December 11th

Advent Calendar

We watched the movie Front of the Class, which is a Hallmark Movie about a man who has Tourette Syndrome and accomplished his dream of becoming a teacher. It really was a great movie and I know it was encouraging for Noah. I think he can feel very isolated and this was a good opportunity for him to see that his disability (although trying) doesn't have to rob him of his dreams.

We also had pizza rolls for dinner.....the kids love these and we sometimes have them for snack but they had requested them for dinner last week...... who am I to object to anything pizza related :)

After the kids ate they had their baths, put on their pj's and we headed out the door. Yep, you heard me right! We stopped and picked up HOT CHOCOLATE and drove through the CHRISTMAS LIGHTS at Rhema. I have a few pictures I will post later. We weren't able to walk through the lights because .... well .... the kids were in their pjs but we are going to go back again before Christmas.

The kids are going to my mom's this weekend so we packed a lot into today. LOADS of FUN and the best part was that Heath was home from work for most of it (missed part of the movie) THAT WAS A SPECIAL TREAT.

PCOS and Insulin Resistance ???

Doc called this morning with my lab results .... I have PCOS and I am insulin resistant (which explains why I am so tired all the time even though I was on too much thyroid hormone)... looks like more doctor appointments and more meds are in my future :( but hey .... could be worse. Anxious to find out more about PCOS and insulin resistance. If anyone has any experience with these I would love to hear from you

December 10th

Advent Calendar

The kids got to have one of mommy's truffles. I don't know why they think they are so special .... maybe it has something to do with the fact that I can make one tiny bag of truffles last for months and months and I am not known for sharing....but tis the season :)

December 9th

Advent Calendar
So today was watching "merry christmas charlie brown" except we didn't watch it. The kids really wanted to just have the extra time to just PLAY. I was sad but I can't really complain. I am still sick and I still have 2 finals to take before tomorrow afternoon.

In other news, right in front of our apartment a young woman was robbed at gunpoint. So you guessed it..... we will be moving!!!!

December 8th

Advent Calendar

I bought the kids little mini apple pies at the grocery store today. Not only were they super cute, they were yummy as well.

December 7

Today is my littlest brothers 20th birthday
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL!!!!

I have been quite sick for the past several days and after loads of lab work on Friday.....seriously how many times are you going to stick me with needles OUCH!... I became worse off. Hmmmmm makes sense now ... you take loads of blood from someone they are bound to not be able to fight off illness as effectively. Anyway I have faith that I am getting better... the tongue is a creative force... so I will continue to speak it until it is so. Hopefully I will be better tomorrow just in time for my finals.

Advent Calendar
Chocolate icecream with hot fudge and marshmallows (you can tell which nights daddy has picked the surprise.... both had to do with ICE CREAM)

DECEMBER 6th

Advent Calendar

We watched Polar Express together as a family

December 5th

Advent Calendar

The kids watched the Drake and Josh Christmas Special
:) which was really special seeing as though they were able to meet Drake Bell a few few months ago.

December 4th

Advent Calendar

the kids had CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM after dinner
Yummm....

December 3

Advent Calendar

GAME NIGHT
after their homework was done the kids were allowed to play games until dinner.... they thought this was super fun. They played air hockey and Wii baseball, boxing, and Super Smash Brothers.

December 2nd

Advent Calendar

Makenna's turn to open the door ........ hot cocoa w/marshmallows before bed.

DECEMBER 1

Advent Calendar :)

first I must say that the little advent House that I got a Target is the only Christmas decor we have in our tiny apartment so it seems to be a bid deal to the kids ;) FUN --

So for Dec 1 we flipped a coin to see who got to open the door. Noah won. And inside the kids found a small piece of paper that had FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT written on it. The kids were super excited. We watched Journey to the Center of the Earth. Heath was here because he left work early (he has walking pneumonia)and though he slept through most of the movie it was fun to have him home.

DISCO FEVER

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Ok .... so I know it isn't even Thanksgiving yet but I couldn't help myself. The kids and I really got a kick out of playing on this website. Too much fun!!!

It's My Birthday TOO!

They say it's your birthday
nana nana nana na
It's my birthday too
nana nana nana na

Yep today is my special day
and here are some others that celebrate
their special day with me.



Elsie
(if an apple a day could make me as uber creative as she -- I would be all for it)



Jodie (Alicia) Foster



Meg Ryan (I just loved her in You've Got Mail)
Calvin Klein and Larry King too

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVERYONE!!!!!

