(Not-So) Wordless Wednesday ~ Bill and I on Memorial Day

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Welcome to Wordless Wednesday.... I'm looking forward to to seeing all of your photos, so if you leave a comment, please leave your email address so I can come on over and take a look.


These photos are from Memorial Day. Bill got dressed first and went downstairs while I was in the shower. Then I got the doggies and myself ready for the day. When I got downstairs, I looked at what Bill was

ACOR.ORG

Last weekend, I registered with acor.org (Association of Cancer Online Resources), which is basically a virtual cancer community with a variety of resources and support groups, including mailing lists and "message boards" for specific cancer types. Of course, I joined the Carcinoid Cancer Online Support Group, which is an unmoderated forum for patients, caregivers, researchers and doctors to discuss "clinical and nonclinical" aspects of NET cancers.

On Sunday night, I posted my own burning question on the carcinoid message board: am I on the right course with Sloan-Kettering's "wait and see" approach given my pathology, ongoing health issues, and recent scan results? Within a few hours of my post, I had 12 experience-based, insightful responses. Since then, I have continued to get emails and responses - which overwhelmingly echo the same thing: given the nature of carcinoid cancer in general, and my pathology and symptoms in particular - I really need to see a carcinoid specialist for a second opinion on a more aggressive treatment plan.

Now, there is nothing in the world I would ever say against Sloan-Kettering... they saved my life, and Dr. Nash is one of my all time heroes; period. Dr. Nash's schooling includes both Harvard and Columbia, and he's authored many papers on advances in minimally invasive surgeries for colorectal cancers. He is the best at what he does... but his practice does not focus on long-term carcinoid cancer care.

Gary and I discussed our options, and decided to contact Dr. Richard Warner's office at Mt. Sinai (one of the best carcinoid experts in the world) for an appointment. Unfortunately, he only accepts Medicare (no private insurance), and a consult with him runs between $750 to $1000 - way out of our price range. We then turned to the CCF website, which lists doctors who are carcinoid / NET specialists, which they define as having:

* 10-20 years or more experience in treating carcinoid / NET patients
* authored or coauthored more than 10 peer review articles on carcinoid / NETs
* treated 100+ carcinoid / NET patients over time

While there was one Sloan-Kettering doctor listed (Dr. Kelsen) we decided for a second opinion we really needed to look outside of the Sloan-Kettering philosophy - and found two possibilities: Dr. Matthew Kulke at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and Michelle Kim at Mt. Sinai in NYC. The benefit of Dr. Kulke is that Dana-Farber has a carcinoid / NET research program that evaluates over 200 NET patients a year. The benefit of Dr. Kim is that she works directly with Dr. Warner. I think I'll post these names on the acor.org message board, and see if anyone has any experience with them.

I strongly recommend joining acor.org; it is a lifeboat for us zebras - who are otherwise left treading water in a sea of "huh...I never heard of that cancer before" frustrations.

UPDATE: I already got a few responses from my acor.org posting re: doctor referrals ... including one incredibly important one: the CCF lists both carcinoid experts and those willing to treat noid patients... the experts, however, are in a light blue box. Thus - Dr. Kelsen and Dr. Kim are not "experts" in carcinoid; Dr. Kulke is.

Second UPDATE: I put in an appointment request for Dr. Kulke at Dana Farber Cancer Institute, who is covered by my insurance and comes highly recommended by several other noid patients. Thanks again for everyone's input.

A dream I had of you

 The waves lashed the rocks, bringing along cool breezes of moist air. Sun felt like a dim circle circle of light hidden behind a screen of clouds. I was almost lost in all this amazing phenomena when I looked at my left and forgot about my existence, forgot everything I had been beholding just moments ago.What made me forget everything were your eyes, I felt like I had found a whole new

A Mystery !

Some say its life, while others say its waste of time.Some say its the basis for human existence, while others say it doesn't even exist.Its got a history of its own. Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet set a fundamental example for it and its strings have now been stretched to unlimited stories.Everyone talks about it but still doubts its existence.Every song, every movie, every book features a

Happy Memorial Day

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As we all celebrate Memorial Day today with our families, having picnics, swimming, laughing, playing and whatever else you may be doing, please remember to take the time to think about what today is really about.




