The Battle Against Breast Cancer

With camera in hand, I followed my mother through her third round of breast cancer within the last 12 years. This last bout is in her lungs and her bones. She has struggled and fought her way through chemo and radiation, and is just getting her strength back. She is a true hero, a fighter, and an inspiration to me. Never have I heard a word of complaint from her mouth, regardless of how much she has been through. .

These photos represent what a woman should be. Strong, confident, full of faith, hope, and ready to take on any challenge. My mom is that woman. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer 12 years ago, at the age of 37. The cancer has attacked twice more since. She has come through with flying colors, when she wasn't expected to. She is the strongest women I know and is an inspiration to everyone around her.

The slideshow goes as follows:
1-"Before Treatment" with my daughter, Mae
2-My mom was tired of her hair falling out, so she had my little sister shave her head
3-Artistic shots
4-Salt Lake City, UT LDS temple
5-Chemotheraphy
6-Radiation
7-Final shot is my favorite of all, so I saved it for last

I apologize for the small size of the slide show. I'm still trying to figure out how to make it bigger. You might want to go to the bottom of the page and turn off the music, because the slide show includes its own soundtrack.
Thanks for looking :)

Incredible photography

Two of the most talented photographers I've come across are youngens. 18 years old. Makes me sick, in a good way of course. I love talented people, especially talented people that aren't afraid of their talent and it becomes their everything. I'm too scared to do that, but I'm really working on kicking those fears in the butt.
Check out:
lara jade photography
and
joey lawrence perception

You'll notice they both have a sort of "dark" style, which I really dig.

Mothers Day

I want to wish a Happy Mothers Day to my amazing mumsy. Thank you, mom, for getting prego with me four short weeks after having Aubrey, giving birth to me two weeks late, making me cute homemade clothes and awesome halloween costumes, going to every single gymnastics meet, praying with me before my first meet because I was so nervous, being there for me when I didn't deserve it, rubbing my back for hours until I fell asleep because I was afraid of throwing up, dealing with my teenage antics and lame boyfriends, being in the temple when Tom and I were married, and being at the hospital from 5am until Mae was born.

I could write pages and pages of what this woman has done for me. There is no other woman on this earth that I would want for a mother. She is the strongest, kindest most angelic women I'll ever know. 

I love you, mumsy.

What a wonderful thing, being a mother. It is honestly the most fulfilling thing I've ever done. 

Thank you to these two wonderful people, for making that possible:

Horray!

I finished the Hinckley Challenge today. (Read the Book of Mormon in 97 days) and boy does it feel good. I love that book. If you haven't read it, you should. 

Sad Saturday

I totally missed the Race for the Cure today. I've had the stomach flu the last two days, and I'm just barely feeling better. I am really sad :( 

I would like to publically thank my pal, Melissa Jensen, for signing up for the race with me, and always asking how my mom is. She is a wonderful friend! I'm sad we didn't get to run together and yell "Schave the Boobsch!", but I'm looking forward to it next year!

Dear Little Mae

My darling Mae:

You turned 18 months on the 7th. WEW! How times flies. I don't want you to get any bigger. Do you hear me? Stay little! 

Everyday is a new adventure with you. You are the silliest girl, and I'm so glad. Because you know that you're mommies favorite thing to do is be silly. I love laying in bed with you in the morning, making silly faces and having tickle fights. You have the best laugh. It is music to my ears! 

Your favorite foods lately are:  tomatoes, salsa, hummus, corn bran cereal (you're new favorite thing to do is drink your milk out of the cereal bowl, giggle, say "again?" and start all over) apple juice, chicken, grapes, yogurt, and anything everyone else is eating. 

Your favorite movies: "In Search of the Wow Wow Wibble Woggle Wazzy Woodle Woo" (this was a favorite of Aubrey's and mine when we were younger. You HAVE to check it out!) and anything Sesame Street. (you are your mothers daughter!)

