OCTOBER....Where Did You Come From?

Time is really flying by.....I am now 65 years old....scares the hell out of me to even admit that. I can't possibly be that old....what have I been doing for that many years? The kids all came over on my birthday and fixed dinner....ribs....oh so good! Jodie has started her radiation treatments....still having some problems but seems to be having a few more good days. Dealing with the Big "C" is a challenge and it takes a long time to feel normal. October is a busy month....my birthday, Jodie's birthday, Steven's birthday and then on November 1st we have both Weston and Brody's birthday and November 18th is Macie's. Then we get a break until December when we have 4 more. So very thankful that I have such a great family.......enjoy all our get-togethers. Memories, memories......the only thing that is important and we are creating a huge stash!!!!!

9-21-11 Chemo Completed

Jodie had her last Chemo on Wednesday....she got to ring the bell leaving the infusion area. Now to get past the next three weeks and start radiation. Such a long journey--- but I now feel the end is in sight. I am sure Jodie feels the same....so hard to think about getting injected with that crap and the sickness that follows...so to be done has to be a relief. We went to Green River over the week-end for Melon Days. It was a good time...got to see most of the family and enjoyed a good visit and some great food. I ordered some pink silicone wristbands with Jodie's name on them and the words "We Will Love You Through This." Of course I made everyone wear them!!! I like that song...Martina McBride....I Will Love You Through It. It is sad but true.....The Big "C" has touched so many lives. Hope for a Cure is at the top of my wish list. Things like this teach you what is important in life.....it is sad that we are so self-centered that it takes something like this to make us realize what life is really about.

THESE ARE MY PEOPLE!!!

See the pictures of the bald Black's......well, just so you know they are an awesome, fun, hard-working, loving, kick-ass kind of people........my people! Dear "C" word.....move on out we are taking names and kicking ass....you are not welcome here. From the very young to the old everyone has stepped up...absolutely unbelievable the amount of courage showing here. I am so very humbled and proud to say.....THESE ARE MY PEOPLE!

Bald Blacks

What a bunch of cute bald boys we have. Thank you everyone. I love you!! Pretty cute grandkids too!!

Thank You

Look at us.... 3 posts in 3 days!!! That must be a record. To be honest I had actually forgotten about these blog things for the last couple of months. Too much other stuff on my mind I guess.
I just wanted to tell all of you thank you for all of the love and support. As bad as this all sucks, I can't imagine having to go through it all without such a supportive family. You all get an A++ for effort!!
I have felt pretty good the last couple days and are now on the final week countdown to "D" day again or should I say "C" day. I know that it is important but I really dread having to get sick again. Truth be told though, it's probably more that my obsessive compulsive side has a hard time watching my husband fold the clothes wrong and put the dishes away in the wrong cupboards!! Luckily though, he saves the REALLY important stuff for me.....like cleaning the floor boards. Today I crawled around on my knees for 2 hours wiping them down and that was only the upstairs!! Who does that?? And more importantly, why don't I have something more pressing that needs to be done?? Ha Ha... He tries though and is a very good babysitter to his sick wife.
Thank you all again and we will see you this weekend!

:: Holy freaking August ::

Chello family!
August is here...and gone...???
wait, when did that happen? haha updates on the Lambourne side of the Black Family
Colby officially finished school this month!!! yay!! now to find a job! and pay back student
loans! yay!! He applied for a couple out of state, which would suck to leave the family but
at the same time might work out for our income and I might be able to get into a program faster somewhere else.  He applied in San Francisco and Seattle but hasn't heard anything from either one yet.  So we will just
have to see where he goes or what he finds. As for me, SLCC is changing what the requirements are
for the rad tech program- I have no idea what they will be yet so untill I figure out where I need
to go from here I am just going to plan on getting my associates in general studies.  I only need 5 or 6 more
classes- at least that way I will have something rather than just a wait list.  I am excited for Torrey this weekend- I love our family's version of camping.  Camp trailers and dutch ovens- that's what it's all about!
Hopefully something exciting happens for me with school or hopefully colb gets a job in his
nerdy graphic design field. Here are some pics of what we have been up to lately

a wedding in Park City

We clean up good sometimes

I ride the alpine slide in a dress. NBD

Taylorsville Dayzz was a blast!

more of the fun wedding in Park City

Breakfast in Millcreek Canyon with Colby's family

Colby being a nerd...always

Went to Park City with Colby's family for a weekend



SUMMER Where Did You Go?

