We'll Miss You MeeMaw (aka Sweet Thelma)

The Hutcheson hearts are heavy today as MeeMaw aka Grandma Thelma (david's dad's mom) aka nicest woman on the planet went to heaven today. There is a hole in our hearts today as she filled up everyone she met with so much love, but we all know she's in a happier place in heaven where she doesn't hurt anymore and with her beloved husband. If you met her for one second, you felt like you were the luckiest person on the planet to feel an ounce of the love she permeated and if you knew her for her lifetime, you were a better, kinder, gentler person for it. She lived a long and beautiful 99 years on this earth and left a legacy of love that carried on for generations.



There was nothing more important to her than being with her family and she taught everyone that that's all that really matters if you're family is together, healthy and connected and showing love everyday.

She didn't lecture and tell you how to be in this world, but she showed us everyday with her smiles, hugs, sweet disposition and by example. And lots of kisses too. (Meeting Grady for the first time)


Meeting Lily for the first time...

She loved her family and in turn she was showered with love and affection at every turn.


It's never easy to say good bye to someone you love because it is so final and even though we knew it was going to happen any day because she had just entered hospice a few days ago, the tears still fall and it's almost as if it's a shock to you that it happened and the pain is still the same. There's really no way to prepare yourself.

She had a way of putting everything in perspective because she was so wise and quiet about her wisdom; she had seen so much in her life (born September 22, 1912!!), but the underlying message from everything she went through was to love each other with everything you have in you and it'll come back 10 fold. But, she did all her loving and didn't expect anything in return.

There was such a calm and peace about her. She spoke with her heart even when she didn't say anything at all.

She was there for her family whenever they needed her.

Seeing Grady and Lily with their GREAT Grandma brought tears to my eyes and I was so happy they met and she influenced who they are. They have the same sweet DNA running through their veins and I know she'll be an angel watching over them in heaven.

The legacy that she leaves behind is one who touched your heart and left you feeling full moments after being with her. Being hand in hand with her, you knew everything was going to be okay.

4 generations of the women (and woman to be) together.

My heart swells an extra swell seeing them interact. Thelma prayed so hard for us to have kids and wanted them to be in her arms one day. Well it happened. Miracles I tell you. Nothing short.

Here she is in 2001 on our wedding day to give you a taste of her heart. There are no words to fully express her sweet soul, but God knows for sure now. I love at the end how she tells the camera it's her. I posted it 3 ways so you can be sure to see it.

thelma wedding take 2

can't see wedding thelma click here

And here she is meeting Grady for the first time in 2011. She couldn't talk very well, but her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree when her 4 grandkids walked in and meeting her first grandson for the first time.

can't see thelma meeting grady, click here

We love you Thelma and want you to know we are thinking of you everyday and talk about you in our prayers every night. We miss you terribly and our hearts ache selfishly for you to still be here, but we know you are at peace, not in pain anymore and in heaven with your kind husband you missed dearly. Thank you for impacting any person you ever met with your adorable smile, precious heart, SWEET demeanor and infectious love that you could feel a mile away. You are loved beyond measure.

Mall, zoo, water park, playground.... Rinse. Repeat.

Summer is here! Some days it feels like Africa out there and other days I'm worried the house and car will float away from the flood from all the raining! We have a rotation of activities and the mall is the fan favorite when there is rain.



We eat lunch, go shopping, stop by build a bear to walk Oscar (her fav dog on skateboard on display) then off to the play land. The helpers in the food court know Grady by spiked hair and come running with their broom and dustpan when we sit down to eat because he throws half of his lunch overboard. And I don't mean just on the floor around him, but chucks it across the food court like he's a food fight.

and to all you germ a phobes look away - no one was injured or sickness induced during the shooting of this picture...

Lily loves to use $2 and go up to the counter by herself to order her cheese roll ups....such a big girl. I hope she says please and thank you. :)

Grady and his older twin brother Ethan. They are like 2 peas in a pod together!



and finally they're both tall enough to hold hands which I see regularly in my rear view mirror...and it's a great help for sharing snacks and books.


if it's sunny out, we love going to the zoo. We walk around a bit and then they have a water area too cool off too. Lily loves to wear her hand me down zoo shirt from Grace and pose at every landmark. "Mommy, I'm going to stand right here and then you're going to take my picture okay? okay."


my favorite zoo keeper who is 96 years old and acts younger than me with her love and enthusiasm for animals...



My favorite place to take the kids is to the water park ...Lily always measures herself for the water slide and promises herself to eat more strawberries when she doesn't quite make the mark.



Grady is going through a bit of a water phobia stage and I've told him many times this phase has to move quickly as we're going to be in the water in one way or another everyday this summer. He babbled something back to me and then pooped his pants. Needless to say, he's starting swimming lessons next week!



and of course there's the playground...it's getting a tad hot for the playground so we like to find ones that have water relief nearby or go later in the day. Grady is so independent on the playground and it's cool to watch him explore and tackle new challenges like steps and climbing all around the equipment.



well, he's almost independent on the playground.

and seeing them play together never gets old to me. never.

and of course the bounce house outside is a fan favorite too....Grady hops and rolls around in there like he has no control of his appendages and just bounces with the current.

