Happy Easter 2011

The day before Easter, the boy's school had an Easter Egg hunt. They hid 10,000 eggs for the kiddos.

We had a great time but the weather was pretty chilly.

I just love when I get get Austin to hold still long enough to take a picture... And every now and then I will even get a smile!!!

Austin is a very effective Easter Egg hunter/gatherer.

Colin... not so much. Each time he'd get an egg, he would take the time to open the egg and then the candy and eat it on the spot. If it weren't for a little help from myself, he would've ended up with about 4 eggs :)

Colin just wasn't having the Easter Bunny. Austin and Amelia on the other hand, hammed it up for the camera!

Here is Colin making use of the baskets in his own unconventional ways.

And this picture is just classic. The kids get some serious speed going down this slide!

Good Morning!

Despite the fact that we got Colin a brand new bunk bed for his birthday.. the little stinker still sneaks into our bed in the middle of the night. I might be a little more annoyed if it weren't for the fact that I get to wake up to Colin's adorable "Sunshine Face" every morning! Seriously, if they could package this cuteness into a 'cup a joe' this world would be such a happy place!

Remembering GG...

Sweet GG passed away on Saturday evening at 8:08 pm (04/09/2011). My mom, Aunt Monte and Jan were in the room with her when she passed. She was in no pain and it was a very peaceful passing, everything we were praying for.

I know we would have liked to have more time with GG, but God was ready for her to come home. In the end she had no fear, the only thing that filled her heart was love. Joel and I went to see her on Saturday morning and I will never forget the way the life came into her eyes as Joel sat down next to her to say goodbye. There was something so special about the light and love that filled her eyes during those last precious moments... I knew with all my heart just how much she loved our family and how much we meant to her. I can rest assured that GG left this life knowing what a tremendous impact she had on our lives.

GG saw straight through to the core of the people in her life. She didn't beat around the bush. She told you exactly how it was, whether or not you wanted to hear it :) But the thing that made GG special was the fact that her words were filled with nothing but love and concern. She never let any of your faults mold her opinion of you. And when it came to her loved one's success stories, she was our most enthusiastic cheerleader!

She never missed a moment to celebrate our wonderful family.

Whether we were celebrating a 2nd birthday party at Chucky Cheese...

... or listening to 15 different preschool classes sing their rendition of "Silent Night". GG was always there with her vibrant blue eyes and beautiful smile.

She always had a story or a memory for any occasion. I can't remember a time when she didn't have something to talk about :) Now I see where I get it form !

GG was such a proud mother. And why shouldn't she be? She didn't do too shabby ;)

But I know the one thing that made GG the proudest... her Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren!

I pray that I too some day will be posing for picture after picture with Austin, Colin and their children. And that I may fill them with a lifetime of memories.

Thank you for your gift of love,
now you're sharing it up above.
You always had many things to say,
all in a caring and thoughtful way.
You saw the good in everyone,
no matter what wrongs they might have done.
As we say a sorrowful goodbye,

a solemn tear drops from my eye.
I know your place in heaven will have a good view...
Because you're telling God,
I need to keep an eye on a few ;)
You will eternally be in our hearts and mind.

So Grandma,
I must go, but I'll never forget you were one of a kind.

GG

As many of you know, GG was diagnosed with Leukemia about 2 weeks ago. Since the sudden diagnosis, her prognosis has taken a turn for the absolute worse :( This past weekend GG was having trouble doing the simplest of tasks. She was taken by ambulance into the hospital where it was discovered that she is in end-stage Leukemia.

This has been an absolute shock and heart breaking to the family. Aunt Monte has flown in from Alaska and GG's brother, Uncle Paul and his family drove in from Iowa. It was March 1st that she went in for here monthly check up and the doctors told her she was doing great. 5 short weeks later we have admitted GG into hospice care where we are told she only has days to live. Our hearts are breaking and I can only ask God to take her into his loving arms peacefully and painlessly.

It is so difficult to explain to your two little boys that we need to say our final goodbyes to our beloved GG. Austin is taking it rather hard, begging and pleading with us to not let GG go up to Heaven and that he would like GG to stay with us always. I have explained and will continue to explain that GG will always be with us... in our hearts and our memories. In every piece of pumpkin roll and peanut brittle that we make during the holidays. Every time the boys put on their knitted mouse slippers that GG made for them this past Christmas. Every time I read Soap Digest to get a sneak peak on whats going to happen on "The Young and the Restless". When I go to give the boys "feather tickles" on their backs. GG has blessed us with so many wonderful memories. We will cherish every moment that we have left with her in her final days. I have to laugh... when GG was asked whose guardian angel she was going to be, she responded.. "Not Heather's, she is way too much work!" :) Love ya GG!

Cardiomyopathy

I have been having chest pains and shortness of breath for over a year. My prior doctor kept telling me I was simply having panic attacks. Well I felt there was something more going on for months so I took matters into my own hands and contacted a cardiologist. In the past two weeks I have worn a holter monitor, had an ekg, echo cardiogram, nuclear stress test and finally an angiogram. It was discovered that I have dilated cardiomyopathy which was caused by a viral infection that caused damage to the left ventrical of my heart. Thank God we caught it in the early stages. With the proper care, medication and support of my amazing friends and family I am sure that the cause of my demise will be of VERY old age :)

Colin Turns 3!!!!

Here Colin is the morning of his birthday opening his Nerf Gun... The only thing he really asked for :)

We went to Red Robin when a group of friends and Colin got a big Birthday Sunday :)

We took lots of time to pose for some very cute and fun pics!

And then there was the motorcycle!!

And along with motorcycles come big muscles!

Group Pic... Say cheese :)

For Colin's big birthday party we celebrated at his favorite venue.. The POOL!

Nana and Grandma joined us for the fun.

And so did a whole bunch of kiddos!

And then there was the birthday cookie. I would also like to elaborate on is the fact that Colin got a chocolate fudge cake on his actual birthday... a sheet cake for his" family birthday party"... and then a cookie cake for his "friend birthday party"

And finally we have the BIG birthday present from us and both sets of grandparents! Not too shabby :)