A Smattering of Topics

What can I say?

I keep thinking I will keep up with all the events and happenings in our lives, and yet when it comes down to it, my blog always suffers being last on the priority list. In my last post I said I would post more about the wedding I was in, and some other things. I sadly failed in doing so. Anyway, I guess it's time to get back on the horse and try it again. Funny how that seems to be the mantra of my life.
Who knew so much could happen in the past month. Life has definitely been a roller coaster. I'll try to sum it up as much as possible!
-A few weeks ago EW and I had a small financial crisis. One small mistake turned into a huge one, and it really tested our relationship. Knowing that money issues is the number 1 reason for divorce, financial stuff always make me nervous. I think it's because EW and I were brought up in very different situations when it comes to money. Luckily things worked out, and I have taken steps to make sure it never happens again.
-This past week was my first week working more hours at work. On of the 4/5yr old teachers moved up, and I am now in the 4/5 room in the morning and in the 2/3 room in the afternoon. I loved my job before, and getting more hours and $ makes it even better!
-I have started a new path in life, or I guess you could call it a journey. I don't want to go into it all right now, since I said I would keep it short, but I will definitely be posting on it in the future. I have been dealing with some inner demons lately, and it's kinda hard to talk about to people close to me, let alone everyone who reads this. My family has been very supportive and of course EW, who is always my #1 fan/cheerleader. As I go farther along down this path, my hope is to blog about it, and hopefully share my story. (Very cryptic right? Maybe I'll get more followers!)
-I can't believe it's the end of June already! In a couple weeks, my baby brother will turn 23! I remember the day he was born. It definitely rocked my world. The day he came home from the hospital, I looked in the bassinet and knew my life would never be the same. Look foreword to a sappy Birthday post!
-We decided to stay at our current location for another 7 months (which will put us here till Feb.) Moving in Feb. will most likely suck, but hopefully the rent will be cheaper wherever we decide to move next. I'm really hoping for a washer and drying in unit! If you haven't seen our place, you have a bit longer. I would like to have another party sometime this fall, maybe something themed?

Now for some pictures! (These are kinda backwards in date, but you get the point)

EIU Girls!

Paul(Groom) country dancing with me, aka: swinging me around ALOT

Bandit has LOVES all the sun we have had lately!

Carrie and I at Ash's Bachelorette Party

My first time in a Limo!

Have a great rest of your weekend!

-Brina

In the Last Month...

I have been absent. I have done a ton of things: some fun, some not so fun. Along with my bullet point update, I plan on doing a whole post on a few of them. There were some pretty big events that I want to elaborate on, but I just don't have the time right this second. So here is the last Month in a nutshell:
--April 14th we went over to EW's brother and sister-in-law's place to celebrate McKenna's 2nd Birthday! It was Tangled themed, and so adorable! She was very excited to blow out her candles and open presents. It's been so great to watch Kenna and Ben grow thus far, and I really can't wait to see them grow into awesome young people. Thanks for letting us share in the special moments!

Can't believe she was that small!

--April 19th I traveled to Rockford for a weekend wedding of my friend Ashley, and her now husband, Paul. Thursday night was the bachelorette party, Friday the rehearsal, and Saturday the Wedding. Talk about a full weekend! EW met up with me on Saturday. He drove in with some friends. It was such a wonderful wedding, and a FUN reception!

Mr. and Mrs. Rupp

--April 22nd We came home from the wedding, and had Easter with my parents. They came up to our apartment to watch Bandit while we were at the wedding. Mom was awesome and made dinner, so it was ready when we got back. Bandit was super excited to see Grandma and Grandpa, as always!

Grandpa and Bandit hanging out

--The week after the wedding I came down with some nasty infection/strep. I had a fever for 6 days...yeah, not so fun. I missed 2 days of work, and it took me another week to actually get back to normal. Even though I went to the Dr. and spent over $50 on meds, it still took forever to feel myself. EW was lucky and missed being infected (though I tried to give it away).

