September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month!

Throughout September, you can donate $5 to the cause by texting "KELLY" to 85944 from your mobile phones (standard text messaging rates apply) - or logging on to
www.kelly-confidential.com. Also, every time you log on to the Web site, you'll be entered for a chance to win an amazing contribution to your home - a luxury front load washer and dryer from Electrolux in Turquoise Sky, the color inspired by the teal ribbon of ovarian cancer awareness.

Also during September, visitors to Kelly Confidential can help spread awareness for this important cause by sending a virtual T-shirt to a friend. For every virtual t-shirt sent, Electrolux will donate $1 to the OCRF. Fashion-forward Moms can also purchase a limited edition T-shirt designed by Ripa; 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the T-shirts will go to OCRF.



Visit www.kelly-confidential.com for details and for your chance to win a luxury front load washer and dryer from Electrolux.

My Current Project

So I'm finally feeling like a little more than a zombie. I'm not quite sure what sickness that has been lurking about at the Ellis household but I'm telling you, it grabbed a hold of me tight! My in-laws were here this weekend to celebrate Chloe's birthday I think. Though that all might just be part of a dream I had during the time I was unconscious. Thankfully, they seemed willing to forgive me for not being a proper hostess. It seems as if it is Chloe's turn with the sickness as she is the one that is running the fever tonight.

Anyway, I wanted to take this opportunity to show you what I was working on before the evil virus invaded my body leaving me lacking energy worse than I did after childbirth!



It's hard to tell exactly what it looks like because it is in my hallway and I had to take the picture at an angle. The hardest part for me was trying to make it asymmetrical without making it completely square. I had a handy little tool that made the job just a little easier.



This baby is the latitude level. It came to me in the swag suite that I received from Mom Select. It is a level/stud finder that is created especially for use by a woman. It is more compact making it easier for smaller hands to handle and has softer grips. It has built in holes where you mark straight through the level. And, fully extended, the tabs for nail holes are 16 inches apart making it perfect for finding studs (skip corny joke about how every woman wants to find a stud here). It wasn't necessary for me to find studs for this project but you can be sure I will be using it in the future to fix things like bookshelves to the wall so that my children don't pull them over on themselves.

Upon further investigation, I found that there is a whole line of tools designed by women for women. You can check them out HERE. My own tools! How empowering. Now if I can just figure out how to get the rest of them free.

Well, I guess that's it for now. Hope all is healthy in your world!

Blessings,
Dana

Deals and Matchups

Just for you mom. I think you're the only person using this. There are no inserts in this weeks paper. We all have the crud that is going around here at the Ellis household so it is a good week to have an off week. Have a wonderful Labor Day!

CVS

Rite Aid

Walgreens

Kroger-- Still waiting

Publix

Penny Item: Publix Tortilla Chips

Food World

Tuesday's Tips and Tricks-- Shoe shopping

You have got to go see this awesome children's shoe shopping trick that my friend Becky put on her blog. I am absolutely loving it!

Happy Happy Birthday Baby!

Two Years Old Today!


You are everything I did not anticipate in a child. I was fully prepared for the normal strong headiness that comes with a toddler. What I wasn't prepared for was your ability to make me laugh when I'm trying to discipline you. Or how you stubbornly stomp your foot in refusal of my attempt to steer you away from your tenth pack of fruit snacks by offering an alternative, all the while you're politely saying, "no thank you". Or how you do a teasing little dance when I tell you to come to me, one step forward and two steps back with a sweet little mischievous grin on your face. All the while I'm holding in a grin of my own as I'm threatening to discipline you. And then, once you've push the charade to the point that I feel as I must act to show you I mean business, you run to me with arms wide open with the most marvelous kiss intended sheepishly saying, "momma"? Therefore, somehow leaving me to wonder if maybe you didn't know that I wasn't kidding and afraid that I will break your will or your trust in me if I punish you while you were innocently trying to play with me. Even though, I am quite positive that you are fully aware of your manipulating abilities and that the only will that is being broken is my own. Because somewhere, you have convinced me that these sneaky little plays you preform are one of your most alluring qualities though I'm quite sure that your future teachers will disagree. Yes dear, you have me smitten. And I'm quite sure at some point, this will cause us trouble.

You're a complicated little bundle of joy. The life of the party to those that you love and trust and a complete turtle in a shell to someone new. You have better rhythm than some adults and can already run across the room kicking a ball like a skilled soccer player. You have a HUGE vocabulary though it often needs help from your translator to those that are not with you all day. I love to pass Chic fil' A and hear your shouts of "Chic P Lay Cow, Chic P Lay Cow"! To you, life is one big game. And to the rest of your family who often takes themselves WAY to seriously, you are just what we need.

Chloe Anne Ellis, you light up my life. I'm so glad that God made me your mother!




