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I was so pleased to receive this very nice award from Jo-N over at Shower Your Children With Love - The Right Way. Jo-N is one of my newer friends and if you haven't visited her wonderful site, you need to go over there and check her out. Thanks so much Jo-N.

I'd like to pass this award on to Karen at The Rocking Pony. Thanks Karen for being such a good friend.

I am also so tremendously pleased to recieve this wonderful "You Make Me Smile" award from one of my favorite bloggy friends, Courtney over at Life With Two Beautiful Girls. I have known Courtney for a while and if you have never visited her site, you need to go over and see her beautiful girls (and handsome husband) - she has a great site and is a great friend. Thanks Courtney.

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And then my good friend Bren (also a Texan - Woo Hoo) over at 3 Little Monkey's Jumping On The Bed passed this other great "You Make Me Smile" award on to me - and it makes me smile because Bren makes me smile all the time! She has a beautiful site (done by SPLAT - just like mine) and three darling kiddos (her baby girl just turned one). She always has a good story and you really should go check her out. Thank you so much Bren.

I' like to pass this great award on to Em over at Billy The Toddler. Em lives in the UK and she has the most adorable little boy named Billy (like my Little Billy). He is the cutest thing - you should really go over and see how beautiful this boy is!!

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And then ... my good friend Kami at Kami Khlopchyk (don't ask me how you say that - in my head I just call her Kami K. or KK) - and I should learn how to pronounce it, as I have known her a long time. She is a great friend with a great site and I'd love you to go over and meet her! She gave me this "E is for Excellence". Thanks Kami.

And then ... I also received this same award from Girlymom over at The Red Door. She has been my bloggy friend from way back and if you have never visited her site you need to go over there and visit her and her 4 beautiful daughters - she is a wonderful mom!

And then ... I was so pleased to receive this "Excellent" award again from Lizzy over at Life According To Lizzy. Lizzy has a great site where she writes wonderful stories about her life with her two sons and wonderful husband. If you have never visited my friend Lizzy, please go by and check her out.

And then ... Kathryn over at Seeking Sanity was also so nice to pass this award on to me. Kathryn is a great writer and tells wonderful stories about her life with her three precious boys. If you have never visited Kathryn's site - you need to go over and say hello.

I am supposed to pass this award on to 10 people. Since I received this award 5 times - that means I should pass it on to 50 people. I'm going to break this rule and pass it on to 5 people.

Angie at Keep Believing
Bia at La Dolce Vita: The Sweet Life With 3 Sons
Valarie at Please Don't Put Beans Up Your Nose!

Dawn at Renaissance Mama
Steph at Snow Central

All of these ladies have wonderful sites and I think they are simply Excellent - enjoy this great award ladies - I enjoy you so much!

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Also ... I was so pleased to receive this great "Everday Kindness" award from MO over at Un-Mainstream Mom. Now ... I think MO is way smarter than me - because she writes some really great posts and sometimes I think I don't know everything she is talkin' bout! No, not really - she writes smart and witty and she is a great friend with 2 beautiful daughters- you need to go check her out!!!

I'd like to pass this award on to Andrea at Life Song. Andrea has a great site where she tells daily stories about her beautiful daughters and she is a good friend.

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And then Vasquez3 passed this great award on to all of those blogs on her blogroll and On The Upside is one of the sites that she visits daily - I really appreciate that and I really appreciate this award and am so pleased to be one of her daily reads - Thanks and you should go see her and her adorable daughter and husband - she has a really great site.

I'd like to pass this award on to Mighty Morphin Mama. She also has a wonderful site and tells wonderful stories about her sweet family - you need to go over and say hello if you've never visited her site before.

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And then ... my friend Regina - over at Regina's Family Seasons passed this great "Spread The Love Award" on to me and she passed "The Daily Dose" on to all those friends on her blogroll. Now ... if you want to meet one smart lady with very well written and thought provoking posts - she is your lady. I have so enjoyed getting to know Regina - you really need to go visit her. Thanks Regina!

I'd like to pass this second "Daily Dose" award on to Julie at Multiple Blessings. Julie has a houseful of kids - like me - and she tells wonderful stories about her kids and family. She is also a scrapbooker. She's been a really good friend.

