Along the path...

Let the Festivities Begin

2011-10-05T22:27:00.000-06:00

Tonight, Karyn, Melinda, Andrea, and I went to dinner to celebrate "the Andreas' " birthdays. Three of us got Diablos and we urged Karyn to try them all at the same time. Melinda serenaded the event. I only caught half of Andrea in the video.

As usual, we shut the place down. Crazy fun times. I love these gals!

Thanks so much for the birthday wishes and dinner and EVERYTHING!

And Happy Birthday, Andrea, tomorrow!!!

I Spy with my Little Eye...

2011-09-14T07:15:00.003-06:00

Someone who's FIVE! How did you get to be so big?

Happy birthday, AL. May you have a wonderful birthday and a stellar birthday party this weekend.

Love ya!

QR Code Generation

2011-08-11T13:47:00.000-06:00

Get your own! Read more...

Lookie Who's Three

2011-08-03T07:58:00.001-06:00

Happy birthday, little man! You are such a barrel of fun and energy. I love your spunk and silliness, sweet nephew. Hope you have a wonderful third birthday!

It's Okay - Really...

2011-06-29T07:52:00.003-06:00

AM, I so couldn't resist this picture. I'm sure you'll love me for it one day and can't even remember why you were so sad. I love your fiesty personality and emotion. Hope you have a wonderful third birthday, little niece!

A Little Ray of Sunshine

2011-06-25T07:48:00.003-06:00

Wishing you a very happy and wonderful birthday, EL! Love you so much! I can't believe how big you've gotten. Three already? I love your fierce hugs and strength. What a sweet girl you are. You're simply amazing, little niece!!!

On Fathers

2011-06-19T07:59:00.021-06:00

On this day we choose to honor our fathers, I want to say thank you for believing in me. Thank you for your love and guidance. Thank you for your patience. May you have a wonderful Father's Day! Love you!!

Here are some quotes and poems about dads that I wanted to share. They reminded me of you.

My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, "You're tearing up the grass." "We're not raising grass," Dad would reply. "We're raising boys." ~Harmon Killebrew

A father carries pictures where his money used to be. ~Author Unknown

The greatest gift I ever had; Came from God; I call him Dad!~Author Unknown

Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope. ~Bill Cosby

"Any man can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a dad." -- Anne Geddes

What Makes a Dad

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so,
He called it ... Dad

He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it. ~Clarence Budington Kelland

A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty. ~Author Unknown

Father! - to God himself we cannot give a holier name. ~William Wordsworth

A Little Girl Needs Daddy

A little girl needs Daddy
For many, many things:
Like holding her high off the ground
Where the sunlight sings!
Like being the deep music
That tells her all is right
When she awakens frantic with
The terrors of the night.

Like being the great mountain
That rises in her heart
And shows her how she might get home
When all else falls apart.

Like giving her the love
That is her sea and air,
So diving deep or soaring high
She'll always find him there.

Surprise!

2011-05-26T07:17:00.000-06:00

In case you didn't know--it's your birthday today! Hope it's a good one full of all the best things in life. Have a wonderful day! Love your stinkin' guts!!!

It Takes Guts

2011-05-11T06:54:00.003-06:00

One of my company's advisory board members shares his experience with exercise, family, and the Ironman. Wow!

Go, Team Ed!

On Mother

2011-05-08T09:37:00.030-06:00

Thank you to my own sweet mother who wades through the weeds of life for me, watches over me, prays for me, and loves me—sometimes inspite of myself. Mom, may you have a wonderful, peaceful Mother's Day today and every day.

Below are some quotes and poem's I found about mothers and motherhood... Enjoy!

I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.
— Abraham Lincoln

God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.
— Jewish proverb

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.
— Washington Irving (1783-1859)

RICHER THAN GOLD
You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be --
I had a mother who read to me.
— Strickland Gillilan (1869-1954)

M-O-T-H-E-R

"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,
Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"
A word that means the world to me.
— Howard Johnson (c. 1915)

“Every time we build the faith or reinforce the nobility of a young woman or man, every time we love or lead anyone even one small step along the path, we are true to our endowment and calling as mothers and in the process we build the kingdom of God. No woman who understands the gospel would ever think that any other work is more important or would ever say, “I am just a mother,” for mothers heal the souls of men.”
— Sheri L. Dew, “Are We Not All Mothers?,” Ensign, Nov 2001, 96

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.
— Rajneesh

Some mothers are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same, and most mothers kiss and scold together.
— Pearl S. Buck

An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy.
— Spanish Proverb

Grown don't mean nothing to a mother. A child is a child. They get bigger, older, but grown? What's that suppose to mean? In my heart it don't mean a thing.
— Toni Morrison, Beloved, 1987

There's nothing like a mama-hug.
— Terri Guillemets

Every beetle is a gazelle in the eyes of its mother.
— Moorish Proverb

A man's work is from sun to sun, but a mother's work is never done.
— Author Unknown

Looking for a Little Motivation

2011-05-07T07:32:00.001-06:00

Celebrate Goodtimes, Come On!

2011-05-05T06:09:00.002-06:00

Happy birthday to a fabulous sister, friend, and example! I love you more than words can say. Thanks for letting me be a part of your life. Hope you have the best birthday yet with many more to come!

(Thanks too for letting me steal your darling pic!)

He Is Risen

2011-04-24T07:48:00.005-06:00

Happy Easter!

Words from President Monson

Oh No...

2011-04-23T01:01:00.002-06:00

Don't Worry Too Mush Though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd74X8pYtcs

Can I Be "Frank" with You?

2011-04-21T07:33:00.005-06:00

Thanks for sharing, Clint!

Memories

2011-04-16T12:22:00.000-06:00

My friend's husband passed away this week. It's strange. He was only 46. Complications of a heart attack. Jeanette is a widow. Much too young for either of them. He was supportive and kind. A gentle giant with an eye for photography, a quick smile, and an easy laugh. He will be greatly missed. I am greatful to know that death is not forever.

I couldn't find his obituary online, but have copied what a friend forwarded me below and the link to an article about his passing: the lacross head coach at Lone Peak High School.

Randy Stout (1965-2011)

Randall Alan Stout (Randy) passed away suddenly on April 12, 2011 in Provo, Utah, after a severe heart attack. He was surrounded by family and friends.

Randy was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada on May 14, 1965, fourth child to Lois and Monte Stout. As the youngest child, he was adored and tormented in equal measure by his three older siblings, Mark, Lisa (Brodie), and Conrad. He quickly became a promising athlete just to keep up with his brothers and sister.

He attended Randallstown High School in Maryland, where he was a star football and lacrosse player, heavily sought after by college recruiters. He also studied violin on a full scholarship at the Peabody Conservatory. His football coaches were instructed to wrap his hands well before games to protect his fingers.

Randy served an honorable two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in San Diego, California, after which he attended Brigham Young University. He played football for the BYU Cougars for several seasons as a kicker.

At BYU, he met his beautiful wife Jeanette. They were married on April 18, 1987, in the LDS Seattle Washington Temple. They have five wonderful, athletic children: Aaron-22, Zachary-19, Jacob-16, Joshua-12, and Jessica-10 years old.

