End of Year Fun and a Little Recap!

My sister in law and I are having so much fun with our blogging! It is in full swing and we are so excited about all of the posts to come. You can check our her blog HERE! If you have little ones, her blog is a great one to follow. We have been enjoying blogging about pre-planned topics so much that I forgot to do my regular update on our family. I was reminded by some relatives...haha...so here it goes.

The end of the year went so fast I still can't believe it is already June! Grayson finished Kindergarten and I couldn't have asked for a better year! He had a super sweet teacher, he made some adorable little friends, and I met some amazing mommies! We are so impressed with our little reader and artist and look forward to first grade even though the thought of that makes me want to cry more than the start of Kinder! First grade just seems more " big kid official" but luckily I heard he will have a super wonderful and adorable teacher....so that helps!!!

Kindergarten party!!!

First day of kindergarten

Last Day of Kindergarten

sweet friends

End of Year awards! We are so proud of this little big guy!

Here he is with "mail" from the University of Alabama. He was hoping this was his acceptance letter! 

Between a couple of weeks ago and now, we have enjoyed swimming at the pool, one bout of sickness, playing outside, a jewelry party. visiting family, celebrating Father's Day, and some fun outings!!!

making smoothies

jewelry party time

poor sick baby

Happy Father's day to my sweet daddy

first macaron

sweet cousins

my sweet nephew Liam looking great after surgery

our almost 4 year old posin'

more jewelry party fun

hangin' out at the park

Daddy and some guys jammin'

playing' with the chickens with Vann at Mimi and Pawpaw's

sweet girls

checkin' out the art at the mall

So, we have been keepin' busy and having fun! Don't forget to check out the blog tomorrow for money saving tips on summer fun!!! Also, check out Lauren's blog HERE!

Mommy Must Have Monday!!

Hallelujah!! My summer vacation is finally here and I'm so excited, I'm so excited, I'm.....I'm so...scared. Haha!

 

I am not really scared but I thought of this scene when Jessie was hyped up on caffeine pills or whatever...oh, Saved by the Bell!

Today I am sharing a rather odd list of my Mommy Must Have items. They are things I was thinking about this weekend that as a mommy are high on my priority list.

1. Faith

For me, my faith is what keeps me going and helps me through tough times. As a mommy, it is what leads me in my decisions and forms the way my husband and I parent. As a mommy, my relationship with God is what gives me clarity and guidance in all that I do and I would definitely say that is a "must have."

2. My First Book of Questions

This is an awesome little book that has questions to study for kiddos from the bible. Joey is even trying it out with our adult Sunday school class. I won't lie, reading this gives me some good practice. It is in simple question/answer form with bible verses to reference. You can purchase it HERE. It is such a neat little book, yall! Grayson loves it and it is so inexpensive and sooo worth it! 

3. Nature's Gate Baby Wash

Grayson has skin like mine. If it touches anything that is not of super sensitive form he will have red spots all over, itching, and having a total allergic reaction to it. Our doctor suggested trying an all natural wash that would be gentle for him. Ella's skin doesn't seem to be as sensitive but we use it on her, too. I bought Nature's Gate Baby Wash. It has a very light, clean smell and hasn't given his skin any problems. I also always follow it up with Eucerin lotion. Grayson and I  both have eczema that is triggered by allergies. This combo seems to make a world of difference for him. 

You can pick up a bottle of Eucerin anywhere in the lotion area. You can order the wash HERE. 

 

Don't forget to check out Lauren's Mommy Must Haves HERE!!  We are enjoying our blogging fun and look forward to making new "blogging world" friends! Have a question or an idea for a future post? Email us at the contact info below:

Melanie: melroseacker@yahoo.com

Lauren: laurenlou5644@yahoo.com

Friday Favs!!!

Me and my blogging partner,. Lauren, over at Life with the Williams (you can find her fab blog HERE) are linking up for Friday Favs!!

#1 Lily Pulitzer Planner

I am soooo excited about this planner. I love organization and color coding my calendar but I had a hard time finding a calendar I loved. I have always ordered Erin Condren calendars which are fabulous and Lauren swears by the Emily Ley calendars. And by golly, I loved my $12 Target calendar. I love bits and pieces of all of those but I need a larger sized planner with plenty of room for my month at a glance with room somewhere to take notes, jot down appointments, etc. I am hoping this will be it! Plus I absolutely love Lilly Pulitzer's stuff. It is colorful and classic and actually not that expensive!! You can find the link to pre-order HERE! You best be believin' that I am pre-ordering one this weekend!! They are only $28 for a large one!

