Guess how much...

...all of these goodies cost me?

Hint #1 Everything was on sale AND had a coupon.
Hint #2 Everything was bought at CVS.
Hint #3 The total regular price value...$96.24

So how much do you think I paid? Stay tuned and tomorrow I'll reveal the total and a detailed explaination of the savings. P.S. yes, it's all legal and nothing was stolen. hehehehe :)

Unworthy

This weekend, we went to TN to visit family. After loading up the truck with DVD player, toys, kids and suitcases (and going back in about 5 times for items we forgot) we were ready to hit the road.

"Where's the map quest I printed out and put on your purse so we wouldn't forget it?," John said.

Oops. I must have left it inside. I was NOT opening the garage door, unlocking the house, turning off the alarm, turning on the alarm, and closing the garage door for a 6th time.

Besides, it would be a great opportunity to try out the navigation feature on the new (to us) SUV.

First step: program in a home address.
Second step: make sure the correct regional navigation CD was loaded
Third step: program in a destination address.

Seems easy enough. So we get on the road and follow HER directions.

(in a soft feminine voice) "Proceed on HWY123 for 6.2miles. Be prepared to turn left onto HWY 456"

Nice. We drive for 6.2 miles then turn left. Great.

(soft voice again) "Proceed on HWY456 for 10.8 miles. Prepare to merge onto HWY 789.

Although we were sans the map quest printout, we've driven this route before and know we shouldn't take HWY 789. So we continue straight and planned to hit HWY101. We pass the exit. HER exit.

(soft voice turns a bit louder and harsher) "You have chosen a path that is not recognized by this system. Please make a legal u-turn and proceed on the designated path."

I hit the 'ignore this route' button to shut HER up. A few 100 yards farther, the screen goes blank. Is it broken? Did we mess up the 'path' thus lose the information that had been stored? Will we have to program it again? Darn HER if she ruins our time table by forcing us to stop for directions. I should have just went inside and gotten the map quest directions when I had the chance. Why was I so lazy? I'll never use this stupid navigation system again!!!SHE doesn't know where we're at now. We're lost!

Then, as if nothing had happened, she says, "Proceed on HWY 101 for 37.5 mi."

The system had reconfigured the path to our destination based on the choice we made to ignore the last route. Cool. No information was lost.

We drove on and followed her directions for about two hours. Then, we saw a familiar exit. John seemed to recall taking that road before as a short cut. Only, SHE didn't acknowledge the cut through. We called his parents, who were planning to meet up with us, and his Dad advised us to take the short cut...not knowing we had the navigation telling us differently. John, confused and not wanting to make a wrong decision, pulled over and asked for directions from a hairy, smelly, dude at a gas station. The dude confirmed HER directions.

John chuckled and said, "We should have listened to HER, she knows where we're going and where we've been."

SHE knew where we were going and where we had been. SHE knew the correct path for us. And when we doubted, questioned and even detoured the road to our destination, she reprogrammed and gracefully continued to guide us.

Sound familiar?

I am so humbled by the grace God has given my family. I'm on my knees confessing for doubting HIS ability to make my path straight. I am in AWE and wonder at how HE can aline the stars and direct my life when I make decisions or have moments that cloud up my future. HE has NEVER failed to open my eyes and shine light on HIS path...even when I can't understand or find reason for HIS direction.

HE gathers up the fruit of my worry, fear and anxiety about the future. Then HE squeezes it like a juicer and serves it's nectar in a crystal glass on a silver platter, saying, "Take. Drink. This is my blood." HE gathers up the messes I've made and the mistakes that linger, and bakes them into a luscious apple pie that is The Word and says, "Take. Eat. This is my body." HE soaps up my hands with the Dawn of Resurrection and guides me to The Water that cleanses my soul of imperfection. HE cloaks me with the fabrics of his spirit and protects every footprint my sandals dig.

Recently, our family was faced with some major financial decisions, and we were feeling uncertain about which path to take. As always, God provided for our needs in ways we never could have expected, and he made it VERY clear as to which direction we should take...HIS direction. He always gives us just enough, according to HIS standard. For that, I am grateful and extremely humbled at the blessings he sees fit for our family. I can't help but feel unworthy.

How super cool and techno savy am I? I'm texting in a post from my cell phone! I'd say thats pretty freakin cool of me, wouldn't you?

Ode to Chips

Maybe it's your salty shell and the ripples on your back,
Or maybe it's your crunchiness that causes his attack.

Could it be your flavored sprinkles of onion, cheese and ranch,
Or might it be the aftertaste that puts him in a trance.

Maybe it's your half filled bag that makes him feel like King,
Holding you so tightly with one palm makes freedom ring.

It may just be a midlife thing like fast cars, trucks, or boats,
But mine is ever satisfied with you and the remote.

He begs me to go shopping when you go 10 for $10,
And every sale we come across makes him want to holler.

"We can never have to many !" his voice trailing our driveway,
As I speed off to the grocer, I'd buy zero if it was my way.

