My Cute Little Family

Friday Confessional. . .

2012-01-27T19:54:00.003-07:00

I confess that I wish my brother-in-law, Ryan, would start thinking "What would Heidi want??" Yep, I think when he is testing for the various Police Departments...he should stop...and think...what would Heidi want. Would Heidi want to go all way down to AMERICAN FORK to see her sister? NO, she would not...so I better not apply for a job clear down in AMERICAN FORK ;) Geesh, sometimes people only think of themselves...lol. I'm kidding, I know that they need to go where the work is, but it makes me sad to think that they could/would live that far away. My Mom and Dad already moved to Alaska (a.k.a. Bountiful) and now there is a chance that Sister could end up in Antarctica (a.k.a. American Fork). It's just wrong I tell ya!

It's okay Doozer, we will just have to meet in the middle for our weekly lunch dates! How does Kaysville-ish sound to you ;)

I confess that I'm freaking out that we are going to owe on our tax returns this year...it's just NOT RIGHT! (We don't say it isn't fair around here, we say..."it's just not right"...because like I tell my kids, life isn't fair...fair is where you take your pig and win a prize - LOL, they get so mad at me when they try to tell me something isn't fair :) OH...AND ON TOP OF THAT...My sister is getting enough back on her taxes to feed a small country...yes, feed the entire country for at LEAST a year...and she STILL won't buy me tickets to go see the Nickelback, Bush, Seether & My Darkest Days concert!! MEANIE HEAD :P Geesh, See what I have to live with? ;)

I confess that the 18 yr. old kid that tried to blow up the local High School lives in my neighborhood...it's SO sad and kind of creepy at the same time. He's always been a shy kid, a recluse, but I never once thought that he was crazy...and trust me, we've had crazies over here! His Dad and Mom are both amazing people and my heart is breaking for his sister who his a sophomore at the same High School. He was released from jail today on a $100,000.00 bail and since his release there has been various police officers sitting in their cars watching his house.

--AND LAST...but not least--

I confess that something has died in my car! Not only died, but died and fermented. I just know that there is some creature/thing out there that is sad and missing it's loved one.....and I'm sure it's what died in my car. I have completely emptied it...the trunk, under the seats, in the glove compartment...everywhere is clean and it STILL STINKS! At this point I am offering a reward to whoever can figure out what the heck that smell is!! There could be some good money in it for the brave soul that can figure it out!

Wordless Wednesday. . .

2012-01-25T17:18:00.002-07:00

Zion National Park - Fall 2007

December

2012-01-22T18:35:00.013-07:00

Joel and I took Ry and his friend, Dustin, to see a pre-season Jazz game.

Although I remember it was an amazing game...I can't, for the life of me, remember who they played against that night.

Bianca came home from her mission!

She is now headed to BYU Idaho with her cute boyfriend...who she met while he was serving the same mission. He called her Mom to arrange to be in Utah for her homecoming. Once he found out that she applied for BYU Idaho, he did too! So sweet!

I hear wedding bells in their future :)

We froze our bahookies off, TWICE, watching Ky perform with her school choir. Brrr! It gives me chills just thinking about how cold we were that night.

While walking into Target, on the day before Christmas Eve, my sister-in-law, Christi, called me and asked if I knew who was shopping at Riverdale Target...After looking around the parking lot for her, I said "I am". She started laughing and told me to hurry into the woman's department because Julianne Hough and her brother, Derek, were in there shopping. It was totally awesome! They are both extremely beautiful people. The shocker was that NOBODY else recognized them until they were walking out...then another looked at us and said "Is that who I think it is?"...at this point they new they had been discovered and quickly got into a big ugly van. It looked like they were going to redecorate a room for a little girl. Yes, Christi and I went into total stocker mode...it was completely awkward but we totally didn't care!

Christmas Eve is always a crazy day for us. Both sides of our families celebrate on Christmas Eve. We begin with Joel's side of the family and end with my side of the family.

Judd, Joel's brother seen above, has already broken up with the girl he's in the picture with above...but I'm to lazy to redo my collage :) I purposely don't get involved anymore...I got way to attached to a previous girlfriend and it seemed their breakup was harder on me then it was on Judd ;( Now I see why single parents worry about their kids getting attached.

One of my kids favorite traditions is the candy bar game that we play with my family on Christmas Eve. It gets intense!

Christmas Morning Madness!

Ry's favorites -- Snowboard (Boots, Bindings, Helmet...etc),

Shot Gun, and his Android Phone

Ky's favorites -- Kindle Fire, Bike, Rollerblade's, Small Refrigerator (don't ask)

and her Android Phone

On Christmas day we visited with Joel's Grandparents, Parents, Aunts and Uncles and then headed up to the Terrace to see my Grandparents... after-which it was home for NAP TIME! Later that evening we went to the movie..."The Zoo"...with my parents and Susie, Ryan and Bodee. The Zoo is, hands down, one of the best movies I've seen lately...and trust me, We've seen a lot--I love going to the movies! All and all it was a great Christmas :)

Jazz vs Timberwolves

2012-01-22T16:31:00.002-07:00

Friday Confessional. . .

2012-01-20T12:01:00.005-07:00

I confess that I have missed seeing my husband this week. KSL is partnering with Rentler and they are launching a new product this week in the homes section. Joel has been working 14-16 hour days with the Rentler crew every day this week to try to get it launched. For example, Thursday he worked from 7am until early this morning...he got home around 2:30am...and then after 4 hours of sleep, he went right back to work. It's been a similar situation every day this week. I'm not a good single parent...because I had to pick my battles, both kids got away with a lot this week!

Jason, the C.E.O from StruckAxiom and who's newest project is rentler.com, invited us to a launch party at the Struck office's on Wednesday night...definitely was an interesting event...which allowed me to go shopping for a new outfit and allowed me to see my husband awake for 2 hours that evening, two things that I love! (Being with Joel & Shopping...however, not always in that order...j/k ;) When I get a minute, the launch party...with a live Ninja and all...deserves a post all of it's own!

--AND THE CONFESSION MY ENTIRE FAMILY HAS BEEN WAITING FOR--

I, FINALLY, confess that I totally messed up when I bought tickets for my entire family to see Grease at Tuacahn earlier this year...over $800 worth of tickets! It was, as my nephew Colton called it, an epic fail. When I got to the ticket counter they could not find any reservation under my name or my address...after a little digging they discovered that I had bought tickets for the previous weekend...when, of course, we were not in St. George. It was ugly...I thought I was going to throw-up! The people at Tuacahn were FABULOUS! They found us other seats in the sold out crowd, yep...one here, one there, one over there, one way up there...etc. Ky and Colton were the only ones that got to sit together because Ky was too young to be by herself. It was super nice considering that could have just said,..."Wow, that sucks to be you!".

I was a wreck but luckily my family was great about the mess I had made...at least to my face ;) They just laughed at me, while I was crying, and...of course...fired me from making any future reservations. During intermission one of the sweet ladies that worked there came and found me. They had a few smaller groups not show so they let us move around a little. At least we were able to sit together for the last half of the show..not all together, but no one was sitting alone anymore!

I also messed up by letting the guys talk me out of going to see the little mermaid, our original plan was to see both shows that weekend. I heard that the little mermaid was 10X's better then Grease....oh well, live and learn.

I do have to say though....the reservation print-out was on Brent and Christi's office wall for at least 3 months before we went. They didn't catch it either :P

Holy Smokes...She's 29!

2012-01-19T19:46:00.008-07:00

Happy Birthday Doozer!! Olive Garden was GREAT...the food was yummy and the laughs were just what we all needed! I hope you enjoyed your day off...BUT I also hope you gain 35 lbs from eating all of that fancy cake you wouldn't share :P

-- I can't believe my baby sister is 29! Her turning 30 next year will probably be harder on me than when I turned 30 myself...and I cried the entire day, it wasn't pretty! I HATE FEELING OLD!!

True Heroism. . .

2012-01-14T09:09:00.010-07:00

Officers Shot While Serving Warrant

Members of the Weber-Morgan Narcotics Strike Force were attempting to serve a warrant about 8:40 p.m. on Jackson Ave, in Ogden, when a gun battle erupted. Six officers and the alleged gunman were shot. Ogden Police Officer, Jared Francom, was killed in the line of duty. The conditions of the five other injured officers range from serious to critical, according to the Ogden Police Department. Those injured were officers Shawn Grogan, Kasey Burrell, Weber County Sheriff's Sgt. Nate Hutchinson, Michael Rounkles and agent Jason Venderwarf.

I'll always remember the night of the shootings. Around 9:30pm I got a phone call from Susie saying, "There's a police shoot out going on in Ogden with the Narcotics Strike Force...That's Nate's group...I hope he's okay." Unfortunately, the next morning we saw on the news that Nate was indeed one of the officers involved in this horrific event.

Nate grew up several house up street from me but when you grow up in the...once a small..town of Uintah, everybody knows everybody is putting it mildly. Uintah is a tight knit group of families that all entertwine someway or another. I have numerous memories of Nate's dad, Dave, sitting on his old beat up motorcycle in our driveway while talking shop with my Dad about the Uintah Fire Department. Nate, Suzanne, or Michelle would eventually be sent down to collect their Dad.

KSL reported that --"Weber County Sheriff's Sgt. Nate Hutchinson was shot "several times" as he tried to help his fallen fellow officers..."-- However, I know...from the good ol' Uintah grapevine that is still running strong...that there's a lot more to the heroic events that took place that night. My prayers go out to Nate, and all of those involved, while they try to recover physically and emotionally from this event.

True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the courage to serve others at whatever cost. --Arthur Ashe

Nate, whether you believe it or not...You are the true definition of a hero!

Friday Confessional. . .

2012-01-13T21:33:00.002-07:00

I confess that I wish my brother would stay away from plumbing commerical restaurants....either that or lay off one of the journeymen because I'm going to need a BIG raise ;)

I confess that I'm super surprised that the new/young Utah Jazz team are doing as well as they are. It's been a lot fun to watch...however, we totally should have won in OT against LA Wednesday night. I'm looking forward to taking my nephew and Ry to see the Kings (Jimmer) vs. Jazz later this month! Thanks Brent!