Randy was a devoted and loving father, and dedicated himself to supporting all their activities. He started out coaching Jr. Jazz basketball, and eventually became the coach of Lone Peak High School Lacrosse team, leading them to a state championship. He was still coaching his two youngest sons at the time of his death.

Randy was greatly loved and admired throughout the Utah Lacrosse community for the relationships he created with the boys. He led them with kindness, and created powerful players who were respected nationwide for their skill and sportsmanship.

He also kept up his violin skills, playing 1st violin with the Utah Valley Symphony, and serving as Concertmaster of the Timpanogos Festival Orchestra for 15 years. The yearly Christmas cd’s he created, on which he sang in a warm, lovely tenor, are popular throughout Alpine and beyond. This year over 1,000 copies were shared with family and friends.

Randy was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and was serving in his ward as choir director. He was so proud of his son Aaron who just completed an honorable mission in El Salvador, and of Zach’s decision to leave home to serve a mission in Finland this summer.

Randy worked at Fidelity Investments for twenty years, where he was loved for his great attitude and incredibly funny sense of humor. Randy had that rare ability to make people laugh, which he did constantly. It was hard to be sad around Randy, because with a few well-chosen words, he could make you laugh for hours.

After Randy’s father Monte suffered severe brain damage from an unsuccessful surgery, Randy couldn’t stand to see him in a nursing home, and so created a hospital room for him at home. Randy and Jeanette lovingly cared for him in their home for five years until his death in 2000.

Randy’s contributions to church, family, and the community have been extensive. He was a great man, who leaves behind a legacy of service, love and laughter. We mourn his passing. We were not ready to let him go.

An educational account has been established for Randy’s children at the Bank of American Fork. In lieu of flowers or other donations, please make contributions to The Fund For Randy Stout.

The funeral will be held on Saturday, April 16 at 12 noon at 98E Canyon Crest Drive in Alpine, Utah. There will be a viewing for family and friends prior to the funeral at 10:30-11:45am. Interment will be afterward at the Alpine City Cemetery.

Have I told you lately that I love you? If not, I LOVE YOU! And, please, take good care of yourself.

Here's to a Hero

2011-04-02T07:20:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday, Dad! Thanks for your thoughtful and loving ways. I appreciate all you've taught me and am grateful you watch out for me. Hope you have ea fabulous birthday! Love you so much!!!

That's What

2011-04-01T18:28:00.001-06:00

Happy April Fool's Day!!!

School is Canceled for Today

2011-04-01T08:18:00.001-06:00

Guess What?!?!

2011-04-01T07:23:00.001-06:00

I can hardly even believe it. In a week and a half I'm moving to Seattle. It's been such a whirlwind and just happened so fast. But, when the pieces all fall together so perfectly, what else can you really do? Anyone wanna buy a house or know anyone in the market looking to rent?

Birthday Time!

2011-03-31T07:55:00.002-06:00

Hope it's a spectacular birthday, Bekah!!! You're amazing and certainly deserve it. Best wishes too for a wonderful new year.

Shel Game

2011-03-05T07:44:00.009-07:00

By Shel Silverstein

What?!?! Can You Even Believe It?

2011-03-04T07:23:00.002-07:00

Guess who is having a birthday?

Adam - that's who!!! Hope it's a super day!

Saturday's a Special Day

2011-03-03T07:08:00.002-07:00

Saturday is Spring Fest! Enjoy the scents, sights, and sounds of a Turkish Bazaar without leaving Salt Lake City. Come see Utah's nationally acclaimed Middle Eastern dancers, bands, and vendors offering hypnotic scents, dazzling jewelry, sparkling costumes and clothing, henna tattoos, tarot readings, and so much more!

Utah State Fairgrounds

Promontory Building

155 N. Temple 1000 W.

Salt Lake City, UT

Hope to see you there!

Saturday, March 5

10:00 am - 10:00 pm

Desert Gypsy Dance Company is scheduled to dance around noon.

Admission $7 (children under 5 free)

Free BYU Church History Symposium

2011-03-01T17:44:00.000-07:00

This sounds interesting; wish I could attend...

The BYU Church History Symposium has become the premier symposium for scholarship on Church history. Please join us Saturday, March 5, 2011, beginning at 8 a.m. at the BYU Conference Center in Provo, Utah. This year’s symposium will focus on the growth and development of missionary work and will feature several notable historians, scholars, authors, and experts. There will be two ninety-minute breakout sessions with a refreshment break in between. The keynote speaker, Lanny Britsch, will conclude the symposium beginning at 11:10 a.m. Each of the two sessions will offer 4-5 classrooms with three presenters each. All interested individuals are welcome and encouraged to come. This symposium is free to attend and registration is not required.

An Irish Ghost Story

2011-01-16T07:23:00.003-07:00

This story happened a while ago in Dublin , and even though it sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock tale, it's true.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
John Bradford, a Dublin University student, was on the side of the road hitchhiking on a very dark night and in the midst of a big storm. The night was rolling on and no car went by. The storm was so strong he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him.

Suddenly, he saw a car slowly coming towards him and stopped.

John, desperate for shelter and without thinking about it, got into the car and closed the door.... only to realize there was nobody behind the wheel and the engine wasn't on.

The car started moving slowly. John looked at the road ahead and saw a curve approaching. Scared, he started to pray, begging for his life. Then, just before the car hit the curve, a hand appeared out of nowhere through the window, and turned the wheel. John, paralyzed with terror, watched as the hand came through the window, but never touched or harmed him.

Shortly thereafter, John saw the lights of a pub appear down the road, so, gathering strength; he jumped out of the car and ran to it. Wet and out of breath, he rushed inside and started telling everybody about the horrible experience he had just had.

A silence enveloped the pub when everybody realized he was crying... and wasn't drunk.

Suddenly, the door opened, and two other people walked in from the dark and stormy night. They, like John , were also soaked and out of breath. Looking around, and seeing John Bradford sobbing at the bar, one said to the other....

"Look Paddy....there's that idiot that got in the car while we were pushing it!!!!"

In search of Some New Year's Excitement?

2010-12-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

Come zagareet, hoot and holler with Desert Gypsy Dance Company as we kick up our heels at First Night in Provo.

Performance at the Provo Town Center is scheduled on New Year's Eve at around 7:20 pm.

Hope to see you there!

Happy Birthday Little Sunshine!

2010-12-12T07:19:00.000-07:00

Another year older, already? Really??? Hope you have a wonderful day full of the best surprises and every happy thing! Love you much!

These Penguins Want to Say...

2010-12-11T07:38:00.008-07:00

It's a bit crude, but I hope you have a very happy birthday ya old fart! Love ya, Nathan!

Shout Hurray!

2010-12-04T07:14:00.009-07:00

RD - Hope you have the most wonderful birthday yet. Wish I could stop by to see you today. Know I'm thinking of you and wishing I could see you on this special day. Love you and lots of kisses!

Happy Turkey Day, One and All!

2010-11-25T07:37:00.001-07:00

Lady Gaga Parody - Interface

2010-11-18T07:02:00.002-07:00

HIStalk posted this video. It's pretty funny! But I may be a bit warped.

So, When You Say "Friend", Who Exactly Do You Mean?

