A little Conversation

Reed is playing trains, Millie is working a puzzle...

Reed - "Oh oh. Help please Millie. Help."
Millie - "Wait just 1 second Buddy."
Reed - "Ok."
Millie - "Ok, what do you need?"
Reed - "Help this please Millie." (He shows her where the track came apart)
Millie - "There you go Buddy." (She fixes it)
Reed - "Thank you Millie"
Millie - "You're welcome Little Buddy."

Now, if only all of their interactions could be this pleasant, my job would be a piece of cake.

No Publishers Clearing House

Winning a million dollars from Publishers Clearing House would be nice, but I think taking your finances into your own hands, making a plan, living on less than you make and being responsible for your financial future is a better and more realistic approach to being able to enjoy a future where you don't worry about money and you don't wonder if you can pay your bills. Wouldn't it be nice to keep your paycheck and not have to send it all back out again for the car payment, a student loan, the mortgage, several credit cards and who knows what else? I am proud that Rick and I have worked hard, made many sacrifices and didn't try to keep up with other people, the dreaded "Jones", in a high consumption life style.

I am proud to say that Rick and I are debt free and we love every bit of it. Yes, it would have been nice to have cable, the latest video game systems, new cars, fancy vacations, the fanciest clothes (new clothes period even) or enjoyed going out to movies, eating out, pedicures, buying the kids every new toy as it hit the shelves but we didn't. Now, we didn't live like paupers. We made wise decisions about how and where we would spend our money and with every purchase, we asked ourselves "Is this worth it?" Will this purchase bring us days and weeks of enjoyment and help to make us a closer family, or is this a purchase we can live without? Is this something we need or just something we want? Are we teaching our kids to be responsible? Are we setting a good example?

America is in a terrible decline because of over spending and because so many Americans seem to think they are entitled to have anything they want. They think if their friend/coworker/brother/neighbor has something, then they should have it too. I am not sure where this attitude came from, my grandparents certainly didn't live like that, nor my parents. I pray that our children realize that you really do have to have money in order to buy something and more importantly where that money comes from...it is called work. And in today's society, young people don't seem to know what the word means. Rick and I both grew up in farming families and saw our parents work, hard, from the time they got up to the time they went to bed. We knew where money came from and what it meant to work. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for that lesson.

Kids, I hope we can teach you the value of a dollar and this simple idea..."Live on less than you make." It is that simple. I hope that you all, early in your life, can get a letter in the mail like the one Rick and I got this week...

Dear Mortgagor:
First Horizon wishes to inform you that we have posted the payment in full on your loan on 06-28-10. After your payment funds clear, we will send a mortgage discharge to your county clerk to release the lien we have maintained on your property.

It feels great kids. I hope we teach you well and that you can enjoy even more financial freedom than we do. I hope you see that when you have money, you can give money and that feels better than any 'thing' you can buy for yourself. The Bible says it well..."The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender." (Proverbs 22:7). Don't go through life working just to hand your money over to your "lender". Don't be a slave, be free so that you can help others and live your life the way you want. Dave Ramsey says "Live like no one else now, so that you can live like no one else later." Those words are so true. A few sacrifices early in life will open so many doors for you to live like no one else.

Obstacle Course

My kids really enjoying watching the show Wipeout. If you have never seen the show, it is a couple of goofy hosts and a HUGE obstacle course set up outside that is pretty much impossible. The hosts make fun of the contestants as they fall, flop, get smacked with huge balls, bounce off huge balls, fall in mud and are sprayed with paint.

So, my kids watch it and then they build their own Wipeout course in our bonus room. It is pretty funny to watch. Reed will run around the room gathering up all the pillows and just keep saying "Mommy Wook! I make obstacles course!"

Easily Entertained

This is how Reed entertains himself at Millie's swim lessons. He just kept asking for more and more. I really wanted to throw him in the pool and watch him bob around.

Millie The Fish

I have a few videos to upload because Rick finally got them off his phone and on my computer. This is Millie after only 5 swim lessons. Please ignore her little wardrobe malfunction. She jumped in 4 times and was loving it. The other little boy in her class would have no part of it but Millie said even though she was scared, she wanted to be brave and try it.

Reed Is Making Rick Proud

It didn't take Reed long to learn how to pedal his new big boy bike. Pretty much from sun up to sun down he jabbers about bike races and going fast and how Mommy, Daddy, Millie and Reed have bikes. I think Rick is pretty excited that Reed likes to ride because now I am sure we will all get matching family jerseys and be biking across the country. Little does he know, I think I am the most excited because I am the one who has to pull Reed in the cart when we all go riding and that chubby boy is HEAVY! A little more practice with the brakes and Reed will be hauling himself around. Maybe I should make him pull me around while I kick back and have snacks.

Blue Mountain Mist

Rick and I bought a new house...I wish!


The Blue Mountain Mist Country Inn is where my mom and dad stayed this past weekend and where we celebrated Reed's birthday. Rick has been fighting a really bad ear infection so while he took a nap, the rest of us walked up to the main house and enjoyed some front porch sittin'.





This Inn not only serves a fantastic full country breakfast, but in the afternoon, they start baking and we got there just at the right time to enjoy some cookies right out of the oven, some delicious pie, homemade lemonade and my dad got his favorite...a nice cup of coffee. This is the third time my parents have stayed here and I can understand why they keep going back.


It was very peaceful and relaxing but just a few miles from Dollywood and all the attractions you could want.









