If you haven't played the super addictive online game BUBBLEZ yet, you've got to try it. I could sit here and burst bubbles for hours.....

Bubblez! Enjoy multiplayer version of the classic Bubble Shooter game!

Play online the free multiplayer game!

Recently I had my first mammogram. My doc decided since I've crossed that 4-0 mark that I needed to be checked and I knew that I did too. I really didn't want to go (after hearing horror stories) but I went anyway.

Girls, it wasn't bad at all. More pressure than pain and nothing that actually HURT.

My good friend Michelle gave me the best little nugget of information when she told me that I should expect them to call me back for a second mammogram. Since I had never had one before and they had nothing to compare it to she said it's pretty common.

So sure enough, I get the results and was told that my right breast was perfectly clear. Nothing to worry about there. But the left breast had some asymmetrical density that they wanted to get a better look at.

So I make an appointment for the day after Christmas - first thing in the AM. I trudge over to St Vincent's Breast Center. Thankfully they got me right in. I had to "disrobe" from the waist up and was told to put on this little half gown/shirt thing. This hospital gown/shirt had the world's most complex system of strings to hold it shut. I didn't think I'd ever figure out how that thing worked. When I came out and locked my possessions in the locker, I told the rad tech that the shirt had to have been designed by a man who wasn't about to have a diagnostic mammogram! She chuckled and admitted that people are confused by all the strings and what should be tied to what.

Anywhoooo, This time they wanted to look at a specific area so the mammogram machine was positioned a little differently, the paddles they used were different and she cranked down on it a little tighter. We both wanted to get the best image possible and I have a really high tolerance for pain, so I told her to go for it, get it as flat as she could. We got 3 really good images that showed what looked like a cyst. Still girls, this didn't hurt at all. I have very full breasts and believe me this baby was smashed flat, but still no pain, just pressure and not unbearable at all.

When they do a diagnostic mammogram, they have a radiologist there to read the films on the spot - so I was told, "you'll know the diagnosis today". Oh good!

They cart me off, still wearing my little hospital gown-like shirt, to the "you might have cancer" waiting room with the comfortable couch, TV, a few magazines and 2 boxes of Kleenex strategically placed within reach.

Within a few minutes she was back to tell me that "I had been cured." Funny, I didn't know I was sick! As we were walking toward the dressing room, another gal runs toward us and says, "Wait! He wants an ultrasound!!!"

So off we go to the ultrasound room with the calming leaf shaped light on the ceiling. She digs around at "1:00 just north of the nipple" and finds a pretty good sized cyst. She reassured me these are always benign and they just want to record its size and then keep track of it the rest of my life. The radiologist gets on the phone and looks at the ultrasound while I'm laying there and tells her "tell her she has a cyst and she's fine."

So girls, the moral of this story is - go get your mammogram. It doesn't hurt and they are able to see microscopic little things that can be precancerous which makes your chances of a full recovery so much greater. It's reassuring to know that nothing is going on in there. So, be sure you do your breast exam every month and go for that dreaded exam, it's not bad and it's worth it to know you're ok.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

What happens when your sweetheart has too much time on his hands?

He creates a giant blue snow heart in your front yard!

Jenny, I'm with you....buying for us girls is pretty easy. But throw these men into the mix and things get dicey.

You would think it should be EASY to buy something for Rich. But the truth is, this kid buys himself stuff all the time - leaving very little left for gift giving.

We bought our new TV right after Thanksgiving so that's our major gift to each other but we're filling in with other things. Do you guys have any ideas on what I should get him?

Evidence that Winter has Arrived

Snowy little Christmas tree

Pine Trees Blanketed with Ice and Snow Create a Beautiful Christmas Scene

Reaching out to the Sun

Icy Branch Against a Blue Sky

Snow and Ice on the Truck

Ol man winter gives us a good blast before Christmas. I love weather. As mom says, "weather makes everything more interesting!" At 1:00 am on Saturday night/Sunday morning, our house was encased in a thick layer of ice. Made for some great pictures!! If it hadn't been so nasty, I would have taken a drive to get more. Regardless here are the shots I got:

Green Christmas Lights Under Ice

Thick Ice Covering Tree Branches

Dripping water freezing on the Light

Here's our Christmas tree this year. We decorated it in only silver, glass and red ornaments. Of course, Rich's goofy Star Wars ornament is on the tree and a cute little mouse in a rocket that Kellie got us last year is there too - other than those 2 foreigners, the rest is silver, glass and red. My sweetheart just started wrapping presents tonight. Thank God we're done shopping (I think).

Here it is on the up angle.

Lights on the lamp post

We always decorate one little tree in the back yard too. This year, it's blue!

Well, here we have it.

THE GIFT OF THE YEAR.

INTRODUCING

THE SLANKET!!!!

It's a blanket with sleeves!

Who likes to reach out from under the blanket for the remote control only to let in unwanted cool air forcing the warming process to start all over again.

The slanket eliminates unnecessary cool down when snuggled under a blankie. I especially like the brown one because it can double as your monk costume on Halloween! Haaaaaaay!

Jenny, we totally need one of these!!!

I'm planning on bringing some eggs on Christmas. If you want to bring some too, let me know and we'll plan on how many each of us should make.

http://www.harrietcarter.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/_/Stack-N-Snap-Egg-Container/productID/9148BE97-CB15-469E-84C3-5F5DE7F70E3D/categoryID/8FF8C5C8-3D69-43C0-A82A-FC77FB0264DA/

My latest...a church in a neighborhood down the street from my house.

How would you like to live next door to this guy?

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/ver/250.1/popup/index.php?cl=5337698

Went to see Ellie Grace this weekend. She's getting to be so big! She weighs 11 lbs, 6 oz now, little porker! She's really starting to coo and talk to us and smiles really big all the time. Just too darn cute. Here are her pictures: