacted. Dr. E said it would be fairly easy and thought they would be done in 45 minutes. Must have gone real smooth because they came to get me after about 30 minutes. Philip was all done, laying with gauze in his mouth and trying to follow along the conversation. They told me to go get the car and they wheeled him out and we headed home. Philip said he was groggy but not sick which was nice. After all those YouTube videos of ridiculousness from teens getting their wisdom teeth out, I wasn't sure what to expect. They said Philip slept through the entire surgery. Although he was pretty grumpy for a few hours, he was coherent and alert. No foolishness here.
We spent most of Friday trying to get him some food and getting the bleeding to stop. We focused on liquid foods which he was okay with. One genius thing I tried is deli ham chopped up really fine so he could taste it on his tongue but didn't have to chew. He really liked that. Lots of pudding, yogurt, and protein drinks too. I guess my month of soft/liquid diet after my gum graft came in handy because I could figure out what he might like.
 |
| Super chopped ham and grated cheese |
One thing we are struggling with is how to keep his face iced. I've learned frozen peas and corn are better than ice. Also, you can't put it against his skin so I wrap the frozen veggies in wash cloths and then decided to wrap it around his head with a dishtowel. It looks ridiculous but it works perfect. He even let me take a photo! This was yesterday afternoon.
One thing I've realized is I've never had to be a caregiver. Yesterday when he got called back and I was left sitting in the waiting area, I realized I've never been on that side of the door. Sitting in the waiting room for an hour imagining what torture he was having to endure was tough. And then having to be the responsible one making sure he gets nourishment and his medications on time is new to me. I can't help but think about Mom. She has almost always been the one on the "other side of the door" for me on countless times. I have been able to understand a little about her experience and how hard it is to know your child is going through a procedure. It really has little to do with the physical process of being a caregiver but the emotional and mental process of having a child not feel well.
It is a good experience for me to go through. Being a patient has helped me help Philip but being a caregiver, has helped me appreciate everyone who is has helped me. Thank you.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Whoosh!
Wowie Zow! What a week. Philip and I have been BUSY! But lets start at the top.
Tuesday I saw my Radiation Oncologist for my radiation follow up. I really like Dr. C but he doesn't have an outward sense of humor and I think I surprise him quite a bit. I figure they see crying and depressed people all the time so I usually go in with my funny side out....well I think it is funny. Dr. C is also very slow. This is something I found with good doctor's in the cancer realm. Seems there is always an emergency or someone had more questions then they scheduled time for. I understand...or at least try to be patient. I would hope I wouldn't be rushed if I needed more time. So when he poked his head in right after I got started in the room with the nurse, I said "Oh, you missed me!" he looked at me puzzled and straight faced and said yes. He was only peeking in to ask the nurse for something for another patient. I decided to tone it down when he came in again to see me. Of course, he was serious faced but was THRILLED with my progress. He said he told himself he would be happy if it had just stopped growing. He never expected it to shrink so fast! He was honestly surprised it had gone down so much. Of course, I wanted to know when it will be gone completely which he responded it could take a few months. I also asked about my eye feeling fatigued. He said that shouldn't last and that lubricating eye drops might help. So we practically high 5'd and agreed to get together in 3 months unless it is growing or bothering me.
Here is Larry (the lump) comparison photos.
For those of you not on Facebook, when I finished radiation, I felt like I was given a surprise of time of at least a month free from medical crap and it just so happens, I got an email with a last minute cruise deal so we are headed to Alaska in a few weeks. It was on Philip's list to go to Alaska. I tease that he already went on an Alaska cruise but he was in my tummy. Anyway, we are headed out on Princess cruise lines out of Seattle. It has been something to keep my mind off cancer and make me feel rewarded for my bravery. I feel like I am stealing away time which is even funnier to think about. It is really tough to think about wearing a coat and sweater in August. We are looking forward to it.
We usually rent Philip a tuxedo for our formal nights on cruises but since it was $130 for the week, we decided to put our money towards a real suit. I'm still a cheap sucker so we went to Mr. Mac. Philip picked out a beautiful dark grey pale pinstripe suit. It didn't fit perfect of course so it is being altered for him. It will be available next week. I think Philip will get some good use out of it including any award ceremonies (nudge nudge Philip), school dances, or other things that are suit worthy. Hopefully it will last him a few years. We made sure there was room for future alternations. As a Mom, this is a huge step for me. Philip looks so grown up and I know it is a matter of time before he is on his own. It is sooner than I am ready.
