Twas the Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house,
My dog was going berserk; perhaps she saw a mouse!

My suitcases were packed and placed with care,
In hopes my ride to the airport would soon be there.

When out on my porch there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the couch to see what was the matter.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But Uncle Eric and his awaiting SUV were there.

Lexus had been drugged for our impending flight,
But a Xanax and Benadryl left her with plenty of fight.

As I reached for her collar and shouted in vain,
My temper got the best of me and out came these names:

Now Lexus, now devil dog, now bad spawn - you listen,
We have a plane to get on, so you better stop your hissin’!

So into your travel bag you go, my little beast,
Just be glad it’s not a cage or a crate at least.

Her eyes – how they mocked me with an angry glare,
Her teeth bared and biting; her nostrils so flared!

A vicious growl and a twist of her head,
Soon gave me to know I had everything to dread.

I spoke not a word, but went straight to my work,
Grabbed her by her neck, then turned with a jerk.

And laying my fingers aside from her mouth and nose,
I gave her a quick push and into the bag she dove!

Quick went the zipper, the triumph was mine,
We arrived at the airport and just in time.

But I heard her exclaim, as we soared through the night,
"You think you’ve won, but we still have a return flight!"

Please pray for me!
PK

Congrats, Grad!

This weekend I flew home to Dallas for my sister's MBA graduation from Southern Methodist University (SMU). For the last two years Holly has had to juggle quite the busy schedule. By day she was the bubbly pharmaceutical sales rep and by night she played the serious graduate student.

Friday night we broke bread at Holly's favorite restaurant Hibicus. Luck would have it, there was a cancellation in one of their private dining rooms, so we were able to have a nice, quiet meal with the family and a few of Holly's co-workers (who were so nice to pick up the tab!) Thanks Derek!

One of the nice things about attending a smaller school (and graduating in December) is there was only 900 doctorate, masters and undergraduate students receiving their diplomas on Saturday night. We had no problem picking Holly out of the crowd and zooming in on her with Big Louise (my sister's fancy camera).

After a record-breaking graduation ceremony (only 2 hours!), the business school hosted a small reception for the graduates and their families. My Dad loved this because there was plenty of finger foods and drinks to go around. (Translation: he didn't have to pay for dinner that night! He also managed to stumble across the graduate t-shirt table and all I will say is "While the cat's away...")

We thought it would be fun to poke fun at the fact that I'm the only Smith sister who DOESN'T have her master's degree. Just call me "Underachiever PK". You can find me and my lame bachelor's degree cowering in the corner with all the other slackers.

Congrats, Holly! We're so proud of you!
PK

P.S. Holly, since I bought you a graduation gift, does this mean I'm off the hook for Christmas?

O' Christmas Tree

A few years ago my practical dad thought it would be fun to use up his stash of luggage tags. Since he's been a pilot for over 20 years and spent a good deal of that time in and out of airports, he had amassed quite the collection.

So it was no surprise when I walked into his house and was greeted by his luggage tag tree. Tags and a random assortment of ornaments and lights (both indoor and outdoor). Hey, what do you expect from a tree decorated by a dude?!

Like I said, not a whole lot of design continuity here, but at least you get the idea.

It was really cute to see my dad gush over his tree. And it actually became a fun little game. He would have you go up to the tags and see how many airport codes you could guess right.

A few of them were no brainers like "DFW" for Dallas/Ft. Worth and "SLC" for Salt Lake City. And then there were those that weren't quite as obvious like "BWI" (Baltimore International Airport), "SNA" (John Wayne Airport in Santa Anna, CA) and "ORD" (Chicago O'Hare International Airport).

Here's a closer view of the tags. How many can you get right?

Happy guessing!
PK

Cowboys Don't Take Baths

My sister Laurie recently started her own photography business called Laurie Ruth Photography. Since she's trying to build up her portfolio, often her friends and family members will pose for Big Louise (her camera). Below are some of her recent pictures:

Meet Beau Travis Pulliam. Beau Travis is 9 months old and the son of one of my sister's friends. He is betrothed to Ruby Belle Tarrant. (Yes, their parents are from the South!)

