I Have To Say This....

I like many are devastated by the tragedy in Japan... It is so very hard to imagine the destruction.. the lives lost.. the numbers of people who are without a home.. a bed... Every time I see videos or pictures of the damage I am in a state of awe... thinking how is this much damage possible?? It's crazy and I know the pictures do not show the complete picture... I believe the enormity cannot be comprehended without seeing it up close and personal much like the damage from Katrina... We knew it was awful from watching TV and photos- but when talking with people who were actually there - they will all agree it was beyond words.. beyond video.. beyond pictures....

We can all agree that what happened in Japan is horrible.. It was... With that said - I have to say this.... I am getting stinking tired of people trying to make others feel guilty for enjoying their lives in the midst of all of this !!!! Yes, there is some awful things going on in this world... No doubt. There is so much suffering.. loss.. devastation... There will always be people dying... children starving... earthquakes... hurricanes.. destroying... We live in an imperfect world.. We just do... I find it sad that the most vocal guilt-mongers are the ones who whine and complain and do NOTHING to help others... But they are the ones who tear you down when you buy a new car after saving forever... or an IPad because you want one... They have no idea how you save or spend your money... They have no idea what kind of Steward you are.... They will paint others with their own paintbrush believing that others are like them.... It makes their own guilt not feel so ugly.. because they are too busy pointing that finger.... So sad, isn't it?

I believe this: We are to love.. We are to give... We should be faith stewards of the money that we have been blessed to earn... We are not to seek glory when giving and helping others... We serve because that is what we are suppose to do... We love because we are suppose to love... No where in the Bible does it say -" seek your own glory... make sure you get noticed... announce to the people all your good deeds and accomplishments... " The Bible does say this: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others.." Philippians 2:3-4

Thank you for reading my rant - I believe there is NOTHING wrong with enjoying your money.. There is NOTHING wrong with enjoying your time and being happy that today you are in a good place... There's Nothing wrong with that! Okay I'm done... :)

It's All In The Details...

I have realized that I am a detail freak when it comes to vacations, school, housework, studying, and work.... It is very rare to find me unprepared... Just this past weekend I spent over 12 hours trying to understand in detail without any hesitation real estate math for my upcoming broker's exam... Example question (and no I am not kidding - still trying to figure out how knowing this will help me in my chosen career - do you know?)
A farm, which is described as the S 1/2 of the NW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of section 11, is listed for sale at $350 per acre. Charles made a written offer to buy the land for $6,100. The owner agreed to accept the offer, provided Charles would pay the broker's 10% commission on the offered price. How much less than the listed price did Charles pay for the property? a) $300; b) $290 c) $275; d) $250 and NO this is not fun.. But in order for me not to be completely stressed when I take my exam next month - I need to know this stuff forward and backwards and if studying everyday is going to get me there then so be it....

I am also a detail freak on vacation planning... I am not a "just go with the flow" kind of girl... I believe that "flying by the seat of your pants" vacations can leave out so much... (I'm full of idioms today aren't I?) When I go on vacations I want to see and do as much as I possibly can and still enjoy it... I don't want to rush.. I don't want to think about what to do when I get there.. I want a plan... I NEED a plan....

When I planned this year's summer vacation - I spent hours, days and weeks researching dates.. tours.. hotels... train schedules.. flights... and I have to say - that I am so excited about this summer's festivities.... Some may laugh at my over the top need for detail but so far it's worked for me.... By making detailed plans in advance - I was able to get excellent Internet rates and/or AAA rates on my hotel rooms... The hotels I chose had to have Wifi, walking distance to main sites, reasonable prices, and had to be in a safe area... Research is good - I was lucky enough to purchase 2 days of trolley passes in DC for the price of 1 day... It's an Internet special that ended in March.. Yeah me... I will blog about all my finds tomorrow.... and there are many....

To have a fun vacation far away from home... research, plan, and take advantage of the early bird special... and believe me - It's All In The Details!

Seeking Advice For the Unhappily Married Mom

Annie (named changed) has been married for almost 20 years... She has two (2) children -ages 14 and 16.... They are good kids and she loves them like crazy.... They are very busy kids and Annie's time is spent between working... keeping house....driving the kids to softball practice... school... the different activities they participate in and youth group... There is hardly a minute in Annie's day that she can relax... and she really is okay with that... She believes that when she and her husband decided to have children that their priority for the most part would be raising the kids and helping them to have a joyful childhood... "We are only blessed with them under our roof for such a short time and we want to celebrate our time together..."

