Cyber-Sanders

Ummm . . . I really haven't posted since December?

2009-03-05T18:51:00.001-08:00

Wow! I was surprised to see that my last post was all the way back in December. Where has 2009 gone already? These last few months have been eventful - though most of those events are not good. To make a long story short, we're unemployed, currently trying to sell a house that is worth less than half (yes, half!!) of what we paid less than 2 years ago, navigating the world of health insurance outside of an employer, and we're likely going to move sometime soon though we're not sure where. I'm sure all my friends think I've abandoned them because I don't like to talk when I'm in a funk. It feels like wallowing and I hate that.

Anyway, we're really trying to focus on our blessings. I'm confident that faith is the only good way out of this situation. What we don't or can't understand will somehow fit into Heavenly Father's grand plan for making us stronger.

I do love keeping up on my friends via their blogs during all of this. It's great to see lots of thriving going on in the midst of all the yuckiness in the world around us!!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T13:34:00.000-08:00

Remember the reason for this season. A great video by my alma mater . . .

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful . . .

2008-12-18T13:05:00.000-08:00

We were at 5+ inches by 3:00PM

Well, the flip flops are officially retired for the season, much to my dismay. Yesterday Vegas got the biggest snowstorm in 30 years. Lucky us!! It was truly crazy. Nate has been joking about getting a blizzard for months - little did we know, he was predicting the future. Snow shouldn't be this big of a deal, but in a city with a total of 10 snowplows (all positioned on the mountains west of us), no salt or sand trucks, and thousands of clueless snow drivers, you can imagine the chaos. Note to all Vegas drivers . . . if it's slippery and you're having a tough time with traction - whatever you do, DON'T STOP!!! Stopping means no momentum and thus no hope of ever starting again. Our neighborhood is up on quite a hill/mountain. This means 2 things - we got more snow than the rest of the valley and it's harder to get here when you're battling the incline on slippery roads. The streets on the way up here were strewn with cars. It was every man for himself last night and driving on the middle, or sides, or wrong side of the street was A-OK if it meant you could get home. Thank goodness for some kind samaritans who helped those less fortunate with rides, tows, etc. Nate made it home just fine - it just took forever and was quite frustrating - given that he's a seasoned Colorado snow driver.

All in all, it looks like about 8+ inches, all falling between 8 in the morning to about 11:00 last night. We bundled up and took a winter wonderland walk at 12:30 last night. There were actually people out snowboarding on the roads. Snow in Vegas really is exciting!

A funny video of Chloe here. I tried to get her to go in the snow. That dash of claws and feet you hear is her making a beeline for the doggy-door (behind our outside couch)

Someone's Confused!

2008-12-17T13:32:00.000-08:00

I know my mailing address says Nevada, but someone's confused. This is what I find out my window today . . .

And yes, that's a sago palm covered in snow . .

I guess it really is Christmas!

On a Kristin Chenoweth note . . .

2008-11-07T13:10:00.001-08:00

I said I love this girl. In case you weren't sure you did - watch this!

A Music Break

2008-11-07T11:49:00.000-08:00

Good music is always uplifting in times of worry and uncertainty. It can change a mood in an instant. There are two recent releases that have caught my attention and I want to share. The first:

We heard Jason Deere and the Nashville Tribute Band perform this at a recent Time Out for Women. This is the second CD in a series, the first being called "Joseph". I'm not normally a huge "mormon music" lover because of the sap level, but this CD is so fun! It tells the story (through music) of the pioneers' decision to trek across the plains and the hardships (and fun!) they faced along the way. There are some uplifting songs and some touching songs. It's a great mix and even kids would like this one. The beats are catchy. It's a great way to teach them about the pioneers. You can read about the history of the band and music here and listen to clips here. I highly recommend "Crack of a Whip". Fun!

The second:
I just love this girl! You may know her as Glinda in the Broadway show Wicked - she was right in her element singing "Popular"! You may also know her as Olive on the very quirky Pushing Daisies show. A reviewer described her as "what happens if you cross-breed a Barbie doll and a kewpie doll and breathe bubbly life into the mix". It's true, in the the most flattering way. Her voice is amazing and somehow just "happy"- if a voice can be happy :) Anyway, this is her new Christmas album and I MUST have it. I've already been listening to clips. You can too here.

When you can't have spa days everyday, you must have good music to pull you through.

Escape

2008-11-06T11:08:00.000-08:00

For Christmas last year, Nate gave me a gift certificate to the Bellagio Spa. Yum!! I've been putting off going for almost a year now because I kept attaching conditions to get the treat - like when I lose those 10 lbs, I'll make the appointment or when I complete that project I'll go. Well, the 10lbs are still here and the project's not done - so much for motivation - but the spa certificates are expiring sooo . . . when I made the appointment two weeks ago, I purposely made it for the day after the election. I figured that if the news was good, it would be a little celebration. If it wasn't so good, the spa would be a good escape. A good escape indeed!!

Seriously, the Spa Bellagio is beautiful! 65,000 sq. ft beautiful, I might add. A huge place with some great features. I was scheduled for a hand, foot, and scalp massage, but I got there early to enjoy the relaxing environment. This is what greeted me in the women's spa lounge:
Had I thought to bring my suit, I would have enjoyed these 3 warm to hot whirlpools and 1 cold plunge pool. They are clothing optional, but naked in public's just not my style. I did sit in the relaxation room and sip a warm cinnamon tea as I waited for my treatment. This place is just luxury - from the robes to the lockers to the general surroundings and amenities.

After my treatment, which was glorious but never long enough, I sat in the amazing meditation room.
This was, perhaps, my favorite part of my spa stay. This picture doesn't do the dim, relaxing room justice. I was the only one in the room, so I picked a chair right in the middle and spread out. There are blankets on each chair, so I snuggled under and just closed my eyes. Thinking, pondering, dreaming. We don't get enough time for this stuff in our day to day. In a place like this, time sort of stands still.

