~A Game of Discovery, Settlement and Trade~

"Die Siedler von Catan" aka "Settlers of Catan" was first published in 1995 in Garmany. It is a multiplayer board game were players try to be the dominant force on the island of Catan by building settlements, cities, and roads. On each turn dice are rolled to determine the current production on the island. Players collect raw materials to build up their civilizations to gain enough victory points to win the game. It was the game of the year in Garmany in 1995 and a big hit however it was and is not the best seller here in the USA. A game of Discovery, Settlement and Trade it would rank top class if you ask Debbie and I. It would be the Game of the year every year to us. We have played this game many of times in the past and still take time to stop our busy lives to sit down and play with each other. It may not be the most happening game ever played but it is by far the funnest. After about the 40th time playing I seem to lost count of who won or lost the most times. I am not sure if Debbie is in lead or my self. Soon after play Settlers we found ourselves adding the expansion to the game "Cities & Knights of Catan". It added a whole new role of game play. Still making the game our top favorite. Now as My Birthday is coming up once again at the end of this month Debbie and I have talked about getting the next chapter for this game in the expansion "The Seafarers of Catan" taking Catan off land in the the sea. Adding Ships and a whole lot more fun. I can wait till I get this to add to our set.

As Mother's Day is just around the corner this Sunday coming up I put my head together and tryed to think of a good Monther's Day for Debbie and what did i find. Yep you got it. It had to do with Settlers. I saw online the other day that they have a new 3d Settlers with a nice looking chest it comes in that is highly price well over $300+. Saddly it is far from our budget to get something that is so higly priced at this time in our lives. As much as I would love to have the 3d set and chest, I found a cheaper and better alternative, just build a chest my self and with Mother's Day coming it would be a great gift. I was right. After building it and giving it to Debbie a few days before Mother's Day it was a big hit, She loved it alot and I think it was a great idea too. Here are a few pictures of the Settlers Chest Box I made to hold the game.

In His Grip,

- Jonathan

~Breaking Free of Debit~

On Dec 11 2007 Debbie and I started a Journey, a Journey that would change our lives forever. We are living like no one else now so that later we can live like no one else forever. Putting Pen to paper and rolling numbers and setting a budget each month. As we knock bills out cold dead and it seems as if we have more money then we even make. Life is less stressful when your not living pay check to pay check. The biggest change I can see we have made over the pass few months is we have stop using Cards! We have stopped Credit Cards, Debit Cards all around. We are using cash for everything now! We have made big steps to a life of freedom. At times we have been in the hole so bad we have been scared they would come and take our car. Trying to find out how we would pay our bills week to week. Hoping the bank would be closed so pending checks would wait just one more day before going trough the bank. Trying to wonder if we would ever get out of Debit, if we would land in jail one day or if this pet of a student loan would ever go away. Over all there is Hope! The chains of Debit are coming off month by month week by week. And one day we will be living like no one else Debit Free! For info about how we are doing it check out http://www.mytotalmoneymakeover.com/ for life changing info on how to brake free Debit. We have months to go but with the steps we are taking in the end life will be much better. Pray about it and ask your self in 10 years where do you want to be. Living day to day, pay check to pay check or living a life of freedom and paying cash for everything. Tell your money where to go!

In His Grip,

-J

~March Highlights~

Project #2 Debbie's Garden

We took a part in the back yard that we just weeds and a little bit of graas and cleaned it out and put in a alot of good dirt and soil (at our cost) and added big rocks to make a walled with 3 parts. Herbs, Vegs and Flowers topped it off with a white rock walking path to the fence in the back yard to make this garden the garden of the year. Project #2 a big hit! Debbie loves it! It only took me 3 days to get it done. I have to say Thanks to my boys, Mr David (our campus handy-man) and Debbie for her support and last I can't forget old fateful Mr. John Deere. :)

The Green Bin in the back is Debbie's compost bin Mr. David built for us.