Sorry It has been a while

Well since I can't remember what has gone in my life since the last time I did a post, I just wanted to check in with everyone so they knew I was still alive and kicking. I chopped my hair off! 7 inches! I love it, I feel like I can do more with it now! wahoo! I promise I will start posting more often, if not, keep on my case about it..(ana) kisses to everyone :)

Before hair cut a few months ago
Right after cutting off seven inches

Cancer Free!

So it is over with! My momma got her final scans back and everything looked clear! Now we just cross our fingers and pray they stay that way when she goes in for her check ups! Thank you to everyone for all your support throughout this year! Here are some of my favorite pictures of my mom..oh and me too ;)

I am a little dutch girl!

SO SORRy I haven't posted a new post in a few weeks. But I just got back from Holland and Belgium and wanted to post some of my favorite pictures from my trip. Holland is the most quiant country I think there ever was. Everything looks like it was straight out of a picture book, and the flowers, wow..I can't even explain how beautiful everything is in that country. Belgium was great as well. I never expected to be able to see either of these countries, and I feel so blessed that I was able to sail along the waterways of Holland and Belgium. Enjoy some of my favorite pictures!!

thank God

She didn't come here to LOSE!

This Friday my mom had her last treatment, she has been such a strong, inspirational woman through out this whole process. Two weeks from now she has her final scans, so I am a little holding off being two excited, til I know we are REALLY done. But this past weekend I have spent the majority of the days with my parents and grandparents. It has been really great. Everyone is in such good spirits, grandma is sleeping in her own bed, sitting up in the wheel chair all day, and talking so much better. The nursing home is coming tomorrow to take a away the hospital bed. It just seems all surreal. Is everything really going to get better?!?!!??! I am so ready for fantastic things to happen for my family. This is definitely the start of a new beginning! Did I mention my mom is done with CHEMO!! wooohoo!!

She works hard for the money

So I began my new job a week ago, and I have to say I really enjoy what lies ahead. Does it mean a longer drive? yes, does it mean longer hours and I don't get home til 6:30 7. yes. Does it mean I leave feeling acomplished and independent? YES! I'll keep you updated on my new life :)

Moving on

So after two years, I decided it was time to move on from the Make a Wish foundation, and move towards a carreer where I can show case more of my abilities and strength. Oddly enough, I had no mixed feelings about leaving. It almost felt like I couldn't wait to get out the door. I was that ready to start a new chapter in my life. Do I feel bad about that? No, because it is about darn time I am excited that much about something! As for my co-workers, I know I will stay in touch with the ones I formed a relationship with. Heck, five of the girls who left before me I still keep in contact with, even if it is just through facebook, email or texting. It is nice to know you have left an impact in someones life and they are sad to see you go. Make a Wish will always have a special place in my heart because of my sisters wish, and I will always continue to support this wonderful foundation by participating in the Walk for Wishes and making donations, however I feel my interest in non-profits is begining to switch to those who raise money for cancer research. Such as relay for life. After this year and finding out that four straight generations of women in my family have gotten cancer that can all be linked to a genetic trait, make me more deterimined than ever to help the cause of finding a cure

Some of my favorite memories of Make a Wish

20 something, 20 everything

So welcome to the land of a quarter life crisis. What does that mean you ask? Well normally at my age or (mid 20's to early 30's) we as women start to feel the pressure to have our lives settled down. We are at this point in our lives suppossed to know what we want to do with our carreer, found a fabulous man to marry and may even be begining a family. However most women my age have not began that process yet. We may have nailed one or two of those big ticket items, but perhaps are feeling the rush to finish the trio off. This is a quarter life crisis. Our society has created it for us, with love movies and celebrities having it all. And even our mothers and grandmothers generation has given us a false idea of what our lives should really be. Well I have decided that they are wrong. I entered my quarter life crisis feeling scared and alone, but I have come to find that I am turning into the woman I want to be, and have done this with out the help of a guy, children and even taking a few years to find what I want to be when I grow up. I am embracing this time in my life and am so looking forward to what life is going to bring me. I have found you are your own best friend, and you and only you alone can get you through anything. I know I'll start to feel like I'm running out of time now and then, but the key is to just relax, take every day in as a blessing and get through it with a smile on your face. Because in the end, this is the only time in your life where you can take your time and figure it out. And I am enjoying the process :)

Fondue=FUN DO!

