1st Kari Update...

I just got off of the phone with my brother-in-law and Kari's surgery went well...they are on their way home from the hospital right now.

So the first step is over and the second one begins either later tonight or tomorrow with the hormone replacement. Apparently the hot flashes have started already...poor thing. Not only does she have to deal with cancer but menopause as well...that just s^*ks!!

More to come later...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Much love to you all from all of us!!

Prayers for Kari

I'm asking all of you to please pray for my sister-in-law Kari. Six years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she had the lump removed, went through treatment, and was clear. She has been in remission and has had a beautiful child, our Niece Nina, since then. Well a few weeks ago Kari found a lump, she went in had it removed, it was malignant, and they also found a hot spot in one of her lymph nodes which means it has spread...her cancer is back and they are saying that it is stage 4. She had a PET Scan about a week ago and they also found something in her lungs but they aren't sure if it's cancer and won't know for about 4 months (let's pray that's not). The reason that they are not sure is that she didn't have a PET scan the 1st time around so they don't have anything to base it on. Tomorrow (Valentine's Day) she goes in for surgery to have her ovaries removed to induce menopause because this cancer feeds off of hormones, and then on Friday she starts hormone therapy.

I have included some photos of Kari. I always feel that when praying for someone it's good to be able to visualize them. So when you are praying for her and her family you will have these photos for a reference.

This is my brother-in-law Dan, Kari & Nina when we were in Alaska together & that is Mt. McKinley behind them...
Kari & Nina at our family reunion in Alaska (no none of us are from Alaska ...Don & Dan's cousin lives there & hosted a reunion)...
This our niece Kate (Don's oldest brother's daughter...she was the only one of her family that was able to make it to the reunion), Dan, Don, Olivia, my mother-in-law Wilma, Nico, Nina, Myself, Bailey & Kari...Bella was napping in the RV...

Thank you so much for helping Kari out with your thoughts & prayers! I will keep you posted on her progress!

WE LOVE YOU AUNT KARI!!!!

Married to the Mob

For all of you that are undecided on your career choice or are looking for a mate...STAY AWAY from ATHLETICS! It is like being married to the Freakin' mafia...you have no control over your own life - THEY OWN YOU & I'm SICK of it!!!!

THE END!!!

Sweet Little Bella!

Everyday when I put her down for her nap I say, "I love you...sweet dreams!" and she usually replies with, "I love you to Momma!", but today she says to me in a little angelic voice and her head tilted, "But there are no dreams in my heart mom!". I reply to her, "that's OK sweetie" and she says, "but I want some", and I then say "they'll come". "OK" says Bella!

Go Lightning!

Last night Don, the Kids, & I had the opportunity to go watch the Tampa Bay Lightning take on the St. Louis Blues in St. Louis and they beat them 5-4.

It just so happens that the assistant trainer for the Lightning is Olivia's Godfather & our very good friend Jason Serbus or as the kids call him "Uncle Serb" and he was able to get us the hook-up...we had some awesome seats (4th row) and then passes to get near the locker room post game where all of the players past by to leave (of course the boys were able to go in the locker room & check it out but us girls had to stay out because some of the players were still changing). Uncle Serb had a present waiting in the locker room for Nico when he got in their...it was an autographed hockey stick saying "To Nicholas, Vincent Lecavalier #4 All the Best". This was the stick that he used in the game and he is one of the team captains. This will go in his room with his team autographed goalie stick signed by the Pensecola Ice Pilots (this is the team that Serb was with prior to the Lightning).

We had a really great time...although it felt a little strange being the only ones cheering for the Lightning! This brought Don & I back to our River Falls days when we would go to UW-RF Hockey games and to "Aunt Paula" Serbus, Olivia's Godmother's games quite often! As a matter of fact, Bailey went to her 1st game at about 1 week old.

Here are a few photos from last night:

The girls watching the Zamboni...

A little hockey action right in front of us (it was so funny to see the kids reaction when the guys would get slammed into the boards)...
The kids & Uncle Serb...
Nico in the players box...

Thanks Uncle Serb!!!

I Feel Like I'm Freakin' 85

This is absolutely ridiculous...I feel like I'm 85. On the Sunday that we were in Alabama I woke up with a red, surface rash and had it until Tuesday. On Tuesday I woke up with horrible joint pain and swollen hands & feet. It was crazy...I could barely walk up & down the stairs. I was a little concerned but thought I'd give it another day to see how I felt (I don't like to jump the gun on going to the doctor, however I'm very impatient & like to know what's going....these two attributes don't work very well together, but that's me).

So I give it another day & Wednesday the pain & swelling was even worse then the day before...I couldn't get my wedding ring off & I had to go down the stairs on my butt. Well that was enough for me and of course my mind was racing & hoping it wasn't arthritis or something awful like that.

So our wonderful doc squeezes me in in the later part of the morning. He gets my symptoms & checks me out and tells me I have Parvovirus..."I'm like WHAT...Isn't that what dogs can get?". Well apparently there is a human strain & a dog strain and you can't pass it between the two. Also, I learned that parvovirus is more commonly know as Fifth Disease. It's apparently very contagious but only before symptoms occur so really there is no way of avoiding it and no treatment for it. Also, it is more common in children ages 5-15 but adults can get it & of course I would have to get it to the nth degree.

So our doc gives me some NSAIDs to help with the pain. I take it for a few days, then forget a day, and realize I'm feeling great so I stop taking it. I already have huge acid problems & the NSAIDs create more so I figured it would be better to stop anyway. Well that was a bad idea because guess what's back...starting on Saturday that D@#n joint pain came back, and I learned after reading up on this that that pain could possible last up to a year. OH I DON'T THINK SO! For God's sake I'm only 35 not 85...I look like a freakin' grandma when I walk - ridiculous!!!

One positive note...you can only get this once because your body builds up immunities to it while you have it! :)

Sorry, I just had to rant about it!

Picky Eater Milestone!!

Each of my children as babies were very good eaters...they loved their baby food fruits & veggies. Well once Olivia & Bella hit the toddler years they started having food aversions. Bella slowly started to dislike fruits and as of the past 1 1/2 years or so she wouldn't eat them at all. As for Olivia, all of you that know her, she eats pretty much nothing and as a baby ate everything...so frustrating! I know you all are hoping that it was Olivia that reached the milestone but sadly it wasn't...I'm proud to announce however that Bella ate a BANANA this morning!! YEAH BELLA!! Maybe big sis will catch on and try something new!