Fun with Photoshop

This is a photograph

My Mom, My Hero

I just wanted to take a little of your time to talk about my mom. She has got to be one of the smartest most funny women I know. She's independent and vibrant. She can make anyone laugh with her charm. She's a nurturer, a friend, a mother, a grandmother. My mother is someone whom you can talk to and feel like she is actually listening to you because she wants to, because she loves you. She has been my beacon of light in some of my most darkest of times. Lost friendships, broken hearts, loneliness all seemed to be bearable with my mom by my side.

A couple of weeks ago, I got a phone call from her. Before telling me she made sure that everything was fine, not to worry. She told me she went into get her routine mammogram and they found a cancerous tumor. She was to have surgery to have it removed. Mom said that she would have to go through radiation therapy to make sure that all the cancer was gone.

The surgery went well, the tumor hadn't spread into the rest of her body, it seems they have gotten it all. Mom went to the doctor yesterday and found though that the tumor was advanced enough to have to have Chemo therapy. She goes in Thursday to see how much and how often she has to have it. My mother will lose her beautiful thick hair.

It KILLS me that I can't be there for her. She has been my best friend through everything that has happened in my life and now it is my turn to be there for her, I can't. I live 100s of miles away and have a family to take care of and with gas prices so high, I can't afford to drive. I feel guilty for not being closer. I should be there with my mother!!! I have decided that on her first day of therapy, I am going to shave all my hair. So since I am not close, I would like to ask all of you to keep her in your prayers and in honoring all mothers who are in the same battle as mine, wear something pink on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 11th. I know that there are those of you whom don't like pink, but I ask you to do this from the bottom of my heart. Make a donation, buy a ribbon, get examined...I never thought it would effect my family.....

Ethan's haircut

Ethan got his first haircut at a barbershop. I ususally cut his hair, but since we moved I can't find the clippers. We went to my friends uncle's shop.

my favorite!!!

You Are Garlic

Of all the spice types, you are the most universally loved. You get long with pretty much everyone, and you leave a lasting impression. You adapt yourself well to situations. You can fit in or stand out, depending on what you're called on to do.

http://www.blogthings.com/whatspiceareyouquiz/">What Spice Are You?

What a Weekend!!!

This last weekend was probably the best weekend we have had (weather wise) in about six months. It was warm and sunny! We got to work in our yard and go on a couple of walks. We went to the park across the street from the temple. Keysha wanted to make friends with anyone or anything that passed.....

My First Baby

Here you go mommies - a different kind of survey for a change - it's all about you and your first baby.



1. Were you married at the time?
hee hee hee, yes two months

2. What were your reactions?
elation and disappointment that people didn't have a more positive reaction

3. How old were you?
24

4. How did you find out you were pregnant?
I had taken a test two days before I missed my period and it was negative. I just knew I was so three days later during a commercial break from American Idol I took another test and it was positive. I brought it out to Eric and said: "you're going to be a daddy."

5. Who did you tell first?
Eric

6. Did you want to find out the sex?
YES

7. Due date?
October 11th, 12th or 13th

8.Did you deliver early or late?
4 weeks early

9. Did you have morning sickness?
umm little bit

10. What did you crave?
ha ha ha...sweet tarts and slurpies


11. Who irritated you the most?
Does anyone remember? HA HA EVERYONE

12. What was your child's sex?
Famly

13. How many pounds did you gain throughout the pregnancy?
I lost about 10....i was sick most of the pregnancy.

14. Did you have any complications during your pregnancy
I had infections galore and in the first trimester placenta previa (sp).

15.Where did you give birth?
Deaconess Medical Center

16. How many hours were you in labor?
Too many to count.

17. Who drove you to the hospital?
Eric...he got lost on the way even though we had been there several times before.

18.Who watched?
Dr's Nurses Eric and my mommy

19.Was it natural or c-section?
natural

20. Did you take medicine to ease the pain
Yes Please!

21.How much did your child weigh?
7 lbs 2 ozs

22.Did your child have any complications?
Her lungs didn't open right away and she had to be in NICU for about an hour.

23. What did you name baby?
Baeya Rose-I wanted a Belle or Bella and Baeya is the way you SAY Bella in Spanish

24. How old is your first born today?
3 going on 14



Okay mommies, re post this as "My first baby"

Beef Braciole

I got this recipe from a show from Food Network called Good Eats. I made this for my in-laws. It was really good. I didn't use fresh herbs, as it calls for but I think it still turned out pretty good! Amazingly enough it was pretty easy to make.

BEEF BRACIOLE
3 cups tomato sauce
1 1/4 cups flavored croutons
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
1 clove garlic
1 pound flank steak, pounded to 1/4-inch thick
Olive oil, for brushing
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil, for searing

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the tomato sauce in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and place in the oven to heat.
In a the bowl of a food processor mix the croutons, cheese, eggs, herbs and garlic until it forms a paste.
Brush the pounded flank steak with the olive oil and season generously with the salt and pepper. Spread the filling evenly over the meat. Roll tightly and tie with butcher's twine.
In a large saute pan heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and sear all sides of the rolled meat.
Remove from the pan.
Add to the hot tomato sauce, cover with a tin foil tent so that the foil is not touching the meat. Braise for 35 minutes or, up to 3 hours.

wordless week

Keysha Fosburg

This is the new baby in our family. Her name as you can tell from the blog title is Keysha. She is the biggest sweetheart!!! Keysha is a year and a half blood hound mix. It seems that she was abused and malnourished as a baby. She has also been in at least 5 homes. I happened to have found her at "adopt a pet day" at Petco. I was just naturally drawn to her. I brought her home and the family immediately fell in love with her. It seems that she loves the kids....especially Ethan! I took him to bed tonight and when I didn't come back downstairs with him, she had to go up and investigate where he had gone. When she was satisfied that he was in bed she finally came back down. I think it might stem from the fact that she had a litter and none of the pups survived. The lady that I adopted her from said that she stayed with her babies till the very end never leaving them. I think she might still posses those maternal instincts. Any which way you look at it so far she is perfect for our family and we hope that we will have her for many years to come.

Like Father Like Son

This is how I imagine my boys!

I feel myself slipping and I can't seem to catch myself. The nights are getting longer with each hour I stay awake. There are things on my mind but everyone has those times of their lives. Is it fair that I have had those types of nights for over a year now? I want to cry but the tears just don't come. My soul wants to scream in agony, but my body is numb. I am tired but sleep evades me. I love my husband, but I don't want to be near him. I am sad and angry, but don't know what about. I try, but seems that everything I do isn't being done. I ask for help, but no answer comes....am I asking wrong? Am I not hearing what I need to?