The Hostest with the Mostest

I have to give a big shout out to Jen, our host for the evening! We had a wonderful time hanging out at her house with her family and friends. There was amazing Ethiopian food like injera, beef stew and more. I actually enjoyed all of it. I'm a very picky eater but went with a great attitude and was pleasantly surprised.

Jen and her hubby are off to pick up their sweet baby boy in about 6 weeks. I have been praying for so long about their journey. They are amazing parents to their three girls and I know Jonas will be just as loved. What a blessing to watch this journey they have been on!

Also found out tonight that Jen and Dustin will most likely be able to travel with Julie and Mark, some other good friends of ours. How neat is that? We've all been praying about that for a while. Just when we thought it wasn't possible, God is opening up doors. I can't wait to meet all three of these wonderful little ones that are coming home to new families!

Jen and Julie, I want you both to know just how special you are and how much I'm praying for you! They Lord has sure blessed me with your friendships! Love you both!!

What to carve?

Here is the pumpkin I carved two years ago...

Curious George

Tomorrow night we're going to a party where there will be a contest for the best carved pumpkin. I've got some good ideas swirling around but I'll take suggestions!

It's one of those days...

I'm might loose my mind before it's over!!

My Grocery Trip

So many are shocked when I tell them we stay on a tight grocery budget of about $85 per week. That means everything from milk & cheese to diapers & paper towels. I've been doing it for so long that it doesn't seem unreasonable. In fact, I'm glad Jeff bumped me up about $20 this year.

That's why I decided to post a picture and list the items I got. There were some great deals and plenty of free items! Like the Spaghetti O's... they paid me a penny per can to take them home and the salad was free!

Deals from Frys...

1 Box Capri Suns
1 Container Jif Peanut Butter
1 Box Tyson Chicken Patties
1 Bag Tyson Chicken Tenders
4 Cans Chili Beans
2 Cans Libby's Green Beans
2 Cans Chicken Broth
1 Can Black Beans
3 Rolls Bounty Paper Towels
1 Box Ziploc Sandwich Bags
2 Boxes Mama Bella Garlic Bread
1 Container Quaker Oat Meal
1 Box Quaker Instant Oatmeal
1 Bag Dole Salad
1 Bag Mozzerella Cheese
1 Container Riccotta Cheese
3 Boxes Mac & Cheese
4 Milk (1/2 Gallon)
2 Hunts Pasta Sauce
6 Cans Spaghetti O's
2 Cans Tomato Soup
2 Cans Chicken Noodle Soup
1 Box Croutons
1 Container Vegetable Oil

Total before Card and Coupons $94.26
Card Savings and coupons $59.87
Grand Total $34.39

Jeff's mouth dropped open when he saw the total. Then they scanned my card and coupons and his mouth dropped even further! I actually forgot a $1 coupon so it would have been less. It's always fun for me to take the challenge of staying within my budget. I take pride in the fact that I'm saving money and still feeding my family well.

I wish I would have taken pictures of the items I purchased at the other grocery stores but I forgot. One of these days I'll post about our menu and what we actually eat each week. Then maybe I'll let you in on my secrets of stocking up on different items each week to keep us going!

Tagged...

I've actually been tagged by two different people now so I guess I should get on this...
Heidi and Jen both had some really random stuff to share. We'll see what I can come up with!

1. I love the # 5. I think it's because I was born on March 5th. I've loved it since I was a little girl. Interesting that we have 5 people living in our home!

2. It's strange that I love #5 because I don't care for odd numbers. I often stop the microwave or TV volume on an even number because I just like them more.

3. About a year ago I realized that the show King of Queens is talking about Queens, NY. Duh!

4. I would love to be a nurse on the Labor and Delivery floor someday. I think it would be so much fun to care for those women in labor and watch new life being born each day. When my kids are all in school I just might go back myself!

5. As a child and even an adult I loved mashed potatoes but with each pregnancy my tastes changed. While pregnant with Josh I couldn't eat them. Then with Seth I loved them again. Jake came along and I couldn't stand them. Now I eat them but they're not my favorite :o)

6. I love being in the kitchen! Baking, cooking, trying new things. I just don't know if I could actually do it professionally because I'm a really picky eater. It would be easier for me to tell you a list of things I would eat then a list that I wouldn't!

7. I can say the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish. It's because I was in a bilingual class in 2nd and 6th grade. It was fun and I learned quite a bit of Spanish.

So now I'm tagging 7 other people...
Sherry
Jodi
Barbie
Shawnie
Amber
Jenny
Mark

Have fun... I can't wait to see your answers!!

Jedi Training

On our recent trip to Disneyland the boys were very excited to visit Star Tours, the ride. Last time neither of them were big enough but this time both made the height requirements. They don't know much about Star Wars and had only seen one of the actual movies. Their friends talk about it and so in their eyes, it's the greatest!

