The Hoopes

Here's an updated photo of my sister Heather and her family. From left to right, Zachary, Jonathan (it could be Warner, but I honestly can't tell), Heather, Taylor, Jonathan Sr., Warner, and Avery.

The Stauffers

Here's an updated photo of my sister Michelle and her family. From left to right we have Mckinley, Cassidy, Michelle, Wyatt, Garrett, Colin, and Addison.

The Fountains

Here are some updated photos of my younger sister Lindsey and her family. Lindsey is with her two daughters Madison and Lauren. James, my brother-in-law, is with their two sons, Ethan and Tristen.

Going....Going...Almost Gone

2008 has been a wild and crazy year. With the long, drawn out election and the failing economy, who isn't ready for 2009? For Christmas, I spent a wonderful 5 days in Connecticut with my sisters Heather and Michelle and their families. It was complete craziness with 10 kids between the two of them, but it was fun to be with family, and especially kids for Christmas. While I was out there, I went into NYC to visit my friend Karen, her husband Bill, and their new baby Samuel. He is a doll and it was great to catch up with them even if only for a couple of hours.

I am not sad to see 2008 go, but I can't deny that it was a good year for me. I changed houses and jobs, and I feel very blessed. It was not without its stresses and frustrations, but those were learning experiences and I look forward to a great 2009!

It's the most wonderful time of the year! I truly do believe that. I love this time of year. People seem to be a little nicer and more thoughtful. This photo was taken three years ago when Lindsey was still living in Utah. The coloring is not great, but the lights at Temple Square were beautiful, as usual.

Enough Said....

Rivalry Week

What can I say? We train'em young! My niece Addison (far right) is wearing Cougar blue! It's rivalry week here in the great State of Utah. A week when family members are pitted against one another and mature adults act like raving lunatics all in the name of college football. Ain't life grand? I love this time of year. I love college football, and I love this rivalry. I would like nothing more than to have BYU tromp the Utes this Saturday, but even if BYU doesn't win--it will be quite a game. You couldn't ask for a better scenario, Utah is 11-0 and BYU is 10-1. If Utah wins, the Utes will likely go to a BCS bowl. If BYU wins, it will be one of the biggest wins in Cougar history. It should be a great game--BYU has a great offense (except for the turnovers and penalties) and the Utes have a great defense (except for the occasional cheap shot). If BYU's defense decides to reappear after taking a vacation since the TCU game, then the Cougars will undoubtedly win. If not, then it will be a close one. The biggest travesty here, I won't even be able to see the game. I refuse to go to the game because the last time I went to Rice Eccles for a BYU/Utah game I had full beer cans thrown at me and one guy threatened to beat me up. I won't be able to watch it on television because my satellite company does not have The Mountain--what a joke!!! So I will listen to the game on the radio as I do every week, even though I can't stand the KSL commentary. The best part about this game is that for 3 hours this Saturday, we can watch and participate, even if only vicariously, without another care in the world. Again, ain't life grand? Cougars by 3!

Gratitude

Why does it take a holiday every November for us to think about what we are grateful for? Why does it take trials and tragedy to make us realize how much we have and how much we love one another? All good questions, no good answers. I think we are all guilty of forgetting and taking what we have for granted. Luckily we are reminded at least once a year, if not more often, that we have much to be grateful for.
Here is a list of things I am grateful for, in no particular order, some simple, some serious, but all important to me...
1. The innocence, hope and faith of children who teach us everyday how to love unconditionally, and who give unconditional love in return.
2. Freedom to choose, freedom to worship, freedom to disagree, and freedom to learn and grow.
3. Sunday naps
4. Autumn
5. The unending support of a loving family including two wonderful parents and the best three sisters a person could ask for.
6. Change
7. A good job that enables me to pay my bills and help others from time to time
8. Friends
9. Minnie
10. Zachary, Avery, Taylor, Jonathan, Warner, McKinley, Cassidy, Addison, Garrett, Wyatt, Tristen, Lauren, Madison, & Ethan
11. Diet Coke with Lime mixed with Cherry Coke
12. Temples
13. The snooze button on my alarm
14. Mercy
15. Football
16. My bed
17. My health
18. Education
19. Mr. Darcy
20. Freedom of the press
21. Air conditioning
22. Flip flops
23. Peanut butter
24. Good books
25. YOU

Not much to update today, just wanted to post this great picture of my nephew Tristen, and my nieces Maddison and Lauren. They look so cute in their costumes and they hauled in lots of candy on Halloween.

I worried when I started this blog that I wouldn't have anything to say and I find myself in a predicament because I really have nothing new and exciting to report. I am working crazy hours, but enjoying my job. I am extremely busy at church as a result of a new calling (YW President). So I pretty much spend my life at work and church right now. I am very excited for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday when I will have two days off--in a row! To let you know how busy I have been, I haven't even had time to discover any new products so I have nothing to report in this entry on that front. I will, however, take this opportunity to wish my friend Melissa Horn a happy 40th Birthday tomorrow (Nov. 5th), I hope you have a wonderful day! So that's all for now...