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I'd like to pass this great award on to Joan over at Joan's Journey. It is always a delight to visit Joan and hear her fabulous stories about her family or her travels - she is a joy and become a dear friend.

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And then I received this "Classy Blog" award (award designed by OHMommy over at Classy Chaos - isn't it cool!) from Lunanik over at Secrets of A Black Heart. Lunanik and I have become great friends - if you have never visited her great blog, you need to go over and check her out. She is smart and funny and quite the writer. You will love her as much as I do.

This last award I'd like to pass on to my friends Kari and Kijsa over at Ask Kari and Kijsa. These two sisters have the most fabulous home decorating site. They are creative and smart and witty. They tell the most fabulous stories about their creations, their ideas, their travels and they beautiful families (6 children between these young mothers). They are two of the classiest women I know and truly deserve this Classy Blog award.

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THANK YOU to everyone that passed on an award to me - I truly appreciate each and everyone of these great awards! I hope I will have the chance to pass on future awards to anyone that I did not remember this time. I think each and everyone of the great sites that I have gotten to know deserves an award and I am trying to keep up with who I have given an award and who I have not - so I will remember in the future.

Hosted by Cecily and Mama Geek

Most of you know that I'm writing a novel.

Some of you are probably really tired of hearing about it.

(If so ... maybe you can come back next week - read the post I'm drafting about SEX).

I've recently completed my fourth round of edits and feel that I'm about 85% to 90% through. It won't be long before I am seriously going to be searching for an agent.

During the process of writing this novel, I have fallen in love with my main character.

Her name is Laney. She is sixteen years old and I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring her life and learning her story.

A couple of months ago, my daughters, Courtney and Chloe, were asked to do a painting for their advanced art class where the concentration (for this specific project) was "white on white". The painting Courtney did was of a beautiful girl.

One day ... I walked by this beautiful painting that was leaning against the wall in our family room and realized -- That's my Laney. She is exactly the vision of the girl I have in my head (well, except for the blue hair).

I picked up the painting and took it to my room. I propped it on my desk. It has been there ever since and she - this beautiful girl - has become my muse during the process of writing this novel.

She watches me and she listens to me.

She speaks to me through her guarded expression and beautiful face.

Every day I sit at my desk ...

I look into her eyes ...

And I write her story.

I'm a big believer in the old adage that everything happens for a reason.

I don't believe it was an accident that my daughter painted this beautiful girl.

I think she was Laney ... all along.

Courtney brought her image to life ...

And I am ... telling her story.

One day, not long ago, Alexis came home from school. After discarding her backpack and eating her snack, she walked into my bedroom carrying a bottle of bright red fingernail polish and she said, in a very bossy tone, "I need you to put this on me before we go to dinner." I stopped what I was doing just long enough to grant her request. As I began painting her nails, she watched closely and then said, "This is such a beautiful color." I laughed.

She knows beautiful when she sees it. As does her brother - especially when he was small. Sometimes when we would go to Wal-Mart and wander through the jewelry department, there was a period (when he was three or four) that every time he saw a necklace with glistening crystals (plastic), he would just have to have it. He would hold the necklace in his little hands and look at me with those big brown eyes and say, "It's just beautiful, Mama." I always agreed.

One time, he saw a bunch of these necklaces in five colors and begged to have them. I bought them for my little boy and he wore them proudly, everywhere. He wore them around the house and when he would go out to the yard. I would look out the window and there I would see him with his beautiful necklaces wrapped around his neck - chasing after the dog, throwing rocks or climbing up a tree.

Some people worried that I would buy necklaces for my son, but not me, or his father either. We knew it was not threatening to our way of thinking. And, if one day he were to show a preference for that sort of thing, well ... we will just cross that bridge when we come to it. At the time ... how could I deny him this thing he so admired - they were beautiful.

He's ten now, my little boy. Today is his 11th Birthday. He doesn't wear necklaces anymore, but if he did, I'm not sure I would be so surprised, with all the girls he has to compete with around our house.

When he was born I wrote love poems to him that hung on the walls of his nursery. The first poem I wrote was:

Dear God,

In my world of little girls
Of hair bows and dolls and lace
I never imagined a little boy
Could ever find his place

But then one day ...

