It's here!

"It's here," said my Joe, as he leaned back in his chair, let out a heavy sigh, and closed his eyes to relish in the thought.

What long-awaited and dreamed about event could he be referring to?

Why, the arrival of FALL, of course! We've finally experienced some cooler temperatures this week, and it looks like they're here to stay.

The man has been known to sing the diddy "It' the most wonderful time of the year" ....in October. He loves fall!

Certainly fall in Orlando is a far cry from fall in Baltimore, but the reprieve from the heat is exciting nonetheless.

Hope you are enjoying your fall as much as we are! It's time for some camping.

Welcome Katherine Ann Rich Hansen!

Welcome, baby girl! The Lord has given you a great family, so eager to get to know you! And your brother and sisters will be so good to you! May you know and serve our King all your days.

I guess we're big now.

I was reading the July 2010 issue of Christianity Today last night and found a little blurb about some latest Pioneers news. I looked up, glanced across the outdoor tables of the restaurant where I was resting, and thought very matter-of-factly to myself, "I guess we're big now."

I mean, I knew we passed the "large missions agency" mark several years ago. Internationally, Pioneers now supports over 1,900 missionaries around the world in some of the least-reached and least-served places. When compared to just over 500 in 2003, it's obvious that we have grown tremendously at an incomparable rate. The numbers are big.

In 2004, mentioning the name of Pioneers usually required a heavy dose of explaining; most had never heard of it. (Either that, or, truthfully, we were confused with Pioneers girls clubs or Pioneer Bible Translators, or even Frontiers. If I had only thought to count the phone conversations centered around these!) Today, Pioneers is at every major missions conference across the US. While visiting churches, I'm no longer surprised to run into a Pioneers missionary on home assignment. Little explaining is required. The reputation is big.

And now, our little announcement has become major news in the evangelical world. Well, it's clearly not a little announcement. (We merged with AWM.) But Christianity Today thought it worth including. Our news is big.

You see, my five years with Pioneers was during the "breaking out of the shell" period. During my time in the US recruitment office (with 5 particular heros: Alan Chantelau, John Downer, James Kim, Steve Ludwig, and Lauri Nevius), our team witnessed and participated in an explosion of growth that wielded tidal waves of effect on teams and ministries around the world. We didn't really know it then. We just had loads of fun working and praying together, traveling together (playing poker and singing karaoke together). We rode the wave with hearts and hands open to where God was leading us. It was an absolutely exciting time to be a part of what God was doing through Pioneers.

Now we look back - 3.5 out of 5 now serving the Lord in other capacities - with joy at the privilege of being a great team with a great goal. (Like that .5? That's you, Steve, working with Pioneers in England.)

But I wonder if others, like me, still think of Pioneers as the little guy. The little booth (awesome as it looked) next to the "big guns" of mission conferences. The young, smiling rep willing to listen to whatever hair-crazed mission idea the next generation dreamed about, praying with and encouraging him or her that the Holy Spirit's leading is worth following. The org whose name was not always known, but whose globe was.

Very good memories, indeed.

Very worthy work, indeed.

Very great King, whose Kingdom will never end - Indeed!

The purpose remains: Pioneers mobilizes teams to glorify God among unreached peoples by initiating church-planting movements in partnership with local churches.

Since 1979, so many others have joined this vision for the sake of the King and His Kingdom. So many have been willing to go, with Pioneers willing to send.

And so....we're big now.

PS...Love you, heros!

Holy Week

This is the holiest, most special, most glorious week of our year!

Oh, how much my heart needs to be turned toward these Sacred days, and away from the sin, the worldly worries and troubles, that so easily entangles.

Here are a few of the ways the Yoons hope to celebrate, meditate, and worship this week...

