Mission Not Impossible


The goal is to get my family in a house of our own by Christmas! I've got an imaginary board of directors to help and I'm willing to do whatever is legal and moral to make this happen! If a guy can get a house with "One Red Paperclip," I think I can do it too!

Friday, August 26, 2011

Stand Out (A Goofy Movie)

The quote below inspired me to post this clip! Notice ME!


On Purpose!


YOU are what makes your work unique and stand out! You are the reason people want to buy your art, music, writing or whatever. Present your image and your story with your creativity and you've got a winner!
Develop your 'look' and stay with it across all platforms. What colors? What feel? What attitude do you represent? Figure it out and stay with it! Dolly Parton says, find out who you are and then do it on purpose!

Carrie Wilkerson, The Barefoot Executive, from her Radical Results Roadtrip!


Thursday, August 25, 2011

Gotta Do Better

In order to reach our goal of a house for Christmas, I need to evaluate each asset we have and try to make it better. One asset I've neglected is our All-About-Meat site. I only process our free newsletter requests once a month or even longer sometimes. I rarely do frequent newsletters. I have probably 100 articles available to post. I've only converted a few pages over to the new and improved HTML template. This website is an SBI site and it's the only site that actually makes me any money. More later....

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

I really liked this blog!

I thought you'd all been deprived of seeing picture of the board members and thought I'd find some. I found a picture of President Monson on this blog along with some great inspirational quotes.

http://savvychichome.blogspot.com/2010/09/10-inspiring-art-quotes.html

JFK on Mormons

Final Board Member- President Thomas S. Monson

I thought long and hard before deciding on this final board member. I thought it would be nice to have another woman, someone like Oprah or Mrs. Fields. I thought of all the people in the world and how many special gifts each of us brings to the plate. I went back and forth many times, adding and crossing off until I reached my final selection, President Thomas S. Monson. President Monson was chosen for many reasons. I read his biography not long ago and was impressed with his leadership and charity towards his fellowman. President Monson already is involved with leading a worldwide church with millions of members. In real life he would in no way be able to serve on my board but since this is an imaginary assignment, I don't think he'd refuse. He tells the best heartwarming stories, has an excellent memory and was an expert in the field of publishing before serving in his current position of prophet, seer and revelator and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

http://youtu.be/6CHSVC2nAl8

Christine Kloser

Today I add Christine Kloser to the board. Christine is the person who organized The Transformational Author Experience. This was basically two weeks of two outstanding teleconferences a day with top leaders in their fields. I was introduced to her through an email from Laura West. Laura introduced me to the principle that women do business differently than men and we should embrace and use our differences to our advantage. Christine is here due to the recommendation of Laura. I loved the Transformational Author experience and it did resonate with me. It was just what I needed to energize myself before launching into and establishing my current goals- one of which is providing my family with A House For Christmas.

God made me for a purpose!

I love the quote when he says "I believe God made me for a purpose..... to win is to honor him." Eric Liddel

Chariots of Fire - Where does the power come from?

Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns

Mark Victor Hansen

I probably know less about Mr. Hansen than any other person on the board. I know he was a coauthor of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and he is also coauthor of One Minute Millionaire along with Robert Allen, which I own, read and enjoyed. He is a popular motivational speaker and works well with others- he coauthors a lot.

Buckminster Fuller

You can rest assured that if you devote your time and attention to the highest advantages of others, the Universe will support you, always and only in the nick of time.

-R. BUCKMINSTER FULLER

Too bad that Buckminster Fuller is no longer alive. He's the type of guy I'd love on this board!

Glenn Beck

Glenn Beck is now our latest member of the board. I wasn't sure about Mr. Beck at first but after watching the Restoring Courage broadcast this morning with a friend I think he'd be a good addition. He is pretty flamboyant and he'd be the P.T. Barnum type guy on the board who can milk publicity for all it's worth. Even when Glenn was young he made tons of money on the radio until he got crazy with the booze and such. Glenn can be pretty silly but with the rest of the board being more mature, I think this boundless energy will be channeled very constructively. Mr. Beck has very creative and unique perspectives that will keep board meetings fresh and definitely not boring.