Well August is coming to an end.....the kids are back in school already. Where has this summer gone? I have been busy it seems but never seem to accomplish what I set out to do. Jodie is doing fairly well......she is halfway through the chemo treatments. This stuff is such crap and I really don't understand why they have not come up with a cure. The numbers are increasing not decreasing. So very frustrating. Jodie is a strong and beautiful person and I know she will win this battle......WE Black's like to KICK ASS!!!!
Headed to Torrey this week-end to have a cook-up with Boyd. We tried to make it so Jodie was on the uphill side of things......will work out I think. She has her next chemo treatment on Wednesday next week. She is usually pretty much down for a week to 10 days and then starts feeling better the week before. We will celebrate this halfway mark!
I try to get down to Jodie's a couple times a week, go to work, go to farm, do yards and whatever else needs done. Gosh.....what an exciting life I have. Had to clean out the garage at the farm this week-end. Had a rat in there.......what a job that was. I could hardly move Saturday night....actually I still can hardly move. These are the times when I feel about 100 years old.
I enjoy spending time with my grandkids and kids.....try to do that as much as possible but still feels like I don't see them as much as I would like. Brenna told me I spoil my grandkids....I told her that is just fine as maybe they will remember me fondly when they get old.
Trina and Jodie.....I can't post on your blogs....I know i am an idiot but it says I do not have permission......What the???
Anyway....until next time my darling family......LOVE You to the Moon and Back!!!

WTF 2011

Always hoping the year will be good.....seems instead we just get more challenges. We are all managing. Dirk got another job....but is very busy and working long hours. Kaylee is growing, Macie is crazy!!! Colton has been busy helping all of us and hoping to earn some money. Brenna is playing ball and comes with me to the farm when she can. Steven graduated from high school, has a full-time job and just bought him another vehicle.....2006 Chevrolet Colorado. His car decided to give up on him and of course not at a good time. I told him welcome to the adult world! Hunter ran for 9th grade senator and won.....she is excited and so are we. Raegan is finally growing tall.....busy playing with friends. Weston went on a week long camping trip with the scouts, Garrett is busy trying to win at everything.....Braxton has been helping Dennis and Brody is very busy eating crayons and such. The rest of us are still plugging along doing what we do.....sounds fun right? It is life and each day brings something else to deal with.....I am getting old because dealing is getting much harder. I am grateful every day for the wonderful family I have.......they are the absolute joy in my life and I am very proud of each and every one.

Technology.....I HATE IT!

Tried to post a comment on Jodie's post....would not let me.....does nothing. What the hell is the deal? Finally got one to post on Trina's.....wow that was a surprise one! Anyway my darling daughters, I was very excited to see new posts from you. Cute pictures Jodie!!!! News has not been good lately so will leave that to later. Just want my family to know how much I absolutely LOVE each and every one of you!!!!

:: ok, I will play too ::

Since mother dearest likes to hear what everyone is up to I think I will make a post

even though mom gets to see my gorgeous face everyday... gee aren't you lucky mom : )

I am done with school for this semester (woooot wooooot ) now I have to wait to hear back

from the rad tech program at SLCC to see if they are even interested in me.

My final in math was such a deal and my whole grade in that class essentially came down to the final.

Which if you ask me isn't fair because Steven and I worked our butts off on the projects so I could get a good grade! Hopefully it all turns out ok and that I at least get my admission date into the program.

Colby is about 4 months away from being done with his Associates in Graphic Design. But with him being done comes his HUGE student loans to pay off- about $40,000 dollars to be exact so if you have that just lying around...we would appreciate a donation. I am not sure if he plans on continuing on to get his bachelors or not- there aren't many good graphic design jobs in Utah so we will have to see what happens in the next few months with my school and jobs he finds. I am still DI hunting in my spare time but Colb says I need to stop because I currently have three projects that need to get done! So that is what I plan on doing this summer- well that and a lot of pool time!

