Ever find yourself really wishing you had more time to get ready for Christmas... December just seems to SNEAK up on you? Well, maybe we can make a difference... together!

Monday, November 21, 2011

Giveaway #3..... are you READY!?!?

Well, I think you all know by now ... that my goal was to have my Christmas all DONE... FINISHED!.... All wrapping, decorating, baking.... EVERYTHING done by Dec. 1 ..... And I think that you will remember how last year SOMEONE just HAD to change my plan.... (you can read this - if you need a reminder... :)) Men... they always think it is all about them... ;) .... Well.... This year I warned him LOUD AND CLEAR! I've been telling him since August - that I have a deadline - and we WILL be done with Christmas by Dec. 1! And he was to not be pulling any SHA-NAN-A-GANS this year! LOL!

WELL..... APPARENTLY I failed to mention to a few others (ahem!) the RULES!  

Quick run down.... 
Nov. 2, at 5:30 pm, we received a frantic call from our daughter that she was rushing her husband to the hospital and he was going in for emergency surgery... she has a 2 year old and 3 year old ... (THE CUTEST 2 and 3 year old ever I will add!) and... well, we all know just how well little ones LOVE hospitals... They truly do LOVE them... all the machines with lots of little lights, buttons, noises and flashing things.... They live about 3 hours from us and they were heading to a hospital another hour and a half FARTHER from us - by 6 we were on our way to pick up the girls from her... a 4 1/2 hour journey was ahead.  He came out about midnight and was one sick young man.  They removed his gangrene appendix, and flushed his stomach cavity with saline and high powered antibiotics,  that was 80% filled with infection, cleaned his intestines and decided he was staying for 5-10 days depending on how he handled the infection.  (We are awaiting pathology reports to see exactly what he has) We arrived home at 4 am with 2 tired  little girls, we all crashed and called it a  night..... 

ONLY I was suppose to be to another hospital the opposite direction at 6 am to sit with my dad while my mom underwent a knee replacement surgery..... needless to say ... I didn't make it (I did call and let them know I would be late) I arrived about 11 am - mom came out of recovery about 2:15.... however, while waiting for my mom, about 12 noon I received a call from my son stating that he fell down a snow covered mountain while carrying his tools.  He tried to "catch" himself, but he was pretty certain that he broke his wrist and messed up his ankle really good! ....My reply... "Well I'm at the hospital already, I'll meet you in the ER" .... shortly after my mom came out - at 2:20 to be exact, I received a call from my hubby.... he informed me that his 83 year old aunt had fallen and broke her hip - and he felt that he needed to go to the hospital to be with his dad..... I hurried home..... exhausted of course....

We kept the girls for 1 week, so that dad could get home and rest a few days before chaos set it... and the 2 year old had a doctor appointment in Salt Lake anyway - On Nov. 8 - my Mr had a routine stress test ... after 3 hours of tests, they told us that he needed to return the next morning for another series... at that point I knew it was not well.... Nov. 9, we returned for 2 hours of testing, I worked for 1/2 a day - then took the 2 year old in for her ENT appointment.  They were REALLY behind .... SURPRISE!  after 4 hours a hearing test and discovering that SHE was going to need surgery as well... this grandma was exhausted.... we headed home in rush hour traffic, loaded the girls up and began our 2 1/2 hour journey to meet mom and dad and return them to their rightful owners .... (we sure miss them already!... but they were missing their mom and dad too!)  We returned home at 10:30 pm ....  and CRASHED in bed! 

Nov. 10, bright and early, our phone rang ... it was my Mr's heart doctor.... he informed us that there was significant blockage detected on the stress test and that he was going to need to go in for heart surgery.  He was to "LAY-LOW" until they could get him scheduled - no strenuous activity at all.... Can you say REPEAT!!! Did he not listen to me????  Sheesh!  

