Don't know where to start

So.... I have been a little busy.

Here is a snapshot of the past week. I will have time for details soon... or so I hope.

May 24-26 - Las Vegas to visit with Susan and Gin. My two best friends since high school. Whirlwind weekend visit that felt like a week long relaxing vacation. I love Susan and Gin!

Gin, Susan & Kelly

May 28 - 29 - Columbus. I was awarded the Reflection Award from Bath & Body Works. Huge honor for me. Got spoiled rotten at Home Office. AND they announced my promotion to Assistant for our West Zone Vice President Ron Ford. Could work be any more exciting right now?

Ken Montera - Bath & Body Works National Sales Manager
Kelly Carr - Zone Assistant for West Zone ZVP
Diane Neal - Bath & Body Works President and COO

Oh yeah - Now through June 10th - I am training Jason to take the Regional Assistant position in between my travels and training and move to a new office.
Jason and I worked at Express and we have become good friends over the years. He keeps me updated on all the happenings with my old Express family. Now I suppose he is following in my footsteps - the path to weekends off and some free time! I am happy for Jason and his family. For his wife Melissa and his three boys to get to spend more time together will be the biggest benefit of the job change. That and having me train him. Ha ha!

Jay & K at Jay's going away party for Express

Then we come to today. The reason I had to sit down and take a moment. Wes is taking L to an Anime convention. L is going as a Naruto character - Deidara. Wes is going as Speed Racer.

Yeah.... that is why you are getting this before all the other stuff. I HAD to share. I am sure they will take lots of pictures and all and I will share some when I get them.

Getting Ready

Looking beautiful and silly all in the same 5 minutes

Speed Racer and Deidara - quite a pair

I will catch you up soon - Along with all the other stuff going on in my life . . . I am training , have a trip to California next week, move into my new office the following week, have a class reunion of sorts to plan and am headed to Detroit the following week. So... be patient with me.

A Day in The Sun

Today was a fantastic day to be outside.
The kind of day you wish for.

We went to the Dallas Arboretum for the afternoon. I counted no less than 7 brides getting pictures taken and at least two weddings took place while we were there with preparation for a third going on. They could not have asked for more perfect weather for their perfect day.

Mom, L, M and I headed over to Dallas to take advantage of a free afternoon and a beautiful Texas day. I will let the pictures tell the story.

Mom and the kids

Some pretty things

More pretty things. Mom and L.

M enjoying his day in the sun

If I could be a flower - I do not know how I would choose.

A very tame squirrel.

Some not so tame kids rolling down AND up the hill before passing out.

I love these kids - they keep me young.

Nourishment - yes - cheesecake is a food group.
And yeah . . . we worked it off before we got there.
Key lime cheesecake and a white chocolate caramel
macadamia nut cheesecake.
YES- I have already formulated a recipe to rival this nutty white chocolate cheesecake perfection . . . Anyone care to be my test monkey for the trials?

All in all a very nice afternoon at the Arboretum. M said he loved the flower garden and wants to go back tomorrow. I believe I would take him up on that if I didn't have so much housework to catch up on!

Mom and I are already planning our next trek to Dallas so we can have a picnic and she can take a class. I can't wait and I know the kids are looking forward to a picnic at the "flower garden".

Rangers Game with my Dad . . . Win/ Win

RANGERS WIN! RANGERS WIN! RANGERS WIN!

Oh Lord I hope this continues. Being the WORST team in baseball right now kinda stinks. I was really looking forward to today's game and to spending time with my seat mate. I don't get to spend as much time with my dad as I would like. When he does happen to come over for a family meal, I am usually too preoccupied with not burning said meal. SO - today I managed to con him into a game. It was actually a good game, good pitching from both sides and a win for the Rangers.



After the game, as dad and I were walking back to the car, we witnessed something that has added a new phrase to our vocabulary. Or maybe just a new way of looking at this phrase. There was a mom leaving the ballpark with her 5 year old son and there was some discussion about walking faster and he needed to pull up his pants. Mom was urging him to move it, he wanted to pull up his pants - so he stopped in his tracks and said "You're an a**hole!". Dad and I kept moving, but not before I saw the terrified look on the boy's face about 1/10th of a second after he made this bold statement. Needless to say, dad and I found it somewhat amusing. I think it is now a term of endearment between us. At least I hope so - as dad said it to me several times on the way back to his house.

All in all a great afternoon with Dad. Thanks Dude! We will need to do that again sometime .