Thankful Thursday {Rain}

It's been hot in Texas

24 straight days of 100+ degree weather.

Last time we had more than 6 days of 100+ degree weather during an entire year: 1980

Thank you, God, for the rain we had last night and this morning.

Video of the lightnening just as my camera battery died:

Thankful Thursday - Jayden-boy

Seven months ago a promise was fulfilled to our family. A promise of another little boy that would bring so much joy and laughter and love. Time flies by too quikly when I think about how much he's grown. Here's a few recent pics of the little guy:

Summer Week 1

An unexpected blessing has allowed us to have our first week of summer spent together as a whole family. We have decided to utilize this "time in between" to enjoy what God has given us.... to spend the time we always wished we had investing in our kids and growing our family. It's been such a blessing, too! How many times do we really take the time to look around us at what God has provided? The beautiful kids; the financial provision thus far; the promises of His word; His creation around us?

It's hard to not get caught up in what people expect: the fear and panic of not having a paycheck come in every two weeks. We got Jason's last work check today in the mail, and that did kind of make a new set of reality sink in.... But then I remembered God's promise to me and my family - "I promise to give you a future and a hope." (Jer. 29:11)

In the midst of filling out numerous applications, visiting dealerships (and actually having an interview at one!), cleaning and preparing the house for my momma's visit, we decided to STOP..... and enjoy each other - to encourage and build each other up - to remember the things that are imporatant in life....

Here's what we did this week:

We rode bikes and played with chalk

Helped daddy unload his toolboxes

Played with waterguns and bubbles

Someone didn't like being hit with the watergun...

Practiced getting ready for Pre-K!

And best night of all - we got to go over to one of my closest friend's pools and hang out. The kids had a BLAST!

 

Is it me, or does Josh look entirely too grown up in this picture??!! Where's my little boy?

So in the midst of the storms of life, remember to be thankful for the rain it brings, and the refreshment you get out of it - you always come out renewed and stronger than before...

Thankful Thursday - Extreme Couponing?

Being a math teacher, I think in numbers....I see the world around me in "math language"... so when I shop for groceries, I am ALWAYS on the lookout for the best possible savings. And then I started watching TLC's "Extreme Couponing"......So I bought TEN newspapers this past Saturday.....and sorted the coupon inserts.....

Normally, our family of six can easily spend $200+ at the store getting our basic grocery needs for the week. The cost includes of course the necessary items that companies KNOW you need, so charge more than an arm and a leg for like diapers, baby items, and lunch snacks. I have been trying for a while to find a good way to get the things we need without having to spend SO much money. I hate money...there's never enough, and there's always that stress of needed a little bit more to get by. Then there's the fact that my husband is soley commission, so it's very hard to make a set budget every two weeks. But I'm learning....

After watching the show, I learned a few techniques on saving money.

1. Shop the sales
2. If something is on sale, or the store has a promotion, AND you have a coupon, stock up on that item - store sales for that item happen about every 6 months
3. Do not take all the kids - they can get restless and will cause you to loose your concentration on "how many" you need, and like to pick up things they want (that we don't need!)
4. Buying more than one newspaper allows you to maximize your savings and use coupons for each item you purchase :)

So, I went to Kroger last weekend after buying my hoard or newspapers...and Jason went with me to see what I've been talking about. He took the big kids and I took the little kids. We needed some items that weren't on sale and didn't have coupons (lunch meat), BUT we bought a lot of other items that I had coupons for and could stock up on. There was a promotion too for General Mills cereal - you buy 4 boxes and you get a $5 gift card. I also had a $0.75 off per box coupon...so four boxes cost me $8, and I got $5 for the next trip! We saved 50% that night!!

And then I went yesterday..... I shoped for our family of six for two weeks, AND bought supplies for our small group, which is coming to our house next Friday.... This would normally total almost $400 worth of groceries and items... What did I pay??? LESS THAN $200!!!! The awesome part is that if you shop at Kroger, you also get 1 point for every dollar you spend there. Your points accumulate and you get 10 cents off per gallon of gas at their gas station or Shell for evert 100 points you have. After loading the van, I went and filled up - and I got 80 cents off per gallon! Here's what we loaded up on:

Some highlits of my shopping trip:

• 4 bottles of Mayo
• 16 boxes of cereal (which gave me a total of $20 off my next shopping trip)
• 14 bottles of Gatorade
• 3 bottles of juicce
• 3 packages of Huggies diapers
• 4 boxes of Wheat Thins Stix
• 8 bottles of baby shampoo/body wash
• 8 packs of yogurt (that will be gone in two weeks with four people who love yogurt!)
• 8 boxes of Nature Valley Granola Thins (plus another $10 off my next shopping trip)

Needles to say, today I am thankful that God has made me to think in numbers...... I can't wait to see if I can make the percentage go even higher!

