Sunday evening though, a storm came through that dropped snow as low as Sacramento.  We got about 4 inches.  The kids got off school, and I stayed off the roads and worked from home.  Yes, I did still work – though we did go out and have some fun along the way.  Some pictures…

There is a company that sells these little elf dolls that you put around your house at Christmas time.  Here’s a picture:

Looks cute enough right? The creepy thing is that you’re supposed to put this thing in your house and then tell your kids that he is there for Santa to keep an eye on them and report back about their behavior. I’m not making this up. You’re even supposed to move him around so that they don’t know where he is.

So now, the cute little elf starts looking really creepy. I mean – seriously – look at those beady little eyes.

A few quotes from the reviews on Amazon. These are real.

“They bolted downstairs every morning to find the elf, and the oldest cried when he touched it accidentally because he thought it would lose its magic.”

“Okay, so I bought this last year assuming my kids would really enjoy it. “Frankie” started to freak them out after a couple of days. Two of my girls 6 & 9 had nightmares! Even in the spring they wanted to know if Frankie was in the attic”

“My kids love to wake up each morning to find the elf! It also cuts down on some of the behaviors that would occur when mom and dad are not looking! The only bad part is having to move it every night.”

- Yeah. Tough that you have to put all that work into moving the little KGB agent around…

“We have used the Elf on a Shelf since my son was born (he’s 10 now) and have carried on the tradition with my daughter. We misplaced our first and this was a replacement.”

- Did you misplace it? Or did he in fact misplace himself? Maybe he’s hiding somewhere and watching you!

Merry Christmas. Santa is WATCHING YOU!!!!

On the day after Thanksgiving, we loaded our bloated selves into the cars and did some driving. First stop was Bridgeport – the world’s longest, single-span covered wood bridge. Sarah and the kids have been there a few times. I’ve been there once before (just a couple of weeks ago). Dad had seen it on California’s Gold (be sure to pronounce that with Huell Howser’s drawl!) and wanted to go. Sarah took some great pictures of Mom and Dad with the kids:

From there we went to the Nevada County Fairgrounds to see how Maesie’s gingerbread house did in the competition. First place in her age group!

Overall, a great and relaxing holiday with far too much food.

Mommy: I think you mean “Veteran’s Day” – where we honor those who have served in the military

Maesie: Do they serve just our own side, or do they serve both sides?

Mommy: What is it you think is meant by “serving”?

Maesie: Serving food? What else?

Not that life hasn’t been very busy and eventful. Just not easily bloggable. Is that even a word? Blog-worthy? Blogerific? Hmm.

So, to start it with a bang – get it bang? Well, no – I guess not. Because I haven’t told the story yet. The one with the “bang” in it. Which makes me saying that I’m starting with a “bang” kind of funny.

Anyways… last weekend Sarah’s Mom and her husband Randy came up, and brought presents. The first was a truck load of almond fire wood to replenish my wood pile. I have lots of down oak around but haven’t had time to cut and split it, so that was a very welcome gift.

He also brought up a shot gun for me, which we have talked about doing for a while. Sarah’s grand father “Fats” left it for me.

A good thing too, because yesterday when I was closing in the chickens – right at dark – I heard a sound like running water coming from behind the garage. Around here that means either a leaking hose or a rattlesnake. I went toward the sound – behind the garage – and found one of the cats about 10 feet away from one, facing off with it. Yikes!!!!

Chased the cat away, ran into the garage for the gun and a shot, ran back out – heart pumping – loaded the gun and took aim, then pulled the trigger.

Nothing.

Crud – you have to cock these things don’t you? OK – cocked, aimed, click – BLAM!!!!!!!!!!! – rattle, rattle, r-a-t-t-l-e… heart still pumping like mad. I got it.

Oh wow! 15 feet behind where I was aiming – there’s our propane tank. Didn’t even see it. I’m an idiot, but the tank looks fine.

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I know. If I was a better person I would have captured the snake and relocated it somewhere safe. My brother gave me a “snake relocating tool” for cases like this. Honestly though, it freaked me out just getting close enough to shoot the snake, much less trying to grab it.

Meet Dashwood. Also known as “Dash”

Pemberley is quite fond of him. So are we.

We adopted Knightley about six months ago. Today we had to say goodbye. On my mind have been these common arguments against adopting an older dog:

1. You can’t have as much fun with an older dog.

my response:

2. Older dogs are grumpy. They might hurt my kids.

my response:

3. Puppies are cuter.

4. I don’t want my kids to suffer through losing a dog so quickly.

Maesie’s response, after learning Knightley was very sick, was to suggest that next time we adopt a dog we should get the one who is most in danger of being put down at the shelter. Cowboy’s response was that he wanted to give lots more dogs a good home, and to someday build a hotel for homeless dogs.