2010-11-17T07:38:00.002-07:00

Is that a fairly loose or a tight term? Are we talking Facebook or something else... Ha ha ha

Witchiepalooooza

2010-11-16T07:09:00.006-07:00

Lisa, Linda and I headed out to Gardner's Village for Witches Night Out! So fun--but way crowded and my claustrophbia kicked in a bit. It's a good thing I'm fairly tall. I can't imagine what it would be like to be in a crowd like that and not be able to see anything above shoulders. Shudder.

Check out our fun night, capped off with dinner at Archibald's. We so closed out the joint! Thanks ladies for a spooktacular time!!!

Somebody is having a birthday!

2010-11-15T07:00:00.002-07:00

Somebody's having a birdthday!

Who? I'll never tell. But you might be able to guess which "bug" it is by these pictures.

Hope you have a super day full of fun and surprises.

Love you much!

Anna'a Baby Shower

2010-11-14T07:28:00.002-07:00

Witch Hunt

2010-11-13T07:46:00.021-07:00

Invariable with a birthday and Halloween in October, someone is bound to get their witch on... My darling friend Melinda hosted the most fabulous "Witches Brew" party at her home. We witches were invited to create a cap that spoke something about us. Check out the fun, creative ladies (especially the wonderful hostess, Melinda, who is very bewitching in the kitchen) below and see more witches at the brew, if ye dare. Melinda, thanks again for a super, rockin', ultra fun time!

Andrea M., Andrea B., Karyn, Julie, Deborah, Melinda

Playing nice for the camera.

Melinda's mom almost ended up hatless. I was completely green with envy and thought about pilfering her beautiful topper.

Conversation after a delicious dinner.

Workin' it!

Beautiful settings - complete with pumpkin bread bowls (Did I get a picture of the darling spread? Sadly, no.)

A bit of 'tude

My spidey sense is tingling. Check out the spider bling.

Always remember to be very specific when asking Jason to take a picture for you...

Sara and Karyn in pink.

A Piece of a Project

2010-11-12T07:28:00.036-07:00

Our company's founder (the "K" in KLAS) left for a mission in October. Prior to his leaving I made a quilt, incorporating some of the company shirts from past years as a going away/retirement gift. Part of our company logo is Utah's Delicate Arch--thus the design choice.

If I were to do it again, I would allow for a wider sashing around the quilt. The white strips on the outside edges seem too narrow to me. And a wider binding. And allow for a longer timeframe. And I might take a class before embarking on a new technique all on my own. In a previous post I shared some videos about paper piecing. Thank goodness for the Internet!

It was a FUN project, but very time consuming. About 35 of my hours are personally wrapped up in this quilt--including fabric selection, etc.

The Quilting Cottage in AF bound and quilted it for me. Overall it turned out quite well. Here are some pictures from my very first paper pieced quilt. Let me know what you think. Also if you like to sew, I'd recommend you try paper piecing.

Curried Chicken Pasta Salad

2010-11-11T07:29:00.003-07:00

Kristen (a teammate at work) and I threw a baby shower for Anna (a co-worker) yesterday. It was so much fun planning and executing the luncheon. We served curried chicken pasta salad, veggies, fruit, cupcakes and had blue punch. I didn't really measure anything for the pasta salad, but was asked for the recipe. I used my family's "that looks about right" method. Here's the recipe(ish):

Curried Chicken Pasta Salad
Fun shaped pasta
Frozen peas
Celery, diced
Apple, cored and diced (I prefer a firm, sweet apple like Fuji)
Red grapes, halved
Bottled coleslaw salad dressing
Canned chicken, drained (I prefer Costco's canned chicken) or a couple of cooked, cubed chicken breasts
Dehydrated onion (can use diced red onion)
Curry powder
Cumin
White pepper
Black pepper
Salt
Nuts (I use raw cashews)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse peas under hot water in a colander and drain well. Dice fruits and celery. Mix fruits and vegetables in a bowl. Drain pasta. Add to bowl. Add chicken and break larger pieces into bite sized pieces. Add dressing to coat and mix well. Add onion, curry, cumin, white and black peppers and salt to taste. Add more dressing as needed. Chill at least 2 hours before serving so the flavors can combine. Add a little more dressing or some thinned mayonnaise to pasta to serving if needed. Stir in nuts before serving.

Variation: You can sub Italian dressing for the coleslaw dressing, add pepperoni that are cut in half instead of the chicken, sub cubed cheddar cheese for the apples and replace the grapes with sliced olives and dices tomatoes. Since the Italian dressing already has seasonings in it, you can omit the spices except salt and pepper.

Popcorn Anyone?

2010-11-02T07:58:00.010-06:00

So I'm not much of a popcorn fan, but I came across this recipe for homemade microwave popcorn on Our Best Bites and I soooo want to try it. You can control the salt, the fat, the portion--everything.

Just maybe not for breakfast...

Brown Paper Bag Microwave Popcorn
1/4 c. unpopped popcorn kernels
1 brown paper lunch bag
Tape
Seasonings like melted butter, kosher salt, seasoning salt, Creole or Cajun seasoning, bacon salt, or Garlic Bread Seasoning

Place unpopped popcorn in the brown paper lunch bag. Fold the bag over twice, tape it shut, and gently push the air out. Pop for 2 1/2-3 minutes or until there are 1-2 seconds between pops. Remove the bag from the microwave and shake gently before carefully opening the bag. Season as desired.

Or Else What?!?

2010-10-13T11:33:00.008-06:00

And this one I just could not resist...

Puttin' on the Rice

2010-09-26T07:11:00.000-06:00

Sweet Rice
Source: Recipezaar / by knobbyknee

NOTE: The amount of sugar makes it very sweet. You can alter the amount of sugar if you would like, just remember it is supposed to be sweet! Also, let the sugar disolve in the stock so you won't have sugar that has sunk to the bottom of the pan.

6-8 servings
50 min / 10 min prep

1/2-1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 of a white onion, chopped (add more or less to your taste)
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1 1/3 cups white rice
3 cups chicken broth
1/4-1/2 cup white sugar

Put a little oil in bottom of pan (maybe about 1/2-1 tablespoon). Saute chopped onion until transluecent. Add the chopped cinlantro (no big stems) and saute a minute more. Add the rice, cooking until it is light brown (being careful not to burn). Combine the chicken broth and sugar, letting sugar disolve. Then stir into rice until combined. Bring to a boil. Cover and let cook on low, med-low until rice is done, about 25-30 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Work in Progress

2010-09-25T07:15:00.001-06:00

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Proverbs 3: 5

It Makes the World Go 'Round

2010-09-24T07:06:00.014-06:00

I've decided that life and business interconnect. A lot. Someone forwarded me an article today about 12 skills needed to be a successful leader. They can be broadened to skills needed to be a successful person. So in my standard, file-it-away-in-my-blog mode, the article is clipped and pasted it here. See original here.

Managing the Future Workplace? Start Here.

by Alan Murray at Alan.Murray@wsj.com

The last three years have seen an unprecedented financial crisis leading to the deepest economic downturn since the 1930s. In the process, the very foundations of capitalism have been upended.