Photo Credit
Please remember those who have fought and died for our freedom and those who continue to serve. Thank you!




BTW, if you have a moment, I found a wonderful site

Memorial Day Memories

My father is a West Point graduate, and my mother was a military wife (as were both of my grandmothers). Memorial Day gives us a chance to say thank you... to the soldiers and families of soldiers who make the ultimate sacrifice, every day.

My mom and dad (now divorced) were married at West Point


My Dad and I on the army base in Washington State

Even tough army officers have to change diapers and make little airplane noises to get their babies to eat...

My grandpa Di Maria in his air force uniform with my grandmother. (They have been married for over 60 years.)


My paternal grandfather, who died from diabetes before I was born, in his army uniform.




(I'm not a Tim McGraw fan... but darn this video is good.)

Sorry I Haven't Been Around... I'm Having Laptop Trouble

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UGH!!  Again I am having trouble with my laptop. I'm hoping it is again just my adaptor, but hubby thinks it is where the adaptor plugs into the computer (I sure hope not) so I'm going to order ANOTHER adaptor - this makes my third for this HP laptop since November 2009.... BLECH!

So, I may be away from the blog for a bit, I have a desktop (it is in pieces right now) that I can't sit and

Texting Fever..

It felt like magic just a decade ago. How you could save yourself from a buck-blasting call just by sending a simple text message. Texting was the in-thing but not that much common. No one had thought about the consequences of this magical service. The situation was all normal when there were huge constraints of monopolized service charges which were keeping the text flood under control.But

How to enhance your Movie-Watching experience !

Watching movies is one of the best ways to utilize leisure time. In particular those movies which are thought provoking and a treat to your visual senses. The best way to enjoy movies is to realize the actual purpose behind their creation --- that is to have a good time. Movies can be a real treat when someone stops being judgmental and turns the 'fun mode' on.Its true, some movies can get

A Para-Equestrian's Passion

My beautiful mom showing off her Mother's Day present: a pictorial history of Jackie-O's lifelong passion for horses

My mom contracted polio in 1955; ironically the same year the vaccine came out - she was 5 years old. She spent 10 months in the hospital, and the polio left her with severe weakness in both legs. The doctors all said she'd never walk again, but she proved them wrong by walking, by herself with the aid of leg braces, up to the altar to receive her first Holy Communion. Afterward, she got a gift that would change her life: a ride on a white pony.

My mother in 1956 with my grandfather - taking her first ride on a horse while still wearing her leg braces, Holy Communion dress and veil

This began my mom's love affair with horses... but it wouldn't be until she was in her 50s that she would start competing competitively as a para-equestrian rider. Over the past few years, she has gotten so good that her competition level required her to get her own horse. After much searching, she finally found Andy - a beautiful white Arabian. I can't wait to meet him this summer.

Mom and her horse Andy at
REINS Therapeutic Riding Stables

My mother's grace and talent continue to inspire all who meet her, especially those in the equestrian community. Thanks mom for reminding me every day that there is no value in being a victim - only in living bravely.

Music is my lifeline

Could that story about 'The Pied Piper' luring all the rats out of the city on the tune of his pipe ever be true?Well, I think yes.Music can be so magical, a person only realizes it when he feels it. Its not like it takes you on a whole new magical journey, but it does bring a slight variation in your mood which might sometimes go unnoticed. It can make you happy when you're sad or it can open

After Forever

Clouds were very dimly lit, as they absorbed the soothing silver light being bestowed by Moon which has hiding somewhere in the background. I stood there, trying to make sense of different things hidden in the dark. Things I couldn't see and things I could see even if I had my eyes closed.The darkness was opening up the wounds, bringing out the pain so excruciating, it was ripping me into pieces.

Thursday's Recipe Swap Meet - Hamburger Stroganoff

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OK... we know you have all these recipes that you love to make. You got them from your mother, your grandmother, a magazine, or maybe you made it up, perhaps you don't even remember where the recipe came from. Well, how about sharing them with all of us? We are going to share ours with you every Thursday!


My good friend and (according to her husband) excellent cook, Dolly over at

People of Walmart Video... OMG!!

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'Nuff said......

