Halloween!

The gang at San Luis Sports Therapy & Rehab where our daughter, Candice works, I work out and Kevin gets physical therapy.  A great place!  Candice is third from left on back row.  She went as a fortune teller.

 

Jen, physical therapist, the Old Geezer, and Candice

Old Geezer complete with toothless grin, drool bib and he really wanted you to see the flames on his walker! 

Tonight at church we had a Harvest Festival / Halloween party.  The older boys hosted a spook alley, many of the classrooms were filled with activities and games.  Kevin hosted Graveyard Golf in one of them.  I didn't even get to see it because I was busy the whole time with our skeleton ring toss.  I couldn't even take pictures which was a bummer because I saw some of the most awesome and clever costumes this year.  The gymnasium was also full of carnival type booths with a Halloween twist.  They even fed us pulled pork sandwiches, chips, and hot dogs, not to mention the many pounds of candy!  I'd say it was a huge success!  Thank you Bob and Nina! 

Vacation Part Two!

Poor young Spencer, our 8 year old nephew dealing with Rhabdomyosarcoma, was confined to a private room in Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City.  He was fighting an infection with a persistent fever and was stuck there almost another week.

This was the first and only time Kevin & I got to see him since he was diagnosed Feb. 2nd. of this year.

He's a real trooper.  He wanted to see us, but he was fighting to stay awake and won that battle which wasn't easy since he was heavily medicated.  Thank heaven for the mask!

Cousin Hillary was able to visit him in April when she flew out to visit as well as with us this trip.  I think he starts another round of in hospital chemo tomorrow.

After visiting Spencer we went to Becky & Roger's to celebrate her good news.  Her Hodgkin's Lymphoma is officially in remission, she is cancer free!  

 

Roger, Hillary, Becky, Aida, Kevin, & Dale

One of a thousand Aida faces!  She's a poser...

My favorite, 'The Lip'

Becky made 'Cancer Sucks' cookies for us all.  Taking a chunk out of cancer one bite at a time!

Jessica & Adam Richards, expecting their first child, Josh & Tara Richards, expecting their sixth child!   Our nephews & their beautiful wives...

Ike, Uncle Kevin, Sophie, Aida, Grandma Susie- Becky's mother & our sister-in-law, and a really awful pic of me...

'Help, I'm stuck between the slats of this chair!'  Not to let a Kodak moment go to waste, pictures first, rescue after.  This is Ian, Josh & Tara's youngest.  What a precious face...

Hillary playing with Josh's kids making faces.  This is the incomparable Sophie!

Ike and Hillary, so sweet!

Ike, Hillary and Cassidy.  Their mother is a beautiful red head, can you tell?

Jacob, Hillary & Ian

Good eats as always!  We are so blessed to have such wonderful nieces and nephews.  They are such good examples to me.  They are the best!  And they are raising very good children...

Kevin's brother Brian & his wife Jill treated us to a piano concert featuring Jon Schmidt.  He is an incredibly talented artist who takes everything from classics to classic rock to rap and makes it his own  Very entertaining and funny too!   It was great!  Who can't use a little more culture?

Great aunt Dale introducing Evelyn to bubbles.  She is Brian & Jill's first grandchild, the daughter of Laura and Caleb Yancy. 

Kevin's brother Jeff and his wife Mandy took us to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point.  Hillary finally meets someone who has feet bigger than hers!

I think some acting lessons are in order!  I've heard that if you don't move, they can't see you...

Cousin Rachel caught by surprise.  These are real bones and you just can't appreciate how huge they really are.  This was a very cool museum.  It's the largest collection of dinosaurs in the world. 

Jeff treated us to dinner at the cafe there and after Kevin insisted on ice-cream all around!

Kevin, Jeff, Rachel, Mandy, Dale and our very patient and adorable server! 

We went to visit Holly's father, OK Hemsath  and his wife Suzi Saturday night.  The guys went to General Priesthood meeting and we all had a great visit.  So enjoyable in fact that even Hillary didn't take any photos.  We will try to get one from Holly to post later.  It was great to see them.

Mandy, a fabulous cook, prepared a delicious meal of marinated grilled chicken, scalloped potatoes, and a unique grilled romaine salad topped with caramelized onions, blue cheese and balsamic & Dijon vinaigrette.  To die for!  Yum....

For desert, Mandy made from scratch, the most delicious Key Lime Pie I've ever eaten.  I'll never order it again Mandy!

Somewhere over the rainbow is home!  It rained a bit through Utah on our way home.  Hillary took this through the car window!  We had a great visit but it's nice to be home again.

CYCLOPS!  Kevin had his first cataract surgery on Monday and is already seeing very well.  He has the beginning of one in his other eye that he will have fixed when it gets a little worse.

A day after surgery and the eye is still dilated!

Sorry to all of you we didn't get pictures of, we were just having too much fun visiting with you!   We had a wonderful visit with our Colorado and Utah families.  Thank you to all for your hospitality and generosity.  We love you!  Dale

FRESH AIR FOR THE SOUL

     You've seen some of the pictures from our trip.  Dale started the blog post by saying, "Kevin decided he needed a vacation..."  It wasn't just that.  Anyone that knows me at all, knows that I love the outdoors.  After 14 months of being couped up in hospitals and my home, I needed TO GET OUT!  I needed to feel what it was like to get back to what I consider normal, or at least as normal as I could safely do.  People recharge their souls in different ways.  Mine has always been through outdoor activities.  Backpacking, camping, hiking, exploring.
     I have to express a special thank you to my brother Alan and his wife Lynette.  They came down from Denver area to meet us in Moab to start our trip, and made the whole southern Utah and Colorado part of our trip possible.  They took a week of their vacation time to make sure that we had a great vacation.  They arranged for all of the accommodations and planned the sightseeing part of our trip to make it the most fun for me.  They planned everything around my abilities and were always sensitive to my physical limitations.  It not only would'nt have been as much fun without them, but it never would have happened.  A thousand thank yous.  I've even let it go about how much of my banana split you ate, Alan.
      A couple things Dale didn't mention was that while in Glenwood Springs, CO.  Even though because of the rain the girls didn't ride bikes, Alan and I did during a break in the rain.  We hustled up the canyon to ride along the Colorado River as it comes down the canyon.  It was truly spectacular.  We rode about 3 miles UP the river before I needed a break, so we stopped and walked down to the side of the river.  After a short rest and stretching we continued.  I made it about 2 more miles before my back said, "That's it!".  After short rest and some more stretching, we headed back DOWN the river.  The ride down was easy and I could concentrate more on, and better enjoy, the truly fantastic surroundings.  Alan and Lynette went to a lot of trouble to prepare and haul 5 bikes on this part of the trip.  We only used 2.  Sorry, again Alan, but it was great for me.  Next time, we will do the 18 mile downhill ride from Vail pass.
     I was pleased with the amount of activity that my body was able to handle.  It was great to be outside.