Mandy Mom

I think I’m going to quit working on Mondays. Should be illegal anyway.
In fact, if we could completely remove Mondays from the calendar until we find someone to work in my place, that would fantastic.  Seriously, what’s the big deal with Mondays anyway?  Most people dread them, and, without them, we’d be closer to the weekend! (Woo!)  Sure, the kids and I would miss Movie Time Monday on Disney, but, hey, we can rent something on Tuesday instead.  Afterall, that’s when RedBox gets all the new releases.

Besides, we haven’t watched Barbie Mariposa yet.  That’s a movie that doesn’t have to be saved for when Daddy is home.  As flexible as he is when it comes to viewing options (he actually likes chick-flicks), he’s not really into anything produced by Mattel.  *Shrug*  I don’t know what his problem is.

So, yeah, I had to wake up and actually (grumble) get ready for the day in a timely manner.  Ugh.  I also had to get the kids ready, and we totally skipped baths, toothbrushing, and clothes-changing because I was not doing so good on the “timely manner” thing.  I figured they were good to have breakfast and clean underwear/diapers.

Oh, and, let’s not forget… the ground is completely covered with tree pollen.  It’s the time of year when nature loves to torture me.  This means, at the start of the day, I have a horrible headache which feels like my heart has replaced my brain and is pounding away. Double Ugh.  Of course, we don’t have any of the good medicine…. the kind they hoard and protect behind the counter at the pharmacy, so I settle for second-rate stuff.

Ha, Nolyn just licked my husband’s nose.  Hahahaha. And his forehead.  And his eyebrow.  I bet it’s salty.

Anyway, as I was writing….. hahahaha, okay, sorry, um…. as I was writing…

I end up at the restaurant with a headache and three children, two of which start asking for snowcones and french fries upon arrival. No. No. No. No.

(Oh… and No.)

Baby Keagan plays happily with his toys as he lays in his stroller, but that only lasts for a short time.  I nurse him, and roll him into the office so he can (please, please, please, Lord, PLEASE) nap.  He’s not really for that.

Expecting children to remain perky, happy, quiet, and still for five hours is absolutely RIDICULOUS.

Bah.

And so, when my husband returned from work (which mainly consisted of driving around and giving bids for sprinkler system work), I said, “I’m not working Mondays anymore.”

This was after I told him he needed to come pick up the kids before he went home or one of them might not survive.

I was taking a customer’s order when he walked in and had just been informed by my daughter (in front of the customer) that she had pooped “just a little bit” in her big girl panties.

You shoulda seen the disgusted look on this guy’s face.  I wonder if he’s a parent.

Ps: Check out “vintage Mandy” in my Photo blog and join in on Blast from the Past/Flashback Saturdays!
GO HERE: http://mandymom.com/photos

The thing about parenting is you think you have it all figured out….

Until you have children.  Then you realize you’re just as new to this world as your child is. You can have all the opinions on good and bad parenting, but chances are, you’ll change your views once you have a critter of your own.

You may shake your head in dismay or disgust as a child throws a Texas-size tantrum in the grocery store, but I can guarantee you, once you have a toddler of your own, you’ll be the rosy-cheeked parent pushing that cart one day (if not numerous days).

I haven’t had too may of these lately, maybe that’s because I’ve learned the art of distraction, among other things, but there was a time when I felt like melting away as my children melted down.

After a while, you learn to be prepared.  It took me some time, but I finally worked out a plan.  When I went to the grocery store I brought snacks for my daughter.  Snacks kept my cutie from pulling acrobatic fetes to escape the cart in attempt to grab a box of cereal loaded with sugar.  I let my munchkins bring a couple of their favorite toys.  Toys mean their hands are occupied.  Sometimes I make a special grocery list, complete with pictures, just for my critters so they can play the grocery game. 

I make sure my infant is fed before I go because it’s easier on the both of us if he has a full belly before we go anywhere.  This makes any trip, whether it’s a car trip to my parents (2.5 hours away) or trip around the mall, a bit more peaceful.  I also wrap him to my body using my Gypsy Mama Wrap.  He loves being close to my body, and he often falls asleep.  I’m sure movement as I walk coupled with my steady heartbeat is comforting.

