A Serious Pain in My ...

Back. Sunday at lunch, I bent down to wipe Camryn's face off. I started to stand up and WHAM! I had this serious pain in my back. Jason literally had to pick me up off the floor. I struggled through the rest of the day walking very carefully but by 1:30 am Monday morning I was up crying for the rest of the night because I was in such horrible pain. One trip to the doctor later, we found out I have torn a muscle in my back. (We also found out from the xray that I have a congenital abnormality - an extra vertebrae in my spine. It's not causing my pain so it's just another thing to add that is weird about me!!) So, I've started my Christmas break early, as the doctor advised me not to go back to school for the last three days this week and am on some serious meds - a painkiller, muscle relaxer, and steroid. I am slowly but surely getting better and had more range of motion today but am definitely still in pain. I told Jason labor was less pain than this. Seriously, I didn't even cry during labor.

The hardest part of all of this back stuff is that Camryn doesn't understand why I can't hold her. I couldn't pick her up right now if I tried. She knows Mommy's back hurts but just doesn't understand why I'm not able to do everything I used to do. Additionally, she got sent home from daycare yesterday with a virus, so Daddy is having to pull double duty caring for a sick baby and a sick wife.

I also passed by my Christmas tree today and was bummed to see the whole top half of the lights on the tree were out. We'll leave to start traveling in a few days, and Christmas is only a week away, so I think I'm just going to leave it. It's too much of a hassle to try and dodge all the ornaments and pull the strand halfway off the tree just to find the burnt out light. Plus, I took pictures of our tree a few days ago when all the lights were working, so it's not a big deal. Any pictures at Christmas will be taken from the floor, so it won't show up in the Christmas Day pics.

One last thing - I am going to brag on Camryn's sweetest little friend Alyssa. She said the cutest thing to her mommy the other day. Kelli was bathing her, and Alyssa pretended she was swimming in the bathtub. Kelli asked Alyssa if she was going to swim in the pool this summer and be a big girl and not be afraid. Alyssa said, "No, Mommy. I won't be afraid. The angel said, 'Do not be afraid!'" How sweet was that?

A Burley/Caskey Christmas

Last night was our annual Christmas get together with our friends, the Caskeys. They are our wonderful friends from college, and there is no sweeter family in the world. They are precious to us. Camryn also loves them and was so excited to get to see them. She begged to sit in B's lap while we were out to eat and made poor little W move so she could take over the lap! We always have the greatest time watching the kids open their presents, too. Camryn just LOVED the books they gave her and woke up this morning asking for "Backyards" - her Backyardigans book. I think W really liked his red Power Ranger, too, which made me happy because buying for a little boys is not my forte! (This is why the Lord blessed me with a girl!). Here are some pictures from our fun evening. We couldn't get a good picture of the kids because we waited until the end of the night, and they were wired by that time. That could have something to do with the bite of chocolate B. gave my child at 8:30 pm! (JUST KIDDING, B!)

My Christmas Cutie

Just thought I would share a few pictures of my cutie from yesterday. Camryn was in such a good mood and took some great pictures!

I have been a grouch this week. Just ask Jason and Camryn. Little things Camryn has done that I can usually overlook have just sent me over the edge, and Jason can't seem to say anything that doesn't cause me to bite his head off. I don't know what my problem is, but I hate feeling/acting this way. So, here are five things I'm going to do this weekend to get myself out of the funk.

1) Have our Friday night date with Allen, Kelli, and Alyssa.

It has probably been a month or more since we've gotten to have a night out with the McConnells, so I am really looking forward to spending some time with them tonight. We're going out for Mexican ... MMMmmmm!!!

2) Take a nap

I love weekends because I nap when Camryn naps. I haven't gotten enough sleep lately, and I can't wait to curl up on the couch under a big blanket and just snooze for an hour or two!

