Our Valentine's Weekend 2011

Me and Chris had a wonderful Valentine's/Anniversary weekend. We would be married for 7 wonderful years tomorrow. We had the chance to spent a night in a hotel just me and Chris. Chris' sister Trena volunteered to watch the boys overnight for us and we really appreciated it. We couldn't asked for a better night. We first went to Olive Garden and share the Tour of Italy meal and it was delicious. And then we went to Color Me Mine. Color Me Mine is where you paint a ceramic. It was really fun! We really enjoyed the time talking and getting to appreciated our love for each other. We didn't give each other presents this year because we wanted to make something at Color Me Mine together so it met more this way. Now we just have to wait a week for them to be done and pictures will definitely follow. This has been 7 amazing years with an amazing guy. I am so thankful for my husband and my boys, I don't know what I would do without them. I know that we have been through a lot but I don't think that we could of got through anything without each other. I think the reason why we have been able to get through anything is because our love for each other. The things that we have been through has made our love stronger and we know that we can survive anything and can make it through everything and anything. I know things are going to look up! Things can only get better from here. I love you Christopher Lowell Harmon. I can't wait for more great anniversaries with you!!

Reflecting on 2010!

I got this idea from my cousin and thought it was a great idea. Just to basically reflect on what 2010 was to us.

2010 has some positive things happen but also a lot of negative things also. The first half of the year was good and the second half of the year was bad.

In December 2009 we spent Brody's first birthday and our first Christmas in our trailer. We didn't think that would be the first and last time we would spend a Christmas in there.

We started 2010 off right by paying off our bills and buying some furniture from our tax returns. We got a nice refund back and it was just enough to take care of everything. We didn't think we would be screwed if we didn't save our money, which we didn't. We had a great anniversary in February and that day was a day of reflecting on what we should do with the left over money from our tax return. I can't remember exactly what we decided on but we didn't think everything was going to change that year either.

We celebrated Rocky's 5th birthday in May and that was a huge milestone for us because it was a start of Rocky going to Kindergarten in the fall. He had a great birthday with friends and family even though it was really windy and cold that day. Go figure in May it being really cold but everyone still had fun despite it being so cold. I wasn't going to have anything or anyone ruin Rocky's birthday. 

Then in July Chris lost his job. And that was a huge reality hit. We kinda knew it was coming because his old boss was trying to get rid of him for a while but you never prepared yourself for those words. We knew that we had to get money fast so Chris started receiving unemployment and I was still trying to find a job. It was a rough world out there because no one wanted to hire me at the time. We decided to still try to have a good 4th of July despite the situation that we were in. We did a good job of taking care of our other bills but the rent was the hardest. Since I didn't have a job and we were just living off unemployment we couldn't figure out a plan to pay our rent and our other bills also. After Chris lost his job his old friend Black got him a job as a Private Investigator. Basically he went to people's houses and gave them summons to pay their bills or go to court. His old friend Black got fired from that job from supposedly stealing. Around that same time Black was getting married asked Chris to be his best man. After Chris quit the Private Investigator job for Black he told Chris he was no longer going to be part of his wedding and after that things went downhill. We lost all of our friends. Go figure when we were in our toughest times our friends decided to split because they didn't want to deal with us. I think it was also because they were taking Black's side and wanted nothing to do with us because we choose not to go to his wedding because he just hurt me and Chris because of what he did. We tried to move on from that drama and start concentrating on us and what we needed to do next.

Rocky started school in August and he did really good. I thought he was going to freak out being without mommy and daddy but he did excellent. He still loves school and still goes everyday. He has a lot of friends and we all really enjoy his teacher. He has a wonderful teacher that is such a sweetheart. I couldn't ask for a better teacher then Mrs Buhler. I can't believe how smarter he has gotten since he started school and its only January.

