So Anti-Climactic

There need be no words written.


I believe that the pictures tell it all.


This is what happens when you go out of town right after you put your tree up---that you cut down fresh before you left.....and your family doesn't water it for a week and even though you keep watering it every day after that, it still doesn't work and after you take off the ornaments and the lights, you are left with this:






Sad, but true....and even my Rockin Rosie (my new IRobot---yay) couldn't tackle the needles.

Why...I Would Lose My Head If It Wasn't Firmly Connected, And Christmas Cheer

I haven't had the time to write about my trip to Utah to visit the G-babies. The twins just turned two, and I was excited to record the visit and send some pictures that I had taken to a new friend, Lynne, that I met through blogging. She is amazing and writes every day---sometimes two times a day---unbelievable! She inspires me....

We had a great lunch with my daughter, Hailey, who is one of the funniest and witty people that I know, and we had the lunch at her friends beautiful house, Lisa, who is such an fantastic person, in her own right---so funny, beautiful, and I am in awe of her, also.

Great times, amazing fun and oh, the babies---so adorable!

Well, thats where it stops, as I would love to show you all the pictures that I took, but because I am so brain dead, I discovered that the connector to my camera that allows me to download the pictures to my computer was missing!

Yes, it had gone on walk-a-bout.

Frustration is my constant companion, so I tend to just adjust and figure out how to work with my dead brain----and went through every bag and crevice and pocket that I thought that that little connector would be hiding. Dang, if he isn't good at disappearing!

Well, long story short, that connector didn't manage to get on the plane with me. Hailey sent me an e-mail that the little bugger was now living at her house---had probably hidden while I was packing or something. So, no pictures for awhile, until I can manage to pick up a replacement.

That is why I haven't blogged lately. Thats my excuse. My apologies, Lynne----I will never be as awesome as you are. (But I won't give up---there is always that New Years resolution thing----I CAN do it, I can do it...!)

As far as this past week...it has been days consisting of: an amazing choir program, shopping stress, blizzards, rain, music, family, friends, lots of yummy food, Santa, messes, staying up late, sleeping in, getting up early, a Nativity reenactment, a celebration of Christs birth, and lots of pictures....


Which, unfortunately, none of you will ever see, unless I get that darn connector soon.


Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday and the best to you and yours!

Is Heat Over-rated?

And the answer is 'NO!"

This past week, I had a two and a half day heat breakdown. The first night that I got home from visiting my G-babies, the heater wasn't working properly. The next day, it wouldn't work at all. So, I spent a day very cold, and couldn't take a shower either. (as my water heater is combined with the heater) So, after giving in to "doing the day dirty", I had to look forward to getting to my theatre where I had rehearsal that night to get warm.

Well, I got there and....you guessed it! The heater wasn't working there either! After many apologies to the actors and their parents, I had rehearsal anyway. I went home to find that they had fixed the heater and yes, thought that it was the end of it.

At about 4:45 in the morning, I was awoken (awakened?---not sure...) by total silence and darkness. "What?" you say. "You can't sleep in complete darkness and total silence?"

NO! I have been addicted to white noise for about 12 years----it has saved my life after years of insomnia----so don't say another word about it!

Apparently our power had gone out due to the ice storms that were hitting the New England coast., and we had trees and branches falling all over the roads, hitting power lines right and left.
So, there went the power and heat for that day. So, what was a vain girl to do? I took a "spit bath" (thats cold water with a wash cloth to all the necessary parts) got ready and went out to the car to hang out for most of the day. (my hubby had purchased me a connector for my car, so I could have an electric outlet---what a man!) Aydan went with me and he watched a movie in the back seat as I put my makeup on in the front.

That night, my hubby and I went out Christmas shopping and dropped off our little guy at a warm babysitters house, and I considered having him stay there the whole night (they had offered to let us all stay), as their house was so warm, but my boy scout husband was having none of it! He knew that we could make it work in our cold house-big campers that we were. By the way, the temperature was supposed to get down to about 12 degrees that night. Anyone for snow cave camping?

So, later after we had picked up Aydan, and used flashlights and candles to get ready for bed, piling quilt after quilt on top of my little guy and our bed, we settled down for a LOOOOONG winters nap.

