Mom's Day Out

Yea for Mom's Day Out~ 4 hours of swimming, eating luch, rock wall climbing and crafts. Jacob and Brylee are both going once a week but for whatever reason Jake would not let me take his picture. Brylee calls it Y school and is so proud she "goes to school"

I thought it would be bliss to come home to peace and quiet but of couse my four hours are filled with running around and getting things done.

I love it because they love it!

Grandparenting in the 21st Century

Distance...what distance? We may live 1000 miles away from MiMi but now she hangs out with us almost daily.

I love Skype. It has a been a great babysitting service. Brylee played Polly Pockets with her MiMi while I folded a load of laundry and finished dishes. Then my Mom watched the boys play Wii.
Fun stuff!

SEE you tomorrow Mom :)

Church Mouse

All the kids in Jake's preschool class take turns taking Church Mouse home for the weekend. He was so excited when I picked him up from school and he got to take the prized mouse home.

below is the letter he took back to his class to share his time with mouse.



I have been waiting all year for my turn to bring Church Mouse to my house. On the way home from school I made sure I put on his seatbelt. When we got home I ran inside so my Dad could meet Church Mouse and then I showed him how to play my Wii.

At Dinner time I found out that Mouse likes cheese and grapes. I always made sure that he was never hungry. He ate a lot of cheese at my house.

On Friday I took Mouse to a Great Big Gym and played all morning. Mouse likes jumping in the foam pit and playing on the bars. One of my friends jumped on the trampoline with Mouse. He had fun at the gym! Then we went to Long John Silvers for lunch. Mouse also likes Fish and French Fries. We were really hungry from playing at the gym!

Saturday I brought mouse to my Basketball game. He liked watching me play. After my basketball game the YMCA all day because my sister had a dance class and then my brother had a basketball game.

When it was dark and we had our pajamas on mouse and I watched the Olympics. Sometimes mouse slept in my lego bucket but on the last night I wanted him to sleep with me. Thank you for coming to my house Mouse! I will miss you.

My 365 Day Journey

From my Debt Free Blog:

3 years 7 months ago we took the next exit to Financial Freedom. Was it easy? Heck no! $48,000 of debt seemed an impossible mountain to climb. But we knew we had to do it. 3 years 7 months ago we were at the point that we were charging all of our groceries and gas and there was NO BIG BONUS that year coming to bail us out. Tough decisions had to be made. Cancel Cable, Sell Husbands Prize Truck, No Fancy Phones, No Eating Out, Very Small Grocery Budget, Lots of Coupons, No Clothing Budget and on and on.
18 long, exciting, grueling, rewarding months we climbed the mountain. WE WERE DEBT FREE in April 2008. Relieved, excited but we knew we had more work to do. On to saving. In 10 short months because we were debt free, our tax refund and by the GRACE of GOD we had a fully funded EMERGENCY FUND....6 months of living....$20,000 cash. Wow! We had climbed that impossible mountain.
Feburary 2009 it happened. The economy was struggling and my husband was laid off. We started our journey to honor God with our finances and I know He blessed our journey and emergency fund. We were going to be okay... well at least for 6 months!
3 months later and 1/2 of our emergency fund gone my husband was employed again. Note to you readers: Don't forget to save so you can pay for your own health insurance. COBRA insurance cost our family over $1000 a month while my husband was unemployed.
May 2009 my husband was employed again but for a lovely pay decrease of 39%
Our budget is tight and it is not as easy to save money with a 39% pay cut but we are slowly building everything back up.
Here is what our finances look like today:
Emergency Fund: $1013.17
6 Months Living Emergency Fund: $16987.38
Christmas Fund $200.52
Car Savings $86.92....I know we need to work on that one
Medical: $379.28
Daughter Preschool $215
401K: 5%.. we will save 10% once our 6 month emergency fund is in place....just a side note/ that is the only thing we have always done right from the beginning :) We have always put away for retirement and never touched it.
Savings Goal $3012.62...that will fully fund our 6 months Emergency Fund
Goal: To have it saved by the end of summer!
That is where we sit today. Was it worth the sacrifice? Yes, Yes, Yes!!!!! We will continue to live frugally. We have changed our family tree and will leave an inheritance to our children. Thank you God for opening our eyes.
As for this lovely blog, it has been an amazing 365 days. Thank you for all the emails. Just yesterday someone emailed me and told me that they paid off their last debt and are now Debt Free. Yea! Amen!
I am not going away. I will giveaway a Dave Ramsey book on 2-22-10 and will be back to contine sharing great deals and hope.
Thanks for coming on the journey with me.