Kiss kiss

Love - T Marie

Didn't want Mom to be the only one.....

I get so busy that I quite honestly forget all about this blog. I have been very busy with the new business in ND and Den's construction project in Southern Utah. I guess I shouldn't complain though....I would much rather be busy with a job then worrying because we didnt have one. Our life is very hectic and there is something going on nearly every night during the week. Garrett takes piano lessons, Weston & Braxton are in guitar lessons and they are all in scouts. I try to get as much accomplished as I can during the day before the boys get home but my little munchkin is not very much help. He thinks that he needs to be on my lap all day playing on the keyboard or drawing with the pens. He will play toys for a few minutes but then he is tearing papers out of the drawers and "unfiling" everything for me. He even tries to beat me to the fax machine and the telephone when they ring....man for such short legs that kid can run fast!! The wall at the bottom of the stairs has officially started to show damage from Brody throwing everything against it. He thinks that everything from the house, regardless where he got it, belongs in the basement. Now he has begun throwing everything off the balcony in the backyard too. It has worked out well as a big playpen for him because he cant fit through the slats and he can watch the boys play. They thought it was great too until he started throwing Den's BBQ tools down on them.
The boys are trying to decide whether or not they will play football again this year. If one plays, I would rather they all play even though it will be 3 times the running around for me. They have been wanting to race motocross more this summer but I had to remind them that we can't do that unless Dennis is around to haul the bikes and mechanic for them. They are such good boys... I give them a hard time about things but I couldnt ask for better, well mannered children.
Dennis and I went to Laughlin on a Harley trip last week and had a good time. It was nice to get away for a few days. I got to see alot of places that I have never been to before. The first day we went to Lake Havasu, which was cool. The second day we went to Oatman, Az which is an old ghost town that has wild burros roaming the streets. It is a very popular tourist attraction and is on historic Route 66. After Oatman we went to Kingman and had dinner with Dennis' dad and step mother. The wind had been blowing horribly the whole time we were there and although it was 85-90 degrees standing still, it felt like 20 on the bike. Dennis just got new tanks and paint job so the windshield it used to have wouldnt fit anymore. I had no idea that it actually made a difference until we rode without one. I got pretty scared a few times because going 70 on the interstate when you can feel the bike moving around in the wind is NOT FUN!! At least not for a scaredy cat like me!


Not only were these 2 born on the same day but only 1 minute apart!


What a nerd!!


The boys after the balloon lady at Tepanyaki tied them together


One of the burros


Sean, Carrie, Den & Me in Oatman

MAY 2011

I don't know where the time goes but I am getting old. As the saying goes the closer you get to the end of a roll of toilet paper the faster it goes! Dirk and Chevaun had a new baby girl on April 19th. She weighed 6 lbs. 15 oz. and her name is Kaylee. She does not have the same disease as Macie. Macie calls her "tiny baby" and wants to keep her. Brody quite the busy guy anymore...eats about everything but food for some strange reason...bars of soap, deodorant or even furniture but food is yucky. He says a few words now and for some reason can say "basketball". Whose kid learns that as a first word......Jodies! My life is crazy as always...never seems to mellow out. Mark's trailer got stolen out of my driveway a couple of weeks ago....lucky Tammy is such a good detective as they got most everything back. She did most of the work....police are usless creatures mostly. I bought another vehicle 2010 Tahoe...bright red. Geez everyone will see me coming now! Steven will graduate on June 3.....he will get a rude awakening when he has to act like an adult! I keep trying to tell him that but so far he is ignoring me.....thinks baseball and playing Call Of Duty is where it's at. I seem to be the only person writing on this FAMILY BLOG!

