In Training

Dear Family and Friends,

I am at it again! I have decided to run in the St Louis Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon (13.1 miles) this year in St Louis with Team In Training.

Last year I ran the Kansas City half marathon in Memory of my Oma. Oma passed away in October 2003 with Leukemia. I lived with her from the time she was diagnosed to the day she passed away. It was hard seeing her in pain. When I moved to Kansas City to live with her I never thought that I would care for her while she died of leukemia. I saw a side of Oma that I had never seen. Oma never ate pizza or fast food…ever! One day she wanted a Wendy’s Cheeseburger, and she enjoyed it on her fine china. No one ever thought that Oma would have cancer and die from it. Your life can change at the drop of dime and it is important to seize the day and make a difference when you can.

I am seizing this opportunity to make a difference. My goals are two-fold:
1. Cross the finish line of the St Louis Rock n Roll Half Marathon on October 23rd, 2011
2. Raise $1400 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in Memory of Martha “Oma” Rossier.

I am hoping you will be able to help me with both of these goals. Your encouragement and positive reinforcement will go an incredibly long way in helping me complete this half marathon. Your financial support will not only help save the lives of those afflicted with blood-related cancers, but make their lives more comfortable and manageable while they are fighting – and winning against the disease. Also, consider that many of the strides that are made toward curing blood-related cancers translate into making a difference in fighting all types of cancers.

EVERY contribution will have an impact and will be appreciated by so many! If you would like to donate online, please do so at http://pages.teamintraining.org/gat/rnrstlou11/mstorey Please also check for matching funds through your employer. However, if you would like to send a check, please make it payable to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and send it to me.

No donation is too big or too small…(well, I am not sure if you can donate less than $1)! Your donation is 100% tax-deductible; with 75% of the money you donate going directly to fund research and patient services. That’s one of the highest percentages out there among charitable organizations.

Finally (and most importantly), if you know someone who has been afflicted with a blood-cancer, I would love to run in their honor as well. Please let me know their name(s) and I will be sure to recognize them on my Jersey the day of the event.


Thank you in advance for your love and support!!



Michelle Storey
http://pages.teamintraining.org/gat/rnrstlou11/mstorey

Project List

Now that we are in St. Louis I have a little bit more free time. I have this pretty sweet job, I provide private in home care to only 1 patient. My shift is 12 hours long, and the majority of my time is spent waiting for my patient to want/need something. So....I have a TON of free time and I am feeling crafty! Here is my to-do list for this summer:

-the front of our house is in desperate need of some flowers....I just don't want to spend the money or the time to plant flowers that might or might not last the entire summer. So, instead I found this super cute idea from Stephanie.

-Our front door needs a wreath....also found this on Stephanie's blog.
- I also want to sew Sienna a skirt and a dress

Entertainment Center

Our current entertainment center is falling apart. A month ago we moved it to paint the livingroom....and it almost fell apart! It was time for a new entertainment center. We looked online for one that we liked and found none in our budget. Spencer came up with the great idea of building one ourselfs! So....i went online to my trusted and favorite building site... ana-white and foudn several entertainment centers. I modified her Apothecary Console. Instead of having drawers I have doors. Here is the finished project:

Moving

We are moving to St Louis!

This is the townhouse that we will be renting. It has plenty of room for visitors :) More pictures to come once we have finally moved it.

Update!

This is a much needed update! It's been 6 months since I last updated the blog!

Sienna, 4 years old, goes to pre-school 4 mornings a week. She loves school! She gets sad when school is closed for either a holiday, parent-teacher conference or snow day. I must admit that I love those 3 hours that she is at school. Sienna loves to play with cars, dolls, and read Bernstein bears books. She loves to play "mommy". She also loves to help out in the kitchen. Spencer took the kids to McDonald's for dinner one night while I was at work. After Sienna ate her cheeseburger she went up to the counter and told this 16 year old boy that that was the best cheeseburger ever, and thanked him! Honest little one.

Carson, 18 months old, loves to push the chairs to the counter, climb up it and grab whatever he can grab. He loves to read books, chase Sienna, cuddle, and climb on everything. He will say "pleeaaase" and give you the biggest grin when he wants something. He is such a funny little boy.