#2  Kendra Scott Jewelry

I love the bright colors and size of this jewelry!!! I told Joey that I would love something Kendra Scott for our anniversary! I have had my eye on a ring!! I love the color bar where you can customize pieces! I am also crushing on these earrings but my only concern is I can't wear heavy earrings and I know they are a little heavy! : ( You can find the site HERE or check it out at Nordstrom!

#3  The Mint Julep Boutique

I have seen this on facebook and heard people talk about it but when I liked their page, I saw all of the super cute stuff they have! Oh my word! It is very similar to Groovy's which has my heart! You can find it HERE!

I am so ordering this dress!! It is pretty by casual. Perfect with some sandals for a day out shopping!

 

#4 Summer!!!!

I am so excited to be off for summer vacation. I look forward to play dates, swimming, enjoying our neighborhood pool, lazy days with the kids, and working on projects around the house!

My attention span was VERY SHORT without students at school.

The next day was better and more productive thanks to my other BFF STARBUCKS...My BFF Amanda and I share this! Haha!

One of the projects I want to tackle is to make window seat cushions for the kids' room, sitting area, and our room. It surely won't be this snazzy! I will totally blog about it because I am sure it will be a HOT MESS!

Look forward to many days swimming, crafting, and napping!!

Don't forget to check out Lauren's page HERE to see her Friday FAVS and especially don't miss it if you're a mom to littles because she always has fabulous finds!!!

Have an idea for a future post, a post you would like to see, or questions for us???

Email us at:

melroseacker@yahoo.com (Melanie)

laurenlou5644@yahoo.com (Lauren)

In My Life: Budgeting

So today, I will be posting about one of the things I get asked the most about. I get messages, people ask about it in person, it is a popular question and really my husband should be the one to write it!!!

This is not advice or a we are right and anyone who doesn't do this is wrong story. This is our story and the actions we have taken to do what we felt was right for our family. It may not work for other people and everyone has to do what works for them and their family. 

Today I am talking about BUDGETING! When Joey and I first got married, my dad kept telling us about Dave Ramey. Check out his site HERE! We honestly were not that interested in hearing about some guy with a radio show who tells people how to spend and save their money. Fast forward almost 3 years later and we had two car payments, a loan, 2 credit cards, and a Lowe's card. We just brought Ella home from the hospital and were discussing our finances with the new baby and we looked at how much we were paying towards all this debt. We felt like we didn't have a lot for savings, no emergency fund, and I had no limits when it came to spending. If I wanted it, I would buy it. I remember going to Nordstrom and buying $400 purses, clothes, shopping at Tiffany's....all because I felt like it. I may secretly miss those days....haha! I did this quite often.


We knew something had to change and fast. Joey felt really convicted about having debt. He also was concerned about what would happen if something happened to him or vice versa. He also wanted to have the peace of being able to help other people more.


So, one day we made the choice to do the Dave Ramsey plan. We tweaked it a little to what worked for us. Some people will work extra jobs, minimize all of the extra, eat pb&j every night. We knew that we wanted to balance being smart and enjoying things with our kids, like trips to Disneyworld. We just knew we had to go about it in a different way. So we sat down and created a budget. It truly is amazing how well Joey does with it. He has a color coded spreadsheet that documents everything that goes in and out of our accounts.
 

For Dave Ramsey's plan, the first thing you have to do is create a budget or a plan. So we budget our living expenses, savings, and categories (Melanie's spending, Misc, Clothes, Birthdays, Outings, etc) every month. You then write down your debt in order from smallest to largest and you attack the smallest with all of the extra you have. When that is paid off you apply everything you paid on that plus what you are currently paying on the next loan. Almost 3 years later, we have paid around 40 something THOUSAND dollars of debt off including the cars, credit cards, loans, etc. It is an amazing feeling.

But don't get me wrong, it was SO hard at first and can still be hard. I have a love/hate relationship with it at times. One reason being I am a shopper. It takes one strong person in the marriage to stick with it and be accountable. That would be my hubby. Yet, we have enjoyed vacations and building a new house and other things the good ol' fashion way....by saving money. We cut up all of our credit cards and it has been freeing to not owe anything but our house.


