Updates

Well, it's been 5 weeks since Steve and I started our Dave Ramsey plan (budget/debt snowball) and I'm happy to report things are going great! In our debt snowball we started off with 6 debts to pay off. By the end of this month we will be down to 4! Yes, debts 1 and 2 will be eliminated!! Our Honda Accord is next up on the list (#3). It is scheduled to be paid off in April of 2011, if we keep paying the min. monthly payment. However since we've eliminated two monthly debt payments (debts #1 and #2), we'll roll those monthly amounts into the monthly car payment amount (a.k.a debt snowball). Plus, we recently found out we had an overage in our escrow account for our mortgage, so we'll be getting an $800 check for that! We will use that money toward the Honda debt, and then our Honda will be paid off in December!!! Yay again! I love Dave Ramsey! So starting in 2011, we will have 3 debts left to pay off and my hope is that we get those paid off before 2012 begins! Even though our debt snowball shows October of 2012 as the "out of debt" date, anytime we rake in any extra money, we'll apply it toward the debt. Steve also had a garage sale Friday and we made $140. Not a lot of money, but we didn't have a whole lot of things to sell either. I'm surprised we made that much! We've also continued to pay for everything with cash and we've done really well with our cutting back... meaning I've only gone shopping for myself once (because I had a great coupon and I worked it into the budget).

The update on my bible reading isn't as positive. I did really good the first three days and then I started slacking. My goal to finish by the end of this year is not a reality. But there is good news... I talked to Steve about reading the bible with me and starting Sept. 1st we are going to read the bible together each night before we go to bed. We're going to follow the same chronological order of reading the bible in a year that I had planned to do. And the goal will be just that... to finish it in a year. I think this will be a great experience for us as we can both grow in our relationship with Christ together and we will be able to discuss what we read each night. It will also encourage us to pray together each night (as we haven't done that in a long while). On another good news note... Steve has decided to go to the Great Banquet too! The men's Great Banquet is September 16th through 19th (2 weeks before the women's). Steve also signed up for the nursing home outreach through our church and yesterday was his first time. He said it was him and 3 other men. They went to a local nursing home to talk and pray with many of the elderly folks there. He said it was a great experience and he plans to do it each month! I'm so proud of him! He's such a great man of God!

Lastly, I wanted to quickly touch on my goal of moving to Michigan. A few people e-mailed me after my first post and asked "Why Michigan?" or "Where in Michigan?". Here's the basic gist of it... Steve and I visited a small town in Michigan a year or two ago (Grand Haven) and we both fell in love with the ambiance of the town. The town is right on Lake Michigan with a very nice beach, cute little shops, restaurants, homes, boats, and you could ride your bikes everywhere. It was just so cozy! I'm not sure we would necessarily live in Grand Haven. I've been to other small towns in Michigan (South Haven, Leland, Mackinac Island) and they all have the similar ambiance that Grand Haven has. The main factors is that it needs to be a small town near or on the lake. Another reason for Michigan is that I need to have my seasons... I don't want to live where it's always warm. I like to see snow in winter (we both like to ski) and I have to experience my favorite season... FALL! The changing colors of the leaves, the cool crisp air, pumpkins, bonfires (it's right around the corner now and I'm so ready for it). I like the changing seasons! My wonderful hubby is just as on board with this dream as I am! It will be at least 15 years down the road (kids will be in college or soon graduating) but that's the basic gist of my (our) Michigan goal/dream.

Well that's all I have to update on for now. I slept in until 2pm today (I know... crazy!) and now it's past midnight and I have to get up early for work. It's going to be a busy week at work so I need to be as productive as possible (a.k.a. well rested)!