START HERE: BRCA Gene Mutation?

So, I've decided to use this blog to explain some of the medical stuff I've been navigating. I know that next to nobody reads this, so it's mostly a way for me to purge some of the info, emotions, and experiences I'm having. And maybe educate someone else :)

I have the BRCA1 gene mutation. Everyone (male & female) has the BRCA gene, also known as the breast cancer gene. This gene basically makes the breast and ovarian cells strong cancer fighters. So, if a persons BRCA gene is mutated, their breast and ovarian cells are NOT cancer fighters. As "life" happens, someone with this mutation is incredibly susceptible to getting breast and ovarian cancer (also prostate and pancreatic), and at a young age. This is because their cells aren't able to repair DNA and fight off these cancers, compared to most people with regular BRCA genetic makeup. 

Anyone who has this gene mutation, male or female, has a 50% chance of passing it along to their children. My dad has the mutation. And so does his dad. We discovered all of this when my aunt (my dads sister) got breast cancer at a young age. This was sometime around 2006. Huntsman Cancer Institute was doing research about the BRCA gene mutation and asked our family to be involved in a study. Note: my great grandmother (dads dads mother) died of ovarian cancer at a young age. 

Huntsman provided genetic counseling and testing to my grandfather. They discovered that he indeed carries the BRCA1 gene mutation. They then tested his 3 daughters (my dads 3 sisters) and my dad. 2 of the 3 sisters have the mutation and so does my dad. Then they tested the female children (over 18) of those with the mutation. I got the news that I carry this gene mutation nearly 10 years ago, in 2007. I have two sisters who have been tested, and (thankfully) neither of them have the mutation.

And that's all for now. This is exhausting :) 

"Swig" cookies

Made these the other day. Delish! Google "swig sugar cookie recipe". Easy to make, and they actually tasted even better the second day :)

Snowy Snowy Drip Drip

Happy New Year! We've had SO much snow this year! And more to come. So we've been in need of a place to hang wet snow clothes. This was our solution, in the garage. Love how it turned out! And it leaves me with more space in the mud room. The only hiccup is that the kids want me to put their stuff in the warm dryer for a few minutes before they put it on. Because the garage makes everything so cold! Ha ha!

Gingerbread House 2015

Thanks aunt Amy! We had so much fun decorating our gingerbread house. Turned out super cute. Perfect family night activity. 

Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes

Um, so I know this isn't exactly a picture of peanut butter banana pancakes. But that is what was on the plates a few minutes before this pic. My kids love them (minus Greta who's allergic to bananas). I love lazy mornings over Christmas break!

Pain au chocolate

Nothing quite like a chocolate croissant. Ok, maybe eating it in France would improve the experience a bit. But these were good. Christmas morning tradition (when I can find them!) with omlets. Everyone was happy :)

Merry Christmas Santa!

Santa was pleased with our cookies. Ate them all gone :) And Rudolph ate 2 carrots. Well done. 

Cranberry Bundt cake

This cake is one of my absolute favorites. And I only make it once a year, because you can only buy fresh cranberries at the store for a few select weeks each year. Did u know that? Right before Thanksgiving through part of December. Then they're gone. For 11 more months. So I savor this cake every time I make it. It's a dense pound cake, with tart spots of fresh cranberries. Not too sweet. Alone it's just "muhh". But, you don't eat it alone.....

This is the sauce you drizzle on top, in lieu of frosting. But it's a million times better than frosting. 4 ingredients: butter, sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla. I use the word "drizzle" very loosely. It's really more like I bathe the cake in the sauce. There is something about the tart cranberries mixed with the sweet, buttery, creamy sauce, that turns to magic. Trust me. Call me for the recipe :) But hurry- we only have one week left to buy cranberries!

Cranberry sauce

Nothing quite like homemade cranberry sauce. I'm in love with it, no matter what the skeptics say. See that vibrant, deep red color?! It's beautiful. 

Sweet potatoes

I was in charge of making the sweet potatoes for thanksgiving this year. I have to make a different recipe depending on which family we are eating with. This year we had EVERYONE at my husbands parents. So I made 3  9x13's of these. Plus this little extra to keep at our house :) It's the butter/brown sugar/pecan topping that makes it what it is.