--Mother's Day weekend, EW had to go to the festivities on his own. The Friday before Mother's Day I started having horrible pain in my abdomen and back. At first I thought maybe I had a kidney infection, but the pain became almost unbearable. I was taking an advil almost every 1.5 to 2 hrs. I contemplated the ER, but I really didn't want to spend the money. I sucked it up, went to work, but made a Dr. appt for Saturday morning. Good thing I did because the pain kept up. At the Dr. they thought it might be my appendix, so off I went for a CT scan. Well, it wasn't my appendix (thankfully), but I have a large ovarian cyst. Dr. said most women don't have pain, but some do, and since it was so big, it might be pushing stuff around. Lovely. I need an ultrasound in 6 weeks, and hopefully it will show it has dissolved. I made an appt with a gyno, to see what happens if it doesn't go away, if these become chronic, and how this will affect getting pregnant. My Dr. said it doesn't have any affect on pregnancy, so I'm hoping that is true. I did find out that heat was the only thing that helped the pain, and meds really don't, so if I get another, I will put the heating pad on asap!

--This past weekend EW and I went to the Civil War Days at Naper Settlement. We went a few years ago, and had a lot of fun. We were really happy that it was such a beautiful day. It was a bit warm, but we slathered on the SPF and hit the road. I am a huge history buff when it comes to old houses, barns, etc. Growing up, my family vacations were made up of seeing historical places, and it has stuck with me. EW was really good about letting me go into each building and take it all in. We had a really good view of the field for the battle. However, we ended up right next to a cannon, and we had to watch so we could plug our ears! Then we headed over to downtown Naperville to walk the Riverwalk, and grabbed some dinner. Or course what would a hot day be without ice cream? We got some of that too! It was such a great day! We haven't just hung out together doing something we both enjoy in awhile. The day was perfect :)

 Loading the Cannon!

The South

Yay! The North Won :)

As I said above, I plan on expanding some of these into their own posts, hopefully by the then of the week!

-Brina

Easter(ish) 2012

    Well, Easter has come and gone, and we have yet to celebrate with my family. Our family is cool like that. Half of all holidays are celebrated on a different day. I believe this is because it was hard to always get the family together. Also, growing up, we always split the holidays with the each set of grandparents. We hardly ever did both families on the same day. Even though my mom's parents only lived about 30 minutes away, they thought it was just too hard to fit everything in one day. It amounted to rushing, and not being able to enjoy the time spent with family. Even though this sometimes meant celebrating Christmas a weekend before or after, we always made it feel like that holiday.
    The 21st my parents are coming to spend the night to take care of Bandit while Eric and I are in Rockford for a wedding that I am in. Then the next day we will come back to our apartment and we will all have Easter. Really excited that my mom will have the dinner ready by the time we get home!
    This past Sunday, the real Easter, we went to church, and then went to EW's parent's house for Easter brunch and then dinner. The food was great, as was the company. Of course the only pictures that I got were of the little munchkins. I didn't even get a picture of EW and me. The kids had a little egg hunt, and everyone ate candy. Overall, the weather was pretty good for Easter. It wasn't raining or snowing, so that is always a big plus. I remember many an Easter that we couldn't go outside because it was raining or too cold. Having good weather just makes it that much better!

 Bubbles!

 Perfect Bubbles require Concentration!



Benny liked the trucks...

Change of Topic:
       If you don't know what Pinterest is, you have to try it! It's the most amazing website for everything from home decor, recipes, fashion, crafts, and just anything that you like! I have many boards from cute pictures, baby gear I will have to have, to yummy looking food. If I see something that I think I could do, then I get right to it.  I found this really cool way to change an old frame to a cute 'white erase board'. It is pretty simple, and I'm even thinking of selling them through my store, Bits of Brina. The link will take you to my FB page, and you can also get to my Etsy store from there also.
    Here are the Before and After pictures:

 Goodwill frame w/ glass.

Elegant white-erase board!

    When looking for a frame, I made sure it was wood so that I could sand it. I found some scrapbook paper that I liked, and then picked the spray paint. I went with a glossy black. This project was super easy! I don't have a dry-erase marker, so I couldn't write my grocery list yet, but it will get up there asap. If you would like one of these, and don't want to go through the hassle of doing it yourself, leave a comment with your e-mail, or contact me through FB. I really liked making it, and I can't wait to make more!

