Something on my Mind

I have been thinking about this for quite some time.  (Names have been eliminated, except for my husband's.)

John's family is really nice.  We don't get together that often, but when we do, it's always fun. 

We don't get invited to family things on John's side very much.  It really bugs me.  Is it because of John?  Is it me?  Do they not like me that well? 

Recently, John's mom got remarried ... to a nice older gentleman.  It was great. John volunteered both of us to help serve some of the reception goodies.  I didn't mind helping.  John is always willing to help.   Well, after we made sure things were running smoothly, we went to grab some dinner.  While we were out, I remember thinking that I hope we don't miss the cake-cutting.

When we returned, I was sickened to see the wedding cake already cut, and an empty chair nearby (for those of you who know what that empty chair means.... haha!).  We missed out.  Sad.  We missed out, kind of because we went to get food later-on, BECAUSE we were helping set up the reception.

I brought this up with John's mom the other day.  His sister was there too, and said that she got video of the whole thing.  That wasn't really my point.  Nobody made sure we were there.  Nobody called us (except for John's brother .... who called after the cake was cut ... just wondering where we were).  Nobody made sure all of John's mom's children were present.

Somehow John ended up with the list of wedding photos to take, which the photographer wrote.  The photographer was John 's cousin. 

I looked at that list more closely today out of curiosity, because the photos were taken out of order of the list.  To my dismay, I saw all of John's siblings listed on the paper ... EXCEPT US!!  And do you know what is more sickening?  One of John's brothers got married just this past year, and his wife was listed next to his.  BUT WE WERE NOT THERE.  Not even John--without me.  WHAT THE HECK?  I even made sure I double- and triple-checked the list.  When I saw that, it didn't feel like a stab in the back.  It felt like a stab in the gut because we've been to multiple family gatherings since we got married over five years ago.

Why do we keep getting left out?  Is it because of John? Is it me? Do they not like me that well?  I just don't get it.  I really don't get it.  Sometimes I just feel like just shouting:


"We're here!!  We exist!  We have cell phones!  We have email!"  

There's really no reason to leave us out so much.  Granted, I don't call/email as much, because I feel like when I do call or email, I don't get a reply call/email.  But that's not my point.  My point is ... I don't know what my point is.  What is my point?  Probably just that we don't get included as much. 

I keep hearing of phone calls between John's siblings, and we hardly get any calls from them.  Sometimes when we get together, someone mentions an event and John and I are the ONLY ones who haven't heard about it.   

With the holidays approaching, I really feel like spending all the time with my family ... but I know that John would want to spend time with his family.  He's just thoughtful that way.  I love my hubby.   

The end.

(I wish it were the end of all of this.)

Giveaway at Freebies 2 Deals!

Here is another sweet giveaway!

If you're into couponing, you know it takes a lot of work to maintain a good organization system.  That's where a good binder comes into play!

Announcing the Coupon Binder Giveaway at Freebies2Deals.com!

Photo courtesy: Freebies2Deals

If you win, you'll get a 2-inch zippered binder complete with category pages, tabbed sheet protectors, and even a $10 grocery card!

And the best part is, there are four binders that will be given away ... so you have a better chance of winning!  Hurry and head on over and enter -- giveaway ends this Friday!

Memorial Day Giveaway Winner!

We went to the City Creek Center in Salt Lake City the Friday before Memorial Day.  It was our second trip up there -- but this time we were able to spend more time walking and enjoying the new shopping mall.

They have some awesome stores there!  We went into stores such as H&M and Yankee Candle Company.  They had reasonably-priced items, and I enjoyed browsing through their selections.   I also enjoyed going into the Godiva chocolate specialty store, where we purchased a little treat (I love Belgium chocolates!).

Then, we went into stores such as Nordstrom's and Banana Republic.  That's where the two giveaway items come into play!  The jacket was in Nordstrom's, and the tie was in Banana Republic.

