Money, Money, Money

So on TLC there's a show about extreme cheapskates. Some of them are pretty odd! But on the other hand some of them make good sense. By influence of the show I think we will start having a "no spend paycheck" once every 6 weeks or so. We will pay tithe then not spend another dime that entire week. Simply eat what food we already have in the house, whether that's pancakes for dinner or odds and ends. Just think of the money we could put towards our car payment. Other ideas on the show we will NOT be implementing are eating goat heads, eating out of a dumpster, and using reusable cloth toilet paper!

Wardrobe replacement

Ever since Jaxen was born we've attended these massive kids clothing resale weekends. They typically have them 2 times a year, fall and spring. Therefore you purchase enough items at the fall sale to last all winter and then in the spring sale you purchase summer clothes. When he was younger it was easier to find cute clothes still in great shape since they don't wear them as long and aren't as rough on their clothes. Now that my big man is in 3T the clothes are more worn and its harder to find "good" ones.
Yesterday we went to one of these sales and thankfully it was a huge success! We limited ourselves to getting items he needed! Not just bc something was cute! For instance we narrowed down our items to 10 long sleeve shirts, 6 church shirts, 2 zip up hoodies, etc. We still spent more then we came with but were so happy it was a success! We found him some Buzz Lightyear light up shoes for $4 and some cowboy boots for $5!
Last night after we cut the tags off and cleaned the shoes and threw the clothes in the wash machine I looked at Brandon and said, "when he's a freshman or sophomore and we have to spend $300 for back to school clothes to only get him 3 jeans, 6 shirts, and 2 pairs of shoes not counting the football gear, baseball cleats, and everything else in between we will be missing these days of dropping$120 twice a year for his wardrobe!"
It's so hard for me to clean out his closet twice a year with things that are too small to wear! I don't like packing away my favorites! Makes this momma sad!!

Investing

I think part of why I space in and out of posting regularly is simply b/c I feel that my life isn't anything "special" that I don't have anything to share.  Kinda like when I was growing up and I heard other people share their cool testimonies and I always thought "I don't have a good story of what God saved me from" then as I matured I realized God did save me from everything else He saved others from, I just simply didn't have to experience the hurt they did, He saved me from it before I ever did it.  Make sense? 
Today I feel the urge to share my passion about purity.  Some people think this is an old fashion word that isn't relevant to today's society, however its still as relevant as ever.  My husband and I have a calling on our lives to serve God in full time ministry so we have the privilege of seeing people at their best and worst.  It breaks my heart when girls come to me and share that they've "gone too far" or "messed up" in the realm of their purity.  It makes me want to kick Satan in the throat and rip his finger nails off!  Makes me so mad that these poor girls find their fulfilment and satisfaction in what others think about them and chasing boys to fill that void. I understand it takes 2 to tango and girls aren't innocent.  Which is why it is so important to teach our daughters, nieces, friends, any young girls to keep themselves modest and not throw themselves out there for everyone and their brother to see!  If we think its cute that a girl has 6 boyfriends in 1st grade, allow her to start wearing makeup at 10, give her a cell phone at 12 b/c all her friends have one and don't monitor whom she is texting and talking to, buy her wardrobe from Victoria Secret when she's 15, then we should be surprised when she comes home and says she's pregnant at 17! I have a desire to see girls wear white on their wedding day and it still mean something!  To walk down that isle with pride holding their daddy's arm knowing she has saved herself for the man God has purposed her to spend her life with! If there is a young girl or a teenage girl that God has placed in your life reach out to her and know that you have the possibility to impact her life in more ways then you know! 

writers block

I know it's been way to long in between posts!  Most of you probably don't check this page regularly anymore since I've stoped writing often!  I guess I just felt I didn't have anything interesting to write about so I'll call that writers block!  When in all actuality I can write about anything I want!  Kinda like an online diary of sorts.  So I will do my best to post more regularly, once a week if not then once every two weeks! 
Catching Up...
We've been in Coleman for 6 months now and still loving every part of it!
Jaxen turned 3!!!!
We've tried and failed potty training! Will attempt again soon...
Successfully made gravy!
Failed at chicken fried steak!
Crafting to my hearts content!
Doing dishes more often then I ever have in my life!
Attended my 10 yr hs reunion!
Decorated for fall! Love!
My 1st born, Toby the basset hound, had an eye removed!
Discovered Pinterest thanks to my baby sister!
Missing my family like crazy!

