Well, Brian survived his first "Black Thursday/Friday experience. We went to Walmart in Payson. It was CRAZY! I've never seen anything like it and I've been going to these for years now. One chick's hand was bleeding from fighting someone over something. Not a fan of bumper carts! Had to ditch the cart to try to get through and I still couldn't get through. I thought I was going to have to punch a couple looney cart chicks when I still had the cart. My sister, KayTee would have totally mopped the floor with them! We were so excited though because we were able to get one of the $99 4-wheelers for Max. He will be over the moon excited! We were also able to get Matthew a pogo stick for $12 and 3 Barbies that were $5 each for Gracie and we were also able to find a Harry Potter Lego Wii game for $15 that my mom wanted us to pick up for her. There were lots of other things we wanted to get but they will have to wait until after Brian's payday. :) The lines seemed to be moving pretty well to check out so that was nice! I would much rather stay up later than get up at 4 a.m.! Unfortunately, so would everyone else! We were able to save about $150.00 and as cheap as we are and as much as we love a good bargain, it was totally worth it!. Fun times! Fun times!
We had such a nice Thanksgiving! The food was delicious, the company was wonderful, making gingerbread houses was so much fun, and the Black Thursday/Friday sale was very productive. We missed Rob, Jenise, Dana, Richard, Nathan, Heidi and everyone's adorable little children and grandchildren!!! I love Thanksgiving! It is such a wonderful time to reflect on all of the wonderful blessings we have! I hope everyone I know had a wonderful day as well! Later today my mom and sisters and I will go to the craft sale in Spanish Fork. Oh, I just love this time of year!!!
Friday, November 25, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Today I am thankful for Brian, Zackary, Matthew, Max, and Gracie, my family and wonderful friends, my doctor, medicine that makes my trigeminal neuralgia mostly under control, my church, the gospel of Jesus Christ, our prophet, President Monson, Joseph Smith, missionaries, the young women in our ward, answers to prayers, my little no stress job that helps us make ends meet better and that doesn't interfere with my little family (most of the time. It wouldn't ever but since Brian's home I've been leaving when he can watch the kids and poor Gracie has had it with that, so I'll have to start going at night again, which is totally fine), a house to live in, food to eat, cars to drive, clothes to wear, freedom, living in a free country is a beautiful thing, our military and their families who sacrifice so much and do so much for us so we can all be safe. Our old bishop is losing his fight with cancer. He is a very wonderful man and we all just love him and his wife so much! We are heart broken for them and their family. They have wonderful attitudes! They are wonderful examples to us of faith and strength!
I am so thankful for Thanksgiving so we can all take time to think of all of the blessings we have. Sure, life isn't perfect and we have our share of problems and challenges and stresses and worries but we are so blessed in so many ways! What a wonderful, positive holiday this is! I just love it that most of the people in our country are united in gratitude on this day special day. It's just neat!
I am so thankful for Thanksgiving so we can all take time to think of all of the blessings we have. Sure, life isn't perfect and we have our share of problems and challenges and stresses and worries but we are so blessed in so many ways! What a wonderful, positive holiday this is! I just love it that most of the people in our country are united in gratitude on this day special day. It's just neat!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Time Out For Women
So Friday my mom, 2 of my sisters, Stephanie and Katie, and I drove to St. George for Time Out For Women. None of us had ever been to it before but we were all anxious for the experience. We weren't quite sure what to expect but we were sure it would be fun. It was wonderful! The presenters for Friday night were Jason Wright, Jenny Oaks Baker, and Heidi Swinton. Jason Wright wrote Christmas Jars. Jenny Oaks Baker is a professional violinist. She is absolutely incredible! So talented! I never knew a violin could sound like that. I never knew you could do things like that with a violin. Incredible! I hope she does a concert some day so I can hear her again. Heidi Swinton wrote President Monson's Biography. She told us some very neat stories. What a neat lady. How exciting to have the
Prophet call and request that she write his biography!
Saturday Hilary Weeks was the musical presenter. Mariama Kallon was the first presenter. She was raised in Sierra Leone. She saw her parents murdered by rebels. She and all the other women and girls in her town were raped. Then they lined them all up and made them choose whether they wanted to have their arms cut off with machetes or their legs cut off. Her sister was in the front of the line and had he arms cut off and bled to death. Mariama was 10th in line. She prayed to Heavenly Father and said I know that you can help us...PLEASE help us!!! Right then the military guys rolled into town and the rebels left. They got there just after the 8th woman had been tortured. So Mariama was spared. She was given a humanitarian kit from our church. At some point she was taught the gospel and was baptized and was called to the Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission. She has THE.MOST.AMAZING.FAITH! I can't get over her strength and forgiving heart. A truly, TRULY amazing woman!!
