The budget is my friend and other things...

With one income to support 3 people and a dog, times get tight, but until two weeks ago I had done nothing to help the situation resulting in a bi-weekly meltdown about finances. Don't misunderstand, the Lord has always provided and we have never been in need of anything; sometimes it is just by the skin of our teeth and rarely do we purchase anything that we just want.

Want to know what we were spending most of our money on? Eating out. Ridiculous, I know. I'm embarrassed to admit it.

So, for my own sanity and in hopes that maybe one day we'll have some extra spending money, I created a budget. Along with the bi-weekly budget, I track every expense and it goes into a category, then I calculate whether we over- or under-spent in that category. Sound extreme? Well, that's how I roll... at least when it comes to our money.

This budget has not only put the brakes on our eating out, but it's forced me to coupon (yes, as a verb) and plan meals ahead of time. I'll have you know that I actually kind of enjoy the challenge. Plus, I have two weeks worth of meals already decided. Who am I? What have I become?

Is it difficult and time-consuming? Definitely, but I don't mind working with numbers and by staying on top of things, I find myself a lot less stressed and a lot more in control.

On another note, Waverly has a cold. :(

On a more positive note, she's sitting up independently and babbling. I love having conversations with her. She makes me laugh all day and truly, there is no one else I'd rather spend the whole day with (sorry, babe).

Exciting news! We started Gymboree Play & Music this week! One day a week we go to a music class and another day we go to a gym class. My mom told me about the new Gymboree on Harrodsburg Rd behind their house and I told myself that I would at least try it out. Over the past five months, I've been deprived of adult interaction and now that Waverly is becoming our little social butterfly, we knew that Gymboree would be the perfect fit. And let me tell you how much of a blessing it has been so far: When I became a Gymboree member today, our New Member Initiation fee of $35 was waived, because our music teacher is amazing, and our second class, instead of being $34.50, is only $20, again because our music teacher is amazing. Instead of paying $140 today, we only paid $89 and will only pay $89 every month for two classes. God is good! I can't wait for Waverly to get comfortable in her classes and start to learn.

Slowly but surely I'm getting a handle on this "stay-at-home mom" thing. It's an unfamiliar world for me; I've worked, sometimes two jobs at one time, since I was 17, and with school I've always been around people. Then all of a sudden, I quit my job to finish school, graduate with my undergraduate degree a semester later, and become a stay-at-home mom. In the blink of an eye I have almost no social life and my career is indefinitely on hold. I've struggled a lot with "who am I" and I'd be lying if I said I hadn't cried about it a couple of times. I'm coming to terms with my new situation partly because I have an amazing husband who is appreciative of what I do and encouraging, but mainly because everyday the Lord reminds me, through Waverly, of what a blessing it is that I am able to stay home with her. She grows and changes everyday and I don't have to miss any of it. I love it.

Happy 5 Months!

Obviously, I'm pretty late posting these photos. 

A speed limit sign in the Southern Elementary parking lot.

I tried to get her to sit up since that's been her new thing, but taking these pictures poses too many distractions; i.e., the elephant, the frame, anything and everything.

What to do for her six month photo? I was thinking a cupcake with a six on it since it's her half year birthday. Of course, the cake will be Momma's favorite flavor: carrot cake. :)

We love bath time!

Three months ago, bath time was kind of boring.

Now, we throw all of the toys in the tub and what once took ten minutes has turned into a half hour affair. We love it.

Lake Cumberland Photos

  

Stupid Grill.

Yum!

Blue Team: Collier, Chandler, Kristen, Mom, Chris, Lucy

Red Team: Frank, Jacob, Travis, Carol, Me!

Daddy's Team

Mommy's Team

Show-mances!

(Just kidding!)

BB Love

Tribal Council

Red Team.. 1 of 3 times at council...

Blue Team.. 1 of 1 times at council...

I just don't understand why my team kept going to council.

Survivor: Lake Cumberland 2010

I may be jumping the gun a bit here ad maybe tooting my own horn, but I should probably go into event planning of some kind. I've only technically "planned" one event and even then I flew by the seat of my pants at times (idioms, anyone?); however, I'm pretty sure everything turned out great and everyone had a lot of fun.

Last week, the fam embarked on our annual houseboat vacation on Lake Cumberland. It was the usual suspects: Mom, Frank, me, Chandler, Jacob, Kristen, Travis, and Collier; along with some new fish bait: Aunt Carol, Uncle Chris, Lucy, and our newest family member, Waverly. I pretty much look forward to this vacation from the day we leave the lake to the day we return the next year. Oh, don't get me wrong, I love any vacation; time stops, we spend a lot of time with family, and Wave and I get to spend a whole uninterrupted week with Chandler. But being at the lake for the week is completely stress free and relaxing. There's no where to go and no need to dress up or wear makeup (gasp!) and if you know me, I never leave the house without makeup.

With a baby, it's a lot more difficult to pack for any trip, whether it be for a week long vacation or for an hour at the grocery, so I started mentally preparing and making lists a few weeks in advance. When all was said and done, 80% of everything we packed into two cars ended up belonging to Waverly; the other 20% belonged to the 8 other people. Basically, even if I wanted to pack my makeup, it would have been impossible. Up until the last minute, I scrambled to get everything together and we headed out Monday afternoon.

But this wasn't going to be the typical houseboat; this was Survivor: Lake Cumberland 2010. The idea was born a month prior to the trip. I received a Facebook message from my mom with the idea and from there we took off with it. This is where I think I should be an event planner...

Chandler and I made this using a pillow case & fabric markers and I will brag about it bc it's just awesome.

We divided the 10 adults into two teams and every day there would be two challenges: a physical, team challenge and an individual, mental challenge. The losing team of the team challenge went to tribal council to vote one member off and the loser of the mental challenge was automatically voted off for a total of two people each day. This isn't exactly how it all happened; thus flying by the seats of our pants.

Hidden on the houseboat was an immunity idol; the most tacky, ridiculous-looking statue-thing anyone has ever seen. Our captain, the State Dock employee who drives us out of the marina, was quite a sport and hid the idol for us. The rule concerning this idol was: If you find it, don't tell anyone because they can take it from you. If you deemed it necessary to use the idol, you were required to present it at tribal council before the votes were read. So, of course, everyone looked for the idol all week. We had our suspicions and tried to trick the truth out of the suspects. As it turns out, "the boys", Collier, Jacob, and Travis, found the idol almost immediately and hid it again. From there, it was total drama. Jacob and Travis re-hid the idol so Collier wouldn't know. Jacob, on my team, let me in on this little secret and when tribal council rolled around that evening (my team, for the third time, was on the block), Jacob, Travis, and I were the final teammates remaining and had to vote one of us off. Previous to tribal council, Jacob told me where the idol was so I could save myself and we could vote Travis off; blood is thicker than water, right?

When all was said and done, Jacob, Chandler, and I were the final three remaining on Friday morning and Chandler was voted as the winner! Below are some photos from the week:

Love this kid

How silly of me to think Waverly was going to take a nap! This is what I found after laying her down ten minutes prior.