It turned out to be a long one, all right----first of all, I had to use my son's battery radio and turn it on between stations for some static/white noise, and discovered that the only way that I could get any of that noise was to hold the wire antennae in my hand as I slept. It was interesting, to say the least.

Now, I suppose that I haven't mentioned one of my many weird phobias----like sleeping in absolute darkness, apparently. I know that I have claustrophobia, since I can't sleep in tents unless all the windows are zipped open and I can SEE the air coming in. Well, I guess that I am freaked out by complete darkness also, as I kept waking up, panicking and not being able to breathe! So, there I was, clutching my radio wire and sitting up, upon waking, trying to remember where I was and why I couldn't feel my nose anymore and had a ton of blankets on
top of me.

It was a very disconcerting night, to say the least. I also kept getting up to check on Aydan, as I had images of him, frozen on top of his covers, as he had kicked them off, as he is wont to do.

I finally fell asleep when there was some light---at about 6:00 in the morning. I was a bit concerned when I finally woke up, because our big community Christmas concert was that night and I knew that I was thrashed, and I also WASN'T going to go dirty to such a big event!

So, I got on the phone to call several people that had offered to let us come and shower at their houses. It was still extremely cold in our house---well, lets just say that it was "you could see your breath" kinda cold. But after a few days of it, I was getting used to it.

Later in the afternoon as I was getting my stuff together, grumbling just a bit, then walking out the door,............the lights came on! I immediately said a prayer of thanks and did a little jig around the living room! YES! It was the best feeling!

As the day went on and it got warmer in the house, I appreciated it more and more. I didn't go to take a shower at my friends house, because I thought that I could take one at MY house now. I was bound and determined to stay there and enjoy my own shower, thank you very much!

Little did I remember that it takes about 6 hours to warm up the water in the water heater and I ended up having to take a cold shower! AAAAhhhhh----I DON'T recommend it to anyone.
But whats a vain girl to do, when she's got to perform in an hour?

What Is My Spiritual Number?

Your Spiritual Number is Eight

You bring inspiration and success into people's lives. You understand how the world works, and you have a knack for money. Right now, your life is all about goals and progress. This is nothing new though - you're always moving forward. You have a lot of perspective in life. You are able to remove your emotions and see the big picture. You usually bet right in life. You have are intuitive and win often. *Interesting quiz and I don't know what it really means. But there it is for all to peruse. Hmmmmmm.

Why Don't I Have Any Followers?

I have been trying to blog at least twice a week. That is a lot for me, trust me. I have tried to be creative and fun and positive thinking. It hasn't been easy.

But I still can't seem to get any official "followers". I should have known that since I don't really get many comments, that people don't want to let me know that they read my blog. They don't want to be my "follower". I was really asking for it, when I asked for a validation for my blogging.

I should have known. I should have known.

NOW CLICK THE FREAKING FOLLOWER SIGN ON THE SIDEBAR AND MAKE MY DAY!!

Sorry---did I write that out loud?

Not A Creature Was Stirring, Not Even The Mouse!

I live right next door to a conservation area. It is really nice to see deer leisurely walking and eating in our yard some mornings and evenings, as well as the occasional raccoon and badger, BUT there is a down side to this beauty right in our back yard....it carries a LARGE population of mice.

Of course, as you noticed in "my day" blog that I have two cats, and yes, while they are awesome and great to keep the mice population down, they tend to leave the remains. They are always so proud of their kills, also, that they bring them right to the bedroom door, so we can step on them as we first walk out in the morning.

My wonderful husband is usually the first one up (unless I have felt the need for a 5:00 bathroom break---and I am VERY careful to turn on the lights now, just in case----eeeeewwww!) and he usually picks up any stray parts that are lurking outside our door, and disposes of them.

Well, I came out just a few days ago and went in to wake Aydan as I usually do. I turned on the lights and shuffled into his room. As I was passing the stairway, I happened to glance down on the stair. Yes, sure enough---there it was---A DEAD MOUSE! Now, I must preface this with a brief declaration of the fact that I CAN NOT STAND MICE----ALIVE OR DEAD!

