Happy Birthday to Y'all!

It's a three generation birthday in our family today. It's Lee's mom's birthday. It is also her son Sheldon's birthday. It is also her granddaughter Tara's birthday. Have a great day all of you!

Cha Cha Cha!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love the dance. It really doesn't matter what kind as long as it is good! Last night on PBS was the first night of the 3rd season of America's Ballroom Challenge.

Last night's competition was the American Smooth (equivalent to International Standard) which encompasses the waltz, tango, fox trot, and Viennese waltz. My absolute favorites are the International Latin and American Rythm dances. I have such a hard time sitting still when I watch! I want to dance with them!

My dream was to marry a man who loved to dance and we would eventually compete together in my favorite dances. Anyone want to venture a guess as to how that dream is coming along? My husband says that he would be fine if I danced with another, but that wasn't part of my dream. Anyway, I have four more weeks of ballroom dance to watch on Wednesday evenings on Channel 8!

P.S. Happy Birthday to my celebrity crush, Justin Timberlake. He's 27 years old today! Be sure and check him out in the new Pepsi commercial during the SuperBowl.

Happy 13th Birthday Miss America!

Today is my niece Erica Peck's 13th birthday. A big teenager now. Erica is who I like to refer as Mark's kissing cousin. Mark and Erica were born the same year although at opposite ends of it.

Mark and Erica have always gotten along with each other. The even look like they could be brother and sister.

Even now these two generally have a good time together and seem to have the most in common with each other.

So Erica, Miss America, Happy Birthday to YOU! Be a good teenager and always do what GRANDMA SAYS.

Did you know?

Did you know that the photo on your driver's license expires? I got a letter in the mail from the MVD telling me that my photo has expired and I had to rectify that by February 1, 2008. My prior license was issued to me in December of 1994. I still look like that picture.

Anyway, today I went to the MVD and had a new photo taken and I look like death warmed over. It's a semi-profile picture (even though I was facing the camera straight on!). Don't get me started on the whole nose sensitivity thing. I DON'T DO PROFILE PHOTOS!!!!!! The lighting on it is horrible. I look like I have dark brown hair and enough make-up on to make a hooker blush!

I only hope that no one ever asks me for identification ;)

Life goes on.

I am heavy at heart today. President Gordon B. Hinckley, the 15th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, passed away yesterday evening. I had never met President Hinckley personally, but I felt like I knew him. He always seemed so personable and "real" to me. I felt like he understood the struggles that we have as Latter-Day Saints in this world.

I will miss his sweet sense of humor. I will miss his addressing us in conference. Whenever President Hinckley spoke and encouraged us to "be a little better", I always felt that I could. I wanted to. I am encouraged by the fact that he is reunited with his sweet, cute wife. I loved his wife so much. I always thought that those two were the cutest couple alive. I love the video of the mothers and daughters of the First Presidency, it's so funny. We have lost our dear prophet only for a season, we will surely continue to be blessed as we follow the example of his life and his ministry. Godspeed President Gordon B. Hinckley.

I had another friend pass away yesterday morning. Her name was Sharon Schafer. I have known Sharon for about 15 years. We met at work and at first I thought that she didn't like me. I came to know later that it was my office mate that she didn't care too much for. That was Sharon. She was a twice divorced woman who never had any children but, she always had a dog. She loved her dogs like children. I wonder how Tucker is doing now that his Mom is gone.

Sharon lived a very unassuming life and didn't venture out of her comfort zone too much to let people get to know her. I made her my personal friend by including her in my life as much I possibly could. Sharon was diagnosed with multiple myeloma almost two years ago to the day. She was very afraid of the diagnosis and more afraid that she would die. This all came about as we were having struggles in our own family. I decided to serve Sharon as best I could by taking her to doctor's appointments, hospital procedures, lab work, grocery store, pharmacy, you name it. I wanted her to feel that she was not alone and that people did indeed care for her. Now, let me qualify that by saying that Sharon didn't make that easy as she was fiercely independent. She didn't want to impose or have to say that she needed help. She was, however, always grateful for the help that she did receive.

Many times I had the opportunity to assure her that she indeed had a Heavenly Father that loved her. I'm not sure that she believed it since she felt like she was being punished for something that she did. Sharon didn't grow up religous and I had the opportunity to share with her the gospel at different times. She ultimately rejected it but didn't want to tell me because she thought that she would offend me.

Long story short, I had been thinking about Sharon all weekend thinking that I needed to call her and planned to do so this morning. I hadn't talked to her in a couple of weeks. Sharon would have been 63 in the next few weeks. I take comfort in knowing that she is free from the pain and that she finally has the opportunity to reconcile with her mother and get to know her Heavenly Father and know how much He loves her.

Life goes on.

I don't feel good, Mom.

Berkeley had his well Beagle checkup today. He was due for his Bordatella and Dhhp shots. As always, and everywhere we go, Berkeley is noticed for his exceptional cuteness. He had a different doctor today, Dr. Anna Cortinas. She just was so enamored of Berkeley.

I think Berkeley was enjoying the attention until he was violated by a rectal thermometer and taken for blood work and his shots. He wasn't so in love after this. As with any child who has to have shots, he wasn't his lively self for the rest of the day.

The doctor gave him some new rawhides, which he likes, but cries everytime he has one. Daddy bought him a new t-shirt that says "Go Fetch Yourself". He's a healthy 3 year old Beagle who has lost five pounds! Oh, the envy! Anyway, he pretty much did this for the rest of the day:

Happy Birthday Little Big Bro

This is a picture of my brother Nathan and I when we were just wee ones. We are only 12 months and eleven days apart in age.

He's my little big brother because he's younger than me and then taller than me. So I guess that would actually make him my Little Big Brother! Today is his 39th birthday!

Nathan was born in humble circumstances in Washington state on January 17, 1969. I'm not sure if he was disappointed that he already had a sister. Nevertheless, Nathan and I have always been very close.

This is my brother Nathan at his Junior prom. I remember being very upset and jealous that night as I was not asked to go and it was my Senior year.

This is the one and only date he went on in High School. Isn't she lovely?

This one is my brother's mission photo. He went on a Spanish speaking mission to Washington D.C. Nathan was the very first member of our family to serve a mission.

Isn't he handsome?

This is my brother's engagement photo. Do you recognize the gal in the picture? Yes, he got home from his mission, dated a couple of girls, no one that he fancied though. He decided to one day look this gal up and see if she was available. She had been engaged but had broken it. Nathan Murray and Shawna Brimley were married!

This is Nathan and Shawna and their four beautiful children: Calista, Jocelyn, Victoria, and Bradford, better known by their four letter monikers Cali, Josi, Tori, and Brad.

My brother is a successful interior designer and architect. I always knew that he would be succesful at his chosen profession.

And this is my dear brother Nathan and his family today. Aren't they the most fetching people that you have ever seen? Nathan, I am so proud of you. You are a wonderful brother, son, father, and husband that anyone could wish for. The proof is in the pudding, you are all beautiful! Happy Birthday!