A No-Spend Year

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year are gone and done. Its January 6th. The newness of the new year is almost a week old already. It feels worn in like a good pair of jeans. Back to a rhythm, back to habits, back to the normal. Except one BIG FAT GIANT thing. We made the mother of all new years resolutions. We are attempting no, we will do it. I'm sure of it. It's just not going to be easy. We are entering into a year of minimal spending. By minimal, I mean nothing extra. Nothing.
How on earth? Well, here's the deal. I'm not good at balance. I'm not good at manageable. I dive head first into everything I'm involved in. Which means, if I decide to homeschool, (true story) I dive in, create a homeschool room loaded with as many hands on manipulatives, matching totes, coordinating colors. You get the idea. I go overboard. If I decide to buy a fixer-upper house and renovate it over time, we dive right in and have the entire first floor done in 12 days. We paint, put in new floors, re configure the kitchen, pick out, order and put in ourselves, countertops, tile, and grout until we can't hardly move. We go all in. (also true story) and If we decide to cut spending, manage our budget more carefully, know exactly where every dollar goes, we do it in one big production. NO SPENDING. zilch, nada, zippo, nothing.

So here we are on January 6th. Only 6 days in to the big decision. There have already been serious temptations.
 But that is another story for another day...

Lets talk logistics. How are we going to accomplish this massive goal??

Well we talked through what we know are going to be the really hard things, birthdays, holidays, vacation season. Here's what we've come up with.

Normal day to day living expenses such as deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo etc. are all allowed. This isn't an experiment in pioneer living, only an experiment in reducing our spending. Now, I may choose cheaper brands than I have in the past, but its not necessary.

Groceries is where we will try to cut a lot of money. Not buying what we want every single week. Not drinking lots of extra drinks and sticking to water. Not eating expensive things like pizza, processed foods etc. Sticking to the fruits that are on sale, the veggies on sale, and generally only items in the sale ad.

Birthdays for our own children, we will make special in their own way. The child will get a birthday cake and maybe one special gift. No parties this year, nothing extravagant. We will probably invite one special friend over to play.

Birthdays for other kids is where we're a bit torn on what to do. Probably for the kids' closest friends we will allow them to attend the birthday party and choose a minimal gift to give that includes an experience and doesn't feed into consumerism. As far as attending every party for every kid in their class and shelling out $20-25 per gift. We probably will not be doing that this year.

Holidays will be focused on giving not getting. We will not participate in gift exchanges and we will not expect any gifts to be given. We will however have those close to us over to our home to enjoy a meal and time with them.

In preparation for this experiment we have given up one of our vehicles. We did it as an experiment starting in August and took the insurance off of our second car and it has been parked in the driveway ever since. We have only really truly missed it a handful of times and so we have decided we will soon try to sell our second car and live off of the one for this year.

Vacation is also what we're not quite sure about. We may consider driving somewhere and camping as a minimal vacation. Or we may not go at all. This is still up for discussion.

Here's a list of what doesn't make the cut, what won't be allowed. Drive-through runs. Ouch. Quick Trip drink stops. AHHH! Eating out at restaurants. oh mercy. No leisurely shopping trips, no browsing the thrift store, no amazon clicking, no fab kids cuteness, no buying anything I don't absolutely and completely 100 % need. No spring break trip to Pioneer Woman Mercantile. seriously. I  might die this year. 

So here we go, crazy as ever. We decided since we've yet to stick to an exercise routine, diet or eating plan, budget ever before, or even finished a tv series lately, we might as well jump right in and tackle a completely new way of life and determine to do it for the entirety of 365 days.
Our hope is this, our family will be drawn closer together and experience things that truly matter. We will discover it's possible to be happy, to experience joy and to be content without wanting more or apprehending something we desire. We also have lofty dreams of all the money we will be able to save this year and have big goals of being debt free and starting to think and prepare seriously for our children's futures. So here it goes, here's to our big exciting, unbelievably difficult, ultra strange New years resolution: Here's to our No-Spend Year.

HUGE DEAL ALERT!!!

