Here's A Little New York Eye Candy

Just to wet your whistle!
When hubby and I travel (which is rarely these days),
but back in the day when all we did was travel...
we loved to always get something for our home to remember the trip by.
That way each time we would look at that item, it would remind us of some exotic location.
As I scurried around New York City, I snapped lots of photos of the eye candy all around, thinking I would make this awesome collage to have blown
up and framed and perfectly displayed in our humble abode.
GO AHEAD, JUST GIVE HER A LITTLE CLICK...IT"S EVEN MORE FAB CLOSE UP!
Here's the rough draft....I think it's turning out great so far.
It was even worth all the incredibly confused stares I got from busy
New Yorkers wondering what the heck I was up to!

We're Back!

After many delays, airports and LOTS of sightseeing and SHOPPING...
We arrived home at about 2 a.m. this morning. We were greeted by this cute sign and our kids throwing up....AHHHHH
I can't wait to share with you the amazing things we experienced. I'm going to have to formulate some sort of strategy here, there are hundreds of photos.
It was all we had expected and so much more!
More details to come (after we get through the throwing up :)
I've added a new header just as a teaser.....

Cute Little Brit

Wasn't she the most darling little puppy ever?

Here's What We're Up To Today....

Ellis Island

Meeting Lady Liberty

10 Years Ago......

I won the love and affection of the man I adore for a lifetime.....
the man that all the mothers in our small hometown wanted their daughters to marry.....
the man I met at a New Year's Church dance in 1990 while I was a date of one of his best friend's....
a man that said, "Wow, where did you find that girl?" when I walked into the room that night (how exciting for me, he was a college boy).....
the man that sent me my first roses& a Guess Watch on my 16th birthday....
the man that didn't know what to do when his car overheated the first time he came to pick me up on a date and my mom had to hose his radiator down for him....
the man that taught me to drive a car (a Red Mustang to be exact :).....
the man that watched me courageously run the mile at the state track meet.....
The man that gave me "a penny for my thoughts"when I was 17, I still have that penny.....
the man that accidentally missed my high school graduation....
the man that took me to my first concert (Depeche Mode) as my graduation gift....
the man that moved me to my college dorm at SMSU my freshman year....
the man that told me that year he knew I was who he was suppose to marry...
the man I decided to ignore that freshman year because of some other silly boy....
the man that waited for me to come back to him....
the man that forgave me for ignoring him all those years and made me promise to NEVER ignore him again.....
the man that still wishes I would go to a haunted house with him (maybe this year is the year)....
the man that made me promise the night before our wedding that if we ever had a daughter, we would name her Abigail.....
and the man that I got to be lucky enough to raise three beautiful children with...
I love you so much!

The Story of Us

Sweetie and I went to see this the night before our wedding....
I sat and loudly sobbed, and sobbed, and sobbed in the movie theatre in Lahina.
It isn't a sugar coated version of marriage, some sappy romance if that's what you're thinking.
It shows a couple and their life together, both the highs and the lows.
It shows how easily we can become selfish and loose that connection that we have to one another.
It shows how they find that connection again and recommit themselves to making things work. It's simple really, just say you're sorry and always be committed to being a better partner.
We own this movie and I love watching it now and again to be reminded what a blessing marriage is.

Bliss

Maui
October 17, 1999
Oh, and I want this body back ASAP!

Thursday's Thought

"Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave and impossible to forget."

This picture was taken at my bachelorette party just a few days before I got married and moved away from my sweet college girlfriends! I will never forget returning home from my first visit to Utah and sharing with them that I was suddenly getting married to someone special from my past. Undoubtedly, they all thought I was emotionally unstable. Then they met HIM....they fell in love instantly with his charm and good looks. When they saw us together THEY KNEW it was the REAL DEAL. It's not been easy, being so far away from all of them all these years. We've shared our happiness and sorrows over the long distances between us. Every couple of years I get the chance to go back to Missouri and spend precious time with them. We even have visitors to Utah occasionally. I am grateful they are all an important part of my life still.
P.S. Not sure what the yellow glasses are all about?

And We're Off.......

New York City, Here come The Hills!

Old Friends

I had the chance to meet two of my fellow Class of 1994 CHS Alum in Salt Lake for dinner last night....It was fun catching up with them. I hadn't seen one of them since our graduation night over 15 years ago!