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Wordless Wednesday: Daddy and the Doggies (minus one) ~ May 25th

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WORDLESS


Welcome to Wordless Wednesday..... We were out walking the dogs today and I handed Bill the three leashes I was holding to go throw something away and as I turned around and walked back I saw him and the 5 dogs he had and though he looked so cute with all the little ones surrounding him, I just had to take a photo.  Don't they just look adorable? (Poor Maila is just out of frame)

Color Carnival ~ May 24th: Stained Glass Butterfly

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Maria's Space
I am joining my friend Maria over at Maria's Space who hosts this fabulous photography meme called Color Carnival where you post a photo you have taken of something colorful and link up to her blog. Then vote in your comments on for your favorite photo. Here is my submission for this week:




Let's see your best colorful photo, I know you all are wonderful photographers, and

In My Neighborhood Tuesday May 24th ~ Everything's Blue

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I'm joining my friend Jennifer over at Eighty MPH Mom called In My Neighborhood Tuesday – a fun photo meme where you spend some quality time with your family and friends and discover average things in a new light, get creative and try and get outdoors on occasion. There will be an assignment/prompt for each week, and hopefully you will have some time to take a walk and show us what you found

To Dream Or Not To Dream

The only thing which has no restrictions on it, which is completely free and you don't need to reach a certain age limit to have it, Dreams !No one can stop you from dreaming and interestingly no one can force you to do so either. Dreams have been the reason behind marvelous inventions and discoveries and at the same time, they've served as a point of inception for huge destruction. Its a very

Monday Mingle ~ May 23rd: Pets, Cartoons and Food

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“Mingling with you since August 2009!”


 "Welcome to Monday Mingle! Each week three questions are asked, and you can answer via a written post, or a vlog post. If you have always wanted to try vlogging, Monday Mingle vlog meme is a fun way to try vlogging. If you’d like to join in the fun, answer the 3 weekly questions in short vlog on your blog, or a written blog post, then link up over on

Why I Can't Lose that Last 15 Pounds

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Thanks to my dear friend Dolly at XmasDolly (who recently did a blog upgrade and it is beautiful, you have to go see it), I have discovered WHY I cannot lose these last 15 pounds that I have been trying to lose.  I just wish someone had told me this earlier....


It's the shampoo I use in the shower.



When I wash my hair, the shampoo runs down my whole body.


Printed very clearly on the

Monday's Music Moves Me - TV Themes

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Welcome to Monday's Music Moves Me the fantabulistic music meme hosted by me, Dolly from XmasDolly, Larry from Cakeblast and Callie from Jamerican Spice and this week it's

Self-Portrait Sunday ~~ Enjoying the Florida Sunshine

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My friend Maria over at Maria's Space started this meme to get us out from BEHIND the camera and showcase our own lovely faces on our blogs.... We don't want to have a blog full of our family, friends and children and when we go back years later and wonder.... where the heck were we and what did we look like?

I thought I'd go outside and take a couple of photos of myself outside because

Yoochun's Resemblance..

alright..this time i wanna spazz about a friend of mine whom i met few months back..for the first time i saw her..it's just that i can't take my eyes off her since she resembles to someone that i like the most..with the high-bone cheek, hair-style and of course when she smiles already enough to make her look similar to Yoochunnie..the cute face that they have..that's the important part..haha..hey

Buy Windows 7 With "VIRTAPAY"

There was a time..

  There was a time when everything felt like a source of smile...There was a time when the slightest of humor made you laugh like crazy..There was a time when nothing could penetrate the walls of your emotional stability..There was a time when could laugh, sing and scream without any limitations..There was a time when even the most depressing stuff could be let go without a second thought..The

Lyme Disease Testing

I saw Dr. Yager (GP) last Thursday, and picked up a prescription for a Lyme disease test. Here is how that brief encounter went:

Dr: what test do you need done?
Me: the cardiologist thinks I should be tested for Lyme disease.
Dr: that's a good idea, it could be Lyme disease.
(awkward pause)
Dr: did they find something on your EKG?
Me: I think some stuff with my right ventricle.
Dr: well, carcinoid can affect the heart ... but something always shows up on an EKG.
(handing me the script)
Dr: this isn't a very good test.
Me: what do you mean?
Dr: it can come back positive when you don't have Lyme disease, and come back negative when you do.
(second awkward pause)
Me: ok
Dr: it's not a very good test; we'll call you with the results.
Me: uh, ok. Thanks

15 minutes later, I was at LabCorp, getting yet another vile of blood drawn for a test that is apparently meaningless; I have absolutely no idea what to do when I get the results.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Update 5/28: Lyme Test Came Back Negative. (Despite Dr. Yager's distrust of the results, I'm crossing Lyme off the list.)

