HOLMESSELLSHOMES

2011-10-15T16:40:00.001-07:00

I just found this poem with an unknown author. I thought it was beautiful.

I've dreamed many dreams that never came true
I've seen them vanish at dawn.
But I've realized enough of my dreams,
To make me want to dream on.

I've prayed many prayers when no answer came,
Though I waited patient and long,
But answers have come to enough of my prayers
To make me keep praying on.

I've trusted many a friend that failed,
And left me to weep along.
But I've found enough of my friends true blue,
To make me keep trusting on.

I've sown many seed that fell by the way
For the birds to feed upon,
But I've held enough golden sheaves in my hands
To make me keep sowing on.

I've drained the cup of disappointment and pain
And gone many days without song.
But I've sipped enough nectar from the roses of life
To make me want to live on.

--Arthor Unknown

2011-04-17T08:11:00.001-07:00

Word of God for today!

23rd Psalm

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name' sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil:
For thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
Thou annointest my head with oil;
My cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever.

2011-01-25T12:08:00.001-08:00

Click on the link below to see my newest listing. An awesome Bilevel in immaculate condition in the beautiful community of Evergreen!

77 EVERGREEN WAY

2010-11-18T09:30:00.001-08:00

Highly recommended website:
http://www.littlethingsmatter.com/

2010-06-03T09:43:00.000-07:00

This is a wonderful home. Truly immaculate inside and out. If you know of anyone interested in the Douglasdale area, please pass this listing along.

http://abmls.mlxchange.com/Pub/EmailView.asp?r=1889265191&s=ALB&t=ALB

2010-05-14T00:30:00.000-07:00

C/S
Wow! Aceage for under 500K near the city! This acreage sits amongst gently rolling hills and ravines and is an absolutely beautiful location

Grant Acreage

For more info go here:

2010-05-12T15:56:00.000-07:00

C/S!!!!
ANOTHER GREAT LISTING! 309,900. CALL ME @ 403 620 0164 IF YOU WANT MORE INFO

108 stonegate

2010-04-23T07:27:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Dad

Life Is Like A Cup of Coffee - Inspirational Video Movie

2010-04-22T18:33:00.000-07:00

I WANT THE COFFEE!!!

2010-04-22T16:23:00.000-07:00

I neeeded this reminder today and thought I'd share in case someone out there may need it too. Love to all,

Diamond Rio "In God We Still Trust"

2010-04-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

YouTube - When Grace Got a Chance - Jonathan Moore

2010-04-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

YouTube - When Grace Got a Chance - Jonathan Moore

2010-03-31T10:10:00.001-07:00

Below is a summary of the inpending changes to mortgage qualifying and how it will affect you. If you have any questions please feel free to call me @ 403 620 0164.

The Government of Canada - announced a series of regulatory changes to support the
long-term stability of Canada’s housing market. The Government has now provided the
following details in relation to these changes.
Effective April 19, 2010, Qualifying Interest Rates guidelines will change as follows:
1) Fixed Rate Mortgages with terms less than 5 years and all Variable Interest Rate Mortgages
will have to qualify based on the greater of the 5 Year Bank of Canada Benchmark Rate**, or
the contractual rate.
2) Fixed Rate Mortgages of terms 5 years or greater will qualify based on the contractual rate.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
**The Bank of Canada Benchmark Rate is defined as the Chartered Bank – Conventional
Mortgage 5-year Mortgage rate, published by the Bank of Canada each Monday, and can be
found at http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/rates/interest-look.html
The four key changes associated with this announcement are:
1) Borrowers will need to be able to afford a five-year fixed rate mortgage, even if
they choose a mortgage with a shorter duration.
2) Investors, who want to buy a home that they don't plan to live in, will have to
make a minimum down payment of 20%.
3) Canadian home owners will only be able to Refinance to a maximum of 90% of
their home value, down from 95%.
4) Effective April 9, all Self-employed borrowers with greater than 3 years selfemployment
history and all commissioned borrowers, regardless of tenure, will no
longer be eligible for the stated income program.

2010-03-30T11:15:00.001-07:00

TORONTO - Two of Canada's biggest banks are increasing some of their residential mortgage rates effective Tuesday in the latest sign that the era of historically low rates could soon come to an end.

The changes affect closed mortgages with terms of three, four and five years at RBC Royal Bank (TSX:RY) and TD Canada Trust (TSX:TD). Rates for mid-term mortgages like these tend to reflect the banks' borrowing costs on bond markets.

The biggest increase announced Monday affects five-year mortgages. Both banks are hiking their posted rate by six-tenths of a per cent to 5.85 per cent from 5.25 per cent.

A homeowner taking on a mortgage of $250,000 at the new rate of 5.85 per cent over a 25-year amortization period would pay $1,577 per month. Prior to Tuesday's hike, that mortgage would have cost $1489 a month, or $88 less.

The Bank of Canada is expected to begin raising lending rates this summer as it moves to fight growing inflationary pressures in the economy. The bank has kept its key overnight rate at a historic low of 0.25 per cent for more than a year to help stimulate the economy.

CIBC (TSX:CM) chief economist Avery Shenfeld said the central bank begins to step on the brake when it sees overheating in the economy, and economic growth in the first quarter has outperformed the central bank's forecast.

CIBC has lifted its own growth outlook for the first quarter of the year to over five per cent, due to strong indicators of recovery.

"The only reason the market is building in expectations for rate hikes is because it's seeing the economy as better able to withstand them," he said.

"Once the Bank of Canada starts pushing up short-term interests rates, and even in anticipation of that, it tends to spill out across the rest of the curve."

Mortgage rates hikes are a trend consumers should expect to continue, Shenfeld added.

He predicts the Bank of Canada will gradually raise key lending rates this summer, resulting in an increase of 0.75 per cent to one per cent by the end of the third quarter.

That would raise the average prime rate at the banks from 2.25 per cent to three per cent, which could tack on three-quarters of a per cent to the rates of homeowners with floating mortgage rates, Shenfeld said.

"Consumers are forewarned that when they look at borrowing today they have to factor in potentially higher costs," he said.

"Consumers have to be aware in taking on debt at historically low interest rates that down the road they will be higher and have to leave room for their ability to pay those higher rates."

When the Bank of Canada lifts rates, part of its intention is to take the fire out of the most interest sensitive segments of the economy, including the housing market, which has seen a particularly strong recovery, Shenfeld said.

The hot housing market is being driven, in part, by an influx of consumers willing to pay a premium for home ownership before interest rates rise.

Shenfeld said the rate increase could help dampen the house price inflation seen over the past several months.

And he added that the outperformance of the economy in the first half of the year will be countered by a slowdown in the second half.

"Not only do we expect weaker growth in the key US export market by then, but Canadian consumers may also be more temperate in the wake of a debt financed binge

Residential Mortgage Rates*
Effective March 29, 2010*

Term 6 Month 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 7 Year 10 Year Variable
Rate Prime
Rate
Posted Rates* 5.90% 5.60% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.75% 7.20% 7.55%
Best Rates* 3.50% 2.23% 2.80% 3.20% 3.59% 3.59% 4.70% 5.20% 1.75% 2.25%

2010-03-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO - Recent first-time homebuyers say they felt pressure to enter the market as they contended with jitters about rising home prices and higher mortgage rates.

The Bank of Montreal says as many as one-third of respondents in a homebuyers survey believe their expectation that housing prices would increase, and interest rates would soar, left an impression on their decision to make a purchase in the short term.

