Where did this past week go?

I've been so busy lately... I'm so glad it's Friday! :)

I have quite a few things to work on this weekend, but at least I'll get to sleep in a couple days. I love sleeping in on the weekends. I love the feeling that I get when I know I don't have to get up. No plans, no schedules, it's great.

Let's see, about that caffeine. Over all, I'm failing miserably with that. I'm vowing to start fresh today and see if I can stick to it.

Deanna, I'm thinking of you and hoping you are having a fabulous vacation... with no caffeine! ;)
Sonda, thanks for checking up on me. Hope Baylee is doing better today. Poor little chick. :(
Melissa, where's my phone call???? Huh? I'm waiting! ;)
Tracy, I'm working on a little something for ya! :)

Not much else to report.

Happy Friday everyone!

Hugs,
Dana

It's not coffee...

Day 1 : No caffeine.

This was my morning drink. It's a vanilla creamer/ chocolate syrup concoction. Thank you Tracy for reminding me of how I've replaced one vice with another. Caffeine for sugar... sigh... I just can't win. ;) LOL!

Ok... so the sugar thing I'll put off for another challenge. :)

Anyhow... I am headache free so far. Deanna... how are you doing this morning? No Coke for you! :)

In other news, last night we watched The Pussycat Dolls: Search for the Next Doll... {Don'tchya wish ya girlfriend was HOT like me?} :)

It was fun... totally makes me wish I was in better shape and 10 years younger though. LOL... I want those moves! Guess I better give up the sugar, too, eh? Sigh.... and dust off the treadmill!

Have a great day!
Hugs,
Dana

The future...

This is one of my favorite stamps. The sentiment is just so perfect and reminds me of life's infinite promise. We don't know what the future holds in store for us. I like to believe that I have great things coming my way. :)

Gail, my Oncology nurse called me yesterday afternoon. My Thyroid is normal... (yay!) so it's becoming more than obvious to me that I need to make the difficult sacrifice and give up caffeine. Ugh... it's just that I love it so.

So... water here I come! My goal is to drink more water and give up caffeine. Wish me luck! ETA: Deanna... consider yourself challenged! ;)

Oh.. I keep forgetting to mention that Lynn, owner of I am a Scrapaholic invited me to be their Visiting Therapist for March. Isn't that neat? Better yet, the kit showcases some of Natalie's Dream Street papers! I could play with those all day. Actually... I have played with them all day. ;)

Anyhow, I'll be issuing some fun challenges throughout the month and randomly choosing winners to receive some little RAKs... so stop by and play. :)

Well, that's all for today.

Hugs,
Dana

Mammo Update...

Breathing a BIG HUGE sigh of relief here... got the all clear from my Oncologist this morning. My "girls" are free of suspicious lumps. I love being "Normal."

He requested blood work to test my thyroid function because I've had a few dizzyish kind of spells and a few heart flutters... but we are both thinking it may be more related to caffeine than any real problem. Better to be safe , right? Guess the caffeine really needs to go though, huh?

Hugs!
Dana

Bunnies, Mammograms and Mysterious Paths!

Spring is definitely in the air. It's quite cold, about 20 degrees, and there's about 18 inches of fresh snow on the ground... but the birds are singing like crazy. I have the windows cracked just a little so I can hear them chatter away. I even hear a cardinal singing... love that! It just makes me smile.

Bunnies... we have a couple that live under the garden sheds in the yards of our two neighbors. Sometimes, one hangs out under the deck we have by our pond, too. A special treat for me is to look out in our yards and see the bunny tracks in the snow. They are so cute. On sunny days, this little bunny comes out just far enough from the shed to catch some rays of sun. I look for it every day.

Last night, there was a full moon and I got up around midnight to see if I could catch a glimpse of a bunny. Right outside my bedroom window we have a patch of raspberries and the twigs are a favorite munching spot in the wintertime. (FYI... dear hubby hates that!) Sure enough, I looked down and there was one! It was so cute as it stretched it's little body and then scampered off. I went back to bed a happy girl! :)

Mammograms... in the life of a cancer survivor... it's an absolute necessity to keep up with the yearly scan of the naughty little things! I had mine on Friday. This is the second one I've had since my initial diagnosis in 2005. Last time, they gave me my results right away... but this time I wasn't so lucky. I have my appointment with my Oncologist on Monday morning so they said they'd have the results for me at that time. I try not to worry, but I admit I have that nagging little fear nipping at my heels all the time.

