Fashion Show

This weekend Aja, Alakina and Tyler were in a bridal fashion show at Southtowne Expo Center in Sandy. This was Aja's 9th year, Ty's 3rd and Alakina's 1st! I was asked to be Alakina's "personal assistant" since Aja would be busy getting dressed for her sets. I gladly obliged!

Alakina showed up on Friday with rollers in her hair, her very own model bag and even her own "make-up" bag (which consisted of sheer pink lip gloss and clear mascara!). She was adorable! She was excited to get on the catwalk and was actually a real pro!

Of course, she was a hit! She was all smiles and waved to the crowd...on the very last show, she told me she didn't want her flowers...as she made her entrance pose, she dramatically "tossed" her flowers aside and proceeded down the runway...it was too cute!

As a proud "Nana", I just have to post her tear sheets from an earlier booking she had for "Melaleuca". She had 4 pages in their national catalog...Again, she was a true professional!

I'm so proud of her! She's a natural...but more importantly, I'm proud of her mother, Aja, who keeps her grounded and keeps her a 3 1/2 year old, not allowing make-up unless absolutely necessary, and very minimal at that. She knows that as long as Ali loves doing this, she can continue...when it stops being fun...she will stop. Aja is a pro as well and is so far from "Stage Mother"...I'm very proud of her!

Floss...I Beg of You!

I am a "teeth" fanatic....I admit it...I have nightmares that my teeth have been kicked out by a run-away horse, or broken to bits in a car accident! Maybe that's because I suffered through 3 years of braces starting the end of my Freshman year of High School and ending my First year of College! I had 4 teeth pulled, elastics and 2 types of Head Gear...one was the traditional Geek-azoid head gear and the other was an Uber Geek-azoid head gear called a "High Pull" device.

It's no wonder I didn't date in high school and felt like a total dweeb...hey, at least I stayed out of trouble! But it did give me plenty of time to brush and floss several times per day...

It has all been worth it! As I've gotten older, I've bleached, brushed and flossed like a mad-woman...I even had to back off the bleaching as I got a bit carried away in the 90's and ended up with "Soap Opera White" teeth at one point. All of this attention to my pearlies has made me a lot of money...I've done several ads for "Ultra Dent" as well as some in-house videos for dentist offices, not to mention the other ads, billboards and commercials that sport my uber-cheesy smile...One of the greatest compliments I have received was when a captain (airline captain) asked me for some floss...he said, "You look like you would carry that with you..." I did, and he made my day.

So as you can image, I have a thing for people who DON'T take care of their teeth! I was talking with a BEAUTIFUL woman last night but her breath was horrendous...I would have chalked it up to just having an off day, but each time I have seen her, it's the same...and she's beautiful, inside and out...but her breath!

So what is it?? I have come to the conclusion, (and I FIRMLY believe this) that if you don't floss everyday, you have bad breath! Prove it to yourself...I dare you! Floss your teeth and then smell the floss...it makes me ill just thinking about it! Can you imagine all of the bacteria that hides in those small gaps in our teeth?? A dentist once told me, "You don't have to floss all of your teeth, just the ones you want to keep!"

So I am sharing with you one of the greatest finds on earth! I have used every kind of dental floss imaginable and this is my very favorite..."Plakers"...They are minty and they are SO strong...they even come with a small pouch so you can carry them in your purse or pocket or wherever...
They even make them for kids and my 2 & 3 year old granddaughters use them everyday (I'm SO proud!)

Disclaimer: I am NOT affiliated with "Plakers" in any way...just LOVE the product!
Floss America!

Just Breathe!

I KNOW we came to earth to be tried, tested and all the while we are to find JOY. This is in and of itself, a trial and a test at times. I know that "Joy" and "Happiness" are two completely different things and if we haven't figured out the difference, we will lead a life of Misery and Pain.


I have been watching the world through the eyes of the television lately. This is something that I usually try to avoid doing but with all the turmoil in Haiti and with the state of our own Nation, it's pretty hard to miss.


