Thoughtful gifts.

Just a little while before Christmas I was at a boutique with McCall. We saw this quilt and absolutely fell in love with it! I kept talking about it as we walked around but could not justify buying it for myself when it was so close to Christmas.

But Christmas came, and so did the quilt. Because my cute daughter talked with her siblings about it and they pooled their money and went back and got it for me.

McCall is like that, and I adore that about her. Last Christmas she got me a Steven Curtis Chapman CD. I had casually mentioned how much I like his voice but didn't ever see his CDs around. She remembered that and went online to get me one.

I have been a little stressed lately ... and the whole not sleeping thing (darn hot flashes) hasn't helped matters, and when you don't sleep night after night it's hard for your body to rejuvenate and feel the way you'd like to feel - that being normal.

My Haley works in a salon and has been telling me for months to "Just go get a massage. You will feel so much better!" But I don't take the time and so I just keep complaining about my aches and pains. (I know you moms can relate!)

Days ago Haley asked me if I would be home Monday night. So last night she called me at about 7:00 and said she was on her way home from the gym and had a surprise for me.

That cute thing walked in the door followed by her friend and her friend's massage table.

Ahhh ... it was so thoughtful - so sweet - so needed - so enjoyed!

Old magazine ads.

Going through the old magazines, I really got a kick out of some of the ads. I don't really consider myself to be "old" (although some days it does feel like I'm getting there fast), but check OUT these cars and the price tag of the Turismo Duster. (The what?)






Tyra, Rachel and Christie ... back in the days when they were "just" models instead of moguls!







Talk about a squeaky clean boy next door. Nice pose fella!





I was really quite surprised by how many ads there were for cigarettes. There was one for women called Misty ... Misty?





Okay, this one cracked me up!!! Read the small print about why the picture was taken! (And poloroid is making a come back big time now. It's very trendy for bloggers.)





Jaime Lee ... she sure has fabulous legs. And nice to see that she is back doing commercials! :)





Last but not least ... the Gatlin Brothers in their Member's Only jackets. Lookin' good guys!

Old magazines.

I decided it was high time to clean out my storage room and make room for the stuff that is lingering in my basement looking for a place to call home. (You know, everything has a place? I have stuff still needing to find their place.)

Standing in the back corner of the storage room is a tall skinny bookshelf, which was FILLED with hundreds - truly, hundreds of magazines. (I blogged about how much I love magazines here.)

And even though they are SO fun to look at years and years later and remember when ... I knew I couldn't afford to keep them on those shelves any more. Sigh. I needed that space.

So I thumbed through them, enjoyed my trip of nostalgic celebrities way back in the day and then tossed the whole lot! It felt good. But I did decide to post a few of the covers and share my trip down memory lane .... tomorrow I'll post some ads from inside the pages!

First - the Travolta's. I was a little jealous of Kelly Preston when she married John Travolta. When I heard they were together my first thought was, LUCKY!!!! I do love John Travolta. I started my crush when he was playing Vinny Barbarino in "Welcome Back Kotter." I went and saw it taped once as a teenager - had I known John Travolta would end up a mega-star, I CERTAINLY would have tried to get a picture with him, or at the very least an autograph. Hindsight, right?





Oh Demi ... Do you think even Demi has a hard time remembering that she wore a dress that completely covered her up? Obviously, this cover is pre ... pretty much, pre everything! I just wish I knew her secret for anti wrinkles. Or the name of her plastic surgeon because he does a heck of a job. Maybe she has a portrait somewhere, like Dorian Gray, that is aging instead of her.




The teens of 90210. That was quite an era, wasn't it? It was such a provocative show back then. Certainly mild by today's standards, especially with the reality shows about the real kids of Southern Cali. But Brandon and Kelly were likeable - I liked them anyway. Brandon - so cute!




Johnny Hearthrob Depp. I remember when "Jump Street" first came on the air. I had been married for a few years but thought, HELLO, where did he come from???? I bet when they wrote "his private world" on the cover of this issue they had no idea how prophetic that statement really was!!!!





Let's see now ... two out of the six couple's pictured are still together!!!! That is actually pretty good considering!





Ah, "Mad About You." I LOVED that show! I thought they were so adorable! Great writing too. I miss them together.





I was actually a little suprised to see this cover of Sandra Bullock ... not back then, but now. She doesn't seem like she'd do a cover like this anymore. And I think she looks even better now - prettier, softer. Maybe it's because I like her so much. Now Alec Baldwin? Hiding out in the corner? Whoa, doggie. Time hasn't been as kind to him.





