Money Saving Mom®

The week before school started, we had our 25th year of our annual family vacation at Bull Shoals Lake! We missed @kathrynnepaine and @realwillhump and @kaitlynn.paine and @rjmestre07 but we made the most of our time even if it was really different without them.

A few highlights:

• Silas became very proficient in slaloming and wakeboarding.
• Kierstyn learned how to ski on two skis and to kneeboard!!
• Micah was so much more independent this year, loved tubing, and decided he wanted to wait to attempt skiing until he’s older, but LOVED swimming in the lake!
• David was so much more engaged with everything this year and we were amazed to realize how much progress he’s made with his understanding and communication since last year. He didn’t want to swim in the pool but did go on the tube.
• I loved challenging myself to run on all the hills — I decided 3 miles on hills feels like 5 miles on much flatter roads! 😂 I also attempted slaloming after not trying for over 20 yesrs. And well, I ended up getting the wind knocked out of me and having a panic attack (first time I’ve had one in years and it was super scary to have it happen in the water while I was waiting for the boat to come back. I couldn’t figure out how to breathe for almost a full minute! I don’t really know what that was about but clearly have some things to process through there.)
• Jesse doesn’t love water sports but he loved watching our kids attempt things and also swam with the kids a lot. We also enjoyed just having a quieter week together away from our usual life!

All in all, it was a great way to cap off our very full summer! The kids start school this next week and after weeks of traveling almost every single week, we are ready to get back to a consistent rhythm!

It was back to school week at our house and this year feels really monumental in so many ways!

Silas switched to a new school this year after being at the school he had been at since 5th grade. He came to us in December with a list of reasons why he felt God was nudging him to make the change.

We spent a number of months praying and touring and filling out applications and praying some more. We really, really felt like he was supposed to be at one specific school but they didn’t have any openings.

So, we spent a number of weeks unsure about where he would land since we’d already cancelled his contract at his current school and all the secondary options had closed. We were considering just homeschooling and having him do dual credit at the community college. But then, on the very last day before summer break, a spot opened up at the one specific school and he got in!

There were so many, many faith-building lessons learned in this journey and God made it so clear repeatedly that this is the school he’s supposed to be at… so we are thrilled for him and excited to see what the next two years hold.

He’s also very excited as they have a fantastic baseball team! (When we met with the coach when we were touring, Jesse and I both felt so strongly, “This is a man of character that we want our son to be mentored and coached by!”)

Kierstyn is SO excited about first grade! She came home her first day and was all ecstatic that their schedule said they had a language block on it. She said, “I wonder what language we are going to learn??” When I told her it was likely English-related things, she looked at me with confusion, “Mom! We all already know English!”

Yesterday she came home and said disappointedly, “You were right. Language is phonics.” 

Micah is doing 5 half days at the tiny Classical Christian school he was at last year where Kierstyn also attends.

David is starting full-day kindergarten, too!! He attended half days last week and started full days next week. When I attended his classroom orientation the night before school started, I was so touched by another parent that I cried over on Instagram!

This mom approached me and asked about David. She wanted to know what he likes, what his favorite things are, and how she could prepare her son to be a friend to David. ❤️ 

This is just a reminder that it means the world to those of us who have kids or family members with disabilities when you show interest and care. I know it can be awkward and uncomfortable. I know it can mean stepping outside your comfort zone.

But it deeply, deeply touches us.

That mom might never know what a gift she gave to me. I had showed up feeling sort of sad because I know that David is so, so far behind every other child in his class. (So much of what they shared wouldn’t even apply to him because he’s so delayed.)

But I left feeling so grateful for the gift of him being in a classroom where he will be welcomed and loved and seen. And I truly believe that those who invest time with him are going to be so blessed in return, just as we are every day!

When I picked David up after his first day of school, he was SO happy! His teachers said he had been laughing all day! At circle time, he took his spot on the carpet, criss cross applesauce. He has two aides, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and he ate TWO full puddings with one of them! He will only allow people to feed him if he really trusts them and I am just so thankful for them and the heart they have for him.

Kathrynne also starts college later this month — it will be her senior year!! And then Kaitlynn graduates from cosmetology school in September! So we’ll have two graduations this coming year!

It might seem like a weird combo, but I am loving this delicious protein bowl! It’s just plain non-fat Greek yogurt mixed with protein powder, topped with some type of fruit and honey. It gives me 40+ grams of protein + great carbs and fiber!

