To Bryndee, Porter, and Torie:

I am very sorry I swore in an earlier post. It highly offended you and for that I apologize. I will try to be better in the future.

Thank you for keeping me on the straight and narrow...

Mesa High Jackrabbits, Class of 1988

Yesterday I went to a picnic that was part of the Mesa High School Class of 1988 reunion weekend. It consisted of many of my classmates and their families. THANK YOU to Wende and Mindy and any and everyone else who helped to make this happen.

It was a blast to see so many good, old friends: Mistie, Heidi, Kim, Darce, Sean, Nick, JoNeal, Doug, Kenny, Kristie, Nikki, Mindy, and Wende, just to name a few. I missed seeing Cindy, Alice, Cory, Brian, Liselle, Candace, Brad, Brooks, Dennis, Damon, Bill, Stacy, Rowan and many others who couldn't make it this go round. I hope to catch you at the next one, maybe even before!

What a wonderful day yesterday was. I'm so grateful to have gone to Mesa High, to be able to make such fantastic friends, and to be able to still stay in touch with so many of them today.

Obviously this has nothing to do with getting out of debt, but it does have to do with blessings and I feel this is a good place as any to list my blessings publicly. Mesa High Class of 1988 was definitely a blessing in my life!

Happy One-year Anniversary!

My roommate reminded me the other day that it was exactly a year ago that I started this getting-out-of-debt mission. As I looked at my first post she was right - I wrote it on October 29, 2007. She suggested I do a year update and I always try to do what Jennifer says (wink and smile goes here).

Anyway, it's a good idea so here goes:

I started out at over $50,000 in debt (to type that number still sends pangs in my stomach) last year. Here is where I am today:

Bank of America LOC (still really HATE them): $33,031.51
Mastercard: $1,988.07
Car loan: $6,343.67
Dental loan: $1,777.50

GRAND TOTAL: $43,140.75

It hasn't gone down much, but as several of you have said it took a really long time to amass this amount of debt and OF COURSE it's going to take a long time to get out of it and I just need to be patient.

So my constant thoughts are, "Be patient Tara. Be patient. Be patient. BE PATIENT (dammit)!" If you know me at all, this is NOT a strong virtue of mine and swear words usually are associated with it.

Anyway, thanks to all of you for your constant kind words and thoughts and even prayers. This has been quite the year for me and my family and the support my family and I have felt from all of you has been completely amazing and beyond words.

Thank you. Off to year #2!

Tender Mercies

Dad's surgery went really well today. They got 85% of the tumor (more than they thought they were going to get) and had to use only two units of blood (a lot less than what they thought they were going to have to use - I guess tumors use up a LOT of blood and with this tumor being over 11 centimeters long, well, you do the math). They plan on doing radiation in two weeks, chemotherapy in four weeks, and they get him using his hip tomorrow when they take him for a walk.

My sister Stacey said the doctor was rather pleased with the surgery and was very positive with the prognosis.

I'm so giddily relieved I don't know what to do with myself...

I am so grateful for tender mercies.

Another update:

Here is a quick update on what is going on with my dad and his cancer. Last week he had what is called a PET Scan and a Scope. The Scan is really the last test they can do on him to try and figure out what type of Cancer he has.

Yesterday (Monday) the doctors were able to show them the scan over the computer. It goes through his entire body, major organs and glands. The result of that was nothing that we don't already know. It is in his hip, lung and a few glands, but his Heart, Liver, Pancreas, Stomach and Kidneys all are clean and apparently they look great!

They still cannot figure out where the source of the cancer is. So right now his condition is labeled "Cancer of the Unknown Primary" which is only about 5% of all cancers - very rare.

They admit him today at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital to start his prep for his surgery on Wednesday. Today they are doing an Embolism which is where the doctors cut off all blood supply to his tumor in his hip (about a 2 1/2 hour procedure). Then on Wednesday he will be getting a full hip replacement and a removal of that yucky tumor. That procedure will be about 6 hours. Then he will have a recovery in the hospital anywhere from 5-10 days. His healing at home will be about 4 weeks.

