Sore Wednesday

This is Debby and I while we were in Chicago at the designer meet-n-greet.

I am so sore today after the training session yesterday and then an hour tennis lesson with some girlfriends that absolutely crush the ball. It is a good sore, but sore just the same!
Getting lots done on HOF stuff and printing piles of pics.
Working on organizing the room too, that is going to take me a while, lots of rearranging to get it right!
Have a Brrrrr-eautiful day!
(it is still reeeaaaly cold here!)
B-

It has been almost a week...

since I posted.
Actually I think that I am just talking to myself, so updating is for me.
But I was recently reminded that this is a great way for people to keep up with what is going on with each other!
So I am going to try to be better at getting the story out, interesting or (mostly) NOT!
So Sunday evening, so very lucky to get to have dinner with a supertalented and wonderfully kind friend named Debby Shuh. Most people know her for her work with Anna Griffin and Canson, but I have never got to have a class from her. I have gotten to know her from CKU's and trade shows. She was in town to film for some CKU online classes that look like they would be cool!
She is from Upstate New York, so of course getting to see her was a total treat!

It is also FRIGID here! Below normal temps and a huge high pressure system have created crazy cold temps that keep you from hanging outside for very long!

I love the winter and the snow, but when it is this cold, NOT SO MUCH!
I have been trying to capture some of the cool looks that the snow and ice leave for our viewing pleasure. I really WANT a much better camera.
Kids are doing homework, Dave is hitting a tennis ball, so I am going to the scrap room for a few minutes to do some work and some organizing!
I got my Pottery Barn shipment today, and it is so COOL!
Will post pics after it doesn't look like a bomb went off in my room!
It is going to be a couple of weeks or de-junking and prioritizing projects, not fun but important!
I have been working on a Hall of Fame entry, and I am starting to see the finish line.
I don't think I have a snowball's chance, but it has been a learning process. That means growth, and like it or not it is a good thing to experience!
So if you don't mind keeping your toes crossed for me and sending loads of good vibes, I would REALLY appreciate it!
Went to the gym to meet with the gal who is doing my training, and it was hard.
I have a long way to go, but I really want to lose it, so perseverence might be my word for the year.
I have been trying to think of one for the Ali E. challenge, but words are very important to me, so I don't want to choose one for the entire year to lightly! That is soooo me, afraid of commitment, LOL! Perseverence might be the perfect fit, but commiting might be the bigger challenge, hehehe!
Anyway, love to all my friends!
I cherish and appreciate each and every one of you!
B-

Went to the Gym

No really, I did!
I used to LOVE the gym, now NOT SO MUCH!
Ten years later and 15 pounds heavier, I decided that it was time to reign it in.
It was good to go, it hurt. I will be sore, but it had to be done.
I spent an hour with a trainer who helped me identify my major weaknesses and muscle imbalances. These are big problems for me because of the type of knee surgery I had it created most of the imbalances on purpose. So slow and steady should get me back on track and $50 bucks an hour (choke, that I don't have!) I will be healthier and stronger than I have been in years.

Getting excited about going to Anaheim in two weeks too.
I would love to be going with my sis, but that isn't in the cards. The good part is that I will get to hang with EmKayEss! I adore Mary Kay, she is so smart and funny and she is great at putting up with my eccentricities! She just ignores me, LOL!
Lazar has some very cool line updates and it will be great to spend the week with Christina and Terry in the booth!
I am also looking forward to catching up with ALL the people at the show!
Anyway I am going to go drink a bunch of water to try and flush all the lactics that are startng to build up...
B-

Recharge!

Love the holidays, love the excitement and energy of it all!
I also tend to get a little tired!
So this week I am in recharge mode. No big appointments, deadlines or projects!
IT is so nice.
I got an entire afghan crocheted this week! Seriously! I will take pics and share, it is gorgeous, I totally love the colors and it is so yummy that EV, the kitty gave it the purring seal of approval! It is chocolate brown, turquoise blue and variegated browns. It sounds old school and it totally is! My oldest son told me I was getting extra nerdy on him. I am I admit it!
I also went and had FIVE inches cut off my hair yessterday, yikes!
Fresh color new style with lots more layers in the front and way fewer in the back, good change! I loved how my hair was before, but it was just time for a new look!
I'll get a pic of that too!
So, it is a big beautiful snowy day here, so happy for that! Love the snow!
I am ready to get back on track with my other creative things that were set aside.
New goals of going to the gym and getting my body put back together have been set.
All part of the recharge!
B-
update:
This is the pic of the delish afghan!