"There's definitely a sense of urgency among home buyers," said Lynne Kilpatrick, senior vice-president of personal banking at BMO.

"While we encourage Canadians to pursue their home ownership dreams we recognize it's easy to get caught up in the emotions of the purchase and this can lead to stretching one's budget too thin."

The results come as Royal Bank released its own homeownership survey on Wednesday which showed that a majority of Canadians expect to see higher mortgage rates over the next year.

RBC's annual homeownership survey said 64 per cent of Canadians expect high rates, with about the same number of mortgage holders concerned about higher rates.

Economists expect the Bank of Canada to raise interest rates by between half a percentage point and a full point over several months beginning this summer to fight inflationary pressures in the economy.

With many Canadians taking on larger and larger mortgage debt in expensive markets across the country, higher rates could create financial problems for some homeowners.

In the Royal Bank survey, three-quarters, or 73 per cent of homeowners, feel strongly that homebuyers need to think ahead to ensure they will still be able to make their mortgage payment if rates rise.

The bank says six-in-10 mortgage holders say they have taken advantage of current low interest rates to pay more principal on their loans.

Eighteen per cent of homeowners say they've made a lump sum payment on their mortgage and 16 per cent have doubled their payment to reduce their principal.

While 84 per cent of mortgage holders believe they are doing an excellent or good job of paying down their mortgage, 49 per cent say their mortgage is larger than they thought it would be at this stage in their life.

Marcia Moffat, RBC's head of home equity financing, says the best advice for homeowners is to review their mortgage holdings with a financial adviser to position themselves for any changes.

BMO's senior economist Sal Guatieri added that a cooler housing market is "just around the corner."

Yet "with rising interest rates expected, and the introduction of the Harmonized Sales Tax in Ontario and B.C., prudence may be a good choice for many new entrants in the housing market."

2010-03-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

lower Fixed Rates Available

Wow! What an interesting few weeks. The 5 yr bond yield shot up almost overnight last week, yet the fixed rates remained steady. Are the banks hedging bets against a higher bond yield or are the banks really sitting on huge cash reserves?

The past two days we have seen a slight drop in the 5 year bond yield. That said, we do in fact know that the banks are eager to lend and as a result, they are becoming more aggressive with their interest rate pricing. The spread, the difference between the fixed rate and the corresponding bond yield, is at an all-time never seen before low of 1.14%; WOW! This is great news for consumers.

Here are a few of today's great rates.

3.79% 5 yr 120 day rate hold
3.69% 5 yr 30 day quick close

Prime - .50% 30 day quick close
Prime - .40% 120 day rate hold

Zero down financing is still available!

2010-03-09T11:15:00.001-08:00

The April 19th change is that you will have to have a 10% downpayment instead of the 5% that is required right now. If you are wanting to buy a home and only have limited funds for your downpayment, you must get in before April 19th.

2010-03-09T11:13:00.001-08:00

Government Imposes More Change...

CMHC has circulated a letter to the mortgage community and in it are the new changes which are to take effect April 19, 2010. However, there is a more recent change that is to take effect April 9,2010. This change is to do with those who are self-employed and it's not pretty.

Effective April 9, 2010 the Government has imposed new changes to how the self-employed are qualified. In CMHC's words:

CMHC is also announcing po licy changes to the CMHC Self-Employed Product Without traditional Third Party Validation of Income. Effective April 9, 20 10, self-employed borrowers with more than 3 years in the same business and commissioned-income borrowers will be required to confirm their income and will not be eligible for the Self-Employed Product Without Traditional Third Party Validation of Income. This product is intended for a small portion of borrowers who find it very difficult to document income - inparticular, recently self-employed borrowers. For the majority of self-employed borrowers, income validation is readily available through financial statements, contracts, T4s and other third party income validations. The changes will ensure that self-employed borrowers with third party income validation will benefit from a lower premium. Furthermore, the maximum loan-to-value ratio available under the CMHC Self-Employed Product Without Traditional Third Party Validati on of Income will be reduced from 95%to 90%for purchase transactions and from 90%to 85%for refinance.

This change is significant and will undoubtedly have a profound effect on our industry moving forward. Share these developments with your contacts and always, we welcome your calls.

2010-03-08T21:44:00.000-08:00

The ceiling done with the wainscotting. The lights are causing a lot of shadows, but you can still see how it looks. I love it! Maybe I'll try taking some pictures in the daytime when the lights are off.

2010-02-22T09:17:00.001-08:00

Ottawa, February 16, 2010
2010-011

Government of Canada Takes Action to Strengthen Housing Financing
Related document :

•Backgrounder

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today announced a number of measured steps to support the long-term stability of Canada's housing market and continue to encourage home ownership for Canadians.

"Canada's housing market is healthy, stable and supported by our country's solid economic fundamentals," said Minister Flaherty. "However, a key lesson of the global financial crisis is that early policy action can help prevent negative trends from developing."

The Government will therefore adjust the rules for government-backed insured mortgages as follows:

•Require that all borrowers meet the standards for a five-year fixed rate mortgage even if they choose a mortgage with a lower interest rate and shorter term. This initiative will help Canadians prepare for higher interest rates in the future.
•Lower the maximum amount Canadians can withdraw in refinancing their mortgages to 90 per cent from 95 per cent of the value of their homes. This will help ensure home ownership is a more effective way to save.
•Require a minimum down payment of 20 per cent for government-backed mortgage insurance on non-owner-occupied properties purchased for speculation.
"There's no clear evidence of a housing bubble, but we're taking proactive, prudent and cautious steps today to help prevent one. Our Government is acting to help prevent Canadian households from getting overextended, and acting to help prevent some lenders from facilitating it," said Minister Flaherty. "If some lenders aren't willing to act themselves, we will act. These measures demonstrate the Government is committed to taking action when necessary to support the long-term stability of a sector that is so vital to our economy and the financial well-being of Canadian families."

These adjustments to the mortgage insurance guarantee framework are intended to come into force on April 19, 2010

2010-02-13T23:44:00.000-08:00

NEW LISTING! $719,900
This executive home was built for entertaining. Here ia a link to the property info sheet and pictures!

2010-02-08T12:53:00.000-08:00

CHECK OUT THIS NEW LISTING. $389,900 WHAT A CHARMER. SO WARM AND INVITING, CALL ME FOR MORE INFO.

2010-02-04T08:46:00.001-08:00

Real estate! What's it worth? It's all in the eyes of the beholder! Click on on "eyes" above to see what I mean.

2010-01-30T10:56:00.000-08:00

The correct way to weigh yourself:

I can't believe I was doing it wrong all these years.

WE MUST SPREAD THE WORD.
Never take life seriously; nobody gets out alive anyway.

2010-01-26T07:50:00.001-08:00

JUST FOUND THESE TWO QUOTES ON TQWITTER AND AGREED WHOLEHEARTEDLY AND WANTED TO SHARE!