I love you,
Mom

Deals and Matchups

CVS

Rite Aid

Walgreens

Kroger

Publix
Penny item: Greenwise toilet paper


FoodWorld

Will post publix penny item and Krogers deals and matchups as soon as they're up!

The Knotts Family

They are home with a diagnosis of Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis. It is a rare disease but has a 70% complete remission rate. Janell has a

blog

where she's put regular updates. You can read all about it over there. Her words to me when she called to give me the definite word was, "Dana, it's just been a series of God things".

I have marvelled at so many things this week... Ken and Janell's ability to soak everything in. If I hadn't known any better I wouldn't have thought that all of this information was new to them. I am amazed at how clear headed they seemed to be thinking. They, somehow pulled it together, with the only goal of getting their son better. They are amazing parents.

And our church family! Can I just say that I am so honored to be a part of this family. We're a motley crew. The words that were said to me when we first met them was, "we've all been broken in some way". That is so true and how wonderful it feels to be my broken self with these broken people. Everyone is laid back and comfortable so much that we're sometimes unorganized. Except when it comes to these sort of things and I am telling you, The love and compassion that these people naturally expel to those who are hurting is unbelievable. Since we have been here, I have seen this little church of about 75 members (they don't have an official count because they don't want getting our numbers up to be our focus. If we are the people that God wants us to be, He will bring us the people that He wants to be there) do more for hurting families than I've ever seen much larger churches do. Ken and Janell went home to clean laundry (well not actually went home to it since I still have to take it to them but they didn't go home to dirty laundry), a stocked refrigerator, covered in tear poured prayers and touched with thousands of hugs and no telling what that I don't even know about. I was at the hospital visiting one night when the doctor came in. His words, "you people have got to quit multiplying. I can't keep up with you". I feel sure that he thought they belonged to a thousand member church. We have had lots of discussions about we were are, what our mission at our church is. I know what our gift is,( helping hurting people heal). I don't know how that translates into an official ministry or even if it needs to. They do it quite well without it being orchestrated. The one thing I'm quite sure of.. I love my church family and there's nowhere in this world I'd rather be.

Blessings,
Dana

Benjamin

We will hopefully have an update on the Benjamin soon. If you're here in town, they have repeatedly stated how blessed they have been by the outpouring of love they have received. However, they will be meeting with several specialists to determine the path they will be taking with his treatment so they have requested no visitors for today only. There are a lot of decisions to be made. Not all tests are in but they have given a priliminary diagnosis of "Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis". They have a long road ahead but this disease has a very high complete remission rate when treated with Chemo. Please keep the prayers going up. They have felt them. And this sweet little boy has blessed us all!

I did post my promised tip below.

Blessings,
Dana

Tuesday's Tips and Tricks-- Removing a dent from your car

Yes, I know it's Friday, at least I think it's Friday. It has been a long week (see post below)


I had intended on trying this one out myself since Adam's car has a big dent in from where I backed into it. But, if you've been following the stuff going on with the Knotts family, you know that I'm not that concerned with a dent in our car right now. I did however want to share this because it's so awesome. I'd love to hear from someone that has actually tried this.


Remove Car Dent With Airduster - For more funny movies, click here

Blessings,
Dana

Begging for prayers

I'm exhausted.. I'm not sure that this is going to be coherent. I will surely write a more detailed post later. Adam's secretary and I went to sit with a friend from our church yesterday (wow, only yesterday it seems like forever ago) while she waited for the results from an MRI her little boy was having. Benign tumors run in their family. His older sister has one. They are typically outgrown but they were more concerned because this tumor is located in his head and he was swelling around his eyes.. We were shocked when the optomologist came out and told us that it wasn't that type of tumor (there is a name for this type of tumor but I am a completely ignorant when it comes to any medical terms and I can't remember it. Someone comment what it is if you know) and that she was suspicious that it was cancer. Just a few minutes later the doctor confirmed that it was cancer. He just turned two.. Just two weeks older than Chloe. He has had more cat scans, a biopsy and will have bone scans tomorrow. They are discussing starting Chemo this weekend. In just a few minutes their world has been turned upside down. They are awaiting the results of the biopsy to find out exactly what they are dealing with.. I keep thinking that I will wake up from this horrible dream. I can't imagine what his mom is thinking..

I of course cried like a loser. I am so frustrated with myself that I just become a blubbering idiot in situations when I need to be the strongest. Thank goodness for Adam's awesome secretary who not only is one of the most positive faith filled people I've ever met but is also a breast cancer survivor. She quickly grabbed us all together and prayed. I could have never gotten that prayer out. I must have skipped that chapter in my 'How to be a Minister's Wife" handbook. Please, please pray for this family. And pray for me to have strength when I need it for others..

Blessings,
Dana