I said I was determined to blog more, and then about four hours after making that proclamation I was the proud recipient of a stomach bug, and you know what they say about "best laid plans"...
Wednesday night the kids had store night at AWANA. AWANA is a program at our church that I never knew existed until a few years ago. I love it. It rewards the kids for learning scripture. (They also have recreation time and a small group counsel time). They earn "AWANA bucks" (think Monopoly money) and can spend it at store night which takes place about once every 6 weeks or so. One room in the church is set up like a store and they can spend their money on anything they want. It didn't take long for our kids to realize they could spend that money to buy us gifts, and it surprises me every single time they bring something home for me. It makes me thoroughly excited to find out what they decided I needed most!!
Hunter has been known to buy me jewelry that says "BFF" and makeup brushes. Brianna likes to buy me body spray and nail polish. They both frequently give me hand lotion, and I think their favorite thing is when they find funky socks they can buy for me! This past Wednesday they were both jumping up and down to give them their surprises. Brianna bought me a package of Valentine's Tootsie Rolls (one of my favorite candies!) and a very cool new pair of Valentine's socks! Then Hunter started laughing and handed over his gifts for me - more candy and another (different) pair of Valentine's socks! They know me so well!
Sometimes they will grab a jump rope for a friend at church who isn't in AWANA, or some coloring books or crayons for one of their friends in the toddler class. I can count on Hunter to come home with some type of Lego or Transformer toy, and Bri will always come home with some self-care item. This week it was a cooling eye-mask you can keep in the refrigerator. I'm pretty sure it's supposed to alleviate the bags under your eyes, but I love that she loves it.
They fill our stockings at Christmas with these items. They're so excited for us to open the stockings on Christmas morning and see what surprises they were able to get us. It's such a simple thing but it makes me so happy to see them so happy. I remember the thrill I got when I was a little kid and I could find some way to surprise my parents. My mom's best friend, Gail, started taking me shopping when I was probably 11 or 12 years old. I didn't think it was fair for mom and dad to have empty stockings on Christmas morning, so we'd go out together and get things to put in their stockings. I don't even remember the type of items I'd get, but if I had to guess it would look a lot like hand lotion... candy... funny socks... trinkets. It's so funny how you can see yourself in your kids sometimes.
It makes me smile when I know it IS possible for them to look outside of themselves every so often. These are the little things I don't want to forget about my kiddos. Sometimes the "big" stuff can take over - the athletic tournaments, the big test at the end of the school year, the major vacations - but this is the stuff that makes my heart happy just on an average day.
Showing posts with label thankful. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thankful. Show all posts
Saturday, February 15, 2020
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Thursday Thoughts
Another Thursday here and gone. This morning we were off to work bright and early, ready to see our young friends at Sandhills PCA. We had just four kids today, so we had a lot of fun with them. Brianna and Hunter are so helpful with the babies. I really don't think I could get through a lot of those work days without their help. And I'm ever so grateful on these days that God chose to bless me with two individual children, and no multiples!!
This afternoon I found out that Brianna started reading a new series. It is about a dog named Wishbone who travels in time and goes through classic novels, retelling them in a fun way for kids. She read Jack and the Beanstalk.
She came downstairs, so excited about this book, and telling me all about it, when I realized that when I was about 8 or 9 years old, I loved to watch the TV show of Wishbone! The kids had finished all their school work and chores, so that meant they were allowed to have electronic time. I hopped on YouTube and found the entire first episode of Wishbone, which went through the story of Tom Sawyer. They absolutely loved it. I think as we read through these books we will definitely watch the TV show that coincides.
After dinner we made a fire, which always means we roast marshmallows. The kids helped pile up sticks and limbs, and then played while Stephen controlled the fire. Then we got down to business eating marshmallows.
In one of those pictures you see the kids in a ditch in our woods. At our last family dinner night, that ditch was named "Four Cousins" by Brianna, Hunter, and (you guessed it) their two cousins. So when I came outside after cleaning up from dinner, I couldn't see Bri, and I asked where she was. She came running out of the woods, limbs in both hands, yelling, "I was at the Four Cousins! You couldn't even find me, could you, Mom?" They think it is the coolest thing ever.
Brianna's hair is in about a dozen tiny little braids tonight. She wants her hair to be fancy because our cousin Shannon is getting married tomorrow. Bri has a big part in the wedding (in her mind) because she gets to open the door for Shannon to walk out with her dad. She has her fanciest dress set out and she is ready to go!
This afternoon I found out that Brianna started reading a new series. It is about a dog named Wishbone who travels in time and goes through classic novels, retelling them in a fun way for kids. She read Jack and the Beanstalk.