I confess that I think fuzzy cozy socks are the best invention EVER! I hate having cold feet. Once my feet get cold I can't seem to warm up. Sadly, I confess, I don't own a pair my own fuzzy cozy socks. Thank goodness my daughter loves them too because people...a.k.a. GRANDMA (Yes, my mother)...keeps buying them for her and NOT for me. At least she has plenty to share...OR to steal from ;)

I confess that my husband is being a MEANIE HEAD! He doesn't like my style of blogging...I don't care...still...I still don't care :P Right now he is leaning over my shoulder saying mean and negative things, lol. I think he should only say NICE POSITIVE things to his super fabulous wife!

-- Blah, Blah, Blah, he's still here saying MEAN things,lol...He should go play his XBOX and leave me and my blog alone :P OH, shucks...now he's moved on to poor Zoe and she can't even defend herself! He needs...(sigh)another...hobby. Oh good...after reading over my shoulder, he left to go be Martha Stewart and start his latest and greatest sewing project...I'm not going laugh (Okay, I am) but at least he's no longer bugging me ;)

-- OH...LAST ONE --

I confess that my husband is much more craftier than I am. Sewing, crochet, painting, drawing...Yes, that man I love is multi-talented! With everything he does Joel is a perfectionist and can take FOREVER to do something/anything.

EXAMPLE...It took him almost 3 hours to put Christmas lights up in our front room window. For a minute there I thought that he was going to break out the ruler and make sure each light was so many centimeters apart. It was funny. He's super cute and love watching him...and, of course, making fun of him too ;) Love you Bud! (*shaking head*...and people wonder why we don't put Christmas lights on our house.)

Wordless Wednesday...

2012-01-11T23:04:00.003-07:00

A Day That Will Be Remembered....

2012-01-11T22:54:00.007-07:00

Ogden Police Officer Jared Francom

Funeral services for slain Ogden Police Officer Jared Francom were held on Wednesday at the Ogden's Dee Events Center. Francom was killed in a gunfight during a Wednesday night drug raid at 3268 Jackson Ave. Five other officers were wounded, with two that remain in critical condition at an Ogden hospital and two in fair condition. Jared Francom, a seven-year veteran of the agency and a father with a wife and two young children.

Remembering him as a man who was devoted to his family, his job and the Dallas Cowboys, friends, family members and hundreds of law enforcement officers from across Utah and the U.S. said goodbye Wednesday to Ogden police officer Jared Francom.

An estimated 4,000 people attended the funeral at the Dee Events Center for Francom, who was killed in the line of duty. He was shot while serving a search warrant with the Weber-Morgan Narcotics Strike Force on Jan. 4 and died early the next morning.

A funeral procession traveled from the Dee Events Center to the Ogden City Cemetery where the interment took place. Francom's casket was carried on the back of an Ogden City Fire Department engine, which was draped in black. Francom was buried with full honors including a 21-gun salute, an aircraft flyover, and "final 10-42" call over the police radio signifying an end of watch.

An estimated 400 to 500 police vehicles, including dozens of motorcycle officers, were part of the procession. Thousands of U.S. flags lined the procession route. Residents also placed blue ribbons around the city in honor of Francom.

I went with Susie and her family to watch the funeral procession. It really was an amazing sight to see. There were thousands of people, young and old, there in attendance waving their American Flag to pay tribute to Officer Francom. I've never seen anything like it. We got to our spot on Harrison Blvd. about 12:30 and waited until around 2pm to see the procession headed our way. The motorcycle officers lead the way for the fire truck carrying Officer Francom followed by his family and then police cars from every city and county near and far...including several from out of state. Around 3pm, an hour after the procession had begun, the police cars could still be seen coming from miles and miles up the road.

Wordless Wednesday...

2012-01-04T07:00:00.002-07:00

Christmas Eve PJ's ~ 2011

A Difficult Day

2012-01-03T07:13:00.004-07:00

Tamara Sue (Turner) Slock, born September 28, 1962 in Yerington Nevada to Paul and Erlene (Lynne) Turner, passed away peacefully at home on December 29, 2011 with her family around her. Tami fought a valiant 14 year battle against ovarian cancer and never gave in to the many trials it threw her way, always living life to the fullest.

Tami worked for Eastern Airlines for three years and Continental Airlines for nineteen years in various jobs and loved the many opportunities it provided to see the world. She married Thomas Scott Hardy in 1979 and they had a son named Tory Skylar Hardy. They were later divorced. In 1995 she married her sweetheart, Fredrick Hendrick Slock, shortly before she was diagnosed with cancer and they traveled the world together. She also has a grandson, Tyrrell Hardy, who she loved dearly and took on some of her adventures.

Tami always had a smile for everyone and was known for her kindness, always going the extra mile. She never complained about her situation, was incredibly courageous and a hero to many. She will be deeply missed by all who loved her.

Tami is survived by her husband Fred, son Tory, grandson Tyrrell Hardy, sisters Linda Turner Vincent and Cindy Peterson (Brad) and her nieces and nephews. She will also be missed by her friends and a close and loving family of aunts, uncles, and cousins as well as Rudy and Lucy, her two Cairn terriers.

She is preceded in death by her mother and father.

Funeral Services and interment will be held at Leavitt's Mortuary located on 836 36th Street in Ogden on Tuesday, January 3rd 2011 at 11:00 am. Friends may visit Monday, January 2nd from 5 to 7 pm or one hour prior to the services on Tuesday.

~ Tami ~

2011-12-29T21:12:00.003-07:00

September 28, 1962 ~ December 29, 2011

Those we love remain with us

For love itself lives on

And cherished memories never fade

Because a loved one is gone

Those we love can never be

More than a thought apart

For as long as there is memory

They'll live on in our hearts

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T22:15:00.003-07:00

Our Crazy Busy Day

2011-12-24T08:20:00.005-07:00

Friday Confessional. . .

2011-12-23T20:57:00.002-07:00

1. I confess that I'm not a fan of colored Christmas lights, but Ky is. She was super excited when we went to Walmart together and bought colored lights for our tree a few weeks ago. She loves them and I love her, so I'll live with it.

2. I confess that I'm having an extremely difficult time getting into the Christmas spirit this year. We, and when I say we...I really mean Ky, put up the tree and decorated it...but that's it. I haven't gotten out any of my other Christmas decor that I normally do, I'm not giving out neighbor gifts this year and I didn't send out Christmas cards...Wow, I really am scrooge this year :(

3. I confess that I think cancer SERIOUSLY SUCKS, real mature...I know ;) Several years ago my Mom went through a difficult time fighting breast cancer, now we are in the process of losing Tami to the disease and, on top of that, this week we found out that my Grandpa A. (my dad's dad) has multiple myeloma a.k.a. blood cancer. Seriously....what's next??

Oh...and

4. I confess that I probably shouldn't confess when I have a migraine...that was pretty pathetic, lol!

Wordless Wednesday...

2011-12-21T07:54:00.007-07:00

Myself, Tami and Tory (in order)-- England 1993

Yucky Air...

2011-12-15T20:58:00.007-07:00

This morning Joel's alarm didn't go off, on the only day this week he had an early morning meeting, and ended up waking up a hour an a half late when my alarm went off at 7am. He quickly got ready for the day and I drove him into Salt Lake. Normally he takes frontrunner, which his work pays for, were he can work while he is traveling. The bummer part is that it takes over a hour for his commute. Driving takes half that time, depending on rush hour traffic, but the gas gets super expensive. During the winter I love that he takes frontrunner, it's much faster during bad snow storms and much safer...I worry about him a lot less.

While driving back home today I came from clean and pretty blue skies back into this junk that has been hovering over Weber County. (Yes, I took a picture while I was driving... Oprah says you can't text and drive...she never said anything about not taking pictures ;) However, this bad air is why I've been doing daily breathing treatments, sucking on my inhaler, and sounding like a chain smoker. It's not been fabulous at all. I'm hoping a good storm will come through soon and clean all of this bad air out.

Wordless Wednesday...

2011-12-14T08:47:00.003-07:00

Christmas 2008

Friday Confessional. . .

2011-12-09T07:58:00.007-07:00

1. I confess that this has been an emotional week from hell...and, sadly, it's only gonna get worse. Tami, my cousin that I cherish, love, and adore, has been battling cancer for several years and even went into remission once. When it came back it came with family, friends and neighbors...she now has cancer in every part of her body. It's only a matter of days before we have to say goodbye. We are all hoping that she'll make it past Christmas, but the odds aren't in her favor. I love you Tami!

2. I confess that I feel like I do not have enough hours of the day to get what I need done. Earlier this week I bought One A Day "Energy" vitamins...hoping that within the hour after taking them I would somehow gain the super powers of those like Dash from The Incredible's...basically hoping for a miracle. Didn't happen. However, I will keep taking them everyday because...1. they have POTASSIUM in them and 2. maybe the vitamin has to build up in your system to get to the super power part ;)

3. I confess that my favorite part of today (oh, btw...I confess today is Sunday) was listening to Joel and Ry laughing while I was upstairs making dinner. They were watching America's Funniest Home Video's and Ry was laughing the hardest I've heard him laugh in a long time, it made my heart smile.

I started this post Friday morning while my kids were getting ready for school, but then...well, it's things like this I was talking about in confession #2 - there just wasn't enough time in the day to get back to it.

I have a job...

2011-12-08T20:43:00.009-07:00

Yes, it's true I work during the day while my kids are at school.....at Brent Alvey Plumbing, Inc. However, lately I've been feeling like people somehow got the impression that I work for ksl.com as the Classified's Customer Service Complaint Department. I don't.....

