The Hot Waterless Ellis Household

Day 5 of the hot waterless Ellis household. That’s right…Tyler and I have been out of hot water since Friday, and this is how we have coped with the situation:

Multiple times we have thought of boiling water on the stove to fill the tub with…no thanks.  We have gotten pretty good at taking quick showers. Tyler currently holds the record for fastest shower yet. He recently shaved a second off of his time of 2 min 25 sec. We’ve found other ways to cut down on shower time. 1) lather the loofah before starting the shower; 2) skip the conditioning step; 3) lather, rinse, DO NOT REPEAT; 4) don’t bother rinsing anything until the end…keep the shampoo, body wash, and face wash on until the very end (this also minimizes time that the full body is subject to cold water).

Last night, after once again contemplating the boiling water idea, we decided to phone a friend. Trusty Becca came to the rescue and offered her shower up to us. We packed a bag of clothes, towels, and shower stuff, and headed over to her place to take advantage of her hospitality. Beating the record was the last thing on our mind. Thanks for the hot water Becca!

Other than our lack of hot water (which is hopefully going to be fixed this afternoon), Tyler and I were asked to take the very large, flat screen TV out of the lobby for the summer, so you can imagine where it is staying for the next three months…in our living room! I’m afraid having this TV all summer is going to make it very hard to give up when students come back. We’ll see what happens! Also, we have recently joined the Netflix world, and since we can now stream through our Wii, we’ve been watching movies and TV series like no other!

The other night, we really wanted to watch TV in bed, but the big screen is in the living room, and so is the Wii…solution: we pulled the mattress from our extra bedroom into the living room and had a sleepover on the floor. It was so much fun. I knew we were missing something though…so…next time we will make a fort and sleep on the mattress in (what will be) the coolest fort ever!

Long Update on Life!

-U-A-C-H-I-T-A!  Last Saturday, our families came to celebrate my graduation ceremony with us.  I love it when our family comes into town, and even though it was about the quickest trip ever, it was great.

I technically graduated in December, but I had to wait until now to participate in a ceremony.  Since we were around anyways it was no biggie!  Here are the parents with me...thanks again for my education...and my fancy new necklace...and my awesome new patio furniture!  I love you both so much, and I can't begin to express my thanks to you.  Tyler and I both are so grateful for you guys and the fact that you took care of our schools!

After the ceremony, it was...of course...picture time!  These are the girls of P3 (Perrin 3rd floor).  I can't believe we stayed friends through our entire college years.  We had all lived on the same hall since freshman year, and this was the first year that we were all separated.  So here we are reunited (and it feels so good) and we're all proud to be holding up our "3"

This is us our freshman year...halloween...this picture doesn't seem like it was that long ago...CRAZY!

Yes...we are all grown up now.  We're off to work, get married, be married, study some more, live in different cities, and keep searching for what we're supposed to do in life. 

Love, love, love these girls!  And of course, I love this guy:

Best husband in the world!  He was such a trooper during all the pictures, and the picture re-takes.  Then, there's this girl:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KACBOO!  Kayla was sweet enough to share her birthday with my graduation and with Megan's wedding day.  She's the Bomb-Dot-Com!  Speaking of Megan:

Right after graduation, we all ran to get in the car so we could get back to Dallas in time to watch beautiful Megan walk down the aisle.  The wedding was PERFECT!  You couldn't have asked for better weather, and we had all been asking for a long time for perfect weather! 

Exchanging of vows...

Unity sand...

The smooch...

Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell!

And duh...another wedding means another reunion of these friends.  This is one of my favorite groups of people in the entire world!  These are the besties!

Here are the big besties...plus newcomer Jordan (even though he's been in the group for a long time...now it's official).

And here are the little besties...minus Nikki.  We missed you so much, and wish you could have been here with us.  We'll see each other soon though...I think there's a special weekend coming up for the little besties and their boys?!

Once again, Mr. and Mrs. Ellis

Followed by mom and 2/3 of the daughters. 