The Muppets are Coming! The Muppets are Coming!

It's been 11 years since the Muppets have been on the big screen and boy have I missed them. However, lucky for all of us.... thanks to writer/producer Jason Segel (who will also star in the film) and director James Bobin, we wont have to wait much longer to see our favorites Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Animal, Gonzo and the whole gang in a new big screen adventure.
"On vacation in Los Angeles,

Armed Forces Day ~ May 21st

.It was President Harry S. Truman who wanted to set aside a single day for all Americans to come together to thank the members of the military for their service and sacrifice in support of our glorious country.

So, on August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day stemming from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department ~ the

Black Raspberries v. Carcinoid Cancer

A few weeks ago, I attended the Carcinoid Cancer Foundation's Symposium on Neuroendocrine Tumor Management at Mount Sinai Hospital. It was excellent; in particular, I was extremely impressed with Dr. Eugene Woltering from the New Orleans Neuroendocrine Tumor Specialists (NOLA NETS).

Dr. Woltering presented a radically different view and approach to carcinoid cancer treatment. Firstly, he considers carcinoid - whether a patient presents syndrome symptoms or not - to be a chronic disease because of its long term devastating effects on the body. He used the "hypothetical case" of a patient with a midgut carcinoid tumor (without noid or liver metastasization) to lay out what he considered to be the "standard of care" for carcinoid treatment following removal of the primary site tumor:

1. MRI and ecocardiogram every 6 months for the first three years following surgery;
2. Sandostatin monthly injections for a minimum of one year following surgery;
3. Octreoscan within the first year following surgery;
4. long term daily dose: 40 grams of black raspberry powder. (45 grams of freeze-dried powder is equal to 1 pound of fresh berries)

He also presented specialized target chemotherapy for recurrences... which he set at a much, much higher rate than Sloan Kettering does.

In short, he presented a more aggressive approach following surgery. Personally, I trust Dr. Nash, and prefer the "let's wait and see" approach rather than sandostatin injections and more screenings. I will, however, add the black raspberry powder to my diet.

The medical research (funded by the American Cancer Institute) Dr. Woltering presented on the benefits of black raspberries was overwhelming. The reason why it's such a "natural wonder drug" is that the antioxidant level in black raspberry powder exceeds all berry types - with anthocyanin (antioxidant) equaling 5 to 7 percent dry weight. Also, it is a COX2 inhibitor - reducing inflammation as well as slowing the growth of pre-malignant and malignant tumors.

The only problem is the cost (about 7$ a day). I have heard that some insurance companies will cover it with a prescription... I guess that's something worth investigating with my own insurance carrier (United Health Care). I'm not holding my breath.

Resources on Black Raspberry

Research about Black Raspberries and Cancer:
Science Daily Article: Black Raspberries Slow Cancer by Altering Hundreds of Genes
Ohio State Research: Black Raspberries Show Multiple Defenses in Thwarting Cancer
MSNBC: Black Raspberries Prevent Colorectal Cancer in Mice
Cancer Prevention Research: Black Raspberries Inhibit Intestinal Tumorigenesis Apc1638+ / - and MUC2-/- Mouse Models of Colorectal Cancer

Purchasing Black Raspberry Powder:
Note: you need to purchase 100% black raspberry powder - do not get tricked by products that advertise "black powder" made with blue raspberries! Also black raspberries are not the same fruit as the "blackberries" you buy in the store.

NutriFruit - $24.95 for 142 grams (most expensive)
Stokes Berry Farm - not accepting internet orders
Sturms Berry Farm - $79.20 for 5lbs of frozen berries (not powder)
BerriHealth - $340.50 for 3000 gram bulk powder
Acai Berry Pure Bulk - $325 for 5 lb bag (approximately 2267 grams)

Friday Photo Flashback ~ Glamour Shots

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Alicia from More Than Words says she started Friday Photo Flashback because "I have so many pictures from my PRE-digital camera days. I thought it would be fun to scan them and share them here with you.. I'm having so much fun doing this, that I would love for you to join me, too! So dig out the photo albums and put your scanner to good use! Don't forget to link up so we can all visit and

Closed for Business

In Belgium (and Amsterdam).

