I got some burlap and a wooden W to make this frame. And yes, I think the W should be turned around. But it's done, and I'm not tearing it off!Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The dreaded alcove
I've had a hard time filling this alcove, and I wasn't liking the green vase in it. I changed it all up, and this is what I have so far. I'd like to get some material to cover the surface of the basket with so there's not so much brown on brown.
I got some burlap and a wooden W to make this frame. And yes, I think the W should be turned around. But it's done, and I'm not tearing it off!
I got some burlap and a wooden W to make this frame. And yes, I think the W should be turned around. But it's done, and I'm not tearing it off!
Crafty crafty
I found this tutorial on covering a baby wipes case, and decided to give it a try for a gift idea.
The first one turned out pretty cute.
I also copied another tutorial (that I can't find right now) to make these with scrapbook paper and mod podge.
And here are some of the bows and clips that I made for my business Fit to be Tied.
Put it all together, and you have a nice little gift for someone.
Another case I did.
And my third one.
I also tried this tutorial to make this headband.
The first one turned out pretty cute.
I also copied another tutorial (that I can't find right now) to make these with scrapbook paper and mod podge.
And here are some of the bows and clips that I made for my business Fit to be Tied.
Put it all together, and you have a nice little gift for someone.
Another case I did.
And my third one.
I also tried this tutorial to make this headband.Good deals
I love seeing other people's good deals, and I love sharing mine because, well...I love a good deal.
I had been wanting some new jeans, but after finding out the surgery cost, felt a bit more conscious of money, if you know what I mean. My mom asked if there were any yard sales here a couple weekends ago, and I decided to check on craigslist. I didn't know if they had them in the winter here. There was one sale that advertised designer jeans in my size, so I rushed over there. There were like 8 pairs of jeans, but I chose two and got them for $40 each (yeah, I talked her down a little...no big deal). I was pretty excited about them, cause they fit perfectly.
These are Hudson jeans. Normally $187 or more.
These are Paige jeans. Normally $189 or more.
I found these at Old Navy for $3.
Also $3 at Old Navy.
Love this shirt because it makes me feel like spring is coming. Also from Old Navy for $4.
I had been wanting some new jeans, but after finding out the surgery cost, felt a bit more conscious of money, if you know what I mean. My mom asked if there were any yard sales here a couple weekends ago, and I decided to check on craigslist. I didn't know if they had them in the winter here. There was one sale that advertised designer jeans in my size, so I rushed over there. There were like 8 pairs of jeans, but I chose two and got them for $40 each (yeah, I talked her down a little...no big deal). I was pretty excited about them, cause they fit perfectly.
These are Hudson jeans. Normally $187 or more.
These are Paige jeans. Normally $189 or more.
I found these at Old Navy for $3.
Also $3 at Old Navy.
Love this shirt because it makes me feel like spring is coming. Also from Old Navy for $4.Slacker
I've been a blog slacker, but for good cause. John's had the past week + off after getting home from his deployment, and it's been so fun. As you might have read in a past post, the week before he got home was a little (or a lot) rough. I felt pretty alone, not knowing anyone here I could call to help me. I was also dealing with getting my surgery worked out. Warning: the rest of this post is long and detailed, so skimming is not looked down upon. : ) However, there's a recipe at the bottom you can check out.
I got a call from my doctor's office saying that my doctor, Dr. Chan (my last surgeon I went to in WA for a consult was also Asian, as well as my regular doctor here in Vacaville, and I must say I was excited that this guy in Sacramento was too because as random as this is, they have both seemed very thorough in their work...how's that for a run-on sentence?) was going to cover his part of the surgery. His assistant said Dr. Chan called Tricare and they won't cover any hip scope, and he just wanted me to have the surgery done. So all I'd have to pay for was the surgery center and anesthesiologist. I was so happy about this news, thinking that those fees couldn't be too much.
After many calls, emails, and faxes to the financial coordinator of the surgery center, it was a roller coaster of a week. I was sitting in my car in a parking lot, talking to this lady who quoted one surgery (repairing the tear) at $30,000 and shaving the bone (to make it rounder to prevent the tear from happening again) at $47,000. This is just for using the surgery room! Since the two surgeries were at the same time, they'd be combined as more of an average cost for both. Shock and then tears followed as I tried to maintain composure (more unsuccessfully than I had hoped) on the phone, devastated that this surgery wasn't going to happen, and feeling hopeless about what to do. I should have known God would work it out, but I was so upset. She called back and said that their estimate so far (but not final estimate) was $46,000 and asked if that was going to be a possibility for me. Ummmm...no. I actually don't have $46,000 laying around.