Annie is happy with being a mom... What Annie hates is being married to her husband... Hate is a strong word, isn't it? When talking with Annie - I can see.. feel.. and empathize what she is feeling and I feel so very helpless.. I wish I could fix it... Give her wonderful advise... But Annie cannot change her husband.. No one can... She can only change the way she reacts to him...

Annie's husband is a very successful man.. His business keeps him away from home most days and he likes it that way... His priority is his career and his extracurricular activities... If what he wants to do fits into the family plan... great... If not, he will never change his plans.... Most days - the family will do what the husband wants just so they can spend some time with him... You see Annie's husband doesn't know how to give and take... or to show love.. His idea of love and affection is making his family feel guilty for not wanting to go to a baseball game in the rain.. Or something "he" wants to do... It's very strange to me - how some men and/or women are too busy focusing on their own needs and wants to open their eyes and see the pain and loneliness they are causing their family.... I don't believe Annie's husband is purposely being callous... He is a good man... He just does not get the fact that he is losing his family.. and one day he will open his eyes and both of his kids will have gone away to college and his wife would have moved on too.....

Marriage is hard when both spouses are working together to make it work.. It's harder when one of the spouses isn't working at all.... This post is not a bash on Annie's husband - it really isn't... When I was a kid - I remember when my dad came home from work - I was not allowed to bother him until after he read his newspaper and relaxed... We usually could visit after dinner but only for a short while because he was soon too tired and he would go to bed.... I remember feeling very rejected because I was not important enough for him to bypass the paper on occasion... So I know to some degree what Annie's kids are going through and how Annie feels...

She asked that I write this post in hopes of getting some good advice... ideas.. plans... You see Annie does not want to give up.. She wants to love her husband again... But she is clueless on how....

Struggling with kids and electronics.....

Almost 40 days ago we put our kids on an Electronic Fast. You can read about it here.... In the beginning it was a little challenging... and today not so much... They are looking forward to having their cells, IPods, and computers back I am sure... but my husband and I had to reflect on the reasons why the Fast was started and we needed to take steps to help prevent the obsessive compulsive behavior that had taken over their lives..... Below are the Rules that we have come up with.... Before I give this to them - Do you have any advice... opinions that will help us in being better parents.... Your input is appreciated...

New Electronic Rules Effective Immediately...

1. Computer - 1 hour a day only.. May use between 6 - 9 (homework must be completed). Use after 9:00 will result in the computer being taken away for 2 full days - not counting the day it was taken.. Must record computer time on login/log off sheet and have Dad or I approve... Must let us know when you are off the computer and record it - Saying you forgot -will NOT fly... You will NOT be allowed to go beyond your 1 hour usage at this time. The time frame may be extended upon Dad and I agreeing - but don't ask for the extension - we will let you know.. Asking will only irritate and no good will come from that. NO EXCEPTIONS will be made at this time.... or until further notice.
2. IPod - may not be looked/played when we are talking.. They are NOT allowed at Church, school, or at the dinner table. DO NOT use for FB or any other form of communication after 9:00 on weekdays - 11:00 on weekends (Friday/Saturday).. Sunday is not a weekend night... Use good judgment. If Dad or I feel you are abusing this right - it will be taken away for 2 full days - not counting the day it was taken.
3. Cell phones - No calls/texting after 9:00 PM on weekdays.. 11:00 on weekends. (Friday/Saturday) Sunday is not a weekend. You are only allowed to talk or text people you know fact to face!!! If you do not have contact with them in the "real" world - they are NOT a "real" friend... and you will NOT contact them via text or any other way.. Breaking this rule will have the cell taken away for one week.. Dad and I reserve the right to check your phone at anytime. If your messages are deleted often - we will assume you are hiding something and your phone will be taken away for 1 day and we will observe who is texting you.. Trust is earned... Contacts that are on your phone presently that are NOT face to face friends must be deleted immediately... Dad and I know who your friends are and we reserve the right to confirm the name that goes with the number.. No more putting false names to hid random "non" face to face friends.. We are on to that trick.. Also - when someone is talking to you - especially your dad or I - You are NOT allowed to look at or read texts.. The text can wait until we are done communicating.. No cells at the dinner table. No texting at church (no exceptions) No texting at school (no exceptions.).. If dad or I observe suspicious behavior we reserve the right to take your phone without warning....
4. TV - is only allowed after ALL homework is completed. If a test and/or quiz comes back with a C or lower - TV privileges will be taken away until a) I see a better grade in that course or b) you show me the work you have completed and you are on task.. If you receive another low grade. TV privileges are lost for 2 days (or more).. TV is a privilege Not a right... Studying and good grades are more important - so if you want TV - you will get good grades.. both of you are extremely smart girls and have the ability to be super stars - Give your Best in ALL that you do!
5. Facebook - You MUST delete "non" face to face friends.. Being a fan is okay... But you are not friends with a random boy a friend of a friend knows.. Facebook is for YOUR FRIENDS not someone else's friend... Especially at your young age... Believe me when you are older and wiser you will understand.. Until then - you will have the "type" of friends that your dad and I approve of... Regarding POSTS and LIKES.. Be sure they are not "drama oriented" or inappropriate.. Remember everyone on your friend list will see what you post.. Think before you post - ask yourself this question... Do I want my mom, dad, grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins, pastors, and/or friends reading this post or like? If the answer is "no" or "I don't know" Don't POST or LIKE it!!!! Also, your dad and I have the right to check y our wall or private messages if we feel something is up.. We believe you do have a right to privacy and we will grant it if and only if we feel you are doing the right thing.. If you delete your messages often and act obsessive regarding your messaging - we will believe something is up and FB will be taken away so that Dad and/or I will observe what is going on.. We also reserve the right to review your friend list with you and advise if we believe someone should be deleted..

