Debt Free!

This year God has blessed us exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or think. One of many blessings this year was paying off the truck.

Yesterday Mike made the last payment on our truck.

Praise the Lord after a little over a year of paying on the truck, I am happy to announce we are now DEBT FREE!

We do still have our mortgage but Lord willing one day we will be able to say we have paid that off as well.

Thank you God for the many blessings!

Food For Thought

Recap of 2009 Goals

As Christmas comes to an end, it's time for me to look at how I did on my goals for 2009 and meditate on what God wants me to focus on next year.

In looking at my 2009 goals, I realize that I have much room for improvement.

Family Goals:

• Read through the Bible as a couple - we were on track for a long time but the last quarter of the year we got side tracked.
• Participate in the walk to support Whispering Hope Crisis Pregnancy Center - unfortunately this year the date of the walk didn't work out for us.

Homemaking Goals:

• Bake homemade wheat bread more often - this will be much easier to accomplish in 2010 with the bread maker Mike bought for me.
• Plant at least 2 fruit or nut trees in our yard - we planted about 6 blueberry plants and 20 raspberry plants.
• Complete one special deep cleaning/organizing project a month - we did some deep cleaning projects but not one a month.

Financial Goals:

• Open a Roth IRA for me and Mike - Completed
• Put at least $250 in each of our IRAs - We aren't contributing this much but I am thankful for what we have been able to put in our Roth IRA
• Pay off the truck in 2009 (Mike has been doing an excellent job on doubling up on payments but if we buckle down on our spending we can pay it off this year ~ I know we can) - Mike is on track to make his last payment this week! Praise the Lord!
• Make one extra payment this year on our mortgage. - Mike has been able to put alittle extra in each monthly payment this year which has added up to at least one extra payment this year. PTL!

Personal Goals:

• Eat more fruits and veggies - hoping to improve more in this category this coming year
• Drink more water - still a struggle for me
• Make healthier choices - taking it one day at a time
• Stop saying What?, Huh? and Yeah! - I think I am getting better at this

Spiritual Goals:

• Read a chapter from the Bible each day ~ this will allow me to meditate more on what I read. - I focused alot on Proverbs this year
• Each month do something for someone to show my love for them - I dedicated some time to wonderful family to help them in any way I could... just wanted to be a blessing
• Increase my time in prayer - hope to spend even more time in prayer this coming year.
• Pray more specifically - I am reading through a book a dear friend of mind sent me and I look forward to finishing and putting to action those things I learn from the book.

Pray with me as I meditate on what my focus should be for 2010!

Project 365 ~ Week 52

I am so thankful Mike planned for us to come to SC to spend 2 weeks with my family. The timing was perfect because it allowed me to be here for my Dad's procedures at the hospital. I was able to help Mom pass the time at the hospital while we waited for the results to the procedures. Praise the Lord everything looked good!Of course when we all get together, one thing we always do is play Hand and Foot. Rachel is watching intently as we play and soon she will learn everyone's techniques and be able to beat us all.We got a surprise Christmas Eve... my Aunt Judy came to spend some time with us... it was such a wonderful surprise. She brings such joy to the family and we all love her so much! Christmas Eve special drink was this ice cream float that was rather unique. You can read more about that on my Christmas Eve & Day blog post.
I just had to share this picture with y'all...Rachel is just growing up so fast, it is amazing how much she has changed even since Thanksgiving.
Mom just works, and works, and works some more... she just doesn't know when to slow down.

Check out Sara's blog to see how others celebrated Christmas!

Christmas Eve & Day

Tradition (if all schedules allow) is to eat Christmas Eve at my brother and SIL's house. This year she had these cute little napkin rings on each plate. Mike thought they were cute too so he decided to wear his...he is always making me smile :-) Rosalyn (my SIL) served some very unique drinks. They were floats made of vanilla ice cream, sprite, candy cane and sprinkles. Doesn't this drink just look like the most Christmasy thing ever!
Aunt Judy surprised us all by coming to spend Christmas with us. We all love her so much!

Mom made these delicious sticky buns that we enjoyed Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Yummy!

Once Mike made plans for us to come for Christmas, I wanted to make something special to use on the table as a decoration. These mittens were perfect...they were quick to make, and they worked out great.

Time for presents...

This griddle will be great for Mom's Brown Sugar Pancakes.

Every gift Michael started opening he thought was a Wii

Dad got books, CDs and DVDs

Mike's big gift this year was a new laptop...although he "accidentally" found out about his gift before Christmas...I still think he was excited.

I was surprised with this fabulous book (the famous PW cookbook) from Philip and family... and Mike did the sweetest thing and had our VHS wedding tape moved to DVD...he is such an awesome husband!

After all the gifts were opened, Rachel couldn't wait to pull out some of her new coloring things and color with Aunt Judy... they colored until the Wii got all set up. So the Wii got all set up and the fun began... this is Mike figure skating :-)

Even Mom got involved... she did a really good job bowling and I think she really enjoyed herself.

Philip won all the baseball games he played

I love this picture of Mike... he really got into the Tennis game... he would run up to the TV and back... it was just to funny... check out his face in this picture... I just love it!

That was the end of our Christmas. It was a memory filled day!

Merry Christmas to All!

Go check out more DPP photos on View From The Prairie Box.

I'll Give Him My Heart

Go check out more DPP photos on View From The Prairie Box.

Fun with Family

Mike and I flew to Port St Lucie Thursday to spend some time with his Mom, Sister, BIL, niece and nephew. We hadn't been down to visit for several years so this was a much overdue trip. Just sharing some fabulous pictures from the trip.

Such a sweet family!

Mike is showing Roger how to use his iPhone... Mike's favorite ice cream... 5 scoop Reese's Pieces sundae at Friendly's Daddy's little girl Fun with Uncle Michael

Casey Nothing more important than family! Mommy and her kiddos! We enjoyed lots of Friendly's while visiting...yummy!~ Celebrating Christmas a little early while we were all together...

Isn't he the cutest thing in the world? I am talking about Mike, of course. Cleo

First and last picture you will see of me holding Dunkin (the bunny)... after this picture, I started sneezing, coughing and my eyes puffed up and turned all red... I never realized I was allergic to bunnies... at least this kind of bunny

Three generations

Dozer

The Princess

such a cute couple!

Jean decided while the kids were outside playing that he wanted to play too... so he climbed this tree to prove that he could :-)

and this completes the pets in this household... three turtles

May Your Days Be Merry And Bright

Go check out more DPP photos on View From The Prairie Box.

The Light of the World is Jesus

Go check out more DPP photos on View From The Prairie Box.

Dropping In For The Holidays

Had to post this today because yesterday Mike and I surprised my family by driving to SC and dropped in for the holidays! What are the holidays without family? It is unfortunate that Kathy and Paul can't be here but maybe next year it will work out!

Go check out more DPP photos on View From The Prairie Box.