After the 4 weeks then the doctors will discuss what type of Chemo he will be on. They only have two to choose from. They will try one type for about 2-3 months and then x-ray to see if the cancer is shrinking. If that doesn't work than they have one more to try.

We still have a long road of waiting. If you feel so inclined, please keep him in your prayers, especially on Wednesday.

Thanks everyone. My entire family and I have felt your prayers and are amazed at the love and kindness we've been shown. Love to you all...

I really can do it, right?

I am REALLY struggling. Seriously so. I am not seeing any progress and even though I recently got a raise, I feel like I'm as strapped as I've ever been.

Then I see this video and my will gets renewed:

She's really debt free!

15 months to get $30k out of debt. Hmm, methinks it might take a bit longer than than, but I really can do it, right?

Dad Update

Okay okay okay - time to update. Sorry - this has been so overwhelming and though we've gotten a lot of answers, more and more questions get generated, which has made me not want to post until I knew everything that's going on with my Dad. I've been asked to tell anyway, so here goes.

Dad had some major hip pain going on and while he was on his mission in NY, and he also got pneumonia. When they did a scan of his lungs to determine if it was pneumonia, they saw some spots on them. They told him to get them checked out when he got home.

He saw a doctor shortly after he got home from his mission and the doctor wanted to wait a few months and take another scan to contrast and compare.

Dad got another scan several weeks ago and it showed the spots were bigger, so he was then scheduled to get a lung biopsy. He got that and they determined it was cancer but it wasn’t lung cancer, that the cancer was being generated in another location

In the meantime, he got a bone scan on his hip to find out why it was so sore and there was an 11-centimeter cancer tumor on his pelvic bone. They then thought that was where the cancer was being generated from and decided to do a biopsy of that tumor to figure out a course of treatment.

The biopsy was done about a week or so ago and when Mom and Dad met with the doctor on Monday, he said Dad’s hip looks like termites got to it – that the cancer has eaten through his bone and joints and he has to have a full hip replacement, including his socket. This will take place on October 15.

BUT – they still don’t know where the cancer is being generated from, because the tissue samples they took showed it was being generated somewhere other than the hip, around the abdomen region.

He now has an appointment with a gut doctor on Monday to have a scope go down through his throat and see if they can’t find the source that way (they’ve already done an MRI on his abdomen and it came up clean).

Every time he has a doctor's appointment and we get an answer, another question gets generated – kind of like two steps forward three steps back. It’s incredibly frustrating.

Anyway, so many of you have told me you've prayed for both me and my dad/family and you've put his/our names on the temple roll and are keep him in your constant thoughts and prayers. Thank you thank you THANK YOU for that. It's these prayers that get me through the day.

We grow up thinking our parents are invincible, and even though as an adult I know that is not the case, I've still been caught completely unprepared to really deal with this. Knowing that there are people who don't know my dad at all yet are praying for him brings incredible strength.

Thank you.

Your Prayers Please.

I have been bound and determined to make this blog more about finances and less about my personal life and family (unless it had to do specifically with my finances).  But I have to do a post here because I need your prayers.  No, my dad needs your prayers.

As some of you know my parents returned home from their mission in New York in February of this year. Since they have been home my dad has had numerous health issues. A blood clot in his hip, constant coughing, and rapid weight loss just to name a few.

This past week his pulmonary doctor requested that he get a biopsy on his lungs to find out what was there. She had seen some unusual spots on his x-rays and wanted to check them out. After a biopsy of the lung (from what I understand this is an awful surgery) that kept him in the hospital for four days, the report is in and the spots are that horrible C-word: CANCER.

She said it isn't lung cancer but another form that is being generated from another source in his body.  Next week he will be undergoing some more x-rays as well as more testing to find the source of the cancer.  He's meeting with an oncologist from the Huntsman Institute - nothing but the best for my dad.

He is scared (incredibly brave but scared). I am scared (terrified is a better word).  My mom and sisters are scared. My dad has always been very healthy. He exercises, he eats right, he has never let anything "harmful" enter his body (except maybe an occasional deep fried chimichanga), and he has come from healthy stock. His mom just died earlier this year at the age of 96 and she was healthy. Her body just quit. His dad was 82 when he left us (went missing and was never found) and the only thing wrong with him was he was hard of hearing.

