Sound Christmas Advice

From my favorite money man, Dave Ramsey.

Here are the top 10 Christmas shopping mistakes and how you can act differently:

1. Not prioritizing.Instead of getting stressed out with all the parties, baking and shopping, in addition to your normal daily life, set some priorities before you’re bombarded with a million requests. Think about which things are “must do” and which are “would be nice to do.” It’s all right to say no to keep yourself sane. Shopping for gifts is more fun when you’re not completely stressed out.

2. Not using a budget.Before you make a gift list and head to the mall, set aside a reasonable amount of money for gifts. Make a commitment that you won’t add $20 to the fund every week just because you saw something cute that your niece would love. Get budgeting advice here.

3. Using credit cards.Once you have your budget finalized, stay away from credit cards! You will still spend 12-18% more if you use plastic, and you’ll be paying it off come 2009! Doesn’t paying with cash sound more freeing than having a credit card balance looming over your head? You bet.

4. Buying for everyone.Do you really need to buy gifts for every family member and friend you have? That can get overwhelming and expensive for everyone. Talk with them and work toward an agreement to draw names for gifts or donate money to a common cause.

5. Not listening.Listen to the hints your loved ones drop about what they need or want this year. Maybe your Aunt Sally mentioned that she would love someone to help her in the garden, or Cousin Bob keeps losing guitar picks. A thoughtful gift like this will mean a lot.

6. Not having a thought-out list on paper. If you think you can spend time in “Christmas retail world” without getting distracted by all the shiny toys, you’re in for a big surprise! You’ll be more likely to buy impulsively if you do it that way. Write down what each person you’re buying for would like and stick to the list. Stay focused!

7. Not shopping around.“Shopping around” doesn’t mean you have to spend 24 extra hours running from store to store to save 10 cents. Take a look at your gift list and do some comparative price-checking online before you head out into the retail and traffic madness. This will save you money, time and stress!

8. Waiting until the last minute.Procrastination is not the most appealing gift out there. Don’t find yourself stressed out on Christmas Eve just because you didn’t invest a little bit of time to plan.

9. Forgetting to plan for next year.Throughout the next year, look for outrageous sales on things your loved ones will need. If you time the sales just right and clip some coupons, you could land a major discount on something you were going to buy in a few months for a birthday or wedding gift. Remember to have a list and budget for this, too.

10. Forgetting why we celebrate.If this season becomes all about shopping and gifts, you’ve missed the whole point. People—not things—matter. The miraculous birth of a baby who changed the world is what matters.

Blankets, Friends and Makeovers...Oh My!

Finding a meaningful service project for Emma and Reagan is rather difficult. Some of the things I have done with them resulted in me doing most of the work and they didn't really understand what and why we were doing it. This year the girls and I made blankets for the Linas project. They provide blankets for children in shelters, etc. The girls picked out the fabric, Nana paid for it, I cut it and then they tied the whole thing.

It was just the right amount of work for them and they were so proud of the results of their efforts.

This blanket may be a gift for their daddy. Shhh, don't tell him. This secret is safe here since he doesn't read my blog. ha ha I bought the fabric as a christmas gift and then they thought maybe a little boy would like one with footballs.

Olivia experimenting on her own hair. This picture just makes me laugh out loud!

Emma and friend took about 100 pictures of themselves.

Little Olivia after the makeover ...she loved every minute of it.

The bad news of the day starts here...

Time to start hunting for a new car. Our last vehicle came from Roy's Grand in GI...they really treated us right so we'll probably start there. Since our van was totalled out today and we are going to get next to nothing from State Farm Ins, it's time to start asking God for a miracle. I know he can split the waters, feed 5000, cure illnesses, make time stand still...he can surly help us find the right van for our family. The rental goes back on Saturday-ish...I'm dreading being a one car family for a while. Why doesn't Chris go to work at 8:30? ha

Oh Mercy Me!

