Newest News...For Sure This Time

Well you might say that things here are changing on an every day basis! The newest and exciting news for us is......We are not moving to Dallas! We were very excited to be able to move and start a home in Texas, however things started changing at Brenton's work. He was offered a job here in Salt Lake. It's with the same company Fidelity, but just a different department.


We weighed the pros and cons to both the Texas job and the new Salt Lake job, and Salt Lake won surprisingly enough. Staying here gives us the opportunity to really buckle down with school and get it over with...hopefully in this millennium. We are close to family, and this new job here felt like a better fit for us.


Someday Texas may see the Livingstons, but not yet. Here for your entertainment I have included our pros list for staying in Utah (we really didn't make a list, but these are the things that I like about living here)

* How you know it's summer time when everyone talks about a rodeo

*The Utah heat while laying by the pool (Saturdays only, a girl has got to work)

*How every city has their own "days" in the summer with fireworks and some carnival type

*When your date night should be on a weekday, so you don't have to deal with the 1 1/2 hr wait on the weekend!

*The lights on Temple Square in December

*The camping bug everyone gets

*Going to see the MoTab Choir when they have a performance (thanks for the
hook-ups Sally)

*The beautiful white trees in the winter

*When it's 18 degrees in January, and snow is falling, and there is a wedding couple taking pics
outside temple square! And the bride is in short sleeves.

*How people get July 24th off of work (Except my company for some reason)

And of course the wonderful family members that we get to see, it would have been hard to leave them and try to make new friends...YIKES!

So there you have it, I don't have to move for the 3rd year in a row! LOVE IT!

A Friendly Letter

So yesterday we received a lovely letter from the IRS. No, we are not being audited. The letter read as follows (I am paraphrasing): Dear Taxpayer:

We are pleased to inform you that the United States Congress passed and Pres. George W. Bush signed into law the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, which provides economic stimulus payments to be made to over 130 million American households.(Any other questions...go to irs.gov and search for "economic stimulus payment".) Translation: The Government is giving out Money!!!!

Why?: Well, you could say that our government is just so giving. But the truth is this is their attempt to stop/slow down the recession that we are facing.They expect people to get this money and pour it back into the economy by SPENDING!!!

Qualifiers to get your $$$:

1. Taxpayers must have a valid Social Security number,
2. $3,000 of income
3. File a 2007 federal tax return

How do you know how much to expect?

Okay so it pretty much goes....If you are single and you filed taxes in 2007, then you get $600.

• If you filed jointly for 2007 tax, then you get $1200.

• If you have kids then you get an additional $300 for every kid that is under the age of 17 years!!!

• If you do not pay income tax, BUT have a total of $3000 or more in earned income, Social Security benefits, and/or certain veterans' payments, then you get $300 or $600 if you filed jointly.

• If you have adjusted gross income of more then $75,000 or more then $150,000 when filing jointly, well then you are kinda out of luck on this. You will either get a smaller amount or none at all. Sorry, but you make a lot of money anyway!!
  

The money will come as a one-time payment in MAY! So that gives everyone plenty of time to figure out what to spend the $ on.

Okay so I will say it first, we should all be responsible and save our money or use it to pay off debt. But just for fun...here are my top ten ideas of how to spend spend spend like the government wants us to?

1. Family Trip
   
2. Shopping Spree to get my Spring/Summer Wardrobe
3. Day at the Spa, oh yeah a facial and stone massage. WONDER-FUL!
4. 42 in. Flat Screen T.V.-I've been looking at Costco, you could buy a t.v. and still have money leftover!
5. Furniture for the Apt
6. Buy concert Tickets for that band that is coming this summer
7. Get my hair done, color cut the works!
8. Guitar Hero and or/Wii
9. New Laptop
10. ?????

I can't think of a number 10....what other ideas can you think to spend your gift from the Government??????

My Brenton

I realize that most of you reading know me...Jazz...but many of you may not know my other more grown up half..Brenton. So I tribute this posting to my main man!!

Brenton Dean Livingston was born April 23rd 1984. Dean comes from his Mothers dad, Grandpa Dean.
He is a twin...not identical. They do have that weird twin connection and when the boys broke their arm (because both did it!!) the other twin had a feeling that something was wrong and would be pacing around worried like. Cute huh?

They are alike in so many ways....except physical. Kenyon is about 6 in taller.








Brenton is a smarty pants. One of his favorite classes in school was Chemistry, who does that? He is a Business Major and my personal banker!




This man can melt any one's heart, especially Latina women. He has won the heart of my nieces. On several occasions I have had them wrap their little arms around his neck and say "My Ben-den" It was his smile that got me. His whole face would just smile, and his bright green eyes.


As Dolly Partton said in Steal Magnolias....He could really melt my butter!







He goes by "B" or "The B Man"....well that is what my family has called him. He doesn't really have any nicknames from anyone else, it is BrenTon... but here in Utah you may hear a Breh-in.

He loves to cook, and will bake if you give him a Bosh Mixer and some flour. Here you can see he is a great multi-tasker, TWO spoons stirring.











I love how this man loves his mom. (He loves his dad too, I just don't have a pic..sorry Steve)


My Brenton loves to read and talk about science or financial things with his father. He helps elderly people get off at the track station. He yells at people when he drives and says "are you kidding me?" He has a great big heart and dreams big.

I am slowly making him crazy but that is what I am good at!!!

D.E.S.

Thanks to the World Wide Web, and www.webmd.com...I have self diagnosed myself with Dry Eye Syndrome (DES). For those of you who would like a medical lesson today please read on:

(Info from webmd.com) Dry eye syndrome (DES) is a common disorder of the tear film, affecting a significant percentage of the population, especially those older than 40 years . The estimated number of people affected ranges from 10-14 million in the United States...

Dry Eye Syndrome Causes

DES is a common disorder of the normal tear film that results from one of the following:

• Decreased tear production
• 
  
• Excessive tear evaporation
• 
  
• An abnormality in the production of mucus or lipids normally found in the tear layer

I think that my DES is caused by the decreased tear production. My eyes don't water to save my life. (Except when Steal Magnolias came on T.V...love that movie!)

How I figured it out:

• 

1. My new contacts started scratching me for a week straight
2. I would wake up with both eyes looking like I had just smoked something my dare officer told me I shouldn't.
3. My eyes would scratch when I was wearing glasses, and there was nothing in my eye.
   

I finally went to the eye Dr. He said that my eye cells were "angry"...I didn't know they could do that.

Well after weeks of prescription eye drops and some goop to put in my eyes at night, my eyes are still "angry".

My non medicated remedies:

1. I run a humidifier until my whole room is wet, this is in attempt to get some moisture in the air.
2. I wear my glasses at all times
3. Today I have started Omega-3 pills...FISH PILLS! Nasty, but from what studies have shown, women who have more Omega-3 intake have lower chances of DES.

Any suggestions??????