the Story family

Mega Swag Bucks

2012-01-27T21:30:00.001-07:00

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!

2012-01-10T19:40:00.001-07:00

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!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

All I Want For Christmas ...

2011-12-21T19:41:00.000-07:00

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!!

2011-12-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

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!

2011-11-30T20:50:00.000-07:00

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

2011-11-25T22:28:00.000-07:00

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!

2011-11-11T18:20:00.000-07:00

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

Re-Post: Fun times with John on St. Patrick's Day! ü

2011-11-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

Life has been rather boring lately. Either that, or I've lost my umph to post blog updates. Either way ... please enjoy reading these re-posts while I try to make life exciting and figure out how to put it in writing!

Originally posted 3/19/07

John and I went to the plasma donation center to donate on St. Patrick's Day. He went at 10:30am and then waited there for me to come in at 1:00pm. It took forever the first time with all the paperwork and everything!! And then finally after all that it felt a little weird to be stuck with a needle. It wasn't too bad though because I focused on the movie they were showing instead. But I'm glad that I got $30! When I went back out to John, I drank some CapriSun and asked which of John's arms he had them used ... and he said that he wasn't able to donate. Hmph! All that and he didn't even go through with it! Oh well. The next few times will be faster, so it won't be too bad. I'm just glad John was there in the building when I did it for the first time, because in the back room that's what kept me calm was thinking about him.

I brought John to work with me after that so I could put in a few more hours. I got so dizzy at work.. it wasn't too fun. Then we went to his home ward's stake center to go on an activity to Soldier Hollow. We went tubing down what looked like ski jumps! It was so awesome! We went once separately down the longer runs and then the rest of the time we went on the shorter ones. I loved the pulley system they used to pull the tubes up the hill. :) My arm hurt the entire time, but I tried ignoring it. One time when we walked up to the top of the sled runs, John came up behind me and put his arm around my waist and told me he loved me. :) He's so nice!! After tubing, we were so freezing we went inside and bought some real food, and then got some doughnuts and hot chocolate from the nice stake people.

I love being with John on holidays!!

Memories

2011-10-20T15:22:00.001-06:00

Ah, memories ... time flies fast!

Do you ever think back on the past, and remember something you thought was just pointless --- and you wonder "Why do I remember that?"

I do! I think back often to those happier times ... times when I was a kid and didn't have adult responsibilities and stress!

Here is my "Pointless Memories" list:

After church on Sundays, we would make Ramen Noodles for lunch. But we wouldn't eat it plain ... we would add a can of chili to the pot! It's good -- go ahead, try it!
When I got upset, I liked to go outside. I would either spend time with our cats, or just sit on the lawn. Our Missouri lawn consisted of grass, weeds, and three-leaf clovers. One time, I decided to see if I could find a four-leaf clover ... and I did! I still have that clover!
Every summer we would go on family vacations in the family van with a white trailer (later years were in a mini motorhome). A lot of those vacations involved camping in tents. I remember building 'stick houses' out of tree branches when we were camping.
One time, while visiting my grandma in Joplin, everyone got out of the car and the doors locked. And my dad left the keys inside! We had to unlock the car with a coat hanger.
In the 7th or 8th grade, during math class, I was getting picked on by one of the class bullies. He put a dead fly on my head. I hope karma ran its course.
I remember one of the first times I was allowed to drive without a parent. My sister Rebecca and I went to the Neosho Walmart. Upon returning, I could not find my driver's license. So, I had to go back (I'm not sure who went with me that time), and sure enough, it was on the ground ... right next to where I parked.
When I went to college for a year, I'd often-times eat lunch in the car, so I could listen to music at the same time. One of those days, after classes, I went to start the car, but it wouldn't start. The battery died. I had to call home, and my parents (one or both of them) came to jump-start the car.
Addition
When we were younger, the kids took showers/baths on Saturday night. Then, we all watched The Lawrence Welk Show, while sometimes eating ice cream. ;)

What are your "pointless memories"?

Would You Like a Lifetime Supply?

2011-10-11T19:20:00.001-06:00

Here's another giveaway from Our Best Bites! You could win 100,000 Box Tops to donate to whichever school you wish, or you could win ...

a ~~year's~~ lifetime supply of Avery see-through sticky notes!

These would be a great tool to use for organizing! I am really hoping I win, but if I don't, I can't wait to purchase these and give them a try!

Hurry and enter, and make sure to drop back here and let me know if you win! Good luck!

Update

2011-10-10T20:31:00.000-06:00

Well, the job hunt continues for both John and myself. John is going to a job fair at Costco tomorrow morning. I am really hoping he will be able to get a position at Costco ... even if it's seasonal. We need the income!

Wish us luck!

Photo from Career Search Today.
The photo reminds me of the PS2 game that John and I played last night with Ryan and Rebecca. :-)

Gift Card Giveaway!

2011-10-01T15:04:00.000-06:00

If any of you haven't heard by now, my sister and I have a recipe blog. I love looking up new recipes to try ... especially low-fat versions (since I had my gallbladder removed last summer). Visit our blog for great recipe ideas!

A few years ago, I found another great recipe blog site -- Our Best Bites. They have recipes, tips, and sometimes giveaways! Right now you can enter to win a $100 gift card to one of the stores pictured below. Hurry, you only have until Friday!

My Goal

2011-09-20T23:01:00.000-06:00

I am joining my sister, Rebecca, in her weight loss goal.

The final outcome will be to lose 20 pounds by Christmas ... and to get in shape to run a 5K next summer!

I just know it will feel great to be 20 pounds lighter! I've been trying to eat healthier, too. Making meals from scratch takes more time, but I want to steer clear of processed foods more often.

For recipe ideas, visit Recipes From Sisters.

What To Blog About?

2011-09-14T22:14:00.000-06:00

I am a little blog-stumped right now. What do you blog about when your life is boring? :)

Any ideas?

Another Giveaway!

2011-09-13T14:26:00.000-06:00

Here is another giveaway you can enter. Hurry! You only have until tomorrow!

Enter for a chance to win awesome homemade greeting cards, just like the one above!

Great Giveaway

2011-08-26T19:57:00.000-06:00

Secret Haven is hosting a giveaway! For those of you who do not know, Secret Haven is a boutique located in Fruit Heights, Utah. They have been inside the Historic Rock Loft for 20 years! They provide home decor, furniture, and gifts!

You can find their giveaway on Facebook, so if you are on Facebook, hurry and enter to win in this giveaway!! You can also gain extra entries by helping to spread the word!

Just read and follow the easy instructions. That's it!

The giveaway ends this Sunday.

Extra! Extra!

2011-08-15T21:11:00.000-06:00

Read all about my this blog's fame!

2 Moms Talk has featured my creative talents of header redesign! Check out why they love my rendition of their "Let's Learn" blog banner, and make sure to leave a comment mentioning my header as your favorite!

Thanks 2 Moms Talk!

Happy Birthday to me!

2011-07-30T21:22:00.000-06:00

My birthday was 7-11! I love that it falls exactly one week after the 4th of July holiday!

I am a year ~~older~~ wiser. I don't, however, feel much different than I did "last year".

The day before my birthday, we had my family over at our place for our monthly get-together. I called it "Salad Sunday / Birthday Party," and everyone brought a different type of salad to enjoy. More on this party in another post ....

John's mom held a birthday party for me on July 17, complete with a chocolate ice cream cake! There was a little giraffe topper on it that I kept too! John's mom gave me a pink stone bracelet with a bow charm. His sisters gave me a Faith in Every Footstep keychain.

The next Sunday, John's dad and Lori held a party for both John and me. John got a nice, long, pair of shorts and a box of Mike Ike candy. I got a black/gray shirt and a package of 100 Grand mini candy bars. John's sister Rebekah gave me a small votive candle in a flower-shaped candle holder. She gave John a CTR paper she colored herself, and on it she wrote "I love you". :-)

It's been an awesome month of July!

Happy Birthday John!

2011-06-27T13:23:00.029-06:00

It's my hubby's birthday today, so "Happy Birthday!"

Today is also John's grandma's birthday. I bet she was very happy the day John was born -- on her birthday -- and every year since then!

My husband is the love of my life; I just can't imagine my life without him in it. We had a rough start after tying the knot ... but he stuck with me through anything and everything! I admire his patience and hard work.

I created a fake magazine cover a long time ago. It's the "February edition". This is just like John: always giving me kisses and hugs. For those of you who don't know, I love getting hugs. Growing up, I would always give my mom hugs (giving hugs also means getting them!). My mom would sometimes kiss my nose, too. After telling that to John, he likes to do the same! :)

I love my Johnny Bear!

Rhymes with Glad

2011-06-24T18:50:00.000-06:00

I remember an assignment in high school english class, when each student wrote poems, which were bound together, and graded by each classmate as well as the teacher. Rhyming was never my strongest suit, but I think I did fairly well. Ever since then, I have written a few poems ... none of which have been published. I just like feeling the accomplishment when I finish one.

What rhymes with glad? Like this cat, I have been feeling sad lately. Most of my readers know that I haven't been able to bring home any income for a while. Hundreds of applications go out, few interviews come in. Can anyone say 'rejection'? I think I have greater empathy for cats that live shelters for months and don't get adopted.

