We're Off to see the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz!

I hate to say it. I think Charley's favorite holiday is officially Halloween. That is until Santa brings her lots of presents. Then, Halloween will be a thing of the past. As many of you already know, Charley loves to sing and dance. That is old news. Well, Charley's new favorite movie is none other than The Wizard of Oz. It is so cute to watch her sing and dance as she pretends she is Dorothy. So, who better to be for Halloween than the beloved Dorothy Gail. My mother-in-law was kind of enough to make Charley's Dorothy costume and it was so cute. Charley is still enjoying playing dress-up in it everyday.

This was the first year that we actually let Charley trick-or-treat at houses. Boy did she love it. After each house she would loudly state, "I want to go to another house." After a bucket full of candy Ryan and I decided it was time to call it quits for the night. Charley was even beginning to complain that her candy bucket was to heavy. Ha!

I do love this time of year. The holidays, the crisp mornings, the smell of firewood burning. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful life!

Halloween 2009

My 30th Birthday!!

A couple of weeks ago I celebrated turning 30! I had been looking forward to turning 30 for quite awhile. After having cancer, every birthday is a milestone and you can't wait to celebrate another year. I'm sure that all cancer survivors would agree with me. I wanted to spend my 30th birthday with my closest friends and that's exactly what I did. Hilary A. and Kevin, Hilary O. and Tyler, and Ryan and I all started our night down at Maria's. It is my absolute favorite place for Mexican food....and margaritas. After a wonderful meal, we all headed to Ernie Biggs Piano Bar. It was a lot of fun with a lot of memories. I'll leave it at that! Finally, we ended our night at the Mud Lounge. I really couldn't have asked for a better birthday. Ryan and I have the best friends and to spend it with them was perfect!

It was also so nice to spend time with my family. My mom's birthday is less than a week after mine and for us to celebrate together is always wonderful. Thank you mom and dad for always being there.

Now to brag on my family a bit......Ryan has been so wonderful to me over the past years. We actually started dating when I was 15 and have officially been together for 15 years! I just want to thank you for being the best husband and father. Thank you for always providing for our family. Charley and you have an indescribable bond and she and I are truly blessed. I LOVE you so much and look forward to celebrating many more birthdays together!!!

Summer is Over and the School Year has Begun!

Can you say slacker???? I have really let the blog go this summer. Perhaps it is because last summer I was robbed of time with my family and was just beginning my battle against breast cancer. So, when this summer rolled around, I took advantage of it. Although our summer didn't involve any glamorous trips or vacations, it was still wonderful. Charley turned 3 this summer which is so hard to believe. My baby is longer a baby. At 3 years old is she even considered a toddler anymore? I think she is slowly crossing over to officially being my big girl. Despite how time is flying by, I have to admit that I absolutely LOVE this age. Charley is such a firecracker......which might not be such a good thing at times! She now officially roles her eyes and just the other day I said something to her and she looked at me and said, "Whatever." I literally stopped in my tracks. Did my 3 year old seriously just look at me and say "Whatever?" She obviously gets this from Ryan. I would never roll my eyes or say whatever. (wink, wink)

As much fun as summer was and as busy as were, I was somewhat relieved when it was time for preschool to start again. The only bad thing about school starting is that the time seems to go by even faster and because of that I know summer will be just around the corner which means Charley will be turning 4. Could someone please freeze time for just awhile???

Yesterday was the first day of school for Charley and she was so excited. I remember last year she was so reluctant for me to leave her there and clung to my neck out of desperation for me to save her. Unfortunately that was not the case this year. When I Ryan and I dropped off at her class yesterday she took off her back-pack, turned to us, and said, "I need a hug." After hugs and kisses she was off and there was no turning back. No more separation anxiety. Charley is a social butterfly. Although I miss the days that Charley was fearful to be left in an unfamiliar location, I am so proud to be raising an independent, strong-willed child. I know these are attributes which will benefit her greatly as she gets older. Here are some pictures of Charley's first day of school:






With school starting, I thought this would be a good time to also enroll Charley into some sort of extracurricular activity. She LOVES music and LOVES to dance so I knew she needed something where she could be wild and move around. So, I decided we would try a free class of both dance and gymnastics and then choose from one of the two. Yesterday, Charley had Hip Hop. Yes, I said Hip Hop. It was her and two other boys, both of which were older than her by one, if not two years. My little Charley looked like a twig out there and although she was pretty good at the stretches they did at the beginning, Charley is so not ready for Hip Hop. Besides being so completely distracted because Ryan and I were there....although we did try to hide....she had no clue what was going on. At one point I heard her yell out, "My favorite color is yellow." What??? I ended up pulling Charley out of the class before it ever ended. Perhaps if there was a class called Free Style, Charley would do much better. Today we give our free gymnastics class a try. I really hope that today is more successful than yesterday! I'll keep you posted!

4th of July Celebration

Since the 4th of July is 5 days after Charley's birthday, it makes for a very busy week. It also makes for a lot of fun. This year we went to I Love America (ILA) that is hosted by the church we attend, James River Assembly. It is a MAJOR production and this year around 120,000 people attended. The weather was absolutely beautiful, so Ryan, Charley, and myself ventured out to ILA around 1:00 pm. I was a little worried about getting out there so early only because the fireworks didn't start until 9:20. However, Charley did GREAT! She had a wonderful time being pulled around in the wagon, eating snow cones and corn dogs, and just hanging out with her mom and dad. I know one of these days being around Ryan and I will be the last place she wants to be.

The fireworks display was spectacular and Charley didn't even flinch despite them being extremely big and loud. We ended up getting home around midnight and by that time Charley was pretty much comatose. We made wonderful memories that Ryan and I will cherish for lifetime.

4th of July 2009

Happy 3rd Birthday Charley!

I can't believe that my baby girl is 3 years old. It is so hard to believe that just three years ago I was at home with a newborn and now my baby has blossomed into a beautiful little girl. Ryan and I are so blessed by Charley each and every day. She is so full of life and has the BIGGEST personality. There isn't a day that goes by where she doesn't make me smile or laugh hysterically. She truly is such an angel. For her third birthday we went with the Disney Princess theme. What I love the most is that Charley truly believes that she is a princess........why would she think any differently!? Her birthday was at Wacky World which is a giant indoor inflatable jumpy place. This is one of Charley's favorite places and to have all of her friends there made it extra special. The kids jumped, and jumped, and jumped until they were all pretty much a sweaty, sticky, mess.....just in time for pizza! We had lots of yummy pizza and the most WONDERFUL cake EVER from Stacey's Sweets. I have used Stacey on several occasions and her cakes are to die for! Along with a BEAUTIFUL princess cake, she made princess crown sugar cookies for Charley's friends to take home. The cookies are AMAZING and just as good as the cakes. I would HIGHLY recommend her for all your celebrations!

After pizza and cake Charley went on to opening her presents. She got so many wonderful presents including cute dress up princess outfits, an outdoor sandbox, some crafts, and a baby doll with all the cutes accessories. It was such a wonderful day. On Charley's second birthday I had just been diagnosed with breast cancer a few weeks earlier and wasn't sure what the future held. Knowing that I had beaten cancer and was able to celebrate her birthday in full force this year was a wonderful feeling. I am looking forward to MANY more birthdays together as a family.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl! You are AMAZING! We Love You!

Charley's 3rd Birthday

Charley's Broadway Debut

I hope everyone is having a wonderful (and hot) summer so far! Ryan, Charley, and I are enjoying every minute of it. We were robbed of our summer last year so this one is extra special. I have been getting things ready for Charley's 3rd birthday. She will be 3 on June 29Th. That is so hard to believe. It seems like everyday is slipping away so quickly. I am really working on soaking up every minute with her. She is getting more and more entertaining every day. Charley LOVES to perform, sing, dance, etc. One of her favorite songs is Tomorrow from the musical Anne. However, rather than singing the entire song, she sings only her favorite part over, and over, and over, and over.....you get the point. Charley also sings this song whenever her "theatrical" mood strikes. Today, it was when she was strolling through Walmart. She is not even fazed by the people passing by. People seem to enjoy her singing and some even follow her voice until they find us. It cracks me up each time. Anyway, I just wanted to share this video with all of you and give you an idea of what a shopping trip to Walmart is like for me. Enjoy!

Falling off the Blogging Bandwagon

Wow! I can't believe it has been almost two months since my last posting. I hate that I have gotten so far behind! However, I will credit that to enjoying life. I have had far better things to do than sit at my computer and blog......not that I don't enjoy it! Since the weather has been warmer, Charley and I have been spending lots of time outside. She LOVES to be outside and now that she is old enough to entertain herself, I actually enjoy being outside as well. Ryan purchased Charley a pool for the summer and that has brought hours of entertainment. It's just the right size and even I can get in it and cool off.

Backing up a few weeks, I had an absolute wonderful Mother's Day. This Mother's Day was extra special. To be honored as Charley's mother felt terrific and knowing that I am going to have many more Mother's Day celebrations felt even better! Thank you Charley for being the best, sweetest little girl a mother could ask for! I sure do love it when you say, "I love you all day mom." (Tear)

A couple of weekends ago Ryan, Charley and myself had a great kick-off to summer! We spent 3 nights at Old Kinderhook at The Lake of the Ozarks! Wow....it was just what we needed. We had a 2 bedroom, 2 bath, golf cottage overlooking the 15th hole. Paradise....well, maybe not paradise but it was beautiful. On our second day there our best friends, Kevin, Hilary, and Zachary Austin came to spend the day and night with us. Hilary and I enjoyed soaking up the sun while the kiddos watched movies and the guys played a round of golf. That evening we all went out to dinner and spent time laughing and visiting. Charley was so happy that Zachary came to see her and Ryan and I loved hanging out with Kevin and Hilary. Thanks Austins for making our time away that much better!

Well, that pretty much puts you all up-to-date on what has been going on in our lives. We have a lot more fun happening this summer so I will be sure to keep the blog more updated and try not to fall off the blog bandwagon again!

Mother's Day 2009

Old Kinderhook

Disney on Ice

Charley LOVES Disney! In fact, this might be an understatement. She watches Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in the mornings and I'm pretty sure she thinks she is a real princess. If she even so much hears the music from a Disney World commercial she flips out. I would love to be able to take her to Disney World at this age. She is in love with all the characters! I know she would remember more if she were a little older, but by then the Disney characters will probably embarrass her more than anything. Since I don't have a trip planned to Disney World in the near future, I did the next best thing....Disney on Ice!

Charley's Nana (aka my mom) was nice enough to buy tickets for the three of us. It was so nice to spend an evening together....just us girls. I have been to several Sesame Street productions and they cannot even compare to Disney on Ice. It was absolutely wonderful and I enjoyed it probably as much as Charley. There was nothing better than watching Charley's face as she became completely absorbed in The Wonderful World of Disney. Thank you Nana for an incredible evening and one that we will never forget!

Disney on Ice

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Preschool Field Trip to the Zoo

Last Friday Charley's preschool class went to the zoo. The weather was beautiful and Charley had a great time! She couldn't believe that she got to have school at the zoo! She has made so many cute little friends and despite being one of the youngest kids in her class, the other kids are really sweet to her. One mom told me how her daughter comes home everyday saying that Charley is so funny. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or bad thing. I am so thankful for Charley's preschool and all that she has learned this past year. It has also given her the opportunity to interact with other children the same age.

We had a wonderful time at the zoo and look forward to going back very soon!

Preschool at The Zoo

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Easter 2009

Well I am only about 2 weeks post Easter, but I do want to share with you how the Wasson's celebrated this year. We had a very eventful Easter and to be honest, it felt as if Easter went on for days and days. The Saturday before Easter Charley went with her Nana and Grandpa to their church for an Easter Egg hunt. Charley had a great time. The only problem that she encountered was that the eggs were wet from laying in the grass and she wasn't a fan of picking up wet eggs. What two year old cares about that? That afternoon we went to Charley's MiMi and Papa's for another Easter egg hunt and cook-out. This was the first year that Charley truly understood the meaning of an Easter egg "hunt." More than the hunt, she really enjoyed the surprise in each little egg.

Sunday morning our family went to church and celebrated the real meaning of Easter. It was so wonderful to celebrate the risen Lord and think back on all he has done for my family this past year. Praise God! After church we headed over to Nana and Grandpa's for an Easter Lunch and yet another Easter Egg Hunt. Like I said....Easter went on for days.

We truly enjoyed spending time together as a family and are so thankful for our relationship with the Lord.

Easter 2009

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Preparing for Easter

The Wasson Family has been so busy the past couple of months! Shortly after getting back from Vegas I went to New York to visit a good friend who is also a breast cancer survivor. We had a wonderful time in New York City. Since having returned home I have been trying to get back into a "normal" routine and that has consisted of being REALLY busy! In the recent days we have been preparing for Easter. I finally found the PERFECT Easter dress for Charley and yesterday she had Easter pictures taken. As you will be able to tell, Charley LOVES to have her picture taken. After getting home from an eventful morning, Charley and I made an Easter bunny cake. Then after dinner, Ryan, Charley, and myself dyed Easter eggs. Most of them ended up cracked, but you can't really tell now that they are colored. Charley didn't quite understand that the eggs were delicate. That's a two year old for you I guess! I can't imagine what the eggs will look like after an Easter egg hunt! It's hard to believe that this Sunday is Easter. I think back to last year and it seems like it was just yesterday. Our little girl is growing up fast. Each day is such a blessing and even though we have "our moments" Ryan and I wouldn't trade one day.

