just in case you don't get a christmas card from me this year. i have some blogworthy pics and tidbits but i'm tired and this is all i could muster up. happy holidays...L

i miss my daughter. sniff, sniff. she left a week ago and i'm still sad. i had such fun when her and jeff were here. i always think it will get better when it's time for her to go. but this time was especially hard for me. and i won't get to see her for christmas. unless there is one bad-ass snowstorm in colorado. and they have to re-route to AZ. and i would be really sad for jeff's family. ok--not really. i would be a little sad for them. but more happy for me. not really jeff.

is he still reading? yeah, i'd be ecstatic...L

more pics from my latest photo shoot...L

it's unusual for me to blog more than once in a week. now that i have started working i don't have a lot of time for things. in fact while i am writing this i still need to make lunches for everyone, pay bills, make birthday invitations and clean the kitchen. not to mention a few other what-nots. and i'm tired. and last night i sent a whiney, cranky, PMS-y email to kerry basically saying boo hoo i'm tired and cranky and i know i should be grateful for so many things but i'm not in the mood.

but today i found out that Dallas got a scholarship to BYU. for winter, spring and summer semesters. and i was ecstatic. and very grateful and thankful. and he got a job too. cleaning. no lie--at BYU. so i am humbled and grateful for blessings. happy for a great son. happy for a kind heavenly father. happy for friends who listen to me and help me out. the one sticking his hiney out in the photo--that's a scholarship award winner...L

happy holidays. i thought maybe having a cute christmas-y blog would get me in the spirit. that is yet to be determined. all though i do love seeing the lights and the smell of cinnamon/pine everywhere.

we had a lovely thanksgiving here. no pictures. i couldn't bring myself to take any this year. however i have taken some pics of the girls and of brianne and jeff and as soon as i download/work on those they will be up. but everyone helped cook and it turned out lovely. brianne made the absolute best pecan pie. i loved it.

then on friday brianne and i headed out shopping. we really had a fun time together. i can't ever remember going shopping on the day after thanksgiving. but we had fun and i did get some christmas gifts picked up. then brianne and carson got highlights and a haircut. brie and i ate lunch at her fave thai place here. then dave and jeff got the tree up and the girls put on all the decorations. very pretty.

i missed having dallas here. he went to california with his girlfriend and spent his 23rd birthday there too!!! happy birthday!! it sounds like he had a great time.

yesterday we all went down to mesa. we spent most of the day at my parents. i snuck in a trip to scrapbooks, etc. of course. saw kaelene! then we went over to our old neighborhood and let brianne visit with her old friend ashley and her cute baby. oh yeah, her husband was there too. LOL that was good to see their family. i actually stopped by our old house and met the new owners. that was cool. they love the house. i wanted to ask them to leave and just walk around my old house inside and out. ha ha

then we went to my friend's mom's 75th birthday party. my friend marian is my first husband's cousin. so this is a family that at one time WAS my family. when i was married to my first husband. so i got to see a lot of 'family' that i hadn't seen in a while. just like old times. and jeff got to meet brianne's side of the family that he hadn't met before. then we drove by the temple to look at the lights before driving back home.

so i had a photo shoot a week ago and these are some pics. and i also put a little christmas card together for them. i think it turned out cute. and yeah--that little one above is my anna. while i was there at the shoot anna asked me to take her picture. oh--my anna is a honey!!!

time to get ready for church. happy sabbath...L

a lot happening at the ubnoske house. especially when it comes to hair. anna decided she wanted to cut her hair. she has been asking for a while but i kept sidestepping the question. after all--she's really the only one with long hair left. so i kept asking her if she REALLY wanted it cut. she kept insisting that she did. so when taylor cut hers anna resumed her quest for the haircut. so i made the appointment. i knew she wanted it all cut off so i asked if they would take her hair as a donation to locks of love. they said they would. halfway through the haircut anna started to cry. poor thing. she has had long hair before and cut it off and didn't care so i wasn't ready for this. i really wanted a picture of her holding her donated pigtails but that wasn't going to happen. her dad ended up taking her out for ice cream and she eventually calmed down. but she really looks cute. she wanted bangs too so she got that.

