Hoy voy a escribir este blog en espanol... si se dio cuenta...!
Estoy tan agradecida hoy por buenos amigos que apoyan a mi familia y que nos quieren. Estoy agradecida por la confianza que tienen en nosotros y por la fortaleza que tambien nos brinda.
Mas que nada estoy agradecida por mi salvador y la expiacion que hizo para mi y para todos. No solo para ayudarnos vencer los pecados y debilidades que nos pasan pero tambien para entender el plan de salvacion y el proposito de la vida. Todos nos hemos equivocado y no somos nadie para juzgar. Solo estamos aqui para ayudar y dar de todo de lo que tenemos. No hay nadie perfecto y no somos nadie para juzgar. Todos tenemos pruebas distintas y diferentes en nuestras vidas para vencer y hacernos mas fuertes y llegar a ser como nuestro salvador. El futuro de una persona no depende de lo que pienso solo como pueden aplicar la expiacion en su vida.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Rules to garage saling... Pay attention
1. Never take money to a garage sale. Leave it in your car on the street.
2. Only take a roll of quarters, a few one dollar bills and maybe a few fives if you are looking for something more expensive. Hide you check book down deep in your purse.
3. Assess the item and the desired price. Assess the host of garage sale.
4. Test the hosts garage selling ability..."Would you take (always offer at least half less than what they were originally asking." If they know what is going on they will shoot back another answer like (a number just a little below the original.) and than you are open to bargain till you run out of guts or til they give in. But if the host doesn't lower a bit, smile, walk away and browse a bit more. IF you really want what you were trying to get you can find a junky item that you know they won't want to put back in their garage and offer still less than what the original price is and say, "at least you won't have to haul it back inside..."
5. Make small talk with the host. Be friendly and make instant bestfriends with them. If needed make a sob story up... Mine is... college students with two small babies trying to run a business. It usually helps if the kids are in the car with me.
6. Never tell them how much you will give for an item. Always ask if they would take this much. If they say they want a little more you can go to your car to see how much you have. Pull out how much you want to spend in cash or offer them a check for the amount they want. They will most always prefer the cash even if it is less than what they wanted. But, always give them the option to choose.
7. Hate to say it but the early birds get the good items, but the later ones get the best deals because nobody wants to put their stuff away. Best opportunity for free stuff. (Be careful, only take what you will potentially use or give to someone...)
8. Act a little ignorant when buying important things. Make them feel like they are helping you out and teaching you something about the item you want. (I did this with a skilsaw... and it worked wonders. Of course I know how to use one and how to hold it.)
9. Never waste time looking too long at sales. Do a drive by if needed to scope it. Sure bet is the next one will have better stuff.
10. Research general areas as to where they are holding garage sales, but do not spend time looking for specific addresses. Go with the flow and follow the little pink and orange signs!
Good luck!
2. Only take a roll of quarters, a few one dollar bills and maybe a few fives if you are looking for something more expensive. Hide you check book down deep in your purse.
3. Assess the item and the desired price. Assess the host of garage sale.
4. Test the hosts garage selling ability..."Would you take (always offer at least half less than what they were originally asking." If they know what is going on they will shoot back another answer like (a number just a little below the original.) and than you are open to bargain till you run out of guts or til they give in. But if the host doesn't lower a bit, smile, walk away and browse a bit more. IF you really want what you were trying to get you can find a junky item that you know they won't want to put back in their garage and offer still less than what the original price is and say, "at least you won't have to haul it back inside..."
5. Make small talk with the host. Be friendly and make instant bestfriends with them. If needed make a sob story up... Mine is... college students with two small babies trying to run a business. It usually helps if the kids are in the car with me.
6. Never tell them how much you will give for an item. Always ask if they would take this much. If they say they want a little more you can go to your car to see how much you have. Pull out how much you want to spend in cash or offer them a check for the amount they want. They will most always prefer the cash even if it is less than what they wanted. But, always give them the option to choose.
