My Sister Brandy...

Yes I'm bragging! My little sister is amazing and I'm so proud of her! I've been meaning to brag for awhile on my blog about her and am just finally getting to it. :o) Brandy is my one and only sister who lives up in Utah along with my other favorite lady...our Mom. Actually they live across the street from each other and I'm the odd ball out down here in Arizona. They love the snow...I love the warm sun, but I love to visit them and miss them both very much.

Anyways, my sister has done many great things and continues such as she was in the U.S. Army for 8 years serving our country. She has been a writer, editor and reporter and now a co-host of a talk TV show that airs weekdays for 2.5 hours.
She works for the LDS church in many capacities such as: running a camera for various things including General Conferences, other live broadcasts, Temple dedications and concerts/plays; being a floor director; makeup artist to the General Authorities including Prophet Hinckley, President Monson, President Faust and other General Conference speakers; she has flown to Spain with the church; she has helped produce LDS films and has even been in a few herself along with other family members.
Brandy has her own video business called Inventory Video Specialist for home & business owners in case of a disaster. This was inspired by our own house burning down to the ground when I was 15 and she was 12 years old which was very devastating for our entire family. Check out her commerical for it at http://www.ivsutah.com/ it's pretty cool and I bet you can't recognize the actors!

Brandy has done a ton of charity work for homeless shelters, domestic abuse women shelters and so on. She has a big heart! I've probably forgot to list a million other things that I'm proud of her for because really there are so many. She definitely is a go-getter and always has been. Brandy has always been a hard worker even at an early age when money was tight and she needed braces she went and worked at a hotel at age 11 cleaning rooms earning $36 usually for 2 hours of fast paced hard work and saved it to pay for 1/2 of her braces. She was always looking for odd jobs to pull weeds or sell you rocks and was smart with her money usually saving it all. She's still very good with money and is one of the smartest bargain shoppers I've ever seen.
Brandy is the Mother of my two beautiful nieces Adia almost 6 & Kyah 1.5 yrs old and married to a wonderful hard working man named Tyson. I'm very proud to say that they were married in the Bountiful Temple and seem to compliment each other very well. I've seen Brandy emerge into a wonderful woman and a caring Mother & wife. Here's a cute Halloween 07 picture.
Brandy's newest accomplishment of being a co-host on television began last November but actually aired on TV in January 2008. I think she is doing an outstanding job and looks absolutely beautiful! She has worked for many TV stations and Associated Press, been in movies, interviewed hero's...but best of all I get to call Brandy my sister. I love ya sis!


I've put the picture that http://www.kjzz.com/ has on their website showing the KJZZ Cafe team and their clip about it below.

Brandy you're awesome! Thanks for being a great role model to me and my children! She is living proof that if you put your mind to it you can do anything you want to!

KJZZ Cafe -
Hosted by: Danny Allen, Brandy Vega (my little sister), Steve Anderson and Andy Waits
Channel 14
Time: 6:30 am - 9:00 am
When: Monday-Friday


KJZZ Café is a time and place where viewers gather together to talk about the significant matters of the day with friends they find thoughtful and intelligent. The Café features three hosts that are grounded in the life experiences shared by most Utahans. As hosts, they will serve up news and issues with a hefty side of observation, analysis, and opinion. Much of that opinion will come from viewers, as the Café opens up its microphones in the studio, on the street, over the phone, and on the internet to serve as a voice for the community. KJZZ Café is dedicated to news and issues that are important, interesting, and inspiring; after all, not all legitimate news is bad news. KJZZ Café is “News Worth Talking About”.


News that is thoughtful, intelligently provocative, relevant, fair and balanced.

To view more of Brandy or clips of her on TV click on this link

http://www.kjzz.com/news/cafe/18148639.html?video=YHI&t=a

The Woe's of a Working Mom..what should I do?

This week has been interesting to say the least. I started working at Legacy Charter School on the 9th and none of us are used to it still. I thought it would be nice to work at the same school my children go to and had applied with the district but then this job at Legacy presented itself. I accepted it somewhat reluctantly because I honestly enjoy my freedom, being home when my kids are and like doing BPO's for Will; however we thought the kids can transfer to Legacy & be with me even more plus I'd be earning a little extra money & the biggest benefit would be health insurance. So, this week was my first full week and I'm amazed what can happen to a household in less than 5 days...

