Our Friendly Visits

This week we were fortunate enough to have a couple of visitors. On Friday night, we got to have the Seidl's up. Kevin just had to sit next to his Great Grandma Jan. Then on Saturday, Ryan's girlfriend's sister brought her son (Brody) up to visit the boys. My boys were a little too loud for the poor guy, but luckily, Brody found a friend in the quiet little Lucas. Mema and Papa (Paul's parents) also came by Saturday night to see the boys after their trip to Las Vegas. They had a great time, and Marianne won $800!

On Monday, the beautiful McKenzie (and Cortney) graced our presence. Kevin poked her a couple of times, so naturally, Thomas followed his lead. However, he poked her over and over again. Poor McKenzie just stared at him, probably thinking: "Wait until I'm old enough to poke you back!" Finally, Papa and Grandma Slade and Linda came over today and we all had a blast. We went to McDonald's and played outside for hours. The boys had a wonderful time, and I think the grown-ups did too! Of course, Grandma Traci, Ryan, and Brittani were also some of the fun visitors as well.

Here are a couple of pictures of our fun times:

Lucas, Kevin, Baby Kenzie, and Thomas

Brody, Lucas, Kevin, and Thomas

Thomas, eating a twinkie.


Brittani and Kevin playing with his tools.

Grandma and the twins, swinging away.

The two Tom's.

The Joy of Motherhood

A fellow wonderful mother forwarded this to me in an email and it is just oh so true:

Before I was a Mom, I never tripped over toys

or forgot words to a lullaby.

I didn't worry whether or notmy plants were poisonous.

I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,

I had never been puked on.

Pooped on.

Chewed on.

Peed on.

I had complete control of my mindand my thoughts.

I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,

I never held down a screaming child

so doctors could do tests.

Or give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at nightwatching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,

I never held a sleeping baby just becauseI didn't want to put her down.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces

when I couldn't stop the hurt..I never knew that something so small

could affect my life so much.

I never knew that I could love someone so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,

I didn't know the feeling of

having my heart outside my body...I didn't know how special it could feel

to feed a hungry baby.

I didn't know that bond

between a mother and her child.

I didn't know that something so small

could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,

I had never gotten up in the middle of the night

every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.

I had never known the warmth,the joy,the love,the heartache,the wonder
mentor the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,

before I was a Mom ..

HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY JESSICA!!!!!!

Happy 21st birthday to my wonderful sister-in-law, Jessica Krupp. I hope she has a wonderful day! And she is leaving on Friday for Las Vegas with her parents, friends, and other relatives....Vegas won't know what hit 'em!

Jessica has become a beautiful, charismatic, hilarious, honest person whom I consider myself very blessed to have as a sister-in-law. And I know that if my boys could type, they would write:

Aunt Jessica,
We love you so very much! You are a wonderful Aunt and you light up our world everytime you are around. We are so lucky to have you in our lives and hope that you have the BEST birthday ever! XOXO. Love, Kevin, Lucas, and Thomas

And Paul says Happy Birthday and that he loves you very much!





Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Dear Jessica, Happy Birthday to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Update

I went to my oncologist yesterday and just thought I would update everyone. I had numerous tests done--a thyroid ultrasound, a chest xray, and bloodwork galore--and everything look really good! My doctor thinks that the radioactive iodine and surgeries were successful at this point. However, the true test is still yet to come. In July I have to get more testing done (thyrogen), and possibly another radioactive iodine treatment/scan. I am hoping to avoid doing that again, but obviously I want to do what is necessary.

At this point, we are pretty optimistic. My energy levels are increasing and I am finally starting to shed a pound here and there. Good thing too because those kiddos of mine are running me ragged!

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!!!!

Happy Easter to everyone! I hope everyone's Easter was as wonderful as ours was. We enjoyed a great Easter Saturday at the Zeornes' and then celebrated the holiday with Easter breakfast with my family and Paul's family. The kids were great and so enjoyable. And it is always wonderful remembering the sacrifices that Jesus made on our behalf.

Thomas and Grandma

The ladies and their love bugs...Kelly and Isaac, Linda and Thomas, Brittani and Lucas, and Traci and McKenzie

My boys and the Easter bunny

Beautiful, sweet, little McKenzie


Kevin hunting eggs (this was at an egg hunt in Woodland...needless to say, they didn't hide the eggs very hard--or at all for that matter)

Lucas loves his cake!

Auntie Jessica, Kevin, and me in our cool Cars hat

The Smith Family...just wait until next year, that dress on McKenzie will be covered in egg dye

Brittani and Cortney

The Easter Bunny came to town (Thomas on the left, Kevin in the middle, Lucas on right)

Dye those eggs boys

Linda and Isaac

Thomas and Lucas, dying their eggs (or spilling the dye...whatever works)

Isaac, Lucas, and Thomas....playing hard

Isaac and Kevin, getting ready for some egg coloring action

Grandma, Grandpa, and Ryan

Kevin, playing Pretty, Pretty Princess, but we call it Handsome, Handsome King that way Paul can stomach the idea of his participation a little better

Lucas and Isaac, hunting for eggs (or sitting there eating the contents of eggs)

Alfalfa, Pans, and a Day at the Beach

It's moments like these that make life worth living:

Little Lucas, eating his snack, and styling with his Alfalfa hair-do.

Thomas, Thomas--always into something!

My crazy Kevin, spending a day at the beach (even though we have snow falling outside). This picture doesn't show it, but he's even got his water shoes on and his sunglasses are somewhere!

Crazy Hair

So I’ve realized that I really am a woman who prefers that the men in her life have short hair. This preference doesn’t just apply to Paul, but to my kids as well. However, I now find myself over ruled, and I can’t seem to change Paul’s mind. So I have attached a photo of his hair (no, he did not skin a porcupine and stick it to his head), let’s hear your thoughts. I have also attached a picture of Lucas’ hair. Paul doesn’t want to cut it until he’s older, but you should see it when it gets wet—it goes half way down his back. And as you’ll see in the picture, it can be pulled back into a pony tail. Oh well, my men are so wonderful that if the worst I have to deal with in life is a little locks, I will consider myself the luckiest woman on earth!