Spa Bellagio was a wonderful way to spend a morning. I wish I could go more often. But alas, life calls and responsibility weighs. Thank you, Nate, for a great gift. I put it off too long, but in hindsight, it was a great escape at just the right moment.

Today

2008-11-04T21:10:00.000-08:00

My Facebook Status tonight: "Wendie is feeling sad for the USA. People have been fooled. Change is coming, but I'm pretty sure you're not going to like it."

Now, I wonder, when we look back on this day one year from now, how many will wish they'd chosen differently? When taxes aren't lower, jobs aren't more plentiful, and our constitution is being attacked at its very heart, will we wish we'd chosen differently? When all the eloquent speeches are a distant memory, will we all be able to see the real truth we missed? The radical world around us is cheering today. They want a different America than we do. Will we be cheering with them next year?

I can only say what I feel today. I don't "know" any better than any of you. I just feel that we, as a country, have stepped away from God today. It feels like more than a political choice. I hope I'm wrong.

I Know!! A New Post! Shock!!!! Happy Halloween

2008-11-03T09:05:00.000-08:00

This year's Halloween was quite busy for two people in a no-kid household. Chloe is really our "kid" now, so I focused on her outfit early. As you might recall last year, her outfit was quite embarrassing to her. This year we decided to go with something far more flattering. Funny thing is - she loved it! Every time I put on the dress she pranced around like she was the queen of the ball. Dogs are just hilarious sometimes.

I found her dress on Etsy. I love that place - some really cool stuff. The lady who made the dress was so impressed with Chloe's modeling, she made her a feature picture on the ad. Maybe I can work on sending my "kid" into modeling to make some extra money for the household :)

Friday night we headed over to the District, an outdoor shopping area here in Henderson that does a Halloween event with all the stores handing out candy. Music, lights, soooo many kids, adorable costumes, and food. It was a fun time and super, duper crowded - way more than last year. Chloe enjoyed eating candy off the ground (much to my dismay) and we enjoyed sauntering and costume-sighting in the beautiful weather. If I didn't appreciate Fall before we moved here, I certainly appreciate it now. Days here are still in the 70-80s, but evenings are fabulous high 60s. Amazing! One of my very favorite things about living here is that I rarely have to wear real shoes - flip flops are my constant foot companion and I love it!

Saturday night, Nate and I were invited to a Halloween party. The party was planned for Halloween night, but because of lack of babysitters the host moved it to the next evening. That's actually a great tradition - the kids have their fun first, then the parents get to have a fun night out. Anyway, Kari (go check out her amazing planning here) went all out and was a wonderfully creative host. Nate and I debated and debated over costumes (he's more Star Wars, I'm more "not so geekified") but finally landed on our costume idea out of desperation - the party was starting in 2 hours :)

We were Costco demonstrators - complete with sample trays not shown here. As I expected, Nate totally pulled out the design skills and pulled off a sign that everyone thought we stole from Costco. So funny!

Hope everyone had a great Halloween. I'm totally ready to pull out the holiday stuff now. I may even blog about it!

Just Plain Cute!

2008-06-18T10:38:00.000-07:00

Say what you will about your own kids, but I've got the market cornered on the cutest niece and nephew. Seriously - Gerber babies! Here are a few shots I got a couple of weekends ago when we were all together. Do you not just want to eat them up?!

One Year Ago Today . . .

2008-06-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that we moved to Las Vegas exactly one year ago today - June 17th. This year, despite its myriad of hard times, has flown by. As I contemplated life on those 11+ hours in the U-haul by myself, I don't think I would have ever imagined that I would be unemployed but contemplating a totally new career path just one year later. I would not have imagined that this year would be as hard as it was, yet so rewarding. I would not have imagined how much I would enjoy living closer to family and how much we would rely on them for support and fun - and mom's cooking! :) I would not have imagined how blessed we would be by a loving Heavenly Father who is forever watching over us and somehow making things work out.

I know I imagined the gargantuan task of moving in and decorating a new home - which is STILL not complete - surprise, surprise! We've got some curtains up and paint in the kitchen, but job searching and other priorities have made the rest a task for the future. Boxes still abound in the extra bedrooms, but we'll get to them someday.

It's been a year of ups and downs, but we've learned so much and are really beginning to feel more settled here. I don't know if Las Vegas is the end to our moving journey (I'm sure it's not). We've got lots more options to explore someday. For now, we are enjoying our home, the mostly warm (and warmer) weather, quiet suburbia, family, our giganto ward, access to more interesting entertainment than we could ever need, and the prospects of new and exciting things to come over the next 12 months.

When you can say, "It works!"

2008-05-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

It would be an ideal world if all things functioned just the way the way the advertisements and product packaging said they would. We are bombarded every day with the latest and greatest tool, cleaning product, gadget, face cream, etc. Sadly, many disappoint, and we quickly realize that our hard-earned money was lost to another clever marketer in the quest for quicker, better, and best. This whole scenario makes the moments when our latest purchase actually works just the way "they" said it would (or better!) all the more exciting. My latest product love affair is one I've been itching to share.

I will fully admit that I'm gadget-curious, but I'm also a very critical shopper. This is especially true when it comes to cleaning products. The truth is, most don't work as well as they say, many let off enough toxic fumes to choke you, and I often leave my cleaning experience, whether it's in the kitchen or the bathroom, feeling a little dizzy and less than satisfied.

Mopping, oh mopping! I've been able to escape it for many years because I had very little hard flooring. I used to clean my bathroom and kitchen floors on my hands and knees with paper towels and a little cleaner. That did the job much quicker and faster than hauling out a mop. Besides, don't you always feel like the mop just spreads the dirt around? Even if you change the water often, you're putting the dirty mop back on the floor and ugh! I just hate it. In our new house here in Las Vegas, we've got a lot more tile to deal with. That means mopping. I set out on a quest for the best solution. I started with the Libby mop with washable head. It sounded good that I could just throw the head in the washer after a mopping. What I quickly learned is that there's a lot of annoying squeezing and bending. It does the job, but it's not fast and it's not perfect. The dirt-spreading factor is huge here. Next came the Method Mop. The cleaner that comes with the mop smells divine and the Micro-fiber cloth does actually pick up a bunch of dirt and it's washable at the end of the job. This is a great mop if your floors are just lightly dirty or you need a quick once-over at the end of the day. Still, though, not perfect.

