Heeeelllllllllloooooooooo everyone out there!  Well, everyone who still reads my blog!  I can't believe it's been a month since I've been on here.  I have been sick, busy, then sick again.  Ugh.  First of all, let me say I am so unbelievably excited warm weather has returned!  YAY!  Ben and I have been working hard on our yard, and it's looking pretty good!  All of my flowers are coming up, and the grass is getting greener...aaahhhhhhh I love this time of year.

I traveled to Toronto, Canada a few weeks back with work, and I must say it was less than exciting.  I'm not that fond of business travel.  And to top it off, I picked up a few nasty viruses along the way.  I ended up getting sick with a chest cold on the Friday before Easter, and couldn't make it to my in-laws house for Easter.  Bummer.  So for about a week there, my life was pretty miserable.  I had to work two days last week, then Ben and I headed home to Augusta to go to the Par 3 tournament at the Masters on Wednesday.  We had a great time!  The weather was beautiful (but the pollen was insane!), and it was nice to get to spend the day with Ben, my Dad and my Uncle Randy.  Augusta National is literally 10 times as beautiful in person as it is on TV, if you can imagine that. It's stunning, in every sense of the word.  We saw Phil practicing, and of course Tiger too - too bad we didn't see those planes...wow that person had some guts huh?  Thanks again Dad for taking us, we had a great time!




I woke up the next day and my throat was on FIRE and I could barely swallow.  I ended up having to go to a Prompt Care place and they said I had pharyngitis.  Lovely huh?  Oh my freaking vacation.  Can't I catch a break?  They gave me a Z pack and that knocked it right out.  I woke up the next day feeling like a new person.

I had a great time visiting my family in Augusta.  While I was there we went to watch my nephew Phillips ride his dirt bike - oh my goodness he is awesome!  He has a mohawk that sticks to his helmet - how hilarious is that?




Hope all of you are doing well - we've got another month of craziness, then hopefully a chill summer.  My scan is coming up in a month - please start praying for me now!

Love to all!

1. coloring (yes, grown-ups can do it, too)
2. crisp cotton sheets
3. soft skin
4. old family recipes
5. the first daffodils of spring
6. sleeping in
7. an exercise endorphin high
8. window boxes
9. a perfect cup of coffee
10. a genuine compliment (giving or receiving)
11. the way babies smell
12. a handwritten letter
13. waking up in a good mood...for no real reason
14. singing in the shower
15. finding a couple forgotten dollars in your pocket
16. doing something nice for your neighbor
17. a home cooked meal
18. laughing
19. movie theater popcorn
20. playing hookey
21. a bubble bath
22. swimming
23. an afternoon nap
24. street musicians
25. your favorite song
26. saying thank you
27. helping someone in need
28. old fashioned photo booths
29. fresh whipped cream
30. inspiring blogs
31. a glass of wine
32. rainy afternoons
33. the funny things kids say
34. a novel you can get lost in
35. finding the perfect piece of clothing...on sale
36. clean laundry
37. the wind in your hair
38. treating the person behind you at the drive-thru
39. sharing an umbrella
40. the smell of lavender
41. a long walk that clears your head
42. a bear hug
43. The Beatles
44. smiling at a stranger
45. eating with chopsticks (Chinese food optional)
46. butterflies
47. staying in your pj's all day
48. singing along to the radio and knowing all the words
49. fresh herbs
50. ordering in pizza
51. happy endings...even if they're fictional
52. flying a kite
53. puppies
54. root beer floats
55. holding open the door...
56. ...or having someone hold the door for you
57. fountain soda
58. white, fluffy towels
59. sunshine
60. spending an afternoon at a museum
61. really great advice
62. green lights all the way home
63. the sound of rain hitting the windows
64. sitting in a booth
65. holding hands
66. a great hair day with no effort
67. building a fort with your kids
68. when someone falls asleep with their head on your shoulder
69. fireflies
70. the perfect taco
71. geraniums on a windowsill
72. slow dancing
73. the smell of fresh-baked bread
74. cheesy, uplifting musicals
75. great stories
76. the smell of gasoline (???) not sure about this one?
77. the cold side of the pillow
78. love letters
79. old friends...
80. ...new friends
81. a pull-through parking space
82. a baguette -- crisp on the outside, airy on the inside
83. when a dog licks your hand
84. sitting at the counter at an old-fashioned diner
85. using your favorite dishes
86. reading your child a bedtime story
87. Girl Scout Cookies
88. flossing
89. kissing someone you love
90. the smell of onions and garlic cooking
91. hot chocolate
92. jumping in puddles
93. old photographs
94. birds hopping on the sidewalk
95. Ella Fitzgerald
96. a spoonful of peanut butter straight from the jar
97. your softest t-shirt
98. a new magazine in the mail
99. fireplaces
100. having exact change
101. bacon and pancakes cooking on Saturday morning

