I worked on my morning routine this week… and well, it still needs some definite work. But I’m encouraged that I AM making some progress. Any progress is progress — and that’s worth celebrating! Read more about how my morning routine is going here.
We’ve been loving reading The Saturdays and Brother Andrew: Behind Enemy Lines! We also got two new books from PaperBackSwap that we’re looking forward to reading soon!
I’ve been getting back into running since we’ve moved and I’ve been loving it. I have my sights set on doing another race — hopefully in the not-too-distant future!
Developing the practice of writing down a few blessings from the day before is a habit that has transformed my entire outlook on life. And for months I’ve dreamed of the possibility of producing my own Blessing Journal — in order to encourage others to also join me in this life-changing practice.
Thanks to some of my wonderful team, my dream is becoming a reality! I got to see the proof of our new Choose Gratitude journals this past week and I can’t wait to share more about them soon!
We got some decent deals on our grocery purchases this week — not as great as I would like, but I’m so very thankful for the low prices Aldi offers. See what we bought and how much we spent here.
We had so much fun at the Franklin Farmer’s Market on Saturday morning! The produce prices were all really steep, but the we splurged on some fresh- squeezed lemonade, Kathrynne bought some Kettle Corn to share, and we bought breakfast from a food truck… Something we’ve never done before.
It wasn’t exactly a frugal outing, but I’m all about occasional, budgeted splurges!
And a picture that gives you a peek into my afternoon today: lounging on the couch and reading aloud to my kids, while Kaitlynn (6) tried out different hairstyles on me. 🙂 It’s so nice to have a quiet, leisurely afternoon to enjoy read-alouds together.
Other blessings of the week that I didn’t get pictures of:
–I found a hair stylist that I love! I had been putting off making a hair appointment since we moved because, in the past, I’ve found that it usually takes a few bad experiences before you find a great stylist. But this time around, I read reviews online, looked at prices, and made some phone calls. I narrowed it down to one place and randomly picked a stylist there… and she ended up being amazing! Such a huge blessing!
–We had some great times with friends:
- Monday night was our typical Meaty Monday gathering (we LOVE these folks and they are all fast becoming dear friends!).
- Wednesday, we met a friend and her little girl at the park for lunch — which was fun!
- Friday morning, I got to spend a few hours having coffee and catching up with a good friend who lives here. I left feeling so encouraged! Life-giving friends are certainly a gift!
- Friday evening, we hung out for a few hours with two couples in our neighborhood — it’s not often that you can meet people for the very first time and, within 5 minutes, be laughing hysterically and then soon after delving into deep, heartfelt conversations. But that’s what happened Friday evening and it was such a beautiful thing… the level of community and authenticity we are experiencing here as newcomers is pretty mind-blowing!
- Saturday evening, some other friends of ours invited us over spur-of-the-moment for pizza and volleyball with some of their friends and neighbors. Again, we’re just amazed by how folks have welcomed us into their lives here!
I know I’ve said it often, but I can’t help but say it again: we are so very grateful to be here in TN. The move was hard and we miss our friends and family in Kansas, but God has confirmed to us over and over again that this is where we’re supposed to be.
We’re soaking it up, seeking to make the most of each day, and learning and growing so much as a family. And we’re humbly grateful for how God orchestrated things for us to be living here.
How was YOUR week last week? I’d love to hear! Tell us about it in the comments!
Aryn says
I find farmer’s market prices to be about the same as regular grocery store prices (except for markdowns), but the quality of farmer’s market produce is so much better. The flavors are better, the food is fresher, and you’re supporting local farmers. I will happily pay $1 more for fresh, local nectarines than fruit shipped from Chile.
Karen says
I just LOVE the look of the new journal! Looking forward to hearing of their availability!
Dee says
Hi, Crystal. I’m just curious – what Bible is that? I mean, I know it’s the Bible – but what type? I thought I saw you read a Life App. in a post somewhere…but I can’t recall. I’m asking just because! I have no hidden motives – I’m just a Bible snoop (and *ahem* collector – but I read them all! 🙂
TIA!
Crystal Paine says
It’s the ESV version. I use the YouVersion app on my phone for my Scripture Memory.
B says
Happy that your family is adjusting to TN so well. I am an attorney and always enjoyed hearing about Jesse and where he was in is career – what he was doing. Is he going to practice law in TN? What is he doing now? It seems like you still have the majority of the daily responsibilities at home. Thanks.
