I wish I could call my parents and tell them I applied for a big promotion at work and was offered the job. It will be a big challenge and a lot of work, but I'm excited about it. I think they would be proud of me. And I know they know, etc, etc, but sometimes I wish I could see their faces light up with news of the accomplishments of me or my kids, and sometimes I wish I could hear them say, "Way to go, Bec! That is great news!".
They would also be proud of my little brother, Joel. He was also given a big promotion at work. He went from a sales position at Simply Mac in St. George, to managing an entire store in Layton almost within a year of starting. He is an amazing dad and husband, and friend.
I know they are proud of my sister, Jenn, too. She has been a very dedicated city council woman in Gilbert. She stands up for what she believes in no matter what criticism she gets for it. She is a fun loving mother to her 3 boys and now her little princess, Kate. I'm sure my mom sent her baby Kate, just like she promised she would before she left.
I think my mom and dad would be most proud of my sister, Val. She has really taken on the role as matriarch of our family. She has become the one that I call for advice, to share exciting news with, and the one who calls to check up on me when more than a few days have gone by when she hasn't heard from me. Before my mom died, she asked Val to be PTA President at their elementary school. Val did it this year, and did an incredible job. She worked very hard all year long.
I am so proud of all of my siblings and I love them so much. I am so grateful for how close we all are. They are my best friends. I don't know if I could have gotten through losing my parents without them. I am so lucky to have them and I am so proud of where we have all come in the past year. It's really amazing! My parents must be proud. They made us what we are!
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Tennessee - Day 1
I don't really want to remember my nightmare of a journey to get to Tennessee yesterday, but I do want to remember all about my first day here!
Tennessee is:
---The Walking Horse Hotel---
We are staying in this cool little hotel with a lot of history! It's in the town of Wartrace, population 610. The hotel was built in 1917 and was recently purchased and renovated by a man in memory of his wife who died from cancer. She was an amazing singer and loved music so he is trying to bring that into the hotel. In her name, he constructed the Chais Music Hall where he has aspiring musicians come and entertain on weekends.
Downtown Wartrace. It's right across the street/railroad tracks from the hotel. Everything closes at 5pm so I probably won't get the chance to do some shopping, dang it!
Have you ever seen a World Champion Tennessee Walking Horse? Today was my first time too! Not much of a horse person, but I never even knew what that was before touring Joe Fleming's Stables. He has 90 Tennessee Walking Horses and 2 World Champions! Shelbyville is the Walking Horse Capital of the World! Every year, for 10 days before Labor Day, the whole town of 17,000 goes crazy with the Walking Horse Festival. Schools even close as their population triples when people come from all of the place to show their horses. The locals take off to Florida for the week and they rent their houses out for like $7,000 for the week! Pays for their whole trip! So, anyways, walking horses have these special platform shoes on their front two...feet? hooves? Whatever, like I said, I'm not a horse person. Anyway, they raise their front two legs really high when they walk and their back two kind of sway like an elliptical does. They are very smooth and the riders don't even bounce up and down when they...walk? Anyway, cool to see, but I think I'm allergic to all animals!
---Beautiful Scenery---
This is pretty much what the view consists of...rolling hills and lots of trees. Everything is SO green and beautiful! I couldn't get enough staring out the windows.
---Bell Buckle---
Cute little row of shops, don't you think? I loved it!
So obviously I took this picture from the car, while we were moving, with my phone. But, you get the point. Beautiful country homes, a lot of them plantation style like the Carmichael Plantation on Sweet Home Alabama. They are all acres from each other and no joke, as we drove past, people were sitting on their porches in their rocking chairs just watching the grass grow. I just want to experience that life for one long day!
Tennessee is:
---The Walking Horse Hotel---
We are staying in this cool little hotel with a lot of history! It's in the town of Wartrace, population 610. The hotel was built in 1917 and was recently purchased and renovated by a man in memory of his wife who died from cancer. She was an amazing singer and loved music so he is trying to bring that into the hotel. In her name, he constructed the Chais Music Hall where he has aspiring musicians come and entertain on weekends.
Downtown Wartrace. It's right across the street/railroad tracks from the hotel. Everything closes at 5pm so I probably won't get the chance to do some shopping, dang it!
---Cicada Bugs---
We were so lucky to be able to experience Cicadea Bugs since they only come out ever 13 years! The come out of the ground once ever 13 years and fly around and make tons of noise for about 5-6 weeks before they all die, make a mess all over the place, and nobody sees them again until 13 years later. They are HUGE UGLY bugs! And I don't do well with bugs! Pretty fascinating little life though.
