1 DOWN, 5 TO GO!

Yay!  One week down and only five to go!  Week one of treatment went well.  Let's hope this pattern continues.  It has been a very humbling week for me.  The notes, thoughts and prayers from so many dear friends and family has truly touched my heart.  Thank you, thank you so very much!

GUESS WHO CAME TO LUNCH ON FRIDAY?

Friday's lunch date was an extra-special treat.  First, because we went to this quaint little restaurant/boutique in Murray that I have never been to called, The Art Garden (I'll tell ya more about it down below).  I love little finds like this.

But even better, I got to go with this beyond-beautiful lady:

This is my sweet friend, Katherine Howells.  Katherine and I met when I moved into my neighborhood, over 10 years ago now.  We became fast friends because, 1. our boys were the same age (exactly one month apart actually), and 2. because I'm convinced we were destined to be forever friends!  Katherine is married to Chris Howells and they have 3 awesome kids - Brad, Ellie and Princess Sicily (she really is like a character from a Disney movie - I want one just like her!)  Check out these pictures of our kids when they were little:

Parker and Brad first day of kindergarten, 2002

Our cute girls at a birthday party, circa 2005

Katherine is probably THE sweetest person I know.  She has the most tender heart and would do anything for any person (or animal) in need.  She is always the first one to volunteer to bring dinner, to help drive carpool, to help with kids or do anything else that would make someone else's burden lighter.    

One thing people may not know about Katherine is that she is bit of a heavy-metal junkie.  Blast some Def Leppard, Poison, Iron Maiden, Metallica, etc. - and this girl may just start banging her head and destroying some guitars.  Who knew, right?  She is also a lover of ALL animals (unlike me).  Dogs, cats, snakes, birds, horses, you name it.  And up until just recently she even competed in (and usually won) Western-style horse riding competitions.  She's definitely a cowgirl at heart.  Ain't she the purdiest cowgirl y'all ever saw?

Katherine and I have gone through a lot together over the years - kids soccer teams, basketball teams, getting our boys through scouts (ugh!), ladies bowling leagues, dinner groups, scrapbook groups, lunch bunch, serving in various callings together, girls camp - need I say more?  I count her among my dearest friends and appreciate her kindness and friendship more that she could ever know.  Thanks for being my friend and for a super fun lunch!

I love this gorgeous gal!

As I mentioned, we went to The Art Garden.  Katherine has been going to this place for years.  She often meets her cute hubby there or takes her mom or mother-in-law to lunch around Mother's Day.  The food was super delicious.  I had a seafood salad with the best breadstick you ever did eat.  They also have sandwiches, soups, gourmet salads, and even a garden lasagne (Katherine's fav). Attached to the restaurant is a darling little boutique.  Wish I had more time (and money) to shop.  This place is definitely a must-try, especially for women.  No offense to men, but they usually don't appreciate cute details like flowers on the table or old-fashioned bistro-style window seating for two.

Feels like you're stepping into a historic house

Menu

Cute boutique

Loved, loved, loved everything about this lunch!  Thanks again, Katherine!

Aly

HATE COLDS, LOVE MY FRIENDS!

Soooo, treatment is going great and I've been feeling all good and proud of my kick-butt attitude, then I came down with a nasty cold.  Boooo!  So, on Wednesday, my sweet hubby took me to this place for their incredible chicken noodle soup.  This is, hands-down, our favorite new fast food place.  How have we not discovered this gem until now?  Everyone must try!  And don't let the long lines scare you.  They get people served and fed in a jiffy!  

Obviously too sick to care about my hair!

But, MORE IMPORTANTLY, check out this hot mama that I got to go to lunch with yesterday (Thursday):

This is my dear, sweet friend, Jen Cutler.  Jen and I have become friends in the last couple of years and I'm sooooo glad I got to go to lunch with her today and get to know her better.  Let me tell you just a little bit about this gal.  

Jen is married to her sweetheart, Zach.  They dated for only 6 days before deciding to get married.  Yes, you read right... 6 DAYS!  She said that they both "just knew" and life has been blissful ever since (okay, I added that last part, but just looking at them you know they were meant to be together.  They are the cutest couple)!  They have 4 darling girls, 2 of whom are good friends with 2 of my girls. They just finished building their gorgeous dream house in Draper, where they did some of the work themselves.  My kind a' folk! 