Ruby Belle was born two weeks ago to my sister's best friend. "Ruby" is after her maternal great-grandma and "Belle" is after her paternal great-grandma. Ruby Belle's dad is the biggest sweetheart in all of Texas. The day she was born he gave his wife a diamond and ruby necklace and said, "Dana, you're my diamond and our baby is my ruby."

Happy First Christmas, Ruby Belle!

That Beau Travis is a lucky boy!
PK

Forget the Pumpkin Pie!

Photo courtesy of Recipes From 4EveryKitchen

A few years ago I was introduced to chef Nigella Lawson courtesy of The Oprah Winfrey Show. She was doing a cooking segment with Oprah and the two of them were discussing these little chocolate souffles Nigella had just pulled out of the oven. As a lover of all sweets - especially anything to do with chocolate - let's just say my taste buds were salivating.

And since you can find anything on Oprah.com, (I'm mean anything!), I typed "Choco Hoto Pots" into her search engine and was instantly rewarded with this sinfully delicious recipe:

Choco-Hoto-Pots
Recipe created by Nigella Lawson

Forget about the calories—just sit back and enjoy the decadence provided in this warm chocolate treat.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Baking time: 20 minutes
Cooling time: 15 minutes
Makes 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients:
Butter for ramekins
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
2 large eggs
3/4 cup superfine sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions:
1. Place baking sheet in an oven preheated to 400°F/200°C. Butter four 2/3 cup ramekins and set aside. (I actually find these so decadently sweet, that I use ½ cup ramekins and make 6.)
2. Using a microwave oven or double boiler, melt together the semi-sweet chocolate chips and the butter. Set aside to cool.
3. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, sugar and flour. Add cooled chocolate mixture, and mix until blended.
4. Divide mixture evenly among ramekins and place on baking sheet. Bake until tops are shiny and cracked and chocolate beneath is hot and gooey, about 20 minutes. Place each ramekin on a small plate with a teaspoon and serve, reminding children that ramekins and chocolate are hot.

I like to top my hoto pots with a generous serving of whip cream. If you're really feeling naughty (and who doesn't from time to time?), top them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, then whip cream, and then drizzle chocolate or caramel sauce over the whole thing!

If you feel like making a unique dessert this Thanksgiving, you can't go wrong with these little pieces of chocolate heaven. And because you bake them individually, you can present each of your guests with their own ramekin. (Speaking of ramekins, I just saw them for $1 a piece at World Market and Pier 1 Imports. How's that for a bargain!)

Forget the pumpkin pie, people. Your guests will thank you!

PK

Turkey, Southern Style

So a couple of years ago, my sister decided we needed to be more adventurous when it came to cooking our Thanksgiving bird. I guess she had seen some cooking show where they showed you step by step how to fry a turkey.

The chef claimed you hadn't really tasted turkey until you had tasted a fried turkey. With that statement uttered, my sister decided it was game on! She went out and bought all the necessary tools - deep fryer, oil, tongs, hooks, flame-retarded oven mitt and of course, the bird.

(Disclaimer! If you're a vegetarian or grew up on a farm where you named your little gobble-gobbles, the images you're about to see are graphic in nature.)

Here's Holly with her bird - pre-fryer. The secret to a moist bird is to inject it with marinades, spices and coat it with a special dry rub seasoning.

Here's my sister's boyfriend, my dad and Holly getting ready to lower our turkey into the fryer.

And a quick 45 minutes later, our bird emerged cooked (yep, it's supposed to look charcoaled!) and ready for consumption.

With her uncanny ability to turned anything into gold (or in our case, dinner!), Holly salutes her masterpiece.

And while her fried turkey was beyond juicy, I still enjoyed my mom's oven-cooked variety (our backup bird!) just as much. So go ahead and be adventurous. Just know, you can never take the turkey out of Thanksgiving. It will always be the star of the show. And the stuffing a close second!

