Our Life on a Budget...: December 2013

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

65 things 365 days

The original idea was 101 in 1001. It is like the ultimate to do list. I saw it over on Bloom and immediately was drawn to making my own list. But as I started to thing about 1001 days, I realized that is almost 3 years… we have N O I D E A where we will be in 3 years so that seemed like too much of a commitment. I thought 65 things in 365 days was more realistic for us. I have been pondering these things since Thanksgiving… and have had not enough, to many, and changed them about a thousand times. I finally came up with a final list!

Home

1. Fix Nursery Canvas and Decor 2. Learn to Make Natural Cleaning Supplies 3. Clean out and organize stockpile 4. Some how display the places we have lived 5. Some how display the places we have visited 6. Have an organized move this summer (because we will probably move this summer) 7. Set up new home (because we will probably move someplace new this summer)

Blogger

8. Learn how to put hovering pintrest buttons on my pictures 9. Learn how to do my own graphics and design 10. Start Facebook page 11. Reach 100 followers 12. Update everything on the blog… about me, pic, etc. (mainly to include BD)

Business/Money Making

13. Go through all our clothes… sell what we don't use 14. Have a garage sale 15. Go through books and DVDs… sell what we don't use 16. Get my Ebay shop really going 17. Research/Become cloth diaper consultant 18. Research/Become car seat technician

Personal

19. Read Allegiant 20-24. Read 5 other books just for fun 25. Have silent time… to just be 26. Run 2nd half marathon- beat first time 27. Memorize at least a verse of scripture a week 28. Read through the whole Bible 29. Read through Acts in depth 30. Publish an ebook (probably a lofty goal… but I am going to shoot for the moon!) 31. Learn to bake cakes/cupcakes 32. Become a better cook

Family 33. Organize and back up all pictures 34-38. Photo album year 1-5 of marriage 39. Work on some family traditions 40. Have a picnic 41. Create online address book 42. Go through Bible for Kids together each night

BD

43. Make family picture book 44. Make a map of the missionaries we know/are praying for 45. Plan and put on an awesome 1st birthday for BD- on a budget! 46. Write weekly in BD prayer journal 47. Research "homeschool" toddler activities and plans

Marriage

48. Go on at least 1 "real" date a month 49. Breakfast/Coffee/Cheap/Free Dates 1 time a week 50. Have one getaway weekend 51. Complete Shepherding a Child's Heart 52. Complete Grace Based Parenting 53. Complete Give them Grace

Adventures/For Fun

54. Go on a girls trip 55. Christmas Cookie Party 56. Go to NOLA 57. Visit Grandparents in Annapolis 58. Visit Grandparents in Florida (possible Disney trip while there?) 59. Visit PeePaw in Alabama 60. Go to a UGA game

Others

61. Sponsor a child 62. Surprise someone with something wonderful 63. Donate as much as we spend at Christmas time (or more) to missions 64. Find a way to continually serve our local community 65. Help fund an adoption

Start Date: 1/1/14 End Date: 12/31/14

What is on your list for the new year?

Sunday, December 29, 2013

The Year in Review...

It has been a great year… this is definitely a highlight reel :)

January

Had an awesome… and way too large freezer cook day!

February

We moved to a new apartment in preparation for BD. (Okay the move happened last year… but we did not get set up until February).

We started cloth diapering adventure… it has been good so far! In fact we are a little scared of disposables.

March

We finished BD's nursery! (The proceeded to move 2 months later).

We made it to 40 weeks!

BD arrived!!! Here's the story!

April

*BD 1 month!

May

*Andrew graduated from seminary!

*BD had her baby dedication!

* BD 2 month!

*We moved to Statesboro! Moving with a 2 month old=adventure!

June

*We went to the beach!

*Learned a lot about moomyhood

*BD 3 month

July

*We set up our new place… again (we are nomads, I know)

*BD 4 month

August

*Andrew started as a campus minister at Georgia Southern and I started to teach preschool!

*BD 5 months!

September

*BD 6 months!

*Started baby led weaning!

October

* BD 7 month

*Went to a pumpkin patch and celebrated Halloween!

November

*BD 8 months!

*BD First Thanksgiving!

December

*BD 9 month

*BD first Christmas

What a blessing this year have been… this is truly a highlight reel! The Lord has brought us to joy in good and bad times! :)

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Wish list...

