Last Saturday was our first big snow of the season. Mike and Nate had to work and I was left at home to figure out whether to wait till the snow fall stopped or start plowin' and get it over with. So I went for it. And as the time passed and my curls, from the night before began to freeze to my face I started to notice the men, in my neighborhood, driving by and waving or just smiling as they drove by. My hands were beginning to ache from the cold as I gripped the handles of the snow blower. And another man drives by, smiling and waving. REALLY??? Then I begin to think, I HATE THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT! Yea I know I can do this myself but honestly, what has happened to chivalry?? I'm a damsel in distress here! My King is off pillaging for our family and he's taken the only prince left living in the castle to help! But then, Shelly has an Epiphany. God has given me a pair of strong legs and arms and the endurance to finish the job. I have nothing to complain about!!I feel much better. For a few moments anyway...when the frustration of my currant situation reminds me...that I'm cold and stiff. Grumble, Grumble, Grumble...
And then,
I see,
ANOTHER MAN driving by?!
but then he stops, with a smile on his face. So I stop what I'm doing; push the frozen hair away from the face I can't feel anymore, and walk up to Mike Smith's car and he says, "It's so impressive to see a beautiful woman out in the snow working with machinery!"
And then it was ok. I hadn't showered, I'm sure my makeup was smeared and at that moment it didn't even matter.
I was back to my Epiphany.

"God has given me a strong pair of legs and arms and the endurance to finish the job."

I have nothing to complain about!!

And I look good doin' it!

I meet the Senator the other day

Senator Orrin Hatch came to the city office for a visit the other day. He seems very nice. He walked in and I greeted him. He told me he was here to see Mayor Cullimore who was at the other end of the desk. The senator walked over to Kelvyn and Liane and chatted for a moment, then walked back toward me and apologized for not introducing himself. I stood back up, he shook my hand and said,"Hi, I'm Senator Orrin Hatch." I then introduced myself.

Huh...Orrin thought enough of me to stop what he was doing with the Mayor and City Manager to apologize for what he thought was an act of rude behavior toward me. I didn't think that... but how nice of him. Thanks Orrin Buddy!

Running for our meal

I coerced Nancy into this one. I'm sure it went something like,"Come on Nanc, what could be better then a nice brisk run in 30 degree weather at 8:00 o'clock Thanksgiving morning? Who needs to sleep in? Don't you want a chance to beat the Mayor and win a nifty yellow ribbon? It'll Make the dinner taste better. We can eat 2 Desserts!" Whatever it was Nancy gave in, much to her husband Dave's dismay.
Here we are, passing up the Mayor (that didn't take long. Thanks Laurie for the tip! :) )



I have to say, it was really cool that my friends Corbett and Brennamen were there to HECKLE...I mean cheer us on. Ok, the truth...they were there as cops keeping the peace...and taking pictures.


38 minutes and a few seconds later we were headed for the finish line. It was so cold that we had a 24 hour face life! but it DID feel really good to get out and run.

Here's me and Kelvyn showing off my ribbon that 700 some odd other runners also won for beating the Mayor and I have no idea where the well build Indian came from but Nancy and i think we saw his squaw somewhere back up the road.

And here are our fine husbands cheering us on and glad it wasn't them.

Isn't he Gorgeous!

Love you all!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving

Witch and ghost make merry on this last of dear October’s days. ~Author Unknown

Yea, I don't HATE Halloween...Just ask my husband, friends, my children, co workers...it's an illness. Really, I'm serious, I probably need medication for this.

Here are portion's of the inside of my house at Halloween.50 some odd paper spiders.
$1.00 for the card stock and about 20 minutes with a die punch at the
scrapbook store. (Another place I don't HATE a lot.)
plastic pumpkins painted gold and below that my arsenal of Halloween ideas.

I love doing my front door. There are spiders crawling down the door coming out of the spiders nests that are hanging from the porch ceiling with black ivy as "blackery" (Think Greenery) and I'm always in LOVE with my witch!
Here's the whole front of the house, stuff in the windows, fog, fire...

which medication do you think I need?

a few of mine and Morgans Jack o Lanterns Mike passing out candy to what looks like some little ghosts

Ann, Morgan, and Jessi after a fine night of Trick or Treating.

Hmmmm...

Time to start working on Halloween 08!!!

WOO HOO!

It takes a long time to grow young ~ Pablo Picasso

My father in law Larry had his 70th Birthday last month. 70 WOW! He's one very busy man for 70. He and Ann just finished their mission up at the Heber Valley Girls Camp. I think they really loved it! Larry built cabins, and all kinds of things.

Here he is with all but two of his grandchildren; although you can see Beth's picture just to the right of Morgans head so in a way Beth WAS in the picture! Nate had a hot date...well, ok I don't know if she was hot, just cute, and I think they had a good time at the dance.
But I digress...
I just want to say something about Larry. Larry is a hard working man, who loves his family like crazy. I think he's proud of all his children and grandchildren. I am always impressed with the things my husband can do and I believe a lot of it is because his father taught him well.

Thank you Larry.

Stacy Benintendi!!!!

Are you paying attention???

This is for you SISTER

You'd better like it...

Cause cutting my hair is your Birthday Present!!!

Homecoming

I love that Nate let's me take pictures of him! LOVE IT!

Nate asked Rachel to Homecoming, she obviously said yes. How CUTE! But don't tell me how much they look alike...it creeps me out a little.

This is the group they went with...

Funny, funny kids.

What's Mother to do?

September 11th, as you all know was Morgan's Birthday.
This is how she spent most of it...

Sick in our bed...on Mike's side of the bed.

I'm not sure if she just wanted to be closer to the

TV or if she was hoping to make her step father ill. I wouldn't put it past her. she can be a naughty kid even when she's ill!

So here was this mother's dilemma. My friend Jill had these great free (well, free for us; I'm sure someone had to pay for them) tickets to Keith Urban who was playing on Morgans Birthday. (Somehow I chose not to remember that "Keith" was on Morgan's Birthday month's ago when we first talked about the concert and not having enough tickets for Morgan to go, but I think what happened was that because I'm such a "good parent" that I was going to leave Morgan home while I went, only after having a fun celebration during the day with her...see, I'm not that bad!) Jill ended up being able to get extra tickets so Morgan could go with us at the last minute which was awesome! till I realized that Morgan was getting sick...too sick to go with us. hhhmmmmm...stay home with Morgan while she sleeps? Go to Keith Urban Concert...sick daughter sleeping...good lookin' guy singing great songs...very capable AND GOOD LOOKING husband to take care of Morgan while I go to Keith Urban (FOR FREE!!!! mind you)...

Yea... I went and I'm OK with the choice...it was a GREAT concert! Thank you Jill for the chance to go. I loved it and I don't think Morgan was all that sad about not getting to go; she really felt miserable.Make sure and click on these shots I love how they turned out!I was amazed at the great shots I got off of the HD big screen! this one above looks like a 50 foot Keith singing right to the people in the upper level.and this guy looks like he's looking right at me...but he's not because I'm in the Key Bank suite at the opposite end of the arena! Nancy and Hannah got to go with us! Nancy's a HUGH fan and Hannah's learning... Can't you just see the joy, the serenity, the pure Ecstasy in Nancy's eyes??? oh yea... hehehehe In the end Morgan was feeling a little better the next day. She got to open her presents and that made her happy and then she took it easy the rest of the day.