I mean, if there is one in my bedroom, I will stay in bed until someone has found it and removed it. I abhor the creatures---even those little ones in the pet store---something about their tails or something. Ugggghhhh. (shudder)

But I digress. I went to get the broom and the dust pan with the LONG handle to pick it up with. Aydan passed by me to get into the shower and I was there---squealing as I attempted to pick this dead whole mouse up. I JUST COULDN'T DO IT!

I went into the bathroom to explain it to Aydan, thinking that maybe I could talk HIM into picking it up, but he wanted nothing to do with it, so I went back to try again....

...AND IT WAS GONE!!...................................................


NOOOOOOOO, NOOOOOOOO..........NOT THAT!


Now, I know that you are thinking that the mouse was really alive, right? And that it had miraculously escaped?


But, no---that would be scary, but actually my wonderful cat, Shadow had decided that he wanted to play some more with the wee thing.

So, if you can picture this: I'm running around with the broom and dustpan---screaming at the cat to "DROP IT! DROP IT", yet everytime the cat came running at me with the darn thing, I would scream and jump up on something, and yell "DROP IT! DROP IT, SHADOW!"

There was one time when Shadow just sat there with that thing in its mouth and looked at me, like I had done some strange offensive thing. "What, me?" I thought. "You are the one with a half dead mouse in your mouth---playing, need I say it...CAT AND MOUSE with me!"

Well, he soon tired of our game and went prancing away and dropped the infernal rodent somewhere in the living room. I HAD to crawl around and look for it as fast as I could----just in case he came back and decided to take it up and run with it again. Meanwhile the time is ticking away and I yell for Aydan to get out of the shower and get dressed---because Mom is having a "mouse emergency" day.

I finally found the foul thing...right under my coffee table.

The proof is here: (And don't look at the dust and everything---we had just trimmed the tree the night before----geeze!)




BTW: I managed to scoop it up----squealing (me, NOT the mouse!) all the time, and threw it out the front door----where it hit the front of my house, bounced and fell on the ground, not far from the front door.

So....I'm just not going to look over there when I go somewhere.

An Incident Has Come and Gone

It was a dark cold night; the night before Thanksgiving Eve, and I was driving quickly down the winding road. I still had a few errands to run before we left for Cape Cod the next day, so my mind was going through lists of things still left unaccomplished.

As I rounded a sharp corner, I slammed on my brakes. There before me in the stark light from my headlights were six turkeys, running across the road. They looked rather harried and in a great hurry, and stopped only briefly before continuing on across the blacktop.

The leader was a big turkey. Heavy and well-set, with a large neck and beak. His head turned around as my headlights hit him and his eyes looked wild and determined. He quickly ushered his fellow turkeys off the road as I sat, watching, visibly shaken, at what could have only been a dangerous break-out.

Yes, that was it, I realized, as I pondered the fleeing turkeys. There was a turkey farm just up the road and I knew that these few desperate creatures had made a break for it. It was a last ditch effort to live.

My son was in the back seat and we sat in silence for a minute, as we reverenced the escape of these few birds. Unfortunately their peers didn't make it. Thousands of them went under the knife the very next day.

It was tragic, but then I realized that I too was one of those who didn't care. I was one of the masses that bought my turkey, cooked it up and without a twinge of guilt, savored the flavor and the juices of the succulent meat.

Did I report those turkeys? Did I call the authorities and have them taken back to their prison to be slaughtered the next day?


No, I didn't.


I felt that I should give them their freedom....


....And as I soaked up my gravy on Thanksgiving Day, and delighted in the flavor of this magnificent bird....I could feel proud that I had saved just a few.

A Day In My Life

There is a blog that I like to read by Jennie. It has some great information on food storage and is fun to read, to boot. Of course, she writes every day and does writing for Segullah, so she is way out of my league, but I like to read her experiences anyway.

She challenged everyone to record a full day of what they normally do. It was supposed to be last Friday, but of course, it was the last day that I could go to my show, Jane Eyre, as well as a day that I set aside to work on my new business, The Cannon Theatre, and I....well....forgot.

I also had told her that I was doing it and she didn't even list me in her list of people that were going to do it, so,.....well,....I guess that even if I didn't do it, I didn't really feel motivated because she hadn't recognized me. (did that even make sense?---hmmm)

But, what the heck, I said to myself? I don't care if anyone reads it, I thought that it might be fun....AND I DID IT TODAY!

