10 Things 90s Kids Will Have To Explain To Their Children

While most things we experienced as tots in that headiest of eras seems pretty self-explanatory (plaid was everywhere, Leonardo DiCaprio was the molten ball of light around which the solar system turned, and there was no color too bright for your sweatpants) there are some things that will be a bit harder to explain. Here, a primer for when your future children want to know what the hell you were doing with your boxy, multicolored electronics.
Nov. 23, 2011

By Chelsea Fagan

1. Topanga was at some point in human history considered not only a legitimate first name for a human being, but the kind of name that would inspire in malleable teenage boys a life-long infatuation. Topanga, in our day, was leading lady name-material. Topanga (pronounced Tah-payne-ga, for those who will have only ever seen in it written down) is the name of the quintessential girl-next-door who will live, along with Feeney, in our hearts forever.

2. At some point, we carried around little plastic eggs with tiny screens on them — in these screens lived our hearts, our pets, our raison d’etre, our very own Tamagotchi. We loved them, we listened to their tiny electronic screams of malnourishment, and we occasionally forgot to pick up their poop for long enough that they died a tortured, poop-filled death. They were perhaps our first foray into the life-consuming world of electronics and self-absorption, later to be fully manifested by Facebook.

3. The black Power Ranger was black and the yellow Power Ranger was Asian because…we were so completely ahead of our time and beyond the capacity to even think in terms of something as inconsequential as race that… uh… I don’t know. Casting directors were racist in the nineties.

4. Long before he was spending his days foisting his mediocre children on us, Will Smith was actually the perfect human specimen. He also undoubtedly holds some world record for saving the world the most times while simultaneously delivering flawless catchphrases and giving cool guy nods to the camera. The Men In Black rap song, at the time, was created and received by the public without the slightest trace of irony. Really. He was that good.

5. In some inevitable shift of the time-space continuum in which James Cameron continues to rob humanity of all that is good and sacred in this world, Fern Gully will be known as that movie that ripped off Avatar. It will be up to us to crusade for what is right. It is up to us to explain that Fern Gully was not only a predecessor to Avatar, but far better, in that it contained both Tim Curry as a singing pile of molasses and Robin Williams rapping about animal testing in the pharmaceutical industry. (As a side note, if you have not recently listened to the full lyrics of the “Batty Rap,” I recommend you do, as they are horrifying.)

6. A neighborhood boy who completely disregards your family and puts a ladder directly under the teenage girl’s window to climb up at his discretion is not only acceptable, it’s charming. It’s the kind of stuff that would make said family take the ladder boy under their wing and into their heart. The nineties were a simpler time, one where we didn’t have to worry about things like breaking and entering. Clarissa today would have steel bars on the inside of her window and her father would continually remind her that the next-door boy with his ladder and his touchy hands have no place in his household.

7. Though on the surface, they are the exact same thing in every conceivable way, whether you liked The Backstreet Boys or N*SYNC said more about your character than all of the terrible macaroni art you could ever make for your child psychologist. Essentially, liking *NSYNC meant you liked Justin Timberlake, as he was clearly the Seabiscuit in that race from the get-go. You even liked him with his terrible, icy-blond mini-fro. Liking the Backstreet Boys gave you a bit more of a cultured palate, as there was no clear Diana in those Supremes. Nick was kind of the wholesome, if northern-Florida-redneck safe choice (save for his humiliating younger brother, Aaron). Brian was the shy, sensitive type. AJ was the hottt, dangerous meth addict. Kevin Richardson was mute with sexy, sculpted facial hair. No one liked Howie. Choosing between the two groups was like choosing between two beloved children, but once that line was crossed–there was no going back.

8. “I wanna really really really wanna zig a zig ahh,” has a meaning, and all true nineties kids know it, but we must never share it. Like the Illuminati, it must remain between us, the keyholders. With great power comes great responsibility.

9. Lisa Frank is not the name of a woman, it is the name of a movement, a culture, a way of living. It is a theory, a concept, a belief in something greater than yourself. It is the belief that all girls are entitled to dolphins covered with rainbows, jewel-encrusted frogs, and unicorns in acid-trip colors hugging each other. It is the ideology that no notebook is complete until it literally hurts your eyes to look at from so much color saturation. It is the hope that no school supply, no matter how insignificant, will be left un-bedazzled. It is the knowledge that your eraser cap, and that of your granddaughter’s, and her granddaughter’s after her, will not be some boring little nub–it will be a diamond covered with butterflies in a rainbow of colors. It is the dream of a better tomorrow.