-Brina

Never as Planned

    Things have been a bit crazy around here. Not that it isn't always, but more so than usual in the past week or so. As I mentioned in my last post, Bandit tore her ACL and needed to be on bed rest. A month has now passed, and she went in this past Monday to see how it was going. We were told she just needed rest, and that it might heal, but I guess it's more critical than we thought. The vets that have seen her (2 now) both agree it's not IF she will need surgery, but WHEN. Lovely. I spent a good 30 minutes talking about our options, and what can be done to prolong the surgery as long as possible. We decided on complete bed rest, again, and see what happens.
    In case you are not familiar with dogs/dog surgery, this surgery will be very expensive and intense. Not every vet does it, and most are done at places like UofI or Purdue. If you don't know me, I take the health of the ones I love very seriously. I really wanted to get another opinion from a vet I know and trust. Also, I thought it might be cheaper down there. Up here they said upwards of 3,500. I decided to call my parent's vet in Indiana. She helped my parents' cat through an eye ulcer that was pretty serious, and Binky came out ok.
    I left her a message and she got back to me that night. She totally understood and answered all my questions. Without seeing Bandit, she tried to give her best advice: keep her down as much as possible, keep up the benadryl, the joint supplements, and get stairs for everything. She also agrees that Bandit will need surgery at some point. Purdue is cheaper, but we would need to be referred, so we plan to make a trip down there to see what she thinks.
    This brings me to the fact that we were planning to go to Georgia during the summer to see my Grandma who moved down there this past November to live with my Aunt and cousin. We were very excited because we really didn't know if I was going to get some time off, but it seemed to be working out...until we found out Bandit needed surgery. This was definitely a game changer, since the surgery could cost up to $2,500. YIKES! Unfortunately we have already bought tickets to see the Braves vs. Yankees (so if anyone wants 4 family pack tickets, let me know!). I was really upset a few days ago, but now I am thinking we will hopefully just have to postpone our trip until this fall.
    We are not even a week into 'complete rest' and it's not going very restfully. Bandit is a terrier, she loves to run and play no matter what I do. She has a leash on at all times, and I try to help her onto/off the furniture as much as I can. The only thing that is really worrying me, beside the surgery is that once the hurt one is fixed, she will be using the other leg more, and it is at a higher risk to tear also. Surgery is not a cure all, so really it's a crap shoot. Just because she gets it done, it could make the other one tear, or even tear the fixed leg again!

On to a different topic:
   I have been thinking hard about if I want to apply to teaching jobs for this fall. I'm about 98% sure that I won't be. There are a few reasons of why I came to this conclusion: I have been out of the classroom for awhile. I don't even know if I want to work for a public school, and even if I did find a job, I would most likely get pink slipped my first year anyway, with no guarantee that I would get hired back. Also, I really like where I am at now. It's a stable job, and I love going everyday. I don't want to call it work, because they say you shouldn't 'work' but have a 'passion' for what you do. I think I have a passion for working with 2/3 year olds, yet I'm not sure I want to do it forever. It's the wandering soul I have in me. In the long run, I really see myself getting a masters. In what, I'm not sure yet, but psychology is looking good. I love understanding how the brain works, and why people do the things they do. Or maybe even sociology or anthropology. I have a huge interest in any medical field, and love reading about new medical techniques, advances, or setbacks in all of the categories. My teaching assistant is a nursing major, and she is always telling me I should have been a nurse or doctor. Ha! But what's funny is, that if I get interested in something, I will want to find all the information I can about it. I have a hunger for knowledge, and I think that's why I wanted to be a teacher. Who knows what I will be when I grow up.....I might just end up being a mommy ;)

-Brina

A Sore Leg, and other News

Again, I have not posted as often as I would have liked. One of the main reasons is that my camera battery has been dead and I couldn't find the charger. I think my posts are so much more interesting with pictures, hence the long time between posts. Well I finally found the charger! So here is an update on the what has been going on in the Witko household:
   
    First off Bandit had her comprehensive exam about 2 weeks ago. She has been favoring her back left leg when running, and thinking she's just a goofball, I really didn't think anything of it since she didn't limp while walking. We had the vet check it out anyway, and of course we find out she tore her ACL. Seriously. Thankfully everything isn't tore, but it needs to heal. That means 4 weeks of rest. Yeah, have you met my dog?! If not she's a bit wild. She's half boston terrier, half beagle. She doesn't really ever run on low. The vet said we could give her benadryl to calm her down a bit, which worked...for the 1st week. She has gotten used to it since. Her follow-up appt is tomorrow, so we shall see if the 'rest' thing is working at all.

