Finances 101

SPEND LESS THAN YOU MAKE.

It's easy to say, and it should be easy to do. But it's not.

It's not easy to do when you get kicked out of your rental home (because it is sold, mind you) and have to buy a car to travel back and forth between Atlanta and your new home. It's not easy to do when you have a friend getting married in Europe and you need … have … ought … should … would like to (?) go visit. And worst of all, it's not easy saving when you are adjusting to a new living situation and a new lifestyle.

Then when your finances take a turn for the worst and you discover that your total yearly income will be less than expected this year (and not because of anything you did or didn't do, could or couldn't have prevented), it's a bit of a shock. Adjustments must be made.

So that's what Justin and I have been working on over the past week. We've gotten comfortable with one lifestyle that now must be changed, for better or for worse.

Here are a few of our most recent financial graphs.


Here you see our assets which I am most proud of. As is typical with finances, the assets are ever-changing. As of right now, I have a wad of cash and a check that needs to be deposited into the bank that would raise our assets to above what we had in February and 3/5 of the way to my ultimate (emergency savings) goal. (YAY!) Unfortunately, the lower yearly income will drastically alter how much I am able to contribute monthly to these checking and savings accounts that make up our emergency savings since, while having an emergency savings is nice, it is not vital to living or getting out of debt. :(


And there you see our debt. Probably better seen through net worth, below:


This graph says not to waste your time or money sueing us, because you won't get hardly anything. :( That bit of green is my pitiful emergency savings in comparison to student loans, and credit card debt. The worst part: we still have more in savings than most other Americans, given that we actually HAVE SOMETHING. Scary, right?

I know a finance update isn't how anyone wants to spend the Monday following July 4th, but it was on my mind and something I haven't posted about since May. Our financial status right now looks a bit bleak, but I am hoping that change is coming … Either a change in my yearly financial expectations (and new opportunities), lower spending, or both.

Are you meeting your financial goals this summer?

Simplicity


This image was the opposite of simple to edit. In fact, it was the opposite of simple to obtain. Sunsets are a beautiful part of nature and yet you still have to find the time to go to a place to observe them in their full, natural, beautiful glory. My question today is: are sunsets really ever truly simple? Or are they as complicated as editing them has turned out to be?

*I'm participating in the iheartfaces summer photo challenge and you should too!

Stopping to See


"What we see depends mainly on what we look for. ... In the same field the farmer will notice the crop, geologists the fossils, botanists the flowers, artists the coloring, sportmen the cover for a game. Though we may all look at the same things, it does not follow that we should see them."

- John Lubbock, The Beauties of Nature and The Wonders of the World We Live In

Take the time today to look at something differently than you would have before. Or perhaps, more importantly, take the time to look today. Sometimes the most beautiful things in life are things we pass up on seeing simply because we are too busy.

Have a fantastic Monday!

*I'm participating in the iheartfaces summer photo challenge and you should too!

Sunny Days

somewhere in southern Germany, May 2014

I love sunny days just as much as the next person, but seriously, where is the rain?! The weatherman promised me some, and I'm just not seeing it! (Actually, the forecast calls for rain every day for the next week, and I'm ready for it. I want cooler weather!)

How is the weather in your area? Are you missing the cold winter weather yet?

*I'm participating in the iheartfaces summer photo challenge and you should too!

Clouds


Today my source of inspiration is clouds.

It was pretty windy and overcast the day we spent in Marseille, France (where I got the picture above) which meant that the clouds had a ton of personality. Have you ever thought of clouds as having personality?

I definitely do. I do a lot of cloud looking, and there are definitely 'good' cloud days and 'bad' cloud days. In fact, this is what prompted a trip to Chattanooga last fall when we attempted to drive up to Cloudland Canyon Park to shoot some awesome cloud photos and scenery.

Anyway … back to clouds …

Apparently I am not the only one to think of clouds as having personality. Kelly DeLay has a website where she documents the clouds daily. (What does she do when it rains?) Apparently she has (as of the publishing of this post) taken 1,801 days worth of cloud phots! Can you even imagine what it must be like to go outside and shoot clouds every. single. day.?! I'll admit that I have tried, but I think the secret to getting good cloud shots is a polarizer … and persistence. That would be why I was never successful. (I only recently got a polarizer, and I'm not too good with the persistence bit when it comes to clouds.)

Kelly DeLay isn't the only person pursuing a 365 day project. I've seen people do craft projects, generic photography projects, and, one of my favorites, the Julie/Julia project (which the movie Julie and Julia was based on). I love the idea of pursuing something you want to get better at and practicing it on a daily basis.