She came downstairs, so excited about this book, and telling me all about it, when I realized that when I was about 8 or 9 years old, I loved to watch the TV show of Wishbone! The kids had finished all their school work and chores, so that meant they were allowed to have electronic time. I hopped on YouTube and found the entire first episode of Wishbone, which went through the story of Tom Sawyer. They absolutely loved it. I think as we read through these books we will definitely watch the TV show that coincides.
After dinner we made a fire, which always means we roast marshmallows. The kids helped pile up sticks and limbs, and then played while Stephen controlled the fire. Then we got down to business eating marshmallows.
In one of those pictures you see the kids in a ditch in our woods. At our last family dinner night, that ditch was named "Four Cousins" by Brianna, Hunter, and (you guessed it) their two cousins. So when I came outside after cleaning up from dinner, I couldn't see Bri, and I asked where she was. She came running out of the woods, limbs in both hands, yelling, "I was at the Four Cousins! You couldn't even find me, could you, Mom?" They think it is the coolest thing ever.
Brianna's hair is in about a dozen tiny little braids tonight. She wants her hair to be fancy because our cousin Shannon is getting married tomorrow. Bri has a big part in the wedding (in her mind) because she gets to open the door for Shannon to walk out with her dad. She has her fanciest dress set out and she is ready to go!
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Birthdays and Allergy Testing
Yesterday was Brianna's 7th birthday. Seven years old? That seems so impossible. I have actually been getting used to the 7-year old idea for the last couple of months, but now that the school year is winding down I have to get used to saying my daughter is about to start second grade. And that is just WAY too old for my liking.
I'm so thankful we have such simple kids. We spent the morning playing a couple of games, doing our schoolwork (just math) and then spent the afternoon at our homeschool co-op where she celebrated her birthday with many of her closest friends. When we got home, she was so excited to see that Stephen was already home from work, because that meant she was allowed to open her birthday presents from us. We got her a portable CD player and a custom-made T-shirt that says, "Jeep Hair Don't Care". Hunter and Brianna tend to fight over music in the car (she wants it, and she wants it LOUD, and he either doesn't want it at all or wants to hear the CD without her singing) so we thought the CD player would be awesome for her. Sure enough, she has used it consistently since we got it for her - so much so that I realize how many batteries we are going to be going through... We got her the t-shirt because we like to ride in the Jeep with the windows taken off completely, and her hair gets CRAZY. Last time we went fishing Stephen noted, "Jeep hair, don't care!" and we decided a t-shirt was necessary. She requested Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner so that's where we went and had an awesome time. We came home and made brownies for dessert.
Today, Stephen stayed home from work. Unfortunately, it was because Brianna had allergy testing. I know that she was so nervous. We didn't really know what to expect. When we pulled into the parking lot, I turned the car off and said, "Do you want me to pray before we go inside?" She shrugged her shoulders and nonchalantly said, "No, why would you?" I shook my head and began gathering my items in my bookbag. I turned around to tell her we could get out of the car and saw her eyes were filling with tears and her face was getting all red and splotchy. She said, "Well, maybe could you pray?" I got into the backseat with her and cradled her while I prayed. She was so scared about those multiple skin pricks. I promised her I would be with her every step of the way, and that we would take it one step at a time. For example, going inside wasn't scary! Talking to the doctor wasn't scary! We could do all those things easily. And that's how we made it through.
When the nurse came in with the huge tray of allergens I asked if she would walk Brianna through the procedure. She showed Bri all the different allergens that are tested, and then let her "scrape" herself with a practice piece so she would know what to expect. Brianna laid on her stomach and giggled while the nurse wrote all the numbers up and down her back. Her voice was shaky and so were her hands, so I know she was a nervous wreck, but she was so brave. Within seconds, her control prick was raised up and already itching. Fifteen minutes of squirming and wriggling around passed by (much quicker than usual since I brought the Kindle for her to play with) and she was done! And all that she's allergic to are oak trees, hickory tress and dust mites. Thank the Lord that we know now, and have a plan for helping her with these yucky allergies. What a trooper. I told her tonight that she's my hero. Being brave doesn't mean that you don't cry or you aren't scared, it just means you have the courage to keep going when you are scared.
And then when we got home we had the whole afternoon with Stephen because we finished all our school work before our doctor's appointment. And for being so brave, he decided to take us all to Fayetteville to eat at a new-to-us restaurant called Mod Pizza. And afterwards we went across the street to the mall and got cookies from Great American Cookie Company! So now we have eaten out two times in the past two days, which is utterly unusual for our family, but I have absolutely loved being out and about with my husband and children. Stephen's work schedule was so rough there for a while that I am just soaking up the time when we are all four together.