You Dad and I have come up with the above Rules because we Love you and we were/are concerned with specific behaviors that you have had in the past... Your electronic fast is soon over and you will be given your electronic privileges back but there are limits and you MUST follow the rules to continue to enjoy your devices.. We reserve the right to add or take away restrictions...

Please sign below...
I have read the rules and I understand that if we want to enjoy the privilege of TV, cells, IPods, computer, and Facebook - we will use good judgment and think before acting......

** Photo from Flickr

John Hopkins Update - Cancer...

Last week I was called back to the breast center because my mammogram from the week before was abnormal... This frightened me... Mostly because cancer runs rampant in my family... My dad suffered from oral cancer and passed a couple of years ago and My mom had a double mastectomy this month...

I was advised that I would have another mammogram on my left breast and they would do an ultrasound... I was told that I would be informed of their findings in that visit... They were able to get a more clear mammogram (they squeezed the crap out of my boob).. and the ultrasound showed a pretty good sized cysts.. The cyst was filled with fluid and was no cause for concern... The doctor advised me that I am at an extremely high risk for breast cancer because... My breast tissue is not mostly fat like most - the tissue is very nodular and tough.. Very hard to read... Both maternal and paternal grandmothers had breast cancer.. My mother had breast cancer... Numerous relatives have had ovarian cancer and breast cancer... He advised me to meet with a geneticist, a breast surgeon, AND my gynecologist oncologist (I had first stages of vaginal cancer years ago) to discuss my options... He said that studies have shown that removal of the ovaries or breasts can reduce the likelihood of cancer by about 90%..... The doctor also advised that I will need to be checked every 6 months with a mammogram, ultrasound, and MRI...

This John Hopkins Update was sent to me by a friend... I have to say - I am a meat eater.. I do many of things that we are advised not to do... I'm thinking I should start paying attention and start being more proactive....

Facts:

Every person has cancer cells in the body. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after a treatment - this means that the cancer cells are too small for detection..

Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

When a person's immune system is strong than the cancer cells will be destroyed.

When a person has cancer it indicates the person has nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, but also environmental, food, and lifestyle.

To help prevent nutritional deficiencies - change diet to eat more healthy to strengthen the immune system.

An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with foods it needs to multiply...

a) Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful..

b) Milk caused the body to produce mucus.. Cancer feeds on mucus - substituting with unsweetened soy milk will help to starve the cancer...

c) Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and little other meat, like chicken.. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones, and parasites, which are harmful, especially to people with cancer..

d) A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F.

e) Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have caffeine... Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best drink purified water.. Avoid distilled water - it is acidic.

f) Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes.. Undigested meat can lead to a toxic buildup..

g) Cancer cell walls have tough protein covering. By refraining from eating less meat it frees ore enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

h) Some supplements build up the immune system.. (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAS etc) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.. Other supplemetns like vitamin E are know to cause apoptosis or programed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells..

NO PLASTIC CONTAINERS IN THE MICROWAVE
NO WATER BOTTLES IN THE FREEZER
NO PLASTIC WRAP IN MICROWAVE...

Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor.. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit.. Learn to relax and enjoy life...

Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells...

John Hopkins has recently sent the following in their newsletter...

Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases the dioxins from the plastic. We should not heat our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially refers to foods that contain fat.. Use glass such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food.. Saran wrap placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave is just as dangerous.....

