Brittany... you should do more of this :)

Boo, I just love this picture of you

I love the look of Christmas Eve....

I think Christmas Eve is the best part about Christmas.... :)

Christmas Spin 2008

Clark... you are the man. What you do with "Team Roadrunners" is just beyond me.... JK!

I missed some fun!

What a Story

I have this GRRREAT Christmas story that I want to share with you....! It makes me so happy to tell it!!!

3 weeks or so ago I took my beautiful Liv along with Annie and Auntie JJ to experience another "date night" together. Well.... this is how this story started....

We arrived to the store called "Build a Bear". See, my grand idea was to take Liv into Build-a-Bear... (to be a Christmas gift from me).. let her pick out anything she wanted on the animal kingdom side of things... and have the experience of making her own stuffed animal, fully clothed with costume, etc... yeah you all know the drill, I think. Oh yeah, and of course not to mention the "birth certificate" that is in tow with this luxurious retail experience. Well, it all went just fanatastic... so much fun. So as we leave the store we are all completely starving for dinner. We head on down to the food court, laughing and having just a great time. We all eat dinner, and are just having ourselves a good time together. Well... the little girls see the Chocolate Factory and jump up to take a look at those beautiful morsels of chocolate. Sissy and I slowly meander after them, grabbing jackets, etc. to catch up. As we chat and laugh with one another, suddenly I look at them in complete panic mode. "Who has the Ariel Puppy", I yell out??? oh my gosh... are you kidding me.? We run back to our table, and would you know??? PUPPY IS GONE!!! A few people around us mentioned that a man came by and swooped this adorable puppy up and yes, he did inquire as to who it may belong to, but then left with it. Hmmm, a bit strange I think, but maybe he's concerned and has turned it in to the customer service area of the mall as was suggested by a few folks around. We make our way to this service booth, requested any info they might have, but to know avail. A very sad little Liv was so devastated that her puppy was gone forever, that someone would just up and take it like that. Well, let me tell you... this Grammy's fighting instincts weren't going to end there. My instincts got the best of me, and I quickly came up with the grand story that Christmas was the most magical time ever and that Santa watches everything and everyone and knows how to get "Ariel Puppy" back and will have it safely delivered to my Liv on Christmas morning. Hmmm... well we all know... this is now going to require a bit of creative effort from Grammy to pull it off successfully.

So... over the course of the next few days... I have several people so involved in this story by simply telling them about our escapade in the mall together on our little girls date night. One friend even went to the mall before I could and made sure that the "Ariel costume" was still available to buy. (big demand). She called me during a holiday night out with my family, just to let me know that there were "8" of them left and should she buy one right now to ensure I wouldn't miss getting one? What a good friend, seriously... but I politely declined as I knew I would be getting to the mall the next evening. Well, time did get a way for a few days, and once again panic started to set in. My number one goal truly needed to be to get back to the mall and make another Ariel Puppy NOW!!! Finally, I made it and yes the costumes were in and I made a new Ariel Puppy once again, birth certificate and all.... everything just as exact as it was the night I took Liv.

A few days later, I had Liv for a "sleepover" at my house. I had hid this adorable little puppy in my closet by my bedroom. While showering the next morning... would you know??? Liv made her way into the closet and FOUND PUPPY!!!! Oh boy... are you kidding me??? I stepped out of the bathroom, towel clenched, dripping with water, and there she was... Liv, standing in front of me, holding puppy, tears in her eyes, bewildered and completely shocked. I looked at her with the same shock and dismay? Liv!!! What are you doing with that??? She looked at me with those bright green eyes full of tears... "but Grammy... why did you take my puppy? Oooh boy. Here we go I thought... and boy did I think fast. Baby, ummm... see... it's like this. See... uh this little girl, uh, I believe her name is, ummm, yeah it's a... "Carli"... see she is just a little girl like you, and umm she comes from a family who doesn't have a lot sweetie... so you see, Grammy thought that maybe I could go make a beautiful "Ariel Puppy" like yours so that we could bring her something special like what Santa is going to bring you on Christmas morning. I told her about you and how special your puppy is and she wanted to have one just like yours. So, I was thinking that maybe we could take "Carli" this one that Grammy went and made and maybe we could take a few other toys to her house and make her feel special this Christmas. What do you think?

Would you know... my Liv was so on board with this story that she had every toy in mind that she owned that she wanted to give to Carli. For 3 days now, my Liv has been talking about what she wants to give Carli for Christmas. She hasn't even thought about herself and what she wants. Wow. I've got to make this happen and be sure that this is the most important part of Christmas for my granddaughter... for her to feel what this thing we do at Christmas is really what it is all about. I am realizing the responsiblity that is on my shoulders to see this to it's ultimate end.