7. Hate to say it but the early birds get the good items, but the later ones get the best deals because nobody wants to put their stuff away. Best opportunity for free stuff. (Be careful, only take what you will potentially use or give to someone...)
8. Act a little ignorant when buying important things. Make them feel like they are helping you out and teaching you something about the item you want. (I did this with a skilsaw... and it worked wonders. Of course I know how to use one and how to hold it.)
9. Never waste time looking too long at sales. Do a drive by if needed to scope it. Sure bet is the next one will have better stuff.
10. Research general areas as to where they are holding garage sales, but do not spend time looking for specific addresses. Go with the flow and follow the little pink and orange signs!
Good luck!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
and the race is on...
I feel like my life consists of one race right after another. These past few weeks have definately been races. James' architecture projects have trumped all other responsibility that we could have had... except for maybe eating. AND... He actually let me help him glue the tiny little pieces of cardboard together and stay up with him for two nights in a row! We watched a total of seven movies between the two nights. I have never felt more numb in my life. But he has now turned the projects in and we wait... Pray for a good grade. Or like my mom says, "pray that what happens is best for James." I lean more towards, "Annie, pray that your daddy's professors forget he turned his project in a little late and that they want to give him a good grade! :)"
A friend commented to me that she would really like to have been able to go through school with her husband. I looked at her cross eyed. Why? Then the turning of sequence of events that have transpired in their lives and I would gladly take my husband in school for the rest of our lives. We are so blessed!
Now the next race. Landscaping. We started today and I didn't feel like a mom abandoning her children. I have been stressing over who I could have watch my children that would love them and care for them just as much as I would. But, I also understand that taking in two kids is a handful and I didn't want to burden anyone's lives with a full time babysitting job. I had so many come to my rescue if I needed them to be there. We are so loved and have so many great friends! And now I have awesome people that will give my kids a safe and loving environment without having to have twenty people watch them throughout the week. Prayers really are answered and blessings are passed on.
And lastly, I am so grateful for a husband who helps me throw together awards for my cub scouts at the last second as we are running out the door to pack meeting after working all day and not stopping but to eat a few donuts. He is the greatest.
And more lastly, I came home and I had a CD of pictures that a friend, (Ashley Driscoll from Ashley Dawn Photography) took of the kids for her final project in photography. Here's an inside peak! Look above. I am too tired to figure out how to put them down below where I wanted them to be.
A friend commented to me that she would really like to have been able to go through school with her husband. I looked at her cross eyed. Why? Then the turning of sequence of events that have transpired in their lives and I would gladly take my husband in school for the rest of our lives. We are so blessed!
And lastly, I am so grateful for a husband who helps me throw together awards for my cub scouts at the last second as we are running out the door to pack meeting after working all day and not stopping but to eat a few donuts. He is the greatest.
And more lastly, I came home and I had a CD of pictures that a friend, (Ashley Driscoll from Ashley Dawn Photography) took of the kids for her final project in photography. Here's an inside peak! Look above. I am too tired to figure out how to put them down below where I wanted them to be.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
I like to give free stuff away but...
I have had a few experiences these past few days dealing with free stuff. I am some what unsettled in how I feel about it. I truly believe that you are to give of what you have and it will come back to you. Oprah said that whether you believe in this simple law or not it will manifest itself in your life. I have experienced it and continue to in our lives. It is more like the more we give of ourselves the more we are blessed with what we need in our lives. I have not purchased anything but our matress and boxspring in our house to furnish it. Funny. Somewhat mismatched but everything has a story and meaning to it. I likewise like to pass on what has been given to us for someone else who would like it or needs it. We have given trailer loads of appliances and furniture away. So now to these past few days...