My Addictions...

I have many addictions...

Grey's Anatomy - I started watching this series on Netflix and was hooked from the first episode. The acting, the characters, and the different story lines makes this a series that is a must see... So I watched all previous 6 seasons on Netflix (got my kids addicted too) and now season 7 is on TV but... several episodes have passed so I joined HuluPlus and now I am watching Season 7 episode 4...



Diet Coke - Love the stuff....



American Idol - This year's talent is amazing....


Playing one sister, the other sister, both my sisters, and the husband on Scrabble - through my IPad and Facebook... It's fun - Do you wanna play??



Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.. Enough said!


What's Your Addiction?

Today and Yesterday...

My Girls Today...



My Girls Yesterday...

Two Peas In A Pod....

Making A little Extra Money From Blogging

There's a company that I signed up with a while back called Blogsvertise.. It's a company that pays you to blog about their clients' products.. The average payout is around $9.00 but I have also received in upwards of $50 - $100... The post is usually pretty easy to write. They give you many links that are very informative so that you can choose whether you want the task or not....

In the past month - I have turned down around 15 tasks.. Mostly because I am posting randomness and I don't want to be obligated to write a money producing post.. (call me crazy) at this time... but that doesn't mean that you might not want to... If you want to make some easy money with your blogging visit Blogsvertise

Another small way to make some extra cash is Adsense through google AND Amazon.com.. With Amazon - I earn gift cards... which is perfect for me - I love to read books through my Kindle app on my IPad.. Whenever anyone uses my Amazon link from my blog to visit Amazon and they purchase an item from Amazon - I receive a small commission.... It's that simple..

Having a Face Book page also helps drive traffic to your sites.. Would be great if you liked me on Face Book cuz I would love the traffic and of course I will return the favor!

Is California Having An Earthquake Next Week?

Years ago I visited New York City - I took a bus to Battery Park. On the ride - I met a very nice New York woman.. She asked where I was from and after I told her California - She asked me how could I live there with ALL the earthquakes.. I thought the question was cute.... I often wonder how people live in the Midwest with their tornadoes... or the South with hurricanes.. or the East with their Ice and Blizzard storms... I'm thinking California is pretty mild compared to that...

I have lived in California my entire 45 years.... There have been a few earthquakes.. I don't fear them... When I am woken up in the middle of the night by one - it will startle me.. but that's about it - I usually stay in bed and ride in out... Last Easter (2010) I was driving home from my niece's house... I was stopped at a red light and my car started shaking... at first I thought there was something wrong with my car - until I saw the red light swaying... that was pretty fun... We have never had any "real" damage from a quake.... About 15 years ago - our cabin in Big Bear (mountains) was hit by a pretty good sized quake.. The refrigerator door opened and some food popped out... A plate came off a wall and landed on the couch... A rock from the fireplace fell down... Now when we leave the cabin - we use shoe strings and tie the cabinets closed...

In the news recently - I have been hearing experts' concerns about the possibility of a big earthquake on the west coast of the United States.. You have to understand - I have heard about the "Big One" hitting California my entire life... Jokes being said about buying beachfront property in Nevada is not a new one... So I usually just roll my eyes... when I hear rumors or "expert" predictions of earthquakes.. But this video - below does make me wonder.....

The West Coast is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire - About 90% of the world's earthquakes and 80% of the world's largest earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire.... There have been earthquakes in the Ring of Fire - And the West coast is looking to be next.. Jim Berkland - a well known geologist - accurately predicted the 1989 San Francisco quake days before it happened - based on occurrences in the sea life... Watch the interview below and tell me what do you think?

What Are Your Ringtones?

I have an Android phone.. It's a fun little toy to play with. One of the apps that I have is making different ringtones for my contacts.. I'm thinking this is an old app but it is new to me.. and it's fun.... Do you have different ringtones for your contacts?

My Husband - People Are Strange - Doors

My Oldest Daughter - I Hope You Dance - Lee Ann Womack

My Youngest Daughter - Just The Way You Are - Bruno Mars (she picked this one)

My Mom - Mamma Mia - Meryl Streep

All Others - I Can Only Imagine - Mercy Me

At Christmas my ringtone was Alvin and The Chipmunks - The Christmas Song

Trying to come up for two new ones for my sisters... Any suggestions - They are older... You know I had to add that one.. Always the little sister...

What Would You Do... Seriously?

