Christmas Craft Show

Yesterday, my good friend Diane and I went over to the Convention Center here in Jacksonville for their annual Christmas Made in the South Craft Show. This is the biggest craft show I've ever been to! There were literally hundreds of vendors with everything from clothing and jewelry to handmade ornaments and novelty items! Unfortunately, the one vendor that I was looking for was not there this year! Fiddlesticks!!! However, something wonderful happened to me today that is better than anything that vendor could have sold me!! I will share this with you in my post for tomorrow (you know...the whole "expectation and anticipation of advent....so you'll have to wait!!!).

Anyway, I only bought a couple of small items this year as we are trying to be careful with our spending. When you're at an event like this, it can be tempting to overspend because everything looks so festive!!! There is also the issue of "novelty"...I mean, so much of this stuff is handmade and you may never get the chance to purchase something like this again. But, at least I went with a mission this time (that darn fabric advent calendar!!). Since I couldn't find it...I did give myself permission to find something else that I could put in the kid's shoes for St. Nicholas Day!

Here is what I was able to purchase...and by the way...all of this was UNDER $25.00 (That didn't include the admission price or lunch though!!)

These items were made by a older couple living in Iowa. She uses old, vintage Christmas/Greeting card images and makes wooden puzzles with them!! I visited their booth at least 3 times before I actually purchased something. They seem to be very well made!. What drew me in were the images. They are classic photos and greetings and some of them are absolutely gorgeous! These were 3 very small ones. I got one for each of my kids. They are tied together with string so you can display them and to keep the pieces together. She told me not to untie the string but to pull it off while doing the puzzle...that way, you can just put the string back on afterwards and it stays together.

She had big ones, small ones, teeny-tiny ones, oval ones, round ones, etc...... It was really hard to choose. Here are more photos of them....

Don't you just love this guys eyes???? I also like seeing the very old tradition of putting candles on the tree!

This is one I took apart for you so you could see it! I apologize for the bad lighting in this picture...I am still learning how to use this camera. I just simply slipped of the string and took it apart. Then, when I had it all together again...I just slipped the string right back on!

I know that images of Santa Claus are not necessarily the images I want my children to see in their minds and hearts when they think about Christmas, but, let's face it....don't we all think of Christmas when we see Santa?? The couple did have Holy Family/Nativity images...and...I almost bought those, but like I said, I was just so drawn to these vintage photos.

Do you ever feel like you could have been born in the wrong era? I feel this way with Christmas music also. I'd rather listen to Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney and Johnny Mathis when it comes to Christmas songs. I guess I'm just drawn to a simpler time....when kid's weren't bombarded with images of so much stuff to crowd their little brains. The enemy can grab hold of their little souls this way and take them down a road that is way too traveled...the road of greed. Sometimes, I truly long for the way things were back then. I think back to my grandmother's white flocked Christmas tree with the rotating colored lights that changed the snow and ornaments into different colors. I remember listening to Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas record (yes....remember the old LP's that were played on a huge stereo system??) over and over again until my Nanie was ready to ship us back home.

Alas...even though I'm drawn to the simplicity and memories......I still live in 2008 and get caught up in all it's commercialism sometimes.

On an even more personal note....Christmas has truly changed for me this year. Since my diagnosis of breast cancer this July....I see things through new eyes. I'm all for keeping a positive attitude about my recovery, but, there is a part of me...deep down inside that asks the question.."What if this is my last Christmas?". I guess, no matter how simple or complicated it is...I just want to enjoy it. I want to create memories for my husband and my kids that will last their lifetimes. Most of all....I just want their memories to be happy. Even with all the chaos that went on in my childhood (my moms alcoholism, their divorce and all the issues that went with that)...absolutely ALL of my Christmas memories are wonderful and warming to my soul.
This is what I wish for my kids. Ok...enough of that.

One last thing, I bought this ornament. Ever since Dan and I have been married, I have purchased an ornament for our tree with the year on it. Since we've had kids...it's been more kid oriented. Anyway...here is the ornament I got yesterday.

***Two more last things....my last chemo (#4) is tomorrow at 8am. I'm really nervous about this one. The fatigue and such is really hitting me hard and I would appreciate your continued prayers. Also, I have developed this new problem on my lower legs called petechiae. It doesn't hurt but it could mean that my blood counts are not where they should be.

Ok...another last thing....my husband Dan is doing much better. We were able to go and get our Christmas tree last night (although it's still outside right now...getting rained on!). Thank you for your prayers.

Book Meme

I was tagged by Dawn at A Helping Hand for this book meme. Here are the rules....

1. Pass this on to 5 blogging friends.
2. Open the closest book to you...not your favorite book or the most intellectual, but the closest book to you, to page 56.
3. Write the 5th sentence...as well as two to five sentences following that.

The closest book is "Scaling Down: Living Large in a Smaller Space" by Judi Culbertson and Marj Decker. Here is page 56, 5th through the 11th sentences...

"Even the worst cases of sentimentality can be taught to discriminate between what truly means something to them and what is a knee-jerk response. Here are some of the culprits we all face.
Yes, there are people who can receive a birthday, sympathy, or Christmas card, smile or feel touched, then let it go immediately. But most of us can't. We imagine how the giver went to the trouble of picking out just the right message, then mailed it or delivered it to us with a gift. The card has entered our orbit and become part of our personal history. Fortunately for most of us, unless a card has a warm personal message or makes us laugh all over again, we realize it does not need to be saved."

And now I tag the following.....

