Adventures with Family

Wild Columbine

We have family visiting from California. They come every summer to get away from the heat there in to cool off in our more moderate summer weather. Well, they definitely get what they come for every time.! Our Niece, Meagan (on Johns side of the family) and her Aunt, Cynthia. We LOVE having them visit. It gives us incentive and excuses to go on adventures.  



Independence Mine
Like this adventure. We drove up to Hatcher Pass and walked around Independence Mine where they have just let things fall where they may. It's pretty neat. It started off cloudy and rainy, but by the time we finished the sun was shining and it was beautiful out.



love scenery
Coming here reminds me (every time) how much I should get out and for a hike. Though the walk around the mine felt like a small hike considering how out of shape I am in lately.
I will let the next few pictures speak for themselves, not that they are fabulous or anything like that...I only wish they were fabulous and were award winners. But in my mind, they remind me of lovely places I love to be. I want to have a wall somewhere in my house to hang all my "pieceful" pictures and sit to meditate in front of them.

Meagan

Such a Poser! haha

Another poser!
Having family visit is great, it's making me feel good and normal.

Protein

I have had many people ask me how I get enough protein in my new lifestyle diet. Well, I eat black beans, broccoli, plenty of spinach and some things made with tofu.
I found this article on yahoo about protein, the worst and best. For us and the environment.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/the-1-best-protein-for-your-health-and-the-worst-to-avoid-2512800/

I always find these articles interesting.
Some days I am sure I get more protein than other days. But overall I feel good, I have energy, and I don't feel hungry all the time.

Just sharing
Dani

Keep Moving Forward

Results...

Well, I met with the Nurse Practitioner today and she showed me the report from the radiololgist. It says that 3 of the nodules in my lungs showed minimal growth meaning;
1 grew 1mm
2 grew 2mm each

The rest, and there are quite a few, didn't grow at all and are considered "stable".

The consensus is that we will wait another 8 weeks at which time I will get another CT scan and meet with Doc Anderson to go over those results. So....I don't have to give up my smoothies yet, which delights me to no end, and ice cold water..mmm mmm good. you see, when I am getting Chemo I develop instant cold sensativity and cannot eat or drink anything cold or even cool. Everthing has to be room temp or warm. Boring..............

Now, I have to kick my Vegan diet up a few more notches and I guess I will be cheating less and less and losing more weight. I lost close to 10 lbs since my scan in May so....

I hereby give up even "organic" tortilla chips, and even "whole wheat" bread with organic peanut butter. Basically just eating fruits, veggies and drinking my wheatgrass which is basically several veggie servings! It shouldn't be much harder than those fad "diets" everyone is always trying over and over, except I need to keep doing it forever and ever.

So, anyone want to challenge me to a weightloss competition? A certain amount by a certain date?  you do your diet and I'll do mine? hahaha lol
The other thing which would help is if I got more serious about exercising more consistantly. That would trim me up in no time if I also adhered to my eating plan.  

It sure would be easier if everyone in my house turned Vegan also!!! Don't see that happening in my near future. Oh well. I will...

Keep Moving Forward.
Only I am responsible for my choices and the results thereof.

So, Keep Moving Forward!!!

Love,
Dani

Anticipation

Anticipation.................

Just another word (to my reasoning anyway) for waiting....not so patiently. Waiting has never been one of my strong traits. I have become better over the years, but not great. I could improve my waiting "skills" a lot. Do I want to? Do I have the energy to? Do I have the time to? hahaha I think I'll wait to decide.

In the mean time...sorry I have not posted pics yet, but my wonderful son, Damon turned 5 Monday the 11th. 5? 5 years? What happened?

Most parents, well I think many anyway, get so excited with their firstborn at least, anticipating their babies first teeth, first bites of solids, first roll over, on and on to first day of school. I always enjoyed these things myself, though I came to an understanding with myself that I wouldn't "anticipate" them anxiously because I wanted to enjoy EVERY moment for what it was...I wanted each stage to last forever. I never wanted my babies to grow up. I was always so proud of myself for living in the moment and not trying to "get" my child to grow up faster than was natural or necessary.

Now, I have a different attitude. I've come to an agreement with myself that while I will try my DARNDEST to enjoy each moment and not rush things, I also want time to pass more quickly than usual (as if I could change the rate at which time passes) so that Damon grows up, serves a Mission, returns from said Mission and is safe and sound all before I let this Cancer kick my butt. Not that I will "let" it happen even then, but to hold it at bay until that time...whew!!! What a blessing that would be. I have Never wanted time to move faster as I do now. So all while wanting that (which I feel confident I won't get; by that I mean time going faster) I also have to remind myself daily to slow down, breath deep, relax, and enjoy what is around me, who is around me.