I finally started my job in September. It wasn't the best job but it was a job. It was good news for us because then we could start trying to pay rent. The thing about that was we still didn't figure out a plan to pay rent until after the fact. Don't you hate then when you think of something after something bad happens? I have my good days and I have my bad days at work. I still work there and trying to find a better dependable job but I am toughing it out for my family. I am not going to quit my job until I find a better one anyways. Over the holidays we weren't getting a lot of hours and that was putting a downer on things because we were short on cash again but we managed. 

In December we went to court because they were going to evict us. I still don't understand why they took us to court anyways because we still got evicted. They gave us more then three days to get out but we were out of there by the third day. When we came back from court we worked our butts off and packed night and day all weekend so we could be out of there in time. It was nice because we still had time to go back and clean the trailer before we had to take our keys in. It was really hard to loose that house that we worked so hard to get but I just see it as another chapter in our lives closing. They always say when one door closes another one opens and that is so true. I say everything happens for a reason and maybe there is a reason behind why we lost that house. I think it was because that wasn't the right house to raise our kids in it but I sure do miss having my own place.

We ended up moving with Chris' parents. I am so thankful that we have family that are willing to take us into their house so we aren't on the streets. I like having a roof over my head but some things about living with my in laws still bugs me. I am just glad that we are somewhere until we can get our feet back on the ground. We are now on Section 8 (Utah housing authority) so now its just a sit and wait game to see when we get vouchers or an apartment to move into. Chris is still trying to find a job so hopefully he can get one soon. All the places that he has applied at so far has told him that he has too much experience or too less. So I really don't know what jobs want now a days. He is still getting unemployment so that is also helping also. And since we don't have rent we have a chance to pay off our bills and start new and fresh. So here to 2011! So far its been a good year and it just started hopefully some more good news come out of it because I don't know if I can take anymore bad news. So now its just the waiting game until we get that call or that letter. So here is to getting our own place!!!

Merry Christmas to everyone!!

It was a great Christmas this year for everyone. Everyone got what they really wanted. I got my GPS that I have been wanting for a while and also a nice vacuum also that I have been wanting for a long time.

I think we all deserved to have a great Christmas since we had such a crappy year.

Rocky's loot

Brody's loot

We started Christmas on Christmas Eve. Grandma and Grandpa Harmon came over and gave all the grandkids gifts and also had dinner with us. So did Taylor and her family, Aunt Rachelle, Uncle Quin and Stephanie, Kenny, and Trena, Shane, and Aaron, and Aunt Shirley and Uncle Norton. Then on Christmas Day we started the day at 7 in the morning and opened presents at home with Chris' parents then we went to my mom's house and had breakfast there while opening presents there and then we came home and had Taylor and her family over again including Trena, Shane, and Aaron and Uncle Kenny and opened more gifts from Taylor and had dinner. Overall it was one busy Christmas weekend but a good one because all the boys got everything that they have been wanting and so did me and Chris. I think we all deserved it after going through a rough year. I wonder what 2011 is going to bring us but all I am hoping is that 2011 is an AWESOME year. Thanks to all my family for giving me a great Christmas. I hope everyone else had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. :)

Brody's 2 year old checkup

Brody had his two year old checkup today. He weighs 26 pounds and 8 oz in the 34% and he is 35.25 inches long in the 74%. He is doing so good and developing right and while we were at the doctor's office we noticed that he is getting another tooth in, so that is exciting. We have been waiting for these teeth for a while and now they are finally starting to come in. He only got one shot and he doesn't need anymore until he starts kindergarten.

Brody is 2!

Brody Glen Harmon is now 2! Where has the time gone? I swear he just turned 1 yesterday. We celebrated his birthday Toy Story theme. Lately he has been loving Toy Story especially Rex. We had it at Nana's and Papa's house since we are living here now and plus we didn't have any money to do it anywhere else. And plus it was a lot easier. All the people that were there were: Mommy, Daddy, Rocky, Nana, Papa, Uncle Kenny, Trena, Aaron, Aunt Johanna and her family, Aunt Jordan and her family, Nana Heckert, Uncle Justin, Stephanie Harmon and her family and Grandma and Grandpa Harmon. It was a really good party. He got some good presents.