You guys! I just ordered four items of clothing for the fall season for my kiddos and I literally paid NOTHING! You get $20 for signing up with the schoola.com website, plus they are offering FREE SHIPPING right now! Its a MEGA DEAL! They are just a great company all around, earning money (40% to be exact) for schools, you can even do your own fundraiser through them!!!
It's used clothing, but all in good condition! Check it out!!!! Use this link and I get another $20 to use and so do you!!!!!!

https://www.schoola.com/stitch?ref=cp-3XazptRXS

Our Favorite Find

Our favorite find at the library this week was this hilariously simple look and find book by Olivier Tallec. It cleverly has characters lined up as if in a police lineup waiting for clearance. The question is asked: "Who didn't get enough sleep?" and the reader searches through the suspects spread throughout the two pages and chooses based on body language and other clues. My children giggled at certain pages like "who couldn't hold it?" The character has a questionable puddle around his feet.

This book is available at Barnes and Noble.com for $11.49 here:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/who-done-it-olivier-tallec/1121208855

Also available at Amazon.com for $11.39 here:

https://www.amazon.com/Who-Done-Olivier-Tallec/dp/1452141983

Or of course, get it from your library, like we did!!!

I couldn't find any more books by this author. If anyone else has seen some of his other books, please share! 

Character of The Hunted

I know you are compassionate, loyal, brave, selfless and kind. I watch as you consistently search for ways to assist others. I am secure because you are loyal to a fault. You never go back on your word. Your words are confirmed by your actions day in and day out. There is never a situation that presents itself where you lack the ability to remain completely calm and collected. You jump into uncomfortable, messy, dangerous situations for anyone. Anyone. 

You never complain. You never plead a case of mistreatment or unfairness as I often do to you. You put your whole heart into everything you do. From planning date nights at home complete with candles and our favorite slow dance song to praying with an inmate in a hospital room after listening to him for hours. 

You see people. You see needs. You see lives. You see hearts. You also see brokenness and desperation, frustration and emptiness. You see devastation daily. You see depravity and cruelty as it snakes its way into those lives you encounter. 

I knew when I fell in love with you, married you and when I had children with you that you were a man of integrity. I knew I had found someone rare and much too good for me. 

What I didn't know was that I would have to share. 

What I knew then was that you were a natural born hero, a leader, a defender. 

What I didn't know was that they would try to criminalize your occupation. That they would demonize your job. That family members and friends would slander "those cops" right in front of you. That we would need to think twice before being seen in public with you in uniform. That you would be hunted because of the oath you took to serve and protect. 

What I knew was that you didn't care what anyone thought. That you keep on going with what you know to be true. What I didn't know was how much it would effect me. How much I would be angry, defensive and hurt. 

I knew that your compassion made you a thoughtful husband. What I didn't know was that it was also the perfect trait for you to tap into when comforting victims. 

I knew your loyalty made you someone I could count on. Always. No matter what. 

What  I didn't know was how your loyalty would also make you a trustworthy partner, coworker and supervisor. 

I knew your bravery would mean you would dive into fire to save your family. What I didn't know was that your bravery would mean you would also do it for complete strangers. 

I knew your selflessness would leave me speechless often as you sacrificed once again. What I didn't know was that it would mean you would bust down doors for rescues and enter situations the rest of us would run away from. 

I knew your kindness was evident in the way you act as a gentleman, holding doors and treating me as if I'm something delicate and precious. What I didn't know was that your kindness would reach around the handcuffs, through the bars and you would treat all people with a level of respect. 

I knew we would build an incredible life together. I knew we would be happy and fulfilled. What I didn't know was that I would spend half the nights each month alone in our bed praying, pleading fervently to God that you would survive your shift. 

What I knew was that day you graduated academy, the day I first saw you in uniform, I had never felt so much pride. What i didn't know was that velcro on a kevlar vest could produce so much emotion. The adjustment of it before a shift still sends shivers down my spine. However, the tearing sound of it coming off after you arrive safely home is like new life breathed into my lungs. 

What I knew then, way back when, was that I married my best friend, the love of my life. What I didn't know was how much time would lead me to respect you, admire you and love you even more. I had no idea that ten years later, I would be married to my hero.