Monday, August 22, 2011

James Dobson

James Dobson is my Monday morning addition to the board. After reading his bio online he is also perhaps the most controversial board member. I'm not sure if I first encountered Dr. Dobson as the author of books my parents read on how to raise kids or from his Focus on the Family radio show. I was a faithful listener while my children were younger and when my local radio station aired his broadcasts daily.

Dr. Dobson has raised two children successfully and has been involved in conservative politics and does not back down from his gospel based morality. He is a man with strong convictions and proclaims them.

When I think about some of our projects and how they just don't seem to have brought us the success and profits I think they should, I recall an interview with Dr. Dobson talking about when his second book came out and it wasn't generating the sales like his first book. He'd been ripping on the representative from the publishing company and then headed for his car. He heard a voice in his head-( God/The Holy Spirit) and it said if I want your book to do well it will and if I don't no one will ever hear of it- or something to that effect.

Friday, August 19, 2011

David Farland

Today I'm inviting David Farland to our board of directors. I first met Dave at a writer's conference in Utah. In the authors book store I also met his wife who was the perfect author's wife- talking up his books and keeping them well stocked. Mr. Farland has a special gift for mentoring, ask Stephanie Meyers, Brandon Mull, and the many others who attend his workshops and lectures or are a part of his online forums. He is an award-winning, New York Times bestselling author who has penned nearly fifty science fiction and fantasy novels for both adults and children and has also found success in the video gaming industry. I was able to hear his keynote address at LDS Storymakers where he received a Whitney award. It was an excellent speech with lots of great advice that I totally needed as a beginning wanna be author. I'd love to say more but my not quite perfect children need an outlet for their energy- a positive outlet that is.....
Vickie

To Move A Mountain

I heard this story on the radio as a kid. It was about a bunch of kids whose parents were missionaries. They had their own small school and a very beloved female teacher.

One day the teacher had the opportunity to attend some kind of a convention. She was thrilled to go and while she was away the kids had a meeting and decided that they wanted to get her an extra special gift. This teacher always loved to see the ocean. Their school was very close to the ocean. In fact there was just a small hill blocking the ocean view from their window. The oldest boy in the class rallied the kids together at this meeting and suggested a plan. Their teacher had explained if you have enough faith you could move mountains. They figured that with all their combined faith they would try to move the little hill giving their teacher the gift of an ocean view.

They had about a month in which to accomplish their goal. They started with prayers and then exercised their faith by getting shovels and buckets and getting to work. After a couple of days they became discouraged. It didn't look like they were making any progress. They persevered with their project because they loved their teacher so much and had so much faith.

Approximately two weeks before their teacher was to arrive back there was a knock on the door of the school or one of the homes. When they answered the door it was the Army Corps of Engineers. They said they had a problem. They wanted to build a landing strip and the hill behind the school was in the way. Would it be OK if they were to remove the hill and put in the landing strip?!

When the teacher arrived the children exuberantly escorted her to the classroom and explained their gift to her. She wept ( who wouldn't) not because she could have her dream of an ocean front view but because she had made a difference in the lives of the children she taught. She had given them faith.

If anyone knows the source of this story I'd LOVE to get more details! Have a Blest day!
Vickie

New Option

I don't know why I didn't think of it. When I was talking to the lady at the bank we started talking about oils, about doTerra and about making soaps. She wasn't that interested in making her ow but she asked if she could buy some from me! I will have extra since I'll be experimenting so of course I'll have some to sell! She seemed excited to see my peppermint snowballs and wants me to make lavender and citrus soaps. What kind of soaps would you like to see me make?

Thursday, August 18, 2011

You've gotta meet God half way



Who knew that Disney had remade the classic Where The Red Fern Grows. Since our family is working together to get a home of our own by Christmas I showed my kids the part about the grandpa telling Billy about meeting God halfway. I think this is one of the best books ever written. It teaches about hard work, sacrifice, and how God moves in mysterious ways all for our good.

