weekend recap...

my weekend began on friday....i was feeling really run down & crappy, so i took the day to rest - ok, and i admit it....to get a few things done as well ;0)

one thing i couldn't miss, no matter how sick i was feeling - was the holiday program at the kiddos' school....the great thing about this program, was that the entire elementary school was involved - every grade, and even the teacher's choir too (btw - VERY funny!)! unfortunately, to save on time (kiddos' getting on & off stage takes forever), they had all the kiddos sit on the gym floor & stand to sing from there....it looked like this after they filed in - the 2 fingers up means - peace ;0)


so of course, performance pics were out of the question - it took curtis & i forever just 2 spot our kiddos in the crowd! jaden's grade sang Shalom Chaverim - a jewish song....i was very impressed, cause they sang it in both english & hebrew AND sang in rounds - they sounded great! the girls' grades sang together - they all had on necklaces, with bells & sang Jingle Bells together while jingling away!

here's a video of the 4th graders - they're the only ones that got on the stage/stairs to sing - cause they had another character joining in their song.....u can see corinn in the front row (on the floor), sitting beside her teacher assistant Mrs. Sawyer....i've mentioned several times how deathly afraid corinn is of Santa (& other costumed characters)....watch her, as Santa makes his appearance....she doesn't officially freak out, but she seems very concerned with him getting too close to her - and her eyes watered up with big ole tears! afterwards, Mrs. Sawyer turned to me & mouthed "she didn't like that very much!"....nope, she never does! ;0)



as i mentioned already, saturday & sunday were full of a lot of fun-nothings....we had dress rehearsal for the children's christmas program & we got to play outside, games, christmas crafts & goodies (that post is coming after loved ones receive their gifts)....we had planned to go check out this light display saturday night, but it was raining pretty hard & there was a chance it was going to switch over to a "wintery mix"....so we postponed that trip until this eve (pics coming 2moro)....then finally, the time came for the big performance! the kiddos have been practicing for weeks & they were very anxious to show everyone what they'd been working on!


the program was called "The Mystery of the Manger"....it was about a children's choir who was working on their church christmas program - when a reporter walks in & starts asking questions about "this manger story"....the kiddos go on to tell & sing about the reason we/they believe the story & what the Bible tells us is true.....it was a 37 minute long program & i was super proud at how well the kiddos performed & behaved! :0) all 3 had speaking parts, jaden had a short solo at the beginning of his favorite song (pretty much the only song he sang, unless he looked at me & saw me encouraging him on to sing others)....the girls sang "away in a manger" with another little boy, seth....and jaden played the part of joseph


right before the show!


here's a bunch of videos that i took (i swear, i didn't tape every single song - just the ones that had my kiddos doing special parts & some of my fav songs)

here's the opening song - all the kiddos knew where to go & what to do too - LOVED it!



here's a song called "like the wisemen" - one of my favs....it's right after the reporter, "jane blonde" comes in & starts questioning this crazy story....listen to the words



here's "facts are facts" - performed by the choir, plus "the cleaning crew"....they're some crazy fellas that play the shepherds in the kids' christmas program every year (excuse my hubby's big strong hands in part of this vid ~wink~)



ok, here's the song that has jaden's solo in it - "it came true"....he actually opens the song....corinn has one line, right as the music begins too....and the director forgets to have the choir join in & sing after jaden's solo, but it's such a cute song....jaden LOVES the music - that's y this became his fav song & the only one he was interested in singing



and lastly, the night of the "big performance" came....the girls & seth opened the show by singing "away in a manger"....the lighting sucked for pics & vids - but it was a really nice effect in person - the light was shining right down on the manger....they could have sung a tad louder, but these sweet little voices still brought tears to my eyes!


then, the nativity story is read, and mary & joseph make their appearance



afterwards, we had snacks together & everyone congratulated the kiddos on a job well done - it was so much fun! :0) jaden & gabby loaded their plates up on cookies & other sweets...


and corinn filled up on veggies only - wouldn't even take a cookie when i offered her one of mine! where did this child come from?!

fun-nothings

(the 1st gifts under the tree)

we've been busy this weekend - busy with fun-nothings

fun-nothings r things that don't really need 2 b done - but it's fun 2 do them....u know, things like baking cookies, making christmas ornaments & treats 2 give away as gifts, surfing the web, watching this video & this video over & over with the kiddos, watching christmas movies on tv & writing thank u letters 2 santa (the kiddos just received special letters from the big guy yesterday)

(i tied the bow 4 her, but yesterday, gabby came up with this entire ensemble, all on her own!)

