Happy New Year

Wow did this year go by fast.  I am very blessed to have this time with my family.  2013 was a good year for me.  I have found peace and my life is less stressful.  A lot is because my wonderful husband takes good care of me.  He always asks "Are you happy" and makes sure that each and every day is spent enjoying moments.  We live each day with happiness and especially blessings that we are together.  My sons and grandkids give me hope and push me to keep the fight on.  It's hard sometimes because I don't have many good days but there are so many people out there that have it worse than me.  I pray for those who are suffering with awful diseases.  I see it each and every week I go to chemo.  It really makes you appreciate life and what you have.

Christmas was a blast!  We had our celebration at Mark and Erin's new house.  There house is a lot bigger than mine and it was great!  We had about 25 over including Nonnie's great grandchildren.  It was so cute to see the little ones open presents and just playing together.  It reminds me of when I was a little girl and we would spend every Christmas with our cousins.

Mark and I are leaving on New Year's Eve to spend 6 days at the lake.  I am really looking forward to the peace and quiet.  Of course Mark wants to spend time at his favorite place Konocti Casino and I will visit with my sister and her grand kids.  We will have dinner with friends and Nancie and Steve will be coming on Friday so we will spend the weekend with them.  Fun times ahead!!!

So wishing all a very Happy New Year!  My prayers for the New Year is that it will be full of good health and happiness.  Remember every moment is a gift!  Things are not what brings happiness to your life.  It is the people you love who bring happiness in your life.  Love with all your heart and always make every moment count!

Love,
Debbie

THIS IS WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT!!!!!

Christmas Time Traditions

 

 

Gingerbread House Building 2013

 

 

Hailey building her roof

Markie's gingerbread house

 

 



 

Nonnie and Cashious building his gingerbread house

 

"Wow what a smile"  Ashanti's beautiful gingerbread house.

 

Angelina was so proud she did it all by herself

 

Baby Jazmae

 

 

Sissy Kathy built a gingerbread house for her 3 grand kids

 

 

This year I made 10 gingerbread houses.  It was such a special moment seeing each child decorate their houses.  Even the big kids love it!  Last night we were at Nancie's house decorating her house and her grandson Riven's house.  Mark and Steve joined in and it was so cute watching the big guys help Riven decorate his house.  These are special moments I will always cherish!!!!

 

Still not ready for Christmas.  This week was not so good.  Had Valcade on Tuesday with Decadron and started Cytoxan on Sunday and finished yesterday.  So of course today I'm so tired and sore. But the good news is that my numbers are down to 30 (4 away from the top normal range).  What a blessing!!!  I do get to treat myself to a facial this afternoon.  So I will have some relaxation.  This weekend I'm hoping I'm not going to be too sick and finish shopping including food shopping for Christmas dinner.  Everyone is coming to Mark and Erin's new house.  It's so big and will be able to hold all of us.  Maxwell is coming home Monday.  So excited to see him.  Then for New Year's my hubby is taking me away for six days to our lake house.  I can't wait to just eat, sleep and relax.

 

I am so grateful to have another Christmas to spend with my family and friends.  I hope you will say a prayer for those less fortunate and be thankful for all that you have.  That doesn't mean the new car or new sweater it means the family, health and happiness you have in your life.

 

Wishing all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  Enjoy every moment because the only gifts that are worth it this year is the moments you share with love ones.

 

Love,

Debbie

Happy Thanksgiving!!

My most favorite holiday, Thanksgiving.  I am so blessed to be celebrating another Thanksgiving.  I thank God for every moment I can spend with my family and friends.

This year I will be having Thanksgiving at my house.  My Mom, sister Mary, Matt, Markie, Erin and of course my little angels Markie and Hailey will be here.  Sad but Maxwell will not be able to join us.  He will be here for Christmas.

Mom and I will be cooking up a storm today.  First on the list and the star of the show is gnocchi.  What would Thanksgiving be without our gnocchi.  Next roasting yams and carrots, Nana is making the stuffing and we will prepare ahead Cheesy Squash.  I'm so excited to have my family here and cooking for them is my passion.  Sissy will be making chocolate and banana cream pies.  Yummy!