10. Incredibly depressing women in Indiana covered in cats and glass figurines they buy at The Hallmark Store used to troll the web 1.0 to invest thousands of dollars in tiny stuffed animals filled with plastic beans. That happened. Beanie Babies were not just significant, they were the first example most of us had of envy, greed, and wrath. If someone messed up that little heart-shaped Ty tag, so help you God, that was the end of whatever contact you had with that monster of a human being. That tag-less Beanie Baby was now trash, and you had to deal with the consequence. It was at that moment, that de-valued Beanie Baby moment, that most of us accepted the truth… we’ll never have nice things.
source: http://thoughtcatalog.com/2011/10-things-90s-kids-will-have-to-explain-to-their-children/

VazquezSounds Adele- Rolling In The Deep (Cover)

An amazing sibling group. They are so talented.

5 Years

5 years ago today I married my best friend and soul mate. We were married in the Mt. Timpanogoos Temple in American Fork. The last five years have been incredible. We have had our ups and downs be we are stronger than ever! I love you Phil!

Gratitude day 9

I am grateful for days when I actually feel good and not sick. I am nursing a cold and have been for a few days now. I said something at work about not feeling well to which someone said "you never feel good". I have been sick for so long that I sometimes forget what it is like to feel normal, and good. My initial diagnosis was in early 2005. That was nearly 6 1/2 years ago. I have had my ups and certainly had my downs. It is because of all of it that I am grateful for the times when I don't feel sick or hurting.

About Us

Phil and I have been married 5 years on November 17,2011. We met in March of 2006 while we were both attending Stevens-Henager College. We dated and were married November 17, 2006 in the Mount Timpanogoos Temple. We currently reside in Santaquin, Utah. We bought our home in December of 2010. Phil is employed with a company called Prosper Learning. It is an E-commerce coaching company. I work for doba.com which is a product supplier for online retailers. As far as hobbies go we like to go fishing and camping. We also spend a lot of time with our family that is around us. We sure work hard but we play even harder.

LOOK AT YOURSELF AFTER WATCHING THIS.mp4

Gratitude day 8

I am grateful for this man's spirit. He gives me hope. Thank you sweet stranger for blessing my life in ways you will never know. Your positive attitude and pleasant demeanor is an inspiration to me. THANK YOU!!!

Gratitude day 7

I am grateful for heat. It has been cold and we live in a blessed society. Heat is a standard for most Americans. Along with that I am grateful for AC in the summer.

Love is Eternal

Everyone who knows me knows that I LOVE quotes and song lyrics about everything and anything…. I wanted to share a few about love with you.

“Respect, admiration and trust equals love.” Hal Hartley
“Love gives us in a moment what we can hardly attain by effort after years of toil”. Goethe
“So dear I love him that with him, All deaths I could endure. Without him, live no lives.” William Shakespeare, “Romeo and Juliet”
“All you need is already within you, only you must approach your self with reverence and love. Self-condemnation and self-distrust are grievous errors. Your constant flight from pain and search for pleasure is a sign of love you bear for your self, all I plead with you is this: make love of your self perfect. Deny yourself nothing — glue your self infinity and eternity and discover that you do not need them; you are beyond”. Nisargadatta Maharaj

Gratitude day 6

Today I am grateful for the gospel. I love knowing that we can be with our families forever. This picture was taken on July 9, 2005. The day I was baptized in the LDS faith. Here is a talk I wrote after my first battle with cancer. I think it speaks highly of my belief in the church. You may recognize some bits and pieces of it from other blog posts but here it is in full.

My Gethsemane
By Derin Harvey
2006

Some years ago I came across a poem whose message caught my attention. It so intrigued me that I decided I would memorize it. It only took a few months of neglect however for the passages to fade, but the last stanza has always stayed fixed in my mind. It reads:

“All those who journey soon or late,
Must pass within the garden's gate;
Must kneel alone in the darkness there,
And battle with some fierce despair.
God pity those who cannot say,
“Not mine but thine” who only pray,
“Let this cup pass” and cannot see
The purpose in Gethsemane”

Just a few short months later, this passage would take on a deeper, more personal meaning. In 2005 I was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. The cancer had progressed to stage four, that being the most severe stage for ovarian cancer. Having spread into my abdomen, the cancer had quickly invaded every space available; constricting the proper function of organs, and wrapping itself around nerves and major arteries alike. The far reaching fingers of the disease had also found its way into my chest cavity, there attaching itself to my lungs. Even a small amount had deposited itself in my shoulder near my collar bone.