Seriously, it's getting to the point that, when asked where my husband works, I simply say....He's a programmer in Salt Lake City. PERIOD. I'm so tired of all of the complaints that I hear...Why did they change this...Why doesn't it do this....How come I can't do this.... - Yep, I've heard it all. The funny part though is that Joel hears NONE of it from me. I don't tell him any of the negative things people complain about. Now...if you've got something nice to say, I'd love to hear. The compliments I do pass on :)

As for me, I love the ksl.com classifieds. I've made good money selling things I no longer use or need and I've also gotten a few killer deals on things I'm looking for....all FOR FREE!! I think my fabulous husband and his ONE employee do an amazing job at keeping the classifieds (and also cars, homes, & jobs), a site that averages over 160 million hits a month, running smoothly every day.....well, there was that one day ;)

Joel's heard it all too. He's gotten....Can I have your autograph (seriously, it was bizarre!)...to the other extreme...it simply sucks! Joel laughs at it all and goes about his day. It takes a lot to get him riled up...trust me ;)

So here's my tip....if you want my husband to hear your idea, suggestion or complaint...you should send an email to classifieds@ksl.com.

Wordless Wednesday...

2011-12-07T07:08:00.003-07:00

Christmas 2002

Not a chest cold...

2011-12-03T19:41:00.018-07:00

On Wednesday I just wasn't feeling 100%, I was sure I was coming down with the cold that Joel had been dealing with. By Thursday morning I was convinced that the cold was going into my chest. Chest colds are never good for people like me with asthma. I called my brother to tell him that I was going to try to work from home and then called to make a doctor's appointment for later that day.

Because of the high winds, and frontrunner being down, Joel also worked from home that day and was able to take me to my doctor's appointment. I checked in and was asked the 100 questions they ask everyone....still thinking chest cold. My doctor came in, set her laptop down, and told me that I wasn't going to like what she had to tell me. I said something like "Oh gross, bring on the breathing treatments." She knows how bad I hate those...I'll suck on my rescue inhaler all day long...just don't ask me do a breathing treatment. I avoid them at all cost. Unfortunately that wasn't it.

My doctor said, "I want to call an ambulance and have them take you to the ER." I told her that my stupid insurance doesn't pay for ambulance rides and I would rather just have Joel drive me there. She agreed if I would do an EKG before I left and had me take a nitroglycerin - YIKES! Those are AWFUL! Within a few minutes after putting that under my tongue I was sure that I was dying. I immediately became extremely sick...sweating, dizzy, nauseous. The entire time my doctor was there with me taking my blood pressure and talking me through what was going on. Once I passed the EKG, and the side effects from the nitroglycerin went away, we headed for ORMC. I called my Mom on our way there and she asked if I would like to have my Mom there with me...well, DUH, of course! So her and my dad left to meet us there. Yes...I still am, and always will be, Mommy and Daddy's little girl!

Joel dropped me off at the door and went to park. I walked in and the guy setting at counter said, "Are you Heidi?" He immediately called another lady and told her I was there. Joel walked in at the same time the lady called me back. They put me in a room and introduced us to Blake....the FUNNIEST nurse ever! Blake started my IV and had Joel and I laughing with stories about his bizarre day with the injuries the weather had caused. My chest hurt to laugh, so I was holding my chest and crying...while laughing. People continuously came in and out...taking blood, x-rays, and other EKG. My parents arrived during this time and joined in on the craziness.

It wasn't long before the doctor came in and told me that my potassium was dangerously low. He told us that when your potassium goes low it affects all of your muscles --- that your heart really is just a muscle -- and that is why I was having sharp chest pains. The ER doctor told me that they were going to admit me for 24 hour observation while they gave me potassium and magnesium through an IV while being hooked up to a continuous EKG monitor. They needed to make sure I didn't get an overdose of potassium because that is also very dangerous. All laughing stopped and the real tears began...I really didn't feel good and I just wanted to go home!

Blake, my super fabulous nurse, got me a coke, cozy socks and a warm blanket while Joel and my parents made a plan for the kids. My parents would go get them...bring them back to see me...and then take Ry and Ky home with them for the night. Joel called to let the kids know that my parents were on their way. They too started crying....it was good times all around.

Blake warned us that my orders had to go through both the Senate and the House of Reps....so it might be a while. He was right....It took FOREVER to get me into a room. Meanwhile, my parents picked up Ry and Ky, took them to dinner, and then brought them up to see me. It was hard for them to leave, they were super worried, but by this time I knew everything was going to be fine...it was just precautionary. OH, and the pain meds had finally kicked in. Yep, Heidi was in a happy place!

At first I thought...think positive...free reading time, I'll have my kindle and get caught up on some reading. Boy was I wrong. People were in and out all night long. There was no reading and very little sleeping. Joel was great and stayed with me all night. He left around 5 am to go home to shower for the day then was right back with me. Around 9am they sent me for a CT Scan to check both my heart and lungs...everything was fine. Just after 2pm I was released to go home. By this time Joel's parents had the kids and we were able to go home and finally get some sleep. Joel woke up around 8pm and, honestly, I can't really remember waking up at all until this morning. A couple of people have told me that they talked to me...but I don't remember any of it.

I still have the cold I got from Joel...but it's all in my head ;) After all of that, a stuffy nose is the least of my worries and it's SO good to be home! Now I have a fun filled week of Doctor appointments ahead of me while they look into what caused my potassium and magnesium to drop so low.

p.s. I have to give a shout out to my sister, Susie! While I was in the hospital she came over and cleaned my entire house...it was spotless. I left with dishes in the sink, a muddy kitchen floor, and Christmas decor boxes everywhere. Thank you Susie! You truly are a Rockstar!!

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

2011-11-30T14:56:00.004-07:00

Today my cute grandpa turns 84 Years Old! Earlier we met at the Olive Garden for lunch and I will be seeing him again tonight when the entire family gathers at his house for ice cream sandwiches. My Grandpa, Garth, is the most loving man you'll ever meet...a quiet gentleman.

My Grandpa has enjoyed serving in his church calling, as Stake Clerk, for the past 17.5 years (I just called to confirm....yikes, I hope I don't EVER have the same church calling for anywhere near that long!) However, Grandpa spends most days taking care of my Grandma. He does such a wonderful job taking care of our CrAzY old lady who suffers from dementia. The love and patience he shows her everyday is inspiring. I can only pray that Joel still has a little patience left for me when we reach our golden ages......Nah, never mind, life is too short and I have too much fun keeping him on his toes ;)

Happy Birthday Grandpa! We Love you!

Wordless Wednesday...

2011-11-30T06:25:00.006-07:00

Christmas Eve @ Brent & Christi's 2003

I'm Back!

2011-11-29T20:56:00.006-07:00

Early last week the unthinkable happened.....my laptop kind of died :( Both the battery and the power supply have been unreliable for the past few months. However, last week they both completely gave up...I know, it was awful! Now I've got to find the time to go back and blog about the pictures that I posted via my phone and try to remember the events from our Thanksgiving weekend.

Today my new power supply and battery were delivered! I love UPS and I MUST give a shout out to Amazon.com...THEY ARE FABULOUS! I thought Joel was CrAzY when he came home and told me he wanted to sign up for Amazon Prime....it's $80 a year (paid for up front)! He was sold on the streaming stuff....I wasn't impressed....that's why we have netflix. However, now I am sold! With every Prime Membership you get FREE two day shipping and FREE returns. During the first 30 days I have already saved more then the $80 on shipping charges that I did not have to pay for, which leaves more money to buy books ;) I love it!! What I did not love was trying to shop Cyber Monday on my daughters netbook...it was NOT super fabulous!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T10:20:00.001-07:00

Jr. High Field Trip

2011-11-23T12:40:00.001-07:00

Where everyone knows his name ;)

2011-11-23T12:33:00.007-07:00

So, what happens when they have replaced all of the moving parts on the right side.....start on the left side, duh! Last Thursday my dad went into surgery to repair the torn....stuff....in his left knee. Crazy old man doesn't know his limits any more! Dad, I'm going to tell you the same thing I tell Tiny Ry....Please start acting your age ;)

Busy Night

2011-11-21T19:08:00.003-07:00

Today Ryan, my sister's husband, graduated from the Weber State Police Academy!! We gathered together with Ryan's family for a potluck dinner to celebrate. We are all super proud him! Ryan's dream is to be on the Weber County SWAT Team....CrAzY, I know! However, with school now out of the way, his dream is easily within reach. Awesome for him....scary for my sister ;)

Congratulations Big Ryan!

We left Ryan's graduation dinner and headed to our cities Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. Ky is in the choir at school again this year and this ceremony is one of their annual performances. Luckily the weather cooperated this year. Last year it was a snowy 24 degrees while they were singing....brrr!

Rico Suave...

2011-11-19T20:43:00.005-07:00

...Rico...

Last week Christi's cousin, Cody and her husband Casey, came into town from Colorado for a family funeral. While they all attended the funeral I had the pleasure of protecting Rico from the Devil Dog, Jack. I spent the entire morning with Rico on my lap, he would cry if I put him down...it was so sad :(

During our short acquaintance I fell in love with Rico and I would have taken him if I thought there was a chance that Fisher would play nice. Fisher does not know how to play nice with other dogs...he LOVES people...other dogs, not so much. He tolerates Zoe as long has she knows that he is the alpha dog in the house.

HOWEVER...ever since they told me the cute little guys name was Rico...like Rico Suave...I've had the stupid song stuck in my head! Too bad I can't roll my R's like Gerardo ;o)

...I just thought I would share...
Now hopefully you have this stupid song stuck in your head too!

Living with Sjogren's...

2011-11-19T16:48:00.008-07:00

This is an example of how red and dry my eyes get as a result of having Sjogren's. They actually look wet here in this picture because I had just put my drops in...otherwise it would have been extremely painful to keep my eye open as long as it took to take the picture. Every morning I put my eye drops in and then again a couple times a day. However...if I get busy and forget...this is the way my eyes end up looking and feeling like for several hours.

There is a night time eye lubricant that I can put in at night, right before bedtime, but I struggle using that. Once I put the greasy stuff in my eye lid my vision goes beyond blurry...making it so I can't read. Not reading at night?? That's just unacceptable ;o)

Most of the time I'm not out and about when they get like this...however when I am, especially at church since it's first thing in the morning, I'm constantly getting asked if I'm okay...if the kids are okay...if there any thing they can do to help me...etc...etc...I try to assure them that it really is just extremely dry eyes.

