Hilary Weeks

Our oldest daughter, McKenzie has always been a “server.”  Serving is like breathing for her.  She would have to really try to go a day without doing something nice for someone.

She is a little like Ordinary Mary.  Have you read that book?  (Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed.)  Remember how someone gives Mary blueberries and Mary makes blueberry muffins and gives them to five people and then those five people do something nice for five more people each.  And the good deeds multiply until millions of people are touched…and it all started with blueberries.

That’s Kenzie for ya.

She used that story and this picture when applying for a humanitarian scholarship last year.

OH!  Wanna see a picture of her when she got her wisdom teeth out?

Sorry.  I am getting side-tracked.  Let me get to the point.

Three years ago, Kenzie learned about an organization called World of Difference.  They build schools, train teachers and provide educational supplies in Africa.  The minute she learned about these expeditions, she wanted to go.  But, obviously, that costs money.  $3,750, to be exact.  This summer Kenzie is working two jobs to save for the upcoming college year and to go to Africa in August.  Even working everyday, she will be short on funds.  Kenzie is doing some fundraising, but I wanted to jump in and help.

You and I probably can’t go to Africa this summer to build a school,

but WE can help HER build a school!

So…here’s the offer.  For anyone willing to donate $50 or more, I will handwrite the lyrics to your favorite Hilary Weeks song, sign it and send it to you.  Once you donate, send me an email with your favorite song!  info@hilaryweeks.com

And…if you are really, super, ultra, amazingly interested in donating a big ‘ol chunk of change…I will sell the red pumps I wore at the Collection CD Release Concert for $500.  I’ll also throw in a signed Collection CD and, AND…if you live within an hour or so of us, Kenzie and I will personally deliver the shoes and the CD.  Only ONE person can purchase this item, so the first person to make the donation and then email me, gets the shoes!  info@hilaryweeks.com

But that’s not all.

Anyone who donates will be invited to a fireside this Fall where Kenzie will share stories and pictures from her expedition and I will sing a song or two.

Here’s a shot of what Kenzie’s reaction will be if she can raise the money to serve in Africa…

Thanks for taking the time to read this post!  Blog to you soon,

Hilary

Calendars are such useful things.

They remind us of holidays, birthdays, anniversaries.  They help us schedule and coordinate soccer games, football practice, dance class, gymnastics and lunch with a girl friend.  They are very useful when we need to remember important meetings we have scheduled.

Which is exactly why I should have written “Interview with Brooke Walker from Studio 5″ on my calendar a few weeks ago.

It was Monday, April 15th, one o’clock in the afternoon.  I had just finished lunch and was petting the dog, when I looked out my front window and saw Brooke walking to my door.  It hit me!  I have an interview with Studio 5 today!  Holy Forgetfulness Batman!  I opened the door and exclaimed,

“Brooke!  Hi!  Oh my gosh, I totally forgot about the interview today!”

In her graceful, professional way, Brooke asked if I would like to reschedule.  “No!  No, come in.  I’ll just run upstairs and change out of my sweats into something presentable!”  As I ran up the stairs, I asked Brooke for fashion advice.  She said to wear a solid colored shirt in a bright color.

“Please let me have something that fits that description…and dear heaven above, let it be CLEAN!”  I thought as I dashed upstairs.

The closet was good to me and I found something to throw on.  I combed my hair (LUCKILY I had washed it and applied make-up early that morning!)  Then I joined Brooke and Cory, the videographer, in the family room.

The interview was a delight because Brooke is such a delight.  I wasn’t nervous – there wasn’t time to be!  We talked about the concept of clicking and training our minds to think positively.  I shared our new Clicker Kits and even took them on a tour of our garage where we house all the clickers, stickers and other products on BillionClicks.com.  The garage?  Yes, I actually took them in the garage.  Classy.  I know.  But no less classy than forgetting an interview, and I was on a roll.

Just a week later, the episode aired on Studio 5.  I was excited to watch it.  And a little nervous too.  Okay, a lot nervous.  Who wants to see themselves on tv?  But…

I loved it.

I loved everything about it.  (Except my hair sticking up a little and how goofy I look when I walk on the treadmill, but that isn’t Studio 5′s fault.)

So, as an experienced forgetter, I offer you this advice.  Use. A. Calendar.

Blog to you soon,

Hilary

We have had such fun recording our first song for this CD…”Say Love.”  As soon as we have something mixed that is worthy to show you, I’ll post a snippet of the music on the blog.  This week we will start on a song called “I Found Me.”  I can’t wait to get started and listen to it evolve.  I think you’re really gonna like this song.

