Ready, set, save.

It's time for me to begin my "penny pinching" summer.  I know that saving money is easier said that done.  It's nice to say that you're going to tighten your belt and put more money back in savings, but when you're out in the real world and are faced with problems (or, in my case, the clearance section at Target), reality is a lot different that what you had planned.  For my sake, and for any of you that are interested, I'm going to give myself a set of rules to follow during this budget-conscious summer.  I'm a rule-follower.  If I tell myself I'm going to do something, but don't set a schedule or guidelines, more than likely it's not going to happen.  Must be the inner OCD in me.  So, here are my rules and guidelines to pinching the pennies and living a better life.

1.   Figure out where your money is going.
        I got a head start on this step last night.  I sat down and went over my last 4 months of bank statements to figure out where the heck all my money is going.  It made my stomach turn.  I keep a checkbook register faithfully.  I check my register against my online banking totals daily.  I highlight all of my expenses in different colors...green for checks, blue for transfers, pink for deposits, yellow for debits, orange for cash withdrawls (again, OCD.  Don't judge).  But until I actually sat down and totaled up how much I spent per month on food, gas, groceries and the like, I had no idea how much of my money was leaving my account.  Particularly on eating out.  I wish we could have all the money back that we have spent in restaurants.  And I'm not even talking nice dinners out where we spend $30 a dinner.  No, no...if only it were that easy!  It's the McDonald's trips and the gas station Dr. Peppers that add up very quickly.  Who notices $2 leaving here and $4 leaving there?  You don't....until you sit down and add everything up.  It'll shock you.

2.  Budget.
       Now that I know how much I'm spending on things I need and things I don't, I can set a budget.  Marty and I took a Dave Ramsey course as newlyweds.  It was informative, smart and a great plan for us starting out.  But we're both guilty of being lazy when it comes to budgeting.  So we didn't.  I had an idea of how much I wanted to spend at the grocery or on clothing for the month, but I was always off.  To be honest, I didn't really pay much attention to it.  No more.  I'm setting an entire budget for myself.  I know exactly how much I take in a month, how much I take out for bills, and how much I have left.   I've set myself a strict budget on groceries.  Gas, however, is a different story.  Driving back and forth to Bardstown every day adds up.  And with these crazy gas prices, it's hard to judge how much I should be spending or how much I should allow myself to spend, because it's not like I can go without gas in my car for a week (unfortunately).  If anyone knows any tips on budgeting or saving at the pump, I'm all ears.

3.  Allow myself some room.
         I have my basics that I'm going to spend money on.  Groceries, gas, church tithe and bills.  That being said, I will allow myself a budget to spend money on the following things:

• One craft project a month.  I will go crazy if I can't craft or do some home improvement projects.  Nothing that costs over $50. 
• Clothing here and there that help me feel better about myself and help me build a better wardrobe. 
• Clothing for Avery as needed.  Don't get crazy.
• One breakfast and one lunch out to eat during a two week period.  I'm horribly guilty of forgetting my lunch or rushing out the door before breakfast and stopping at McDonald's or the gas station on my way to work or on lunch hour.  Pack my lunch, get up earlier to eat breakfast (or fix it the night before). 
• Two dinners out a month.  Marty and I love to eat out.  On payday or when we get a little extra cash, it goes towards dinner.  Now, I'm all about date nights out with my husband, but our current spending rate on dinners is ridiculous.  Two dinners a month. 

That's it.  Yes, I know emergencies come up and I have to run to Walgreens to get Avery some Benadryl or I have to get my oil changed.  I'm not naive.  If I save money and stop the unnecessary spending, I will have the money to cover these little emergencies. 

4.  Put the extra money towards debt reduction and a rainy day fund.
       Like the average American, we have a little bit of debt.  Nothing huge, by any means, but two car loans and a few store credit cards with fairly low balances.  If we pay the minimum amount due on these bills, it'll take years to pay them off.  With extra money that is being saved, I will put an allotted amount towards reducing our debt, starting with the smallest bills first.  I will also be putting a specific amount from each paycheck into an extra "rainy day" fund.  This will be for the big emergencies...the car needs a new battery, Avery needs a new (and stupid expensive) convertible car seat....so when we're in that kind of situation, we won't be borrowing from Peter to pay Paul and paying for it later.

