Snow Day{s}

Week before last (over Valentine's Day), I was giving Parent/Teacher/Student conferences. We teachers were given Friday off that week and the next Monday was Presidents' Day, so it was a four-day weekend. We all came back on Tuesday and Wednesday, which were normal days. Then, a massive snowstorm took hold of the midwest. We, being in the Kansas City area, were in the middle of it! We ended up getting about 12-14 inches of snow! So we had snow days on Thursday and Friday. After a couple days building cabin fever & clearing out the DVR, the husband and I went out for a walk.

 

 

 New elementary school they are building nearby our house; Opening in the fall

The hubs and I

Sunny California

After my Parent/Teacher/Student conferences, I headed to sunny California to see my sister, brother-in-law, and baby niece, Mila for a long weekend. Mila was born September 26 and is changing so much! Being in Kansas, so far from them, I try to visit as often as I can. Last time I saw them was at Christmas, so I was so excited to see them again!

 

 

 

 

BirchBox Day!

Today is BirchBox Day! Well, actually, yesterday was but I was in northern Missouri celebrating my grandmother's 90th birthday.

This is what was in my BirchBox. I am excited to use the awesome samples from BirchBox. I am especially looking forward to using the blush shimmer and roots boost spray.

Grandma's 90th Birthday!

Today was celebrated my Grandma Foley's 90th birthday. Her actual birthday was on Wednesday, but we made the drive to her today. She has lived alone for over 30 years and is quite independent. I am so happy to call her grandma and love to have her as a family & spiritual role model.

My sister made an AMAZING present for our grandma. She wrote to everyone on her Christmas list and asked them to write memories of grandma. She heard back from forty-five people. Megan then put the letters together into a book. It is such a great book and I know my grandma was so very happy to get the present.

Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps

My husband and I went thought Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University in January-April 2011. It literally changed our lives. We have known each other since we were 16, when we met in high school and were married in March 2010 (coming up on three years!). We were raised very differently financially and this became apparent when we combined our finances. Going through FPU changed all that! We got focused and have been on the same page ever since!

(source)

We are currently on Baby Step 2~3. We have kept three months of savings because my husband is applying for a new job. But we are also attacking our last debt, besides the house. When we started, we had a car payment, three credit cards, and student loan debt. This seemed like a lot to us, but I know that others are much further in the debt hole than we are. We have paid down the student loan debt and are able to make another big payment on it. We have changed our goal from paying off 70% of the loan by December to having it completely paid off by the end of the year. I hope we can stay on this pace!!

Goal Update: February

My husband and I took time to make goals for ourselves for 2013. We tried to be specific and will hold ourselves to these goals. I will try to come back to them each month or so to reflect on them.

1. Plan a vacation for just the two of us. Save to pay for it up front! - no plans made yet
2. Pay off at least 75% of student loans! - 45.2% as of January 28, 2013
3. Save and buy a "new" vehicle - $2,548.91 saved as of January 28, 2013
4. Save 70% of emergency fund - 50.4% as of January 28, 2013 --> down from 54% after a bit of car trouble and much needed repair!
5. Get basement and garage ORGANIZED! - garage mostly organized, basement is another story; hoping spring garage sale will clear up lots of room
6. Floor the attic (more storage) - haven't thought about this at all, too cold to get up there and do anything
7. Bret to purchase the firearm of his choice - took conceal & carry in January 2013
8. Organize a Legacy Drawer  - not yet
9. Make wills for each of us - this is what we need to order
10. Build a 72-Hour emergency kit (here and here)
11. Be intentional about finding opportunities to give to others
1. I have tried to find opportunities for random acts of kindness
2. I have just read 7 by Jen Hatmaker and it is an amazing book, very inspiring!
12. Plan our meals by the week - so far, so good! We do this on Sunday night for the following week
13. Keep communication open and loving between us
1.  Books to read: The Husband Project and Unglued