Friday Confessional. . .

1. I confess that swiping is working MUCH better on my phone now that my phone is swiping in English and not in Spanish :) I thought that I just really stunk at swiping. One night while I was complaining about it, my super fabulous husband, Joel thought he would give it a try. It took about three tries and then he said...I don't think it's swiping in English. Thanks Honey for fixing that for me! I finally understand why people love it so much!

2. I confess that I am FrEaKiNg OuT that Brent is leaving next week for Hawaii for ten days. Not only is Brent leaving but so is Glen...Brent's main go-to guy will be gone hunting. I'm going to be left with only dumb and dumber to work with. YIKES! Pray for me....and Brent's business ;)

3. I confess that I had an...awkward...experience in the car with Ry and his friends last week. They were all singing along to the song "Last Friday Night" by Katy Perry. I'd heard the song before but never really listened to the words closely. After they sang this verse.....

Last Friday night
We went streaking in the park
Skinny dipping in the dark
Then had a menage a trois
Last Friday night
Yeah I think we broke the law
Always say we're gonna stop-op
Whoa-oh-oah

.....One of the boys asked me what a menage a trois was.....awkward! I told him that I didn't know and quickly changed it to country. Ry started laughing and told his friend to go home and google it. I'm just praying that he didn't tell his Mom and Dad that I told him to go home google it!

Moments That Matter Most....

Today, while blog surfing, I stopped in to visit Staci's blog...and found this WONDERFUL video. I could not have seen it on a better day, it was just what I needed today. Absolutely Amazing. Thanks Staci :)

JACK-ATTACKER!

Ky Started Guitar Lessons

What the HECK happened??

September 17th

U of U 54 @ BYU 10

I still can't talk about it =(

Football 2011

Ry's Birthday Weekend

Friday Confessional. . .

1. I confess that I walk like a duck, I can't help it. My brother, My sister, and even my kids...all walk like ducks. It's a strong gene pasted down from my Dad, who also walks like a duck =) Thanks Dad!

2. I confess that I know more about plumbing fixtures than any gal should. Moen is my specialty. If you ever need to know anything about a Moen fixture, I'm your go-to gal. Finishes, 4inch centers, 8inch centers, valves, lav faucets, kitchen faucets, deck mount faucets, shower/tub faucets, fixture price, upgrade price, the list goes on and on and....Yes, I know it all.

3. I confess that I don't care that my insurance didn't cover a bit of Ky's MRI... stupid deductible. It was worth every penny for the piece of mind it gave me when her results came back normal. However, her headaches are still getting worse and worse and that still scares me. We are now going to start a food journal to track her sugar and caffeine intake. She's not happy about it.

My New Favorite :)

...For My Journal...

Ry's 6th Grade Class

Peer Leader Award

D.A.R.E. Graduation

6th Grade Graduation

President Obama's Education Award - 3.5 GPA, or higher, All Year!

Letter from President Obama

February 2011 Scholar of the Month

Voted "Best Eyes" by Class - He gets those from his Mom ;)

Ky's 4th Grade Class

End of the Year Award - Outstanding Scholar!!

November 2010 Citizen of the Month

9/11 - Tenth Anniversary

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, foreign terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes and struck the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Passengers on a fourth plane, United Flight 93, fought back and the aircraft crashed in a remote field in Pennsylvania, far from a suspected target in the nation's capital. Nearly 3,000 people perished in the attacks.

Rendering of 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center,

opening this September 11th.

The National September 11 Memorial is a tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site, near Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing in February 1993.

The Memorial’s twin reflecting pools are each nearly an acre in size and feature the largest manmade waterfalls in the North America. The pools sit within the footprints where the Twin Towers once stood. Architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker created the Memorial design selected from a global design competition that included more than 5,200 entries from 63 nations.

The names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks are inscribed into bronze panels edging the Memorial pools, a powerful reminder of the largest loss of life resulting from a foreign attack on American soil and the greatest single loss of rescue personnel in American history.

Next Monday, for the first time, the public will be able to visit the beautiful yet solemn 9/11 Memorial. It’s been a mad rush to meet the 10th anniversary deadline, but it appears that the workers at Ground Zero have succeeded in getting everything ready on time.

As reported by the New Jersey Record:

“On a recent tour, the memorial appeared nearly ready for the ceremony: The massive voids shaped in the footprints of the original towers held shallow pools of water. The protective blankets covering the nearly 3,000 victims’ names etched into bronze parapets had been removed; a worker was waxing the metal surface. And new plant life added vibrancy to the plaza’s stone floor: All 225 swamp white oak trees had been planted, and landscapers were touching up freshly laid stretches of lush Kentucky bluegrass and beds of ivy, all of which withstood the winds and storm surge of Hurricane Irene.”