"I'm going to have to live with this for the rest of my life," I thought. Even doing a payment plan wasn't going to work on that amount of money. So finally, the final estimate for the surgery center was $35,000. She sent me a charity application to fill out to see if I qualified, so I filled it out, but I was doubtful that we would qualify. And even if we did, I didn't think they'd give us very much. I was supposed to have the surgery on a Tuesday (a few days after John was getting home), and I had to let them know if I was doing it for sure by the Friday before. After the surgery center reviewed my info, they called on Friday and told me that I would only have to pay $6,400 of the $35,000. I was beyond shocked. Why are we always shocked at miracles? And the anesthesiologist would be $700. I talked to John quickly on skype that day to talk to him about what I should do. He was tired from packing (getting ready to fly home the next day) and couldn't think about the decision enough to give me the go ahead. He said he wanted to get home and call Tricare and get some other people involved. We were told by the surgery center that we could be paid retroactively by Tricare if we got them to cover the surgery later, but John didn't think they would do that. So I told the doctor I had to wait and he reschedule my surgery for March 3rd. I was pretty disappointed, but I had to trust it was the right thing.
John got home and we've had a great time hanging out, eating at a couple of places we hadn't had in awhile, going to some of our favorite places, and just being lazy. He called Tricare who didn't give him any useful information (or the director's info) and then called Dr. Chan. I was surprised he was able to talk directly to him, but Dr. Chan's been a real peach in all this - so helpful and just wants me to get the surgery and be better. He said he was baffled that Tricare wasn't covering the surgery since all other insurances he's worked with do. He also told John that he talked to Tricare's director who said that they have denied a hundred surgeries a year and they won't change their policy unless someone makes them (ie. the government). After hearing this, we knew there was nothing we could do (at least without waiting years) to get them to cover it. It was the answer we needed to proceed with the surgery in March. We also found out that although the surgery is "too new and not proven" to be covered, it's a decade old!
I'm so glad to just have a resolution for this, even though we have to pay some. We get a 20% discount if we pay upfront, so hopefully we can do that instead of payments. AHH. Long story. The saga is pretty much over. John also talked to his boss about the surgery denial and he forwarded it on, but he didn't think anything would happen fast, if at all. John wants to write a letter to congress to have a voice in the change of Tricare's policy, and although it may take some time, I hope it makes a difference.
I heard mice all of that same week (when John was gone) after Pest Control had come, until about Thursday, and now they are all gone. My body is so much more at rest, and peace is finally in the house! Now John gets the fun job of cleaning out the garage. I really hope the mice don't come back!
Okay, onto something more fun. I found this recipe in a magazine, and it was good. And easy. Which makes it twice as good. This will be one of our regulars.
Kung Pao Chicken
2 tbsp dark sesame oil (I used regular sesame oil)
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut up into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup water
3 tbsp lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp bottled minced ginger
1 to 1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (I did 1 tsp and it was really spicy but still good...although I only get a 2 star on Thai food)
1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper (about 1 large pepper)
1 cup snow peas, trimmed
2 tbsp chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
1. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; saute 3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic; saute 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add chicken; saute 3 minutes or until chicken begins to brown.
2. Combine 3/4 cup water and the next 5 ingredients (through crushed red pepper), stirring with a whisk until sugar dissolves. Add water mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Add bell pepper and snow peas to pan; cook for 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and sauce thickens. Sprinkle with nuts. Yield: 4 servings (serving size 1 cup).
I got a call from my doctor's office saying that my doctor, Dr. Chan (my last surgeon I went to in WA for a consult was also Asian, as well as my regular doctor here in Vacaville, and I must say I was excited that this guy in Sacramento was too because as random as this is, they have both seemed very thorough in their work...how's that for a run-on sentence?) was going to cover his part of the surgery. His assistant said Dr. Chan called Tricare and they won't cover any hip scope, and he just wanted me to have the surgery done. So all I'd have to pay for was the surgery center and anesthesiologist. I was so happy about this news, thinking that those fees couldn't be too much.
After many calls, emails, and faxes to the financial coordinator of the surgery center, it was a roller coaster of a week. I was sitting in my car in a parking lot, talking to this lady who quoted one surgery (repairing the tear) at $30,000 and shaving the bone (to make it rounder to prevent the tear from happening again) at $47,000. This is just for using the surgery room! Since the two surgeries were at the same time, they'd be combined as more of an average cost for both. Shock and then tears followed as I tried to maintain composure (more unsuccessfully than I had hoped) on the phone, devastated that this surgery wasn't going to happen, and feeling hopeless about what to do. I should have known God would work it out, but I was so upset. She called back and said that their estimate so far (but not final estimate) was $46,000 and asked if that was going to be a possibility for me. Ummmm...no. I actually don't have $46,000 laying around.
