.I Need Me A.....

Mary Poppins!

Oh how I want for her this coming weekend....

....Rehearsal Dinner....Wedding....Both speaking on Sunday.... and alas, no family available

Mary, I need you... just for the weekend!

Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day to the best daddy in the world to our handsome boys! I could not ask for a more involved and loving father for our children and I am so, so grateful for that.

Cory, you are A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. and I admire you so much and know our boys do too! They live for your return from work each day and those faces welcoming you tell it all!

Love you babe.xxx.

Our Sping Break

Our little family has never taken any time to do something over Spring Break and considering this is most likely our last 'Spring Break' with Cory graduating we thought we would make the most of it.

We didn't know if we would make it as Cade was sick at the start of the week and Ethan was a P.I.L.L. each night and we thought he might have had a little something too. By Wednesday afternoon the boys seemed good so we went ahead and left on Thursday morning.

Thursday we went the Denver Zoo and the boys just loved it! Cade is huge into animals and we thought Ethan would at least like the ride in the stroller and being outdoors on such a nice day. It was beautiful weather that day. We were so surprised at how much Ethan enjoyed himself. He just loved it. He would point out when he saw animals and was way more enthusiastic than I thought he would be. Cade liked the elephants playing with a hanging ball and the giraffes and bears. The tapir put on a good show and was swimming about which was fun to watch.







Friday, the weather was terrible and blowy. It literally snowed all day. We met up with out friends and went to the Aquarium. It was fun. My personal favorites were the Otters and the Sting Rays. Cade liked the sword balloon and embossed shark coin he got he tells me. But he seemed to enjoy patting the swimming sting rays too. We went and ate yummy food together at The Cheesecake Factory downtown which was soooo good.








We stayed in Loveland Friday night and just enjoyed the hotel, swimming and playing and relaxing after driving in yucky weather. Saturday we met up with our friends again and shopped and ate and just had a good time.

If you ask Cade about the things he liked best he will tell you about all the activities of the weekend and I am glad he seemed to enjoy it all. I did too!

Spring Fever

Blog surfing today, I came across an article about Seasonal Affective Disorder or S.A.D for more info check it out HERE

I think we all must suffer from this in one way or another when winter sticks around for longer than we would like. (No this is not a complaint, I know Wyoming weather!)

Lately I have not necessarily lacked motivation, I have just felt restless I guess. Got that Spring Fever itch. I have slowly been tackling all those things that I have wanted to get done but at the sacrifice of other things also. Don't ya hate that!

Cade is so ready to be outside and would kill to go to preschool. We hadn't planned on him attending any type of preschool until the fall so I am busy trying to find things to keep him busy and away from the TV. He loves TV and it is the bane of my existence sometimes I swear!

I have still been exercising most mornings and try to get out with the boys atleast once a day to run a short errand, to the library or something to break up the day. Today we went to a Puppet Show put on by the University and it was fabulous. So great to get out and enjoy new things. Cade loved it and laughed his little head off. It was cute to watch and enjoy him.

GOOD NEWS is ALWAYS the BEST news....

I just got an email update from my sister....

Hi Kathryn

Just letting you know that Kallan has a massive abscess that can be treated with antibiotics. When the surgeons opened him up, puss and goo just oozed out. They all thought it was cancer again and so told Karina that they were all going to buy lotto tickets. What a relief.

Like night and day the feeling of stress and anxiety replaced with absolute joy and relief!!

Thank you Heavenly Father and good doctors and modern medicine

Sending good vibes in the hopes of good news....

All the best for great results and the all clear with the biopsy today. We love, love, love you Kal Pal!!

Good Luck Honey!

Things Happening...