Happy Fall!!! I just love this time of year with its crisp cool weather and the beautiful leaves. These two cuties are best friends and cousins. This picture was taken a couple of years ago when my niece Taylor and my nephew Garrett went to the pumpkin patch. They have a love/hate relationship as they are only 5 months apart in age. I would love to go and visit them right now, Autumn in Connecticut is wonderful.

I can't believe that it's already the middle of October, where has this year gone? It's been a busy one for me. I moved in January and started a new job in July. I still haven't unpacked about 20% of my boxes and I intend to start working on that this weekend. It's amazing how much your life can change in such a short amount of time. I have met a whole new group of friends in Draper, while keeping in contact with my good friends in Bountiful. I feel very blessed, especially now, to have wonderful friends and family who support me and are always there for me. At this time of unease, we should all look for ways to help those around us, whether they are friends or family or strangers. To those two or three of you who read this, thank you for your friendship!

Now for the fun stuff. New product find---Mally Eye Brightener on QVC. Yes, I said QVC. I can't believe that I bought something from QVC since I have always mocked my sister Michelle for being a QVC junkie, but in my defense, I found this product in a magazine and the only place listed to purchase was QVC. This stuff is so fun. It comes in a little bottle, it's powder, and once it interacts with your skin it turns to liquid and is a great concealer for under your eyes. I just put a little in the palm of my hand and then I use my finger to apply it under my eyes. It really is great stuff, and it's fun to use, kind of like magic!

An update on a previous post, YSL's Pur Black lip gloss is out now for a limited time. I ordered it from Saks.com and it is very fun!!!

And finally, wonderful news, at least for me, you can now purchase Armani cosmetics on Saks.com!!! I absolutely love Armani foundation--they have at least three different formulas, all of them are wonderful. If you don't know what color to purchase, call up a Saks Armani counter, describe the color that you currently use and they will do their best to select the right color for you. Bonus if you use a line they have in the store because they will walk over to that counter and grab the color and then match it to one of theirs. The coverage is great and Armani foundations win awards every year. Their Face Fabric is great for warm climates because it has great coverage but is very light and sheer. My favorite is the Luminous Silk foundation. And even better news, Saks has friends and family discount going on now through October 19th, just enter SAKSFF8 when you checkout (and no, I am not getting paid to promote Saks).

So that's it for today. Happy weekend and happy fall!

P.S. Take care of each other.

Goodbye Yankee Stadium....

This is an older photo of my brother-in-law Colin with my nieces McKinley, Cassidy, and Addison at a Yankees game, but I thought I would post it in honor of the demise of Yankee Stadium.....a moment of silence please....

Okay, now for the good stuff, I am happily back home sleeping in my own bed and so excited about that! Minnie couldn't decide if she was happy that I was home or mad at me, I think she finally decided that she was happy. She did, however, give me the cold shoulder for an hour or so.

I don't have a ton of time for my post today, but wanted to mention a great book that I just finished reading. I had to read it for work, but it is relevant in all aspects of my life, including relationships with family and friends. It's called Leadership and Self Deception, by The Arbinger Institute. It's a very fast read--I read it in one night, and I highly recommend it. It's in paperback so it's not too expensive. It was very eye-opening about how I view and treat myself and others.

I also found a new fun nail polish color by OPI--part of their Fall French collection called "You Don't Know Jaques." Very fun color, kind of a brownish gray. I also discovered at the grocery store last night Caramel Apple Sugar Babies--sooooo yummy. They are just out until Halloween so get-em soon if you want them.

Okay, that's it for today. I'll post more later. Have a good one.

Welcome to the Family!

Introducing...Ethan. He was born on August 7, 2008, and is the younger brother to Tristen, Lauren, and Madison. James, the proud father is holding the handsome little cutie in this photo while Lauren looks on. I haven't met little Ethan in person yet, but can't wait to hold him. I am told that his older brother and sisters love him and are very helpful to their mom. I have no doubt that the Sooner indoctrination has already begun even at the tender age of one month. Congratulations James and Lindsey!

Here Comes Trouble...

My niece Taylor loves to play dress up. I love this picture because it is so indicative of her sassy and playful personality. Oh to be a child again and to find joys in the simple things such as colorful headbands and hair accessories.

I am still in Milwaukee for work, ready for this week to be over so that I can go home and sleep in my own bed with Minnie at my feet. Milwaukee's not a bad place, it's just not home even though Mr. Marriott tries his best to make it feel like it is.