"I'm going to have to live with this for the rest of my life," I thought. Even doing a payment plan wasn't going to work on that amount of money. So finally, the final estimate for the surgery center was $35,000. She sent me a charity application to fill out to see if I qualified, so I filled it out, but I was doubtful that we would qualify. And even if we did, I didn't think they'd give us very much. I was supposed to have the surgery on a Tuesday (a few days after John was getting home), and I had to let them know if I was doing it for sure by the Friday before. After the surgery center reviewed my info, they called on Friday and told me that I would only have to pay $6,400 of the $35,000. I was beyond shocked. Why are we always shocked at miracles? And the anesthesiologist would be $700. I talked to John quickly on skype that day to talk to him about what I should do. He was tired from packing (getting ready to fly home the next day) and couldn't think about the decision enough to give me the go ahead. He said he wanted to get home and call Tricare and get some other people involved. We were told by the surgery center that we could be paid retroactively by Tricare if we got them to cover the surgery later, but John didn't think they would do that. So I told the doctor I had to wait and he reschedule my surgery for March 3rd. I was pretty disappointed, but I had to trust it was the right thing.
John got home and we've had a great time hanging out, eating at a couple of places we hadn't had in awhile, going to some of our favorite places, and just being lazy. He called Tricare who didn't give him any useful information (or the director's info) and then called Dr. Chan. I was surprised he was able to talk directly to him, but Dr. Chan's been a real peach in all this - so helpful and just wants me to get the surgery and be better. He said he was baffled that Tricare wasn't covering the surgery since all other insurances he's worked with do. He also told John that he talked to Tricare's director who said that they have denied a hundred surgeries a year and they won't change their policy unless someone makes them (ie. the government). After hearing this, we knew there was nothing we could do (at least without waiting years) to get them to cover it. It was the answer we needed to proceed with the surgery in March. We also found out that although the surgery is "too new and not proven" to be covered, it's a decade old!
I'm so glad to just have a resolution for this, even though we have to pay some. We get a 20% discount if we pay upfront, so hopefully we can do that instead of payments. AHH. Long story. The saga is pretty much over. John also talked to his boss about the surgery denial and he forwarded it on, but he didn't think anything would happen fast, if at all. John wants to write a letter to congress to have a voice in the change of Tricare's policy, and although it may take some time, I hope it makes a difference.
I heard mice all of that same week (when John was gone) after Pest Control had come, until about Thursday, and now they are all gone. My body is so much more at rest, and peace is finally in the house! Now John gets the fun job of cleaning out the garage. I really hope the mice don't come back!
Okay, onto something more fun. I found this recipe in a magazine, and it was good. And easy. Which makes it twice as good. This will be one of our regulars.
Kung Pao Chicken
2 tbsp dark sesame oil (I used regular sesame oil)
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut up into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup water
3 tbsp lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp bottled minced ginger
1 to 1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (I did 1 tsp and it was really spicy but still good...although I only get a 2 star on Thai food)
1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper (about 1 large pepper)
1 cup snow peas, trimmed
2 tbsp chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
1. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; saute 3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic; saute 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add chicken; saute 3 minutes or until chicken begins to brown.
2. Combine 3/4 cup water and the next 5 ingredients (through crushed red pepper), stirring with a whisk until sugar dissolves. Add water mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Add bell pepper and snow peas to pan; cook for 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and sauce thickens. Sprinkle with nuts. Yield: 4 servings (serving size 1 cup).
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Decorating ideas
I went to a few yard sales on Saturday, but the only thing I found was this big bag of corks. The lady gave it to me for free.
I'd seen this cork idea in the Pottery Barn catalog, but we don't drink wine, so I never had any corks.
I'd like to get some apothecaries from Home Goods (I dropped a small, I mean big, hint to my husband), but this is what I did with them so far.
There's definitely something missing, but I don't know what it is. I'm not good at the finishing touches on decorating! I still have a ton of corks, if anyone wants some!!!
Another space I have a hard time filling is this alcove in the hallway.
I found these branches at Michaels that seems to help, but there's still something missing. Any ideas?
I'd seen this cork idea in the Pottery Barn catalog, but we don't drink wine, so I never had any corks.