Did I mention we turned in Philip's Eagle stuff 2 weeks ago? Well we hadn't heard anything so Philip called "the guy". He didn't call Philip back but he called me yesterday to get a reference. He said he is checking the rest the references but thought we could probably schedule the Board of Review meeting for after the 24th. Once Philip is approved through that, the paperwork goes back to the council for final approval and then I think Philip gets his medal in the mail. I can smell it....it just might be coming!!
And the HUGE news for this week is because Philip's Dad moved last week to Sandy, it became too far for us to be driving him back and forth...so the focus for Philip to finish his driver's license got serious. Ryan finished most the driving with Philip so we took time Tuesday to go take his drivers test. He wanted to go to a private company that his drivers ed company recommended. It was pretty painless and they supply the car! Philip passed with flying colors. The instructor said he was a great driver. So we decided to drive out to Draper to the office to get the license. Philip got a new photo, eye test, and paid the fee and he is now a Utah Driver! On top of it, Ryan offered to sell Philip his VW Passat. It is a very nice car...in fact, probably too nice for a first car but that is what is there. So Philip is going to work for Ryan to pay off the car and he is now a licensed driver. If you see a dark grey Passat driving down the road, please drive carefully around him if it is Philip. As a Mom, I admit I am struggling with this HUGE step but I am beyond thrilled for Philip.
Last night, we decided to go to an "antique" auction in Ogden. The advertisement they sent out showed 2 electric guitars and an acoustic guitar so Philip was interested and I thought it sounded fun. We went to do a quick preview (it takes a long time to get to North Ogden!) and Philip thought the guitars weren't anything too exciting. After driving up there, I didn't want to just leave so we stayed awhile to see what was up. I really enjoy auctions. Philip...well not so much although we came home with a big ole' machete knife for Philip ($11) and a wood file drawer ($10) for me. We got tired after 2 hours and left before it was over. We didn't see how much the last guitar went for. The others went for about $25 but were only worth about $100.
Philip is back at his Dad's house until tomorrow night. Friday he goes to the oral surgeon for his wisdom teeth removal. I sure hope it goes smooth. I will share that event with you next time I write.
I hope everyone is having a good week.
Do you guys get sick of my photos? Since I learned how to post them here, I find I take photos everywhere!
XOXO
Tuesday I saw my Radiation Oncologist for my radiation follow up. I really like Dr. C but he doesn't have an outward sense of humor and I think I surprise him quite a bit. I figure they see crying and depressed people all the time so I usually go in with my funny side out....well I think it is funny. Dr. C is also very slow. This is something I found with good doctor's in the cancer realm. Seems there is always an emergency or someone had more questions then they scheduled time for. I understand...or at least try to be patient. I would hope I wouldn't be rushed if I needed more time. So when he poked his head in right after I got started in the room with the nurse, I said "Oh, you missed me!" he looked at me puzzled and straight faced and said yes. He was only peeking in to ask the nurse for something for another patient. I decided to tone it down when he came in again to see me. Of course, he was serious faced but was THRILLED with my progress. He said he told himself he would be happy if it had just stopped growing. He never expected it to shrink so fast! He was honestly surprised it had gone down so much. Of course, I wanted to know when it will be gone completely which he responded it could take a few months. I also asked about my eye feeling fatigued. He said that shouldn't last and that lubricating eye drops might help. So we practically high 5'd and agreed to get together in 3 months unless it is growing or bothering me.