If u ever choose to walk away from something,someone,somewhere...do it with grace,class,style and not an ounce of bitterness2

You choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color

2010-01-01T10:12:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone! 2010 has begun. We have spent the last few days of 2009 with friends and family. We had Karen and James, very long time friends, spend Christmas with us. Anna was so gracious to host Christmas dinner for us in her beautiful new kitchen. New Year's Eve was spent visitng with friends and seeing in the new year with fireworks. We came home to another party Angie was hosting for the young people. I spent another very late night up with them. It was a super way to start the New Year. Il ove the young people and I love thier energy and life! They are so much fun to have around and are welcome at my house anytime!
We will become grandparents in just a few days. I am so excited to meet my little grandbaby and pray for him/her often.
I love you, my family and friends, very much and pray God's very best for all of you this year. I pray that some of your deepest dreams and desires are fulfilled this year!
I thank God for all His blessings in 2009. He has kept us all safe and given us another year of life. I thank God that Ken's surgery went well and he was able to get rid of the severe pain he was in. I pray that the tumor will not grow and that the pain stays away in 2010! I want to say again, Thank you to all of you for your love and support during that time. It will never be forgotten! I tear up even as I write it. Thank You! If I had to choose the one best thing that happened to me this past year, I would have to say seeing Ken out of pain was that thing . Second to that would be the news that David and Jolene were going to be parents.
I am looking forward to this New Year with anticipation of wonderful things and I know that God has some super surprises lined up for us, but if we have to face some tough times this year, I also know that He will see us through and that He will be there for us every step of the way.
So for 2010, We will take it one step at a time, one day at a time, with our hand in the hand of the Master.

Let everyday be a day of good, Godly, righteous decisions, because every little decision adds up and equals your quality of life.
your decision+your decision+your decision=your life
your thoughts+your words+your actions= your life
!Live carefully, Live thoughtfully in 2010!

Learn and grow in 2010. Let others help you grow. Listen and observe. Let others sharpen you, as Iron sharpens iron. Don't overly sensitive or easily offended, but LISTEN AND GROW!
I love you all!

Facebook | Fonda French Blair

2009-12-17T09:25:00.000-08:00

I love this kid. My little neice is so cute!!

Facebook | Fonda French Blair

2009-12-02T15:50:00.001-08:00

Amazing Grace How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.....
My chains are gone, I've been set free....
Thank you Jesus!

2009-11-17T08:50:00.000-08:00

So true!!
Quote form Greg Herder:

Being listened to feels so much like being loved that we can’t tell the difference.” We all know how we feel when someone is really listening to us and asking questions. We feel respected and valued. We feel loved, accepted, validated, and cared for. All of these feelings somehow free us to be ourselves, achieve our highest potential, contribute, and make a difference—in other words, to soar.

And what about the thoughts you have about yourself? Do you listen to yourself? Do you ask yourself clarifying questions? Do you respect and value yourself? Do you help yourself to feel loved, accepted, and cared for by you? Do you free yourself to be yourself, to achieve your highest potential, to contribute, to make a difference, to soar?

At a conference for CEOs led by Richard Boyatsis, author of Primal Leadership, he asked the people to think of someone who had positively influenced us in our lives or careers. We wrote down in general terms how this person related to us in order to produce such a favorable impact. Of the 150 CEOs that participated in this exercise most had identified similar attributes: They listened to me. They encouraged me. They trusted me. They saw a vision of me that I could not see.

We were then asked to recall someone who negatively impacted us, who we would never want to be like or work with again. Once more, we were amazed to have similar stories with common themes: They didn’t listen to me. They didn’t value or appreciate me.

Which type of influence do you want to be? Do you want to bring out the best in people? Or the worst? Do you want to inspire them to accomplish what is significant to you and to them? Do you want to light up the creative regions of their brains? Or do you want them to avoid you at all costs, to withhold help and ideas, or worse—to have their spark extinguished?

PS The frienship post is next

2009-11-17T08:29:00.000-08:00

This email forward came to me from Karen via Elizabeth. It is a beautful story of friendship. I just want to take the opportunity to tell all of you who have been a friend to me, I do love you and you mean so much.
The part that was so neat to me in this story was that Kyle became so liked and even more popular than his friend, but it was the friend that made the difference. Without the touch of love and acceptance given by his friend, none of it would have been a reality. Kyle's life would have been so different. Your touch, your love , your care can make such a difference in someone's life even if it is just for a short time and it may be that no one will ever know what a difference you actually made!!

One day, when I was a freshman in high school,
I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school.
His name was Kyle.
It looked like he was carrying all of his books.
I thought to myself, 'Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday?
He must really be a nerd.'
I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.
They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt..
His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him..
He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes
My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye.
As I handed him his glasses, I said, 'Those guys are jerks.'
They really should get lives.
' He looked at me and said, 'Hey thanks!'
There was a big smile on his face.
It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.
I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived.
As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before..
He said he had gone to private school before now.
I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.
We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books.
He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.
I asked him if he wanted to play a little football
with my friends
He said yes.
We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.
Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.
I stopped him and said, 'Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!
' He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends..
When we were seniors we began to think about college.
Kyle decided on Georgetown and I was going to Duke.
I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem.
He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football scholarship..

Kyle was valedictorian of our class.
I teased him all the time about being a nerd.
He had to prepare a speech for graduation..
I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak

Graduation day, I saw Kyle.
He looked great.
He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school.
He filled out and actually looked good in glasses.
He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.
Boy, sometimes I was jealous!
Today was one of those days.
I could see that he was nervous about his speech.
So, I smacked him on the back and said, 'Hey, big guy, you'll be great!'
He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled.
' Thanks,' he said.
As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began
'Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years..
Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach....but mostly your friends.... I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.

I am going to tell you a story.'
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the
first day we met.
He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.
He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home.
He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.
'Thankfully, I was saved.
My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable..'
I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.
I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.
Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions..
With one small gesture you can change a person's life.
For better or for worse.
God puts us all in each others lives to impact one another in some way.
Look for God in others.

2009-11-10T21:44:00.000-08:00

Kitchen update November 2009:
I just put away a bunch of the kitchen stuff that is still in boxes and cleared my workspace. I feel like I can do moe and better work.
There will be cabinets where ever you see tables. The tape on the floor marks out the island (4FT x 8FT) It feels so much better in here! More organized and more space!!

2009-11-08T21:57:00.000-08:00

An old song that is going thru my head right now.

What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see
When I look upon his face, the one who saved me by his grace
When He takes me by the hand, leads me to the promised land
What a day, glorious day that will be

2009-11-04T22:46:00.001-08:00

Check out John's TV stardom!

2009-11-04T08:10:00.001-08:00

Taken from Sis. Tracie Smith's blog, Everyone should just go and read the whole article. I was convicted and inspired to do better this morning.

If you think little of a person, you ought to say as little as you think." - Ben Franklin

Earl Wilson, the first black American Leaguer to throw a no-hitter, once said, "If you wouldn't write it and sign it, don't say it."

2009-11-03T09:42:00.000-08:00

This is the sight that greeted me as I loked out my window to my neighbors roof this morning. The cat was actually looking right at me and posing!!

2009-11-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

Dear Jesus,
I really need a kitchen. Thank you for what you've done so far. I know I can count on you. Thank you in advance!
Love,
Your daughter,
Tina

2009-10-09T22:41:00.001-07:00

TFTenney:
I want to be the best nobody God ever used!
This kind of went along with Sis. King's talk at ladies prayer today. Striving for excellence. We must be the best we can be in every aspect of our lives as we are the representatives of Christ.

2009-10-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

From this:

to this:

Baked in this:

MUCH FUN and taste good to!!

2009-09-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

Desperate or what???!!!!! That's just wrong! How sad. Her 14 year old daughter said her mother is embarassing her.

"We all know that the real estate market is really bad right now, but apparently it’s also very difficult time for finding love.

