The Beauty In Old Technology

Remember when I posted this?

Here we are, the last day of May, and I am finally getting around to the follow up. My reason for being delayed is somewhat connected to the project, though. In a really good way!

Four months ago, we made a drastic change to the way we handled our finances. We essentially quit using the debit card. I made my pretty little envelopes, stuffed them with their allotted amount each payday, and toddled on about life.

My, oh my, the freedoms we find when guided by the boundaries of a firm budget!

Within two months, we realized two major things; We were able to give more and save more!

We were also surprised that we were ready to buy a house. Not as in, we were ready to pay cash for one like Crystal and her husband did, but we realized that with our reigns tightened a bit better, we were ready to step into the home-buyers market earlier than we anticipated.

Here we are, four months after the original switch to cash. We have bought a house (which is what has been keeping me so busy that I haven't posted yet) and are living within our means. And though those adorable little envelopes are beginning to be a bit worn looking, they are utilized fully!

I have made several more envelopes for smaller categories of our budget, though I don't carry them all in my wallet. Only the original six stay in my wallet, but the others collect a set amount each payday. Things like gifts and birthday parties and school supplies. I even have one for yard sales, since I enjoy them so much!

I am thinking about retiring the original six already, just for the nostalgia they provide every time I look at them and think about what they have enabled us to learn.

We start our Financial Peace class at church this week, and I am some kind of excited about it! Give me another few months, and I will share what I learn there, as well.

Quickie Post

So we still don't have internet service to speak of, which means I am having tremors and my hands are fidgety.

I just don't know what to do with myself....don't know just what to do with myself...

Name that tune and for bonus points, how about a movie reference? Don't worry...you have plenty of time to figure it out. The internet guy won't be here until some time on Monday, and I may not have a chance to get back to the blog for a bit.

And, because I don't want to waste my precious online time, I am directing you to another blog today. One with several new pictures of the kids on it. My kids.

Y'all skip on over there and check out what Ashley did with a camera. And if your local, or even kinda-sorta local, you need to call this girl! She has the magic touch!!!

So long for now...perhaps we shall see each other again on Monday..hm?

A Boy And His Tooth Shall Soon Be Separated...

... meaning the tooth will have to be pried from his hand during the night, I do believe.

After being up until eleven last night, he crashed hard. Oh, so very hard. But not before we spent lots of time wiggling that loose tooth as we both giggled manically. I finally told him that it just wasn't quite time, to go on to bed, and maybe tomorrow would be the day.

Turns out I had a momentary gift of prophecy.

He woke up this morning, and in his own words...

'I woke up and it was like... downer. So I reached up and pulled it out and I had a whole in my teeth!'

Riding In Trucks With Kids

This moving thing is making me do all sort of crazy things. Today, for instance, I sent my husband off to work in our van. Our van, with it's three rows of seating. Rows that keep the kids noisiness away from my tender ears.

The kids and I took the truck. The three girls were lined up across the back seat, Anna in a carseat and the other two in booster seats, while Thomas delighted in all things front seat. His hand may still be smarting from the swats intended to discourage him from toying with every.single.button. he could find.

We had about a three hour round trip errand to run, with a nice long stop right in the center so Mommy to load up a couple of twin beds into the back of the truck.

It was a long ride. Anna had been deprived of her morning nap, all for the sake of getting moved into the house (a process which most people don't drag out for nearly as long as we are!). When we got out to the lake house, where I officially smuggled the beds from, the kids burst out of the van and ran wild circles for nearly the entirety of my work. Somewhere along the way, they picked up a couple of miniature squirt guns and proceeded to douse everything with small spritzes of water.

Then we loaded back into the truck. And hunger, sleepiness, and general discontentment boiled to the surface. I tried to sing songs or tell stories, but they would have none of it. Particularly the smallest child, who at this point, hadn't been relegated to the bed of the truck for the sole fact that it's illegal. Finally, I caved and we went to the nearest set of Golden Arches.

As I passed out fries and cheeseburgers, peace stole across our vehicle. Once the kids bellies were full, the silliness began.

People, silly with this crew is utterly undefinable. You simply have to witness it first hand to truly appreciate the inane-ness of it all.

Knock-knock jokes with zero punch lines, 'why did the (fill in the blank with random animal or small kitchen appliance) cross the road' followed up with answers that are only funny to people under the age of six, and an over-abundance of made-up songs.

However...

...our kids are particularly partial to Veggie Tales Silly Songs. And so, in his best European accent, Thomas set Sarah Grace up with this...

'And now it's time for Silly Songs with Sarah, the part of the show where Sarah comes out and sings a Silly Song. And now, without further adieu, Silly Songs with Sarah!'

Sarah hummed a few bars and launched into her very own silly song!

There was a Strawberry in a store,
He jumped out of his box.
He was so ripe and big
That he couldn't fit through the door.
His leaves broke off
And then he cried,
And then we had Strawberry pie!

It's hers. Totally and completely hers. I was floored by her wonderful prose, her lyrical expertise, her evil cackle when she explained to me that crying makes a strawberry more juicy and juicy strawberries have to be eaten, and after you eat a strawberry, it's dead.

Yeah, somehow I don't think the makers of Veggie Tales will be asking for the rights to that little diddy, seeing as how it ends in the massacre of one of their would-be stars.

But this Mama was right proud of her little singer/song writer. I just know she has a sensational career ahead of her.

~I desperatley tried to get Sarah Grace to sing her number on my voice recorder or for video footage. It seems that shyness has overcome her, though.~

Recent Randomness

Did I mention we are moving?

The house is ours. The refrigerator arrived. The kitchen and laundry room are fully functional. Our bed will be delivered at the end of the week. We are looking for a couch. Oh, and rugs for the hardwood floors. And the children have successfully tracked in a good portion of dirt from the yard and have generously placed it all over the place.

This is real life people.



Because it has been raining, and because we aren't on a hard deadline to get completely moved, we are taking baby steps. Here is the first load of boxes that Joshua and my Dad brought for me to start on.


And here is the first empty box!!


And here is where I where I pretend I have never heard of Child Labor Laws.

Have no fear...they only worked for a little bit and then they went out to play on the swing set that was, at the time, surrounded by all sorts of old paint cans and such. And a few tubes of unidentifiable stuff.


Here is an adorable shot of our Sunshine!


Anna is of the opinion that the dirt here tastes really good. She habitually crams a fist full in her mouth then proceeds to drool it out.


Thomas has taken to showing off his climbing finesse...

...and his getting stuck finesse, too!

And this? This is the creation Thomas designed especially for Sarah Grace. Upon receiving it, she exclaimed. 'Oh, Thomas! It is SO beautiful! I just can't imagine a better brother in the whole wide world!'

And as my heart swelled, I could see their sweet little halos peeking out from behind the kid filth and hear angels singing a chorus.