182nd General Conference
So if it’s good for me to read to my unborn daughter, just imagine the benefit she’s getting by listening to words of the Apostles.
Zachary and Yessidey
(2) of us (1) big adventure
Yessidey and Ezrah @ 30 Weeks
We are 30 weeks down.
Let’s put that in perspective: Only 10 more to go.
That means we’re 75% of the way there. (And by “we’re”, I mean “Yessi”).
She’s looking as happy and beautiful as ever. I’m honestly amazed at how resilient and strong she has been during this pregnancy.
One Goal. One Passion.
We spent a week in Honduras with the charity Project Sole (the one we began 2.5 years ago) giving out over 1,800 pairs of shoes to orphans. It was the most amazing experience and renews our gratitude for the little things we enjoy in life.
We’ll spare the pictures and send you straight to the video from the trip.
Project Sole’s New Corporate HQ
Project Sole continues to grow and gain momentum! I’m pleased to show off our new 11,000 sq/ft. home in Dallas, Texas. We appreciate Southwest Electronix relocating to leave us this great location!
We’re going to be busy remodeling the inside offices and lobby, so I’ll be sure to throw some more pics up as we scoot along.
22 Weeks
While leaving Albertsons, a cashier came up behind us and accused Yessidey of stealing a watermelon.
I mean, really?!
She’s a Her!
Little girls are the nicest things that can happen to people. They are born with a bit of angel-shine about them, and though it wears thin sometimes, there is always enough left to lasso your heart—even when they are sitting in the mud, or crying temperamental tears, or parading up the street in Mother’s best clothes.
A little girl can be sweeter (and badder) oftener than anyone else in the world. She can jitter around, and stomp, and make funny noises that frazzle your nerves, yet just when you open your mouth, she stands there demure with that special look in her eyes. A girl is Innocence playing in the mud, Beauty standing on its head, and Motherhood dragging a doll by the foot.
God borrows from many creatures to make a little girl. He uses the song of a bird, the squeal of a pig, the stubbornness of a mule, the antics of a monkey, the spryness of a grasshopper, the curiosity of a cat, the speed of a gazelle, the slyness of a fox, the softness of a kitten, and to top it all off He adds the mysterious mind of a woman.
A little girl likes new shoes, party dresses, small animals, first grade, noisemakers, the girl next door, dolls, make-believe, dancing lessons, ice cream, kitchens, coloring books, make-up, cans of water, going visiting, tea parties, and one boy. She doesn’t care so much for visitors, boys in general, large dogs, hand-me-downs, straight chairs, vegetables, snowsuits, or staying in the front yard.
She is loudest when you are thinking, the prettiest when she has provoked you, the busiest at bedtime, the quietest when you want to show her off, and the most flirtatious when she absolutely must not get the best of you again. Who else can cause you more grief, joy, irritation, satisfaction, embarrassment, and genuine delight than this combination of Eve, Salome, and Florence Nightingale.
She can muss up your home, your hair, and your dignity—spend your money, your time, and your patience—and just when your temper is ready to crack, her sunshine peeks through and you’ve lost again. Yes, she is a nerve-wracking nuisance, just a noisy bundle of mischief. But when your dreams tumble down and the world is a mess—when it seems you are pretty much of a fool after all—she can make you a king when she climbs on your knee and whispers, “I love you best of all!”
Baby Peanut Stevens
Now that the cat’s out of the bag… Here are the first two pictures we have in relation to our baby peanut. Gauging from the sonogram, I’d say that the baby definitely has Yessidey’s cuteness. Isn’t he/she just as pretty as a penny?!
Christmas Card and BABY ANNOUNCEMENT Pics!
We’ve been somewhat ‘busy’ since our last post.
Ha ha. But seriously…
It’s the holiday season and we decided it an opportune occasion to announce our little bun in the oven while sending out our Christmas cards. (Due June 5)
So we asked the uber-talented Amy Herfurth from our ward to do the shoot, and here are a few of the pics along with the card I made to send out:
EOY Deadline
How many pairs of shoes do we need to ship during the month of December?
A LOT.
How many pairs of shoes can we pack and ship before we leave for Oregon on Monday?
NOT ENOUGH.
If you correctly guess the total number of pairs in these brown boxes, we’ll give you a free pair of your choice.
Dwayne W Stevens
This is a little post honoring a great man who lived with love and passion.
Yesterday was one of the most difficult days of my life as I publicly gave tribute at the memorial service of my own father. I love him, miss him, and will live in such a way to make him proud.
I find that the words of this sympathy card my mom received to be reverently accurate:
We all need a time to grieve -
Quiet time for reflection
To sift through memories
And come to grips
With what has happened.
