It has been a little while since we posted anything new. Here it is. A few photos from our weekend in SLC. This trek has become a family tradition that kicks off the Christmas season. It was great fun to see everyone, especially those new babies Lucy and Sailor. I loved seeing the not so new babies of Blake and Lindsey. Caleb and little Spencer are adorable. I even got a smootch from Spencer. Brian Stokes Mitchell was amazing in the concert. Brunch with Mom and Dad, RJ, Don and the kids was fun. It was great to see everyone and catch up on the family. We hope you all have a wonderful and merry Christmas and most happy new year.

Happy Birthday Gpa!

I always love this time of year for many reasons, but one really important one is that when Mike has his birthday, I am not quite as much older than him, as I am the other half of the year! Ha! I took him to lunch on his birthday, then we went out with our good friends (and Stacie's Parents) the Spencers and Sandi Stiles (Monte had a trial and could not make it!) Wendy Spencer's birthday is the same day as Mike's so that is alot to celebrate!! We will have Mike's family birthday dinner on Sunday, and once again Trav has consented to make Mike' s favorite Cambodian Pineapple chicken and rice Thanks Trav!
I am so grateful for Mike in my life! He is the most wonderful companion! He is so kind and caring and I appreciate him more than he will ever know! Love you, honey!
I returned to work part time this past week, and I was pooped by the end of the week! I had to train two classes yesterday, and it about did me in! Wow! I continue to feel better all the time...just mostly tired and cold, but that, too is improving. I am so blessed!

We Are Blessed

Thanksgiving night we hosted a little slumber party with all the grandchildren. To have our children and grandchildren so close to us is such a blessing. We are truly thankful we can have our grandchildren with us just about whenever we want. Some people insinuate we are less than sane when I talk about all the grandchildren spending the night. It is a joy for us to have the laughing voices, the pattering feet, the screams of happiness as they run around our indoor track, the little boy roars that Bo and Beck "scare" us and each other with. I won't deny that their endless energy can wear us out. Fatigue is forgotten when Anson sits next to and cuddles with Grandma or Bo wants Grandpa to play This Little Piggy with his toes, when Eden pretends she is a baby and wants to be held or Beck dances like only Beck can (the boy has rhythm). We are blessed. Our blessings increased Saturday night when Stacie and Travis gave us the happy news that they were expecting! This coming on the tail of Kendra and Barrett's announcement a couple weeks ago combined with the February arrival of Tucker and Michelle's baby was almost more than Kim could stand. Yes...she cried a lot! After the happy news was delivered and as we listened to the little kids playing, running, screaming happily and yes, fighting, we looked at each other and said, "We are going to have seven".

Baby Botkin (Tucker & Michelle) due February

Baby Bishop due April

Baby Botkin (Travis & Stacie) due July

Thanksgiving Night slumber Party with everyone in their PJs.

little boys, piano keys and cookies

As you all know, one of my favorite past times is shooting photos of my little grandbabies. We had Bo spend the night with us when Anson and Eden had their tonsils taken out. The two little boys can be quite fun (when they are getting along). I thought the shots of them eating cookies together and playing the piano together were so much fun, I wanted to share them with everyone.

This family (all the extended family included) sure know how to make pretty babies. I think we have the best looking grandkids on the planet!

The Separation

It has been an interesting couple of days since my lovely bride had her radioiodine treatment. The house is quiet with just Kim and I in residence. I feel so separated from her since we can't really eat together, be together for any length of time or really do anything together. I feel badly that she is basically confined to our house and for the most part has only the company of the telephone and television. She isolates herself in our bedroom and I confine myself to the familyroom downstairs. Knowing I can't do as much for her as I would like is difficult. What I can do, get a cup of water or smash a few ice-cubes into chips seems so insignificant when I can't imagine what she is experiencing. I did do one thing for her that I know she will like. I purchased a few pieces of See's chocolates (which she can't eat until tomorrow or Monday) and found a book by Lee Childs (one of her favorite authors) that will help pass the next few hours for her. Hopefully tomorrow sometime, I can hold by beautiful wife in my arms again and dance in the kitchen to music from Mama Mia.....

Today is the DAY!!

Well, today is the day I get to participate in NUCLEAR MEDICINE!!! I go to St Al's for a scan and a large dose of radioactive iodine! This iodine will seek and destroy any remaining thyroid cells or cancer cells in my body, so of course, I am very grateful for this procedure. It is supposed to take about two hours at the hospital, then the fun begins! I must be quarantined from everyone for about four days, then go back into the hospital for one last geiger counter reading on Sunday to make sure I am no longer radioactive. I feel bad to send Tuck, Michele and Beck away, and I must also banish my sweet husband to the basement for the most part. I cannot prepare his meals or do his laundry. I cannot wash my dishes with his. I have to have my own bathroom, and sleep alone. It will indeed be a dreary existence without him. But, one I am glad to have, as it signals that things are almost over, hopefully! My thanks to all for your faith and prayers in my behalf. I have surely felt the hand lf the Lord in this whole experience, for which I am eternally grateful.

sleepover at grandpa and grandma's

How many times can you undress a child to go to the bathroom? Answer...at least 3. Tonight, after I changed the diaper and dressed Bo in his zip up footie PJs, 3 times he runs up to me and says, "Pa Pa, poo poo" and tugs at his bottom. Being the conscientious grandparent that I am, I run Bo into the bathroom, strip off the zip-up-to-the-neck footie pajamas, lose the diaper and plop him on the child toilet seat and wait. What am I waiting for...cute little smiles and giggles apparently. Nothing else made an appearance. I am sure that sometime during the night, the Pa Pa, poo poo will be more than an empty threat. Despite all the false alarms, Bo and Beck brawls and crocodile tears at bed time, I do love these grandchildren sleep overs. The joyful outweighs not joyful by buckets and buckets and buckets.