I have a dilemma on my hands. It's been 7 1/2 days since my accident and I am still not feeling the greatest. As a matter of fact, I feel worse now than I did the day after. Last night we went out for dinner, by the time we were done eating I had to go home. The family went to the NCC basketball game while I went to bed. It's a real bummer having back pain. Not only missing activities but I feel like my family is getting the worst of me. It's so hard to be happy go lucky when you feel crummy. UGH!!

That was a side note there, sorry about the rambling. Tonight I have an opportunity to see Mercy Me. I NEVER go to concerts and really want to attend. What do I do? I guess if I feel crummy I can sit outside in the van until the show is over. :) Nice, huh? Better load up on drugs and hope for the best. Walgreens here I come! Maybe I should have my carpooler drive the van instead of me.

Just a short hello for the day. Liv and I are going for a walk. The chiropractor says brisk walking will help hold my adjustments better than anything else. When I come home it'll be time to hit the ice packs, rest a little, do my Beth Moore study, pick up the girls and then head to Lincoln for the concert.

Friends, have a great weekend.

Oh, I almost forgot. For those of you who thought I was on the Today show this morning...it's wasn't me. :)

Memories on Paper

I did a little scrapbooking this weekend thanks to a cyber crop over at ScrapLove.com. Each one of these layouts was created due to a specific challenge...color, word in a title, design, shape, inspiration, etc. It was fun but I didn't get as much done as I wanted to. I was busy getting in a car accident, going to a football game, hanging out with family...you know the little things. ha ha Just wanted to share a few LOs with my dear ones. I didn't edit/crop any of these pics, hope you can see them alright. Geesh, I'm getting lazy.

"Happy Together"

"My Friend...My Sister"



"You Made Me FALL Hard"

Today my friend Liz and I attended a program at a local art gallery remembering Kristallnacht, 70 yrs ago. That day reminds us why we have to interfer with the inhumane treatment around the world. If only someone would have stepped in the day after it is possible that the Holocaust might not have ever happened. The world looked the other way and Hitler took that as his "green light" to do whatever he wanted. November 9th, 1938 at 3am changed millions of lives forever.

My thought for the day:
Take an interest in someone other than yourself. You never know how your actions may change history.

Sitting out in 30 degree weather with a wind chill factor in the teens watching a football game means either you are dedicated or a little crazy. Either way...this is what Husker football is all about. The stadium is packed full no matter what the weather is like.
Here we are tailgating before the big Husker Football game today. 3 pairs of pants, 3 shirts, a sweatshirt, coat, mittens, hat and a blanket...guess what, I wasn't even cold. :)
Watching the Huskers beat Kansas today made it all worth it. What an exciting game!

Gotta hit our fav Pizza shop in Elkhorn for a post-game meal with a bunch of crazy Raabe (ray.be) Husker fans.

A Smashing Good Time???

Tonight the girls and I were in a 3 car accident. I am getting pretty sore already.

There was a little sports car stopped waiting to turn left, I rear ended the car..he had almost no damage, I think a tiny scratch. The Pathfinder behind me hit me so hard that my car lunged forward at least 5-6 car lengths while I was slamming on the breaks. The girls were all screaming but no one was hurt. I'm sure they will all have some sore necks tomorrow. The Pathfinder is probably totaled, the front was horrible looking, their airbags deployed, mine didn't. The back of the van is very smashed, you can see below.

The guy and his wife who hit me were talking about probably missing their flight because it was leaving in one hour...hmm do you think maybe he was flying down Q Street??? We were at least a 30 min drive from the airport.

When I think about the "what ifs" I...well I just can't think about it. We were heading east on Q ST at 129th, there was so much traffic in all 4 lanes. We hit each other totally square. If I would have been pushed into oncoming traffic there would have been people in the hospital and maybe worse. God had us protected for sure.

Now we get to start the whole insurance process...oh how fun. Please pray for us!

Older Than Dirt???

