{Memorial Day Weekend 2022}

I do believe this is my favorite time of year! Bring on SUMMER☀️

it’s been the best day!!! ☀️

(despite missing a gorgeous boat day (railway delay due to all the dreary weather😞) 

Coffee and devotions on the patio for the second morning in a row • a wonderful message online @oakridgebc • a little visit with the family • TI’s Memorial Day Service 🇺🇸 • and dinner full of all our favorite SUMMER foods!☀️WE had bbq wings, pasta salad, Cole slaw, jello salad, and watermelon. 

and always a favorite pic from 2020.....

Peter and Rowen putting up the flag at Pop Pop Junie's grave. 

(This wasn't a staged picture, which makes it even more touching.) 

S U M M E R BUCKET LIST 2022

 There's no way it's JUNE tomorrow!!!! 

My last post was in January and I swore I'd do better at reviving my blog, but here we are, 5 months later, and this makes post number 7! In any event, if the SUMMER Bucket List doesn't get me all excited, nothing will. Here's this year's list of FUN activities--->

🏖 beach day • 🌳 Vessey’s • 🍨 make pineapple ice• 🎣 go fishing • 🚗 day trip w/grands • 🎏 fly kites on the beach• 🎡 OCMD • 🍽 dinner on the patio • 🇺🇸 4th of July • 💥 fireworks • 🌅 sunset at the beach. • 🐴 day trip to Chincoteague • 🍕 grilled pizza • ⚓️ boat to Mallards • 🍓 make jam 

and HAVE FUN! ❤️☀️

BUDGET - 2022

{budget life} 🗂 first budget update for 2022…..

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Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps ✅ last year—>to now

• Save $1000 in a beginner Emergency Fund = 2021 COMPLETE 

 1/01/22 - COMPLETE 

• Pay off all debt = *ZERO debt except for the SUV (2 yrs left) 1/01/21

1/01/22 - ZERO DEBT + SUV is PAID IN FULL

• Save 6 months (living expenses) emergency fund = 2021 COMPLETE 

1/01/22 - COMPLETE

• Invest 15% of your income for retirement **

• Save for your kid's college fund = N/A

• Pay off your house early = PAID IN FULL

• Build wealth & Give freely **

@daveramsey 

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MONEY SAVINGS CHALLENGES: 2021—>2022

I worked on (2) $1000 money saving challenges in 2021. I completed one = $1000 and saved $400 on the second one. I used the $1000 as part of cash flowing Christmas expenses. I budgeted for Christmas and stuck to it!! It's a great feeling on December 26th knowing everything is paid for! The $400 is in a sinking fund for a few upcoming house updates, but we have started a new $1000 money saving challenge for 2022. 💰 

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SINKING FUNDS 2020

I have $400 in a Sinking Fund for a few small upgrades we want to do around the house. 🙌🏻

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MONTHLY BUDGET

I'm still doing @thebudgetmom @budgetbypaycheck budgeting system. After 2 years of sticking to the tracking spending and finding a place for our money to go each month, I feel very accomplished and on top of our finances. I still have things to learn, but this system seems to work best for me and this is the most consistent I've been with budgeting in awhile. 

• We added broadband last year and its been a game changer - we have much better quality internet/tv/phone service and we SAVED a ton monthly by the switch. We dropped Viasat which literally sucked and was wayyyy overpriced —$119 month……we got Directv to knock our monthly pkg down $50 /mo from $135 to $85……and be CANCELLED VERIZON!!!!!! Best $95 savings yet!!! We had phone outages or crossed lines with neighbors every single week…..we opted for Magic Jack - $45 for the Magic Jack/$23 to keep our same number/ $125 for 5 years service!! We won’t have a phone bill for 5 years vs $95 /mo….that’s a win for us! 

• We paid off the SUV 2 years early so no more payments!!! We did go back to a garage vs a lot , but we decided it would probably help with the longevity of our SUV, so the $50 more per month seemed like a good option. Other than those 2 big monthly bill changes, our budget is pretty much the same.

