Tuesday Tell All...Made by Hand

I walked through my house and lingered over the things that are precious to me. Things made with love and the hands of my children, mother, sisters and friends. Hand made gifts are the best. Here are a few of my most cherished handmade treasures.

*I have many beautiful handsewn quilts. One that was a gift from my grandmother who was probably in her 80's when she quilted it for my wedding. Many whimsical and intricately assembled quilts made by my hero, my sister. She is by far the most talented homemaker I know...I think she hogged all those talents in heaven. Every member of my little family has some of her beautiful creations.

*I have a cute picture frame that Alec made me when he was in highschool. No not kindergarten...highschool. It is one of my favorite frames. He bought a basic wood frame and them embelleshed it with a title that says "My mommy is..." and then wrote adjectives he felt described me. Some people complain about their teenagers...mine were (and still are) my favorite people in the world.

*Before scrapbooking was a multi-million dollar industry my mother scrapbooked. She decorated every page with the borders of old birthday cards. She would cut out numbers, flowers, shapes to decorate each page. She would draw cute and funny designs depending on that page topics. That scrapbook is the majority of my childhood memories and I would probably forget most of it without this pictoral journal. I know how hard she worked on it. I love that scrapbook.



*This last one is technically not made by hand. Actually it is made by God's hand. One of my favorite things done by hand is done by Keith every evening and most Saturdays. He makes my world beautiful. He labors hard in this horrible Las Vegas dirt to bring beauty. The flowers bloom large and colorful in his care. I hope he knows how much I love to come home, wander in the yard and look at the results of his blood, sweat and tears. This is a precious handmade gift that only lasts a short time...but forever in my heart..awwwwwww
Thanks Baby!

Friday Fill-Ins #65

Friday Fill-In #65
1. Some relationships are meant to blossom.
2. The Who is the last concert I saw; it was Loud.
3. Spring should be longer.
4. Oh no! I forgot I'm dieting!
5. I've recently started Friday Fill-Ins.
6. Jake, Alec & Tiffany never fail to make me smile.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to pinochle, tomorrow my plans include laundry and Sunday, I want to nap!

The Name Game...hahaha

The Name Game

Find out your true alter-ego names.
1. Your Rock Star Name: (first pet & current car)
Jennifer Rover
2. Your Gangsta Name: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)
Praline Snap
3. Your "Fly Guy/Girl Name: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
J-Run
4. Your Detective Name: (favorite color, favorite animal)
Green Cat
5. Your Soap Opera Name: (middle name, city where you were born)
Janae' Vegas
6. Your Stars Wars Name: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)
Runja
7. Superhero Name: ("The: + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink)
The Pink DDP (Diet Dr Pepper baby)
8. NASCAR Name: (the first names of your grandfathers)
Vincen Arthur
9. Stripper Name: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy)
Daisy Peeps (this ones my favorite)
10. Witness Protection Name: (mother's & father's middle names)
Joyce Junior
11. TV Weather Anchor Name: (Your 5th grade teacher's last name, a major city that starts with the same name)
Peterson Pittsburg
12. Spy Name: (your favorite season/holiday, flower)
Spring Lily
13. Cartoon Name: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you're wearing right now + "ie" or "y")
Watermelon Flipflop
14. Hippy Name: (What you ate for breakfast today, your favorite tree)
Bagel Willow
15. Your Rockstar Tour Name: ("The" + your fave hobby/craft + fave weather element + "Tour")
The Photo Rain Tour

Add a couple of your own alias in your comments!!

Tuesday Tell All...The Working Girl!

Believe it or not..there was once a time in my life where I could define what it is I do all day. Nowadays...people ask what do I do...my popular answer is..."I really don't know..but it keeps me busy all the time!"
This weeks TTA is a rundown of our working life (outside being a mom & wife which should be enough all by itself).

Many native Las Vegas people will remember the old Vegas Village stores. In hindsight they were very similar to Super Walmart or Target's with a grocery store. I worked in the jewelery department after school and in the evenings. It was very boring and some of my "sales" ideas didn't really go over too well but those stories are for a different post. But it was right in the main section of the store so I could always find people to chatter with....

I worked for my Dad at Leavitt Insurance Agency on and off throughout high school. I actually liked that job alot. I answered the phones, did the receptionist stuff and did the mail. My desk was right at the front door that all the customers and employees came and went through....so I could always find people to chatter with.

For a short time in High School I worked as a cashier at one of the souvineer shops on Fremont Street. It was one of those stores that sold majorly dumb junk, t-shirts and some pretty "off color" Vegas style souvineers. I really didn't notice they were that "off-color" until one day my mom came by the check out where I was working....OH MY GOSH...AWKWARD!!!! She quickly pink slipped me and I am sure prayed for my innocence to be restored....and probably rightfully so...I think it's good for kids to try to imagine doing and seeing what they are doing through their parents eyes. I sure did miss all those tourists I would chatter with all day.

After a very brief stint at Ricks College (UGH-HATED IT)I moved home and my Dad was not happy about it. Little did he know that his frustration would lead me into a career that lasted over two decades and introduced me to the glorious place this world is. He advised me I was not going to be a college dropout who was going to be lazy and non-ambitious. He basically advised me if I was going to stay at home and work I had two options. 1. The Insurance business BORING!!!! (little did I know I would grow from an Insurance Baby to Insurance wife) or 2. He had a friends that owned a travel agency.
The travel agency sounded very interesting. I started at Dazey Travel Service when I was 18 years old. I started out answering phones, receptionist, Brochure manager (oh yes....rght into management teehee) Before I turned 21 years old I had been on 4-5 cruises, Hawaii, Mexico, Texas, Georgia, Boston, New York, Florida, Spain, Italy, France...and these are just what I can think of right now. I spent my 21st Birthday in St Thomas in the Caribbean with a couple girlfriends. The travel bug was planted then I am still suffering from a wandering soul. Now I can chatter with people all over the world!!
I went back to College and while I was studying (yeah right?!) and hoping to get a MRS degree I worked for a little computer company called Zeda Computers. Once again...I was on the front line where I could chatter with all the techys and computer nerds...I loved that part.
But...travel was in my blood....I missed the industry.
I commuted from Provo (where I thought I would find Mr BYU Right) to Salt Lake City (where I actually found my Utah Ute Mr Right) and worked at the front desk of the famous Hotel Utah. This beautiful old hotel is now the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. I LOVED this job...I got paid to chatter all day. We were able to meet a ton of apostles and I actually got to see and meet President Kimball. He actually lived in the hotel. The best part of that job was the management. I not only dated one of my bosses (yeah you can call me "playa") but I dated and married another one of the bosses. My Lovey Keith was the Concierge and then Room Division Manager and he was "so fine"! He and I would chatter all day..(and if truth be told made out a few times behind the desk...)maybe thats why it became important for me to find a job somewhere else. (If truth be told...I was up for the same job as him and at that point in our relationship it might have put a damper on the romance if I took his job. He'll have absolutely NO recollection of this part I'm sure!)
So I went back to what I did best. I started working in the Meeting & Convention Planning department of Morris Travel. Once again I got to travel to some pretty amazing places "to work"!
In 1986 Keith was transferred to a fancy schmancy hotel in Chicago and off we went. I have to say....Chicago almost killed us. Once again...thats for another post. While we lived there I worked for a Meeting planning company and did all the travel arrangements for all the conventions. It was call Creative Travel and it was an hour commute both directions. I did get to travel to Appleton, Wisconsin a couple time for training...woohoo... Most people in Chicago didn't want to chatter much...they weren't really very nice people. I'm sure there are a few nice ones...I just didn't ever meet them.
In 1987 until 1998 I managed Call Leavitt Travel & Cheyenne Travel. Oh the places I got to go and see....what a wonderful career. They actually paid you to take trips with family and friends. Oh I could chatter on for hours about this job....

So now...people ask me "what do you do?" I chatter with them for awhile and usually end up saying something like..."I'm not sure..but I stay really busy!"

jlr

Tuesday Tell All- What do we collect?

I've been thinking about this and have determined we are not really collecting many things. I would say my best collections would be our little familes collection of memories...literal memories. I have always been afraid that somehow I would lose memory of those precious moments in our my life. I am able to remember all the important details if I have a visual memory. So the most obvious collection I have are photos! Everywhere..in boxes, albums, frames, drawers, closets and over 20,000 photos are stored on my external hard drive. (which after my kids and husband, it would be the 1st thing I would grab in a fire!)


Keith has a cool collection. He has been collecting sand from the various beaches we have visited in our travels. You might not expect it but as I see them all lined up on his credenza you can see how different each bottle is. There is the pink sands of Bermuda, black sands fom Kona, white sands from Playa del Carmen & the thick, coarse sand from good ole Oceanside,CA. Its fun to look at them and remember when we were there and who we were with. Someday maybe we will find a cute way to display them. Right now they are in orange prescription bottles. The location where they were collected scribbled on the label....

They only collection I have kept up over the years is some very dear angels. Each angel is special and usually live wrapped up carefully in tissue in the basement. They come out at Christmas and spread joy all over the house. Most my angels are gifts from others which make them very special to me. I have a collection within the collection of Kristin Angels. Our dear friend Kristin passed away very young. Her mom started bringing "Kristin Angels" to me the 1st Christmas after her passing. These Angels have become a tender part of our family Chrstmas. I also have some wonderful Angels from my mom. She always finds very unique and fun ones. She searches at old country fairs or markets as she travels around. I love my little family of angels.

So now you know!
jlr

MWC Champions! Go Rebs!

Make a postcard - it's easy!

Go Rebs!!

U! N! L! V! Go! Fight! Win!
Good luck UNLV in the Mountain West Conference Championships!!!

cell phone blogging, where will it end?

This is a test. Sitting at the carwash wondering if this can be done.

We shall see!

Peace
jlr

For the love of all things baked and Betty Crocker & Julia Childs....

Please....I beg someone, anyone...please. This is the 3rd cake in two days...3 cakes..yes I said 3. 2 pans, 3 different attempts at "non-stick" and 3 top ripped off cakes. Please someone tell me how to do this...do you leave it in the pan for a while after removing from oven? Does that parchment paper work with cakes? I'm begging now....please someone share the secret!

My mother-in-law must be doubled over laughing now....3 box cakes...how hard can it be? Really?

jlr

Tuesday Tell All - What's in a name?