Well, just barely! My parents moved into my childhood home when I was 1. Do the math real quick...35 years ago. This weekend my servant of a husband and I helped mom and dad move out of that house and into a smaller, one story home. During that fun filled process, we met up with some dust bunnies that could take on any of the Disney villains and win. In case my brothers actually read my blog...remember that bookcase in the big hall under the mirror? It's been there as long as I can remember. It wouldn't surprise me if the dust bunnies under there were born in the early 70's.

Really, I am not saying this to criticize my parents, I'm sure my children will make fun of me too. We joked right along with mom and dad as bookshelf after bookshelf after bookshelf was removed. There's still lots of work to be done in that 113 house. So now I am going to invite my bothers and their wives to pick up where we have left off. :)

This old house has been "home" to me all of my life. The next time we go to Kansas I may sleep in my old bed but it won't be in my old bedroom.

The memories that bedroom holds are great. Slumber parties, pulling up my carpet to paint the wood floor without my parents' permission (woops), sneaking out with the fire rescue ladder, spilling finger nail polish, doing homework, getting ready for prom, sleeping there the night before my wedding, there's so much to remember.
Now my children get to make new memories with me in Oma and Opa's new home.

For those of you who are not from a small town, let me explain a few things to you. #1 Yes, that is a horse trailer that was used to haul all my parents' possessions 2 blocks west. I guess we could have gotten a U-Haul but we would have had to drive 75-90 miles to find one. Hardly seems worth it, huh? #2 There are no fast food restaurants in town so the ladies of the church brought over coffee and muffins for a little snack in the morning at 10:30 and then for lunch several ladies provided food. When we moved, we just bought pizza, can't do that in a town of 1,200 people. haha

These 2 YOUNG men were the only 2 (male) movers who weren't eligible for social security. In fact, if we combine their ages the total is still 5-7 years younger than the next youngest mover. Are you getting what I am saying? It was a medicare conference. ha ha

Thank you Thank you Thank you to Brett Jurey for all of his muscles and quiet humor! You are a real friend!

Quick shout out to some other great friends who made this day possible. Kimberly had Emma and Olivia and Lindsey had Reagan from 7am until 7pm. Talk about wonderful friends!!! Thank you for your willingness to service and asking nothing in return. We love you guys!

Happy Birthday to my big bro Rodger. Hope you shot a deer this weekend. Love you!!!

Alright, I am wiped out after a long tiring weekend. My comfy bed is calling me.

CanDy, LeAveS and WheAt BerRiEs

Geesh, what kind of parent lets their children play in the freeway traffic? Look at those cars zoomin' by!! YIKES!!
Ok, it's really a parking lot as I'm sure most of you already knew that but it looks a bit odd in this pic. :)

Here are my 3 beautiful daughters getting ready to pounce on a bunch of candy bowls at the Journey of Joy. Just what we need...an EXTRA night of gathering all the sweet cavity producing junk. Emma and Reagan had fun but Livie really got into it. It was loud in there so she was yelling "thank you" with all her might every time someone gave her candy.



Had to get some fall pictures. Yesterday after school the girls started raking and jumping in the leaves. It's nice to finally have some real leaves in our yard. The GI house had pathetic little trees. Today I spent time scrubbing grass stains out of knees. You might notice they all have slacks on not jeans. And Olivia has on her brand new shinny black church shoes. ha ha She loves them and I just couldn't make her change.


Christmas is not that far away, so those of you who have saved up your pennies over the last 10 mos, you now can to go spend that money on your loved ones. The rest of you...start saving for next year. You think the economy is bad now, try it with a bunch of unpaid credit cards. Be smart people! This holiday is about Jesus Christ coming to earth to save us all from eternal death, not "let's see who can buy the biggest, baddest toys and then spend all your time away from the family working just to pay for it." Love you all, just needed to get that out of my system.

So If I had wheat berries I might go grind them to make some fresh bread. Instead, I'm going to grind some of the yummiest coffee beans, set the coffee pot timer and head off to bed. One more random thought...is it kind of quiet where you are sitting? Where did my music go?