Crystal Paine says
I shared about why we moved and what Jesse is planning to do career-wise here: https://moneysavingmom.com/2014/05/im-happy-back-moved-nashville.html
The move has been such a welcome change for both of us and I’m so grateful!
Amanda B. says
When will those blessing/gratitude journals be ready?! I actually ALMOST placed an order for one last week on Amazon but cancelled it at the last minute — it just wasn’t what I was looking for. I was inspired after reading a post of yours about a sentence every day. That’s what I am looking for. PLEASE keep us updated.
I’m a single mother who works full-time and so my time (and money!) is extremely limited, plus I suffer from chronic pain and immune conditions. I have no idea how I do it, honestly, so I like the idea of a sentence every day. (This coming from someone with a B.A. in English, so writing is my forte–or it was.) It feels manageable and effective, and I definitely need to be more upbeat as I face neurosurgery within the next year.
Thanks for your blog. I think I’ve posted this before, but I would love to see some posts (maybe from guest bloggers if not yourself) geared towards the single mother. I know I am not an island within myself and that there’s plenty in my boat; it would be nice to have that feeling validated every once in a while. 🙂
Crystal Paine says
{Hugs!} I don’t know how all of you single moms do it — you amaze me and my heart hurts for all the extra burdens you carry!
We’ve had some fantastic guest posts by single moms here before that I think might encourage you:
https://moneysavingmom.com/money-saving-mom-search-results?cx=007411191005105397513%3Aunk5vrqj0se&cof=FORID%3A11&ie=UTF-8&q=single+mom
And I’d LOVE to have more guest posts by single moms in the future — so if you, or anyone of the other many single moms who read here want to write a guest post, we’d love to consider it. I think it’s so important to let you know that you aren’t alone and we want to cheer you on in your journey.
Lauren says
Love getting a peek into your week! If you really want to find a farmer’s market, you could try the one a little farther south in Columbia. Prices there should be better; Franklin is known for being a more affluent area. 😉
Can’t wait to hear more about the blessings journal! I started one myself after moving to a new state – it’s been a REALLY good thing.
I am continually blessed to hear how many people you are meeting and friends you are making. I moved from TN almost a year ago, and still haven’t met that many folks. Haha.
Billene says
Crystal, I ever remember ever hearing you sound so happy. It is so wonderful hear of the wonderful experiences you have had since moving to Tennessee.
Billene says
I meant to say I never.
Melissa says
I would love to get a Blessings Journal! I have been looking forward to starting something like that and keeping one for prayer requests!
brandi says
Ok, I have a question for you. You just moved and you seem to have so many friends. Did you know them already or did you meet them after moving. We moved a year ago, and while we’ve met some people through church and work, I still feel like we are lacking in friendships. Maybe it’s because we moved away from some great friends. Just wondering how you find quality people (we’ve met some that we prefer not to do life with because we are so different spiritually). We go to a pretty big church, so we’ve met some people there, but not as many as I’d like. Crystal or anyone else have ideas on how to meet friends in new places?
Heidi says
Be patient and don’t try to force anything, but be persistent. Invite a couple/family over after Sunday morning church for dinner (or evening service for a snack). Do this often enough and surely you will find ones that “click”. Also, offer to serve in church where it is appropriate, not necessarily something permanent, but visiting shut-ins or bringing meals to sick or new parents. Do you homeschool? Have you looked for local support groups?
Leah says
Ooh, Brandi, I feel you! My husband and I moved two years ago, and it can be SO difficult to find people who share your beliefs AND are interested in making new friends (people in our area at our age tend to be really well established with lots of friends and family already, and aren’t as interested in making new friends.).
Honestly, Crystal’s posts have been making me feel like a total failure, because we’re nowhere near as well-established as they are and we’ve been working at for two whole years. (But my fault, not hers! I really am so glad they’re making such good friends.) BUT they did already have good friends in the area when they moved, and I really do think people in the South tend to be friendlier and more open to meeting new people. I think it is much harder to move into a place where you don’t know anyone and people aren’t naturally friendly. You have to be willing to put yourself out there more.
