Month one: New Years Resolutions

I'm actually really excited to say, that I've stuck with my resolutions pretty well so far this year. January was a good month :) I've been able to work out 3x a week with 10lb. weights for the last 5 weeks, and seem to be a few lbs. lighter already, and feeling more enthusiastic about it. My goal for 4-5x a week has been ruined so far due to these blasted snow days we keep having, but that's another story... I'm hoping next week to start the 5x a week. Hopefully in the next few months I'll be up to 12lb. weights for the 20 min. strength training part of jazzercise :) It has been really good for me to get back into it after the last 3 yrs of being a member. For me it's an amazing stress reliever, and a good way to blow off steam, and have fun. The times when I have to miss, makes me not so happy :( I also love dancing, it's probably why I was so darn skinny in college after all my clubbing days with my friends.

And for my food budget goal, we did pretty good for our first month. Groceries came in right under $300. Eating out was cut way back, and Seavie's snacks as well, but still have room to cut it down this month. Comparably speaking, it seems we saved a few hundred dollars on food. Which is a great thing, because then priorities get reset, saving $, paying more off on debt and bills, being able to give more.

On the $ issue, got our taxes done the other day :) but not thrilled with the new tax laws that cut back the credit on children! that cost us about $1000 right there. So my big goal of using our tax refund to pay off our house debt is going to take a little longer. So the debt snowball is beginning..

And with my thinking the other day of all the $ we'll save this year by cutting back, and saving again, is that we'll have enough $ for our 10 yr wedding anniversary trip next spring 2012!!! So my 2 big goals, of losing weight and saving $ will be perfect timing for our getaway next year :) I'll give you a hint, it involves warm sunny beaches, and one of my favorite sporting events...

How young is too young for facebook

Okay, so I just was on fb, and checking a friend of mine's page. Just happened to see that her daughter (who is one of Grace's close friends) has her own facebook page. And she is ONLY 8 yrs old! I'm sorry, but this is craziness to me, for a child that young to be trusted with that kind of technology. She's also had her own cell phone since she was 5 or 6 yrs old. Her mom is only 25, so maybe she thinks it's all fun and games for her daughter to have these things. This isn't an isolated incident. Seavie also has a young cousin, who is 11 yrs old, and she has her own fb page, and puts all types of things on there she shouldn't. You would think her father (who has been divorced 3x) and is fb friends with her, would know better, and have the heart to want to protect his very young and innocent daughter from the world of fb. Pure craziness!!!! And lets not forget the time last year when I was at the library in the kids area, sitting next to a bunch of pre-adolescent young boys, maybe 10-11? looking at girls facebook pages and my space pages online and talking about who was hotter and who had bigger you know whats. It took all my will not to interrupt them and give them a stern mom lecture. As well as ask them where the heck their parents were, leaving them alone on the computer to look at that.

I have just started reading "Bringing up Girls" by Dr.Dobson. I'm just a few chapters in, and I'm sure this issue is addressed in the book. But more than anything, as a mom of a daughter, it is my role, and Seavie's role to protect that childhood innocence of Grace as long as possible. I know that it's a new technological age that we live in, and it's becoming to be the norm, but I'm just not okay with it. E-mail acct. maybe in a few yrs, and fb isn't supposed to be open to kids under 14 or 15, even though they can figure out ways around it. When I was in HS, maybe 15 or so, and when the internet was a relatively new world to me, I discovered the crazy world of chat rooms. I don't know that my parents really knew that I did that. But I remember being a stupid young teenage girl, pretending to be older and prettier than in real life. Talking with older boys, one of whom wanted to do phone s*x, and the other, dirty old man, talking about a "thrill on blueberry hill" like the oldies song. Luckily I had enough common sense to not do those things, and end the chat rooms after that point, because it scared the heck out of me. I might have even confessed to my mom, I don't remember. The point being, that young kids and technology need to have set boundaries and limits in place to protect them. It is our role as parents to protect our children from the outside worldly influences.

This is also why, when we remodel our bedroom/living room, that our old walk-in-closet, will be turned into an open office area, with NO door. That will be right off of the kitchen and living room, so it won't be in a secluded spot. It's in a place where when our kids are old enough and use the computer more frequently can't go off and hide and feel like they are outside of the boundaries set for them. It's also why they will never have their own tv or phone in their room as well. Seavie and I had these rules growing up at our own homes, and want to enforce the same rules for our kids. Even though we might have been upset about it in middle school and HS, it was something to be thankful about later. To have a parent that looks out for you and protects you. That we as Christian parents would be able to fight against the worldly influences that are out there trying to get our children's attention.