I'd like to get some apothecaries from Home Goods (I dropped a small, I mean big, hint to my husband), but this is what I did with them so far.
There's definitely something missing, but I don't know what it is. I'm not good at the finishing touches on decorating! I still have a ton of corks, if anyone wants some!!!
Another space I have a hard time filling is this alcove in the hallway.
I found these branches at Michaels that seems to help, but there's still something missing. Any ideas?
Back in CA
I had a great time in Washington for two weeks with my family. We spent a week in Leavenworth, WA after Christmas. I will post some pictures soon. And now I'm back in CA.
I got back almost a week ago. There are still mice here, which has been so stressful. I can hear them in the walls as I type. I haven't seen any in the house this time though. I think they are just in the walls and garage. Pest control finally came yesterday and the guy kept saying that I had a lot of mice based on all the pilings. I was so incredibly grossed out as he showed me how they chewed into the walls in the garage to get into the walls of the house. He put bait out so they are supposed to leave and die. My body has been so tense when I'm in the house, and I've never felt this alone, dealing with something like this, in my life. God is definitely stretching me. Then to top it off, on Sunday I came home from church and errands and there were sugar ants in a trail from the garage door to my kitchen sink. You gotta understand - I have nightmares about ants and small, gross animals. I was pretty shaken by all of this, had a few breakdowns, and continued cleaning it all up. To be honest, these are the times when my flesh is weak, and I want to be mad that my husband isn't here to take care of this, my family isn't here to help me because I moved here for my husband's job, and I don't have any friends yet to help me. I really had to pray against those feelings, pretty much feeling like a jerk for even having them. Church was good on Sunday though, and I felt encouraged...well, until I came home to the ants at least. : )
After I got back from Germany, I had a doctors appointment with a new doctor in Sacramento for my hip. He was sure that my insurance would cover the surgery after January 1st because new codes were coming out on surgeries then. He scheduled my surgery for January 18th, and I was pretty excited this was finally happening. I got a call today from the doctor's office saying that my insurance denied the surgery again, so they sent yet another surgery request for a basic hip surgery, not billing me for the real surgery, and my insurance even denied that one. It is SO frustrating. I know God is bigger than all this, but the journey has been so long. The doctor is going to call the director at my insurance to try to change their minds, but they can't do that until they get the denial letter in the mail. If they can't do all this before Friday, they will have to postpone my surgery. I really wanted to get the surgery done, especially on the 18th, because John gets home on the 15th and has some time off to take care of me after the surgery. It's been a rough past week. Life can be so good, yet so hard at times.
On a happier note, I was able to get some fun after-Christmas sales when I got back to California, and that is what I will post about now! I actually got quite a few deals in Washington too, but those are still at my parents since I didn't have enough room in my suitcase for them yet.
Target: 20 cent napkins
Target: 25 cent pine branches
Target: Peach shirt $6
Target: Pillows $1.30 each
Target: Lady Antebellum Christmas cd 69 cents
Christmas cd mix 99 cents
I got these weights at Target so I could do my upper body Pilates workout dvd.
Gap: shoes $9
J. Crew outlet: tanks were between $4 and $6
Restoration Hardware outlet: 79 cent ornaments (glass and metal)
Christan bookstore: Relient K cd $4
I didn't buy these, but I got these dishes for Christmas. 6 dessert plates.
I got back almost a week ago. There are still mice here, which has been so stressful. I can hear them in the walls as I type. I haven't seen any in the house this time though. I think they are just in the walls and garage. Pest control finally came yesterday and the guy kept saying that I had a lot of mice based on all the pilings. I was so incredibly grossed out as he showed me how they chewed into the walls in the garage to get into the walls of the house. He put bait out so they are supposed to leave and die. My body has been so tense when I'm in the house, and I've never felt this alone, dealing with something like this, in my life. God is definitely stretching me. Then to top it off, on Sunday I came home from church and errands and there were sugar ants in a trail from the garage door to my kitchen sink. You gotta understand - I have nightmares about ants and small, gross animals. I was pretty shaken by all of this, had a few breakdowns, and continued cleaning it all up. To be honest, these are the times when my flesh is weak, and I want to be mad that my husband isn't here to take care of this, my family isn't here to help me because I moved here for my husband's job, and I don't have any friends yet to help me. I really had to pray against those feelings, pretty much feeling like a jerk for even having them. Church was good on Sunday though, and I felt encouraged...well, until I came home to the ants at least. : )
After I got back from Germany, I had a doctors appointment with a new doctor in Sacramento for my hip. He was sure that my insurance would cover the surgery after January 1st because new codes were coming out on surgeries then. He scheduled my surgery for January 18th, and I was pretty excited this was finally happening. I got a call today from the doctor's office saying that my insurance denied the surgery again, so they sent yet another surgery request for a basic hip surgery, not billing me for the real surgery, and my insurance even denied that one. It is SO frustrating. I know God is bigger than all this, but the journey has been so long. The doctor is going to call the director at my insurance to try to change their minds, but they can't do that until they get the denial letter in the mail. If they can't do all this before Friday, they will have to postpone my surgery. I really wanted to get the surgery done, especially on the 18th, because John gets home on the 15th and has some time off to take care of me after the surgery. It's been a rough past week. Life can be so good, yet so hard at times.