I definitely noticed a change in my photography over the 3 weeks I spent in Europe carrying my camera constantly. First of all, the camera and the equipment started to really dwindle down to the necessities; who wants to carry that much? Second of all, the camera started to get really heavy. As in, OW! My shoulder! (Because I can only really carry it on my right shoulder. Don't ask.) But I also started really thinking about my shots (when I wasn't climbing mountains trying to catch my breath). Where was the top third of the shot? the bottom? How was the lighting? I was far more creative at the beginning of the trip, but my actual technique began to improve toward the end. I became more conscious about whether or not the shot was something I actually wanted. Was it unique? Different? Would I want to edit it later?

Now I am pursuing the edit-a-picture-a-day while babysitting and working. I'm sharing a dropbox folder with the friends that went on the trip, so I am being extra careful about what I post. Too many re-edits and I'm certain their minds might explode. The good thing is that it is making me more confident in my edits. I'm pulling together a style that I think is unique to me, involving lots of saturation and pulling information out of the highlights and lowlights where I can. (Thanks CreativeLive!) I love the almost-HDR effect in my photos without actually going there.

Are you doing any projects of a similar nature? Shooting images for 365 days? Cooking your way through a recipe book? I'd love to hear about your projects! It's nice to have support and know that you aren't alone.

*I'm participating in the iheartfaces summer photo challenge and you should too!

Turquoise Water and Blue Skies


My summer is already looking a bit crazy. Here is my current schedule:

8 hours of babysitting (without internet)
X hours of graphic design (depends on the day)
X hours of photo editing (also depends on the day, image, etc…)
2 hours of drive time
1 hour of blog time (at least)
and some extra side work I typically do.

Hmmm… 

No wonder I needed a beautiful view of the coast to get me through today. :)

I'm not complaining about having paid work to do, but I am wondering how I will balance it all as the summer progresses. I might consider blogging just 3 times a week or blogging just images to keep up with the iheartfaces June challenge. After all, I do love pictures (and challenges). :) 

However, the whole reason I blog is to challenge myself to become a better writer. Ahh!! … the decisions! 

What do you think I should do? Are you one of the lucky ones that gets a break during the summer?

Ten Things I'm Thankful For


I've said it before and I'll say it again … this month has been rough. I don't deal with changes very well, and there have been a lot of changes in my life recently and will be more soon.

Here are 10 things I was/am grateful for from the past week:

1. Seeing the kids I watch. No matter what happens during my day, I am so grateful to see their faces and experience their enthusiasm; I soak it in. They always make me feel better.

2. Having a Mexican lunch with my parents and in-laws after returning from Europe. Being greeted with hugs.

3. Realizing that French mail is much faster than German mail! The postcards I sent from France have already arrived, and I've only been back a week! Usually German mail takes 2-3 weeks.

4. Justin's homemade freshly baked baguettes and croissants. Discussing the pronunciation of the word "croissant" with Justin. Exploring Atlanta to find the best baguettes, croissants, and macarons for sale. (Alon's has some pretty good baguettes and croissants, but the macarons are nothing like those found in France.)

What's the difference between a crescent roll and a croissant? Some googling may need to occur. :)

5. Going to my favorite Italian restaurant with my "honey". I usually only go a few times per year. It always makes me happy when we get to go again. (I've been dining there for nearly 20 years!)

6. Getting my editing list down by nearly 500 pictures! I started with 3400 pictures on my laptop (with this being only half of the images that were taken during the whole trip) and now I am down to 2900! It sounds crazy, but I DO NOT want to edit 6000 images! I hardly want to edit 2900. I really just want to edit the very best of the best. If I get a few great images edited and perfected from each location I will be a happy individual.

Oh - and for future reference, your grandparents may say they want to see all of the 6000 images, but they lie. Pro-tip: Only share the best of the best. People get bored otherwise.

7. Getting to go to the beach this weekend! I am soooooo ready!

8. Becoming more confident in my picture editing.

9. I'm almost caught up with e-mails! Yay!

10. Getting the opportunity to talk to a friend for an hour at a time during my long drive to and from work. I had neglected talking to her too much in the past 2 years since I lived 5 minutes away from work, and I could always think of something else I needed to be doing rather than spending an hour on the phone with her. Now, my hands are tied to the steering wheel.

How has May gone for you? Are you excited about the start of summer? Do you miss the cool winter time weather yet? Did spring bring any major life changes for you?

