Soup and Sutures

I have never had stitches due to an injury. I know this comes as more than shocking for those of you who really know me. I am more than accident prone. I have things happen to me that don't happen to normal folks. Like the light fixture that fell square on my head, or the time that I got frostbite all over my hands from carrying in a bronze statue in the middle of winter, or the time the parking garage crossing arm came down on top of my head... You get the picture.

Well, tonight I got myself some stitches from a little mishap while I was cooking dinner from this little delight...
So tonight I was making a tasty little soup from this gem of a cookbook. I was chopping vegetables and decided the knife I was using, just wasn't cutting it (literally and figuratively) so I decided to bust out the new knives that we got for Christmas. As I was hand washing it before I used it, I had a little slip-slip-a-roo and took a nice slice through my finger. Ooopsy poopsy. There was a lot of blood, but I insisted I would be fine with a rag and pressure on the wound. Well all was fine until I got the feeling I was going to pass out. Still, I insisted that I would be fine, but my Ma stated otherwise and forced me to go to InstaCare. A few stitches later and I was on my way and as good as new.

Here is what it looked like after they cleaned an numbed it...

Here are the stitches. See, just a mere flesh wound...

(And in case you were wondering, luckily I didn't bleed in the soup. I came home and finished cooking it, and it was delightful!)

Note To Self...New knives are sharp. Proceed with caution.

Rockin With The Rythmn Of The Rain (and the Judds)

So last night I had a blast and a half, and a music dream came true...I went to see The Judds: The Last Encore. We all know I am a big Wynonna fan. (If you need a background on this, click here to check out a previous post about her and a highlight moment in my life.) Back to the concert... Say what you may, but it was delightful! They played for close to three hours and sang almost all of their hits. I will just say that Wynonna was as powerful and amazing as ever. Her mom on the other hand is a bit of a different story. Bless her red head, but I think that most of her parts are now plastic and I am pretty sure she has lost her mind! I think you will be able to see what I mean in the follow pictures...

Case in point...Here is Naomi trying not to fall off of her seat and/or expose her 'goodies' to the crowd (Wynonna did point out that she was glad to see that she was wearing her Spanx with the dress):

(I would like to also note that the salmon colored drapery she is wearing was more like a cape attached to shiny bracelets. As Wynonna said, "If it's not one thing, it's your mother!")

I was a bit excited to be there, can you tell?...

Blown away and amazed during intermission...

It was so bloody much fun. I wish you all could've been there. So next time Wy comes to town, are you in?...

The Fuzz And Fines...

This is just a fair little warning to all of you lovelies out there...When they say "Click It Or Ticket" THEY MEAN IT!

Why do I offer such a warning and how do I know such a fact? Some girl I know just had it happen to her... Okay, fine! It was me!

The other day I was in the car with my ma when all of the sudden those lovely flashing lights appeared in the rear view mirror. She pulls over. The officer approaches the window and asks her if she knows why he pulled her over. She lies and says "No, officer. I don't." He proceeds to tell her that it is because she changed two lanes at once without signaling. She apologizes. The fine officer then goes on to say, "Mam, I will just give you a warning on this, but I noticed that your passenger isn't wearing a seat belt. I am going to have to give her a ticket." (I am in disbelief here. But just wait, the astonishment increases dramatically...)
He takes our licenses and heads back to his car. As this is happening my Ma is using profanity saying that she is going to get a ticket anyway because her registration is expired.

Fast forward to Officer Friendly's return to our car window...

Mam (speaking to my Ma), I also noticed that your registration is expired. So I am going to issue you a warning for that as well. Ma proceeds with this monstrous lie "Oh officer, I guess I didn't realize that it was expired. I will get that taken care of right away!" And for you mam (speaking now to me), will you please sign this ticket? (Oh sweet mother of mercy, I should have had a seat belt on to hold me in the vehicle before I flew off into orbit due to the lies from my Ma and the pardon being given to her and her poor driving skills!)

So long story short, I went in to pay my ticket (I went in because it said in the letter I received in the mail that you would be charged $5 additional dollars if you paid by debit or credit card when you sent it in). And guess what?!? Those greedy jerks charged me the $5 anyway for using my debit card!!! I know, I couldn't believe it either.

