My new calculator

I found a review on the new Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus Silver Edition Graphic Scientific Calculator. Since I am going to need a calc for my upcoming math classes, this one caught my attention. And even better, it's a contest! So check out Texas Instruments, then check out the review and contest. And let's see if I can get myself an awesome calculator to ace my next math class.

PS I did the practice test today for my math test tomorrow, and I got a 96%. Keep me in your prayers that all my studying will pay off tomorrow too!

My son would have been six today

Today is Hayden's sixth birthday. If he were here, we would be having a birthday party for him with all of his new friends from school. If he were here, I would get him a hat or pin or something that says he is the birthday boy so everyone would know and could celebrate with him, the way my mom did for me. If he were here, I would hug him.
Even though I know he is well cared for and very loved where he is, I still miss him. Thank you for taking care of him. And thank you, God, for watching over him. I love you Hayden.

Evolution . . .

. . . of Dance

And now that I have enjoyed that little break, I've got to get back to my homework. BTW, I still love you all, and I'm sorry I'm such a bad blogger since I started school. I know they say two- three hours of homework for every hour in class, but I didn't realize they really truly meant it. But now I do. Back to the books!

Stop the Abuse: Abortion and Infant Abandonment

Sounds horrible, doesn't it? Unfortunately, it's a reality. 3,700 Abortions occur per day. 57 babies are abandoned each day. These numbers are not just disappointing and disgraceful, they are terrifying. These numbers show that there are so many pregnant and scared women and girls. Women and girls that don't know what to do with a child, and in some cases, panic.
So what can be done about it? Raise awareness and educate. Let people know what options are available to them. Let people know they have resources, choices, and people that care. And it can even be anonymous, in some cases.
One resource available, is Project Cuddle. Project Cuddle is a safe and secure option for any moms looking for options and help with their pregnancy. Whether you want to raise your child, place your child for adoption, or release your child to someone that can take care of it for you- this is for you, and it is all done within the laws of the land.
Please help me in spreading the word about the additional options available for pregnant women and girls. The more people that know about the help they can get, the more babies lives can be save.

Dispute? Disagreement? Intense Communication?

Hubby and I had a heated moment of words today. Call it what you want, but to us, it looked like a fight. *gasp* Yes, I admit it, we fight. I think it was about the kittens, or boxes, or something stupid. It was basically an "sling ugly words at each other" thing, which neither of us enjoyed or felt better after. After the fight, we didn't talk for a while. We just sat in our own little worlds doing our own thing. We calmed down, and were in better moods a while later. We still weren't talking, but we weren't fighting anymore. I went ahead with our dinner plans, and made his favorite meal. While I was cooking, he came in the kitchen, wrapped his arms around my waist, and apologized. We talked about it a little, and we made up. Still a little sore about it, but this is good. Which brings me to my thoughts. What causes this? Why do we say things we don't mean and don't want? We both love each other, and that is obvious, even when fighting. We don't throw stuff at each other, don't hit each other, don't degrade or humiliate each other. Is it a moment of weakness? Being tired? Frustrated? Overwhelmed? And once the reason has been discovered, what do we do then? How do we learn from it? How do we prevent fights, and increase positive communication from now on? What can we do/ say/ read? How can we show our love for each other, while overcoming a disagreement?
Hubby and I love each other. And we love the Lord, and are grateful that we have been blessed with the gift of Him, and with each other. That is obvious and openly expressed. But these moments are not ones we want to have a major part of our relationship. So I am interested in what you have to say. I am open to all advice, suggestions, and discussions. We will be forming our ways between us, but I would like to know what works for you and what works for you. We want our marriage to work, and work well, so we are willing to do what it takes. Well you get the point. Thank you for your feedback. Hubby and I both appreciate it.

Chain Letters, Bulletins, and Forwards

Thank you Prayer Fighters For Christ

As if it isn't bad enough to receive Chain letters in my regular email account, I continue to see tons of them on various online networking communities (such as myspace) via mail and bulletins.

Not only are they annoying, and a waste of time, but they are often accompanied by some kind of curse.

If you don't pass this on to 10 people in the next 10 minutes, then silly susie will kill you in your sleep.

If you don't pass this on, you'll have 7 years of bad luck in relationships.

and my personal favorite....

If you pass this on, Jesus will not let you into heaven! Jesus said that whosoever denies me I will deny before my father in heaven!

So, out of fear , superstition or even guilt, people continue the chain.

But what would the bible have to say about this?

Although The Bible doesn't specifically say anything about chain letters, in principle a Christian shouldn't get involved in passing them on. Chain letters could be viewed as 'soothsaying'...which is like prophesying or fortune telling, and is a non-Biblical act. It's in the same category as practicing the occult, engaging in astrology, being a medium who talks to the dead, etc., which the Bible condemns (see Deut. 18:9-14). It involves using non-Godly spiritual forces to predict the future. For example, Acts 16:16, in which a form of this term appears, concerns someone who had the ability to predict the future, but only by the power of Satan or demonic forces. For if a spiritual force isn't of God, it's of the demonic world instead. There is no "gray" in this regard in the ultimate spiritual reality. Satan can do miracles also, much as God does, although the former is fundamentally far less powerful than the latter.

So, before you send out a chain letter, please contemplate the message you're sending and ask yourself if it is something that compromises or compliments your Christian witness.

I like to think I out smarted it

That is what I am in college for, right? To get smarter? Okay, well, maybe not. I'm there for an education. After talking to my math instructor about the math homework and my disagreement about a comma, he told me to go back and fix it. So I did. And now I have 100% on all math assignments :) I still need a lot of work on the multiplication. I know how to do the equation, but I just struggle with getting the answer correctly.

I'm working on my English as well. I understand verbs and nouns, but subject pronouns have me stumped. I scored pretty high on the rest of the quizzes, so I know it's not everything I am having trouble with. I even understand the difference between prepositional phrases and infinitives.
In my ACA course, we are learning about personalities. So far I have learned that I am left brained, and my learning type is primarily kinesthetic, followed by a close visual. It explains a lot to know I am so not an auditory learner. Tonight I will be taking another personality test. It has been fun to learn so many different things about myself. I plan on putting all of this information to good use.
On a less positive note, we are still broke. Pardon me while I rant. We paid $100+ yesterday to get the tire replaced on Hubby's car, and the truck is in the shop for the second time in ten days. Last week we paid $200 to have the brake lines replaced, and the very next day something else went wrong. When I took it to the shop, I thought it was the starter. But they said they tested it and the started is fine. So now it's sitting in there with no idea what is wrong. We still haven't bought groceries. *sigh* Hopefully, Hubby's paycheck will be enough to get some food in this house. Can we be any more pathetic? Okay rant over- thanks for listening.
I am learning the pains of carpal tunnel. I have dealt with it for a while, and I wear braces on my hands and wrists to help prevent it. Since I have started school, it is getting worse. I'm feeling the discomfort and pain creeping from the middle of my arms, through my wrists, into the palms of my hands, and tingling into my fingers. I have heard from so many people that the shots do not good; at that point, only the surgery will help. Quick surgery, two or three weeks recovery (per hand), and small scars. The next time I visit the doctor, I will bring it up for discussion.
Oh, I'm so glad for the weekend. I love school, and I love the schedule we are finally on. Work hard during the week, relax and play during the weekend. Once I finish this personality test, I will be finished with homework for the weekend. I have even been able to read my scriptures and say my daily prayers again. What a difference it makes! Tonight, Hubby and I are going to stay up till all hours of the night watching movies, playing games, and just hanging out together. Then tomorrow morning, we are going to sleep late :)
I hope you all have a relaxing and enjoyable weekend!

