A Christmas Eve Birthday Wish

Happy Birthday Jake! Jake has been a part of our family for many years, it’s like a true Cinderella story for him and my oldest daughter Amy Jo. They first met in high school at band camp of all things and quickly became high school sweet hearts. After going in separate ways they found one another again and have been happily married for many years now. But that’s not where the story ends.

 Jake was diagnosed with a heart condition that change the type of work he was doing. Back to school he went and has earned his bachelor’s degree and is now busy working on his masters. We are very proud of him.

While attending school Jake has been blessed with an opportunity that many fathers only dream of. While attending school he has been able to arrange his schedule to be home a lot for the kids. What a difference it has made. He attends every game the girls cheer at and you will never catch him without his camera, capturing every moment he can. The youngest has taken up his dads love for fishing and you can find the two of them in the water with waders doing what they love

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I use to think that Jake was too hard on the kids but he sure proved me wrong. My grand kids are wonderful Christian children that are high achievers full of love and kindness. Recently my oldest grandson told me how happy he was his dad took the time to be hard on him. He knows it’s where he got his life skills to be successful.

Most of all Jake is full of love for his family. Happy Birthday Jake, My wish for you is a year of health, prosperity, and happiness.

You are Loved!!!

Happy Birthday Mr. Zack!

Today is Zack’s Birthday; fourteen years ago he came into the world. Wow, seems like just yesterday. He was born a month early but wasn’t little. They had a hard time believing he was a preemie but knew he had to be treated as one.

Zack is my youngest grandson and is a very unique young man. He loves his sports, anything that involves a ball and he is all over it. When I watch a game with him he always commentates and helps me to understand what’s going on. For years he has been the ball boy for the Auburn High School Foot Ball team. This year was his last year for that because he will be at the high school himself and playing on the team.

In the summer time we all miss him because he goes to Olympia for the summer and any other time he can get there. His other grandparents have a farm and Zack enjoys the animals and hard work that comes with it. He plays drums with his school band and likes to play video games. Girls are starting to catch his eye and he’s not at all shy about it. His sisters love to tease him.

Happy Birthday Zack! You are loved!

If Zack could get away with it he would spend his days, just fishin!

Happy Birthday To The Other Mrs. Hutchinson!

Ruth had a birthday yesterday and it was a tough day for her. It was one of those days not because she’s getting older, just one of those days. Ruth is married to my son Joel and they have a wonderful life together. I have never seen two people be able to keep that just married feeling going on after years of being together. It’s very magical!

Ruth is in her last few quarters before she will graduate from GRCC and then will be off to join Joel at the UW. We are all so proud of her and look forward to seeing her fly.

I tease her sometimes about when my next grandbaby will arrive and she assures me it won’t be soon. I’m really happy they decided to wait until they finish school and are working but sometimes it’s hard to wait. My youngest grandbaby is eleven and holding a baby is long overdue but I can wait and it’s still fun to tease her. For now they are quite happy with their four leg furry baby Roo.

When I was sick Ruth helped me with all the household stuff that I just couldn’t get done. She’s a good listener and always has a kind word. She has a way of making me laugh! We are blessed to have her as a part of our family.

Happy Birthday Ruthie, You are loved!

Baby Its Cold Outside

This season has never been my favorite, I hate being cold but I now have a new reason for loving the winter. The hot flashes that are getting better with every day that passes are really easy to control now. When I feel one coming on I just step outside, It works instantly woo hoo! Whatever works I guess.

As I go about getting ready for the Holidays I am reminded of my last Christmas and how sick I was. I feel like I missed out altogether and so this year I plan to make up for it. I’ve been shopping, decorating and planning my cookie baking day. I had lost a lot of my Christmas spirit and couldn’t seem to find it but not anymore, my joy has been renewed. I am very thankful.

As you can imagine there are tons of breast cancer blogs and yes I read several of them. I have some I fallow closely and feel like I have gotten to know some of these people through their stories. One of them died this week and I was very sad, she left behind her young son and husband and my heart ached for them. Another has just recently had surgery to remove part of her liver. Seems her breast cancer had spread and she has been blessed with a surgery to make her cancer free. She is very sick right now and I pray for her speedy return to health.

I’ve found a new way to live with the neuropathy in the tips of my fingers. Fake finger nails, yep, I use the tips of the nails instead of my finger tips and they work much better. I do drop a lot of stuff and it’s really ok unless its eggs, that really sucks. The other day I dropped the whole carton. Ug.

I also found a great remedy for the fatigue and weight loss at the same time. For the last couple weeks I have been going to curves and it has worked wonders. I’m happy to report that my energy is slowly starting to return.