And he's my DAD.  He's the only male I grew up with and he managed to survive a house full of silly girls.

I HATE that he is going through this and I HATE that I can't be there to help (they live in Utah) and I HATE that it's him and not me going through this.  What I would do to take this from him...

My mom is so strong and is turning into quite the Nurse Nightingale. He has always taken care of my mom and his daughters and now it is her turn (and hopefully all of ours) to take care of him.

And now here is my plea:  Please pray for him.  Pray that he will be able to kick this cancer in the butt (excuse me) and that he will live to see his grandchildren get old and gray.  Or his one single daughter to get married (smile).  In other words at least 100 more years!

Either way, Allan LaRue needs to be here for many, many, MANY more years to come!

Once again, tagged.

SIX RANDOM THINGS

Jennifer tagged me on her blog. I've been tagged before about something different, and recently I've decided to be better at blogging about what I actually started this blog for (getting out of debt - duh!). But it's Jennifer and, well, I just need to do it. So, although I could very easily come up with six random things about me (random is what I'm best at), I've decided to tweak the rules a little and give you six random things having to do with debt (lucky all of you).

1. Read Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. It has changed my life (thanks Sam).

2. Avoid any and all expenses that has a monthly charge. These are what add up and they diminish (significantly) your spending cash. This includes Internet, cable, gym fees, water services, etc. Anything that, until you get out of debt completely, are not necessities, get ride of 'em.

3. Do NOT use Bank of America for anything. They are completely unreasonable.

4. Find a way to be accountable to someone or something. Don't do this alone. Get as much help and encouragement as you can get from those who love you.

5. Set up and stick to a budget. Seriously.

6. This pertains to #5 - know where every single penny of yours goes to, including Circle K sodas, eating out, etc. Mark it down and you'll know better where to cut expenses, even if it's only a dollar a day. Those dollars and cents add up quickly.

There you go. My six random getting-out-of-debt things. Those of you who play should do it differently, writing six random things about yourselves. I can't wait to see what you write!

Here are the rules:

1.Link the person who tagged you.
2.Post the rules on your blog.
3.Write 6 random things about yourself.
4.Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them.
5.Let the person know you tagged them on their blog.
6.Let the tagger know when you've posted.

I tag Deanna, Lori, Clint/Natalie, Shawna, Porter, and Tricia.

Christian/Stephanie Nielson

Many of you had probably heard about the horrible airplane accident that happened in St. Johns. I grew up two doors down from the Nielson family. I love this family and want to do anything and everything I can to help them out.

If you'd like to hear about the story, please go HERE to get the story and the updates.

This is why I have the donation button at the top of my blog. If you can, please help them out. Their medical bills will eventually land in the millions. Yeah. You read that right. MILLIONS.

Thanks for your kindness and consideration.

Funny Maxine for the weekend.

It's only funny because it's SO PAINFULLY TRUE...

Memories...

I got this from a couple of my sister's blogs. I thought this would be fun. I hope you will play along. Here are the directions:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

3. I'm adding one more: If I don't know you (and THANK YOU FOR COMING), please leave me a note saying hello and introducing yourself. I see visits from all over the country, including OUT of the country, and I'd love to know who's visiting my blog.

Here we go...

I'm going to get out of debt.

I have been feeling bad that I haven't contributed anything to my blog for a while, but as I'm going through my list of friends' blogs, I see many of them aren't either, so I'm chalking it up to being summertime and being busy with other things.

Time to get serious. This article has inspired me to get serious.

I have decided to get out of debt. I'm re-committing myself to this project and will be very serious about it.

It's funny. I recently got a decent raise and you know what some of the first things I thought of when I found out? "Ooh, now I can get such and such," and "Ooh, I can finally afford this and that" and "Ooh maybe I can take a weekend trip and fly to a beach somewhere," and STOP THE MADNESS!

I'm such a dork.

I have lost my focus. Completely and totally and it's time to find it again. With this raise, I can really start thinking seriously about a house now. But I've GOT to pay down my debt load in the meantime and I've GOT to have it be my number one priority.

And I've GOT to get rid of that stupid Bank of America 18.99% LOC.

That's actually my next project. I'll keep you posted.

