MONSTER of an update

Week of Sept 27th-October 4th

I've gotten a little behind this week on updating since I've been down with a cold.

Monday was as some of you know my birthday. I turned the ripe age of 29. That morning Ammon and I took a trip with MOMS Club to Kent Park's Nature Center. It was a small group, just my friend Dena and her 2 girls Leah & Ella. Ammon just loved the center. As we were waiting for our friends to get there, he was exploring EVERYTHING he could in the room. He was talking in his LOUD voice, and there was no volume control on him! He'd say "LOOK, Mom. A Turle shell, a deer antleer, a turkey feather."



Then he'd run to another spot and call out. "LOOK mom, the birds, you need to look in this bird book to check on the birds." Then I'd hear "LOOK mom. Come take a picture of this!" (I love that the kids also enjoy taking pictures!!) Then he saw the bear fur. He turned it over looking for it's bones. He'd find a spot and say "Here's a bone mom."



When our friends got there, the nature guy fed the fish. It was neat to see the order that the fish would eat. First the trout would eat, then the blue fish, then the catfish would wait until it was dark and the trout was gone before coming out to eat.
Feeding the salamander was fun to watch. He would sit real still, then lunge and grab the worm, wrestle it and swallow it whole. Ammon was brave enough to touch it.



Then he brought the snake out. Leah & Ella just LOVED the snake. Ammon on the other hand did NOT want it around his neck, or in his lap, but he did like to watch it.



After the nature center we met Johann for lunch at our favorite restaurant Hu Hut. It's a Mongolian place. You pick all your food and sauces, and they cook it on this huge grill while you watch them. We LOVE eating there. We can make any combination we want as many times as we want. Ammon had huge eyes watching them make his food. We gave him some chopsticks, and after just a few tries he was able to pick up some noddles with it. After a few minutes he did ask if he could use his fork again.



Then of course we went next door to Cold Stone for my FREE birthday ice cream. We picked out Chocolate ice cream with M&M's (Ammon's choice), almonds and Butterfinger. It was a messy treat but very YUMMY!



This week Ammon has been the sweetest kid I've ever met! Eveytime I laid down to rest, he'd come in give me a kiss, and run out. A minute later he'd run in with one of his favorite stuffed animals for me to cuddle with. He told me "It'll make you feel better." He was right. After I rested cuddling with his stuffed animal I'd fell better!

On Wedsnesday when Johann was coming home for lunch Ammon told dad that they were going to eat their lunch in his room. He then came and took their plates, cups and forks to his room. He set them up for their lunch.



Wedsnesday afternoon Simeon and I headed up to the University of Iowa Hospital to get bloodwork done and x-rays. His blood counts came back GREAT, and he is now back to his full dose of chemo! Then down to ortho. His x-rays showed that his bones had healed, and he could get a short arm cast on. The man taking off the cast said that Simeon was their best patient of the day, even better then the adults. He sat there played his Leapster while the guy cut the cast off. All the people in the cast room were so incredibly nice. They even put a cast on Shadow's right front leg! Now they match!!



The docotr also told Simeon some awesome news: He could ride his bike and play soccer. NO more restrictions!!!



As soon as we got home, the bike riding began. It was so fun for me to see the kids riding thier bikes together again. I missed this so much, and I didn't realize it until this afternoon.

Thursday we went to soccer practice with Simeon wearing shin gaurds. This meant that he could now participate in the whole practice. Ammon & Corrine love going to practice and playing on the playground. Tonight Corrine's friend Avery was there. She was so excited to play with her.



Friday night was our Family Night watching the BYU football game. I made some very good (and kind of spicy chili) and cupcakes. Corrine was my helper in writing a 'Y' on each cupcake. The kids watched the 1st part of the game, but then they wanted to get up and play football. It didn't work out the greatest. Thing is their games always get so loud, that you can't hear the real game. Corrine was the best cheerleader, and showed us her football kick she learned in PE.







Saturday morning was Simeon's soccer game. He started out as goalie, then went to defender. The field was wet and it was cold. The kids did their best, but they just didn't have it this week. They no longer hold the title of being undefeated. Simeon was a great defender. He was always watching the ball and going where it was. He had some great kicks to get the ball off of their side.



That is our week in a long update.