Big things have been happening this last month. We had a great 4th with Cory's family in Colorado. Jesse (Cory's brother in law) went through the Temple. We have spent the last few days in Utah. The 24th we spent at the Hinckley parade and visiting with the extended family.... and yesterday Jesse and Alisa were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple! YAY!!
We are so proud of them and it was a beautiful ceremony. We then made our way back to Taryn's where we were staying, for a luncheon for Jesse and Alisa. It was so nice to visit with all the extended family there. We are home safe and sound after some sleepless nights, a kidney stone attack ala Cory and me feeling 'not so hot' last night and part of the day today. Ethan and Cade were fantastic travellers. Ethan was an AWFUL sleeper the first 2 nights but did great last night. Cade didn't get naps both days so slept like an absolute champ each night. They are both sound alseep and I have pretty much unpacked everything.... now for the MOUNDS of washing.

This week I am busy packing, packing, packing and preparing frozen meals for a lovely hubby that is home bound while I am lucky enough to be holidaying in Australia. I am stressed to say the least, about the flight and travel with 2 little ones on my own but I hope the stress is undue and that all goes oh so smoothly!!

23 September 2008 to 11 June 2009

My wonderful, courageous, charmer of a nephew, Kallan, completed his chemo this last week and returned home! We are just so in awe at his strength and ability and shouted a big, "woohoo!" for him once we knew he was able to go home.

His dad, my brother-in-law, Darren has been there with him every step of the way. He has stayed literally by his side these last 9 months and I bet they are just all so glad to be home all together. My sister has had to play runabout between Sydney and home trying to manage home, work and beautiful Shaylie. Shaylie has been a little bit of a star at the house in Sydney and I am sure the whole family will be missed. Life will be so sweet for them to be together and this whole experience has changed them (and all the extended family). I don't think you can go through something like this and it not change you. We are just so proud of our boy and I bet there are some lovely celebrations happening in the land of Aus right now... can you tell I am a little jealous....

I wrote on my last entry on Kal's blog the following,
"Only when nanny had her accident and you were first diagnosed have I ever felt such a strong pull to be with you all! I SOOOO wish we were there for some lovely 'welcome home, you kicked cancers butt' celebrations and more so to give you the biggest, fatest cuddle and kiss ever!! I so love, love, love you Kal, Shay, Karina and Darren!
Kathryn.xx."

I think this was my biggest fear when leaving Australia, was not being there for major events, whether good or bad but life goes on, no matter what side of the world you are on.

I just wanted to write a little something to the wonderful little family that has gone through so much from September 23rd - June 11th!!

Kallan.... I love you more than I can express, I am so, so proud of you. You have shown me how much one person can make such a difference not just in my life and everyone elses lives but in their own life too. Keep strong and always be that fun, sweet, spunky little man you are!

Shaylie.... you really are a delight. Nanny, Netty and Ronnie and everyone have loved having you around all the more when life was busy for Mummy and Daddy with Kallan. You are a star sweet girl!

Darren.... What a man you are! Karina, Kal and Shay are so blessed to have you. You have been an absolute champ with handling all you have. Breathe a huge sigh of relief and enjoy your own bed Dash!! I love you.

Karina.... I so, so love you. You have been pulled in every direction and what a stress for you. I could not imagine having to be away from Kal through much of this and I know it must have been the most difficult thing to go through. Your husband and children absolutely ADORE you. Hug them, hold them close and love them as they have never been loved before.

Aunty Netty and Uncle Ronnie

My sister Annette and my new brother-in-law Ronnie, came for a visit during their honeymoon and it was such a lovely visit. They were able unwind a little from being on the go and Annette and I were able to have some sister time too. This was the first time I had met Ronnie and he just fits in our family so well, he is really easy to get to know, a lot of fun and loves my sister to bits! It really was a great time. I really appreciated that they took time out from their honeymoon to come stay with us as I am sure there were a ton of things they could have used their time seeing but we were oh so grateful to see them and they were able to get a 'bubba fix' until they have a little one of their own.

They were great with Cade and Ethan and we commented on how easy it is to love your siblings children, instant attachment.

Here are some pics of them lovin' my Ethan.

Kallan

I just had to post this beautiful photo from Kallan's blog. My sister Karina, Darren and Kallan. I just really had a cry when I saw these photos.

