Moments of Mommyhood

An Overdue Update

2012-02-21T10:38:00.000-05:00

It's been two weeks since my surgery day so I thought it was about time I gave you all an update. The surgery was actually two surgeries in one day. Part one, removal of my ovaries. Although my ovaries had NO cancer, the tumor in my breast was estrogen fed so removing the ovaries reduces the chance for the cancer to return. Part two, a partial mastectomy, which was removing the tumor and an area around it, along with the lymph nodes under my arm. Whew, the operating room sure was busy, but I didn't mind because I got to sleep through it all. lol! Things went well and I am healing great! It feels good to check off another task on my "cancer treatment checklist".

Thank you for all of your support through prayers, cards, meals, and kind words. It really is encouraging to know that you are all right beside me through this fight. :)

Surgery Day

2012-02-07T05:02:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to quickly update before I leave, my surgery day is finally here. I'll be spending the night at the hospital(which I'm not too thrilled about), so I'll update when I get home. If you are the praying type, I would appreciate prayers.

Tissue Paper Collage Heart

2012-01-31T09:09:00.001-05:00

What toddler doesn’t love ripping paper? I know mine does any chance she can, so this was the perfect Valentine’s Day craft for her. She had a whole pile of tissue paper to tear up an nobody was telling her no!

{Supplies}

an empty cereal box, paper scraps(we used tissue paper), glue

1. Tear the paper into small pieces.

2. Cut a heart from the cereal box and cover it with glue.

3. Now, just let your child glue the tissue paper on the heart anyway they want to. Stella loved this part! When the paper would stick to her fingers, she would giggle and yell, “Sticky, sticky!”

All finished!

Pin It

2012-01-28T11:01:00.000-05:00

Pinterest has quickly become one of my favorite places on the web. I have found tons of ideas for crafts, recipes, and products, you name it, it's there! And I have to tell you, I do get a little thrill every time I see one of my ideas on Pinterest. So, to make it easier for anyone wanting to share something from my blog, I have added a "Pin It" button at the end of my posts. Just click the button on the post you want to share, select a photo from the post and pin it. Easy peasy! You can find the tutorial to add the button to your posts here.

You can follow me here, I'll follow you too! :)
Happy pinning!

We Finally Have SNOW!

2012-01-21T09:52:00.002-05:00

Stella’s first reaction, “Ewwwwwww!” But she loves it now! We have planned a whole day of sledding and snow ball fights followed by hot chocolate and marshmallows, of course.

Happy Saturday!

Snowy Activities

2012-01-19T12:57:00.000-05:00

I can't really say that winter in my favorite season, but I do love a good snow storm. This year, however, we really haven't had much snow to speak of. Although, I am still hopeful that the new snow clothes and sleds I bought will not go unused. Until then, we just have to have some patience. Here are a few activities that we have done in the past to pass the time until the "big one" hits!


Cotton Clay Snow Sculpture


Potato Print Snowman


Glistening Snow Play Dough

Paper Lantern Snowman

Igloos, Polar Bears, and "Ice Skating" Painting

Now...where was I?

2012-01-13T18:42:00.000-05:00

Oh yeah, when I left you all just before Christmas, I had the shingles. It was not fun, and yes, they are extremely painful. But, even though I was not feeling so great, we did have a very nice Christmas (maybe it was the pain meds). Just at the point when I no longer needed pain meds to get through the day, I hurt my back. I'm still not quite sure how it happened, I just know that one morning I woke up and could barely move. :(

Thankfully, I am healing well with only a few scars left from my shingles. Now, I can look ahead to my upcoming surgery. Next week, I'll have an MRI to get a look at my post-chemo tumor. That will help the doctors to determine what type of surgery they will be performing. I'm so ready to get this part of my treatment over with and move on to the next phase.

I can't thank you all enough for all of your kind words, emails, and continued prayers! I really believe that has made a huge difference in how I handle the tough things that have been thrown my way. Thanks again!

A Bump in the Road

2011-12-23T15:12:00.000-05:00

I was so excited to finally be done with chemo. With Christmas being 3 weeks after that treatment, I was sure I would be feeling great for the holidays. Well, I was wrong. I now have shingles. I'm hoping to feel better by next week so things can get back to normal around here.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Round One-Done!

2011-12-08T07:37:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, my oncologist entered the room in a celebratory mood. My chemotherapy treatment for the day, would be my last! I will still be getting my Herceptin treatment every three weeks, but with the chemo out of the way, we can move forward with surgery(round two) sometime in January.

Doc was also very pleased with the majorly reduced size of the mass that will continue to shrink over the next few weeks prior to my surgery. Things are going well. I feel like Christmas came yesterday and am feeling even more encouraged that I will beat this!

Thank you for all the wonderful support and your continued prayers! They are definitely working!

With love,

Pepperoni Roll

2011-12-06T13:27:00.000-05:00

I am always looking for quick and easy recipes to change things up a bit around here. This is one of those recipes. It's so easy!