Then Hilary Weeks sang. She is so hilarious! She was crackin' us all up! She would talk for a while and then sing a song or two. Love her! She's awesome!!!
After a break Deanne Flynn spoke. She wrote The Time-Starved Family: Helping Overloaded Families, Focus on What Matters Most and The Mother's Mite: Why Even Our Smallest Efforts Matter. She has such a positive attitude. She's funny, down to earth, and inspiring!
Then Brad Wilcox spoke. He has written some books also. I'll Never Do It Again and The Continuous Atonement. He recently served as Mission President of the Santiago East Mission and he currently serves as a member of the Sunday School general board. He was a great speaker also.
After lunch break Hilary Weeks spoke and sang (is that the right word? Is it a word? I'm tired!)another song or two.
Then Wendy Ulrich spoke. She is a therapist. She wrote some book also. Forgiving Ourselves. Weakness Is Not Sin. The Why of Work: How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations That Win. She gave such an uplifting talk. She was funny and really had some great advice for us.
Then after a final break Hilary Weeks sung Is that any better? Still not so sure) another song.
Emily Freeman was that last presenter. She Wrote a couple of books, too. Love Life and See Good Days. 21 Days Closer to Christ. She did a fantastic job! I was taking some notes from all the other talks but when she spoke I was so mesmerized by her talk that I didn't remember to take notes. She is one talented and inspiring speaker!!! We stayed the night there again and then drove home Sunday. We had a great time and it was so much fun to talk and laugh and cry and eat yummy food. We are already talking about what our plan for next year is going to be.
Me, Mom, Stephanie Katie.
Prophet call and request that she write his biography!
Saturday Hilary Weeks was the musical presenter. Mariama Kallon was the first presenter. She was raised in Sierra Leone. She saw her parents murdered by rebels. She and all the other women and girls in her town were raped. Then they lined them all up and made them choose whether they wanted to have their arms cut off with machetes or their legs cut off. Her sister was in the front of the line and had he arms cut off and bled to death. Mariama was 10th in line. She prayed to Heavenly Father and said I know that you can help us...PLEASE help us!!! Right then the military guys rolled into town and the rebels left. They got there just after the 8th woman had been tortured. So Mariama was spared. She was given a humanitarian kit from our church. At some point she was taught the gospel and was baptized and was called to the Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission. She has THE.MOST.AMAZING.FAITH! I can't get over her strength and forgiving heart. A truly, TRULY amazing woman!!
Then Hilary Weeks sang. She is so hilarious! She was crackin' us all up! She would talk for a while and then sing a song or two. Love her! She's awesome!!!
After a break Deanne Flynn spoke. She wrote The Time-Starved Family: Helping Overloaded Families, Focus on What Matters Most and The Mother's Mite: Why Even Our Smallest Efforts Matter. She has such a positive attitude. She's funny, down to earth, and inspiring!
Then Brad Wilcox spoke. He has written some books also. I'll Never Do It Again and The Continuous Atonement. He recently served as Mission President of the Santiago East Mission and he currently serves as a member of the Sunday School general board. He was a great speaker also.
After lunch break Hilary Weeks spoke and sang (is that the right word? Is it a word? I'm tired!)another song or two.
Then Wendy Ulrich spoke. She is a therapist. She wrote some book also. Forgiving Ourselves. Weakness Is Not Sin. The Why of Work: How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations That Win. She gave such an uplifting talk. She was funny and really had some great advice for us.
Then after a final break Hilary Weeks sung Is that any better? Still not so sure) another song.
Emily Freeman was that last presenter. She Wrote a couple of books, too. Love Life and See Good Days. 21 Days Closer to Christ. She did a fantastic job! I was taking some notes from all the other talks but when she spoke I was so mesmerized by her talk that I didn't remember to take notes. She is one talented and inspiring speaker!!! We stayed the night there again and then drove home Sunday. We had a great time and it was so much fun to talk and laugh and cry and eat yummy food. We are already talking about what our plan for next year is going to be.
Me, Mom, Stephanie Katie.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Randomness and some venting :)
~So for some reason this morning I remembered something that has made me laugh ever since I remembered it. My older sister Dana is about 2 1/2 years older than I am. Stan used to drive us to school on his way to the college he taught at there in Dodge City, Kansas. He would drop Dana off at the high school and then take me to the junior high. On one particular morning Dana was just having a bad day. Nothing was going right as she was getting ready for school. So she was in a very bad mood!!! (we've all been there. especially when we were teenagers in high school LOL) The last straw for her was that her jeans were still pretty wet in the dryer. Oooo that just burned her up!! When we got to the high school she got out of the car and stomped off to school. It happened to be really cold that day. So there she was, all fired up, walking to the school, with steam rolling off of her pants. Stan and I laughed so hard! It was hilarious! I keep picturing it and it just makes me giggle. I can't help myself!
