What a Nice Twisat on The Cost of Raising A Child

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family. Talk about price shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition. But $160,140.00 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into: $8,896.66 a year, * $741.38 a month, * $171.08 a week. * A mere $24.24 a day! * Just over a dollar an hour. Still, you might think the best financial advice is ; don't have children if you want to be 'rich.' Actually, it is just the opposite. What do you get for your $160,140.00? * Naming rights. First, middle, and last! * Glimpses of God every day.. * Giggles under the covers every night. * More love than your heart can hold. * Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs. * Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies. * A hand to hold usually covered with jelly or chocolate. * A partner for blowing bubbles and flying kites. * Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day. For $160,140.00, you never have to grow up. You get to: * finger-paint, * carve pumpkins, * play hide-and-seek, * catch lightning bugs, * never stop believing in Santa Claus. You have an excuse to: * keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh, * watch Saturday morning cartoons, * go to Disney movies, and * wish on stars. You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day. For a mere $24.24 a day, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for: * retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof, * taking the training wheels off a bike, * removing a splinter, * filling a wading pool, * coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and * coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless. You get a front row seat in history to witness the: * First step, * First word, * First bra, * First date, * First time behind the wheel. You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match. In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!! Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren & great-grandchildren!!!!!!! It's the best investment you'll ever make!!!!!!!!!

Our newest Foster

As most people know we foster kittys for Pet Refuge. They are a local no kill agency that is totally run by volunteers and donations. Any way this is our latest little guy - Gizmo. He is so she and timid. I'm hoping to be able to get him out of his shell so he can be adopted more easily. He weighs about 10 lbs and is solid. He just started walking on my bed at night. This is progress considering he hides his head like an ostrich when ever someone comes around.

Another Room Down

This is our guest bathroom. It's right next to the kids playroom and the laundry room. Which means it's just inside the back door. So when the kids are outside they can jet in and go to the bathroom. This also means they stay right on the tiles with nasty shoes and not on the first level dragging mud. The pics were given to me by a friend 5 yrs ago when we started paper chasing for Genevieve.

The red plate is from the Target $$$$$ bin a couple of years ago.

The hanging lantern above the commode is from Party Lite and the red box holds our tissue box. It's actually a photo box from Walgreen's a few years ago.

Everyone knows how much I love to sew. The curtains have the same banding as the towels. This is a great Kona Bay Fabric.

I couldn't find a red trash can to save my life under $40.00. Soooo Krylon to the rescue. I love Krylon plastic paint. So for $4.00 I now have a red trash can.

Who turned 6?

Saturday this beautiful little Girl turned 6 years old. Wow 6. It's amazing to look back and wonder where the time went. She is a vivacious, energetic, head strong person. She is definitely a leader and not a follower. She could care lees what you think of her and has no hesitation to tell you as much. She marches to her own drum and many times creates her own music to go with the drum beat. There are days I wonder if we are going to make it with our personalities. She can cut you to ribbons with her eyes, and then melt your heart with those same eyes. While in China she was dubbed with the nickname "Wild Child" by her Stephen, well he could not have pegged her any better if he would have known her for 100 years.. Happy Birthday Beautiful Princess for Far Away Lands

Gifts from our bestest friend in North Carolina, Sarah. My Yiyang sister is how Geneveive refers to her

This was very special for Genevieve. Aunt Barbie had surgery the day before and we really did not think she would make it to bowling for her birthday.

The bowling gang

All her "bestest" Chinese Cousins as she calls them. This little group can be catty nasty and whiny some days. But you can't tell them any different that thier not best friends. As Abigail tells me "sometimes families just fight, but their still families." Kids, how did they get so wise.

Who looks happy?

We went by Keith's so the girls could see Owen. it was Genevieve's birthday and of course she had to see her Owie.

play room with the new curtains

The Foyer

Before and after pictures of the foyer. Not allot changed. Mostly fresh paint and elbow grease for a little cleanliness. The brown bench is one of the VERY BEST investments I've ever made. The girls and all of their activities makes for allot of backpacks and bags this holds them all. Mandarin class, Dance Class, School, they all fit.

As most people know we moved back in October. The move was done during both of my surgeries and the fact we had to live with contractors. So..... The past few months have just been getting the house livable. We are now on the move to fine tune each room. I will try and post as many rooms as I can that we have done with before and after pictures. This is only the inside. The outside and ALLLLL its yard is another story.

These are 2 pictures of their play room before. The wood pieces are an incomplete wet bar.

Now we have the complete job. I just finished the curtains so those pics will go up tomorrow sometime.

Below is the wet bar. Of course because the children own the house and allow us to live here, it is there TV/VCR stand along with all of their movies. The front of it was painted with magnetic paint. The use it for all of the letters to spell with and for their magnetic dress up dolls

This area holds all of their craft supplies/ books and puzzles.

My favorite part of this room is the 6' long by 4 1/2' high window. It faces east and gets all the morning sun. Very cheerful. This summer we will put up the bird feeders outside the window. under the window area is where the pond will go.

Monson Church

I'm not sure I've mentioned how blessed I am for our Church Home. We have been attending Monson Church for over a year now and have NEVER felt more at home. The girls are welcome, DH is welcome and I am welcome. We have had problems in the past where we all have not felt as welcome as we should have. They are a caring community of people from every walk of life and socio economical background. People step up and help one another without being judgemental. How hard is that to find in today's society. I have attended church since being a child and have felt welcome but only at arms length not with open arms. God is Good.

HSM3

The girls are totally engrossed in High School Musical 3 right now. They saved their allowance together for the past month to buy it. We were told by a friend the movies wasn't that good, but so far we are loving it. We never made it to the show to see it. But I'm very glad the girls bought it.

Valentines Day

 

Daddy the girls and myself spent Valentines Evening at Church for a Spaghetti Dinner. It was a great time for all. They had a dance after the diiner but we took the girls home and let the couples have their time. The youth group sponsered it to raise $$$ for all their activities. They were talking couples pictures and what a better way to remember the night than a family photo.

Daddy's Girl

 

Lion Dance

 

 

That is Abigail under my jacket during the Lion Dance