food for finance: e-fund re-established + new goals

We've been on a roller coaster ride with Dave Ramsey's baby steps. We had things come up and as of today, we re-established our emergency fund! All we have left to pay off is the house. WHOOT! I went on a rant a couple of months ago about my frustration about being stuck in baby step 3. But today, I'm feeling accomplished!

 

I told Kyle that we needed to re-visit our goals back in December. I told him we should run the numbers to see when we could pay off our house and be completely debt-free. We live in a 3 bedroom, 1300 sq ft starter house with our 2nd baby due in 6 weeks. We don't plan to be here 5 years from now but do know that we can't sell our house now in this market. So...just for fun, we figured out that our house could be paid off in March of 2020. That is 6 years from now! Once we buy 2 cars (with cash) we will throw all of our other money on the house.

 

We kid around with each other and say that we'll just stay in our house since the house will be paid for in 6 years. Who knows what crazy thing we will do. But for now, it is fun to see what could be if we are disciplined! I am a big fan of long-term goals. I am a big dreamer and if I have it written down, it gets me through the days when I want to throw my hands in the air and give up. Or when people look at me like I have 3 heads when I tell them what we are doing.

 

Kyle and I are meant to be with each other. We have so much fun talking about saving cash for a "newer" car. I mean, who gets excited about that? We do! I would not have it any other way.

 

Now, our emergency fund is strictly for emergencies (which is why we had to re-build it, we had emergencies come up). But if one of our 12 year old cars decided to bite the dust, that would be an emergency and we'd take some of that money to pay for a car with cash. So we have a back-up plan just in case.

 

So please ask me how it is going. The more people that know about our plan, the more accountability Kyle and I will have to stick to our guns. We just want to be able to be financially free when we are in our 40s. We want the best for our kids and being completely debt-free will allow us to do so much. We'll be able to give more, allow me to have my dream job of just working 2 days a week, buy our RV, and much more!

 

I want to document this journey so that our kids can see how hard we worked when they were younger. How much we said "no" to many things so that we can say "YES" in the future!

 

I'm excited to see what is in store!



wake me up, when september ends: 11 month re-cap

September came and went. And it ended with a BANG. We had planned J's 1st bday party the last weekend in September. Well, I got the tummy bug, then Kyle got it, then Uncle Josh, Nana, and Pops. Along with my mom getting really sick and was admitted to the hospital. Needless to say, we had to reschedule, freeze cupcakes, and such. Good news is that everyone got better!

 

Our last time to do our week-by-week photos..

 



 my sweet little man

 

 

all dressed up

 

 



Jonah in his big brother onesie.

 

 Jonah also had pink eye

 

then he had a cough which he got an inhaler and spacer

 

Reena & Chirag came to town with their little man Kavan.  

Kavan-born in August

Eli-born in Dec

Jonah-born in Oct

those are some cute boys!

it was fun to see some friends we have not seen in a while!

goofs

the "normal" picture

 

Football season started in September. 

Nana had to get Jonah the right outfit for the tailgate.

Jonah's 2nd tailgate. He enjoyed it more this year. But it was hot!

McCoy family doing what they do best.

Jonah would not leave the blanket. It was great...he crawled only on the blanket. No grass for him!

Jonah and I came back to the condo to watch the game and eat pasta. He loved it!

The next up we had baby dedication at our church.

He was too cute!

cheesing it up with Nana and Pops

Loving his Granny and Granddaddy

He was over pictures by this point.

 

Next on the agenda, Kyle and I went to the Catfish and Khakis fundraiser for the Junior Auxiliary.

It was a fun time for a date night!

 

Fun times during the month!

 

My sweet boy is big!

 



august re-cap, 10 months

August 1st, Jonah turned 10 months old. I was in my 2nd month pregnancy and barely making it!

 

He got his 4th tooth (2nd top tooth)

started to turn pages in a book

weaned from nursing-used up all the freezer breast milk

got his 1st hair cut

 

 week-by-week photos in August

 

Just so big!

 



We had baby Quinn's shower

I miss Dr. Emily!

 

the gang-mama Jen and soon-to-be baby Quinn

Jonah was at the shower, daddy was out of town. He is not a fan of the flash.

 

 Granny time! Granny keeps Jonah 2 days a week. He loves it!

Goodnight moon!

we put up the "club house" so that we could get some things done! Daddy likes it too!

 

Daddy was out of town again, but that didn't stop the fun!

We went to the Levitt Shell to hear the rumored surprise guest Norah Jones sing. My dad loves Norah (he is the one who told me about her when she 1st started out singing) so my parents had to go!

We met up with friends too

Jonah's 1st concert and 1st time at the shell. He was enthralled!

Getting to be bedtime so in the Ergo he went.

 

 

And he was OUT! Norah sung him to sleep.

 

family time.

We went to Aunt Connie's to celebrate Uncle Lyle's bday.

So then, Aunt Connie gave him his 1st hair cut! She gave me my 1st haircut when I was little!

Since I was feeling like crud and in the beginning of my pregnancy, I didn't feel like celebrating my 34th bday. I went to work, some work peeps took me to lunch, came home to my mom cooking me my fav, then off to bed I went. 



july re-cap, 9 months, big brother

I'm going to be a speedy blogger to play catch-up!

July of 2013. Found out I was pregnant and basically, I tanked!

 

So here is Jonah, 9 months old

He got his 3rd tooth (top right)

pulling to stand  like a pro

started to cruise

likes to throw his toys out of his pack-n-play on purpose

finger-feeding much better

found out that you're going to be a big brother!

started to say "mamama" "babababa"

eating more food and still breastfeeding!

 

week-by-week photos

 

 

That was fast..he's getting so big!

 

Jonah's 1st 4th of july!

We went for a run and he passed out on me.

 

 



happy 4th!

playing with mom's breast pump. don't shoot me when you're 10 and reading this Jonah!



Play date with Eli and the Perrys!

I dressed them for church....just alike!

 

Next up, we went to Nashville for Cassie's wedding (work friend) and stayed at the Stout's house

they have a swing set in the back yard.

Jonah loved it. Cindy came over too! Fun times!

 

 

water play! Norah loved seeing Jonah. She got to help babysit while Kyle and I went to the wedding.

 

What a beautiful outdoor wedding for July. Ended up being a breeze.

 

Congrats Cassie! Love my work friends!

Kyle's BBQ team was practicing at the Clements.

love his whale trunks!

 

Sloane and Jonah in the pool. I was not feeling well...baby peanut was sucking all the life out of me.

 

I love my Fridays off with my Jonah

He loves his Boomer

Silly boy doesn't like to nap when mom is home on Fridays.

 

 We told Aunt Leah about baby peanut...

Kyle wants a mini-van. He's wanted one and Leah said we could not get one until we had 2 kids. Well....I guess we will meet the mini-van standards!

We told our parents at the same time. My parents were over and we facetime'd Kyle parents. We were taking J's weekly picture and after I took it, I said "hey I have a great idea for a pic" and I pulled out this sign. They were floored. I wish I could have captured my mom's stunned look!

 

Now on to the month 10!!