Andrew's Baptism September 26

Andrew decided to be baptised!!! :) ---and man was he excited.

This whole week it has been, only five more days--only four more days, etc. On the way to the church he was a giant glowing light bulb. His friend, Brittany, and he were the only ones in the stake getting baptised that morning so it turned out a lot more family intimate--which I was very glad. Sometimes stake baptisms are so huge you feel like it is an assembly line. His Grandpa Lind gave a talk on baptism and his dad baptised and confirmed him. That night he thanked his Heavenly Father that he could be baptised and I was so proud of him this morning when he told me he wanted to fast. Thanks to everyone who came and made this such a special day for us. And love to those who couldn't make it--we missed you.

Just clearing my throat

Yes, once again I reassure you that we are still here. School is out Yipeeeeee!! We are still very busy though--go figure. Andrew is playing pitching machine baseball three to four days a week and also continuing with piano. Steven is finishing up his intern hours for school and biting his nails about a job interview tomorrow. I am the chauffeur and the maid---wait--- I am the lazy genteel lady sitting on a silk cushion eating chocolate and being entertained by jugglers---nope not that one either. Whatever--I am busy trying to stay motivated with spring cleaning and yada yada.

Andrew got straight 5's on his report card but he still needs to work on using his time appropriately (ie stop talking to all his girlfriends). He made it to 209 accelerated reading points and 69 accelerated math points. He was very proud of his sweatshirt he got as a prize. The inflatable beach ball ($ .99) was a huge motivator from his teacher.

The big thing for me this summer is watching all the press releases and stuff they have been releasing on New Moon. http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=58185785 One of millions!

We're Still here

It has been ages since I have written. Time sure flies when you aren't paying attention. Right now we are in the midst of the cold and flu season at school and at our house. I was sick for four weeks and now Steven has come down with a nasty bug. He has had horrible fevers. I think he is perking up a bit now. No fevers today at least.

I am happy to report that I have finished all my chemo and I have had two and a half weeks of radiation already. I only have four more weeks. I will definitely take radiation over chemo. So far the only draw back has been the daily regiment of cold breezes, but you can ignore just about anything if you try hard enough.

Andrew pulled out one of my old smelly wigs the other day for crazy hair day and dress as your favorite person day. He wore the wig both days and was mistaken for a girl! It must be those long eyelashes. He is doing really good in school. He has 129 accelerated reading points and he is comes home daily with the giggles--which he can't explain. He just breaks down laughing his head off at something he remembers hearing at school from friends. Somehow it is always at the dinner table.

Tomorrow Steven gets to give out a bunch of books he won from scholastic. I think he said there were over 500 books. He was one of seventeen people who won this grant out of over 20,000 applications. So, he and Mrs. Perry, his co-teacher, invited the newspaper and the TV reporters and the assorted charities they chose to give the books to make a party of it. Sometimes I can't believe how lucky he is. At Christmas he won a Wii and in the past he has won lots of other things. I am seriously thinking of convincing him to play the lottery.

Here is another cool video. I have always wanted to visit some lighthouses. I think it all goes back to Pet's Dragon. http://videos.komando.com/2009/02/03/

Her Morning Elegance

I love this video. You have to watch it!!

http://videos.komando.com/2009/02/05/

New Years Resolution For Steven

Steven's new year resolution is to stop saying bad words. The other day at school Andrew's teacher came up to me and said "You are not going to believe what Andrew did today." Apparently his teacher had given him an assignment that he did not quite understand, and he had some questions on it. He quietly took his paper up to his teacher and said, "What the hell is this?" His teacher responded,"What did you say?" A look of shock came across his face. I don't think Andrew knew what he said; I think it just came out before he could stop it. Anyway, I made a deal with him that any time he heard me say a bad word, I would have to take him to the store and buy him a treat.

Beginning a New Year

2009 has come too fast!! I used to think that by now we would be able to buy real estate on the moon or Mars. Now we are just lucky to be able to buy real estate in Idaho.

We had a wonderful Christmas visiting with our families and playing with our toys. Our family received a Wii from Santa Clause and so Andrew was a happy, smiley, and content zombie child for two weeks playing video games with cousins and friends and by himself. I think he hardly spoke to us voluntarily for three days when we were up visiting Grandma and Grandpa Lind. He was also busy playing Clone Wars on his DS, so you know I just feel like an amazing parent trying to distill the uselessness of human conversation in my child.

Steven got his miniature, leather scriptures and case. I ordered them on-line and was amazed they made it to us in time. I didn't order till the last minute (although he didn't tell me until the last minute what he wanted--lucky guy--he almost got guitar hero. ) Speaking of lucky, Steven has all the luck. Every year it seems he wins some contest or falls in the path of luck as it passes by. This year he went to Barnes and Nobles to do some shopping and decides to drop his name in a box for a Wii drawing that was going to take place in less than 20 minutes. Well, he doesn't wait around--the odds of winning are oh so slim Right? He walks in the door at home and the phone rings to say he had won it. I truly wish he would play the lottery when he was having his amazing luck. Guess he just isn't that lucky!!

Steven had his third surgery on his foot and to date he says "it feels wonderful." My fingers are crossed that this one works. He won't be able to have a fourth one the doctor said. His foot heel is already Swiss cheese.

Tonight I am both celebrating and dreading tomorrow. It is my last of six Chemos. I can not relate in words how happy I am that this part of the treatment is over. I hate getting a case of the flu every three weeks. Now my glossy, shinny, dome can recover and grow me some insulation from all this cold and my eyebrows and eyelashes can exhale for not loosing every soul. Next will be five or six weeks of radiation which I hear is a piece of cake--usually. They have to put that "usually" in there for the odd ones who can't eat cake.

About the picture at the top of my blog--I know it isn't a family picture, but I found the lantern and the carpet were so beautiful. The painting was done by a Russian Artist named Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov. Check him out. He was an amazing painter who dealt with a lot of legends and mythology. Anyway, if you are into that sort of thing. His detail are truly shall I say glorious. What a talent!!

Happy New Year, everyone!! Lots of Love!!

Christmas Greetings.

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas. We are very excited at our house. Andrew woke with the biggest smile this morning because, he told me, tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Yesterday, we had Family Home Evening at Grandma Clark's house and observed some fun traditions. Grandma made us delicious soup and cookies--our favorites--pastry cookies and bird nest cookies with pink frosting. Then came my favorite part--the nativity. As Uncle Roger read the Christmas story out of the bible, the cousins came out of the back room dressed as Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, shepherds, wise men and angels. This year Andrew was a wise man (in a pink turban). I look back with fond memories to the time he was a shepherd and then a sheep (with a feather boa wrapped around his middle).

Today, Steven and I finished up some Christmas projects. One of our projects was a sign we saw at Robert's Crafts. It says ". . . and the stockings were hung . . .", and it had hooks on it. We wanted something to hang our stockings on and this worked great. We had a lot of fun decorating our piano and our Christmas tree.

Also today Steven took it upon himself to make six loafs of bread by hand. This means he had to make the recipe three times. There was bread for his three counselors in Elders Quorum and for his home teaching families and one broken loaf for us. It was yummy.

One other thing I have to mention, the last two days before Christmas break, Andrew spent hours in his daddy's classroom reading books and he did it!!! He reached 100 Accelerated Reading points. It was his own little goal and he did it. I am so proud of him.

This is CAT, the terror of our house, hunter of unwary humans and eater of fake pine tree needles. CAT THE TERRIBLE is trying to take the camera away from me. He thought he had a better angle on things and knew he would do a better job. I disagreed.