Jen is one of those people who looks beautiful all. the. time.  Doesn't matter if she's at the gym (where you can find her most mornings), the pool, driving carpool... this girl is always stylin' and put together (I'm definitely jealous of her wardrobe, and her cute hair too).  But the best thing about Jen is her bubbly personality and bright countenance.  This is a woman who is always happy, always asking how YOU are doing,  always willing to do whatever she can to help others.  She also obviously has a strong testimony of the gospel and lives it!  She has inspired me on many occasions with quotes from different talks or prophets.  She is definitely in tune and I admire her tremendously for it.  She serves faithfully in the young women's organization in her ward.  What a fun leader she would be!

Thanks, Jen for a wonderful lunch date and for being there to support me.  Oh, and you're a stinker for tricking me into you paying for lunch.  Don't worry... I'll find a way to get you back!

We went to Corner Bakery in Draper, where I got the panini/ceaser salad combo.  It was tasty.  Next time I might try the Trio Combo, like Jen got, which includes your choice of two different salads and a cup of soup.  Mmmmmm!  It all sounds good.  They also have awesome desserts and pastries, which I had to pass on.  I gotta be careful... this going to lunch deal could be detrimental to my hips and thighs!  

TENNIS AND SUCH

Today I also got to watch my 16-year old play tennis for Alta.  It was so fun to see how much he has improved.  He won his match 8-4.  Way to go, Parker!

Cute, right?

Finally, I took a car full of my young women to the Draper Temple to do baptisms for the dead tonight.  Look at these awesome and righteous young women.  They make my heart so happy!

Hope you all had a great day too!

Aly

SISTERS BY CHANCE, FRIENDS BY CHOICE

Yesterday was a good day.  My first official treatment went great.  I was surprised at how quick, easy and painless it was.  If only this could last the whole six weeks!   I thought I would address just a few questions that I seem to get a lot, so I’ve put together my own personal FAQ:

Q.  How often do you go in for treatment?

A.  I need a total of 30 treatments, so I go in every day, Mon-Fri for 6 weeks.  If I miss a treatment for any reason, they just add another one onto the end. 

Q.  How long does a treatment take?

A.  The actual radiation part takes only about 5 minutes.  With setting up and changing time I can be in and out of there in about 20 minutes. 

Q.  Does it hurt?

A.  I’ve been told that the treatments themselves don’t hurt.  What does begin to hurt is the skin where the radiation is being administered.  Kinda like a daily sunburn I've heard.

Q.  What side effects will you experience?

A.  Side effects vary a lot from person to person and also depend on the location of the body that the radiation is being given.  For example, radiation to the head will cause you to lose your hair, whereas radiation to your stomach may make you nauseous.  I have been told that the most common side effect I will probably experience is fatigue and general tiredness – both physical and mental.   

Q.  What can friends do to help?

A.  Come to lunch with me after a treatment and let me spotlight you on my blog J 

GUESS WHO CAME TO LUNCH TODAY?

My lunch date was my faithful and loyal sister, Kandis (aka Kan, Kandisimo or Kandesu-Tokyo – you’ll have to ask Steve about that last one).  Kandis is my younger sister by 19 months.  She is married to her  sweetheart, John Aggen, and they have 3 adorable kids – Wayne (9), Daisy (7) and Walker (3).  I love those crazy kids of hers.  They each have such unique personalities.  They are so fun and entertaining to be around.

Pretty lady!

Aggen Family

How can you not smile when seeing this face?

As kids, Kandis and I almost always got along (at least that's how I remember it... she might tell you differently). When we did fight, it was usually over her stealing my clothes.  My mom even instated a rule where Kandis had to pay me money for every item of clothing she took without asking.  Still didn’t stop her, the little thief!  

I have to brag my sister up for just a minute.  Her claim to fame is that she got to live out every little girl's dream - she got to be every Disney Princess you can think of (well, the Caucasian ones at least. haha).  Cinderella, Snow White, Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland,  even the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio.  You name the princess and I could probably drum up a picture of her as that princess, flawless and cute as a button.  You see, she worked at Tokyo Disneyland for over a year where her job was, well, to be a princess.  She has that all-American beautiful face that could look young and innocent, like a Little Mermaid, or grown-up and glamorous, like a Sleeping Beauty.  She is still just as beautiful and will always be a princess in my book!