I looked above
And gazed up to the sky

You opened up your heavens gates
And smiled into my eyes

You gave to me a special child
For me to call my own
A little boy so wonderful
I never could have known

He smiles across the room at me
And giggles at my touch
I can't believe you gave to me
This child I love so much

When I look into his face
Or kiss his soft warm cheek
I feel the love you have for me
And often hear you speak ...

"How is it that ...

In your world of little girls
Of hair bows and dolls and lace
You never imagined a little boy
Could ever find his place?

Don't you know ...

I choose the child ...
For each and every home?
A special soul, in every child
For each to call their own?

When I chose this boy for you
I knew he'd find his place
I knew he'd melt into your heart
And fill the empty space

I know this child
I know his name
He's now your little boy

May Billy bring you love and faith
And happiness and joy."

I could have never imagined the love and faith and happiness and joy he would bring into my life. He is so special ... this boy child of mine.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SWEET BILLY!

WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!

If we had counted the number of times we (the On The Upside family) has said the words, COLD, SNOW, TIRED, SORE and BEAUTIFUL ... in the past 48 hours - it would be A LOT!

I know I have said the word BEAUTIFUL at least 1000 times myself, because ... it is - BEAUTIFUL here!

I have also said, "Have I told you guys how happy I am?" a number of times. I simply love the snow and skiing and spending these sorts of fun times with my family and friends.

This is me in the morning before we went skiing. I don't look like this when we return home in the late afternoon. I'm still just as happy, but my hair is a matted mess and I walk like I am in pain - because I AM! I have used muscles in my legs in the past 2 days that I don't believe I have EVER used!

Here I am standing outside the ski lodge.

"Hi, Hon! Ready to hit the slopes?" (He hates being cold - he whines non-stop about how cold he is - tee hee).

This is the Utah sun trying very hard to burn off the snow clouds - it never happened.

It snowed all day (YIPPIE) up on the slopes and my camera quit working. I wasn't able to get any pictures of the kids - hopefully I'll get some of them skiing tomorrow.

After a day of skiing, mom and dad took the littlest On The Upside girl -sledding.

She makes her daddy smile.

She also makes her daddy haul her stuff.

She tried to talk her mom into sledding down that hill. Her mom decided it was probably safer to stay at the top of the hill taking pictures.

We all agreed we would go back to the hill to sled with Little Billy, Courtney and Chloe - maybe tomorrow. It was fun! Maybe then, Alexis could convince her mom to sled down that hill too.

And so ends another fun filled day in Ogden, Utah.

Did I mention how SORE we are?

Did I mention how TIRED we are?

Did I mention how COLD it is?

Did I mention how BEAUTIFUL it is here?

Did I mention how much we are enjoying the Utah SNOW?

We are having a BLAST!

Tomorrow we are headed to the hot springs and then night skiing in the evening. Hopefully (if my camera cooperates) I will get some good pictures of all the kids.

Have a great week, everyone!!

-

Hosted by Cecily and Mama Geek

If you are lucky enough to find yourself in a winter wonderland, such as the beautiful state of Utah ...

You MUST make time to play in the snow ...

Build yourself a giant snowman and ...

Lie down, spread your wings and ... become an angel.

You might even get creative (like Aaron and Matt) and make a lovely heart sculpture.

You could spray it with colored water so as to make the heart a beautiful pink.

From the road, people would see your glorious giant heart sculpture in your yard and it might bring a smile to their faces - especially your Mormon neighbors.

It might make them proud to have you as their neighbor - that you would make such a beautiful symbol of love for all the neighborhood to see.

But ...

Be very careful.

Until the frozen heart melts in the Spring ...

Do not invite your Mormon neighbor up to your front porch.

Because ...

From your front stoop ...

Your beautiful heart sculpture ...

Does not ...

Look like a heart at all ...

And ..

Your lovely Mormon neighbor might be appalled!

They might even cover their eyes and scream ...

"Dear Lord ... That nasty woman needs to take her head out of the snow, stand up and put her clothes -- back -- on!"

