What a Week! (part 2)

The Isagenix convention has left me still speechless. What an amazing time! I wasn't feeling up to the event going into it--just home from girls' camp, leaving the kids, leaving many unfinished projects at home, etc--but that quickly changed as Dave and I were greeted by and reconnected with so many amazing friends! It was also really fun to have my brother Zach and Mekenze and George there with their little teams. Everything is better with family!

The first exciting thing was that at registration we were given a pin that let us know that we are on track to go to Paris for 5 days with Jim and Kathy Coover!!! Anybody who knows me can understand how happy I am to know that Dave and I are going to Paris!!! And with the Coovers, who know all the good places and shop like celebrities. Can you say EXCITED!!!???

Another amazing highlight of convention was the moment that Dave was awarded "Man of the Year!" This award is selected by president and co-founder, Jim Coover, and is a HUGE honor!!! I was so happy to know that all of Dave's hard work and passion are being recognized by corporate. He sooo deserves this award!! The event became even more of a highlight than it already would have been when Dave was NOT in the room when they announced his name! He had gone to the store and then took the bags to the car so they wouldn't be a bother. Right before the announcement, I got a phone call telling me that it was very important that I get Dave in the room--and I TRIED to get a hold of him--but he was too far away to get there in time. As they read his description before announcing his name, it was obvious to anyone who knows him that he had won. The crowd was going crazy and when they finally said "Please welcome to the stage our Man of the Year, Dave Mac Arthur!" everyone was standing and cheering...there was nothing else to do but to go on stage and accept the award for him. It was the LONGEST walk of my life! It was surreal as they handed me the mic and asked me to say a few words in Dave's behalf... I felt overcome with every emotion: pride, fear, sadness because he needed to experience this!  But it is what it is...it turned out well, and I got tons of compliments on being the "Woman of the Year" and stepping up to the challenge to speak impromptu in front of 8,000 people.  I was flattered, but still...HE needed to be the one!! I think he was a little bummed as well to have missed the opportunity, but he is humble and says that it happened how it should have...

Another highlight and extreme honor was that we got to sit at the Coover's table at the Gala! Of course we didn't get a photo, but here is one of us on stage with them:

We also sat next to Lori Harder, who is my wanna be vision board body model  (you can find her on the cover of Oxygen magazine, Sept. 2011) :) She is such a sweet lady, and I was so surprised and inspired to know that she is in her 30's! (not sure she has kids, which is another issue...) but a girl can dream, right? Anyway, she is on Dave's team and was named number 90 (or so) millionaire in the company. She is amazing, and I am happy to call her my friend. And I DID get a photo with her!

Dave's team party was amazing! So many people were there!! Dave and JoJo (Dave probably works mostly closely with her as far as masterminding and team activity) rented a house that team members who flew long distances could stay in to help cut costs. We stayed there too, which we usually like to get our own room at the same hotel as the event, so it was kind of a different arrangement than we are used to. It was good in many ways--we got to know some of the team members better. On Friday night, tons of team members came over to a dinner that JoJo had catered. They had team awards and a few testimonials. One of the most amazing testimonials on the effectiveness came from Bob Sheridon, who is a hall of fame world boxing announcer. He has quite a name, but his health has struggled the past several years. He has had incredible results! He spoke to us--very fun to listen to!--and we got a photo with him before he left:

Here are a few of the key players on Dave's team (there are SEVERAL more) and many of them stayed at the house. I love that I feel welcome among them! I really feel like we have an extended isafamily.  The team was very sweet to recognize ME with a nice award! I don't really do anything, but they say that Dave couldn't do what he does without my support. It was sweet for them to notice me, but the real power behind it all is definitely Dave! I just keep the home fires burning. ;)

So many more amazing people and memories and exciting things that happened at the Isagenix convention this year.  I realize more and more every year that Dave and I can really be ambassadors for marriage and integrity and family values to a lot of people who know how we are because of Dave's position in the company. I am blessed that Dave wants me by his side at these events.  I'm happy that we were able to go together again this year. It's important to me, and I'm learning it is important to many others to see us together. 

On the last night (Tuesday), the kids drove to Vegas to meet us. They stayed the night at the house with us, and then we drove to California to do some school shopping and to stay at the beach. Mady has been wanting to do this all summer and to bring her two best friends with her, and this was the only time that was available. We had a good time. We stayed in a really nice hotel right across from the beach, and we visited a few malls for the kids to find the perfect back to school outfits. It was a little much for the parents, going from one big event to another, but the kids had a great time, and it was worth it. (More time to relax on the beach would have been nice... :))

I didn't take many photos in California, but here is one of our night walk on the beach. We found a fire pit that was still burning, so we stopped to enjoy it for awhile.

 And here is Mady with her friends, eating lunch at Sharkee's at Huntington Beach. They have really yummy food and it's fun to sit outside and watch all the beach bums on the street. This was right before we headed for home. It was a really short trip, but we had a good time.

We were home long enough to sleep in our own beds, and then it was time to drive to Cedar City for Karter's first baseball tournament with his traveling team, the Bears.  These were the team's first ever games playing together, and they did quite well. They won only one of four games, but they played quite well. For Karter, this is his first "real" team--no coach pitch, no everyone wins, and the kids are starting to have some knowledge of how to play.  He felt a little bit of internal pressure as he wanted to pitch and hit more perfectly than he did, but he did a great job and had a lot of fun.  He is a good little player. I love watching baseball, especially at this level. 

Here Karter is playing first base:

And I always love the high 5's to the other team at the end of the game.

So, needless to say, we had a really fantastic week and a half, but we will really enjoyed spending the Sabbath Day of REST at home!!! 

Just in time to start school this next week...