Screen Shots 3

Franken-kitty

For all of you who know Tim's kitty Sprout and have followed her cancer journey - we have updates on her health. For those who don't - here is a recap:

Here is super healthy, pre-cancer Sprout

Pretty little thing isn't she?
In this photo, she had already had one mass cell tumor removed from the back of her leg (a couple of years before)  This was the day before the first eye surgery - you can see on her left eye (right on photo) a bald spot starting on her lower lid where the tumor is sitting. It's super small on the surface - but too big to ignore underneath.

Post eye surgery #2. One was not successful and her whole eye had to be removed to spare her life. She was pretty mad needless to say, but she adjusted very quickly. She was back to patrolling the neighborhood within a few months. She no longer brings us her big kills but she does still catch the occasional lizard.

We have gotten so used to her with one eye, that we no longer think she looks weird. Still beautiful as ever!

Unfortunately, with in a few months of the ye surgery, we found another tumor on her ear.

She ripped the stitches out immediately and had to have staples. 

Not at all thrilled with the cone - it lasted for about a day before she maneuvered out of it!

As we were going in to remove ear staples, we found another tumor on her back right leg. 

Still our sweet, snugly girl despite the stitches.

A little bit of a shave down to make the tumors easier to find. 

Again - time to remove leg stitches, and we warn the Dr. of a few more tumors.
After taking her back for a thorough check, the Dr. finds 8 new tumors. 

She ripped the stitches out in three places and had to go back for more staples.

The evening after the staples - she took her pain meds like a champ and turned in for the night!

To date, including the eye, she has had 14 tumors removed.

It's crazy to us how she can be so riddled with this disease and yet still so sweet and happy.

 She is constantly purring and bouncing around harassing the dog. She does want to snuggle more than normal and she is a bit more needy, but generally she acts just like her normal self. 

She can't go outside just yet but she has had no trouble transitioning to a litter box in the garage.
We have been asked many times now, at what point do we stop having the tumors removed - well, as long as they are where we can get them, we will get them.
We know there will come a day that they show up internally and we will be helpless to do anything, but until then - I feel like she trusts us to care for her and so we will do just that. She is a loyal and loving little kitty and we are blessed to have her as part of our family.

Refusal of Lessons

I always wished that one of my kids would want to take piano lessons - I wanted my house to be filled with the lovely sounds of church hymns and classical pieces. Isn't that something every suburban housewife should make their obedient little children do?

Well, I tried it and both of my children rejected that idea very quickly.

However, somewhere along the line, Tim started teaching himself. 

home is now filled (and I mean every waking minute of the day - and most nights even as I sleep) with that music I always wanted! Sometimes I hear a classical piece and occasionally I get a church hymn or two - but mostly its whatever song he has just heard on his sound cloud. He plays by ear, so he listens to a song a few times and then sits down and plays what he heard. It's an amazing talent really - something really cool to watch him doing - but I will admit, I still hope that one day he will learn to read music and play traditionally - mostly because I think it could be a bankable skill. 

Here are a few short videos of what it sounds like all day long in my house - sometimes I just like to go in his piano room and listen for a few minutes - he just plays and plays - one song morphs into another, and another, and another…

a little break

BYU Hawaii follows a three semester schedule - so Maggie just finished the fall semester and had a week off from classes! Most of her roommates/friends either went home or had family visiting, so she spent most of the week alone - however, there were a few days here and there that she was able to be with friends - these are a few of the pics she sent to me:

I LOVE this photo!
Paddle boarding with some roomies! Maggie is in the hat.

she sent this pic with a caption that said "bc I look naked"

Allie, JJ and Maggie

At Teds Bakery
Maggie, Kenzie, Abby, Abby's visiting sister, Paige and Charlotte

After a long day napping on the beach - they needed pie!
At Teds - Maggie, Allie and Jaylynn

And back to school for winter semester - 1st day pic

Halloween '15

Halloween is just not like it used to be.

We normally go to Disney World to celebrate - we didn't do that this year.

We normally have Maggie around - she is a big fan of the holiday - we didn't have her this year.

We normally carve pumpkins - Tim wasn't interested in that this year.

Instead, Tim and I drove to my moms since her birthday is November 2. We passed out candy with her and got to see Ethan in his cute little indian costume!

Meanwhile, Maggie went out with some friends.

 I guess Waikiki is the place to be for Halloween on Oahu. 

Maggie was a frat boy. I think the solo cup was a nice touch! 

Even though she doesn't drink - she sure looked like a drunken frat boy in this pic!
JJ was a tourist.

Some of the roommates after opening the Halloween box that I sent them!

A few days before Halloween, she and a few friends went to the famous Haunted Plantation in Waipahu!

Her living room sling glass door - looking spooky!

The week prior to halloween, a handful of the roommates went to a costume dance. Maggie was Waldo's girlfriend. An impromptu costume from her closet!

Cheerleader

I never thought I would have a cheerleader in the family. 

Maggie has never had the skills nor the desire that it takes for that particular sport! 

However, on a whim she decided to try out for her college team (WHO DOES THAT?!)

 and lo and behold - she made it!

BYU Hawaii's big sport is basketball - so she is just beginning to get a taste of what cheer is like! 

So far, she is sore in places she never imagined but she is having a blast! 

Squad selfie

a quick selfie before Midnight Madness
Roomates Maggie, Abby, Kenzie and Charlotte - Idk the other two!

While she was home for her birthday visit - I made her put on the uniform for me! I love it!

Marching in the 150 years of Laie Parade

After the Parade - soaking wet from the non stop rain!