• Easter Decor - Joe laughs at my seasonal decor, but it brings delight to me! This year I'm embracing the egg motif because of the symbolism of new life. Other than that, the stores are not offering me much help keeping the true symbolism of the season. I finally found a cute little lamb to put as my table centerpiece - Behold, the Lamb of God! Next to the lamb, and throughout the house, I've added a lot of Scripture to memoralize the events of this week. Also, I'm a fan of the Easter Garland (an easy project for your kiddos!).
• Easter Tree - Better late than never...I'm working on an Easter Tree. That, and more great ideas, here.
• Passover Seder - some choose to always celebrate this the week of Easter, but the holiday actually falls within Holy Week this year (though not always). We're enjoying an evening of fellowship at our house with a few friends.
• Devotionals - I love the simple dinner devotionals here. This is designed for young kids, but we'll adapt it for us in this and other ways, too.
• Services - Our church offers several great services that minister to my soul.
• Family - Finally, we'll cap off the week with a backporch picnic at my parents' house. I like doing the picnic thing; it feels like spring and it's a restful way to spend the Lord's Day with great company.

Don't let the week pass without letting your soul soak in the rich Grace and Love we receive through Christ our Lord! I have found that if I don't consciously expect and plan for heart-enriching times like these, the days and celebrations pass by without even a memory of the Spirit's gentle touch.

In God's great, great Love and Providence, I have been made a part of His family. I am His. How could this be? I ask myself everyday. The answer is in Christ Himself, the humble sacrifice He offered in my rightly-deserved place. The judgment has been fully satisfied! It is finished!

May my heart and yours be warmed to exuberent joy over such glory this week!

Happy Birthday Sister!

Happy 30th Ashlee! Love you very much!

May the Lord bless you immensely in this next year, and the next decade!

From what I know, this year is gonna be a great one. ;)

Happy Birthday Jakey Boy!

Jacob Nels Hansen is a year old today! He has brought so much joy to the whole family and we just love him to pieces! He's such a happy boy. Here he is wearing his gift from his papa. :)

We're headed to Jax this weekend to help throw a party for both Jacob AND my SIL Ashlee who is turning the BIG 3-0!! Yes, I just announced that on my blog.

Love ya'll!

Free admission to Leu Gardens this Sat-Sun

Leu Gardens Camellia Show this weekend, Jan 16, 17 Sat/Sun -- FREE.

This is one of the main highlights of the year, with three miles of walkways, gardens, and fully mature trees full of different colors and flavors of camellias, and plant sale, food, music.

And what beautiful weather we've been given!

Click here for more info!

Weekend To Remember Conference BOGOF Through 1/18/10!!

I'm stealing this post from another website, but know that the Yoons HIGHLY RECOMMEND this too! We were so blessed by attending a conference last year and look forward to volunteering at the two Orlando conferences this year.

Seriously....think about it! Well worth every single penny.

I want you to take a look at: Weekend To Remember Conference BOGOF Through 1/18/10!!

Sidenote: I regularly visit this website and love the heart and message of it. Take a look around while you're there!

Goodbye, old friend

The end of 2009 brings to another end my well-worn friendship with one particular saucepan, namely a Wolfgang Puck 5-quart nonstick saucepan with a glass top.

To the saucepan: You have served me/us faithfully and tirelessly to the end! You represent a myriad of blessings in my life, and I shall never forget you!

(But, alas, your end has come as we suspect you may secretly be poisoning us as your "nonstick-ness" is shaving off into our food.)

Before the rest of you think I'm being absolutely ridiculous, let me explain:

The story begins in the summer of 2005, when I found myself suddenly in need of a new place to live. I spent considerable time in prayer over this decision, talked with many possible roommates, and searched the city for houses for rent. Would you believe that God led me to the house directly next door to the current one I was renting? That was the first blessing, and one of many during this time that comforted me with God's love and provision.

In addition to the all-important decisions of finding a roof to put over my head and a roommate (or two) with which to share it, there was another small matter that echoed throughout my prayers. "Lord, will you really provide all I need? What about the many additional expenditures that come with getting my own place? ....like pots and pans, for example? I don't currently own any....and I'd have to buy them in order to eat...really, can I do this? Is this move the best decision for me?" At 23 years old, these were big issues!...rooted in fear, doubt, lack of courage over promises, etc. And so, I prayed. Over all of it.

What does this have to do with the precious, treasured Wolfgang Puck 5-quart nonstick saucepan with a glass top? I found this little guy waiting in my new house for me! Before starting to cart my few belongings across the lawn on the night of the move, I was poking my nose around my beautiful, new kitchen and gasped when I opened a cupboard absolutely full of shiny pots and pans in every shape and size!!

