Some of you know that my brother and his wife have a fabulous business making fabulous Titanium rings - Jason and I both wear them (and LOVE them!).
...........So.......they are giving away 3 rings - made to order, and all you have to do is check out their blog (and make sure to comment) (to read the official contest rules - they are 2 blog posts back....on her blog)(don't worry, they aren't long reads....I promise) - Just comment, and then your name will be put in the drawing. Check back each day (be sure to comment each day) (just until Wednesday, though) - and you're name will be put in additional times.
The lucky winners will be drawn on Thursday.
p.s.
My sister in law is a triple-great blogger - so you ought to check it out just because anyway!
GO HERE FOR A FUN READ AND A CHANCE TO WIN A GREAT RING!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
From bad...to worse?
Really?
Okay, I think that some Heavenly people are trying to teach me a lesson. That I have to keep relearning. And relearning.
It's this:
STUFF doesn't matter.
I get so hung up on the trivial things in life sometimes that I can't get beyond it, see beyond it, plan beyond it, and (like Martha) - I am "cumbered about".
So.....we built this house about a year and a half ago, right? It's a blessing. I KNOW it's a blessing. I also KNOW it's bigger than any house I've ever lived in. It's bigger than the home my parents live in. It's bigger than most of the homes in Argentina apparently too (we were shown some pictures of their home shacks today in the primary I got to visit). We have been TREMENDOUSLY blessed.
Why oh why when I know how much we're blessed JUST BY THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A HOME, AND CARPET, AND BEDS, AND LIGHTS, AND RUNNING WATER, AND A BASKET OF FRUIT ON THE COUNTER...why oh why do the little things bother me?
All the unfinished projects in the house, like the paint drips on some of the molding. Like the few places in the wood floor that isn't QUITE finished, like the 3 walls of baseboards that aren't caulked and painted yet, like the no-back-splash in the kitchen either.....
I REALLY REALLY really do NOT want these things to bother me. But they do. Much mental energy is spent worrying about it. More than I'd like to admit actually. So I won't.
Shortly after we moved in, we noticed that the finish on the kitchen cupboards was scraping off - really easily. After a couple of months it was starting to look noticeably awful, and starting to happen on nearly every door and drawer in the entire house. Ick, huh?
A call was finally put in to the guy who did our cupboards, who said they must not have cured properly or something so he would replace all the door and drawer fronts in the home. Hallelujah!
So we waited.
And waited.
And waited.
The cupboard guy is a family friend (which seems to complicate things), who doesn't actually build cabinets for a living. Just on the side. His regular job takes him out of town about 2/3 of every month.
......meanwhile we're still waiting. (patiently, I might add)
All I can think about is the day that we get the new cupboard doors, and life will be so great, and I will no longer be embarrassed when someone comes into the kitchen and heaven forbid, has to throw something away (that particular cupboard is the WORST). It will be WONDERFUL to have cupboards that look beautiful. And finished.
I can't wait!
An ENTIRE year later, we finally we get the call. The cupboard doors are done.
HOORAY!!!
He'll be up Friday to install them.
My heart is leaping. Life will be so good.
Cupboard man comes. Carries in loads of doors & tools and starts installing.
Woohoo I'm thinking!
After a few hours I notice something not quite right.....
AAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!
Not only are they NOT the same color as the previous doors, but the drawer fronts are a completely different shade that the door fronts, and they are ALL a different shade than the molding and trim. From the kitchen, to the 3 bathrooms, to the kitchenette downstairs.
Stand back. Take a deep breath. Laugh Ange, just laugh - I keep telling myself.
I'm trying.
It's sort of a laugh-cry thing for me at this point.
As the cupboard man left that night, completely and totally unsure of first of all - how the heck that even happened in the first place, and secondly - how on earth to fix the problem....
I hoped that perhaps someday I would find humor in this situation.
It's been 2 days since Friday now, I've had 2 days to look at all the different shades of brown we have going on all over the house. And 2 days to percolate on what to learn from this situation.
Here's what I've come up with so far.....
the MOST important things in life (insert your favorite Sunday school answers here) can STILL be done with mismatched cupboards, paint drips, unfinished master bathroom, missing baseboards, and even with out cute throw pillows & decorations to match. (hard to believe, I know.)
It (ie; stuff) doesn't matter in the bigger scheme of things. Well, it shouldn't matter.
My heart is REALLY trying to get the message through to my head.
Maybe once I figure that out, I mean REALLY figure that out - just then, maybe the cupboard man will figure out how to fix things :)
Okay, I think that some Heavenly people are trying to teach me a lesson. That I have to keep relearning. And relearning.
It's this:
STUFF doesn't matter.
I get so hung up on the trivial things in life sometimes that I can't get beyond it, see beyond it, plan beyond it, and (like Martha) - I am "cumbered about".
So.....we built this house about a year and a half ago, right? It's a blessing. I KNOW it's a blessing. I also KNOW it's bigger than any house I've ever lived in. It's bigger than the home my parents live in. It's bigger than most of the homes in Argentina apparently too (we were shown some pictures of their home shacks today in the primary I got to visit). We have been TREMENDOUSLY blessed.
Why oh why when I know how much we're blessed JUST BY THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A HOME, AND CARPET, AND BEDS, AND LIGHTS, AND RUNNING WATER, AND A BASKET OF FRUIT ON THE COUNTER...why oh why do the little things bother me?
All the unfinished projects in the house, like the paint drips on some of the molding. Like the few places in the wood floor that isn't QUITE finished, like the 3 walls of baseboards that aren't caulked and painted yet, like the no-back-splash in the kitchen either.....
