Simple things that have made my day.

1.  My living room is D-O-N-E!  Hubs finished sealing, grouting, sealing and putting the trim on the slate tile at the front door.  I cannot explain how happy this made both of us.  He also finished putting the woodwork in the kitchen and in the back entry.  He made a Pergo landing and it looks wonderful!  He's worked so hard on his vacation!

2.  We have about an inch of snow right now and K- was aching to get out and play in it.  She rolled around.  She pulled out her new sled.  Her snow pants from last year still fit wonderfully well.  Oh!  And she had enough snow to make a fairly decent sized snowball. 

3.  I took Grandma a small Frosty, knowing full well that she loves them.  I asked her if she wanted some and she said yes.  I could only spoon out very small amounts to her, but it was like I couldn't get it in her mouth fast enough.  She took hold of my arm and was guiding my arm to get my hand to her mouth. 

4.  Grandma gave me a couple of big hugs today. 

5.  K-'s interim pick-up was today. We were in and out lickety split.  Her teacher told me that she knows that I had math concerns a few weeks ago, but when reviewing the flash cards with the class, K- is about the only kid that doesn't use her fingers or a number line to get the answer.  She said that she works it out in her brain and that is great.  She said that she is exactly where she is supposed to be and to keep doing what we are doing.  Hooray!

6.  The PTA directory, thanks to the help of Kay the wonder secretary of the PTA, is printed, stapled and folded.  Now all I have to do is to print the cards, pile things up by class and distribute. 

7.  I'm getting a bit of a rhythm with the 100 Book Challenge prize distribution.  All the teachers know me well and I think that the kids see me as the prize lady.  Either I'm handing out prizes or standing on a bench, updating our 100 Book Challenge board.  I keep getting kids coming up to me and hugging me.  They know that I hook them up with the goods.  ;)

8.  I had a talk with K-'s teacher from last year on what to buy her teacher for this year.  I told Mrs. H- that I didn't quite think that an art gallery gift certificate would be a good fit for Mrs. S-.  She agreed, then told me that she would be happy to have it.  We determined that Kohl's is probably a great thing for her.  It is great that I had the opportunity to be able to consult with Mrs. H- to get a great gift for K-'s teacher.  I know that she'll be honest with me. 

9.  It seems that the stress of the week (stress?  What stress?) has caused a gigantic (and I mean HUGE) cold sore to bloom on not only my lip, but the right portion of my pie hole.  My sister suggested hitting it with tea tree oil.  While the tea tree (applied with a wet Q-Tip) is not necessarily the most tasty thing around, it completely halted the nasty burning that I had.  I'm going to apply more before I go to bed.  Hopefully, it will make this size-of-Arkansas cold sore magically go away.  Overnight would be spectacular, but I don't see it happening.  Darned stress!

10.  My truck, complete with new tires, didn't slip once on the icy roads last night. 

11.  Though it appears that stress may also be causing a lovely sty on my eye, a good dose of Advil Cold and Sinus seems to have taken the boulder-jammed-into-my-eyeball feeling out of my optical orb.  It's just one eye, which is a great thing.  It feels much better, which is a fabulous thing.  Now I'll rub my gold wedding ring over it just like Grandma-ma taught me and it should be all gone.  She was very specific and I can't recall if from the outside in or from the inside out.  I'm sure it makes no actual difference, but I'll do it both ways just to be certain.  I can tell you that I don't have Pink Eye, so that's a positive for sure!

12.  My mother-in-law shared with me some electric tea lights that she purchased.  Hubs bought me a snowman lantern years ago and I plunked one of those little lights in it.  It was lovely!  It flickered like a real candle, so it didn't have that fake kind of look about it. 

13.  Though I slipped a little in the parking lot of my Grandma's apartment complex, I didn't fall.

14.  I think that Hubs has finally settled for the night and has stopped obsessing about his craftsmanship.  Maybe.

15.  I got the insurance re-certification papers filled out and ready for Hubs to take to work.  That's been another one of his obsessions, so I'm glad that I tackled the paper beast.

16.  I have a toasty bed awaiting my indentation.  'Night all.

Smiles in my day:
-  Above.

So, I had that chat with my grandma.

You know the chat.  The one where you tell them that they don't need to hang out for you.  Yup.  The tears rolled down my face.  Grandma held as tight to my hand as she could.  I talked to her about how she could wear all the red that she wanted, about how Jesus would have his arms out for her and about how she could be our angel.  I asked her if she wanted me to pray with her and she said yes.  I told her that I hated to see her feeling so bad, to be in pain and I know that she didn't care much for it either.  I told her that we would miss her, but we would be happy for her to not be sick anymore.  I told her that we hate to see her suffer, but know that God has her here for as long as she is supposed to be here. 

