Saturday, February 28, 2009

Hello Kitty! Smokey & Phillies finally come out!

Smokey is ready for his pictoral debut. Too bad the phto is a little blurry. He's a bit more out going and exploring the whole house now.

Ok, I'm ready now! How's this? Thanks Phillies for sitting still.


Hey, I'm outta here! No photos please!


Leave me alone! Who told you I was here?

Next baby...less than 5 weeks!

Yep, this is a nice little pad for them. The cats are still not so outgoing but they're coming out more. Thanks Mom for the "nice" floor lamp. We love the shade. Needs replaced huh?

Now, baby makes three! Little Baby Boy Mac (short for McDaniel because they won't tell us the little guys first name yet!) will soon be here...let's hope for Grandpa Vaughan's sake that he is a happy little baby. Josh and Katie moved in with us two weeks ago. It's been great. You hardly notice they're here. Check out their basement condo above. hehe


And that was lots of fun...



First there were just two...the cute little couple!


Monday, February 23, 2009

Nick & Felicia- wedding date:June 13th, 2009

So with an expensive wedding coming up the kids decided it would be fine to just take some photos at our house for an engagement picture. Really, how often do you use all those pictures that you buy from your photographer anyways. We had over 50 photos. Here are some fun ones...

Aren't you guys cold yet? Ahhhh, love warms the heart. hehee

So we made a backdrop out of my bedroom curtain. Does the trick huh?



The fireplace makes a cool shot. Just a fun angle.
What a cute couple! We love you guys!

Hello Friends & Family!

I'm just having such a great day and I wanted to share it with you...
Did I win the lotto? No! Did I get a huge raise? No!
But I am celebrating my 6 month "cancer-free" anniversary and my WONDERFUL life!

I had my check up last week and everything is great. My next MRI/CT will be in May. And I discussed with my oncologist these DAMN hot flashes! WHEW! And that my bones are so achy and I am worried about osteoporosis since my gyn doc took me off premarin in the fall. My onc had my tumor samples tested for estrogen receptors and there is about 22% of the cell that had them. He gave me the choice to start back on or not but said that he doubted that would cause my cancer to reoccur. So, I'm going for it! I can't wait to sleep through the night w/o 5 or 6 sweat parties! I'm soooooo happy to get back on them! I sure miss my hormones! lol

The last 6-8 weeks I have also changed our diet immensely. Gary is even on board with it! Lots of fruits and veggies. Lots on antioxidants to fight the free radicals, aka cancer causing cells. The lifestyle changes include; lots of water, green tea, red wine, low fat and high fiber foods, plenty of supplements (multivit, Vit A,C, D, & E, selenium, fish oil, and beta carotene) and as much of these in organic as possible. As soon as the estrogen kicks in I'm back in the gym! Gary has been working out for a couple of months now. Yep, his pants are getting loose on him! He looks great! Hopefully all these changes will keep us healthy for a long time!

The family is great. Maxton, of course, is still our little star! I'm still watching him every Thursday. It's the highlight of my week! Laci & Matt are doing great. He is still taking classes and was on the Dean's List last semester. He is just fininshing up refereeing basketball and they are thinking of taking a trip to relax. Gee, I think that means Grandma & Grandpa will be babysitting! YEAH! Laci is loving her new position with the same company, North American Corporation, which associated with Abbott Labs.

Katie & Josh moved in with us last week. It's great having them around. Their 2 cats are not so excited yet! They are just starting to come out of hiding. Maybe another week or so and they will feel more comfortable. Katie is having our 2nd grandson the beginning of April. After April 4th I hope! I am going to Florida w/ my sister for a week and will get back then.

Nick & Felicia's wedding plans are coming along. We meet about once a week to keep on track. June 13th will be here in no time though! Nick is still working a lot but studying to take the CDL exam soon. Felicia is at the Cheesecake Factory but is up for other options.

My sister is moving this weekend so I have been trying to help out a little bit with that. She showed her house to a friend that was interested and sold it they next day. MOVING, sounds like fun huh?