I decided to have a garage sale on Saturday. I had quite a few smaller items like a tvstand, tv, microwave, fan, canopy, small fridge, that I had acquired and tried to give away numerous times but nobody could use them. So they went to the garage and sat. Saturday before I made my run to the thrift store to donate them I decided to try having a garage sale... make an offer garage sale. If they would have said 25 cents for the tv stand I would have been happy... or even I will just take it off of your hands even better! The only thing I wanted to get money out of was the mini fridge that I actually did purchase for the missionaries to make them a little kitchenette in our basement. They never ended up using it so I was going to send it down the road. Business was slow... I changed my ad on craigslist to "almost everything free."
People came a little quicker... almost too quick. I ran inside the house to take care of the kids for ten minutes and looked out and found that someone had come and taken the fridge... left everything else. I felt abused and taken advantage of. Who just comes to someones garage sale and walks away with the nicest item there ... (I know it was almost everything free... wouldn't you think that would be the item not free?) and then not even wait til I came out or come knock? I felt violated.
Flashbacks came of when I was in Peru in Arequipa walking down the street past the ditch full of garbage and dead dogs, past the corner stores, past the barred doors and to our block where we could see the door pried open. (Our door was obviously not barred...) Entering the room it was ransacked and gutted of everything! Even to my shampoo bottles in the bathroom, suitcases full of journals, cameras, shoes three times bigger than anything that would fit a peruvian. They didn't look in my altoids can for the money I stashed in there. I guess they thought it was really mints instead of money. haha.
My companion was devastated. She came from a very poor family and now had nothing. I felt angry. I felt guilty. It was my fault that they broke in. I was the American who had "money." Of course everyone knew where we lived and what time we were at church... we invited everyone we could tell. How many taxi drivers had dropped us off there? I then felt that I needed to learn a lesson at this point and once I took that attitude I could feel peace that we would be alright. Material possessions do not matter. They can be recooperated. What mattered was that we had our families and the gospel. We could live just fine. Yes I did finish my mission with just the pair of shoes that I had on my feet that day. (Turns out it is very hard to find my size in Peru...) But that was the turning point for me in my mission. I knew what I had that really mattered to me no one could take away from me. Not ever. The rest... who cares? So they got my expensive, but on sale at penny's luggage set and my new digital camera. They could never take away my testimony of the true restored gospel. They could never take away my knowledge of who I am and the divine destiny that awaits me. They would never be able to take away my eternal family.
So I decided that I would forgive the person who really needed a free mini fridge. Maybe they really needed it and I saved their life with it? Or maybe they really needed the $30 I would have gotten for it. I guess it is not for me to judge. I ended up selling most everything that day and donated the rest. All in all, not a bad day. We continue to be blessed for living a frugal, humble, and charitable life. And I am grateful for that.
I decided to have a garage sale on Saturday. I had quite a few smaller items like a tvstand, tv, microwave, fan, canopy, small fridge, that I had acquired and tried to give away numerous times but nobody could use them. So they went to the garage and sat. Saturday before I made my run to the thrift store to donate them I decided to try having a garage sale... make an offer garage sale. If they would have said 25 cents for the tv stand I would have been happy... or even I will just take it off of your hands even better! The only thing I wanted to get money out of was the mini fridge that I actually did purchase for the missionaries to make them a little kitchenette in our basement. They never ended up using it so I was going to send it down the road. Business was slow... I changed my ad on craigslist to "almost everything free."
People came a little quicker... almost too quick. I ran inside the house to take care of the kids for ten minutes and looked out and found that someone had come and taken the fridge... left everything else. I felt abused and taken advantage of. Who just comes to someones garage sale and walks away with the nicest item there ... (I know it was almost everything free... wouldn't you think that would be the item not free?) and then not even wait til I came out or come knock? I felt violated.
Flashbacks came of when I was in Peru in Arequipa walking down the street past the ditch full of garbage and dead dogs, past the corner stores, past the barred doors and to our block where we could see the door pried open. (Our door was obviously not barred...) Entering the room it was ransacked and gutted of everything! Even to my shampoo bottles in the bathroom, suitcases full of journals, cameras, shoes three times bigger than anything that would fit a peruvian. They didn't look in my altoids can for the money I stashed in there. I guess they thought it was really mints instead of money. haha.
