Wooo hoo!!!

I got a call from Fred from Creating Keepsakes this afternoon!!! I got an honorable mention spot for this year's Hall of Fame contest!!! So exciting!!! My phone rang this afternoon and the caller ID said 801 (the area code for CK in Utah) but there was no one on the line.... I just kept standing there like an idiot yelling "hello, hello" over and over. I finally hung up and he called right back! Right now it doesn't seem entirely real... it will probably sink in some tomorrow when I get the official email with the layout they're requesting for the Hall of Fame book. I can't wait!

To pass the time today, I convinced Clara to let me take some pictures. I really wanted to play around with the "urban" feel of our back deck and the stairs, but the sun was way too bright at the time she wanted to play so this is the best I could do...
She had a bad case of the giggles this afternoon!


Like that pose above? That's what she does when she sees the camera now.

Doesn't she look like she's wearing a straight jacket in this one??? or at least *should* be wearing one with that crazy look on her face?!?!?

Look at those baggy jeans!!! The girl was busting out of her jeans before we moved so we went and bought her several new pairs to get her through till spring... however, she's really slimmed down lately (from all of the walking, maybe?) and now her new jeans are too baggy and her old jeans fit!

We're slightly in crisis mode here. We're going to France for our anniversary (actually tacking a little sightseeing onto one of Jeff's business trips), but our passports are about to expire. No biggy, just renew them. However, the passport offices are swamped and running way behind AND my passport is still under my maiden name and we can't find our marriage license anywhere! Thankfully we're going to visit my parents in Missouri all next week... and since that's where we got married I'm hoping we can just go into the Greene County Courthouse and pick up another copy. We'll definitely be shelling out the extra money for expedited service.

Too funny Debb... yes, it does seem like we have guests for dinner alot. Actually we do so much more than we did in Texas. Chicago seems to be a destination for more people so when people are here for other reasons (vacation, business, etc.) they stop by for dinner. It's a lot of fun... and for the week night dinner guests, I don't cook... we order out! LOL!

Tomorrow is Clara's parents day at her dance class so I'll have some new photos to play with. They've started working on their recital number. Their costumes are sooooo sweet! They're pink with little roses. I have to look up the name of the piece that they're dancing to but I can tell you that it's Mozart because every time I hear it I can visualize the exact portion from the Baby Mozart DVD! LOL! It's been years since we last watched it but that thing is still seared into my brain!

Okay.... I need to go do hugs and kisses with the kiddos!

'nite!