---Tennessee Walking Horses---
Have you ever seen a World Champion Tennessee Walking Horse? Today was my first time too! Not much of a horse person, but I never even knew what that was before touring Joe Fleming's Stables. He has 90 Tennessee Walking Horses and 2 World Champions! Shelbyville is the Walking Horse Capital of the World! Every year, for 10 days before Labor Day, the whole town of 17,000 goes crazy with the Walking Horse Festival. Schools even close as their population triples when people come from all of the place to show their horses. The locals take off to Florida for the week and they rent their houses out for like $7,000 for the week! Pays for their whole trip! So, anyways, walking horses have these special platform shoes on their front two...feet? hooves? Whatever, like I said, I'm not a horse person. Anyway, they raise their front two legs really high when they walk and their back two kind of sway like an elliptical does. They are very smooth and the riders don't even bounce up and down when they...walk? Anyway, cool to see, but I think I'm allergic to all animals!---Beautiful Scenery---
This is pretty much what the view consists of...rolling hills and lots of trees. Everything is SO green and beautiful! I couldn't get enough staring out the windows.---Bell Buckle---
Cute name for a little town, don't you think? Bell Buckle was established in 1852 as a railroad community. I can't find the population, but I do know that it is home of the RC Cola and Moon Pie Festival coming up here next month. We had dinner at the Bell Buckle Cafe...true downhome southern cooking. Everything was fried...fried okra, fried corn, fried chicken, etc, and for dessert we had grit cake and oatmeal cake. It was actually really good, and you can bet I bought some moon pies to take home to the kids!
Cute little row of shops, don't you think? I loved it!---My Dream Houses...for a day---
So obviously I took this picture from the car, while we were moving, with my phone. But, you get the point. Beautiful country homes, a lot of them plantation style like the Carmichael Plantation on Sweet Home Alabama. They are all acres from each other and no joke, as we drove past, people were sitting on their porches in their rocking chairs just watching the grass grow. I just want to experience that life for one long day!---To End the Night---
I found this beautiful park with a walking path right around the corner from the hotel. I was so excited to take a quick run before the sun went down. It is a lot more humid here than I'm used to so I was dripping sweat, but the air felt good. So much easier to run at 700 feet instead of 4000. I even saw lightening bugs! So cool to see their blue lights flicker in the fields!
It was a great day! I like Tennessee as a place to visit. It's...charming. Makes me want to see more of the East and definitely makes me want a southern accent. I'm just not going to come during tornado season next time.
Oh yeah...and I worked a little bit...cuz that's why I'm here!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Dance 2011
Lyrical : True Colors
Jazz: Single Ladies
Hip-Hop: Whip My Hair
Brooklyn started Hip-Hop this year and LOVES it! She likes being a little extra sassy and being encouraged to have attitude. She loves getting her hair and make-up done and hanging out with all the other dancers in the locker room in between dances at competitions.
Recital is this week! Yeah!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
My Closet
This is a picture of my linen closet. It's simple and organized and everything has a place. I don't have a before picture, but to give you a visual, Tallan and Keslie had successfully taken everything off the shelves while I was making dinner last night. Everything. Blankets, towels, and bedding were thrown all over our upstairs. It was chaos! It pretty much gave me anxiety just looking at the mess and thinking about the amount of work it was going to take to put it all back together.
As I started refolding everything, I decided it was as good a time as any to start cleaning out and making some changes. All 3 sets of crib bedding I had been storing in that closet are now gone. So are all of the baby blankets and cutesie burp cloths. The beach towels are a little higher on the shelves now that they won't be used for awhile. The blankets are a little more accessible. Time to move on and start a new season of life.
The past 6 months of life in our house, have been a little like the before picture of my closet. It's been chaotic and filled with anxiety and looking at life and thinking about how to put it all back together was hard. I struggled to give my husband and kids the attention they needed and deserved. I ignored what should have been a priority and I wasn't taking care of myself either. As long as I wasn't in the car alone or in the shower, I was really good at pretending I was okay, but every once in awhile, reality took center stage over my acting.
Sunday, a friend of mine gave a lesson in Relief Society and mentioned how bad she felt about herself while reading other people's blogs because everyone's lives seem so perfect in the blogging world. Everyone's kids are perfect. Everyone's husbands are perfect. All of the perfect neighborhood moms get together during the day and do perfect motherly things with their kids. Everyone's family vacations are perfect. Everyone has perfect holidays with their parents. That's why I'm writing this. For the past 6 months I haven't wanted to write a blog, and I rarely looked at anyone elses for that very reason. I felt like I was the only one whose life wasn't "perfect". But, it's time to be real and honest. It's time to start telling the truth and possibly admit what most people think but won't say out loud. Life is hard. Did you hear me? LIFE IS HARD!
So, like my closet, I'm cleaning out, I'm trying to get a fresh start. Hopefully with a little less chaos. A little more organization (since I successfully forgot about both of my kid's picture days at school this year), and a little more attention to detail...like my family. It's time to get rid of the things in my life that I can live without, that are just taking up space, just like in my closet. No more facade of "perfection". It's time to give the important things that are left, a place, and a priority, hopefully keeping it simple, with a little more organization. I know it's going to take some work, and it won't be easy, but it will be worth it.
One of the first things going on the shelf...facing some fears. I have only been back down to Hurricane one time since my mom's funeral and that was to clean out her classroom 5 months ago. It was hard. It was one of the hardest things I have done and I have been scared to go back to visit my grandma, sister, brother, and their families ever since. Several times we have made plans to go down and then I would make an excuse not to at the last minute. We are planning on going to Hurricane for Thanksgiving this year. There! I've said it out loud. I've made the announcement to the world, well, to whoever reads this, and I'm going to follow through with it.
