Fall Family Fun

While I was home last weekend, we had us a very full Saturday. Gavin had his last football game.  I love that our family supports each other when we can.  We all enjoyed watching him tackle and run the ball.

It wouldn't be fall without my parents beautiful tree.  I was so happy that the leaves didn't fall off the tree until I was there.  And right after Halloween right on cue, the tree was bare.

We love our pumpkin patch traditions! 

Radiation Week 1 And Some Good News

Today while waiting to see Dr. Q a mother with her 3 children dressed in Halloween costumes handed out crafty pumpkin decorations and little sacks of candy to all the patients sitting in the waiting room.  This was such a kind gesture and a great way for a mom to teach her children about service.  I told my mom that we need to do more service as a family.

I have had 7 radiation treatments.  I still have pain, mostly in my lumbar spine and left hip.  It seems just in the last day that the pain in my tailbone has improved just a bit.  I'm continuously on pain meds which I've been instructed to take by both Dr. Q and Dr. Dan.  Sometimes I'm not sure if it is the pain medicine that is helping the pain or the radiation.  Yesterday my body ached like I had the flu.  Unfortunately flu like symptoms are a major side effect of immunotheraphy.  Thankfully Motrin seems to improve these symptoms and today I'm not feeling them.  The worst pain is in the morning.  Once I get going for the day I do better.  

I take a zofran every morning for nausea, which seems to keep it at bay throughout the day.  I don't have much of an appetite and nothing sounds good, not even sugar; well most of the time anyway.  I'll take the 2 pound weight loss I had this week. 

I'm tired all the time.  I often find myself laying on the couch with my eyes closed.  I'm not necessarily sleepy, just tired.  I don't have a lot of energy, but I have gone on a few walks this week to enjoy the beautiful fall leaves.

I watch the people that surround me at the cancer center.  Most of the time I see children my age or my mothers age who are there accompanying their aging parents who are the patients.  It's quite strange to be the patient accompanied by my healthy mom.  It just doesn't seem fair.  I'll admit I've been a little tearful today, but I'm quick to dry my tears and keep going.

I'm so tired of this routine of having radiation every day (which only takes less than 10 minutes).  It's only been a week, I know and I'm complaining.  Only 4 weeks and 2 days left.  I'm glad to have a few things to look forward to in the coming month; a few trips to see Tristen (I needed a few more flights to get my A-list prefered status), a trip back to Phoenix to work a few days, the holidays and the big 40th birthday.

Enough of Debby Downer.  Now the Good News:
Last weeks BSU/BYU game was crazy amazing and BSU is still one of the only few teams in the nation that is undefeated.  Hopefully they can keep it up this week against Wyoming.

I have started writing my recipe book.  I'm so excited for this project and hope it comes together as quickly as I want it to.  The editing is what is probably going to take the longest.  I already have 60 recipes in the book, mostly in the meat and main dishes.  I figure if I can input 5-6 recipes a day, I should have it finished by Christmas (finished, not published), well maybe.  On Saturday I attended Women Ignite conference where I met a lady who helps people publish books.  Funny how you meet people at the right time. 

We had a very fun evening of frosting donuts last week.  I will admit, this is the perfect time of year to be sick so that I can enjoy all that Fall and the Holiday season have to offer.

Pumpkin Patch Fun

Friday night since almost all of us were together (Tristen opted out because she had a bad case of mastitis, poor girl) we made our way to one of our favorite pumpkin patches.  We have had this tradition for many years and I love it.  Of course it's only fun because the kids enjoy it.  They climb up on hay bales over and over again and slide down this crazy slide.  They play in the corn and we find corn in cars and clothes when we get home.  We go on a hay ride and then we have donuts or sugar cookies this time.  Of course they are always filthy and need a good scrub in the tub when we get home.  It is always a fun night and since we went early in October the weather was perfect.

It's a 80 Degree November FF!

1.  I am so loving the fact that it's the middle of November and its still in the 80's here.  It makes me really want to take the job here!  I don't care that it gets close to 120 in the Summer, at least it isn't snowing here.  Still trying to decide...
2.  Raspberries have been super cheap here which means I have been eating them every night!  I would say that if I could choose only 1 fruit to eat for the rest of my life it would be raspberries!
3.  We had dinner at Laura's on Sunday and celebrated her cute daughters 7th birthday.  It has been so much fun to spend time with my cousins and their darling kids.  Did you know I have 43 first cousins on my dads side and 8 cousins on my mom's side.  When I was a kid (and even now) we use to all gather at our grandparents on Sundays.  I'm grateful for my cousins and the memories and relationships I have with them.