We all need a time for tears,
Not for the one who is now
At peace in heaven,
But for ourselves as we realize
That things will never be the same.
We all need a time to just ‘be’,
When we can open ourselves to God
And let the reassurance
Of his everlasting love
Start to heal our broken hearts.
Praying for you and wishing you peace.
Um, Just Kidding?!
This past week, I’ve been at the Cancer Treatment Center of America in Goodyear, Arizona with my dad. Last night while he was resting, I had some down time and glanced through the pictures saved on my phone. I rediscovered two which I’m going to post today.
Luckily for you, I’m also going to share the story behind them and include a few moral analogies!
The story begins:
Once upon a time I moved my wife to Dallas to take a job offer. I enjoyed my role with the company and completely immersed myself in the industry. For almost three years I was an honest employee, achieved good numbers, and dedicated extra time in the evenings and weekends to improve the company.
Then one afternoon, I was called to speak with the owners who told me that they appreciated my effort and the relationship we’ve developed, but explained that the company was heading a different direction and I was no longer needed. I left in shock. My stomach was in knots and I felt betrayed and unappreciated. I had relocated for them and there was no Plan B.
A few days later I drove past their “side project” retail store and still festering the bitter feeling inside of me, I mumbled out-loud: “I hope that place burns down…”
Well what do you know?!…
The very next day as I drove down that same road and approached that same store, my eyes locked onto a thick waft of black smoke.
Could it really be?!
My heart rate doubled as I drove closer and my hands began to perspire. My mind raced back to the day before: Had I mentioned to ANYONE my evil little thought? Surely I didn’t mean it. It was just a stupid comment from an harmless fool. Am I a suspect for arson?!!! Why didn’t I pause afterwards and say: “JUST KIDDING!” yesterday? Oh me and my BIG mouth…
Then around a slight bend in the road the path to the store cleared and my eyes traced the smoke to a bus which had caught fire in FRONT of the store.
PHEW! I finally exhaled.
Analogy time!
- Don’t make venomous remarks while upset. You usually don’t mean them, and they have dangerous potential to harm you, or at the very least make you feel foolish.
- While your limited vision and perspective can cultivate worry of the future, trust that the Lord does as he sees fit to help you fulfill your plan and realize your potential. If he prompts and you don’t respond, he may at times use others to force your hand and make a move. I obviously would not be doing what I enjoy so much today had I stayed with that employer as I had planned.
What do you think? In the comments, go ahead and list some more tie-ins!
Of Service & Love
My heart is full today.
During a time when I feel burdened, stressed and truly concerned, life has blessed me with a rich experience to reinforce eternal perspective and remind me that there is a God who is our Father and he loves us unconditionally.
Love is a feeling of deep devotion, concern, and affection.
Most of you know that my dad has been battling gastric cancer for three years. Many of you are aware that in January it came back in full force with a determination to take his life. Some of you have seen how hard he has fought to stay afloat these last few months while traveling to Arizona for treatments. I usually avoid discussing the situation, because I do not enjoy sharing details. It’s hard for me to witness and painful for me to relive to others. But I now believe that watching someone you love suffer from illness is one of the most difficult experiences of life. You feel completely helpless when all you want is find a way to help.
However today I am enjoying a minute to reflect and remember my blessings. Dad is a warrior. A man’s man. I personally cannot grasp his ability to withstand the painful treatments and keep fighting. He is bearing more than I ever could.
We left Roseburg yesterday at 3am to travel to Goodyear, AZ for his chemotherapy treatment. I know that it’s a long way to go for chemo, but the doctors in Oregon have done everything they are capable of and have relinquished control. CTCA in Arizona is one of our last options. His body is frail and very weak and he needed someone to accompany him on the plane and into treatment. The plan was to arrive yesterday, receive the chemo and return home today. However, we are extending our stay to monitor him because his body received the treatment with resistance and during the night his temperature dropped drastically. He began shivering uncontrollably and I woke up to the sound of teeth chattering. I wrapped my blankets around him and crawled into his bed to rub his arms and legs in attempt to warm him up.
I offered to call a doctor, but he told me that his has happened before. I just needed to keep warming him up.
Well this morning he had a bowel movement and needed me to wipe him down. As I did, I looked up at his face and we made eye contact. His hazel blue eyes glanced at me with a look of sincere appreciation and instantly ripped away any barrier of discomfort I may have felt. Then his face twisted into a crooked grin and he said that he clearly recalled cleaning me this same way when I was a baby. “Who would have ever thought that someday my little boy would need to do the same service for me? Thank you for being here.”
