Being Bossy!

As of Sunday Josh and I officially have a BUDGET!! Scary word huh?! We are both very excited about this! When we first got married I didn't understand why we didn't have an emergency fund of $5,000-$10,000 in the bank...I thought it was just there! So, as we began our lives together we began thinking af ways to save money...for emergency, taxes, vacation and so on.

First, we tried the 'cash only' approach because we knew we spent less that way. In addition, any time someone handed us a $5 back in change it automatically went into a savings envelope. Very quickly (about 2-3 weeks) we had over $60! We were so excited!

Second, when we moved to Jacksonville we decided to do our own "round up" program. Anytime we used the debit card we rounded up to the next dollar in the register. This also worked well...but it was hard to keep up with what was left over. Also, at the end of EVERY pay period (every 2 weeks) we would zero out the register and start with our new check...the leftover went to savings. This also worked well and we used it, well the zero out part, until last week.

NOW....Some good friends of our here in TX let us borrow to FPU kit. (Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey) It is WONDERFUL! We sat down and listened to the cds and did a budget. We started by writing down EVERY bill that was paid monthly and how much each one was. Then we budgeted in food....for us we only need $50/week that includes toiletries...we harldy ever spend more than that! Then calculated in gas. Now, with what was left we decided how we wanted to split it up for savings...Emergency, car tags, car repair, vacation, clothes, furniture, taxes and so on. We made a spread sheet to keep up with each catergory and we put a little in each one every month. Also, for groceries and 'play' money....we use cash becase it is harder to spend. Once it is gone...it is gone, unless you take it out of another cash category...but you can't replace what you take unless you replace with money from another category.

The key lesson is to tell your money what to do!!! Leave yourself a little cushion in the bank....but Once we budgeted everything out there is nothing in our bank accout because it ALL has a place to go! I told it what to do. We have the cushion there but it is not in our register. It feels amazing to have a GOOD strategy! We are so ready to see the results! I would highly recommend this to EVERYONE who wants financial peace!

We are so pumped about this and I couldn't help but share! ENJOY!

PS if you don't want to go buy it...check you library or give me a call and I will walk you through he basics!

Great Smokey Mountains Marriage Retreat!

For the fourth year now, Josh and I have been blessed to be able to go to The Great Smokey Mountains Marriage Retreat. This is one of the biggest highlights of our year! The first one we attended was in 2007. We had only been married 2 months. It was a vacation for us. We are already looking forward to next years retreat. Every year the have basically the same topics but the speakers always put a different twist on things. We learn something new every year. There is not one marriage on earth that could not benefit from the retreat! We enjoy so much the meals with friends we haven't seen in a while and the special quality time we get with one another. The layout is wonderful...Allen did a gret job when thinking this up. It was intentionally meant to be a vaca/lecture trip.

So, we left EARLY last Wednesday and drove all day. It was Josh, me, Sarah, Hilton, Gayle and Don...all in the church van. We arrived at Glendale for services right on time (after a 12 hour drive). Then we stayed with Joshs parents. Got up early Thursday to head on toward Gatlinburg...6 more hours. We checked in got dinner and went to the 2 evening lectures. Then, on Friday we got up and had Krispy Kreme and headed in to Pigeon Forge for the day. After the lectures on Friday we decided to show the 'Texans' around Gatlinburg! We showed them a few shopping venues and The Old Mill. Later, we ate with Cliff, Beth, Greg and Crystal at Outback. We dropped everyone off at the cabin then Sarah, Hilton, Josh and I headed back out to have some more fun. We took them to Wonderworks and we all looked like a bunch of kids! Saturday we got up and drove up to Cades Cove and then ate lunch at the Apple Barn...of course!! Then we began the drive back. We stopped in Jackson to let everyone try REAL mexican food. As soon as we got back to Dyersburg (where Josh and I grew up) we stopped for gas...then the van wouldn't crank back up. After calling a wrecker we tried one more time ans it cranked and we were able to drive 20 minutes to my moms house where we stayed. Sunday was services as usual. Then on Monday we had the van fixed and began the 12 hour drive back....about Abilene it began to snow so hard!!! Then it started sleeting...we finally made it home about 11 pm.

Great trip anyway!!!!

It is sad to me to hear people say 'we don't need a marriage retreat!' or 'We have made it work for this long we know what we are doing!'

There is always room for improvement and sometimes you just need a romantic vacation with your spouse!

My prayer is that the marriage retreat continues to grow every year and that people will continue to build on their God given gift! Marriage is the second best thing that has ever happened to me! Thank you God for my Christian husband. Remind me when I nag that I am not perfect either. When I get frustrated with him...help me to remember that I could always improve too! I want to be everything he has ever dreamed of! I have never been more proud of a name until I was able to take his! Thank you for this relationship of three!

how do I keep up?!

It is that time of year again! Girl Scout Cookies!!! I had looked for some for 2 weeks and couldn't find any...then Josh finally says...I know where some are...sneak!!! So we got 4 boxes (I freeze them so they last until next year) of caramel delights a.k.a. Samoas!!! as seen in the picture above...they are my favorite and another plus is Josh doesn't like coconut, so I don't have any prowlers!

