Naughty Little Monster.....

Since the only child I have is of the 4-legged furry nature, I do my best to make sure that her Christmas is just as special as ours is. This year, I got Cookie a new shirt (which she actually doesn't mind wearing), a new ID tag, a couple bags of treats, some chewy bones, and a toy to put in her stocking. I think she did pretty well!

I finally got her new ID tag in the mail yesterday evening and it's really cute. This morning I put everything in a box, wrapped it, and put it under the tree with Steve's presents. After doing that, I got in the shower so that I could get cleaned up for the day. When I got out of the shower (about 15min. later) this is what I found...




... My rotten little Monster had pulled her present out from under the tree, unwrapped it, torn the box open, and had a great time!! The pink and black thing you see in the picture is her new shirt... The small brown box has her new ID tag in it... She's standing next to her package of chewy bones... And one whole package of treats is completely gone. SHE ATE THE WHOLE THING!!!

I really wanted to be mad at her, but all I could do was laugh and grab my camera. The best part was that she knew she was in trouble when I walked out there... She wouldn't even look at me!

It's a good thing I take care of Cookie's presents every year. She'd be on Santa's "Naughty" list this year for sure!!

Wow.... Just, WOW!!!

I know it's only December 1st, but I feel like I've just recieved the best Christmas present ever!!

As most of you know... I've been dealing with this stupid tumor again. I was on a fairly mild medication called Parlodel and seemed to be doing pretty well on it. However, at the beginning of the year, my Prolactin level started it's old familiar climb once again... At one point reaching 186 (the normal range is 19-24). My Endocrinologist tried upping the dose of medication a couple of times and didn't see any improvement. My body had built up a tolerance to it. So, she switched me over to a medication called Dostinex which is much stronger and comes with all the nasty side effects.

Although it made me feel crappy for a few weeks, the Dostinex seemed like it was going to do the trick. My Prolactin level dropped about 10 points after the first round of blood work, so my Dr. upped to dose again in hopes that it would drop even more. It dropped a few points the next round and then seemed to stabilize in the 150-160 area. I was beyond frustrated!! I felt like I had been doing everything I was told to do but was still not seeing the improvements I was hoping for.

A co-worker of mine brought me a bottle of a product called Monavie one day. He told me that he and his wife had gone to a couple of meetings and had done a lot of research on it. He gave me the bottle for free and begged me to just give it a try... No strings attached. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I started taking it.

The first thing I notice was that within a few days of starting the Monavie, I was sleeping so much better! I've never been a good sleeper... you can ask my mom. But I noticed I was falling asleep easily and I was STAYING asleep! The next thing I noticed was that my bottle of Excedrin was no longer my best friend. I hadn't taken any... NOT A SINGLE PILL... since starting the Monavie! I decided I would continue to take the product until I got the results from my next round of blood work which was scheduled to be done at my Dr.'s appointment on November 29th.

When my Dr. walked into the room at my appointment the other day, the first thing she said to me was, "Wow! Your hair looks so healthy... and you're skin looks great!" Now that kind of a comment wouldn't even have phased a lot of people. But I can tell you right now that I have NEVER had ANYONE tell me that my skin looked good. I was shocked! She checked a few other things, wrapped up the appointment and sent me to the lab for bloodwork. The lab told me it would be 3-4 days for the results, so all I could do at that point was wait for a phone call.

Well... It turns out it only took 1 day because the nurse practitioner called me yesterday afternoon to give me my lab results. My Prolactin leven has dropped to..... (drumroll, please)..... 43.4!!!

I was absolutely floored!! I was hoping to see a little improvement, but was definitely not expecting anything like that! 116 points in 6 weeks was unbelievable! My response to her (I'm a little embarassed to say) was, "NO SH*T!!". I haven't seen numbers that low since right after I had surgery... Almost 3 years ago!! I was, and still am, SOOOO excited!! Steve even took me to the Rusty Bucket last night for a celebratory cheeseburger... WOO HOO!!

If you want to read more about the product itself, visit http://www.monavie.com/ .

I'M STICKING WITH IT!!!

The Story of a Tree...

WOO HOO!!! Thanksgiving is over and now we've officially entered into the Christmas season!! Not that I'm overlooking Turkey Day or anything... but I love Christmas and I love this time of the year. I love the Christmas music playing on the radio... I love buying gifts for my loved ones... I love decorating my house... I just LOVE it!!