So, single mom and real estate agent Devon Traboscia came upon a brilliant (or brilliantly crazy) idea of selling her house … and herself on eBay and Craigslist:"

In the ad, Traboscia writes:

"If you want to live the never ending dream and experience the real love, life and the romance you have always felt was a fairytale then this is the vibrant outstanding woman of your dreams! To sweep this European Loving Lady off her feet send in your application right now."

She goes on to say that her four bedroom, 2,000 square-foot home, that will be included in the deal, has "neutral colors, Berber carpet, and upgraded tile".

2009-09-30T08:37:00.000-07:00

Thanks Anna for sharing this with me. I did enjoy it and it makes me want to do better.

A Lesson Learned from Ken Blanchard

Dear Anna,
A few years ago I was invited to spend some time with Ken Blanchard at his lake home in upstate New York. Over the last 20 years Ken has probably sold more books than any other business author. His classic, The One Minute Manager, has sold over 10 million copies. He has also built a large training company with the focus on servant leadership and customer service.

I've had the good fortune to meet many successful businessmen, authors, and speakers during my career, but I've never met anyone that "walked the talk" more than Ken. He gets it. The first night of my visit to Ken's lake home, we were sitting on the deck with Humberto, his son-in-law, talking about some ways we could work together. It was about 10 p.m., when all of a sudden Ken jumped up and asked to be excused. He returned about 10:20 and Humberto asked "What happened?" Ken said,

"I can't believe it; I forgot to call Dorothy on her birthday."

Later that night, after Ken had gone to bed, Humberto told me that Dorothy is an 85 year old part time employee for the company. It then dawned on me that at 10 p.m. Ken left to spend almost 20 minutes talking to Dorothy and inquiring about how she had spent her special day. However, after spending more time with Ken over the next year, I came to realize that this was no fluke. This is who he is. The last time while visiting him at his San Diego office, I learned that one of his employees who worked in the warehouse had recently passed away. On that day, Ken had invited the employee's wife to come to his office. When she arrived, he spent an hour walking around with her carrying a tape recorder to record all of the wonderful memories that other employees had of her husband. When the wife left she said it was a day she'd never forget.

You see, what many leaders would have considered a waste of time, Ken saw it as an opportunity to serve and to thank his people. He doesn't do it because it's expected of him, he does it because he truly cares. It comes from his heart, and his people love him for being the servant leader that he is.

This is an old Chinese poem that offers wonderful advice for any leader:

GO to the people
LIVE among the people
LEARN from them
LOVE them.
START with what they know,
BUILD on what they have.
But of the BEST leaders,
When their TASK is accomplished,
Their WORK is done,
The PEOPLE will remark,

"WE HAVE DONE IT OURSELVES."

2009-09-29T10:17:00.000-07:00

Taken form Karen Hopper's blog. Something to think about. Maybe reevaluate what's special to us.

"How true it is that in all our losses (the simple and the complex) we find ourselves fretting and worrying about those things we feel are very special to us. But think again, are they all that special or just a glob of melting substance that was there to satisfy our mortal appetite?"

2009-09-21T20:48:00.000-07:00

Ladies retreat was a special time. It was very relaxing and laid back. The crowd was small, so it felt very personal and we were able to fellowship with one another and got to know some people we had only seen in passing before. Sis. Zilinski did a great job organizing everything and bringing it all together. Sis Oakes, the speaker, was very down to earth with a great sense of humor. Sis Dehod and I won a free registration for next year. Yay! The idea that stood out to me the most was eah night writing down the best thing that happeded to you that day, then at the end of the week writing the thing fron the list that was the best for the week, then the month and then the year. The idea was to change your focus from the negative to the positive. I am trying to do that experiment. All of it was good, but that is what I really brought home with me. The whole thing seemed to focus on how to be a Godly, victorious lady and Sis Oakes seems to exemplify that in her life , what little I saw of it. One lady recieved the Holy Ghost and a few others were seeking for it. Thank you Karen for sharing your room with me. It was a blessing to be able to go.

2009-09-08T09:51:00.001-07:00

A couple of things rolling in around my mind this morning. I have not developed the thought, but am throwing them out anyways.
#1 The road between the promise and the fulfillment is sometimes VERY long.
#2 harvest then home

The first one has ben going over and over in my mind for a few days. The second were those words, acompanied by a semi, half awake sort of dream, of a farmer on a combine nearing the end of the day and anxious to get home, maybe they will mean something different to each individual. I know what they mean to me.
I hope everyone is having a blessed day!

2009-08-26T14:42:00.000-07:00

"They that wait upon the Lord
shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with
wings as eagles, they shall
run and not be weary, they
shall walk and not faint."
Isaiah 40:31

Our God is a faithful and awesome God.
As a parent we put the needs of our children ahead of our own desires, as a realtor, I must put the best interest of my client ahead of my own interest. God is the ultimate Father and friend. he will always do what is best for us and that is not always giving us what we want, when we want it, or doing things the way we think it should be done. God's best often means a waiting process on our part. We need to learn trust. We can only know how strong our trust in God really is when things are upside down. That is where trust is tested. Even during the storms of life, God can and will bring something out of it that works for our good.

2009-08-18T09:18:00.000-07:00

Okay! Here is my final decision for the dining room light. I really like this one. I think I will get the matching ones for the hall, the front entrance and possibly the pendants for over the island. If anyone wants to purchase the first ones, I am selling them for 1/2 price.

2009-07-31T10:13:00.000-07:00

This is reprinted from Bro.Myles Young's blog. I am copying it here because there are some who read my blog that would never read his. I thought it well worth considering. I don't want to be in the camp or the company of Goliath or of goats either. I like David's camp and the sheeps pasture better!! I thank God for my shepherd!

Harold Bell Wright wrote the great classic "The Shepherd of The Hills" many years ago and what a story it is. This tale of love, mistakes, bitterness, anger and forgiveness has touched so many people through the years. At the center of the story is Dad Howitt...."the shepherd". If you haven't read it, you owe it to yourself to take the time to read it. While revisiting this story recently, my mind went to the role of shepherds in the scripture.

Shepherds are found everywhere in the scripture... I began to think about their significance and what they represent! When one goes down the path of scripture looking for shepherds, one cannot help but notice the sheep. We are the "sheep of His pasture" and we are in need of a shepherd.

The "throw-it-all-away" version of Pentecost doesn't care for shepherds. Oh, they like their blogosphere spiritist , and their "web-celebrity God experts" but an old-fashioned shepherd is not of much value (I don't think goats like shepherds either).

Running with people that do not like shepherds is to associate with quite a list of undesirables. Remember in the OT, where the scripture said that "to the Egyptians ALL shepherds are an abomination"...wow! Think about that a moment!

Do you remember the time that David was about to fight Goliath and Saul wanted him to wear what was "relevant" (lol). Hey, it made sense to Saul....oh, I forgot....he was no longer in proper alignment with God....hmmmm! David said said "I can't wear this stuff" and took it off. Have you ever noticed what David did? The first thing he did was...he picked up his "shepherd's staff". Look again at the old story of David & Goliath...what did Goliath mock? He took one look at this young man coming toward him and said...."Am I a dog to be chased by a staff". Goliath recognized that it was a shepherd coming to confront him. The giants that we are presently confronting are no different than Goliath of old. They still mock the shepherd.

Think on these things while "disposable Pentecost" is mocking the out of touch garb of the shepherd!

2009-07-31T07:38:00.000-07:00

Apparently my dogs like pistachios. They managed to get the bowl off the coffee table and proceeded to carry the nuts all over the house. They actually shelled them, ate the nuts and left the shells, EVERYWHERE!!.
Don't they look innnocent?

