anatomy of a snow day

In case you weren't aware, Oklahoma has been in a bit of a lovely winter storm.  It started Thursday at 9AM with ice and sleet that lasted all day and turned into snow overnight.  We woke up Friday morning to a white winter wonderland in the front yard.

Unfortunately, this means we've been stuck in the house since Wednesday night.  I did go to the office Thursday morning, only to be told we were closing at 9... so I stopped at the redbox and stocked up on some movies for us.

As a result of being cooped up inside for entirely too long, I took photos of things we've done along the way... so I give you- the anatomy of a snow day.

 

We build lego farms

 

We bake (and eat, obviously) the only cookies we have supplies for

 

We watch movies 

(He's on the laptop while JM is watching a kid show on TV)

For example:

-Monster's Inc (at least 5 times, no joke)

-Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

-Bolt

-Veggie Tales

-The Proposal

-(500) Days of Summer

-Twister

-

*obviously, kid shows win in our house...

  

We play words with friends obsessively

  

We read books... lots of books

(this is to counteract the number of kid shows...)

We build snowmen... and yes, our snowman has a mustache...

what's it to ya?

I can't complain about being stuck inside.  My parents who live south of here haven't had power since it hit them Thursday afternoon, and it looks as though they won't have power until the middle of next week.  At least we've had power and water.

We did venture out of the house today to eat lunch with friends and I went to see "When in Rome" with the girls.  Fun times.  The roads are already becoming a mess and we don't have church tomorrow.

Now, if you'll excuse me- Monster's Inc is on and I have some words waiting to be played.

money, money, money... MO-NAY

I'm terrible with money.  There.  I just admitted it.  You know how there are spenders and savers?  I'm a spender- through and through.  When I was younger, I would get $2 from each set of grandparents and $3 from my parents after each basketball game to "get something to eat".  That's $7 per game.  And I would spend it ALL at the concession stand.  I mean, I know I could put away the food back then- seriously.  I had money, I had to spend it. 

I just like to buy things...  clothes, groceries, toilet paper...  I'm not picky!

Over time, my spending may or may not have become a bit of a problem.  As in- we don't have money, but I was still spending.  Overdraft charges, bounced checks, debt... nothing really phased me.  In case you were wondering- this is BAD. NEWS.

After far too many years of failed attempts at budgeting, we knew something had to change.  So we enrolled in Financial Peace University.  Um, Dave Ramsey- he kicks booty!

We watched the videos, set out our budget, put cash in the envelopes and got excited.  In case you were curious- budgets= a spenders worst nightmare!  When the cash is gone- no more spending.  But I have come to realize  that I don't have the self control to just "not spend."  So davey to the rescue.

One area we knew we could seriously cut back on was eating out.  It's so easy after a long day at work or church or napping to just pick up a pizza... or tacos... or chick-fil-a.  But (being the spender that I am) I always buy tons of groceries with lofty goals of gourmet, homecooked dinners every night.  Those dinner- yeah, not so much.  Fancy food quickly turned into lots of taco bell.

So, for the the month of January we decided no more eating out.  I set a menu plan (thank you e-mealz for this wonderful concept!), got groceries and determined to eat dinner at home. 

WE DID IT!  Oh my word, I'm embarassed to even tell you how much money we saved by doing this.  But for the sake of the blog (and humility) here's the lowdown. 

This month we spend $99 at resaurants (that's $1 under budget, yo!).  In November/December we spent (I'm embarassed to even admit this...) $589.  On food.  In restaurants.  RIDICULOUS.

That's $489 we saved just eating at home (and who even knows how many calories)... this doesn't include the $15 trips to target and all those times I would've hit the sale rack at Old Navy.

So, I'm planning on chronicling my journey from becoming a spender to a saver here on the blog.  If any of you have some fabulous tips for a newbie like me, PLEASE leave me a comment!

the same power

"Jesus Christ is able to untangle all the snarls in my soul, to banish all my complexes, and to transform even my fixed habit patterns, no matter how deeply they are etched in my subconscious." -corrie ten boom

I read this today as I was doing my quiet time.  I was struck yet again by the reality that it is CHRIST in me that creates change. 

Reading this has lead me to sing a song from hillsong all morning-
"The same power that conquered the grave lives in me"...

WOW!  Why would I ever try to fix things myself or make myself "better"?  I have the power of Christ living in me to work out my salvation.