3) Shop

The Christmas crowds will drive some people out of their minds, but shopping is therapeutic for me. Camryn and I have a date Saturday afternoon to finish up our Christmas shopping, and I am soooo looking forward to hitting some good sales with my check card in hand!

4) Hang out at home

I'll put on my comfy clothes, turn on all the Christmas lights, put my hair up in a messy ponytail, make a Chef Boyardee Pizza (on the menu for Saturday night supper! We love those things!), and just relax! Oh yeah, and watch Chuck, our new favorite show!

5) Love on my husband and daughter!

They deserve it after the beast I've been this past week. I can't wait to get in some cuddle time with both of them

Just thinking about doing all those things is already putting me in a better mood. Oh - let me brag on my sweet hubby. We were at Wal-Mart a few weeks ago and saw one of those skinny, scrawny $1 Christmas trees. I mentioned I should buy one for my office. When I got home yesterday, he had the Christmas tree sitting on the kitchen table with a red bow on top and a container of mini-ornaments waiting for me to take to work to brighten up my office. What a sweetie! He was probably just willing to try anything to put me in a better mood! :)

Time To Play Catch-Up!

1) My Christmas decorations are up and there is nothing more I love than being in my house right now. Everywhere you look you feel Christmas, and it just makes me happy!

2) Clorissa one of our very sweet friends from church gave Camryn a stuffed Abby-Cadabby for Christmas, and she just loves it! She carries it around the house and gives it to us to "push" (she talks when you push her stomach).

3) Our good friends Allen and Brucke (yes, he has another name, but we've just always called him by his last name!) replaced the railings on our front porch a few weeks ago. The builder of our house didn't really do a good job of treating the original wood railings, so they started to look like this:

These guys did a great job and now our front porch looks fabulous! Here is the new porch - with Christmas decorations - but I promise it looks perfect underneath!

Call these guys if you need something done. Cornerstone Construction of the Upstate - they are the best!!

4) Camryn had her first major fall the other day and scraped her head. We've had bumps before but never anything that bled! My sister was there when it happened, and she said she could tell there was this moment when I was trying to compose myself once I saw the blood. After I got over it, the only thing I could think was, "Great ... we have Christmas pictures in 2 weeks!" The worst part is, she fell on a Santa Claus decoration. She is finally old enough to understand who Santa is, and she isn't scared of him. But now, she walks around saying, "Santa bump head!"


5) Jason and I are part of the Young Adult Ensemble at church. We sang for the first time this past Sunday and ROCKED the place! Seriously, it was awesome! The group is made up of us and three other couples who we considered our very best friends. The 8 of us just decided we wanted to sing together, so we did! For the past couple of months, Thursday and Sunday nights at my house have looked like this:

Thomas, Jeff, Sarah Ellen, & Stephanie

Jason & Allen

Me & Kelli - we had to take our own picture since we were the photographers!

We just get together and eat, practice, laugh, and hang out, and have the GREATEST time. We are seriously thinking of taking a mini-tour this summer to sing at a few churches around the state. Maybe we'll come to a church near you!

6) I hosted a Tastefully Simple party at my house last Thursday night, as most of you who read this blog know because you probably got an invitation. I had such a wonderful time, and let me tell you - that is really the greatest food. If you ever have a chance to attend a Tastefully Simple party, GO! You will be hooked. My favorite things are the Perfect Parmesan Biscuits, the Banana Rum Cheeseball, and the Perfectly Potato Soup. Yummy!!

7) I love getting good deals on Camryn's clothes. Some people buy their kids toys, I buy my kid clothes. That is the reason I had a little girl - to dress her up! Not too long ago, Camryn and I went to visit my dad for the weekend in Pinehurst. There was a craft festival going on at the time and I found the cutest, handmade dresses there for $5 and $6! What a great deal!

I also found this cute little dress at my favorite consignment shop in Anderson.

8) Camryn decided the other day that she just HAD to take her new Elmo book to the potty with her. Jason and I thought it was hilarious!!

9) Thanksgiving pictures coming soon!