My readers are my friends...

Being in social media means always being in a fast paced world.  Networking, socializing, anything you can think of, all happening at the same time.  I never thought in the 4 years that I blogged anonymously that I would ever do it publicly; let alone make real friendships.  I started publicly blogging in Nov. 2009 and immediately things were different, I was me!  No longer hiding, I was open and it felt great.
This year has brought so many different challenges in my life, as a Mother, a Wife and as an adult.  I have lost Faith in many people, met new friends, lost loved ones, and been through what many have described as H.E "double hockey sticks".  Many times I have not thought I could make it through certain things, of which I will gladly blog about in the future.

Prayers and Pennies for Penny...

Not so long ago, I had the honor of following a fellow Blogger who's baby had cancer, Beautiful Layla Grace had Neuroblastoma, unfortunately she lost her battle, and she is now an Angel.She is now an Angel.

As our hearts still hurt for the Family, I learned about another Family that is going through the same type of cancer experience, with their 11 month old baby. 
Meet Aaron and Carina, parents of  Baby Penelope, Penny for short.

Stemming from a bump on the head, like many kids get, Penny's parents noticed a few days later that her eyes had turned black, scared as you can imagine, they took her to the E.R, after many tests, and pokes and tears with fears from Penny, they learned that Penny has Neuroblastoma.
After an MRI, Doctors learned that she has Stage 4 Neuroblastoma.

The tumor started in her adrenal gland and spread to her spine, it is the height of 3 vertebrae and is surrounding her spine 360 degrees.
Not bad enough yet thought the cancer monster, and through her spine the cancer entered her blood stream and then spread to the bones in her skull, as well as her Liver.


On 3/1 Penelope underwent a bone marrow test.  They extracted bone marrow from her pelvis in two locations.  Once the results came in on 3/2, we were informed that the cancer had also spread to her bone marrow.

"After all of that excitement, we once again noticed that Penelope wasn’t using her legs at all.  Even when she was upset – she’d flail her arms, but the legs didn’t move at all.  We notified the doctors of this – then everything went haywire.  Within 5 minutes we had the head oncologist, neurologist and anesthesiologist were all in the room poking and prodding her.  Shortly thereafter, they confirmed that Penelope had lost sensation and use of her legs – pretty much from the knee down wasn’t working.
We knew ahead of time that she had tumors inside of her spinal cord, but all had been well so they hadn’t done any surgery – just started chemo to try and shrink the tumors.  But, now it was serious.  If they didn’t get the tumors off of her nerves she could lose the use of her legs permanently!  Now – Carina and I are FREAKING OUT!!  Not only does she have life threatening cancer, but even if she beats it there’s a chance that she’d be in a wheelchair for the rest of her life!  At this point in time Carina and I are just hanging on by a thread.  I’m two seconds away from just falling apart altogether and Carina looks like she’s already there.  My Mom was here – so she helped me shake it off and get focused on what we had to do next, then I helped Carina to do the same so we could get Penelope through this.
It’s been only 20 minutes since the doctors confirmed her loss of leg function,
The surgeon informed us that they were going to aggressively attack the tumor in her spine.  This was far from the original plan, but it HAD to happen.  He said it would take between 2 1/2 to 4 hours for the surgery.  They did a laminectomy on 2 1/2 of her vertebrate so that they could access the tumor within her spine and remove as much of it as they could.  With any luck, this would help to restore the function in her legs."

Thanks to everyone blogging and "twittering" and "facebooking" Pennies for Penny got media attention, her story was on San Diego News on Channel 6.