(As a side note, the only consolation I got out of all of this is that my citation # ended in 6969...No joke, it really did.)

So ladies and gentlemen when you look at your seatbelt, you better click it or you will be paying your fine city 50 big ones...

Happy Birthday...

I just had to give out a Happy Birthday shout out to my birth mother...

Yeah, you are seeing and reading it correctly. Tina Turner is my birth mother. At least that is what I used to tell everyone when I was little. Okay fine, that is still what I tell everyone. I mean really, can't you see the family resemblance?!?...

Here is a delightful little blast from my past. Me and my mom at my grandparents house...

See the resemblance? It's totally there!

Giving Thanks...

I love Thanksgiving. I love it with all of my heart. And unfortunately I think it is one of those holidays that doesn't get all the attention it deserves. It seems like Halloween comes into town and then almost goes directly to Christmas.

It is so important to take the time to reflect on our lives and see the countless blessings that we have. There is so much that we take so for granted. The fact that daily we have food to eat.We have a warm place to sleep. We have people in our lives that love and care about us. The list could go on forever. What it comes down to, is we are blessed, very very blessed!

There is so much negativity in this world. So much focus on what is wrong and what we lack. I love what Mary Ellen Edmunds said: "When we focus on blessings, expressing gratitude along the way, we will become increasingly aware of all that has been so generously shared with us. We notice what we are thinking about, don't we?"

I am hereby committing to focus more on the good, and what I have, and how I can share it with those who are in need.

Another thought I have had on my mind a lot lately is how blessed I am to have so many wonderful people in my life. And after reading the following quote, I realized I need to express my gratitude to them more for just being who they are and the way it blesses my life...

"A grateful heart, then, comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives. This requires conscious effort--at least until we have truly learned and cultivated an attitude of gratitude. Often we feel grateful and intend to express our thanks but forget to do so or just don't get around to it. Someone has said that "feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." -Thomas S Monson

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you day was wonderful. I know mine was. Sitting around the table with 11 faces that I am so thankful for, what a delightful day to spend the day. The food was great (even the Jello salad that didn't quite set up and would have been better consumed with a straw rather than a fork), but just being together with family was even better. As dysfunctional as we might be (having dinner conversation on topics like getting felt up by TSA at the airport, feeding tubes, and faux teats) we sure do put the fun in dysfunctional and I am thankful for every warped-minded last one of them!

Underdogs

I believe in cheering for the underdog. Always have. Always will. And this week especially, I realized that many times you will stand alone when doing this. (Unless you offer to make dinner for those who are on the fence. It's a sure way to sway the votes in your desired direction.)

The most recent example of this from my life...Voting for Bristol-the-Pistol Palin on Dancing With The Stars

I can't explain why I love this show as much as I do, but I do. And this season did not disappoint. I was really hoping that Florence Henderson would end up in the finals. But when Ms. Brady got voted out early on, I was full on board of the Bristol train. For this choice I was ridiculed, but I didn't care. So last week, the voting determined who would advance to the final show. I decided to send out a plea via text message, for folks to vote for ole Bristol and offered to cook dinner for anyone who would vote for her. (Good thing I've got my trusted Trisha Yearwood cookbook aka my kitchen bible!) I would like to believe that our texting tree is what launched her into the finals.

So yesterday at work, I declared it Dancing With The Stars Day and told everyone they needed to dress according to who they were voting for. So anyone voting for Jennifer Grey needed to wear something dance-ish. A tutu, a ballgown, whatever they had. Anyone voting for that cute little cup of cocoa Kyle Massey needed to wear something Disney. And for Bristol, something Alaskan. A co-worker of mine came in dressed for the Tundra in snow pants, thermal bottoms, and a heavy sweater to show her Bristol support.

This is what I wore...
(My personal favorite touch is the 'Hockey Mom' pin. Because you know, the only difference between a pit bull and a hockey mom is lipstick!)

Tonight the finale was on, and oh what a show it was. All of the dancers came back for a little appearance. The Hoff came back and did a little Baywatch number (it caused me to throw up a little). Then out came that gem Florence Henderson (bless her sweet Brady lovin' heart, but she looked like Ronald McDonald in drag). Then out came The Situation (threw up a little, again).

