We honor those that have served, those that are serving, and those who have fallen in service to our great country.
Memorial Day has been observed in some form or another in this country for over 140 years. Up until 1971, Memorial Day was traditionally on May 30, but was changed to coincide with the last Monday in May - so as to make it a more convenient three-day weekend. Did you know that for 50 years now, on the Thursday before Memorial Day, the 1,200 soldiers of the 3rd U.S. Infantry place small American flags at each of the 260,000+ gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery? Throughout the weekend, they patrol the cemetery 24 hours a day to ensure that each flag remains standing.
Thank you for your sacrifices. We wouldn't be where we are today without your efforts.
Well, we were planning an exciting trip to Springfield, IL, for next week, while Brian takes some much deserved time off of work. But then we got to thinking about how NOT FUN it would be to sit in a hotel room for a few hours every day while Connor tries to take his naps, and how NOT FUN it would be for the whole family to have to play the hold-still-and-be-completely-silent-because-we’re-all-in-the-same-room game when Connor tries to go to bed at 8pm. So, we threw Springfield out the window. (Seriously, how do families with babies/toddlers go on vacations??)
Sitting around the house didn’t sound like a total blast either (though it is the first week in a LOOOOOOONG time that Connor has NO appointments), so we started planning our stay-cation (I totally hate that phrase, and can’t believe I just wrote it!) here in Chicago… a place loads more exciting than Blago’s old stomping grounds.
Of course, there aren’t too many places that can easily accommodate all ages… except for… THE ZOO!
Visiting a real zoo like Brookfield Zoo means real ticket prices… a minimum of $13.50 per adult. Ugh.
So, I googled discount tickets… and lo and behold, a Christmas miracle!
If you’re a local, you’ve got to check out Museum Adventure Pass!On Tuesday, I visited my local library branch to inquire about the passes. (Lucky for us, Brookfield Zoo is one of the participating “cultural destinations”.) I was curtly informed by the crotchety librarians at the childrens’ reference desk, that they were all out, and that passes to the zoo were extremely hard to come by. I asked when they would have more passes available (Wednesday), and what time they opened (9am).
Like a dork, I was there at 8:45am the next morning, stalking the locked front doors to the library… after all, I had been warned they were in high demand, and I was determined!
Yes, I was the only crazy person waiting for the library to open on Wednesday morning, but guess what… I got my Museum Adventure Pass! So, we’ll be visiting the zoo next week FOR FREE.
So I'm the brother, Scott... the orneriest of the bunch, the one that broke Aimee's arm once in adolescence cause she has a hard time (apparently) roller skating whilst being shoved by me at Mach 3 around the rink screaming for her life. Ehhhh, it happens, right? Right??!!
Anyhow... Aimee recently participated/contributed to something I'm a part of, and suggested I write a guest post to let others know about it.
I wouldn't normally do this... but it's for a reason and purpose that's very close to my heart. So I'm going to tell you a story... a long, but very real story.
My very best friend's name is Marisa. We met back in the mid ‘90s when my family moved to Scottsdale, and we have been friends ever since. Marisa turned 31 about 6 months ago. When she was born (and old enough to understand), she was told she shouldn't live past her teens – because at birth, she was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis.
Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic, degenerative, and presently un-curable disease. In short, due to a faulty gene, sodium and chloride don't pass through cells like they should. The result of which causes thick mucus to build up in the lungs and nutrient malabsorption in the intestinal tract. In 1930, life expectancy of babies with CF was up to one year. By the 1950s, it reached 5 years. By the 1980s, it was nearly 20 years, and today, it's almost double that.
Marisa told me once that growing up, she always had a number in the back of her mind... the number was what she believed to be the age of her last birthday. As the years went on and advancements in treatments and drugs were pushed to market, she kept surpassing that number in her head. To be honest, I know she still has a number and how that weighs on her conscience, I can't even fathom.
(Watch for Marisa in this CF video.)
