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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Family Drama Hurts

I'm sad, frustrated and scared.

Please pray for strength, wisdom, healing, and those who will be hurt.

Friday, August 26, 2011

A Busy Evening...

makes for a perfect morning.


Last night after work (I get off at 4:30) I went to the sitters, picked up Lane Michael, Ethan and Ryan, went home, microwaved dinner (which I had fixed over my lunch break), got the bigs into football uniforms, we all ate, got in the car and headed to football. While at football I chased Ryan, talked with the other football moms, chased Ryan some more and finally was able to sit and relax while Ryan ate popcorn. After practice, the coach approached me asking whose parent I am, he proceeded to tell me that Ethan had found his niche and while Lane Michael was doing well, Ethan had finally figured out the game and was an animal! He had finally figured out that you're supposed to hit people, that's what football is! HAHAHA so glad he finally figured it out and Lane Michael was so proud of him! Lane Michael is excellent at baseball so he loves that Ethan excels at football (which just makes me so proud). Anyway, after practice the concession stand gave everyone a hot dog so with bed snack in hand we headed home. Everyone grabbed a shower and since Ethan had his sleep aid before his shower, it started to kick in as we were sitting on the couch reading. Both boys were very ready for bed when they finally got there! After they headed to bed, I set out clothes for Ryan, started a load of laundry, got out morning meds, packed lunches and got the coffee pot ready for morning. All that made this morning run like clock work. Everyone got up, got dressed, ate, had meds, and I was able to have coffee on the front porch before getting Ryan out of bed. With Todd in Findlay 2 nights a week and those 2 nights being football nights, this is how much of my fall will go.


Monday we have football but Todd will be around to fix dinner and do homework


Tuesday and Thursday we have football and I'm flying solo, so it's homework, dinner, football, bed, prep for next morning, head myself to bed


Wednesday and Friday no football and probably no homework (we're lucky to live in a community that doesn't have homework or sports on Wednesdays because of church)

Starting early September, we'll have football games on Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon.

My Mom is concerned that Sunday afternoon sports interferes with grandparents time...she works most Sundays....I'm conflicted on whether or not to say "you work Sunday, what do you care?" or just leave it alone. We can still make it to her house Sunday evening for our Sunday evening dinner...I think I'll leave it alone, and just still make that dinner a priority.




I think we can keep this pace, as long as use our time wisely. If I do a good clean on weekends, and get laundry put away, I can wash it every day and keep it folded, clean as I go, cook on my lunch so that I can microwave supper, do crock pot meals and just be as efficient as possible...and go to bed plenty early so that when I'm up I'm able to be moving and doing. I actually have felt really good the last couple days from going to bed a little earlier than usual....plenty of energy which isn't my normal!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

A Post of Pictures!

First day of school...all my boys! This is the babysitters house...dropping off Ryan.
Dropping off my big guys at the school.

Pick up day from camp...Ryan was so excited to see his big brothers! We have a picture just like this one from last year...I'd like to get one every year, it's just an amazing picture and a true favorite...though I know they won't be willing to hold hands forever. Cherishing these moments!

Trying to be just like his brothers.



I thought I'd like this picture more than I do...it bothers me that I can't see both feet.


Football practice uniforms...Todd took these pictures and I just love them!

My "Big" guys! Love them!



If you look at the picture, Lane Michael is number 4...he's on the sled...3rd from the end...? I think...I can see him but can't tell if he's 3rd or 4th from the end...either way...how cute is this!?

Ryan wants nothing more than to get and give shots...so his Aunt Cathy (who knows him better?) got him a doctors kit with a shot so he can get and give all the shots he wants!

Loving on his Grandma Sweet (Gama Fweet) for her gift! He absolutely loves it!

I love this look...it's one that is classic Ryan...usually he's mildly amused and slightly annoyed by whoever he's giving it to!

Waiting patiently for his peice of cake...Yumm-O!

I love this picture for so many reasons...if you look next to the cake there is a random toy skull and if you look in the back ground, you can see Eli helping Ryan blow out the candles...plus who can resist that face!

We had a great summer but it's nice to be back in a routine!