5.  Sell the extra.
       If you're anything like me, you have a TON of stuff.  Stuff that you probably don't even use that often.  Solution?  Yard sales and eBay.  Last week, my mom and sisters and I had a yard sale in my neighborhood.  Despite low traffic, I made $46.  This week, we're moving the junk extra stuff to my sister's house where there's more car traffic and potentially more buyers.  For my bigger items, I'm resorting to eBay. 

6.  Take on a "part time job."
       As nice as a third income would be, a part time job or nightly job just isn't realistic when it comes to having a 9 month old.  So, I'm going to paint again.  It's an incredible stress reliever (and believe me, I need it) and it made me some money.  I'll paint at night when Avery's gone to bed.  I cannot wait.

My rules are in place and I can't wait to get started.  I'm excited about the money saving possibilities.  If you have any great money saving or budgeting tips, send them my way!  Let the Penny Pinching Summer begin!

Feeling the pinch

It's no secret that I would love to be able to blog full-time.  What would be more fun than doing series, craft projects and blogging all day....and get paid to do it??  Until that happens, I'm going to keep dreaming....and I'm going to start some of those series.  My post a few days ago addressed my unhappiness and discontent in several areas of my life.  A huge issue is moving back to Etown.  When Marty and I married, he worked in Bardstown and our house search in the Etown area wasn't turning up anything promising.  On a whim, we decided to check out houses in Bardstown.  Our price range in Etown was getting us older, fixer-upper homes that would have required quite a bit of money to get it up to par.  The same price range got us a brand-new, three bedroom home in Bardstown that was still in the process of being built.  At the time, the decision was a no-brainer.  Now, fast-forward three years, job changes and a new baby later, and we're spending a ton of money on gas schlepping back and forth to jobs and babysitters and appointments in Etown.  Frankly, it's exhausting.  Every day, I dream about getting back to the city that we both grew up in.  Part of those dreams include this perfect house plan I've found.  Perfect size, perfect layout, perfect, perfect, perfect.  Unfortunately, we don't have the funds available at the moment to make that home more than just a piece of paper.  So I've decided to do something about it.  I'm tired of spending money on things that are completely unneccessary.  I'm tired of talking about budgeting and never doing it.  I'm tired of watching money fly right out of my account after payday and not being completely sure how it all adds up or where it's all going.  Enough is enough.  That's when the "Penny Pinching Summer" series was born.  I will stop spending money on things that are unneccessary.  I will stop being lured into the clearance section in Target, forcing me to buy things I don't need.  I will start saving money at the grocery.  I will start finding ways to make a little extra money.  I'll share the tips that I find and that are successful for our family.  I hope you do the same.  If you know brillant ways to curb your spending or save more at the grocery, I would be more than happy to hear them all.  With this plan, hopefully our dream home will be more than just a dream....it'll be a reality soon.

Wake up call

Yellow shoes.  A skinnier body.  That new summer outfit.  A custom built house.  A fuller bank account.  I'm ashamed to admit it, but I have been suffering from a bad case of discontentment.  I know my life is wonderful and I am incredibly lucky.  I have a beautiful child who is pretty well behaved.   I have a husband who helps around the house and is sensitive to my needs.  We have a gorgeous starter house that's the perfect size for our family.  I have a Jesus who loves me despite my many, many faults.  Yet, I'm not happy.  I want things I can't have.  I want a new wardrobe to fit this post baby body.  I want the latest gadget that promises to make my life easier.  I've found a house plan that I've fallen in love with and I look at everyday.  I want to live in Etown, not 40 miles away.  I'm not proud of this.  I'm not proud that I'm surrounded by blessings and still feel unhappy.  Recent life events have left me feeling like a rug has been pulled from underneath me and I'm left realizing what's truly important in life.  It's not the worldly possessions I once envied and cherished.  I honestly believe that everything in life happens for a reason.  Maybe God put this bump in our journey to wake me up and realize that I don't need to have the latest and greatest.  I don't need to be surrounded by things.  I have family....and a large one at that.  Family that would do anything for me.  I have a daughter....a child that reminds me every single day that there's still good in the world and I have something to be thankful for.  I have a husband....who is my perfect half and I would be completely lost without.  I have a God....a God that, no matter what situation life throws me, is protecting me and loves me completely unconditionally.  This is enough. 

