2010?!

I cannot believe it's almost 2010. This year has been by far the fastest year of my life. SO much has happened this year both good and bad, but I have the greatest feeling about this up coming year. I have high hopes :) I hope this is "my" year.
I've started my New Years Resolution list, and I am pretty excited about that. I dont know why I feel I have to wait until January 1st to get so serious about goals, but I look forward to them.
I would share a few..but I am fine tuning.
But I will share one of the goals and that is to organize a service project each month for my group of friends. Those that can make it..great, if not, we'll catch ya the next month.
This last week, right before Christmas my friend and I put together the Secret Santa project I posted about. Thank you for those of you that were able to donate. Your donations were a huge success and because of that, each resident was able to get TWO presents this year.
This really hit close to home for me, as my grandma will be joining a care center soon.
Here's a few pictures from our evening at the care center.
I was so excited about the turn out, because it was snowing so hard that night, so I really appreciate everyone braving the roads!
Here is our wrapping assembly line

Some of the final product

After we finished wrapping the presents we gathered as many residents as we could into a room and sang them Christmas songs and had hot chocolate, juice and treats.
We visited as much as we could...

Before we went caroling in the hallways for those that werent able to leave their rooms. It was such a great night, and I really do have such great friends in my life.
Here is the group


GRAM:
Thank you all again so much for your concern with Gram. She made it through surgery last Monday, and has been recovering in the hospital this week. She has started to talk, and swallow again and is still the biggest fighter, ready to get rid of this cancer! Tomorrow they will do a scan to see if the cancer spread to any other parts of her body (why they didnt do this BEFORE her brain surgery is beyond me). She has kept her spirits up, and I couldnt be more proud of her.
Growing up we always had a tradition that she would come sleep over on Christmas Eve. This year, since she was in the hospital Christmas Eve and since I dont have a family of my own, or a spouse, I was able to go have a sleep over with Gram Christmas Eve night. I had a Christmas movie, and music and gifts all ready for the occasion, but it ended up being a really rough night/morning for her. I am still glad I was able to carry on the tradition, even if "sleep" wasnt part of the deal :)
She will soon be moved into a care center and depending on the results of her test tomorrow, will start radiation treatment. She continues to be the most amazing example in my life.

CHRISTMAS:
I got back to my parents house Christmas morning around 11 AM where my family was waiting with the traditional Christmas breakfast. I was exhausted at this point, but it was still so fun to see all of my nieces and nephews open their presents.
We hung out for a bit at my parents house, and watched a fun Christmas movie with some of the kids.
I cant believe Christmas has come and gone already. CrAzY! I love love love, the build up of Christmas...the parties, the lights, the music..Im so sad it's over. But, on to 2010!
The only thing I asked for for Christmas was a Chia pet. Haha. I have never really had one, and I think they are hilarious. My nice friend surprised me with this beauty...

Even though I am not a huge fan of Obama, I have really nurtured this Obama Special edition Chia. I will show progress IF it grows. I have follow the directions to a "T" so if anyone has any advice on how to make my Chia pet a success, I would greatly appreciate it. I have given it a whole lot of Love and TLC, but so far it doesnt seem to be doing the trick.
Right now it just looks like this with a bunch of seeds

Im not giving up yet!!
I hope everyone had a very very Merry Christmas, and a wonderful year ahead!!

Update on Gram

Thank you all so much for your sweet calls/text/comments/thoughts/prayers...everything. Everyone has been so sweet to my family.

A lot has happened in the last week. My grandma was really sick on Thursday, so my mom and Aunt called 911 to take her back to the hospital.

The last couple of weeks she has gone down hill fast. She was so independent...driving to Heber to visit her son, and taking her friends to lunch, just about 6 weeks ago. Now she cant walk, her speech is super slurred, and her memory fading fast. They suspected she may have had a stroke, but after doing a few tests at the hospital, we found out Friday she had 2 brain tumors.

After the oncologist looked into her scans further, noticed it was eating away at the bone, and working its way into the brain.

This of course, was devastating to us all. Total punch in the gut. This weekend has been very hard on our family as we had to decide by today if she was going to have surgery tomorrow to remove one of the tumors (the size of a lemon) or give her "comfort care" for the rest of her time with us.

The weekend has been the LONGEST as we have all had different opinions and thoughts. Finally, my aunt went to my grandma and asked her if she was ready to visit her brother and sister in heaven....and her response "Im not ready". Anyone who knows my Gram, knows she is a fighter.

So tomorrow, my 87 year old grandma is going in for brain surgery. This was her choice, and we are supporting her. It is going to be very extensive as they have to take out part of her brain and skull and remove the one tumor.

She continues to amaze all of us as she fights for her life. I love her so much and hope and pray all goes well. I guess you just have to trust all is in Gods hands.

Thanks again for all your love, support, and prayers. It means a lot to us all.

Sub 4 Santa

It's the most wonderful time of the year!
And also, a great time to give to those in need.
My friend works at an assisted living center and says a lot of the residents do not get visitors or gifts this time of year. We are organizing a "Secret Santa" for the elderly so they have a gift on Christmas. We will be wrapping all of the gifts this next Tuesday the 22nd and the center will hand them out Christmas morning.
We are still in need of some donations so I wanted to share the list in case any of you are looking for a service project or a way to spread a little Christmas Cheer. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!! I cant believe its here already.