Thought of the day:
You know if you have a pride issue when you are NOT ok with someone else taking the credit. Not my words/idea, something I heard Beth Moore say this morning. She said it more eloquently and with bigger hair! :)

Not Older...Just Better

Isn't 36 the new 26? I don't feel like I'm closer to 40 than 30 but maybe that's because I'm not defined by a number, rather the way I live my life. blah blah blah

ANYWAY....




Thursday was my birthday...it's been a wonderful weekend. So many friends have sent cards, emails and posts, thanks for the bday wishes. I am all about birthday's being special. It doesn't have to be a big expensive celebration but certainly a special event. Thursday I had a great day with Olivia, we even went out for lunch with my girlfriend Susan. (Thanks for lunch!) That evening we did the cake thing with some neighbors. No pictures but there were LOTs of candles to blow out.
Friday I met Kimberly and Susan in a nearby town for lunch, shopping and visiting. Mostly we sat in the kiddie play area to watch our babies play so we could have some peace. It was wonderful! I got back into town just in time to pic up the girls from school. We dumped them at Nana and Papa's house and went to Ted's Nebraska Grill. OMGosh, it's fabulous!!! (aka Ted's Montana Grill) You've gotta go.
Today we watched the Huskers play :( with some friends and now I have a little time to myself. I was so blessed by my family this week, what a lucky girl!






















Somewhere in that birthday weekend I happened upon a scrapbook store that I didn't even know existed. Look at what I bought today with my birthday money. Precious Treasures carries everything...I am in love with the store. I found Teresa Collins, Jenni Bowlin and she even accepts competitors coupons. SWEET!!!

Alright friends, I'm going to curl up and read some more of my new Karen Kingsbury book. I need to know what happens with the Baxter's and Dayne Matthews. ha

Prayerfully consider your responsibility in the upcoming weeks. We have an important election coming up. It's hard to live without money or in this crazy economy however don't settle for things of this world. Do you really think one candidate over the other can fix your problems? They can't! Let me suggest that we take responsibility for our own actions...good or otherwise.

It's a New Look!

So what do you think? I like this new layout but it's a little busy. Guess the header needs to change. Oh there's only so much I can do in one day. haha

I'm so into the 21st century. I have a blog. I do facebook. BUT I don't text. It's so tiring trying to keep up with all this technology. Just smile and nod!

Leave me a comment so I know what you think. Just click on the little pencil down below this post, you don't even have to have a blogger account. Just leave your name at the end of the post if you will please.

hugs!

Awww, School Pictures

My little darlings are not so little anymore and honestly sometimes they aren't so darling but don't tell them that I said so. haha No, I love them dearly...as if I really needed to say that. When I was in elementary school we couldn't wait to get home to cut apart the little trading pictures and take them back to school the next day. My girls have never done that. How odd. Apparently this is just one more thing that has changed since I was a kid.

Is it just me or does anyone else here have a comment on how old Emma looks. Geesh, I'm scared! Middle school is just a few years around the corner. It's just not right.

All kinds of stuff going on in the lives of my friends. Right now life in this house is pretty quiet...I like that. Ok, it was big news that I lost my child in a zoo and that our furnace was so bad that it could have burned down our home but other than that...WE'RE GOOD! What a relief! :)

Is it obvious that I really have nothing to say tonight? Chris and I are watching a little football. He loves the Broncos and I love football so it works.

Here's a shout out to my Grand Island friends. I miss you guys.

Thought for the day:

everything costs more here...even getting my eyebrows waxed. YIKES!

Lost Child

We love going to the zoo. Infact, since May we have been there 5-6 times.

This past week while the girls were out of school my friend Julie and I decided it would be fun to try to earn the "Mother of the Year" award and took our 6 (collective) children to the zoo. See right there it sounds like a bit much, huh?

