Rules and Terms

Okay everyone tomorrow starts our 14 Days of Heart. So here are the rules and how this is going to work. I will be giving out prizes at the end of each week. I will announce the winner of the week on Saturday and then post the next giveaway on Sunday. Then on Valentines day I will be giving out one big prize. Here's how to enter. Every time you post a comment on a CHD post you will get 1 "raffle ticket". If you ask a Question about CHD you will get 2 "raffle tickets". These tickets are put into a hat and drawn at random at the end of the week for the prize. For the big prize on Valentines day you are going to have to do something a bit more than just posting a comment...but trust me when you see what the prize is going to be your going to want it. :) So what I ask is going to seem like nothing. :) Good luck everyone and I will see you tomorrow!

CHD Awareness Week is Coming!!!

February is right around the corner and with the wonderful month of love comes a new and exciting way to learn about CHD and spread awareness. Partnered with Abby's Perfect Broken Heart. We want to help you understand what CHD is, the risks that come with it and many many more. This year to help spread the awareness I am hosting The 14 Days of Heart. I will be posting a new article about CHD, our wonderful little Abby who has been battling this condition, and many many more facts. Along with the everyday posts you will get a chance to win PRIZES!!! With each new post I will have a small something or other for you to win and then on the last and final day...the big V day. We will have a grand prize that you can win. So stay posted and I will let you know all the details. I am looking forward to spreading awareness about Congenital HEART Defects (14 days of heart) and giving out the love this February. So everyone gear up and get ready for a good time!

Bad News/ Good News

Well after a lot of talking and prayer. James and I felt that we're just not ready for the responsibility a horse brings. It's not the getting out to see her or mucking out the stall. The thing that got us thinking is the Vet bills and if something strange happened. So the unexpected Vet bills as well. Then the hoof trimming every 3 months and then eventually horse shoes. We're doing better than we have ever been...but we're still not quite there. Well of course after we made that choice I felt good about it but at the same time kinda miserable and sad. James called Angels owners last night to tell them that we just don't have the means right now. Steven (owner) told us that no one else has looked at her or called and because we couldn't buy her, they are thinking about keeping her for now. But he told us to call back in a few months if we are able to buy her and he would gladly sell her to us. :D Yay! Good news. So I am hopeful that my dream of owning a horse (or maybe even horses) has not completely gone the way of the dodo. :) Thanks everyone for your support and if something changes I'll let you know.

Freaking Out!!!

So have you ever wanted something so bad pretty much all your life. But have never really had a chance to achieve that on your own. So you have always just dreamed? Okay now have you ever realized that your dream could be a reality and instead of being happy and excited you start freaking out and feel like either someone is going to say they were just kidding, it's not going to happen or you cant do this?
So with that out of the way let me explain....I have wanted my very own horse for as long as I can remember. When I was 16 I got that wish only to have to sell the horse to buy a car to make the 14 mile journey to school and work. (long story there) After that I have been searching for a way to get a horse again. I have been researching pricing, stables, tack, etc. (I was even going to put in a corral at my parents house all by myself cost, labor everything till my dad realized how serious I was and said no.) The only time I wasn't researching buying a horse and stable fees and everything is when I was on my mission. When I got home though I started right back into it. James has known about this dream even before we started dating and has encouraged me to keep searching and telling me that one day I would get my chance. I thought I got my chance when i started working at the Universal Equestrian Center in West Bountiful. They gave me a beautiful paint that I named Tennessee. He needed a lot of TLC and training. I was working with him everyday before and after work and even on my lunch breaks. But my boss wasn't the best of people to work for. I was working 7 days a week no sick or vacation, for $1000 a month gross....so about $400 to $600 after taxes. James and I couldn't live on that. So I had to say goodbye to Tennessee because I couldn't afford the $350 a month stable fee at that particular location. After that the research continued. last night we found a boarder in Willard that we decided to go talk to. I have only been able to find boarding fees in the $300 and some of those don't include feed. But this one is $250 a month including feed and cleaning out the stalls. So we put it on our future list. We went out to Mom and Dad A. house and once again...for fun I started searching horses and their prices. I found a horse for $350 that was already stabled in Willard. So again for fun I called the guy. I found out that the lady who is boarding the horse is willing to let the new owner keep her there. She charges $120 a month and it includes feed, boarding and training. Apparently the boarder has been working with the horse and teaching it Parelli. I would have to muck out the stalls ever other day. This is BY FAR the best deal I have ever found. James and I went and met with the people and got to see the horse and ask questions on our way home last night. She's a sweet horse named Angel. Now comes the hard part....running the numbers and seeing if it could really be possible to own her. Any comments, concerns, violent outrages are welcome in the comments section. :D Please let me know what you think after reading my rather lengthy story.

Pay it Forward

Well I tried this on Facebook...But I only got 1 taker. So I need four more people. If you would like to participate just leave a comment, you don't have to re-post if you don't want. Just leave a comment. Thanks!

Pay it forward 2011: I promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment here. However, to be eligible, you must re-post this status, offering the same thing to 5 other people. The rules are that it must be handmade by you and it must be sent to your 5 people sometime in 2011. Ready, set, GO!

