DownEast Basics

I started my new job just over a week ago...and I am really enjoying it. I can't believe how much work it is to build a new store, and I am building two in three weeks. I am exhausted, to say the least. We have to unpack over 1200 pounds of clothes, hang them or fold them perfectly, steam the clothes that are hung up, and then organize the store. We also have to assemble fixtures, and get the security, computer, and sound system working. All in all, it has been an extremely busy last week and a half, and I have another two weeks before it is over for my Arrowhead store.
The Tempe store is up and running, and I love working there. It is an outdoor mall, so there are lots of people who come just to hang out. The night life at the mall is great! They have concerts and all sorts of nice places to dine. They also have a theater, and bowling and billiards, so that makes it popular for the younger crowd. But, I can't wait to open Arrowhead so I don't have to drive so far.
We are starting the Arrowhead build-out on October 2nd, and the store opens on October 8th, so it should be a fun week! Right now I am trying to get all my hiring done. That has been a challenge. I have tons of resumes, but it is hard to find people to trust and depend on to run a store. I have two girls from my ward hired, which I am way excited about. And, I still have about 5 to 6 more people to hire in less than a week. Wish me luck!
I will post pictures when I started building out the store! :)
Oh, and if you don't know what DownEast carries for clothes, check out their website! They have the cutest clothes, all under $60. The clothes are sooo comfortable and modest...which is a huge plus! Outside of Utah and Idaho, it is hard to find clothes that are modest, so DownEast is a big blessing to people who want to dress modestly, and still look and feel good.

www.downeastbasics.com

Things Happen...

For a reason. This is something I am constantly telling myself and those around me. I don't know if it is because it gives us reassurance that everything is going to be okay in the end, or if it is just faith. But, this simple little phrase holds more than water. So, when life is going crazy, or if it feels like it has turned upside down, remember that things happen for a reason, and everything will be okay in the end. Have a little faith, say a little prayer, and then take another little step forward.
As I watch the news, and get updates on my computer, it can be extremely depressing to see the disasters in the world. I feel like I get bombarded with sad information...someone died here, another person lost their home somewhere else, and a big storm is about to hit a big city. I don't know if it is because I am older and actually pay attention to what is going on around me, or if things really are getting worse, but it feels like there is always something wrong or bad going on. If it isn't our economy failing, it is a hurricane. If it isn't a hurricane, it is a fire. If it isn't a fire, it is a huge wreck.
Why do bad things happen? And how do we get past them? I guess the answer is different for everyone. We all choose how we react to outside influences and negative things that happen to us. We all have our own challenges custom made. It is how we deal with those challenges that make us who we are, and what we can become. As long as we choose the Lord, we will be taken care of. Now, I am not saying our challenges will end, in fact, a lot of times they get worse, but we will know that someone is by our side, and we can lean on Christ to help us.
I often like to reflect on the promise: Be prepared and ye shall not fear. I guess the best way to prepare for life's challenges is to live every day to our best ability, like every day is our last day here on the earth. Then, we will be prepared for whatever comes our way, and our future will be much brighter, whether it is in this life or the next.
One example, to me, who lived life prepared is my father. Since he thought ahead of today, on to tomorrow, and twenty years down the road, he secured a good occupation for my mother and my brother in Idaho (and me if I chose it), that will help them to survive without him. He also left a nice inheritance for my eight other brothers and sisters in Utah. Not one day went by that he didn't sacrifice for all of us kids. He didn't leave us burdened in debt because he wanted to travel, or enjoy life's pleasures. And, the sacrifices he made in his life for my family, is now paying off, and will continue to pay off for years. I think that so many of us get caught up in the day to day trivial problems and our immediate wants. It burdens us with debt, guilt, and instability. But, what about our future? And our children's future? And our grand children's future? Shouldn't we prepare a future for them that is better than ours? And how do we do that? From today on out, I am starting to think about the future, not the present, or the past. I plan on focusing my energy on what I can do for others, not myself. If we truly are blessed for serving others, then why don't we do more of it?
And what are you going to do different today than you did yesterday? Are you going to go out and spend your last dollar on something you want in a moment of lust? Or are you going to save it? Or donate it to a good cause? And what are you going to do with the bad things that happen in life? If things really do happen for a reason, then what is the Lord trying to tell us? If we don't listen to the Lord tapping us on the shoulder, He may just give us a swift kick in the butt. I don't know about you, but I would rather have the tap on the shoulder. Make the right choice, because what you choose today will change your tomorrow.

Home Projects

Some sunset pictures to start off with, and then we will get into the fun stuff!

All finished for the fence!

Can you believe the gate is thirty feet long? You will if you try to push it! It is HEAVY!

Just about done.

Installing the rod iron.

Cleaning the extra dirt out of the inside before cement gets here. Pouring cement around the outside.

