March 2015

March pics are far and few between and I feel like I've already posted most of these on my cancer blog, but here's a review + the rest of the pics.

Skiing:  What fun!  We had a lot of fun on the mountain this month.  This is what I posted already on the other blog but I didn't want to forget the details on here: After being down in the dumps a bit during my last go around, I decided to take the bull by the horns and start creating more fun in my life!  On Wednesday, almost a week after my chemo (the day after the amazing snow storm) I was feeling fabulous.  Usually on those days I try to get caught up on all my responsibilities, but on this day I decided to bag it all, leave the house a mess, and have some fun.  I threw on my snow clothes and noticed that the new ski socks I'd bought myself in September had a breast cancer label on them that I hadn't noticed previously - talk about the skiing being meant to be!!  I sweet talked Lauren into skipping school and coming with me and we ran up to SnowBasin for a few runs.  When Matt found out I was headed up there, he snuck away to meet us as well.  It was so wonderful to be in the fresh air and sunshine!!!  In fact, it was so wonderful, I went two more times that week!!  (**Full disclosure - I only went down the hill a few times each day and the rest of the time everyone else skied while I rested on the sidelines - but oh, that sunshine was lovely!!!) My favorite day on the slope was when Matt and I snuck Will out of school to ski.  He has been struggling with skiing for a long time (he's gone a dozen times over the past few years and there was no improvement - mostly a mental/fear block).  This day, with just Matt and I giving him our full attention, was the day that he overcame his fears.  He commented going down the hill once that, "I am so happy I feel like I rule the world - I can do anything!!"  It's times like these that make all the struggles of parenting worthwhile.  His sense of accomplishment at overcoming something that was really difficult for him was the biggest boost of joy that I've had in a long time. :)

 4th round of chemo and last round of "the Red Devil" drug - yea!

Will earned his "Bear" in scouting.  Congrats William!!

Lauren's been busy with school... she did a presentation on an invention of the 1800's.  It turns out that jello was patented in the 1890's so she centered her report around this jiggly concoction and make this beautiful (and time consuming!) layered dessert.  She's also loving her science curriculum that full of hands-on experiments.  The turtle picture below is from an art class she's taking at Hobby Lobby.  This is an acrylic painting with some cool texture and she's currently working on an abstract painting we'll show you next month.

Neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt

And finally, after finished my two weeks after round IV of chemo, I hit my hump day!  Yea for fun milestones!!!

February 2015

2/2 - Bradley's done with Davis Hockey.  Last year they lost EVERY varsity game (although the JV team was undefeated - woot, woot!).  This year however, they made it to playoffs in the middle of the pack; way to go Davis!!!!  This is their last game of the season:

 I especially love this picture... Bradley's getting triple teamed with a 4th defenseman looking like he's ready to skate over - lol!!

2/3 - Appointment with my plastic surgeon Dr. Rinard and his nurse Tobi.  I meet with these guys 2x a month.

2/4 - Lauren posted this on her door; this girl is a lot of fun.

2/6 - It was such a gorgeous day I spent it working in the yard.  Good for the soul. :)

 That same night, Will wanted to make brownies all by himself.  He did a fabulous job!  As you can see by the picture of Owen, he not only enjoyed the warm weather today (he's in his swimsuit, ha ha) but also William's wonderful baking skills.

2/7 - My neighbor Molly was volunteering in the school and walked past a 4th grade science demonstration/assembly going on in the common area.  Will had been called on as a volunteer and she was able to snap a picture - fun!

2/9 - Lauren's birthday!!!  We did sushi for lunch and her favorite gift was her Pikachu onesie.

2/11 & 2/12 -  Cute Jackie drove up to bring our family dinner and to deliver 2 hoodies that she embroidered for me to wear to chemo the following day.  The twelfth was chemo treatment #2.

2/13 - Owen's birthday!!!  His favorite gifts were a Minecraft lego and a Thomas pillow pet.

 Owen actually got 2 cakes for his birthday.  He and I went to the grocery store earlier in the week to pick out a cake (he chose a Thomas one) and he was SO excited about it.  Matt went to the store to pick it up on the way home from work but they just gave him a plain cake.  We used that one for making wishes before the older boys had to leave for hockey and then I drove Lauren to the store (they were apologetic and fabulous and had a new one decorated within the hour) to pick up the cake that Owen had really wanted.  I felt yucky so I just stayed in the car and let her run the errand - it's nice to have teens!  Owen loved the new cake so it was worth the trip!!!

2/16 - There was no public school today so we took the kids to Boondocks.  It was my first outing without my hair and I didn't feel as spunky or healthy as I did the day I took the picture on the left.  I sat resting in a food booth listening to audio books while Matt kept an eye on the kids.  

2/20 - Matt's dad Brad Green was honored with a scouting award.  I can't remember what it was called but it was a "lifetime achievement" type award and it was fun to celebrate all his service to scouts.  You'll notice Sue has a crutch - she'd just gotten knee surgery!

2/26 - Chemo treatment #3