Whirlwind Weekend in St. Louis!

We worked hard, we played hard and I made some great new friends! Got to travel with Little Black Dress Designs for the CKC at the Gateway center.
What a fabulous weekend!
Of course sleep was not really happening but I caught up on that today.
This is a hairdo that Tina came up with at the end of the day on Saturday, it explains a lot actually! She is a blast, so creative and so generous! She taught two classes on Saturday that were so well received that we ran out of chairs! People came into the booth after and said that it was one of the best classes that they had ever had, WTG Tina!

Debby is so talented, and so patient! I was the newbie, and she walked me through so many of the processes of the weekend with such kindness! We have so much in common too it was almost spooky, LOL! We heard so many compliments about the booth and how it was so many peoples favorite, it is because Debby and Cindi know what Tina needs before Tina can even ask, and they just do it! What great examples of loyalty and exceptional customer service! Love ya girl!
We shared many inside jokes most of which I was on the outside of, but instantly felt included because of the warmth and humor that these ladies all share! I don't need no stinkin' pass! They let me right into the club!
*smooches*
Cindi and I were closer in proximity! But at least she doesn't snore! She is also very talented and has a huge heart! She had a big scare on Friday when the tornadoes were in Tennessee, and we were so relieved when she got the calls that all was well! The four of us shared french fries, the bathroom, Krispy Kreme doughnuts and lots of laughs, I am so lucky to have had such a great experience! Thanks girls for keeping an eye on me!
I also had the opportunity to catch up with Erika Hayes from Tracy's Pen and the ya-ya crabshack sisterhood, and she looks fabulous! She is a hoot, and keeps me in line as well! Kisses to you too chickie!
Well, I had to come home and sleep the day away today from too much fun, but it was good to get back to the family! I did miss them, and they might of noticed that I had gone missing at some point as well!
B-

Tyler is going to New York...

And neither Dave nor I have been! So totally and completely JEALOUS and very excited for him! His AP Art History class is taking avery small group and doing a whirlwind tour! He is so thrilled, and I think it is just such a great experience to have as a 16 year old kid to go on such an amazing trip!
My payback is that I am going to go to Vancouver to visit with Christina and Terry Lazar, in the beginning of May, and I can't wait! They are doing their warehouse sale, and we are going to drive to Whistler and be tourists!
Right now I am getting packed up to go to St. Louis to help Tina with the Little Black Dress booth, and that will be fun! She had an important Birthday this week , and we need to help her celebrate! I need gift ideas for the woman who has everything, that would be something that I can afford, LOL!
Anyway, a change of pace and scenery will do me good. I will enjoy clearing my head of the heartbreak that this month has brought and having the company of good friends and a different city will be refreshing.
As some retail therapy, I ordered the Jenni Bowlin kits for the month, and can't wait to get them!
When I get back from St. Louis I will be preparing the design team kits for Lazar Studiowerx and getting them shipped out to the wonderful gals on that team, there are some great things in store for them, and I can't wait to see what their creative minds will come up with!
Anyway, thanks all for the positive energy, every little bit has helped!
B-

Sunday morning

As gloomy and terrible as yesterday was, it is the exact opposite today.
The sun is shining there is not a cloud in the sky and all is calm.
Such a lesson for me here. I really need to remember to enjoy and appreciate the calm while I have it. It is so rare and precious and provides us with the strength to weather the storms that life brings.

The crocus are the first sign of spring here, and they know how to weather a storm. They grow low to the ground so they can retain warmth from the earth. They don't have big leaves that can be frost bitten. Their blooms are very beautiful when open but they know when to close to prevent the snow from coming in and burdening their tiny petals from too much weight. They are the first food for the bees coming out of their rest and they provide much beauty to those who are looking for it.
Heavenly Father gives us examples of ways to live beautiful lives in all the wonders around us, they just need to be observed to have value. I need to learn from the crocus that there is time to come out and be beautiful after the storms have passed.
B-

Grieving

Still.
I know I will be for a while.
Losing Wendy and Avalanche within two weeks is a lot for me.

