Abby the Cheetah!

This past week Abby's class had a little performance called the 2nd grade Zoo.  Each kid picked an animal, wrote a report on it, made a costume, and then read the report aloud when someone pushed the red button on their shoulder...it was very cute!  Abby was very excited when she saw us walk into the gym and she did a great job reading her report--it's fun to see her come out of her shell:)

I videoed her doing it...you have to listen very carefully!  Hopefully you can understand her.  It was very loud in the gym.

Here's Abby report she wrote:

Abby Stamps

Cheetah

Hi, I'm a Cheetah.  Did you know I like to hunt rabbits?  My Dad said that I have long legs, a long tail and a small head.  I like to catch breakfast for me so I'm a carnivore.  Birds are desert always.  My parents say I was born blind and grow up to be a big grassland animal.  I can run as fast as a car. So bye, for now!

Brer Rabbit

Debbie and Jerry (Maw Maw and Poppa) took the grandkids to see Brer Rabbit on Sunday.  The show was so cute (parents got to come this time too:)
We decided the only sad part was that they took Uncle Remus out of the play.  It made it a little tricky to tell the story but they made do.  I hate that we have to be so politically correct these days...that's just how they talked people--no one's making fun of anyone--calm down!:)
Haha!

Report about MY DAD!!!

**Here is the report AS OF TODAY about my Dad.  Good news...very good news! *sigh* I feel like a huge bolder has been lifted...we all feel like we can breath again--including Dad:)

This is from my Mom...

"Blue skies shining on me, nothing but blue skies do I see."
Well today was certainly a day of blue skies with no clouds hanging over us.  

First of all, Len was taken off of oxygen support this morning and has been fine all day.  

Secondly, the pathology report came back and eliminated all of the infections it could have been like fungal, bacterial, etc. and determined that there were inconsistencies in the alveolar cells that were consistent with the drug Amiodarone he was taking that is toxic to your lungs.  He was taken off Amiodarone when we came back this time and has been on steroids and his lung xray have improved.  They say that it may take as long as a year, but that they should continue to improve and there is a good possibility that he will get back almost full function of his lungs by the end of a year.  

And last  but not least, they finally were able to take out the drainage tube so he is free and clear of anything hooked up to his body.  He says he can already feel a big difference since the sutures that were holding it in are gone and no longer pulling on his side.  Here's hoping that he gets a great night's sleep tonight and will be ready to go home tomorrow.  

To continue:  "Never saw the sun shining so bright, never saw things going so right."  At least not for a while now.  Thank you Lord Jesus for giving the doctors the skills and knowledge they needed to figure out what was going on with Len and we thank you already for the things you are going to do in his healing process. 

A few OF MANY my favorites:)

Here are a few more pictures I was able to get my hands on:)  There are SO many more but I just had to share...more to come!

our model...isn't she beautiful?

My personal favorite of Greg and I

Love this one of the kids and Lucy:)

Probably one of my favorite of the family...love the coloring of this picture--good job Kort:)

Love this one of Lucy.  She was having a blast leaping through the blue bonnets:)

All smiles Reese....too adorable huh?

Sneak Peek

Yesterday my sweet friend, Kortney, took our family pictures.  I only have one to show you now but will put more on as soon as I get them all!  Yay!
I hope you like it:)

Back from Kansas City

Just got back today around lunch and man was I beat.  Barely made it through lunch but was able to get a good long nap before picking the kids up from school.

I had a good but emotional visit.

I gotta admit my Dad and I both were sad that my visit wasn't as planned.  I was so looking forward to taking care of him at home.  He had made such progress and I was excited to see him getting better, see him walking.  Anyways...
   When I was little my Dad always used to take me for "rides".  We would drive for hours with no where in partial to go.  He would always get me some sort of sweet treat and we had such a great time together, sometimes talking sometimes silent but always enjoying the peace and quiet.

I was so looking forward to taking him for a ride.
~Next time Dad!
~we have already been talking about taking a trip to Alaska together after all this is over....very excited about that!

I was able to be there for his lung biopsy Tuesday which was needed to hopefully find out what in the world is wrong with him.  The surgery went well but he was in ALOT of pain and was very sleepy. (because of the pain meds)
Today (Friday) is the earliest we will find out the results of the biopsy.  We are hoping they find something they can treat and that he will be able to get home asap!

I am sure most of you are checking the caring bridge site but if not here's the link:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lenlarson
My Mom is better at keeping everyone updated about all the details:)

THEY ARE GONNNNNE!!!!

I am beyond ecstatic...it's so amazing to have my braces off finally!  It was a painful process popping all those brackets off but it was SO worth it!  What do you think?

