Fall Festivities

It is so good to be out doing things again! I'm a little slow but it is good! Last week I went with the first graders to Hee Haws in Pleasant Grove. Mace had a great time, and LOVED the slide. His favorite part was feeding the goats. His favorite story is the "Three Billy Goats Gruff" so he was in heaven feeding the biggest goat!

The girls have been bugging me to go to Pumpkin Land to get their pumpkins and walk through the corn maze. We have done this every year since Mikayla was a little girl. It's fun, and the kids love it, and I have the same pictures every year. The kids are just older. I dont so much love pumpkinland. I think it is run down and there are mice running around everywhere. (yeah I know its a farm--but it could be kept up a little. Even Mikayla commented on how bad she felt for some of the animals) We had fun though, and the kids picked out some great pumpkins.
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Last night we spent the evening carving our pumpkins. We really had a great time this year. The kids are getting older, and they all cleaned out their pumpkins. Even Mikayla. They all carved their faces too. We were amazed at Meg, she is so creative and focused. We cant wait to light them up in a few nights.

Mikayla hates pulling out the guts!

Mason loves the guts!

Creativity only happens in moms craft room! LOL

NYCDA

This past weekend Mikayla and I went to the NYCDA regionals in Salt Lake City. This was her first time to ever compete in this competition. The teams have been working hard and their hard work paid off. All of their pieces qualified for New York this summer. Our Teen and Senior companies rocked the house! Mikayla and her team (Junior Company) danced with the Teens and Seniors in a Production number. It was so awesome. They got a platinum score! YEAH! Center Stage has some really awesome talent. I know that we are so glad that she has gotten the training and opportunities she has. So I guess we are off to New York for a week in July. She is sooooo excited. Center Stage Dancers and Directors--you did AWESOME!

One of Mikayla's goals was to make Junior company!

Another Goal or Mikaylas was to dance at NYCDA!

And her big goal was to get to go to New York with this awesome team!

Tuesday Gifts

Many years ago-back in the day. Some of our best friends (Dave and Sher)lived by us. We hung out all the time. Some of my funnest and funniest memories of my early married life are with Dave and Sher. So this story is dedicated to my good friend Dave Hone....I came home on Tuesday to find a gift. It was mixing spoons.

Ok, so I thought that this was random. And mixing spoons as a gift? So, I said to Stevie Wonder Buns-"Whats up with the spoons?" He said it was a Tuesday gift. I laughed and laughed at the memory of Dave.

See Dave used to give Sher gifts randomly. Monday gift, Yom Kippor, Ash Wednesday, Saturday gift. Kind of cool huh. Just little RAK (Random Acts of Kindness). So my question is now that 15 years have passed, I wonder if Dave still does his Tuesday gifts, and I am hoping that Steve will continue to surprise me with Tuesday gifts. They are very thoughtful,and put a smile on my face.

*I did make a mistake though. On Wednesday the spoons were still in the package, and he was highly offended I had not taken his Tuesday gift seriously. So, note to self---put those gifts to use immediatly.

Gardner Village

Over the Fall break, the kids and I went to Gardner Village to see the witches. It was really quite cool. I visited the website and there was a scavenger hunt to print off for the kids. They loved it! Kept everyone entertained as well. There was so much to do and see. PLUS shopping is always good-especially if you have not been out in 6 weeks. It was a lot of fun. Mace decided he loved the candy shop the best, and of course the girls loved all of the girlie shops! Me-I loved being with the kids and being in the fall atmosphere.

I DID IT!

Yeah for me! It's been 6 weeks TODAY that I underwent surgery! I can honestly say that I did not vacuum, sweep, mop, or lift anything heavier than a milk container-aside from holding my niece at 4 weeks (but I was sitting). I physically feel GREAT! It was such a hard thing for me. It is not like me to sit or lay around. My kids, Steve and so many of my family and friends have pitched in to take over my very busy life. You have all done a fabulous job! Thank you, as I feel blessed.

Right now, I am just trying to deal with emotions. Who would have thought that a womans life was so controlled by ovaries. Somedays I am a complete mess, other days-I am great. I am a human oven right now- with all of the lovely hot flashes and night sweats. I dont so much love that! I am an insomniac as well-perscription sleeping aid is barely working for me. SOooo I am hoping in time to be a normal person again.

I count my blessings everyday for my wonderful life. Life is short and it comes at you fast. For me, I am enjoying each moment, as they are all precious!

Heber City Century Ride 2008

Lately all I have been posting about is me and my little life set back. So, today will be one of those greats in my life. I'll not lie, it's been a rough year for our family in general-both immediate and extended. Our family was not only hit once this year with cancer but twice. One survived, and one did not.

