Banana Ball

It was hot, smoky, crowded, and the seats were uncomfortable... but I still had a great time at my first Banana Ball game! I would love to go again, especially on a cooler day with clearer air, fewer people, and stadium seats. But I'd still go again, even with less-than-desirable conditions. 

Banana Ball in Boise (affiliate link)

I'm really happy with this layout. I love the family selfies, the Banana Ball logo as the title, the scoreboard as one of the photo elements, and all of the journaling I was able to include. It was fun to work with a color I don't use often. I like the simple embellishments, particularly the 'Fun in the Sun' banner that frames the photo and gives a nod to just how hot it was that day. 

Thanks again to Kari and Brian for making this possible!

A Message from Brayden and Tulip

International Rabbit Day is coming up on September 26. In anticipation, Brayden and Tulip would like to remind of you how incredible rabbits are. You'll have to imagine the speech bubbles above their heads. 

"Hello. I'm Brayden. Underneath me is Tulip, my best friend. She and I are free-roaming, bonded house rabbits. (We use litter boxes, just like cats, but I prefer not to talk about my bathroom habits.) We're crepuscular, which means we're most active at dawn and dusk. That's why we're drowsy right now while Mom is cleaning our territory. Not to brag, but we are charming. I've heard Mom say lots of times that rabbits are the best pets ever. Right, Tulip?"

"Absolutely. Rabbits are smart, curious, playful, and affectionate. Our binkies are the cutest thing ever. We can be trained, but honestly it's a lot easier for us to train Mom and Dad than the other way around. It's better that way. More treats. Of course, that's more important to you than it is to me. You're the more food-motivated of the two of us. People sometimes forget that we rabbits are unique individuals with different preferences and habits."  

"You're totally right. Every rabbit is different. One thing that's the same though? We all deserve an indoor, free-roam home with a family that loves us. I'm so glad we were rescued and ended up with Mom and Dad." 

"Yeah. If any of you are wondering if you should welcome a rabbit or two into your home, Mom has a blog post that talks all about that. Rabbits make wonderful pets but we aren't for everyone." 

"That's for sure. Sometimes even Mom says that we 'try her nerves'... whatever that means. Just because you like to throw my water dish sometimes and I occasionally like to push our x-pens into interesting shapes." 

"Both fun activities. She shouldn't knock it until she tries it. But right now, what sounds like the most fun is a nap. Sleep well, Brayden. I love you."

"I love you, Tulip. Sleep well."

Eagle Moms

I'm proud to be an Eagle Mom. Trevor worked really hard to become an Eagle Scout, but anyone with a kid in Scouting knows that parents play a big part in making it possible. For years, we drive our kid to meetings and activities. We coach them through the phone calls they need to make and help them prepare for their Boards of Review. We remind them to fill out paperwork and gently push if needed. 

One of my favorite things about being an Eagle Mom is supporting other moms as their Scout works toward Eagle. The last few months before a Scout makes Eagle is usually a very stressful time. It's impossible to explain the relief, pride, and joy that you feel when your child passes their Eagle Board of Review, but as soon as that happens it's time to start planning the Eagle Court of Honor. You move from one kind of stress to a completely different kind. It's all good, but having Eagle Moms who are there for you and get it is huge. 

In August, the Eagle Moms from our troop had the pleasure of welcoming a new Eagle Mom to our group. Congrats, Lucia!

Eagle Moms (affiliate link)

If you're an Eagle Mom reading this, let me know in the comments! I'd love to hear about your Scout's Eagle project and when they earned Eagle. 

I Finished My Fourth Quilt

A year ago, I would have said that I could never make a quilt, not in a million years. I can't believe that I have finished my fourth quilt. Turns out you CAN teach an old dog new tricks! I'm learning so much with each quilt and my skills are improving dramatically. I'm getting a lot faster and so much more confident. 

I'm really happy with how this quilt turned out. It's the first symmetric quilt I've made and the first where I've sewn adjacent striped fabrics together (tricky!). The binding remains the most difficult part for me, but I'm improving. 

Speaking of the binding, I'm not thrilled with the white. I would have loved to have bound it with the yellow or with another fabric from the quilt, but there wasn't nearly enough of any fabric to do that. Quilting exclusively with donated fabrics really limits things. On the other hand, it's a fun challenge to see if I can make something pretty using the small bits of pieces of fabrics that people give us. 

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma

Life in the deRosier household was good in early 2024. If you look through the scrapbook album, you see Trevor's admission to his top choice for college, a fun celebration for my 52nd birthday, our trip to Texas Hill Country, Brayden's adoption, the Highest Honors ceremony... and then a blank space, followed by all of Trevor's end-of-senior-year festivities and graduation. 

The blank space represents my cancer diagnosis. 

I thought for a long time about how I would include that in the album. I wanted a stark, black page that would represent how the diagnosis was abrupt and unexpected, out of place in our otherwise happy lives. This is what I came up with:

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (affiliate link)

It's not quite as stark as I'd originally planned. I used the title of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma instead of just CANCER. There's a lot of journaling. The pop of pink is for hope. 

It's been two years and four months since my breast cancer surgery. I finished radiation just over two years ago. I graduated from in-person physical therapy 16 months ago. I have eight more years of endocrine therapy ahead and the lymphedema is still here; I'm not happy about either of those, but it is what it is. Overall, I'm doing well and at this point there is no evidence of disease (NED). I hope it stays that way and that I never have to make another layout like this one.