PK

Call Me Booch, James Booch

Ms. Maxwell, aka Paper Crafts editor-in-chief Jennifer Schaerer recently posted a blog on the next installment of James Bond (which opens tomorrow!). In addition to being written in Ms. Maxwell's wickedly irreverent voice, it was supported by one very yummy picture of Daniel Craig. Danny Boy in blue swim trunks and not much else. Did I mention his toned physique? Yowza!

So while I'll be joining my girlfriends tomorrow night for our OO7 drool fest, I thought I would share some pictures of the next James Bond. You know, in 2o years when Daniel's face starts to sag a bit and his piercing blue eyes lose their hypnotizing effect. Sorry ladies, but it's bound to happen!

Meet my cousin Carter Smith, aka The Booch. A couple of years ago, Boochie was all about the pellet guns. His mom wouldn't let him have a bb gun, so pellets were the next best thing. I came over for a visit one day and found him lining up empty Coke cans for target practice.

What I found so interesting was his complete and absolute concentration. They way he held the gun, they way he cock his head - he literally became this little kick ass 8-year-0ld.

So Daniel, beware! Carter is coming for your job in 2028! In the meantime, me and Ms. Maxwell will enjoy Craig's "startlingly luscious iteration of an icon".

Poetry, Jennifer!

PK

I've Been Tagged!

Brandy J tagged me the other day and since I don't want to break the chain and have seven years of bad luck (get it - seven questions, seven bad years of luck!), here we go... (BTW, this was really hard!)

1. I've never broken a bone.
2. I made the varsity tennis team when I was a sophomore in high school.
3. I worked for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and scored a ticket to the Closing Ceremonies.
4. I'm very selective when it comes to dairy products. No to cream cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, mayo or anything that remotely smells like it was purposely left out to curdle, ferment or be the by-product of a bacterial culture. I do however enjoy ice cream, whip cream, milk (only with cereal), ranch dressing and cheddar cheese. I know, it's purely psychological!
5. Even though I was raised in the Lone Star State, I didn't get into country music until I moved to Utah for college. Some of my first country albums were Clint Black's Greatest Hits, Mary Chapin Carpenter Come On, Come On, and Shania Twain's The Woman in Me.
6. Most people go to the grocery store when they run out of milk, eggs or bread. For me, it's when I get down to my last two Cokes.
7. I'm definitely a creature of the night. My internal biorhythms really do perk up at about 4 p.m. and from then until about 12 a.m., I feel the most alert and productive.

I tag Laurie, Deb, Cristi, Mel, Kalyn, Susan, and Jennifer!

Don't break the chain people!
PK

World War II Remembered

In honor of Veterans Day, I'd like to share a newspaper article I wrote about my grandmother some 11 years ago at BYU. It was a "fluff" piece I turned into my editor with no expectation of ever seeing it in print. You can imagine my surprise when I walked on campus on Veterans Day and picked up a copy of The Daily Universe. Yep, this little "fluff" piece was staring me right in the face on the front page. Needless to say I had the best time calling my grandma that day to say, "I hope you're ready for the spotlight again."

LDS Singer Looks Back on USO Experience

By P. KELLY SMITH

Universe Staff Writer - 13 Nov 1997

Every year on Veteran's Day, we as a nation set aside a day of remembrance for those servicemen and women who fought to keep the freedoms we enjoy today. One such LDS veteran is Norma Squires Smith, who served in World War II as a singer overseas in the United Services Organization, (USO).

From singing in the tabernacle at age 11, to throwing baseballs with David O. McKay's son, Smith's career as an entertainer has taken her far and wide, leaving behind memories of a lost but not forgotten time.

Smith, now 76 and residing in San Jose, Calif., went from singing in a nightclub in Hollywood to performing before soldiers in North Africa and Italy. Many of these performances were within three miles of the fighting and in front of crowds of 5000 servicemen.

From an interview in her home she said the nostalgia about WWII has led her to wear a replica of her USO uniform to entertain veteran groups today. Smith recently had her picture and a plaque of her experiences overseas, go up in the war memorial room of Hollywood High School, where she attended in 1936.