Less Than Perfect.....

That is how I would describe my feet at the moment.
I went to see the podiatrist for what I thought would be pretty straight forward double bunionectomy......WRONG
My right foot will be operated on at the first part of November and be casted for about 4 weeks. No biggie, after the first few days I will even be able to bear weight on it. He's going to remove the bunion and adjust one of the bones in that foot slightly.
My left foot, on the other hand is a complete train wreck!
Bones 8-12 are turned the wrong direction, which explains the unceasing pain for the past 11+ years!
They are going to have to go in (end of December), remove the bunion and then do something to turn the bones. Failing to do this will result in hobbit feet :)
I will not be able to bear weight on it AT ALL for 4-6 weeks.
At the moment, I can't sit still for 4-6 minutes...It will be my very own version of HELL.....
Good thing I work in a retirement community and it will be completely acceptable for me to come to work and ride around in a little jazzy. LOL!
All I can say, is I better get a pair of dang sexy shoes after all of this!
Marathon...HERE I COME!

Brittan & The Green Tomatoes

I love the way she use to turn her head when you would talk to her as if she completely understood what you were saying. I think maybe she did fully get it. Key words like ball, walk, ride, go would totally set her off.
We are missing her so much still.
I began cleaning out the garden last week and thought of last fall. My parents were here visiting from Missouri and we all laughed until we cried. As we pulled tomato plants, we discovered many green tomatoes under the plants. Brittan quickly discovered they could be used as balls and we spent days playing "tomato ball" until they were all gone.
I remember how she would catch a ball you throw straight up in the air.
I remember the sound of her collar clanking as she came in the back door.
I remember the safe and comforting feeling of just having her sweet spirit fill our home.
I miss that and always will....

THRILLER!

We had a THRILLING time with you guys!
Thanks for playing!

High School

My 15 year class reunion was a few weeks ago....
Although I didn't go, it was a fun time for me to think back about those fun years I spent at CHS.

I really loved growing up in a small town.
I love that Justin and I grew up in the same small town.
The fall always reminds me of the many football games, bon fires and cross country meets of my youth.
I thought I would share with you some of the cute photos from my senior year.
Oh, how I wish I could have the wisdom then that I have not gained easily.

Have a Great Weekend!

Don't Forget to Lick the Bowl!

Guess Where We're Going to Get to Go!

I know, this is post #3 today, but I wanted to share that thanks to Mr. Hill's brains and my Internet research, we have landed tickets to be guests on the October 15th taping on the Letterman Show! We're a perfect match I tell ya! He had to awnser a random trivia question about Dave to get us the hook up..
Woot Woot!

Soccer is FUN!

I'm his biggest fan!

GO, GO, GO!!!!!!

Isaac's final soccer game was last night.
He has enjoyed it so much. So have we.....
He's learned a lot this year and playing with all of his buddies has been a bonus.
We've even convinced Ethan to play on the Spring Team.
Next up, we're moving on to Cub Scouts.

Thursday's Thought

Be Grateful. How thankful we ought to be. How comfortably we live. How very easy is life compared to what it once was . . . We have the miracles of medicine, the miracles of science, the miracles of communication, transportation, education--what a wonderful time in which to live! . . .I hope you walk with gratitude in your hearts, really. Grateful people are respectful people. Grateful people are courteous people. Grateful people are kindly people. Be grateful."

~President Gordon B. Hinckley

Wednesdays Are....

Dance Days....

The day that princesses get to tap, tap, tap and T~W~I~R~L!

What's For Dinner?

My Great Grandmother's Sweedish Meatballs with Egg Noodles and Garlic Snap Peas

This is one for our kid's favorite meals. The very smell of it through our house just reminds me of my childhood days spent at my grandmother Ana Belle Arthur's home.

2 lb. lean ground beef
3T Zesty Italian Dressing
1 Egg
1/2 C Italian Breadcrumbs
1 t dried minced onion
Dash of salt, pepper and italian seasonings

Mix together and form desired size of meatball. Important-brown in skillet for 5-7 minutes before placing them in baking dish. This get most of the grease out.
Place in baking dish. Pour 1 large can of Cream of Mushroom Soup over the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes on 400 degrees.
Serve over boiled egg noodles, using the excess cream of mushroom as gravy.