Tis the Season...

It would not be Christmas at our house without Tyler's nutcracker collection. When Tyler was very young my dad, Gpa, took Tyler to the Nutcracker ballet. He loved it! Gpa got him his first nutcracker and even got his name painted on it. From then on Tyler has gone to some production with Gpa every Christmas season. Tyler has also added a nutcracker to his collection every year. He has quite a variety: ranging from the usual looking to Darth Vader (on the left- too dark to really see him) and Homer Simpson, a snowman, santa and a Hawaiian Hula dancer.

So much to be Thankful for...

I am so thankful for my family and for the fact that we are all so close to each other. The picture is kinda dark but this is Justin, Lila, Evan, Uncle Daniel, Tyler, Cole, Noah, Ethan and Abby. My 2 boys, my baby brother and my nieces and nephews.


My mom and dad and my brother Daniel...Daniel is always keeping us laughing.

We also celebrated 3 birthdays. Cole, Mark and Daniel.

Cole and Mark read his card.

Lila and Daniel and one of his gifts. His FAVORITE I'm sure...

The Happiest Place on Earth!

Our 2009 trip to the happiest place on earth has been booked! Thanks Mark and Gwen for taking care of all the details! I can't wait to be able to watch the cousins together at Disneyland!

A Tyler P-D Original

This is the centerpiece that I bought at the MRLH auction on Saturday night...created by Tyler!!


The art class made all the centerpieces for the tables which made my job of "decorations chairperson" very easy. I only had to get flowers to go in them and a few other little details!

Family Time

Last Saturday we had a Duras family dinner at Auntie Ann and Uncle Mike's house. (L to R): Justin, Grandma Nadine, James, Johnathan and Tyler. This was a dinner in honor of Johnathan (James' brother) who has been here visiting from Hawaii and went home yesterday.

A Nice Recovery

This is the 'after shot": after the drainage tube was removed. The swelling has started to go down. When they removed the tube yesterday she said everything looked really good! He still has to finish his antibiotic and go back for stitches removal in a week.


This is the "before shot": before the tube was removed...YUCK!

Get Well Wishes!

My niece Lila made a beautiful Get Well card for Max!


I know he was very happy to get it Lila! It was his 1st card! Thanks!

Max is Home!

James' brother Johnathan and I went to pick Max up this morning. He has a drain in his neck and we have to flush it 2 times a day. I am so glad John was there to see how to flush it because I am too squeamish! Because the drain is constantly draining and dripping Max has to be locked in the kitchen and not out on the carpet. He is not happy with this situation because he is used to being right with someone all the time. He is laying in the kitchen crying as I sit just a few feet away typing this. But he is home!!!

Successful Surgery

When I took Max to the vet about 2 weeks ago his lump was about the size of a golf ball. After 2 days on the antibiotic it started to get smaller and then suddenly started to grow again. The past couple days it has been the size of a baseball. When I got home from work today it was the size of a softball. I immediately called the vet (our follow-up appt was scheduled for tomorrow) and explained what was happening and they wanted to see him ASAP. We were seen right away by the vet and Max had a high fever as well. We left him there at about 5:15pm and by 6pm the vet had called us with the results of the surgery. He is the only vet in the office and there were people in the waiting room when we left so we figure that Max must have been an "emergency" surgery to have gotten it done so quickly! They were able to drain the infection out but did not find any "foreign body" they thought they might find in there and he was still sleeping. We can bring him home tomorrow if his fever goes down! I have one sad, lonely boy here (Justin). Max shadows him the whole time he is home...follows him from room to room and lays down at his feet where ever he stops. He is a fiercely loyal dog! Get Well Soon Max!!!

Maxwell Pagdilao-Duras

Our poor sweet dog is sick! Max has a lump under his chin. I took him to the vet about a week ago and they did a "fine needle biopsy" on it and the results came back the better of the two outcomes we were looking at...it was either a tumor or an infection. It is an infection. We were given antibiotics to give him for 2 weeks. The second day it seemed that the lump was going down but now it has gotten bigger than it ever has been! So if there is no change in the next week it looks like we are looking at surgery. The vet thinks that something maybe lodged in there like a piece of a bone or a stick. If the swelling would go down it could work its own way out but with all the swelling it needs to be removed! Please pray for him! and us!!!