Then after the party we went to Burger Stop to go on a Hayride to see the lights at the Layton Park and also to see Santa. I think it was a good day overall and I think Brody really enjoyed his birthday. You can tell that he knew it was his birthday because when all the guests got to the house he would get a huge smile on his face because he knew that they were there for him. And after the day he gave everyone a hug to thank them. He is getting so big!

What's been going on.

Well we lost our house. The thing that upsets me the most is we just went to pre-trail and the judge wouldn't even listen to us. By the time I got out of the court I was in tears, it just wasn't fair. We couldn't even decide on a payment plan with the judge, we basically have to talk to the attorney and see if there is anything we can work out. They were originally going to give us three days to get out but the judge gave us more time, we were suppose to be out by the 10th. The pre-trail was last Thursday and we were out by Sunday. We bust our butts all weekend because we had that mind set that we just wanted to get out in time. Its kinda sad because I am really going to miss that place, we only spent a year in there and we fought so hard to get it. But the thing that I am looking at is we never wanted this to happen, things just happen in life and you just have to roll with the punches. The other thing I am looking at is I think we could of done better and maybe it wasn't the right time to have our own place. We need to get our feet planted on the ground again and get settled and then things will just fall into place. I am so thankful that Chris' parents are letting us stay at their place until we get our feet on the ground. I couldn't do it without wonderful family and friends in my life. I just want to make it through the holidays and then after that focus on getting a place. Right now its not really important to me because at least we have a roof over our heads.

Other than that we just have been trying to celebrate the holiday season and give our kids the best Christmas ever. We went to Chris' mom's family Christmas party last Saturday and that was really fun. We all had a fun time spending time with family and friends.

Brody is no longer my baby anymore. He is now in a big boy's bed and he is going to be 2 on Saturday, time goes by too fast. Its pretty sad but rewarding at the same time. I am so thankful that he growing up healthy. He is getting to be my little smarty pants just like his brother.

Rocky on the other hand is really enjoying school. He loves his teacher and his friends. He is always proud of what he does in school and it makes me so proud of him. He has a wonderful teacher and I wouldn't want it any other way.

I am still working at Western Wats but they changed the name to Opinionology. I have a feeling that I am going to be working there for quite a while because I am trying to find a new job that is more dependable and reliable but it isn't working. Some times they don't even have projects so we get sent home and we don't even go in. I want a better job for me and my family because this job isn't cutting it anymore.

Chris is still trying his hardest to find a job but he is having a hard time also. This economy really sucks and I hope it changes soon because I don't know how much more we can take. He is staying positive and helping me with the boys while I am working. I am so grateful for everything that he does. He works so hard to make his family happy.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and be thankful for the simple things in life because you never know when they will be taken away from you. I know I am a lot thankful for the simple things in life and I am trying my hardest to stay positive. That is all that we could do right now.

Donations

I would hate to ask anyone this since the holidays are coming up but I am running out of options. We are in the process of losing our house. No one knows how bad it really is here. We try to hide it but things are not looking up fast enough for us. On Thursday we got a 3 day summon from an attorney for our rent, and that was pretty scary. And then we got a notice from the attorney that they have request a hearing for an eviction. I really don't want to lose my house, I am thinking of my kids here. I am ready to fight for my house and I am not ready to lose it. We fought just as hard to get into this place and I am not ready to lose it without a fight. We need to come up with 3,832 on our rent and we don't know how we are going to pull that off. We have tried everything. Chris has been looking for a job and no one would hire him because he either has too much experience or not enough. We tried many places to get emergency funding and they don't have funding until January. And then my job is not paying enough to make ends meet. We are digging ourselves in a deeper hole and we don't know how to get ourselves out of it. If anyone can donate anything I would really appreciate it, I have no one else to turn to then you guys. Thanks for your time!