Faith in business and in markets has been shaken. As Ian Davis of McKinsey & Co. put it: "We are experiencing not merely another turn of the business cycle, but a restructuring of the economic order."

How should managers behave in this new economic order?

.A few trends will clearly impact managers in the years ahead. Trust in business by the public at large is clearly at a low point and is likely to stay there for some time. Government involvement in the economy is clearly on the rise. Financing is likely to be harder to come by in the years ahead, and American consumers, who powered the global economy for decades, will pull in their wallets. Asia will likely continue to rise, and technological change will likely continue to accelerate.

Yet success in the new era won't ultimately require a perfect crystal ball -- none of us has one. Rather, it will require institutions that can survive through uncertainty and thrive amid rapid change, and managers who have the humility to know that they don't have all the answers but do have the confidence and willingness and judgment to lead their team to find them.

"The Wall Street Journal Essential Guide to Management" is our attempt to summarize the lessons of many of the management thinkers of our times, as well as the observations of the Journal's reporters and editors, to provide a guide to best management practices. While there's no silver bullet and no one-minute answers, the following general advice likely will serve you well in the coming years:

Stay flexible. Managers will need a flexible organization, so that it can be repositioned quickly to address new threats and master new challenges. You will have to be prepared to re-evaluate your mission, strategy and goals more frequently than before, in order to adjust to the uncertain and changing environment.

Devour data. Managers will need to have their "ears to the ground" in order to hear changes as they are coming. That means you'll need to seek out fresh sources of information, intelligence and data. You'll need to follow the example of leaders like A.G. Lafley, former CEO of Procter & Gamble, who required his top executives to go out into the field and talk to the ordinary women who use P&G products.

Be (somewhat) humble. Managers will not be able to assume they know the answer -- because more often than not, they won't. You'll need to be willing to hear hard truths from your employees, your customers, your suppliers and anyone else closer to a changing marketplace than you are.

Communicate. The days of keeping your head down as a manager, focusing on operations instead of external communications, are over. More than ever, managers have to become advocates. Critics will abound, and you'll need to be able to rally the support of your employees, your customers and clients and a whole array of outside stakeholders to survive and thrive.

Plan for contingencies. It's natural for people to focus on what they know, but as a result, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, author of "The Black Swan," says, we "time and time again fail to take into account what we don't know." With rising uncertainty, the advantage goes to those who can imagine the improbable. Keeping cash and other resources on hand for emergencies will also become increasingly important.

Be proactive. If you see a problem coming, don't wait until it hits you...by then it will be too late. You will need to be prepared to react quickly.

Insist on candor. To succeed in an uncertain and rapidly changing environment, it's critical that everyone in an organization be brutally honest. There's no time for dealing with the small lies that people routinely use to burnish their own record or avoid offending others. Everyone needs to know exactly where things stand at all times.

Stay involved. At times like the present, no manager can afford to be seen hiding in his or her office. It's important that you be seen out among your employees, in part to give them confidence, and in part to collect necessary intelligence.

Keep your organization flat. It was a good idea before the new era; it's critical now. You can't afford to have layers of bureaucracy between you and the action. That will guarantee that you are too slow to react.

Cross-train your talent. Good managers have been knocking down silos in their organizations for years. But again, what used to be a good practice is now essential. You need people with multiple skills, who aren't qualified for just one narrow task, and who can be redeployed as the situation demands it.

Assess your team. Few organizations can afford to have people who aren't pulling their weight. You need to be constantly reassessing your team, making sure you encourage and promote the best, and dealing quickly with those who aren't contributing.

And finally...
Use your judgment. No team of Ph.D. students building computer-powered mathematical models will ever be a good substitute for common sense. You didn't have to be a rocket scientist to know it wasn't a good idea to make housing loans to people who put no money down, or to waive rules requiring them to document their income, or to make loans with payments that would balloon in two or three years when they couldn't afford the balloon payments. The bankers who survived this crisis weren't the ones with the most sophisticated risk models, but rather the ones who kept their heads.

Write to Alan Murray at Alan.Murray@wsj.com

—Adapted from "The Wall Street Journal Essential Guide to Management," by Alan Murray. Copyright 2010 by Dow Jones & Company. Published by Harper-Collins Publishers, New York.

Getting It Together

2010-09-23T07:22:00.004-06:00

http://www.youcanmakethis.com/

It's All in Your Attitude

2010-09-20T07:22:00.008-06:00

I read an article recently on sales and thought it had a great perspective on life in general. I wanted to save it for later ues. Read the original article by Geoffrey James here. It's also below with some highlights I liked.

If you’re going to be successful in sales, you need to be the kind of person that draws other people to want to work with them. With the exception of the mentally ill, most people want to work with people who have an upbeat and positive attitude.

Unfortunately, many people (including some sales pros that I know) have sloppy habits of thinking and speaking that drain the energy of the people around them. With that in mind, here are five quick techniques that will immediately improve your attitude in ways that will increase your ability to influence others:

Technique #1: Stop using negative phrases such as “It’s impossible,” or “This won’t work,” which program you for negative results. Instead, substitute phrases like “That might be challenging” or “We’ll need some alternatives” that leave the possibility of eventual success open and available.

Technique #2: Whenever somebody asks “How are you?”, don’t come out with the something depressing like “Hangin’ in there” or “Same old, same old.” Instead, respond enthusiastically with “Terrific!” or “Fabulous!” or “I’ve never felt better!” Then make that your reality, too.

Technique #3: Stop complaining about things over which you have no control, such as the economy, your company, the customers, etc. Focus on what you can change, what you can accomplish, and what you can do for your firm, your customers, and your customers’ customers.

Technique #4: Stop griping about your personal problems and illnesses. What good does it do other than to depress you and everyone else? Remember: this, too, shall pass. Do what you can to deal with your problems and then use your energy to keep yourself on track and in high spirits.

Technique #5: Substitute neutral words for emotionally loaded ones. For example, rather than saying “I’m enraged!” say “I’m a bit annoyed…” or (better yet) “I’ve got a real challenge…” Neutral words keep your mind from getting into emotional feedback loops that keep you miserable.

Yeah, I know these techniques sound a bit trivial, but actually they’re very important. The bad habits that these techniques correct are like holes in an inner tube. If you don’t plug them up, you’ll end up pumping yourself all the time, just to keep yourself afloat!

BTW, the above is based on a conversation with Jeff Keller, author of the bestseller Attitude is Everything.

A Wee Taste o' Sumpin New

2010-09-18T07:51:00.012-06:00

Friday night I went to a concert. The crowd was pretty mellow, but the group was fabulous! They had an interesting mix of music and a unique sound and a wide vocal range. It ended up being really fun--and I bought their CD. They were an unknown band to me, but have opened for people like Kelly Clarkson, etc. The band consisted of a keyboardist, guitarist, bassist and drummer. And they are LDS.

Here's a sampling of some of their songs:

I Want You There

Will He Dance?

Hiding Behind the Song

Get Lost

Heart of the Matter (cover-Don Henley)

Wasn't That Your Plan

Use Somebody (cover-Kings of Leon)

You Could Be Why

Whenever Wherever Whatever (cover-Maxwell)

Enjoy!

