Kyrie Eleison: Have Mercy on Me, Please

Y'all, I have had a tough week here; won't go into details but suffice it to say we are focusing on the basics right now. Please bear with me as I get back into the swing of things.

Dave Ramsey Baby Emergency Fund Giveaway!

Hi, I'm Donna, and Dave Ramsey is my hero.

Don't you know Dave? He is a spectacular motivational speaker and author and his passion is helping people to reach financial freedom. His personal finance advice is sound; if you're a Christian, it's also Biblically based. It's Dave's system that got the ground under our feet financially when Baboo and I joined forces. And he has the heart of a teacher.

Dave is giving away a whole lot of money, in $999 dollar increments, here. Check back every day for the new code word. Enter once a day, every day, as long as the giveaway is running. You can also register to get Dave's updates and tips via e-mail or mobile phone. Also, Dave is running a special on his entire inventory of personal finance books, workbooks, and tools; each is only $9.99, with free shipping for orders over $65. His books are inspirational, full of good advice, and are quick and easy reads. Go and win your baby emergency fund, courtesy of Dave!!!

Lockdown Budget Update: Almost Halfway There

If you're wondering how we're doing on the lockdown budget, the answer is: spectacular. Fabulous. Wonderful.

We had the opportunity to take a short vacation to a touristy town in northern Wisconsin (I had a business matter that I sandwiched in, which made it deductible and partially reimbursable. Love that multitasking). We left Friday morning, got there in the afternoon and basically spent 36 hours walking around, eating, shopping, and soaking up the last of the summery atmosphere. We took snackies and drinkies from home. Though we are on lockdown, because the trip itself and many of the expenses were reimbursable, we felt it was right to seize the day and go. We also happened to have some vacation money from pre-lockdown budget contributions -- and I am happy to report we still have lots left in that category. We will be looking at about $100 out of pocket for that little jaunt, and it was well worth it.

We did spend a little unnecessary money (gifties for the kids, a pair of winter shoes for me), but that's all right -- because in 48 short hours or so we will be a little less than five hundred dollars short of HALFWAY TO OUR GOAL for the three month lockdown period. Amazingly, very very shortly after we decided to lock down the budget, a couple of large matters closed and that got us a long way very fast. For that, I am very thankful. I anticipate, based on my accounts, that we will be halfway there by the end of September. God is really, really good.

In terms of spending, we've got a couple of expenses coming up; dance class and new tap shoes for The Girl, and possibly karate or basketball for Animal. Otherwise, I'm stocked on every other possible thing except perishables, and it seems I may not have to pay for milk this month, given all the good cereal and milk deals happening in September. And the garden is finally producing, and I have some zucchini to saute and shred for zucchini bread. Yum, life's good.

Since we made such quick progress so fast and were able to knock out the credit card giving us grief, I'm contemplating our next move. Our saving account is precipitously low; I don't like seeing it that empty, and neither does Baboo. I also don't like giving Chase any more of my money than I have to. We do have a balance transfer deal available to us that would lock in a very low interest rate for a long time, and we may do that and opt to shovel all my income into savings for the next two months instead, paying off debt in smaller "chunks" instead. Whatever we decide, I anticipate staying on "lockdown." It is eye-opening to see that we really can live on one income (tight though it may be), and to know how significantly my income can impact our debt when we choose to lockdown.

So I'll throw it out there: what would you guys do? Assuming lock down until December 1, would you throw all additional income in your savings account, or at your debt? Discuss. In the comments, if you please.

Lockdown Budget: Ground Zero and 1/3 There Already

Tomorrow is day one of Lockdown Budget, and I am happy to report that due to a large case closing and the auditing process taking not nearly as long as usual, we have already paid off 1/3 of the debt we goaled ourselves to pay off by December 1. I anticipate, based on the way my work is swinging along, that we will be halfway to our goal by October 1, and God willing we might be done by November 1.

