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The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

played a large part in changing Anthony from

a very happy, very sick boy.....

 ...to a very happy, very curious,

and on his way to a cure BOY!!

LLS supports research for leukemia like Anthony's,

providing a hope for a cure.

PLEASE support LLS with me!



Fun run!!

I ran my first timed race today.

I wasn't in it to win, just to finish and get myself a baseline time for my future running.

I convinced the girls to run with me by letting them wear the green hairspray.

We went to Wenatchee, at the Walla Walla Park.

We ran 5k, which is a little over 3 miles...

...actually, they ran a lot mroe than me.

I speed-walked a lot of it, but still did better than I've done in the gym lately.

So that's good, but I still have a lot of room for improvement.

 The girls ran ahead of me, and they got 3rd place for their age division.

Maggie was given the ribbon, but Lilly finished just before her, and was in the same age division.

So, Lilly claims the ribbon is rightfully hers.

 Kelly had fun with her friends!

Family

 Daddies are so fun to ride on!

 We were doing push ups one night.

I've been liking push ups since working out.

Weird.

(although I do still do them the "girlie" way, with my knees on the floor)

 Josh was reminding us he can do the frog stand.

 And Maggie can walk on her knees like this.

 Anthony loves cheese.

Some months, he'll go through 2-3 Costco bags of string cheese, some months he'll only want shredded cheese, and some months he'll like sliced cheese.

It's always something different, not sure if it's from chemo tastes, or just our unique boy.

He savors cheese.

In this picture, he was falling asleep, but kept startling awake to slip another piece of cheese in his mouth, then nodding off while chewing it.

So cute.

 Last week's Family Home Evening lesson was on prayer.

We made prayer rocks.

That was fun, to be creative with paint.

 Josh was drying his with his little fan.

another cookie moment with Anthony

I was really tired. 

 Happy Birthday to me.

Kelly made me a cake with a pink tiara on it.

Our neighbor, Jenn, brought me balloons, and Andy brought me roses.

 Butterfinger, Babe Ruth, Orange Sherbet, and Mint Chocolate Chip ice creams!!!

Little Stinker Boy was climbing on the printer.

I've got it in the front room so I can call tech support.

If you look closely at the picture, you can see the destruction Anthony has been wreaking lately.

He's telling us something in this picture, but I don't know what.



Kissing Kitties

Shooting candy

 We've been trying to make Sundays more Sabbath-like, peaceful and not so plugged in.

So, without movies on or computers, we've tried to figure out good ways to spend the day.

One activity they like to do is peaceful competitions with their flavor of brain work.

Lilly likes Sudoku, and Josh likes Word Searches.

I've been trying to exercise my brain more lately, and have been liking Sudoku as well.

The prize for finishing a puzzle first is usually a candy or cookie or something fun.

 Maggie was serving us one day.

She took our orders on the paper, then used the tray (from the high chair) to bring us what we desired.

 Anthony had his monthly chemo last week.

He loves to be out of the stroller, and to be able to RUN down the halls.

 He's so busy running around and socializing with his ladies (nurses and doctors), he just falls asleep as soon as we're in the shuttle back to the train!

 ...and waiting for the train, and halfway through our 4 hour train ride.

 Josh often has jolly rancher candies for his cotton candy machine.

He wanted to do something fun one day, so he had the girls grab a container of some sort in the front yard.

Whoever could catch the ball or the parachute guy would get a candy.

Anthony has been loving his reflection for a while now.

I was changing his diaper at church last week, and had to take video of him talking to the boy in the mirror.

Not sure if this one will show or not.

Anthony LOVES the kissing cats (Valentine app) on his therapist's ipad.

He tried to kiss them too.

Getting comfy

 Anthony drinks a LOT of fluids (mostly water) throughout the month.

His kidney function is good, no diabetic indicators, and his urine is fine.

My theory is that his body is naturally flushing out the toxins of his chemotherapy.

Anyways, he'll drink at least 7-8 of these sippy cups every day.

I had to laugh one day when he stripped his clothes off, except his diaper, wrapped himself up in my blanket, and got comfy with 4 sippy cups while watching Tinkerbell (his favorite girl). 

Sitting with Kelly and signing "red," the color of Lighning McQueen..

quirky

 Josh always has something fun up his sleeve...this time on his face.  :)

 I think these are spy glasses, that can see far away with the magnifier.

 Anthony loves doing this stacking toy with his therapists.

Sometimes he'll put the matching color ring on the dowel.

Other times not.

But the week I took this picture, he was imitating his therapists when they said different words, especially colors!!

He said many of the colors, and signed them too.

Anthony's favorite color seems to be purple.

 Anthony's fixated on covering his toys with tissue or baby wipes, don't know why...

 Kelly was painting, so Anthony wanted to also.

Of course, any time Anthony is writing with marker, paint, or ink, it automatically gets used for a homemade tattoo.

Never caught up

 Josh earned a 4.0 last semester, so he got a pin he can wear.

He doesn't wear it often, but we are so proud of him!

 Every couple of days, we'll see Anthony putting someone's shoes on.

Then he tries to walk in them.  At least he's low to the ground before he falls!

 Part of our Valentine-making mess

 Kelly's favorite valentine

 Starting to go outside more, with a little warmer weather.

 Maggie posing by the hedge.

 I don't know what they're checking out...this is the tree that will be coming down this year or early next year.

It's the same tree Josh fell out of a couple months ago.

 Josh, Lilly, and Maggie were ALL having fun making sure Anthony had fun on the slide. 

 cookie lover

 Kelly's balloons for her friends on Valentine's Day.

My camera/skills don't come even close enough to show how amazing Kelly's artwork truly is.

She has been busy creating whatever comes to mind.

I would fill our whole house with her art, if she'd let me!