GIFT OF TIME PRESCHOOL

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted so wanted to say hi. Ed and I are doing well and gearing up for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Brian and family will be visiting early Dec. for a week. I’m working on getting a few craft and cooking projects together to do with Becky, Bella and Zachary. Baby Toby is almost 5 mos and doing new things ea day. He’s very easy going and is a lot of fun. The big grands are busy with school/college and social activities.
We have managed to stay well and hope it stays that way. It was 2 yrs ago that we were so sick with Covid. I will be having cataract surgery done possibly the end of Dec. but should be a simple procedure. For now my thyroid issues are stable and holding. I get labs done often so feel like a human pin cushion but the dose of meds I’m on are keeping me in the range the Dr wants.
I hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving with your families and are staying healthy and well.
Tell the kids I say hi and I think of them often. Love to you all!

We welcomed this little man on Fri. at 5:17pm. Toby Andrew weighed in at 6lb 7oz., 19” long. He has so much black hair! Very mellow and so far an easy baby. His levels were higher than they should be for jaundice so he was under lights for awhile but they were allowed to go home this afternoon. Praying the levels stay low enough to keep him out of the hospital. I was able to stay with the other 6 kiddos since Fri. We had a lot of fun and went out numerous times, made cookies, played outside, just did lots to have fun. They did great without mommy but were very happy to have her back home. I’ll be going over ea day for a while to help the cause but I think they’ll get into the new normal of having a baby without a hitch. Welcome to our family sweet baby Toby! Grammy loves you so…

Grammy made a quick trip to Tampa to see Becky over the wkend. We had so much fun together. She’s quite the talker, even tho I didn’t understand anything she said except the word NO. Pretty typical for a 19 mo old. She was my little shadow and this morn when I was taking a shower, she stood outside the door and cried until I came out. We spent Sun afternoon at the beach, which you all know, is my happy place. Lots of great memories made. I call her my Brazilian baby since her mommy is from Brazil. Her skin is gorgeous. She doesn’t burn unlike her fair skinned Grammy. Enjoy the pics!

Happy Mother's Day! I hope this finds all of you well and ready for summer to begin soon. I've received several high school graduation announcements from former students and it's mind blowing to think they were in preschool in what seems like just a few short yrs. ago. I am so proud of them all and look forward to seeing the direction their college yrs. take them. Know that I do think of all of you often and it always brings a smile to my face. So many wonderful families I was blessed to be a part of over the yrs. I remember telling so many moms who were worried about sending your littles off to kindg. to enjoy this time with them because the yrs. really do fly by so quickly. Congratulations to those who are soon to be in college and in the adult world.
Mr. Ed and I did it....we finally moved! The Garden Trail house was sold April 29 and we downsized to a condo. It's all one level so no basement or stairs to navigate. YAY! This will be our last home so no more moving again and to that I say a big AMEN. It's a huge job and I'm so glad it's over. We went from 2700 sq ft to 1400 sq ft. so there were lots of things being sold and donated. We headed north so are near Powers and a bit closer to Sara and family. I'm still working on decorating and getting things organized but it is feeling more like home every day.
Speaking of Sara...baby #7 is due mid June and we can't wait to meet him. A big surprise but all has gone well with the pregnancy and the weeks are zooming by. 33 weeks now and eta is June 17th.
I will post pics when he arrives.
Brian and family are doing well in Tampa. Becky is 18 mos old and growing like a little w**d. We haven't seen her since Christmas but face timing is always good. She looks a lot like her daddy which makes me smile when we get pics of her.
In Jan. I found out I had several nodules on the remaining side of my thyroid. I had a biopsy of the largest one April 1 and it came back benign. I am so relieved but will continue to watch them. My med was increased and I have tolerated it well so all is good at this point. I am feeling good and able to live life as normal thank the good Lord.
Let me know how you are all doing and any summer plans. For Mother's Day, nothing would make me happier than to get pics of the kids text to me. (719-201-2318). It's the best to see how they've grown and hear all about them. They will always be 3-5 yrs. old in my mind but to see them older brings me great joy.
Love to you all and have a wonderful day celebrating YOU tomorrow.
Ms. Vicki

My dear friend gained her wings tonight. I am so very sad. She fought a good fight but her body just wasn’t able to fight the evil Covid with her recent health issues. Please keep her husband, 3 children, 5 grandkids and extended family in your prayers in the days ahead. They are in shock and trying to navigate life without her. Suni, I love you like a sister and thank you for all the wonderful memories we’ve shared since being in kindg. together over 60 yrs ago. We’ve been there for ea other thru our weddings, babies, the loss of your sweet baby Randy, our family events, just so much. We’ve shared the good, the bad and the ugly and still had ea others backs thru it all. I won’t say goodbye…just I’ll see you later. I love you and will miss you so much. Give my mom and dad a hug for me. Till we meet again….