*Kellan throws her head back and laughs like a bad Southern Baptist that obviously has too much time on her hands and her mind in a south Texas gutter - tee hee*

A couple of years ago, I went to the San Antonio Rodeo with my family. During the course of the day, we made our way into the exhibit barns where there are hundreds of booths set up selling everything from cowboy boots to cow hyde rugs. There was this one large booth where art was being exhibited and sold. After looking a while at the art, my mother pulled out this beautiful print of a small girl. She left the print, went searching for me and when she found me, she insisted that I return to the art booth to see the picture.

I bought that beautiful print and it hangs on the wall in Alexis' bedroom.

This print was done by a wonderful artist by the name of Ann Hanson. Mrs. Hanson lives at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains just outside of Shell, Wyoming.

While this is the most beautiful painting, titled "Tickled Pink", of a precious little girl, and would look darling in any little girl's bedroom - those were not the reasons I bought it.

After church, my lovely family, decked out in their beautiful Christmas attire, strolled out of the church and made their way across the parking lot to our van. I watched from the church steps as my husband unlocked the door and my daughters and son climbed in.

As I approached the van, I heard a 6 year old girl screaming at the top of her lungs. The screams could be heard for miles and echoed loudly off of the church steeple. A chill ran up my back, fluttered across my shoulders and raced up the nape of my neck - where there it sent a chill through my body so cold that it could have frozen a raw chicken in two minutes flat.

I looked into the back seat and there on the floor was the six your old girl, in her beautiful velvet Christmas dress, hair pulled into a bun at the back of her head and held beautifully with a black velvet bow, and lovely black sequined shoes on her six year old feet. Straddled on top of her, also lying on the the floor, was the 10 year old boy, in his black church suit with the crisp pink shirt and gray speckled tie. They looked up at me, as I stood in the door - my children.

I closed the door, the two children still sprawled out on the floor, climbed quietly into my seat up front, closed my door and then screamed, "YOU ARE GONNA' GET IT WHEN WE GET HOME," to my boy child, now climbing like a little zoo-monkey - into his seat. Across the aisle from him was my 6 year old daughter, crying pathetically because she had been trampled to near death by her zoo-monkey-brother trying to get into the car before her ... and her beautiful bun was no longer nice and neat and pretty - but now a stringy mess of hair flowing down her back. She could barely catch her breath through all the sobs and tears.

I turned back in my seat with a huff and looked over at my husband, who was clueless as to why I was so angry and simply said, loudly, "HE IS GONNA' GET IT WHEN WE GET HOME." My husband shook his head in acknowledgement.

In the back seat, the little zoo-monkey boy kept saying, as we drove away from the church - away from the other civilized families and their darling little church-going children, "What do you mean, 'Get it?'" And I would not answer. "What do you mean - just explain to me what you mean, 'Get it,' so I'll know what to expect." I still did not answer and was very much enjoying seeing him sweat, for a change. "Come on ... what do you mean?" he begged and begged and begged.

On the upside ... Sometimes I just want to wring their necks and then sometimes I just want to break out in hysterical monkey laughter - "What do you mean, Get It?" - he was so scared and he must have asked 15 times - like I was going to string him up and hang him from a banana tree or something - I was so pleased with myself that, after 10 years with this zoo-child, that I had actually said something that scared him to death - said something that really had him worried - it was a very proud moment. (*sigh*)

We've all known of people that love to climb mountains.

I have to imagine, if I believed in reincarnation, that people like that might have likely been ... say ... a billy-goat, in a previous life.

And ... if you are one of those people that is drawn to the sea - just love the ocean ... it is reasonable to assume - if you believed in reincarnation - that those sorts of people might have been either a pirate or a boat captain - in a previous life. They might also have been ... say ... a clam or jellyfish.

I know exactly what I was in a previous life.

I was definitely a QUEEN!

Alexis was too!

I think she and I were in the same blue-blood family - we are so much alike!

I contribute this belief, primarily due to my ... love of jewels.

My love for glistening crystals.

My love for dangly things - such as colorful beads or feathers.

Not real jewels, necessarily. Not real crystals. But ... those types of baubles adorned to clothing - making the shirt of boot or blouse or jeans - the gaudy, glittery spectacle - ONLY a QUEEN might wear!

Alexis and I love ... sequins, rhinestones, feathers, gems, beads ... any sort of beautiful, gaudy bauble - LOVE THEM!