Unifying Belongings & Packing Last Minute

Over the weekend, Justin and I shopped and shopped and shopped … then we packed and packed and packed staying up until midnight both nights simply trying to get everything done. I had to write a list in order to remember everything I had to do and every store I had to go to on Saturday, and then I still forgot a store! Argh!

Luckily, Justin and I are almost ready to go to Europe tomorrow. We have narrowed our belongings down to one checked bag (under the 50lb limit), two carry-ons, and two personal items. It's a lot of luggage, and I keep nitpicking trying to decide if I can take more out. I know that taking less will only benefit me in the long run. Nevertheless, there were definitely a few things we put off buying until the last minute to add to our luggage. I hope, even in my effort to continue to reduce my luggage, I didn't forget anything.

A few things I bought on Saturday for the trip:


Bare Escentuals: A Stroke of Light Eye Brightener

I always have dark shadows under my eyes. Since we are going to a wedding in Europe, I decided it was a great time to go hang out with a Bare Escentuals associate to find out what they recommended for my "problem". The Stroke of Light Eye Brightener is a nice concealer and brightener for under the eyes, because it brightens the eye area without the need for additional make-up. Plus, you can layer it on to be as thick or as thin as you'd like. You can wear it on top of or under your usual make-up.



I bought this brush to use with the eye brightener. It lets you apply the make-up easily without using a heavy hand. Plus, it was recommended. 

Free People: Strapless black dress with red flowers

Unfortunately, I can't find a picture of it. :( The dress is made out of two different materials with a much thinner material making up the skirt of it. I thought it would be a good day dress, so I returned my black lace dress in exchange for one that I could wear a little more frequently (i.e. this one). Because of the thin material in the skirt, Justin had to sew a black slip for it. I love pairing it with my nude heels, black leggings, and …



I already owned the black version of this cardigan. I ended up sizing up from an xs to a small because of how thin the arms are on it. It was great fun seeing that it is now on sale though!


Anthropologie: Quinby Dress

While you may recall that I already own this dress, when Anthropologie announced their sale on sale-priced items, I immediately took this dress in and got a price adjustment of $20. If you don't own this dress and want to, they are still offering their sale on sale items with free shipping when you use the promo code "justbecause". Today might be the day to buy it. :)



for sunset shots with my wide angle lens.


Circular Polarizer

for water shots.



and a case to carry them in.

Who wants to lose filters?


Marvis Toothpaste in tiny form

If you haven't tried this toothpaste, you simply must! It is minty and fresh and wonderful! I love it! Justin loves it! It is a bit more expensive than Crest or Colgate though, so if you aren't too particular about toothpaste this may not be the right paste for you.


I usually use homemade laundry detergent, but some of my Free People clothing is expensive, so I am extra particular about how I keep them clean. One of the ways I make sure they stay looking their best is through my use of Woolite. I figure that Woolite is typically meant for delicates, and sometimes my clothes seem delicate and easy to mess up. Buying the woolite packets means that I can keep my clothes looking good while I'm on the go. 

a few gifts for special occasions Justin and I will be missing out on while we are gone. 

Sometimes it is difficult making sure your friends and family still feel loved, thought of, and appreciated even when you are gone for special moments in their lives.

Do you do any special shopping for your vacations? Is there anything you splurge on or go out of your way to buy? Is there anything you forget until the last minute?


* Participate in the A-Z blogging challenge with me! You know you want to! :)

Friday: Trip Thrills

Starting on Tuesday I will be in Europe. I have definitely shared a large amount of the stress that I have dealt with going into this trip, so today, in an effort to get more excited, I decided to share 7 things I am most looking forward to on the trip.

1. A view of Paris


For our first night in Europe, specifically in Paris, Justin and I paid a much higher premium to fall asleep to the magnificent views of the Eiffel tower and Paris at the Holiday Inn - Notre Dame. I totally plan on staking out a spot either on the terrace or in my room waiting for the sun to set with a glass of wine in one hand and my camera trigger in the other. Perhaps I'll let my husband sit with me too.

2. A surprise.


I can't share now, but I am simply dying too! Maybe once the newness of the idea for the surprise wears off, I will be better able to control my desire. Super grateful to my husband for working with me to pull this one off.

3. Views in Venice


I like views. (Who doesn't?) I was super excited when the Hilton Molino Stucky offered me an upgrade after booking to a room with a view. Not only will we be able to go up to the terrace to view Venice, but we can also view it from our room! Huzzah! Of course, the upgrade is limited to space availability and I don't know how great the view is. It sounds like fun though. We'll be living like royalty!