I’ve also flown “by myself” (and switched flights) with two toddlers. It’s not exactly an experience I’d care to repeat, but I managed to survive it.  I gave my daughter a little doll stroller to push as I pushed my son in a regular sized stroller, carried a backpack, and toted a big luggage bag along with my purse… oh, and a carseat. Of course, I checked the luggage bag and carseat, which helped.  I enlisted the help of the airport who have people available to assist with little go-cart type vehicles.  They drove me from the metal detectors to my gate on the way to my destination.  I did it alone on the way back. I changed their diapers before we boarded, had plenty of snacks and nice, quiet games (STICKERS, stickers galore!).  Like I said. Survived it. Don’t care to do it again (especially with three children). It’s not relaxing.

Awww, my two oldest children just shared a sweet hug.  Merikalyn is letting Nolyn borrow her night-night blanket to use as a cape.  Sibling love!

Anyway, as I was saying…. children.  They will catch you by surprise. 

Just when you think you have it all figured out, you give birth to another child.  Seriously, I didn’t know how completely DIFFERENT my children would be.  I guess it didn’t occur to me how opposite my brother and I are from each other.  Maybe it did, but I didn’t think differences revealed themselves so early in life.

My first child was mainly a day feeder.  She breastfed a lot during the day and slept most of the night. She usually woke up once in the middle of the night, then easily slipped back to sleep.  She was mild-mannered, easy-going, and not much of a “trouble maker” in any sense of the word.  She didn’t get into anything she wasn’t suppose to.  She was quiet, helpful, and sweet.  In fact, I probably didn’t need to child-proof anything as she simply didn’t go for sticking her fingers in light sockets, playing in toilet water, opening doors or cabinets, or that sort of thing.  Like I said, she was a parent’s dream.

Then came Nolyn.  Man, was he a shock to my parenting theories.  I thought I was a SUPER good parent until he came along.  He challenged me in every way.  He was a chunk, especially when compared to my daughter’s petite little figure.  He’s loud, loves to climb, loves to get into anything that is forbidden (especially if it’s forbidden), and, you know, that little booger even got my mild-mannered little daughter getting into mischief!  Once he was able to move around, he was getting into whatever he could reach, even if that meant tetter-tottering on something unstable.  My daughter, who seemed to be the reserved child, came out of her shell as she watched him explore.

Now they are equally loud, although she’s still a bit more careful when it comes to romping on the park equipment!  When she sees him do something, she often wants to try it out.  He influences and inspires her to do things she wouldn’t have done when she was his age.

This is a frightening thought.  I wonder what he’ll be like in a couple years! (Inhale. Exhale. Inhale.)

Keagan, well, he seems to be the “inbetween” as best as I can figure at this point.  As I watch his personality unfold, I see a child who wants to explore, but is also quiet and cheerful.  He’s happy to stare off into space at times. While Nolyn had little desire to be confined to my arms once he learned how to scoot around, Keagan loves to be held.  He does spent time exploring the floor level of our home, but prefers to be straddling a hip.  He’s not picky about who holds him, unlike my first two munchkins who were very much “Mommy only” babies.

Each child is so incredibly unique, and I love that.  It does challenge me as a parent, but I really wouldn’t have it any other way.  Afterall, I don’t want clones.  I look at these beautiful, intelligent, creative blessings from God, and I thank Him for allowing ME to raise them!

Even if they drive me absolutely batty at times!

Shameless Plug Time:  Check out my Meme- Blast from the Past Saturdays.  Post a picture from the “old days” (which could be a year ago, 10 years ago, or 100 years ago. Old is “relative” anyway), and leave me the link on my photo blog where I’ve posted my Blast back photo.

As I write, I’m tempted to fall asleep on the keyboard. I’m exhausted. Thoroughly, completely, totally exhausted.

