Not even Dr. Pepper can cure this...

Well my blogging friends it has been QUITE THE WEEK!!

There were MANY downs... but I like to think that life is a glass half full adventure so let's start with the HIGHS!

* I started putting up Christmas decorations! It's the first Christmas in the first home that we own! So it's been TONS of fun finding new nooks for decos I already have, adding a few small things to my decoration collection and turning our new home into a yuletide wonderland!!

* I dressed my little angels up and took them out for a Christmas photo shoot. Which ironically ended up at the mall around "Santa's Village" so I get capture some holiday cheer in the background. (I then proceeded to use some family pics from 4th of July for our Christmas card... go figure!) :)

* I had a bunch of friends over to decorate holiday wreaths with all supplies generously gifted from Underwriters Labratories... GREAT COMPANY!! It was a total blast to gab, listen to Christmas music, drink hot cider and cocoa and let the kids run a-muck while the mommies got to be crafty!

* All 3 of my children participated in the children's Primary Program at church this week which is my favorite Sunday out of the whole year! It was so good!! The kids spoke and shared messages with passion and spirits... and their sweet little voices singing songs of love for our Savior, familes and friends... it was PERFECT!! :)

So as I am sitting here, listening to Tony Bennet sing "My Favorite Things" on the Pandora Radio feed through my computer I must share news that I don't want to share... the DOWN! But since it's now apart of my life... I feel the need to update you my friends and family.

A week ago I got disturbing news from my doctor. I have Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma. In other words... Cancer. The GOOD news is it's a non-agressive form of cancer and we caught it in it's VERY early stages!! So after a week of more tests, biopsies, scans, etc... we have a plan!! And I'm pretty excited because for now... it doesn't involve any sort of chemotherapy or radiation treatments. I've started an agressive steroid regimen that is meant to stop any further cell mutation. If all my tests come back the same or better in 6 weeks then we'll be on the "watch and wait" plan. If anything changes... symptoms, blood counts, scans, etc... then we'll start chemo right away.

So please pray... that the doctors will be blessed with knowledge and inspiration, that I will continue to be strong and able to do what I need to for my family, friends and home, that my husband and children will be comforted and know that all will be well. And most of all... that I will continue to trust in Heavenly Father's plan and know that this is ALL in His hands and according to His plan!!

My "broken" baby....

My poor little Abby broke her wrist!! Last weekend her and her sister were playing and she "fell"... actually her sister pushed her!

She was upset when she fell but could move it, no swelling, just a big bruise at the base of her thumb. Well today I picked her up from school and she was complaining about her hand hurting. When I asked where it hurts she pointed to the cruised area... which was now a little swollen.

I took her to a friends house and her imput and decided to take her in... just to make sure...

IT WAS BROKEN!!

I feel like a TERRIBLE mom today. But she's doing much better! She now has a pretty pink cast and isn't really in pain anymore. The nurse was SO SWEET... she even gave her stuffed animal a matching "cast" so they could heal together. I LOVE good medical professionals!

So here's my brave little girl getting her cast on. She was so brave (and I was feeling SO bad) that we went and got special hot chocolate afterwards.

Halloween fun!

This past week has been FILLED with Halloween CRAZINESS! It all started last weekend with a party at a friends house. Then this week we had the moms group party here at our house, school day festivities, school carnival, pumpkin patch trip for Abby's preschool and it was all finished off with a night of TRUNK or treating at church!

BUSY WEEK!!

Mason our little Mario

I dressed up as "swine flew"

Abby our little moo cow

Chloe as a fairy with her BFF

Our happy kids at the pumpkin patch at Harry and David Country Store!

Fun fundraising photo shoots...

The past 2 weekends I've had a ball taking family portraits to raise money for the Relay for Life! I raised over $500.00!!!! WOOT WOOT!!

Here are a couple of the shots that were my favorite. I shot from 2 locations. One at beautiful Lithia Park in Ashland, Oregon and the other at White's Country Farm in Medford, Oregon.

Thanks to all who came and donated! I had a blast and we raised money for a GREAT CAUSE!!

RIP Blackberry...

Today a terrible tragedy occured! My blackberry phone... which is a pretty big lifeline for me... died. Rest is peace dear Red! (That was it's name because it was pretty and red)

Red was a part of my life, social calendar, sanity and annoyances for the past 2 years. It will be sorely missed.

And while the mourning process is still in effect the joyous recovery has shown it's lovely face... in the form of an iPhone!!

Let me tell you... I feel SPOILED ROTTEN with this new phone! But it will be VERY beneficial with the craziness that is my life. Plus I feel like my sanity could be helped as I'm listening to "Girls Just Want to Have Fun!" through the streaming music player on the new iPhone!!

I'm sure will be pics... but that is for AFTER the mourning period. :)

Here piggy piggy piggy!

And... another one bites the dust!

Chloe has been struck with high fever, head and body aches and overall miserableness. My poor girls! On Friday we found out that Abby has confirmed H1N1 flu virus. So she was in quarentine all weekend. The Dr's told us that it would run through the family and start with a fever. So here we go AGAIN!!

I've always thought little piglets were cute.... but this is just sick and wrong!

5 minute mug cake... YUMMO!

This recipe is on my friends Audrey's blog and it looks SO AWESOME that I HAD to post it on mine!! Thanks for sharing Aud! I'm going to make this for dessert tonight!
ENJOY!!

5 minute mug cake

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well.
Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well..
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.

The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.