Love, Auntie Erin
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
SPRING BREAK SAN DIEGO 2016 & MOZI MISSION FAREWELL
Scwhalgers--We had the BEST time in San Diego this year. Thank you for graciously allowing us to spend this time with you all. We love you very much and miss you all like crazy!!!
Love, Auntie Erin
Love, Auntie Erin
Thursday, March 10, 2016
GOP Candidates, Jesus, and Barabbas
As not only citizens of this wonderful nation, but children of our Heavenly Father, we have an obligation to vote. With that being said, don't be fooled in thinking that the way you vote (or not vote) will not be recorded in the record books in Heaven. We have a responsibility to research each candidate and vote for those whose values are aligned with our sacred US Constitution (and for members of the LDS church, for those that mimic what our gospel teaches--that's Freedom).
You may scoff at what I am saying, but someday you will answer to GOD on how your choice effected this great nation, our rights, and our religion.
It's so simple to me-- Lucifer is never changing, he is always trying to destroy good and make evil look so enticing. I've pondered this thought for some time now and I honestly don't mean to offend anyone by saying this, but we are at a serious crossroad. It's interesting how two thousand years ago the people had a similar choice between good and evil. The Children of Israel voted to have Barabbas--a robber, murderer, and insurrectionist--released from prison when they clearly had a better choice. Jesus Christ was kind, loving, performed miracles, spoke of GOD, and promoted peace yet his own people were so filled with hate and anger that all common sense left them when they chose to let Barabbas free and crucify Christ.
The people in the United States of America have become so entitled, so angry, so uneducated that they are willing to mimic the Children of Israel in their choice for their President. It's no secret that Donald Trump is wealthy, successful, loud spoken, and willing to say the things that many, many Americans are thinking, so they therefor believe he would make a great President. But this is no reason to ignore the crude, horrific words, threats, accusations, and lies that come from this evil man's mouth and crown him with the center seat of this great nation.
Ted Cruz was born for this responsibility. As a child of immigrants fleeing communist Cuba, Ted was educated in our constitution since his early elementary days. After memorizing the sacred document as a teenager, he recited it across the US with a group of high school students called the Constitutional Corroborators. He has a history of standing up against the Establishment and fighting for the Constitution, which equals freedom and peace. I honestly can understand why the people of the United States, more specifically the GOP, can't seem to comprehend the truth about Ted Cruz, because it doesn't fit with their agenda and Ted Cruz doesn't bring the same ratings ($$) that the Donald does.
Former GOP candidates that I highly respected, along with other prominent Republicans, have sold their souls and endorsed Donald Trump. What's in it for them? We may never find out.
Somedays I feel like Pilate's wife--with a sinking feeling for the future--standing back watching these things unfold, unable to understand why the angry people are so unwilling to think logically in the choice between good and evil.
Erin
You may scoff at what I am saying, but someday you will answer to GOD on how your choice effected this great nation, our rights, and our religion.
It's so simple to me-- Lucifer is never changing, he is always trying to destroy good and make evil look so enticing. I've pondered this thought for some time now and I honestly don't mean to offend anyone by saying this, but we are at a serious crossroad. It's interesting how two thousand years ago the people had a similar choice between good and evil. The Children of Israel voted to have Barabbas--a robber, murderer, and insurrectionist--released from prison when they clearly had a better choice. Jesus Christ was kind, loving, performed miracles, spoke of GOD, and promoted peace yet his own people were so filled with hate and anger that all common sense left them when they chose to let Barabbas free and crucify Christ.
The people in the United States of America have become so entitled, so angry, so uneducated that they are willing to mimic the Children of Israel in their choice for their President. It's no secret that Donald Trump is wealthy, successful, loud spoken, and willing to say the things that many, many Americans are thinking, so they therefor believe he would make a great President. But this is no reason to ignore the crude, horrific words, threats, accusations, and lies that come from this evil man's mouth and crown him with the center seat of this great nation.
Ted Cruz was born for this responsibility. As a child of immigrants fleeing communist Cuba, Ted was educated in our constitution since his early elementary days. After memorizing the sacred document as a teenager, he recited it across the US with a group of high school students called the Constitutional Corroborators. He has a history of standing up against the Establishment and fighting for the Constitution, which equals freedom and peace. I honestly can understand why the people of the United States, more specifically the GOP, can't seem to comprehend the truth about Ted Cruz, because it doesn't fit with their agenda and Ted Cruz doesn't bring the same ratings ($$) that the Donald does.