What, you ask, am I looking for? Data entry. That is what I am best at, as well as multi-tasking, and I feel most qualified in that department. What am I applying for? Everything. Jobs are scarce these days, and I have found that if I am too picky, I might as well stop looking. Now if only I could stop looking because I get hired ...

Meow?

How to get Free Sandwiches

2011-06-17T18:29:00.000-06:00

Last night, I went to Subway to try one of their avocado sandwiches. When I arrived, they told me they were out of avocado. I left without ordering anything. While I walked toward the door, I overheard an employee tell the next customer they were out of meatballs too.

Lately, a lot of different companies have been out of stock of what I want to buy when I visit. So, I went to Subway's website and submitted a comment about the situation. I made sure to mention that I wanted to try an avocado sub sandwich, and was disappointed when the store did not have avocado.

Today, a corporate employee called me to apologize for being out of stock, and said that he would work with the store's manager to order the right amount of all products. Then he asked if he could send two coupons/vouchers for free sub sandwiches in the mail.

Yay!

Summer Concerns

2011-05-28T21:49:00.000-06:00

Now that spring is on its way, summer is just around the corner!

I love warm weather. I love the outdoors. Right now we have tomato plants and green bean plants growing in pots on our porch outside. Three of the tomato plants are growing well (out of seven we have), and we have about four bean plants sprouting so far (out of about eight or nine that we planted). I am excited to eat home-grown tomatoes and green beans!

Danny and Marissa were really kind to get us everything we needed (besides the water, of course). They were in our church ward before the boundaries were changed. We miss seeing them and their newborn baby boy!

What else does summer come with? Swimsuit season. There might not be very many opportunities for me to go swimming and be seen in a sleeveless one-piece with shorts, but I feel just as paranoid with the way I look in short sleeved shirts and capris.

But, with warmer weather comes more time spent outdoors, which equals more exercise! I need to be less lazy!

Accuracy

2011-05-13T12:20:00.000-06:00

I have been getting these daily horoscope emails from iVillage for a few months. I don't usually believe in the predictions, but I like to read them anyway ... I get some good laughs once in a while.

Every so often, though, the horoscope tends to fit me perfectly. I thought I'd share this one -- it talks about facing "adversity", and that it's only temporary.

Sometimes I focus too much on the difficulties, and let them get me down, when I should instead focus on the light at the end of the tunnel. I just hope the end of this current tunnel comes soon!

What helps you find better perspective in the difficult moments?

Vote for Your Favorite!

2011-05-07T16:14:00.000-06:00

I'm renaming my deal blog, formerly called Valley Deals For U (I want to disassociate it with 'Happy Valley').

Which name do you like best?

Nobody

2011-05-06T16:20:00.000-06:00

Ever feel like you are the "author" of this poem written by Shel Silverstein?

"Nobody loves me, nobody cares,
Nobody picks me peaches and pears.
[...]
Nobody misses me,
Nobody cries,
Nobody thinks I'm a wonderful guy.
So, if you ask me who's my best friend, in a whiz,
I'll stand up and tell you NOBODY is!
[...]

With the struggles I have been having at obtaining a job, I have increasingly felt like the photo pictured above. A Nobody. It feels like my hard work is not appreciated ... but I continue to work hard ... even though nobody notices (or chooses not to notice).

Today, I got rejected from the job that my husband and I were really hoping that I would get. "All positions are filled." Seriously? They gave me a short phone interview and even took down my phone number -- but they never called me back. How rude. All companies should call back applicants that they interview, whether they got the job or not.

Well, since I feel like a nobody right now, I might as well act like a nobody -- a nobody that cares! Hopefully some service will help ease the invisibility.

Who wants cookies?

Calling All Advice

2011-05-03T09:18:00.000-06:00

Over the past few months, I have had flakes in my hair. I have tried just about everything to try to get rid of them. A few of my attempts were:

store brand of Selsun Blue
Pert Plus
Head & Shoulders
dry scalp shampoo
tea tree shampoo (with peppermint)
clarifying shampoo
tried a baking soda & water paste
blow drying my hair less often
washing my hair every day
washing my hair every other day

I have even tried drinking more water each day and taking a multi-vitamin more often. The one that has worked the best so far is the store brand of Selsun Blue, but even that's not working very well anymore. We talked with a doctor to see how much a prescription-strength medicated shampoo would be, and (since I don't have insurance) it comes to over $300! OUCH! We don't have that kind of money.

Has anyone come across a dandruff home-remedy that works? The flakes have been there pretty much all the time, and the itching comes and goes. I do have mild to moderate acne at times, but I was told that it wasn't connected with the dandruff.

If you have an idea, tip, or suggestion, please let me know!

Meadows of Clover

2011-04-30T19:00:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was Friday … but for me, it should be renamed “Cryday”.

I approached the day with a heavy heart. It was the day of my Uncle David’s funeral. The day, as described by a lot of my family, was bitter-sweet.

Thanks for the photo, Karey.

The duration of the morning was spent visiting and hugging many of my extended family members. I convinced myself I wouldn’t cry, as I was determined to remember my uncle with love, laughter, and a smile. Earlier this week, I was reminded of this quote from Little House on the Prairie:

Remember me with smiles and laughter, for that is how I’ll remember you. If you can only remember with tears, then don't remember me at all.

The effort not to shed a tear that day failed. My empathy and compassion character traits sank in as soon as I saw cousins crying. Tissues suddenly became a necessity for the rest of the service. Family said goodbye, and all of my uncle’s nine children shared their memories of their father and love for their parents with those who attended.

We sang some of my Uncle David’s favorite hymns, including the Primary hymn “I Often Go Walking”. We were also blessed to listen to the vocal talents of his kids as they sang with their spouses, and afterward the vocal talent of my late uncle himself, with a 1976 recording of a song he wrote.

The location of his gravesite is set in a peaceful cemetery on the hill. I look forward to a time when I can go back and visit the site, ponder on the wonderful memories of my uncle, and promise to create new memories with my family and friends.

My Uncle David was the photographer for our wedding in 2007. What a great blessing to have memorabilia of one of his great talents!

***

My uncle was positive role model to me and everyone who met him. There are no adequate words I can use to express the kind of person he was – therefore, I will post a brief portion of his life story:

“His words of advice will be cherished and deeply missed by his family and many others. His happiness was derived from service to others. His overall countenance was happy and witty. He was quick to find humor and lift people’s spirits in the face of challenges. When faced with his own challenge at the end, he never lost his faith or sense of humor. He brought comfort to us as we struggled with the thought of losing him. With the news of his diagnosis, he told us we cannot look at this as a tragedy because he was seeing his family surrounding him united in love and faith.”

My Thrifty Walmart Trip

2011-04-27T19:21:00.000-06:00

I went to Walmart earlier today, in hopes of using some coupons to snag FREE items. (Read more about free deals at Walmart.)

To my dismay, a lot of the products were out of stock! I guess if you can get a product for free, it flies off the shelf!

So, I used the two coupons I could, and bought a jar of alfredo pasta sauce to cover any overage (and because I ran out of alfredo sauce).

Deal Details:

Ragu Light Parmesan Alfredo Sauce $1.86
Yoplait Original Yogurt (Strawberry Banana) $0.58
Used this coupon I requested earlier = FREE
Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets (travel size) $0.97
Used the $1 off Purex Coupon found in the 3/13 RP = FREE + $0.03!

Total amount without coupons - around $3.65
Total amount spent - $1.97 (less than $1 per item!)
Percentage saved - 46%

I was able to use some pocket change I had left over! Some advanced couponers are able to save as much as 80-90% off their grocery bill. Me? I'm happy with at least 50% (or close to it). I want to eventually get to where I save around 75% of my bill, but that'll take a LOT of work ...

**If you'd like a FREE cup of Yoplait Yogurt, you can still request one! Just go to Yoplait's website, and click on the link in the lower-left corner. They will send you a coupon in the mail, which you can then use to score free yogurt!

What great deals have you scored recently?

Tribute to A Great Uncle

2011-04-24T23:07:00.000-06:00

Today, after returning home from church, I learned that my Uncle David passed away today. During the whole phone conversation with my parents, I held back tears. Apparently, however, my mom somehow knew that I was sad. After we said goodbye and hung up the phone, being the basket-case that I am, I immediately started sobbing. My husband, John, was in another room, and I went to him and told him the news inbetween sobs. He gave me a very long hug.

My Uncle David will be sorely missed. He was extremely talented. He knew how to play the piano and created a chord-method-teaching lesson; he knew a lot about vehicles and equipment; he was the person my dad would call to get advice about digital cameras, computers, printers, vehicles ... and the list probably goes on. Uncle David seemed to always have a positive attitude and a cheery outlook on life.

When I was growing up, my immediate family lived in Missouri. Every summer, we'd take a vacation to Utah to visit relatives, including Uncle David and his family. I always enjoyed spending time at their house, and even watching their home movies when my cousins would watch them.

Uncle David is the "leader" ... the first of my uncles or aunts to pass away. I will be attending his funeral sometime later this week. A small part of me wishes I would just stay home, because I know I will start sobbing, just like I did at my grandma's funeral. But, I must remember that they are in a better place, and I will be able to see them again, and that families are forever. I must also remember that, since today is Easter, my Saviour, Jesus Christ, is risen, and that He paved the way for us to live eternally.