It's not like worrying will make the outcome any different so I'm not sure why I do it. It's just my nature I guess. I regularly scare myself into thinking that I feel something... only to convince myself that I'm being ridiculous. ;)

I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to get the mammograms. It's a relatively simple thing that could save your life. If you should have scheduled one and haven't, please just do it. Putting it off could mean the difference between life and death. Cancer found in an early stage is a very good thing. I'm living proof!

My talented husband... oh yes... he's not just handsome! He was interviewed by our regional newspaper! He's a fabulous nature photographer and loves to share his work with others. It's a hobby that is so rewarding for our entire family as we are all nature lovers. Anyway, take a look at the wonderful article written by Kara Hildreth. There's even a little video they made to showcase a few of his photos.
Farmington This Week

Hugs,
Dana

Dreaming of Spring...

I am so tired of winter and so ready for Spring.

One year, for Mother's Day, Scott and Kristofer gave me an outdoor web cam and we positioned it right above a Robin's nest that was under our deck. It was so neat to watch the babies grow and leave the nest. I'm such a nature girl!

Unfortunately, the power on the web cam kept needing to be rebooted and the web cam got returned to the store... but that was after I had the full bird watching experience! ;)

Here's a digi LO I made that really makes me smile. For me, having the little birds in my yard is one of life's little pleasures. Too bad I have at least a couple more months to go before the little cuties show up in these parts.

Hope you have some glimpses of Spring where you are.

Hugs,
Dana

Cyber Hugs and Dishcloths...

are "little" gestures of kindness that really take up huge spots in my heart.

For some reason, I started to always sign my name "Hugs, Dana." I'm not sure when or why exactly, it's just something that sort of stuck with me. I'm one of those incurably cheese-ball types that cries over Hallmark commercials and cute animal stories. I'm very tenderhearted and I always have been. (Much to my grandmother's gentle nudging of my need to "face life." I try Grams, I really do!)

I'm also normally a very positive and optimistic person. My friends and neighbors tease me and recall now and then what happens on the rare occasion I have a couple too many glasses of wine. I become Mrs. Motivational Speaker touting the personal power to succeed at whatever you put your mind to.... and on and on. I am likely the polar opposite of the "mean drunk!" ;)

Well, that's me...most of the time. However, I am only human and I do have my moments of less than optimistic behavior. Good thing they don't happen too often!

Anyway... back to cyber hugs and dishcloths! Thank you Tracy and Alexis for sending cyber hugs! They made me smile and really lifted my spirits.

And Tracy... I received the package today with my discs and lint roller... LOL!... and I am tickled pink you sent me a dishcloth! What a special little treat! Coincidence... I think not! ;)

I am very lucky to have made connections with so many wonderful people through the technology of cyber space! I am so happy to be one of the Dream Street girls!

HUGS!
Dana

Despite my most ardent of efforts...

I still get scared.

For some reason, I decided to check the forums over at Breast Cancer.org . I don't read too much over there because I have a tendency to let that reality fill my soul and it makes it really hard for me to live my life.

Within seconds, I saw a thread that filled me with fear and those awful burning tears welled up. Gianina, NoSurrender, is a woman that helped my group of "Junies 2005" get through our treatment. She is a Survivor and a very encouraging, kind woman. She was a tremendous source of strength and hope to us "newbies". She was always there for us with lots of information to make our treatment road a bit smoother. She gave us a TON of her time. She really means a lot to me, as do the other women I have come to know from that board.

G, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer again. She had made it past that glorious and hopeful 5-year mark that we all pray arrives. I am angry, sad and scared. I guess I just need to let it out somewhere and throwing the emotion into cyberspace seems good right now. This is not something I like to "burden" my family with as it does no good to frighten them and remind them of just how absolutely crummy this stupid disease is... they already know that.

I hate cancer. I am still reeling from my dear friend's husband's recent diagnosis of Stage 4 Colon Cancer and now this. These are such wonderful people... where is the cure?