Workin' hard!

It amazed me that they mixed their own type of cement mix for the bottom of the pool by hand. This reminds me of stories my father told me as a child. When him, his father, and brother built homes in Utah, they mixed all their own cement, and moved it with wheelbarrows. They did this everyday all day when they would pour a foundation. We have it so nice today, because of our ancestors and their hard work!

Progress...

We had the people who built our fence come out and help us build the inside of the pool. They are some dang hard workers!

Still smiling after working for over two weeks on this thing.

Before the liner

Pool liner getting stretched into place.

Watching the pool fill up with water. At this rate, it is going to take a week!

Working at home can be a lot of fun, especially when you have a couple major projects to work on. As you see, Ted got a little creative while I was in Idaho, and we are finishing them up. The fence is all done! Yea! And the pool is getting there. We still have quite a bit to do on the pool, but at least we are marching along. We work on it before Ted goes to work, and after he comes home from work. We can't wait until we get to use it for enjoyment!

As for my job, I start training on Friday!!! I am so excited! I can't wait until the three days are over, and I get to start making money again! For those of you who don't know, I got a job with DownEast Basics. Next Monday, I start interviewing people, and get to put together my store team! The projected open date is set for October 8th, and we get a brand new store in the Arrowhead Mall. It is going to be a lot work getting it set up and ready for opening. Yippee!

What if there was no fight?

What if there was no fight? Would a book be worth turning the page? Would a TV be worth investing in? Would people run around the country killing each other? Would neighbor turn against neighbor? Would father turn on son, or son turn on father? Would the world stop mass destruction? What if there was no fight?
Animals and humans are more alike than most would admit, even myself at times. But, when we submit ourselves to instant gratification, and might makes right, we are nothing but dogs. Where in this world of conflict and pain has mankind gotten off the right train?
Did it start in the beginning? When Adam and Eve chose to eat of the fruit they were commanded not to eat? Or did it start before that? In the premortal life when Satan overtook the beautiful lives of a third? And, if it did start then, and continues today, how are we supposed to put it to an end?
In a day when right is wrong, and wrong is right, where do you draw the line? Do you protect yourself when someone breaks into your house at night? Do you allow them to rob you with submission? Or do you fight?
What makes a person entitled to take something that is not theirs? And what entitles them to do it? Does a gun? A group of friends? Or is it desperation? What is inside their minds that creates the thought of overpowering someone or something? Is it to prove power? Dominance? Of is someone making them do it?
We live in an age where we blame everyone but ourselves for our actions. So, if someone tries to kill you, are you entitled to kill them? What about their family? Their friends? Their lives? Are they not also a son or daughter? Father or mother? Brother or sister? Does any of this matter?
Or is it because we are self-absorbed? Thinking only of ourselves. Are our lives the only ones that matter? Don’t other people’s? If they are not relatives or friends, do they not deserve to live? Is that how this all started? Because last time I checked, we were all related.
It doesn’t matter what color our skin is. Or our hair. Or even our eyes. We are brothers and sisters. Why can’t we get along? Why can’t we love one another instead of hate? Why can’t we look deeper than the outside, and see the incredible spirits we are?
When did we stop believing? Stop believing in ourselves? In our fellow men? In our leaders? And most importantly, in our God? What is the reason we are here? Is it not to learn, grow, and be tested? Will we pass the test if we do not love? If we do not care? If we do not feel? What are we here to learn?
Of course, each one of us is different, unique. No other person in the world is identical to you, or me. So, what is your purpose? What is my purpose? What is the purpose of the person standing next to you? Do we have a purpose? Is there a meaning behind all this? Or are we like chopped logs, floating aimlessly down a river heading nowhere?
I don’t want to be headed nowhere. I want to have purpose. Meaning. A reason for living. A motivation for waking up every morning and thinking that today is going to be better than yesterday. So, what am I going to do today, to make it better than yesterday? Because ultimately, it is up to me, and only me. I have the power of making choices, and the consequences follow.
Faith. It is all about faith. I will take faith with me as my guide. I will arm myself with hope for a better future. And charity to love those who I do and do not meet. I will always have faith. Will you?
Will you stand with me today and say you have faith? Will you open your eyes and see a today that is better than yesterday? And a tomorrow that is better than today? Or have you lost faith? I pray we have faith, somewhere deep inside our souls, close to our hearts. Because in a day of so much turmoil, we are going to need faith as our guiding light. And what should we have faith in, you may ask…well, none other than our Older Brother, and His Father. Because, if it were not for them, where would we be?

Home At Last

And, this is what I came home to...Yes, Ted is putting in a pool. He also had a fence built the rest of the way around our house, and planted sod in our courtyard.

Here is a dog run for our dogs. The wall on the inside is only 4 feet high. It is really big, and the dogs love having their own space to run, play, and rest. We love it too, because now they aren't digging up our yard, and pooping everywhere.

