Oprah Called

This tiny 5x5 storybook had a huge impact on a very influential person! Many people can say Oprah made a difference in their lives, but not many people can say they've made a difference in Oprah's life! But with the power of storybooking, My friend, Brenda Kruse from Iowa and fellow Heritage Makers consultant, was able to touch the life of a very busy, very powerful woman.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Oprah called my friend!

It was a Wednesday at 5:46 p.m. Central Time (5-28-2008). She was putting away groceries while her kids were playing outside. A call came into her cell phone that said "Private Call" and she went to answer but she couldn't hear anything so she hung up. A minute later, her voicemail chime sounded so she went to check it, expecting a telemarketer or political promo.

But that's when she experienced the surprise of my life...it was Oprah Winfrey on her voicemail! You can listen to her exact voice mail on the link to the right! It expresses her appreciation and love for the idea of storybooking!

She said, "All I know is I dropped the loaf of bread I had in my hands (good thing it wasn't eggs or a jar of spaghetti sauce!) and stood frozen to my kitchen floor with goosebumps from head to toe.

She called to say thank you for the book I'd created and sent her about her dog, Gracie, who died a year ago. Getting a personal call from Ms. O herself, I was stunned to say the least."

I am so proud to be apart of such an amazing company and to partner with amazing women like Brenda. We are the pioneers of this company and I feel a strong mission to instruct, inspire, and to motivate everyone on the POWER OF STORY! We are not a photo book company, we are a storybook company with so many options in our studio in becoming your own personal publisher. I take pride in the fact that I am a storybook coach and I help people catpture their past, live their present,and build a bridge for the future in building our Heritage!!!

I know how powerful our family storybooks are to us! And it was really cool to see how it also touched a very influential and powerful woman like Oprah Winfery! How exciting! I am also excited as our fall holiday season is around the corner to announce some of our new and cutting edge tools and products! I'll be posting them as they come! I've also been having a blast teaching a weekly workshop using our new workshop format to all those out there wanting to learn how to digital storybook, photo solutions, strengthen family and homesI know I'm passionate, but it's easy to be because I love it so much! Happy Storybooking!!!

Atlanta Braves Game

One of the nights while in Georiga Hartman and I went to the Braves game with my sister Lori and her friend at Turner Stadium. We love going to the Braves Game. I've always been a fan no matter if they are winning pennants or in last place. It's one of our favorite things to do! We had a great time sitting on the third base line! I made Hartman do the Tomahawk Chop, it's tradition!

Dale Murphy's Number

American Idol

Okay before I comment on my experience meeting the American Idols and going to the American Idol Concert with my two sisters and mom in Atlanta, I have to say I'M A FAN AND I'M PROUD! We had so much fun at the conert! We had amazing seats and watching the idols preform was awesome! They sang songs from the show as well as some new songs! I knew that I loved David Cook, and don't get me wrong he is truly the winner, but I was really surprised at some of the preformers that were much better than I had thought on the show! We had so much fun, we were sad to see it end. After the show, we were lucky enough to meet some of the idols and even talk to them. One of the high lights of my evening was meeting Jason Castro. I just love him! He was such a sweetie and probably one of the nicest and most out going! I'll post a few pictures of the meet and greet and the concert! Thanks Mom, Ashley, and Lynnette for a fun night! It was a birthday present for me...needless to say it was a awesome gift!

Mom, sister Ashley, Me, and sister Lynette having a wonderful time!
David Archuleta...My favorite preformer of the night! I just love him!!!What a cutie pie and sweet as can be! When he talked to us or the audience he was like a little boy, but when he sang...I was mezmorized! He gave us a high fives and told us "right on" when we said to him "Choose the Right! David "We just couldn't resist! :)

Jason Castro. Well you know how I feel about him. Those blue eyes... Up close he was gorgeous!
Brooke White was so down to earth. We talked a little bit because there was a small group next to us that was LDS as well and so we all had a little in common!

Syesha was beautiful and had amazing legs. While meeting the fans she was more on the quiet side!