Chris

Esther

Jen

Nichole

Rebecca

Craft Show

I'm heading off to the annual Christmas Made in the South craft show here in Jacksonville today. This show comes every year on Thanksgiving weekend and it is so huge that it is held at the convention center! There are hundreds of vendors that come from all over the country!
Over the years, I have been able to find some wonderful, one of a kind items. This year, I'm looking for one particular item. I'm hoping that I can find that vendor!

***Also, could you all say a prayer for my husband....he is feeling under the weather today. He has been so great about taking care of me during my chemo treatments, but, he won't let me take care of him. I think it's a guy thing. It seems to be just a cold....we've all had it in our house but, since he is sick so seldom, things usually hit him harder. Anyway, I appreciate your prayers!!

LOST...January 21, 2009 !!!!!!

I can hardly wait!! Also, if you're into some LOST spoilers for Season 5.....click here. Go ahead...you know you want to!!!

Soooo thankful!!!

We had a wonderful day!! The food was scrumptious (sorry, no pictures) and being with family is better than anything I know. We always have so much fun when we're together! After we ate and everyone was on the verge of falling asleep, it was decided that we would all go on a walk down to a public dock on the St. John's River. I stayed behind (my stamina is not what it once was) and cleaned the kitchen. Here are some pictures of their adventure and some random shots of the day...



***Question: Is three pieces of pie too much to have in one day? My excuse: I love Dutch Apple Pie!!

Our plans

I thought I'd share with you a few of our plans for tomorrow. It's usually a very quiet day for our family. We will go to Dan's sister's house. There are usually about 15 of us and my house is too small. She's is going to make the turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and I'm in charge of the green bean casserole, sweet potatoes and some appetizers!

I know that there are probably lots of variations on the traditional green bean casserole, but, I think I'll just stick to the normal recipe. The last time I made it with fresh green beans....I had complaints that they were too "squeaky" on their teeth!! Go figure! So this year...I'm going "extra" easy and using canned beans.

I've been searching for just the right sweet potato recipe for weeks! I finally found what I was looking for over at Recipe Zaar. I'm going to do a sweet potato casserole. It sounds really yummy!

I picked a couple of appetizers...

1. Crackers and a Seafood Salad
2. Pigs in a blanket
3. Nancy's Deli Spirals

As you can see....I raided Sam's Club the other day!! However, there is one appetizer that I am making myself....they're called Antipasto Kabobs and I found the recipe from http://www.tasteofhome.com/ . Here is a picture of them...

As I type this, I am marinating my tortellini's. I'm going to use cubes of cheese instead of the black olives though. I bought some really cute decorative toothpicks at Hobby Lobby. I'll post some pictures of our feast tomorrow.

In the meantime, I wish all of you the most blessed Thanksgiving you've ever had!

This is terribly sad...and embarrassing!!!

There Are 4 Gaps in Your Knowledge

Where you have gaps in your knowledge: Literature History Science Art Where you don't have gaps in your knowledge: Philosophy Religion Economics

Do You Have Gaps in Your Knowledge?

Almost there!

I had my labs rechecked today...my hemoglobin is up to 10.2 (from 8.1 last week)! This is great news. It's still below normal (12) but we're going in the right direction. My blood pressure was 117/72 and everything else seemed to be ok. The only thing the oncologist said was that they would like for me to wait to see the dentist until just before Christmas. I'll hold out for as long as I can...barring any abscess or something even more gross!

My last treatment is Monday!!! All in all it has gone faster than I thought it would. I still must see the Radiation Oncologist for a consultation. They are leaning more towards NOT doing radiation as....well...there really isn't much tissue there to radiate. However, we still have to go over all of the options and weigh the pros and the cons. We've already discussed the hormonal therapy of Arimidex. This is to start after the hysterectomy which will be some time in January. Hopefully by February or so, I can start to put all of this behind me and begin looking forward with some confidence and hope. This will be a "monkey" that will be with me forever, but, I plan to put it in it's proper place and only acknowledge it when I actually have to.

Thank you again for all of your prayers and support. I promise to return the favor in your hour of need!!

Guess Who???

Guess who has gone for over a week with big girl panties on during the day????? She's still wearing pull-ups at night....but over half of the time she's been dry when she wakes up!!!!
I can't believe it....I'm almost there! It is so exciting and yet sad at the same time. I will be happy to not have to buy diapers anymore (about $150 a month, don't ya know), but, it's proof that my baby days are over! I guess I just need to look forward to the next stage of motherhood and be ever so thankful that God has allowed me to borrow three of the most beautiful souls I know!!! Here's to a life without diapers!!!!

Pray for us!!

Instead of snacks and a video after school today.....I laid down the law!! Before one more toy of any kind enters this house for Christmas, there needs to be a toy purge...for all three of them. Nathan is not taking this well. He is just like his dad and doesn't, uh, let's just say....appreciate change! He has a hard time letting go of things. He has pitched a complete fit every time I suggest that he get rid of a particular item. The items that he just can't part with include...a few hundred broken happy meal toys, a bunny on wheels with a string for pulling that he got when he was born, a large doll house (that belongs to the girls!), giant Lego's for toddlers, various stuffed animals...and some things that I can't even tell what they are because of missing parts!!

The girls are doing much better. Together, they have already filled one garbage bag! They had a second one almost filled....but Nathan decided he wanted to keep half of what was in there. Sigh!!! I'm not sure how to handle this. I've told him that I'm giving him the chance to choose which toys are "outta here"....if he doesn't do it....them I'm going to choose for him. I think he is under the impression that I'm fooling with him! He is in for a rude awakening!