"God be With You Til We Meet Again"

Love, your niece.

The Elephant Days

2011-04-21T16:55:00.000-06:00

Anyone who's lived in a building with multiple apartments has probably experienced it at one time ... living above or below a "stampede of elephants".

We all know the "stomping" that other "college kids" have made infamous. Ever since I've lived in apartments, it has annoyed me out of my mind! Whether the floor itself creaks, or the dwellers love to jump all night long, this is one of my pet peeves.

Speaking of pet peeves ... why must people close doors SO HARD when the door closes quite easily? The sliding door on our van is one of those doors. You don't need to slam it shut ... a simple nudge will do!

The other door of this duplex is the other door. Both doors close without much effort, but if you just yank the door toward the frame as hard as you can, I'm going to hear it (along with everyone else in the neighborhood). Be nice to the poor wood slab on hinges!

(And, if you want us to hear every single word of your conversation, please ... feel free to stand inside the closet under the stairs for hours at a time.)

I think I need a hobby ...

Putting My Foot Down

2011-04-20T20:53:00.001-06:00

"When someone puts their foot down, they make a firm stand and establish their authority on an issue."

What's been the main goal on my mind? To get a handle on and establish a good budget. I have been "putting my foot down" on our spending .... we haven't spent any money on wants since we started our budgeting adventure.

What's the hardest part of budgeting? Keeping on top of where every dime goes. For me, this probably includes checking our account balance online Every. Single. Day. Frustrating? Very ... especially when a few days could mean the difference between getting rich, or getting overdrawn. It annoys me very much.

So ... what's the hardest thing about budgets for you?

Low Blog Esteem

2011-04-16T20:08:00.000-06:00

Lately I have felt left-out in the blog universe. My blog either doesn't appear in the "link lists" on friends' blogs, doesn't look as pretty as family's blogs, or doesn't get viewed/comments very often.

Now, I know that the internet is not reality, but sometimes my mind links it to real life, because I use it to stay in touch with a lot of family members and friends. I try to read blogs/status updates as often as I can to stay updated with everyone.

This feeling of being "invisible" also spands to my other blog, where I post grocery deals and free stuff. I know it takes a little bit of work to get a blog to "popular" status, but I feel underappreciated (especially with the very low entries on my giveaways).

Sometimes I just want to change my blog to "private", but then nobody would read it, and that would probably make me feel worse.

Have you had Low Blog Esteem? What have you done to get over it or deal with it?

Comments are appreciated. Thanks.

Tribute to Mother

2011-04-12T21:01:00.010-06:00

It's my mom's birthday today! And mother's day is approaching fast!

In celebration, I wanted to share some of the reasons why I love my mom!

Memories. I love the times when my mom would brush my hair, or kiss my nose.
Outings. The shopping trips with just me and my mom were really fun. We often spent time in the store's craft department. :-)
Teachings. Thanks, mom, for showing me how enjoyable parenting can be! Thanks for your time teaching me how to read and helping me finish homework. And thanks for teaching the basic, yet complicated, ways of budgeting.
Hugs. If anyone knows me, they know I love getting hugs! When I was younger, I gave my mom lots of hugs! I think I was a mommy's girl. My husband also gives me lots of hugs. Maybe I'm a Johnny's girl too?! :-)
Eating. I will always enjoy the cooking and baking skills I learned from my mom!
Reverence. Thank you for being an example to me of reverence in church, kindness at home, and service for others.

Thank you for being my mommy! I love you!

When Pain Interferes With Work

2011-04-06T20:39:00.001-06:00

Have you experienced pain so bad that it actually interfered with work? ... and not just a paid, salary job -- everyday housework too!?!

The first really bad pain I had was about three years ago. While getting ready in the morning for my order processing job, my back went out. I literally could hardly move, let alone walk. So, I called in sick to work and laid on the couch all day.

Today, as I was washing dishes, my left arm got a searing sharp pain down the outside bone. Like most of the onset pain I get, I tried ignoring it in hopes that it would go away. But, when I could no longer grip a cup without an intense, painful spasm, I knew I needed to rest my arm.

So, I searched online for the probable causes of my arm pain, and found that my symptoms fit two scenarios:

Which one could it be? I have no clue. If only I had a strong-enough stomach and a well-stocked bank account to become a doctor ...

I have been using an ice pack on my arm while typing one-handed ... still no improvement. The pain anifests itself even with a slight twist of the arm. I just might go take some ibuprofen.

The Story Family Event

2011-04-04T13:31:00.000-06:00

Well, I only received two comment guesses on what the event is. My original plan was to post the real event answer on my blog, but have decided just to let the commenters, Rebecca and Casey, know.

So, in nine months from now, we will {hidden}!

April Fools

2011-04-01T12:06:00.000-06:00

Happy April Fool's Day! Did anyone get tricked?

This morning, as John and I were listening to the radio, the announcer said that it was going to snow today. The valleys would most likely get up to a foot of snow. Both John and I then commented that there were no clouds in sight, and wondered how snow could possibly be in the forecast.

And then the announcer reminded us that it was an April Fools Joke!!

I should've known!

Yep, we got tricked. What have you fallen for today?

Let's Play: Guess the Event

2011-03-31T13:17:00.001-06:00

Lately we have been planning how we are going to handle our finances, because it has been nearly impossible for me to get a job. I have had interviews at two different companies, and managed to get in the top three in each, but both fell through. Multiple people have said to keep going, but it's so disappointing when everybody else either has more experience, or performs better in the interviews.

So, John has a full-time job and a part-time job. We are still waiting for him to get his first check from the part-time job to see how much money we will have to divvy up around expenses. Of course I will continue the job hunt until I land at least part-time ... until then, we have been working with one of our home teachers (he deals with accounting stuff), to get a simple budget system set. We thought the simplest budget would be easiest to start with, and then we will eventually move up to managing money with a spreadsheet program.

So, now, can you guess our upcoming event?

In nine months from now, we will ___________!

Leave your guess in the comment section below. I will announce the real answer sometime next week!

It's Party Time!

2011-03-24T13:53:00.001-06:00

This past Sunday, March 20, my family came over for a family game night with snacks. First, we ate "snack" food ... or whatever everyone decided to bring ... and then we played ImaginIFF. Rebecca ended up winning. It was a fun evening!

I heard about this House Party website through a friend, and decided to sign up and apply for a house party. I kept being denied for all of the parties I applied for ... but today, I got accepted!! I will be hosting a Little Debbie house party!!

I'm so excited! :-)

Benefits of Housework

2011-03-18T21:38:00.000-06:00

The duplex we live in now does not have a dishwasher. That means we have to wash all of our dishes by hand. I really don't like hand-washing dishes ... but the end result is SO nice!!

I enjoy a clean kitchen. This year, one of my goals has been to keep up with the dishes. I have been doing okay so far (thank goodness I haven't slacked so far as all of our dishes being used), but I could be better at it.

Today, I have washed ALL of our dishes!! Now, I need to tidy up the living room, because my family is coming over on Sunday for a game night!! More on that later ...

Photography Giveaway!

2011-03-08T13:08:00.001-07:00

Lee Taylor Photography is hosting a giveaway!! Two winners will receive a FREE photography session! Click here, or on the button below, to enter!

Hurry!

One of Those Days ...

2011-03-07T21:13:00.001-07:00

Do you ever wish that sometimes gravity didn't exist?

Me too.

Commencement and a Challenge!

2011-03-03T13:28:00.004-07:00

The first two months of the year are already over. Now that March is here, hopefully the weather will begin the steady climb to higher temperatures! I am anxious for springtime!!!

And now for the challenge ...

Can you beat me?

I have found two games on Addicting Games that I enjoy playing!

The first one is called Parking Lot. The goal of the game is to use the arrow keys on your keyboard to maneuver your car into the designated parking space. There are 20 levels, and you have a time limit to complete each level.

Update: I have reached level 20 in Classic mode with a score of 37,870!

The second one is called the Endless tower game. The goal of this game is to complete each task with the number keypad on your keyboard before the time runs out! The further you advance, the faster the time expires! In the photo below, the instructions say to "Select the mouse". The mouse is in the middle row on the left, so you would hit #4 on your keypad!

I have reached level 58!

Let me know how far you get in the games!

House WORK

2011-02-23T13:53:00.001-07:00

Upon hearing the Relief Society Lesson on Sunday about work, I resolved to get better at keeping up with the housework ... dishes, laundry, etc.

So, today, I turned on the radio, filled the sink, and began washing dishes. Every so often I will take a break (my back hurts after a while). After chatting with Marisa, I took her advice and searched for dish-washing comics and cartoons. Alas, I couldn't find any good ones .... but here is what I DID find:

Hilarious! Steps that should already be a no-brainer!

Now, back to WORK ...

Family Fun!

2011-02-19T20:56:00.000-07:00

Thursday, January 20, we had a game night with Ryan and Rebecca! It was really fun! First, we crashed cars with Burnout 3 on the PlayStation2. Then, we played the Price is Right on the Wii! After that, Ryan, John and I played Super Smash Bros. Brawl on the Wii, while Rebecca watched. After I got tired of playing Smash Brothers, John and Ryan continued while Rebecca and I played Facebook games.

Fun times!! We ended up playing until 7am the next morning! You can read more about our game night here.

