Tell You [a] Little Story

We went to Hawaii. Had a fantastic time and didn't want to come home. We came home. I'm feeling the red eye. Very wiped out and trying not to think of my to-do list: make a large-scale auction happen and be awesome, learn stats for my test, catch up on bills, read all the magazines that came while I was gone, teach my kids responsibility, cheer for the Cardinals -- in thought only, because I don't care enough to actually watch it, unpack, clean the house, and buy a car. And call Diana, because I miss her. (I miss you, Diana!) And paint my toenails. Can you believe the audacity I had to go to Hawaii without painted toenails? Yikes. I'll post pictures of our trip soon. Again, it was really, really great. My dad came and was really, really great. He is fantastic with my kids, which is all a girl could hope for. (Thanks, Pops! We love you.) He told my kids not to brag about our trip because no one wants to hear about someone else's beachy vacation in to-die-for weather ...

Go here and bid on the auction I'm helping put together to benefit Stephanie and Christian Nielson. Thanks to all of you who have donated!

from CNN I'm overcome with gratitude for our freedoms and peace.

Right after Christmas, I was at Costco and found a deal so good, and so puzzling, that Isaac wandered off and I didn't realized I had lost him for a good several minutes, I was that intent on the product.  It was a three-pack of customizable Photo Stamps, worth $66, normally sold at Costco for around $40, for less than $20. Each pack in the three-pack was redeemable for twenty 42-cent stamps. So stay with me here: sixty first-class stamps, with personalized pictures and shipping included, for $19.99. Where I come from, sixty 42-cent stamps cost $25.20, without your own child's beautiful face on them. What a bargain! I bought three three-packs of fun stamps, cheaper than face value. And I tried to tell anybody who would listen at Costco to snatch them up, but nobody cared. Then I found Isaac. Tonight I spent way too much time ordering these stamps with custom photos to give as birthday gifts, and I know I could have found even more perfect pictures to put on the postage stamps h...

[Click to enlarge.] [Although I hate the word retarded.] { Source } {Credit to Andrew .}

My friend, the beautiful and talented Mindy , asked me to help put together a silent auction to be held at a benefit concert in February to raise money for our friends, the courageous and beloved Stephanie and Christian . I am most happy to do this (with the help of my fantastic, newest friends Jenny and Kristen ) because I'm not crafty and I don't really have anything tangible to donate, but I am a pretty good organizer, and this is something I can do! I've already hit up some family members and friends who have most generously agreed to donate items for the auction, but we can always use more. If anyone wants to give something, please let me know and we'll talk. It can be anything of value: tickets, crafts, services. And it can be big or small. Also, if you live in Utah, you can buy the wonderful things in the auction! The concert will be at the Covey Center for the Arts on Center Street in Provo on Monday, February 2nd, starting at 7 pm. The auction will be out in t...

Our family's latest scare and miracle of safety: this happened today .