I teared up. My dad has always been the provider in my life. For me, my mom, sister and for much of our extended family and friends. And here he was, only 52 years old, unable to wipe himself off. My mind leaped back to when I was younger and I pictured him teaching me how to throw a curve ball while we were playing catch at Aunt Diane’s house in Brookings. Then it jumped to an image of him helping me carve out the coolest looking pinewood derby car my scout troop had ever seen. I looked back at him again and recognized his face 25 years younger with a thick red beard. His teeth smiled through as he pushed me on a swing at the park. This man has ALWAYS been there for me and I felt how much he loves me.
I love him too. And in a weird way, I feel honored to be here with him doing whatever I can to help. Even if that means helping him use the restroom.
I believe that service is a Christ-like attribute. That when it’s given, hearts connect. Today I feel closer to my father than I have in a long time and I am grateful for this experience.
A Camp of Cousins
Camp Stevens was in full-swing from August 12-15. It was great to have the family together to enjoy good food, fun activities and special moments.
Instead of loading a billion pictures to the blog, I’ll share a few, but insist that you watch THIS video:
The Cousin Crew
As Cindy would say: "Pretty Colors"!
Look out below!
Wood Floors
Oh the joys of a home renovation.
We chipped out 1,100 sq/ft of white ceramic tile from our downstairs and replaced the floor with dark brown hand-scraped hardwood. Just to clarify: We tried to help, but by “we” I mean our experienced hired help…
Kayla’s Graduation
While in Oregon, my mom, sister and I were able to spend the weekend in Brookings with the fam to celebrate my cousin Kayla’s high school graduation. I can’t believe that she’s already done, and I’m really proud of her!
A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells hundreds of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that “individuality” is the key to success.
Then again, some things NEVER change…
So another trip to Oregon and another bucket full of stories. One of them really made me smile and so I’ll share it with y’all today.
On Friday afternoon, I barely made it into the DMV with my mom before they locked the doors behind us at 5:00 pm. I had to get a replacement title for the Mazda 3 so that the insurance can pay out for the totaled vehicle. As we grabbed our numbered ticket and a place to squat on the stiff blue couch, I looked up and recognized a guy that I went to school with.
I leaned over to my mom and whispered “hey I know that guy” and motioned for her to look ahead. After looking at him, she insisted that I go greet him.
“Well, I don’t really know him that well. He was in my 4th grade class and had a horrible reputation for always picking his nose.” My mom gave me a disgusted look. (The kind that says – Zach, grow up.)
“No really… They called him boog. He spent so much time digging for treasure and storing it under his desk that other kids would pick their noses and wiped it on his stuff to help him out… At least he never had a problem with pencils sliding off of his desk!”
Well my mom is my mom… And that means that she knows me pretty well. She thought I was either making the story up, or embellishing more than usual. That is until she glanced back over to him, and her jaw dropped in unbelief.
HIS FINGER WAS CRAMMED UP HIS BREATHE HOLE!
What are the odds of that happening?! We started laughing and realized that some things never change.
Now instead of prodding me to say “hi”, she urged me to snap a picture with my phone. This would not be an easy task because the camera makes a loud “click” and flashes on every shot. As I frantically scrambled with the settings to see how to disguise my paparazzi antics, his number was called and he approached the counter.
We couldn’t help but occasionally glance over our shoulders to check him out. We waited as he periodically stuck his finger up there and swirled it around. Each time he’d do it, we’d turn back around giggling like school kids. How can he be so cool and casual about picking his nose in public?!!!
Determined to sneak a picture in (just to add validity to this story) I would discretely hold the camera over my should and snap random images to see if I could get just the “right” shot. As fate would have it, you’ll be treated to some hard evidence:
Easterness
Easter this year was at Nana and Pop’s place in Sutherlin
Here is a motley egg crew cheesin’ for the camera
Works of art
A tribute egg in honor of Pop
Phamily Photo Phun
Angie Gibby took some GREAT family pictures of us Stevens (4) and Barbers (2) in downtown Roseburg… Here are a few samples of her work.
Making a Life
Don’t get so caught up making a living that you forget to make a life.
I heard the following short story at Stake Conference this past weekend and it reassured me that Yessidey and I are making the right decision to travel back-and-forth to Oregon as much as possible to be with dad during his fight with stomach cancer:
A businessman was at the pier of a small coastal village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The businessman complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The fisherman replied “only a little while”.
The businessman then asked why he didn’t stay out longer and catch more fish? The fisherman said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The businessman then asked, but what do you do with the rest of your time? The little fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a nap with my wife, and play guitar with my friends.
The businessman scoffed, “I have an MBA in business administration and I could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat. With a bigger boat you will catch and bring back even more fish and then could buy several boats; eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Also, instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the processor and eventually open your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to New York City where you would run your expanding enterprise.”