4. Airbnb German Rental

We rented a house from a German fellow that has been super helpful and friendly throughout the planning of this trip. He even offered to get us breakfast or fruit from the store the day before we get there since all of the stores will be closed the day we arrive! Aww! :)

I'm not sure if I will like German food. I mean bratwurst? sauerkraut? This is another reason I'm grateful to be renting a house rather than staying in a hotel. I don't know if there will be time, but I would love to explore some grocery stores, find fun foods, and cook a bit! (It's much easier to try new things, when you only have to try a tiny bit and not throw out a whole plate.)

5. VRBO Paris rental

The food thing is even more the case in Paris! Apparently, the location we are staying at is known for having fresh food stands. I just want to go buy some fruit, cheese, bread, and wine for a picnic near the Eiffel tower! Yum! :)

6. Coffee and ice cream in Italy


I don't drink coffee, but I just want to go to an Italian coffee shop and smell it! Mmmm! :)

And gelato? Fresh gelato? I don't think I will ever be able to eat "Americanized" gelato again.

7. Spending time with Friends (and family)

I've been married to Justin over 2 years and it still feels weird to call him "family". Clearly, I am not as Italian as my family history would lead one to believe. I also find it odd that I have been married to Justin for 2 years. It feels like … 2 seconds. Maybe 5. ;)

Oh and the friends bit. Love the friends. Without them, this trip wouldn't be happening. Kudos to them. Or best wishes, since they are getting married. :)

What would you be looking forward to most on a 3 week tour of Europe? Food? Friends? Museums? Something else? Do you have any recommendations for me?


* Participate in the A-Z blogging challenge with me! You know you want to! :)

Scatterbrained & Stressed + So Much Candy!

Traveling to Europe in the next few days has me so incredibly stressed out. I have all of these tasks in my head that need to be checked off, and I'm holding my breath praying I don't forget anything or screw anything up. In fact, this has been so much the case as of recently that I've had a crazy number of tension headaches along with a lack of sleep. :(

Luckily, in the afternoons I get to go play with my favorite little mud-slingers. They are always so happy and excited to tell me about their day and their plans for the rest of the week. And when they aren't talking at me, I get to raid their Easter baskets for some delicious Easter candy. (Don't judge!)

Here are a few of my favorites:



2. Sour Patch Kids







Are you getting the picture yet? 

For good measure, let's throw in at least one non-sour candy!






9. Laffy Taffy




What are your favorite Easter candies to steal from tots? (Or buy on sale after the holidays?) Do you share any favorites with me?


* Participate in the A-Z blogging challenge with me! You know you want to! :)

Review Day!

I feel like I review clothing at least once a week! Scary, isn't it? I generally find that I am so picky that it quite literally takes me months (and sometimes years) to build a substantial wardrobe of things that I like. Unfortunately, I end up wearing those "favorites" so much, that I never have enough time to shop for more favorites before I find holes in my clothes or accidentally get bleach on them (or what have you). Definitely frustrating. With our trip to Europe coming up in less than a week, I jumped on the bandwagon and went clothing shopping being perfectly willing to pay full price for things I loved that I thought I would enjoy wearing overseas. Don't get me wrong though; I will still find a reason to do some shopping in Paris. How could I not? ;)


As always, when I go looking for new things to buy, I always stumble on a few things that are on sale including the Forever Yours Dress at Free People. I was going through the sales racks late at night with a tired husband and another female not much older than me who just happened to like the same things as me. I found this dress first in white and asked Justin what he thought … and I'm pretty sure he ignored my question in favor of his phone the first 3 times I asked him. I kept holding on to the only size 2 left on the rack despite his inability to hear me or respond. I was glad I did hold onto it though, when the other girl complained to her shopping companion(s) that they only had this dress in 6s and 8s. (I assumed what she didn't know couldn't hurt her.) When I finally got around her, I found this dress available in a size 0 in black which I also picked up. (FYI: the dress in currently priced at $88 in the Atlanta Free People stores in comparison to the $128 price online.) As is usual for Free People with their large sizing, the size 0 fit me far better than the size 2, so that is what I bought.

Here are a few other things you should know about this dress:
-The slip is short. I am 5'2" most days and I had to lengthen the slip to cover my behind. In fact, I'm still thinking a pair or black shorts underneath would not be a bad idea. I don't know what you taller girls can do.
- The dress stretches easily. Be careful. Take all of your jewelry off or it will snag and pull the lace.
- The dress is short. If you are tall, this dress may be more like a top for you. Seriously. It fit me like it fits the model and I am NOT 5'11".