When I was 35 years ago - I found a very large black spot on my left breast... I of course freaked due to my family history of cancer and immediately went to urgent care.... The urgent care doctor was also concerned and sent me for an emergency mammogram and ultrasound.. The finding came back that I had a blood infection and antibiotics took care of it... Because of my family history - the doctors advised me to continue having a yearly mammogram...

Last week two things happened.... On Wednesday - I had my 10th year in a row yearly mammogram and on Thursday - my mom had a double Mastectomy... (she is doing well - thank you all for your thoughtful prayers and encouragement)... Yesterday (Monday) - I received a phone call AND a letter in the mail from the Breast Center... It seems that my mammogram has an area that the doctor would like to evaluate further... I was told that I had a "high density" in my left breast ( an increase from last year) - A dense breast shows as white and cancer shows as white on the mammogram and it is very difficult to see if there are any abnormalities... Picture trying to see at a polar bear (cancer) in a snow storm (density)... Kind of tricky... So tomorrow - I am going back in for a 2nd mammogram and ultrasound... possibly a MRI too depending on the findings... To say I am a little concerned does not begin to scratch the surface...

I was reading about dense breasts - family history - and cancer last night and ran across an article from the National Cancer Institute regarding - Preventative Mastectomies.. I thought I would never consider it but... The article described the ideal candidate for this procedure... Do you think I fit? And would you do this?

*Previous breast cancer - No

*Family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer- Breast cancer - Yes, both maternal and paternal grandmothers, my mom, several aunts, and cousins. Ovarian cancer - Yes, aunt and cousin.

*Breast cancer-causing gene alteration - I do not know - (but will get tested if recommended)

*Lobular carcinoma in situ - I don't know - but I would not be surprised

*Dense breasts - Yes

*Radiation therapy - No

Key Points:

** Existing data suggests that preventive mastectomy may significantly reduce (by about 90%) the chance of developing breast cancer in moderate and high risk women.

** Dense breast tissue is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer and also makes diagnosing breast abnormalities difficult. Multiple biopsies, which may be necessary for diagnosing abnormalities in dense breasts, cause scarring and further complicate examination of the breast tissue, by both a physical examination and mammography..

** large breast also make it difficult for a full visual ( I am a DDD)

*** Please note - this and any medical decision should be discussed with your doctor....

What Would You Do... Seriously?

Facebook Daggers and Other Comments....

Facebook can be an excellent tool to keep in touch with family members... Catching up with friends - present and past... I personally enjoy looking at friends' pictures and silly random posts.. The random pictures make me laugh the most... It can be fun... It can be silly.. I am currently playing Scrabble with a few friends on FB - competing in Bejeweled - hoping to one day beat my friend Susan's awesome scores... Facebook is also an excellent way to get news out to your people... Whether the news is good or bad... Many people have FB updates sent to their phones...

Facebook also has a very ugly side... It can bring out the worst in people... It amazes me the comments and daggers people will post.... A post that can be so innocent in meaning can become a target to slander... A end to a friendship... A hurt feeling... or more....

I have learned my lesson the hard way to not respond or post things that I feel could be taken wrong.. For example... Almost 2 years ago - I was angry with a family member that is not on Facebook - I posted a random post that did not address the particular person by name- but if you knew what was going on at the time you would have known exactly who the dagger/post was about.... A family member that was aware of the conflict did see the post and was angered by my "attack".. It could have become really ugly - I was confronted.. and I did apologize for my immaturity and I was forgiven for my stupidity... One other time a friend of mine posted that he did not believe in the Rapture.. I see the Rapture as a fact.. he did not... We did not see eye to eye and our comments back and forth became disrespectful... He ended up de-friending me... We are good now.. But I have learned from this experience - If I disagree with a comment or belief - I don't comment.. I do not get involved.... If I have concern... I will call the person.. Or send a private note.. I will no longer debate on a Wall....

I recently was in a discussion with a friend about the comments people make on posts... It really is crazy that people who don't know you well (and some who do) - will attack you based on your status... And you wonder -What the heck just happened here? One comment I received recently had me scratching my head... I really wanted to comment back... I really did... But I slept on it.. I realized that I don't have to defend my thoughts.. My lifestyle.. So I chose to ignore it... And if the person posts another random ignorant dagger.. than I can de-friend that person...

Facebook should be fun... It should be free of daggers and anger... Face Book is for Friends..

Have you Encountered Any Daggers?

A Day In The Waiting Room..