Many mornings, Alexis will wander into my room and rummage through my jewelry boxes in search of some glassy jewel she can wear with her outfit to school. It could be a necklace or a bracelet or a pin.

I share my JEWELS freely with my little blue-blooded darling, as I know the need to adorn one's self with trinkets and jewels and ... I understand how this desire to lavish herself - her blue-blood body ... is beyond her control.

The other morning, she meandered into my room for me to brush her hair for school.

Once I was done - pulling her tresses into a simple pony-tail on top of her head, she turned to me and said, "I'd like a bun today," and then she turned her little blue-blood head around for me to get to work.

I twisted.

I twirled.

I piled.

I pinned.

It was a bun.

As I was about to push the final bobby-pin into the beautiful bun on the top of her head, she turned to me, frustrated, and said, "No, no, no," her tone was calm - but demanding. "I want this," and she held her hand up to my face.

On the upside ... I did what she asked and could not help but smile. I watched my little QUEEN as she walked out of my room - her hair piled in a neat bun on the top of her head - held perfectly in place with a big ol' GAUDY, RHINESTONE COVERED, QUEEN LOOKIN' hair pin - sticking out the top. I yelled after her ... "You look beautiful. Don't lose my pin." HEY ... you never know when I might need to wear the thing.

The kids are on Spring Break this week.

We are spending time at the lake and we are also ...

Spending time visiting colleges.

My twins will be 17 in April and will both be off to college next year.

When I was a kid ... well, all I'm going to say is ... I am doing way more stuff to help get my kids ready to go off to college than our parents ever did for us.

It's a full time job - all the research and preparation.

We visited The University of Texas in Austin on Saturday.

It was a good tour ...

We went with some friends whose daughter is also considering UT.

These girls would fit in well at this well known Texas university!

Well ...

When they grow up ...

Just a little more.

Did you know that UT has about 50,000 students? It is HUGE and it's a beautiful campus!

On Monday, we visited Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.

The total enrollment at UT is more than the population of the entire city of Georgetown.

Southwestern is a beautiful private liberal arts university and has a total enrollment of about 1300 students.

It is a beautiful old campus and so different than UT.

(It's the home of the Pirates)

Little Billy doesn't care a thing about college right now ....

He's too busy enjoying his Spring Break.

Alexis too ...

Time to play and time to relax.

Lots of time before she has to think about college.

We're going to spend the rest of Spring Break doing as little as possible.

Hope you have a great week.

-

And ...

Utah is COLD!

We went skiing today up on Power Mountain (BEAUTIFUL!) and it was about 14 degrees during the day. When we finished for the day, the temperature was 6 degrees *brrrrrrrrrrrr*. None of the On The Upside family has ever experienced 6 degrees (wind chill well below zero) - it was EXCRUCIATINGLY COLD!

But ...

We toughed it out, as any good Texans would do and ... we had a FANTASTIC time skiing and are headed back out tomorrow for more fun at this beautiful ski resort near Ogden, Utah!

Tomorrow, however - we wear warmer socks, way more layers and I will take pictures no matter how cold my fingers are - I swear!

-

Kellan, from On The Upside, in the green room at WOAI TV Station on Tuesday, May 13, 2008.

On the set, waiting to be interviewed by Leslie Bohl Jones. Story featured as "The World Of Blogging" with primary emphasis on Mommy Bloggers, featuring local Mommy Blogger, Kellan, of On The Upside.

Meeting Leslie Bohl Jones (WOAI TV - San Antonio Living Show) for the first time. She is strikingly beautiful and such a talented professional. I was so excited to meet her, as I have watched her show for years and she is just as beautiful and smart in person as she is on TV every morning.

Using my hands to talk a lot about blogging! Leslie was very kind to point out the positive and rewarding aspects we bloggers enjoy about blogging and made this experience very enjoyable. I could have talked all day with her about blogging.

And, with all that hand waving, I do believe I got my points across.

If I can figure out how to upload the video of this interview (which featured not only the interview, but quite a bit of footage of my children at our home), I might put it on my blog. For now, all I have are these lousy pictures my mom took with the cell phone camera.

I thought you all - my fellow Mommy Bloggers - would appreciate that I am doing my part to get the word out about the good work we are doing! I did my best to explain why we love blogging, what a fine community we have created and how fortunate I feel to be a part of it. It was a lot of fun.

