The Sun is Shinning :)

    It has been raining a lot here lately, like once or twice a week or more; and my yard looks like a swamp! I hate it when this happens because it is hard to do laundry (and anyone with kids know that laundry is a job that has to be done frequently, lol) and the yard becomes very slippery!

    I remember once, the yard like it is now... I had gone to the grocery store and got out of the car with groceries.  I rounded the front of the truck and hit a slick spot in the mud and down I went... Me & all the grocery bags covered.  (((LOL))) It wasn't funny when it happened, but afterwards it was.

  Just thought I would share an embarrassing moment that I thought about as I started this blog post.

  However, today the sun is shinning so pretty, and it was a really nice day to be out!  It won't be long and the flowers will be blooming and nice days will come more often.  I love the Springtime weather where the sun is shinning, but it is not too hot out to enjoy the day.  These are days that it is nice to work out in the yard or just take a walk, or play with the kids!

   Hope you all had an awesome day; and enjoyed the sun shinning, with no rain in sight as I did.

Creating Memories

A few days ago I was working on some scrapbook ideas and came across My Memories Maker Suite v4, which allowed me to download free pages designed by other user's for Free, purchase other one's I liked, and download the software (which includes 100's of designs, graphics, backgrounds, and more).

I just downloaded my Full Version and made my very first layout... I was excited and wanted to share it with you all!!  I will be adding pictures in to complete it!

Now I just have to get the perfect project to work on.. lol!

If you want your own copy of MyMemories Suite v4, use the this coupon code (STMMMS32432) for $10 off the software (or download a free trial) and $10 in the shop!

Was it a Scam or Not??

     The past few weeks I have been looking around, trying to find a nice and dependable car for under $2000.  I found a lot of nice cars and realized how many dealerships were within 50 miles of me as well (lol).  However, it seemed like every time I found one that I wanted, it had already been sold before I called and I was about to give up hope... to be perfectly honest with you!

     Just when I thought all hope was gone,  I came home on Friday and my husband showed me a picture of a GORGEOUS car that the owner only wanted $1950 for.  As he told me about the conversation he had been having with the owner all morning via email I got excited, but the car was in another state and would have to be shipped...

     Being the pessimistic that I am.. I wanted to know more and ask questions.  After a few more emails back and forth I grew more excited because I felt like it was legit, but I was also suspicious due to a few little details....

1. The car was way to nice to be only $1950... Especially when the price included it being shipped to me.
2. The Google account of the owner... Did not have any posts, likes, nor a picture and they only had 1 friend, whose page was the same way to a 'T'!    
3. The PhotoBucket Account had only the pictures that they had sent me of the car. 
4. The original listing for the car was on CraigsList

.... O.Kay all of these things could be nothing, but Flags were waving because even if someone doesn't share much stuff on the web, most people have friends and have posted at least once or liked something (just my hut feeling).

     The owner had convinced my husband that things were legit; and through conversations I felt okay about it somewhat; therefore, he told the owner we were ready to move forward with the deal....  This is the part that really made me throw up the stop sign!!!

     The Agent that would be handling the deal sent us an email with the information we needed to make the purchase.  However, this is "supposed" to be from an Amazon Vehicle Protection service and yet there is no listing on the Amazon website for this service and no phone number on the email either.  (????)  

     The owner happened to email right after and asked if we had all the information; and my husband said yes and that we would be sending the money shortly.  The owner then sent a message thanking him and signed the email.. "God bless  you and your family", which made me feel a little less suspicious and I thought that maybe we were getting a good deal due to their hardship with the illness of a child and needing money.

     The kids were getting out of school and I was going home to get our youngest daughter; and my husband was going to get our oldest daughter and then go into town to send the money.  We chatted briefly a little more, mostly me asking him if he was SURE he wanted to move forward.  He agreed to email the 'Agent' and ask him to give him a call, just to verify things first; and he did.

      Not long after, my husband calls and says that an email came in from the 'agent' and he claims that he can not call because the company does so much business that the phone lines are tired up!  ... 