Once the drops go in...my eyes either clear up really fast and everything is back to normal or my eyes will get worse for a short time...depends on how long it's been since the last time I put the drops in. If it gets worse...it's an ugly mess...or should I say I'm an ugly mess. My eyes will finally start to tear up and then it burns and stings and my eyes won't stop leaking. Fun stuff, right?

***NOTICE - My eyelashes are FINALLY starting to grow back!! I ripped off my eyelash extensions a few weeks ago and I miss them terribly! Hopefully after the holidays I can get them back on....once holiday stress is over I might be able to stop picking at them and just leave them alone again!

Friday Confessional. . .

2011-11-18T19:15:00.005-07:00

1. I confess that I have not read the entire Twilight series...I read the first one, couldn't get into the second one and stopped there. I knew the movies were going to be coming out and decided that I would just wait to see it in the theatre. I'm always disappointed when I read a book first and then see the movie. The book is most always better then the movie, so for me it's one or the other.

That being said...

2. I confess that I would NOT have taken my 10 year old daughter to see Breaking Dawn if I would've had any idea that it was going to be as graphic as it was. I heard AFTER we saw the movie that it was originally rated R and they had to continue to cut scenes until they got a PG13 rating. I heard AFTER we saw the movie that people thought I was crazy for taking her to it......BUT NOT ONE PERSON TOLD ME BEFORE. Susie told me that even the book isn't that graphic, but I'm going to have to read it for myself now to try to judge if she's going to see part 2.

3. I confess that it was REALLY HARD to stay up until 4:45am then get up at 9am. I'm getting too old for that. I thought for sure I was going to fall asleep during the movie but then I got my second wind and read for almost 2 hours after I got home. Last time I looked at my alarm it was 4:45ish...got up at 7am to get Joel and Ry out the door for school and work, then went back to bed until just after 9am. THEN...on top of that....once I made it into work I had to work on the S&B estimate AGAIN for another 4-5 hours. NOBODY should have to deal with that mess on less than 4 hours of sleep, lol ;)

4. I confess that is 7:32pm on a cold and snowy Friday night...and I'm going to bed! Good Night!

The night is finally here.....

2011-11-17T18:44:00.007-07:00

FOR BREAKING DAWN!!

Tonight is the first time that Ky, and her friend Kalysta, will be coming with me to one of the midnight shows. Ky has been SO excited! The three of us will be going to dinner at Chili's with Susie and Christi, over to Walmart for snacks, and then we will all wait for our movie to begin...at 12:25am, while hanging out across the street from the theater at Fat Cats (bowling)! It's pretty much the same thing the girls and I have done for the last 3 movie in the Twilight series...can't break the tradition...that would be bad ;)

Wordless Wednesday...

2011-11-16T18:56:00.001-07:00

Ky 2 yrs old -- Ry 5 yrs old

Longest Commute Ever!

2011-11-15T20:40:00.004-07:00

Last night Joel was on the Frontrunner when it hit a car in Kaysville... (ksl.com) From there the evening went something like this....as per our text messages:

(J) 4:25pm - We just hit a car...I'll be late.

(H) 4:26pm - Nice.

(J)4:27pm - Yup...Amazing we couldn't even feel it, only heard it then passed the wreckage.

(H)4:27pm - Do you want me to come and get you?

(J)4:31pm - Yes. I don't know where I'll end up. Probably Layton. We're stopped in Kaysville.

(H)4:31pm - K, I'll head to Layton.

(J)4:50pm - KSL Radio just interviewed me on air...that's just weird.

(H)4:50pm - Sweet! 102.7?

(J)4:51pm - Yes. Maybe TV too.

(J)5:05pm - Grandma just heard me on TV...called my parents :-)

(H)5:10pm - Sweet! I'm here in Layton....There are cars everywhere!

(J)5:10pm - Chopper 5 is here now.

At this point I sat in the parking lot talking to him, trying to referee the fights going on at home via phone, and reading my kindle....it was awesome....NOT!

(J)6:24pm - We're still not moving. Go home and wait there. I'll just come home when I can.

(H)6:15pm - Okay, the kids are starving...Sorry :-( Love you!

(J)6:16pm - It's okay. I'm just reading tech news. Love you too.

(J)6:21pm - We're going to move.

(J)6:21pm - BUT, they can't say which way....Jeeeeze

(J)6:22pm - We're not going to a station. I'll see you at home.

(H)6:28pm - Were are you going?

(J)6:29pm - They say we are going to go south a few hundred feet and get out at the crossing where the accident happened...BUT we haven't moved yet.

(J)6:59pm - We're moving!!

(H)6:59pm - Finally!

(J)7:02pm - **He sent the picture at the top of the blog...the van is on the tow truck**

(J)7:10pm - Oh man. I'm on a bus. It's going to Ogden, according to the driver. He said he'll also stop in Roy...It's crazy how unorganized they are.

(J)7:25pm - Just went past Roy. Awesome. Ogden is the first stop I guess.

(H)7:25pm - Nice. What a long night...I'm sorry.

(J)7:40pm - I'm in Roy!! See ya in a minute.

Ry's First Duck Hunt

2011-11-13T20:22:00.007-07:00

Last Thursday night Ry passed his hunters safety class.....darn it anyway ;)

RY 0 -- Duckies 1

This weekend Joel took Ry and his friend, Taylor, out duck hunting down in the wet lands...clear out west of here. Ry was SO excited to go. Him and Taylor both shot a couple of times.....AND MISSED!! Yeah for the duckies!!

All three of them came home sore, wet and exhausted. Ry now understands why guys spend so much time training Labs for duck hunting. Apparently it's not a lot fun wading around in the cold muddy water for hours on end...SERIOUSLY?? I could have told him that!

Ry is determined to teach his old dog a few new tricks, lol....poor Fisher. However, try as he might, it's not gonna happen. Fisher is a spoiled sissy dog...he likes long naps in the sun or to be curled up warm in Ry's bed...snug as a bug in a rug :)

Ry has big plans to go back out duck hunting again next weekend with my brother-in-law, Ryan. Once again, I will be at home praying that the innocent duckies survive and the boys come home empty handed....again ;)

Undeniable Truths. . .

2011-11-13T19:59:00.002-07:00

Very funny....and so true! I, once again, borrowed from my super fabulous friend, Staci!

1. I think part of a best friend’s job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing stinks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I’m pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that

you just aren’t going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blu Ray? I don’t want to have to restart my collection…again.

13. I’m always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. “Do not machine wash or tumble dry” means I will never wash this – ever.

15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? **** it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voice mail. What did you do after I didn’t answer? Drop the phone and run away?

16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

17. I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

18. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

19. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay.

20. I wish Google Maps had an “Avoid Ghetto” routing option.

21. Sometimes, I’ll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when I first saw it.

22. I would rather try to carry 10 over-loaded plastic bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

23. The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.

24. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

25. How many times is it appropriate to say “What?” before you just nod and smile because you still didn’t hear or understand a word they said?

26. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

27. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

28. Is it just me or do high school kids get dumber & dumber every year?

29. There’s no worse feeling than that millisecond you’re sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

30. As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the

mode of transportation, I always hate bicyclists.

31. Sometimes I’ll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

32. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cellphone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey – but I’d bet my *** everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!

Friday Confessional. . .

2011-11-11T07:57:00.005-07:00

1. I confess that I love listening to the Bob and Tom show in the morning. It makes me laugh.

2. I confess that it I think it's too early to be playing Christmas music. I'm deleting radio stations that are already playing Christmas music from the preset buttons in my car.

3. I confess that I'm looking forward to this coming week. It's going to be a super busy week but a lot of fun......Well, it will be fun once I get that stupid S&B estimate done (Grrr!). The week starts with a field trip on Monday and ends with the BAP, Inc. holiday party at the Timbermine Steak House on Saturday. I'll blog about it all next weekend!

He's Old...but we already knew that ;o)

2011-11-09T17:56:00.005-07:00

Happy Birthday Grandpa Bob!

Wordless Wednesday...

2011-11-09T07:35:00.007-07:00

East Canyon 2008

Update on Zoe Lou Ellen

2011-11-06T11:23:00.004-07:00

First thing yesterday morning Joel and I took Zoe in to been seen by our NEW vet! Dr. Kathleen Ford, at Quail Point Veterinary Hospital, was fabulous! She knew right away what the problem was and set her on the road to recovery. Our OLD vet just shook his head and said, "well...I don't know what to tell you". NOT very helpful!

Dr. Ford gave Zoe a shot of cortisone for the itching and swelling and showed us how to clean her ears and how to put the medicated drops in. Zoe has a yeast infection in both ears. Wow, it really was that simple. If the swelling and itching returns within a week then she's allergic to her dog food. If the swelling and itching doesn't return for several weeks...then she has seasonal allergies. SERIOUSLY!! Why couldn't our other vet figure that out? It's so frustrating! Zoe ears have been SO bad...swollen, itchy, and full of sores...for way to long!

My sweet Zoe has already begun to shown signs of getting better and is returning to the Zoe that we know and LOVE!

** Yep, that's snow in the back of our truck :( Yesterday was the first snow storm of season **

Grandpa & Grandma L.

2011-11-06T10:32:00.007-07:00

Yesterday we meet at Gold Corral in Layton to celebrate Joel's Grandparents 50th Wedding Anniversary. My Mother-in-Law's father passed away when she was very young. Grandma Mona met Dudley later in life...needless to say, they got married and he raised grandma's 5 kids as his own.

Yes, I'm sure you can already guess that there was A LOT of us there yesterday to help them celebrate. 5 kids...with their kids...and their kid's kids...there's even a few great great grandkids! Yikes! The family completely filled the back meeting room.

Grandpa and Grandma are the cutest couple...Grandma's got flare, spunk and style that's all her own...stern looking Grandpa is really just a giant teddy bear that loves to tease. I adore them both! I wish them many more years of happiness.

