Cincy

A week and a half ago I went to Cincinnati for our first regional seminar of the fall season. It was such a fantastic time!!! It was my first time in Cincy and I loved it, naturally, because the demonstrators were fabulous, as was the city.

In one of my presentations I gave a few tips of how to take good photos and here we are trying out some of those tips--look how well these tips work! :) (Bonnie, Donna, me, Carrie)
This is my boss....she is the best!!!

It was a special treat to have Bonnie & Jill there this time....the more the merrier!!! And here's Me and Pope and Carrie during the seminar....

Dinner with Pope, Darlene & Shelli...we were famished after the whole day and then an hour at Macy's--who knew their corporate headquarters were in Cincy!

And we found Graeter's--which is the most fantastic ice cream. I don't even prefer ice cream over other treats but WOW this was good!!!!

In the town square, there was this most fantastic fountain....that we only got half of in this picture. In the airport on the way out, I was buying a magnet of the fountain when I learned that it was a gift from Germany years ago b/c they accepted so many German immigrants. Such a cool story!

And then Saturday night, we were walking to dinner and walked right into a velvet rope across the sidewalk....so we sneaked up close and waited for what was to come....

To our amazing delight----we experienced 5 buses of Denver Broncos unloading!!! Yes, it was delightful! The most fantastic display of designer suits, cologne and testosterone that I've ever experienced!!

Photos by Lisa Pope.....

A few things about my day off today that made me happy...

I got back from Cincinnati yesterday, so I had today off...and wow was it a fantastic day!!!

I woke up at 10am (which is noon Cincy time!)....to darkness and rainstorms! Just look at all the clouds behind the mountains....

A sure sign of Autumn....fruit stands on the side of the road....had to make a quick stop....yummy!

Just look at my car's temperature gauge!!!!!!!

And who wouldn't be excited about going to lunch w/this little guy....

I'm In Love!!!

For I don't even know how many years (5?) I have quietly mourned. As a former fashion teacher, and lover of shopping & all things fashion really, I always knew Project Runway would be my favorite reality TV show. But, I don't really watch that much TV so I didn't feel like I could justify upgrading my cable to get Bravo--just so I could watch Project Runway. I caught episodes when I could but have never watched a whole season...

Until now!!!!!!!!!!!! I have become intertwined in my true love!!! Thank you thank you thank you Heidi for taking your show to Lifetime (it's always been one of my favorite channels anyway!)!!!!!! I love it a thousand times more than I ever thought I would!

Every week when the fashion show starts, my heart speeds up.....

This is my fave dress so far this year....

I love it so so so so so so much! Already cannot wait until next Thursday!

It's What Fun Is!

Happy September 1st (my favorite day of the year, next to Christmas). I can feel cold weather just around the corner.....

A couple weeks ago, Hill & I took the Z's to Lagoon!!! WOW this was my funnest trip there to date! I can't believe how fantastic the park is--it definitely gets better each year (Spider, new & improved Wild Mouse, fountain play area)--yet they still keep the vintage feel too (Turn of the Century, corn dogs, Pioneer Village, funnel cakes)!

We decided to wait and go in at 5pm--because ticets became 2 for 1. Zoey wasn't too happy that we had to wait about 10 minutes to buy tickets....

But the best thing--it rained earlier in the day (which was what made us decide to go b/c we knew it would be cool)! So we even needed jackets....me & Zoe on the ferris wheel...

Zane & Hill....
We rode the Bat which was about a 10 second ride (the only one that wasn't worth the wait--which was only about 10 minutes--we hardly had to wait all day!)....these two were just in hog heaven all day long!

This last pic was just before 11pm....and our 5th time on Colussus!!!

After all these years, Lagoon still is what fun is!

Convention 2009

I love Convention. There's just nothing like it. Why? Well there are a few of my favorite things that run in complete abundance during Convention.....

To name a few: Excitement, adrenaline, Diet Coke, laughs, achievements, smiles....

...Friends....me & Carrie right before the doors opened for Awards Night--definitely one of my fave parts....

Me & Amanda (I think we have a picture like this for the past 5 Conventions, and then some)....

....and Karah who was running things back stage this year....

Sharing ideas.....everyone is so generous when swapping, talking, discussing, learning....these are the ladies that I taught with this year: Joan, Christina, Ruth & Paula)...

Demonstrators!!! I love EVERY single one of them!! (me & Robin...just before she was named to this year's Advisory Board)...

And me & Christina...(Don't those display boards make you want to sign up as a demonstrator? If so, let me know--we've got a fantastic promotion going on right now! :)

This year I had a few visitors come see what Convention and my job is all about...Leann and my BFF Vanessa....

....and on the 2nd day of classes, my family was in the audience (L to R): Mom (who is in my downline and always @ Convention and being w/her is always one of the highlights!), Allyson, Zoey & Hillary....

...and no they are not twins--even though this picture almost confuses even me! j/k :)

Hillary & Zoey stayed over in the hotel w/me one night and WOW for a minute I realized that Pleasant Grove is a little bit country b/c Zoey was bug-eyed most of the night about the lights and city and robbers and people....it was so awesome!

Then my sister the night owl made us sleep w/masks so she could stay up reading....of course I am also a night owl but 5:30 am comes waaaaaay too early to stay up late....

....then she stole my camera and made a little fun of us. :)

Lastly, we always have some fun outings!! I've said before that my coworkers are like family...everything is always such a blast! Saturday night, Lisa, Shiloh & I went to the Craft Lake City fair and bought out all the headbands...then went for a little late night snack....

...and of course Lisa & I couldn't pass up another opportunity to take a photo at the dinner table...that seems to be our tradition. Shiloh was also in the picture but after 3 tries and still blinking, I gave her the chop. Sorry Shiloh! It's ok though b/c she never reads this. :)

Wow Pope--your pose is perfect! And on the first try!!! :)

Straight Through My Heart

My boys have a new single. It's a good one, if you ask me!!! But of course I love dance/techno-ey music so I couldn't be more thrilled! Do you agree?

Straight Through My Heart

For Jaron

If it weren't for my nagging friends, I would probably never get any projects completed.....I'm not finished w/my bathroom yet but I'm getting closer. So Jaron....here you go....a few pics of my progress....

Five months ago I introduced this project in this post. The paint has been finished for awhile....next I painted frames and added some gold touches.
I love the way these look w/nothing in them but what I have to put in them is even more fabulous--they are French cosmetic ads from magazines in the 50s. Plus then I glittered them--probably my best glitter creation to date! :) (Wow does the possibility of that make your head spin?) I hope to have them up soon....

A few accessories.....I gold leafed 3 cherubs--one on the counter and these two....

....which are completely ruined by this ridiculous light fixture....must fix that too!

And a close-up....I just used a little spray adhesive and the gold leaf stuck perfectly. It's really worth more than it costs....but then again it only cost me 99 cents for a huge pack (from Savers of course).

I am sooooooooooo glad I decided to paint over the first green which now looks apple green compared to this. I love this color so much! And thanks to my sis who finished the painting whilst I was in Australia!

Zoey

My little sweetie is truly the cutest thing ever. Don't you agree?

This is a picture of her at Color Me Mine last weekend--one of our favorite places.

We get to have sleepovers all the time and I must document this so that I will remember it for all of time. Before bed she lays out her clothes for the next day...

That was her 4th of July outfit. Sometimes there are earrings too! :) I must try this myself--it surely would save me a few minutes in the morning. Or maybe I should just try going to bed at a decent hour....