Preparing for Easter

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Vegas and Tattoos

Well I feel like I have fallen off the blogging wagon. So much has been going on but I just haven't found the time to keep up with my blog. First, at the end of February Ryan and went to Las Vegas for some time away. We had not been anywhere "alone" for quite some time....with the exception of my bi-weekly chemo treatments and that's not exactly what I would consider a vacation. We were lucky enough to find an incredible rate on our airfare and hotel and just couldn't pass it up. In addition, we scored two free tickets to Cirque Du Soleil Mystere. Vegas was warm and wonderful. I would like to say that we returned big winners, but that just wasn't the case. We stayed at the Monte Carlo for three nights. Our second and third night we upgraded our room to a Spa Suite on the 21st floor. The room was wonderful. It had a jacuzzi right next to the window over looking the Vegas strip.

We spent lots of time going in and out of all the different hotels trying out their casinos and shopping at the forum shops. My favorite part of the entire trip was no doubt the Cirque Du Soleil show. We had never been to a show in Vegas so that was a special treat. Ryan and I both agreed that despite our tickets being free, it was worth the $100 that the tickets sell for. It was hard to come home after spending such a short amount of time there but we were both excited to see Charley.

On a different note, I got my very first tattoo last night at Hearts of Fire here in Springfield. I had been wanting a tattoo for quite awhile and knew exactly what I wanted and where I wanted it. When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer last June, there were many scriptures that pulled me through and inspired me to fight like heck. One of those scriptures was Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, not harm you, plans to bring you hope and a future." This particular verse continued to show up time and time again and was a constant reminder that breast cancer was a "season" in my life that God would bring me through and that my future would be filled with hope. So, last night I had Jer. 29:11tattooed on my wrist with a pink ribbon in the background. I know this will serve as a constant reminder of God's promise to me, no matter what the future may bring. I also hope it will serve as a way to share my story with others.

Next week Ryan and I leave for St. Louis for my first post-chemo Drs. appointment. Then I am flying to NY to meet a very dear friend for the first time. She is also a breast cancer survivor. I'm sure I will have lots more to blog about when I return.

Las Vegas

New Tattoo

February Fun

February has already been an eventful month in the Wasson house. Last weekend my parents took Charley out of town to Poplar Bluff, MO. This is where my grandparents live. So, on Saturday morning Charley's Nana and Grandpa loaded her up and took her out of town for an entire day and night. I would like to tell you that Ryan and I had a nice relaxing weekend while she was gone. However, that would be far from the truth. For about the past 2 months Ryan and I have been scouring Springfield for new furniture and a big girl bed for Charley. I had been to every furniture store in Springfield at least twice and still had not found anything that I just had to have. After Charley left town last weekend, Ryan and I had the idea that it would be so awesome if we had Charley's new room ready for her (furniture and all) when she got home. The only problem was that we had no furniture and were doubtful we would find anything in stock. Thankfully, we were wrong. By 3:30 Saturday afternoon Ryan and I had all of Charley's furniture ordered and at home. We found a great deal on a beautiful white bedroom set.

At 6:00 that evening Ryan and I started painting her room and finished up around midnight. The next morning we were up by 6:30. That's when the real work began. Charley was going to be home by 1:00 so we knew we had a limited amount of time. For 6 hours straight we worked non-stop. We changed the closets around, brought all the furniture in, set up her bed, hung pictures, and the list goes on. I have to admit I was really sad when we packed up Charley's crib and changing table. I realized at that moment that my baby was growing up. However, I knew that Charley's new room would be such a wonderful surprise for her.

When Charley arrived home, she really didn't notice her room at first. Then, as soon as she saw it, the first words out of her mouth were "Oh My Gosh"! It was so cute. She immediately jumped on her new bed. It was so awesome to see her reaction after we had worked so hard. I have posted some pictures of her new room. For now, her new bed is on the floor as we wait for the foot board, rails, and trundle to arrive.





After Charley had some time to settle into her new room we were off to a birthday party. The theme was Dr. Seuss and The Cat in the Hat made a special appearance. He was quite the character....you'll see what I mean in the pictures. Charley had a wonderful time and we were ALL exhausted by the time our weekend finally came to an end.

