The Huckeba Family Journey: 2010

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Happy Birthday Melissa!

We want to wish a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY, to Melissa!

May this year bring you much happiness!!

We love you!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

On Friday, Dec 3rd, JT's school, La Habra United Methodist Preschool had their annual Christmas Program. JT was so excited to go and sing for us! He practiced at home and gave mini performances for us while standing on a step-ladder.
The program started with the Pre-K kids and then the Preschool children sang, then the whole school together.
All the friends and families were so proud of the kids, and they did such a fabulous job! After, they had cookies as a treat for the kids, and us big kids too!
There's just nothing like experiencing Christmas through the eyes of a child...it's just magical!

Customize your own greeting card

Friday, December 3, 2010

Christmas cards by Shutterfly!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!! It's also possibly the most stressful too! One of those things that adds to the stress is Christmas cards...at least photo Christmas cards! You have to get the fam together, all in a good mood, dressed nicely, and all smiling and happy...no easy feat!
So in this house we turn to Shutterfly!

This year they have a ton of new designs and I'm super excited to tell you that because of this post they are offering us 50 free cards! (If you're a blogger you too can get 50 free cards, go here for all the info--hurry, there's still time!)

Just like the millions of families that choose to send out photo Christmas cards each year, we're busy over here trying to pick out our fave from Shutterfly! Obviously, it's never easy choosing which design to go with, and because Shutterfly offers so many great choices, no matter what we choose I know it will be fabulous!
They have tons of beautiful designs, and you can have just a single photo or multiple photos. I love that they offer flat cards as well as folded ones, and they even have some that have the option to add more photos inside along with plenty of space to write to everyone about what happened in your family this year...the options are endless!

This year 2 of the top contenders for the card Scott and Sarah will send out are:

So, why these cards? Well, Sarah loves the monogram aspect of the first card, and she loves the Peace/Love/Joy saying of the second card. Believe me, it wasn't easy getting her to select her faves because honestly the selection of cards is so fantastic, it's hard to choose!

So, in the next few days the perfect picture has to be taken, selected, and then the final selection of the card will be made, and thanks to Shutterfly the Christmas cards will be done and on their way!

If you haven't sent out cards yet, it's not too late! Go on over to Shutterfly and get started, and hey they even offer a great service for those of us who dread the addressing and stamping and mailing of the cards--they will stamp and mail any quantity of cards for an add'l fee, how fantastic is that!

I also want to mention that Shutterfly is not only for your Christmas cards, they have a huge selection of other fabulous items! Last Christmas I made a cute photo wall calendar for Sarah for Christmas. It's been a big hit this year at work, and people are always stopping by her desk to look at it...I think maybe she needs a new one this year...
Also, the selection of home decor, mugs, and photo books are great and the quality is fantastic!
Just hop on over to the Shutterfly site and get started, you'll be surprised just how many people you'll be able to cross of your gift list!

Okay, well now to go get that perfect photo for the card...wish us luck!!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Thanksgiving!

Wishing everyone a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!

The Huckeba Family

Friday, November 19, 2010

Miss Cassidy turns 9!

Happy Birthday to the sweetest 9 year old on the planet!

We love you more than you know!

May all your birthday wishes come true!

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Happy Birthday Scott!

We want to wish Scott a very happy 29th birthday!

We hope you have a fantastic day and get all that you wish for!

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG GUY!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Happy Birthday Garrett!

We are wishing the very happiest of Birthday wishes to

Mr. Garrett, who turns the big 0-6 today!

Hope you have a wonderful day and a great 6th year!

We love you!

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Wedding Bells for Eric and Melinda!

We want to send out congratulations and best wishes to Eric and Melinda, who today become Mr. and Mrs.
May you have a lifetime of love and happiness!
Here's a special wish from JT to his Aunt Melinda and Uncle Eric on their special day!

This free greeting card made with Smilebox

Friday, October 1, 2010

Happy Birthday Nana!

Make a greeting card

Monday, September 13, 2010

Happy Birthday Sarah!

We want to wish a very happy birthday to Sarah, who turns the big 3-0 today!! We wish you lots of love

and happiness today and all year through!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Happy Grandparents Day!

Just a quick shout out to all the Grandparents out there. WE LOVE YOU!!
Grandparents are the best, and today we celebrate you! If you are lucky enough to still have your Grandparents in your life, give them a great big hug and kiss today, because they are truly a blessing!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

WE REMEMBER

In honor of those who lives were cut short, those who selflessly gave their lives and all those who were left behind to endure such pain and heart ache, we honor you! May God bless you all!

Sunday, August 29, 2010

BACK TO SCHOOL!

At the end of August the King kids ventured off for another year of learning!
Cassidy is now a big 3rd grader and Ben is in 6th grade this year.
But the biggest news, is that Garrett started Kindergarten!! Yay! Fun times are ahead for these smart and wonderful kids! We wish them a great school year full of learning, fun, friends and adventures! Kelly snapped a few 1st day of school pics to commenorate the big day!

Friday, August 27, 2010

JT visits M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E !!

JT and his Mickey balloon before he left for Disneyland!