I decided to take a Dexadron break this week.  I really had a hard time two weeks ago when I had to take Valcade, Dexadron and Cytroxan.  Wow kicked my butt.  We were in Chico and I couldn't even get off the couch at Danny and Diane's house.  It was awful.  So this week had Valcade yesterday and hopefully won't have too many side effects.

Mark, Markie and Markie (my grandson) will be spending the day together on Friday at the Shark's game.  All three are so excited.  I will be at home making gingerbread houses.  My Christmas tradition is getting bigger.  I have a total of 9 houses to make this year.  It brings me such joy to see my grandkids and grand nieces/nephews and I can't forget Riven (Nancie's grandson) my donor little sisters, Ashanti and Angelina decorating their gingerbread houses.  It is a tradition I have done for many years and makes me feel so blessed.

So here is wishing all a Happy Thanksgiving and stop and enjoy every moment!

Love,
Debbie

My New License Plate

 

Gift Life

 

 

So "GIFTLF" will be where pnkdot is on the above sample of the license plate.  The license plate will have the pink dot "Donor" Save Lives and the words "Be An Organ & Tissue Donor". 

My hope is that people will ask me about the license plate which will allow me to share my story of the "Gift of Life".

So very excited!  Won't be here for about 10-12 weeks but good things come when you wait.

Reserve your plate today!!!!

Love,
Debbie

INSPIRE!!!!

 

 

 

 

Love,

Debbie

Have You Done It Yet!!!

Let me explain what I mean by "Have You Done It Yet?" Please take care of your body and get a mammogram done.  I watch Good Morning America each day and was so touched this morning by Amy Robach's announcement that she has breast cancer.  She did not have a mammogram until last week when her producers asked her to do a special on mammograms.  They were hoping it would encourage other women to do the same.  Amy agreed and disclosed that she had never had one and she was now 42.  This morning she announced the results of the mammogram and she has breast cancer.  She will undergo a full mastectomy on Thursday and later reconstruction surgery.  She is very brave.  One blessing is that from all of this the public has shown its support and many women are now doing mammograms.  It is so important to take a mammogram each year, especially if it is in the family.  Diagnosing breast cancer early you can be a survivor.  We have so many angels who have died from this horrible disease.  Have You Done It Yet?

As for me, not looking forward to this week.  Tomorrow I will have Valcade along with my favorite drug Dexadron.  I will start Cytroxan on Friday.  My hope is that by the time the side effects from Cytroxan hit I will be over the effects of Dexadron.  We are going to Chico to visit Danny and Diane this weekend but am afraid I will be out of it on Friday.  Well have to wait and see.

The new Graton Resort and Casino is now open.  I'm so happy.  I don't have to drive Mark 40 minutes to River Rock on the terrible small road.  I can drive him to Graton Casino 10 minutes away and if I don't want to pick him up he can take a cab.  It is so beautiful inside.  Not your typical Indian casino.  Looks just like Las Vegas casinos.  We went on Thursday night and had hamburgers at the Habit.  Good hamburger. fries and drinks for $17.  Don't think I will be trying the fancy restaurant when a steak will cost you $56 for just the steak.  I can cook a better steak at home for that price including a salad, potato, vegetable and bottle of wine.    We do want to go for breakfast on a Sunday.  I think the restaurant Daily Grill serves breakfast and has reasonable prices for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The smoking is a problem still but with the very high ceilings its not so bad.

Mark is working tonight and today he was so nice and did a lot and I mean a lot of honey dos.  He touched up the living room and bedroom, hung family pictures, painted the outside doors red and painted the metal screen door black.  So happy tonight looking around at all the things that are finally done.  Not that they are important but my home is my peace of mind.  My backyard is my sanctuary.  I love just sitting there for hours watching the birds feeding and bathing, enjoying the colors of all the flowers still blooming in my garden.  I feel so blessed.

