FREE Travel!!✈️💕🌎

One thing I love to do is travel! ✈️🌎Even better is traveling cheap. 😉The Southwest companion pass allows you book a free ticket for a friend or family member!  This is unheard of...but right now Southwest is offering a free companion pass for 1 year. The catch is you need a Southwest credit card and it does have an annual fee. Believe me!! The free flights more than pays for the fee.💸✈️

If you're interested, follow my link and sign up! Your companion can travel FREE and it helps me earn frequent flyer points!! #winwin

Limited-time offer: Earn Companion Pass through 2/28/2024 plus 30,000 points with any Southwest Rapid Rewards personal Credit Card.  

Monday 8/2/21 - Tim Updates

1:00pm - Good turn of events. A tech came in and unhooked Tim’s electrodes for the EEG. She said they didn’t need him to do the 24 he test someone ordered this morning. A doctor would be in later to go over everything. That means he can get his MRI done now. So hopefully it means more answers sooner.

9:30am - So Tim was transferred Tim to the neuro unit at Saint Joseph/Barrow late last night, mainly because they can monitor brain activity 24/7. I was able to speak to the Neurologist this am as he did rounds. Since it's a teaching hospital, he had 5 residents with him so he's got LOTS of eyes on him. {Feels like I’m in an episode of Grays anatomy with all the neuro docs! lol!} Tim is hooked up to an EEG so has wires everywhere. They will monitor him for at least 24 hours and then decide if he needs to stay hooked up longer. They also want to do an MRI, but have to wait until the EEG wires are removed. means another night here in the hospital waiting for all the tests. Hopefully it will help them figure out how to help him.

Tim Hospital Updates - 8/1/21

1pm - Just a heads that I'm at the hospital again with Tim. He hit his head really hard this morning around 6 AM. I was still asleep and heard him moaning after he had gone to the bathroom. He has a pretty good goose egg above his right eye where his head hit the tile. Ouch! This is the spot where he had his tumor. I put some ice on it and let him sleep off because I think he had a seizure. Yesterday, we both drove to Flagstaff to help Austin move out of his apartment. Austin came out into family room about 10am and Tim had no memory of going to Flagstaff at all yesterday. He also went fishing last night and then to the store to get milk. Couldn't remember any of it. I called a neighbor in our last ward who is an ER doctor and he said to make sure and monitor him closely. Because of the head hitting tile, could be a concussion. Tim was really shaky and kept standing up. He decided to walk into kitchen and fell again because he was dizzy. Also has been really off and saying things that didn't make sense. I called his neurologist and they said to get him in to ER to do a CT scan.

5:15pm - They just got CT results. He hit his head so hard that there's a depression in his skull right where his tumor was. This is probably causing the problems. He's very hard to wake up. When he wakes up he can talk and answer some questions but doesn't know year, month, etc. He remembered Biden was president and always complains about that. Haha! His neurologist wants to be cautious and air-flight him to ICU at Saint Joseph's in Phoenix. Mainly because Barrow can do 24 hour EEG monitoring of his brain. Mercy Gilbert is where we are and can't. And it's where his barrow neurologist works so she can manage his care there.

8:15pm - Nurse came in and said they can transport him by ambulance. They were thinking of taking him by helicopter but don't need to because he has been better at knowing where he is. He still thinks it's 2002. Because of corona variant, all the ICU beds at Saint Joe’s have been occupied, so that's why it's taken so long. They just had a discharge so have a bed for him now.

9:18pm - Still waiting for transport.....

Corona Virus 2020

Just so I NEVER forget..... April 3,2020. 💔

Gas price at Sams was $1.99...was $3 Before breakout.
Schools Closed - Distance Learning for me, Jake (CCC2NAU) Austin Senior Perry High
Self-distancing measures on the rise.
Tape on the floors at grocery stores and others to help distance shoppers (6ft) from each other.
Limited number of people inside stores, therefore, lineups outside the store doors.
Non-essential stores and businesses mandated closed.
Parks, trails, entire cities locked up.
Entire sports seasons cancelled.
Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events - cancelled.
Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings - cancelled.
No masses, churches are closed.
No gatherings of 50 or more, then 20 or more, now 10 or more.
Don't socialize with anyone outside of your home.
Children's outdoor play parks are closed.
We are to distance from each other.
Shortage of masks, gowns, gloves for our front-line workers.
Shortage of ventilators for the critically ill.
Panic buying sets in and we have no toilet paper, no disinfecting supplies, no paper towel no laundry soap, no hand sanitizer.
Shelves are bare.
Manufacturers, distilleries and other businesses switch their lines to help make visors, masks, hand sanitizer and PPE.
Government closes the border to all non-essential travel.
Fines are established for breaking the rules.
Stadiums and recreation facilities open up for the overflow of Covid-19 patients.
Press conferences daily from the President. Daily updates on new cases, recoveries, and deaths.
Government incentives to stay home.
Barely anyone on the roads.
People wearing masks and gloves outside.
Essential service workers are terrified to go to work.
Medical field workers are afraid to go home to their families.

This is the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic, declared March 11th, 2020.

Madilyn Marie Molite

2017 was good to our family! Albeit 10 weeks early, Danielle and David welcomed Madilyn Marie on Oct. 22, 2017.  Danielle called us the day after she had the baby and we were shocked to know baby Madilyn was already here. She was in NICU until December, but got to come home in time for Christmas. 

Madalyn Marie Molite - 3lbs. 15oz., 16 3/4 inches.

