Christmas has come and gone

Sorry for the delay but as you can imagine, the last few weeks have been crazy. This year Emily had so much fun during the holidays but she is so worn out. I know she can't wait to get back on schedule, poor thing hasn't had a real nap in forever!

Emily finally realized that Santa is a good guy and he gave her the Red Bear she asked for. Now I can hang the whole, you better be nice thing over her head! All in all Christmas was great! Emily got a little kitchen, a red bear, books, apron and a few little things from SANTA. She also got 2 mickey mouses (that I love) a mickey robe, wallet, and scarf from her Uncle Kevin! He always did give great gifts! She got a chalk board, golf clubs, plastic food she can cut, a lot of books, cookie cutters, clothes, a new cash register, a doll bed, and so much more from the family. One of Emily's favorite gifts was a kitten from her Papa! Now the question is what do I do with everything!

I finished taking down the Christmas stuff today. I don't know what it is but I look so forward to putting everything up but as soon as Christmas night comes, I am ready to take it all down. I dread it so much I guess that I am just ready to do it and get it over with. Also, since we are moving in the next few weeks, I am ready to get the house to normal so we can put it on the market. So much to do and so little time!

Anyway, Christmas is over but it was great! I love being with everyone during the holidays, and I love the whole reason for the season. I was so happy that this year Emily understood everything. We worked on the nativity sets that we had out. This year she was actually able to pick out Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. It is so sweet when she says their names. It is amazing how last year at this time she couldn't say much and now she is saying everything. Where does the time go?

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, here are a few pictures from our Christmas!

All I want for Christmas

Okay. I have been pretty slack lately. Sorry about that but you know how things go around the holidays! Here is a quick update...we are moving! YEA. We are moving to the woods. We won't actually move until January or February 2009, (can you believe it is almost 2009) Anyway, we are getting things ready to move, I am anyway. I have moved some small items in but can't really do anything else until they finish painting the new house...I am so ready to get out of this on. I don't know what it is but we have lived here only 4 years and I am tired of living here. I guess with a child you just collect even more junk. I feel like I have no room here at all. I know I do but the OCD in me says I don't.

The other thing going on was tonight we went to see Santa with Emily's man Grant. What is it about a trip to the mall? I didn't think I would see anyone and instead I saw everyone. Go figure!

Anyway a few weeks ago Emily and I were at the mall and she said she wanted to see Santa but when I took her up there she wouldn't even look at him or get near him so I figured if she saw Grant do it then she would do it...and of course mom's are right! It worked. She was such a champ. I think she actually told him something. Of course I know what she wants...my simple child only wants, A RED BEAR. Isn't that sweet! I hope she sticks to one thing small every year! Here are some pictures I took!

My first wedding

This past weekend I was able to take pictures of a wedding for the first time. I am so excited about people asking me to take pictures for them. Come to find out, I have pretty good prices! I really hope this part-time hobby becomes a full-time job. I just love taking pictures.

Over the last two years since Emily was born I have grown fonder of taking pictures, specially children pictures. Go figure! I love the eyes of a child. I love trying to figure out what they are thinking and watching how they react to the camera, and/or their mommy standing behind me making silly faces. There is nothing more precious then a child's smile, however adults need pictures of themselves too. I have realized I can do more then just children. I really enjoyed doing this wedding. It was a big step and a big task, even for a small wedding but I couldn't be happier with the turn out. I was so glad I got this opportunity.

I look forward to taking more pictures and to taking some photography classes this winter. Here are a few pictures of the wedding. You can see more at my website - http://pattonphotography.shutterfly.com/

DSL Winter Line

Today was a beautiful day, which was great. I took pictures today for Chrissy the owner and designer of DSL Kids - http://www.dottiestriplayne.etsy.com/. I was amazed at the cute clothes. I could never put together what Chrissy puts together. She is so talented. I am amazed at all the new things she comes up with.

The girls did really great today...and the baby boy. He is so cute. It is so funny to watch the girls during these photoshoots. You can really tell that they love clothes, already! You can also tell when they have on their favorite outfit! Can you guess my favorite? What is your favorite?

If you want some really cute clothes check out her website!