More Happy Songs

http://www.myspace.com/theflylady/music/songs?filter=popular

This is a link to some songs on the Flylady CD that really help get me in a positive happy mood, even when I'm cleaning house :)

Who Knew?

Glenn Beck Reports:
Congratulations to Richard Paul Evans! We just got the news that his new book, Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 (which I am publishing) will be #1 on the New York Times list! He's proving that nice guys--and books with values--don't always finish last! P.S. - The book was sold out for a while but stores are now getting copies in so check it out.

Do I know how to pick 'em or what?!

J.P. Maroney Mr. Monetizer

So hard to choose who should be our next member of the board! Today I'll go with J.P. Maroney, Mr. Monetizer. I've listened and read quite a few things by Mr. Maroney and was actually able to score a free one hour consultation with him. We talked about My Quiet Dolls and he said that the clue to making the dolls work was having a story. I still don't have a story about the dolls but I do have stories within me that NEED to come out and that's what really needs to happen. I forgot to even add my stories to the list of assets in the last post! See already J.P.is helping me! Guess I'd better add my writing projects to "the list".

What have I got?

“Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life… Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated. Thus, everyone’s task is as unique as is his specific opportunity to implement it.” – Viktor Frankl

Here is my list of things I have to work with to get our house:

1) John's book Confessions of a Butcher-eat steak on a hamburger budget and save$$$. We have our meat site based on the book http://www.all-about-meat.com and years worth of back issues of his food articles he's written for the paper.

2) My Quiet Dolls- lots of pattern pieces, almost 3 cases of felt, various notions

3) My essential oils business- doTerra oils- they are the only ones in the world who sell certified pure therapeutic grade oils (CPTG). I can sell them retail or sign people up and they can buy them wholesale, like Costco- you pay $35 a year and get to buy everything wholesale. So far they've helped our family with the flu, sleeping better, cuts and scrapes, headaches, breathing better and air freshening.

4) my ability to make soap- and now I've been asked to write a book about it.

5)8 years of Ark Essentials Newsletters- promoting provident living and preparedness. We're thinking the Excerpts From Noah's Journal cartoons could make a nice book. This also contains lots of recipes so I could put together a nice cook book maybe to go along with my special report How I Feed My Family of Ten for $100 a week.

For those that know me, can you think of anything else?


OK Yes I forgot the Monster Menagerie manuscript-complete, Small Seeds manuscript over halfway completed- waiting for research to jell. And I have a parody I'm working on something that would make a great youtube video, song and children's book. Lots more ideas for kid's books but I gotta get over to Amazon and see if my Vine Reviewer newsletter is ready- Quick!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Richard Paul Evans

My how time flies. Today is about gone and I realized I hadn't posted a new board member. I looked all over for the "list" and finally found it in plain sight- taped to my wall. I read Richard Paul Evan's The Christmas Box before they rewrote the book for the made for TV movie. I loved it. I understand why he changed it to match the movie but I bought the original. My second favorite book by Mr. Evans is The Five Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me for Women by Richard Paul Evans. I read the plain Five Lessons but I loved the extra parts in the woman's version. I'm currently waiting with anticipation for the third volume of his Walking series. Besides being a successful writer, Mr. Evans is always looking for ways to "win in the margins with extra income. I loved learning about his experiences with selling pop to construction workers, selling classic tuxedos and his rise to success through self publishing his Christmas Box book. I'll be looking for his advice in all things in the margins.

Frank Sinatra - High Hopes

South Pacific - Happy Talk ( Original Movie)

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Cinderella Clip--It's Possible

Calling Pam Young to the Board

OK I almost forgot to post a new board member today with all the excitement. Pam Young is our newest imaginary board member. She is the coauthor of Side Tracked Home Executives-from Pigpen to Paradise which sold over a million copies and also The G.O.O.D. (Get Out of DEBT) Book. I loved her books and Pam is one of my favorite flavors of writer :) I find her style delicious and always want more. I'm currently changing my pigpen to paradise step by step. Pam has also mentored Marla Cilley aka the Flylady and sends out daily messages that bring a smile to my face and warm my heart.