Haiti is in shambles! The images I see break my heart and I struggle to feel any thing remotely associated with joy. When I see the sad eyes of precious children who are orphaned, virtually naked and scared, my heart just breaks. I see a small nation polluted with rubble where buildings once stood. I see heartache, sadness, pain and fear in every image. Where is the joy?


So after last nights State of the Union address, which left me terribly discouraged, and the constant barage of photos of Haitian turmoil, I turned the TV off! I opened my scriptures and just randomly let it fall open, which it did, to Matthew 9. This is where Jesus heals a man striken with palsy (verse 2). He saw his son who was "faint" and He told him to "Be of Good Cheer..."


I thought of this verse that I have probably read over a hundred times, but this time, it hit me differently. I felt as if the Savior was talking directly to me! I have been so wrapped up in the agony of frustration that I have forgotten to look for the Joy and Be of Good Cheer.


So I started to reflect on the events in my own life these past few days. While it's true that I have experienced my own sort of turmoil, I have simply forgotten to find JOY. I have been so worried about sweet little grandson who is struggling to learn how to keep breathing no matter what. I have had deep concern for my infirm dad who keeps falling and injuring his already broken back. My son-in-law lost a dear friend yesterday to a suspicious death...It was all too much, so I went to my Yoga class. Interestingly enough, her class was focused on breathing...For one hour, I remembered to BREATHE and really focused on doing so.

Then it hit me! THIS IS LIFE! Nobody said it was supposed to be all chocolates and roses. Earthquakes happen. Politicians are not always honest. Elderly parents get sick. I get sick. My sweet grandchildren get sick. On and on and on...that's the plan, that's the way it is! I have NO control over what happens in the world and even sometimes in my own life, but I DO have control over how I handle it and the key is, FIND THE JOY!...be of good cheer.


So this morning I awoke and decided to find the joy in everything today. I let my dogs out and actually stood on the front porch for a moment to enjoy the beauty of the morning. The new snow that glistened in the early morning dawn actually warmed my heart! I poured a glass of juice and thought how blessed I am that I can enjoy it in a warm, beautiful, cozy home knowing that my sleeping husband is healthy and well in the next room. I realized that even though my dad is in constant pain, he is joyful and he makes me laugh. He is a strength to us all and continues to fulfil his role as "father" even though his body had failed him.


I realized that my precious grandson who struggles for life-sustaining breath, gives me more love than he will ever realize. I have already learned from his example of endurance. I marvel at how strong he was in the hospital these past few days as he was poked and prodded. I watched as he was hooked up to all sorts of monitors and awakened by numerous health care professionals who needed to check his vitals. Through it all, he managed to eek out the sweetest smiles. He cuddled closely with me and would look into my eyes as if to say, "it's OK, Nana, be of good cheer".

So there is the joy...I found it! It is all around us and we need to sometimes just stop and take a breath. Stop and look. Stop and be still...Stop and thank the Lord for the precious moments and very trials that help us to become stronger. As long as we have breath, we must find the joy in each breath and each moment. That is the challenge! So today, I am going to look for joy. I am going to be thankful for all that I have and most importantly, I'm going to remember to BREATHE!

Shopping...Therapy Please

I have often wondered why women LOVE to shop! I have come to the conclusion that it's built into our DNA...maybe it's because we have been deemed the "gatherers" while men are deemed the "hunters". Whatever it is, I'm amazed at how MOST women adore shopping and do it for therapy, necessity (of course) and sheer entertainment! I don't mind shopping for clothes, housewares and other "fun" items, but I HATE grocery shopping...I look at it as you're just buying poop...I know, I seriously have issues!

Anyway, if I can find a reason NOT to go grocery shopping, I will find it. It makes me crazy to get 3 shopping bags of food and spend at least $50...and that's if I'm lucky! I'm cheap, I admit, and I look for the best deals; I don't usually care about name brands, with few exceptions, and have even found better quality in some generic brand items. I had to go today and I almost PUKED!