I saw the parallel in their paths with the battles they fought, and even though I knew with Avalanche what the inevitable was, didn't expect it with Wendy. I really knew she had the faith and strength to fight through it. Heavenly Father just needed her more than we did. It was so emotional to see her parents, her husband and her kids. I haven't cried like that ever. I love them all so much too, but for some reason that I will never understand, or question we had a bond that made her feel like a sister to me. Seeing her in her casket with her temple clothes on reminded me of the day she and Rick got married, and I got to go with her into the brides room as her sister. The excitement and the glow on her beautiful face is still so fresh in my mind, it was only ten years ago.
She was without spot.
So good and unassuming and generous.
Her son Dallas said to her husband Rick, "It isn't fair dad, you got twelve years with her and I only got eight." Out of the mouths of babes come the most profound and important things. In perspective, with eternity just around the corner for all of us, it is just a spec but what a blessing in our lives to find people who help pass the time here in a constructive and enjoyable way. That is Wendy, she knew how to have lots of good fun that was funny. (to quote the cat in the hat)
Wendy, I know you are just around the corner, and that we will be hanging out again soon enough, please don't have to much fun without me.
With Love!
B-

Black?

Rebecca, your true color is Black!

Your color is black. The color of night. Serene and mysterious, black conjures up images of elegant evening gowns, dashing tuxedos, and gleaming limousines. Traditionally a symbol of success, black also represents power and an uncompromising demand for perfection. Not surprisingly, you tend to set challenging goals for yourself and do whatever it takes to achieve them — your strength of character is second to none. This unfaltering determination, along with your natural elegance, impresses people. But keep in mind that your personality might be intimidating to some. Try to temper your demanding side with a little softness — trust us, it won't kill you. Overall, though, black is the color of professionalism and achievement, which means it's clearly the color for you.


My son sent me this test to do, and it was hard for me. Must be age mellowing me or something.
I am in the blackest of moods anyway, so it fit. Wendy passed away Sunday afternoon. Heartbreaking. I had made my flight arrangements because I didn't think Rox would be able to go. She worked it out so we would be able to drive down in her car together on Wednesday morning, so I cancelled my flight. We left and got 75 miles away, and the radiator in the car went wonky. That was it, we waited for the tow truck. Got her car to the dealership and it was 4:00 in the afternoon by the time it was all done. We both were exhausted, disappointed and grieving, we gave up. The funeral is today. Want to be there, I won't be. The internment is in Spanish Fork on Saturday, so we will all go to that.
Anyay, black is the theme for the week.
B-

Wendy

Had a really rotten day yesterday, and I am still trying to digest why I think it is about me, because it simply is not.
One of my very dear friends the amazing Wendy has cancer.
She had breast cancer 4 years ago, did everything right, and went into remission. She then did many preventative measures to avoid cancer in her future as well. She had a remission of about 9 months and then went in for a body scan and spots were found in her lungs and her liver. That was about 16 months ago.
Her husband called me yesterday and told me that she was in the hospital and that it was close to the end of her fight. We sobbed and then he had to go home to his children and explain to his 4, 6 and 7 year old children that mom was going to go home to Heavenly Father. It is just so wrong in so many ways. Why her, she is the most amazing person, she has the purest heart and the strongest mind. Her faith that she would beat it never faltered.
The tragedy is just so inexplicable. I am so heartbroken for her husband Rick her parents John and Alice and for her children Dallas, McKell and Halle. I also feel heartbroken in a very selfish way for myself. I am going to miss her in so many ways, she is always the voice of love and reason and I need her.
The hardest part is that she lives in So. Cal. and I am in Utah. I feel utterly helpless. I want to be there to do something for someone. To keep the kids so her parents can be with her, to clean her house so Rick can come home and just love the kids without frustration. I can't, it isn't what is needed, and it is so hard to deal with that. All I am doing is sitting and waiting for that horrible phone call and crying randomly.
Wendy, I love you. Thanks for everything you have been, I wish I could have been there more and taken a part of your burden somehow. We were only separated by miles, you were always in my thoughts and I prayed for you often. I wish that it could have been enough, but you are needed elsewhere, and I hope to be worthy to be near you again. You were an amazing angel on earth, I can only begin to imagine how incredible you will be with no boundaries or limitations.
B-

The Cyber Party is ON!

So today is the official Elizabeth Dillow cyber party!
So here are the links for the around the world celebration!I am going to try to keep up with the links, but so many people LOVE and ADORE Elizabeth, that it is going to be hard! The darling, amazing and uber talented
Miss Elizabeth Dillow
and her Fabulous Friends!
Nadine
Renee
Micelle
Katy
Susanna
J.J.
Marie
Melissa
Kelli
Susie
I will update as more come in! So much fun to share the love!
Keep passing it on!
B-

Congrats Elizabeth!

