Thursday, July 15, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Father's Day 2010
I asked Doug what he wanted to do this year for Father's Day. Normally I will make his favorite meal (chicken enchilada casserole), etc. When I asked him what I could make for him, he told me I already made his favorite meal that week. Oops!
We decided to go out on Saturday for an earlier dinner, so we wouldn't have to brave the crowds on Sunday. We went to O'Charley's and had a nice dinner with the kids, went to Target to look for some sheets on clearance (for Liam's big boy bed!) and to Home Depot briefly for more tomato cages.
I stole Ava for a good hour on Saturday, so she could do some Father's Day crafts with me, out of Doug's sight. She colored an insert for a plastic coffee mug and drew a picture of herself on a plate for Doug. We gave him a nice pen vice (his request). I also got him a corn cob pen blank, coffee pen blank and another pen blank, so he can try to make different pens with them. He also got some chocolate with toffee in it.
Ava and Liam also brought some crafts home from school, ready to give to Doug for Father's Day. Ava decorated a box for Doug. The kids also made cookies and popcorn in the school kitchen, so he had some coookies and popcorn included in his box. He shared. :-)
On Sunday morning, Ava immediately came downstairs and told Doug "Happy Father's Day, Daddy!" She did this without prompting, so I was pretty impressed. We then heard her from the living room (where we placed Doug's giftbag), saying "I need you to come in here... I can't carry this bag!" He opened his gifts and seemed very happy with them. We went to church, helped out with "Little League" (the four year-olds) and then grabbed a quick lunch on the way home. We relaxed the rest of the day and hung out with some of the neighbors / kids in our little backyard pool. It was a nice, relaxing day!
Happy Father's Day, Doug! You are the best Dad. Ava and Liam are so lucky to have you to guide them and help them as they grow. We love you so much!
Peace, love and the #1 Dad,
Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam
We decided to go out on Saturday for an earlier dinner, so we wouldn't have to brave the crowds on Sunday. We went to O'Charley's and had a nice dinner with the kids, went to Target to look for some sheets on clearance (for Liam's big boy bed!) and to Home Depot briefly for more tomato cages.
I stole Ava for a good hour on Saturday, so she could do some Father's Day crafts with me, out of Doug's sight. She colored an insert for a plastic coffee mug and drew a picture of herself on a plate for Doug. We gave him a nice pen vice (his request). I also got him a corn cob pen blank, coffee pen blank and another pen blank, so he can try to make different pens with them. He also got some chocolate with toffee in it.
Ava and Liam also brought some crafts home from school, ready to give to Doug for Father's Day. Ava decorated a box for Doug. The kids also made cookies and popcorn in the school kitchen, so he had some coookies and popcorn included in his box. He shared. :-)
On Sunday morning, Ava immediately came downstairs and told Doug "Happy Father's Day, Daddy!" She did this without prompting, so I was pretty impressed. We then heard her from the living room (where we placed Doug's giftbag), saying "I need you to come in here... I can't carry this bag!" He opened his gifts and seemed very happy with them. We went to church, helped out with "Little League" (the four year-olds) and then grabbed a quick lunch on the way home. We relaxed the rest of the day and hung out with some of the neighbors / kids in our little backyard pool. It was a nice, relaxing day!
Happy Father's Day, Doug! You are the best Dad. Ava and Liam are so lucky to have you to guide them and help them as they grow. We love you so much!
Peace, love and the #1 Dad,
Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam
Monday, June 14, 2010
We're DEBT FREEEEEE! (Almost)
Being a Dave Ramsey fan, I kinda feel obligated to post this to our blog. I also post this for a "milestone" in our blog. Hopefully one that will shape our future, our kids' future and generations that follow.
I listen most Friday afternoons to his A.M. radio show, as people do their "We're debt freee!!!!" screams. It's inspiring to hear their stories. If you haven't heard of Dave Ramsey, check him out. He says he gives "advice like Grandma, but keeps his teeth in"... Sound and practical advice, biblically-based stuff. (He allows his radio show callers to yell "We're debt free" if they have paid-off everything but the mortgage, as well).