That brings me to my new love. The Monster EZ1 Steam Mop. It's a steam mop made in heaven. This thing is not easy to find. I set out to find a steam mop of some sort, read a lot about the domestic brands that are commonly available at Target, Wal-mart, etc, but came away wanting for something better. I sort of stumbled upon a vacuum site that was featuring a video of the Monster. Being a gadget-lover, I was intrigued, though skeptical. It's made in Italy and not regularly available here, though you can find it at said vacuum store, Amazon and on ebay. After seeing just a few good reviews and bargaining with a guy on e-bay for a great deal, I made the leap. What a great leap! This thing is, as they say, "the bomb". You put in the water, let it heat up, then steam away. And when I say steam, I mean steam. This stuff is hot! That's great for sanitizing your floors, but not so great when you're mopping right next to your foot. I fried a few toes early on. Now I wear shoes or at least socks. The micro-fiber cloth seems to suck in the dirt and I really like that the steam is sanitizing. No choking chemicals either! The real test for me was to mop my kitchen floor with the Monster then wipe a section with a wet paper towel to see what other grime comes up with a little up close and personal scrubbing. Nothing! Not a speck or hint of dirt. I love it! I've found my eternal mopping companion.

What's your favorite cleaning tool? I've got mopping down, but what about toilet cleaning and shower scrubbing? Those are still a work in progress. Share if you've got a great solution to these ever so mundane problems.

An Opportune Moment

2008-05-22T22:42:00.001-07:00

Parker (my sister Kellie's son) and I have become real photo buddies lately. He's my model of choice when it comes to practicing my portrait-taking - and who wouldn't want this cutey as a model? Anyway, Chloe is insanely jealous of Parker. It could have something to do with the fact that we talk to Parker in the same voice we use to talk to Chloe. Parker is a real damp rag on her "all the attention on me" parade, but nonetheless, she enjoys him and I think she's just secretly holding out until Parker begins his food dropping/throwing/spitting phase. Then all the negatives will be outweighed by the veritable feast that awaits her. For now though, Chloe finds great joy in having a human down at her level, especially one that doesn't know enough to protect himself from the incoming tongue. Poor Parker. I was taking his picture today and he was being so pleasant . . . . then THIS happened . . .
Now I know all you very clean moms and non-pet lovers think this is SO gross, but I have to tell you that I think it's seriously funny. I see the beginnings of a beautiful relationship - and I mean that in the most innocent "boy and his dog" kind of way. I love this dog. I love this boy. I'm glad they're forming memories to keep. I hope there are lots more to come.

Look Who I Found in Vegas!

2008-05-15T17:24:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not dead, contrary to assumptions based on my lack of blogging for 2+ months. I am out here, and I have fun story to share. My Denver friend, Chalyce, called me the other day with a surprise! She was in Las Vegas! Though you may assume that we'd get lots of visitors since we're in the hub of western tourist travel, it's not really true. I guess we don't have a lot of gambling or conference going friends :) Anyway, Chalyce was here for a conference as it turns out and had her evenings free. Nate and I were able to go pick her up at her hotel last night and go out for a fun sushi dinner at a new place we'd wanted to try. Chalyce was then kind enough to give us a tour of her hotel room. What a cool place! It's a relatively new casino hotel, called Red Rock, that's part of a chain of local casinos here called Station Casinos. We fell in love with the room and decor. As funny as it seems, it's quite the "thing" here in Vegas for locals to go stay at a casino for a night or two as a getaway from regular life. When we found out that the prices are quite reasonable on weekends, we quickly added this to our list of things we'd like to do someday. Thanks so much, Chalyce, for thinking of us and giving us a call. We had a fun time seeing you and catching up! For those of you out there who have some reason to be in Vegas anytime soon, call us!!! We'd love more visitors.

Here's a quick view of the Red Rock Casino's rooms, in case you're curious:

I LOVED this tub! It has to be more than 2 feet deep and just looks luxurious!

Have You Seen This?

2008-02-20T23:06:00.000-08:00

Super interesting and entertaining. I would have liked being one of the freezers, but how did they keep from laughing? That's what I want to know . . .

Book Tagged

2008-02-20T22:21:00.000-08:00

Oh Goodness! I've been tagged by my dear friend, Melissa, so here goes. I'm supposed to grab the closest book, turn to page 123 and read (and type here) the 5th sentence. I'm also then supposed to tag 5 new people. Well, hmmm, the closest book right this very minute is a Photoshop instructional manual by Scott Kelby. The boring news is that on page 123 there isn't even a 5th sentence - only 2 with big instructional pictures included. Since you don't want to hear about that, I'll choose the next closest book - one I picked up at the library today based on a book list provided by Melissa and her fabulous book club girls in Colorado. The book, which I just carried up the stairs with me before sitting down to check blogs, is The Diary of Mattie Spencer, by Sandra Dallas.

I think I remember Melissa saying something about how she really liked this book. Then again, maybe she said she hated it and that's why it sticks out in my mind . . . Either way, it looks like my kind of book - Depression days, living on the prairie, etc, etc. It gets 4.5 stars on Amazon, so I'm looking forward to it!

So let's see, page 123 . . . 5th sentence . . . "Poor Sallie survived months of inhuman treatment, only to die within an arm's reach of freedom, but perhaps there was some mercy in this; Sallie was enceinte."

Sounds uplifting . . . "enceinte" - am I the only one who had to go to dictionary.com for this one? The sentence is much more intriguing when you know the meaning of the word. It's true what they say . . . you learn something new every day. Thanks for the tag, Melissa, and for the exciting new read I have ahead of me!

I tag Monique, Kellie, Julie, Brittany, and Jen.

