Don't Forget to Shave!

Have a look-see at a letter I received from a reader today...

Karolyn, I wanted to write you and tell you thanks for writing your blog about your dermotology visit. I remember reading it and thinking that it's been years since I've been to the dermotologist and if Karolyn can bare down...I can too.  The very next day I scheduled an appointment to meet the derm and discuss my body type as well as the numerous "beauty marks" on my body. We met...I loved him, scheduled the full body scan and...cancelled....3 times! I ALWAYS had an excuse. Then, they called last week and said they had a cancellation for Wed and did I want it? I put on my big girl panties (VS, of course) and wore my "real" deoderant (thanks for the tip) and sat, stood and cringed as he shined his light EVERYWHERE. I left with 3 biopsys and 8 photos and orders to come back in 6 months. I thought...well, that wasn't all that bad...I need to write Karolyn and thank her for giving me a "heads up". Everything is easier when you're prepared.  Well, I received a personal phone call from the derm yesterday morning. It seems that one of the spots on my leg is type one melanoma. I'm going Wednesday to meet the plastic surgeon and then we'll go from there. So, now I'm writing you to say, "Thanks! You very possibly saved my life.Thanks for sharing the intimate details of your life! Thanks for encouraging your readers to go to 

the Doctor! You Rock!!"

Side note: my particular melanoma is genetic but is brought out/made worse with the sun. My sister and Mom are both getting checked on May 8th. 

I'd sooo be lying if I told you this didn't make my eyes tear up a bit.  Wow!

So I say again...  

Strip down and get checked!!  You're not too young.  

If you've never read my candid retelling of a visit to the dermatologist, check it out by clicking HERE.

I'll be visiting the good doctor early next week for him to remove a place on my lower neck.  1 out of the 3 biopsies from February came back bad.  

And remember...

People who regularly visit the dermatologist don't die of skin cancer. 

Spring Break 2012

For Spring Break, Zebby-do joined the throngs of others who flocked to the mountains and spread their wings on the slopes of Breckenridge.  It was his first time skiing and he had a blast.  Thank you Nonnie and Papa.  

He was super excited about riding on a plane...

and a ski lift...

Zeb was the first in our (little) family to go on our (larger) family's annual skiing vacay. They quit asking us several years back, and who can blame them?  I'd get tired of hearing heck, no, too.  

  My parents shocked us by asking Zeb to go and we shocked them by saying yes.  Michal was a  bit disappointed to miss out on all the fun, but her tears dried quickly when Non and Pop handed her a brand-spankin'-new iPod touch.  Everyone has a price.   

In efforts to even out the fun factor, Lee and I loaded up the three younger kids and headed to...

It was a great time, for sure!!  I totally recommend at least a half day there.  There's a modest entry fee that includes the mermaid shows, animal shows, a boat ride, and a small water park.  Kids 5 and under get in free so it was cheaper than a movie for us (even without the popcorn!).  

I was not expecting to see a merman...  times are a'changing.  

The kids were super happy about meeting this beautiful mermaid.  Liliana got a little fresh and rubbed her mer-thigh.  She was determined to have the full experience.  

Who doesn't love a good photo op?  My mom swears I look JUST like her in this picture.  I'm not really seeing it.  

Ah, ah, ah.... Ah, ah, ahhhhhh....

I don't think I'll be cast for Ariel anytime soon, but I do like my mermaid body!!  

Lots of Pea-fowl at WW!  And Liliana chased EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. OF. THEM.  

Liliana liked this statue so much she decided to give her a goodbye kiss.  Gross, I know.  

She's five.  What do you expect?  

We called it a day at the Land of Mermaids and crashed at a local hotel.  I could write a series of posts of why I HATE staying at hotels.  Another day, my friend, another day.  

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The next day we loaded up in the m.v. (that's short for Mini Van) and headed even farther south to Clearwater Marine Aquarium to see Winter the Tail-less Dolphin.  For reasons I will never understand, my girls coaxed us into driving 5 hours and spending nearly $100 to see this dolphin-with-no-tail.  Meanwhile, we have hundreds upon hundreds of whole dolphins a mere boat ride away from home.  If you catch them at the right time, it's breath-taking. 

 But they have tails.  

I must admit the movie Dolphin Tale is a good one.  The story is amazing.  The righteous part of me is screaming about the millions of dollars being spent on this dolphin when there are kids dying of starvation every day, but the story is amazing.  

Here she is, in all her prosthetic glory...

Winter has had several tails.  The girls were able to hold Tail Number 18:

We also met a turtle...

and had some fun at the sting ray tank...

So I totally missed it, but Lee had his 15 minutes of fame when a kid fell into the stingray tank.  He heard a splash and then a scream.  In that dream-like slowness, he turned--- knowing it was Liliana.  Alas, it was not; BUT, being the super-hero he was born to be, Lee rescued unknown child from sting-ray peril.  Bravo, Lee! Bravo!

This is one of my favorite pictures ever...  Sister love, right there, folks... Sister love.  

The CMA is small.  I mean, NOT BIG AT ALL small!  I asked a staff member about the daily traffic.  "Before the movie," she replied, "we had about 200 a day.  Now, we have an average of around 4,500 a day."  

Good grief!!!  It cost our family of 5 around $85 to get in the door.  

Winter is a dang rich Dolphin.

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Our quick trip came to and end.  It was great to be home.  We sent the kids inside to get ready for bed and 2 out of 3 followed orders.  Liliana just didn't quite make it...  

Good night, sweet heart.