Then the moment of truth and glory...The winner was...not Bristol. Oh well. I can be a good sport and sincerely say, "Good job Jennifer. You were the best dancer. Well done."

I can't wait for the next season. Hopefully they have some more gems on there like Mary Tyler Moore or Bob Barker, or maybe Super Nanny or Dog The Bounty Hunter. One can only hope.

Until then I will just have to watch a few celebrity train wrecks on ice with 'Skating With The Stars'...

Happy Birthday Theodore!

Happy 20th Birthday...
I'm so thankful I get to be your big sister (yes, both in size and age).

New York, New York!

I'm back!!! Back from my little blogging sabbatical. Back from a stellar vacation. I'm back!

It is no secret that I love the great state of New York...more specifically Manhattan.

I love the lights, the hustle and bustle, the pizza and cheesecake, but maybe most of all I love Broadway.

I just got back from maybe one of the best trips I have ever taken in my entire life (thank you Ma for making it possible). Seriously, I am still trying to comprehend all that we saw and did. So many things were checked off from my BucketList (hereafter referred to simply as B.L.). My family joked that they were afraid to even fly home with me because of all the check marks...

I should have known it was going to be a magical trip when a lunch stop Thursday afternoon offered this delectable little surprise...

(That's right ladies and gents, the McRib is back!!!)

After the tasty trip to the 'Golden Arches', I took a little flight with Mary Poppins...

Then later that night we were off to see the Wizard...More specifically, 'Wicked.' What an incredible show! Yes, it really is as amazing as people have said it is.

Then more super excitement came on Saturday. We went to a matinee of 'Lombardi.' The two leads were the Dan Lauria (the dad from the 'Wonder Years') as Vince Lombardi, and the one and only Judith Light (Oh how I love her! You might know her as Angela from Who's The Boss and Judge Donnelly from Law&Order SVU) as his wife. Wonderful and gripping show.

Later that night we went to see the play "Promises, Promises" starring Kristin Chenoweth (Glinda from Wicked), Sean Hayes (Jack from Will&Grace), and Molly Shannon (SNL rockstar and the star of my 'number one favorite made for tv movie of all time' "Superstar", which most know is pretty much my alter-ego). After the show I had a dream come true moment. The picture below speaks a million words...
You know how there are times that you meet a celebrity that you admire, and are sorely disappointed at their rudeness or coldness? That was so not the case here...she could not have been more kind, friendly and sincere. She is the real deal. Absolutely delightful! I adore her even more than I did before, which I didn't think was possible. She is a true Superstar!

We all know I have a sick love for professional football. Some of my most delightful days during the year are Sundays between the months of September through January. On Sunday we went to the new Meadowlands Stadium (in East Rutherford, NJ where the Jets and Giants play. The place is HUGE!) to watch the Jets play the Packers. Good game (SO happy to have seen Green Bay win). Big check on the B.L.

(And to boot, after the game we saw Sarah Palin! Yes, the woman for whom we had a birthday party and ate moose chili. Another B.L. check!)

Another B.L. endeavor was ice skating in Rockefeller Plaza...

(Shockingly, I didn't even fall! Ice Capades watch out...Here I come!)

It was all so delightful. Good times and forever memories. I wish you all could have come. Can I count you in for next time?!

To New York I say...

Dearest NYC,
Don't cry for me Argentina, I mean New York, I will be back before you know it! Try not to miss me as much as I will be missing you. See you again sooner than later.
Love,
Shannon...The soon to be Broadway Star (debuting as a dancing dinner plate in Beauty & The Beast. Stay tuned folks, it's gonna be good)

MooMoo Friday

So I instated a grand tradition today...I hereby declare this Friday and every Friday to follow: "MooMoo Friday"

I believe this type of clothing is one of the greatest creations ever made. (maybe not in the fashion industry but for sure in the comfort department) As I was deciding upon which one to buy, the thought came to me 'go big or go home' so I went with a 4X. I did such a thing for a few reasons...

1. Room to grow
2. I look somewhat small compared to to it
3. It is one of the few pieces of clothing I currently own that I still have room in

Here is the gem in all of it's large-and-in-charge glory:

No need to be jealous, you too can get your very own at the local K-Mart. So run out and buy yourself one and join in the comfort and fun of MooMoo Friday. You won't regret it!

The Old Grey Mare...

