I won!

I won Mrs. Oklahoma this past weekend! I will try to keep up this blog with family stuff but please follow my adventures over at www.mrsoklahomaamerica2010.blogspot.com !

Hayden's Ballet Recital

This free scrapbook design customized with Smilebox

M.I.A.

My presence on this blog might be a little scarce for a while. My new blog, HERE, is becoming a more time consuming project than I realized it was going to be. Quite honestly, I started it because many of the other contestants for Mrs. Oklahoma had one and I didn't want to look uninvolved to the judges just in case they like to do a lot of web-surfing. While I doubt that one of the questions in interview will be "And how many posts did you write on your blog this past year" I didn't want to take any chances.
I was kind of worried when I first thought about starting a blog for Mrs. Greater Edmond that I didn't have enough to blog about. I am starting it only and month and a half out from the pageant, afterall. I really didn't see myself making tons of appearances between now and then when I have a long list of things to do such as: get a spray tan, find earrings for interview, practice walking in my 4 1/2 inch heels, buy a new pair of spanx, etc.
I was envisioning posts like "well, let's see, today I did 20 crunches in order to prepare for swimsuit...." Basically, I thought I'd actually be hurting myself with a last-minute blog. But as I was writing my first post I realized.....this was the place I could have a true voice for CF. It is my platform issue and that issue is my reason for doing the pageant in the first place, so it makes sense for me to talk about it there NON-STOP. I usually try to refrain from talking someone's ear off in public about the disease, the science, the foundation because, people, I could go on FOR-EV-ER. It just isn't always the right time and place to do that. But this new blog has become that place and I feel that I have been called to this time - that this time in our journey is where I am really supposed to step it up.
I made a list and I actually have something different I want to say about CF or the CF Foundation every day until the pageant. I made myself add some other things to the list but not too many because this is what it is about for me. If I'm being true to why I'm going through this process, this is what matters above all else.
Does anyone else feel that writing their blog is like therapy? I love to write anyway but, having a place to write about our stories with this disease and its difficulties, along with the hope and excitment I feel over the medical breakthroughs going on right now, is wonderful for me. Pair that with the possibility that it might actually affect someone, or draw much needed attention to this orphan disease and I am more motivated to write than ever before.
So, I probably won't be posting about mascara or burlap over here for a while. (I'll pause while you all shed a tear). I hope you'll follow me over to the new blog and join me in my journey to make a difference....while wearing 4 1/2 inch heels.

Come on over....

and check out my new blog for Mrs. Greater Edmond! Leading up to the Mrs. Oklahoma pageant in April, I will post things about my sponsors, cystic fibrosis and the CF Foundation, my preparation for the pageant, and other random things that happen along my journey. I hope you'll check it out!
www.mrsgreateredmond2010.blogspot.com

It's just making it worse...

I go back and forth between being obsessed with craft project blogs and home decorating idea blogs. I think because we are coming into Spring I am way more interested in the latter. I tell you that once you start looking at these blogs you cannot stop! You find one cute one and you see her blogroll. So you think "Oh, I'll just look over here and see who she looks at. Here house is so cute that I'm sure the houses she looks at are cute too...". And you know what?.....I'm right. They are SO CUTE/PRETTY! The thing is, looking at one, two or even three beautifully decorated houses gives me inspiration -looking at the 15-20 I have found is just making me be totally underwhelmed and unsatisfied with my own house!!! Thus begins a very dangerous cycle. It all started with the buffet table in my kitchen dinette area. I decided I didn't like the arrangement anymore so I decided to come up with something else. Well, since I don't have a huge "blow-money-on-the-house" fund, I was going to have to pull items for the table from other places in my house. Sooooo, after getting the table looking better I then had holes all over my kitchen counters. Well, we can't have that! So I pulled things from the bathroom and living room for the counters.....You see the cycle! Anyway, in case you are like me and you love drooling over other people's houses just a dreamin' away that yours will maybe someday even slightly resemble them, I thought I'd list some of the new one's I have found for your viewing pleasure. Just don't say I didn't warn you....

320*Sycamore

Joys of Home

Imperfectly Beautiful

Tatertots and Jello

Miss Mustard Seed

Back in the ICU

My dad is back in the ICU. I have started a Caring Bridge website for him and all my updates will post there. You can visit it at www.caringbridge.org/visit/bradbaldwin .

The next Heidi Klum...

