New Direction

Dear family and friends:

In the spirit of moving onward and upward, the matron of our family has agreed to do a family blog.  Since our family has grown so much in recent years, we decided to incorporate what we do all have in common, our mother, wife, and grandmother.  This blog is about Elise P.B. and her "downline".

We have had several requests to do more issues of the family newsletter, The Scoop, that Raquel sent out a few times in the past.  This is our updated and Eco-friendly version of The Scoop!  We are really excited (well 2 of us), and we hope you are too!  Please email Raquel for an invitation, as this blog will be kept private for family and close friends only.

www.epbanddownline.blogspot.com   click on the URL to be taken to the new blog:  Last Day, Today & Tomor-Yu.

Annalynn has made it across the finish line!  She's done with Chemo treatments!  She's  CANCER FREE!!!   Unlike the winners of any Superbowl, she's already gone to Disneyland (World)  So, what is Annalynn going to do now?  As soon as I find out I will let you know.

Thank you family and friends for all of your love and support for the last 27 months.  Words cannot describe how thankful we are that Annalynn is doing well now and totally cancer free.  We appreciate the kind words, notes, gifts and prayers that have been showered upon the Annalynn and our family.

*Any time is a good time  to send Annalynn your love*

I'm not certain what this means for Annalynn's World Blog - but stay tuned!!!!

xoxo and Happy Holidays.

The Return

Our favorite and ever-precious Annalynn has returned from her Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World in Orlando!  I heard rumors that the whole family had a really good time!

Thanks again Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Pictures coming soon!

Summer Fun

Annalynn and her sister, T, got to attend a baseball game with grammie and grandpa recently. They both had a great time! Look at all that pretty blond hair and the beautiful smiles.

Words of Encouragement

Dear Family and Friends:

Please feel free to leave Annalynn your comments, words of encouragement, or just a quick hello. If you don't have a "blogger" login, please click on "comment anonymously" and then type your name at the end of your comment so she knows who you are.

Thanks for your prayers, love and support! She has got less than 100 days to go!

Her Wish Is....

I received the most giggly and fun phone call from Annalynn last week. She called to tell me that she and her parents had met with the lovely people from Make-A-Wish Foundation, so that she could make her wish!

Drum roll........

Annalynn chose "Something Disney" so they settled on Disney World in Florida.

I personally am so grateful that Annalynn got so lucky to have this great opportunity that Make-A-Wish Foundation has given to her and her family. I am humbled and amazed. Thank you Make-A-Wish Foundation, and to anyone else who is helping make this wish and other wishes for other children come true. This is a great opportunity that Annalynn and her family would otherwise not have. Truly, she has been through so much in the past 24 months, (and it still is not over) she absolutely deserves a vacation to play and have fun and be the sweet little girl that she is!

Happiest Birthday!

Can you guess which of our favorite beautiful young-ladies is turning 9 today?

Happy Happy Birthday Annalynn! Wishing you all the best with those 9 birthday candles.

xoxo

Baking with Grammie:

Annalynn and her best-sister-buddy-should've-been twin, T, got to go to Grammie's and bake Coco-pink Cupcakes!  Grammie gets the best helpers, such cute ones too!

Don't mind the date on the pictures it is two years behind.  I did tell Grammie to check her camera!

The Countdown Begins!

Note the awesome countdown timer to the right....

So far that is the target date for Annalynn's last day of treatment according to her doctors.

Details to follow as the day draws nearer!!!

A sighting!

Annalynn was recently "spotted" taking cookies to all of the nurses and people that help her when she goes to the hospital for treatments. She and her mom made chocolate chip peanut butter cookies for everyone. Annalynn delivered them in a containers, and she told the nurses that if they saved the container and gave it to her when she came back next month she would bring them more cookies! Well, those nurses thought the cookies were too good to wait, so they put all of their cookies into another container immediately and handed it back to her so she would bring them cookies ASAP!

Sounds like she's quite the baker! I want to taste those cookies too!

On another fun note: Annalynn's numbers are all good and high again. The doctors decided to "up" her medications so she can keep fighting off the cancer. She'll still receive monthly Chemo treatments.

