Do You Remember This? I Do.

Almost 5 and 1/2 years ago I was diagnosed with cancer, Lymphoma. It was a shock to say the least. I found a lot of support from my family and other organizations that helped me get through that trying time.

I have been cancer free for five years now. Thinking about this milestone in my life I wanted a chance to give back and have found a wonderful program through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training. The LLS mission is: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkins’ s disease and myeloma and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. I along with my brother and three sisters are training with them to run a full 26.2-mile marathon, and we have pledged to raise $25,000 which will contribute to research, support, education and patient services to those battling cancer. We're not asking you to run a marathon with us, but there is a way you can support us and the many others fighting for this cause. Let’s show cancer who’s boss and make blood cancers history. We can do it. Together.

Please check out our blog @www.fiveintraining.com. This is where you can track our training progress, celebrate our milestones and feel our pain as we increase mileage. We encourage you to support us by clicking the “donate now” link at the bottom or right and chipping in for our worthy cause. You can pay securely online with Paypal. Any amount will be helpful. Spread the word. Our August 1^st goal (a quarter of the total amount) is quickly approaching. We’d love to make blood cancers history! We think we can- one step, one mile, and one marathon at a time. Let’s do it, together.

Sincerely,

Runner #1- Sunny (Fuller) Dorow

Runner #2- April (Fuller ) Barnes

Runner #3 – Desiree (Fuller) Quayle

Runner #4- Reid Cameron Fuller

Runner #5- Chelsie (Fuller) Bird

Please help us by telling everyone you know to check out our site, and donate! You can send this to anyone, and any amount helps!! We can all make a difference and be a part of the cure!

Track our fund raising progress with this widget. Please help us get the word out by posting this on your own blogs and telling everyone you know. Just email me, or donate@fiveintraining.com to get instructions on how to do it! Thanks guys!

Random Thoughts

We always hear, "Diamonds are forever"... well so are the scars they leave.This is usually happens to Alex but I actually scratched myself this week. I guess I finally know how he feels. It hurts REAL bad.

Can someone please tell me how Alex managed to do this with his toothbrush. Yeah I can't figure it out.

Life without a job

For the last week I have been at home because I was laid off at work. I was looking for a job at first but was offered one the first interview I had which is such a blessing. I don't start until May 10th so knowing I didn't have to worry about finding a job anymore, I wondered what I would do with 9 extra hours a day. I don't have pictures documenting what I have been up to but here are a few things I have gotten done.

1.Cleaned out my closet, Alex now has his whole side to himself. I have 2 trash bags full for DI, and a couple of bags that don't fit at the moment but will again. I now have an organized closet where everything fits... it was a long process but it is done and it makes me happy every time I walk in there.

2.I tackled the filing pile in our computer room. That isn't really the first thing on the to do list when dinner, helping the husband study and other tasks move it down the list, that is why it was a big accomplishment... because there was a big pile of stuff. We now have our big comfy chair back to sit in.

3. I cleaned out the garage. We had a leaning pile of boxes that had been sitting in a pile as tall as the garage from when we moved in. They are gone and the garage is swept out and a little more organized! I also cleaned the inside of my car, which needed it badly. Now it is all shiny and clean.

4. Cleaned out the office/computer room, I organized the many Primary lesson helps that I have made and put them away, cleaned off my desk so I can actually use it more effectively. It's so nice to be organized.

5. I went to DI and picked up some great more professional pieces for my wardrobe. We don't have the funds to just go out to any store and get new clothes. My previous job didn't really have a dress code so as long as I looked ok it would go. This new one requires professional casual. I got some great stuff for such a great deal. I really recommend it, once again you need time to look at all the racks to pick out the good stuff.

6. I truly believe I have caught up on my sleep. It's taken a while but I feel rested for the first time... in a long time.

I've pretty much gotten everything cleaned and done that I looked at so many times but never had time to do. Now I have another week off and I have no idea what to do with myself. I guess my want to read list might get started. Who knows.

A New Pet

Those of you who know us well know that we have two rather random pets, a bird that can't stay quiet, and gets rather annoying at times and a tarantula. Both of these pets were handed down to us, and we love them... most days.

