The End Of Summer Is Approaching

Well, there are only three more weeks and the girls start back to school! I can't believe how fast this summer went by. When the girls got out of school back in June, I was just praying that their daddy would finally make it home in time to enjoy the summer with the girls before they headed back to class and now it's all coming to an end.
We've enjoyed our summer so far...we've visited lots of family, gone to the movies, went to a theme park, gone to the beach, and we're going to the beach again next week. I think no matter what we've done this summer, we truly realized how important it is just to be together as a family again and we made memories together that will last a lifetime!
Even though the summer is almost over, I'm more than ready to get back into our normal routine and possibly even start working a part time job while the girls are in school. Being on a schedule and having a day to day routine works really well for our family, so I'm glad to get right to it!
So, as the end of summer closes in, I want to thank God for blessing me with a wonderful husband and two beautiful girls who I adore spending every moment with and thank him for giving us such a wonderful summer where we were finally reunited!

Carowinds FUN!

We went to Carowinds today and it has been a while since we've been there...it was SO MUCH FUN! We went on a ton of roller coasters and that was a milestone for me because the last time we went, I weighed close to 300 lbs and couldn't even ride any of the coasters or rides which was quite depressing. So, after losing close to 100 lbs, I could fit on all the rides so easily, it felt AWESOME! We went to the water park in Carowinds too and I have never been because I just didn't have the nerve to walk around in a bathing suit or get on any of the water rides..today, I didn't have a care in the world, I was just there with my family to enjoy them and have a good time!

Family time is so important and I'm so glad we got to spend time together as a family today!

We're On A Mission!

Now that David is home and back at his regular job, we've come to realize that we've been living beyond our means and we don't want to live that way any more! A lot of people don't want to talk about it or admit the fact that they have financial struggles going on in their life, but I'm not ashamed to admit when I've made a mistake and I know when I should resolve it. That time is now!
We're scaling back and cutting out monthly expenses wherever we can so that we can live comfortably with what we have and not what we want. Sometimes, it's hard to not want new things, it's human nature, but to know when to give up those things, is something we all need to learn. It hasn't been easy for me, in fact, I think it's taken me this long to finally figure out what I should have been doing all along.
We're blessed that David will be getting a military bonus soon and with that money we had planned on using half of it for bills and the other half for things we wanted, but after careful thought and consideration, we've decided to use the entire bonus to pay off our credit card debt once and for all and then we'll be able to use our tax refund for things we want because we'll already be debt free. I feel like this is exactly what God intended us to do with this money and so we're following his will.
I've been a stay at home mom for five years now and I love every minute of it. Some days are hectic, some days are tough, but most days are full of joy and happiness because I have the opportunity to spend every waking moment with the two most precious girls in the world. It's a job I wouldn't trade for anything and it's a job I don't take for granted. Another reason for us scaling back and cutting costs is so that I can continue doing what I love~taking care of my husband and girls 24/7. It's an important job and it's my place in life. My husband wants me at home and I know that God wants me at home as well.
God gave us the knowledge to make decisions and choices to better our lives and not just wait around for it to fall in our laps. We're taking the reigns and setting out on a mission~a mission to better our lives for our family. What else could be more important than that?

4th Of July Fun!

This 4th of July we went to my mom's house in Wilmington, NC. We went there for the 4th last year too, so it's becoming a family tradition to spend the holiday at the beach! It was so nice to spend time with my mom and step-dad but also spend time together as a family with David home and what better holiday to celebrate than one that pays tribute to our amazing country, the U.S. A.!

On Friday we barbecqued and then went to Carolina Beach where they had carnival rides and a firework show on the beach. The girls loved it!

On Saturday morning we went to the beach and the girls swam while David and I layed out in the sun to catch some rays. Later that day we barbecqued again and then took the girls for ice-cream. It was only a weekend get away, but it was an amazing and much needed get away!

Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!