It was great to see all of Joel's family...his cousins are some of my favorite people. They don't get together often enough and it's always fun to spend time catching up. However, we will all meet together again in just a few short weeks....Bianca's homecoming is next month! WOW! I can't believe that she's already coming home from her mission :) It's going to be great to see her again and to hear all about her adventures!

Friday Confessional. . .

2011-11-04T16:18:00.010-06:00

1. I confess that the best concert I've been to is Jimmy Buffet's in Las Vegas. It's the only concert were it's just as entertaining to watch the crowd as it is to watch the stage. Those "ParrotHeads" can be WiCkEd CrAzy! Mom & Dad....you both should be embarrassed ;)

2. I confess that I was sure that I was dying of a heart attack on my birthday. That afternoon the entire left side face went numb and pain was shooting down my arm. I'm not handling getting old very well...so all the way into be seen, Joel kept teasing me that I was just having a panic attack. Well...it ended up being a pinched nerve in my neck, which is way better...scarier...something way more than just a panic attack :-P Okay, not really...lol :) But at least everyone, including myself, got a good laugh. Seriously, Why me? *blushes*

3. I confess that I squealed, like a little girl, and ran from the room yesterday when Jack, Brent's dog, brought a half dead rat into the office to chew on. Honestly...it was the most disgusting thing I've ever seen! I'm not sure it's arm was moving because Jack was chewing on it or because it wasn't all the way dead yet. I probably would have just left the rat in the office and went home if Brent hadn't had been there to take care of it. YUCK! *Shivers* THANK GOODNESS BRENT WAS THERE!!

Wordless Wednesday...

2011-11-02T06:38:00.004-06:00

The house in Uintah were I grew up.

Happy Birthday to......ME!!

2011-10-31T07:13:00.001-06:00

Today is going to be a great day! I took the day off from work...and I'm going to do WHATEVER I want!! My super fabulous boss got me a gift certificate to Mindful Women Day Spa....maybe I'll look into using that today :)

Tonight we are meeting the entire family down at Brent's truck-or-treat and then going to the Olive Garden.

WFFL Mini Bowl Weekend

2011-10-30T11:03:00.007-06:00

Yesterday we went to support Coach Dixon and his team in the WFFL Mini-Bowl. Once again Coach Dixon had another undefeated season, only this time he was coaching his son's team. Before when he coached Ry's age group...it was simply for the for the love of football. Being in the stands brought back a lot of fun memories.

Here is just one of the many plays Ry had in the game. He also assisted in the play right before this one, so you hear the end of his name as the new play begins. I am so proud of Ry, from the amazing way he play during the game, to the great way handled the defeat. I even love how he likes to show off after he has made a tackle, it's pretty cute :)

Ry & Coach Dixon

Friday Confessional. . .

2011-10-28T18:13:00.003-06:00

1. I confess that I lost $140 yesterday....Sigh. I sold something on ksl.com, stuck the cash in my pocket and now I can't find it. GRRR!

2. I confess that I rear-ended someone yesterday....yesterday was NOT a good day, lol. There was no major damage to either car, mine got the worst of it. Yes, the police came but luckily I did not get a ticket for my stupidity. Backing up, I did not see her AT ALL. Maybe I've been spending too much time with my brother ;)

3. I confess that I've been putting off taking Zoe to the Vet. I'm nervous about what they are going to tell me, I don't know why....yes, I'm a big baby. However, it's time to put on my big girl panties and take her in to be seen.....as soon as it's convenient for Joel to with me.

Wordless Wednesday...

2011-10-26T21:37:00.003-06:00

Halloween Party @ Grandma A. - 2007

Funny...

2011-10-25T11:13:00.000-06:00

...Update...

2011-10-24T07:10:00.005-06:00

On Saturday night Ry really stepped up. He offered to stay home alone with Ky, who slept the entire time, so that Joel and I could still go out with our friends. That's huge for Ry who hates staying home alone, he avoids it at all cost! Date night included dinner at La Ferrovia and then we walked down the street to Wise Guys Comedy Club. Super Fun! I laughed so hard I thought I was going to pee my pants. It was just what I needed.

Fall Break 2011

2011-10-22T14:21:00.001-06:00

Guitar Lessons

2011-10-22T14:14:00.001-06:00

Friday Confessional. . .

2011-10-21T15:15:00.003-06:00

1. I confess that there's not a more frustrated feeling, as a parent, than when your child is screaming in pain and there is NOTHING you can do for them to relieve it immediately. I HATE IT!! Ky is super sick right now....strep throat, double ear infections, high fever, mouth sores, congestion....she's completely miserable. Her ears are killing her...at least she's convinced they are. We've tried about 8 different things today and I think were finally are on top of the pain. I'm exhausted....it's been a freakishly long week. Ky's sleeping right now, making it the perfect time to quietly blog about her ;) Love you baby girl!

2. I confess that I have enjoyed the "Mom, come here and let me hold you..." moments this week. My heart smiles when she says that.

3. I confess that I was looking forward to Joel and I going out tomorrow night with our friends....a grown up night **Sigh**....Yeah, not gonna happen =(

Wordless Wednesday...

2011-10-19T06:30:00.002-06:00

Joel and his Grandma, Mona L.

...Fall Pictures...

2011-10-16T15:20:00.002-06:00

Uncle Al

2011-10-16T15:18:00.002-06:00

1927 ~ 2011
Albert Perry O., age 84, of Alpine, Utah, passed away September 2011. He was Born in September 1927 in Los Angeles, CA.

Al's life was defined by his service to others and it was his joy to serve and make others happy. He had a bright, admirable smile. He served two years in the United States Navy and served a LDS mission in the Near East (Lebanon/Syria) and West Germany. Al worked as a LDS Institute Director and served as liaison for the LDS Church in May 1975, in the relocation of Vietnamese refugees from Camp Pendleton Marine Base.

He was a gifted educator and a dynamic speaker. He graduated from BYU with a degree in Business Administration and received a MBA from Stanford University.
Al married his sweetheart Nola Adenne Slater in August 1953 in the Salt Lake Temple. They were married for 58 years.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Nola and three children, Charlotte, Joseph (Melinda), Mark (Jill), foster son, Son Le (Beth), 12 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

2011 Football Season

2011-10-16T15:13:00.004-06:00

Friday Confessional. . .

2011-10-14T07:54:00.005-06:00

1. I confess that I think women can be CrAzY mean to each other. I'm not perfect, far from it actually, but I know that I don't go out of way to intentionally make other people feel bad. Women should try to make life a little easier for each other...not more difficult.

2. I confess that I'm looking forward to hanging out with Ky tonight. The boys are both going to be gone overnight, so Ky and I are going to dinner and to see the new Footloose movie! I love that Ky is getting to an age where we both enjoy some of the same things. I'm looking forward to taking her with Susie and Christi to the midnight showing of Breaking Dawn next month....she is SO excited!

3. I confess that I HATE SLEEPOVERS...I'm more of a late night kind of Mom! Most of the time I didn't enjoy sleepovers as a kid and I like them even less as a parent, especially if they are over at their friends house for the night....I worry all night long and get very little sleep. I know, I know, I'm such a huge party pooper! OH DARN ;)

Wordless Wednesday...

2011-10-12T06:24:00.001-06:00

Friday Confessional. . .

2011-10-07T07:55:00.010-06:00

1. I confess that I miss toys being all around the house. Last week I went down into our crawl space to get some of my Halloween decorations out and saw all of the big toys that I couldn't seem to part with. There was Ry's rocking horse, race tracks, and totes full Rescue Hero's. Then there was Ky's 3 piece kitchen, vanity, tons of Care Bears and the doll house that my father-in-law built for her...7 years ago. It was another reminder that my kids are growing up too quickly...which makes me sad. I can remember being so frustrated at the huge mess they would always make. Now, if I could, I would go back and simply enjoy watching and listening to them play.

I should probably go through it and either sale it on THE SUPER FABULOUS KSL.COM, have a giant yard sale, or just give it away....but I just can't bring myself to do it. It was hard enough when I gave Susie my crib when she was due with Bodee. Which, BTW, is still in perfect condition even after 4 kids!

2. I confess that I love the cooler fall weather we are having. I enjoy being able to wear hoodies again, got my Midland hoodie on right now, and I can't wait to go back to a darker hair color. Tonight I'm looking forward to a bowl of nice warm soup, mint hot chocolate, and cuddling up with a good book. A Lazy Friday night....I LOVE IT!

3. I confess that I think it seriously sucks to be my brother.....SERIOUSLY, NOT KIDDING AT ALL! I'm not going to lie...the past 7-8 days have been awful! On top of Brent being in Hawaii, Glenn was out 4 of the 6 days instead of the 2 days it was supposed to be. His son was in an ATV accident and was life-flighted from Vernal, where they were hunting, to Primary Children's Hospital. Daniel, Glenn's son, was put into an induce coma and on life support so that his brain could shut down to absorb the blood and heal itself....nope, no helmet! Thankfully Daniel is now back home and doing much better. I can't imagine how scary that was for everyone involved.

Back at home, our two younger guys really stepped up to the plate and did an amazing job with the heavy workload. The three of us worked A LOT of hours and it was an extremely stressful week. THANK GOODNESS IT'S OVER! Now that he's home I'm going to start making some changes at the office, there's got be a way to make it easier for him.....YIKES!

Weekend Get-A-Way :)

2011-10-05T21:09:00.006-06:00

A few weeks ago Joel started planning an over night get-a-way for the two of us. He found this motel online while looking around the Bear Lake area and made arrangements for the kids to go to his parents house for the night. We left Saturday afternoon and drove up to Logan. While in Logan we went to a movie and then across the street to Hamilton's Steak House for dinner.

The movie was funny but I was not impressed with Hamilton's Steak House. The restaurant was too "hoity toity" for me. We should have went with our gut instinct and went to Texas Roadhouse....next time. Around 6pm we drove up the canyon to Bear Lake and by the time we got there it was DARK!! We stopped at a gas station in Laketown to get a drink and from there all the way to Cokeville, WY....it was fReAkY DaRk!! Not only was it completely dark, not another light ANYWHERE, but we also lost service and could no longer pull the map up on our cell phones and by this point we had gotten the giggles. It was funny... creepy....but funny!