I'm sure I cried, actually. I melted onto the tile floor and praised the Lord for so generously and graciously caring for my every need.

This pan is the only one still in my possession. I blessed friends and family with the others in the cupboard that night, but have been unable to part with this one until now.

Who could believe one little pan could bring so much joy? It did bring a lot of joy! A thousand meals have been cooked in that pan over the past four years - for girlfriends catching up, for neighbors stopping by, for missionaries seeking respite, for new friends and old friends, for family and "like-family", for friends who just had babies....the list continues. And of greatest joy, this pan even traveled with me into marriage, with which I have cooked at least 80% of my husband's dinners!

Now...am I being ridiculous? You could never convince me so. It's not the pan, per say, that I love, but all that it represents!

And so I say....goodbye, old friend. You represent a beautiful time of blessing and growth in my life, and I thank God for it.

A casual stroll through Macys the other night happened upon the finding of a new 5 (and a half!) quart saucepan just in our price range. We proudly brought it home and eagerly look forward to the thousands of meals it will serve many more wonderful friends and family around our table. (maybe the extra half quart we gained in this pan is a foreshadowing of future needs! ;)

$5 Magazine Alert!!

I know I need to update you on the final numbers of November's grocery budget....but this is TOO GOOD to pass up today!

Check out the $5 magazine subscriptions at Amazon! Good through today, December 1st.

I'm getting a few as Christmas gifts!

$30 Challenge: Week 2

Week 2 Meal Plan:

Sunday - out at Mom & Dad's
Monday - Beef Stroganoff
Tuesday - leftovers (Bec out)
Wednesday - London Broil with broccoli & mashed potatoes
Thursday - Grilled chicken over salad
Friday - Pork tenderloin with grilled veggies and rice
Saturday - Spaghetti


Shopping:
Publix $ 28.86

Overall, I'm still under budget, but with a mere $3 in my cushion fund :), how exactly will T-giving fit into my budget?? Still working a few angles on that challenge.

WA-HOO!! So excited to have actually met my challenge this week...$29 and holding. :) As long as I can stay away from the grocery store for the rest of this week, I'm good. My basket was surprisingly full for such a small bill. I bought a lot of fruits and veggies (Publix had some good vegetables on sale this week), eggs, sour cream, and just two of the B1G1 deals that were good items for my pantry.

One tip that I want to note for my future reference: the "stock-up" list this month included meat, bread, sandwich meat, and pasta. (The bread and pasta only made that list because they were B1G1.) Some other items would be good to include on that list, like a few back-up cans of veggies, dairy products, sauces, baking supplies. I'm going to consider a standard list, and leave out a few of the meat items that I might find later on sale.

Ideas? Opinions?

$30 Challenge: Week 1

Week 1 Meal Plan:

Sunday - leftovers
Monday - Pot Roast
Tuesday - out for Korean food! Yum! Dad's Bday
Wednesday - Chicken Cacciatore
Thursday - Baked Potato Soup & Salad
Friday - Italian Beef Sandwiches
Saturday - leftovers (after a long day at Kennedy Space Center)


Stock-up:
Sams Club $75
Publix $36
over-budget by $11

Shopping:
Sams $21
Publix $25
over-budget by $16

At this point, the "over-budget" amounts have eaten into my cushion fund, but I'm technically still under my monthy budget. I'll be mentioning this overall update weekly.

NOT a good start! HA! (At least you know I'll be honest.) Hoping this will even out as the month goes along... But here's to show that we're not planning on eating beans and rice every night. I love cooking yummyness.

New Month, New Challenge

This post is an update to my earlier promise to let you know how our financial class is going. Well...we're not so crazy about it, actually. The principles are excellent, but we're finding that the underlying values of this particular program do not exactly match our own. Nevertheless, we're learning and implementing a lot.

An obvious part of the monthly budget that I have the most control over is the food budget. What's the best way to manage this money? I've been reading blogs, talking with others, and trying a few different grocery-budget-strategies. (oh, and we've added another mouth to feed this month; now i'm cooking for 3.)

