Check out this RACK!

Coming home from a great day of flying, we almost ran into these guys lumbering across the road 8 bucks in all! I love living in the country!


Then if that wasn't cool enough, I also caught this coyote sneaking up through the field. I've seen him everyday for almost a week, I think he's eyeing the turkeys or something. Anyway, we scared him away for another day.




And the funniest picture of the day has to be this one of my mom and Hannah taking a Saturday afternoon nap! Talk about 2 peas in a pod!

The Bands

Here are some better pictures of the bands. Just in case you're still wondering about what these things are. And yes, both guys and gals use the bands.

Back from the show

Hi Everyone!

Tim and I wrapped up a very successful Outdoor Retailers show on Sunday. This thing was HUGE! 850 wholesale vendors, everything from Teva, Black Diamond and Woolrich to me and Grandma Pants. It was a fun show where I made a lot of great contacts. I will be following up and hopefully piling on some business over the next few weeks. A few folks stopped by to say "hi". Tim's son Alec came one day and passed out S4Cash info to all of the floor vendors. He scored a couple of hats and a ton of stickers.

I also got to have dinner with Nat and Nikki while I was in town which was GREAT! It was a super incredible week for me. I learned a ton and have a bunch of great ideas to get started on. Here are some shots from the show.

Outdoor Retailers Show

The big moment for me and my fledgling business is now here. Me and my brother Tim will be exhibiting our wares at the Outdoor Retailers show in SLC starting on Thursday of this week. I am nervous and excited all at the same time. This has been a fun journey full of new things to learn and conquer. I have set my goals (400,000 bands sold by the end of the year), I've been over my plan a million times, I've put the product out for different people to look at and comment on. I've had feedback from friends and family on my product and my website and now it's GO TIME. One thing I am really looking forward to is doing the show with Tim. I know we will have a fun time and will make the best of it. Having him there with me gives me confidence and a great reason to smile. We may even recruit a couple of you to show up and help us. If you're in SLC the 22-25th the show is at the Salt Palace. Come on by...

Here is the labels for the counter displays.

We Have Lift Off!

Strapped 4 Cash has officially launched. The website went live today www.s4cash.com and I've already received my first orders, YEA!!!! This is a really simple idea, a stretchy silicon band to keep your credit cards and cash together. A lot of people use a rubber band or some kind of wallet that either holds too much or is way too big. The bands let you weed out the stuff you don't use all the time and just carry the stuff you really need. I use mine for all kind of things around my home and office in addition to my cash and cards. I just throw it in my purse or put it in my pocket. I bet everyone of you carry at least 15-25 cards (the grocery store, the gas station, the hotel rewards, etc.) most of those accounts can be accessed with your telephone number. You don't have to carry all those cards!!! So the gals will like the bands, but the guys love them! Especially the younger guys who don't want to carry a wallet. Give it a look and a try. I would love to hear what you think.

Here's a sampling of some of the tags we'll be using with stores and businesses.

January Funk

Welcome to my ramblings..... Usually every year I go into some kind of depressed funk in January. Maybe it's because I turn a year older or because the holidays are over and there is a natural let down. Maybe it's because it's usually cold, gray and creepy outside, who knows, but it is something I prepare for and brace myself for. This year hasn't actually been too bad. I've been pretty busy getting my business going (I've strapped over 2000 bands as of last night), I've tried to keep contact with family and friends, I flew yesterday and I keep repeating to myself...I am happy!

I'm not one to do big resolutions, I set and adjust goals almost every day. I carry a notebook that I write down thoughts and feelings in, that I usually really never go back and look at unless something happens that sparks my mind to go back or I find I need a specific piece of information, but it helps me organize and visualize what I am working towards, if that makes any sense at all. I'm a big fan of keeping pictures handy of the things I am striving for and in repeating positive affirmations.