Former GOP candidates that I highly respected, along with other prominent Republicans, have sold their souls and endorsed Donald Trump. What's in it for them? We may never find out.
Somedays I feel like Pilate's wife--with a sinking feeling for the future--standing back watching these things unfold, unable to understand why the angry people are so unwilling to think logically in the choice between good and evil.
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”― Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Erin
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Taylorsville High School Girls Basketball 2015-2016 Senior Night
Monday, September 1, 2014
I Hate Hard Decisions!!
Ones life path shouldn't be such a hard decision. By the time you're thirty-nine like me you hope to have it all figured out.
Yeah right!
Here's to wishful thinking. *takes a sip of ice cold Pepsi*
In all my years of life I've had multiple career paths in mind--and my old journals provide excellent proof.
Originally--a mother (which I have accomplished, and am still trying to perfect (or at least make a good go at it) that job). More on that later!
Other wishful careers:
-Teacher
-Veterinarian
-Dolphin Trainer
-Marine Biologist (my first college major)
-Special Education (second college option)
Then life happened.
My real career--after college--started off as Catering Assistant/Wedding Planner at the Turtle Bay Hilton Hawaii. The job was awesome--except for my boss who was horrible *another story, another time*. After my hot hubby's graduation from Brigham Young University Hawaii we moved to Utah with our then three-month-old son, Darnel.
-After my third child I went back to work as a Collection's Account Manager for Discover Financial for nearly seven years. I know, I know, everyone's dream job. Who wouldn't want to leave their three children (age 3,2, 1) and hot Samoan husband every evening, break the news to people (during the Bush years) that they have to pay their bills or else. Meanwhile, they swear every name in the book at me before they slam down the receiver. It was tons, and tons, of fun!! --No seriously, $1500+ monthly bonus on top of decent pay was too much too resist (all while working twenty-five hours a week).
-As if working twenty-five hours a week collecting debt wasn't fun enough, I decided to add Reservations Agent for Jetblue to my non-busy schedule. Working from home while helping others plan their vacation was a mega bonus and only stood as a daily reminder of how much I hated collections.
--Deciding to stop the torture, I quit Discover Card and moved on to Property Management with Community Solutions. This job was fabulous. My schedule was flexible, I took my kids with me, and worked mostly from home. But 2005 was an awful year. I had a mini-stroke just after my 30th birthday, heart surgery to close my PFO, and discovered I have Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Regrettably I had to part with this job.
Once I was able to get my health stable, I became a Phlebotomist--a.k.a vampire --at Alta View Hospital. I loved, loved, loved that career. My plan was nursing school, and IHC would pay for it. But as I started working there I realized I didn't want to be a nurse, I was more intrigued by the lab, which had blood, serum, body parts, fecal matter, etc... you get the point. But it led me to thoughts of a real dream job--If I had a do-over in career life I would have become a MEDICAL EXAMINER.
I know--gross!
Eventually we moved back to Hawaii where I works for Morgan Stanley as an Assistant to the top Financial Advisor in the state(he was a real piece of work!!).
Because the LORD is merciful, I escaped the busy life of Wall Street and accepted a job close to my home on the North Shore of Oahu as an Assistant Store Director at the Polynesian Cultural Center. It was great, I managed sixty college student, and basically an away-from-home-mother for many of them (more on that another time).
Eventually due to health reasons, we ended up here in Utah. I'd just about tried it all! Now who could say that?
Alas, my writing career starts...
Long story short...
I wrote a Young Adult Contemporary Romance set in Hawaii. The main character was loosely based on me. A majority of things that happened in the story happened to me, but the actual story was fictional. I didn't plan on publishing it. Why would I? Bad grammer and all, knowing nothing about writing. But I did it for therapy. I missed Hawaii. I missed the younger, slimmer, funner me. It helped me move on. And move on I did. I'd wrote one-hundred-seven-thousand-word novel in three weeks (apparently that's good). After multiple beta readers, I was encouraged to pursue publishing. Started working with the best editor EVER--Angela Eschler. Completely learned all I needed to know about publishing, cut my story down to seventy-five-thousand (more appropriate for Young Adult), started to attend Writing Conferences, etc...
Two years of blood, sweat, and lots, and lots of tears, I finished.
Politics happened. Religion happened (I already had that before!). Life happened. And then the industry changed. All of the sudden Self-Publishing was popping up everywhere. But nobody in their right mind would self-publish. You want an Agent! Editor! Advertising!
