A child of God educating other children.

Wow it's cold outside! I subbed today, and from my car to the building my eyes would not stop watering. I crossed the parking lot and got to the side of the school as fast as possible in hopes to block some of the wind. Little did I know, it would get much colder by the time I would leave at the end of the day.

My car was on E, so I stopped at the gas station and struggled to shut my door when I got out. The wind was so fierce I had to use all my strength. And thanks to Myth Busters I know it is smart to touch a metal part of the car with a bare hand before getting near the gas in order to discharge any electricity and prevent starting a fire. In less than 5 seconds of having my hand out of my glove it was numb. I couldn't believe how cold it was. I thought about standing outside so not to get more static electricity, but there was no chance I could have survived that cold.

So the first thing I do when I get home...check www.weather.com. My car was registering -13 outside, but I really wanted to know what the wind chill is at, and the wind is blowing much harder than usual. The wind is at 33mph and with the wind chill it feels like -44! Yikes! I'm not surprised to see it that low, 'cause it sure feels that way.

Yesterday I was lazy and didn't go work out, decided I'd wait 'til today. I am sure sorry I did that. So Tim and I will go work out after dinner, then go coach the K-1st wrestling team, then go to the varsity wrestling match. While we're out doing that it should be around -20 with the wind chill making it feel like -50. I'm not looking forward to that.

Posted in: Minnesota, weather on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 at at 1:12 PM 0 comments    

I continue to be amazed by my group of 8th grade girls I work with at youth group/confirmation. Last week I wasn't feeling well and not up to leading the group, so I asked, "Who wants to lead tonight?" And Brittany volunteered without a question. She did an awesome job keeping us on track leading the discussion and the girls were very respectful of her leading. At the end of the class I asked if anyone wanted to lead for this week and I immediately had 2 volunteers. So Tara lead yesterday and did an amazing job. And next week Crosbee is going to lead. I am very impressed with the girls volunteering to lead the group, and it is working out really well. We were having to break up into smaller groups with so many girls to keep the chatting down, but it is working really well with the girls leading. They all really get into the discussion and ask great questions and help each other out. I am so blessed to get to work with this group of girls. I am also blessed to have 2 great co-teachers with me. God put us all together for a purpose.

Posted in: ministry on Thursday, January 24, 2008 at at 3:05 PM 0 comments    

Mom and Dad sledding.

Pastor John left his sermon notes on the podium, so when we gave my parents a tour of the church Dad decided to preach it to us. :)

Grilling steaks in the snow!

We played a lot of Mexican train. I got it for my birthday (in April) and hadn't played it until Christmas.

Dad and I in our matching pajama pants.

Posted in: Christmas, family on Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at at 3:31 PM 0 comments    

I have such a good looking husband! I really like this picture of Tim, probably my favorite! He's so cute.

Mom and Dad. We walked all the way across the lake! I was proud of them.

Our house. We started sledding from the basement floor on to the lake which is further down from where we're standing. Great sledding!

Here comes Katelin!

I look like such a pro! :) I tried to slow myself down before the drop and when it gets bumpy.

Posted in: Christmas, family on at at 3:27 PM 0 comments    

It's been a little while, but I finally put the pictures from Christmas on my computer. Hope you enjoy, it'll take 3 posts to get all the ones I want to show.

Mine and Tim's 2nd Christmas married.

All the stockings hung in a row.

All of us together.

Such a cute picture! Katelin resting after walking all the way back up our hill. We got a great workout!

Playing out on the lake. Tim and Dad scooting Mom across on the sled.

Posted in: Christmas, family on at at 3:19 PM 0 comments    

Since Tim and I have been on the Dave Ramsey for a few months now, and helping out with a Dave Ramsey Sunday School class, I am starting to find things that credit card companies and banks try to pull on uneducated people kind of humorous. I lost count of how many credit card applications we get each week, we just rip them to pieces and throw them out. Today though, Bank of America caught my eye and made me laugh!