In other news…

Two of my daughters were in the musical Annie at their school.  It was SO AWESOME!  This is basically their first time to act/sing/perform – and they loved it!  They played orphans.  Each night before the performance I would rat and mess up their hair so they looked unkept.  It was a highlight for me.  I’ve always felt like I had a gift for not doing hair well – and I really seemed to shine under these circumstances.

Blog to you soon,

Hilary

Got an itch to design?

Have a hankerin’ to create?

You just might enjoy this opportunity!  My brother-in-law, Greg Weeks, has created an awesome product for keeping your electronic devices clean – they’re called iRagz!  He is looking for NEW designs.

That’s where YOU come in…

If you love to design, Greg would love to have you submit a design for iRagz!  Here are the contest guidelines:

• The designs should be cool, fun, hip, funky, interesting and fresh!
• The design needs to be 7 by 5.5 inches.
• Must be an original design and the designer will assign iRagz the copyright in order to print.
• Design must be in Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop format.
• Please submit designs to ragzman@iRagz.com by end of day on Saturday, Feb. 9th.  (Not much time, but you can do it!  YOU are creative, remember!)

Here is the BEST part:  If your design is chosen as the “winner” you will receive 50 – YES, 50 – iRagz including retail packaging for you to share with family and friends!

Have fun.  Get creative.  And good luck!

Blog to you soon,

Hilary

Cassandra Barney is busy working up ideas for the cover.  We haven’t chosen a specific direction yet, but all of her sketches make me jump for joy.  (But, I stretch first so I don’t pull something.)

Blog to you soon,

Hilary

A few weeks ago, my parents came over for dinner.  (They moved here from Alaksa a little over a year ago!  It is SOOO fun having them live seven houses from me!)  My dad walked in the door and presented me a bouquet of flowers!

One of my favorite things to do with a bouquet as of late, is divide up the flowers in individual vases.  I makes me happy.

If you look closely, in the background, you’ll notice the dishes fairy hasn’t arrived yet.  She seems to be late or absent a lot.

Sometimes a girl just needs flowers from her dad.

(This is my darling daughter with my dad.)

Blog to you soon,

Hilary

Hope you enjoy this article by Utah Music and Arts, an online magazine!

Okay, let’s get you up to date…

We have decided to call the new CD “Say Love.”

Whatdaya think?

Coming up with the title of the last CD, Every Step, was a struggle.  I had almost all the songs written, we were about to record and we needed the title.  None of the songs I had written seemed to lend themselves to a good title track (that’s when a CD is named after a song) so we chose a lyric from one of the songs to be the title.  (“Every step” comes from the song “That’s Who I Am.”)

Bob Ahlander – head honcho in the Deseret Book Music Department and all-around-awesome-guy, requested that I turn in a title proposal by mid-January.  For the month of December I thought and thought and then thought some more.

One night, while driving to the airport to pick up my husband, the title seemed clear.

“Say Love”

Say Love is indeed a new song I’ve recently written.  I really kind of like it…and I think the message is super important.  What we say to others – and ourselves – must be kind and uplifting.  A couple days ago I read an amazing article by Elder Holland and he said,

 ”Words are sacred, and must be spoken with care, and by constraint of the Spirit.”

“For in many things we offend all.  But if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and also able to bridle the whole body.”

“Speak hopefully.  Speak encouragingly, including about yourself.”

You know I’m a believer!

Blog to you soon,

Hilary

My brother ran away once.  He was about five years old.  There had been a conflict between he and my mother.  She had probably asked him to pick up his fire truck, yo-yo and sneakers – and that drove him to the only reasonable solution…run away from home.

Sure enough, he left, though he didn’t go far.  My mom found him under the deck eating raisins.  (At least he was wise enough to bring sustenance.)

A few weeks ago, I was helping my daughter pack for a family vacation.  I asked her to get a bag we could use for packing.  She  said, “Oh, we can use my runaway bag.”

“Your what?”

“My runaway bag.  I packed it when I told you I was going to runaway.”

Oh, of course.  Naturally.  Who doesn’t have a runaway bag, I thought to myself, trying hard not to giggle.  I guess it is similar to a bag you keep on hand when you’re about to have a baby.  She clearly needed to be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.  (Her reasons for running would likely be similar to my brother’s.)

She retrieved the bag, then emptied the contents.  She had packed three items:

1. The book, “You are My I Love You.”  I gave it to her for Christmas one year.

2. Whoppy – her favorite stuffed animal.

3. And a clicker!

When I saw the clicker, I wanted laughed my head off – but I didn’t dare.  It would hurt her feelings – and that might be cause to run away…which would be terrible timing with having just unpacked the runaway bag and all.

But, oh, how I have giggled about it since.  A clicker!  Yes, every runaway bag needs the essentials…including a clicker.  During trying times, (under the deck eating raisins, for instance) one needs to think positively!