Grateful

Yesterday was tough but we made it through. I have to say though, that we are grateful for what we had yesterday:

Prayer warrior friends who showed up at 6am and sat with us.
Parents that flew in to create a happy environment for Landon.
Amazing skilled doctors who made his surgery a huge success.
A husband who could take a day off to be there.
Nurses that were so darling and sweet to a child who was nervous.
God Mother of Coco who made us a lasagne to eat that night.
Neighbors like She She who made us a chicken enchilada lunch.
Many many Facebook and Twitter well wishes and prayers.
Teachers that emailed us their prayers and made a cake for Landon in his favorite flavor.
and last but not least...

Landon, who took it all in stride and kept a positive attitude. Can you imagine a more brave 5 year old? We are so proud of him.


Thank you to everyone for being so good to the Fabulous Family!!

Preparing A Child For Surgery

Putting Landon to bed  last night, I felt mixed feelings. On the one hand I had managed to keep him happy despite breaking the news we were headed to the doctor for surgery (I said to get a cast on), and that he was about to have yet another surgery and skin graft. This is something that will happen every year, for a long time. This is what he will deal with as he ages. Tonight the movie Rio and a rolling monkey suitcase did the trick. It made him happy, but as he went to bed I watched it sink in. I watched him become quiet and scared. I tickled him, cuddled him and told him goodnight. What more can I do?

I remember hearing about people who would rather give their right arm then let a thing happen to their kids. Now I am there. How do you prepare a child for surgery?

I don't believe in lying to kids, but keeping it simple is best. Landon knows he's getting a cast and going to sleep. That's good enough. Any more would be too much anxiety. I gave him tons of toys, games, his favorite meal, but really just was there if he felt nervous. That's really all you can do.

I hate this for him and wish we didn't have to do this, but we have to. Please send your prayers for Landon having a smooth surgery and an even smoother transition into surgery. We will let you know how he does.

Getting Polly Anna BACK

Thank you for all you kind words on my Polly Anna blog post last week. One thing I am realizing is that I am responsible for my happiness. I need to take time out and do things that will bring me joy. Like Suburban Prep mentioned, I can't go around remembering the glory days of college (and boy were they good) and compare them to now. There's no comparison! What makes like wonderful is time spent with family, friends and doing things I enjoy. I think I had left that out of the equation all together!

As Cookie Crumbs said (and I am now seeing), it's a frame of mind. I think I am doing too much negative talk and complaining. Of course we all have our dramas, and Landon's arm stuff is more than the average sometimes, but my mental state is what is going to bring me happiness. Life is always going to be stressful, it's the way I look at it that counts.

And like Sibi (and my preacher) have said this requires a deeper faith and prayer. To get in the habit of praying he suggested setting your Blackberry alarm at a random time like 2:22pm and each day praying at that time. Love that.

In summation:


1) I think I do need to have a 30-45 minutes a day of something for myself (thanks Cookie Crumbs!)
2) Do something fun once a week (Love that Solar Powered) but nothing I pressure myself or blow the bank on (I agree Debra!!)
3) I need a song to be inspired by (like Gimlet Mommy)
4)And I need a good Mac Lipstick (thanks Steph! Do they have a Vodka flavor!?) Because Lipstick never makes you feel fat (love that Andy)
5) Also never underestimate the power of a funny movie and a glass of wine (Thanks SC, you know I love you)
6) And lastly, I am going to try to keep a part of this Polly Anna around and keep her close (thanks Bella Michelle), for me and my kids.

Where Did Polly Anna Go? Or, I used to have a favorite lipstick

Life is stressful. I'll just start there. I know you all go through it, job loss, kid behavior issues, aging, carpool, homework, meal planning, work, it's just hard sometimes. With starting a business and having a family I have been pretty stretched thin. I am less fun. I complain more. There I said it.


The Mr asked the other day: Where did Polly Anna go?

I used to say I was like Polly Anna. Looking at life simply and expecting the best. Never wanting any bad news. I just wanted things to be rosey. This past year I must say has BEATEN the Polly Anna out of me. I am tired. I feel a little like my friend Sibi at Pearls and Grace.

Reading Social Climbers blog last night she asked what our favorite lipstick was. Truthfully, I have no clue. I put on whatever gloss is in my drawer. That's not so fabulous is it? I remember in High School I had a favorite lipstick. Silver City Pink. It made me feel like a princess and I adored it.

I am too filled with worries to have a favorite lipstick. That's just it. I would like to turn my "worry in to wonder" as my preacher says but it's tough. I hate change and it seems like change is happening every second. Polly Anna just wants smooth sailing for a while. No big surprises. No disappointments. No dramas. Is that too much to ask?

I can tell I need more fun in my life. More laughs! I think I do too many things I have to do, and not enough stuff I WANT to do. My friend Gina said the more she was delving into her new job, the more lonely she felt. I think it's hard to have time for everything, but clearly I need to put a little attention on me. I think I need a favorite lipstick.

Do you have a favorite lipstick? Are you a Polly Anna? How do you stay sane with all the craziness life brings?

Vote For One Fabulous Mom!

I have been selected as one of the finalists in the Most Awesome Local Blogs category in Red Tricycle’s Totally Awesome Awards! Over 20K nominations were cast by moms and dads over a 4 week period and the results are in! Now I just need to win!

The voting period runs for the next 4 weeks, from Sept 5 - Oct 14 and the business with the most votes in each category will be selected as the winner (Most Awesome!).

Pretty please...

