Financial Peace

Last month, Wade and I attended the Dave Ramsey Live Event with our friends Travis and Cynthia Gough and Tai and Darcy Lauti. It was an amazing experience! Dave really helps you feel empowered about becoming and staying debt free. I love the idea that we can build wealth, not only so we can retire comfortably, but also so we can be generous and GIVE to those in need. Wade and I would love to be able to be more generous now with gifts for our friends, parents, siblings, and especially our cute nieces and nephews, but it's difficult because Wade is still in school full-time, so we have a limited income. I know most of you have "been there, done that" so you know how it is. Being conservative with our spending (yea, you might call us cheap) and living within our budget has taken a lot of self-discipline, but I know it will be worth it! When we're rich, I promise I will spoil all of you on your birthdays! : )

Dave talks about the "Baby Steps" which help us little by little to find financial peace. They are:

1. Save $1000 in a starter emergency fund
2. Pay off all debt using the "debt snowball" (except the house)
3. Save 3-6 months expenses in liquid savings
4. Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRA's and pre-tax retirement
(Steps 4,5,6,7 can be done at the same time)
5. College funding for the kids
6. Pay off home early
7. Build wealth and give!

When we first took a Financial Peace University class in the spring of 2007, Dave encouraged us to to use the "cash envelope system" to help limit spending. You may laugh at me when you see me at the grocery store or at a restaurant, but it's been working for us great! We spend less because it's harder to hand over cash. And once the envelope is empty and the cash is all gone...guess what...we've learned to be creative using what's already in our cupboards for the rest of the month! ; ) So then, we learn to spread the cash out so we can eat reasonably all month.

We've been so excited about Dave's program, that Wade even coordinated a Financial Peace University class for those in our area last fall. This last spring, he was invited to represent Zions Bank in Tennessee and become a Certified Counselor for Dave Ramsey.

Here we are, so excited to hear Dave Ramsey live! If you want to learn more about having financial peace, just visit his website at www.daveramsey.com. It's awesome!

They say that...

"If mom ain't happy ain't nobody happy!" My mom used to have that quote on the wall in her kitchen to remind herself to be positive. That's a lot of pressure for us...knowing that we have such a powerful influence on our husbands and children and both their good and bad moods. I honestly believe it's healthy to express frustration, sadness, and vent from time to time, but I don't think it's healthy for me to stay down and depressed long. Just reading all of your comments from the last post made me smile and realize how blessed I really am. Thank you so much for those who left a comment on my blog or who called or emailed to offer empathy and understanding and see if I was feeling any better. It's wonderful to feel understood and to know we're all "on the same team."

As a new mom, I took an institute class called "Gospel Parenting." I gained a great deal from that class, especially the blessing of meeting new friends, like Becca, Ali, and Elaine. : ) One thing I took away from the class that I will never forget is this thought by Sister Patricia Holland:

"If I were Satan and wanted to destroy a society, I think I would stage a full-blown blitz on women. I would keep them so distraught and distracted that they would never find the calming strength and serenity for which their sex has always been known."

Is that a good reminder or what? It really helps me put things in perspective. I am trying to be positive, amidst my individual struggles, and to prove it, I had to show you this picture of Jon from yesterday, just a 1/2 hour before our friends, Bryce and Nicole, came over for dinner. After the initial shock of seeing my 1 year-old covered in flour (not to mention my kitchen), I just said "Oh...my...heck!" I paused, and then I just started laughing (instead of screaming!) Aren't you proud of me? That means I'm making progress, right? : )

the truth

I know I paint a happy picture of my life, but the truth is I have been struggling lately with so many changes going on, and I just need to get some of my thoughts out.

It was the hardest thing I've ever done to move away from my family and friends, three years ago. I felt so alone in this big city, and I thought I would never find "kindred spirits" like my friends in St. George had been. As out-going as I am, you think I would fit right into my new ward and neighborhood, but I didn't. I cried myself to sleep so many nights feeling like I didn't have a single friend. It's just been so difficult for me to make connections with some of the women in my neighborhood since they are older and already have their own circle of friends. But guess what, the Lord heard my countless prayers and sent me two angels who have literally lifted me up spiritually and emotionally again and again. The reason I am struggling so much right now is because these two special individuals have both just moved away, and it's never easy to say good-bye to friends who have had such a positive influence on your life.
Here I am with Kim Williams, who was my amazing visiting teaching companion. She's just moved across the valley, so I'm lucky we'll still be able to have girls night out, but dang I'm still going to miss her! Serving with Kim has been a tremendous blessing in my life. And of course, here's my running partner and dear friend, Kathy Allen, who has just moved to St. Louis so her husband could complete his residency. I'm excited for their family and the great experiences they will have yet to come. I don't know if Kathy will ever know the impact she has had on my life. She's a pretty remarkable woman!

