why i love my life

Isn't it amazing how the live's we're handed

are SO MUCH better

than what we would choose for ourselves?

Example:

I would NEVER have chosen

to be a full-time babysitter

at age 50.

But with the life I've been handed,

I now have 3 adorable,

precious children

who make me smile

everytime I hear them holler:

"Denaweeeeeee!!!"

And when I say "have" I have to admit

that I couldn't love them more if they were my own.

I love these kids.

Added blessing:

with these kids comes 2 incredible adults

I'm happy to call my friends.

Reason #2 that I love my life:

Brad and the kids

have totally stepped up to the plate.

Between shoulder massages

and offers to help out with my work

everyone is watching out for me.

Reason #3:

I have the MOST PRECIOUS

grown kids, kids-in-law and grandkids

in the entire universe!!!!

I love my life.

Girl Trip 2009

When Azure was a baby we started new tradition.

the boys had been going on annual Frostbite Challenge trips

and we thought it was time for some girl adventures.

Our first girl trip

we took the ferry to Juneau for some real shopping

(they have a "mall" and had a K-Mart)

One year we went to their cousin, Christy's wedding in Arizona.

Anyway ... we have had to miss one here & there ...

but as a rule, the GIRL TRIP is sacred time -

not to be messed with!

This year we all met in Provo for Halloween weekend.

Why do we include a picture with Brad, you ask?

We were supposed to be on the road by noon ... but I had to stop in at the production office, and as fate would have it, Brad was on 215 the same time we were, just a mile or so behind us.

So we slowed down to a ridiculous speed (for us) and waited for him to catch up so we could wave. That was a thrill :)

By the time we got out of the studio, Brad was headed our way, so we met at a gas station for a quick kiss good-bye.

Brooke wasn't supposed to arrive till a day after we did, but her sweet hubby talked her into an early departure. This meant we got to start of our GIRL TRIP right! We had all been saving money for this trip for a while - everyone secretly popped some cash into a container and Friday morning we divied it up for a fun shopping game.

We each had the exact same amount of money with which to get the BEST DEALS.

We began the day at NAME DROPPERS an incredible consignment store

in SLC. They only have top-of-the-line name brands

(thanks for introducing us, Yayoi!)

We were all supposed to be shopping for ourselves to get the very best deal of all, but Brooke and Sierra morphed the game and started picking out amazing (sometimes outlandish) outfits for each other to try on. The boutique lady was very accomodating with our giggles and picture taking. After all, we did spend a good chunk of our allotment there!

Hard to say who won during that shopping trip:

Caci got an AMAZING pair of Theory gray slacks for just $20

Azure got that darling jacket you see in one of the pics above

Sierra got a very cute white puffy vest

(Brooke just shopped like crazy for Sierra)

and me?

Well ... actually, I think I won.

I got a black wool, fully lined, J. Crew coat.

Originally over $300 for just $37.

AM I A SENSIBLE SHOPPER, OR WHAT?!

Next stop:

IKEA

My grown kids have been telling me for years that I need to go to Ikea. If you've never been, it's worth the trip!

We were all STARVING when we arrived, so we stopped 1st at their food court.

SO YUMMY.

We had SO MUCH fun there!

I think Ikea ranks right up there with Disneyland.

(definitely better than Lagoon or the Adventure Dome)

We got some great deals there - all of us.

But winner:

Brooke got a rocking chair!!!!

Also during the GIRL TRIP:

facials

games

and

HALLOWEEN

We were a group of

cute

but DEAD

dolls.

Can't wait to see what we do next year of our GIRL TRIP.

THANKS GIRLS!

happy birthday JACE

Jace was such a PRECIOUS baby!

now he's a big, tough, cool 3-year-old

I love you Jace!

FINALLY ... a regular Saturday

Yup. It was an early morning.

But absolutely perfect!

After my alone morning time full of accomplishment,

I took Brad to work and on the way home saw oodles of yard-sale-signs.

So I came in the house shouting

"GOOD MORNING KIDS ... LET'S GO GARAGE-SALE-ING"

And they all woke up happy and excited for the day.

It was a great day for sales.

Something for everyone.

The big buy was Sierra's new

ROUND BED.

Which precipitated deep cleaning .. because she gave her old bed to Bryan and Bryan's bed went to the garage for sale on craigslist. Since Bry and Sierra were deep cleaning their rooms (including washing walls and baseboards!)

Azure joined in and did the same with her room.