Ain't What She Used To Be!...

Yeah, that's right, I'm getting old. Old, and these days, feeling a bit decrepit! I feel like I am 69 going on 690!

Why do I make such a statement you might ask? There are many reasons but the one that struck me, literally struck me, occurred Monday night...

Long story short, I was at my softball game. Somehow I ended up playing third base. (Don't ask me how this happened, as I am not a base-woman! I am comfortable out there in center field.) Anyway, I'm on third and a hard hit comes my way. I am sure of the fact that I've got it. No questions asked. As I wait for it to be snagged up in my awaiting glove, I feel a pain in my left thigh region. What was the pain from you might ask?... IT WAS THE BLOODY BALL!!! The ball that my glove which was outstretched a foot away, was going to catch. Nope. Did a feisty and large gust of wind blow it out of its original path? Nope again. It was me having no depth perception or any idea of placement!

Here is the little gem...(oh wait, there is nothing little about my leg or the bruise)...Here is the giant gem:
So I have only two words for my immediate reflex and sight deficient future... Standard Optical

Happy Birthday G-Pa

Happy Birthday G~Pa! Here is to another 82 awesome years...
Thank you for always being there and supporting me in all of my craziness.
I love you!

Happy Birthday Kenny!

As you have seen in previous posts, I really enjoy celebrating birthdays. I think it is important. It is important to let someone know that they are loved and to tell them "I am so happy you were born." I also think that it is very important to take every chance you get to celebrate.

Tonight the celebration was in honor of my future husband (he doesn't know this quite yet) Kenny Rogers. What a dream boat, huh?! Though he has been the victim of a very tragic face lift and may or may not have been tucked and plucked a bit tighter than my last Thanksgiving Day turkey...none of that matters to me...he is still a sexy beast in my eyes!

And so here is to you, Mr. Ruben James...the Long Arm Of The Law...The Gambler himself...

We had a little birthday party for Kenny at Famous Dave's BBQ. It was delightful. Yes, there are only me and three friends in the above picture, but when we were being seated I asked for a table for five because I felt it important for Kenny (he couldn't make it to the festivities so his greatest hits record filled in for him) to have his own seat.

Our waitress was so funny, she even brought him his very own birthday dessert...

(Here he is enjoying every minute of his ice cream...)

Here is to 70 more good years!...

Weekend Update

So I use this blog as much as a journal. I figure it will come in handy when I completely lose my mind and can't remember a thing (I fear that day is will be here sooner rather than later), though it is only half lost at the moment. So for my future reference, here is the recap of my weekend...

On Saturday it was off to Wendover to see Jo Dee Messina:

(She is SUPER talented. So under-rated.
The girl can sing! And she is funny to boot.)

Peggy, Sister Wang, Jenny From The Block, and Myself
(In this photo we are lookin' for a bus and a buffet...
Sad, I know)

I thought it was a pretty sight...
(it just might be me, but I think the cloud
in the center looks like a heart. No?!)

Then there was the lovely lunch date with my bro....

(We went to a Thai place called Ekamai.
They have the BEST green curry
and basil chicken!)

For dessert...

We went to a place called Bruges for
a little treat...and oh wow!
These waffles are DELIGHTFUL
All of the recipes and things like
the chocolate are imported from Belgium.
It might cost a million dollars for the
delectable delight, but so close to worth it...

As I finish writing this, I realize that I should've just entitled this my food blog. No wonder I am having to switch to spandex and elastic waist bands in every piece of clothing I own! When I am the star of the Biggest Loser, I can just look back at entries like these and it will explain it all...

A Call For Help...

I need help. A LOT of it...

I am talking about help for hungry children and hungry adults.

Last year, I was deeply impacted by a commercial done by the Utah Food Bank. Click here to watch it. It moved to tears but also to action. We ended up in a U-Haul in the Harmons parking lot for three days. And oh what a three days it was. It was humbling to see so many give so freely, even when they too were struggling to get by.

I am a firm believer in the motto, "Think global, act local." Yes there is need all over this world. But we must start in our 'own backyards', if you will. Start with the community in which you live. And then extend that helping hand to our neighbors.

And so I have decided to embark upon a mission to help the hungry. It is my goal to collect as many backpacks, as much food, and as much money as possible, to donate to two organizations. Everything that is collected will be divided evenly between the Utah Food Bank and The Backpack Mission.

