Selling with the Stars

I've been a fan of ABC's Dancing with the Stars since the very first season. I love how they can turn uncoordinated, washed-up stars into overnight dancing sensations with a little bit of training and a very good make-up and wardrobe department. And the spray tanning doesn't hurt either.

So you can imagine my total surprise when my own uncoordinated sister Holly (sorry, babe) announced to the family that she too was going to be on this hit reality show. Excuse, moi? How does a pharmaceutical rep from Dallas get on THE Dancing with the Stars? This girl has always been lucky (her birthday is on St. Patrick's Day), but c'mon!

Holly has always had a thing for fancy gowns!

Turns out, we were all mistaken. It wasn't Dancing with the Stars she was going to be on. It's Selling with the Stars. It's a new dance show sweeping the pharmaceutical industry. It's where attractive and toned reps battle it out to see which product performs the best under pressure. Holly just sent me a demo video to preview. I guess their pitching the networks next week. Can you imagine my little sis tango-ing her way to the top. In the world of pharmaceuticals, nothing is impossible!

Enjoy the show!
PK



P.S. In all seriousness, Holly spent last week in Las Vegas at her company's annual sales conference. They thought it would be fun to put this little video together to motivate everyone to sell. When it came to picking their star, Holly, who has some acting under her belt, was the obvious choice. They even flew her up to New York for the shoot. Like I said, nothing is impossible in the world of pharmaceuticals!

A Brand New Day

I for one am super happy Mercury is no longer in retrograde (Jan. 11-Feb. 1). I blame this cosmic force for many of my recent mishaps.

Explained to me by Paper Crafts editor-in-chief (and budding astrologer) Jennifer Schaerer, when Mercury is in retrograde (essentially moving backward in the zodiac), things like communication and travel can suddenly turn topsy turvy and massive chaos ensues.

Lucky for me, we at Paper Crafts decided to launch our new blog on Feb. 2 - and so far, communication and travel on the World Wide Web has been pretty... well, normal. Hopefully this is a sign of good things to come!

Speaking of good things... our new blog Paper Crafts Connection is off to a very good start! After building it stone by stone (or should I say link by link) it's nice to finally unveil it and have it be so well received by our readers. Now if we can just keep the momentum going!

Here's a preview of our new blog banner. We really wanted to stress the word "connection", so we came up with the idea of two cans connected by a string. It's just like the telephone game you use to play as a kid, except our version has you "connecting" through the magic of cyber space. We're also unveiling our new black and white team photos. Aren't we a cute bunch?

In addition to a new look, we've themed a few days of the week, so be sure to stop by for "Magazine Monday", "With the Pros Wednesday" and "Freebie Friday". We'll also squeeze in cool projects and sources of inspiration from our latest issues, as well as fun contests and giveaways. So what are you waiting for? Mosey on over to Paper Crafts Connection and tell me what you think. I'd love to hear your opinion!

Cheers!
PK

P.S. For all of you FRIENDS fanatics like me, do you remember the episode where Ross wants to move into Ugly Naked Guy's apartment? Conveniently located across from Monica's, Joey gets excited about the prospect and says, "Hey, then we can do the telephone thing! You know, where you have a can and we have a can and it's connected by a string." My darling Chandler then replies, "Or we could do the actual telephone thing!" Gosh, I miss FRIENDS!

Remember the Time When We Went to Buca di Beppo's...

I just returned from sunny California where me and my Paper Crafts peeps descended upon the Anaheim Convention Center for the annual Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) trade show. While I have many funny stories to tell ("Remember the time when...) and a whole memory card of pictures to share, I thought I would dedicate an entire blog post to two gems I found in the ladies room of the Anaheim Buca di Beppo's.

If you've never been to a Buca Italian restaurant, they pride themselves on their generous "family style" portions and irreverent humor. They even have a table set aside for the Pope himself - just in case he should find himself in America and craving some good ol' fashion Italian cuisine.

So when me and the PC gals found ourselves at Buca's the other night (with the very entertaining gals from Technique Tuesday), I couldn't wait to go to the little girls room! Because even though the restaurant wall pictures are a tad suggestive, they're a bit more risque in the bathrooms. (I'm assuming this rings true in the little boys room, although I don't have actual, physical proof. Let me do some more investigative research and I'll get back to you!)