After the drudgery of grocery shopping, I went to SLC and bought a "Cricut" machine that I have been eyeing for several months now. After doing my homework I decided on the "Cricut Expressions". It's more expensive than others, but it does everything It retails for $349.00 but I found it for $249.00 at Roberts Craft (in Utah...probably on-line as well). I was STOKED!


Now I have to figure out how to use this precious new find and also find excuses and reasons to use it! But then it happened...I got home and almost puked! This is a "fun" purchase, not a "poop" purchase...what's going on?? I started thinking about what I could have spent that money on and started second-guessing my purchase! Brad and I had even talked about it before I went this morning and decided to go ahead and make the investment...YES, he laughs and thinks I'm nuts!!

Why do I get like this?? Am I really that cheap? I AM going to keep it and I AM going to learn to love this crazy little invention...I just HATE spending money!

So now I have calmed down, I went to the grocery store ...probably the reason I wanted to throw-up...I poured myself an icy cold Ginger Ale and now I feel better.

What's wrong with me??

Baby Tage

Late last night, Aja called 911 because her sweet baby, Tage who is 2 1/2 months old, was having difficulty breathing. He would stop for 10-15 seconds and then gasp. She had oxygen for him in the house so immediately put it on him and since we were in the midst of a blizzard (literally) she had an ambulance on its way. When they got there, his O2 was around 60%...not good!

They took them down the canyon and passed multiple accidents along the way (I'm SO glad she called 911 and didn't attempt to drive him herself!!) The poor little guy had 2 apnea episodes in the ambulance and fortunately he was with the right people who took great care of him.

He is in the ICU at Primary Children's Hospital...the BEST place for him to be! Aja is exhausted and, of course, very concerned. Please keep this sweet baby in your prayers. I know that Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers, and together, we can lift our voices heavenward on behalf of this precious little boy.

Midway Boosters Committee

Brad and I have been asked to be on the Midway Boosters Committee and last night was the first meeting of the year. We gathered at our Town Hall and met the entire committee. Some people we already knew and others were quickly introduced.

The Boosters are responsible for most of the town's events and also responsible for making sure that the town funds are distributed fairly to each said event.

First, let me just tell all who may not know, that Midway was settled by the Swiss settlers because it looked so much like Switzerland to them and they felt they had arrived home. The locals will tell you that the name "Midway" was chosen because the early settlers saw the beauty and called it "Midway to Heaven". It was settled in 1891, and has grown into a beautiful resort town boasting several of the world's best golf courses and several 5 star resorts. People from arund the world come here to relax and enjoy the wonders of nature that abound at every corner! It is also the town where my husband grew up.

We started the meeting with prayer and then we were warmly welcomed by the already established members, given our assignments and proceeded with the agenda.

I have always lived in BIG cities...Los Angeles, Seattle, Ft. Lauderdale, NYC...well, you get the point...so it was very foreign to me to be sitting in a room with a City Councilman and our Mayor (who happens to be a neighbor!) Don't get me wrong, I wasn't "star struck", I just found it so odd considering my past experiences in life.

My point to this whole thing is this, I found that these 20+ people sincerely love this beautiful town that we live in. I found that they are able to deal with whatever circumstances are before them and that together they...WE...will work together to have a great year and provide amazing experiences for the citizens of our town. I found that these people would rather work together than fight for their own agendas. I found that patriotism is alive and well and that citizens who love their community can project that same spirit of patriotism into their community to promote a cohesive camaraderie for the general good of the public.

It is great to see so many "volunteers" give of their time and talents just because they love their community and what's even better is to see them give it willingly and freely. They do it because they WANT to do it!

I am humbled and honored to be a part of this great . I'm not quite sure where I will be an asset just yet, but I know that with the help and support of others, it will be clear and together, we can do anything!