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and I had the day off work. Steve had to work until about 4:30, so I spent the earlier part of the day setting up my Christmas tree, pulling out my snowman decorations, making Christmas cards, wrapping a few presents, etc. I didn't spend much time relaxing (you know... what you're supposed to do on your only day off), but it was a day away from work and I got a lot done. Besides... I really wanted to get my Christmas tree set up!

I thought about getting a bigger Christmas tree this year. I've seen so many pretty trees at Target and Michaels... and I have a bigger place now, so I thought it would be a good idea. I thought maybe this year I would take a step up in the tree department. But when I really started thinking about it, I just couldn't do it! This may sound crazy to some, but my little fake Christmas tree has a bit of sentimental value to it.

A few years ago, shortly before Thanksgiving, a friend of mine from work came to take me out to lunch. Marcel knew that I hadn't been feeling well, I was facing a major surgery, and I was just having a really rough time. He took me to Bob Evans for lunch where I had French toast (I know... not really a lunchy thing). I remember craving it!! After lunch, we decided to hit this flea market that we had heard horror stories about. It was in a grungy part of town and was a little creepy looking, but we decided to go for it anyways.

Marcel and I shopped for a little over an hour and found some of the strangest things in that flea market. I think Marcel found a jacket that he bought and a blanket for his daughter and I didn't find anything I couldn't live without. I was all set to leave empty handed when I looked over near the door and saw it.... A CHRISTMAS TREE!! I had wanted one for so long! The box said it was a 6 foot tree and it was only $10. It was the only one there and I decided it needed a home, so I bought it.

When I got the tree home and put it together, I was a little disappointed. It was a really sad looking little tree. However, I didn't have the money to buy a bigger one, so I had to make do with the one I'd purchased. I had a couple of strings of clear lights, and 2 boxes of ornaments that I picked up at the flea market for $1/box. So, I turned on some Christmas music and started decorating my new tree.

Every year when I pull out my tree and put it together, I still get that same sad little feeling. I think to myself, "Good grief, this tree looks sad!" But, every year, after I add the lights and hang the ornaments, I'm always pleasantly surprised at how pretty my little tree turns out.

Now I know that my little tree is nothing spectacular... and I know I'll never find it in the middle of Rockafeller Center. But this tree has been through a lot with me, and with a few decorations, I think it looks pretty darned good!!

I hope everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving and I hope you all are enjoying the beginning of the Christmas season as much as I am!

Baby Shower...

This past week, I flew to Arizona for my best friend Dustin's baby shower. I haven't seen Dustin in FOREVER, so it was really nice to be able spend a couple of days with her and catch up a bit. Technically, Dustin was on bed rest, so we kinda had to take things easy... However, we broke a few rules and snuck out of the house for a pedicure, lunch, a movie, and a couple of quick errands. After all this time, it was really nice to have a girls day out with my best friend!

The baby shower itself was a lot of fun too. The food was amazing, Dustin got a lot of great baby gifts, and I got to meet a lot of her friends and family members. A couple of good friends from high school were there, so we got to spend a few hours in the Arizona sunshine and catch up... It was great!!

GOOD LUCK DUST-A-ROONIE!!

I can't wait to see pictures of the little guy!

I've Been Tagged.....

I've been tagged by my best friend, Dustin!!

For those of you who don't know how this works, here are the rules...

1. Each player lists 6 facts / habits about themselves.

2. At the end of the post, the player tags 6 people and posts their names.

3. If you see your name posted, it's your turn to continue the game.

Here we go...

Fact #1: I am a fighter! From the day I was born, 2 months early, I've always been a strong-willed and determined person. I'm not one to give up on anything easily and if you tell me I can't do something, I'll do my best to prove you wrong! I believe this trait can be a curse or a blessing depending on the sutuation. It's made me stick to my guns when I've made some not-so-bright decisions in my life, but it's also gotten me through some very difficult times over the past few years. I believe I get this trait from my mom's side of the family. My Grandma Hornberger is as stubborn as an ox, and my mom and I are no different!

Fact #2: I am very independent. I moved across the country at the age of 23 to a state I'd never been to before, where I knew no one, for a job I had never done. It's probably one of the scariest things I've ever chosen to do, but also one of the best decisions I've ever made. I live alone and I enjoy doing things on my own. Just like Fact #1, this can be a curse and a blessing. It's a blessing because I've learned to take care of myself and deal with things on my own. However, it's also taught me that there are certain times when I have more on my plate than I can handle and I have to ask for help... Something I'm not very good at.