Happy Birthday to Evelyn my donor Mom.  Love you so very much.  Can't wait to see you and the girls soon.  Gingerbread house building will be first week of December.  Enjoy every moment!

Had a great day on Monday with my grand kids.  Markie and I made pancakes and cookies.  He loves to cook.  We play in the playhouse and they pretended to go to work and back home again.  I love their little minds and just the things they come up with. 

Looking forward to Thanksgiving.  Having it here at my house.  Just my little family.  Maxwell will not be able to come but will be home for Christmas.  I really miss him.  Mom and I will be cooking the traditional Thanksgiving with turkey stuffing yams mash potato gravy glazed carrots green bean casserole, Wow I'm getting hungry already.  I'm going to do a fresh beet salad too.  I have a new recipe I want to try.  Mark loves beets and I know he will love this.  We have a lot to be thankful for this year!

Enjoy the pictures!  Every moment is a gift!

Love,
Debbie

Prayers

Please say prayers for Debbie Looney.  I don't want to say exactly but she needs our thoughts and prayers at this time.  Life is so precious and at this time moments mean so much.  My hope is that Debbie will fight and enjoy those precious moments she has yet to enjoy.

Love,
Debbie

It's Been A While!!!

Yes, I know it's been a while but just didn't have it in me to write about all that has been going on.  But the past few weeks I realized its time and I need the mental relief to get things out.  So here it goes!

The last post looks like it was in March when the family went to Lake Tahoe for our yearly trip.  As you can see it was the best!  Waking up each morning to Markie and Hailey running in our room and getting in bed with Papa and Nana.  What a moment!

To speed up to what has been happening.  As for my health, all is steady.  My numbers are really low at 34 which normal is 26.  The second chemo I take each month really does it but wow it really does me in too.  This week is not a good week and all I feel like doing is crying.  I'm sore, tired, sick and everything else in between.  It sucks!!!  But its working and I celebrated my 5 year since heart transplant.  I went down to heart transplant on October 1st for all the big tests for two days.  Dr. Dana performed the procedures and she said the heart is "PERFECT"  I already knew that.  All is good and I won't have to go back for a year unless I'm having problems.  I'm so blessed to have been given this gift and living 5 years longer.  I do not take anything for granted and appreciate my life.  Mark and I have learned to live simple and it is so freeing to live this way.  I wish we would have done it a long time ago.  Stress kills and I live my life with little or no stress as possible.  It is not good for my treatment and I have to keep fighting this terrible disease.  So as for the heart and the disease everything is good news!

Kevin Anderson, as many of you remember, is the doctor who had a heart transplant and has the same disease.  He just published his book "The Middle of Infinity" and I am in the book.  I love reading it but have taken it very slow.  It puts me in that space when I had the heart transplant and stem cell transplant and reading about the things he went through brings back too many things.  I don't want to say they are bad or good cause some were both.  Its just hard to put yourself back in that space.  I can't even go back on this blog and look at the early posts from 5 years ago.  It just hurts!

Now let me talk about the most important people in my life:

Mark and Erin are doing wonderful.  They just brought a new home in Rincon Valley.  Beautiful home in a cul-de-sac with built in pool and spa, big backyard for the kids, quiet street and most importantly the right schools and of course Rincon Valley Little League.

Markie will be 4 in April.  He is going to pre school and loves it finally.  It took a few weeks of him taking 4 minutes to say goodbye to Daddy but now he could care less.  He still loves to watch all kinds of sports including football, hockey and baseball.  He truly has taken after his dad for his skills.  He plays hockey with 16 year olds and scores on them with no problem and he loves to play baseball with me.

Hailey will turn 2 in December.  What can I say but she is truly a little bug.  Very petite in size and just loves to look at all the jewelry I wear.  She walks around with her bracelets on her arm holding her purse and baby.  She is a girlie girl just like her mommy.\

I'm so blessed to have lived long enough to share this moments with my grand kids.  It is the BEST!

Ok next is Matthew.  What can I say.  He is a gem.  He is my gentle soul who takes care of me.  He is very successful and enjoys life to the fullest.  One thing he has learn from me is to do it now, don't wait.  I'm blessed to have had the opportunity to travel before I found out I was sick.  I have so many wonderful memories of Italy and the other counties I traveled to.  Just sad that I won't be able to go back.  I don't do well traveling long distances on a plane.  Matt is living in San Francisco but will be relocated to Los Angeles.  I'm really trying to get him to move here.  I would love it!

We just spent 5 days in San Diego with Maxwell.  Had a great time.  He is going to school full time and working full time.  He is loving life.  He lives with his friend Brian from hockey and his girlfriend Christina in a beautiful condo.  I spent each day cooking his favorite meals like ham and scalloped potato, pasta and chicken parm.  We went to dinner and Max took us to Coronado for a wonderful lunch on the ocean.  It was a perfect 5 days.  Miss him so much but feel better knowing he is doing just fine.  Mark and I took him out shopping for a new comforter and sheets for his bed.  He is really into the inspirational sayings like I have all over my home.  He picked out two new ones for his room.  I love it love it!

Nana is doing great.  She has her pains from time to time.  We enjoy each other's company and do a lot of things together.  I don't know where I would be without her and I pray to God she is here for a long time because I need her.  I feel so sorry at times for what I have put her through.  Watching your daughter go through a heart transplant, stem cell transplant and the 100+ heart biopsy.  She is tough and I need her strength to keep fighting this disease.

Mark is doing great too.  He and I can't wait for him to retire.  He hates the commute.  Its really getting to him.  Lately, like tonight, he has to work nights.  It is so hard on him.  I wish he could retire now.  Its just the medical expense that keeps him there until he can get Medicare.  So in the mean time we wait.  He has been very busy this summer with repaints which is good and bad.  Good for the extra but bad for what it does to him.  He's 63 and needs to slow down but that won't happen anytime soon.

Mark built me a pizza oven for our anniversary in April.  I love it.  It has taken a while to get use to cooking pizza in it but wow the pizza is soooo good.  My backyard is my peace.  I love what Mark has done.

Haven't been to the trailer in a few weeks and won't be going for awhile.  This weekend is our Salvato family reunion in San Bruno.  I am really looking forward to that but I probably won't be feeling very good but I'm going.  My Mom will be the oldest Aunt there.  She cannot miss it.

October 27th is our big Steeler and Raider party.  Our neighbor (tenant in the big house) Nancie and her friends are Raider fans.  All though the night we interviewed her she looked around our house and said her favorite team was Steelers HAHA.  She is an RN and watching over me.  She has been a god sent.  We had the first party last year and it was a blast.  So this year its pizza and my homemade ravioli lasagna.  Can't wait!  Nancie also brought a trailer in the same park we have ours.  Her boyfriend Steve and her are there which makes it so fun.  We have became a family and it feels good to have them close by.

Well hope this wasn't too wordy but I needed the time to get things out.  My family has been so upset that I have not posted for a long time.  Next come pictures.

Enjoy every moment because every moment is a gift!!!

Love,
Debbie

 

My Little Bug Hailey

 

So Proud!  My Nephew Anthony was awarded "Apprentice of the Year in Sonoma County"

 

Little Markie playing in their pool

 

What can I say!  My two boys Maxwell and Matthew about to go out together on the town.

 

My silly grand kids

Lake Tahoe Vacation with My Family

So many beautiful moments with my family!  I'm enjoying every moment!

 

 

 

Love,

Debbie

Sick Again!

My results from the chest x ray on Friday showed pneumonia in the right lower lobe and collapse of the lung on left side.  That is why I'm feeling so sick and have so much pain.  Dr. Akhtar finally gave me stronger pain meds and hopefully it starts to work.  I'm having a hard time breathing.  We had a long talk today and decided that until the pneumonia is gone for good he is telling Stanford I do not want my Cytoxan increased to 350mg.  My body cannot take it anymore.  The pneumonia could be drug (Cytoxan) related and not from a cold or cough.  I'm not sick in that way but feeling fatigue and in a lot of pain.  My body is saying "ENOUGH"!