Dog run fence.

We are getting rod iron installed next week, and will have two gates in the front of our house. I am sooo excited!

Ted also had the land cleared, so our yard is now ready for landscaping!

Here is the grass! We have a lawn...somewhat.

Grass!!!

Here is the block wall on the south side.

Ted working on the pool. I love how close it is to the house. We will be able to walk out the back door and jump right in.

I think Ted is trying to swim...or hoping for that to happen soon.

Ahhh...yes, the backstroke. This is quite entertaining.

Getting things set up for water! Can't wait!

One of the many Idaho sunsets I enjoyed while I was there.

Dumping the last load of Hard White Wheat before the storm hits.

My ride. I love this tractor. After being in huge trucks and tractors for 3 weeks, it was scary coming home and riding in a car, and going 65 mph.

The last few rows of grain. Adam would cut a row, and we would move the pipe into the row. Then, he would go back and cut the remaining grain.

As we were finishing up our last corner, it was amazing to see the storm clouds merge together. As we pulled out of the field with our equipment, it started raining. Our prayers for no rain, were answered.

Storm clouds gathering around the farm.

Adam and I. We took a little break and snapped a few photos before finishing up for the night. Our days/nights lasted about 12 hours of working without stop, and we ate lunch/snacks throughout the day. It was a lot of fun!

My mom and I on the farm. Glad Adam took this picture, or else I probably wouldn't have gotten one of the two of us.

My mom and Adam are two of the hardest workers I know.

My mom always has her cell phone handy. I am glad I captured this picture.

The sunsets in Idaho are something to marvel about.

This is where I lived for the last 3 weeks. At least there is air conditioning and heating! :)

Afternoon lighting on the grain.

I had to jump out and grab a picture of the grain cart unloading into the semi trailer. Thanks to our dear friends, and neighbors, the Murdock family, who generously loaned us a couple trucks, we were able to get our harvesting done very quickly.

Pierce and Morgan in the tractor. Helping me out! Gotta love it!

Morgan was so nice! She drove the tractor for me one morning, and strapped Pierce in the buddy seat with his car seat. It was too cute! I had to take a picture.

We let Lissa drive the pickups around the farm. She loved driving. I can't believe she will be getting her licence soon.

Lissa couldn't believe how big the combine was, especially the header.

Lissa, demonstrating how large the tractor is compared to a person.

The moon was full, and it took our breath away.

This picture is from the back yard of Ted and my old house.

I loved how the sun was penetrating the clouds with it's rays.

General Mills grain bins

General Mills, where we take our Hard White Wheat.

Our linear over our hay crop. Love this picture!

Unloading the semi at the mill.

Working on the combine header. This was a pain. It took us a couple days to get this working correctly.

Unloading into the grain cart. This in one of our first loads.

First of all, I have to mention how beautiful Idaho is! Not only is it beautiful from the ground, but also from the sky. I flew in and out of Idaho Falls, and loved the view from the window. The pivots make large green, gold, and brown patchwork circles across the terrain, the Snake River twists and turns through the valley, and the mountains are untouched. On my flight into Idaho Falls, there was a lady sitting behind me, and she was freaked out about landing. If any of you have flown into the tiny airport, you know that there is a short runway for small planes to land, and pretty much open fields surrounding it. Well, as we came in for the landing, she started hyperventilating. As we got closer to the ground, she grabbed the back of my seat and started complaining about how she hates landings. Like usual, there was a breeze (20 mph breeze), and so the plane would tip, turn, and sometimes jolt downward, which would make her yelp. I felt bad for the guy sitting next to her. But, eventually, we landed. And she bolted off the plane as soon as the door opened. Hope her lunch stayed down.

Secondly, I have to say how cold it is! While I was there, the average daytime temperature was between 60 and 70 degrees. The night temperature got down to freezing one night! Sooo cold!!! I had forgotten the wind as well. It seems like there is constant breeze, which is nice on the days it gets above 80 degrees, but on the other days, it makes it jacket weather.

I had a lot of fun spending time with my mom and brother. We worked on the combine header for a couple days, diagnosed and fixed breakdowns, moved linears, moved pipe, drove tractors and trucks, combined the grain, loaded trailers with hay, and talked on walky-talky's all day. It has been a good year since we have spent so much time together, and it felt good to get to closer with both of them.

Adam is starting to fill out through his chest, like my dad. It is crazy seeing him bulk up. Since we were young, he resembled my Grandpa Hancock, but he is taking on more of the Hales side now. Adam and Morgan's little guy, Pierce, is seriously the most precious person I have ever met. He is constantly smiling, and is incredibly smart. He is learning how to wave, can already say mama and papa, and will say "hey" if you aren't paying enough attention to him. He grabs things, and moves his arms with skill. When music is playing, he gets excited and makes noise, like he wants to sing along. He is already pretty much standing on his own, and even though his is only 6 months old, he is fitting into 12 month old baby clothes. Such an amazing and intelligent little man. He looks identical to Adam, and loves people. The whole time I was there, he didn't cry, which is quite something!