So when Jeff and I were checking out the shows and attractions we were interested to see they had a new Jedi Training Show. Sounded like fun but we didn't mention it to the boys because we knew they would be bugging us all day. At one point my Dad and Jeff went to ride Space Mountain while the rest of us all hung out. Then Star Wars music started to play and caught the boys attention attention. Soon an announcement was made that the show and training was about to start. We made our way toward the stage and here's what happened next...

The "Master" came out and started picking younglings to train.
Josh got on the stage...

Seth was jumping up and down and the "Master" laughed and said
"You, the youngling that is very excited, come up and help me."
Do you see the blue circles they're standing on?
At one point the "Master" told all of them to look down at the circle.
Seth looked down for a good 3 minutes because he was so nervous.
Finally the "Master" told him he could look up.
I had tears in my eyes because he was trying so hard to be a good listener!

Practicing their new moves...

Josh was actually fighting Darth Vader on stage with the "Master."

Storm Troopers were also trying to get in on the action

This is serious stuff!

In the end they were both awarded diplomas.
Now they are officially Padawans, students of the Ancient Jedi Training.

They were bummed that they didn't get to keep the costume or light saber!
They did however get Mickey Mouse light sabers as souvenirs.
Jeff and I were happy because they cost under $5!

Why Leave?

In the past year I've heard of several Moms who have chosen to end their marriages and leave families behind. It just blows my mind that you could turn around and walk away. What on earth would seriously possess a mother to do this? All I can think about is that the evil one is working overtime to get into families and home and rip them apart. It breaks my heart to see these husbands and children left behind to pick up the pieces! I pray that God will cause these women to have a change of heart and reconsider their decisions! I know the Lord could "fix" the things that seem so wrong and they could live a long, happy life with their family by their sides!

For I know the plan I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a bright future! Jeremiah 29:11

Join and support...

I was on Heidi's blog this morning and found this...

They are asking 1 million women to join to help find a cure! Please consider it, there's not too much time involved and it looks like they have several at-home kits you use.

Please click here to learn more...

www.armyofwomen.org

Where do they come up with it?

This morning Seth, my 4 year old, wanted to take the Bible with him in Grandma's car. He asked me what the whole name of his Bible was. I said "It's the Holy Bible." Then he replied "Holy Bible" the way someone would say "Holy Cow!" It cracked my Mom and I up. We had a talk about the way you actually say it because we wouldn't want to be disrespectful to God.

Last week Josh, my 7 year old, wanted to help me make the meatballs for spaghetti. Side note, we use turkey because it's healthier and we all enjoy the flavor more. Back to my story, I told him to go ahead and squish in all the seasons. He was a bit grossed out so I reminded him that once he becomes a chef/baker, he would have to do this kind of thing. He looked at me so seriously and said "Mom, that's why I'll hire people to do this kind of work for me!" Oh if only we could all hire people to work for us... I guess he's got it all planned out.

The Longest Night Ever

Last Wednesday night the boys an I ran to IKEA with my Mom and sister. It was a great night and we got a few good deals. On the way home Grandma treated everyone to a surprise treat from Sonic. About 20 minutes from home Jacob started screaming and crying like he was in pain. About 5 minutes later he was throwing up. At some point that night he started running a slight fever but I just figured it was bug and it would quickly pass.

On Sunday he was still running a fever so I kept him home from church. We ran over to urgent care because I was concerned about how long the fever had been hanging on. They checked him for strep and ear infections but nothing showed up. At that point I was told it was just viral and would pass in 7-10 days.

By Tuesday when the fevers were still getting up to 103 every 4 hours or so I was truly concerned. Then I notice that he was having a hard time turning his neck but wasn't sure what to think. My Mom kept him at her house so none of our high school students would catch anything. That night I took my sister home and was visiting with my Mom when I noticed he had a small bulge on the left side of his neck. I started putting all the pieces together and was a little freaked out! I did what every good Mom does and headed to the internet to see what it could be. Then it hit me, what if it was meningitis?

I called up a friend who is a nurse and she said to me, "Stacey, don't mess around with this. You need to get him in tonight." She went on to say that it sounded like it could possibly be meningitis and they may have to do a spinal tap. She said we should go to the children's hospital because they are trained to work with kids and would take great care of him. My Mom and sister came and picked me up and we headed down to the hospital.

After we waited for a few hours we were finally seen by the doctor and she was concerned. Finally the test results came back and said he did not have meningitis but Lymphadenitis. Basically his lymph nodes are swollen due to infection. The gave him an IV antibiotic and sent us home with a prescription for antibiotics that he will take for the next 10 days.

We are still waiting for the test results to come back on mumps but I'm praying those will be negative! Thank you Lord that it wasn't anything too scary and they were able to treat it quickly!

Here he is after the first IV

He was so tired after fighting the nurses...

Here he is after the second IV... he was back asleep in minutes!

