Easter to Mothers Day - Recap

Linda and I have always wanted kids, it seems thus far this is a tricky matter; I am not going to get into it or the issues we are facing but more about family and how grateful we are to the meaning of family's and spanning from Easter weekend until today - Mothers day the great blessings we have enjoyed.

Making good on a promise the Medrano Family and my Sister and my Dad "Pops" made the voyage down South to Salt Lake on a brisk gorgeous day for our Easter Picnic next to the our church. I picked up Alan or "Pa" and Geniel our friend from Sun River Apts. It was a great day and along with our neighbors Andy and his family it was a great success. I  want to thank all those that did their part in making is a success. That day was great and the fact that the next day I was going to work full time again in the industry - I made my goals of getting that job. Thus far it has been a huge learning experience and the owners are from South Africa and speak with the English derivative South African tongue. I have learned a lot about their culture as well.

We got a dog earlier this year and Lady has been a challenge and a blessing and a pretty good dog for being a rescue dog. She has grown into us and we have grown into her. She loves rides in the car on Saturdays, she loves dog parks and Liberty Park. I feel that the dog park is something new to her to the one we go to on 7th east - there is tons of dogs and she did not know what to do the first time I took her there. Now she is going exploring at least and sniffing butts galore..lol. She is getting used to Nala our cat and Nala is getting used to Lady (Lady Fog Horn)

Our routine is pretty much set in place now.. get up and I head out at 8am, Linda takes Lady for a RUN as Linda has taken on the hobby of sorts of a runner - then goes to work at 10am. We leave Lady out of her crate now and Nala has the option of going as she pleases from the office. I get home at 5:30 and then take Lady for a walk for about 20 minutes and then sit down for a bit and then make dinner. Linda then arrives around 8:30ish and we eat and watch some tube and then do our family time and then go to bed and do it all over again. Wednesday's she helps with Mutual for the Girls and on Sundays I prepare a lesson for the 8-9 year olds primary. From Emily, Thomas, Michelle, Isiah, Kamia, and Lucas it has been a great blessing to learn from them. I get help some times from a Soon to Be a Missionary "Parker" and we have a blast - he could be my brother from another life I swear - I have learned tons from him as well. The ward is great and we are losing some this spring and summer and they will be missed as they have all found homes.

Speaking of homes, we are in pursuit of the very same thing... credit scores and money.. but it could be within this year if we work real hard. Also the baby thing is possible but will require timing and MONEY and a miracle. Well I was a miracle baby so it only feels right that I Linda and I would be in the same shoes...

In conclusion we had the most gorgeous day yesterday at Liberty Park and the wading pool. We ate KFC and walked around with Lady and Geniel and waded in the wading pool... the day was outstanding and the opportunity to get out of the office and enjoy the fresh air was a blessing and inspiring. Today is mothers day and I would only have to say that I know that mom is in a good place and some day I will have the chance to go visit her again and catch up on all the events of life. I miss ya' and love you Rose Maree and not a day goes by that your not felt or loved or missed.

(To our mom's: Barbara, Sally Hanna, Rose Maree - with great love and respect HAPPY MOTHERS DAY !! From Linda and Ryan)

Below are some images from Easter with Kyle Medrano and then of the Wading pool in Liberty park.

1st day of Spring...really?

As I looked out my window, walked the dog in a coat freezing to death I remember the words I heard from my dear wife - Hey it's the first day of Spring! Well I guess - but I am no rocket scientist but today did not feel like spring at all! Even when the sun came out to play... still cold. I am hoping that those warm rays and awesome flowers do there job soon.

Well, we went and got a dog... yep, a dog. Went last week paid 100 bucks and got a Beagle Hound with hints of who knows.. mostly beagle and her nam

e is Lady. She has been fun and getting used to a dog again is crazy. I am mostly a cat person and my last dog died when I was 18 or so. So it has been an adjustment. My last post talked about the wind of change and march Winds. Well this month I left my job, started full time looking for a better one (career) Linda has cut here hair short, goes running in the morning for a marathon, Alan is now in a rest home, and we get a dog. What a month it has been. Now I am moving our stuff back into the once office and so the house is changing, and we are back to being a couple and no senior... and the looming hopes of a ne

w job soon. Spring - new things and great things sometimes come from this new warmth of the season. It just proves that things always evolve and change and

we adapt, but I am not going to say we came from apes - I will never say that.

In conclusion - dont let stress get to you, take walks more, and try to laugh at your self as much as possible and never put yourself down either. Below is a picture of Lady the first day we got her home taken on my new iPAD... not iPad 3... but still cool;

the quality is not so good.

