Mini Relay For Life

Last Friday McLoughlin held it's first Mini Relay For Life. John called me up and asked if I wanted to bring the kids over and walk for the cause. I thought it might be a nice thing to do as a family so we headed over to the school. I was pretty surprised when they handed Anderson a ribbon announcing him as a "Survivor." I never forget that Anderson had Leukemia. The fear of his cancer coming back never leaves me. But I hadn't ever lumped him together with all the adults who have survived cancer. I don't know why this was such an awakening for me. I didn't see him as a survivor, I always saw him as my 4 1/2 year old little boy who fought a battle and won. I realize that this means he survived, but it really hadn't occurred to me until now.So why after so many years of being cancer free did tears come as I watched my sweet boy make that victory lap around the track? Surrounded by adult survivors he was all smiles.

Every type of cancer has a color, and most of the world is aware that Breast cancer is pink. Our families color is Gold, the color for Childhood cancers. Surprisingly Branson fiddled with his paper Ribbon for a few seconds and then left it alone for the entire afternoon.The event was small but the kids had a good time with water balloons, face painting and free hot dogs, nachos and chocolate chip cookies.Anderson is definitely becoming a "teenager" but I appreciate that he saves his less desirable moods for the home. He is a polite, sensitive and healthy young man and I can't believe he will be turning 14 in the fall.

Crazy!!

So for several weeks the clock in our "new room" had stopped. It was driving my nuts so while I was dusting I grabbed a chair and popped in a new battery. I reached over to change the hands of the clock to match the current time while glancing at our other clock. (The angle of my picture isn't great but it really is the same time)

What are the chances that I did not have to move the hands even a smidgen!? Well, there are two times during a 24 hour period that 12:49 occurs, and there are 720 minutes in a 12 hour period so that's pretty crazy stuff. (Do I need to get out more?)

"The Vanpire" A Story By Sydney

The Vanpire

By Sydney Cazier

(No editing done by mom)

I'll never forget last summer when that vanpire appeared. My mom was shoping when I found it. Let me tell you about it.

Chapter 1

The Last Day of School

"Mom I don't want to go to school." My little brother Tommy whined.

"Bhritney!" My Mom called me from the kitchen. I ran down the stairs and looked around the room.

"Wheres Kaly?" I asked.

"She's at school." My mom said.

I grabed my back pack and started heding toard the stairs. Ones(once) I was in my room I remembered that today is the last day of school! I shoved my homework in my back pack and ran back down the stairs.

"Heres your lunch hunny." My mom said "Oah, and make sure you keep track of Tommy" my mom reminded me.

"I'm not going mommy!" Tom said.

"Yes you are Tommy boy." my mom said. Now this was going too far. Tommy started screaming his head off. My mom ran into the livingroom and scooped him up and sat him down on the couch.

"Tommy" my mom said. She was always gentle with him.

"Today is the last day of kintergarten. You won't have to go to school tomorow."

Tommy's eyes widend.

"Really?" He asked. "Are you sure?"

Mom smield. "Of course baby" my mom said.

Tommy jumpet up.

"Hurry up Betty! Thats what he called me. "We don't wan't to be late for school!"

I rolled my eyes but I put my lunch in my back pack and went out the door. Tommy was alredy at our mailbox waiting for me. He was jumping up and doun.

"Betty come on!" Tommy said.

"Be qiet!" I said.

When we got to school the bell was ringing. When I got to class I huged Mary Ann and sat down.

Stay tuned for the next chapter in The Vanpire..."Summer asiment" (assignment)

OK...well, I though it was dang good. I didn't write that well in second grade! :)

Innocence is Bliss

Now what on earth would cause two young, cute, LDS youth to looks so bashful? ?
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Why, dancing of course! What a fun Mutual Night activity...and thank you to Scott who is always quick to snap a photo so Mom's like me can get a sneak peek.

Cutest Chew Toy Ever!

Last weekend we went to Sunnyside for Cayden's basketball tournament. While I went into Subway to get lunch John decided to take a look in the small shoe store next door. (John has a real problem saying no to shoes.) When we met up again Branson was wearing these...

They are so dang cute! I don't even care that he paid full price, and I mean full price. Branson's summer wardrobe is all set thanks to Alicia and Debie hand-me-downs. So with no money needed for size 24 month clothing...a little extra won't hurt. And should one fall off...you will hear "Uh-Oh" and then Branson will proceed to chew on the worlds most expensive teething ring.

Simplify?

