Working On Mission Papers

Austin is getting his mission papers done.  I can't believe he is going on a mission!  It is so exciting, and he is so excited!!!  He just has one more person to meet with and they are done!  We had to take a picture of him for his papers.  Here he is:

And this is what he was really wearing!  Yep, his "Bite Me" pajama pants.  Awesome, just awesome!

Cancer Update!

Unfortunately, 6 of my lymph nodes tested positive for cancer.  Dang, I was bummed.  This means I need 5 more rounds of chemo.  It is just to make sure they get all of the little stray cancer cells that could be in my body!  My children and husband are positive I am cancer free now and this is just a little insurance!  Ok, I believe them.  Will I loose my hair again?  Yes, it is already falling out, but the kids think I should wait to shave it until I have a bald spot.  Austin's friends say they like the scarves!  They are so sweet.  Here I am getting started with my favorite nurse.  I just love her.

I should do commercials for Vitamin Water.  I swear, when I have chemo, this stuff is awesome.  I can't drink enough of it.  It tastes so good!

I sleep most of the time when I get chemo.  It only takes an hour and a half, so it is a quick nap.  Then Don takes me home and takes care of me for days.  He is strict.  He doesn't let me do anything!!!

This is the chemo that is suppose to do the trick!!!!  It is nicknamed, "The Red Devil!"  It makes me sick.  Not too bad, but I get tired and worn out!!!  I just drink Ginger Ale, and take my medicine!  Plus my ward (church) is wonderful bringing in meals to help Don out!  I am really blessed.  I don't get as sick as other people do.  Believe me, mine is mild.  Also, my blood work is amazing.  It is always just right!  When I had the first dose I came home to kids who had the flu.  I thought for sure I would catch it and end up in the hospital.  Lucky for me, I didn't catch it.  I have been really blessed through all if it.  I sometimes need a little reminder of my blessings, but I have been blessed.  My Doctor assures me that when this is done, I will be 100% healthy!  He tells me he has many success stories.  I am counting on being one of those success stories!

Dance Competition #1

Since Austin was in St. George, Utah playing rugby, I gave Don the good camera and I took Aubrey's to the competition.  I realized that I need to buy Aubrey a new camera.  This one isn't too good.  Here are the girls getting some last minute instruction from Miss Stephanie for their jazz routine.

I just love these girls.  They are awesome girls and so kind.  They did really good during this competition.  They won a ruby (Diamond is the highest and then ruby.)  for their jazz and a judges award.

This is them back stage waiting to go on.  They won a ruby for their lyrical number too.

These pictures I got off of the professional shots web page.  They look good.

This summer, Aubrey was asked (with three other girls from her team) to tap with the teen performing arts company 2.  It is quite an honor for her to do this.  She still competes in two competitions in Vegas, but she does not  have to travel with them.  This is why you see her on the ends of this tap.  She loves the challenge!!!!  This number got a ruby and won it's category.  Once again, it is a Miss Stephanie routine!!!!

Rugby Begins!

 

Ausitn had a Rugby tournament in St. George, Utah.  Unfortunately it was the same day that Aubrey had a dance competition.  Don went to St. George and I went to the dance competition.  I can't imagine Don doing dance hair and he can't help her in the dressing room, so really this is the best choice.  Austin loves rugby.  This year they are joining with another club so they can play 15's.  Austin is really excited for that.  In St. George, they lost one game and won another.  Austin did awesome.  You can see him if you look for the black socks and yellow cleats.

This huge kid with the yellow shorts punched Austin in the face and tried to start something.  He is huge, but Austin didn't back down!  Dang that kid is tough.

We Finally Celebrated With Friends

When you have a child born on December 28, it makes it hard to celebrate with friends.  Everyone in Vegas takes off for the Christmas holiday!!!  Then my surgery came up and that pushed everything back!  So finally, we celebrated Ian's birthday with his friends in February.  We had to limit it, and he was fine with that.  He invited his friends Aiden and Mikey to go to laser quest.  Of course the big kids Don and Austin were there!!!

Then they went to In N' Out.  Ian loves that place.  Unfortunately, we didn't know that Aiden and Mikey didn't like it.  I guess we didn't plan that good!

Aiden went home with a headache, but we went back to the house for brownie sundaes and gifts.

I dont' know who was more excited about Mike's gift to Ian, Austin or Ian!  Needless to say, I am sure we are going to go and get one for Austin!

It was a good day!  Ian loved it.  Better late than never!

Science Fair

Ian had a science fair at school. He wanted to do an experiment involving sports.  So he did an experiment to see if exercise can improve memory.  He put together a memory chart and then had 4 people take the memory test.  Then they ran a lap around the neighborhood and had to take another memory test.  Then he had four more people take the memory test and then play a video game.  Then that group took the memory test again.  He thought that the group that exercised would do better on the memory test and the group that played video games would do worse.  That didn't happen.  Both groups did good on the second memory test.  The funny thing about this experiment is that we had it planned, most of the work was written out, but then I had my surgery.  Things came to a stop!!!  So everyone kept asking me how they could help me.  I told them, get your kids over here to help with Ian's science experiments!  Sure enough, they came through and helped Ian out.  I was so grateful.  Ian's class voted on who had the best project for their class.  Ian won!!!!  Even though he didn't win the science fair, he was excited he won for his class!

Rugby Seven's In Las Vegas

It is that time of year......RUGBY!  Austin's team has been practising.  I can't wait to see him play.  This weekend Ian, Austin, Don, and Austin's friend Bryce went to Rugby World Seven's Tournament.  They spent Friday and Saturday all day watching rugby.  They loved it!!!!  They loved the atmosphere and the awesome rugby!  Poor Bryce.  I don't know what he thought about it.  It was his first real exposure to this sport. It can be a bit crazy!!!! 

This is the American team.  They kind of had a rough day.  It was crazy because as they were watching the game I was watching the same game on TV.  Who knew we would be involved in this sport.  When Austin showed some interest in it, Don and I tried to learn about it and now we love it.  I think Ian might want to play in a few years!!!