Fairfield,

Save Our Dad: This IS The Update You've Been Looking For

2/15/2017 House of Geekiness 0 Comments

I've moved! Read this post and more on my new website.





















































































August 2016, when we thought we were going to lose Erik's dad, Den
You're not gonna believe this! I'm still trying to process it...

About six months ago, we moved our family from Utah to California to Save Our Dad (read about Den's fight against cancer). It didn't look good. In fact, as you can see from the picture above, he looked like death.
Den snuggling with Kylo (our cat) while Daisy (our dog) demands tummy rubs
The general advice we were given was to make him comfortable and to say our goodbyes, because once cancer spreads to the bones, you usually have less than a year to live (especially if you're as weak and emaciated as Den had gotten).
Den, eating his daily Kozy Shack tapioca pudding and snuggling with our cat (Emo Kylo Ren) and our dog (Princess Daisy) while trying to figure out a Wheel of Fortune puzzle.
With lots of prayers, chemo, puppy and kitty snuggles, and a whole bunch of Kozy Shack and homemade tapioca pudding (thank you for the amazing recipe, Alton Brown!), Cheetos Puffs, and Big Daddy Ice Cream Sandwiches, he got back up to his target weight. And, as we were able to announce in October, the cancer started shrinking.

I haven't gotten to post many updates this winter because we've been fighting colds and trying to keep Den healthy. A bad bought of bronchitis gave us a scare, but he's finally back up and running, which, in Den's case, means back to playing pool at the senior center. 

Den's had six rounds of chemo now, and the last PET scan showed the cancer was not only gone from the bones, but that only one cluster of lymph nodes was "active" (suspicious). 
This was great news! It looked like there was only a small area with cancer still, so the upcoming biopsy would tell us what sort of treatment he needs and we'd plan from there. 
The biopsy was actually a bit scary, and not only because of his medium risk status for surgeries. If you're squeamish, skip this paragraph. They put a scope/camera down his esophagus, then put a needle through the wall of the esophagus, into the suspicious lymph node to collect the tissue sample.
Den, in the hospital, after the biopsy
When the news came, I couldn't stop crying. The biopsy was completely benign. They'll be doing scans every few months to be sure, but for now, Den is cancer-free!!!
A cancer-free Den!
Some might be wondering why we're so astonished by this, isn't chemo supposed to get rid of cancer? Well, yes, but not only has this been a very short treatment period, but, aside from a weakened immune system, he had very few side effects from the chemotherapy (he was able to eat the entire time while actually gaining weight, and never once had to be hospitalized, as we were told to expect!) Not only that, with his heart problems and other issues, treatment options were extremely limited. We are so blessed to have been able to get a treatment that was right for him, actually worked, and worked quickly!
We are so thankful to everyone who has shown so much love and support these last few months. We could not have made it without you! Here's a video message from Den:

#makingcancersuckless #lymphoma
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    family fun

    An Epic Valentine's Day

    2/15/2017 House of Geekiness 0 Comments

    As far as Valentine's Days go, this one rocked! We started with a wonderful morning at our LDS Temple in Oakland, which is where Erik and I got married fourteen years ago. (Learn more about our temples here.) In fact, it's also where his parents got married and mine too!
    Fountains, bridges, and palm trees lining the courtyard in front of the Oakland Temple
    Any temple is a wonderful place, but this one is extra special to us, and being there just felt right. I always feel so much happier after a visit. The Oakland Temple is one of my favorites because 1. Look at it! I love the Asian inspired design, the gardens, etc.:
    Oakland Temple grounds seen through one of the bridges (Image Source)
    Flowers in bloom on the terrace garden of the Oakland Temple
    2. It's full of memories. Not only did my parents and pretty much Erik's entire family get married there, but...
    Erik sat me down on this bench, overlooking the bay, got down on one knee, and popped the question
    When we were dating, Erik and I spent a lot of time at there doing wonderful work inside the temple, wandering the terrace gardens, and sneaking kisses on the stairs. It's also where Erik proposed to me. 
    Den sat on the bench (pictured above, the bench you can barely see on the lower right corner), and told us how being there reminded him of our wedding, his other son's wedding (they also got married there), and his own. Such a special place!
    That afternoon, we got to set up our Valentine's Day spread. 

    Our poor daughter was really upset this year because it's her last year in elementary school and they wouldn't let her class do Valentines! But she really enjoyed our little party, so we hope that helped a bit.

