New (P)Leather Purse

I've been needing to get my mind off of everything for a while to give myself a break. The only way I can do that completely is to immerse myself in a project. So that's where this came from... I needed a new purse anyways and I found the gray and green leather on a super sale.. but I'm pretty positive it's pleather...... where would they get neon lime green leather from???

I drew inspiration from a couple purses...

This one.. (which I made last year out of a yummy caramel colored leather...)

And some inspiration from little bits of all these....

http://pinterest.com/livelifeinlime/purses/

I love my new purse. And it was worth the 12 hours of work to be able to get my mind off of all the rubbish going on. I LOVE LOVE it.

Wish I had somewhere to go now with my new purse....

Sunday Update

I've recieved an email, but am going to keep it within my immediate family..

Here's the basic info:

My mom is doing ok. Still feeling really ill, but hopefully everyday is an improvement.

My dad is also doing ok. He still needs lots of prayers and positive thinking. He was able to stand and do some small knee bends with the help of some nurses, which is always a good thing!

Thanks for your continued support!

Lots of love

Good news, good news...

I got this email from my Aunt this morning - the one who is with my parents in Hawaii. It's such a comfort to have her there!! She's much better at giving me information than either one of my parents are at the moment!!!

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Aloha!

What a lucky day!!!  Twila is improving.  She’s still very weak, but is eating and she even showered yesterday.  The world which was off kilter because I was looking much better than Twila, is now righting itself.  She indeed looks better than me.  Perhaps I should shower or do my hair? Nah!

I packed up from their beautiful condo, made arrangements, and we were off to catch the 2:39 flight to Honolulu.  Good people on the Big Island.  One of my favorites was RN Mike McCool.  That’s really his name.  We all kept laughing.  He had seen Twila every time she’d been to the little hospital.  We landed, and got situated.  OldCastle and Wade’s Boss, Tim Ortman, have been so generous, they’d arranged for a rental car and for a hotel.

The hotel is about a mile away from the hospital, in the Honolulu Financial District.  It is great.  It’s more a suite, with a little kitchen, living area and bedroom.  We are on the 20^th floor and our view includes more beautiful, tropical Honolulu high rises and the harbor.  Yes, we can see palm trees.  We are lucky.

We hauled our bags to the room (I’m expert now on taking 4 suitcases), and then headed off to Queen’s hospital.  It was a very tender moment to witness as Twila walked in, Wade was resting, and when he opened his eyes and saw her, he just said “Oh!”  

Wade is vintage Wade.  Happy, positive, smart alecky.  I perceive he is in great pain.  He started PT yesterday.  That will continue.  Yesterday he did stand up and sit in a chair.  He wanted to feed himself.  They wrap a washcloth around a spoon, so it’s easier to hold, and he was able to get a few bites into his mouth.  Victory! I’ve seen Wade bend and move both legs, and use his right arm to eat, press buttons and such.  His left arm lays there like Cleopatra on her silken chaise lounger.  All in due time. 

Wade says it’s “electrifying” to feel all of the nerve endings coming back.  Think of your foot falling asleep, and then awakening, now multiply that by, oh, say a million.  Some people have all the fun.  The nurse last night said that it is a good possibility that Wade may be transferred to a regular floor today.  Right now, his job is to heal.  He needs to eat as much as he can and drink and rest.  Pretty much the same for Twila (she just woke up, headache is back, I whacked her with a dish and she’s back resting)

We feel and know of all your prayers.  Heavenly Father is watching over them.

Mom is in Honolulu!

My mom made it to Honolulu sometime in the middle of the night. Which is good for both of them!! I spoke to my dad last night and he was in good spirits. I don't know if he knew they were coming, so I'm sure it lifted his spirits even more!!

He was able to sit yesterday and STAND (he said he thought it was mostly on his own) YAY! His arms are still sore, and he can't hold the phone when he's sitting up, but he's doing so good! Making good progress!!! Still a long road ahead, but all will be fine.

We all feel so much relief that my mom is finally with him. I think it will be easier for the both of them now.

I'll post later when I hear more...

Tips for an Organized Pantry

I'm taking a break. I'm taking a moment to step away from the doom and gloom that has been the last couple days and take some time for myself. Need to recharge a little bit and get my head out of the dark clouds. Which in my world means, work on a project while the kids was Toy Story 3 and Mickey Mouse.

Yesterday, I tackled my pantry...and boy did I let out some pent up frustration on those shelves!! But they deserved it. So today, I'm going to share a little of what I have learned from surfing the internet and organizing and what worked for me in hopes that it might inspire you to be a little more organized!!