If I have any readers that might, in the least, be interested :), I've decided to share this month's experiment with you! We're trying to keep the grocery bill at $250 a month (doesn't include eating out), so here's the lowdown:

Stock-up. As much as I love shopping weekly sales, I really don't think Sams Club meat prices can be beat. So, I started the month there and gave myself $100 to "stock-up." With my leftover money, I grabbed a few of the B1G1 items at Publix this week like bread and pasta.
Weekly. Here comes the challenge: now I'm allowing myself $30 a week for the remaining items I need. Eeek! This money is primarily for buying fresh fruits and veggies. Other items on the list might include what I need for a specific recipe or great sales. :) I love the unexpected sales!
Cushion. If you've done the math, that only leaves me a $30 cushion. It's nice to have a cushion, but a mere $30 won't go far. I'll need to choose wisely and be willing to pass up on a good sale if my meal plan doesn't necessitate it.

This is IMPOSSIBLE without a meal plan! Call me crazy, but I currently have our meals planned for the next 3 weeks! Yep, there's a calendar on our fridge all penciled in. I started by looking at the meat I bought and the items already in my pantry, and then started filling in the boxes.

Don't ask me why I'm doing this now, the month of Thanksgiving, the year of which I'm hosting. Won't that be a budget-breaker?! We'll see!

For any PI readers, you should know the Yoons are gearing up for the Turkey Shoot with intensity. I told Joe we have to win the turkey if we're going to stay under budget. :) (ok, so my strategy is not to practice, but to bring more people to raise our chances! ha)

I'll keep you updated!

PS: This is actually fun for me. Of all the domestic duties, cooking for my family is on the top of my list! And shopping for said cooking is also part of the delight. I could go on and on about that....

Christmas....it's not too early

Yes, I've already started thinking about Christmas. Christmas is expensive, lets be honest. I'm determined this year to not let it get ridiculously out of hand, financially speaking. SO...I've set a budget for each person, I've started scouring the clearance racks, and I'm probably at least 1/3 done by now! It's been fun.

Here are a few ideas - please share yours!

1.) Both Joe and I thoroughly enjoy gift-giving and have dreams of giving extravagantly. But as we've talked about it, we've had to convince ourselves that it's not about 'the gift' or the amount of money that we spend. The meaning lies behind the gesture of giving, which we would rather focus on. Practically, that means we've lowered the amount we normally spend on family members this year.
2.) I set an individual budget for each man, woman, and child. This has helped me both cap my overall budget and set a shopping limit for each gift.
3.) Within this budget, I still cut corners! For example, if I find something on sale, I count a reasonable amount for the item toward the overall person's $ limit, even if I spent less. Does that make sense? Like, I might choose an item that at full price was out-of-the-question. Whatever I spent on it (30, 50, or 75% off), I choose a reasonable price for it in my head and count that toward their budget. Translation: I end up spending less than my set budget in the end.
4.) I'm considering doing joint gifts for the married folks in the family. This would slightly lower the overall budget and give more money to spend on a bigger gift. Another idea is to combine $ with siblings to get a specific gift someone requests.
5.) Even though we've lowered the amount of money we're spending, it's important to me that I still give something useful and enjoyable. I don't just want to give everyone a new T-shirt because it's cheap...you know what I'm saying?
6.) Starting early gives me more time to scour the sales and spread out the bills. (One person's gift was bought in July...at 80% off with a gift card! super duper score!)
7.) Is this getting boring? Okay, I'll keep going...at least for my sake.
8.) Our financial class says 'make gifts'. I am totally for this, but totally out of ideas this year! Feel free to share if you've got any!
9.) I want to send Christmas cards this year. Don't forget to include the price of stamps into your Christmas budget! Those babies can a-d-d up!
10.) Joe and I will probably do our one-year-old traditions this year (ornament, stockings) and probably not much more. We're toying with the idea of planning a cheap vacay for Jan.-Feb. as a gift to each other instead. Otherwise, we're saving money!!

We hope that early shopping and a decreased focus on how much money we spend will simply serve as tools to prepare our hearts for the celebration of the Advent season! So many distractions slave for our attention during this holy, peaceful time of year. Let us truly worship!