I REALLY REALLY really do NOT want these things to bother me. But they do. Much mental energy is spent worrying about it. More than I'd like to admit actually. So I won't.
Shortly after we moved in, we noticed that the finish on the kitchen cupboards was scraping off - really easily. After a couple of months it was starting to look noticeably awful, and starting to happen on nearly every door and drawer in the entire house. Ick, huh?
A call was finally put in to the guy who did our cupboards, who said they must not have cured properly or something so he would replace all the door and drawer fronts in the home. Hallelujah!
So we waited.
And waited.
And waited.
The cupboard guy is a family friend (which seems to complicate things), who doesn't actually build cabinets for a living. Just on the side. His regular job takes him out of town about 2/3 of every month.
......meanwhile we're still waiting. (patiently, I might add)
All I can think about is the day that we get the new cupboard doors, and life will be so great, and I will no longer be embarrassed when someone comes into the kitchen and heaven forbid, has to throw something away (that particular cupboard is the WORST). It will be WONDERFUL to have cupboards that look beautiful. And finished.
I can't wait!
An ENTIRE year later, we finally we get the call. The cupboard doors are done.
HOORAY!!!
He'll be up Friday to install them.
My heart is leaping. Life will be so good.
Cupboard man comes. Carries in loads of doors & tools and starts installing.
Woohoo I'm thinking!
After a few hours I notice something not quite right.....
AAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!
Not only are they NOT the same color as the previous doors, but the drawer fronts are a completely different shade that the door fronts, and they are ALL a different shade than the molding and trim. From the kitchen, to the 3 bathrooms, to the kitchenette downstairs.
Stand back. Take a deep breath. Laugh Ange, just laugh - I keep telling myself.
I'm trying.
It's sort of a laugh-cry thing for me at this point.
As the cupboard man left that night, completely and totally unsure of first of all - how the heck that even happened in the first place, and secondly - how on earth to fix the problem....
I hoped that perhaps someday I would find humor in this situation.
It's been 2 days since Friday now, I've had 2 days to look at all the different shades of brown we have going on all over the house. And 2 days to percolate on what to learn from this situation.
Here's what I've come up with so far.....
the MOST important things in life (insert your favorite Sunday school answers here) can STILL be done with mismatched cupboards, paint drips, unfinished master bathroom, missing baseboards, and even with out cute throw pillows & decorations to match. (hard to believe, I know.)
It (ie; stuff) doesn't matter in the bigger scheme of things. Well, it shouldn't matter.
My heart is REALLY trying to get the message through to my head.
Maybe once I figure that out, I mean REALLY figure that out - just then, maybe the cupboard man will figure out how to fix things :)
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Who knew running errands could be so fun???
Had a few errand to run down south. Right near our old stomping grounds. So a deal was made. The kids (including Emma's friend Kora) had to 'suffer' through 'mom's' stuff, then the rest of the day was up to them. Here's how it turned out.....
First stop....(after the boring errands, of course) :)
Spanish Fork Reservoir!
TRIPLE GOOD TIMES!!!!! Love that place!
After a couple of hours sunnin' and swimming, a drive through our old neighborhood in Springville was next on the list - just to see how things were. We all waxed nostalgic for a few minutes. The kids realized that the BIG GINORMOUS hill they used to ride their bikes down wasn't all that big anymore. We waved at our old house, and remembered the 'good old days'. (just for the record....We ALMOST stopped at a few of your houses....just to say Hi.......we were SO close to dinging those doorbells..............but my better judgement decided we were wet, sandy, looked atrocious at best, AND it was just about dinner time.....so much to the kids chagrin, we forged on........)
Third stop? BYU creamery. Truly a happy and delicious place. (Well worth the stop.....if you ever happen to be on 9th in Provo).
Our final destination for the day was to hike up to Bridal Veil Falls - which is always fabulous! Walking up Provo canyon reminded me that I truly do miss Utah County (not that Davis isn't FANTASTIC, mind you.....)
Good times climbing up the falls, and the medal of courage be awarded to them all for daring to take a full body dip in the icy icy water!
Brave brave Tanner! (They were ALL brave....but the battery ran out.....darnet.)
I wish all errand days could be so fun :)
First stop....(after the boring errands, of course) :)
Spanish Fork Reservoir!
TRIPLE GOOD TIMES!!!!! Love that place!
After a couple of hours sunnin' and swimming, a drive through our old neighborhood in Springville was next on the list - just to see how things were. We all waxed nostalgic for a few minutes. The kids realized that the BIG GINORMOUS hill they used to ride their bikes down wasn't all that big anymore. We waved at our old house, and remembered the 'good old days'. (just for the record....We ALMOST stopped at a few of your houses....just to say Hi.......we were SO close to dinging those doorbells..............but my better judgement decided we were wet, sandy, looked atrocious at best, AND it was just about dinner time.....so much to the kids chagrin, we forged on........)
Third stop? BYU creamery. Truly a happy and delicious place. (Well worth the stop.....if you ever happen to be on 9th in Provo).
Our final destination for the day was to hike up to Bridal Veil Falls - which is always fabulous! Walking up Provo canyon reminded me that I truly do miss Utah County (not that Davis isn't FANTASTIC, mind you.....)
Good times climbing up the falls, and the medal of courage be awarded to them all for daring to take a full body dip in the icy icy water!
Brave brave Tanner! (They were ALL brave....but the battery ran out.....darnet.)
I wish all errand days could be so fun :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)