I’m also looking into returning to school. I only have another quarter and a half before I’m finished and it seems silly to not finish what I started.

As for now I’ve put up two Christmas trees and am looking forward to spending a wonderful holiday season with my family.

Wonder Woman

I guess I’m a creature of habit and have always been this way. I have routines and things I just do on a regular basis, pretty predictable. When the holidays arrive I also have traditions that I feel pretty strong about. Some are good traditions that have been in the family forever or ones we have created ourselves. Some are not so good? I have a problem with thinking I am wonder woman. I seem to think I need to work until I drop or I haven’t done it right. I’m not sure what made me this way but being sick this last years has forced me to make changes even If I didn’t want to. As I’ve mentioned in the past I am still suffering from fatigue. Some days are good and others not so good, I don’t get to pick which ones are good. I can go along thinking it will be a productive day and then all the sudden I hit a brick wall and the day is over. It doesn’t even matter if my to do list is a mile long, it just doesn’t get done. The neuropathy in my feet is almost gone and in my hand, well it comes and goes. I have a little bit of chemo brain that seems to linger but not bad and I have learned to deal with it.

This year my family and I broke a tradition, we had our Thanksgiving Dinner catered by the Long Horn BBQ! It was fantastic! The turkey was smoked and all the trimmings were wonderful. My girls both work full time jobs and have families to care for so this made it a nice relaxing day for all of us. I almost felt guilty and then had to remind myself that it’s really Ok to relax and not have to work so hard.

Being sick has taught me a lot of things and some of them have been good lessons. I have been blessed with a wonderful family and this year I learned its Ok to do thing different and take time to enjoy them.

I hope you all had a wonderful day full of blessing and many things to be thankful for. As we go into the holiday season I will look for hidden blessing and miracles, creating many new traditions along the way.

Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, Curves, Zumba, Lab Band, Atkins, South Beach Diet, Yoga, Palliates, ect....

I went to see my oncologist today, it was my routine appointment. He gave me good news, he said “Mary, I believe you’re cured” that was nice to hear him say. I’m so happy for all he has done for me and my wonderful chemo nurse was there to great me with open arms. She said, “I almost didn’t recognize you” with all that hair. That was nice to hear also. It’s kind of a creepy feeling going to that place, all the people sitting around getting chemo, gives me flash backs and I can hardly wait to just get out of there. But, it wasn’t all good news.


Seems the chemo and steroids messed with my blood sugar and I am now pre diabetic because of it. I really didn’t want to hear this one. I have tried to diet and lose this post chemo weight and it has been almost impossible. I have never eaten so well in my life, from juicing and eating all natural fruits and veggies. My average weight loss has been one pound a month, that’s hard to deal with. I feel like I have rode that exercise bike from here to tin buck too and all I get is a sore butt. So he started me on a medication that will stabilize my blood sugar and hopefully get me back to a normal place.

The lady that took my blood ask if I was done with treatment and when I told her yes she said the dreaded words. “You sure look good, you have a pretty face." Ug, and I knew what she was thinking.

When I was sick from the chemo I didn’t care what I ate, I just consumed whatever I could when I could. Sometimes the steroids made me feel like a crazy person looking for food. I was like a vampire wanting blood and I would do anything to get it.

Now I’m on a mission, I will get this body back in shape one way or another. If you have diet ideas or tips on good work outs be sure to share them. God knows, I've tried them all!

Happy Birthday Levi '14'

Happy Birthday Levi

Forrest Levi is Grandson number three. I can still remember the day he was born like it was yesterday. His momma had several miscarriages before he was born so he was one of those hold your breath babies. He was born healthy and beautiful except for a little asthma that he would have to deal with. He had a few bad attacks but for the most part has found a way to control it.

Levi is the middle child in his family, with one older brother and a younger sister. He has always been kind of quiet and shy but has recently come out of his shell and started to have his voice. He likes his video and card games and also played some football on his middle school team last year. He plays the saxophone and does a great job. He makes us laugh when he does his impersonation of the Sexy Sax Man. If you don’t know who that is You Tube it, pretty funny stuff. Levi,  his mom and sister perform with the Heavier Than Air Players and his performances are outstanding, I look forward to each and every one of them. I’ve also noticed that he has an interest in girls, not just any girls; I notice he likes the older ones? He just likes them more mature, right?

When I was going through treatment some days would seem unbearable and then here they would come, grandkids with so much energy and full of life. It would reenergize me and I was good to go.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEVI

Love, GG