The Conference

In one word... amazing.

I was so happy for the opportunity to attend this conference. Located in a beautiful place... Snowbird. It reminded me of Alberta and the beautiful, Rocky Mountain resorts.

The hotel was this incredible fortress... The Cliff Lodge. OK, built out of concrete in case of avalanches. The sign in one of the parking lots suggested you didn't just stand there because you were in an avalanche zone!

I couldn't beat the company...

The theme of the conference... A New Decade, New Possibilities.

I came back refreshed. I came back excited. I came back smarter and wiser. I came back with some new ideas that I am looking forward to organizing and eventually implementing. I came back with an even greater desire to continue my education!

I met some great people and listened to many, many wonderful professionals. It was really incredible being in the same place with another 6-7 hundred individuals with the same goal...
to mentor, inspire, understand, help and love our troubled youth!

Here are some of the workshops I was able to attend:

There is Life After Tests, and Before - Dr. Pat Cooper
Gender Differences in Communication - Michael Nerney
What is the Best Way to Treat Trauma? - David Burton
Mad Skills for Student Success - Patrick Perez
Creative Communication - Eric Guy

If given the chance, I will be happy to share some of the information. Not only do I have a better understanding of kids I work with, I also have a better understanding of ways to teach and communicate with my own kids.

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Now just for fun... imagine the discussion with your boss about your accommodations... like the "window" between the bed and the bathroom shower...

Troubled Youth Conference

I am in Snowbird. No blog today, but you can bet there will be pictures and stories about it tomorrow!

The Pedicure

My boys like to get out the exfoliator/ped-egg/shaver thingy and go to work on my feet. I will enjoy it while I can because I can't see them as 17 year olds and liking it.

Look at the intensity!

Saw, saw, saw...

My kids like Hot Wheels so I got a flame job...

Happy Birthday Lola!

Well this is a first for my blog. A birthday wish to a sweet little girl on the very day she was born! I don't have any pictures of her yet, but I am pretty sure I'll have an abundance soon.

Congrats to Royce, Katie & Zoe! I can't wait to meet my new niece.

*sniff*

Well folks, it's 8:56 pm and I am blogging in sick.

Justin & I at 4

This is Justin and I when we were 4... Who would have thought?

Fun Times with Matt

Sometimes my parents would have me watch my brother while they went out for the evening. We did a lot of fun and funny things together. My brother seems to have a way better memory of some of the things we did, like prank phone calls, snoop for presents, leave the house and go to the mall, etc. If I didn't have this picture to remind me of something else we did, I probably would have blocked this out of my mind too!

Ok, this picture is so funny on so many levels. Seriously, what little brother would let their sister dress them up like a girl? I think I would have been 12, which meant Matt was 6... I LOVE the look on his face and the earrings and glasses are brilliant! Notice the Bee Gees and Shaun Cassidy posters... What is with the gun? WOW!