Earlier this year, I rode my first bike race. I was suppose to ride it with my cousin Kim. It was a "Cancer" ride. Her father (my uncle) had just passed and it was just not the right time for her. I rode alone for him. A few months ago, we put together another ride. It was the Heber Century Ride. Everyone chose to do the 50 miler. Again this ride was for the Huntsman Cancer Center. Un-fortunatly I was not able to ride. Kim, asked her brothers to ride as well.

We have now put together a family team. This has become our family quest. One that I think will go on for a long time. Not only was it for an awesome cause, but we were together as a family, and without family, you have nothing. Tears, joy, pain, triumph and service were all wrapped up into one little package. What an incredible day yesterday was for our family.

We (Troy-mainly) designed the coolest team jersey. Our family biking cheer is now "Go Away Cancer!" Many of our family members have had their family experience this ugly disease that never sleeps. Because my cousin married Troy and their last name is "Boldt" we have combined both the "Boldts, and Preece's" to not only "Preece lightning, but to the Lightning Boldts as well. This ride was dedicated to those who have gone on before us, and to those of us who have survived. Sheesh, I never thought in a million years I would be having my name on a shirt and having people ride for me! It was very humbling.

My Daddy and Mom came from Idaho to see his brothers children ride for him (their father), and for me. Although I was not among the participants (this time), I was there cheering and being the pit crew. It was a beautiful day! We had 8 riders and each completed 50 miles. So our family rode 400 miles cumulative yesterday! AMAZING! I was so proud of each of them. The hardest part for me was seeing them start-and telling them "thank you", and seeing their success of completing a very hard ride-and thanking them again. What a great family I have.

It was so cool to see our team in matching jerseys. It was so cool to have people come up to us and ask us what team we were, and it was so cool to be able to say that I was on that survivor list. The people in charge of the ride asked our family for a photo. It was just a great day. I can't even begin to express the happiness, and gratitude I felt. It is such a great feeling to be a part of a cause and a good cause at that. One sleeve had "Preece Lightning" on it, the other had "Lightning Boldts"- The front has a BIG lightning bolt coming down with the words "Go away Cancer" on top. Our backs had stars circling in "Memory of" and the "Survivors". We also love our sponsors who helped us with these jerseys!

As for next season-I will be riding with Team Preece and the Lightning Boldts as we will continue to race for Cancer. My Dad, and Steve are even going to ride. Thanks to Kim Preece Boldt and Troy Boldt, Mick Preece, Jeff Preece, Diana Simpson, Nate Holt, and Belinda and Dave Told. You guys are awesome!

*** I suggest you click on the photos and look at how happy everyone is! It is amazing!

Here is team Preece before the ride began.


This is as close to the bike as I will get for the rest of the season (good thing its almost over!)

Here is Troy- Yelling- "Go away Cancer!" This photo is for little Ben his nephew who passed this past year to cancer as well!

Troy and Mick getting taking a break for a few!


Kim and Belinda--- it was a little chilly in the A.M.

Jeff-had 3 flats on this ride!

Preece Lightning and the Lightning Boldts


**I will post a slide show on preecelightning.blogspot.com soon if you want to see more coverage and photos.

GO AWAY CANCER!

I have been meaning to post all week, but have been waiting for my family to all be in one place at a time-since I cant get to them.

It is official-on Monday morning September 8 2008 I got a call from my doc. Did I mention that I love him, and that he is my hero! (He is the one who found my "C", and insisted on further testing-much to my dismay and frustration of it all-I am very grateful now!) My pathology came back. All of my cancer tags are clean, my fallopian tubes,ovaries, and cervix were all clean-and the cancer stayed in the lining of my ueterus. YEAH! I was doing the happy dance in my head all day and of course my family was cheering. I have none of my female organs left in me any longer and now all I have to do is re-coop. (yeah that one is not fun for me!) This means no chemo or radiation. Double yeah for me! I will have to follow up every 3 months for the first year and every 6 months for the next 4 years until I am officially in re-mission.

Todays technology is amazing, and my doctors rock! I feel so blessed. We are so happy and relieved. We again are so grateful to all of our family and friends and the fasting and prayers that were in our behalf. Wow!

Here is a photo of my family (Im not standing straight yet). The story behind the photo is---My cousin's(Kim and Troy) two nephews who had down syndrome and both brothers just passed away in the last year from cancer. Ben (the younger)watched Josh suffer and die, and then himself passed with the same disease. He would put his hand and arm in the "Superman" pose and yell--"Go away Cancer!" That has become our family theme as of late.
My cousins and dad will be riding the Heber City Century ride in a few weeks in memory of our family members who have lost their lives to this terrible disease, and to the few of us who have survived. We are team Preece, and our family theme is "Preece Lightning".Striking out cancer! We have a lightning bolt across each of our chests that say-"Go away Cancer"! Although I wont ride this year, I will be there with the team Preece vehicle cheering my family on! (my surgeon will be riding this ride as well-pretty cool) I will ride next year! All proceeds go to the Huntsman Center Cancer Research. I love my family and the support and strength they give me each and everyday!