Resourcefulness

We've had to be creative with the supplies and equipment we have with us to do many things over the last few months. Our latest bit of resourcefulness, the boys wanted to reshape and sand their AWANA Grand Prix cars so we got some sand paper but it was slow going for reshaping, Katie suggested we try the PediPaws we brought for the dogs' nails. It worked great!

Young Entrepreneurs

Our kids earn an allowance for doing chores above and beyond what we feel is just contributing to being part of a family, we don't pay for cleaning their rooms. When they want money for something beyond the value of their allowance we encourage them to think of ways to earn it. Katie started making dog treats and selling them at Farmer's Markets when she was 8 years old. I can't remember now what she wanted money for, and it was a lot more work for me to get her organized, to the market and set up than it was for her to make the treats, but I believe she learned valuable lessons and each year since, she has taken on more of the responsibility.

The summer before we went to Disneyland Aaron really wanted more souvenir money so he started making marshmallow shooters and selling them at Farmer's Market with Katie. Noah wanted money too but he couldn't think of a product so he hired himself out to Aaron as the target for marshmallow shooter demonstrations.

Last year Noah started making foam noodle ninja weapons and did very well.

I hope the sense of self reliance they have learned lasts into their adulthood so they never have to be totally dependent on someone else for their livelihood like we are.

I Miss My Oven!

I'm not much of a baker, mostly because I don't like to clean up the mess baking creates, but just before Dave lost his job I was trying to learn how to bake bread. These were my first loaves, and my best, though I baked many more. There is a stove and oven in our 5th wheel but it needs a part, it takes a lot of propane to use and I don't have much counter space, so I've been cooking with one electric burner and a toaster oven for the past 4 months. I really want to bake something! I need the smell of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies! We went to look at rentals last weekend and put down a deposit on the first one we saw with a good size, clean kitchen! So hopefully by this time next week I'll have a counter full of homemade bread, cookies and cupcakes.

Maybe We're OK.

Wow, there are some messed up people out there! We've started watching daytime talk shows this last month; I know, I know, but we only get 3 channels and we're bored out of our gourds sitting in this tin can day after day! I have to tell you, watching those shows gives you new perspective on your life. First, our uncontrollable circumstances could be so much worse, our families may have their foibles but we love each other and don't hurt one another on purpose, we're all basically healthy and we have a roof over our head so far. Second, though we've made some bad choices for ourselves none of them have been irrevocable and we haven't hurt anyone by them.

There, but for the grace of God, go you or I.

Not Me!

I didn't wait until the last minute to help my son make his "Night at the Museum" costume for AWANA and have to pray for the last coat of spray paint to dry 10 minutes before he got picked up.

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Don't Talk to Strangers

Who is this man sitting next to me? He sure is a talker. He looks familiar but the behavior is strange. The man I've been married to for 15 years doesn't talk to strangers! Dave is outgoing on stage when the audience is anonymous, but in person I usually have to elbow him just to get him to smile during social functions. Last night at Grace's Dessert Night he opened his mouth and out spilled information it took me 3 years of marriage to get and more general conversation than I've ever heard him have. I'm the talker in the family and generally even I don't share personal information with people I haven't scrapbooked with, but last night there were no pretenses. I think we are just so starved for personal relationships we want everyone to know the bad stuff right off, our character flaws, personality eccentricities, and faith struggles so we can just skip the get to know you stage and go straight to, you're a little off but I guess there's enough to like about you, friendship. Everyone at Grace just makes us feel so comfortable and we really appreciate you all! I kind of like chatty Dave I hope he sticks around a while.

You Did What!

Asking for help doesn't come naturally to us. I'm a little bit of a control freak (Dave is rolling on the floor laughing hysterically at the "little bit" part) and Dave just doesn't like awkwardness. However, I am close to my mom, she knows how hard things have been for us, and we have had to ask her for help in the last few months. My parents got divorced when I was 8, I am now 38, so needless to say she and my dad haven't really remained close over the last 30 years. I'm not really close to my dad, we haven't lived within 2000 miles of each other in 20 years, though we do keep in touch at holidays and such. So imagine my surprise when my mom calls me this afternoon and says she just called my dad's house and spoke with my stepmother! Apparently she told them we could use some financial help and the sooner the better. Neither of my parents have ever had any money to speak of, (could that be a genetic trait?) but they immediately transferred some money into our checking account and let me know they would be doing so for the next few weeks until we had enough to make rent and deposit on a house. The Lord works in mysterious ways.

It's Always Something.

AWANA Night at the Museum

Tuesday our van broke down as Dave was driving home from work, it's the motor, cringe. Wednesday Dave took the truck to work. We've started attending Grace Fellowship and Wednesday is our activity night at church. We don't get out much not knowing anyone in the area and not having any money, so we really look forward to Wednesday nights. They serve dinner, comfort food, cheap, and then the boys go to AWANA, Katie goes to Current (Jr. High youth group) and Dave and I just hang out. The boys had been working hard to finish their Start Zone pamphlets so they could earn their books and shirts. It was also a theme night and we needed to finish Aaron's costume. The plan had been to do it Tuesday night but you know how that turned out. So Dave was leaving work early and stopping at Home Depot to pick up spray paint, we were going to be cutting it really close. He comes out of the store, the truck won't start, it's the battery, alternator? Sigh, more money we don't have, a sober evening of worry ahead of us, Ugh. I was in tears but not to be beaten! Satan may try to keep me isolated but he will not stand in the way of my children while I have breath. Dave and I got on the phone and threw ourselves (and our children) on the mercy of strangers, church people, but still strangers to us. Faith, I had faith that that God would have the right people answer our call, that my children would be safe with them, that against my protective, controlling instincts this was the right thing to do. Thank you God for Ray and Brenda. The boys received their books and shirts and had a great time, and Katie made a new friend.

Never give in to despair!

Our Situation Sucks.

When Dave got laid off in May our whole life changed. Long story short, we lost our house and are living in our 5th wheel, our credit is in the tank and we feel tired and ashamed. We didn't have a church home in Utah and we felt really alone most of the time, so our first priority after Dave started his new job here was to find a church, we knew we needed to surround ourselves with like minded/spirited people, our faith needed a little jump start. We started attending Grace Fellowship with the intention of keeping our heads down and feeling things out. We have had some really wonderful church homes over the years and a couple of spiritually ho hum experiences. We knew we needed something really wonderful as soon as possible but we were leaving it up to God to provide the right place at the right time. We really felt uplifted our first Sunday at Grace, Pastor Ed spoke directly to us and helped us feel a little less ashamed of our situation. Then Satan threw us some doubt and we knew for sure we were in the right place! God is good. Each week Pastor Ed's message helps us release a little more shame and lets us remember we are more than our circumstances. Thanks God.

A-Maze-ing!

We found this really cool Adventure Maze Park!

They had the traditional corn maze though it was HUGE!

But they also had...

a Bamboo Maze,

a Boulder Rolling Maze,

a Plank Maze,

a Pirate Rope Maze,
a circular Stone Path Maze, a Hay Bale Maze and many more.