Which House?

We drove around our town last night and there are about four houses that look like they might work. The most expensive is $200,000 and the cheapest is $110,000. Of course those are the asking prices. There are lots of houses available and very few buyers right now which is one of the reasons we thought we'd better get on the ball and finally make getting a home of our own happen. We've spent 7+ years waiting to build and it's just never worked out.

Seriously, we were told there was a piece of land very close to where we're living now. We drove up and now that road and just couldn't find it- and it wasn't a very big road. As I was dropping my daughter off for college (only 30 minutes away) she mentioned that she had seen a sign and to try again. I drove back, found the sign and called immediately. The owners had just closed on it. When I asked how much it had sold for I was crushed- we could've written a CHECK and bought it outright at the time- 5 acres! :( That piece has since changed hands several time but if God blinded us to it at the low price I just can't imagine paying the high price for it now. I know wait on the Lord :)

I guess I'm writing a book!

I emailed a company to see if they'd consider adding some soap making supplies to their product line and I end up with them wanting me to write a book about soap making for them using some specific ingredients! I can self publish and they'll sell it or I can have them publish and take royalties. It was so worth talking and not getting dinner on the table in time :) Good thing John was patient. I ended up making pizza pockets instead of spaghetti. I hardly know where to start! Guess I'll need about 20 recipes at least and some great photography. What's your favorite kind of soap?!

Monday, August 15, 2011


Someone asked Somerset Maugham if he wrote on a schedule or only when struck by inspiration. “I write only when inspiration strikes,” he replied. “Fortunately it strikes every morning a nine o’clock sharp.”

thanks to Pam Young for this quote- Innerkiddies.com


Stephen Covey - The Lighthouse Principal

Monday Morning Dan Miller & Stephen Covey

Good morning World! It's a beautiful day and I'm all excited to add two names to the board of directors. I would've posted last week but I couldn't decide which to add first so I'll do double duty today.

First I'd like to invite (Can-freudian slip)Dan Miller, the author of 48 Days to the Work You Love and Write To The Bank to join our honorary board. Dan is well recommended by Dave Ramsey and is more into helping you find your life's work- not just a job. Since we have always leaned towards self publishing, first with the Ark Essentials Newsletter-promoting provident living & preparedness, then My Quiet Dolls and John's Confessions of a Butcher-eat steak on a hamburger budget and save$$$, Dan is the expert that can get us to success in this area. I bought his book 48 Days for John. He read the first little bit, fell in love with the idea of finding work you love and then stopped reading. I read the chapter headings and had to peek at Skunks, Rags, and Candy Bars first, the read the whole thing through. Dan has a great support community at 48days.net and then his regular website at 48days.com. One of my main goals is to attend his Write to The Bank Live Event in Franklin, Tennessee to hopefully get him to recommend Confessions of a Butcher and My Quiet Dolls to his audience and perhaps to Dave Ramsey.


Next I would like to invite Dr. Stephen Covey, the author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People-the #1 Most Influential Business Book of the Twentieth Century. This guy has a credential list to match none! https://www.stephencovey.com/about/about.php. Sorry I couldn't find the link button! Here is a video next post that is, called The Lighthouse Principal, listen for the part about voice=where talent and passion overlaps with what the world needs. Well I guess this made it's own post :) Well it's Monday so I gotta go do all the stuff mom's do on Monday mornings after the crazy weekends. Have a very Blest Day!

Always, Vickie

Friday, August 12, 2011

Dear Jon Huntsman

Dear Mr. Jon Huntsman,
You have been awarded the first position on my House for Christmas Board of Directors. You have been chosen because of the great way you have mentored Glenn Beck- who speaks very highly of you. You have also been chosen because of your generous and charitable giving along with success in both your personal and professional life.

