Happy Not As Late Birthday, Preslee... (but still late)

***Disclaimer: I thought I had already published this.  Oops...***

How old are you?  "I'n Free and I'n big!"  (Three)

Who is your best friend?  Katie (Wow!  Katie Budge, be flattered!!!   Probably because you feed her junk at church!)

What is your favorite thing to do?  Swinging

What is your favorite food?  Apples

What is your favorite color?  Purple 

What do you like to do with your family?   Reading books

What is your favorite toy?  Playing house

What is your favorite movie?   Tinkerbell

What do you want to be when you grow up?  "When I grow up?... in a house."

What makes you happy?  Runkin  (He's coming to visit today so he's on her mind.)

What makes you sad? Not having dessert.

What's your favorite show to watch?   Jake and the Neverland Pirates

What is the best thing about your birthday?  The presents with my cake

What is your favorite treat/candy? "N a M's"  (M&Ms)

What do you think about before you fall asleep?  For it to get dark.

Preslee is so darn fun!  She's full of spice and has a love for life!  She keeps me on my toes more than the other two combined but she has a heart of gold.  She is hilarious and has such a great sense of humor.  She loves her family more than anything and is SOOOO excited to finally be in preschool since everyone else gets to go to school.  We couldn't love her more!

Happy Very Late Birthday, Carter!

Carter is one of the most amazing people I have ever met in my life.  When I think about how lucky we are to call him his parents I just nearly pee my pants!  He's so brave.  He has gone through more in the last 17 months than I have been through my entire life.  He truly takes things like a man.  I VERY rarely see him get frustrated or down about his lot in life.  He's optimistic.  He's brilliant.  He's so darn cute without those front teeth.  He knows he's not s physically able as his friends to do things but tries to keep things in perspective. ("I know someday I will be able to ride my bike and play sports.")
Sometimes I watch what he goes through and I cry with him or for him.  Watching him struggle breaks my heart.  Not being able to take it away from him breaks it even more.  He is mature beyond his years (I'm sure I will need to be reminded of this when he's a crazy teenager) and an absolute joy to have him around.  I can't image our lives any other way than the way they are now.

How old are you?  6... I mean 7

Who is your best friend?  I have 2... actually 3... no 4.  Taeler, Mathew, Koen, and Dylan

What is your favorite thing to do?  Play Legos

What is your favorite food?  noodles

What is your favorite color?  green and blue

What do you like to do with your family?   Wii Fit and Hiking

What is your favorite toy?  Legos

What is your favorite movie?  The Avengers and Star Wars

What do you want to be when you grow up?  Scientist or Dentist

What makes you happy?  Legos

What makes you sad?  Cancer

What's your favorite show to watch?  Phineus and Ferb

What's your favorite book?  I like lots of books.

What do you love to learn about?  Science

What is the best thing about your birthday?  my friends coming over.

Where do you like to go?  Does that count in the future?  (me: sure)  DISNEYWORLD!!!

What is your favorite treat/candy?  Suckers

What do you think about before you fall asleep?  Random things

If you could meet anyone in the world who would it be?  Does Heaven count? (me: sure)  Ok, then Jesus... even though I know him but I don't really remember him so Jesus and Heavenly Father.

What was your favorite birthday present?  The "Mamelian Falcon!"  (The Lego Millennium Falcon that he got from Gigi and Granky).

Those steroid cheeks are a way of life for him.  They will eventually (in over two years) go back to normal.  When I see pictures of him like this it doesn't even look like him.  But his smile is still Carter's smile and his eyes still twinkle like they always have.  

Happy INCREDIBLY Late Birthday Addilyn!