Here is a piece of a post Aaron put on his blog, these parents are going through so much, and also make sure that they keep everyone in touch, and respond to comments ;)...

thank you again to everyone for your overwhelming support and PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE spread the word about Penelope and this site.  We received a bill for 1 CT scan yesterday – it was the CT scan done when she first went into the ER.  They charged the insurance company $10,900 for the scan – of which I get to pay 40%.  Since then she’s had 2 MRI’s, a bone scan, two nuclear medicine scans, a bone marrow biopsy, two surgeries, 7 rounds of anesthesia, daily X-rays, 1 cycle of chemotherapy, countless meetings/reviews with Dr’s, and 12 days inpatient.  On top of that we were informed that once we’re released she needs daily GCS-F shots.  A 10 day treatment of these shots costs $1,500.  So, we’d need two 10 day cycles per month, since she’ll get chemo every three weeks and be inpatient 3-5 days after.  Of course, this medication is NOT covered by our insurance.
So – add Pennies4penny on your Facebook and your twitter – tell your friends, neighbors, people at the grocery store – anyone you can.  The biggest gift you could give Penelope is spreading the word of her condition.
Thanks again everyone, talk to you all soon.
Best
Aaron

To help raise funds for Penny's medical bills, there will be an online auction that will be held next Friday, March 19th beginning at 6am PST.  As importantly as we need you to share the news of the auction, we need you to show up and BID.  We have some really awesome donations gathered with more to come.

Auction items that are already confirmed:

• Family 4 pack of passes to Legoland CA
• Build a Bear prize pack
• Beautiful pendant from The Pretty Peacock .
• Haircut GC’s to Pigtails & Crewcuts in Chula Vista, CA (courtesy of www.sandiegobargainmama.com)
• A $250.00 GC to aden + anais.
• Creative Memories PicFolio Quick Kit (courtesy of www.SuzyQHomemaker.com)
• A Creativity for Kids prize pack
• A croqueted baby blanket made by Becky Kremkau
• A Skitter Toy
• A (not even released to the public yet) TuTu from Three Peas Co.
• Three prize packs from SprigToys.com
• Dinner for 4 at the Mediterranean Room in La Valencia Hotel.
• Coupons for 1.5 hours of bowling, shoe rentals and snacks for six at Kearny Mesa Bowl.

The auction will run through the weekend and close Sunday March 21st at 9pm PST.

If you tweet about Pennies 4 Penny, please use hashtag #pennies4penny
You can follow Pennies 4 Penny at @pennies4penny
 The blog Pennies 4 Penny link is here

 If you want to "sport" this awesome button is support of "pennies4penny" grab it and the site ;)

I received The Happy 101 Blog award ;)

Yes, I'm a little late with my award acceptance speeches, lol, but I have a Teacher's note ;)
I received this award in January 2010 ;)'

I received the Happy 101 Blog award from Stacie who lives at Super Mommy to the Rescue 

Stacie is such an AWESOME mom and friend, I can openly talk with her about my son's progress or regress and she talks with me about her handsome son Dakota ;)  , on her blog she tries to bring awareness to Autism, she has great posts about Autism, as well as her Weekly Meme's, She has a great Tuesday Meme: All about kid's  posts and Sat. are her Linky Love posts, where all friends can stop by and leave their links for more friends ;)   

Thank you so much for the award Stacie ;)

If you haven't done so yet, stop by her blog, it's a great site ;)

There are four rules for this award:
1. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
2. List who gave the award to you and use a link to her blog (or hyperlink).
3. List 10 things that make you happy.
4. Pass the award on to other bloggers and visit their blog to let them know!

10 Things that make me happy

1. My children
2. When Izeah has a GOOD day
3. other people's children
4. All my blogland friends that ALWAYS make me smile ;)
5. having a full stock of cold pepsi
6. When I hear good things people did for the Military ;)
7. wearing my comfy monkey pajamas that have footsies ;)
8. looking at old pictures :) :)
9. having enough money til next payday, lol
10. GETTING AWARDS!!! ;)

Now to pass this award to Bloggers that just make me happy ;)
Can i pass to all? lol
I am going to pass this award to:

Noelle - The desire of my heart
Mai - Salvageable
Jennifer - Product reviews 
muffinTinMom - Muffin Tin Mom 
Lady Bugs Grama - Vixen's Den

Thank you Stacie, and Congratulations Girls!!!!!!!! ;)

hello my dear friends....

yes, it's me ;)

I have been a bit busy with life lately, hence the lack of my daily ramblings, lol.