Heather’s right, we just have to be patient, and keep trying! Small groups really do make it easier to get to know people and establish relationships, so if you haven’t already I would really encourage you to find some that you are interested in joining. It could be a bible study, or a woman’s group, or even something outside of the church. Local libraries often host fun activities, and even if you don’t meet anyone you would be interested in forming a deep relationship with, it’s still nice to have people you can say hi to when you run into them at the store.
guest says
Four years and counting for us and we’re nowhere near where Crystal and her family are in terms of friends. That said, I’m guessing that (and I could be totally wrong!) Crystal and her family likely had existing friendships through the various organizations they’ve been involved in. Dave Ramsey is headquartered outside of Nashville and there are a lot of Christian organizations in the area so it could be that they’ve had years meeting with these people at conferences, through business partnerships, etc. Again, that may not be the case but in my experience if you move where you have existing business and personal relationships, it’s a much easier transition. Keep your head up and be persistent in finding your kindred spirits. I’ve realized that my focus is on quality not quantity and I’m incredibly grateful for the wonderful friends I have met even if there aren’t as many as I had in our previous home.
Jennifer says
Tell Kaitlynn to keep it up, the braids make you look ten years younger!
My son practices braiding my hair for me, and putting it in pony tails. Although, now that he’s 11 and developing into a boy’s boy, if you know what I mean, he likes to make me look silly.
Crystal Paine says
😉
Jamie Rohrbaugh says
The journal looks so pretty! Love it!! Excited for you!
Crystal Paine says
Thank you so much!
Jody says
Love the hairstyle by your little one! Sounds like a wonderful week! I enjoy these peek into your weeks posts.
I am really excited about your blessings journal and look forward to reading more about it…and getting one!
Crystal Paine says
Thanks so much for your kind encouragement!
Tshanina | Thrifty T's Treasures says
I look forward to hearing more about your blessings journal Crystall!
I agree that “life-giving friends are a gift.” I had some godly friends pour into me last week and it was just what I needed.
One place you should check out in Franklin is Head Springs Depot. They are a discount store and have all kinds of different items at fabulous prices. (https://www.facebook.com/HeadSpringsDepot)
Crystal Paine says
So glad you had some life-giving friends pour into you recently! That’s such a blessing!
And thanks for the tip on Head Springs Depot!
Amber =) says
Ooh! I’ve been wanting to check out the Farmer’s Market in Franklin (I’m about an hour away), and now I’ll have to check out Head Springs Depot while I’m there too. I’m sure my husband is going to love our field trip. 😉
Julie Carns says
What a blessing to feel welcomed and at home in such a short time! Had you picked out a church before you moved? That is a top priority for us when we consider moving.
Crystal Paine says
Yes, we had picked out a church beforehand that we thought would be a good fit for our family and we’ve been SO blessed by it!
Linda Walsh says
oh, I want that journal. I have been working on my gratitude journal, but right now its just a bunch of lists..goals, blessings etc written on anything I can get my hands on. 😛
Crystal Paine says
I can’t wait until we get our shipment of the finished journals in… hopefully soon!
Cheryl says
So happy to hear you are feeling at home already and have met many great friends and have fun times too! My week has been a “wing it” week and I have been following my schedule as best as I can but since we are having a new roof put on we have adjusted it a little. (day 3 of pounding-and a storm coming in so he said they will stop at noon) We went to the park yesterday and just watched the kids play and walked along the stream and saw some beautiful baby ducks-very nice. I’m looking forward to your graditude journal too, I’ve been mentally listing my blessings and would really like to start writing them down. Have a happy day everyone! God is good!
Crystal Paine says
We had to get a new roof on our house in Kansas last year because of hail damage and I so understand the comment about the pounding! All our neighbors had to get new roofs, too, so it felt like there was almost incessant pounding in our neighborhood for a few months!
Denise says
I’m so glad you are so happy in TN. We’re feeling the same about our move from 6 months ago and it makes me so glad to hear that we’re not the only ones that have had such a great experience. I know moving is hard.
How is your new church? For us that was the hardest part about moving. We tried NINE before we found our new home church but we LOVE it and are so happy to already be getting involved there!
Crystal Paine says
We had a church picked out here before we moved that we thought would be a good fit. We were so grateful to visit and discover it was everything we were looking for in a church. We’ve been so blessed, challenged, and fed there already — and we’re very, very grateful! We’re looking forward to getting more involved there in the coming weeks and months!
Denise says
That’s so great that you loved it the first time!
Libby says
Sounds like an amazing week even if things aren’t set in the morning yet! LOVE farmer’s markets and wish we had some here….Northern Ontario, Canada not so much! My week has been great with really trying to spend time and invest in our beautiful daughter….it has been interesting juggling routine and running a household as a LEO’s wife but wouldn’t change anything for the world even through frustrating times. I also have a blessings journal and have been doing it since september and totally begins my day on a great note….hope you have a new great week!