The Post post

We of course have our Christmas Eve tradition of new jammies, but this year I got them for Dave and I as well!
Hilarious!
We made dipped pretzels for the neighbors, they were really cute and ummmm very tasty...
We did make sure that all elves got to have one (or two!) for dessert after dinner that night!

We do the twelve days of Christmas so that the little things that would get lost on the "big" morning get a little more appreciation. One night was the game "Clue" and I have to say that I still get a little welled up when I see them playing together and really enjoying each others company! Very cool!
We had a gingerbread night for the mommies at Aunt Brianna's. This was hard for the kids cuz they usually get to do the decorating, but I actually got to do the picking and planning, and I really enjoyed it! I haven't decorated a house in I can't remember how long, what a treat for me!
I know, kinda selfish, but I promise that it was a one time thing!






We had a beautiful holiday, snow on the ground cheer in the air and lots of time together as a family!
This holiday season has come with a twist. I have noticed the change coming in our family dynamics. Tyler took his first job as a peer instructor at Deer Valley. he is growing up and it is hard to watch! He loves his job and he will be very good at it, he loves kids and he is very patient with them. Very proud of him and his desire to work hard!
Laurel has matured substantially in her capacity for understanding and even though she is still a very impatient person, she is a bundle of joy!
Chloe is such a young lady! She has loved spending time with her BFFs, the cousins!
She has been able to spend so much time with them this holiday season and it has been loads of fun for her!
Carter is still the easiest going guy ever! He is happy if there is something to do and someone to hang out with! He is adorable and it breaks my heart to see my baby getting so big!
So that is the twist, my little family isn't little! They are big.
They are not going to be here for very much longer, and I am trying to squeeze every last bit of me time in with them that I can!

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

This time of year is so gorgeous! We had a very large snowfall on Sunday and it was so soft, quiet and serene...
until Laurel and Carter decided that it was time for some snowplay! I had to follow them out, and over 150 pictures later we were laughing so hard that our cheeks ached! It isn't very often that these two get to play together anymore with her being 15.5 and he being just 11 still. But the one thing that they can agree on is that a snowball fight no matter how unevenly matched is great fun!
It is a good thing that our Utah snow is very light, with a very low moisture content it has a hard time sticking together to form a weapon with any bite. Instead what happens when you throw a snowball made from this powder it distintegrates mid-air, showering your opponent with a glow of fractured crystals! So even when you get "hit" in an uncomfortable spot, it is still very tolerable!
This was one of my favorite days this year, and thanks to my camera, one that I won't run out of references for.

One of the pics I took of Rick's family last week, I love how they were all having so much fun together, the girls are still getting used to the idea of snow all the time. Growing up in Texas and just recently moving here has been quite an adjustment for them, so they still do things Texas style. Ya know, flip flops when it is snowing...
Anyway, LOVE them and LOVE that they are really close now!

Got their Christmas card done also, it is sooooo them, LOL!
This time of year makes me very grateful for my friends and family.
I just received a christmas card from my wonderful Grandfather, and it brought tears to my eyes. How fortunate I am that I still have my Grandpa here on this earth and that he remembers and thinks of me! Makes me glad that I have the beliefs that I do.
Anyway, hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season!
B-

December blahs

We celebrated Chloe's 14th birthday with her cousins, Ellie turned 12 ywo days before, and Olivia had her 7th birthday 3days before. It was crazy with lots of goofing around and a huge chocolate cake with candles in it for all of them to blow out together! Chloe got a couple of really cool gifts, spent some of her shopping spree money on some lotion and books and is saving the rest for the after holiday sales! Smart Girl!
I took lots of pictures of Rick and Brianna with the girls for their Christmas card, I haven't edited any of them, but they are soooo cute! I can't wait to see which one they are using!
Holly one of Tyler's best friends had her birthday on the 30th of November (same day as Ellie's) and I made her some Christmas cards as a b-day gift. She is a Senior, involved in everything, and just way to busy to have time to do it herself, so I thought it would be nice for her to have some to send out. I hope she likes them, I used Sande Krieger's new Christmas stamps from Autumn Leaves and I am biased, but they are so stinking cute!
Anyway, December is crazy and I have a giant case of the blahs right now. I am trying to get some design work done for CHA and also get some LOs submitted so I can say i am still trying to be a "professional" in the industry...
HA!
I am glad for the creative distractions, they are helping me stay on track.
That being said, how do you get mojo-nated for the holidays when you just aren't feeling it?
Any thoughts...
Let me know!
Peace, Love and Holiday bliss!
B-

Grateful!

