NOT Giving Up!

So last week my dad found out there are more melanoma and it has spread to his lymph nodes. Just weeks after his surgery that took a very large area out of his head, more was found. Those of you that have experienced someone having melanoma are probably shaking your head because you know that this is the nature of the beast. We have come to realize this as well. And this beast does not give up easily.

But my dad is NOT giving up either.

He will be having surgery tomorrow at 4:00 to once again remove these nasty things. This hasn't been easy on anyone but especially my parents-naturally. My mom has pretty much become a nurse, having to clean his surgical site, with extreme care and to see her husband go through this, I know is so hard for her. Their new reality is going to different doctors almost every day and hoping to hear good news, only to be told more is found. I hate this for them. I hate melanoma. I hate cancer. I just want it to all go away.

But again, no one is giving up here. Please, please continue to keep my parents in your prayers.

It's Almost October...

<center> <a href="http://www.ndss.org/"><img src="http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/ww352/sophblitz/dsbuttoncopy.jpg" /></a></center>

I'm offering this little button again this year to help raise awareness! October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month! It links directly to the National Down Syndrome Society website so people can just click on the button and be educated:) Hey, anything to raise awareness, right?
So just copy the code and go into your layout, click on gadgets and click add HTML code and paste it. Do not right click and paste- left click or you will get a copy right message. If you stil can't make it work, let me know and I'll email it to you or leave the code in a comment on your blog. If you would like it to have the little code box underneath it so people can copy the code from your blog just email me and I'll send you the entire code for that (mikeadge@gmail.com). It is very easy to add-just a little more code but that way others can copy it while viewing your blog and add it to their blog.
Even if your blog has nothing to do with Down syndrome it would be great if you would still like to put the button on your sidebar just for the month of October to help raise awareness!! Thank you!!
The more people that are aware of Down syndrome and are educated about it, the more accepting they will be towards children like Bennett. That's my theory, anyway;)

The Perfect Way To End Our Weekend!

So Sunday after a fantastic Buddy Walk, we had our friends Anna and her family (Lori, Jonathan, Charlie and Paige) and Colin and his family (Kelli and Chris) come over for lunch!

So nice to see these two great families!

Colin and Anna are absolutely ADORABLE!! Colin has taken off with his crawling and crawled all over the yard, patio, mulch, wherever! And Anna showed us her walking skills-awesome job Anna!

Lori with Bennett.

The two boys with us.

This sweetheart is so darn cute! She would just reach for us to hold her and hug, wave and smile. I love watching Anna do her signs for when she wants something- she knows what she wants, that's for sure!

All the kids, but wait, who's that crying on the right? Oh... it's Bennett! Yeah, he was slightly ticked and ready for a nap!

And again, not happy! Check out Anna's lip! She was a little upset with Bennett's crying :(

Colin's not sure what all the fuss is about, I think he'd just like to get back to crawling all over!

The dads with some of the kids, minus Bennett-he had to be put to bed! Chris shared Colin with Mike though;)

I'll end with this sweet, sweet picture....

If you ever get a chance to meet Colin you must ask him for a kiss!

Thanks Kelli and Chris and Lori and Jonathan for coming to visit!! Always so nice to see you guys!

Bennett's Day.

On Saturday we celebrated individuals with Down syndrome.

On Saturday we celebrated Bennett.

We were Bennett's Brigade and we walked for him and so many others that have Down syndrome.

We wore our "camo" attire and hats and held our banner proudly.

It was nap time for this little guy....

As well as this little girl but they stayed awake through the whole thing and were as pleasant as can be.

My dad pushed Bennett the whole way.

After the walk we enjoyed moon bounces, slides, trains, balloon animals, food, and games.

Our friends loved on Bennett and to see that just melts my heart.

Oh Bennett, we will gladly walk for you every single year because we love you so very much!

It was a good day.

Saturday we celebrated a little life, that is totally worth living.

Wordless Wednesday...Almost.

You're getting too old Bennett, too fast.

{Please ignore the reindeer:)} And for the record, his front tooth is not that sharp looking in real life:)

MY Sure Sign of Fall!!

Am I the only one who loves these delectable little candies? They have to be the Brachs brand or they just don't taste right. Mike brought these home last week and I'd have a picture of my own bag but sadly....the girls and I ate them all! Okay, I had a bit more than them but it was a very small bag, not the BIG BAG that is shown here, I must add;)

When I see these on the shelves at the grocery store, I know fall is here! With that, I decided to link up to Kelly's Korner for her "show us your life-living room addition! Here's some of the fall decor I've put out for the season:

Our living room, with a cute little baby sitting in the middle of it!:)

I found these Martha Stuart stick on crows at Jo Ann Fabrics and thought they would be fun for Fall/Halloween, something different. And yes, I did put up just a tiny bit of Halloween already but just on the inside! If I don't do it now, it will never get put up and we just can't have that happen!

This is a happy and nice witch's hat a broom;) I'm not a big fan of the ghost and witch thing at Halloween but the girls think it's fun and like I said, it's a happy and nice witch:0

I used to put this on my door step but we don't have a porch at this house so I thought it looked cute by the fire place.

More fun crows, not my usual style but I'm trying to branch out and do some different things!

So this stuff stays up until Thanksgiving, minus the witch hat, broom and crows which will promptly come down November 1st, of course! And then you know what's next!

Happy Fall Ya'll!

This Girl Was Ready!

Harper had her first day of preschool! She's been ready for a while now and was so excited this morning to go!

Now of course, If I made Ainsley a first day of school outfit, I had to make Harper one too! She's was so excited to hold that little book bag, too funny!

With her big sis.

Ainsley was excited for Harper because she'd be getting the same teachers Ainsley had when she was 3 and she couldn't wait to find out what all Harper did when she came home.

At school with her friend Addison-they are just too cute!

Waiting to go in! She's got a nice bruise on her forehead and a scratch on her nose, nice for the first day of school, huh? This girl is always falling or bumping or jumping but she usually just shakes it off!

And this is where I left her. Just a kiss and a hug and a "see ya soon" was it.

Yep, she was ready.

How old is SHE??

Ya'll, I can't tell you how many times I've heard this when people see Bennett!! Really??! Because HE's wearing an airplane on his shirt, dark shorts and little boy shoes! Or... Really??! Because there's a big truck on his onesie, trucks all over his pants and he has a baseball hat around here somewhere. Or one last time... Really??! Because he's wearing a little tie! {Okay, no one ever asked when he was wearing a tie but I thought I'd throw that one in because that's how obvious I feel that Bennett is a boy!} I've also heard: "Oh, how are all these pretty little girls doing?"

Okay, so I realize his hair is a tad bit long but I'm kind

of going for the "shaggy" boy look:

Alright, so maybe not full on Justin Bieber but I think the look is cute so that's what I've been striving for and plus I'm terrified that someone will chop it all off and make him look silly!

So I decided to give him a very small TRIM myself, because I don't want it to get too long and then have people start referring to him as "your sister" to Ainsley or Harper!

Here it is before.

I still like it like this way though...he's just my little love bug!

And here's after! He seems to like it!

I didn't do much back here because he kept jerking and turning and I really didn't feel like taking him to the emergency room from scissor cuts!

Look out Justin Bieber!;)

So what is it? The hair, the long lashes, is he just a "pretty boy". I swear I try to dress him as boyish as I can! Hello, blue collared onesie!

I'm really not that annoyed or offended by it but I do find it interesting that so many people think this or maybe they're just not thinking!