Resting, but still needs to see what's going on!

  
 EW was chosen to be the Godfather of our nephew Benson. We went to his 1st Birthday Party/Baptism last weekend. It was alot of fun, and great to see EW in the role of Godfather.
It has been awesome to see how great he is with his niece and nephew. EW hasn't been around kids much, so I wasn't for sure how he would do around little ones. In the past year or so, he's really become hands-on, where as before he was a bit hesitant. We've already discussed that when we do get pregnant, we will be taking a parenting class to brush up on our skills, and I am confident that he will make an amazing Daddy. If some of you are wondering if we are expecting, or planning on it anytime soon, the answer is no. We are taking it all in, and not really making a decision at the moment. Basically we are putting it in God's hands. (Ha, I sound like a Duggar) But seriously, if the time is right God will give us a baby, we are just waiting for that time.

Benson with his parents (Rachel and Brian), Godmother (Kristen) and Godfather (EW)

  Last night we went to Amy and Tristan's wedding in Fox Lake, IL. I know Amy from EIU, and we were very excited to celebrate with them, especially on St. Patrick's Day! We didn't make it to the wedding, but were able to eat and dance at the reception. The bride and groom looked amazing, and it was great to see them. Not sure when we will be able to again, since they live in Arizona!

Bride and Groom cutting the cake

 Our Festive Green wedding attire!

    The rest of this month will fly by I'm sure, and so will next! I'm gearing up for my friend, Ashley's wedding the weekend of April 21st. As a bridesmaid, I have been trying to get everything ready: dress, shoes, figuring out hair, and where I need to be at what time. I'm leaving that Thursday night for her bachelorette party, then staying for the rehearsal dinner Friday night, and then wedding, Saturday. With just one vehicle now, it's been interesting figuring out which of us is going where, and how the other will get there, but I think we mostly have it together.

     We have been in Lent for a few weeks now, and I decided to give up french fries. I am in love with McDonald's fries, so I thought I would try to become healthier and give something up at the same time :) So far is has been going well. Even though I miss them, I know I can live without them.
  
    I am loving this weather, it has been lovely to open windows and get some fresh air, however, this means there are more noises from the outdoors, which makes Bandit go nuts. She barks and barks over people walking by, or a distant dog barking. She has amazing hearing. I'm really thinking about getting a bark collar, not for shocking, but for the noise button. The high pitched noise is supposed to work. I really don't want to zap her, but the barking is getting to me. Any ideas from animal owners/lovers? I don't want her to stop barking altogether because she is an amazing watch dog, and I feel safer with her barking when someone is at the door, or at night when people are walking by our sliding door. I just can't stand the barking at EVERYTHING.

     I've already mentioned this, but I finally have pictures to share. We got EW a new chair a couple weeks ago, and I finally have a picture to show the before and after! Quite a difference, right?

 Old (above), New (Below)

Have a good week!

-Brina

Far Too Long.

To my Blog:
I apologize for the neglect I have given you. So many things have happened in the past month, and I have written nothing. Not only have I not written, but I haven't taken pictures either. So I am going to try to catch up the best I can.

February has been full of great things!
--The 1st was my 3nd day of my new job! I now work for a park district, about 25 minutes from where we live. I am the afternoon/evening teacher in the 2/3 room. I love it! Everyday brings something new, and the children and staff there are amazing!

--The 5th EW and I hosted a Super Bowl party. It was alot of fun to see and hang out with friends. It was quite a game, and had all of us sitting on the edge of our seats (ok, not me, because I really couldn't care less, but everyone else was).

