Select Health Commercial

 Here is our commercial!! It still makes us laugh every time we watch it. We might die if we actually see it on TV!

Our bus ad.

Our magazine ad.

Our billboard!

You will have to let me know if you see us around town!

lessons

Wednesday I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. I went to Logan for a private photography lesson from Betsy Bulkley. She invited me to bring my kids to shoot and I knew I would need a sitter to help with them while we spent some time on the computer. I enjoyed every minute of it. I just wish I could have spent more time with her. Seriously, she is the highest energy photographer I have ever met. My kids have been missing her "biting" cow ever since.

It just so happens that she is moving far, far, away to Long Island, NY ;(. Her husband is going to start his residency in Emergency Medicine in a few weeks. He was kind enough to see me as an "emergency" patient while we were there. I had been to a movie 10 days earlier and had gotten some popcorn stuck in the back of my throat. True story. He was kind enough to fish it out for me, even through the gags and terrible, not to mention...embarrassing... sounds that come with them! He even taught me how to "lift" my palette. Wow. What an informative day.

Photography lessons and emergency medicine...what great people to know. It was worth every minute of the drive. The only thing missing that day in Logan was Hollie. Boo. {It's just not the same without you!} And Karyn, I so wished you would have been there with us too. Maybe some time we can all hook up.

Thanks again to both of the Bulkley's...and to Vanessa for coming along with us!

Blog update...finally

photos from tartelette

I just spent some time updating my link lists...yay! I have needed to do this for a while. If you are bored...imagine that...take a peek at some of my most favorite websites and blogs. These are the ones I look at when I need some ideas and inspiration. I think you will love them too.

Kuhn Rikon 7 qt.

It seems to pay off every time I put something from my wish list up on my blog...so that is why you see this lovely pressure cooker here today. I went to a pressure cooking class this week and was totally impressed. The teacher was Kellene Bishop, from preparednesspro.com. She cooked risotto in under 10 minutes and a pork roast in 21 minutes...and they were both SO tasty. I have decided I need one of these for everyday use, but for emergency preparedness as well. Of course this is the best pressure cooker out there and it is made in Switzerland. It is only $240 dollars, so it may just sit here on the wish list for a while, but someday I will be cooking roast in only 20 minutes...just you wait! You can check it out here.

5D Mark ii

Can I just say it has been a little like Christmas around here?!! Kyle brought this little...I mean BIG...beauty home from work with him this week! I have been eyeing this camera for a while now and I can't believe that it is finally mine!! I can't wait to get to know this new friend better. I could spend the next week just playing with this thing. I can see the laundry piling up already. ;) If anyone needs a photo, let me know...my kids are sick of it already! Although, Kyle thinks it is time for my "free" rates to take a hike. Maybe a new business on the horizon...we'll see.

Rebekah Westover

I hooked up with an old friend from elementary school on Facebook. Lucky for me...it just so happens that his wife is one of my favorite photographers! I mustered the courage to ask if I could go along on a photo shoot with her. I must have been feeling very brave because later I even called and invited myself to ride along in her car. She was so gracious and allowed me to ask any questions I wanted. I am having so much fun on my photographic journey and this was just the inspiration I needed. It was such a fabulous experience to get inside her brain for a minute. It was a dream come true! Here is a glimpse of the shoot...amazing!!

Christmas list...

Did ya'll see that these books are available for pre-order? I would so love to get all three of these books for Christmas...anyone, anyone...

burnout?

It has been one month and one day since my last blog post...I feel like the last month has been a whirlwind...and judging by the looks of things out there in blogland, I am not the only one. I haven't even taken a picture for weeks. Thanks goodness I had the chance to take some this last week. I have missed it. Time to get back at it.

Bake it Pretty

Today I was out there...searching for some inspiration and found this delightful website...





and now I really want this...




too bad it is out of stock...you can bet I will be checking back.

Obsessed.

If I could I would spend the whole day cooking from this blog...watermelon lemonade, blueberry boy bait and marshmallows would be at the top of the list!

Be Prepared!

photo by preparednesspro (I only wish this was my food storage.)