of course while anna is drastically changing her hair i guess taylor decided to dye hers burgundy. with her dad's help. so there were a few drastic hair changes going on at once. it almost made me want to chop off my hair. oh yeah. already did!

then of course haley had to go and lose her first tooth. wow. my baby. i knew her tooth was loose but i had forgotten all about it. she was so excited. and the tooth fairy totally remembered.

thanksgiving is getting close and i can't wait to see brianne and jeff. they will be here a week from wednesday. brianne is planning to cook. i'm so excited. i have to work a few hours on thanksgiving day so this will be nice to have someone else doing the cooking. happy sabbath everyone...L

a few things while i have a spare minute. taylor got her haircut. so cute. she looks like she is ready to join a rock band. i got paid. yay. i did not mop in vain. also at work yesterday i got to drive a 27 foot truck back from anthem to our store. pretty cool. it was fun to have a 'break' from the normal job for a while. work is going well. i am so grateful to have a job that i can do basically while the girls are in school. it worked out perfectly for me. and keeps my weekends free. since i have a photo shoot this weekend and a scrap class to teach it will be busy.

i made some cards this week. a friend of mine up here owns a cool boutique in downtown prescott and she has agreed to try to sell some of my stuff in her store. so wish me luck. the weekend is almost here. and tonight i am going to remember to watch 'the office.' later...L

a few pics of the baby album i created last week for my niece. and a picture of ONE of the hallways i mop every day at uhaul--just times that by 6 and that is how many floors i mop a day. funny since i never mopped my own floors at home if i could help it! ha ha

nothing much going on here. have to go help anna with some homework that is due tomorrow.

have a great week everyone...L

what a happy day!!!!! i can't even tell you how excited and thrilled i am...L

my sister sent me this. it's a must click. so funny. make sure to read all the sidebars too.

http://www.cnnbcvideo.com/index.html?nid=aswwPgVWRzCRmFTcFN19qzg0MzM4ODk-&referred_by=13347429-tOdIeex

ok--so you can't click on it. you'll have to copy and paste. but it's worth it! sorry--i got no computer skillz. happy day after halloween...L

some pics from the hike. we didn't make it to the very top. but we were close. i stepped over a snake. saw some beautiful views. i like hiking. it's very cool. the coolest hike i have ever been on was the one i did on kauai with brianne. i still think about it. i told david--this hike reminds me of that one. except when you looked around you saw lush green trees, sheer cliffs and miles of ocean. so except for that it was the same. except for that cool crocodile tree. i'm pretty sure they didn't have that one there.

ok--it's official. i now work for uhaul. i knew my non-violent, anti-crank taking, non-alcoholic, anti-shoplifting personality would be a good match. i am now the official prescott, az uhaul storage manager. my new boss seems very nice. while he interviewed me this morning he was telling me part of my job required a personality that could work alone. DUDE--hire me now. i was meant to be here. plus i pretty much work while the girls are in school. no weekends. BENEFITS. people--i get a 401K. i know--it will only have $2 in it. but it's mine. and before you know it--that $2 will turn into ONE MILLION pesos. maybe.

it really is an answer to prayer. craig (my new boss) kept telling me during the interview that he didn't know why, but he just felt i was the right person for the job. seriously--he said it like 3 times. in fact he hired me on the spot and when i walked out of that office there were two other people waiting to get interviewed. so i felt good. so good that i went out and got wendy's for lunch. and they gave me fries. I ATE EVERY LAST FRY.

lastly, some funny kid things. carson and i were in the car today and she was telling me how in her science class she sometimes 'dozes off' while the teacher is giving instructions. would this be the class that you are getting a C in? yep. do you think that maybe you should try NOT to doze off during the "instruction" part. yeah--it's just so boring. like my teacher is giving the instructions and i am dozing and all of a sudden it's a quiz. then she says "i doze off in math too." and then the lightbulb goes off--oh, i'm getting a C in there too. do you think we can put an end to the dozing problem? well, i doodle in language arts. grade? C. 'nuff said.

