$50 MySonic Card Giveaway

So, I'm trying to win a $50 MySonic Card on Because I Said So's Review Blog. If you want to try to win, too, click here.

Ebates is my new fave...

I've recently joined Ebates.com as a semi-regular user. Anytime I need something that I wouldn't regularly order from Amazon (since we have an Amazon Prime account and get free shipping), I go to Ebates to see if I can find what I want and get some cash back for making that particular purchase. They have agreements with big name stores such as Old Navy, Victoria's Secret, Home Depot, ProFlowers, FTD, Kay Jewelers and more!

So far, I've gotten stuff from Victoria's Secret and ordered flowers for a friend through FTD.

If you're interested in Ebates, please check out this link and I can get $5 if you join and make a purchase!

When it Rains...

Life has been nuts-ish the past few weeks! Firstly, I hosted a baby shower for my sister and brother-in-law. It was a smashing success, although hotter than Hades in my house. I loved doing that for them, it really was fun to have a party for my newest little niece/nephew (we didn't know baby's gender until recently).

Then Becca and I got sick. We had an upper respiratory infection that had us down with sore throats and coughing. No fun.

Then my sister had her baby 4 weeks early. Luckily, both are very healthy and happy now. Jess got eclamptic (high blood pressure which can bring on a multitude of very serious health effects, so baby needed to be delivered quickly). Little Ryan (born two weeks ago, 6 lbs 9 oz, which is little for us McCarthy girls!) is growing very well.

Then my mom was admitted to the hospital with a large abdominal hematoma. She's doing fine now, but she was in a lot of pain last week! Apparently she tore something from all of HER coughing. But she should be all healed up soon.

And now my best friend from college is going through some stuff. I'm going to whatever it takes to get her through this time. I owe her big time. She saw me through bad break ups, tough finals weeks and whatnot while we got our edumacations. :) She and I really bring out the best in each other, and I'm hoping I can bring out her best as she deals and heals.

So here's to hoping no more big dramas, etc for a while. OK? Thanks.

It's Almost D-Day...

For me, D-Day is Donor Day, March 20! Four years ago today, I as prepping for a kidney transplant. Luckily, I was the donor, not the recipient. I donated to my dear Aunt Sher, my mother's sister.

She had gotten an infection years before that had shut down her kidneys, but her doctors were able to get one of them up and running again. Then five or six years ago, it started slowly losing function. She was then told she either needed dialysis or a transplant.

Long story short, I ended up being the best match for her, so I did it. And I'm so glad I did.

I not writing about my donation to trump up how great I am (although, you know, if you say so, I wouldn't refute you....), I am writing about this because I want people to consider looking into becoming donors themselves. Even if it means just signing a donor card, or going online and registering to become a donor. You don't have to donate a kidney, it could be bone marrow. And from what I hear, bone marrow donation isn't anywhere near as painful or difficult as it used to be. Please think about donation, there are many people out there who need someone to just make that little step.

National Kidney Foundation

National Marrow Donor Program

Organ and Tissue Donation Initiative

Weekend Turnaround

So, Becca went for her walk on Friday, but she went with Gramma while I took a business call.

Then I ended up doing some of the gardening yesterday (and can't finish it today, too sore...).

But we did take Becca to the playground today! She LOVED it. So, once the weather is nice enough again, we'll go back. Unfortunately, it's due to rain just about everyday this week. Boo.

Weekend Plans

Given that the weather is supposed to be so nice this weekend, I'm planning the following activities for Becca and myself (and anyone who wants to join us!):

Friday: Go for a walk around the neighborhood, probably using the cool bike she got for Christmas. She'll love that.

Saturday: Take Becca to the playground across the street (or at one of our lovely parks here in O-town) for the first time!!!

Sunday: Do some gardening (read: Ben plays with Becca while Mommy kills the heck out the giant butterfly bushes attempting to make a comeback).

I'm sure most people are interested in joining in on either Friday or Saturday's plans, but I'll gladly accept anyone's help for Sunday's gardening!! There are at least four bushes that require digging up, and I doubt I'll be able to get to them all in one day, so.... I'm not above offering Hank's chili as payment for help with the yard... I'm just sayin'.

Knitting

As of last week, I was working on three knitting projects. I've now completed two and the last one will take a little longer to finish.

I looked through a knitting calendar my aunt gave to me a couple years ago, and found quite a few patterns that I'm interested in trying, but will likely need help from my two resident knitting mentors (my aunt and my niece, Cheryl). Some of the patterns I can't even find how to begin the project! I like patterns that start with "cast on X stitches." If I can't find that sentence anywhere in a pattern, I'm lost before I've even started! It should be a requirement that every knitting pattern contain that sentence. Otherwise, how do you know where to begin? So silly.

But before I can begin these other much more ambitious projects, I must complete the aforementioned project. Would love to say what that project is, but you know how it is when the person that the project is for reads your blog (or at least I'm assuming this person still reads it...)

TTFN!