March Winds & the Winds of Change

It has been 8 years March 30th that Linda and I said our "I DO'S" - It has been an amazing journey and though at times we get lost along the way or we drift from the daily pressures - we also accomplish great things and gain a closer relationship. Yeah I am not going to lie that it has been a bed of roses but we promised through the good times and the bad not just the good.

I decided to leave a job to pursue my career in the field I just graduated in with a Bachelor's degree - Graphic Design. I made a promised to get this type of job by the end of March. My stomach has been upset and I had to make a hard decision that would impact so many people. In fact I have been very upset and very vocal person and just mean... I realized it is so many things that was pulling me that way and this... like the wind it tends to push us, I felt like I was not headed on the right compass or the right path and every day it has been a burden. Along with taking care of a person that is losing his memory - it gets tiresome and no rest... we are hoping to get him into a center soon.

The winds of change are brewing and going forward and pressing hard I will get my start on my career path. Going back to Linda and I, we are strong as the redwoods and as the winds blow and the rain tempest goes... we shall over come all the storms that press upon us. With the Lords help and with loved ones that care - there is not reason not to. (update to come) and Babe ~ Happy Anniversary!!

2 things....or more to address today.

I have been extremely sleepy... mostly because of winter months cause my morning sinuses to be extremely clogged and it makes wearing my sleep apnea cpap mask impossible.. Wearing the mask is a bother any ways. #1 I sleep on my stomach, #2 The hose is a pain, #3 and sinuses make it a pain. The ultimate reason is 4/5 cpap customer struggle wear their mask a whole night with out taking them off. I feel that it is do to my over bite. I have started a new job with new hours and I am still getting acclimated to the schedule and I get home late and get to sleep around 2pm after I settle down and after talking to my wife... Being a sleep apnea patient, it is hard to express the mood swings we can go on. It is like surviving on 1/2 night sleep. I am a horrible husband and only wish she would would understand it is my lack of sleep and new hours of work... my nerves are shot and pushing me will not work... or being un patient. My outburst are not to be forgiven and I am only hoping that that those that have spouses with sleep apnea to be patient and not to take some outburst as a threat...it is like when you have not slept for a while and then try to work through a day.... it just gets hazy... the next thing that has been bugging me lately is that fact that I left on a journey to improve my stars, my status quo and this past week I returned to the very place I set out to never be in again... on the phones... I am creative and a designer and I burnt our my brain cells on phone jobs... it seems like a mental block comes over me... I am struggling at my training and hoping that I can pass all the test. I have gone on long enough with out working and I just want to matter.

....Lastly to take off the edge we went to Rhode Island Diner, it is a nice drive through Park City and on the back roads to Heber to come along a old fashioned Diner Car Diner!!! The food is awesome too! Service a bit quirky but just for the trip and drive it is worth it. Prices are around 6-12 dollars and the Reuben is to die for... I am not a big RYE bread fan... Make your own burgers and the shakes... YUMS the word. Take the ride into Oakley then keep going and you can turn left into Heber or go back on the main road into the Junction to Park City or Cheyenne... On good days we go to Heber then through Provo Canyon, to Orem then back to SLC. It makes for a nice drive. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DINER GO TO THIS WEBSITE;http://www.roadislanddiner.com/index.html ENJOY!

The gigs up! - You Got me!

Some times in life you just have to say uncle - the gigs up! Basically I am recapping my last 4 months of searching for work. I believe the lord is humbling me and teaching me great lessons, I just hope I am listening better. I have had at least 1 to 2 interviews a week starting in just January alone. Oct.-Dec. I whole whopping 3 maybe. I have learned to relax, go in excited, be truthful and dont be truthful; and my most favorite of all "Tell me about yourself?" - really means tell me all your qualifications for the job. It is a pure jungle out there. My last excursion was going to St. George for 30 minutes of an interview. I guess you could say that the journey was worth it... and I am thankful I took the journey with my wife. So I spent 4 years of learning graphic design to today landing my anti-dream job...phones and being on them all day long... yep' I got hired finally - truth be known I actually start a sorta graphic design job for 8 hours a week for 35 bucks a hr. BUT it starts in March some time?? Just recently I have had some great leads and interviews for those great "GD" job. A toy company in Tempe AZ, a shirt design company in ST. GEORGE, and working for a Mac outlet called Simply Mac. So that battle wages and now looking at starting training for a month and not seeing my wife and all for the mercy of money... what do I do? Say uncle I am not fit to be a graphic designer or take this time as an opportunity to update my portfolio during the day and hit it harder this summer - fall. I could get my certification in teaching and go down that route?? I could actually write a book, I could start up a business of my many ideas I have... or just say - I am Ryan and I am meant to be on the phones.. its not a bad thing. I guess I have fought for a graphic design job and feel like a chump giving in to my back up career option. Well what ever I do... I will be doing it... and doing my best I can. So in March I might be working 2 jobs and getting our income tax return - so money will be coming in and that is good because the car payment and insurance need some love. Plus all our other bills. I also have a side idea of making a memoir book for my mother for all those that did not get a chance to meet her.