It seems like I go back a lot to the question of "What is the point?" I wonder about the path my life has taken and why it has. Don't get me wrong, I'm not unhappy with my life, it has been fun and an adventure at every turn, it just isn't what I thought it would be at 20. I thought I would get married in the temple to a handsome, great guy ( I think I fantasized that his name would be Steve or something like that) we'd have 5 kids, and live happily ever after. I was going to be a stay at home mom and that was going to be that. WOW, not even close!

So now, I'm a young 49, no kids (well, step kids, but not my own kids) not married in the temple (but married), my husband is Bruce (close but not Steve) I had a career, traveled, and hung out doing who knows what and basically enjoying life. But it is different. I will tell you that it has been awesome to just seek out the opportunities and go with them. I have experienced so many things that I never thought possible, met great people, gained wide and valuable insight into many different areas of human life. It's all been good. I'm grateful I got the opportunity to travel this road.

I do miss that I didn't get my own family, I think I would have been a good mom. I'm grateful though that I have good relationships with my nieces and nephews and that I get to participate in their lives, it is a huge blessing to me. I'm grateful for the things I've learned and continue to learn and that my black and white personality has been tempured and now has some color, compassion and patience blended into it. Over all, I'm just so thankful for each and every opportunity, for each new day that brings promise of great new things and also the forgiveness of things left undone in the preceding days. We never know how long we get on this earth, so I think that I should be happy for the sunrise, happy to get to go out in the snow and feed horses, honored to help or talk with someone else and just grateful for all that I have and all that I am. With all the gloom in the world today, it is still a beautiful and magnificent place. My goal for today is to make it brighter with a smile or kind word to each each person I come in contact with.

January gloom? Not this year... just some fun shots from days past.

More Adventures of Sadie

Well Sadie has a new trick. I'm not sure how she does it, but somehow she gets lucky enough to actually open the door from the garage to the house. This morning she let herself and Booner in. Booner knows he's not supposed to be in the house so he is easily lured back out with a treat. When I came back to get Sadie, this is what I found and yes that is my bed!!!!

Sadie

Before I do my January Funk posting, I wanted to share a picture of Miss Sadie. She's grown a ton and is too full of energy. I should have taken a picture of the package she destroyed today. The delivery guy left it on the porch and I guess she thought it was for her. I'll have to call someone tomorrow to find out what was in it!

My New Year's Eve

So thank goodness holidays come and quickly go. It helps you get past the uncomfortable situations, the boring situations and the less than anticipated situations. You can endure anything that passes quickly. I've never been a fan of New Year's Eve, in fact, I've never understood why you would stay out partying, in some cases drinking and in most cases doing crazy things well into the wee hours of the morning, only to wake up tired, hung over or humiliated....does not seem the right way to start a new year to me, but I digress.

We decided to make a quick trip to Palm Springs, well Palm Desert but that only matters if you live there, to visit Bruce's auntie Doris. She will be 90 years old this Spring and she keeps telling us that she is sure she won't last much longer, although she looks younger than she is, has the memory of an elephant, more money than God and is too onery to die anytime soon. She moved to the Fountains at the Carlotta this past year, an adult center, with assited living options when she reaches that point. Here's a view of the joint....


Not a bad place to hang out for awhile if you ask me. But I did get to spend New Year's Day taking down all her Christmas decorations, yippee! I guess it didn't matter, we watched New Years hit the East Coast and then called it a night, in bed by 9:30, that might be a new record.

Here's Dorie....


I really need to get a more exciting life!

Christmas

One last Merry Christmas to everyone! It was a beautiful day here, sunny and quiet. We saw The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button" if you haven't seen it, it is pretty good, just pack a lunch it is 3 HOURS LONG! Yesterday marked the 2 year birthday for the grand boys, Eli and Jonah. It was a fun afternoon with a bunch of little kids hopped up on sugar and the excitement of presents!!! I missed being with family this year, but was grateful for the quiet peacefulness and the time to reflect on a year full of transition. 2008 is coming to a close and I am anticipating a great 2009. Hope your day and year were filled with great memories...

