When you’re unemployed, all luxury spending gets cut out of the budget. No more eating out. No more non-essential clothing items (I’m still trying to convince Matt that a new pair of shoes *is*, in fact, essential). No “impulse buys.” No frivolous purchases at the grocery store, just because “it looked good.” No, all those… Continue reading Catchin’ Some Rays
Tag: Trey
Tricked-out Treats
Yesterday was our neighborhood’s National Night Out and as we always do, we hosted a friendly competition for the food. Neighbors bring finger food in various categories and we do a secret ballot to determine the winners in each. This year, the kids decided to outdo the parents! Crisana settled on Black Cat Cupcakes. She… Continue reading Tricked-out Treats
More than a Carpenter
It’s Labor Day weekend, which means an extra day to enjoy family time together. So what do you do when you’re unemployed and can’t afford a weekend getaway? You find FREE fun around town! We took advantage of the FREE Home Depot Kids’ Club this Saturday. The kids have done these before, but it has… Continue reading More than a Carpenter
Back to School
It’s a day of first…and lasts. It’s the first day of school, and that means Trey’s LAST FIRST day of elementary. I”m still wondering when I ended up with a fifth grader. I’m pretty sure I was changing that boy’s diapers last week. But the calendar begs to differ, so it’s off to school we… Continue reading Back to School
Meet and Greet
I arrived home from Africa just a little over 24 hours ago, and already reality is hitting me full in the face. That, and the fact that I’ve been awake since 2:30 A.M. trying to readjust to the Central Time Zone, and WHAM! My mission trip is O-V-E-R. Tonight was Meet the Teacher Night at… Continue reading Meet and Greet
Into Africa, Part Deaux: Day 14
This was truly one of the longest days of my life. Literally. All 48 hours of it. Yep, that’s right. I got to experience an extra-long day thanks to the glory of air travel across multiple time zones. And although I left a large chunk of my heart in Africa with those precious children, I… Continue reading Into Africa, Part Deaux: Day 14
Child-like Faith
Deep conversations can happen when you least expect them. Oh sure, you’re prepared for them around the dinner table, or before bedtime, when things are quiet and the mind has a chance to unwind and relax a bit. For my kids, however, it’s always those short bits of time when we’re in the car, hustling… Continue reading Child-like Faith
TS3-Day
June 18, 2010 – a day that (in our house, at least) will live in infamy – Toy Story 3 was finally and deliberately released by producers and directors from the Empire of Pixar Studios… So here it is. Andy’s growing up and heading off to college, and his toys – though they have vowed… Continue reading TS3-Day
Everything I need to know, I learned in elementary school
Yesterday was the last day of school. It’s hard to believe it’s been 9 months since Trey and Crisana met their teachers for the first time. Or 9 months since we took those brand-new crayons or unopened boxes of notebook paper into their new classrooms. Or 9 months since the first day of school, where… Continue reading Everything I need to know, I learned in elementary school
The Journey Begins
Well here it is. The day my children have alternately dreaded and anticipated all summer long. The day I’ve been so anxious about for the past few weeks. The day circled in red on our calendar. The first day of school. And while I can hardly believe Trey is beginning his next-to-last year of elementary… Continue reading The Journey Begins