To my great benefit, Kandis and her family moved to Utah from California about 5 years ago.  They all love it here and spend lots of time enjoying the outdoors - skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer.  I love it because we get to go to lunch here and there, have the occasional family dinner and let our kids play together.  We are both busy moms, but when we do spend time together we can talk and talk and talk some more. Add my mom into that picture and you can hardly get a word in edgewise!  We never run out of things to talk about.  But she is also a great listener and always has time to listen to me, no matter what I might be venting about at the moment.

Kandis is a fun mom, a paper-crafting genius, a thoughtful friend, a bookworm, an organizational queen, a decorating pro, an extremely hard worker and just an all-around amazing and beautiful person inside and out.  I consider myself lucky to have her as a sister, AND a friend.  Love you to pieces Kan!

We went to Pizzeria Limone at Fort Union, which I highly recommend if you have not yet been there.  They do personal size brick oven pizzas to order with toppings like fresh mozzarella, proscuitto, lemon slices, pears and even blackberries.  Their Italiano salad is scrum-diddly-umptious and today I tried their fire-roasted tomato zuppa, which was super delish. There is another location opening by Scheel's sometime in the near future.  Can't wait!

Aly  

GUESS WHO CAME TO LUNCH TODAY?

First of all, a GINORMOUS thank you to all of those who have reached out to show me your love and support.  I can't even tell you how much your kind words and thoughts mean to me.  Wow!  I am so lucky to have such great friends!

Second, I wanted to give you a quick Ray-Day update, but should probably give just a little background info first.  About 2 weeks ago I went in for what they call a mapping appt.  A bunch of scans were taken and I was given 5 dot tattoos, which will be used each time to line up my body with the radiation machine (which, btw, is amazing... see pics).  It is important to be in the same exact position every day, so that the radiation can be delivered to the same exact spot.  Today's appointment was basically a 'dress rehearsal' to make sure everything was programmed correctly and lined up perfectly.  Tomorrow begins actual treatment.  I'll keep you posted.

Check out that machine! The entire thing rotates.

My new friends were very nice

"I got this!"

Finally, check out this hunk of a guy I got to go to lunch with yesterday:

This man right here is my everything and is the best thing that has ever happened to me.  During this whole process he has been so incredibly sweet, attentive, helpful, and just the best support ever.  But that's how he always is.  I am one lucky lady!

SPOTLIGHT:
For those who don't know him very well, let me just tell you a short history.  He grew up in Pasadena, so he will always be a California boy at heart.  He was a bit of a crazy teenager (he said I could say that), but BYU and a mission to Brazil tamed him (mostly :)  We met shortly after he returned from his mission, dated for 2 years and got married in the L.A. temple in 1994.  Definitely the start of an amazing adventure.

Steve is someone who gets the most out of life that he possibly can.  By that, I mean that he works hard and plays hard.  He gives his all in every aspect of his life.

1.  Work - he has always worked in technology sales and has been with Oracle for the last 10+ years.  He loves his job and is extremely good at what he does.  He takes his role as provider very seriously and has always worked extra hard so I could stay home with the kids. I admire that tremendously!

2.  Play - there is not a lot that this man doesn't do!  His current love and addiction is mountain biking.  Right now he is training for the Park City Point to Point Race in August (an extremely difficult 80-mile bike race in the hills of Park City. You couldn't pay me to do that!)  But you can also find him snowboarding at Snowbird most weekends in the winter, playing tennis in St. George, running a Ragnar Relay Race, wakeboarding at Lake Powell or Utah Lake, golfing with his dad... shall I go on?  Aren't you exhausted just reading about it?  Yes, this man is always going and I love him for it (but I don't love all the expensive gear that goes along with all of these sports. hehe).
 
3.  Religion - Steve is one of those guys who consistently and silently lives a righteous and virtuous life.  His testimony of this gospel is firm and unwavering and I respect him tremendously for this.  He often reads his scriptures while spinning at the gym, ALWAYS says his prayers and would do anything for anyone in need.  I am thankful for his example and leadership in our family!