ευχαριστώ (Efxaristo)

Annalynn has more people she would like to thank today. In case you were wondering the language, this is 'Thank you' in Greek.

Megan sent a beautiful postcard of Santa Monica in So Cal with a funny joke on the back that made Annalynn laugh.

Joey sent a fun and cheery postcard of downtown Salt Lake City that put a smile on Annalynn's beautiful face.

Renee, Oh wonderful Renee! She sent Annalynn some more stickers!

Uncle Greg and Aunt Marsha sent a really cute card that also included stickers!

Thank you so much all of you for your fun stickers, jokes messages and cards. It is so great to hear the giggle in Annalynn's voice and see the smile on her face when she receives these fun surprises in the mail.

감사합니다 (Kamsamnida)

So many people to thank today!

BYU 198th Ward (Craig and friends) sent some beautiful, just-for-Annalynn art. They were all so unique and well done. The messages were warm and cheery. Thank you so much- it was like a bundle of sunshine. A special story about this package is that it arrived on the perfect day. Annalynn had just returned from getting her chemo treatment and was not feeling that well. She was laying down on mom's bed and mom asked her if she wanted to look at some mail that she had received... immediately this cheered her up. Seeing the beautiful pictures that were created just for her was the absolute best thing to cheer her up and help her feel a little better!

Margarett sent a cute card with a cheery message from Los Angeles. The picture on the front of the card was fun and playful.

Linda, Kevin and Michael sent another post card of Bridal Veil Falls in the Provo Canyon in Utah. The beautiful falls are always a treat. When Annalynn is able to she would like to go and visit the falls and see the grandeur of them in person!

Colton and Renee also sent some more fun postcards with pictures of Ariel, Jasmine and Belle on the front. Colton and Renee must have had such a fun time at DisneyWorld picking out all these fun cards and things for Annalynn and her sisters. It has been such a delight to get postcards with the princesses and the cheery messages written on them.

Steve and Jenny Bohrer family sent a puzzle letter with a picture of the Grand Tetons. Wow! This is so fun and amazing. Annalynn and her whole family really enjoyed receiving this!

Annalynn received a really cool Valentine's Day Card from Michelle, Brian, Lindsay, Cody, Maggie and Lacey. Happy Belated Valentine's Day to all of you also! Valentine's Day is such a fun holiday to touch base with loved ones and remind them that you are thinking of them.

Last today, but certainly not least, is a thank you to Maddie Walker for the "Care About You" card she gave Annalynn.

All of these cards, letters, and words of cheer have really been so much fun for Annalynn and her family. Thank you so much, it is so thoughtful and sweet, we really really appreciate all of the sunshine that we've been receiving (even on the snowiest of days)!!!!

Grazie! Grazie!

Before we get into 'thank yous' for today: Annalynn went to clinic yesterday to receive her chemo treatment. She was fine, but worn out. She did get a fever, but after doing a full check-up on her, the doctors decided that the fever was a side effect of the medication. She is doing ok today and sounds quite chipper on the telephone!

Thank you to Grammie and Grandpee Beck for sending a beautiful Alaska postcard. What a surprise to get a postcard from Alaska when G&G are not 2 miles from Annalynn most days!
Thank you also for the other postcard with a picture of the Wasatch Mountain Range. Both of these cards were greeted with excitement.

Thank you to Drew in Guam for the awesome postcard. Never would we have guessed that she would get a postcard all the way from Guam! How excited she was to get the card with palm trees on it. Guam is a far of place- we had to look it up on the map!

Another postcard from Dave and Melissa (and family who live in LA) but the postcard is from NYC! It sounds brrrrr in NYC only 18 degrees, but the picture of the NYC skyline is fantastic. Thank you so much for the cheery and warm message all the way from NYC.

Margarett sent a really neat card that also put a smile on Annalynn's face.

Each day she is greeted with another sweet message from someone. Thank you to all of you for helping brighten her day and warm her heart.

Domo Arigato

Thank you to Renee and Colton for sending two more postcards!! Annalynn received one postcard with a picture of the castle and Cinderella, and the other has a picture of the castle with Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Belle! The princesses are so much fun and really brightened her day.

