The Dream Jar

The picture is not much, I know that, but it is what is inside the jar that counts. We are still working out way through the Dave Ramsey baby step process, currently we are working on step number 3, the fully funded emergency fund. We had this step completed, but then had to tap into it in order to purchase our car, and not go back into debt. So the last few months have been filled with us trying to save up in order to get our E-fund back up to 100%. We are close, very close in fact, just one or two more months from having it fully funded.

Now, let me go back to the jar, the Dream Jar. This is the beginning of our home fund. We have decided that we want to pay cash for a house. 100% cash, no down payment, no mortgage, nothing. So the small amount you see in the jar, is the beginning of this fund. Obviously, we have a long way to go, and we are just getting started, be we have already saved over 100 bucks just in change, and rolling over our monthly cash budget at the end of the month. Once our e-fund is knocked out, then we will begin to save for the house more aggressively. But for now, each time I look at the dream jar I get excited. We managed to take a step, all but a small one, to our dream without really even trying. We have talked about paying cash for a house for a while now, and honestly, in the back of my mind it always seemed kind of like a pipe dream, something we wanted to do, but I didn't really think it would/could ever happen. It just seemed to crazy, to big, to out there.

Then recently Crystal, over at MoneySavingMom, did a series of blogs about her families quest to pay cash for a house. They saved for years, and they just bought their first home with cash!! How awesome is that?????? Cash for a house!!! Her story totally inspired me, and made me realize that we can do this too. It will be a hard and long process, and it will try our patience, but in the end, it will totally be worth it. I believe that. I was listening to one of Dave's podcast the other day and he said "100 % of homes paid in full never get repossessed." Then he laughed and in his sarcastic funny way he talked about how he had done some extensive research to get the facts on that statistic. So yes, it is a dream and it is a pretty big dream, but that is the point of dreams right? Dream big, dream really big, reach higher than you think you can, aim to go further than you think possible.

So here goes!

Star Gaze

Last night by the lake there was a slight breeze that was refreshing after a day of 100+ temps. As the cool breeze brushed along my skin, I sat in silence and listened to the crickets chirp, and I lay down and stared at the stars. The black sky and the bright stars were so beautiful. It has been a long time since I layed on my back and stared at the sky. It was expansive and beautiful.

Happy 4th

I love this holiday. It is one of my favorites.
I love this country. This country offers so many hope. She offers so many a place of refuge. She can be a haven to many, while being a burden to some, and despite that, I love her.
I love that this country offers promises. I love that you really can go out and be what you want to be in America. I love to hear stories about people growing up in poverty and rising through to become huge successes.
I love that my two parents never went to college, but I had the chance to go to school, on a full ride, and be the first in my family to graduate.
I love that there are so many people of so many nationalities all living here together.
I love my country.

I am also thankful for my country. I am thankful that those stars and stripes still billow in the breeze. I am so thankful for the many men and women who died so that I can sit here and type out my beliefs and thoughts freely. I am so thankful that my dad, grandfather, brother-in-law, uncles, and cousins have defended this land, and many of those were able to come home safe and sound. I am thankful that tonight, a solider is standing guard in a far away land, alienated from his home by thousands of miles, fighting for me, someone he has never met.

Despite all of our differences this country works, and she works for good. Yes we have our ups and downs, but I think more than anything she has done more good than harm for the world.
I hope that this country continues to try and attain an unattainable goal, a goal of perfection. No, we wont ever reach that goal, but we can keep trying.

iDesires

There is some major ilusting going on for some major i's.

Here is the first one: The Iphone

At first I didn't want one, but now I do. I want one and I want one badly. But, I don't want the payment every month. Booooo...so for now I will continue to use my regualr cell phone that works perfectly well and is more than enough for me.

Number 2: The Mac Laptop

Isn't she beautiful? The image is so clear and she works so fast. I want her, and I want her now. But, once again, I have a perfectly good computer that is hardly a year old. But, still I want her.

As P likes to say "If wishes and wants are candy and nuts, we would all have a wonderful Christmas."

Oh Jill

So I have been shredding with Jillian for the past several weeks I have been working out with Jillian. And the verdict--it is awesome. I seriously love, and yes I am using the word love, this work out. It is short and hard!!! Seriously, it is amazing. You warm up, do 3 sets of 6 minute circuits which consist of 3 minutes strength, 2 minutes cardio, and 1 minute of abs. It is a hard, strenuous work out, but it works. I have been doing it for over a month now and I have seen some major toning in my arms, shoulders, backs, and legs. I get done and I feel amazing! It is so cool. 4 of my friends went out and bought the dvd, and I have about 5 friends doing with me on a daily basis. It is so hard core. I only use 5 pound weights, and at times those feel too heavy for me, but I just have to keep pushing through. I am able to keep pushing because I tell myself that it is a 20 minute work out and I can do anything for 20 minutes. There are 3 levels, and personally I think that level 2 is the hardest. I think that it has the best combo of cardio and strength training of all the levels. It is so great for someone who is busy but still wants a workout. And, best of all, it only cost 9.00 at Target! Score.

Have you tried shredding?

This and that

No real direction today. No big blogger insite, just a few random tid bits---
I have the best friends ever. They are so amazing, and I am thankful for them. While we are out of town this summer, one of my friends has been sending me cards and notes every week, and it is that small act that gives me the pick up that I need.

I realized earlier this week at about 2:30 in the afternoon that I had been sweating since 6:30 in the morning when I got up to run. Its hot hot hot here.

I wish that I had developed a love for cooking earlier in life.

I love my husband and he is amazing.

The WORLD CUP is in session, and I am missing so many games it hurts my heart. I want to watch them all.

I hope that you ladies are having a fab week this summer.

It was like I was meditating

Week one in review= a great success. We made it through one week. 3 meals a day and a snack, for 300+, and we did it. P and I are in the kitchen with 3 other girls, and the high school work crew, again all girls, (so that is a lot of emotion and estrogen comin' at P, but if anyone could handle us, it is P), and we are having fun and working hard.
Earlier this week we made brownies in huge trays, and after they cooled I started to spread the icing. It was hot in the kitchen, (its a huge great room with an open kitchen and 1/2 walls, 1/2 screens, combine that with the heat from the stove and ovens and it is blazing.) Anyways, I was standing there icing the brownies listening to this old school song, and I just lost myself in it. For about 5 minutes time just seemed to stop and I was not thinking, I was just doing, and I felt strangely satisfied, I felt as if I could stand there and spread the frosting on the brownies for hours. I know it may seem over dramatic, but I really did lose myself, and forget about everything around me. I was just there. And, I was actually sad when all the trays were iced and done. Then, I had a huge feeling of satisfaction when I realized that the food I was making was going to be for peoples enjoyment and pleasure, and that gave me so much pleasure. I think that is why I like to bake because my favorite part of the meal is desert. It is what I look forward to every time and I tend to think others do as well, and I love when people delight in what I made for them.
It was so weird those few minutes, and I have tried to duplicate the feeling but somehow could not. But if it takes music and icing to get me back to that place, I am running there fast.