Grandpa and Grandma Thompson Visit

Grandpa and Grandma Thompson flew in from Dallas, Texas, (from November 24-December 1, 2009) to visit us for a week at Thanksgiving time. We are so glad that they are well and able to travel. Last year they were not so fortunate as Grandma was fighting breast cancer and had to go through radiation. It was a hard year for her. We are so grateful for her recovery.

Thanksgiving Is a Time to Give Thanks!

We entertained my parents, Doyle and Joyce Thompson and my sister and her family for the Thanksgiving week. Two of my cute nieces, Katelyn and Ashlyn Whitlock stayed the following week. We had a great time with them and really miss them as they went home yesterday.

On Thanksgiving Day, every guest had the opportunity to fill out an index card of one or more things that he or she was thankful for and place it in the gratitude box.

Pam wrote: "I am thankful for a wonderful family and the knowledge that we can be together forever. I am also thankful for great children and for beautiful flowers."

Sean wrote: "I am thankful for Brittaney, all of my family, and my job."

Brittaney wrote: "I am grateful for my family and my friends."

Nathan wrote: "I am thankful for family and food."

Jonathan wrote: "I am thankful for Brayden and turkey and mashed potatoes."

Doyle wrote: "I am thankful for my family, every one."

Joyce wrote: "I am grateful for my husband our children and their spouses, our grandchildren (my whole family). I am grateful for the gospel. I am grateful for living living in America and for this Thanksgiving dinner."

Doug wrote: "I am thankful for my family."

Lori wrote: "I am so grateful for my family. I love you all so much! I am thankful for health. I am thankful for our home. I am thankful for the gospel."

Brayden wrote: "I am grateful for books."

Katelyn wrote: "I am thankful for everyone."

Ashlyn drew pictures of butterflies and hearts.

Jonathan Goes Trick-or-Treating

Even though Jonathan is a freshman at Foothill High School, he decided that he was not too old for one more year of trick-or-treating, so he dressed as a cowboy and went out with his friends in the Palm Hills area. The funny thing is that after collecting several pounds of candy, he decided that he didn't want to eat it and gave it all away to his friend, Cody Harris. He just wanted the fun of going out with his friends.

Nathan & Ashley as Homecoming Royalty Nominees

I can't believe that it is December 6, 2009 already. I am not sure where the year went. This is a photo of Nathan and his date, Ashley Pernyak. There were both selected for the Homecoming Court from the senior class at Foothill High School. They were part of a large group which rented a party bus and went to Claim Jumper for a nice meal and then to a friends house for a celebration later in the evening. They had a great time.

Finishing Touches On Weddings

I have been working all summer for a friend of mine, Joanne Spelts, who owns Joanne's Designs. She is a wedding planner and florist. We have done several weddings with a variety of color schemes and themes. It is fun to plan and create the bride's dream wedding. We go to great lengths to put the finishing touches on her dream day. The last wedding party we planned was for Dr. Carey and Cindy Noorda's son and lovely bride. The venue for the party was the Noorda's home and yard. The Noorda's wanted their littlest guests to have a memorable evening as well, so the party included a children's activity area with craft activites, sweets and treats for the little ones. Joanne went on vacation and left this occasion in my hands. With the help of friends, it came together and all who were present had a wonderful time.

Busy Birthday Week

I turned 51 on Sunday, March 15, 2009.  Sean cooked chicken on the grill.  He and Brittaney brought a bouquet of red gerber daisies also.  Nathan bought me three red roses and a gift card to my favorite store, Talbots. Jonathan gave me money for a Talbots gift card, and coupons good for a hug, a kiss, a for winning an arguement, which he said I obviously needed.  He keeps me laughing.  Dean gave me a gift card for a night out at one of my favorite restaurants, Lucille's.  That evening the boys and I attended a fireside held at the Arrowhead Stake Center.  The guest speaker was Alex Boye, a famous singer.  He spoke about music and the dangers of listening to the wrong kind of music.  The two hours that Alex performed and spoke went really fast. He was very inspirational and entertaining.  

This past week was a busy week for me.  On Monday, March 16, 2009, I completed my training to be a substitute teacher for Clark County School District.  Now I am licensed, trained and ready to go.  

On Tuesday, some of my friends gathered to help me celebrate my 51st birthday at Jeryl Ann Gordon's home. She prepared quiche, rolls, green salad with a balsamic vinegar dressing and homemade raspberry lemon cheesecake.  It was delicious and I enjoyed being pampered by friends. 

Also, I hosted a dress party on my driveway on Thursday from 4:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.  My friend, Deanne Brady, brought 1000 new spring designer girl's dresses from Los Angeles to sell.  Along with the dresses, I put out my beaded bracelets and watchbands.  They are becoming more popular and the Utah craze is working its way to the Las Vegas area.  Half way through the dress party, I had to turn the jewelry sales over to Nathan and Jonathan who filled in for me as I had another commitment at Talbots.  

A good friend, Becky Evans, and I were asked to host an event for Talbots.  All we had to do was dress in a new outfit, stand at their doors, greet the customers, and tell them about the sale.  We each earned a new outfit just for giving two hours of our time.  It was an easy way to earn a new outfit.  I also have an application in with Talbots.  When they have a position open, they will call me.  As you can see from my last email, l am trying to help with the income.  I have been so fortunate to be able to stay home with the boys and be an at home mom. With Dean's new work situation, it has become necessary for me to help out financially.  I am trying several things until I figure out what I really want to do.

