Ready for Spring!

 

Has it really been more than THREE months since I posted??!!  Goodness, time just really needs to slow down!  OK, here's to catching up. . .

 

Obviously Christmas and New Years came and went and now April is upon us.  Wow!  Christmas was quiet, but good.  We stayed home and Mark had a bit of time off prior to the Christmas holiday, so it was nice to have him home.  The day after Christmas, Mark was back at work, my mom went back to the coast and the Motts were off to Hawaii.  It was a bit surreal, but life goes on! Regardless, it was a good holiday and as usual, the kids were spoiled rotten!

 

 

Once the holidays were behind us, I was kind of eager to start a new year.  There have been so many changes in our home and lives over the past two years, its been stressful and exciting.  I am just really enjoying each new experience and our little family unit and life.  I really wanted to use this year to just continue enjoying the time I have at home, keeping us all healthy and entertained and really, just living life simply.  Obviously on one income, our outings have decreased a lot. We are stretching every dollar and I am honestly kind of loving the challenge.  I continue the never ending task of weeding through the kids stuff, selling whatever I can to turn around and buy more clothes or a week at camp or Mel's new bifocals!!!  Haha!  I am making and selling what I can to help bridge the gap.  I have had an awesome run lately with my tutus and aprons and am getting more and more exposure.  I enjoy being able to split my earnings between fun things for our family and buying what we need.  I am not an idle person, so it really feels good to be able to contribute in my own way financially too.

 

Surprisingly, each time I start getting stressed, we seem to get a leg up.  It has been very refreshing and encouraging.  Our goal of keeping me home until John is in the 1st grade actually seems like a possibility!  I sometimes don't think so, but I am really proud of Mark and I coming together to make this happen and our life to continue running as seamlessly as it has been.  It's crazy to think we are still happier with our life NOW more than when our income was double!  We don't have lavish vacations, I don't go to the salon to get prettied up (as often as I would like) and I don't have the most fashionable wardrobe, but I am really enjoying where we are.  You should try it sometime!  Take the extra cash and stick it in savings.  Pay down your home, pay down your car.  Paying off debt is exhilarating! Saving money here and there with coupons and living on a budget, seems to be less stressful (sometimes) than how we lived before! Volunteer your time too and you would be amazed at how much happier you are.  Yes, we still do things as a family and for ourselves, but its all planned (for the most part) and it's a great feeling!  Anyway, its been a good start to a New Year.  Mark has already been on vacation one week and has another week off in April.  I feel SO lucky for him and his job as well.  He is really enjoying his job and it has so many benefits for us.  We truly feel lucky.

 

 

Our biggest family entertainment savings is buying Groupons, etc.  We really pick and choose and make sure that once we are there, we won't be tempted to spend all kinds of additional money.  Sometimes that works, and sometimes it doesn't! :-)  We recently went to an art studio and that was actually a lot of fun.  My kids love crafts and art and it was a great afternoon.  We have been bowling and Mark and I even got a date night to the movies.  Last weekend we took a friend and went to Bullwinkles.  We all played for almost FOUR hours, had lunch and snacks and got prizes - for $10!!! That was the original cost of the Groupon.  See, you CAN have fun on a budget and we were able to bring friends to join us too!

 

Robbie and Bear

 

Our new passion has been trying to give back.  Since I am home, I feel I have more time to give my time.  I may not be able to give financially, but I can give my time.  Mark has found a way for him and Mel to give back too.  Mark has just completed his training at a local family shelter house.  He will be taking Melanie once a month to a home in Hillsboro where a family gets to live for a short period of time.  They can cook and hang out and have a warm place to be.  Mark and Mel will basically be "house sitting" once a month or so, but it will also be a great experience for Melanie to see how fortunate she is and to spend time at the house.  Maybe spending time with the kids, maybe cooking a meal - plus, it will be a great time for Mark and Melanie to spend time together as well. 

 

I have become part of the PTA/Booster Club at Melanie's school.  I have taken over the Box Tops program and am doing all I can to raise money for her school.  I have been making bulletin boards and collection sheets and I have become a master popcorn maker!  I also get to help in the library.  It's been a lot of work, but fun!

 

Our family effort has been to foster pugs!!!  After we got Ruby we fell in love with the breed.  We got Ruby through a rescue and decided to contact Pacific Pug Rescue and volunteer to become fosters.  We have been doing it for a few months and we are on our second dog.  First was Bear.  We had him one day and I thought we weren't going to make it.  He had some major anxiety issues, but within 3 weeks he was transformed and adopted and we were SO happy to see him going to a forever home.  We now have Robbie and he is just a fun, happy typical pug.  He already has an adopter lined up!  He is going to be VERY loved!  Again, it's a lot of work and there is a lot of uncertainty, but for now, we are happy to be able to help.  Another benefit of me being home, being able to help in this way.

 

 

Ruby is still just our little sweetheart.  Everyone who sees her wants to dog nap her!  But, she's staying with us!  I just had to share a picture of her because she is just too adorable :-)

 Another example to saving while playing. . .we got a Groupon to Great Wolf Lodge with our Christmas money and shared a room with our friend James and his son, Issac.  Issac and Melanie get along great and have known each other for years, so it was a perfect match.  Mark was off in January and we headed off for a night.  The place was pretty empty, so we had the run of the place.  Mel and Issac are old enough now to go off and do their thing and I hung with John a lot.  James and Mark got to act like kids and go on all the water slides, over and over :-)  We had a big, beautiful room and we all had a great time.  Can't wait to go back!!!

 

 

 

Which brings us to now.  Mid March and the kids have already been outside as often as possible.  John has developed major cabin fever over the winter and I think he is getting a bit bored with dear old mom!  Since he has another year until Kindergarten, I got him signed up for preschool.  It won't start until Sept., but John seems willing to go.  I won't be backing down this time!  He still has major separation anxiety, but is slowly getting better.  I think he is realizing it is fun to be with friends and that I can only do so much.  Even since we have been around kids more in the last month, I see him opening up more around them.  Preschool will be a great time for him and I am happy with the one we joined.  It will prepare him tremendously for kindergarten and with his socialization skills.  In the meantime, John has grown used to and loves our daily dog walks and has recently started riding a two wheeler (with training wheels).  A family friend was gracious to give us the bike and John has become obsessed with bike riding.  We have made it to the park several times already and have been in the yard too.  I am getting anxious to plant some flowers and be outside more as well.  I have a feeling we won't be inside much in the coming months!

 

 

 

Melanie has been doing good.  She definitely is no longer a "girl" and is growing up way too fast!  As is John. . .Melanie has been challenged a lot more at her new school, but I think it is good.  She doesn't feel the same way, I am sure, but it will be good for her later.  She has made some great friends at Farmington View, and I think that is holding her together at this point.  She may not like academics, but when she applies herself, she really does great.  Thankfully that encourages her.  She continues to be involved in horse back riding, Girl Scouts, science clubs and most recently, she joined a local choir group.  She is one BUSY girl, which means WE are busy! :-)  We just wrapped up girl scout cookie sales and in April I will be going to camp with Melanie and her troop for the first time.  Ekkk!  I am a bit nervous, but I think the experience will be a lot of fun. 

 

Mel has been losing teeth at a rapid rate and I got this photo awhile back with the tooth fairy :-) 

 

Overall, things are pretty much the same.  We are all in a good place.  We are busy as heck, but in a good way.  We are doing what we can to be in a good spot, but obviously are managing to live our life and have some fun too.  2013 has been pretty great to us so far!!!