On the front of their envelope is printed, "An opportunity to help you pay off your debts Once and for all, all at once." My first reaction was "Right, what can Bank of America offer to help me get out of debt." It's their CleanSweep Debt Consolidation Plan, which would be nice if they would give you a low interest rate. Are they really trying to sell their plan with saying, "The CleanSweep loan offers rates as low as 9.99%..."? Which means that is the lowest they are willing to go, our highest interest rate we are paying is on my car, and it's lower than 9.99%. To me this doesn't sound smart at all.

Reading on, they will let you take out a $50,000 loan for only $790 for 96 months which equals you paying them back $75,840. How nice of them! Or you can go for $865 for 84 months which is $72,660. Crunching these numbers doesn't make me laugh at them anymore trying to "help" people, it makes me mad. In class yesterday we watched part of the Financial Peace University Video, and I got so ticked off at the lady who sold Tim and I our car. We didn't fall for what she was trying to tell us 'cause we weren't dumb enough to believe that, "it is better for you to pay the minimal payment on your loan each month than to pay it off quickly because your credit score will go up." I really hope she doesn't believe that herself, and I am glad that we found out shortly after buying my car that she didn't work for Saturn anymore.

Dave Ramsey has hit our town by storm. It is awesome to see everyone have their eyes open to all the myths that we are told about money. And it makes me sad that Tim and I still have people close to us that roll their eyes or laugh whenever we tell them about the Total Money Makeover that we have already seen personally really does work to get out of debt, and stay out.

Posted in: Bank of America, Dave Ramsey, finances on Monday, January 14, 2008 at at 9:52 AM 2 comments    

I have not had a good week. Tuesday I taught a 4th and 5th grade combined class. I felt a little bit under the weather in the morning, and by the time I got home, I went straight to bed. Wednesday I had to cancel my subbing position, and stayed in bed all day. I also had to stay home from confirmation small groups which was a bummer 'cause it was our first time back together after Christmas break. Then Thursday I rested around the house, but was dumb not to take a nap. Today I para subbed in a Kindergarten class, which I survived, but this morning my congestion decided to affect my ear too. I've only been stuffed up on the left side of my head, and haven't been able to hear well in my left ear. The right side of my head feels perfectly fine. Oh I'm ready for it to be gone!

Posted in: health on Friday, January 11, 2008 at at 7:46 PM 0 comments    

Christmas was wonderful. Mom, Dad, and Katelin all came up on Christmas Eve and stayed 'til the 29th. We had a great time. We went sledding every day but one, played a lot of games (mainly Mexican Train) and gave my parents a tour around town. It was a nice relaxing and fun time having them up here. Hopefully I'll get the pictures on my computer soon so I can post them.

Tim has been doing some free websites to get fun toys. So far he has gotten an xbox 360 elite and an ipod touch for free! So he pretty much had his Christmas before Christmas thanks to himself. The junior high youth leaders all pitched in and got Tim Guitar Hero III for the xbox, that has been a fun game. Before Christmas we had the junior high kids over for a game night of xbox and card/board games. Then on New Years Eve we had the senior high kids over for another game night and sledding. Needless to say, I'm tired of all the songs on Guitar Hero, but it was worth it to spend time with the youth.

My work life has calmed down dramatically. Hallmark was done before Christmas and Friday was my last day to teach at the pre-school I was at all December long. Now all I am doing is substitute teaching. It's a bummer going from a steady position for a month back to a random class each day blindly, not knowing what to expect of the students and what they are working on.

My voice came back which was nice, too bad I didn't have it for work though. Oh well. This morning I was sneezing and blowing my nose constantly so I took some allergy medicine before church which made me really loopy. I am still feeling the effects of it, so I guess it's a 12 hour thing. Hmm.

Sundays will be even busier for Tim and I for a couple months. We'll be going to the 8:30 service, teaching 7&8th grade Sunday School at 9:45 then at 11:00 help out with another class teaching Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. Today was the first day with that schedule, so I'm pretty tired. Hopefully I'll get use to it and I wont be so drained each Sunday.

Posted in: Christmas, ministry, work on Sunday, January 06, 2008 at at 2:05 PM 1 comments