I'm so thankful we have such simple kids. We spent the morning playing a couple of games, doing our schoolwork (just math) and then spent the afternoon at our homeschool co-op where she celebrated her birthday with many of her closest friends. When we got home, she was so excited to see that Stephen was already home from work, because that meant she was allowed to open her birthday presents from us. We got her a portable CD player and a custom-made T-shirt that says, "Jeep Hair Don't Care". Hunter and Brianna tend to fight over music in the car (she wants it, and she wants it LOUD, and he either doesn't want it at all or wants to hear the CD without her singing) so we thought the CD player would be awesome for her. Sure enough, she has used it consistently since we got it for her - so much so that I realize how many batteries we are going to be going through... We got her the t-shirt because we like to ride in the Jeep with the windows taken off completely, and her hair gets CRAZY. Last time we went fishing Stephen noted, "Jeep hair, don't care!" and we decided a t-shirt was necessary. She requested Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner so that's where we went and had an awesome time. We came home and made brownies for dessert.
Today, Stephen stayed home from work. Unfortunately, it was because Brianna had allergy testing. I know that she was so nervous. We didn't really know what to expect. When we pulled into the parking lot, I turned the car off and said, "Do you want me to pray before we go inside?" She shrugged her shoulders and nonchalantly said, "No, why would you?" I shook my head and began gathering my items in my bookbag. I turned around to tell her we could get out of the car and saw her eyes were filling with tears and her face was getting all red and splotchy. She said, "Well, maybe could you pray?" I got into the backseat with her and cradled her while I prayed. She was so scared about those multiple skin pricks. I promised her I would be with her every step of the way, and that we would take it one step at a time. For example, going inside wasn't scary! Talking to the doctor wasn't scary! We could do all those things easily. And that's how we made it through.
When the nurse came in with the huge tray of allergens I asked if she would walk Brianna through the procedure. She showed Bri all the different allergens that are tested, and then let her "scrape" herself with a practice piece so she would know what to expect. Brianna laid on her stomach and giggled while the nurse wrote all the numbers up and down her back. Her voice was shaky and so were her hands, so I know she was a nervous wreck, but she was so brave. Within seconds, her control prick was raised up and already itching. Fifteen minutes of squirming and wriggling around passed by (much quicker than usual since I brought the Kindle for her to play with) and she was done! And all that she's allergic to are oak trees, hickory tress and dust mites. Thank the Lord that we know now, and have a plan for helping her with these yucky allergies. What a trooper. I told her tonight that she's my hero. Being brave doesn't mean that you don't cry or you aren't scared, it just means you have the courage to keep going when you are scared.
And then when we got home we had the whole afternoon with Stephen because we finished all our school work before our doctor's appointment. And for being so brave, he decided to take us all to Fayetteville to eat at a new-to-us restaurant called Mod Pizza. And afterwards we went across the street to the mall and got cookies from Great American Cookie Company! So now we have eaten out two times in the past two days, which is utterly unusual for our family, but I have absolutely loved being out and about with my husband and children. Stephen's work schedule was so rough there for a while that I am just soaking up the time when we are all four together.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Videos of the Kids
These are some videos that the kids wanted me to take and show everyone on my blog!
I LOVE the hands on the hips at the end of this video!! (It's only 11 seconds long)
This one is Brianna playing soccer. It's 1:50 long and VERY shaky because I was playing with her while taping.
I LOVE the hands on the hips at the end of this video!! (It's only 11 seconds long)
This one is Brianna playing soccer. It's 1:50 long and VERY shaky because I was playing with her while taping.
This video cracks me up because it shows the difference between Hunter and Brianna. Hunter wants to play after Brianna is done, but he immediately gets distracted by a spider - which he crushes with his boot - and then is totally done playing after just one kick. I love it!
A friend gave the kids the idea to stand on the slide and make tunnels, and they had a lot of fun doing their new trick.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Thursday, November 22, 2012
#22 - Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving! Honestly, I can't decide if Thanksgiving or Christmas is my favorite holiday. I love spending the day with family - the problem with Thanksgiving is we can never see all of our families for as long as we would like to. We are torn between my family, Stephen's here in town, and his family in Eden. This year we didn't even get to see his family in Georgia (in person) because his stepfather just returned from a deployment!
Today was the best Thanksgiving I can remember though, although I'm pretty sure I think that every year.
We started off the day at my family's Thanksgiving lunch. I took some quick pictures to prove we were there! We were only able to stay about 30 minutes.
You see the Brianna blur in that last picture? That's how the kids were! They did eat a little bit, but they loved playing with their cousins!