Her night aide came in not long after our talk.  My eye make-up was still probably a little smudgy.  I told Grandma to make sure she behaved.  She told me she loved me. 

It's all good.  Whenever that day comes, we'll rejoice because she'll no longer be suffering. 

Until then . . .

The end of time.

Regular readers know that my grandmother has been suffering with Stage 4 Small Cell Lymphoma for the last 5 1/2 years.  Last evening she started having seizures.  Now, Morphine is being given for the pain.  If it isn't Hospice giving it, it is up to me.  I've been trained by Hospice how to measure, give it, log it and lock it back up.  I've also been given the full run on how to crush up Ativan and how to give that to Grandma if she is having a seizure. 

My prayers for Grandma?  That her passing be gentle and as painless as possible.  I don't want her to hang on and be in misery.  What she is right now is not the grandma that I know. 

She did tell me that she loved me today.

She did ask, "Where is your little girl?"  So, she remembered K-, even though she couldn't think of her name.  For her, that is huge. 

I stopped in this morning before work.  That's when I got the morphine talk.  I dropped in on lunch to give it to Grandma.  I came back by at about 6:15 PM and she was a lot better than she was this morning.  She's no longer able to drink on her own, but I gave her several medicine droppers full of Sprite.

Yes, that is what her liquid intake has come to.  Droppers full of Sprite. 

It's been a long day.  I don't expect it to get any shorter any time soon.

A handful of days that involve lots of bon bons.

Really, notsomuch. 

I had many days filled to the brim with much to do.  Let's see.

Tuesday: 
Worked all day, then came home, did homework with K- and made chocolate/chocolate chip bar cookies with her for the PTA cookie drive.  Our post office has an orphan Thanksgiving for all those living around here that have no family to spend the holiday with. 
Wednesday:
Did that thing called work all day.  Came home and started some prep for Thanksgiving.  Got rolls on the rise and baked two pumpkin pies.  They always take longer than I anticipate.  They never take the 45 - 50 minutes that they say.  Hubs and I watched the Biggest Loser update show while we smelled them baking.  Well, it was only me smelling them as Hubs' cold had reached the point that tasting and smelling no longer occurred. 
Thursday:
Got up at 7 AM to start the prep to get the turkey in the oven by 8 AM.  Turkey got in the oven by 8:15 AM.  As I prepped the turkey, I baked 3 1/2 dozen dinner rolls and a double pan of corn bread.  As the turkey cooked, I steamed potatoes (a few carrots, too) to mash, prepped the cornbread stuffing to bake, steamed some fresh green beans and got glazed carrots rolling along.  Hubs was feeling a bit under the weather, so he stayed home.  He didn't want to share his cold.  K- and I had lunch with my parents and dessert with Hubs' parents.  I got home, got my ads together and took a two hour nap.
Thursday evening:
Left at 11:15 PM to go get my sister for shopping.  Worth noting, it was 44 F when I left.
Friday:
We were at Walmart at 12:05 AM.  Their sale started at 12:01 AM.  All DS and Wii games were wiped out before I reached the cardboard carcass of a rack.  We scored some $4.00 jammies and my sister got some $5.00 fleece coats.  We stood in a long line to cash out, but everyone was kind.  No gun involved this time! A highlight this year was that my sister's partner decided to call her 7 different times.  I mean, he called to tell her that L- was crying.  He called back to have L- scream in the phone.  He called to ask when we were coming.  He called to ask where we were at.  He called to ask if we had left.  He called to have L- scream in the phone, again.  He called again and by that point I announced loudly, "IT'S THE 7TH CALL!"  We were in the store for about an hour.  My sister turned so that she could keep talking with him.  When we left, I drove her back home, watched a couple of episodes of Cake Boss (boy that guy is obnoxious!  I had never watched him and don't think that I could.) before going out on my own at 2:45 AM.  I hit Kohl's and stood in line for an hour.  I then drove to Target about a half hour away, fetched the items that my sister was going to buy but wasn't allowed to leave the house for.  I went to Joann Fabrics after that and scored myself a steamer iron presser thingy to use on K-'s uniforms, as well as some odds and ends that I cannot remember right this second.  I went from their to our local mall to hit Big Lots.  They had nothing left of the Zhu Zhu pets that they had advertised on sale.  After all, I was there 1/2 hour after they opened.  Who could expect anything to be left?  I decided to slide on over to that Target to use the $10.00 gift card that I earned at the previous Target for spending over $100.00.  I figured that I bought things for two people, combined them to make the $100.00 and since I stood in line, it was a reward for me.  I used that card to buy K- a robe that I'll use as gift wrap for her birthday gifts.  I hopped on over to Toys R Us, found absolutely nothing and drove on to Lowe's in a completely different section of town so that I could get Hubs the light spikes that he was longing for.  I, being a good wife, decided to give him a call to let him know I was there.  He then needed another extension cord.  Then he needed two additional sets of lights.  Then he needed a drill.  A new drill.  A drill that was on sale for "Only $99.00, but it was originally $199.!"  Reluctantly, I picked it up for him, knowing that we have a couple of other drills at home.  I scored a poinsettia for me, a set of tools for me to gift to K- and I was out of there.  Since I was so close and I was still riding high on an additional 15% discount from Kohl's, I went on an undergarment replacement mission.  I caught sight of the fact that they were on sale when I was in the never ending line at the previous Kohl's, but without my sister, I couldn't abandon my post with my belongings and expect people to save my place.  Besides, I didn't want to explain to a stranger that I had an undergarment let go earlier the previous week and I really needed to replace it, especially in light that they were 50% off and I had an additional discount.  After scoring at Kohl's -- again-- I had to stop by Joann's to return the tool box that I now didn't need since the tool set I bought K- conveniently comes with a tool bag and apron.  I called my sister, told her that she owed me $50.00 more for more presents that I scored for her and that I was dropping her things off.  She was thrilled.  She kept saying, "You saved me $55.00!"   She also promised to have my nephew weaned before next year.  I made my way home and none too soon.  I was starting to fall asleep on the way there.  It was 9:30 AM, I had been out since 11:15 PM and a cold front came in as I was out and about.  By the time I reached home, it was light out and a crisp 27 degrees.  Hubs and K- understood my collapsing in bed exhausted.  I laid down at 10 AM with the intention of sleeping just an hour and woke up three hours later.  Hubs and K- had put the tree up, so it was my task to start the decorating.  I was still so tired and spent that I started it, but the task had to roll on over to Saturday.
Saturday:
Stayed home all day and decorated the tree with K-.  Yes, it was an all day affair. My tree?  Some branches have 3-4 ornaments per.  It is a study in engineering.  Can I really get that much stuff to go on that amount of fake greens?  It takes a bit of work.  I think that we watched Girl with a Pearl Earring, Year Without Santa Claus, Santa Claus is Coming To Town, The Toy that Saved Christmas,The Star of Christmas and one of the Home Alones that involved a kid that was not MC.  Every now and then, I must walk away for a few to uncross my eyes.  By 10 PM, I put the finishing touches on.  Part of the time it takes rolls into a walk down memory lane.  It always takes a while.
Sunday:
Went to Bass Pro Shops.  We had a drive ahead of us, but we got there by 10:30 AM.  Hubs took K- to enjoy their Winter Wonderland as I did some much needed shopping for him for Christmas.  K- enjoyed the activities, she took an absolutely awesome picture with Santa, made a "Bobber Santer," had lunch and before we left, we got some ice cream.  I had pumpkin with bits of graham crackers and pumpkin.  Oh, it was lovely!

