"They All Matter" Let's Find a Cure Blog Hop

     Welcome to the "They All Matter"  Let's Find a Cure blog hop!  If you came to me from Christine, then you're in the right place!  If you just happened upon my blog and this hop, then you'll need to visit Lisa's blog to get started.  All of the blog posts in this hop will focus on a different type of cancer, simply to bring awareness to as many as we can.

     I chose ovarian cancer for my focus, as I lost my dear, sweet Aunt Van a few years ago from ovarian cancer.  I had intended to make a layout using a picture of Aunt Van along with a couple of pictures from her memorial service (which I unfortunately couldn't attend), but I can't locate the pictures.  :-(  I know I have them somewhere, and I'm sure I'll run across them very soon, but I stayed in the hop so I could bring awareness to this horrible disease.

     According to Wikipedia, the symptoms of ovarian cancer are frequently very subtle early on and are easily confused with other illnesses.  Symptoms may include bloating, pelvic pain, and difficulty eating.  In most cases, the exact cause of ovarian cancer remains unknown.  Diagnosis of ovarian cancer begins with a physical examination, a blood test, and a transvaginal ultrasound.  Stage I and Stage II ovarian cancer is difficult to diagnose until it spreads and advances to Stage III and Stage IV.  

     Unfortunately, ovarian cancer has a very poor prognosis, mainly because it lacks any clear early detection or screening test.  In simple terms, this means that most cases of ovarian cancer are not diagnosed until they have reached the advanced stages.  Over 60% of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer have Stage III or Stage IV, and it has already spread beyond the ovaries, as was the case with Aunt Van.  Many women opt for chemotherapy or radiation treatments.  

     The five-year survival rate for ALL stages of ovarian cancer is 47%, but if the cancer is diagnosed early, the five-year survival rate jumps to almost 93%.  Ovarian cancer is the second most common gynecologic cancer and the deadliest in terms of the absolute figure.

     We MUST find a better early detection or screening test for ovarian cancer, and we must CONTINUE to fund research to find a cure for ALL types of cancer!  Aunt Van opted NOT to take chemotherapy and radiation treatments for her ovarian cancer, as her doctors told her it might only prolong her life for a few more months.  I saw her a few months before she passed, but she was taken from us just a few short months after receiving her diagnosis and way too soon.  Please help us find a cure.

     Your next stop in the hop is Toni.  In case you get lost along the way, here's the entire lineup:

1.  Lisa

2.  Ashley 

3.  Pam 

4.  Christine

5.  Ashley W <= YOU ARE HERE!!

6.  Toni - GO HERE NEXT

7.  Jamie

8.  Jearise

9.  Lluvia

10.  Christina

11.  Pam

12.  Haidee

Thanks for stopping by!  Be sure to check back soon, as I'll be having a 200 follower giveaway.  I know my dear Aunt Van is looking down from above.  I love and miss you, Aunt Van!!!

Thankful Blog Hop!

     We're so happy you could join us today!  If you arrived here from Robin's blog, then you're in the right place.  If you just happened on my blog or are reading by e-mail, you'll need to visit Melanie's blog to get started.  

     This is the time of year when we really reflect on what we have to be thankful for.  One of the things I'm thankful for is scrapbooking and all the crafts, supplies, and people that go along with it.  It has been a pleasure to be in this hop with all the wonderful ladies involved, and I've really enjoyed seeing all their projects!  There is blog candy available on Melanie's blog, so be sure to check that out!

     For this hop, we were asked to make a project with the word "Thanks" or "Thankful."  I made this project at a friend's craft workshop one night and knew it was PERFECT for this hop!

The paper and leaves are from Close To My Heart, although they're probably discontinued now.  I love this project, because the things my family is thankful for can change from day to day, so we can change this board as often as we like.  We have this hanging in our dining room/kitchen area, so we can see it every day.  

     Here's the full blog hop lineup for today, in case you get lost along the way:

1.  Melanie

2.  Claire

3.  Jenn

4.  Robin

5.  Ashley <= YOU ARE HERE!!!

6.  Amanda - GO HERE NEXT!

7.  Misses Crafty

8.  Diana

9.  Jearise

10.  Sarah

11.  Charity

Thanks again for stopping by!  I hope you enjoy the rest of the hop!  Be sure to stop back by my blog in another week or so when I'll be having a 200-follower giveaway.  Happy scrapping!\

Altered Journal Blog Hop winner!!!

Well, maybe the third time's the charm!  I've posted a winner for my blog candy from the Altered Journal Blog Hop twice, but neither winner has contacted me, so I keep having to choose a new one!  The NEW winner is VICKI who said:  "Cool journal.  Great idea to let the boys add entries too.  Already a follower."  Please contact me here by Friday, November 16, or I'll choose again!  Be sure to come back tomorrow for the Thankful Blog Hop!  Happy scrapping!

Blog Hop winners!!!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!  I'm here to announce blog hop winners.  Congratulations to the following winner from the Triple Stamp Card Blog Hop:

Amanda said...

Your wreath is beautiful, Ashley!! I can't tell where you messed it up any! Thanks for inviting me to join the hop! :)

The original winner in my Altered Journal Blog Hop never contacted me, so I chose a new winner.  Congratulations to:

Cathie said...

Wonderful journal. I'm a new follower

Both of you should e-mail me using the "Contact Me" tab at the top of my blog no later than Friday, November 9, in order to claim your prize.

Thanks again to everyone who stopped by!  I'll be having a 200-follower giveaway soon, so be sure to stay tuned!  Happy scrapping everyone!

