no two days: March 2011

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

cutting back is sometimes the hardest

Sometimes we have to cut back, because we don't have enough of THIS:

And here's what I've learned from this little lesson:

Cutting back is WAY harder than adding on!

It's so much more FUN to add texting to your phone than having to take it off. It's WAY more fun to add a DVR service to your cable than to suddenly have to live without it.

And once you've added the extras on...wow is it hard to have to live without them!

We are in the process right now of cutting back. We are in a tough spot with Jason's job, struggling month to month just to make ends meet. So you would think that it would be a no-brainer that we need to cut back. It IS a no-brainer...it's just a HARD no-brainer! One that I've been wrestling with for, well, months now. I keep thinking, "It'll get better. It HAS to get better." But it hasn't.

So a couple days ago I finally took the plunge and took off the texting and internet on our phones. All of it. Seriously...before we had it, it was no big deal that we didn't have it. But having it for the last few months has opened up a whole new, super fun, texting and internet world, right in the palm of my little hand! And stepping back from that is hard, REALLY hard. But it's for the best. I KNOW it is. Those things are extras. Big time extras.

And we're going to live without those wonderful extras for a time! This is just part of struggling to be wise with our money. I know that this decision is the more God-honoring one, and that brings a huge amount of peace...and is helping me to be content.

So if you need to get a hold of me...please don't text, call! =)

Thursday, March 17, 2011

love them!

Love my big girls!

Katey girl! Notice the baby in the background! Cute!

Julia nut! She is such a cuddlebug!

Most of the time they just love each other so much! They're best friends!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

a simple prayer....answered

Tonight had a moment of crisis. =)

You see those beautiful girls to the left? You see those pretty little shiny's in their ears? Well, we somehow lost one tonight. How? HOW???? Have you ever tried to take off newly pierced earrings? They're a beast to get off, for good reason. So HOW?! Here's what happened:

I went to clean Ashley's ears tonight and one ear was just...empty. I had just changed her clothes so I was hoping and praying that it would be lost somewhere in her clothes (I even checked the, um, diaper...shhh!). No luck.

Ya know that sick gut feeling you get when you lose something important? That's totally how I felt. I was just running through my head what to do...were we going to have to re-pierce that ear? Poor, poor baby.

After searching the couch numerous times, the floor a million times, the little vac once, their crib three times, my clothes, Ashley's clothes, their walkers...EVERYTHING...we finally decided to just put one of the big girls' earrings in (from when they got their ears pierced). Here's the problem though--in our brilliance, Ashley's earrings are pink...the rest of the girls have white...so of COURSE we lose a pink earring! =) So we tried to take out her other pink earring too and replace it with a white one...only we couldn't get the back off...go FIGURE! =)

We put them to bed and I just felt sick still. As I was walking down the stairs, I said to Jason, "Puh-lease, just let it be there in the middle of the floor!"

So I walked downstairs and totally looked in the middle of the floor. It wasn't there. Then I just scanned the floor...and THERE THAT LITTLE BOOGER WAS! Right by the TV. I think it must have flown off when I changed her shirt.

I just felt so relieved. And so thankful. God choose to answer that small little prayer of mine...such a little thing, but so big at the same time!

For tonight, I'm just thankful for my little answered prayer. Thank you God!

Sunday, March 13, 2011

ash & ains get their ears pierced...

We finally got the twins their ears pierced today! We've been meaning to do it for months now! And we finally did it! We thought it would be a great Happy Birthday present! And now, people will be able to tell them apart! Ashley got pretty pink earrings and Ainsley got pretty white earrings! So pretty!

These pictures are tiny because they were taken with Jason's phone...we forgot the camera of course!

Ashley right after the first side...apparently for legal reasons they can't have two people doing it on babies...yeah, didn't know THAT. *sigh* So they had to suffer twice. Ashley had the saddest little heaves. =(

Ainsley right before...she has NO idea. None.

She has an idea now. =( Poor babies!

They got over it pretty quick...regardless of how the pictures look! Little love muffins!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

impatient

I'm impatient.

I want to know what God's plan is, and I want to know it NOW. Not next month. Not next week. Not tomorrow. NOW!

Our family is going through a really difficult time with Jason's job right now. He is working LOOOOOOOONG hours for very little pay. Last night he worked from 7:00am-6:30pm...and he's working again today (Saturday). He's barely, barely making more than unemployment. And we have no benefits. Why? Because we can't afford them. *sigh*

It's times like these that make it really hard for me to trust in God's plan. I so badly just want a job that Jason can go to, and enjoy, that allows him to spend a bunch of time at home with us (meaning no six day work weeks!). But for some reason, unknown to us, God has him at this job. My desire right now is to whine like a 2-year-old (and boy do I know what THAT'S like!), to stamp my feet and to throw a fit. But alas, I must MUST remind myself of truth.

What truth is that?

God is good.

God has our best and His glory in mind. This is really hard to believe sometimes when we're going through trials. But He does. And I MUST believe that...because it's biblical (Romans 8:28).

God uses trials to refine us, to make us more like His Son. Well, right now I feel like He's going to have to do that in spite of myself. =) I seriously feel like a grumpy 2-year-old a lot lately. It's my own fault and I need to change my attitude. Workin' on it...