Today, Ashley and I took my children (ages nearly-5, 3, and 6 months) along with my nephew (age 8.) and three of his siblings (ages 6,4, and 3) to the park.  I’m not sure if that was a good idea, but I knew that staying in my home would be disasterous (and cause extra, extra work for me once they left), so I decided the park would be best.

Goodness gracious.  So this is what it feels like to have seven kids under the age of eight.  *Passes out*

David, the three-year-old sibling, is definitely a handful.  He runs off, so you have to keep a careful eye on him.  He spent most of the time sitting on a bench because he was so disobedient. He ran off at least a dozen times, cue me chasing after him… sometimes with a baby wrapped to my body.  Definitely not fun.

Fortunately, Ashley is great with children, great at setting boundaries, and great at enforcing them, so it wasn’t as difficult as it could have been had I been the only adult.  (Now THAT would have been disasterous.)

My nephew’s mom had to go to the work force place to fax her resume and send it online as well, so I wanted to help her, but definitely would not have been able had Ashley not be there.  (The reason I say my nephew and his siblings is because he is my husband’s brother’s child, the other children are not.  She found out she was pregnant with my nephew shortly after the two broke up.  I know people are curious as to why I wouldn’t call them all my neices and nephews, and that is why.  Of course, I’d claim them all because I love each of the critters, even if they are quite a handful!)

We spent most of the time at the park making sure all the children were accounted for.  Where is Emily? On the slide. Where is David? Oh no, he’s pushing that little boy over there!  Where is John? Okay, he’s on the bars.  Hunter? He went to the restrooms. Where are my children? *Panic Panic* Oh, whew, they’re right beside me.

I was relieved once they were gone, that’s for sure.  Afterwards, we headed to the mall with Ashley so Merikalyn could get her ears pierced- something I promised we’d do one she got the whole toilet-panties thing down.  She’s excited about the little daisies in her ears.  She cried a wee bit, but once she saw her ears, she calmed down.  I also bought her a little tiara as she had been wanting one ever since she saw that McDonald’s was giving them away in Happy Meals. 

The kids fell asleep on the way home.  Ashley and her husband, John, will return soon so we can have supper together.  We hang out A LOT, moreso this week since it’s spring break, and Ashley doesn’t have class so she’s free during the day.

It’s been a blast… but I’m truly worn out!

I love this stage in my children’s lives.  They are full of funny sayings and actions! Here’s a little laugh from my family to yours! 

Me: I love you, Nolyn.
N: You love me?  Will you marewee me, Mom?
Me: Well……
N: Ashwee won’t marewee you ’cause she’s not a boy.

I think he proposes to me on a near-daily basis! (Ashley is our good friend, btw.)

Merikalyn: Nolyn’s pow-powing me!
Nolyn: (Hand held as if he has a gun.) POW POW POW POW!
M: It’s not nice to kill!
N: POW POW POW!
M: MOM! Nolyn’s killing me!
N: POW POW POW!
M: (Takes her little New Testament Bible and smacks him over the head with it.)
Me: Well, that’s one way to use God’s word.

Ha!

Tomorrow, we head out to Baton Rouge with our friends, John and Ashley.  We’re splitting the cost of a hotel, and are celebrating Easter with Ashley’s family!

I hope you all have a blessed, refreshing, inspiring, spirit-lifting, God-praising Easter!

Before I begin my daily rambles, I’d like to remind you all to check my homeschooling blog, Noggin News (link over there… see.. right there, literally… on the right!).  Check out our pretend field trip to McGoobie Kitchen to work as chefs for Field Trip Tuesday.  Then, look at some of our favorite things to do, like creating journals to record memories or learning about different textures through the art of painting in my entry Fun Projects!

We certainly have a lot of fun around here (right now, the kids are making tunnels to crawl through using the dining chairs and table), but our thoughts have been on Nana, my mom, who is in the hospital (voluntarily).