Smith was only 21 when a call from a talent scout came offering her a position in the USO. "The possibility of going overseas gave rise to a series of emotional reactions and I was asking myself: can I leave my home and parents and face the unknown?" Smith said.

But before she knew it she found herself saying, "yes" and getting fitted for her uniform and getting shots for typhoid and tetanus.

"The FBI ran a complete security check on me, had me fingerprinted and told me that if I were captured by the enemy, I would be treated as a POW-Capt. status," Smith said.

Smith said she knew she would be in dangerous circumstances, but wanted to do her part for the war effort. The USO shows ran from October 1941 to June 1944, with her travels taking her through Alaska, North Africa, Italy and England.

The USO provided nearly 124,000 shows to 71.4 million men.

Her first impression of the war was of the poor, weary servicemen in the Aleutian Islands, near Alaska, where she was first assigned.

"Most of these men had not seen a woman, yet alone a white woman, in 18-20 months, so they were quite happy to see us."

As the war came to an end, so did Smith's life as a traveling performer. "Everyone wanted to forget the war and get on with the rest of their lives. Now everyone is so nostalgic about the war and so interested. Everyone wants me to sing again in my uniform -- so I do," Smith said.

Last year she attended a reunion for the 487th bomb group. She was in London celebrating their 100th mission 50+ years ago. She's also been in the production of the play "South Pacific" in which she added a touch of authenticity, as she sang the same songs she did during the war.

From a little girl singing in the Tabernacle to making history with the USO, it is no wonder her life has come full circle. And it's no surprise that 50 years ago, some GI cast his eye on a blond-haired soprano, whose voice helped soothe the angst and heal the soul.

Happy Veterans Day, Grandma!
Love, PK

Happy Birthday, Lone Star!

The year was 1996. I was 20 years old. I went to go see a little movie called A Time to Kill. From the first time this newcomer appeared on screen, I was completely hyptonized. And even though there's been some rough patches along the way (two words: naked bongos), in the end, this is one cowboy who will always get my vote!

Vanity Fair Magazine, 1996

The Web Site Planner, 2001

Happy Birthday, Matthew!

Love your #1 fan,

PK

Gone Hippie!

We take Halloween very seriously at work. We start planning our team costume months in advance and no detail is left to chance. This year we decided to be bell bottom wearin', flower exchangin' hippies. And boy was it a G-R-O-O-V-Y display of love, friendship and world peace!

We even went outside and communed with nature for a bit. Luckily the weather was still righteous enough for us to take our shoes off, clasp hands and sing a little song.

Then we just had to lay down and take a little nap. We were so tired after ingesting Stace's "magic" brownies. I just have to get her recipe!

Even Lexus joined in on the fun. A big thanks goes out to Carolyn Jolley who was brave enough to put Lexus in her pink halter top and jean skirt. And thanks to Jennifer who graciously allowed Lexus to sit on her lap for over an hour!

Can you believe this angelic face actually had the nerve to bite Jennifer's daughter's fingers? Sorry Mini Me! Lexus must have had one too many of those "magic" brownies!

Here's Lex and I with one of the scariest criminals on Die Cut Row - One Eyelet Hoeppner. (Since our office is so close to the state prison, Megan's team came dressed as inmates. Truly I think Megan came up with this idea so she could curse at us and get away with it!)

And here's Lex and I spreading our message of world peace and everlasting doggie kisses.

Hope you all had a groovin' Halloween!
PK

Up to No Good On Mischief Night

I was watching Miss Kelly Ripa today and she mentioned that Oct. 30 is known as Mischief Night. She said growing up in her hometown, the kids would warm up for Halloween by pulling small pranks like tee peeing houses and overturning cars on their local bank's front lawn.

While I've spent the night wrapping treats for my co-workers and putting together my Halloween ensemble, I did have a momentary lapse in judgment. Call it mischief, call it curiosity, but I just couldn't wait any longer. The temptation was just too great.

