Gettin' Crafty

I've been so busy lately.  Life has been crazy with appointments, injured kids, and so much more.  BUT in my downtime I've been a crocheting fool. I've been making these towels and also towel holders to sell at local craft shows and on Etsy.  I can't work so I have to try to do a little something to help out.  I really enjoy making these and I hope people enjoy them. 

I found this really great tutorial on how to make them but it's broken into five videos which makes it harder to follow along, so I am being braving and making one of my own.  It's a bit out of my comfort zone but I really want to help others to make them.  I am so thankful to those who took the time to make videos to teach others how to make wonderful crafts, it's so thoughtful and helpful.  Who knows I might enjoy it and end up making a bunch of videos.  I love to cook and do a ton of crafts, it could be fun!!  My daughters make videos all of the time.  Their videos are just funny, silly stuff.  I love to watch them though, it makes me crack up!

Next, I am going to venture into making these cute scrubby patterns I found on Pinterest.  That site is just dangerous, I can stay on it for hours, HA HA!  BUT, I've found so many amazing recipes and crafts, it's worth it!

Today is a huge tornado threat, weather outbreak and I worked really hard this morning, so today I'm planning on parking it and crocheting.  I hope no one is injured from the storms, I am fascinated by them and would love to watch live coverage of them in an open safe area where no one gets hurt.

Art Trip!

My daughter's Art Classes for college had a field trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  It was a gorgeous day, you couldn't ask for better weather.  We saw amazing art and had a wonderful time.   I was so impressed by the amount of famous painters art that they had on display.  There were so many Picasso, Monet, Van Gogh, and so many more.  It was a real treat.

We did, however, have a few bumps in the road.  Shortly after arriving we started to browse the first gallery.  A guard told me I had to take my bag to the coat closet and leave it.  I was pretty upset because according to the web site I could take a back pack.  All bags are "checked" at the door by security and that was my understanding from the web site.  I didn't realize I would have been better off to have brought my actual purse or I would have done so.  I shoved my most important items in my daughter's purse, which is a small backpack.  With my medical conditions and allergies I have a lot of "crap" I have to carry with me.  Her bag was approved by two people but another guard after that gave us a big fit and sure enough we had to go give up her purse.  We had to carry our items in little tiny plastic red bags and leave everything else behind.  I was pretty livid at this point. As we walked around and saw countless women with HUGE pocketbooks with traditional 2 straps allowed to walk around the angrier we got.

It took a while to brush this off, but finally we did.  We tried to cover as much of that museum as we could but it's large and there is so much to look at.  Honestly, to see it all you cannot linger long on any item or read all of the information about the paintings.  We got to see so much amazing art and I would love to go again and explore further.  We also took a trip over to The Pereleman Building to look at some sculpture art.  That was awesome as well.

At lunch, we sat next to a delightful french speaking couple.  It made my day.  They chatted all during their lunch and seemed so sweet.  After that we browsed the gift shop, they had some wonderful deals on, luckily.

Overall, it was a wonderful day and above are some of my favorites.

I DID IT!!

I finally finished my first afghan.  It fits one end to the other on a full size bed.  My daughter is all curled up in it right now and that gives me such a warm feeling inside.  It was a labor of love for sure.  I cannot wait to start the next one.  Honestly, I really enjoy keeping my hands busy when I'm watching tv at night.  To be productive while "resting" day after day during this flare is a great feeling.  I would like to try a new stitch for the next one.  Ok, brag over, just had to share my excitement. I was so giddy completing it and I had to share.

Feelin' Blue

Venting day today!  Most days, I muttle by with my limited diet, accepting that it "is what it is".  This is what I need to do in order to keep my colon under control and I'm ok with that.  I am at home and I have my arsenal of foods at hand that I like and can eat.  However, a family gathering tests those resolves and my strength.  I am extremely strong and would never cheat.  Who are you cheating anyway?  Yourself.  I am not willing to suffer the consequences of eating and drinking foods that I know will hurt my body, as much as I WANT THEM!!

Of course, everything had to look extremely amazing.  The wine smelled divine, and I even had a glass brought to me and offered to me...oh pure torture.  Next was sitting around the table with everyone and being the middle man passing around food after food that I could not eat.  Sometimes I had a dish in each hand, double the pain.  Everyone's plates looked so amazing, full of such a wide variety of foods.  There I was with my plain mashed potatoes and chicken and 2 deviled eggs.  I forgot to bring white bread, so no bread for me either.