Tip #1:

Figure out what you actually need and use, and get rid of what you don't. I admit that I have some hoarding tendencies.... especially when it comes to fabric. But sadly I learned that my hoarding extends to food. But mostly because I forget what I have and then I buy more because I don't keep track of ANYTHING!! BIG mistake if you're looking to stay organized... but, the first step is eliminating unused/unwanted items. For me, this mostly meant empty boxes and such. Big things that were taking up a lot of space.

Tip #2:

Divide and Conquer. Separate out your foods and put what goes together, together. It should be easy to go to your pantry and know exactly where whatever it is you're searching for is.

Here's how I did mine...

Now I know exactly where to go when I'm looking for whatever it is I need. SO much nicer.

Tip #3:

Use containers. Baskets, trays, buckets, anything you can think of that will help. Maybe even try things you wouldn't normally use for storage...

Tip #4:

Use a turn table to organize spices/sauces. It's much easier to find what you need when you can just spin a little plate-thingy... Way better than rummaging through everything.

Before

After

Better right?

Tip #5:

Stay on top of it!! Keep a list of what items you have. That way when meal planning, it's easier for you to figure out what exactly you need to buy. We don't want to overspend on groceries, so staying on top of it is crucial to your organization!!

I'm the first to admit that organization in my home is FAR from being anywhere near where I want it. But it's a work in progess and I learn new things every day. But now, at least dinner is way less of a stress bomb for me.

What works for you?? What tips would you suggest??

Day 3 - Update

Text from my mom -

"I spoke with the nurse, Wade did not have a good night. His pulse got too low and when they have him on the medicine to counteract it, it makes his heart race which he did not like. They finally evened it all out. He was able to lift his left arm! Progress!! His nurse said his positive attitude will be a huge blessing. He thinks I should go home to Phoenix, but that's not happening before I see him! He can't make me go!! Just like Wade, always worried about someone else. Thanks for all your prayers!"


That's all for now.

Last update for Today...

...Unless something drastically changes.

Just got off the phone with my dad's nurse.

He can put his right left over his left leg which is a good sign. The neurosurgeon is sure that he'll walk again. I know I've said that before, but it's a big deal. It'll be a long road with physical therapy and such but he'll walk again.

He is still having a lot of trouble with his left side. He really can't move it, but it moves a little more each day, so they think it will just take a while for it to completely come back.

I asked the nurse how he looked mentally and emotionally - being all by himself. I cried when she told me that she loved taking care of him, and knew that he had lots of people who loved him so she'd been taking care of him how she would take care of her own father. She said that she sits in his room and keeps him company and they talk about their families and such. She said she knew who I was and said that we were lucky to have the family that we have. Which is absolutely correct. She told me other things, and I know he's in good hands.

I broke down after that phone call and cried in my room for about 25 minutes.

She guesstimated that he'll remain in the hospital for maybe up to a month. But with having a daughter recently in the NICU, I know that when they give dates like that, they never actually know. When caring for a critical patient, it changes daily. Hopefully, it's much less than a month. I'll be praying for that.

After he's released, she's hopeful that he'll be able to travel and come home. My family flies into Phoenix May 15th, which is about a month away, so I'm hoping we get there around the same time. Hopefully they beat us there.

My aunt Dana is now in Hawaii. She's an angel.

It's the same with my mom as previous posts. Hopefully they get to Honolulu this week sometime.


We are all emotionally exhausted. My brother Cole is supposed to go home to Phoenix this Sunday, but I'm hoping that we'll be able to find a way to get him to Chicago so he's not alone. At least that way he can stay with me until he leaves for his summer job.

As always, Heavenly Father knows what he's doing. We have faith, and we know there must be some lesson to be learned for our family. We have grown closer and are ever aware of the already numerous tender mercies that have come upon my family during this time. I, as I'm sure we all are, are incredibly humbled and feeling incredibly loved. Although a good hug every once and a while are always appreciated.

Love to all

Need more information?

Update:

**The time change is killing me - I have to wait until around 11 or 12 to call (my time) to get updates, so be patient with me.**

My dad was moved from the ICU to the Trauma unit. He had an ok night last night but is in a considerable amount of pain all the time. Luckily, morphine has been keeping him company so he's been able to rest a bit. The nurse at the hospital told me to call back in a couple hours to get another update. I'll put that on here afterwards.

My mom is still bed ridden, but my aunt gets to Hawaii in about 2 hours so that will be good. Mom needs somebody... so does my dad. But I think my dad's sister might be going to Hawaii for a couple days to stay with him. I'm not exactly sure about that, but I think that's what I heard through the grapevine.