Angela encourage me to continue with the National publishing route. After all, I'd worked so
hard on it. I owed it to myself. So I started shopping it around. Plenty of rejections later, and heartfelt prayers for direction, I couldn't deny what the LORD was telling me--Self Publish. Even with Harlequin Heartwarming interested, I couldn't bring myself to do anything but self publish my baby.
Off the Edge is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance. Angela Eschler and her amazing company, Eschler Editing, have been amazing to work with. They have made this process easy and fun. Off the Edge is on Amazon on paperback or Kindle.
Stay tuned for my upcoming blog tour!
Click here to buy Off the Edge
Erin
Yeah right!
Here's to wishful thinking. *takes a sip of ice cold Pepsi*
In all my years of life I've had multiple career paths in mind--and my old journals provide excellent proof.
Originally--a mother (which I have accomplished, and am still trying to perfect (or at least make a good go at it) that job). More on that later!
Other wishful careers:
-Teacher
-Veterinarian
-Dolphin Trainer
-Marine Biologist (my first college major)
-Special Education (second college option)
Then life happened.
My real career--after college--started off as Catering Assistant/Wedding Planner at the Turtle Bay Hilton Hawaii. The job was awesome--except for my boss who was horrible *another story, another time*. After my hot hubby's graduation from Brigham Young University Hawaii we moved to Utah with our then three-month-old son, Darnel.
-After my third child I went back to work as a Collection's Account Manager for Discover Financial for nearly seven years. I know, I know, everyone's dream job. Who wouldn't want to leave their three children (age 3,2, 1) and hot Samoan husband every evening, break the news to people (during the Bush years) that they have to pay their bills or else. Meanwhile, they swear every name in the book at me before they slam down the receiver. It was tons, and tons, of fun!! --No seriously, $1500+ monthly bonus on top of decent pay was too much too resist (all while working twenty-five hours a week).
-As if working twenty-five hours a week collecting debt wasn't fun enough, I decided to add Reservations Agent for Jetblue to my non-busy schedule. Working from home while helping others plan their vacation was a mega bonus and only stood as a daily reminder of how much I hated collections.
--Deciding to stop the torture, I quit Discover Card and moved on to Property Management with Community Solutions. This job was fabulous. My schedule was flexible, I took my kids with me, and worked mostly from home. But 2005 was an awful year. I had a mini-stroke just after my 30th birthday, heart surgery to close my PFO, and discovered I have Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Regrettably I had to part with this job.
Once I was able to get my health stable, I became a Phlebotomist--a.k.a vampire --at Alta View Hospital. I loved, loved, loved that career. My plan was nursing school, and IHC would pay for it. But as I started working there I realized I didn't want to be a nurse, I was more intrigued by the lab, which had blood, serum, body parts, fecal matter, etc... you get the point. But it led me to thoughts of a real dream job--If I had a do-over in career life I would have become a MEDICAL EXAMINER.
I know--gross!
Eventually we moved back to Hawaii where I works for Morgan Stanley as an Assistant to the top Financial Advisor in the state(he was a real piece of work!!).
Because the LORD is merciful, I escaped the busy life of Wall Street and accepted a job close to my home on the North Shore of Oahu as an Assistant Store Director at the Polynesian Cultural Center. It was great, I managed sixty college student, and basically an away-from-home-mother for many of them (more on that another time).
Eventually due to health reasons, we ended up here in Utah. I'd just about tried it all! Now who could say that?
Alas, my writing career starts...
Long story short...
I wrote a Young Adult Contemporary Romance set in Hawaii. The main character was loosely based on me. A majority of things that happened in the story happened to me, but the actual story was fictional. I didn't plan on publishing it. Why would I? Bad grammer and all, knowing nothing about writing. But I did it for therapy. I missed Hawaii. I missed the younger, slimmer, funner me. It helped me move on. And move on I did. I'd wrote one-hundred-seven-thousand-word novel in three weeks (apparently that's good). After multiple beta readers, I was encouraged to pursue publishing. Started working with the best editor EVER--Angela Eschler. Completely learned all I needed to know about publishing, cut my story down to seventy-five-thousand (more appropriate for Young Adult), started to attend Writing Conferences, etc...
 |
| LDStorymakers Conference with my friend Jessie Humphries--author of the best seller Killing Ruby Rose |
Politics happened. Religion happened (I already had that before!). Life happened. And then the industry changed. All of the sudden Self-Publishing was popping up everywhere. But nobody in their right mind would self-publish. You want an Agent! Editor! Advertising!