You may be reading this and thinking BLESS HER HEART, I could not imagine. It may not work for you or you may think we are crazy. It all comes down to doing what you feel works for you and for us... being able to bless others and having the financial security and freedom was something we really want to work towards.

Hopefully this helps some of you have asked about it to hear about the plan. Dave Ramsey also has a lot of cd's, books, and videos that may really help! 

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at melroseacker@yahoo.com
Don't forget to check out my sister in law's super cute post about what her kids wear HERE!! I know I am horrible...I tell you about saving money only to direct you to a post about shopping Hey, it's a balance, right?

Yards and Outdoor Spaces

Wow...a two post day!!! Well, it is SUMMER! I work two more days! I so can't wait to play with the kids, visit the library, swim, and eat LOTS of ice cream. I have lost about 11 pounds this month by really trying to cut out gluten and things that I know bother my tummy issues but an ice cream diet sounds great!!!

Today I am linking up with Andrea at Momfessionals which you can find HERE! She has a wonderful blog that my sister in law, Lauren, introduced me to awhile back!

Now today they are linking up to show Yards and Outdoor Spaces. We have been in our house about 3 months and don't have much yard but that is exactly what we wanted. We wanted a cute place with low upkeep since we are busy. Our neighborhood offers a lot of green spaces, parks, ponds, walking trails, a pool, and clubhouse so we have all we need around us. It is simple, easy to keep up, and my hubby does pretty good staying on top of it!

Our plan was to keep everything minimal. If you notice the front yard, rocks and plants take up most of it. This makes upkeep easy. Some people love yard work and investing time into their yard and we get that but it's just not for us.

The lot we built on is open to where the jogging trail/green area will be. We love this and houses on these lots have iron fences which we love. We had a gate put in so the kids can run in the field in the back or can walk across to get into the main part of the neighborhood where the park, ponds, and clubhouse area is. The picnic table is our favorite and the kids love eating out here. Joey just ordered an umbrella for the table so we can enjoy lunch or dinner outside in the summer heat. We don't have a play area in our yard because it is small and the kids like going to the areas in our neighborhood.

I know it's a little simple. We still have some work to do but right now it's just right for us. I grew up on 5 acres of land in the country so city life has been taking some getting used to but I love it!!! I love being able to just walk around and have things to do around here.

Feel free to check out my blog post today HERE with a lil' introduction. Also, check out my fellow blogging partner and sister in law's blog HERE.

Now I am going to enjoy checking out everyone else's yard spaces!! : )

Behind the Blog

Lauren and I thought that since we linked up yesterday, we may have new readers...and we should totally introduce ourselves in case you don't know us.
Remember, you can find Lauren's blog HERE!!!  
It is pretty fabulous, so check it out.

 

Why, hello! I am Melanie and I am a very, very, , VERY early thirties mommy of two and a wife to my amazing hubby. Did I mention very early thirties...as in 31...haha....thirties are hard when your hubby is 29! This right here is my whole world.

 

I am a wife to Joey who is a wonderful, Godly man. He is an amazing husband and even more amazing father. We are going on 8 years (this month on the 24th) of being married. In some of my posts, I will blog about marriage because marriage is work. I always thought that marriage was a picture perfect fairytale but there are some days that are hard and I definitely will keep it real. Haha! So many people project perfection but you sure won't find that here. The important thing in our marriage is that we have bad days...days where we aren't each other's favorite person but we work at it everyday and this man is exceptional at thinking of ways each day to make our marriage better, stronger, and more Christ centered and I am so thankful for that.This is one of the reasons I wanted to blog. I wanted to have a real blog that may be a testament to others when it comes to marriage.

 

I am a Mommy to a 6 year old and an almost 4 year old (she will be 4 on the 24th, we had an anniversary baby)! I never knew I could love two little kiddos so much. They bring us so much joy and make us crazy all at the same time but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Grayson is our logical, ease into situations kid. He likes to read, analyze situations, and has the kindest heart. He loves the Lord already and wants to be in His word everyday. He is so thoughtful and just melts my heart and even more so as he gets older. He is also the super cuddly one!

 

Ella is our free spirited, spunky yet very girly kiddo. She can be so shy and sensitive or a ball of energy. She loves French music, Starbucks, and being with Mommy. I never imagined how fun it would be to have a little girl! She is so sweet and caring and picks up on people's feelings quite easily, we may have another counselor on our hands one day! 

