Our Story...

Help the Coffey Family Help a Child

This past summer my daughter (Morgan) and I had the opportunity to go with Second Baptist Church, Baytown on a mission trip to Haiti. As many of you know, Haiti was rocked by an earthquake on January 12th 2010. The devastation was wide spread and many people were left without homes. Prior to the earthquake, Haiti was considered a 3rd world country, and after the quake it is now considered a 5th world country.

The mission trip was a life changing experience. The original thought of going to Haiti was terrifying! As the day grew closer the anxiety level grew in my heart. Once we landed, I was so nervous I could barley think. We went with a gentleman by the name of Brent Gambrel (www.brentgambrelministires.com). He has been making these trips for many years and he gave us some peace. After driving through Port-au-Prince and seeing the devastation and sorrow in the eyes of the people, I felt as though our efforts could not begin to make a difference. Brent said something to us that first night that changed my perspective. He said do not look at the despair but look at the opportunity God has put in front of you. Those people are in need of much more than things, but they needed God. From this point forward, God was the complete focus of the trip, and we as a group helped change lives.

The one group that touched me more than any other was the children we encountered. From the school we visited to the village in the desert, they were all full of joy and hope. One group of children in particular that stood out were the children in the orphanage. When we walked into the room, many of the children would reach up to us. It seems as though all they needed was some love and attention. We played with them and they were so happy to have us in the room.
Once we came back home and had witness God’s power through all we experienced, my wife (Tina) and I sat down and began discussing the possibility of adopting one of these precious children. After several discussions and some prayer time, we felt that God was moving us in this direction. While the process is long and somewhat expensive, we know in our heart that God will provide a way.


Kazen

New FLYing assignments for the week!!!

Zone 1: Mission #1 Friday

Today is our only day in Zone 1. Today's mission is very simple! Grab a broom and a vacuum cleaner. Set the timer! 5 minutes in each area. Sweep the front porch and shake out the door mat. Next a quick sweep or vacuum in the entrance area. Last dash around the dining room with a broom or the vacuum. This is just a quick mission
that makes you feel so great. When there are no dust bunnies chasing you or gritty floors your home just feels better! You do not have to get overwhelmed by this. Do not move furniture around or get sidetracked. Just a quick maintenance sweep and vacuum.

Congratulations on a job well done this week! We are always so proud of you!!

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Zone 5: Mission #4 Thursday

Dear Friends:

For today you are to take 5 minutes and dust the decorative items in your living room. The picture frames, lamps and knick knacks, this is a detailed dusting. Turn on the music and move quickly, you will be amazed at how fast you can to this!!!

Don't overthink the mission, just do the mission! Have fun!

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Zone 5: Mission #3 Wednesday

We are going after the hidden clutter in the Living/Family rooms. Take a look and see what is hanging around that is really clutter but because you have become so used to it being there you don't see it as clutter. Have you purged those magazines and books lately? How about the videos, dvd's and cd's? Are they strewn in piles all over that because they belong in these rooms you don't see them anymore? Your mission for today is to set your timer for 15 minutes and go after the "hidden" clutter in these rooms. You will be amazed at how much neater the rooms look when you
tackle this. Do not get obsessed and take apart the whole room. This is about progress NOT perfection. Just tackle one thing at a time!

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Zone 5: Mission #2 Tuesday

Yesterday we went after the "Stuff" clutter in the Living Room and the Family Room. Today you are going after the trash. Now you may think you have no trash in these rooms but look under the couch and the chairs. Lift up the cushions and check out what seems to magically get swallowed up in the couch. Check under the end tables and the coffee table. Set your timer for 15 minutes and grab a trash bag and start tossing. You will be surprised at how fast you can do this mission. I bet you all will have time left to spare!! Be careful not to lift things that are too heavy and awkward on your mission. Ask for help if you need it!

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Zone 5: Mission #1 Monday

We are in Zone 5 for four days this week.

Today is the day we go after that "stuff" that gets left in the Living Room/Family Room. The shoes, jackets, laundry baskets etc.

Set your timer for 15 minutes and go after the things that need to be put away. Deliver them to the proper homes and get back to the rooms and check them again.
Do not get sidetracked when you are putting something away in another room and start picking up that room. Example if you are taking shoes to your room don't get sidetracked by stopping and straightening something in the bedroom. Put away what you need to and go back to the Zone rooms. If you notice that you need to
straighten in another room that you have made a delivery to, then review your schedule and see if you can go to that room for a 5 minute room rescue. If you do not have time then look ahead to your schedule and try to figure out when you can get there!! This is not all or nothing! This is all about babysteps and being proud of the small things that we can accomplish!