With Doug being out of a job for so long, we really hunkered down and didn't spend unnecessarily. We have been saving money to pay off debt (and had paid most of it off), but didn't want to pay everything off in case we needed those reserves just for daily living.
Just ask Doug, I am a spreadsheet FREAK. I have an Excel spreadsheet for just about everything you could imagine. I'm sure Doug gets tired of my "finance updates". :-)... He doesn't officially have his first paycheck in-hand since having a job with Fulton County Schools (he will be paid monthly).... But we had enough income with his freelance projects, etc, that we felt like we could finally take the plunge and get rid of debt entirely. I tweaked our finances / spreadsheet recently to SQUEEZE out everything we could, to pay off my student loan, our last pesky debt (other than mortgage).
Our last "debt" payment paid off my last student loan. It was a booger... I'm just glad to see that it is gone! We've really let the outside projects on the house go while Doug was unemployed, but are glad to be jumping back into sprucing up the place when money (and time) allows. Cutting down trees isn't cheap, neither is patching up where woodpeckers have tapped their way through a chimney, or building much-needed retaining walls.
We do still have a mortgage payment (I think it's technically 8 more years left on a 15-year mortgage), but other than that, everthing is paid for (mini-van, truck, education, etc). We're not upside down on the mortgage, either, even considering our most recent $30k decrease in tax appraisal. :( In fact, right now I think we technically own about 50% of our house, with the lower appraisal value. (Let's hope that 50% includes a bathroom. ;-) Hopefully the economy will turn around soon and home prices will rise back to normal. Once we get all other savings accounts back to normal, we hope to pay-off our existing mortgage balance early.
This is God's money, not ours. We've tried to do good things with it and not ever get in way over our heads. Now that debts are paid, I can't imagine what freedom comes with having NO mortgage payment. Of course at that point, I'm sure college savings for kidlings will be kicking into high gear. Go figure!
I know I sound like a broken record, but I can't get over how much God has blessed our family, even through 13 months of Doug not being employed. (See the "oil in the jar" post a while back). Doug got to spend so much time with the kids while not working. We never had to tap into the equity in our house, tap into 401ks, obtain new loans, etc. We turned around and paid things off, acting as if we never had the money in our hands.
I told Doug that most people might be fighting to keep their house by the end of 13 months, but we have been so blessed to still have a roof over our heads, food on the table, and above all, healthy kids. We are so thankful.
God is better than good. He is amazing. Looking back, I can now honestly laugh at the "timing". It felt like a roller coaster but His timing was perfect. Doug couldn't have worked on the Rwanda job if he was immediately chosen for the Fulton County job back in April... A month later, he is called for the Fulton County job, right after finishing up the Rwanda project. It really is unbelievable how God works.
Peace, love and big fat goose eggs ($00!),
Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam
Note: This passage in the Bible is one that I really appreciate, and goes along with this blog. It always reminds me to be "future-oriented" and realize the lasting implications of daily choices. This blog entry is one of the stones for our "Carey Clan", to show what God has done for us (like the Israelites), and I pray will be evident for future generations. Joshua 4:1-9:
"Now when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.’” 4 So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe; 5 and Joshua said to them, “Cross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel. 6 “Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.”
8 Thus the sons of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the lodging place and put them down there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day."
I listen most Friday afternoons to his A.M. radio show, as people do their "We're debt freee!!!!" screams. It's inspiring to hear their stories. If you haven't heard of Dave Ramsey, check him out. He says he gives "advice like Grandma, but keeps his teeth in"... Sound and practical advice, biblically-based stuff. (He allows his radio show callers to yell "We're debt free" if they have paid-off everything but the mortgage, as well).
With Doug being out of a job for so long, we really hunkered down and didn't spend unnecessarily. We have been saving money to pay off debt (and had paid most of it off), but didn't want to pay everything off in case we needed those reserves just for daily living.
Just ask Doug, I am a spreadsheet FREAK. I have an Excel spreadsheet for just about everything you could imagine. I'm sure Doug gets tired of my "finance updates". :-)... He doesn't officially have his first paycheck in-hand since having a job with Fulton County Schools (he will be paid monthly).... But we had enough income with his freelance projects, etc, that we felt like we could finally take the plunge and get rid of debt entirely. I tweaked our finances / spreadsheet recently to SQUEEZE out everything we could, to pay off my student loan, our last pesky debt (other than mortgage).