As I type...I can here Amelia screaming at Nathan because he has taken another item out of her throw away bag to keep for himself. Dan and I have had many conversations with our kids about the difference between wants and needs and our obligation to be as generous and giving to others as we can. I think part of the problem is his age (he's 8 and it's all about him!) and the fact that...unfortunately, we are a middle class family living in 2008 and they have not been exposed to those that are truly needy. We live paycheck to paycheck. We put very little into savings as there just isn't much left. However, our kids don't know what it's like to be in need of something and not be able to get it. Some would say that we have luxuries that others don't...and I would agree. We have two vehicles, but both of them have almost 200,000 miles on them. We do have cable (I refuse to give that up) and a computer (I even have a laptop). Dan and I also have cell phones (Dan's is for work and mine is a "pay as you go" type without a camera). Every stick of furniture in our house (except for our bed) has been given to us by very generous friends who were getting rid of things. I tell you all of this to say that there is plenty of examples around us of the generosity of other people towards us...and I just wish that my children were better about this. I don't want them grow up to be spoiled little brats that constantly have the "gimmies". Sigh....(yes, another sigh!). We also have given them many opportunities to be generous themselves with the various volunteer work that we do. Perhaps it is time to do more of this as a family...even if the girls are a little young. We'll have to pray more about what it is that God would have us do in this situation.

Well...just watch out because the day (which WILL be before Christmas) that I get into their rooms and start clearing things out......you will probably be able to hear the screaming from where you are!!!

Advent: Peace in a time of frenzy.

This appeared in our bulletin yesterday. It is called Growing in Faith and is published by Success Publishing & Media, LLC. As Advent approaches....I think these are things all of us can practice!! Enjoy...

Shopping and gift-giving

• Giving handmade gifts is a way to show our love and honor the artisans who make them at the same time. Good sources are craft fairs in your community that feature goods by local artists where you can find everything from wooden toys to hand knitted scarves and socks.
• "Fair-Trade" import stores offer one-of-a-kind gifts from around the world. (see http://www.fairtradefederation.org/) Plus, when you do your shopping away from the mall and the large retailers, your gift-giving dollars support good causes and the artisans who made the things you choose.
• If somebody on your list "has everything", think about making a donation to a good cause in their name. For example, a good idea for a teacher's gift would be a contribution to a program that supports literacy. Follow with a card stating your intention.
• Give spiritual bouquets by offering a rosary (or more) for people on your gift list. Make cards that detail your thoughtful gift. If you prayed for a particular intention, be sure to include that in your card.
• Include in your Christmas cards a note about all the blessings you have received this year. Not only will your friends and family enjoy reading about your good news, your card will be a testament to God's loving care.

Tree trimming and decorating

• The ideal practice would be to hold off decorating for Christmas until Christmas Eve, but that isn't always practical. Instead, decorate your home and your tree when you have time, but don't light the tree till Christmas Eve. That's one way to signify the coming of the "light of the world".
• Or, to increase the excitement and anticipation of Christmas, set up your tree, put on the lights, but don't decorate it. Instead, add one ornament a day throughout Advent. On Christmas Eve, add the rest and light the tree on Christmas morning. Step back and be delighted with your handiwork.
• Set up your nativity scene but leave out the Holy Family. Put Joseph, and Mary in their places on Christmas Eve and add the Baby the next morning.

Housekeeping

• While you clean house in preparation for the holidays, make an examination of conscience. Advent is exactly the right time to reflect on the ways that we have failed to honor God or each other and to decide to start fresh. First make a heartfelt confession. Reconciliation will let you greet Christmas with a heart full of peace and joy.
• As you spruce things up around the house, look for ways to repair relationships. Remember, we are called to love and kindness...and not just to our favorite people. "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).
• While you are cleaning out closets or sorting laundry, make a phone call to someone you haven't seen in a while.
• When you are running errands, take the time to visit someone who is alone. Such small acts of love take only a moment, but the warm memory lasts a long time.
• After going through your closets and cleaning out the clutter in your home, pick a bad habit you would like to kick and resolve to do it during Advent. Avoid overeating, quit smoking, stop gossiping, resolve to always tell the truth, or promise to use gentle, non-violent language. Offer your sacrifice as a birthday gift to the Savior at Christmas.

Parties

• Transform a holiday get-together into an occasion for charity and helping others. Suggest each guest bring a child's toy to the party, and take responsibility for getting them to "Toys for Tots" or another charity that helps needy families have a joyful Christmas. Bonus: for many grown-ups without children, the chance to choose something they know will light up a kid's like is fun.
• Put out a large punch bowl or salad bowl and ask for donations for your favorite charity. People in a festive mood will feel generous toward those without such opportunities.
• Instead of automatically buying a new outfit for a holiday party, spruce up something you already have and put the money you saved in the poor box at church.
• Pick one Sunday and host an Advent party. Light an Advent wreath with your guests and play music with lyrics about waiting, patience, hope, or other themes of Advent.

Don't forget to make time during Advent for quiet prayer and reflection. The graces you receive from the time you spend with God will be your gift for Christmas.

I should probably be arrested!

Seriously. I've been home all afternoon....not doing much of anything really. I folded some laundry and straightened up a bit...nothing major. So, tell me why I didn't plan better for dinner! This is what I ended up feeding my family tonight.....feast your eyes on this:

Up first is.......canned french cut green beans.

Next we have boxed, frozen pierogies sauteed in olive oil and butter.

And...drum roll please....packaged, microwaved kielbasa.

I wonder what the fat content of this meal is. Or, for that matter, what the nutritional value is. What I'm embarrassed to tell you is that, we were in a rush this morning as I had something to take care of at church...so they had pop tarts for breakfast. And....since they were with me at church for almost three hours without fussing very much....I treated them to McDonald's for lunch. I wonder if I'm actually treating them to a future heart attack? I know that if I planned better, I could serve my family more nutritious and healthy meals. In all honesty, Dan and the kids loved dinner and I must admit that the pierogies were pretty darn good...frozen or not! There are recipes out there for fresh, home made pierogies.....like Bethany's. Still, I feel guilty for not doing better in this area. I mean, I'm a little worried about the eating habits that I'm teaching my children. I shudder to think of the other habits they're learning. Why is it that pre packaged foods are so much more economical than fresh or "organic"?