Answers in Genesis.....Dinosaurs!

I had the opportunity to take the kids this morning to part of the Answers in Genesis conference that was held at a local church, and was led by Ken Hamm. He works with the group that built the Creation Museum in N.Kentucky http://creationmuseum.org/ and is working on the Ark Encounter http://arkencounter.com/ Both of which places sounds amazing spots for future family vacations!

Anyways, this morning he was speaking to K-5th graders (homeschool, christian, and public school kids) about the truth about Dinosaurs and the Bible. I was so thrilled to hear him speak, because it wasn't really until last fall when I studied Genesis with cbs, that it all completely made sense to me. (It also didn't help that I grew up reading National Geographic, which can be totally confusing to a young child without the creation view).

From a biblical perspective, he said that the earth is only around 6000 yrs old. And that the flood happened about 4500 yrs ago (so when the earth was only 1500 yrs old, Noah built the ark). How it was presented was that there were 7 "ages" of the dinosaurs. 1. Formed (when they were created). 2. Fearless (when they lived with other animals and humans without violence or death) 3. Fallen (after sin and death- and when animals and humans went from being herbivores- to carnivores). 4. Flood (large dinosaurs wiped out,fossils spread all over the earth baby dinosaurs (lizards) in the ark) 5. Faded- when they died (became extinct) 6. Found (when people found out they were real, and not pretend animals) 7. Fiction (evolutionist telling people dinosaurs are millions of yrs old vs. the reality of a few thousand)

He has it all in detail in a book called "Dinosaurs for kids" by Ken Hamm. Which you can find on half.com or amazon.com. Which they were all sold out of at the conference, but I plan on getting a copy for my kids. Braden loves dinosaurs but I just hate all the books that talk about them being millions of yrs old and all the different dinosaur periods, etc. The term dinosaur wasn't even coined until 1841. He said that the avg. size of "dinosaurs" were the size of sheep and chickens. He also used lots of scriptures references from Job 40 (behemoth) , and Isaiah (leviathan). Talking about dragons of the land and of the sea, and how pretty much every culture has a dragon story or a flood story. How they are all correlated. It was all great information for Grace to hear.

As a parent of kids in public school, to make sure that my kids know the truth 100% from the bible, and not get sucked into the evolution view when they are older in science class. More than anything to know that the Bible is true, and the words and stories can be trusted. Last year while studying Genesis, and Exodus, I was doing research online. You know you always hear stories of what supposedly happened to Noah's ark, and where the Israelites crossed the Red Sea. I came across the most wonderful picture and video evidence from Ron Wyatt (which I guess there is a little controversy over, since he was a freelance archaeologist) But to me, the evidence all looks real, and I think that God will reveal what he wants to reveal, irregardless of their background. That God uses those people to get the truth out to others who might doubt the truth. I highly, highly recommend to go to http://www.squidoo.com/noahsarkfound It has all the documentation of his findings and pictures, evidence etc. and for the Mt.Sinai/red sea crossing go to: http://www.biblediscoveries.com/content/view/48/56/ Also you can search youtube for the actual video footage of his trip to the red sea crossing site, where he actually found marker stones on each side, and a underwater land bridge; as well as the charred mountain top, and boundary stones, calf altar. I think that the information presented makes a very good case for the truth. I have always had a love of archaeology and actually have the archaeological bible as well, but I am such a visual learner, that this type of documentation completely makes it all come alive. I also plan on sitting down with the kids and explaining the pictures and videos to them, so they can see stories almost come to life from the Bible. Anyways, I really hope you'll take the time sometime to check out the links and videos above. God is amazing!

Girls and their dolls

My parents called me early one weekend morning before Christmas, and told me they were going to the mall to get Grace and American Girl doll. I was a little dazed at first, one because they woke me up, but two, it just took me by suprise. Grace loves the books, and that's all she has known of the American Girl world. So she got her doll for Christmas and was so excited, because it has glasses just like her, and brown hair. So on New Years Day, we went to eat lunch at 5 guys at the mall, and I told Grace we could go into the American Girl store after lunch, to "look only". She thought it was fun to see all the different dolls and outfits, and see all the book characters in doll form. She never once asked for anything in the store :) She was totally content too look and be on her way. Which is totally fine with me.