1. My house is a wreck even though Will has really stepped up in helping me especially in the mornings getting the kids ready for school...he has even helped around the house.
2. My kids have gone to bed late every night this week! So have I...averaging about 5 hours of sleep a night and I need 8.
3. I'm not keeping up with my calling like I should. Have been a bit stressed out & tired.
4. I've not read my scriptures all week!!!
5. The kids were 30 minutes late for piano lessons this week.
6. The toothfairy forgot McKenna TWO nights in a row! Poor Kenna!
7. I don't remember if I've made a home cooked meal in the past 8 days?? Thank goodness for frozen foods & fast food joints.
8. I haven't played with my kids in days and have been snappy with everyone.
9. We have weeds in the front yard.
10. The laundry well Calvin ran out of clean clothes and had to wear a church shirt to school!
11. Last night we were up til 9:30pm doing homework with McKenna! She had a major project that was due today that she hadn't even started so everyone ate tv dinners and I had 4 oreo's for dinner at 8pm!
12. Today at 1:30pm the school's nurse called me and said that Calvin had fallen down at recess and although they cleaned him up and got the majority of the bleeding to stop, that I needed to come and get him because he might need STITCHES near his elbow. So of course I felt bad leaving work especially being so new but my baby is my priority and rushed to the school. The whole way driving there the nurse's question of "how far away from home are you?" kept running through my mind. Even though I'm still here in Maricopa...I couldn't help but feel that I was so far away. So they showed me his wounds...both knees and his left elbow which was where the deep cut is. Their concern is that it is deep and full of sand & rocks. The main RN told me to go home and put him in the tub for 20 minutes to soak it and see if some of the rocks would fall out but in her opinion it was borderline for stitches. Calvin wasn't crying or anything they all told me how brave & strong he was (but I already knew that) :o) So we've soaked it, cleaned it, put medicated ointment on it and bandages. I think that I'll get Will's opinion before taking him to urgent care. It seems like your elbow would be a tough place to get stitches and might limit his mobility. I just feel like the worst Mom in the world today.

The good & bad - I went to work at the school thinking it would be the best thing for our family in the long run when the kids can go there next year but I am just having some second thoughts probably because it was my first week. I'm not sure I want them to transfer mostly because we are all totally happy with them at Maricopa Elementary a public school that is 0.5 miles from our house, the kids love it, Calvin's best friend is staying there, the bad about their current school is LICE - Kenna's class has lice all of the time is seems, their school doesn't score as high on tests but that's because they aren't an accelerated school they are public and have all types of children there, Will is so busy and having a hard time keeping up with real estate & BPO's and has been stressed so I feel bad for not helping him more, and I'm worried about them being behind since Legacy is a year ahead on each grade level - what if they can't keep up? - they are honor roll now but Legacy would be harder, Kenna doesn't deal well with change but she knows a lot of the girls there already from church, Legacy doesn't have their permanent campus yet for next year yet but it's mostly because of city permits etc. The money isn't enough to stay and the benefits are not starting until June but at least it's medical & dental & 401k etc, I have to work during the summer so that might interfer with our Utah trip but they said they would work with me not sure exactly how yet, the people seem to be very nice and they are working on everything that is a concern to me as a parent so maybe it would be worthwhile to transfer the kids?? Oh yes the teachers seem wonderful and I like the cirriculium but it would be totally different than what they are used to. I like that a lot of kids are LDS and that they will be expanding and will have a middle school. Still I've seen my house go from usually happy & clean & healthy & organized to a crazy, cranky, oreos for dinner and huge mess in only one week!

So really, How Far Away Am I ????????????????? What would you do in this situation...any suggestions???? Do you think I should hang in there and see how it plays out or am I sacrificing too much right now with my children, husband and house? Should I just stop complaining and suck it up & figure out a routine? Woe is me. hee hee (I almost feel silly posting this because my life could be so much harder and I truly am very blessed. So pipe in and give me your honest opinion please)

Back on track with Coupon Sense

Look at all of this food in my pantry! (not to mention my two freezers & frig)

I've been doing Coupon Sense for about 2 years now and to be honest I've not been a faithful each week or each month for that matter. I don't seem to have the time or enjoy grocery shopping and especially do not enjoy cutting out coupons...but when I do it...it's more than worth my while. It's like being paid $50-60 per hour and that's a great hourly wage for anyone, right!?!

