Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Making Time for Family

We are so very busy (and so very tired) but we are making time for family by having a family dinner once a month. I was overjoyed that my son and daughter-in-law drove a few hours to come visit for the weekend. My daughter and her boyfriend and his daughter . 
(unfortunately we are missing one important person)
 but it was awesome to have
 this many with us. 
 My son brought his bike for us to see and ride.
 My Firefighter missed out on the rides, so she took a little "pretend" ride after it was loaded on the truck!
I love my children and pray that I never take them for granted. One this is for sure, I know how blessed we are that this handsome man is here with us. They complain because I take so many photos but I want to document all our memories. I love these kids so much and all the new family members just as much.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Lighthouses of NC

 Years ago I decided that before I die I wanted to visit all 7 of the lighthouses in NC. 
In 2009 I visited my first lighthouse (Cape Lookout) and this summer while on a road trip with my best friend from Junior High, I visited 3 more!  (Above is me in front of Cape Hatteras)
 Ive wanted to visit Cape Hatteras since they MOVED it! It was all over the news every night for the longest time. As you can imagine, moving a lighthouse is quite the task!
 Below is the Ocracoke Lighthouse. We took the ferry over to Ocracoke Island for a few hours and saw this little light house.
 Below is Cape Lookout in 2009
 Below is the Bodie Lighthouse. Its very easy to see three in one day! ( Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke) I can mark 4 lighthouses off my bucket list! Only 3 more to go!!

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Cardiac Patient

 When mothers think of their children they always remember something like the picture above. 
Thats what I see in my mind when I think of my third child. Chunky hands, chubby face and sweet little smile. I loved those days, and I miss those days!
 In actuality, this is what she looks like.A beautiful young lady with a awesome personality, beautiful smile and multi-colored hair! (We never know what color her hair will be! )
When she went in for a surgical heart procedure a few months ago, all I saw was that sweet little baby of mine. It was so hard to see her being wheeled off with I.V. attached in a hospital bed.
She was disgnosed with SVT last year. Over the summer she was rushed via ambulance from her job at a local grocery store when her heart suddenly raced up to 200 beats a minute and wouldnt slow back down. After seeing her Cardiologist, he suggested the Ablation procedure and it was a cure! 

Two months later she has had no episodes of SVT and her Cardiologist has released her as a Cardiac patient! In the 1980s this procedure was a full open heart surgery! I am so thankful for the advances in medicine! They were able to go in through the groin and up to the heart to find the problem and correct it with lasers! 

We are so very thankful that the Ablation was a cure!

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Everyone is talking about it

Everyone is talking about Robin Williams and suicide. Many say its a selfish act. I say that most of the time people have held on for their families and suffered a long time before they make such a sad choice. Its not "killing themselves" that they are thinking about, its ending the pain, the bottomless feeling that they cannot shake; its just wanting peace. You cant tell them to "snap out of it"  because they want nothing more, its just a cycle they cant break. 

Don't get me wrong, I don't condone it. Its just so sad for those left behind and even more sad to think of the pain that person was dealing with when they finally decided this was the only way to stop it. 

Depression, Bi Polar Disorder and suicide affect us all. Last year my youngest child took part in a dance/drama production to raise money and awareness for suicide prevention/awareness. That made me so very proud. It shouldn't take our favorite actor dying for us to be aware because I am certain that every person has someone close to them who has thought, attempted or knows someone who has committed suicide. 

Robin Williams was one of my most favorite actors. The first time I remember him was in Mork and Mindy. Man, I loved that show! He has made so many laugh. He has supported our troops, and has always seemed like such and all around good person. Its so unfortunate that he is gone and left loved ones behind who mourn his loss. I have been in tears myself over the last few days because after watching him in so many movies, TV shows etc.. you just feel like you know him. 

When the news stops talking about his death, please don't forget that countless others are suffering just as he did.

Monday, August 4, 2014

A Day in Rodanthe

I love his books that take place along the OBX of NC. We stopped in the little area known as 
Rodanthe where the book takes place. Its a beautiful area!!
I dont remember if I read the book but I do know that I did see the movie.
Now that Ive visited Rodanthe I think Ill read the book! 

Friday, August 1, 2014

The Outter Banks of North Carolina

 I spent a few days at the OBX with my best friend from Junior High School!
 It was fun ! Its about a four hour drive there from where I live so we had a lot of time to talk and catch up on things!
Ill share more of the next week.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Ablation Complete

 My daughter had the Ablation at UNC Hopsital. Above you see her in the recovery room. 
Its been ONE WEEK and what a difference 7 days can make! 
Look at the beautiful face! She is has bruises but is otherwise healthy and happy. 
She has been feeling great and returns to work tomorrow! 

In the 80's this procedure would have been a full open heart surgery. 
I am thankful for technology, especially in the medical (cardiac) field.
In addition to this wonderful news, my son is now a civilian! He walks off base today 
a completely free man. He served his four years and two tours in Afghanistan. 
Now, he begins college. 

Thanks for your prayers for our family! 
God has indeed heard our prayers and has answered them. 

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Ablation Update

My daughter had an Ablation procedure yesterday. While Ablation is a minor heart procedure, any surgery or procedure dealing with your heart is serious and scary. 

The above photo was taken as they wheeled her off for the surgery (after she had a little medication in her system) She was a little giggly.

They went in through the arteries in her legs and up to her heart. They found the area causing the problem (which was in a tricky area) and used a laser to burn the problem area. 
She is sore and tired but recovering well. 