Friday morning, I went to Stephanie Morris's home where she and her sister, Tara Morris, were hosting a designer jeans/jewelry show.  I put out my jewelry and some sewn items.  Between the two jewelry shows, on Thursday and Friday, I sold $647.00 worth of merchandise.  My cute nieces are busy brainstorming other business opportunities for me.  If only I didn't require sleep!

A woman from St. George called me and asked if I would do another jewelry show there in May.  She had seen one of my bracelets that someone bought at the show that Stacia Shaw, another niece, hosted for me in February.

Nathan, Jonathan and I are looking forward to a trip to Texas for Spring Break.  My sister, Lori Whitlock from Syracuse, Utah, and her children will be there all week too.  My brother, Brian Thompson from Johnstown, Colorado, will be there part of the time too.  It is not often that Dad and Mom get all of their children home at the same time.  

Lori and I always look forward to spending time together.  We have projects to work on when we get together. A week won't be long enough to do all that we have talked about doing.

I am going to stop writing so that I can go clean out my food storage pantry.  I have to make room for some freeze dried food that I ordered.  I will post some photos soon.  Take care and have a great week.  

Love,

Pamela K. Walker     

    

The Finishing Touch Is Born

My sweet and talented sister, Lori Lynn Whitlock, set up this blog for me as part of my birthday gift.  I have been thinking about doing this for a while and am excited to give it a try.  Maybe this will get me journaling again.  I got out of the habit after our accident, because I didn't want to write anything negative.  Maybe I will take more photos also.  Scrapbooking became very painful and overwhelming after our accident as well.  I am hoping to see life from a new perspective. 

This has bee a difficult year for us as Dean left his job  with Western States Contracting to become his own boss after purchasing two franchises, Roni Deutch and L&W Fraud Investigations.  He found that he didn't have time to do both, so he has concentrated on the Roni Deutch franchise.  After much hard work, the first store opened on Sunset Road in Henderson, just ten minutes from home, in September 2008.  The second store, located on the corner of Bonanza and Lamb Blvd. opened in December of 2008.  He is in the middle of his first tax season and is putting in long hard hours seven days a week.  I definitely feel like a tax widow.

We have been living on our saving for a year while we are building the businesses.  It has made me feel very uncomfortable to watch the outgo exceed the income.  I decided that I needed to do what I could to help out financially, so I have begun my own business called The Finishing Touch.  Even though I have my B.A. degree in interior design from BYU, I don't want to go to work full time and in this economy, design jobs are hard to land.  The Finishing Touch can be a design company, if I choose to pursue that at some time in the future, but for now, The Finishing Touch is going to focus on a collection of handmade accessories and boutique gift items for sale.  I chose the business name, The Finishing Touch, because it can have many applications and can grow as I do.  At the moment, I am concentrating on beaded watch bands and bracelets.  Lori taught me how to make the beaded bracelets like the Bumbles ones that are all over Utah.  They are new here and I am doing very well.  I have had my first two shows and have sold over $1500.00 worth!  I am also sewing other gift items such as baby burp cloths and tote bags.  I have two more show scheduled this next week, thanks to my nieces.

Also, I am working with a friend, Joanne Spelts, doing weddings.  I joined Joanne mid October, just after spending five months doing our son's wedding We are thrilled to announce that Sean married the lovely Brittaney Hash of Henderson, Nevada, on October 11, 2008.  The ceremony began at 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon and was held in our back yard.  It was a lot of work, but it turned out beautiful in spite of a sudden change in the weather.  It was a very cold October day.  Rain and wind made for a challenging set up but calmed before the wedding began.  Just two weeks earlier, our good friends, Doug and Donna Brady, had a wedding for their daughter, Jessica, which was also outdoors and it was extremely hot.  Dean and the boys were uncomfortable in their suit coats at the Brady wedding.

Joanne's company is called, Joanne's Designs.  We do everything beginning with the consultations to the set up and take down of all decorating and floral arrangements.  It is a lot of work to make a wedding come off smoothly.  I have learned so much already.  

If that doesn't sound like enough to juggle, I have jumped through all of the hoops to get my substitute teaching license from the state of Nevada.  It has been a long process going through all the paperwork, interviews, and online courses.  I had to complete five online courses and I am happy to announce that I passed two with scores of 96% and three with scores of 100%.  Mt my age of 50, it can be intimidating to think about going back to school.  I guess I still can do it!

Life is definitely a juggling act as I fight to keep up at home and on top of the every mounding laundry pile, which I named Mount Clothesmore, yard work and explore new business opportunities.  The boys are still my first priority and I will not let them suffer as fit these other things into my life.  They are growing so fast and they all tower over me, but they better still look up to me!  I adore my boys.  They have made life worth living.   

Nathan is on his last lap of his junior year at Foothill High School.  It has been a fun year for him as he has been very involved with student council.  Jonathan is finishing his last year (eighth grade) at Burkholder Middle School.  He is very social and keeps life exciting at our house.

I have become a long term substitute for Dean's Sunday School class and still have a lesson to prepare for tomorrow.  I am also serving as the Visiting Teaching Coordinator in the Relief Society, which keeps me busy.

I am learning to juggle many things in my life.  I am excited to be able to keep up with you and yours too.  There is not a single photo in my first blog.  Maybe by the next posting, I will have figured that out and then I can put the Finishing Touch on my blog too! 

With love,

Pamela K.  Walker