Well ... at least Larry Fortenski got his 15 minutes of fame. Poor Liz ... Poor Michael. His death was certainly way too premature - he was a brilliant talent.

The Olympics.

I absolutely LOVE the Olympics! Both Summer and Winter. I am pretty much glued to the TV during the weeks that they're on. (Really, Polly? And that is different from your normal routine how?)

I was living in LA when the summer games came to Los Angeles in 1984. In fact, I was in labor during the first ever Women's Marathon that year. I was laying in my hospital bed watching the race when the runner in second place entered the stadium. She was clearly in a really bad way and the officials didn't quite know what to do. She was suffering from heat exhaustion and acted completely delirious. She was dazed and stumbling. Race officials went up to her to help put she shrugged them off, knowing that if they touched her she would be disqualified.

She eventually did finish the race, not in second place, but 37th place .... my heart went out to her and I distinctly remember feeling that I would rather be in labor than where she was. It was that crazy.

When the Winter Games came to Salt Lake City - I was ALL over it. When the torch was being passed in town, the kids and I waited and watched the runners. When the torch was lit outside Rice-Eccles Stadium, we went up and saw it. We visited Olympic Square, rode the luge ride they had set up, got inside the huge snow globes, listened to the entertainment ... shy of going to the events we really ate up the fact that they were so close to home.

I got all caught up in the whole Olympic pin phenomenon too. (Anyone interested?) And I even got to hold a gold medal. Men's Downhill. Sweet. (I happened to know a sales rep at the jewelers who made them and she let me.)

I am loving these Vancouver Games. The Opening Ceremonies never disappoint. How precious was Seth Wescott singing every word of the National Anthem during his medal ceremony for the snowboard race? And Lindsay Vonn completely breaking down after winning the gold for hers? So cool - so emotional ... I totally cry right along with them!

I normally love the skating the most ... not so sure after the men's short program, but hey - to each their own, right Johnny Weir/Adam Lambert/Lady Gaga? I do love Evan though ... Vera Wang bird costume? My how times have changed.

But this year - it's the snowboard competitions all the way! Shaun White - ROCK STAR! History in the making for sure!

1984 Summer Games .... 2002 Winter Games

A frown ... ?

I really had no intention of swiping this picture from my daughter's blog, but I crack up whenever I look at this little face!

This cute little precious bundle of pure joy and happiness ... well, okay, if you ask her mommy, it's only MOST of the time that she is a precious bundle of joy and happiness.

But isn't that true of all of us?

She is entitled to her "moments." :)

Michael Buble.

I love Michael Buble. So suave, so cute, so infectious.

I took this picture of Jared and McCall during their engagement photo shoot. In their wedding video this is the picture that pops up right as Michael Buble's song "Everything" starts to play ... and now whenever I hear that song, this is the image that immediately comes to mind and it makes me grin from ear to ear. It's such an adorable love song.

Almost 4 years ago, Michael Buble was coming to Salt Lake City and I really wanted to go. My girls love him too but the tickets were $85.00 each. Ouch. So I told them that I would pay for half of their ticket if they wanted to go.

Well, they all wanted to go, but the practical side of McCall thought that was still a lot of money, so she passed but Haley and Chloe said they wanted a ticket. (It went on their list of "money we owe mom." McCall should have come.)

I was dating someone at that time so I bought him a ticket for his birthday present. The four of us went to P.F. Chang's for dinner before the concert. Yum.

Dinner was fun. The girls were acting a little silly. Haley kept talking about this hot guy in a white baseball hat a few tables away from us.

As we left the restaurant, Robert dropped a note to the hot guy in the white baseball hat ... it said something to the effect of, This cute girl would really like to meet you. And he gave him Haley's number.

SQUEEEEEEEELS!!!!!!!!

We had 6th row seats ... Michael Buble is QUITE the showman ... and the anticipation of the hot guy in the white baseball hat calling Haley made the concert that much more fun for the girls. There was definitely dancing in the aisles.

It took us quite a while to get out of the parking garage after the concert, but hot guy in the white baseball hat called Haley on our way out and we were all entertained as they chatted .... they had mutual friends. Such a small world. (Such a difference a generation makes.)

I think my favorite line in his song Everything is, "And I get to kiss you baby just because I can."

It's so cute. And I like to kiss.

I like to have someone to kiss.

I've made Michael Buble's new song "Haven't Met You Yet" my theme song:

I might have to wait

I'll never give up

I guess it's half timing

and the other half's luck.

Where ever you are

Whenever it's right

You'll come out of nowhere

and into my life.

It could happen ... right? :)

Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine's Day ... xoxo

We are the World.

