We're having such a GREAT time...

So everyone's here... Sister-in-Law, 'Kiki', nephew 'Kea', Sister 'Cyn', Brother-in-Law 'G-O', nephews M, J, & niece AE. It is soooooooooooo wonderful!!!
The last few days in review...We are having such a great time!
~ Friday Family got to see BooBoo and SweetPea in school. The girls were so proud to show off their school.
We got home and immediately started getting ready for the Open house I had planned for my friends to meet my family. The open house was fun and it was really nice to see my sisters interact with all my family. Everyone here has been soooo supportive and praying for my family. It was wonderful to see them together and get to meet the people they've been praying for...

~ Saturday we had to get ready to help my wonderful friend get to the airport for her move to South Africa. Unfortunately her flight to London was canceled so we had figure how to get her back there... it was very stressful for her and therefore for me too. Then off to Orlando to the hotel to meet up with Mr Safety-Man, our girls, G-O, nieces, nephews, and S-i-L Kiki whom had traveled to the hotel earlier that afternoon!! Had a GREAT ride over with just my sis and me! It was really nice to get to spend some alone time together.

~ Sunday we got up EARLY and headed to Magic Kingdom in time for the opening of the park! It was FANTASTIC and everyone worked together so well to get there on time! We had a BLAST at the park! It was a bit cold and dreary but there were ABSOLUTELY NO LINES until at least 2ish. We couldn't believe it! It was (beware some cheesiness here...) MAGICAL to watch the kiddos who have never been to Disney experience it! I cannot even begin to portray how we all felt. It was definitely a spectacular day/evening. I will have to post some photos of our day. It was just WONDERFUL. I cannot say enough of this day.

~ Sunday eve me, my sister, & her family drove home while Mr Safety Man, Aunt Kiki, her son, and my girls stayed for another day to go to Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.

~ Monday we just totally CHILLED and hung out. It was great.

~ Tuesday we went to see the Manatees in the afternoon - it was AMAZING. There were EASILY 50 of them there!! And the boys REALLY got a lot out of learning about Florida's coasts and manatees. Then to Hungry Howies Buffet! (HEY! For 11 people... it was the easiest and quickest thing!) Mr Safety-Man and I got to go out that evening and finish some secret gift missions!!

~ Wednesday BooBooBear got to go with Aunt Kiki to the zoo with her cousin, while the rest of us went to the outlet mall to finish up some much needed shopping... gotta get those lists done!!!

~ And today Thursday - Sweetpea is going to the Science museum and iMax with her Aunt Kiki and cousin while we head over to Emerson Point to explore!

Every night - it's been rather late ones for me. We've watched movies, worked on projects, cleaned up, did laundry, and I try to finish presents that no one can see after everybody is asleep. I am trying desperately to finish all the handmade things I need to get done. I have to sew 2 things for 2 friends... I have 4 things to sew for my friend in Dallas. I have had to hand make 4 things for 'the sisters'. It's been rather crazy... all the while realizing I hadn't finished shopping for family afar and it's THE WEEK OF CHRISTMAS! Hellllllloooo Kymmie...procrastinate much?! Or just plain forgetful!?

So more photos to follow... but the week at a glance!!!  It's been soooooo wonderful to have everyone here... I am really getting a lot out of my family here - it means more than I can ever say.

I am so excited...

More to come in the next few days since we are finally on vacation... but just something really quick... I AM SELLING OVER 25 of my Holiday Jewelry Line!! A wonderful friend of mine wore something I gave her to the hospital where she works today and had TONS of people coming up to her asking her about them and if they were for sale... She called me up and said that she wanted me to get 'em ready and she would take them to work tomorrow!! I am so giggly with excitement! I worked a long afternoon giving EVERY piece (52+) my attention and finishing them up (will post some photos tomorrow...)!! I hope some sell tomorrow... wish me luck!!!

Here's the write-up I created for the pieces...

HOLIDAY EARRINGS & PENDANTS
Earrings and pendants are made from a beautiful white porcelain clay body. They are light and fun to wear! Each one is stamped using my own handmade molds, hand-shaped and smoothed, kiln fired, and meticulously hand-glazed – using a variety of techniques. Finally they are finished with a clear glaze to give it that extra Holiday SPARKLE!
They feature playful, whimsical holiday themes. The backs have been left unglazed ~ especially with the pendants so that, if you like, you can spray it with your favorite perfume or cologne; making your scent last longer and diffusing it by the warmth of your body. They hang from delicate Sterling Silver hook, clasp, & fastenings.
Earrings - $15.00
Pendants - $15.00
Earring & Pendant sets - $25.00
Please make checks payable to Kymmie Marriner!
Thank you so much for your interest and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Here's hoping... Christmas is here... bringing good cheer...