The RESULTS are IN!!!!

That's right the results are in and I am still cancer free. I have to go back in for 3 more tests in about 3 weeks but the doctor didn't find any remaining thyroid cells in my neck at this time.

NO THYROID CELLS = NO THYROID CANCER

I am super excited.

It never fails. Everytime I am about to be retested I start to freak. I am usually super emotional the week before. Mostly out of FEAR I think. But once I heard the results I was good to go. time to exhale.

Thanks for all your prayers!

1 year CANCER FREE

So it has now been over 1 year since I have been cancer free.
EXCITING isn't it!!!!!

I can't help but blast a huge smile across my face every time I say "cancer free".

two little words that can brighten my day .... or my thoughts... anytime.

I have my one year check up on Friday so -- fingers crossed and sending up prayers that my status remains the same.

God is so AMAZING!

Barack Obama

The president elect is Barack Obama. I am sure this isn't breaking news as most of us heard it last night. But I had to blog about how excited I was for Noah. He really wanted Mr. Obama to win. Now, whether I agree with him or not is not the issue. We try not to sway our children either way but raise them to be independent critical thinkers. I must say the passion that Noah had about Barack was amazing. He was a little confused about his position on the war. I think Noah's biggest concern these days is global warming. He is so passionate about animals - and just when I think he can't become anymore engulfed in them he surprises me.

After leaving Target last night while still in the car Noah yells from the back seat

"Vote Barack Obama - Save the Polar Bears"

I can't wait until he is 18 and can exercise his right to vote - it truly is a privilege to live in this great country.

Happy Halloween

be back with photos of my uber cute kids tomorrow

October 25th 2008

for my hubby
it's been 11 years since we were married. I can't even BELIEVE it. Doesn't seem like it has been that long. I still get a huge smile on my face when I think of that day. I sometimes wonder why you didn't run SCREAMING for the hills. Seriously though, it was the BEST THING that could have happened to me. I can't tell you how many times I have thanked God for you. Too many to count. You have changed me. You have made me better. I don't know what the future holds for us but I know that whatever this world throws at us we will be just fine. We have already proven that. I love you - even more so now than on the day I said "I do."


Heath had to work on our anniversary - but he managed to sneak away for a few hours in the morning and we took the kids to the Radio Disney Premier of HSM3. We will be celebrating next weekend - not sure what we are doing - it is going to be a surprise


and yes i realize this is an old photo but I didn't have one scanned in from our wedding day and just happened upon this one in which I am much thinner ;) Just remember it is my blog so I can post which ever pictures I choose LOL!!! ;) :P

Go FOXES

Spent a little time in Caddo Mills last week. We had a blast! From the Friday night football game to the wienie roast and smores.... it was all GOOD TIMES. Thanks Chris and Misty for sheltering us, we miss you guys already.

Hopefully I will download some pictures sometime this week -- I am so behind on editing I don't know if I will ever get caught up.

Things are definitely up in the air for our family right now. Praying for direction and discernment.

On the college front - I made it through midterms - BARELY ....by the skin of my teeth -- Praying I won't have to retake my Chemistry class (I have to get an A or B in that class and I am definitely pushing it) ;)

As much as we have going on I can't help but look at it all in amazement ....We are so blessed ..... not so much with money or material things but where it counts we have more than our share.

Feeling all lovey dovey and mushy today --- My husband and kids are just so freakin awesome!!!

update: dr apt

went to the dr. last week and after a few weeks of steroids the nodule has gone down. Can't say it reduced the size of my tush at all.....but those are the breaks. The dr. is just going to keep an eye on it and I have an ultrasound scheduled for mid Nov. so we will follow up on it again then. The Pain has definitely decreased and I am so thankful. I wasn't accomplishing much with 3+ migranes a week.

Thank you all for your prayers. The next big day for me will be in Nov. where they will take a look to check for reoccuring cancer cells. So, if you are a prayer warrior please add that to your list, my family and I would greatly appreciate it.

promise to be back soon with more upbeat posts :)

Happy Birthday TSR

This month is TSR's 4th Anniversary. We are CELEBRATING with lots of fun games and prizes...... so what do you need to do to win some scrapping goodies???

