Time Flies, And So Do Chickens

If you are looking for the last post on my mom's breast cancer, just keep scrolling down.  It's right  under this post.  It's called "Pink Ribbons and Butterflies".  Thanks for checking on her--we appreciate all the love and concern!  I will keep letting everyone know how she's doing!  Also, if you would like to leave a comment for her, feel free!  She sees them all and enjoys hearing from you.  Thanks for all of the supportive comments.  We are so greatful for the love we have felt!

Ever since we moved to "the country", I have wanted to get chickens.  A few years ago we decided to give it a try.  It's been quite the experience!  We started out with 12, and added 13 more a year later.  We have had a few wander off and one met an untimely demise when they neighbors dog got loose. (A traumatic day for me and the kids!)  So, now we have 20.  I have gotten used to the constant clucking from the backyard, and we love the fresh eggs.  Zack and Lauren feed them and take care of them, and sell eggs to a few neighbors for some spending money.  The only problem, is that they can FLY!  We have had the hardest time keeping these chickens contained.  At first we thought it was no big deal if they got out and wandered the yard a little, until my kids accidentally came across an egg under some shrubs in the flower beds.  They looked a little closer and had an October Easter egg hunt.  They came in with 39 eggs they had found in the backyard under various bushes, behind rocks, you name it.  The eggs had been pretty well hidden, and we had no idea how long they'd been there, so I threw them all away. After that, we decided we needed to be a little more strict with the ladies, and we fenced them in a little better.  Things went pretty well until this new batch of chicks grew up enough to join them, and they had a lot more energy than the older gals.  They were flying the coop every day, and making a huge mess in our landscaping bark.  We tried clipping their wings, and I even joined a very prestigious (ha-ha) online club, BYC.  (Back Yard Chickens, a club I never thought I'd be a member of!)  But, they send me a very handy and informative newsletter once a month, in which I learned that even with their wings clipped, chickens can fly up to 18 feet.  So, we covered our chicken enclosure with a tarp.  That lasted 3 days until a huge windstorm ripped it to shreds, tearing all the chicken wire down with it!  So for the next 3 days, while we decided what to do with them next, all twenty chickens roamed the yard, and had a 24 hour all-you-can-eat buffet in our garden boxes.  We ended up putting them in a huge dog run with a wire grid on top.  That's been better, but we still have two of the black chickens who somehow manage to get out.  Naughty girls!!!  They are just lucky we like eggs!

Easter 2009, Cooper looking at our first batch of chicks

It took about six months for them to start laying
eggs.  The kids were pretty excited when they
found the first few eggs.

Caden cooking up an egg, straight from the chicken coop

Yummy scrambled eggs!

New chicks this spring

Cooper was a little older and a little braver this time!

Caden with the new chicks

The black chicks have grown up and started laying
cute, teeny eggs.  They eggs will get bigger as the
chickens mature more.

They look so funny next to a regular egg!

I never thought I'd be taking pictures of eggs for my blog!
(Never thought I'd be of member of the BYC club, either!)

A mini-update on mom:  She is doing well, still really sore from surgery, and really tired.  Some days are better than others, but she is pretty exhausted by the end of the day.  She has a great attitude, though, and so many people who love her and support her.  Thanks to all of you who keep her in your thoughts and prayers--that helps so much!  She is scheduled for an appointment with her surgeon on Sept. 8, the surgery for the port on Sept. 9, and the echo cardiogram sometime between then and when chemo starts on Sept. 15.  So, that's the plan for now.  I will keep everyone updated.  Thank you so much for your interest and concern!

Mom Update: Pink Ribbons and Butterflies

My mom's breast cancer diagnosis has definitely sent our family on a little detour.  This isn't the path we had mapped out for the summer, for sure!  We are learning all sorts of things about breast cancer, surgery, surgical drains, chemo, radiation, hormone replacement therapy, lymph nodes, pathology reports, scarves, wigs, and the list goes on.   It's a long list, really, and it's a lot to take in all at once.   We are also learning that there is a whole other world out there, with pink ribbons and butterflies everywhere you look.  We knew this place was out there, but it always seemed far away, and was somewhere we hoped we would never have to go.  We are finding, though, that this is a place filled with lots of other women too.  It's pretty crowded actually, and I'm pretty sure none of them want to be there either!   There are also some great doctors, and nurses who are so nice that they answer every question we have, even if we ask the same ones two or three times.  (Again, it's a lot to take in!)  So, while my mom takes this journey, this little detour she has been sent on, she will be in good company with everybody else in this "pink" world who is trying to get back on track.  We know there will probably be some bumps along the way, but we hope her road to recovery will not be too long or too hard.  No matter where it takes us, we will be with her through it all, and we will all just hang on for the ride!

