WILW

 

 So glad it is already Wednesday...this is my favorite post of the week :)

I'm Loving...that Heather came to see me last night.  We went to dinner then she went to my cake decorating class with me since my mom and sister are in Texas.  We laughed because she came to make me feel better (which she did!!) and I was comforting her!  But that is our friendship and I wouldn't change it...so thanks for coming Heth.  Here are some pictures from last night!

My personal assistant!

Learning to make a basket cake!

adding my roses (i didn't mean Clemson colors...the orange is for Leukemia and the purple is for cancer...just happens to be the best colors ever!)

Love this view :)

Me and Heth with the finished product

  I am so sad last night was the last night of this class...hope to be able to take the intermediate class this summer!

I'm Loving... blog world. Aubrey dedicated a post for my sister!  She read some of my blogs and asked to write about Jodi in hopes to reach more people!  She did a wonderful job so please go read her blog!  Thank you so much Aubrey..means a lot!

I'm Loving... how many people have come out to show support for Jodi and my family.  People we haven't talked to in years, people we don't even know, and of course a friends and family have been so great to us...makes this process a little easier!

I'm Loving...Caringbridge!  Yes...all my "I'm Loving" today is centered around one topic...but that is all that is on my mind :)  Caringbridge is a wonderful place for friends and family to keep in touch.  Jodi is loving reading all the comments, even if she doesn't know you...leave her a comment to make her day!  I also think her caringbridge is very therapeutic for her (and me) so she can openly talk about it and let her vent or whatever!  Check it out here! 

I'm loving... my family.  I know there is a reason that we are facing this obstacle in our lives and we will come out better people!  I just ask that you say a few extra prayers right now...we can tell they are working!!  I promise every post wont be about this..but it is helping me right now :)

Bad picture..I was having a difficult time taking a picture of me and the shirt!  My mom's cousin made these for us (it has Jodi's initials to!)

Weekend Recap!

I was finally able to relax and sort of get my mind off things.  On Friday night, Wes and I just picked up to-go food from Mig's and stayed home.  Wes went to sleep extra early, like 8:30, so I stayed up and learned how to skype with my sister! One of my best friends and her hubby, Alix and Scott, live in Austin TX so they drove to Houston to visit my sister in the hospital.  So I got to see their faces too!

Saturday, we went over to Wes's parents house to play with our nephew. Wes and Wyatt worked hard planting some sunflowers...look how cute :)

Worn out!

That afternoon I went to see this movie.....

 It was so good and so much like the book!! I cant wait to own it one day!

Later that night Sarah came over to decorate Easter eggs and Wes went to the grocery store to buy more cokes.  He came back with his coke but also with 2 bottles of wine and some champagne for him haha.  I had a couple glasses of MUCH needed wine and we had a great time!  Wes has been SO VERY wonderful to me since we found out about my sister.  I mean he is always great, but extra special this week.  I am so thankful to have him! :)


On Sunday, we went to church with Wes's family and back to have dinner and a easter egg hunt with Wyatt!  I went to pick up my Mema so she could skype with Jodi and it was awesome. It was another wonderful day.
Here is a picture of my awesome sister and parents at the church in her hospital in their "Easter bests".

Can we pretend I am in the picture too??

I know that Jodi is in the number one hospital in the country to beat AML (MD Anderson, Houston TX) but please say many prayers for her to beat this and for her treatments to be "easy" for her!  I know she will be just fine and I cant wait for her to temporarily move back to Greenwood! :)  If you would like to keep up with more details from her, please check out her Caringbridge site. 

Guest Blogger

No post today..I was a guest blogger over at Heather's blog today while she is on Spring Break.  So if you would like to see what I wrote about..just go over and check it out :)

 

Much needed prayers!

I few days ago I asked for prayers for my sister...keep them coming.  On Monday, she went to the doctor to check on some "rashes" she had on her leg.  Well she had those rashes because her blood platelets were extremely low.  She has 29 and you are supposed to have 150-450.  So they ordered more test and they called her in yesterday morning for the results.  She has AML, acute leukemia.  So I think everyone she knew (who didn't have a cold) drove to see her in the hospital last night.  I appreciate that so much...it was a nice break from all the tears! (Jodi calls me tenderhearted...but I cant help it!)  :)

So she and my parents are flying right now to the best hospital in the country for AML.  She will be there about 6 weeks for chemo.  Once that is over with she will need a bone marrow transplant, which is the only cure.  Siblings are the best matches, so I will be tested and if I am a match, I will head to Texas to (as my sister says) save her life.  No pressure right?? :)  Of course without a doubt I will do anything I have to do to help my sister, but at the same time, it scares me to death!  I know that may be selfish, but its natural right??

If you like to donate blood...she needs all the platelets donations as possible!  She will get those everyday for a while.  If you get the urge, please donate in my sisters name, Jodi Oliver.  We will all be very grateful for you.  Just keep us in your prayers..these next few weeks will be tough!

She did hear good news this morning before her flight...the doctor told her that the leukemia has not affected any of her major organs yet!! YAY!  I was actually able to smile big for the first time dealing with AML!  As Jodi says we will take this "one hour at a time".  I wish I had her strength! :)

Thank you in advance for all your prayers!

