Touched my Heart...

This week I have had the opportunity to see life from a different perspective...

My dear friend's daughter placed a baby for adoption.

I went to the hospital and saw her darling daughter, the precious baby, and even got to meet the new adoptive mother.

It was such an amazing thing... I am just awestruck at the maturity and graciousness of this most perfect gift.

I watched as the new adoptive mom held and primped and loved that baby...

I was so excited for her.... She is amazing! The perfect pick!

I then watched as the birth mom held and looked, and just loved that baby.

My heart has been breaking for two days, yet happy and proud at the same time.

Adoption is such a miracle!

I truly believe it is another part of God's plan in creating families.

I am praying for the darling sweet young girl... as her body and soul heals and her future is bright!

I am also celebrating for the adoptive family and their new joy.

I am glad that I had a glimpse into this situation... it was amazing and heart wrenching and wonderful all at the same time!

There are such selfless people in the world...

This 19 year old girl taught me a huge lesson.

I aspire to be as good!

Miss Saigon...

Wow!

Last Saturday I roped Caylor into taking me to Miss Saigon at the Pioneer Theater...

HOLY COW!

It was so great! I have seen it 4 times now and still love it!

The music was great, the actors were great, and overall...GREAT!

I was impressed with the performance!

Caylor was a good sport to go with me... he isn't what you would call a real lover of the arts.

I cried at the end...duh!

I love musical theater... Now I am listening to the soundtrack nonstop on my ipod-

Doing a little bit of research about the Vietnam War ( remember I am a History NERD!)

A little obsessed ...again

I love this play!

Happy Day Mitch!

Mother's Day was extra special this year...

It was Mitch's birthday!

I have officially been a mother for 15 years!

YIKES! I am not that old!

Here is a little about Mitch...

(anyone sickened by mothers braggin about their kids turn away now!)

He is a funny kid...Mitch has had a GREAT sense of humor since he was a little boy!
He loves to tease little kids and little kids LOVE him... he is kind and makes them feel big!

He LOVES sports! It is what he lives and breathes! Caylor's parents flew up on Saturday to watch his baseball games...he was so excited and pleased to play for his #1 fans!

For his birthday he got airfare and expenses to go to Hawaii with his buddy, Walter, to a football camp. He is so excited! Walter's dad is a football coach at Utah State and is one of the guest coaches at the camp. We have been so excited for this opportunity for Mitch... We have also been laughing that he will be the little white kid being mowed by all the big Poly kids. It will be good for him....He said he is scared. He is a great athlete and will be able to hold his own.

He is goofy... this pic was for a science project where he had to show his "niches" or his jobs. He hurried to put on one of my aprons for dramatic effect. He is a goofball...but quite a bit of fun!

He has gotten so big lately... this was the first day of school this year 8th grade.... braces and all!

Like I said... GOOFY! And now he has a best friend, Walter, who is just as goofy...

He is fully addicted to texting... just a regular teenager!

I can't believe my boy is 15 and growing up so fast. I am so proud of him... He is a good kid and we love him so much.

Jessica Sprague Alchemy ROCKS!

Hey there... I wanted to give a huge shout out to Jessica Sprague and her amazing hybrid for dummies classes.

I AM NOT A SCRAPBOOKER!

Well... unless you count Mitch's pathetic 1994-96 book with Mrs. Grossman stickers scrapbooking.

I didn't even give into it when, as Caylor called it"Pebbles in my Panties", hit it big in St. George.

Anyway... I found the greatest hybrid scrapbooking class online here

It was soo easy and fun!

Here are a few pages from the book I made Viv for mothers day...

It turned out great (especially for my first attempt.)

It started when I was just born and went through the really great pics of us in 70's & 80's!

We were totally hot and dressed so cute!

The kit was so easy... I got to be creative and pick the paper and colors I wanted to use and then I just had to follow her VERY specific directions on the technique. I learned so much about Adobe Elements ... I'll bet I could even design one myself now, she is such a good teacher.

It ended with a current photo of Viv and the girls...

It was a fun gift to make and give!