Labor-less Day

2010-09-17T07:51:00.006-06:00

A day at the zoo. Beautiful weather. Fabulous company. Cooperative animals.

Congrats on retiring, Mom! What a fun way to spend Labor Day!

(Missed you much, Adam, Renee, AJ and EL.)

Little AL - Happy B-day!

2010-09-14T07:17:00.002-06:00

Happy birthday to the sweetest little peanut ever! Especially when she's covered in cotton candy. Hope it's a super day! Love you.

A Little Birthday Dance for You

2010-09-14T06:46:00.007-06:00

Lisa - Have a great birthday day!!!

Letting It All Hang Out

2010-08-26T07:07:00.002-06:00

Friday, August 27th at 6:30 PM
Mini-Fest
Cedar Hills Heritage Park
(4450 W. Cedar Hills Drive, Cedar Hills)

Mini-Fest is an opportunity for the Middle Eastern dance community to come together and celebrate an evening in dance. Performers come primarily from Utah and Salt Lake Counties. The performance should should last 1 1/2 to 2 hours and will consist of dancers of all levels. Desert Gypsy Dance Company and its three troupes will be featured performers, along with Gypsy Soul for it's second fabulous choreographic feat (we hope anyway!).

Watch dancers perform with candles, swords, fans, veils, scarves and a variety of other props as they share the story of song. Bring blankets or lawn chairs to sit on the grassy hillside. Munchies, snacks and dinner can be brought to and eaten during the performance. Additional parking is available at the nearby school and church.

A Message on Service

2010-08-19T07:53:00.000-06:00

Always try to do something for the other fellow and you will be agreeably surprised how things come your way -- how many pleasing things are done for you.

--Claude M. Bristol
American lawyer, lecturer, investment banker and foreign correspondent

Happiness is...

2010-08-13T07:39:00.000-06:00

Stripey Tights!
Happy Friday the 13th :)

All Because Two People Fell in Love

2010-08-11T06:19:00.000-06:00

Thanks for being such wonderful parents. May you have the best year of marriage yet and many more to come. Love you!
Happy Anniversary!!!

Hurray, Hurray

2010-08-03T07:50:00.004-06:00

ZM is 2 today!! Everybody shout hurray!

Hope you have an excellent birthday, little man!

(Thanks, Becca, for letting me steal some of your Disneyland pictures. I couldn't resist them....)

Engaging in Life - Golf Tournie

2010-07-27T07:33:00.001-06:00

Someone I know works at a hospital that is raising money for their cancer center through a golf-a-thon. And his son is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for a rare blood disease (Langerhans cell histiocytosis) at that same hospital.

Russ' goal is 200 holes of golf in a day! If you can spare some change and want to help in the cause, please let me know. The company I work for is gathering donations of any size this week.

Smoothie Madness

2010-06-25T07:07:00.016-06:00

It's smooooooooooth sailing from here!

Did you know you can cook with a blender? I can hardly wait to try this baby out. Maybe it will accompany me to the family reunion, complete with recipe book.

Online recipes:

Blendtec recipes

Plumberry Granita

2 c apple jouce

3/4 c plums

2 c raspberries, frozen

1 c ice

Add apple juice and plums to WildSide pitcher and secure lid. Press “Smoothies”. Add the remaining ingredients and secure lid. Press the “Whole Juice” button. Pour into 9″ x 13″ pan and freeze for 30 minutes. Using a large spoon or fork, scrape frozen crystals from edges of pan into liquid.

Repeat this process every 30 minutes or until mixture is frozen about 2-3 hours. Using a fork, scrape and break up granita into shaving pieces and serve in chilled dessert dishes.

Cashew Dip

1 c raw cashews

1/2 large red bell pepper

1 lemon, juiced

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

Seed pepper and cut into pieces for food process. Add everything into the food processor and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Pesto (Food Processor)
Ingredients:
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 ounce basil, stemmed (about 1 cup, loosely packed)
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 ounce parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated

Directions:
Put the garlic, pine nuts, and salt in the work bowl of a food processor. Process to a smooth paste. Add the basil, one handful at a time, processing to a paste after each addition. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil in a thin stream, and process until smooth. Stir in the cheese.

To sauce pasta: Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water when you drain the pasta. Toss the pasta with the pesto, and use the reserved water to thin to the desired consistency.

Very Berry Soup

4 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen (nearly thawed)
2 cups vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup orange juice
2/3 cup milk
6 Tbsp agave, divided
¼ cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen (nearly thawed)

Add strawberries, yogurt, orange juice, milk and 4 Tbsp cup agave to Basic or WildSide pitcher and secure lid. Press “Smoothie” and pour soup base into 6 bowls. Rinse jar and add remaining agave (2 tbsp), water, lemon juice, and raspberries to pitcher and secure lid. Press “Smoothie” and drizzle over soup base. Swirl drizzled mixture with a spoon for a dramatic effect.

Easy Salsa

1 can (20 oz.) whole tomatoes, do not drain
½ medium onion, halved
½ tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp salt
½ tsp cumin
1 can (4 oz.) green chilies, do not drain
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 drop hot sauce

Add ingredients to the Basic or WildSide pitcher in the order listed above and secure lid. Press the “Pulse” button 5-10 times until the desired consistency is achieved.

Recipe Blog
iFood Network
The War is on
Vitamix Recipe Search
VitaMix recipes - drinks

Summer

2010-06-22T07:12:00.001-06:00

Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.

Russell Baker, American journalist and humorist

Then again

2010-06-17T15:41:00.002-06:00

Maybe not - just found out that there will need to be a change of plans for the sprint. Info pending...

Just Tri It

2010-06-17T07:48:00.009-06:00

Come join the fun!!!

Saturday, June 19, is the first annual (if everything goes well and is fun) unofficial friends and family sprint.

Meet at 8:00 am at the Lehi Legacy Center to Run/Walk (3 miles), Bike/Trike (8 miles), and Swim (500 meters) our way through a mini-triathlon. Please be aware that there will be no support staff at the transition points.

RSVP if you would like to participate so we are able to plan prizes... And so we know who to contact in case there is a change in the time or venue.

Bike Path

Run Path

Summer Salad

2010-06-14T07:13:00.002-06:00

Mango and Apple Salad
yields 4 servings

1 mango, peeled and cubed
1 apple, peeled and cubed (your choice--or Granny Smith)
3/4 c. cashews
1 T. basalmic vinegar
1/2 tsp.cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger

Toss everything together and add a pinch of salt for flavor as needed.

Somebody's Having a Birthday!

2010-05-26T10:02:00.008-06:00

Shout hurray! In any language - I hope you have a wonderful birthday today, Renee!!!

Brontesaurus Powered Up

2010-05-14T07:05:00.001-06:00

Look What the Cat Dragged in

2010-05-12T17:52:00.001-06:00

May 8, 2010 - Utah Renaissance Faire - Complete with Middle Eastern Dancers and Pirates.

Yo ho!

