Simply the Smith's

Eight Years  I was getting up and ready to head to the salon to get my hair done and it was pouring down rain.  I was not phased by it at all I was just so happy to be marrying my best friend Back then (and still today) I was just in awe that he chose me. He was (and still is) more than I could have ever dreamed of. I always think of what our pastor said during our pre-marital counseling, she told us that she was praying about our marriage and she just kept coming back to that we were written in heaven to be together. That sticks with us so much and has been the foundation for our marriage. It hasn't always been perfect and it I know that rough roads lie ahead because that's life but we have a good foundation one that can withstand all the storms 8 years ago we were two young kids getting married and now today we have three kids of our own. We have endured countless sleepless nights together, blowouts that need a hazmat team, teething of ...

So I read The Total Money Makeover about 3 years ago but I could not get my husband to read it. I kind of tried to do it myself and guess what that is a huge burden for one person to take on. He was on board with paying off debt but he wasn't so on board with the whole rice and beans approach. So it didn't work very long and we both got back to our spending ways. Then in the midst of a heated disagreement spurred by money talks I asking him to please get Audible and listen to Dave Ramsey. He did and that changed everything not just financially but with out relationship. We have always been communicators. Michael and I both talk to each other about everything. We always discussed purchases but it was a "hey there is this great deal so I bought xyz" kind of thing. He hardly ever looked at our account and I paid all the bills. I would print out a budget I did once a month and then he would look it over tell me it looked good and then it would go in the drawer ne...

Last week we went on a family vacation and went camping. Well glamping I guess. We went to JellyStone in Java NY and rented a cabin. It was a blast. It was my brother and sister in law with my niece and nephew and my parents along with us and the kiddos. So that is 6 adults and 5 kids in a two bedroom cabin. It was tight quarters but man was it a blast. There is so much for the kids to do all right at the campground and our cabin was in the best location a short walk to the lake and pool and right next to the activity center. The kids made shirts played candy bar bingo, played put put, went fishing, canoeing, built sandcastles, and swam every single day. We went Sunday through Wednesday and it was the perfect amount of time. Michael and I actually left with the twins on Tuesday night because we had pretty important doctors appointment for Charlotte on Wednesday and we just wanted her to have a good nights sleep in her own bed the night before. Speaking of the doctors Charlotte h...

So this year is my first year with a kiddo going to school My sweet Grayson is starting Pre-K in our school district! This is a huge change for us since he has always gone to a daycare right down the road from my work and for the last year 3 days a week he has been in a nursery school setting at that same daycare. Now he will be in our school district and he will be riding the bus and going half days 5 days a week.  Our school has a trickle in approach to school so that kids can ease into the process So school starts Wednesday September 6th and each child is given one day that they will go that week. Grayson was picked for Wednesday so he will only go one day that week on Wednesday and we have to bring him and drop him off.  Then on Monday September 11th he will start his first full week and riding the bus.  I took half a day for both days because well I have to be there. This is our first going to school and since he goes half days in t...

I come here today to hang my head in shame a little bit 3 years ago I declared that we were getting out of debt. I had just read Total Money Makeover and was so ready to get out of debt. We did awesome, we saved $1,000 and fast and then we got to work on our smallest debt. We paid it off in about 5 months and then we stopped. Like hardcore just stopped. Why? I could give you a million reasons I self medicated by shopping a little bit after my miscarriage and we justified a weekend trip to Toronto even though we didn't have a budget because it was our anniversary. Then September came and we were pregnant with twins. We were faced with a ton of financial decisions and we made some moves out of fear (I'm looking at you mini van) and our own pressure. We had a real come to Jesus moment when Michael went to his new schedule and our daycare bill was about twice our mortgage.  My husband hates to read. But I needed him to read this book! So I found Audible...

Oh babies 15 months does not seem possible  I feel like 12 to 15 months has been such a huge change Ladies first as always Charlotte, Sissy girl you are just so amazing. But frustrating. When I came to write this update all I thought was when will you start sleeping through the night? We have started some horrible sleep habits with you and soon ( I dread) we will have to break those. You still have to be swaddled to fall asleep and you still have to be rocked ugh putting you to bed takes a good half an hour. And then your up multiple times a night and usually (read: always) end up in our bed. You are the most fitful sleeper ever. But gosh do we love you. We will figure this sleep thing out soon. Until then coffee and under eye concealer work wonders for your sleep issue side affects You are walking all over the place and the new baby walk is my favorite belly out and wobbly. You live up to the hype of red hair because your personality is feisty and opinionated. ...