POINTS TO PONDER

It's been one of those days for me! Forgive the random thoughts of randomness! Just thought someone out there in this BLOG WORLD would have an answer to these philosophical questions!

A duck's quack doesn't echo.

No NFL team which plays its home games in a domed stadium has ever won a Superbowl.

Elephants can't jump. Every other mammal can.

The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.

Dr. Seuss pronounced "Seuss" such that it rhymed with "rejoice."

Cat's urine glows under a blacklight.

Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

Right handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left handed people do.

The ant always falls over on its right side when intoxicated.

Polar bears are left-handed.

Why do you need a driver’s license to buy liquor when you can’t drink and drive?

Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii?

If 7-11 is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, why are there locks on the doors?

If nothing ever sticks to TEFLON, how do they make TEFLON stick to the pan?

Why do they put Braille dots on the keypad of the drive-up ATM?

Why is it that when you transport something by car, it’s called a shipment, but when you transport something by ship, it’s called cargo?

You know that little indestructible black box that is used on planes, why can’t they make the whole plane out of the same substance?

Why is it that when you’re driving and looking for an address, you turn down the volume on the radio?

Why do they call it a TV set when you only get one?

Americans - Taking Things for Granted!!

I have recently been convicted about my spending habits. I know the economy is on a downturn and, Praise Be To God, we are in a good place in our finances, but that doesn't mean I couldn't be doing better. I want to be a good steward of our family's money! My husband and I have always struggled in finding the "perfect solution" to sharing the financial responsibility in our home. When we combine our money together, it just causes friction. I'm the spender, he is not. Well, he's a "man spender"...he buys big ticket boy toy things and I just spend piddly on a daily basis! You know....the necessities...clothes, shoes, makeup, jewelry, and the list can go on and on! We decided to kind of split our finances. I take my paycheck and take care of everything in the home with that...i.e. groceries, cleaning, hygiene, kids school things, eating out... He uses his check to pay bills. It has worked out for us so far, but it does leave me a little hollow. I still do not have control of my spending. It has taken me a while to understand where my husband is coming from when he talks so sternly about money. I listen to Dave Ramsey on a daily basis and love what he teaches. I went through Financial Peace University several years ago and loved the concept. I would really like to put those things in practice at our home but, I don't have any faith in myself. I did start subscribing the the e-mealz that he promotes on his show. It has made a WORLD of difference in our homelife. There's always a plan, always a shopping list and always a meal on the table! That has been a downfall in my life the past couple of years. With help and thanks from my fellow blog friends, I am staying on top of that! We take so many things for granted in our lives. The way we live compared to the third world countries. Those who only have a dollar a day to live on. WOW!! We are so rich! I discovered a website called: http://www.globalrichlist.com/ You can type in your household income and it will show you how rich of a person you are. I posted my results:

I'm the 31,849,353 richest person on earth! Discover how rich you are! >>

What do we have to be thankful for? Too many things to even start to mention! It's not just about money. We have a God that will get us through anything in our way!!! What a blessed assurance!

We buy things we really don't need with money we really don't have to impress people we really don't know.

What an eye-opener this saying is!! I like how Dave Ramsey puts it...we need to live like no other so later when we are out of debt, we can live like no other! I am on my quest to become debt free! I have decided to come to terms with my spending and how much debt I have accumulated within this family. I will need my friends' help and encouragement! I pray for each and every one that is already on this quest. Maybe those that read my blog (the two of you!!) could give me a few pointers? Maybe God will lead some savvy people, that don't necessarily read my blog on a regular basis, to my blog so they can help me!! I'm praying for a Godsend!

ON TO FINANCIAL PEACE!!!

MONDAY - BBQ CUPS

TUESDAY - OVEN BAKED CHICKEN SANDWICHES

WEDNESDAY - CREATIVE CUISINE!!

THURSDAY - CHEESEBURGER PIE

FRIDAY - GRILLED CHICKEN

SATURDAY - BREAKFAST

SUNDAY - EAT OUT!!

