Boyette Party of 5

12 years ago today, I was in Omaha, Nebraska waiting to receive my stem cells.  I had been through 2 years of absolute hell.  9 rounds of intense chemotheraphy, an experimental radio labeled anitbody treatment and over 60 radiation treatments, among shots, transfusions and bouts of extreme nausea.  And this was the culminating event?

I remember so many things as if they were yesterday.  As a cancer survivor, you never forget.  These things are engraved in your mind to make you appreciate every day.  I remember having mouth sores so bad that I was on morphine.  In my absolute blur, I saw a gatorade commercial and the guy was drinking fruit punch flavored gatorade.  I assume that anyway, because it was red.  Till this day, I CRAVE fruit punch gatorade when I am thirsty.  I remember not eating for 22 days (my rear end says otherwise these days) and not being able to taste for months.  The first time I took a sip of diet dr. pepper and tasted it, I thought I'd won the lottery.  The night I told my mom, "You have to let me go" because I was losing control of my body is one I'll never forget, although I wish I could.

Being a survivor is an amazing, but tough.  I wish there were a day that I could wake-up and not think about it.  But that has yet to happen.  Especially now that I have 3 precious lives that depend on me. One of my biggest worries about this dreadful disease ever coming back, is Kael, Karis and Kort.  I want them to have me as their mommy.....forever.  But life is no guarantee, so maybe that's why I choose to live my life with no regret.

My mom, dad and Karekin were my care partners, and I cannot ever thank them enough.  They were and still my absolute heros.  I can remember Karekin racing me in the gurney down the halls with reckless abandonment.  I just wanted to feel free of everything and he had a way of doing that for me.  My time with him during my cancer was priceless.  He was so scared of losing me and I was so scared of leaving him.  My dad was and still is the one person in my life that can make everything better.  He couldn't fix this, but he came close in every way imaginable.  My mom....I don't even know where to start.  The God Lord kept me here, but she was right beside him.  She encouraged me on my darkest of days and reminded me that I had so much to live for.  She was so right.  I love them all with every part of my being.  They loved me unconditionally.

And Heather....she was and still is my best friend.  She was always there for me, even when I pushed her away.  She believed in me.  And she had my shiny bald head in her wedding.  Oh our wig shopping story!!!  I love you H, and thank you for true friendship.

So on this day, I am reminded of how much God loves me.  How he does perform miracles.  I was 4th stage with 10% chance to make it. My mom gave me this and I live by it!!

Last year for Christmas, my mom bought Kael some sports cookie cutters.  He loves to cook and create things.  He definitely got Rob's artistic side.  He enjoys doing all these sorts of things.  So the other night, he found the cookie cutters and said, "Mommy, we haven't used these in a while."  And he was right.  So off to Wally World we go, to buy sugar dough and decorative icing tubes.  He was super excited!!  And since Daddy is such the artist, I thought, "What a perfect thing for them to do together!!"  I'm always reminding Rob how much Kael loves his time with just him.  He is a great daddy and I loved watching them do this together.  We had some Captain America shield cookies, footballs, and baseballs, to name a few.  They were amazing!!!  And of course, we had a super hero costume on while doing it!!

So every time Kael we are at a restaurant and Kael gets his "sweet tea," he likes to clink glasses and say "cheers!"  hmm.....wonder where he learned that one!!!  SO I thought this picture captured a "cheers" moment!!  all 3 K kids loving their cocktails.  They are so funny.  Check out the way Kort hold his bottle.  Yes, I'm in trouble!!!

We had an awesome Labor Day Weekend.  I started it off Friday night going to Girl's Night Out at the Braves game.  Had an awesome time with some friends from work.  We need to do it more often for sure!!  Saturday we took the K Kids to a birthday party.  Karis and Kort are becoming quite the little fishes.  They are jumping in and going underwater with no fear.  Kael, of course, was playing superheroes in the water and managed to battle all the bad guys.  We are super thankful for him for keeping us all safe.

Sunday, we headed out to Lake Jackson.  Rob's family has a house on the lake and they have been working very hard getting it all fixed-up.  They bought a pontoon boat and a couple of seadoo's, so the kids had a ball.  Kael loves to play with his cousins, and it warms my heart when he does.  What is life without family.    Karis and Kort loved riding in the boat and just relaxing.  They all really had a great time, added by an awesome fish fry and all the fixings.

My entire weekend was topped off by having a pajama day on a rainy Monday with my kids, while watching the US Open tennis.  Life could not get any better than that!!

Here are a few pics of the K Kids chillin' at the lake.