Thankful Thursday

Joshie

Today is "Thankful Thursday" and today I am thankful for my eldest, Joshua Eric. He is 4 1/2 and has been the biggest blessing to Jason and I. He was our first child to be born, and being newly married (a little over a year when he was born), he taught us that we are not the center of it all. Not only does a baby change everything, a baby also makes you think about your priorities and goals. A baby makes you think about life... To see the heartbeat at 6 weeks gestation is amazing! "For you created my inmost being, knit me together in my mother's womb" ~Psalms 139:13

A monumental even occured earlier this week with Joshua....We registered him for Pre-K at Legacy! I know it seems not that big of a deal, but he's been in the teacher's nursery for the past four years and has grown up in Legacy with me. He's been waiting for this day all year and is so excited to be starting school in the fall. :D

I'm thankful for him because although he's only four and a half, he's my "helper". He's the leader of the pack with the kids and is a good model to them. He's sincere and sensitive towards other people's feelings and he is genuine. He's got a passion for life and is our "warrior". He's growing up, but still likes to cuddle and he's got a lot God has planned for him.

Je T'aims mon petite soleil

Thankful Thursday

Naps....

Need I say more? When we're little we love hate taking naps...but when we have kids, we need naps. Jason's been gone for a week and I am thankful for naps...because without him here I can't sleep as well at night. Funny, isn't it?! I also had Jenna crawl into bed with me last night because she wasn't feeling well, so she has to touch you and then lay ontop of you for her to sleep.

Jenna fell asleep today on the floor, just as you see her in the picture, watching VeggieTales. Thankfully she was able to get some sleep...which allowed mommy a bit of down time as Jayden was also sleeping and Josh was watching his movie.

But do you think I slept? NO! What's wrong with that picture?! Instead I decided to clean the upstairs....ugh, I hate it when I have an opportunity to sleep but my mind has other things planned...Oh well, at least the upstairs is nice and clean! :)

What "little" things are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday

Today's "Thankful Thursday" is about Facebook. Before you totally write off this blog post because it's about social media, hear me out. I've been on facebook for a couple of years now, and it's been totally awesome finding junior high, high school, and college friends and seeing what they're up to. It's been interesting to see how people have changed, or haven't changed over the years. But there's one story in particular that leads me to write this blog post about Facebook.

I never thought I'd be reconnected with her. Have you ever tried to find someone and then after years of searching tend to give up because you just haven't had any luck? I thought that since I couldn't find her through Google, Yahoo, or any other search engine she didn't want to be found. But I was wrong, because she found me!

Let me take you back to 1996. I was in the 8th grade. It was during this time that my mom's brother, my uncle Doug lost his battle with cancer. I had written about him in my 8th grade report about someone I admire. He was dating someone very special to the family. Her name is MaryAnn. He used to tell me all the wonderful stories about the two of them and how much he loved her. He would tell me about his plans for their future and I was so excited. Why? MaryAnn and I connected. She was already like an aunt to me and as long as I could remember she and my uncle were together. But then when he passed away, she was gone.... I was young and we lost touch.

I thought about her often, and wondered what she was doing as I was growing up. I went through high school and college, moved to Texas and now it's 15 years later.....

Tuesday I got a message on Facebook...

It was her....

She had found me!

We talked via messages all day, and it was as if she'd never been gone.

So today I'm thankful for Facebook because it was a tool in bringing the past to the future and making what we thought was lost, just a long awaited reunion....

What are you thankful for today? Don't forget to leave your comments!

Thankful Thursday

"I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine"

Today is "Thankful Thursday"! Sometimes it is really hard to be thankful in the world we live in of "do everything right now, and make everyone happy". Let's admit it - it's more stressful being a 20-something adult in today's world/economy that it was a decage or two ago. It's so easy to get stressed out, and look at the things we don't have, or the things that didn't go right during the day. That's why I'm creating Thankful Thursday :)  To take a break and look at the things that you are thankful for - it really can change your whole outlook on life and you'll have a good day, I promise!

Today I am thankful for my husband, Jason. Out of all the people in the world, God chose me to be his wife. We've been married five and a half years, and have four beautiful children. I am thankful for him because of who God has made him to be. He works hard for our family so that I can stay home Tuesday's and Thursday's. Granted, he's not perfect, but he tries.

He spends quality time with the kids, making each one feel special. After a long day at work, he comes home and still plays games with Josh and Jenna. He sill finds time to cuddle with Julianna and Jayden. And he makes time to talk with me and listen.

This economy might be going south....we may never feel like we have "enough money".....we may be sleep-deprived, frustrated, overwhelmed parents at times....but in the end when our kids grow up and go away to college it's still us. And we're choosing to support one another and to do the best we can at raising our kids God's way.

What are you thankful for today?? (Don't forget to comment!)