i actually did a digi layout. i have been lacking in creativity lately and this was an attempt to jump back in. i know. looks like i was dozing...L

i have my own personal digi scrapper. ms kerry shumway. thank you very much for doing my scrapping for me. now if you would only come over here and clean my scraproom. that would be real love.

i survived the hike. didn't make it all the way to the top but i will share whatever pics i managed to get on my phone later. and yeah. my legs are killing me.

happy {early} sunday...L

ok--so this was another baby album i did for my sweet ex-next door neighbor ashley. she and her husband nick have the sweetest little girl and when i went to her baby shower i told her that A) she could have the top daughter honor spot for having a baby before brianne and B) brianne would be put on double-secret probation for not giving me the grandchild i so deserve and C) i would make her a baby album.

she had a baby and i finally got around to making the album this summer. oh--and she did have a lovely daughter which they named adelaide lou. is that not the cutest name for a girl? i want to re-name myself that. would anyone have a problem with it? i love it. and it is much better than the names taylor has picked out for her children. zaden, zaya and a few others i can't remember. anyhoo--at this point i will take a grandchild with any name. really, i'm that easy to please!

i never posted this album because it actually sat at my house for a month or more before i mailed it. so i didn't want to post pics until ashley actually saw it in person first. so ashley couldn't see it first on my blog and think--that album sucks and then a month later get it in the mail and discover it was hers. but i think she likes it. she has to email me pics of it when she fills it up though.

going for a hike up granite mountain tomorrow. i have been for a 5K walk the last two mornings so i'm hoping i can make it to the top...L

happy birthday and an acrylic album.

happy birthday to lisa. not me. there is another lisa in my life. dallas' girlfriend. she is 21 today. i have never met her. but she is lovely to talk to on the phone. and she's going to marry my son so she gets points for taking him off my hands and trying to civilize him. good luck with that. so happy birthday from your future mother-in-law and future grandmother of your beautiful children--all eight of them! LOL and this card will be in the mail shortly!

next up is the acrylic album i made for the class i will be teaching in november at my lss. it was fun and i used some pics of my girlfriend that just had her baby. yeah, she didn't like the pic of her. but hey--it's a newborn hospital pic and you are supposed to look drunk. anyway that was my first acrylic album to do and i had fun with it. hopefully it will be fun to teach as well.

and now i am out of here with a million other things to do...L

some more of the roger's family. and they are done and in the mail today maddy!! all in all they turned out really cute considering we had hurricane type winds that day. not much else going on here--kids are all back in school, no interviews for any jobs yet and a list a mile long of things i need to do. but first, a walk this morning...L

8 things tag. only i'm gonna make mine 7. cuz it's my favorite number and it's my blog. and i can do whatever the hell i want. ha ha

kaelene posted this on her blog and i thought it was cool. and i have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ELSE TO DO. yeah, right.

7 things...

7 current obsessions--

1) photoshop
2) eating healthy
3) reading
4) looking for a job
5) learning
6) trying to sleep
7) finding balance in my life

7 phrases i use often

1) shoot me now
2) there you go
3) kill, kill all the men
4) bloody hell
5) it is what it is
6) ____ it (you can fill in the blank!) ha ha
7) be the change agent

7 things i want to do before i die

1) be a grandma--why is this so difficult??
2) make a soufflé
3) hike down the grand canyon
4) make a quilt
5) learn to knit
6) go hangliding
7) did i already mention grandma??

7 things i've learned from my past

1) hell, i haven't learned anything!
2) i'm strong
3) life is short
4) kids grow up
5) and don't give you grandchildren
6) it's not the destination, it's the journey
7) what doesn't kill you makes you stronger

7 places i would love to go or see

1) italy
2) south of france
3) london
4) turkey
5) austria
6) switzerland
7) ireland

7 things i currently need or want

1) grandbaby
2) a job
3) a clean house
4) new shoes
5) cold weather
6) more time
7) sleep

so there you go. 7 random, tongue-in-cheek, mostly true answers. have a great weekend everyone...L

no pictures. sorry maddy. just some funny happenings around here. and i haven't been high on the funny scale lately. but brianne sent me an old email that i laughed about. and my kids have been funny lately. and this is where i remind myself about it and "get it down on paper."