There SHE IS!!!....oops Nope... maybe not... but just for a bit - she was there!

Well it's pretty easy to be angry at oneself, to be down, to be sad. Why isn't it easy to accept, deal, and move on? I wonder? Being patient is also a really hard concept for me... especially when I feel like I should be totally ready to get back in to the swing of things NOW!

So after the last post - I got to thinking that baby steps and goals really were helping! My DEAR Mr Safety Man & I went out to the movies...very impromtu which I loved! First date night since my surgery! Ahhhhhhhhhh I started to see a glimmer of me right then and there! It felt so nice to be out...sure sitting was excruciating - but WELL worth it. Then while I was with a wonderful friend accompanying her to Tampa (an excursion outta this house again! YAY!), my dear Mr Safety Man decided to surprise me and get all the lights on the house, new wonderful snowmen lights lined my walkway we labored on a few summers ago, and I just got so excited. WOW - it was an emotion that I hadn't felt for awhile. And it. felt. good. It got me to thinking.

"i can do this... i can decorate, i can help get the house back in to some kind of semblance of order, i can help dear mr safetyman with the girls lunches, i can glaze these darling foot and hand impressions for my small little company, i can help friends, i can do small areas of my house, i can even try to push things with my legs, or bend to pick that item on the floor up, and even go off my medication...."

~~ SCREECH ~~

(that's me putting on the brakes)

I think that I may have gone a bit over the top there... but that's me... always trying to push too hard - overachiever my hubby says. And well - yep - it happened I went too far and now I feel everything... and I mean every single ache. I tell my dear S. man that I think sometimes I can feel where every single screw is in my back... all eight of them. Gross.

It's hard for people looking at me... they cannot tell how bad things hurt (and I don't want them to know...). I had visual cues at first... bandages, walker, wheelchair, and now I don't need my walker - I graduated last week from it! YAY! My incisions have long been healed. I only need the wheelchair if i am going to have to do a lot of walking around. The only thing truly that is visible now... is a slight limp, a slower gait, and some grimaces on my face here & there.

I do feel almost me again. One could catch a glimpse of the happy-go-lucky... eager to help... me the last two days. There's been more smiles than frowns or sorrow. More gleam and glitter in the eyes than tears... I just have felt brighter. Well until I WAY over did things and tonight proved to be a very difficult night. I am so tired but hurt too much to sleep. Sigh.

But boy-oh-boy doing those baby steps and setting goals... my house is starting to look a lot like it did WAYyyyyyyyyyyyyy before my back first started getting bad (that's over 5 years ago people!! WOWwwwwww!). I mean it's definitely got a long way to go... but I see progress.

Hmmm progress... I recently talked to my best friend in TX and she always has the right words... "Kymmie you're walking after a spinal surgery only hours after the surgery" "Kymmie you are picking up things 5lbs - whereas before you could not"... progress... gotta remember progress is a good thing and it's happening I only have to be PATIENT!!! (there's that dang word again)

This morning I called Mr S. Man to literally "talk me off the ledge"... I was teetering on edge of being completely engulfed in being overwhelmed about the state of the house, about my still having to take medication, about finishing glazing LOTS of feet and hands, about the girls, about our HECTIC schedule the next 2 weeks... you name it I blurted it all out to him.

Man I love that guy, his initial response was "your job right now is to not do anything... not to be overwhelmed, not to work on anything in the house...there's one exception and that's to heal". Say it with... "AAAAWwwww". I had to hear it - but I still wanted to do something... to keep the gleam and sliver of feeling like me again alive...

So he agreed on a compromise because I have these little goals... and it did honestly feel good to scour my kitchen (only waste high - no bending). And to get my living room back. And to tidy up the family room. And to decorate some areas. And to put some clothes away. And to glaze. And to sweep. And to clean up the bathroom. And to go to a Christmas party.

I think we get the idea... yep... I did wayyyyyy too much - especially today. I am a mess tonight. A dang mess and it was really DUMB...and now you know why my dear Mr Safety Man has to say the things he does to me... he knows me so well!

But my house is starting to look like my home again. My Christmas decorations are making me grin - from my icepack on the couch... and even if it were just a glimpse, a tiny little glimmer...

I found Kymmie in here again... I felt like a part of me was coming along just fine.

And heck - I proved I could lift a bit more than FIVE pounds!

Next post... some Utah vacation rememberances and photos! A HAPPY POST!