Milestones and Mistakes

Boy how time flies!! Hannah has now been in the youth group for almost a year. Wednesday was her first Worth the Wait talk and ceremony. She has been looking forward to this for a long time. I don't know if she was excited about the "talk" or if it was being able to have a ring and wear it! I think the ring is what means most to her right now, but at least she's getting the right start now! This is a powerful program that teaches abstinance. What a classy way it was presented! Pastor Kevin does such a phenomenal job with the youth! They are leaving this weekend for a retreat. She is also excited about that! It's been busy with activities with the kids. Monday night was a basketball game while I went to Ladies' Bible Study. This was the start of our mistakes for the week! ha-ha...read on! We had worked it out to where Jeff would have to take the kids to basketball and I would attend my Bible Study. When I called to find out the location, I had asked Hannah to look at the calendar and tell me where it was. She politely and promptly told me it was in a little town north of us at 7:30. I proceeded to finalize plans with Jeff and everything was a GO!! About 7:17 (yes, during Bible Study) my cell phone went off - embarassing! Jeff was calling. Uh-oh went through my mind. Never can be good when he's calling me during a meeting. He asked me if I was positive the game was in the city I told him. I immediately wanted to dig a hole and hide! Did I tell him wrong? Did Hannah tell me wrong? What happened? There was no one at the school when he arrived. I couldn't get ahold of the coach to find out what was going on....what am I gonna do???!!! The coach did text me back and said it was HOME game. Uh-oh again! My mind was reeling. What happened? I got through Bible Study and made it home to look at the calendar. Yes, The flashing neon arrows pointed at ME!!! I was the culprit! My pen, for some unknown reason, wrote down @ (insert city here), NOT home VS. (insert city here)! Oh yeah! I felt like a heel!! I have to laugh at it now. By the way, Andrew got there just as the game was starting To add to the mistakes...when I walked in, I found out that my children...lovely as they are...had been the good boy and girl and started their chores when they got back from the game. I was out of Cascade for the dishwasher and they thought they would just fill the little trap with Dawn!! Oh yeah, can you say "I Love Lucy" Episode XX?? Suds, suds, suds! Dishwasher wouldn't drain. NEEDED BADLY TO GET DISHES CLEAN SO I COULD START THE NEXT LOAD! What a night! Sounds like a story that maybe should be used in one of Beth Moore's Bible Studies! ha-ha Needless to say, we have all made it out of these mistakes smelling like roses...well, some of us! My life is never dull! Sometimes I sit and wonder and think to myself that I really lead this boring life. I think I tend to get into robot mode and just go with the motions and not look around me at the things that are happening. The Milestones (joy!) and the Mistakes (laughable!) I get caught up in the rush of things and don't take time to bask in the greatness of my life and my family! No we're not perfect but we do lead a very up and down exciting life! As Anita Renfroe so humorously puts it, "I'm the Mom!" What a great title! Kids, husbands, pets...they can't get me down!! well, ok who's kidding here? Let's learn to take those things and laugh about them! Easy as it is to get frustrated, we need some light moments, too! Hope all are having a fabulous week! Blog at ya later!

Menu Plan Monday

Stormy day/Dreary day

What a day this has started out to be. First, it's Monday. Second, it's gloomy and rainy outside. Third, it's supposed to be this way all day. I actually quite enjoy days like today. I would definitely enjoy them more if I could be at home in bed listening to the pitter patter of the droplets. How lovely and relaxing that thought is...."POOF" back to reality! I'm actually sitting at my desk, freezing! I have a foot heater blowing much needed hot air but, the cold surrounding my upper body is taking control very quickly. Fighting the urge to keep my eyelids from closing is another thing I am battling. After a busy weekend it is even harder to sit here. Seeing the dark skies out the window and hearing the lull of the office...woah! I got to thinking about how wonderful the rain can actually be. Besides hearing us all complain about how dreary and tired and dark it is, we should be thankful for this refreshing time! A time of refreshing...takes me back to the Sunday School story of Noah. That was definitely a time of refreshing. God completely took out all of the earth, except for Noah and his family and the animals Noah took on the ark. He wiped the slate clean. He scrubbed away the filth and corruption that was going on in everyday life. Think about how this rain is essentially doing the same thing here. We've had days of snow and ice. During all of that the city is putting down salt and sand. What a mess that makes on our cars! This rain will wash away any sign of that extra sand piled up at the four way stops and ramps. How nice will it be to see new and fresh streets again. This rain will invigorate the flowers that are hibernating below the ground. They're just waiting with anticipation for the first time they can peek their lovely petals through that soil. Guess I'm a little anxious for spring. Thank you God for the refreshing rains that fall in our lives. Whether it be physical rain or a rain of trials that falls in our lives, we need to understand that it's all about our perception. This rain could get some down or we could see it as a moment for washing and refreshing. Let's take this day to dwell on the wonderful blessings that God has placed in our lives! Rain down your spirit! What does the rain remind you of? How does it make you feel? Lots of love,

TAG - I'm it!

