A Day at the Zoo

After not seeing Kaiya and Teague for nearly two weeks, I was itching to get a fix! So today we visited the zoo. It was perfect weather. We saw the new baby giraffe, but the baby elephant has not arrived yet (expected this week). We just missed getting into the bird show, which my friend Debbie helps with.

We also had lunch at the Blue Plate Diner. Good, moderately priced food. You know, the kind of local place that serves breakfast all day. Then home to read a couple of books before nap time. I'm still not unpacked completely, but this day was worth it!

Oh, and Steph was with us too ... she just didn't manage to make it in any of the pictures. :-)

New York City

It's been a very busy week so far in New York, and this is the first chance I've had to catch up. Even so, I am basically passing time until I can go downstairs and close up our Gala event. We have about 175 people in from 17 countries. It really is a great group.

I've been here since last Thursday, preparing for the groups' arrivals on Sunday. On Friday I had "pre-con" meetings most of the day. Saturday was "work day" which means we had to organize the various things that participants would be receiving, plus our signage, awards, products, etc. One box of shirts didn't arrive, so we had to make a new plan for that. Luckily, they did eventually arrive. We took a small break for lunch, and then later went to Wicked. What a fabulous show!

In case you're wondering, this is a trick that Gayle's husband Kimbal showed us. I'm not sure if you can tell, but this is two forks on a toothpick, balancing on the very tip of the toothpick. Very weird, but also impressive.

On Monday, we went on a helicopter tour over Manhattan. What a way to see the city!


Then to lunch at the South Street Seaport. I had a PERFECT lunch, all by myself, overlooking the Manhattan harbor. It was bliss, a heavenly reprieve in the midst of a busy week.

The site of the World Trade Center is very eerie, though this is about as much as you can see ... unless you fly over it in a helicopter! New Yorkers seem very cynical about what - if anything - is going to be built in this location.

On Tuesday, the group went to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island ...

... and then to Phantom of the Opera that night. We had a "meet the cast" party after the performance. It was interesting to see the real people behind the costumes (they never look like you think they will) and hear some of the "behind the scenes" stuff that goes on. Can you imagine doing a full length Broadway show six to eight times a week? I think it would be exhausting.

Well, just a bit more to go before this year's event is over. Tonight Jennifer and I are going to the musical "9 to 5" and Kris and Sterling are going to "Shrek." We spent a good portion of today waiting in the half price ticket line. Tomorrow is another free day, and then the last thing of the event, the Farewell Dinner, which is a dinner cruise of the Manhattan Harbor. Then departures, then home sweet home. I always dearly love coming home! I'll tell you one thing ... New York is the most fabulous city ever for eating out. We have not had a meal yet that wasn't divine, and I don't think it's because I'm so terribly good at picking out restaurants. As someone told me today, the competition here is so great that restaurants have to be good to survive. I may have gained a million pounds .... then again, it's possible that I've walked off every calorie.

4th of July

I had fully intended to use my day off from work on Friday working, since I have another event fast approaching. But when Steph came to do the yard work that morning, she put an end to those plans. :-) First, she convinced me that I needed to go swimming with them ...

and then shopping at the Outlet Mall in Park City ...

playing on the playground ...

and finally, home to ride bikes.


On Saturday, I actually did try to get a little done (never as much as I should do ...) before heading over to Steph & Mickel's for a BBQ ...
and the fireworks at Sugarhouse Park.


Kaiya with Grandma Jaime

I didn't know this, but apparently this year was to be the last for fireworks at Sugarhouse, so I'm glad I went. Though I haven't been for a few years, it still draws just as many people as ever. Plus you get a pretty good view of the fireworks put on at the Country Club. Since Steph and Mickel only live about a mile away, we were able to walk and avoid all the traffic mess (well, at least until I got back to the West Jordan area afterwards).

Mom tossing the football

Now, how do you throw this Mom?


And, Dad, how did you put those glo-sticks on your head?

Eating too many treats

A full moon ... and luckily it did NOT rain as was predicted.