So, here is my day: (on Monday, anyway...)

5:30 a.m.-----My hubby's first alarm goes off.

5:45 a.m.-----His alarm goes off again---I nudge him to PLEASE get up!

6:00 a.m.-----Last alarm goes off and he gets up.

6:30 a.m.-----My alarm goes off. (my clock is 10 minutes fast---so don't get confused)

6:32 a.m. I get right out of bed----I am not one of those that goes back to sleep.

6:35 a.m.----On my way to get Aydan up!

But of course, I ought to get a load of laundry in before I do that.

6:45 a.m.----Walk into my little guys room....

....and climb in for a quick snuggle. (Aydan says that I look scary in this picture without makeup!---he's right.)

6:55---Aydan gets dressed while I let the puppies out.

6:58 a.m.-----go back into Aydan's room to check on his progress----whoa! What a mess!

7:05 a.m.-----Looks much better now!

7:08 a.m.-----Aydan doing a chore, putting the utensils away.

7:15 a.m.------Breakfast of cinnamon toast, hot chocolate and scripture reading for Aydan....

...And yogurt, with oatmeal in it and my favorite hot chocolate for me.

7:30 a.m.----After getting a snack in his backpack, and all dressed up for the cold, we wait for the bus. (It was 25 degrees that day!)

7:35 a.m.------Back inside to feed the animals---Mignon and Musette first...

.....Then Shadow and Marmelade.

7:50 a.m.-----Now I read for about 15 minutes, and then....yep....I go back to sleep.

10:00 a.m.-----I'm up and I make my bed, (its an obsession with me---I can't have an unmade bed during the day) put away some clothes, then get on my work-out clothes.

10:15 a.m.-----Walk on my treadmill, and watch a DVD----usually a foreign film or some
independent film. (sometimes I do my Bowflex---you can see it in the back)

11:00-12:00 a.m.------Take a shower, find an outfit to wear, change my mind at least three times, do my hair and makeup and voila!----I'm ready to go!

12:15-2:30 p.m.-----Put sweaters on the puppies, straighten up a bit and then leave for Target---one of my favorite places on earth!

2:50 p.m.-----Arrive home and let the puppies run a bit while I take the bags in the house.

3:00 p.m.-----Aydan gets home on the bus. Maryn, my college daughter is there to greet him, as she is home for the holiday this week. (thats our house in the back)

3:05---Finally time for some lunch and time to do some e-mail checking!

3:45 p.m.----I head to my studio/theatre for voice lessons. This is the lobby area.

This is looking back toward the theatre from the lobby.

My theatre space....

....and my studio area.

This is one of my students, Nicole. ( I didn't get pictures of all of them---I forgot)

And this one is Maggie. (It looks like my turkey gobbler is coming out early---I guess that is what happens when I sing---terribly unattractive!)

7:00 p.m.-----Back home again to have dinner. I made pasta with shrimp sauce. (I had gotten the shrimp on sale at Target---I don't usually do something so fancy---if I have time to do anything at all!)

7:30 p.m.----Down time for Aydan with his Daddy----doing Math games on the computer. I am cleaning up, of course.

8:45 p.m.----Aydan is in bed, teeth brushed, and ready for prayers and lights out.

9:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m.----Catch up on my TIVO from the weekend, as well as Monday's---Chuck is a favorite---and Jon and Kate Plus 8. (and I downloaded some videos on my You Tube)

My other daughter, Brinna, came over to spend the night, since she is taking Maryn down to the Cape tomorrow. (I had a picture of them, but I couldn't find it on my computer---as I had already downloaded the first ones and tried to add it later---oh, well) We are all spending Thanksgiving there----and are all looking forward to it! Finally, some time off!

I ended up staying up until about 1:30 visiting with them, and doing more computer stuff. I got ready for bed, then read for about five minutes, and turned out my light at 2:00 a.m.

That's my day!

I would like to tag a few people to do this----its pretty fun....aw, come on...you know you want to!

Hailey
Hannah
Jenny
Janene
Chris C.
Lisa
Lynne
Elly

Hmmm, I can't think of anyone else that reads my blog....and then these people don't read it regularly, so I will just wait and see....

Let me know if you do this, guys!