Elizabeth Dillow, new Hall of Famer for 2006-2007!
We are so proud of you and so excited for your accomplishments this year! I hope that you enjoy your year, and can't wait to see what your creative mind comes up with next!

Basking in the warm window sun

EV loves to sleep and eat!
When she isn't eating, she is found most anywhere in the house taking a little cat nap! She sleeps at night in one of the girls room, usually Chloe's because Laurel will lock her out (she gets in her hair and on top of her pillow) and during the day she is anywhere she wants to be! In the sun under the dining room table, on my bed or some other random places (under sofas and chairs, on chairs, behind my sewing machine, etc.)She likes to be where every one is and loves to be involved in her own special way, watching behind half closed eyes from a warm comfortable sleepy haze.

Poppetology

Being a poppet! I took my own image and photoshoped it to create a more Claudine Hellmuth like Poppet. This is one of the pictures that Rox had taken of me while we were with Lazar StudioWERX in Las Vegas. Next time I will try some different things but it was fun to go crazy and just try different things!
Other wise, the weather is still stormy and is is actually snowing right now! My poor tulips and crocus are not going to know which way is up!
Still missing Avalanche a lot!
Played too much tennis this week and I am kind of feeling burnt out. One win one loss both in third set tie breaks. Would rather have won the one we lost, but oh, well that is tennis.
Volunteered at a fundraiser on Friday night and it was a group I will probably not voluteer for again, it was not a very positive experience.
Kelly is coming to visit at the end of the week, and it will be a nice change of pace. She will only stay for a few days, but she is bringing Pico her dog, and it will be fun to have them around!
Anyway, that is about it for now.
B-

In like a Lion and out like a Lion?

February was gorgeous.
Not too hot or cold, too wet or dry.
Saved it all for March!

Chloe shoveled the front walk Sunday afternoon with a fresh six inches on the ground.
This was last night with a beautiful alpenglow on the foothill
Woke up today to about seven and another three or four fell in the next couple of hours.
And of course because it is Utah, if you don't like the way the weather is all you have to do is wait five minutes and it will be different.

Now this afternoon, the snow is completely melted off the back deck and it is sparkling, we call it BlueBird here!
So like March! Where is the lamb?
B-

Changing the Spin

Time to change my spin, been feeling a negative pull and so I am going to push it back around through sheer will power today!
Missing Avalanche.
Okay now that is out of the way, all my wonderful good stuff has room to come out!
I have been on a design team that I just love working with Little Black Dress Designs!
Tina Masterjohn is so talented, accepting and wonderful, and has really been a blessing in my life! I get to do some travel dates with her, and the first one is in St. Louis and I can't wait! Only a few weeks away and it will be so fun! She has let me give some input on some products, and it has been so great to feel valued! Thanks Tina!
Just this last week, Christina from Lazar StudioWerx placed me on her design team and is having me help with coordinating the talent. I am really excited about this opportunity! The women that I will be working with are all very talented and I hope that I can help meet their needs and Christina's! I also just ordered piles of rubber stamps from Lazar and can't wait to get to play with them!
I have never been a stamper kind of girl, but these are so amazing, I am converted!
It has been gloomy for about ten days and another set of storms is coming in later but it is sunny and blue here in SLC today, and it feels so good!
B-

Totally forget to mention this earlier, but it is PI day, and that is a holiday in our house! 3.14 is a fabulous number, and we have a few nerds who live here, so we love this day!

Heroes

Found this quote on the talented Miss Kelly Angard's blog The Crafty-Girl , I love to look there for strength and support, the lady has great insight!
"HEROES: There are few things as powerful as having people in your life who want to see you succeed and thrive. Most goodhearted people are willing to help others and make sacrifices...they only ask that other people do the same. And finding people like that in your own life begins with serving others." from NO EXCUSES by Kyle Maynard

Tina (Little Black Dress Designs) and Christina (Lazar StudioWerx) are amazing, and I wish that I had taken a better picture, I adjusted it, but the light was just too bright from where I had shot this from in the booth! And a pic of Rox eating was the best I could do to get her alone, she is usually in the middle of all the pictures I take surrounded by people she loves!
These three women are FAN-Freakin-TASTIC! Heroes really! Great people who go through each day doing the very best they can with what they have to do and be! Great examples of taking the high road for the right reason whether it makes them feel better or not!
I want them each to know that I love and appreciate how wonderful and unique they are! Thanks so much, I love you!
B-