Spencer is busy with his Master's classes. He has started his Masters in Sport Rehabilitation and will start his Doctorate in Chiropractic in May. He will be attending Logan Chiropractic in St. Louis, MO. Yes, we are moving to St. Louis! We are all proud of him for his hard work.

I have been busy running my daycare, working part time at a Rehab unit (mainly cardiac and stroke patients), and going through our stuff to get ready for the move. But, one of my biggest accomplishments was completing a half marathon in October. I ran 13.1 miles to fight Leukemia. My Oma passed away in 2003 with Leukemia. I joined Team in Training with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to train. I am proud to say that I ran 13.1 miles in 3 hours! After I crossed the finish line I ended up getting an IV bag due to dehydration....but hydrated I was ready to run another half marathon! I am planning on running another half marathon and fundraising to help fight blood cancer.

Carson's 1st Birthday

Happy Birthday Carson!

Carson is now 1 year old! The first year with Carson has been a good year. He is such a happy boy and we are so blessed to have him as our son.

He loves to:

-launch toys

-sit in his car and "drive"

-talk on the play phone

-go on stroller runs with Daddy
-cuddle with Mommy

-play with Sienna and chase her

-laugh

-climb the stairs or anything really.

Words he knows:

Hi, Bye, Mama, Dadda, Nenna (sienna), ball, all done, and more.

Blowing out the Candle

Enjoying the first few moments with his cake

The destroyed cake!

Team in Training

Without a doubt, I am getting ready for the biggest challenge of my life. On October 16th, 2010, I will be running a half marathon here in Kansas City! That’s 13.1 miles, and yes all at once. Luckily, I am not doing this on my own. I have joined the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program. Through this program, I have great coaches, mentors and teammates whose support will help me cross the finish line.

More importantly, my commitment to the program is to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in its effort to battle Leukemia and related cancers. These diseases strike some 823,000 Americans each year and acute leukemia is the number one cause of death of children under the age of 15.

One of the greatest contributions of the Society is toward research. Significant progress has been made in the treatment of this disease.

I am not only running this race for the Society, but also in memory of my Grandmother, Oma, who passed away in 2003. She was diagnosed with Acute Leukemia in August of 2003. I lived with her at the time of her diagnoses and watched her battle the disease. I was there for her when she needed me, and I even got to witness her eating a cheeseburger from Wendy's! Oma never ate fast food! I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to have been there for her when she needed me.

Research is the key to finding a cure, and funding for this research is essential. I have set a personal goal to raise $2010 toward this effort.

As I run the 13.1 half marathon, Oma will be with me in spirit, and your sponsorship will inspire me to run stronger and faster to the finish line. With over 75% of your donation going directly to research, you truly can make a difference.

If possible, please make a donation on my webpage. Please spread the word in hopes of accomplishing my goals.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/mid/kc10/mstorey


Thank you so much for your support and generosity!

June 2010

This month has been busy! Here is what we've been up to:

Carson, 11 months enjoying the pool in our backyard. One of 2 picnic tables I built. This is the toddler one, and I built another one that is bigger for bigger kids. (this one I am trying to sell...interrested?)

Sienna got her ears pierced!

A bookcase I built for Carson's room.

10 months and standing

Carson is now 10 months old and has mastered crawling, pulling himself up and standing. He will walk if you hold his hands. He is still such a happy little boy and loves playing in the play kitchen.

Been a while

It has been a while since I have updated the blog! Life at the Storey house hold has been busy.

Carson is now crawling and is getting pretty fast. Sienna is really good at closing the bathroom door so he won't go exploring in there. He is also starting to talk some. He can say Dada and Mama only if he really wants something or is upset. Last night he said All Done clear as day as I asked him if he was all done after dinner. It was so cute!

Sienna is starting to become quite the little diva. She get's all dressed up to leave the house, puts on her "make up", does her hair, puts on her jewelry and gets her purse. She also is starting to learn how to play soccer with Daddy in the back yard. Sienna loves to ride her new bike and goes on a mile ride with Daddy and can complete the mile in 12 minutes! Mind you she is riding her bike and Spencer is running next to her. She loves to ride and is always so proud of herself.

As of the beginning of May I have been in training for my new part time position at a brand new rehab center. While I have been in training from 8 till 4:30 Spencer has been running the daycare. He enjoys it and is really good with the kids. Starting next week I will be working 3 evenings a week and still running the daycare.