Hayden has been absolutely cracking me up lately! Each morning when she wakes up I can hear her go to the bathroom, flush the potty, and then retreat to her bedroom for her daily ritual - the ritual of dressing herself in a head-to-toe outfit that is, um, special. Each morning she will walk into our bedroom and say "Momma, do you love it?!" Then I ooooh and aaaaah over her for a while. The next part of the ritual is that she asks me to get the camera so she "can do some poses". I am trying not to laugh hysterically as she is doing these poses. I swear, people, I have not taught her these! I have compiled some and I thought I would share her amazing fashion sense with you.

And my favorite....You better watch your back, Rachel Zoe. There's a new stylist in town. She tells me that feathered tiaras are all the rage right now.

The only problem with this daily occurance is that, in the process of picking out each amazing ensemble, the completely tears her room apart. She is flinging things out of drawers and baskets and pulling things off hangers.....I have completely given up on trying to keep it picked up.

Here are some pics of Hayden's room after I have picked it up and put everything in its place:

And here's what it looks like after she has completely destroyed it in search of the perfect pants, skirt, shirt, shirt to go over that shirt, socks, shoes, headband and bow to clip on the headband:I bet Heidi would never let her closet look like that.

Jumping on the burlap bandwagon...

It seems as though every home decorating, do-it-yourself blog I read is featuring projects done with burlap. I love everything I've seen and burlap is so cheap so you can do a lot of the projects inexpensively. I came across a tutorial here at Where The Heart Is for a burlap wreath and I knew I had to do it. I need a wreath for my door for all the months that don't have a specific holiday - something neutral that can work year round. I thought this would be perfect. It really was simple and easy to do. The steps are well outlined in the tutorial. I took the letter I had used on my Fall wreath and added for a little something extra. I think it works well with the toile fabric behind my door's window. If you are wanting to make a wreath for January, March (unless you actually have a St. Patrick's Day wreath), May, June, August, and September, give this one a try.

For other burlap projects, check out the sisters at Shanty2Chic. Those sisters love them some burlap and they know how to use it. Not every project uses burlap but tons of them do and you can get a lot of good ideas.

This picture says absolutely everything about why I wanted a dog...

While Hayden was doing treatments the other night, Tux got off of "his" chair and jumped up behind her to cuddle her. He's such a gentle and sweet boy.

It's been a roller coaster I never want to ride again

After my last cheerful post saying my dad was responding to treatment, things went downhill and fast. Aside from Hayden's birth and diagnosis, this has been the scariest week of my life.
The day after I wrote my last post, his lypase counts surged back up. They concluded that he must have a gall stone lodged in his common duct. What they didn't tell me or Mom at the time was just how serious it was becoming.
They told us on Wednesday morning that the gastroenterologist needed to take him for a procedure that would send a scope down past the stomach, through the intestines to the common duct where he could then remove the stone.
This is where my world fell apart in just a few minutes. The Dr. came back and told us he couldn't do it. Dad's insides were so swollen that he could get through the intestines. The stone was still there. He then told us that some of his lab work had come back and his kidneys were only functioning at 30%. His liver was becoming very jaundiced and he was turning yellow right before our eyes. His pancreas was in such severe condition that it was actually starting to feed on itself.
Within the hour we were talking to the new ICU doctor that had been assigned to Dad. He added to the list that his lungs were probably filling with fluid and that he was at an extreme risk for a blood clot in his lung. He looked us in the eyes and told us this was about as severe as it gets. His body was going through systematic organ failure.
Mom and I went into the hallway so we wouldn't upset dad and we cried into each other's arms. At one point I was practically hysterical. I just kept saying "I'm only 28. I still need my Daddy!". I could not imagine a world without my dad. Horrible things go through your head when you are put in this position.
He was immediately moved to the ICU where we were told he was their sickest patient. At this point, he had to get that stone out in order to get better but he was way too unstable and he never would have made it through surgery at that point. The ICU doctor later told Mom that he really thought we might lose Dad that night. I slept that night in a recliner in his room but I never really slept. I watched him like a hawk, watching his blood oxygen level on the monitor and praying he would make it through the night.
As soon as I could pull myself together I sent out messages on Facebook and started sending out prayer request email to practically everyone in my address book asking them to pray. And then amazing things started to happen. Over the past four days Dad started improving. His kidney function was improving (it's now 100%) and his jaundice started going away. He was able to go from needing 100% oxygen to only 45%. Numbers that needed to go down were going down and numbers that needed to go up were going up.
On the second day of Dad's improvement, the ICU told Mom that he couldn't believe the way he was improving. "There is no explanation for why he could be doing this well", he said to mom. "Yes there is", she said "There are people around the world lifting him up in prayer." "Well that has to be it then", he replied. He actually made enough progress that he was able to have his surgery today to remove his gall bladder, something they didn't think would happen for quite a while. They also think that "somehow" (prayer) the stone in his common duct wasn't lodged there anymore.
There were still risks with today's surgery. We were told that, because of his situation, he was at higher risk for heart attack or stroke during surgery and that it was very likely he would be on a respirator for a while afterward. None of those happened! They were able to remove that stinkin' gall bladder successfully and he came out of recovery with nothing more than a regular oxygen mask on his face.
We still have a long way to go. They need to do another test when his abdominal swelling goes down to make sure there aren't any other gall stones that escaped. They don't want another one making its way down to the common duct and starting this process all over again. Dad is probably looking at 1-2 months in the hospital based on how quickly he recovers and it will be about 6 months before he is fully healed and back to his old self.
Dad is truly a testament to the power of prayer.
The week before this happened I started a Beth Moore Bible study on Esther. It talks about God's providence and how, even in the times where you can't see Him you still know He is still there. It talked about how even though God has the power to reach down and create miracles on His own, He sometimes chooses to do His miracles through people down here on Earth. To me, those people are all the amazing doctor's who were helping Dad and all the friends and complete strangers who were praying everyday for him.
Do you think it was a coincidence I started that study days before this all happened? I think not.

