Dad's rough week....Project 365 Week 5 & recipe! whew!

Good afternoon! Sorry I have not posted in a few days, I have been trying to catch up on routine life around the house. Dad had quite a rough weekend after those low counts last Thursday. On Saturday, mom called to tell me they were heading to the hospital, she was following Dad who was in an ambulance (not something I was expecting to hear). Thankfully she is learning (after I might have griped a few times in the past...really, did I do that? :-) ) that I handle things much better if you just go ahead and tell me at the time rather than try to "protect" me from the bad things as parents always try to do. I love her and understand from a parent's perspective, but for me personally...I react much more calmly (less agitated, I guess you could politely say) if I know the situation at hand rather than finding out later. Dad was extremely dizzy that morning, couldn't sit up because of it...when he did get up, he threw up. He wasn't necessarily nauseous, just couldn't keep even water down. They think it was a virus, inner ear, of some type. They were able to go home around 7pm Saturday, both extremely tired. Thank you to all who received my sporadic texts for prayer that day!!! Dad is down because he just wonders, as we all do...why cancer can't just be enough to deal with at one time...why the infection again w/the catheter...why the virus, dizziness, etc...sheesh!

Yesterday, mom said he was doing much better, just a tiny bit dizzy and no upset stomach. The docs also decided yesterday that he can have chemo today finally. So...this is round 2 of 3 chemo's today and round 3 of 2-a-day radiations out of 12. 9 Days of Radiation left!!! The countdown is getting smaller! We have been warned that the next 2 weeks will be the hardest, he will most likely start getting sores in his mouth along with the sore throat he already has. He is still eating well, though, and I am praying that those sores won't even show up. Please pray for both mom & dad to get the real rest they need at night and that these 9 days will pass quickly for Dad...as pain-free as can be.

Now...if you are interested in my Week 5 layout for Project 365, keep reading! If you want the recipe of the day...keep reading, otherwise, thanks for catching up on Dad's update and I'll let you know when another one is posted :) Love you all!

(layout credits: template by Meredith Tiedle at www.Moriginals.blogspot.com, papers & wire words Gina Huff from www.weedsandwildflowersdesign.com , striped paper from Joyful Heart Designs at www.ajoyfulheart.com, not sure where cross came from)

Day 1
Still in Longview on Monday, I decided I needed a picture of mom’s quilting closet...this is just a sample of all of her fabrics. She quilts like I scrap...a lot! And she loves buying fabrics.

Day 2
At the Pack meeting on Tuesday night, our boys became the Rockin’ Bears as they jammed out on their homemade instruments. Tune of choice...”We Will Rock You” !

Day 3
On Tuesday & Wednesday, I volunteered at the Anderson book fair. I love helping out in the libraries. J loves it too because he gets to load up on books. T & I are such suckers for books! Thankfully, J enjoys them much more as he gets older.

Day 4
I finally finished sealing our kitchen floors today! Took me awhile to get in the mood to do the kitchen since it’s a larger space, but they are so gorgeous now!!

Day 5
On Friday, T treated us to Joe’s, one of our very favorite restaurants in town. J can demolish their cheese pizza in just a few bites. Nora, Lola, Giovanni, Sam & Matt are great people and they are entirely too nice to us. No matter when we go or how little we might eat or spend, they always give J a piece of cheesecake to take home. He never liked it until he started eating the chocolate cheesecake from Joe’s...now he won’t share with me anymore!

Day 6
On Saturday, Uncle Tan drove in to go to the rifle range with T. They are planning their trip to Wyoming for elk so the preparations begin! After some successful shooting, they headed to the Jackson’s to load us up with some much needed firewood. We are very thankful, me especially because it keeps T from finding more trees in our yard that “need to come down”...whatever! We love that Tan & family live so much closer to us now, we get to visit a lot more often :)

Day 7
On Sunday, while T was watching the Superbowl and J was playing video games, I worked on t-shirt ideas for our band. This was the 2nd idea which has now transpired into something, hopefully...even cooler looking. This means I also spent the day playing w/PSE, which I love to have excuses to do!!

White Hot Chocolate

Found this in a cookbook at the book fair last week and it's GOOD...

2oz good white chocolate (I used Baker's brand)

1 1/2 cups half & half or milk (I used 3/4 cup half & half and 3/4 cup milk..skim works fine)

1/4 cup brewed coffee (I had to almost triple this to get the flavor...but if you don't like coffee...still put this in, you will not taste it but it cuts the sweet down a bit)

1 tsp vanilla

*Melt white chocolate over low heat in a heavy saucepan, stir in coffee until smooth. Add half & half/milk and stir until warmed. Take off heat and add vanilla. Serve as is w/a bit of nutmeg sprinkled on top for effect or you can put into a blender and blend just until frothy. I did that the first time since that's what the recipe said to do...didn't like the froth so the choice is yours :) This makes a great fancy coffee drink if you want to add the extra coffee!

Mac & Cheese chili

I made this a year or 2 ago for T & J and amazingly, they loved it. It's become a favorite of J's friend JDude also! So easy and really good.

1lb ground beef

1 Tbs chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 box mac & cheese dinner

Sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese

Prepare mac & cheese as directed on box (set aside when ready). While that's cooking, brown your meat w/chili powder and cumin on medium heat. Add tomatoes with their liquid and kidney beans. Simmer 3 min, stir occasionally. Stir in mac & cheese, cook for 3 more min. or so until heated through, stir occasionally. Top each bowl w/sour cream and/or cheddar cheese and serve w/crackers. (T & J don't like the sour cream, but I do!)