So I gave into it... and before I knew it, my poor little dog found herself tied, velcroed, and coiffed for the big day. There was only one little problem... Halloween is not until tomorrow!

My sister Laurie bought Lexus this hot pink wig. I thought it would look cute with her Daisy Duke halter top and rhinestone-encrusted jean skirt. Just so you know, I never got the halter top on her!

And just for fun, I tried on her Shrek costume. I can't decide which costume she looks more scared in! Good thing I didn't pull out her Princess Leia ensemble. Those buns would have never stayed on!

So here's to a productive Mischief Night. I can't wait to see what's in store for Halloween!

PK

Let's Dish About PC Gourmet!

As a magazine editor, I have the privilege to experience an issue in all of its glorious stages. From concepting it, to the day Brenda (our exceptional editorial assistant) plops the magazine down on my desk, it never gets old. Maybe that's because there's always another one coming down the pipe!

And since we're always trying to make each and every issue better than the last, when it came time to come up with our book idea for the year, we all unanimously said, "Let's do another PC Gourmet!" And so we have! This time it's a 176-page cookbook packed with over 50 scrumptious recipes and 100 complementary projects!


And since I'm all about sharing the love of food, here's an exclusive PC Gourmet recipe and project from our uber talented Paper Crafts Pro Alisa Bangerter:

Cheesy Garlic Drop Biscuits

This is a perfect recipe to pull out if you are short on time because there is no rolling or cutting. The cheese and garlic add extra kick to a plain biscuit, and kids love them. They are the perfect accompaniment to serve with soups or stews, and are great served with a salad.

INGREDIENTS

2 c. flour
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. butter or margarine
1 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 1/4 c. milk
Chives (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Mix together dry ingredients. Cut in butter with pastry cutter until mixture is fine. Add cheese and mix well. Add milk and stir until just moistened. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Sprinkle top with chopped dried or fresh chives if desired. Bake at 400 degrees for approx. 15 minutes.

And if any of you are feeling crafty, here's Alisa's cute tag that's perfect for All Hallows Eve:

Enjoy Halloween Tag

SUPPLIES: Cardstock: (ivory) Dye ink: (Black) Stewart Superior Corp.; (Summer Sun) Stampin Up! Specialty ink: (Mango Lemonade color wash) Stewart Superior Corp. Color medium: (black chalk) Craf-T Products Accents: (black brads) Making Memories; (chipboard bat, moon) Melissa Frances Fibers: (black striped ribbon) Pebbles Inc. Font: (Black Family) www.dafont.com Adhesive: (foam tape) Finished size: 3" x 4 1/2"

1 Make tag from cardstock. 2 Crumple tag and smooth out. Spray edges with color wash; let dry. Apply chalk. 3 Ink chipboard moon; let dry. Chalk edges and adhere. 4 Ink chipboard bat; let dry. Adhere with foam tape. 5 Print sentiment on cardstock; trim and tear edges. Chalk edges and adhere with foam tape. Attach brads. Attach ribbon with brad.

Like what you see? Want to see more paper crafted yumminess? Make sure to visit Paper Crafts' online store where you can purchase your very own copy of PC Gourmet. Did I mention they make great holiday gifts? How easy is that!

PK

P.S. BTW, if you're related to me, there's a good chance Santa is bringing you a copy!

Daisy Duke, Here I Come!

Lexus is so excited for Halloween! Since we're just a week away, she wanted me to sneak peek a portion of her costume. Who knew they made hot pink wigs for dogs? Since I know many of you are wondering how it stays on, it has an adjustable elastic strap that fits snugly under her chin.

If you think this is adorable, wait until you see the entire ensemble! Lexus told me she really wanted to go back to her rural Texas roots, so her wish is my command. Make sure you check back with us next Friday for the big reveal! (Think Jessica Simpson in The Dukes of Hazzard! You know, if Jessica had hot pink hair!)

PK

P.S. Does anyone know if they make toenail polish for dogs? It has to be fast drying!