FUNDRAISING TIME IS HERE!!!

We are about to start our first fundraiser to help raise the funds for our Haiti adoption. It will be a raffle with the big payoffs being a flatscreen tv and an iPod...and whatever else we might be able to get donated. Our tickets are in printing right now and we should have them in a week to get started. We are also allowing our friends and family to help sell tickets and the highest seller will also be receiving an iPad...HOW EXCITING!!!! I know we have not even started the paperwork yet (which we will begin in January) but our family cannot wait to have our little guy home with us. I cannot even begin to explain the excitement in the girls...he cannot come soon enough! Please pray that our raffle will be a HUGE success and possibly be the only fundraiser we need to do, wouldn't that be such a blessing?

Tina
expecting mom!!

We are FLYING in Zone 4 this week: The MASTER Bedroom

Zone 4 Mission #5 Friday
Dear Friends,

Yesterday we had a panty raid and today we are going to raid our bedroom of any clothes that we need to get rid of. Today we are going to play beat the clock. I want you to get a large trash bag - Set the timer for 15 minutes, throw open a dresser drawer or closet and start tossing anything that you do not love, does not fit or just needs to go away. You know what these things are, you just haven't given
yourself the time to do it. You are going to shove these things into the bag as fast as you possibly can and when the bag is full take it to the trunk of your car to drop off at a donation center. This is not a game of will I wear this, do I like it. This is toss, toss, toss as fast as you can. When you set a timer and try to fill the bag before the timer goes off it is amazing what you will let go of. Also if you are holding on to your husband's old clothes that he no longer wears and you think you will - forget about it! Toss them! it is one thing to grab one of your husbands t-shirts to wear - it is quite another to hang onto all of his old sweat shirts and t-shirts that he no longer wants! Toss them! Ready, Set ...GO!

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Zone 4 Mission #4 Thursday

Dear Friends,

Look out because today is going to be a tough one! We are going on a panty raid! LOL! What I mean is that you are to throw open those dresser drawers and start flinging all those old, stretched out, worn out panties and bras that are just taking up space. You know the ones that you wear when you forget to do the laundry! The ones that you would just pass out from embarrassment if anyone knew you were wearing them. The bras that are held together with safety pins have got to go. If you still have nursing bras and your youngest child is in elementary school - fling them! Throw them away! You would not want to wear someone else's underwear - do not tell yourself that you are going to give these to so and so that you know and really does not mind - get rid of them today! Throw them away! You all know what should be in those drawers and what you have been shoving to the back of the drawer. Today is the the day! Do not keep anything that does not fit, that you do not love or that you would not want to be embarrassed by!

Make it a point to replace a few pairs of panties or a new bra or two when you can. Stop putting yourself last! You deserve nice undergarments - no one feels good in worn out, stretched out clothes.

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Zone 4 Mission #3 Wednesday

Dear Friends,

Back in the bedroom we go! Your mission for today is to stand in the door way of your bedroom and just look around. What do you see that just does not belong in this room? Have you stashed stuff in here that does not belong but you have grown used to it just being a part of the room? Grab a trash bag and a laundry basket. Empty your bedroom trash can and also toss anything that is just plain trash in the room that does not need to be there. Then, set a timer for 5 minutes and toss things into the laundry basket that have a home someplace else in the house - just not the bedroom. Once the timer beeps, take your basket and deliver the items to where they belong.
We are decluttering our bedrooms!

Bonus challenge - do another 5 minutes!!

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Zone 4 Mission #2 Tuesday

Dear Friends,

As we continue on our Zone Super Fling Boogie we are going to tackle our night stands in our bedrooms. Now we may have done this recently in this zone - but this time you are going to get serious! Same drill as yesterday - The first thing to do when decluttering is to throw away anything that is trash. Things that are just claiming space - toss them!. The next thing is to look at what is left on your night
stands - Do you need it? Do you love it? Do you use it? Do you have anything on your dresser that needs to be put away someplace else? Pick up, put away, then Pick up and put in a give away box that you will donate later. Do you need to set a timer for 5 minutes and clean out the drawers in the night stands? Go For it! We are Flinging and FLYing!


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Zone 4 Mission #1 Monday

Dear Friends,

Today our mission is to declutter the tops of our dressers. The first thing to do when decluttering is to throw away anything that is trash. Those receipts, post it notes, etc that are just claiming space - toss them!. The next thing is to look at what is left on your dresser - Do you need it? Do you love it? Do you use it? Do you have anything on your dresser that needs to be put away someplace else? Pick up, put away, then Pick up and put in a give away box that you will donate later.

All you have to do for this mission is the dresser! That is it!

We are FLYING again this week...