So about fifteen minutes after we got to Stephen's family's Thanksgiving lunch, this happened:
We ended up staying at Stephen's uncle David's for three hours due to the fact that Hunter was just... sleeping. And then when he finally did wake up he was starving of course! So what did we do while Hunter slept?
Ate tons of good food. Met some family we'd never met before. Had great conversations with family members.
Oh, and of course - FOOTBALL! Brianna got into the big game this year. Grab a ball, and run with it? She was made for this sport!!
And then we came home and were able to Skype with our family in Georgia!! We talked to Opa for the first time in several months. The kids were quite entertaining!
One thing we did at Uncle David's Thanksgiving meal was totally awesome. Everyone in the family made a huge circle - I think there were 30ish people there - and we held hands and went around the circle and just praised God for the things we were thankful for. We prayed, and then we sang a few verses of Amazing Grace. It was really awesome because that is what Thanksgiving is all about. And I'm so grateful for a family (both blood and by marriage) who know where all of the good things in life come from. I'm so grateful for a family who will praise God not just on Thanksgiving, but every day. But it was so nice to take the time to stand together and do that. The food could wait. The football game on TV could wait. It was gorgeous weather outside. What a day, what a day!
Thank you, Lord!
Hope you all had a great day with family and friends!
Today was the best Thanksgiving I can remember though, although I'm pretty sure I think that every year.
We started off the day at my family's Thanksgiving lunch. I took some quick pictures to prove we were there! We were only able to stay about 30 minutes.
You see the Brianna blur in that last picture? That's how the kids were! They did eat a little bit, but they loved playing with their cousins!
So about fifteen minutes after we got to Stephen's family's Thanksgiving lunch, this happened:
We ended up staying at Stephen's uncle David's for three hours due to the fact that Hunter was just... sleeping. And then when he finally did wake up he was starving of course! So what did we do while Hunter slept?
Ate tons of good food. Met some family we'd never met before. Had great conversations with family members.
Brianna with Grandpa and Kathy:
Cousin Kaleb chows down!
Oh, and of course - FOOTBALL! Brianna got into the big game this year. Grab a ball, and run with it? She was made for this sport!!
Kaleb: "I'm outta here, y'all. See ya next Thanksgiving!"
And then we came home and were able to Skype with our family in Georgia!! We talked to Opa for the first time in several months. The kids were quite entertaining!
One thing we did at Uncle David's Thanksgiving meal was totally awesome. Everyone in the family made a huge circle - I think there were 30ish people there - and we held hands and went around the circle and just praised God for the things we were thankful for. We prayed, and then we sang a few verses of Amazing Grace. It was really awesome because that is what Thanksgiving is all about. And I'm so grateful for a family (both blood and by marriage) who know where all of the good things in life come from. I'm so grateful for a family who will praise God not just on Thanksgiving, but every day. But it was so nice to take the time to stand together and do that. The food could wait. The football game on TV could wait. It was gorgeous weather outside. What a day, what a day!
Thank you, Lord!
Hope you all had a great day with family and friends!
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
#21 - Early Thankfulness
I know we have soooooo much to be thankful for (all the time) but in this household we are especially thankful this year because Hunter and Brianna's Opa (Stephen's stepfather) got home safely yesterday from his recent deployment to Africa. We won't see them for Thanksgiving for the first time in MANY years, but at least it's for a good reason. We love you, Opa!!
On another note, when we ask Brianna where we are going tomorrow for Thanksgiving lunch she keeps saying, "Steve and Kathy's!". Not sure why she's calling her grandfather by his first name... too funny!!
On another note, when we ask Brianna where we are going tomorrow for Thanksgiving lunch she keeps saying, "Steve and Kathy's!". Not sure why she's calling her grandfather by his first name... too funny!!
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Happy Days
There have been many, many happy days in my life. I don't just mean regular happiness (I have a LOT of those days!!) but I mean the kind of happiness that you feel like your body could just burst. The day I got married. The birth days of both of our children. Holding my niece and both nephews for the first time. The day I got saved at church. Being on girl trips with my mom and sister. Having alone time with my husband post-children (you take that time for granted before having kids!!).
But none of those times could have prepared me for how I felt on March 11, 2012.
If you told me when I was in high school that this was going to be my life, I would have seriously not believed you. I never thought I would be in the place I am now, but man am I thankful things didn't work out the way I had planned!
And if you had told me that eventually I was going to marry Stephen (well, I would have believed that part, I was totally smitten with him) and that one day he would be a deacon in our church and an extremely well-respected man in our church, I think I would have smiled and said that seemed a little high-reaching for a prediction. But about a year and a half after we got married, we both got saved at the church we attend now, and since then our relationship has changed drastically. I can't even get into how grateful I am for where we are now.
