Growing up, I had three siblings. Monica, a sister four years my junior; Misti, a small-but-important-step-away-from-feral cat; and Mac-named for Paul McCartney and my Grandaddy-a pit bull/ ehhhhh, questionably American Bulldog mix. Misti and Mac were both rescues--she from under...
Our Friends and Family must think we're crazy.
In the last two years, I've been pregnant twice, with my husband deploying each time. During each of those pregnancies and just months before each of those deployments, he and I have made...
"Something You Want, Something You Need, Something To Wear, & Something To Read."
These are the four presents our son (and starting next year, our daughter) will receive from my husband and I each Christmas. This year that means a Little...
I love holidays--the food, the festivity, the fun--but I hate choosing a gift for Derek. Why would I dislike giving presents to the guy who's given me everything? Because the dude claims he wants nothing, nada, zip! EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR....
I'm totally that dorky mom who needs to put my child (...myself, my house, my dog) in a themed outfit for every holiday, no matter how minor. Fat Tuesday? Here's your purple and green Mardi Gras romper. Columbus Day?...
Each time Mac outgrows another pair of tiny, expensive, never-touched-the-ground-because-this-kid-can't-even-walk-yet shoes, I simultaneously vow he'll go barefoot and make a mental note to check Zulilly in the morning. When I was pregnant, I made up my mind that we were going...
I love the blank slate of a new year especially when it comes to my finances! No matter the financial mistakes or successes I had in the past year, January always bring a renewed sense of motivation to make this the best year...
Happy Earth Day Jacksonville Moms!! It recently occurred to me that the way we maintain (or not) the health of our planet has so many parallels with how we maintain our bodies and the resulting outcome. My son is beginning to...
Our spring break started with no plans other than to not work and not spend too much money! But thanks to the other writers here on the blog, we had plenty of local ideas to choose from to keep us very...
This project represents a major effort on my part to tackle one of my negative qualities that makes me feel like a failure as a mother and wife... I'm always distracted by something (chores, cell phone, TV...) and therefore...
My family loves going to big events that come to Jacksonville, but sometimes they can get a little pricey. Ticket cost, fees, and surcharges and then what you spend on parking, merchandise, and food. Yikes!
Even before we were a family of six, I...
Can you believe that my husband and I never argue about money? Well, at least not since we started budgeting many years ago. Don't get me wrong... we're not some sort of super lovey-dovey couple who never has had...