Girl Behind the Blog - What I'm Learning

So Excited to be linking up with The Girl Behind the Blog link up again!!!

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If you haven't linked up yet (well why?) go check them out!

 

 

Budget post

It’s coming. We got thrown a monkey wrench today and so after a long day I’m calling it, and I’ll hopefully finish editing and prepping and get it posted tomorrow.

Stay tuned. All will be explained.

 

 

Sunday Links

Sorry these are a bit later than normal. We had a bit of an adventure with a snow tire that didn't want to come off  my parents car this morning. Brian, my superhero, got it off and changed after about an hour of coaxing it. 

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Remember last week when I blogged about Becky and her hairlust?

Well she did it! She cut it all off!!! How fab does she look!! Make sure you pop by and tell her how amazing her new hair cut is! 

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It’s back!!! The Girl Behind the Blog Vlog link up party is back!!! New vlogs go live Wednesday. Make sure you link up, or at least go check out all the new ones.

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Kellie just started bedrest, and I know some of you know how hard it can be, especially those first few days. Although that being said every day can be hard.

Please pop on over to her blog and say hi ; say a prayer for her and baby Jackson. Let’s let her know we’re all here for her.

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Ashley totally pulled on my heart strings this week. I often find myself feeling the same way. Thanks Ashley for reminding me to be me and love who I am and where I am in life.

My mom is one of my best friends. I think because of everything we’ve been through with my dad we’ve gotten a lot closer than we used to be. I posted earlier this week about friends of my parents that have some decisions to make in regards to their transplant journey. Please keep them in your prayers. 

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Have a great week!! We’re off for another family bike ride after Gray wakes up from a late nap. And I even got Gray’s diapers out on the laundry line this afternoon!! Such great weather this week. 

What are you up to this weekend? is the weather cooperating with your plans? 

 

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What If's

This is a tearjerker - just be warned.

I have been to so many funerals in my life. Close family members, grandparents, uncles, cousins, friends.

But I think the hardest one I have ever been to was a week before our wedding.

My father’s best friend had passed away after a long battle with Diabetes. He was in my life for as long as I can remember. He was in the band at church with my dad – and in the winter when my dad grew out his beard they were twins. I don’t remember a day when Uncle Brian didn’t have his beard. He was as close as family and I couldn’t go a Sunday without a hug from him.

I think what made it so hard was Aunt Gail. She has been such a huge inspiration to me, even now.

Moments before the funeral began Aunt Gail came up to my mom and I to get and give hugs. She said she understood how hard it must be for us because we must always wonder when it would be my dad’s funeral.

Since then my dad has been doing so well. And we haven’t been to many funerals since then. But all these emotions seem to have come back.

With my dad on the transplant list I wonder everyday if this is going to be day we get the call. When you’re in this situation you try so hard to look at the positive and focus on the positive, but you can’t help but worry about the other side. The what if’s.

One night about a month ago Brian and I were talking about our vacation plans. We were hoping to get a week away in Mexico again to scuba dive and lounge by the pool. And then I had a panic attack! What if my dad gets the call while we’re away? There is no way I could get back in time to see my dad before surgery. And then all the ‘what if’s’ started filling my mind.

It’s hard to think of the what if’s. I have to say I’m over it. I had so many what if’s when I was on bedrest. And again when we were in the NICU.  I guess I’m just over the “what if’s”!

So here’s to not dwelling on them. You may have to remind me to stop some days. Okay?

 

 

Difficult Situation

It’s amazing the people you meet in different situations.

I have made forever friends from the NICU, preemie parents and nurses alike. And other preemie moms from our preemie play group. People who totally understand where we were and where we are.

Tonight I saw my mom’s heart breaking for a new friend of hers. A couple who’s in the same situation as my parents. The wife is waiting for a new set of lungs and some new decisions are facing them. I could see my mom’s heat breaking not knowing what advice to give, but just knowing that the best thing she could do is be there for them 110%. I know it’s not easy for my mom and dad to see new friend going through this, but I know that God placed them there to be a support.

I’m so thankful for the people God puts in our lives in the moments we need them. And I know that God has placed so many great people around my parents to help them through this from a perspective that I don’t have, that most of us haven’t been through.

Please pray for this couple. They need clarity and wisdom and peace.

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

9 year old Brian's thoughts. Goodness he was so smart back then too!!

 

 

 

Budgeting - Part 1

I’ve spent the last week on this post, and after a week I decided to break this up into a few posts over the next week.

Today is part 1 – part 2 and possibly part 3 will be posted each Monday till I think I'm done.

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Last Sunday was such a great day! We went for a 12.5km bike ride in the afternoon. Gray got a new bike helmet and got to test out our new running stroller/bike trailer as a bike trailer for the first time. He loved it! He didn’t love his helmet but he loved the ride and tolerated the helmet long enough to get through the ride.

