Mvelopes and a Giveaway

For years every month I would put our monthly budget into an excel spreadsheet, but not always record our expenses in each category. I would try to keep a running total in my head.

As you can imagine, it didn't work so well. It was difficult to follow a written budget when I was not consistently writing down our expenses.

A few years ago, a friend mentioned using a program called mvelopes. It is based on the envelopes system where you place cash in an envelope for each budgeted area. Instead of placing cash in an envelope, you electronically assign your budgeted amount to each envelope. Each day transactions are downloaded from your bank and credit card company. When the transactions are downloaded you can assign them to the correct envelope. You are able to track your spending and stay within your budget.

I love the mvelopes system! It is easy to use and helps us to maintain our budget each month. It takes just a few minutes each day to assign transactions to their envelopes and I can see exactly where I am with our budget. Using the mvelopes system was integral in helping us to become debt free.

I have two 90 day memberships to giveaway.

Do you follow a budget? If so, what makes it easy or what are the challenges?

* I was not paid to talk about mvelopes or given anything in exchange for this post. I love the system and wanted to share it with you. I received the 90 day memberships when I became lifetime members of mvelopes. I thought this was a great way to share them!

Morgan and Emily Through the Years

I spent some time last fall digging through old pictures. It was causing my mama heart to feel just a tad bit sad. You see, I was sorting through ten years worth of pictures and memories of Morgan and her best friend Emily.

Emily was going to be celebrating her 10th birthday and Morgan wanted to do something special for her gift.

She came up with the idea to create a scrapbook of pictures of the two of them since they were babies. These two girls have known each other literally since the day Morgan was born. They were born 3 weeks apart and spent almost every day together from the time they were babies until they were 5 years old. The girls have a strong bond and their friendship continues to grow and flourish. They have plans to go to college together and be roommates. It is so sweet!

Morgan did a great job putting the photos into a book, journaling each page, and then leaving some blank pages to fill in with future memories. It really brought tears to my eyes. I pray their friendship continues to grow. I am so amazed at how well they have stayed connected living over a thousand miles apart. Their friendship is truly a gift.

I forgot to take pictures of her finished product but here are some of the sweet pictures she chose to put into the scrapbook.

top to bottom {l to r}: the girls as newborns, emily, morgan, and their friend gavin at preschool graduation age 4 1/2, morgan, emily, and grace at the vbs program age 3 1/2, morgan, emily, and emily's brother eric at the apple orchard age almost 2, emily and morgan during a visit to MN age 9, morgan and emily at halloween age almost 3, morgan and emily watching the snow fall age about 15 months, morgan and emily at their dance recital age 4 1/2

Where has the time gone?

Yesterday you went off with Pat and Amiah on a ski day. I remember your first time on the mountain. How can you be big enough to ski on your own?

You woke up in the middle of the night and your leg was hurting. I carried you to bed and I could hardly fit you in my arms. When did you get so tall?

You came to show me that you have another loose tooth. I remember when that tooth came in... it was when you started to suck your thumb. I remember it so clearly so how is that that tooth is ready to fall out?

You want to sit on my lap and snuggle. You take up my entire being. When did your legs get long enough to dangle over mine?

Where has the time gone my boy? You will be six in just a few weeks. I am not sure I am ready for six. At six you won't be a little boy anymore. I miss my little boy but the memories of your baby years, toddlerhood, and preschool years are etched in my memory forever. I am looking forward to seeing the boy and man that God has created you to be my son. Even though you are getting big you will always be my little boy. I love you buddy!

Snowy Morning

Once mid February arrives, our temperatures are fairly mild and it starts to feel like spring. It is rare for us to get snow.

We woke up Wednesday morning to a blanket of snow and more falling. It was like a little gift.

I bundled Mauryn and Landon up and sent them out to jump, roll, and play in the snow.

I am glad I took advantage of the morning snow. By early afternoon, all the snow was gone. All the pretty white replaced with mud and brown grass.

Week One : Lent

I have made it through a week without fountain soda {or any form of caffeine since i don't drink coffee}, sweets, and no facebook/twitter.

It hasn't been easy.

I am realizing how much I use facebook to communicate with my friends and family. I do miss knowing, on a regular basis, my friends and families activities. I am spending the time I used to be on facebook to playing games and reading with my kids, getting more school work done, get caught up on my blog, and tackling some items on my long to do list.