Nov. 16, he went in for heart surgery, my daughter and her family returned to be here for dad and grandpa... they sent us home Wednesday night with instructions to lay flat for 24 hours - avoid lifting, stress, and physical activity for at least 2 weeks...... Nov 18, we were back in the ER for monitoring and tests.... returned home about 11pm - and he is resting comfortably at this moment...... 

SO... you say.... WHAT THE HECK! What does this have to do with a GIVEAWAY!?!?!?! ..... well... I'll tell you.... This week, my giveaway is going to do with THANKSGIVING.... (I've decided that because I get so focused on WHAT to accomplish for Christmas by the end of November... that Thanksgiving is punishing me! It is feeling a bit neglected... ) I never EVER intended on it happening that way at all!  I just know that I don't want to be a STRESSED-OUT-BASKED case come December.... BUT Goals are just that GOALS!  And sometimes we reach them... sometimes we don't....

I think I'm changing my deadline to Oct. 31 for next year  (I'll show them!) AND hopefully you will forgive me for my tardiness... ramblings... and such!

So to keep THANKSGIVING on my side..... This weeks giveaway is....

Tell me what you are THANKFUL FOR! 

I'm THANKFUL for: 
Change - and the ability to adjust 
Goals - that keep me focused and striving to improve 
Food - because there have been times when we have had very little to none 
TRUE friends - because they take me for who I really am
Health - although we have our share of trials in this area - I know it could be worse ... I'm thankful it is not! 
Our home - it is a safe place for us to gather... a safe place for all who enter.
Blessings and Miracles.... we have witnessed a lot of them lately and I feel VERY blessed and grateful that we have been watched over and protected!
Strangers.... because they become my friends! And we all need GOOD friends!   
and mostly I am THANKFUL for my FAMILY....
You just never know when it is your time to go - I am thankful that we have each other and that we are close It is good to know that when everything around us seems to be crumbling, we can gather as a family and conquer the toughest obstacles! 

So.... what are you Thankful for? 

Giveaway Entries:
1-become a follower  (1 entry)
2-Tell us what you are Thankful for! (1 entry)
AND... you can earn extra entries for the following:
3-Write about the giveaway on your blog and come back to let me know you did (2 entries) 
4-Grab my TIS THE SEASON button and place on your blog - come back and tell me you did (3 entries) 
Thats 7 entries!!! HOLY SHMOKES!!!!  
What ya waitin' for???? 

OH.... and there will be 3 lucky winners this week!!!!! 
EVEN BETTER!!!!!
  So come on...
Let's make this a great-ful week -I know I am GRATEFUL to all of you!!!!

6 comments:

  1. I am a follower and enjoying your blog and getting to know you! ♥

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  2. I am thankful to be in Florida this year for the entire holiday season...enjoying the bright sun and warm temps! Makes if fun to decorate and enjoy my neighborhood! ♥

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  3. Wow, that is a lot to handle at one time! It sounds like you were pulled in a million directions at once! I'm glad everyone is going to recover.
    I am thankful for everything that you mentioned. Family is the most important thing in my life and I am thankful everyday to be surrounded by people I love and people who love me. What more could someone ask for?
    www.awhimsicalchristmas.com

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  4. Enjoying your blog and have been a follower for a few weeks since finding you.

    Karan

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  5. I am thankful for first my LOrd and Savior who has given me so many blessings to be thankful for such as family and friends. For a wonderful loving husband who is my best friend. For 5 wonderful children , 22 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. I am thankful to have a loving father still living and enjoying life. I am thankful that we have a home free of any debt, food on the table and even though we are retired that hubby is able to enjoy life and with good health after cancer scare 5 years ago. Thankful that I also enjoy good health. I am also so very thankful for my many friends both here around us but also those on line I have met over the last several years..

    There is so much more but I would be writing a book if I go on.

    So I will just say Happy Thanksgiving .

    Karan

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  6. Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you so much for the book, it made my day! :)

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It's like CHRISTMAS everyday when I unwrap your kind words! I just LOVE getting secret messages!!! I really have the BEST bloggy friends ever!