Thursday's Recipe Swap Meet ~ Grilled Chicken Breast

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OK... we know you have all these recipes that you love to make. You got them from your mother, your grandmother, a magazine, or maybe you made it up, perhaps you don't even remember where the recipe came from. Well, how about sharing them with all of us? We are going to share ours with you every Thursday!




My good friend and (according to her husband) excellent cook, Dolly over at

Wordless Wednesday: My Workspace... with Lots of Little Ones ~ 5/18/11

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WORDLESS
Welcome to Wordless Wednesday.... This is where I do my blogging with my little babies, there are a couple missing because I got up and they followed me to get the camera and were standing next to me while I took the photo. Otherwise there would be one on the ottoman and another one on the couch. They protect me all the time... gotta love them!




For more Wordless Wednesday posts,

Monday Mingle ~ May 16th: American Idol and Mother's Day

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“Mingling with you since August 2009!”

 "Welcome to Monday Mingle! Each week three questions are asked, and you can answer via a written post, or a vlog post. If you have always wanted to try vlogging, Monday Mingle vlog meme is a fun way to try vlogging. If you’d like to join in the fun, answer the 3 weekly questions in short vlog on your blog, or a written blog post, then link up over on

Justice and Revenge

The law and order situation in Karachi is completely out of control.March 15th, 2011 and around 36 people have died in just four days. The promises of State to provide protection and justice are like pie crust, made to be broken. There is no sign of remedy anywhere in this anarchy. The citizens of Karachi have finally crossed the thin line that has long separated revenge from justice. This

Shake Hands With a Hero

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I just saw this on my friend Noelle's blog. Now if you know me, you know that I do whatever I can to help support our troops. This is something super easy that we can all do to show love to our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen.


Please head over to Noelle blog to see what you can do, it's so easy, that I expect all of you would be willing to do it:

Jumpin-Beans: Shake Hands With a Hero

Monday's Music Moves Me ~ Reggae and Hawaiian Time

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Welcome to Monday's Music Moves Me the fantabulistic music meme hosted by me, Dolly from XmasDolly, Larry from Cakeblast and Callie from Jamerican Spice and this week it's

Karachi: The city that burnt

28th December, the city of lights lost its heritage as the oldest and the most revenue generating business hub costing billions of Rupees and priceless family traditions caught ablaze by those who are knowingly unknown. Such occult practices burnt clusters of business communities to ashes. People lost assets worth millions and there is no justification for the quantifiable loss they have to

Self-Portrait Sunday ~~ Walt Disney World EPCOT

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Maria's Space
 My friend Maria over at Maria's Space started this meme to get us out from BEHIND the camera and showcase our own lovely faces on our blogs.... We don't want to have a blog full of our family, friends and children and when we go back years later and wonder.... where the heck were we and what did we look like?



This photo is from one of our trips to EPCOT at Walt Disney World

Color Carnival ~ May 15th: Gift Shop in Kissimmee

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Maria's Space

My friend Maria over at Maria's Space is the new home of Color Carnival... I am joining in this meme where you post a photo you have taken of something colorful and link up to Maria's Space. Then vote in your comments on Maria's blog for your favorite photo. Let's help Maria start off the first week of the meme in grand style and everyone join in. Here is my submission for this

Thursday's Recipe Swap Meet ~ Stuffed Peppers

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OK... we know you have all these recipes that you love to make. You got them from your mother, your grandmother, a magazine, or maybe you made it up, perhaps you don't even remember where the recipe came from. Well, how about sharing them with all of us? We are going to share ours with you every Thursday!