If you are at all interested in mixing digital scrapbooking with the traditional 3d kind... for sure check out Jessica Sprague.

I have taken 2 classes and learned SOOOOO much.

Oh.. the places you'll go!

My little apron is all grown up...

You know how designers and clothing people like stars to wear their stuff...

Well...

Last week I made an apron for my friend, Margie...

( ya' know my famous scrapbooking friend...do I sound like a name dropper, good!)

It was super sassy...zebra, pink, and green!

She wanted it because she had a few scrapbooking events and for once didn't have to wear a corporate apron...

She wore it to St. Louise and met with the one and only, Mary Englebreit...

( who sent her assistant over to tell Margie she like the apron)

And then she wore it to Atlanta...

They were having a big auction for breast cancer awareness...

and

she sold the apron for $400.00

Yes that is 4 FRANKLINS, HUNSKIES, WHATEVER!

She also sold one yet to be made for $260.00

AMAZING... it is just my little apron!

It was a sassy apron, a great personality, and a good cause!

This is Margie and the babe that "won" the apron...

Overall they raised $4000 for TATAs

Great work!

Faster Clocks!

The days are getting longer...

But...

The clocks are getting faster!

The last two weeks have been crazy!

Spring is springing...

and baseball has started!

5-6 games a week...

hotdogs for dinner ( aka- spring cuisine)
Play Ball!

The Lazy Daisy Cottage...

The Lazy Daisy Cottage!

This is the cutest quilt shop EVER!

My cousin, Dana is the owner... and quilter extraordinaire!

It is in St. George and has just the cutest fabric and gifts.

I just helped them start a blog...

Go check it out!

HERE!

A great day!

Last week I got a Viv, Grandma Connie, & Dear Lizzie fix all at once.

Viv and Connie came up for a few hours to get Viv's hair cut, and attend some sort of meeting.

They were here only about 18 hours, but we still managed to have a lot of fun.

We met my cousin, Diane, at Dear Lizzie for lunch.

It was a great lunch date.

Viv+Connie+Dear Lizzie+fun cousins= A GREAT DAY!

Sun!

I can't talk right now...

no blogging...

no laundry...

no inside business...

The sun is out.

I feel like Margot in Ray Bradbury's story "All summer in a day"...

if I go inside I will miss out on the sun for years.

I am in love!

Finally!

I see somthing in the sky that I really don't recognize...

I think it is called the sun.

I have got to find some wonderful glasses and go outside.

It is supposed to be sunny and great weather...

I can hardly contain myself!

Have a great weekend...soak up some rays and have some fun!

Celebrate Spring!

An Amazing Movie...

I watched THE most amazing movie this week!

It needs to be stated that I am a full -fledged

HISTORY NERD!

I love anything historical and especially German World War II...

This movie is so good...I have thought of it for two days now and cried several times while thinking about it.

My neighbors, Dean and Paul, suggested it and I had to call after I watched it to ask,

"Friends like you guys...who needs enemies"

It is so gut-wrenghingly wonderful.

It is not a happy feel good movie...

But one that EVERYONE needs to see once.

Just make sure to have tissue!

Spring?...more like Spring a leak!

It is raining again... or should I say still.

I need the sun!

I know I couldn't live in Forks,

Edward or not!

But, If I had an umbrella as cute as this... I might be singing in rain "Under my umbrella...ella...ella...Hey...hey...hey"

I am ready for the warm weather to hit.I think it might be on its way... looking for a scorching temp of 72 degrees this weekend! Yahoo!

Home again, home again... jiggity jig!

Whew! I am home! Hip Hip Hurray! It is true what they sing...

"Be it ever so humble...there is no place like home!"

The bad part of this whole thing...laundry, suitcases, exhausted kids, lack of funds.

All in all... we had a fabulous time in Sin City!

Baseball was fun! It was nice to have weather that somewhat resembled spring, and we got to shop a little.

Friday night the games ended early, Viv took Jacks and Meg back to St. George, Mitch hung out with the team... so Caylor and I went out on the town!

We went to dinner at New York, New York and then hit the Piano Bar at Times Square.

HILARIOUS!