"The Breakup" (Movie)

The Breakup

This movie was. . . okay. It stars Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston, and even Judy Davis. It was good example of the communication problems that can happen in a relationship and why relationships end because of them. But it was sad and depressing for a lot of the movie, and it was painful and heartbreaking for others. Vince and Jennifer played their roles well, but their characters became less likable as the movie went on. Had it had a lot more comic relief it would have been a great movie. I did like the ending, though, I thought it was written very well.

Sadly, I do not recommend this movie.

She's blogging it all

I am always searching for the next interesting blog. Since I love reading, I want one with good info! And I found one. Kiwipulse is a simple, easy to navigate, and interesting blog about our world. She has great photos- big and colorful. I like the colors on her blog itself (even though I like colors a little more vibrant). I like that she has the reading on one side, and everything on the other. I enjoyed browsing her blog, and I will be visiting again. Check it out for yourself and decide what you think.

www.kiwipulse.com

Pretty Voice

To see more, visit her on YouTube or Esmee Denters : Official Site

Matt Doesn't Exist

I know everybody is posting the message below, but Matt doesn't exist. Don't believe me? Call the telephone number. That's what I just did. It's also on Snopes as being false (click here). I am all for praying, especially for those in need, but please know if something is real or not before pulling at people's heartstrings. Now, Matt, if you are out there, and you do exist, feel free to message me directly, and we'll go from there. For everyone else, Matt doesn't exist, the telephone number doesn't work, so you don't have to post this anymore. Let's all pray for something we know for sure, try praying for world peace, try praying for our American soldiers, try praying for the lack of honesty in politics. And please don't take this personally, because I received the Matt Message about twelve times.
Thanks Everyone!

Here's the message:
PRAY FOR MATT
Body: PRAY FOR MATT!!!!r

Everyone needs to take the time and read this. Just take a break from all your other stupid bulletins about who is gonna die or if your love life will suck for 7 years and be serious and do the right thing. Repost this or you have no soul seriously. A kid needs our help so do the right thing.
"HI my name is Matt Dawson. I am 23 years old, and I have a large tumor on my brain and severe lung cancer. The doctors say I will die soon if this isn't fixed, and my family can't pay the bills. "The Make A Wish Foundation" has agreed to donate 7 cents for every time this message is reposted. For those of you who repost, I thank you so much. But for those who don't repost it, I will still pray for you. Please, if you are a kind person, have a heart. Please, please, PLEASE REPOST THIS MESSAGE!"
Matt Dawson
702-355-6198 Home
Please feel free to call me for anything.
*hey it wont cost you but 10 seconds of your life

Update, in a nutshell

I finally finished my math homework. I did the entire first chapter, and we are already preparing for the first test. Wow! But I sure put a lot of work into it. Here's a SS of the first chapter's homework. I would have had a perfect score, except I got marked down for not including a comma in one of the answers. Yeah, a comma. Are you serious? Anyway, I would have had a perfect score. Not to say I didn't struggle. Holy crap, I hate multiplication. I can do the addition, subtraction, division, algebra, even some geometry. But when it comes to multiplying huge numbers, I suck.

English is okay. It's going to be a lot more work than I anticipated. But I can handle it. I finished my first two homework assignments, and I will be ready to turn the second in before it is due. So far, I am staying on top of all my work. Which isn't easy. But I'm working my butt off.

I finished and turned in my applications for the Cougar Cry and the SGA. I am looking forward to hearing back about both of those too. Plus, I called the school to find out about getting my truck in to have the starter replaced. Waiting to hear back from the instructor, but a student told me it shouldn't be a problem. I know, I know, don't get too excited. But hey, one more step in the right direction!
Sarabi and Naala are doing well. They are so playful and so cute. And they love being outside, even though they WON'T go in the grass. Every morning they *run* for the door, and stay out until I make them come inside. They play on the porch, and under the cars, and around the door but they hate the grass. I have started picking them up and putting them in the grass, so that they have to walk through it to get back. Eventually they will need to leave the porch, and that means grass. Sadly, they still have fleas. After doing a lot of research, I'm not surprised a bath didn't get rid of them. We are actually going to have someone come in and spray for fleas, and then all the kitties will get another bath and top spot flea treatment. Until then, it's a bath often to keep them from being eaten alive. Soon enough I am going to create a Catster profile for each of them, and probably remove (or definitely retire) the Sweetie, Jack, and West Kittens profiles. Sarabi is so playful and fun to watch. And Naala is so snuggly and cuddly. It's hard to be sad at all with those two babies around.
I've been thinking about DigiScrapping lately. I filed everything away a while ago until I could get organized and time to do it. But every time I see cute pics I want to get going with it. I think I am going to start when my sis has her baby, and go from there. That is a good reason and a good place to start.
Speaking of family, Hubby and I want a vacation. We had a few in thought, but nothing planned. I have the week off for my birthday (Fall break, hahaha), and we are thinking about the FFXI FanFair in Nov, and we are still considering Michigan/Canada with Sanny and Gary- and Teasia now. We have some ideas, and we are talking, but nothing for sure yet. Suggestions are welcome. We'll have something figured out soon enough. lol Either that, or we will just show up in Michigan randomly one day, like we did last time. (Love you Sanny!)
I have been thinking about Hayden lately. He will turn six in ten days. I am going to get a birthday card and send it like I always do. And I will write Anndra (Hayden's mom) the usual yearly update letter about me and my life. Even though I never hear from them anymore, I keep sending birthday and Christmas cards. John and Anndra are Hayden's parents and Hayden is there son, but a significant part of my heart will always love him just as much as every day that he was in my stomach and I was with him in the hospital. My love for him will never fade. And I love John and Anndra dearly for being so wonderful. They make a wonderful family. I just want to make sure Hayden knows that my love for him (and his parents, for that matter) has never and will never fade.
I have been *so* addicted to YouTube right now. Not just anything on there, the YouTube Democratic Debate. I am constantly fishing the net for more, and diving into anything I can find. I love politics. The more I can find to feed my political hunger the better. I really hope the Republicans take the opportunity for theirs coming up. If not, I would love to see them answer questions and present themselves anyway. I understand the whole"end of quarter" conflict. However IMO, this is a brand new and first rate way for the candidates to connect with people.
It is spreading like wildfire, and they would be smart to take advantage of it to the full potential.
Church was so good yesterday. I taught the 8-10 year olds, basically Levi and Tamra. They are so much fun. Congratulations to my cousin Erica, on her engagement. She is beautiful, and they will make a great couple. And pardon me for being selfish, I am so excited to have another young married couple (specifically that don't have young children yet) near us that we can get to know and become friends with. I love Erica already, and I am excited for the opportunity to get to know her even better. Last I heard, they are planning to be married in the Hawaii temple.
One more thing before I go, I love my husband. And I feel SO loved. A hug and kiss every time he gets home from work, encouraging words to keep me going on my homework, snuggling me at night, doing the dishes so I don't have to, making sure my car has plenty of gas so I won't have to worry about it, protecting, supporting, and loving me. Sugar, I couldn't ask for anyone better than you <3