It was definitely one of the craziest weekends, but it was well worth the exhaustion that followed.  We're so happy for you Jordan and Megan.  Have fun on your honeymoon!  Kelsey and Kayla, we love you both...more "it" next time.  Ma and Pa Ellis, thanks so much for making the trip to Arkadelphia...we love you both so much (and thanks for letting us stay with you).  Big and little besties, you guys rock the house.  Can't wait till we do it again (let's practice Single Ladies for next time).  Mommy and Daddy, thanks for everything, especially the new measuring tape game.  You are AWESOME! 

Living in Poverty: Guestwriter Kayla Carpenter

Today over 1.4 Billion people live
in absolute poverty and many
have never heard the Good News
of Jesus


This year, (my freshman year at Baylor) I am enrolled in a class called Poverty in Developing Countries. Requirements for achieving an A are as follows: attend class, read the text book (When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor. . .and Ourselves)* complete 30 hours of community service, and attend Mission Waco’s Poverty Simulation. So naturally, on the coldest and wettest weekend of the year, I packed up my things and headed to the city streets (or rather Mission Waco’s training center).


When we arrived we were told to pick four items to keep for the weekend and everything else would be locked upstairs until Sunday afternoon. I chose my sleeping bag, sweatshirt, rain jacket, and toothbrush. Choosing those things was harder than you would think… you try picking four items to live off of for days. We were then lead to Mission Waco’s thrift shop where we relinquished our clothes and changed into whatever outfits we could find there. I found a lovely pair of off-brand white leather Keds for my feet, a pair of almost white khaki pants that only fit if I wore them about three inches above my belly button, and a blue t-shirt supporting SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). With the white matching shoes and pants I looked about ready to head off for rounds at a mental hospital.


We then arrived back at the training center and told that we were being given 40 fake dollars to support ourselves and our imaginary children (I think I had two… yikes!) Meals were $6 and a night inside the shelter was $20. So the first night, we braved the cold and slept in the backyard of the training center. I found a spot beneath a picnic table on the paved ground under the covered porch. At about 5 AM the freezing rain began pouring and all those not already beneath the porch ran and grabbed a spot. The ground flooded so for the next four hours I sat on the picnic table wrapped in a soaked sleeping bag trying to block the wind and rain from my face.


Those who paid for breakfast were allowed inside at 9 while the rest of us stayed outside. We then walked about six blocks in the rain to another building where we were finally let inside. We played interactive group games and watched a documentary on the work that Mission Waco founders Jimmy and Janet Dorrell have been doing in Haiti for years.


We split into groups of six or seven and were then sent on a scavenger hunt through the streets of Waco. Items on the list were things such as, “interview a homeless person”, “collect 100 aluminum cans”, “find a reusable item on the street”, “find lunch”. That’s right people, we had to find our own lunch (assuming local restaurants wouldn’t accept monopoly money). So we swung a free basket of fries at D’s Mediterranean Grill and with $10 donated to us by someone who took pity on us we bought a taco for everybody in the group. At 4 PM we headed back to the training center where we had a multicultural dinner.


I, of course, was sent to the India table where we were served curried pork and rice. The US table on the other hand was served salad, steak, baked potatoes, and ice cream sundaes. After dinner we talked about our experiences and headed to bed (INSIDE!).


Sunday morning we walked about 20 blocks to attend Church Under the Bridge (literally it is under I-35 across from Baylor’s campus). Jimmy Dorrell, the executive director of Mission Waco, and my professor, is the pastor and his wife, along with some church members, leads music. For a couple hours we served with, worshipped with, and fellowshipped with the homeless of our Waco community. It was actually a pretty amazing experience. We then walked back to the training center for a free lunch and were sent packing. For the first time in two days I took a shower and changed my clothes.