***

Friday, January 21, my family met at Ruby River to celebrate my brother-in-law Jeff's birthday! I ordered the salmon with mashed potatoes and the house salad. It was delicious ... probably one of the best restaurant meals I've eaten! And, Jeff was surprised with a free ice cream sundae for his birthday, which we all got to taste. Yum!

Thanks so much to Ryan and Rebecca for the ride to Ruby River, and for helping out with the cost! I appreciate it!

I love family!

Valentine's Day weekend!

2011-02-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

I had a relaxing and memorable Valentine's Day weekend! John and I took a short-but-sweet vacation to celebrate the fourth anniversary of his official proposal!

John had Valentine's Day gifts waiting for me to open during the vacation. One of them was a card that had a smiling kitty on the front, and the card said:

"Happy Valentine's Day ... to someone who always knows how to make me smile!"

I gave John a Valentine's Day card with a sleeping dog and cat next to each other, and it said:

"Happy Valentine's Day to the one who makes it hard to get out of bed in the morning."

I love Valentine's Day!

Six Tips to Get a Job

2011-01-27T17:23:00.000-07:00

Recently, Studio 5 aired a three-part segment on helping ladies to get a job. You can view the segments HERE, HERE, and HERE.

During the last part segment, six positive tips were mentioned:

1. Like yourself. I have a difficult time doing this all the time ... especially about my physical appearance.

2. Visualize the job you want and visualize yourself doing it. I can easily see myself in the job I want, but it's hard for me to compete for it.

3. Believe that you will get the job. We attract what we believe. I must admit, I get apprehensive in each interview, and feel there are more-qualified people who would probably get the job.

4. Match your strengths to the job requirements. I try to do this, but it is hard to match my strengths to every single job I apply for ... and I need to apply for a lot of jobs, because the job market is tight.

5. Tell your prospective employer that you want the job and what you would bring to the company. This has been an obstacle for me, since I don't have very much experience or practice "selling myself" to prospective employers.

6. Be a positive person. No one wants to hire someone who is sad or negative to be around. I am trying to appear as a more positive person in the interviews. I also need to work on feeling positive about myself.

Giveaway! Hurry and enter!

2011-01-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

My cousin is hosting a giveaway!

The prize? Her new novel, Gifted, coming in February!!

Head on over to her site to enter!

Blog has a new look!

2011-01-07T13:52:00.000-07:00

I gave my blog a makeover!

What do you think of the new look??

Now I will just have to get used to having the sidebar on the left (instead of the right).

2011 HGTV Dream Home

2011-01-06T22:20:00.000-07:00

Enter to win the 2011 HGTV Dream Home!

You can enter twice per day — once on HGTV.com and once on FrontDoor.com — for your chance to win the luxuriously furnished HGTV Dream Home 2011, plus a new 2011 GMC Acadia Denali and $500,000!! Enter through February 18, 2011, at 5 p.m. EST.

Remember, you can enter twice daily — once on HGTV.com and once on FrontDoor.com.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T18:03:00.000-07:00

It's the last day of 2010! Woah! Where did it all go?

I thought I would get in one last post before 2011 rolls around. One of my New Year's Resolutions is to exercise more because I really need to lose some weight. And hopefully it will be easier this next year than it was in 2010.

What are your New Year's Resolutions?

Happy Birthday Rebecca!

2010-12-13T15:10:00.002-07:00

I want to wish my youngest sibling a very happy birthday!

Rebecca and I are very close in age (17 months inbetween each of us). When we were growing up, we were best friends. We would do almost everything together. Among our various activities were: coloring; playing with barbie dolls; pretending all our stuffed animals were in school; riding our stuffed doggies down the hallway to the tune "Wizard of Oz"; etc.

We even learned things at the same time. For instance, we learned to ride a bike the same night. We probably learned academics at the same time too. That is probably why Rebecca earned a higher spot in her high school class' Top Ten. (She was ~~4th~~ 3rd, I was 9th.)

Welcome to the 2nd quarter-of-a-century, Rebecca!! :-)

Riddles!

2010-12-11T20:04:00.006-07:00

A cowboy rides into town on Friday. He stays in town for three days, and leaves on Friday.
How did he do it?

You have two coins that add up to 55 cents. One of the coins is not a nickel. What are the two coins?

First person that comments on this post, with BOTH of the correct answers, will win a silver photo frame for a 2x3 photo!

** update **

Congratulations Rebecca! She was the first person to leave a comment with both answers!

Curious?
Click on the comment link to view the answers!

Giveaway!

2010-12-06T21:51:00.002-07:00

I am hosting a giveaway on my coupon&deals blog! Go check it out!!

Here is a hint on the product you could win:

Update - 1st Week at My New Job

2010-12-04T11:51:00.004-07:00

I survived my first week of training!

Some of the training information is confusing, but we have group activities that make it more fun. One day we built paper houses. The "tactile learners" (hands-on) were given just paper; the "audio learners" were given paper and tape; and the "visual learners" (this is the group I am in) were given paper, tape, staples, scissors, and markers. The whole point of the activity was to show us that work will be easier if we use ALL the resources available, and not just some of them.

We also sometimes have treats in the training class. If someone forgets to lock their computer before they leave the room, they have to bring treats the next day. This started on Wednesday. So, we had treats on Thursday and Friday. I locked my computer every single time, every single day ....... until Friday. Friday was just one of those days when my mind did not want to function properly. So, yes, I have to bring treats on Monday. What should I take?

I wake up around 5:30AM every morning to get ready, and to make sure I get to work on time. My schedule for training is 7:00AM to 2:30PM. This has been SO hard, since I am not a morning person. It has also been hard for us, because John's schedule at his job is different than mine:

With that schedule, I take our car to work, come home, and spend about an hour to an hour and a half with John, and then he takes the car to work. By the time he gets home, it is the time I need to get to sleep. It's been hard on both of us, but I hope that when both of our schedules change, they can be closer together!

My New Job!

2010-12-01T19:30:00.004-07:00

Yes, I have a new job! My first day was just two days ago on Monday. The training is going to last for a total of 5 weeks ... 3 weeks in the training room, and 2 weeks getting used to the phones (with help).

My job is a Customer Service Rep at the Orem Convergy's working for the DirecTV project. I am sort of excited, because there will be a lot of perks and bonuses to win!

Now ... if you (or anyone you know) is looking for a job, I believe Convergy's is still hiring! Just visit the job website, or call the job hotline: 801-765-7300. Make sure you (or whoever you tell) mention my name (Melissa Story) during each interview as the referral person!!

It's Black Friday!

2010-11-26T02:08:00.004-07:00

Did everyone have a Happy Thanksgiving? I did! We went to my side of the family for Thanksgiving dinner, movie, and games ... and then, in the evening, we stopped at John's dad's house and ~~ate more food~~ played some more games!

Yes, we are still awake. It is now 2:10am on Friday! We decided that we wouldn't go to sleep tonight, because John has to be at work at 4:45am, and sleeping for only 3-4 hours just makes us MORE tired! Of course, we will be sleeping later in the day after John gets home from work.

When we were coming back home, we drove past a few stores that were hosting "Door Buster Deals" for Black Friday ... and we saw people standing in line! Seriously? They're going to be standing out in the freezing cold temperature for at least FOUR hours! Brrrr!!! I'm not that crazy! The longest I've stood in line for a good deal (that I ended up not getting anyway, because they ran out if the item) was an hour, and even that was way too long!

Anyway ... Thanksgiving was great, and now I look forward to Christmas!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T20:24:00.004-07:00

I love the holidays! What a GREAT time to spend with family ... visiting, eating, and relaxing!

I wanted to make a post of things I am Thankful For:
(in no particular order)

1. My Husband. Where would I be without him? I love John!

2. My Family. I am lucky, because I have my immediate family AND John's immediate family within a half-an-hour drive from our house!

3. Our Ward. Our home teachers, visiting teachers, and Bishop are amazing! And even though the people come and go, the principles and truths of the gospel remain the same!

4. Food. I LOVE food! (Sometimes maybe too much ...)

5. This Country. God bless America!

6. Warmth. I love having the furnace on, or curling up with a soft, fleece blanket!

7. Ways of communication. Computers, cell phones, etc.!

8. Transportation. Our van has seen its better days, but it's still running!

9. Health. When I am not feeling well, I'm even more grateful!

10. Blessings. What a relief when we are blessed with things we need!!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving Day!

Enjoy your turkey!

Weekend Events

2010-11-22T12:46:00.005-07:00

John and I had a fun time this past weekend! :)

Friday: We went to Katie & Luke's house for a surprise birthday party for Luke! Everyone arrived before Luke and Katie returned from their date. Luke was definitely surprised! They have three adorable kids ... their youngest is just 2 months old! I got to hold her for a while before and after Katie and Luke got home!

I want one!!

Saturday: In the evening, we went to the reception of Brittney & Jake! Brittney is John's cousin on his dad's side. Their reception was held at Highland Gardens ... and it was absolutely beautiful!! Brittney is a gorgeous bride, and her new husband is a gentleman. They got married in the Salt Lake Temple. Here is a photo of them, courtesy of Jeppson Studios:

Sunday: John and I went to dinner at his mom's house. We gave John's bother, Dan, a ride. Dinner was delicious. We had meatloaf, baked potatoes, green beans, and for dessert: cherry chip cake with vanilla ice cream! It took a while for the food to cook, so we had a nice visit before dinner, as well as after. Thank you very much, mom!