PLEASE if you have questions, or need some kind of information or anything else. I ask you again, to NOT call my parents. I am the source of information for now so PLEASE call me. Or email me, or message me on facebook or whatever else. My parents need to rest. Please.

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Emails are easier for me to work with!

 haileyhobsonphotography@gmail.com

Phone: 801-885-8335

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My phone basically rings all day, so I apologize if I miss a call from you or it takes a while for me to get back to you. There's a lot to do and this is really hard on me and my family. Especially my own little family.

I'll let you know when I know more.

Downer Alert: Wish I could hug my mom..

One of the worsts part about all of this, is that my mom would be the person I'd call when I was stuck and didn't know what to do. When it starts to get hard, and I feel like I can't do it anymore, she's the first person (apart from Kyle) that I talk to. Sometimes, I can't even talk. I just call her and the only sound I can make is crying. And she just listens to me cry and says "I know. I love you."

I never thought of how difficult that might be for her to do, until the roles were reversed yesterday. And all I could say was "I know. I love you." Trying so hard to not let her know that my heart was absolutely breaking. And my motherly instincts kick in and I just want to hug her, and let her cry, and kiss her forehead, like she's done for me 1 million times over. I hate that I can't do that.

So that's one of the hardest parts now. I can pray, and fast, and put her name on the prayer roll at the temple, but I can't be there physically for her. And that's hard. Doesn't matter who you are, or what you're going through, there's nothing like being able to be hugged and held and be able to physically see someone there for you. Hurting because you're hurting...

*exhale*

Here's the update:

My mom won't be able to get to Honolulu until Saturday probably. But she and my dad get to talk occasionally so that's good. I was the one getting the updates from my dad and relaying the message to my mom, who is still so sick and bed ridden. So it's good that they can hear each others voices.

I got this text from my mom last night:

"I talked to dad not long ago. The missionaries had been to see him. He's hanging in there." - she also mentioned that the neurosurgeon has decided that there's no need for surgery right now. Great news!

That's the only update I got last night. Which is good. That means no turns-for-the-worst during the middle of the night...or, I guess, the middle of the day there.

I will let you know when I know.

I know I've mentioned this before, but thank you for the outpouring of love. I've received countless emails, texts, phone calls - as have my siblings - I'm sorry if I missed yours or haven't responded. This is very overwhelming for every member of my family and we are still trying to wrap our minds around what has happened/is happening.

But, please know, that it is appreciated.

Update on my Parents..

My mom is still bed ridden, and stuck at the condo in Kona, but hopefully she feels better as the days go on. My aunt is flying out to Hawaii tomorrow to be with my mom. They'll pack up the condo in Kona and then fly to Honolulu and stay in a hotel near the hospital so my mom can finally see my dad. You can't imagine how hard this is on her.

My dad has a spinal contusion. He's got a lot of swelling, and is in a lot of pain. He's having a hard time moving but he can wiggle all his fingers and toes. Which is a good sign. Doctors say he'll for sure walk again. So that's good news. He'll probably remain in the Neuro ICU for the next 7-10 days. I'm not sure if he'll remain in the hospital for any length of time after that. But hopefully he'll be out of the hospital and able to travel soon so that he and my mom can go home.

That's really all we know now... there have been a lot of tender mercies already. Maybe the biggest one is the stranger that pulled my dad out of the water. I can't imagine what would have happened had he not been there... oh. I don't even want to think about it. But at least that's not the reality.

They don't want calls. So please try to refrain for a couple days at least. They are both in shock, and tired and in desperate need of rest. But it would be great if your prayers would continue on their behalf.

It will be a slow recovery road, I fear, but it will be fine.

We will be fine.

We will be fine.

We will be fine.

My Mom & Dad

Today, I want to talk about my parents... They could really use your prayers.

They have had a trip to Hawaii scheduled for some time now and were really excited about it! Long story semi-short - my mom got really sick before they left but they went anyways thinking that she would get better. She didn't. She's been in the hospital twice since they've been in Hawaii and the doctors can't figure out what's wrong with her. The second time she was released from the condo, my dad went out to go boogie boarding. He was involved in an accident and knocked unconscious. Thankfully, thankfully, someone was there and pulled him out of the water. He told my mom he thought he was going to drown. *breathe* He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital where they discovered that he had lost all movement. He was transferred from there to Honolulu where he is currently in the Neuro ICU. My mother is bed ridden in the condo where they were staying in on a different island. She is hoping that she will feel healthy enough to soon travel to Honolulu to be with my dad who is alone and I'm sure, scared.