Pee on a what?

I don't post a lot about our thoughts and plans when it comes to starting our family because I don't want to deal with the disappointment that so many people deal with. I also believe that it is to be kept between Hubby and I, until I am good and ready to make it public- which is no where near right now. However! For those of you that are TTC, and need some comic relief, here you are, My Dears. I love Feminist Mormon Housewives, and I so enjoyed this article. I wanted to share with all my girlies out there (whether you are TTC or not) that are in need a humor moment. Enjoy ladies!

ICE Campaign - Spread the news!

We all carry our mobile phones with names & numbers stored in its memory but nobody, other than ourselves, knows which of these numbers belong to our closest family or friends. If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but wouldn’t know who to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency? Hence this "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) Campaign The concept of "ICE" is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact during emergency situations. As cell phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name "ICE" (In Case Of Emergency). The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn’t know which number to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose. In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital Staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialing the number you have stored as "ICE". It really could save your life, or put a loved one’s mind at rest . For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc. Be sure it’s in your kid’s cell phones also….. A great idea that will make a difference!

Get 500 Links Overnight?

As I was finishing my homework and moving into some more exciting stuff- like writing my intro to the CougarCry school newspaper and why I would be excellent on the Student Government Association- I found an interesting article by More Merchant. He was talking about increasing traffic to your blog, and how to do it. The obvious first quality of a blog people want to see is quality, and another is links. He suggested adding certain links to my blog and suggesting others do the same. I haven't been a blogger all about "How many people looked at my blog today?", but I thought this technique was interesting. So I'm giving it a try. Add the links below to your page, add your own to the bottom, and your readers to do the same. I'm shortening the information he gives quite a bit, so you might want to read his article in order to get the full effect. His logic makes sense, and it's very simple. Thanks for the tip, now lets see how well it works.

Derek Semmler
Make more Money and Save more Money
Cell Phones
John Chow
MiniMarie's Corner
Binding Machines
Windshield replacement
Problogger
Music Reviews

Good luck, and let me know how it goes for you and your blog :)

. . . And I still have four hours of homework to do . . .

Ugh today sucked SO badly.

School was great. I went to my ACA class, and it's going to be fun- and pretty simple. Math will be okay. Sounds like homework is mostly on the computer, which is cool. (Hmm, I wonder if I could convince Selo I need a new computer. More ram, better video card, bigger monitor, new speakers. . . ) English is going to be more time consuming than I thought. Not harder exactly, just a lot more work. Busy work mostly. But that's English for ya.

After school I went to my dad's to feed the animals for them. They are out of town this whole week and I agreed to take care of the two dogs, four cats, and three guinea pigs while they are gone. Finished that in about fifteen minutes. My truck wouldn't start. Called my husband at work, he said he would come when he was finished with his conference call. Then I called a friend and let her know what was going on, and she (Meba) said she would take care of the Ellers lunch meal for me since I wouldn't be back in time. (I am a live-in Home Health Care Nurse, and I usually have lunch on the table by 11:30.) Did homework while I waited for Hubby to show up. Thirty to forty-five minutes later he gets there and gets the truck started for me. (Ever drive a clutch? If you have, he had to pop the clutch. Wouldn't let me do it because I had never done it or seen it done before.) He convinces me to go to lunch with him since I am so upset at missing work, and at this point I can't do anything until I start supper at five o'clock. While we are at lunch, guess who we run into? My boss, the Ellers daughter-in-law. Now I don't have any problem with her, but at that time I was supposed to be home taking care of her parents-in-law, not dining with Hubby. Luckily she just said hello and didn't make anything awkward. After lunch we go out to the truck, and it won't start. This time he makes me pop it. No big deal because he is there to help me- and save me if anything goes wrong. Scared the jebbies out of me though! I'd never done that before, it was very interesting. Anyway, so we get the truck started, and I head home. We had decided against taking it back to the mechanic (we just got it back yesterday from having the breaks replaced) because Hubby said he knew what was wrong and we could worry about it later. So I'm on my way home. I'm still learning to drive a clutch, so I am trying to keep the truck rolling at a stop light that way I don't stop and roll backwards on the hill. The truck stalls. And there I am, in a dead truck, in the middle of the road, about to roll backwards. Awesome. And where is my cell phone? No where to be found. Figures. So now, I'm a pathetic puny white girl in a dead truck in the middle of the road and no way to get help. About ten minutes after sitting in the blistering heat (did I mention we are on our 17th day of record heat?) an officer pulls up. I get out tell him what;s wrong, and he offers to push my truck off the road. Are you kidding me? Well okay, you are the officer. So we get the truck off the road, he loans me his mobile to call Hubby back- again- and ask him to leave work- again- to come help me- again. Hubby is not happy. I don't blame him. The officer is kind enough to give me a ride in his car over to a gas station so I didn't have a)wait outside in the heat and b) cross in traffic where there was no crosswalk. So I was put into the back of the patrol car, and let out at the gas station. Slightly embarrassing, even though I was appreciative to the officer. I sit down inside the nice cool service station (Thank you Citgo!) and I overhear the conversation of the table next to me. (Not that it was hard, they were next to me and weren't even trying to be quiet.) They are talking about how every time they are there there is a vehicle somewhere around there and a cop having to take care of business. I don't know if they had seen the officer drive me over there or not, but it didn't really matter. I felt like crap anyway. An hour later, Hubby gets there. We go look at the truck (Geez it's hot out here!), and a Highway Patrolman pulls up. We have 48 hours to get the truck moved before they move it for us. Well at least we have 48 hours, cause it's definitely not moving right now. We are going to have to find a way to tow it out of there. We leave the truck and go home. By this time, I have to go upstairs to fix supper (I have supper on the table every day at five o'clock.) Supper finished, back downstairs, and Hubby has crashed. Get his clothes off- including his shoes which he hadn't even taken off before falling asleep-, and I lay down myself. I just work up, and it's after eight o'clock. We slept for almost three hours. I guess we really needed it. All I have to say, is thank Heavens today is Friday.