Fact #3: I love pictures!! I love taking pictures, I love looking at pictures... I just love pictures! Photography is more of a hobby for me, but if I could pick a different job right now, I'd probably be a photographer. I love the way pictures tell stories of where we come from and share the memories of where we've been and what we've done. To me, a picture really is worth a thousand words.

Fact #4: I LOVE my dog!! I know a lot of people think I'm crazy, and that's fine. I love my dog as though she were my child! To me, she's like a little person with a speech impediment. My furry little Monster has been through so much with me, and even on the worst of days, she gives me a reason to smile. She knows when I'm upset, she knows when I'm happy, she knows when I don't feel well... She just knows. If I come home in a crappy mood after a bad day at work, all it takes is one look at her and it's all gone. I truly believe that animals are theraputic... And my little girl is no different!


Fact #5: I have an amazing boyfriend!! I met Steve almost two years ago, and he (along with Cookie) is the best thing that could've happened to me. He's a very driven person who goes after what he wants... and gets it! He's helped me find my way back to that fun person I used to be and he's given me back some of the confidence that I lost somewhere along the way. He treats me better than I've ever been treated, and the best part is that he treats Cookie the same way. I've always said that if a guy planned to stick around with me, he'd have to have the Monster's approval. In this case... She not only approves, I think she's competing for him!!

Fact #6: I love my job! At any point in my childhood, if you had asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, the words "Aircraft Dispatcher" would never even have entered my mind... Much less, come out of my mouth. I have no idea how or why I ended up in the industry of aviation, but here I am. While I can't stand the office politics, and I often question my sanity, I love what I do! I love that every day is different, I love that every flight I plan is a challenge, and I love that I often know more about airplanes than a lot of the boys I work with do! :o) I work hard to do what I do and I work hard to be good at it! This industry has provided me with a lot of great opportunities and a lot of wonderful friends. I am lucky to be a part of it!

I TAG MOM (hopefully she'll start a blog), MELISSA JO, JEFF.... and that's it because I don't know anyone else with a blog!!

And the Winner Is....

Last night was our friend Chas's annual Halloween party... It was SOOO much fun!! There were a bunch of people there, tons of food, and a lot of really great costumes. Chas totally out did himself this year... as he does every year!

I spent a couple of days this week trying to find something that I could use to make Beth's "girls". I bought the biggest bra I could find and tried stuffing it, but that didn't look right. I got a couple of styrofoam balls at Michael's, but those things HURT!! I didn't know what to do. Steve and I went to Meijer the other night to look and we found exactly what I needed... 2 large foam Nerf balls! They were perfect!!

I got off work at 4:00 yesterday Steve was done at 5:00. We met up at my place to get everything ready before going to Chas's house. I think Steve had it pretty easy. All he had to do was throw on some clothes, a wig, and some sunglasses and he was pretty much good to go. I on the other hand had to put on a boatload of make-up, wiggle into a pair of fishnets, zip on the "hooker boots", glue on some fingernails (which Steve had to help with), and somehow attach a couple of Nerf balls to my chest. It really took some work!! After about an hour and a half... we were ready to go!

Like I said, Chas goes all out for Hallween each year. His basement looked like a morgue... body parts laying on the floor, disected people laying on tables, etc. It was completely disgusting and really cool all at the same time. He also had all kinds of food and drinks for everyone, games and movies set up, and prizes for the costume contest.

For the costume contest, everyone was asked to vote for Scariest, Funniest, Cutest, and Best costumes. The award for Scariest went to fellow dispatcher Robin Seib who was dressed as famous porn star Ron Jeremy. His costume was hilarious and revolting! Cutest costume went to another dispatcher friend of ours Matt Witherspoon and his wife Heather who came as Shaggy and Scooby Doo. Funniest costume went to my friend Ilene Onieal and her husband James who came as the comic strip characters Beaker and Bunson. And Best costume went to......... drumroll, please ......... "Dog" the Bounty Hunter and Beth! WE WON!!!

Steve and I won a $25 gift certificate to Damon's, so we'll probably be heading out for dinner sometime in the near future!

All-in-all, it was a great night. We had a really fun time at the party, the "girls" got all kinds of compliments and inappropriate squeezes, and everyone loved Steve's hair (except Steve). We had a great time and we're already looking forward to next year's party!!