Before (this is for you Cari;)

After!  Yay--they are gone!

Yard Day!

Saturday we spent most of the day in the front yard planting new flowers, digging up bushes and getting sunburns:/

We put the kids to work and they did a great job!  They both are developing great work ethic...well, most of the time;)  After all the hard work we got the kids some pots to paint and they planted some flowers in them.  They LOVED this project...it's the little things:)

Abby's

Reese's

Mary Kay Makeover!

Saturday our friend Julie came over and taught us a little bit about make-up! Abby thought is was pretty fun to put on the "real" stuff:) Julie taught me the 5 minute face (as Mary Kay calls it:) so I can do it in Europe and still look cute! (we leave April 28th--yay!)

It was fun to have this time Abby and I can't wait to teach her more and more about being girly!!

lip mask:)

close-up---she thought the lip mask itched...funny girl:)

My Dad

Just got a call that my Dad was just admitted to the hospital again.  They are not sure what is wrong but are hoping to get to the bottom of it fast!
Here's the caringbridge site for more info.
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lenlarson

Please pray!  Thanks!

Grand Slam!!!

Reese had a great game last night!  He hit a grand slam!  Oh he was so proud and so were we!  I finally got a few pictures to share with you....enjoy!

This year Charlie, Landry and Reese are on the same team....this makes them very happy:)  And it make Maw Maw and Poppa happy!  Now they only have to go to see one team instead of 3!  

High five!

All the Rangers

playing 3rd base--action shot:)

Reese running in after hitting a GRAND SLAM!

It's TIME...again!

Can you believe it?  Opening day of the Rangers was this past Friday!  YAY!  We swept the Red Sox this weekend so yeah, it's gonna be a good season;)  We love our Rangers!
Everyone has been asking and no we didn't get the lottery for opening day tickets but we did get Saturday.  We were thrilled to find out we got the tickets and we ended up getting to go with the Brooks family #Becky and Tony who went to the Pennant game with us last October--they are our baseball buddies:)
Their boys Payton and Benjamin came this time and our kids were beyond excited about that!  It was SO nice to be back at the Ballpark and we are looking forward to many more...it's gonna be a long/awesome season-- since we are gonna go all the way again:)  Mark my words!

They have missed the garlic fries!!

Pure goodness!  You smell of garlic for 2 days!!:)

Tony and Becky bought the kids ice cream...they are nicer than me and Greg;) ha!
They were so sugared up it was scary!

Payton--he's hilarious!  

They are very serious about their ice cream!
Notice Benjamin is not holding his ice cream (upper right hand corner) Tony is actually eating some of it for him.  Thats very nice of you Tony:)

Abby and Payton.
We all hope they marry each other one day.  How awesome would it be the have Tony and Becky as in-laws!  Amazing:)

These two are stuck like glue.  Here they were dancing together to try and get one the jumbrotron!
Very cute!

Roller Skating Party!

First I must say I have the best friends ever!  

Yesterday a few of my good friends threw me and my sweet friend Kortney Scott and surprise roller skating birthday party!  Now I know my birthday was a few weeks ago but Kortney's is today (Happy Birthday Kort:) so they just combined the two....very fun!

We all had a blast...brought us all back:)

We had the full blown party....pizza, cake and we even had to do the birthday hokey pokey!  Ha!

Thank goodness Kortney was with me or it might have been kinda embarrassing dancing with the other little kids having birthdays too:) (they were about 5 years old or so:)

Greg got some good pics....way to go honey!

Thank you Angela and Cari you guys are the best!!!

all our kids thought the party was awesome!
Reese loves to skate!

Cari, Natasha, Kortney, me and Angela

Kortney and I blowing out our candles!  ha!
The hostess girl said, "normally we have the kids count down from your age and then you blow out your candles but that might take a while!"  HA!  I about died laughing!  Yes, it would take awhile won't it? :)
33, 32, 31,30....ha!
Korteny is only turning 29 so I claimed her age all day...she didn't mind:)

Hokey Pokey...look at the litttle kid next to us! TOO funny!  I think everyone there thought we were nuts!!!

My boyfriend

Me, Eric (Kortney's hubby) and Angela taking on the little kids in red light green light....Angela won!  She's crazy:)
Check us out we were intense! ha!
Look at that kid with the walker next to us...we are ruthless!!! Terrible!

not a clear pic but here we were whining about having to go back to the wall:)  Can you say sore losers??;)

Trying to stop...I was flying trying to win red light green light
  I have always been pretty good a random "sports"...now basketball is another story:)