Appendicitis

So here is the story. Last Friday I started hurting around the right side of my belly button. I thought I had pulled a muscle. It started Friday morning. That night I went to dinner for my Father-In-Laws birthday...I felt like crap but I didn't let it on. Emily stayed with my mom that night because I had school the next day...yes on Saturday. Again, I still didn't feel good but I didn't think I was that bad off.

I have always said I could take pain, at least abdominal pain, I mean after 2 liproscopic surgeries for endometrious (spelling), pregnancy, a cesarean, a d&c, what else could be worse? Let me answer that for you....APPENDIX. I have never went to the emergency room but after trying to go to sleep Friday night/Sat Morning I found myself thinking this would be the first emergency room trip. At about 3 am Saturday morning I was sitting there watching TV (couldn't sleep, couldn't lay on either side) I said a little prayer..."God if we are going to do this we need to do it. If I am suppose to go to the emergency room then tell me now because otherwise I am not going." About that time the worse pain of all come over me in my lower right side. After getting my breath back and saying, "okay I can take a hint." I ran to get my husband. I told him I needed him to take me to the hospital. He jumped up so fast....(if you know my husband, nothing wakes him so I was really surprised) I told him to calm down it wasn't an emergency yet. (then I thought why am I going again)

At 4am we were at Sptbg Regional. At about & 8am we were told it was the appendix. I went into surgery at about 11am (yes it takes that long to get everything together). The good news is I was able to come home the same day at about 4pm. I would have signed myself out if they wouldn't have let me leave.

The doctor said he knew I was in major pain because the appendix had not yet burst but was really bad. They had to take all of it, which means they had to actually clip off some of my large intestine to make sure it was all gone. I have 3 cuts on me which are no big deal except the one at my belly button, it does bother me. The main thing is I am not suppose to lift for at least 4 weeks. (NEVER GONNA HAPPEN) I think the doctor forgot about Christmas decorations, taking out the trash, washing clothes, and lets not forget the child of mine. I could get a hernia from any lifting so I don't want to but then again...what do you do? We all know a mom and a wife can't just stop for 4 weeks.

I have been good, up until yesterday. The last two days I have been moving around a lot and I can feel it. I feel burning in my stomach...muscles I guess but I can handle it. I go back to the doctor on Monday and we are going to talk about this 4 weeks deal and see just what all I can and can't do...or should I say what all I am suppose to not do! I can be so hard headed!

The Facts

Just so you know there is no clear cause of appendicitis. Fecal material has been thought to be one possible obstructing object. It also appears that appendicitis is not hereditary or transmittable from person to person. Symptoms of appendicitis may take 4-48 hours to develop. Appendicitis typically begins with a vague pain in the middle of the abdomen often near the navel or "belly button". The pain slowly moves to the right lower abdomen (toward the right hip). In the classic description, abdominal pain is accompanied with nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, and fever. All of these symptoms, however, occur in fewer than half of people who develop appendicitis. More commonly, people with appendicitis often have any combination of these symptoms, I only had the abdominal pain and some dizziness.

Not much is known about the human appendix because studies on the appendix are difficult to conduct. Doctors have debated the exact function of the organ for years, as removal causes no noticeable symptoms.

Thank you all for your prayers, emails, and flowers. I love you all!

Bye Bye

Short and sweet. I lost my appendix yesterday. I will write more later. Now a part of me is gone!

My website

There is one reason I have been slack at posting...check out my new photography website....
http://pattonphotography.shutterfly.com

THE FLU

Today we went to get Emily's flu shot. I was going to do the flu mist but then I found out it was $74.00. I told Emily I was sorry but she was going to have to do the shot for $38.00. I hated having to put her through the whole shot thing but I didn't really have a choice.

I reminded Emily of a few months ago when I had to go to the doctor every week to get my blood drawn to check my HCG levels (usually she went with me). I asked her if she remembered mommy getting all those "boo boos" and she said yes. I said, mommy didn't cry did she? She said no. I explained to her that she was a big girl like her mommy and therefore when she got her shot she shouldn't cry. She acted like she knew what I was talking but I figured it wouldn't matter once she got the shot.

