Money Saving Mom®

This is the face of a 44-year-old woman who ran her first 10k last Sunday – without stopping!!!!

I seriously and truthfully cannot believe this!

And I’m sharing my running journey with you all because I hope it inspires you to go try that thing you’ve always told yourself you can’t do.

Some things I did to prep: I ate 100 extra grams of carbs on Saturday. (I usually aim for 240 grams/day – I ate close to 340 grams on Saturday.)

I drank extra water/electrolytes on Saturday and took a complete rest day with no exercise and lots of down time.

I got a good night’s sleep on Saturday night. I ate half an English muffin with peanut butter 45 mins before my run. And then paved myself and ran 12-min miles for the first 4 miles. I gradually increased my speed with the last two miles. I felt great the whole run and afterwards, too!

Kierstyn and I went to Disney this week – something that has been a dream of hers for three years!!! It was absolutely everything she had hoped and dreamed and so much more – and we did it on a budget!

We didn’t watch TV or movies growing up, so I didn’t really get or understand the Disney enthusiasm. But going with @alliworthington as an adult changed that for me. There’s something that this place does for my soul and body – I feel like it helps you rediscover childlike wonder. And getting to experience it through the eyes of my child was really incredible!

Seeing her squeal with absolute and incredible delight at seeing the characters actually made me super emotional. She could not contain her excitement and joy and it was deeply moving to experience. I can’t help but think this is how my Heavenly Father feels towards me when He sees me delighting in something.

We didn’t spend any money on experiences or upsells outside of our ticket, but ended up getting to meet 5 princesses – which was a huge highlight! I think because we went on a Tuesday in April, it just wasn’t as crowded.

Highly, highly recommend the princess-meeting experience at Fairytale Hall. We waited for about 20 minutes two different times to meet two different processes at a time. They’d spend a few minutes with each person and it was very personalized feeling. The princesses were fantastic and so kind. And it was completely free!

You can bring your own food and drinks into the park. I always bring a backpack with snacks and a water bottle to refill. (Note: the water at the refill stations doesn’t taste great so I recommend bringing electrolytes or something to mix with it or asking for free cups of ice water at the food service stations.)

If you want to buy food, the best deal (I think) are to get the kid’s meals. Adults can get them and they have some healthy and yummy options – all under $10. Most come with a drink and two sides.

You can easily spend thousands on a Disney trip if you get a lot of upgrades, etc. But you can also easily do it for just a few hundred per person (or even less!) if you only buy the tickets, bring your own food/drink, don’t buy things at the parks, and stay in a budget hotel with a free shuttle to the parks.

The one thing Kierstyn had requested to do was to get her face painted, so I had told her we’d do that as a really special treat. It’s $28 (which is pricey) but they do offer free touch-ups all day long if your face paint gets messed up. There was a girl who came back because her face paint was almost completely gone and they redid the whole thing for free.

Thank you to my friend @adventureadvising for all the Disney tips and for helping to plan the trip and saving us $$ on our hotel! It was truly such a special experience that Kierstyn and I are going to treasure for years to come!

(Note: So many of you have asked on Instagram for me to share more about going to Disney on a budget, so I’m planning a full post with a lot more details this coming week!)

Thursday night, Kathrynne got inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma and got awarded a significant accounting scholarship (she’s an accounting major).

I watched her going around talking to so many, many different people last night and had to stand in awe of who she has become. To think that in 5th grade, she was too shy to even talk to anyone her age and struggled with extreme social anxiety. And here she is today leading so many things, juggling so many different responsibilities, chasing her dreams with gusto, so confident, and incredibly outgoing.

I’m so, so proud of her!

I also adore her friends – I got to hang out with her roommate and bestie, Emma, all night and we had the best time and may have whispered and giggled a little too much during the ceremony. 🫣

Beauty Brands is running their super popular Annual Spray Sale right now! Score Salon Hair Sprays, Texture Sprays, Leave-Ins, and Dry Shampoos for up to 62% off, making them as low as $12.48!

Plus, score extra savings on select sprays when you use code 22256 at checkout — making them as low as $11.61! Click through to see the eligible sprays on the website. These are AMAZING prices on professional hair care brands like these, so be sure to snag some before they’re all gone!

This CHI hairspray is one of my very favorite hairsprays and I highly recommend it!

Walmart is currently offering their Spring Beauty Favorite Box for just $8.98 shipped!