our 'Joyful Noise' (children's choir) christmas performance is in a few hours (there was a sneak preview here - all the kiddos have special parts & r super excited 2 perform!)....so right now, we're gearing up for that....i'll b back 2moro for my usual "weekend recap" post....i hope u're all enjoying weekends full of fun-nothings too! ;0)

i'm a sicko

i stayed home from work 2day - just too stuffy, achy, hacky, snotty, sneezy & horse for work....plus, it's friday....plus, the kiddos' holiday program at school was this morning (i made it thru the whole hour without having 1 coughing fit)....so i took it easy 2day - and my head isn't throbbing quite so hard 2nite, as it was when i woke up this morning

i screwed up at the program tho - with my fuzzy head, i somehow thought i had pushed record when the girls sang their song, but didn't - then, when i thought i was pushing stop, i actually started recording & just got a lot of video of my feet & the ladies butt that was standing in front of me ~lol~ i did get jaden's performance & some other cute video that i plan to share with my weekend recap on monday (i'm just too tired & impatient to upload it all now)

we've got dress rehearsal in the morning, for the church christmas program sunday nite....and we're checking out a walk-thru light display tomorrow night....we've got a fun family weekend planned! :0)

the best part - once curtis gets home around 1am tonight, he gets 5 whole days off - in a row! yeah, he's got to work christmas night - but he won't leave until 2pm, so we'll get plenty of daddy time in before that ;0)

i couldn't resist...

everyone's doing it....i did it last year, but didn't plan on it again this year....i knew how big of a kick the kiddos would get out of watching it tho....so i gave in, & elfed us! ;0)

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

color by number...

last evening, while i helped Gabrielle & Jaden with their homework....daddy & Corinn worked on a color by number page in one of her million coloring books (her class doesn't have any homework this week)

the girls LOVE color by number pages! usually, i help Corinn out, by coloring the words at the bottom of the page - so she knows which number, is which color....then, she's able to tackle the coloring part just fine....but since daddy has been including Corinn in on Gabrielle's practice sessions with her sight words (flash cards with the words she's learning in kindergarten), Corinn is also learning how to read!

she colored these 5 words completely on her own!!!

my preschooler is so darn smart! ;0)

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i was hoping to have dance pics & videos 2 share 2day - from Gabby's acro class last evening....but her instructor is one of those college students that has already headed home for the holidays....so she had a fill-in instructor last night....the dance director said that us parents will b able to come in2 her class our first week back (mid-january), to check out what they've been working on....so i'll have pics/vids then

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tomorrow is the holiday music program at school....every grade sings a couple of songs in the program, and even the teacher's choir is performing! curtis & i both get to go, since it's in the morning....so i'll have pics/vids of that to post 2moro

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i'm battling a fierce cough & sinus/head cold....the doc says it's because all the swollen lymph nodes r crowding my lungs & bronchial tubes - causing inflammation (my PET scan even showed what the doc says looks like pneumonia in my left lung)....he says that of course, the chemo will wipe all that out - but until then, i'm suffering thru it....gonna go stock up on sinus/cold meds this afternoon & hopefully i can at least calm some of the symptoms....my head is throbbing, my nose won't stop running, i have this nasty hacking cough & i can't stop sneezing! super fun! ~lol~

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go hug ur babes extra tight 4 me 2day....after the sad news of my SIL's miscarriage (see post below), i'm feeling extra, extra thankful for my healthy & happy kiddos/blessings.....i hope u all r having a warm & blessed day!

prayer request...

my brother & his wife were expecting their 2nd little one - katie was about 2 months along & just found out at her ob appt that she has miscarried....she's been feeling really tired the last 2 days & was nervous that something was wrong....now she has to go have a D&C done this afternoon - i can't imagine going thru that! please say a prayer for CJ & Katie as they cope with this loss....their son, Matthew, is 2 & was excited 2 be a big brother - please say a prayer for them as they try their best 2 explain this to him as well

tap, tap, tap

this week, is the last week of dance classes until mid-january....they take a long break for the holidays, because many of the instructors are college students & will b traveling home over the college holiday break....and traditionally, the instructors will allow parents to come sit in on the last class, before the holiday break - just to see what the girls have been learning (then we'll get 2 go in again in the spring, 2 see what they're working on for the recital in june)

last night, was Corinn's tap class....she's such a natural dancer! i love that the girls picked which class they wanted 2 take this year, and ended up being pleased with their choices! Corinn is more into the dancing, rhythmic performances....and the girl has got some rhythm! Gabrielle is also LOVING her acrobatics class - she's more into the flipping & tumbling (her practice is 2nite, so hopefully i'll have pics & vids of her 2 post 2moro)....u can see Gabby's hands in these videos some - she's sitting beside me, but dancing the steps along with Corinn's class (she took this same tap class last year) - that's who Corinn keeps looking & grinning at ;0)