We got in the room and nurse came in. I put Emily on the table and held her little arms as the nurse gave her the shot in her leg. Emily looked into my eyes the whole time. She didn't even frown. Not a tear. I grabbed her up and gave her the biggest hug and told her I was so proud of her for being such a big girl like mommy. She just smiled. I made such a big deal about it. I told her we had to call everyone and tell them that Emily didn't cry. She said, "it no hurt, I no cry." It was so sweet! I was just so proud of her! I mean really, you know your child is growing up when she gets a shot and doesn't cry. What mom wouldn't be excited about that?

Trick-or-Treat

This was Emily's really first time trick-or-treating and it was so much fun. Emily was so tired by from walking so much. Those poor little legs got a good workout. We went with her Nana, and of course her boyfriend Grant and his family. My only question is...what do we do with all of this candy?

Wheels on the bus

I am not so sure why this video is so messed up looking but hopefully you can still see how much Emily likes her dance class. They got to dress in their halloween costumes this week. She did so good. In case you can't tell Emily is the bee, the one in the yellow and black.

Wellford Halloween Festival

Tonight Emily got to wear her costume to Wellford Baptist Church's festival. She was so excited to get candy. That scares me! Her costume was made by Chrissy at http://www.dottiestripelayne.etsy.com/ and her trick or treat bag was made by Anna at http://www.brownbagboutique.etsy.com/. I know she is so spoiled! Here are a few pictures.

An amazing day

I must confess, I love taking pictures! It is always hard to find really great places around here to take pictures, that is Spartanburg! Finally I have found somewhere I love, Glassy Mountain. I had never been up on Glassy Mountain but I got the chance to yesterday. It is beautiful on top and from below.

I went up there with Rhianon Pittman. She wanted me to take some pictures for her Bridal portrait, only I didn't know the beauty that would be surrounding us. Rhianon looked amazing and the background just added to her beauty. I am posting just a few of the 443 pictures I took yesterday. I loved every minute of it, Rhianon should be a model she was great, she has such a natural beauty. This is the first time I have ever done a bridal portrait session. We took pictures for 3 and 1/2 hours. I couldn't stop. I was so lucky, I had a great model and a great location!

Billy Bob

I have had this thing about naming bucks that I see when I am hunting and I saw one yesterday that I call Billy Bob. Let me tell you a little about Billy Bob.

Two years ago I hunted this one stand (hunters don't tell where the good ones are) that afternoon I saw a deer I call Fred and another one I use to say was Fred's dad. I now call him Billy Bob. I couldn't get a shot at Billy Bob 2 years ago because he stepped out right at dark and for a split second. No one else really hunted this stand for 2 years at least those that did, didn't see Fred nor Billy Bob. Yesterday morning I decided to go back there. At about dawn out stepped Fred. I know it was him. I couldn't believe it. However, I didn't shoot him. One it was really early and shooting one that early would make others not come out at all, besides, it was Fred. I was just happy to see him. Fred is a tall deer, even his rack is really tall, not wide just tall. I like deer with wide racks so I kind of wasn't after Fred. After another hour of sitting there out of the corner of my eye about 100+ yards away I saw a wide rack...Billy Bob. I know from the looks of the rack this was the same deer I saw with Fred 2 years ago. You ask how I really know? Well I just do. They are in the same territory the were two years ago, they have the same amount of points and their racks are the same size as 2 years ago. Not really size but the same structure.

Anyway, of course Billy Bob was really sneaky and out for only a second, so I didn't shoot. I wanted to go back yesterday night and see if I saw him again. I was in the stand about 45 minutes when out stepped 4 does and a few minutes later down the road to my right was a big deer standing in the middle of the road. The sun was setting behind him. The sun was in my scope so I couldn't see him to shoot but he stood there like I have never seen. He didn't move for over 10 minutes. I looked back at the deer to my left, the does, and back in the lower field behind them was Fred. He ran up to within 30 yards from the stand and started eating. Most bucks if you know don't just come out so easily but I was lucky. I looked back and Billy Bob was still there. That was actually the time I named him Billy Bob ( I don't know why that name, just came to me) Billy Bob was looking right at Fred and Fred at him. I figure they were going to start to fight but at the same time they were so far apart I didn't know where they would run so I had to make my move. It was about then that the sun went behind a cloud and as Billy Bob took a step I shot. Fred ran off but the does that were within 30 yards of me behind me stayed there eating. Billy Bob ran off. I was so afraid I missed. I was shaking so bad. I called my husband in the stand (go Verizon) I wanted him to stop his hunt and come and help me find Billy Bob but about that time I heard a shot. He had shot too.