Life with CF consists of 3-4 times daily hour-long nebulized/inhaled breathing treatments and 3-4 hour-long chest percussion treatments, all in an effort to thin and expel the mucus - enabling you to breathe, function, and carry on with your life. You also can't eat anything (unless you want it to come out in less than 30 minutes) without ingesting 7-10 enzymes per meal so that your body is forced to absorb the nutrients from food, because of how CF affects the intestinal tract.
Anyhow... Marisa wasn't alone in her struggle... her younger sister of 5 years also had CF. It affected her sister differently and more severely than it does Marisa... her sister's lungs weren't as strong and at age 17 (in 2000), she underwent a living donor, double-lung transplant. You and I have two lungs comprised of two lobes each (upper and lower). Wellesley and her mom & dad were thankfully genetic matches for transplantation. So, all three of them went under the knife at the same time and her mom & dad each had one lobe removed…those two little adult lobes then filled their daughter’s chest. The surgery went well, the recovery was long, but Wellesley enjoyed a quality of life she hadn't seen... ever. In February of 2001, Wellesley sadly lost her battle with the disease due to complications at the age of 18 – a few months before her high school graduation.
Until recently, anyone who meets Marisa wouldn't have a clue she has Cystic Fibrosis. You might notice she coughs from time-to-time (well, all the time) but other than that, Marisa doesn't acknowledge to herself that she's sick. She's just Marisa. If you hung out with her for a full day you'd get to see how intense her lifestyle is just to keep breathing. You'd notice how she hides her chest percussion machine and makes it look like an end table, and puts her nebulizer in away out of sight. If you watched closely, you'd see her sneak pill after pill after pill into her mouth. If you hung around long enough, you'd learn she's admitted into the hospital two to three times a year for 4-6 weeks for what she calls a "tune-up".
Again, let me remind you... Marisa doesn't see herself as sick... this is just her life and she functions juuuuuuust fine. She has graduated college, held jobs, travels, has fun, loves her family and friends and on and on. She's just like you and me, but was dealt a very different hand at birth.
Outside the hospital, Marisa lives by herself – is very independent, and qualified for "disability" a few years ago which provides some passive income. She’s also found a few awesome families for whom she can nanny that accommodate her (unexpected, unplanned and frequent) health challenges and hospital admits. Combined, she's been able to afford her independence in personal expenses... just like you and me and anyone else because Marisa isn't sick... she's entitled to everything that everyone else is and she's been determined to do just that.
A few years back, I learned (through some brow beating it out of her) that based on affordability, she was choosing NOT to fill some of her prescriptions. Her family and I intervened, changed all the mailing addresses on her medical claims and bills and health plan to someone else's address, and made her swear not to open another bill. We made her promise to fill all her prescriptions when she needed to, and not to worry about how much they were. We've been able to keep the out-of-pocket medical expenses just under $10,000 per year. Yes, yes, that's a fortune… but behind the scenes her extended family and I make it work, and on the surface we tell Marisa the medical fund we established through Bank of America is flush with cash. (In truth it's never flush with cash but we make it work, and it removes the burden of Marisa choosing groceries over medicine or visa versa).
So here's the latest update... Marisa was recently discharged from the hospital after having spent the longest stay of her life (to date) there. Eight weeks to be exact. She wasn't getting any better inside the hospital... (that has NEVER happened). She kept on getting lung infections, she was coughing up blood... she didn't feel well, she was scared.
Marisa doesn't let a lot of people into her thoughts (she's tough as nails, and has to be), but a couple weeks ago, we both had a little meltdown. I was staying with her in the hospital and ultimately came up with the idea to write down some very specific questions because we knew the pulmonologist was making rounds the next day. He came by and took about an hour to humor us... through tears and silent moments, Marisa got to talk to those who have become her "friends" (not doctors) over the last three decades of hospital stays, about what's really up. The army of doctors and nurses who treat CFers down in Tucson, AZ, know that this routine isn't new to their patients – it's their life. So, you don't often get bedside consults… because at the end of the day, it is what it is. They do their best to monitor your health and get your lungs feeling better, then push you out the door to see how long you can stay on the outside until you have to come back in.