It really is a beautiful place. Their website is www.bluemountainmist.com

Celebrating Reed's Birthday

I like to focus on family adventures and just enjoying each other for the kids' birthdays. I want it to be less about the gifts and more about celebrating life. The day started early by getting up, packing a large picnic lunch and heading to Pigeon Forge. My mom and dad rented a little cottage at a bed and breakfast so we met them there and drove up together to Clingman's Dome. Rick was pretty excited about this because he brought his bike so he could ride back down the mountain. I was worried about a bike being involved because of what happened last year on Reed's birthday but I put my fears aside and figured it would be ok.



By the time we got to Clingman's Dome, we were pretty hungry so we had our picnic in the back of the truck like true mountain men before we made the 1/2 mile walk to the peak. My dad stayed at the truck and waited because he was not able to make the walk but the rest of us headed to the top.

Millie made sure we knew where we were going.


I think Reed's favorite part was walking along the wall.


Millie and Rick went all the way to the top of the observation tower but mom and I stayed with Reed at the base because it was pretty foggy and you couldn't have seen anything anyway.


Rick and Millie walked on down the hill while Mom and Reed decided to take a little detour on the Appalachian Trail.


Then it was back to the truck and down the mountain to pick up the ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins.


Reed and my dad waited patiently while we got things ready for the cake.


Fortunately Rick made it back safely and we all enjoyed some yummy cake.



Then of course, what birthday isn't complete without a few gifts. I don't know which gift Reed was more excited about. The bike Rick and I got him...


...or the tennis racket, balls and play dough my mom and dad got him.


We were prepared and Rick brought tools so he could put the bike together. Reed didn't want to get off the thing the rest of the afternoon.


We spent a few hours at the main house, relaxing on the front porch and enjoying some nice home made deserts and lemonade. I will have more details on that later because this post is getting WAY too long.


After the kids played, Dad fired up the grill outside and we had some brats, dogs, fresh corn from the garden and some squash (one of my favorites).


Reed was helping him get a few sticks.


Once we got everything cleaned up, we packed our stuff and headed back to Knoxville while my parents stayed at the cottage another night. The kids were exhausted and they were asleep before we even got to the main road.


Happy Birthday Reed, I hope you had a great day!

Happy Birthday Reed

Happy Second Birthday Reed! We had a fun day that was made even better by spending it with your Mammy and GG Buechler. They drove down so they would be with you on your birthday. More details to come later about our adventures today but I wanted to let you know I love you even more today than the day you were born and I am sure with each new day that love will continue to grow. We are all blessed to have you in our lives.

No Reason

No reason for these photos. I just felt it was unfair not to share them.

Good County Living

When you live in the country, you just don't need many toys. Because, really, what could compete with a huge pile of dirt?


This lasted for hours and they could have kept going but it started to get dark.


Jacob had a nice slide worked into the hill.


Rick was a big help and drove the excavator over and loaded the truck.


Have I mentioned that I really need to move back to the country? I am not made for the suburbs.

Big Day of Sports

Today was a great day for Rick to be off work because Millie had tennis lessons and her first swim lesson.

She is still doing great at tennis. Her instructor told me that if she missed one of her regular classes, she could make it up with the 7-9 year olds and not have any problems. Pretty cool considering she is only 4.


Reed thinks he is ready for lessons, he already has a great ready position.


After tennis, we went to eat and then headed to the Y for Millie's first swimming lesson. She was checking out the other class while we waited for her's to start.


I wasn't sure how she would do with swimming. She doesn't like to be splashed and isn't real comfortable in the water...so I thought. I don't know why I worried, she did great. It was nice that there was only one other kid in her class and he was too scared to get in the water so she pretty much had a private lesson. I can not believe how relaxed she was doing her back floats.


I was also very surprised how far she went under. I think it really helped having Rick there, she is always ready to show off for him.


Front floating was not a problem either.


She had no fear jumping in.


Poor Reed, he hasn't figured out yet that Millie gets to have all the fun. I am sure it won't be long until he catches on. Hint hint to the family...he does have a birthday on Saturday and gift certificates for gymnastics or swimming lessons would be the perfect gift.

Work?

My dad thinks he put Rick to work for a few days redoing several of the driveways around the farm. What Dad doesn't know is that Rick was like a kid in the candy store and could have done this forever.


Before the excavator was delivered, Rick and Dad got the tractors ready for spreading the rock.


They had to put the loader on Dad's new tractor and the grader blade on a smaller one.


The kids were close by making sure everything was going according to plan. Reed was about to have a heart attack watching all the tractors everywhere. He could barely focus and just kept jabbering. It sounded something like this (imagine his little dutch sounding voice)..."Red trackor bwue trackor red trackor bwue trackor more trackor much trackor one two free four fives trackor!!!!"


This was a "Wook Mommy wook, more trackor. Reed drive trackor!!"


And as if things couldn't have gotten more exciting, the excavator arrived. This is when Rick's excitement really jumped a notch and he couldn't wait to get that thing off the trailer. Reed was pretty excited as well.


Millie got to hop in first and help Rick move it up the driveway.


Rick had plenty of supervisors around making sure everything was right.


Dad was hauling rock with his tractor.


Reed was a lot of help of course.


Millie got to help Rick take out a few stumps from 2 very large trees that blew over during the ice and wind storms about a year ago.


Rick and Dad got everything finished up in 2 days. Rick ended up removing a driveway, making a new one, widening one, moving 2 fuel tanks, removing 2 large root wads, digging an area out for a pool, putting in a large french drain and ran about 150' of underground drain tile.