I have also been busy building a kids picnic table (completed just need to wait till it stops raining to paint it) and a bookshelf from knockoff wood. Once I have the projects 100% completed I will post pictures.

8 Months old

Carson is almost 8 months old. He sits up and rolls over. Carson has his two bottom teeth. He's such a relaxed little boy and laid back. Carson loves to be held and cries when ever either Mommy or Daddy leave the room. He does love watching Sienna play and thinks she's the funniest thing ever. Carson loves to blow raspberries and making clacking noises with his tongue.

He is so different from Sienna...like night and day. Sienna was a go getter, and wanting to crawl move and walk. She's a leader. Carson is more relaxed and is not interested in crawling. He seems to be more of a follower than a leader. Both are happy kids and we are blessed to have them.

Family Update

I realized that I have not updated this blog in quite some time. Life has changed for the Storey Family. Sienna is now 3 years old and loves to help feed Carson. The other day Sienna came up to me and said that she wanted earrings. I asked her what kind and she responded with "Pink Ones". I then asked her why she wanted earrings and she said: "So I can be pretty". She loves to dress up and walk around the house in her dress up shoes, a skirt and a baby on her hips.
Spencer is back in school full time. He is getting his pre-requisites done so he can enter into either a Physical therapy program or a Chiropractic program. Not too sure which one yet but he does want to do sports rehab.
I am still running an In Home Day Care but have also gone back to school to get my CNA certificate. I can now work as a Certified Nurse Aide...or as I call it a Certified butt wiper! I am trying to figure out how to go to school for my LPN before Spencer starts his program next summer. We will see....I have a meeting with the Director of Nursing tomorrow.
Carson is 6 months old and sitting up. He is currently cutting a tooth and has been a Mommy's boy! He is a happy baby and loves to smile.

Happy Birthday Sienna

Today Sienna turns 3! She is such a joy to be around. She loves to pretend that she is the Mommy and plays with her baby doll "Sara". Sienna walks around the house in high heels, a purse on one shoulder with a cell phone, car keys and fake credit cards, a baby in the other arm and talking non stop. We are so happy to have her in our life! Our baby girl is growing up! Sienna will remind us to say our prayers before dinner, and she loves to read her scriptures. Carson adores Sienna and she loves to make him laugh.

Happy Birthday Sienna! We love you very much.

Christmas Tree

We have finally set up our Christmas Tree! Sienna wanted to help decorate and so I let her! It was so cute, she was so excited about it. She hung most of the docorations all in one spot...clumped together.

Usually we have a much bigger tree but this year we decided to use the smaller one. In the past I had to move our chair and some of the day care toys. This year I wanted to put the tree up earlier, keep the chair and the toys where they were. Small tree it is this year!

Mad Dance Moves

Sienna and he mad dance moves....no clue where she got those from :)

Rolling over

Carson rolled over yesterday!

Leaves

The other day my friend Jacquelyn was offering a mini photo shoot session. I took the kids and had a fun time visiting with her while trying to get Sienna to look at the camera to smile! That silly girl was all over the place.

Carson is so easily amused!

We got some great pictures.....thank you Jacquelyn you did a great job, as always :)

Halloween 2009

The whole family at our ward's Trunk Or Treat. It was so cold and windy that night! Poor Spencer forgot his coat and was freezing :) Carson our little Outlaw!

Sienna all dressed up as a cowgirl to go trick or treating. She loved it! After house number 3 she got the hang of it. She would actually ask me to stay in the driveway as she walked up to the front door, knock, say Trick or treat and then thank you when they gave her some candy. It was so cute!

Tummy Time

We have been working on tummy time! Carson is doing such a great job at holding his head up. He is okay with tummy time for a short while but then he gets mad and just starts to cry.

Pumpkins

A few weekends ago we went to the Louisburg pumpkin patch. Sienna loeved picking out her own pumpkin and then going on a hayride. But I thnk her favorite part of the day was running through the corn maze and "getting lost".

We carved the pumpkins and then Sienna painted her mini pumpkins. It was her first time using paints so all of her pumpkins look very very dark! She still dosen't understand to use one color at a time :) She had fun though!