The fisherman asked, “And how long will this all take?”
To which the businessman replied, “15-20 years.”
“What comes after that?”
The businessman laughed and said, “That’s the best part! When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions.”
“Millions, really? Then what?!”
The businessman said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take naps with your wife, and play guitar with your friends.”
Self Entertainment
Were you aware that listening to the chirps of crickets can give you a rough estimate of what the outdoor temperature is on the Fahrenheit scale? Yep, it’s true! Just count the number of chirps you hear in fifteen seconds and add 37.
To prove this theory to all you skeptics – I haven’t heard a cricket in a long time, so let’s start off by counting the lack of chirping as -15. So when we add 37, we’re at 22 degrees – not so coincidentally today’s hi temp. I know, I know… You’re like: Holy smokes, you are a genius!
But seriously – we’ve had to be pretty creative this week to entertain ourselves.
Nothing like a good snowstorm to test how compatible you really are with your spouse. Yessidey and I have spent a lot of time together this week and its been a blast! Today we got to take Mr. Dupree out to play in 5″ of fresh snow and I broke out my peanut butter cookie recipe…
My Snow Angel
From 72 to 16 in 3
If that were a car, you’d be like: “whoa, you were breaking a little too hard!”
But we’re talking weather folks.
Weather in Dallas, Texas.
We decided to hang up our coats and unpack the tee shirts and shorts to enjoy a 72 degree weekend. With the Super Bowl coming to town, we’d be ushering in Spring, right?
That was a silly decision.
Monday was highlighted with dinner in celebration of Yessi’s cousin Freddy’s birthday. After exhausting You Tube’s ability to keep the party going , we headed home and noticed the pesky cold was not ready to call it quits for the season. Earlier, the weather man mentioned that a cold front would be rolling into the Metroplex. (But how accurate can a weather man be at predicting weather?)
Then today mother nature flexed her massive biceps and blasted us with a frigid snow/ice storm. Time to bust out the jackets and scarves again.
A side note: When the weather man says that 16 degrees is going to be cold, he is not KIDDING!
Hey GRINGA!
The adorable Mrs. Yessidey Anahy Stevens has officially become a citizen of the United States of America! Thanks to our good friends Kathy Ross, Dave Velez and Adrianna Avilez for showing up in support.
Prettiest American Girl EVER!
Shoe Warehouse
So the shoe biz has been growing – which means the garage space has been shrinking. After a couple of weeks of having to leave the cars parked in the driveway, Yessidey decided (on my behalf) that it was time to get a warehouse.
What would you do for a buck?
I mean seriously – how far would you go just to earn one United States Dollar? While on Christmas vacation in Mazatlan, we saw this guy doing a ridiculous dive off a rock for a buck. I was like, really?!
Holla Day Partay!
Here are a few snapshots from our Christmas partay where we kept everyone busy decorating gingerbread houses (and bridges), eating, singing karaoke, playing pictionary and hanging out.
Dave and Jill just snacking
Year-End Gingerbread Architects Convention
Matthew and Elizabeth show off their real-estate
Maylee Joy's first party
"I dug my keys into the side - of his pretty little suped-up 4 wheel drive..."
No gathering is complete without one.
Just making music together...
choose your own adventure
Jaguar Diamond Blades
They have arrived!
My design for the the Jaguar Premium Turbo Diamond Blade is in and I like how it turned out!
I hope they cut as good as they look!
Happy Halloween
How does someone like me end up with someone like her?
Power from above?
So my quick thought for today is the affirmation that there is a Supreme Being and he does listen to our prayers.
Some of you are not religious people, but you have to hear me out on this one:
I began my MBA program taking Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting and, Statistics for Economics. They are not too difficult, but I am much more a marketing kind of guy. My thoughts are in color and they scatter. Some blame it on ADD, others praise it as creativity. Needless to say, I’m still adjusting to the logic of ledger balances and raw data columns.
On Wednesday we had our first exam in accounting. In addition to studying, I prayed in preparation that I would be able to either remember what I reviewed, or magically find a way to get by on the test.
Well 10 minutes into the exam, the sound of a siren rushed over campus and bursted into our room. I’m not from Texas and neither is half of the class which is studying abroad from China. To us, it seemed more like a jail break (not that I’m from Alcatraz either). The rest of class immediately recognized the siren as a tornado warning. They dropped what they were doing and began shuffling around. Then from the PA system, a voice snapped the chaos and directed us to avoid windows and relocate under the stairwell.