The bottom line is that Marisa is having to face the fact that her health has turned a corner. She doesn’t know if it will find its way back... doesn’t know if there will be gradual or rapid hills that go down or up… doesn’t know if she can turn BACK around and get on the same path she was on before she was admitted. But this last time, she wasn't pushed out of the hospital with the same vigor as she had been previously.
This time, however, she was pushed out with a fancy new machine – an oxygen compressor that she now uses overnight so that her blood’s oxygen saturation doesn't fall below a certain level. She also was put on a recently FDA-approved inhaled medicine that actually has its own machine to administer it and ions to charge it up, and weird stuff I don't even understand. The manufacturer had to comp it for the first month, because it's insanely expensive (like $5,000/month), but it's showing promise. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and drug manufacturer’s goodwill program are trying to get it into the lungs of lots of CF patients so they can prove it works, get it subsidized by grants and private funding, and distributed widely, so the cost comes down. If you’re keeping track, that's 4 more treatments a day on top of the others to add to her routine.
If you've made it this far, congratulations!
If you read no further, I hope you leave with the impression of understanding that lots of people have lots of struggles in their lives. Some are consequences of previous decisions, some are merely circumstance… but it's how you deal with them that counts. It's how you react to them that defines your character.
For anyone who knows Marisa personally, you'd know that she's far from perfect herself, but that every single day she chooses to live one more. She chooses by taking her medicine, by trying to work out her lungs and increase their capacity, by trying to cough up that mucus, by making sure she's taking the correct dose of enzymes, by making a cough sound like a sneeze in public so people around her don't think she has a cold, by letting this funny machine shake her for an hour – 3-4 times a day to loosen up what's in her lungs. She does all this with the best attitude one could ask for, each and every day. So what I take and have learned from knowing her, in reflecting on my own life and mortality, is that I've learned not to sweat the small stuff, to enjoy each day, foster productive friendships and relationships and get rid of negative ones, and to have fun for crying out loud! That's what I hope you get from all this.
If you want to know how you can make a difference in Marisa's life, please keep reading!
Marisa's parents had an idea that they got Marisa to tentatively agree to prior to her leaving the hospital. The proposal involved her changing her focus of balancing work/life/expenses to something more singular. They told her that her new full-time job should be her health, that she should commit to that every morning, noon, and night, and try to have fun along the way. Marisa's stepmom hatched up the idea that if just 50 people contributed a mere $20 per month, that $1,000 per month eliminates her from HAVING to work to maintain her modest lifestyle, enjoyment of life, and independence. I'm the super geek behind the scenes that threw up a website that explains the program and I encourage you to take a look. We got Marisa to agree to this because we said people are constantly asking her parents if there's "anything they can do". Now, in addition to your thoughts and prayers, there is a way to help – in a small way alone, but collectively in a very significant way. Marisa only agreed to this on the condition that NONE of her friends knew about it – she doesn’t want charity, but she is realizing that she needs to focus on her health right now. (A few of her close friends do know, and are now helping – relieved to be actually doing something and remaining anonymous, all at the same time.) We also asked Marisa, that if SHE was presented with this idea, would she contribute $20 a month to someone, enabling them to live and breathe and enjoy their life – she sighed and said she "totally would"… so a little reverse psychology helped too. :)
Marisa sometimes reads this blog so I asked Aimee to bury this post with other posts above it after a day or so, and maybe even yank it (cause Marisa would hit the roof if she found out and pull the plug on the entire thing). Please don’t say anything to her, to make sure that doesn't happen... ummmkay?
Thanks for reading this far and thanks for checking out the website.