Off to a good start

My first day of school went well. First class was Math. It had a lot more students in it than I thought it would. Even though the classroom was small, almost every seat was full. There are about twenty students in it. The lady I sat next to was named Sherri, and she was so nice. We talked a little before and after class, and I think we will become friends. She seems like a good person. The work seems like it will be thorough, but fairly simple. My second class was English. The teacher in that class seems so awesome. He wants to be sure to "lay a good foundation" for the next English courses we will take. I already have homework in both classes. lol Gotta love the first day! I wandered around a little and talked to the security officer. Turns out, he knows my Grandma. She's a celebrity there! Everybody knows her! I guess that's the great thing about going to the college your grandma helped to shape. Did you know she WROTE some of the books they use to teach with?! After class I took a few pictures of the front of the college. I love that there are so many trees and so much shade.

Selo came and got me, and we picked up the truck! I have my truck back again! I am very happy to have it back. Besides being SO much better on gas than the Buick (!!!), I missed my little truck.

Here are a few shots of the grounds. (I apologize if they aren't up to par, I have a cheap camera.)

Bloggers against Abuse!!!

Everyone has their reason to blog. But why not make it a good one! The Blog Catalog is giving us a great one. On August 27, bloggers will go down in history for uniting in Blog Against Abuse, a movement to increase awareness and fight against abuse. All you have to do is blog about it. And you get to choose what type of abuse to fight. You don't even have to choose just one- write a separate blog about several. It couldn't be easier. And it's a great way to get word out. So get going! Start researching! Add a badge to your blog! And then, blog about it. Let's use our blogs for, not just a good reason, not just a journal, not just to make friends, but for a great movement to fight abuse. Blog away!


PS If you would like to join us, I will add a link you to your blog here on this post, and on my sidebar. Leave me a comment here, or send me an email.

I have a puppy!

This is so cute! I saw it on Mendifae's blog. What a great puppy!

I Do Dog Tricks

Something Fun

Flipflop your way out of Walmart, before you get burned

I want to be confident about the purchases that I make! Why is Walmart taking advantage of this?

Kerry purchased two pair of flipflops from Walmart. The flipflops were just like any other- a think sole, with plastic on top and between the toes. They were on sale and very cute. But the left her feet in a very UN normal manner. They left her feet so bad, she had to visit a doctor and will now be scarred for the rest of her life. Walmart has been uncarring and unhelpful to her. She was not asking for a settlement or anything of the sort, she simply wanted the dangerous shoes to be taken off the shelves- which Walmart has refused to do.

So Kerry made her story public. She feels that if Walmart will not do their part to protect consumers, she will do what she can.

I have gotten a lot of grief for not liking Walmart, and for choosing not to shop there. But Walmart is NOT always a safe place. It is somewhere I choose not to shop, because of my own personal experiences (See: Walmart and their CrackerJack Wedding Rings, and Hubby gets run over by a Fork Lift) and now because of Kerry and so many others. People do not deserve this! We, as consumers, should feel safe and confident about purchases we make. And this is not happening at Walmart.

HERE IS KERRY'S STORY

*77 and #77 are FALSE

Thank you, Kendra, for alerting me of this rumor going around:

I knew about the red light on cars, but not the *77. It was about 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon, and Lauren was driving to visit a friend. An UNMARKED police car pulled up behind her and put his lights on. Lauren's parents have always told her never to pull over for an unmarked car on the side of the road, but rather to wait until they get to a gas station, etc.

Lauren had actually listened to her parents advice, and promptly called *77 on her cell phone to tell the police dispatcher that she would not pull over right away. She proceeded to tell the
dispatcher that there was an unmarked police car with a flashing red light on his rooftop behind her. The dispatcher checked to see if there were police cars where she was and there weren't, and he told her to keep driving, remain calm and that he had back up already on the way.

Ten minutes later 4 cop cars surrounded her and the unmarked car behind her. One policeman went to her side and the others surrounded the car behind. They pulled the guy from the car and tackled him to the ground. The man was a convicted rapist and wanted for other crimes.

I never knew about the *77 Cell Phone Feature, but especially for a woman alone in a car, you should not pull over for an unmarked car. Apparently police have to respect your right to keep going to a safe & quiet place. You obviously need to make some signals that you acknowledge them (i.e. put on your hazard lights) or call *77 like Lauren did.

Too bad the cell phone companies don't generally give you this little bit of wonderful information.

*Speaking to a service representative at **Bell** Mobility confirmed that *77 was a direct link to state trooper info. So, now it's your turn to let your friends know about *77.

Send this to every woman (and person) you know; it may save a life. This applies to ALL 50 states.

This information is false. It has been seen on Snopes. *77 nor #77 are universal numbers to the state troopers office. You should NOT count on this to save your life. If you are in an emergency situation call 911.

Update on my cousin Susan

I talked to my Grandma Davis a few minutes ago. Susan is doing much better, but Grandma knows a little more about what happened. During the labor, amniotic fluid got into Susan's blood stream. (I think I was told it is called amniocentisus embolism, but I could be wrong.) The DRs took Susan and did an emergency C-section. The DRs had to use the paddles to bring Susan back to life. She was in and out of consiousness. She had to have tubes put in her lungs to keep them from filling with fluid. The amnio fluid in the blood causes the blood not to coagulate, which leads to bleeding to death.

A few stats on this type of situation:
-It happens to 1 in 200,000 people (and can only happen while having a baby obviously, so that narrows it down even farther)
-The chances of survival when this happens are 10%

Susan is doing better now. Yesterday, we were very scared because the DRs said she may not make it through the night. However she did! She is still in ICU. She is breathing on her own, and has had the tubes removed.
The baby's name is Oliver Cashe, after his grandfather Fred Oliver, and they will call him Cashe. He is happy, healthy, and big! Cashe will go home from the hospital in a few days, and Bryce's mom will be staying with him to help care for Cashe until Susan is able to do so. Susan will be in ICU for a few more days (several we are told), and will be in the hospital for some time after that. She has a long recovery ahead of her. We are grateful she has the opportunity to recover!

Thank you all for your support, love, and prayers. The power of prayer is a miracle, and it has happened once again. Thank you, Heavenly Father!