Okay.
Total whirlwind November.
Started off with a little bit of a bang, I was thrilled to learn that two of my albums had been put in the Junkitz back to the books albums contest final 35.

Vancouver...
Wow, totally crazy. Worked hard, played hard, laughed hard!
yeah, yeah, yeah.
Christina and Terry were the best. I came back home with a beautiful new toque (green and pink!) a pile of amazing new stamps that are recent additions! I got to go sit in Terry's seat for a hockey game that was a blast, Terry made me his wonderful chocolate chai loaf (twice!) and then they sent some toffee home for the kids that was terrific!
Am I a lucky girl or what!
So after Vancouver I had a few days to recuperate, play some tennis and find out that I got moved to a 4.0 rating, woooohooo! That is so great, I have had this as a goal for sometime and it has taken some hard work and tough matches to get there!
yay me.
I also came home to my Jenni Bowlin kit. Dave wonder why I subscribe, almost every month I have already previously bought or aquired through hook and crook what she has in her kit. He wonders why I haven't started my own kit club...
Duh, way tooo much work!
I so love her kits and her little extras that I can't get my hands on are what makes it all worth while! So her project this month was adorable, and I am just not that creative or willing to think of so much fabulousness all the time!
Jenni has the best brain to pick for projects!
I had a great time putting together her grateful centerpiece and my 15 year old took the pics for it...
she really surprised me with her thoughtfulness and gratitude. She took pictures of our pantry with the food in it, the sink and toilet, the dishwasher, microwave and oven, fridge etc. Wow, it really touched me how she really gets what matters and how lucky we are to have those things!
Dave surprised me after much HINTING with Bare Naked Ladies tickets. Great concert.
I love this band, my kids love this band. The story is that we had tickets for all of us two and a half years ago. Then I had to have knee surgery, tickets were 3 days after the knife. Yeah, didn't get to go. They had a great time and brought me a t-shirt, thanks. I was on drugs hooked up to the go to guy at the time, Ice Man. A must have by the way if you are condsidering doing the knee surgery thing.
So, if he hadn't got these tickets, I might have had to call an attorney.
We had a wonderful time, BNL was all that!
Then Thanksgiving was upon us, and I am a serious control freak with this.
I must cook.
The turkey is brined for 12 hours, the jams made, the pies and rolls baked, the sweet potatoes and stuffing prepared. There is a level of perfection that I expect from myself, and it can be a little intense to be around me when I am in the zone.
That being said, four botched batches of rolls later, I did have to let that go, they were not great and the kids ate them anyway! I was so grateful to have my family together, (Roxanne and her family were missed!) We had a day that I will never forget. If it is what heaven is like, sign me up! The kids (all 8) didn't bicker and played and enjoyed each others company all day. The strain between Dave and my parents was not there. Rick and Briana were delightful! We ate, visited and had a perfect day in spite of my lack luster rolls! I can't imagine a more perfect day.
Saturday was a private class with a group of great gals at Memory Preserve. I had spent two months organzing and driving everyone to drink with my e-mails. The darling and amazing Teresa Collins taught a beautiful christmas album that is 40 pages of wow! The company was fun, the class inspirational and oh yeah, I won a grand prize drawing of some incredible Junkitz goodies! Thanks Teresa for dealing with me and thanks to all the girls who made it worth it!
So today, I got all of my christmas cards made and got to play some tennis, a really good day!
I also some how have had time to get some scrapping done and have really been loving doing digi work as well...


so much I want to do and just not enough time in the day.
Thanks to all the people who keep encouraging me to blog and who actually care, means so much! And you know who you are duuuude!
B-

A few pics from Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

October 31st!
Old Hallow's Eve.
Halloween!
My favorite holiday!

These pictures are from 1995!
I know that the image of the layout isn't great, but the kids are so stinkin' cute!
Had to share.
WE are so lucky, tonight the girl cousins are coming over to help the kids scavenge the neighborhood for the houses that give out "regular" size candy bars, hehehehe!
Big plans!
Of course we are one of those houses because not that many kids come through our little cul de sac, so the ones that do get the love!
I hope everyone has a great night full of playful spirits and stomache aches from too much candy!
B-

Think Pink!

