Six

Today, six years ago, I became a mother. Again. Harley became a big sister for the very first time. Emma had her third sister – and she was peeved the new baby was a sister, let me tell you (she finally got that brothere she wanted so badly two months later). My parents had their sixth grandchild. Our lives changed forever.

Reagan has added spunk, frustration, laughter, drama, adventure, fear, heart, and excitement to our lives. She has blessed us beyond measure, and she has tried our patience beyond the limit. She speaks her mind – even when she knows it will get her in trouble. She is independent, loving, boisterous, and wonderful. She loves to explore, play in the mud, dress up, wear girlie frou-frou, and her family.

There is no way to explain her – you just have to meet her.

She is my baby angel.

She is Reagan.

She just is.

I’ve bEEn Abducted!

By Alien Bees!

I have finally purchased a photography light (a B1600 from Alien Bees)! I’m so excited! I’ve been wanting one for a very long time, but have never been able to get one. My Bee is “Martain Pink”, and it is AWESOME! I am a natural-light girl for most portraits, but I do feel the need for additional lighting from time to time.

I spent the past few days playing with it, learning how to use it, and practicing. I am working tonight photographing the Winter Formal dance at IHS, and it will be so nice to have a light instead of using my flash.

I love seeing the light!

Taking Shape

I know this picture looks pretty bland, especially with the non-existent plants, but to me, it’s progress. GREAT progress. The flags are the outline of the house we’re going to be building this Spring, and they help me visualize sitting inside the completed home looking out on the river. I can’t wait! We are so excited to finally be at a point where the dreaming is turning into action.

Our dream ~ taking shape.

Love It!

Harley

Harley has been working hard all year to earn her Self Manager button, and she finally made it! She received her button and bumper sticker Tuesday morning during a Student Body Assembly. She was thrilled ~ especially since it was a surprise and she didn’t know she was getting it!

Way to go, Raisin! We are so proud of you, and we love you bunches!

Mom & Aaron

My Girls Weekend

I had a WONDERFUL weekend! I spent time with great friends, relaxed, and learned a lot. I saw a part of the country I had only ever seen from an airplane before. Utah is beautiful, and I can’t wait to go back again. I have always wanted to go to Zion and Bryce Canyon, and now I just can’t wait!

On our way home Sunday, Kathy, Carrie, and I travled through Park City. We stopped at the Olympic Training Center and toured the museum. It was amazing! For a mere $200 I could have paid to ride a bobsled down the run, but I’m a chicken and cheap, so I just looked at it instead.

Friday night, we had a HUGE crop for all the consultants there, and then Saturday, we had a full day of training. I learned a lot, and I am so excited about the new products Creative Memories is coming out with! They have finally caught up with the rest of the industry with innovation, but the most exciting change is that they will now be offering TRUE 12×12 pages for their books. No more specially sized papers or cutting down papers you like because they don’t fit!

Some of the Details (for you, Shannon) from our meetings – excuse the crummy shots.

I’m not quite sure what this desert is, but it was YUMMY!

I am not Mormon, but I really wanted to see Temple Square because I’ve heard it was so beautiful. It wasn’t just beautiful, it was stunning. It really was a beautiful sight to see, and I’d encourage anyone who visits Salt Lake, Mormon or not, to visit.

I loved this architectural detail on one of the buildings by our hotel.

Saturday night we got a little side-tracked during our search for the missing cell phone, but we still had a great time! Our hotel room seemed to be the place to gather if you wanted to have a good time.

Anyway, that is my weekend in review. I still feel like I’m way behind, though, because we’re at the end of another weekend already!

The girls and I went to my parents’ house in Cove this weekend, and I didn’t pick up my camera once! It actually felt pretty good to just relax, scrapbook some more, and enjoy my time iwth my family.

We made it!

I left Cove this morning at 7:15 a.m. our time, and we pulled into our hotel in Salt Lake City at 4:00 p.m. our time. Carrie, Kathy, and I had a great drive (though I must admit I slept most of the way between Baker City and Twin Falls, Idaho), and we had really good roads the majority of the way.

When we were crossing the Idaho/Utah border, the wind was blowing so hard the snow was blowing off the mountains and swirling around the valley floor. It was like watching the ocean waves, only the waves were white. The view was absolutely stunning! I managed to take a couple pictures while we were driving along.