Well now that I have been home for the last week I actually see the back "yard" in the day time. I was looking out there one day and thought I saw a leaf. Now that I look back on this thought, we don't have any trees near our back yard, so good one Chelsie. As I looked a little harder out the back door I noticed that this leaf had two stems. Reality struck and I went outside to look at was was really laying on our patio, and from the looks of it, it seems to have been there all winter. Yep it is what you think it is. Alex went and got a little garden shovel and had to walk all the way around our building to throw it out because there is now way I was letting him walk through the house with that thing. So we had a third pet in a way for the winter, and now we are back down to two.

Uncle Mel

One of the kindest most generous, loving, charitable men I have ever known passed away the end of March, my Uncle Mel. Even though I didn't see him all that often he was always there for me when I needed him. He was the person that introduced me to one of my great loves, Lake Powell. He was one to stop by the house on his way to or from California to catch up. He was one of the people that dropped me off at the MTC. Visited me on my mission the transfer I started getting sick (shhh don't tell). And was in California to pick me up at the end of my mission. He even drove some of my things back to Utah for me when we didn't have enough room in my luggage. He was a great man and will be greatly missed.

He told me that everything would be alright and that he was proud of me for going on a mission.

In LA, he had just gotten done with a week of Temple service and decided to search the patrion apartments where I lived to find me. One of the sisters told me that a man was looking for me and he told her that he was my uncle. She told me that he seemed too old to be my uncle. It was so fun to see him. He was the first to know in my entire family that I cut had all of my hair off, I had done it earlier that day.

At the end of my mission he came to the Temple with my parents and all of the missionaries going home. He spent the last hours that I had in LA with us. This is what we found after the missionary testimony meeting that only parents were allowed at.

Whenever he would stop by in Hurricane, he would ask Dad if he needed help with anything. Dad always seemed to need help, and Uncle Mel never hesitated to help where he could.

On my way home to Hurricane to get surgery in 2008, I hit something in the road and got two flat tires (along with two bent rims). This was at 5am in the morning might I add. Uncle Mel came to help me right away. We went back north to Nephi, and when we couldn't get new rims, he drove me all the way down to St. George for my pre opp checkup. After my appointment was over, he drove me mom and my rims to Richfield to get new ones, then back up to Nephi to put the new ones on my car for me. He then followed me for about 10 miles making sure that everything was alright with my car before he returning home. He taught me one of the most important lessons in life, to put others before you. He was always so happy and I know it is because of the way he lived.

Back up north after a whole day helping me.

Mom and Uncle Mel in the front, me the tires and the Rims in the back. It was a really long day for all of us.

He refused to let me help so I took pictures of the process.

All I have is good memories of Uncle Mel. He was constantly teaching me and I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to spend some time with him in this life. The world isn't the same without him but I know that he is in a better place now.... with his sweethearts.

Finished Frames

The last couple of weeks I have been in the JUST GET IT DONE mode. Here are three of the things I finally got done! They are out of the guest room and onto the walls.

It took me a while to get pictures of all of my sisters... but we all fit perfectly.

Hilarye, Sunshine, April, Me, Emilee, Malina, & Desi

It took me a while to get a matt made for this frame.

This frame many have already seen, but I jazzed it up a little.

Shelf Reliance

I am so excited to show you what we got for food storage. Alex and I decided that we would do something useful with part of our tax return this year. I have wanted something like this since we moved into our home. All of our food storage has been in our little cupboards in the kitchen or on the cement floor in the basement. Now I have something to actually put it on. With our luck, as usual we were given some wrong parts. (It always seems to happen when we purchase put together yourself items) So we couldn't put it together the day we got it. I just get so excited when we get something new, and I want it put up right away. We had to wait and go back to the store and get the right parts after the weekend but it is all put together now.

Actually filling the shelf up is another matter but at least we are getting started.

I am happy to say there are a few more items on the shelf now. I was excited to start filling it up the last time I went to the store. We still have a long way to go.

Welcome Violette Mae

We welcomed a beautiful little niece to the world on April 2nd, 2010. She weighed 5 lbs. 8 oz. and is 19" long.