Zone 3: Mission #5 Friday

Dear Friends:

We are in the last day of Zone Three!! Your mission in the bathroom is to mop the floor. Now, you can do this with some hot soapy water and a rag or mop. There is no perfect way to mop. Just get the floor
wet, wipe it and dry it!

Your mission for the Stash and Dash space is to do a 27 fling boogie in the space. 27 things to throw away, give away or put away! Now you have seen how you can work on these stash and dash spaces a few minutes at a time every day and make a difference.


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Zone 3: Mission #3 Thursday

Dear Friends,

The bathroom sink is calling you! Let's shine our bathroom sinks and countertops. Scrub the sink and the faucets, wipe down with Windex (remember to be careful that you are not mixing Windex with any bleach products, make sure you rinse very well before using the Windex). Take time to wipe down your counter tops and give them a shine as well.

Your mission for your Stash and Dash space is to go back again to throw away anything that needs to be tossed or recycled. We are going back to do this again because now that we have peeled back one layer it is very possible that there is more to be tossed or another space to toss from.

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Zone 3: Mission #3 Wednesday

Dear Friends:

It is Anti-procrastination Day! It is time to take a look into the medicine cabinets and toss the empty bottles and boxes that are taking up space. While you are doing this also take a look at the expiration dates on the medicines that are there. If you have some that need to be gotten rid of take care of that as well. Grab a damp
rag and wipe down the shelves. Don't take everything out, just lift,wipe and put back.

Your Mission for the Stash and Dash space is to spend 5 minutes putting away the hings that have a home, you know where they go but you tossed the in a pile while stashing and dashing because someone was coming over. The Stash and Dash spaces are just piles of procrastination.

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Zone 3: Mission #2 Tuesday

Dear Friends:

We are back in the bathroom and your mission for today is to clean our your bathroom trash can. Use the tub to fill the can with hot water and add some general purpose cleaner or dish soap. Let it soak and then scrub the bottom, the sides and the outside. Turn it over and let it dry in the tub and then put it back before someone needs to bathe and ends up taking a shower with the trash can! Have fun! This is so simple and makes a difference!

Your mission for the Stash and Dash space is to spend 5 minutes gathering up anything that you can donate or give away that you no longer love, use or need.

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Zone 3: Mission #1 Monday

Dear Friends:

This week we are in Zone 3. This is the main bathroom and another room of your choice. Our "other" room is going to be taking 5 minutes at those stash and dash spots in your home. Maybe it is the basement, a corner in your bedroom, the guest room or garage. Just 5 minutes each day to put a dent in the stash and dash piles we have built.

Your mission for today in the bathroom is to wipe down around the base and the back of the toilet. This is an area that we all seem to forget about until we notice it on day and it seems too far gone to do anything about it! Grab a rag and some general purpose cleaner and wipe down the toilet from the bowl downward, the floor around the base and behind base. This is a quick and easy mission to do!

Your mission for the Stash and Dash space is to take a trash bag and just toss anything you can see that needs to be thrown away or recycled.

Daily Flying to keep you moving smoothly...

* Morning Routine:
-Get Dressed to Shoes including Hair/Face, Brush Teeth
- Make Bed
-Swish & Swipe
-Empty Dishwasher
-Reboot Laundry (a Load a Day Keeps CHAOS Away)
-Check Your Calendar

* Before Bed Routine:
-Lay out Your Clothes for tomorrow
-Check Your Calendar
-Put things needed for tomorrow at the Launch Pad
-Where are your Keys?
-Spend Two Minutes Clearing off a Hot Spot
-Shine Your Sink
- Wash face/Brush Teeth
-Go to Bed at a Decent Hour

If you are wondering what all this FLYING is you can log onto http://www.flylady.net/ and check it out.

Be a Flylady this week!!!

Friday's Mission

Today is our last day in the Kitchen!! For today I want you to grab your broom and your mop. Sweep your kitchen floor really well and then mop. There are several ways to mop a kitchen floor and no real wrong way. Hot soapy water and wipe. There is no "perfect" mop and no "perfect" way to do it. Just Do It!

Don't obsess and get caught up in perfection! Remember House work done incorrectly still blesses your family

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Thursday's Mission

Dear Friends:

It has come to the time to go after those counter tops!! Your mission for today is to scrub those counter tops. Not just the average wipe down that we do after dinner. Now it is very easy to make this task overwhelming but if you take this slow and easy you can do this! DO NOT TAKE EVERYTHING OFF OF THE COUNTERS AT ONE TIME!!!! I promise you will get sidetracked and then you will all email me crying that it is all my fault!! LOL! You just move your toaster (or coffee pot or whatever this is an example here! :>) ) over to one side and wipe down the counter, then move over a foot or so, move aside what is there and wipe down some more and so on. We
are not marathon cleaning the kitchen here, just getting all the crumbs and junk that seems to
build up behind and under things. Have fun! Don't obsess! Enjoy!