Our last "debt" payment paid off my last student loan. It was a booger... I'm just glad to see that it is gone! We've really let the outside projects on the house go while Doug was unemployed, but are glad to be jumping back into sprucing up the place when money (and time) allows. Cutting down trees isn't cheap, neither is patching up where woodpeckers have tapped their way through a chimney, or building much-needed retaining walls.
We do still have a mortgage payment (I think it's technically 8 more years left on a 15-year mortgage), but other than that, everthing is paid for (mini-van, truck, education, etc). We're not upside down on the mortgage, either, even considering our most recent $30k decrease in tax appraisal. :( In fact, right now I think we technically own about 50% of our house, with the lower appraisal value. (Let's hope that 50% includes a bathroom. ;-) Hopefully the economy will turn around soon and home prices will rise back to normal. Once we get all other savings accounts back to normal, we hope to pay-off our existing mortgage balance early.
This is God's money, not ours. We've tried to do good things with it and not ever get in way over our heads. Now that debts are paid, I can't imagine what freedom comes with having NO mortgage payment. Of course at that point, I'm sure college savings for kidlings will be kicking into high gear. Go figure!
I know I sound like a broken record, but I can't get over how much God has blessed our family, even through 13 months of Doug not being employed. (See the "oil in the jar" post a while back). Doug got to spend so much time with the kids while not working. We never had to tap into the equity in our house, tap into 401ks, obtain new loans, etc. We turned around and paid things off, acting as if we never had the money in our hands.
I told Doug that most people might be fighting to keep their house by the end of 13 months, but we have been so blessed to still have a roof over our heads, food on the table, and above all, healthy kids. We are so thankful.
God is better than good. He is amazing. Looking back, I can now honestly laugh at the "timing". It felt like a roller coaster but His timing was perfect. Doug couldn't have worked on the Rwanda job if he was immediately chosen for the Fulton County job back in April... A month later, he is called for the Fulton County job, right after finishing up the Rwanda project. It really is unbelievable how God works.
Peace, love and big fat goose eggs ($00!),
Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam
Note: This passage in the Bible is one that I really appreciate, and goes along with this blog. It always reminds me to be "future-oriented" and realize the lasting implications of daily choices. This blog entry is one of the stones for our "Carey Clan", to show what God has done for us (like the Israelites), and I pray will be evident for future generations. Joshua 4:1-9:
"Now when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.’” 4 So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe; 5 and Joshua said to them, “Cross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel. 6 “Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.”
8 Thus the sons of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the lodging place and put them down there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day."
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Friday, June 04, 2010
We have a crooner on our hands...
Yesterday, when picking Liam up from day care, I mentioned that he has really been saying quite a bit lately. he now talks in sentences and babbles on and on. It's up to us to decipher and translate.
I asked Liam's teacher if he talks a lot at day care. (Sometimes he seems quiet and focused).
They mentioned that he does talk quite a bit to himself, while playing, and to other kids. Then they mentioned that he SINGS quite a bit. I had to laugh.
When we were on our way to the beach in the car, he started singing “Jesus Loves Me". He also knows “Twinkle, Twinkle”, but just says “dinkle, dinkle, dinkle, dinkle”. When he sings, he sounds like a drunk Mr. Miyagi (if you've ever seen the Karate Kid, you know what I'm talking about). Chest out, Lungs filled, loud voice.
This boy is happy in his heart. As I've told others before, I think Liam is happy on a cellular level.
It seems we have a crooner on our hands… ;-)
Peace, love and bear-itones,
Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam
I asked Liam's teacher if he talks a lot at day care. (Sometimes he seems quiet and focused).
They mentioned that he does talk quite a bit to himself, while playing, and to other kids. Then they mentioned that he SINGS quite a bit. I had to laugh.
When we were on our way to the beach in the car, he started singing “Jesus Loves Me". He also knows “Twinkle, Twinkle”, but just says “dinkle, dinkle, dinkle, dinkle”. When he sings, he sounds like a drunk Mr. Miyagi (if you've ever seen the Karate Kid, you know what I'm talking about). Chest out, Lungs filled, loud voice.