OK, She's Sung for Mitt, but not for America

2008-02-07T10:17:00.001-08:00

Mitt's out. It's official. I'm sad, but after watching his speech, I know he's still got the right idea. He absolutely "gets it" and if you don't agree, go find his speech on the internet. It's not about politics or money or anything else that he's been accused of. It's about the heart of our very lives - families, safety, security, and freedom. For now, we have to do what's right for America. In another 4 years, there will be another chance at bringing our focus back to the place it should be.

Mitt is a real class act. Maybe people will realize that now, more than they ever did when they had a chance to vote for him . . . .

The Fat Lady Has Sung - Almost. . .

2008-02-05T21:55:00.001-08:00

I'm feeling very sad tonight - the election results show a real disappointing trend in America's judge of character. Oh well. Maybe it will save me a trip to the polls in November. I don't know how I'd choose between the arrogant liar and the crazy woman. Hmmm . . . .

The Big Day!

2008-02-05T09:10:00.000-08:00

Politics

2008-01-30T11:23:00.001-08:00

OK, so I'm not sure that politics is a subject for a family blog, since it incites so many varied (and heated) responses, but I'm firey mad right now and need to say something. We are a country of lemmings - really! People, get educated. Take a look at this exit poll data from Florida. Perhaps you won't find it interesting, but I did . . . .

http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/30/florida-republican-exit-poll/

Notice anything about who voted for McCain?? Yes, generally liberals and independents, fairly well educated, pro-choice, pro-amnesty, and a huge portion of hispanic and cuban decent. Any conclusions we can draw from this?

My conclusion is that the bedrock of this country's values is being undermined by a candidate who "says" he's republican and people are going along with it because the media says "McCain good" . . . "Romney Mormon" and all the illegals and their families will benefit from the amnesty that is sure to come for them if McCain wins. These illegals (or at least their family members that are legal and registered to vote) are what took McCain over the top. Some may view this statement as a racist one. It's not meant to be. It is simply a fact that life for them is better here than where they came from and they'd do pretty much anything to stay, even it means that the rest of the country's quality of life (and particularly medical care) is sent straight down the toilet since we don't have the resources to take such a hit all at once. Immigration is good and is what made America what it is - illegal immigration and sucking off every government program out there without a care in the world is not!

I, for one, want something different. Not a president that will promise me something (and probably not deliver), but a president who shares my values and will stand up for and fight for the values that made this country America in the first place - strong families, respect for marriage, a love for hard work and competition, a respect for God and his laws, a good work ethic where everyone earns what they sow, freedom of speech and worship, and as little government intervention in our lives as possible. I can promise you that McCain won't do that. He's more interested in compromising his values so we can all "get along". Look at the writing on the wall, folks. The liberals of this country LOVE McCain. Of course they do! He'll help them get to the "free-thinking" "do whatever you want with your life and your body" world they're seeking. If they can't have Hillary or Obama, at least they'll have McCain.

I think this election is a sad case of giving up what we want in the long run for what will give us immediate gratification (supposedly). It makes me very, very sad.

That's my soapbox for the day . . . and don't even get me started on the lemming lovers named Obama and Hillary!

A Fond Farewell

2008-01-27T21:06:00.001-08:00

Tonight we say goodbye to a beloved man - our prophet, Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley. He died with his family around him tonight. We had a good idea it was happening today as his son was supposed to be our presiding authority yesterday and today at Stake Conference but was called away suddenly by way of a phone call from Elder Packer. As a result, many of the talks last night and today focused on stories of Pres. Hinckley. Did you know he didn't like spinach? Apparently when his daughter recently told him it was good for him and it contained lots of iron he told her he'd rather eat a horseshoe. What a funny man! When his doctor asked him how he stayed so positive when things were hard, do you know what Pres. Hinckley told him? That he would just think of a couple of swear words (I'm sure they weren't bad ones) in his head and get a chuckle and move on. He was an enduring optimist and such a wonderful example of a human man, with all his foibles, transformed through faith and hard work into a powerful leader that was able to touch so many lives. He will be sorely missed, though I know the legacy he leaves will continue on for years to come.

I loved this picture of him with his wife, Marjorie. I know that he missed her dearly and now they get to be together again. That's what it's all about, right? Thank you, Pres. Hinckley for being such a beacon of hope for all of us. At a recent conference for regional authorities, Pres. Hinckley chastised the men for looking so frowny. He told them how wonderful our world was and how much better it was getting - better and better every year. As the wicked get worse, the righteous get stronger and the gospel light gets brighter. I believe he's right. And what a great perspective he leaves for each of us. This moment is sad, but I know he'll be watching our work from above and cheering us on. Thank you, dear Prophet. We will never forget.

Parker

2008-01-24T16:10:00.001-08:00

Took this shot of Parker today. Isn't he cute!!!!

Digi Scrap

2008-01-21T15:25:00.000-08:00

I've become completed fascinated with the "digi" world, as they call it, of scrapbooking. I can't say I've ever gotten into scrapbooking - I've tried and lost interest - but because digital scrapbooking allows me to be creative and capture memories while still using my favorite tool - my computer - I'm starting to really like it. I can't say I'm good (and this layout is a copy of a template) but I'm starting to feel more comfortable. If you're ever interested, the queen is Jessica Sprague (jessicasprague.com). She'll teach you everything you need to know and more. Here's a fun layout of Parker that I did for my first assignment.

Christmas 2007

2008-01-21T15:10:00.000-08:00

We had a fabulous Christmas with the whole Williams clan this year. It was nice to all be together, but it was even nicer to have two new additions - babies! - Parker and Clementine. We are never great at taking pictures, but here's a couple of us on our last day together. I kept telling everyone to "lean in" for the picture. Apparently I was the only one who took my advice. Nice! :)

A New Year's Challenge

2007-12-31T18:52:00.000-08:00

OK - this is super cool. A totally mystifying optical illusion.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22556281-661,00.html

I saw counter-clockwise at first, but stared at it for a little bit and, low and behold, it changed! This is a good trick for New Year's Eve. Bring the crowd over to stare at your screen. You'll be amazed that people actually start to argue about which way she is turning.

