bring joy

Cutting the Grocery Budget & Debt-free a Year Sooner

At the end of last month, I was looking over our budget, trying to figure out ways that we could get out of debt sooner than .

I came up with a few ways:

.
I did, & it was hard. I mean, really hard.

But. Savings from not going to Alt? About .

Not sure if this is going to work, but I hope to find a teaching job in Texas–a few yoga classes a week could mean a couple of hundred bucks a month. I’m also thinking of adding a paper route–the boys are old enough to help, & I think it would be a great lesson in teaching them how to work. I also think if we tell them why we’re doing it (so we can get out of debt), they’ll have a better understanding of why it’s a good idea to be debt-averse.

If we can figure out how to scrape together an extra $600 a month, that’s in years...

Growing Up

marriage, parenting, home

Family Pictures, June 2009 (go here, for updated pictures of the whole family)

♥♥♥

Sometimes I feel so old.

I grew up at the end of a long line of siblings. As such, my brothers & sisters have always been a decade or so ahead of me.

Just to put things in perspective, I’ve been an aunt since I was 7 years old. I spent my childhood surrounded by the elderly. Both sets of grandparents were in their 80’s, & there were strokes, congestive heart failure, Parkinson’s on both sides of my family. My mom is also at the tail end of a big family, so all of my aunts & uncle also have always been older than what might be considered the norm. Add this to the fact that I’m not quite 30 & I’ve been married for 8 years & have four children.

Getting married & having children & taking...

{MM} 11.12.12

marvelous mondays

Happy Veteran’s Day.

Thinking of all those who have sacrificed their lives so I can live in freedom, in this great country. Made especially poignant this year, since Joseph is now active duty military & is away from our family at this time.

Thank heavens for all the service men & women who give up so much for our freedoms.

Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial. Pinned via Joanne KH

♥ I just go my hands on a LBD (little black dress) in preparation for my trip to D.C. in 2 weeks (!). Joseph has a few fancy-schmanzy military galas (not even sure what they’re called, I’m such a newbie) in which I will be his date. Super, duper, excited. (& I have a lunch/yoga date with this girl!).

♥ My good friend Joy, just launched a new look for her site, Frock Files....