So, not to be outdone, I thoroughly cleaned the master bedroom too.

The house looks like we hired a maid service.

Bry's now at the movies with a friend and the girls are at a birthday/halloween party.

Everyone's happy.

especially me.

mornings

I can't help it ... I think I get this from my mom:

I AM A MORNING PERSON

Saturday morning, 4:17:

well, we all conked out last night by 9pm ... Bry in his own bed

Brad on a camping mat on our bedroom floor cuz his back is out of whack

I'm on my side of the bed,

Az on Brad's side ... and Sierra on the floor next to me.

We should have invited Bryan in and made a party of it.

It would bring back the good 'ole days... it's amazing how many people can fit in one bed, especially when 5 of them are little.

Anyway, I'm not a great sleeper anyway, so this morning

I awoke to dreams of trying to sell ads with a blue-tooth in my ear that was receiving mostly static (don't know where that came from - I've NEVER used a blue-tooth)

and decided it would be better just to get out of bed.

I was going to try to go back to sleep on the couch

but by the time I opened the door to let the

GLORIOUSLY COOL air in, I was wide awake.

So here's what I normally accomplish in the wee morning hours before everyone else wakes up:

* juice wheatgrass with my hand grinder

* make other juice

(I LOVE craigslist ... $25 for a new juicer!)

* read my scriptures

*prayers

*exercise

*catch up on facebook

*read blogs

*sometimes write a blog post

*take care of email business

*plan the day

*unload dishwasher

*straighten living room, family room and kitchen

*work on must-do things I never can do because I can't concentrate when everyone's around (currently editing the video of Gage's birth)

*sometimes I even get a shower in before everyone wakes up

Perhaps this is why I'm a morning person. It was therapeutic to make this list and see that it really is worth it to get up a couple of hours before the rest of the neighborhood!

Downside:

I crash around 8pm.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TREVOR!!!!

50 years ago today, Alaska became a state.

what can beat that????

26 years ago, Trevor was born!!!!

He has blessed our lives a million-times over.

Trevor was an EASY toddler.

In fact, he was so good I was afraid he'd never get into any trouble and he wouldn't be "normal"

That is, until I got the phone call from pre-school one day.

it was the end of the day

and they had just FOUND HIM!

I guess Trevor and his cohorts, Josh & Fang Yung had disappeared.

They were hiding in the school all along.

The school was furious.

I was relieved.

although Trevor continued his pranks through the years, he's always been

JUST PLAIN GOOD.

Trevor is kind-hearted and giving beyond measure.

Especially with his time.

Family ALWAYS comes first.

Trevor is an example to all of us.

WE LOVE YOU TREVOR!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

it's a small, small world!

FINALLY, we're on the air with

TOURISM TV

Sierra joined me in the studio on Friday to shoot 2 new shows and an interview with cast members from one of the shows.

(Thanks Sweet-Sierra)

Then Saturday night Brad and I joined our producer, Trip, and his family at the Sahara to see master-illusionist Rick Thomas and his wild animals perform.

After the show I spoke with Rick on-camera for This Week In Vegas.

(this show will air beginning Oct 28th for 2 weeks on the tourism and convention channel in over 80,000 hotel rooms)

now here's where

"it's a small, small world" comes in

Since Monday when I heard I'd be interviewing him

his name kept playing on my mind.

Rick Thomas, magician ....

Rick Thomas - married to Kim Thomas?

Kim helped us with our production of

A Nephite Christmas

when we lived on Guam.

I'd met Rick at some of the rehearsals, and although the church has 3 branches on Guam, most members at least knew OF each other.

I couldn't remember if his name was Rick though.

I didn't mention anything to anyone, but Friday night (night before the interview) I woke up (not a new thing - I wake up every night)

several times thinking about Kim.

Well, while walking from valet parking to the box office last night

I told Brad that I thought this might be the guy married to Kim and brother to Rhett (Rhett stayed with them in Guam during the time of our production and was the lead male part in A Nephite Christmas. Great voice, but he never really learned the words to the main song he performed and I wrote the words! Opening night he made up 70% of the words and it became a whole new song!)

Ok - you know how this ends....

Right before we began the interview

Trip (our producer) asked him,

"Hey - have you ever performed on Guam?"

Rick: "Yeah - for 5 years"

Me: "When?"

Rick: "15 years ago"

then we made the connection.

Cool, huh.

yup. it's a small, small world!