    My Hallmark Kiss Kiss Bears collection minus the Christmas ones that broke ages ago :(
    We finished off Valentine's Day with homemade Belgian waffles topped with berries and hand-whipped (because I couldn't find the beaters for the mixer—guess what...Erik found them in 2 seconds after he got home! Grrrrr) whipped cream. So good!
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      art,

      The Facepalm Project

      2/07/2017 House of Geekiness 2 Comments

      We all have times when we just don't know what to say...all you can do is put your hand over your face—aka the facepalm. But what can you do when people are ridiculous, stupid, or downright rude? 
      Captain Picard Star Trek Patrick Stewart Facepalm
      My amazing grandma taught me that humor can be an incredibly powerful tool in diffusing a stressful situation. From sibling rivalry to arguments with my husband, adding a bit of humor or choosing to see the hilarity in a situation has been a huge help over the years.  Some of my best memories came from fighting with my sister, then suddenly joking together. 
      Calvin and Hobbes Facepalm

      I can't tell you how many times I've seen posts on social media where I just didn't know how to respond. The only reply I could muster was a facepalm. Especially with the political climate lately, I've found the need to express my speechlessness growing. After using the same handful of memes over and over again (no pun intended), I wanted to make it more fun—to branch out. And it became a game.
      Elrond Lord of the Rings Facepalm
      One of my friends, a super funny author named Dennis Gaunt (read more about Dennis and his books here) has at least two posts a day that make me either laugh so much I have to tell someone about it or are so silly (in a fun way) that I HAVE to reply with a relevant facepalm meme. You might be able to imagine what a meme a day is starting to turn into...

      Dr Doctor House M.D. Facepalm
      I didn't realize how much I'd began to rely on my facepalm meme collection until I moved and lost access to my images (which wasn't huge, but, apparently, essential). Thus, The Facepalm Project was born. I've started collecting my favorite facepalm (and related) images for times when you just don't know what to say.
      Star Wars Princess Leia Facepalm
      Ranging from movies, tv, and celebrities to animals and art, this collection is growing.
      Sir Sir Ian McKellen holding a Picard Facepalm sign
      Of course, I had to share my wealth! I hope this collection also helps you find more humor in your life, and maybe even turn a stressful situation into something fun.

      Please enjoy and use wisely. Click here to peruse the entire collection or keep scrolling to see featured highlights of the collection. If you would like to contribute to the collection, leave a comment below.
      Stargate Daniel Jackson facepalm


      Yzma The Emperor's New Groove Facepalm
      Eleventh Doctor Doctor Who facepalm Matt Smith
      General Iroh Avatar the Last Airbender facepalm
      Stephen Colbert Report Triple facepalm gif
      Greuze Girl With a Dead Canary painting facepalm
      Hogan's Heros Shultz, Klink, and Hogan triple facepalm
      Jackie Chan facepalm what?? WHY??
      Lion Facepalm
      Marvel X-men Magneto facepalm gif
      Mulan Disney Princess facepalm
      President Barak Obama facepalm
      Sam Supernatural facepalm
      Scully laughing facepalm X-files
      Sesame Street Burt and Ernie facepalm
      Tommy Lee Jones "Are you serious seriously that stupid?"
      Wonder Woman Facepalm
      Click here to check out the entire collection!
      Read more about my projects here.
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        Disclaimer: All images are property of their respective owners.

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        family fun

        Puppy Bowl XIII Party

        2/06/2017 House of Geekiness 0 Comments

        I've moved! Read this post and more on my new website.























































































































        Our Puppy Bowl XIII Party
        We discovered the Puppy Bowl when our kids were toddlers. It's been a fun way to party together and support a great cause! More about the Puppy Bowl and their pet adoption mission, and episodes to watch here
        Instead of watching the Super Bowl, we all gather together, eat great food, and watch the Puppy Bowl together. Not only do the kids love it, but I don't have to suffer through a BORING football game. :)
        Not that there's anything wrong with sports or sportsing...I played varisty tennis and did gymnastics, basketball, etc. I just prefer to play than watch.

        And I absolutely hate listening to sports commentators and sports news! (Which is why I love this Weird Al video (above). 
        Our cat, Emo Kylo Ren, tries to get Granpa Den to share his shrimp during our Puppy Bowl party
        Which is why we LOVE our Puppy Bowl party. It's the best of both worlds. It's funny for those who like sports (or have been forced to watch/listen to them) and insanely cute at the same time!
        Our daughter snuggling with Kylo, while watching the Puppy Bowl

        Puppy snuggles with Princess Daisy during our Puppy Bowl party

        The kids playing with legos while our cat, Dobby, laments his view of the Puppy Bowl being blocked


        We love seeing the creative and fun things they do each year. In prior years, they've had birds as Twitter correspondents, a halftime show of kittens playing, cheerleaders that were chickens, hedgehogs, and even penguins!  
        Hedgehog cheerleaders
        Penguin cheerleaders (our son's favorite. We hope they bring them back!)
        A cockatiel Twitter correspondent 
        The kitty halftime show

        We can't wait for next year!
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