Update on my dad

Praise God! My dad's pancreas is responding to the treatment! He still has a long way to go but his lipase counts were down to 17,000 from 21,000 last night. Still a long ways away from 60 but, hey, we're headed in the right direction! He won't be having his gall bladder surgery today after all. They said they have to treat the pancreatitis first as that is the more serious issue of the two. My father-in-law (now my dad's doctor :)) said he will probably have the surgery on Thursday or Friday depending on how his pancreas looks. I appreciate the prayers and I know my parents do too. Thank you!

Please pray for my dad

My dad went to the emergency room this morning with unbearable pain in his abdomen. They discovered from his bloodwork that he has severe pancreatitis. Your lipase counts for your pancreas are supposed to be around 60 and his were 21,000. No typo. I meant to have all those zeros on there. They have also discovered that he has gall stones. They think this is what caused the pancreatitis. He will have surgery tomorrow to remove his gall bladder. That is pretty routine and we aren't really worried about that. His pancreatitis is the problem due to the severity. My father-in-law is a physician (such a blessing) and he is taking care of my dad so I know he is in good hands. He was honest with me and told me it was serious but that he was going to everything he could to make him better. Please pray that my dad has complete healing of his pancreas and that his surgery goes well tomorrow. Thank you.

I feel like I've just been punched in the stomach

I just finished a 45 minute cardio session and I think I need throw up. How many workouts do I have to do before this feeling isn't an automatic part of the deal? I despise cardio. I seriously hate having my heart rate elevated. I will do handweights and squats everyday if I need to but I HATE cardio. I tried to go running with my husband the other day and after only two minutes of running I felt like my lungs were on fire. It really is sad how out of shape I am.
I am having to buck up and deal with it because I entered the Mrs. Oklahoma pageant....and they are kinda expecting me to wear a swimsuit. I am determined to win the swimsuit award. I have been doing my cardio workouts, eating waaaaaay better and way less for that matter (only when I'm hungry instead of when things sound yummy!). I have started doing my toning excercises in our bedroom at night while Ryan is watching tv. I'm actually pretty proud of myself because I normally would have given up by now.
By the way, for the pageant I have been assigned the title of Mrs. Greater Edmond so, for all of you married women living in Edmond, I guess I'm representing you now! Hopefully with all this ridiculous cardio I can represent you well!

Products I love!!!

It has been a long time since I've written a product post which is strange since I luuuuuv me some product! I have some new favorites I want to share and I thought I would also touch on my must-haves that I have mentioned in the past (for you new readers).