Leave me a comment and let me know which way you saw it spin.

Happy 2008!!

Family Additions

2007-11-26T14:51:00.000-08:00

We've had two new family additions on the Williams side of the family. Both of my sisters have had babies in the last few months. Since Kellie's baby, Parker, lives here in Las Vegas, I've been able to practice my photography skills on him. Combine that with some Photoshop classes from UNLV and we've been able to come up with some pretty cute shots:

Julie's baby, Clementine, was just blessed yesterday in Colorado. I wasn't able to be there, but my mom got these shots. Very cute!

Thanksgiving

2007-11-26T13:17:00.000-08:00

We had a great time with the Sanders family this year. Everyone was able to be together and we had a fabulous feast planned and executed beautifully by Diane, as usual. We were able to get this shot of everyone. Even Cricket made it to this photo. Thanks for the great time, Sanders! Aren't all the "grannies" (short for grandkids) cute?!

A Belated Halloween Post

2007-11-26T12:56:00.001-08:00

I never got around to posting these pics near Halloween, but I've had some recent family requests (sorry Alison and Amanda) to get these up, so without further ado . . . here is what Chloe believes is the worst torture you can inflict upon a dog - humiliation. She was so embarrassed, she wouldn't even look at the camera. She's so funny. She really is embarrassed. Can you tell? Interestingly enough, however, she was a huge hit and got more attention than she could handle that night at the Ghost Walk at a local shopping area. Both kids and adults kept pointing and saying, "Look! A lobster!" She was a hit! I'm sure she would love to know that her humiliating picture is now posted on the internet for all to see :) Hee hee.

A Day of Thanks

2007-11-21T18:36:00.000-08:00

Well, we're here at the airport in Las Vegas, preparing for a flight to Denver. Man, is it cold there!!! I'm not sure I'm prepared for 23 degrees (and below) after basking in the 70s and 80s during the last two months. Today was one of the first days since May that I've had to put something other than flip flops on my feet. Oh well! It's the price we have to pay to see family and friends we haven't seen in awhile. We're looking forward to it.

Tomorrow is obviously the day (and hopefully not the only day) we ponder about those things for which we are thankful. Here are a few of mine:

1. A loving and husband and family that keep me grounded and give me all the support I could ever need.
2. The cutest dog in the whole wide world
3. A safe and happy home
4. The gospel, the Savior, and "the plan" - which helps a ton with that safe and happy home thing ;)
5. A sense of hope for good things to come, even if I am left unemployed during the holiday season
6. Good friends
7. My computer and the internet - how did I ever live without them
8. Good food - which I need to eat much less of - starting next week :)
9. Warm weather - mmmm, snow will be pretty, but I know I'll appreciate 65 when I get home
10. A healthy body, a bright mind and the promise of lots of fun happenings in 2008. Should be an interesting year.

I wish all of you a very happy and thankful-filled day! Enjoy.

ComMITTed

2007-11-17T15:48:00.000-08:00

Today we had the opportunity to see Mitt Romney in person as he came to our local library for a Town Hall meeting. It was a very cool event and as political candidates go, he's got a ton to offer. There were some good questions and Mitt really showed off his ability to think on his feet. In the midst of what can be a very cynical atmosphere in this country, it's wonderful to see a man and politician that really lives the values he professes. In my humble opinion, he's the best man for the job. Check out his website to see if he's coming to a town near you - www.mittromney.com.

Of course we couldn't leave without getting the requisite photo. Nate was the photog (as usual) so he's not in the photos and my dad got cut out of the main one due to lack of zoom on the Iphone, but he wants everyone to know that he was there too. I'll stick in a photo of the back of his head to prove it!

Don't we look like buddies here? Really I was just saying "Go Cougars!"

See Dad and Mom here . . .

Priceless

2007-11-08T14:29:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't been here to blog in awhile. We've been busy, but mostly I've had some lousy things happening and haven't felt much like blogging. Today, I came across this video and it gave me a big, therapeutic laugh. Some of you may have heard the song on the radio (I had), but it's just so much better on video. Seriously priceless. I hope this brings you the laugh I got.

Happy Thursday!

Look! I Won Something!

2007-10-04T17:58:00.000-07:00

I started reading this blog when Monique recommended it months ago. I think she had won something too. Anyway, I've since gotten really into it and check it often. I'm kind of fascinated with her life and her talent. I've even gone so far as to watch Lisa on a recent QVC appearance. I was curious about how she looked and talked in "real life". No, I'm not a stalker. I just find her interesting and a great representative on being Mormon in the real world. She seems to be setting a great example. Anyway, thanks to the very valuable Bloglines, I got a blog update a few nights ago. It was a contest! I quickly submitted my answer and then waited and waited and waited. She finally updated yesterday. YEA!!! I won!!!! I'm not even much of a scrapbooker (aspiring at best), but I'm super excited about the stamps. Don't they look fun? I never win anything, so it's thrilling for me :)

Since I'm mentioning favorite blogs, I have to put a plug in for a blog I discovered recently that is awesome - great writing, a great feel to the site, recipes, fabulous pictures, and romance! Pioneer Woman rocks! If you check out her site, you're going to have to go back a little in the archives to understand the story she's been telling about how she met her husband. You'll also find some references to a blog she's writing for JCPenney. If you've ever decorated a new house or remodeled an old one, you'll relate. You should also check out her cooking blog - Pioneer Woman Cooks. I've tried some recipes. She knows what she is doing, plus her pictures are perfect. All in all, her sites are a wonderful, satisfying treat.

Chloe's Birthday

2007-09-10T23:48:00.000-07:00

Chloe turned 3 today. I can't believe I brought that little puppy home 3 years ago!! She is a joy and a pleasure, even if she is work. The world is a better place because of dogs :)

Here's an old pic of her a few months after I got her. Is she cute or what!!?