I have been doing really well coping lately but just felt the emotion from these photos. I so wish I was there for a visit somedays.
Kallan starts dual drug chemo treatment again on Friday, this is his second round and hopefully it is kinder to him than the first round he had. He has had quite a few visitors lately from my family and Darrens family so I know he has loved that. We love you Kallan and hope and pray for a speedy and kind second round!!

Happy Halloween

Last night we went to the Stake Trunk-or-Treat which is a big event and has such a good turn out. You pretty much back your car up, pop the trunk (boot for you Aussies) and kids do the rounds and make a haul with the candy (lollies for you Aussies). Cade was a nightmare to get to nap yesterday but I really needed him to take a nap as I knew he would be awful at the trunk-or-treat otherwise. He ended up taking a decent nap and when he woke I wanted to get his costume on him for some preview pictures with Daddy knowing that Daddy wouldn't be in the photos once we got there as he would be the picture taker. Can I just say, it was horrible trying to get him to put this costume on, tantrums, crying, the works but as soon as I took him to the mirror, what a poser!! It was pretty funny. Cade was excellent last night. He kept his bandanna on which was a big thing for him and even would be assertive to the candy givers(to those not in costume). I would ask, "What do you say?" and Cade responds, "Say!" and I said, "No, Trick or Treat!" and he would ever so cutely say, "Tick or Teat!" It was to die for. Cade is a selective talker. He talks alot, mostly little things here and there but mainly to those he is sure of so I was so proud that he did it, I totally wasn't expecting him to want to say it. I just love him to bits and he was the most darling pirate... or should I say..."scurvy knave blasted scallywag" you have ever seen!!





He had a blast and made bank on the candy... or to correct myself again... and made like a "bandit with the booty"!! It was fun.

And our good friends the Brays, Kaitlyn and Madison where beautiful Princesses!!

(excuse the horrible pics of me while I was 'coaching' my buchaneer to pose and the gapping top!! obviously I was not told you could see clear down it, argh!!)

Kallan

I just had to add these pics I got today of my nephew Kallan. I just so love him to bits. Life has been difficult for Kal and family lately but I am so thankful each day is a new one and he seems to be doing well for the most part. I must check his blog about 5 times a day to see if there is any news. I am just so thankful for family and the support that they are to each other. I miss them so much and wish with all my heart I could be in 2 places at once a lot of the time. Kallan, Shay, Karina and Darren I just so love you and want each of you to know that. You are constantly in our prayers!

Kallan... the little stud!

Kal and Shay, what a beautiful photo

Feeling The Pull....