2009-07-31T07:09:00.000-07:00

I just got home from a week spent with my family in New Brunswick. It rained just about every day, but it was still good. I forgot my camera at home, so I have no pictures at all. My sisters and I with our husbands went to Bar Harbor again this year. It is such a beautiful spot!! I got to see some family that I wasn't expecting to be home at the same time as me when I booked my trip. My sister from Florida, Ken's sister from Ohio, and another of Ken's brothers and his wife and family. It was great to see you all!!
When I got home, Deidre and the girls were there to piok me up. When Lexy saw me, she ran and hugged me so tight. Her little arms and legs were wrapped right around me. I just loved that! When I held Allysa she just snuggled right in. That just melted my heart. It is good to be home.
The quilt my sister Lisa brought me matches perfectly. Thanks Lisa. I love it!

2009-07-13T08:31:00.000-07:00

Some more random pictures of the house. Fonda, I have included some of the lighting. Let me know what you think.

My makeshift kitchen. I will be so thankful when we are able to finish the kitchen!!!

My Appliances. The fridge and the dishwasher are panel ready, which means they will have panels installed that are the same as the cabinet doors and will look like cabinets.

Below are some of the lighting choices I have made. They were not my first choice, but the ones I really liked were out of my budget. The dinig light I really loved was $800!! I have it narrowed down to the two below. One is quite formal and was the first one I put up. Then I went to a more rustic looking one. I am having a hard time deciding which one I like the best. Now that Ken has taken the first one down and installed the second one, I am leaning toward the first one again. Poor Ken, having to put up with me!! I would like your vote on the two. Which one would you choose? Keep in mind that I am trying to acheive a cottage look in this house.

2 upper bedroom lights are the same.

Angie's room ( This chandelier was on a really good sale and looks like it was made for her room. The base is a goldish metal similar to her wall color and the crystals are white and deep purple that match her bedspread and pillows.), John's room and the back entrance lights. (the back entrance light is my favorite of all.)

I used the same light fixture for the front entrance, hall and the foosball light.

We now have a temporary sink in the basement bathroom and a toilet in the upper bathroom. What a blessing. You don't really appreciate things like this until you don't have them!

Shower fixtures for the up and down baths

This is the pot filler that will be installed on the wall above the cooktop.

2009-07-02T07:04:00.000-07:00

The Prayer of an Unknown Confederate Soldier

I asked God for strength that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.

I asked for help, that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.

I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.

I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing that I asked for but everything I hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.

I am, among all men, most richly blessed.

2009-06-27T08:02:00.000-07:00

On the Father's day weekend, a bunch of us decided to go the Aspen Crossing garden Centre in Mossliegh. It was a blast!! The day was hot and it was very relaxing just being outside in the sun with friends. Later in the evening we had dinner in the dinig car. They had a special Father's day buffet. Aspen Crossong is a garden Centre that is all set up like an old train station. It is located on the owners property in the country. They were super people. They have a wonderful gift shop as well! I got a really nice metal easel. I'll add a picture of it. The garden centre is having an old house broght in at the end of July that was donated to them. They are going to set it up a as a museum. Most of these pictures are not the ones I intended, but my photo viewer is messed up. Sorry guys. I really had some nicer ones that I wanted to put up. Anyway, this day was a really great day!!

2009-06-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

Pre move in pics. This is about how the house looked when we had to move into it. There is still tons of work to do, but we will pick away at it. I do really like it, but will be glad when it is finished. I will post more pics when I get more settled and we get more work done.

2009-05-31T22:37:00.000-07:00

Quick update:
We sold our house and we are moving into the new ready or not!! And it's not!! We have 2 weeks to get as much done as possible.
Here are some recent pics of the house. John Green is doing a great job with the painting.

2009-05-26T07:35:00.000-07:00

Our trip to California for Angel and Joey's wedding was fabulous. The weather was perfect , the company was great and the wedding was beautful. Here are a few pics of our trip.

2009-05-18T14:39:00.000-07:00

Angel and Joey will be broadcasting thier wedding live for anyone wanting to watch it. The wedding will be at 7:00PM PST on May 21, 2009. That is 8:00PM our time.
Click the link below to get to the site.
Angel and Joey's wedding

2009-05-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

I have been very busy lately with Ken having surgery, having company, getting the house ready for sale etc, plus my computor was down,so I have not been able to post.

Here is a quick picture update.

Some updated pics of the house. Ready or not we may have to move into this house by the 16th of June if the sale of our home goes through. I almost hope it doesn't.
I love the new house, but I really love the location of where I am at now.
The stair rail and steps with the inset stone is so nice!!

Ken just 5 days after surgery. He is doing better every day and we are so thankful for all of your love, prayers, meals and support. Everything everyone has done has been so very much appreciated and we love you!!

I am going to miss this location very much when we move. there are always birds, rabbits, or squirrels in the yard or in the big weeping birch outside my front window. I love this spot.

Buns made with the Bosch

Mother's Day. The kids prepared for me and grandma. They did a great job and the day was beautiful!

Grandpa and Grandma's visit

2009-04-30T17:41:00.000-07:00

My shopping trip to Spokane with Karen. What a blast we had!! Here are a few pictures. They start from the bottom.

Yay!! I finally got it!!

Inside the restaurant in Sandpoint. I took home a piece of homemade coconut cream pie from here for ken and John.

This was a really cool place to eat we found in Sandpoint.

Sandpoint. It's very pretty here.

Karen with the Double Tree hotel in the distance in downtown Spokane. This is were we stayed. They gave us warm cookies when we arrived and when we checked out!

The river outside the hotel.

Me with the American flag.

My haul the first day. Not shown is the Bosch universal mixer and the Nutrimill grain mill!!

Karen's haul. Wow! I never saw someone who can spend so much time shopping in one little area, but did she ever find some great deals!!

2009-04-28T08:37:00.001-07:00

I got this in an email from Karen this morning. In our case it my have to be running in the snow, but you get the picture!

NEED WASHING??
A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Target. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Target.

We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in 'Mom let's run through the rain,' she said.
'What?' Mom asked

'Lets run through the rain!' She repeated.

'No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit,' Mom replied.

This young child waited about another minute and repeated: 'Mom, let's run through the rain,'

'We'll get soaked if we do,' Mom said.

'No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning,' the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?
'Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!'

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes.
Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.

'Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing,' Mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.

And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday. To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.
I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

2009-04-26T21:27:00.000-07:00

Below is a letter Ken wanted to share with you. Let me add my thanks to all of you as well. I also am humbled by your love and concern. Please keep praying!! The surgery is scheduled for May 6th.

THANK YOU to all you wonderful people who pray for me. I am thankful in all things but this week I'm especially thankful to you.
The pain in my back has gotten progressiviely worse over the last year and 4 months. Two weeks ago the pain felt unbearable even with my recently acquired "registered" drugs. However, beginning Monday, my pain lightened up immensely. I have felt better and slept better than I have for months and this with less drugs than I've taken in months and none of the "registered" kind!
I give God the praise for this and a big THANKS to all of you who love me and pray for me.
I'm humbled,
Ken

2009-04-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

PRAYER REQUEST PLEASE!!
I am just asking everyone to pray for Ken. He really needs relief from the pain. He is finally scheduled to have the tumor removed from his spine on the 6th of May, but he is in way too much pain right now. Please pray that ultimately God would heal him, but if not that the pain would be managable until the 6th. Also, that the surgery goes very smooth with no loss of feeling, that the pain from the surgery would be minimal and that healing would be quick! Thank you all.