Ok, I will start with hair: My hairdresser, Brenton, gave me samples of Agadir Argan Oil. I'm pretty sure that if my house were on fire this is one of the things I would save. I have the kind of hair that isn't straight but it's not curly. It's an unattractive middle-of-the-road wavy. It is still fine in texture and if I ever let it airdry it is frizzy ugliness. Until now, that is!!! While my hair is still very wet I put a dime-sized amount (I have longer-ish hair) in my hand and distribute it through my hair. When I blowdry my hair, it makes it silkier and it defines my natural wave. I can even let my hair air dry for the first time in my life. Here's the other cool thing that I really don't understand since it's oil....I feel like my hair lasts longer before looking dirty and yucky. Go figure. Anyhoo, you can get it at Brenton's salon, Salon Avignon. For those of you in Edmond, it is at Rankin and Second across from UCO in the gray townhouses. He's all the way back in the corner.

Skincare: I really wish I had some drugstore secret weapon for you on this one but I don't. Since I am getting closer to 30 I decided this year that I really needed to start taking care of my skin if I want it to look good when I'm older. This means I have to wear eye cream EVERYDAY without forgetting anymore. I recently started using Bobbi Brown's cleansing oil (another oil, I know) and her Hydrating Face Cream and I have been able to tell a huge difference in my skin in a short amount of time. The texture is much smoother and my face is more supple, more cushiony, if you will. I was also having problems with sunscreen causing little whiteheads on my chin and cheeks so I started using the Skinceuticals brand from my dermatologist and I haven't had any problems. Lastly, my secret weapon! It requires a prescription but in that fire I would definitely be saving this little tube of cream! It is Epiduo and it has completely saved my skin. Last Spring I started getting adult acne. I had never had acne like that before and it was very frustrating. My derm. prescribed an oral antibiotic for the red, inflammed, cystic bumbs. It worked well after a couple of months and I have since been able to come off of that. He also prescribed Epiduo topical cream to combat all the little white bumbs (clogged pores) I had all over. I can honestly say that I don't have a single one now. But, if I go a day or two without using I instantly have three on my chin. My skin texture is now completely smooth instead of bumpy and it also helps with fine lines. Oh, and it's also been fading the hyperpigmentation spots left behind by former zits. It's amazing stuff so if you are having problems with your skin I highly recommend you ask your dermatologist about it!

Ok, now we are to my favorite type of product...MAKEUP!:
Here are my staples that I swear will never change:
1. Undereye concealer - Maybelline Mineral Power
It is very important that you do not use a thick concealer under your eyes. For one, it settles into your fine lines but mainly because trying to spread and blend something thick on that delicate skin tugs at it therefore causing sagging over time. This is a liquid and I personally like it better than any department store brand I've tried. There have been a lot :)
2. Blemish concealer - MAC (the kind in the pot)
I have used this since college. It covers the best and stays on the longest. What more do you need?
3. Powder - Maybelline Dream Matte Pressed Powder
Since I am soooo pale I like the matte look. If you are more olive toned or really tan you probably don't want matte. This perfectly cuts shine without looking cake-y. I have used Yves Saint Laurent matte pressed powder before. That stuff is $45 and I put this Maybelline powder up next to it any day.
4. Loreal Infallible Lipgloss in Sunset
Any time a new lipgloss hits the market I try it out. There is still no better gloss than Infallible. Sunset is a color that works over any lipcolor I have and I think would look good with a lot of different skintones. If you don't think it's a color for you then try a different one - just try the gloss. It sets into something more like a liquid lipcolor. The texture is perfect and it stays put!

Here are some of my new finds:
1. Flirt (Kohls) Far Out Lengthening Mascara-
I still love me some Cover Girl Lash Blast but my mom gave me a tube of this and I have been very impressed! Instead of a brush it just has a teensy little comb. I thought when I saw the comb that it would help lengthen and separate but that there was no way it could volumize. I was wrong! I was right about the first two but it actually got my lashes every bit as full as Lash Blast does and, with that comb, you can easily get mascara all the way onto the tips of your lashes. Doing your bottom lashes is a breeze. I will definitley buy this again.
2. Bobbi Brown Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadow in Antique Gold -
This stuff is awesome! You can apply it with your finger for a look that's sheer or with a brush for a more opaque look. The texture is dreamy and it is super blendable. The best part is there is no re-apply! When I go to take my makeup off at the end of the day it is still there! I love the antique gold color because it can go gray or brown depending on what you are wearing. It has shimmer in it but you can control how much based on how you apply it (finger or brush). It is very easy to take from a day look to an evening look. Like the lipgloss, even if you don't like that specific color, just get one in any color. You won't be disappointed!