Things you never know about being a mommy....until you are one

I am so excited about my very first Mother's Day. It's like an exclusive club that I'm finally apart of. So, to celebrate, I thought I'd make a list of the "10 things you never know until you're a mommy."

1. No matter how many books you read or old wives tales you listen to, absolutely NOTHING prepares you for this job.
I read the baby books. I listened to the words of seasoned mothers who had gone behind the battle lines and lived to tell about it. I thought I knew what to expect. I thought I was prepared for Avery to show up. I was wrong. Nothing can prepare you. No book you read or advice you follow can prepare you for your baby's arrival. Every baby is different and everything they do isn't going to be written down in the pages of a parenting book. Who would have ever dreamt that my child would be 9 months old and have an aversion to sleep? Who would have thought that I would be willing to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse multiple times on repeat because it makes my girl happy? Put the book back on the shelf and follow your instinct. Its usually more on target than any book anyway.

2. As soon as your baby arrives, time suddenly moves in warp speed.
I used to laugh at people when they said that "time flies" or "it seemed like yesterday." When I was pregnant, 40 weeks took FOREVER. I didn't think Avery would ever arrive. Then she did. And it seems like every time I turn around, she's grown. Or she's learned something new. Or she's losing some of her "baby-ness." My child is going to be a year old in two and half months. TWO MONTHS. How did this happen? I literally felt like it was just yesterday that I was standing in my bedroom, folding clothes in between contractions. I felt like I was going through 19 hours of labor just the other day. I feel like it hasn't been that long ago since we brought Avery home and adjusted to life as a family of three. Now she's talking, teething and trying to walk. And I'm left wondering where the time has gone. Time FLIES.

3. Non-baby related conversations will be hard for you to do.
As much as I love my non-parent friends, I feel like I have little in common with them anymore. I scroll through Facebook updates of college parties, vacations and spontaneous decisions. And, although I remember what that was like, I have little interest in talking about those things. If you don't mind listening to me while I talk about the benefits of orajel and teething rings, then we'll have a beautiful friendship. If you want to carry on a normal, adult conversation about things that don't relate to my 9 month old, you're out of luck.

4. You'll never sleep again.
I never, ever, EVER dreamt that my girl would be a terrible sleeper. Pre-baby, I expected to stay up with a newborn. But I thought that eventually I would get more sleep as my baby got older. Reality is much different. Sleep techniques that don't work, a baby that never sleeps through the night and late night naps on the couch or bottles to get her to go back to sleep are the norm in this household. Maybe when Avery is a teenager (although I'm sure even then, I'll be awake...waiting for her to get in for curfew), I'll finally sleep again. Until then, caffeine is my best friend.

5. Eating words will be a regular occurrence.
Before I was ever a mother, I thought I knew how to be one. I thought I knew how to discipline a child and uttered the phrase "My child will never do that" multiple times. I swore my children would never sleep in my bed. I wanted to make my children's clothes and provide homemade baby food. Yeah. Right. Avery gets her way more often than not by just whining a little and giving me an adorably sad face. Avery sleeps in my bed whenever I've reached the end of my rope at 3 am. And who has time to make baby clothes and food?? Eating crow is part of my normal diet these days.

6. There will be times you want a break from motherhood.
I've learned that this is okay. I LOVE Avery. I love being Avery's mom. I love having a little mini-me that relies on my care and love every day. But I'm not a superhero. I need a break sometimes. Even if that means taking a walk around my neighborhood or a long bubble bath. Being a mom is a full time job. Even in the best full time job, you need a day off to recharge and get yourself ready for the next day. Don't feel guilty.

7. You worry constantly.
I was a worrier before. If it could be worried about, I would. I didn't think it was possible for it to get any worse....but it did. I worry about Avery all.the.time. Will she be allergic to the food I give her? Will table food choke her? Is she breathing? Cold? Sick? Happy? I doubt this will ever end. How my mom has lived through 26 years of worrying is beyond me.