When Dan and I visited Rome last year, we noticed that most Romans go to the grocery store everyday. They buy the ingredients that they need for just that day. Honestly, I just don't have the time or the inclination to go every single day. On the other hand, fresh fruits and vegetables don't last all that long and I find that sometimes, these things go bad before I can use them. I guess I justify my pre packaged purchases with the thought that it is less wasteful.

Well, whatever my motives or excuses...I'm going to make a real effort to become a healthier wife and mom and to try and take better care of my family.

How much is too much?

I've started reading this book called Scaling Down: Living Large in a Smaller Space. No, we're not moving....I just want to STOP accumulating.....stuff! I'm not exactly sure how it happens really. One day, you wake up and absolutely every available space in your house has something in it. It's almost as though stuff has baby stuff and so on and so on.....

Honestly, I was hooked by the first sentence of the first chapter...."When Mother Teresa died, the media reported that she left behind only a bed, a chair, and a blue sweater". This was very humbling to me. As I look around my house, I see many things. I see wants and needs....but mostly wants. Could we get by with less? Absolutely!

The book goes on to say, "We also live in a country where it seems un-American not to have more things than we can keep track of, a society in which the largest homes, automobiles, or cheeseburgers are believed to be the best. Our instinct to accumulate has deep roots. Our parents and grandparents, in the shadow of the Depression, learned to keep an iron grip on anything that might still have some "good" in it. Little got thrown away. Then in the postwar 1940's and 1950's, Americans were encouraged to buy, buy, buy and to acquire every luxury they could afford".

This reminded me of a friend's grandmother who saved everything...even the little plastic strawberry containers and the big, thick, pink rubber bands that kept broccoli bunches together. Our dining room table tends to be the junk area of our house. As a matter of fact, here is a picture of my dining room table earlier this week.

I promise you that I clear off this table EVERYDAY....but...by the end of the day, it all comes back. There are times when I get most (or...all) of my discouragement as a wife and mother from this one, single place. The status of the dining room table pretty much tells you the status of our lives at any given moment. On this one table is Dan's coffee cup, Lego's, my ball cap, Olivia's baby that she sleeps with, plastic tub of crayons, my purse, place mats, pens and pencils, coloring book, Amelia's artwork and the anniversary flowers that Dan brought home for me.....among other things! How does one family of 5 eat at this table?? How does one 8 year old do his homework at this table???

I know it's not realistic to expect that we have only the things that Mother Teresa had, but, I want to be a better steward of the blessings that God has allowed us to have. I'm not sure exactly how to do this.....which is why I'm reading this book!

I will share more as I read further. Please feel free to share your thoughts on your "House of Stuff" and any decluttering ideas that have worked for your family.

Happy Friday!

It's been a busy week. Lot's going on and I'm just trying to keep up. Nathan has had basketball practice and his Fall Chorus Concert. I'll post some pictures if any of them are decent. He's also been preparing for his first confession on December 6th. In between all of this, I've had a toothache. Can you believe it? Leave it to me to need dental work during chemotherapy! I'm not exactly sure how this is going to work though. They really, really don't want me to have to see the dentist right now. I don't know how much longer I can hold out. I'm also still struggling with the anemia...although I think my counts are up from where they were last week.

The weather has been wonderful here....nice and cool. The native Floridians hate it...but I love it. I'll post more later. In the meantime...have a wonderful day!

Someone to drive the plane....

A teacher asked her Catechism class to draw pictures of their favorite Bible stories. She was puzzled by Kyle's picture, which showed four people on an airplane, so she asked him which story it was meant to represent.
"The flight to Egypt," said Kyle.
"I see. And that must be Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus," the teacher said. "But
who's the fourth person?"
"Oh, that's Pontius---the pilot."

Saying "yes" more than "no"

This subject has been on my mind for some time. After reading Toni's post over at Happy To Be At Home, I was ever more determined to work on saying "yes" instead of "no" all the time. She's right...most of the time it's selfishness on my part. Read her post and let me know what you think.

That explains it!!

Well, at least now I know why I've been feeling so bad....my hemoglobin was 8.1 today!! Normal is usually around 12. I'm scheduled to have more lab work on the 25th to see if it has gone up. If not, they will give me an injection of something....I think it's called Procrit. All of the other symptoms I'm having are completely normal for the particular type of chemotherapy I've been getting. My only instructions are to take it easy, get up slower, keep my feet up to help combat the swelling, eat lots of protein and keep hydrated.

I'm sorry I sounded so whiny last night. I either feel really bad or really good...there isn't a whole lot of "in-between" lately. Emotionally, I feel on the edge and on the verge of crying a lot of the time. I guess it's all par for the course, but frustrating none the less.

Thank you all for your kind words and prayers!

You Are Checkers

You are very logical and rational. You are able to understand what is and isn't a factor. You're able to compartmentalize and focus on the essentials. You appreciate simplicity. You can see the layers of complexity and beauty in anything. You are also playful and good natured. You don't take life too seriously!

What Board Game Are You?