I love this topic. Where did we get our names from. I know on my side of the family (Leavitts & Hopkins) there were alot of Grace, Sarah, Alice, & Mary's. Men were called Arthur, Vincen, Dudley and Thomas. Solid old names that had been handed down for years. On Keiths side, I can only imagine as he is a 2nd generation right out of Slavinia & Germany. I know his grandparents had hardy names like Lewis, Harlan. I wish I knew more but there is hardly a memory or record that gives us any history. When Keith's Grandparents arrived at Ellis Island, they were young, tired, scared, non-english speaking Slavenians. An American official that registered the passengers as they unboarded that ship asked them their names and didn't listen to their answers. He just decided they were Steve & Mary, wrote it on their documents and thus Steve & Mary Selock were born. We don't know and haven't ever been able to find what their birth-given names are.
Mary & Steve had a ton of children. I think they had 11 or 12. (I'll have to ask Keith's mom) They named them good solid names like Frank, Emma, Dorothy. But they had one little girl who came into this world that got a fancy schmancy name! I love this name. Angeline Mary Rose. My father-in-law used to call her that whole name when he was talking to her. Angie is what I call her. It is truly her.
I asked Keith where his name came from. He thought about it for a moment and decided he would have to call his mom and ask. She just liked the way it sounded. Keith Alan Runyon. I like the way it sounds too Keith has several nicknames: Kayter, KAR, K-dawg (obviously this one has been given in recent years).
My name was given to me by my dad. Now that he has been gone for 20+ years that fact has become precious to me. There wasn't any scandal as far as I know, but I am told that the babysitter was named Janae and he just really liked it. I like to think she was a beautiful, tragic French girl with a authentic French spelling like Genet' or Jenet (you know the t's at the end of French names are silent..look it up haha). But being a good ole Bunkerville boy I think he just sounded it out. Ja....nae. My mom gave it a little class by adding the accent over the e. It really is spelled Janae'. Its true. Its on my birth certificate like that.
Now this seems like a great name. I really do like it...it is totally me :) But I think it must have been a terrible pregnancy or my Dad was sucking up to my Grandma because they used Janae' as my middle name and gave me an ATROCIOUS first name. I love that it is my Grandmothers name. Its a great name for a Grandma that seems a hundred years old and lives on a farm. I am sorry...I know alot of you know this name. But I am not going to give it to those of you who don't. Just guess...E.......Janae' Leavitt Runyon. Wouldn't have been so bad to have that crazy name but why oh why did they have to use it as my first name. I tremble now remembering how the kids snickered in school on the 1st day of class. UGH (It wasn't just me they graced this on. Wade was also given a grandfathers name as his first name and Wade as his 2nd. But his sounds cool though. Arthur Wade Leavitt(yea you can call him Arty, Arturo or Spadely as I like to call him) My nicknames are, Janae-nae', Auntienae'
Janaecious, and hot mama...opps I just added that one in for fun :)
When we were thinking of names for our first child we didn't know if he was a girl or boy. He should be grateful he wasn't a girl because his dad loved him some funny names...like Betsy and Gayle. When I think of Betsy I think of Betsy the cow, don't know where I ever met Betsy the cow, but that is what all cow's names are for me. We went to the hospital with a few names bouncing around for him. Blake and Perry (yikes!) were to two front runners. After he was born and he was laying in my arms for a while, our Dr (Dr Bryner-who I adored) came back in and wanted to hold him for a few minutes. Hello....what ever happened to that kind of bedside manners....I think most of us would be surprised if our OB-GYN's could even remember the sex of our babies. But as he sat there looking down at "baby-boy" Runyon, we tossed some names by him...Perry..NO a swift screwed up face and a strong shake of the head. What about Blake? A twitch of the lips and a tipping of the head...nope. I am afraid we had to agree. They just didn't fit our little guy. So a day or two passed and we had nothing. We had no idea what to name him. We looked through baby name books, called friends and family. Nothing. We knew it must be a special name and we had to name him right. SO the morning that Keith came to the hospital to pick me up, he marched triumphantly into the room and announced, "his name is Alec. Alec Chase." That was it. I still am not exactly sure where he got it (actually Chase was the name of the University of Utah President) but I know it is the name he was supposed to be called. His nicknames are ACE, Ongyong, and Bro-Bro.
Now Jakey was another story. We had fun naming Jake. We knew he was going to be someone special. We wanted something different but not odd. We bounced names around like Chaz & Bo. I even wrote a letter to him about 3 days before he was born...it started Dear Megan....it must have been the hormones. But we always knew he would be Jake. It is a special kind of kid that is named Jake. Don't confuse this with Jacob....two totally different kids. I know quite a few Jakes. They are a breed all there own. There is a story that is retold in our family. Keith & I (and Alec who was only about 6 months old but swears he remembers) remember distinctly driving home on I-80 just before State Street in SLC. We were still new parents who were in awe of our babies beauty, innocence and perfection (I know we all think our babies are perfect...mine were) and we talked about having another. I said "oh, little Alec & Jake...our little Bro-bro's." I think it was a heavenly moment. Keith comments now on knowing then that we had a Jake. We didn't know then that it would just be Alec & Jake. But we know that they are ours forever and were meant to be with us! Jake Alan Runyon nicknames: Jake the snake, Jakie-Poo, Rono & Bro-Bro.

So there you have it!
jlr

It takes a village...

Our Jake arrived in Ecuador last Monday! What an amazing experience! I am sure it was a bit averwhelming at first and I am also sure he was exhausted. They departed the MTC at 330am and arrived in Guayaquil around 11pm. He sent a quick note and it was great. You can check it out on Alec & Tiffany's blog if you are interested.

