Game day fun at our house

Sweet Brook and her second-favorite great aunt, Debbie. We had lots of fun at our house on Saturday after the K-State game. Even though we didn't win the game, we still had lots of reasons to celebrate - mainly just spending time together and sharing our love.

Hallie helped Nancy extinguish the candles. As you can see by her expression, Hallie took her responsibility very seriously.

Sweet Brooklyn and her number one, most favorite great aunt in the world - me!

Brook, are you giving the photographer the finger?

Matt took this photo of his wife, Lori and daughter, Hallie as well as Sharon and Jody. Actually, Matt likes to put my camera on the mode that you can hold the shutter button and it will take photo after photo. He always fills my memory card with photos, this is the only one I could use of the hundreds he took. It did take me lots of time to erase all the photos. Thanks Matt.

Susan and son Matt

We had a mother child theme - Debbie and daughter Jody

We always gather in our kitchen and belly-up to the bar area. Even though Nancy is a bit out of focus, I like this photo because it shows Debbie, Hallie, Jody and Nancy lined up to the bar.

She's pregnant! That's right, Sharon and Kevin are expecting in April!! More babies in our family, I love it. My nephew John and his wife Stacia are expecting their second baby in January. I am thankful for all the joys my nieces and nephews bring to my life.

Matt, are you mocking your cousin Jody?

Sweet Hallie

Matt enjoyed his fair share of the bacon-wrapped grilled shrimp. A few months ago, Matt and Lori hosted us for a shrimp and crab night at their house in Dorrance. It was delicious. So, Nancy and I decided to serve the bacon-wrapped grilled shrimp at the party today. Needless to say, it was a big hit.

More fun in the kitchen - Matt, Jody and Hallie

Lori and sweet Brooklyn

Matt gave Brooklyn her first guitar lesson.

Happy Birthday Kevin and Barbara

Birthday boy Kevin

Birthday girl Barbara

Halloween weekend at Dorrance

The newest pumpkin - sweet Brooklyn, or Brook, or Brooksy, or Brookster. She has lots of nicknames.

I believe the Brookster is smiling, she likes her great-aunt Mary Kay.

The K-State cheerleader needed first-aid from Dr Bolsen.

Sister Susan

Sam the clown

Garrett was a vampire for his late-evening costume. He dressed as a scarecrow for the early-evening activities. In fact, he wore the scarecrow outfit to church. When Father Hoover walked past Garrett on the way out of church, he grabbed Garrett's scarecrow hat and wore it during the recessional. Everyone is church laughed, not only, because the priest wore the scarecrow hat, but also because of the look on Garrett's face. He was stunned that the priest would take his hat and wear it in church.

Hallie the K-State cheerleader

The pumpkin carver made quite the mess. Kelly is so talented.

Sweet Anna

Isn't she looking good? Nancy has lost 39 pounds.

Kelly's dad, John, made another trip to Dorrance to work on the playhouse.

More of sister Susan

Anna, there is no denying you were playing with the stamp pad.

Garrett modeled the witch's hat.

Garrett with attitude

Serious Garrett

Joey, you are supposed to HELP build the playhouse, not just stand around and drink beer.

Sweet Anna

More sweet Anna

And yet, more sweet Anna

Kelly, what do you think of your husband Joey?

Joey, Sam and Kelly

Anna

More of Anna

The best mom in the world, my mom Velma

John put the final touches on the playhouse roof.

Today is Natalie's b-day, yes we already celebrated

Bone and CT scan - Friends, it is all good

I had my yearly bone and ct scans last week and the results were very good - no evidence of metastasis. Yes baby. I had the scans on October 21 and had to wait a week to visit with Dr Sharma about the results. Needless to say, it was an anxiety filled couple of weeks for me. I didn't sleep too well and was easily distracted last week. It is so easy to 'make a mountain out of a mole hill' when waiting on the test results. I definitely felt ok recently, but I felt ok when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in May of 2007. Anyway, I did a great deal of thinking about what I would do if the cancer came back. I am not referring to treatment or anything like that, I would definitely start treatment and try to beat this thing. The idea that kept surfacing is that I would share more of my thoughts on this blog, with friends and family, and just whoever was around to listen. Why is it that when I thought about my life being threatened or shortened, that I thought that I had something of value to share with others? Or why is that I would have been motivated to be more forthright about how I see life?

I thought of so many topics I would discuss on this blog if cancer was returning. Now, I am thinking about NOT discussing those topics because cancer did not return to my life. Crazy, isn't it?

Ok friends, enjoy your day and be great for someone who needs you.

Mary Kay

Natalie's Birthday Party - the second of two parties on Sunday

Sweet Natalie had a birthday party on Sunday. She actually turns three on Friday, October 30, but we were able to celebrate early. I took this photo of the Birthday Princess (that's what is says on her hat) just before she opened her presents.

Natalie really made me laugh because she took her time to open the card. When her mom, Stacia, asked her who it was from, Natalie acted like she was reading the card and without missing a beat said the card was from Aunt Jody. It really wasn't from Jody, but you would never have known that based on Natalie's behavior.

Guess what motivated Natalie to express this look?
It was a new bike from her parents, John and Stacia.

I like this photo because Natalie's two grandpa's are on either side of her.
Grandpa Greg is on the left and Grandpa Kris is on the right.

Sweet Natalie

Everything made Natalie smile at the party, even her birthday cupcake.

More of sweet Natalie enjoying life.

Natalie and her mom, Stacia

Natalie waved goodbye to us as we left the party.

Grandma Debbie and sweet Natalie