Grilled Spicy Lime Pineapple with Ice Cream

2010-05-11T07:01:00.000-06:00

Grilled Spicy Lime Pineapple with Ice Cream

Ingredients:
One Can of Pineapple rings in water or light syrup
3 TBSP Agave Nectar
2 TBSP of Lime Juice, or the juice of one small lime
Cayenne pepper to taste
Your favorite low fat/low sugar Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Directions:
Drain and rinse pineapple rings.
In a bowl mix Agave Nectar, Lime juice and a couple dashes of cayenne pepper. Thoroughly coat pineapple with agave mixture. Grill pineapple until tender and slightly charred. Top immediately with a scoop of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and enjoy!!!

Something Bright and Cheery just for Spring

2010-05-10T07:07:00.001-06:00

Youtube and I seem to be having a disagreement. You'll have to follow the links to see and hear these artists.

I was recently introducted to two new musicial groups: Lunasa and Natalie MacMaster. You can hear Lunasa and watch pictures from someone's trip to Ireland on youtube. Natalie MacMaster accompanies some Irish step dancers in this video.

I really like their sound -- they make my feet tappy happy.

Feeling Negative

2010-05-09T07:18:00.008-06:00

A friend and I have been training for a sprint. Not much has been happening in the weight loss department for either of us--even though we have ramped up our exercise routine a lot. It could be that we are building muscle. I've noticed my energy level is higher and that I feel better overall since we've been training. We've thrown around a couple of ideas for dietary changes and decided to stick to the Word of Wisdom as our basic tenant.

A colleague at work told me about negative foods--foods that essentially have no calorie input because they require more calories to consume them than they hold. Not the first time I've heard about it, but I'm intrigued.

Negative Calorie Foods ~ Vegetables
asparagus
beets
broccoli
cabbage (green)
carrots
cauliflower
celery
chicory
chili peppers
cucumbers
endive
garlic
lettuce
onions
papayas
spinach
turnip
zucchini

Negative Calorie Foods ~ Fruit
apples
cranberries
grapefruit
lemons
mangoes
oranges
pineapple
raspberries
strawberries
tangerines

A Day at the Faire

2010-05-08T07:46:00.012-06:00

Desert Gypsy Dance Company will perform for the fourth consecutive year at the Utah Renaissance and Fantasy Faire in Marriott-Slaterville, Utah, on Saturday, May 8 and Saturday, May 15 at 10 or 11 am and at 1 or 2 pm. Visit the Ren Faire's website for directions.

Come cheer us on and maybe dance a step or two.

SLC SA Conference - May

2010-05-07T07:18:00.000-06:00

The Single Adult Conference will take place May 14 - 16 at the U of U Institute of Religion in Salt Lake. This annual conference is attended by over 1,000 single adults from all over the region and includes a concert by country star Charley Jenkins, Keynote address by Gerald N. Lund, a Fireside with Elder Jay E. Jensen, a dance, workshops, a humanitarian aid project and other chances to mingle with single adults of all ages.

A brochure with detailed information on the conference is posted on the Single Adult website at : slc-sa.org.

20 Questions

2010-05-06T07:08:00.001-06:00

Just some questions to make you stop and think. Then, hopefully you'll start again...

1. Who is the most important person in your life, and why?
2. What is the one dream for your life you most look forward to achieving?
3. Who has the capacity to make you angrier than anyone else in your life, and what in particular does he or she do to make you so angry?
4. Who has the capacity to make you feel loved more than anyone else in your life, and what in particular does he or she do to cause you to feel so lovable?
5. How do you feel about yourself—physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually?
6. When do you feel inspired? How does it feel when you are inspired?
7. What is the most important thing in the world to you?
8. If you had one day to live, how would you want to spend it?
9. When do you feel most afraid?
10. If you could accomplish only one thing during the rest of your life, what would it be?
11. What bores you? Why is this?
12. How important is money to you? How much time do you spend thinking about it?
13. What is the role of God in your life? Do you believe there is a God, and if so, what is God like in relation to you?
14. What three interests are you most passionate about?
15. Who is your biggest enemy, and precisely how and why did this person become your enemy?
16. How important is food to you? Do you feel disciplined when it comes to eating?
17. Does the idea of being married to the same person for the rest of your life sound appealing to you—or not so appealing? What is there about it that you would especially like or not like?
18. Do you consider yourself emotionally healthy? In what ways are you especially healthy, and in what ways could you use improvement?
19. Do you argue very much with the people closest to you? How does it usually turn out?
20. What specifically would you like your closest friends to say about you at your funeral?

And Many More

2010-05-05T07:42:00.018-06:00

Hope you have the best birthday ever, Sis! Love you bunches! You da bomb!

Hotel Horror Stories

2010-05-04T07:46:00.000-06:00

I received an email recently about horrible places to stay on vacation. Their teasers are posted further below, but I wanted to chime in with a story of my own.

Some friends and I took a trip to St. George several years ago for a weekend getaway. The details are a little hazy--and, no, we were not partaking of any substances that would impair memory. Age does a fine job on it's own. Thank you very much.

We had a coupon for a discounted room rate at a certain hotel, which should have been our first clue to stay away--stay far, far, FAR away. I remember vague feelings of foreboding as we walked to our room, being a little nervous about us single girls staying there. We should have listened. The second clue was that the pool was disgusting. The third clue was that, when we called the front desk about the fire alarm beeping for a new battery, they removed the battery and replaced the cover. The fourth clue was that one of the beds broke when we sat on it. At this point we were still laughing at the ghetto hotel we were staying in. It was humorous. A few cracks in the walls and mysterious stains on the ceiling--that's good fodder for a story. "Remember the night, when... Hahaha." So we requested a new room.

The straw that broke the camel's back was that the new room was filthy!!! Disgustingly filthy. I still want to hurl when picturing the hotel room's bathroom. We didn't even ask for another room. We wanted our money back which, of course, they would not refund. We went to another hotel anyway. Nice showers, no broken beds, clean pool, clean bathroom, no weird water stains on the ceiling and creepy cracks along the walls.

And the fire alarm had a battery. We checked.

Enjoy the other miserable travel stories below...

Calella, Spain
H Top Olympic Hotel
Woken up by the sound of breaking glass... someone fell through the window of the patio doors.
More

Las Vegas, NV
Circus Circus Manor Motor Lodge
Drunk people sleep right outside our room lying in the hallway.
More

Broadbeach, Australia
Island Beach Resort
Our belongings were stolen from our ROOM while we were in the swimming pool.
More

Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
Tropicana New Tiran Hotel
Flooded by sewage overflow twice in the 5 days that we were there.
More

Miami, FL
Majestic Hotel South Beach
He shoved the couch into my luggage, broke a bottle of alcohol in my bag and ruined my camera. More

Beijing, China
Guomen Hotel
We spent our entire vacation in quarantine - never having a fever or symptoms.
More

Albufeira, Portugal
Valmangude Jardim Aparthotel
The robber had a key to all the rooms and they somehow knew how to get into the safe!
More

Petra, Jordan
Petra Palace Hotel
A male cleaner knocking on my door at 6.30 am to say hello and ask if he could wash his face in my sink.
More

Athens, Greece
Hotel Fivos
Liked — Leaving
Disliked — The period between check in and departure.
More

Bangkok, Thailand
D&D Inn
The POLICE demanded a substantial fine...withdrawn from a conveniently placed ATM...
More

Love You!