~The college has been firing people left and right. They repeatedly promised when they merged with our college that NO ONE would lose their jobs. Bunch of liars! When they fired Brian they were going to keep him there until January but changed their minds and told him to go October 31st. And they offered him severance of pay and benefits. I "get" why they would want to save money by giving the responsibilities from this college to the people that already have those responsibilities at their college. I mean, it's logical. I can wrap my mind around it and understand and realize it's just good business. What I just don't "get", what just infuriates me is that they fired 18 people last Friday. Basically they aren't getting rid of the positions. They even added 2 positions to what they need filled. So 20 positions need to be filled. But they told them that most of the positions will have lower pay. Some even have $15,000 less pay. They all have to reapply and re- interview for the positions they had before. Some of the positions can only be filled by people with Master's Degrees. The part that makes me the maddest is that they did this to Kathy. EVERYONE loves Kathy! She is the creator of the program she runs. She has been the director of it from the moment of it's creation. She does amazing things. She is a wonderful person and has overcome a lot of trials in her life with a smile on her face and a positive attitude. She is an example and an inspiration to everyone who knows her!!! They fired her and demoted her to supervisor instead of director. They are just dirty! You know, just down right dirty! How could anyone do that to KATHY!!! Oh I'm just so MAD!!! I don't know what her decision is going to be with it all but I know she is a strong, wonderful person and she will survive this and continue being a wonderful person but it just breaks my heart to think of people being so rotten to her!!!
~I love music! I have chosen some songs to play on my blog and I just love to turn it on random play and play it while I clean and do dishes. A few weeks ago I was listening to my blog music and I realized that one of the songs had the "f" word in it. I about died! Sorry if you happened to hear that! I didn't mean it! Really!
~I am such a bawl baby! I have been stocking those recordable story books that Hallmark makes. I think they are very cute and a wonderful idea. The other day I saw the Hallmark commercial for these books. It had a man in the military sitting on his bed and he opens up the book and hears his voice of his sweet little child reading the book. Of course I thought of my brother in law who just got home from his 3rd or 4th tour of duty in Iraq. I pictured his cute little granddaughter sending one to him and him opening it and hearing her cute little voice. Yeah, I cried! I got all teary just describing it just now. Hallmark commercials always make me cry...
~I know everyone thinks it's terrible that the stores put Christmas stuff out so early but it is really getting me excited for Christmas this year. I love walking into Walmart
~I am starting to like our house more and more all the time. It's amazing to me what a difference having beds for my kids, a couch that doesn't show dirt, a table and chairs that aren't broken, shelves for organizing stuff, shelves for displaying my cute stuff and for organizing movies and books, makes in my life. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I am surprisingly happy even though Brian is out of work. I love my kids so much! They are such a precious gift! I am grateful for my husband! I love him and I am actually glad he's home more now! I am so grateful for the gospel in my life. For forgiveness and repentance. For families being able to be together forever. For spiritual music. For the opportunity I have to go tomorrow with 2 of my sisters and my mom to Time Out For Women in St. George. I haven't ever been so I'm anxious to so what it's like. I am thankful to have a roof over our heads. I am thankful to have a fun little job to supplement our income. I am just so happy to be alive and to feel no pain and to know all of the wonderful people I know. For my friends! For a wonderful ward! I my calling in young women. These girls are just amazing!!! So grateful for a living prophet, President Monson. For missionary work. Brian and I have benefited so much from the wonderful missionaries who taught our parents the gospel. Life certainly isn't perfect. Far from it actually. But I am happy that I still feel happy! Prayer, a loving Heavenly Father, a selfless, Savior Jesus Christ, the comfort and companionship of the Holy Ghost are the greatest blessings in this life!
