Quote

God doesn't give you the people you want, He gives you the people you NEED.
To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you into the person you were meant to be.

CONGRATULATIONS!

CONGRATULATIONS, SARAH & OMAR!!!! They got engaged on Saturday at the Wisconsin Badger's Homecoming....Jumbotron and all....We all have been patiently waiting for Omar to pop the question. (and Sarah said yes....). Jen B, Bonnie (Omar's sister) and I could not let the occasion pass to "trash" Sarah's house as a surprise when she and Omar got back from Wisconsin on Sunday night....

Other fun things happening this past weekend included Shelley teaching me how to work with fondant (stay tuned for future project...) with the help of Eloise and Isaac, her two youngest children. Isn't the cake we made adorable?? We really didn't have a plan, it just created itself....

Eloise ready to help with the "play-doh"

Isaac doing his part EATING cake

Yeah...that's a "bow"

The magical chef, herself....Shelley!

TAH-DAH!

The whole cake....

Saturday was a very "BIG" day in NW Arkansas....Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Ole Miss Rebels. This was the first game the teams matched up since AR lost their head coach to Ole Miss. Emotions were running high....However, my good friends, Liz & Richard Esch are part of a wonderful tailgate group known as Hogtropolis. They are always so gracious to invite me and a few other friends.....GOOD TIMES in Fayetteville!

L-R: Richard & Liz Esch, Steph, Melissa Niebruegge
Back L-R: John Niebruegge, Holly & Michael Vavricka

Front L-R: Erin Johnson, Steph, Matt Johnson

Back L-R: Mike Duley, Adam Roscher

Survey Says!

A friend sent this my way and I thought it quite interesting. It's always fun to get to know your friends and acquaintances a little better....you just never know what you're going to find out! So, here goes....

The first questions deal with friendship:

1. Do you have the same friends since childhood? Not very many…but a few. My best friends came during college and graduate school. But, I have friends all over....and love them, every one!
2. What do you value most about your friends? Honesty. They know my faults and love me anyway.
3. Are your friends sounding boards? Everyone who knows me is subject to be a “sounding board”….it just depends on what is going on when you see me.
4. What is your favorite activity to do with your friends? Everything! From shopping to movies, cooking dinner or dining out, concerts and ballgames, rodeos or livestock shows…just about everything is more fun with a friend or 2, or 3...5...10...20!

The others concerned things I value and don't value.

Six things I value:

1. My faith - It is my center.
2. My family – because they have to love me and I want them to be happy with that. Where else do you learn to like all God’s children??? If you've ever met my extended family, we're all one of every kind!
3. My friends – I choose them and they choose me. There’s a reason and season for each one.
4. Hard work. Nothing feels as good as the rewards from honest, hard work.
5. Honesty. Everything is better with true honesty….no matter how difficult.
6. A good day at the spa. You just have to treat yourself every now and again.
7. Gail Pittman, Grapevine pattern – I added this one because she is not going to be manufacturing my pattern anymore and I LOVE IT! (hint....)

Six things I don't value:

1. Lying, cheating and stealing - nothing good ever comes of these
2. Disloyalty and Inequality. To God, Country, Others, and Self…
3. People who aren't "real". It goes back to honesty….be who you are and like who that is!
4. Ignorance. Everyone should have an education...no matter the sacrifice. It is worth it in the end!
5. Those that recklessly take advantage….of a system, person, thing, or situation
6. Lastly and certainly not least, those who consciously use religion for evil and not good!

I now pass this survey challenge on to: Amy, Jill, and Joddie...and MEK if you have time....

You've GOT to see this...

This video is very clever! Talk about "country boys" and making do with what you've got. This is totally something that would happen on the Sullivan Farm in Meadville. Check it out Mesko Farm Creekboarding.

Just so you know, the creator of this is a professional weightboarder. His sister is one of the analyst on my team and they are from Mena, Arkansas.

Another Great Weekend!