I am the slackerest slacker ever!  It's been WAAAAAAY too long since I've blogged.... why?  Because I'm lame... and busy...  and I have three kids... at home... because it's summer... so I'm busy... and we've been vacationing.... but mostly because I'm super lame.  Anyways, at the end of May we celebrated Addilyn's brithday.  We tried and tried to convince her not to have a birthday and to just stay 4 years old.  She wouldn't go for it.  I just want to freeze her just the way she is!  She's absolutely the most darling thing ever.  She has a heart of gold that is more tender than any other heart in the world.  She is completely crushed if she hurts anyone's feelings or gets in trouble (which is quite rare).  She adores her daddy and plays so very well with Carter and Preslee.  She's the perfect middle child.  She prays daily for Carter's cancer to go away and talks to Pres in a high pitched voice using words like "sweetie" and "darling".  We cannot get enough of her and pray each and every day that she will always be as compationate as she is right now.  
Each year I try to do a little questionairre with my kids to see what they're into and how they change from year to year.  Here is hers for this year.

Nickname:  Addi-cakes
How old are you?  5
Who is your best friend?  Rylee (Bevans)
What is your favorite thing to do?  Play pixos (those perler beads you iron) and play with Carter
What is your favorite food?  "sgabetti" (spaghetti)
What is your favorite color?  blue and yellow
What's your favorite stuffed animal?  my huge Shamu
What do you like to do with your family?  play games
What is your favorite toy?  my Barbies
What is your favorite movie?  Ariel 3
What do you want to be when you grow up?  traning Shamu
What makes you happy?  playing with Carter
What makes you sad?  someone yelling at me
What's your favorite show to watch?  Tom and Jerry
What's your favorite book?  my princess ones
What do you love to learn about?  Shamus
What is the best thing about your birthday?  getting candy
Where do you like to go?  Sea World and Disneyland
What is your favorite treat/candy?  N A M's (M&Ms)
What do you think about before you fall asleep?  Jesus
If you could meet anyone in the world who would it be?  my mom ("you're so nice.  I like you.")  Taylor Swish (Swift)
What was your favorite birthday present?  my cheerlerader skirt and shirt

While we were in Utah last month I took her out and snapped some pictures of her.  While we didn't get to shoot for nearly long enough I got some I really loved.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Exploring

It seems like every time my parents come up it's because something major has happened  (and I don't mean that in a good way). They don't get to come up "just because" all that often and when they do it's only for a few days.  I prefer their visits to be a week long... or longer.  :)  This time was close: 5 days.  Hey!  We'll take it!

We spent Memorial Day up in the mountains exploring and getting some beautiful fresh air.  I think spending the day in the mountains with Bryan and my kids (and any other family that may be in town) is probably my most favorite thing to do.  It always feels like we are completely alone... like we have an entire world to discover.  This day was no exception.

Nona and Papa with the kids taking in the amazing view.

Sisters...

These three are my entire world. I couldn't adore them more!

I seriously love this picture. I think she's getting a "Honk-n-Kiss". Don't ask... you have to be Meacham to know what it means... or married to one. :)

Summer, here we come!

This week was a fun one for us.  Friday was the last day of school for Carter.  He had a great year (what he attended at least) and a wonderful teacher.  We are going to miss Mr. Wilson and I know he'll miss Carter.  But, onward and upward!  Look out 2nd Grade because Carter is about to eat you for LUNCH!  :)

In related news, Addilyn GRADUATED FROM PRESCHOOL!  The mama in me is SO sad she's headed off to school.  Thank goodness she will only be gone 1/2 of the day.  She's too darn cute to lose all day quite yet.  She announced at her graduation that she wants to be a "Space Girl" when she grows up.  Pretty sure she wants to be like her big brother which is where that came from.  :)

 Her and her bestie, Rylee.  (The one from the giggling picture.)  They will be in separate schools next year and Ry is going all day.  It is going to be VERY hard on these two who are attached at the hip.

 Addilyn and Miss Denice, her wonderful preschool teacher.  

 Proud parents.