We found out a couple of months ago that Stephen was being nominated to be a deacon in our church, and although this may not seem like a big deal to some people, we are taking it very seriously. We have a new pastor at our church and he is making some major changes, one of those being the implementing of deacons over certain sections of the church (like evangelism, outreach, discipleship, etc.) So being a deacon right now is very significant in our church. I am so proud of Stephen and how far he has come since we first met 13 years ago. He is such an incredible father and husband, and he is such a blessing to me.
But like I said, nothing could have prepared me for how I felt on the day he was ordained. My parents came to the service to support us (and also, my dad ended up playing the piano for the entire service since our piano player didn't show up - Hah!) At the end of the service, it was time for the newly ordained deacons to be prayed over by anyone in the congregation who had previously been ordained. This included several men from church as well as my dad. I can't even describe how I felt seeing my dad up there praying over my husband.
I got really emotional that day! I just think God has brought us so far. It's so important to us that we stick with our faith through everything. In the past six months I can't tell you all the marriages that have fallen apart, tragedies that have struck families we know... and it's only been the ones who lean on God that come out on top and thriving.
1 Timothy 3:8-13 KJV "Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus."
But none of those times could have prepared me for how I felt on March 11, 2012.
If you told me when I was in high school that this was going to be my life, I would have seriously not believed you. I never thought I would be in the place I am now, but man am I thankful things didn't work out the way I had planned!
And if you had told me that eventually I was going to marry Stephen (well, I would have believed that part, I was totally smitten with him) and that one day he would be a deacon in our church and an extremely well-respected man in our church, I think I would have smiled and said that seemed a little high-reaching for a prediction. But about a year and a half after we got married, we both got saved at the church we attend now, and since then our relationship has changed drastically. I can't even get into how grateful I am for where we are now.
We found out a couple of months ago that Stephen was being nominated to be a deacon in our church, and although this may not seem like a big deal to some people, we are taking it very seriously. We have a new pastor at our church and he is making some major changes, one of those being the implementing of deacons over certain sections of the church (like evangelism, outreach, discipleship, etc.) So being a deacon right now is very significant in our church. I am so proud of Stephen and how far he has come since we first met 13 years ago. He is such an incredible father and husband, and he is such a blessing to me.
But like I said, nothing could have prepared me for how I felt on the day he was ordained. My parents came to the service to support us (and also, my dad ended up playing the piano for the entire service since our piano player didn't show up - Hah!) At the end of the service, it was time for the newly ordained deacons to be prayed over by anyone in the congregation who had previously been ordained. This included several men from church as well as my dad. I can't even describe how I felt seeing my dad up there praying over my husband.
Our pastor Chad with Stephen
I got really emotional that day! I just think God has brought us so far. It's so important to us that we stick with our faith through everything. In the past six months I can't tell you all the marriages that have fallen apart, tragedies that have struck families we know... and it's only been the ones who lean on God that come out on top and thriving.
1 Timothy 3:8-13 KJV "Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus."
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Brianna is Thankful
I know this isn't the best picture ever, but my scanner isn't big enough to do the whole thing. For Thanksgiving, Brianna's class made these thankfulness wreaths (I'm pretty sure thankfulness isn't a word... stick with me) and I wanted to share hers because I thought it was really precious!
Family
They put on their "family" section who in their families they are thankful for. I am grateful that Brianna put all of us on there - Mom, Dad, and Hunter!!
Friends
In the "friends" category she put Rileigh, Bryce, Lucas, and Martha Anne - four of her very best friends at preschool. But she also put "Caleb". Considering there is no Caleb at her preschool that I know of, I am thinking this is her newest cousin, Kaleb. This was made right around the first time we were meeting him so I'm thinking that stuck in her brain!
Jesus
In the "Jesus" category she put that she is thankful for chapel. They do chapel on Fridays at school and she loves it. She especially loves taking her tithe to give!
Miscellaneous
They were allowed to put anything else they are thankful for. Of course Brianna put dancing. Shocking.
Love this - it will make for a great memory!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
These Kids Cost an Arm and a Leg
I just got an email from Babycenter with a link to a "baby cost calculator". It says the average baby will cost the parents $10,158 for the first year alone.
Hoooooly cow.
The calculator lets you change things based on your lifestyle to see how that brings down the amount you are actually spending.
Staying home with the baby and not paying for childcare - my cost is already down to $5,550.
Using cloth diapers brings the cost down to $4,914. Using your own wipes is cheaper too.