Okay, so you know that the preparedness bug bit us a while back...funny thing it took so long since my parents are preparedness die hards! Oh well...better late than never. Last week my mom went to a class to learn more about her new Sun Oven and it was taught my PreparednessPro. I spent a good chunk of last night reading her website and I am determined to take some of her classes. Check it out HERE.

will blog for food.

I was asked to do a post for the QuicKutz blog yesterday...you can see it here if you want!

the hazards (...I mean joys...) of working from home

I turn my back for one second and look what happens...oh, well...at least the hours are good, lunch breaks are flexible and I don't miss a beat with my little "helpers". Truthfully, I wouldn't have it any other way.

{Now I am wondering if there is any room in that budget for some fresh, new chalks...}

my new lucky number...

Today is our 13th anniversary...it is so hard to believe. Life is so amazing...even through its ups and downs...challenges and rewards...it is funny how you wouldn't change a thing. I am happy about where we are right now...and it feels so good. I have decided that 13 just might be my new lucky number...married for 13 years to my best friend...and 13 days from today we will fly into Rome's Fumiciano airport! How is that for coincidence?

...and no I wouldn't feel lucky to wake up and find 13 eggs...I am worried enough about our 6.

Help!!

Krissy cried when it was time to go to Primary on Sunday, Krissy cried when it was time to go to play group yesterday, Krissy cried today when we got to her school to drop her off...

We've got a bad case of separation anxiety brewing...

What to do??? I've been stressing all day, feeling completely at a loss. That's where the frustration comes in. I'm sure everything I have tried is completely wrong. That's where the guilt comes in. And...we leave for our trip 2 weeks from Friday! It may be just what the doctor would order, but it still makes me feel terrible. So, the best thing I can think of is just to give her more time away from me...any other suggestions out there? I can't be the only one. At least, I sure hope so...

turns out...I am a pretty darn good pancreas

We had Krissy's A1C checked for the third time today and it was our best result yet...hallelujah!! We are working so hard to keep this little girl as healthy as she can be and it feels so great to get a good report from the doctor. I always get nervous for the test and tell myself that the result is my score as her pancreas...not her mother. Today I am claiming the grade as both...I'll enjoy that thought for a while.

It's Electric...

The Electric - steps


I found this online while I was trying to revive my dance skills. I don't mean to be cruel, but this may be some of the best entertainment I have had in a while. This dude rocks. I'm sure I shouldn't be too critical because in 2 hours this will be me...teaching my ward the Electric Slide & Macarena...because that's the kind of Activities Chairman I am.

Oh, boy.

Why so random...? (I'm even asking myself.)

because I found one moment to search for free Photoshop downloads online...isn't free the greatest?



because I could look at these 2 cute faces all day long...



because I have been missing this cute little face and can't get him out of my mind today...xoxo



and because I have a mess...equally as daunting...as this one waiting upstairs for me. So...I'm stalling.

Bloggiversary!!

One year ago today I started this blog. I was a little uncertain about it in the beginning, but I sure love it now. It is hard to believe that it has been a year already... I am thankful for this record that we have of this last year...(which is always what I intended my scrapbooks to be). I have learned that...

I don't hate to write as much as I thought I did,

that the world-wide-web is a great tool for staying in touch with family & friends near and far,

that there are so many "strangers" out there who write amazing blogs that I learn from often,

and that I have some fantastic people living in my neighborhood that were destined to be my friends if I would just put myself out there and get to know them.

Thank goodness for the blog...that's all I can say.

...oh, and no gifts please...just leave me a comment. I really want one.

It is official...

...I am officially SICK of Winter...but is sounds like I am going to have to be a bit more patient in my wait for Spring. I have had enough of my spicy, wintery smells and so I talked my sis-in-law Shaunee into placing a Scentsy order. If anyone else is thinking Spring email or call me if you want to order something too. Right now everything is 10% off. Even better.



Here is my wish list:
Clean Breeze
Ocean
Thunderstorm
Flirtatious
Simply Irresistible
Grapefruit Pomegranate

I love even the thought of Spring...blossoms, cleaning, fresh air. I already cleaned out my pantry, and boy does it feel great...get ready honey, the garage is next.