Back to School and Resolutions

Well today is the start of a new semester, and what better way to start the semester than with a college wide server problems that is hindering students and faculty to log in and wont let anyone print. Oi! Not only that but with the start of a new semester brings on new expenses...which unfortunately James and I forgot about. (oops) So not only did we have to scramble around the house this morning looking for our notebooks, pens, highlighters, etc. We also forgot to buy our textbooks. (YIKES!) So as I am sitting here watching the clock tick slowly towards the time I have to be in class I started to think about my resolutions. I realized that last year I didn't make any resolutions...so no update there. :p For 2011 here are some resolutions I have made...

- Be more optimistic and positive with life
- Focus on becoming spiritually strong and getting back to the temple.
- lose 15 (min) to 20 (max) pounds by October.
- Get as organized as possible. (so I don't forget things like when a semester starts or buying textbooks. :p)
- Be kinder, more patient and less selfish

So there you have it; resolutions for a better me...is the goal. :) Wish me luck and any help you can give will definitely be appreciated. :D

Miracles, Frustrations and Fun

Well as you can tell by the title this may be a long post. :p I didn't get a chance to post as much due to how busy last week was. Thursday we had a right good ol' scare. Luckily the scare came after the accident so we knew the outcome was good. I was sitting on the front runner train waiting to go home when I got a call from my father in law. He asked if I could pick him up at the mechanic because he needed to leave his truck there. So I just figured it was a routine check up or something When I got there, I was shocked to learn what had happened. Dad was driving down I-15 on his way into Salt Lake to help my brother in law with some work. When something hit his windshield, ricochet off and hit his mirror and then flew into the driver side window shattering it in on Dad. Glass was everywhere, there was even glass embedded into dad's sports catalog.

Dad was fine and it wasn't till we got some of his things out of the truck and were on our way home when he started to get a little shaky and we realized that if that rock or whatever it was that hit the truck had been about 3 inches difference it may have missed the windshield and come full speed at the window and into dad. We could have lost him. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father was protecting Dad A. that day and that he was able to walk away from the accident unscathed and just a little shaken up. Friday was definitely a lot better...and more relaxing. :D After I got home from work the only thing I did was relax and work on organizing my scrapbook stuff...which for me is fun. :p I know wild Friday night huh. :D Saturday was...interesting. After James' martial arts school closed we have been searching for a new place that he might be able to study. He found one place that he really likes...the only problem is the distance. It's in South Salt Lake. There was another place he wanted to check out in downtown and since I was going to be in Salt Lake anyway later that afternoon we decided to make a day of it. The trouble started when we woke up...(good sign of a bad day. :p) James called to verify the time and we realized that we needed to leave well 10 min ago. :p So we got ready as fast as we could and headed to Salt Lake. Our gas light came on and both James and I thought that we should probably gas up in Farmington, but we were both so frazzled and set on trying to get to that school in time that we didn't voice this to each other at all. We got to Salt Lake and after a lot of searching we couldn't find the school. We were both tired and frustrated and the car was almost running on fumes. So we decided to get gas and then we'd figure it out. Two things happened then #1 the gas station we pulled into was CLOSED. REALLY? A closed gas station at 9:45 AM on a Saturday. Well as aghast as we was it wasn't going to do us any good if the gas station was open anyway because #2 we realized we forgot the gas money. So we drove to the College (thankfully just up the street) and we tried to figure out a way to get back home so we could get the money. We did figure out a ride. so after going all the way back home, getting the cash and going all the way back to Salt Lake to get the car and go gas it up. not only was the class over but a new one had started. We did eventually find it (it was on the other side of the street grrrr.) we went in but the instructor was teaching so we were able to get a look at the place, pick up a pamphlet and schedule. If time wasn't an issue we could have stayed there and waited. But we had other things. So after a quick stop at Costco for lunch we headed East to my sisters house. for my nieces bridal shower. We did get there a little late but luckily not to late. James was able to go with my brother in law and nephew for guys time. The shower was a lot of fun. It was for my niece Natasha...did I say that already? As people were arriving we did a mingle game where you had the name of a famous person on your back and you had to ask yes or no questions to try and guess who it was. Then you had to find the person you were paired with. so if you were Romeo you needed to find Juliet. It was a great way for people to talk and mingle. Natasha was placed at the front where everyone could see her and given a tiara with a veil, a yellow boa, a big red heart shaped wedding ring...that lights up and of course her scepter. :D Everyone introduced themselves and how they know Tasha, then it was food, more games, presents and just a lot of fun. :) The game we played was the one where you have the name of the bride and groom and you try and get as many words out of there names. Then everyone reads what they have and if you have the same you cross it off. The person with the most words that weren't said wins...Natasha won with 73 words. After the shower was over James and I stayed to visit for awhile before we headed home. All my sisters and nieces where there, except for my new sister Mina...she lives in the Philippines. It was so good to see everyone again and to talk and catch up. Thank you Nancy, Kari, Shelly, Denese, Lexi and Tessa for putting on such a wonderful bridal shower. :D

My Hubby The TV Star. :D

http://connect2utah.com/news-story/?nxd_id=125707&shr=addthis

New Year, New Me

With the beginning of a new year comes the time to set goals, review the past and turning your back on the past to look to the future. Remembering of course all the good and forgetting the bad. As we move forward into 2011 I am excited and optimistic for what this year will bring. Of course rocky times will come as they always do, but this year I want to have a better attitude and outlook on life. Focusing on the positive and leaving the negative in the dust. So here's to a bright future and many good things to come. CHEERS! :D