This boy is happy in his heart. As I've told others before, I think Liam is happy on a cellular level.
It seems we have a crooner on our hands… ;-)
Peace, love and bear-itones,
Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Memorial Day 2010
This Memorial Day, we were fortunate enough to spend another friend-filled trip to the beach. We met up with the Flanigan's at "Clipper Cove" on the East side of Destin. We had a blast, as always!
We arrived in Destin about 50 days after the oil spill south of Louisiana. When we booked the beachhouse, the owner told me that we would be refunded the entire amount of our deposit if the shores ended-up covered in oil. I called a few days before we arrived, and she assured me there wasn't any oil in sight.
The shores of the Gulf Coast are spectacular. Having been to the Atlantic side, I definitely prefer the Gulf. The water is crystal clear, blue. I've told people you can see your toenails in 6 feet of water, if the waves are calm enough. I pray that this pristine, natural beauty will last, and that the oil doesn't do anything to contaminate these shores.
We got there on Thursday night and stayed through Monday morning, taking our time in getting there. We stopped at a Burger King along the way. A creepy-grandpa guy (sitting with his wife) kept trying to befriend the kids. He pretended like he was holding a baby and made crying noises, etc. It's funny to see how strange people can be, vying for the attention of kids.
At the beach... Ava got into the waves, but didn't want to swim in the pool, even with floaties on her arms. She stuck to the steps in the pool and just played there. Liam was a little freaked-out getting into the pool water, but seemed to enjoy it after a while. They both had so much fun at the beach, building sandcastles and playing with Will and Sophie.
I think the time Liam spent with Will was special to him. He got to see how a big boy like Will plays. I could almost see Liam being a tinge more confident in his play, because Will liked "boy toys", too.
Ava and Sophie were PRECIOUS together. I tried to get as many shots of them as I could. When Ava was in the ocean waves, Sophie said she needed to rescue Ava. She laid down on the beach and held her arms out to reach for Ava. See the pictures below. Incredibly cute.
It's fun to see them grow up together through the years. We've mentioned how fun it will be when the kids are REALLY grown, and want to go into town to play mini-golf, etc.
We always seem to have fun with the Flanigan clan. Thanks again for heading to the beach with us, guys!
Peace, love and oil-free beaches!
Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam
We arrived in Destin about 50 days after the oil spill south of Louisiana. When we booked the beachhouse, the owner told me that we would be refunded the entire amount of our deposit if the shores ended-up covered in oil. I called a few days before we arrived, and she assured me there wasn't any oil in sight.
The shores of the Gulf Coast are spectacular. Having been to the Atlantic side, I definitely prefer the Gulf. The water is crystal clear, blue. I've told people you can see your toenails in 6 feet of water, if the waves are calm enough. I pray that this pristine, natural beauty will last, and that the oil doesn't do anything to contaminate these shores.
We got there on Thursday night and stayed through Monday morning, taking our time in getting there. We stopped at a Burger King along the way. A creepy-grandpa guy (sitting with his wife) kept trying to befriend the kids. He pretended like he was holding a baby and made crying noises, etc. It's funny to see how strange people can be, vying for the attention of kids.
At the beach... Ava got into the waves, but didn't want to swim in the pool, even with floaties on her arms. She stuck to the steps in the pool and just played there. Liam was a little freaked-out getting into the pool water, but seemed to enjoy it after a while. They both had so much fun at the beach, building sandcastles and playing with Will and Sophie.
I think the time Liam spent with Will was special to him. He got to see how a big boy like Will plays. I could almost see Liam being a tinge more confident in his play, because Will liked "boy toys", too.
Ava and Sophie were PRECIOUS together. I tried to get as many shots of them as I could. When Ava was in the ocean waves, Sophie said she needed to rescue Ava. She laid down on the beach and held her arms out to reach for Ava. See the pictures below. Incredibly cute.
It's fun to see them grow up together through the years. We've mentioned how fun it will be when the kids are REALLY grown, and want to go into town to play mini-golf, etc.
We always seem to have fun with the Flanigan clan. Thanks again for heading to the beach with us, guys!
Peace, love and oil-free beaches!
Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam
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