The tie did not surprise me too much ... I knew that Banana Republic had a more expensive line of clothing:

Banana Republic tie with a $59.50 price tag

But check out the price of the Nordstrom's jacket:

Nordstrom's jacket with a $1,195 price tag

Are they kidding me?  I know the lining says it's mostly made of silk and its a ladies' semi-formal suit jacket, but ... seriously?  Even if I had thousands of dollars to spend, I still wouldn't pay that much for a jacket!  Would you?

The combined prices of both items (excluding tax) comes to $1,254.50.  So, the winner is:

Eve

Congratulations, Eve!  You now have 48 hours to email me at thestoryfamblog{at}gmail .com, or I'll need to choose another winner in your place. 

Memorial Day Giveaway!

How was your Memorial Day?

Mine was fun!  First, I went to workout at the gym with my husband John and sister Rebecca.  I am training to run a 5K in July ... but I feel like I'm nowhere near ready for it!  Then, John and I went to RC Willey for the lunch (hot dog and soft drink).

After that, we came back home to do some housework.  We had company coming over for a game night!  John's brother Dan & fiance Mercedes, their friends William and Chelsea, and our neighbors Josh and Heather came.  We played Uno and Disney Scene It.

***

 
As a celebration of Memorial Day, and as a thank-you for those who read my blog, I am hosting a giveaway!  One winner will receive a $5 Amazon e-gift card!

Giveaway Rules

This giveaway is a little different.  You will need to guess the retail price of two items (like The Price is Right).  The person who guesses closes to the actual price for both items, without going over, will win! 

How to Enter

Leave a comment on this blog post before 10 PM tomorrow stating your price guesses.  The winner will be chosen and announced after 10 PM.

The Items

Ladies' Suit Jacket

Men's Tie

Fine Print

The giveaway will run from 10 PM on Monday to 10 PM on Tuesday (MDT). Once the winner is announced, he/she will have 48 hours to email me to claim the prize, or I will need to draw another winner in their place.
 

New Summer Job!

Today, my mom called to tell me about a job fair at the Pinnacle Security building in Orem.  The company, Devcon Security, was hiring a lot of people for different positions.  My mom told me that she got hired, so I figured I would go and see if I could get a job as well!

Since I worked as an Account Creation Agent with another company before, that's the position I was interested in.  So, I talked with the manager over the Account Creation department, and participated in a short interview (along with two other guys).

After explaining an instance when I exceeded the job expectations, the manager said (to all three of us) "I'd like to offer you a job."

Yep, I got hired!  It's a summer job, and I will be taking inbound phone calls from representatives to set up accounts for new customers who want a security system in their home.  I'm not sure what the other tasks of the job are yet.  Training will be next week, and I will know more about the specifics then.


Side note: the person John talked to today called him back a few minutes ago, and offered him a position as an Account Creations Agent (not the Customer Service job he originally applied for).  So, John and I got the same job, at the same company!  And we will be working with my mom, too!!

I'm so excited!

Tag, I'm It!

I was tagged by my sister, Rebecca!  And no, we aren't playing a real tag game.  It's a digital blog posting game! 

Here are the rules:


1. Post these rules.
2. Post a photo of yourself and 10 random things.
3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post.
4. Create 10 new questions and tag people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog / twitter / wherever and tell them you’ve tagged them!



How's this for a "random" photo?

 Ten Random Things
1. Our computer chair is green (but not the same green as the wall in the above photo).
2. I collect giraffe items.  I have over 50 or 60!
3. My current favorite snack is Kellogg's fruit snacks.
4. Speaking of fruit snacks, I just went to grab a package. Yum!
5. I love wearing black. It matches everything!
6. We have four pen/pencil containers, but only use about a sixth of the writing utensils.
7. I love getting my hair combed/brushed after a shower. When I was younger, my mom would sometimes brush my hair.  Now I ask my husband to do it ... and he does!
8. I am "kitty hungry".  I grew up with pet cats, and I love them!  We live in a duplex that doesn't allow pets, and none of my family has a pet cat, and I miss that.
9. Speaking of "hungry" ... I am also "baby hungry," but am having trouble getting pregnant.  Someday ....
10. My siblings all have birthdays on the 13th day of the month. Mine is on the 11th.