Well, looks like I was tagged by my blog buddy Nicole. I was instructed to post the 4th picture in my 4th album and do a little blogging about it. Here goes: Does the smile say it all?? How cute is this? This was Christmas time 2005. The grandbabies were over opening gifts on Christmas day. We gave Addison a rocking horse that had a seat on it so she could sit up and ride without falling off. Jacob loved the horse but was a little too big for the seat. Sooo, he just stood there looking at her and touching it. She would get really upset at him when he put his hands on it. This was a great joyous moment at Christmas time!

Murphy's Law

Why is it that when I start a project that is to organize me, something ALWAYS seems to mess it up?? It never fails when I put down a plan on paper that other things just mess it up!! Call me controlling, but when I go through the trouble of making a menu, I want to stick to it!! NO, not for the first week of my menu adventure!! So, here goes...I did the menu plan on Tuesday (oops, was supposed to be Monday). I even had a reminder to have Hannah take the chicken out of the freezer and thaw it for me in the sink. She was such a help and did exactly what I needed. We had to go to basketball pictures right after work so, I didn't have the luxury of coming home and starting dinner. I thought that the pics wouldn't take too long and then I could come home and whip up my meal. WHAT??? That easy?? NO.....my husband, of all times, calls me out of the blue and asks me to meet him and the kids at a restaurant for supper. YES!!!!!!!!! Wait...I have a plan!!! BUT DINNER OUT...NO CLEAN UP!!!! It is so appealing!!! But, my chicken is waiting for me in the sink....OH, the stress!!!! I caved! I told myself that my hubby doesn't ask out of the blue very often to go out to eat as a family and I like to take advantage of those far & few inbetween times. Sooooo, there goes my menu plan! I guess I need to work on flexibility. I had even planned for chili tonight because my hubby had to make chili for work. Not thinking he had it for lunch why would he want it for supper???? Soooo, my chicken is back on!!! Bock-Bock-Bock Yes, the plan is still in tact...just a few days were skewed but, Friday, Saturday & Sunday is still on and I can do a fresh one for next week! I actually already have it on paper just waiting to pounce onto my blog!! A little more prepared than normal! Im loving this!! I had a wonderful time at my chiropractor today. I hadn't been in a long time and I kept hearing an advertisement on my Christian radio station about a chiropractor that uses a machine called the pro-adjuster. I had been hurting in my back for a while and couldn't shake a headache I had so, I decided it was time to go try this gadget. I went today and it was FABULOUS!! No turning and popping with this machine. It's really neat how it works and he is such a great Dr. to sit there with you and show you what everything means on the screen. Needless to say my headache is now gone and I am feeling much better in my back. Looking at my x-rays, I have a ways to go before I am going to feel GREAT!!!! I've got some major problems in several areas of my spine. I'm on the right track to get those fixed though! At the end of it all I got to lay on the Aqua Massager bed. HOW WONDERFUL! I got up from that feeling like I had just woke up from a nap! It was really hard to come back to work and finish my day. Enough of my boring ramblings! I hope all are doing well & find their family time tonight!! ENJOY YOUR LIVES!!

Giving IN

OK, I'm going to try this! I have a few friends who do a menu plan on their blog. I love the idea and I always have a menu for my family. I try to not be such a copycat, but some of these ideas on the blogs I follow are just too cool not to try!! Here we go, I know that it's not Monday but I am still going to start this today!! If I don't, I will put it off for another week and then another month and then...you get the picture! Organization is one of my desires! I want to be even more organized than I am. I am not boasting that I am organized! I do have some areas of my life that are good in the organizing area but others (key areas) that I would LOVE to do more in!