Aren't these great? Doesn't it make you want to go to a Buca's and take your own vintage photos? And if a good bra and padded underwear is all I need to catch a man, I better get shopping!

PK

In Memoriam

Robert Harold Smith (1919-2009)

"In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of the stars I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing when you look at the sky at night."

~The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Thank you for being a loving husband, father and grandfather to all of us girls. Mom will always be your "Charlie" and we'll always be your "girlers".

Love,
PK

Don't Mess With Texas

As I was watching all of the inauguration coverage from today, I had to smile at this e-mail that fortuitously landed in my inbox. President Bush had just uttered this sentence at a press conference in Midland, TX: "We are back in the state of Texas and we are here to stay."

So maybe W. isn't fading off into the sunset like we all assumed. Maybe he has big plans for the Lone Star State... or should I call it The Mighty Republic of Texas? I'll let you be the judge.

A Proud Texan,
PK

********************************************************

Please note that Texas is the only state with a legal right to secede from the Union (Reference the Texas-American Annexation Treaty of 1848.)

We Texans love y'all, but we'll probably have to take action since B. Hussein Obama won the election. We'll miss you too...

Here is what can happen:

#1: Barack Hussein Obama becomes President of the United States, Texas immediately secedes from the Union.

#2: George W. Bush will become the President of the Republic of Texas (hehe).

So what does Texas have to do to survive as a Republic?

1. NASA is just south of Houston, Texas. We will control the space industry.

2. We refine over 85% of the gasoline in the United States.

3. Defense Industry - we have over 65% of it. The term "Don't mess with Texas" will take on a whole new meaning.

4. Oil - we can supply all the oil that the Republic of Texas will need for the next 300 years. Yankee states? Sorry about that.

5. Natural Gas - again we have all we need and it's too bad about those Northern States. John Kerry will have to figure out a way to keep them warm....

6. Computer Industry - we currently lead the nation in producing computer chips and communications--small companies like Texas Instruments, Dell Computer, EDS, Raytheon, National Semiconductor, Motorola, Intel, AMD, Atmel, Applied Materials, Ball Miconductor, Dallas Semiconductor, Delphi, Nortel, Alcatel, etc, etc. The list goes on and on.

7. Medical Care - We have the largest research centers for cancer research, the best burn centers and the top trauma units in the world, as well as other large health centers. Dallas has some of the best hospitals in the United States.

8. We have enough colleges to keep us going: University of Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Rice, SMU, University of Houston, Baylor, UNT (University of North Texas), Texas Women's University, etc. Ivy grows better in the South anyway.

9. We have a ready supply of workers. We could just open the border when we need some more.

10. We have essential control of the paper industry, plastics, insurance, etc.

11. In case of a foreign invasion, we have the Texas National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard. We don't have an Army, but since everybody down here has at least six rifles and a pile of ammo, we can raise an Army in 24 hours if we need one. If the situation really gets bad, we can always call the Department of Public Safety and ask them to send over Chuck Norris and a couple of Texas Rangers.

12. We are totally self-sufficient in beef, poultry, hogs, and several types of grain, fruit and vegetables, and let's not forget seafood from the Gulf. Also, everybody down here knows how to cook them so that they taste good. Don't need any food...

This just names a few of the items that will keep the Republic of Texas in good shape. There isn't a thing out there that we need and don't have.

Now to the rest of the United States under President Obama:

Since you won't have the refineries to get gas for your cars, only President Obama will be able to drive around in his big 9 mpg SUV. The rest of the United States will have to walk or ride bikes.

You won't have any TV as the Space Center in Houston will cut off satellite communications.

You won't have any natural gas to heat your homes, but since Mr. Obama has predicted global warming, you will not need the gas as long as you survive the 2000 years it will take to get enough heat from Global Warming.

Signed, The People of Texas

P.S. This is not a threatening letter - just a note to give you something to think about!

SLEEP WELL TONIGHT! THE EYES OF TEXAS ARE UPON YOU!