Questions from Rebecca

1. If you could be any fictional character from any show, movie, or book, who would you be?
     Uh ... I've never thought of that, and cannot choose one!  I would probably want to be someone with super powers.

2. What is your favorite food?
     My favorite food is cheese. By itself or with other food, it tastes good!
3. What are some of your favorite hobbies?
     I don't do these nearly enough, but my favorites are crochet, cook, bake, coupon, scrapbook, and sew.
4. How many siblings do you have?
     I have three siblings ... two sisters and a brother.
5. If you could travel anywhere, what would be your #1 choice?
     Probably Disneyworld.
6. What is your favorite day of the week, and why?
     My favorite day of the week is Saturday!
7. What do you spend most of your time on the computer doing? I spend some time checking email, Facebook, deal websites, and reading blogs.
8. What is your favorite recipe? (and please share!) One of my favorites is apple turnovers! {recipe}
9. Who is your hero? I have multiple heroes.  My parents for being good examples and helping me, my sisters for listening and caring, my brother for seeing humor in the worst situations, and my husband for always being patient with me!
10. If you could be on any reality/competition show, what would it be? Hmm ... something I'm good at ... I'm good at being me, is there a reality show for that?


10 Questions for the People I Tag

1. What was your favorite subject in high school?
2. If you got to have a "day off" from life, what would you do?
3. Do you have a summer garden, and if so, what's your favorite plant to grow?
4. How many different states have you lived in?
5. If you had to choose between being a doctor, lawyer, judge, or therapist, which one would you be, and why?
6. What are your favorite and least favorite restaurants?
7. Do you like using pens or pencils more?
8. Have you ever been pulled over by a policeman?
9. If you could have an all-expenses-paid vacation, where would you go, and why?
10. Which do you prefer ... dogs or cats?


And the people I tag are: Erica, Emily, Holly, Kristi, Kendra, Holly, Jill, Tamilisa, Emily, and Cegan.

Tag!  Now you're 'it'!

Adios and Goodbye

Back in 2003 or 2004, I bought a set of four glasses, each with a square pattern.  They were (and still are) my favorite.  Well, four eventually turned into one.  The first one broke when it got stuck to another one (probably shouldn't have stacked them!).  The second one broke while moving from one apartment to another.

And, here is the third one.  Once round and smooth -- now shattered into unusable pieces.  While I was washing the inside, it slipped from my grasp and fell into the empty sink.  For a second, I thought it was fine.  Then I looked down and found the outcome of clumsiness:



Adios





On a second note, I learned that Whitney Houston died today. I didn't know her or most of her songs very well, but I remember watching this video multiple times when I was younger. It was recorded on a VHS tape before The Karen Carpenter Story. 

Enjoy this music video, and have a less-clumsy day than me!

Mega Swag Bucks

I love Swag Bucks!  It's my favorite site!  And guess what ... it's Mega Swag Bucks Day!

MSBD means you have a higher chance to earn Swag Bucks (digital dollars).  And when you earn enough Swag Bucks, you can trade them in for some pretty sweet prizes, including gift cards!  You can use these for Christmas gifts!

There are a lot of ways to earn Swag Bucks .... from searching the internet to entering Swag Codes!  If searching for the codes makes you antsy, here is a simple way to find them: just click on Swag Codes on the widget below, and check to see if a code is available!






To sign up, simply fill out the short form, and start earning!

Happy New Year & a Giveaway!

Happy New Year!  I hope 2012 looks brighter for us than 2011.

Here is one happy note .... a giveaway from Rafflecopter!  Hurry and enter, because you could win an iPad or even a Kindle Fire!  Wahoo!

And, please be sure to put my name as the one who referred you.  Thanks!

All I Want For Christmas ...

Can you guess what I'd like for Christmas?  I'll give you a hint ...

Yep, you guessed it.  A job!  The search still continues ... I hope it doesn't last much longer.  An income would be nice!

Happy, Happy Holidays!!

Did you know there is only ONE week until Christmas Eve?  Crazy!  Time flies by very fast.

