He is Able!

Christy Nockels is, in my opinion, the BEST worship leader/song writer out there right now! Perhaps you would better know her as part of "Watermark". She and her husband retired "Watermark" but she recently released a new CD under her own name...and it did not disappoint!!

I love the entire album but right now my favorite is "You Are Able". My favorite part:

Fulfillment of every longing of man
It’s You - our God it’s You!

You are Able, higher is our God

Than anything that comes our way

Come what may

You alone forever stay,You’re able, higher is our God

Than anything that comes our way

Come what may

You alone forever stay....You are able!

Keeper of History, glorious Mysterey

We trust no other name

Our hope is in You

Our hope is in You!

Here is what Christy Nockels wrote on her website about this song:

As children of God, we really have no reason to fear this world. He is able! No matter what comes our way, He alone has saved us, and He alone will forever stay with us! This song is really a declaration of faith against fear...for such a time as this! May the mouths and hearts of this generation declare our trust in this glorious mystery, the keeper of history...that we will trust no other name and that our hope is in He who is able!

So thankful for people like Christy who so eloquently verbalize what I often think, feel, and fear, while also reminding me of the Truth in the midst of it all!

Gazelle Wins Again!

A cheetah can run approximately 60 mph. A gazelle can run approximately 50 mph. So, how could a gazelle possibly outrun a cheetah? According to a recent website I read, while the cheetah is faster, it cannot last as long as the gazelle can. Also it was mentioned that the gazelle is able to to make more speedy turns.

Well, today, in my financial world, the gazelle once again got a leg up on the cheetah! I have officially knocked out 1 credit card!! Good bye Best Buy!! I really loved that card...but I'll never miss being "slave to the lender" for electronics ever again! This computer I am blogging on right this moment is now "Paid in Full!" Woohoo!

Love Me Some Sawyer!!

I spent two full days with Marci, Jeff, and Sawyer (and dog Pixie) this past week! I drove over to Brandon on Tuesday, arriving at about 6:00 pm. I ended up leaving on Friday morning around 10:00 am. I had a blast!!! Marci was continually apologizing for having a "boring life" of sitting around the house -- she was worried I was bored anyway. Whatever! It was the most relaxing few days I've had in a long time! I can't say she was as relaxed...Sawyer had his days and nights a tad mixed up...but it looked like that was changing the days I was there. On Wednesday and Thursday night Sawyer slept the entire time between feedings...which he had not been doing. So even though mommy and daddy still had to get up every 3 1/2 hours, they were VERY thankful for those hours of sleep!

Sawyer is a wonderful little guy! The only times he cried were diaper changes, "bath" time, and occasionally when hungry. Even during these times, as soon as the uncomfortable task was over, he was fine!
Marci and I even did a tad bit of shopping on Thursday -- Sawyer even tagged along! I guess it was his first shopping trip...one of many to come I am sure! He did great by the way...sleeping of course.
I already miss the little guy! His skinny legs, LONG feet (they look like skiis!), perfectly round head (not a c-section baby!), chubby cheeks, and his little lips (his bottom one tucks in under the top one). He still balls up too which I love!! I could just eat him up!

See you soon Sawyer!

God's Blessings --

The birth of baby Sawyer reminded me of how blessed I am to have 3 beautiful and healthy nephews. While there are moments where I wish it was I with the babies, I am so grateful that I have been able to just be an aunt. I love that I can drive to see Whit and her boys at the drop of the hat if I want. I love that I could call Whit and get Ethan (and one day Carson) to come "spend the night" with KK. I love that I can fly out for 13 hours to see Marci's first baby -- to even get to hold him while recovering in the NICU. I love that I can set out on I-20, head to Jackson Mississippi and stay several days with Sawyer, Marci, and Jeff. All of this would not be possible (not as easily anyway) if I had my own little ones. So, for now, I am enormously thankful for where God has me...getting to be "Aunt KK".

Better Late than Never...my posting that is...

One week ago tomorrow, little Sawyer Blaylock entered this world! He had a little difficulty at first with a collapsed lung but he recovered quickly. I flew out of DFW to Jackson Mississippi after our first day of math curriculum writing. I was able to spend time with mom, Whitney, Marci, Jeff, and some of their friends. I was also able to see little Sawyer in the NICU and eventually was able to hold him that night :-) I was very happy!

Mom, Whitney, and I slept at Marci's house and mom woke up early with me to take me to the Jackson airport to catch my 6 am flight...a little crazy maybe but I'll be forever thankful for making that quick trip!! I was actually able to get to work on time...well I think I was 5 minutes late, but who's counting anyway??!! Already lovin' him!!

My Name is Kelli...

...and I'm addicted to Nintendo Game Cube.

Yes, I am 31...and I'm addicted to Game Cube. Specifically, Laura Croft: Tomb Raider. I played so much that I actually beat the game...I should be excited, right?? (Don't tell anyone...but I am!)

So, tonight I bought Paper Mario Brothers. It's got to be good...it is Mario Brothers. You won't have to wait long...I'll be playing soon.

Baby Step 2...Here I Come!!!

Baby Step 1 is officially done! I'm so excited! In case you don't know, Baby Step 1 on Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Make-over" is having $1000 in savings. It took me longer than I had expected, but I'm finally there!

Now on to Baby Step 2: the Debt Snowball. I have ordered my debts (credit cards, car, and student loans) from least to greatest. Everything I was putting towards savings now goes to the lowest debt. When that is paid off, it all rolls to my next debt, and so on. The strategy behind paying off the lowest debt first is the psychological victory. Mathematically speaking, it would make sense to pay off the highest interest rate...but as Dave Ramsey says, "If you were concerned about the math, you wouldn't be in this situation!!" Ha! So true!