Baby Shower Invitiations

2007-09-10T23:32:00.000-07:00

My sister, Kellie, is due to give birth to her first baby near the end of October. Now that we live near her, we get to participate in throwing a shower for her. I volunteered to do the invitations, which I love to do, but I have an uncanny ability to underestimate the amount of time it's going to take to make them. In this case, I WAYYYYYYYY underestimated. I found the cutest idea (that was actually for a baby announcement) but I altered it to fit our shower theme. After many hours, lots and lots of intricate cutting, and help from both my mom and Kellie, we got them done and mailed out. Hallelujah!! Here's a peek (sorry about the blur - I think the light was too low):

My favorite part is right here: See where it says "General Contractors: Kellie and Chad Davidson right under the ultrasound of the baby. So cute!!!!

A New Car

2007-09-10T23:22:00.000-07:00

We've known since we moved here that we needed to get another car. We left Nate's old one back in Colorado because it would have been too difficult to get it out here along with our two Uhauls and other car. Selling it made the most sense. Until Nate got a job, we could get by with one car. Truth be told, I was putting off the whole thing because the thought of shopping for a car made me sick to my stomach. You see - I've been very lucky. Since I graduated from college, I've always had a company car. I've never made a car payment, an insurance payment, a gas payment - nothing! I know, I'm spoiled and very lucky!! That joy came to an end last week when we finally ventured out in search of a car for Nate. We made the mistake of going to a dealer (that's a nightmare story all in itself), but when it was all said and done, Nate got a great car and we're happy with our purchase. The best part of all is that we learned today that the dealer is willing to let Nate do all their large format printing. Maybe the purchase will be a great investment after all!! Nate insisted he couldn't drive a 4-cylinder, so we had to search out this '05 Altima with the 3.5L V6. He loves it and it won't break our bank. That's all that's important. Here's to happy driving!!

A Long Awaited . . . J-O-B !!

2007-09-10T23:07:00.000-07:00

I posted a few weeks ago about how most things long-awaited seems sweeter than those that come easily or quickly. In the case of Nate's job search, we've learned that lesson again. After over two months of searching in what should be a great job market here in Las Vegas, Nate found an awesome job in the least expected of places!! A company he used to order printing supplies from back when he owned his print shop recently called. I answered the phone because Nate was off at a job fair. I ended up talking to the sales guy and mentioning that we had moved to Vegas but still had the printer, blah, blah, blah. Anyway, he kind of paused, then mentioned that they had been thinking about opening a location in Las Vegas, but didn't have anyone who wanted to move here. Wa la! The light went on for both of us. He said, "Well, I believe everything happens for a reason". Yep, we do too. In this case, the reason is that Heavenly Father is looking out for us and answering our prayers for our new family. Nate spent all of last week up in Minnesota meeting the owners and firming up details. He will be opening a location of Northlight Color (large-format printer sales and printing services) here in Las Vegas(the first one west of Chicago)and will run the shop while trying to decide if he wants to focus more heavily on the sales or the printing side. The job has lots of upside potential and plenty of room to grow. As you might imagine, printing is just a "tiny" business here with all the larger than life billboards, signs and banners we have! Nate gets to use his graphic design skills while still having lots to do and not being trapped in an office all day. He's just excited he doesn't have to get a work wardrobe :) We're both grateful for the exciting turn of events. Isn't it just amazing how things work out in a way that you would have never expected, yet they work out in the very best way of all? Long awaited blessings are indeed the best!

Lawnmower Fun!

2007-08-28T22:42:00.000-07:00

It's not often that you see "lawnmower" and "fun" in the same statement. Nevertheless, for us, they went hand in hand today. You see, when we first moved here in June it became quickly apparent that we needed a lawnmower since we now have a lawn. I set off on a search for the perfect lawnmower in typical Wendie fashion - I scoured the internet, read the reviews and consumer feedback, and searched the stores. I eventually landed on the perfect, top-rated, easy to use, no fuss, no muss mower that was cute to boot! - and who can resist the name - "The Lawn Pup". So, I ordered one. Little did I know, I was among many. . .

Isn't it interesting how much more fun and interesting things become when you have to wait forever to get them. Maybe that's why we like babies . . . anyway . . . I order the Lawn Pup on June 18th. After many "update" e-mails and a log of my mower's trip all the way from the Far East, it finally arrived on August 28th!!! In the meantime, you need to understand that our lawn kept growing . . . and growing . . . and growing. Luckily we only have grass in the backyard or I'm sure the neighborhood police would have been knocking on our door. The UPS man knocked on the door this morning and I think I heard an audible "whoo hoo" from somewhere in the house. We had that mower out of the box, put together and ready to mow within 10 mintues (another great reason to buy this beauty!) Take a look at how cute!! I watched Nate mow the whole lawn. The Pup reminds me of a little yellow VW bug. It mows (very well, so says Nate) and it's cute. You can't beat that. The instruction manual claims this thing has "fine Italian design". I don't know about that, but it's pretty darn "fun". I had to take these pictures so everyone else could enjoy the cuteness, but we also need to chronicle our first lawn-mowing of our new home - a landmark moment worth a blog note. So there you have it - a fun lawnmower moment :)

See how long the grass has gotten in 2 months!

Chloe thought she was guarding the yard from the new interloper. She wouldn't stop barking, as you'll hear in the video.

Uh Oh, I'm It!

2007-08-27T21:13:00.000-07:00

Monique tagged me on her blog, so here goes . . . a little about me . . .

Jobs I've held:

1. Sea World hamburger slinger
2. Sea World lemonade slogger
3. Telephone surveyer (for like 2 hours - who can do that?)
4. Griswold Advertising intern (don't you just love "unpaid" internships)
5. Procedure Manual writer for a building company (lots of Tetris during this one)
6. Recruiting agent (this one was for 2 days, I think - what a nightmare!)
7. Vanity Press marketer
8. Kellogg's Marketing Rep (there's no better job than one that gives you all the free cereal you can eat) . . . . nevertheless, I gave up the cereal in hopes of . . .
9. Juice - Ocean Spray National Business Manager (I manage all of drug now - Walgreens, Riteaid, CVS) - it sure is nice when they're building one on every corner - nice growth curve for me!