Friday Confessional. . .

1. I confess that I like mowing the lawn. I started mowing it when I was a stay at home Mom, it gave me something to do during the day and then when Joel was home we could do other things instead of yard work. Now it's just kind of grown on me...and, I think, it looks much better when I mow it ;) J/K, not really, but it is fun to drive our riding lawn mower around and then when we can spend our weekends enjoying other things.

2. I confess that I want a bigger TV to watch football on! We have a 42in. flat screen down stairs and it's just not working for me. I'm thinking 60in. maybe even a 72in. would be perfect! Hmmm...last time he went out of town he came home to a new treadmill. I wonder when he'll be going out of town for another conference =)

Happy 13th Birthday RY!

WE LOVE YOU!!

Wow, I can't believe that he's teenager! I don't think I'm old enough to have a teenager!!

I seriously need to find a way to slow time down....my kids are growing up WAY to fast!

Susan Mallery – ONLY YOURS Q&A

I'm a huge Susan Mallery fan! While reading reviews and, of course, cheering loudly myself I came across this Q&A, fromRomance Author Buzz, that I just had to share!

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery has entertained millions of readers with her witty and emotional stories about women and the relationships that move them. While Susan appreciates the critical praise, she is most honored by the enthusiastic readers who write to tell her that her books made them laugh, made them cry, and made the world a happier place to live. Susan lives in Seattle with her husband and her tiny but intrepid toy poodle. She’s there for the coffee, not the weather. Click here to visit Susan's website!

Q: ONLY YOURS was released today, August 30. Tell us a little bit about it.

ONLY YOURS is a Beauty and the Beast story, which is one of my favorite themes, but which I never get to write because I don’t normally do dark, tortured heroes. Simon is a brilliant surgeon whose intelligence set him apart as a child, made him seem strange to everyone around him, including to his own mother. After a fire left him with scars on half of his face, he became even more convinced that he was unlovable. All his life, he has protected his heart by burying himself in his studies, then in his work. He travels from hospital to hospital to heal their toughest cases, moving on before anyone gets too close.

Montana, on the other hand, is deeply connected to her hometown, Fool’s Gold, and to her large, boisterous family. One of the Hendrix triplets, Montana has always seen herself as the screw-up. Until now. She’s finally discovered what she was meant to do – she works with therapy dogs, and the dogs play a big role in the story, which was a lot of fun. Montana has an amazing purity of heart. She’s just what Simon needs, and he will love her with a ferocity that will complete her.

Simon and Montana are one of my favorite couples. I love these two together!

Q: ONLY YOURS is the fifth Fool’s Gold romance novel, and the second book of the Hendrix triplets’ trilogy. Do readers have to read the other books first?

No. Each book in the Fool’s Gold series is a standalone novel, so you won’t be confused if you start with ONLY YOURS. Of course, I hope you’ll love it so much that you’ll immediately rush out and buy the previous books. In order of publication, they are: CHASING PERFECT, ALMOST PERFECT, FINDING PERFECT, ONLY MINE, ONLY YOURS… and coming soon, ONLY HIS.

Visit Fool’s Gold online at www.foolsgoldca.com. You’ll find some amazing bonus content, including excerpts, between-the-books updates and teasers, a map of the town, a calendar of events, and some fun freebies!

Q: You said the therapy dogs play a big role in the story. Did you enjoy writing dog characters?

I loved it! Plus, the research was a lot of fun. Therapy dogs are pretty amazing. Montana and her dogs visit patients at hospitals and nursing homes. They do more than brighten the patients’ day – they improve the healing process. Montana has also started a reading program with her dogs. Kids who have a tough time learning to read can benefit from practicing by reading to a dog. The dogs are trained to behave as though they’re truly listening. Dogs are 100% love, and having that nonjudgmental audience can really take the pressure off a struggling reader and give him or her the boost of confidence they need.

One of the dogs in the book, Cece, is based on my real-life dog, Nikki. That was a lot of fun! I immortalized my dog by capturing her quirks on the page. She is a sweetheart and makes my life better.

Not every dog is therapy dog material, though. As the book starts, Montana is working with Fluffy, a mixed breed bundle of love and energy. Montana so wants Fluffy to succeed, but Fluffy has a slight problem with impulse control. I laughed myself silly while writing the opening scene of the book.

Q: What’s next for you?