What did I learn? Well first of all, to be more thankful. Second of all, spending a weekend “in poverty” is NO comparison to what homeless people experience every day. The entire weekend I thought, “I can make it till Sunday, I can make it till Sunday,” but people who actually live without a place to sleep at night can’t say that. I don’t claim to understand, but how could I begin to talk about their needs if I don’t even attempt to learn what they are. Would I encourage you to participate? Absolutely. This description is only a little of what my weekend entailed. All in all, it was a great experience that opened my eyes to the many needs that the impoverished have and the challenges they face.
If you are interested in participating in Mission Waco’s Poverty Simulation go to http://www.missionwaco.org/povsimhtml.html


Want to learn more about Church Under the Bridge? Visit: http://www.churchunderthebridge.org/index.html


*I highly recommend this book, it’s not actually a text book; it’s a small paperback and it actually really good.

How To Have A Happy Easter

Step #1 :Wear Goggles!

Between the amount of sun, pollen, and construction dust, the only way to keep all those things out of our eyes would be to strap on a pair of goggles...we don't have goggles, so we'll just squint!  The construction is moving along though and it looks like the new dorms will actually open on time.  The closer they are to finishing the dorms, they closer they are to our front door.  I actually woke up the other morning because I heard this awful CRASH!  I felt like I was living the "Night Before Christmas" because I actually did spring from my bed to see what was the matter...away to the window I flew like a flash...and then I opened the blinds to see what the damage was.  All I heard was the sound of crumbling rock, and I was convinced that the crew had run into the building.  I was wrong, they were just dumping an entire truck load of rocks right outside our window.  And today, they've moved so close, I think we can actually read each other's lips if the blinds are open.  This closeness also means that Tyler's worst fear has come true...they have taken away our sidewalk that leads to our porch...luckily for us, they have created an alternate route to our porch by replacing the sidewalk with stepping stones construction materials (boxes, rocks, plastic).  It's actually very creative on their part...Tyler hasn't seen it yet, he will not be a happy camper!

Other than nasty construction dust (and stinky porta-potties), the pollen here has been crazy.  It is everywhere: all over the cars, the windows, the sidewalk boxes, rocks, and plastic, and all over my bike...which brings me to my next step...

Step #2: Ride Your Bike

I went on a bike ride (8.6 miles to be exact) the other day, and as I was feeling very good about myself, I think my bike was feeling otherwise.  The next morning, I woke up and found my bike in the following condition:

That's right...flattest flat tire ever!  This obviously was how my bike told me that I was acting crazy the other day...is this a sign that working out is a bad idea?  I don't think so, because I got another bike tube and you better believe I'll be back out on the road again.

Step #3: Admire Your New Homemade Wreath

Thank you Jana White for the fabulous idea!  When I saw this on her blog, I just had to have one for myself.  So, I made this one and I'm very pleased at how it turned out.  Little sis, Kayla, also made one, and we both love them. 

Step #4: Eat Good Food

I wouldn't exactly say we had a fancy Easter dinner.  This whole "living on a budget" thing meant burgers and hot dogs for us on Easter Sunday, and even though it wasn't fancy, it was delicious!  We had some friends over for lunch (including brother Ryan) and finished everything off with homemade ice cream and strawberries...YUM! 

Step #5: Take Pictures

Easter Sunday means picture time!  Here are a couple of the ones we got...by the way, trying to get Tyler to take any kind of series of pictures is very difficult (Lynley, Nikki, and Lindsey can attest to that).  He usually has to be told how many pictures he is expected to smile in...so this is what we ended up with (besides the one at the top of the post).

Step #6: Discover the True Meaning of "Spring Cleaning"

I have never actually practiced the art of Spring Cleaning...until this weekend.  This is not to say that I've never cleaned anything, but rather that I've never extreme cleaned anything.  On Saturday morning (after eating breakfast in bed!), we decided it was time to give the apartment the once over and do a bit of cleaning.  This proposed 1-2 hour cleaning spree turned into an all day affair.  What was accomplished?

* Vacuuming * Dusting * Sweeping * Shaking out the rugs * Swiffer Mop * Bathtub * Toilet * Mirrors * Dishes * Laundry * Sheets * Porch * Windows *

The windows were a nightmare...but I will say that all of our hard work payed off and the apartment looks GREAT!  Now it's time to have company...Jeremy comes into town today, and we can't wait to hang out. 

Update from his visit to come!  Until then, Happy Easter, hope it was a good one for all!

