We got worms!

Worms. The diagnosis no 'mom' wants to hear.

So Saturday I noticed these little 'rice' looking things on Bowie's back side (aka, her butt. I just feel like that word is degrading to her). I had hoped she'd sat in something, it was the litter, or it was just something else. Just something! Anything other than what I feared. I cleaned her up, but sure enough they were back on Monday. Ugh.

Again, cleaned her up and headed out to officiate my track meet. On the way home I started wondering about these little 'pieces of rice' so I googled it.

"white rice on cat's butt" is what I searched.

(If anyone searched that and ended up here on my blog, you're in luck cause you'll find out what is wrong!)

Every result that came up was for tapeworms. Of course! It wasn't enough that she was in heat for the first 30 days of the year, then we dealt with surgery recovery for the next three weeks. Then a week of terror when we watched the devil cat while Kate was on Spring Break. Then I got 'pink eye'/allergic reaction to medicine. And now we have worms! We can't catch a break.

So if your cat is eating more than normal (she was, I thought it was a growth spurt), her hair isn't as shiny (it's not!), she lays around more than usual (she's not in to playing with toys much these days), she is aggressive (girl has been biting my ankles non stop while I get ready in the morning) and most noticibly, has white rice looking pieces on her behind, then your cat probably has tapeworm!

Luckily, there is a pill that your vet can give you and will kill the worm.

Getting your cat to take the pill is a whole 'nother story. I had to go to Giant Eagle (in my pajamas!) at 11pm to get wet cat food to hide the crunched up pill in because she would not eat it in her dry food. And then I starved her until she had no choice but to eat the medicine filled patte.

I don't feel good mom.

Here's to no more tapeworms. Thank goodness I can't get them.

Prom

Piketon's prom was this past weekend. I went home to see my dear little Payton go to her first prom. She is a freshman this year and went to the dance with her friend Isaac. Isaac is little brother of Molly's friend Hayley and he used to have the biggest crush on Molly when he was little and she was in high school. It's so strange to see both Payton and Isaac as high schoolers!

Isn't she pretty?

They look so grown up!

Payton is 15 and when I was 15 is when I started babysitting her and her little sister. They were attached to my hip when I was in high school and were just the cutest little girls. Payton started kindergarten the same year I started college and I remember crying because my little girl was so old. Well now she's in high school. I. feel. so. old. 

They always came to watch me go to my dances, so it was only natural for me to come watch them do the same.

The picture below is Payton and I at my high school prom in 2003 and at her first prom last weekend. :)

 I look a heck of a lot better these days than I did back then. Thanks mom for that bright blue eye shadow to match my bright blue dress!

Dresses! Also something that look a heck of a lot better these days. I'm not sure what we were thinking back then. But those dresses were not pretty. The dresses in the store are so much better these days. So much better.

I chaperoned the after prom. It's a lot harder to stay up from 12-3am than what I thought. I slept all day on Sunday!

Pink Eye Hoax

So I told the world I had pink eye, and I felt really dirty because of it. Turns out, I didn't have pink eye. I just had an alergic reaction to the store brand eye makeup remover I recently purchased.

How did I figure this out? Well first everyone was telling me they felt sorry for me because pink eye was soooooo painful. Mine did not hurt, at all. I took my eye drops four times a day like the doctor lady told me to. I wasn't wearing eye make-up, which is like the worst of all things that could happen to me. I can't stand to not have on mascara. So my eyes were fine, no bloodshotness at all. Weird right, cause two days before I looked stoned out of my mind.

Saturday morning I get up and again, they look just fine. I'd slept in my make up the night before because that's what usually happens when I fall asleep on the couch waiting for the news to come on. Ha. So I get out my eye make up remover to get ride of my raccoon eyes and BAM, instant bloodshot eyes again.

So I put the anti-red eyes drops in multiple times throughout the day and get them cleared up. I toss the eye make up remover and get new. I've not had to use the drops, but am still holding on to them just in case.

Moral of the story, buying the Kroger brand of the Netrogena eye make up remover was not a bright idea. I was trying to save $.78, but really I cost myself a lot more of time and money trying to get rid of "pink eye."

Lesson learned.

Pink Eye :(

So my week has been less than stellar. Not bad, but not one I'll remember forever. Or it actually might be. It'll be known as the week I had pink eye.

Yes, pink eye. I turn 28 years old and get pink eye. Who does that? I thought it was just little kids at elementary schools because they're germy.

I've never had it before. Ever. It's not even what I thought it was. At all. I thought pink eye was when you're entire outside of your eye was swollen, not the white part of your eye. And I'm still not convinced that it's what I actually had because I didn't have the pain that everyone talks about, just the red, blood shot eyes. I basically just looked stoned all day Monday and Tuesday at work. Fantastic think to have when you meet with prospective college students and their parents.