Name That Editor... Me!

I wrote about my recent promotion a few weeks ago. While I'm settling into my new role quite nicely, there's one thing that's still missing... my title.

Technically it's "editor", but since that doesn't quite encompass all that I do, we've put together a little contest where our readers will decide my new title!

Yes, I "doctored" this little photo. It use to say "Celebrate World Card Making Day"!

To get our readers' creative juices flowing, I suggested a few names like "Web Wonder Woman", "Paper Crafts Cyber Girl", "Gallery Goddess", and my favorite..."Mistress of the Message Boards"!

And although the contest has only been going on for a day, the proposed titles are flooding in! Some standouts are "Super Cyber Specialist", "Cyber Czar", "Web Crafter Extraordinaire", "Digital Diva, and my favorite... "Queen of America"! (We're voting for a president in a couple of weeks. I wonder how hard it would be to add "Kelly Smith, Queen of America" to the ballot.)

And since this is a democratic society, we're accepting all title suggestions until next Monday, Oct. 27. From there, voting begins and my new title will be announced on Election Day, Nov. 4. To join in on the fun and perhaps win some cool prizes, visit Paper Crafts web site.

And check back here on Election Day. Maybe my dreams of becoming "Queen of America" will come true!

PK

Alice in Wonderland

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." -Albert Camus

My sister Laurie is a budding photographer. She recently purchased a very expensive camera, enrolled in some photography classes, and started her own professional blog called Life Through A Lens. Last week while she was visiting me in Utah, she contacted a local photographer (Liz Frandsen) whose work she has admired for some time. Her goal was to just observe, but Liz turned the camera on Laurie and literally made her a princess for the day.

"Autumn... the year's last, loveliest smile." -William C. Bryant

"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn." -Elizabeth Lawrence

Aren't these photos AMAZING?! And what's even more remarkable is the snow is REAL! I thought our fluke snowstorm would totally wreck havoc on their photo shoot, but it actually made the landscape that much more picturesque and poetic.

If you're interested in seeing more pictures from this magical day, Liz's blog is called Life|Elizabeth Taylor Frandsen.

PK

P.S. Laurie, you looked more than awake... you looked ALIVE!

I *Heart* Coca Cola!

There's sort of this running joke at work. Every morning, as soon as I sit down at my desk, I pop open my can of Coke and pour it over chilled ice cubes in my Coca Cola thermos. And as soon as I do it, I hear Brenda say over my cube wall, "Oh, Kelly's here!"

What's even more funny is I have left this thermos in so many places over the years (bathrooms, friends' cars, parking lots), but it always mysteriously finds its way back to me. Some might called it destiny or fate. I call it divine intervention. Coke and I were meant to share this life together. It's as simple as that.

Last weekend I went to the BYU-University of New Mexico football game down in Provo. As a former cougar, I always have mixed feelings about entering "P-Town". Yes, I have a lot of fond college memories, but I also had to routinely sneak REAL Coke onto campus (they only serve caffeine-free), and that required a lot of clever maneuvering, which got really old after four years. I often wonder if it had been readily available to me, would I have drunk less of it? Hmm... Maybe that's where my addiction started - at BYU!

So when my friend and I passed this concession stand on the way to our seats, I just had to snap a picture! I was half tempted to color in the word "free" with a black Sharpie and watch all the Cougars gasp in mortification!

But since it was so cold that day, my usual need for Coke was overruled by my need to stay warm, so I happily sipped on my hot cup of cocoa! (And therefore broke no rules!)

I'm off to go find my lucky Coca-Cola thermos for work tomorrow. Now where did I put it...

PK

Am I Too Sexy?

Have you ever had one of those days where everything goes wrong from the minute you get out of bed? Like when you stumble to the fridge for an icey cold Coke and you step in a little "present" your fur ball left you during the night. I came across this quote the other day and it totally lifted my spirits. Maybe it can help you too!

And now I have a new appreciation for my dog. She's not trying to be an annoying pet. She's just trying to keep me grounded... because apparently I am TOO SEXY and that has to stop!

