Finally!

Long post of pictures~~

Josh received a foxtail sonic (kind of a soft baseball with a long fabric tail that whistles in the air) for Christmas.

Soon after (I say days, Josh says a month), we were walking on the trail to the park behind the house. Josh threw the foxtail sonic in the air and it got stuck in a VERY tall tree. I know trees are mostly tall, but these are immeasurably tall to me.

Every time we walked on the trail since then, Josh would find different tools (sticks, balls, etc.) to throw to try to get the foxtail out.

A few times, Andy tried to throw things when he came to visit. But, it wanted to stay where it was.

Realizing what a great exercise tool the foxtail was, I started looking for another. Fred Meyer didn't have any more, and I couldn't find any stores around here with them.

So, I ordered one on eBay, but Josh is quick to point out that it isn't a sonic foxtail because it doesn't have the whistle.

Anyway, Andy came to visit for a few days the week before Spring Break. He tried using the soccer ball to get it down.

After MANY tries, Andy got the soccer ball to dislodge the foxtail, but TO ANOTHER BRANCH!

Since we knew Andy was going to be here for Spring Break, we decided to wait and try to get it out then.

A few days later, one of our neighbors in the house saw the foxtail sonic on the ground under the tree.
Josh now has his foxtail sonic back.

The foxtail sonic is hard to see, it's to the left of the big branch to the left of the 23 on the time/date stamp.

The last day of school before break, Maggie scraped her ankle at the playground.
I didn't know about it, but it started really bleeding at the pool that night.
The lifeguard had to fix her up, but not before she got blood everywhere.

Kelly got here that day.

We discovered the Yummy Cafe. It was so good and has the best fresh almond chicken, and the children loved the orange chicken. The potstickers were too authentic or strong with something, as were the spring rolls, but we only really cared about the chicken dishes. YUMMY!

Maggie at the Yummy Cafe.

All the children tried to eat with chopsticks.

Posing in the trees between the cafe and the house (cafe's only about a block away).

Kelly

I just had to take a picture of Josh while he was sleeping like this.

I just deleted the picture for this paragraph.

When Andy got here with Daniel and Josh on Sunday night, Andy figured out why the bathroom sink in our room was draining so slow.

We don't wash hair down the sink drain, but someone before us did.

To the tune of 16 inches of nasty black crap.

So, if your sink is draining slow, chances are it needs to be cleaned out.

Andy, Daniel, and Kelly came for Spring Break.

The baby and I were sick with a nasty cold/cough, so we didn't do anything on Monday.

Tuesday morning, we woke up at 3:30AM and decided the baby needed to go to the hospital for fever.

The baby is neutropenic from treatment.

That means there is no immunity in the baby's body.

If the baby develops a fever of any kind, we have to be admitted to the hospital for a minimum of 2 days.

So, that's what we did.
I still felt awful too.

So, during the Spring Break that was supposed to be filled with fun activities like the Science Museum, shopping (for Kelly), bowling, etc., the baby and I were in the hospital, and Andy got to take the children places.

The picture above is from when the family visited us in the hospital.

First thing the children do is anything electronic, whether it's tv or computer, they do it, and the rest watch...

Andy took the kids to Alki Beach.

They found lots of big shells and Josh found a wand (straight stick).

After Alki, Andy took the kids to Magnuson Beach. They have great dog-friendly areas, so Penny had fun even more. Andy was trying to get her to climb up the lifeguard station. Didn't work, apparently.

Andy did take the children to the Seattle Aquarium one of the days.

Once the baby was discharged from the hospital, we were sure that we'd go out and do fun things. But, I still felt so achy all over, kept coughing, and was just weak.

So, we stayed in our cramped room the weekend and have just stayed here. Kind of like a cave right now.

I'm feeling ok at the moment, thanks to my round-the-clock dosing of Ibuprofen. At least I can go 6 hours between now.

Andy is on his way home with Daniel, Kelly, and Penny. The passes have snow, but the roads are pretty clear.

I am so welcoming our regular routine back this week.

Girl Scout Cookies...

are the BEST breakfast!

Happy Spring!

Now that spring is officially here, it's raining...

Yesterday, while it was still sunny, we took some pictures because it LOOKED, SMELLED, FELT, and TASTED like spring outside.

It all reminded me of 18 years ago, to when I first got my driver's license and drove around with the windows down and the music blaring.