Go to the voting page, http://www.redtri.com/awards/local/local-blog vote for me and share the link with your fans and friends on Facebook and Twitter,  or send an email to your entire mailing list asking for vote and add this to your outgoing email signature: “Please vote for One Fabulous Mom in Red Tricycle's Totally Awesome Awards"


Thank you so much!

Surfs Up Baby Shower!

It was a great shower for Keri and baby Joshua. The weather was beautiful! The food table looked amazing. Our menu? Cucumber, Chicken Salad and Egg Salad finger sandwiches, Berry fruit Salad with mint, and Pasta Salad with Tomato and Olives.

The Cake was the main centerpiece. Don't you love the monogram!

Each table was slightly different with shells and beads as the centerpieces.

The one with the gold chargers looked fabulous.

The drink table featured our signature drink. Prosecco with Chambord and a raspberry garnish! People LOVED them!

My co-host Jessica made sure the glasses were full!

We decorated onsies for Keri and they were so cute! We also played Guess The Celebrity Baby! (with photos of Keri and her husband as babies thrown in!) It was a fabulous day and the mother to be looked fabulous!

Here are all us Junior League of Los Angeles gals in one picture!

Can't wait for Baby Josh to get here!

Fill In Friday! Home Edition

Join me for another fill in Friday! This one's about your home!


Here we go:

1) The most messy room in my house is: The Dining Room (my catch all for things that need to be dealt with!)

2) Room I want redone: My kitchen! Feel like I am so over it!

3) Chore I hate The Most: Putting away the laundry

4) Chore I actually enjoy: Doing the laundry!


5) Favorite room in my house: Master Bedroom with my new Lilly Puitzer duvet!

6) Favorite recent home purchase: Two acrylic white pine apples I got on sale at Z Gallerie, now on my mantle!

7) Next thing that needs to be done around the house: New cork floors installed in the kitchen


8) My home style is: Palm Beach casual

9) Dream purchase for my home: Viking Stove or fabulous outdoor grill


10) Favorite colors to decorate with: greens, corals and yellows, bright sunny colors!

BlackBerry Shut Down At 6pm- Bethenny Frankel Dared Me!

I love twitter. I know some of you have no idea what the heck it is (and if you don't head on over to The Social Media Gals and let them show you!), but trust me it's amazing. You can get to people you would never ever be able to reach.


Case and point- Bethenny Frankel.


I love me some Bethenny. Loved her single, New York Housewife, Mommy, SkinnyGirl; all of it. I follow her on twitter. She was tweeting about a self imposed blackberry shut down at 6pm. This idea sounded amazing except for the fact I have two kids and a full time job. I am sometimes working until LATE. Still, I am not a heart transplant surgeon....can't I shut this thing off?


I decided to tweet her back that it was a brilliant idea. Guess what? She tweeted back. She challenged me to do it with her! What was I going to say NO?


So, at 6pm, I put the Blackberry down and had a life. It was nice. I enjoyed it. Now I am not saying I can do it every night, but I'd like to! It was so nice to just focus on the kids and have peace!!!


What about you? Do you do self imposed Blackberry shut downs? How do you unplug?

Surfs UP Baby Shower! Help Me Plan It!

I am throwing a Baby Shower for my sweet Junior League friend Keri! She is pregnant with her first baby, a boy!  How cute are these invitations.

His room is the same theme. That is one of my big tips to shower throwers! Use the babies room as your theme so the "Mommy to Be" can keep some of the decorations in the baby's room!


We are DEFINITELY  getting the cake from Susie Cakes. Oh my word they are the queens of BUTTERCREAM!

We're having the shower pool side at my house, hopefully this 100 degree heat will not continue! We'll have one big table for food and then rounds for people to sit at. There will be games. Okay all you party planners what games, advice and other ideas do you have for me? You guys are so creative!! What do you like/hate at a shower?


PS I am NOT doing that game with the melted candy bars in the diaper. GROSS!!!

Wordless Wednesday- Balboa Island, CA

 

When Landon Met William

We keep it pretty happy and fabulous over here...determined to. With Landon's latest surgery looming (he has to have one every year), I've started to feel anxious. Scared. Worried. Hate that.

I thought, since he's now 5 and will understand what is happening, that I would explain to him gently what will be taking place soon. We read the book about what happened to his arm, how he's a miracle, how God saved his arm....and then I mentioned surgery. Landon started to sweat. I promised Disneyland and everything else I could think of but too late. He threw up.

The fact that he got physically ill thinking of surgery devastated me. Maybe I hadn't been keeping things fabulous. Maybe he was really freaked out. I felt like the worst Mother ever. I was in hysterics.

The next morning he woke up and was his normal happy self. We haven't talked about it since.

I called the pediatrician to get some advice. He's consulting a child psychologist and is getting back to me. I decided to lay low about the whole surgery thing.

At our OT appointment a few days later, we waited to see the doctor about making a new splint for Landon's arm. All of the sudden, a cute 7 year old angel sauntered in. We have been going to our OT since birth and have NEVER seen a kid in his office. Landon of course loved him and stared at the cool "big boy". I struck up a conversation with his Mom. She explained he had surgery on his finger and he has too many veins. He will have lots of surgery. Landon showed his arm, which trumped the finger of course. The kid, William was fascinated. He thought it was cool.

During that meeting with William a sense of calm came over me. We are not alone. Lots of kids have surgery and have ongoing issues. God is watching out for us.

I gave his Mom my card. Maybe we'll get these two angels together. Imagine all the good they could do.


*** For the Full Story on what happened with Landon's arm, click HERE