Once in awhile

Once in awhile but not often enough... Grandma and Grandpa grace us with their presense and we all love it.

The Naughty Side

Look at the sweet angelic face.

Oh how he trys to be naughty with his sweet mouth.

Jake's favorite naughty saying:

I am going to quit preschool.

I am going to run away.

I am going to walk to MiMi's.

next time he got smart and decided he would fly to MiMi's.

I am going to the blackhole.

I am going to space.

but no worry....the furthest he has ran away is 5 houses down but it did involve his Dad running after him and he is still trying to figure out how to get to the blackhole....

but the next minute he is back to angelic self.

I love my 5 year old :)

The Snow Angel

The snow angel is about to be ambushed by two brothers.

1 Ballerina and 2 Basketball Players

Saturdays filled with basketball and dance.

Brett did wonderful this season. At the end of each game he would calculate what percent of the points he scored. He scored 50 to 75% of the points. I really enjoyed watching him. Brett loves life!

Coach gave Jake the nickname of "hot shot" He was adorable to watch...almost made many baskets. Today he claims his middle name is "hot shot".

Brylee loves dance class. She listens well and is adorable to watch. She even brought her MiMi to tears with her adorableness. Her biggest decision is what tutu to wear.

My Sleeping Beauties

This rarely happens anymore. Both sleeping during the day. So I smile and take a picture.

Brylee my Ballerina

Her new passion....dancing. All day...spinning, turning, singing. I love my girl. Her favorite day...Saturday, dance class day.

Baseball Goofball

Geez... Brett just played his first basketball game on Saturday and now it is already time to sign up for baseball.

I found this picture online. I love it! Brett the goofball right in the middle :)

My Tighty Whitys

A Letter from my son:

It reads.... just in case you can't read it:

Dear Mom, Today I was in line for lunch and said I was wearing my tightywhitys so that 's why I'm writing this and I know it's not appropite but it came out of my mouth. Love, Brett

I love him!

Christmas Fun '09

Best Dad in the World

My Ballerina

We tried swim lessons...not her thing

She is a dancer at heart. She loves it!

My Snowflake will melt your heart

Celebrate the Gift of Jesus with Jake

Jacob's first Preschool Program
starrring Jake...1st kiddo to walk in

and if you know Jake you know he is brave but reserved...his face was priceless

Jacob is top row you know the glowing head and only one not wearing his Christmas best...it was a battle I lost, but I did talk him out of his sweat pants.

My Mom and Dad

This is my Mom she will talk on the phone with them all day and when she is here to visit she makes each of her grandchildren feel they are the most loved and important kids in the world and when she is not here the kids are planning on how and when they can go visit MiMi :)
This is my Dad he will sit in the kids room for hours and listen to them talk non-stop and wrestle with them until they are all crying. When they know Grandpa is coming they wait by the window for hours :)

they are amazing Parents and Grandparents

MiMi's Princess

First thing Brylee does when she wakes up. She sings herself a song. Brushes her hair and puts on her make-up.
and when she is not feeling good she has the best brother in the world who brings her music to her.

Thank you MiMi!

Fun Aunt of the Year

Talli on her way with all three kids for a slumber party at her place. What an Awesome Sister and Aunt. Thank you Talli :)

My Very Own Monkey

My Jake climbed all the way to the top.

He is awesome! If you wish you may call him Spiderman.