Cam the man is graduating!

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Mount Timpanogos

Three weeks until launch! Counting down until Cam's graduation from Utah Valley University with a B.S. degree in International Business! Around 24,000 students are enrolled at UVU which is situated near the beautiful Wasatch mountain range and also overlooks Utah Lake. Cam is now finishing up several classes in finance as well as group projects. An incredible achievement for all individuals, like Cameron, who possess the drive and vision to gain an education. He is eagerly focused on a job search within his field and then grad school also looms ahead after a break from text books, exams and little sleep :) ... He is very excited to embark on this new adventure which could take him most anywhere and is often referred to as life in the fast lane!

We LOVE you Cam and are so very proud of you! You are not only an intelligent, talented man but also a man of honor, compassion, and good cheer. A riot to be around and adored by all who know and love you. We're sending you a "two clap" (our version of a standing ovation ) and can't wait to get out there to par-tay big time with you!!

Training With A Twist!

TRAINING WITH A TWIST ... I'm in the process of writing and developing a series of classes for Human Resource professionals which will be facilitated the beginning of next month. I'm also training a group from the health care field, another from the manufacturing industry and an open enrollment for people from diverse businesses and industries. Come join in the fun! Click on my web site www.trainingwithatwist.com for more information regarding my style of training, etc., as well as contact info.

Laugh yourself silly with Christeson & Associates while learning important concepts and techniques which will help to enhance your personal and professional life!

Friendship - icing on the cake!

Last week I facilitated two sessions at the Beaver County Women’s Conference, the topic I addressed was “Two Fries Short of a Happy Meal”; a focus on becoming happier, optimistic, resilient women. It was a beautiful conference, very well planned, excellent speakers and vendor’s tables. The ladies attending my sessions seemed to enjoy themselves immensely as I ripped them out of their comfort zone as well as kept them laughing while proposing a myriad of ideas to help enhance their lives.

Two of the highlights of my day included two African American women who approached me after, each one giving me big bear hugs and expressing their excitement; especially in hearing me take the risk (as I always do) in weaving information and challenges into my material focusing on our eternal potential as individuals, cultivating a more thriving relationship with our Heavenly Father and need for constant prayer in our lives into my program. They were simply delightful ladies!

The second highlight included spending surprise time with a friend I have not seen for 19 years since she moved away from the burg to California and two other friends/colleagues in whom I worked with about 10 years ago who are, likewise, superb women! What a gift to see all three women pop up unexpectedly in my classes having the opportunity to reconnect, though briefly.

Friendships are icing on the cake in life! Whether new or old each impact ones life leaving a ripple effect for years to come. "Make new friends but keep the old, these are silver those are gold." (author unknown.)

(Photo of fries taken by Ashley while in Paris)

Inspiring - one life at a time!

Spending delightful girl time with my daughter is such a treat! Our conversations are all over the map and our pension for fun keeps us in the thick of things but out of trouble, haha.

Ashley babe has begun her 50 hours of observation and participation during her spring break at our local senior high school and later in the week at the elementary school she and her brother attended. This is in conjunction with Penn State University's curriculum for elementary ed and secondary English majors.

Plum school district has many remarkable teachers who are warm, engaging and inspiring. In fact, Ashley's sixth grade teacher is responsible for her overall love of English as well as several other skilled teachers, throughout the years, for her desire to enter the field of education overall.

This on the go, outgoing, musically talented daughter of ours would literally miss recess in elementary school in order to remain in the classroom to diagram sentences, haha :) And from the moment she learned to read we would catch her in her room at bed time under her covers with a flash light trying to sneak in additional reading time. I like to think that we as a family had an influence over her love of reading as we are all avid readers with a wide collection of books from diverse genres.

Ashley currently serves in our ward as the Primary chorister teaching both the senior and junior Primary children gospel oriented music. This combined with having been a substitute teacher in all of the Primary classes has furthered her love of children and teaching.

She is incensed by the apparent syndrome many junior and senior high school students in the communities, and throughout the world, suffer from tied to low self-esteem. Self-esteem issues are an obvious culprit tied to poor behavior, lack of motivation and ability to excel. Also, low performance, relationship dysfunction, as well as over all divisive decision making which many youth pay the ongoing consequence for.

Ashley desires to attempt to make an impact in her future students lives helping them to enjoy more productive, thriving lives. We are very proud of her drive and her desire to help others experience the blessings which come from personal effort and in having excellent role models in ones life!

I have had a passion, myself, for attempting to motivate and inspire youth. It has been my privilege as a professional speaker to have addressed teens and young adults at over 95 senior high schools and college campuses. In addition, I have spoken at diverse conferences as well as church and community meetings and events. I have enjoyed interacting with youth from throughout the country, last count totaled just over 132,520 young adults in whom I have had the privilege of meeting and addressing.

My focus has always been on helping individuals strengthen ones character traits and self image. I feel strongly that it is through the development of personal integrity and a commitment to God's commandments and principles combined with ones ability to succeed that help both youth and adults thrive. It is such a joy for me to see people learn to experience life to the fullest - trials and all - as their eyes light up and demeanor changes as they strive to reach their full potential. I think my daughter will be very capable as well of helping others and will experience the joy that I have as she strives to impact others lives for good! Perhaps this interest and commitment we share will serve as a family legacy from generation to generation.

So Ashley babe, all decked out in your professional attire, lap top under arm and a blazing smile on your eager face; I wish for you a week of unparalleled success as you begin this journey into the realm of loving, educating, motivating and inspiring many of God's beloved children!

Happy 25th birthday Cameron Jon!

Happy 25th birthday Cameron Jon! What an incredible blessing you have been to our family sweetheart. Dad, Ash and I are so proud of you and love you to pieces; you have grown into an incredible man indeed. You are such a loving, kind, devoted man with such a fun sense of humor and drive that will take you places you never dreamed. We are very excited to see all that this year has in store for you! xoxo Mom & Dad

Then & Now

Then and now - yikes! Memories of many incredible Valentine's Day's are recorded in this brain of mine; so many fond memories ... Creating homemade Valentine's out of paper lace and construction paper hearts with our kids ... Romantic dates with Jon ... Both silly and serious gifts ... Beautiful bouquets of roses ... Baking heart shaped sugar cookies ... Delivering Valentine's to friends door steps, ringing the door bell and running to hide (a Western tradition) ... All of our many lovely traditions, old and new, are woven into the fiber of our lives together! I can't believe that I am so blessed to have shared another holiday with my sweetheart :) Thank you once again Jon for such a special day!! Oh, and our double date with Ash & Mica was icing on the cake :)

Be Mine

Happy Valentine's Day Jon! You are the most incredible man in the world babe. You have such a loving, patient nature and generous, giving spirit. It's fun to dream with you, laugh with you and be silly together. You are a magnificent father and devoted friend and have always served as a remarkable role model for so many people. I love that you choose to magnify the Priesthood which you hold and embrace life's joys, challenges and even trials with a wise, eternal perspective. You bless my life every waking moment and I feel exceedingly blessed to know that you are MINE forever and always! xoxo

PS Don't you love our retro wedding picture, haha. I "red up" our hair to match the fiery kiss!