Serious thoughts from my children:

We have been watching "The March of the Penguins" at our house.

Addy: (Leaning over the kitchen counter at me...looking quite intense and deep) Mom...the last penguin in the line...has the farthest to go.
Me: Um...well...

And last night since the natives were quite restless we got out the bikes and scooters and headed around our neighborhood to burn some energy. Ellie and Addy like to be in the lead and direct our ride.

Ellie: (Looking intensely over her shoulder at us) Which way next? Left or right?
Neal: LEFT!
Ellie: Ok. (Getting her little feel lined up again on the pedals) Which way is that?

What REALLY happens at church:

When Neal gets to be home before the girls bedtime, it is always his job to put the girls to bed. He loves to use this time to tell them Bible Stories, to work on Bible Knowledge stuff, to sing and pray with them.

Tonight he was talking to them about the purpose of the Bible and the purpose of the Church. I'm pretty sure that he was trying to convey how important God's people are...how important the stories in the Bible are to us...and what we do at church because we are God's people.

Neal: What do we do at church?
Ellie: We eat and sit and sing and listen...ooooh and we PAINT!

Ahhh...how important it is that God's people paint. :)

She came home Sunday with the cutest green painted handprint with the words "God loves me" on it.

Hmmmm...maybe we DO need to paint. :)

fall is coming fall is coming fall is coming

Is anyone besides me sooooo tired of running the AC? Even if it just for a little bit? Anyone sick of sweating while you run the hairdryer???

I am ready for the fullness of fall to envelop me...and remove the last remnants of summer. I am ready for the forecast so stop reading 84 82 81 86 82...and start reading 67 68 70 66 70.

While I was driving around town today...I was wishing wishing wishing for my camera (of course I didn't have it with me.) There are several trees around time with just a patch of red or orange blazing forth. AH-HA! It IS coming!!!!!!! Hopefully later on I can snag some pictures.

Summer is soooooo my least fave season...and it seems to last the longest. Bring on fall...and then the coziness of winter!!!!!!!

(It IS coming right?)

Let me Clarify something:

1. No one ever believes me when I tell them how tough Ellie is.
2. I do not support, sponser, or even like C00rs Light. They were however a sponser for my mother's raquetball tournament at the Club House in Dodge City in 1984...and I got a shirt for it...and cool news...it still fits Ellie...and I love for her to wear it.
3. Tonight while jumping on my bed (which I totally encourage in my house)...Ellie misjudged and whacked her head on the bed frame. These funny shots ensued...and then ended with a return to jumping on my bed. She is TOUGH I tell you!

A post of few words:

I have been struggling with trusting God completely. I believe Lord, help my unbelief. These pictures were all taken in front of my house standing in the street during the flooding issues of the past weekend.
Jayme...this is God. Are you hearing me?

Special Dedications to:

Laura of Heavenly Homemakers...

Dave Ramsey with Financial Peace University

My small group

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I have always tried to be supremely real on my blog. So here goes.

My small group has started in a 13-week study on financial matters by Dave Ramsey called Financial Peace University. I had already read one of his books...and had some understanding of what was coming.

Neal does amazing at his job...and so far...there have been only a few times for us to really be wondering where the money would come from to pay our bills. But...I don't work. Do the math for the average American family...and you can quickly deduce that we aren't rolling in the dough and most certainly live from pray-check to pray-check. And since staying home with our kids is the top top top priority and value for our family...we have had to work hard to make that happen. And sometimes we have made poor choices...and sometimes life is hard.

Dave Ramsey's first tip for financial freedom and peace is to save $1000 dollars as fast as you can for emergencies. Because emergencies will come. And then if you have that money...you don't have to whip out the credit card to save yourself...which ends up not really saving you.

I tried to share with our group...and I am not sure they believed me...that this will be a real test for Neal and I to get this fund. We are so careful with our dollars...knowing we don't have much to work with. I feel like we have already "cut the fat" out of our lifestyle. We don't have pets, we don't have a car payment (and one car has a vicious crack in the windshield we refuse to fix), we don't have cable, we almost never eat out anywhere more expensive than taco bell (and when I'm not in the middle of grief work...I usually make everything from scratch), I don't color my hair, I don't get mani/pedi/facials, we rarely go out to bowl or the movies, we almost never get a babysitter for anything, we don't have our kids in lots of extra activities, I'm careful about running the AC (I confess to being terrible about leaving lights on), we don't have a home phone, we use Netflix instead of renting movies, we don't make expensive purchases on clothes or electronics or furniture. Our cars and computer were the big purchases of the last two years...and we payed cash for both. It's really hard for me to know where to cut back.

I am, however, determined. I am going to be making an effort to find some houses to clean...and doing my best to find the hidden ways to cut back. I have come up with two ways so far. Number 1: Give up my deep-seeded need for lots and lots of Diet Dr. Pepper. I just bought a case of coke...and after its gone...every 12 days that goes by...I'm going to add 7 dollars to the fund. We have an ice maker in our fridge...so I'm planning on making a lot of tea.

Number 2: This is where it gets scaryyyyy. I asked Neal this morning if I could get a hair cut. My hair needed a trim soooooooo badly and my bangs were getting so crazy long. He of course said yes...but I was really struggling with the 20 bucks it would cost to get it done. I considered calling Jill--who is amazing at hair...and probably wouldn't charge me a thing...but I know she is sooooo busy. (Hi ya!) I spend 30 seconds thinking about this post by Laura...and I picked up the scissors and CUT MY OWN HAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't say I'll be cutting anyone else's hair for a living...and all I did was trim up the bottom...cut my bangs...and cut off the crazy long angled front hair that was driving me crazy. The back is still layered all cute from a professional. Still...its not bad...and I'll have Neal double check the back when he gets home. Its not that hard. Woo-hooo! 20 bucks for the fund!!!!!!!!!!!!! And here is the picture...which was harder to get than to cut my own hair!!

We can do this. So...all you pray-ers out there...pray that we can get our fund together quickly...and that I can find some houses to clean to help out!!!!!!!

My Fabulous Pre-Schooler!

Today is Ellie's first day of Pre-School!!!! Look out world...here comes Ellie. My little fire cracker is starting out to make a great big bang. I'm not even a teensie bit sad. I'm so excited for her to starting "creating" something that is just hers. She wasn't a bit sad either. She RAN into the room this morning.

Ellie: Mom, this time I don't want you to come with me.

I felt bad for the mom whose kid was screaming the minute they hit the parking lot. Addy cried a little the first week at her preschool...but I was so convinced she needed it so much that it really didn't bother me. I felt so bad for that mom of the crying kid. The mom had tears running down her face on the way out. I was much happier to have the kid who ran into class not worried a bit about me. The oddest sensation for me was dropping/picking up Ellie without trailing a sleepy/active/grumpy toddler on my hip. All these experiences with Addy, I had Ellie in tow. I need a baby. Sigh.

We took these pictures this morning. The problem with Ellie...is that she is NEVER ever still. Her little body is just rock solid muscle...cause she never stops moving. so the picture session was a little silly. Sorry for the cheese. :)

We started out the morning with homemade oatmeal banana pancakes. She was so excited she had a hard time settling down to eat...and finally just had to come back to her plate after we were all dressed and ready. Silly thing.


Here is Ellie all dressed up in her first day outfit!


And of COURSE we would have a DORA backpack. Life wouldn't be worth living without Dora. :)



And the pictures of all the swirling, dancing, and jumping while I tried to get a good picture.




And here I had her looking at a step stone while smiling AT the stone so I could get just a few good ones. :) I love her.

And here she is...happily in her class.