Corinn, & all the girls in her class, are 4 & are taking tap for the 1st time - except for the little one that isn't participating much - she's 3 (she didn't want to sit with the other girls while her mom was in the room)....even tho they're all the same age, Corinn is a good bit taller than the others ;0)

congrats to brooke!

i just wanted to congratulate my friend Brooke...she's expecting her 3rd child!!! and i LOVE the way she announced her news to the world....check this out!

blessings familia de Garcia! what a wonderful Christmas present!!!

marrow was negative - whoo hoo!

i just went to meet with my homeboy, the oncologist, & the results from my bone marrow extraction still weren't back....so he sent a nurse to fetch them....she came back with a hand-written note that said "marrow neg - normal lymphoma"

yay! :0)


so, the doc says "u ready 2 start chemo next week?"

i replied "ah, that soon? can't i put it off till after christmas?"

he said "well sure, i don't blame u! we can put it off till after the new year if you want." (i love this dude!)

"nah, i just want to get thru christmas with the kiddos"

so i start on monday, the 29th - bright & early, at 9:30am....it'll take about 3 hours & i'm not to go back to work that day (i can the next day tho)....of course, curtis will go along to keep me company too ;0) then back once every 2 weeks, for 4 months/rounds....about half way thru, i'll get another PET scan to see how i'm reacting, then we'll determine the radiation therapy i'll get after the chemo

the doc then sent me over to the hospital pharmacy to fill a prescription for allopurinol - the chemo can cause excess uric acid & so the meds are to prevent me from developing gout....i'll take 1 pill every day for the 4 months i'm getting chemo

the BEST part, is that i don't have to go back to the cancer center until the 29th, when i start chemo - YES!!!

i called my aunt (who does nails in the salon where i get my hair did)....amanda (my hairstylist) wants to give me a cute pixie cut, right before i start chemo....that way, when my hair starts to go, i can shave the rest off myself - i've told them, i don't want to do the thinning/in-between stuff....once it starts to fall out - i'm getting rid of it! and this way, i'm in control - i can shave it off when i'm ready....actually, i might have curtis do it for me ;0) so us 3 girls r going to find some time soon, to get together & do the cut - how fun! :0)


thx again for the continued prayers guys! and for the notes, & the emails, & the phone calls, & the packages!!! i have the best family & friends in the world!!!

fun cancer gear & update

i ♥ cafepress.com!

i get tons of cool gear from this site....the badges on the side of my blog are from there - and the bumper stickers on the back of my mini-van are too! i've got some t-shirts, a messenger bag & some buttons from them too - LOVE this site!

u can search for just about anything & find funny & attractive buttons, stickers, stationary, tshirts, hats, bags, mugs, etc. related to what u're looking for....great for gift ideas!

last night, after looking online & discovering that the ribbon color for hodgkin's is violet (the one for lymphoma is lime green - and these 2 colors actually look good together - might get some ribbons made up for my fam), i looked on cafepress for some hodgkin's related stuff - and here are some that will be gracing my blog & mini-van very soon :0)


some of the more serious ones...

some i'd definitely get if i got to keep the doc i've been seeing - i LOVE him! too bad this is his last week in our hospital....he's headed back home to NC
and some that are super funny - more my style! ;0)

speaking of radiation - i met with a radiation doctor today....she explained the options & risks of radiation to me....she told me that some docs feel differently than others, when it comes to whether or not youngin's like me should receive radiation....regardless, whether i have radiation or not (& how much i'll have), depends on how well i respond to chemo....but because of the risks of radiation, they want me to have the lowest dose possible

she said that some docs have tried no radiation after chemo, if the patient is super young (like 18) & is responding well to chemo - but in most of those cases, there's a reoccurrence of the lymphoma, and the patient ends up having to have more radiation than if they'd just given it after the chemo to begin with

the risk of having radiation therapy as a youngin, is that you're more likely to develop other cancers later in life....in the area that i'll b having zapped - we'd have to worry about breast & lung cancer (my risk of developing these cancers after radiation, will b double or triple what they are now)....but the good news is, insurance companies now understand & cover testing - having radiation therapy automatically means you're eligible to receive MRI's 7-10 years after treatment to keep an eye on things like this (MRI's can detect better than mammograms)

i'll have more PET scans done throughout chemo, to see how well it's kicking my cancer's ass....then we'll all decide together....she says that minimum, i'm looking at 2 1/2 weeks of radiation (treatment every day, mon-fri)....& a max of 3 1/2-4 weeks....of course, at the lowest dosage possible (all, after my 4-6 months of chemo)