4. Family - above all else, his family comes first.  He cherishes time spent with his family - usually doing one of the many activities listed above.  As a dad, he is so much fun.  He is a huge teaser, but the kids have all learned to throw it right back at him.  It's hilarious!  He is the dad that will help drive carpool, take the kids and all of their friends boating (or even to Lake Powell for 4 days), teach them to surf, snowboard, mow the lawn, do algebra, golf, etc.

5. Misc. - another thing I have to point out about Steve is that he is extremely intelligent.  Nevermind that he can do hard crosswords in no time flat (usually during sacrament mtg), but his head is also chalk full of knowledge and random trivia - history, geography, current events, and don't even get him started on sports.  He also often uses words that I have never heard in my life.  Smartypants!

Okay, I could just go on and on about this man that I love so much, but I promised to write posts, not books.  Let's just say that I scored BIG-TIME in the hubby department and that I love him more than anything in this world.

We chose to go back to our CA roots and go to lunch at In-N-Out.  Our all time favorite fast food restaurant and arguably the best hamburger ever! (p.s. did you know they have a secret menu?  Next time ask for your fries 'animal style'.  You won't regret it.)

Our favorite burger joint

Where the Diet Coke flows

We left this tray spinning

Thanks for a fabulous lunch date, babe.  Love you!

Aly

 

MAKING LEMONADE!

{Warning... Long post ahead}

HI FRIENDS! I’m hoping you all had a fabulous Spring Break and Easter.  I got to spend lots of quality time with family and good friends in sunny St. George this last week.  We had so much fun!  Then yesterday I attended church, where I was reminded of the true meaning of it all.  We finished the night with an Easter Feast and the cutest-ever FHE, 100% planned, prepared and given by my sweet little 8-year old Macy.  I’m feeling very blessed and uplifted today. (Indulge me for a minute by letting me share some pics)

Overlooking St. George at the Dixie Rock (with cousin Nicole)

Steve found many trails to ride

Parker and his crew

Summer and Sadie gettin' their ride on 

My girls decorated our Easter table

Marmie and Poppy stopped by for an Easter hug

My Easter bunnies

Now, let me take this opportunity to thank you for visiting and to welcome you to my {new and improved} blog.  I haven’t blogged in years, literally.  Why did I stop?  Well, I tend to start things and not finish them.  There.  I said it.  I’m blaming Adult ADD, which would conveniently explain a lot of my oddities and quirks.  Anyway, I decided to start my blog back up for many reasons:

1.  I actually like to write, it makes me happy.  And I get to write whatever is on my mind.  I also get to overuse parenthesis or start sentences with 'and' or 'but' to my heart's desire! :)

2.  I wanted to keep my out-of-town family and friends updated on the craziness that ensues in the Ellis Household.  My promise: to always be real and uncensored (no sugar-coating here).  Your promise: don’t judge.  Agreed?

3.  I secretly long to motivate and inspire.  You see, I’m a big do-it-yourselfer (pinterest only compounded this problem).  One day I may repaint a piece of furniture, the next day do my own taxes, and the next day attempt to make my own sushi.  I hope to inspire others who may be thinking, “Can I re-tile my kitchen backsplash?” or “Should I sign up for that half-marathon?”  The answer is, Yes and Yes!  You most definitely can and should.  If nothing else, you can learn from my [many] mistakes. 

4.  I simply wanted to journal my experiences - the good, the bad, the bizarre and the ugly.  With me, you get the real story!  Now seems like a good time to start, since I’ve got some ugly comin my way…and I'm not just talking about my messy house and current laundry pile.

Some of you know that I am set to undergo 6 weeks of radiation treatment starting TODAY, April 1st.  The reason?  I have this annoying and rare type of tumor called a Desmoid Tumor.  A little more than a year ago I noticed this hard lump to the side of my right breast (it’s actually on my chest wall, attached to a rib).  So, I went in and said, "whats up with the marble inside my body?"  After an ultrasound and mammogram, they assumed it was nothing but wanted to get it out.  After surgery, pathology reports came back and classified it as a Desmoid Tumor.  Desmoids are non-cancerous tumors and don’t metastasize or spread (the good news).  However, they are fast growing and tend to keep coming back in the same spot, even once removed (the bad news).  Desmoids are dangerous simply because they can overtake muscles and adjacent organs (in my case my ribs and lungs).  And the bigger it gets, the more painful it gets.  Sooooo, long story short… my tumor doc decided that rather than undergo another surgery (which would involve cutting out ribs and a very difficult recovery), we should try local radiation treatment to hopefully stop the growth.  So, there ya have it.  See, I told you… kinda ugly, right?  