Thank you Kristen L. who sent a cool postcard from Seattle! Its always such a surprise where the next postcard will be from! Annalynn is enjoying watching the mailbox to see what else is in store.

Another Thank you goes out to Linda, Kevin and Michael who sent a really neat postcard of Hovenweep National Monument. (We do not directly know Linda Kevin and Michael if you would please drop a comment or email us and let us know who you are that would be great!)

Apologies from Aunt Quel and from Annalynn's mom that it has been a couple of weeks since we have written our 'Thank yous'. We had some things to attend to that kept us from blogging. We are back now and things are well.

Annalynn's numbers are up, up up! She is doing well and so the doctors will just keep monitoring her to make sure the numbers stay up and she continues to improve! Good Job, Annalynn!

Kiitos!

Annalynn would like to thank Megan for a postcard from Hollywood~ She enjoys getting postcards to see the places and things far from her home. It really put a smile on her face to find yet another sweet message of kindness for her in the post box.


Annalynn also received a card from Uncle Greg! It was a sweet surprise to get a cute card in the mail from Great Uncle Greg. Thanks for the happy note!

Annalynn's last but certainly not least- thank you for today is for Colton & Renee who sent her a really interesting and fun post card from Disney World in Florida! The card had a group of the Disney Characters on it with information about when the character(s) first appeared on TV or in a short cartoon.

The mailbox is providing a lot of sunshine and sweet messages these days for Annalynn and the whole family. Thanks again to all of your wonderful words and messages of love.

Danke schön

Today Annalyn would like to thank Megan for the cute pink heart pen and the cards. She LOVES the pen, its so girly and fun! The cards and picture really brightened her day.

Annalynn would also like to thank Christine H. for the heartfelt cat card. The message inside really made her feel warm and sunny. Getting things in the mail has proved to be quite the exciting thing and she appreciates all of this sunshine being sent her way.

Aunt Quel sent a box of fun activities for Annalynn and her sisters to enjoy. (Most of you know that Aunt Quel is writing this according Annalynn and her parents' specifications.) No need to thank myself, I hope you 4 enjoy that stuff! I love you and miss you!

Merci Beaucoup!

Annalynn's mailbox has been full of fun and surprises lately! Annalynn received 2 cards from Renee. The cards have pictures of dogs on them and one of the dogs looks like the family dog, Marty, that passed away last year. It brightened every one's day to remember their dear dog that they all miss so much. The cards also had stickers and some great messages that really put a smile on Annalynn's face! Thank you, Renee and Colton!

Monday as Annalynn was getting back home from getting her Chemo treatment and having her immune system checked, she discovered a card from Maryanne that had jokes on it. Annalynn was a little melancholy after leaving the hospital but once she read the jokes on the card- she laughed and laughed! It really cheered her up and put a smile on her face, which in return pleased her mom. Thank you, Maryanne!

The computer that Annalynn uses to "attend" school was fixed and the Internet with camera has been re-installed so that Annalynn can resume school with her classmates! Woo-HOO!

Groundhog to Annalynn: Check Your Own Shadow!

Annalynn just left the hospital from getting her Chemo treatment. She is doing much better and her immune system numbers went from 300 last week to 1700 this week!

WOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now she can go out a little more often as long as she wears her little face mask to protect her from the germs. She, naturally, still has to do school from home. At least she can leave the 4 walls of home and doesn't have to feel so confined. She got to check her own shadow this Groundhog Day!

After leaving treatment, Annalynn and her mom picked Grammie up from work and had lunch with her; Annalynn got to meet a few people that Grammie works with too! It really brightened Grammie's day to see Annalynn, and it seems as though it was a great day for everyone!

Yay! We are excited for you Annalynn!

Latest

Annalynn is anxiously waiting for Monday to come around.  On Monday she will go to the hospital to receive her Chemo treatment and at that same time they will check her immune system again to if it has improved at all.  

Annalynn is also anxiously waiting for her new camera and computer so that she can join her classmates at school through the Internet, again.  She attended school this way for a while last year until she was able to attend school again.  Its better that she gets to be there "in" the classroom with them.  

In classic Annalynn style, she is staying pretty upbeat through all of this.  

Holidays 2008