Well, is that enough information in one post!!!! I hope some of you find a new product to love out of all of this. Also, I LOVE to answer product questions (I dream of having my own column) so if you have any questions about what colors to use, what products to use, etc. I'd love to help! Just let me a question in the comments and I'll write you back.

Alright, I'm off to apply my eyecream before bed!

Yes, I am writing a post entirely about barbecue sauce.

A while back my mom purchased some barbecue sauce from a lady outside Mardel. She used it for little smokies recently. When we tasted it we realized that it was the greatest tasting barbecue sauce we had EVER had. When I asked mom what it was she said she had thrown the bottle out after she poured the sauce out onto the little smokies and she had no idea what the name was. Now, had she meant her kitchen trash can I most certainly would have gone digging for that bottle. Unfortunately, my dad took out the trash right after that, so it was tied up in a bag in the large trash can outside.
So imagine my extreme excitment when she was outside Walmart today when I went to buy groceries!!!! I'm sure she thought I was crazy because she could tell I was really happy to see her!
Turns out the sauce is called Sweet Spirit Food's barbecue sauce. It comes in mild, medium and hot and it is $6 a bottle. We will be having barbecue chicken this week now. I'm practically salivating right now just thinking about it.
The sauce is made here in Oklahoma and part of the proceeds go to the Christian Life Missonary. You can read about their story and order sauce at their website www.sweetspiritoklahoma.com
Seriously, if you love food as much as I do, you will not be disappointed.

I'm getting the modge podge out as we speak...

I had a party recently where part of what was on display was Uppercase Living. The rep, Janae, gave me the cutest set of coasters for my hostess gift.

She told me to put a layer of modge podge over the tops of them to keep the letters in place. Well, I stupidly went ahead and set them out thinking "I'll do it soon. They'll be fine in the meantime".

Enter Hayden Siler. In no time at all she had taken my cute little coaster that said "HOPE" and turned it into...well...

That.

Seems a bit too inappropriate to display in the living room now. I wouldn't want to offend anyone ;)

I should have known better. Afterall, she is the same girl who broke six Christmas ornaments and a snowglobe last month. I'll learn eventually.

Yep, I'm actually going to do it

That's right. On April 17th I will be competing to win the title of Mrs. Oklahoma.

I have one year of pageant experience from my past. In 2001 I won Miss University of Central Oklahoma and went on to Miss Oklahoma, a preliminary to Miss America. It was fun and I was able to earn quite a bit in scholarship money, but I was in it for the wrong reasons and I didn't want to go back the next year.

At that time, my major was Music Theatre. I looked at the Miss UCO pageant as a chance to perform on stage and I knew that if I made it to Miss O I was going to get a gorgeous evening gown.

I picked a platform that was extremely worthy but that I wasn't all that passionate about at the time. At the end of Miss O I knew I didn't want to come back the next year. Even though other preliminary pageants were asking me to enter, I knew I couldn't travel around the state talking to children and adults about something that my heart wan't really devoted to. I would have felt like a fraud.

Fastforward to 2010 and my platform issue is the sole reason I'm entering this pageant. It isn't because I want to perform (there's no talent portion) or because I want a new dress (I'm going to wear the same one from Miss O if I can fit in it!). It certainly isn't because I want to parade around on stage in a swimsuit! It is because I think having a title could get my voice heard even more as I try to raise awareness of my daughter's disease and all the wonderful things the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is doing to save lives.

This pageant goes on to Mrs. America. Don't think I haven't been daydreaming in the shower about what I could accomplish if I were to win that title! One of the first things on my agenda would be to travel to the states that do not have newborn screening for CF mandatory. I would love to meet with their governments and get them to understand how important the screening is. It absolutely saves lives.

One of my REALLY big daydreams about winning the national pageant would be going on Ellen...or even Oprah! Ok, ok I know it's a major long shot but a girl's gotta dream. :)
First, I need to win Mrs. O. We'll see come April 17th!

Amen, Sister!

I have written a couple of times about Brock, the little boy battling leukemia, asking you to pray for him. Well, his mother, Vanessa, has started a blog and a I want you to read a post she wrote. You can read it here. I have only been around Vanessa maybe ten times at the most (her daughter, Jaycie, is in Hayden's gymnastics class) but the more I learn about her the more I like her. She, like me, LOVES Glee and is as OCD about things matching as I am. Most importantly, however, I love what I have learned from her faith. Read her post. You'll see what I mean.