ALSO - I have been tutoring Giovani, I met G' when I advertised my tutoring flyers and he wanted me to help him on a spanish newspaper, we worked together for a bit while I helped do the design work for the paper, the work was not worth the pay so I dropped out and thought I lost a good friend, however after the new year he approached me to tutor him for real and he would do the graphics and editing of the newspaper. So I have been going a couple times a week to his house and teaching him photoshop, he has been picking it up really fast and has done 2 editions already. Well he is so busy and has 2 twins - so I mentioned to Linda that we could babysit the twins to help out if they wanted to.. so last Friday we actually got the chance to spend most the day with them. We watched Dora, went to McD's and the above picture is the twins zonked out in the back of our new car on the ride to the Sandy Aquarium. So we let them sleep and hung out in the car for about 30 minutes... then we went in to see the fishies... at first they were just waking up - but after 10 minutes they were everywhere and was just in ahh, looking at all the wonders of the sea, from sharks to turtles to snakes to their favorite... the penguins!! we got to watch them feed them too. So we went home and I crashed and then the parents came and got the kids... I think they missed them too.. It was a good day and I proved to myself that I am a good fit for raising kids at least not as scared. Peace out and please visit this blog to find out more about our crazy adventures.

New Car - It's Final

So we finally traded our Chevy Cav. that we were basically upside down in (worth little and we paying a lot!) Through the good folks at Garff Nissan we got into a 2012 Nissan Sentra... this is an awesome car to drive. Sad thing is it does not have cruise control? but the nice interior, and the overall experience is great so I can not complain to much, except the fact I hardly get to drive it since my wife drives it to work. The dealership filled our tank up and so that Saturday we ended up in Idaho Falls for dinner and headed home. It was very nice and just cruised right along and felt like we could go to Canada (needed more gas money) Well, the upside is it has only 800 miles on (100 when we bought it) and the downside is its like 150 bucks more a month...wow. Hope I get a job soon. Take care.

January update

It has been some time since the last so I wanted to post a quick write up about the amazing world we live in. Yeah there is weirdo's and killers and all the nuts between, then there is the wonders that God gave us to take our minds off the lowly state our world faces. I am talking about Earth. From the oceans to the mountains, to the deserts and so on... lately Linda and I have been going to the Planetarium downtown and boy is it fun! we have watched these shows in the "DOME" and I would recommend all to check it out. THE UNIVERSE and space outside and the chance to view it nightly if we choose too, you just have to look up people. Well I will leave for now but in conclusion - God grants us sunsets, and wonders of the world to lift our minds to higher places, please take the chance and enjoy a wonder today.

HUGE UPDATE (AUG to NEW YEARS 2012)

Well I dont want to bore you with all the details of the past 6 months - but I would like to share some highlights and impressions.

1. I finally graduated with my Bachelors Degree in Graphic Design (Sept)
2. Had a great Thanksgiving with 2 family's
3. Had a busy Holiday season, watching movies and reconnecting with our Great niece and nephews.
4. Tried my had at being my own boss (lasted 20 days)
5. Had a great time sharing my wife's birthday and new years downtown with the EVE Salt Lake Party passes.
6. Watching the amazing stars you can see at the Clark Planetarium.
7. Doing baptism for the dead in the Salt Lake Temple.
8. Spending time with family (Pops, Laura, Pa, Terry, Sally, Bob and Fam.)
9. Spending a awesome time with Bob and Marie for lunch and games!
10. Being humbled daily and finding myself in the process.

*I have had some struggle finding work. Have had the chance to teach and tutor some people and have found that teaching is a gift I have as well. The many cross roads I face daily - Searching for full time work, trying my hands at owning my own business, contemplating what other things I could do as well. I am thankful for my wife and her sweet spirit that has encourage me through it all. You can now go visit her blog at http://lindasblessings.blogspot.com/
to see what she is thankful for each day... well take care and I will be updating this more regularly. Bye for now...

Udated Post for July

Hello all!