Joel's choice of lodging was...........interesting. We had a great time and a much needed break from the craziness going on with Brent gone. HOWEVER, Next time we go away for a night, I'm going to pick the location and make the hotel reservations ;) I'm 100% positive that I could have lived my entire life without a visit to Cokeville, WY., with out feeling a bit of remorse!

Haylee May @ 15 Months Old

2011-10-05T21:03:00.003-06:00

We sure do love this little spitfire! She's too cute :)

Loss of an American Hero

2011-10-05T19:57:00.011-06:00

Click ~> Three knocks at the door <~ Click

A few months ago a friend of mine posted this story on Facebook. I clicked on it having no clue what it was about, and as I read her story, I was moved to tears by the loss she described and was amazed at the strength she posses.

I check in on her regularly and Mary and her family are often in my prayers. I can't even begin to imagine the pain that Mary and her children are enduring and I admire that fact that she has the strength to write it all down and share her most precious feelings. The Dudley's story is good reminder to me to slow down enough to "stop and smell the roses" and that you really can't say "I LOVE YOU" to often. Life is SO precious and you just never know when your loved ones will be taken away.

Ky's New Glasses 8-)

2011-10-05T08:10:00.004-06:00

A few weeks ago I took Ky into get her eyes checked, hoping it would solve the headaches. Yes, she needed glasses...just a small prescription for school and reading. Did they help with the headaches....NO :( The Ophthalmologists told us right away that her vision was not the cause of her headaches and he was right. Ky was thrilled anyway and loves wearing her new glasses....I'm sure it will fade quickly.

Gotta love the picture though, NOT! - Ky couldn't stop laughing and wouldn't hold still...so I told her if she held her breath and counted to twenty I would leave her alone. I've tried re-taking but she ducks down and she's "YOU SAID YOU WOULD LEAVE ME ALONE!". She is SUCH A TOAD...she gets that from her Dad's side of the family ;) So, I guess I'll go ahead and post this goofy picture :P

So Cute!

2011-10-05T08:07:00.002-06:00

After a VERY long day spent in Alpine for Uncle Al's funeral, Bodee fell asleep next to Ry while watching football in the recliner at my Mom's house. I thought it was adorable and had to post the picture for my journal.

Beware of.......GOAT!

2011-10-05T07:23:00.004-06:00

Only out in Taylor, where my brother lives, will this become a problem.

This goat and I have become the best of buddies. Dude, that's what I named him, loves the shade from my car and even tries to get into my car when I leave for the day. Out of all of the shady places.....SERIOUSLY! I already have to put up with Jack inside the house ;)

Oops....

2011-10-05T07:18:00.003-06:00

Who knew my little reading light could get so hot :[

My poor nightstand....I'm so sorry!

Monday Memoirs. . . .

2011-10-03T18:53:00.003-06:00

My Horse....Big Red!

I often think of my gentle giant and miss him terribly.

Only His - by Susan Mallery

2011-10-02T22:54:00.006-06:00

The Trilogy is complete!
Wedding bells are ringing in Fools Gold, but not for Nevada Hendrix. Her triplet sisters are engaged, and even her mother has a more active love life than she does. Determined to make a fresh start, she applies for her dream job, only to discover that her new boss is her first love. Maybe she could overlook the fact that they've seen each other naked, but she'll never forget the way he broke her heart.

"Only His" is the sixth book in Susan Mallery's Fools Gold series and the third in the Hendrix sister's trilogy. With Nevada Hendrix looking to take control of her life and pursue her dream, she soon finds that one thing is true: Never agree to a job interview in which the interviewer has seen you naked.

Enter Tucker Janack, the new head of Janack Construction and the biggest stumbling block to Nevada getting her dream job. It isn't that Tucker is blocking Nevada from achieving that dream, it's just that she is having a hard time facing Tucker.

This book has all the makings of a great reunion romance but Susan Mallery puts a really unique twist on the whole thing and you'll find yourself laughing out loud one minute, and sighing with satisfaction the next.

"Only His" is a great conclusion to the "only" trilogy and a great addition to the Fools Gold series. You'll not only get the satisfaction of a great contemporary romance, but you'll get some answers to some interesting stories that have been happening around Fools Gold.

Friday Confessional. . .

2011-09-23T21:45:00.006-06:00

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....

2011-09-21T18:15:00.003-06:00

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!

2011-09-21T17:57:00.003-06:00

Ky Started Guitar Lessons

2011-09-21T17:41:00.002-06:00

What the HECK happened??

2011-09-21T17:33:00.006-06:00

September 17th

U of U 54 @ BYU 10

I still can't talk about it =(

Football 2011

2011-09-21T17:31:00.002-06:00

Ry's Birthday Weekend

2011-09-21T17:27:00.005-06:00

Friday Confessional. . .

2011-09-16T07:16:00.005-06:00

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 :)

2011-09-15T22:10:00.003-06:00

...For My Journal...

2011-09-15T19:33:00.006-06:00

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

2011-09-11T10:10:00.007-06:00

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. . .

2011-09-09T06:59:00.003-06:00

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!

2011-09-04T09:18:00.005-06:00

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

2011-09-04T08:52:00.005-06:00

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. . .

2011-09-02T13:19:00.005-06:00

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?

2011-09-01T08:48:00.008-06:00

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.

Congratulations Ky!

2011-08-26T12:06:00.007-06:00

Yesterday Ky, ran for and, was elected Vice President of her 5th Grade Class! I love to see her stepping out of her comfort zone, she as a tendency to be on the shy side.....yes, She gets that from her Dad ;)

Two years ago, Ky would have NEVER even consider running for an election. The night before the election she worked really hard on her speech, which she DID NOT let me help with at all, it was great! She wrote it, read it, read it again, fixed a few things...read it again several more times and then remember it could only be a minute long, so then she started timing herself with her iPod. I loved it!

At the end of last year Ky and a couple of her friends, Chezney and Cheyenne, performed a song at the 4th grade talent show. They sang "Firework" by Katy Perry. It blew me away that she would even agree to do something like that. Ky's teacher video recorded it and then called me later that day and ask me stop by. They did an AMAZING JOB! I got tears in my eyes watching it...She is growing up SO fast. I've got a copy of their performance on my USB drive, but I can't get it to work :( I'm totally bummed.

Mrs. Smith was the one that pointed out how much Ky had changed since the beginning of the year when she had to really work at getting Ky to open up and talk to her. I even remember back to when her first grade teacher thought she needed to be pulled out of class for help with her reading, it made me laugh. It took both me and her kindergarten teacher to convince them that Ky was a fabulous reader. I was asked to join them while they tested her. They had her read to me while they sat behind her. On that day, towards the beginning of first grade, Ky tested out reading on a 3rd grade reading level. They finally agreed....Yep, she's shy :)

CONGRATULATIONS KY! YOUR A ROCK STAR!!
I took this picture of her this morning as she was walking out the door with her friends...this is her, "HURRY UP MOM!" face :)

Friday Confessional. . .

2011-08-26T11:47:00.002-06:00

1. I confess that I've had hives, all over my neck, since last week....I'm not sure why. I've tried everything I can think of to get rid of them, Benadryl, Zyrtec, Sudafed, Cortisone 10...I even tried my Mom's suggestion and wiped them down with rubbing alcohol. Nothing has worked! I've decide to embrace it like a church calling....once I learn to love it, it will go away :)

2. I confess that I got eyelash extensions, about a month ago, and I love them! It's the best thing I have ever done for myself. They really make my eyes stand out more, I always fill/look like I'm wearing makeup and no more mascara around my extremely dry eyes, it's been great. Some girls get their nails filled...I get my lashes filled!

3. I confess that Ry starting Jr. High was harder on me than it was on him....MAYBE THAT'S WHY I BROKE OUT IN HIVES, I didn't think of that! I still ask him everyday who he ate lunch with, who he sat by on the bus...etc. He loves it...still, even after the first week - which is a huge relieve after the year he had last year. At this point I think Ry is more addicted to the portal than I am. He likes to get on every night and make sure he is still getting straight A's....I'd really be scared if he wasn't after only the first week. In just a few more days he's officially a teenager...I think my hives just got worse!! ;)

Joel's Replacement

2011-08-24T21:04:00.003-06:00

This made me laugh!! Last week when Joel went down to meet Brett and Devin for lunch, he found his replacement setting at his old desk...this poor dead plant, who apparently is 10 times more effective and 10 times less expensive than my husband, lol. It even appears that Joel's replacement has been invited to Carl's Jr. Friday's...the always present Carl's Jr. coupons...and from what I hear, only the cool kids get invited to Carl's Jr. on Fridays ;)

I love the things they have added to this poor dead plant, except the hat, I'm not to sure quite sure about the hat, other than maybe Chad was hoping his fabulous style would rub off on the new guy...er...plant.

First Day of School

2011-08-23T16:07:00.005-06:00

Roy vs. West Haven

2011-08-21T12:20:00.012-06:00

Roy Black (6) vs. West Haven White (12)

Yesterday was the first football game of the season. After double over-time, West Haven scored the winning touchdown. Ry felt good about the outcome and that should be good enough for me.

. . .HOWEVER. . .

Ry is a defensive player and has never really been coached on any offensive line positions, sure he's been put in to cover for a tired/hurt player while keeping his starting defensive position, but never in 4 years of football has he practice to start the O line. Okay, I take that back. During Ry's first year, when he was 8 years old, he started on both the O line and the D line. His first year coach did a great job at teaching the boys all the positions on the football field.

Yesterday Ry played on the O line the entire game and did not go out for the defensive line once. Even other parents on the side lines were making comments, "Is that "D" out there on offense." and "WHY isn't "D" out there on defense?". I'm not sure what this coaching staff is thinking and I'm kind of bugged....okay, REALLY bugged. By this age, 12/13 years old, both the players and coaches should have found were the players skill set is the strongest and stick to that. At the very least, if the coach feels that Ry can be useful on the O line, then shouldn't Ry be practicing with the O line during the week. CrAzY thought right? GRRRR!