There seems to be a redundant theme right now...work hard during the week and play hard on the weekend. It has been 2 years since I've had company from "down home" and who could have guessed that not only would my parents and grandparents come visit this month, but also my Great Aunt and Uncle from Baton Rouge! It was so good to see them and visit without a lot of other folks around (you all may know what a large family that I have...on BOTH sides)! Uncle Earlie had an Army Reunion in Branson last week and they were glad that they could slip in a visit with their favorite great-niece :)

Saturday afternoon, after my Aunt and Uncle left, I got a nice surprise of having the WHOLE day to myself! I had no obligations to schedule my time. So since the weather was absolutely wonderful, I called my neighbor and we went for a walk and then a late lunch with our other friend, Sarah. It so nice to actually get to sit outside, not be in a hurry to go anywhere and just visit. Blissful. I later went to Hobby Lobby to explore the world of Fondant....stay tuned for my next project :)

Sunday was my day to host Fantasy Football. The League is made up of friends that I have had since I moved to Rogers. We all moved here about the same time and most everyone moved here with Kraft. We rotate hosting duties every Sunday and it's a beautful thing. Some of you may wonder why I am in Fantasy Football since I am typically not a NFL fan, but rather a college football nut. Well, I enjoy these friends that are in the League and wanted to participate. But since I am not a NFL kind of girl and wanted to particpate in this FF League, I was in need of a bookie to get my team up and running. There is only 1 person that I know that I would call to help with such a task....a 7-year old football genius. Keaton can tell you stats on every player and, in fact, most of the men ask Keaton football advice! Amazing. Sunday morning is the deadline for picking the week's lineup, so Sunday mornings usually go like this: Keaton - gets up, pours his chocolate milk and logs onto Yahoo! Sports to pick the week's lineup. Steph - call Keaton around 11:00a.m. to see how the "pick" went. So far, we are 4-2 and Keaton is doing an awesome job! We are in 2nd place (1st place is Cloyd's Crushers - Keaton's Mom/Dad). I'm telling you, this kid is SHARP! Since this Sunday was my week to host, Keaton called and asked if he could help me cook. He came over we had a ball! He decorated cookies and cut vegetables. Good times!

Aunt Edna Young and Uncle Earlie getting in their car to head home
Bookie/Chef Keaton

Keaton's Favorite Cookie..black cat with all kinds of stuff on it

Celebrity Sightings...UPDATED!

It is only 3:00 on Saturday afternoon and I have already had a very FULL day! Today has been long anticipated as it has been dedicated to having breakfast with Nicholas Sparks. Nothing else seemed to be any more important than hearing one of my favorite authors speak AND actually get to shake his hand. The signature on his newest book was just a bonus and lasting momento of this day. I learned a couple things about this author: First and foremost, he is a Christian. He spoke a little bit on how he believes that everyone has a "mission" or "purpose" in life. He believes that his is coaching track and field at New Bern High School in North Carolina. It's a high school full of "under-privaleged" kids who fall well within poverty by all weights and means. His team is #1 in the state and #1 in the region most years. That is a lot to be said of an ex-pharmaceutical rep turned book author who has a passion for track and field athletics. Second passion of his life is a small private school that his family started a few years ago. It is a christian school with AP subjects from 6th -12th grades. He started this school for those students who needed a more advanced education and could not get it in the area. Nichalas Sparks is quite a neat guy! He if well aware that God has gifted him with the opportunity to make his place in life better...for himself, his family and his community. He takes this seriously. Below are a few snapshots of the 4 of us who went to "Conversations with Nicholas Sparks" this morning (sponsored by Rogers Public Library Foundation). On a side-note, Heidi has been looking forward to this for a long while....this has completely made her year! (Thanks for the tickets, H!)

The second celebrity sighting today was Paula Deen and her husband, Michael. She was in town today for several reasons, but at 11:00 a.m. this morning, she was signing books at the Pleasang Grove Road Wal-Mart. To say the line was long, is the biggest understatement of the year! The line wrapped all the way around the store and then started widing within the "departments" of the store! Wow! There was NO hope of me getting her autograph in my cookbook, so I just snapped a couple of pictures and then went on my merry way. And just in case you were wondering, she has a limit on her signings: 1 book per person and only 600 books per event. I don't think the people in the line fully understood that or at least they were hopeful that she would have mercy on them?!?

The third celebrity sighting was Harrison Ford. Wal-Mart HQ had him come to the Saturday Morning meeting today. I am sure he was a more on his agenda that just that, but who cares! I physically did not lay eyes on him, but someone who went to the SMM today said he was there and briefly spoke...I couldn't be everywhere today, so 3 out of 4 isn't quite so bad!

