The Count Down is ON!

The count down is on for our family. We are counting down the days until March 1, 2009, which will be the day we begin the Total Money Makeover. This is a book written by Dave Ramsey. He is a gentlemen that was a millionaire and lost everything. He learned how to work your money, by giving you the tools to become discipline with your money to get out of debt. It's not a magic trick, it's reality.

Jennine let us borrow the book and Jarett has really enjoyed learning about it. I have also began to read it. We want to be on the same page as we go through this makeover with our money.

I am not trying to sell the book. It is just something that other people have recommended to us. We love the realistic ideas and strategies. So, we are counting down to our first day of this new adventure to becoming debt FREE! :)

Chalene

I FINALLY Did it!

Well today was the day.....I am now on Facebook.

I have no idea what I am doing on there. I was excited though to see one of my friends from Texas contact me. It was so fun to see her picture and write to her. I am not sure what facebook is and I can't explain it to Jarett. I think it is pretty cool. I have been playing around with it tonight, but didn't get to far with it.

Anyway, it is official and I am on and have 16 friends so far! I know that doesn't sound like much, especially to my friends who actually have 168 friends. But for my first day on it, 16 is pretty cool to me. I am not as social as other people so I probably won't go higher than that - but seeing an old was worth it all. :)

Chalene

I Wanna Be TAGGED!

Ok, my other blogger friends have this tagging thing going on. I was quite disappointed that I didn't get tagged. :) Most of the ones that got tagged are on this thing called "Facebook". I have been asked several times to get a "Facebook" account. I am thinking ......NOPE....I definitely don't need another online thing to have to write to and on. But, to be in the "tagging" world - I better get that account! :)

So I am sure you are wondering if I got an account yet......

NOPE!

I still haven't done it yet! I do plan on it, but I am thinking during my Spring Break (which is in 3 weeks) I will venture into the "Facebook" world. Up until then I have a TON of stuff to finished and turned in before then. So in due time :)

Sooooooooooo....I have been thinking about why do "tags" exist in this cyber world?! I figured it is a great way to get awesome information from several people. So the smart person that I am.....???!!!! I thought of a tagging "topic". I am trying to simplify our house and life. I am struggling with this, but do know of several people who are fantastic at organizing and simplifying things. So I am going to tag some people, in hopes, they will take the tag and participate. :O)

To the taggers:
Write 10 things you do to organize or simplify your house. After you are finished, tag 5 more people.

Simplying / Organizing our House:

1. The girls have so many beads for their hair, so I have a box that holds the beads in their individual colors. It also holds their combs and books that I have bought to learn more about their hair.

2. We make our own coffee. This is huge for us, since we figured that we spend over $100 at Starbucks. Now we don't go there anymore and make our own.

3. I have a tax folder that I keep all our receipts in. I place it by our phone, so when either one of us spends money that can be deducted we just place it in the folder.

4. I have a tub for each child with their name on it, in the closet for their clean sheets to be in.



That is about all I can think of! See this is why I really need this tagging thing to go! I really need to get ideas from only the professionals. :)

I am tagging:

Jennine
Heather A.
Amy Fabu
Kristin Jag
Robin Dodd
Laurel
Anita

* OK - so I tagged 7 people but I figure since I am starting it, the more the better to start off with :)

Welcome Home Akwasi!

I have been so excited this weekend, especially yesterday. Akwasi, my new nephew, came home from Ghana.

Story in a nutshell:
My sister went with me on both of my trips to Ghana for the adoption of our twin girls. Well, this little boy, found himself loving my sister. She definitely did not go to Ghana to adopt, but God had other plans for her. Anyway, the last 2 days there on our first trip, Akwasi came up to LA and said with a huge unforgetable smile, "I choose you to be my mother" and "I am going to follow you to America". Boy, did he grab her heart.

The odds were against them from becoming a family, but God did it all!

Below are pictures of the homecoming!

Here they come!!!!


Yeah - they are finally here!


Mother and Son finally together!

A hug from Grandma!


It was so fun to watch Akwasi with Rita and Racheal. It seemed like they were never separate.

Kaiden and Akwasi really got along really well.


After we picked them up, we out to eat at Chilli's. It was so fun to see how Akwasi just completely fit in with our family. It has been such a wonderful and Blessed weekend.

Welcome Home Akwasi!