Favorite music: Soundtrack to the movie I mentioned above, Raffi (She loves everything I loved when I was little. I'm so proud) Sesame street music.

Favorite things to do: Dance and sing, wrestle with mommy and daddy, show off your sign language skills, tease, give hugs to EVERYONE, snuggle in bed with mommy and daddy, read books, play the piano, play outside, run around Target, put mommys bra around your neck, dress up in mommies jewelry, gallop around the room, make animal noises, get tickled and tickle others ("gilly gilly gilly!" instead of "tickle tickle tickle!") color, kick a soccer ball, go to the park, headstands,  and so much more!

You are such a busy girl. You and mom can't sit still for more than two seconds. Lets hope your next sibling is a little more mellow than the both of us, huh? 

Nicknames: 

Mom: Peatree, Stinker, Silly, Maeveejay, Gizmo

Dad: Bella Mae, Maevie, Bella Manina

Grandma J: Maisy, Maisy Bee

Grandpa P: Mae Veon

Grandma P: Little Angel

Uncle Abe: Munchkin, Little Buddy

Aunt Elise: Maevis

Mae, you are simply beautiful. Ever since you were  baby until this day, people still stop and make comments on  what a doll you are. You have the most beautiful blue eyes, and perfectly shaped face. I love your smile! And your little bob is delightful. I love you, peatree. I can't wait to see the women you'll become! (wait...yes I can...stay little!  ;)

Love, Mommy

Moab and Colorado Trip

A couple weekends ago, we went to Moab/Colorado with my in-laws. It was really fun. I did my first ever mountain biking trip, and I was TERRIFIED at first, but after awhile I got the hang of it. Some of the hills...I'm sorry, CLIFFS were so big I had to walk my bike down quite a few. We biked Slick Rock. It was insane. Then we hiked up to Delicate Arches later that day. The next day, we went to Mesa Verde in Colorado. I was sooo amazed by these communities that were built in cliffs. I'm planning on getting some books from the library to read more about it. Seriously, thats something everyone needs to see before they die. 

My man hot tubbin

Slick Rock

Mesa Verde 

Steamy!

Rawr!

I luff my new swimmin trunks

The whole fam damly at Delicate Arch

Another awesome piece of scenery. TOM

Mountain biking!

One of the many cliff dwelling "towns"

Dead Horse Point=Make out Point (my favorite kind)

The guys chillaxin at Delicate Arch

Lookin mighty 

Race for the Cure

This Saturday is The Race for the Cure in SLC, UT. I set up a team for my mom called "Save Jenny's Jugs" (tee hee)
My mom has survived Breast Cancer THREE times. Simply amazing. She is healing right now from her third bout. Lets beat this stinkin thing! Please come run on our team, or make a donation today!

::Donate::

::Join the Race::

I took this photograph of my beautiful mom, then made this ...thing..for her. (what would you call it?)

A t-shirt I designed

This was created by my very talented sister Elise. She is an amazing pixel artist.
Left to right: Aubrey, Elise, Mom, Me

Silly

I saw this on my cousins blog and had to repost:

1.YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)
Checkers Grand Cherokee

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)
Cookie Dough Chocolate Chip

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) M-Joh

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
Green Whale

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
Mae Salt Lake City

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) Johme

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink)
The Blue Virgin Pina Colada (hee hee)

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)
Eugene Wayne (wow)

9. STRIPPER NAME: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy)
Happy Scor Bar (ha ha!)

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names )
Dorothy Dwight

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)
Davis Delaware

12. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower)
Summer Gerber-Daisy

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”) Watermelon Jackety

14. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)
Yogurt Pine

15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, weather element+ Tour")
The Art Rain Tour

Mothers Day Beauties

Need a fun, unique mothers day card? Here are some of my recent card designs:

Mothers Day Wants

I would love these little items for mothers day::

A big kiss from Mae
A big kiss from Tom

::AnD::

Thats all, folks!