Besides having to say good-bye to two of my best friends, Wade and I have been on an insane roller coaster with his "potential" jobs, I've had some health problems to deal with, my kids are driving me crazy, and with the stress of having my sister live with us, I'm just emotionally exhausted with it all. Don't get me wrong, I know I am SO blessed, but right now, I feel like I need a break from...life! Can anyone hook me up with free plane tickets to Hawaii AND find me a babysitter while I escape for a week?! Because that would be so great!

Honestly, the last three years have been the most difficult I've ever experienced, but I feel so fortunate to be a wife and mother, to have friends and family who care about me, to have the good news of the Gospel, to have my health, and to finally feel "at home" here in Salt Lake, I really can't complain. But that doesn't mean I can't cry when life gets really hard. Some days I don't even know if I'm going to make it. I do cry, but I also smile. I guess that's all I can ask for.

Blog Mooching?

I confess. I have been blog mooching! I have been enjoying reading everyone else's blogs but not contributing to my own lately. Many of you have noticed and requested updates. ;) I guess I have really interesting family and friends because it's so easy to get caught up in reading your blog entries and being a slacker with my own! Now that I've actually transferred my photos from the camera to the computer, I'm going to try my best to backtrack and journal little bits of this last month for you.



Here are a few fun pictures of Emily and Etta swimming one Saturday in May when my friend, Traci, babysat our kids. Wade and I were at the Dave Ramsey Live Event (more details to follow soon). The girls had a blast playing in the pool! They even thought it was hilarious to have Etta's Mickey and Minnie dolls join them in the water. Traci didn't think it was so funny! Oops! :) Good thing she's forgiving and has a great sense of humor because we ALL know that 2 year-olds are famous for doing whatever they want to do without asking first! Does that drive anyone else as crazy as it does me???


I met up with my good friends, Kathy, Traci, and Brynn one day so our kids could enjoy the Discovery Gateway Museum. It's always a favorite for Emily and Jon (and me too)!


Here are Jon, Ems, and Etta playing in the water and all the girls singing "If you're happy and you know it..."

The best thing about our experience at the museum that day was the science class the kids participated in. They watched rock crystals develop and then examined them with a magnifying glass. Emily looked so grown up in her "lab coat." It was really cute! I would have loved to stay longer that day, but I was getting stressed out trying to keep track of my two kids plus Salote, who I was babysitting. Oh well, we'll come back another day. :)


Here the kids are at the last Music Makers class till we start again in the fall. Emily's favorite instruments to play are the maraca and the tambourine. She saw her buddy, Zach, play them together one day and she copied him because she thinks the world of him, and now she rarely chooses other instruments.

All the kids "march around the alphabet" except Jonathan. He just sits there and holds up different letters to show me. Here Emily, Etta, and Salote sing the good-bye song and are about to hug. So sweet!

Here's the whole group sitting in the parachute while the moms take the kids for a ride singing, "Little Red Caboose." And finally after class, we had a little party with lunch and treats to share with everyone.

Happy Father's Day

Sunday morning, instead of breakfast in bed, Wade's request was just to sleep in and snuggle up with his family in bed. So we did just that. All four of us just snuggled together until Emily started the tickling games, then we tickled and laughed and made a fort with the sheets, and just enjoyed being together. :)
I love watching Wade play with our children. He is the sweetest dad, and I feel lucky to have snatched up such a keeper! Here's the big kicker...he even does Emily's hair on occasion. I won't mention how she's dressed on those days (purple shirt with red and white shorts), but at least her hair is stylin'! ;) He has always been the one to get them ready for bed, read to them, pray with them, and give them a goodnight hug and kiss. His new tradition with Emily is after he tucks her into bed, he lays down with her and asks her questions about her day and tells her stories about a princess named Emily. She's only 2 1/2, but she knows she's loved by her daddy. And Jon just thinks the world of his dad. I think he rather play with his daddy that anyone else! Wade, thanks for making our children laugh and for making me happy everyday. I love you!

Besides my hubby, there are three other special fathers I wanted to express my appreciation to: my dad, Nick, Wade's dad, Frank and Wade's step-dad, Keith. Thanks for being so supportive and kind to our little family and making our children feel genuinely loved. Emily and Jonathan just adore each of you, and I do too. Happy Father's Day!

My first 5K...and not my last!