When "We Are The World" was first recorded
25 years ago, I seriously thought it was one of the best songs I had ever heard. I loved the premise of putting it all together too ... Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson collaborating to bring celebrities together to raise money for the starving people of Africa. Now they've done a remake of the song for the relief effort in Haiti - and it is just as moving.

After seeing the remake earlier today, I went to YouTube to watch the original again. They featured Bruce Springsteen a lot singing with Stevie Wonder ... I love Stevie Wonder's voice, and Bruce Springsteen never looked better (really sexy mouth in that video! I can say that, right?)

Kenny Rogers sang in it ... back when he looked like Kenny Rogers. Ray Charles sang, Harry Belefonte, Bette Midler, The Pointer Sisters, most of the Jacksons ... I missed Kenny Loggins voice in this new one though - and Steve Perry's (lead singer of Journey). He is one of my most favorite voices EVER.

When I was still married, my husband and I went over to Catalina Island for our 10th wedding anniversary. We had hiked up to the Botanical Gardens and were standing in front of the Wrigley Monument having our picture taken. A couple of crazy guys jumped in our photo and said, "Wait, hold on, let us get in it too!"

They smiled, lauged a little bit and said, "We're just kidding!" and jumped back out.

We happened to walk back down the hill right behind them and I recoginized one of them ... I said, "Hey, you're Steve Perry aren't you? You are one of my favorite male vocalists of all time."

He said he was flattered and walked the rest of the way down with us. He asked what brought us over to Catalina and when we said it was to celebrate our 10th anniversary he said, "Really? Did you guys get married when you were 12?" I loved him even more!!!

(I actually heard that Journey recently came out with a new CD. They have a new lead singer who is pretty amazing too ... not like the original ... but pretty darn close because he sounds a lot like Steve Perry.)

So, I loved that they kept Michael Jackson's footage in the new one. That was when Michael still looked like Michael too.

Loved Pink ... loved Celine ... loved Barbra ... loved Fergie ... loved Jennifer Hudson - a LOT of really good talent in this one! I even thought Miley Cyrus sounded good and what an incredibly lucky break for that new little teeny bop heart throb, Justin Bieber - he starts the whole thing off! (How did that happen???)

If you haven't watched it yet - you must. It's really, REALLY, REALLY good!

(Well, at least I thought so.)

Cute little items.

So I know that Owls have been a little trendy, and I hear that foxes are up and coming.

I suppose it is the cuteness of the things creative people come up with using whatever the particular critter is that makes them trendy ... like this.

I can't stand it. She is so stinkin' adorable. I want her.

I saw her on someone's blog a few days ago. The artisan sells stuff on Etsy ... but I don't know how to find where she was ... sigh.

But it's okay, a picture will do.

Missionaries.

This is my daughter Chloe and her cousin Jensen. Chloe is 20 now and a student at Southern Utah University. Jensen is 19 and heading off tomorrow to serve a two year mission in Billings, Montana. He is so excited!

A few months ago Jensen's sisters started teasing him about where he might go on his mission. His oldest sister picked what she thought would be the most random, maybe less exciting place to serve and chose Billings, Montana. 3 months worth of that teasing!

Even the morning the letter was expected, another sister said, "You are so going to Billings!"

So when Jensen got the letter from Church headquarters that read, "Dear Elder Nelson, You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Montana Billings Mission," naturally, everyone thought he was joking.

Jensen's first thought: No, seriously. How did you do guys change the letter?

Everyone else's first thought: No, seriously. Where are you going?

The Lord works in mysterious ways ... how could anyone deny that Billings, Montana is where Jensen is supposed to be?

I love seeing missionaries.

Sophie told me that this week in her seminary class it is "Missionary Week." They are supposed to read their scriptures every day for at least 15 minutes, not watch any TV, only listen to uplifting music, prepare and give a lesson for Family Home Evening, wear "missionary clothes" at least one day during the week, make a meal for the family, write a letter to a missionary and do an extra kind deed for someone.

I wish every week was Missionary Week.

And now Jensen will have 104 weeks of just that. Congratulations Jens! I am proud of you for making the decision to serve the Lord and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ ... the people of Billings will be lucky to have you.

February.

There are lots of things to love about the month of February. It isn't January anymore ... we can start to anticipate Spring ... it is unique in that it only has 28 days (most years) ... it is my sister, Leslie's birthday month ... and right smack dab in the middle of it is Valentine's day. And don't you just love Valentine's day?


There are lots of things to love about Valentine's day. You have an excuse to eat extra amounts of chocolate (if you needed an excuse) ... you can give really cute cards and little gifts to the people you love ... you get flowers (sometimes) ... and a nice dinner out ... and don't you just love Valentine's decorations?


