Vintage Holiday Party 2008

Yep, that's right...2008. For those of you that don't know, Brad and I throw a "Vintage Holiday Party" every year. Being a "vintage" party, we pick a decade to dress as and we have a little costume party. In years past we've gone back to the 20's & 30's, 70's, the 60's were visited in 2006. The most recent party was roman times... don't worry we certainly will have a nice slide show to follow. Now, with that said, this year we took suggestions for the 2008 party and we're looking to see what people think...some stayed with the "vintage" theme and others went off in a totally different direction.

Here's the list:
Caribbean Theme
Homeless Folks (with a donation to a local charity)
Medieval Times
Ultimate Sports Fan
Lord of the Rings
Spanish Flamingo Dancers
Vintage Rock Bands
Rastafarian
80's
Star Wars Characters
90's grunge
Vintage Holiday Sweaters (ugliest)

We'd love to hear what you think!!! Be sure to leave a comment...

~A Rita Report~

Well, we are officially back from our holiday break and we're trying to get back into the swing of things. We really had a great break and thoroughly enjoyed spending quality time with our families (pictures to follow).

While I had a brief moment, I wanted to give an update on Rita...

She is doing great and had a wonderful Christmas. She has shaken the sickness and most of the fatigue that comes with Chemotherapy. When we were home, she met with her Doctor and received a very positive report. Her most recent mammogram came back negative (there is nothing else to be concerned about). Not to mention, the lump (currently being treated) is barely recognizable through touch and her care givers are extremely pleased with how well her body responded to the chemo. She was told that there is only a 3% chance of the cancer reoccurring in the same spot.

Her next step is a lumpectomy on Friday (Jan. 11). Once she's recovered and back on her feet, she'll begin her 7 1/2 week run with radiation. At which point, she'll be visiting the Radiologist's office once a day, five days a week for the entire period.

We are thrilled to have mom back to her ways and enjoying life. She's been able to get back into the swing of things and is feeling so much better. While we recognize we're not out of the woods yet, we remain positive that all will be well and before long, this period of our lives will be a distant memory.
POSITIVE THOUGHTS=POSITIVE RESULTS

We had so much fun this past weekend! First, we exchanged gifts with Brad's parents, sister, husband and two little ones. When we have our "Christmas" it's a tradition to exchange gifts and have a beer tasting. Brad and his dad head out and buy 10 different tasty (high quality) beers and we taste each of them (we even use our little tasting glasses). It's a ton of fun...

The kids loved opening their presents and as you can see in some of the pictures the house was pure chaos...Aurelia's plastic food all over the floor, Finn's couch in the middle of the living room. In so many ways, it reminded me of those Christmas' when Mark, Jennifer, Heather, and I were tearing into presents at (pick a house) whoever "had" Christmas that year.

The following morning the kids woke up to find their toys still there and yet they still managed to find Grandma's dried lavender...as you can see in the pictures, they loved sprinkling it all over the house.

My parents came up for a visit on Saturday. It was great to see them and we all got a kick out of Finn when, after he woke from his nap, he walked right over to Rita (after seeing her for the first time) and laid his head on her lap. He sure does love his Grandparents...

On Sunday we shared a special treat with my parents..."Breakfast with Santa". Great food, lots of fun and Santa...who could ask for anything more. We had a great time!

~A Rita Report~

Well~ Rita has certainly done a 180! She has been feeling "great" and what a difference in her energy levels, her appetite and general enthusiasm. She has turned a corner and has completed her Chemo (as of last Thursday)!!! Wow...sixteen weeks of facing medicine designed to kill just about everything in your body. She is so strong~

Rita has been out and about playing Santa to all and we couldn't be happier. Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers as well as the kind words you've posted. She still has a couple more obstacles to face (lumpectomy and radiation) but we continue to chant Positive Thoughts = Positive Results.

Raising Small Souls

Recently, having become a mother and completing a "Counseling in School Settings" class, makes this video Raising Small Souls all the more poignant. The pictures are beautiful and the information incredibly pertinent to today's world and school systems.

Take a minute to watch this video...

http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/wp-content/themes/179/animalschoolsound-editted9.swf

Recently, we threw an Engagement Party for Heather and Joe. The food was great, their house was beautiful and the place was filled with love from friends and family. All of which has been captured in the few pictures I have. What I don't have however, is a picture of the cute couple!

~Congratulations once again to Heather and Joe~

~A Rita Report~

I know many of you check the blog often with hopes of seeing a "Rita Report"...so, while I have a moment here I'd like to tell you all we had a great visit home this last weekend. She was feeling 110% better then the last time we were home (phew). It seems this dosage of chemo does not make her feel as nauseous. She attended Heather and Joe's engagement party (pictures to follow) and has been eating a tiny bit more.

The girls took Rita to the mall for some light shopping and even went to get something to eat! This is big...and very important. Rita knows she needs to be doing more and getting out of the house more often to ward off the fatigue that hits after such activities.

Positive Thoughts = Positive Results

Well? What do you think?

Do you like the new layout? Check Y or N

Happy Halloween!!

~A Rita Report~

Well, Finn and I made a visit home this past weekend and I am in many ways recovering from the visit. As always, it was a shock to see my mother after 3 weeks. She is continuing to lose weight and has officially hit the 50lb. mark. This visit brought the reality of chemotherapy and it's side effects into my life. Until this past visit I would only hear of the difficulty in eating and drinking, the digestive problems that arise if she does get something down, the weakness, the fatigue, and of course...the ever apparent loss of what little hair she had left. I think the most difficult thing to see is the desire, the want, the longing for the energy to get up and play with Finn. While I know he provides a relief and does bring her joy, it proves to be difficult to watch her long to assist me in feeding him, changing him, and giving him a bath...

Now, keeping with our Motto: Positive Thoughts = Positive Results, it is important to know that while I feel this emotional about our visit...I know the chemo is working. Like I reported last week, Rita's Doctor said he can barely feel the lump now. Patience is the one virtue I've been missing most of my life so this entire process is really testing me. What can I say? I just want to see my mom doing the Cha-Cha again....sooner than later.

~A Rita Report~

Rita had her fourth treatment yesterday and this is the last of the "first batch" for her. Yippee! She received a new Porto-cath which will make getting the treatment more bearable.

Her doctor has reported that he can't feel the lump anymore. Yippee again! From here, she'll have four more treatments of another type of medicine. She's been told that this "type" should not make her feel as sick as she has been feeling.

Once that group of four is over then she's scheduled to have a lumpectomy and begin radiation (not sure of the order). I'd like to thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers. I can't tell you what it means to me and my family to have such wonderful, caring, loving and thoughtful friends/family in our lives. The calls, emails and notes have been so sweet and I know that she cherishes each and everyone of them. If fact, she has them in a little basket by the couch where she can glance at one at any given time.

Thank you to our friends, family and those of you who have come forward not having even met Rita to share you thoughts, suggestions and support. We are truly blessed.

New Family Member

Congratulations to our cousins, Mark and Rebecca~ they have been blessed with little Sophia.



Sophia is pictured above with her cousins Ben and CC...yay family!!!!