 Yesterday, Bryan had the day off and I needed new running shoes so we headed up the the big city.  (Denver)  The good news is I got some running shoes.  (I know, you're so relieved.)  The better news is that we went to the Butterfly Pavilion.  The kids loved it.  I wrote all about it for those who would like to read more on my photography blog.  If you don't want to read more but you want to see some cute pictures of the kids, then go there, skip the reading, and check out the pictures.  :)  

This is one picture I didn't post of my blog.  Addilyn was SO brave and held Rosie the Tarantula!!!  BRAVEST 4 YEAR OLD EVER!  Much braver than her mommy.  Here she is showing off her "I held Rosie" sticker.  (Daddy had one to match.  The rest of us should have gotten one that said, "We are major wimps!")

holding Rosie.

Dirt

We moved into our home not too long ago.  It’s wonderful.  Amazing views out the front AND the back.  Perfect kitchen.  Big living areas.  Fabulous neighbors (and I’m picky because my last neighborhood was filled with my best friends.)  We, honestly, couldn’t be happier about it.  We joke that the only way we’re leaving is in body bags (in other words we aren’t ever moving again… EVER.)

The only thing that needs work is our back yard.  It’s… how should I put it… UG-O!  We moved in late enough in the year that the plants and trees wouldn’t have survived the winter (still strange to me that we live somewhere with an actual winter) so the HOA told us we would do it once things warmed up a bit.  Sadly, that is just now happening.

So, the kids have decided that this is now their massive sand box.  Something that is really different from Arizona is that there’s no sand.  At the park in AZ the kids would shed their shoes before they even got to the playground.  They loved the feel of sand in their toes.  But here?  No.  It’s that mulch stuff.  The first time we went to the park here (before we moved up here, actually) the kids shed their shoes, took two steps onto the mulch, and yelled in shock and disgust.  ”Mom!  What IS that?!?”  :)  They are use to it now but our sand toys are gathering dust.  Works out perfectly.  Hopefully in a few weeks the yard will be done and the kids will have to settle for playing on the dirt lots next door.  I’ll be sure to post pictures once the yard is done.  We are hoping it will be as perfect for us as the interior.

Happy Mother's Day!

I can honestly say that I am the luckiest mommy in the world.  I have the most amazing kids and a hubby to match.  I love days like today when my kids spoil me and Bryan spoils me even more!!  

This week has been great. Carter had a spinal and big doses of chemo on Monday which usually expresses itself with him missing pretty much the entire week of school.  We kept him home the remainder of the day Monday but aside from that he went to school ALL week. It was AWESOME!  Both he and I commented and celebrated each day when he returned home from a full day of school.  I'm seriously so proud of him.  It's nuts how the exact same meds will have completely different affects on him each and every week and month.  He counts are good and his liver (knock on wood) is keeping up.  They upped all of his at home chemos because he's (obviously) grown over the last year so we'll see how the ol' liver survives that.  

It snowed the other night.  We were shutting down the house and looked out the windows to find this.  Dumb.  But it was all gone by the morning so I got over it quickly.  The weather is still so up and down.  We were all in shorts and flip flops the other day and today are hunkered down in sweats and slippers watching the rain.  (LOOOOVE the rain!)

 Addilyn and I had a baking day and while the treats completely backfired (correction: they tasted wonderful but I couldn't get them out of the cupcake tins to serve at the activity I was going to) Addi and I had a lot of fun licking spatulas and eating cookie dough.  I cannot get enough of that girl.  Absolutely cannot.  I am so glad she's only going to 1/2 day next year.  I wonder if they offer 1/2 day first grade too.  :)

I took the kids out for Frozen Yogurt (or fro yo as we refer to it) twice this week.  It was just so nice outside and what mama doesn't love to spoil their kids every now and then.  We even met Daddy there on a day that he was working a 12. That's always a fun surprise.  Boy, do my kids adore their Daddy.  (Pres calls him, "My Daddy" all the time.  I love it... and so does Bry.)