I arrived at the hospital waiting room around 8:30 AM... I had my IPAD and my broker real estate exam book to study.. I had no idea where my sister was.... Called her - got her voice mail.. Texted her.. no reply... I was getting a little concerned.. She was the one who brought my mom to the hospital... I finally thought to call my niece and she did answer the phone.... My sis, her daughters, and husband were in another waiting room temporarily.. They were waiting for the surgeons to talk to my mom before the surgery.. When they were done - they would head over to my waiting room...

I had a great spot in the waiting room... I sat on a couch with my back against a wall and I could look out to the room... I had plenty of room for my stuff and there was an electrical plug next to me... and Wifi was available AND free. I was set for the many hours of waiting to come except.... When everyone arrived - we realized we were hungry.. So we took off for a bite to eat down the hall.... When we came back to the waiting room - it was pretty much crowded and someone stole my spot.... We found a small group of chairs and a couch and sat down... We set up our electronic devices...

Debbie (my sis) had her laptop and cell phone... She answered her texts and worked via remote.. And in the middle of it played Scrabble with her daughter Kristin... Now Kristin had her cell phone and her laptop... On her cell phone she was texting and playing Word Feud with me (via Android) and working on her laptop... Lindsey my other niece was watching documentaries on the food industry via my IPAD and texting friends and relatives... And me.. I was playing Kristin Word Feud via my cell and studying and taking a practice test in my broker book...




Around 12:15 - the first surgeon came out and said that the surgery went well.. My mom had 4 pounds of breast removed (yes, we are a large busted family)... He did not see anything that looked very suspicious.. He did say that he captured a few lymph nodes and they will run biopsies on those as well as the flesh from the breasts.. Approximately 120 slides will be made to review - the results should be here in about 5 days.. The 2nd surgeon started to work on my mom - He would take about 3 hours...

While we were waiting - a very large family took over the couches and chairs behind us... It was awful! They had no less than 8 kids running around.. Many under the age of 2.. They were coughing on us.. crying.. fighting.. Several of the parents were playing games on their Nintendo DS Lites and completely ignoring their out of control kids.. So I started giving them "the looks" - you know the kind... But that did not work.. I would make eye contact with the many of the parents and they saw it.. They knew they were out of control... But they did not care...

The 2nd surgeon came out and said that everything went well.. yeah mom.. She was in recovery and they will let us know when she is ready to be moved to her room.. Usually this takes a couple of hours so we decided to head down to the cafeteria. To go to the cafeteria we needed name tags.. While were getting them I went to the security officer standing there.. I told him about the out of control family.. We both looked to where the family was sitting/running/crying/coughing/playing/talking really loud.. and they were ALL looking at us.. When I walked away - a couple of the parents walked up to the security guard... Do ya think they knew we were talking about them?????

After we ate - when came back - we found out they had been calling us for about 40 minutes.... Crazy - we had advised the desk that we were in the cafe.. Any hoo. We were allowed back into recovery to see mom.. She was awake.. She was beautiful.. She was in a world of pain... The nurses were setting up her pain meds and getting her ready to transfer her to her new room... They advised us to go up to the lobby on her floor and she would there in about 15 minutes....

About 1 hour and half later... Mom was in her room and settled.. She looked good... She was her positive self.. She was hurting but the pain meds were starting to do their job.. Her room has a beautiful view of Long Beach - the lights at night - gorgeous! So after I saw for myself that she was doing good... I went home to my two girls after a long long day at the hospital.. My sister and niece stayed behind..

I am so thankful to you my "Bloggy" friends for your prayers and outreach of love... You have no idea how much comfort you have given me and my mom....

To My Mom...

Dear Mom,

I am glad you are my mom... Since dad passed you and I have gotten so much closer... Not only are we a mother and daughter... We are friends... I love the special moments you and I have shared together... You inspire me to be a better person with your quick smile.. random texts... always positive attitude.. always forgiving heart.. never judging... You let me know that you are always there for me... Anytime... Anywhere.. I love that you "like" many of my statuses and/or comments on Face Book - this let's me know that you are thinking about me... loving me...

You amaze me... You have not had an easy life... The past several years have been especially hard for you... Taking care of dad in his final years here on Earth... Becoming diabetic, Your fractured bones (shame on Curves)... Working hard at your job... The loneliness of not having dad to talk to at night.... and now you are battling breast cancer... I am so sorry that you have had to go through all this... I am so sorry that I have not always been there for you... And in the middle of all this - You are more concerned with your kids... You have not once - felt sorry for yourself (most people would).. You have not once given up... You are a fighter... A true Lady...

