WOWZAHS

I know, I know- it's been AGES since I've posted.  And what's a blog post without a picture?  So, I'm just going to post a picture quickly.  This is a picture of myself, Quinlynne, my brother Aaron, sister in-law Mandy, and nieces Abby, Cadyn & Jenny Paige.  We had these taken way back in June.  So- the girls have grown since then and I'm sure the adults have only improved with age.  (Except, this is my birthday month and I have now found 2 gray hairs!!!!  What am I going to do??) 

Catch-up

It sure has been a while since I've posted, huh? Well, back in February I got to go on a cruise!! I know, crazy, right? I went on the cruise with one of my dearest friends, Lorena. Lorena and I met the first week of college (August of 1994) when we were both residents on the same hall at OU. Imagine our surprise when we showed up for church on Sunday and each other was there! Over the years at OU, Lorena came home to Broken Arrow with me many a time and became part of the family. In turn, I went home to the Houston area with Lorena and met aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. I was once the only white person at a Quincenera...I could hear the surprise when I could dance at the Quince, too.... "La alta gringa bailla!!!!" Anyhow, over the years Lorena and I have kept in touch. She has previously discovered the joy of cruising, and she thought I needed to discover it as well. So, we planned a 5 day cruise. GLORIOUS!!!! I'll admit, at the end of day 3 I did break at the phone to look at pictures of my child. But, as we were packing up I thought "I could handle a few more days of this." I was actually really sick when we took off on the cruise, I'd had to have two bags of IV fluid the day before we left & the Dr. had told me to stick to a bland diet. UH....don't think that'll happen on a cruise ship. I absolutely loved cruising! I loved lying out on the deck getting some sun, the yummy food, the different ports we went to....I loved getting to be an adult & not a mom. I even cut loose! I did a little crazy dance on the pier in Progreso, shook my groove thang a little.

After my cruise, I had surgery. What?? They cut you open, Shandolynne? Why- yes, they did. On March 5 I had a panniculectomy. You may ask what that is. Basically, they cut my hangy tummy off. After 5 hours of surgery, the Dr. had removed more than 21 lbs of skin. As he said to my mom "No wonder her back was hurting!" I did spend one night in the hospital, for pain control. It was odd to be the patient. The techs came in the next morning and asked to give me a bed bath. It was actually an internal moral dilemma for me.....there was a student there and who was I to deny her a learning experience?? And I'd be easy- I could move myself, etc. Anyhow, I had 2 JP drains, which were inserted on the pubic....mound, if you will.

I had, and still have an elastic binder which I must wear, except when I shower. I could not shower for 17 days. That was horrible.

This is me right now. I have edema going on, since the 2nd drain fell out and was still putting out about 200 mL of fluid a day. So, I am waiting for the edema to go away, which feels like it never will. But, I know that when I can begin work as an RN, I won't have this surgery looking me in the eye & hopefully my back will hold up!!

Christmas dresses

Since Quinlynne's first Christmas, I couldn't decide on one dress that was cute enough to be her only Christmas dress. Luckily, as you may know, I always shopped at Just Between Friends and was able to purchase absolutely adorable dresses for good prices. This year was no exception. Quinlynne had 4 dresses for Christmas. I believe the most expensive dress was $15. Not bad, eh? It was a great Christmas for the Hoffman clan. My camera is not doing so well, so I'm afraid I don't really have any pictures to show. Sorry- just take my word for it.

Dress 1

Dress 2

Dress 3

Dress 4

Us on Christmas after church.

Speaking of Pumpkin Patches

Here's a picture of Quinlynne's first trip to the Pumpkin Patch. Uncle Aaron made a special trip home from OSU for this.

Here's the pumpkin patch this year:

Where does the time go? *sigh* I need another one.

Kindergarten Field Trip

Quinlynne went on her first field trip in Kindergarten. She begged & begged for me to go & "help". I could think of no good reason to get me out of it. I just didn't know how I was going to be with other people's kids! As you may know, my patience does not rank up there with Job's. I rode out to the pumpkin patch, which was about 20 or so miles away- maybe farther with another mom who is a friend of mine. Her daughter goes to another school. It was about 45 minutes before Quinlynne got there. Luckily, I was only put in charge of one other little kid. She was a good girl- so I was relieved. This was not the same pumpkin patch where Quinlynne & I usually go. We go to Carmichael's in Bixby, OK. That is the patch where my mom used to take my brother & me. Now- we take our kids there. (As a little side note here...I have tried to do things over & over so Quinlynne will have traditions. I never wanted her to NOT have the same kinds of traditions because we do not have a "traditional" family...ya know...mom, dad & kid(s). I must be succeeding b/c the next week when I announced we were going to the pumpkin patch Quinlynne asked if we were going to "our" pumpkin patch & started telling me all of the things we had to do when we got there. Made me feel good!)

Here are some pictures from her field trip: She got to "milk a cow". I thought that was pretty cute. They had bottles they use for livestock in 5 gallon puckets with water inside. The kids squeezed the bottle nipples & "milked" the cows.

They got to rope a "calf" while they were on a "horse". Quinylnne was very sad when I told her she had to throw away her lunch bag. She had worked so hard on that bag. Can you see the pumpkin towards the bottom? This was the face she gave me when I told her we weren't going to carry it around & she needed to throw it away.

