A Simple Life: Mindless Monday, A Spring Break Money Saving Plan, Our Family's Continuing Story

Good Monday morning!

RANDOMNESS #1 - The Boy left yesterday evening for another week at JSU. His LAST week at JSU. It's been four years, and on Thursday, April 18, 2013, he will have completed his Bachelor's of Science Degree in Communications.

On Friday, April 26, 2013, he will graduate summa cum laude (which means he maintained good grades), and we (his entire extended family) will eat at Top of the River to celebrate.

I know Top of the River probably isn't the fanciest or most obvious choice for a graduation celebration, but we have history there.

Over the past four years, we've met there on his actual birthday and other days in between to slow down and catch up... because weekends are crazy, crazy around here, you see.

I've come to terms with celebrating at Top of the River because...

1. The Boy loves Top of the River.

2. I don't mind smelling like deep-fried hush puppies as long as everyone around me smells like deep-fried hush puppies.

3. They have plenty of room for the 20 or so people we are expecting to celebrate this milestone.

4. And the clatter of platters and the family-friendly atmosphere will absorb any and all noise we could possibly make during this joyous occasion.

RANDOMNESS #2 - The kids attended the Tim Hawkins Concert Saturday night and absolutely loved it. They came home retelling each and every one of Tim Hawkins' "bits" in between bites of Chocolate Cobbler and Chips Ahoy Pudding Cake. (For the record, I also had a Mixed Berry Cobbler, but the kids weren't having that. No, sir. Chocolate or bust!)

I asked Austin to buy the most recent Tim Hawkins DVD, and The Boy remembered! YES!

We watched it last night during our Bible Study, and we laughed out loud... or as the kids say LOL.

It was a good way to end a hectic weekend.

RANDOMNESS #3 - My niece, Amber, had a wonderful baby shower yesterday. She looked so pretty and she has the craftiest family and friends. (I took a few pics so you could see.)

Mackenzie's nursery is going to be pink and green paisley... decorated with hoot owls. Too cute.

I loved this. After we signed in, we had to put a green thumb print on this picture to hang in Mackenzie's room.

See the thumb print closest to the baby owl? Do you?

That's Great-Aunt Belinda's thumb print... right next to Mackenzie!

One of Amber's peeps actually made this wreath. How pretty is this?

Also, I want to mention something else I loved about the shower. On the back of Amber's invitation, this little poem was added.

One small request
that won't be too hard.

Please bring a book
instead of a card.

Whether Cat in the Hat
or Winnie the Pooh,

You can sign the book
with a note from you.

Baby Mackenzie will become
very smart indeed.

If we start early,
she will soon learn to read.

Needless to say, Mackenzie already has a very well stocked library awaiting her arrival.

RANDOMNESS #4 - I was blessed and honored to teach a Sunday School class yesterday on "Parenting God's Way - Birth to 5 Years-Old." (It was a one-time thing.)

It is one of the sweetest times in life... beginning a new family.

I think I may have made some new best friends. Yes, I was just a wee bit older than they were, but I think we bonded in such a good way.

You see, they are still "making" newborn babies... and I am still head-over-heals in LOVE with newborn babies.

We had so much in common it was a little scary!

RANDOMNESS #5 - "Our Family's Continuing Story - The Journey to Good Mental Health" - I read the following blog post this week, and I don't want to just suggest you read it. I want to URGE you to read it.

Go to www.aholyexperience.com written by Ann Voskamp. Scroll down (FOREVER) until you see the post entitled "What Christians Need to Know about Mental Health" dated April 8, 2013.

Here is a tiny excerpt...

"There’s no guilt in mental illness because depression is a kind of cancer that attacks the mind. You don’t shame cancer, you treat cancer. You don’t treat those with hurting insides as less than. You get them the most treatment."

NOTE - Ann's post is specifically about depression. Our family's personal story revolves around OCD and panic attacks.

Please read the post in it's entirety. Please.

I'm starting a new heading for future posts today. It will simply be called "Our Family's Continuing Story - The Journey to Good Mental Health." My prior posts regarding this subject have been called "Josh's Journey" and "Panic Attacks" (and you can read those posts any time by clicking on those headings under "Labels" in the sidebar).

You can also go to www.belindafaulkner.blogspot.com (my first blog) and click on the same headings for even more posts regarding our family's on-going struggle with mental illness.

I have to admit, I've been discouraged when it comes to talking about mental illness, but after reading Ann's post, I am reminded and encouraged to not be silent.

Being quiet will not help.

Being quiet will not heal.

Being quiet will never help another.

Being quiet may seem easier, but in the end it is just more painful.

Don't worry. I do not intend to be a "Debbie Downer" kind of blogger... and if your name is Debbie, I apologize.

However, when the subject comes up around these parts, I will address it!

A SPRING BREAK MONEY SAVING PLAN

To be honest, I thought I saw this on Pinterest, but I cannot find it anywhere.

So let's be clear. This was NOT an original idea.

I don't know where it originated, but be assured it was not in my head!

That being said, it is a good one!

1. Get a manila envelope and place it in a drawer.

2. Beginning the first Monday in January (and continuing every Monday for the entire year), you will put the dollar amount that coincides with the number of weeks into the envelope.

Week 1 - $1
Week 2 - $2
Week 3 - $3
Week 4 - $4
Week 5 - $5...

I think you get the idea.

By the time you get to the 52nd week of the year (and you put $52 in the envelope that week), you will have saved $1,138!

At least I think it was $1,138. That's the number that is stuck in my head. I don't really feel like doing the math this morning, but trust me...

There will be over $1,000 in the envelope at the end of a year.

This is something I am looking forward to starting January 2014! And I can't wait to spend on something special Spring Break 2015!

I hope you have the best week. I really, really do. I'll be back Friday morning with a new recipe (Brown Sugar Cookies), SPRING pictures, a new date and a little more. (Well, that's the plan. We'll see. We'll see.)

Take care, and I'll talk to you Friday.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S. Since this post was a little serious today, I thought I'd leave you with some pictures from a year ago... just to get your Spring Fix!

I've been "best friends" with Ree (a/k/a The Pioneer Woman) for a year now. Can you believe it?

And when I say "best," I mean we met briefly at her book signing and I was so starstruck I couldn't even say, "Hi!"