Lilly is posing in the picture above.
Maggie's lucky assortment of goodies on her nightstand.

Maggie's turn to pose.

Daffodils! Andy said my daffodil garden is not blooming...I'm blaming my evil cat.

Last year, she used the garden (daffodil, not food) for a litter box and also ate the stems as they grew out of the ground...grrr.

Tulips were one of my favorite flowers to teach the children when they were younger...two lips!

The trees near the play area at the house here were even more in bloom the morning of my birthday earlier this month.

Josh got his cell phone!

so much going on

We've been so busy this week.

The other day, I finally got to go to the quilt room. Stacks and stacks of quilts. I couldn't choose between two different ones, so the manager suggested I just keep both. Didn't know I could do that! So, I have two new quilts. Both are almost a full size. Wish my camera or my photography skills were better...

If you click on the picture below, you can see the great fabric with babies on it.
Yesterday was a heavy day.
It started out great, since when we (baby and me) arrived at the clinic, we parked next to a friend's car (from our real hometown). When we got IN the clinic, we were just across the aisle from her! It was so fun to chat with her.
Later on, I was able to chat with another two families who have become like family through the house we're living in.
The heavy part was that I visited with another friend there, and was sad to hear of their family member not having any other chance to eradicate the disease in their body (terminal diagnosis).
That was sad.
Then, when I arrived back at the house, I found another family had just arrived from the center of the state who had been here just a few months ago. Their baby recovered initially from their health issue, but is now struggling. It was good to see them, but not in these circumstances at all.
Things happen in 3's, I've heard and seen.
Later in the afternoon, I met a woman who is undergoing treatment for leukemia. Her circumstances made me reconsider some of my whining. I have a lot to be grateful for right now.
A couple families were able to return home this weekend!

Today was sunny, and I was determined to soak some of that up.
After the children returned from school, we went to the Locks.
This is where boats can be transferred to fresh water from salt water, or vice versa.
I don't like water (especially water that reeks like rotten fish), but it was so cool to see the boats, yachts, and the gardens.

Maggie found a rose on the ground.

After the Locks, we remembered that the van needed washing.

Being ever adventurous, we finally went through the drive-through car wash.

Finally, I did make dinner tonight since there wasn't any made for us (spoiled, aren't I).

We haven't had homemade pizza and bread sticks in a while.
See, I can be domestic!

sunny in seattle

It's sunny today, and I want to get out!! Do you have any great ideas on places to visit with the children??

boys will be boys...sigh

Sunday, we went to Magnuson Park, near the lake.

There was so much to see there, besides a crazy busy Sunday group of people.

playground, rugby (first time we watched that), gravel hills (better than dirt hills), dog park, beach, and a kite hill

Next time we go, I think we need to bring some kites.

Here's Maggie on top of the world.

Her excema on her wrist got pretty bad, but we finally got to the doctor today, and within 2 hours of her taking the antibiotic, it was a LOT less red and inflamed. It should be gone within a week. I tell you what though, I won't be using anything other than a major store pharmacy or the hospital pharmacy.

Lilly, Maggie, Josh

Tonight, the John L. Scott people came to make us dinner again. They are so wonderful.

Dinner was spaghetti w/meatballs, salad, fruit kabobs, dessert, rolls, etc.

The spaghetti sauce was cooked in this HUGE pot shown below. The man told me that it was cooked at home, then brought here, then heated up in batches. I think it's too big, even for Marge's family. :)

Ok, so after dinner, Leslie (a dad at the house) saw Josh's shirt (shown below).

Leslie: Does his shirt say, "Silent but deadly?"

Me: Yes (very embarrassed)

Leslie: Cool, I used to have the same shirt! (His wife [Sarah also] was just as mortified as I was, but she's much funnier about it)

Later on, we were downstairs waiting for laundry when T told a joke to Josh.

T: What did they use on the Oregon trail to light (or power) the outhouses?

J: I don't know.

T: Gas!! Snicker, snicker.

There were some quilts available today at the lobby, so I thought this would be another fun one for the baby that we can make stories about someday.

The baby is doing ok, and gained some weight in the last week! This is good, because the really hard part of this chemo phase is starting.

Lilly's famous :)

Q13 News came to the children's school here, and Lilly was on the news last night.

If you'd like to check it out, go here.