I thought it was allergies at first, but then everyone said it looked like pink eye and the doctor agreed since I didn't have the other allergy symptoms that I usually have - sneezing, sore throat, stuffy nose.

So I got eye drops to use for seven days. I guess it's better to be overly cautious and make sure if there is a virus in there it is gone.

Not my eye, but what it looked like. Both of them.

One Sweet Birthday

My birthday was awesome! I can't believe how many great people I have in my life that went the extra step to make sure I had a good birthday!

For lunch, I went to Spaghetti Warehouse with Jill, Cara, Julie and Lee. We had a great lunch and I was so glad to do part of my birthday celebrations with them because last year was when I celebrated with them in Pennsylvania and since then we've all become really good friends! :)

 

Then later in the afternoon, my boss came to my office and asked me to come with him. We've gone through 8 months of birthday since he came on board last July, so I knew what was coming. They had cupcakes for me in the main office and everyone was there to enjoy. What a nice surprise.

Then just as soon as I got back to my office a few boys from the fraternity I advise showed up with these gifts. They had opened the jellybeans on the way to my office because they were hungry, but I didn't even care! How sweet are they?

Then just a few minutes later I got a package in the mail, it was a birthday cookie from Cheryls sent by my Aunt Amy, Uncle Bill and the girls!  The box even sings "Happy Birthday" when you open it.

 

Then when I went to my student council meeting after work, our president brought ice cream treats for my birthday. Do you see why I called it a 'sweet birthday'? I ate nothing but sugar all day long!

And finally after work, I got to visit with the woman who is responsible for me being on earth. My mom came to town and we went out to eat at a pizza place in Short North. Delicious

More celebrating to come this weekend with friends and grandparents! 28 is off to a good start! :)

2-8!

It's my birthday!

Hard to believe I'm 28 today. I swear I should be turning 24 or something like that, but at the same time I feel too old and wise to be 24, so I'm ok with 28. Age is just a number. I feel younger and that's all that matters. Right?

27 was probably the best year of my life because it was just about me! That sounds vain, but it was me putting myself first and doing what I want for a change. Actually living life and not waiting on someone else. So I'm confident that 28 will be just as good and maybe even better? Could it be possible? I'm not even sure.

I'm working on a little shutterfly photo book of the past year because it's been that darn good. I just have a boat load of photos to go through and it's taking a lot longer than planned. Maybe I'll get that posted in the next week or so. Or before my 29th birthday for sure.

But for now, a little picture from 25 years ago - my 3rd birthday! I'm in love with the adorable romper my mom has made for me. And I may still have all the decorations from that cake. #hoarder

Emily turns 3! 1988

Today is also my sister's birthday. What are the odds, right? She really got the best birthday present ever 28 years ago when I made her a big sister.

Below we are celebrating Holly's 11th birthday. I am just 2 years old! :) It must have been a cold April, she has skiers on her sweater! ha.

Easter Pictures Past and Present

I'm missing a few years throughout my 28 Easter celebrations, but here's a little summary of those years. I'll add more as they come through.

Molly, Tyler and I always try to coordinate each year. Molly and I pick out dresses that go together, then Tyler asks what color shirt or sweater to wear! Isn't he adorable! :)

1987

1990

 

1991

 

 

 1995

 

 2006

 

 2009

2008

2011

2012

 2013

Valentine's Day - 2k13

To say Valentine's Day this year was better than last year would be the understatement of the year. It was 5 billion times better! ha.

Flowers from La'Moll

My lovely little sister brought me the most beautiful bouquet of flowers. Thanks Molly. She said she was determined to make sure I had a better day than in the past and it worked. 

I also got a postcard from one of our students studying in Brazil. It made me smile that she though to send me a post card. I did not ask her to send me one. Ok, I did.

I got some chocolate covered strawberries too that were very yummy. My student workers were excited I shared the goodness with them.

During the day, our student council had a fundraiser where we sold valentine calls. I got one from the vice president of the university thanking me for my work as the council advisor. It seriously made my day. Then Molly and I made the most epic phone call ever to wish one of our students a happy valentine's day. The message was purchased for Bowie to call him. Bowie gets a call request and not me. :(

I also had a student council meeting that evening and I made cake balls for all the kids. There many nice words about how they were the best dessert ever, definitely helped make my day.

Later that evening I went to the movies with Molly and my friends Cara and Jill. We saw "Safe Haven" with Julianne Hough and Fergie's husband. OMG! I'd never read the book before so I was shocked!

