Devree's play

Devree was the sleeping "Queen of the Fairies" in her play in an adaptation of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream.

On Stage.

Devree's Fun Makeup. She had sparkles all over too.

Paula, Emma, Janie and Grandma came to see the play.

We hiked up to the Carson Waterfall on Martin Luther King Day. The Briethaupt's and Watts came.

Jessica standing in front of the waterfall.

It was a beautiful day of 70 degrees in January. We had to enjoy the outside.

The Watts climbing the mountain.

Chiara stayed behind with us and was giving everyone "loves"

Dane enjoying the day.

The Clarks and Matthews joined us too. Brian helped Grandma in front and Todd helped behind and they got her up there over some pretty tough places on the trail.

Grandma brought her walker to help on the hike. She had to abandon it about 1/4 way up.
We ended off the holiday by inviting everyone back to our place and a few more families that couldn't come to the hike and having tin foil dinners or hot dogs and Todd made a pineapple upside down cake and a dump cake and we sang Happy Birthday to Grandma and Grandpa.

We took Grandpa and Grandma out to the Nugget for a wonderful steak dinner for their birthdays. Grandma turned 80 on January 13th and Grandpa turned 83 on January 14th. Devree and I were still at St. Jude's so we celebrated when we got home.

Shay has started Church basketball. Our ward won because we had 2 boys that are not members help us out. Shay made a basket.

Devree had to take a 5 hour ACT test at Carson High School. We got there 1 hour early so the boys played "King of the Rock" to entertain themselves.

Another beautiful day for January.

January has been a busy month. I do not remember running around with my head chopped off quite as much. It is fast approaching a close and we have been able to take Noble back to the temple and we will try to go every week before he leaves. We almost have got everything for his mission. We are excited because his mission president and wife wrote Noble a great letter and they invited us to check out their blog. They look like they work but also have FUN in their mission. Noble wrote a lovely letter back. March 2nd is coming fast now.

St. Jude's January 2011

Devree sang the National Anthem for the girl's Varsity Basketball game on Saturday, January 8th. She was awesome. She hit every note.

Breck is helping Jackson do his homework and Jackson is reading in kindergarten.

Beiber fever! Ah! Kallie has it bad.

Celest being Mrs. Homemaker by baking cookies for the Wednesday Young Women's party.

Talon doing lots of homework which is how he spends most nights.

Tayzia and Devree ready for the party.

Tayzia and Devree chilling on the couch.

Jackson, Kinzi and Celest

Youung Women looking at the competition of Kinect dancing in front of the big screen.

Deree dancing on her turn of Kinect. An Xbox game that uses your heat signature to see if you can keep up with the dance moves on screen. Devree did really well.

As you can see Celest has a party for us just about every time and makes things so very enjoyable for us when we come. THANK YOU GERMANTOWN YOUNG WOMEN for coming and partying with us.

We always come to St. Jude's with quite a bit of trepidation. As we drove in on that first day we saw 2 snowmen built on the tiny patch of grass at St. Jude's main patient entrance. We laughed and said this will be a good visit. Our visit this time was fly in on a Monday and leave on Friday. We have to stay a couple of extra days because this marks 24 months since diagnosis! It is a big mile stone and so therefore many tests are needed to see how and why Devree is doing so well. All of her scans came back clean but there is less spinal fluid for some reason. We will have to check with a doctor at home to see what he can tell us.

Devree also signed up for extra tests because she said "If it can help other people, I want to do it." This means Loooong psychological testing and MRI tests that look at brain function to help kids be able to read better and help kids with brain cancer so the doctors know better about what areas can and cannot be radiated. The Psycho (Devree's word) testing includes parents. I was getting a little frustrated with the lady today saying that we were having all of these written tests and a looong interview to see how we handle stress. We are going to be compared to people that have never had a child with cancer. I thought how can you even compare to the 2? I know I may offend some of you out there. But believe me there just isn't any stress out there that even compares. They talked about being in a natural disaster or a terrible accident or losing your job or house. But it just isn't the same kind of worry you have to go through every 3 months or 6 months or yearly for the next 10 years and sometimes longer to see if the cancer came back. But the other psycho lady explained that this study is going to HELP people better deal with stress by our testing to see how we handle stress. Whew that is over. But it made me cry again because I had to relive all of those moments again of finding out and going through treatment.

We have amazing interesting news. The audiologist said there is a new kind of hearing aid that goes deep in the ear canal and has an oscilator that moves with sound waves and through the bone tells the hearing ear. The brain is able to tell you where the sound came from and decipher the sound. I think this might even help my Dad.

The other amazing news is there is a doctor at Duke University that has had great sucess with nerves in the face and getting paralysis reverted. This could mean that Devree will get her full facial muscles back. I am so excited about this and I think Devree is getting excited too. But she tells me she doesn't want to get her hopes up high. I already emailed the doctor.

Sad news today. I had an accident in Brenda's car. I think it can easily be repaired but I am so very sorry about it, and hopefully we can get it repaired ASAP

We fly home tomorrow.

Noble goes to the temple

We were so very fortunate that Todd's Mom was able to fly out for Noble's special day on January 7th. We went to eat at Red Lobster first.

Grandma Hamblin forgot her temple clothes and her recommend so she went inside quickly to see if her bishop had called the temple. We just didn't get a picture of her before she went in. Grandma and Grandpa Rice live with us now so they were already at our home.

No one was at the temple to help us take a picture. So here is Noble with Todd and...

Here is a picture with me. I am so very happy for Noble. What a good example he is to all who know him and I am so proud that he has chosen to go on a mission We have had many talks about what an adventure a mission will be. Going to the Philippines is very exciting and what a growing experience in the gospel and with knowledge by learning and loving a new culture. I know that Noble will be a fantastic missionary.

New Years Day 2011

We invited Katie and Andy to come with us to play in the snow. Todd also invited other families too. We went to Spooner Summit.

Noble at the top waiting for his turn.

Andy won't look at me when I try to get his picture He had a big fall in the middle.

I got Andy when he didn't know along with Dane.

Noble coming down in the little plastic red sled that split open finally when another ward member used it. It has been around our family for over 10 years. It was cold that day and split down the center when it hit a bump. Goodbye red sled!

Devree liking her way to go sledding. Being in a toasty car writing in her journal.

Karl with Chiara and Daniel ready to hit the snow.

Todd and the boys got the climbing wall done. Todd wants to add more on another corner of the room. The climbing wall and rope go up to a cubby hole above the bathroom. It is a secret hide out.

Dane showing how it works.

Dane is doing basketball again. He wasn't too enthusiastic but now he realizes he is one of the tallest ones and he is getting better than last year, he likes it. Thanks Jeanni for taking him while I am at St. Jude's.