What happened to my wonderful washer?

We got home and went to tackle the large pile of laundry in our bedroom. I started a load in the washer – and then the day went a little downhill. During the rinse/spin cycle the washer started making a horrible noise. HORRIBLE clunky very bad noise to be coming from a washing machine. And then it got worse. Brian being the awesome handy man he can be started taking the machine apart and google-ing and watching YouTube videos and he found the problem. A piece of the very bottom of the machine had disintegrated and needed to be replaced.

That google-ing and YouTube-ing took about 3 hours though; and let me tell you during every minute of  those 3 hours my mind was going – I can’t afford to buy a new washer, I cannot afford a new washer, I do not want to afford a new washer.

And then I got a reality check.

Brian working away fixing the washer

We have a budget – and the whole point of the budget is to help us with things that just pop up. Now realistically we just put $4000.00 into our SUV to repair the transmission – but in the long run the SUV has still been less expensive than buying a brand new SUV 2 years ago, or buying a new car now. But we’ve already taken that into account and decided that a second vehicle is more important than a vacation this year (more on that later).

I’ve seen a few posts, like this one, lately about budgeting and how some fellow bloggers feel like they could do a better job at it. So I thought I would share a bit about how we budget. Disclaimer right here! We are not experts on budgeting! But I feel like we have been able to find a balance that works for us.

First off – I think sometimes budgeting gets a bad rap! That if you have a budget you don’t get any money to spend on what you want, that you’re locked into arbitrary numbers and it sucks the fun out of life. Umm, not going to say it’s the most fun I’ve ever had but I also know where we stand any day of the month and I see us accomplishing financial goals that we weren’t before we got serious.

Second – I feel great knowing that if I decide to run out at lunch and see something I love for Gray that I’m okay and within the budget – and know that I don’t have to try and explain to Brian, or justify spending 10 or 20$ on Gray.

So how do you start? It’s really easy – decide that you want to! It’s just that easy.

Brian created a really good excel spreadsheet for us, and I just keep updating it.

Okay really – to start you have to know what money you have coming in, and what money is going out.

So what’s your income? For budget purposes use NET of taxes.

What’s your rent or mortgage payment? Hydro, water, gas, cable, internet, taxes.

Who do you owe money? Do you have a balance on your credit card? Do you have a loan for your car?

And then find out where you are spending your money.

Go through your bank records and credit card records and see where the money is going. How much are you spending on groceries? On eating out? On clothes? At the salon? Make a list of where your money is going on a regular basis and the average you’re spending in a month.

Then figure out if what you’re spending in a month is more then you’re making in a month – if it is – FIRST problem. Living outside our means is one of the biggest issues facing our generation these days.

Check back next Monday for what to do next.

Thanks to Beth from Through the Eyes of the Mrs for letting me link to her post. Blessings Girl!

did you find this helpful? Let me know I would love to anwser questions if you have any.

oh - and the washer is working great and cost us under $100.00 to fix - and that included the tools we needed to use - which we'll have for the next 20 years :)

 

 

Sunday Links

Brian is off golfing and I get an afternoon to myself. I may even have a bath in the middle of the afternoon. 

Here are my links for this week. Hope you find some inspiration!

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Is this not the cutest thing ever!! I love the idea of a mug rug!! LoneStarLovelies is officially open! Pop over and see all the wonderful things she has in her shop.

I love Becky’s honesty in this post! And such a great reminder of why I keep my hair in a pony tail almost every day. If only I was brave enough to take the plunge like Becky might! Keep an eye out for updates. I’m sure there will be one soon.

Jhen took a huge step this week! Go check it out. Thanks for the inspiration girl!

Miryam had made the decision to cloth diaper baby#3 and got some great advice from fellow Canadian Chevonne! OMG this is so great for those who are looking at CD’ing. Totally wish this was posted before we started.

Erin over at Living in Yellow shares some things she’s learned from blogging. Go check out her posts here and here. 

 

Sunday Sunday!

Grayson is at his Grandma’s for the day, and Brian is out golfing this afternoon, so I guess that means I have an afternoon alone to blog and update!

Can’t wait to see what I can accomplish on the blog this afternoon. Check back tomorrow to see our progress.

Sunday Links will be posted soon! So excited to share my finds from the week. 

 

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Snuggle-Upagus

Brian and I have a snuggle-upagus on our hands tonight. We have a little man who’s getting some new teeth, at least that’s what I think. So in between screams and cries, he’s super snuggly. I have to say I have missed this Grayson a bit.

Anyways while I’m snuggling my little boy head on over to Jennifer’s blog and check out my post there.