My Rockstar Baby

This picture cracks me up! I had been playing with his hair and puffing it up so he looks hilarious! He loves to play with Josh's guitar. Sorry it's blurry, I used my cell.

My College Guy

That's right ladies, I'm married to a college man! I'm really excited as Jeff and I begin this new time in our lives. Jeff is finally going back to college. He attended Moody Bible Institute for 3 years in Chicago but had to leave due to the horrible relationship he was in. For the last 9 I've been trying to get him to go back (not Chicago, college). Well a couple weeks ago he called and said "I finally did it, I signed up and I'm going back to school."

So by the end of 2009 he will graduate with his bachelor's degree in business. It's going to be tough for the next year because the boys won't see him on Wednesday nights but it will be worth it in the end. Who knows how many new doors this will open for him!

I love you Jeff and I'm proud of you for taking this next step towards your goal!!

Knot on the Noggin

So this is what your 15 month old will look like on the way to the ER after a high school boy runs into him and he does a face plant on the driveway...

He's fine now but it was really scary at first!!

Racing for a cure

My Mom has started a team and we're Racing for a Cure next month! I would love to have you join our team or show support by giving. Our team goal is $1000. You can get more info here (sorry, you'll have to copy and paste)...


https://www.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=275924&lis=1&kntae275924=4D8393BE5AC94700995EB72413FAEFD4&supId=0&team=3163691&cj=Y

15 months already?

God truly blessed our home with this little guy!
I often wonder what would have happened if we wouldn't have tried to get pregnant again.
We would have missed such a beautiful blessing in our lives!
He is so happy and content with life.

Today we celebrate 15 months of his life on earth and I couldn't be more happy!
Thank you Lord for such a sweet little guy.

The Land of Mouse...

We leave bright and early in the morning to visit Mickey! We're hitting the beach tomorrow, Disneyland on Saturday, California Adventure on Sunday and heading home on Monday. It should be exciting! We're hoping the boys are old enough to really enjoy the rides and adventure. We haven't been since Seth was two so we'll see how he does... last time he punched Mickey right in the gut. I was mortified then but am able to laugh now. He's probably the kind of kid they train for :o)

I'll keep you posted and have pictures up soon...

High School Camp Pictures

Where does the time go?

On July 29th, 2001 he came into our world.
He was a peanut weighing in at 5 lbs 13 oz & less that 19 inches long.
We were so proud of him from the start!
It's so crazy how time flies by and kids grow and change.
Now he's about 70 lbs, 4' 3" tall and wears a size 4 1/2 shoe!
It was like we blinked and now he's in the 2nd grade...

His cool new backpack

Seth never wants to let him go on the first day

My three boys... what an adventure!

Oh really?

My kids always silly stuff and I thought I would share a couple of the things I've heard recently...

Josh ~ "Did you hear those people speaking Grittish?"

Seth ~ "I'm so glad God gave me super sonic speed, Mom!"

Josh ~ "You've got to be a nut not to be able to get a bronze metal!"

He will provide...

I knew God would provide and I knew what He wanted me to do so why was I struggling so much? I had felt Him tugging at my heart and asking me to step out of my comfort zone to work with High School Students for a few months. He was ready for me to make the change but I was comfortable in the preschool ministry, not yet ready for all that came with a new area of service.

The opportunity even opened up at one point for me to step into a higher position in preschool and I was about to take it. I think He was testing me to see how I would respond. At first I said yes and was about to jump in without a care. Then I realized that I wasn't putting my whole heart into it and there was no way He would bless this silly move. I called Adrienne, our director and confessed that I was really struggling. She totally understood and accepted my resignation over the phone. It was hard to say goodbye to this area of comfort in my life. I knew the routine, the people I served with and I like the extra money it was bringing to our budget. There were tears because I wasn't sure how God would provide.

The first week in the High School area was very different and so loud compared to preschool. These students can talk back and tell you what they think about life! What a shock to my system but I knew God was working in my heart and life. He was blessing me and preparing me before I ever even knew it. The ride was about to take off and all I could do was hang on!

We started GO training and had such a blast watching God work in the students hearts and lives. Jeff and I were so amazed by their talents and gifts. The Lord had really given them some wonderful abilities and they were using them to serve Him in so many ways. Their Faith is huge and we want just a small piece of it.

Life continued and we kept having to pull from savings knowing that God was eventually bring the income needed to help pay the bills. We went on the GO trip and had so much fun. The week after we got back I got an email from our children's director, Adrienne, asking if I would be interested in watching her two young boys. The money she was offering to pay was almost exactly what I had given up two months before. God was screaming "Here's your answer, thank you for being patient and trusting me!"

Everything has been going great. The extra income is just enough. I have been able to attend many of the summer activities and even go to camp with these students. God is using me in ways I never thought possible and it's all because I was willing to step out in faith and trust His will in my life! We are so thankful that when God asks you to follow Him, He always shows up and provides for your needs!

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. Corinthians 9:8