Early Easter Fun

Today we went over to city hall and enjoyed the free festivities. No greedy egg hunts. Churches, businesses, and organizations set up booths and provided information to parents and eggs to the children.

Sophie got a photo with the Easter Bunny while Rhys slept in his stroller. Of this experience, the only thing she noted was that the Easter Bunny "have a red tongue." While she got in line for the bounce house, Rhys decided to wake up and Daddy took him to go meet the Easter Bunny. Rhys, not surprisingly, was content to be placed in a giant, fuzzy stranger's arms.

Ready to go!

Welcome Spring

After receiving 7.5 inches of snow on the first day of spring, we were happy to enjoy some mild days. Keri and the kids have been to the Dallas Arboretum 3 times in the past 2 weeks. All the tulips and daffodils are in bloom. Neal went ahead and planted corn and green beans in the garden.

Yes, that's a topiary of a longhorn sniffing flowers. Only in TX!

Our cutie in curlers! They stayed in for a whole 5 minutes before she pulled them out.

Job Change

Hooray for Neal! He starts his new position as a Technical Support Engineer at the same company today. Way to go!

In other news, we got 7.5 inches of snow on the first day of spring. That helped us break our snowfall record this year.

Rhys busted out another tooth. That's 4 total now.

More Quirks

Rhys is a master at tongue clicking.

He has a great pincher grasp but is working on getting it to his mouth.

Sophie enjoys her own nudity. I'll look up from the dishes and find her there stripped down to her panties or top on and all bottoms off.

In the bath with her little brother: "Rhys is a boy. He has a peanuts."

In the car: Daddy: "What do you like best, Sophie, water or milk?" No response. Mommy: "What is your favorite, water or milk?" Sophie: "Cake is my favorite!"

Keri has just finished her shower and has just squeegeed the clear glass door when Sophie swings it open with a "Found ya!"

Sophie and Rhys Quirks

A few days ago, Sophie was squeezing her bath toys to get the water out of them. Keri said, "You are squeezing hard!" to which she replied, "I'm using my muscles!"

Love when Sophie puts her Easter hat on and swings it off with a big cowgirl, "Yay-haw!" Not Yee-Haw.

Our fiercely independent girl's favorite phrase is "I do it by myself!" If we pull her pants down to use the potty she will pull them back up just to pull them down while informing us, "I do it by myself!"

Rhys is clapping! He just bust out a top front tooth.

Good News at Work

Neal got promoted to Technical Support Engineer. He starts his new position on March 22nd. He is excited about the opportunities this new job will offer.

Feelin' Crafty

Made 4 pajama bottoms for Sophie, with the guidance of my mom. Got the fabric 75% off too--Dora, Care Bears, Eyore (sp?), Curioius George.

Surprise Visit!

What a weekend! Friday afternoon I sat up from a nap and saw my best friend from 5th grade on, Angela, walk through my bedroom door! She came from Virginia to surprise me and spend the weekend. She has a great sense of humor and is very caring. I love her!

We caught up and spent the weekend eating out, going to the park, attending an Arbor Day celebration, shopping for crafts, and attending church. It was great to see her and hear about her family. Her oldest daughter, Abby, made me a get well card with all her favorite things on it. I loved it!

Angela is about to graduate from nursing school and will hopefully be in Texas in about 2 years. Hooray!

9 Month Well Check

At his recent doctor visit, our 9-month-old Rhys weighed in at 24 lbs., 10 oz., placing him in the 93rd percentile. He was 30 1/2 inches long, placing him in the 96th percentile. His head had a circumference of 19 inches, placing him in the 98th percentile. In other words, he is one hefty baby but proportional and healthy. We get to introduce table foods to him now. He only got 2 shots and did great.

Opa and Oma

Post-It Attack

Keri was able to make it out to church today for a little over an hour. Then while watching the U.S. vs Canada Olympic hockey game (silver is pretty too!), we had a ring at the door...

The young women of our church had decorated our front door with loving thoughts, gave us a poster signed by them, and a frozen dinner for a tough future evening! Thank you! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has blessed us throughout this medical trial. We have also received a lot of love from family and friends and truly appreciate the help and emotional support. We have felt your and our prayers answered in so many ways.

Gold Star!

Our home teachers rock! And their wives rock too!--even though J. is stalking us through our blog. :-)

Black Frosting

is disgusting!I am slowly improving. Instead of collapsing after 1 hour in the mornings, I can go two. Still fighting nausea. I have to get where I can take care of the kids again because my mom is getting cabin fever. She has been so great.

Rhys is babbling like crazy. He also mimics sticking your tongue in and out and kisses.

Sophie has the weirdest phobia. She freaks out every time the ice cream truck comes down our street. I mean running to mom, terrified! I hate that ice cream truck. Anyway, Grandma had her run out there and get an ice cream so maybe she won't cry when she hears him coming. Now she will cry because Mom is not buying her an ice cream.

Good News

We had a snow day where all chemo treatments were cancelled last week so we were going to have to extend my high dose treatment one extra day to make up for it. Well, today, my doctor strolls in and says "Let's make Friday your last day." Yippee! I still have to come in Monday to show them that I can give myself the shot. I saw the needle and it's tiny. Not fun but looks totally doable.

Know what else is great? Watching Neal run around the house with Sophie and then spinning her until she's dizzy and then rolling all over the playroom floor together. Remember when spinning until you were dizzy was fun? I take anti-nausea drugs to avoid that feeling.

After the Storm

As many of you well know, it's not the storm that's the dangerous part but what comes out after the storm has passed. It's not very often that one is able to see an AT-AT and live to tell about it.

Bad day to be a Rebel Soldier

We now return you to our normally scheduled programming.