other side effects include, skin irritation (like a sunburn), sore throat & some possible inflammation in my lungs about a month after radiation (a hacking, dry cough & wheezing - which they can prescribe steroids for)

i learned that chemo can increase ur risks for cancer too - didn't know that! but hey, it's not like i have a choice....with God by my side, i'm ready to deal with whatever may come my way - today, tomorrow or years down the road

tomorrow, i go back to the cancer center (AGAIN - i feel like i freakin' live there!) to talk with my homeboy, the oncologist, one more time before he leaves....we're hoping the marrow results will be back (they weren't back yet today), so we can discuss those....and we'll also start developing a game plan for my chemo & radiation....like i said before, i hope to wait to start after Christmas, but i'm also ready to get this ball rolling!

weekend recap...

saturday morning, daddy played chutes & ladders with the girls...they LOVE when daddy plays games with them - he's so much more fun than mama! ;0)

then in the afternoon, we headed over to my brother & sis-in-law's house for our cookie/treat making party....kelly (my sis) & i made sure the kiddos had lots of sugar cookie & gingerbread dough to make cookies with and my mom & katie (my SIL) had lots of other treats to create

we worked in shifts....the little ones first

then, the older crew

mom & katie kept busy making fudge, potato candy, raisin filled cookies, cow patties, etc...

kelly & i observed! ~lol~

actually, this was during the time that all the cookies the kiddos made were baking/cooling...while that was going on, my dad took all 6 grandbabies out to explore....they went walking thru the woods & down by the pond in the cow field....they came back over an hour later, with a cow skull & other cow bones in tow - yuck!


grandpa had washed em off with bleach water & actually had the kiddos wanting to tote the bones home! i guess that's why they think he's so fun! ~lol~ they were so proud of their find, i didn't have the heart 2 tell them no....so if anyone is in need of a cow skull, please come by my place & take it from our porch! ~lol~

then it was time to decorate the cookies....the fun part!

gabby took the longest....she had to get them just right! ;0)

tada! look at all those beautiful creations!

sunday was pretty uneventful....i had my last cake to deliver (actually, curtis delivered it for me)....then daddy went to work, and the kiddos & i played outside in the unusually warm december weather....last eve was Joyful Noise (children's choir) practice too....only one more week until show time! can't wait!

i hope u had a relaxing weekend, full of family & holiday cheer!
only 10 more days till Christmas!
(just ask my kiddos!)

last cake for '08...

this cake is my very last order for 2008....it traveled to northern VA today (about a 2 hr drive)....i made it for an old friend & his wife, who are expecting their first child in january....they haven't decided on a name yet, so the cake says "welcoming baby bediako"

it's 2 tiers of marble cake, iced in butter cream & accented in blue & green fondant dots & stripes (to match the invite they emailed to me)....i made the baby & his toys out of fondant as well


i wish the happy couple nothing but the best, as they become a family of 3 - i promise guys, there's nothing better in this world! ;0)

marrow extraction...

i'm back from the marrow extraction....it wasn't painful, per say - but the awkward pressure was definitely a lot to take....it had my cringing, with white knuckles....the whole point of this procedure was 2 determine if there is Hodgkin's in my bones too....the PET scan showed "activity" in my bones, or they wouldn't even need 2 check the marrow....and if it is in my bones, i jump from stage 2 to stage 4 - but it doesn't change anything regarding my prognosis - it only means more chemo & radiation

first, it was super annoying that i waited 4 over an hour before we even began - i hate waiting, especially for the doctor....they, had me lay on my side on the table & drop trow, so the doc could get at my pelvic bone, right above my butt....then he used different sized needles to slowly numb me down to the bone....he took his time & said he wanted to make sure he numbed the area correctly - that's the key to making this procedure as painless as possible....and i totally appreciated that! ;0)

once i was numb, he used a big fat needle to start digging into my bone....this was the awkward, cringing part...he said that it's harder on someone young like me - cause obviously, my bones r way stronger than a 70 year old's bones....once he was thru the bone, the awkward feeling stopped & then it was just plain weird - cause he was jamming the needle (or whatever - couldn't exactly see him working) in & out of my bone - to collect the marrow needed....that part didn't hurt at all - it just shook my whole body & felt really creepy

then we were done - the whole process probably took 15-20 minutes....they bandaged me, told me to keep it dry for 24 hours & had me lay flat on my back for 5 minutes before letting me leave

