Day of Change

Ronald McDonald House provided a home for our family for 14 MONTHS while Anthony had his most intensive chemotherapy and needed to be close to the hospital.

Please support them on this day, and whenever you go to McDonald's.

A little change changes a lot for so many people.

Josh's invention

I made the children go outside for a while today, 

so they could watch movies and play electronics.

There was grumbling, as there usually is...

Then Josh came in saying he made a whistle.

I didn't know what in the world he was talking about!

Then, he pulled this out.

A very tiny whistle that he can actually whistle 

"Mary Had a Little Lamb" with.  :)

Yummy birthday treats

Andy turned 41!!!

I think this calls for a celebration.

I didn't have much energy this week, and got his dessert started late.

But, we got it done, and it was sooo yummy!

I got this recipe from my friend, Pilar, several years ago.

We only make it about once a year, if that.

Cut 6 Reese's peanut butter cup packages.

Stir them into the Ghirardelli brownie mix batter.

Do not add the syrup.

 It truly looked perfect!

 42 candles

(one to grow on)

 We didn't light the middle candles because it was too hot!

I lit a bunch, and Andy was having too much fun with the lighter.

 There was so much smoke after Andy blew the candles out.

 Today, we drove around, looking for the right place to have Anthony's 

End of Chemo party in about a month.

We found it!

 This was the first time Anthony has tried climbing one of these!

He got this far, then freaked out, thinking he was stuck.  :)

Also in developments during therapy today~

Anthony showed a HUGE cognitive leap!

He was problem-solving with the cookie cutting knife (toy).

Then, he started making animal sounds, and with the right animals!

Anthony has always known animal signs.

They were actually the first sign language he learned.

But, never has he added sounds to go with them, except the quacking ducks.

I think his body and brain are enjoying not having chemo anymore.

 Anthony went down a different slide, and we were trying to tell him to go down this one.

Josh volunteered to just go hold his hand and lead him there.  

Anthony was only too happy to go along.

 He was enjoying this, besides what you might see as his expression.

 Josh looking like a leprechaun from the back.

 This boy yelled, "Hey Kid!  Jump on!"

Josh jumped on, and had fun.

Our children hadn't ridden on one of these before.

 Lilly stirred and melted some chocolate ice cream for Anthony.

He liked it more than we thought he would.

Yummy summer!

Maggie's ready for summer after a trip to the library.

 A friend has several raspberry bushes and didn't need all the berries this year.

So, we've been picking raspberries every couple days and loving them!

We've frozen a few, snacked on so many bowls of them, and made 7 jars of jam!

I wasn't going to make any jam this year since when our basement flooded and we cleaned it out, we discovered that we had 12-14 dozen jars of jam we need to use.

But, no berry jam.

Andy begged for me to make jam with the berries.

 Maggie went to a summer camp at the Wenatchee Museum.

She LOVES science, and so did the DaVincineers class.

This mask's name is Alice.  

(The rest of us call her Medusa)

 Another friend had cherries in her yard.  

Several trees worth.

With the rain, the cherries needed to be picked and used right away.

It had been raining so much, that cherries can get ruined as soon as the sun comes out.

They absorb the water, then the skins burst.

So, we picked a few buckets worth, snacked, and froze.

Maggie helped me freeze a bunch!

 Josh and Kelly after they got done with Trek.

Trek was in the Tri-Cities.

They met us at my dad's house down there.

We went for the weekend so I could go to a training meeting.

It was an unusual situation, with women leaders from our church all being there at once!

These are leaders for the entire worldwide church, and represented 

Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society.

 After the training meeting, Andy and Kelly came to pick me up.

(I can't see to drive at night)

So, when I went out to the car and saw Kelly, I asked if she wanted to meet the General Young Women President, Bonnie L. Oscarson.

Kelly was so excited, but anxious because she was wearing shorts and a t-shirt, and not something nicer.

I reminded her that Sister Oscarson would already know that she was at Trek earlier that day, and she wouldn't be worried about that anyway!

 We've still been having chilly weather. 

I love it, but others don't.

So yesterday we finally had another fireplace fire...

after picking raspberries in the rain!!!

 Anthony was using his fork last night with mashed potatoes!!

He's growing up.

And half naked, his preferred choice of clothing lately.

Summertime fun

Another park day.

Check out Anthony's face.  :)

He's just amazed all the big kids were up so high.

 Anthony walked in the Survivor lap with Relay for Life.

Yes, he is HOPE.

Anthony's counts are perfect for being 2 months out of chemo!

 For Father's Day, Maggie and Lilly made these cupcakes.

Found here.

 

We were making lasagna for Father's Day, and my can opener broke!

I didn't have time to wait to buy a new one, so I asked Andy to open the cans with his pocket knife.

He came up with this instead and had so much fun with it.

 Josh, Lilly, Andy, Maggie, Anthony, Kelly

Daniel moved out the week before, but he stopped by on Andy's day too.

 Finished cupcakes

The chocolate handles were too big, so we just enjoyed the yummy goodness!

 Josh in his trek hat.

 Anthony went in another sprinkler, so we had his orthotics and shoes drying off.

We're hoping to get his new orthotics in soon so we can finally buy some new shoes.

 Josh is a Den Chief.  

This means he is an older Boy Scout who is an assistant for the Cub Scouts.

The Cubs all made these for their dads.

 Josh getting used to wearing the hat.

Trek is when youth go on a re-enactment of the Mormon Pioneers.

Our youth walked for 4 days, pushed handcarts, and experienced pioneer activities.

 Josh having a good breakfast before leaving for Trek.

 His hiking shoes didn't have one of the laces...

 Josh and Kelly ready together.