Angela encourage me to continue with the National publishing route. After all, I'd worked so
hard on it. I owed it to myself. So I started shopping it around. Plenty of rejections later, and heartfelt prayers for direction, I couldn't deny what the LORD was telling me--Self Publish. Even with Harlequin Heartwarming interested, I couldn't bring myself to do anything but self publish my baby.
Off the Edge is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance. Angela Eschler and her amazing company, Eschler Editing, have been amazing to work with. They have made this process easy and fun. Off the Edge is on Amazon on paperback or Kindle.
Stay tuned for my upcoming blog tour!
Click here to buy Off the Edge
Erin
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Goodby to 2013 and Fifty Pounds!
As 2013 came to an end, I, like so many others, spent time reflecting on the year now gone forever.
Obviously goals were set with few accomplished. The best thing about New Years, is a new chance. I was blessed with so many wonderful things, I couldn't possibly mention them all today. Let me share a few highlights.
After thirteen long years of trying, I FINALLY lost 50 pounds. 50 POUNDS!!! For once people were asking me for weight loss advice. I stopped drinking gallons of Pepsi and living on a diet that consisted of chocolate. I had to mentally convince myself that I would feel better than anything tasted. The weight came off quickly, but few people noticed. I was quite perplexed that 35 pounds shred from my figure before anyone ever said anything. In my mind I must have been gigantic. This year I hope to lose another 40 pounds, but realistically would be satisfied with 25.
In February my eldest son, Darnel, turned 15 and got his learners permit. How my parents ever so patiently let me drive, I will never know. Don't get me wrong, Darnel is a fantastic driver. I, however, am a self-admitted control freak! Sitting back and allowing my 15 yr old control of our van was enough to make my blonde streaks grey.
Twice this year we were blessed with sweet Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies. Lila Rose is an incredible mother. After having puppies in the spring, I decided to change her breeding cycle, and rebred her in the fall. I am highly against overbreeding dogs, and this decision came with much prayer and thought. Now Lila Rose will rest her year and be bred only in the fall, always providing Christmas puppies instead of spring puppies. We are anxiously waiting to see if Bella is pregnant with her first litter. I won't know for another 2 weeks.
Our family made our way back to the beautiful islands of Hawaii for the Polynesian Cultural Centers 50th Anniversary celebration. I was a fantastic 10 days of celebrating with family and friends not seen in over a decade.
This year I was the proud mother of two of Taylorsville High School Warrior football players finest. Not only did I get to spend time watching my boys play for my alma mater, I was privileged to be the team mother. The blessing of being with so many wonderful teenagers and hopefully influencing their life was more than I had hoped. I look forward to three more years.
Now as I sit typing, country music playing from my laptop, dogs snoozing on the couch without a care in the world, I must end my thoughts and pick up my daughter from school. No matter the goals set and accomplished, as long as I have spent more time with the people I love, found someone to serve, and learned something, I'm complete
.
Erin
Obviously goals were set with few accomplished. The best thing about New Years, is a new chance. I was blessed with so many wonderful things, I couldn't possibly mention them all today. Let me share a few highlights.
After thirteen long years of trying, I FINALLY lost 50 pounds. 50 POUNDS!!! For once people were asking me for weight loss advice. I stopped drinking gallons of Pepsi and living on a diet that consisted of chocolate. I had to mentally convince myself that I would feel better than anything tasted. The weight came off quickly, but few people noticed. I was quite perplexed that 35 pounds shred from my figure before anyone ever said anything. In my mind I must have been gigantic. This year I hope to lose another 40 pounds, but realistically would be satisfied with 25.
In February my eldest son, Darnel, turned 15 and got his learners permit. How my parents ever so patiently let me drive, I will never know. Don't get me wrong, Darnel is a fantastic driver. I, however, am a self-admitted control freak! Sitting back and allowing my 15 yr old control of our van was enough to make my blonde streaks grey.
Twice this year we were blessed with sweet Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies. Lila Rose is an incredible mother. After having puppies in the spring, I decided to change her breeding cycle, and rebred her in the fall. I am highly against overbreeding dogs, and this decision came with much prayer and thought. Now Lila Rose will rest her year and be bred only in the fall, always providing Christmas puppies instead of spring puppies. We are anxiously waiting to see if Bella is pregnant with her first litter. I won't know for another 2 weeks.
Our family made our way back to the beautiful islands of Hawaii for the Polynesian Cultural Centers 50th Anniversary celebration. I was a fantastic 10 days of celebrating with family and friends not seen in over a decade.
This year I was the proud mother of two of Taylorsville High School Warrior football players finest. Not only did I get to spend time watching my boys play for my alma mater, I was privileged to be the team mother. The blessing of being with so many wonderful teenagers and hopefully influencing their life was more than I had hoped. I look forward to three more years.