Triple Stamp Card Blog Hop

Happy Halloween!!!  If you're going trick-or-treating with your children tonight, I hope you have lots of fun, and I hope your kids get more candy than they know what to do with!  My husband and I will be taking our youngest son downtown where our local Main Street businesses stay late and hand out candy in a safe environment, and then we'll stop by my parents' neighborhood so they can see little Woody from Toy Story.  Joseph is so excited!

If you just came across my post and the hop by chance, please visit Ashley's blog to get started (She's got blog candy, too!!!).  If you came to me from Janea's blog, then you're in the right place!  The theme for today's blog hop is Triple Stamp Card!  I'd never made one of these before, so I looked at several examples and watched LOTS of videos on YouTube.  I looked through my stamp stash and finally decided on making a Christmas card using my wreath4me stamp from The {Stamps} of Life.

I don't think I got the wreath portion lined up exactly right on each layer, but overall I like the way it turned out!  It's a neat-looking card and one I think I'll try again.

In case you get lost along the way, here's the full hop lineup for you:

Ashley

Jamie

Rebecca

Pam 

Kate

Tonya M 

Suzanne 

Janea 

Ashley W <<==YOU ARE HERE!

Michele - Your next stop!

Your next (and last!) stop is Michele at Michele's Craft Room!  Just to thank you for stopping by, I'm giving away a Halloween stamp set of your choice from The {Stamps} of Life!  I'd love for you to become a new follower of my blog, but it's not required to win my blog candy.  All you need to do is leave a comment!  I'll post the winner on Saturday.  I recently hit 200 followers, so I'll be having ANOTHER giveaway very soon.  Be sure to check back!

Be safe as you trick-or-treat with your kids tonight!  Thanks for stopping by, and happy scrapping!

Blog Hop winner!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and left comments during the Altered Journal Blog Hop!  I really enjoyed participating in the hop and seeing everyone's creations, AND I reached 200 followers!!!  My apologies for being late in posting my winner, but I used random.org to select a number from the twenty-seven comments I received.  The winning number belongs to Mary!!  Congratulations!  Please e-mail me using the "Contact Me" tab at the top no later than this Friday, November 2, to claim your prize or I will select another winner.

Please be sure to stop back by on Halloween for the Triple Stamp Card Blog Hop!  Since I reached 200 followers during the Altered Journal Blog Hop, I'll be having a giveaway very soon as well.  Don't miss it!  Happy scrapping, everyone!

Bio-Poem

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE ALTERED JOURNAL BLOG HOP!

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My tenth-grade English students at Batesville High School recently wrote bio-poems as part of our first nine-weeks study of a memoir and in preparation to help them write a narrative.  I promised them I would write one, too, and would share on my blog (as they also had to do).  They were given two versions of the poem and had to choose one.  I went ahead and wrote both, so I hope you enjoy!  If you'd like the template to either of these, please e-mail me using the "Contact Me" tab at the top, and I'll be happy to share!

My Heart is an Overflowing Vessel

I am leading an exciting life.

My life is as interesting as a new adventure.

I had a wonderful childhood.

My childhood was as calm as the ocean.

I had a cat and no siblings.

I read Jackie Collins and Nathaniel Hawthorne.

I thought I was more popular than I was.

And now at forty-one

I have seen a terrorist attack

I have heard my father cry

I know the unconditional love for a child

I don't know why people murder or abuse innocent children

I hate Osama bin Laden for what he did

I love my husband with every fiber of my being

I've lost my favorite pet

I am looking for a way to travel all the time

I wish I could have my Mamaw back.

My heart is an overflowing vessel.

For the second bio-poem, I feel as if I need to share some previous versions, as this one has been a work in progress as I've traveled and lived across the country.  The first version, written in 2005, was completed when I was teaching a Creative Writing course at Beaufort High School in Beaufort, South Carolina.

Bio-Poem 2005

Ashley

Caring, fun, sensitive

Mother of Kennedy

Lover of exotic places, my Marine, and chocolate

Who feels happier than ever, glad to have a job, and NASCAR rules

Who fears not gaining custody of her son, losing her husband in war, and another terrorist attack

Who would like a new SUV, time to finish all her projects, and a new baby

Resident of Beaufort, South Carolina (via Arkansas)

Walker

Version two was written in 2010 (I think!), when I was teaching English 7 & 8 at Army and Navy Academy in Carlsbad, California.

Bio-Poem 2010

Ashley

Caring, fun, crafty, sports lover

Mother of Kennedy & Joseph

Lover of exotic places, my Marine, and chocolate

Who feels happier than ever, glad to have a job, and NASCAR rules

Who needs more hours in the day, a bigger house, and a SERIOUS vacation

Who fears losing her husband in war, another terrorist attack, and plane crashes

Who gives all she has to teaching, unconditional love to her family, and extra credit to her students

Who would like to see the Eiffel Tower again, a baby girl complete her family, and her husband get promoted

Resident of Oceanside, California (via Arkansas & South Carolina)

Walker

The most current version was written this year as my students were also completing this assignment at Batesville High School in Batesville, Arkansas.

Bio-Poem 2012

Ashley

Caring, crafty, crazy, sports lover

Related to a World War II Navy Purple Heart recipient

Lover of my sons, my retired Marine, and my craft room

Who feels glad to be home, teachers don't get paid enough, and everyone should see the Eiffel Tower

Who needs a nice vacation with my husband, a teacup Yorkie, and a new SUV

Who fears losing my parents, another terrorist attack, and losing my husband too soon

Who gives unconditional love to my family, handmade gifts at Christmas, and counseling time to students

Who would like to see my Mamaw again, the world with my husband, and a baby girl complete my family

Resident of the oldest city in Arkansas and the perfect house

Walker

I hope you've enjoyed this little bit of insight into my life!  Thanks for stopping by!