I don't even know if I should watch my grand kids on Thursday.  Mark's Mom is visiting and hasn't seen the kids.  I told Markie lets see how I feel and how they feel.  Hailey had a fever today but they think it was her teeth.  I can't take the chance and he knows it too.  Just have to wait and see.  I miss them so much.  I didn't have them last week because Markie had a cough.  Nonnie and I want to see them this week hopefully.

It is going to be a beautiful weekend and I'm hoping to go to the lake.  Jeff and Christine are going to put their boat in the lake and maybe if I'm feeling good I can go for a boat ride.  Just being there makes me so happy.

Please say prayers for Kourtney and Brenden and the little twins.  I hate this so much because it brings back awful memories.  I just hope and pray them will be ok. 

Make time to enjoy the simple things in life and above all... make every moment count.

Love,
Debbie

It Was A Mystery

The last four months I have been experiencing pain in my chest lung area.  This time it happen last week and it is really painful.  Of course, the first thing I think of is my beautiful heart.  Am I having a heart attack or is the heart rejecting?  What is it?

My tenant and to be honest new friend is a nurse.  Nancie and I were talking about how each month since November I have had this pain.  She is so in tune with my health issues and I thank God she is so close.  The pain according to the specialist Dr. Shaprio is plurecy or inflammation of the lining of the lung.  Nancie kept saying "you keep getting it right after finishing the course of Cytoxan".  So this time she was right.  I finished Cytoxan on Tuesday and by Thursday I am in so much pain.  Mom and I spent 5 hours at Kaiser on Friday doing lab work, x rays and seeing doctors.  I told the doctor what Nancie had said, "is this a side effect of Cytoxan".  She did not know but called Dr. Sharpiro and together they review the side effects of Cytoxan and found that 1%, yes one percent, of patients experience plurecy pain after taking Cytoxan.  Guess who the 1% is? ME!  I think what happen is when Dr. Schrier increased my Cytoxan dosage from 250 to 300 or the chemo is building up in my body.  So I'm on antibiotics and another steroid until I start Dexadron tomorrow.  I have to talked to Dr. Schrier about what has been happening and how we can change it.

After all that, I got lamha light chain count and it is at 48.  That is incredible!  I have to get to 26 which is the normal range.  I'm hoping Dr. Schrier will be happy about the 48 and think about cutting back on my treatment.  He was even thinking about increasing the dosage again to 350.  With this new development I don't want to do this.  We will see.

Next month is my six month checkup with heart transplant.  Good news is that I don't have to have a heart biopsy.  The heart biopsy will only be once a year on anniversary date. 

I had to cancel my Vegas trip which to be honest I was so happy.  If I would have gone this past weekend I would have been is so much pain.  Not much fun.  Next month we have the trip to Lake Tahoe with my family.  I'm so excited.  Little Markie talks about going to the snow all the time.  It will be so much fun!

Please pray for Kourtney and Brenden's little babies.  Kourtney is 29 weeks along and she is in UCSF now.  They will not let her go home because the baby boy is showing signs of stress.  I'm so glad because she is in the right place.  She will most likely stay until the babies are born.  The little girl is doing good but they are tiny.  Please say prayers!

So true!  Every moment is a gift!

Love,
Debbie

Another Sad Day

Rest in Peace Uncle Mike

 

Uncle Mike was my dad's first nephew and to be honest was the same age as my dad.  He passed away yesterday from a heart attack.  So sad!

 

My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

 

Another angel in heaven.

 

Love,

Debbie

Yesterday and Tomorrow

 

Are these words true!

 

 

The last few months have been extremely hard.  I have been sick every week with either the flu, a cold or a cough.  So I made a decision to cancel my trip to Las Vegas next weekend.  I'm sad but it's the right thing to do at this time.  I don't want to go and get sick.  I'm so scared because every time I have gotten sick it comes on quick.  So I plan to spend a relaxing weekend at home.