The Food Bank is pretty obvious as to what it does. The other helps the children in the Appalachian Mountains, in Kentucky. It is an absolutely incredible organization called the Backpack Mission Ministry. It was started by a woman named Diane Durham. I have only spoken to her on the phone, but I will just state that her goodness was almost tangible, even in a phone conversation. She began her amazing work in 2006. It came to her awareness that there were children in this area that would leave school on Friday and not eat again until they returned to school on Monday morning for the school breakfast program. The poverty that plagues this area is heartbreaking. And so this saintly woman restarted the backpack program. They give backpacks to these children and fill them with food for the weekend.

When she began this program, they were helping 68 children. At the end of last year that number had grown to a staggering 700 children that they were providing food to each weekend. She told me that with the phone calls she has received this Summer, that number has already greatly increased for this upcoming school year.

And so, I have felt prompted and directed to help. I know I can't do it alone. And so I am asking you as my friends, family, and readers of this blog for you assistance. If you want to join this cause, message me here on the blog, on FaceBook, by email, however. Together we can and will make a difference. As Diane told me yesterday, "it is amazing what we can do when we all hold hands."

The first endeavor is to collect new backpacks. I figure it is a perfect time, as it is 'back to school' time. So lets get out there and collect as many as we can. Tell your friends, family, neighbors, Churches, whoever will listen! We just need to get the word out...

Check out this amazing organization.
Here is the link:

http://backpackmission.com

Flash!

This is what I saw from my back deck tonight...

What? Not impressed? Wait about two minutes and then...

Followed by a little less impressive, but nevertheless awesome...

I am constantly in awe of this world we live in. God's creations and power are endless, and never cease to amaze and humble me. How great Thou art...

Slow Fade

It was my gallbladder post the other day that got me thinking about this. That and reading the Bible. Weird combination to provoke a comparison, I know. But bear with me and hopefully you will see what I'm sayin'...

The thought I had was about being a 'slow fade.' There are so many things that come about because of slowly fading away or apart from someone or something. Like my gallbladder, it didn't just all the sudden stop functioning properly one day. What about the transmission in your car going out? Or two people who fall out of love?...no these things occur slowly. It's not a situation where you just wake up one day and BAM! there goes the ole appendix. No, it slowly became diseased. And that couple who fall out of love, there were the things like the break-down of communication or the spending less and less time together, or the loss of trust. All those things combined lead up to the break-up. For each and any situation, there were most likely signs along the way. But did you notice? Or did you just attribute it to indigestion or a random stomach ache every now and again? Or as just being what happens when you're both so busy?

So it is with our spirituality...it is a slow fade when we wander away from the fold of God. It's not like we just wake up one day and declare that we no longer believe or that we no longer feel the need to keep His commandments. No, there was a slow fade. And we very well might not have noticed it as it was first going on. It was the not reading the Scriptures everyday. And that lead to not praying every day. Which then lead to infrequent Church attendance. Which lead to______. You get my point.

I believe this is one of the adversary's best tools...'slowly lulling us away.' Away from our commitments, our convictions, our covenants, and ultimately our Father.

I am thankful for reality checks. Kind of like a gallbladder attack, they can be quite painful, but it is a way, to get your attention that something is wrong. So I know it sounds crazy, but I am thankful for things like guilt. Why? Because it brings me to awareness. It calls me to action. And most importantly, it lets me know that I am not 'past feeling.' It lets me know I am still connected to Him and He sends me warning signs to prevent that separation.

I will be honest and say, I have felt this force in my life before. It is scary. It is scary on the day we wake up and realize how far we have strayed. But so thankfully, there is ALWAYS a way back.

Watch out for those warning signs in your life, whether they be spiritual or emotional or physical. Look, listen, and heed...

Sally

Sally, I just wanted you to know that I was thinking about you today. I can't believe it's been 4 years...

The other day, I got the best compliment ever--one of the ladies in the ward asked what calling I had now, and I told her I was still the Sunday School teacher...and then she compared me to you.
I was humbled and honored. It made me cry.

So thank you. Thank you for teaching our class, though we wern't the easiest to teach. Thank you for always sharing your powerful testimony with us. It was you, that kept me coming to Church each Sunday.