Their first family picture!

Madilyn with Tim on Christmas.

Peppermint Brownies

This is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE Recipes!
Click HERE for a link to the Recipe.

Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies
Recipe by ourbestbites.com

Brownies:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 C butter (2 sticks)
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 C flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Frosting:
2 C powdered sugar
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1 T milk
pink food coloring

Chocolate Glaze:
6 oz (about a cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips ,you could also use dark
6 tablespoons real butter (I suggest unsalted just for this step)

Additional:
1/2-1 C crushed candy canes (Use Bob’s or Brach’s, I don’t recommend Spanglers)

First, the Brownies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roughly chop baking squares so they’ll be easier to melt, then place them in a microwave-safe bowl along with the 2 sticks of butter (also chopped).

Melt in 30-45 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Set aside. Don’t accidentally stick your finger in the melted butter and chocolate combo because it will laugh at you for forgetting that it is unsweetened.

In a stand mixer or with electric beaters, beat eggs for about 3 minutes until thick and frothy.  Add sugar and vanilla and beat to combine. Then add in the melted chocolate and butter that you set aside. Combine flour and baking powder and whisk into brownie batter by hand until just combined. Pour into a lightly greased 9×13 pan. If you want to make the job much easier, line your pan with foil first.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness and don’t over bake! When brownies are done, cool on a cooling rack. When completely cool, pop in the fridge to chill. (makes the frosting spreading easier).

Next layer is the frosting:
Combine all frosting ingredients and beat until light and fluffy. Add extra milk by teaspoonful if you need a little more. Spread evenly over cooled/chilled brownies and place back in the fridge to chill again while you do the final step.

Chocolate Glaze:
Place chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and cook in 30 second intervals until smooth.

Set aside for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, so it can cool off just a bit. Remember in the first step when I told you to not accidentally let your finger fall in the chocolate butter mixture? Totally doesn’t apply to this chocolate butter mixture. Quickly spread on top of brownies. I say quickly because the frosting is cool and the chocolate is hot. If you take your sweet time and over do it, you’ll make a big gooey mess. Just spread it on quick.

Sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top and return to the fridge until chocolate is set on top.

Remove from fridge a few minutes before serving. Cut into squares.

recipe and photo credit: www.ourbestbites.com

Anyone else like the big, pink, sugar cookies at Sodalicious! YUM!! Reminds me of the cookies I used to buy back in college at Hart's Gas Stations. So moist and scrumptious. I love to eat cookies, but I'm NOT a fan or rolling and cutting out sugar cookies. TO MUCH WORK. So these cookie bars at the bomb diggity. SO EASY and every time I make them, someone asks for the recipe.

Sugar Cookie Bars

For the cookie base:

1 cup butter, softened

8 oz low-fat cream cheese, softened

1½ cups sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

For the frosting:

1/4 cup salted butter, room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3-4 tablespoons fat-free half and half or milk

sprinkles

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare a 9x13 jelly roll pan or baking dish by lining it with parchment paper or foil and lightly spraying with cooking spray.

Use an electric mixer to beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the sugar, and be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Mix in the egg and the vanilla.

Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until soft dough forms.

Spread the dough evenly in the pan or dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting (recipe follows) and cutting.

For the Frosting:

Use an electric mixer to whisk the butter until it's smooth.

Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time with 1 tablespoon at a time of the vanilla or the heavy cream until all the ingredients have been added and the frosting is smooth. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go.

Frost the cooled cookies and add the sprinkles.

Recipe and Photo credit: http://www.somethingswanky.com/lofthouse-sugar-cookie-bars/ 

Family Videos on YouTube

Link to family videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/renowoodman/videos?view=0&shelf_id=0&sort=dd

Jake's 16th Birthday!

Jake turned 16 when we were in Utah. He got the BEST.CAKE.EVER, a mint chocolate chip ice cream cake front the BYU Creamery. We planned to tube down the Provo River the day after. But when we got up to Vivian Park it started POURING! To top it off, he had a really bad sore throat so mom ended up taking him to urgent care that night. Well, hopefully this will still be the best year ever for sweet Jake.

     

BUMMER!!! :(

Josh Harden...We will miss you!

To all, thank you in advance for all your prayers and considerations. I feel very blessed to have such great friends and family helping me get through this. 

First of all, I wouldn't  wish this journey I am on on any of you. Several of you know first hand how terrible this disease can be and how painful it is to go through. It is a tough struggle every day just dealing through the pain but I will not let any of that hold me down.  

Just a little background for those of you who do not know, at the end of December I developed a very small marble sized knot on the left side of my neck. I thought I might have slept on it wrong and figured it would just go away at some point.  It turned out to be a very rare, very aggressive sarcoma cancer. In 30 days it went from nothing to 10 inches long and 7 inches wide. The pain was so bad I finally had to leave work which bugged me more than anything. 

The biggest lesson I learned here is that family and friends matter a whole lot while dealing with this process. I was blown away by the support I received from each and every one of you while I was in the hospital going through my first set of Chemo. Thank you,  you guys truly are amazing and helped me through a lot of the tough days.  I have had many prayers coming at me from almost every religion on the planet and they must be working because I am now at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. This is the number one cancer center in the country and I feel so blessed to have made it out to this place.  The staff is amazing and so supportive and all about getting people better.  I will be back there on the course soon as I will not let this disease prevent me from doing what I love and what makes me happy. I miss and love all of you and I thank you for your support!

Hit em Straight 

Josh Harden