Over the next 6-8 months I would spend close to two months in the hospital, being operated on 5 times, and experience two grueling months of Chemotherapy. It is not an experience that I would ever want to relive. But I am grateful for the way the Lord helped me to grow during the experience.

One evening during my second week of chemotherapy treatment, I found myself resting in an over-sized armchair at my adopted family's home. I had recently returned home from having the toxic chemicals of chemotherapy run through my veins for over eight hours. Needless to
say, I was exhausted and extremely tired as the poisons continued their destructive course through my body; indiscriminately killing cancer cells and normal healthy body cells alike. As I sat there without the strength or will do do anything more than think, the question that I had repeatedly pushed aside and tried to ignore came back in greater force. Unable to cast it aside this time, I considered it. Why Me? Why was this happening to me In that very moment sorrow over whelmed me and I could do nothing more than but cry out as Joseph Smith did from the darkness of the Liberty Jail. “Oh God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?”

As the gaping hole of sorrow threatened to swallow me, the gentle and loving rebuke came to my mind, “The Son of man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?” Instantly my mind has drawn to remember all the suffering the Son of Man willingly took upon himself
for me. Suffering that caused him, “even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed from every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit.' He suffered “temptations and pain of body, hunger, thirst and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death.”

Lying there in my own pain and sorrow, I gained some sense of the eternal vastness of Christ's agony and pain. And how small my suffering seemed to be when compared to that of the infinite
and eternal! What gratitude filled my heart as I thought about how he loved me so much that he willingly took upon himself my suffering and more! Peace entered my soul as I felt his love comfort and surround me.

How true Alma's words are: “And he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with Mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.” I understood and felt that he truly did know what I was feeling, and going though, and he shared in my sorrow. I felt his gentle words “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion for the son of her womb? Yeah, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.”

As this light and understanding lifted my heart from the depths of despair and sorrow, I felt as Alma the younger when he expressed, “and oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold: yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! Yea I say unto you... that there be nothing as exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you... that on the other hand, there can be nothing exquisite and so sweet as was my joy.”

I learned first hand that day, that just as the atonement can make our scarlet sins become as white as a fresh white snow, it can also ease our pain and change our sorrow to hope, and peace. As we answer the Lords call to “Come Unto Him”, he truly will “ease the burdens which are put upon our shoulders, that even we cannot feel them upon our backs.”

Life will never be easy. When those difficult times come, it is up to us whether we “curse God”, as Job's wife would have had him do, or trust in the Lord and seek what it is that he would have us learn. Elder Richard G. Scott said, “ Just when all seems to be going alright, challenges of ten come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not the consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more. He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where he wants you to be requires a lot of stretching and that generally entails much pain and discomfort. This life is an experience in profound Trust in Jesus Christ,” Through my experience I came to understand many things about myself and my relationship with my Heavenly Father that I would not have gained otherwise.

I never did receive an answer to my question of why me? Perhaps I didn't feel I need to ask it anymore. I had been to my Gethsemane: I had knelt there and gained some sense of what Christ had done for me. I caught a glimpse of the purpose of Gethsemane. I only hope that I can continue to say, “Not as I will, but as thou wilt” and seek to be that which my Heavenly Father would have me be.

Gratitude day 5

Today has been a lousy crappy day. I have been so upset for the majority of my day. That is why today I am grateful for my husband Phil. He is me best friend and closest ali in this world. He has made me a better person over all and continually teaches me. In 2 weeks we will celebrate our 5 year anniversary. I am blessed to have him and I don't know where I'd be without him. I know now that it's not me against the world but us against it!!!

Gratefulness Day 4

I am grateful today for my job. I was unemployed for a year and know how much work it is to find work. I am lucky enough to work for a company that treats me as an individual. I very rarely hate going to work. I love what I do and am dang good at it. I am grateful for that.

