Child Labor???

I've been meaning to post this for a couple of weeks.  I'm also being brave and downloading a video for the first time.  One day when I realized that Henry was being a little "too quiet" this is what I found. 

Kidneyversary 2012

It's that time of year again. . .

Kidney Day #11

This is the best diagram that I have found to illustrate what Andrew's kidneys all look like inside of his body. As you can see the old diseased/dead kidneys are still there. They are shriveled and non functioning, but they are still there. The new kidney (aka Janine's kidney) is sitting in the front of his abdomen. This pictures is a little bit backwards, because Andrew's/Janine's kidney is sitting on the opposite side.

These pictures were taken on the day that Andrew and Janine were released from the hospital 11 years ago.

This was taken last year (10 years post transplant).

This is what I am going to attempt to make to take to Andrew to work to share today.

If we lived closer Janine, I would bring some to you too.

Happy 11 year kidneyversary Andrew & Janine!

10 Year Kidneyversary Pary

Urine-luck 2011

Kidney Day 2010

Happy Kidney Day 2009

Hazel's take on Baptism

I had a good laugh the other day about the conversation Hazel and I had while I was washing Hazel's hair in the bathtub.

Hazel: “When you get baptized is there lots of soap in the water?”

Mom: “No there is no soap.”

Hazel: “Is it special water?”

Mom: “No just plain old water.”

Hazel: “If there is no soap in the water then how does Heavenly Father wash away your sins?”

Kimball's Baptism

Kimball was baptized on February 4^th. It was a very special day for us. (It was also the first time for the Black family to get together since Andrew’s Dad passed away.) We had a big lunch together before the baptism and then dessert afterward.

Kimball had chosen months ago to have Grandpa Dave and Grandpa Black be the witnesses for his baptism. After Grandpa Black died we told him that Grandpa would be able to be there, but we just wouldn’t be able to see him. He asked Uncle Randy to be a witness in Grandpa Black’s place. Grandma Black had distributed Grandpa Black’s ties after he died and among the ties that Andrew ended up with was his Dad’s temple tie. It was well used! For the special occasion he wore his Dad’s white tie to baptize Kimball. Kimball had also asked Grandma Connie to speak at the stake baptism on the Holy Ghost. (She also had been baptized on February 4^th, on her 8^thbirthday.) Hopefully these are a few of the special things that he will always remember about the day.

Henry gave Kimball a huge kiss right after. He was proud of Kimball just like the rest of us.

I also hope Kimball will alway remember how many people were there to show their love and support for him.

Kimball turns 8

When I asked Kimball what kind of treat he wanted me to take to school & what kind of cake he said, "something to do with Legos." So after overnighting a Lego guy mold to us and some candy melts this is the result. . . .

Chocolate Lego Men

The kids at school loved the eatable little fellows.

Henry's 1st Birthday

We left for our family trip to California on Henry's birthday. Henry stayed home with Grandma Black and Grandma Connie. We celebrated his birthday when we got back home.

(He didn't know that we pushed his birthday back a week.)

We celebrated Henry's Birthday at Grandma Black's house.

I made him this monkey birthday cake, and cupcakes for the kids.

It's tradition to give the kids their own cake on their 1st birthday. Henry wasn't quite sure what to do with it at first. After helping him taste the frosting on his finger he figured it out.

Sea Wold & Disneyland

A couple of months ago the kids decided that it would be great to go to Disneyland and Sea World. We told them that if they would ask Santa for tickets to the parks that we would pay for the trip to California, and the hotel stay.

So. . . Santa gave the kids tickets. Andrew and I found a great deal on plane tickets and hotel. Henry stayed home with Grandma Black & Grandma Connie. We knew he wouldn't have any fun riding around in a stroller all day without being able to do much of anything.

Sea World

For Christmas Hazel asked Santa for tickets to Sea World.

Monday (Jan. 23): We spent the day at Sea World. We stopped at Target on the way and purchased rain coats, umbrellas, & new shoes for Kimball. (We noticed that his were not going to hold up for the rest of the trip when we got there.) It rained almost the entire day, but we had a great time despite the rain.

I was glad that Andrew planned ahead better than I did. He brought two jackets for himself. I ended up wearing one of them because I didn't bring enough for me. I guess I kind of looked more like a guy in the jacket than a woman, but hey it kept me warm.

Hazel asked Santa for tickets to Sea World so she could go buy a stuffed dolphin. She got her wish at the end of the day she bought a stuffed dolphin and killed whale. Kimball bought a stuffed shark and killer whale. What a fun day in the rain!

Disneyland

For Christmas Kimball asked Santa for tickets to Disneyland.

Tuesday (Jan. 24): We spent the day at Disneyland. We had an early admittance pass that day, so we entered right at 9:00 in the morning. The first character that we saw that day was Mickey Mouse. How appropriate!

Hazel and I stood in line to see Rapunzel & Flynn Rider. We ended up waiting for about 45 minutes. That was the longest line that we ended up waiting in all day. The great thing about going to Disneyland in January is that it is the "off season" which seems crazy because there are still thousands of people there. However, we didn't have to wait long in lines.

We spent the day running back and forth across the park and getting to everything that we wanted to. In the end the kids favorite ride seemed to be Space Mountain. They didn't like my favorite "scary" rides: the Haunted Mansion & Pirates of the Caribbean. Hazel said, "Don't makes me go on Carrots of the Piribbean again."

The kids were both tall enough to ride all of the rides in Disneyland, except Hazel couldn't ride Indiana Jones. Kimball told her that she wasn't missing out on anything by not going on it because he didn't like that one.

We were all so tired by the end of the day that we could hardly walk anymore.

Thanks Santa for the tickets to Disneyland, we had a blast!

California Adventure

Wednesday (Jan. 25)

Kimball LOVED California Screamin' (For those of you who don't know this is the BIG roller coaster.) I'm not much for roller coasters so Andrew and Kimball went on it. The line was so short that they were able to walk right up. I also was glad that Hazel was too short for this ride because I had to stay off of it with her. :)













Hazel and I rode King Triton's Carousel of the Sea about 10 times and met Woody while we waited. I seriously had to peel Hazel off the Carousel. She would have stayed on all day. She rode each of the different sea animals on it.

Yes, that is me on California Screamin'. After Kimball and Andrew went on it about 3 times Andrew told me that I really needed to go on it for Kimball. I was perfectly happy on the carousel I didn't want to go on a big fast upside down roller coaster. But. . . for Kimball, I guess I could give it a try. He was so cute, he told me "Don't think of it as scary, just think of it as fun." Then as we shot up to the very top and dropped he said, (Yelling) "That was the worst part Mom."

I'm glad that I went on it for him, but I would not have done that for anyone else.

We had a great time all day. We went on the Goofy flight school roller coaster about 4 times. That was Hazel's favorite. She didn't like the Tower of Terror, but she did survive it.

Everyone liked the Toy Story Mania Midway ride. (My favorite.) I don't think I've laughed as hard as I did in It's Tough to be a Bug show.

We had a blast at California Adventure!!!

When we got back to our hotel room that night,

after a soak in the hot tubs on the roof of the hotel.

The kids and Andrew sat and watched the fireworks

out our hotel window while they ate popcorn.

The perfect end to a perfect day!!!