Marisa is one of the most beautiful people I know, both inside and out. She has cystic fibrosis, but she doesn’t let it define her… though sadly it has ruled her life. Marisa has always been an amazing friend to my brother and our entire family. We’ve been so touched by Scott’s tireless efforts on her behalf, and can’t think of anyone more deserving.
If you would like an opportunity to directly affect someone’s life, please visit:
Here’s another quick round-up of what I've found on the web this last while that got my creative juices flowin':
1. From Project Nursery - Mod Owl Nursery
I've had owls on the brain lately, and I LOVED this owl-inspired nursery. The colors... {swoon}. Makes me almost want to do another nursery right away... almost.
2. From Somewhat Simple - Magnetic Chore Chart
We are years from being able to implement one of these in our home, but I loved the simplicity and interchangeability of this one. Plus, she offers a free printable to make your own chore magnets out of glass tiles.
3. From Brown Paper Packages - Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars
These look easy (score!) and delicious (double score!). Plus, I'm pretty sure I already have all the ingredients on hand... :)
4. From Craftiness is Not Optional - Crib Book/Toy Holder Tutorial
Connor's at that age where if I provide him with a little in-bed entertainment, I can usually eek out a few extra minutes of quiet time. I love this idea of a holder for the crib, instead of junking up his mattress space. Grandma Rogers...?? :)
5. From Me and My Pink Mixer - Doughnut Muffins
These little goodies look awfully scrumptious, as well! Another easy one, and all of the ingredients are on hand...
6. From Ohdeedoh - Magnetic Alphabet Giraffe
Yes, I do love me a giraffe, but the idea of this for a kid's room - awesome. You could do any shape, any theme... even a rectangle on the wall would be great! (But a giraffe would be infinitely cuter.)
7. From Bakerella - Congo Bars
(Geez... can you tell I was hungry when I saved all these links this week??) Another easy and delicious cookie bar variation. I love me a good cookie bar!
8. From The Pioneer Woman - Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas
(More food... ahem.) I must make these for dinner... soon! Mine probably won't look as pretty as hers, but I bet they'll get eaten just as fast.
9. From Sew4Home - Ruffled Table Runner Tutorial
I've spotlighted a similar idea on Brief Bits before... but this is a really pretty version, too. I need something new on my kitchen table...
10. From Aesthetic Nest - Bandana Quilt Tablecloth
I really like this idea for an outdoor/summer tablecloth. Made of bandanas, it would be relatively inexpensive to pull off. You could make it in any combination of colors, too.
11. From Black*Eiffel - Planting Herbs
I have an umbrella plant in my kitchen window that is ginormous... and it needs to be tossed (I'm sick of it). Been thinking that some fresh herbs would be nice, and I like how she's planted hers in 1 large outdoor planter. I'm considering replicating the idea, with a more shallow planter, but keeping the herbs I choose all in 1 container. (By the way... when you say "herbs", is your "h" silent or pronounced? Drives me up the wall when I hear Martha Stewart say "Her-bs".)
12. From V and Co. - Petal Pillow Tutorial
LOVE this idea for a pillow! Detailed instructions make it even look attempt-worthy.
That's it... 12 great finds. I hope something here inspires you, too!
I love my son… and he makes a pretty good shopping companion. However, I’m not fond of torturing him while I go from store to store trying to find the exact thing I need. Dealing with strollers and car seats too many times in one day gets on my last nerve. And, he still doesn’t get that much exposure anyway.
Enter the internet…
I’m on the hunt for the perfect pair of summer sandals. Something comfortable and stylish, without too much of a heel. I was convinced this search would be the end of me.
Shopping online at Zappos is like traipsing around to 3 different malls… there’s that many shoes! And their search function is great, allowing me to whittle my pickiness down to the last detail.
With their outrageously generous shipping policy (FREE BOTH WAYS!) and easy-peasy returns (you have a full year), when I’m in the need for new soles, I look to Zappos… every time. If you were already planning on buying shoes and paying department store sale prices, Zappos is definitely for you. Their pricing is very reasonable, and for the convenience, I consider it worth every penny.