Tomorrow you are going into surgery to remove your breasts... I am hopeful that by tomorrow night you will be completely cancer free... I want you to know that I am there for you... I will Always be there for you.. in person.. in spirit.. in thoughts.. and in prayers... You will fight this.. You will win... I have no doubt... I hope that your recovery will be speedy... and if it's not... You have your daughters... granddaughters.. friends to help you get by... And we want to be there with you.. We choose to be with you... You are NOT alone...

Thank you for being my mom... I love you....

Kelly

Mom and Dad - 55 years ago...

Kelly's Ideas: Don't Mess With Mama

Kelly's Ideas: Don't Mess With Mama

Think She's Comfortable?

My kid doing Home school.. Think she's comfortable?

NetFlix -I Think I Love You.... But I wanna know for sure.

During the day - My TV is off - I do not like it on - I have too many things to do... In the early evening - the husband is watching his sports or Jeopardy... and I am slowing down my day... I'm not much into TV shows - I do not like commercials... Now, I do have to admit -I do watch Glee when I remember it's on - my youngest and I enjoy watching together.... AND I do like watching American Idol - this year is by far the largest talent pool EVER... Didn't you just cry like a baby last Thursday? I know I did.... AND The Bachelor - this show is such a train wreck that I have to watch and gag a little.. But that's it.. really...... Until - Netflix entered my World and Rocked it....

What's super duper neat about Netflix is that you can streamline their on-line videos through your Wii or your DVD player.. We did streamline through our Wii in the beginning - We purchased a Bluray disc player a couple of weeks ago and now we play the Netflix through the player... I like the player better - mostly because with the Wii you have to use their hand held control and point the hand and it wiggles....I'm Not into wiggly things... maybe that's why I can't stand jello... any hoo...

Not all the shows are available through the streamline feature - in fact most shows are not... Those shows I have mailed to me one at a time.. The movies through the mail are mostly the shows that came out on DVD recently... We have watched as a family.. Social Network, Invictus, Crazy Heart, Avatar, Iron Man 1 and 2, and Inception... The DVDs are in Bluray format and the picture quality is INSANE.. When we are done watching the movie - we drop it in the mail and we receive the next movie a day later...

What is available through streamline are many of the TV shows that I never had a chance to watch.. TV shows without commercials and I don't have to wait a week or more to watch the next episode.... (I like this).. I first started watching Bones with David Boreanaz... This show is good about an anthropologist and police detective solving murders.... I watched a couple of seasons of this show - it got a little cheesy.. for my taste... so I stopped... Then I watched Season 1 of Drop Dead Diva - very cute show.... Looking forward to watching Season 2.. I am now watching Grey's Anatomy and I am hooked... I LOVE THIS SHOW.... I am currently watching Season 5.. Every episode is different - the story lines are strong... And Dr. McDreamy... Well - He is pretty Hot..... Now I know what all the fuss has been about...

Now you know why - I go to bed around midnight... I wait for the family to go to bed.. and then it's Kelly Time... with Dr. McDreamy and friends.......

Look Out Crazy Week Ahead...

Just thinking about the week ahead is making me tired....

Monday - Wake up at 6 - wake up the kids - drive one to school - work - keep home school kid on track - pick up kid - rush home - give snack - take both kids to tennis - start dinner - pick up kids from tennis - help with home work - serve dinner - clean up after dinner - study for broker test... Try to fit in The Bachelor - The Women Tell All- study some more - go to bed after midnight

Tuesday - Wake up at 6 -- wake up kids- take husband to airport - drive one to school - work -keep home school kid on track - pick up kid from school - take kids to orthodontist appointment - make dinner - clean up - help with homework - study for broker test.. go to bed after midnight

Wednesday - Wake up at 6 - wake up kids - drive one to school - go to mammogram appointment (saying ouch now)- meet up with girl friend for lunch - home check on home school kid - go pick up kid from school - rush home - give snack - take both kids to tennis - start dinner - pick up kids from tennis - rush kids through dinner - take kids to youth group - study for my exam - pick up kids from youth group - help with homework - sit down watch American Idol.. - study some more - go to bed after midnight

Thursday - Wake up at 6 - wake up kids - drive one to school - drive to the hospital - my mom is having her mastectomy... pick up kid from school - help with homework - start dinner - wait for sitter - go back to hospital - get home - go to bed... after midnight

Friday - Wake up at 6 - wake up the kids - drive one to school - keep home school kid on track - work work work - go to hospital to see mom - pick up kid from school - rush home - give snack -take both kids to tennis - start dinner - pick up kids from tennis - go back to hospital -(Husband is STILL out of town... ) get home - go to bed after midnight...

