Time to upgrade!

I am a multi-tasker. I use my comp for website design, graphic design, book writing, and internet surfing. Hubs is being a doll and letting me upgrade my system with a chunk of the tax return. I am not spending a ton and I can't go Mac because all my software would have to be replaced as well. I want at least 8GB Memory, 1 TB hard drive, a good processor, and probably 2 monitors. I think running dual monitors will help in the designing since right now it can be a pain to flip between my Adobe, HTML, FTP, and E-mail when I am updating one of the sites I handle. So what is your opinion on a good system? HP, Gateway, Asus, Dell......... The list goes on!!

illness and antibiotics

I have a sinus infection. A bad one. I don't want to go to a dr and get antibiotics. We are not always going to have those around and I feel that I need to learn to deal with being sick and find way to get over illness without medications. I am going to do some research but I wanted to throw this out there and see what everyone else thought. What are some of the ways you keep healthy? What do you do when you get sick? What are some natural remedies you rely on?

Add project update

Another project done. This one was for a benefit auction and took me 5 months to complete. I got involved in the story of a young mother in liver failure. I do not know the details of her condition but from what I understand, she has already had one transplant and will most likely need another. She will get out of the hospital and be doing well for a week or so and then something happens to put her back in ICU for some complication or another. I put two afghans in the auction, one for the winner of the auction and one for the young woman the auction was for. The winner got to choose the pattern and colors. Here is the winners afghan. The young lady's afghan is coming along much more quickly and I will post pics when I am done.

Inspiring strength.

I am a reader. I read pretty much every day and in many forms. I was led to a blog that took my breath away. Reading the journey this couple took through an incredibly devestating blow touched me profoundly. I like to think I am a strong woman but the strngth displayed here was awe inspiring. It reminded me of how blessed I am despite the losses and the fight it took to carry to term and have my babies. Their story showed me that no matter the obstacle faith can and does see us through. So tonight as you look to your life please remember that blessings abound even in the darkest of moments. Miracles are there though it may be in the least expected form. Strength is inside you though you fear.

Tax season!

It is that time of year. The time when every adult in the US feels anxious and excited all at once. Do you get a return? Do you owe money? When do you get your refund? The list of questions floating around in our brains can go on forever. I do our taxes myself with the use of H&R Block at Home (Formerly Tax Cut). Soooo easy. I was worried this year because we bought the house so there was a lot more to go in to. I had to discuss moving expenses and interest paid and points paid and blah blah blah. Our forms were much more detailed this year that's for sure. Still was pretty easy. I recommend the software to anyone who wants to do it themselves.

Mystery package revealed!

Theotherryan guessed it correctly. It is an AR kit. I was hoping to have hubby help me put it together but I turned around to stir dinner and he had already put everything together that we could. We are going to go next week to get the lower reciever and then I will post pics of the finished product. (sorry about the pic, the one that I took of the barrel unwrapped didn't work on the com)

Mystery package part 3

This is a pretty good hint. Someone should be able to figure this one out.

mystery package part 2

Here is what the contents of the box look like when unpacked. Any guesses yet?

mystery package

So guys, as promised, a post more to your liking. I got a package in the mail a few days ago. Can you guess what's in it? I will post a clue a day untill someone guesses right. For a reference, those tiles are 15"x15".

The act of charity.

So recently I was able to witness a wonderful act of charity. Through the facebook grapevine I heard of a man who was diagnosed with a form of male breast cancer. He had spent many years of his life as a bishop in the LDS church and was always one to give to someone else. He was never to busy to help out. I saw letters from people whose life he had touched. His daughter-in-law took to her blog to talk about how this reputedly awesome man did not have insurance or the finances needed to procure life saving treatment. Below is an excerpt of her initial blog.

Asking for help is never an easy thing. I'm not good at it, but some things are worth leaving my comfort zone for, and this is one of them.

My father-in-law, Garth Abbott, was recently diagnosed with a very aggressive form of breast cancer called IBC (inflammatory breast cancer). This is a time sensitive matter, and he needs chemotherapy asap. He is uninsured and does not have the necessary money to pay for his treatment. In my ignorance I never realized that someone in his situation would be refused life saving treatment because he could not pay, but that is how the system works, no payment, no treatment.

Garth Abbott is no ordinary man. He has spent his life serving other people. I have watched time after time, knock on the door after knock on the door, phone call after phone call, as this man leaves what he is doing to render help. Sometimes as simple as listening to some one's problems and offering advice, picking up a stranded motorist, offering a night's stay to someone in need (often turning into multiple nights). Countless hours have been spent in service with his church and community as he has worked with the youth loving, teaching, and helping them. He and his wife are the parents of five children, and 18 grandchildren. They are also the caretakers of his 95 year old mother and his down syndrome sister. In my husband's words, "He's the best man I know, and I know a lot of great men!"

I took this story to heart after loosing so many loved ones to cancer, watching other loved ones battle it and survive, and having my own recent scare. The daughter-in-law decided to hold an auction. People donated everything from home cooked meals, legal services, pest control and baby hair bows to jewelry, pest control services, and baby quilts. I donated an item and bid on another to offer my support. There were almost 200 items up for bid and it made my heart swell. The outpouring of support was amazing. The bidding ended last night and the total raised hit almost $20,000. AMAZING. It really renewed my confidence and faith in humanity. Even in these hard times people can still join together to help someone else.