{You will need}

a loaf of frozen bread dough

shredded mozzarella cheese

shredded parmesan cheese

sliced pepperoni (from the deli is best)

Italian seasoning

marinara sauce

{To make this yummy creation}

Thaw the frozen bread dough and roll it out to approximately an 11x11 square.
Cover the dough with the sliced pepperoni.
Layer on the cheeses.
Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
Starting at one end, roll the dough.
Place it on a greased baking sheet with the seem side down.
Brush the top with melted butter.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 25-30 min. or until golden brown.
Allow it to cool slightly before slicing and serve with a side of marinara sauce.

Original recipe can be found here.

Muffin Tin Monday

2011-12-05T13:00:00.001-05:00

Eating meals from a muffin tin has quickly become one of Stella’s favorite things. She gets very excited to check out every individual cup to see what yummy treats they hold. Here is what she had today…

…and here she is getting ready to chow down!

Join in the Muffin Tin Monday fun here:

Don't let my lack of updates fool you...

2011-12-02T10:59:00.001-05:00

I'm feeling great! Just taking a little time to get things ready for the holidays. I'll be back soon!

Toilet Paper Roll Turkey

2011-11-18T14:13:00.003-05:00

I love making any project that I can add my kids’ handprint to. It’s fun to pull these little keepsakes out every year and remember just how tiny they once were.

This one is super easy and made mostly with recycled materials.

1. Stella painted a toilet paper roll with some brown paint (and did a little tasting as well).

2. Then, using a brown paper bag, Stella and I printed several handprints with different colors of paint. (After all that hard work, Stella took a nice long nap!)

3. While sleeping beauty got some rest, I added the feathers and face to her turkey. First, I fanned out the handprints and glue them together.

Then I glued on the body of the turkey (the toilet paper roll).

And finally, I added some google eyes and a beak.

If you like this toilet paper roll turkey, you might also want to check out one we have made in the past. You can find it here.

I'm linking up here:

An Oldie But Goodie-Oatmeal Play Clay

2011-11-16T16:57:00.000-05:00

This is a super easy play clay to make that has an interesting texture. I love trying different clay recipes and this was one the girls enjoyed because it was different.

What you will need to make it:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 water

1 cup oatmeal

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Stir until smooth. Add more flour if it's too sticky. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for a few minutes. Store it in an airtight container.

This is Felicia's cornucopia!

Here are Madelyn's sculptures!

And because I'm a big kid too, I made a turkey!

Stella’s First Muffin Tin Monday!

2011-11-14T11:56:00.002-05:00

Lately I have been missing out on a lot of the fun things that I do with my kids because I haven’t been feeling well. But today, I am feeling great and I really wanted to do something fun with Stella. So, she had her very first muffin tin lunch! It was nothing spectacular, but she loved it none the less. Here’s what she ate:

I’m pretty sure that we will be having a lot more muffin tin lunches because she enjoyed it just as much as her big sisters always do.

Check out more Muffin Tin Meals here:

Feeling Down.

2011-11-01T15:18:00.000-04:00

Saturday we had our first snow of the season.

I love snow.

Especially the first snow.

This year, I missed it because I was too exhausted to move from the couch.

And then, last night was one of my favorite nights ever, Halloween.

The night that we suit up in our costumes and venture through the streets of our tiny town collecting candy and visiting friends.

Again, I missed it.

So today, I am feeling down.

I have tried throughout my treatment to stay positive, but sometimes it is not easy and today is one of those days. I'm angry. I don't like to be angry, but today I am. I want to get up and play with my kids, take a walk, or cook dinner. I hate feeling useless. I hate the things that this cancer is making me miss.

Cancer sucks!

It's My SITSday!

2011-10-24T08:26:00.001-04:00

Welcome SITStas! I am so excited that you are here for my SITSday! If you're not familiar with SITS, you should check it out! SITS, which stands for The Secret is in the Sauce, is an amazing network of bloggers that support each other with comment love. But that's not all, the SITS site is full tips for bloggers. Please, go visit the SITS girls!

Wow, having my SITSday today sure takes the funk out of Monday morning! So, let me introduce myself, I'm Sandy, mom of 6 awesome kids! They range in age from 18 to 16 months. Three boys, Michael, Brandon, Aaron, and three girls, Felicia, Madelyn, and Stella. I've been married to my hubby Mike for 19 years and he is just as awesome as my kiddos. For 15 years I worked in a daycare/preschool where a fell in love with doing crafty things with little ones. Now that I am a SAHM, I do many of those kid crafts with my kids at home. I hope you get a chance to check them out.

For the most part, we have a pretty "normal" life, but this past August I began a fight for my "normal" life when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I'm just past the halfway point of my chemotherapy and things are looking good. I recently found out that the tumor in my breast is shrinking! I try to keep a positive attitude about it all and hearing this has been so encouraging. I can and will beat this!!!