October is breast cancer awareness month.
It is also Wendy's birhtday tomorrow, I have to remember to call Rick and the kids and tell them how much I love them, and cry over how much I miss Wendy.
Breast cancer needs to go away.
That being said, too many of the women we know and love are fighting this disease, so lets all pitch in and help find a way to make it just disappear forever!
Think Pinka cafe'press store by Tia Bennett is doing a fundraiser for a wonderful woman {Stef} and we should all show our support. 100% of funds will go to help Stef with her battle and when she WINS the proceeds will go to the Susan G. Koman foundation for research.
Please find a way to support the fight, if not this way then find another, we need to win this war!
B-

It takes guts!

To do halloween kids style!
Getting the pumpkins emptied and carved for seven kids is a gory and hilarious experience!
The kids have grand plans, and they are so cute when they draw their own images and then carve them oh so carefully!
We put the seven kids/pumpkins on the kitchen floor. Each with their own garbage bag opened and the pumpkin set inside.
This process saves a LOT of cleaning!
Every year we buy a few new carving sets to replace the ones we broke or couldn't find. We get out big huge serving spoons, rice paddles and ice cream spatulas to dig the slimy innards out of the crusty shells.
Every year we have one pumpkin top that is opened to large and one that is opened far too small. But this year was just that more interesting because some of these distinctions were shared with the cousins. Usually the four of my kids manage to do many crazy and silly things themselves but this year some of those distinctions were able to find new places to land! And of course I am so amped that I have my book done and waiting for all these darling pics! WooHOoooo!
It is so great having Rick and his family living so close now, the kids love having the "girl" cousins to spend time with, and I love having my brother and his amazing wife for friends! The holidays have become so much more now, and I LOVE IT!
B-

Holding my breath

Do you ever find that there are times in your life when you feel like you are holding your breath?
You are not sure why you feel like you can't breathe.
You just can't.
So I am holding my breath waiting for the moment when I find out why I have felt like I have been in a holding pattern.
I learned so much in Las Vegas, got to hang out with so many amazing people.
So here are my shouts:
To Tia, Jenn, Leslie, Becky, Rhonna and Kelly (the AL girls) thanks for being so much fun!
To Margie and her family, how stinkin' cute are all of you, it was great to meet you and Megan, call Mike he is so cute and he thought you were all that! Loved getting to do the whole photo booth thing over and over, super fun!
To all the MME guys, you are so fun, smell good and are great sports about getting worked over by Rox and I! Mike call Megan!
To Thena and Sharon (two hams!) loved catching up with you both it is always so fun to find you and get my hugs!
To Sarah and Jim thanks for entertaining me for pretty much all of Wed morning, I love to visit with both of you and love the stories you always have! Jim next time let Sarah know where you are ;)don't just take the kids to the volcano at midnight without anyone knowing where you went!
To Tif, thanks for being such a fun and understanding friend!
To Jessie the specklebird, my sistah from anotha mistah, I LOvE you! Just wish we had more time, I will plan better next time! I need pics hint hint!
To all the Prima gals, Sharon, Carla, Kim, Tina, and Michelle thanks for sharing your roof! It was so great getting to know all of you and I so enjoyed your company!
I learned so much from each of you and appreciate each of your individual talents!
To Joanna and Annie, thanks for the company at dinner, you were so fun and the delicious sauce followed by the dessert bar was just too hilarious!
To those who I am brain cramping on at the moment, thanks! I had a great time and it was because of all of you!

So on a back to reality note:
Tyler turned 17 yesterday!
It was great Mom & Dad, Rick's family and Rox and her family were all able to come up and help celebrate and a couple of Tyler's good friends from school!
So we had Chinese from Asian Star for twenty!

We had a spanking machine! Hilarious...

I'm BAAAACK!

So many interesting, educational, hilarious stories from the last week in Vegas, some of them have to stay in the vault, but others I might have to share!
But, not right now, long day driving home after a long night (not from fun)!
Anyway, I loved seeing all the peeps that I soooo love! And I loved seeing all the beautiful goodies that the amazing talents come out with!
And, only 3 weeks until Vancouver!
B-

Hump day

It was a hump day for me.
Just getting through right now.
I get to leave for Las Vegas on Sunday, I need a break. Reality has been a little too real for me lately. I have had to exercise a lot of patience and good will lately, and I am just worn down and it will be great to have a change of pace for a few days.
So I will spend the next few days packing and prepping.
And then viva Las Vegas baby!
B-

I have a been a digi'n fool!