It was an experience in itself being there and seeing the store packed with families and coming out with bags and bags of stuff. But that could be any store at the mall really. I have this crazy thing that I used to absolutely love the mall and shop there all the time in HS and college. But since then it just hasn't appealed to me. I just don't do well in crowds of masses of people. It freaks me out. So people watching is my fun thing that I love to do around large groups of people. We must have been the only people walking out of the store without anything. Seavie refused to come into the store, and just stayed in the car with Braden because it was overwhelming to him too.

I talked to someone the other day who bought her 6 yr old daughter 6 dolls @$100 a piece, plus outfits and accessories. She just said that she had asked for them, so she just got them for her. I have no problem with the dolls and the store. I think it's cute and fun. I do think there is a lesson to be learned for parents so that their kids don't grow up having a sense of entitlement. Meaning just because they want something right this very moment, doesn't means that mommy or daddy will buy it for them. This goes for toys, clothes, phones, etc. Not to say that you can't buy your kids nice things, because every parent wants that for their children. But especially at that age, to make them realize what it means to buy that item. To be able to earn an allowance, to save up money to buy a special item etc. Just my food for thought for the day...

A trip down memory lane

My sister and I were invited to a cookie exchange at our old house we grew up in, the week before Christmas. I am friends with the new owners who have lived there almost 7 years now. I had been back to the house a few times prior to that, which had been fun to re-live those memories of growing up in that house from the time I was 7 1/2- almost 23. She had some sad news that day, that her husband (who had been out of work for almost 3 yrs now) was offered a job in TX, and they will be moving this spring. So we'll be able to go back and visit the house probably one more time before they move and say goodbye. Since I'm sure the new owner's would probably think I was crazy to want to see my old house. I know it's a privilege that most people don't get. But I'm just glad I've had the opportunity to do that.

To a lighter note, all the neighborhood moms came to the party. They all looked exactly as I remembered them, just a little older. There did seem to be a common theme that they were all trying to dress and act much younger than they actually are. Maybe that's what happens when you reach your 50's, I don't know. But my sis and I found it to be absolutely hilarious. With 2 neighbors specifically, had turned into "cougars". Talking about pole dancing clubs, and drinking etc. dressed like they're out for a night on the town. You could have a whole tv show on the "Desperate Housewives of Johnson County" just in our old cul-de-sac.

The other funny, or sad part of that story depending on how you see it, is what happened to their kids:

One mom, had 3 boys, and they all played sports. Well she intentionally held back all 3 of them a year, one of them 2 years in school, so they'd have an advantage in playing competitive sports. 2 of them went on to play football at TCU, and the 3rd one was 24 and about to graduate, and didn't make the team. You could tell she was visibly disapointed in the 3rd son.

Another mom, the cougar mom, gave her daughter drinks of her beer when she was a toddler. And now her daughter is a wild 21 yr old, and mom and daughter go out drinking together.

A couple I used to babysit from my old church had 4 kids. The 2 oldest boys fought like cats and dogs over who got to play nintendo. So much so that whenever I watched them, they were banned from playing it because it irritated me so badly. I sent them outside to play. Their mom said they still are obsessed with gaming to the point where they've shut out other aspects of their lives. The couple is now divorced and their kids are all a mess.

I vividly remember being 10-11 years old when I first started babysitting and saw all these different things going on in the neighborhood that have always stuck with me, things that you never forget, that would affect my views of how I did/did not want to parent. It made me sad for one, what had happened to those families. But more than anything the huge impact we have on our children's lives by the decisions we make for them when they are growing up. Decisions that play into their character and personality for the rest of their lives. I know that no family has the perfect life, and their is always a degree of some dysfunction, but to give the kids a good head start early on.

Opportunities this year brings

I have the opportunity to get back into Interior Design/Historic Preservation work on a consultant basis, possibly as a Project Manager for the Pleasanton Hotel. A project I worked on briefly in 2005. I am thrilled about the potential to get involved with this again.

I've been nominated by the Director, and my supervisor, to be on aapc's Banquet commitee for Oct.2011. I will be the Banquet Reservations coordinator. Which involves a lot of detail oriented, data entry work for around 5,000-6,000+ banquet guests.

There is another opportunity, but that's still a secret for now :) and no, it doesn't involve a baby.

Speaking of babies though, I will be welcoming a new nephew at the end of May. He makes nephew #3. And possibly welcoming a niece or nephew by the end of the year if my sister has a baby. So it will be a fun year for babies!