It is simple. Head on over to our NEW SCRAP-ROOM BLOG and play along. Super easy, right? So what are you waiting for .....hurry run on over!

here is the link
http://thescraproomblog.blogspot.com

Sept 25th

just realized I haven't posted in a while
not a lot going on the kids were sick last week
Noah had strep and I guess Makenna had some little stomach bug

I haven't been feeling well for a couple of weeks my neck was tender and honestly I just thought my lymph nodes were a little swollen - maybe I was trying to come down with something -- and with the hours I have been keeping trying to stay on top of all of my school work it would make sense that it would all contribute to my immune system being compromised.

Anyway two weeks later my neck still hurts and I have been getting a lot of headaches as well - so I decided to go to the dr. today maybe she would put me on some antibiotics or something?

She found a nodule :(

Could be nothing at all - she gave me some meds and we are going to look at it again next week to see if it has gone down - if not I will go to an ENT and have it biopsied - she debated on sending me on over there but I REALLY HATED those biopsies so I would rather wait a week and see - I am praying there is no need for it

in good news though - my mom is coming to visit tomorrow - she had her birthday on Monday so this will be a little belated b-day celebration. Should be fun. The kids will be in school so I will have her all to myself :)

Kim- we love you and will miss you

On the way to take the kids to school this morning I heard a song on the radio by Jeremy Camp titled There will be a Day. I couldn't help but think of Kim and her entire family. I pray that God will bring them peace and be with them during this time of sorrow.

I wanted to add the song or a video but I couldn't figure it out so here is a link for now

Sad day today

So hurricane Ike made it's way through Houston. Most everyone we know evacuated except for a handful. The power is still out in the area where our house is and the schools are closed until at least Thurs. of next week. They are estimating that the power will be out for 2 to 4 weeks. Our prayers go out to all those that this massive hurricane has effected.

As scary as the hurricane was, it isn't the cause of our saddness today. We found out after church that Kim (my husbands cousin) passed away in her sleep today. She was so young, only 31, just a few years older than we are. She left behind a little boy who is 5. She will be greatly missed. We love you Kim.

it's been ONE YEAR

It has been one year

http://shawnnas.blogspot.com/2007/09/perspective-on-sale-for-1015-september.html

It doesn't seem like it has been that long. 1 year is a long time ..... it feels more like a few months ... 6 tops. I am sure this has a lot to do with my current health stuff. Still not up to par. Still having my medicine switched up a lot, and everytime they change it I end up feeling like I was hit by a MAC TRUCK for a good 2 weeks if not longer. I guess I thought I would be back to "normal" by now. Even though I am not there yet I am excited by the fact that I am still cancer free - haven't had any reoccurances. Such a blessing!

When I think about all that we went through with the cancer stuff. I am reminded that no matter what - GOD will PROVIDE - it doesn't always come in the package you expected - people you thought you could count on aren't always there - but GOD works it out - and it was so amazing to have friends who stepped in and helped us out - I never would have imagined that they would be willing to do so much

I am still amazed when I set back and think about it.

Guest Designer for The Scrap-Room

a few more creations to share. See post below for more info.

Guest Designer for The Scrap-Room

I am super stoked to have been asked to be the guest designer for TSR http://www.scrap-room.com/ this month. It was so fun getting to work with all the fun kits. Here are some of my creations. Also you can go here www.scrap-room.com/ideas.htm to see all of the Design Team Creations.

JUST FINE

Most of you who know me, know that I have a very eclectic taste in music. One minute I am rockin' out to Kutless and the next I may be bobbin my head to Mary J. Blige -- the latter is the case right now

I love her song JUST FINE
It is so positive and uplifting
I can't help but feel so grateful for my life everytime I hear it
seems crazy because it isn't a worship song ... it isn't even a christian song
I guess that just shows that you can get what you want out of music (and life)
you can choose to focus on the POSITIVE -- or the negative

I don't have it all figured out ...... my life isn't perfect....... the death of my son ..... my battle with cancer.... and the fact that the chance of reoccurence is so high ..... the struggles I am having with weight and just general health issues ....... just everyday trials and struggles can sometimes hang over my head like a dark cloud but every time I hear this song I am reminded that I have to appreciate this wonderful life I have. God has blessed me TREMENDOUSLY. And everything I have made it through is only because of HIM and HIS GLORY.

So here is to smiling and praising God .....whether in rain or sunshine.

CKC TULSA

I had the pleasure of attending this convention with a good friend. We had a great time and scored some awesome product, all the while trying to keep our ice cream (free skinny cow) out of sight from a certain someone. FUN STUFF!