Health Reform

So, in the mail yesterday was the bill for my 36 hour hospital stay. Now this bill is just the hospital, not the ER, not the surgeon, not the anesthesiologist, not the radiologist - just the hospital. My bill was almost $36,000!!!!! One thousand freaking dollars per hour! And people say we don't need health reform? How is an under employed single mother supposed to pay a bill of $36,000?

Debating

I am not working this Saturday so am debating on what I should do. My choices are:

1.) work on getting the house straightened up
2.) head to Ft Lauderdale to a bead show
3.) veg and do basically nothing
4.) something I haven't thought of

So, I am really leaning towards #3 but I have been doing a lot of that lately. I really don't need to be spending any money on beads but it might be a fun get away for a half a day. Decisions, decisions.

Rest and Recuperation

Tuesday I worked a longer day than normal 10-6 and yesterday I worked 10-4. Add to that taking care of an adorable 2 1/2 year makes for a tired and grumpy Nana. Neither Bailey nor I got our naps on Tuesday so last night after stopping at the gas station (two freaking eighty a gallon! WTF!) and making a deposit at the bank we hit Nana's big bed for a nap. I slept two hours and Bailey slept 2 1/2 hours and we both went to bed at regular time. I guess surgery really takes it out of you!

Today, it's off to work and then Managerial Accounting tonight. Might sneak a 30 minute power nap in if I'm lucky.

My Baby's Birthday!

Today is my baby's birthday! Brent turns 14 today. Happy Birthday Brento! He is at his dad's this week so we will celebrate next week. He wants a fun day - bagels, movies and lunch. Sounds like as much fun for me as for him!

Flowers, Life and Being Grateful

I love receiving flowers as much as the next gal, BUT, I don't want to have emergency gall bladder surgery as the reason to get them. If you read my blog you know I was going out for ribs Wednesday night...well very early Thursday morning I was in the ER with pain. First I was told I had a bladder and a kidney infection. I have had bladder infections before and I knew this pain was not a bladder infection type pain. Then they came back and said I had Pancreatitis. I am thinking, ok, don't know what that is, that might be what is wrong. Then they send me off for a CAT scan and guess what they find? A gall bladder full of gall stones and it's off to emergency surgery I go. I got to the hospital at 2:30 a.m. and was in surgery by 8:30 a.m. And my Mom and Dad sent me these beautiful flowers to cheer me up.
So, now I am home and feeling much better, not lifting another heavier than the remote control. My Mom came and took good care of me over the weekend, feeding me and doing my laundry. My sister, niece, her friend and brother and Brent were all here yesterday making me feel loved. Got some really cute cards and well wishes. Oh, and the former youth director came to the hospital to see me. I thought that was really nice and well beyond what was expected. Thanks Carol!

Dave and I went to the college this morning and got my books for this semester. Fortunately, I found out that even though I haven't gotten my financial aid, it did pay for my books. Good thing, one of the books was $199! Yikes!

Bailey is back staying with us. Nicole has had her share of housing issues this year and now is without a place to stay again. We have come up with a temporary solution if she needs it. She starts her new job next Monday so hopefully she will make some money and be able to get her own place soon.

I need to quite jabbering and get my desk cleaned off so I can get started working on my three online classes. I really don't want to get too far behind.

I am feeling grateful for family and friends. I am feeling grateful that I have a roof over my head and food in my refrigerator. I am feeling grateful that I have a job to go to tomorrow. I am grateful.

Sunday Scrappin'

My Sunday Scrappin' post is a day late again. Here is what I accomplished this week. These four pages were on my to-do list from last week. I have finished another Christmas house but haven't glued them together so can't share them this week. I have also gotten current with my Project 365.

For my to-do's this week
1. This was on my list last week but I need to get my desk/office area cleaned up and organized. School has started and I need to have room to study and work.
2. I have three Christmas houses done and they need to be glued together.
3. Need to gather up supplies to make a goody bag for Sunday Scrappin'.
4. I am doing Project 365 again this year. I want to stay current with it and work on posting my pics for last year. After the move I wasn't posting but was still taking the pictures.

Hungry for Ribs

Baby, it's cold outside and has been for days and will be until next Tuesday. This is the longest cold snap that we have had in years. I am actually enjoying the cooler weather and like being able to wear clothes that haven't been worn in ages.