(yeah, that’s 2 adults, 4 kids and 2 dogs in 1 minivan)

5. It hurts to lose a dog.

It does. It really, really does.

Goodbye Knightley. We love you so very, very much.

Biggest news?  Maesise is 7 today.  Wow.  Just amazing.

There are some possible answers on the financial horizon.  Good advice from a friend led me to talk to the companies holding our mortgages.  There are some good programs out there and I think it may help to reduce the payments for both of the loans on the Lincoln house, as well as the one on this house.  Some paper work to do, but well worth it.

I also need to get a budget on paper.  We kept a very strict one a few years ago and it was very helpful.  I don’t think we need such a rigorous one now, but I do think some structure will be really helpful in getting things back on track.

Crazy news on the work front, in terms of the kinds of projects I’m getting involved with.  Huge blessings there, and way too detailed to try to fit into this tired blog post.

For now, let me direct you to one of the oddest, yet most fascinating web sites out there.  This one has been around for years, apparently, though I only came across it some time last year.

Zombo

We needed it too.  I spent all day Friday and Saturday down in Sacramento taking my Civil Engineering PE Exam.  Friday was 2 4-hour sessions.  Saturday was 2 2-1/2 hour sessions.  Less time, but more intense because there just was not enough time to do all of the problems.   I have no idea if I passed any part.  I’ll find out in 13 weeks.  Why it takes 13 weeks to score a Scantron test is beyond me, but there it is.

But I’m not here to write about that.  I actually have felt a nudging for quite some time to write about money.  Specifically our money situation.  I’ve held off because I’m afraid that it’s impossible to do it right.  You talk about this kind of thing and you’re either judged or seen as prideful or seen as asking for help or just complaining.  While I am sure I’m guilty of all of those things to some extent, I hope this won’t be seen as that.

What it comes down to is this:  We are in a world of hurt financially.  Have been for a while.

God has been incredibly faithful in providing for us in the midst of it, and I haven’t blogged about any of it really.  I believe that God will bring us through this time and I think He should get glory for that.  The only way He will get that glory is if I share what He is doing, as He does it.

So here goes…

A few years ago, we were living in Lincoln in a smaller home.  We had lots of equity.  We had a decently sized 401k through HP.  We put away money from every tax rebate into college accounts for the kids.  I had a bunch of options from HP that were going up and up in value.  Our credit score was good and we didn’t have a lot of debt.   Yes – I was proud of all of it.

At the same time, we felt a lot of discontent with where we were living.  A stirring that maybe it was finally time to try to get into the country.  We had dreamed of it for 10 years of marriage and always held off, but it felt like it was maybe time to finally act.  We agonized over whether to move to Modesto, or Colfax or stay near Lincoln.  We spent hours discussing and weighing and coming up empty.  Finally, we prayed and told God that we would go wherever He led, because we were completely stumped about where would be best.  Shortly after praying that, we came out to look at this land.  Call it what you will – we felt led by God.  I believe we were.

So here we are, a few years later.  House is built and I love it.  I love the land and the wildlife and the quiet.  I love the school our kids get to go to.  I love our church.

But through a combination of the Lincoln house’s value tanking, my engineering work slowing way down and – I’m certain – dozens of bad financial decisions on my part, we are in a very different financial situation.  Big mortgage.  Mortgages on the Lincoln house that are significantly more than we were making for rent.   Renters who will move out in a week, and a market that demands that we lower the rent another $200 per month if we expect to compete.  Credit cards with high balances.  401k completely drained.  Kids college funds completely drained (as of this past week).   Taxes just completed that will require us to make payments to cover.

I have a day job now that is really amazing.  I’m doing some consulting at night – as much as I can get and squeeze into the evening hours.   But I’m still below what I was earning when we bought the land.  Crazy, because I’m working so much harder than I’ve ever worked in my life.

—

So there it is.  I hesitate to post this because it’s a tough thing to share.  But here’s the thing – I believe that God is going to provide.  I don’t know how.  We’ve been in this situation for a while though, and I’m am continually amazed by how God provides.  Without fail, it’s in ways that I’m not expecting, and that I can take no credit for.

I’ve thought a lot this past year about how God fed the Israelites manna.  It came daily and spoiled if they tried to collect enough for more than one day.   What I want is a week’s worth of providence.  What I’m getting is daily, which is requiring me to rely on God daily.  My pride – even still – rebels against that.  But I’m learning.

As I said, I’m sharing this hesitantly.  I am not wanting sympathy, or advice, or anything.  I want to put it out there so that when God provides, you can be amazed along with me.

I’ll keep you posted.

I do have to share this one thing…  We have 12 chickens now, out in a coop, getting bigger and preparing to make us lots of eggs.  As we were reading about the different breeds, Sarah discovered an interesting little product for people  who want to have their birds inside.

Yes.  That is indeed a chicken diaper.

People put diapers on their chickens so that they can be household pets.

Wow.