BLACK FAMILY NEWSFLASH

2011 has continued like the preceding years....plenty of stress and problems. I keep wondering when this all comes to an end. We finally got Mom and Dad moved into another house...all one level so they could manage better. Are they happy...no...always complaining about something! They both have health problems and can't do what they used to but refuse to admit it. I wonder if I am the same.......geez! Mom has to come up here to the doctor to get a biopsy on her thyroid...we are keeping our fingers crossed that it is nothing serious. Boyd has a cancer on his nose and has to come up to the Huntsman Cancer Center in June I think...not sure what that all means. He is also having problems with his hands...thinks they will operate on them....I hope not. His right shoulder is giving him trouble so they are going to try sending him to therapy...told him that at his age he could not handle shoulder surgery.
Grandchildren growing up fast... I find it hard to believe that Hunter is almost 14 and Colton 17. Steven will graduate this year. Where does the time go? We will have a new granddaughter on April 19th.....no name yet I am told. Family all here.......Sue as always has legal issues. Wonder if that will ever change? Dirk not working but I am sure he will find something when he is ready. He is busy remodeling his house making room for this other child. Jodie and Dennis are busy trying to keep trucks hauling water in North Dakota...sounds like a challenge right? Tammy busy taking all the calls from crazy people in SLC and there are plenty of them. Trina is being grumpy....wants to do something more than be a medical assistant.....she gets in a hurry to be and do more.....everything will come in time. Amanda... I have not heard from for quite awhile.......is she still out there somewhere? Steve still in North Dakota and you guessed it grumbling because he hates it up there. Me... I still drag my lazy but to work everyday and do my thing whatever that is!

Hoping For A Better Year

Ok so it's been awhile since my last post I just discovered today that our site was back up and running again, thanks Jodie...
Anyway 2010 was not the greatest year for me but I keep pushing on hoping things will get better, somethings gotta give sooner or later right??
Steven is doing well as usual keeping his grades up and still playing baseball and of course wrestling. I don't know that I will ever figure out the wrestling jinx in this family I swear Steven gets hurt somehow every year, so far this year he has had a broken nose, although it wasn't caused by wrestling it was during that season, then yesterday he comes in looking like someone beat the hell out of him, swollen lip, black eye, etc good lord what will it be next???? I know he's not my little boy anymore hell he's 18 now but even still he is my boy and I worry about him. I'm still having trouble figuring out how I have a kid that's all grown up there's just no way I'm that damn old??? Yep I'm in denial and intend to stay that way for as long as I can that's just the way it is... So there's is this quote or saying or rhyme not sure what it really is but a friend of mine sent it to me and I was reading it thinking how true it is so I figured I'll throw it on here just because so here goes:

"YOU GOTTA TAKE THE GOOD WITH THE BAD; SMILE WITH THE SAD;
LOVE WHAT YOU GOT AND REMEMBER WHAT YOU HAD.
LEARN TO FORGIVE, BUT NEVER TO FORGET,
LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES, BUT NEVER REGRET,
PEOPLE CHANGE, THINGS GO WRONG
JUST REMEMBER
LIFE GOES ON!!!"

Suzy

2011 Here We Come

Christmas is over and mess is cleaned up.....The New Year is 5 days old. We survived and even though I had more problems than I would have liked it was nice. I tried to give everyone a nice Christmas......I may retire someday and not be able to afford much for my family. I hope you all had a nice holiday and got some things that you want or need. The grandkids are all getting so big it is hard to shop for them so money is becoming the choice. Not very creative I know! Christmas Eve was fun...Trina and Colby had made a DVD with pictures and things of the siblings and grandkids...it was very nice. She also made up a song about the Black's to the tune of the 12 Days of Christmas and had the kids sing/talk it. I didn't do anything for New Years...cleaned up the Christmas stuff. I hate that part of it....hard to get it all packed away....even though I don't buy anything new it never fits back like it was.....WHY??? Steve in town getting some skin cancers removed. He has to go to a plastic surgeon tomorrow so they can schedule a surgery to remove the rest of one from top of this head. I had to take him to the doctor on Christmas Eve day to get part of that taken off and checked to confirm it was cancerous. I have such an exciting life it is hard to talk about it.....go to work, come home, go to bed, go to work, come home and on week-ends go to farm, work and come home, go to work again. I am sure everyone would love to trade places with me......RIGHT! Mom and Dad's house is in Green River being set up. We will be moving them in sometime toward the end of the month. Randy has to get the porches done and frame the garage. Hopefully they will like it....with all the grumbling that is going on I wonder. Neither of them like anything or so it seems. Will be glad when that is finally over and done. Happy 2011......hoping for an awesome year....is that too much?