(Okay - Rachel (From The Land Of Monkeys and Princesses) says I should tell you to go to http://www.woai.com/ (or http://www.woai.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=541862). (Channel 4 News) and then go to "videos" and then go to "Living" category and view the video that is titled as "The World Of Blogging").

Thanks to everyone that participated in my contest this week. I'm happy to announce that the winner of the $25.00 Target gift card is Utmomof5 of My Five Little Monkeys. Congratulations! If you have never visited My Five Little Monkeys, you should go by and see her beautiful blog and 5 beautiful children (and her very handsome hubby).

I also promised to tell you who it was - which Mom Blogger - that gave me permission to publish her story that prompted this contest.

It was RACHEL! I hope you go over and visit Rachel at From The Land Of Monkeys and Princesses, as she is not only a great friend of mine, a fellow Texan, my roomie for the BlogHer '09 conference in July, but she has a truly fun and fabulous blog, she's a wonderful mother to two of the most adorable kids and she's a very good cook and often posts fabulous recipes on her site (one day she WILL have her own cookbook) and she's also an editor for Blissfully Delish *breath*. Not to mention she's FAMOUS - check out her blog in the business section of the Chicago Sun Times .

Thanks, Rachel for this fun story! I can't wait to see you in Chicago - we are going to have so much FUN! I hope all of these other ladies will also be in Chicago (and I hope you guys are too) - as I'd love to meet every single one. I had the honor of meeting JCK at last year's conference and love her to death and would definitely have loved rooming with her too!

Thanks, everyone for participating in the contest.

Have a good weekend.

-

I really wish I could say that my precious Princess got out her box of markers, positioned a nice clean piece of paper in front of her, thought out the exact perfect idea in her little mind and drew this beautiful picture for me, out of the kindness of her heart.

But ... not today.

This was most certainly a "I-need-to-make-mommy-a-really-nice-picture-cuz-she-is-so-mad-at-me" masterpiece. Ohhhhh yes! See all the "Moms" - I count 21.

This is make-up art.

She was on a role today!!!

On the upside ... tomorrow is another day. It is a beautiful picture (it melted my stone-cold heart). And ... through it all (the whining, the crying, the yelling, the screaming, the nasty looks, the mean words, the bold attempts to slam the door, the kicking tantrum on the floor ...) I never ... not even for one single second ... stopped loving her.

The first time my husband, Billy, said, "I love you," after returning from a trip to San Angelo, Texas, in January, 1984, one month after we first met ... is the exact same way he says, "I love you," to me now. And ... this is not necessarily a good thing.

The Cowboy, is not a sentimental person. He never says, "I love you," unless I say it first, and when he says it, it sounds like he's reading it off of a scripted page. I swear. He might as well just say, "Ditto."

For the longest time I worried about this. I wondered if it sounded this way because he didn't really mean it. But, twenty-five years later, he still says it this same scripted way, so I pretty much know by now that he is just confused as to how to do this any other way.

And ... when he gives me a Birthday or Anniversary card - they are always the most thoughtful, beautiful - exact, perfect cards. But ... he signs these sentimental cards to me with, Billy. Sometimes he will write a note, but not love notes or sappy poems. No ... apology notes. They will read something like, "I'm sorry I never do the things I'm supposed to do," or "I'm sorry I make you mad all the time."

I informed him, after receiving one too many cards with these sad apology notes, "Enough already with the apologies. Can't you just sign the thing, 'I'll Always Love You, Billy,' or 'You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Love, Billy.'" Noooo ... when I die and my children run across all of these special cards I have kept over the years that my husband gave to me, they will read these sad apologies and surely say, "Poor Dad. He must have been just miserable."

These cards ... those with the apologies ... say more about me, than they do him. I have kept them to remind myself of not only the special occasion ... but also ... of the burdens he carried.

On the upside ... He still gives me the most beautiful cards and he has stopped apologizing ... and he may never say the words, "I love you," easily ... but I know he does. I don't need the words ... I know.

My father reminded me of a story recently. A story about my mother.