Update

Let's see...today is chemo #3, day 10. This time I have experienced a large amount of swelling in my feet, ankles and lower legs. It's so bad that I could barely put shoes on this morning. I see the oncologist tomorrow and will have my blood pressure checked...but, today I got out my booklet on one of the chemo drugs (Taxotere) and swelling is one of the side effects. The fatigue has also gotten progressively worse each time. Whenever I stand for long periods of time...like doing dishes or cooking...it causes my lower back and hips to ache horribly. One of the other issues that I get each time is mouth sores. It feels as though I took a huge gulp of boiling hot coffee or soup....like the inside of my mouth is burned. Eating anything cold helps.
This time, my gums are sore and it feels as if my teeth are loose.
I must tell you that I'm really tired of being tired! I'm sick of feeling sick! I went for a walk around the parking lot on Friday with a co-worker...I almost passed out! I'm winded easily and feel like such a lump! I was embarrassed! Thankfully, she is a nurse and understands what chemotherapy does to a person's body.
I'm also still dealing with this upper respiratory infection. I finished the antibiotics, but, I'm still coughing...a lot. The good news is that I haven't experienced any fever lately. They will do blood work tomorrow and I pray that it is all normal.
Overall, I'm doing well. God has richly blessed me with a wonderful support system. Angels have provided meals for our family 3 times a week since my surgery (...uh...that was back in August!!), cleaned my house once a month, taken my kids from several hours to several days, done our laundry and have prayed for us non-stop since I was diagnosed. I will never be able to fully express my gratitude to everyone who has helped us. It has been a very humbling experience. I can only hope that this ordeal will be behind me soon.
I'll update again tomorrow once I've seen the oncologist.

11 years ago today!!

Happy Anniversary to the love of my life! I pray that we can have another 50 years together!!

Christmas Music!

I listened to Christmas music all day at work today! Some might say it is "too early", but, I can't help it. The older I get, the faster this season comes and goes. Just as soon as you've heard the last child say "trick or treat"....you start hearing the "give a Garman" commercials! It is all so sad really....how fast it goes. I want to cherish it, savor it and drag it out to last as long as possible.

If you're interested, here is the link www.181.fm

I was able to use my earphones and listen to the likes of Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby and Gene Autry while I worked. Now that is real Christmas music! You can choose whatever era you like....I like "classic" the best.

Take a few minutes and get into the spirit of the season!

Success....

Well, I managed to get some things done today. About 10:30am God blessed me with a small burst of energy...and I took advantage of it! For one thing, the crock-pot pork chops were very easy and very tasty. Here are the only ingredients:

The recipe called for 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup soy sauce, 1 cup ketchup, 2 cloves of crushed garlic and 6-8 chops. I had eight, very thick bone-in chops but in the future, I would use the thin cut. Even though these cooked for 6 hours and were "fall off the bone" tender, the thick and meaty part of the chop was a little stringy. The sauce was wonderful and the kids loved it. I will definitely use this recipe again. I think it would be really good for the pork country ribs too.

And here was my finished meal...with fresh green beans and noodles with olive oil.

For dessert, I made a strawberry jello "thingy" with a pretzel crust. This was extremely yummy! A friend had made this before and I happened to run across a recipe in cookbook for those dealing with cancer/chemotherapy.

When the kids got home from school, we worked on our Thanksgiving Tree. I think this is the worst excuse for a tree I've seen in all my life!! I guess that's just what you get when you're 5 days post chemo and dealing with an upper respiratory infection! I tried. Anyway, the kids had fun making additional leaves for our tree and thinking of things to be thankful for.

Well, here is our finished project...at least for today. We'll try to add more "thankful" things as they come up. Here's what the kids were thankful for..

Nathan: house, family, friends, school

Olivia: Nay Nay (this is what she calls Nathan)

Amelia: food, flowers and Billy from Jurassic Park????? I have no idea who Billy is or why she had Jurassic Park on her brain!!!

All in all, it worked out ok. We never did get to call Uncle Mark or Grandpa...there just wasn't enough of me left to do it but I'm sure they know how thankful we are for their service to our country. I'm proud to be part of a military family.....especially on days like this. We lit our candles on the mantle next to the Blessed Mother for our soldiers all over the world. Say a prayer for them tonight!!

Veteran's Day

Ordinarily, my kids would have had today off from school, but, because of a few days off at the beginning of the summer for Tropical Storm Fay....today is a make up day. I'm still not feeling well enough to tackle the Veteran's parade today so we'll celebrate quietly. If I can manage to get moving today...here are my plans:

• Get the kitchen cleaned and prepare for dinner. Tonight's menu: Crock pot pork chops with fresh green beans and a side of noodles.


• Put away folded laundry.


• Put up base for our Thanksgiving Tree.


• Have the kids cut out the leaves when they get home from school. After school snack: cheesesticks, sliced fresh strawberries.


• Complete homework.


• Call Grandpa and Uncle Mark to thank them for their service.


• Pray a family rosary for our veteran's and all who will serve our country.


• Collapse (uh...that would be me)

I wonder how much of this will actually get done? Well...either way, it's good to have goals...right?

6 Days!!! Only 6 Days people!!!

I'm amazed...it has been only 6 days (That's S-I-X) days since the election and we've already got a certain group of people saying the words "confiscate" in the same sentence as your retirement, IRA's and 401k's.

Is it 2012 yet???