--The 11th EW took me to Shedd Aquarium for our Valentine's Day Celebration. We had a great time, but unfortunately had to stand outside in the FRIGID weather for over an hour. Next time well will get tickets ahead of time! I got to see the Jellies exhibit, which I have been wanting to see for almost a year. Of course I forgot my camera, so no pictures, but it was a ton of fun. After the Aquarium, we meet our friends Kevin and Vicky, and their friend Katie for dinner. It was great to see them all again!

--The 13th was the anniversary of Bandit being a Witkowski. I don't know what I would do without my booboo. I love her so much, and I can't imagine my life without her.

--The 14th EW and I had a lovely night in. EW made fried rice, and we ordered appetizers from a Chinese restaurant. I can't remember how many Valentine Day's we have celebrated together, but every one of then has been great.

--The 18th EW and I finally decided it was time to get a new chair. His chair, I bought 2nd hand, and it apparently wasn't supposed to stand the test of time. It has fallen apart. We took advantage of the President's Day sales, and got a chair and a half recliner. We will get it this Saturday, so I will post pictures then.

--The 25th (this past weekend) was my parent's 28th wedding anniversary. We went down to Watseka to celebrate with them. We left early Saturday morning and got to help them pick out a new vehicle. They decided on a 06 Town and Country Van. It is very nice and is loaded. It has leather seats, a dvd player, automatic doors, and my Mom's favorite: Bun Warmers! It is red, so you will definitely see her coming! For dinner we went to Monicals, where I can have Gluten Free pizza! We had a great time (as always) and coming back home to my big bed is nice but sad, because I miss my parents so much. It's really hard living so far away from them.

So much has happened in the last month, and March is almost booked already! It is going to be quite a Spring/Summer filled with weddings, birthday parties, family/friends, and lots of fun! I'm really excited about the future, and I hope to stay updated (for realz!)

-Brina

Assessment

    If you know me, you would know that I'm continually assessing things. If things are in the right place, done in the right manner. If I feel happy about something or sad. How different people, places, things make me feel/react. I am emotional, yet rational. I try my best to do things rationally, but in some cases, I throw caution to the wind, and do what my heart says.
    I have made many big decisions with my heart. Some haven't turned out as I planned, but I don't make the plans, God does. There have been several decisions floating around in my mind lately, some big, some small. Sidenote, I am also indecisive. ha. I want what is best for my family, yet I want what is best for me also. I will not choose my family over my happiness. I know I am one of those people that can't live without being happy. I have a feeling that's why I haven't had a 'steady' job for so long. I wanted to be a teacher. I could not/would not take a job that I knew I would hate just for the sake of making money. That may be selfish, but, so be it. I know that I need to be happy to live.
    This all is bringing me to the situation I am in. I'm having problems deciding what will make me happy. I don't know if teaching will make me happy. I don't know what other careers would make me happy either. I have been praying really hard about finding my place on this Earth. Growing up, I thought I would be this cutting edge zoologist, that traveled the world and found new species. Well, obviously that didn't happen... So where to go from here? I think I see my future as a stay-at-home mother, working on Bits of Brina during my 'down-time'. That's one thing that always makes me happy. Making/figuring out new items for Bits of Brina makes me very happy. Things are going well, I would love to make a few more sales before adding more items to the store, but I do have some interest in selling in-store, which is FABULOUS! I'm not sure that my picture of the future will come into fruition, but again, I don't make the plans, God does. I will give it all to him, and he will show me the way....until then, I shall assess my life, and hopefully happiness will be around the corner.

Picture of my newest Vase:

-Brina

I finally did it!