I humored myself in the irony of feeling relief during a tornado at the opportunity to abandon an exam. For a split second my thoughts shifted to the prayers I offered in preparation for the exam. I mean, it was clearly evident that I had successfully called down power from heaven to spare me from the test. There is no other explanation for a tornado in Dallas, TX - right?
Graduate School
Let the fun begin to the tune of:
- Financial Accounting
- Managerial Accounting
- Calculus based on Quantative Statistics
Woot woot.
Countertops and Backsplash
Well we’ve had our house for just over two months now, and it’s safe to say that we have spent 98% of our time in the kitchen. Sweating, sanding, painting, drilling, everything EXCEPT cooking.
Jaime Zapata is a granite installer who gets a lot of his tools over at Hallmark Sinks (where I have been working as the marketing department). He gave us a really good estimate to install granite countertops and so we pulled the trigger to get it done.
For those of you living in the metroplex and considering granite tops in your kitchen, we really recommend him.
For the backsplash, Yessidey wanted to go with glass tile and I wanted to try to do it myself. When I finally got it all done, I think that we were both pleased with our decisions.
Jaime making his final cuts
Make sure those edges are straight!
Kitchen Re-Remodel
So after a few deep breaths, it was time to go back in for round two of the kitchen updating.
Step 1 was sanding off the sloppy and haphazard job that was previously done:
Steps 2 – 5 involved buying dad a ticket to come out and walk us through the process:
Yessidey decided to give the chandeliers a little “rattle can restoration”
After the first go-around, we opted to go with white cabinets this time:
Kitchen Fiasco
Well.
Actually – Not so Well.
We decided to sand down our oak-colored wood cabinets and the handrail to the stairs and stain them mahogany.Originally, the plan was to do it ourselves and share the evenings and weekends sanding down and staining. We were confident that it would be similar to our experience with the dresser and nightstand – time-consuming, but rewarding.
Then I had an idea.
I knew of an acquaintance who does this kind of stuff for a living and is always trying to find jobs to stay busy. Also, we were leaving for 10 days to visit the family in Oregon. Let’s put 2 and 2 together:
Our time is valuable and we were going to be gone, but the kitchen still needs to be done before we can install the granite countertops. His time is valuable and needed to be occupied. Maybe he would benefit from the work, and if he charged a fair price, we could benefit from his help.
Against my wife’s better judgment, I invited him over and explained in detail the project. He was confident that he would make us happy and quoted a price for sanding, staining and sealing. I’ll be honest, it was a very good price. His stipulation was that I pay for the materials. My idea was blossoming.
I asked that he finish one small door before we committed. He took it with him and finished it the next day. It was perfect. After we saw it, we were excited to have him complete our whole kitchen. My idea was in full bloom.
With that, we left to Oregon – stoked to come home and have the kitchen ready for the granite install.
Devastated.
That’s what we felt when we returned home and inspected the kitchen. Shoddy work. Half-way done. Sloppy. Cabinets NOT sanded, just painted over. Stain sprayed on kitchen walls.
AWFUL.
You think that I’m an exaggerating complainer, right? Here’s the evidence:
Beautiful view as you enter the front door.
Sloppy Finish
Stained walls
Easy to scratch
Written by my fingernail Not completely stained
Grainy finish and bubbles...
So now Yessidey and I find ourselves out the money, not happy, and still in the same predicament of trying to finish the cabinets (the right way) before we can have the countertops installed.
Of course she is upset with me. We are upset with our friend, and I’m upset that we were taken advantage of.
Vacation Ended
As might be evident from the picture, we have returned from our vacation in Oregon and have returned to real life in Dallas, Texas.
Back to work, humidity and stress.
(Note the VERY flat geography.)
View over Dallas as we fly into LUV.
If only a flower could last…
Think of how you feel in the morning when the annoying alarm reminds you that you have to get out of bed and begin the day. Your heavy feet drag you to the bathroom, and your sensitive eyes cringe as you flip on the light switch.
You grab the bottle of Listerine and swish around a mouthful of green fire.
In my case, nostrils flare, eyes lift wider and my taste buds burn. When I spit it out, the first breath of ice-cold air awakens my mind and body. I instantly feel alert and crisp.
That’s the mouthwash experience.
Last night I had a similar feeling while reading a talk given by Gordon B. Hinkley to members of the church in Ghana, Africa.
During his concluding remarks, he pointed to a vase of flowers and mentioned how beautiful they were. Then he said that sadly, the flowers had been cut at the stem and placed in water. Soon they would dry up, wilt and then be thrown away. As beautiful as they were, they were dead and would not last.
At that moment, I remembered the flowers that I had just bought for Yessidey on the night of her piano recital. I remembered how a week ago when I gave them to her, she was really grateful and happy. It was one of those moments where I felt like a really good husband.