MEAL PLANNING JAN 2022

MENU PLANNING 🍽 

We started off the New Year with a few family dinners. 

Kole is always here for the food and is the first to the table everytime! ☺️💙 

Here’s what’s on the menu: 

We had Hoppin’ John, collard Greens w/ham, and corn bread on New Year’s Day, 

our first duck dinner for the year on the 2nd, and a breakfast dinner of 

homemade waffles & sausage ((and snow cream)) on our big snow day on 1/03! 

We did a big Food Lion pick-up the first of the month and I planned our 

meals for the first 3 weeks of January! 

1/04 - ordered out 

1/05 - lasagna (frozen) & salad 

1/06 - burgers & homemade oven fries 

1/07 - turkey/bacon/swiss paninis & tomato basil soup 

1/08 - Steaks w/onions & mushrooms, baked potatoes, & roasted asparagus

1/09 - TACOS 

1/10 - TikTok Pasta w/Shrimp 

1/11 - Boiled Fish w/ biscuits/Fig Preserves/Cheddar Cheese + Coffee

1/12 - Pork Chop Scalloped Potato Casserole 

1/13 - Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, & Pea Salad 

1/14 - chicken tenders, baked sweet potato, & pea salad

1/15 - Pork Roast, carrots, & potatoes with gravy + sautéed cabbage

left on the menu:

 *chicken *beans w/ham & rolls *Meatloaf  *oysters  *lasagna *unplanned

I try to do a meal plan and shop for all the ingredients to have on hand for the meals. I don't usually do a set day for each meal but decide what we are in the mood for each day or how much time I have to cook that day. I love having everything I need on hand, that is a HUGE part of sticking to a grocery budget. 

WINTER BEACH DAY - 12.28.21

Winter Beach Day! 

☀️🌊💙 

12.28.21 

Took Rowen on a “benture” at the beach! We had a picnic and looked for treasures.✨ 

These are the days I want them to remember. 💙 

#savor #adventure #beachwalk #love #winter #grands #rowen #funday #picnic 

#beach #TI #esva #islandlife

LET IT SNOW!

S N O W ❄️ D A Y

01.03.22

ORDINARY DAYS

Ordinary days...

this picture is from our visit over the Christmas holidays. We came with an armload of gifts for Kamry and while she enjoyed opening them and loved everything, what she really LOVES are scavenger hunts and playing together and our little chit chats....just time together. These are the days I want them to remember💗 

#savor #adventure #fun #naturewalk #love #winter #grands #kamry #funday #picnic #enjoylife #scavengerhunt #lifeinpictures

WORD OF THE YEAR - MINDFUL

Happy New Year!

✨✨✨✨✨✨

2021 was totally the year of the unexpected!! For us, 2021 was the craziest yet, and one of the best and most memorable parts of last year was Mom & Dad moving in next door! It all literally came about in a whirlwind, but the end result has been such a good, positive change for our family. I am definitely in yet another season of life, and while it sometimes feels strange and unfamiliar territory, I so love this season. I really want to be more mindful of all the wonderful blessings God gives me everyday.♥️ 

When thinking about my [word for the year] the word mindful or mindfulness kept coming to me - I want to be more aware of the present moment and focus on what I have right this moment instead of dwelling on the past or pondering the future. 

MINDFULNESS: maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and surroundings through a gentle, nurturing lens. 🌿

I don’t know if it’s me getting older or just needing to change my mindset - but I do know I need to be more mindful of my feelings and be still and slow down in this crazy, busy world and focus on what’s going on right here, at this moment, and enjoy everything to the fullest. 

I don’t really do resolutions but I have several goals for 2022: to blog more • to set actual “work days” for my Etsy shop • to make at least one new recipe a month • to take naps and not feel guilty • to get back into budget mode, and to just enjoy life, spend as much time as I can with my family, and take things one day at a time.