Spring Break 2010

For Tyler and I, Spring Break meant:

Rain

Steak

Snow

Praying for Homeless Kayla
Sleeping in
Chili
2 New Pairs of Jeans
6 New Shirts
Tacos
"Best in Show"
Clean Puppy
West Wing
SUN
Lunch at Telos
Crate and Barrel Trip #1
REI Trip #1
Anthropology Trip #1
MaBo Eggrolls
Grocery Store
Stuffed Poblanos
REI Trip #2
1 Pair of Chacos
Oil Change
Downtown McKinney
Sauce
Taco Bueno
"Bodies" Exhibit
Walking Dando
Pot Roast
Rain
Survivor
Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
Donuts
Modern Family
Chuy's Enchiladas Blancas
Old Navy
Anthropology Trip #2
Crate and Barrel Trip #2
Taverna
American Idol
Panda Express
Sun

It was a wonderful break!  Forgot to take my camera...oopsie*  New Post Coming Soon:  Living in Poverty by Guestwriter Little Sis Kayla!

Happy Birthday Tyler

yler and I recently celebrated his 24th birthday!  Even though I spent part of his birthday weekend away, I was back in time to fix his birthday dinner:  steaks (some of the biggest steaks I've ever seen), corn on the cob, roasted vegetables, and a lemon icebox pie for dessert!  One of the easiest meals to make actually, and it was delicious...if I may say so.

Now, technically, we did not have birthday dinner on his birthday.  Since his actual birthday was on a Sunday, and he didn't want to celebrate knowing that he had school the next day, we decided to have dinner on Saturday.  On Sunday, however, it was another day of celebrating!  After sleeping in (and skipping church...shhh don't tell anyone) we drove to Little Rock for the afternoon.  We ate lunch/breakfast at Mimi's Cafe (Tyler's choice) and then quickly drove the the movie theatre to see Alice in Wonderland! 

The movie was great!  We had just finished reading the book, and we were very surprised to find out that the movie was a different story than the book.  Even though it was differnet, it was very good, and we were excited to see what Tim Burton had done with the classic. 

We got home just in time for handbell practice (Tyler's favorite part of the week) and then, since it would be light outside for a couple more hours...thank you daylight savings...we went on a walk around campus to check out all the construction.  We both enjoyed a cup of homemade ice cream and strawberries on our walk, and I would say it was a wonderful way to wrap up the birth-day.

To officially end the day, we continued our watch through The Lord of the Rings trilogy...we're almost done!  Soon we will be home for Spring Break, and since I'll look for any excuse to eat out, I think we might have third birthday dinner in Dallas!  We can't wait to see our family and friends...SB 2010 here we come!

A Great Weekend...Despite My Condition

few weeks ago, Tyler had come home from school with a nauseous stomach, fever, and achy body...NOT GOOD!  After a quick 24 hours, he was back to school and feeling much better.  Before it entirely left his system though, he was sweet enough to pass it along to me!  So, on Friday morning (2:30, 3:30, 4:30, and 5:30) I was up sick...boo.  This would have been the day that my family (minus "doesn't love me that much" Kelsey) and Kayla's boyfriend Aaron was going to spend the weekend with us.  Unfortunately, I was a bit lot under the weather. After spending the day in bed, and trying to decide if it was worth their trip to Arkansas, we made the call and told them to come...hoping I would pass the 24 hour mark before we got wild and crazy on Saturday.  They got in town late Friday night (right when I decided to get sick again) and we decided to take it easy for the rest of the evening.

Though I wasn't myself 100% of the weekend, we made it work!  We spent part of the day Saturday in Hot Springs...I spent part of it sleeping in the car...and eventually, I started to shake my sickness away (even long enough to make homemade cinnamon rolls that night).  Despite the fact that I wasn't feeling my best, we had such a great weekend and it was so fun to have my family in town.  Here are a couple of pictures from downtown Hot Springs.

Kayla and Aaron

The girls...at least the ones that love me

*You know I love you Kels!  Sorry you couldn't make it!*