Okay.....so who said dress-up was for girls?  My Kael LOVES to play "dress-up."  You name the superhero, we have the costume.  There are always "siterations" as Kael calls them, brewing at our home.  The bad guys are lurking in every corner, and he is ready to "serve and protect."

This past year, it was transformers....Bumblebee and Optimus Prime.  But we have moved on to include the MARVEL series.  Spiderman, Iron Man, Captain American and the Hulk.  Plus a knight and a black ninja.  Last year, I hit the 90% off section at Wally World and stocked-up on costumes.  We also have the weapons to support these superhero powers.  From the Spider Man Web Shooter that shoots silly string (Thanks Heather) to the Iron Man chest light and hand, we can then move to the Captain America shield that has actually worked.....it knocked Kort out (who was the bad guy) and gave him his first black eye.  Rest assured, we have the artillery right here at home.

He's almost too pretty to be a "superhero."

Even Capt. America has to go.

In "battle"

Knight

Check out the pose

The face is priceless.

We love each other, most of the time!!!

"Pucker-up"

Could they be any cuter?  This picture makes me melt.

I love my brother!!

It was beautiful today.  There was a nip of fall in the air.  I always love when the seasons change.  It's just about the time you are so ready for hot or cold....whatever it may be.  I love summer and all that it brings. Hot days by the pool, sleeping in, no schedule, being with my kids all day every day, golf cart rides, and on and on......But I love fall too.   I love all the fall colors...I love Halloween...I love wearing my jeans and boots.....college football...WAR EAGLE.....and on and on....  But now that I have 3 kids under the age of 4, I also LOVE being able to be outside and play.  It has been way too hot to do that....BUT today was one of those days.  We got out the ride on toys, opened the sandbox, and just PLAYED all day!!!  It was perfect.  Check out the K kids growing up and just playing!!

My sweet baby girl is growing-up way too fast.

My princess Karis Annslee

Ready to go on the cart!!

What do you mean smile?

Cruising topless!!!

Swinging!!

Playing at the sandbox

I'm getting too big for this swing!!

Captain America is in action.

My little monkeys!!

Playing in the sprinkler.

It's cold!!!!!

I love,love,love etsy.  It truly is an obsession.  I could (and do) spend hours surfing others brilliance and creativity.  There are so many incredibly talented people. The only negative is that I spend too much money!!!

So last year, I was looking for some cute, inexpensive Christmas gifts that were out of the norm.  Something you would not normally buy yourself....And I found this precious girl Denise and her adorable creations.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/62207251/fruit-tart-polymer-clay-earrings

http://www.etsy.com/listing/61589007/salted-pretzel-polymer-clay-earrings

She can do anything and everything you can think of!!  Are they not so fun and cute!?!?!!

I know my downfalls.  And one of them is that I'm a neat freak and anal retentive about my house....to the point that my dad calls me JAWS.  This is because the vacuum is soon to be behind you when you're at my house.

So having 3 children has really taught me patience and learning to just "go with the flow" more.  This has been incredibly hard for me to do, but it has made me a better mom.  It has not been easy, but I have learned that I can either spend time cleaning-up after my kids or time making a mess with them.  I would be lying if I said it isn't a lot more fun making a mess.  I would also be lying if I said that every night before I go to bed I clean-up and everything is pristine while I'm sleeping.  I do not think I could sleep if my house were in disarray.

So I have turned my little screened in porch into a creative haven.  The kids can paint, draw, color, do play dough, and everything in between.  I love watching them create things in their minds and translate them to paper...or walls...or the floor.  Since Rob is am amazing artist, I feel certain that one of them will love the arts too.  I'm creative in my own right, but I cannot draw a lick.  I just want them to have different ways to express themselves.

Kort is proving to be my one that loves attention to detail.  He enjoys the intricate details of things and will examine something and study it over and over.  Look at his masterpiece!!

I think he's gifted.....hahahaha!!!

I think there's more paint on him than the paper.

Very proud!!

We're both so sweet seating in our seats.

Kort needs some action.  Notice Karis doing exactly what she's suppose to.

Notice Karis has not moved.

Maybe this is why Kort weighs about 5 more pounds than Karis.  She still hasn't moved.

Karis didn't move the entire time.  Kort never sat down.

I'm just so incredibly lucky to have these 2 precious babies in my life.  They remind me every day of God's miracles.  Not because their mine, but they really are so amazing.  I love seeing life through their eyes.  I have often said you should live your life backwards.  Someday I'm going to write my book about it called "Reverse."  Look for it at Barnes and Noble stores someday.  Until then...I'll just keep blogging for the K kids.