 

This week I took Velcade and Dex on Tuesday.  I started the monthly course of Cytoxan yesterday and will continue for the next 5 days.  I'm still at 300 mg but the increase from 250 to 300 was definitely a change.  Dr. Schrier wants to push it up again to 350 mg.  I will be taking my labs on Monday to see where my numbers are and he will decide then.  I hope and pray they have come down or at least stayed the same.  I'm so scared to go up on the Cytoxan to 350.  I know it will kick my butt.  I just want to feel better.  I just have not felt good in months.

 

I'm really looking forward to going to Tahoe next month with my family.  The Kent house is beautiful.  I hope I can do this every year.  The moments are so special.

 

Have a wonderful weekend!  Follow your dreams!

 

Love,

Debbie

What Makes Me Happy!

 My Little Hailey Bug

 

 

Markie and Addison at the Super Bowl Party

 

 

My grand kids make me happy!  I continue to fight for my family!  I want to spend every moment I have making moments that take my breath away.

 

Don't count the minutes, count the laughs!

 

Love,

Debbie

Sick Again! Really!

Yes sick again!  Spent the entire morning until 2PM at Kaiser for x rays, doctor appointments, chemo and waiting for medicine at the pharmacy.  I hate being sick!

So Dr. Couglin said no pneumonia, which was so great to hear but having problems again breathing.  She gave me antibiotics and an inhaler.  She did prescribed cough medicine but of course pharmacy after an hour did not have it ready.  I just could not wait.  I was feeling awful.

My son Matthew is having surgery on Thursday.  I will be caring for him after surgery at his house in Emeryville.  So these magic pills better start working FAST!  I'm not going to let him go there without me.  Dr. Couglin said wear your mask at all times.  I'm not contagious because its going on over a week now but I will be careful around him.

I can't wait for summer to come.  This cold is really getting to me.  Going to Vegas next month and hopefully it will be warmer.  Looking forward to spending time at a nice hotel and doing a lot of window shopping.  I don't need anything!  All I want is to spend time with my sister and my son Matt.  It will be fun hanging with Matthew and his friends.  They are staying at Aira in a suite.  Of course, Matt knows how to work it and will be going to Matrix for the night life.  Annie and I will be in bed by then watching the fountains at Bellegio from our room.  Can't wait!  I'm going to Vegas and Mark and the guys are going to Reno.  Guess what they will be doing!!!!

I have been working on redecorating my little house here.  Just finished the guest room and tomorrow will be my first trip to Ikea.  Now everyone says it is just like Costco and those of you know how much I love Costco.  Matt is taking me there because he lives right there and my only purchase will be baskets in different colors, textures and styles.  I'm trying to make a collection of cool baskets over my closet to hide the storage stuff.  Everyone said Ikea has the cheapest baskets, so we are going shopping.

I'm also redoing the back splash in the trailer at the lake.  I found a beautiful glass Italian tile in a wine and burgundy color with a splash of browns, black and gold.  That matches my new counter tops perfect.  The back splash is a focal point when you first walk into the trailer and the beautiful tile will definitely set it off.  I love my little places!

Well as you all know from my last post my dad passed away on Saturday.  Although I have not seen or spoke to him for over 5 years it still hurts.  He was very very sick and I know in my heart that he is in a better place now.  He died not knowing about my medical issues and I just hope he will look over me now.  It's very sad and it hurts but I have peace knowing he is out of pain and with my Nana Salvato.  Rest in peace daddy, finally!

Watching my Sharks play again tonight and hoping for another win.  This game will be tuff because the Oilers are a really good team.  5 on 3 and we just scored!!!!

Have a wonderful week and stay healthy!!

Love,
Debbie

Rest In Peace Daddy

 

Rest in Peace Daddy

 

Love You Always,

 

Debbie

Catching Up

Wow can you believe its already January 10th.  I told my Mom yesterday I believe 2013 will be a good year.  I was right!