I did it! On Saturday, I ran my first 5K and didn't stop once! My good friend, Kathy Allen, and I have been training for months for this 5K and were determined that we would run the whole race without stopping to walk, and we did it! We were so pumped that morning, running side by side, and listening to our music. It was really invigorating. Kathy's 9 year-old daughter let me borrow her iPod shuffle, which was packed full of awesome music, including tunes from High School Musical 1 and 2. I just saw both movies for the first time and am now a BIG fan! I know, I know, you can laugh at me, but I was way excited to have such "cool" music to listen to! ; )

My little family greeted me at the finish line with this sign that my sister, Ruthanne, made for me. She and Austin were there standing next to Wade and the kids, and I couldn't have been happier to see them all supporting me. I was really grateful.

Here I am with Kathy, who has been an angel in my life this last year. I'm so impressed with this woman's stamina. After losing weight together with walking and working out everyday, she suggested we should step it up a notch and start running. She keeps me going and now I've got the running bug, and I love it! Who would have ever thought I would become a runner? :)

What I've learned

I really wanted to pay a tribute to my mom on Mother's Day, but since I was in St. George with her, I didn't have access to the pictures on my computer, and I really wanted to include a picture. So here it is three weeks later: What I've Learned From My Mom 10. How to laugh. My mom is one of the funnest people I know! She has a great sense of humor and can always make me laugh. We used to give her a hard time and number her stories and jokes. She would start telling a story to someone who hadn't heard it before and my brother would say, "Okay, mom, we've heard story #104 before about the goats, Awesome and Blossom. Do you want me to finish telling it for you?" Now, rather than teasing her and thinking her puns are lame, we all think she's hilarious and love to sit around and laugh together.

9. To appreciate beauty. She has a gift with gardening and can make her garden look amazing! She would often comment on how pretty the flowers were or what a beautiful day it was or how lovely the stars look tonight. I learned to look for beauty in the small things.

8. To enjoy reading. When my mom needed a break, she would hide away in her room wrapped up in a good novel. What a great outlet reading can be! She not only taught me the magic that can be found in books, but also how important it is for moms to get that "alone time." I have borrowed many, many of her books the last few years so I too could keep my sanity as a new mom and sneak away for a good read!

7. How to show charity. Whenever a new neighbor moved in, my mom was the first one there to welcome them. I remember helping her make home-made bread or cookies or brownies to take to a new neighbor, a mom with a new baby, or just someone who needed a lift. Besides caring for her patients at the hospital, she was also the neighborhood nurse. We would have neighbors drop by all hours of the day and night so she could take their blood pressure, check a wound, wrap an injury, or just give medical advice. A BIG bonus was that the cute scouts would come over so she could teach them CPR and first aid, and guess who they used as their patient? Me! ;) I owe ya for that one, mom!

6. How to cook. She had each of us kids take turns cooking and practice preparing new recipes and old recipes (waffles anyone?) Sometimes she thinks she's failed in this area, but I think she deserves way more credit than she gives herself. My sisters and I all genuinely enjoy cooking and baking and have some pretty tasty recipes, too. And I've seen my brothers step up and take their turn in the kitchen, as well. She's a great cook and has served up delicious meals for years for our family, but more importantly, she helped create a peaceful and happy mood at mealtime, and that I will also be thankful for.

5. How to be a friend. It's not just sending cards at Christmas time, it's remembering their birthday, calling just to say "hi", writing letters and emails, praying for them when they're struggling, and genuinely listening to them when they need a friend. I have watched my mom continue to develop her friendships with her own mom, her husband, sisters, daughters, cousins, college roommates, old neighbors and new neighbors. She's a great friend! I still consider her one of my best friends because she's always there when I need her, plus she's just so much fun to hang out with! Anne and Grace, don't you agree?

4. How to work. It's true, I was fortunate enough to have a farmer's daughter as a mother, and boy, does she know how to work! Whether she was weeding the garden, pruning the apricot tree, burning weeds, vacuuming the pool, cleaning the bathroom, or doing laundry, she would invite me to work along side her, so I could learn how to work and to enjoy it.

3. To have faith. I know that my mother has a testimony of the Gospel and in her Savior because I have seen her live that testimony. I can recall countless times I walked into her bedroom and found her on her knees in prayer or in the early morning hours at the kitchen table in personal scripture study. Whenever I lost something important and was frantically searching for it, she would quietly ask me if I had prayed to find it. I soon learned the power of prayer because of her example.

2. To look on the positive side of life. She is the most positive, optimistic person I know. What a powerful lesson she has taught me in simply having a positive attitude! Even when struggles came, she learned to find the lesson in it and be a better person because of it.

And the Number 1 lesson I've learned from my mom is how to love unconditionally. I know I haven't been a perfect daughter, but she has continued to be my biggest fan and supporter in all that I have done. She genuinely loves her husband and children and has shown us in many ways that special love. Today, I want to tell her how grateful I am for the angel she has been in my life. I love you, mom!