2009-04-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

Alyssa enjoying some green smoothie!! She's a green smoothie princess!!

2009-04-18T12:45:00.000-07:00

Angie and Lisa leaving for New York City!! Have fun girls. We love you!!

2009-04-15T09:31:00.000-07:00

IS SHE CUTE OR WHAT!!

2009-04-09T22:09:00.000-07:00

My birthday 2009
What did I do for my birthday? I had myself a party!! I recieved many phone calls and emails from friends and family which was very nice. All of you made me feel special. I even got sang to by the 1st and 2nd graders and Jaydon even sang a solo in spanish!! This was so cute and made my day. (I originally said Justin. Jaydon made sure to set the record straight. So funny)
Then I saw this cute idea for Easter and just had to try them out, Sooooooo I went and picked up Deidre and the kids and we made cupcakes. Then we went to the store to get the candy for decorating them, came back home and did just that. After they were all done we had to do something with them so we decided to go out and deliver them to some of the kids we know. Below are some pictures of our adventure. On some of our stops, we forgot to take pictures. Some of the expresions were priceless. Josiah was so cute. He was like "THANK YOU VERY MUCH!! I loved that. What a blast we had and Lexy got to experience the fun of sharing and doing for others!
Ken came home with flowers(picured below) and John took me out to eat with Angie and Dad plus he gave me a silicone whisk, which I have been wanting.
From Angie and Dad I got a certificate for a day of pampering with my daughter. First it will start with breakfast, then having my hair done. Then we head off to the spa for a manicure, pedicure and an hour of massage. WOW!! We will end the day with lunch at the park with Deidre. It is going to be fun!! Saturday night Jolene is throwing a girls only party in honor of my birthday! That will be very fun too. This is going to be a progressive birthday.
Thank you all for your love, your calls and emails. I love you all!

2009-04-08T22:10:00.001-07:00

Seeing it's almost Easter, I thought I would post this video of these children signing "If that isn't love". What a beautiful song and especially at Easter time. don't forget to take time to remember the Savior who left His throne in heaven to come to earth for our redemption. Thanks Grandmother for the song.It gave me this idea.

2009-04-07T23:25:00.000-07:00

Lexy and Alyssa at The Cozy cottage.

POOL PARTY IN APRIL!!!
What a fun day we had today. First Deidre walked over with the kids and we went to the dollar store and the cozy cottage. After running a few more errands we came home and got in the "pool" as Lexy calls it. She was very adamant that we go and get her "babing soup" Lexy loved the spa, and by the time we got out she was swimming and walking around without fear. We were watching her closely of course. The hottub is very foamy right now due to the hardness of the water. We are working on it, but Lexy loved the bubbles. It was like a huge bubble bath. I love these kids!!
The snow is almost gone. Finally!! It was such a beautiful day today (14C, I think) which I was so thankful for.

2009-04-06T08:20:00.000-07:00

I am so thankful that I have this kind of boys. I love you my boys.

The Boy We Want~Author Unknown

A boy that is truthful and honest
And faithful and willing to work;
But we have not a place that we care to disgrace
With a boy that is ready to shirk.
Wanted--a boy you can trust in,
A boy that is constant and true,
A boy that is good to old people,
And kind to the little ones, too.
A boy that is nice to the home folks,
And pleasant to sister and brother,
A boy who will try when things go awry
To be helpful to father and mother.
These are the boys we depend on--
Our hope for the future, and then
Grave problems of state and the world's work await
Such boys when they grow to be men.

2009-04-03T07:10:00.001-07:00

So let the sunshine in
Face it with a grin
Smilers never lose
and frowners never win
So let the sunshine in
face it with a grin
open up your heart
and let the sunshine in
I can't remember the verses, but this is an old song that my mom used to sing to us when we were kids. Does any one remember the rest of it?It's a good song to sing when you're problems are getting to you. It will change your perspective!!

Thought for the Day:
If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.
If God had a wallet, your photo would be in it.
He sends you flowers every spring.
He sends you a sunrise every morning. Face it, friend: He is crazy about you!

2009-04-02T07:54:00.000-07:00

I recieved an awesome word from God at this blog today. If you want some encouragement go here.
Tracie's blog

2009-03-30T11:47:00.000-07:00

We are back from summit. What a deep touch of God!! I could never put into words the awesome move of God that was experienced at that conference. I will be forever grateful for the touch that God put on my family this week. I feel so humbled to have been in that circle on Saturday morning. Thank you to all of the speakers, to my Pastor and Sis. King for your love, to everyone who prayed. We will be changed as a result of those few hours. If you want to hear more, you'll have to just ask.
Ginny and I standing beside the convention centre.

Our very own Mark King preaching with such a humble pure spirited attitude. What a beautiful moment this was.

2009-03-25T22:35:00.000-07:00

I am off to Spokane, Washington for the Summit 2009 conference. It should be a blast. Ginny, Caleb and I leave in the morning. Angie leaves a little later in the day. Pray for good roads and a safe trip for everyone going. If you're going I'll see you there, if not, I'll see you when I get back!

2009-03-14T08:49:00.001-07:00

Deidre, here are some pics for you of Angie's party. We had nacho platters, veggie and fruit trays, strawberry shortcake, snacks and for the birthday cakes we had "cupcakes from crave". They were so good. Wish you could have been here.

My baby turns 20 years old today. Where has the time gone? She makes me so proud. She has turned out to be such a wonderful, beautiful girl. I love you, Ang!

2009-03-05T13:26:00.000-08:00

NO LIMITS CONFERENCE
Anyone wanting to listen to the no limits conference, click on the link above. It starts at 11AM and 8:00PM Calgary time. Today's message was so good . "The dangerous of down."

2009-03-04T13:41:00.000-08:00

More Experiments with my new pans.
This is pure white sugar that I put in the pan on high heat then walked away and left it until I started to smell it . Look closly through the steam and you can see the sugar is black and burnt, but it is still not sticking. I just took a paper towel and mopped it up. There was a little stickiness to this one but it washed right off with no problem. PS I burned my finger when I was soaking the sugar into the paper towel. Ouch!! Below the sugar pictures is a video of melting cheese in the pan. No sticking to the pan, even after being on high for awhile.

2009-03-04T10:41:00.001-08:00

Optimism returning to housing market, RBC survey finds
VIRGINIA GALT

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Confidence appears to be seeping back into the housing market, with a majority of Canadians saying it's a good time to buy, according to the Royal Bank of Canada's annual homeownership survey.

Although this optimism is not reflected in the most recent sales statistics – the volume of sales in the Toronto area, for instance, was down 47 per cent year-over-year in January – the Royal Bank predicts that lower prices will lure a growing percentage of Canadians back into the housing market in the next two years.

A survey of 2,026 Canadian consumers, conducted in the second week of January, found that 65 per cent of respondents believe it is a buyers' market now.

Of those surveyed, 9 per cent said it is “very likely” they will purchase a home or condominium in 2009 or 2010, and another 18 per cent rated the prospect of purchasing a new home as “somewhat” likely.

“Additionally, almost half indicate it makes sense to buy a home now versus waiting until next year.”

Young adults and renters are most likely to spark an upsurge in home sales, the Royal Bank said in releasing its survey results.