Friday, August 19, 2011

Feeling Better about the Budget

I've been feeling pretty defeated lately over our budget, over letting our budget fall to the back burner. It's been in the nagging at me lately and I just couldn't shake the feeling that I was just failing at budgeting. So to gain some perspective I pulled the numbers. Where we were in other years compared to where we are this year. This difference is scary...where we've been shows me where we never want to be again! I never want to have that much useless debt! I know that while my husband is in school we are investing in our future and money spent during this time is not wasted but an investment in us and in our children. Parents with a college education are more likely to have children with a college education.
So where exactly were we in August 2009? 2010? Today?
well we owed on 2 credit cards, the truck and the ATV. We still are paying on all of these things. However we have not created any new bills and even with Todd is school, we have not created any new student loans. So here's the break down

YEAR TRUCK ATV CC 1 CC 2
2009 16,691 6,375 2,977 3,000

2010 11,263 4,300 2,258 2,400

2011 7,600 2,900 300 2,138

As ashamed as I am that we have used the credit cards AGAIN this year, I know that we've had set backs ($900 of CC 2 was used to visit Todd's dying brother in Missouri - - money well spent). We have no current medical bills and no student loans! That's a good place to be in. Todd will graduate in 2013 (if all goes well between now and then...we all know the saying "best laid plans") and by 2013, I expect to have every penny of this debt paid off!

Over my lunch I was looking at these numbers and really analyzing the difference and at first glance, it doesn't look like much but then I added them all up...totals for each year. In 2009 we had $29,000 in debt, in 2010 we had $20,200 in debt and right now we have $12,938 in debt. So in 2 years we have paid off $16,000 in debt and countless medical bills! That number feels SO good! It renews my faith in my plans and budgeting. And while I know we'll sometimes fall short, and maybe have big set backs that end up costing over $2,000, I know that God will provide and that we'll pull through this season in our life. It's a very temporary season and we're just doing the best we can to make memories with the limited budget.

Todd this semester is driving to Findlay every day. That's a lot of gas used and bigger baby sitting fees than ever. We aren't really sure how to budget just yet but we are trusting that God will take care of us. We know that he's investing in us too and is being patient waiting for us to become a real asset to him. We can see Him working in our life, molding our hearts.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Happy Birthday Quinten and Ryan

Ryan will be 2 tomorrow. And this month, this little dude will turn 2 but he doesn't have a family to throw him a party. He isn't getting any new trucks, balls, bubbles, clothes to call his own. He won't be eating cake and ice cream. He's an orphan with downs syndrome. And he melts my heart!


I'm addicted to his picture. Look at that sweet face and baby hands. His caretakers say that he's noisy and he's active has red hair and grey eyes. Oh my heart be still!

Quinten is on the Reeces Rainbow sight:

http://reecesrainbow.org/category/waitingchildren/boys-down-syndrome-0-5

Children with downs, in some countries, are not integrated into society like they are here. At 5 years old, Quinten and all his friends will move to an institution. and the most selfish part of me can't imagine what life is like after that. So here is...the boy that stole my heart...but not the only one by a long shot! I just wish I could bring him home and snuggle him in!

Who stole your heart?

Friday, August 12, 2011

budget fail

Our life has been SO out of control lately that our budget has started to go out the window and we're just hanging on for dear life! It's been crazy! I usually start my budget every January, and I'm great with it until about July....so for a good 6 months I am completely on the wagon...and then summer hits and I slack! My budget is so stupid proof that it's hard to keep up with because really I know every pay period what has to be paid...I have a check list and since I'm salary, I know what my income will be, so I know what gets paid and when it gets paid...I also have all of my bills (except my electric) on a budget plan so my heat bill is always $59 a month (including the summer), I know my phone bill is always $110 and my cable/internet is always $78...you get the point! So my medical bills were starting to stack up so it was time to pay them, I got wrote up the reimbursement form (for my medical expense account) and luckily it looks like we have enough to be fully reimbursed for all our medical bills so far this year. Phew because Lane Micahel has his big pannel of blood work at his appt on 8/31 and that usually means an endoscopy for him. But then Todd is DJing right now to bring in some extra cash and right now we're using that for school clothes and supplies and Christmas gifts. I'm so proud of Todd and the changes he's made in his financial thinking...now if I could just stop the nickel and diming we both do! LOL

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Ever Get Tired of....

Ever get tired of hearing how busy I am? Yah, me too. I'm exhausted!

Last week was fair

Last weekend the boys went to camp

This week is Vacation Bible school (I work my 8 hours and then am a group leader for the youngest class

This weekend is Ryan's birthday party (I'm not ready)

Todd's end of semester is today.

I have to work late on Ryan's birthday (I'll miss dinner)

I'm taking a day off to take my little cousin to a recruiter...her Mom isn't going. I'm nervous.

Lane Michael has an appt with his endocrinologist on the 31st.

The boys started football 2 weeks ago, are missing this week and as soon as VBS is over, football begins.

School starts August 24th.

Every once in awhile I smell fall in the air or get that fall feeling in my gut. I love that feeling, fall is definitely my favorite season! YUM!