Looking Forward

I once heard someone say, "If you look into the past, you're not happy!" I thought that was a pretty bold statement at the time but over the years I have come to really appreaciate the wisdom in those words. After all, we all make mistakes, we all have regrets (you know you do!) and we all wish, at times, that we could go back.

I too have had moments where I have looked back and as I reflect on that now, I see where looking back just makes me feel less positive than I want to feel. Maybe not always sad, sometimes angry or hurt...whatever the emotion, it generally is not a good one! After all, I'm NOT getting any younger and sometimes I see life slipping by at a speed that seems to be out of my control!
I made a career decision several years ago that was quite literally heart-wrenching. I'm not gonna lie, it was a tough decision whether to stay or go. I was prayerful and thoughtful as I took several months to reach the ultimate decision. I made it, I was happy and I moved on...BUT, as the years have passed, I admit, I have looked back...sometimes with regret, sometimes with sadness, sometimes with relief...

I am ultimately glad that I made the choice to leave my job and just because I made that decision 5 years ago doesn't mean I can never go back to some sort of work opportunity. I have had amazing things happen to me that I would have totally missed out on. Amazing opportunitites like being there when ALL 5 grandchildren were brought into this beautiful world. I have been able to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming more involved in my community by serving on several committees, I have taken cruises and great trips with my husband and his fellow company employees, I have been able to be with my dad when his health has taken a turn for the worst...and the list goes on and on. To me, these opportunities are priceless! These are the moments in life that would have passed with me or without me. You can NEVER get those moments back!

One of my philosophies to life is: It doesn't really matter how you DIE, it only matters how you LIVE.

So as change continues to be a real factor in life, I am trying to learn how to effectively deal with it and let it be a positive, never looking back.

Back to Basics

With the turmoil in our current economy, I think it is more critical than ever that we as a society get back to the basics in life.


I had a great lesson taught to me the other day by 2 of my sweet little granddaughters. I was over at their new house helping their mommy get boxes unpacked, things put away and helped put together a new crib for the baby...of course, these precious little girls wanted to "help" and were driving their mother crazy. Poor Aja was pulling her hair out as she was trying to work but also having to tend to the constant needs of her girls.


As I was putting the crib together, I stopped for a moment to reflect on my experiences as a frazzled young mother and an idea popped into my head...


I took one half of the crib box and made a bed for the girls to lay in as they watched a movie! How simple is that? I enlisted their help in gathering their pillows and favorite blankets and together we spent about 2 minutes to create a "new" space for just them...they loved it.


They taught me that all of their fancy toys and games meant NOTHING! A simple BOX was the solution to our problem and this appeased the girls for hours! They had fun putting this simple bed together and it was new to them. I saw that as long as they participated in creating and felt a sense of pride in ownership, they were happy as can be. Who'd a thunk?!?

My Favorite Day!

I know that people usually hate Mondays...I guess that's because they have to go back to work after enjoying their weekends. I had a job where weekends often required work so I have never been one of those "I hate Mondays" kind of people.

It's hard to say if I really have a favorite day or not, I guess it really depends on that particular day. But, I LOVE Mondays because that is usually the day that my sweetheart and I spend together just hanging out, usually going to lunch, shopping and/or to a movie. Sometimes we just hang out at home and that's OK too!

My husband works so hard and is SO disciplined! He works from home and his productivity level is off the charts...I would be a complete failure if I had a job where I made my own hours and had no one to answer to but myself...I just couldn't do it, I guess I'm too A.D.D.

What I love about this day is that it is our day to just relax and stop from the world! I usually hit the gym early in the morning, come home and get ready at my leisure and let the day happen. That's something I wish I could do more of...not micro manage myself to death like I usually do...

So YAY! Today we get to just hang together and do whatever we want to do! I love Mondays!

From Her Lips To God's Ears!

Today I was visiting 2 of my granddaughters. When we sat down to have lunch, Alakina, the 3 year old wanted to say the blessing on the food. She folded her arms, bowed her head and said, "Jesus, to the flag..."

It made me laugh...