The fourth, and final, celebrity sighting today Joe Nichols. On a whim, my friend Jen B and I decided to go see Joe in concert. He is a Rogers, AR native and was in town for a 25th anniversary celebration of a local radio station. For this concert, tickets were only $25 per person and general seating in the new Arvest Ballpark. We had no idea what to expect...and as my Dad often says, "Blessed is he who expecteth nothing for he shall not be decieved". This was a good practice for me as I had no expectations of this concert. I knew that I liked a few of Joe Nichols songs, but really couldn't name very many (and I listen to country most of the time). The opening act was a guy from Southern Arkansas and he was REALLY good. He kept the crowd informed of the Hogs score throughout his performance and that was VERY good crowd control. You should've seen all the people with headphones listening to the Arkansas/Auburn game during the concert. (SEC football here is a true religious experience). When the Hogs finally won, there were severals rounds of "Woo Pig Sooie" calls and, of course, the fight song lead by the opening act himself! Only in Arkansas.....Finally at about 8:45, Joe Nichols took the stage. He is absolutely CUTE and a wonderful performer! The radio does not do his voice justice at all. His voice is deep, strong, and amazing. I definitely like him better in person than on the radio!!! Because this concert was general seating, Jen and I decided to sit in the Handicap seats on the deck. It was the perfect place, too. Down below we could see all the walks of life sitting in the seats...and trust me, there were ALL walks of life. On the deck where we sat, the line dancers and two-steppers danced...most were very good! True entertainment all around....dancers, people-watching, and good music. Doesn't get much better for a Saturday night in Arkansas. Oh - the weather was absolutely perfect, too! It was breezy, a bit cool, and beautiful!

Hope that your day is jam-packed and full of fun!

Nicholas Sparks signing MY book!

Heidi, Steph, Shelley, and Kelly with freshly signed books in tow

Heidi having her book signed...this picture will surely go in a frame.

Paula Deen and her husband, Michael

Laughing all the time....

Oh Where To Begin....

The last seven days have been nothing short of a blur...and lots of fun! I have been in five states and two time zones in the last week. I left out on Monday headed to Atlanta, spent a few hours in the market and then flew to Orlando that afternoon and stayed until Wednesday morning. I then flew to Dallas and then back to NW Arkansas Thursday morning. Lots of early morning flights and late nights. I was all around so much working on a special project. It was an ambitious schedule to accomplish all that was required, but I did it in record time!

Wednesday night, my parents and grandparents came to NW Arkansas to spend a few days/nights with me. They were eating breakfast when I finally arrived on Thursday morning. They came because Mom had a CEU class at the Chateau in Branson. When you mention Branson to my grandparents, they are fully on-board for a road trip! We had a great visit and "mini-vacation" (if you can call it that) in Branson. I had to work all day Thursday and Friday, but at least I was able to work remotely and spend time with my family. It's been two years since they last visited and it was GREAT to have them visit again!

A few "highlights" of my week include: a rainy trek to Kennedy Space Center in Florida (didn't even get out of the car it was raining so hard...couldn't even see the launch pad!...will definitely have to return one day), Tour of Southfork Ranch in Parker, Texas, Dinner with my cousin, Jeff at Pappadeaux's in Dallas, time with family in Branson, and celebrated the 1st birthday of Tommy Taylor. This young boy is all of ours...or so we think! He was adopted by a wonderful family who has become family to me over the last 1.5 years. Pictures below....

SouthFork Ranch - Parker, Texas

It is MUCH smaller than you think....the outside of the house is the only "original" part of the house used in the TV Series, "Dallas". Lots of wide-angled lenses and "tricks" made this seem like a 50,000 acre ranch and 5,000 sq/ft mansion!




Mom, Dad, Mamawgran and Grandaddy outside of the Chateau-on-the-Lake in Branson


Football Sunday....pic of the girls helping Tommy celebrate his birthday while gabbing and cheering on the NFL for the sake of our Fantasy Football League (my team is currently 4-0!)

L-R: Steph, Kelly, Courtney, Kara, Julie

Tommy....cake never tasted so good.....