Graduation!

Praise God! I graduated from the University of Central Florida on August 8, 2009 with my Masters Degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language.

More good ideas for this Saturday - FREE!

Saturday, September 26 is Free Museum Day, courtesy of the Smithsonian.

Some of the participating venues in the Orlando area are:

Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens
Bok Tower Gardens
Maitland Art Museum
Florida Air Museum

...and many, many more!

Check out more information here and find a full listing of Florida venues:
http://microsite.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/about.html


PS...We did Bok Tower Gardens on July 3 and couldn't have loved it more! Highly recommended by the Yoons.

this just in....$5 Science Center on Saturday

ORLANDO, FL - (September 10, 2009) - The Orlando Science Center, in partnership with the Walmart Foundation, has announced the next “Walmart $5 Day” will be Saturday, September 26 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thanks to Walmart’s generous support, all guests to the Science Center on September 26 will enjoy exhibits, films and live programs for the significantly discounted price of $5. General admission fees are usually $17 for adults and $12 for kids (ages 3-11).

Anniversary Weekend

If you have read any of my much earlier posts, you might remember that Joe proposed to me at the beach. My mom's family has a house in New Smyrna Beach FL that has been so special to me all of my life. Good choice for a proposal!

We also returned to that beachhouse for our first anniversary celebration. It was a fabulous weekend! Saturday was a little grey, so after a walk on the beach, we went out to lunch and to catch a movie. Then we headed home for our anniversary steak dinner. Yum-O! We packed most of our groceries and really enjoying eating at home. (tip o'the hat to saving money!)

Sunday was gorgeous and we got some wonderful beach time in. But Sunday afternoon was definitely the highlight of our weekend! The next post will be about our little Sunday trip to Jacksonville for a very special event.

We came back to spend one more night and half of Monday back at the house. It was such a relaxing weekend and I can't say enough how much we enjoyed being together and celebrating our marriage!! Love you hubster!! Happy One Year!

Walgreens Register Rewards

I live about 10 minutes from civilization, except for my Publix and Walgreens, so you'll hear a lot about deals at these particular stores. It's not easy for me to run up to Target for some household need, so I'm at Walgreens a couple times a week. (sadly...I call Walgreens my "target" because if I have an itch to shop or just need some time alone, I can wander around Walgreens for an hour...you know, like normal people do at Target :))

Anyway, I have found the Walgreens Register Rewards to be very useful. Scratch what I'm about to write if you won't use the Walgreens money! For heavens sake, don't lose it! :)

Every week, the Walgreens circular (in your paper or easily read online) advertises several items that, once purchased, will print out a coupon in the form of Walgreens money. I don't think much about a lot of their items, but I always look to see if (1) it's something I use reguarly or (2) it's free! Yes, they have at least 3 -4 items weekly that once purchased, the money is fully refunded to you in the form of a gift card.

Here's an example of what I've gotten free:
-a toothbrush
-feminine products
-Softsoap NutriSerums Body Wash
-large bottle of Jergens handsoap
-and more...

Just a tip to look in the paper and see if you find anything fun to treat yourself to! I go back and use the money on a variety of other things. I know Walgreens can be more expensive than say Target or Walmart, but they also have great weekly coupon sales that I can usually double up with manufacturer coupons.

One final note: you cannot use a register reward coupon to purchase an item that will spit out another register reward. BUT, you can purchase one item, get the register reward, and immediately use it on anything else. You don't need to wait for another day.

Questions? Just leave a comment. I hope I explained that ok.

Free Food!

Check it out:

www.schwans.com/free


This is a home-delivery service that has been around a long time. I guess they're hurting for business, because I've taken advantage of this offer twice in the last three months. Anyway, you can get one item for $10 or less for free! The delivery is free, if you're home. You have to pay for a small cooler ($5) if you're not going to be home when they deliver it.

A few ideas:

---big bag of 4-cheese tortellini....I got this last time and it was delicious! It serves at least 6!
---desserts....I ordered some chocolate carmel ice cream bars this time
---gourmet coffee...my mom ordered a bag of coffee
---frozen veggies or twice baked potatoes....most of this category is under $10

Enjoy!