Last night myself and 13 of of my friends got spiffed up and had a scrumptious dinner at the MELTING POT for my 25th birthday celebration. It was a lot of fun to get together with some friends I hadn't seen in months and just as good to spend time with the ones I see every week. The food at the melting pot was amazing as usual and I enjoyed the whole experience. The only thing missing was my momma. She was so disappointed she couldn't make it. She is still in the hospital. It has been a week now. She has an infection caused by taking to many antibiotics , on top of the flu with made her dehydrated..whew. I don't really have much more to say because my brain is kind of lost at the moment. I didn't even take any pictures at my party, so I'll post some when I get my friends pictures...but until then enjoy this yummy picture of the fondue from the MELTING POT!

He's Just Not That Into You

So last night I saw he's just not that into you with two of my favorite people...my married friends Lindsey and Joe. ha ha. no but really, I had a awesome time with them. I love seeing movies where odds are everyone has a different out look. This movie was just as good as you probally are thinking it is going to be. If you've read the book, you totally need to see this movie. Whether your single, dating, married..whatever..you have at least one character that you identify with. For me I felt a little bit of myself in at least three of them. Why do we as girls always make up excuses for that assholes we or our friends date? When we could just look at it like a guy and remember "if a guy wants to see you, he will". But as females, we hold on to every shred of hope we have, we over analyze EVERYTHING and we take every small ordinary gesture from a guy as a positive thing..ugh. So this movie was a great way to open eyes a little bit, and also poke a little bit of fun at how crazy we can really be. ha.ha...I do recommend all guys see this also though, then maybe they can see what kind of torture we put ourselves through over them..

Cleveland Marathon

Soooo yesterday I began my 16 week training to walk a half marathon in May with my momma. However the weather makes "walking" kindof difficult so luckly for me my momma had bought me an eliptical to train on a few months ago. However this handly workout device is not your typical elpital from the gym. When I got a certain speed it tends to tip over. haha. Needless to say it is hard to know if I am getting the accurate workout I so need to be able to complete 16 miles in May. But I'm trucking along. :)

Happy Hump Day!

I am so impressed on how much my spirits have risen these past few weeks. At one point I thought I had really hit the bottom, but I picked myself up and kept going. I am optimistic that something great is going to come into my life soon. But as my bestfriend Lindsey reminded me " It takes the bad things in life for us to recognize the good things" I mean what would the good things be if there were no bad things? hmm quite the question to ponder. ha.ha. I have come to really enjoy my new outlook on life. Having a sick family has completely kicked my butt into gear. I have been heard saying " I can't do anything about our family history, or what I have done to my body in the past, but I CAN change the route that I was going and try to prevent myself from getting cancer. I have already lost 5 pounds in two weeks, and I have upped my kickboxing classes to the max (four times a week). My mom and I are walking 13 miles in the Cleveland Marathon in May, so I am going to begin training for that this coming Sunday, and I want to also train to run my first 5k this March. Health has kind of consumed my life these past few weeks. I often can't believe how I let myself spin out of control those four years. 50 pounds. Wow that's alot of beer, swensons, olive garden and mac n cheese. Not to say I will still not enjoy those things but I have definitely been hit with reality and I am glad it came crashing down on me at this point in my life. To me I have NO OTHER CHOICE. I have to get healthy. That's the bottom line :) I am so ready for new things to come into my life and I am going slightly impatient waiting for them to happen..but I know that is normal :) Much thanks goes out to my best friends who have supported me through everything. I could not be who or where I am today with out them.

My Lifesavors