I shared last week about the changes I am making in the way I eat. In case you missed it, you can read here and watch here about why I am making this change and how it’s going!

I really surprised the internet this week when I shared that Jesse and I don’t sleep on the same side of the bed every night. We just sleep wherever we feel like and on whichever pillow is there. 

So many of you were shocked that I would sleep on the same pillow as my husband has slept on before! I couldn’t believe it — y’all shocked ME! We’re married… I just don’t get it! Can someone please explain what is so crazy about this? 🙂 

A reader sent in a great question this week:

“Hi Crystal. I was wondering how you manage to be so positive about back to school. My boys go back in 2 weeks and I am so sad, feeling like we didn’t do much this summer and it completely flew by.

I’ve been having some health issues and feel like that ruined summer for me. I get kind of panicked thinking about school and I don’t want them to pick up on my negative attitude about it, because they’re already not excited for summer to end. I know that they learn so much, academically and socially, at school from their teachers and friends but I hate not having them around all the time!”

These are the words I shared with her. I hope they are an encouragement to you, too.

I am sorry you had health issues that made summer hard. Instead of thinking that it “ruined” summer, though, I would challenge you to reframe it. What unexpected blessings were there in the midst of the health challenges?

So often, my plans get upended and, when they do, I have a choice: 1 can either pivot and trust God that His plans look different than mine or I can get frustrated about it.

I believe that God is sovereign. As such, I can trust that He is good and He is working – even when I can’t see it or things don’t make sense.

So I choose my attitude. I choose to look for the blessings. I choose to wake up and hand over my day and my plans to Jesus and then eagerly anticipate how I’m going to see His faithfulness in my life.

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What I’m Reading…

I’m currently reading: Reimagining Church as Family, Capable (SOO good!), Take My Hand (it’s been heartrending but so good so far!), House Hushing, More Than You Can Imagine, Moving with God, and This Moment Matters (I’m prepping for 4 different podcast episodes!)

What I’m Watching…

Jesse and I finished the first season of The Mole and enjoyed it. If you like reality shows that keep you guessing and Who Done It sort of mysteries, I think you might enjoy it. Note that it does have some language in it. I also watched Herbie: Fully Loaded with the Kierstyn and Micah and they really enjoyed it. And Kathrynne and Kaitlynn and I went to see the new Spider-Man movie and loved it (note that there is quite a bit of language in it).

What I’m Listening to…

I started listening to Glad You’re Here: Two Unlikely Friends Breaking Bread and Breaking Fences this week and I am really loving it! Thank you to whoever recommended it!

I shared on Instagram this week that you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to have the most magical day at Disney! 

Kierstyn dreamed about going to Disney for three years… and for her 6th birthday in April we finally made it happen!!

We bought one-day tickets to Magic Kingdom and didn’t buy a single upsell. No Lightning Lanes, no food plans, nothing extra. And it was honestly one of the best days we’ve ever had — princesses, parades, fireworks, all of it.

A few things that made the biggest difference:
1. We went on a Tuesday during a quiet time of year – the longest line we waited in all day was 25 minutes
2. The Princess Fairytale Hall is completely FREE – Kierstyn met 5 princesses!!
3. We brought our own snacks and water bottles into the park.

You can read more about all of my best tips in this post!

In Case You Missed It — Links from Recent Weeks: 

• 50 Free Breakfast Ideas — Busy school mornings are here! Grab our list of 50 simple breakfast ideas and recipes to take the stress out of breakfast and make mornings run a little smoother.  
  
• How to Start a Savings Plan that Works — As you know, I’m passionate about helping you save money in practical, everyday ways. But there’s another important piece of the puzzle that sometimes gets overlooked: having a plan for the money you save. When you intentionally direct those savings toward specific goals, that’s when your savings will start to actually give you breathing room and peace of mind. This post will help you get started! 
  
• The Best Apps to Make Money Reselling Your Stuff — Between clothes your kids outgrow in six months, home decor you no longer use, impulse purchases, and random items sitting in closets, there’s often money hiding in plain sight. This post highlights some of the best apps to make money reselling, plus details for selling successfully on these sites.
  
• People keep telling me that I look so happy and rested! — This genuinely surprises me every time…because the last 12 months have been anything but easy. Read more about this on my Instagram post from this week!