$2 a day - Concluded

Yesterday was the last day of $2 a day, which concluded one week of eating meals that cost $2 or less. This challenge was a time to reflect on the lives of half the people in our world who live on $2 a day for their whole living expense.

Being consistently hungry was really hard. The first few days were the toughest but once you got used to the feeling of being hungry, it kept your expectations low. Being hungry helped me to evaluate my own eating habits but also to know how little you can survive on. Survival food is not that nutritious, my system was really backed up, if you know what I mean but I was able to eat enough to keep me going through my day. Although Theo rejoiced in the fact that we could not afford the eat vegetables all week, I valued how much nutrition plays a part in our life.

By the end of this week I've felt so bless to have the things I do (including food) and live where I do. We can not control the cards we are dealt in life, all we can do is make the best of what we have. I don't know how God will use this in my life but at least it has given me the realization of the world that we live in. I've been able to reflect on my own life and how much excess we have and how much I don't like it.

Today I was excited to get back to eating as normal again but as I sat down to eat, I did not want eat in gluttony and celebration, I wanted in eat in thankfulness and gratitude for what God has given me.

$2 a day - Day 5

Breakfast - 1 egg, 1 toast = 0.27

Snack - one banana .20

Dinner - Beans & Rice (2 cups of each) .08 per cup, per item = 0.32

Today is Day 5 of $2 per day. We've manage to eat less then $2 a day but have found our selves very hungry and sitting with a calculator adding up what we've eaten for the day trying to see if there's room for more.

With just two days left I am looking forward to this being over. But with that said; I wish that there was a way for people who really live this way to have it be over too.

$2 a day - Day 2

Our church has given us a challenge through E.L.I. called Love In Action, to live on $2 per day for food. Half of the worlds population does it everyday for their entire living expense. Our challenge is to spend $2 per day per person just for food, for one week.

Yesterday was the first day. As a family, $6 per day (not counting Theo & Cady). It was a slap in the face, we kept saying all day how hungry we were. Today is day 2. We had dinner with Jacobs parents for his Birthday, since this was a FREE meal, we did not have to tap in to our full fund today. We were looking forward to our dinner all day long and man did it feel nice to be full. Say tuned to see how we do.

It's Hard To...

When I was pregnant with Theo, my Mom once said to me, "its going to be hard to take a shower, so you'll have to put him in his bouncer seat in the bathroom with you". I thought she was weird and laughed at her, I really thought she was just exaggerating.

This picture describes life very well. After having an infant and a 4year old for the last 6 months, realize that my Mom was telling the truth. Here is my top ten list of things that are hard to do while having young kids.

Top ten things that are hard to do with young kids

1. Sleep

2. Spend time alone

3. Shower/Get Dressed/Get ready for day

4. Go to the bathroom - pee or poop!

5. Eat/Cook

6. Spend married time - date/sex/converse w/my husband

7. Clean

8. Watch something I want to/Read

9. Talk on the phone

10. Exercise

*There's nothing like a good challenge in life, to help you appreciate things! Sorry Mom, I take it all back.

Happy Birthday Jacob

Today is Jacobs 34th Birthday. Jacob LOVES his birthday. He made a menu this week to celebrate his birthday week. Its been fun cooking for him. Tonight we are going out on a date just me and him. I am excited for this because we rarely go out together alone. I love Jacob very much and am excited to spend time together. Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!

Below is the birthday week menu just in case you were curious.

Monday: Spaghetti/Salad

Tuesday: Tacos/Beans/Rice

Wednesday: BBQ - Steak/Hot Italian Sausage/Corn on the cob MF Style/Salad

Thursday: Turkey/Avocado Hoggie Sandwiches/Chips

Friday (BDay): Date Night, don't know where yet

Saturday: Dodger Dogs at the game in SD with Grandpa & Bro

Dessert: Malt Shakes/Mama Freddies Famous Fudge Brownies & Frosting

(PS - If you are wondering why there is a picture of Jacob and Coltrane on this post its because this is the best picture of Jacob I could find by him self, kind of)

Rap Music is my Cigarette

Rap music is like my cigarette. I don't like to listen to rap around the kids but I love it. I sneak a hit when I'm by my self and love to listen to it to pump up.

The crude lyrics, bad morals & bad language are just some of the reasons why I won't listen to it around the kids. I've been flipping through the stations in the car when the kids are in there and will stop for a moment when I hear a rap song but then I feel a fart hits me in the face when I think about the kids in the back seat hearing the stench.

I feel like its my cigarette because I just have to sneak it every once in awhile but don't want my kids to know about it. I grew up listening to rap but also realize how dumb it can be. When I hear it I love it and laugh at it but I can't take too much of it. So every once in awhile, I just have to take a hit of it.

So what's your cigarette?

Family Picture

I found this picture in my desk drawer and remembered how funny it was. Jacob schetched it, I think the funniest part is how Victor is shorter then me, other then that I think it turned out really good.