Mom went to the hospital in order to get down to the “heart of the matter”.  Mom was in a wreck about seven years ago.  She walked away from it without a scratch, but on the inside, her body was extremely damaged.  She had several concussions.  Since that time, she has progressively worsened.  It’s tough for me to see my mom, who was once a vibrant woman who worked hard, loved helping others, and gave her all to her family, become a disabled person who is crippled by ceaseless pain.  For years, doctors have tried to figure out the source of the problem, but that is difficult as she has to come to the doctors.  They don’t usually have the opportunity to watch her throughout the day.  They see her for a few minutes and then she’s gone.

So, her doctor recommended that she check into the hospital so they can come to her and really figure out how to deal with her pain.  So far, they have figured out she has major problems with her pituitary gland.  She is suppose to have an MRI today to get a better look at what’s going on.  She had an x-ray yesterday that showed something shadowy, which may be the reason why she finds it difficult to breathe (she often uses a breathing machine at home).  They’ll be doing a  CAT scan to see what the issue is.

They have her on a morphine drip, I believe.  A pain specialist is suppose to come in and reassess her medications.  I am praying that the doctors will be successful in relieving her pain.  I want my mom to have her LIFE back and be able to do all of the things she dreams of doing…. like carrying her grandchildren around or going shopping without her wheelchair (followed by a week or two of extreme pain and exhaustion).

She’ll probably be in the hospital for most of the week.  We were hoping to spend Easter weekend with them, but this will probably not be a good time.

I would appreciate if you all would pray for her!  Thank you!

I’d like to respond to a note I received on my entry about Postmodernism.

“I think that perhaps Christianity overlooks the fact that there are MANY other very valid religions, such as Buddhism (and my mind is for some reason blanking on others…Judaism, there’s one), who do NOT believe in the Bible, Christ, but still believe in God, a Diety, and still live VERY “moral” lives, some quite rigid. I agree that it’s very easy to say, oh it’s okay, God will love and accept you for who you are (true) without really EXAMINING what God truly wants for the Children of this planet. It occurred to me last night, that we keep pulling God down to our level, therefore “Humanizing” God, rather than trying to pull ourselves UP to God, therefore making ourselves more like God. Should we REALLY be trying to make God into a human being? We use words like He and Father, all the time without really UNDERSTANDING if God even has gender… God is probably a Parent, a Teacher, but is God Human? I think not. I’ve begun to try and eliminate putting a gender to God.

Another thing that occurred to me last night… God as a Parent. If we put ourselves in God’s place, think like a Parent for a minute… what *I* realized is that God probably WANTS us to quit depending on “Him” for everything, at least at some point we MUST grow up spiritually and take responsibility for our abilities to create and stop asking God to lead us everywhere and take care of our every need. I don’t know if that makes sense, but I think it’s what any/every Parent wants for their Child. To become a Separate but perhaps integrated being, fully capable of living in the (spiritual) world as a loving citizen who takes care of themselves and each other.
I’m still working on these “theories” They come to me at night, when I’m attempting to sleep, or when I’m in the shower and just kind of letting my mind ramble. I do not think we come close to knowing God’s Truth, but I do wonder if we shut out the voice of God, even when God is telling us (maybe even MORE so when God is telling us) that we CAN be as powerful as God, and that it’s quite all right to be that way, as it is our ordained right being children of God. God has done little to separate God from Humans, except to give us free will. It is definitely Humans who have separated themselves from God, because of fear, anger, or whatever other “childish” emotions Humans have for not wanting to be one with God…perhaps it’s a part of the growth process, just like our children when they are growing up separate themselves from us so they can become independent thinkers. Of course, I’m personally still trying to figure out many things, and I may be very wrong in ALL of my thinking. I will admit to be just as flawed as the next Human. However, I don’t think I’m entirely too off the mark, either. I just cannot accept the fact that Christianity is the ONLY path to God, especially when so MANY paths exist. I think much of Christianity’s flaws are an arrogance in thinking that this is the ONLY path. Arrogance is such a blinding emotion. The thing is, WHY are Humans here? So they can be ruled by God? Do you really think God, based on what we DO know, really wants to be a ruler? If that was so, we would not have free will, we would not have free thought. God would not sit back and let the world learn at its own pace. So WHY are we here? Pleasure, Pain, and everything in between, why do they exist? Why do Humans have such desires? Is it wrong to desire?