2010-05-03T08:29:00.005-06:00

Happy Birthday, Grandpa.

Top row: Gayla, Ken, Carol
Bottom row: Dalene, Grandpa, Ella

Grandpa and Sammy

Miss you.

Sounds Like Fun

2010-05-02T07:21:00.001-06:00

Oasis Dance Camp * Camp WEST

October 6-10 on Vashon Island in Washington.

Classes from Cassandra. Sigh.

K.I.S.S.

2010-05-01T07:01:00.011-06:00

Simplicity is the key...

Part I

Part II

That's What He Said About First Dates

2010-04-30T07:13:00.001-06:00

Here are some pointers I received via a random email about dating. It's a quick trip into the male psyche called the 5 First Date Turn Offs for Men.

You may want to buckle up for this trip. Wait! Hold the entree, I'm outta here... :)

#1 - Can't Hold a Conversation: Is the conversation difficult? By appetizers a guy thinks he can tell where the date is going and if he even wants to be there for the entree.

#2 - Doesn't Ask Questions: Is she interested in the guy or does she only talk about herself and what she likes?

#3 - Lots of "Me" Talk: Some guys will count the number of times a girl says "me" on a date. Does the conversation or do the questions she asks set up conversation topics about herself?

#4 - Lack of Adventure: It's good for a girl to be willing to try something new. You may not like it, but try it once. A girl can can tell her date she doesn't like skydiving the next time he wants to go.

#5: The "ex" talk: Dwelling on past relationship(s). Just don't go there.

Ironic

2010-04-29T07:26:00.005-06:00

A colleague from work sent this picture of an emergency department sign around the office. I'm not sure if it is doctored (pun intended) or not. Either way it's pretty hilarious.

15 Tips For A Successful Webinar

2010-04-28T07:49:00.004-06:00

In case you ever need to conduct a webinar, here are some tips to help you be successful...

Webinars which are planned and executed properly can provide training for a large number of geographical dispersed attendees. There are my 10 tips to manage any Webinar.
1. Plan, in fact over plan: Create a webinar plan that includes schedules, potential speakers, what you want out of the registration process, what...

15 Tips For A Successful Webinar

A (More Real) Love Story

2010-04-27T07:46:00.006-06:00

Funny video...

How to Keep a Healthy Level of Insanity

2010-04-26T07:44:00.001-06:00

(Thanks, Pam, for sharing a laugh...)

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.
2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice!
3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, ask If They Want Fries with that.
4. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks . Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.
5. In the Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write ' For Marijuana.
6. Skip down the hall Rather Than Walk and see how many looks you get.
7. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.
8. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is 'To Go'.
9. Sing Along At The Opera.
10. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You have a headache.
11. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream 'I Won! I Won!'
12. When Leaving the Zoo, Start Running towards the Parking lot, Yelling 'Run For Your Lives! They're Loose!'
13. Tell Your Children Over Dinner, 'Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go.'

And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity

14. PICK UP A BOX OF CONDOMS AT THE PHARMACY, GO TO THE COUNTER AND ASK WHERE THE FITTING ROOM IS.

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T10:29:00.004-06:00

Happy Earth day to you!
Happy Earth day to you!
Happy Earth day to you-ou!
Happy Earth day toooooooooo you!
(And many more...)
P.S. - It helps if you sing it.

Core and More

2010-04-22T07:10:00.000-06:00

The videos didn't want to download. Find core training here and another core training one here and here (swim technique) and here (bike) and run (here) and here (transitions). Running form can be found here and here and here

Things that Make You Go Hmmmm

2010-04-21T07:07:00.001-06:00

A friend and I have been training for a sprint over the past week or two. On Monday in the gym's swimming pool area, we spied this sign. (Thanks Linda for sharing your picture.)

Notice anything odd? Instructions to call 911 in case there is a problem. Phone jack. No phone. Anyone know of a waterproof phone you can carry with you when you swim?

At the same gym, the restroom sign below was on a stall door inside the women's locker room. How exactly does that work? The sign to come into the locker room says women only, but one of the restroom stalls will accept men...

Seven Things

2010-04-17T07:20:00.000-06:00

More amazing ASL with Miley and Stephen Torrence...

(And temperamental video uploads. Please follow the link.)

But Maybe They Aren't

2010-04-16T07:39:00.001-06:00

Apartment Four - by They Might Be Giants

Twilight Twitterpation

2010-04-15T08:07:00.001-06:00

Oprah's looking for answers... and people willing to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Are you or your kids obsessed with the Twilight series? Have you or your kids read all the books, seen both movies and now you are counting down the days until the release of Eclipse? Have you already made plans for the release of the newest movie in June? Who's your family's favorite Twilight star...and why?

Why do you love the story so much? How has it impacted your life? What have you learned from the series and how has it made you a better person? Are you a housewife who's started a fan club with friends? Do you have a young adult in your family who's been inspired to write his/her own stories? Has the romance in Twilight sparked the romance in your own relationship?
Tell us how the Twilight series has inspired you or your family! Please only write if you are willing to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Should I admit openly that I filled out an entry form--or just keep that part to myself?

Say It Isn't So

2010-04-14T07:52:00.003-06:00

In humor we find truth: Check out this video

Hip-hip-horray

2010-04-13T07:08:00.000-06:00

Here's another post for my nieces and nephews.... Care of YouTube

Beat It

2010-04-12T06:58:00.002-06:00

One of the darling ladies I work with is organizing a team from KLAS to walk for Breast Cancer Awareness in the 2010 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure event on Saturday, May 8 held in Salt Lake City. It's such a great cause I wanted to give a shout out. It's also one of the days I wish I had a time turner necklace. I'll be in Millcreek Hollow in Marriott-Slaterville that day cheering them on from afar. I'm sure donations are always welcome...

You can support the cause too by Joining/creating a team, registering to "Sleep in for the Cure" , or supporting the KLAS team! General info

Birds of a Feather

2010-04-11T07:44:00.016-06:00

One of the guys I work with got some baby chicks about a month ago. Periodically he mentions how cute they are and what they are doing.

About a week ago, I had to run to IFA for some garden stuff and saw the darling little baby chickens. I've been thinking about them all week long since. Which lead to Saturday's purchase of three little chicks: a black, a golden and a yellow. And they cheep, cheep, cheep all the time.

As of yet they are nameless. If Robbie has his way, they will be Bob, Bob the Builder, and Tractor Something-or-other. Not quite what I had in mind - maybe something more like Huey, Dewey and Louie or Larry, Curly and Moe or Spade, Ace, and Joker or Obsidian, Ocher, and Amber/Buff/Citrine/Occamy/Olio or Raven, Penny and Duckling.

The salesman at IFA said their chickens pretty much only lay brown or white. All three should be female, so (if all goes well) the hens should start laying eggs when they are 6 months old. The golden and black chickens should lay brown eggs and the yellow one should lay white.

Chicken earlobe colors are supposed to indicate the color of egg. (Did you know that chickens had earlobes?) I'd hoped for red or blue or green or striped or spotted earlobes for some unique colored eggs. How fun would it be to really have green eggs and ham!

I'm learning all kinds of things about Gallus gallus domesticus (chickens).