    As I mentioned in my last post, I finally started my own business. Right now I just have an Etsy site, but I really hope to expand. I have always thought of myself as crafty. On every school project that needed craft skills or imagination, I have always excelled. Of course I had some help from my parents, but I had the vision, and they helped me bring it to life. Now, I have the ability to do it myself, and I have to say joining Pinterest has help alot! It's a site that has lots of DIY projects, and I have become addicted. With the ton of free time I have (working only 6-9 hrs a week), I have been able to make several items that I was told I could possibly make money on. My cousin, Nathan, who has his own business really helped me out. He does screen printing, and has a blog that shows you how to do it yourself also. At some point in time, I would like to try glass etching, which he also does. It would be great to go into business with him. Here's his website: Nate Screenprints. You should check it out. He will screenprint whatever you want (that can be screenprinted, which is more than you would think!).
    So far, my Etsy shop consists of upcycled vases made from glass bottles, then wrapped in yarn. I have several colors and will also make-to-order. I  also started making felt flowers to put on the vases. A few days ago I thought I would sell dog toys that I make for Bandit, out of fleece. Dog toys are so expensive, so why not make my own?
    I am so excited that after only 1 day of opening my Etsy Shop, I had my first order! Obviously people are willing to believe in my vision also! I love taking everyday items and making them into something beautiful. I have so many more ideas, but when it's freezing outside, I can't get out there and spray paint the many items that I want to give new life. It truly is my passion! As soon as Spring hits, I will be out there everyday working my butt off.
So here it is! My Etsy Shop Bits of Brina.
    I would love for you to check it out! No, you don't have to buy anything, I won't be hurt. However, if you know of someone who might like something, let them know about be. If there is a color scheme that I don't have, that they would like, I will do my best to find that color. Honestly, I believe in everything I make, and I don't sell anything that I wouldn't pay for myself.
    OH! I almost forgot! When my Facebook Page for Bits of Brina Facebook Page gets 100 likes, I will be doing a Give-Away! When 100 people like my page, I will post it on FB, if you enter and win, you would get a FREE Large Vase (value $15)! Go there now and Like me!

    Here are a few pictures of what I have for sale:

Valentine's Day 12" Vase

9" Vase

12" Vase

Braided Dog Toy Ring

Stay warm in this crazy weather!

-Brina

Camera Dump

Well hello there 2012!
We met each other 2 weeks ago, but it's really flown by! The past 4-6 weeks have been crazy to say the least. I started my new job, which is going well, but I am still looking for a 2nd job to get more hours. We had some amazing spring-like weather, and also our first snowfall. I am also starting a new 'business' I guess you could say. I have decided to make my passion into a money making venture. (More to come on this later!) Who knows, I may do so well that I can be the stay-at-home mommy that I said I would never be!(No, I'm not preggo, but just looking ahead). Anyway, life is ever-changing, and I have decided to ditch my plans for my life and go with God's plans. I plan to no longer fight what is, but just let it be. This doesn't mean I just plan to sit and wait for God to do something grand, but to listen to what he is guiding me to do.
In this new year there are so many things I want to accomplish. EW and I are ready to take this year and make it the best year together yet. Things have been down for so long due to mostly finances (ie: I haven't had a job for almost a year, I had surgery, we have accumulated debt because I didn't have a job for so long and now have to pay up the @$$, and of course, my Gigantic amount of student loans that have NOT gotten me a job) Whew...that depressed me just typing all that. So we may be a little behind the curve in the whole getting our lives together thing, and we may have to spend the next 5 years in our little apartment, and our child(ren) may have to spend their first few years in that tiny apartment also, but I know it will all be ok. My parents, grandparents, ancestors did it, and so can we. Honestly, that's what gets me through my days. Instead of falling into a heaping mess of tears and snot when I find out we can't pay the bills this month, I recite Bible passages. "Be still and know that I AM God. God will not give you more than you can bear. God will not forsake thee." And the big one: "God will provide." And boy has he! I can't tell you how blessed we are! We have an amazing church that we are becoming members of, and they have been such a huge support for us. I am so very thankful God has put them in our lives.
I have so many great pictures from the past 2 weeks, that I thought I would do a 'camera dump' and just add a few on here.
For New Year's Eve, my friend Kristen from my year of teaching was able to come and visit! We were invited to EW's brother & sister-in-law's house for a little celebration. We love hanging out with them and their friends; they are all so very nice and we have tons of fun!

Kristen and I

 EW and I

Happy New Year (Chicago station)

 Some played a game where you tasted different beers

and had to say which was which. EW's turn.

Kevin and Meredith

(EW's brother and his girlfriend)

We got 6in. of snow Thursday.

It was Bandit's first big snow. She LOVED it!

 It's hard to get her inside.

She likes jumping in the deep snow.

And of course rooting around it in too!

 Hope everyone is staying warm and healthy!

-Brina