Well folks - the time has come - we bought a new car!  I had to say goodbye to my beloved 2000 Honda Passport on Monday, and say hello to an '07 Nissan Murano!  It's gorgeous!  I was sad to see my Honda go...I've had that car since I was 19.  When you have a car that long it becomes a part of you.  I even found a parking pass from when I was in college. *tear*  There are a LOT of good memories that took place in that car.  It took us to the 2001 Outback Bowl, took me from Columbia to North Augusta at least a thousand times, and from Columbia to Atlanta who knows how many times to visit Ben when we first started dating.  And I can't forget how many times I took it to Charleston!  So, I was sad to see it go.  But, there comes a time when you have to weigh the pros and cons of driving around a 10 year old car.  It was time.  So, folks - here she is, she's a beaut Clark, a BEAUT!

I am ecstatic that I can finally let the news out - I am going to be an Aunt again! Congratulations Kristen and Matt - what a lucky child - you will be the most amazing parents. We love you more than anything, and we cannot WAIT to meet our new niece/nephew. YAY!

I am a professional Aunt by now - 16 years of experience! So, this child will be spoiled rotten by me and by the rest of the Walker/Stephenson clan. Matt is my husband's twin brother, and for those of you who read this blog that don't know about us - Kristen has been one of my best friends for over 17 years.  There aren't many best friends out there who actually fall in love with twin brothers - it's an amazing story.

So happy for these two - wonder who this baby will look like?

Love you both very much :)

Tomorrow is my nephew's 11th birthday!  How are you already another year older?!?!?!?!  Eleven?  You are growing up TOO FAST my man!  We hope you have a fantastic birthday, and we love you very much! See you next weekend buddy!

On Saturday, it will be ONE YEAR since I finished all treatments.  This is my so-called first "cancerversary".  Hallelujah!  Thank you God!  Some of you may be confused and think I've celebrated my "one year" anniversary before this - but that was actually my one year in remission on Dec. 2.  So, I've got two big days that I can celebrate each year.  Which is fine by me!  I love celebrations, especially when they are about kicking some cancer booty!  

So, what's changed in a year?  Well, this time last year I was eating mashed potatoes and milk shakes, and I was battling a sore throat from radiation.  BLECH.  Yeah mashed taters and ice cream are good and all, but not really what a diet should solely consist of.  Lately I've been pretty focused on clean eating.  What's clean eating?  Well, my definition of it is that you are always alert about what you are putting into your body.  Check out Clean Eating Magazine - I LOVE this magazine!  I have been trying HARD to buy only organic meats, eggs, milk, and some vegetables.  I've also been trying to only eat whole grains.  I've been doing pretty darn good.  I am trying not to really eat as much meat anymore, but that's difficult when you have a carnivore for a husband.  ;)  Love you Ben, and don't be sorry about it - you're a guy for crying out loud.  That's what you love.  Why am I doing that?  Well my Mom gave me a book called "The Kind Diet" by Alicia Silverstone.  It's pretty tough to read, and it made me tear up a bit just because I am such an animal lover.  It's just awful what they do to animals that will be used for food these days, actually it's downright disgusting. If you read it, I bet you won't eat much meat anymore either.  I try to only buy meats that have the organic label, and there's certain ones that say "raised ethically" or "cage free".  The "Kind Diet" is pretty tough to follow though (it's Vegan, aka hardcore), so I'm trying my best to eat sensibly.  I can definitely feel a difference, especially in my digestive system.  Of course I let myself go crazy with food during the Holidays, but who doesn't???  If my Mama's dressing is in front of my face, you better bet your money I'm gonna eat it, and A LOT of it.  Gah that stuff should be illegal it's so flippin' good.  After the New Year, I got back into the gym (with the millions of other people, thank goodness they've fallen off the wagon and I can actually get a machine now!!!).  I have been going full force at least 3 times a week, every single week since then.  Ben has been running like a mad man too.  He can run 6 miles without stopping now - my goodness!  Way to go Ben!  I guess that's what 15+ years of intense soccer training will do for you.  His legs have no problem whatsoever running that far.  Hmmmm ME?  Not so much.  I'm not a runner by any means.  I stick to my elliptical machine and run/walk interval training.  So, we both are doing good with our food and exercise routines.