Hello Senator West

I had the biggest smile on my face the whole time I was at school today. It was just so nice to be there. Honestly, I can't wait to start. I'm nervous, but I'm so excited.
I dropped the Orientation to Medical Assisting today (blah), and found out I had my days backwards. The OTMA was on Mondays and the ACA was Wed/ Fri. I will actually have no Monday 8am class, but I will have a Wed/ Fri 8 am class. Which is just as well. I also found out that dropping the OTMA only cost me one credit hour, I still have nine credit hours. Which makes me eligible for . . . Student Government Association!
With nine credit hours, and as a Freshman, I am eligible to run for one of the five Freshmen Senator positions. You have to have a gpa of 2.0 (that's it?!) and attend the SGA meetings and be available to work various events during the year. Sounds so easy. I'm definitely running.
I also grabbed info about the Cougar Cry. This is the monthly student produced paper full of school news. I picked up Grad2007 issue and info about the first meeting of this school year. Ever since my Mom talked about being involved in the high school editorial for her school and how much fun it was, I've been interested. Since I didn't spend much time in high school, I will have to just do it in college.
The bookstore got my English book in- finally. I was the first person to get one :) I was beginning to get really nervous about starting a class without a book, but I'm better now. And after talking to the lady at the bookstore about the buy-back prices, I doubt I will be concerning myself about that. I pay over a hundred bucks for a book and you're only going to give me five back? Yeah, I don't think so. I'm writing in the dang book. It's mine now. And forever. *writes her name in books with big black permanent marker*
Well I am off to organize my backpack- again. Yes I know, I just did this two days ago. But I made the mistake of taking it to school today (yeah, imagine that mistake) and every paper, book, highlighter, and package of cookies I was handed ended up in the bag.
Two days before school starts, I am almost counting the hours. Hmmm, I think I will put a counter on my page. Oh wait, I'm cleaning my backpack and finishing my PreCollege homework first.

A minute of Prayer for America and our Soldiers

In World War II, there was an adviser to Prime Minister Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every night at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people, and peace. This had an amazing effect as bombing stopped.

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America.

If you would like to participate: Each evening at 9:00pm EST (8pm CST, 7pm MST, 6pm PST), pause whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for overall Peace.

If you know someone else that may be interested, pass the message along. Some once said if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.

The good news, and the very bad news (Prayers please!)

The good news:
My cousin Susan just had her first baby yesterday. He was born big and healthy at nine and a half pounds. His daddy Bryce is just as pleased as he can be. Congratulations Susan and Bryce!

The bad news:
Susan is in critical condition. She had to have an emergency C-section, and they had to bring her back to life with the paddles. They moved her to Utah Valley Hospital as soon as she could be moved. She is now in Critical Care Unit. They are giving her blood. As of now, the doctors cannot tell us anything one way or the other- they do not know if she will make it or not.

Please pray. We need all the prayers we can get right now. Susan is a wonderful person (so is Bryce) and it would be a great tragedy to lose her from our family and for her new little baby and her husband to lose her. I have put their name on the DC Temple roll- please feel free to add it to yours, The Milnes Family.

The Atheist's Holiday

In Florida, an atheist became incensed over the preparation of Easter and Passover holidays. He decided to contact his lawyer about the discrimination inflicted on atheists by the constant celebrations afforded to Christians and Jews with all their holidays while atheists had no holiday to celebrate.

The case was brought before a wise judge. After listening to the long
passionate presentation by the lawyer, the Judge banged his gavel and
declared "Case dismissed!"

The lawyer immediately stood and objected to the ruling and said, "Your
honor, how can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have
Christmas, Easter and many other observances. Jews have Passover,
Yom Kippur and Hanukkah...yet my client and all other atheists have no such holiday!"

The judge leaned forward in his chair and simply said, "Obviously your
client is too confused to even know about, much less celebrate his own atheists' holiday!"

The lawyer pompously said, "Your Honor, we are unaware of any such
holiday for atheists. Just when might that holiday be, your Honor?"

The judge said, "Well it comes every year on exactly the same date -
April 1st! Since our calendar sets April 1st as 'April Fools Day,' consider
that Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53 state, 'The fool says in his heart, there
is no God.' Thus, in my opinion, if your client says there is no God,
then by scripture he is a fool, thus April 1st is his holiday!

0 to Sky in 13 hours

I almost did it. Tak and Ned said they were going to take everyone through the Rise of the Zilart Missions on Saturday. I had to get the Shadow Lord done so I could get Rank 6. Tak, Ned, Selo and I went in there, and they killed it while I hid in a corner and tried not to die. Squishy Taru BLM + GA spelling Shadow Lord = near death. But I made it out alive, and turned it in for Rank 6.

Ned ran with me through ZM1 (The New Frontier), ZM2 (Welcome to Norg), and ZM3 (Kazham's Cheiftainess) to get me through them quickly. GTMC LS set out for ZM4 (The Temple of Uggalepih), and ZM5 (Headstone Pilgrimage). ZM5 took Forever!!! I hope I never have to do that one again, it was so long. Although I must give thanks to Azndragon, who was awesome. He sat around and waited for the group to get to a certain point so he could get a D2 from me. We get there, he waits for me to get MP, and then I give a D2. To myself! I ended up back at my MH and he was still out in Altep. Ugh. But he was really nice about it, and I appreciate that. I have never done that before, but I promise I will never laugh at another BLM that does. We finally got all the oracles, and went to the Chamber of Oracles. So pretty! (Cool Video- Don't watch if you haven't finished ZM6) After that, everyone disband, and went there separate ways.
But I was determined. I had gone that far, and I had been told I would have Sky access by the end of the night. So although things didn't work out as planned, and lots of people had to leave, some of us stayed together and went on to ZM8 (Return to Delkfutt's Tower). We had a few deaths but we did pretty good! Since we had nine people instead of two full parties, some went twice. I got to be in the first party, so during the second party I sat outside as party leader and waited for anyone else that wanted a (successful) D2. It was great. After the fight, most everyone else went their separate ways.
But again, some of us continued. I think only three of us were still up for it, and two of us headed off to do ZM9 (Ro'Maeve), Zm10 (The Temple of Desolation), and ZM11 (The Hall of the Gods). *Special thanks to Vendetta, who was so kind as to help me get unlost and then guide my oh-so-tired taru through the Jungles*
By the time I got around to ZM12 (The Mithra and The Crystal) I was the last person still working on them. Some GTMC members were still in game and in LS, but I was the only one crazy and determined enough to STILL be working on ZMs. I Wanted Sky! Unfortunately, I couldn't fight the Ancient Vessel on my own, so that's where I had to stop. It was six o'clock in the morning. The sun was coming up.
I did all that in 13 hours. Talk about motivation and determination. I wanted Sky so badly. I was only slightly disappointed that I didn't actually get it- how disappointed could I be after I had accomplished so much?! Personally I am happy. I know that all I have Sky access soon enough, and I have definitely proved myself. I am happy with myself. I am pleased with my accomplishment. And that, is what matters.