My mom is doing well. She is dating, and doing a lot of activities with her friends. I can't believe how young she looks! She has lost about 30 pounds, and is as skinny as me! This isn't a huge shock, because she is already tiny, but she looks really good. We went shopping together, and had a lot of fun. She enjoys going dancing on the weekends, and sings in an LDS singles chior that performs once a month at special firesides and events. A couple weeks ago, Craig Jessop from the Mormon Tabernacle Chior, came and directed them. My mom loved it. Like always, she works too hard. I only got a couple hours of down time to actually talk to her, but she likes staying busy, and the farm is her love and life. She still has the horses, cats, dogs, and chickens. It is incredible how she keeps up with everything. She outworks me, and I am 35 years younger than her! What an amazing woman.

Lissa, Ted's little sister, came down and spent a couple days with us on the farm. It was great having her around. She is very intelligent and bright. We went up and visited my friend Miriam, and we both noticed how fantastic she is with kids, and how she has a good head on her shoulders (meaning she is very grounded). When I have kids, I am calling Lissa for help and advice. She is very talented at playing the piano and singing. In the mornings, she would play our piano and fill the house with a harmonious spirit. I really set the stage for a wonderful day. Lissa is in the stage of life where she is trying to figure out who she is, and what she is supposed to be doing in life. The decisions she is making will influence her life forever, and she is already aware of that. I wish I was on top of things as she is at her age. She is going to go far in life, and have a great impact on many for good.

Jon, Ted's brother, came down for a night and it was an immense blessing for my family. He gave my brother, Lissa, and me, a priesthood blessing, and stood with Adam as he blessed my mom. It was incredbile. Jon has a powerful spirit that is beyond description. He has huge dreams, and I believe he will fulfill them. After his mission (and probably school), he would like to start a college, because he would like to have an impact for good upon the world, and he figures being a founder of a college would be a big sphere of influencing people. This dream is a wonderful thing, which could, in fact, touch the lives of many. I believe that he can fulfill this dream. He is going to be a powerful missionary. His testimony is strong and vibrant. He has a spirit deeper than the ocean, and he sees more than I could ever imagine. We had the opportunity to talk for a couple hours, and he amazes me. It is uplifting being around him. Seeing someone who has achieved a spiritual power that literally controls the human body, is beyond words. I admire and look up to him. He is a wealth of inspiration.

I also got to spend some time with my mother and father-in-law. They are truly amazing people. They have so much going on in their lives, and they have raised brilliant children. I look at each one of the kids, and see potential beyond grasp. I feel truly blessed to have in-laws that are full of love, respect, and honor. I cherish them everyday, and feel priveledged to be a part of the Garling Team.

I spent an afternoon with my friend Miriam. She is adorable! She has a new little baby boy, Cammon, who is precious. He is so tiny! After holding Pierce, Cammon feels like a feather. Adney, her oldest son, is such a good brother, and loves his little brother. He will kiss him, and make sure Miriam is taking good care of Cammon. Kyle and Miriam gave Adney some rabbits, and he loves them. He showed us his rabbits, both black, and loves to chase them around their pen. We went to the park and enjoyed the sun, and a little squirl that kept the kids entertained. Seriously, this squirrel would let the kids chase him, then take food from them, and climb a tree. It was too funny! Miriam is an incredbile mom, and takes excellent care of her two boys. She is an inspiration to me. She is another person I am going to be getting tips from once I have kids. :)

I spent a couple hours with my friend, Katie. She is pregnant, and having a baby boy December 15th. I am sooo excited for her. She is starting to show, and it is too cute! She is my friend who helped Ted and I move to Arizona with her husband, Jared. She is still in young womens, and takes on a lot of responsibility. She amazes me with her creativity. She makes the most beautiful scrapbooks, cards, and home decor. If only I could have an eye for detail and creativity like she does!

So, while I was in Idaho, I had this awesome thing done, called Foot Zoning. Basically, it is reflexology, but more intense. I loved it! It is incredible how much healing can be done through pressure points. Now, I am on the search for a good foot zoner in Arizona, because it is amazing! I have never had anything like this done before, and it by far, outdoes anything else I have had. Ted needs to go, and get balanced, so I am on the prowl.

Well, this has turned out to be a really long post. I guess a lot has happened in 3 weeks. Hope all is well for everyone else! It is GREAT to be home!!! I missed Ted so much! I doubt I will ever have an extended stay like that ever again. It is too hard being away from the one you love.