The Backyard Project

This is what our backyard looked like BEFORE: DURING: And finally, AFTER: (started right after Thanksgiving, finished Dec. 23rd) Better pictures to come as soon as I get some time to take them!

Decorating for Christmas!

 

The Sunday after Thanksgiving was a perfect time to start decorating, so we jumped in. Dave's mom helped out and the girls absolutely loved putting ornaments on the tree. Madison's little face lit up and she kept giving Dave hugs saying "Daddy, it's Christmas!"

 

Dave decorating the high branches.

 

Marilyn even got a picture of our little family with the tree. Thanks grandma!

Thanksgiving 2008

 

November 27th was turkey day this year. Dave's mom, Marilyn, and my mom and step-dad all came to visit. Steve and Dave fried the turkey while we women made the sides. It was a beautiful, warm day.

 

Dave took his mom and Madison on a ride in his new-ish convertible. Only in Austin can you ride with the top down on Thanksgiving!

 

Dave, Wanda, Linda, and Steve

 

Marilyn and Dave

Visit to Huntsville

 

November 19-23, 2008 Dave had to attend a conference in Nashville, so we girls flew to Huntsville to see the relatives. On Thursday, we drove up to Tennessee and visited with Deana and Papa. That's Madison on the tractor. The girl's most favorite thing was the cats. There were 5 that Deana had been feeding that were just tame enough for the girls to pet (if they could catch one). Then we climbed onto one of Papa's buses (he manages the school buses for Huntland schools) for a photo. I wish we could have spent more time there. I have lots of wonderful memories of Papa's house.

 

Here's a picture of Dad with the girls at Papa's house.

 

Huntsville has this great new outdoor shopping center called Bridge Street. It is absolutely gorgeous complete with a lake, gondolas, high-end shops, and a swanky, new movie theater. Dave had finished his conference and driven down to be with us in Huntsville, so we all (including Dad and Teddy) went out to eat and to see the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. These are pictures of the girls at Ketchup (a restaurant) and on the carousel. It was a cooooold night, so we were all bundled up. This was a very fun night out.

 

Grandma Teddy made a fresh batch of cookie dough and made Christmas cookies with the girls. They thought that was SO fun! They even got to use all the multi-colored and shaped sprinkles. Thanks Grandma Teddy - you're the best!

Random Kid Quotes

We're driving home tonight from Applebee's (where we celebrated Mackenzie's perfect school attendance record with her coupon for a free kid's meal) and Mackenzie flips on this smooth, adult-sounding voice and says: Let me tell you some things about me. I like playing and I like playing with friends. I don't like to be alone. I like to wake you (meaning me, Mommy) up in the morning. I don't like it when you sleep or take rests. And I do like playing with Meredith (her best friend whose backyard runs into ours). End quote. How's that for classic?

Madison does this funny, yet, annoying thing sometimes when you ask her a question. It goes like this: Madison, where did you put your shoes? Answer: Nuffing, Mommy. Me: No, Madi, where did you put your SHOES? Answer: NUFFING, Mommy! So when did a 2 year-old's version of the word 'nothing' become a catch-all expression? She uses it all the time to answer questions like: Where is your blankie? Why did you hit Mackenzie? Why did you take your pants off? Why don't you want to wear your seatbelt?... If it wasn't so darn cute it would be infuriating!!!

Mackenzie's First Report Card

The first page with all the important basic information. Followed by Satisfactories in all areas. Followed by the truth. I've know for years Mackenzie has a very "attention-grabbing" kind of voice (when she wants, that is), but for Ms. May to point it out made me shake my head and laugh in pity for her (Ms. May, that is). But I really will keep trying to get Mackenzie to keep it down... I promise.

Cancer Follow-Up

So my August 1st post left out the after-drama of the secondary pathologists findings. I just want it documented so I don't forget why I was so angry after everything seemed all peachy keen. So, my first pathology report said my 1.6 cm nodule wasn't cancer. Unfortunatly the specialist up North somewhere disagreed. SO, the second report said I had 2 cancer spots, both papillary carcinoma. One 1.6 cm the other 1.4 mm. This meant I definitely 'qualified' for radioactive iodine treatment (RAI) - which absolutely sent me spinning with anger at the irony of things. Why didn't they just find that in the first place? Then I'd be happy to have the RAI and would have been expecting it. Now, I feel like someone told me I wasn't going to have Christmas, then said I was, and then changed their mind again. YOU CAN'T DO THAT IN THAT ORDER and expect it to be taken well. Long story short, I thought about it... alot, and felt/feel that the RAI would do more harm than good right now. I'm not going to go through all the technical reasons of why that is on this blog, but suffice it to say (along with the fact that a 2 year old doesn't understand she can't touch mommy for 5 days b/c her mommy is radioactive and there's no where for me to do the stupid treatment but at home), I am not doing the RAI. So we are watching my TSH levels and calcium, etc. very closely. And someday, I'll understand all this and why it unfolded this way.