And as usual, here are the SSs for you (I hope you enjoy these photos, it is taking me forever to get them to work correctly)
SHADOW LORD
















































And here are some of the other Missions: including some of the GTMC members that went, the Chamber of the Oracles, and my first entrance into The Hall of the Gods

























Thank you to Ned, Tak, and everyone else in GTMC that was there. We had a great time yesterday, and I can't wait to be in Sky with you.

My weekend- and one other thought

Friday-
Went to the store, and bought some groceries. But while I was there, my flip flop broke! In the middle of the store! Grr. I only have one pair of flipflops because I couldn't find another pair I liked as much, and now they are gone. Sadness. You should have seen me gimp-walking around the store with one broken shoe. Hubby was laughing at me. lol Okay I was laughing too. But I'm still sad about my shoe :(
I spent the day cleaning the house, and getting ready for Frankie and Jessica to come over. They got here about six, and we sat down for dinner. Pasta and hamburger, salad, and vegetables (I still think they were a little overcooked). I did pretty well, if I do say so myself :) We watched Little Rascals (SUCH a cute movie!) and played with the kittens. Jessica and especially Frankie just loved having all of them all over them. It was fun to watch. During the movie we had ice cream and chatted. After the movie, we packed the three kittens and the mom into a nice big box, and Frankie and Jessica took them away. They took them to Frankie's mom's house, where they will have LOTS of places to play and run free. And although we knew we would miss them, it was so nice to see them go somewhere they would be so happy- and to such nice people. Thank you Jess and Frankie!!!
While they were leaving, I had to go upstairs. There was no hot water. So the CNA's husband came over and we all played with the breaker for a while. Finally it started working, and we had hot water right away. I went back downstairs, and Hubby and I bounced around our house excitedly for a few minutes. We had four less cats!!! That means less food and water bowls, less cat boxes, and less animals under our feet. Yay!!!

Saturday-
Hubby checked his email, and saw a bounced message from his ex wife. *sigh* He had sent her a message asking how his daughters were doing and if she was receiving the child support he was sending. But instead of answering him, she bounced the message. So now, she has him blocked from skype, gave him a wrong telephone number, returns mail he sends to their address, and won't answer his emails. And she says HE is being the difficult one?
On a happier note, I am a moderator for another one of my yahoo groups. This one is on marriage and relationships. It is a wonderful group! The ladies in there are so supportive and sweet. And I am honored to be a moderator for them. It is a pleasure just to be part of that group, and I am blessed to have been accepted (an application is required for membership and they are very careful who they approve). And now I get to play a more active role. Thanks Tiffany :)
In the afternoon, Hubby and I went to the Davis' and fed the animals. We agreed to take care of their pets while they are in Florida this week, and they have a houseful! Two big dogs (Ashley and Lexus), four cats (Nick, Charcoal, Mimi, and Oreo), and three guniea pigs (no idea the names). It took us about an hour and a half to get there, feed and water them all, and get back home. Not to bad for that much.
By the time we got back home, I was fighting a migraine. Yuck. Hubby had me drink some water and get some hydration. I was in FFXI at the time, working on ZMs. (More on that later- it's exciting!) We also watched Lion King, and had a great moment. Hubby named his kitten! I have been calling her Gracie, he has been calling her Little Guy (we thought she was a boy when she was born). But during the movie, he picked her name. She is name Sarabi after Simba's mother. Pretty isn't it? And it was only appropriate to name the other kitten we kept Nala. So we have Sarabi, Nala, and Piper. Isn't that cute? I really like them, and Hubby is very pleased with it. He was having such a hard time picking a name he felt really fit her. This is perfect :D
(I will have the Cat Family updated soon to reflect all the new changes.)

Sunday-
Got all my school stuff together. I sat down and played "Pack the Backpack". I remember as a little girl being so excited to get all my fresh pencils and new notebooks together and seeing them. I hated the social aspect of school, but I've always loved learning. Fresh paper and pencils represent new learning. It brought back good memories to pack my backpack. I have my outfit picked out for my first day of school. Starting tomorrow, Hubby and I are going to be getting up at a regular time and maybe even having breakfast. We will be on a more regular schedule, because that's what I have to have if I am going to do well in school. I'm really blessed to have such a supportive husband, who lets me *clears throat* control his schedule. lol Although I dare say he is as excited about me being in college as I am. He says he is happy to have a wife that is so motivated and interested in improving herself. *big grin* I love my husband. Oh yes, back to school. Tomorrow I go in to drop one class, and Thursday is my first day of classes.

And one other thought: PAID BLOGGING

I have been thinking about Paid Blogging lately. When I first starting blogging here on Blogger and began searching other blogs (in and out of blogger), I noticed a lot of bloggers doing Paid Blogging. This was such an interesting concept to me. Although the more I read, the more I got a bad taste in my mouth about it. These people were being paid to write an opinion. How could their opinion not be warped about something if they were being paid to write it? So lately I have been doing a lot of research on it. Everything I found was good great and wonderful about it. And I knew that wasn't what I wanted. Obviously, paid blogging is great, that's why it is so popular. However everything has a downside to it. I knew there had to be some negative feedback about it somewhere, I just had to find it. I wasn't about to make a decision about something that I couldn't find any negative info about. That's not an Educated decision, it's a biased decision. And the decision of whether or not to begin doing paid blogging is a big decision to me. I wanted to know all I could about it, before making that judgement call. I finally found what I was looking for, the other side of paid blogging. I found opinion, experience, and reasoning to offer a negative side to the paid blogging. I would like to thank Elizabeth from Table of Five for helping with this. Elizabeth, I do not wish any sadness to ever come to you, and I want you to know how much I appreciate your honesty and openness. Once I finally had a change to read information about the other side of the paid blogging world, I was able to make my informed decision. I have been inspired. She has inspired me to consider paid blogging for my own little site. I have chosen August 30th as the day I must have my official decision made, and if so, I will begin Sept 1st. At this point, I will try it. I will join three paid blogging sites, and see what I can do. I have decided I will do no more than one paid blog per day. The concern I had about paid blogging was I didn't want it to compromise the overall atmosphere of my blog by replacing or changing the way I generally post. Having only one paid blogging post per day will keep this in check. Then after a trial period, if I feel I can do more, I will do so. If I feel that it has compromised my blog, I will stop. i know that paid blogging will not be a full income for me. However, as Elizabeth stated, it can give a little extra money. And that money can fund other hobbies I would like to try. And if it doesn't work out, I'm not losing money that I am counting on. (If you would like to read about Elizabeth's experience, click here please.)

Now if you do paid blogging, I am open to suggestions of which paid blogging sites to join. I know about a few, but I am looking for more. You are welcome to leave a comment here, or email me.

Thank you for your comments, thoughts, and opinions about this!