next, i meet with someone on monday to talk about radiation....the doc wants me to fully understand the risks (like i have a choice) - cause radiation now (especially on youngin's like me) can increase ur risk of breast & other cancers down the road....it's a lot less of a risk now-a-days than long ago, but still....and he wants to have someone else look at my scans & agree to the amount of radiation i need....the radiation won't come until after all the chemo tho

then tuesday, i go back to talk with the doc about the results of today's marrow extraction....and to schedule chemo & discuss anything else that i might have questions about (u know how u always think of ?s after u've left the doc's office)

i'm looking forward 2 a relaxing weekend! i'm meeting my aunt when i get off work 2nite 2 go out 2 dinner & 2 do some xmas shopping....and then we're having our cookie party 2moro! me, my sis, mom & my sis-in-law are all getting together with the kiddos 2 make xmas cookies & other treats...should b fun!

i hope u all have a FAB weekend too! :0)

work holiday lunch

i'm on the social committee at work (just call me phylis shanna! ~teehee~) & we just hosted our annual holiday lunch yesterday....it was fun - great food, sweet cash prizes & good company

we had our lunch at the Outback - the food was soooo good! but i returned to the office & realized that maybe, one isn't supposed to have a house salad, 7oz. sirloin & a baked potato for LUNCH! i ended up just having a bowl of cereal for dinner - and that wasn't until like 9pm!

on tuesday, i stuffed over $2500 in cash, into envelopes to give away....we had 70 people sign up to attend & we made sure everyone got some greenery! ;0) the envelopes contained any where from $25-$100....i won a $30 envelope ;0)

we also decided to do something fun/corny this year....we put numbers on all the tables, but allowed everyone to sit where they'd like...us social committee ladies chose table 12...y? because we'd planned on having everyone join in to sing The 12 Days of Christmas....and the number u have on ur table, tells u what line of the song ur table sings :0) and u know that every number has to repeat their line over & over - except for the 12 drummers drumming ;0)

here's a video of the last round - round 12!....the funniest tables were table 5 (for obvious reasons), but also table 2 - let's just say, they weren't the best singers & they gave a pretty funny rendition of '2 turtle doves' each & every time ~lol~ sorry if the video makes u dizzy - it was hard keeping up with the table changes....even tho it was silly, everyone seemed to really enjoy it :0)

and remember, these r a bunch of computer geeks! ~lol~

enough already!

we all were woken up to gabby crying & puking in her bed this morning!

i know, can u believe it?!
it's freakin' back again!


no one has been sick since this past saturday when the girls were on round 2 of this weird bug....now gabby is on round 3 - she's the one that started it, back over 3 weeks ago!

i swear, this is honestly the weirdest bug i've ever seen! it's not even a 12 hour thing....the kiddos literally vomit for a few hours - can't keep anything down....but then miraculously are fine the next day or even later that same day - no fever, no other symptoms whatsoever!

and it has 2 be recirculating at school....cause gabby 1st got sick on nov. 14th (the nite b4 a saturday play date that she woke up fine for)...corinn's 1st round wasn't until a whole week & a day later! then jaden's only time was almost 2 weeks after that!....then the girls, together again the next day - and now gabby again, 5 days later....WTH?!

with all the germ killing i've been doing at home, there's no way this bug is sitting dormant in our house for these long periods of time! i guess that's what happens when u sit in a class of 20 other kiddos all day long!

curtis just called & said he's laying around with a perfectly normal child now, who can't sit still & keeps wanting 2 get up & play!

go figure!

bald humor...

like i said, i'm totally gonna work my bald head - gonna rock the flyest scarves i can find!

well, last night in the car....the kiddos & i were talking....gabby asked about me losing my hair again (she seems the most concerned out of the 3 - my little diva)....i told her that yes, the doctor said that i probably am going to lose it - but again, it WILL grow back - and i'm totally ok with it

after meeting with the oncologist yesterday, curtis had said to me - "we're just going 2 start a trend!" ~i rolled laughing!~

so i decided to lighten the mood with the kiddos & told them what daddy said....that now we get to match! they reacted the same way i did - they died laughing! ~teehee~

then for the next 15 minutes, we laughed & joked & carried on about how fun & silly it will be....we talked about the scarves & hats....and then somehow, ended up on knock knock jokes (their fav type of comedy!)

knock, knock

who's there?

bald

bald who?

bald-headed mama!

~the entire car, erupting in laughter!~

ps. i also made sure they understood that not everyone that has cancer & loses their hair, thinks it's funny....that sometimes, it makes kids & adults pretty sad 2 lose their hair....so we wouldn't ever want to make jokes at someone else's expense....that we need to b sensitive to others' feelings....but that mama thinks it's kinda cool - and that i can totally take the jokes! bring on the bald humor!!! ;0)