   ..."Ummm, Yeah Right!!!   If you want me to send you $1950, you are going to talk to me!" was my response.  

     I told him I would email the owner and ask them to contact us; and we agreed he would call once he got into town before he did anything.

     As I waited for the owners reply, I started thinking about everything and my doubts kicked in overdrive.   I started searching the internet to see if I could find the company that was planning to ship the car.  Just as I was searching I came across a question someone had asked about this company on Yahoo Questions that was ideal to our situation; and she was wondering if it was a scam!??  

       **Red Flags was popping up EVERYWHERE!!

    The owner's reply follows saying that they would never do anything to scam anybody, they enjoy their freedom and life too much.. blah blah blah.... But again, not willing to call me!

     So... I picked up the phone and called my husband!  Once he answered, I read him the question on Yahoo and the comments; and then I told him that my gut was telling me this is not right; and that I would rather end up with a lemon than have someone scam me out of all of that money and he agreed!

    Later on that night, still wondering Was this is Scam?  I asked my husband if he was going to email the owner or the agent and tell them we were not interested; and he said no.  

    He said.. "If it was a scam they won't even try to contact me again!  Because they will know I was suspicious and they will move on."  

    It's been 6 days now and no one has tried contacting us again to see if we have sent the money or if we were still interested...  Is this because they sold the car to 1 of the other 4 people who were interested?  (or)  Because it was a scam?  

    What do you think... Was this a Scam or Not??

     

      

   

The most Romantic Valentine's Day

 
  Valentine's Day is the day of Romance.. but a few years ago, romance was far from my mind as I was getting dressed for my dad's funeral.  Honestly, Valentine's Day was the farthest from my mind!

  On the ride home, the car was filled with silence; and the holiday was mentioned to break the ice.  My husband apologizes for not having a gift, as do I; but we both know and understand completely and forget about it.

   The next day my hubby returns from work; and in he comes with flowers and a card. Naturally, it brings a smile to my face and love in my heart.. as it will to anyone receiving such a sweet gift.  However, I notice something familiar about some of the flowers...  they were the one's I had got from daddy's funeral.

    Seems that when he went to get my flower's he asked if they could add them in, so that they would last longer.  Awww!!  I can't explain the feelings of love that came over me that year and I can honestly say that it was the most romantic Valentine's Day that I have had.  (and the worse as well)

  As the big day arrives so people try to find the most extravagant gifts or the most popular one's for their loved one; and it definitely does bring a smile to their face and love into their heart.  But.. I think if you really want to pull on their heart strings.. do something totally thoughtful that will mean something to her in a way that she will remember forever!

   Spend some time thinking about how you can make the love of your life's Valentine's Day extra special this year!  Make them feel that you love them more than anything else on earth.. bring romance to the day.

   I think that doing something that had thoughts of love behind it, will bring romance as well.  This is why it was the most romantic Valentine's Day when my husbands kind gesture made me feel like I was loved more than anything else in the world... it had Heart added!



 

 

 

Consumed by grief

   The past few days have been a challenge for me, my mom has been deeply consumed with grief due to the anniversary of my daddy's death.  She is all alone now and I know it has to be hard when you don't have your spouse; and your children are grown with kids of their own.  However, she bothers me as she seems to think of nothing else and dwell somewhat in the loss.. why not happiness with the memories?

   I know that losing a spouse the week that a holiday focused on love falls, has got to be terrible; because it is hard to lose someone you love any day of the year!  Valentine's Day is coming and it is the holiday of romance; and the TV and shows remind us everyday, but to her it is just the day she laid her love to rest.. and I can't blame her for being consumed with grief to an extent (it hurts that I lost my daddy then as well.

   However, how do I get her out of the rut and dwelling.. the depression!?  I hate to see her feeling so down and missing her valentine, but I just don't know what else to do!  I have tried to lift her spirits and encourage things to do, but she wants no part in it.. sleeping and lost in thought is about she gives!  

   I hope that one day she will be able to see this holiday in a better light, and not be consumed with grief over my daddy's loss, but with the great memories she had with him for all of those wonderful years!