I finished my food way before everyone else, but I thought to myself, well I do feel full so it's ok.  Then each minute dragged on and on.  Me sitting there finished with my food and everyone eating more and more and more.  Seconds were dished out.  The smells wafed around the table.  It became harder and harder.  I noticed the glances at my plate.  I was trapped in between two people so I couldn't get up, it would have been rude, but I wanted to flee.  I wanted to sit on my own and forget about all of the delicious foods I wanted to eat oh so badly.

Most days I think of food as nourishment for my body, to keep me going and keep me strong.  When I couldn't eat because my flare was so bad, I became acutely aware of how critical food is for strength.  I however, am reminded of how in these situations, food is so completely social.  It's hard not to feel like the outsider in these situations.  Until you cannot have these things, you cannot realize how alienating it feels.  This isn't a "diet" this is STRICT.  This is that food will HURT you.  This isn't a "well just one bite or just one sip" and I'll feel included but it won't hurt me, situation.  This is you KNOW you cannot do it or have it.  Suck it up and move on right?  Well, that's what I did, but it doesn't mean it's easy.  It doesn't mean you don't have a knot in your stomach and want to cry because why has this been doled upon you.  This is followed by, "oh gosh, stop it, there are those who have it SO much worse than you, quit whining."

What an array of emotions for one simple holiday.  So dinner is over and you think it's behind you right?  Nope then it's time to be surrounded by the Easter baskets and candy eating kiddos.  Oh what I wouldn't have given for a Reese's cup. 

Color Me Happy...

Today was exhausting, but at the end of the day, it was fun!  I feel good about what I've gotten ready for Easter, and what I accomplished today.  This isn't my first holiday being sick, but it's the first one that I was this bad and had to really cut back on my efforts to fit with my abilities.

I love the way the deviled eggs turned out and I cannot wait for the family to see them tomorrow.  The kids and I tried lots of different things with the eggs we dyed this year and it made a fun variety.  We used hot glue on some of the eggs before dipping them and they turned out really cool, except for the ones that tore the shell off of the egg...HA HA!  We used a new kit that had mini rollers in them, they were fun.  I rolled a "rainbow" on a paper towel and made these really pretty pastel patterned eggs.

All that is left to do in the morning is to bake the beer bread. I cannot eat it but everyone loves it. It's my specialty apparently lol.  The heating pad is my best friend right now.   The steroids have been keeping most of the joint and muscle pain at bay, but today I overdid it and they can't hang.  As much as I can't wait to be off of these "devils tic tacs" as people call them.  I will miss the relief they give me from the constant joint pain.

Tomorrow will be a long day, but I am looking forward to spending time with family and relaxing.  I finished a book today during my "forced breaks".  I am eager to do some crocheting tomorrow in the down time.  I am NOT looking forward to doing dishes, however.  That is the one thing I hate about the gatherings.  I do enough dishes on a daily basis in my household, I'm not sure why I am the designated dish washer lol.  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday.

Spring has sprung!

 Spring is finally showing up!  Winter has persisted this year, snow, sleet, wind, cold, but Spring is fighting it's way through.  I love seeing the first flowers pop through the ground.  It's so exciting.  Granted, I'll be hating the hot, humid weather in a little while and mumbling and grumbling about it, but that seems to be our nature.  I like different things about each season, but I love Spring and Fall the most.  They are the most agreeable temps for me, no major extremes.  While I don't welcome the inevitable migraines that come along with thunderstorm season, I love to sit and watch a good storm light up the sky.

It's raining today, I took this picture yesterday.  Just in time I suppose.  Crocus's don't tend to last very long so you have to enjoy them quickly.  Next will be daffodils and tulips.  I can't wait!!!  I can't believe Easter is this weekend already.  I love when Easter hits when all of the trees and flowers are in blood. This year everything is dead and grey and yucky, except for these pretty little Crocus's peeking through.  Before long I'll be out mowing the lawn. 

Today is egg day.  I have a ton of eggs to boil.  We are dying eggs tonight or tomorrow and we are making deviled eggs for the family Easter dinner.  Our house is going to smell LOVELY ha ha!

I am thrilled to be making something I can actually eat this time around.  As long as there's no celery seed or anything fancy in the deviled eggs I am good to go.  That's why I offered to make them.  The beer bread I am bringing will be torture to make and smell though, since I can't have it.  Soon, remission will be mine and I'll be eating these things again.