If you breastfeed, the cost goes down to $3,942. That even includes spending an average of $57 per month on solid foods from ages 6 months to 12 months. And y'all KNOW I won't be spending that much every month!
I won't be purchasing any clothing, toys, books or games. I can't imagine any clothes Hunter is going to need, and he CERTAINLY doesn't need any new toys, books, or games.
That brings the total to $1,098.
That does include medicine and some other miscellaneous things. I know there are some things moms can't avoid (most people don't want to cloth diaper or can't afford the big payout in the beginning; some women can't breastfeed; some women have to go back to work, etc.)
We have been incredibly blessed to be able to keep our costs down with having kids. Even as Brianna has gotten older we save money by not buying separate foods for her (such as Stage 3 or 4 baby food), we have not bought her toys (except her Christmas slide) but we've been blessed with gifts (actually I did buy her an awesome puzzle last week at the Coalition for 50 cents), we've had people donate clothes to us just as she's moving up sizes, we had someone give us a potty for her from a yard sale, we don't buy videos or movies for her to watch, we've been incredibly thankful for grandparents who buy gifts for her "just because", she's never been sick and had to have medicine...
We just really have so much to be thankful for. I was thinking about this today as a girl loaded up my trunk with garbage bags of clothes for Brianna, some with the tags still on them, and all of them the exact clothes Brianna needs that I was about to break down and going to go buy.
It's just proof that God really will take care of us!
Hoooooly cow.
The calculator lets you change things based on your lifestyle to see how that brings down the amount you are actually spending.
Staying home with the baby and not paying for childcare - my cost is already down to $5,550.
Using cloth diapers brings the cost down to $4,914. Using your own wipes is cheaper too.
If you breastfeed, the cost goes down to $3,942. That even includes spending an average of $57 per month on solid foods from ages 6 months to 12 months. And y'all KNOW I won't be spending that much every month!
I won't be purchasing any clothing, toys, books or games. I can't imagine any clothes Hunter is going to need, and he CERTAINLY doesn't need any new toys, books, or games.
That brings the total to $1,098.
That does include medicine and some other miscellaneous things. I know there are some things moms can't avoid (most people don't want to cloth diaper or can't afford the big payout in the beginning; some women can't breastfeed; some women have to go back to work, etc.)
We have been incredibly blessed to be able to keep our costs down with having kids. Even as Brianna has gotten older we save money by not buying separate foods for her (such as Stage 3 or 4 baby food), we have not bought her toys (except her Christmas slide) but we've been blessed with gifts (actually I did buy her an awesome puzzle last week at the Coalition for 50 cents), we've had people donate clothes to us just as she's moving up sizes, we had someone give us a potty for her from a yard sale, we don't buy videos or movies for her to watch, we've been incredibly thankful for grandparents who buy gifts for her "just because", she's never been sick and had to have medicine...
We just really have so much to be thankful for. I was thinking about this today as a girl loaded up my trunk with garbage bags of clothes for Brianna, some with the tags still on them, and all of them the exact clothes Brianna needs that I was about to break down and going to go buy.
It's just proof that God really will take care of us!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Thanksgiving
We were fortunate enough to be able to go see some of our family in Eden this year for Thanksgiving. We were also blessed to have family from Georgia come in town to see us!
But first, Stephen had to kill dinner. :)
But first, Stephen had to kill dinner. :)
Early morning? No big deal for Brianna - as long as a slide is in her future!
Uncle Josh is the perfect play toy!
"Okay, let me take a bite..."
"If you'll excuse me while I clean my face..."
"Now you take a bite, Uncle Josh!"
Papa holding Brianna (his great-granddaughter), and Kaleb (his great-grandson)!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Giving Kudos
It's after 11:00pm and I have just finished writing a Christmas card to Outback Steakhouse.
Tonight mom and I went to the Christmas banquet for Sandhills Teen Challenge - great organization; I will write more later - and the food was great! Russell's Seafood, a local seafood restaurant, donated a portion - was it the chicken? I can't remember now. And Outback supplied the baked potatoes. This is no small feat for either of these places considering there are 300 people attending this event... three nights in a row. So 900 potatoes and 1800 chicken tenders later, there are some full people! I realized on the way home that these businesses should be applauded. I immediately got on Facebook when I got home (I am a "Fan" of Russell's on Facebook) and posted kudos to them for their support of Teen Challenge. I'm not a "Fan" of Outback, plus I don't want these kudos to go to the corporate office. I want to thank our local branch for supporting such a worthy cause.
So I sent them a Christmas card thanking them for supporting Teen Challenge and telling them their baked potatoes were delicious (they were). I also said I would tell people about this. So here I am.