Now as I sit typing, country music playing from my laptop, dogs snoozing on the couch without a care in the world, I must end my thoughts and pick up my daughter from school. No matter the goals set and accomplished, as long as I have spent more time with the people I love, found someone to serve, and learned something, I'm complete
Erin
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Why Blog If Nobody Out There Cares About What You Have To Say??
Let me ask a serious question to all Bloggers out there, do you really think people care what you have to say?
Obviously the answer is a BIG FAT YES, or Blogging would be as far gone as Betamax Machines from the eighties.
So am I living in a dreamworld thinking that there are people out there that actually want to hear from me?
ME.
Erin Melissa Apelu.
Thirty-seven-years old.
Former Ballerina turned overweight, over opinionated, wishful Author. Yeah, I think I'm over-reaching drastically!
Strangely enough, I really don't care if anyone out there reads my blog, because I've decided to write for me.
ME!
When I started this blog (and the two others I have) I was writing to be like everyone else--a cookie cutter blogger. Back in May of 2011, I attended the LDStorymakers for the first time. Literary Agent, Sara Megibow basically implied that if you want to be a successful author then you must blog!! Makes sense, right? Right! It does make sense. Even I'm smart enough to know that.
At Storymakers I met a lot, I mean a crazy lot, of awesome writers. I was as giddy as a child in Disneyland except this was for a want-to-be author. And I was surrounded by so many talented published, and un-published, writers. The desire to be just like all of them surged like Diet Coke mixed with Mentos through my veins.--exploding everywhere.
I would be successful, and popular like them.
Four perfect days. Then reality set in when I came home and started a blog. Very few people cared what I had to say, and even fewer cared to comment on any of my posts. To make matters worse, I looked through the blogs of my new-found-friends, like Erin Summerhill, Jessie Humphries, Peggy Eddleman, Taffy Lovell, and Julie Donaldson to name a few. I soon discovered what a real loser I was.
I only hoped to be as interesting as them, and others that I met. They were all so beautiful, smart, and talent writers, who had so much to say. I was totally new that this. I didn't even finish college, and was known for being the 'dumb blonde' with crappy grammer. How could I be a writer.
Shortly after, Peggy signed with an AMAZING Agent, and this year Jessie did also. I however, after being rejected by my favorite agent, didn't follow through with my submission plans (and I had 3 request fulls). My worst fears were confirmed--I was a loser!
Losers don't blog.
Honestly, I wasn't as commit to writing on my blog as they were, but I really did give it a chance to see if anyone besides them would comment or keep interest in me. They didn't. Unfortunately, I let this knowledge get the better of me and did what I knew best--STOP DOING IT!
This past May at Storymakers I found myself almost depressed. If it hadn't been for the awesome Julie Donaldson hanging out with me, and discovering that we had more in common than I'd ever imagined, it would have been an utter disappointment. I found myself distant from the other friends I'd made the previous year--and that is NOT like me! They were popular, and really moving up in the writing world. Why would they notice me & care what I had to say? So I stayed away, went to bed early, and even left the conference before it was completely over (it was my dad's 80th birthday party at our house). On the other hand, had I not, I would never have gotten to know Julie--and we really did have a great time (especially watching video clips of the handsome, William Levy, on my laptop!!)
It's taken many, many months of humble contemplation to realize it was totally my fault. I wanted to be them. I even found a pit in my stomach when I would see their blogs, or posts on Facebook of something fun they did together. I was use to being the center of attention, and with them I wasn't. I wasn't sure if I even existed in their minds. For me, it was Jr. High all over again, and for them they were just being, well--them! And I was jealous that I couldn't just realax and be me. Hey, If I did, maybe they'd like me!
After a long eighteen-months of letting politics completely take over my life, I've decided I owe it to myself to be me again. You see, I've never had a hard time making friends. On the contrary, people somehow are drawn to me--maybe because I'm like car crash in motion. :) So it's high time I stop trying to be like someone else and enjoy my own talents.
If you've followed me through this disastrous post of rambling, I want you to know. I don't care if you read the things I have to say. I don't even care if you comment. Because I've realized that blogging doesn't need me (what do I know anyway?), but I need blogging.
And to my awesome, talented, beautimous friends from Storymakers, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE YOU! You inspire me. You give me something positive to strive for!! And I'm done being jealous! And I'm sorry if I've ever done or said anything to offend you.
I'm just going to write about me!
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