I know...

Okay, so there is a bit of me (those who know me know it is a small bit) that is a perfectionist, so I'd rather not post at all if I don't have the time to put something good up. But I've come to realize, there is momentum in just doing it! So here I am just getting some momentum by getting thoughts on paper.

I got the book I mentioned before, and it is pretty good. It has a state map and all the state facts with some great pictures and then some key points about the state industry or history. But, no surprise here, the folks at National Geographic have quite the liberal agenda (the forward by Jimmy Carter is the dead give away!). Anyways, the book will be a good "kick off" to each state we visit as just a foundation of history and facts.

Oh, and the picture has nothing to do with the post, I just think pictureless posts are dull.

Slacker!

I know, I know, I'm a slacker... It's spring break and I am working mornings and playing hard in the afternoons with my kids and NOW it's MARCH MADNESS! I have all TV's in the house playing and I download NCAA live on my computer... I know it's an illness!

Quote of the Day

"In truth, people can generally make time for what they choose to do; it is not really the time but the will that is lacking."

Sir John Lubbock

What have you chosen to do? We have chosen to accomplish this task set before us--to do so with all determinism and persistence, and we ask you to join us by sharing what you have chosen to do in your family's life.

Totally off Topic

There are 2 major grocery stores here. Now, I am a frugal woman so, I frequent Wally World and Aldi, but I also love to cook, so sometimes you have to go to the mainline stores to get your gourmet cheeses or special cuts of meat. Now, I have been LOYAL to one store in particular for YEARS, but this week I discovered the new Dillons! After dropping my kids off at school, I went by myself to the store and just cruised the aisles. But, I had this lingering sense of guilt. I felt like I was having a grocery store affair, I was cheating on my regular store. But you should see this store! They had a fresh sushi section, an olive and hummus bar with easily 15 different types of olives!!!! There was an entire section of gourmet cheeses with more stinky cheese than I could possibly eat! A bakery section with bread after bread to just die for! A bulk foods area with flax seed and dried figs and dried papayas and chocolate covered almonds! I was trembling with desire, weak in the knees and panting to catch my breath! I walked through the store in a daze. It was foodie heaven. In the midst of it all my phone rang, it was Larry, I was caught in the midst of my tryst! So of course I came back down to reality and bought the basic grocery's I came for and paid for them out of my Dave Ramsey envelope without going over budget.

Quote Of The Day

Commitment leads to action. Action brings your dream closer.
Marcia Wieder


This quote truly resonates with me. As we talk and dream and brainstorm and discuss, and especially as we tell others about this, we are feeling like we have committed to this and it WILL happen!

They're out There

As we have been dreaming (and even scheming) about how to do more than wish for accomplishing our goal, we realize there are all kinds of people out there with "crazy" dreams, and a crazy determination to make their dreams come true.

Here is one guy who seems to get at the heart of what we are talking about: "No Credit Needed". He has clearly drunk the Dave Ramsey Kool-Aid, as we have, in his search for financial freedom!

The more we read through his posts about dreaming BIG, and then developing a "roadmap" to get there, we couldn't help but see the parallels between his figurative comments about finances and making dreams happen, and our literal plan to hit the road and live our dreams.

It is amazing how one person's focus and intensity to achieve a goal can inspire another person working to fulfill her own goal. Hopefully, we can be an inspiration to each other.

Alabama

I have been trying to figure out how to research each state that we want to visit. At first I thought I might go geographically, but I decided that doing that was a separate task in and of itself. So, I'm going back to school! I am going to research each state individually, alphabetically. I had to go get our road atlas to double check that Alabama was indeed the first "A" state! Given that, this research project will need A LOT of help! I would love input from my readers as to what to visit or a "must see" in each destination. Thanks in advance!

Alabama was the 22nd state in the USA; it became a state on December 14, 1819.
State Capital - Montgomery
Largest City - Birmingham
Area - 52,423 square miles [Alabama is the 30th biggest state in the USA]
Population - 4,447,100 (as of 2000) [Alabama is the 23rd most populous state in the USA]
Name for Residents - Alabamans
Major Industries - agriculture (cotton, corn, peanuts, soybeans, poultry, and livestock), hydroelectric power, mining (coal, limestone, iron ore), steel-making

This looks like a cool site to do a basic "State Study" with your kids.

Clearly we are the Burmingham's so we HAVE to go to Burmingham. So my next task is to figure out what to do there!

Here are my initial finds:
Thinktank is....

Everything you thought you knew about the world - but didn't! Find out about your world and yourself in our ten themed, hands-on galleries. Surprising! Hard to believe! And sometimes downright disgusting!! The perfect family day out. This looks cool!


And Rebecca is already drooling over Cadbury World- Where Chocolate comes to life!