Other than that - I'm more mentally stable now.  Not like I was ever looney or anything, but if you can imagine going through cancer treatment...it's not the easiest thing on the mind!  I still have those thoughts that linger in the back of my mind about cancer, but they aren't as "loud" as they used to be.  Of course they ring loud and clear when a scan is on the horizon, and sure enough another one is just around the corner.  Scanxiety ahead...UGH.

Can yall start praying for me now?  Pretty please?

Hope all of you are having a fantastic week!  I can't believe it's almost March 1st...and you all know what that means?  Daylight savings and spring temps are on the way.  YAY!  Have a great weekend!!

Love to all,

I have just returned from a check up at my oncology office and everything looks fantastic!  My blood counts are perfect, and my thyroid levels are even perfect.  YAY!  I was pretty worried that I would have to go on thyroid medication there for a while, but I'm in the clear for now.  This is great news!  He prodded around in my neck and armpits, and didn't feel anything suspicious.  I told him that I already do that myself, and that I would know something way before he would.  ;)  Remember how I was really worried about the added radiation of CT Scans?  He said there is nothing to worry about.  The study that came out was for unnecessary CT scans that hospitals are doing now.  They are pretty much protocol, and he said that is what becomes dangerous.  He said CT scans show an unbelievable amount of radiation in babies, but not as much in adults.  He said because adults aren't growing anymore that it doesn't pose an increased risk of leukemia like it would in children.  It still makes me uneasy, but I won't require that many more scans so I'm sure I'll be fine.  He wants another CT scan on May 14th of the neck and chest, then I am hoping he'll push them back some more (once a year would be great!) but we'll cross that bridge when it gets here.

I wish I had my camera with me because I got some awesome pictures, but here is one from my blackberry of the beautiful snow we had on Friday night!  We got around 4 inches!  My parents and brother said they got almost 6"!  I hear Columbia, SC got around 8". That's insane!


I haven't seen anything as beautiful as the sky on Saturday morning in a while.  It was the most brilliant shade of blue, and it made the snow look like a scene out of a painting.  So, I've had my snow fix.  Time for warm weather...seriously, spring - quit playing around.  Hurry up!

Hope you are all having a great week.  I'm slammed at work, but that never seems to change anymore!  I guess that's a good thing!  Ben, Matt, Kristen and I are driving to the Noke this weekend to visit my sister-in-law Stephanie and her family.  Noke = Roanoke, Va.  They had some serious snow recently too, but it looks like we are in the clear for this weekend.  We haven't seen Steph, her husband Mike or our niece and nephew in so long...we're excited!

Thanks for the prayers everyone!  Thank you Ben for going with me today, love you sweetheart!

Love to all,

"Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own." -Robert Heinlein

I love Valentine's Day. Some people do not, but I personally do. If most of you haven't noticed by now there isn't a holiday that I don't enjoy. I love chocolate, champagne and most of all going out with my husband. We do something nice every single year. This year will be no different. We are going out to a nice dinner tomorrow night in downtown ATL.  I hear it offers the best seafood in town.  I can't wait!  Of course we had to make reservations over a week ago because in Atlanta you can forget it if you try to call the week of Valentine's day. Everything will be booked, it's insane in this town. That's why I laughed when I saw this online:


Hilarious!!  So true!  We actually are going at 8:30, not too bad.  Anyways, just wanted to say Happy Valentine's Day to you all.

They are calling for snow in Atlanta today...I will believe it when I see it!  I wish it would dump a few feet on us so we didn't have to go to work for a few days.  That would be so nice!  Our family and friends in Virginia and Maryland have been covered in snow for over a week.   It looks pretty, but I'm sure it's getting old by now.  So, we'll see what happens tonight!

I have my next follow up appointment on Tuesday at 11:45 am.  I already had blood work done yesterday so glad that's over with!  I'll let you all know how it goes!

Once again, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Sending love to all you!

This past weekend 10 of us went out for Nicole's bachelorette party!  It was a BLAST, and it was great to see everyone.  I am paying for it today, but times like that are worth it.  Here are some pics!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Love to all,

This was posted on my forum yesterday - if this doesn't make you want to do something better with your life I don't know what will.  It has a few choice words that I apologize in advance about.

She's amazing.  This is motivation.  RIP Gabrielle Bouliane!


Gabrielle Bouliane (Austin Poetry Slam)