~
~The college has been firing people left and right. They repeatedly promised when they merged with our college that NO ONE would lose their jobs. Bunch of liars! When they fired Brian they were going to keep him there until January but changed their minds and told him to go October 31st. And they offered him severance of pay and benefits. I "get" why they would want to save money by giving the responsibilities from this college to the people that already have those responsibilities at their college. I mean, it's logical. I can wrap my mind around it and understand and realize it's just good business. What I just don't "get", what just infuriates me is that they fired 18 people last Friday. Basically they aren't getting rid of the positions. They even added 2 positions to what they need filled. So 20 positions need to be filled. But they told them that most of the positions will have lower pay. Some even have $15,000 less pay. They all have to reapply and re- interview for the positions they had before. Some of the positions can only be filled by people with Master's Degrees. The part that makes me the maddest is that they did this to Kathy. EVERYONE loves Kathy! She is the creator of the program she runs. She has been the director of it from the moment of it's creation. She does amazing things. She is a wonderful person and has overcome a lot of trials in her life with a smile on her face and a positive attitude. She is an example and an inspiration to everyone who knows her!!! They fired her and demoted her to supervisor instead of director. They are just dirty! You know, just down right dirty! How could anyone do that to KATHY!!! Oh I'm just so MAD!!! I don't know what her decision is going to be with it all but I know she is a strong, wonderful person and she will survive this and continue being a wonderful person but it just breaks my heart to think of people being so rotten to her!!!
~I love music! I have chosen some songs to play on my blog and I just love to turn it on random play and play it while I clean and do dishes. A few weeks ago I was listening to my blog music and I realized that one of the songs had the "f" word in it. I about died! Sorry if you happened to hear that! I didn't mean it! Really!
~I am such a bawl baby! I have been stocking those recordable story books that Hallmark makes. I think they are very cute and a wonderful idea. The other day I saw the Hallmark commercial for these books. It had a man in the military sitting on his bed and he opens up the book and hears his voice of his sweet little child reading the book. Of course I thought of my brother in law who just got home from his 3rd or 4th tour of duty in Iraq. I pictured his cute little granddaughter sending one to him and him opening it and hearing her cute little voice. Yeah, I cried! I got all teary just describing it just now. Hallmark commercials always make me cry...
~I know everyone thinks it's terrible that the stores put Christmas stuff out so early but it is really getting me excited for Christmas this year. I love walking into Walmart
~I am starting to like our house more and more all the time. It's amazing to me what a difference having beds for my kids, a couch that doesn't show dirt, a table and chairs that aren't broken, shelves for organizing stuff, shelves for displaying my cute stuff and for organizing movies and books, makes in my life. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I am surprisingly happy even though Brian is out of work. I love my kids so much! They are such a precious gift! I am grateful for my husband! I love him and I am actually glad he's home more now! I am so grateful for the gospel in my life. For forgiveness and repentance. For families being able to be together forever. For spiritual music. For the opportunity I have to go tomorrow with 2 of my sisters and my mom to Time Out For Women in St. George. I haven't ever been so I'm anxious to so what it's like. I am thankful to have a roof over our heads. I am thankful to have a fun little job to supplement our income. I am just so happy to be alive and to feel no pain and to know all of the wonderful people I know. For my friends! For a wonderful ward! I my calling in young women. These girls are just amazing!!! So grateful for a living prophet, President Monson. For missionary work. Brian and I have benefited so much from the wonderful missionaries who taught our parents the gospel. Life certainly isn't perfect. Far from it actually. But I am happy that I still feel happy! Prayer, a loving Heavenly Father, a selfless, Savior Jesus Christ, the comfort and companionship of the Holy Ghost are the greatest blessings in this life!
~
Monday, November 7, 2011
Job security everywhere I turn...
Well, today I spent nearly 5 hours at Walmart straightening cards, wrapping paper, gift bags, party supplies. I also put the 4 boxes of shipment away for Hallmark.When I left it looked GOOD! I had to go back to buy something tonight and the whole thing looked like a bomb went off. I know it's no different than cleaning at home and having the kids go behind me messing everything I accomplished. Still, annoying!!! It's been nice to have Brian home. He watches our little Gracie while I'm at work. Last week I was gone a lot. I just wouldn't have been able to work last week if he hadn't been here to take care of my sweet little girl! She is so much fun! I just love her so much!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Here we go again...
Brian's last day at his job was Halloween. He's been applying places and had an interview, but hasn't found another job yet. When he lost his job before Gracie was born, he didn't have any warning or money and it freaked us out so much. We were truly blessed during that time and we were able to still have the things we needed. I just don't know if I have the strength and patience level and faith to endure this again. I know I don't have a choice because it is what it is and there isn't anything we can do to change it but it's just hard and life is just hard, isn't it. And yes, I know it could be worse. Much, much worse. But it's still hard...for me anyway. Maybe it wouldn't be for other people, I don't know. Anyhoo. I haven't posted for a long time so I just thought I'd just share what's been going on with us. I'm working a lot at Walmart/Hallmark. We've been tearing down the Halloween stuff and putting up Christmas stuff. It's been a lot of fun. We needed the money. And Brian's been home so he can watch Gracie. It's been nice to not have so much time to think about everything. Next week we'll be back to fewer hours but for now I'll just enjoy it while it lasts.
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