Crystal Paine says
I love your upbeat and positive attitude. I hope you have an amazing week!
Jessie Weaver says
All your posts make me miss Nashville!! We love it in Chattanooga, but man, I miss our friends there and the great attractions. Have you been to Radnor Lake yet? It’s a really pretty walk. I was hoping you’d gone to the downtown farmer’s market – it’s so nice. I know they’ve renovated it some more since we moved. Great lunch spots, plus the vendors are there all the time!
Crystal Paine says
We haven’t been to Radnor Lake yet… thanks for the recommendation! And we want to try the Downtown Farmer’s Market soon, too!
Victoria says
LOVE the gratitude journal! I am also so glad that you are settling in to your new home with such ease.
Crystal Paine says
We are so very, very grateful — and so thankful for all the prayers prayed on our behalf for this move.
Crystal says
I’m loving the more personal posts. They were always my favorite. You inspired me to develop a morning routine and it was going pretty good for the first 2 days. All of a sudden, though, I was super tired all the time. I bumped up my bed time to 10pm but it didn’t help. I found out Sunday (father’s day) why I was so tired. Turns out baby #3 is on the way. It was a big surprise and we’re starting to get really excited. So after a frustrating week of not getting much done it ended up pretty great.
Crystal Paine says
Sounds like you have a great “excuse” to be tired! 🙂 Congratulations — what a fun surprise!
Becki @Running with Team Hogan says
I’m so excited about your gratitude journal! I can only imagine your level of excitement. I hope you are getting more sleep this week, but it looks like you had a ton of fun. It is hard for me to balance the fun times with being productive. I always have more trouble getting work done around the home when I am not in my home enough. I often have to limit my times out of the house if I want to actually accomplish things.
Crystal Paine says
You’ll be happy to know that I got 9 hours of sleep on Saturday night, almost 7 hours of sleep on Sunday, and over 7 hours of sleep last night. I’m so grateful and encouraged and hope I can stay disciplined to go to bed “earlier” because it’s making such a difference!
Becki @Running with Team Hogan says
I’m glad you are seeing the results. I am always amazed at how much more I get done when I’m well rested and up early.
Lety says
Hi, Crystal! I continue to so enjoy these posts. 🙂 Thank you for sharing.
What exciting news about your new journal! I have a thick gratitude journal, but will have your journal on my list to purchase as soon as I fill mine. : )
My week was going along well until I hit a new health crisis on Thursday and had a one night stay in the hospital. I didn’t get anything done the rest of the week. After a bit of a self-pity moment (or two), I focused on everything good in my life and found the balance is definitely in my favor. 🙂 So I continue on, praying for recovery, but also patience to wait for God’s timing.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week filled with blessings.
Crystal Paine says
You are SUCH an inspiration to me! I’m so sorry about your hospital stay and health crisis. But your attitude to focus on your blessings inspite of it truly motivates me. Thank you, Lety! Praying for special blessings and strength for you today!
Lety says
I was definitely in need of strength today and did indeed have more than I thought. Thank you for adding to my strength. I appreciate your kindness, support and prayers. You are such a blessing <3
Kristy Sharp says
We moved to Santa Barbara from Alabama to be closer to my husbands family and while I’m grateful for his family, friends I’ve made, and for living in such a beautiful, healthy place, I am struggling with not having my mom here. She was such a big help to me and my three children. She always wanted to spend time with them and misses them terribly. I thought all grandparents were like her but have realized, sadly, they aren’t. I love my in laws but it’s not the same as my family, who would have been at every school event, ball game, etc. I realize my mom is getting old and want my kids to remember growing up with her. They saw her four times in the past year and will be with her in Tn. A month this summer. Has it been hard adjusting from not having family nearby for anyone else?
Crystal Paine says
When we moved to Topeka, KS soon after we got married, it was *really* hard for me since I am so close to my family and had never lived more than 20 minutes away from them. I just prayed for you for comfort and encouragement.