God allows trials...and this trial is small in comparison to some. I'm thinking of Job right now...Job who lost all of his children, his livelihood, his wealth...all in one day. I shudder to think of how I would respond to THAT. And yet, Job gives us an example of a godly response: "'Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?' In all this Job did not sin with his lips" (Job 2:10). So Jason has a tough job? We are all healthy, we are all fed, who am I to complain?

I have been resistant to the Holy Spirit changing me through this. Why? I dunno. I guess because I'm impatient. And stubborn. But I'm going to start choosing to think of this in a biblical and godly way. No more 2-year-old temper tantrums. =)

Friday, March 11, 2011

family disneyland trip--march 2011

We went to Disneyland this week...for three days!!! Jason's parents paid for themselves, our family and the Heynen family all to go, for the hotel and for the park tickets! It was one of the best trips I've ever had! I've been wanting to take the girls there for so long and this was just a special time! We celebrated the twins' birthday, our nephew Grant's birthday, Jason's birthday and Tata's birthday!

We drove out to LA on Sunday morning and spent the afternoon and evening at Disneyland, just soaking it in! We left the park for a birthday dinner at Cheesecake Factory that was right down the street from our hotel room, within walking distance of Disneyland. After dinner, Jason and I, Kate, Shannon, David and Madison all headed back to Disneyland since it was open until midnight. Nana and Tata stayed with the rest of the kids! That night was the first time we took Katey on Space Mountain! Brave, brave girl!

We spent all of Monday morning and part of the afternoon at California Adventure! Soaring Over California was Tata's favorite! We also went on the big roller coaster there...one of my fav's! We spent the evening back at Disneyland and went on the Jungle Cruise and visited the Tiki Room! We then went and enjoyed another birthday dinner at California Pizza Kitchen! After THAT dinner, Jason and I went back to Cheesecake Factory for a little cheesecake date!

After our little date, we were back in the room sleeping, when we awoke to Ainsley choking. I think she had coughed and then threw up a little bit and then choked on that throw up. She couldn't seem to take a breath very well and it scared us pretty bad. We woke up Nana and she didn't like it either so we wound up calling 911 (sigh) and then driving her to the ER, where she got x-rays and was thoroughly checked out by the docs. Turns out she was fine, she probably did just choke on some throw-up and it cleared up in a couple days. Way ta scare Mama and Dada Ains, and give us only 3+ hours of sleep! =)

Tuesday morning we enjoyed breakfast with Nana and Tata and then had to say good-bye to them. The Heynens and I enjoyed another day at Disneyland and California Adventure, getting in all our last minute rides! Nana and Tata gave all of the grandkids souvenir money to spend so we picked out their souvenirs before we left! Katey and Julia got Sleeping Beauty and Tinkerbell dolls and a Toy Story III book. The twins got a Mickey ring stacker and a Mickey ears shape sorter! Then we drove home...on one of the roughest road trips we've ever had with the kids. There were a LOT of tears and a lot of sleepy Mama and Dada eyes!

On our way into the park! I was EXCITED! Way more than them!

And we're in! Woo woo!

Walking down Main Street toward the Princess Castle!

Our little stroller family, ready for fun!

In line for our first ride: Snow White!

Starting to get excited...but still doesn't really get it!

This face is just classic! This is on Snow White (the 1st ride)...and is just in AWE!!

This is about 2 seconds after the last one! Glee!

Ashley's first nap at Disneyland. She took many!

Ainsley's first nap at Disneyland! She took a lot too!

Nana and...baby!

I have a lot of pictures of the two of us at Disneyland! This is just another!

On Big Thunder Mountain with Madison and Grant behind us!

Julia nappin'!

Dada and Juls with the Cars cars! Fun!

Julia meeting Chip and Dale!

The twins meeting Chip and Dale!

Madison and Nana at California Adventure!

The kiddos meeting Woody and an Army Man!

Katey eating her ice cream in California adventure! Cute!

The fam on The Jungle Cruise! Nana and Tata thought the guy was funny!

The rest of the fam! Jason thought he was funny too!

Katey, Julia and Reagan playing with the water ball outside of Space Mountain!

The kids meeting Buzz Lightyear. For some reason he made Julia nervous!

Kate and Dada getting ready to enjoy Space Mountain! This was Katey's 2nd time...she enjoyed the 2nd time MUCH more than the first!

At the end of Space Mountain...the first time her little face was just...freaked out...this time...just wind whipped! Love that girl!

The cousins, getting ready to go on It's a Small World! Look at Julia's face...little nut! Oh and see that teddy bear she's holding? Uncle David won that for her and she did not let that thing go all day!

Katey and Madison on It's a Small World! Madison was Katey's best bud at Disneyland! Madison was so sweet and patient with her! Katey held her hand almost the whole time we were there!

Funny faces in Toon Town!

On the kiddy roller coaster in Toon Town...they all loved it!

Getting ready to go on Tower of Terror...Kate was nervous, but was a real champ and said she'd go on it again someday!

Family photo op!

Ok. These pictures are just my favorite of Julia...she and I went on Autopia together and she had a BLAST! She couldn't steer it very well so it would bump into the track and she just thought that was HILARIOUS!