There are lots of things to love about Valentine's decorations. Like the colors pink and red around your house ... and ribbons and hearts everywhere ... and cute little creations made especially for Valentines's day ... and especially this little guy ... I adore him. :)

Ruby.

I get a REALLY big kick out of coincidences ... in fact, it is one of the things that I put on my list of happy little things back in July that I wanted to blog about. Another one of those things on the list was "Ruby."

There is a show on the Style Network about a woman named Ruby Gettinger and her journey as she struggles to lose weight. Not like you or I might struggle to lose weight, when the series started Ruby weighed over 500 pounds. After her doctor told her she was in a fight to save her life, she enlisted the help of professionals, family and friends to help her do just that.

What is extraordinary about Ruby, to me, is that even though she weighs as much as she does, on one of the episodes she said that she had always been happy despite the weight, and I believe her. If you watch the show she has amazing friends who adore her, support her, care about her, and just enjoy the heck out of her!!!! She has such a darling personality! And a really cute southern accent.

I watch the Biggest Loser too. Last night I was watching Tuesday's show and seriously just bawled when the contestant for that week was eliminated. After they had weighed him and it wasn't enough of a loss for that week, the cameras then turned to the remaining contestants and big fat tears were streaming down most of their faces ... including (and maybe especially) the two Samoan guys. They said, "We feel like we're losing a brother." It seems that this season there is an extra amount of closeness between the contestants and they genuinely want to see each other succeed. I love that.

But that was what made me remember Ruby. So as I started the post today, I googled her to find out what her last name is and the first thing that popped up on her blog was that she was on Oprah yesterday. What a co-inky dink! (Although I am sad I missed that.)

Her new season starts this month on the 14th ... just in case you want to meet her too. :)

Finishing the hem.

You know how in construction there is a guy who does the finish work? I wish I had a "finisher" for my quilt projects! I do love quilting, especially getting started ... picking out the fabric and getting the pieces cut. (I blogged about that here.) But I have this slight little problem with getting the border on and the hem done.

I made this quilt for a friend's little baby boy and took it to her shower unfinished. She loved it and went on and on about what a sweet labor of love that was ... but then I had to take it back to put the binding on and get it hemmed.

(I watch a lot of TV lately so sitting and hemming shouldn't be a problem at all - but it was getting those last few strips cut and sewn that was really holding up the project!)

Her baby is six months old. Not too cool of me, I know. HOWEVER! Last week I finally set the sewing machine on my kitchen table, thought REALLY hard about how to sew those darn strips correctly around the corners, called a friend to help because I couldn't remember, ripped out the first few tries because I hadn't wrapped my brain around what she had told me, went to her house the next day for an on hands demonstration, and finally finished sewing!!!!

I sat with Sophie for several hours one night watching a few movies and VOILA ... hurray it is done!

Finishing is a really, really good feeling.

Unexpected smiles when you need them.

I got into bed last night with a song stuck in my head: "I Got a Feelin'" by the Black Eyed Peas. As I layed down, the lyrics kept running through my mind (as they do when songs are stuck in your head). I got a feelin', ooo hoo, that tonight's gonna be a good good night ... feelin', ooo hoo.

I was hoping it was an omen - that meant I would sleep through the night. I felt tired, I had been yawning for a good two hours, I had high expectations ... if it did happen (it being sleeping through the night), it would be the first time in over 5 months now.

It didn't happen. I tossed and turned all night long, woke up sore, with a headache, and not too happy. Sophie missed the bus, again, after just having the conversation with her yesterday about why it is frustrating to her mom to have her miss the bus by two or three minutes in the morning.

I got home after taking her to school (which is inconveniently a good 30 minute trek there and back). It is trash day on Tuesdays. I figured I may as well empty all the trash cans in the bathrooms since they were overflowing ... I don't really like picking up overflowing bathroom trash. I took the kitchen trash out too. I noticed that there were a few things in my side yard that could go in the big trash cans, and then noticed a couple pieces of trash on the loose in my neighbor's yard ... and then in my front yard and gutter. (At this point I was feeling like I needed an orange jump suit and a number for putting in my community service time.)

I dragged my fatigue back inside and decided that I better fold the load of laundry in the dryer before I showered for work.

As I stood over the washer, stacking the folded white load, I heard my son upstairs whistling.

It made me smile.

My dad used to point out my whistling when I was younger. He said he got such a kick out of it.

I love my dad.

When I went to close the dryer, I saw two little socks in the bottom of the bin. They were Libby's.

It made me smile.

I have a little grandbaby. And I get to babysit her tonight. It's gonna be a good day.