Movement and feeling are slowly coming back on his right side. I'm hoping the left returns soon as well. It's truly the vacation from you-know-where.

Prayers and faith on their behalf would be so appreciated more than you know.

I'm trying to figure out a way to be able to get to Phoenix so I can be there when they get home so I can help them get back on their feet. But I'm not sure how that will work yet...

In a perfect world for this situation, where Kyle is no longer a dental student and I didn't have two kids who needed me 24/7, I'd like to be able to get to Hawaii to be with my mom while my dad is in the hospital and to help them fly home, I don't know how they are going to be able to fly home as sick as they both are. But that's a little harder than just getting to Phoenix.

Please pray for them.
Please.

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*Updated 10:16am*

Prayers are already being answered!! My aunt called and said she was figuring out how to get to Phoenix so she can be there for them. The selfish bit in me wishes I could be there to help. But then again, I've got two babies and I'm not sure how helpful I'd be. So at least my aunt can be there.

Hello!!

I opened up a facebook page for my blog, so it's easier to communicate with any of you that have questions!!! Head on over!! If you like that I do, please "like" my page!!

I'm working on a couple new projects that I'm SUPER stoked about!! Stay tuned!!

Lovey Dovey Custom Shadow Box Tutorial

*swoon*

This projects just melts my heart every time I walk by it. It's so personal, and perfect and the right amount of lovey dovey for my master bedroom. It's just.... heaven.

Do you want to make your own?? Here's how you do it...

Find a shadow box... this one was given to me by my sweet neighbor. It was brown, I spray painted it white so it'd match the rest of my room.

Find a quote that you want to use... mine comes from one of my favorite books.. Pride & Prejudice. (could I be anymore predictable?) 

"You have bewitched me body and soul. And I love, I love, I love you."

Mr. Darcy

I created a printable for this quote so that the hand writing would be perfect... feel free to use it for yourself if you want it!

Put a pic of you and your honey inside the shadow box... I used some of my favorite wedding photos.

 

 Take your wording and cut it to match the size of the glass and tape it to the INSIDE of the shadow box.

Now close your shadow box and trace the words onto the glass... I used what I had on hand. You can use a paint pen, or sharpie or whatever you please...

Now, I'm left handed so I traced from right to left so I wouldn't smear the paint.

That's it. Wait for your paint to dry, open the box, remove the paper and enjoy!! Easy peasy!! I love mine!!!

*swoon*

Modge Podge Diaper Box

Well hello there!! I'm really excited about this tutorial! Mostly because I've been planning for it for like ever.. it was just a matter of finding the right wrapping paper, which I finally found, and a matter of finding the time.... but ever since Maila has been on the mend, time has been on my side!! She naps like an angel and even sleeps through the night!! *swoon*

Here's what you need to make your own:

First thing you want to do if there's any white in your paper is spray paint your diaper box white. You only need on coat of spray paint and it doesn't have to hide everything perfectly. Just enough for the pattern on the diaper box to not show through the white of your paper.

Don't worry about spray painting the bottoms. I don't because I'll never look at them so it won't bother me. You can if you want :)

The second step is measuring out your pieces of paper. You want to be sure that there's an overlap with your paper. Don't make it the exact size of your box. Now, I forgot to take a picture of this because I'm stupid, but it's pretty easy. Just like you would when wrapping a present, unroll your wrapping paper and cut out the pieces that you need!! Easy peasy!

When your spray paint is dry, bring your box inside and let's get to work. Take your modge podge, and starting with the smallest ends...

Put a healthy coating of modge podge all over that bad boy and then carefully lay your piece of paper on top. Smooth out with your hands, or a spatula or something to get rid of air bubbles...

Now, let's take care of where the paper is too big. Let's start with the sides... Put another healthy layer of modge podge and then fold over. Smooth out the air bubbles... Repeat for both sides.

Now. let's do the bottom... Another healthy coat of modge podge, and then fold the sides down first, and then the bottom. Make sense? Here's it in pictures...

Put another layer of Modge Podge over the top and wait for it to dry to make sure that it's sealed.

Repeat this process for the inside of the box, like so...

When both of your smaller ends are done, it should look like this.

Obviously, I was awesome at removing the air bubbles.

Repeat that whole process for the long side of your boxes.

Now, you could leave it like this... or you could get super fancy and paint it...

 I only painted one side in case I didn't like it... and truthfully?? I'm not crazy about it. But maybe I'll swing it around for Valentines Day or something...

I love them. They are perfect in my room. Good for the storage... plus they're pretty.

Win.