It is my prayer today that I would let Him.

told ya

This was our evening last night:
JM- "Mom, I'm hungry.  Can I have this?"
Me- "No, John Mark... that's really old cornbread."
JM- "Oh.  But I LOOOOOVE cornbread"
Me- "No you don't... besides I don't remember when I made that."
JM- "Oh.  Well, what can I have?"
Me- "How about a sandwich?"
JM (jumping on the counter)- "YES!  I'll get the peanut butter."

I proceed to make the sandwich and cut it into a heart.
Then I threw the heart remnants into the trash...

About 15 minutes later (after inhaling the sandwich),
JM walks in holding bread...

JM- "Mom, can I eat this?"
Me- "NOOOOO!!  That was in the trash."
JM- "Oh.  Well, I'm starvin'... Dad, can I eat this?"
Micah- "No."
JM- "Why not?  I'm starvin'"
Micah- "Because... you're not a goat."

eating me out of house and home

seriously.
This kid can eat like nobody's business.
Let me tell you what he has eaten today:

BREAKFAST- 8:45ish
*big bowl of fruity cheerios
*banana
*cup of milk

I'M STARVING- 10:30
*some hershey kisses (unknown by me)

I'M STILL STARVING- 11:00
*string cheese
*juice

LUNCH- 12:30
*4 chicken nuggets
*applesauce
*pretzels
*half a HUGE orange
*more pretzels off my plate

AFTER NAP- 3:30
*animal crackers
*juice
*fruit snacks
*about 5 cups of water
(he was being a magician making water "dis-da-ppear")

SUPPER- 6:00
*5 huge raviolis
(to give you perspective- I had 8!!)
*peaches
*string cheese

BIRTHDAY PARTY- 7:00
*big bowl of yogurt
*juice

HOME- 9:00
*more string cheese
(maybe I should invest in string cheese stock?)
*glass of milk

Like I said- ridiculous.
To put it in the words of a mom of 3 boys-
"Just wait til he's in the 7th grade-
then your grocery bill tops your mortgage."

7th grade?  Try Kindergarten!

2010

A new year has dawned and with that comes thoughts of where I want to go in my life this year.  We had the most inspiring message at church today- we were encouraged to focus on what we ARE, rather than what we DO.  It was a most timely message.

A while ago, I sat down with my sweet friend Sara and we were totally upfront about some things that we had been struggling with- idols, if you will.  I could tell that the Lord was beginning something within me, but I wasn't sure exactly what that was.

Fast forward a few weeks and my boss was telling me the way she determines her focus for the new year.  It sounded so incredible, that I hopped on board with her, Sara and a couple other ladies.  I sat and prayed, answering questions about myself and reading things others had to say about me.  I wasn't shocked to find that my answer was exactly what I had felt God saying to me earlier in the year.

So, it is with great anticipation and (to be quite honest) a little bit of fear that I embark on this new year with a new focus- humility.  I feel a little silly even admitting that because it seems counter-intuitive to "announce" a focus like humility.  But the one thing that I want to learn more deeply in 2010 is just Who my God is- how big and mighty and powerful and awesome... and how SMALL I am in comparison to Him... that I can do nothing apart from Him.

I have a "plan" to help encourage myself in this walk:
1.  Memorize- scripture throughout the year that involves humility.  REALLY memorize, not just learn it for a week and then move on.  I want the Word hidden so deeply in my mind and heart that I breathe it.
2.  Give sacrificially- one of the "practices" of humility was stewardship.  I want to be a better steward with the gifts God has given to me.
3.  Learn how to REALLY study the Word of God.  I want His Word to be my LIFE.
4.  Submit.  Submit.  Submit.  To the Lord.  To my husband.  To those in authority.  I allow myself way too many excuses for not submitting.  It's time to get over myself and let go.

I suppose that last "point" should really be number 1.  Because without submitting to the Lord, I will just be trying to get better.  And that's not what I want.  I want a life that is so immersed in Him, that I am daily on my knees surrendered to Him.

I leave you with my first memory verse- the verse that sums up beautifully what I want to be true of me:

Isaiah 66:2
"Has not my hand made all these things,
and so they came into being?"
declares the Lord.
"This is the one I esteem:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit,
and trembles at my word."

Jesus, give me a heart that trembles at Your word.  Teach me daily to surrender to You.  Show me more of Who You are.  I love you.