One of my New Year's resolutions is to stop buying unnecessary crap stuff, and when I do purchase something, to be more conscious of how it's made and where it comes from before I decide to buy it. In general, I also try to buy things used, as this can really help to reduce our carbon footprint.

Likewise, buying organic foods is not only healthier for our family, but also benefits our Earth. To go along with this, another goal I've made this year is to buy more local organic produce (I want to make the Farmer's Market a weekly habit) and to eat less meat.

Lily and I wanted to share with any of our readers this great documentary we recently watched called Dirt! The Movie:

This movie really makes you realize how precious this simple resource is and how important it is to protect it.

Lily has always been conscientious about protecting our Planet, and she even educates me on the subject. I still remember how she banned any products containing palm oil from our house more than 2 years ago when she was only 9. While we were at the zoo, she had learned about the effects of deforestation due to palm plantations being planted in places like Indonesia. She became very concerned about the effect the deforestation had on the wildlife in that area. 

Soon after this, she discovered that Girl Scout cookies contain palm oil. Being a Girl Scout, this was a source of concern for her. I'm proud of her for sticking to her principles and choosing to raise money for her troop by other means instead of selling cookies.

Lily is certainly a singular individual and I've always taught her to embrace her uniqueness and to think for herself. Having to live through Cancer has only reinforced these qualities in her. She has a source of inner strength that amazes me. It is my hope that she will use this strength, her desire to help others, and her creativity to really make a difference in the world as she grows into an adult.

Another great documentary that we have watched is the movie Bag It. We watched this movie on channel 8 last year (I don't think it's available for free online, but is definitely worth purchasing). It's sobering when you realize how much plastic humans consume. What can we do?!! Awareness is only the beginning:



Another resolution of mine is to reduce our family's consumption of plastic. It's not enough to just recycle the plastic that we purchase. We also need to really think about the purchases that we make and what we can do to make a difference within our own lives.

Like a small ripple in a pond, we never know how our choices can affect the whole. As a parent, it is my responsibility to teach my children that their choices are important and that their actions show what kind of person they are.

When it comes to shopping bags, we use reusable ones. However, I will admit that there are times when we forget to bring our reusable bags (I will be better about this!) and we wind up with a bunch of plastic bags. Usually, we take these to be recycled at the grocery store. Recently, though, Lily and I discovered how to make plarn (plastic + yarn = plarn) to use in crochet. I'm making a cute striped reusable shopping bag (out of shopping bags) and Lily has been really helpful with connecting the strips of plastic for me.

More to come about this fun project!

Hooray for Friday!

Lily has had chemo every day this week, and she's been so brave. Monday when she woke up she had a sore throat, so on top of nasty chemo, she has had to deal with that. Also, with her port accessed, she has a hard time getting comfortable and finds it difficult to sleep well at night.

The good thing is that she has kept her appetite all week, although with her sore throat, she hasn't wanted much more than soup. Luckily, making all sorts of yummy soups is kind of my specialty!

We are so glad it's Friday. And, it's a 3 day weekend! Next week, Lily only has one day of chemo, then she is off for a week. After that, she repeats the cycle of 5 days straight followed by one day. And then...her treatment schedule is complete.

We will go in for another evaluation after that point.

Lily has been researching the Plains Indians and she created this diorama:

She made the patterns for the tepees, then cut them out and put everything together on her own. She researched Native American tepee designs and painted her models.

Now that she knows so much about the subject, I'm determined to purchase a real tepee. We want to spend the summer in Idaho and pitch our tepee on our land near my dad's family. It would be our base camp as we explore the area- Yellowstone and The Grand Tetons specifically.

Call me crazy, but I can't think of anything more fun than living in a tepee for a summer in one of the most beautiful places on earth. 

A big welcome to the newest member of our family! We hope to meet Serenity soon.

I wish we lived closer, but since we don't, I've been crocheting a blanket filled with love to wrap her up in (and it's finally done!)

Sending all our love, hugs and kisses!

Happy New Year

Although I didn't get as much accomplished during my holiday vacation as I wanted to (the garage is still an unorganized mess), I did get some much needed time to focus on renewing and recharging my energies.

A large part of this was due to the fact that Lily hasn't had chemo (or any doctor appointments for that matter!) in over 3 weeks. This is one of the longest breaks that she has had in her treatment. She was initially scheduled for the chemotherapy Irinotecan for 5 days straight the week before Christmas, but we knew that if she stuck with that schedule, she would be sick for Christmas weekend and we really didn't want that. Then, for the two weeks following Christmas, the east valley clinic was closed on Monday and rather than going to Phoenix for treatment, we decided to take a long break to just enjoy the holidays without having to worry about it.

It's been wonderful to see her feeling so well. Her hair is starting to grow back and she's gained some weight. She's been running around, playing with her friends in the neighborhood, and her wheelchair is now just another thing to clutter my garage!

My one wish for the new year is that she will continue to heal and grow into the beautiful young woman I know she can be. My artistic, funny, original, smart, caring girl. How I love her!

During my time off, I spent a lot of time reflecting and it's helped me to feel recharged and ready to face whatever 2012 brings.

Bring on 2012

Lily is scheduled for chemo on Monday and it's hard to think about going back. It's also hard to know if these rounds of chemo are truly necessary at this point. We are trusting the doctors who tell us that according to research, the likelihood of the cancer coming back is lessened if Lily finishes the entire course of treatment that was prescribed. And this makes sense, I mean, think about it- when you have an infection, you don't stop taking antibiotics as soon as you feel better. You are told to take the entire course of treatment to ensure that your illness doesn't come back.

The last thing we want is for the cancer to come back.

Tea for Two?

Lily and I have been taking daily tea time. It was her idea and it has turned into so much fun. It's so nice to take a break from the day and relax outdoors in this beautiful weather. We highly recommend it!

Here's our top ten tips for making the most of your tea time.

10. If it's sunny out, don't forget your parasol!

9. It's more fun if you dress up

8. Turn on some water and enjoy watching birds take a bath/ come get a drink

7. Make your own tea

Mint grows easily and makes yummy tea

6.You'll need a pretty cup! Thrift stores always have a selection of fancy tea cups for cheap

5. If you're hungry, keep in mind that the simplest food gets fancy if you cut it up small and stick a toothpick in it

4. Bring a friend

3. Your friend does not need to be human

2. Lounge on the ground, not on a chair! You sit on chairs all day. Stretch a bit. It feels soo good.

1. Finish your tea, lay on your back, and look at the endless blue sky. Relax and smile.