The Debt Snowball lasts awhile....depending on how much debt a person has. It will probably take me about 2 years to pay off my total debt, but that includes my 2008 Toyota and my student loans! This is about 1/3 of the time it should take to just pay off my car! So, no whining from me about 2 years 'til debt free living!

If you are interested in Dave's plan, visit his site. I went through Financial Peace University at my church. You can search on the site to see if there is one being held near you!

http://www.daveramsey.com/

Meet Sawyer Alan Blaylock...

...the 4-D sonogram of Sawyer, that is! Simply amazing!





A few weeks ago when Marci and Jeff sent this picture out to the fam, I could not tell who he looks like. I think Marci was a little freaked out because she saw "Jeff" right away! By "freaked out" I mean she was picturing a itty baby with Jeff's adult sized head and look...which I think is a little disturbing no matter whose head you imagine on a baby! Anyway...I digress.


So, things seem to be progressing well for Marci and Sawyer. She is getting very uncomfortable with only 7 weeks to go! Sawyer has been breech and I'm not sure if he has flipped around in there yet, but he better hurry 'cause I imagine she is running out of room very quickly!


I'm so excited to see him! It is going to be SO HARD not living near them! I'm already stressed about what I'll do once she goes into labor! I'm about 99% sure I won't make it in time for delivery which does make me sad :-( However, it is in the summer so I can afford to take a week to visit her shortly after they've had time to settle in at home with him. I guess only time will tell. Untl then, my mantra remains...Hurry up Sawyer!! I want to meet you and eat you up!!

Budgeting and Groceries...YUCK!

I HATE PLANNING MEALS!!

It is just hard to do for one person! My friend, Amy, and I, often share meals but as we have "aged" and "matured", we have noticed we don't like alot of the same stuff anymore! So, now, sharing meals isn't always desirable.

Enter www.e-mealz.com. You have GOT to check it out! I heard about it on Dave Ramsey's Radio show...yes I even listen to his program now...and I decided to check it out. Basically, it is a menu planning service...and it only costs $5 a month!! There are several choices you can make. I chose a WeightWatcher Points plan for 2 people at Wal-Mart. This means that each week I get a new menu, based on Wal-Mart items/prices/sales, portioned for 2 people, based on the WeightWatchers Points plan. It also includes the shopping list already made plus an estimated cost!! Simply amazing!! I get a new menu every Wednesday. I save them on my computer and every week, before going to the grocery store, I go through all he previous weeks menus, pick about 3 meals I'm pretty certain I'll like and make my shopping list. It has revolutionized my meal planning! I've even started to look forward to planning meals...and cooking them! If you check out e-mealz online and think you want to subscribe, use this link...it will earn me tiny discounts on my subscription. Thanks!
http://www.e-mealz.com/amember/go.php?r=37509&i=l0

Baby Step 1...almost...

DONE! And then not..I'm so close I can almost taste it! Baby Step 1 of Dave Ramsey's plan for Financial Peace is to have $1000 in an emergency fund. So, I had it for about a day...then came the aforementioned fraudulant bank activity and baby showers. Technically, the baby showers were NOT an emergency and I should not have used emergency fund money for it. However, creating a good, written budget takes about 3 months of working out, giving and taking. So, that is really what happened to my emergency fund in regards to the showers. All that to say...BS1 is almost done! Next paycheck, I'll have it all and I will have started Baby Step 2...the Debt Snowball! I can't wait for that step! It will be the longest running, but I think the most fun!!!

Steppin' Along...

Wow! I'm a TERRIBLE blogger!

So, it has been several weeks and I'm still working the "Dave Ramsey" plan to Financial Peace. The fact that I'm still on the plan is just about a miracle! Especially since during the end of my first month of real budgeting, my checking account was accessed by thieves in California! Also during that first month's budget, I had four baby showers...one for my sis, Marci, and the other three at a combined shower for three girls in my LifeGroup. Four baby showers could blow anyone's budget! Even better was the fact that I was a hostess for Marci's shower, all of these showers were on the same weekend, and it was all the same week as the fraudulant activity on my account! Needless to say, the fact that I emerged from that week with my budget somewhat intact is just short of AMAZING! Dave Ramsey always says that during your first 3 months of living on a written budget, if "Murphy" has a chance to visit...he will! Amen brother!

Baby Steps...

It has been awhile since I've posted, huh??!! Well, here I am again!

Tonight was my first session of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. It was really good! I got alot of materials: a book, CDs of the lessons, a workbook, other stuff, etc. This lesson was about the "Baby Steps" to financial freedom. The first step is to quickly put back $1000 in emergency savings. I'm still thinking, to some degree, "Yea, right!". It was mentioned that that could involve getting a part-time job. So, I'm going to think about that. I suppose I could do some tutoring? I'll have to really put some thought into that!!

Happy New Year!

The baby is...

...a boy!! Wow! What a surprise! We were all convinced that Marci and Jeff's baby was going to be a girl. But we were wrong! This will be boy #3 for my immediate family, as well as for Jeff's family. He has two little nephews already as well. Now, the real search begins to find a name for this little one...that should be very interesting.

Congrats Jeff and Marci! I'm so excited!!

Wedding Pics

Check out Contemporary Portraits' blog for a few pictures from Marci and Jeff's wedding. Fantastic shots! Marci is a photography fiend and I bet she just loves the great shots they got. Check it out!

http://www.cpcamera.blogspot.com/