March 8th at 1:00 p.m. A time to remember

Avalanche passed away.
We miss him. He is a big dog, and our hearts have big holes in them.
When all of us got home safely from our daily obligations, a light beautiful snow fell for a few minutes. It was a wonderful and perfect closure for us. It was as if Avalanche sent us this moment to say Heavenly Father has it at the perfect tempurature here, and I'm doing great!
It was incredible.
I am so relieved for him that he isn't in any more pain.
He will be the best guardian angel, and we know that Heaven has a special place for dogs, the most unconditional of all creatures.
I had to put some of the highlight shots in as a tribute to his memory.

A long wet walk with Laurel was a smelly, delightful, soggy experience for both!
Anytime you get to snuggle with such a love muffin you are the lucky dog!
one of our favorite ways to tease Avalanche was by pushing his ears up and calling him Easter bunny, and then pushing his ears forward and calling him the big bad wolf. He was always in the mood to play, and loved the attention!

The holidays won't be the same without him, he was always in the middle of everything checking it all out! But the real gift was him leaving hair everywhere....

...and we will long be remembering him as we pull his fluff out of towels, clothes and off the furniture!
Thanks for everything baby dog, we cherish your memory!
B-

40 what?

Today is Dave's birthday!
Happy Birthday!
He is 40 today, and a little stressed about it! He keeps telling the kids that he is 28 (yeah right!) Like they are still going to fall for that one big guy!
I hope that you enjoy your day, and have many more!
B-

Have to start saying good-bye

We have come to a point of realization in the last week that there is no longer anything that we can do to help or prolong the life of our beloved family member Avalanche. It was a hard thing to take his limb and give us more time with him, and it has been wonderful in so many ways. We need him and love him and he does so much for all of us. It has given us time to really enjoy what and who he is and to make the most of his time here. But that doesn't really make this place easier. It is a very hard lesson in mortality for the kids, and Dave and I just are sick about it.
He is so beautiful even in his most trying of circumstances, and even though he needs the comforting from his pain, he absorbs our tears in his sweet fur. The lessons of appreciating what you have while you have it, are ones I hope we never forget.

It was a rough day at our house. The baby is getting worse with each day, and it looks like from the swelling in his legs that his kidneys are failing. We don't want him to be in any more pain, but it is just to hard to say good-bye. We are all really struggling with talking about it and trying to be realistic, but it hurts each of us so much.
We have been letting him out onto the deck a couple of times a day, he enjoys it so much. It is so hard to watch him try to get up to get out though and then watching him shiver after only 20 minutes out there. He used to be able to sit out on a cold day for hours when we would let him, so for him to shiver, he just isn't right.
Chloe took these pictures so she could do a drawing of him for her art class. Her drawing turned out beautifully, and I am sure that it will be a treasure for her when he is gone. It was very wise for her to use him as a study right now, I think it was a very therapeutic thing for her to do.

We took the kids to see a movie hoping that it would be a good distraction for all of us, but we saw "Eight Below" the dog sled movie that Disney put out. It was cute and had a nice story, and on any other day it would have been fine. It just made me that much more depressed. I came home and slept for 3 hours after crying. I just can't look at a big dogs liquid brown eyes and see the majesty of what Avalanche was, and that he isn't at that place any more, it is just heartbreaking.
I have been a huge 24 fan from the begining, and I am trying to watch it to get distracted, but nothing is working right now. I can't pay attention and it is just moving to fast for my brain right now. I won't be able to catchup and know what is going on in the next episode, and it is just making me grumpier.
We have the tivo going on the olympics so we can watch the mens GS and hopefully the womens super-G. The freestyle ariels are also going, and we really enjoy those, so that will be interesting.
It was a long weekend with the kids home for 4 days, but i am really glad they had that extra time with Avalanche, I hope that it was enough for them to be able to day good-bye with.
WE LOVE YOU AVALANCHE!
B-

