Jenn & Derrick - Open House

something to share...

I came into work this morning and found this at my desk, with a note from one of my agents thanking me for helping her with some issues.

That's right! Twilight Adhesive Bandages - woohoo!

I know you're jealous that I have this, right? C'mon admit it! LOL!!!

sick

Today is the second day I've been home sick from work (sick on Friday). I don't enjoy being at home alone.

Being sick for me means having weird things happen in my mind. Something happened this morning that I will forever laugh at. It brought back many memories of being sick as a child. Again, I laugh now...but it was terrifying this morning. Here's the story...

I woke up at 7:00am, sat straight up in a major panic, realizing it was Monday and that on Saturday I missed a VERY important event. I grabbed my cell phone and flipped it open scurrying to check what the date was on Saturday. Saturday the 3rd was the only date I saw (my mind wasn't all the way there), which was Jenn Craven-Louder's wedding reception, in which I was to be the Photographer.

A loud cry came out of my mouth thinking I had missed it! Tears started welling in my eyes, the word "NO" was loudly spoken over and over and over, as a few things ran through my mind...

-I was going to have to give Jenn her money back because I wasn't there to take the pictures.
-Why didn't she call me to ask where I was?
-I was going to have to call her and apologize profusely to her and hope to still have her friendship.
-this would ruin my reputation as a photographer; the fact that I didn't show up to a reception.

How was I ever going to show my face again. I know I forget things but how could I have missed THIS!

I immediately started to search for Jenn's phone number saved in my call list so that I could call her and tell her that it had JUST occured to me that I missed her reception. What was I going to say??!!!

The fear, anxiety, and pain all of the sudden went away as I realized that last Saturday was not the 3rd but the 10th.

I WAS at Jenn's reception - I have the pictures to prove it.

PHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, I'm laughing now...but I thought I was going to have a heart attack this morning. I don't know if this happened because I'm wasn't feeling well or what. But this made me think back on the funny things that have happened at the times I was sick when I was younger...for example...

I was probably 10 years old, had the flu along with a fever. I got out of my bed in the middle of the night, went into the living room and sat on the couch and cried.

After a little bit my mom came out of her bedroom to check on me and found me crying. As any loving mother would do, she sat next to me and held me tight, comforting me, and in her most soothing voice asked me why I was crying. This was my reply...(in my best crying voice)

"These people keep asking me to sew dresses for them and I just can't do it, they won't leave me alone."

Yes, I was having a dream, a hallucination of sorts. As I talked with her about these people who were making me sew for them, things started to seem more clear in my head and I realized it wasn't real. It was just the fever taking over.

Oh the joys of being sick!!

Rewind

Let's go back to December 25th 2007. Ryan and I had Shane & Sharon as our pixie for Christmas, which meant that we had the pleasure of getting a gift for them. We ended up getting them a gift card to their favorite restaurant, Outback, and a few coupons for babysitting including a free weekend with the boys while S&S go out of town.

Fast Forward to December 26th 2008. We finally get to keep their boys, Owen (4) and Aidan (2), for the weekend as S&S took a little time for themselves.

We had fun being with them for those 2 days and 2 nights. They came over with matching backpacks that held their camouflage sleeping bags, and waterbottles. Our guest bedroom has a day bed with a trundle for them, so they were really excited to lay out their sleeping bags on the beds.

Bed time stories were read.

Last minute potty breaks were attended to.

And a few tears were shed - they sure do love their mommy and daddy.

Saturday we took them to see the movie 'Bed Time Stories', which they loved. There were some really funny comments that those boys made while in the movie theatre, for example...Just before the movie started and people were trickling into the theater Owen looks over to see these young girls walking by and says, "oooh - who's that?" Yeah, he's only 4, and already taking an interest in girls.

After the movie we stopped by the Harley Davidson store in Lindon. The boys were in awe at all the cool motorcycles they had. We thought it would be ok to let them try on some helmets, but man they were heavy! (Excuse the picture quality - they were taken with my cell phone)

(and yes, that's a XanGo scarf Aidan is wearing)

Owen & Aidan hiding in the Harley Davidson store

On the way home Aidan makes this comment..."My tummy hurts...I think it needs a sandwich".

Me. "Are you hungry then?"

Aidan, "no."

We then went home and decided to make some lunch...individual Pizza's!! We put pizza sauce on some bagels and let them put their own toppings on it.

Aidan wanted just cheese, but I talked him into making a smiley face with some of the other toppings.


Owen went all out and piled his with meat. While the Pizza's were cooking Owen finished off the bowl of olives. If you look closely at this picture you can see the Olives stuck in his teeth.




Later on that day I wanted to go clothes shopping and Aidan decided to come with me. While I'm standing in line at Lane Bryant I see Aidan looking closely at the bra's they had. He then says, "Hey my mommy has this, we need to get this for her." Mind you it's a red bra with black lace that he picks up...too funny.

Sunday S&S come back to pick up the boys. Man, they were happy! I think overall they had fun, but it just goes to show that they really, really LOVE their parents.

We say our goodbye's and give them hugs, to which after Owen pats my chest and says, "Mom, those are HUGE!...they're GI-NORMOUS!!

Yes, thank you dear Owen. I'm not small chested to say the least.

Love these boys!!!!

you've got a friend

High school friends back together for Jenn's wedding open house. Aren't we cute?! :)


I made someone snap a picture of all of us with my camera, while I was taking pics of Jenn's open house (which I'll share later).

L-R:
Jaimi T.
Wendy S.
Jennifer L.
Marin R.
Me
Kristine H.

Love these girls!!!! I'm so especially happy for Jaimi who just adopted their second baby while they were in town for the Holidays. They left AZ thinking they were returning with the three of them, but instead will go back with one more addition to the family. So awesome!!! Congrats Jaimi!!!

Jenn & Derrick

I've known Jenn since High School and I'm so happy she found her man. What a gorgeous couple they make, don't you think??

Michelle B.

OH what fun!!!! This is one of my BFF's, Michelle. She has got some killer pipes, and some crazy-awesome fiddling skills, and she's just plain HOT! She's living in Nashville working the music circuit and needed some shots for an upcoming album she's doing.

I'm so proud of her! My only request is that one day she'll take me to the Grammy's or the CMA's - this girl's going to be FAMOUS, I'm telling you!

I love the coloring on these two below...and I think this one is my fave pic of the bunch.

We had to have some fun ones in there too...