My question is, do you think they'll actually open it and read it?
Tonight mom and I went to the Christmas banquet for Sandhills Teen Challenge - great organization; I will write more later - and the food was great! Russell's Seafood, a local seafood restaurant, donated a portion - was it the chicken? I can't remember now. And Outback supplied the baked potatoes. This is no small feat for either of these places considering there are 300 people attending this event... three nights in a row. So 900 potatoes and 1800 chicken tenders later, there are some full people! I realized on the way home that these businesses should be applauded. I immediately got on Facebook when I got home (I am a "Fan" of Russell's on Facebook) and posted kudos to them for their support of Teen Challenge. I'm not a "Fan" of Outback, plus I don't want these kudos to go to the corporate office. I want to thank our local branch for supporting such a worthy cause.
So I sent them a Christmas card thanking them for supporting Teen Challenge and telling them their baked potatoes were delicious (they were). I also said I would tell people about this. So here I am.
My question is, do you think they'll actually open it and read it?
Giving... No, Receiving!
People have given me so much recently for me personally and also for Fed By Faith. It is hard to keep up with who I have thanked publicly!!
I didn't take a picture - I should have - of all the stuff I got yesterday. I went to mom's house for lunch and she told me she had some stuff for me from her and Jenn. I really should have taken a picture. It was bags and bags of grocery items! From laundry detergent to toilet paper to rice to I don't know what else!! I took them straight to church last night. As the youth group helped us unload the items, people's eyes just got wide. Our preacher came to our car to talk to us about youth group stuff and when he saw the trunk full he just started laughing. He said we're like a grocery store on wheels. Every time I come to church I have a trunk full of items! I can't believe how much mom and Jenn donated and I THANK YOU GUYS!!!
Okay, it's now been 7 hours since I wrote the above paragraphs. I have an awful habit of getting distracted from writing on this blog. I had so many other things to write about tonight - seeing Tracey and getting lots of goodies from her, meeting Jenn at The Chick for lunch and getting goodies from her, my Walgreens trip, and the Teen Challenge dinner that mom and I went to tonight. I also need to do my annual ornaments blog. I hope to blog about all of those things tomorrow!!
I didn't take a picture - I should have - of all the stuff I got yesterday. I went to mom's house for lunch and she told me she had some stuff for me from her and Jenn. I really should have taken a picture. It was bags and bags of grocery items! From laundry detergent to toilet paper to rice to I don't know what else!! I took them straight to church last night. As the youth group helped us unload the items, people's eyes just got wide. Our preacher came to our car to talk to us about youth group stuff and when he saw the trunk full he just started laughing. He said we're like a grocery store on wheels. Every time I come to church I have a trunk full of items! I can't believe how much mom and Jenn donated and I THANK YOU GUYS!!!
Okay, it's now been 7 hours since I wrote the above paragraphs. I have an awful habit of getting distracted from writing on this blog. I had so many other things to write about tonight - seeing Tracey and getting lots of goodies from her, meeting Jenn at The Chick for lunch and getting goodies from her, my Walgreens trip, and the Teen Challenge dinner that mom and I went to tonight. I also need to do my annual ornaments blog. I hope to blog about all of those things tomorrow!!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Giving Thanks
This was our church devotional on the website this morning - thought I would share it in light of what today is.
Bible Meditation:
Ephesians 5:20 - "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Devotional Thought:
There are four types of people. There are those who are constantly complaining and grumbling. Have you met any of these folks? I mean, they can brighten up a room just by leaving it. That's the lowest level. Then there are others who live lives of ingratitude. They don't complain, but they never thank God for His obvious blessings. That's a little better, but not much better. Then there are people who thank God for obvious blessings. When something good happens, they're grateful. That's a better level. But the highest level is to be grateful for all things at all times. That is the secret of a happy and productive life.
Action Point:
Bow before the Lord and begin to think about difficult circumstances you're facing. Now, thank Him for each one.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Bible Meditation:
Ephesians 5:20 - "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Devotional Thought:
There are four types of people. There are those who are constantly complaining and grumbling. Have you met any of these folks? I mean, they can brighten up a room just by leaving it. That's the lowest level. Then there are others who live lives of ingratitude. They don't complain, but they never thank God for His obvious blessings. That's a little better, but not much better. Then there are people who thank God for obvious blessings. When something good happens, they're grateful. That's a better level. But the highest level is to be grateful for all things at all times. That is the secret of a happy and productive life.
Action Point:
Bow before the Lord and begin to think about difficult circumstances you're facing. Now, thank Him for each one.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Blessings!!
A couple of people were curious as to why I put my status on Facebook today to say, "Just in case you didn't know this, Tracey Garner is an amazing woman." Well, allow me to explain!!