But here’s the silver lining.  I decided right then and there in that doctor’s office that instead of having a pity-party and focusing on the negative impact and effects of the treatment, I would turn this into something positive.  THIS IS WHERE YOU, MY DEAR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, COME IN!

{Stay with me here… I’m getting to a point, I promise}

Probably one of my all-time favorite things to do is to go out to lunch.  For me, it’s not so much about where, but rather with whom.  I'm lucky that I often get to go with my cute hubby – who I am crazy in love with (see pic below).  But there’s something about going to lunch with “my ladies" - old friends, new friends, family friends, church friends, neighbor friends – you know, my girls!  Sooooo, my goal during treatment is to go to lunch as often and with as many people as possible!  (Ok, it sounds a little crazier when I write it than when I was thinking it).  For me, lunch dates would serve two purposes.  First, I can have something to look forward to each day.  Let's be honest.  Getting a sunburn in the same spot day after day isn't exactly something to jump out of bed for!  Second, and more importantly, I am looking forward to strengthening current friendships and really hoping to build some new ones.  Who cares if we are not BFF's.  Who says we can't lay down some seeds of friendship and sisterhood?  So, that’s the one and only thing I ask of my friends or anyone who wants to know how they can help… simply come to lunch with me!

{Almost done... hang in there, kid}

Here’s where my {new and improved} BLOG comes back into the picture.  You see, I want to “spotlight” each friend I go to lunch with on my blog that next day.  Yes, spotlight.  I’m calling it, “GUESS WHO CAME TO LUNCH TODAY?”  (Not really. I just barely made that up.  But hmmm, not a bad title, huh?)  So, during lunch, in addition to enjoying some yummy grub (I'll even let you pick the place), I simply want to get to know YOU better.  Let’s chat about your kids or grandkids, your goals, good books you’ve read, current trials you're facing, your upcoming house projects, your latest shopping find, the lesson you have to teach on Sunday, your hubby (I'm a good listener if you need to vent. hehe), whatever happens to come up.  I promise not to 'expose your warts', as my mom puts it.  I simply want to highlight who you are and what makes you wonderful and fabulous.  Oh, and I would love a picture too, no lipstick required.  I'll even tell you if you have spinach in your teeth first.  Hehehe.

So, your suspicions are now confirmed:  Aly is indeed a little crazy.  But, who are we kidding, so are you.  Let's go to lunch and chat about it. :)  It's cheaper than therapy.

If you are up for lunch, but would rather not be spotlighted, sure thing.  Or maybe you're not up for an official lunch date, but just want to follow my blog anyway.  Please do!  I would love to hear from you.  We all go through different trials in life at different times, and it's always nice to know you have a support system.  Even just a kind word or a "thinking of you" can do wonders.  I tend to be one of those people who likes to think I can do it all by myself, that I don't need anything from anyone (which drives my poor husband crazy).  But we ALL have struggles.  No one is exempt.  I have become so much more aware that we never know what battles others are silently and valiantly fighting.  We just plain need each other!  I have become so much more grateful for things like my family, friendships, knowledge of the gospel, a healthy body that is able to run, read, write, travel, etc.  Trials have a funny way of tweaking our perspective... it's our choice as to whether it's a positive change or negative change.  I, for one, am trying my best to look on the bright side.  I truly am blessed!

In the meantime, I'm gonna try to squeeze in a treadmill class before Ray-Day (that's what I'm calling the start of treatment).  Soooo, let the adventure begin. As I always say, "It Could Be Worse."

Thanks for stopping by my {new and improved} blog and I hope to hear from you!

Aly

{Let me congratulate you for making it through that book of a post. I promise future posts won't be so lengthy.}

LAUNDRY RULES

I hate laundry. Hate, hate, hate it.  So much that I decided to vent about it on my blog that I haven't written on in 3 months.  So you know I'm serious.