We got to hear his sweet voice on the telephone. I swear the sweetest sound ever is your sons or daughters voice when you haven't heard it for months. Seriously...even sweeter than their little baby sounds, their singing in the shower or their laughter. I swear..there is no sweeter words than "hi mommy" when you haven't heard him in so long. Wow it maked me tear up a little even now!

We have gotten a few photos from him, although it is never enough for me! As I paused on each photo tonight, my heart was full. In the short time Jake was in the MTC he was reunited with many friends. Friends that have been so important to him.


He had a sweet reunion with Elder Bobby Welch (Thailand or Taiwan I can't remember). They were best buds all through elementary school until Bobby moved away. They stayed in contact for a few years and then, it seemed to me, they had all but forgotten each other. What a sweet experience to have Jake receive a phone call from Bobby sharing his mission call. Then again to be with Jake when he searched and found Bobbys number to share his own.


He was happy to find one of his middle school friends had arrived at the MTC shortly after he did. Jacob had also moved away and had been one of Jakes dear friends at Johnson Middle School.


As Jake was one of the 1st of his core group of friends to leave. It was with a huge amount of joy that he was reunited with Brett Harber and David Fajardo. Brett will be serving in one of the Texas, Spanish speaking (Oh where has my memory gone..I wish I could remember where I left it...) and David will be serving in the Vancouver, BC Canada Mandarin speaking (yikes!).


I am so grateful for these boys. They have loved each other and cared for each other now for years. They have been huge influences on each other. I believe with all my heart that one of the most important relationships, one that will surely influence them for good or bad, is their friends. My Jake has always surrounded himself with good friends. I love these boys. I feel like each one of the B-Unit is one of my own. I know they are the valiant warriors we hear about. I am grateful for each and everyone of them. I will be forever thankful for the positive influence they have been on my Jake.


Adam has recieved his call to Honolulu, Hawaii and Justin is on deck. The sweetest sound is my sons voice from far away, strong and sure. I thank all those (and there are more than I could ever list) who helped him build his testimony. I know the people he meets in Ecuador will be changed for good when he delivers the Lords Gospel to them. So to all of you...I love you and thank you for loving my Jake!

Tuesday Tell All...What Not to Wear....

This Tuesdays "tell all" subject is what not to wear. Find something in your closet that you think is amazing but know in 5 years you will just die knowing you ever wore it. I looked in my closet and there is really nothing there but jeans, Target and Gap t-shirts and sweatsuits (do they still call them that?) There are a couple of cute church dresses and a really awful dress I wore to my sons wedding....it looked so cute when I tried it on! Of course there are a 1000 beautiful photos and a wonderful dvd to document this wardrobe malfunction!

While I was perusing my closet and thinking about what to write...I had a flashback! A picture that is blazed into my mind forever. My most favored, cherished, grownup, put together myself (who needed a stylest in the 90's) outfit ever. Are you ready? You just have to picture every last beautiful detail in your mind. Here we go...

I feel I have to start at the top and go down. Of course I was a teensy tiny bit thinner than I am now....a white round neck Liz Claiborne t-shirt that had tiny little navy polka dots. Over the top of that I wore this cotton, yes Liz Claiborne, cotton, sorta boxy jacket that was navy blue with huge white polka dots. This was worn over a pair of the cutest stretch pants with stirrups...yeah you all remember them..we all wore them, don't lie...you did. These stretch pants were the same navy blue as the jacket, yes they were Liz Claiborne, but they had the cutest medium sized polka dots...and I thought they made my legs look great!! Now I know you are wondering where the "I put it together myself" part comes in. I have to admit that Liz did a great job with the clothing part. But the final and most memorable part of the outfit was the shoes. Oh how I miss those shoes. Cute slip ons. Little ballet type flats....very similar in style as seen today...jeez I am getting old when the style has come and gone and come again....But these were not any old ordinary flats...something had to balance out all that matchy matchy! They were the cutest pair of navy and polka dot shoes...Yeah baby! Same navy as the pants and jacket and polka dots on the shirt. Navy and polka dots from head to toe!

Man I miss those shoes...

jlr