Had one of those weekends where I couldn't be with my beloved paper and paste, so I packed up my laptop, my external drive and my mouse and took it with me!
I felt like I got so many thoughts out there onto a LO, and I was also able to try some different things that I had wanted to play with!
This scraplift is from the Ali Edwards designing with patterned paper book and the layout I lifted was one by Jamie Waters. It is good for me to use some of the designs by these artists, it really shows how to put a beautifully designed LO together. When they are balanced visually it makes a such a beautiful image and is so easy to look at. Thanks Jamie for the inspiration!
There are some really fantastic kits out there also that really help me "see" what I want to try, very mojo providing!

Anyway, so I went very geek this weekend and it was great!
Today I am finishing up a Halloween album out of Teresa Collins papers and a 7 gypsies 3 ring album with MM velvet stickers, it is so cute and just waiting for my pics from this year!
Woohoo, ahead of the curve for once!
B-

Projects

I have a hard time getting projects finished without a deadline.
I get too picky! I want everything to be perfect, and if left to my own time, it is never good enough to be "finished".
So I had a project that I had started that I wanted to be just right.
I wasn't finishing it so I decided literally 12 hours before the deadline of MM Idol that I should enter. So I finshed the project, and so glad that I made myself have a deadline, because now it is finished and I love it!
Anyway, so not really holding out hope that I will be the next MM Idol, but I am glad I used a deadline to get a very important project done!
On other fronts, I have managed to drop a few pounds (about a pant size). It is fall here and it is gorgeous. The Snowbird Canyon Raquet Club will officially be closed Saturday forever. My kids are great and Dave and I are communicating better lately.
B-

Girl Friends

Every girl needs them!
They are sanity when we have none. They are safe harbor for secrets we wish we didn't have. They are silver linings when we just see clouds.
I got to spend Saturday with girlfriends, and it was great!
We did a crop at Pebbles, and we just giggled and pretended to do useful things. It was great! Of course there are those who actually do get lots done, but that usually isn't me!
Thanks ladies, and you know who you are, for being the girlfriends!
B-

Been to long

It has been exactly a month since I last posted.
I have lost weight, (woohooo!)
I have had a dear friend lose her husband to a heart attack. Beyond sad.
I have played and lost in two tennis tournaments (with tough matches, boohoo!)
I have four kids in four different schools.
I have been creating digital layouts, so relazing.
I have been organizing a very cool album class with a very cool teacher.
I have been growing in some ways and failing in others, and I am ok with it.
I have amazing friends and a wonderful family.
I am blessed.
B-

Went off the deep end today!

Been slowly gaining weight that is making me miserable!
Bracket creep I call it.
So I finally cracked yesterday and signed up for a gym membership. Did the nutrionist and got the trainer sceduled.
My goal is to lose 25 lbs and 13% body fat.
Very ambitious, but I can do it.
This is a great week to do it, I was already disapointed in not making a DT that I wanted, and there is one more that I really want, but their is very stiff competition, so I am not holding my breath for that one either. So I figured that while I was really grumpy from all of that, I might as well jump all the way into the deep end and just get all my grumpy over with at one big ugly moment!
I have to find a way to cut 500! calories from every day, and or burn those same calories. So I can either give up scrapbooking and get off my a$$ (which is tempting given my lack of success at this time!) or I can suck it up and remove some unnessary calories! WEll, I really love scrapping and don't just do it for the "success", so giving it up won't happen. So that means getting jiggy with my food choices and commitment to exercise!
So if I seem grumpy for the next little while, offer me a baby carrot, pat me on the back and tell me it will be okay!
B-

A week without...

A week without the internet is like...
a week with no choclate
a week with no tennis
a week with no hugs or kisses from kids
a week with no newspaper
a week without tv
a week without a clue.
It was a long week.
B-

Good Gracious

Okay, I think I have finally gone over the top!
Oh, wait.
I do that everyday, with pretty much everything.
Kind of my personality.
So I am trying really hard to be very appreciative and gracious. Part of this goal for me is letting the people who I appreciate know explicitly why and how I am grateful. So I can also be intense. Very intense to be exact, like scary sometimes.
So if I have frightened you or someone you love with my intensely scary graciousness, I am so sorry!
So an explanation of why this is a goal might be in order. I had found myself with my kind of hectic schedule, postponing letting people know how I felt about what they had done for me. Then it came around to me that I had never thanked someone for something. YIKES!
So SORRY!
So embarassed!
So if I have freaked you out, I am sorry and if I blew you off I am so sorry!
So, I am going to have to try to find a happy medium!