A quick update is that the whole family has been sick for over a month,, taking turns with stomach flu, flu, bronchitis, and now I finally caught a cold and the baby has an ear infection, so there goes my turn to rest :/

I have some WONDERFUL reviews coming up, I am so happy with these products, and I can't wait to share with all of you why I loved them so much ;) 

make sure you check out my 

review and giveaway for a $50 dllr gift card to the Safeway family of stores

review for a bahamas vacation for moms

I have yet to post about some fun adventures we have been on.

YAYYYYYYY, 

I got some awards as well, I am so sorry for not posting about them yet, but This string of "sickies" has gotten to me this time, lol, and the depression decided to make a big visit this last month but that's in another blog ;)

Yes, I am still alive ;)  

I miss you all, thank you so much for still being there for me and leaving me daily comments of support; the LOVE I have gotten from my friends in blogland has been so amazing and soooooooo appreciated ;)

ooh before I forget, don't forget to play "Tag, you're it" 

PLS help, I'm doing my part, have u done urs?

I know I am just 1 person, but my heart is breaking for thousands.

please help me get word out, with just $5 dollars you can help send money to Haiti, Wyclef Jean is helping on ground and with donation efforts for the people in Haiti.

TEXT 'YELE' TO 501501 to donate $5 dllrs

PLEASE help me get the word out, send out my post link, or copy and post, please tweet for me, i am trying to do all i can to help, this money is going directly to forces on ground to help, please see video and or go to his website http://www.wyclef.com/



TEXT 'YELE' TO 501501 to donate $5 dllrs


TEXT 'YELE' TO 501501 to donate $5 dllrs
 
copy of my tweet:
@militaryfamof8 as a mom of 6 i am asking for ur help PLS RT WATCH & HELP bit.ly/55GEFT we have SO many luxuries pls help send NECESSITIES TO HAITI

"ALL I HAVE IS A COMPUTER, BUT I KNOW HOW TO USE IT ;) "

THE PUMPKIN PATCH!!!

daddy woke up early this morning, to be at mision bay at 8am for his weigh in and measurements. i was proud of him, cause i know he was so soar and tired. he was supposed to go for an hour but while he was there since he couldn't run like everyone else; after dave told him he could go, he went on his own to the gym, and got on the elyptical machine. yes, i am still proud of him.

today, as every weekend the kids and i woke up late. will was upposed to have been home before 10 am, becaue we had to go to a pumpkin patch event, but got home a little after 10am. lucky for him, i had the times wrong, and the event didn't start til 2pm. yes, like always, it took us 3 hours to get fed and dressed and out of the house, lol.

after running late, like always!, we made it. it was in lakeside, we had a beautiful drive through the mountains, of course that was after the 15 minutes of freeway, lol. i made the kids carry sweaters because i thought it would get cold, but i was wrong. go figure, me wrong?!??! what were the chances of that happening?? lol
the cool thing was that i found my camera yesterday, so i knew i was going to have a picture filled day.

we signed in, and the kids started with their crafts. they colored their own trick or treat bags, and got masks. it looked like will was more into it than the kids, lol.
after that, we did everything there was to do. they played milk bottle bowling, they went through a maze, played basket ball. went to the petting zoo, but the coolest things of all were the hayride, and the mountains of cottonseed for sledding!!!!!!! even will tried to sled down, but he fell and rolled down the hill, i mised the pic oportunity. it was o cool to see them play, it was like now, lol. the hay ride wa awesome!! they showed us through the whole farm and dairy. it's a 3rd generation owned and operated business. they had a cow that gave birth an hour before we got there, and 3 the night before. they have a whole ection of cows that are all pregnant and are all due in 1 day to 4 weeks. they have a methane plant, where they turn the cow manure into electricity, they use that electricity for the whole farm, dairy, and the houses on the property. it was all soo cool, and at the end the kids picked their pumpkins nad we bought a loaf of homemade pumpkin loaf. we are going to try it tomorrow.

i took soo many pictures that they didn't fit into one slide show, so i made 9. lol yes, 9 slide shows, hope you enjoy, cause i loved it!!!