Here is Larry (the lump) comparison photos.
 |
| Larry 6/20 - Larry was bigger then this before radiation |
 |
| Larry 7/10 |
 |
| Our ship - Golden Princess |
 |
| Trying on jackets in his shorts |
And the HUGE news for this week is because Philip's Dad moved last week to Sandy, it became too far for us to be driving him back and forth...so the focus for Philip to finish his driver's license got serious. Ryan finished most the driving with Philip so we took time Tuesday to go take his drivers test. He wanted to go to a private company that his drivers ed company recommended. It was pretty painless and they supply the car! Philip passed with flying colors. The instructor said he was a great driver. So we decided to drive out to Draper to the office to get the license. Philip got a new photo, eye test, and paid the fee and he is now a Utah Driver! On top of it, Ryan offered to sell Philip his VW Passat. It is a very nice car...in fact, probably too nice for a first car but that is what is there. So Philip is going to work for Ryan to pay off the car and he is now a licensed driver. If you see a dark grey Passat driving down the road, please drive carefully around him if it is Philip. As a Mom, I admit I am struggling with this HUGE step but I am beyond thrilled for Philip.
Last night, we decided to go to an "antique" auction in Ogden. The advertisement they sent out showed 2 electric guitars and an acoustic guitar so Philip was interested and I thought it sounded fun. We went to do a quick preview (it takes a long time to get to North Ogden!) and Philip thought the guitars weren't anything too exciting. After driving up there, I didn't want to just leave so we stayed awhile to see what was up. I really enjoy auctions. Philip...well not so much although we came home with a big ole' machete knife for Philip ($11) and a wood file drawer ($10) for me. We got tired after 2 hours and left before it was over. We didn't see how much the last guitar went for. The others went for about $25 but were only worth about $100.
Philip is back at his Dad's house until tomorrow night. Friday he goes to the oral surgeon for his wisdom teeth removal. I sure hope it goes smooth. I will share that event with you next time I write.
I hope everyone is having a good week.
Do you guys get sick of my photos? Since I learned how to post them here, I find I take photos everywhere!
XOXO
Friday, July 12, 2013
Yet another medical update...and other stuff
Yesterday I saw my Neurologist, Dr. D. I hadn't seen her since April when we weren't sure what was going to happen with my cancer treatment. I was her first appointment for the day. When I got there, she was already in my room!! How often does that happen? Well she of course wanted to know how I was doing and what was going on since I didn't call her about chemotherapy. I filled her in on my radiation and we went over my history. We might have gone over it when I first saw her in 2008 but she wanted to go over it again. It is amazing when I think about what my body has been through since 2003.
She confirmed my labs look great (last CK was 109 which is great for me). I didn't tell her how sluggish I've been and my lack of exercise. But we did talk that I can try reducing my Methotrexate injections each week. Starting this week, I will do 20 mg instead of 25 mg. That might help some of the side effects which would be fabulous. I would love to get to the point where I don't have to lay on the couch all day 1 day a week. The hard part is we won't know how I am doing on the lower dose for 3-6 months. When I was taking the pills, I didn't have too much trouble until 17.5 mg so I am hoping I see a big improvement as I cut down.
I will see her again in 3 months but will call if we determine I need chemotherapy. So that is good.
I admit I've been in a huge funk the past week. To the point it is a little concerning that it is still here because I usually can push it away. Not to fear, I know the source which is mostly work. Not much I can do about that but adjust my attitude and I am working on that. And I am very glad Philip is at his Dad's house because he sadly was my "road kill" of my day by default. He is such a trooper to put up with it.
Yesterday, I was warmed with phone calls. First came from Connie (my ex-boss and good friend). I was so pleasantly surprised to hear from her. She knows my work and the personalities I deal with very well so it is a good source to talk about that dynamic. She also knows my work history and style. One valuable gem we discussed yesterday is there probably isn't a career move available to me so I need to make it work. We laughed until my tummy hurt. We also commiserated about how hard it is to have physical limitations and how our pride gets in the way. We both want to go to Europe and agreed we will encourage each other to work towards that. She probably doesn't realize this but her call came at just the right time and boosted me more than I could ever guess. So Thank You Connie! You are a gem.
My Dad also called and we talked about life and Philip and stuff going on. How fast the summer is going by and how we might bitch about the heat now but in a few months, I'll be complaining about how cold it is. It was a great visit with Dad.
Nola and I talked too. She talked me into joining an online card class. I have had nothing but trouble figuring out how to use the site. Mixed with my week anyway, it has been a frustrating experience to say the least. But Nola and I talked and talked and talked. She gave me a confirmation that only a sister can do and made me feel better. No matter how long we talk, I always have more I want to talk about by the time we hang up.