Post modernism is in its own way, trying to find the answers… at least they’re questioning. To blindly accept what is written in the Bible, which really is an interpretation of the Word of God (and as I asked another woman yesterday, are we deaf, blind and dumb to God’s Word within ourselves?) If we can so blindly accept what others say is the Truth of God, then why can we not accept our own Truth of God? Are Humans nowadays SO flawed that they can’t get a handle on God without some Human interpreted BOOK to tell them how to think? Is God really that rigid?
Just some food for thought. I believe in God. I don’t believe in the Bible, and am not entirely sure Jesus Christ ever really existed. There is NO proof that Christ ever existed, other than what’s written in the Bible, and there are MANY other “Christ” like mythologies that came before. If you are EVER in the mood to question this, whatsoever, then check out www.zeitgeist.com. This doesn’t mean that Christ ideals are in any way unworthy… it just means that some beliefs come out of un-questioned, unwavering faith… which can be both a good and a bad thing.

Okay, I’m going to post this… I have probably gone on too much as it is. I also posted this in my diary, because I’m trying to get a handle on the things that are occurring to me, as I have been questioning God and our present situation, which feels pretty painful, but the more I reflect, the more I realize that things are okay. I’m still kind of trying to figure out the lesson though, and it’s not an easy process by any means. “

First- Christianity doesn’t overlook other religions (as you mentioned), it completely disagrees with them. Christianity doesn’t need to take them into consideration. We believe there is one way to Heaven and that way is Jesus Christ.Christianity says that it’s not enough to live a moral life. Be a good person, that’s great, but that won’t earn you a spot in heaven. You “earn” a spot in heaven when you repent of your sins and accept Jesus as your Savior, when you accept that He (who was blameless and sinless) died for your mistakes. Your sins are nailed to the cross.I’m glad people live moral lives. I’m thankful for “good people”, but I believe it is best when our moral lives and goodness are a result of living for Jesus Christ.And yes, God doesn’t want us to depend on him for every-single-little-thing in the way that we don’t do anything and expect things to just fall in our laps. God expects action from us, but he also desires that we look to him for ultimate guidance. Where do we need to be in our lives? What should we do with our finances? The bible tells us to ask for what we need according to God’s will. It doesn’t say, “Ask for whatever you want and God will load it into your lap.”What ultimately separated us from God was the sin of Adam and Eve. From there, it all goes downhill unless we repent. We all need to repent. We have all sinned. We’ve all made mistakes. It’s not the amount of our sins that matters to God. It’s the repentance- it’s accepting Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross as payment for our sins.

When talking about dating, I hear a lot of parents say, “We’ll deal with that when we get there.”  Truth of the matter is, you need to start dealing with it now. 

Right now is the time.  Teenagedom will be too late.

Now is the time to show your child how they should be treated as a member in a relationship.  We can show our children how to have a successful relationship by having a successful marriage.  Did you know that girls are more likely to marry someone like their father?  Now, I dated a lot of guys who were the complete opposite of my dad, but, in the end, I married someone that had similar qualities as my dad.  Thankfully, my dad is an awesome guy, so I had a good standard to use to measure if someone was husband material or not.

When you handle arguments with a calm, reasonable attitude, your child learns how to fight fair.  When you treat your spouse and children with respect and lavish them with love and adoration, your child not only learns how to do the same, but also learns that they deserve to be treated with respect and love.

It’s a good idea for fathers to take their daughters out on little dates to show what her how she should be treated.

As homeschoolers, we are fortunate enough to protect our children a little bit more from outside influences.  If I would have been homeschooled sooner, I would have been spared a lot of heart ache in the dating arena.  When your children are in public school, it’s hard to monitor who they are dating, because dating doesn’t just mean “going out”.  I did not chose wisely when it came to boyfriends. I can look back and see where I wasted a lot of time and effort in guys who didn’t even have the same morals or boundaries as I did.