Holiday Greetings from the Utah Hacienda

Our neighbor, Jennifer, took this picture of our home in Hurricane. It is looking towards the north. What a great blessing to have SNOW in Hurricane right before Christmas! I am missing my family a lot and wish we were there to celebrate the holidays. Merry Christmas to all of you and may you be safe in your travels, peaceful in your hearts and have the spirit of the season in your homes.

Christmas Traditions Tag

One of the traditions I remember most about Christmas when I was little was the Town Christmas program at the old LaVerkin Church. We always did the Nativity in the Primary and it was such a big deal to get to be Mary. The problem in my class was that there was a girl named Mary so the rest of us got to be shepherds or wise men. Anyway, the best part of the night was towards the end of the program everyone sang Christmas songs and when we'd sing "Up on the Roof Top" or "Here Comes Santa Claus" sure enough the big guy would come ho ho ho'ing into the church and we'd get to rush the stage, tell him what we wanted, get a candy cane and it was SOOOOO exciting!

Loved that! Merry Christmas and tag to EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO PLAY!!!!!

Strapped4Cash

YEA! I was able to get a picture posted of what the actual product I've been working on looks like. It's a stretchy silicon band that goes around your driver's license, a couple of credit/debit cards and your money (the red band). It's a great thing to replace a wallet or even a purse. I used it in Hawaii and Bruce has become a convert. The seed idea came from seeing people with rubber bands strapped around their stuff. It's actually pretty cool and will have it's debut at the Outdoor Retailers Show in SLC January 22, 2009. My website will be coming up in the next couple of weeks at www.s4cash.com

Twilight Moon

Tonight is a full moon and it is really cold here. This is the moon from our front porch. It is beautiful coming up through the trees. Silent Night comes to mind...

Tagged 4 Fun

Thanks for the Tag G. Here is my 4th picture from my 4th picture file on my PC. Lucky for me and all of you it is another lovely shot of Diamond Head in Hawaii.

The lucky 4 who are tagged next... Sammi, Tricia, Nat and Nikki
Go to your picture file, pick the 4th file and the 4th picture.

Last Aloha

This is Diamond Head from the ferry. Perfect picture, perfect day. I came home on the red eye to 6 inches of new snow and temps in the teens! But I will carry the aloha in my heart and mind for a long time. It was an incredible trip, I loved almost every minute of it. I am happy to be home though and now turn my thoughts to preparing for the holidays. Aloha and Mele Kalikimaka!

Finally! Love It!

Enchanted Forrest and 7 Sacred Pools

Road to Hana

Aloha all! Just wrapping up a very cool week in Maui. The pictures are on the road to Hana, the trees were like an enchanted forrest, the colors were unbelievable! The pools are the 7 sacred pools and are worth the long drive. Yesterday we snorkeled at Molokini, a coral reef out in the channel between Maui and Lanai. The fish were pretty awesome! Then on the way back we stopped at a place called Turtle Town, another reef where the big Honu or sea turtles hang out. We swam around with the turtles, they were huge! When they would come to the surface, just seeing them come towards you was an experience, all you could do was try to get out of the way.

Today I took the Super Ferry from Maui to Honolulu, a 3 hour trip (remind you of any other famous voyage?) It was very cool, I could stay inside, I was glued to the back of the boat and I am one crispy critter tonight. We sailed around the back side of Molokai along the cliffs and past Kalapapa where the leper colony is. It would be almost worth having the disease to get to live in such a beautiful place. Although for the record, leprosy is almost non-existant in the colony, if you live there, the federal government pays your way. You cannot visit the colony without permission. I landed a small plane on the airstrip a couple years ago, there is a big fence all around the area and we were not allowed to do anything except go to the bathroom and take off again.

I am here one more day and will be on the red eye home tomorrow night. It has been such a fun few days, I am very satisfied and looking forward to getting home. Aloha!

Me and Linda preparing to snorkel