This box includes six to seven new beauty items just for you. It makes a great gift idea, too.

I just got my box and was so excited to see all the goodies it included!

Speaking of travel, one of my very favorite travel items is my foldable backpack! I got it last year in February and it has been on so many trips with me since and held up so well. It is perfect for sticking in your suitcase to use when you need a bag for a long day of walking around but don’t want to lug a heavier backpack.

This girl turned 6 this week! And she ran to the mirror the morning of her birthday and was so disappointed, “Mom! I don’t look any different! I was sure I would look different when I turned 6!”

Meanwhile, Kaitlynn did this amazing highlight this week. She is so talented with hair and I am SO proud of her going after her longtime dream of cosmetology school and how she’s just knocking it out of the park. She’s already building up a client base and I’m not surprised because she does such stunning work! (If you are looking for a new stylist and live in the Nashville, TN, area I’m kinda biased, but I think you should check her out. Details on how to book with her are at @curledbykait!)

David has been making SO much progress with interacting and communicating. He gives fist bumps now and gets so excited about it!

My secret to fitting a TON in a carry-on – these vacuum-sealed travel bags from Ekster!!

Highly, highly recommend these bags if you travel regularly! These would make such a great gift idea for anyone in your life who flies often!

They are up to 50% off right now + I got the company to give you all an additional 20% off any order with code CRYSTAL20

Micah is three and we’ve been working him on teaching him how to cook, how to clean up after himself, and how to let ladies go first and to open up doors for his sisters, other women, and me. He loves to do it and will often run ahead to open up the door.

He’s watched his daddy model this from day one and he’s excited to follow in his steps! Watch this cute video here. Let’s normalize boys being gentlemen! And let’s start teaching our sons from an early age!

Yesterday was a bittersweet day. After five years of playing baseball with this school team, Silas played his last game with them.

As many of you know, Silas came to us in December asking to switch schools this coming year (he’ll be a Junior). He’s been at this school since 5th grade and we assumed he’d graduate high school there. But he had a long list list of very valid reasons and we prayed and agreed that we felt like it was a good move. So we’ve been in the process of praying and looking and applying the past four months and trusting God to give clear direction.

He has some very good friends and deep relationships with coaches and teachers that will be hard to leave behind. His baseball coach has poured so much into him and we are so grateful for the impact he has made on him.

Jesse has gotten to be an assistant coach for his school baseball team the past three years, so that makes it especially bittersweet to be ending this era. We are so grateful for the many memories they’ve made together the last few years – and it makes my heart so happy that Silas has wanted Jesse to be part of the coaching staff. What a gift to have teens who *want* you to be involved in their lives and the lives of their friends.

What I’m Reading

Mists Over the Channel Islands – My first Sarah Sundin novel and I’m really enjoying it.

The Body Teaches the Soul – Slowly working my way through this because it’s SO good!

Capable – I already know I am going to say every single parent and every one who works with kids needs to read this book! FANTASTIC!

Depth – This book has been so helpful for me as I’ve been walking with others through some deep grief.

What I’m Watching

I’m continuing to watch When Calls the Heart. I’m almost finished with Season 12 – can you believe it? I am hoping to finish the entire series in the next few weeks and then I’ll need a new series to start. Any recommendations?

What I’m Listening To

Lots of worship music on my runs! I love going out in nature and watching the sun rise and listening to music that points me to Jesus. It’s so soul-filling! One of my favorites right now is Though You Were Rich.

In Case You Missed It

My 25 Favorite Things to Buy at Aldi — If you want to stretch your grocery budget, knowing the best things to buy at ALDI is key. This is my personal comprehensive list of the best things to buy at ALDI — meaning these are all items that I can almost always find for the lowest price at ALDI compared to other grocery stores.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza Recipe ($10 Dinner Idea) — This $10 family dinner was inspired by leftovers but quickly became a family favorite! You’ll love how easy, quick, and frugal it is!

Brigette’s $114 Grocery Trip — Check out what Brigette bought this week and her upcoming meals for some meal-planning inspiration!

Misfits Market Discount Code — Do you struggle to afford fresh produce for your family? Check out this honest review of Misfits Market for a solution that might save you money on groceries! (And be sure to scroll to the bottom for a discount code that’ll get you 30% off your first four boxes!)

Easy Lazy Monkey Bread Recipe — This easy, pull-apart breakfast with canned biscuits, cinnamon, and sugar is perfect for holidays and family gatherings.