The girls in my office are all just mystified and completely determined that we are coming up with a plan to execute this so called "mock service project" but transform it into a real deal. After several pow wow sessions of what we could do, it is finally determined that I am taking Ariel Puppy and the gifts that Liv is giving up to a friend's daughter's house. The plan is all in place... they will be at their house this evening and Liv and I will show up with all of our loot in tow. We leave it at their door, knock on their door and Liv and I run... you know like the secret Santa thing we've all done a time or two. Ali and her husband will open the door and take the items once we are off, and hang on tight to them until I pick them up tomorrow morning. Phew!!!!

Well, that's just exactly what Liv and I did tonight. So... now I pick them all back up in the morning, most importantly, Ariel Puppy, so of course Santa can make his delivery to Livia on Christmas morning. Magical. The rest of the gifts? I will be taking them to the Christmas Box House and leave them for homeless children to pick up on Christmas day.

The original Ariel Puppy? Don't know where she is... I just hope that the man who took her gives her to a beautiful little girl that may possibly go by the name of Carli... or anything for that matter... just as long as a little girl gets her.

December 22nd...

MOM & DAD!!!

HAPPY HAPPY "53rd" ANNIVERSARY!!!

I LOVE YA MORE THAN ALL THE GRAINS OF SAND IN BERMUDA, GREECE, HAWAII, AND EVERY BEACH WE PLAYED ON IN SOUTHERN CAL...

...you will forever remain my inspiration... I love ya from the bottom of my heart.

Cyber

Ruff Ruff..Happy Holidays to Everyone... Love Niiko :)

Niiko sends a shout out of his warmest wishes to all of you who have supported me and my blog from 2008-2009!!! Ruff!

2008 Timeline

This time of year always makes me reflect back on the years past events. So... Julia and I decided we need to put together, with the help of Pops, a timeline of 2008's big events... there is definately something for each one of us, right? Well, it will be coming soon, in fact Christmas Eve, alright? I have several, personally, to be honest here and it's quite entertaining to see it in print... so WATCH FOR IT SOON!!!

I love you all :)

Ally is a new Mommy... Congrats!!!

Boo & Landon's sissy... Ally!

She is a doll

My Girls

My Girls are My Loves

Brittany and Katie.... you girls keep me young :)

My beeeeauuutiful daughter (cute one on the right) in one of her shining moments.... I just love my baby girl.

Thought Provoking & Captivating.... I love this...

Leonora & Russell are my dearest Grammy and Gramps... I love the feeling that Brittany captured with Liv here.

Isn't he soooo gorgeous... and yep, he's my son!!!

Jaron... you are perfect male material for Britt to experiment her photography skills on.....

Dr. J Rocks the House!

I love my handsome brother! Thanks for letting me run your front office!

I love being with all of the "JO" staff

Jennifer Harper & Olivia Bostwick... Owners of Life Salon & Spa

Meet the owners of Life! I adore them. Great savvy business women. They created a beautiful place to escape to and be pampered. I love our team.

It's been a GREAT summer... 2008!

This summer has been one of the most memorable summers for me. I was given the lucky chance of being laid off from the company that I worked with for 8 years!!! Lucky you say? Yes! I was given the time to be home with my boys and to simply catch up and smell the roses. It has been wonderful. Every single minute. So many new doors have opened... we don't realize what we are missing when what we are doing is so completely routine. Life is so incredible with so many experiences for us to enjoy that we are unaware of. I feel like I was handed a beautiful gift for free. Strange, it seems, but I feel like someone just "knew" it was my turn and that I was suppose to have my life flip completely upside down, literally. Some people really felt bad for me, but I never ever felt that way. I felt like I was being looked after. So, "thank you up there" to my beautiful Maker, the One that knows me, knows what I need so that I can be challenged in a new way and grow to a new, better level... and knows that I was ready for it. I am one of the luckiest, happiest people that I know. I still have my challenges, moments of feeling like a fish out of water, but they make me who I am and mold me to be what I know I am capable of. One thing I know for sure... is that God knows what is best for us... the good, the sad, the hard, the bad... bad only if we look at it that way. But He knows what we each need to get us to where He knows we were born to be. We just have to trust that when the lemons in life are thrown at us, there is truly a reason.

A Beautiful Day in Fairview.... Thank you Brittany for all the Beautiful Pictures!

This was such a special day... Thank you family!
Once again, Brittany gives us such a beautiful gift in her work!