JT and Sarah wait for his FAVORITE ride, the parking lot tram!

On the tram!!

JT and his little friend on the Tea Cups, a favorite!

Sarah and JT in the fire truck @ toon town.

JT driving Goofy's car

Family photo with the Mouse

Driving mommy around toon town

Plutos Dog house--where you can get a yummy hot dog with apple slices and drink!
Clarabelles creamery was closed--so sad!

JT sporting his very own Mickey ears, with the 2010 Allstar logo!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Happy Anniversary Scott & Sarah!!

Happy 1 year anniversary to Scott & Sarah! We wish you a wonderful day and many more happy years together!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Auntie Mel goes to Utah!

The 1st week of August, Auntie Mel took a nice vacation to Utah to see the King family! There were lots of outings and tons of fun, here are some of the highlights from the trip!

(Click on the photo collages to enlarge for a better view)

The kids had lots of fun climbing the swing area and making silly faces for Auntie Mel's camera!

We had a camp out in the canyon, complete with smores, and a rancid watermelon that Ben found in the stream. Auntie Mel also saved Garrett's life as he was trying to climb down a very steep hill-- then she slid all the way down the hill on her booty--luckily we don't have a picture of that oh-so-glamorous moment!!

Kelly and Melissa took a trip into Salt Lake City to tour Temple Square and to have a nice sisterly lunch without the kids. The sky was gloomy and the thunder and lightning just added to the beauty of it all!

We ventured to the local mini golf course for some great fun! Auntie Mel is not known for her putt-putt skills!!

On Friday, we went to Garrett's last swim lesson of the summer! He has improved so much, and even swam without help from one side to the other! He was so proud, he was rewarded with a very cool sword that makes all kinds of music!

We also went to This is the Place Heritage Park, in SLC. An old Deseret Village, a restored and recreated living community memorializing Utah's pioneer past. It was so neat to see how life was back then. They even have all the old-timey candies too! We panned for gold, saw a kid get a shave from the barber who was also the dentist ,rode the train around the lake, petted lots of animals, rode some ponies, and had a few naughty lambs try to eat the backpack our lunch was in!

Melissa and Kelly in SLC

Auntie Mel with the King kids, Ben, Cass, Garrett and baby Sam.

We can't forget Tyler the sweet fat kitty! He spent his days sleeping and getting attention from Auntie Mel.
I tried to get a pic of Gracie, Tyler's mom, but she was too camera shy!

There was also bowling at Fat Cats, the yummiest ice cream @ the Creamery, shopping at DI , where I scored some awesome deals, jam-making, bread-making, recipe copying, craft time, Karaoke with Cass and her BFF Adi, movie watching,Wii bowling tournaments, yard-saling, a trip to Lehi Mills, where I found a copy of my fave cookbook, American Girl doll playing, lots of gum-chewing, and bubble popping by baby Sam, and a delicious Sunday dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Kings home...and so much more!!

All in all it was a fantastic trip! I had so much fun and I can't wait for you guys to come in September!

Sunday, August 1, 2010

JT's Mickey Mouse Birthday Party!

This free scrapbook design personalized with Smilebox

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY J.T.!!!!!

The happiest of birthday wishes to the most wonderful 3 year old in the whole wide world!!!
We love you sooooooooooo much and hope this is the most happy and fun year yet!!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

JOIN US!!

Free invitation card personalized with Smilebox

Sunday, July 4, 2010

God Bless America!!

HOME OF THE FREE!!

BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!!

Have a safe and happy 4th!

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Golf with Uncle Robert!!

On a nice spring day, Uncle Robert came over to play golf with JT! Robert showed JT the ins and outs of golf and then helped him perfect his swing! Perhaps JT might need a smaller golf club...

just a thought! They had a great time and I am sure there are many more golf playdates in their future!