 I am a past Kinder and First teacher, elementary counselor, and now middle school counselor. I have been so blessed to have been at such amazing schools with sweet kids. I love my job and am happy as long as I am working with kids. I learn so much from them and hope I can make an impact on their lives.....even if it's for a tiny moment. I also blog about ideas and resources at my counseling blog: The Stylish School Counselor

Most importantly, I am a follower of God. He has my heart. I would be nothing without Him. He is my rock and is another big part of why I blog. I want to share my testimony each day and write about my struggles and celebrations with my walk with the Lord.  He is the center of our family and we try to pray about every decision that is made in our household. We owe every blessing to Him.  

I love shopping, Starbucks, creating fun yet simple things and activities for kids, trying to decorate on a budget (our budgeting will be a whole other post), Nordstrom has my heart, my family and friends and BFF are everything to me, wedges and dresses are my official dress code, and I am slightly obsessed with NYC and Gossip Girl is my guilty pleasure (PTL for Netflix)!  

 I started this blog in 2009 as a way to document Grayson's milestones and to keep our family from around the world in the loop of our family's happenings. Since then I have blogged about adding a new baby (Ella), graduating from grad school, job changes, celebrations, losses, moving, and just the day to day moments as a family. I look forward to many more posts full of fun ideas for kids, testaments of faith, fashion finds, recipes, and much more.

 I am also so excited about all the fun me and my sister in law, Lauren, will have with our new blog series. Good times, ahead!!!

Mommy Must Haves Monday!

Hey, y'all!!! I am SO beyond excited about partnering up with my sister in law, Lauren! You can find her blog HERE! We have been planning away for daily posts (yes, I REALLY said daily)! We want to be able to share with you a glimpse of our lives, things we love, and a way to answer any mommy/wife/educator questions. We have themed days and oh.so.much.fun! We are a hot mess.

Today we have Mommy Must Haves Monday! Each Monday we will blog about things we as Mommies Must Have!!! So here are mine for the week:


1. A Calendar and Planner (and of course special, colorful pens)

As a mommy, counselor, wife, and the wearer of many other hats....I have to be organized. There is no other option. This month's calendar is a little light because of summer break and we are doing camps/activities in July.
I have a planner that runs my life...haha...and one main calendar that Joey adds to. We usually try to sit at the table on Sundays and discuss dates for the week/month and add them to our family calendar which hangs in our mini mud room. This calendar is the Note Nook by Avalanche and you can find it HERE and the Stabilo pens (they have my heart) HERE.

I also have a calendar for me that I put work, family, and FUN stuff!! I buy an Erin Condren planner every year and I switch between this and the Erin Condren one. This one is just from Target for like $12 and I like how big the boxes are for each date because I have to see a monthly glance. Yet, I still use the Erin Condren because it is small enough to tote around in my purse.


2. Summer/Kid Organization

With summer here and a gorgeous community pool, we will spend a lot of time swimming. Thanks to Thirty One's amazing bags, I feel so super organized. Ella has the large retro metro fold over bag in coral dot and she uses this for school because it is big enough for some extra clothes and her nap stuff. Grayson has the Keep It Caddy in navy to carry his Kindle and his asthma stuff. The large utility tote has their towels, sunblock, pool toys, first aid kit, and always has packaged snacks that won't go bad. I check this every week when I wash and put in new towels....sometimes more if we swim a lot. It stays in our little mini mud room so it's not in the way and I can walk by and grab it all ready to go!! Interested in some fab Thirty One products? Check out my site HERE. There are some great specials!!! Even if you don't use Thirty One, just pick up a bright tote somewhere to fill with your summer goodies and you will be one prepared momma!


3. Relaxation
This is definitely a Mommy Must Have. Taking time for yourself is so important. As a counselor, this is one of the first things we learned about mental health. Time for you is not a commodity, it is a necessity. Whether it's a quick trip to Starbucks, a pedicure, shopping, or a couple minutes on the back porch reading your fav magazine...mommies need this. Heck, everyone needs this!
Of course, it all depends on the age range of your kids but even setting up time with your spouse or a friend or family member a couple of times a week makes a huge difference. I enjoyed a little time reading magazines and enjoying some iced tea. Amazing.

Well, for the 15 minutes it lasted before the kids were needing me but I wouldn't have it any other way!!!


I am so excited about blogging every day and would love any feedback from y'all!! Have any questions for us or about us... or ideas for future posts??? Email me at melroseacker@yahoo.com or Lauren at laurenlou5644@yahoo.com and we would love to answer them on our blog!!!!