By far, it was the best Valentine's Day I've ever had. Ever! Seriously. It was just so much fun.

I hope all future ones are this amazing. It was truly focused on my friends this year and what they have meant to me over the past year - and still do of course. And that's what I'm going to do from here on out. :)

13

Avery has been like my little sister since I first met her in November of 2001. She was 6 months old at the time and from then, I have watched her grow from one of the cutest babies I've ever seen, into the sassiest 13 year old I've ever known (that is including my sister Molly!). :)

The day I moved away to college she was 2 years old and she and her mom and sister came to visit me just a few minutes before I left. I remember crying and crying because I was afraid she and her sister would forget me. :(

Luckily, I visited them often when I came home from college and they never forgot me. We still go on vacations together each summer and now that they're teenagers, we walk the beach looking for cute boys instead of building sandcastles. ;) 

Happy 13th Birthday Miss Avery Rebecca. I'm so glad you have been a part of my life and I hope you'll always consider me one of your big sisters!

Playing catch up!

Soooooo, so much happened while I was away for Lent! It was a much needed social media break. I didn't get to focus on everything I wanted and I even found me relying on my work social media a lot more as a time waster, so that's not good, but I learned through the process and that's what life is all about. You live. And you learn.

I did many, many things over the past 40ish days, so I have a lot to share.

I flew by myself for the first time ever. This might not be big for some people, but it is for me. And it was amazing. And I absolutely love traveling by myself. That sounds weird, but I can see me taking vacations in the future for just me after this. I wasn't nervous one little bit. I guess that's what anxiety medication and mega strength dramamine will do for you! :) 

I ran in a half-marathon with my best friend at Disney World! It was amazing! I ran the whole thing. Only stopped for water breaks, to wait for the bathroom and when we had to dodge people that were walking! I almost - almost - cried as we were running towards the finish line because I just kept thinking "OMG, I just ran 13 miles." I was extremely proud of myself and Erica for completely this. Many more in the future.

I went to Disney World. Not the first time I've been there, but the first time as an adult. I rode every ride there - including the roller coasters. I have never been a roller coaster rider, but again, thanks to anxiety medication and anti motion sickness pills I was a roller coaster rockstar. More theme parks in my future. :)

I went to the Gulf of Mexico. My friend Jill was there with her family so I spent a day recuperating in a lounge chair by the beach, as well as on a patio with a margarita. And I was determined to swim in the water, so even though it was freezing cold, I jumped in.

I went to a non-country concert. Jill and I had free tickets to go see Tiesto. I had no idea who that was, but apparently he's the #1 DJ in the world and I saw him. I won't be calling him to DJ my wedding, that's for sure. ha.

I made a quick little trip to Chicago to visit the family up there. It was there last weekend as Chicago residents, so I wanted to get in one last trip to that city that I love. Lots of coloring, dress-up, special treat walks, and iPad game playing!

I went snow tubing with Julie and some of the students from school. I'd only been once in high school so it was fun for me! 

I went to Northwest Arkansas! Which seems like the home of every blogger I read. Ok, a bit of a stretch, but I really felt as if I knew the city already just by reading their blogs. ha. 

I ate a cake from Rick's Bakery. If you've ever read one of those NWA blogs, you know about Rick's cakes. They even decorated it in Ohio State for me and my students! And it was the best cake I've ever had, no doubt.

I was rebellious and climbed on this giant cross in Fayetteville and got my picture taken.

I visited the top of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis! Going up was not scary at all and the views were amazing.

Other cool things that happened:
Met Ali Vincent from the Biggest Loser
Met Cinderella
Rode Dumbo and Cinderella's Carrousel for the first time
Spent five amazing days in Florida with my best friend who I miss so much
Visited 7 states in 10 days, with Illinois being hit 3 Fridays in a row
Visited 1 new state (Arkansas)
Visited 4 new airports (Cleveland, Chicago, Tampa, and Newark)
Saw the New York City skyline
Saw the Worlds Largest Catsup Bottle
Saw the original Walmart
Saw the original "Rosie the Riviter"
Was in the same building as Drew Barrymore and Harrison Ford and didn't even know it
Found my next pet - a teacup yorkie who I'll name Bitsy
Took my students to a ghetto club.....smh
Babysat my cousins cat
Filmed TWO Harlem Shake videos
Attended yoga for the first time
Hosted my first 'in home' party
Had my apartment professionally cleaned in preparation for said party
Found out our family is growing again!
Had sushi with my favorite girls - well, they did and I ate chicken
Watched The Bachelor every Monday with Jill


Basically.....I just lived life! :)

More specific posts on certain events to come in the future.