Thoughts

There is so much going on around here, I feel like I have very little time to blog. Lately, when I do get a chance, it seems to get interrupted by various things: one of the kids wakes from a nap, it is time to make dinner, I need to clean the house, or I really need to spend the time getting our finances organized.

So, what has been going on - or will be going on?

1. We are being "invaded" by our Long Island relatives - Aunt, Uncle, cousins and their kids. They will be staying with my sis and my parents, but we will be sure to visit lots! I am SOOOOO excited to see them again! My one cousin and his wife had their baby girl 8 days after Smiles was born and I am so excited to finally meet her! It will be fun to watch the babies play together. His brother (who will not be able to come down at this time) had their first baby 18 days after Brady was born - pretty wild!

2. As many of you know, our Dodge Intrepid's engine died in October 2007. We have been a one car family since then. However, we still have the car in our driveway - why, you may ask? Well, we were not sure what to do with it and we hoped to maybe get something for it for when we purchased our next car (and I really did not feel like trying to figure this all out before now). Well, it is time to get it out of the driveway - since the registration is due at the end of September, and there is no way that I am going to pay to get it inspected...obviously it would not pass. I have no idea how it passed last time! So we are going to decide what to do with it in the next couple of weeks. I am kind of looking forward to having the empty space in our driveway.(although, I am looking forward to getting a new-to-us car too!)

3. I am really excited about the prospect of getting a new-to-us car. We are thinking of going for a mini-van. Our reason for that is that we really want the extra room for our stuff when we go on a vacation and we really want to be able to put another person (or two or more) in our car. Our heart's desire is to pay for the car in cash. We do not want to take out any type of loan for it - for two reason's. The main reason is that we do not want to be in debt ever again (Lord willing). When we were married, we had SO much debt from college and our cars, and we paid it all off in about two years. After that, we decided that we do not want to owe any man anything, but love - however, we do have our house that we still owe on. The other reason is that we could not afford a car payment even if we wanted one...and we don't want one anyway! So, this is an exciting adventure as we place our trust in the Lord and begin our search for the car, well, minivan, that He has already chosen for us.

4. I really do not like talking about my weight - but I am excited and want to share with you that I have lost ALL of the weight that I gained with Smile's pregnancy! I am SOOOO excited!!!!!! I don't feel that my body looks the way that it did before I became pregnant, but eventually I will get there - I have recently started to do some crunches before bed, and whenever I think about it during the day. My next goal is to lose the 10 pounds that I never lost from my pregnancy with Brady - I am already on my way with that too! I have lost one of those pounds! YAY!!! We will see what my goal will be after I shed these next 9 pounds! I will keep you posted!

5. I am so happy to be a Mommy! Smiles and Brady bring so much joy into my life - it is hard to remember life before them. They are precious gifts from the Lord.

It is so past my time to go to bed! I need to sign off of this computer and climb in to bed so that I can function tomorrow with the kids! They have been in bed for about 4.5 hours already! EEK!