Stool Inspection 101

My sister, Janene, is a dietician. She is wicked smart, cute and has an amazing family....AND she is skinny to boot. You can see her life here.

One of the great things about having a dietician for a sister is that she e-mails me updates all the time about new trends in food, exercise, aging, and diet. I usually go to the links and do a quick read and some, I bookmark or print to set aside and remind myself that I NEED to start making that a habit or to remind myself why I eat wheat and whole grains when I can't stand them.

About a week ago, she sent me several links. I don't even remember what they were about, but in one of the articles I read, there were several questions about how you can tell if you are healthy or not. I always like to test myself, feeling that I will do pretty well, so I started reading the questions.

Question number two stopped me in my tracks....




**What shape should your stools be to know whether your body is healthy?**




Whaaaaaaa....... Ok, have you heard of this?

So, not only should I worry about my wrinkles, my dark circles, my spider veins, my intake of vitamins and calcium, my weight, my exercising, my gray hairs, my lack of sleep, my eating whole grains and fruits and veggies, my children, my income, and well.....you get my drift.

NOW, I have to start thinking about the shape of my poop!

Ok, so I suppose you are sitting on the edge of your.....er.....toilet.....wanting to know the answer, right? (drum roll, please)





Well, my lovelies, the answer is: "S" shaped!

You heard me right-----"S" shaped!



Ok, so now you can stop reading if you are not into potty talk. You see, I have become really "anal" about the shape, and have started checking it regularly since then. Seriously, folks---some advice when you go stool inspecting:

1. Be sure to check before you wipe, because the toilet paper covers up the shape and its hard to see through it. And lets face it---we DON'T want to try to rearrange it,......to check before flushing!

2. Try to eat lots of "ruffage" so you can have a bowel movement several times a day, that way you can check more often.

3. Ok, so I can't think of any more advice to tell you. You are on your own.


I suppose that you are all wondering if I am healthy.




Well, that's for me to know and you NOT to find out! But do let me know how it goes for you. I am anxious to see.....er.....read.....how your inspections "turn" out.

Ok, I'm All For Change, But...

...Not if it happens to be my makeup!

I get so annoyed when I have been using the same foundation or powder or my favorite eye shadow, and then they decide to stop making it or decide to change the formula that they have been using for the past....say....10 years!

I use a lot of Loreal makeup. I like their cosmetics----its not too expensive and I have always had good luck with them.

Now, I guess that I need to remind my readers that I am very high maintenance. I like to do my "face" everyday and obsess if I am caught without my makeup on.

If you need a reminder, there is this story.

Well, about a month ago, I went to get my usual face powder, as mine had run out. I usually have to get a new one about every two months. I went to CVS---the drugstore that we have out here. Yes, that is all it takes to get my makeup----go to the drugstore----easy, breezy,....yes, you guessed it....Cover Girl. (puh..lease...don't tell me that you don't know THAT commercial!)

Except that it was my favorite Loreal powder----which was now marked with these words:
"New formula!"

Ok, I didn't even question this product---I have been using it forever.

Bottom line----it sucked! I found my face getting oily after about two hours, and had to re-powder it over and over. So much for change...

Now, I have been trying to find a new powder. I have already tried the Revlon brand, and another Loreal type. I just got a Cover Girl powder yesterday and I am trying that now.
I could use some feedback to what you all use out there. I have already had to try to find a new foundation, because Loreal has stopped making the kind that I have been using for about----well, I guess its been ten years...

And....I had to find THAT particular foundation after they stopped making the foundation that
I originally used.

Oh, I am still grieving that original foundation---it covered so well, was light and gave me no breakouts, was smooth and well.....just went on beautifully. and it didn't sink into

So----PLEASE----some suggestions? I feel as if I am losing a part of myself, if my face isn't at its best out there in the world...seriously....

P.S. I am keeping a log of my outfits and makeup every day, so I can do a blog about my style now---just so you can tell how insane I am and fanatic about it----weird, I know, but thats how I roll.

A Big Week All Around

This last week started with Tech Rehearsals, then Dress Rehearsals, and finally the opening of "Jane Eyre, the Musical". It was a success!

Squeezed in between were the tryouts for my new play, "A Little Princess" at my little theatre, The Cannon Theatre.