Friday Night Blogging

How sad is it that at 9:30 on a Friday night I am home blogging!
The Olympics are on, but it is Ice Dancing (not my favorite event!) I would really like to be doing something interesting, but it just shows how you really change as you get older! What would I rather be doing? Twenty years ago it would going out dancing, or taking a long walk on a cool downtown street and people watching. A late dinner or some dessert somewhere. Now the coolest thing we get out and do is a movie, and if we are lucky before the sidewalks get rolled up in Salt Lake City, we find some dessert at the Porcupine (last seating is at 10:00.
I used to be the Tommy Burger girl with a gross chiliburger and Pogen's cookies at 2:00 in the morning! Now if I eat anything after 8:00 I might as well be spackiling it right onto my thighs and buttocks!
Anyway, had a long week, glad it is coming to an end. Tomorrow will be interesting , but not horrible as I won't have to sit in the car running my entire families rearends up and down the I-215 corridor for my entertainment value!
The hardest thing for me right now is that Avalanche is getting really bad, and I just want to cry all day, but I am trying to love him as much as possible while he is with us. I knew it would be difficult, but the reality is ugly, it isn't much longer and I am really going to miss him more than I can bear the thought of right now.
On a more positive note, I got my first design team work for Little Black Dress sent to Tina on tuesday, and I am very happy with how it all turned out. I am absolutely in love with Christina Lazar-Shulers Papers
Lazarstudiowerx
So most of the stuff I have been doing is with her paper!


These papers are so amazing! Rich and elegant, bold and artistic they need so little to just make everything look great! I have about five more layouts that are done. I was able to get home from Las Vegas and put together 8 layouts and three cards and two tags in in less than ten days.
I guess when I get a pile of mojo I gotta go with it! Thanks for the amesome mojo Christina, you rock!
B-

Designer Dinner fun!

Rox and I had such a great time at the dinner catching up with friends we love, and making new friends who are so wonderful! I met such a fun, cute girl, she had on the cutest green wedge shoes and of course I had to compliment her on them. That cute girl ended up being Tia!
We had to take a picture in honor of the silly carrot avatar I use once a while (which apparently is memorable enough to provoke pictures like this)
Loved meeting May, she is such a sweet PEA! She, Rox and Tia were so cute together, hanging out and being cool!

Another fabulous moment for me was the Kim Mattina moment!
I just love this woman, and she is amazing! She was wearing super GLAM beaded jeans, my jacket was way over the top, so we had to have a SUPA STAH moment!

And of course there is the Specklebird! Jessie Baldwin baby, gotta love ya! So talented, crazy, fun and wise in one little body, she is the whole package! I wish I had gotten to spend more time with her, Rox and I did catch up with her at the Michael Miller booth doing her make-n-take, but next time we are in LV, she is OURS!
There were so many give aways at this dinner, and the gift bags were so heaped with amazing goodies! When we checked in we were given our goodie bags, but there were a few left over. I never win anything, but my name was actually called (by the MC Jessie!) and I won another goodie bag!
got to spend some time with the adorable Robin Werlich, we had a good run at the dessert bar during the evening! Sadly (LOL!), no pictures of our gluttony!
B-

I met Thena..

a year ago at CKU-M in Anaheim! It was such a treat, and she is so loved, by me and everyone else! She is the PUB Mom ya know! Well I have pics from that last meeting but seeing her at the designer dinner was just so great!


So I am not good at setting up links in my blog yet, something to work on!
But I loved how Sharon from Bluegrass Printing, Thena's publisher, was so great to share her plethora of CHA photos! Thanks Sharon, you are wonderful!

More CHA pics!

It was so great to get to meet Kelly Angard at the Memory Makers booth while she was doing her make-n-take! And lucky Rox and I, guess who else is there, YUP! Sonda! Yea us!
I have to PLUG Kell's book, it is so rockin'! She has it beautifully organized, and of course her work is such eye candy anyway! FABULOUS! So getting to hang with Kelly after doing the ATC swap was really fun!

Of course, I LOVE Sonda! She is amazing and that is that! We first got to meet at CKU-M in Anaheim, and it was such a blast! But meeting Baylee and Dwayne was so cool, awesome family! Next year a PEAs day at Disney is definitely in order, LOL!


Anyway, want to post more pics from CHA, I just have to torture Rox to get them. That is part of my evil plan, and then world domination through scrapbook brainwashing and hypnosis, hehehehe!
B-

The first few pics from CHA in Vegas Baby!

Got to meet some AMAZING people this last week!
Have to start with my PEEPS!

I worked for Lazar StudioWerx, and they were the BEST people to share time with!
Christina is the artsy-fartsy braniac that designed the paper and stamps (which are beyond delicious!) and Terry is the Saintly Sherpa and entertaining face maker! Then there is Tina! The Little Black Dress lady who is so clever!

I learned so much from them, and they were so tolerant of me!