ONLY HIS, Nevada Hendrix’s story, will be out on September 27. Imagine – you’re the last single triplet. Your sisters recently fell in love, and now they’re planning a double wedding. Poor Nevada feels left out, to say the least. Not only is she not in love – she doesn’t even have a date for the wedding!

Her answer to that is to put her focus on her career. As an engineer, she has always worked at the family’s construction business. She wants to test herself, so she decides to apply for a job with the developers of a luxury casino/resort that will be built outside Fool’s Gold. Unfortunately for Nevada, the leader of the project is her first, unrequited love. A rule of thumb I try to live by: avoid being interviewed by a man who’s seen you naked.

I think ONLY HIS might be the funniest book I've ever written, and I’m both nervous and excited to see how readers react.

Friday Confessional. . .

1. I confess that I'm a much better basket shot since my garbage can got moved to the corner, I've been making 2 pointers all day long! It makes picking up after myself much easier and, I confess, it makes me super happy that I'm not such a losey shot anymore!

2. I confess that I wanted to hurt both my son and my husband this morning when they were laughing at me while I was in a bad mood. I was ornery and and I wanted to STAY ornery...I NOT A MORNING PERSON! I'm over it now...back to my chipper self :)

3. I confess that even though I told Ky I would go off of caffeine because she has to...I'm not going to...I can't do it...I'm not strong enough. BUT I will stay off of it while I'm around her and I will keep it out of our house. I took her to the Doctor yesterday because she is having headaches almost everyday. Ky keeps telling me they will go away when her brother moves out, but I wanted to make sure something else isn't going on. The doctor said to take her off of caffeine and to cut back on the sugar. Ky goes in next Friday for a MRI :( Yep, that kind of freaks me out! ):

What Is Sjogren's Syndrome?

My heart broke yesterday when I heard the news about Venus Williams. I was diagnosed with Sjogren's Syndrome about two years ago, but it wasn't until last Oct./Nov., when I thought I could take on an extremely full plate, that the autoimmune disease really kicked my butt. Since then I've began to get symptoms under control but I'm still learning my limitations. I struggle most with joint pain and swelling...it's awful! The rest of my symptoms...asthma, dry eyes, dry mouth, and fatigue are annoying but manageable. Venus Williams appeared on GMA this morning to discuss being diagnosed with Sjogren's. . . (GMA Link)

The rare autoimmune disease that forced tennis star Venus Williams out of the U.S. Open caused debilitating joint pain, swelling, numbness and fatigue, she told Good Morning America's Elizabeth Vargas today.

Williams announced her withdrawal from the tournament Wednesday after being diagnosed with Sjogren's Syndrome -- a condition in which the body's immune system attacks its own healthy tissues. Williams said she has struggled for years with symptoms that she now knows are linked to the condition.

"I think I've had issues with Sjogren's for a while. It just wasn't diagnosed," Williams said. "The good news for me is now I know what's happening."
Sjogren's is usually triggered by an infection. The symptoms vary, but usually include dryness in the mouth and eyes, joint and muscle inflammation, and fatigue. "I had trouble with stamina," Williams said, adding that her doctor diagnosed her with exercise-induced asthma four years ago.

But it wasn't until this summer, when she developed more definite symptoms, that an accurate diagnosis was made. "I had swelling and numbness and fatigue, which was really debilitating. I just didn't have any energy," Williams said. "And it's not that you don't have energy; you just feel beat up."

Deciding to drop out of the U.S. Open wasn't easy, Williams said. "… I just felt like, 'Okay, I could walk out on the court. I'm a tough woman, I'm a tough athlete, I've played through a lot of things.' But what kind of match it would be?" she said. "It was a tough decision, but at the same time I've had to come to accept what I'm going through."

Williams said she's glad to finally have an explanation for her mysterious, debilitating symptoms. "It's a huge relief because as an athlete everything is physical for me -- everything is being fit and being in shape," she said. "I think the best thing that could have happened for me this summer was to feel worse so I could feel better."

While Sjogren's has no cure, there are treatments that make symptoms more manageable: Artificial tears and saliva stimulants can ease dryness; anti-inflammatory drugs can reduce joint and muscle inflammation; and certain drugs can help quell the overactive immune response.

"Sjogren's is something you live with your whole life," Williams said. "The good news for me is now I know what's happening after spending years not knowing... I feel like I can get better and move on."

Williams said she "absolutely" plans to return to tennis.

My heart goes out to her and I wish her the best...I can't imagine trying to be a professional athlete struggling with this disease, it's hard enough being a wife, mother, and part-time employee.