Then to top it all off, I had a gig in Ware last night.

Where?

Ware.

Yes, I said....where?

Ware.

What? Thats what I said! Where?

Ok, so we had quite a bit of fun with this as a band before the gig started, but Rick made us promise not to use it during the show....but it was tempting.

I had to get up early for choir rehearsal at church this morning, and I must admit that I didn't think that I was going to make it through church today, as exhaustion was taking over.

I managed to make it, though, get home, eat, and take a 2 hour nap.

Now I feel ready for this week. It will seem quite like a week of leisure, after many months of rehearsals three times a week---I will be having only one rehearsal a week for my new play. Maybe I will have more time to finally do some blogging or catch up on blog reading.

I am pretty far behind.

Politically Savvy

Aydan came home a few days ago telling me that he had voted in his classroom. I had no idea that he had discussed these things in his class, and WE hadn't talked much about politics, so I was very curious to see who he had voted for.

"McCain", he replied. I sort of chuckled a bit, but since we had to leave to go to voice lessons, we didn't talk much more about it.

But, later that evening, when he was catching up on his TIVO----he likes Ace Of Cakes----there was an advertisement on about how Obama was going to raise taxes if he becomes President.

"NOW THATS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!", he vehemently stated. "Thats why I VOTED for McCain!"

I didn't want to burst his bubble and let him know that all politicians are dishonest and everything that they say in ads aren't necessarily true.

He'll discover it soon enough when he grows up....

My 15 Years Of Fame....Or How I Could Have Been On Top Model

Ok, so I actually had a pretty interesting life when I was younger. I kind of "fell" into an acting/modeling career after my first daughter, Hailey, was born. I was working as a singing waitress at a Dinner Theatre in Salt Lake City, when someone came up to me after the evening was over and gave me a card.

"Have you ever thought of doing commercials?" she asked.

Well, I hadn't really thought of it, as I had had a whirlwind marriage and then got pregnant right away. (Can you say, nine months later?) I was also very young, had done musical theatre in high school, and minored in music and theatre in college, but hadn't done much with it since getting married.

But I thought, "Why not---what have I got to lose?"

So, that is how I got my start. I started doing commercials first and lots of voice work. I was the voice of "Connie Cougar" and got a Lincoln Mercury for that year. I was the voice of the Blue Fairy in Pinocchio, and did about every department store voice ad in SLC. I also started doing commercials and took some amazing commercial acting classes that changed the way that I did acting forever after.

Then I moved to Denver. That is when my career started taking off. I got with an agency that really liked me. Trust me, that helps in this business. The woman that ran this agency pulled me in one day, after I had tried out for a commercial. "How tall are you?" she said. "About 5 foot, 6 3/4 inches", I replied." "Well," she said, "You look pretty put together----you'll be 5 foot, 7 inches from now on and how would you like to model?"

So, that is how I started. I went to the next casting and got the job. I was the first from that agency to shoot with this particular store, so the agency was very impressed. That also helps in this business.

I started getting sent out for everything, and was working a lot...getting national commercials, national ads, billboards, boxes, national catalogs, and going strong. I got an offer to go to Milan and model, but I had one problem. I had just had my second child, Brinna, and she was very young. I had already started back working when she was just 6 weeks old, so I just couldn't see myself leaving her or Hailey for three months while I went to make it big in Milan.

So, I chose my children over my career.

There were many times over the years that I felt very blessed to be able to do what I did. I never complained about the business, because I always was so grateful for every job that I was able to do. I turned down several big jobs that were big bucks because of my beliefs., though.
I was asked to do a big cigarette campaign (when they still advertised regularly) with billboards and big money involved, but I turned it down, as I didn't agree with supporting what I was against. I also turned down a movie once because of the bad language that I was required to say. I didn't ever want to do something that my kids couldn't come and see. I also would not do lingerie unless it was a full slip---no bra and panties for this girl! And I would only do one piece swimsuits as I didn't feel comfortable doing bikini's----I was lucky to have agencies that respected my wishes and still sent me on go-see's, etc. Well, I made money for them still, so it worked out.