When did CRAZY become the everyday routine in our lives? I keep waiting for those free moments of down time when I can blog, take my online digi scrapbooking classes, deep clean my house, relax. Just a few short months ago I remember thinking, "Wow, things are pretty smooth going around here. The house is staying clean, I'm not overbooked, life is good." Now I feel like I am running around with so much to do that nothing is getting done.

I know lots of people feel this way. I have seen several blogs about simplifying our lives. I know about simplifying and finding moderation in the things we do. But every once and a while the few "simple" things all seem to pile up on the same few weeks.

On January 20th Branson started throwing up. And then he started having severe diarrhea The vomiting continued off and on again until a trip to the ER and a dose of medicine on March 3rd. And yes there were three trips to the doctor before the hospital visit, trying to diagnose his symptoms. I'll spare the boring details...we are still working it out and the diarrhea continues, but after seeing an allergy doctor (and finding that he has no allergies just really bad eczema) we are making some progress. I guess he has a ton of unusual bacteria in his nasal cavity and sinuses that can drain into the stomach and cause his problems.

So all this would be fine for a stay at home mom. I can handle sudden bouts of vomiting and diarrhea but like I mentioned earlier, if you add that to the other things in your life it can get a bit crazy.

After years of "living" at my kids elementary school as PTO president I simplified my life and I do one thing a year for the school. I put on the week long trash-to-treasure book fair and it really does require that I am there all week long during school hours. Branson's cranky "I don't feel good" attitude and frequent trips to the restroom for a diaper change didn't mesh well with quiet library time. I am forever indebted to my mom and cousin Rachel who took him for days on end and for everyone else who helped me out that week. (It was so insane that it's all a blur and I know I am forgetting to mention someone else who helped me out big time, forgive me)

So the wee hours of the morning on Tuesday was spent in the ER. I got 1 hour and 45 minutes sleep, worked in the book fair all day and was hosting BUNCO that night. Here again is another fine example of how something that only happens once or maybe twice a year landed smack dab on a lousy place on my calendar. Another big thank you to Rachel who offered to have BUNCO at her house. A good thing too...the way things were going my house was not in any state to entertain.

So the book fair is over but my life just hasn't slowed down. Cub Scout Day camp is now consuming many hours of my day. I had another big meeting last night, Cayden has basketball, Sydney piano, Anderson tennis. My kids all have their one thing but you all know that everyone else's one thing gets tacked on to Mom's list of THINGS.

So today I tackle the house, the laundry, the taxes...

Why am I spending time posting on my blog? Dang it, I wanted to! And it has been very therapeutic. I am ready to go get Branson out of Sydney's Moon Sand and tackle the world...well at least my world.

Oh yea, and my hair is falling out. Do you think it's from stress?

Scouts Shmouts

When Anderson turned 8 he became a Wolf in Cub Scouts.

(Anderson Baby Proofing our kitchen cupboards last week for his Family Life Merit Badge)

My thoughts on that day, "Oh goody. One more thing to make sure Anderson completes on time. One more thing to run him back and forth in the car. Why does the church support this organization?"

I was clueless in the world of Cub Scouting. Sure, my Dad had been a Scout Master, my brothers are Eagle Scouts but that didn't mean I paid any attention to how the program worked. I dropped Anderson off at his first Pack meeting and went home with no idea that this was supposed to be a family event. So you get the idea...I was uninformed and a bit less than enthusiastic. I did not "get" Cub Scouting. I did not see it as important, but rather as one more thing to add to my To Do list.





A few short months later I was released as Primary Chorister and called as the new Den Leader for Wolfs and Bears. I cried. I prayed. I cried some more.





5 1/2 years later and I get Cub Scouting. I am beginning to get Scouting. These programs are not only a fun and creative outlet for our young boys but they instill a strong foundation of values and responsibility that they will use their whole lives.

(Oh, the concentration)


I love Cub Scouting. I love that I get to be in charge of Day Camp. I love that my boys are working toward their Eagle.

(Branson helped out with no clue that in a few short minutes he would no longer have access to all things poison)

So despite the fact that I still can't stand doing silly applauses...I understand why President Thomas S. Monson is such an advocate for the Boy Scouts of America, and I can't wait until Branson gets to be in Cub Scouts.

A Boy After My Own Heart!

Here is Branson handing me one of his favorite books. (Big Trucks and Dirty Bulldozers) For those of you who remember the Shower Post... here is what happens if you tell him Mommy can't read right now cause she's busy...

And this is after an HOUR of reading to him!