Gratefulness Day 3

Today I am grateful for modern medicine. Both that I have been educated in it and that I can receive it when needed. We really live in a blessed time. Fortunately most death causing epidemics have been wiped out. There are lots of serious medical illnesses but through modern medicine the mortality rates are much lower. Happy 3rd of November!!

Michael Jackson - Heal The World

Today I am grateful for music and the feeling I get listening to it and singing it. I once had a dream to become an opera singer. I was on the right track til I picked up a bad habit that made my voice change. Music can do so much for me. It can help my mood and influence my actions. I was introduced to Celine Dion's music at a young age by my dad and she was and still is my all time favorite artist. Nobody else can hold a candle to her talent. Someday I hope to meet her. The song below is by another amazing artist. I love the message in this song. This is a timeless classic and the lyrics are below the video.

spoken:

Think about the generations and to say we want to make it a better

world for our children and our children's children. So that they know

it's a better world for them; and think if they can make it a better

place.

There's a place in your heart

And I know that it is love

And this place could be much

Brighter than tomorrow.

And if you really try

You'll find there's no need to cry

In this place you'll feel

There's no hurt or sorrow.

There are ways to get there

If you care enough for the living

Make a little space, make a better place.

Chorus:

Heal the world

Make it a better place

For you and for me and the entire human race

There are people dying

If you care enough for the living

Make a better place for

You and for me.

If you want to know why

There's a love that cannot lie

Love is strong

It only cares for joyful giving.

If we try we shall see

In this bliss we cannot feel

Fear or dread

We stop existing and start living

Then it feels that always

Love's enough for us growing

Make a better world, make a better world.

Chorus:

Heal the world

Make it a better place

For you and for me and the entire human race.

There are people dying

If you care enough for the living

Make a better place for

You and for me.

Bridge:

And the dream we would conceived in

Will reveal a joyful face

And the world we once believed in

Will shine again in grace

Then why do we keep strangling life

Wound this earth, crucify it's soul

Though it's plain to see, this world is heavenly

Be God's glow.

We could fly so high

Let our spirits never die

In my heart I feel

You are all my brothers

Create a world with no fear

Together we'll cry happy tears

See the nations turn

Their swords into plowshares

We could really get there

If you cared enough for the living

Make a little space to make a better place.

Chorus:

Heal the world

Make it a better place

For you and for me and the entire human race

There are people dying

If you care enough for the living

Make a better place for

You and for me.

Gratefulness Day 1

Today I am very grateful for family. I firmly believe that since we cannot choose our biological families, or maybe they are distant or whatever, we can create our own family of friends. My friends have been there for me when my family wasn't. Family is what you make it. Thank you to all my family members, and to my "adopted families". The Hayes', the Harvey's, the Harper's, the Jessee's, the Roger's, the Couey's, and all the other families that have counted me as one of their own. I truly love you all!!!

Snow number 2

November 1, 2011 ushers in another snowstorm. Today is the second storm of the season. When I left for work at 7:30 it was only raining. This was a couple hours ago. Woohoo.... bring on the winter!!

Also, didn't Phil do an AMAZING job on the new deck/porch and cobble stone(which he made himself) sidewalk???!!!! I married a winner for sure!

An interview about me by Ashley Rose

The photos are not cooperating so I will add them another time.

Ask A [Two Time] Cancer Survivor

by Ashley Rose under Ask A..., Posts with Pictures

There are people all around you that are doing, or have done extraordinary, interesting, amazing things. Some are dealing with unimaginable struggles. Others are accomplishing great feats. All of them have and are still overcoming great obstacles.

I want to tell their stories. I want to build awareness. I want to spread the word. I want people to be more tolerant, more informed, and more respectful.

Today, we are talking to the lovely Miss Derin. I met Derin in 2007 (I think. Give or take a year--time escapes me) when we worked together at Orange Soda. She is an amazing person and an excellent friend. I think we are all aware that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month--and, though Derin did not have breast cancer, I felt that this was a good month to feature her. I'm sure that everyone is seeing little pink ribbons (and, let's face it, pink EVERYTHING--I saw a pink swiffer mop at the store last night!) everywhere. It's so awesome that everyone is donating and spreading awareness, but did you know that there is also an Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month?? Yup. September. Too bad I didn't know that before! The color for Ovarian Cancer Awareness is teal. LOVE it!

Briefly tell us a little about yourself.