I was at work today when mom called and said, "I know you're working but I just HAD to call and tell you this!" She walked in to her house and look what was sitting in her kitchen:
Bags of items for Fed By Faith! Toys for Brianna! Loads and loads of items and they were all from Tracey. I mean this is just amazing! Mom just couldn't wait for me to hear the kinds of items Tracey was donating to FBF and I immediately said, "Get pictures!!!" Tracey, you are SO kind and generous and I honestly can't thank you enough.
Tracey, I bet you are the type of person that just loves shopping for other people. I know I will buy something for someone else in a heartbeat that I would never pay for myself and you definitely strike me as that type. I don't expect anyone to donate items to FBF unless they feel led to do it, but I am so grateful for people that will donate. I am incredibly touched by this and blessed!!
I'll never be able to do a blog for Thanksgiving for the things I'm thankful for. There are no words created for how I feel every single day.
I was at work today when mom called and said, "I know you're working but I just HAD to call and tell you this!" She walked in to her house and look what was sitting in her kitchen:
Bags of items for Fed By Faith! Toys for Brianna! Loads and loads of items and they were all from Tracey. I mean this is just amazing! Mom just couldn't wait for me to hear the kinds of items Tracey was donating to FBF and I immediately said, "Get pictures!!!" Tracey, you are SO kind and generous and I honestly can't thank you enough.Tracey, I bet you are the type of person that just loves shopping for other people. I know I will buy something for someone else in a heartbeat that I would never pay for myself and you definitely strike me as that type. I don't expect anyone to donate items to FBF unless they feel led to do it, but I am so grateful for people that will donate. I am incredibly touched by this and blessed!!
I'll never be able to do a blog for Thanksgiving for the things I'm thankful for. There are no words created for how I feel every single day.
Monday, May 18, 2009
May, Right?
Is it just me or is it uncomfortably chilly lately around here? Weather.com says it's 64, and our thermostat inside says 71 but that doesn't explain why I've been walking around wearing thick socks and a heavy fuzzy sweater for two days. I mean, this sweater is so fuzzy and thick that I'm afraid of Brianna coughing up a hairball one of these days. This is NOT May weather! Or maybe it is, and I'm just in denial.
Weather aside, this weekend was really nice. I don't dread weekdays anymore, particularly because I'm not woken up by an alarm anymore. It's so nice to let your body be your alarm clock. I always feel much more refreshed. But I do dread weekends being over still. Mondays mean Stephen has to go back to work, which is fine, because someone has to make ends meet! But having many hours together on the weekends is especially cool.
Saturday night was our Mother/Daughter banquet at church. I am someone who is extremely fortunate, because I was able to bring my mother and daughter to the banquet for the first time ever! While I'm on this subject, I found an old journal of mine on Saturday when I was cleaning out the attic. In it I was writing things I was grateful for, and I made certain to write how thankful I was for my three moms - mom, Leila, and Liz (Taylor). I have written before about how blessed I've been with the women in my life, and considering that journal entry was written about 9 years ago, that seems to be pretty consistent in my life! I'm really grateful for that.
Mothers and daughters:
We had a great time at the banquet, eating steaks and sides, chatting with the other ladies there, and then hearing a great Bible lesson from Jan. After mom and I got home, we dropped Brianna at the curb with dad so mom and I could run to Lowe's for a couple of quick grocery items. You can read all about the fun that Bri and dad had here.
Sunday we were able to make it to church again. I thought Stephen was going to have a heart attack because Brianna has definitely solidified her personality as a grunter, and she made it a point to stretch and grunt at various times in the sermon. Certainly she wasn't loud enough to bother anyone, but I could just feel the sweat dripping from his forehead every time she made a sound. Sunday night we went back for youth drama practice. We found out later that our preacher put us on the prayer list during the night service... because we were late for the first time ever that morning!! He knows Stephen well enough to know that this could have been disastrous. But not surprisingly, Stephen is really laidback when it comes to things regarding Brianna. Late for church because of her? No problem! Spit up on the couch? No biggie! Poop sliding out from the diaper? Well, we have to draw the line somewhere. Anyway, we got a kick out of that.
So here it is, the beginning of another week, and I have no idea what's in store. I do know that I'm actually going to accomplish something tonight (laundry) and then I'll celebrate by having some raspberry cheesecake that I was able to make earlier (from a box)! Then we'll just see what comes next in this sweet, sweet life.
Stephen gives Bri a bottle for his first time (no, we don't make bottles a habit around here!):
Tummy time! i.e. gnaw on the couch time:
One happy baby!!
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