I live each day with that nagging fear of recurrence or a new cancer forming and most of the time I am successful at pushing it far back into the depths. But sometimes... reality is too much for me and I can't fight it off. This is one of those moments. It will pass and my usual optimism will come back in full force because I believe with all my heart that it's the only way to live and cherish life... but it's so hard. It's just so hard to not feel so much because I have been there... I know that fear, intimately.

I guess it's good to have a good cry now and then. I feel a bit better just getting this off my shoulders. Life is just so precious and being healthy is such a gift.

I love this photo of a sunrise I took some months ago. I am thankful, more than anyone could ever know, for each day I am gifted to live.

Hugs,
Dana

When I was a little girl...

I used to love Holly Hobbie and all her friends.

I have a vague memory of a Holly Hobbie Birthday party I once had and can even picture in my mind the cute little prairie style dress I wore to the event. I had Holly Hobbie's friends, pj's, lunch box, sewing machine, and purse with doll, too. I wish I still had these items, but I guess I didn't know then that I would treasure them so much now! Darn!

Maybe it's my desire to simplify my life that's drawing me back to her. To me, she symbolizes a feeling of innocence and reminds me to step back and take notice of the little things in my everyday life that I truly treasure.

I started looking on Ebay for a vintage doll to sit on my shelf because the newly fashioned ones are just not the same. That cozy feeling is just not there with the new design. Anyway, I happened across the Classic Holly Hobbie website. I had no idea that a vintage style version of my dearly remembered Holly was once again being released . I considered the "new" classic briefly. She's cute an all... but I think I still need the original.

Hhmmm... this little charmer is currently on Ebay looking for a good home... Isn't she just the cutest!

In other news, my new paper collection for Dream Street Papers is now available. It's bright and fun and named for a very sweet girl, Baylee Tadlock. I am so excited to get to meet her in real life at Winter CHA. Her mom is so nice and I am ever inspired by her courage and love in dealing with Baylee's disability. Two very fun and deserving people to celebrate!

Hugs,
Dana

Because I "FELT" like it...

Ha, ha... ;) (I know... I'm a doof!)

So as I mentioned before, I was feeling crafty and went into my closet in search of something "fun" to do instead of clean the house or do laundry! I saw my pile of felt in these gorgeous colors and it reminded me of a little sewing book my grandma has in her sewing box. It's a simple felt book where she stores thread, needles, pins, etc. It's very cute and I thought maybe I could fashion and album of sorts using that idea. Hence... my light bulb moment! :)

These cute little albums are the result. They are about 4.5"x 5.5" or so. They have 5 felt pages on the inside. On the one I finished, I added a strip of felt for the closure and sewed on the button. I also made the little flower and stems which I stitched onto the cover. I think it turned out really cute.

I think it would be fun to dig into my stash of paper scraps and sew paper pages onto the felt pages and make a mini album out of it. I know there are lots of fun felt items on the market now and with CHA around the corner, there are bound to be more.

I got carried away and made quite a few though... so if anyone wants one, let me know. (I'm not so sure I can use all these!) It was about $2 to make this little project, so quite inexpensive. I think I may try some in other sizes or shapes even.

Let me know what you think.

Hugs,
Dana

I'm feelin' crafty...

I have many loves and crafting in general is quite high on the list. I love being creative and turning basic elements into something useful, interesting or just pretty to look at.

I haven't felt particularly inspired with scrapbooking lately so I decided to step back and have some play time with some long neglected collections of goodies in my "studio"... well, spare bedroom... but studio sounds so much more fun and fancy... don't ya think?

So as I stood in my closet eyeing up the possibilities, I had one of those light bulb moments. Those are so very awesome. It's wonderful when I get that "what a cool idea" thought in my head. I sure wish it happened more often. LOL!

Anyway, I suppose this is a bit of a teaser thread as the idea hasn't come to fruition yet... but I'm going to get busy with that so check back soon!

Hugs,
Dana

(P.S. Cute FELT flower and extras all by Shabby Princess!)

Let me try this one more time...

I'm back. Let the games begin... or something!

I decided I should give blogging another try. I've met so many crafty, talented, cool chicks this way...
I miss that!

Check back soon for some actual content. ;)

Hugs,
Dana