Elliott's Birthday Party

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Sesame Street Live 2009

This past weekend Ryan and I took Charley to see Sesame Street Live in Kansas City. After taking her last year, we knew that we had to do it again. I personally don't think the show this year was quite as good as last year, but that didn't stop Charley from loving every minute of it. When we took Charley to see it last year, she was literally in shock that her "friends" from Sesame Street were literally feet away. This year she was much more into "shaking her booty" to all the songs. She is quite the performer.

The next day we spent going to Crown Center and doing a little shopping. We met our good friends Hilary, Kevin, and Zachary that night at T-Rex for dinner. T-Rex is like a Rainforest Cafe except with huge dinosaurs. Charley wasn't so sure about the dinosaurs at first. However, after a little bit of time, she warmed up to them. Charley absolutely loves Zachary and was so excited to see him.

Finally, before heading home on Saturday, Ryan, Charley, and I put in a full day of shopping at Oak Park Mall. When I say Full Day, I mean around 8 hours....seriously. The sales were incredible and we got some screaming deals. Both Ryan and I were in desperate need of some new clothes. We spent our wad on Charley at the Disney store. There is nothing a little princess loves more.

It was such a great couple of days. This was the first trip we had taken as a family in about 9 months and it was wonderful to spend time together.

Sesame Street Live 09 and Kansas City

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Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

The weather the past couple of days has been a mixture of ice, sleet, and snow. The snow part didn't actually happen until last night at about 8:00. It was beautiful and so bright outside. Over the past six months I have learned (and continue to learn) that you have to make the most of each day that God gives you. As I was getting ready to put Charley to bed last night, I looked outside and couldn't help but think that it would be so much fun to go outside and play in the snow. So, at 9:00 Charley and I put on our snow gear and headed out into the Winter Wonderland. This was the first time Charley had really had the opportunity to play in the snow. She loved it! We made snow angels, raced each other across the yard, and ended with a snowball fight! Charley thought it was great to get to go outside and play at bedtime! What a great memory!

Let It Snow!

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Happy Belated New Year, and Yes...WE'RE STILL ALIVE!!

Well in case you're all wondering, the Wassons are alive and well.....PRAISE GOD!!! The past month things have been hectic, but in a good way! We had a wonderful Christmas spent with our family. This Christmas was extra special. I recently overcame my battle with breast cancer and to spend Christmas with my family and be healthy, was a true blessing. Charley received a plethora of princess toys. She is turning into quite the little princess herself. Now that our family is getting back into a routine that does not involve chemotherapy, surgery, or a multitude of Dr's. appointments, I am hoping to have more time to devote to this blog.

Here is an update of what is going on with the Wassons:

1. Last year we took Charley to see Elmo Live in Kansas City. Many of you might remember the YouTube video we posted of her. She was so excited! Elmo Live will be in Kansas City next week so we are taking Charley to see it again. We plan on spending two days there enjoying some much deserved time as a family.

2. Since being diagnosed with cancer last June, Ryan and I have not had any time to ourselves, with the exception of my chemotherapy treatments.....not exactly how I want to spend time with Ryan! So, as a gift to ourselves we are going to Las Vegas February 23rd - 26Th. I absolutely cannot wait for this trip. I have only been to Vegas once and I loved it. The shopping is incredible and I love taking a look at all the different casinos! For those of you that remember, my last trip to Vegas I won $2500 on a nickel machine. Hopefully I will be as lucky this next time!

3. In March I will be traveling to NY....alone! When I was diagnosed with breast cancer I created a blog that gave me the opportunity to share my journey with others. Through this blog I corresponded with many different women via email. I was overwhelmed with all the emails I received with words of encouragement. In July, I received an email from a woman named Mary. Mary had been diagnosed at almost the same time as I. After sharing our stories with one another, we learned that we would be having the same kind of chemotherapy, on the exact same days. The only difference was that I was in St. Louis and she was in NY. Since first emailing one another in July, we have developed an awesome friendship! In fact, if we don't hear from one another in any given day, we worry. Getting through my treatments was so much easier knowing that Mary was going through the same thing. We really counted on each other and were there to encourage one another when needed. So, on March 19Th I will be getting on a plane and flying to NY to meet Mary in person. We are going to spend several days in New York City painting the town pink! I cannot wait for this trip and feel so blessed that I will finally get to meet her!

2009 is going to be a great year for the Wasson family. I look forward to watching Charley grow and living life to the fullest. What better way to start 2009 than with a little bit of traveling. Hopefully there will more to come!