I don't think this big start out of the gate will make us complacent; Baboo and I are really determined to make.this.happen. I am doing my best to carve out as much as I can from the food and household budget and we are selling a few things on Craigslist and Ebay as well; we'd been meaning to do these things before but are now super motivated to get the no-debt party started. If you're the praying type, please keep us in yours as we sacrifice temporarily to get our family to financial freedom. I'll certainly be updating you as we go along.

Taming the Stepmonster: How I Avoid Burnout

I am the mother of five: two of my own children, three stepsons whom I love as my own. Most times we live in relative peace and harmony, for which I am eternally grateful. They know I love and respect them, and most of the time they love and respect me back. Not bad as far as parenting goes.

But then there are those days. We all have them. But generally speaking, around here "those days" can be traced not to me or their dad, but to something or someone else. The anger, frustration, disrespect comes out sideways. And though I am no psychologist, I am aware and smart enough to know that displaced anger and frustration only comes out when children feel safe. Again, the fact that my children feel safe with me and their dad/stepdad leaves me thankful beyond measure.

Still, it is frustrating. Even when you do not have a combative or mentally unstable co-parent, it can be difficult to be the container for all the anger and frustration a child may feel. Multiply times five, and you have a recipe for emotional exhaustion.

The solution? Disengage. Look at parenting as a spiritual process, in which you are asked to show the love of Christ/loving kindness to everyone, including your children and their other parents. Sometimes this requires careful listening. Sometimes this requires telling the truth in love, in a child's terms. Sometimes this merely requires granting God's blessing to the other parent. Sometimes it requires holding a crying child and reassuring that things will be all right. In any circumstance, it requires you, the parent, to empty yourself of desires, pride, and what have you and allow yourself to react with kindness to every situation.

This is easier said than done. Most times I trend more toward "postal episode" than "spiritual practice." But I am learning and working on it, and I encourage those of you who are working on it too to have heart. You are simply planting seeds which may or may not bear fruit; but it is the planting and not the fruit that is your responsibility.

Menu Plan Monday and Tightwad Tip Tuesday: Vacation Bible School edition

Please forgive my delay in posting, but this week, I am teaching Bible verses to a gaggle of beautiful three, four, and five year olds. I'm a little cooked by the end of the day! Because of that my menus are simple and to the point this week.

Monday: fending for self, Baboo tailgating at Brewers game: popcorn with parmesan cheese
Tuesday: Date night!! A backpacking cooking seminar at REI, then probably Qdoba (if I can talk my sweet baboo into it)
Wednesday: Pork loin, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad
Thursday: Picnic at softball game (hot dogs, chips, apples, cookies)
Friday: Date night!! Very likely to be dinner at Il Mito, thanks to my very best friend in the whole world, who gave me a gift card and told me to let someone else cook for a change.
Saturday: Costco!! Pizza!!
Sunday: Whatever my sweet Baboo desires.

My tightwad tip for today: use a lot of peanut butter and jelly? Make sure to use a good old kitchen spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the jar. You can usually get another sandwich worth's, or at least enough to smear on the back of a couple chocolate covered graham crackers. (go ahead, ask me how I know).

Ask For Socks and Ye Shall Receive

So, my dear sweet hubs has been patiently waiting to get himself some athletic socks, since he spent all the money allotted for his clothing budget on a black Sta-Puft Marshmallow -- I mean, Mountain HardWare down jacket on our anniversary trip to Schaumburg back in May. (Hush, I got engaged in Schaumburg. It was super romantic. Plus, there's IKEA there!!!).

Anyway, since we do the Dave Ramsey thing, he's in the red and will be until August, but has a run coming up with one of the kids, and the last thing we all want is a daddy-type with owies on his feets. So we were going to go today to get athletic socks, and he was just gonna be in the hole that much longer.

Except last night, we got an e-mail coupon from Kohl's for $10 off any purchase to get people in the store after the local Kohl's completed their remodel. (Incidentally, I used two of these in June to get myself some running shoes.) Is God telling us He loves us and is providing in all ways, large and small? Or is He just telling us we need to get off our rears and get on the treadmill?

Dunno. Either way, thanks, God!!!