I think of you often and thank God for allowing our paths to cross. I thank Him for knowing you. As I told you shortly before you passed...because I knew you, I have been changed for good.
So I will keep teaching, and do my best and try my hardest to live up to the compliment I was given. If I can be half the teacher you were, I will consider myself successful...

How Great Thou Art

Tomorrow is Pioneer Day...

I can't even speak about the pioneers without great emotion and tears coming to my eyes. I have such tender feelings towards those Saints and their sacrifices. What they did, allows me to live my religion freely and fully, and for that I am thankful beyond words.

Here is a little video I put together to honor those great souls. The pictures are from a variety of sources, but the music is from my dear friends Heartbound:



I am in awe of the faithfulness and faith of those who crossed the plains. They suffered and sacrificed more than we could ever know, and yet without ceasing they praised and worshiped their God. The following words were spoken by a brother in the Martin Handcart Company:

"We suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but did you ever hear a survivor of that company utter a word of criticism?…
“I have pulled my handcart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I could hardly put one foot ahead of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and I have said, I can go only that far and there I must give up, for I cannot pull the load through it.
“I have gone on to that sand and when I reached it, the cart began pushing me. I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart, but my eyes saw no one. I knew then that the angels of God were there.
“Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company."

With those humbling words in mind, I saw it fitting to put these images to How Great Thou Art. For with all the suffering these Saints endured, they still praised their God, acknowledged His power and glory, never doubting His constant love and awareness of them.

In conclusion, consider these words from President Hinckley, "Should we be surprised if we are called upon to endure a little criticism, to make some small sacrifice for our faith, when our forbears paid so great a price for theirs?”

The Bladder of Gall...

5 years ago today, I had a Cholecystectomy...
(Thats just fancy talk for taking out your gallbladder)

Here she is right before she was sucked out:
Pretty awesome huh?! (And notice the fat that surrounds the organs...thats one plus to bein' a big girl is that your internal organs are padded and protected pretty well.) Which also brings me to another point...I am thinking about suing my doctor for malpractice. Why you might ask? Because I am pretty sure that when he removed the ole gallbladder, he accidentally removed my metabolism as well. I'm no doctor and I'm not well versed with anatomy, so I can't say for sure if they are located next to one another in the human body, but all I know is that I have gained a lot of weight and either my metabolism died or it got sucked out with the gallbladder. I'm going with the 'it got sucked out' story as it sounds much more exciting...

So gallbladder of mine, I say to you...Thanks for your 22 years of good service. Oh wait, let's make that 21 because that last year you wern't so pleasant to be around.

Rain and Jesus...

Today there was a brief little rain, thunder, and lightening episode...

It made me think about how much I love the rain. I love the smell. I love to dance in it. I love to watch it roll down my window. I love the way that it just kind of cleanses everything. I love the way it makes everything shine...

Somehow my thoughts turned to the Living Water. Jesus. He is like the rain. Through Him, we too are able to become clean. His atonement provides us with baptism and the Sacrament, in which we are cleansed. And when our souls ache and the tears begin to fall, it is He who helps dry them. It is this same source that allows us to shine. Through the power of His atonement and the purifying power that comes along with it, we are refined and that light begins to burn brighter and brighter within us until we radiate and shine...

And that light that we radiate, it has a ripple effect, just like a raindrop as it touches a puddle...

Spread His light and love wherever you go...

Hangin' With Wy...

What did you do tonight?...

Me? What did I do tonight?

Oh I just met Wynonna Judd...

Yeah that is right. You see and read it correctly...I met Wynonna tonight. And no, I can't believe it either. I am still in shock. I had to get a picture so that if in the morning I wake up and wonder if it was just another drunken dream, I can look at the picture proof and all of the Mt Dew cans and know that yes it did really happen and no I was not intoxicated or imagining things.

Here is my photographic proof:

Proof #1~ I was there, and only drinking the Dew...

Proof #2~ Wynonna was there in person and not just on my above pictured shirt...

And most important Proof#3~I was there and so was Wynonna and we actually met...

(And no, this is not PhotoShopped. For if it was I would not
be looking like I am 46 months pregnant and would not have
32 chins. All of that aside, I don't care that I look like I just
walked out of the world-championship-sumo-wrestling
arena...I don't care cause I am standin' next to Wy!)

