INK magazine

While I was in Ireland I had a pretty cool experience, something I NEVER in a million years thought I’d ever be a part of!  I was interviewed for a local free magazine called Ink Magazine. 
With the name “Ink”…many might think that its a tattoo magazine…but its not. INK Magazine packs an entire month’s worth of the latest information about fashion, fitness, interviews, health & beauty, nightlife, events, Gardening, DIY, Mototoring and more into “the biggest compact magazine in Mayo”!
<---This is the February issue…which I’m in!

 

So here’s how this all happened…

While in Ireland this December for Catherine’s wedding, her photographer, Jay Meenan, was shooting their engagement session.  Jay is one of the head honcho’s for INK, and has a photography business on the side. He was chattin' away with John and Catherine about the January issue for INK…and how he was looking for an inspirational person…since most are kinda depressed after all the holiday festivities. Catherine said “I know the RIGHT girl for you”…she gave him a very brief recap of the past 2 years of my life. Jay said great…set me up so I can interview/chat with her. 

So a few days later I was asked to come over Catherine’s house…very informal…just to chat with Jay. I was so super nervous. Like why in the world would someone want ME in an IRISH magazine. I felt so retarded…but after a few minutes realized that I got along with Jay wonderfully.  I told him about the past 2 years…the hardships…my motivation….my mindset…which let to basically a recap of the past 12 years.  When someone asks about siblings…the conversation changes into something I’m sure not many expect…and then we discussed how awesome my Mom is, since she too is a cancer survivor. 
It was kinda weird because I actually got a bit emotional while telling him everything. I’m not used to verbalizing my feelings…and hearing it all come out of my mouth was a bit odd and brought tears to my eyes.  Pouring my heart out to a stranger was something I’m not used to…but it felt kinda nice. He listened…and wrote…and would chime in here and there about the differences between Irish people with illness and the mentality that both my Mother and I had during our battle with cancer…made me feel good!  Jay was amazed that we smiled the whole way through our battles…he asked why and how we did it. I then showed him a picture of my beautiful family…and the reasons I had to stay positive to beat cancer’s a$$!
  But after 30 minutes into the chat I told him that he actually had the WRONG person…my Mother was THE strongest, most AWESOME person I’ve ever met…and she was at least from Foxford.  As I said this Jay laughed….and said “you just confirmed that I’m interviewing the right person…when someone genuine should be in this magazine they seem to try and reflect the attention on to someone else” haha I told him Thank you…but seriously My Mom was the one!” 
Jay and myself talked for the guts of 45-60 minutes…and when Catherine peeked her head in to see if we needed more drinks or anything he thanked Catherine for guiding him my direction and said “on my way over here Catherine I wasn’t sure if I was going to be using this for the magazine…but now I’m totally sure…this IS definitely going in…I don’t know when but it IS for sure going to be featured in the magazine!” 
I still had my doubts…I didn’t think I’d actually get into the magazine…I’d leave to come home and he’d forget all about the American Girl…but my cousin’s wife was at lunch one day early in Feb and came across the new issue of INK…and there I was…on page 48! haha  Pretty awesome huh?!?   Thanks Jay, and INK Magazine!

If you magnify it you might be able to read the article…

Busy weekends of Birthdays

I’ve always wanted to be one of those people that is spontaneous…able to just get up and do cool stuff on the weekends BUT I totally lack motivation in the research department.  I didn’t do cool local things when I was a kid (thanks Mom and Dad! Gosh haha)…so I don’t really know whats cool around….THANKFULLY my friend Heather & Matt know the cool stuff to do…and they invite us! haha Yay.  This weekend we did what seems to be like lots of celebrating, both for cancer freedom and birthdays!!!

On Saturday we went to the Balboa Fun Zone at the Newport Harbor…I guess this place isn’t a secret diamond in the ruff…its pretty well known…I just didn’t know about it! haha

We walked around the boardwalk a bit…they have the cutest little California Beachy type shops…will def have to go back there for some shopping…especially for my familia that miss the California sun so much! And the yummiest ice cream shop Sweet Tooth…oh it was good (even though it was like 55 degrees outside!)

But the reason we went down there was because it was Heathers Birthday (she shares it with my Mother AND Liz on Feb 18th)…and they were renting a Duffy Boat to drive around the harbor.  Whats a Duffy Boat you ask…Click Here and see. They are pretty cool…I had NEVER heard of a Duffy Boat before…but it was so much fun!!! SO we loaded up the kids and away we went…

These 4 kids were cracking me up…I felt as though we were raising quintuplets or something….Oh gosh I’d die!

Duffy Boat experience was cool…I REALLY would like to go back and do it again this summer…when its warmer out AND during daylight so we can see all the houses and cool stuff around us. 

Thanks for inviting us Matt & Heather…we had a really GREAT time!

The Rowe’s Circus Bash!! Tyler’s 1st and Addison’s 5th.

And Mother’s 55th birthday!!! She is so excited to finally be able to order off the senior menu at Denny’s…its pretty funny!  I secretly asked her friends to join us for lunch on Monday…at the Cheesecake Factory. I think it was a very pleasant surprise for her!  

Thank you Cindy, Tammy, Karen and Trish for making Mother feel as special as we all know she is!!! I love you Mama!!!

…Celebrating Life!

Its 2 whole years later…and I now feel like I can finally really talk about what we went through on our journey of kicking cancers ass!! …I was always a little scared to talk about it too much before the 2 year marker…didn’t want to jinx myself! But I’m going to write…like A LOT about what the past 2 years have been like for us…but it will have to wait for another day. When I’m not in a hurry to have a few celebratory drinks!  heehee

I don’t want to have cancer again…not so quickly after beating it the first time. I’ve been terrified I wouldn’t make it to the 2 year milestone without a reoccurrence. I read everywhere and was told by doctors…after the 2 year marker your likelihood of a reoccurrence drops significantly…so that’s been my goal…2 years…remaining cancer free…and we’ve done it!!