Our Family Update--2007-2008

Since it may have been awhile since we've had contact with some of you, we thought that we'd give a brief update on the last 16 months or so--Jan 2007-April 2008.
Jan 2007-New Year, a time of renewal and joy-1 year and 1 month since Grandma Sadie had passed.
Feb 2007-A month filled with love!
March 2007-Scott and his fiancee, Sarah find out that thebaby they are expecting is a boy!!
April 2007-Joe turned 63!! Scott and Sarah take the family up on the offer to come and live back home for a year or two, in order to save for a house!
May 2007-Mary turns 59! We began a slight remodel in order to make room for the happy family!
June 2007-Sarah has a babyshower given by Melissa. The house re-do is almost complete.
July 2007-4th of July, Sarah complains of bad cramping--braxton hicks, Scott and Sarah move in.
JULY 27TH--LITTLE JACOB THOMAS HUCKEBA IS BORN!
7.2 lbs, 21 inches long, at 1:44 pm@ Presbyterian Hospital in Whittier.
JT, is born with jaundice, but is sent home with bili lights...the next day we are told to rush to the ER his blood levels are deathly high, he is admitted to the NICU, they prepare us all for the worst! JT may not make it, he may be brain damaged, they want to do a massive double blood transfussion...they are searching for blood...10 days later, he is released, doing much better and thriving wonderfully!! God answers prayers, everyone is amazed!!
August 2007-JT comes home from the NICU!!
September 2007-Sarah turns 27. Mary begins to feel tired and weak, we begin doctor's visits to find out why!
Oct 2007-Scott turns 26. They have found some enlarged lymph nodes in Mary's abdomen, she is admitted to the hospital for tests...she is getting weaker.
Nov 2007-1st Thanksgiving with JT. Mary is still ill, but still tries to remain hopeful, it looks like some kind of cancer, but all the tests come back inconclusive! Still, little JT is the delight of his Grandma Mary's life!!2 more hospital visits, and a trip to a Pasasena Oncologist to determine if it's some kind of gynecological cancer...good news, it's not, but we are still uncertain of what type of lymphoma this may be!
Dec 2007--Back and forth to specialists...still no answer, Mary is all but bed-bound, we work tirelessly to find some explanantion for all this..we pray constantly for peace and understanding.Dec 19th, Melissa turns 3o, we celebrate with cake in bed with Mary.
Dec 21st--Today is a big day, we are to get some tests to figure out what is going on. Joe and Melissa drive with Mary to Pasadena, but while getting ready in the bathroom at the testing center, Mary passes out...the paramedics are called, she is transported across the street to Huntington Memorial Hospital...they prepare us for the worst, she has been vomiting blood in the ER. We call all the family together..we are devastated...we wait on word...they put her on a ventilator and move her to CCU...it's a strange world up there, monitors and machines...we are frightened..we stay until 1am, they tell us to go home and rest for the long day ahead tomorrow...they are going to try and extubate...this will tell us how weak or strong her body is.
Dec 22--They take out the tube she is wide awake...says she felt like Alice in Wonderland...like the Rabbit popping up out of the hole!! We are happy she is starting to stabilize...the doctors are amazed! More tests...her blood is still behaving badly, as it had all the times before...they are puzzled..calling specialists from City of Hope!
Dec 23-25-We spend the holidays at the hospital...all the family is here...Aunt Ruby flew in from Tampa...we take turns spending the night. She feels bad that she "ruined" Christmas, we tell her she didn't, we just want to be with her! More tests, they want to do a biopsy, but they must get the blood count high enough...more blood is given...
The next few days all blur together, but finally they get the blood up enough to do the biopsy...death is a real possibilty, we move forward, she wants to know what is going on inside! We brace ourselves for the surgery...they call from the OR, she is doing better than expected...no bleeding, they got the sample they need, an answer will come soon! Early the next morning Melissa and cousin Marissa are with Mary, a seizure begins...we summon for help, it stops, they get a CT, no brain bleed visible...they are concerned about the sudden seizure...everyone rushed to the hospital about 4 am.
We are told they can't do anything else, since they still don't know what's going on, and even if they did know she is too weak for treatment, and the kidneys have begun to go...we have a decision, lots of tests and pain and suffering, or to let God take care of her..we opt for peace and no pain..she hates pain! She is in and out of it...we are all there, we talk to her and sing to her...they move us out of CCU, to the hospice wing... it's a round the clock vigil, they give her meds for pain, she has none, and she is just peacefully sleeping....it take days...we 2nd guess our aproach, it's just our pain talking though, we know that this is the best for her, and it's what she would have wanted...we wait...
New Year's Eve 2007- we spend it in the hospice wing, she is sleeping, I think to myself about how much she loves the Rose Parade...we are a mere 2 blocks from the parade site...she hangs on...we take turns getting a few hours of sleep...
Jan 1st 2008--At 5:51 am, we are there when Mary leaves this world and enters into the presence of God...I imagine Jesus saying to her, Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter now in to the joy of the Lord!! We are inconsolable...our angel here on Earth has left us and we are lost...but we have hope in Jesus!! We take care of all the hospital stuff and leave the hospital...there is much to do...we drive past the parade route...I think to myself, she has the best seat in the house now!
Jan 2008--We have a rosary for Mary, and the funeral the next day...it was raining...but stopped that morning to give us beautiful sunshine, and a rainbow.....Mary is buried at Rose Hills in Whittier, Ca.
Jan 2008- The rest of Januray finds us all trying to come to terms with all of this, Joe has taken time off work, Sarah has resigned from work to be a full-time stay-at-home mom, Mary was going to care for JT, but that was not to be...Scott has gone back to work, but is still terribly sad...Melissa, who left her full-time job, to get a part-time job in order to help care for Mary, is beside herself with grief...only the love and smiles of her baby nephew fill the void. Mary's mom and family try to find a way to come to terms with all of this...we lean on God for support and comfort.
Feb 2008-Scott leaves Downey Savings after 7 years...while between jobs he stays at home with Sarah and JT , the family bonds!!
March 2008--Scott begins a job with Interbusiness bank, an international bank, he work in Alhambra.
April 2008--Joe turns 64!! We are spending our time bonding as a family and watching little JT grow and change each day!!
That's the sum up, until now...lots has happened, but our faith in God and family has sustained us along this weary road.
We hope that you will continue to check in with us and see where this year 2008 leads us!!
Below you will find some pictures to show you a few highlights of the past year!!