Places to Go for a Weekend Getaway:

1. The Sanders cabin
2. Anywhere else in the mountains
3. A Road trip to pretty much anywhere as long as you feel like you're "getting away"

Movies I Can Watch Over and Over

1. Pretty Woman
2. Forrest Gump
3. Never Been Kissed

Guilty Pleasures

1. Any kind of bakery cake - with buttercream icing
2. Sugary cereal with fresh milk
3. Sugar of any kind, really
4. Shopping at Ann Taylor loft
5. A spa day
6. Pedicures
7. Too many hours surfing my favorite sites on the web

Places I've Lived (is there enough room here?)

1. Clearwater, FL
2. Key West, FL
3. Kalispell, MT
4. New Albany, IN
5. Louisville, KY (twice)
6. Evansville, IN (twice)
7. Hudson, OH
8. Provo, UT
9. Midvale, UT
10. Chicago, IL
11. Aurora, CO
12. Henderson, NV

What were likely the first things you thought of when you saw your significant other for the first time?

1. Nice smile
2. Very thoughtful
3. Tan
4. When will he call me?

Places I've Been on Vacation

1. Mexico
2. Caribbean
3. Canada
4. Hawaii
5. Florida
6. Israel
7. France and Belgium
8. England
9. Costa Rica (honeymoon!)

Favorite Foods

1. Did I mention cake with icing??
2. Mexican (pico, chips, enchiladas, quesadillas)
3. Comfort food of any kind - mashed potatoes, roast chicken, gravy)
4. Ripe tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and viniagrette
5. Chocolate

If in a "jam" with your spouse, what tactics do you use to get out of the "doghouse"?

I don't think it's been long enough to get in a "jam" yet, but if I did, I'm sure I'd be remarkably charming . . . and making yummy food goes a long way too!

Websites I visit daily:

1. Friends' blogs
2. Lifehacker - Geek to Live
3. Fox News
4. 9 News
5. Meridian Magazine

Best First Kisses Landmarks:

Most of my best kisses have happened very simply at the front door or on the couch (in the case of Nate). Don't you think one of the best parts of a first kiss is the tingle of anticipation? Not that the rest's not good too, but you just can't ever duplicate the anticipation of a first kiss again.

Places I'd Rather Be Right now:

1. On vacation
2. In Colorado, visiting friends
3. At the spa

Who sent this to me: Monique

Buddies to Survey:
All my blogging buddies have already done this. My choices will have to be postponed until I can convince a few others to start the blogging thing.

House Pics

2007-08-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

OK - we haven't exactly been quick in our endeavour to get our house cleaned up, but this weekend, we made some progress. At least most of the living room and family room is totally liveable. We still need decorations (curtains, plants, accessories, etc.) but we're getting much closer. Here are a couple of pics of our living room. That's the family room in the background. Nate got our surround-sound hung up this weekend too, so another thing off the list!

We picked this house because we loved the windows and the open ceiling.

If you look closely, you'll see Chloe out in the family room (along with a few of her toys). You might also notice those pieces of paper on the floor. Those are the canvases Nate started. These are just on paper, but they are so cool. Pictures don't do them justice. These happen to be patterns from some new scrapbook paper I bought. I'd like to print them on canvas and do a gallery wrap (i.e 2-inch depth).

Speaking of printing, Nate's finally got the large format printer up and running, so if you ever need a picture on canvas, let us know. We'd love to do it. For now, we're going to begin dabbling in e-bay sales. Custom canvases are getting very popular.

So that's the house for now. As we get more accomplished (I'm working on curtains now), I'll post pictures. I can't wait until we live in some kind of peace with no boxes to unpack :)

2007-08-17T23:52:00.000-07:00

A Wedding Picture Peek

2007-08-17T13:40:00.000-07:00

OK - so I know a bunch of you have been begging (yes, begging) for wedding pictures and the truth is that I really don't have any yet. We were slow to pick our favorites, the photographer's on maternity leave, blah, blah, blah. We hope to get our real pics sometime in Sept or Oct. In the meantime, I've got a little peek under the tent - my bridal video. This was taken at Temple Square about a month before the wedding so it's not technically wedding day photos, but it will give you the idea. The only thing missing is Nate (I know that's a big "missing") and my hair was bigger on the real day. Enjoy for now. More to come later. . .

Key West Adventure

2007-08-15T21:58:00.000-07:00

OK - so one of the catch-ups I have to do is our most recent vacation to Key West with the whole Williams clan. It's the first time all of the daughters and their husbands have been there all together. The main event of the week is always the lobster hunt (Buggin', as they call it) on Wednesday and Thursday. We get up at the crack of dawn so that we can be out on the water and on our "spot" by sunrise. Then it's a crazy amount of diving for the boys, while the girls stay aboard to collect the catch and make sure it's of legal size. You can see here that the boys did just fine - even the newbies (of which Nate was one). In fact, Nate got two lobsters that day, and boy, did we hear about it.

He was so proud! Diving is actually much harder than you would think, so he really did have something to smile about it. He kept checking the live-well to see "his" lobsters. Some found it so funny that they decided to mark his lobsters with those plastic tie-wraps so he could keep track. They're in the big picture above.

After the two days of lobstering, it's more water time for the boys. The girls enjoyed lounging at the pool :) Nate was successful once again -

OK - not really. This is actually my uncle's catch - Nate's catches were too small to keep, but doesn't he look good with this one?

The cap of the week was the ever famous "Duval Crawl" - a trip down Duval Street to see all the sights - and believe me, there are sights to be seen! Key West is a place all its own. And no, we didn't visit the psychic in this pic. By the way, that's my preggo sister, Julie, on the left.

And our trip would not be complete without the most famous picture of all. We actually had to wait in line for 10 minutes!

