We met our friends at the pumpkin patch today.


Isabel made it halfway through the haunted house before running back out again!

The kids had a blast playing together.

Hide and Seek





Our fourth annual pumpkin patch meet up!

The Starlight Foundation treated Isabel, Gabriel and I, along with a few other families, to an afternoon at San Francisco's wax museum.



There was lots to see, though the kids didn't recognize the majority of the people there!

We were able to make a wax hands at the end of our tour. Gabriel couldn't to make one of his own, due to the age restriction. I made a cast of my hand for him instead. I didn't really understand why they didn't allow children under the age of 7 until I plunged my hand into the ice water and had to hold it there. It was so cold it hurt!

Isabel's came out great.

Gabriel picked the dye colors.

Isabel is now seven months off treatment! Isabel is the "Featured Hero" this week on the home page at www.alexslemonade.org


We drove to Oakland this morning for Isabel's monthly check up and blood draw. The visit was so quick it was decided that we will alternate months between the main cancer clinic in Oakland and our pediatrician here in town. What good news! Isabel is so healthy and happy! Next month I will only have to drive all of fifteen minutes to get her checked instead of almost an hour each way.

I put numbing cream on her arms in anticipation for the blood draw. I use Glad's Press'n Seal wrap which is really easy and painless to peel off. I numb both her arms because of the couple of times I numbed only one and the phlebotomist inevitably had use her other arm!

Waiting for the onocologist.


At the laboratory for the blood draw. Gabe made a waiting room buddy right away.

HURRAH!

We spent the weekend visiting with some of the cousins and slowly gearing up to participate in this year's Day of the Dead celebration.
http://www.petalumaartscouncil.org/currentprograms/day-of-the-dead-2009.html

Isabel started making part of a frame for our Day of the Dead altar which will be featured in the store front window of Stink boutique in downtown Petaluma from October 17th to November 3rd.

Isabel has her seventh month off treatment check up and blood draw tomorrow morning in Oakland. Please keep your fingers crossed and think good thoughts for an easy visit with more perfect blood counts! Thank you!

My good friend and I took our children to the Bay Area Discovery Museum today. We've been taking our kids there for years and it still captivates their imagination. Plus, it was free admission day!

I snapped a few photos on our walk to the train tracks this morning.

Last night the kids and I attended the Carousel Fund's casino night.
http://www.carouselfund.org/about.html

The all-volunteer Carousel Fund holds its fundraising event annually for families in the Petaluma community battling to keep their children alive. They have made a huge difference in our lives and were critical support during the years Isabel was recieving chemotherapy treatment.

We didn't stay very long, just enough to say a few hellos. I wanted to bring my lovely, pink cheeked daughter to put a face on the kinds of children the fund helps.

The kids really liked the chocolate fountain and dipped everything they could in, pretzels, strawberries, marshmellows and mini rice crispie treats.

They had some very interesting items in the silent auction!

It was a nice time and showed me again what a caring community we live in.