So, as you can see life IS great!

One last request...We (NLMS members) are requesting a Presidential Proclamation that April 26th be forever known as National Leiomyosarcoma Awareness Day, to attempt to give voice to an extremely rare and aggressive cancer, so that we may find a cure. Please check out the link to the right if you are interested in signing the petition.

Thanks for your help!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Bad, bad Grandma!! Poor Maxton!

Laci called me last night...poor little Maxton caught Grandma's cold last week. He was coughing and sneezing. :( Yes, I feel bad! But I just had to kiss him...a lot! Sorry baby! I love you! Hope you feel better soon.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Mommy's in Chicago & Daddy has basketball- here I am at Grandma & Grandpa's house yeah!!

Pictures so early in the morning Grandma? Gesh!

BUSTED!! Grandma caught Maxton in action. Hey, he's quick! Now back to your cereal little guy.


I can do it, I can do it...come here little car...


Ahhhh...I did it!



Time to read me a book Grandpa! It's almost nap time.




Sunday, February 1, 2009

A day of play with Grandma.

Yummy, this hand is goooooooooood.

All that slobber and NO teeth? Hummmmmmmmmm...sooner or later they will come in!




What? You thought I'd ONLY put ONE photo up of the little guy...no way! Here we are playing with toys last Thursday. He loves to play! And look how good he is sitting.

Maxton's 6 Month Birthday!

What a big boy! 6 months old now! He is almost 21 lbs. I can't believe how quickly they grow.
WE LOVE YOU MAXTON!!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Let it snow?

Where's the pond? It's behind these two trees.




Let is snow, let it snow, let it snow...


I'm off work for a week, so bring it on! I'm hybernating. It's nice knowing I don't have to go out in this.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Christmas Parties 2008

Let the games begin...fun, fun, fun. Notice the men don't like to play games with us. How boring are they?? lol



My Mom & Stepdad. The photo's a little blurry. Opps!




My sister and her family...Mackenzie, Adriana, Lisa, & Kyle

Nice face Kyle!



My brother and his family...

Luke, Jacob, Kristi (front row)

Todd, Lisa, Matt & AJ (Kristi's boyfriend)


Christmas at my Mom's house is always fun. Eating our favorite foods, opening presents, and playing games. this year it was a little different with a new baby. Matt had to take Maxton to our house to put him to bed because it was too loud at Mom's house. Matt didn't mind though, he wanted to see the Notre Dame game in peace.





This year I wanted to do a formal dinner at our house so here are the tables. We really loved having all the kids home and at the same table. We had turkey and all the trimmings. I think this will be a new tradition.





Christmas at our house.... I think he likes the horn the best on this dashboard toy. It is cute. Says "slow down little guy" and "beep, beep, get out of the way."







The whole clan was at Nick's house for one Christmas party. The food was great. We had ham and lots of potatoes. lol. Good job Nick & Felicia. Their house is so cute. Maxton liked the fish tank.






Maxton stayed at Grandma & Grandpa's house


Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

We forgot to bring his play yard to our house so Grandma went and bought one that night but he feel asleep with Grandma on the bed at nap time. I'm glad I had all those pillows. hehe Grandpa was working or else he would have been there right beside him.



" Hi Grandma! More pictures?"
Maxton was a good little boy at Grandma & Grandpa's house last week. He stayed while Mommy was in Florida on business. Daddy had to work with all this yucky weather and also had to referee a game in Youngstown. We had fun with him. He had bananas for the first time too. I think he likes them...

The master bathroom has been completed!!

The shower is all tile and stays clean. Ok, maybe not the doors. It is very refreshing! Can lights are above the shower also.


Ok, the glass sink is NOT staying clean but it looks cool anyways. The lights over the mirror are really bright.



The tile floor is done...the vanity is in...the toilet is back in...and we are loving it! The new ceiling fan we (Gary) put in has a heater (and light) and it stays really cozy in there. The mirrors do not fog up at all. What do you think about the black trim? We love it too!