Melisa's Life

I did my usual craft fest for christmas and this time took pics so I could share. I was recently introduced to pinterest.com by friends and family, which was the main reason for all this. There are SO many cool ideas there. It is very addicting! 1. Glass pendants. I used this tutorial and bought supplies from sun and moon craft They half great prices and a great selection. I also made these for saige's friends with their initial on them and a pink chain.


2. Chinese takeout boxes with tags for the necklaces. There is a free printable here These are super easy.


3. I found this on etsy.com and decided I wanted to make something similar for myself.


This is what I came up with


4. I used this tutorial to make a dress for saige using some vintage VW bus fabric I have. I went back and forth about because this fabric sells for $30-$40 a yard! Oh well, she's worth it. :) 5. I used some of the 4 bins of fabric I have from my sewing business days to make the kids pajama pants and a couple shirts to match. I ended up making 3 pairs for each kid.


6. A skirt for saige using a wool sweater I bought at the DI forever ago. 7. Chalkboard rolls for my niece and nephews. I also made one for each of my kids. I bought foam placemats at the dollar store, sprayed them with primer, then used this tutorial to make the 3 different colors of paint and used 3 coats on each one. Each one got a serged square of flannel (also from my fabric stash) for an eraser and chalk with it. 8. I used the same technique to make chalkboard mugs. I attached a tag I printed from this blog and a cellophane bag with some cookies I made. I gave these as neighbor, teacher and anyone else I felt like gifts. 9. Homemade journals. These were a lot more time consuming than I expected but turned out nice.





10. Chris made stilts for both kids using old crutches. They turned out awesome! Then I made pants for each of them. I haven't been able to get a pic of kades pants yet.





Hope you all had a merry Christmas! :) - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

My grandpa miller passed away last week at age 86. He hasn't been doing very well for a while now. It's hard to see someone you love in that situation. He has always been so active and upbeat and last time I saw him he was having a really hard time getting around and just didn't seem like himself.
The funeral was really nice and then we drove to Logan for the graveside ceremony. I feel especially sad for my grandma. I can't imagine losing your partner after so long. I keep thinking about them. They would have celebrated 69 years of marriage in just a few months. They were always laughing and playing together. Family always came first. I hope that Chris and I can follow in their footsteps. I remember introducing Chris to them forever ago. They were so welcoming and always telling him "you're a miller now" and making sure he treated me right.
I'm going to miss him, his laugh and his hugs most off all.



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Since school started today and summer is over, i thought i'd write an update. We've had such a good, busy summer this year! I picked up an extra day at work to save some money for school and the kids have been going to their grandmas. She has been taking them all over the place, they love it. Friday is my last day at work. Then I will only be working on saturday, which stinks money-wise. I got us summer movie passes again and we've been going almost every week. Most of the time, the kids ride their bikes and I run there. We've been to lagoon, crystal hot springs, jet skiing, a lot of camping, we went to east canyon with my family, park city and last weekend our friends cabin riding 4 wheelers and rowing in a raft on the reservoir. It was a perfect last little vacation for us. We are lucky to have really good friends we consider family. Our kids get along really well (there are 9 all together so it can get crazy sometimes) and we all have a great time when we get together. I'm turning 30 in a couple weeks (yikes!) and they are throwing me a birthday party this weekend. They've themed it "nerdy thirty" which is awesome! I'll have to post some pics.
I also start the nursing program at weber state on Monday (double yikes!). I'm nervous, but also really excited. I have already spent close to $1000 on textbooks. There are 15 required and about 5 other optional texts. It's very intimidating.
We had a crazy storm here this week and lost our new trampoline :( The kids have been so sad. Next time, we will have to do an in ground one or something. We did build a fire pit out there this summer and it has been fun sitting out there roasting marshmallows and veggie hot dogs.
I'm sad to see summer go, but we've had a lot fun too. We are going to be camping at Willard next weekend, so we still have one more thing to look forward to.

