Chet seems to have begun to stabilize again. His immune system is still way down, but his other counts have come up again. I feel like I can breathe again. We are still heading to St Jude's to discuss the treatment programs they have and what they think might be a good route, if any, to take with him, but now that the immediate crisis is over that can wait until a school break so he doesn't miss any classes.
These are black walnuts still in their hulls. The kids have been hiring themselves out doing misc yardwork, and today they went to the house of a couple we go to church with to gather walnuts, and they get to keep the money from selling them. They filled the back of the truck about half full. That black stuff is wonderfully sticky, and gets all over everything without coming out easily at all.
There are about 15 walnut trees in the front yard, about as many in the back, and lots more in their pastures, so the kids will be going back to get more. The younger guys got bored pretty quickly, but Chet and Faith worked for two hours straight gathering them up and dumping their buckets in the truck.
They wore gloves to keep the black stuff off their hands. Then they took the gloves off and smoothed out the walnuts in the back of the truck, which essentially voided the whole point of wearing gloves in the first place.
Jack and I took some pictures of each other at different times this week. He snapped this one of me Sunday after church. I dyed my hair the other day and was going for a red look, but it has already toned down to a brown again.
I caught this one of him when I was playing around getting ready to take soccer team pics the other day. I was playing with a black and white gradient over the photo, and I really don't like how it washes him out in the top of his head, so I need to play with it more.
Ladybugs are out in droves right now. We get in the car, and they are all over the seats, the windows, and this little one was walking along the side mirror. I sit on the porch, and they fly in my hair, crawl up my legs... ugh. The kids love it, though. They keep gathering up cups full of them and want to bring them in the house. NOOOOOO! I tell those ladybugs they need to fly home... lol... their house is on fire... lol.
Matt was at drama practice the other day (he is part of the stage crew) and the other kids were out playing in the yard. They pulled their huge teeter totter out, and played on it for about an hour. About halfway through they called me to get my camera... they wanted pics. They are typical siblings in most ways... they bicker and complain about each other, but I thought it was really heart warming to see them all working together and having fun. Beth was trying to mimic Todd to make the peace sign... lol... she didn't quite make it.
Todd saw me taking Beth's picture and had to climb into the shot. He is the hammiest of my hams.
Matt's last football game was last Thursday. These are shots of him from the game.
Unfortunately, they lost the game... badly. But overall they had a good season, and I have really enjoyed seeing these boys improving their game. The difference that two seasons makes is incredible!
Jack called me out the other day and asked me to grab the camera. He wanted me to shoot this weird looking spider. I went back in to get my long lens because there was no way I was getting too close to this freakazoid. I have no idea what that orange house on its back is, although I am assuming it is an egg sack of some kind. It was marching straight towards the house. Ick. It is one thing for the kids to try to sneak frogs and ladybugs in to "give them a good home" but I absolutely draw the line at pregnant orange spiders setting up house in my home. ick ick ick.
We are heading out tomorrow to take Kyle to a free baseball clinic, and then watching him play in two games afterwards. Matt and Faith have drama practice tomorrow as well.
She was in a play last Saturday with the High School drama club, and she just loved every minute of it. Her part was small, but she took it so seriously and got to be friends with a lot of the other kids during the practices. My shots from the play itself did not turn out well, but here she is taking her bows at the end.
Matt is in the Drama Club too, and worked as a lights operator for this play. His football schedule interfered with practices, so he will have an acting part in the spring play. 
On Sunday we went to Josh and Mystery's house for an early T day dinner. Here is a shot of Todd enjoying a turkey leg. Tomorrow we are cooking a community dinner at the church, and even though it will be a long day, I think it will be fun as well. We are supposed to have between 50-100 people there... lots of turkey!! 