A funny thing to note:  I noticed that they had gift wrapping tables set up with paper, scissors and tape.  "Oh!  You have gift wrapping!"  The cashier apologized that their gift wrappers weren't there.  "Would it be okay for me to wrap the gifts that I purchased here today?"  "Oh, sure!  It's not a problem.  Just have your receipt with you."  So K- and I went out, fetched my gifts and went back in.  I hurried up and wrapped them, got ready to go and the blasted alarm went off.  The guard lady stopped me and said, "Well, since your packages set the alarm off and we DON'T have gift wrappers on duty today, I'll just have to unwrap all your packages."  "Are you serious?"  "Well, I have to see what is going off."  "I have receipts for all I purchased.  I have four things.  I have four things on the receipts.  I swear I didn't steal anything."  Someone else went through, set the alarm off with the motorized cart and she let us go.  We dropped the things off in the car, then went to track something down for K- to buy for Hubs.  She found her thing, we picked up pictures that we had developed, went to the counter, paid for all and quickly wrapped up her item.  The guard lady came through and said, "Well, let me check and make sure that it doesn't set anything off.  Make sure that you hide the scissors because we really aren't encouraging people to wrap their gifts."  "I'm so sorry.  The cashier told me it was fine!"  For the love that is all good and right with the world.

When I reported being stopped by the guard at the door, I was teasing when I told Hubs that, "They were gentle, though."  I was so kidding and he seriously thought I really had been patted down and searched! 

Today we brought The Elf on the Shelf home with us.  His name is Buddy.  He has brown hair, blue eyes and he is currently resting with the Christmas books awaiting his child to find him in the morning.  K- read the book to us tonight and totally got into the whole thing.  Let's see how it works.

In the last few days, we've managed to get our whole house decorated and Hubs even gave me beautiful woodwork around both kitchen windows as a holiday bonus.  Go Hubs!

I have some turkey that I need to freeze, so I'm going to scadoodle here.  Besides, there is a half gallon of caramel cone ice cream calling my name.

Smiles in my week off:
-  Listed above. 

Have a great day!