All in all, it was a GREAT 4th of July weekend. I'm sure that Kris and Sterling had an equally great holiday up at Bear Lake with their newly fixed boat! And Happy Birthday to Sterling tomorrow!

Chalk Art Festival

On Friday night, I went with Steph and family to the Chalk Art Festival at the Gateway. When we first got there, we just saw "art" that was obviously done by mostly very young children. While Kaiya quickly found a piece of chalk and was thrilled with that whole aspect, we did eventually find the contest entries. Since the Festival concluded the next day, most were in process. As you can see, there was some real talent displayed.

We also stopped at the Gateway fountains, where, as you may already know, children love to play amid the fountain spurts (and you never know when a particular spot will spurt) and steam. Teague had a blast and laughed and laughed ... Kaiya was a little more cautious.

The next day, Steph was feeling worse and so the kids came over to Grandma's house for the afternoon. My baby sister Karen and her daughter Kara also happened to be visiting, so we all spent an enjoyable afternoon together. Kaiya was busy building tent houses, and Teague was busy charming the ladies. That night Karen, Kara and I went to dinner at P.F. Changs with Kris and Sterling. What a blast ... especially the whole discussion of "quotients" ... intelligence, emotional, social, etc., etc. You know what I mean if you were there. :-) And how are YOUR quotients?

Teague's First Birthday

Teagie turned one on June 11. Steph and Mickel were kind enough to wait until Sunday to have a birthday party for him, so I was able to be there. He went from taking a few steps before I left for my convention, to walking by the time I got home!

Steph had an adorable surfer theme going (which is what his bedroom is done in as well - the kid has no choice but to be a surfer dude). I didn't manage to get the cake before it was partly disassembled, but it sure was cute. Teague didn't destroy it so much as carefully dismantle it.


Surf's up, Teddy Dudes!

Here's our sweet Kai. She was a good big sister and helped Teague open his presents ... and play with them.


Teague in his new chair from yours truly. He was pretty tickled with it!

Here's sweet Sadie, daughter of Steph's friend (and Mickel's cousin) Jackie, and daddy Preston.

And here's my sweet baby, and photographer extraordinaire (and a dang good Mom), Stephanie.

2009 Rising Star Convention

At this year's Rising Star Convention, we had 106 visitors, coming in from 14 countries, speaking (at least!) 4 languages. It was a great group, full of enthusiasm and gratitude, which of course makes my job so much easier and more fun. And it was great to have Gayle on board to help. As I told her, it meant that I had to work far less overtime this year. :-)

Last Sunday, which was arrivals day, we focused on just getting them here. I'm amazed to say that we didn't lose a single bag this year. However, we had nine people from the Russia market who ended up getting stranded in New York City, and they didn't get in until the following morning (although their bags made it the night before - as I said, a great year for luggage). On Monday, we had a spruced up Education Session (thanks again, Tom and Burke!). On Tuesday, we had what we call "NSP Day" which is a visit to the manufacturing plant, the corporate offices and is supposed to be topped off with a visit to the Founder's "cabin." Alas, the rain that day meant we couldn't go to the cabin, so we had a mountain picnic instead at Mt. Timpanogas Park in Provo Canyon. It actually worked out great, and we were protected from the rain.

On Wednesday, the group flew together to Las Vegas for a lot of free time, and tickets to the show KA (which is GREAT - you should go if you get the chance). On Thursday, we had a Farewell Dinner and then on Friday the guests all headed home. Since Friday was also my birthday, I stayed over and celebrated with my good friend Jennifer (from our Canada office) and a bunch of her friends. I can't really speak of that - because I promised it would not be documented in any way - but suffice it to say that we had a great time!

NSP Day was quite a long one, so here a few Distributors are catching up on their z's.

In order to give the corporate guys time to get to the mountain picnic before the Distributors, we stopped at Bridal Veil Falls for a "photo opp." This is Erlinda, who is the Country Manager of NSP Honduras.

One of the Distributors from Panama, who was quite fond of kissing me (in a Panamanian greeting sort of way).

Mt. Timpanogas Park has a great, completely covered pavilion, which ended up saving the day because of the rain.

The group gathering to go to KA.