So, I wait until the day after my credit card statement closes for the month… then I go crazy shopping at Zappos, putting all the shoes in my online cart that I would have asked the shoe salesman to pull out for me at the store. Lately, it’s been about a dozen shoes or so at a time (there’s just too many to choose from, and brands I’ve never bought before, so I have no idea how they’ll fit). :S
Because my order is large, Zappos upgrades my shipping to overnight for FREE. So, the very next day, I receive a big box of shoes on my doorstep… seriously – the very next day.(I placed an order yesterday at nearly 7pm my time, and according to my package tracking, my order will be delivered TODAY.)
In the comfort of my home, I take my time trying and evaluating which shoes I want to keep… sometimes its just one pair, sometimes a couple. When I’m all done, I visit their site again, process my return, print out my label, box back up the shoes I want to send back, and drop the package at my local UPS store. For me, I make sure to do all this before my credit card statement closes for the next month, thereby ensuring I don’t have to pay or carry a large Zappos charge on my statement. They’ve always processed my refund and posted my credit within a week of my return shipment.
So seriously, if you’re in the market for a new pair of shoes… you can’t go wrong with Zappos!
Please note: I am NOT being paid or compensated in any way to write about Zappos… unless you consider the fact that I’m about to receive my second dozen set of sandals to peruse. :S I’ve just had a really good experience, and wanted to share the love!
Just in case you caught the last post, "Now I know my ABCs...", earlier in your blog reader, the download instructions for the ABC posters have been amended with links to the full-sized files. Go here.
So, with this video playing in the background (thanks, Maddy!):
…I created my own version using scrapbooking software and free Microsoft Office Clip Art(and yes, I realize it’s quite similar to the idea posted on Ohdeedoh).
And since I LOVE a free printable, I had to share it with you!
While I was at it, I made it into a few different colors…
If you would like an 11"x14" version of any of these posters for your home, please visit this post to find the images in their 4shared locations and download! See NEW download location below!! Then, simply upload to your favorite online photo printer (an 11”x14” print at Costco is only $2.99)… and it’s ready to frame!
*** UPDATED 06/26/12 *** New download location for these images is here.
Hope you like it!
I’ll be posting this project to the link-up parties listed here.
I'm incredibly honored to have had this project featured on these sites. Thanks so much!! P.S. If this is your first time visiting Sprik Space, WELCOME! I posted a matching 123 Poster here.
It’s been over a month since my last “Brief Bits” post, and I’ve been saving up a bunch of good things to share with you since then! I’ve got quite a few, but I’ll keep it brief. Here’s a quick round-up of what I've found on the web this last while that got my creative juices flowin':
1. From Sweet Little Smoothie - 'Quilted' Paper Alphabet
This would make an adorable addition to any nursery or playroom! Using mostly scrapbook paper and various other supplies, she's created something to be treasured for years to come. See a larger picture of it here.
2. From How About Orange - Money Origami
She calls it an "essential life skill", and I kind of agree! So much more fun to give and receive cash if it's folded into cute shirts!
3. From Brown Paper Packages - Picture Recipe Cards
I keep a binder full of my favorite recipes inside sheet protectors, and I also post them here. This is another great idea, if you're partial to a recipe box, to take pictures of your dishes, add the recipe as text over top, and send out to be printed as 4x6 prints.
4. From How Does She? - Long Distance 'Date' with Grandma
We live out of state from both sets of grandparents. I LOVE this idea for setting up an online experience for your kids with their grandparents. This makes a regular, old video call so much more fun and interactive for everyone.
5. From Not So Idle Hands - Washer Necklaces
I know you've seen these everywhere, just like me. Emily has an easy-to-follow tutorial posted with how to make your very own. They'd make great gifts, too.