4.  I had some major retail therapy at Talbots on Saturday.  I love a good sale!
5.  I'm going to SLC today for a very quick, spur of the moment trip.  I love that 3 days ago I got a plane ticket for 112 round trip on Allegiant Airlines.  We shall see how this works...Cheap is kind of scary, but better than over 600 on Delta.
6.  Aunt Leslie made her famous crustless pumpkin pie last week. Oh yum!  What a great thing to come home to at night!  And to think it's healthy!  Thanks to her I'll share the recipe:

2 eggs
3 slices of bread she uses her homemade wheat bread
2 cups or 1/2 can pumpkin
1 can fat free evaporated milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 C brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

She say's the key is not to let this get too done.  Bake 350 for 30 minutes or until the knife comes out a little bit wet.
7.  I'm still waiting on the grapefruit to hurry up and ripen.  I had one the other day, but it wasn't quite done.  Soon though, very soon!

Fall FF

It is again 2 weeks of fabulous friday rolled into one!

1.  Last, Last Wednesday I met a few fellow PA's that I work with for brunch before we went to the Temple Open House.  It was fun to go with them and to share with my friend Jody some of what we believe as members of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints.  Afterwards I ushered in the afternoon and ran into a sister missionary from my stake in Charlotte.  It's always fun to see people from "home."

2.  I spent an evening last week having dinner and ice cream with my cousin Abe who came to town for work.  As always, it is fun to sit and chat with him.

3.  Thursday evening I went home!  It is always good to be home.  Tristen and Tenielle drove in around the same time that I flew in.  We love having slumber parties at Grandma's house!  Aidree and I slept in my bed in the studio apartment.  At some point she said, "Terah are you still in bed."  It was so cute.  When we woke the next morning it was still dark outside and she didn't want to stay in there by herself.  As we were walking into the house with so much maturity she said, "The stars are so beautiful in the sky."  It was cute coming from a 5 year old.

4.  Friday morning I had my appointment with Dr. Dan.  I have been having some abdominal pain here and there.  Even though I didn't think it was necessary, mom and Dr. Dan agreed that I should have a CT scan since it has been 11 months.  I'm happy to report it was all clear and the CA-125 was 12 which is still in normal range!

5.  Friday evening we went as a family to the Pumpkin Patch; our favorite Fall tradition.   Too bad we didn't get a good picture of all of us, but at least we are all in it.  We always have so much fun.  This year Aunt Marian, Grandma Jeanne, Aunt Leslie and her girls and granddaughters came with us.

Stella is such a fashion diva, already wearing scarves.

6.  Saturday morning my cousin Callie cut my mullet.  She always does such a great job.  Tanner and I went with her and her family to a pizza parlor for lunch.  It was so enjoyable spending time with them.

7.  Saturday evening was our Young Family Halloween Party.  There is always such a huge turnout and the weather this year was the best ever.  I love celebrating holidays with my family and making memories.

Proof the hair is growing!

8.  It was good to see my church friends on Sunday.  But it is always sad on Sunday's to see the kid's leave.  We had so much fun together and it was such a quick weekend.  The leaves were so pretty, but not quite in full color.  Until Thanksgiving...

9.  I ushered again at the temple yesterday!  I love serving in this capacity!

10.  My friend Lauren and her husband Chris came from NC yesterday!  Last night we met for a quick ice cream cone before they met with friends for dinner.  Today I get to spend the entire day with them!

Red and Blue

I love the color red so much, that I had a red wall in my kitchen in Charlotte and I will yet have another red wall if I ever have another house.  I love this color because it is bright and cheerful, almost like yellow!  Maybe the reason why I love Target, TJ Maxx and Talbots so much is because they have the color Red in their logo  (When I got off the island, it felt really good today to see a Target and TJ Maxx and know they still exist).  What I love the most about red today are the many red leaves on the tress that I passed on my drive this morning from Cape Cod to Providence.  Fall was definitely in the leaves this morning.  It was absolutely a beautiful sight.  I wish I could have video recorded or at least taken a few pictures as I drove down the freeway.  I think I was just about getting ready to enjoy Fall,  but I'm now on my way back to Summer.  I admit, I'm a little blue about this for a few reason.  I should be excited to be retuning to Phoenix, because of how I left things 4 months ago.  However, over the past 7 weeks, things have changed.  Yesterday I had full intentions of Mr. J picking me up from the airport (and he planned on doing so), but last night I changed my mind.  I'm not ready to see him.  I don't know when I will be.  For now I'm ok with my decision and am going to move forth with a smile on my face and a book in my hand!

Yes, I was posing in front of the red wall, not because I do this every day, but because I had to send in a picture of myself for the job I didn't keep.  Gosh I miss that hair.