Here is to cleaning out the rest of my closet, being honest, and giving my life a new look...
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
For The Record...
For the record, if there is anyone out there still, we are still alive!
There is no time for catch up at this point, but here is a quick recap...just for the record:
Birthdays:
Keslie turned 2 in May
Tallan turned 4 in September
Brooklyn turned 7 in September
For the record, Tim and celebrated our 9th anniversary in September. Well, I wouldn't say "celebrated" because it was just another busy busy day for us as usual.
Races:
Tim and I both ran in the Wasatch Back
Tim and I both ran the Speedy Spaniard 10K in Spanish Fork on the 24th of July
I ran the Hobblecreek Half Marathon
I also ran in several 5ks. Decided it's fun to do those cuz I always win a cool prize for coming in 2nd...always 2nd!
Vacations:
Tim and I both got to go to Girls Camp and did Trek for Youth Conference; both were awesome
Brooklyn and I took a girls trip to San Diego for a long weekend...amazing trip!
Family pass to Thanksgiving Point = very good investment
Lots of camping, boating, golfing, playing outside, bike rides, visits from cousins, new trampoline, etc and that was our summer!
Church:
Tim got released from Primary after 6 years and is now the assistant financial clerk, or something like that.
I got released from Young Women's, which was bitter sweet, and now I teach Gospel Doctrine...to adults! Don't ask me how that happened!
School:
Brooklyn started 1st grade
Tallan started Preschool
I am heading back in January at UVU to finish up...finally! I'm super excited though!
Work:
Tim somehow manages to stay busy enough in this slow real estate market, but has been applying for many other jobs around the US. We hope we get to go somewhere exciting, but I told him it has to be close to my family!
I am still working full time but got a new "job" within the same company. I am a professional shopper now! I get to do all of the purchasing for all 4 campuses and the best part is furnishing and equiping our brand new 90,000 sq ft building at Thanksgiving Point. Stressful, but fun!
I am still teaching TurboKick 2 nights a week and have a lot of fun with those girls!
That's about it.
And now let's see how long it takes me to post again...
There is no time for catch up at this point, but here is a quick recap...just for the record:
Birthdays:
Keslie turned 2 in May
Tallan turned 4 in September
Brooklyn turned 7 in September
For the record, Tim and celebrated our 9th anniversary in September. Well, I wouldn't say "celebrated" because it was just another busy busy day for us as usual.
Races:
Tim and I both ran in the Wasatch Back
Tim and I both ran the Speedy Spaniard 10K in Spanish Fork on the 24th of July
I ran the Hobblecreek Half Marathon
I also ran in several 5ks. Decided it's fun to do those cuz I always win a cool prize for coming in 2nd...always 2nd!
Vacations:
Tim and I both got to go to Girls Camp and did Trek for Youth Conference; both were awesome
Brooklyn and I took a girls trip to San Diego for a long weekend...amazing trip!
Family pass to Thanksgiving Point = very good investment
Lots of camping, boating, golfing, playing outside, bike rides, visits from cousins, new trampoline, etc and that was our summer!
Church:
Tim got released from Primary after 6 years and is now the assistant financial clerk, or something like that.
I got released from Young Women's, which was bitter sweet, and now I teach Gospel Doctrine...to adults! Don't ask me how that happened!
School:
Brooklyn started 1st grade
Tallan started Preschool
I am heading back in January at UVU to finish up...finally! I'm super excited though!
Work:
Tim somehow manages to stay busy enough in this slow real estate market, but has been applying for many other jobs around the US. We hope we get to go somewhere exciting, but I told him it has to be close to my family!
I am still working full time but got a new "job" within the same company. I am a professional shopper now! I get to do all of the purchasing for all 4 campuses and the best part is furnishing and equiping our brand new 90,000 sq ft building at Thanksgiving Point. Stressful, but fun!
I am still teaching TurboKick 2 nights a week and have a lot of fun with those girls!
That's about it.
And now let's see how long it takes me to post again...
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Costa Vida Flyer
Most of you may already know that my team is running the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay for the American Cancer Society in June. Costa Vida is sponsoring a benefit night for us where they are donating 20% of all sales to our team when you bring in a flyer to the American Fork or Provo locations on Wednesday, May 12th from 2pm -9 pm.
We are so excited about this event! Please come and support us and pass the word along to your friends and family. You must have the flyer with you in order for your sales to count! Click on the image above and print it. Black and white is just fine too! Please pass it around by email, to your coworkers, family, neighbors, and friends.
Thank you SO much!
Becky
We are so excited about this event! Please come and support us and pass the word along to your friends and family. You must have the flyer with you in order for your sales to count! Click on the image above and print it. Black and white is just fine too! Please pass it around by email, to your coworkers, family, neighbors, and friends.
Thank you SO much!
Becky
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