Organization

2010-11-12T15:28:00.004-07:00

I have been working on our Living Room and Spare Room for the past few months ... trying to get everything sorted, organized, and where it needs to be. It is still a work in progress.

My goal is to have everything organized (so I know where EVERYTHING is) by the beginning of December. It's harder than it looks!! Right now, the Living Room has papers, knick-knacks, store sale papers, and a few books. The Spare Room has a craft table, a sewing machine table, a 3-drawer dresser, a filing cabinet, and lots of boxes.

What organization tricks work for you?

I would LOVE to get tips from all of my readers! Just click on the Comment link underneath this post to leave your organization secrets!

Local Deals and Freebies

2010-11-05T11:58:00.002-06:00

Would you like to find the latest shopping sales, samples, and freebies?

I have created a Deal website for people living in/near central Utah County ... from Pleasant Grove to Springville! Happy Valley Deals specializes in showing the latest local sales, as well as how to score FREE items! Most of the samples are provided over the internet, so there is no need to leave the comfort of your own home!

Head on over to view the latest deals!

How Will I Know?

2010-10-27T10:01:00.002-06:00

Lately I have been pondering a situation that I have always wondered about, but never really gave much thought to it:

How will I know?

Yep, that's right. How will I know when I get pregnant? Will I know right away, or have to wait for all the signs that people keep talking about .... including morning sickness? There have been a couple of times when I assumed that I might be pregnant, and they ended up being false. So, when will that assumption be true?

I keep hearing that everyone has different pregnancy "symptoms", and sometimes I get scared that I will have every single one of them. But, on the other hand, what if I have no symptoms?

I guess it's just another test of patience that I must have.

City Deals

2010-10-26T15:33:00.005-06:00

Have you heard about the CityDeals website?

CityDeals has Gift Cards for Entertainment, Restaurants, Family Activities, Retail and more. The amazing part is you rarely pay full price, and some of the gift cards are half off! I have purchased gift certificates from CityDeals in the past, and the company is awesome!

Head on over to their site, search for deals with your zip code, and start saving money!

Photobooks

2010-10-20T16:06:00.010-06:00

Have you heard about creating photobooks through online websites?

Well, Picaboo is one of them!

I just created a photobook with Picaboo this week! I was able to use a coupon code to get it for FREE! (I just had to pay for shipping.) And it arrived in the mail four days after I ordered it!

If you would like to try Picaboo, go here to download their easy-to-use software. And, if you would like to get a photobook for FREE (up to 20 pages, when you pay for shipping), use the code FALLBK at order checkout!

Karey White: Cold-Weather Reader's Giveaway

2010-10-13T15:32:00.001-06:00

Karey White: Cold-Weather Reader's Giveaway: "Sure, there's a lot of talk about summer reading--sitting on the beach or in a hammock with a good book. But let's talk about cold-weather reading."

Click here to enter to win Karey's Cold-Weather Reading Kit = a $25.00 Barnes & Noble gift card, bookmark, and Stephen's Hot Cocoa!

The deadline is this Sunday at 6:00pm, so hurry!

Check out the KraftMaid Contest!

2010-10-13T15:23:00.001-06:00

Check out the KraftMaid Define Your Style $50,000 Dream Kitchen Contest! Just create an inspiration board, and you will be entered to win a $50,000 dream kitchen!

I designed my own board, and I just got an email today saying it has been approved! Click here to view my inspiration board and get ideas for your board!

Good luck! Let me know if you win!

Visit with Little Lilia

2010-10-08T23:37:00.006-06:00

Before I went on vacation to Washington DC, I thought I would send an email to Holly Petty--asking if I could come visit. She and her husband used to live in Provo, but they moved to Arlington during the summer.

After I got the official "okay" from Holly, I planned our Sunday visit. My dad and brother joined me, because well ... we only had one car, and the roads near Washington DC are literally confusing!!

When we got there, I got to hold Lilia - she was about 3 weeks old! Newborn babies are so precious! Lilia slept most of the time I was holding her, and she had her tiny arms stretched out. To read more about Lilia's first month, head over to the Petty family's blog.

Here is a photo of all three of us: Holly, holding Lilia, and me!

I want one!

Belated is better than never!

2010-10-07T18:41:00.004-06:00

If you haven't read my lastest birthday post, click here to read it!!

And don't worry, you didn't miss it. I wrote the post today ... I just changed the posting date to the actual birthday date!

A Sneak Peek!

2010-09-14T17:41:00.002-06:00

Here is a preview of the photos from the trip to Washington DC:

The rest are still coming soon! Stay tuned!

Happy Birthday Jeffrey!

2010-09-13T18:28:00.003-06:00

Happy birthday to my only brother (excluding in-laws, of course)!

Thanks for all of the things you have tought me over the years:

how to ride a bike
drawing tips for art class
how to be happier in any situation
... and many more!

I miss the times, when we were younger, of enjoying Christmas with all of us. I remember when we would sit oldest-to-youngest, on the couch, and say "Merry Christmas Grandpa and Grandma!"

I miss going camping, with tents, and building those fort things out of branches and leaves.

I enjoyed "starring" in your home videos, even though I would get upset with the re-takes.

And I liked, and still like, our sense of humor ... when we can come up with a joke out of thin air!

I hope your birthday was enjoyable!!

In Rememberance of 9/11/2001

2010-09-11T17:42:00.006-06:00

I will always remember where I was when I heard the news. I was in senior year of high school ... sitting in Mrs. Mason's Food Science class ... when a classmate came to turn on the tv.

I was stunned at first. All I could think was "Is this real?" Then, as the minutes and hours went by, I started to think "Why?" And then, like others, I mourned the lives of the people who were in the planes. I thought "That probably wasn't supposed to be their last day on earth."

And then, in the other classes, I could not concentrate on anything ... especially when the collapse was televised. I remember that another classmate seemed distrought, and so I wrote him a long, cheery letter (I hoped it helped).

I felt sorrow, I felt anger, I felt confused, but mostly I felt sad ... sad for the people who lost their lives, and for their family and friends; sad for the people in the area affected by the smoke.

My family and I were fortunate to go see the Twin Towers when I was around 11 years old. This photo of the Twin Towers (taken by my dad) is from that vacation. I will never forget that vacation. I will never forget that tragic day, nine years ago, that changed so many lives--and hopefully more closely united the people of the United States.

In Rememberance

God Bless America.

I'm Back!

2010-09-01T10:04:00.004-06:00

After being gone for one week, it's nice to be home ... but I will miss being on vacation!

Photos and more info coming soon!

Time to Eat Healthier

2010-08-20T22:39:00.003-06:00

John and I bought a variety of fruits and vegetables today. Fruits and vegetables are supposed to be what we eat the most.

We are also going to NOT eat out, except for the rare monthly or bi-weekly date night.

Hopefully this helps with our endeavors to lose some weight!

Happy birthday Vicki!

2010-08-13T23:13:00.004-06:00

I had a great time eating at Los Hermanos with all the family there to celebrate your birthday! I also enjoyed hanging out at your place to watch the movie later that night, even if it was just you, Jeff, me, and John. :)

When we were growing up, all three of us girls shared a room. I thought that was fun, even though we got on each other's nerves quite a bit. I miss the very few times when we would stay up late talking (when we couldn't get to sleep).

I remember recording skating and/or gymnastics for you when you wouldn't be home to do it yourself.

I enjoyed the times when our parents went out for date night, and we would host a dance competition between all four of us kids ... and usually you would win (maybe from watching all the skating/gymnastics).

Now that we're both married, I enjoy times we can spend together ... especially for girls nights when the guys go to Priesthood meeting.

Happy birthday!!!

Happy birthday daddy!

2010-08-10T20:03:00.001-06:00

I thought that I would copy the tradition of birthday posts from my Aunt Tam and her family.

Happy birthday Daddy!

Even though you might wish I left out the word "happy", I still hope you feel that way, even though another birthday means getting that much older. However, every day we are all one-day older ... so, it's nothing new!

I remember the good times when we were all younger, when we went swimming as a family at the Monett pool, and then coming back to homemade dinner (usually rice and gravy) that mommy would make.

I also remember helping to grade some papers for your math/english/whatever classes that you taught.

It was fun to take family vacations every summer. I miss the summers when we camped with the van & trailer, and slept in tents. Then we got a small motorhome, and had fun times in that cozy living space. How I miss the family vacations ...

Thanks for the fun times, and for being a good help! And Happy Birthday!

Pinched Nerve Pain

2010-08-04T11:01:00.003-06:00

For a week and a half, I have had a pinched nerve in my back ... near the edge of my shoulder blade. The pain has varied from being so bad that I could barely rotate my neck, to sometimes almost non-existent.

I have tried jumping on a small trampoline, applying icy hot, applying a heat pad, and applying a cold pack.

And the pain is still there.

What should I try next?

Pain pills? Professional massage? Chiropractor?

Google Tag

2010-07-20T18:24:00.004-06:00

I got this idea from a friend's blog post.

Directions
Go to Google and type in your first name and the phrase given. Copy and paste the first sentence/phrase you get that makes sense.

