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Friday, August 31, 2012

SOLD OUR HOUSE

This is an honest, true evaluation of our life, that we are sharing with you, maybe some part of it is what you need in your life right now.
As many of you know, we tried to sell our home before we left to Jamaica. It did not sell, so we tried for a home modification loan ( which is where they will lower your interest payment because Mark was laid off and had been for almost a year) The entire time we were in Jamaica we were sending and re sending them documents to get an answer of what our new house payment would be. They had already told us we could make a cheaper mortgage payment until they finish up with there end.  So we had enough money saved to make our house payments up through July 2011.  That was the magical date because we were coming home, after serving for a year. Well we did not go to Jamaica to adopt a child, but God thought differently, so consequently the adoption was not final in July and stayed that way until the very end of November 2011. We did not have any money left to make house payments, we actually didn't have any money left period. I was selling things long distance and depending on  my girls to take care of it. Until we just had to dip into our retirement.
When we got home, we still hadn't heard from the mortgage company about a loan modification. and it had been a year and a half.  Seemed very strange to me.  So I called them, that is when the shocker of a lifetime hit me square in the forehead. They told me they denied us months ago and we were in foreclosure.  "WHAT REALLY"! They never sent a letter or nothing informing us of this.  Only little sticky notes on our front door making sure we still lived there. How could we be in foreclosure when we have over two hundred thousand in equity?  I was so confused.  They went on to tell me that if we go into a home modification process the foreclosure would stop. "REALLY"!   What did I just get denied from??????  So that is what we did immediately. But we also right away put the house on the market. We were not liking how Chase  was taking care of us, or not taking care of us and we did NOT want to loose all our equity. So from Feb 2012 to Aug 2012, we had 35 people come through our home, and not a one put an offer on it.  Even after lowering the price down to a profit of ten thousand in our pocket.
While we were in Florida at the NFED conference for Dontae's condition, we got an unexpected phone call from chase telling us we were denied once again. But that we were  givin permission for a short sale. ( kinda put a damper on things a bit )When we got we started the process and the first people that looked at it put an offer on it.
So that is what our life looks like through a microscope. Everything we worked so hard for, down the drain...... or is it???????? 
God decided Mark and I were Dontae's parents. That became totally clear to us while in Jamaica. And how can you put a price tag on a life? You can't !  So one way of looking at it is Dontae cost us close to three hundred thousand dollars.  Is he worth it???? OH YEAH!!!!!!!our life is amazing with this little man.
So, now we are in the process of selling furniture and downsizing big time, then comes our huge moving sale, then we move into my in laws basement apartment to begin saving money again.
Some ask us if we are sad or bitter about loosing our home. To answer that truthfully, it is just a house and our stuff is just stuff.  We are a family that is together and where ever we are that is our HOME.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

EXCUSE THE MESS

Pin ItI am trying to get this blog up and running again with a new everything, And its not letting me, so bare with me as I work on getting the problem fixed.  Thank you

Monday, April 23, 2012

30th. Birthday Cake

Pin ItOur amazing friend is turning 30 and his wife is having a surprise party for him with beer tasting to boot.  So this is the cake me and Mark made for our friend.  It is four layers chocolate and white alternating.  Has a cream cheese butter pecan mousse filling.  The ice is made from gelatin, which next time I will spike. LOLOL  I will also make my own beer bottles, this time I couldn't find the liquid latex to use.  Check it out.


so much fun. Blessings

Sunday, April 22, 2012

It's been to long!

Pin ItIt is crazy how time moves at such a fast speed. So much has gone on since I have written. Most of the reason why I haven't wrote was due to fatigue.   Since I have been home from Jamaica I have gotten the same thing two times.  Really it just never went away.  But today I just had to get the energy and take the time. I don't want my readers to feel like I just fell off the face of the earth.
Lets see, we had Dontae's two year pictures taken, which I will post on another day.  Only because they are on a disc that is clear across the room from me. LOL Also our little guy had surgery on his right foot.  At one of our many Dr. appointments they took a xray of both feet and hands. His right foot had a bone that I think was supposed to be one of his toes that didn't grow, and another bone that was growing sideways.  That was making his foot spread, so shoes were not going to work for him, and he was starting to trip a little here and there. So two weeks ago we took our little guy down to Seattle to Childrens Hospital.