One day, my mother went to the grocery store. She came home, took a load of groceries up to the forth floor (of our temporary housing - apartment), set the groceries on the floor outside the door of our apartment and then went back to the car. She then brought the second load of groceries back to the third floor and when she came up to the door of our actual apartment, she screamed to her family that someone had stolen her groceries. They ... of course ... were still sitting on the forth floor.

My mother is a hoot. She's always been this way ... not so much scattered brained ... but a little loopy sometimes. We love her for that.

The other day, on the way to my son's football game, my mother road to the game with me. At some point she said, "There's been news reports about that flesh eating virus (I say, "Oh no ... here we go with the new reports" ... in my head) here in San Antonio," and then she pauses and I say, "Uh, huh," because I know what is coming next (she's going to say that it's germ warfare) and then she says, "I think it's germ warfare," in a tone that says "And you know I'm right about this." I say, "I know," (in a tone that says "You are watching too much news"). That discussion drops.

Then ... she proceeds to morf into her alter-ego "Madam Tour Guide". This is where she starts to point out all the new buildings going up, the streets under construction, the buildings being torn down, the store she'd heard about, the neighborhood a friend of hers lives in, the route she used to take to get to the airport, the beauty of flowers in someones yard, the size of a magnificent tree or the restaurant she'd really like to try. The tour goes something like this:

"Would you look at that! I heard they were moving that JCPenny over here. I haven't been on this side of town in along time. There used to be a French restaurant somewhere right around here that Milly and I ate at once; Oh, look ... there it is ... right there ... on the corner. What was the name of that building? (I dunno) I heard they were putting a new spa over here. Now look ... what they're doing there - is that a new mall? I can't believe they are building another mall. What used to be there? (I dunno). Did you see that beautiful flower bed in that yard? I've never seen such beautiful flowers. Is that the way you get to the zoo? (I dunno). What. Is.That? Is that a new school? Now when did that go up? (I dunno).

I swear! This happens every time she gets into the passenger seat of any car. It is like being on a tour bus ride - only there isn't really any information being given that I truly care about or of any historical value to anyone - well, maybe sometimes.

On the upside ... My mother lives in a one story house now. It's really only the four story structures that she has trouble with ;)

And ... fortunate for us San Antonian's, I don't believe it was germ warfare - not this time - just the flesh eating virus - that's all.

(*You know I love ya Mom*)

When I was just a little girl

I asked my mother

What will I be?

Will I be pretty?

Will I be rich?

Here's what she said

To me ...

Kellan

... you need to stop talking so much and listen to what I have to say
... you should be nicer to your brother
... you should try harder in school
... if we say you are going to go to church - you are going to go to church
... you are a beautiful girl
... you can be anything you want to be
... I am so proud of you
... I love you very much

These are just a few of the things my mother has said to me.

Now ... these are a few things I want to say to her ...

Mother

... I have heard every word you have ever spoken to me
... I probably thought he was your favorite
... I heard you, but I didn't listen as often as I should have
... I never wanted to go, but it is the most important thing you ever did for me
... I will never be as beautiful as you
... I am all I ever hoped to be
... I followed your example ... you should be proud of you
... I have never doubted your love ... not ever

Today is my Mother's Birthday

Happy Birthday Mom

We love you very much

Love,

Kellan, Billy, Courtney, Chloe, Billy, Alexis, Cheryl, Danny & kids, Rob & Vonda and kids

Hosted by Cecily and Mama Geek

When I was a young girl ...

I dreamt sometimes of beautiful boys.

I dreamt of handsome men.

I dreamt of hats ...

And boots ...

And thick, Texas drawls.

And ... belt buckles and gorgeous smiles as big as the state of Texas.

One day ...

I prayed ...

Dear God ...

Please send me a cowboy of my very own.

And then one night in a crowded Texas dancehall called The Midnight Rodeo ...

Across a smoke-filled room ...

With country music blaring and hundreds of bodies swaying on the sawdust covered dance floor ...

Our eyes met.

You were about as cute as they come - with your tight Wrangler jeans, deceivingly innocent face, suave cowboy hat and a smile so charming, any girl would have followed you anywhere.

And ...

I did.

I have thoroughly enjoyed following behind you and your Wranglers ...

And, I've enjoyed being on the receiving end of your unbelievably generous smile.

I've adored watching you from across the room ...

And gotten a kick out of occasionally picking on you ...

