The new 'do

HERE it IS!!! The pictures aren't great cause I was self-portraiting it... But - I really love it! Katlyn didn't want to play picture with me the stinker!!!

and here's me again.....

and again.... can you tell I love having my hair done????????

And then here's my silly, gooofball girls playing with some old blond wigs...

Hope your day was GREAT!!!!!!

heading for HOME for NYE!!

no fisula's
just constrictures
swelling

and a funnnn round of prednisone - BAH

but at least I'm outta here - home to be with my family!!

My Family

What a Christmas...

well! or should I say - WHEW!
what a week we have had! this is the first Christmas that I have been well enough to really throw myself in. I had a little scare a few weeks ago with a hospital stay that threatened to disappoint my plans - but all turned out good so I was able to plan, bake, shop, wrap, etc. ahhhhh....

Things Started off last weekend when we went on a dinner/date with Kristy (the girls biological mother) and her boyfriend Kevin and Jessica all met for dinner and then we took them to see the temple lights. Ashley ditched us before the lights cause she had a date of her own (i'll get used to it sometday) the dinner was nice and temple lights were beautiful as ever. and I am forever, every time I go to the temple reminded of the time that my old friend Treven told me to meet him at the visitors center and look for the statue of Jesus in front and he'd meet me there. well I waited and waited (punctuality not his thing, at least back then!) and I sat at the flagpole when suddenly the curtains opened and I saw the Christus statue, and I had the words in my head "Jesus is IN the temple" somehow I have always remembered this - I was baptized not long after...) So of course the temple lights were as spiritually beautiful for me as ever.

Then the next day at church, we got to fill a pew - because my mother, stepfather, adn brothers came to church with us - which is not common - so it was special for me...

And then we spent the rest of the week baking, cooking, and doing all that stuff that if done right, really gets you in the mood to celebrate without losing your spirit for the whole thing!

Christmas Eve my precious 8 month old nephew and his parents (aka, my brother David and sis-in-law Cat) and Joey came over to have our "Christmas"

And then of course...


Santa did not disappoint...and our whole day was FUN... the girls called from their cell at 9am! wow!! and then we got up and did stockings, and ate and then started unwrapping. Ashley refused all day to get dressed! haha!











but that was fine with me. I only got dressed cause Katlyn surprised me with a blouse I was salivating over at the mall - with her own money, without my knowing - and cause we were having a few diff groups of folks over! so I sort of had to get dressed...but not before opening some great gifts:

Some books I wanted, and am having a hard time deciding which to read first, a few fun things that I really will enjoy (and Santa was really thinking of me with the WII Fit cause I have lost a lot of weight but need some fun excercise - I tried it today and am sore already! good times!)

but my kids were so thoughtful of me - and Dave too even tho we agreed NOT to exchanged gifts (Dave and I) But my grandma sent me a special gift...my new sewing machine - which I can't wait to use! or should I say LEARN to use...

and a new apron from my good friend, fellow insomniac and AWESOME visiting teacher... Wendi - thank you Wendi!!!!

then the guests started coming.... first was Kristy (the girls biological mother) and her boyfriend and Jessica (who is staying the weekend)

And we had some treats and opened gifts... then the second wave of my mother and Joe, brothers... David and Joey to open gifts and have dinner

and then, us Fritzsche's played Rock Band until 3am! and I am NOT KIDDING!!!!!!! hahaha

So I hope everyone else's celebrations were Merry and full of loved ones!

My only darkness is that one of my oldest friends, Carrie, is getting married tomorrow - the 27th, in California to who I hear is a great guy, a convert so they will be postponing their temple sealing a year - so I WILL be attending that!!!!!! But I would so love to fly out to surprise her!

All my love and wishes for a happy and blessed New Year!!

A LUNCH DATE??

so KATLYN has requested a lunch date with "biomom" and J
she wants to talk about stuff.
she says, she just needs to like put a real like person to the name and figure out in her head how to feel about the relationship or lack thereof adn how she feels about THAT.
Also wants to discuss the anxiety/depression issues that 'biomom', J and Ash have all experienced, as well as myself, and that Katlyn is starting to notice.
She's very logical in the way she thinks of things, so I figure she is trying to deduce if these are normal teenage hormonal swings or if possibly the family legacy has included her.
I've always been very open with the girls about anxiety/depression issues, mental illness and chemical imbalances and so it's not something to be, oh, hmmm, embarresed or ashamed of? I've always equated it to something like baking, all the chemicals have to be right and in the right amount for the cake to do what it's supposed to do. And then as they got older, and I got sick, mental issues are no different from the illnesses that I have - just part of your physical makeup, you take care of it and you move on. And thusly they've (ash and kate anyway - I can't speak for J cause I wasn't there during her purberty) always been very open about how they are feeling when they are feeling other than normal and so... I think that's great!
So this lunch date, I'm a little nervous about it, as I am sure 'biomother' is as well. Katlyn seemed relieved that she agreed to it and I imagine that, knowing Katlyn, it will just be her assessing the situation for the most part, eating and trying to figure out just the right way to speak to this woman who has a biological connection to her and try to figure out how she feels about it.
I'm glad she's made this suggestion, I'm glad she wants to - yes it's a little scary. But I am just grateful that she does not squash her feelings down like Ash, who is not willing to even discuss her feelings about anything deeply felt...I'm working on it...
anyway - lunch is next Saturday, I will give full report at that time :)

I really do have wonderful friends.

So Jenn (as previously mentioned) offered to come over and help me out... and my list is the same as it was yesterday, which was ugly. So depending on how I feel in the morning, either we'll paint together or maybe I'll ask her to take me shopping since I can't lift anything, then maybe help me get things home and put up so I can use teh girls for REAL work - he he he
then SURPRISE!!! Mandy is flying out the day of my surgery and will be here until the 9th or teh 10th? I can't remember right now but either way AWESOME! I have no worries about anything now while I am recoopings. except for everyone getting tired of hamburger stew (which we all love so don't get all pitiful) I can really just relax... the house is gonna get done, slowly but surely.... and we're postponing till Tuesday which gives us time to finish the work and then clean up. it'll be fine. big breath in...... and out.....

so now i'm sleepy - g'night! and thank you to my awesome friends... I can't even put into words how grateful I am!

I should keep up a little better...

I know... it's hard tho. Nothing new is really going on here.
We had a nice Easter - quiet really.
Church, Easter baskets and eggs benedict for dinner/lunch.
let's see, what else is going on? Joey just got a job at Subway. he is supposed to get a pretty full schedule. So that's good.
I am working on some burp clothes for Bradley and an afghan.

Poor Cat is just soooo ready to be finished being pregnat. The doctor says that if she doesn't pop by Monday they will set up induction. So that is good. I just pray that everyone is healthy and that Cat has an easy time of delivery and no baby blues after!
So I guess for now I am gonna go clean my bathroom and do some sewing - I'll try to keep up to date a little better!
Katie