Here he is with his dad, playing a game on his IPhone waiting for the nurse to call his name.




thirsty boy after surgery

and very out of it

and such a good patient

coming home with a full leg cast.  Can't walk for three weeks, then the cast will come off.  And hopefully that will be that.  Poor little guy had to be on oxicodne. He seemed to be doing pretty darn good until his little body had about four doses of the medicine and he turned HYPER.  It was crazy, he even jumped out of his crib, and crawled into my room to get me.  So we took him off of that, except for at bed time.  Only one dose it was fine.  It was just the craziest thing.  
Two weeks into all this, and Dontae is doing simply amazing.  
Blessings

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Way to long

Pin It It has been way to long since I have been here at my blog. After doing the last cake I got quite sick.  I am still not a 100% but at least I think I am on my way.  I told you that when I got the picture for the inside of the rainbow cake that I would post it.  Just took me longer to get it on here then I thought it would.

So I am thrilled with the inside.  This was the first time I had made a rainbow layered cake.  Not to mention that they said it was just delicious.  You can't get better then that.  A cake that looks cute but taste's like shorting is not a good cake.  So Yippee, I accomplished what I wanted to. Except for the little mishap of the cake settling overnight in their fridge and it started to lean.  They were so fine with the lean because everyone thought it was intentional.  But what it really was, was me putting to much weight on a one layer cake.  It was an after thought, because I was afraid there wasn't going to be enough cake, so my after thought was not very well thought out.  So live and learn.  And that is exactly what I did.
So now tomorrow, I am off to a scrapbook retreat for four days. The weird thing is I haven't  been away from Mark in two years.  I have been with him every day. So my tummy is sure upset.  I had to leave Dontae a couple of times while in Jamaica, so believe it or not, I am ok with leaving him.  And why wouldn't I, he will be with his Dadden and his big sister.  Life will be good for him.  And it will be good for me too, once I remember what its like to be scrap booking with 40 other ladies all weekend.  I will fill you in when I get home, because there is no internet.
Blessings

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Another Cake

Pin ItThis cake was so fun.  I got to do a little scrap booking along with decorating a cake. Well I was running behind and Calie did the letters for me, but I did pick it all out. LOL
This was my first shot at a rainbow cake.
I am so glad my friend told me that she went and got disposable pans for this. This way I was able to bake ALL the cakes at the same time.  Could you imagine cooking two at a time?  So I made up two white cake mixes, put two cups batter in 6 different bowls and then colored them all different colors.  Worked out really well.
This little girls birthday party is in all rainbow colors, so this is how I came up with the way I decorated the cake.  I will be able to post pictures of the inside when they send them to me. Since I never had made one before, I sure hope that it looks really cool when they cute into it. I know it will taste good. :-)
The happy birthday sign was made with card stock and paper punches. And I printed the letters on white card stock from the printer. Then hot glued the skewer in between to the two scalloped punch outs. Turned out so darn cute!!!!

The adorable little curly que's are made from fondant.  And the cake on the very bottom is confetti cake.
This cake was a lot of fun to do.  Hope you enjoyed looking at my creations.  LOL
Blessings

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Yummy Freezer Recipe

Pin It I would love to start posting a recipe every week from my once a month cooking  that I am doing. I love go to other blogs and reading about their recipes.  So we will see.
Cute little adorable Dontae is feeling yucky and miserable so we stayed home today, except for the times that we sat in my neighbors driveway while they showed our house. LOL
Oh did I mention that one of the realtors backed in to my round about and knocked down part of the rock wall????? With all the room in my driveway, I sure find it hard to believe that she hit it, lol and she really must of hit it to knock it down like that.  Ok, ok lets get back to food.
So I decided to make something very easy.  It is called "Beef Stuffed French Bread" the recipe comes from this company http://www.30mealsinoneday.com/ this company and all their recipes I highly recommend. Here is a picture and then I will give you instructions


1 loaf French bread
1 lb lean ground beef
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1 10.75 oz can Cheddar cheese soup
1 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 dash pepper
4 slices American cheese

Slice the top off the bread. Pull out the soft center of the bread, leaving a1-inch thick shell. Cut the removed bread into cubes. Brown ground beef with onion, green pepper and celery. Remove from heat. Stir in Cheddar cheese soup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well. Gently stir in bread cubes. Spoon into hollowed bread shell. Top with American cheese. Replace bread top. Wrap tightly with extra heavy foil. Label and freeze.

To serve: Thaw. Place foil wrapped bread on baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Open foil down to pan. Return to oven for 15 minutes. Slice and serve.


 This is after I scooped out all the yummy bread.
After I cooked and put back into the bread.

 This is what it looks like right before you bake it.  YUMMY!!
All foiled up and ready to be put on a baking sheet and into the oven.



