Hurt Billy Heel.

There is a hill on the road on the way to my mom's house. We've crossed that road so many times now. And each time, it gets a reaction out of the girls. When it was just itty bitty Haley, she would say "WEEE" and laugh. Now that she is older, and Lexi is around, they always giggle and ask the other, "Did it hurt your belly?"

Last night, I was in the car with my Mom and the two girls. We went over the hill and Lexi said, "See Grandma...it's the hurt Billy (belly) heel." (Sidebar: Both of my kids pronounce hill as heel most of the time, because I have a hard time correctly pronouncing that word as well.) So my mom says, "OH... that's what she is talking about!" Apparently the other day she was trying to describe this hill to my parents, but they could not comprehend what she was saying.

So fast forward to this morning. We took a different road, but going in the same direction as my mom's house. And Lexi says, "Where is the hurt billy heel?" And I told her we were on a different road, so we wouldn't go over the hill today.

BUT...I forgot there was a tiny bit of a hill, one that made her say "MOMMY! It was a little hurt billy heel...see I told you we would go over one." And I said, "You are right! It was like a mini hurt belly hill."

She interpreted "mini" as "Minnie"...you know...like the Mouse.

So she says, "Yeah...and we'll call the other one MICKEY hurt billy heel."

Perfect.

A Dramatic Emotional Post about Fruit.

Tonight, Lexi and I ran to the store to grab a few items for the week ahead.

If you've had any sort of conversation with me recently, or have read a bit of my blog as of late, you know that we are on a super duper tight budget. Like 2 sizes too small of your favorite jeans tight.

The reason we went to the store was to pick up a few things on sale that went back to regular price tomorrow... one of those being grapes.

So we walk in. And let me pause and just say if you know my Lexi at all, you know that her voice is about 10 times her size. I think it has to do with hearing problems...coupled with an inheritance of loud voices on a certain side of the family (BRUCE.)

But I digress... we walk in, and she has her sale ad in one hand and with her booming voice declares... "There are the grapes. We need the grapes." And yes. We got the grapes because they were 69cents a pound... Then she pointed to the ad and proceeded to say "And we need the blueberries, and the strawberries and the raspberries too." (Sidebar: Lexi loves fruit like the desert loves the rain.) But the blueberries and the strawberries and the raspberries are not on sale, so I simply say...not today.

Yep. Not so simple. Because now we standing in front of the berries. "Here are the berries Mom." And I said, "We can't get the berries today...only the grapes." And then she points back to the ad and says (and by says I mean screams), "BUT THEY ARE ON SALE!"

At this point, I just had to lean down close and say, "Sweet Lexi... I know they are on sale, and I want them too...but they are just a little too much money right now." She looked up and me and said, "So we only get grapes?" And I said, "Yes, we only get grapes." "Okay Mommy" she says.

And honestly, I didn't think anything of it until I was just washing the grapes. The kids are in bed. Curtis isn't home. The house is quiet, and all I could think of was Lexi's sweet little voice asking for berries...but being okay that she only got grapes.

I wish I could give my kids the world. This week, I wish I could just give my kid berries. But tonight, I hope I gave her more than that. Because the reason I didn't buy the berries...the reason we're on this budget in the first place...is to be able to provide for them consistently, to not be in trouble financially, and to be secure in times of crisis. She won't get that now...but maybe one day she will.

Until then, we'll eat our grapes. We'll watch the ads. And we'll get those berries...eventually.

Olympic Gold.

It is February 18, 2010.

For as long as I live, I will never forget this night.

It started out great as Curtis and I got to go hear Rob Bell speak. Good stuff.

Then we came home to find Evan Lysacek starting his Olympic long program skate. So exciting.

At 11:23, I heard a door open, and a comatosed Haley walked out mumbling something about being thirsty.

We gave her some water.

She saw the Olympics were on and started talking about hockey. (Earlier in the day, I had mentioned how I was bummed I wouldn't get to see the olympics tonight, so she said she would watch them for me.) "I watched the Olympics for you mom...Hockey."

Then Curtis said, "You wanna snuggle up with us and watch some more ice skating?"

So we have spent the past hour on the couch watching ice skating. You've got to understand how much I LOVE the Olympics! And to be able to watch them with my very tired daughter (i.e. snuggly), and then to watch Evan WIN THE GOLD... it was just a moment of pure perfection.

What a great night! Hurray for the Olympics. Hurray for Evan. Hurray for sweet family memories.

RETHINK IT.

If you ever think it might be a good idea to show your kid an animal planet special on bats...specifically VAMPIRE BATS who drink people's blood... it's not.

While I was in the other room, Curtis was watching said special with Haley. This was at 4:50pm. It is now 9:54. And after consoling her throughout the night, and trying to explain how those exist in a completely different part of the world and she will never see them, she is sobbing in her bed about the bats.

Hmmm....let's stick to the cartoons instead next time love.

I eat like a Queen.

Seriously.

So since we eat at home all the time now, I don't want to get bored with what we eat...so I started buying more interesting food.

Can I just say how awesome our dinner was tonight?

Warmed pita bread with Tabouleh salad. If you haven't had Tabouleh salad before it is SO DELICIOUS.... It's made with chopped fresh parsley mixed with bulgar (crushed wheat), chopped green onion, tomato, fresh mint, spices, extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

Yeah. SO GOOD.

Then Curtis grilled up some chicken/apple sausage with Grilled peppers and onions. I told him I only wanted a bite, but couldn't stop eating it.

Jiminy.

The best part is... I added up how much all of that food was... $5.46 for BOTH OF US!

Boom.

Now I look forward to tomorrow's lunch... shrimp / lime tacos.

Seriously. I eat like a queen.

Just a Thought...

A friend of mine was telling me about a song that asks the question, "What if in the next life you were forced to live off of what you GAVE in this life."

It's a question that cut deep to my heart.

Because seriously, what if?

Don't be afraid to give. I believe in tithing to my church. Trust me, it's an act of faith each month. But it's liberating. It's a freeing act of obedience. But if you aren't a believer...that won't be for you. What is for you? A Charity? A Cause? A Country? There are so many people/organizations that need our help.

Don't be afraid to give.

On the same team.

Since Curtis and I have been married, we've been REALLY serious about our finances two times. The first time was when we were buying our first house. The second time is now.

There is something about focusing our energy towards the same goal that brings us closer together.

I look back with the fondest of memories about our time in Vegas...saving for our house. Cutting coupons, shopping at Wal-Mart, buying the cheapest food possible, not going out, eating lunch in the breakroom at work while our friends went out, not shopping for anything other than what we needed....you get the gist of it.

Anyway... we met our goal. And it was such an accomplishment for us.

We're no where near our current goal, but each day, I have so much hope and anticipation of what the next day, week, month, year will bring. We are in this together. And that is bringing us closer to each other.

I love him so much. I'm glad we're on the same team.

It's the little things....

So ya'll know I've been in a Starbucks/Restaurant/Target Detox Program.

In order to not completely deprive myself, I'm allowed one Starbucks a week. I happened to get a coupon for free oatmeal in the mail (which is Curtis' favorite)... so this morning he went to Sbux to get me coffee and his free oatmeal.

A lady cut in front of him in line and then looked back and said, "I'm sorry...did I cut you off?" And he said "Yeah, but it's no big deal..." She felt so bad, she PAID FOR MY COFFEE!

FREE STARBUCKS FOR ME!

How awesome is that? Our one trip to Sbux and it didn't cost us a cent!