10/31/08

aaAAhhHH!

I GOT TAGGED!! I don't usually really like games like this but since I haven't put up a new post this week I thought I'd play along. So according to Miss Jami, the wonderful friend who tagged me, the rules are to go to your 4th picture file and post your fourth picture. Then tag 4 friends. SO I guess I tag, Stephanie Songster, Jessica Tibbits, Kyra Davis, Cecilia Maughan.

Since the only picture files that I have at all are on facebook. So I went to my fourth Album and the fourth picture. This picture is at the intramural Basketball championship game (the best of the worst league) :) In this picture is our friend Cole, on the right side, sitting eating orange slices on the sidelines. It's like they were 6 old boys just enjoying the game. I'm sure the opposing team enjoyed the fresh orange scent of our team.

Oh by the way, they WON!

I DID IT!!

"I DID IT!!" These are the words I said as I walked back inside from breaking up with my first boyfriend. It was a relationship that was good and fun but I knew that it just wasn't right for me.

Well, I offer that same phrase once again, "I DID IT!!" (Don't worry it's not in reference to my husband, I plan on keeping him for just a bit longer :D ) But I actually, finally, gave my formal notice to part company with Younkers. I've been working there on and off since 2001 but I've never been able to let go of it...the discount is just too appealing.

I've had a lot of fun working in the shoe department but it's just time to slow life down a little bit. I worry about getting restless and bored but hopefully I'll pick up my old hobbies of excercising, reading, scrapbooking, journaling and playing the piano. Wow, writing all of that sounds like a lot of work! ....Maybe I'll add one of them at time- I don't want to be too ambitious!

Anyway, that's my exciting news! My last day will be November 8th, right before the big sales of the holiday season...nice how that just happened to work out like that. ... :)

Wedding Pictures

Just Wait'll We Get Our "HAINES" On YOU!!

Before Victory and I started dating, some friends from church had made a fan club called, "Victory Haines!! I'm Your Biggest Fan!!! on Facebook. Once Victory and I started dating he teased me about not being a member of his fan club. I didn't want to join his fan club just because he was a Husker football player-it seemed a bit ridiculous. But I eventually gave in and decided to join his fan club because I really was quickly becoming his BIGGEST fan. A couple of weeks later, the Nebraska football team was hosting a Husker Fan Day where you could go meet your favorite players and get their autograph. At this point no one knew that we were dating but I decided to be bold and gather as many members of the "Victory Haines!! I'm Your Biggest Fan!!!" club to surprise our favorite football player at the Husker Fan Day.

Somehow I got the notion to make a shirt displaying my allegiance. I used the Hane's underware slogan for my inspiration. I was so nervous as I was standing in line to get his autograph. I wasn't quite sure how he would react to my bold display. He seemed to receive the attention of his fan club well, and didn't seem to mind the shirt. :) And amazingly, no one picked up on the fact that there just might be something going on between Victory and I. I must say it was really fun having a secret that no one else knew.

Birthday CELEBRATION Weekend!!! WooHOOO!

So today I turned 25. I think that if I wasn't married I'd start to feel little bit on the older side and maybe a little bit more dismay of being 25 and single in the mormon culture (which there is nothing wrong with being 25 and single but it's hard to remember that when all the 20-21 year olds are getting married and you are the last of your friends to be married.) But since I'm married and am in a ward surrounded by young married couples with little babies, I feel young. I see how much I am at the beginning of a long and wonderful life. And can I just say, I am married to the most wonderful man? Because I am. He is simply perfect for me. Not just anyone can handle this silly girl. He is patient enough, kind enough, loving enough, self sacrificing enough, thoughtful enough that he can survive me. :) I love him!!!

Well, due to our schedules and today being fast Sunday it's been a weekend of birthday celebration. Friday night he took me on a date! Yes a date. I know we've only been married for four months now, but it seems like forever since we've been able to go out. He took me to Lazlo's, my favorite restaurant, and then we came home and watched a movie. Simple and perfect. I loved it!