Just when you think you have things....

figured out...the rules change. I woke up this morning at about 3:30am...coughing. It's that really loose, cruddy cough that really hurts. By 5am, my head was pounding and my throat was so sore I could barely swallow. I called the MD early but they didn't get back to me until this afternoon. I'm on a Z-Pak now with some over the counter cough medicine. I'm just supposed to watch for a developing fever.
We had some very wonderful members of our Engaged Encounter group bring us dinner tonight! What a blessing! I'm not sure I could have tackled that today. It was hot baked ziti with a huge loaf of french bread as well as a big salad. Ice cream and cupcakes for dessert! Dan came home between jobs so he could pick up my prescriptions and help me get dinner on the table. Normally, I would have asked him to stay home from work tonight to help me, but, I'm going to try to eek out some help from my 8 year old. It's 5:55pm here and all of them are bathed up and in their pjs.....the girls are watching an episode of Clifford and Nathan is sitting quietly on the couch reading...."Children of the Civil War" by Candice F. Ransom. I'm tickled to death that he is reading this book. Normally, he'd have a stack of dinosaur or Pokemon books, which, are ok but I'm just glad to see him interested in history.

I hope to be feeling human sometime soon. I can't really tell which symptoms are from the chemo and which are from the upper respiratory infection. Suffice it to say that everything hurts, everything is sore, and I'm hanging on by a thread.

O, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you.
O, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you.
O, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you.

Dragging today!

I'm very tired and sluggish today. The heartburn has subsided...this is good. Today, I feel like I have the flu. Every bone aches and it seems as though every muscle is struggling to survive any movement. Whether I just walk across the room or actually attempt to do something constructive, my muscles spasm and shake which make me feel very unstable. I just need to hang on for a few more days and it will all start to get better.
The kids are home and I'm glad...I missed them. I'm glad my sister-in-law and her family were kind enough to take our kids for the weekend. This really helps me to be able to navigate these first few days of the chemo.

We enjoyed the concert last night. It was in an outdoor amphitheatre and the weather was wonderful. By the time it was over, I was definitely worn out. I slept the whole 40 minute drive home. I had the most wonderful experience as we were walking out! This woman with beautiful short, red hair came up to me and said, "I just have to hug you....I had my final treatment last month and I'm free!! You'll get there too!!!" What a wonderful show of support! I'm not often hugged by strangers but, this was a welcome and joyous encounter. These are surely the moments that I believe God has intended me to cherish forever throughout this journey.

Tonight as we were just settling in, a wonderful neighbor called and it seems that we are next on the list for our traveling Madonna. Our parish has two statues that travel around our parish all year long. We usually sign up for two times a year. I'm so glad she's here with us for the week. This will be a time for special rosaries and special times for the kids! The best part was hearing my little ones say "Mother Mary is here!!" as soon as my husband brought the big box in the house. Perhaps sharing my burden with the Blessed Mother this week is just what the doctor ordered and just what the Master Physician had in mind for all eternity. Maybe tonight I can go to bed dreaming of being wrapped in my Mother's mantle. Sweet dreams everyone.

Saturday Update

I'm actually doing pretty well at this point! The heartburn is something I guess will just be with me until this whole ordeal is over. It is very uncomfortable but, as long as I'm careful with what I eat, when and how much....I can somewhat control it. The fatigue is also an issue. I tried folding a load of laundry this morning and realized that I can't hold up my arms for very long....even just to fold shirts. I get tired easy walking from one end of the house to the other.
I've been sitting in the recliner today, just resting and watching cooking shows.

Several months back, we bought tickets to a Michael W. Smith/Steven Curtis Chapman concert down at the ampitheatre in St. Augustine. We bought them without knowing my chemo schedule at all. We just hoped that it would all fall into place. Well...this isn't what I had in mind. I mean, I'm on day 2 post chemo and so I'm sure this will be a struggle. Although, again as I said above, I'm feeling better than I thought I would at this point for round 3. I'm still taking the steroids so I'm sure that is one reason why I still have some energy. I take my last dose of that tomorrow. Monday and Tuesday will be the "come down" days from the steroids and I'll probably spend those days crying like a baby. I'm amazed at how chemo effects your entire being...not just physcially, but mentally and emotionally too.

Thanks for all of your prayers and support! You really do help me to keep strong and focused!
I am especially thankful for you (my cyberfriends) today and will pray for you all tonight during the concert.

More updates soon.

Quick update

I went for my Neulasta shot today. My heartburn is almost unbearable. I mean, it is almost constant burning in my chest. I hate this part!! I know this usually lasts at least a week and then starts to taper off.
My sister-in-law is coming to pick up the kids soon. She will keep them overnight and all day tomorrow for me since Dan has to work. This helps me more than she'll ever know!! I know they are taken care of and I can relax without guilt. I find myself much more grumpy since going through chemo. Unfortunately, the kids take the brunt of it. I'd never make a good martyr.!
Thank you all for the supportive emails/comments! I really could not do this without all of you.

Chemo #3.....75% done!!

Well, I'm almost done. Three treatments down and one to go! This one went just as smoothly as all the others. It was quiet and peaceful. The nurses were all great! My nurse even got a "blood return" on my portacath!!! Something no one has been able to do since my first treatment...including 2 port studies.

The only symptoms I'm experiencing tonight are....bad heartburn, rapid heartbeat and hot flashes. The steroids have a lot to do with it. I'm trying to drink as much water as possible to help flush all of these chemicals out. Tomorrow I have my Neulasta shot. I'm convinced this is the true culprit of some of my pain. I know that the chemo kills the bone marrow and the Neulasta stimulates it to rebuild itself at a rapid pace. This causes bone pain...and boy do I feel it. It mostly shows up in my lower back and hips. I'm NOT looking forward to that again.

I met a couple of really nice ladies today during chemo. One was suffering from colon/bladder and vaginal cancer. The other was suffering from breast cancer that had metastasized to her bone and liver. Both of them are suffering with a lot of physical issues but are very upbeat and positive even though their respective prognosis' are not the best. I admire women like that.

