New Year Resolutions

It's that time of year again when people make there big lists of what they want to be different in the new year. I've never been real big on making a resolutions list. Occasionally, I'll think of a few things, but I've never really liked the idea of writing out a list of things to do in the coming year - which is really odd because I am SUCH a list maker!

I think the main reason is - I DON'T want to fail and a list like that "usually" doesn't get done:

Here are some fun Facts I stole (from here):

During this week, millions upon millions of people around the world will be formulating their New Years Resolutions.

Here's how things usually end up.

63% of people are still keeping their resolutions after the first two months.

67% of people actually make 3 or more resolutions.

The top resolutions usually involve promises to exercise more (37%), increasing the time devoted to study or work (23%), losing weight, stop smoking or drinking (alcohol and/or coffee), and eat healthier.

People make more resolutions to start a new habit (84%) , than to break an old one (16%).

65% of people made their resolutions between the 28th of December and New Year's Day. The rest usually take up until the end of January.

Of those who successfully achieved their top resolution, 40% of them did so on the first attempt. The rest made multiple tries, with 17% finally succeeding after more than six attempts.


So yeah, I totally fall into that group, my only thoughts for this coming year have been the usual weight loss, get in shape type goals. But then this morning as I was reading all the updates on my blog list, I came across and interesting concept:ONE LITTLE WORDand it struck home with me. I LOVE this concept!

But now the search begins to find a word???
As I look back on 2009 and ahead to 2010, what is the ONE thing I want to focus on to be different this year?

I started brainstorming and the first thing to come to mind were the fruits of the spirit:

LOVE
JOY
PEACE
PATIENCE ......

Yeah, thats as far as I got. I never can remember how that whole list goes - good thing I have resources to look it up :)

Galatians 5:22-23 (New International Version)

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Thats better!
Some of the other words I came up with were:

FIT
HEALTHY
STRONG or STRENGTH
FAMILY
LEARN
GROW
TRUST

But now to choose?


There are too many to choose ducks over (inside joke for the ladies at bible study)
I still have a few days till I have to decide so, i am going think, pray and most likely pick one from a hat!

So check back in a few days to see what my word for 2010 will be!

MANism Monday

My CRAZY MEN and I



Recently, I started posting on Facebook the funny things my Men say and titled them "MANISMS" Then I started jotting them down in folder on my desktop - they really are too often to post on FB all the time but I thought they would be perfect for my blog - so here you go here is my first edition of MANism Monday:

MANism # 121709-2
Gryphyn - "Mom can I have some yogurt?" "Sure" "Woo Hoo!" He opens the fridge and says "Hi Mr Yogurt - Mom says I can eat you! HA HA!"


MANism # 121909
I woke up at 4:30am to Vahn crying - felt Zac stir and was going to let him get up but then the mom in me picked up that "tone" in the cry and jumped out of bed to see what was wrong. After a few minutes I calmed Vahn down enough to find out what was wrong - the problem ???? ........... "Me want cookies!"


MANism #122009
Gryphyn - "You can still sleep mommy! Don't get up, Daddy can get me breakfast!"


MANism #122309
Gryphyn was being crabby and I told him it was time to go to bed which of course he threw a fit about. So in trying to explain to him WHY he had to go to bed, I said "You are so tired that you can't even function!" To which he replied "I'm going to function!"


MANism #122609
Vahn was eating breakfast and he looks over to me and says "Me toe is different" turns out ALL his toes are different (none of them match) How very random!


MANism #122709
What do you want for dinner? Gryphyn- "ummm noodles" Vahn - What do you want? "Donuts!"
At least he is honest! :)



P.S. If you haven't already figured it out, the MANism # is the date :)

Make a list Monday

So I've been thinking that I should blog more and have started following a lot of great blogs that really inspire me.
One of those blogs is:
http://tuckerstaketennessee.blogspot.com

On todays post, she wrote:

"This week's blog assignment at MGR is to make a list of what is on your Christmas list"

So of course I had to look up MGR to see what that was about - I'm going to need a lot more time to devote to that - it looked really interesting for the quick glance I took - and for some reason, I NEED to have my questions answered about blogs and how/ why you get assignments?

But I don't have the time today - INSTEAD, I'm going to "blog" MY to do list!
(which I should be doing instead of typing this)

I try to get as much done each day as I can - the rest rolls over to tomorrow :)

Go to the Gym - CHECK

Apply for membership - CHECK

Get Groceries - CHECK

Apply for FASA

Laundry

Craft Store - stuff to make Christmas Presents with the Men

Edit Pictures

Get Drivers License

Take placement test for SLCC

Fix nails

Return Pans to Stacey

Bible Study @ 7


Ok - I know you are dying to know what MGR is as well - so I'll be nice and add the link for you - try not to waste too much time on there and ignore YOUR to do list!

http://mygreatretreat.com

Christmas

Its no big secret that I LOVE Christmas!