Your Typical Sunday School Lesson On Tithing

I have been debating on sharing this story with you just because I'm not proud of myself and my weaknesses and it's about a pretty private battle going on with me. But this whole blog is about being public with all of my financial decisions and battles and triumphs and this story falls right into that realm. For what it's worth, read on:

Because of my fabulous trip to San Francisco, I way Way WAY over did it on the spending. Because of this, I was short quite a lot to be able to pay my tithing on Sunday. I had the money in my savings, but not any in my checking. I did't want to tap into my precious savings account and figured I would just wait until my next payday and pay double tithing.

But I didn't feel good about that and figured Heavenly Father would bless me if I paid Him first. Please note I didn't come to this decision lightly.

Well then I woke up Sunday morning in a very grumpy mood. No idea why. But I did not want to get up and go to Church and I didn't want to see anyone and I just didn't want to do anything. Eventually, me being the good girl, I did get up to get ready to go (Church is at 8:00 a.m.) but was determined to take my time getting ready and if I was late, then I was late and SO WHAT! (Awful, I know - I don't know where my bad attitude came from!)

As planned, I was still getting ready when my roommate was ready to go to Church, so I sent her on her way and would meet up with her in a few minutes. At 7:58 a.m., I went out to my car and it was dead. It wouldn't turn over and it wouldn't even make a noise. Because I just replaced my battery last year, I was certain it was my alternator. It's four years old and it's a Ford and well, it just seemed like it might be time for that to go out. The lack of noise it made when I tried to turn it on seemed like it coincided with alternator issues I've had in the past with other cars.

Anyway, perfect opportunity to stay home since I couldn't reach Jennifer and of course everyone was already at Church. Well, almost everyone. All of a sudden, because I couldn't make it there, I felt an urgency to be there. I immediately thought I needed to call a neighbor friend of mine who happens to be a little late each week to Church. Luckily enough, he didn't disappoint and he was still home and was getting ready to leave. He very kindly picked me up and I made it in to Church about 10 minutes late.

The talks were all on Faith and things I really needed to hear. I also quickly turned in my tithing to ensure I didn't talk myself out of giving it (which I'm really good at doing - talking myself in and out of things I really shouldn't).

I came home from Church and went into my room and bawled my head off (not sure why again, just feeling really low) and prayed and apologized to Father for my attitude and bad mood/feelings. I felt better and the day went on as a nice, slow, easy-going day.

Monday evening my brother-in-law came over (thanks Ron) to check out my car. When I tried to turn it on, it made a clicking noise that's indicative of a bad battery. It didn't make that noise the day before and Ron was able to diagnose right away that it was a bad battery. He gave my car a jump and we drove over to Checker Auto to talk about the battery that was only a year old that was bad.

Last summer, my battery died on June 23, which was just over a year from when I took my car back this past Monday. They honored their year-long guarantee (even though it was over a year) and gave me a new battery for free!

What I thought was going to be a $300-400 job ended up costing me the gas to get to Checker Auto. That's it.

I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that because I paid my tithing, as painful as it was, I was blessed. I'm certain it was the alternator on Sunday and only the battery on Monday.

What a great lesson in humility and faith, eh?

San Fran Pictures

As I said in an earlier post, this method of travel was my favorite. This is Ginger, Maddie, and myself on our way home (well hotel) from our seminar on the first day. It was simply beautiful outside and I loved having the wind in my face - I felt/looked like a dog the entire time! (smile)

This is me, Maddie (middle) and Debbie on our first day there. We are at Pier 39 (on Fisherman's Wharf) and were getting blown away (almost literally) by the wind gusts. It's was gorgeous.

One of our bosses insisted on sending us to tour Alcatraz on Monday night, which was one of the coolest things ever to see and hear (thanks Marc!). This is Debbie, me, Alyssa, Ginger, and Maddie (the whole group) after the tour was over. We (well everyone but me) are all in coats and jackets because the drive over and back on the boat to the island was cold. It was great - I loved having my cheeks pink from that fresh, cold air. Again, just call me your local dog loving that wind in my face!