The way I see it, if a defensive lineman makes between 9-17 QB sacks a season, that might be where his skill set is the strongest. How many QB sacks did our team make yesterday. . . . . NOT ONE that I'm aware of . This year's head coach even called us during the off season to see if he could secure Ry, saying that Ry is a fantastic defensive lineman that can break through that line like no other player he as seen. . . .so I KNOW that he knows where Ry should be playing. . . .WTHeck!!

On a positive note - Yesterday Ry did recover the ball after a fumble!

Okay, I vented and now I feel a little better. . . . . not much, but a little ;)

Friday Confessional. . .

2011-08-12T14:33:00.008-06:00

1. I confess that I am STILL morning the loss of my iPhone. Yes, I know that it's been over a month and I should be able to move on and get over it, but I CAN'T. I'm not a fan of this 4G Android phone that I got to replace it, it's just not the same. "They" can make waterproof watches, so why can't they make waterproof cell phones?

2. I confess that I am both relieved and excited that Kru's dad, T. Flint, decided to help coach the boys football team....Hallelujah! You can't possibly understand how long this first week has been.

3. I confess that I'm looking forward to the next day when I can sleep in....I have NO CLUE when that day will come, not anytime soon, but still, I'm looking forward to it!

Congratulations!

2011-08-12T13:57:00.012-06:00

Even though Joel is now super busy, I'm very excited and proud of him for the promotion he received at work. About a month ago his company started to reorganize a few of the departments and, with that, the rumors started to circulate. I could tell that he was nervous about the changes that have already happened and the ones that he could see coming.

5 years ago, when Joel started working for the classifieds department at KSL, it was a very small, tight knit group of guys, only 6 or 7, that made having to go to work a lot of fun. I enjoyed watching and hearing about the comradery between them all.

Then, a few years ago, Bonneville Communications, the KSL parent company, split up and ksl.com separated from KSL TV. Now ksl.com is part of the Deseret Digital Media Company. It has taken a little over two years, but now the original ksl.com classifieds group has been split up.

Joel has been promoted to Director of ksl.com Classifieds. He is starting from scratch, having to hire a new group of developers to work under him, while the rest of old department is being moved over to ksl.com news. I know it's been kind of been bitter-sweet for Joel. He's excited. . . .and a little nervous. . . .about all of new challenges and responsibilities, but he's also missing the daily contact with the 3rd floor gang. However, I know. . . .without a doubt. . . . that he will be amazing and I look forward to supporting him through this new adventure.

Joel,
Congratulations! I thank you for everything you do, and for how hard you work, for me and the kids. Not only are you a wonderful husband, but you're a terrific father and provider.....and the fact that your super cute isn't terrible either ;)
You are not only my husband, but my best friend and soul mate. You are a blessing from above - one that I do not take for granted. I love you, Bud....more than words. I'm forever grateful for your love and very proud to be your wife. . . . . .YOU ROCK!
~Heidi

It's Confirmed!! I'm her FAVORITE!!

2011-08-07T21:33:00.018-06:00

While blog surfing tonight I came across PROOF that I am my SIL favorite person EVER! ;) I hurried and copied it, the entire post not just the link, so that if she ever deletes it. . . .I still have the proof!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 2011

1. I confess this is Saturday

2. I confess that I am unbelievably proud of my Sister in law & her fam. Her son R. is an amazingly great defensive football player, very committed, works hard, has so much potential. It is awesome. Her daughter K. has amazing life goals and is grabbing them by the horns and making them happen. Pretty awesome for a 10 year old. J. the hubby, just received a rocking great promotion at work, that he totally deserved and H. the SIL keeps our business running smooth, keeps her brother on a fairly straight line & puts up with my sh** to boot.

3. I confess I LOVE my new Mumford & Sons album I got on Itunes...weird English pub music, but I'm digging it.

AT 10:35 AM
1 COMMENTS:

Heidi said...
::blush:: Ahh, thank you!! Your super sweet not mentioning that I just about cost your business $40,000 just a few weeks ago ;) *HuGs*

Wow, that totally left me speechless! Thank you Christi!! You made my day. . . or, I mean night. That totally makes up for putting up with your MONSTER DEVIL PUPPY, Jack, everyday! Yes, yes,...I know, he's a good puppy. . . . FOR YOU!

** I'm not really sure where that came from, NO I DID NOT PAY HER TO WRITE IT and NO I DID NOT WRITE IT MYSELF (even though I do know her password), however she has been heavily medicated at times since having her appendix out last week, lol ;)

Camping Trip

2011-08-07T21:05:00.001-06:00

St. George Family Vacation

2011-08-07T19:20:00.011-06:00

Insert here...MY EPIC FAILURE! (coming soon)

Susan Mallery Blog Tour

2011-07-30T09:15:00.005-06:00

Welcome Susan! Tell us about ONLY MINE.

Susan: Each book in the Fool’s Gold series is a standalone novel, meaning that you won’t get lost if you read them out of order. Fool’s Gold is a town facing a serious (and seriously funny) problem – the 2010 census revealed that the town is suffering from a man shortage. Fool’s Gold has become the punch line of countless jokes on TV talk shows, which makes the strong, independent women in town pretty darn crabby... and which attracts the attention of a sleazy TV producer.
In ONLY MINE, it’s Dakota Hendrix’s job to interview potential contestants. After she recommends two handsome young twins for the show, the twins’ gorgeous, stern older brother demands that she declare them unfit. Finn Anderson wants his brothers to return to college. Finn has raised the boys since their parents died, and he won’t consider his duty done until they graduate. While Finn does everything he can to strong-arm or coerce his brothers back to Alaska, Dakota is struggling with a problem of her own, a problem so big that it will change the course of her life.
You can read free excerpts at www.foolsgoldca.com. You’ll find lots of freebies and fun bonus content there, too!

How did you come up with your Fool's Gold series?

Susan: I knew I wanted to create a series based on a place. In the past, I’d written series based on a family, so once I ran out of siblings, I ran out of stories. Readers kept asking me for more in every series. They loved that sense of connection, and they wanted it to go on. Debbie Macomber was the one who suggested I stop writing about families and start writing about a place. With a place, the story possibilities are infinite. (Debbie Macomber is like my Mayor Marsha – I never say no to Debbie! She’s a genius.)
The place itself needed to have a strong identity. As I was brainstorming the series, I heard a story about the then-upcoming 2010 census, about everything a town can discover about itself from census results. I wondered, “What if there was a man shortage?”
So Fool’s Gold was born… the town with the man shortage. But instead of making the women eager to get more men to town, I tweaked reader expectations and made the women strong, self-sufficient, and kind of crabby that anyone would think they need more men. They can run the town just fine without men. Which means that any men who do move to Fool’s Gold have to earn the right to live there . . . and they have to earn the hearts of the women they love. www.FoolsGoldCA.com is my gift to readers who have been so loyal to me. I wanted to create an experience for readers that goes beyond the books. On FoolsGoldCA.com, readers will find amazing bonus content such as between-the-books updates, stories and pictures from the characters’ weddings, Fool’s Gold magazines, a map of town, and funny ads from local businesses… I could keep going, but the truth is, you have to see it to get it. Fool’s Gold is the Land of Happy Endings!

What draws Dakota and Finn to each other?

Susan: At their core, Finn and Dakota both value their families more than anything. Finn thinks he wants to be done with his familial duty. He wants to get his brothers through college so he can return to his days as a carefree bachelor, but he will learn that he’s not that guy anymore. Somewhere along the way, he grew up. At heart, he’s a family man.

You love to write about families, such as the Hendrix triplets. Why?

Susan: I was an only child, so I love writing about the big, boisterous family that I never had. Triplets are an extension of that – three sisters who have been together since birth. Each of the triplets has her own personality, but the experiences these three women have shared throughout their lives make them as close as it’s possible to be.

You’re known for both the depth of your characters and for your humor. Do both come naturally to you?

Susan: I think men and women falling in love with each other is inherently hysterical. Who came up with that bright idea?! Men do everything they can to avoid emotion, and yet they’re irresistibly drawn to women, who overflow with emotion. When I get teary-eyed over a commercial, my husband looks at me like I’m completely nuts. There’s this constant push-pull between men and women that never really goes away, and it will always be funny to me.
Most of my story lines are not funny in and of themselves. My characters deal with some very serious issues in their lives, but their ability to find the humor says a lot about their resilience. I like people in real life who can laugh at themselves, and I like that in characters, too.

Do you plot your books before writing?

Susan: I do a lot of plotting in advance, which means I can write the story quickly, which further means that I don’t lose interest. For me, the creative rush is highest during the plotting process, and the actual writing of the book is more about getting the story down on paper. I’ve tried writing without a plot, and it just doesn’t work for me. I enjoy the aspect of surprise, but I dread revisions. Even when a book is thoroughly plotted, though, the characters can sometimes surprise me. I was sweetly surprised by a secondary romance in ONLY MINE.

How many more Fool’s Gold books will you write?

Susan: There will be at least seven more books after this year’s. In 2012, three delicious cowboy brothers and their younger sister will move to Fool’s Gold. And in 2013, I think I’m going to establish a bodyguard academy on the edge of town. After that, who knows? If readers clamor for more from Fool’s Gold, anything’s possible. (You can let me know you want more by writing to me at www.facebook.com/susanmallery, www.twitter.com/susanmallery, or www.goodreads.com/susanmallery.)

Are you working on anything new outside of Fool's Gold?

Susan: BAREFOOT SEASON, my next women’s fiction novel, will be out in April 2012 and will launch a new series set on quaint Blackberry Island. The story is about two former best friends who form a turbulent truce to save the inn they both love.

The recent Buzz has been that you have your own team of Cheerleaders for the release of Only Mine and the books to follow. How did the idea come about? What is their purpose? How did you choose the squad?