I go a little crazy decorating the house and look forward to the day the radio stations start playing Christmas music. I program all the "Christmas stations" on my presets and put Christmas CDs in the player for when they stations play commercials

I Love:
-bundling up in coats and hats and mittens because of the chill in the air
- the snow on everything & sledding (now that I live where it snows)
- driving around seeing all the houses with lights
- the Christmas decorations in all the stores
- caroling
- baking cookies and pies and breads for the holiday parties
- the Advent church services
- decorating the tree
- watching Christmas movies bundled up by a fire
-& the way everyone seems to smile at strangers (well for the most part)

Then there are all the things that I HATE about the holiday season.

- The stress & GREEDINESS
- the Black Friday Sales where people stand in line for hours and then push and shove to get the best deals
- the desire to buy MORE and MORE stuff that we don't need - just because its a good price.
- the feeling that you have to get something for everyone that just ads up to stacks and stacks of presents under the tree!
(You shouldn't have more presents than you do tree!)
- Then spending hours trying to figure out how to politely write thank you notes for all the things you didn't want & now have to figure out where then came from & stand in line to return.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we "shouldn't" buy presents for our families and friends. But it seems that the PRESENTS have become the meaning of Christmas.

I will be out with my kids and the big question from everyone we meet is -
"What do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas?"
During the holidays, are kids are "taught" to be greedy!
I know its only natural to want things, but I struggle with how to teach my kids to be givers instead of being so selfish all the time.

A few weeks ago,(by request) we were going thru the ads from the Sunday paper and circling what we wanted and Gryphyn was being super greedy to the point of throwing a fit when I declined some of his requests to circle. I knew then that I was encouraging his greediness. But didn't know what to do.

The next morning, while eating breakfast, he picks up the ads and starts with the "I want ...." So, I tried to turn things around, I asked Gryphyn what he wanted to get for his brother Vahn for Christmas and he says "umm maybe a magazine" and goes on pointing out the toys that "he" wanted for himself. So I took the ads away and we had a talk about giving to others and and asked him if he thought Vahn would like to have a magazine. I explained that it was selfish to give something cheap so that we can buy more expensive things for ourselves. I'm not sure how much sunk into his little 4 year old brain. But I decided then that we were doing things different this year.

The Men and I are going to make all our presents that we give away and I've asked everyone to not buy them a bunch of toys and stuff they don't need. I would love to do some sort of service type project with them but I think they may be a bit young for that still (at 2 & 4).

I want to spend more time together as a family, focus on Jesus, HIS story and to GIVE in what ever way we can.

I came across the following video on a blog I follow. It is primarily for a project that supplies clean water to those who don't have it but I LOVE the wording and meaning of the video. Christmas IS about Christ's birth -celebrating him - teaching THAT to our children.

I hope it touches you like it did me:

Tattoos!

Today I got my first tattoo. Heck I got 3 of them!
They aren't anything cool though- just 3 little blue dots for Radiation.



Thanks to the Web :0) Here are the answers to your questions!

Why do I need tattoos to get radiation?

Tattoo markings that are used for radiation therapy are very small (around 1 millimeter), about the size of a freckle or the head of a pin. They are necessary so the radiation therapist can precisely pinpoint the area needing treatment. These permanent markings are crucial for ensuring the accurate targeting of the tumor area. It also allows the technician to line up the treatment fields quicker making each of your treatment sessions run more smoothly.

What do the tattoos look like?

The tattoos are created by placing a drop of dark blue or black India ink on the skin and then using a sterilized needle to implant a bit of the ink within the skin layer. The process feels like a pinprick, much less painful than when you have blood drawn. Each tattoo is often smaller than a freckle, which, in most cases, would not be seen by anyone other than the patient who knows that they are there or the therapist.



Actually, not really! Its a quick simple procedure and so far I haven't had any side effects.
I do have to go EVERY day (except weekends) which sort of sucks but at least it doesn't take the 7 hours that chemo treatments did.
The whole thing takes anywhere from 30 min to an hour depending on the day and if I need to have slides, or ct scans done or if its my day to see the Dr.
X-rays or Slides are done on Mon and Wed, Mini CT scans on Friday and I see the dr once a week.

