So last nite after church basketball, Willie and I were giving two of the young men from our church a ride home. They started talking about someone's job, qualifying that person to wear a pocket protector.

One of them did not know what a pocket protector was, and so Willie said, "If you don't know what one is, that's a good thing...you're cool."

So really tho.. are you not cool if you know how to use a computer? Willie gives me a hard time that I love learning things about the computer.

Last nite I said, "Don't you think it's just so exciting to rip something apart, put it back together, and it works!!??...or you hope it works???!!!

He was like.. "Uhhh.. no.."

Gimme a break hun! There is no limit to the fun in computer world!

But i really do honestly love learning about how they work, I'd even like to build my own computer if I had the spare money to do it.

So, just call me a geek.. and would someone please buy me this pocket protector? It's way cute!

If I were a crocodile...
this is how excited I would look
about Colby and Camille
moving to Maine this weekend!

TA-DA!
Today is Willie's birthday!
The big 2-5. What more, the date is a wonderful 09-09-09!
Here's to you sweetheart.
There are so many people who love and care for you: friends and family both.
All of our lives are better having you in it.
I'm especially glad to get to spend every day with you.

We've been together for 3 years now...
"I thought I loved you then,
but now you're my whole life.
Now you're my whole world.
I just can't believe the way I feel about you"

Happy birthday Willie!

Gimme dat house... How we got here at 21 and 24.

So our closing on our home is on Monday.  Wow. I'm gonna own a home?? For real? 

We've been waiting for like a month now.  Since we bought a foreclosed property... yes... it's taken the bank FoReVeR to get the paperwork all finished on their end- One thing I've really not enjoyed about banks out west that own homes here and have not real emotion ties to the property- or the people in general. 

Anyhow, time has finally come.  I feel like we have been waiting forever.  Like.. 3 years ago, I was happy to be off purchasing Dr. Pepper chap-stick. Actually, I'd still be really happy to have Dr. Pepper chap-stick.  But I've been really proud of Willie and I for working hard to save our money and not spend lavishly.  I really was spending money like it was going out of style my freshman year of college. I really would have been broke and crazy working through school, had to take some time off to work, or gone deeply in debt.  

Luckily when Willie and I's relationship started to get serious, he really helped me understand the importance of money management for the future.  We were able to go into our marriage with no debt :) - and we did a real glamourous job for a few months selling.. dun de dun- pest control.  Since then we have been able to stay as students without loans and with working at the same time, we have saved a lot of money.  

Willie got into Dave Ramsey  after he got off his mission in France.  His father had really discovered the blessings of following this financial advisor while Willie had been gone for two years.  Hoping to help his son learn more about proper money planning, his dad shared with him the books that Dave has written about financial management.  

Dave always says that it's the "same advice your grandmother would give you- only we keep our teeth in".  I really encourage anyone who has never read the book "The Total Money Makeover" to obtain a copy.  Most likely, someone you know has it. If they don't have it- go buy it. I really think that it will change your life and attitudes about money.  Whether your broke so much that you feel like all the kings horses and all the kings men can never but you back together again, or whether your the high flyin' Queen of England- you need to read this book.  I believe in the principles it teaches.  I dont believe that every thing in it is right for everyone, people are at different points in their life.  But there IS SOMETHING right for everyone in it. 

I've never given a book to someone as a gift before, but I gave this book to someone that I really care for this past week because I want others to be able to see that we can see change in ourselves and our family's future with the right advise and tools.  

Yes, reading a book wont make your debts, or excessive spending go away, school loans, mortgages, 2nd mortgages, etc go away.  It's not going to take away the tension in a home where poor money management is present.  It's not going to make fights with parents, siblings, spouses, children, friends, etc. go away.  (Wouldn't that be nice) But I really believe that if the things in this book are implemented you'll begin to feel the "financial peace" that Dave talks about.  

The things that you'll learn in reading this book are not things that you can do easily.  As Dave calls it, you have to get "Gazelle Intense"  <<  watch this and I promise it will be worth it.  

I really am saddened by the sorrow I see people have over money troubles.  "Man are that they might have joy." We let money and possessions rule our lives.  Honestly, that seems a little off to me. Be a steward of yourself and your family and your finances.  Things will work out.  Dave teaches us that we work to get our of debt so that we can have money and spend the rest of our lives giving it all away.  

The book is only like $25.  Should you like it, I think the envelope system is $20.  You would spend that going out for a night, so do yourself a favor, take a night off from what you want to do.. and REALLY do something for yourself- change your habits and your future.  

If you buy it and like it, share it with someone else, give the gift that keeps on giving.. education. 

We bought a house!!

So, we bought our first home!  Many pictures soon to come. 

We originally were planning on building a house this summer, possibly on family land, possibly elsewhere.. we hadn't made a final decision.  Then, we realized we would be dumb to not buy in this economy. 

We looked at a few real nice homes, spent hours driving around and on the computer (both looking at ones to buy or ones to build).  We even went and met with possible builders, but in the end... today is the most right day in my life to buy a house.  Heck it's the best day in our parents and grandparents lives to buy a house.  The housing market is struggling so badly due to foreclosures and lending and bad decisions, that we knew we could purchase something priced really well.  That helped the bank get back what they couldn't get from the prior owner.. and it got us a house! :)  

This house is in West Gardiner, Maine.  It's on an acre of land and is a nice split level 3 br, 2 bath, with room for expansion in the downstairs for a REAL master bedroom, which it doesn't currently have, and PLENTY of living space.

We hope to be closing on the house in the next couple weeks and will get started right away.  We've picked out the colors and started planning what the most important things for us to do first are.  We need new flooring, etc.. 

We're so happy/ excited.  It'll be a wonderful place for Willie and I to start our family in the near future! 

Our New Addition.

Our little boy was born on December 4, 2008.
He's a Pembroke Welsh Corgi and we love him to death!
He will grow to be about 27ish lbs, but right now, he's just a little babe.
He loves to play with his toys, especially this little barbell thing he carries around. He likes to sleep on his back and curl up in front of our pellet stove!
He really likes to bite your feet... especially if you're moving quickly in socks. Watch out, his teeth are like needles!
He also-herds. Randomly. He'll just be standing still one moment.. next thing. He's herding, and it's usually the couch and the coffee table. The herding always ends with him nose-diving into his bed or with him trying to jump on the couch, which he's too little to do and he just wacks right into it.

Happy Valentines Day!!

Here's to you lovers! Have a happy Valentines Day!

Love, Willie and Vanessa