My kids have been taunting me a little with the no fountain soda. We will be driving and they will ask "mom, don't you want a fountain soda?" Well, now that you brought it up i do! I think I missed it the most when we were traveling. It was definitely a comfort thing for me. If i was having a bad day, feeling tired, or stressed - go get a fountain soda. Or having a great day, finished some things on my to do list - go get a fountain soda. Really, I didn't need an excuse. I just love the stuff. It hasn't been as difficult as I imagined to go without the fountain soda.

I have never been a huge sweets eater. I do not really care for chocolate. I wouldn't eat a brownie. I do have a strong love for cookies, especially chocolate chip cookies. Now that I have been introduced to cake balls, have mercy! I have been finding that usually after lunch I like something a little sweet. I wanted to get out of the habit. This has been hard. Harder than I thought. I didn't realize how much I craved the sweet things. The discussion in our house has been if candy {lollipops, and sugary candy} counts as sweets. What do you think??

The kids and I are enjoying our daily lenten lessons. They look forward to solving our mystery message and finding out our giving activity. The one bonus is that Landon is really learning about coins, their value, and exchanging money. I enjoy seeing the kids work together on these activities each day and their awareness of others is growing as well.

If you sacrificed something for lent, how is it going? Any lenten activities you are doing with your kids or as a family?

Coeur d'Alene

When Morgan first started gymnastics there was one meet that the parents of older girls recommend attending - The Great West Gym Fest.

Two years ago, we drove up as a family and spent a whirlwind weekend in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. We were not disappointed with the organization of the meet or the activities that were available for the gymnasts and their families.

Last year, the schedule of the meet did not allow for us to attend {they had Morgan competing on a Monday afternoon}.

This year, we have been looking forward to a return trip to Coeur d'Alene. Morgan has been counting down the days since the beginning of the gymnastics season.

With Landon playing basketball and Lance coaching his team, Morgan and I took a girls weekend trip. We had a great weekend, very busy but so much fun.

Morgan and I flying over Idaho... it was a very clear day and so interesting to check out the topography.

One of the most exciting things about the GWGF is that they bring in former Olympic athletes. During Morgan's session, 2004 Olympic gymnast and NCAA champion Courtney Kupets handed out the awards. Morgan was over the top excited! Courtney was so sweet and gave a great talk to the girls about being part of a team. I was very impressed with her.
Morgan had to be at the gym at 7:30 am and by the time the meet and awards ended it was early afternoon. We had some hungry girls {and moms}! We found a cute little restaurant next to our venue to have lunch. They had an option for the girls to make their own pizzas.
The one thing Morgan was looking forward to all weekend was the ice cream social with the Olympic gymnasts. This year instead of it being in a conference room at the hotel, we had a boat cruise on Lake Coeur d'Alene. The girls have the opportunity to get autographs from the former Olympic gymnasts and ask them questions. It is such a neat experience for them. The boat cruise was wonderful.... the views around the lake are amazing and the weather was perfect!

If our Saturday hadn't been full enough with the meet and the boat cruise, we attended an evening event called the Big Show. This is where they take the top girls from the upper levels and they get to perform. There were two girls from Morgan's gym who made it to the big show. It was exciting to watch them and the little girls were so proud of them.

Before the big show started, the Olympic gymnasts were having a little fun - a boys against girls competition. This is Courtney Kupets doing a little tumbling on a floor.

Courtney Kupets at GWGF from Kristen Cheney on Vimeo.

Although it was not a restful weekend, we had a great time. We are looking forward to next year.

Peanut Butter and Jelly with a Twist

Lunch is the time of day in my house I dread the most. As a friend once told me, lunch is a stay at home mothers worst enemy and nap time is her best friend. I couldn't agree more!

I am constantly searching to add things to our lunch rotation. Yesterday I remembered reading about a peanut butter sandwich with a twist {i searched on line and can't find the source} My kids loved it.

I only took a picture after not sure if my kids would like them or not. Here is the "recipe":

- pkg of crescent rolls

- peanut butter

- jelly

- powdered sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Unroll the crescent rolls into triangles. Place them on a baking sheet.

2. Spread each triangle with peanut butter and jelly. Roll up the crescent rolls.

3. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

4. Sprinkle with powdered sugar when they come out of the oven.

Up next is this idea? My kids will love it!

Any new lunch time ideas??