Top 2 Tuesday

1. Christmas Ornaments!  I love Christmas and decorating my tree.  Growing up, our tree was decorated with lots of ornaments that my sister and I made and I loved it!  So now (since we don't have kids yet) I can look at our Christmas tree and reminisce about all the places I have been, or where my parents have traveled.
Everywhere I go, I have to buy an ornament.  I spend hours decorating my tree because it takes me down memory lane and I love it.  Here is a couple that Wes and I had made last year for our babies :)

Gracie and Callie's puppy ornaments :)

Our tree!

2. I cant think of anything else that I collect anymore.  When I was younger I collected tea sets.  I guess I collect books on my Kindle now!  I am 97% finished with this book...

I think I'm going to take a short break with this series and read one of these next..

On a side note...my sister is having some medical issues, I am not going into details at this time, but please keep Jodi in your thoughts and prayers! Thanks :)

My Girl Scout Cake

If you read my blog from yesterday, then you would know that I had a project last night...decorate a cake for my Leader Appreciation Dinner tonight.  Every April we have a dinner for all the local Girl Scout Leaders, were we honor the leader/volunteer of the year and just have a good time together.

Anyways, here is my cake that I decorated (for 2 hours) last night...

I tried to take some step-by-step pictures.  I am so excited about showing this cake to my leaders tonight...hope they like it as much as I do :)

I can't wait to decorate another cake...I just need a good excuse (and someone to give it to so it wont sit at my house!!)

Look out...two posts in one day!

 {one} have you ever fainted?never have thank goodness
{two} what is your favorite casino game?I guess this is considered a casino game..the one where you put a quarter in and it goes to a pile of quarters and the more you put in the more that falls down for you.  Ok that probably doesn't make any since but Wes and I played that A LOT on our cruise.  We won some money and then lost it all but it kept me entertained for awhile!
{three} do you have a good sense of direction?I am usually alright with directions...
{four} laptop or desktop?love my laptop!
{five} what is your go-to hair style when having a bad hair day?I throw it up in a ponytail.  When I got my hair cut last time, I cut several inches off but made sure to keep it long enough to pull back on those bad hair days :)
{six} do you read the newspaper on a daily basis?No, but I check out our local news website every once in a while. 
{seven} do you have a favorite celebrity chef?Well, I should say Jamie Oliver, since we share the same name (Oliver is my maiden name) but I think I will go with Paula Dean...she is too funny!
{eight} what tv show would you like to make a guest appearance on?One Tree Hill for some great drama or The Office for humor :)  I think having a boss like Michael Scott would be so much fun but annoying all at the same time!
{nine} do you have satellite radio in your car?Yes and I love it.  It comes in handy in the fall with football..there are several ACC and SEC stations that broadcast all my favorite games.  Then the rest of the year the 80-90s station brings back great memories!!
{ten} what was the last movie that made you cry?I don't know if I have ever cried at a movie...I may be the only female to ever say this. 

WILW

 

I cant believe it is already Wednesday....getting close to another weekend!   

I'm Loving...my cake decorating class was last night!  We didn't decorate a cake but we started working on flowers.  Making flowers are so much harder than it looks.  I don't have any pictures of mine but these are the ones we learned last night....

Violets

Poppy

Daisy

Lily

OK...so those look so pretty!  These are experience bakers I believe!  Mine will look like this one day! :)

I'm loving...that I get to put my skills to work tonight.  (Sorry for another cake comment).  Tomorrow is my local area Girl Scout Leader Appreciation Banquet.  Each April, we have a dinner to honor our leaders.  So this year, of course I want to decorate a cake.  I will post pictures tomorrow.  If you are tired of cake post...sorry! :)

I'm Loving....that I am going to Clemson on Saturday to my sister's store for her customer appreciation day!  (I bet she will have a cake/cupcake to show off her skills too! :))  If you are ever in Clemson...stop by her store, The Beaded Tiger to make you some jewelery, or stop by her facebook page :)  

I'm Loving...that I get to work with my little Girl Scouts today and we are playing with bubbles!  They are going to learn how to make bubbles and then make bubble paint.  

I'm Loving...my hubby and puppies as always :)

 

Weekend Recap!

I was actually looking really forward to this past weekend because I didn't have anything planned and I could stay home!  Friday night was a blast!  Our group of friends have started going to a local Mexican restaurant on Friday nights and of course we went this past Friday.  It was so nice because we got to sit outside and enjoy the perfect weather.  Needless to say that Wes had one too many margaritas and was the life of the "party".  Now this is the sad part...we were back home before 10!  I remember the days we didn't really go out until around 10!  Wes had to work all day Saturday, so his alarm went off around 5:30...well, he still was a little drunk and he started making rooster crows that woke me up!! I mean, who does that??  I was not happy seeing how it was 6am on a Saturday.  He kept doing that for like 5 minutes....he said "wake up---I'm still drunk!"  Looking back, it was actually really funny but it was not at the time! :)

I was able to fall back to sleep and woke up around 8am.  I cleaned the house and spent the rest of the day with my friend Sarah.  We had lunch and then decided to make Easter wreaths.  She is so talented that I can not take too much credit.  I picked out the flowers, made the bow and the eggs were my idea...she placed the flowers!  Isn't it too cute?