I find myself really needing more peace, more relaxation, more meditation, more appreciation of the things I do find myself anticipating. Even if it is results to the latest CT Scan. I fret, worry, create chaos where it doesn't need to be, eat more than i should, crave things I am giving up, and rant at those I love....I will be so glad when tomorrow afternoon is over and I have something to work with...at least until the next scan gets close.
Stay with me on this journey, I love your support, appreciate your prayers and kind thoughts/words. Thank you for being my family, friends, followers.
May God's blessings be with you every day.
Dani

Deep Blue Sea

Deep Blue Sea.....what do these three words together bring to your mind?


Fear?
Calm?
Storm?
Sharks?
Neverending?
Life?
Movement?
Beauty?
Vast?

I went to the Deep blue sea last friday with one of my Best friends Anna, and we went Sea Kayaking. Now, I have been kayaking before, many times...just not in the ocean. My kayaks are of the flat water variety..meant for lakes and SLOW moving streams or rivers. I stear with my paddle. I have never used a kayak with a rudder.
My friend Anna also had never been sea kayaking and is slightly a bit anxious about the water. I won't divulge too much information about her, I 'll just mention that she is AfRaiD of the water. That's not too much info right?
Me on the other hand am in love with the water, I live every day to get out on open expanses of deep deep water...ah..............not so much! I'm perfectly fine as long as I am in the boat. I'm "deathly" afraid of dying by drowning. but I wasn't afraid of drowning on this day, just nervous to think of tipping and ending up in the freezing!!! water and then freaking out about what might be lurking down there around my legs.
Ok, so moving right along. We had a wonderful experience. It started with getting in the car and making the long drive to Seward. The tour started at 7 am. We had to get signed in, then "squeeze" into these ridiculous little life jackets. I thought I was doing to choke. Or maybe it's just the ridiculous size of my chest that was the problem. hmmm...either way, I like my own life jacket best, but I hadn't brought it. We then pulled on these "skirts" they slip around the seat and keep you from getting water inside and all over your lap, pants, feet, etc.
We rode in a tandem boat so I sat in the back where I was in charge of the rudder with my feet. Anna got in front. When we first hit the water, she yelped. Within minutes she was commenting on how glad she was we were doing this...i was too. It was so serene on the water. We opted to talk just between us, and not really interact with the other people in our group. It kept in more peaceful for us. We were able to just focus on nothing or our conversation, or just the peacefulness of the moment. We saw one lone sea otter. I love those little guys, they are sooooo cute. It was just a great experience to have with a great friend. I highly recommend it to anyone who is or isn't afraid of the deep blue sea. Anyone who is just looking for a calm, fun activity to partake in to encourage accepting the moment for what it is!
.

Summer Days

Summer Days usually start for me with Kaili's birthday. Here she is turning 21 and still having fun with her little brother. They are enjoying a moment together before she opens presents. He believes it is his duty to assist in that task even though he has his very own birthday in just another  month. (of course as I write this his birthday is less than a week away now.)

We attended Colony Days in Palmer..there were fun things for kids, lots of food vendors like at the saturday market, and also vendors of all things homemade. Damon was trying on one of those homemade items. So cute. He had his face painted, went on some bouncy house things, and got a balloon. He and Kaili also tried corn fritters.

Ari and I are sharing a nice nap together.  

Andrea................Damon..................Kaili

So cute, waiting for their turn to ride the 4 wheeler.

We also had 4th of July weekend. We went to a parade in Wasilla and it was the longest Alaskan parade I have ever been to. good though. We missed the fireworks the night before but when I asked my neighbor how they were they told me I didn't miss anything exciting. She told me they didn't even last 15 minutes and there was no grande finale...nothing spectacuar at all. Is that a reflection of the pride we have in our country right now? I pray not!!!! Probably just a poor job planning a display of fireworks. the unfortunately thing about living in Alaska is the best fireworks are on New Years Eve when it's too DANG cold to stand around and watch them. You do it though, even though your knees are knocking together, your teeth are clacking together, you can't feel  your fingertips (well for me last new yrs that was literally true, I couldn't feel fingers or toes).

Then the kicker is,  you drank so much hot cocoa you missed the fireworks because you were waiting in line to use the restroom!!!!

Go figure.