The update is like this; Been out of school for the past month while my dear sweet wife has been working very hard at her new hired on position at Wells Fargo as a customer service agent. I am grateful for her and her sacrifice to help assist me at school to let me take on 5 heavy classes and schedules to graduate this September. Also I would like to thank Alan in all he does while we are looking after him to help assist in this matter as well. An extended thank you to all family members in all they do to support us as well and for your prayers. We pray for you as well and always hope that life is treating you fair as it can be. This month I have stuggled with my apnea and thanks to the upcoming insurance from Linda's work I am hoping that new things can be solved in helping me beat this issue. I have lots of dreams and projects that I want to see be fullfilled; however I can not do these things when I am always feeling like a zombie. We have had a great summer and now that things are warming up it has been a bit more enjoyable. We like to bbq meat once a week, go for swim in our pool, watch history and travel channel and go to movies. This past weekend we had the chance to go to Logan for the "Cruise in" - it was nice to get out of the valley and see cool cars. It was nice to eat out with my pops and he was so happy to see us - we do miss Cache Valley and I only wish is that I could work there for a living.

I will keep you updated as best I can - I have updated an old twitter feed and you can learn more about my adventures DAILY at http://twitter.com/#!/ryan_pic76

by for now!

Its Late but what the heck!

Random thoughts and our heritage or legacy... this is a picture of my grandma and my mother (the little girl) - they are both in heaven now and the house behind them I grew up in as well belongs to a new family. Looking back through out our lives we see rare glimpses of what we may become, I hope that I can leave a legacy of my own some day and those that remember me when I am gone will at least get a smile on their face and chuckle a bit. I am not writing my obituary here but came across this picture and see what made me and their sacrifices for me and my opportunity's of a better future.

Current news at the home front is about the same, Chester has been missing again - Linda got a better shift at work and works 9-5pm - I started school for the spring Qtr. Looking at one or maybe two more Qtrs. to go. Working on my portfolio for the 2nd time this year and hope to put some new and updated work. Work is going good and will be celebrating 3 years at Ad Wear this May - Looking forward to my B-day and getting sick and tired of the cold weather. May has to come through for me, its just gotta'.

We are pushing on and the battle wages on! Until next time, so long... (look for updates on my web portfolio to come some time in June officially!)

A New Year (A time to resolve) 2011

Taking the "plunge" and also working out... Yes! there comes a time were you must make a change and resolve. For me walking is very hard because of my back and the wieght I put on it... so the best thing for me is swimming. The about picture is an actual picture of our pool in Holladay, Utah. It is pretty nice and has a resistance walking path jet pool thing that helps in the process. Plus a hot tub, track, and slide. We get the gym and pool and access to the rec center for 40 bucks a month for the both of us! I have been going since last week and it is awesome!!! Linda and I want to make our lives healthy an happy for the good. Great thing too, its only a mile away from our apt.

Just quickly - we have been working hard and playing a bit too. Just ask us about how we like to laugh and see live comedy, plays and do it for real cheap. School is going along and it is going to be spring break in a few weeks and I am way excited about that. Well take care and have a great day. Thanks for visiting.

Is Spring ever to come....?

I took this picture with our new camera (thanks - Terry and Sally!) This is a man made glacier thingy we saw up in Heber Utah. We celebrated Valentines this year with some grub and the Homestead Bed and Breakfast. It was very relaxing and a nice break from all our issues as of lately.

This will be a short post but I wanted to bring you up to speed on whats new and what the low down at the Pilkington household. Linda works at Wells Fargo and does her best to go to school the next morning on hardly any sleep. They reduced my hours but say they are extremely busy and blah blah blah - I am grateful for my job and the steady income it provides. Linda has been learning lots in the culinary class and has made some pretty cool stuff. She loves it when she is awake. She is hoping for a day position soon. Alan is still living in his apartment down on 33rd south and by redwood road. He goes to seniors daily and is making walking sticks for other seniors that need them and it is being sponsored by the University of Utah.

We got our income tax return and was able take care of some loose ends as far as bills and needs and wants. I am getting tomorrow a new software program called Painter 11 and a Stylus pen tablet to start being more creative and making some art, also to give a tablet a go. We also got a 50" HD Flat screen and a new couch! The biggest thing that we are getting is a years worth GYM Membership from our Rec Center down the street about a mile away. Very nice swimming pool and work out facility. I want to swim right now, but Not getting it until some time this week.

Got new clothes and paid some bills and took a break at the Homestead. NOW IF SPRING CAN COME A BIT FASTER and the trees see some green... at least another month.

As far as my school - I have 7 more classes and should be graduated by September - if I can come up with some funding to finish...day by day and month by month and I will do it. I am to close to quit now.

Well take care and remember to check back often. Peace out!!!!!