But for him I'll load the basket with Ruffles, Lays and Pringles,
Because I know it fills his love bank and gives him heart tingles.

Pass the Ketchup PART 2

...because I need it for the words I'm eating. I thought I was full after Part 1.

"I'll never ______ while going to the bathroom" (insert a multitasking event such as 'hold a crying baby', 'talk on the phone', 'brush my teeth', 'eat a sandwich', 'put on makeup', 'flat iron my hair' etc.

"My baby will be potty trained by 18months"

"I nursed my children, so they have built up immunities and won't get sick as much as other kids."

"I won't put MY kids in MMO, MDO, or any other form of childcare...I want to spend every waking minute nourishing their minds with my love and attention."

"Home made clothes is for people who can't afford to buy at stores."

"Who cares if Target is more expensive...I'll never shop at Walmart again!"

The FABULOUS Jones!

When we lived in Houston, I had the pleasure of knowing The Jones, Rebecca and Chris, through our church. When I first met them, they had just moved to Houston for Chris' job and Rebecca had become a SAHM to their son Cameron. Chris and Rebecca immediately got involved with Life Group at church and soon after jumped at the chance to help out with the children's ministry. Their servant hearts and willingness to help others make them both very FABULOUS!

Rebecca always has a smile on her face and a skip in her step. She's eager to make friends and keeps them once their hers. Her super craftiness is astonishing! From her tie dye shirts and baby quilts to embroidered baskets and polo shirts, her love for all things creative is matched only by her intense love for her family. She's got a hilarious personality that infects those around her. You only have to hang out with her for a few minutes before she'll have you rolling about something funny or ironic that her kids have done. She claims to have struggled fitting into her role as a SAHM, but to see her in action makes you think motherhood and taking care of children is what she was born to do. Rebecca is a leader and a planner, especially when it comes to helping others. She has dreams about food, has walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty and read an entire book in one day. Those are just a few of the things I love about Rebecca and that make her FABULOUS!

Chris also always has a smile on his face. He's often seen cutting up with the guys or playing around with the kids, making everybody laugh. Although I've spent more time with Rebecca than Chris, he definitely left an impression on me in that time. When I, one of the preschool bible class coordinators at the time, was in desperate need of teachers one quarter and had asked every known mother, grandmother, teenager etc in the church and nobody was available, Chris and Brad volunteered...VOLUNTEERED...to co-teach the older 4yo class. They volunteered again, again, and again. For that, Chris Jones, I, and the other coordinators, loved you and I think YOU ARE FABULOUS!!!

I asked Rebecca to share a few more FABULOUS things about Chris. Here's what she had to say:

"Chris is unwavering in his priorities in life, even when others may challenge him. He knows that God is always first, then family, friends, and work is last. Too often people in this world get that confused.

He has worked so hard to make it easy for me to stay at home, even though that wasn't our original plan in the grand scheme of things. We have both had to give up some stuff, but we've gained some awesome kids.

I have been amazed at his devotion and love for his friends. I've seen him drop everything to help a friend in need or just cause (especially if that means he gets to play a sport or game of some sort). It is something he's consistently done since college.

He has a great patience with our children, which I do not always have. I think some of it comes because he can be a kid again with the kids. Playing ball, Star Wars, and all those things.

We now have beautiful laminate wood floors where there was once carpet in our house, which Chris installed himself. In between installing the floor, he built a really cool Lego table for Cameron. He is always getting creative and building nifty stuff for us - bookshelf, night stands, etc.

He gets stuff out of the attic for me, off the top of the fridge, and most importantly my Christmas dishes down from the top shelf of the cabinets. I know that sounds silly, but that height difference puts me at a disadvantage that I just can't get that stuff easily. It's so nice to have someone around to reach those things for me.

Chris knows how much I miss some aspects of my life that I gave up for various reasons. Things like theatre and art. He tries to find ways to bring those back to my life. Like taking me to the theatre to see shows and to the art museum to see new exhibits. Even if I can't do the things I love myself, I can enjoy them other ways.

So when I married Chris, I married his family. I know that's sort of a cliche, but it's entirely true. Not only did Chris accept me and love me, his family has done the same. It's really interesting to see the dynamics of the Jones clan at work. They are loud, boisterous, and unapologetic about who they are. I've learned so much from all of them, and so much about myself. I am who I am because of my family and because of Chris' family. It's nice to have such a large group to love."

Thank you Jones', for being so FABULOUS!

I JUST LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!

Hello and Goodbye.

Well, Hello there little fella. What are you doing all by yourself way up there? You look lost. You SO obviously do not belong with the others here? What happened to you? You must have fallen into bleach, or peroxide, or white paint. You should be MUCH darker. You shouldn't be glistening in the sunlight, waving around, with pride, a banner that reads "AGE" in bold print. You shouldn't be right on top, in front of everyone else, screaming at me with your tiny bullhorn, "Look at me. You are old. I'm HERE for you." You must have mistaken me for someone my senior, MUCH my senior. Because I DO NOT have gray hair! You. Don't. Belong. Here. Goodbye. and Good Riddens....pluck.