It's Time!

Too much to explain...too much going on...too sorry for being away so long....

Hopefully we can get back on track!  New posts coming!  Thx to all those who have hung in there..xo

WELL....LET ME TELL YA...

It's been the longest couple of months EVER!   Between health issues and the holidays...I'm wiped out!

At the top of the list is a kidney stone situation that began back in July!!  I've never had an experience like this ever with passing them.  For me it all begins with this intense bladder/uti infection that continues for literally weeks on end.  And then usually it's, boom! here it is and it may take a couple days to pass, but then it's done.  I've taken as long as a solid week before to pass one stone...insane continual pain, vomiting, fever, you name it.  But once it's passed it's like the heavens open up and there is instantly NO pain.  It's insane.  

Well, this time it was months in the moving about.  I went into the urgent care at the end of July to make sure it wasn't a kidney infection and that's when they told me it was a rather large stone..5.7mm!  EEK!  So I went home and went through weeks of pain and the usual bladder infection symptoms...and then it stopped.  We went to Tahoe at the end of September for our annual anniversary vaca and I was totally fine.  By the way it snowed while we were there, it was so amazing  and COLD!   And we had the best time with my brother and his wife..the best! (Except on our very first day of vaca, out on my brother's boat in Bullards Bar...he decided to jump in the lake..with his thousand dollar glasses on...geez  Not a good way to begin.)

Then things started up again in October with back pain again.  One late night (3:30 AM), I realized it was beginning.  The crazy flank pain that wouldn't go away and all the other symptoms in full bloom.  By the next morning I was throwing up, fever and in serious pain...like screaming and yelling..sobbing..the whole nine yards.  There's really no way to describe it.  Actually, I've been told by several women (a nurse included), that it's worse than childbirth..! And three days later, nothing.  A week later, after bouts of crazy pain, I finally ended up back in the hospital because I was worried about the sharp continual pain that was located in one specific spot only; so now I was worried that this big stone was stuck!  
This time the hospital Doc assured me the stone was not only finally out of my kidney, and had moved its way to my bladder opening, but that in fact it was a 6mm stone and that he was worried that it was too big for me to pass into my bladder; which has a smaller opening than the kidney exit..!!  So home I went with pain pills and flomax..which is miraculous by the way.  It took another week and then I passed it while soaking in the tub!!!??  No, I did not pee in the tub, it was simply time for it to come out and I felt the bizarro pain that happens when it's exiting and it was just lying on the bottom of the tub.  So that was that...except I forgot to mention that they told me I had another one! AHHH!  Much smaller, but there it was.  And as far as I know, I still haven't passed it.  However, I've been dealing with a mysterious bladder infection for the past week and a half..so my bet is on the second stone making an appearance very soon!
And let's not forget to mention the crazy flu I got a week before our big Xmas party.  I was decorating my tree three days before with a fever!  I NEVER get sick, like really, never.  But too much stress and life was too crazy and boom, there I was sicker than a dog at Xmas.  Then guests for a couple nights, followed by all the kids coming in for Xmas...ahhh!!  Beyond the beyond, is all I'm sayin.

So this is my long winded way of explaining why it is that I have been away for so long again.  Why I haven't shared photos from anything, and to at least give you a glance at some of my Xmas Tree photos from this past holiday.  This was the best tree I've ever done and I really want to share it...so please enjoy!  And for gods sake...wish me luck in passing this sucker quickly!!  Ha ha...xo juner


This first tree is the BIGGIE...it's over ten feet, which is why it's bent out on the top..my son thought that was a great idea...in the meantime it is now turquoise, teal, aqua, wine, claret, purple, lime green, white/frost.  It was spectacular and massive!!  It felt like we had a piece of the forest in our home...the best tree ever!!

The second tree is the usual suspect, vintage only, pink and orange.  I did the hombre effect beginning with baby/pale pink, down to medium pink, into hot pink, then moved on into pink/orange combos into pale orange, peach, then deeper into oranges.  Every ornament, save for a few boxes of sets, are one of a kind...ALL vintage.  And my latest obsession...Vintage Russian Clip ons.  Although I do have one clip on that came from Germany and cost me more than any other one I have...an elephant balancing a ball...it's precious.  And I have a couple of the others here as well.  Aladin, and a pink scuba diver...and there's more, but I just needed to stop now..ha ha!  Don't want to inundate you with more photos of my ornaments. 

front hall entry window

So there you have it!  You're all caught up again.  At present I'm back to being an author and finally finishing up my ya fantasy/adventure series, Benjamin McTish.  Life is moving forward on it's own terms and we're tagging along.  Hope your holidays were special and filled with love.  To all my besties...mucho hugs and kisses!  xoxox juners

TOO MUCH GOING ON...

So I thought I could catch up…but it simply isn't' going to happen…not with holiday photos or stories…it's already February 1st tomorrow…it's time to move forward.

So you'll just have to believe me when I tell you how perfect the trees were this year…the best ones I've had here yet…if you saw the you tube videos down below a couple of posts then you saw them…if not, then here's one photo for you..alright 21 photos…but that's all you're getting.  Time to move on…it's Super Bowl Sunday for gosh sakes!

So we begin with Xmas Eve…and our annual seafood feast…nothing but lobster and crab!  We cover the table in newspaper and pile the discarded shells on the top and just roll it up when we're done and toss it…easy peasy!

Help in the kitchen from Cal, it was awesome to cook with him!

My melted snowman birthday cake that my freaking amazing husband made from scratch all by himself!

He also made this chalice for me out of a piece of wood
from our property!

The big birthday tradition here at Casa De Schneider…everyone stands on the dinning room chairs and dances to the
Beatles blasting...THEY SAY IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY!!

Two days after Xmas hike

NEED I SAY ANYTHING?

NOTHING LIKE PUPPIES AND BABIES
TO FEEL LIKE HOME

THE PINK AND ORANGE TREE….LOVE THIS ONE!

RAY'S  BIRTHDAY DINNER IN JANUARY

My guest room in January…this isn't even the half of it…all the ornaments and decorations filled the room….at least they were out of the rest of the house …it was like the Xmas that time stood still…I just got it all put away a week ago!

 We had Ray's big 62 birthday on the 19th and we have Case's 21st coming up on the 15th!  Can't believe he's is 21…

We have new tenants moving in this weekend…a mother and her ten year old daughter…ahhh..she's just too freaking cute!  She wants to be a writer and an artist…so hello!  It's like having a grand baby around…Ray said she's stole his heart already…so yay for girl power around the old abode.

And most everything right now is me working on my book and the book blog…attempting to finish up the second book, almost there…and working like mad to refresh the book blog and open it up to other authors…I'm attempting to become one of the top "go to" spots to find YA Fantasy…I'm working as a host for other YA book blogs/tours and am doing my own interviews and articles with authors.  It's been really really fun and super rewarding..so far.

So if I don't see you for a while, you'll know where to find me…just hop over the Pressed Leaf Publishing, Home of the Benjamin McTish Series..and you'll find me there…getting ready to host a Global Blog Event in March..it's going to be huge, so keep your eyes peeled..you wouldn't want to miss out on this.

As always..thx for all your support..and to besties…mucho mucho love…xox juner