Long story short, my does stayed there until I got out of the stand, even after I stood up in the stand and yelled at them. My husband and I went to look for his deer, we found it, and 8 point with a 22 inch spread, with a small body. It was too dark to really look for Billy Bob. We didn't find any blood so I figured I missed, but deep down I know I didn't. We came home and I was really upset. I was mad too that we looked for his deer and found it and didn't look for mine. He promised that he would go look for it and today he and my dad did. It was luck they found it. Actually a good friend of my dad's found it (thanks God for him). Billy Bob was laying down in the woods almost behind the stand. He was a 9 point with a 18 1/2 inch spread and a big body. He had scares on him from all the fighting he had been doing. Billy Bob is the second Buck I have ever killed and the biggest. I thank God for Billy Bob!

Here he is. If you don't like this kind of thing, don't look any further!

Are animals really different then humans?

As most of you know I deer hunt. I have hunted with my dad since high school and now I hunt with him and my husband. No we don't shoot everything we see and yes we do eat the meet! Yesterday my husband and I went to site my gun in. After we sited it in we were driving around in my husbands LOUD PICK-UP TRUCK...as we turned a corner he saw a doe (female deer) she saw us and ran off but a few yards behind her in the middle of the road were two bucks fighting! I have never in all my years seen such, more have many people. We were actually able to DRIVE close to them, get out of the truck and WALK within 30 yards of them. I had my gun of course just in case. No I didn't shoot one! They were young deer for one and I was really way too amazed by the actual event. These deer were young and small body but really big racks. They were both 8 points and outside the ears. The biggest look to have a 22 inch spread (WHICH IS REALLY GOOD.

We watched them fight and get their antlers hung together and then unhung. The biggest one would push the other deer up and down the hill, and then stuck his antlers into the side of his neck. It was amazing, there is no telling how long they were fighting before we got there. Not only is it rare to see this, it is even more rare to be standing on ground level within 30 yards from this happening. It was a once in a life time event. Of course the big deer won!

If you are wondering why they were fighting, the were fighting over the doe. MEN right:) It is kind of like a high school thing. There is a good looking girl just minding her business and this boy comes along to try to get his way with her, she says no but he still follows her and talks to her...trying his best, then another boy hears this and goes to check out what is going on. Once he gets there he looks at the first boy the wrong way and BANG.....the fight starts. The girl....stands there for a minute and leaves while the two boys have it out. By the time they got done fighting she was far away, (she ran off this time because we scared her once she saw us but normally the will leave the scene) These two males had one thing on their mind...sex...and they didn't want anyone to get in the way of it so they fought over the female to prove who was the best and to whom she belonged. She showed them....she left. The female wasn't really wanting sex right now...she wasn't in heat just yet but the men were. Go figure!

It is so funny how nature works. It is so hard to see a big buck anytime, because they seem to be somewhat more cautious then the female. The usually come out alone and usually come out right at or after dark or when no one is really hunting and that is if they come out where you can see them. That is part of the Hunt. However, when the boys smell that the women are going to be coming into heat, they get dumb, as did these two deer. The rut (spelling) is when the breeding takes place and once the cold weather starts the deer actually start. In a few days or another week the women will actually stand for the bucks but until then the bucks will drive them crazy and continue to get even more DUMB.

I guess animals are more like humans then most people think!

Of course I didn't have my camera with me so I have no pictures of this for you to see but here are some Emily and I did today! IT IS FINALLY FALL. I LOVE IT

Dancing a new dance

We finally found a dance class. It is a mommy and me class and we love the instructor, Mrs. Jennifer. Emily actually started the class last week, but I didn't want to walk in with a camera the first day! However, I couldn't wait long! This week she wore the tutu that was given to her by Alivia her friend from http://www.dottiestripelayne.etsy.com/. Everyone loved her new tutu.