Respect the Flag

Am Still The Same Old Flag

Hello, remember me? Some people call me Old Glory,
others call me Stars and Stripes;
I have been referred to as the Star Spangled Banner.
But whatever they call me,
I am your Flag, or as I proudly state
....the Flag of the United States of America.

There is something that has been bothering me,
so I thought I might talk it over with you....
because it's about you and me.
I remember some time ago, I think it was Memorial Day,
people were lined up on both sides of the street to watch the parade.
The town's high school band was behind me,
and naturally, I was leading the parade.
When your Daddy saw me coming along, waving in the breeze,
he immediately removed his hat and placed it against his left shoulder
so that his right hand was directly over his heart. Remember?
And you, Yes, I remember you.
Standing there straight as a soldier.
You didn't have a hat, but you were giving the correct salute.
They taught you in school to place your right hand over your heart.
Remember little sister? Not to be outdone,
she was saluting the same as you.
Oh, I was very proud as I came down your street.

There were some soldiers home on leave
and they were standing at attention giving their military salute.
Also, some V.F.W. veterans with their caps at jaunty angles were saluting smartly.
Ladies as well as men, paid me the reverence I deserve.
Now, I may sound a little conceited.
Well, I am. I have a right to be,
because I represent the finest country in the world....
the United States of America.
More than one aggressive nation has tried to haul me down,
but they all felt the fury of this freedom loving country.
Remember...many of you had to go overseas to defend me.

What has happened? I'm still the same old Flag.
Oh, I've had a couple more stars added since you were a boy.
A lot more blood has been shed since that Memorial Day parade long ago.
Dad is gone now, The home town has a new look.

The last time I came down your street,
I saw that some of the old landmarks were gone,
but in their place, shinning majestically in the sun,
were a number of new buildings and homes.
Yes sir, the old home town has changed.

But now....I don't feel as proud as I used to.
When I came down your street, you just stand there
with your hands in your pockets and give me a small glance,
then look or turn away.

When I think of all the places I've been...
Ansio, Guadalcanal, Battle of the Bulge, Korea, and Vietnam
I wonder what's happened? I'm still the same old Flag.

But now I see children running around and shouting as I pass by.
They don't seem to know who I am.
I saw an old man take his hat off, and then look around.
He didn't see anybody else with theirs off,
so he quickly put his back on.
Is it a sin to be an American anymore?

Have you forgotten what I stand for?
Have you forgotten all the battlefields where men fought
and died to keep this nation, your nation, free?
When you salute me, you are actually saluting them.

Take a look at the Memorial Honor Rolls sometime.
Look at the names of those who never came back,
and are resting 'neath white crosses on a far away shore.

Some of them were friends or relatives of yours,
maybe even went to school with you.
That's who you're saluting....when you revere me.
Well, it won't be long until I come down your street again.
So when you see me, stand straight,
place your hand over your heart,
and you'll see me waving back.
My salute to you, I'll show you that I too, remember!

...Author Unknown

Another touchy subect

While browsing Domestic Divapalooza, I found another subject causing a lot of stir in our country. I believe bringing up issues is a healthy and productive way of improving and ensuring progress in our country, politics, lives, and families. However this issue brings so much Hate to the floor, that people avoid it at all costs or die for it. There's not much middle ground. You can't NOT have an opinion anymore. Which is why it is coming up so often in so many conversation.
I am forming my opinions about these issues. I don't have anything set in stone yet. But I am leaning this way on one thing and that way on another. The more I hear, the better I can make an educated decision about my feelings.

On this issue, I agree with what Senator Dodge says when he is asked about this issue:
Do you support gay marriage?

What are your views on this issue?

These Poor Parents!

A boss wondered why one of his most valued employees had not phoned in sick one day. Having an urgent problem with one of the main computers, he dialed the employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child's whisper.

' Hello ? '

'Is your daddy home?' he asked.

' Yes ,' whispered the small voice.

May I talk with him?'

The child whispered, ' No .'

Surprised and wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, 'Is your Mommy there?'

' Yes .'

'May I talk with her?'

Again the small voice whispered, ' No .'

Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a message, the boss asked, 'Is anybody else there?'

' Yes ,' whispered the child, ' a policeman '.

Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked, 'May I speak with the policeman?'

' No, he's busy ', whispered the child.

'Busy doing what?'

' Talking to Daddy and Mommy and the Fireman ,' came the whispered answer.

Growing more worried as he heard a loud noise in the background through the earpiece on the phone, the boss asked, 'What is that noise?'

' A helicopter ' answered the whispering voice.

'What is going on there?' demanded the boss, now truly apprehensive.

Again, whispering, the child answered, ' The search team just landed a helicopter .'

Alarmed, concerned and a little frustrated the boss asked, 'What are they searching for?'

Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle... ' ME '

A man of God has gone Home

Elder James E Faust passed away early this morning. We will miss you Elder Faust. God Bless You.

Elder James E Faust

Elder James E Faust

Elder James E Faust

Great Contest!

I am always on the lookout for the next blog contest. I love them! This time, I found a contest with a purpose. Not to increase traffic to their blog or get their name out there, it is to encourage Faith in God. Thank you Robyn, from Redemptive Reflections for such an awesome and thought-provoking contest.

I made a few changes . . .

. . . to my blog. I added a Recommended Sites list on the right side of my blog, and I have more blogs showing on the main page. What do you think of the extra blogs? Is it too much? I'm thinking it might be too overwhelming. Would you like to be added to the recommended sites? Send me an email (my addy is on the right side of the page as well) or leave me a comment and I will take a look at your website. You do NOT have to be a blog to be added to this, and you do not have to be the owner of a site to recommend it- although I will contact the site owner about adding their site. I also added (my personal favorite) a Snippet of the Day. A daily Bible verse. Check it out!

Thanks for your feedback!

Are our American Troops dying in Vain?

I am very interested in Politics. As the election as been growing closer, and growing more heated, I have researched my fair share of information. One blog I have found is Domestic Divapalooza. I appreciate the information that is given. She is always posting questions to and responses from presidential candidates. One recent question was about our troops, and Are they dying in vain? I think not! IMO, a soldier is not dying in vain if he is fighting for what he believes in and in support of his country! The war may not be what YOU believe in, and they may not be dying for what YOU think is right. But they are there, fighting for what THEY believe in. And in doing so, that is what matters.

If you would like to hear more about this question and answer, click on the link below.
Are the troops dying in vain?

Happy Birthday Sanny!

Suzanne is my oh-so-wonderful sister-in-law. Ever since the first time Hubby took me over to her house, she has embraced me as a sister. Sanny has been understanding, loving, helpful, and supportive. She is the best SIL I could ever ask for. I love you Sanny, and I hope your birthday is great!

