Birthday Girl plus Crafty?

 Last Wednesday was Dotta-lot's birthday. We kept things simple. We opened gifts, then went to Yogurt Zone with a few friends on Friday. Carrie got us addicted to frozen yogurt.

 Dottie (and Ruby's) favorite gift was Polly Pocket from Aunt Mimi. I can't believe my daughter is seven. This means she's starting to remember things. Don't you remember things from when you were seven? I guess I should start making life more memorable for her.

 And...I did a project. I got a craigslist dining room table for my birthday. My friend Jessie convinced me to reupholster the chairs with laminated cotton, and make a table cloth out of the same material. I love it. It's a child-proof material. You just wipe it down. Well, it wasn't as bad as making a Halloween costume, but it definitely tried my patience when I had to take off three layers of disgusting old material before putting on my pretty new fabric.

 You like the paisley? I do!

 The whole table.

 Table cloth fabric. Adorable, eh?

Besides this, we're doing well. Radiation is fine. I'm almost half-way done. I'm going home for two months while Joe goes to school at the end of July. Ahh. This makes me very happy. Anything to escape the Texas heat...

Goodbye Carrie, Hello Radiation

 My Carrie left today (above picture by Elliot).  She's been such a big help. I will sorely miss her. She's another person I wouldn't mind living in a commune with. She's so peaceful and kind. 

I made her stay extra long so she'd be here on my birthday, yesterday. Well. It wasn't such a joyful day. I had the worst stomach flu of my life. My kids all had the flu earlier this week, but were quickly over it. In fact, Ruby threw up yesterday morning while eating a banana in the high chair. The throw up didn't even phase her. She kept eating her banana.

Me, on the other hand, I was so sick I couldn't even stand up without being sick. I'm chalking it up to my immune system being poor from all of the trauma I've been through the past few months. Needless to say, there was no birthday cake. But I still had to go to radiation.

How is radiation? Really, it's not that bad. I lay down with my mask on for 10 minutes, then I'm done. I just started Wednesday. But I really feel like it'll be okay. I had Joe give me a blessing that I wouldn't throw up during radiation, and I didn't! It was the only time I felt somewhat okay yesterday.  The sweet staff gave me a cupcake for my birthday, which Dottie and Elliot devoured.

 The best part of my birthday was this: my friends came and redid my garden the night before my birthday.  I wish I had a"before" picture.  The transformation really is remarkable: new mulch, flowers, and trim. It may be the sweetest thing anyone has done for me.

 The rest of these are random of Carrie and children. The last is to demonstrate Ruby's undying love for shoes. She always wants to be wearing them, even with jammies on. This girl just wants to leave the house!