When dark times come upon us, isn't it great when the sun shines again! That warmth on the face and the heart. During these trying times I look unto a similar strength that shines like the noon day sun - My God and Savior; I know that he will help us if we truly are doing our best and move onto the next journey. The blessing we can share is - our cat came back, the car was fixed for free, burns heal, and broken bone mend. We still have jobs and can pay our bills, we have a roof over our heads and great friends that help out and family too. This month even though Linda did burn her hand at school and is wrapped up like a cute mummy, I think we are going to be o.k.

We are going to be able to get some things because we are getting a return this year from the IRS!! We are going to get a year membership to our Rec. Center - so we can have unlimited access to gym, pool and walk track. I need to lose wieght and Linda too so that we can live happier lives and less stressed ones too. Might get some other things to and pay off some bills. We know what we want out of life but getting there is the hard part. May we remember our blessing with in the storm is my prayer this day and have a great day!

The tale of 2 cars and our stress - we are very blessed.

Well it all started out as a means to an end, a way for Linda to get to work and school and take care of her step father-in-law. So we set out to purchase a new car way back in March 2010. Frankly I do not know what we did until then...however we set out for this new car in achieving a better credit score by showing forward payments and such - we were so happy as we drove our new Cavalier home. The picture above is not a Chevy actually it is a Kia Spectra and the tale tell about its involvement will be explained in a moment. So one day I met Linda for a late dinner at a favorite place called - THE BELGIUM WAFFLE - Linda took the new car home and I took the Jeep, although I thought I would until it did not start. It got towed the next couple days later and after we sat and waited for 3 hours - It needed a new battery and we paid it - YEAH!!! But as we were celebrating that small victory our new car was experiencing a major hick-up. It was acting weird but do to the holidays, and such I never got to a mechanic, in fact I had a appointment for the next morning when the Chevy died.... I just put gas in at Maverick and turned on the car when I heard a loud bang and then It was dead. I sat and waited for the tow truck to pick it up for 3 hours again.

This is were it turns ugly folks... the next day we were told it would cost $2000.00 to fix it because it had a blown engine and needed a new engine. So I said that we will call them back and let them know what we can do. So here we are with a dead horse and payments on top. Linda needed a car that day because of our busy schedules.. we sat and brain stormed for some time when she decided to call Larry H. Miller and see if we can trade it in and get a car...by theory this made a lot of sense so there we sat from a new dealer and was placed into a new car - THE KIA -

THE CONDITION WAS... we were to wait until the loan went through and have the Chevy repo'd and returned to the bank. So 2 weeks went by and then we were told that we need to put some money towards this to help the loan go through - we decided to put a post dated check for $750 by January 14th (The car broke down in Dec 1st) - So we waited and waited and received threats from our bank because we needed the money for the down payment and not the dead horse car payment... in the back of my mind I knew that we needed to return the Kia and deal with our problem, but having a new new car felt wonderful and I knew that it was too good to be true. It was fix the car or repo it and deal with that monster later and possible get sued or garnished. We both decided to take back the Kia - there was a new offer on the table, while the loan is still pending because of Linda's job - Larry H. Miller told us to pay the payment for the other car (dead horse) and we will lower the down payment and we should know by Saturday...
Well - we paid them, the loan was still pending and my nerves were on edge, so we decided to take back the Kia no matter what and deal with the other car based on new info that the Chevy dealership could help us out. On the way to returning the Kia I drove the Jeep and was to meet Linda at Larry H. Miller; I stopped by McDonald's to get a coke because I had just spent the night at the Hospital with Linda in the ER for her women issues (She has suffered so much; that's another story) - So me being sleepy, and upset I backed into a car in the to go line. No injury's and no damage and no cost to me. But it made me so mad and upset at myself.

So to make a long story short... we returned the Kia with no issues or strings attached. The dealership for the Chevy kept stringing us along, day after day and then the situation was like this; If I could show 2 proofs of oil changes they could get us into a new car or fix the Chevy - but I only had changed the oil once... we were looking at putting down $1000 dollars down to fix that we really didn't have.. but it went back to the service desk at the dealership with there final say. Well, along with more sleepless nights (CHESTER in HEAT, Linda's Women issues) I got information about our car and the final conclusion this now almost 2 month ordeal. Here came the news...

THE BANK AND THE DEALERSHIP PAID FOR OUR CAR TO BE FIXED!!!!! So tommorow the 26th of January we are going to get our car back with a new engine. Linda is feeling better and I got the cat fixed.

Lesson learned is - you can never run from your problems and the best solution is the one we might fear the most - it is time to buck up, suck it up and move on.

Have a great day.

A good chuckle for a COLD JANUARY...Brrrr!!!