 
 
Now look at this bad boy!!!!!!  Super easy and super YUMMY!!!!!
So when you make this I want you to come back to my blog and tell me what you thought.
Blessings





Monday, March 12, 2012

Kingdom Builders Ministry

Pin It What does it take to stop these false prophets? Will all my readers please come together and ask our Father to please take the appropriate measures to  do what is right and lead the people in authority  to uncover ALL that they are doing that is wrong.
You remember CDA (Child Development Agency closed down the orphanage and took away their license.)  Well Felix has been staying the night there on many occasions, along with his sister.  Since they are not CDA children, CDA doesn't know about it.  Remember Sheraki?  Well his brothers have asked Jim and Penie Kock to take him back, since they seem not to have enough money for Sheraki.  So before Jim and Penie say yes, they are looking to all their supporters to see if they would sponsor him.  That way they would have the money coming in.  He hates it there, all he ever wanted was to live with his family.  He has been there for over a year now and he loves it.  So I ask myself, "Is anyone going to do anything about these people?"  How can they just keep on hurting children and ripping folks off? All for "people of Jamaica"
Yes they have done some good, but not with out  an ulterior  motive. Jamaica is better off without these Americans over there.
Please pray continuously for Gods will to come through. For the money to come flowing in to the brothers of Shereaki, so he can stay right where he is at.
Blessings

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Elmo Cake

elPin It

I told you on my last post that I would bring you pictures of Dontae's 2nd. Birthday cake.  It sure isn't as elaborate as the last cake I did, but I wanted to make this before Dontae decided he didn't like Elmo anymore.  LOL you know how that is?
I didn't want to have a big party this year, because everyone has been so gracious to Dontae every since bringing him home from Jamaica. So we just went to Red Robin with the kids, my mom and our good friends.
Dontae hasn't seen his brother Cody for quite sometime, but when Cody walked in the door to the restaurant this is what went on.
They just hugged and hugged.
Look how excited he was.  Oh man, when the staff came to sing to him. I really don't think understood a thing, we just giggled and giggled, but he was soooooo cute.
So there ya have it.
Yesterday I did major amounts of shopping for my once a month cooking date that I have with my self this week sometime. So that will probably be my next post.
Blessings

Thursday, March 8, 2012

BIRTHDAY BOY

Pin It  I am in awe that our little guy is now TWO.  Today March 8th. Dontae turns 2 years old.  This morning I took a picture of him eating breakfast.  He doesn't have a bib on, and he is eating cold cereal.  He has NEVER had it before, so I had to mix my cereal "Honey bunches of oats" and Calies cereal "Fruit loops" together with a little milk.  And of course he LOVED it.  But this breakfast won't be served anytime in the near future. LOLOL Just today!
So last night as I was going through Jamaica pictures, deciding on which ones I am going to print for my scrapbook retreat in 20 days, I looked at Dontae's tummy mama.  Wondering how she is feeling today, knowing the little boy she gave birth to is two years old..  I can't imagine how she must be feeling.  Here they are together the first
time they met each other. Sorry about the picture,
I haven't figured out how to use photo shop yet.







I want the two of them to stay in touch over the years.  How I wish we could just hop on a plane and go see her and everyone else in Jamaica. Remember Felix?
These two were suppose to be brothers. I know he is back with his mother, well I am hoping he still is, but I keep thinking how his life could of been here with us.  I am sure all we taught him is long gone now. God is watching over all of them I know that.
So, lets go back to Birthday Boy.  His cake will be Elmo.  lolol I will post it later.
Blessings

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Surprise Cakes

Today my good friends little man turns 1. So I asked her if it was ok for me to do his cake and that could be our present.  Making cakes isn't exactly a real inexpensive thing to do.  Plus I like to go a little over the top and give them more then they ever would of imagined. She said "of course, as long as it isn't cutsie"  She doesn't want cutsie, I won't give her cutsie.  LOL But by the way she yelped when she saw it, I think she was very very happy.  Tell me what you think?
This cake is chocolate with a creamy peanut butter filling.  There is four layers of cake here. The trunk of the tree is made from Rice Krispy treats, the branches are made with gum paste.  And both are covered with homemade chocolate fondant.  The leaves are made from homemade fondant as well.  So with that being said.  The entire cake is edible. Well maybe not the wire or the dowel.  LOL
I also did Henry his very own smash it up cake.  But he was such a gentleman that he didn't want to make a mess.  So cute I tell ya.
His cake is a white cake and the middle layer is just frosting.  I used 5 cake mixes, 7 boxes of powdered sugar. 2 jars of marshmallow whip, 1 16 ox bag of marshmallows,  a ton of butter, peanut butter not to mention 15 eggs.  LOL
I think it went over well, at least most of guests told me that it looked fantastic but it also tasted fantastic.  YIPPEEEEE!!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HENRY WE LOVE YOU!!!!
I did have to get a present too so we got him something to match Dontae.  Check out these two cutie patooties.  LOL
See the TWINS!!!!!!!
Blessings