Love,
Tina

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Wednesday's Mission!

Dear Friends,

It is Anti-Procrastination day we are diving into the refrigerator! Grab your trash can and take it over to the refrigerator and throw open the door. First toss out any leftovers that have gotten pushed to the back and have now started to turn into a science project. Second, check the fruit/vegetable drawers and toss what no longer is appealing to eat. Third, check the meat and cheese drawer, check the expiration dates on your items in there and toss what needs to go. Fourth, check out the doors of the fridge, toss the empty condiment jars and bottles that always seem to magically go back into the fridge when empty, LOL, but when full get left on the counter. Recycle what you can! Last, grab a damp rag and wipe down the shelves. Do not take every single thing out of your refrigerator and then take the shelves out to clean them. Just wipe them down. How many times have we decided to tear the fridge apart and three hours later we would rather move out than ever do it again.

Don't let yourself get sidetracked!! Have fun and enjoy your sparkling refrigerator!

Love,
Tina

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Tuesday's Mission!

Dear Friends,

Back to the kitchen we go! Your mission for today is to wipe down the doors of your cabinets. Use a damp rag and wipe down the fronts and the edges of your cabinets. This is really a simple thing to do but we have a tendency to ignore the cabinets because there is always so much more going on in the kitchen. Finger prints and grease attach themselves to the cabinets and make them a little sticky. A good wipe down will make such a difference. Remember we are taking babysteps!!! Small little missions that add up to a shiny kitchen.

Have Fun!

Love,
Tina


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Monday's Mission!

Dear Friends,

We are in the Kitchen this week and we are going to work our way through from top to bottom!!

Your mission for today is to look UP! Now I am only 5 Ft 7 and I have a tendency to only see what is at my eye level. Today we are going to look up, set your timer for 10 minutes and take a broom or a Swiffer and get those dusties and cobwebs that are hanging on the upper walls that are taller than you, the corners of the ceilings and the ceiling. If you are feeling adventurous ask someone in the house to help you and take a damp rag to the light fixture and/or ceiling fan. Please be careful!! Check out the top of your refrigerator as well. I am always so floored at how much dust accumulates on top of the fridge!! Don't get obsessed and take your light fixture apart or repaint the ceiling! Babysteps!!!!

Love,
Tina

The Girls Chore Charts

Almost EVERY time someone comes over to my house they notice the girls chore charts on the side of the refrigerator and asks me to email it to them so they may customize for their children. I have created these using an Excel spreadsheet then uploaded them to Office Depot's online print services to have them printed then laminated. I also used the Velcro Commans strips on the back to hold them in place and can be removed when necessary.

The girls use an EXPO wet erase marker to check when they have completed their chore. If they did not complete a chore they put a Frownie Face in place of a check. Each girl starts out with a weekly amount and each Frownie Face deducts from that total amount. Morgan is older so she starts out with $10 each week and is deducted 20 cents. Brooke starts with $5 and is deducted 10 cents. They have done this long enough that I no longer remind them to check their chore charts. At the end of the day when they go to bed if they have forgotten to fill out their chore chart for the day (even if they have done everything) I put Frownie Faces in the blank spots. Not only are they responsible to do the chores but to check off that they did the chores.

I have posted this spreadsheet at the bottom of my blog. Please feel free to customize it for your family.

WHY???

Our main purpose for starting this family blog is to update and raise the necessary funds needed to adopt a little boy from Haiti.

Let me start from the beginning...My husband, Kazen, and oldest daughter, Morgan, went on a mission trip with our church (http://www.secondbaytown.org/) this past summer to Haiti. It was life changing for both of them. They went with the Brent Gambrel Ministries and stayed at the Bethel House, which is operated by Dr. Bernard (http://www.newlifelink.org/). This is the orphanage that my daughter spent the week helping with Vacation Bible School while my husband went out on the construction crew and helped build, paint, and do whatever else asked of him.

When they returned home, as a family, we made the decision to adopt a little boy. Since we do not have unlimited funds in the bank account to write a check we decided that maybe we would start a blog to accept donations and have some fundraisers. If you feel God calling you to help up in this process there is a "DONATE" button at the bottom of this page that will lead you directly to our adoption fund.

I cannot wait to see what God has in store for our family!!!


God Bless,
Tina Coffey

We are now BLOGGERS!!!!

So we are bare bones until I get this whole blog editing figured out. Let the fun begin!!!