Trouble

Not only do these two get to hang out while their older brothers play football, they get to be in class together this year.  Watch out Ting Laoshi.

Seriously?

I went upstairs 5 minutes ago to crack some heads.  I just could NOT take the fighting and screaming anymore.

Then I saw KP…and could do nothing but laugh.

What timing

The one day I don’t have my camera with me, KP decides to become a big boy.

We were at the pool yesterday.  He has never gone down the body slide or the tub slide by himself.  And yesterday, not only did he feel it was time to do this by himself but he also decided to add the drop slide and the diving board to his repertoire of bigness.

He was absolutely sure he could do it.  Swim all the way to the edge.

I was not so sure.

So what does a mother do?  Let them try.  Even though it might make me feel like I’m drownding just waiting and watching at the edge of the pool.  Let them try.

I can always jump in and grab him from a watery tomb right?

So off he goes, on his own, all on his own.

I sat in the reclining chair watching as he circled back to jump and slide again and again and again.  All I could think of was how funny the timing was.  The diving board today and off to all day Kindergarten next Tuesday.

As the sun warmed my body, that was simply resting on the chair (not grabbing limbs, not helping to swim, not playing with) I knew I had gotten to the next chapter.

OMG…what happens in the next chapter?

Good Bye Hugs

The Twin City Tools (12 member relay team) take off today to run 200 miles in 24 hours at Ragnar.

Good Luck Boys!

See ya on the flip.

A new sport

So here we go…CT has moved on from soccer and baseball to try his hand at football.

After watching the first practice, I must admit, it is going to be an exciting sport to watch.

He’s fast and agile. He likes to tackle.  He most likely at some point is going to get his bell rung.

But seriously, the kid hasn’t slept this well all summer. I mean, out like a light last night.

We walked to the car after practice. He lifted his helmet off his sweaty head to show his bright red face and glowing freckles and said, “THIS IS AWESOME! I’m doing it again next year!”

Mayo update

First of all, thank you for all your kind words of support!

Secondly, have you been to The Mayo Clinic?  Holy buckets.  It is a city in itself that is impeccably maintained, staffed and is visually stunning.  Not to mention its sheer size and the amazing art work that hangs from its walls.  It is something to behold.

Behind all of that, the patient care that we received while we were there was extremely thorough.

The doctor felt the main item of business was to see if my dad’s hip and leg pain was due to compromised bone structure (due to the cancer) or fractures.  If the bones were 50% compromised then he would need pins put in.  Needless to say, he did not like this idea but since those bones hold up your body, what can you say?

Turns out that his bones are good enough to move forward with his planned radiation, which will start this week (here) and hopefully ease some of the pain he is dealing with.

We also found out that there will be a Clinic Trial he could be involved in after his radiation is complete.  Since he has used all the drugs that doctors typically use for matastesized prostate cancer, this is the next best step.

If he doesn’t choose to do the trial, the doctors gave us another chemotherapy drug he could try.

So all said, I am glad we went.  We came away feeling that his doctors here are doing the best job they can and that there are a few options left to keep the cancer at bay.

I’ll keep you posted.

Another vacation of sorts

This cancer thing my dad has, doesn’t seem to be getting the picture that we don’t want it around anymore.  That said, my mom, dad and I are heading down to the Mayo Clinic to get a second opinion or better options or different options or another option or something that might stick.

Seeing that my dad is on his Chemo Holiday, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to just see what else was out there, so we are.

The kicker came last weekend for he and my mom as they fought off mind blowing pain and sleepless nights.  So with a visit to the doctor earlier in the week, new and/or increased pain meds and radiation, he is on a better playing field.  Or, at least we can make the trip down to Rochester without him losing his mind.

Birthday trip to Stillwater

Here’s to hoping our Mayo Vacation (that’s what we’ve decided to call it) will be fruitful.  If nothing else, it will give us peace of mind that the very competent Dr. that is in charge now, is doing all that is humanly possible to ward off what she can of this intruder into our lives.

I’ll be back, sometime.

Long weekends

Today we leave for our annual trip up to Camp Fritz.

This year will include:

3 moms
9 kids
3 dogs (one black lab puppy, one bull mastiff puppy and Lucy)
4 days
fishing
swimming
tick removal
6 bottles 9 bottles of wine
and few margaritas for Jen

See ya on the flip.

What do you think Adam will do with four days of silence?

I found THIS

If you had a random smattering of five children at the beach, one of which included KP.

Which one would find the knife that was left in the sand and want to play with it?

Yup…you guessed right.

And then, what would you picture happening next?

Yup…you guessed it.

Just another Life Lesson.