A Quote From a Wise Soul & Great Friend of Mine

"You can try to repair a crack in the soul from a fall.... never to be the same from which it was created. Some never mend due to neglect and abandonment, others made stronger and more aware of the care required to protect and move forward with a new mantle of trust and joy".

Miss u Mike

Our Fav Summer Get-A-Way Is Coming!

Our Favorite PC Resort...!  I can't wait to spend time with my family here!

It's coming up!!!

Here We Are! "Team Wasatch Roadrunners"

I am so grateful for this chapter in my life!

Love you Britt & Jaron, Katie & Jason! Great Night with Journey-Heart-Cheaptrick

Such a Great Band, Journey & Heart

Wow guys... what a night!  Britt and Jar please send over the pictures soooon!  Thanks for such a fun evening!  You guys are seriously the funnest people I know,  I love you!  Hope the gang had fun at The Hotel!

Hey Hey.... Friday Night!

LOVE THESE GUYS... ALL 3!!!

Guilty....

I'm soooo guilty of NOT (yes I said that) recycling these little gems. My day:

Wake up: Drink one while exercising
1 hour later: Grab another one and pour SXinney into it (yes, this stuff is amazing)
Before Lunch: Grab another to take while driving wherever it is that I go (hehe)
After Lunch: Grab another...
and it goes like this all day until bed. I should buy stock in every bottled water company know to man.
So Brittany says to me the other day: Mom, how many of those bottles do you drink a day? And... by the way, I hope that you are recycling them???? Oops... I honestly couldn't answer her with that yes answer she was searching for. MOM!!! YOU HAVE TO BE RECYCLING THOSE BOTTLES... PLEASE!!! Ok ok, I'm listening now. (I love that my kids are now telling me how to live more responsibly) tsk tsk.

Love this message...

Thursday, July 3, 2008

You are worth it. You are worth the trouble and effort required to make your life the best it can possibly be. There is so very much you have to express, to give, to experience and to contribute to the magnificent fabric of life.

You are worth the discomfort and frustration that you'll regularly need to get through. You are worth the pain that the world will sometimes offer.

For within you is the capacity for great joy and astounding achievement. Within you are beautiful and worthy dreams that long to be fulfilled.

You are one of a kind and you are filled with a driving purpose. You are worth whatever it takes to give that special purpose a lasting and meaningful expression.

Yes, the disappointments, inconveniences, pains, problems and annoyances will surely and steadily come. Yet they are indeed quite trivial compared to the precious possibilities that live within you.

Make whatever efforts necessary, endure whatever setbacks you must, move forward through whatever challenges may come along. For there is no question that you are worth it.
-- Ralph Marston

Eric & Tracy's Summer Party 2008!

Host:
Eric and Tracy
Location:
11475 So, 2875 East Garmisch Cove (11400 So. Wastach), Sandy, UT 84092 US View Map
When:
Saturday, August 2, 3:00PM
Phone:
801-571-0996

EVERYONE... it is time for our SUMMER PARTY! For those who have never experienced it, you WILL have a lot of fun!!! We will have a live band, swimming, hot tubbing, food, and of course drinks. It's also Matt Ackerman's 40th birthday, so for those who know him, a funny card or gag gift would be fun! If you have a favorite drink or appetizer you like to bring it's always welcome!

God Bless the U.S.A. by Lee Greenwood

If tomorrow all the things were gone I’d worked for all my life,

And I had to start again with just my children and my wife.

I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today,‘

Cause the flag still stands for freedom and they can’t take that away.

And I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.

And I won’t forget the men who died,

who gave that right to me.

And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.‘

Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land God bless the U.S.A.

From the lakes of Minnesota, to the hills of Tennessee,

across the plains of Texas,

from sea to shining sea,

From Detroit down to Houston and New York to LA,

Well, there’s pride in every American heart,

and it’s time to stand and say:

I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.

And I won’t forget the men who died,

who gave that right to me.

And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.‘

Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land

GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.

MS-150... what a great time it was!

This was a phenomenol event!! You are all lifelong friends and I feel lucky to be acquainted with each one of you!!! We rocked... even though "I" lost all my steam Saturday night!

Me Today... So Happy

Joy... pure sweet joy!

MS - 150 Fundraising Event - Thank You!

LOTS OF PICS TO COME!!!