PK

...But Fancy Was My Name!

Last Friday night my friend Alex and I went to the Reba/Kelly Clarkson "2 Worlds 2 Voices" concert! I'm a big Reba fan and since Kelly literally grew up in my neighboring town in Texas, I consider her one of my close personal friends (not to mention she has a kick a** name!).

So when I heard that these two powerhouses we're coming to town, I had no problem shelling out the dough. And it gave me a great excuse to answer this question: "So Kel, why you wearing the cowboy boots today?" "I'm going to Reba!"

My mom gets told a lot that she looks great for her age (we used to get asked if we were sisters!), but Reba is definitely blazing the trail for hotties over 50! I googled her biography and she's actually six months older than my mom! Maybe it's the fiery red hair and spitfire personality that's keeping her young!

My namesake literally blew me away. You've seen her on American Idol. You've heard her on the radio. You probably own all three of her platinum selling Cd's, but nothing compares to hearing this girl belt it live on stage. She reaches down into the very marrow of her bones and pulls out the most amazing, pitch perfect notes. She's so good that I even caught Reba shaking her head in disbelief!

How's that for a picture! Of course the lens on my camera was at its maximum zoom potential!

What was so cool about this concert was the format. It wasn't Kelly on stage for an hour, followed by Reba for an hour. It was the two of them side by side, from the very beginning to the very end. In between their harmonious duets, Kelly would sing backup for Reba, and Reba would return the favor for Kelly. No egos, no set changes, no fireworks or gimmicks. Just two amazing singers doing what they do best - entertain! And yes, they closed the show with "Fancy" which absolutely brought the house down. (And for those of you wondering the opening line to the title above it's: "You know I might have been born just plain white trash... but Fancy was my name!")

And since we were down on the floor (row 25), I had to snap a photo of our VIP wrist bracelets!

Are any of you Reba/Kelly Clarkson fans? If so, what are your favorite songs?

Here's mine:

Reba

1. Fancy

2. The Greatest Man I Ever Knew

3. Why Haven't I Heard From You

4. She Thinks His Name Was John

5. Does He Love You?

Kelly

1. Behind These Hazel Eyes

2. Breakaway

3. Beautiful Disaster

4. The Trouble with Love Is

5. Anytime

PK

Little vs. Lexus: Let the Games Begin!

By now you've all been introduced to Little and Lexus. At one point they were rival sisters, each vying for mom and dad's affection. One had the clear advantage of being the only child for many years and therefore was used to getting her way.

Then the real baby came along and everything changed. Suddenly a puppy dressed in a frilly dress wasn't nearly as cute as a tiny person dressed in a frilly dress. And no matter how hard she tried, Lexus couldn't help but resent this new "creature" who seemed to have mom and dad wrapped around her little slobbery finger.

So that's how Lexus came to live with PK. PK still thinks there's nothing cuter than dressing up small pups. And as much as Lexus hates admitting it, there's just something so right about slipping into a terry cloth robe after a hard day's work of gnawing on bones and listening to that da** Rafiki gripe about how Simba stole his thunder in The Lion King.

So last weekend when Little asked, "Where's my dog?", what was PK supposed to do? Disappoint a two-year-old? Never!

And while the reunion didn't go quite according to plan (Little wanted Lexus to play tea party; Lexus wanted Little to croak on her tea), the two of them "attempted" to play nice.

But Lexus' real friend for the night was Papa! (which is hilarious since Papa really doesn't care for dogs - especially hyper ones who love to give kisses directly on the mouth!)

So despite the ongoing Little/Lexus feud, PK still managed to have fun with Little. (Notice the cute Halloween outfit courtesy of Mimi. It even came with candy corn socks!)

But who needs candy corn socks when you're a stylish toddler with pretty painted toe nails? Too bad cousin Carter wasn't in the mood for pink toe nails. Maybe next time!

And maybe next time Little and Lexus will kiss and make up over a cup of English tea!

PK