Hair Frugality

This weekend I did something I have never done. I colored my own hair. This was a huge step for me as my hair is my splurge. I am sick and tired of feeling like I'm getting ripped off every time I get my hair done. The hair places where we live charge an arm and a leg. I have thick hair and they always charge me for double color. So, I pay around $250 every time I go just for a cut and a color. I can the same thing done in Utah for around $80 and the skill level of the hairdressers seem about the same to me.

Some people would say, just skip the coloring. No way! After I had my first child at age 24, my hair all of the sudden got gray spots. I think it may have been due to a 42 hour long labor. Maybe my body got so stressed out that it turned my hair gray. I don't know, but that's my theory and I'm sticking to it.

So, I have been coloring my hair for a long time and I'm not ready to look like an old lady. My friend told my that she uses "Nice and Easy" hair coloring and I must say it was nice and easy. I think I did a great job matching the color and I'm happy with the results.

This year we are financially strapped and we are challenging all financial purchases. We hardly ever go out to eat anymore, and have cut back in every area possible.

Speaking of hair, I cut all of the boys hair and my husbands. I figure this saves me $75-$100 every time I cut their hair. I have no training other than just by experimenting. They got some pretty scary cuts at first, but I must say that now I'm pretty handy with the scissors.
I'd love to hear your money saving tips and ways that you are cutting back financially.

Typhoon Morakot

We still have not received our referral, but are waiting anxiously for news at any time. I want to post a few pictures of the devestation Typhoon Morakot left behind. It is a very sad situation. Most of the children that our adoption agency places are from the southern Taiwan area -which suffered the worst devastation. The children already in the orphanage are safe. Since we have not received our referral, I often wonder if the typhoon will somehow affect our own child. Perhaps sadly, it will create more orphans, or perhaps her family or extended family might have been affected by it. I can only pray that the relief agencies will be able to help out as much as possible in a timely manner!

So, here are a few pictures, so I can keep them for her scrapbook.

An aerial view of flooding caused by Typhoon Morakot in Chiatung, Taiwan

A man carries a baby as a family is rescued from flooding brought by Typhoon Morakot in Chiatung, Pingtung county, in southern Taiwan, on August 9, 2009.

A hotel building leans before falling in a heavily flooded river after Typhoon Morakot hit Taitung county, Taiwan, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009. The six-story hotel collapsed and plunged into the river Sunday morning after floodwaters eroded its base - all 300 people in the hotel had been evacuated and uninjured, officials said.

A girl is carried out from mudslide caused by Typhoon Morakot in Chiashien, Kaohsiung county, in southern Taiwan, on August 10, 2009.

Four-Wheeling Dinner

Tonight we decided to take a four-wheeling ride up the road. Gerry's knees are finally well enough to go riding. We turned off the road to a remote place that we knew had a fire pit. We didn't know we would have company for dinner.

There was one bull that checked us out for quite a while. We were a bit nervous that he was going to charge us, but finally he went up the hill to join his harem. Whew! They left us many pies - and not the good kind. Eww!

We cooked our hot dogs, and had a great time.

It's great to be riding again!

Guess the Songs

Lately, I've been noticing funny songs that my kids have sung incorrectly. See if you can guess the songs:

"Cheese my cherry pie." - sung by Ian, Jeremiah and Parker.

"Rock the Cashbox." - sung by Jeremiah

"Give me the BEACH BOYS, and free my soul...." - sung by Jeremiah

Miss You Dad!

The best day of my life (my wedding) was followed the next day by the worst day of my life (the death of my dad). I miss you Dad. You were my hero and my strength. I take comfort in knowing that we will see you again someday. Until then, you are never forgotten.

Happy 15 Years of Marriage

I thought I loved you when we got married 15 years ago today. Now I know it was just the tip of the iceberg of how much I love you. I still get giddy when I know you're coming home. Together we have 4 beautiful boys. We have suffered a few blows, but have had many successes and have come through everything stronger. You are truly the greatest husband and the best daddy.
I love you "Rose Man" - you are truly my Handsome Prince.

Summer Randon Pictures

I haven't written in a while. I always feel like I need something grand to write about, but we're just having a plain old normal Summer.

Baseball took up the first part of the summer. The three oldest boys played and it was so much fun to watch them.
We spent the 4th of July weekend in Salt Lake City. Here is a picture of Gerry with my Mom, our 4 boys and my brother Kameron's 4 boys. My younger brother Devan is standing up behind them. It was my Mom's birthday so we all went out to dinner. The waiter wasn't even scared with having to serve 8 boys age 14 and under- he grew up with five brothers. :)

We got to see the Jonas Brothers at the Stadium of Fire.
We had nosebleed seats and could see them better on the large screen t.v.

We had fun anyway!

My sister-in-law Emily got to sing in the choir. We were surprised when we saw her on the big screen. She is to the left of David Osmond.

Beautiful fireworks.

Changing subjects: It's been a lot of work to keep up two homes and trying to market our other home as a vacation home. Some days we are very hopeful, some days it's very discouraging. One day while driving up to the other house, we took this cool picture. It looked like a window coming out of the clouds. Our town used to be called "Hole in the Sky" by the Ute Indians - believed because it had better weather than the surroundings towns. Often bad weather will skip over us.

This reminds us of "Hole in the Sky".
Our town does something cool every year for the annual town celebration called "Gypsum Daze." They turn this park:

into a rock concert. They built an outdoor stage and bring in a big country band every year. In the past we have hosted "Rascal Flats", "Sawyer Brown" and I can't remember the others. This year we had "Little Big Town." and the "Charlie Daniels Band." Thousands of people attend the concert.

We've also been attending the free Friday night movies in the park. It's like a drive in without the cars.

In other news: nothing on the adoption yet. Gerry is finally finished with all of his physical therapy on his knees. We are looking forward to camping and four-wheeling soon.