{And I think one thing that helped this move was that I freely allowed myself to grieve what we were leaving behind. In a sense, it’s somewhat like a death and I had to grieve it and process it. So did our kids. We talked about it a lot, we cried a lot, and we allowed time to process this life change. We still definitely have moments… but I think taking those few months before we moved to grieve really helped it not be so traumatic. Also: one thing that has helped tremendously was for us to be ALL IN here. Once we got here, we believe this is where we’re supposed to be, so I am jumping in with everything I have instead of holding back because we don’t know how long we’re going to be here. I’m not sure if that makes sense, but having that mindset has truly helped me in this big transition.}
Kristy Sharp says
Thank you sincerely for the prayer! That really touched me and was an unexpected response. Your words were very helpful and comforting. I am grateful I found your website. I see firsthand, now, what a ministry it is for people. Thanks for what you do!
Q says
Last week I started doing a load of laundry every day. At first, I didn’t like the idea of doing laundry the majority of my days of the week. But, its seems to be less stressful and less overwhelming than trying to get all the laundry done and put away in a day or two.
Thank for giving us a glimpse into your life. It has encouraged me in my daily devotional time. And much more!
Crystal Paine says
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that doing laundry every day is helping to simplify your life. I find doing projects in bite-sized pieces to be so much easier than trying to tackle a huge project all at once.
Julie says
I love the look of the blessings journal!!! I tend to look at the down-side of things, so I could stand to reflect on things I am grateful for each morning. What a good way to start the day!
Crystal Paine says
It has made SUCH a difference for me!
Ai @ Less to More says
I love it when my daughter plays with my hair. It’s sooo relaxing, and I usually end up falling asleep for a few minutes. 🙂 By the way, thank you for featuring my post today on unemployment! It’s great that you give bloggers, like me, an opportunity to spread our wings.
Crystal Paine says
Thanks so much for the guest post! I know it blessed a lot of people.
And yes, I LOVE it when my kids play with my hair!
Amy says
I am so happy for your family and move! I can’t get over how many friends you have made though! I am a SAHM of 4 and have lots of acquaintance s but not true friends…. I just would love your tips in this area!
Also, we just started homeschooling and love seeing the books you are reading. Do you do year round homeschool?
Crystal Paine says
We were blessed to already have some deep friendships here before we moved (which was one of the reasons we picked this area, amongst many other reasons) and we’ve been so blessed to have them introduce us to others here who are already becoming really close friends. We feel so very grateful and don’t take these authentic friendships lightly… they are such a gift to us, especially in this time of transition.
I’m actually working on a post right now on how to find good friends because this is an area I’ve learned a LOT about in the last five years and so many readers have asked if I’d share more about how to develop close friendships. I’m hoping to have that done in the next day or so.
We do school year-round, though we’re a little more relaxed in the summer. We find it’s just easier to keep a routine going in the summer. Everyone seems to function better when there’s at least some basic structure in our days. And for the most part, our kids really enjoy homeschooling so they like to keep working through the summer.
Jessie Brown says
PLEASE share your salon with me! I’m moving to Franklin in a month and I’m terrified of a bad cut!!! Can’t wait to be there!!!
Crystal Paine says
Email me and I’ll be happy to! It’s actually in Spring Hill, but if you’re willing to drive, I think it might be totally worth it. crystal @ moneysavingmom . com
Jennifer says
My week was pretty great! Last Sunday I had my second son and enjoyed being a family of four all week. Now both grandmas have gone home and my husband goes back to work tomorrow, so looking forward to the ups and downs of being a stay at home mom of two boys under two. Trying to mentally prepare for a life that is simultaneously more organized for my sanity and more flexible for my graciousness!
Libby says
CONGRATULATIONS!! Praying that you have a destressed, good week with your two boys!!
Crystal Paine says
That’s a BIG adjustment… but an exciting one!
Michelle Murphy says
You sound like you are settling well into your new life in TN.
I finally completed a week of a clean kitchen challenge. I also completed a week of starting a new morning routine. Like you, I am still struggling to go to bed earlier. My husband works 2nd shift and I get about 6 1/2 hours of sleep if I go to bed at midnight with him. I can’t seem to make myself go to bed and get up when he gets home either. “sigh”. So far I have just been taking a nap EVERY day. That is all I can think of as a solution. I tried just sleeping in 1 day, that didn’t work well. I ended up with migraines.
This past weekend I complete 40 freezer crock pot meals. I am so excited to have 1 major task for the day off my plate. Now I need to do some breakfast meals prepped.
Jennifer says
What’s a clean kitchen challenge?
Crystal Paine says
I was wondering the same thing! 🙂
Libby says
Napping is good! My husband also works shift work and it took a while before I could maintain my own schedule while he had a few different kinds…you will figure out what works best for you guys! Praying for you!