In conclusion, the Black Eyed Peas had it right tonight...they had a feelin' that it was gonna be a good good night...and a good good night it was!

Oh, and I must give a shout out and thanks to our usher friend. I never did get his name, I just know that he is a sixth grade teacher and an awesome guy...Thank you new usher friend for the posters and the coasters. That was so kind of you. I will treasure them. Thanks for bein' so good to us and allowing us a generous ten questions...

I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world...(Thomas Edison)

I am thankful. So thankful. For the influence of such good people in my life...

I came across this quote not too long ago, and it spoke the words of my heart and life better than I could have ever said it. And it has come to mind more times than I can count...

"My choice of friends has helped keep me straight.
I have had friends who expected me to be good,
and I have tried not to disappoint them."
~Camilla Eyring Kimball

But there is one important thing I would like to add to this...and that is those friends of which I speak of, not only expect me to be good, but they show me how. They set incredible examples. And this, this makes all the difference.

This is a gift I have been given that the gratitude which I feel for it, is beyond words. Those friends, those people, have come into my life when I needed them most. And thankfully many of them have stuck around and continue to offer support and encouragement. They continue to live exemplary and inspiring lives that help me keep going when at times I begin to stumble or falter or become weary.

To these friends, I say thank you. For leading and guiding and being willing to walk with me as I learn from your example. Thank you for the countless ways you bless my life. Thank you for teaching and loving me. Most of all, thank you for being you...

~~~

"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out.
It is then burst into flame by an encounter
with another human being.
We should all be thankful for those people
who rekindle the inner spirit."
~Albert Schweitzer~
~~~

It doesn't matter, it really doesn't matter...

Today in Sunday School, the lesson was on anger...

It went well and the kids were receptive. But I think their favorite part (second to the treats of course) was the wands I made them.

Yeah, that's right, I got crafty and made some delightful little wands for them. (I'm pretty much like the ghetto Martha Stewart...yeah, I'm that good. just wait til you feast your eyes upon the pic of the wands!)

What are the wands for, might you be wondering?...

They were 'anger wands.' I challenged them for the week, that any time someone upset them, or made them angery, or whatever, I told them to wave their wand and in a sing-songy (and preferably a higher pitched tone or even a British accented Mary Poppins voice) say:

"It doesn't matter! It really doesn't matter!"

There are so many things that are 'mole hills' as they say, and we seem to have a tendency to turn them in Kilimanjaros. We make a big deal of simple things, we overreact, we waste time and energy on things that really don't matter when we stop and think about them and put em in their proper perspective.

So I challenge us all to take on this attitude for the small things that really aren't as big of a deal as we sometimes make them. So next time I get all road-raged, or the next time I am running late and can't find my keys, or the next time I spill on myself and ruin my shirt...I will sport my best Mary Poppins voice, wave my imaginary wand and sing-songily declare: "It doesn't matter! It really doesn't matter!" You try it too...I think it's gonna be good!

Ghetto Chic Wands...
(I'm pretty sure Cinderella's Fairy Godmother
is gonna be wanting one of these bad boys!)

A Hot Date...

So it's Saturday night...

I've got a hot date...

With not just one, but two men...

Their names...

Ben and Jerry...

The plan...

Yeah, its as good as it sounds...
Maybe even better...

All The Rage...

Yesterday was spent in the pools of Raging Waters. It was a blast.

I must say that I laughed though, when I looked at the wristbands they give you when you rent a tube:










Yeah, that's right, it says 'Single."
I'm branded wherever I go.
Even the girl at the CupCake Shop
asked why I was wearing such
a bracelet and asked if I bought
it at the store...
I told her to shut her pretty little mouth
and started singin' a little Beyonce...

Now during this day long adventure, I tackled the feat that I said I never would...I went on the "Waimea". Now for those of you who don't know what that is, here is what the explanation on their website says:
Calling all thrill seekers...Get ready to break the speed limit! Dare to take a vertical plunge from the top of a 70–foot high tower then travel more than 30 mph down a 244 foot–long head–first slide to the bottom. Can you make it over the "hump?"