And finally, Mom called. We caught up on our plans for the weekend and our frustrations with our work. She works so hard and faces so many challenges. I wish you could retire Mom. But in the meantime, know I am here to listen and I appreciate you listening to me too.
So my cup runneth over yesterday. Thank you. Today is Friday which always puts a little spring in my step. I'm going to try to get work stuff out of the way and get to the weekend. Mom will be here this weekend. We are making Dream Dinners and going to work on making cards for my card class.
I hope everyone has a great weekend! Remember when your world is gray, talking to people that care can make all the difference in the world! Love you all!
She confirmed my labs look great (last CK was 109 which is great for me). I didn't tell her how sluggish I've been and my lack of exercise. But we did talk that I can try reducing my Methotrexate injections each week. Starting this week, I will do 20 mg instead of 25 mg. That might help some of the side effects which would be fabulous. I would love to get to the point where I don't have to lay on the couch all day 1 day a week. The hard part is we won't know how I am doing on the lower dose for 3-6 months. When I was taking the pills, I didn't have too much trouble until 17.5 mg so I am hoping I see a big improvement as I cut down.
I will see her again in 3 months but will call if we determine I need chemotherapy. So that is good.
I admit I've been in a huge funk the past week. To the point it is a little concerning that it is still here because I usually can push it away. Not to fear, I know the source which is mostly work. Not much I can do about that but adjust my attitude and I am working on that. And I am very glad Philip is at his Dad's house because he sadly was my "road kill" of my day by default. He is such a trooper to put up with it.
Yesterday, I was warmed with phone calls. First came from Connie (my ex-boss and good friend). I was so pleasantly surprised to hear from her. She knows my work and the personalities I deal with very well so it is a good source to talk about that dynamic. She also knows my work history and style. One valuable gem we discussed yesterday is there probably isn't a career move available to me so I need to make it work. We laughed until my tummy hurt. We also commiserated about how hard it is to have physical limitations and how our pride gets in the way. We both want to go to Europe and agreed we will encourage each other to work towards that. She probably doesn't realize this but her call came at just the right time and boosted me more than I could ever guess. So Thank You Connie! You are a gem.
My Dad also called and we talked about life and Philip and stuff going on. How fast the summer is going by and how we might bitch about the heat now but in a few months, I'll be complaining about how cold it is. It was a great visit with Dad.
Nola and I talked too. She talked me into joining an online card class. I have had nothing but trouble figuring out how to use the site. Mixed with my week anyway, it has been a frustrating experience to say the least. But Nola and I talked and talked and talked. She gave me a confirmation that only a sister can do and made me feel better. No matter how long we talk, I always have more I want to talk about by the time we hang up.
And finally, Mom called. We caught up on our plans for the weekend and our frustrations with our work. She works so hard and faces so many challenges. I wish you could retire Mom. But in the meantime, know I am here to listen and I appreciate you listening to me too.
So my cup runneth over yesterday. Thank you. Today is Friday which always puts a little spring in my step. I'm going to try to get work stuff out of the way and get to the weekend. Mom will be here this weekend. We are making Dream Dinners and going to work on making cards for my card class.
I hope everyone has a great weekend! Remember when your world is gray, talking to people that care can make all the difference in the world! Love you all!
Sunday, July 7, 2013
My friend's wedding
The day of my friend's wedding finally came. They had the wedding and reception at a reception center in Draper called Millennium Falls. It was absolutely beautiful there. I couldn't help but notice how quiet little Draper has changed since I lived there. The reception center was on the down side of the little hill in Draper. They turned the mountainside into a huge waterfall. Stacy and Eric had their wedding out by the waterfall. The sky was grey, the wind blowing, and we could hear the thunder cracking. Honestly, I was fearful it would start raining and they would be forced to move inside. About the time they met at the "alter", the sun came out and it was beautiful. As soon as the ceremony was done, it started raining. Perfect timing!
Philip and I tried to dress at least in the color tone of the wedding. Seems we were in good company. I thought Philip looked dashing.