My companion was devastated. She came from a very poor family and now had nothing. I felt angry. I felt guilty. It was my fault that they broke in. I was the American who had "money." Of course everyone knew where we lived and what time we were at church... we invited everyone we could tell. How many taxi drivers had dropped us off there? I then felt that I needed to learn a lesson at this point and once I took that attitude I could feel peace that we would be alright. Material possessions do not matter. They can be recooperated. What mattered was that we had our families and the gospel. We could live just fine. Yes I did finish my mission with just the pair of shoes that I had on my feet that day. (Turns out it is very hard to find my size in Peru...) But that was the turning point for me in my mission. I knew what I had that really mattered to me no one could take away from me. Not ever. The rest... who cares? So they got my expensive, but on sale at penny's luggage set and my new digital camera. They could never take away my testimony of the true restored gospel. They could never take away my knowledge of who I am and the divine destiny that awaits me. They would never be able to take away my eternal family.
So I decided that I would forgive the person who really needed a free mini fridge. Maybe they really needed it and I saved their life with it? Or maybe they really needed the $30 I would have gotten for it. I guess it is not for me to judge. I ended up selling most everything that day and donated the rest. All in all, not a bad day. We continue to be blessed for living a frugal, humble, and charitable life. And I am grateful for that.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
"I turned him!" she says.
Annie and Hank were playing on the swing today that hangs from the apple tree in our yard. Hank was strapped in tight and Annie found it hilarious to twist him up as tight as the ropes holding the swing would go and let loose. They laughed and laughed and Hank looked about like he was going to puke but laughed his way round and round and around. Annie soon found that she could hang on to the ropes as she let him spin and be whipped around just as fast on the ground beneath the tree. They did this for almost an hour and it was pure bliss for them. I would have taken a picture of it and used my new skills of posting pictures, but James took the camera and I don't know how to work my new phone well enough yet... oh well. We got to eat dinner on the picnic table and the kids and James got to jump on the trampoline. What fun! Hank is discovering how to walk on the uneven outside ground. Boy is he determined. He falls over and grits his four teeth and back up he goes. Maybe next time we won't "turn" him, as Annie puts it, so much so he can have more of a chance!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
I figured out how to do pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -Annie's tent
Wow maybe my posts will get an upgrade!! I figured out how to put pictures in it. I guess it doesn't take rocket scientist. You click on the image button....Any who, guess who is camping tonight? That is right Annie is!!! We came home from church and found a neat little tent and fold up lawn chair and a pinata sitting on our back porch from some good friends of ours who spoil Annie and Hank!
Friday, April 8, 2011
My Mommy
So I thought I would take a few minutes and right a little note to my biggest follower...
"I am a true follower..." so says my mom... (See comments section.) But she has to say that.
It is her Birthday today and she gets to turn 32!!!! I couldn't make her any younger than that because than I would be older than her, and we can't have that... that'd be weird.
These are the reasons why my mom is the best mom in the whole world. Now I may be biased but I am also entitled to that.
1. My mom always has taught with high expectations and let me know it. But when I didn't reach the expectation I was never negatively reprimanded or let down. She just encouraged me to keep on going.
2. My mom knows everything about cooking. At least everything that I need to know. Because I still call her almost 3-4 times a week just with cooking questions.
3. My mom makes me feel like I can do anything and that I can be a good person.
4.My mom loves my kids and husband and doesn't judge us for our mistakes but loves and accepts... and puts her two cents in ... :)
5. My mom taught my sister and I to be best friends and as a result I would rather call my sister to tell her good news or bad news than anybody else... except for maybe my mom.
6. My mom well do anything for anyone (sometimes it takes her a second to realize that she can plan a way to accomplish the task but it always comes together.)