I'm so excited about the upcoming holidays! Thanksgiving and Christmas are my favorite time of the year. We're planning some fun activities for the kids for both holidays. I'm just hoping and praying that the chemo issues come and go quickly so we can get on with the celebrations.
I'd like to recommend two websites to you where you can find lots of fun activities, recipes and information for Christmas. The first is the St. Nicholas Center. Our family has made the spice cookies for two years in a row and they are a real hit! We make enough for ourselves and we end up delivering some to friends and family. This year, I bought a bishops miter cookie cutter to use. I also bought a St. Nicholas ornament and some prayer cards. I think celebrating St. Nicholas Day (Dec 6) is a great thing for the kids.
The second site is O Night Divine. Although this site is not in full swing yet for the season...it is packed filled with all things Advent/Christmas. You will find some great ideas here. Let me know what you think of these websites....and....if you have any others you would like to share...let me know and I'll be glad to post about them.

I'll keep you posted over the next few days about the how my "second to last" chemotherapy session is coming along. I guess you could say that the worse I feel....the more dead the cancer cells are!

Many thanks!

For those of you who have been blogging for any length of time know what a true blessing it can be. You meet people in cyberspace that never would have crossed your path otherwise. Such is the case of Chris from Burning the Candle at Both Ends. She has given me an "I Love Your Blog" award! For one thing...I was never really sure that anyone (other than family and select friends) would ever read this blog. It started out as my cancer journey diary...mainly so that my children would someday have a record of my thoughts, dreams and concerns during this particular trial of my life. Which brings me to Chris' blog. Who could resist the title..."Burning the Candle at Both Ends"!! Is this not what all of us do as life marches on? Her blog brings me much encouragement about my faith and my motherhood. I know that if we lived closer and could be with each other in the flesh...we would be close friends. For now, we just do it through monitors, electrical outlets and space. That's good enough for me!!! Please take a few minutes to visit. You will be blessed with her attitude about life. She has gorgeous children! Thank you Chris for this Award.....I'm honored that we can encourage each other!

There are questions associated with this award and are supposed to be one word answers (yea right...when have you known me to use only one word to answer questions???)......so here goes:



1. where is your cell phone? purse (battery dead)

2. where is dh? 10 feet from me

3. your hair color? Bald (chemo)

4. your mother? Has gone on to her eternal reward (10/20/06)

5. your father? Has gone to his eternal reward (6/14/82)

6. your favorite thing? hearing my children laugh

7. your dream last night? don't remember

8. your dream/goal? to beat cancer, do all I can to help my children get to heaven

9. the room you're in? living room

10. your hobby? blogging, cooking, sudoku

11. your fear? January 20th, 2009

12. where do you want to be in six years? Alive and cancer free


13. where were you last night? Parish Night Out

14. what you're not? patient

15. one of your wish list items? dishwasher

16. where you grew up? Beserkley, California

17. the last thing you did? changed a diaper...it is never ending

18. what are you wearing? pj’s

19. your tv? on..Olivia watching Arthur

20. your pet? Three...two cats one dog, and of course...fish

21. your computer? on my lap

22. your mood? anticipatory/dread...chemo #3 in 45 minutes


23. missing someone? everyday

24. your car? Paid -for

25. something you're not wearing? shoes


26. favorite store? Barnes and Noble

27. your summer? too hot

28. love someone? aboslutely

29. your favorite color? red


30. when is the last time you laughed? this morning

31. last time you cried? yesterday


I get to nominate the following bloggers for the same award...


1. Emily at God's Canvas....she is a Catholic, pro-life, military wife and mom who inspired me much during this election season. Reading through her blog, I have found that we are like minded and have been through similar struggles. Drop by for a visit...you'll be glad you did.


2. Barbara at Praying for Grace....she is another Catholic, pro-life mom who definitely has a gift for writing. I especially like her November 5th post!!! Definitely something we all should think about.


3. Tammy from Tammy's Recipes/Everyday Cooking Inspiration....Tammy and her husband are right in the middle of moving their growing family from Ohio to Washington! She has wonderful recipes that I have tried many times....the Farmhouse Chicken is our favorite! Her site is filled with great photos of her recipes and kitchen tips (she posts those on Tuesdays)....go check it out!

instructions for the recipients...

display your award, link back to the person who gave it to you, nominate at least three other blogs, put links to those blogs on yours, leave a message on the blogs of people you have nominated, enjoy your award!!!!!

God Help Us!!

Sigh!

You can't make this stuff up!!!

I'll leave you to your own thoughts about this photo taken at the Obama campaign headquarters in Las Vegas. Don't hurt yourself when falling over laughing.

There is some good news if Obama wins!

I like to think of myself as a positive person. Granted, events in my life over the last several months have made me slightly more realistic, but, I believe I can still see the good in each situation. I've been thinking long and hard about what a Barack Hussein Obama presidency will actually mean for me. I thought of some things that I wanted to bring to your attention....mainly so we don't hang our heads too low tomorrow. Here are my thoughts....



1. I'm significantly worried about homeschooling as we know it in this country. B.O. has not exactly come out "against" homeschooling...but, he's not really come out "for" it either. There is no official statement, however, there is this (h/t to the SpunkyHomeSchooler). That being said,
I believe that the good news here is that...he won't have time to deal with this homeschooling issue as he will be very busy having unilateral talks (without conditions) with the likes of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Iran), Kim Jong Il (North Korea), Fidel Castro, et al (Cuba), Hugo Chavez (Venezuela), Bashar al-Assad (Syria), Obama Osama Bin Laden (al Queda) as well as others not mentioned here. I think this could keep him busy for at least the first several months of the first year. There is also that issue that he wants to take care of FIRST that might also distract him a little.