I also finally talked to my neighbor a few days ago about Foster Care! (I had talked to Seavie about the idea several months ago, and it went over suprisingly well) She was a foster parent for 12 years, and had a lot of good truthful info to share with me about her experiences. Our next step would be to go through the 30 hr. training class, sponsored through a local agency. All of the adjustments it would have on our family wouldn't be too bad, but the biggest hold up right now is our cars. They are paid for, and we plan on keeping them paid for. But if we were wanting to take up to 2 foster children, or eventually adopt 2 children, we would have to probably replace the Tahoe for a Suburban, or some 3 row SUV. No Minivan's are in my future (sorry to my friends who love them, but they are NOT me). And before we could buy a new car with cash, our debt would all need to be paid off, which won't happen at least for maybe 1-2 years depending. So now it's just an issue of knowing we want to make a difference, but when the timing would be right to get involved. Whether it's now, or in 1 1/2 years when I'm back at work. I know God's timing is perfect, and it's something that we have to pray about as a family.

So those are the big things that may bring some extra busyness to my life this year, along with keeping up with my 2 kiddos!

New Years Resolutions

I have never really been known to make new years resolutions, let alone stick with them. This year is going to be different. Here are my top 10 New Year's Resolutions:

1. Work out 4-5x a week with a goal of losing 25-30 lbs. by my 30th b'day in June. I really want to wear my cute skinny clothes this summer again :)

2. Getting the food part of our budget finally under control (it's been 2 yrs in the making). Seavie and I are in agreement- no snacks, eating out only 2x a month, and starting e-mealz to help budget food$ and eat at home every day. As part of that food issue, we are both going to cut back on sweets, and hopefully be able to lose weight eating better. (So far this week we've had no setbacks)

3. Using the extra $ we used to spend on food, and working hard on paying off our debt (99% home improvement related) with the debt snowball!!!

4. Spending more time doing my weekly bible study and reading the bible.

5. Reading more books in general, instead of time on the computer. On my list is: The Power of Half, Bringing up boys, Bringing up girls, and the full unabridged 1300 pg. Les Miserables (that I read about 15 yrs ago, and loved)

6. Getting up earlier and spending more time with my family. (I'm not a morning person at all, so this will take some effort)

7. Spending more time with the kids doing fun things and playing together.

8. Working on setting new family traditions this year for holidays, and sticking with it.

9. Being bold in my life.

10.Doing things that I've always dreamed of.

New School...

I just found out Monday night, that Grace's school that she's been at the last 3 years, will be closing next school year. *Due to privacy reasons, I'm not mentioning the name(s), so if you could do me a favor to not post that as well, I'd appreciate it* It had been something we knew might be happening over the last few months, but were just praying that it wouldn't happen. Initially, it was going to be that all the kids would transfer to the same school. Now it has been decided that the kids will be split between 2 different schools. Good news for us, the one she'll go to is a lot closer. The bad news is that she will lose most of her best friends to the other school, since they live on the other side of the main street we live off of. She will still have about 6 friends that are girls that will be going to the same school, but her 4 closest friends will be at the other school. So they will be apart for the next 4 yrs, and then together again in middle school. Hard to believe that's only 5 years away! Yikes... On the plus side, she does have an old best friend who she went to pre-school with for 2 years, that goes to her new school. So she'll have at least one good friend from her new school. She's handling it pretty well so far, even though she's really disappointed, since she loves her school.

I shared with her that I moved schools half way through 2nd grade when my parents moved to OP from MO. And Seavie shared with her that he moved schools when he was in 3rd grade, after they moved back from TX. Grace at least has the advantage of having friends transfer with her, as opposed to losing them all together. It was just one of those things as a parent, that you wish you could not have your child experience if they didn't have to. She's already lost 3 good friends that have moved away. In the area where we live I know it's not going to be avoidable.

So in the meantime, we're staying involved with the current school as much as possible. With family nights and book fairs etc. To have lots of good memories. It will also be the last year for her to have her G.G. pick her up from school once a week, since the new school will be .3 miles farther away, it will be too much of a walk for them. So that tradition will end 1 yr earlier than it would have. So she's kind of sad about that.