Saturday - Broker exam crash course - all day - pick up kids - get dinner ready - Go see my mom

Sunday - Broker exam crash course - all day -pick up kids - get dinner ready - wash laundry for the week - grocery shop for the week - Wondering when husband's flight comes in.. Go see my mom...

What's Your Week Ahead Looking Like?

I'm The Freaky Friday Mom!

Sometimes I feel like Jamie Lee Curtis's character on Freaky Friday... There's a scene in the movie where she drops off her daughter at school and yells out the window.. "Make Good Choices...."... Yep that's me.... Enough Said!



I have a giveaway - Click here for information

Participating in this weekend's bloghop - click on the button to hop along

And The Band Played On - Give Away

A Threat No One Dared Face
A Word No One Wanted To Speak
A Fight For Many, Fought by Few...

And the Band Played On is a movie that I had watched several years ago.. It's a movie about the beginning origins of the HIV and AIDS virus... The movie is full of incredible actors - Alan Alda, Phil Collins, Richard Gere, Angelica Huston, Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin, and many many more.... I bought this movie recently "used" from Amazon.... I wanted my kids to know how far our society has come... I wanted my kids to understand how tragic this disease is... How scary it could be... And I wanted them to know that millions of people... innocent people... babies... and maybe someone they know or will know is infected with this horrible disease... I wanted my kids to learn compassion... understanding... and I believe this movie is an excellent learning tool to understand the human factor of AIDS.. It puts a face to it...

I was in college when HIV/AIDS hit the airways... No one really knew what it was.. What caused it... A fear started to surface... Because no one knew how it was transferred -The people inflicted with this disease were shunned... Kicked out of school, refused medical help, fired from their jobs, and the list goes on... A real panic took place.. I remember watching one news show where an inventor made a revolving toilet seat cover in hopes of protecting people from the virus... Every night on the news there was one story or another about some one with AIDS being refused their basic rights... It was an awful and scary time....

When it was discovered that the virus was transferred by blood and sex - that brought a huge wave a fear.. especially in the unmarried crowd.. People like me... In college.. Newly sexually active.. Our only concern was not to get pregnant... Now we feared for our lives.. In 1986 - I went to a HIV testing clinic... I remember talking to a counselor... Having my blood drawn... Getting a number to hold onto.. Going back the following week giving my number back... Talking to a counselor again.. And receiving my results... Negative.. It was a fearful time...

The video at the bottom is a video from the movie (Elton John) - it's a tear jerker

I am giving away my "Used" copy of And The Band Played On... In hopes that you will share it with others.... To Win this copy -


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Amazing Salvation: A Prayer Request For My Mom....

Amazing Salvation: A Prayer Request For My Mom....

I DON'T WANNA....

Do you ever just want to say "I DON'T WANNA"? Our kids do - when they don't want to do something.... But as moms we do what we don't want to do all the time... Because that is a large part of being a mom... a wife... us...

Today I don't Wanna

Make My Bed... Or the Girls'beds They have to make their own...





I Don't Wanna - Do the Dishes



I Don't Wanna - Wash the Clothes



And I Especially Don't Wanna - Pick up the dog Poop.... this will be delegated!



What's On Your "I Don't Wanna" List?

Watching Test Patterns on Saturday Mornings..

When I was little - I would wake up very early on Saturday mornings so I could watch my Saturday cartoons and kid shows... Many times I got up too early and would watch the test pattern until my shows finally came on.... Saturday morning was the time of the week for kid shows... We had five channels on our TV in those days....

My favorite Saturday morning show was Land of the Lost (Way before Will Ferrell).... Looking back on that show today - I see how cheesy it was - But that is what we had in those days... Special effects were still in development...

I also enjoyed Sigmond and the Sea Monsters

And who could forget the Pink Panther???

When I hit my preteens - I became a fan of American Bandstand....


Did You Watch Saturday Morning Shows? If so, What Was Your Favorite?

"Mom - You Are Over Protective"

One of the battles I often have with my 14 year old daughter is that she believes I am "over-protective" and I just might be... And that's okay with me.. As a parent we know our kids... We know their maturity... their thought process (or at least we try)... We know the quality of friends they have... We know how much responsibility they can handle... We know how much "freedom" they can take and with that freedom what kind of choices they will typically make.... It is my responsibility as my daughters' mom to help lead them in the right directions... To hold them accountable when they make bad choices... To praise them when they rise to the occasion... To believe and encourage them as they mature....

If that makes me Over Protective - So Be It!