7. My mom is the best hairdresser in the world and all the new hairdressers should learn a thing or two from her.
8. My mom is prepared.
9. My mom loves to read Annie stories on skype and watch Hank walk down the hallway.
10. My mom calls just to talk to Annie and Hank.
11. My mom loves my Dad and honors and respects him.
12. My mom has a testimony of eternal families.
13. My mom has beautiful eyes.
14. My mom gives advice when needed and listens when needed.
15. My mom is innovative and industrious.
16. My mom taught me the importance of living on a budget and living frugally and where our priorities should lie.
17. My mom let me make my own decisions growing up after she taught me correct principles and let me reap the rewards and consequences.
18. My mom can organize everything from a camping trip to a funeral and a wedding in a remarkably short amount of time.
19. My mom maintains her home so that the spirit can be felt there.
20. My mom makes super yummy healthy cookies with only 100 calories...!
21. My mom is always looking for new ways to improve their way of life but never forgetting the important stuff.
22. My mom will always answer the phone even when she is in the middle of canning beets or wrapping a perm or at 11:30pm or when in the shower.
23. My mom has cleaned my house more times than I can count.
24. My mom makes amazing bread and potato soup and really good lasagna and stir fry and vegetable chowder and rhubarb crisp.
25. My mom is my best friend.
I think I will stop there because I will need to leave some more reasons for when she turns 33. I love you mom! You are the best! Happy Birthday!
"I am a true follower..." so says my mom... (See comments section.) But she has to say that.
It is her Birthday today and she gets to turn 32!!!! I couldn't make her any younger than that because than I would be older than her, and we can't have that... that'd be weird.
These are the reasons why my mom is the best mom in the whole world. Now I may be biased but I am also entitled to that.
1. My mom always has taught with high expectations and let me know it. But when I didn't reach the expectation I was never negatively reprimanded or let down. She just encouraged me to keep on going.
2. My mom knows everything about cooking. At least everything that I need to know. Because I still call her almost 3-4 times a week just with cooking questions.
3. My mom makes me feel like I can do anything and that I can be a good person.
4.My mom loves my kids and husband and doesn't judge us for our mistakes but loves and accepts... and puts her two cents in ... :)
5. My mom taught my sister and I to be best friends and as a result I would rather call my sister to tell her good news or bad news than anybody else... except for maybe my mom.
6. My mom well do anything for anyone (sometimes it takes her a second to realize that she can plan a way to accomplish the task but it always comes together.)
7. My mom is the best hairdresser in the world and all the new hairdressers should learn a thing or two from her.
8. My mom is prepared.
9. My mom loves to read Annie stories on skype and watch Hank walk down the hallway.
10. My mom calls just to talk to Annie and Hank.
11. My mom loves my Dad and honors and respects him.
12. My mom has a testimony of eternal families.
13. My mom has beautiful eyes.
14. My mom gives advice when needed and listens when needed.
15. My mom is innovative and industrious.
16. My mom taught me the importance of living on a budget and living frugally and where our priorities should lie.
17. My mom let me make my own decisions growing up after she taught me correct principles and let me reap the rewards and consequences.
18. My mom can organize everything from a camping trip to a funeral and a wedding in a remarkably short amount of time.
19. My mom maintains her home so that the spirit can be felt there.
20. My mom makes super yummy healthy cookies with only 100 calories...!
21. My mom is always looking for new ways to improve their way of life but never forgetting the important stuff.
22. My mom will always answer the phone even when she is in the middle of canning beets or wrapping a perm or at 11:30pm or when in the shower.
23. My mom has cleaned my house more times than I can count.
24. My mom makes amazing bread and potato soup and really good lasagna and stir fry and vegetable chowder and rhubarb crisp.
25. My mom is my best friend.
I think I will stop there because I will need to leave some more reasons for when she turns 33. I love you mom! You are the best! Happy Birthday!
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