“In the under-35 group, 48 per cent said they plan to buy, which is up sharply from 36 per cent last year. Renters also appear to be saying they are tired of paying someone else's mortgage payment, with 38 per cent planning to become homeowners in the next two years.”

Toronto real estate agent Geon van der Wyst noted that consumers do not always follow through on their intentions – although it is encouraging that more Canadians appear to be thinking about buying homes.

“Intention is the step prior to making an educated decision… and I'm sure a lot of those people with intentions will move forward with purchases, it's just a matter of finding the right time,” Mr. van der Wyst said.

Karen Leggett, the Royal Bank's head of home equity financing, said low mortgage rates “and favourable housing prices are influencing home purchase intentions this year and may be the reason why more Canadians are poised to purchase over the next two years.”

Ms. Leggett said the poll, conducted for the Royal Bank by Ipsos Reid, found that the vast majority of Canadians believe that the purchase of a home is a good investment. “The current economic environment does not appear to have dampened Canadians' overall confidence in the housing market,” she said.

Mr. van der Wyst said there are good deals to be had, from the buyers' standpoint.

However, he added, many prospective buyers – particularly first-time buyers – are still uncertain about the best time to plunge into the market.

“We tend to hand-hold these first time-buyers, nervous first-time buyers, especially around here where they know the prices are starting to dip – and who knows where they will continue to dip before the recovery starts?”

Mr. van der Wyst said that, especially in the current economic environment, he screens prospective buyers very carefully before taking them to look at properties. He noted that the banks are also “pretty stringent” in qualifying consumers for mortgages.

“Interest rates are at historic lows and borrowing money is very, very affordable. If you have steady employment and you have some financial responsibility along with a good interest rate, now is a really, really good time to purchase a property,” Mr. van der Wyst, an agent with Royal LePage said.

“At this time, employment stability is very important. It would be really unfortunate to see someone lose their job just as they were about to close on a property,” he said.

A number of leading Canadian economists have observed that Canada's rising unemployment rate has eroded consumer confidence, and other recent housing forecasts have been less upbeat than the Royal Bank survey.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. projects that, in spite of falling prices, the volume of existing home sales is expected to drop by 14.6 per cent in 2009, and then rise by 9.3 per cent in 2010.

Average home prices are forecast to fall 5.2 per cent to $287,900 in 2009. Next year, prices are expected to remain flat, according to the federal housing agency's forecast.

© The Globe and Mail

2009-03-04T07:12:00.000-08:00

I purchased a set of Titanium exclusive cookware at the home and grden show this past weekend. They are wonderful. You can cook without water or oil. Food will not stick or burn to these pots. They are amazing for easy clean up!! I made oatmeal for breakfast this morning and decided to experiment and see if the oatmeal would burn or stick to the pot. Below are the results of my experiment. These were a great investment!!

Here is the pot sitting on the heat, "burning to the pot"

After letting it sit on the heat for just a few seconds it lifted away from the pot so I could just lift it right out. No burning and sticking!

All that's left are a few crumbs that just wiped right out. So Cool!

2009-03-03T14:28:00.000-08:00

I found this on the Grande Prarie church's site. It is a really awesome message using the analogy of the physical storm and relating it to the storms of life.
Go to the site using the link below and then click on the message "It can only go so far"

A message of hope

2009-03-03T08:40:00.000-08:00

My family and some of my friends are now on thier way to Israel. I hope and pray they all have a wonderful time, stay safe and well, and have a life changing experience. I know you guys will not see this until you come back, but I love you! Have double fun for me!!

2009-03-02T22:43:00.000-08:00

I read the 2 blogs below and thought they had good food for thought and were an encouragment to me today. we don't always know why things work out the way they do, but it is in those times that we must trust in God. It is then that our trust is really put to the test.

royal Insignia
iluv2prshim

2009-02-25T13:39:00.000-08:00

Deidre is going away to visit her mom so we decided to babysit so her and Preston could go out. Here is a sample of our evening. I'm sure this will bring back memories for my own kids.

2009-02-24T08:20:00.000-08:00

"It is the cure for the disease of self centeredness.The antidote for my own pride"

Here is a reminder of why we do the things we do.
"Be not weary in well doing..."
Click the link "The invisible woman" below and enjoy.

The invisible woman

2009-02-14T17:46:00.000-08:00

These are the roses Ken brought home for me on Valentines day. They are still standing strong and opening up beautifully. They are not drooping at all. I don't think I have ever had such perfect roses. They are beautiful!

The egg platter

Happy Valentines to everyone. My valentine came hom ewith these roses. Notice the card. He has always signed my name that way since we were dating. He also ordered me some egg trays. I can't wait to see them!
My love to all of you.

2009-02-07T08:26:00.000-08:00

A return to Sunday dinner.
One of the upsides of the downturn in economy is that it seems there is a revival of the Sunday dinner at home. We have been doing this now for several weeks and I am quite enjoying it. It is a lot of work, but well worth the effort. While searching the internet for recipe ideas, I have come across many blogs and websites of ladies who have rediscovered this age old, wonderful, tradition of going to church, then coming home to prepare and share dinner with family and friends. It is so much warmer and closer than eating out, and a whole lot cheaper.
I am thankful today for my family and friends and the provision of God, as I plan and prepare for our dinner tomorrow. Try it, I think you'll like it. Make sure to invite someone over to share it with though, because that's part of the fun.

2009-02-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

Say less than you know,
Own more than you show,
Pay as you go,
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!

2009-02-06T21:07:00.000-08:00

Powerful, sobering words, these are! Search me Oh God. Cleanse me from every sin and make me clean, is my prayer.

Matthew 23
23"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

25"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

27"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. 28In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

2009-02-04T21:52:00.000-08:00

Pastor King's message tonight about keeping our priorities right brought back this post written by Sis. Elms. It went deep into my heart. I do not want to have the attitude of a sloucher. Read it here.
Slouching in the pew

This scripture jumped out at me tonight as I read my daily Bible reading. It showed how important respecting authority and God's order of things is to Him. Even though the pharisees were not doing right, Jesus still told the disciples to obey them, because of the office they held. He told them to obey,but not to act like them.

1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

2009-02-03T09:38:00.000-08:00

I'd appreciate your prayers as I atart this course. This is not going to be easy for me. I have felt God leading me to do this, but have fought it for over 3 years. I face it with trepidation. Please keep me in your prayers that I can retain the information and actually accomplish the task and it can be a blessing to people who are struggling for one reason or another, both in the church and out.