Thank you ALL for the fantastic experience to ride with each of you in the MS 150 this past weekend! Wow - what a great event and now a cherished memory! You are all wonderful people, and I love and cherish my friendship with each of you. Can't wait for next year. Love you all! Cindy

Team Roster for Team Wasatch Road Runners

Joline Wondergem
Join Team Wasatch Road Runners
Tony Alarid
Leslie Allaire
David Beckstrand
Juliette Beckstrand
Kerry Brown
Tess Brown
JoDee Carroll
Scott Chase
Richard Drake
Cindy Fitzgerald
Mike Gregg
Clark Harper
Julia Harper
Richard Hughes
Dan Lawler
Pamela Lawler
Karen Levetan
Deni Memmott
Debbie Mintowt-Czyz
Stas Mintowt-Czyz
Gary Mitchell
Kim Nate
Adam Pascale
Philip Pascale
Matthew Snyder
Jill Stearns
Kimberley Tanner
Lisa Tapp
Jordan Wondergem
Mike Wondergem

I love this feeling

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mlqzejxa9U8#

I love this song....

This I Promise You

When the visions around you

Bring tears to your eyes

And all that surround you

Are secrets and lies

I'll be your strength

I'll give you hope

Keeping your faith when it's gone

The one you should call

Was standing here all along

And I will take you in my arms

And hold you right where you belong'

Til the day my life is through

This I promise you

This I promise you

I've loved you forever

In lifetimes before

And I promise you never

Will you hurt anymore

I give you my word

I give you my heart

This is a battle we've won

And with this vow

Forever has now begun

Just close your eyes

Each lovin' day

And know this feeling won't go away

'Til the day my life is through

This I promise you

This I promise you

Over and over I fall

When I hear you call

Without you in my life, baby

I just wouldn't be living at all

And I will take you in my arms

And hold you right where you belong'

Til the day my life is through

This I promise you, baby

Just close your eyes

Each lovin' day

And know this feeling won't go away

Every word I say is true

This I promise you

Every word I say is true

This I promise you

I promise you

I must have these NOW

Chocolate Chip Cookie S'mores
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen, 2007
See this recipe on air Saturday Jul. 12 at 8:00 PM ET/PT.
Show:
Food Network Specials
Episode:
All-Star Grillfest: South Beach


Canola oil 3 bananas 10 store-bought chocolate chip cookies (the larger the better) 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 1 cup small marshmallows 1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Brush grill with canola oil.
Cut the bananas in half, lengthwise and grill, skin side down just until warm. Remove warmed banana from the skin and cut again in half.
For assembly: On a piece of aluminum foil, place 1 cookie. Top evenly with banana slices, marshmallows, chocolate chips, graham cracker crumbs and top with another cookie. Wrap foil around the sandwich and place on the grill until warmed through and melted.

My Father's Day Tribute

Tribute to "My Pops"

In a world of no guarantees and very few certainties...

there is One Man I like to call "My Pops"

He's my #1 Teacher... my #1 Man

the one who quietly watches over me when dark storms roll in

You show me through your love and generosity

that all that really matters is to beat the odds with

perseverence and integrity

You are My # 1 Man that I call "My Pops"

you are truly my rock in life when...

along stumbles in strife

Your love, your honor and humor too

cannot ever be beaten' by anything "too blue"

For you stand taller to me

than any mountain or tree
For you are what living with valor should be
The love in your eyes... the lines on your face

are truly what God simply calls "His Grace"

My Father, you are "My Hero"

Best Friend that a girl could ever have

and I want to thank you for loving me

so completely unconditionally

You are "My Pops" the #1 Man in My Life

and I thank our God for giving you to me

in this time

in this place

I love you beyond anything I have experienced or felt..

For you are the one who shows up

and carries me without help

The sunshine is now peaking through those

cloudy days of mine

But no matter what... happy or sad

I'm the luckiest girl that God gave you to me

as "My Dad"

"I Love You Pops"

your Cyber

My Girls

I love this one. Our 3 generation picture taken a few months ago.

My girls melt my heart.

Check out my Slide Show!

Check out my Slide Show!

"Flying Free" .... From a Dear Friend

FLYING FREE

There is a place I call my own
Where i can stand by the sea
And look beyond the things I've known
And dream that I might be free.
Like the bird above the trees
Gliding gently on the breeze
I wish that all my life
I'd be without a care
And flying free.

But life is not a distant sky
Without a cloud without rain
And I can never hope that I
Can travel on without pain.
Time goes swiftly on its way
All too soon we've lost today
And I can not wait for skies of blue
Or dream so long that life is through.

So life is a song that I must sing
A gift of love I must share
And when I see the joy it brings my spirits soar
Through the air.
Like that bird up in the sky
Life has taught me how to fly
For now I know what I can be and now my
Heart is flying free.

Check out my Slide Show!