Hello from the Thomas'!

I'm getting slack again for my limited updates on all of us! So I locked my children in the closet so I can sit down to write! Just kidding!!!

Lets start with Victoria. Beautiful Victoria!!! She is not my little girl anymore! As she towers over me in height, which I never hear the end of, she has her own unique and stylish way about her. She continues to do well in school, on the B honor roll, singing in the Women's Varsity Choir and active with the Youth Group at Church. Victoria is officially OBSESSED with Twilight and has read the entire series numerous times! Reading is something she has always had a passion for and we are so proud of her! Friends have now taken my place as the cool friend to go to the Mall and Target with, to hang out with and to talk about boys!!! She has made great choices in friends and is such a happy teen! She has a great head on her shoulders and has high hopes for the future! Most of the time she is found reading, listening to her IPOD, Texting an average of 4 people and updating her status on Facebook all at the same time! A great multi tasker!!!!

 

Mallory still keeps us in stitches with her crazy antics, witty come backs and boy can she dance!!!! She loves to Sing, ballroom dance in crazy dress up clothes and is convinced she is Belle from Beauty and the Beast. She knows everything about her and we must admit, looks just  like her! Ariel is running in close second, but  Belle really is the fave! Mallory can write her name and loves learning  Spanish.She catches on very quickly!

Still a movie buff, her ideal past time is watching every princess movie ever  made!! She loves books and making maps to McDonald's!

 

Sammy smiles constantly and can be a little more devilish! She keeps us on our toes with her mother hen activities with Cassy! Sammy is always right behind us when its time to cook, bake or build something in the Garage! She has her very own REAL tool box and knows how to use all of the tools. Her favorite things to make are cookie dough and anything that requires a drill in the garage with Daddy! She loves to draw and do puzzles. Sammy is more reserved around others than Mallory who will sit on just about anybodies lap!  Mallory and Sammy turned 3 in Dec '08.
Together they are silly, giggly, crazy and very loving! Did I mention loud?? They really watch out for each other and are rarely found apart. They recently started having sleep overs at Nana and Papa's house and they love it!! Joel and I love the break and Cassy loves having mommy and daddy to herself!!

Speaking of Cassy... What a girl!!! Cassy turned 1 in Jan this year and is a riot! Her mobility and desire to keep up to her older sisters get her into some trouble! Now that we told the twins to stop bringing her everything she wants, she figured out the walking thing! They meant well!!

Cassy loves to play with babies, wrestle daddy, jump on beds and anything that requires going outside! Of the 3, Cassy has been my more Sickly child and struggles with ear infections and sleep issues. Which in turn, no one sleeps some nights! I remind myself as with all phases of childhood....... This too shall pass!!!!

 

Living with all girls has softened daddy up quite a bit! He wears dress up clothes, has tea parties and reads princess books like nobodies business!  Still the manly man that he is, he continues to build and pound away in the garage! Everything from picnic tables, dressers, cabinets to planters and toys for the daycare!  If you have seen Joel  since July, you would have noticed his feet are not touching the ground! They haven't since he bravely had brain surgery in the summer of 2008. Today's date is April 5Th and that marks almost 10 months being SEIZURE FREE! Living with Epilepsy most of his life, he took a huge risk and found himself at Rochester Mayo in Brain surgery with one of the top surgeons in the country! At  least in our eyes! A section of scar tissue on his left temporal lobe was removed and that's what it took to give this man pride, confidence and a drivers license at last! Thanks to incredible donation from our family and friends, he was able to get a truck of his own and the Independence that came with it is priceless! He remains on medications, but will decrease as time goes on. A medical miracle and a fist full of answered prayers! His father Marty that passed away in 1999, was right by his side and is so proud of him! Employment continues to be the low part of his life as he continues to tolerate Cardinal Glass and the struggling economy. He has taken advantage of Voluntary lay offs to be at  home with us and help me with daycare.

 

Me?? Not much to write about there!! I am in the prime of my life! I love my job, my family, my husband and all of the people so close to my heart! Daycare continues to be successful and always entertaining! Now that the girls are getting older I find more opportunities to get involved in things outside my 4 walls! I recently joined a group of awesome daycare providers putting together a Childcare Association in Northfield and getting more involved with our church.

Knock on wood everyone has been healthy and I continue to visit Mayo a few times a year for Gastric Stomach Cancer monitoring. With a hereditary high risk, uncomfortable scopes and pressure to have my stomach removed , it consumes me at times. 3 of my family members have had the procedure done successfully so I just need to find the right time in my life to do it also. I have put much of it in God's hands and hope that he decides what my plan is.

I have an incredible circle of friends and family that keep me sane and remind me how strong I am each day and that's why I feel I am truly in the prime of my life! I wouldn't change a thing other than hiring a MAID!!!  Why must children stick bologna to windows and how can 2 little girls go through 22 pairs of pants a week anyhow???

Thanks for reading!!!

The THOMAS Family! Joel, Cindy, Victoria, Mallory, Samantha and Cassandra