1. Type in "[your name] needs" in Google Search.
Result: "Melissa needs to take a break."
Yes, sometimes I do!

2. Type in "[your name] looks like" in Google search.
Result: "Melissa looks like a piece of plain, trailer park trash in desperate need of a tan."
Well, gee, thanks Google.

3. Type in "[your name] says" in Google search.
Result: "Melissa Says: Firemen [Stink]!"
No, not really ... I actually think firemen are very helpful!

4. Type in "[your name] wants" in Google search.
Result: "Melissa wants to be special–not just for her hair, but for accomplishing .... "
Sure, I'll take it! Although, most of the time my hair refuses to cooperate.

5. Type in "[your name] does" in Google search.
Result: "Melissa does not eat dead animals for moral reasons."
Hahaha, very funny, but not true! I love eating meats, especially chicken!

6. Type in "[your name] hates" in Google search.
Result: "Melissa hates animals."
SO NOT TRUE!!

7. Type in "[your name] asks" in Google search.
Result: "Melissa asks at Al Dente, what's your favorite can opener?"
One that works? :-)

8. Type in "[your name] goes" in Google search.
Result:"Melissa goes to Myer's theatre ."
I don't even know where that theatre is located!

9. Type in "[your name] likes " in Google search.
Result: "Melissa likes to dance."
I like to dance with John, even though I'm not very good at it! My favorites are: foxtrot, waltz, and salsa.

10. Type in "[your name] eats " in Google search.
Result: "Melissa Eats Broccoli and Squash"
I eat broccoli on occasion, but don't eat squash too much.

11. Type in "[your name] wears " in Google search.
Result: "Melissa wears the Isabella Oliver wrap dress in crimson"
I wish I could actually afford expensive clothing like that!

12. Type in "[your name] was arrested for" in Google Search.
Result: "Melissa was arrested for murder."
I guess all bug killing I've done is going to come back to haunt me!

Shopping Deals at Maceys

2010-07-19T22:39:00.000-06:00

I have been helping Melea of Freebies2Deals with deal searching at Maceys. I get a preview of the next week's Maceys store ad, comb through it, and look for the best prices with and without the use of coupons.

Since I have not posted lately, I thought I would include my latest weekly deals! Enjoy!

***

Here are the best deals for Macey's this week (7/21-7/27):

Canteloupe $.18/lb

Corn on the Cob $.20 ea

Zucchini Squash $.99/lb

Sobe Life Water $1.00
Use the B1G1 free coupon from the Sobe Heads or Tails online promotion
Total cost $.50 each!

WF 2 lb. Cheddar Cheese $3.99

WF Dozen Large Eggs $0.89

WF 24 oz. Yellow Mustard $0.67

WF Lemonade/Limeade $0.88

Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad $0.98
Use the $0.50/2 Betty Crocker coupon
Total cost $0.73 each

Van Camp’s Pork and Beans $.58

Red Vines licorice 14-16 oz $1.28

Don Julio Tortillas $.88

* Stock up and save! *

Gatorade 32 oz. Sports Drinks $0.79
Use in-ad coupon, when you buy 10
Total cost $0.48 each!

Propel Fitness Water $0.69
Use in-ad coupon, when you buy 10
Total cost $0.38 each!

Ode to Delishiousness

2010-06-18T19:42:00.003-06:00

Well, now that I have no gallbladder, I have to eat a low-fat diet. Which means ....

Goodbye yummy cheddar cheese. You have made me one happy camper! I will have to settle for the less-tasteful low-fat or no-fat version, or none at all.

Goodbye whole milk. I have loved you with cold cereal. Now I will have to drink 1%, or even skim milk ... (bleh).

Goodbye extremely good mexican food, and the mexican restaurant we love to eat at: Los Hermanos. Your food is fantastic, but really fattening.

Goodbye to all the {good} hamburgers and cheeseburgers. You know you'll be missed!

Goodbye fast food. A lot of it has hidden fats, so it is time to separate. Aw, chalupas, don't cry!

Now that I feel horribly lonely, what foods can I eat??

Under the Knife

2010-06-16T22:36:00.007-06:00

I thought I would document my experience this past weekend.

On Saturday, my stomach started aching. It felt a little bit like I had caught the flu. But I toughed it out. The next morning it still hurt, though. John called our home teachers to see if they could come over and give me a blessing. They did, and my stomach felt okay (but not all the way better). Later in the evening, though, I did not feel like eating anything, for fear that it would come straight back out of my stomach.

I had a feeling that night that I should get my stomach checked out by our family doctor, so John called on Monday and got an appointment with Dr. Harrison the same day. When we went in, we updated my information, and then the nurse took me back and checked my vitals. We waited for at least half an hour before Dr. Harrison came, because she had another patient she had to see before me.

When Dr. Harrison came in, I explained (with the help of John, because I got emotional) that I had a stomach ache since Saturday, and that I didn't know what it was. The doctor then proceeded to push on my stomach. It hurt so much that I began to cry. I had pain on the side, bottom, and top of my stomach .... the worst being the top part near the point of the ribs.

Dr. Harrison said that she suspected the pain to be either my appendix (which was quickly ruled out) or my gallbladder. She ordered some bloodwork, and also had me make an appointment to get an ultrasound the next morning to check things out. Later that day, my stomach felt better, so I gave the appointment a second thought, but decided to keep it anyway just in case there was anything wrong.

To prepare for the ultrasound appointment, I could not eat or drink anything after midnight on Monday. So, I tried eating a lot the night before, but I did not eat much because my appetite was still really low.

My appointment was at 9:15am on Tuesday (the next day), at the same place. They took me back to the room, and had me lie down on the table. The lady who performed the ulttrasound warned me ahead of time that the goop was going to be cold, and began.

The sore spots of my stomach hurt more when the lady went over them with the ultrasound wand. She spent a lot of time with the wand over the sorest spot, which was the top area of my stomach ... the spot that had my gallbladder. She took photos with the wand, and then told us that she suspected I had a gall stone or sludge, and wanted me to get it looked at by a surgeon. I got scared, but agreed to get it checked out, and then we left.

A nurse at the doctors' office called me about an hour after my appointment ended, to tell me the results of the bloodwork done. She said that it showed elevated liver function, and she also said (after talking with Dr. Harrison) to go get a surgery consult. Since the surgical office was closed, they contacted the on-call doctor, who happened to be in the ER.

So, John drove me to the ER, and they proceeded to check me into the ER with a triage station. I wondered why they had to check me into the ER when I was only there to get a consult, but I guess that's what they do with everyone who goes in to that department.

The nurses got my vitals, put a pink hospital band on my wrist, checked me into their computer system, and took me back to a room within minutes. Ironically, it was the same room that John was in when he went to the ER after his bicycle accident.

While I was in that room, a bunch of people came in to fill out paperwork, had me change into a hospital gown, and hooked up an IV in my arm. The whole time, I was wondering why they were prepping me for a hospital stay, when I thought I was there just for a doctor consult. The doctor finally appeared, and told us that we basically needed to get surgery that day. I started getting really scared and cried, and the nurse who was in the room tried to calm me down by explaining the procedure.

The doctor then left to look at all of my medical information, and came back later to confirm that I needed to have surgery. A nurse from the surgical department came in to wheel me back to surgical waiting. I was still extremely scared, so John asked the nurse guy if I could get the anesthesia before I went into the OR. The nurse dude then said that they don't give the patient anything until the OR waiting room.

So, the guy wheeled me back to the OR waiting room. John followed us for most of the way until we got to the waiting area. When I was in the OR waiting area, the guy nurse put a cap on my head, and a lady nurse started my IV. I don't remember much else after that (because of how fast the IV liquid worked). The only thing I remember, was the doctors telling me to transfer myself from the gurney to a blue table, with an attached arm rest; and a doctor saying something about adding more room to the other side of the blue table.

When I started coming out of the "surgical coma", my stomach hurt so, so bad that I found myself moaning constantly, which I don't normally do. On a scale from 1-10, the pain was at 11. They finally put some pain killers in my IV (I think), and I calmed down. It took a while for my eyes to want to stay open. When I finally got them to stay open, I realized I was in my recovery room, and John was there!

I also realized that I had compression sleeves on my calves, which were hooked to electricity. They would go off one at a time, and felt kind of like massagers. During the time spent in my hospital room that night, I sent texts to a few people with my phone, had to get help just to use the restroom, ate orange and lemon jello, drank broth through a straw, and drank a lot of ice water. My mom came to visit me in the evening, and gave John some money to get food from the cafeteria. Thanks mommy!

I hardly slept that night. Each time I started dozing off, there was something that woke me up ... such as a nurse coming in, the compress sleeves going off, needing to use the restroom, etc. I kept glancing at the blind-covered window, waiting for it to get brighter from the sunrise. At last, the sun finally brightened the blind slats.

The next day was hard for me. For those of you who don't know, I hate laying down all day doing nothing! I got extremely bored, and wanted to just get my pain under control (which never did, even with liquid pain reliever in my IV and pain pills taken orally. For those who also don't know, I can't stand pain! I have a low tolerance for any aches my body decides to have.

For breakfast on Wednesday, I was given cream of wheat, milk, orange juice (which John drank since I don't like orange juice), apple juice (which they brought after I mentioned I don't ike orange juice), and John's dad came Wednesday morning to visit and gave me a blessing. Then, my sister Rebecca came to bring her laptop for me to borrow.