My good friend and (according to her husband) excellent cook, Dolly over at XmasDolly

Learn to draw a cartoon Dog

1. First Imagine in your mind that what kind of dog you wish to draw.. Puppy Dogs? Dogs with bone?  In this tutorial I will demonstrate how to draw a cute dog..2. Step two: draw a circle using a pencil. No need to use the term, 'it was just practice.3. Step three: Draw a vertical and horizontal lines as shown. You will determine the direction where the dog is facing. In this picture the dog is

Wordless Wednesday: Another Photo of Bill ~ May 11, 2011

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WORDLESS

Welcome to Wordless Wednesday.... I got such a positive reaction last week to my photo of Bill, that I decided to post another one of him this week. This is one of him at one of our local orange groves where we like to get oranges to make our own fresh juice. You can even get local honey, produce and gator meat.... which I haven't tried.  =)  Isn't Bill so adorable? (He's the one on

L.O.V.E.

sometimes i wonder what is people's definition about love?..different people different perception, right?..and there should be a different expression for love on God, family, friends and our love someone, agree??..as for me, i don't have any specific definition on love..i just show it through my actions..in hope that they will realize they are the among the important ones in my life..of course

RIP Osama Bin Laden

Its futile to reiterate the exact nature of the operation and the circumstances in which it took place; something thats all over the papers, 'free media', and the web at the moment, nor do I feel it pertinent to mention the state of utter crises that has suddenly engulfed Pakistan's name in the world arena ... as we speak. But what I do see is that the consequences will be dire, it will be

Mommy and Me Monday ~ Mandie's Become a LITTLE Clingy

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Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

Welcome to another edition to Mommy and Me Monday.....

Since I don't have any little ones in my house anymore, y'all know that I post photos of my fur-babies, I have discovered that both Mai-Li and Mandie enjoy being close to me as much as posible, Mandie especially.

Turns out that If I put Mandie inside the bib of my overall shorts of jeans,

Funny Huggies Commercial

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I saw this commercial the other day and actually laughed so hard, that I woke up two of the puppies (you know, the ones that lie behind my head, TeeHee).  The baby in it is SO adorable and his face is so expressive and his eyes are so big and brown... I just had to share it with y'all. I hope you like it as much as I did:





Remember to laugh each day, it's good for you.  Have a wonderful

Monday's Music Moves Me ~ Tribute to our Military

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(First let me apologize for being late, I had a horrible migraine yesterday and had to go to bed early.)

Welcome to Monday's Music Moves Me the fantabulistic music meme

Cardiologist

I saw a new cardiologist last week, who was less than impressive. Based on my experience, I put together a few tips for you budding heart doctors out there.

1. After a patient tells you that she had half of her colon removed because of a carcinoid tumor, your follow up question probably should not be, "so was it benign?"

2. Don't leave your patient alone for 20 min in the examining room while you google her disease.

3. Try to be specific when discussing test results, and avoid overgeneralized statements like: "I don't see anything very life threatening here."

4. Avoid starting sentences with: "well - you don't smell." (He wanted me to get fitted with a heart monitor halter before leaving the office - which would mean that I couldn't shower for 24-hrs).

5. Know how old your patient is, especially by the end of a 45-min appointment. (While flattering, the fact that he thought I was 26 years old, instead of 36, was a bit disconcerting.)

In addition to his bedside "quirks", my soon-to-be ex-cardiologist shared his initial findings based on my exam and echo test: irregularity (t-wave inversion) and insufficiency in the right ventricle with possible neurological disruption (causing heart rate to drop with exercise). He ordered a stress test, heart halter, and new echocardiogram. He also suggested that I get tested for lyme disease.

Initially, I scheduled the follow up tests for Thurs. - but decided to cancel them, since it's not a "very life threatening" condition; now I have time to find a different doctor before subjecting myself to more cardiac testing. In the meantime, I'll get the lyme disease test done - just to cross that possibility off the list.

Self-Portrait Sunday ~~ Date Night

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Maria's Space
 My friend Maria over at Maria's Space started this meme to get us out from BEHIND the camera and showcase our own lovely faces on our blogs.... We don't want to have a blog full of our family, friends and children and when we go back years later and wonder.... where the heck were we and what did we look like?

Bill and I went on a date night last Monday to The Abbey in

Happy Mother's Day

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Wishing all of you Mother's a wonderful day of love and happiness. I hope you get to spend time with the ones you love and that you have a fabulous day. Being a mother is one of my favorite things, my boys have grown into young men that I am SO proud of and I love dearly.