I love the holidays!  Visiting family, great shopping deals, and fun giveaways.  And guess what ... I won my cousin's giveaway!  Here is what she said on her blog:

Speaking of deals, we went to Old Navy today and I got their jingle jammies for $5 each ... normally about $17!  That is like Deseret Industries price!

The holidays are happy!

Merry Christmas!

Reuse to Recycle!

If you're like us, you have a million plastic shopping bags in your home.  Sure, we re-use them as garbage bags, but we still have more than we can count! 

Here are just a few tips to keep in mind for re-using the shopping bags.  Because, remember, re-using is better than just throwing away!

• Store several bags in the glove box of your car to use as on-the-go garbage bags.
• Do away with packing peanuts. Use plastic bags as cushioning material when mailing packages. (Trust me, it works!)
• Create something new. Search the Internet for "plastic bag crafts" to discover instructions for a wide range of fun, surprising projects.
• Keep extra bags in your suitcase to separate clean duds from dirty or to keep your running shoes away from your work clothes. Plastic bags are handy for hauling wet swimsuits back home, too.
• Entertain your kids (or yourself!). Take a small doll or action figure and tie the handles of a plastic bag onto its arms. Drop the doll from a height. Instant parachute.
• Plastic bags are just the right size for bathroom or bedroom wastebaskets. Hint: Place several in the bottom of the basket first for quick changes.
• Wrap frozen foods in plastic bags on your commute. The bag prevents condensation from leaking onto other foods in your lunchbox.
• Reuse the plastic bags you have on hand as grocery bags!  They were created to carry groceries, so put them back to work during your next trip to the store.

For more great ideas, visit Michelina's webpage.

Giving Thanks

I hope everyone had a save and wonderful Thanksgiving ... complete with family and a nice Turkey dinner!

John and I spent the day at his sister's house with all of his siblings, mom, and grandparents! John made two dishes of green bean casserole (one with bacon, one without). We arrived around 1:30 pm, and helped set the table and prepare the rest of the dinner, which was delicious!!

After dinner, we watched the rest of the Turkey Bowl game.  When that was almost over, we went back in the kitchen for some pie, muddy buddies, and sweet chex mix. I ate a piece of chocolate pie.  Yum! After dessert, we watched The Christmas Card. That was a good movie! I recommend watching it.

Later that evening, we went over to visit John's dad and family.  We brought the game Imaginiff over, and had a good time playing it while I looked through ads for Black Friday deals.

I am thankful for family!

Re-Post: Christmas fun!

I am getting anxious for the holidays -- Thanksgiving and Christmas!  We have a tradition of waiting to put up Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving ... but it's so hard when the radio station is already playing Christmas music!

Enjoy this post of some of our festivities!!

---

Originally posted 12/31/07

We went to John's mom's house for Christmas Eve. They draw names for Christmas during Thanksgiving. We had a white dinner and then opened presents. We drew Joe (a set of black dishes) and John's grandma (a turtle massager and cups). Dan got me a stuffed kitty from Build a Bear Workshop and Katie & Luke got John a really nice winter coat.

John and I had a spectacular Christmas this year!

First, we woke up and went to breakfast at my parent's house. We had: pancakes, homemade hashbrowns, eggs, sausage, bagels (I don't think anyone ate one though), and juice.

Next, we went back to our apartment to open presents. I made sure we listened to the Carpenters Christmas, since I want to keep that tradition going. I got John: Brigadoon, a pocket watch, and later a wallet. John got me: a scrapbooking set (complete with TWO albums), a nice leather(?) purse, a toy boat with toy people for the bath (because I liked to float my puff scrubber while saying "toot-toot"), a nice diamond necklace, a stuffed giraffe, perfume, and earlier toy fishes to play with in the bath.

Then, we took our time getting ready for the actual day. We made sure to bring everyone's presents and our dinner portion, and then went to my parent's house. We ate dinner first. Then we opened presents. I got a lot of giraffe stuff because my family knows I like giraffes. John got a camping/traveling pillow. John and I got a nice framed picture of the Jordan River temple.

Tonight we're going to the Provo Town Centre First Night activities to celebrate New Years Eve! :D