6. From Mads Memories - Personalized 'Guess Who' Game
Growing up, this was one of my favorite games to play. I love this idea of personalizing it with family pictures. Such a great way for your kids to become more familiar with faraway relatives!
7. From Mod Podge Rocks - Button Art on the Cheap
I have a little boy... and my house isn't too girly. But, my sister is the majority ruler in her house. Next time I visit, I hope to see one of these gracing her walls.
8. From V and Co. - Quilted Table Runner
I've been thinking that it's about time there was something new on my kitchen table. A runner like this would be perfect.
9. From MiaBeads - Chrysanthemum Rings
I don't wear a lot of jewelry, but I love, love, LOVE these chrysanthemum rings! They're available in a wide variety of colors (see here and here), and you choose your band color. For only $8.50, which includes shipping, they're quite a steal. So pretty! Browse her store for more beautiful baubles to add to your collection.
10. From Somewhat Simple - Dry Erase Activity Book
This is a great idea for creating your own quiet book... just find a scrapbook photo album and print out her pages (provided here). Use a dry erase pen on the plastic sheets and wipe clean with a tissue - it will keep your kids quietly occupied for at least a little while.
11. From How Does She? - Make a Birthday Wreath
Having a birthday party at your house? Check out this cute and easy idea to make some door decor using a straw wreath form and some colorful balloons.
12. From The Idea Room - Crazy Dinner Menu
I remember doing something like this at a church youth activity when I was a teenager, but I think it would almost be more fun to do as a family. Amy describes how she pulled this off for her family on April Fools' Day - so clever!
14. From Fresh Nest Design - Tiny Terra
These are awesome. I love their simplicity and I want a series of them to put in a window somewhere. If you're so inclined, their creator shares a tutorial to make your own here.
16. From At Second Street - Food Face
If your kids are going to play with their food, why not make them some fun personalized plates to do it with? LOVE this idea!
17. From Ohdeedoh - DIY ABC Poster Made with Microsoft Word
Another cute alphabet poster... and I think I'm going to attempt this one myself. If I pull it off, I'll be sure to post it here as a printable for you to download.
18. From Mel's Kitchen Cafe - Grilled Island Chicken
Make sure that propane tank is full, Brian... we're gonna get grilling! I love me an easy dinner recipe. YUM!
19. From YouTube - Playlists
I've never been a big YouTuber, but with Connor, sometimes it's nice to find something that quickly dissipates his whine. I just figured out how to save a playlist the other day. In fact, while I write this post, I've got my screen split - I'm blogging on the left, and Connor's watching his MTV on the right (and dancing in his play yard!). Why didn't I figure this out sooner?? You can watch Connor's playlist, currently with some favorites from Sesame Street and Yo Gabba Gabba, here.
My mom is like an encyclopedia of finger plays… they all sound familiar to me (because I’m sure I heard them thousands of times when I was little), but the only one I really remembered on my own was “Itsy Bitsy Spider”. Thank goodness she came to visit in April! Connor just ate them up, and by the end of her stay (and still today) he made quite a few of the gestures on his own. Here are a few of them I was able to capture on video…
I’m sure you’ve all seen those furniture movers advertised on TV and in your favorite housewares store.
One of the best things I had going in Connor’s nursery (until recently when he became mobile) was an easy-slide crib. Though I still wish I had invested in zip-around sheets, having a heavy crib able to glide on the carpet has been a lifesaver! The dreaded crib sheet changes are so much easier, and I can find all of the lost binkies without having to get on my hands and knees.
Sadly, the kid walks around in his crib, now… so the sliders must go. :(
…than to use these gorgeous, FREE, downloadable invitation templates from Download & Print. Every weekday a new template is posted… and the best part is that each template is simply a Word document. So, just download, open up, adjust details and fonts, and print… it’s so easy, even my mom could do it. :)
We honor those that have served, those that are serving, and those who have fallen in service to our great country.
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