Here are a few things I learned:

There is no weight limit to wear a little black strappy dress.

( one set of spaghetti straps were working over time...not pretty)

It is okay to get on the piano and dance. ( not me... some drunk chick from Canada)

Plastic cups are good for two things. 1- drinking from 2- puking into

( This particular cup was used for both...minutes apart...really drunk guy sitting next to us- kept trying to buy Caylor and I drinks to "loosen us up"... he was a bit too loose)

I am not a gambler... I would rather shop than throw my money into some machine...lost forever!

I am not as young as I used to be and staying up until 3 am is not good for me...

The Las Vegas strip is a fun place to spend a very little amount of time.

It was a great weekend!

Spring Break 09'

Yesterday was the first day of Spring Break 09'... wow! How times have changed...

We cleaned bedrooms, I got my nails done, & we had Chinese food for dinner.

In my life there are a few historical things I heard about, but missed out on...

Woodstock

The tearing down of the Berlin Wall

Live Aid...

BUT-

There is something that I did get to experience several times...

Spring Break 87'- 90'...HERE

St. George Boulevard!

The best part of growing up in St. George could be summed up in two words: Spring Break!

Back in the day... all the school districts along the Wasatch Front let out the week before or after Easter... The highpoint was Easter Weekend!

1 million ( okay maybe only a few thousand)teenagers would descend on the St. George Blvd like bees to honey !

There were dances, going to the "narrows", cruising the "Vard" in my convertible Cabriolet, walking the "Vard", hanging out at Las Palmas, finding Northern Utah hotties, etc. etc. etc...

This was the greatest weekend of the year!

My friends and I already had our summer tans, new clothes, and were so excited to hit the Dixie nightlife.

Some really great memories were created!

So... the question is... Did you go to St. George during Spring Break?

If a certain group of St. George girls either stole your boyfriend for the weekend or took your lounge chair at Las Palmas...we were sorry.

We were locals...we thought we owned the place!
What do you remember?

p.s. Now that I am finished reminiscing... I will get my herd ready to go to the movies and pack our stuff to go to a Vegas ball tourney... really? Times have Changed!

It's all black and white!

I am seeing black and white all over...

I just got my toes done... cute black polish with white flowers and rhinestones!

I ordered these...

I should have ordered these... It won't quit raining/ snowing


I worked on this...
A sassy summer apron for a friend...
& I made her baby matching burp rags... sorry no pic... already delivered!

The best part of the apron is the flower... it is plastic and now has a big old blingin' rhinestone in the center.

Can you stand it?

Have a great weekend!

I hope it is sunny where you live!

Create!

Wow! This is so powerful! Okay... I got a little teary!

I have seen this on a few blogs and facebook walls..love it!

Being Creative is such an important aspect of my life...

Enjoy!

Thankful Thursday...

I haven't played the Thankful Thursday game lately... It is so over due!

This is what I am Thankful for this week...

1. I found a new friend... She is so dang cute, and funny and she has been my neighbor for almost a year and I just met her... Yeah- I pretty much suck as a neighbor! Anywho... I attended services and she was the RS teacher... I was totally drawn to her. Later that week a bunch of us went to lunch and I have been in love with her ever since. Then to top it all off... after I am totally somewhat stalking her (googles her... and it worked), I find out she is FAMOUS! Kindof a rockstar in the scrapbooking world... t-shirts and everything...see I should be a scrapbooker so I could have known her sooner and been REALLY impressed when she moved into my neighborhood! Here she is... check her out. She is just a girl, but oh so much more! She is Margie Romney- Aslett. How cool... she is even a hyphenater!

2. Old Friends... It was so much fun re-connecting with some of my oldest and dearest friends. It is sad how life sometimes gets in the way of staying close with people that mean so much to you... I am stickin' with these babes from now on- They are too much fun!

3. My Project 365... It is true... I have stuck with this for 13 1/2 weeks now. I have never followed through this much in my entire life! I have really enjoyed this little project and think it is going to be amazing to look back over every single day of 2009. Here are last week's pages... I guess as proof I am not as flakey as I usually appear!