Resist Your Enemies

I received an email today. It was sent to me to encourage me to not let people get me down, and to show me some support. I am so glad she sent it. Her advice is so logical and smart. Thank you, LaFreda, for your excellent point of view.

I think the reason why we as people's get so angry sometimes is because we take our enemiess actions and hurtful words against us so personally. I think this reaction is normal and could actually be healthy in some instances. When we allow the circumstances or situations to eat away at us mentally and emotionally, we are drained by it. It is time for us to regroup and focus on taking care of ourselves when this happens. Realistically it is not our business what other people think about us, especially when the person does not mean us any good at all. This is a battle like you said, it isn't a losing battle, but a battle still the same. When we lend our long term emotions and mental space to this kind of behavior it only harms us in the end. It robs us of living the life with our families the way we see fit or would like. The enemies win, but no enemy can win unless we give them that power to win. When both parties win it is because of mutual respect. If one side or the other wins because of ulterior motives this isn't winning at all....it is SICK!!!!!! It is sick thinking and evil motives that initiate hurtful situations. Insecurities also play a big role. It isn't our problem to take the hurt on. Transferring hate or discontent is done when a person does not love themselves or have content within themselves. Don't let it penetrate your mind or your soul. That is just my two little cents.....man, I hate drama!!!!

Signs that you've finally grown up

Thanks Niki! Slightly edited

Your house plants are alive.

6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.

You hear your favorite song on an elevator.

You watch the Weather Channel.

You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.

Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up."

You're the one calling the police because those kids next door won't turn down the stereo.

You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.

Your car insurance goes down and your payments go up.

You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonalds leftovers.

Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.

You no longer take naps from noon to 6 PM.

Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.

Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 AM would severely upset, rather than settle your stomach.

You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.

90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.

You read this entire list looking desperately for a sign that doesn't apply to you and can't find one to save your youth.

Look! I'm a Bard!

Between Hubby and Soichiro, I have been convinced to lvl BRD. Not that it was hard, I think BRD looks like fun. Monday night, Soichiro PLed me for a while. I got to lvl five right before I logged out for bed. I discovered that when I have an instrument equipped, I can have two songs. Great discovery! And I love the way Mini looks while in song. It's so cute.

While out there, we played around with some of the Sunbreeze Festival items. They are fun! We had Summer Fans and Festive Fans, Datechochins, and other Festival items. Here are a few more SSs for you.








On Tuesday night, Selo and I got a lot done. We started with the quest for Wizard's Gloves. Got that quest done, it just needed to be turned in. When I went down there, I grabbed Quake and Burst from the AH. Turned around and ran back to MH so I could meet Selo. As soon as I got to Bibiki Bay, a few things happened. A) I realized I left Burst in my Mog Safe. Why in the world did I even put it in there? B) I didn't talk to the box again to get my hands! I was right there and had the quest finished. Duh. C) FFXI froze. Not my whole computer because I could still pull up web pages and IMing, but no FFXI. So I pulled up the task manager, booted myself, and logged back in.
In Bibiki Bay, we fought the Goblin's Rarabs. Both Selo and I could almost one shot them, but not quite. We even had Quake, Earth Day, and an Terra's Staff. We did pretty well though. 5 k an hour- with a ring but no chains. Yeah, that's awesome. And as long as the gobby didn't see us (which happened a few times) we could rock pretty well. Until some other BLM came out there. Dhiz said he had the whole week off and could catch up to us before Wed, so we got a few lvls before we stopped.
Back at the MH, I took out the rest of my spells I had waiting. I ended up learning Enwater and Burst. And man, I'm looking forward to Fire III. (Speaking of MH, I really need to clean it out. . .)
Also, in great news, I sent my first submission for Pic of the Month. I sent it to GTMC for the Sept contest. Haven't heard anything back yet, but I only submitted it late last night.
Here are a few more SSs, including some with my new gear :)

Calling all Graphic Artists- please help!

I am looking for someone to make a ribbon. I would like to show support for the coal miners in Utah that are trapped. I am from Utah, and my family is still there. I am willing to pay for this ribbon. Please contact me by leaving a comment here or emailing me.

Thank you in advance!

Utah Coal Miners

Kitten update

They are doing better. Almost finished with the anti-biotic, tomorrow will probably be the last dose. The three with the eye infections are still getting the ointment twice a day. That will continue until they go to their new homes. Which will happen- this weekend! Tomorrow morning I am taking them to Granny's so she can choose which one(s) she wants to keep. Then Friday night, Frankie and Jessica are coming to get the rest. He is keeping one himself, and his mom will be keeping the rest. They are so cute, and so much fun, but I am so ready! I will be glad to have only two cats, one litter box, and one food and one water bowl. I'm thinking I will update their journal and online photo album one more time before they go. I wish I could get a really good video of them playing with Sweetie's tail- it's so funny. But my camera sucks and I can never get it to work the way I want fast enough. (Note to self: get a more user friendly camera! That takes good pictures and videos!) We still don't have an official name for Hubby's little baby yet. He still calls her Lil Guy and I call her Gracie. But he says he will come up with something. Once the other kittens are gone, he will be able to focus more on her. lol OMGosh he sure loves her. Anyway, that's the latest in The Kitten News.

Congratulations!

And before I forget:

Congratulations to Desiree and Kristina, who are both having baby boys today!!!
You're in my prayers ladies. You will do wonderful. I love you!

Changed my major already

I went BACK to school today, to turn in all the financial aide paperwork. I sat and talked to the instructor for half an hour about whether it would be worth it or not. I was already rejected for aide once, and I don't understand how filling out the same paperwork with the same information on it will be different the second time. So she explained it to me, and after talking about it, I went ahead and did it. I submitted all the changes Hubby and I have had in our "status" and income since 2006. (Basically our income has dropped to one fourth of what it was last year.) Hopefully this time, I won't be rejected again. *sigh*
I finished the FACTS application last night, and gave the proof to the Business office today. The processed it, (gave me my parking permit,) and I went to the bookstore to get my books. they gave me two of my books, and then handed me an intro to Medical Assisting book. Mmm, no thanks. I guess when I register for classes, I was helped by the medical adviser, so I was put in an Orientation to Medical Assisting course. No, I didn't realize this- my class schedule simply said Orientation. I thought it was another college orientation course similar to the ACA. So as soon as that was pointed out to me, I talked to a counselor to see what I needed to do. We changed my major, and Monday I will drop the Orientation to MA class.
I am glad to have most of it done finally. It has been a long process just getting to this point. Does that mean things will get easier once I start classes? I hope so. But if not, I will take a deep breath, take one thing at a time, and keep working.
I start next week. With my schedule change, I will have three classes on Mondays (8, 9, and 10) and two the rest of the week (9 and 10). I will still be finished by 10:50 every day, and be able to get the lunch meal with no problem.
It's only Tuesday, and I've had a long week already. lol I think I'm going to go take a nap!