(By the way, this is another song I've liked for a long time, and it seemed appropriate for this post, with the butterflies, and all.  It made me think of my mom and all of the other "butterflies" trying to fly through hard times right now.)

She has had a busy week this week and continues to recover from her surgery.  On Tuesday she met with her surgeon, who said she is healing well.  He took out the four drains she has had in since the surgery three weeks ago.  That was cause for celebration!  No more dang drain pain! Yay!!!  Those drains were really bothering her.  They were painful and were just plain cramping her style.  But, on the bright side, now all of us girls and my dad, too, know how to empty surgical drains.  She will see the surgeon again in the second week of September to have another small surgery to insert the port into her chest where she will receive her chemo.

Wednesday, we met with the oncologist.  We were a little worried about the news he might give us.  We know the cancer has not spread on one side, thankfully, but has spread to lymph nodes on the other side.  He explained her chemotherapy schedule to us,  and she will start mid September, if all goes well.  She will have chemo treatments every other week for 16 weeks, then radiation for 5-6 weeks, five days a week. So, that will keep her pretty busy.  They warned her that she will be really tired and won't feel too great, and to plan on giving herself about a year to start feeling like herself again.  That's OK...it's worth it!  It was a long appointment, we were there about three hours and we learned a lot about what the next few months will hold.  It goes without saying that after that marathon appointment, we just had to take ourselves to Olive Garden.  Melanie and I went with my mom that day, and we had lots of laughs at the restaurant.  Sometimes a Cherry Coke, breadsticks, and (of course) alfredo dipping sauce can just make your day! 

She was scheduled for an echo cardiogram today to make sure her heart is nice and healthy and ready to handle the chemo, but she decided to reschedule that for next week to give her incisions a little more time to heal.  She had a nice visit with Aunt Mary today, (her sister) and she is so thankful for all of the love and support from her family and friends.  She has so many people who love her and have been worried about her, and we all appreciate the help and the prayers! 

I will try to keep everybody updated on her progress on the "road to recovery".  We know she'll do great!  We all love her and are thankful for our blessings.  We know some days will be really hard, but most days, life will be good!

......and if it's not, we'll just take ourselves back to Olive Garden or somewhere equally yummy.  A hot fudge sundae from McDonalds always seems to do the trick!

Back to School, Ready or Not!

You can't start a new school year without pictures the first day.  It's a rule at our house, (one that my teenagers think is "so lame").  They are good sports, though and put up with all of my picture taking.  Everyone had a great day today, even though summer was just way too short! 

Kamryn, starting second grade

Kam lost her two front teeth last night.  What a great way to start the year-
I love this toothless grin!

Lauren, headed to sixth grade

Josh, a junior this year

Zack, eighth grade

A little nervous, but excited!

Digging into the "first day of school" chocolate chip cookies.
Teeth or no teeth, ya gotta love cookies and milk after school!

Ready for a great year!

Packing Up and Moving Out

Well, Tyson moved out today.  It is really strange, because I've known for a long time that this was the plan, but I'm not sure I'm ready for it.  Oh well, it's too late now!  I hope he will have a good experience at Utah State.  I hope we've taught him everything he needs to know in the short 18 years we've been his parents.  The time has flown by!  Why do kids grow up so fast?  Sometimes I wish I could slow it down.  I don't feel like I'm ready for this new phase of life.  For the last 18 years we've been adding to our family, and now we've got one leaving home.  I was loving the "always having a baby in the house" stage.  I'm not feeling ready for the "watch them move out now" stage. 