The machine they use is pretty cool.
Here is a picture of a machine similar to the one they use



All I do is lay on the table while the whole thing rotates around me.
The head unit is capable of doing the x-rays, ct scans and administer the radiation.
Before we started, they did a complete CT scan of my chest and they used that to make a virtual "me" in the computer. From that image, they map my radiation treatments.
On Mon & Wed when they do the scans, they compare them to the virtual "me" to make sure that I am in the right place. Same with the CT scans - they compare those to the originals and adjust as needed. Prior to todays tattoos, I had permanent marker "x's" covered by little clear sticker. These are the external points that they line me up by to begin with. Then they can move the table or equipment to make sure they are in the right area. Pretty Cool!

As for that cool tattoo, I still may get it.
I never have wanted a tattoo before. But now I kind of do. Sort of a reminder and celebration of all that I've been thru.
I'm still not sure what or where but have been thinking of getting a pink cancer ribbon that dissolves into butterflies. I like the symbolism of the cancer dissolving into something beautiful. Cancer is just the caterpillar stage of my life. But I'm confident that I can transform into a beautiful graceful butterfly soon! At least thats my goal!

I kind of like this tattoo. Although I don't think I want mine to be really big or purple and of course this one doesn't have the ribbon. If any one can draw or comes across a picture, please send your ideas my way.

Happy Birthday Smalls

On Sunday April 26th, my baby turned 2!


I can't believe its been 2 years already - where does the time go???

My last chemo treatment has been rough, I'm super tired lately and have zero energy - which totally sucks. I joked that it only makes sense to feel so bad the week before Vahn's b-day since that is how I felt 2 years ago waiting for him to make is appearance. However, this time, I got to sit back and relax while someone else did the work!

Thank you so much to my sister Valerie for all the work you did to make Vahns party happen. Zac was in Florida for a wedding for the weekend and my MIL Ann was visiting (which also was a BIG help) Thank you Mom! But Valerie was the one who did all the party prep and shopping (food, presents, decorations, etc...) Then made us super yummy dinner and baked and decorated the cutest car cakes for Vahn.







I wanted to have a big party and invite lots of people but I didn't have the money or energy for that this year - so I was happy to finally have family in town and be able to have our 1st "family" birthday party.

Here is a picture of all the kids on their plasma cars- well except Gryphyn - Uncle Josh sat in for him since he was busy throwing a fit because he couldn't sit on the "green" car! He is very much into the color green right now and everything has to be green. If there is a green option, he has to have it or he melts down.



Vahn on the other hand, is pretty laid back and generally happy with whatever.

His favorite presents were:

The plasma car - now we have 2 so they don't have to fight over it - however they both want the new one now


Ball - still a big fan of balls


and his new cup - it has cars on it!


Happy Birthday Little Man - I love you!

"MONSTERS"

Yesterday I had some time to kill waiting in the drs office so I decided to use the time to catch up on my reading.

I should have brought one of the many books I have been meaning to get to, or at least chose the photography magazine that, I have been carrying around in my bag for months now. The one that Zac keeps asking me if I've read yet - yeah someday I really do intend to read that - Really I do want to. (Some how I don't think Zac is convinced)

But yesterday, I wasn't feeling up to anything that required a lot of brain power or deep though.
I mean how often to I get away by myself. Granted I was sitting in the waiting room at the VA getting ready to be stuck by needles and put in a machine to look at my heart, but to me this was relaxing - a little mini vacation - KID FREE.
No one crying or screaming or fighting, no one asking for more juice or to take them potty. No "what are we doing next time?" (meaning when we are done here), No "Babis" or "ba-ba requests". I was for once surrounded by adults who were content to nod and smile at my presence and not require anything more from me.

Yet somehow my focus was still on my little men. So after glancing thru the piles of magazines that were no kidding several years old (they really need to update those) I pulled a Parents magazine out of my bag and started flipping thru it.

Mostly looking at the pictures occasionally reading an article that sounded interesting.
One article I did read was about organizing the kids playroom - with the boys room STILL not finished, their toys are mostly in the living room and I'm always trying to find a way to make my living room NOT look like a toy store that was hit by a tornado.

The article started off with the author describing her kids playroom, saying it looked like a lego eating monster had barfed on the rug! I was dying laughing YES, that was SO my house - not legos (yet) but definitely some sort of preschool toy eating monster regularly gets sick in my living room!

While I was away at my dr appt, I think our "monster" called some of his friends because later that evening, the play dough eating monster visited my kitchen. Maybe HE should have been the one at the dr -because it didn't take long for him to spew brightly colored play dough bits everywhere!











I know tonight when I run the bath for the men, the water monster will sneak into the tub while I am not looking and splash water all over the bathroom requiring a minimum of two giant super absorbent towels to mop up the mess.

I'm sure some part of me will miss all of our "MONSTERS" when they are gone, but for now,
I'm considering posting some "no monsters allowed signs"