The Wednesday nurse seemed egotistical, because everytime she came in, she would perform her duties with a heavy heart and an unwilling personality. It drove me so nuts ... but I won't go into further detail. After a bout with a couple of the nurses about staying longer because my pain wasn't controlled and I started feeling nausious, I ended up going home Wednesday afternoon.

That evening, I was in so much pain, I could hardly stand it. I was also angry with the nurses for shoving me out of the hospital so soon. But, luckily it didn't last long, because I became relaxed on our sofa, watched tv shows, and got a lot of sleep that night.

Thursday, the pain was still just as bad, but I think other muscles surrounding the sore ones started to kick in, because I wasn't so sore standing up. It still felt like someone was stabbing my tummy, but it soon went away.

Now, I have extremely sore incision points, I probably still have gas in my tummy, my muscles are still so sore, my back sometimes hurts, and I haven't showered in a few days (which is really not fun).

That's about it. I got a few photos in the hospital, but I think I will post them later ... much later ... when it doesn't make me feel ill looking at them.

Thanks for reading. Comments are appreciated.

Growth

2010-06-05T13:09:00.004-06:00

It's amazing how much events and cercumstances can help us grow and progress.

And I LOVE when I can recognize this during the moment!

Most, if not all, of my blog readers know that I have a job that requires inbound phone talking. I have applied for phone jobs in the past, but I never, ever expected to actually get a phone job. Well, now I have one, and I have had to get used to taking phone calls from complete strangers (most in other states) while entering in information onto the computer.

At first, I was SO nervous, I stumbled my words, and sometimes forgot to say or do certain things. But I perservered, and now I feel more comfortable and confident with my phone calls. I have the first call script memorized, which is easy. Then today, I took a call 4 (start install), and when I finished, I realized that I didn't look at my script at all!!! (I actually double-checked the script afterward, just to make sure I went over everything, and I did!) So now I can say that I have two scripts memorized!

Another aspect that got better from taking this job, is that I became more comfortable talking with people in person. Not only do I feel less nervous talking, but I actually sometimes START confersations with people! This is a huge step for me, since I have never felt comfortable doing that. I always enjoyed staying inside my bubble and only conversing when someone else asked me a question.

[So now that I feel more comfortable, will I get more comfortable speaking in church? ] :-/

Thanks for reading! Comments are appreciated.

More about me

2010-05-15T18:12:00.004-06:00

I saw this on my cousin Mindy's blog, and thought I'd share my info!

I give you money and send you into the grocery store to pick up 5 items. You can only pick one thing from the following departments. What is it?
1. Produce: Tomatoes
2. Bakery: Cottage bread
3. Meat: Chicken
4. Frozen: Bear Tracks ice cream
5. Dairy: 1% or 2% milk

Let's say we're heading out for a weekend getaway. You're only allowed to bring 3 articles of clothing with you. So, what's in your bag?
1. shirt
2. pants
3. extra shirt

If I was to listen in on one of your conversations throughout the day, what 4 phrases or words would I be most likely to hear?
1. I love you.
2. How was work?
3. maybe
4. piece of fish ...

So, what 4 things do you find yourself doing every single day, and if you didn't get to do, you probably wouldn't be in the best mood?
1. Facebook
2. shower
3. see John
4. checking email

You're driving down the road, and suddenly you're hit with this sense of road rage. What 3 factors probably contributed to it?
1. someone who cut me off
2. catching all red lights
3. people honking at me for driving the speed limit

Sweet, you just scored a whole afternoon to yourself. We're talking a 3 hour block with nobody around. What 5 activities might we find you doing?
1. checking email
2. blogging
3. sleeping
4. watching tv
5. cleaning

We're going to the zoo. But, it looks like it could start storming, so it'll have to be a quick visit. What 3 exhibits do we have to get to?
1. giraffes!!!
2. leopards
3. lions

You just scored tickets to the taping of any show that comes on TV of your choice. You can pick between 4, so what are you deciding between?
1. Studio 5
2. Good Luck Charlie
3. Wizards of Waverly Place
4. Suite Life on Deck

You're hungry for ice cream. I'll give you a triple dipper ice cream cone. What 3 flavors can I pile on for ya?
1. Bear Tracks
2. cookie dough
3. double fudge brownie

Somebody stole your purse/wallet…in order to get it back, you have to name 5 things you know are inside to claim it. So, what's in there?
1. cell phone
2. drivers licence
3. change
4. lip gloss
5. check book

You are at a job fair, and asked in what areas you are interested in pursuing a career. Let's pretend you have every talent and ability to be whatever you wanted, so what 4 careers would be fun for you?
1. NASA computer programer
2. scrapbook page designer
3. data entry (with no phones) for a top 500 company
4. nurse

I have experience!

2010-05-05T22:48:00.002-06:00

I never thought I'd be working at a call center ... that is, until my current job! It's not an outbound, telemarking kind of call center, but rather it is an inbound phone office data-entry area for representatives and technicians to call to setup and install new home security systems.

Today was my first day talking on the phones. How it works, is before you can take calls alone, you work with someone already taking calls, and they pass off the calls you know and perform under their watch. Today, I worked with Lauren. I worked under her account to take phone calls. I was so nervous!!! Lauren could tell I was nervous, but assured me I did okay. She passed off the last two slots I had left.

Tomorrow starts the first day I will be alone on the phone! I'll be under my own log-in and everything. Eeep ..... I think it will take a lot of getting used to.

But now I have customer service experience!

Wish me luck!

Jewelry Giveaway

2010-05-01T14:15:00.002-06:00

I just love giveaways! Even if I don't win ... I like to enter and know that I at least have a chance! A slim chance is better than no chance! ;)

My sister is hosting a giveaway on her blog. Go check it out, and enter to win! The prize is a pendant, a pair of earrings, a bracelet, or a necklace!! I'm sure if you don't like the colors of the jewelry, you can request different colors!

Please make sure to mention my name when you enter!!

Photowalk Month 4

2010-04-24T18:30:00.003-06:00

Springtime!!

I love spring! The weather gets warmer, flowers and trees start to bloom, and I get to spend more time outside!

Here are pretty flowers outside our front door!

Our camera gets out of focus a lot with small things. :(

With warmer weather comes outdoor chores. Here is my husband mowing our lawn:

New job!

2010-04-24T14:56:00.002-06:00

I got a job!! It's part time, and seasonal until September, but it's better than having nothing!

It is with AMP in southern Provo. I start on Monday. I'm excited!!

Royal Pain

2010-04-22T23:35:00.002-06:00

Yesterday John and I had dentist appointments. My appointment was to get a crown on one of my molars. I was really nervous, because I never had crown work done on my teeth before.

I think the dental assistants know me--or at least read my chart--because the first thing they asked me was if I wanted nitrous oxide. :-) Of course, I said yes ... and they got right to putting the plastic mask on my nose. I started relaxing. Aaahh ...

John came to sit with me when his dentist visit was over. He just talked with the dentist to find out what would help sensitivity. The dentist gave him some sensitivity toothpaste and sent him on his merry way.

Then the dentist came and poked me with numbing solution. Oww! The initial shots are always the most painful for me. He put one shot in each side of my mouth. The dentist left after that to let me get numb.

For some reason, the numbing solution didn't work on the right side of my teeth. When the dentist came back, he gave me another shot on that side, and started drilling on the left-side tooth. OUCH! I felt pain seconds after he started. So, he put in another shot, and left again.

Meanwhile, the "laughing gas" kicked in more ... I kept staring at a little red dot on the ceiling, and telling myself to just focus on that. Weird! Then the right side of my mouth got more numb. I told John this, and said "My tomgue is numb." A second later, I realized what I said, and laughed. It was hilarious at the time! Tomgue instead of tongue.

The dentist came back, and started drilling. It didn't hurt--yay! But after a few seconds of drilling, it hurt a lot! I started crying. I never enjoy crying at the dentist, because I'm laying down, and the tears roll down the sides of my face. He gave me a third shot, and left again. I felt bad that my tooth's nerves weren't responding to the numbing solution.

Because they were initially going to put crowns on three teeth, the dentist numbed both sides of my mouth. However, because of the time-consuming lefty-tooth, I ended up leaving with a temporary crown on only that one.

I don't remember if I got three or four numbing shots on the left side--but either way, I think it was after the third shot that John, more level-headed than my nitrous-oxidated brain, suggested that I needed a higher dose of laughing gas. The dental assistants turned it up, and from then on, I don't think I had a problem!

The dentist finished with the drilling, and then the dental assistant made the temporary crown and put it on my tooth. Then they switched the laughing gas to oxygen, and let me breathe that for a few minutes. When they put the chair upright, I felt dizzy. Then when I stood up, I couldn't walk straight for a few minutes. But, the laughing gas wore off after a while, and I was fine.

My tooth hurt that night, and still hurts today. [Ibuprofen helps with that.] My jaw always hurts after dentist appointments, so I can't open my mouth wide yet. [Ibuprofen doesn't help with that.]

Just think ... I'll have to go through all this again for the last two crowns. Whimper.

Eventful Week!