My best friend of 62 yrs is fighting for her life. She was admitted to a hospital in San Diego Mon. morning with covid. She has had recent health issues and was moved to the ICU this evening. She has not been intubated yet but her husband has indicated that it probably will be happening. Please join me in praying for a miracle. The thought of losing her and my mom in the same yr. is more than I can even imagine. Ironically, Sun. was 1 yr ago that I tested positive for covid and it was Sun. evening that she started feeling bad. Other news, I will be seeing a specialist in Denver Dec. 27th to get a biopsy done on a nodule on the right side remaining thyroid. I had an ultrasound of it and it shows moderately suspicious for cancer, so I may be going back to have that side removed also. Needless to say, retirement is not going how I envisioned it. On the up side…I am excited to be able to fix Thanksgiving dinner this yr. Sara and family will be coming over to join us. I pray you all have a blessed Thanksgiving with your families. In spite of all the hurdles in my life this last yr., I have so much to be grateful for; family, friends, a warm home and so much more. I could never give enough thanks to the One who is always with me regardless of the circumstances. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

We were able to celebrate Beckys 1st birthday on Sat. What a joy to have all 7 of my grandkids together. It made my Grammy heart so happy!

SOS.....Brian, Bia and Becky will be coming for a visit Oct. 20-27. While they're here, we will be celebrating Beckys 1st birthday. We are in need of someone who makes yummy cakes that are professionally decorated. Sara knows of someone but she's already booked for all of Oct. I don't have a clue who to go to . If you know of someone who maybe has a page with pics please let me know. I figured a months notice would be plenty but apparently I figured wrong. HELP!
Hope you're all doing well and the kiddos are liking school. I think of them often.

Hi everyone! I hope you all have been doing well and were able to soak up some summer fun before school has started again. Mr. Ed and I have been busy with an outside makeover before the cold rolls around again. This was the summer for a paint job and I love it! We’ve been here 18 yrs and I’ve never liked the red/rust color so it was a welcomed change. And we found the most amazing paint company..they got the entire job done in 1 day! They did a great job and left everything super cleaned up. If anyone is looking to paint inside or out, Solis Painting is who you want. I can’t say enough good things about them. We had 6 tons of dirt dropped off so we were shoveling for hours to get it into the big circle and to make a mound. Hauled 50 bags of rocks and about 30 plants from Lowe’s to complete the project. It was rough but we got it done. The worst part was that it was in the 90s the days we worked on it so we were out early, inside till around 6pmand out till after dark for 4-5 day but we got it done and it looks great!
My older sister and her husband were here for a wk the end of July. We drove up to Pikes Peak with them and went to the Pro Rodeo Museum. I took her shopping which she really enjoyed. She has the macular degeneration like my mom had and is now legally blind. I had to hang onto her in parking lots and on curbs-it’s hard to realize how bad her vision is since we’re less than a yr apart and I’m still driving, etc. We had a fun time together and my bil put a new storm door on for us. He’s very handy!
I am finally feeling somewhat back to normal. I had some rough weeks after surgery. I woke up completely deaf in both ears one morn. The next morn I opened my eyes and the room was spinning for hours. Vertigo is awful! I saw the Dr twice and he finally put me on thyroid meds and I’m happy to say I’m feeling much better. I will see an endocrinologist mid Sept. to be monitored and followed. Thyroid issues are no joke! It regulates and affects everything in your body. Hoping I’m able to stay a step ahead of whatever it throws my way.
I am still so sad over the loss of my sweet mom but I talk to my sisters often so we are there for ea other to remember all the wonderful memories of her. Ed is good…in all his glory playing in the dirt all summer. 🙂 Let me know how you’re all doing and send me back to school pics of the kids, I want to see them! Love to all!

Had my post op appt this morning. Dr was very pleased with how the surgery went and with the pathology report. The nodule was fully contained inside the thyroid and didn’t extend to any margins. He will do labs in a month and I will most likely go on a low dose of thyroid med to keep my number suppressed. The tiny nodule on the right side will be watched closely via ultrasound several times a yr to see if it grows. If it gets large enough, a biopsy will be done on it and go from there. He feels this is still a best case scenario and I am very happy and relieved that things have gone as he suspected. I am feeling really good and have been venturing out to shop and see the grandkids. Thank you again for all the prayers and encouraging words. Have a safe, blessed 4th of July weekend.

I am back among the living! Feeling great and the intense itching I’ve had is subsiding. I’m able to eat whatever I want at this point and didn’t need a nap yesterday. Sleeping good during the night and ea day I’m feeling stronger. I see the surgeon Mon. to get the tape off. Thank you all for your well wishes and prayers!

Ms Vicki is a thyroid cancer warrior! Surgery went well and I’m in a room now for recovery. Ice packs are my new best friend. Mr Ed’s birthday is today-what a gift I gave him. Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes. I should go home tomorrow morning and will keep you updated on recovery.