I gazed around the room trying to locate them so that I could again boost my little ego. Not on the table, not on the kitchen counter, not on the shelf by the TV.
I hate to interrupt her reading, but I had to ask: “Yessi amor, where are the flowers I gave you the other day?”
She looked up completely uninterested, “Uh, they dried up and I threw them away.”
Case in point. So I went back to reading the rest of Hinckley’s talk:
There are other flowers we can plant in our lives. While they may not be as brilliant in color, nor pleasantly scented, they are real and alive. They will take root and grow. As we care for them, they will bring lasting happiness to our lives.
So before I even finish this entry, you already know the lesson I learned:
Buy cheap flowers because even the expensive ones don’t last!
Mi Casa es Tu Casa
Well we finally did it.
Or should I say, Yessidey finally did it. She was the valiant leader throughout the process.
I know that this is about the fifth post I’ve written in the past 3 years about our teetering decision to buy a home. But this time… it’s a legitimate post! We signed the papers and received the keys on Friday.
I know it’s going to be a money pit. I know that it’s going to be a hassle to maintain. I know that I am NOT going to want to mow the lawn during the Texas summers. But somehow, I know we made a good decision and a smart buy.
Yessidey’s thoughts have since been converted to decorating and design websites, daily visits to Home Depot and an unbridled fascination with paint swatch samples. As a matter of fact, last night she presented 12 shades of blue to choose from. I spent the first 5 minutes trying to find a difference between them, and then another 5 minutes explaining that from here on out, she’s in charge of the house, and I’ll handle the cars and finances.
My reaction to the purchase has been dwelling on a childhood story:
My grandfather had a leak in the roof over his dining room, so he called a repairman to take a look at it. “When did you first notice the leak?” the repairman inquired.
Grandpa scowled. “Last night, when it took me two hours to finish my soup!”
With that said, I’m going to post pictures of the outside of the home. As we remodel, decorate and make it look “pretty”, we’ll keep y’all updated.
Weekend in Vegas
There’s nothing like a quick trip to Las Vegas to spice up a mundane week.
Yessidey and I flew out Friday after work and spent the weekend with my friend Jaron who I have known since the 4th grade. Back then we spent our weekends collecting basketball cards and burning ants in his driveway with magnifying glasses.
Yes, we go way back.
Not too long ago, we founded a non-profit organization together and somehow managed to finagle a collaboration with Carlos Santana during his Earth Day Concert at the Hard Rock Hotel.
Yes, we’ve come a long way.
Well, as usually happens in good partnerships, we both took care of business. Carlos did what he does best: play the guitar, and we did what we do best: collect used tennis shoes for the needy.
While there, Yessidey and I took advantage of the trip to meet up with some of my favorite people: JD Westphal and his wife Ashley, and Chris Smith.
Yet another thought about buying a house
Yessidey and I have been “in the housing market” for a long time now. You can probably argue that we’ve been in it ever since we moved to Dallas in the summer of 2007.
But this time it’s really foreals. I mean it.
I find myself split trying to find a house that we could make money on down the road, and finding a house with all the comforts of home that Yessidey and I want for our family… ie: pleasant neighborhood, excellent schools, close proximity to work, etc…
I found a few points to consider when buying a house written in a post by Seth Godin:
A house is not just an investment, it’s a place to live. This is the only significant financial investment that has two functions. Things like cars and boats always go down in value, so most of the time, if you’re investing, you’re doing it in something that you don’t have to fix, water, fuel or live in. You shouldn’t fall in love with a bond or a stock or a piece of gold, because if you do, you won’t be a smart investor. The problem (as people who sell and fix and build houses understand) is that you just might fall in love with a house. And that my friends is a pretty silly reason to make the biggest financial investment of your life.
Now consider that you’re probably not going to be able to flip your house in nine months for a big profit. Maybe not even nine years. So revisit the previous paragraph and imagine that there is no financial investment, just a house you love.
Spend accordingly.
Back from the EXTENDED vacation
I’m ba-aaack!
After my days ended at NAFTA Traders, I wasn’t quite sure what the next step would be. Didn’t know where it would be, nor how it would arrive.
I dabbled with the idea of being an international and independent shoe broker. (But quickly decided that I could never be comfortable with the inconsistency.)
I focused on establishing and running a non-profit organization which I personally began. (But purely through the nature of being a non-profit, it’s not a means to pay the bills.)
I applied to a lot of jobs. I read a lot of books. I even decided to express my artistic creativity by designing visual resumes online instead of plastering recruiters inboxes with boring PDF resumes.
My mom tried to make me feel better. On the phone, she’d have me recite back to her: “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and gosh dangit, people like me!” But it didn’t really help.