It’s hard living fearfully; my oncologist says we shouldn’t live like that… we must live without holding back, even though he knows it’s totally natural for survivors to be in a constant state of paranoia. Thankfully he understands that because over the past 2 years every time I had a bump, lump, pain, bruise, anything…I swore that it was cancer…bruises equaled leukemia (extreme yes! I know)…everything just scared me, and he’d get my crazy emails or phone messages. Thankfully he’s pretty amazing and has a way of ALWAYS being calm, and communicates well and put me at ease everytime.  You don’t read this Dr. Chan…but thank you…for everything. And thank you to the magical person who recommended me to him…Ashleigh your amazing!

Kinda weird how this hallway can make a person feel soooo sick! The smell of the basement in Kaiser has a permanent smell of chemo or sickness…or something I don’t know. The memories it holds are NOT good ones…and they stick in your brain…Mom even still feels it and shes been cancer free for 7 years now! Its weird. Whenever I see patients going in those doors I feel for them…I pray for them…and hope they stay strong and kick cancer’s ass like my mother and I both did!

Today I had my routine appointment with Dr. Chan…labs, chest x-ray all came back good and my physical exam “feel up” was good too. Only thing he mentioned was there was suspicious spot in my chest x-ray, not worried about it…just going to repeat the x-ray in 6 months. It’s pretty awesome. I remember being in that room 2 and a half years prior…scared to death…not sure what the future would hold. I remember Dr. Chan talking about the 2 year marker and me thinking it was soooo far away! But we’re there…finally made it. I honestly feel like I’m on top of the world. I won’t lie and say I’m completely carefree now…because I’m not BUT I feel like I can breathe again. Time to start planning our future without worrying deep down that cancer will come back and invade our lives like it did before.  I’m taking control back…cancer won’t paralyze what I want to do, what we want to do as a family!

So Mother and I had to celebrate…and since we are creatures of routine we went to the same place we went after year 1 check-up….Kens Sushi!

 

 

 

After last years check-up!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And after this years check-up! Added some wine this year…

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers everyone!  To a long healthy HAPPY life. 

Actually a friend left me the cutest comment on facebook today…I have to share. I love it! Thanks Buzz!

Buzz Baviello says Congrats & "Erin Go Bragh" Know it means "Ireland forever" but I'm saying it to mean Erin (stay Healthy) forever!!

Valentines Weekend

Most people are totally Pro-Valentines or Anti-Valentines…but I can honestly say I’m just…in between. Yes I get the whole “it’s a hallmark holiday” stuff…but at the same time…it IS really nice to have a day to just tell and show eachother that you love them! Let’s be real…being married almost 6 years you sometimes fall victim to the everyday life and “forget” to remind eachother how much you love them. We definitely do! So why not use the holiday to your benefit and just go with the flow?!?

This weekend was fun…started it off by hangin’ with some friends to do some Valentine cookie decorating….Owen loved decorating…didn’t really wanna do any eating…

Unlike Addi was thought the decorating was over-rated…she wanted to eat the cookies with NO frosting on top!

Thanks Kerri for having us over…was a cute idea!!

 

Then on Saturday we got to see the Dora The Explorer’s Pirate Adventure Show at the San Bernardino’s California Theatre.  Was exciting.  I recommend seeing any show at the California Theatre…its pretty cool. Its like a smaller (more ghetto) version of the Pantages theatre in Hollywood! haha

Yes I was THAT person who snuck a picture (without my flash of course)…heehee. Memories man! haha  We also got to invite an “old” friend.  The day Owen was born a friend of a friend was also in labor a few doors down from me. At the time Crystal and I had only a brief encounter/meeting at our parenting classes…but later found to be friends and support.  ACTUALLY Crystal is THE reason why I went to the Mommy Support Group…and later became a part of the BSB. Anyway…so Crystal and Bailey were able to join us for Dora…was a delight to see her!

Last time I saw Bailey in person was…

Was nice catching up with Crystal and Bailey…will def have to get these future prom dates together for a few playdates this summer!

Sunday we did something that I’ve ALWAYS wanted to do…just never did it. We had a picnic dinner at sunset at the beach! It was so awesome.

Got to Corona Del Mar with plenty of time for the kids to play, and for us to just RELAX and talk about the dream of living in one of those huge houses behind us! haha Oh the life of rich people! I’ll be honest…I’m totally envious! haha I know I shouldn’t be…money can’t buy happiness blah blah blah…but it would make life different! Anyway… It was so awesome…it made me so excited for the summer and the beach trips I hope to take lots of again this summer AND we decided we HAVE to come back and do it again…WITH a bonfire so I can try smores’ with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups! haha

   

Monday we played at home all day…and went to dinner as a family to celebrate Valentines since Yosh was going to be coaching his wildcard CIF game on Tuesday evening.  Was nice. Wabi Sabi (and Owen with some Carls Jr.)

Valentines Day was awesome…Found a card and chocolates in my car on the way to work, a dozen red roses found their way to me while AT work and then a delicious dinner with my lil man while visiting Nana & Grandad (since Daddy was away WINNING his game!)

Notice what my child is eating…chocolate shake AND a bowl of M&Ms…oh Grandad is gonna get a spank from Mama…

Overall a great weekend…made it a bit better that it was a 3 day weekend too (with another 3 day weekend coming up! whoohoo!)  Whether it’s a corny Hallmark holiday or something that you truly love…I hope everyone enjoyed their day…Happy Valentines Day!  ((hugs))