We had a great dinner after the wedding and then slid into the reception where LOTS more people came. One of the fun things they had was a photo booth. I had been asked to put together an album they could use at the photo booth. It was fun to see it used. Seems it all worked out okay. They had props to use. We were far more conservative than others (see below for our photo booth photos). There were some crazy bras that got used a lot. At one point, some teen boys were wearing them in the reception center. They also had a DJ and great dancing but we were tired and went home.
We had a great time. It restored my faith in love between two people. These guys were clearly so head over hills in love. It is so nice to see them together....especially after failed first marriages.
Philip and I tried to dress at least in the color tone of the wedding. Seems we were in good company. I thought Philip looked dashing.
We had a great dinner after the wedding and then slid into the reception where LOTS more people came. One of the fun things they had was a photo booth. I had been asked to put together an album they could use at the photo booth. It was fun to see it used. Seems it all worked out okay. They had props to use. We were far more conservative than others (see below for our photo booth photos). There were some crazy bras that got used a lot. At one point, some teen boys were wearing them in the reception center. They also had a DJ and great dancing but we were tired and went home.
We had a great time. It restored my faith in love between two people. These guys were clearly so head over hills in love. It is so nice to see them together....especially after failed first marriages.
Friday, July 5, 2013
It's a Tea Party!
One of the fun things I did last week as part of my friend's pending nuptials was I went to her Bridal Tea party. There were 12 of us that attended. We went to Beehive Tea House in downtown Salt Lake. Sadly, it was the last day they were in business. Walking in the door was like walking back in time. They had music from the 1940s. The decorations were from that same period. It was painted darker green and red with drapes and nooks and crannies for people to sink into tea. We were offered a choice of hot or cold tea with about 40 different flavors of tea available. I chose ice tea because it is HOT.
We were told to "dress for tea" and I was pretty unclear what that meant. I pulled up Google and found that feminine dresses in bright colors were recommended. Slacks would do with a twin set. Hats were optional. So I went with tan slacks and a melon colored twin set with a "modern" style of pearls. It was fun to see what people wore. Several were in nice dresses or frilly blouses. Three people wore hats which was really fun.
After we all received our tea of choice, we were brought a tea cup of salad. Seems like it was some sort of coleslaw although there were tomatoes on top so I can't be sure. After that, we got a cute china plate with 2 scones, cucumber sandwiches, and a radish pesto type sandwich. There was fresh preserves and clotted butter as well. After the sandwiches, we were served a cute glass cup of fresh berries with whipped cream and a decadent brownie. Although I was teasing about the little plate of food, I left completely stuffed.
I wish I had been introduced to the Beehive Tea House sooner as I can see it would be a fun thing to do with friends and family. It makes me sad to see local businesses close under the pressure of the economy. I thought this was a great thing to do for a bride and her friends a week before the big event.
.jpg)
We were told to "dress for tea" and I was pretty unclear what that meant. I pulled up Google and found that feminine dresses in bright colors were recommended. Slacks would do with a twin set. Hats were optional. So I went with tan slacks and a melon colored twin set with a "modern" style of pearls. It was fun to see what people wore. Several were in nice dresses or frilly blouses. Three people wore hats which was really fun.
.jpg) |
| Kim and Me. Her hat was a huge hit! |
After we all received our tea of choice, we were brought a tea cup of salad. Seems like it was some sort of coleslaw although there were tomatoes on top so I can't be sure. After that, we got a cute china plate with 2 scones, cucumber sandwiches, and a radish pesto type sandwich. There was fresh preserves and clotted butter as well. After the sandwiches, we were served a cute glass cup of fresh berries with whipped cream and a decadent brownie. Although I was teasing about the little plate of food, I left completely stuffed.
I wish I had been introduced to the Beehive Tea House sooner as I can see it would be a fun thing to do with friends and family. It makes me sad to see local businesses close under the pressure of the economy. I thought this was a great thing to do for a bride and her friends a week before the big event.
.jpg)
Anna &Sarah (Stacy's girls), and Stacy (the bride).
Jennifer, Koli, Christine, and Lesley
The wedding is tomorrow so things should settle down socially after that. It has been really fun.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Patriotic Art
I follow a few bloggers. I admit, they are Mommy bloggers but I find them interesting and some have sparked me to want to do more things or different things with Philip as he grows up. One of the bloggers I've followed is Morgan Moore (onemoremoore). Over the years, she has blogged about trips to the beach, different cool recipes, and crafts and such she has done with her kids and friends.
