Brownie Husband

How much do I love Tina Fey!!!

I want to get invited to FreeRide!

This is the second year that I've planned a skiing retreat for work. I lovingly call it FreeRide because our company foots the bill for some of our awesome customers to come. Last year was great and so we decided to double the numbers. We have 25 companies represented!

I've been working on the details of this event about three months. And for the past two weeks, I've been eating, breathing and sleeping FreeRide. By the time I get this far into an event, I usually just can't wait for it to be over. But late last night we (Leslee, Debbie, Kyna and Tiffany) put the finishing touches on the welcome package for FreeRide and all I wanted to figure out is how to get invited so I could have a box too!

Thanks to the girls for making these come together! And thanks to Nathan for the pics ...

Novice Photographer + Cute Subjects = Reasonably Good Pics

Bethany got it in her tenacious mind this week that we needed to take her family pictures while I was visiting. Oh, and by "we" she meant me. And then I found out she doesn't have a digital camera. Just a 35 mm one. She was putting a lot of faith into a higher power because I don't really know what I'm doing when it comes to taking pictures. Especially when I can't see the immediate results on the back of the camera to know if we need some do-overs.

Out of two rolls of film, a few scary moments on the train tracks and a couple of bawling kids, I think we got lucky.

Thanksgiving in New England

A couple of weeks ago I decided to make the trip east to my sister Bethany's house for Thanksgiving. I got here Tuesday night and I'll be on my way home early tomorrow morning. It's been a fun six-day stay!

Even before I decided to come, Bethany and Danny invited a crowd for dinner. Our cousin Clark's family drove up from Boston. Another cousin, Bree brought a friend from school in New York City. Bethany and Danny's good friend Chandra and the missionaries rounded out the group.

It's a good thing there was a crowd because I don't know how to cook Thanksgiving for three adults and a few little kids!

Bethany and I spend most of Wednesday getting the food ready. It's been a long time since she and I cooked Thanksgiving dinner together. It was so much fun getting out some of our family favorite recipes. With all the meat, stuffing, salads and mac & cheese ready to go, we figured dinner still wasn't complete without making our mom's famous orange rolls. They definitely weren't as pretty as Carol's, but they tasted delicious.

I had to take a break from dinner half way through. Baby Lizzie kept me company.

Can I have my co-pay back?

I called a couple of weeks ago to make an appointment to see a doctor. When I scheduled the appointment, the very courteous lady reminded me to be sure to bring my co-pay. I didn't think much of this, except, "duh ... don't you always have to pay your co-pay?"

Last week, the same courteous lady called me back to remind me of my appointment. And to bring my co-pay.

This morning, I couldn't remember which office (Orem or Provo) I was supposed to go to, so I called to confirm. And she reminded me to bring my co-pay.

I arrived for my appointment promptly at 8 a.m. where I signed in and offered to pay my co-pay without being asked.

It's now 8:36 a.m. and I'm still in the waiting room. Thirty six minutes and I haven't seen the inside of an exam room.

Can I have my co-pay back?

Dress For Success

My sister Mindy has been sending a "Thought of the Day" by email each morning. It has been such a great way to connect with her. I'm also discovering that Mindy is a great writer and is thinking about a lot of the same things that are on my mind, but from a different angle. Today's thought from Mindy was especially interesting:

So we have all heard the phrase "DRESS FOR SUCCESS". If there is one thing that I learned from working for the GAP is you dress for the job you want,not the one you have.

I remember being told that by my then manager, Andrea, and I listened. I knew she was right, especially in that environment, so i did, always wearing the new line from head to toe. And whenever there was a "store visit" from corporate, I was sure to look and project the image I knew they wanted to see, and by doing that along with dedication and a good work ethic I got promotion after promotion, eventually running 3 stores on my own.

So I did it. I dressed for success and got it. For the last week this has been on my mind, but in a different way. I have thought: Am I dressing my spirit, soul, and my energy that I put out onto the world every day for success in my life, in my relationships with people that I love and admire, and in what I have to offer everyone around me in general? Am I doing what it takes to "DRESS FOR SUCCESS" in my heart, mind, and spirit, and are you? Just a thought.
Have a great day everyone, Love Mindy

Happy Birthday Bethany & Lizzie

My little sister turned 30 yesterday. And on her birthday, she gave birth to my newest niece, Lizzie Cox.

Bethany has some beautiful babies and manages to look beautiful doing it. This picture was taken just hours after little Lizzie was born. Amazing.

Lizzie is named after one of the most colorful figures in our family history, my mother's paternal grandmother Elizabeth. We called her Grammy Lizzie.