I am really going to miss Ty.  I know he's only going to be gone for one semester, and he's only three hours away, but...still!  It's hard for me!  I figure if I'm going to have a blog, I have to be honest here and not only write about the wonderful things in life, but the good, the bad, and the ugly. (I love Clint Eastwood, by the way.  I've always had a now not so secret crush on him.)  Anyway..about the bad and the ugly...Josh and Zack are excited to have a little break from their older brother.  I'd like to believe it's only because now they will get their own rooms, but I think it has more to do with the fact the Tyson's favorite pastime was bugging them.  Josh, especially has put up with a lot and he has been looking forward to this day for quite a while! 

Other than the brother-bugging, though, Ty's pretty awesome.  I hope he has lots of fun, but not too much! I figure this is good practice for me before sending him on his mission.  I have to ease into it!

Ty took Kam and Lauren out to dinner last week to say goodbye. 
They loved having a date with their big brother!

Ty hates posing for pictures but we made him!
This was Sunday night before we left to
say goodbye to his grandparents.

All the kids out front, saying goodbye.

Ya, it's one in the afternoon and Caden's still just wearing pajama bottoms
and a bike helmet.  At least he's got the helmet, right?

I"m smiling, but I"m really not all that happy about this!

At this point, Ty's just wishing I would quit taking
pictures so he can hit the road!

bye Ty,

Have fun at college!  We love you!!!

Lookin' In

The first time I heard the song "My Front Porch Looking In", I thought, now that is my song. That's exactly how I feel!  (At the time, I also happened to have "a carrot top that could barely walk with a sippy cup of milk, and a blue-eyed blond with shoes on wrong who likes to dress herself.") I wanted to put this song on my playlist for your listening enjoyment while you read this post, but it wasn't available--dang annoying!  (I think they have every Lonestar song but this one, darnit!) Anyway...I've always loved pulling into the driveway and knowing that my family is inside waiting for me.  I especially love it if it's night and the lights are on inside and I can see the kids running around and playing.  I always know I'm about to open the door to lots of noise. probably a little bit of chaos, and also lots of hugs and kisses from the little ones.  Even if I've only been gone for a little while, I love coming home.  It's my favorite place to be!

Kamryn, my carrot-top with her milk,
18 months

Lauren, my blue-eyed blond, 4 years old

The other day I was listening to this song on my i-pod while I tackled a huge pile of ironing.   It got me thinking that I only have one more week knowing that everybody is inside together, and that my whole family is sleeping at home.  I've always hated it when my kids are sleeping somewhere else for the night.  I like knowing that they are all safe and sound inside our house with us.   So, I only have one more week until Tyson moves out to go to college.  Then I won't be able to see him through the window with the rest of the family.  I think I'm in denial that he's actually leaving.  I'm already wondering when he'll be home to visit. 

        I do love the view of the mountains from the back deck, and I've seen some pretty awesome sunsets from the front porch,

but my favorite view has always been looking at my house, knowing that everyone is inside, safe and sound. 

I better enjoy it while I can!

Where's Cooper?

This picture of Cooper cracks me up, so I had to post it.  I walked into the kitchen the other day and  had to look twice to see why the fridge was open.  He must have either been really hot or really hungry.  Silly boy!

Best Mom

I know many of you who read my blog have heard that my sweet mom was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer last month.  Today she underwent a five hour surgery, and will begin chemo in about four weeks.  She is doing well tonight, resting in the hospital and beginning the long recovery process.  She did great and we are thankful for the access to medical care that we have, and for doctors and nurses who are skilled and compassionate.  We are also thankful for all of the prayers and concern our family has felt.  I know that most people feel like they have the best mom in the whole world, and I think that's how it should be.  Our mom's teach us everything we need to know and love us no matter what.  So, naturally, I think I have the best mom in the world.  I'm so thankful for her and hope she will be feeling better soon.  She still has a long road ahead of her, but she has a great attitude, a great sense of humor, and a great amount of faith. Finding out that you have cancer is a shock, and there definitely is a bit of an adjustment period.  After she'd had a few days to process the diagnosis, she told me "If I have to have cancer, I'm going to be a lady and not whine about it!" And that's exactly what she's done.  She has been a great example to me and my sisters, and our children, too.  Love you mom!  (We all know we have the best mom in the world!)

Me and mom last week at an overnight
girl's night out at Snowbird.

Mom and grandaughters at the Nutcracker Ballet last December.

Mom and all the girls while going through my cancer almost seven years ago.