Making Do...

I didn't know when this month started how I would be feeling by mid month. After two weeks of "No Money January" I can say that I'm feeling very positive!

For the first time in at least two years I'm planning my meals out in advanced, it's such a relief and I don't have to waste brain power every day thinking about it. We've been amazed with how far our food storage has gone and just how much you can make even when your limited pantry is your grocery store. I know we could get even more creative with our food storage, I have yet to break out the wheat and oats or the dehydrated vegetables. Our children haven't noticed much of a difference, Ella did comment that we haven't been to McDonald's this month, but that's it. Although I must admit to craving french fries and a maple bar, didn't give in and didn't die because my "want" went unfullfilled. (That'll come in handy when I'm trying to lose this baby weight). Here's the big kicker, I have 5 cans of Coke left...what do I do? I've pretty much decided that it looks like I'm going to break my habit this week, but if you hear extra yelling coming from my house or Jake delaying his arrival home from work you know how that's going! We've used 50% of the grocery budget but we have meals planned until next Wednesday at least.

We're under on our gas budget, partly because we aren't running unnecessary errands to spend unnecessary money and party because we're more conscious of where we're going and how much it costs. I can say that staying home is driving me a little bit batty but the house is staying clean and some of the projects I need to have done before baby arrives are getting accomplished.

At the beginning of the month we had some things "break" and need replaced but we've learned that it doesn't have to be an immediate fix, most things can wait until the budget allows it and some things can just be learned to live without. What I'm looking forward to the most is next month when we are living within our regular budget it won't seem so restrictive because we've realized that we can make do no matter the circumstances.

What a blessing this experience is turning out to be for our family!

5 Things...

This little girl has determination like you wouldn't believe. She knows what she wants and believes in and stands up for them and herself. Honestly you don't want to mess with her when she has an agenda!
She's a social bug, she loves people, loves to go places. I've had her ask numerous times if she can go give so and so a hug or go say "hi" to an old teacher. Most kids would say hi and then come running back but Ella has a five minute conversation with them before coming back.

She's full of surprises, and surprisingly patience. In July she started asking for a skateboard for her birthday, a pink and purple one. We aren't quite sure what sparked her interest in skateboards but we were surprised because it's so out of character with her usual girlie likes. Each month she would remind us that she would like a skateboard for her birthday, 7 months is like an eternity when you're 4 but she waited patiently for her birthday and her skateboard. She had figured out which gift was the skateboard in her pile and I thought she would open it first, but she didn't, she went through all of her other gifts, was nice and thoughtful in the comments she made about what she had received and then was estatic when she got what she wanted!

She loves to write letters and draw pictures for her Daddy, me, her sister, her brother, her grandparents (I usually have a stack I have to secretly dispose of at the end of the day). But her love for learning is wonderful, she's started to read the Bob books and is so excited to go to Kindergarten.

As much as she loves herself she loves others too. She remembers all of our family in her prayers each night, she's protective of the cat, she gives my baby belly a hug every day and asks how soon she'll be arriving, she adores her Daddy, and is so excited when 4 o'clock arrives each day and her sister is home.

We love her too! She brings so much joy and personality into our home and is such a blessing to us!

Birthday Makeover

This little girl has been patiently waiting for the day she turned 5. It almost seems like a magic number to her, I think the main thing is that she gets to go to kindergarten in the fall.

At age 5 we do a "friends" birthday and decided to take her and a few friends to a salon to get glammed over! As you can see she is so excited for her big makeover!
Ella wants to be a "haircutter" when she grows up and is fascinated with the process of getting your hair done. She sat patiently while her hair was curled, back combed, stacked on top of her head, sprayed, glittered and spray painted pink!

She had her nails polished with pink and purple glitter polish!

And final touches with makeup in the color of her choice.

Aren't they just gorgeous!

Paislee came along as well as was funktified instead of princessified.

Don't worry, it all washed out in time for church on Sunday!

Enjoying her sparkly soda with whip cream and sprinkles.

Once in a lifetime treat (I don't think I've even had all of this done to me in the same sitting before). In the words of these four girls, "It was the best day ever!"