2010-04-18T20:22:00.007-06:00

It has been a busy seven days! I don't remember everything that happened, but I'll try to sum up all the events I can think of.

Sunday morning, John and I went to his parents' ward for his step-brother Bryce's mission farewell talk. Then we went to John's parents' house for lunch and visiting. That day was also John's step-sister Stephanie's birthday, so we got her a pair of earrings. Later in the evening, we went to my parents' house to celebrate my mom's birthday (which is April 12). John and I brought over a cute little black kitten that we got from South Jordan for a birthday present. Then we ate a birthday dinner.

On Wednesday, I had an interview with a staffing agency that will hopefully end up with me getting a job ... either temporary or permanent. After that, John's Aunt Penny came over to give us a yummy dinner she prepared (a birthday present from her to John last summer). At 6:00, we went to pick up John's sister Mary, who was back in Utah for BYU-Idaho's spring break. We three went to Nickel City for a fun evening. Later, we went to John's soccer game, and then back to our homes.

On Friday, John and I got another kitten, and black and gray one, and took it over to my parents' house. My dad and brother Jeffrey were there, but my mom was at work. We took the new kitten, Sammy, to meet the black kitten. It took the black kitten an instant to get used to Sammy, but it took Sammy a few hours to get used to the black kitten AND his new surroundings. For the first little while, Sammy just liked to sit on one of the people and watch as the black kitten pounced all over the place!

Later on Friday, we picked up Mary again, and went laser tagging. Mary won, and I lost. Then we went to Pizza Pie Cafe and Mary ordered a yummy pizza for all three of us. After dropping Mary off, John and I went to Fridays Kids Respite to spend time with one of the kids. John's parents, who invited us to volunteer, were also there.

During the afternoon on Saturday, I took a nap and John went to work. I woke up a few hours later, and went for a walk with Rebecca to see the two kittens. We stayed for a little while, then we walked back home.

After John got off work that evening, we went to his sister Katie's house for family game night. All of John siblings were there except Joe. :( We first ate a light dinner (hot dogs, chips, and mini doughnuts ... with a salad in a tortilla for John), and then played a game. I won't mention the name, because personally I think the name is dumb, but the game was pretty fun! It resembles the game Apples to Apples, in that we had to guess which card to put down that we thought the dice-roller would choose. Everyone laughed a lot .. especially John! He laughed practially non-stop for 1/2 an hour to an hour!! It was a very fun night.

Well, that's the week in a nutshell!

Sit. Stay. Good John.

2010-04-04T17:20:00.003-06:00

John's feet have been hurting for quite a while. He is an electronic consultant, and is on his feet all day when he works. Last Monday he went to see a foot doctor, and the doctor said he had heel spurs. John got muscle-relaxing shots in his heels. To get better, John needs to stay off his feet as much as possible, but that's easier said than done. John likes to be up and doing things rather than sitting.

He had track practice on Tuesday. I suggested that he stay home and rest more, but John really wanted to go. Well, he came back home with a pulled quad muscle. {I told you!} We went to a doctor to get a note for time off his work, and got crutches while we were there. So, he's been using those to get around when we go out somewhere.

His muscle seems to be getting better each day. I hope it's good enough for tomorrow, because he's scheduled for work, and probably can't afford any more days off.

Photowalks Update!

2010-03-19T12:45:00.005-06:00

Wow, where has the time gone? I haven't been able to write blog posts for a while .. including my photowalks! Also, I've been so busy lately that I haven't taken very many photos; but I still want to continue with the photowalks!

So, I have updated my version to be a 12-Month-Photowalk! Once a month, I will post my favorite photos I have taken. This technically makes it so I am ahead of my goal! Whew, that feels much better.

I will also be labeling each post over time, so you can search my blog easier!

Have a happy Friday!

Photowalk Month 3

2010-02-19T17:10:00.007-07:00

Bowling! John and I went on a double-date with Bryan and Rebecca on January 25. We went bowling at Fat Cats, and then came back to our place for homemade veggie soup, salad, and peach crumble.

Sadly, I neglected to think about taking any photos the entire time except for this one:

My score is the one on top (aka: the lowest). I bowl much better on our Wii. ;)

Sorry I am behind with posting my photowalks!

Photowalk Month 2

2010-02-09T23:03:00.007-07:00

On January 19, Rebecca and I went to Melanie's house for a "tea party" get together. These photos were taken with my phone camera, since I didn't take my real digital camera.

First, we made tiny sandwiches,

and cut them in half diagonally.

Then, we served ourselves the sandwiches with apple cider.

With our edible goodness, we watched The Importance of Being Earnest ... a romantic comedy movie.

Afterward, Rebecca got her hair cut while I worked with Mellie on my skirt that's still not finished. It was fun!

Photowalks

2010-02-07T15:32:00.003-07:00

.... coming soon!

Being Sick is No Fun

2010-01-20T21:04:00.006-07:00

Where did the phrase "Sick as a dog" come from?

This was me all day today ... although I mostly sat instead of laid down.

Well, today ended my seven-year-streak of not getting grossly sick. I woke up at 4 in the morning and did NOT have a fun time in the restroom. Then I didn't feel like going back to sleep, so I watched tv. This back-and-forth from the front room to the restroom happened four or five times. So not my idea of a good time.

Now I am trying to get my strength back, and get down a fever of around 100. I took a lukewarm bath a little while ago, and that seemed to help.

I get so bored when I'm too sick to move very much. I guess if I wanted to be lazy, I would at least do something other than lie on the couch all day. I sent texts from my phone, but that didn't even satisfy my urge to be more active.

I can't wait til this flu goes away and I feel better!!

Photowalk Month 1-B

2010-01-17T12:24:00.005-07:00

We went to the gym to exercise the other day. I spent almost an hour walking on the treadmill. Later on, both of my legs got shin splints. So we went to get new running shoes. I've worn these shoes for a couple of days, and they are really comfortable!! They also support my ankles from over pronating too much.

Movies anyone? Here is our collection of dvds. Our shelf is getting full!

P.S. I used the "white balance" button on my camera this time, so these photos look a little better!

Photowalk Month 1

2010-01-09T11:22:00.006-07:00

Edit: my photowalks are now once a month!

Here is my first photo taken for the 52-week photowalk! It is the bush in front of our house, facing the house across the street (the house is the part I like).

I am planning on my weeks going from Thursday-Friday, since the last day of this year falls on a Friday. This post is one day late, however, because we had company over yesterday til late.

Enjoy!

Maybe I could have used the flash?

Looking for shopping deals?

2010-01-08T17:06:00.004-07:00

I found this website a little while ago. If you're looking for ideas on inexpensive or even free items, Freebies2Deals has a lot! She posts links to printable-coupons, and links to websites offering free samples as well.

Also, right now she is offering a giveaway basket full of winter goods!

To view the site, simply click the link above or click on the Freebies2Deals button on the right-hand side of my blog.

Happy shopping! :)

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T02:47:00.004-07:00

It is already 2010!

John and I had a fun evening. After he got off work, we went to the Provo mall's First Night celebrations. We each got our faces painted, which was fun but took a tedious amount of time waiting in lines. We also watched fireworks and saw bagpipers and various other groups perform.

Then we spent the rest of the night at Ryan and Rebecca's place. We saw the New York City ball drop, made/ate pizza, and played Wii games.

For my New Year's resolutions, I plan on completing:

Exercising--not only to lose weight, but also to be healthier in planning for future kids.
Updating blog posts--I have been so bad at keeping up with my blog, I think I will make a new post at least once a week.
Finding a job --I hope I can finish this one sooner than later ... preferably in January!!
Keeping up with housework--this has been easier for me if I stay on top of it instead of letting it slide until deemed necessary to tackle.
Participate with my cousin in the 52 Photowalks.

Those are the five that come to mind. I really hope I can accomplish those this year!! I'd like to see if I can train to run in a 5K with my sister this year, but we'll see what happens with exercise!

Happy New Year everybody!!

A Sweet Giveaway!

2009-12-16T09:00:00.003-07:00

Okay, so most of you might be familiar with giveaways already. Here is another one!

Just go to this Our Best Bites site and leave a comment under the post, and you could win a blender! Not just any blender, but one of the best ones out there (as seen at smoothie places).

I already entered!

Fishing Trip

2009-11-24T15:51:00.013-07:00

On Labor Day, John and I went fishing with some of his family at Strawberry Lake. I was the last to get my pole and bait set up, and I caught the first fish!! We had to throw it back, though, because it was inbetween the size of the "restricted" fish to keep.

It was warm for the first part of the boat trip, but then a cold front with some rain came through and turned the weather cold. Here are some photos of the activity:

This was inside the lodge.

My fishing license! John's dad bought everyone a day license! Yay!

John and I sat in the back by the boat's motor. It was fun to watch.

Here is everyone else, preparing poles on the way to our fishing spot.

Some people took a restroom break, while others unloaded gear.
(And some took pictures!)

Near the end of the unloading process ...

Here are John's brothers, dad, and stepsister with the three fish we managed to catch and were allowed to keep.

John with a fish. The one I caught was about two inches bigger than this fish.

Awkward

2009-10-02T18:20:00.003-06:00

I haven't updated my blog in a zillion lightyears! Shame on me.

As well as getting caught up with posting, I have redesigned my blog's look for Halloween!!

I will be back soon with more updates!