One Nation Under God

All in the Family!

This past August we held the Smith-Dame Family Reunion up in the gorgeous McCall, Idaho. I've already posted a few pictures from this fun Labor Day weekend, but I recently got my hands on some more great ones, so I thought I would show off the photography skills of one Cristi Dame. Despite the chilly temperatures that day, she was able to capture a lot of love!

We were so cold, we were all in favor of huddling close!

The predetermined color scheme was red, orange and yellow. Somehow me and my sisters all picked orange shirts, even though they came off more red in the pictures.

The Not-So-Orange Smith Sisters

My dad was totally rockin' his orange t-shirt. He obviously went the casual route. If you want to see a classic picture of my parents, make sure to check out their engagement photo at the top of my blog. I think they look pretty good for 53 and 55! Ssh! Don't tell anyone!

Here's my aunt and uncle and three of their five boys. Photographer Cristi actually set up the shot and then gave the camera to Tanner's girlfriend Darlene (below).

Ah! The happy couple! My sly aunt made sure Cristi took plenty of pictures in hopes an engagement would be announced shortly thereafter. No hurry, kids - this perfect picture isn't going anywhere!

My grandma and her handsome grandsons - Tanner, Brooks and Taylor

And I saved the best for last! Here's a cute one of youngest grandchild (Carter) and my grandma.

Thanks again, Cristi! Your amazing photos will be treasured for years to come. Lexus will be more cooperative next time!

PK

The Big Bang of '09

A week ago today I was in a pretty scary car accident. Rest assured, I'm completely fine and my car's injuries are relatively minor. I've never been in a serious car accident before, so this one really shook me to my core. And to think it all started with a beautiful Sunday afternoon drive...

I was heading up Provo Canyon, which I have to say, is one of the most picturesque drives in all of Utah. If you've ever been to or seen pictures of Robert Redford's Sundance, Provo Canyon is nestled right in this mountainous paradise. I've been driving up and down this canyon road since I was a freshman at BYU. My grandparents used to live in Heber (22 miles north of Provo), so I would frequently come up for Sundays dinners, long weekends or whenever I needed some space from my roommates.

Anyway, I digress... So when I woke up last Sunday to sunny skies and no snow, I decided it was a perfect day to go on a little "walkie-walk" (our family's term for some good ol' fashion me-time). I was enjoying my ascent up the mountain, as the roads were clean and clear. I had just reached Deer Creek Dam and the two-lane road began to bend and wind, curving to the mountain slope.

Suddenly I hit some black ice and completely lost control of my vehicle. I ended up swerving into the other lane and nearly hit an oncoming truck. Luckily, he was in control of his vehicle, so he was able to swerve and miss me. As I hit the brakes, I did a complete 360* and it occurred to me that the only way I was going to stop was if I hit something... hard. And I did. I came to a complete and abrupt stop once my driver's side came into full contact with a nearby snow bank. Thankfully, the deep powder of this bank completely absorbed the brunt of the impact so no damage was done to my driver's side. My front bumper is another story...

In my traumatic swerving and braking, somehow my front bumper completely came apart...

But at least my newly-repaired headlights were spared!

Once I came to my senses and realized I was, in fact, okay, I said a quick prayer of gratitude and then concentrated on the problem at hand - little me stuck in a deep snow bank. How do I get out? Fortunately, I didn't have to wait long. I nice couple stopped and fished me out with a rope and their 4-wheel drive truck. Their friends were nice enough to block both sides of traffic (and pick up bits and pieces of my former bumper).

Once I was out, I pulled over to access my damages. Then another couple stopped to ask if I was okay to drive, could they call someone for me, etc. Another man stopped and said he saw the whole thing from across the lake where he was hunting. He lifted my hood, checked the engine and then made sure there was no snow in my exhaust. I came across so many genuinely nice people that afternoon. If anything, it did restore my faith in humanity a bit.

So to all of you complete strangers who stopped to help, inquire and calm this frazzled driver, you'll never know how grateful I am for your selfless service. And a big thank you to my attentive guardian angel (who according to my mom was working overtime that day). I'll try to keep the rest of 2009 relatively safe and uneventful.

PK

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