I actually continued modeling and doing commercials for 20 years---give or take a few years---I'm not telling! I worked in the Texas market---Houston and Dallas, the Denver market, the Chicago market, the LA market (this one was the WORST!) and then I worked in Boston until I had my little guy, Aydan.

I am not bragging about what I did----I still feel very humbled by the fact that I was able to have my 15 years of fame. It taught me a lot about life and people and stupid choices that people make (most of the photo shoots that I did---there were drugs available) and most of all, it taught me to be strong. I can pretty much stand up for anything that I believe in and can handle most situations in the world, so I see my modeling as a plus.

All of my kids modeled at one time or another----I would be doing a catalog and they would rather have kids that are already comfortable with the "Mom" in the catalog----so they asked what sizes my kids were and could they use one or the other... Sometimes my kids went on the auditions, but didn't make it. But I did. Did I ever tell them that I did the commercial? Actually no, if they didn't ask, as it made them feel like they didn't do well---when it was probably because another child looked more like mine. (Several of my children look alot like their father---blonde, fair skinned, and I was brunette as you can see).

All in all, its kind of fun to look back and see these pictures. I loved doing this, and sometimes miss it, I will admit. I can do it again someday, if I ever lose that dang 15 pounds that I have hanging over my head----it seems that even if you are a "classic" (another word for old) model, they like you to be slender. Oh, well, we'll see...

I'm not giving up yet.

One of my first shots during testing for my "comp." card

And here's the vampy one...

One of my many brochures---I'm the attendant/agent.

This was on the packaging for this product----great money if you get these!

My first clothing catalog.

Cover of a magazine...during my "high school phase" (I was really in my late 20's)

Loved to shoot for this store---more high fashion---I was pregnant with my second child here--
four months, I believe----I had strong stomach muscles!

I just thought that this was crazy, because I always had really short nails and they put these on me after the picture was taken---freaky!

For a store in Aspen---gag, I was skinny!

One of my "Mom" looks for yet another baby product catalog.

Fun shoot---rolling around in the hay for jean ad.

Just had to show this one----its actually for a French catalog---hilarious!

Catalog nighties---woo-hoo!

Another fun shoot for a store in Aspen---I actually styled this shot---hair and makeup.
I would be a stylist whenever I was too pregnant to work---here I did it as a favor for the photographer...

Skiwear catalog---did tons of those!

I was a bit green on this shoot---I was barely pregnant with my second child and kept fainting....they gave me gum and kept shooting as I was passing out---thats the models life!

Another store ad for an Aspen store.

Ski wear again----of course, it was Denver!

This was a national poster that dentists all over the country would hang in their offices...

Ok,....wait for it...wait for it, guys....yes---its a swimsuit shot for a store in Denver---after I had already had two kids----sick, huh?

Another catalog shoot

I had to jump about 100 times to get this shot perfect between the backdrops!

National skiwear ad.

Can you believe this hair? They had to pin it forward on both sides to get this look! Heh, Heh.

Don't I look like someone famous here? Who do you think?

The same head tilt for a national ad that was on the back of Ski Magazine!

I lost a ton of weight after a few kids---crazy!

Hilarious pics of my several years of doing western wear catalogs. Yee Haw!!

Clothing ad for The Buccaneer, a store.

This was one of my billboard/taxi/bus ads that ran for about a year.

OK!!! This is it! The ad that made it into Playboy!! Pretty ris-kay, huh?

....And yes, you have it again---another ad from Playboy as well as several other fashion magazines.

A headshot for my composite.

Golden Bear jewelry catalog from Aspen and Vail----I always had about $80,000.00 worth of jewelry on me!

Gerry Baby catalog.

Golden Bear again...

....and again---I was their "muse" for about 6 years, so I worked with them a lot!

You guessed it, Golden Bear again...

Then there was work in Phoenix...hey wait a minute...that is the hotel that I stayed at just a few weeks ago in Phoenix---small world...

Say no more, say no more...

You guessed it!

Another store ad in Denver.

Magazine write-up for a store owner and his clothes.

Golden Bear.

Fun editorial shot.

Oh no, not western wear again---this time, I got the cover!

Back in Arizona...

They used all my own kids for this commercial ad for a cable company---Brinna, Clayton, and Hailey!

Then I moved to Chicago and cut my hair!

Another store ad with that new haircut.