One of the hardest things I have found when pregnant is dealing with issues or trials that come along. I do not process very well when hormonal I have come to realize.
My pregnancy with Cade was so very wanted and althought it took us some time and I was sick (probably the best morning sickness one can get really), it was so worth every minute to have a happy, healthy baby. My pregnancy was laced with sadness in the fact that our brother-in-law Brett was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer at only 29 years old and it was just such a shock and a blow to all of us. I can not tell you how much I wished things were different at that time. My mum was also in a terrible accident 10 days before she was to fly out of Australia to come for Cade's birth and that was a time I had never felt so hopeless or helpless. I kept thinking that had my mum died, I couldn't have even travelled to her funeral I was so heavily pregnant. These stresses I truly did not cope well with. I look back and I did well in the fact that I had the happiness of this gorgeous child in which to lose myself but it was a hard time.
This pregnancy has not been without it's trials also. I share these things not for sympathy or understanding but merely to record for myself as my blog is essentially a thinking journal. My oldest nephew, Kallan, who is 10 years old, has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma. It is also a bone cancer. It is however a primary cancer, meaning, usually bone cancer is a secondary cancer but not in Kal's case. His is not terminal. It is in fact very treatable so there is definate positives to us. This cancer is a rare cancer that affects usually boys between the ages of 10-25 when they do the majority of their growing. It seems to affect the largest bones in the lower extremity (femur and tibia) and the upper arm bone (humerus). Kallans tumor is in his right humerus and is about 6cm x 5 1/2cm in size. He has seen some great doctors and has now been told he does have cancer. His parents had told him he had a tumor but decided against telling him he had cancer initially, which we all could totally understand. Kallan met with a specialist (I actually think it is the Dr that will oversee his treatment) and he did tell Kal he had cancer and that he had to be strong but they would get through it together. Kallan has a biopsy tomorrow and a PET scan I think it is and from there they will be scheduling 12 weeks of chemo. The hospital that is caring for Kallan is about 2 1/2 - 3 hours from where they live and they will have to live in Ronald McDonald housing 3 days out of the week for his treatments. After the 12 weeks I believe they will remove the cancer affected bone and zap it directly with radiation and I am not sure if they replace it in the arm or if he received a grafted bone from elsewhere. I guess we will know more as time goes on. The doctor has said that the cancer had not spread but the scan tomorrow will confirm this. I just pray with all my heart he will pull through with flying colors. He is a fighter. Kallan holds a very special place in my heart. He was the first grand baby born and I was 16 when Kallan was born and I remember it very clearly. He was the most gorgeous child, always smiling, always happy. I have found myself at times, looking through photos of the kids when they were younger and Kallan and Cade look almost like the same child in some photos, it is relly nice to see. Kallan is probably the one that knows me the best out of all my nieces and nephews as he was the oldest when we left to move here. I just so wish I was there to love on him!
I also just got a call that my mum is in hospital. This is never a good thing. I started to feel the panic and my sister explained that she was violently ill, vomiting etc and had gone to the hospital and they sent her home with my sister and another of my sisters went to be with her for the day and she was so ill she couldn't even walk or crawl or anything to make it to the bathroom. They immediately took her to the hospital again and had her admitted. Poor thing. She can't even move her head without getting sick. They gave her a CT scan and ruled out bleeding on the brain for stroke etc but are thinking it may be vertigo. She is still in the hospital and is too ill for calls or visitors so I will have to wait to hear what the outcome is. It is awful to not be there at these times. I so feel the pull to want to be there, helping in some way. I have 4 sisters that all live really close to my mum and I know she is in the best hands possible and so is Kallan and his family for that matter. I just wish I was able to click my heels together and transport myself there and back whenever I wanted. I knew this would be the hardest thing for me when we moved, to not be there when family dramas occur but it has been harder than I imagined and that is possibly due to the pregnancy hormones running rampant also.
I just pray and pray knowing that Heavenly Father is where I can not be and taking care of things I can not. What a blessing and comfort prayer is to me at times like these. I just so dearly love my extended family and want nothing but health, strength and happiness for each of them. I just so feel that fight or flight pull to want to be there in every which way.