I ordered the Voile and Lace Trapeze Slip in the white/grey combo both from Free People and ShopBop when they were having their Friends and Family sale. I had seen a model pair it with the Reese sweater at Anthropologie, and when the Reese went on sale I decided to order and try the combination. Unfortunately, it didn't work out for me. I wasn't in love with the pair and I couldn't think of a way to wear the parts separately that I was content with. This slip is very loose and even when ordering the xs, it still fits like it does on the model which is not the most flattering and a style that a belt simply wouldn't work with. I do want to say that the white/grey combo definitely looks more white than grey, so if you are interested in this slip in white, don't be afraid to try that combo. Also, if you really love this slip be sure to check out other stores that carry Free People products to see if you can find it cheaper. This seems to be a popular slip that is being carried in a few different stores.


In looking for a summer shirt, I ordered the Patchwork Crochet Tunic in both black and champagne. Let me say that again: champagne. No, it is not, not, not white even though it looks like white. The tunic is just a bit shorter than what I usually wear, but I usually wear loooooonnnnggg tunics. My husband was happy to finally see me in a shorter one claiming that the shorter one made me look taller.The tunic on my 5'2" body hit me at about mid thigh perhaps a tiny bit higher. The xs fits loosely and I have been pairing my top with a belt just under my chest to cinch it in and make it more figure flattering. Also, keep in mind that this is a CROCHET tunic so you MUST wear something underneath. (Or at least I do.) It's definitely a fun top to wear, and I think it will be great for the summer.


If you recall, last week I bought and tried the Nikola Dress in size 2. The dress was very cute, but it ended up not meeting my expectations. Neither Justin nor I liked the top of the dress. It seemed very dark for someone who usually wears v neck clothing and hardly ever has anything on her neck (other than a necklace). Also, the sleeves were quite puffy and the material was more of a brown color with lots of texture that I wasn't expecting. It's a very light dress with a soft slip inside that would be great for summer gatherings. I thought it looked best when paired with a belt and sweater, but the dress itself is pretty slimming if you don't take the puffy sleeves into consideration. It came down to this being a cute dress, but it wasn't a dress I would have been comfortable wearing.


The last thing I considered was the Reese Pullover from Anthropologie. I had seen someone pair it with the Voile and Lace Trapeze slip from Free People and I thought I might could pull it off too. Nope. I bought the last xs in ivory from an Atlanta store and when I brought it home to try it on, I was so glad I had bought an xs. This pullover runs HUGE! Like I said, it didn't quite work out the way I wanted it to and I wasn't too enthused with the pullover. It was very soft and thin which I imagine is great for spring, but I tend to wear things with lace and ruffles which this pullover doesn't have. I haven't managed to return it to the store yet, but it will be there this weekend in case you are looking for this top. :)

Just for good measure, here are a few other things I'm interested in that I haven't tried yet:

Free People Handkerchief Halter Dress

Free People Radiance Crochet Dress

Free People Salinas Foil Dress

Anthropologie Melanie Dress

Have you gone shopping at either of these sister stores recently? Anything I've mentioned that you've bought and/or loved? Anything you've hated?


* Participate in the A-Z blogging challenge with me! You know you want to! :)

Quiet

This week we are preparing for our trip to Europe resulting in major stress as last minute things get done. I'm praying I don't forget anything.

To make matters worse, I've been feeling ill and I had to work late last night resulting in my falling behind. (It doesn't take much now that I commute an hour to work daily.)

So, with that in mind, today I am taking a break. Please forgive me.

Tomorrow there will be some Free People and Anthropologie Reviews. I've tried a lot of things on and bought some at full price(!!) that I can't wait to tell you about! :)

Have a fantastic Tuesday!


* Participate in the A-Z blogging challenge with me! You know you want to! :)

Post Easter Cupcake Deliciousness

Over the weekend, Justin and I made some delicious cupcakes for Easter.




We were inspired by this recipe. Of course, Justin is completely opposed to making anything with a box, so he changed it up by using Alton Brown's chiffon cupcake recipe, adding malted milk, and using the Swiss Meringue buttercream found in this book. The cupcakes were delicious and so cute with their little nests and "bird eggs" on top. We also did a few plain with sprinkles. I'm not sure we could have come up with a cuter Easter treat!

Did you make any fun treats for Easter?


* Participate in the A-Z blogging challenge with me! You know you want to! :)