The kids got to have gunny sack races. Very cute. Overall- it was a good first field trip. I only scared one kid. He kept on throwing this dried corn all over & this other chaperone asked him to stop several times. He'd look at her & ignore her. I told him to stop. Again- ignored us. I finally grabbed his arm, got down on his level, looked him in the eye & very calmly told him to STOP throwing the corn. We weren't going to ask again. I'm pretty sure he wet his pants.

It's test time

...so of course I'm going to publish a blog post. So much has been going on in our lives, that I don't even know where to begin. Quinlynne is in Kindergarten. Can you believe that? Doesn't it seem like just a few days ago this little girl: became this little girl? (Tilt your head, I haven't edited yet.) She has said some of the most hilarious things. Her first day of school I was leaving her in her classroom. I got about 3 steps out of the door and she said "Momma!" I was turning around expecting to see a sad face, or the beginnings of a meltdown. Instead she blew me a kiss. That's a big girl. (What's even funnier about the whole thing is that just as we were walking out the door my mom told me that she made it out the door from delivering me to my first day of Kindergarten. I called her name & she expected to see my ugly cry beginning. Nope, I waved & said "Have a good day!") Genetics folks....

Soon I'll have to post about the guy who tried to hit on me at Barnes & Noble when Quinlynne & I went there to read the new Fall & Halloween books. But- that'll take too much time right now. I mean, I AM supposed to be studying. Oh- & I need to tell you about my experience in school so far this semester. But, before I go- there is a link I'd like to share wtih you. Please go here and read about a friend of mine & the injustice which has occurred to her.

Silly Shandolynne

I don't know how many of you can relate to this. But- I just need to express it. Do you know how much it stings the heart to find out that a man you have always carried a flame in your heart for- even though you haven't been together in over a decade- and he has moved on & had more children & you have had a child...and you know he's been with a woman & even in your deepest crevices of your heart you know it won't happen for the two of you & you continue to have tender feelings for him & the two of you communicate & know there's still love between the two of you....to see he is now engaged to that woman? Even though you know it's not a good thing for him. It breaks my haert just a little more. Silly Shandolynne- don't open up your heart.

What a Weekend

This weekend was our annual Hardwick Cousin Family Reunion. (My mom's maiden name is Hardwick.) It was held in Allen, OK. Each year our reunions have a theme. The theme for this year was Mardi Gras. One of the activities was a Mardi Gras parade. Each family was supposed to do something. Mom left to go to Allen on Thursday with her brother. She informed myself & my SIL (Mandy) that we were in charge of coming up with an idea for the float. I have more pictures of it coming, but....Mandy & I made tutus for the girls in Mardi Gras colors. We called Mom to tell her & she said she wanted one too. So.......
There was more to the costume than this- but doesn't mom look HOT in the tutu? Speaking of hot...it was HOT at the reunion.

Since Mandy & I stayed up until 4 am making the tutus, I didn't get much sleep before it was time for us to leave and drive the 2 hours down to Allen. It was 98 degrees (at least, no exaggeration) during the day. I only got about 40 oz of water during the day. I was outside quite a bit. So, total- I spent about 6 hours driving during the day. I decided to drive home & when I got home- this is what my edematous feet looked like.
Isn't it sexy? It was starting to swell up into my legs. I hadn't had swelling that bad since I was pregnant with Quinlynne. I don't even think this picture does it justice.

Things I heard this weekend: Quinlynne "Abby, do you know what booby cracks are for?"
Abby "What?!?!"
Quinlynne "Ya know- women's booby cracks? They're so men will fall in love with them."
Me trying to not make noise laughing in the front seat.
Abby "My mom doesn't have that I don't think. I never see it."
Quinlynne "My momma has it."
Abby "I see it sometimes too."

As Quinlynne & I were driving back home last night, she was watching "Because of Winn Dixie". Just as we were getting on I-40, she started laughing. I heard her laughing & wondered what she was laughing at. She said "Momma- know why I'm laughing?"
Me "No. Why are you laughing?"
Quinlynne "I heard thunder & I it made me kinda wake up. It was in the movie, but I thought it was in our country."
I guess I'm gonna have to talk about the word "reality" & teach her the definition & when to use it. That kid cracks me up. "In our country" & "Booby cracks".

Might I Suggest

Last week I was making some cookies. My cookie scoop had gone kaput & I was somewhat distraught. I enjoy having near-perfectly round cookies. So, I ran by Wal-Mart (when my heart really cried for William Sonoma) to see if they might accidentally have a cookie scoop. Might I suggest this little beauty:

The Oneida cookie scoop. Most usually, I love anything by Oneida. I think they make a good product. This beauty was around $7.00 and has a lifetime warranty! Both my sister in-law & I have used it already. We both loved using it. So- if you're in the market for a new, cheap kitchen goody- go for this! (Notice I have more blogging? Can you tell school's not in session??)

I hate stuff like THIS

So, I have a real problem with people making money off of Jesus. Bumper stickers that say Honk if you Love Jesus make me want to rear end the person. I just think it's disrespectful to our Savior. Several things of this nature I witnessed today. But- this was the cherry on top.
I think that is so tacky. I think it's disrespectful to our Savior. I think relationships with Jesus are meant to me sacred, not commercialized so someone can make money off of Him. I saw it (sticker) in a parking lot & HAD to stop & take a picture of it for a friend who no longer lives in the Bible Belt. I know she misses seeing this sort of thing!