I am officially in my 30th year in this wonderful world! Right now my life consists of Dr. visits, tests, scans, and WORK. I love what I do and I love life! I recently received test results from my Dr. that my current battle with cancer is remission cancer-0 Derin-2. I'm blessed with an amazing husband, family, and the BEST friends EVER!!!

So the feature this month is "Ask a Cancer Survivor" - what type(s) of cancer was/were you diagnosed with?

In 2005 I was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. The cancer had progressed to stage four, that being the most severe stage for ovarian cancer. Having spread into my abdomen, the cancer had quickly invaded every space available; constricting the proper function of organs, and wrapping itself around nerves and major arteries alike. The far reaching fingers of the disease had also found its way into my chest cavity, there attaching itself to my lungs. Even a small amount had deposited itself in my shoulder near my collar bone.

Then again in November 2009 it came back with vengeance. Again I was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. The cancer had progressed to stage three. It also spread into my pancreas.

What crossed your mind the first time you were told that you had cancer? and how were you told?

I knew it was gonna be bad news since my doctor asked me to come into the office and to bring a family member or friend with me. I asked the first Doctor if he was high. The I was filled with denial. I went through all 5 of the stages of grief:

1. Denial and Isolation

The first reaction to learning of terminal illness or death of a cherished loved one is to deny the reality of the situation. It is a normal reaction to rationalize overwhelming emotions. It is a defense mechanism that buffers the immediate shock. We block out the words and hide from the facts. This is a temporary response that carries us through the first wave of pain.

2. Anger

As the masking effects of denial and isolation begin to wear, reality and its pain re-emerge. We are not ready. The intense emotion is deflected from our vulnerable core, redirected and expressed instead as anger. The anger may be aimed at inanimate objects, complete strangers, friends or family. Anger may be directed at our dying or deceased loved one. Rationally, we know the person is not to be blamed. Emotionally, however, we may resent the person for causing us pain or for leaving us. We feel guilty for being angry, and this makes us more angry.

The doctor who diagnosed the illness and was unable to cure the disease might become a convenient target. Health professionals deal with death and dying every day. That does not make them immune to the suffering of their patients or to those who grieve for them.

Do not hesitate to ask your doctor to give you extra time or to explain just once more the details of your loved one’s illness. Arrange a special appointment or ask that he telephone you at the end of his day. Ask for clear answers to your questions regarding medical diagnosis and treatment. Understand the options available to you. Take your time.

3. Bargaining

The normal reaction to feelings of helplessness and vulnerability is often a need to regain control–

If only we had sought medical attention sooner…

If only we got a second opinion from another doctor…

If only we had tried to be a better person toward them…

Secretly, we may make a deal with God or our higher power in an attempt to postpone the inevitable. This is a weaker line of defense to protect us from the painful reality.

4. Depression

Two types of depression are associated with mourning. The first one is a reaction to practical implications relating to the loss. Sadness and regret predominate this type of depression. We worry about the costs and burial. We worry that, in our grief, we have spent less time with others that depend on us. This phase may be eased by simple clarification and reassurance. We may need a bit of helpful cooperation and a few kind words. The second type of depression is more subtle and, in a sense, perhaps more private. It is our quiet preparation to separate and to bid our loved one farewell. Sometimes all we really need is a hug.

5. Acceptance

Reaching this stage of mourning is a gift not afforded to everyone. Death may be sudden and unexpected or we may never see beyond our anger or denial. It is not necessarily a mark of bravery to resist the inevitable and to deny ourselves the opportunity to make our peace. This phase is marked by withdrawal and calm. This is not a period of happiness and must be distinguished from depression.

What treatments have you undergone in your fight against cancer?

In 2005 after being diagnosed over the next 6-8 months I would spend close to two months in the hospital, being operated on 5 times, and experience two grueling months of Chemotherapy. It is not an experience that I would ever want to relive.

In 2009 I did a course of aggressive radiation, as well as a year of herbal treatments and holistic remedies. I did multiple drug trial as well as chemo booster shots. I flat out refused to do full on chemo EVER AGAIN!! NO THANK YOU! All of which I attribute my current remission to. AMEN!!!

Obviously, there are negative side-effects to certain cancer treatments. What were yours?