Once the three of us got here, we joined up with the rest of our group and ate dinner at the Red Rock Brewing Company. Yummy, yummy, yummy. Loved it!

Have a great weekend!

Oh so much better!

Today was a much better day! I woke up happy (though with very little sleep), had a GREAT day at work, and headed out of town for a long weekend. I am going to a Regional Convention for Creative Memories Consultants in Salt Lake City. As one of the ladies who is going put it, “it’s cheap Prozac to have time away with other adult women”. Loved that.

I decided a lot of my issue yesterday was my outlook on the day, and how I approached each situation. Then tonight, when I got to my mom & dad’s house and got to open my birthday gift, I was thrilled – I got a book I had asked for for Christmas! It’s one Lindsay had recommended, called Lists to Live By. I love it, and I can’t wait until I have time to really sit down and read it. There is a quote in this book that totally was right on!

“Our attitude at the beginning of a job will affect the outcome of the job more
than anything else.”

I’m thinking that I got up a little cranky and started my day that way. In turn, rather than looking at the “silver lining” of the issues I was having, I let each one get me down. Every time another situation arose and I felt frustrated, angered, upset, or whatever, those feelings multiplied exponentially so that by the end of the day I was miserable and so was everyone around me.

No more. I will wake up each day and choose to have an attitude that will carry me through the day rather than drag me through it.

Ugh!

It’s been one of those days. You know the kind – nothing goes right from the moment you get out of bed. The day could only get better if you were able to turn right around, get back into bed, and do nothing until the next day arrives. There was not a thing that happened today that made my day better or easier to handle. I am so tired, and I am nowhere near being done with my day. I just don’t want to even make any effort to do anything the rest of the day.

I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that
He didn’t trust me so much. ~Mother Teresa

I love that quote, and I completely agree. I cannot wait to go to bed so I can wake up to a brand new day. One of my favorite quotes is from the book series, Anne of Green Gables. “Tomorrow is a brand new day with no mistakes in it”.

I can’t wait!

Miami is the Best!

Okay, so I know that in light of their current season’s record, my Miami Dolphins are furthest from the best team in the current NFL. However, after the Patriots’ dismal performance against the Mighty Giants, they are still the ONLY TEAM WITH A PERFECT SEASON RECORD!

Yay Dolphins!

Ideally, I would have loved to have seen them in the Superbowl, but two weeks ago it looked as though my second favorite team, the Green Bay Packers were going to make it there instead. No such luck. I really would have liked to have seen Brett Favre in one more Superbowl before he retires (maybe next year, right?).

Great Season, Packers!

So today comes along, and as soon as Green Bay lost two weeks ago, I decided to root for the Giants because, quite frankly, I just don’t like the Patriots, Tom Brady, or Bill Bellichick. I don’t have much respect for many of the players on their team – but that’s beside the point. My team for the day, the New York Giants, pulled off a superb upset and defeated the New England Patriots. I am thrilled!

The Patriots did have an unbelievable season, going 18-0 until today, which is an amazing accomplishment, and I give them props for that.

However, Eli and the Giants overcame huge odds and played a smart, tough game and won (therefore keeping my Dolphins’ record intact)!

Thank you, Giants!

We had great company today, ate way too much, and laughed a lot. It was a great end to a short weekend.

Almost

al·most
Pronunciation: \ˈȯl-ˌmōst, ȯl-ˈ\
Function: adverb
Definition: very nearly but not exactly or entirely

Today was almost my birthday. Nearly, but not exactly. I actually wasn’t due for over a month, but my mom began having complications, so the doctors decided to induce her.

Unfortunately, at the time, my father, a biologist, was conducting research on ground squirrels. My mother adamantly refused to have a baby on Groundhog Day when that baby’s father was involved in studying the habits of such creatures.

Lucky for me, my mom dug in her heels and the doctors finally gave up when they realized their battle was futile.

Two days later, instead, a very lucky baby girl was born to that stubborn mother and quirky father.

So, you see, sometimes “almost” is better than exactly.

I wouldn’t trade my luck for anything because when it comes to parents (including the in-law kind), I think I have the cream of the crop. Thank you, Mom, for making the doctors wait two days, and thank you, Dad, for being the crazy researcher you are. And thank you, Tom & Carol and Mick & Susan for stepping in when my parents aren’t around.

Love you guys!