Now is the time to start thinking about what age you will allow your children to date.  My husband and I have decided that our children will not be allowed to go on one-on-one dates until they are seventeen, and, even then, it will depend on their maturity.  Leading up until that time, they will be learning about sex, and how it is important to wait until marriage.  They will also learn what sex is, and that sex isn’t just “intercourse”.

Courtship is a lost art in today’s society.  Parents send their children out the door with complete strangers…. often without a curfew!

Remember, start thinking… and researching… and PRAYING… about what God wants you to teach your children and how he wants you to raise them.  They may be babies now, but they grow fast.  You need to begin preparing them NOW for dating LATER.

I want to encourage you to look into biblical courtship.  Don’t make up your own rules- let God guide your choices!

For the most part, the family is feeling better, but I am battling the eye-goop.  I wake up and have to pry my eyes open and remove, what feels like, a pound of eye-goop. It’s disgusting.

My eyes look swollen, but nothing a little make-up can’t mask.

Keagan is very mobile these days.  He’s all over the floor, so I vacuum it several times a day. 

 A week or so ago, we had a crawfish boil and invited two couples over.  One couple has two children, Bella (2, maybe 3 now) and Julia (6 months).  Julia and Keagan had a blast rolling all over the place, even on each other.  They pulled at each other’s noses and ears.  Seems they had a lot of fun!

Julia is only a week or two older than Keagan (although, her due date was actually a little later than Keagan’s, she was born a little early and Keagan was born a little late!).  She’s a bit chunkier, but it works for her. She’s absolutely adorable.  Her sister, Bella, is a petite little thing, much like Merikalyn.

I remember being shocked at Nolyn’s size.  He was such a chunk, and I was use to a small little baby in comparison!  Merikalyn was my itty-bitty baby, Nolyn was my super-size baby, and Keagan is my “just right” baby.  Just goes to show that every baby is different, even within the same gene pool.

Currently, Keagan’s favorite game is the “Indian boy” game.  You know, where you put your hand over your mouth back and fourth like a little “Indian boy” and make the “ahhh” sound? (And it comes out sounding like “ah-ah-ah-ah”.)  Anyway, he’s not good at moving his own hand, but he loves it when I do it for him.  When I do it to myself, he giggles.

If you haven’t already, you’ve GOT to see the portraits I took of the kids.  They are HERE.  Let me know if you stop by! Leave a comment!

Hey y’all!

My husband and I have been sick this week.  I was looking forward to being pampered by my husband, until he came home with a chest infection!  Therefore, neither of us have been very good at taking care of each other.

My patience is very thin, and I wish I could just crawl back into bed, but that is not possible when you have three children- especially when you have three young, very adventurous children.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said it well.  Money often costs too much.

Have you ever stopped to ponder the price you pay for money? Sure, we all must make a living, but I know many a person who is a slave to the green.  There are two things I see much of today: workaholism and laziness.  There are few people who reside inbetween.  It’s either all or nothing. 

Workaholics usually have the worst health.  They don’t sleep nearly enough, they don’t take time to eat three full meals a day, and when they do finally scarf down food, it usually lacks in nutrition.  They sacrifice time with loved ones, leave their families feeling neglected and spouses feeling empty and unloved.  All this work to support a lifestyle they can’t even enjoy.

Years ago, my husband told me, “I work so we can have nice things. I want you to have whatever you want.”  He kept missing the point.  What I really wanted more than anything else was his time.  Wait, maybe I should be more specific.  What I really wanted more than anything else was his genuine attention and quality time.  What I was usually left with was an exhausted, cranky, irrate, unmotivated, snippy husband who had little energy left for lavishing me (or his children) with love and attention.  I was tired of getting the crumbs.

In turn, I became dissatisfied.  I felt unloved and abandoned.  I felt as if I was a single parent.  My children rarely saw their father.  When he had a day off, he spent it catching up on sleep while the kids and I longed to get out of the house, to do something… anything.. as a family.

Most work places don’t care about your family.  At the biggest breaking point in our marriage, my husband pleaded for his co-managers to fill in for him, and no one would.  Yet, he was always there to help out when they needed it.