If it were just my laundry... no problem. I'd do it everyday. I'd even buy those fancy, expensive laundry soaps - you know, the ones called "Whispering Sweet Nothings Lavender" or "In Your Wildest Dreams Passionfruit".  I might even fold piles by colors. Then I'd hang them nicely in my ever-spacious closet (hangers finger-spaced apart, of course).  Then I'd smile a big smile and, in slow motion, fall into my freshly washed, overly fluffy bed linens.  What?!? That's how the commercials do it.

Reality check: I have a husband and kids, who expect THEIR laundry done as well.  The nerve! Which means that every time any one of them decides to put on so much as a sock, I have to wash it. No wait, first I have to tell them to get it off the floor and into the laundry room, then I sort it, then I throw it in the washer - oh back up, first I have to turn it right-side out - then throw it in the washer, then the dryer, then find it's mate to fold it with, then put it in a pile, then transfer to the correct room and then put away. Phew! I'm tired just writing about it.  And that's just one sock.  Now times that by, oh about 200 items, and there is my laundry day. Shoot me now! So, I've made some new laundry rules at my house... just because I can: 

* If you turn it in inside out, you get it back inside out (that means you too, Steve). 

* Socks that come to me in a ball will end up next to your toothbrush.

* Similarly, pants or shorts with belts still attached will end up in your sink!

* Kirkland brand detergent IS a real brand and yes, I will continue to buy it in bulk.

* Anyone over the age of 4 can put away their own clean clothes (well look at that... that's everyone in my family!)

* Anything with "skidmarks" now ends up in the garbage. I refuse!

* FHE just became FHE&L (i.e. Family Home Evening and Laundry). You know what they say, the family that works together... (okay, that's not really it but it should be!)

* That mildewy, moldy smell you might occasionally come across is just there to remind you of my love for you.

*  Pajamas must be worn 100 times before washing. Okay, maybe 3 or 4 but definitely NOT just once!

* Similarly, church clothes worn for 3 hours where you do nothing but sit DO NOT need to be washed every time.

* Laundry day is: when I get to it. 

* Sheets and towels will be washed on a need-to-wash basis. That is, when they stink enough.

* Laundry do-er (i.e. ME) should be thanked at least once each day for the never-ending, thankless task of cleaning every single item of clothing that belongs to every single member of this family. A simple, "Thanks, Mom" will do. A "Your the best, Mom" will earn you one free sock turned right-side out. I know, You're Welcome.

Okay, gotta return to my least favorite pastime. I'm on load 4 and just might be able to make it through all 6 loads (8 if you count the towels that are starting to grow fuzz) before Dancing With The Stars tonight :)  And don't even get me started on the dishes!!!

  

Today's Top Ten

10 Reasons Why I'm A Horrible Mom:

1. I forget to pick up a kid at the gym daycare here and there.
2. I spend my free time facebooking instead of cleaning, bill-paying, laundry, meal planning, etc.
3. More often than not, I throw together dinner at about 5pm with whatever is in my freezer and/or pantry. If it comes from a box AND includes a vegetable, it's a bonus!
4. I don't read 20 minutes to my children every night like the PBS commercials tell you to (you're calling Child Protective Services right now, aren't you?)
5. I often make the older kids help the younger ones with homework so I don't have to.
6. I refuse to order school pictures. If I'm gonna pay $75, then I want a pictures that don't look like they were taken in the 70's.
7. I'm constantly searching for ways to get away from my youngins. Let's be honest... a trip to the store is so much more pleasant without them (can I get an "amen, sista"?).
8. I make my kids get me Diet Coke refills at fast food restaurants.
9. I sneak their Halloween candy without them knowing. I also throw away stuffed animals and other kid-junk while they are at school. How mean, huh?
10. I yell once in a while. Okay, sometimes. Alright already, often! There, I said it.



10 Reasons Why I'm a Great Mom:

1. I love my kids.
2. I love my kids.
3. I love my kids.
4. I love my kids.
5. I love my kids.
6. I love my kids.
7. I love my kids.
8. I love my kids.
9. I love my kids.
10. Oh, and did I say that I love, love, LOVE my kids!

So, I'm far from perfect (really, reeeaaally far), but I sure feel grateful for my kids and that I'm their mom! Here's to all [imperfect] moms everywhere. YOU ALL ROCK!!!