Grandma and Grandpa's Halloween Kids

Mickey wouldn't smile....but he sure is cute!

Princess Minnie loved
the camera. She is ready for the
Big Screen!

Shy Guy Superman finally let me take his photo

Grandma is a good sport getting in the leaves with the munchkins!

An adorable, loveable Botkin teddy Bear!

Survivors

Just a few survivors from the Wood, Bishop & Botkin Halloween Cookie Decorating Extravaganza.

Halloween Cookie Decorating Extravaganza

1st Place Photo

This photo won 1st place in the DIRECTV employee photo contest! HURRAY!! I have never entered any photo contests and to win my first one is so fantastic!! I like the fact it won because it appealed to an audience. It gives me a little more confidence to share my photography more and I definitely will start entering more contests...

Grandma's New Jewels

I promised a picture of Grandma with her beautiful gauze necklace provided by Dr. Garner, although I am sure Kim and I will be paying for it , and paying for it and paying for it. Doesn't she look beautiful with the matching pearl earrings? I personally think this necklace is a bit ostentatious and large. Kim looks so much more ravishing with understated diamond and gold baubles.

Grandma's hospital stay

Grandma has had less than a wonderful week. It all started Tuesday when she entered St. Luke's Meridian to have a partial thyroidectomy to remove the middle and right side of her thyroid. We checked in and Kim was settled and as ready for the surgery as she could be. The procedure itself took approximately 2 hours and went very well, according to Dr. Garner. When the staff brought her up to her room she was awake and itching to go home. NOT!! She was experiencing some pain and was very tired. Unfortunately the hospital was not quiet and medical personnel disturbed her just about every hour. How can a person get any rest with blood being drawn and blood pressures etc?? We were in a holding pattern waiting for calcium level updates. Wednesday morning we received the good word for the doc and Kim was able to come home.

Both of us felt good about the surgery knew that our lives would go back to normal. We didn't forget, in the hazy background of our minds, there was still a diagnosis pending. Still we felt good about everything and didn't expect any surprising news. Kim called me on Thursday letting me know that Dr. Garner had called and the news was not good. The nodes on the right side of her thyroid showed papillary carcinoma. Dr. Garner wanted to schedule a second surgery as quickly as possible to remove the rest of her thyroid. Friday afternoon, after a wonderful couple hours at the mall with Kendra, Eden and Bo, we were back on the second floor of the hospital waiting for surgery number two to begin.

The second surgery, again, took about two hours. Dr. Garner let me know everything had gone very smoothly and everything looked good. I think Kim was experiencing a little more pain this second time and was more tired. Who wouldn't be after 2 surgeries in 4 days. The wait for calcium levels commenced. Our one night stay morphed into a 2 night stay.....yes, I am writing this from room 510 sitting by the bedside of my beautiful bride. We will have to wait until 0600 tomorrow to see if she gets to come home.

Kim did have me bring my camera so I could snap a shot of the lovely gauze jewelry that Dr. Garner so generously provided. However, she has not let me snap that award winning photo yet. She keeps saying that her hair doesn't look good. Who is she kidding? She has her pearl earrings in and looks beautiful to me. I may have to snap a shot of her while she slumbers to share with our family and closest friends. Wait....I may want to rethink that idea. I don't know what repercussions may follow such a daring deed. After all, my lovely bride has been needle poked and prodded for most of the week. We will keep you posted on the further adventures of Grandma and Grandpa Wood's encounter with this nasty demon invader.

Grandpa and Grandma's little traveling companion

I know that it has been a little while since Kim and I returned from visiting Mom and Dad in Escalante but I wanted to share a couple of my favorite photos of our traveling companion. At first, when Kim and I talked about bringing Bo with us, I was a little apprehensive. I wasn't sure about how he would like the long stints in the car. But loving his personality and knowing what a wonderful little munchkin he is, my apprehension dissipated quickly. I actually was looking forward to having Bo all to ourselves and he having us. He is such a good little traveler. So much better than this adult. His laughter and jabbering floating from the back seat was music only little children can make. While at Great Grandpa's and Grandma Great's house he was so happy and playful. He even took a couple 4-wheeler rides with his great grandpa. Kendra and Barrett were so generous to loan out their youngest angel to brighten our trip. What a wonderful experience for all of us to be able to bond and get to know this warm, playful, loving spirit. I loved the story reading, the bouncing in the bed, the second long sitting on grandpa's lap and the sweet little voice calling out pa pa where are you? I wouldn't trade the experience we had with babe bo for anything.

This is a photo of The Walk for Autism

that we participated in this past Sat

Sept 27,2008

We are finally doing it!

I guess it's time we join the craze! We really want to have a site for our grandchildren, Anson age 6 , Eden age 3, Bo age 18 months, and Beck age 15 months! These litte ones have added such a wonderful dimension to our lives and we really look forward to any time we can spend with them! Their parents aren't bad either!