8. You will never be perfect.
During my pregnancy, I expected to be a supermommy. Do it all, cook it all, clean it all.....and reality couldn't be farther from the truth. If you're a faithful follower of this blog, you know how my life is. All the expectations I had for mommyhood have all gone out the window. We put so much pressure and expectations on ourselves. Especially in this day and age of crafty, blogging mommies that seem to do it all. I read these blogs and feel terrible about myself that I can't do it all like those moms can. I have to give myself a reality check. Yes, that blogger mom may have pictures of a homemade apple pie on her blog and talk about her home improvement plans and her new dress she just sewed, but you don't see the pictures of her house. She could be drowning in laundry--just like me! Stop putting so much pressure on yourself as a mom. You gave birth....and that's about as close to perfect as you can get.

9. Time isn't yours anymore.
Days and nights belong to your child. Schedules revolve around bottle feedings, diaper changes and bedtime. And I'm okay with that. I'm okay with being considered "old people" because Marty and I have to be home before 8 so we can start Avery's bedtime routine. There's no one better that I can think of to change my entire schedule for.

10. It's all worth it.
Motherhood is hard. It's exhausting. It's messy. It takes a huge, irreversible toll on your body. You'll talk about "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" and what color poop is normal for a formula fed baby in daily conversation. You won't be fashionable, you'll put all your nice clothes and dangly earrings away to wear again when your child is older. You'll be covered in spit-up constantly and change multiple dirty diapers on a daily basis. And none of it matters. Because loving someone unconditionally and having them love you back is sooooo worth any of the other yucky stuff.Having Avery come into our lives and change the way I view the world is the greatest blessing I've ever received. I used to think that I was put on this earth to hold some certain job....a career in agriculture or event planning. And that life would be complete when I found it. Well, I have. That job is being Avery's mom. So, whether it's your first or your 50th, Happy Mother's Day. Because we really do have the greatest job in the world.

The day has finally come.

I.  Did.  It.  My junk room no longer exists.  Instead, I have my office/crafting room back.  There are still a few organizational/storage projects that I'd like to do, but, for the most part, this room is d.o.n.e.  And I can breathe again.  I can actually walk through the room to get a pencil or pick out a dress for Sunday church instead of crawling over boxes and hangers and God knows what else.  I feel accomplished.  Organized.  Successful.  And....dare I say it?  Supermommy-ish.  Without further ado, pictures.

Before.  Yikes.

Do you see why I was having mental breakdowns??

Now.....the new, improved and clutter-free room!  *drumroll*

My new favorite piece of furniture.

The corner desk is AWESOME.  It fits so many things: binders, books, folders, file boxes.  If could spend all day, every day here, I would.  The red "baskets" you see are from Target.  They're actually made of a rubber material and are super flexible.  I bought three and am trying to find excuses to buy more.  I stored pieces of wood for painted signs and mailing supplies in these. 

Organized.  *sigh*  And don't worry...the canvases are getting a home soon.

I may have a slight storage tote addiction....

Are these pictures making you feel as good as they make me feel??  It's organized.  I can SEE things.  Better yet, I can see my floor (did you even notice I had white carpet in the before pictures?)!   It's okay....I had forgotten too.  If you're embarking on your own organizational quest, I recommend Target.  I could have spent Avery's inheritance on totes and labels and file boxes, but their storage and organizational options are endless.  And pretty stylish too.  {note the black chevron patterned boxes in the picture above and to the side....who wouldn't be happy when using that to store their junk??} 

My "Sheriff's Office" antique find :)))

I'm super proud of myself.  I set out to do something and I accomplished it.   I realize that my office isn't the Pinterest-worthy room I hoped for, but it's a million and ten times better than it was.  When I have more time, I'll work more on the design of the room and not simply just cleaning it up.  Until then, next on my list is cleaning up the outside of my house.  Before and after pictures will be included. Thanks for keeping me accountable and giving me a reason to improve my home and make it better for the three of us who live here.  I hope I've inspired some of you to do the same with your junk room.  It's not that bad, I promise.  And the results are wellllllll worth the work and time. 

