Advent Conspiracy

So, I have had many people send me to this website already in the last few weeks, and I feel that it is important for me to share it with you. We have made our Christmas gifts for the last several years, and will continue to do so this year. I let Perryn choose what kind of gift to make and we go from there. In a selfish way, we always used the extra money we saved by making gifts, and getting more gifts for our kids. Well, this year, I think we will use the money that we are saving to get our children 1 or 2 gifts and then giving the rest to 5for50, 50000shoes.com, or The Capital Area Food Bank. This will be part of our new family traditions that I am looking forward to starting with our family this year. I challenge you to do the same. Please watch this movie and remember you can help someone too.

A Small Fryday Giveaway

So, I have been following this sweet family for a few months, and I enjoy seeing what MckMama is up to everyday. She is the one that introduced me to String of Pearls. (As many of you know, I have partnered up with String of Pearls with my card business to bless the families.) Well, she is hosting a giveaway to benefit String of Pearls. The fun part, is that she has already said that if she wins the Divine Caroline award at the end of November that she will donate those proceeds to String of Pearls. Please go check out what MckMama is up to these days and help support String of Pearls at the same time. Thanks.

Here is the card that I was able to make for a String of Pearls family just a few weeks ago.

Since we are home bound today...

We are home bound today due to Teagan got EXTREMELY sick last night. I don't deal with bodily fluids very well (unless we are potty training). I am good with cleaning the child up NOT the other furniture or clothing that gets messed up while the child is getting sick. Luckily Gabe was at the end of his shift and he was able to come home about 30 min early!!

Anyways, we are NOT going anywhere today, and I am pretty sure we aren't going anywhere tomorrow either. If that's the case, I may try move some appointments around in order to work all 3 days next week...that's neither here nor there at this point....Anyways, I am going to try to catch up on housework, cards, and the blog....so far I have 1 out of 3. Here are some pictures from the last month or so. I can't find the card with the Halloween and Pumpkin patch pictures on it. (My Flower Mound friends...Please TAKE every advantage of that GREAT pumpkin patch up there....I REALLY MISS it. ) Now for the fun stuff!!

Who knew a bathtub could be fun to play in WITHOUT any water in it?

Perryn, Madeline, and Lilly in Granddad's tree (M and L's granddad.)

One of the butterflies that we were able to release!!

We surprised Pawpaw for his birthday and went bowling with him!!

Perryn, Madeline, Lilly, Teagan, and Will in the tree...just missing Baby Thomas...Wendi, I guess we should have figured out a way to 'strap' him to the tree!! LOL

Perryn is just not so comfortable up there, but she really enjoyed climbing that tree.

Overwhelmed

Fair warning: This is going to be a "GET REAL" post!!

So, many of you who follow me on Twitter or Facebook know that I have taken on a J.O.B part time with a Private Preschool here it the Austin/Round Rock area. I am substituting 3-4 days a week. Let me start from the beginning....

About 2 weeks ago, I began putting in applications around town for a teaching position or childcare position of some kind. After meeting with a mortgage planner, we figured we needed to have some supplemental income to help us get the down payment we need to buy a house as well as help to fix our credit from when Gabe lost his job several years back. So, I started putting in applications. I went for an interview at the Preschool where they hired me as a part time sub right on the spot...I began orientation the next day, it was HORRIBLE. I left the children in the preschool that is right across from our apt and headed ACROSS town. I CRIED the whole way to orientation and then throughout. It was rough. Perryn and Teagan did fine....

I worked ALL day Wed and Thursday, we went to Giddings for Food Pantry on Friday, stayed the night because I was way too tired to drive home. Hung out at home on Sunday, but still had to run to the grocery store and do the house cleaning. I worked ALL day yesterday, half a day today, I'm off tomorrow, working ALL day Thurs and Fri this week.

I am debating about going FULL time because I love the 'idea' of my own class; however, I've got a good deal going right now, where I only pay $5 per child per day for preschool. IF I go full time, then I would have to pay tuition which in turn would be around $1100 for both kids...yikes. I have turned into a single parent on the days that I work because we are up and gone first thing in the morning and Gabe gets home after we are all in bed. We get to see him on the weekends ONLY. For the SECOND week in a row, I do not have my Bible study lesson completed!! I am beginning to fall behind on my card orders as well....

I know that this is all coming across as whining and complaining, and maybe that's what it is, but this is hard. God asked me to give Him everything and when I do, it all seems to fall apart. I HATE not having control. I am not sure if I am going to need to give up my Bible study or not, but I know that if I can't keep up then I need to give my spot to someone else who can....I am getting home late and I am so tired that I can't get any work done on my cards, but Gabe is being a hero and supportive and helping me out on that as much as he can.

The kids seem to be doing ok with the adjustment. Perryn tells me she doesn't like school because they make her lay down and rest for 2 hours...HOWEVER, when she falls asleep, then she has a VERY HARD time going to sleep at bedtime...(she's still awake at 11pm). She is writing more words at school on paper, and Teagan came home for the second day in a row with the SAME pants on!! We are all just really very tired. I am struggling with disciplining since I have been gone all day, I don't want to be grumpy when I am home with them...it's a battle within me and with them...I don't want them to lose the respect and what we work on with being obedient with us.

To top ALL things off, we are moving in less than 45 days, and I haven't even begun to pack!!! Please just pray for us and the transition that we are currently in, pray for guidance as to what I need to do about my Bible Study, please pray that I don't lose what I have accomplished so far with my Card Business. Please pray that I continue to let God be in control and not me. Thanks so much for listening....I feel better being able to get everything 'off my chest'.