Tonight we are going to dinner at Rib City. I am hungry for ribs! YUM!

Back to the Real World

Well, I am back to the store today with Bailey in tow. Not sure how we will accomplish the nap thing today but we'll work it out!

School starts in two days! I have over $100 worth of books that I need to get as soon as my credit shows up on my card. It's funny how the money goes out of the credit card immediately but takes up to three days to be put back on!

Holidays in Hand

Here are my last four Holidays in Hand layouts. I loved doing this album and plan on doing something similar next year.

Sunday Scrappin'

I have quite a bit to share this week for Sunday Scrappin'. School starts back on Thursday so I may not be so prolific again for awhile. First, although it's not scrapbooking, it's crafty, I put together a large rug for Brent's room. Here and here are two posts showing my Holidays in Hand layouts. And a slide show of the rest of the safety pin bracelets that I finished.

For my to-do's this week
1. I want to finish up the four last pages of my Holiday in Hand album.
2. I also want to do some cleaning up and organizing of my desk/office area. It is the only area in the house that I still have a few boxes left to empty.
3. I finished all the pieces for another house in my Christmas village and need to glue it together.
4. Need to gather up supplies to make a goody bag for Sunday Scrappin'.
5. I am doing Project 365 again this year. I want to stay current with it and work on posting my pics for last year. After the move I wasn't posting but was still taking the pictures.

Holidays in Hand

Here is another slideshow featuring my Holidays in Hand layouts through December 27th. I only have four more layouts to complete and this album with be finished. Hopefully I will get to them in the next few days before my life (store, school, kids) starts up again on Tuesday.

What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before? Took some steps toward helping my financial situation.

Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I did a 101 in 1001 days and have crossed off many things on the list. I know now that I will not do a number of items on the list. Priorities change.

Did anyone close to you give birth? Nope.

Did anyone close to you die? Dave’s stepdad passed away early this year.

What countries did you spend time in this year? Just the good ole' US of A

What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? More time at home.

What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? September 28^th – both my birthday and the day I closed on my mobile home.

What was your biggest achievement(s) of the year? Going back to school.

What was your biggest failure? Lots of financial failures this year. Lost my job in March (third job in four years), lost my house, had my car repoed. Not a good year financially. Dave and I split up for two months but we are back together.

Did you suffer any serious injury or illness? This year I finally went to the doctors and got put on medication for high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

What was the best thing you bought? My mobile home.

Whose behavior merited celebration? Me going back to school?

Whose behavior made you appalled and/or depressed? My daughter’s total lack of motivation.

Where did most of your money go? Mobile home.

Compared to this time last year, are you,a) happier or sadder? About the same. b) thinner or fatter? Thinner by 25 lbs c) richer or poorer? Much poorer.

What did you get really, really excited about? Spending time with Bailey.

What do you wish you'd done more of? Take more pictures, crafting.

Did you fall in love in 2009? No, I have been in love with the same guy for over six years.

How many one-night stands? Duh..see answer above, none!

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No

What was the best book you read? I read so many books I don't know what the best book I read was. I just finished Knit the Season by Kate Jacobs.

What did you want and not get? Financial security.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 47 and I had a celebration with family.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Less stress.

What political issue stirred you the most? Not a thing.

Who did you miss? I can't think of anyone.

Who was the best new person you met? Probably my new neighbor Dave.

Tell us a valuable life lesson(s) you learned in 2009. You can find joy in whatever life throws at you, it’s really all in how you handle the situation.

What sums up this year? (a word, a quote... ?) 2010 is a new year!

And here are my New Year’s Resolutions:

1.) Keep off the 25 lbs I have lost and loose another 15.

2.) Do something Christmasy each month – cards, ornaments, gifts. I didn't make cards this year and was making gifts at the last minute. Christmas does not need to hurry, hurry, rush, rush. I want to enjoy the season more.

3.) Spend more time crafting. I want to work on paper scrapbooking and/or rubber stamping. I have thousands of dollars of supplies that are just sitting here waiting to be used.

4.) Save $10 each week for Christmas.

5.) Take a photo a day. I did really well with this last year until I started moving and it fell by the wayside. I still took the pictures but didn't get them posted.

6.) Do 365 scrapbook layouts. I did 299 pages this year which is way up from 2008.