The True Meaning of Christmas

"What if your friends and family chose to buy gifts for themselves and spent time on YOUR birthday enjoying the gifts they had purchased? Would you feel left out? Forgotten? Unloved? I wonder if Jesus feels loved when His birthday is celebrated around the world. Does he feel appreciated for the purpose He was born or does He feel forgotten?" a quote from "One Million Moms"

I saw this posted on facebook today, and it really got me thinking. It's an issue that always pulls at my heart this time of year, and it is focusing on the real meaning of Christmas. For most of you who know me well, you know that excessive consumerism really bothers me. It's just the time of the year, with ads for absolutely everything imaginable for things that you might not need otherwise.

I'm amazed at all the commercials on qubo channel for kids items. The kids love watching them, but I always give them the disclaimer, that just because you see it on tv, does not mean that you're going to get it. The only exception to this, is that my sister got them both pillow pets, and they are thrilled to pieces with. I just think in general that kids are bombared with all these cool things, that they think, "I want this, and I want that." Although my kids generally aren't gimme gimme kind of kids, I do have them watch the same 2 movies every year. The first being, "The Toy that saved Christmas." It's a veggie tales movie, and the story is to teach kids what the true meaning of Christmas is, that it is Jesus's birthday, and not all about the presents. The second, is "Charlie Brown Christmas." I just watched that this morning with Braden, and I just love the timeless message of how we can get caught up in all the shopping and presents, and lose focus of the fact that we should be celebrating the true meaning of Christmas.

I've taken the simplistic approach to decorating for Christmas this year.We have our nativity set on top of the piano, with Happy Birthday Jesus cards, that the kids have made over the years, as well as a soft nativity set that the kids can play with on their level. We also have the tree in all it's glory, and our stockings, but I've pretty much put away all the Santa themed stuff away. The kids did go see Santa at Bass Pro the other day and loved it. I don't emphasize Santa a lot, just for the simple fact of keeping the focus on where it should be at Christmas, Jesus's Birthday. When I was in Kindergarten, I vividly remember riding home from school on the bus, and telling a little boy that Christmas was Jesus's Birthday, and there was no Santa, and he was in tears. I was trying to be a bold little witness I guess. I haven't been as blunt to tell the kids that there is no Santa (even though I wish I could), because there is some fun with it. -side note-I will tell them flat out that there is no Easter Bunny, because that's another holiday that has been overridden with consumerism. Gift Baskets, of disproportionate sizes, all the candy etc. For some kids it can be easy for them to get distracted by all the pretend stuff, and lose focus of what's really important, like celebrating Jesus dying for our sins, and rising again. We will do the Ressurection eggs.When I was growing up, we'd have gift baskets, that had a spiritual theme- worship tape/cd, worship piano book, cross necklace, devotional, and some candy. Which I think is a more appropriate thing that what you see at the stores in the pre-packaged easter baskets.

In keeping with simplicity this year, I already told the kids, to not expect what they got last year to be a standard thing by any means. We're keeping it with 3 gifts per child, which is symbolic of the 3 gifts given to Jesus when he was a baby, by the 3 wise men. Which this year, is clothes, books, and a toy (or video). They also got toy story 1,2,3 for FREE! from our debit card points :) which was a nice bonus.Things that they can use and need, but won't be thrown in the closet with their other things only to be forgotten about later. I'm also teaching them what it's like to give things to those less fortunate who don't have as much. By donating things to local charity, or helping a friend in need, to let them know that there are people out there who would be lucky to have those things that they can sometimes take forgranted.

That's one thing I really appreciate my parents doing when my sister and I were younger. They would give away toys/clothes we didn't use anymore and donate to the Salvation Army. My parents were also involved with Habitat for Humanity downtown, and every year around Christmas we would ride with Salvation Army-Meals on Wheels program, to go with them to deliver in person, meals to homeless people living in the city. I think that is a huge thing to teach children compassion at such an early age. I can't wait till Braden is just a little older that we can start doing things like that in our community. My sister and I grew up well off. We never wanted for anything. So to counter us living in affluent South JOCO, my dad, who worked in downtown KC at the time, thought that would be a good idea to expose us to what the rest of the world was like. Even when we would go on vacation, ex.NYC, or Washington DC, to point out the homeless and less fortunate, not in a form of ridicule, but to open our eyes to the reality of the world that we live in. The funny part of this story is that my sister and I were both exposed to these same things, but we have different hearts. We both took away from the same events, different things. My sister who now works in downtown KC, has become a little indifferent to people begging for money on the streets etc. Where as if I see someone out in the cold in makes me cry. It's just the heart and personality that God gave us, and how we use those experiences to serve him better. So I encourage my friends who have kids old enough to do the same to make sure your kids know about life outside of what I called our JOCO Bubble. That there is diversity, there are those less fortunate, to see things through God's eyes, not societies eyes.