It was a fun afternoon until we lost these 2 beautiful children in the gorilla house. I don't know if I can recap the terror for you. One thing I am certain of is this...there was a host of angels surrounding, protecting and guiding our daughters to safety. When they couldn't find us they decided to walk more than half way across the zoo to customer service. This is what they told us, "We remembered that the front was close to the Desert Dome and then we saw the water ball and knew that was close too. We just went some more and got to the front." Unbelieveable! What smart little girls! In the meantime I had called the zoo office so everyone could start looking. By the time the girls reached the front, zoo personel came up and asked if they were the 2 lost little girls. Their response, "no, our mommies are lost!" Ok, how precious!

See.....I will not win the award this year! DANG!

I've been a bad blogger lately. This past week we had 3 days off of school, parent-teacher conferences, zoo trip, garage sale, dance, soccer, headaches, sick kids, christmas card making, living room decorating (thanks Mandy). Who has time to blog with all that and more going on?

Tonight Chris and I are going to the movie Fireproof. I hear it's a must for everyone, can't wait. We might even get to go out for dinner. Yikes, that's very close to a date! Hmm, maybe even a little pre-birthday celebrating. :)

Do you wonder sometimes if people read your diary? Todd knew just what I needed to hear, today's sermon was about Love...agape. I Cor 13 is used in weddings all the time but do people really mean it when they say they'll be patient, kind, will not envy, not keep record of wrong? This was the perfect reminder for me, sometimes I need a real kick in the butt. Unconditional Love...I'm telling you that's the hardest kind to give, but because of what happened on the cross it's available to us all.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Here is the website that you can click on to support breast cancer awareness. Tell all your friends to go here....

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/

It's free for you and could make all the difference for someone in need.


October is also pastor appreciation month. Don't forget those pastors in your life who work LONG hours all week (not just Sunday morning). They minister to everyone in the church and seldom get ministered to themselves. Remember, these guys and gals are just like everyone else, they need a pat on the back, a hug and for once a positive comment instead of a complaint. We miss our pastors from GI. Hugs go out to you Scott, Josh, Nick, Drew and Lora!


My last bit of information....
I finally talked to the doctor's office about Olivia's EGD last Tuesday. The doc is out of town until Friday...grrrr! The nurse said the biopsies look good but we'll wait until the doc reads the results. Praise God, He is good! So...finding nothing is good but then where does that leave us?

My words for today: rejoice trust and serve

Scrappiness!

What a good feeling to get some scrapping done today. I was planning on meeting with a couple of people but it didn't work out so instead I did laundry and scrapped. Really, isn't that making the best of a wasted day?
This first LO is of the girls when Olivia was 9 mos old. I bought these matching outfits before Olivia was even born. ha ha I'm always trying to get a good deal. My girls will probably hate me some day but I love to dress them in matching/cordinating outfits, especially for pictures. Notice everyone has bows in their hair. Yep, those days are over too. Emma has her own style, I don't always like it. I bet my parents weren't always crazy about the way I did my hair either. I have several LOs of my family reunion that need to be completed. This is page #3. I don't know when we'll all be together again so I cherish these pictures.
Ok, time to get the girls in bed. Nighty Night friends!

My thought for today: cherish the ones you love and tell them often that they are special.

My Little Pumpkin

Yes, this is an old picture of our littlest pumpkin. Olivia was only 9 mos old here. I have been working on organizing my pictures in the computer and ran across this picture. It must be one of my all time favorites. This is Olivia but one day when we look back at it we won't know which one of our 3 girls this is...they all look so much alike, especially between the ages 1-2.

I'm ready to hit a local pumpkin patch. We'll have to do that one of these days soon. Happy fall day to you all!

What a blast!

Here we are at the Husker Volleyball Game.


The girls wanted their pictures taken before the game started. We got to the Colliseum about 45 minutes early. The girls had their snacks eaten BEFORE the game even started.

The huskers beat Colorado in 3 sets. It was pretty amazing, I know I didn't ever hit like that back in my day.