Nine months and finally getting the hang of it.

9 months.  That's how long it took Avery to fully grow and develop inside my belly before it was safe for her to come out and join her mommy, daddy and world full of people that love her.  And that's exactly how long it's taken me to adjust to life with her.  Don't get me wrong, I accepted the fact that I'm responsible for another human being the second they laid her on my chest, but after 9 months, I have finally gotten to the point that I can not only live with a baby, but can actually function while doing so.  We've found our "groove."  I know what works with her, for the most part, and I've figured out what I can accomplish on days we're together.  I know that in the mornings, she's pretty clingy and fussy and I won't be able to get much done until she's woken up from her morning nap.  I know when she should take naps (10 and 2).  I know how long those naps should approximately be (an hour and a half to two).  I know which toys are her favorite (Violet the talking puppy and Minnie Mouse).  I know how she acts when she gets sleepy (randomly laying down and patting the floor) and what I should do when she starts getting sleepy (find a pacifier and turn on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse).  I know when I can start to do laundry while she's sleeping (after 20 minutes, she's really asleep and is oblivious to noise).  I know what to do if she's uncontrollably screaming (turn on Elvis).  This feels good.  In November, I was feeling like I would NEVER get to this point.  I was drowning.  My house was disgusting, my kid wasn't on a sleeping schedule and never, ever slept and I felt so out of control.  That seems like so long ago.  No, my house isn't spotless, but I do keep it picked up.  I do several loads of laundry during the week and catch up on the weekends.  I put things away after I use them.  I pick up Avery's toys at the end of the night.  Lately, I've begun to focus on the design of my house again.  I rearranged my living room furniture, switched out tables and lamps and have several home projects on the horizon.  No, my baby still doesn't sleep, but we're working on it.  After trying almost everything else, we're going with something new.  Avery's sleeplessness and waking up around 12:30 am every morning was making Marty and I both exhausted....and was making me crazy.  Somehow, we discovered that Avery slept really great with Marty on the couch.  So for awhile, we did that.  She started out in her crib every night and when she woke between 12:30 and 2, she'd go to sleep in the living.  It wasn't ideal, but it was working....and more importantly, everyone was sleeping.  Recently, she started getting really restless at night and she and Marty weren't getting a good night's sleep.  So we've started a 4 step process.  First stage, go in to her when she wakes and is crying, pick her up and rock her until she's settled and sleepy and then lay her back in bed while she's still awake.  If she cries, repeat the process.  Do this for several nights until Avery "gets used to it."  Second stage, go to her when she wakes and don't pick her up.  Just talk to her, pat her, rub her back, but don't pick her up.  Third stage, go to her and talk to her by using calming words, but don't touch her or pick her up.  Fourth stage, go to her and talk to her from the doorway, but don't go in the room to her.  After 4 nights, it seems to be working.  Last night, she slept from 9 to 5.  EIGHT HOURS.   Completely unheard of in the Gaddie household.  I don't want to talk much more about it because I'm afraid I'll jinx it.  Just cross your fingers that it wasn't a fluke. Since we're getting on a regular schedule, I'm feeling more crafty again and I have SEVERAL things planned as far as house projects go.  I hope to start a new series on this blog, along with the the supper club.  Stay tuned. :)
I'm doing something different for this week's menu.  Instead of going out and buying ingredients, I'm utilizing different things that are in my pantry.  Seems stupid to buy all new food when I have a semi-stocked pantry full of food that needs to be used.  This week's Super Messy Supper Club menu:
Monday:  Lasagna roll ups (due to unforseen circumstances last week, this was never made).
Tuesday:  Shake and bake chicken, green beans and biscuits.
Wednesday: Beef with broccoli
Thursday: Spaghetti and meatballs
Friday:  BBQ chicken sandwich (chicken breasts in the crock-pot, bbq sauce, low for 6 hours)
Saturday:  Derby party!  I need to find a good side dish or appetizer recipe to take to the host.  Suggestions?

Here's to looking forward to getting the hang of this mommy business as Avery gets older!

My cooking journey....sort of.