She is her father's daughter. SuAnn brought a picture of Scott the day he was born and they look exactly alike.

She is a tiny little thing as you can see.

Our Trip To Ikea

At Christmas time we moved the furniture around in our little living room to accommodate our hand-me-down Christmas Tree. After putting the decorations away we decided we liked how the furniture was because it opened up the, tiny room as it is, a little more. We decided that we would get something at for the corner as soon as our house improvement fund was up to the task. Our little corner had stayed empty until now! We finally had enough money in our account so we went on a date to Ikea! That store is so fun. You can just walk around for hours and not get bored, well for us at least. It is like a shoe store is to me, for Alex. After looking hard we decided on a little shelf. Alex had a little too much fun before we started to consider how we were going to get the box in the car (I ended up having to sit will my knees touching the glove box the entire way home). Then it was time to put everything together... that night. I'm sure our neighbors loved us, I consider it pay back for their annoying little LOUD dogs waking us up around seven every morning, including the weekends.

We are both happy with the way it turned out. Now all I need is something to put on the shelves.

We also got a lamp and some more wall hangings. (The two little mirrors on the side.)

I consider the trip a success, a job well done.

Family In Town

You can always expect fun and adventure when family is in town. Desi came to Utah for training and we got the pleasure of having her, Elliott and mom stay at our house for a couple of days. We ate junk food, watched the twilight movies, I did her nails and we just plain enjoyed each other's company. Alex had the job of entertaining Elliott during the movies and got woken up many times with a ROAR when he fell asleep watching Horton Hears a Who with Elliott. Well their visit became a real treat when at bedtime on the first night Elliott discovered Cuddles my stuffed animal tiger that I have had since moving to Utah. We had a lot of laughs... and lets just say Elliott was really late getting to bed.

Our bed became a maze of pillows, people, blankets and of course, roaring tigers.

He became so attached to the tiger he took naps with him, ate with him, played with him and even insisted on watching movies with him. I wonder if after it was time to leave Elliott went through withdrawals.

We miss Mom, Desi, and Elliott and home they come and visit again soon!

FHE: Friends Hibachi Evening

So one of our good friends was talking to us last month about how good Hibachi house sounded and how he wanted to go. He even asked us to come with. We told him that we had spent out "entertainment" fund already and couldn't go out anymore that month. He found out that I had never had Hibachi house he insisted that it would be on him. We wouldn't let him do that so instead we invited him over to our house for dinner that night. Well last Friday he was once again talking about how good this place was and that we needed to go. He brought up the fact that he had offered to take us out before and the offer was still open. He asked if we had plans on monday and when we said not yet he this was his reply: "It could be our FHE!," he said, which turned from Family Home Evening to Friends Hibachi night. The food was WONDERFUL and a good price. But here is my advice to you, go hungry because the serving sizes are huge!

This was Alex's container after he was done...

This was mine. I was eating the entire time too, it's not like I was talking and didn't have time to eat. It doesn't even look like I ate anything... but man I was full. I hope this picture can give you an idea of how much food they give you... be prepared.

A quick overview of the year so far.

The year has been pretty uneventful so far but here are 5 highlights:

1.The first of the year started with a celebration at Mom's house with Hilarye, Reid and Sadie. This is what we did...

TREE PRUNING

We always think that the tress will never grow back after we are done with them, but sure enough... every year they return. It's a yearly battle, and the trees always win.

2. Our first Valentines Day married was a little unconventional; it was spent apart. I was up in North Dakota at a girls' scrap retreat weekend. These are some of the things I did there:

Everyone put all of their scraps on my table because I used anything and everything on the cards I made. I also started this wonderful blog there. I am still trying to figure the whole thing out. Bare with me.

I wanted to show Alex two things from the trip up north: how deep the snow was....

and how in-the-middle-of-no-where we really were.

3. I got to see a de-icer in action for the first time. I am usually totally out by the time the plane gets to the de-icing station. It was pretty cool.

4. Alex must have missed me because this was waiting for me when I got home.

5. And the last highlight of the year so far is getting to be able to spend some time with my adorable niece Sadie Grace.