With the Chemo from having the toxic chemicals of chemotherapy run through my veins for over eight hours I had terrible pains, and sickness.. Needless to say, I was exhausted and extremely tired as the poisons continued their destructive course through my body; indiscriminately killing cancer cells and normal healthy body cells alike. The radiation drains my energy, causes extreme bone pain and I have major memory loss, thank you chemo/radiation.

How did you cope with treatments and being ill?

Lots of meds!!!!! Hot baths, massage (you need to clear this with your Dr first it can be dangerous for cancer patients), I was blessed with an amazing support system. Having that can make or break your fight. If you are reading this and do not have a support system, please contact me. This is not something anyone should do alone. On that note you also have to LET people support you. This is so hard but once you do you will feel so much better.

What things did you do to keep your spirits up and hope alive?

Singing, I LOVE music and watching musicals they make me smile and take my mind off of the issues I am facing. Educating myself to know what alternative treatments are out there are great ways to stay positive. I know that it is so hard to be strong and positive but when I was and am I feel like I can do anything. When I am sad or depressed or self-pitying, my life was a lot harder to live through. There were times when all I thought about were ways to end my life. I wanted to kill myself before the cancer killed me. Those were my low points.

What kinds of reactions did you get from other people when they found out that you had cancer?

I think the biggest was that people didn't know what to say. Some cried, or stared blankly.

Did people treat you differently after they knew? If so, in what way?

Some people distanced themselves from me while other rose to be the amazing pillars of support that I needed. I get upset when I hear people say things like, I can't deal with you being sick..... HELLO how do you think I feel?

I can imagine your body went through a lot of physical changes throughout the whole process - what were they and how did the changes affect your perception of yourself?

The chemo killed my teeth, I have constant pain in my bones and joints. I lost my hair and most of my taste sense. I still have digestive issues, developed a seizure disorder and am in CONSTANT discomfort.

Do you feel like you changed spiritually and/or mentally since the time you were first diagnosed?

In a huge way. Lying there in my own pain and sorrow, I gained some sense of the eternal vastness of Christ's agony and pain. And how small my suffering seemed to be when compared to that of the infinite and eternal! What gratitude filled my heart as I thought about how he loved me so much that he willingly took upon himself my suffering and more! Peace entered my soul as I felt his love comfort and surround me.


What sort of social stigmas did you encounter, if any?

That I'm too sick to be capable of doing anything. I felt like people didn't want to invite me to do things because they thought I was maybe too sick. Just because someone has cancer doesn't mean they can't be productive in society.

Were there things that people said or did that hurt your feelings?

People would say that they didn't want to get close to me because they didn't want to "lose me". It was hard.

What terms or phrases should we avoid when speaking or referring to those who have been diagnosed with cancer?

I hated when people called me sick, or sick with cancer. I like to think of it as living with cancer or fighting cancer things like that. When you have cancer the last thing you want to hear is someone tell you you're sick. Putting the positive spin on it will keep spirits high and stress low.

What programs, if any, are out there to help people who are struggling with cancer - either financially or emotionally?

These groups can refer you to any assistance that you need. As well as me. I am big into helping spread the word and to teach through my experience.

thecancer.net

cancer.org

cancer.gov

What can we do to help build awareness or assist in any way? (time, money, etc.)

I am a big supporter of Relay for Life through the American Cancer Society. There are a number of things to raise awareness.The MOST common type of cancer "awareness" is for breast cancer. It is frustrating to me that very few people think of the other types. Awareness is key to early detection and higher survival rates. Look at me, I was terminal twice and I am here today alive and breathing. Did you know that there are over 200 kinds of cancers? Well, now ya do!!

I want to thank Derin for being the guest of honor here at Mrs. Rogers' Neighborhood today and for being the star of my newest feature.

A quick recap

A couple of weeks ago we hosted a small scale dinner. Phil made his amazing sweet pork fried soft tacos. Tim and Laura were able to come as well as their cute little one Faith. Ashley and McKay also came with baby Gabe. This was the first time Ashley had been to my home. She is the one that interviewed me for an awesome article on being a cancer survivor. I will be posting the interview in a few days.

This past Saturday I was able to go the the annual Jessee family Halloween party hosted by Laura and Tim! I am generally not a holiday fan, especially Halloween but I had so much fun. They made a fun family feud game Halloween edition. We tore it up!!! You can check out the incredible costumes and such on her blog here. Yes the food tasted as incredible as it looks. Thanks for all the good times my dear friends!