Please, take some time to look around and see what Moments of Mommyhood is all about.

Thank you all for visiting! Have a fabulous day!

Wordless Wednesday-Mini Me

2011-10-19T19:18:00.001-04:00

Muffin Tin Monday-Taco Bar

2011-10-17T19:49:00.002-04:00

It has been such a long time since we have had a Muffin Tin Meal and the girls have been missing them. So tonight, I surprised them with their favorite dinner and Muffin Tin Monday! Here’s what they had:

Of course, Felicia was very happy! Madelyn was too, but my camera battery died just as I was about to get her picture.

If you want to participate in Muffin Tin Monday, click the button below.

A Sad Day.

2011-10-11T18:57:00.000-04:00

Today my Pappy was called home to Heaven to finally be reunited with my Grammy. Please keep our family in your prayers as we come together to celebrate his life. He will be deeply missed, but as Madelyn told me when she learned the news. "He will be in our hearts forever!"

An Oldie But Goodie-Halloween Candle Holders

2011-10-07T07:52:00.001-04:00

Halloween decorating is so much spookier when there are flickering candles around. Here is a fun candle holder that you can make to create a Ghostly Glow!

Let's get started!

My kids love tearing up paper!

This might get a little sticky!

Cover the entire jar with tissue paper!

When it's completely covered, allow your jar to dry. After that, you can draw a ghost face and add a candle. We used the same technique to make Jack O' Lanterns as well!

It's Shrinking, It's Shrinking!!!

2011-10-06T07:00:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, I had my third round of chemotherapy and I got some awesome news from my doctor. The mass in my breast has now shrunk to half of it's original size! My Dr. said I made his day, but truly, hearing this made my day! It has given me the inner strength to fight on, harder than ever!
The ultimate goal is to shrink the mass to nothing or at the very least, next to nothing, which would result in a smaller surgery. He's not making any promises, but he says we are on the right track and I put my trust in him. Please continue your prayers, I do believe they may be working. :)

Getting Wiggy With It

2011-10-05T19:01:00.002-04:00

So, one of the not so fun things about having cancer is the fact that you may lose your hair. Now, I had some pretty long hair before learning that I had cancer and eventually I shortened it a bit to ease myself into total hair loss gradually. Finally when I started losing it rapidly I handed hubby the clippers and he shaved the rest off. Now, I still have some stubble, and some areas actually appear to be growing, but not enough to make me not want to wear a wig. So, my dear sister in law came to my rescue and bought me a gorgeous wig. I have gotten so many compliments on how beautiful my hair is. During my second chemo treatment, a women came up to me and told me how lucky I was to still have my hair because by her second treatment her hair was all gone. Imagine her surprise when I told her I had shaved my head the previous week. She was stunned and I was digging it. I may have even declared that I was never going to grow hair again. Wigs are just so much easier to do!

That is until….the tragic cooking mishap. I love to cook, so when I am feeling up to it, I do it often. On one day in particular, I was not feeling up to it and I had food sent to me from a fellow church member (my church is awesome BTW), anyway, It was a chicken pot pie and I was being impatient waiting for the crust to get brown. My genius idea, put it under the broiler for a few minutes. Normally this works out just fine for me (when I’m not wearing an apparently highly flammable cranial prosthesis on my head) however this time, not so good. The crust was beautiful, my hair was NOT! Now, I wish that I had a picture of this debacle to share with you because I have gotten a few laughs out of it myself, but sadly, for some reason I didn’t take one. But I have learned a valuable lesson…Don’t cook with your wig on or get someone else to do it for you (like my eldest son is doing this very minute).

Although I don’t have my melted wig any longer, Here is a picture of me and my NEW hair:

I love it!

An Oldie But Goodie-Pumpkin Pie Play Dough

2011-09-28T15:55:00.000-04:00

This play dough recipe is a must for fall! It just smells so good!

You will need:

2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 cups water
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. cream of tartar
2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (of course I had none, so I just made a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger)
red and yellow food coloring

Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir over medium-low heat. Continue to stir until the mixtures reaches the consistency of mashed potatoes. Remove it from the heat and knead it when it's cool enough to handle. (This is the best part! I love kneading the warm dough, especially when it smells so good!) Store in an air tight container.

We made a few pumpkins by adding some leaves and stems cut from pipe cleaners. Madelyn also just rolled out the dough and made some pumpkin "cookies".

Pinecone Painting

2011-09-27T10:01:00.002-04:00

We are having another rainy day here today and to be honest, I have been slacking in the fun department lately, so what better way to liven things up than doing a messy project. I’ve done this with the big kids in the past and it was always a hit, so I thought I would let Stella have a crack at it.

Here’s what you need:

Now, it’s time to get down to business.

Stella always loves getting into her art! But no worries here, all of the paint we use is non-toxic so even if she does taste it, she’ll be fine.