 

Coming to you live from Texas!!

Let me first quickly apologize for not blogging since March!  I could give you a list of excuses, but I'll spare the time.  A sum of our current Texas life...
We are so blessed beyond our dreams!  God is so faithful to us when we aren't faithful to Him!  He has placed us in Coleman Texas at a little church full of amazing people!  We felt at home quicker then we expected and have been loved on more then we deserve!  We've only been here for 2 months and it feels like its been a great 8 months!  The first week sweet grandma's brought us food daily!  Jaxen attacked one with his toy drill that he pretends is a gun to her ribs...then brought her a book to read him! 
Our teens are so much fun!  They all mostly have accents that make them so much cuter to listen to when the say "yes ma'am," most of them wear big shiny belt buckles and are so respectful!  We have had so much fun with them!  It is great to get to watch Brandon do what he was created to do in life, minister to people he has settled in with the Pastor and his routine quickly and is so thankful for God's plans unfolding!
Jaxen has adjusted without one hiccup!  The first night he went to bed like normal and hasn't acted like he knows any different!  His speech is developing  rather nicely within the past few weeks and we're getting excited b/c he is now mimicking after what we tell him to say!  He has gone from saying around 10 words when he was evaluated in November to now probably 50-70 words give or take.  He is putting 2 words together without hesitation and thinks about putting 3 words together.  We've looked into starting his speech therapy here, but we're still up in the air with that. 
I get the wonderful opportunity to get to stay at home with Jaxen since we've moved!  I've always wanted to be a stay at home mom/pastors wife!  The first day Brandon went to work here was so surreal simply b/c I've waited for 28 years to be at the spot we are at in our lives right now!!!  Since staying home I've found myself trying more recipe's and some succeed and some fail, but when I put on that apron it feels like my super hero cape!!  I don't like the clean up process so much but the trying new things is fun!!  I'll post pictures of the new house up soon!  Stay tuned!!

We're moving!!

I am proud to announce that we are moving to the state of Texas!!! Concho Baptist Church voted 100% to hire Brandon as their youth pastor! So we are anxiously getting ready to move the third week of March! We are in the process of going through boxes that have been in "storage" for 2 years and re-organizing and packing those up! Donating, selling, cleaning, etc! We are color coding our boxes with colored duct tape! The sweet pastors wife has asked for specific details on how we want the house painted so it is our "home!" I am thrilled beyond belief that God isn't done with us! He still has plans for us!

Cakes, Texas, Valentine's

I'm sitting in a quiet house listening to the the wash machine and dryer and smelling a chocolate cake in the oven! Jaxen is still napping and it is a Friday! Friday's are my days off and I look forward to them so much! I love getting to play with my Jaxen and get things done around the house!

This past weekend we attended a church in Texas to candidate for a youth pastor position there. It is 10 hours from our current home and praise the Lord we were able to fly! That 10 hours is projected but I'm sure they don't take my 2 year old in to account for the timing! We had a fantastic trip! We absolutely love the pastor and his family! The were so welcoming and made us feel like part of the group just sitting around the kitchen table! Their youngest daughter is 7 and my Jaxen was smitten! He would have followed her anywhere! The church there will be voting on hiring us this upcoming Sunday and then the ball is in our court.

Valentine's Day was Brandon and my's 9th one together! We both had to work all day but that night we went to Fazoli's which is where our first date (group date) was in 2004 and sat in the same booth!! Then we went to see the movie "The Vow"! Loved it! There were a few things in the movie I wish they would have left out but overall good!

The above pictures are 2 cake orders I've made and then Jaxen posing showing his tattoo!