I racked in all kinds of FREE stuff today & was very excited:

6 French's Mustard

6 Hormel Chili with beans

6 Tic Tac's

6 Suave Deoderant

6 Betty Crocker Cookie Mix

Then I got lots of stuff for almost FREE:

Biscuits, Pillsbury Grands for $0.20
Potatoes, Betty Crocker for $0.30
Sport Drink, Gatorade 32oz for $0.50
Pretzels, Fry's 15oz for $0.50
Pepperidge Farm Goldfish for $0.50
Rice or Pasta, Knorr Lipton Sides for $0.50
Keebler Fudge Shoppe for $0.50
Hot Pockets Calzone for $0.50
Bread, Mamma Bella Garlic Bread or Garlic Toast for $0.50
Paper Towels, Scott Mega Roll for $0.75
Chips, Fritos or Cheetos for $1.00
Cream Cheese, Kraft Philadelphia for $1.00
Peanut Butter, Peter Pan for $1.00
Mamma Bella Garlic Bread Toast for $1.00
Granola Bars, Quaker Chewy for $1.00

I ended up saving $78.84 and spent $19.32 that is over 75% savings! Yippee!

To answer your questions - I would consider having a workshop where my director would come & explain Coupon Sense at my house and yes if you signed up under me I would get a free week I believe. I can dbl ck. :o)

Did I say I love you today?

Ever have one of those days where you just feel so so very in love?

To where you get all emotional when you think about it? Well I'm having one today! Of course I love Will everyday, but today it just seems like he is perfect in everyway! Weird I know. ha ha Will is usually great, but today just really really great.

I have no talent for writing so it's hard to express my sincere love and appreciation for him but I just wanted to tell him if he even looks at this...how much I love him and how grateful I am for him! I am so thankful that he puts up with me and takes such good care of me and the most precious thing we have together, our children. He is an excellent Daddy...who would have thought...Will Wright getting married first of all but to be a Dad and to really love it?? Most of his friends still can't believe it and it's been 11.5 years now! But seriously he is an outstanding, devoted Dad & Husband and days like today he AMAZES me.

"Babe you are awesome and I'm the luckiest girl, woman, (old lady, oh whatever I am these days) person ever! I'll love you always and forever!!!! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox"

So if you haven't had one of these days in awhile...it's my hope that you do have one and very soon. It's so easy to forget about each other in this busy world we live in. We all need a little mushy love note now and then. :o)

My first day at Legacy

My two cuties giving me a good luck hug the morning of my first day at Legacy Traditional Charter School on 4/9/08.

Pictures of Girls Night Out 4-8-08

All of us gals.....Yes my friends are absolutely Beautiful inside & out!!!!!

Karen & baby James (the reason we all gathered, thanks for visiting Karen!)

The entire dinner party....next time I'll try to open my eyes and wear a blouse that doesn't make me look chubby! :o) I need to get a tan.....let's see can I say anything else negative about myself? ha ha ;o)

So fun to get together with old college room mates & high school friends! Karen moved away to Chicago and recently had baby James so this was our first time seeing him! We're glad Jennie (Karen's twin sister) organized this wonderful girls night out at Olive Garden.

Thanks to our waitress for taking these pictures for us! :o) Lots of Fun....Let's do it again soon!

What a day!

Wow what a day I had Tuesday April 8th! I started out at 6am as usual...taking the kids to school then rushed home to shower and get ready for the day. I routed my BPO's and printed out my map. Typed up the minutes from last weeks relief society meeting and emailed the presidency for agenda items for the next meeting. Then I drove into town, did my three bpo's which were all over the place Chandler, north east Mesa and then south even further east Mesa. Went clothes shopping for my new job that starts Wednesday April 9th. Went to Walmart for groceries and then to my Dad & brothers...stopped by my sister-in-laws....went to Olive Garden with several girlfriends from high school & college for dinner and then had to stop by Will's brother's for some papers. 160 miles later I got home at 10pm and had to unload everything and prepare for my first day of work. I had a great day but wow it was busy and very fast paced! It was midnight before I went to bed and then I was so nervous that I couldn't sleep all night tossing and turning...looking at the clock. :o)

Got up this morning Wednesday at 5:40am to get ready for my first day of work, got the kids up and ready with Will's help....thanks babe....then dropped them off and raced into work. I made it ontime 7:30am and the front office of Legacy Traditional School was already chaotic...just my luck. :o) I don't think it calmed down until about 1:30pm but only for about 30 minutes, so busy I didn't even get shown the restroom, had no lunch and left a few minutes later than I was supposed to. After work I went to the grocery store for the refrigerated items that I didn't get yesterday and got home unloaded and here I am working on RS stuff and entering in this blog exhausted and still need to make dinner, pick up the house, several return calls to make which won't happen and then be ready for the RS meeting that happens each Wed. here at my house from 6:30pm until about 8:30pm or later probably later since we have so many topics.

All of my girl friends from last night are waiting for me to send the pictures our waitress & I took last night but I don't think that will happen today. Will today ever end?????? :o)