Your imput will be highly valued along with all other members of this board. I would also like to ask you and your wife to have lunch with me and my husband at your convenience. I look forward to getting to know you better through your recently published book Winners Never Cheat: Everyday Values We Learned as Children (But May Have Forgotten) I quite enjoyed the article written about you in Forbes http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2011/0606/focus-jon-huntsman-buffett-gates-charity-in-one-pocket-out-other.html

Thank you for being a leader of excellence in this world of followers and mediocrity.

Vickie Smith





90 Days to Success Board of Directors

I used to have a book called 90 Days to Success Workshop by Steven Forbes. At least I think that was the title and the author but I can't find a copy anywhere online, and I have no idea where my copy even is. One thing you were supposed to do is to make up an imaginary board of directors. I spent a few minutes writing down a list of approx. 12 people that I think would be awesome to have as mentors on my imaginary board. It was supposed to be ok to use historical figures but I had a hard time narrowing down the list to just twelve so I cut out the dead ones :) Dead people I considered were Jesus Christ, George Washington, George Washington Carver, Michelangelo, and Benjamin Franklin. I figure if I talk about one person a day on my board I'll have all twelve up before September 1st which leaves three months; Sept, Oct and Nov to achieve my goal. Who do you suggest I put on this pretend Board of Directors?

Thursday, August 11, 2011

TC Bank's Television Commercial: For Ordinary People With Extraordinary ...



Who knew a bank commercial would make me cry?! All my kids heard the music and came to see what I was watching. They couldn't believe it was a commercial either :)

Believe!

Yesterday I cleaned out our bill box. According to John my box is now 20 lbs lighter :) I did find this poem and a story about a boy attending a Paderewski concert and ending up playing a duet with the esteemed pianist. Here's the poem and then I"ll just throw in a couple of memorable quotes from the story. I'd give credit for the quotes but there is no source given.

Forever and Always Believe

Believe in yourself,
What you think, what you feel.
Believe in the truth
In the good, the ideal.
Believe that your dreams
Can someday become real.
Forever and always, believe.
Believe in yourself,
And in what you can do.
Believe in the goals
That you strive to pursue.
Believe in the friends
Who believe in you, too...
Forever and always believe.

-Amanda Bradley

Hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing," Know that His strong hands are there helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces. Remember God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called.






Wednesday, August 10, 2011

It Begins....

A goal is not a goal until written down. My goal is to get my family in a house of our own by Christmas.

Ten years ago I made a similar goal. John and I were living in a mobile home on 3 acres. The square footage was under 1000 square feet- like 960 and we had six kids. This might work for some folks but we felt maxed out. Originally when we purchased the mobile we had three little girls and I was pregnant. Loved the land but even from the beginning the mobile was just something we had to put up with. We were bursting at the seams and weren't sure what do to.

After a serious year of soul searching and pondering, we felt just getting a new mobile home wasn't the answer. I called a family meeting and set a quart jar out in front of my family. I attached a small sticker FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD James 2:26. I explained our goal of building a house and encouraged everyone to contribute what they could to make our dream come true. I got the idea from Sandra Felton of Messies Anonymous. Within a month we had $20.000 in our jar. About a year later we moved into our beautiful new home.

Two years later we sold our beautiful home and moved to Idaho. We moved into an empty farm house that's been in the family for generations while we looked for a place to build a new home. Years later here we sit. We started our faith jar for a new house quite a while ago. It's been slowly accumulating. A couple of weeks ago my oldest daughter noticed a house for sale here in town next to the park. We went and looked at it and I felt hopeful. This house would actually work for our family without extensive cleaning and remodeling. Then I noticed there are about 20 homes for sale right now in our little town. If we don't get the first one there's lots of others to choose from. We still want to build but for now we want to just buy a house and move it for Christmas. Please join us in our journey to exercise our faith and get a home of our own for Christmas.