On a happier note, I was able to get some fun after-Christmas sales when I got back to California, and that is what I will post about now! I actually got quite a few deals in Washington too, but those are still at my parents since I didn't have enough room in my suitcase for them yet.
Target: 20 cent napkins
Target: 25 cent pine branches
Target: Peach shirt $6
Target: Pillows $1.30 each
Target: Lady Antebellum Christmas cd 69 centsChristmas cd mix 99 cents
I got these weights at Target so I could do my upper body Pilates workout dvd.
Gap: shoes $9
J. Crew outlet: tanks were between $4 and $6
Restoration Hardware outlet: 79 cent ornaments (glass and metal)
Christan bookstore: Relient K cd $4
I didn't buy these, but I got these dishes for Christmas. 6 dessert plates.Sunday, January 2, 2011
Merry Christmas!
It's a little late, but Merry Christmas! Here's our Christmas letter and picture.
Photo taken at Lake Wolfgang, Salzburg, Austria
Merry Christmas to all our friends and family!
This year has been truly a one of a kind blessing for the Wimberley family. We moved to California! John was reassigned from McChord AFB, WA to Travis AFB, CA in July. It's been a very bittersweet time for us as we left all of our friends and family in Washington, but we are excited for our new home in the beautiful northern California area. We are within a couple hours of so many things California has to offer: Lake Tahoe, Napa Valley, San Francisco, Sacramento, Redwood National Forest, Santa Cruz Beach, Silicon Valley, etc. So feel free to come visit us when you need a vacation.
John has been extremely busy this year with his job in the Air Force. This has been one of the busiest flying times in recent history for the Air Force and he has been gainfully employed. He also attended Instructor Pilot School in Altus, OK for the month of June (we took three days to drive there). He also made it back to Oklahoma for his 10-year high school reunion in September. After only a month in his new unit in CA, John was deployed to Germany for a non-flying deployment, where he manages an operations center. He will be there over the holidays and return home in January. Lastly, he is attempting to finish his MBA this upcoming year so he can finally be Master's complete.
2010 has been a pretty historic time for Bryn. This is her first move with the Air Force, away from her family and friends for one of the few times in her life. She is becoming an expert on the military spouse life and has made some big adjustments dealing with John's military profession. She has been in two different women's Bible studies, a volunteer with the Spouse's Club for John's squadron, babysitter for friends and family, organizer of vacations and holidays, packer of her entire house while John was gone, and caretaker of a husband and cat. She continues to make bows and clips for her own business (bmwimberley.blogspot.com), crocheting blankets for friends' newborns, and she is learning to sew. Because of the summer move, she wasn't able to get a job this year, but will start looking again in California in January.
In April, before all the moving craziness began, we were able to go on a Mexican Riviera cruise - a first for us both. Also before the move, we were involved in the Marriage Ministries team, a couples small group, and a Financial Peace University class at our church. We also helped start a satellite campus off our main church campus.
2010 has been an amazing blessing so far. The move from Washington to California was a great challenge that we are excited to have completed. The deployment actually had an amazing silver lining: Bryn got to fly to Germany for 2 months of John's deployment and will be home for Christmas. We have been traveling all over the European continent on John's days off work. We've seen amazing places that we always dreamed of seeing, taking hundreds of pictures, and enjoying some amazing experiences. Some of the highlights include: the canal boat tour in Bruges, Belgium; the Sound of Music Tour in Salzburg, Austria; the Christmas Market in Munich, Germany; walking on the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic; drinking hot chocolate in Zurich, Switzerland; and the Eiffel Tower and Louvre in Paris, France.
We are thankful for family and friends like you to share these experiences with. We pray that everyone has had a good a year as we've had and many more to come. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Love,
John and Bryn (and Fenway)
Photo taken at Lake Wolfgang, Salzburg, Austria
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