All of the holidays one usually receives gifts for, are all in one month for me. Christmas, Birthday, Anniversary. This kind of out of the norm for me, but since people have been asking what I want, I took a few minutes to actually record some…

1. Quicken- I am pretty good about keeping up with our budget each month by updated a spreadsheet every few days. I think if I had Quicken, it might make our budgeting take a little less time! 2. Patterned leggings- I am putting these on here even though Andrew already got me some for Christmas from a local boutique. They are just too fun, I couldn't resist. These ones are from Red Dress Boutique. 3. White Plum Leggings Tunics- I would really love some more tunic shirts and these look so cute and comfortable! 4. Samaritan's Purse- Freshwater Wells- Samaritan's purse has this awesome gift catalog where you can give to those in need all around the world. I am feeling particularly called to help set up freshwater wells. 5. Stitch Fix- Have you heard of this? You fill out a style profile and they send you 5 items that fit your style and size! You decide what to keep and send the rest back. This seems like soooooo much fun as a little treat!

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Merry Christmas...

Wishing your family a

Merry Christmas!!!

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his government and peace

there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne

and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

with justice and righteousness

from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty

will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7

Monday, December 23, 2013

BD 9 months...

Monthly Milestones

*You are pulling yourself up like crazy on everything and carefully cruising. It was so funny because you had pulled yourself up on a couple of isolated occasions… then last Friday you just started to do it ALL THE TIME… guess you just decided it was what you wanted to do! :)

*Crawling! But if you want to get there quick you are still army crawling… and you usually just crawl long enough to pull your self up on something!

*Riding toy! You currently sit on it, and push yourself backwards.

*Actually using the walker- you can walk all the way across the house by yourself… you want to walk so bad!

*Actually rocking on your rocking snow leopard.

Favorite Things...

*Loves to eat. Anything. Everything. All the time.

*Hanging out and talking with other kids.

*Push toy. You can walk across the house with it now!:)

*Just wants to stand and walk… soon enough child, soon enough

*Bath time… you love every minute of it. You sit in the bath tub by your self now!

*Books! This month you have really started to "read" them yourself… we don't leave you with a flap book, you tear out every one you can!

*Little people nativity

*Advent Calendar!

*Preschool… we are so thankful for FBC Preschool! Also, other kids… you cant't get enough!!!

Weight...

* Went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago.. 24.5 pounds… and I feel like my arm is about to fall off. I am ready for her to walk since she is so heavy, but I know I am really not ready for full mobility!

Height...

*We have no idea… but know you are over 30 inches.

Clothing Size...

*12-24 month

Sleep Patterns…

It seems like we can't get our day and night time sleep good at the same time! Right now daytime is great! On school days you usually take one long nap from 12:00-2:30ish. On non school days you usually catch 2 shorter naps.

Nighttime… just cracks me up. First you toss and turn in your sleep all the time now, try to find the snuggly corners of your crib and sleep flat on your face (even though we always lay you on your back). You wake 1-3 times a night and sometimes you just like to crawl around in bed between Andrew and I. Andrew can now successfully get you back to sleep without feeding you. I am not really concerned that she does not sleep through the night yet… I know you will do it eventually, in your own time :)

Eating Patterns...

Still breast fed 7ish, 11ish (usually bottle), 3ish, and 7ish... and as much as you want at night... lol.

As for people food, we still love BLW.You love to feed yourself and day everything… seriously EVERYTHING!

At school they talk about how the other kids close to your age are just learning to feed themselves, and you are proficient… probably because you have been practicing since 6 months :)

Outings and Celebrations...

* Atlanta and Augusta for BD's first Thanksgiving!

*Saw Santa for the first time…

*Thanks giving brunch with Jor and Leah

*Lunch and coffee with sweet friends!

*Pictures and playdate with sweet friends!

*Saw santa for the second time…

*First Christmas with the fam!

*Dinner date with Uncle John Henry and Andrew at OK cafe…

*BD with sweet friends for lunch!

Nicknames...

*Bails
*Chunk-a-lunk
*Little Bit

*Little Chunk

*Chunky monkey

*Bailey Boo

*Bailey Boo Hoo

*Bailey, Bailey Drew (Sung to the tune of Scooby Doo)

Things others have said about you...

*"She makes the funniest faces!"

*"She has so much hair!" / "she looks lil Cindy Lou Whoo."/ "Look at that water fountain."

*"She is so big!"

*"She is chill/easy going"

*"Look at those chunks!"

Things we have noticed about you...

* You are ready to be more mobile than you are.

You love eating and drinking real food.

*You seem really chill about things.

*You love seeing all different people! Little social butterfly.

*Persistent and determined... still

*The more people the better!

*You do like a little bit of alone play time.

*You love to smile and laugh.

For Bailey Drew…

BD oh BD. We love spending every moment we can with you! Everyday your personality emerges a bit more. Your perseverance, your social butterfly nature… we love it.