Grateful for a job, a day off

I have to write and say how grateful we are for Jeff’s work. He has worked crazy hours lately and traveled a lot, but he has been somehow managing everything and feels like his company will give him opportunities to grow and move in directions he is more interested in. One of the biggest blessings from his work is the bonuses. They don’t come every month, but they come often enough that is has been a huge blessing for us. We bought a car last summer and depleted quite a bit of savings. But we have been able to put quite a bit back into savings from the bonuses, which has been awesome since eventually we’d like to get a house….once we decide where to live. But one other blessing came and I’m sure it was a tithing blessing. We desperately needed new tires for the van since it has snowed so much and I have been slipping all over, but they are a lot of money. A day or two after finding that out Jeff discovers that he bonused for the month and didn’t even know it! We were able to have money for the tires and some for savings. We are feeling very grateful. And it has now been a couple days with the new tires and they are amazing! I forgot how cars are supposed to handle in the snow. 

Jeff gave me a great gift today, he took the kids to Westminster and gave me a day off! At first I wasn’t going to stay home since I haven’t seen the family for awhile either, but after I thought about it I felt like it would be good for me to stay and get some things done. In the past when I have had a free day I have spent much of it cleaning the house, but since doing my “game changer” program and doing little bits of housework each day, the only thing on my list was to do the kitchen! I went grocery shopping by myself (which is always a much faster trip), ran some errands (again so much faster and less anger when I can go to Target and Marshall’s without kiddos…I mean, I understand Lily wanting to buy everything she sees, so I can’t really blame her), cooked dinner for tomorrow since we are having company, took a nap, and organized a few things. Overall it was a productive day and I’m so grateful to these little breaks!

Jeff took his guitar and he and Lisa played and sang for over an hour. He said it was so much fun to have a little jam session and spend time with her. He also got a nap in which was very nice since Lily had a really hard night last night and kept us both up for a good portion of the night. The kids went out in the snow in their snowsuits, which I’m sure the family loved watching since they look so cute and puffy in their outfits, and they were all amazed at how much Ryan is walking! When they saw him last he hardly walked and now that’s his mode of transportation so they loved seeing that. 

Ryan loves his barn.

And loves being read to. 

Lily loves talking on her phone, sometimes it's babble (is that what we sound like to her?) and sometimes it's a funny conversation. She often talks to Michael on his mission on this phone, don't tell.

As you can see by the name on the door, Lily definitely takes ownership of this house. It's nice she lets Ryan come inside though. 

I love having these Saturdays where I can have a clean home, dinner made, and other things accomplished so that I can more fully enjoy my Sabbath. 

I have to add a note about Ryan and his amoxicillin. He LOVES it! I have never seen him get so excited about consuming something and he constantly says "mmmm" when he's sucking it out of the syringe. He will be one sad boy when that ear infection clears up.