So on another note, I did a digi layout last night, and I love it!

I found some flaws, but it is not bad for a beginning effort!
B-

Turning Forty

After our Friday morning tennis the tennis girls took me out to lunch! We had a great time and lunch was delish! I love these girls, we have so much fun together, and they are all each so unique!Friday was a great day!
So Saturday was the official birthday. We had goals. The truck had to get in to be worked on so I could get across the Nevada desert without mishap, I wanted to go find a cool birthday gift and we had dinner plans with my very fun sibs. Should have been a no-brainer! Well Dave got the truck dropped off. We continue with the rest of the day and it just kind of unravels slowly. He hadn't done anything, (don't ask) and so I was a little miffed, but it was still ok in my book because he had planned dinner and was keeping it a secret. So the shop called and told us we could come and get the truck, it is ready. So I throw on this pair of shoes to just ride the 1.5 miles down to the shop. Big mistake!So they are pretty cute shoes, and I love them to just "ride around" in.
We hop into Dave's car. It is a work in progress. A 1989 Porsche 928. I really don't like this car, it smells funny, it is unreliable and uncomfortable! It knows I feel this way, and every time i get into it something happens. My birthday was apparently not to be the exception!
So we get to the shop and my truck (that was supposed to be done) is now overheating and they can't explain why, but it will now not be ready to be picked up until later Monday morning. I am pissed because I was going to leave for Oregon very early Monday so the kids could enjoy the afternoon there. Well, now that is out of the question. I am now also out the car that transports the entire family and we have a family dinner at my aunt's houe scheduled for late Sunday afternoon-POOP! She lives in Ogden which is an hour away, so we have to cancel that as well. My mom was more than a little peeved about that!
But no, that couldn't possibly be the end of the birthday surprises!
The porsche now won't start.
Of course, I mean why would it? It knows I hate it, it is my "old lady" birthday and the day has been in decline from early on. Why not just hammer the nails into the coffin if it has the chance! (ok, I know I am projecting onto an inanimate object, but trust me, it knows!)
So back to the cute shoes.
It is about 105 degrees outside, I am wearing really cute jeans and these fabulous shoes. Now I get to walk the one and a half miles home.
Poor Dave, not a chance he can save this one! He was toast with me.
We walked about a quarter of a mile and I knew that I would never make it.
Thank God (literally) that there was a grocery store on the way. I walked over to it and bought these cool little bad boys!Now at a buck a pair, I should have bought them in every color, but then I would have had to carry them. These saved my feet and Dave's life.
It was a long and miserable walk home and Dave lost about ten pounds from me chewing his a$$ off, but we survived.
My feet were filthy but not blistered or broken!
So these were my birthday gift to myself!
The truck ended up having to stay until Monday late afternoon. They figured out that they had put in a defective part and finally replaced it. The truck was so happy and ran like a champ the whole way to OR and back!
So that was my big 4-0, pretty cool, huh!
Needless to say that everyday after that one is a great one!
B-

Turned forty, traveled and got tagged!

I haven't had a chance to update for about two weeks, well since getting home from CHA.
In that time, I had my fortieth birthday, drove to and from Southern Oregon (about 1600 miles) just the kids and I and got tagged by Christina!
My trip to Oregon was great, we were busy every second! The kids love it there, they swim, play with the dog (a huge mastiff named Duchess) ride the horses, Squizzy, Missy and Tony, and go rafting on the Rogue river. It was good to go out of town for a week and recharge, the kids needed it!

So I have been home a couple of days, getting the kids back and forth from tennis and playing in my scrap room. Laurel made the Skyline tennis team and might even be playing varsity, that would be a great experience for her.

