Quad Date: Paint Night!

Matt and I hosted a Paint Night for our Quad Date.  We painted our significant other and ate Jurassic Tacos.  We sat across from each other so we could see our subject and then came the big reveal:

Ann and Chris

Seeing each other's work for the first time.

Joni and Justin

The reaction!

Cindy and Matt

Bah ha ha!!

Now... you may have thought... Wow!  Look at Joni's masterpiece!  She is a professional!"  (I know I did.)  But it turns out Joni pulled a funny on all of us:  Before the evening even began, she paid her kids' art teacher to paint a picture of Justin.  She snuck it into our bathroom somehow when she first came to the house.  Then during our pinging, when we were all hyper focused on our own work, she excused herself to go to the bathroom and came back with her commissioned art piece!  On the left is what Joni started out doing BEFORE she took her "bathroom brake."  Anyway, we were all really impressed with Joni's painting.  I said something like, "Joni!  I never knew you were so good at art!"  Then after some time, she revealed to us the truth!  And I couldn't stop laughing!  

 

Update on My Health

Cancer is a HEAVY load to bear.  There is NO WAY anyone can get through it on their own.  It weighs on you not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally.  My cancer journey can be found on my fb account in a group Matt made for me called "Sunshine for Cindy." There, I have documented everything on a weekly basis.  I won't go into much about it on this family blog, but know that I have been so grateful for those who have helped carry this load.  Matt has been amazing, as well as my children.  Friends and family have helped in so many ways.  Most importantly, my Savior has bourne my sorrows and helped still my aching heart.  He has comforted me in my despair.  I have grown closer to Him and have enjoyed attending the temple each Tuesday.  I talk with Him in the Celestial Room each time, and I know He is there for me and always will be.  Im pretty sure the artist who designed the picture above meant to hide the face of the person helping the lady with the huge load - probably because that person can be many and isn't subjected to just one person.

A therapy dog name Macho the Magnificent came to the clinic and licked my ankles.

I have been wearing ice mittens and booties this go around.  I feel like it has helped immensely with lessening the side effects of neuropathy.

My hair continues to fall out, but not at an alarming rate like it did 6 years ago.  However, my hair has thinned enough that I feel more comfortable wearing hats and wigs now.

Here I am with LuLu - I got her for free from the clinic.  But Joni told me I didn't look good in it so I bought Betty.  Stay tuned to meet Betty.

This go around, I have put on 20 pounds!  I thought I would lose like I did last time, but nope.  Quite the opposite.  Probably the extra steroids I'm given each week.

A horrible side effect that I've had this go around has been:  snot clots!  I wake up in the middle of the night not being able to breathe because huge, sticky, bloody snot clots like the one pictured above have been a thorn in my side or should I say nose?  I have had countless bloody noses as well.

Dr. Chipman (my chemo doc) put me on the following regimen:

Weekly treatments of Taxol and Carboplatin

Tri-weekly treatments of Bevacizumab (targeted therapy drug)

The taxol and carbo are given to me is smaller doses so my body can handle them better.  HOWEVER... I had an allergic reaction to Taxol half way through my treatment and  on my 9th treatment of Carbo, I developed an allergic reaction to it as well.

So then Dr. Chipman put me on Taxotere.  (That stuff is a bit more brutal than the Taxol.)

 

Double Digit Midget! Laynie Turns 10

This girl wanted a Wicked themed birthday.  We had to keep it simple due to Mom not feeling her best, but we managed to make it memorable, and that's what matters.

Laynie helped me make Glinda and Elphaba cupcakes.

I love this beautiful girl - who is growing up waaaay to fast, might I add.

Grandma/pa came over for dinner on Laynie's actual birthday.

Brittney came too!

We gave Laynie a Wicked t-shirt and

Brittney brought her some donuts.

Gavin had us play a "stack the rubber ducky game"  which was really fun.

The next day, Laynie had 2 of her best friends come to our house and we took a little trip to AirBorne so the kids could help Laynie Jump into another year!

 

We had pizza and root beer awaiting, along with more Wicked cupcakes.

On our way to Air Borne!

Laynie

Atley

Brody

Back to the house for dinner,

dessert,

presents,

and a bit of glow stick dancing to the Happy Birthday song.

Misc winter post

My friend, Kami, has been going through her mother's memorabilia - old VHS tapes, to be precise.  On it she found a few gems and shared them with me.  I took screen captures of the videos so I could post here.

This must have December of 1992 - my short hair cut says so.  I was in 7th grade this year.  Kami and I made the matching "singing sweatshirts" and my mom wrote a little play about serving during Christmas time.  We put it on for a Relief Society function.  Kathy (Kami's mom) was the narrator and Melanie and Laci joined in on the fun.

Another photo from the same year.  We were singing "Snowflakes Falling" Kami knew all the actions.  I knew them a bit and Mei Li didn't know them at all!  lol!

Awww.... my orchestra days!  Kami and I playing together for the Ward Christmas party.  Our sailor dresses were for the high school Orchestra we were a part of.

Brittney has been so sweet to our family.  She decided to do what she called, "The 12 weeks of Andersons" and brought by a sweet little gift for the kids almost every week to keep them anticipating something fun, to help take the focus of their lives off cancer.  I can't express enough how thankful I am for Brittney.  She has the biggest heart of anyone I know and she jumps right in to serve wherever she can.

This was sweet - Matt helping Gavin fill out his tithing form for tithing settlement.

Laynie dissecting a SQUID!

Another flash back from the past!  This was around 2007, I believe.  My mom asked if I'd come down from Provo and be a part of this Barbershop Quartet!  I had a lot of fun doing it.  We performed for an Old Folks Party and had men come up (that were already bald) to be our subjects.  My Grandma Cahoon wrote the adorable little skit, and I've wanted to perform it again, ever since.

Pictured L-R: Loreen, Cindy, Elaine Jensen, Jan Munger

Sushi Sundays!!  For my 45th birthday, the fam got me a sushi making kit!  So we started making sushi every Sunday.  I'm not sure how long it'll last, but it's been fun (and yummy) to do so.