 Yesterday was a chilly, lazy Saturday so we took a drive into the mountains.  One of the things we love the very most about living here is that we can venture off in any direction and find beauty we haven't yet discovered.  Yesterday we found the future spot of Addilyn's birthday pictures.  (I was much more excited about this than she was. :))  The views were amazing. If anyone wants to come visit we can promise you beautiful picnics and scenery... and bipolar weather.  :)  

 Preslee, "I DON'T WANNA GIT BACK IN DA CAR!"  

 The kids are all in swim lessons and doing great.  Because of the move and then the whole cancer thing it's been nearly two years since they have been in lessons.  It's a good refresher for Carter and really good for his weak muscles.  The girls are learning a lot.  Pres adores her teacher which is good since this is her first go at swim lessons.  For some reason she thinks it's ok to lay on the nasty floor when it's not her turn for lessons.  Sick.

 A few weeks ago I went to a photog retreat.  For part of it I brought along Addi and her little bestie, Rylee.  A friend of mine got this picture and I'm super in love with it.  I'm going to blow it up big in her room... fun, huh?  

Funny story about Preslee:  I was on the treadmill at the gym with my headphones on when I heard my name being paged.... never a good thing.  I thought maybe Pres had an accident or something.  So, I headed down there and asked if everything was ok.  The probably 19 year old girl looked at me (trying to hide her disgust) and said, "Ummm.... after Preslee went to the bathroom she decided to wash her panties in the sink."  I just looked at her, smiled, and said, "That's my girl!"  That is so her.  I had a hard time reprimanding her without laughing (but I did) after I told her how proud of her I was for going not just #1 but also #2 at the gym.  She's such a goof.  :)

Karate Kid

A few months ago we put Carter into Kenpo Karate.  He's be interested in Karate (what little boy isn't) forever!  We opted for things like soccer and basketball to encourage all different kinds of sports.  Since he's been sick and has little to no energy, we thought karate would be a good way to strengthen his leg muscles and get him into some sort of sport.  He's really loving it and it's offered at our community center by a 3rd degree black belt.

His teacher's name is Miss Natalie and she's great with Carter and the other little boy in the class.  We practice during the week and after a few months of lessons and practicing he was ready to test for his yellow belt.

Practicing for the test.

He did great and got his yellow belt.  Addilyn has also decided that karate would be much more fun than dance and has opted to quit dance and start karate next month once she turns 5.  I'm excited for her.  Here's hoping that she'll get good enough to fight all those boys off in a few ( like 25) years!

The most rewarding thing for me is to see him getting stronger.  He's still MUCH weaker than the other kid in his class (who is a year younger than him) but most of his weakness is in his legs, and karate is a lot of leg work.  So, any improvement is great.  He's doing so amazing, and, as always, we are so stinking proud of him!

Miss Natalie and Carter.

The proud owner of a new yellow belt. (Pink cheeks are yet another side affect of the chemo.)

Mondays

Carter is on tons of meds. (Duh.) Monday nights are his big night. He has 2-3 different kinds of medications depending on the Monday night we are dealing with. He has at least 8 pills (upwards of 10 on occasion). If he's awake he takes them fine.

If he's sleeping? Well, that's a different story. He is SOOOOOOOO (SO!) hard to wake up. It takes us several minutes to wake him up. Often times it involves removing any and all covers, turning on his light, using loud voices, splashing him with water, sitting him up... you name it, we've tried it. Once we have him sitting we reach for the meds and turn around to find him snuggled up again on his pillow. So, next time we hold his arm while reaching for the meds and water. He will take a sip of water and lay back down, assuming he has taken his pills. We finally recorded it (because he absolutely does NOT believe us in the morning when we tell him how silly he was being) so he could see himself. He laughed the entire way through it.

He's seriously such a trooper... especially after weeks like this past one. It was one of the hardest we have had and it's not letting up a whole lot. He's finally making it through an entire day of school today (an hour and a half to go!). Something he hasn't done for over a week. Poor guy. Two years and one month to go... but who's counting.

Side note: We are NOT giving Carter the drug "meth". He takes a medication called Methotrexate... but occasionally, joking around, we say he's a meth head. :)