So now that I am moderately caught up with what happened lets do this tagged thing!
1. FIRST NAME? Rebecca my nicknames are Becky, Becca, Bek and beck-n-call.
2. WHO WERE YOU NAMED AFTER? No one that I am aware of.
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? 10 days ago on my fortieth b-day, the husband of my friend who passed away called me because he knew that she would want me to know that I was being thought of. How cool is that?
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yup, it gets me there.
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Rare roast beef.
6. KIDS? Four, Oldest son Tyler he is almost 17, oldest daughter Laurel just turned 15, Youngest daughter Chloe who is 13 and youngest son Carter who just turned 11.
7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOURSELF? Yea, even though I can be high maintenance I am loyal, great at keeping secrets, patient, kind, and a ton-o-fun!
8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Nope, just can't get the hang of it. Blog is the closest I get. I have so many other things that this just isn't high enough on the must do's.
9. Do YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Coulda been. I try to save it for important occasions though.
10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yea and they are gross.
11. WOULD YOU EVER BUNGEE JUMP? NO. I am not into public humiliation, I get enough from home. I do enjoy thrills, but that is not on my list.
12. wAHT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Golden Grahams or the old standby Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch.
13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Yea it is a thing.
14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Yes, I have pushed myself in many ways physically, mentally and spirtually.
15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Macadamia Nut Crunch by Haagen Das.
16. SHOE SIZE? 7
17. RED OR PINK? Red.
19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Right now it is a toss between Wendy and Avalanche. For purely selfish reasons I would love to have my dog back snuggling with me all the time. For more realistic reasons, Wendy she is an amazing friend and her kids are to young to not have mom.
20. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Sure... I'm interested or else I wouldn't have sent it to you in the first place.
21. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW? Blue jean capris and white wedge slides that have tiny leather flowers with chrome snap centers very cute if I do say so myself (the shoes I mean!)
22. LAST THING YOU ATE? Chicken breast and half a club sandwich.
23. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? A tennis match on the tv.
24. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Lime green
25. FAVORITE SMELL? Gardenia, tuberose, lavender and my fresh baked apple pie.
26. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My sis, Roxanne
27. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Smile and eyes.
28. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? LOVE the person who sent this to me! She is amazing, the whole enchilada (Christina Lazar-Schuler) talent, kindness, generousity and patience.
29. FAVORITE DRINK? Frozen Mochas unhealthy but oh so tasty and refreshing!
30. FAVORITE SPORTS? Tennis
31. HAIR COLOR? Dark Blonde
32. EYE COLOR? Hazel
33. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No, I have great eyesight (for now!)
34. FAVORITE FOOD? Big juicy filet mignon and king crab!
35. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Pirates of the Caribbean II
36. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Blue t-shirt under white collar T.
37. SUMMER OR WINTER? Both! I love the winter the snow, the cold, skiing and all the great things that come with it. I love the summer with the long days, swimming, hikes and tennis. Can't ever wait for one to end so the other gets here again.
38. HUGS OR KISSES? Very huggy! Kisses from kids are so special, a rarity to be treasure though!
39. FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate porcupine (a local pub specialty) Chocolate layer cake with decadent ganache or a good Creme Brulee'
40 WHO IS MOST LIKELY To Respond? I don't know! We shall see!
41. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Not sure about that either to tell the truth!
42. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Black Wind by Clive Cussler and Ali Edwards latest book the Designers Eye for scrapbooking with patterned paper.
43. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? All the adult tennis tournaments for the year of '06.
44. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Tennis, Boston Legal Conan and Carson Daly.
45 ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Stones.
46. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Buffalo NY. Actually went all that way and didn't see Niagara Falls, crazy huh!
47. IF YOU WON A ROUND TRIP TICKET TO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD YOU GO? This is a hard one, Europe, Mediteranean, Egypt, Australia New Zealand....
48. wHAT IS YOUR BEST FEATURE? My husband says my eyes (while thinking of something else I am sure!) I think my smile.
49. WHAT OR WHO DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? I wanted to be a model and a clothing designer (how hilarious is that!)
50. DID YOU LOVE KOOL-AID AS A CHILD, WHICH FLAVOR? Loved Kool-Aid, any flavor that already had the sugar in it was just begging for my finger to be stuck in it!
51. DO YOU HAVE ANY SIBLINGS? Two sisters and a brother.
52. DO YOU THINK YOU LET THE "ONE" GET AWAY? No, he caught me, poor sucker!

Okay so I am tagging Sara Winnick, Mary Kay Seckinger, Suzanne Quillen and Mindy Johnson.
So girls, I would love to see what you got!

And so there it is.
B-