Whatever you are doing today, please take a moment to remember those mothers who are away from their children because

Why Princesses Matter

"Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed." - G. K. Chesterton

Marlena, Princess of Emerson NJ (1976)

It's a strange phenomenon. We encourage little girls to grow up to become doctors and lawyers, yet we dress them up as miniature princesses every Halloween, and relentlessly play Disney DVDs over and over again, until they become obsessed with pink tulle dresses with matching sparkly tiaras. (Go to Toys 'R Us and just try to find the "high powered business executive" themed birthday party paper-plates, streamers, and napkins... not happening.) As we grow older, our fascination with princesses doesn't go away - it simply morphs into an "adult version" of a fairy tale: the wedding.

Diana, Princess of Whales (1981)

On July 29, 1981, my mother and I watched a beautiful 20-year old girl emerge from a horse drawn carriage and walk into St. Paul's Cathedral - with her 25-foot train, trailing behind her. I was seven years old at the time, and Princess Diana's wedding is one of the first clear memories of my childhood that I have. Last weekend, I once again watched a simple girl become a breathtaking princess ...

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (2011)

Catherine ("Kate") Middleton married her prince in Westminster Abbey, with 2.5-3 billion people watching; four years ago, about the same number of people watched another royal gathering at Westminster Abbey: Princess Diana's funeral.

Touchingly, the last hymn sung at Diana's funeral - "Guide me, O thou great Redeemer" - was the first hymn sung at her son's, Prince William's, wedding. As I watched Kate standing at the alter in her laced bodice gown, I was immediately reminded of Grace Kelly's wedding to Prince Rainer of Monaco.

Grace, Princess of Monaco (1956)

On April 16, 1956, American movie star Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier (who proposed three days after they met) and became Princess of Monaco. Life as a princess for Grace Kelly, however, was no fairy tale. Prior to her marriage, she was a very accomplished actress, starring in three Hitchcock films, and even won the Oscar for Best Actress in 1955. After her wedding, however, Prince Rainier banned all screenings of Kelly's films in the country, and refused to allow her to act in any future projects.

Sadly, Grace Kelly died at the age of 52 in a car accident. Ironically, Princess Diana was the representative for the British royal family at Princess Grace's funeral in September of 1982. (Diana, of course, was also tragically killed in a car crash - she was only 36 years old.)

No life is filled with only happiness, but as the expression goes, if we did not feel the cold of the rain, we would never appreciate the warmth of the sun. The divorce rate in America is about 50% - but that does not stop us from spending over a thousand dollars on a single beautiful dress that we will wear for just one day, and posing for hours for an overpriced photographer - hoping he will capture our own storybook promise of "happily ever after" on film.

These moments of celebration, of joy, of beauty are absolutely necessary; whether it's a wedding, prom, or quinceanera... we all need to see flashes of fables come to life - even if only for an instant - to remind us that sometimes the dragons really do get slain, and love really can conquer all.

Friday Photo Flashback ~ My Little Alexander (OK, so he's not THAT little)

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Alicia from More Than Words says she started Friday Photo Flashback because "I have so many pictures from my PRE-digital camera days. I thought it would be fun to scan them and share them here with you.. I'm having so much fun doing this, that I would love for you to join me, too! So dig out the photo albums and put your scanner to good use! Don't forget to link up so we can all visit and

Friday Food Fight:

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Denise @ RunDMT

To join the weekly Friday Food Fight, post a picture of your favorite food, meal, snack or drink. Of course, you enjoying your tasty treat would be great, but you don’t need to be in the picture. Then on Friday, post your drool inducing photo and link up with Denise at RunDMT. That’s it!!

It was such a beautiful day last Saturday, that I was craving a nice fresh salad for

Thursday's Recipe Swap Meet ~ Blushing Apples

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OK... we know you have all these recipes that you love to make. You got them from your mother, your grandmother, a magazine, or maybe you made it up, perhaps you don't even remember where the recipe came from. Well, how about sharing them with all of us? We are going to share ours with you every Thursday!