So I got frustrated and focused on other ways to occupy my time: I took care of the insurance issue with Yessidey’s wrecked car. I applied to MBA programs. I handled the move to our new apartment. And I took full advantage to host a fantastic visit from my parents.
Side Note: I run on Zach-Time. It’s lightning quick, changes directions drastically, and seems to be a little accelerated. Days feel more like weeks, and results have to be immediate to feel acceptable. It had barely been 2 months, but it felt like a miserable eternity.
Fortunately, there exists a Supreme Being in Heaven who loves and watches over us. I know that he heard my prayers after I was contacted by a respected acquaintance. He owns a diamond tooling business and needs some help marketing and developing his great ideas. I’m flattered that he would consider letting me in on his projects and I’m excited to add my experience and ideas to something entrepreneurial and already successful.
So now I’m pleased to announce that not only am I back in the workforce and once again a contributing factor to society, but I get to do it in a way that I love… The creative entrepreneurial way.
A ‘pleasant surprise’ eh?
Dinner at Chinese restaurants is fun because you always walk out with a nice little conversation piece. I’m not quite sure what it could be, but I’m anxious to find out!
Wink.
HGTV would be proud!
Yessidey is your typical HGTV fanatic. Watches it religiously before bed every night, studies the website for design ideas and looks for opportunities to make regular house items become fabulous.
Case in point: Our friends Matt and Elisabeth gave us a matching dresser and nightstand – for which we are very thankful. However, Yessi told me at least a million times that we should fix it up. Almost as many times I asked her: “how so, and why?”
She’s a determined lady.
Between the aforementioned car fiasco, this is was the project she took on (and I helped with sanding):
Never park your car in the street!
Early Sunday morning I woke up to answer a phone call.
All I heard was yelling at me in Spanish: “Donde estas?!”
I was squinting my left eye and my upper lip was curling to the left as well (the “it’s really early face”) – then I yawn.
I have no idea who is calling, but I answer her: “I’m at home. Where are you?”
She’s repeating in Spanish: “Your car. Your car. Your car!”
I lean over to the window, peak between the blinds, and sure enough, Yessidey’s car was sitting in our front yard.
That’s weird.
Also I notice a cop car with its lights flashing from blue to red and a small gathering of people standing in the road. So I jump up and throw on my University of Oregon hoody (a gift from my friend Adrian) and run out the front door.
A cop met me and asked that I identify the car and show my insurance.
“Sir, I promise that I did not leave the car parked in the yard.”
He laughed and said that it was hit by another car. As he pointed to our neighbors’ yard, I noticed that they had a car parked in their yard too.
Well…
I guess that just 5 minutes before I woke up to my neighbor Antonia’s call, a lady was intoxicated and went zipping by our street where she decided to knock off my wife’s front tire and axle as a souvenir. As loud as the impact may have been, the hit was equally as damaging. Our neighbors woke up at the sound of the collision and peaked out the window in time to see the driver’s car lose complete control and slide into their yard. The driver decided she didn’t want to wait for help, so she got out of the car and took off running down the street. She might have been faster, but she left her shoes in the vehicle as she fled. Our good neighbors called the police to report the accident and gave a heads up with the direction that the shoe-less lady went.
20 minutes after that had happened, it was 2:45 in the morning. I was taking pictures of the wreck, providing information to the cops, listening to the witness’s rendition of the story, and trying to console my wife who was awfully upset with the situation. That’s when one officer was contacted via radio and told that the suspect was found getting into a car by Walnut Hill – apparently she was easy to spot and still without shoes.
As the sobriety test confirmed, she was drunk. She was allowed to get her shoes out of the vehicle and then taken into custody. After looking at these two cars I am really impressed that she wasn’t hurt. Although we just found out that she was driving without insurance, so maybe a good bonk on the head would have been good for her?
Finding a good fit
Well the GMAT results are in and I did fairly well.
Now we’re one step closer to the big decision.
Yessidey and I are both on board that now is the time to earn my Masters in Business Administration. It’s been 3 years since I graduated from PSU and during that time I have accumulated a wealth of experiences and business opportunities which will provide a solid foundation for me to build upon. We’ve studied out programs, analyzed tuition costs, and mapped out cities that we would like to live in. (Plus we’ve had strong influential urgings from family.)
There are programs in tier one schools such as Stanford, Harvard, and Chicago which provide a good education, strong alumni network and impeccable name recognition. But they are ridiculously expensive and I’d have to study a little more and retake the GMAT to be considered. My niche is that of an affordable program, respected, which sustains a good return on investment. Another caveat is that I would prefer to stay in Texas or move back to the Northwest to be closer to family. Based on that criteria, I have begun the application process to the University of Oregon and the University of Texas – Dallas.