Also, imagine my surprise when Nathan didn't decry my joke of chickens as a housewarming gift. I need to learn to stick to cats for that!

Shhhhh!

2010-04-10T07:56:00.001-06:00

Here is the secret to weightloss and good health:

“If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.”

~attributed to Hippocrates

Jump to It

2010-04-09T07:05:00.003-06:00

Especially for my nieces and nephews - Enjoy!

This video wouldn't load. Please watch it old-school on YouTube.

Sew Neat

2010-04-08T07:40:00.012-06:00

Open House Invitation

Friday, April 9th and
Saturday, April 10th
10 am - 5 pm Directions

Come see what Thimbles and Threads has planned for spring. New classes, projects, tips and tricks, samples, kits, decor, demos, discounts, fabrics and giveaways!!! Blog

Free Stampin' Up make & take flower pin

Cori Blunt, Chitter Chatter Designs, will spotlight her newest project "Baby Bracelets" and share embroidery tips and techniques from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Friday & Saturday

Once Upon a Time

2010-04-07T07:07:00.002-06:00

You'd think telling a story would be easy. That it would be a natural part of life. Something happens; you talk about it. A story is born.

Apparently telling a story isn't that simple or that natural. Sean Buvala (professional, national storyteller) emails a newsletter with tips and tricks about how to tell a story and how to tell it well. In the most recent newsletter he explains that teen backtalk isn't really back talk; it means they are listening.

Below are highlights of three points to keep in mind when speaking with the teen/tween audience (check out the full article):

Tell Your Face
When you enter a classroom of teens, do you look like you are going to have a good time? Do you plan on enjoying the next hour or so? Does your face know it? Save the "professional" face for the staid adult events when you have to pretend to impress someone with your history. When "telling" to teens, smile and enjoy yourself. Mingle with them as they arrive in the classroom. Respond to even the most casual comments made to you before the event.

Build Your History
With an adult audience, I could partially rely on my list of accomplishments, travels and years of speaking experience to get their attention. Or at least get them to quietly applaud. With teens, these histories mean nothing. Your PhD, your 100 years of experience are not something their 13 years of life experience can process. You have to earn the right to be heard. Speak with energy and genuine enthusiasm and be transparent about your purpose. Kids base their evaluation of you based on their (or their immediate peers') direct experience of you.

Encourage Response
Especially in the area of storytelling, I want my audience to build the presentation with me. When teens enjoy you and your work, they will respond to what you are saying and doing. Often this begins with a silly comment or random shout-out designed to call attention to themselves. When you respect and use this initial comment and incorporate it into the story or presentation, you will begin to get comments from the audience that are relevant to what you are saying, not just self-referential remarks from your young audience. Think of these shout-outs as logs to toss on the fire you are building. And remember--working with teens can be rewarding.

Please Forgive Me

2010-04-06T07:07:00.000-06:00

When traveling through the blogsphere, I've found it annoying that a moderator has to review and push comments live, but didn't understand the reasons until recently. Due to some inappropriate blog comments that I cannot delete or even edit, the settings for this blog have been changed.

Thank you for visiting. Please forgive the extra steps and hassle when commenting. I love to hear from you.

Crazy Runs in the Family

2010-04-05T07:57:00.002-06:00

So my sister-in-law is talking about adding a little spice to the family with a sprint. This is not a family calling plan. And before you go jumping to any conclusions that it's a simple, quick foot race let me tell you, it isn't. It means a swim, bike, run; also known as a triathalon. For a sprint it means a half mile swim, 13 mile bike ride and 3.5 mile run.

Translation: sprint = crazy

I'm mulling the idea, not quite sold on it. Willing to entertain and possibly try. To me it doesn't really sound fun. I'm not a runner; never have been. Dance? Volleyball? I'm all over that. Swimming sure. I'm a bit rusty, but it comes back, right? Like riding a bike?

Part of that mulling includes research and interviews. Thank goodness for Google, the Internet and friends that have completed triathalons. Recently I dusted off my username and password, visited sparkpeople.com, joined a couple of Triathalon groups and asked a few forum questions. It seems a sprint is even doable and Sparkpeople has articles for every aspect and level of triathlete.

Here is my favorite piece so far:
Beginner - Coming off of the couch? OK, you're probably still deciding whether you will or can make a big lifestyle change for the better. And you are probably somewhat intimidated by the 'triathlon' idea.... You need something that will motivate you and instill a lot of pride as you will be a very small percent of the population training as a triathlete. But getting started can be very intimidating. You have the jargon to get used to, probably a hundred questions plus you have to train in all three sports at once! That can be daunting to the beginner. By following...

Exercise program ideas - Free training plans
Running from scratch
16 week program
Training videos

I'm going to need some seriously padded shorts because bike seats are so, so comfy. But where do you change in a race from swimsuit to bike shorts to running shorts? I believe the answer is that you simply don't change. Multipurpose, non-rubbing, non-rolling, padded seat, full body swimsuit/jog suit/bike suit? Probably very aerodynamic. Where do you find such gear and the courage to wear them?

Important things to remember - eat well, Swim, bike, run, stretch and weight train. Sparkpeople says, "Anybody can run a triathlon...even if you haven't worked out in years. All it takes is patience and willpower...you must make it a priority in your lifestyle. Once you do this then the training will come easy," "Make training an 'appointment'" and "Champions work their weaknesses!"

Care to join us?

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T07:44:00.003-06:00

Ain't Nobody Quite Like Him

2010-04-02T06:35:00.006-06:00

I looked up my dad's name online to see what it meant, but none of the websites recognized it. Many alternatives were offered such as Randall, Randell, Randolf, Ronald and Randulfr--but no Rondall's. I think that's because he's one of a kind, a stellar guy and a real #1 dad.

This name and meaning did come up and it fits him pretty well:
Ron - Advisor To The King
Gender: Male
Origin: English
Means "song, joy" in Hebrew.

Happy birthday, Dad!
Love your favorite older daughter

(What do you mean "who"?)

Must Be Outta my Census

2010-04-01T07:49:00.008-06:00

So it's April Fool's Day as well as the 2010 census due date. Is your census filled out and mailed in?

On the first note, here are a few cool April Fool's things from today:

Google outdid itself this year. They changed the company name to Topeka after a city in Kansas, because Topeka informally changed its name to Google. more

Gmail dropped the vowels. Or should I type Gml drppd th vwls? more

And Google introduced a new translation application that will revolutionize life as we know it. I'm thinking about getting an android as a result. Check out the video:

YouTube announced that you can now watch videos in text - why bother with HD and videos clogging up your bandwidth? more

Starbucks announced it will add two new beverage sizes to its menu: Plenta™ (128 fl oz) and Micra™ (2 fl oz). more

Tina texted me that she owes me ice cream. Not sure if I'm going to believe that one is a joke or not. Free ice cream is always a plus.

Party It Up!

2010-03-31T07:06:00.002-06:00

Happy birthday, Bekah!

I'm so glad we are friends as well as family. Hope you have a great day full of all the happy and best things and that this year brings many wonderful and beautiful surprises. Love ya!

(I know you and Nate celebrated your birthday along with your anniversary, but you really shouldn't let him off the hook that easily.... )