This is why so many marriages are in trouble.  Husbands spend so much time working and little time nurturing their families.  Their intentions are good, but ill-placed.

What suffered most in our situation was our relationship with God.  My husband had no time for God.  I would drag myself to church for the single purpose of getting myself (and my little ones) out of the house, but I still felt empty there.  I was bitter and exhausted.   I had little help with the children, little help around the house, and felt unappreciated.  Instead of turning to God, I turned to others for comfort and advice.  Definitely not a good idea.

So here’s what the picture look liked.  My husband woke up early and came home late. I struggled through the routines of the day and the raising of my children without the support and assistance of my husband.  Upon his return, I felt resentment boiling inside of me.  He wanted intimacy, I wanted help, and at the end of the day, neither of us got what we really wanted.

Ultimately it was because we were a slave to money.  Why?  Well, we needed to pay for our apartment and necessities.  We also needed to pay off debt.  Then we also wanted a little extra to spend here and there.  We weren’t getting richer.  We were just getting poorer.

In this horrible rat race, we lost sight of God, our love for each other, and the reality of money.  We were digging ourselves a deep, deep grave.

It took a complete collapse of our marriage to bring it all into view.

My husband gave notice at work a week before his week-long vacation.  We moved out of a town that pulled us under.  We moved away from people, places, and things that were damaging our marriage, our family, and our relationship with God.

We needed a big change, and we did it.  Or God did it.

I’ve learned to love the simple life, and no, I don’t mean the reality show with Paris and Nicole.  Sure, I still desire the pricier things in life, but I recognize these things will never satisfy.  I would much rather spend time with my husband than have to sacrifice those moments so he can work to pay for something we don’t need.

Here’s a way to look at it.  When I got my first job, someone told me, “Whenever you buy something, calculate how many hours you will have to work in order to purchase it.  Is it worth that much of your time?”

This has been the best financial advice I ever received.  Back then, I made about five bucks an hour (after taxes), so I had to work a lot to get what I really wanted.  When I first moved away from home, I was paid about seven dollars (after taxes).

This meant I had to work 50 hours a month to pay rent for my small apartment, 20 hours to pay for groceries, 15 hours to pay for utilities, 7 hours to pay for my phone and internet, and around 10 hours for gas.  (My car was paid off and my parents paid for insurance and my cellphone, which was for emergencies only.)  There are 168 hours in a week.  I worked an average of 35 hours per week. If I was frugal, I could pay my bills with about 100 hours a month.  Therefore, I would have about 50 hours of money to spend how I saw fit. I usually saved half of it and spent the rest eating out.  When my husband and I married, I still made the same amount of money.  We rented a bigger apartment.  His entire check went towards paying off his debts (which was quite a bit for a twenty-one-year-old), so I had to spend 28 more hours (in addition to the 50 hours I spent as a single) working for our apartment.  FYI, we did not believe in tithing back then.

Makes you think, doesn’t it? (Or maybe it just confuses you.)

Point is, it’s great to have a habit of looking at how much TIME your possessions will cost you.  I also think about this when I have the urge to speed.  Is getting somewhere five minutes earlier worth a fine of about $200?  How much of my husband’s time will that cost?

What is the REAL cost of that beautiful house, big screen television with extended cable, two nice vehicles, name-brand clothing, multiple computers, and fine furniture?  What is the real cost of eating out several times a week, purchasing multiple monthly magazines, and that frothy Starbucks coffee you stop in for every morning?  The small things add up.

And, what is the REAL cost of putting all of that on credit?  What is the real cost of interest?

Is it time with your spouse, time with your children, time with God, time with friends, time to enjoy the luxuries you already have?  Is it your sanity?

Just something to ponder.

The world has not yet learned the riches of frugality. [Cicero]            

Money is a good servant but a terrible master. [Unknown] Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship! [Benjamin Franklin]

I posted the kids Spring Portraits (by yours truly) in my Shutterbuggin’ blog!  Check them out!