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My little girl started 2nd grade today. I can't believe she's that old already. She has Mrs. Braun this year and says she's nice. She did scrape her knee at recess, but otherwise had a good day.


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We have butterflies! 2 out of 5 have come out so far.
All the caterpillars in their chrysalis.





They eat orange slices and the paper towel is soaked in sugar water.








I didn't get a pic of kade. He won't go near them yet.

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I just got back from my post op appointment. He said everything looks the way it should and I can pretty much do whatever I feel like doing now. The pathology came back benign on everything. It did say that my uterus was twice the size it was supposed to be, there were "several benign cysts" and my right ovary was bigger than the left. He said this is pretty typical of someone with my issues. I feel so much better and I've been told several times that my face "doesn't match the wall anymore." Chris and I want to start running together and this weekend we are going to price to visit my dad and stepmom so we will go hiking and swimming there. I'm excited to start doing things again.


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My surgery went well. My doctor said I lost very little blood and there was a cyst on the right that "looked pretty normal" but he sent it in to the lab anyway. He gave me some pictures he took. He did that last time I had surgery. It's weird to see the inside of your body. Also to see the endometriosis. I compared with the last photos and the pic he took this time is so much darker. It looks like a purple/black spot where it should be light pink. Each month those would break down, bleed and cause horrible pain. My recovery in the hospital was pretty painful. It took the nurse 30 minutes to get my morphine hooked up and chris was searching for her in the halls. After that, it wasn't so bad. I slept a lot and when I'd wake up I'd push the button for more meds and go back to sleep. The nurses after that were awesome. At 2 am they had me stand and I ended up throwing up (ruining my 5 year streak lol). At 5:30 they came in and took everything out, had me walk around and started me on oral pain meds. I got a free pedicure from a datc cosmetology student before I went home around 11. The recovery with this has been cake compared to my c-sections. I'm totally off pain medicine, which I couldn't say even before surgery. I'm wearing jeans again for the first time in months, my swollen belly is gone. I still get little pains around my incisions if I move too quickly, but thats it. I don't need naps in the afternoon anymore but I'm exhausted by the end of the day even though I'm taking it easy. I'm not allowed to vacuum, mop, exercise or lift more than 10 lbs for 3 more weeks. It's hard for me to rely on people this much and to have to ask for help. My family and friends have been amazing, bringing meals and picking up my kids from school. I just barely started having to cook dinner and I have so many pretty flowers around, I love it. I've been keeping busy with reading and my school work. I got a little ahead before the surgery so I could take a few days off. I'm right back in again, but it's not too bad.
I got me and the kids some projects to do while I'm down and it has been a lot of fun. Saige is so artistic and creative. Kade is always anxious to help with everything. Here are some of our projects:
Saige's cat house. She got the idea from a book at the library. She used a bowl to trace circles and chris cut them out. She decorated it and put a blanket and some catnip in it. We find Zeus sleeping here all the time now.





A felt fish with catnip inside. I helped very little with this. She did all the sewing by herself.



I started some seeds indoors. There's a big variety of veggies and flowers. I haven't had much success with this in the past but I'm determined this time. I've done a lot of research while I sit.



Saige and I made anklets the other day. They turned out really cute.



And finally, our caterpillars. I ordered a kit on amazon that was on sale. You use a coupon code that comes with the kit to order caterpillars. They grow up in the container and then you transfer them to the mesh house when they are ready to become butterflies. We check on them every day to see how they are doing. It has been fun.






I know I made the right decision. I wish there was a less invasive alternative, but right now there isn't. I already feel like I'm getting my life back a little at a time. I can't wait to go for a bike ride or exercise on my elliptical without ending up in bed with cramps the rest of the day!