Ramiele..Cute as a button and very tiny. Her voice sounded even better in person as well!

Carly was nice, but a little more rushed! We loved her preformace and thought she was hot!

Kristy Lee Cook was very nice (much more than I had imagined from the show) and talked alot to us! Really pretty girl!

The idols preformed one at a time starting from the first one eliminated to the winner David cook. The each sane 3-4 songs each and then had a groups song at the end. Here were some of my favorite preformances up close starting with Kristy Lee Cook!

Michael Johns was awesome! He is my mom's favorite. I had more fun watching her go crazy over him than anything, even though he was great!

Karly wow, she looked amazing. Much prettier in person. She was my favorite female preformer from the concert! She rocked the house!

Brooke White was very natural on stage and sang one of her best preformaces "Let It Be" on the piano.

Okay Jason Castro. Yes I'm a fan. My heart melted when he sang "Somewhere over the Rainbow" and yes he was my second favorite preformer that night! I liked him before, but now I'm an even bigger fan!

Syesha was great too. Better than I had thought on the show. She was a really good preformer!

Next to preform was David Archuleta. I have to say live, he was my favorite. I surprised myself at how excited I was to see him. When he sang it gave me goose bumps. Live his voice is truly amazing! He started off on the pianio singing "Angels" Can I say I just died. That's one of my favorite songs and preformances from him. He is also such a good and wholesome person! What can I say, I'm a fan!

And Last Was the Winner David Cook. He was amazing and sang my favorite song of his "Hello" He closed the night out like a true rocker! I loved it!

David Cook

Stosich Family Go Fish Game

Hey I wanted to share my latest Heritage Makers Project. I created a Go Fish Playing Card Game in my publishing studio using one of many card templates. I am really digging the new playing cards. I put pictures of our family, grandparents, and their two cousins Saylor & Hayden so we can all play together as a family! Isabella and Sofia are really into playing games now, and what better way for them to play then to use their own family's photos! Check it out! It's cute!

http://www.heritagemakers.com/?event=projectBrowse&projectId=07e22fbc-d435-4069-9f1d-60b23302b054&productId=63&projectSponsor=175511

Florida

While in Georgia we took a trip down to Florida to Destin. It's on the Gulf! We loved it! We went with my mom, sister Ashley, her son Ashton, LaRon, and her kids Saylor and Hayden, my niece Roxanne and her son Keller, and my sister Lynette. Hartman was the only guy so he loved that :) We stayed at a beach house and went to the beach every day! The kids loved playing in the beautiful white sandy beaches, and Isabella really enjoyed surfing. She called herself a surfer girl! They also enjoyed some awesome rainstorms, since they never see rain in Vegas. They asked to play in the rain one day with their umbrellas. I also celebrated my 33rd birthday while down there. Hartman and I managed to sneak off for a nice seafood dinner on the beach for my b-day! Hartman got a metal detector and his dream came true of using it at the beach. He found a toy car for Hayden :) We spent some time down at Seaside a cute little town on the beach where the Truman Show was filmed. It's a really nice family place and fun for kids! It was great! I missed going to the beach in Florida. To me the gulf has the prettiest beaches and clearest water ever! We had a great time to spend with our family!

Our little surfer girl

Ava a little unsure of this

Bella and Daddy on Boogie Boards

Enjoying an outside concert in Seaside, FL the kids danced and danced

Sofia Chilling in Seaside

Bella having a blast surfing. The is the best picture we could get of all the kids...kicking and screaming to sit still :)

Sofia and Hayden had fun catching little fish
Ava and Daddy

Sofia with grandma Anne

Within 5 minutes of arriving at the beach, Bella got stung by a jellyfish. You can see it in her face here. I felt so bad for her. She cried for about 5 minutes and there were some red marks on her hand, but quickly she was off to play again

Bella was having fun again in no time
Ava always on the go

Sofia loved covering herself in Sand

Isabella and Sofia kept pretending they were washed ashore and wanted to us to figure out if they were humans or mermaids