Kip

I just wanted to report that Kip had his BEST round of golf this past Sunday! And he didn't even break any clubs! Congratulations Honey well done!

Hauna

Well, some of you know that Hauna's last week has been miserable. After the biopsy results came back, confirming that the tumor is indeed malignant (rapid growing germ cell/yolk sac tumor), the oncologist started her on high-dose chemotherapy. Hauna will undergo two cycles, which total 21 days each. The first five days, she receives chemo, then day 6-16 she has nausea/vomiting/decreased blood cell counts, etc. etc. Then, days 17-21 are supposed to be when her system starts building itself up again enabling the chemo to be administered again. After the second cycle, Hauna will have another scan to see if the mets in her lung are gone and if the tumor has shrunk. If that has happened, they will allow her system to recover and then they will remove the tumor. If these things have not happened, she will undergo two more cycles of chemo (she can have up to as many as eight cycles). She started chemo last Friday and has finished her first "5-day round". It was terrible as expected. She has had severe vomiting and due to that she has had to have an NG (naso-gastric) tube to feed her. Unfortunately, she has not been able to keep that down and tonight they were going to sedate her and place an NJ (naso-jejunum) tube that will place the food right into her small intestine, by-passing her stomach and hopefully reducing her nausea/vomiting. Of course there are long-term side effects from the Cisplatin (chemo). There is an 80% chance that Hauna will lose her hearing and perhaps not develop speech because she has not had enough opportunity to learn the sounds to help her develop words etc. If she stays cancer free for 5 or more years after the tumor is removed and the mets to her lung have been destroyed, she has an 80% chance of survival/no reacurrance of the cancer. Maybe, if the NJ tube is a success, Hauna will be able to come home next week and receive the second cycle of chemo here. God willing. We will see what happens.
-Per Deney Windley, Hauna's Aunt.

Bath Time for Babies!

Well Mia and Mona had a bath this week! Aren't they funny looking all wet?

Hauna!

This is Hauna! She's 18 months old! Hauna is currently in Salt Lake and needs all the prayers she can get! Hauna is sick! And can use all the positive thoughts and prayers you can offer!

My side of the range fire! Hillllarious!

It was summer time at the Tracy residence. My sister as usual was making one of her “projects” while my parents and I were watching TV. We use the term projects as apposed to meals because in our experience (when Kate was younger and didn’t have as much experience with her projects) her projects were rarely edible, and usually put in the trash when she wasn’t looking. It’s totally that picture, everyone sits down to eat and all the sudden the napkins are all gone because everyone is using them as garbage disposals on their laps! I’m usually the only one to pipe in and tell her how horrible chicken stuffed with goat cheese is! (Not including the horrible stomach ache that is erupting shortly after). Anyway, while my parents and I are enjoying our show in the living room, Kate is “cooking” away in the kitchen. (And who really knows WHAT she’s cooking…or attempting to cook). All is well in the house until you hear this slight cracking noise…oh well, nothing abnormal, another possible creation destroyed…until you hear a slight moan from Kate “Uhhh…” and we turn and look. She is slowly backing away from the stove. She then starts to SCREAM at the top of her lungs (we are a mere 15 feet away) “RANGE FIRE…RANGE FIRE!” It was soooo hilarious! So then of course my mom gets up and is pouring water on the stove. As I know it you aren’t suppose to put water on an electrical fire? Unsure but that’s not what I assume was the answer. The words Range and Fire (especially in the same sentence) will forever spark a smirk and laughter from me! Dad to the rescue got up and saved everyone from said Range Fire! Oh my, one of the funniest moments of my life! If only it were captured on video. So next time you come across Kate tell her to “watch the range fires!”
(I'm really not a mean person, and I am sure my sister has made many delicious dishes in her time...I just think her taste is a little to eccentric for my meat and potatoes taste!)
I don't think that I see any resemblance! At least not regarding their cooking capabilities! Sorry Kate! I have yet to taste your doughnuts!

If you are confused, see http://www.k8tspress.blogspot.com/ for the full story!

Drea & Kyle

Drea and Kyle Kinard just bought a house in our neighborhood! Around the corner actually! We are so excited to have new neighbors and can't wait for them to move in and so I can share my air conditioned home with the ever tortured Drea in her sauna! Beautiful home you guys! Can't wait to have you all moved in!

Oh Kyle...

THERE WAS NO MUSTARD IN IT!

Quiz!

What do the following have in common?

If you guessed:

a) they are all shoes

b) they have all been destroyed

c) they are all women's shoes

d) they are all probably Christie's shoes

e) they need to be replaced

or

f) looks like someone let their dog use their shoe as a pacifier

***You Win!***

Congratuations! Would you like to see what you have won?

This very rare beast of an animal! (Watch out she chews)

Happy Birthday!!

We want to wish a very Happy Birthday to mom and Madelyn. Mom I hope you have a great day and you get everything you could want. Madelyn I know you can't read this yet but Christie and I wish you a very happy day, and on our behalf have your dad buy you anything you want. You're welcome Josh. We wish we could spend your days with you but since we can't we send our love and warm wishes. We hope this year is even better than the last and we can't wait to see the two of you again.

With Love,

Kip and Christie

Drea & Christie

Shabby Chic Sophie

Seriously, what other dog do you know that has to sleep on a Shabby Chic pillow. Come on! I just thought this was so funny, she has to have her head on my good taste! Great! Thanks Sophie...I'll remember to never use that pillow again!

Neighbors

Check out our new neighbors! The newlyweds (The Frasiers!)are moving in by us! Happy days! Congrats guys! You just got yourself some FAN-Tastic neighbors (by that I mean us!) And yes Kyle, we will be hanging out at your house, whether you like it or not! Get on that deck already geeeez! Okay just kidding, not the Frasiers, Da'Nards!

The wee ones.

Now we can't forget about the little girls! They got weighed too! Mia is weighing in at about 6.5 pounds while Mona is still slightly under weight (since her illness) at 3.5 pounds. I am thinkign of all the ways that I can to help her gain weight. It's tricky though because she can't have things high in fat. So it's a hard balance. But we will get there! She's just small by nature. They are just the cutest aren't they!!

AlterEgo

Weighing in at 79.6 pounds we have...TINY! This is one of the many alter egos of Sophie. While she does think she's a dainty little thing, she also believes that she's grace full and part fish. And yes, she does have some "Chancho" in her! Which is her eager and strong "let me pull you down the street by my leash" ego! She is gaining 10 pounds a month. She is 8 months old, and weighs (roughly) 80 pounds. We are hoping that the weight gain slows down because at 24 months she could weigh 240 pounds! WOAH...we would need a new house! So here is a picture of "Tiny" under the kitchen table while we eat dinner, then a picture of Chancho tearing apart a whiffle ball the boys use for baseball at the fishing trip (sorry guys). And then a picture of Sophie and Mia waiting for me to come home from the grocery store! They love to watch out the window.

Play time after work!

Kip plays with Sophie after a long day at work!

Boisian Only Luxury!

Well I just wanted to say that I am sorry to everyone who can't have Guido's! It's definitely a Boise Luxury! So for those of you who can't have it we are sorry! Here are some pictures to remind you what you are missing! Sophie was so excited when we said we were having Guido's for dinner!