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Ablation

I was trying to blog more this summer but we have a lot going on! The major thing is that my "Future Teacher" has been having a lot of episodes with her SVT. She is going in for Ablation surgery/procedure on Monday for her heart. Keep us in your prayers!

Thursday, June 26, 2014

She's Crafty!

 Recently the girls and I went to The Scrap Exchange to look around. It was 50% off the craft isle and I wanted to check out their rubber stamps. My future "teacher" saw the film slides and remembered a project we saw awhile back. She bought about 50 slides and last night she completed her project.
 She purchased a cheap lamp that she liked and cut off the fabric from the shade (leaving only the wire structure) Next, she punched small holes on all four sides of the slides (measure if you try this!) She connected the slides with metal rings and attached them to the wire shade frame.
 Her final project looks like this! How cool it is when the light is on and the room is dark.
 If you try this project be sure to check out the pictures in the slides before you purchase them or use them!
Dont forget my other blog (for kids) as there is an update on our Lucky Bear the Rescue Dog!

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

The Pit (Good 'Ol NC BBQ) a restaurant reveiw

We recently visited The Pit
as you may or may not know, North Carolina is known for its Barbecue.  Our state is split on the "type" of  BBQ. Towards the East they make a vinegar based chopped BBQ. The rest tends to make a sweeter based sauce. The Pit offers both! The best thing about this place is they offer
whole hog, pit cooked over charcoal and wood.
I rarely eat pork but this place was amazing. Not too much fat in the meat and just the right flavor! 

Its a new place and we were anxious to try it! Its very nice inside!  The tables and chair were a heavy and nice quality. It was clean and the service was top notch! You could see the Cook through the window chopping the meat. 

Our party ordered southern style deviled eggs and fried green tomatoes as an appetizer. We ordered various items such as baby back ribs, fried okra, macaroni and cheese, chopped barbecue and brisket among other things. Every bite was awesome, especially the southern sweet tea.
If you are in North Carolina (Raleigh/Durham) you MUST try this place! 


(c) 2014 The photos in the post belong to Annette Smith and no one has permission to use them
 in any way, shape or form.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

What is normal?

Just when you think that life is calming down and even on the "boring" side.....

Tonight I got a call that our newly graduated daughter had been taken by ambulance to the ER from her job!  Her SVT is acting up and her heart rate was a steady 198. 
Shes better now, with meds and rest until we can get in to see her Cardiologist. 

Friday, June 20, 2014

Slowing down for summer

Our life has been so busy lately. In recent months we celebrated our baby's 14th birthday, our middle daughter's graduation from high school, our Marine returning from his second tour in Afghanistan, conquering our second 5k mud run, and meeting my step son for the first time.  The school year is finished for both the girls and for me (my work)

This has been the first week of summer for me. I haven't had a summer off in 20+ years! 
This week my nephew stayed with us. We played the Wii, swam in the pool, went to the summer kids movie festival at the local Theater , we went bowling and made a gift for my sister's birthday. It was a fun week but I can honestly say that I have been in "vacation mode"  I haven't worn a stitch of make up or fixed my hair all week! I don't even think my clothes have matched! Ive watched too many shows on Netflix (like Scooby Doo and Fairy movies)  and tonight (Friday) I'm bored! Its been a week and I'm bored! 

Being bored makes me think too much. I remember how much I miss teaching preschool. I think about vacation Id like to take and don't have the funds to or how much I miss hanging out with friends. 

I am a list person. I am a person who thrives on goals. Tomorrow I shall create a summer "goal" list and all of them will not be NEEDS but things Ive been wanting to do but just haven't had the time to do. Like work on Photo albums and paint the living room. 

I will also start exercising daily and working on a strict diet to lose weight! Its a battle I fight over and over and keep giving up but find myself starting over. Here I go again...................  

Monday, June 16, 2014

Our Busy Life

 In recent weeks we have been spending time at the softball field watching our baby girl play
and get hit by the ball (many many times)
 We surprised "The Husband" with a visit from his son (they had never met face to face) 
until now. It was emotional and amazing!
 We took him to The Pit, a NC BBQ restaurant in downtown Durham.
 Our six month old puppy is growing! Hes 50 lbs at 6 months.
 Its pretty amazing how much my step son looks like his Pops!
 I was sure that we were headed to the ER on Fathers Day weekend when my son and husband decided to put the skate board on the treadmill but amazingly they didnt fall~

(DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!)
Summer has begun! I am off work and spending time with my nephew and my girls. I will be my the pool, visiting with my friend who is coming to visit soon and doing things Ive been wanting to do but didnt have the time.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Busy as a Bee! (AKA Im a Dirty Girl x2)

 This is our team this year....  
"Save the Boo-Bees" in the Dirty Girl Mud Run.  My girls, my sister and her friend.
 I loved this years location, it was more organized, and
 much more muddy!
 Lots of people joined in the muddy fun to raise money
 for breast cancer.
 I did ALL the obstacles! I got very dirty! 
I laughed a lot, and was so very tired when it was over.
 Considering the fact that I just recovered from tendonitis in my knee, and am still on antibiotics from the worst sinus infection Ive ever had, I think I did pretty good!
And here's our after photo!

Our life has been filled with much family time and keeping us so busy but I wouldn't trade for anything. Our next two weekends are full as well!

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Our Marine is Home!

 Above, you will see his unit marching in to meet the families! After being gone for 8 months these guys are home!  Below: thats me hugging my son !!!
 Below: His Daddy so happy to see him and give him a big bear hug!
It was an amazing Memorial weekend (even if I have been sick the whole time)