Feeling the pull

One of the hardest things I have found when pregnant is dealing with issues or trials that come along. I do not process very well when hormonal I have come to realize.
My pregnancy with Cade was so very wanted and althought it took us some time and I was sick (probably the best morning sickness one can get really), it was so worth every minute to have a happy, healthy baby. My pregnancy was laced with sadness in the fact that our brother-in-law Brett was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer at only 29 years old and it was just such a shock and a blow to all of us. I can not tell you how much I wished things were different at that time. My mum was also in a terrible accident 10 days before she was to fly out of Australia to come for Cade's birth and that was a time I had never felt so hopeless or helpless. I kept thinking that had my mum died, I couldn't have even travelled to her funeral I was so heavily pregnant. These stresses I truly did not cope well with. I look back and I did well in the fact that I had the happiness of this gorgeous child in which to lose myself but it was a hard time.
This pregnancy has not been without it's trials also. I share these things not for sympathy or understanding but merely to record for myself as my blog is essentially a thinking journal. My oldest nephew, Kallan, who is 10 years old, has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma. It is also a bone cancer. It is however a primary cancer, meaning, usually bone cancer is a secondary cancer but not in Kal's case. His is not terminal. It is in fact very treatable so there is definate positives to us. This cancer is a rare cancer that affects usually boys between the ages of 10-25 when they do the majority of their growing. It seems to affect the largest bones in the lower extremity (femur and tibia) and the upper arm bone (humerus). Kallans tumor is in his right humerus and is about 6cm x 5 1/2cm in size. He has seen some great doctors and has now been told he does have cancer. His parents had told him he had a tumor but decided against telling him he had cancer initially, which we all could totally understand. Kallan met with a specialist (I actually think it is the Dr that will oversee his treatment) and he did tell Kal he had cancer and that he had to be strong but they would get through it together. Kallan has a biopsy tomorrow and a PET scan I think it is and from there they will be scheduling 12 weeks of chemo. The hospital that is caring for Kallan is about 2 1/2 - 3 hours from where they live and they will have to live in Ronald McDonald housing 3 days out of the week for his treatments. After the 12 weeks I believe they will remove the cancer affected bone and zap it directly with radiation and I am not sure if they replace it in the arm or if he received a grafted bone from elsewhere. I guess we will know more as time goes on. The doctor has said that the cancer had not spread but the scan tomorrow will confirm this. I just pray with all my heart he will pull through with flying colors. He is a fighter. Kallan holds a very special place in my heart. He was the first grand baby born and I was 16 when Kallan was born and I remember it very clearly. He was the most gorgeous child, always smiling, always happy. I have found myself at times, looking through photos of the kids when they were younger and Kallan and Cade look almost like the same child in some photos, it is relly nice to see. Kallan is probably the one that knows me the best out of all my nieces and nephews as he was the oldest when we left to move here. I just so wish I was there to love on him!
I also just got a call that my mum is in hospital. This is never a good thing. I started to feel the panic and my sister explained that she was violently ill, vomiting etc and had gone to the hospital and they sent her home with my sister and another of my sisters went to be with her for the day and she was so ill she couldn't even walk or crawl or anything to make it to the bathroom. They immediately took her to the hospital again and had her admitted. Poor thing. She can't even move her head without getting sick. They gave her a CT scan and ruled out bleeding on the brain for stroke etc but are thinking it may be vertigo. She is still in the hospital and is too ill for calls or visitors so I will have to wait to hear what the outcome is. It is awful to not be there at these times. I so feel the pull to want to be there, helping in some way. I have 4 sisters that all live really close to my mum and I know she is in the best hands possible and so is Kallan and his family for that matter. I just wish I was able to click my heels together and transport myself there and back whenever I wanted. I knew this would be the hardest thing for me when we moved, to not be there when family dramas occur but it has been harder than I imagined and that is possibly due to the pregnancy hormones running rampant also.
I just pray and pray knowing that Heavenly Father is where I can not be and taking care of things I can not. What a blessing and comfort prayer is to me at times like these. I just so dearly love my extended family and want nothing but health, strength and happiness for each of them. I just so feel that fight or flight pull to want to be there in every which way.

76 Days

It is only 76 days until my sister Allison, her husband Will and their 3 little lovelys arrive to us for their first ever White Christmas! Can you tell we are all a little too excited!!

Sewing With Nanny

While my mum was here she could not sit still, was always wanting something to do so she finished up some sewing projects I had going and altered some skirts that I needed mended. Cade was the ever helpful child!! Here are some cute pics of the 2 of them...

Catch Up...

This month has been an eventful one for our little family. I finally have a chance to sit down and collect my thoughts (and photos)!
My mum came to visit for the month on August and it was SO lovely. We relaxed most of the time when we weren't out and about seeing the sites in Salt Lake and visiting family. It was so nice to have her here. It was just comfort for me, like she had always been here and it was hard to say goodbye that's for sure. She made it home safe and well and was greatly missed by my nieces and nephews as she tends them quite a bit and they just love Nanny T. My niece Shaylie wrote her a sweet card saying she counted down the days until she returned and cried and cried when she left. Just a tender moment for my mum and Shay when they finally did see each other. We miss her already and it seems strange to be out and about without her company. I love you mum!!

Here are some pics of us at the airport waiting for mum to arrive. She missed her connecting flight which we didn't find out until a freak out session by me, having her paged for 30 minutes and asking about 10 different times at baggage claim, but she got in 5 hours later and all was well. Well, she wasn't well, had a sinus infection which robbed her of her voice for almost a week...