My good friend and (according to her husband) excellent cook, Dolly over at

Ideas for Mom

Mother's Day is right around the corner and it is always a wonderful time to let your mama know how much she is cherished!  I thought I would share some fun ideas that your mom is sure to love.Necklace  The necklaces all have sweet messages and they're reasonably priced.  This one is perfect for mom...so dainty and sweet!Phone Case  For the tech savvy mom, why not update her iPhone case with

aFrAiD..Yes I Am...

i always have this feeling afraid of death..afraid of being hate..afraid of the feeling being left alone..afraid of the feeling being forgotten by people that i care and love..afraid of what others think of me..afraid of everything..BUTnow i know it's not good to have these kind of feelings..yes i do understand that everybody has their own fear but don't be over-afraid since this will not good

Wordless Wednesday: The Man I Love

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Welcome to Wordless Wednesday.... Believe it or not, today I am NOT posting a photo of my fur-babies. HaHa! Instead, I am posting a photo of the love of my life - this is what Bill wore Easter Sunday when we went out for brunch.  Isn't he just adorable?  If you compare his photo with mine from my Self-Portrait Sunday, you can see that we match.  Yeah, we are THAT couple... TeeHee!




For

In My Neighborhood Tuesday May 3, 2011 ~ Reflections

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Eighty MPH Mom
 I'm joining my friend Jennifer over at Eighty MPH Mom called In My Neighborhood Tuesday – a fun photo meme where you spend some quality time with your family and friends and discover average things in a new light, get creative and try and get outdoors on occasion. There will be an assignment/prompt for each week, and hopefully you will have some time to take a walk and

Monday Mingle ~ May 2, 2011: Freestyle

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“Mingling with you since August 2009!”


"Welcome to Monday Mingle! Each week three questions are asked, and you can answer via a written post, or a vlog post. If you have always wanted to try vlogging, Monday Mingle vlog meme is a fun way to try vlogging. If you’d like to join in the fun, answer the 3 weekly questions in short vlog on your blog, or a written blog post, then link up over on

Tribute to the Navy Seals

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As I am sure you have all heard by now... our troops have killed the evil incarnate Osama bin Laden - HooRah!!  I would like to take this opportunity to give credit to the amazing small contingent of the Navy's elite SEAL Team Six under the command of CIA Director Leon Panetta.


According to officials, no Americans were injured. =)  Senior administration officials will only say that bin

How'd Y'all Say That Again??? Part 4

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Annie of MamaDweeb has come up with another great dialect blog hop. A list of words for all of us to say and questions to answer to see how people around the country pronounce different words or call different every day things. If you want to check out Part 1 see MamaDweeb's blog.



So here is my video, how I sound from Florida via Connecticut:




Here are the words for this vlog:  Why,

Monday's Music Moves Me ~ Colorful Weather Songs (HUH??)

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Welcome to Monday's Music Moves Me the fantabulistic music meme hosted by me, Dolly from XmasDolly, Larry from Cakeblast and Callie from Jamerican Spice and this week you

Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden dead - Obama

 Bin Laden was top of the US "most wanted" listAl-Qaeda founder and leader Osama Bin Laden has been killed by US forces in Pakistan, President Obama has said.The al-Qaeda leader was killed in a ground operation outside Islamabad based on US intelligence, the first lead for which emerged last August.Mr Obama said after "a firefight", US forces took possession of his body.Bin Laden was

Sierra Nevada East Coast Brewery

I saw this over the weekend and couldn't stop thinking about how much sense it makes. Sierra is potentially looking to open an East Coast brewery. Official comments from Sierra on the subject can be found here.

According to the comments from SN, their East Coast demand is quite strong and its costly and environmentally unfriendly to ship mass quantities of brew across the country. So why not open another brewery on the east coast?

Now, not to get too carried away with the rumor mill, but one of the suggested locations for the new brewery was Blacksburg, Va. I can't imagine a better place. Centrally located on the East Coast, and a fairly cheap area to operate a business. Additionally, you have a major research institution right next door. I'm sure they would have plenty of internship candidates willing to work for beer.

Dreaming of Hokie Heaven,

HolzBrew

Self-Portrait Sunday ~~ Easter Sunday Dress

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Maria's Space

My friend Maria over at Maria's Space started this meme to get us out from BEHIND the camera and showcase our own lovely faces on our blogs.... We don't want to have a blog full of our family, friends and children and when we go back years later and wonder.... where the heck were we and what did we look like?



This photo is me on Easter Sunday... Bill and I went out to dinner