New Apartment
In January Zach’s work ended with NAFTA Traders.
After graduating from PSU in 2007, he spent almost 3 years selling Adidas shoes to wholesalers and international distributors. He enjoyed what he did, but there comes a point where it’s best to cut the ties and move on.
We have also been working with a really nice Realtor trying to find a home to buy. But since we are really cautious and SLOW decision makers, we’ve decided to lease an apartment for 6 months while we intensify our home search (and job search).
So without further ado, here is our interim home at Bluffview:
It’s a little one bedroom place but we’re excited because it’s the first apartment we’ve ever lived in!
Please come and visit!
Oregon passes tax boost
Oh geeze. I guess we may NEVER make it back to live in Oregon now.
Deceitful legislators, silly voters, and lots of free-riders are ruining the state I love.
Yesterday, Oregon voters approved two special tax measures Tuesday designed to close a $733 million state budget gap. Measures 66 and 67 garnered about 54% of Oregon’s mail-in ballots.
Measure 66 increases Oregon’s personal-income-tax rate by two percentage points for households earning over $250,000 a year. Measure 67 calls for an increase in the state’s minimum corporate income tax, currently $10 a year, and imposes a tax on gross revenues for corporations that do not report a profit.
Let’s see how much Oregonians like it when their unemployment rate soars as the businesses and wealthy individuals who create the jobs leave the state.
The poblem with a capitalist democracy is that eventually a majority of the people (the “takers”) figure out that they can redistribute to themselves everything the rest (here, businesses and +$250,000 earners, who are the “payers”) owns or makes. In the short run, it’s like winning the lottery. In the long run it drives out all the payers and leaves the takers withot jobs or any further capital to redistribute.
Say goodbye to guys like: Nike, Adidas, Columbia and Intel. I bet that by next year unemployment in Oregon increases from 11% to 14% while the rest of the US is recovering.
So much for our “relocation plan”!
HACE FRIO!
Dallas meet Antarctica.
This past week has been cold. When I say cold, I mean real cold. To say 17 degrees just doesn’t do it justice.
Let me elaborate:
Our heater in the house broke.
My toothpaste and shampoo froze.
Yessi chipped a tooth on soup.
We had to chop up the piano for firewood – but we only got two chords.
The refrigerator actually kept milk and food from freezing.
You think I’m kidding, right? Look at the thermostat from our hallway.
So cold that our thermostat couldn't go any lower.
Christmas 2009
- From us on the beach to you in the cold
I would feel guilty lying to you.
Christmas this year definitely did not feel like Christmas of years past. We traded in rain, snow, lights and frenzied shopping for a little more relaxing option: the beach of San Blas, Mexico.
We enjoyed digging our toes into the warm sand, eating freshly caught oysters and ceviche and playing a little beach volleyball.
The ballot has been cast to induct this vacation as a Stevens family tradition.
Sunset and Seafood
Oysters
Seafood has never tasted better!
Squeeze under a coco tree
- Yami wasn’t ready for the sandstorm
Lucy’s Wedding
Yessidey’s mom was married just before Christmas in the Guadalajara Temple. Afterwards, we had a fiesta fiesta reception in their hometown of Tepic.
Yessi played wedding planner, and we both were in charge of the decorations.
Click below to see pictures of the festivities.
Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!
My buddy Matt is the scoutmaster for young men in our ward. He has to come up with neat camping adventures to take the scouts and teach them how to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, freindly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverant. Let me add that this isn’t a very easy task.
Well during this past weekend, he convinced me to go with him and chaperon the event. Friday night we drove down and camped at Claiborne State Park where we got in trouble for noise violation, played with too much fire and almost had a deadly raccoon encounter.
Then Saturday we got up, fixed breakfast, hurt each other playing with the football and burned Zac Boger’s clothes before we went to Fossil Rim and drove through to see the animals.
Pictures are worth a thousand words:
Zachary and Yessidey
Categories
Friends
- Adam and Stephanie
- Ally Phillips
- Anthony and Brenda
- Ben and Katie
- Ben Eshlemen
- Carlye Parkes
- Chad and Marleah
- Chris Smith
- Daryl and Sarah
- Gerrid and Emily
- Houston and Cristina
- J.D. and Ashley
- Jake and Meleece
- Jared and Sarah
- Jeremy and Kristine
- Jon and Deborah
- Kevin and Leanne
- Mathew and Monica
- Matt and Elisabeth
- Mike and Danielle
- Mitch and Jesmyn
- Sharla and Jeff
- Steve and Amanda
- Steve and Jazmin
- Tim and Cassandra
- Zac and Christie