Santa’s Toy Shop
Gift Ideas…

Slippers
Scarves
Hats
Lap Blankets
Sweaters
Sweat Suits
House Dresses
Books
Activity Books
Pictures
Stationary
Movies
Puzzles
Sodas
Treats
Stuffed Animals
Jewelry
Decorations
Lotions
Spa Products
Headphones
Music

Please let me know if you are interested.
PS. If you are interested in knowing which Care Center we are donating to, I can give you that info as well... I just didnt know if I should post it online. You never know!

Gram

Its been a rough couple of months for my Grandma and my family.
My Grandmas health continues to not be in her favor and I feel she is slowly starting to give up her fight.
For the last month I cant stop thinking about her. I am so lucky to be able to be so close to her and see her so often. About 6 weeks ago my mom and I discovered her unable to move and in a lot of pain. We called 911 and after some test were done, found out that she had broken a part of her back. Since then, her strength decreased and she is becoming more and more dependent of others.
Its so hard to see someone you love so much be in so much pain.
My grandma has been my #1 since day one. I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time with her growing up. My mom went back to work when I was a child and I would spend a lot of after school hours with my grandma. She is one of my best friends and I have learned so much from her.
She has given me the drive to travel and see the world. I remember growing up always being so excited to pick her up from the airport from one of her many over seas trips. It is because of her, for many reasons I have traveled the world.
I remember being in school and getting those big pink sugar cookies and saving mine to give to my grandma when I got home from school.
I loved going up to her house and swimming during the summers and going in for kool aid and tuna fish sandwhiches. I LOVE hearing of all of her stories..past friends, travels, and what life was like for her at different ages.
She is the hardest worker I have EVER known. She is the biggest fighter I have ever known, fighting through breast cancer, 2 heart attacks, a big stomach surgery and many other battles that she almost breezes through. That is why this one is so difficult, she isnt bouncing back like Gram usually does.
Everyday I just think more and more about her, and give thanks to the lord for letting her be a part of my life. I am so lucky to have her and for everything she has taught me. I hope and pray I have more time with her, but if not I am grateful for every second.
I love you Grandma.
Love Miss Muffet.

Go Jazz!

This year for my work Christmas party they invited all of us to a Utah Jazz game. I LOVE the Jazz. I was a huge fan last year, and have tried to keep up this year but Ive been so busy this season.
I was so super pumped when I heard we were going to a Jazz game.

My company even surprised us with personalized jersey's with our nicknames and favorite numbers.

They got me a childs small...so mine is kind of a belly shirt :)
We had a nice little visit from the Bear

There was close to 150 of us, and they drew 20 names of employees to go down to the court during half time and give the players five on their way back to the court. I seriously wanted it so bad I could taste it. Of course, my name wasnt drawn but this incredibly nice friend of mine at work gave me his ticket because he could have cared less. I was seriously SO SO excited. We were riding the elevator down and I couldnt stand it.
We got on the court and gave all the guys a high five. My very favorite player Paul Millsap ( I have his jersey as well) was the last player to come out!

I literally started clapping my hands when I saw him and reached out my hand so proud...he didnt give me the time of day. Its debatable if our hands even touched. He amused me by at least putting his hand out, but there was no solid connection. Stupid new contract went to his head. I was his biggest fan, even when most of the time he was on the bench...
Oh well. Nonetheless, I had a killer time! Thanks Del Sol!

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On a completely different note, not only do I love the Jazz, I love my dad. He is one of a kind. He is so stinkin funny. He can fix anything, and in the most unique ways. His glasses broke the other day and he wasnt able to get into the eye DR for a couple days so took matters into his own hands!
He glued them back together some how and used these scissors as clamps. Oh man. I was laughing so hard.

There is a picture of my sister wearing his glasses before they took the "clamps" off. It is SO funny, but I promised her I wouldnt put it online.
You do what you gotta do to fix things!
This is one of many reasons why I love this man.

November come and gone!

I can not believe it is December already. It kills me. I always thought people were crazy when they said time goes by faster when your older...its true.
And I am older :( I turned 25 this last week and It feels so old!
I was such a lucky girl on my birthday, thank you everyone so much for the nice birthday wishes! I really appreciate it. I have no idea why, but I forgot my camera for the fun festivities, but I did remember it on the day my work friends decorated my desk. They were very thoughtful, and had the most delicious cupcakes ever waiting for me.


I went and saw The Blindside on my actual birthday. If you havent seen it, I would totally recommend it. I really liked it.
It is a tradition in our family to go out to the desert the Saturday after Thanksgiving to gather some greens for Christmas decorations. We shoot guns (well the boys shoot guns), sit by the fire, and freeze. I hadnt been in years so it was fun. I took Ecko for her first trip to the desert!


After I got back from the desert I went to a BYU- Utah party. Poor Utes...well get em' next year!

Group

From there, my aunt had a nice little dinner party for my birthday. She had take out from Jasons Deli and we the most delicious strawberry shortcake dessert.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I am so excited for the holidays this year!