And last but not least, this is me with a couple of monkeys in Chinatown. What a cool bench, huh? You've got Mr. Speak No Evil, Ms. Shopping Is Evil, Mr. See No Evil, and Mr. Hear No Evil. That was a great/exhausting/expensive day.

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack......

I got back late last night. I had a total ball and I'm in love with being outdoors. I couldn't get enough of the weather and just wanting to be outside all the time. What a concept - wanting to be outside in July.

I think we must have walked hundreds of miles while we were there. I wouldn't have it any other way.

My favorite method of transportation (besides walking) were the trolley cars. Awesome way to go from Point A to Point B - especially when it's work-related.



Least favorite were the F-line cars. Blech. A thousand people trying to cram into a skinny bus. Just completely gross.



I took some pictures, but I borrowed a friend's camera (thanks Shawna) and need her help in getting them uploaded to my computer. They will be coming later.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I spent WAY too much money (could NOT resist Pier 39 and Chinatown).

I had a blast - a total and complete blast - but I'm happy to be home.

Happy July everyone!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

I am OFF to San Francisco bright and early tomorrow morning. Tomorrow night, I get to view this:


My friends and I are going on a cruise around the harbor to watch the fireworks tomorrow night. How cool will it be to see them over the water? Frankly, I'm a little excited about this.

We get to play until Sunday night, then starting Monday morning, we are there for a 3-day intense seminar. My company is sending all five of the executive assistants in our office. This is why a couple of us decided to go early, especially with it being a holiday weekend before the seminar. It worked out perfectly and the personal cost will be minimal (hotel and food only for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday).

I haven't been to San Francisco in years - not since I was a kid (yeah, at least 100 years ago) so I feel like I'll be experiencing it really for the first time.

Like I said earlier, I CANNOT WAIT.

In the meantime, I'd like to wish you all a happy and safe Independence Day!

Great (and cheap) Mexican Food

My roomie Jennifer and I went to a new Mexican food restaurant last night. It's called Los 7 Compadres and it's at 2795 S Market Street. It's in the shopping center just west of Circuit City, Ulta, Old Navy, etc. It's right next to Quiznos. (Nearest crossroads are San Tan [Greenfield] and Williams Field.)

The price was great (I had a bean/cheese burrito for $2.78), the food was great, and the service was great. It's family owned and operated and I want for it to stay in business and do really well. So next time you NEED good Mexican food (and don't we all really NEED good Mexican food?), check it out. AND let me know what you think...

Here's a link to a review Jen found on it: http://chowdownphoenix.com/los-siete-compadres-mexican-food-gilbert-az/

Splurge and Savings

I have two favorite items. One has been a favorite for a while, and one I just discovered recently.

The one that's been around for a while is not cheap. It's a splurge item that I still insist on getting because it makes me eat my salad.



Oh mylanta, this is stuff is delicious. So far I've only been able to find it at AJs Market (I believe they only exist here in Arizona) and it's $6.00 a bottle. But seriously folks, it's the BEST. DRESSING. EVER.

I made a salad last night that consisted of spinach and strawberries and candied nuts. I poured a little of this dressing in a bowl and added poppy seeds and about a teaspoon of dried onions. It was simply marvy. Seriously. Oh. So. GOOD!

Like I said, it's a splurge, but one you won't regret and will find you'll need always. And again, it gets me to eat my veggies.

BUT IT'S EXPENSIVE.

Now, talk about random, but the one that's a new discovery is a cheap alternative to pedicures. (Okay, so what's wrong with doing a single blog post about salad dressing and pedicures?)



I am going to San Francisco later this week and am in dire and desperate need of a pedicure (seriously GROSS FEET!). I didn't want to spend the money on one, but was considering it because though logically you would think, "Just give yourself one," physically I'm a pedicure moron. I won't explain, just know I have problems (if you know me, that's a given anyway - HA!).

I then remembered my cousin then my sister and eventually my roommate talking about this little contraption - The PedEgg. I purchased one on Saturday for $9.99 (the cheapest pedicure is $25) and proceeded to make my feet look and feel like a baby's bottom. Oh. So. Wonderful.

AND CHEAP.

Happy Birthday Ellie Bellie!

You're THREE years old today and what a fun character you are! I love you sweetie...