Now for another find...I was wandering through the Wauwatosa Target last night and noticed a new limited edition line of makeup at Target by Jemma Kidd. This is very high end makeup, being offered at good prices, at least for her stuff. Usually you can only find Jemma Kidd at Neimans or Saks, so to find it at Target was quite the coup. Nothing particularly special about her makeup, although I think her pencil eyeliners stay on better than others that I have tried. She also has fun, bright colors. As I continued my jaunt through the store I saw an add announcing that Anya Hindmarch, a high end British handbag designer, has designed a bag for Target that will be sold beginning in early to mid-October. Again, her handbags usually run in the $600-$1000 range so to see that she will be selling a bag at Target for around $60 made me smile. I love Target. Seriously, the greatest store.

Well, that's it for me. Have a great day, and happy shopping!

Here we have mom and dad who started it all! This is one of my favorite pictures of my parents!

This smiley bunch belongs to my sister Michelle. From left to right we have Addison, McKinley, Wyatt, Garrett, and Cassidy. We had so much fun when they came to visit SLC this summer!

These cuties belong to my sister Lindsey. From left to right we have Lauren, Madison, and Tristen. They also have a new little brother who was born on August 7, 2008 named Ethan (photo to come).

These beautiful children belong to my sister Heather. From left to right we have Avery, Taylor, and Zachary. As for the twins Warner and Jonathan--I can't tell them apart.

Here Goes Nothin......

Okay, so here's my first attempt at blogging... We will see if this is interesting enough to warrant any readers. First I need to say that I cannot guarantee that I will blog everyday, or even every week, but I will do my best.

I think that I am supposed to write about what's on my mind and what's going on in my life. Let's get rid of the last one first...nothing is going on in my life, at least nothing exciting. I am in Milwaukee for work this week and trying to navigate around an unknown town in my tangerine- colored rental car. Needless to say, whoever invented Hertz Neverlost is my hero. Without that system I would be lost in more way than one. I did engage in some retail therapy yesterday in the Windy City. Little did I know when I set out from Waukesha, Wisconsin yesterday morning at 8:30 a.m. (it's important to get an early start when you are visiting a city with quality shopping), that Chicago was receiving record amounts of rain. As I got closer to the city I realized that this probably wasn't the smartest idea as I was driving through wheel-well deep water, but I forged ahead, resolved to complete my pilgrimage to Neimans, Saks, Sephora, and Barney's. I did in fact finally make it to Michigan Avenue--such a fun place, and slogged through the rain and wind to all of my favorite stores. I think that Chicago is one of the best kept secrets in our country. Such a fun city with the culture, restaurants, and shopping of NY, LA and San Francisco, but cleaner and with more of a midwestern feel. Definitely a must visit!

Now for what's on my mind...I am sick of politics. This election has already droned on too long for my taste except, of course, for the hilarious SNL sketch on Saturday night with Tina Fey as Sarah Palin and Amy Poeler as Hillary Clinton---so funny. Tina Fey had Sarah Palin spot on! As for the substantive stuff, I will most likely not discuss my political opinions on this blog because I believe that a person's political beliefs are personal. If you want to share them with others, that's your choice. I choose to keep them to myself. That's not to say that I don't have an opinion, simply that I choose not to share it. I will say this, as you read other people's blogs, emails, etc... have respect for their views and beliefs. You can be passionate about your views, but please don't judge or berate others for their opinions. Voice your opinion and then vote your choice!

The other topic on my mind is the devastation from Hurricane Ike in Texas, Louisiana, and parts of Mississippi. As I have watched the constant CNN coverage from my hotel room here in Waukesha, I am reminded of the plight of the hurricane victims. Watching the news feeds is sobering and it reminds me that we need to be prepared for whatever natural disaster might come our way. In the meantime, keep those people in your thoughts and prayers.

Now for the fun part of my blog, and the real reason that some of you might read it. Those who know me well know that I am a beauty product whore. I love reading about, sampling, and scouting out beauty products. I can't explain this phenomenon because I really don't enjoy wearing makeup and would much rather put my hair in a ponytail everyday. But I guess I have resigned myself to the reality that I have to do my hair and wear makeup, so I might as well have fun with it. So from time to time I will post one of my latest finds. My most recent find is: Le 2 de Guerlain mascara. It has mascara in both ends--two brushes, one that's very small and allows you to get the hard-to-reach lashes, and the other is a normal brush. It doesn't flake, and it goes on with relatively few clumps. You can purchase this mascara at http://www.sephora.com/, but beware, it's not cheap. One more product I am excited about is the YSL Pur Black lip gloss coming out in mid-October. I know it sounds scary, but it could be a very fun product if worn over another color. Rest assured, I will test it and let you know what I think!

So there it is, my first real post about, well, nothing really.... Enjoy. And oh yeah, congrats to the BYU Cougars for thumping UCLA 59-0 yesterday!!!