Wednesday, November 27, 2013

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

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

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

Monday, November 11, 2013

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