so sunday i gave a lesson in primary (i teach haley's class) on making wise choices. so the whole lesson was on wise and foolish choices. it made an impression on haley because since then she has made it a point to let me know who in the family is making foolish choices. taylor not sharing her rice krispie treat--foolish choice. so last night she came in and said "mom, remember about the lesson in primary was?" (i totally understand this) i said "yes, about the wise and foolish choices" haley immediately answers "yes, foolish--that is what choice anna just made!" ha ha

later that evening as i am getting haley in bed i scoop her up in my arms and ask her "why do i love you so much?" and she answers--because i'm your baby. "oh yes, you're my baby. but why else do i love you?" and she says--because i am your peanut-ness. she melts me. this child could seriously be the worst behaved, most self-centered, stinky-acting child in the world. cuz she seriously gets the "baby-of-the-family" treatment. but no, she's just too stinking cute and sweet.

oh yeah. another hot topic lately. politics. brianne and i have had some fun political talks lately. and i love to discuss them with her. because really--we pretty much diverge into separate political arenas but we can discuss things like mature adults. and she was telling me of a woman who went into her bishop for an interview and the bishop asked her "do you choose the right?" and the woman answered "of course, i'm a republican!" ha ha i did think that was funny. SO, SO WRONG. but funny. and i have a lot of republicans in my family. gail, i know you're reading this! ha ha and all of my side of the family is republican. and my two oldest children. but i'm happy to say that if you ask any one of my girls here at home whom they are voting for--you will get an OBAMA answer! excpet once in a while anna will yell out "mcCain" and start laughing. we do talk about politics here and what the propositions are and what they mean. but my kids know they can make up their own minds about what they think is the right choice. even though they can't vote yet i think it is good to get discussions going about the issues at hand.

one other funny thing. i have been applying for some jobs online and found out that U-Haul is hiring here. so i applied online and they had a few "tests" that they run you through. and i know it's been a while since i have been out there in the work field or applied for anything. but really, is it that bad? i think all of the test questions had to do with drinking, drugs, stealing and fighting. yes, fighting. How often do you fight? do you enjoy watching others fight? how often have you had to fight someone? have you ever wanted to hit someone? ok--well if i'm being honest then yes, i have wanted to hit someone! then the drinking questions--do you A) drink while on the job B) while driving C) just before going to work. i was wondering how i could choose all of the above! ha ha
then the drug questions. now i understand this. but they had drug names on there that even I did not recognize. poppers, crank, snow, tranks, bennies, opium, crack and other assorted illegal substances were on there. do people admit to this? does u-haul have a problem with hiring cage fighters hopped up on tranks and poppers drinking at work? if so i should have no problem getting a job...L

and p.s.--make a wise decision and vote obama!!!

a few more pictures of the rogers clan. i think some of them were even glancing in my direction when i took the pictures. ha ha

i went to the church employment specialist tonight. anna and haley went with me. we were discussing the lack of employment right now. i told him i was looking for something like a receptionist, M-F, and that ideally i wanted something i could do while the girls were in school. me and a million others he said. he named some places that were hiring and gave me some information on resumés, how to apply for jobs, etc.

i'm thinking i should hand out my own information when applying for a job. something along the lines like--hey, i know you are hiring me for a job--i am a hard worker. but i don't like people telling me what to do all the time. so if you could just give me a list of my responsibilities and then like, skidaddle i think i'm your man. and try not to interrupt me during the day. i don't like that. and if my responsibilities change you can just email me. cuz i'm not too hip on the whole talky-talk thing. dave and brianne said that the only job that would totally be up my alley is on a weigh station on mars. i could be up there all by myself. come back to earth once a month and not have to deal with anyone. last time i checked, mars is not hiring...L

oh yeah--a couple of funny things happened with the employment specialist. he told anna that she looked like someone with her glasses. anna is like, who? he tells her--you look like sarah palin. dude. you so didn't just tell this obama votin' momma her daughter looks like palin. ha ha it cracked me up. and then when he is reading off the list of jobs available he says someone is looking for a nanny. anna is all--mom could you be a nanny? um, anna--i am a nanny. i just don't get paid at this gig! LOL