2. Another bit of good news is that Dan and I are well below the stated $250, 000 $200,000$120,000 (or whatever amount they finally decide on) threshold for who makes "too much" and so we will be expecting a check soon. I mean...he seems very worried about the middle class and he (at least Joe Biden) considers it patriotic to give more of your hard earned money to those who have less. Who am I (who seems to have...less) to argue with that?

3. In addition to all of the above good news.....how can I go wrong with a president who has been endorsed by the likes of Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, Al Franken, Rob Reiner, Warren Buffet, Joy Behar, Barbra Streisand, Jennifer Aniston and Jesse Jackson? I undertand that these individuals are all in good, ahem, moral standing and therefore can make pretty good role models for my children. I mean, who wouldn't want their daughters to be just like Jennifer Aniston and who wouldn't want their son to grow up and follow in the footsteps of Al Franken?

4. Currently, Dan and I each work part time. We thought this was the best scenario for our family since we couldn't (can't) really afford for one of us to stay home full time and so that our children did not have to go to day care. In addition, they get to spend quality time with both of us. Technically, I work for our medical benefits coverage. All this time I was thinking that my employer offering medical coverage was a benefit...but...apparently, I have a right to free medical care (free as in medical care that I don't have to pay for! Somebody must pay for it somewhere....but not me!!!) The good news here is that I don't really have to worry anymore about keeping my job so I can pay for my medical coverage. After B.O. is done meeting with the terrorist nations of the world, he can get right on that "socialized medicine" deal that has been so successful in Canada and I can quit my job and not have to worry about my pre-existing condition of cancer because.....someone else will pay for it.

I know that there is other good news out there if Obama becomes president but I really don't want you (or me) getting too excited because there is always the chance that he won't win.

So, please keep a stiff upper lip and hang in there because all is not lost....there are some things we can look forward to come January 20th.



Update at 7:04pm
****I think I might have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed today! Either that or I just really have a bad attitude. I apologize for the "tongue and cheek" nature of this post. I think all this election stuff has really done a number on me. Hopefully, I'll be back to normal soon...just in time for my next chemo treatment on Thursday****

There is still a chance....

....slim though it may be. Have you ever heard of the P.U.M.A. factor (warning: there could be a teeny, tiny expletive in that title)? Well, I hadn't either until a few hours ago. I wish I had this guy's confidence. Anyway, it won't be long now so take a few minutes to read how it is still possible for the McCain/Palin ticket to win.

Pictures from Halloween

The girls were cheerleaders (obviously). Their favorite part was getting to wear some lipstick and eye make up. Nathan had gone to his cousins right after school so I never did get a picture of him in his costume....he was Indian Jones. The picture of him above is from the pumpkin patch.

They got more candy than they could eat in a lifetime! I will slowly remove it from the house until by Thanksgiving...it will be all gone!!

Now we get to focus on Thanksgiving and all that we're thankful for. I plan on doing a Thanksgiving tree this year. I will have to work around my next chemo treatment (which is the 6th). Hopefully I will feel well enough to follow through, but, I know I'm better off with a plan.

As an extended family, we have not talked about what we plan to do for Thanksgiving. Last year, Dan and I were in Rome celebrating our 10th anniversary. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner at Cardinal Levada's home. We had all the traditional American dishes as well as some awesome home made pumpkin ravioli!

I know that whatever we do...we will be together...thanking God for all of our blessings!

National Education Association

Have any of you read this? This is the National Education Association's 2007 Convention Resolutions. I must be honest....I'm not exactly sure what the NEA's "resolutions" actually mean. In other words...do they really hold any significance at all or is this just their "wish list".

All I can say is that I'm very glad that my children attend catholic school....for now. Next year, we will have 3 school age kids and I'm not sure our financial situation will be any better. As it is now, we couldn't do it at all without the help of Dan's parent's. My plan was to begin homeschooling this year....but because of my cancer diagnosis and treatment, God knew better and made other arrangements. I will forever be grateful to my mother/father in-law for their unselfish help with tuition.

My goal is to begin homeschooling next year. However, Dan's job and my cancer journey will need to be considered before we make any decisions. I have been researching curriculum for several years and I do have a plan in place if and when we decide to make this change. I would have liked to have started when I only had to deal with one doing school, but, I know many moms who have begun with more and are doing just fine and as a matter of fact, are very successful.

With Obama almost assuredly our next president, I'm very concerned about the choice to home school being either taken away completely or the rules changing drastically. While admittedly, I don't know the specifics of his views on homeschooling, my gut feeling says..."do it now while it's still legal and easy".

As a parent of school age children, I was shocked at this NEA resolution document. I'm not sure why the NEA needs to make a resolution about the international court, the United Nations or global warming for that matter. The resolution on homeschooling is astonishing!!!

I don't fault anyone for choosing public school for their kids. This is a personal and private decision. I just want them to know what is going on "behind the scene's" of the NEA and the teacher's union. Again...this document might mean absolutely nothing....or it could create issues for people as we move away from what our founding father's intended. Just be aware and listen carefully to what your children are being taught....you DO have a choice!!

Happy All Saints Day!!!!

A Catholic Prayer in Praise of the Saints

How shining and splendid are your gifts, O Lord which you give us for our eternal well-being. Your glory shines radiantly in your saints, O God in the honour and noble victory of the martyrs.

The white-robed company follow you, bright with their abundant faith; They scorned the wicked words of those with this world's power.

For you they sustained fierce beatings, chains, and torments, they were drained by cruel punishments.

They bore their holy witness to you who were grounded deep within their hearts; they were sustained by patience and constancy.

Endowed with your everlasting grace, may we rejoice forever with the martyrs in our bright fatherland.

O Christ, in your goodness, grant to us the gracious heavenly realms of eternal life.

Unknown author, 10th century