4. My i-touch. I know this sounds totally materialistic, but this little gadget has rocked my world. I love love love pandora radio! I just bought a game called izits that is the best ever...move over bubblet! I can actually get emails now even if I am not at my computer! Not to mention the music! I am waiting with baited breath for my contract with my current provider to expire so I can get rid of my ghetto phone and move on up to an iphone. It is good to have goals and something to look forward to...

5. Going to Vegas, baby! The thought of getting out of northern Utah snow spring and actually experiencing real spring is a good thought!

When I grow up...

When I was little I wanted to reach for the stars...

I wanted to really BE something...

I knew I wanted to be a wife to a handsome man...

I knew I wanted to be a mom... I sang the song "When I grow up I want to be a mother...and have a family... 1 little, 2 little , 3 little babies of my own."

As time went on I thought I wanted to be a Marine Biologist because they got to work with dolphins... then a rock star... then a dance teacher...then a Solid Gold dancer...

I thought I wanted to be a mortician and follow in the daddy's footsteps...

I went to high school and college and decided I liked English and History and teaching...

1+1+1=3 !

I found my handsome man

& started having babies

I became a high school teacher and taught for 10 years.

Then I decided I wanted to just be a mom...

This is really what I want.. this is the best job ever!

My babies are getting big & are all in school

Sometimes I think I would like to be an aesthetician and give facials (pick zits for money)...

Somedays I like to sit and blog all day...

Somedays I like to sew or paint or play with my pictures...

I want a room of my own that I can use to create whatever I want!

I really like to entertain and throw parties.... I like my life to be a party!

It is crazy that sometimes I still wonder what I want to be when I grow up!

Will I ever grow up?

19 years...Really?

19 years really?

I am going to let you all know just how very old I am...

19 years ago I was a Freshman at College and was on the drill team!

Made such fun friends and had such a great time!

Fast forward 19 years to NOW...

Some of us connected on Facebook and decided it was high time we got together...

Since my house is kind of centrally located (and I volunteered) we all met at my house!

So. Much. Fun!

Here is the little invitation I sent out...

I know there are weird brown things on it... but, I am in the witness protection program and can't divulge my personal information...

Here we are 20 years later...
Karla, Amy, Sarah, Tracy, Deena, Monica, Me, & Megan
We were missing a few, but we will catch them next time!
Megan drove all the way from St. George and then turned around and went back.
She wins the award for the most effort made...

Here are a few pics of the buffet... minus some of the food
It was so fun to use my new copper chafing dishes! Yahoo!

We looked at old photo books, watched a video (scary), laughed at all our BIG 80's hair, ate, saw pics of our kids (32 between us all), and got all caught up with each other...

We just didn't want it to end!

It is amazing how fast time flies...

It seems like just a few years ago we were all at Dixie College!

Thanks to everyone for making the effort to come...

Let's do it again soon!

Happy Birthday to the Queen Mother!

Viv!

Happy Birthday to the QUEEN MOTHER!

Here is a little bit about her...

She loves Mary Englebreit

My kids call her their "pot head Grandma" because she LOVES, LOVES, LOVES pots and flowers... Her whole back yard is potted flowers. One of her biggest goals in life is to work in a greenhouse.

She is a whole lot of fun! Everyone likes to go with Viv... because a good time is guaranteed!

This pic was taken at Bette Midler last summer... we had a blast!

oops... How did this picture of the Relief Society President make it on the Internet?
She is just a normal down to Earth babe!

She supports all of us in everything we do.

This was taken last weekend at Mitch's baseball game!

She has been married to my dad for 40 years...

She has stood by her man through thick and thin... and they still even like each other!

Here is their wedding photo...

What a dish!

What a pair!

My dad looks like he is about 11 years old.

She is the oldest of 3 kids and was always a little mother to her brothers...

She still likes to take care of people!

She is the world's best aunt, cousin, friend,

MOTHER!

She has got PERSONALITY PLUS...

very outgoing, GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR!

Viv is the best! I am so lucky to be her daughter!

She means the world to everyone that knows her...

Happy Birthday, Viv!

We All LOVE you!