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

29 DAY CHALLENGE FINALE


                                                                                                                           


                    THE FINALE 


This is it, the big day, the big reveal!!!!!! I am so stinking excited that I just can't hide it. LOL ( Isn't there a song like that?)
For those of you that don't know whats going on, Laura over at http://orgjunkie.com  started this 29 day challenge.  You really need to check out her blog, pretty great stuff.
I chose my scrap booking room.  I chose this because I didn't have one, it was all in boxes packed away while we were out of the country. I had been procrastinating on starting on my room since I didn't have a clue what I was going to do.  I had a picture in my head, but that doesn't always work.  So when I came along Laura's blog and this challenge, I decided to jump on the band wagon to keep me accountable.  I never knew that I would of had so much fun.
If I knew how to direct you to my pictures from progress #1#2 and #3 I would so tell you, lol but I don't know how to do it.  But this entry will have my before and after pictures.  I so hope you enjoy my incredible room, because I stinkin' LOVE it. (And now our house might of sold, I won't have it anymore )  Maybe the gal buying my house fell in love with the room  Heck ya never know.
OK, so lets get started.


My work space before...
                            My work space after...


WOO HOO HAPPY DANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




What a mess... I needed some 
organization.

So since I had bits and pieces of black, I decided to paint my peg board black.
Here is a close up. Pretty neat huh?






Here is my "inspiration board"
I put different crafts and cards up there that people have giving me.




So I have just been moving around the room with my pictures.  And for some reason my font keeps changing and I am not doing it.  We just watched the movie
"Paranormal Activity"  hmmm??????????

 This is my expidite from IKEA before I was finished organizing.







Look at this....  Never have I been so excited to have something thats been in my head come to life like this.
Now lets move over to the closet. I have a ton of little bins filled with many things, so I labeled them.  I didn't label the white drawers, but I plan to.  I have all my paper, on the shelves.  I have material and sewing projects as well.  In the colored drawers, which my daughter was not using anymore, I re purposed it for all my stamp pads.






I just realized that I missed my cricut station. Yea, I am doing a good job scanning around my room.  LOL This obviously is before

This house's alot. Everything is right at my finger tips.  I got this island off craigslist for a insane cheap amount.  And when I went to IKEA to get my expidite, there this sat for close to $500.00.  Are you screaming yet?
ANOTHER HAPPY DANCE GOES RIGHT HERE.

I didn't have really any purging, because I did that before I boxed all my stuff up. But that basket right there on the bottom shelf does have some brand new scrapping stuff that I will garage sale.







This is a super shelf from Michaels. I originally had my cute star hanging here over my desk, but I soon found that I didn't have a home for these items.  So this makes it so easy and right by where I am sitting.







The closet in this room does not have a door, so I went to look at really amazing curtains.  So I could close it off when I wanted too and it look great.  Well, way to much money for what I wanted.  So I found a shower curtain at Ross for nothing. I just love it.  So this is a shot from my cricut station looking onto my work space.
And one more shot looking into my creative space from the door.


I am just amazed that I have a room like this that is so put together.  Everything has a home.  I am not sure I would of ever got motivated enough to get this done.  Especially in 29 days.  YE HAWWWWW!!!!! Thank you Laura for doing this for all of us wanna be organizers. I had a blast!!!!
I hope everyone of you enjoyed watching my progress, and maybe I put a little creative organizational bug into you.  :-)
We were asked to answer the following questions when we were done with the challenge. So here goes...

1. What space did you decide to organize and why?  I picked my scrap booking room because it was all in boxes. My daughter moved out and that gave me a very cool room that I could call my own.
2.  What steps did you take to ensure you completed the space within the 29 day timeline? I really didn't take any steps, I just kept focused.  Because there was a timeline, I knew I had to move it.
3.  What was the hardest part of the challenge for you and how did you overcome it? The hardest part was going through old papers and pictures and trying to organize them in a proper spot.
4. What did you do with the “stuff” you were able to purge out of your newly organized space? I am going to sell at my garage sale.
5.  Tell me one of your proudest moments during this challenge? When I was taking these last pictures.  I just stood back and was simply amazed that I did it, I really did it.
6.  Explain any organizing “tools” you used to help you create additional space and to establish some limits and boundaries? It really is an amazing thing when you use baskets or bins etc. You end up with more room then if you didn't use them.
7.  What is ONE piece of advice you’d give to someone else to encourage them on their organizational journey? Stay focused. You don't need to work on it everyday, but a little bit often.  This is what I learned.  So I hope it helps you.
I would love to hear your comments.  Have a Blessed day