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Most of you know that I have endometriosis. I've been dealing with it ever since junior high. I didn't know what was wrong with me until after I had saige. I went from dr to dr and no one could tell me why my stomach and legs hurt all the time. I had surgery in 2005 and they took everything off but it just comes back. I had lupron injections in 2006 which basically puts you in to menopause for 6 months. I have taken 5 different birth control pills and have had different bad reactions to them. I've taken different herbs that are supposed to help and essential fatty acids and vitamins and all kinds of crap that doesn't help. The only "break" I got was when I was pregnant or nursing. Things have gotten progressively worse since kade stopped nursing and new symptoms have come up. (sorry if this is tmi) I bleed 2-3 weeks out of the month, my uterus is now retroverted which comes with it's own pain and my dr thinks the endometriosis is on my intestines and bladder from symptoms I have.
The pain has been getting worse and worse to the point where there are nights i am taking 800mg of ibuprofen, a lortab and sitting with my knees to my chest with hot pads on my stomach and back. I cant even exercise anymore because for some reason it flairs up the endo and I'm in bad pain for the rest of the day. I get so sick I can't eat and almost throw up. It's just not worth it anymore.
I guess I'm writing this for anyone else out there that has been there or needs support. I have an appointment with a new dr next week. I'm looking at having surgery again, but having a hysterectomy this time. I'm done having kids and I always said I would wait until I can't stand it anymore. I'm there now. It's taking over my life to the point where I can't function. I want to talk to this dr to see if there is anything he can suggest that I haven't tried yet or will just help me get through until the end of this semester. At this point I don't think I'll make it.


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I haven't blogged in a really long time. The kids are in swim lessons right now so i thought now was a good time. Things are pretty good around here. We sold our townhome and moved in to a house. I love it. It's quieter and we have a yard with a garden. We've had to do some work on the yard because it's all grass. We've planted trees and flowers and a good size garden. We got a dog door and the dogs love it. Saige is making new friends. She really misses her old friends especially since school is out.
We have been keeping busy with swim lessons, soccer, summer movie passes, bike rides down to the park and swimming whenever we get a chance. I've been reading a lot. It helps keep my brain active. I feel like my brain goes when I'm out of school. I should hear if I got in to nursing school soon. I'm getting anxious!
My dad was in a motorcycle accident a week ago. He was life flighted from price to university hospital in salt lake. He has broken a few ribs, his clavicle, pelvis. He has had surgery on his pelvis twice and 2 blood transfusions. It's scary seeing someone you love in that situation. He has been out of it a lot because of the pain meds and hurts a lot. He is supposed to be discharged to a rehab facility on Friday. He will be in a wheelchair for a while and won't fully recover for 6 months. It's really a miracle it wasn't worse. He wasn't wearing a helmet yet has no brain trauma. When he's alert he has been himself joking around and giving the nurses a hard time.
Here are some pics I have on my phone. I'll try to post more often :)



Our new living room



View from the deck



Saige at a princess dinner



Sharing Popsicles



My niece at her wedding. I got to do her hair :)



Saige and her teacher at kindergarten graduation



Kade at soccer



Swim lessons



Saige lost two teeth in one night!



At the heritage days parade



Watching the life flight helicopter take off from grandpas window at university hospital.



The kids in the garden
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Chris and I decided to put our house up for sale last week after thinking about it for about 3 weeks. We are in a better place financially now, we found a realtor that our friends recommended that is great, and our kids are at the point where they need separate rooms. There is a home in east Layton we are looking at, but it needs a lot of work so we are not sure yet. Otherwise, we are mostly looking at places near saiges school. We looked at a few the other day and found a few we really like. As far as our home goes, we've had 2 walk throughs already and one more scheduled for tomorrow. We found out we would qualify for te tax credit so we are hoping to sell before the end of April. It's kind of a blessing and a curse that my house has to be so clean all the time!