A New Beginning

2007-08-14T23:37:00.000-07:00

OK - so 4 months and many well-intentioned attempts later, I'm back to blog. So much has happened over the last few months - we've hardly had the time to keep up. Of course there was the wedding (on April 20th), then the honeymoon to Costa Rica, then packing up all of our worldly belongings in early June (in 2, yes 2!, giant Uhaul trucks), which we then drove ourselves the 14 hours to lovely Las Vegas. Then there was all the unloading, unpacking, decorating, and general moving nightmare - all while maintaining a job and starting as a new couple together. Talk about pressure! But we're finally here and settled. Well, kind of settled. Neither of us has yet mustered the energy or desire to unload all the myriad of boxes strewn through the house. But, we're making inroads. Hopefully by Christmas we will have pictures on the wall and all of our clothes hung in the closet. Ugh!

Through all of this, we've actually had a great time. Most things have gone very smoothly and we're really liking Las Vegas. We're blessed. As for today, Nate is still looking for a job here in Vegas (the job search process in Vegas is a post within itself - crazy.) while I'm pressing forward with Ocean Spray. We know he'll find something worthy of his talent soon. In the meantime, he is making me some awesome canvases for the house. I'll have to post a few pics of those. We're beginning to get to know our church congregation (aka ward) here. It's huge! I think we're topping 700 people now and I swear it grows by 4-5 new families per week. We're meeting with the bishopric tomorrow evening. We hope to get involved soon and maybe even get a calling.

As an FYI for all those members out there, they're doing this really cool test market thing here in Vegas. The church is running a ton of commercials in primetime, on the radio, on major billboards, etc. spreading the message of "Truth Restored". The ads are all super cool and not so much like the tear-jerking older style of church commercials - more black and white and very thought-provoking. If you get a moment, please check out the new mormon.org and look for these ads there. If the program works here (and we've heard some amazing stories so far), you may be seeing this program come to a city near you. What a cool thing to see our message in the mainstream. It's getting so many people to think, and that's just what we want.

I need to get caught up on pictures soon. For all of you who are waiting for wedding pics, they are coming. We were super slow in picking our pics and then our photographer went on maternity leave, so you'll have to wait a few more weeks.

More to come . . .

20 Days to Go!!

2007-04-01T11:30:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness! The wedding day is 3 weeks from last Friday. Wow! These last 3 months have just flown by. I think all of the planning is done and all that's left is a few loose ends with decorating. Hopefully those will be wrapped up by Wednesday of next week. I'm leaving Thursday to go take my bridal pictures in SLC. Should be fun! I still need to find someone to do my hair and makeup though. Ahhh!! I can't wait until April 14th when all this prep work is over and all we have to do is look forward to Friday, the 20th and then Saturday the 21st - Costa Rica here we come!!! :)

I went out to Las Vegas a few weekends ago to meet with the caterer and florist. I'm so excited for the food we're going to have at the reception. The Four Seasons is incredible and I'm thrilled with the choices we made. I think the guests will get lots of fun surprises that they've never seen at receptions before. It will be a night to remember and I hope that everyone who is there will feel special and pampered. I know I will.

The dress is finally coming together, and though it's not perfect, I think we've brought it to a point of being much more flattering. I need to find a sparkly necklace to add some pizzazz and the veil will help too, since it has sequins on it.

Mostly, I'm just so thankful for the peaceful heart I feel. The world is so caught up in the wedding and the showiness of it all, and that can add significant stress. When it's all said and done, I feel very lucky and thankful to be marrying a kind man with a good testimony and desire to take me to the temple. That matters over all else.

Oh My Goodness! An Offer

2007-03-14T18:33:00.000-07:00

One of the many things on my plate right now is selling my house. Nate and I are considering moving to Vegas, but even if we didn't, my house just isn't the right location - too far from his job and we'd like to find a place "together". So, the house went up on the market 2 weeks ago. In a market where the average selling time is 120 days, I thought I was in for the long haul. Lo and behold, I got a full price offer yesterday! Maybe someone's trying to tell me something :) Anyway, there are some conditions this new buyer has to meet, so we'll see if the deal comes through. If so, we'll have to be out by May 30th. We're going to Vegas this weekend to check it out, do some wedding planning, and look at some houses. Maybe I'll feel better about selling my house after seeing some new stuff. I'm having a little "seller's remorse" right now, even if I know it's the right thing.

As for wedding planning, the dress is coming along. I'm still not sure I'm in love with it, but I hope the changes we're making will improve it. The neckline has to come down a little. Why is it that no one can make a dress with sleeves anymore?? It's truly ridiculous. This whole dress shopping thing and having to shop in Utah and over the internet just to find a modest dress is so crazy. My veil should be coming this week. I'm excited about that. There's something about a veil that just brings things together and makes it real :) Speaking of which - 37 days!!! Holy Cow!

I'm writing from Boston right now (a last-minute business trip). Just what I need - more work travel while I try to pull this wedding together. I'm looking forward to our trip this weekend. We're even going to get our marriage license - only in Vegas is the clerk's office open 24 hours on the weekends! Ha Ha.

A first foray into blogging . . .

2007-03-09T12:43:00.000-08:00

I have so many friends with blogs now and I love reading them! It's fun to get another window into their lives and perhaps it satisfies the voyeur that lives in me (and in all of us, I think :)) So, here goes nothing!!!

There is so much crazy stuff happening in my life right now. I'm trying to plan a wedding (April 20!), keep afloat at work, sell my house, keep the house spotless for the "lookers", and achieve some of the goals I have set in my head without exploding! I can't wait until the wedding is here, the honeymoon is complete and things get back to normal. Not that I want to rush the wedding or the honeymoon. I will relish those days . . . but for now, I'm focusing on the future and trying to stay sane by knowing that it will all be calmer and better in 2 months.

Today the house is mostly spotless, but I've still got organizing to do. The closets are a little scary. Perhaps that will be this weekend's project. I've got the time. It's stake conference weekend, so no sunbeams!!! I look forward to a germ-free weekend.

Until later . . .