Now when they say 'hump' what they really mean is mini mountain peak. Seriously. Now let me just get it out there that no, it was not the 70 foot tower part that made me steer clear of this bad boy. It is the fact that if you are not fortunate enough to make it up and over the 'hump' you slide back down into the little dip/gully area that precedes the 'hump.' Then you must shamefully throw yourself out the side of the gully and barrel out and take a climb down a ladder to the bottom. Now I, being a large and in charge gal, did not want to chance the fact I would not be able to launch my lardness up and over the hump. But yesterday all that changed...at the urging (and also the bribery as he said that it was the way I could repay him for a photo he took earlier in the day) of my brother, as well as the encouragement of some little tykes that were probably only 7 (who had ridden this 'a million times and never gotten stuck, so the told me), I decided why not.

And so there I went...down the tube going at least 69mph (I think it is fair to say that the excess poundage I am carrying supplied the 39 faster than normal mph). Up and over the hump. No problemo.

Here is a lovely photo from the day...

So next time you are at the Rage, try the hump, I mean the Waimea. If I can do it, anyone can...

Happy Birthday Deb!

Happy Birthday to one of the kindest
and most loving souls I've ever met...

You radiate light and give love to
all you meet. You are such a blessing
in the lives of all around you.

I hope you have a day as amazing as you are!

And here is one of the

delectable cupcakes
that was also part
of our celebration of
your big day...

Sir Paul

Since I can remember I have been in love with old-man-musicians. Cases in point: Kenny Rogers, Don Henley, and Sir Paul McCartney. And ever since I can remember this love fest, I can also remember praying that the Beatles would have a reunion tour...

Well tonight, the seeing the Beatles dream came 1/4 of the way true (and I must add that it is most certainly the best looking quarter). Here is what I got to feast my eyes upon and listen to for 21/2 hours or so:
Yeah, that's right...Paul McCartney.

Hands down it is the best show I have ever been to. And trust me, I have been to a lot of concerts in my day. I've seen Elton John and Billy Joel, Cher, The Eagles (sorry Don, will you still love me?), Tina Turner (sorry birth mom, will you still love me?), Garth Brooks, some of the greats...The list could go on and on. For the longest time, Tina topped that list. But tonight that changed. My lover Paul rocked non-stop for a good 21/2 hours and was incredible! AMAZING.

So I have only two words to you Paul, love of my life...MARRY ME!

Here is a little bonus pic. He is playing a ukulele that was from the personal collection of George Harrison that he gave to Paul as a gift:

SO COOL!

Happy Anniversary

30 years ago today, my folks got hitched...

30 years seems like such a long time. And then I stop to think that I am 27...(wow, does time fly!)

So I say to you Mom and Dad, Happy Anniversary. Just think that the love story you began here is one that is going to last forever...

Helping Hands

I read an article from the Associated Press last night that broke my heart.(I know it is shocking to think that I started crying while reading yet another news piece.) But this really got me. It was about Haiti and that 6 months post-earthquake you still have thousands upon thousands of people who are homeless, hungry, and hopeless.

Here is the article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38184951/ns/world_news-americas

The immediate feeling of my heart is that I want to get on a plane and go help these people. And then the thought comes to me, that there are people all around me in my own community, in my own state, that are in need as well.

It is more than my mind can process to think that this is going on in the world. The suffering...The lacking...The need...

The headlines are covered with the latest NBA news of who is signing with what team and for what astronomical dollar amount. Frankly, it is disgusting. It sickens me to think that we are paying guys tens of millions of dollars a season to bounce a basketball. It is no different in any other sport. Millions of dollars are tossed around and used to purchase fancy sports cars and palatial homes and unnecessary odds and ends like $500 thousand dollar jewelry.

It just doesn't seem right to me. It doesn't seem right that this kind of money and spending can go on and there are homeless shelters and food pantries and schools that are all having to close their doors because there just isn't enough funding.

There is need all around us. There are countless opportunities to give and serve and bless lives. And no, we all don't have large amounts of money to donate, but we can donate our time. Time to causes like Habitat For Humanity. www.habitat.org Or to the local Food Bank.

So no, we might not be able to help everyone, but we can help someone. Start in your own community. I love the saying, "Think global, act local." As we act locally, we make this world a bit better one community at a time, which in turn makes this world a better place.

You can make a difference, all you have to do is act...