As far as all of us go, we are doing well. We all came down with strep at the beginning of this week and of course I now have a sinus infection and had to switch medications. I feel better today though, finally.
School is going good. I'm taking a cna class, which is a prerequisite for nursing. It's not hard at all, just time consuming. I start clinicals next week. I only have 3 more weeks left! I'm also taking chemistry and the Second half of the biomed series. I thought it was going to be torture, but it hasn't been so bad. I'm also trying not to be so stressed this semester, haha.
Saige is loving her school. We do too. They work with her on her level so she is not bored. The classes are smaller so she gets a lot of one on one attention. I am amazed how well she is reading and she can add and subtract, tell time, all kinds of things. I really want to be close enough that we can ride bikes or walk her to school.
Kade is crazy as ever :) He knows his colors and is working on learning the abcs and numbers. He is my little chatter box. From his "Hi mom! I woke up, it's morning!" to singing himself to sleep at bedtime, he doesn't stop. He has decided he doesn't need/want a nap every day which doesn't help my studying situation, but i've started doing quiet time instead and it helps. It's amazing how different my kids are. Especially when it comes to discipline!



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This semester has been crazy. I knew it would be hard, but I am finding that I love it. I am taking some hard classes but they overlap a lot. I love, love my anatomy/physiology class! The first day of class, my professor told us that if I don't get at least a b+ I won't get in to the nursing program. It's a scary thought, but I have gotten a 100 and 94% on my exams so far. I have been recording the lectures and listening to them as I'm falling asleep at night(I love my phone!) I also downloaded some microbiology tutor sessions that I listen to in my car and have been going to study groups on my lunch break. I feel like it's always with me sometimes. I have to do it this way, I have to squeeze it in whenever i can. When the kids are awake and chris is at work, I have been trying really hard to focus on them. Most of my nights are spent on campus. Whenever things get hard I remind myself that it will be worth it. It will, right?! The last week I have had major anxiety where I can't sit still. One day, I rearranged our bedroom furniture all by myself. I did 7 haircuts and 3 colors over the weekend. It has been NONSTOP! Yesterday, I forced myself to take a morning off and hang out with the kids. We ended up making cookies and dancing around. I really love my life and i'm grateful for it, even though it's incredibly chaotic right now.


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Today is mine and circes birthday. Chris got her a few months before we met and she has always been his baby. He said he knew we were meant to be because I share my birthday with his dog. Lol She used to be the most well behaved dog. We would take her everwhere with us. Chris would even take her to school with him and keep her in his hoodie pocket. That stopped when the kids came and we got ryu for her to play with. Now, she's old and doesn't care about discipline.
Anyway, she turns 11 today. It's a bitter sweet day for me. I love having a day to appreciate and celebrate my life and her life, but she is getting old and I wish she could stay around forever.
Happy birthday Circe dog!



This pic is from when chris and I were dating.



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I just dropped Saige off at school for her first day of kindergarten. I kept a brave happy face until I got in the


car to drive away. Then I cried like a baby. My little girl is growing up way too fast.



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It has been a really long time since I blogged. Things have been super busy here lately and then our Internet stopped working. I finally downloaded a blog writer app for my phone.
I'm in summer school right now. Math has been hard! I haven't taken it in so long that I have forgotten a lot. I'm going full time next semester, which will be a big adjustment. I have put my business on hold for now because of school. It has been a good break for me.
Saige starts kindergarten in a month! It's crazy how fast it goes by. She took soccer a couple months ago and now Both kids are in swim lessons. They love it.
Kade is completely potty trained except for at night. He is doing so good! He keeps me very busy. He is too smart for his own good sometimes he recently learned how to take the child locks off the door handles.
We have done quite a bit this summer. Chris and I went on a camping trip in June just the 2 of us. It did so many wonderful things for us and just myself. I have been feeling like I gave up a part of myself when I became a mom. I did a lot of soul searching while we were away and something clicked. Ever since, I have been making it a point to take time out for myself every day. I even bought my first pair of heels last week. Our marriage has been even stronger, which I didn't think was possible. We haven't had an argument in over a month.
I'm hoping that I can write more now that it's more convenient. Here's some pics:
Camping


The aquatic center


Lagoon


More lagoon


Wakeboarding at Willard bay


The 4th of july BBQ at our house


The drive to beAr lake


Swimming at bear lake


4th of July parade


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