Thank goodness we went to the volleyball game and not the football game. YIKES! The game didn't start until 8pm and the Missouri Tigers KILLED us. So sad!


My BIL and SIL are in town for the football game. Talking to Angie (who works for Homeland Security) is so interesting. She has such an incredible knowledge of what is really going on in the US and abroad. I hope everyone out there has registered to vote...pick your ticket carefully!


Happy Birthday to my dad!
Eric and family, we are thinking about you!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend. I know we will!

Husker Volleyball

This is what Emma, Reagan and I are about to go see. Chris scored some Husker Volleyball tickets for this afternoon. I think the girls are going to love it. It's been 15 yrs since I have been to a UNL volleyball game. It's in a new location, I've heard it's just awesome! Can't wait!!! Oh it'll take me back to my college volleyball days.....ha ha ha ha ha.

Painting Progress

Ok, here it is so far. YIKES! The purple is DARK but I think it's going to be awesome. Obviously I have lots to do still, I couldn't tape over the fresh paint to finish up the edges of the purple. This is maybe a 1/3 of the wall and it took me all day to tape and paint this. (all day minus taking care of Olivia, meeting with the firemen at the house, pasta feed for the softball team and catching up with the girls after school) :) I like it but it just isn't perfect. Reagan on the other hand thinks it is PERFECT. That's all that really matters.

I am scared to death that Olivia is about to be done taking naps. This just can't be. Today she layed in bed for 2 hrs+ and NEVER fell asleep. Yesterday she didn't take a nap at all. I am just not ready for this! One day when she is a mommy she will understand the situation she is putting me in.

Just a brief note on the economy...Pray hard people. Our national leaders (good and bad ones) need wisdom that only God can give. Dave Ramsey has a great plan, don't think they are asking him what to do. DANG! (edited this to prevent getting yelled at!)

Home from the Hospital

Why is it that I want to sleep and my little angel doesn't? Maybe her drug induced nap this morning did it for her. Duh, all I needed to do was ask the nice guy in the dark blue scrubs (not Dr McDreamy) for some of that sleepy drug, I could be well rested right now too. :)

Olivia's procedure went well. She sensed something was not right within minutes of arriving at the hospital. Poor baby was scared and scowled at everyone in sight. That is until they gave her some happy juice. Chris and I cracked up watching her grabbing for imaginary things in the air. She began smiling and giggling at everyone who came in.

The once grumpy Dr Kunnath had the best bedside manner anyone could ask for. We were so pleased. Basically everything (esophagus, stomach and intestine) looked good...one small irritated area and a small hernia. The results for the 6 biopsies will be back within a week.

Already Olivia is up dancing around, wanting to eat and playing with her sisters. God is so Good! When He created these earthly bodies they were made so resilient and strong.

Thanks to all of you who prayed for us. We felt covered and so loved.

Words for today: Thankful

Happy Monday Morning! We are having an actual fall morning, the girls needed jackets! And I am in love with the beauty of the changing colors outside. I can't help but see God's hand in creation as I look out the window. Who else but a loving God would care so much as to create such beauty for us to enjoy? Just one more reason I fall in love with my creator over and over again.

Below you will see Reagan's boring room. Today I am going to start the transformation of this sleeping area into a brightly colored, probably overwhelmingly busy area. Reagan picked out the fabric and the paint for her room. When it's all done, hopefully this week, I will post new pictures. Be prepared to have your sunglasses ready...it may be blinding.

There's no time to waste...off to start the laundry and painting prep work. Here's a sneak peek of the wild colors. Can't wait to show you the final product!

I almost forgot to mention Olivia's procedure tomorrow morning. Please remember Olivia in your prayers. Tomorrow morning we will be down at Children's Hospital at 7:15am for her endoscopy. Please pray for guidance for the medical staff, peace for the family and protection for Olivia. Thank you!

My thought for today: What random act of kindness are you going to do today?