Then Saturday morning, he made me breakfast in bed. Granted, he didn't make me my normal birthday breakfast of apricot stuffed french toast but he did make waffles and orange julius a good second best. :) I never have had breakfast in bed but I could definitely get used to it!

That evening we went to a Husker game. We sat on the south side of the field instead of the normal east side. There was difference in the crowd that we sat by. I think somehow we got a group of people who should have belonged in the student section. There was one girl who had the most annoying shouting voice. She kept on saying, "Come on Skers!" Who says, "Skers". Does she lack the vocabulary to say "Huskers"? In my 25 years in Huskerland, I've never heard anyone say "skers". I don't know why I was so annoyed but her voice just pierced my ears and sent them ringing. I just wanted to turn around and deck her one. Grrr...

So today he gave me my birthday present. He bought me a beautiful watch. And tonight is Birthday Cake!! Mom is making my traditional Banana Split Cake! Yum! It's made from scratch. I tried to make this cake once when I was away at school, let's just say my mom's was much better.

Listen to a Prophet's Voice

Sorry, more political stuff. As I listened to President Bush's 12 minute speech (http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/09/24/sot.bush.economy.entire.cnn?iref=videosearch), I started to feel that we, the American people, we who don't think we have an impact in what happens to the Nation, as a whole, may have had some responsibility in this economic crisis by our excessive debt and bankruptcies.

I received a copy of a letter to a congressman via my boss from one of our advisory council members who is a very intelligent farmer who received a few degrees including a law degree. He had some interesting thoughts, thoughts that I think that Americans should know. We shouldn't be left in the dark to the fact that our lifestyles may be part of the problem.

HIS OBSERVATIONS:
1. Much of the current problems were caused by having too much credit, at too low an interest rate, for too long.
2. This allowed too much debt to be accumulated at the private, corporate, and government levels.
3. Today, a shortage of credit is part of the problem.
4. The Current Accounts Deficit has been running about $700 Billion a year, which is almost 5% of GDP, or over $2,000 per year for every American! This is NEW debt owed to other nations. Until now, other nations have been willing to “enable” our addiction to living beyond our means with very low interest rates for T-Bill type of instruments. There is no guarantee they will continue to indulge us with cheap financing, especially if they fear the US Dollar sliding against their currencies.
5. This excess credit also caused asset price bubbles. Housing price declines seem to underlie many of the other problems currently plaguing Wall Street.

Here is only one part of his recommendations as they relates to us:
The American public needs to be clearly told that we have lived beyond our means for too long, and there will be pain associated with shifting to a more sustainable life style. Till 20 years ago we had a recession about every decade. These were a reality check where people learned to become more cautious. Having one now would not be the end of the world. Clearly we should not put our long term viability at risk by foolishly stimulating the economy for short term pleasure. That would be a Pyrrhic victory.

...As a nation we lived beyond our means for many years. Thus it is foolish to believe that we can go back to the excesses. We are like a heavy smoker going to the doctor with lung problems. The doctor says, the good news is that there is no cancer, the bad news is that there is emphysema. If the person changes lifestyle by giving up the smoking he enjoys, then the emphysema will slowly get better. But if the person returns to smoking three packs a day………….

For years, we have been counseled to live within our means and to get out of debt.
Here are a few quotes from the Prophets:
From Joseph B Wirthlinin the May 2004 Ensign, "The counsel from other inspired prophets in our time on this subject is clear, and what was true 50 or 150 years ago is also true today.
President Heber J. Grant said, “From my earliest recollections, from the days of Brigham Young until now, I have listened to men standing in the pulpit … urging the people not to run into debt; and I believe that the great majority of all our troubles today is caused through the failure to carry out that counsel.”

President Hinckley had this to say in the October 1997 General Conference, " I urge you to be modest in your expenditures; discipline yourselves in your purchases to avoid debt to the extent possible. Pay off debt as quickly as you can, and free yourselves from bondage.This is a part of the temporal gospel in which we believe.