Well, I hoped to have better news on the cooking front.  Like everything in life, I've had to be flexible and unseen things that came up this week prevented my "6 out of 7 day cooking project."  Friday, I published my blog post, went to the grocery and was fired up for my newest quest to be a super mommy.  Friday, I made Chicken Bacon Pasta.  It. Was. Fabulous.  Naturally, I took the recipe and changed a few things.  We don't have a grill (yet....I hope to have a grill one day soon) other than the dinky countertop, fat-reducing grill that doesn't ever cook my chicken completely or evenly enough.  So I decided to pan sear my chicken.  Salt, pepper, olive oil and a skillet.  Couldn't be easier.

Mmmmm...

Holy pots and pans Batman.

As I was pan searing chicken, boiling water and making a white sauce, I was so excited.  For too long, I've had the attitude that the cleaning, cooking and baby raising shouldn't be all my responsibility.  I shouldn't be the one to provide meals, clean clothes and a happy baby every single day.  I'm not sure what happened, but a light bulb has gone off and I've realized that taking care of my home and making sure my family is happy and well-fed shouldn't be a chore, but a priviledge.  Yes, I still strongly believe that my husband should help out around the house, but it's my responsibility.  When someone walks in my house and sees that it's filthy and I have an empty pantry, who does that reflect on--me or Marty?  As unfair as it may be, it's me that would look bad if we didn't live in a well-run home.  And I'm accepting that.  I was looking at cooking as an exciting activity and not a chore.....finally.

Why is it that my dish is never as pretty as the picture??

So back to the cooking.  The sauce in this dish is fantastic.  I didn't have red pepper flakes, so I would recommend a little more salt in the dish if you choose to leave that seasoning out.  Since we're huge fans of broccoli in this household, I decided to throw some in to give us our veggie serving for the day.  Successful dish.  Marty gave it his stamp of approval and said he'd eat it again (always how I measure my success). 
Saturday night, I found this awesome recipe for gluten-free crust-less pizza.  I was PUMPED.  For about two years, I've been watching my gluten intake due to a gluten "intolerance" that was diagnosed after some pretty intense stomach pain.  For the most part, I'm okay to eat breads and pastas, although I can't have a whole lot of wheat breads.  But pizza is 100% off-limits.  One slice will send me crawling right to my heating pad.  So when I found this recipe, I was excited to try it.  I chose to make my pizza with sausage, pepperoni and green peppers.  While the taste of this pizza was pretty great....it wasn't really a pizza.  The crust is made mostly of cream cheese that I baked before adding the pizza toppings.  Even after baking first and leaving it out to cool, the "crust" wasn't firm enough to pick up and eat.  The dish basically ended up being more like a pizza casserole.  Forks were needed, but the taste was great.  Even though it wasn't what I was expecting, I definitely recommend the recipe for anyone trying to live the gluten-free lifestyle.

My little kitchen helper :)

And unfortunately, this is where my cooking story has ended.  Sunday night, we exercised the "see-food" night and fended for ourselves.  Monday, I was ready to fix my chicken nuggets and mac and cheese.  When I got home, I realized that I didn't put out any chicken to thaw out.  Oops.  So Marty ended up eating the leftover chicken bacon pasta (another plus to making dinner...leftovers....and saving money!) and I made myself a grilled ham and cheese.  I cut my losses and swore to get back to cooking the next night.  Tuesday night, Marty and I ended up going to my parent's house to visit and ate over there.  No biggie, go with the flow, try again Wednesday......until I woke up this morning with a massive migraine and Marty ate at his sister's house so I don't have to make dinner tonight.  I'm disappointed that I'm not getting to hone my cooking skills, but isn't that what life is all about?  Being flexible and rolling with the punches?  Cooking 6 nights a week sounds amazing on paper, but you don't factor in those nights that Avery needs to spend just a few more hours playing peek-a-boo with Granddaddy and Grandma's house or illnesses that make walking from the bed to the bathroom painful, much less pulling out pots and pans to make a homemade dinner.  It doesn't make me a terrible mom that we had some dinners away from home or that I might have to make a McDonald's run later to feed myself.  I know my family is still happy and I promise to return to cooking tomorrow night....no unforseen circumstance provided.