 Then we went to dinner with Wes's family and had a low key night :)
Yesterday we went to the lake!  When we first got there, it was so cold! It finally warmed up around lunch time and we could enjoy the sun!  It was so nice to finally get the boat in the water.  Makes me so excited for summer time!!
Of course, like I do every Sunday...this is how I end my weekend...watching these two shows!

Wow...Two days in a row!

1. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

If I could change anything about me...it would have to be my fears!  I get my self worked up so bad about  flying.  I am deathly afraid of flying...I mean I tried to pass up on TWO FREE trips to Hawaii! Of course I went and I survived, but my anxiety is so bad!  I even take pills and they don't really help.  I stress for months before the flight knowing that I have to fly soon and then stress while on vacation about flying home!  Yes, I know flying is safer than driving to the airport but that doesn't make me feel any better.  I have had some horrific experiences on airplanes and I even had two friends pass away in a plane crash (a tiny plane...but still!)  All of these incidents rush through my head and I wish it would stop!  I would love to travel all the time...but I have to space out my flights!  So that's the main thing I would change! :)

2. Write about a time when you got lost.

I dont remember ever being lost as a child...I guess if I was, I blocked that out! :)  A few years ago, Wes and I were at my parents mountain house and we rode separately because he was going to Anderson before going home and I was going to Clemson for a football game or something.  I have never driven from the mountains to Clemson and this was before we had GPS and I took a wrong turn somewhere and got lost.  I hate that feeling of being in the middle of no where and not knowing how to get somewhere.  I of course I call Wes in tears, while he was laughing at me haha, and all he could say is use your map.  Of course I didn't have a map with me...he bought me one when I got home!  So then he asked...where are you? Why would I have to call him if I knew that?  Well after I drove some more, I finally found a road number.  While I was sitting there this scary looking guy walked by my car and gave his toothless smile and started taping the back of my car (I was at a stop sign).  Scared me to death...again Wes hysterically laughing at this point.  After a few minutes he figured out where I was and told me how to get to Clemson!

3. Camping or 5 star hotel?

It really depends on my mood.  I do love a weekend camping with friends.  We always have so much fun!  A large group of our friends usually go once a year (at a off road complex).  So the boys take there play vehicles for rock crawling adventures and we camp out all weekend.  This picture isn't of us of course, but this is the way to go....we have our truck tent with air mattress (that is made for back of trucks with the wheel base cut out) so we aren't sleeping on the ground...makes life much better!

 

But I am a girl, so I do love the excuse to stay in a fancy hotel too!! :) 

4. Have you donated blood?

I know this is going to sound horrible..but no I havent.  I will change that though!!

5. Do you have a budget or do you 'fly by' most months?

A little of both. I am more of the worrier about money.  I mean Wes also makes sure all the bills are paid...but I don't want to spend any money until all bills are paid and groceries are bought...Wes sometimes forgets how expensive groceries are!!  I cant wait to get to a point in time where we can save more money!

Time to catch up!

It has been another break for my from blogging.  I just cant get back to the routine of writing everyday...sorry Heather!    Here is what I have been up to this past week.

Last Thursday, my mother-in-law left Greenwood and headed to Surfside (Myrtle Beach).  It was so very cold Thursday and most of Friday, but the weather was beautiful Saturday and Sunday.  We finally got to enjoy the sun at the beach! 

We stayed at my sister in law's condo with her and Wyatt.  It was a great escape from Greenwood for a few days.  So nice not have a schedule and just do what you want

My Handsome Nephew

Emily and I went to the outlets one day during nap time and bought baby clothes!  Since she is expecting, she had to get some clothes for new baby Crawford and of course some for Wyatt too.  This is my first gift for New Baby Boy Crawford..

Well Sunday came and we all had to head home...

Then on Tuesday, I had my third cake decorating class....I am getting addicted!! It is so much fun.  This week we got to decorate doll cakes.  I bought the pan and I think I was even more excited that I can make a football cake with this pan too! (just cut the cake in the middle and lay them beside each other...cant wait to try it out). 

Tried to make Belle and her yellow gown!

Hair down and ready to go :)

My sisters cake :)

My mom's Clemson Girl :)

Can't wait for our class next week...we are learning to make flowers!! :)

Now that brings us to today...I had a stressful morning at work so far, but the hard part is over.  Since I work for the Girl Scouts, we apply for United Way money for our outreach program.  We had to turn in our application about a month ago, a team came to one of my outreach troop meetings to monitor and finally today was the interview process.  A panel asked us (my co-worker and I) questions they had after reading over our application.  I never know what to expect, so I always get nervous....especially when a lot of money is on the line!!  So hopefully it went as well as I think it did and my local Girl Scouts will benefit from United Way.
Guess I should get back to work now...not so bad knowing that interview is behind me now! Yay!