Well she is in Utah for the summer (before moving to New York City). I so wanted to meet her but didn't want to be a blog stalker. Much to my surprise, she and her Mom offered a patriotic art class last week. I admit, I wasn't really into flag decorations (I'm lucky to get my flag hung outside) but I really wanted to meet Morgan and it was only $30. It included most the supplies and a light dinner. Why not??
After much investigating to make sure I could get in her house, and I could find her house in Lehi, I made it. I was very pleased there were only 2 steps into the house and they were next to a wall so it was easy to get in. And her house was flat...at least the part we used. Her Mom used to own a craft store and I guess she does regular holiday art classes. There were 8 ladies there for the class. First we started by learning how to make their yummy salad complete with chicken and bacon. We were served rolls from a popular Lehi bakery. We also learned how to make an ice cream dessert that we ate later. Then we started into our crafts. We started with the biggest project which was a "FREEDOM" banner. We jumped into "aging" our paper with ink and coffee. We also glittered like crazy. We all brought our glue guns and got to work putting everything together. I was pretty surprised how well it came out. Luckily, I already have hooks on my fireplace for my Christmas garland so it went right there.
I asked Morgan for a photo together. She said she usually won't do that but she would for me. I had a great time and enjoyed meeting Morgan. I was the only one that knew her from the blog. Her Mom was very nice but kept calling me her blog stalker. I guess that is okay because she said it with a smile and little wink. Everyone else was family or friends. It was a great way to spend the evening. I was really proud of myself to sticking my neck out and being around complete strangers. They were all very nice.
Well she is in Utah for the summer (before moving to New York City). I so wanted to meet her but didn't want to be a blog stalker. Much to my surprise, she and her Mom offered a patriotic art class last week. I admit, I wasn't really into flag decorations (I'm lucky to get my flag hung outside) but I really wanted to meet Morgan and it was only $30. It included most the supplies and a light dinner. Why not??
After much investigating to make sure I could get in her house, and I could find her house in Lehi, I made it. I was very pleased there were only 2 steps into the house and they were next to a wall so it was easy to get in. And her house was flat...at least the part we used. Her Mom used to own a craft store and I guess she does regular holiday art classes. There were 8 ladies there for the class. First we started by learning how to make their yummy salad complete with chicken and bacon. We were served rolls from a popular Lehi bakery. We also learned how to make an ice cream dessert that we ate later. Then we started into our crafts. We started with the biggest project which was a "FREEDOM" banner. We jumped into "aging" our paper with ink and coffee. We also glittered like crazy. We all brought our glue guns and got to work putting everything together. I was pretty surprised how well it came out. Luckily, I already have hooks on my fireplace for my Christmas garland so it went right there.
Made with muffin cups, twine, cut out letters and
circles, torn fabric, and upholstery webbing.
Then we started our altered book. I admit, I was very concerned with the book. We had to bring our own and I didn't give much thought to the size or style of book until 2 days before class. On a frantic search, I decided to find the same book she showed in her sample. It was from the "Honey Bunch" series from the 1930s and 1940s. I had never heard of the series but I guess they are very popular. Luckily I found one on Amazon with a red fabric cover that was eligible for Prime shipping....so that puppy was mine. Luckily it arrived about lunch time on the day of the class. We folded the pages so they splayed out as an open book. We put a little title thingy on it and glued flags in the spine. I have a really hard time ruining a book. I can't even write in books so this was a big step. I have to say it is pretty cute on my mantle...even with the jacked up word stamping. I am not good at stamping.
And for a final project, we made a rocket. We covered a hanger with patriotic tinsel. The rocket was a paper towel holder covered with paper of our choosing. We had vintage photos to choose from and silver pipe cleaners to put out the bottom like sparks. That one came together really fast and I thought it was pretty cute.
Morgan and Me
Alexis, Morgan, and Lisa. Very fun ladies
We are looking forward to the 4th of July. Mostly excited for a day off work. We plan to go to a movie and we were invited to one of my friends house for a BBQ and fireworks in the evening. Should be fun...it is the Moab group.
Happy 4th of July to all of you. Please have fun and be safe.
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