Growth

_MG_2326I suck at resolutions. I really do.

I’ve tried making them publicly, here on this blog, to have accountability and a place for public shaming if I fail.

Doesn’t matter.

I always drop them fast.

Supah fast.

So now when a new year comes along I don’t make big resolutions.

This year, though, as I’m laid up after foot surgery, I’ve had time to reflect.

2013 saw a great many humongous highs.

It also saw some dark and despairing lows.

It turned into an unexpected year of flux. The last half of the year, especially, was a struggle in many ways.

Now there’s a new year to face.

I’m thinking the idea of picking a word for the year is appropriate.

I’m going to call my word for this year at Growth.

In every aspect I hope to grow.

Personal.

Blog-wise.

Professionally with my writing.

So here’s to growth.

With as few growing “pains” as possible.

The Podophobe goes to the Podiatrist

I know I’ve spoken of my podophobia before on a few occasions.

I don’t.like.feet. At all.

Not even a little bit.

Which likely stemmed from my own foot issues and being the the dance world with a crap-ton of ugly feet.

This year my own foot issues reached the breaking point and I had to get to the podiatrist.

I know what was coming.

IMG_20131225_143631Surgery.

I knew it was inevitable.

The truth of it is, a genetic issue got progressively worse until I was in pain.

My big toe turned outward toward my pinky toe. It had reached a point where it was almost completely underneath my second toe. Only a triangle of nail was visible, which also meant I’d developed a large bunion.  The shocker was also a bone spur on my littlest toe.

Surgery on 3 toes was the decree.

So two weeks ago, 1 week before Christmas I climbed onto the surgeon’s table full of fear and anxiety and was asleep in a minute.

When I woke, my foot looked like that. All bundled up and bandaged and at first, numb as can be (yay). Within 24 hours the numbness wore off and I had to deal with the pain, and trying to walk on crutches.

IMG_20131228_162712It hasn’t been even a little bit easy.

I’m such an independent person.

Relying on everyone around me to handle the house, the kids, dinner, Christmas, new Years, and even my own food and drink.

It’s been hard.

On me.

On the family.

But I got to use a motorized shopping cart when the husband took me out to help my cabin fever.

Sometimes the depression is bad.

Sometimes I’m okay.

But I’m on the mend.

Slower than I wish, but as fast as the doctor had hoped.

Today I became free of stitches & bandages. I have a boot/cast so I can ease back into walking. I only need a sock now and not full bandages, although my foot having free motion is an odd feeling after being wrapped up tight for two weeks.

I’m not good at this.

My brain thinks about what’s going on inside my foot.

Makes me nauseous.

But I’m trying.

The Great Giveaway Experiment – That Went Bust

giveawayI have this awesome friend, maybe you know her?

Emily, aka Designhermomma

Back in early October she made

<—This tweet.

I was intrigued, and asked if she wanted another participant for control.  She said “Sure!” and off I went to the races.

Over the course of 3 days I entered 100 random giveaways using the #giveaway hashtag on twitter.

I was NOT picky. Not in the slightest.

I signed up for iPads, Kindles, ebooks, diapers (which, really, I don’t need), toys, power tools…pretty much everything under the sun including coupons.

I figured, hey…it’s just for fun.

I guessed I’d win 1…maybe 2 tops…since I don’t have stellar luck most times (Still in total shock I won a KitchenAid 6 years back).

To keep my mental status somewhat in check I kept records.

The websites URL, the end date, and the product.  I figured I’d win something I had NO use for and donate it to someone who did.

I kept track, and as the month, and most of the giveaways, drew to a close I realized I had won a grand total of…

ZERO.

None.

None?

I know my luck is bad, but that couldn’t be right. 100 giveaways and nothing?

I thought it was a fluke, so I tried again.  I took another weekend and randomly entered another 100 giveaways (plus a few I spotted I really wanted…grand total was probably around 125).

This time I was even more particular. I didn’t put extra entries in anything, I did the minimum required entry for everything and left it at that (no matter how bad I really wanted it). Figured maybe a level playing field would be better.

As November drew to a close and still no “Congratulations!!” emails came my way…

I mean really?

I’m not a greedy person, and I didn’t care one way or another.

But 200+ giveaways entered, and I won…NOTHING?

Talk about a bust!

So this was one social experiment that, for me, was a wash.

Emily?  Oh, she entered about 80 and won 4 little items.

Wonder if she’ll send me some of her luck?

Just Dance Kids 2014 – Review

JDReview

 

Up until now our Wii got most of its use from watching movies, or the teenager playing one of his games. There was only one or two games that we could all get into.

JDK2014Then we got a hold of this one…Just Dance Kids 2014.

I have to admit when I first read the back I got a little excited when I saw “Make it Shine” from Victorious on there…plus a song by Ariana Grande. I’m such a closet (or not so closet anymore) Victorious lover. It’s one of the shows I miss now that we aren’t on cable. 😀

So this week we brought out the Wii for something we all could play – and play we ALL did…even the teen!!

The girls, of course, got first run and boy did they tear it up, to several songs, including “Make it Shine”.

Then it was time for Erik and I to play.

And wouldn’t you know…we did THE HUSTLE!!  It was a laugh-riot getting Erik into the mix and doing The Hustle with me. Both of us were laughing by the time it was done, and were reluctant to return the remotes back over!

Then, with a little nudging and encouragement we actually got the teenager to play along. It was only for a game, but I know that he’d never admit how much fun he had.

The girls kept playing for another good hour before we settled down and got ready for bed. By the next day they were begging to play again…and we were all too happy to oblige.  The game is addicting, and clean fun, and everyone enjoys playing it.  I have a feeling the Wii will stay out of hiding for a good long while now.

As you can see, the girls LOVED it.  They were all too happy to lend their review once I managed to get their attention away from the game!!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Holiday Cards Are Found Art

 

Holiday cards are always a challenge for me. What to send, and remembering to send them…

This year, Minted is making at least part of the struggle so much easier. Their Holiday Gift Card selection is amazing! From the simplest of cards, to a selection of books that let you fill your friends and family on what your year was like, I can find everything I want.

I’ve spent the good part of the past 3 days searching through their options and have found some real winners.

The simplistic side of me loves this card, the Stringed Noel (also available in a vertical style).

mintedstringednoel

 

The simplicity of the design, coupled with one of my great photos of the kids (or rather, the girls, since the teen refuses pictures now), makes me happy.

Then again the cheeky reluctant Hoosier in me loves the “Y’all” on the Southern Accent design.

mintedyall

 

I mean, come on. So many of my old Yankee Buffalo friends tease me about losing my New York Accent. I’m not southern, but a twang slips in and I’ve been known to “Y’all” a time or two in my life…

But the ritzy girl in me, and the writer that would love to capture a story of our year, along with several pictures of all the kids, including the elusive teen…well, I might have dreams about the Gilded Year in Review Minibook.

mintedyearreview1mintedyearreview2

The pages are so easy to edit using their personalization tools, my fingers are just itching to get a hold of my order and start. It’s more pricey, but I don’t have a tone of people to send them to, so I can make my order smaller…and have a ton of fun…Of course, this Winter Foliage minibook is more my color palette…shoot, did I say Minted.com was making this choice easier? Becuase I think it just got a lot harder…

mintedwinterfoliage

What do you think I should pick?

And what would you pick?  Why don’t you head on over to Minted’s Holiday Photo Cards page and tell me what YOU would pick!

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*Disclosure: I was provided with a Gift Card for this review. All opinions and indecision are all my own.