2009-01-29T03:11:00.000-08:00

Galatians 6
1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

This scripture woke me up this morning. When our natural body is wounded, the whole body goes to work restoring and healing the wounded part. We do not seperate it and cut it off from the rest of the body, but our whole system goes to work and surrounds and protects the wounded part and the healing process happens.
We are the body of Christ. When we see the our brother or sister is taken in a fault or is wounded in some way, we must do the same. We cannot afford to critize and cut off the member, but we must rally around them with support and resources. We must love them and surround them, never gossipping about them, thus cutting them off from the love and support they so desperately need, but ministering TO them.
I feel this strongly this early mornig.
God has awakened me several times this week with thoughts about our realationship with each other, about true friendship and true love. I have been convicted for myself and heavily burdened for people I dearly love.
We don't want to create a culture of gossip for ourselves and our family and friends.
It causes us to walk the low road where we create shallow relationships. Ones that lack loyalty, trust and support. There can be no trust, no feelings of safety, no love. It binds us with low self esteem and depression and isolates us.
We need to get off of this road and start creating a circle of love and support for each other. We need to become the kind of friend we want others to be to us. We need to show the kind of love that can listen and empathize, but then go on to give sound, Godly advise. We don't want to use our friendships to vent, but to share our struggles, not to find someone to sympathise with us and make us feel better about what we are doing, what we are tempted with, or how we are feeling ( especially when it involves others), but to honestly be looking for sound advice that will help us be overcomers. We want to be the kind of friend that will help our friends overcome instead of helping them wallow in anger, hurt, jelousy, etc. This just leads to gossip fests and a downward spiral. Be the kind of friend that is trustworhty, the kind that people feel confident that thier business stays confidential at all times, the kind of friend that will tell it like it is when your thinking is off course or your emotions are out of control, ( in kindness of course), that will pray and encourage and love. Don't be the kind that will try and pull down to your level. Let's build a strong foundation of love, safety, loyalty and trust for our brothers and sisters. Let's show our girls how to be Godly women not ugly, gossipy, bitter, nasty young girls. This is the will of God and if we obey His word, then our lives will be blessed and enriched. If we become this kind of woman we will attract others of like mindedness. We will grow in grace and Godliness. Let's walk the high road.

PS Just a side note: The more we can get our minds focused outside ourselves and on helping others, the happier we will be. Self absorption is misery. Don't live your life where everything you do is to gratify something in yourself. Sometimes even the good things we do is self gratifying because it makes us feel good about ourselves. That is fine to a degree, but it is best and much more enriching to make pleasing God and loving others our goal and the rest will fall into place. Just a thought.

I know this is kind of a jumble, but it is early and I wanted to get some of my thoughts down before I got up and started the day and forgot about what I was feeling. I hope this can be a blessing and an encouragement to someone.
I have lots of other thing rambling around in this head, but it will have to be another post. I've been thinking to do a series of post about what it means to be a christian. Maybe I will, and this could be the first in the series. (Don't gaossip, be true. Search for truth not a rason to justify your actions and feelings)

2009-01-20T22:25:00.000-08:00

Alyssa's baby shower. I would like to thank everyone who came and made Deidre feel special and loved.
It was a riot! Sorry Sara, the picture of you was too good to leave out! I'll take it off if you really want me to though. Mindy went away with just about every prize. Gini, I am glad you finally won one though after all your hard work. LOL Lisa, Thanks for being a good sport and participating in the "poop" tasting contest. It's people like you that really make it funny. All of this and not one good picture of the baby!

2009-01-17T22:47:00.001-08:00

Author unknown
If you are ever going to love me; love me now.

While I can know the sweet and tender feelings from which true affections flows.
Love me now while I am living.

Do not wait until I am gone.

To have those sweet words chiseled in marble on ice-cold stone.
If you have tender thoughts of me, please let me know now.

Not when I am not there.

2009-01-15T16:51:00.000-08:00

This was a cool sight from my window this afternoon. The snow plows were having a hard time with the corner so the neighbors all went out to help shovel and tell them where they could make piles. This is such a neat neighborhood.

2009-01-14T15:04:00.001-08:00

Sis Nona Freman has lived alife full of faith in God. She is an amzing woman. I fyou have not heardof her or read any of her book, you should do so.
Please keep her in your prayers as she recovers. The link below is a video of her preaching. She is in her 90's.
http://pentecostzone.com/videos/id_24/title_the-%E2%80%99power-dimension%E2%80%99-part3-nona-freeman/

2009-01-12T13:54:00.000-08:00

The kind of friends you want to attract, is the kind of friend you must be.

2009-01-05T16:28:00.000-08:00

Star
This one's for you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYMGl48ADBk

2009-01-05T09:56:00.001-08:00

My kids hate to see me get out my camera. I think they are afraid the might get "posted"! One of my sons thougt he would be funny and get me back. Enjoy the shots he got of me.
PS I used to be able to see without all these aid!
PS#2 I love the magnifying glass that John bought for me!
ps#3 Thanks, son. These are great. They really make me laugh!
ps@4 Lexy loves my magnifying glass too. She calls it Tina's mirror. She likes us to make things bigger with it.

Happy Birthday , John!!

Yesterday we celebrated John's 26th birthday. All the family came over after church and we had a roast beef dinner. Happy birthday, John. I hope you have a wonderful year. I pray the will of God be done in your life this year. I would love to see you singing more if that would be God's will for you. You have such a wonderful voice. Mark preached a very good message last night about doing something this year of eternal value and Pator King and others have said don't waste time trying to do what you're not good at, but find what you do well and do it with all your heart. I know you are passionate about singing, you are good at it, and would love to use it somehow. Don't let it slip away from you. Pray and ask God to open doors for you to use this wonderful gift for the glory of God.
I am very proud of you. You have been faithful to God, your church and your family. We love you very much!!
Back to what Mark preached last night, I want to be involved in something of eternal value this year. I have a few ideas that I am thinking about and am waiting for God to give some direction to me. If you think of it, I'd appreciate it if you said a prayer for me to find my niche in God's kingdom.

2009-01-02T21:53:00.000-08:00

Here is a neat site for daily Bible reading online. Follow the plans and you will have read the Bible through in a year.

http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/readingplans/index.php/today/

2009-01-02T15:44:00.000-08:00

New Year's day was a very nice relaxing time spent with family. We had a sit down dinner ( a first in a while) using the china and all. It was nice in spite of the plastic table and chairs and the crowded kitchen. The price you pay for using the dining room as an office. After dinner the girls did the dishes and then we just visited and played games.Kenny spent the night and went to work with the guys this morning. I had such a nice time with just my family. I love you all very much and love spending time with you all. I hope this year is blessed for you all and that God has His way with everyone of you.

2009-01-02T00:38:00.001-08:00

I have just spent some time going over some of my old post, trying to see where I've come from and where I am going. I came across the 2 articles that I have linked below and thought they were worth reading again coming into this new year.

Dealing with critisism
http://holmessellshomes.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2007-05-03T13%3A31%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=1

Leadership
http://holmessellshomes.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2007-09-01T08%3A01%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=1

2008-12-31T22:05:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone. I hope that everyone's year was blessed and that 2009 will be even better.
Thank you to all of you bloggers. You have been an encouragement to me so many times through out this year. I apprecdiate the connection with you all that blogging has made possible.
God Bless You All!!
My Goals?
Read the bible through
take a course in counseling
lose some weight
eat better
move more
get involved with sunday school
do some quilting
I'm still working on this list

2008-12-29T08:25:00.000-08:00

God is more interested in changing your heart, than he is in changing your circumstances. He has been showing me that in many ways over the past several weeks. It can be very painful, but it is for our good. My prayer today is that God would have "His way" in my spirit and in my heart and in the hearts of my husband and children. It is not easy to see the flaws of character in ones self or to feel the weight of your own imperfections, but it is alot heavier to carry those flaws and it is God's grace that reveals the things in us that need to change and He is faithful to helps us succeed if we humble ourselves before Him and let Him mold us. Some times God draws us aside to a place of aloneness to accomplish such a task. I pray for all that may be in this place today. I pray for complete freedom from anything that binds us and keeps us from the perfect peace God intends us to live in.

On another note, in response to Pastor Kings reading of "A tale of three Kings" last night, my New Years resolution is to not be a "spear thrower." A lofty goal, but I want to conquer any tendencies toward both the character's of Saul and Absalom.
"God give me a pure heart" is my prayer.
Psalm 51
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.