My prayer is that we would not forget that Jesus is the Reason for the season. To read the bible story to our kids, do advent bible verses, as a time of prayer and reflection leading up to Christmas. That we would celebrate Christmas in a way that would glorify God, and not make Jesus feel unloved or forgotten.

Also check out this awesome organization, "Advent Conspiracy," www.adventconspiracy.org where their goal is to replace consumption with compassion!!! Their 4 main points are: Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, Love All.

Thrifty Christmas Shopper 2010

This marks the 3rd Christmas in a row that we have had debt free shopping expenses!!! ( See Nov.25,2009 post for more details...) We have 15 people total to shop for, and if we didn't have a budget, we would be in some serious trouble! This year our budget is $150, so it evens out to not more than $10 a person. Some have come in at less, some at a little more, but overall staying under that #. We have been able to do that the last 3 years thanks to some awesome sales and bargain shopping.

This year again, has been all about simplifying. I have been selling a ton of stuff, and donating a fairly equal amount to charity. Spending less on Christmas with more heartfelt gifts, opens up your heart to give to those who are truly in need this season. Whether it be a local food pantry, city union mission, samaritan's purse, etc. It leaves you with more money left to give to where it really counts. I've just started reading about the Advent Conspiracy Organization, and I love the concept- of keeping the focus on Christ, and keeping it simple.

I know that some of you might not be comfortable shopping at thrift stores-like my 2 favs- turnstyles and salvation army. I'll be the first to admit that when I was younger, I thought only poor, homeless people shopped there, and refused to ever visit. Seriously. So if some of you are thinking about where to do some of your holiday shopping, would you rather give money to giant corporations-who might not even recognize or celebrate "Merry Christmas", or would you rather buy things from someone on CL who has a true need for the extra $; or from a thrift store, where anywhere from 85-100% of the proceeds go direcly to help families that are in need and hurting during this season. Then you get the dual benefit on finding awesome deals, and helping someone in need at the same time.

Just for curiosity sake, I went through and added up how much had been spent at the 2 main thrift stores, plus about 4 other ones we don't frequent as much from the last 3 years. The results were shocking to me. It came in just over $1550.00 . I'm not putting this on here to brag, but merely to show an example of where you'd rather be spending your $. I have a hard time sometimes, when our budget can be tight, wanting to give more but there doesn't seem like enough to make a difference. By shopping at these stores, getting items that we needed anyways-generally clothes (for the kids and seavie), books, toys, household things. The proceeds are going to help people in dire need of assistance in our communities. Even choosing to donate things to your local thrift store, can bring in revenue to help those in our community. Even choosing to buy 2nd hand things from people on craigslist which a lot of times can be practically new, can be a great way to save money. Just in the last few weeks I've talked to several craigslisters that have lost jobs, or been laid off. And so they're trying to make ends meet. That can also be an indirect way to help people in need.

I also love selling unused stuff around our house on craigslist. My motto now is, if it's not being used, then it's either being donated, given to a friend in need, or sold. It is pretty much at bare essentials now. The kids closets seem practically empty, which I'm totally okay with. It reduces the clutter in the house-less to clean up after, all the way around. Selling old toys/games etc. of the kids, gives $ to use towards their Christmas presents this year. Selling random stuff around the house helps pay off unexpected bills, especially medical bills. Since I'm not working, it's really been a great source of income to help provide for our family. And the biggest bonus is, it helps us stay out of debt, and working towards paying off house debt.

On the flip side of selling/donating all this stuff around the house, it helps keep me from being materialistic. Not that I every really was (except in high school), but that if I had to walk away from everything, I would be totally okay with it. That I don't own anything that isn't worth parting with. Just give me the family pictures and memory boxes, and I'm totally okay with that. I know it's a crazy mentality to have in this culture today, but less is more for me. Just enjoying the simple things in life.

**If any of my friends reading this are blessed to have dual family incomes, or a hubby that makes a generous salary, then that's awesome. We've been pretty much living on a very modest income since we got married almost 9 years ago, and it has been rough at times, but I'm so thankful that I can look back at how our mindset has completely shifted in the last few years, especially when times have been tough, and seen God provide, and allow for me to find creative ways to give to my families and friends.**