2009 in a nutshell

I have been out for awhile, not thinking much about blogging, but its time to start. So, 2009 in a nutshell...then on with 2010!
January-February: Came in with a bang. I was back on Chemo, AGAIN, for a golf ball size mass under my left arm. It just didn't want to go away for some reason, and I was already sick of chemo. (Now all of this chemo business began in Feb 2003, when I was dx'd stage 4 Her2+ Breast Cancer) The rest of Jan was Doc apts, as well as playing with my babies (Lucy, Desi, & Mojo) I believe it was about this time Lucy got pregnant. Prayed they were Desi's puppies!!

March: Still on Chemo. Its working, but not as well as I would have hoped. I am still up running around, though :). April came down from Vancouver, Wa to visit for a week. She loved it & Wyatt did, too. They ended up moving here in August! Lucy had 5 babies on March 30th. 4 girls & 1 boy. we kept one for Wyatt, Sandy. The others were gone fairy quick! But no more for Lucy. She had to be fixed so I wouldn't stress as much.

April: Anthony & Blake became Catholic!!! I am so very proud of them. They did very well. I pray they live their life as they should. Of course, this was one of my many 'Proud moments.' The end of the month I went with Gail to a Woman's meeting for Church in Clarksville. I enjoyed it. Tagci sang for us the first night. She was beautiful!

May: I started a new chemo regiment after being sent to Sarah Cannon Cancer Center for a trial. I believe it was a Phase 1 trial. That meant much driving back & forth to Nashville, as well as scans & blood work...loads of them both! I did make it to a first annual SpringFest held by the Church in Shelbyville. Now that was fun! Plan on going again this year, too.

June-Aug: In all reality, my days were mostly filled with some sewing, and resting. Chemo seems to wear on me, until I just wear out completely. I have good days, but most are filled with naps :). After much prayer, I did decide to work on joining the Dominican Laity. 6 months of just a questioning-type stage, and I can make my first promises.

This brings us up to Aug-Sept, which is when I started this blog. I stopped chemo in Oct, and was told I was in Remission. Had a wonderful Thanksgiving with all the kids and felt pretty good. Made several batches of soap, which everyone loves....wish I could sell them, now....and continued my classes with the Laity.

Cliff & Tabatha moved out right after Thanksgiving to Murfreesboro. Tab had a job that was there and a long trip back & forth.

December: Dec 1st I saw Dr Gian. All was OK, and he again used the remission word. sounded nice, but I had had so many setbacks I was still a bit worried. Around the 9th, I had some left sided pain, and couldn't figure out what it was...well, I found this hard spot, and knew what it was. I called Dr Gian on the 8th, made an appointment for the 16th...had scans on the 18th, and saw him again on the 22nd. Verdict: Cancer, 3 spots, left side. I would be starting chemo, again on the 3th of Jan.
Christmas came & I found out Cliff & Tabatha were wanting to move back to Ohio. Talk about a shock! So between the chem, and my son, I was just a tab stressed. Right after Christmas, I found out they had put my grandmother in the hospital, and she wasn't eating. So, sometimes things do come in 3's....

a great sadness...

on Sept 13th, my sister-in-law passed away from cancer...she left behind a husband and 6 children, 3 of them are still n school. Melinda, 18, Carmen, 12; and Angie, 10. I flew out to Washington to meet my brother, Dennis, and rode down to OR with him to see John, and attend the funeral. Betty was a wonderful person. A very special person was received into Heaven on Sept 13th,

My son and his wife and children moved here from Ohio while I was gone. Yep, its a tad crowded, but I love my family and its really wonderful having them all around :). I taught my kids to be independant, but not to leave me !!!!

We had our annual picnic at Church this last weekend. Played BINGO while the kids played, and won...nothing! LOL, but it was fun,

Went to the doc's yesterday....I have a brain scan next week along with an eye exam, and scans all within the next 3 weeks. FUN........GRRRRRRRRR

I need to get back to sewing and getting things done....in fact, I need more soap, and need to do a little work on a few other things....so, tomorrow is a new day :)

Love-n-Blessings!!

Natural, Homemade, soap,

Today, April & I are going to make soap. Probably with oatmeal, and maybe with coconut oil. I may not scent these, so they will be a more natural. (of course you can find all my things in my store ;). I am playing around with making covers for the soaps, both adult and for kids. The kids will have 2 kinds, one a puppet style, and one will be a 2 piece style...The adult will probably be a wash cloth with initials, or flowers in a corner, wrapped with ribbon. Either way, I expect them to be cute :).

There are some really wonderful reasons for using handmade soaps, first of all, its environmentally friendly, so if you're going green, this is a great way to start!

12. Dissolve a few chips in hot water for laundry, you can use the water, afterwards in your garden as a natural pesticide.

11. kills head and body lice
10. psoriasis, eczema & acne
9. poison ivy & poison oak rash -rub in let dry on
8. keeps mosquitoes & chiggers away -rub in let dry on skin
7. relieves pain and itching from sunburn, mosquitoes or chigger bites & athlete's foot, just lather on and let it dry on skin.
6. tied in old sock at backs of tree prevents insect invasion
5. better than bleach on whites and removes stains- wet, rub, wash
4. put on hook for catfish bait
3. lather hides human scent for hunters
2. kills fleas & dander on pets
1. best for dirty mouthed kids

See eHow , Brambleberry , Lye Soap Are a few places you can take a peek, find out some uses, and see what you think.

I have been using my lye soap for over a year, using it as shampoo, I have not had to use any conditioners! Believe me, I have always needed conditioners. I use it for laundry soap, and will experiment with it in the garden next year. My kids like it, but my grand kids love it! Blake, my 10yo grandson, Christina & Jamey's child, would rather use the lye soap than anything.

Anyway, off for the day so I can get some of this done :).

Blessings!!!!!