Also, we just began a new book in Ladies Bible class entitled "Keeping Your Balance" by Nancy Eichman. I wanted to read it through before I passed it out for everyone and I have to say it is a very good book. The focus of the book is balancing you spiritual, physical and emotional life. The second chapter really stepped on my toes though. She talked about being a perfectionist and always wanting to have things put away and clean and organized. She also pointed out that people like me sometimes don't like to try new things because...if they can't do it right the first time...why try? This made me cry. I feel this way about college. I am wanting to go back this fall, but I struggled so much the first time (maybe because I was working 2 jobs, maybe because I wasn't totally focused, or maybe because the school was so tough that 1 out of every 2 people there don't make it out!) that I am scared to go back. If I didn't do it right the first time, why put myself through that again. I know that I am married, more mature, more dedicated and not working full time, but it still scares me to death to think about failing at anything!!! This is so hard for me to write. For 3 years now, every time I think about going back to college I feel sick to my stomach. I know I can do it...but my fear of failure overcomes me. This is definately something I need to pray about. I have the best supporter I could ever ask for in my husband. He is the kind that will try until he gets something right...if I can't get it right the first time I quit and move on to something else. I know he will be my biggest help as I go through this process.

On to something else. It seems like everyone is having babies! I know like 10 people that are pregnant or just had a baby. My best friend from high school just had his first son last night and he is so beautiful...well handsome! Congratulations Dustin and Laura on your new Baby Houston Gentry! I get the baby fever sometimes...then I think..."school then baby" or "sell the house then baby". So, either way it will be a while. I think that is perfectly fine though. I would wait until I was 30 if Josh would agree....but he won't.

Well, I am off to get some things accomplished on this rainy west texas day!

Love you all!

Here, there, and in between...

So, I have decided to do my spring cleaning a little early this year. I always heard growing up "everything has a place and needs to be in it"...I have noticed the older I get, the more I am becoming my mother! This is a good thing...it is a rare occasion that her home is not presentable. This is something I desire. I want my house to always be decent...notice I did not say spotless. I don't want to be ashamed or make excuses as to why my house is messy if someone just happens to stop by. So, beginning this week...everything will find a home and the training will begin to keep it in its home.
Also, I have been taking notes in worship services since high school and I would like to type them all up and categorize them according to topic. I realize that this could take months...but I think it would be very helpful in future studies.
I have also started cleaning out my inbox! Don't even get me started on that one...
So, I think it is pretty obvious that another resolution is to get organized!
Ready...here I go!

Happy Second Day of the New Year!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year!
So, I have been thinking about New Years Resolutions. I am so tired of the same "lose weight and get organized" resolutions! They are the same every year! So, along with Kelley, I have set more realistic goals!
(1) Become a stronger Christian. I want to deepen my daily studies and I want to pray more meaningful and reverent prayers, not that they have been irreverent, but I want to grow closer to my Maker. I want to feel a comfort like no other in times of trouble, knowing He is the one I turn to first!
(2) I want to continue to grow to be a better wife. I have just finished reading the book "Created to be his helpmeet" and I would suggest any wife read it! The lady who wrote it isn't a memeber of the Church so use discretion when reading. I have now started reading "Power of a praying wife" I started it last year but naturally got distracted by other books and forgot about it. I don't ever want to give my husband reason to even think about straying. I want him to be so satisfied with our relationship that the most beautiful woman alive could stand in front of him and not phase him! I want to respect and love him the way he deserves.
(3) Get Active! We were doing so well before Christmas about working out! Then, we went to TN. We got away from our routine and our gym and let it go. I want us to get back into our routine. We are praying that our house will sell and we may be able to get a gym membership. The gym we are using now is at our apartments and is composed of a broken stationary bike, one treadmill, and a weight bench. So, we would like the option of taking classes and different machines. In time....

These are a few of the things I am working on. We are both working on money management (as I am sure everyone else is). We are doing well, but we could always do better. I am trying to branch out when cooking. I am scared to try too many new things because I have a picky husband ;). I love it when he likes what I cook and he tells me all the time to "cook anything you want to try, if I don't like it....it's ok, it doesn't mean you are a bad cook" I understand this but, I am cooking for him. When he has been working I want him to be able to look forward to a good meal, you know! So, maybe one new dish every other week. One other thing I am working on is keeping in touch better! Facebook...you have made me a little lazy! I want to call and write more often...not just when I see a new status or pics! I have family members that I would love to keep in touch with! So, here I go! 2010 Get ready!

Tennessee Christmas Begins....

We made it in to Tennessee at about 3 pm last monday! I hope it doesn't seem longer on the drive back next Tuesday! It actually didn't seem like it took 12 hours :). We have been running here and there trying to spend time with everyone but, isn't that what Christmas is always like in our family! It is so hard to try to split up the time evenly...so we have kinda given up...

I spent a few days with mom at the beginning of the week. We went one day and I had my hair cut off and dyed.
Friday night we had a girls night with Josh's family. We spent the afternoon and evening shopping and playing in Jackson.
We have been to my dads dad for Christmas in Olive Branch. That was on Saturday.

The last couple of days we have tried to rest up a litle for the end of the week...CHAOS!
I pray all of you are enjoying the season too!

3 years ago...

Wednesday was our 3rd anniversary and we spent the whole day looking at the clock and telling each other what we were doing at that moment. For example, our wedding was at 2pm, at 1:15 we happened to look at the clock and Josh said "I was starting to get really nervous" Me however..."I was trying not to get sick" If you don't know this stiry...it is a sad but funny one. I was so sick on our wedding day...I had brionchitis the week before and had so many antibiotics that I couldn't keep anything in me. So, it was a splendid day. There were many of these moments throughout the day. I can't believe it has already been that long.
Thursday...We left about lunch and headed to Lubbock to see TSO! Josh had surprised me with a stay at a Bed and Breakfast. Everything was so wonderful, I couldn't thank him enough for it all! The concert was AMAZING! It lasted 3 hours, but you would have never known it!
Friday...This morning when we got up one of the inn keepers came to the door with breakfast! It was so yummy! This was an anniversary I hope I never forget. THey have gotten better every year! I am so thankful for my christian husband!

P.S. videos of the concert are posted in Facebook! :)