Susan: Often, I hear from excited fans who discovered me because someone put one of my books in their hands and said, "You have to read this!" It moves me. And this year, it inspired me to create the Fool's Gold Varsity Cheerleading Squad. I decided to form a team of avid readers to share with the world their love of Fool's Gold, the Land of Happy Endings. (Fool's Gold is the setting of my ongoing series of romance novels. It's a quirky small town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Fool's Gold is dealing with a man shortage. This year's stories center around the Hendrix triplets. They are ONLY MINE, ONLY YOURS, and ONLY HIS.) The cheerleaders will earn lots of prizes along the way for doing what they love - talking about books - and I will dedicate a book next year to the grand prize winner.
I invited my fans to "try out" for the team by sharing three creative ideas for spreading the word about Fool's Gold. I was overwhelmed by the response! More than 500 fans tried out in the first few days, with some pretty amazing ideas. As I read through their applications, their enthusiasm brought a lump to my throat. I wish I could have accepted every one of them and had a cheerleading battalion that could take over the country. Unfortunately, I only had 25 advanced copies of ONLY MINE to give away. Selecting the final 25 was a daunting task. I wanted to get a good mixture of people who emphasized online ideas and those who emphasized in-person ideas, such as standing in front of a bookstore on release day, wearing a sandwich board, ringing a bell like the Salvation Army. (Yes, she got picked. Hi, Stacey!) I also wanted cheerleaders from all across the U.S., so geography played a role.
I don't know if it was pure luck or my discerning genius, but I am thrilled with the cheerleaders who made the team! They've handed out bookmarks, talked to people at the bookstore, called long distance friends. And now they're doing a blog tour to tell the world how much they love Fool's Gold!

Where can readers meet the squad?

The cheerleaders are pictured on my Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/SusanMallery?closeTheater=1.
You can also join my Goodreads fan page http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8716.
Susan_Mallery and my goodreads group to discover other readers who love my books! (Including the cheerleaders!) (http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/49998.We_love_Susan_Mallery_)

Will your squad answer some questions?

Susan: They would love too!!

Readers please meet the squad…

Why did you try out for the squad?

Charlotte: I joined the squad because I absolutely love Susan Mallery's books from a young age I started with her Cowboy series and they just kept coming. I can't imagine cheering for a more important thing than reading with Susan.

Sarah: I love Susan's books... I would have spread the word with our without making the squad...

Jennifer: I tried out for the squad because I am a Susan Mallery fan. I have read everything of hers and I love them all! She is the absolute best!

What is your favorite Fool’s Gold title?

Jen: My favorite is Chasing Perfect, loved, loved, loved it!

Heidi: Although I have loved them all....I think the first one, Chasing Perfect, is my favorite. Josh Golden...WOW! What’s not to love about the Fool's Gold "golden boy"? He loves his family and his community, He's a strong, charming, retired athlete and the fact that he's RICH and FAMOUS doesn't hurt either...Is there a better Hero out there? In the end, Josh may not be perfect...but he is perfect for the towns new City Planner, Charity, who's looking for a place, to plant some roots and, to call home.

What's your favorite book by Susan?

Charlotte: OMG Raoul and Pia in Finding Perfect.

Jennifer: I simple cannot just pick one...I love them all!!!

Marilyn: Accidentally Yours and Sunset Bay.

Heidi: I agree with Jennifer, It's IMPOSSIBLE to pick just one! I have really enjoyed The Marcelli Series, The Buchanan Saga, The Bakery Sisters, The Fool's Gold Series. . . . the list goes on and on.

How did you discover Susan for the 1st time?

Kelly: Searching Amazon for new books. Susan’s books came up in the recommendations section based off of other books I’d read, so I figured I’d give them a shot. I must have read at least 15 of them by now and can’t find a sour apple in the bunch.

Marilyn: Her Desert Rogue series were recommended to me.

Heidi: I discovered Susan for the first time when I purchased The Marcelli Bride. I had already read most of everything that Wal-Mart had out on the shelves and picked this one up because I like the cover; I'm a very visual person :) However, I immediately fell in love with Joe, the former Navy SEAL and couldn't bring myself to put it down! I went online and ordered the first three books in the series and had a hard time waiting for the last one, The Marcelli Princess, to be released.

What made you an avid fan of Susan's books?

Sarah: Her writing style is amazing, she grabs your attention from the get go. I have yet to read a book and think I'm not going to read that again. I have read every book I own of hers at least twice (sometimes more)

What's it like to be on the squad?

Jen: It’s fun & a little exhausting honestly! There are a ton of e-mails daily from everyone.

Marilyn: Fantastic.

Heidi: It's be a lot of fun! Everyday brings a new adventure.

Have you read only mine yet? What do you think?

Kelly: Adored Only Mine! The long-awaited return to Fools Gold did not disappoint. All of the favorites are still there and we learn more about the infamous Hendrix triplets. Dakota’s story is sweet, charming, entertaining and even a little heart-breaking. So really what more could you ask for in a book?
Why should readers buy this book?

Charlotte: I’ve convinced many friends and sisters to pre-order the book on eBooks and hard copy some did all 3 who love her books.

Marilyn: Why not?

Any favorite quotes from the book?

Heidi: Yes! Well. . .it's actually a favorite scene; in fact...it's the very first scene.

"What’s it going to take to get you to cooperate? Money? Threats? Either works for me."
Dakota Hendrix looked up from her laptop to find a very tall, stern looking man standing over her. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. What’s it going to take?"
She’d been warned there would be plenty of crazies hanging around, but she hadn’t actually believed it. Apparently she’d been wrong.
"You have a lot of attitude for someone wearing a plaid flannel shirt," she said, standing so she was at least something close to eye-level with the guy. If he hadn’t been so obviously annoyed, she would have thought he was pretty decent looking, with dark hair and piercing blue eyes.
He glanced down at himself, then back at her. "What does my shirt have to do with anything?"
"It’s plaid."
"So?"
"It’s hard to be intimidated by a man wearing plaid. I’m just saying. It’s a friendly pattern. A little down home for most people. Now if you were in all black, with a leather jacket, I’d be a lot more nervous."

I'd just opened the book and began laughing! I loved it! I got one of those "looks" from my husband and he said, "If it's already got you laughing, I might as well say good-bye to you until you've finished it." :)

Be honest... What's Susan really like?

Stacey: Susan is an amazing person and what I think I like most about her is that she is very comfortable with interacting with her fans. I have exchanged emails with her, she’s visited my blog and left comments, I mean, not a lot of authors take the time to do that. She’s the kind of person who would probably come for dinner if she was in town!

Tiffany: Supportive, Caring, Giving, Friendly, Creative, and a great author! She is someone you would want as a friend in good times and bad. She really has been so kind and supportive of all of us even when it has nothing to do with her or her books! She just cares.

Ry's FINAL Bad Landing!

2011-07-26T22:40:00.014-06:00

Ry's love of jumping ramps with his bike started at the age of 4. . . It caused me heart failure then and, looking back now, I should have put a stop to it ;)

Yesterday was the FINAL *Bad Landing! It was one of those days that you hurry over to hug your kid, make sure he's okay,. . . and then you KILL HIM!! K, not really, but this Mom was NOT HAPPY! This was the third accident in 8 days, with each one getting worse - More and more damage to his body...and more and more damage to my checking account!

This was a couple of hours after the accident...SWOLLEN! My Ry Guy doesn't even look like himself :( However, at this point I still had NO sympathy for him! I called the Dentist and, after confirming that the teeth weren't going to fall out, we made an appointment for today.

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

When Dr. Mattson, our super fabulous dentist, asked Ry how it happened...I just had to sit back and laugh...it was either laugh or cry! Ry said, "I got good air on the trick just before, so I totally thought I could land a back flip". I was really hoping for..."I fell off my bike", and he could have left it at that! Trust me, I would have been okay with that!

I'm starting to wonder at what point does that part of the brain develop that will help him process the thought..."DUDE, THAT'S GONNA HURT REALLY BAD IF I DON'T LAND IT...I BETTER NOT TRY IT! I'VE ALREADY GOT 9 STITCHES IN MY LEG AND MY MOM WILL NOT BE HAPPY WITH ME IF I INJURE MYSELF AGAIN!!" -- Hopefully, I'm crossing my fingers, he didn't skip that step ;)

I'm sure someday I'll be able to look back at this and laugh...but today's SO not that day! I love that kid oodles and oodles, but I'm SO glad he won't stay 12 forever :)

*Bad Landing...when Ry was three years old, he was crazy obsessed with airplanes. Every time he fell he would jump up and say, "That was a bad landing!". It stuck...he out grew of his love of airplanes, but NOBODY has let him forget his "bad landings" :) OH, how I miss those days!

Ry @ 3 Years Old - SO STINKING CUTE!!

. . . Missing Blog List . . .

2011-07-25T21:32:00.004-06:00

When I changed my background...I lost my blog list widget :( I guess I'm going to have to start from the beginning and blog surf around to try to find all of my fellow blogger's that I like to blog stock -- OR you could just leave a comment, that would make it easier for me to find you all again! Otherwise....don't be mad/offended when you look at my blog list and it looks like your name was removed - It's just that I haven't found you again yet, but...NO WORRIES...I will ;)

I love Susan Mallery!

2011-07-25T15:23:00.006-06:00

The 4th book in the Fool's Gold series, ONLY MINE, is being released tomorrow!

I was SUPER fortunate to get a SIGNED copy about a week before it was released...PERKS to having made the Fool's Gold Cheerleading Squad, WOO-HOO! Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold series just gets better and better! ONLY MINE is a perfect combination of humor and heart. I enjoyed Dakota's sense of humor and I could easily relate to Finn's devotion to his family. I'm not the oldest child, but I'm the classic "MIDDLE CHILD" and I too feel like it's my responsibility to take care of everyone(and I love every minute of it!). I laughed, I cried and I loved the happy ending! Susan Mallery is one of my all time favorite Romance Writers and ONLY MINE is a perfect example of why she is!

Visit Susan Mallery's website to learn more about Fool's Gold!