I've appreciated that you've never made me wait for that certain twinkle in your beautiful blue eyes ...

Or hid yourself when I couldn't resist watching you from afar ...

It has been a pleasure ...

To call you my cowboy.

A pleasure ...

For my eyes ...

For my heart ...

For my dreams.

-

random passerby taking photo of Mercedes Fashion Force squad car

Karolina stops twins on the street to ask for a photo

Ornela and Odelia Samuels get snapped

Karolina also chose a 3 month old puppy, Daphne.

Edward Barsanian of the New York Times - T Magazine.

Of this gentleman, Karolina said, "I like his little Russian hat. It's smart and he's staying warm, which is very important. It's different. You know I don't see a lot of men wearing those kinds of hats and he's owning it. I like that"

Tuesday afternoon as part of the Mercedes Benz Fashion Force program, I was offered a car ride with Karolina Kurkova (discovered by Miuccia Prada at age 15 and later a Victoria's Secret Angel). We weren't exactly police men in that black and white car though, more like street style bounty hunters as Karolina kept a keen eye for stylish peeps on the street--from twins, to a T Magazine editor, to a 3 month old puppy....And not only did Karolina act as the street style hunter de jour, but I also got to ask her a few questions while we drove:Craig: When you were a little girl, what did you dream of being when you grew up?

Karolina: I wanted to be a princess. I wanted to have super long hair. When i was a little girl I had short hair. ... I was like a little tomboy. And I'd walk around and put a tiara on and I'd put a duvet [editors note: duvet = bed sheet] on my head like I'd have super long hair to the floor and I'd wear my mom's high heels and walk around.

Craig: If you could wake up anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would it be?

Karolina: Somewhere on the beach. This beautiful beach. Sun is shining...(pause)...sun of the ocean...it could be anywhere. I just love the beach. I love the sunset and watching the ocean and hearing the sound.

Craig: so what are you wearing today?

Karolina: I'm wearing a J. Mendel coat, nice and warm. And then I'm wearing Hervé Léger--let me show you. I'm wearing a dress and over the dress I'm wearing an Hervé Léger skirt. So I'm kind of layering and playing with his clothes to make my own. And make it so I feel comfortable, yet stylish but at the same time comfortable and me. And then I'm wearing Brian Atwood beautiful patent leather shiny boots....

A couple of years ago, I decided I wanted a country Christmas tree, with heavy grape vine draped through the branches and a twig star on the top.

I had my mind set.

I was clear about what I wanted.

I was sure it would be perfect for our house and for our family.

I went about finding the items that I thought would create a perfect rustic tree filled with whimsical country charm.

I found the heavy grape vine and small country bears.

I gathered twigs from our yard.

I found the berry sprigs and red grapes to hang on the tree's branches.

A found the perfect green and red ribbon and made huge, fluffy bows.

I gathered beautiful large pine cones.

And ... what I couldn't find or gather ...

I made ....

I painted Santas ...

And I glued ribbon and pine to painted hearts.

I searched for just the right buttons to adorn tiny trees.

I tied ribbons and painted stripes on candy canes.

I also painted trains and ...

More trees.

And snowmen with buttons and brooms.

There are gingerbread men.

And snowflakes.

And even more trees.

And winter bird houses perched amongst the pine cones, berries and bows.

It is not the most beautiful tree.

Nor is it a tree that would fit into just any house.

Some might even call it gaudy or loaded down with too much country stuff.

That's all okay, because ...

This is ... our tree.

The tree that is decorated to fit into ... our family's house.

The tree that I made for ...

My family.

-

She gathers paper, glue, sticks, tissue, crayons, sparkly beads, string ... anything that catches her imaginative and little-girl eye at the moment.

Then she sits.

She creates.

With tiny hands she makes something beautiful.

When she is done ... she brings her creation to me and says, "Mama ... I made this for you," and she places the beautiful thing in my hand, a focused and generous expression on her delightful, angelic face.

She makes these things to offer the world bits of herself ... to fill the world around her with beauty.

When she gives these parts of herself to me ...

places the object on a nearby table ...

attaches the jeweled creation with loving hands around my neck ...

tapes the portrait to the refrigerator door ...

she sheds the warmth of her light on me ...

she fills my world with ... her magic.

-