First good news was my light chain numbers went down to 67.5.  Not a big jump down but it is going down.  I meet with Dr. Schrier next week and was hoping for a low number because if not it means more chemo and who knows what else.  I am still taking Velcade every week and Dexadron every other week but the side effects are getting worse each month.  Dr. Akthar thinks its the Cytoxan because I taking such a high dose 300mg for 5 days each month.  I have had numbness in my fingers and feet, headaches, mouth sores and the usual nausea.  What can I say but if you are reading this be thankful every day for your health.

This weekend Mark and I are leaving for the lake house.  I am doing some upgrades like paint and tile to the little place.  It is going to be beautiful!  We are going to Ukiah on Sunday to see Todd and Sherrie Shapmire and spend the day with them.  It's been a while since we have seen them and we miss them.  I want to go to breakfast at that wonderful Calpella Restaurant.  The breakfast there is so good.  We are going to Grandma Shapmire's house to check out her kitchen she wants painted.  Saturday night I'm going to make Giada's pot roast at Jeff and Christine's trailer.  It takes 4 hours to cook and we will be eating there and watching the 49ers WIN!  GO NINERS!  Lots of fun and lots of good food.

Just booked my yearly trip to Las Vegas with my sister, Mary.  We will be staying at the Bellegio with a fountain view room.  Matt and his friends will be there the same weekend so I'm sure it will be lots of fun.  They have a suite at Cosmo and will be going to the most famous nightclub called Matrix.  Matt and Maxwell went there a few months ago and had a blast.  The pictures are proof but you know what they say "what goes on in Vegas stays in Vegas".  I won't be going to any bars but I do want to visit some friends who live there and go to the play "Menopause".

March I rented a beautiful 3 story home in Lake Tahoe.  The entire family will be going for our yearly snow trip.  I'm so excited.  Little Markie talks about going all the time.  The house we are renting has a 9 seat movie theater.  I plan to have a family movie night in our private theater.  The boys want to go snow boarding and of course Papa wants to hit the casinos.  Last year the house we rented was beautiful but too far from the casinos.  So this year I asked Heather to find us a house close to the casinos.  It's one mile away.  So that means they can walk home or take a cab.  Fun times to come.

My traveling is going to be close to home and no farther than an hour flight.  My body just cannot take the stress.  This summer I'm looking for a home on the beach in southern California for the family to spend a week.  It's about making moments and I'm going to do some living.

2013 will be a good year.  I can feel it!

BELIEVE!

Love, Debbie

So 2013 Begins

2013 has begun!  Spent 5 days are the lake house.  Woke up each morning to a beautiful sun rise over the lake.  It was cold but refreshing.  Went to breakfast yesterday at our favorite Sports Bar, Lyndell's Sport Stop Grill.  We have not been out to breakfast or dinner in a really long time.  Mainly, it is the money but also I'm a good cook and I hate paying for a lousy meal.  I have to say every time we go to Lyndell's it is always good food.  We saw Mike and I was so happy to hear his wife is doing better.  She is going through health issues like me and is on the liver transplant list.  My prayers and thoughts are with her. 

We also visited with Steve and Jane Bijork our neighbors at home.  They were RVing at the casino's RV park.  We met up with Nancie, our neighbor in the big house, and her friend Keith.  We went to Keith's house on the lake.  Beautiful home with all the goodies.  They joined us for breakfast and we had a great time.

 

Daddy's little girl

 

 

 

 

 

Daddy's little man

Are they the cutest!!!!!!

Well now I'm home and back to reality ie: bills, laundry, grocery shopping YUCK!!!!  Oh well at least I'm here to do it.  Have chemo tomorrow with Dexadron.  So the weekend won't be good.  Thursday I will be watching my grand kids at home.  Nonnie is coming over too.  I need the help.  Hailey is walking every where now and Markie loves to play with Nana.  We have lots of new toys to play with from Christmas.  I'm so excited to see them.

I hope and pray the year 2013 will be filled with good health, happiness and love.  I know each year I have made this same prayer but now it means so much to me.  LIFE=Be Thankful. Be nice to everyone.  Be happy and have fun. Live for today and above all.... make every moment count.

Love,
Debbie