Lily has an appointment with a back specialist tomorrow to look at her back and see how to proceed with her scoliosis...say a prayer all is remedied with ease and the least path of resistance and something she'll outgrow. She deserves endless lollipops, stickers and ice cream for all that she's been through in the last few months - can't wait to be on the other side of all this and see her smiling face like this all of the time.

and this picture just made me laugh. harder than i probably should have...for all you cat lovers out there.


Have a happy Tuesday! Life is good!

Ballet and questions I can't answer

Someone has a ballet recital coming up and thoughts are mixed about this. I'm a nervous wreck as she goes from being uber excited then to she doesn't want to do it at all. We'll see which wins next week. (shaky sigh)

and this little ham Grady can't get much cuter if he tries. When I get him the morning, he'll hit the deck of his crib and pretend to be asleep while giggling and saying " nigh-nigh" like he knows he's pulling a prank. He does the same thing when I go to get him out of his car seat. He says "map" any time he sees anything Dora related . If I ask him something he always responds with an "ok" like "Grady let's put on your shoes OK?" and he'll say "OK" or "Grady, let's go get in the car OK?" and he responds with an "OK" like he's my little pal wanting to please. Can u say cute??

18 month checkup and he was all smiles...until the shots. OUCH!!

Lily needed a little break from shopping to "rest her body" . I swear my kids have mono sometimes. They need mental breaks randomly and I oblige.

The other day she randomly said to me, "Mommy. I have a question for you. How come when I talk to God in bed he doesn't answer me back? Like last night in bed I told him thank you for the trees and he didn't say anything. Maybe he was napping. I need him to wake up to protect me while I'm sleeping. Okay?"

I always wonder what goes through their mind and she's at the age she can articulate everything that is swirling around like when she said "how does God protect the whole world and hold it all at once?" or "how does he make people that are far away?" She's unraveling a piece of her heart everyday and I love to see what is next. I can't wait to see what's in the heart and mind of her crazy funny brother. The other day, Lily asked him if he wanted to play Candy Land and he responded with an enthusiastic "OH YEAAAAA" and off they ran.

Lils had a scary ct scan last week because of the mold issues. Actually she was so scared I laid with her and so we both got one as we slid back and forth spooning together pretending like we were on a roller coaster ride at the fair. It showed she has a strong sinus infection from the mold which we're still treating by an awful visit to an ENT doctor where she had to be scoped but the new treatment plan seems to be working. We're starting to see the light at the end of this stinky moldy tunnel. They also saw she has scoliosis so we'll get that checked out by a back specialist next week. Holy cowabunga with all the doctor appointments and roller coaster of specialists without cotton candy at the end.

In between our appointments, we have a lot of fun checking out the new digs of the neighborhood making new friends and keeping the old because one is silver and the other is gold. Yes, I was a girl scout and loved every minute of it.

Narcolepsy, mono or Epstein Barr? Which one is it? lol

Any day it's not raining, you can find us biking, jumping, chalking and running around outside. Sometimes Grady is running further than we'd like (as in far away down the street into the next neighborhood if he could), hence the driveway fence which was the best purchase evaaaah!!

Happy Friday Eve everyone and have a great looong weekend!!!

Vid Break

Seeing the kids in pictures is awesome, but there's nothing better than videos in my opinion. You can hear their sweet voices and see their indescribable mannerisms that make them who they are.

Here are a few cute ones with no significant meaning, but just them being them. If you can't see them click the hot link below the video.



here




here


dora

here


life is good.

Doctors and Fun

We have been to the doctor more in the last few months more than we have with both kids in their life combined!! The mold took a toll on the kids; especially Lily so we're working through all the issues associated with it and the aftermath that seems to have lingered longer than expected; but being in the new house has made such a difference....and we're all breathing a lot lighter and cleaner these days.

My heart breaks for her and all she's been through in the last few months, but we keep telling her we're here for her every step of the way.

She doesn't deserve ANY OF THIS which angers me to my core, but we try to have as much fun as possible through it all....lots of treats afterwards to look forward to...

keeping 2 kids entertained at the dr is not my idea of fun when we'd rather be at the water park.

hearing is a-okay which is a relief for everyone.

and height and weight right on track...

we have just a few more appts to clear it all up and then we'll get back to to the fun stuff...

and do what Grady does best....

do you think he's teething with all that drool?

he'll run to you holding a book saying "happy-peez-happy-peez" meaning 'please read me this book and I'll feel happy". Can you say melting heart? omg!!

and these 2 are like 2 peas in a pod.

I love how they love each other. If we're going anywhere, Lily will pack extra snacks for him, bring 2 toys if we're playing outside, opens the bounce house door for him when he's struggling to get up the slide, and take over for me with a song of ABC's if he starts to get fussy pants. It's like she's saying "step aside mommy. i got this." He follows her around everywhere trying to imitate everything she does.

I knew I'd love to see them together, but never thought it'd be this awesome.

and this bounce house I bought from Donna years ago was the best $40 I ever spent. We're in it almost everyday it's not raining and anytime I think what a pain it is to lug it out, I think about seeing this face loving it and suddenly it takes seconds and no effort.

dance party at Build A Bear and what Grady does in seconds if he's not buckled into the stroller.

here

oh I love seeing him shake his booty too....and never leaving the snacks of course.


here

life is good.